Root Vegetable

Meyer lemons add a floral note, but if you can't find them, regular lemons work just fine.

This sauce adds a nice kick to Shabu-Shabu. Use it as you would wasabi in sushi restaurants.

Imrov: Use fresh lemon juice instead of yuzu juice; try English hothouse cucumbers in place of the Japanese variety.

Look for chayote at supermarkets, Latin markets, and natural foods stores — it's a light-green pear-shaped squash that's mild and crisp.

Hash has never been so decadent. Pieces of duck confit, tender vegetables, and golden-brown potatoes meld with a lavish drizzle of heavy cream and Madeira to create a breakfast centerpiece.

Tender lima beans and fresh corn kernels straight off the cob team up to create a beautiful—and delicious—side dish that's perfect with almost any meal.

These vegetables pick up a little spice and sourness from the pickling, but they stay crisp and retain their individual flavors.

Tortino di patate This dish—which may be the ideal marriage of potatoes and cheese—shows that luxury ingredients like Parmigiano-Reggiano are often at their best when presented in the most straightforward way.

Cookies may seem odd in a vegetable galette, but Italians often use amaretti to enhance squash—and it works with sweet potatoes, too. Whereas the potato and kale galette is savory, this is a little sweet, so it's worth making both.

A crisp potato cake would be tempting enough—even without the surprise of garlicky kale sandwiched between its layers.

This stew has "family favorite" written all over it. The simplicity of the ingredients, along with its versatility, add
up to a dish that is fabulous for a casual dinner at home or to serve to guests.

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez's southern Italian grandmother makes this dish every September. The eggplants get a workout, but the result is worth the effort.

Falling-off-the-bone chicken is cooked in a Chinese-inspired citrus sauce— the source of its reddish-brown color.