Celery Root

This simple but satisfying dish — full of slightly sweet parsnip and celery root chunks — can be made ahead and just reheated before serving.

What the New Sammy's menu describes as a broth is really a purée. The dish is somewhat monochromatic, but its fascinating flavor spectrum will make your mouth extremely happy.

Pair this with a crisp French Chablis, the Chardonnay-based white from Burgundy.

"I recently had lunch at Café Boulud here in New York," says Shelli Rafkin of New York, New York. "My entrée, blanquette de veau, had the most incredible sauce I've ever tasted. The whole dish, in fact, was sensational." In this variation on the classic stew, the veal and the vegetables are cooked separately and combined at the end, when they're topped with a rich white sauce.

"As a confirmed New Englander, I was surprised to find a terrific seafood restaurant in Phoenix: Steamers Genuine," says Barbara J. Johnson of Worcester, Massachusetts. "The baked halibut was perfectly complemented by roasted vegetables and potatoes au gratin. I know how to make the fish, but I wouldn't know where to start with the other two dishes." This side dish and the Potato Gratin with White Cheddar Cheese would also be good with roast chicken or beef.

Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 50 min

This dish can be baked along with Pork Loin with Morel Stuffing, but it should go into the oven about 30 minutes before the loin does. Transfer the celery root to the lower third of the oven after 30 minutes so that the loin can be put in the upper third.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A traditional French assiette crudités (raw vegetable salad) just like those served all over Paris.

Strong beef broth and garlic, not sugar, make a true Ukrainian borscht delicious. Fresh root vegetables and roasted beets provide plenty of sweetness which is balanced by an acid edge of lemon.

This one is delicious made with shrimp and/or scallops, too. If using lobster, garnish the plates with the empty shells.

It's hard to believe that there's only one tablespoon of butter in this rich-tasting side dish.

We found celery root and Jerusalem artichokes equally delicious in this puree.

Rich and satisfying, this is sure to be the hit of the party-especially if it's a cold day.