Herbs & Spices

The cod is topped with housemade mayonnaise at Hugo's. We offer a simplified version.

A squeeze of lime unites all the flavors of these new-wave quesadillas.

The hit of beer in this tangy mustard makes it the perfect dipping sauce for the sausages.

If you have a food processor, you can make sausage from scratch. Adding pork fat to the meat gives these bite-size sausage patties a tender texture. Call your butcher in advance to make sure he sets aside some extra pork fat for you. To help the mixture blend more easily, be sure to freeze the pork pieces before grinding them in the processor. Keep in mind that the sausage needs to chill overnight so that the flavors have time to develop.

A great sauce to serve with tongue , this is essentially a mayonnaise, but the egg yolks are cooked instead of raw. I like to make a lot and then keep it in the refrigerator to eat with cold ham too. It's also good as a salad dressing.

These addictive and deeply flavored ribs make a great starter as part of a larger Thai meal, or they can be served as a main course accompanied by jasmine rice and a sautéed or braised leafy or bitter green vegetable. On the other hand, they make a terrific snack to go along with a cold beer.

The official vegetable of Georgia since 1990, the sweet, mild Vidalia onion is recognized worldwide for its gentle flavor. However, Vidalias can only be grown in a 20-county production area in and around Vidalia, Georgia, to legally wear the Vidalia label. Because of their thin, tender skins and relatively high sugar content, Vidalia onions are more perishable than most and need to be consumed within about one week of purchase. Look for Georgia-grown Vidalias at farmers markets around the Southeast in early spring through the summer. Although a regular white sweet spring onion would make a fine substitute, Vidalia's signature sweetness is gorgeous with the saltiness of bacon and the mild, lemony bite of fresh thyme in this savory tart. Serve with a salad and you've got a meal to remember. If you want to bypass making tart pastry, go ahead and buy prepared pastry at the grocery.

In the South, grits are served every way from here to Sunday and are as sacred as good manners and sweet tea. The mildness and gritty, nurturing texture render them an idyllic backdrop for shrimp, tomatoes, sausage—you name it! I love the way the pungency of horseradish plays along with the grits, the smoky heat of roasted poblano peppers, and the sweetness of red onions in this versatile and easy-to-prepare side dish. Roasting is a great way to cut back a bit on any pepper's pungency while stepping up its sweetness.

Spontaneity is the key to this pasta salad; it's not something you can make ahead and chill. The main ingredients can be harvested from a backyard plot or balcony pot, or simply be a reward for your produce-shopping prowess at the farmers market.

Steaming unlocks the succulence of okra. Here, the pods are tossed with slivered ginger and a Vietnamese-inspired scallion oil in an all-purpose dish that's great with grilled steak or chicken, or with nothing more than a fragrant bowlful of jasmine rice.

Celebrate the last of the hot weather with a spirited, chunky gazpacho in the Mexican mode. Tomatoes give the soup their characteristic rich, rounded flavor, and tomatillos—an Aztec and Mayan staple—lend fruity tartness and great body.

Brush against a lemon verbena plant and its long, narrow leaves will release a transcendently clean, lemony scent. A little of the herb goes a long way, and it plays well with both ripe summer fruit and the light dryness of rosé. All the elements come together here in a suave gelée.

In Greek mythology, the quince, with its intoxicating perfume, was the golden apple that Paris gave to Aphrodite, "the fairest of them all." Edward Lear's Owl and Pussy-Cat dined "on mince, and slices of quince, which they ate with a runcible spoon." Coming up with a recipe to match the stuff of legend is not the easiest thing in the world, but this ultra-simple creation is delicate and alluringly aromatic. Worthy, in fact, of the goddess of beauty and, served as a compote with a little whipped cream or Greek-style yogurt, suitable for eating with a spoon, runcible or otherwise.

This textural celebration of legumes includes those that are both in and out of pods. You'll find crisp-tender Romano beans and green beans, as well as droves of firm yet creamy fava beans (also called broad beans), which have been a staple in places like Egypt, China, and the Mediterranean for millennia. The beans are all cooked in one pot and then warmed in a skillet, where verdant shreds of basil join them at the last minute for extra oomph. Sound easy? That's because it is.

The parmesan here is the catalyst that makes the cheesy flavors jump out of the airy centers. These popovers are best when baked at the last minute, but you can make the batter ahead.

Mint gives sprightliness to robust mackerel and mushrooms in a quick escabeche that manages to be both substantial and refreshing.