Asparagus

Fat asparagus stalks won’t fall through the grill grates—and they can char without becoming soft and stringy.

On an afternoon in May, a favorite Provençal bistro served us this utterly delicious and totally beautiful spring salad of blanched asparagus, a perfect poached egg draped with a shiny, fragrant slice of ham from the French Basque region, and a tangle of soft greens.

Juicy chicken cutlets with all the bright, briny flavors of classic piccata are possible without a stove—all you need is a microwave.

Gently cooked in olive oil, delectably tender leeks melt like butter over fennel-scented chicken thighs and snappy green vegetables in this easy spring braise.

The pan-flip doesn’t just look cool, it ensures that food cooks evenly over high heat.

Blister leeks to transform the crunchy, spicy veggie into something soft and smoky.

Inspired by classic Greek flavors, this warm salad is balanced with zesty lemon, tangy feta, tender salmon, and sweet spring vegetables.

Since the weather is still a bit chilly, this recipe for a hearty green soup might just the thing to energize you while keeping you warm!

When I put these ingredients in my rice cooker, I knew the flavors would complement each other, but I wondered what the dish would look like. It was lovely! The soft, melting goat cheese mingled with the asparagus and creamy eggs. The frittata makes a great light supper or lunch dish; serve it with a fruit salad.

This is an ode to Spain, a culture totally infatuated with the glories of asparagus. Here the green spears are paired with a classic Basque tomato-pepper relish called pipérade, simple poached eggs, and grits. One of these things has no place in Spain, but you can take the boy out of Georgia but you...well, you know.

I love the way the sweet-and-sour rhubarb butter adds flavor to this chicken as it cooks—I think you will too!

This entire dish is right out of Rose and Ruthie's River Café playbook, with just a few tweaks of my own. They taught me how to make fonduta, a silky sauce rich with crème fraîche and egg yolks. It takes less time and just a bit more effort than tomato sauce, and turns a plate of pasta into an elegant and impressive meal. Get yourself some asparagus spears that are as thick as your pointer finger—not those thin or sprouty ones—and you'll enjoy the juicy slivers in each bite.

Puréeing beet greens into pesto and tossing asparagus ribbons with fettuccine is a great way to incorporate healthy vegetables into pasta.

Served warm or at room temperature, a frittata makes for an easy yet impressive dinner. If you are following our $68 Dinner Story, buy 1 bunch asparagus and use 3/4 bunch for the Fettuccine with Asparagus, Beet Green Pesto, and Poached Egg and the remaining 1/4 bunch here. This is the perfect opportunity to use up any leftover beet green pesto from the pasta dish as well.