Root Vegetable

The whole beet—greens and all—is used in this clever, elegant main. Gremolata—a mixture of chopped herbs, garlic, and citrus peel—is the classic topping for osso buco. This garlic-free variation gives bright, fresh flavor to the halibut.

Be sure to buy a colorful assortment of baby vegetables. Serve as a side for roasted meat or fish, as an antipasto with salumi and breadsticks, or as an appetizer with crusty bread and goat cheese.

Carrot and celery sticks are traditionally served with Buffalo wings. You also can use ranch dressing as a dip.

The slaw should be chilled at least 4 hours before serving. Ginger can be sliced thinly and chopped in a mini-chopper.

Who knew? These two humble winter staples actually have a natural affinity, playing off each other's best qualities.

There's no question: If meatloaf, then potatoes. These have all the comfort of mashed, but with a nice texture from the potato slices and from being baked in cream. And they can go in the oven along with the meatloaf, so dinner will be ready all at once.

A shot of vinegar enlivens the concentrated sweetness of roasted parsnips—a perfect complement to simple roast chicken.

As you may know, orecchiette is Italian for "little ears." Their size and rounded shape are just right for holding chunky toppings—pancetta, pine nuts, and broccoli fit that bill nicely. Grating Parmigiano-Reggiano over the entire dish is always a good idea.

Don't be intimidated. This is actually just a Southeast Asian twist on beef-noodle soup: steak, fragrant broth, and eminently slurpable noodles.

This potato soup recipe was brought over from Poland by test kitchen director Ruth Cousineau's grandmother.

Despite the exotic name of this sandwich, you can get all the ingredients right at the supermarket. Liverwurst stands in for the traditional pork-pâté filling—the meatiness works beautifully with the sharp-flavored vegetables and fresh cilantro.

This country-style quiche has a crunchy crust, thanks to the whole grain cornmeal.

Crunchy, salty, and fried. Who knew turnips could taste this good? These can be fun appetizers or the perfect side for sesame-oil-seared black cod with a rice-vinegar soy glaze.

In this soupy, risotto-like side dish or starter, pureed parsnips and blanched carrots, parsnips, and turnips are stirred into cooked basmati rice. The parsnip puree adds luxurious richness without any cream, butter, or cheese. Serve alongside pan-grilled steaks or pork chops.

Here's a great new way to roast beets: in a salt crust. The horseradish, thyme, and orange in the crust infuse the beets with bright flavor as they're cooking. Leftover beets make a great addition to salads. Lightly coat torn butter lettuce with a Sherry wine vinaigrette, top with the sliced beets and some sliced red onion, and drizzle with a bit of the horseradish crème fraîche.

Jerusalem artichokes (also known as sunchokes) are neither artichokes nor from Jerusalem, but rather the tuber of a variety of sunflower native to America. The knobby, gnarly vegetable is often overlooked, but its sweet, nutty flavor makes it worth seeking out.

Any variety of kale will work in this recipe. If available, try ruffled Red Russian kale, Tuscan kale, or Salad Savoy.

Look for squash that are heavy for their size.

You don't often see turnips served raw, but they're crisp, sweet, and surprisingly tasty. At the market, look for small fennel bulbs and small turnips. They'll be tender and have a mild flavor.