Root Vegetable

With its tantalizing aroma of garlic, sesame, and Asiago cheese, this Middle Eastern flatbread may well be gone before you can even put it on the table.

There will be extra tamarind sauce: Drizzle it over vegetables, chicken, or fish; stir it into pilaf; or use it as a marinade.

St. Patrick's Day in a flash: A zesty glaze makes corned beef from the supermarket deli your own. The perfect go-with? Wedges of cooked, buttered cabbage, of course.

This soup features the flavors of India: aromatic nigella seeds, curry powder, curry leaves, and cumin seeds.

Use a mandoline to cut the parsnips easily.

For subtle spice in this Asian-inspired soup, use half a red chile; add a whole chile for a good punch of heat.

George Hendrix of Carbondale, Colorado, writes: "My family is usually in a hurry to eat, so dinner has to be on the table fast. This soup was one of my mom's standbys when I was growing up. I often make it in big batches and just ladle it out and microwave as needed." This soup is even better the day after it's made, when the flavors have had a chance to mellow.

A meatless yet rich dish that would make a perfect appetizer for St. Patrick's Day dinner.

A new take on carrot cake.

A thoroughly modern take on the classic baked potato with sour cream.

If you have trouble finding pea tendrils, pea sprouts (young pea tendrils) work very well with this dish; you'll find them at Asian markets and farmers' markets.

The ultimate dish for a cold winter day, this hearty pie couldn't be more satisfying. Picard uses venison along with pork to create an amazingly tender and sauce-rich filling.

Made without stock, this light vegetable soup (which was passed down from Elena's mother) is not only easy to prepare but amazingly flavorful. It really benefits from the final addition of egg and parmesan.

Creton
Quebec breakfast at its best, this pâté-like spread is a treat on toast or crackers anytime.

Wonderfully crunchy, toasted panko transforms an ordinary vegetable into a truly special side dish.

Eaten with great gusto all over Quebec, poutine was once just a late-night diner staple. It is now served at some of the province's finest restaurants.