Rhubarb

The cornmeal biscuit topping adds some crunch to the winning combination of fresh strawberries and rhubarb.

The sweet yet tangy chutney lends an exotic flavor to grilled pork — or chicken or salmon. The dark brown sugar stands up to the other intense ingredients.

For an elegant touch, serve the cobbler in oversize goblets and top with ice cream.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min

This modern take on a classic French dessert saves time by using frozen puff pastry.

Orange juice and pomegranate juice enhance the light sorbet. The compote would also be good over store-bought strawberry sorbet or ice cream.

This recipe was created to accompany White Chocolate Toasted Almond Semifreddo.

"While in Vancouver, we had a wonderful meal at Diva at the Met. The star of the show was the Stilton cheesecake. Could you persuade the chef to part with the recipe?" asks Mark Horne of Laurel, Mississippi. Editors' note: Pairing Stilton and rhubarb may sound like a joke, but we had to try it. It turns out that the joke's on us — the combination is terrific. Chef Michael Noble caramelizes the top with a blowtorch, but we think the cheesecake is also delicious without the crackly crust.

Fresh rhubarb is at its peak in the spring, and this dessert makes the most of it. Use the bright red portion of the rhubarb stalks for the prettiest result. The pastry for these napoleons has a crisp caramel glaze; be sure to butter the baking sheets very well to prevent sticking.

Use fresh peaches when available - six peaches should do it.

This jam has a good, concentrated flavor: The only liquid comes from the rhubarb and berries interacting with sugar and lemon juice. The quick-to-prepare jam also makes a nice filling for tarts.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe was created to accompany Strawberry-Rhubarb "Courting" Cake.

Offer cookies alongside this dessert.