Root Vegetable

Apples turn sweet as they roast alongside pork loin flavored with herbs and maple syrup. Brine the roast one day ahead.

The brisket tastes best if prepared ahead, so make it at least one day and up to two days before you plan to serve it. Chilling the brisket makes it easier to slice. Rewarm the meat in the sauce and serve with a full-flavored dark beer (see our suggestions below).

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.

Spanakopita is a Greek spinach pie that has become one of the most beloved dishes on the menu. In addition to being a satisfying vegetarian entree, you can cut the casserole into small squares and serve as a substantial appetizer.

This zesty salad is big on beans and packs plenty of protein and vitamins!

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.

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

There's an abundance of parsley at the end of summer, so why not use some instead of basil in your pesto? The herb brings a subtle sharpness to these peas and potatoes.

It's amazing how a splash of citrus and a handful of pistachios can transform a pair of humble brassicas—kale and kohlrabi both belong to that genus—into a bright, fresh, and lively dish. Although this recipe represents the letter k, it could just as easily have been g, for green. Or great.

Heaps of leafy cilantro and the crumbly Mexican white cheese known as queso fresco update a classic side dish. Cornstarch thickens the cream quickly and imparts a velvety gloss.

Risotto, the ultimate comfort food of Milan, heads south to sunny Rome in a revamp of a classic. Pecorino Romano—in place of the more traditional Parmigiano-Reggiano—brings a delectably briny tang, while crunchy radishes in a light vinaigrette provide a counterpoint to the creamy Arborio rice.

The small, round, mild white turnips known colloquially as Japanese turnips are at their most delicious when simply cooked with their greens. A last-minute swirl in miso butter (which is fantastic on pretty much any vegetable) gives them an almost meaty underpinning.

Green beans cooked crisp-tender retain their vivid color and snap, bringing garden freshness to the table no matter what the season. In this quick Asian-inspired side dish, toasted sesame seeds— along with a dose of sesameoil—:add an aromatic, nutty touch.

While the restaurant serves the ultra-spicy salsa alongside hummus, tsatsiki, and baba ghanouj, chef Eric Leyden suggests it as a lively accompaniment to meats and hearty lentil or tomato soups.

Feathery carrot tops, the often discarded exclamation point to this popular vegetable, have a sprightly bitterness—almost a cross between radicchio and parsley—that makes them an intriguing accent to a crisp, cumin- scented slaw. Although it's wonderful made with regular orange carrots, you could also showcase the rainbow of offerings (in shades of scarlet, burgundy, and yellow) that beckon at farmers markets.

Italian parsley isn't usually valued as a salad green. But when it’s tempered by earthy, juicy raw beets and a citrus vinaigrette, the mineral-tinged flat leaves will be the talk of the table.

Nothing says "garden fresh" like a handful of aromatic herbs, and while you may be tempted to take bulgur down the well-traveled tabbouleh road, a little deviation can be an excellent thing. In this case, cilantro steps up to the plate, replacing parsley (typical of tabbouleh) and adding distinct flavor to an already intoxicating amount of mint. Toasting almonds in olive oil and then adding both to the mix enhances the nuttiness of the whole grain.