Morel Mushroom

Paella is a traditional Spanish dish of saffron-infused rice cooked with a variety of meats and vegetables. It varies from season to season and from region to region in Spain. A good paella often contains some crunchy, toasted rice on the bottom of the pot as a counterpoint to the smooth grains. Typical paellas include a mix of proteins such as chorizo sausage, shrimp, and mussels along with chicken. Feel free to mix and match, using a total of 1/2 to 3/4 pound. This version takes advantage of the springtime arrival of fresh peas and morel mushrooms. To add a bright note to this recipe, include the grated zest of half a lemon sprinkled on the mushroom layer. Consider substituting white wine for some or all of the liquid.

The thinner the slice of meat, the more tender the pot roast will be. Ask your butcher to slice it less than two inches thick. Also, go for a better-quality meat for a more tender result, but be aware that it is easy to end up with tough meat if it’s left in the oven too long. For rarer meat, cut the vegetables into smaller cubes (1/2 to 1 inch) and remove the pot from the oven at the first whiff of the robust aroma of a fully cooked meal. To speed up your prep time, use frozen green beans and peeled baby carrots. I never peel my potatoes because so much nutrition is in the skin. Just be sure to scrub them well and dig out the eyes. I also think wild mushrooms add a wonderful depth to the meat. Try morels, chanterelles, or shiitakes. My aunt swears by kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper with beef. Consider both, but remember that kosher salt is more intense, so you may want to use less than you normally do.

Intimidated by roasting and carving a whole chicken? This dish is just as aromatic and comforting, but is a lot easier to handle and serve. Everything cooks together in one pan, including the sauce.

"There is no such thing as Jewish Alsatian cooking. It is Alsatian cooking,” Chef Gilbert Brenner told me over lunch at his restaurant, Wistub Brenner, with a view over the Lauch River in Colmar, a charming city in southern Alsace that has had a Jewish presence since at least the eleventh century. “Jewish cooks adapted the dietary laws to what was available here,” Monsieur Brenner told me. “France didn’t create dishes. Families created the dishes. It is the cooking of their grandparents and reatgrandparents.” Looking over the menu at Brenner’s popular restaurant, I was taken by this extraordinary leek terrine, which I later learned was put on the menu for Gilbert’s Jewish customers and friends who keep kosher or are vegetarians. During the short asparagus season in the spring, Gilbert substitutes asparagus for the leeks. The recipe is a modern version of very old savory bread puddings, like schaleths (see page 251).

It doesn't get any more classic French than this. The restaurant uses France's iconic (and expensive) Bresse chicken, but any flavorful, free-range bird will do. If fresh morels are not available, put 1 1/2 ounces dried morels into a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak for 30 minutes. Set a sieve over a small bowl and strain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Cook according to recipe instructions, pouring in mushroom liquid with wine, leaving any sediment behind. You can also swap out the morels for crimini (baby bella) mushrooms. What you'll lose in taste you'll gain in savings. Use it to buy a decent bottle of Burgundy—white or red—to drink with the dish.

This may be the most decadent recipe in the entire collection—all good things baked into one dish so creative and rich that making it causes the cook to chuckle periodically at the luxury and process. Don't wait for Derby Day.

These individual lasagnas are perfect for a dinner party.

This recipe is as delicious for lunch or supper as it is for breakfast. Morel mushrooms tend to trap grit, so swish them around in cool water, transfer them to fresh water for a 15-minute soak, and pat dry before using.

An impressively elegant dinner for two that comes together in about half an hour. Serve with buttery Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

At La Côte Basque, this dish was originally served with an extremely rich cream sauce, but when Jean-Jacques Rachou took over in 1979, he reimagined a lighter version, one with pan juices and crème fraîche. It plays up the nutty, earthy morels beautifully.

The roasted chops are finished with a mix of asparagus, morels, and herbs.

Tarragon leaves and meaty morel caps shoot up all over the Jura mountains in the spring. Here, tossed with juicy green and white asparagus — Europeans are particularly mad for the latter — they're a genuine sampling of the season.

This recipe was created by chef Mark Franz of Farallon restaurant in San Francisco. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

This pasta showcases spring produce.

The base for the sauce can be prepared two days ahead; the pan juices from the Roasted Double Rack of Pork are added to it before serving.

Delicious when served hot, this pasta dish is made for the culinarily creative—feel free to use your favorite mushrooms for a recipe all your own.

What to drink: Red wine that's both earthy and light — try a northern Rhône Syrah blend like Saint-Joseph.

Using multicolored carrots makes this beautiful side dish even more vibrant.