Herbs & Spices

Editor's note: The recipe below is from Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from The New York Times.

Cooking cucumbers takes them out of the salad realm, transforming them into a side dish that's perfect with fish or white meat. Perked up with mint and lemon, they're as refreshing as ever.

A salad from your pantry and fridge: Canned and frozen beans are the secret behind this attractive mix that includes crunchy celery and earthy cumin.

This play on osso buco forgoes veal for the dark meat of turkey legs. A vibrant gremolata made from lemon and orange zest and fresh parsley offsets the richness of the meat.

A long marinade in a mixture of Korean ingredients infuses these short ribs with spicy-sweet heat. Braising the ribs locks in the fiery, garlicky flavor and results in incredibly tender meat that pulls easily away from the bone.

This is a fantastic preparation for bone-in pork shoulder, which is loaded with flavor but needs braising to tenderize. A blend of ingredients commonly used in Eurasia's culinarily diverse Caucasus region (comprising Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and parts of Russia) brings together elements of heat, garlic, and spices like coriander and fenugreek.

Long on flavor and short on time, this classic French dish makes a smart weeknight dinner. Bright with tarragon, it's a great way to welcome spring.

The cabbage and carrots in this dish supply 126 percent of your daily vitamin A, key to maintaining healthy eyes.

If four people eat a mix of light and dark skinless meat, you'll have enough leftovers for two more meals. Bonus: Your oven does all but 10 minutes of the work.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Shun Lee Cookbook by Michael Tong. This Sichuan dish features a regional sauce, sometimes called "fish-fragrant flavor," that combines hot chili paste, garlic, ginger, scallions, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce—but no fish!

This recipe was created by chef Ryan Hardy of the Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

This recipe makes more than enough pesto for Chef Ryan Hardy's Artichoke and green garlic soup . Leftovers, which freeze wonderfully, are great with pasta.

An unusual pesto made from pistachios and cilantro gives the chicken Middle Eastern flavor.

Serve these mini pizzas as an appetizer with drinks.