Yukon Gold Potato

Active time: 1 3/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

If you can't find fresh fava beans, use edamame (fresh green soybeans in the pod). You'll need to buy two pounds to yield the 3/4 cup for the recipe; do not peel. What to drink: Sauvignon Blanc or a dry Spanish white made from Albariño grapes.

Le Cirque's elegant take on roast chicken.

(Warm Potato Goat-Cheese Salads with Thyme and Niçoise Olives)

Tarragon adds its distinctive anise-like flavor to this terrific main course.

Do not use a dark aluminum baking pan (including nonstick) for this recipe because the potatoes will burn. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

The pickled cucumbers are also great on their own as a condiment for tuna-salad sandwiches.

Nice with grilled or roasted meat, fish or fowl.

Mashed potatoes are always a crowd-pleaser at holiday meals. But if you want to mix things up a bit this year, try one of our delicious variations, below.

Extra-virgin olive oil takes the place of cream and butter in these decadent, golden mashed potatoes.

Vermouth-roasted garlic and Yukon Gold potatoes are terrific in this mellow dish.

Microwaving the potatoes before baking helps cook them quickly, but the regular oven will produce a crispy skin. Have a mixed green salad garnished with Greek olives and roasted red peppers to start. End with vanilla custard and butter cookies.

Use fresh button mushrooms if wild mushrooms are hard to get; you will still have delicious results. Yukon Gold potatoes have a pale yellow color and a buttery taste that adds to the richness of this dish.

You may be curious about why we chose to include edamame (fresh soybeans), which are often associated with Asian cuisine, in this all-American succotash recipe. Soybeans are actually a patriotic legume: They're the second largest crop produced in this country. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 hr