Dill

For easier crumbling, chill the cheese before adding it to the salad. The French lentils called for here are sold at specialty foods stores; regular brown lentils can be used, and the cooking time is about the same.

This recipe was created to accompany Oven-Poached Salmon with Mustard Dill Sauce . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Here's a modern spin on blini, the buckwheat pancakes that are a classic for caviar. Also topping them with smoked salmon is a delightful way to gild the lily.

An ingenious new treatment for dill.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Here is a savory soda bread with the distinct flavor of dill seeds.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

To start, offer a seafood appetizer, such as chilled cocktail shrimp with herbed mayonnaise. What to drink: Pour Champagne or sparkling wine throughout the meal.

Accompany these with your favorite purchased or homemade tartar sauce.

"My husband and I celebrated my fiftieth birthday on the island of St. John, where we enjoyed many terrific meals," says Eileen Hruby of Tom's River, NJ. "One day, we had lunch at Pusser's Ltd. in Cruz Bay. The coleslaw they served was extraordinary: cool and hot at the same time. I have no idea how it was made." Serrano chilies give this dish a real kick; the lime juice makes it refreshing.

Tah-dig—the crunchy crust of rice on the bottom of the pot—is considered by many to be the prize of Persian rice. Here it is rivaled by the surprise of pistachios, whose natural sweetness is brought out by the dill.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time.