Asparagus

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min The tangy citrus and nutty flavors of the dressing make this asparagus a nice complement to the spiced chicken breast or to simply prepared fish.

Here is a lovely seasonal dish that's fresh and delicate. Note that there is no raw fish in this recipe; the word sushi simply denotes that a dish features seasoned rice, which can be served with a variety of accompaniments, including raw seafood. This type of sushi is called chirashi-sushi (chirashi means "scattered"), and the rice is mixed with asparagus, thin strips of carrot, and cooked shrimp.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Here's a light, fresh-tasting soup-stew from Hotel Château Erenstein in Kerkrade, the Netherlands.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Asparagus heralds spring! It still may be a little early, but as the asparagus season moves along, the stalks will be less woody.

A lovely start to this spring supper would be mugs of green pea soup sprinkled with chives. Accompany the pizza with an arugula, radicchio and endive salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. Offer gelato for dessert.

A green salad is all you need to make this pasta — its creaminess sharpened with a touch of horseradish — into a complete dinner. When shopping, it's helpful to know that egg noodles are usually sold coiled into small nests.

The chile-tamarind sauce is a refined, complex variation on classic satay sauce, which is traditionally thickened with peanuts. This rendition owes its silky texture to mashed kabocha squash. At Arun's, this is served both as an appetizer and as a main course.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

The oil-free dressing is delightfully tangy.

Serve Champagne to add an elegant, light touch to this terrific brunch menu.

Each serving is baked en papillote, or wrapped individually in parchment paper to lock in steam for a more succulent result.