30 Minutes or Less

These clafoutis-like puddings are best served warm. This dessert can be made using a 9-inch pie plate instead of the gratin dishes.

In a traditional Seder meal, bitter herbs — sometimes including parsley — represent the bitter experience of slavery. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

(Amanida amb Epàrrec i Pernil) A Catalan composed salad, or amanida, may be made of almost anything, though ham, sausage, or anchovies are often included. Traditionally, the ingredients are added to the final presentation individually rather than mixed together. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Complete the menu with a tomato and red onion salad, sourdough bread, and poached pears (or canned) with raspberry sauce.

Small, slender green beans can stand in for the haricots verts, a petite French variety, in this easy classic.

"At Highland's Garden Cafe in Denver, Colorado, I had an unusual and delicious lunch entrée of fish with sambal vinaigrette and wasabi cream," says William Starret, Jr. of Washington, D.C. "I would greatly appreciate it if you could get the recipe for me."

The salad can remain at room temperature up to two hours before serving.

This lovely side can be made a day ahead.

Wasabi powder is fiery-hot, so adjust the proportion in the butter according to your heat tolerance. An Asian noodle salad from the deli, blanched sugar snap peas sprinkled with sesame seeds, and a bakery lime tart would be cooling additions to the menu.

This elegant entrée deserves special accompaniments, like buttered baby carrots sprinkled with chopped tarragon, twice-baked potatoes (available frozen) and a spinach salad tossed with toasted walnuts. New-York-style cheesecake with strawberries provides the properly indulgent finale.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

This recipe is an accompaniment for Yellow Tomato Gazpacho with Cilantro Oil and Avocado.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

If fresh figs aren't available, dried black Mission figs can be substituted here; look for ones that are soft and moist. What to drink: Crisp Pinot Grigio pairs nicely with the entire meal.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 40 min