Bean and Legume

The technique: Cooking veggies over moderate heat for a bit longer than you would for a typical sauté helps meld flavors while retaining texture.
The payoff: Side dishes cooked on the stovetop preserve precious oven space.

Set aside 1 1/2 cups beans for the Kale and Bean Bruschetta ; you'll also use the beans to make the Kale and Cannellini Soup later in the week.

This is one of our most beloved family dishes. It is very much in the Hyderabadi style, where North Indian and South Indian seasonings are combined. Over the years, I have simplified the recipe. Here, you may use the long, tender Japanese eggplants or the purple "baby" Italian eggplants or even the striated purple and white ones that are about the same size as the baby Italian ones. Once cut, what you are aiming for are 1-inch chunks with as much skin on them as possible so they do not fall apart. Serve this hot with meat or vegetable curries, rice, and dal or serve it cold, as a salad, with cold meats, Indian (see Chicken Karhai with Mint) or Western. I love it with slices of ham.

Cèpes (also known as porcini) are perfect with roast duck. Pair this dinner-partyworthy dish with a New Zealand Pinot Noir.

This quick-and-easy garnish would also make a great cocktail snack.

A classic Moroccan tagine (or stew) is typically made with meat. This satisfying vegetarian main course features three kinds of root vegetables—and a delicious spicy, crunchy chickpea garnish.

For this twist on classic risotto, The Kitchen uses farro (hence the name "farrotto") instead of rice. No endless stirring required!

Bulgur can be found at natural foods stores.

"Au gratin" is a term that, in America, is usually associated with cheese. But the term may refer to any light but thorough topping of fine fresh or dry bread crumbs or even crushed cornflakes, cracker crumbs, or finely ground nuts on scalloped dishes or casseroles. These dishes, usually combinations of cooked shellfish, fish, meats, vegetables, or eggs, bound by a sauce and served in the dish in which they were cooked, are then browned in the oven or under the broiler to form a crisp golden crust. Set the casserole dish or baking dish on a piece of foil, shiny side down to deflect the heat, or just set it on a baking sheet.

This homey spot, which gets its name from the tidal strait that runs between Brooklyn and Governors Island, is a neighborhood favorite. Locals crowd around the butcher-block bar and take a seat at the communal table crafted from ceiling beams from a local warehouse. Chef Ryan Angulo keeps diners satisfied with house-made pickles, Brooklyn-made mozzarella, and hearty hunks of meat, like the roast leg of lamb here.

Cotton Row is full of local flavor. The restaurant, which is located on the city's courthouse square, is housed in a three-story brick building dating back to 1821. And chef James Boyce's menu keeps the local flavor coming, with dishes like this risotto made with butter beans, a southern staple. Crispy fried okra makes a fitting (and tasty) garnish.

Linguiça, a garlicky Portuguese sausage, and andouille, a smoky Cajun sausage, are both available at most supermarkets.

The sweetness of the tomatoes and the fennel is balanced by the savory, starchy beans.

The season's best beans shine in this salad. Shaved pecorino fresco—a mild, fresh sheep's-milk cheese—is a delicious finishing touch.

Kohlrabi, a bulbous vegetable with thin stems attached, is a member of the cabbage family. Both green and purple varieties are available. The flavor is a mix of turnip, celery root, and radish. Like other vegetables in the cabbage family, kohlrabi is rich in antioxidants.

Mesquite seasoning is a spice blend sold in the spice section of many supermarkets.