Lemon

In a traditional Seder meal, bitter herbs — sometimes including parsley — represent the bitter experience of slavery. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

The flavors of gremolata — the garnish of finely chopped lemon peel, parsley, and garlic that traditionally tops osso buco — are terrific with asparagus. The asparagus can be blanched and chilled one day ahead.

A grill pan is just the thing for cooking the chicken and zucchini in this recipe.

This dessert was inspired by the time-honored tradition of serving gingerbread with lemon sauce — the tang of lemon cuts the richness of molasses.

These birds are one of many excellent grilling ideas from Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue! Bible (Workman, 1998) and How To Grill, in bookstores later this month.

"Your readers would love the food at Stella's," writes Annoria Tohrm of Richmond, Virginia. "This Greek cafe in Richmond serves all the standards — moussaka, taramasalata, and baklava. But I can't get enough of the baba ghanouj, and I want to make it at home." This Middle Eastern eggplant spread is also a delicious dip for raw vegetables.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Be sure to use powdered fruit pectin in this recipe — don't substitute liquid pectin or a low-sugar variety. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 45 min (includes chilling)

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr (includes freezing)

Wolf Blitzer's family serves this moist, not-too-sweet Bundt cake as a side dish. A warm slice would also be delicious for breakfast. Use the large holes of a box grater to prepare the carrots.

Tom and Pam Kreider of Nashport, Ohio, write: "Our trip to the island of Mykonos inspired the creation of this recipe for fillet of sole. May these flavors transport you to the sunny isles of the Aegean." Don't be tempted to use fresh bread crumbs for this recipe — it won't be as good.

Trude Reder of Long Branch, New Jersey, writes: "My mother's recipe for linzertorte is one of my favorites. It brings back memories of my childhood and of my mother and grandmother busy baking in the kitchen, the delicious aroma of cinnamon and cloves filling the whole house. I've been baking this dessert for family and friends since my husband and I came to this country from Austria over 45 years ago. Now, I've started teaching my own grandchildren the recipe, hoping they will love it as much as I do." Don't substitute jelly for the jam in this recipe — it might leak from the crust. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 1/4 hr

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A high-flavor, low-fat entrée. Serve it over rice to catch all the juices.

Start with Belgian endive spears filled with caviar of red salmon, golden whitefish or black lumpfish. Serve with your favorite Champagne or Chardonnay.

Although bisques tend to be thick and creamy, the following intensely flavorful version is light, with very little cream added.

The meringue bits will stay crisp in this ice cream for about 2 days. The ice cream is still delicious, however, when the meringue is softened and the texture more uniform. The ice-cream mixture (before meringue is added) will easily fit into a standard 1-quart ice-cream maker.