Scallion

Set out a dish of peppery extra-virgin olive oil with a dash of aged balsamic vinegar, Vincotto (sweet Italian vinegar), or verjus for dipping.

This Asian-inspired marinade pairs perfectly with pork—turning into a sticky, spicy, sweet glaze when cooked—but can also be used with chicken or beef.

This salsa can also be spooned over grilled shrimp, fish, chicken, or lamb.

If yellow zucchini are unavailable, you can use all green zucchini to make this pie.

Cooking peas only briefly—in a little bit of butter—lets them retain their flavor, color, and texture.

You can substitute Chinese broccoli with broccolini or dark, leafy greens such as kale, turnip, or mustard greens. Before marinating the tofu, press it as described in step 1 to remove excess moisture.

This recipe can be doubled easily. Use a larger steamer, about ten inches in diameter, to cook all four portions at once in the same basket.

You can purchase a whole roast duck at your local Chinese restaurant. Some varieties of noodles suggest soaking them in boiling water instead of cooking them; check your package instructions before preparing them.

To tone down the sauce for little mouths, omit some of the chiles.

Both the ribs and the greens need to marinate overnight, so plan accordingly.

Similar greens—such as yow choy, also known as choy sum (which looks almost identical to bok choy but bears small yellow flowers), broccolini, or even regular broccoli—will work well in this dish if you can’t find Chinese broccoli. You can buy wide rice noodles at Asian grocery stores, or use the narrow rice noodles (often labeled “pad thai noodles”) that many supermarkets carry.

Let dressing sit overnight to meld flavors.