Gourmet

When poaching eggs for a crowd, we've found the baking pan method below to be almost foolproof. Have a friend help you wrap the eggs in salmon before they get cold. If you're working on your own, you may want to simply drape the salmon over the eggs.

Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 4 hr A wonderful welcome to spring, this butter- and oil-free torte gains its richness from pecans. If you want to keep the cake pareve, or if you intend to serve it several times, leave it unfrosted.

This three-in-one dish (chicken, rice, and soup) originated in Hainan, a tropical island off China's southern coast, and has become a culinary staple in Malaysian culture.

The success of this dish depends entirely on the quality of your ingredients. Now's the time to use your best olive oil, freshly ground pepper, and a generous amount of a flavorful sea salt.

Served over rice, these peas—in their velvety, spicy sauce—could be a vegetarian main course. Or serve them over a piece of simply prepared fish or lamb. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Kombu comes packaged in dried lengths that are most easily cut with scissors.

This recipe is from Willinger's cookbook Red, White & Greens. She was inspired by chef Fabio Picchi of the Florentine restaurant Cibréo, where creamy-yet-creamless soup is his signature first course. Picchi likes to use meat stock as the base for the soup, but Willinger thinks the flavor is nearly as rich using only water. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 35 min

Asparagus is a star of the season, as a side dish to any main course — chicken, fish, pork, beef, or lamb — or as a salad topped with a squeeze of lemon juice. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

If rice pudding is getting a little too comfortable, try our version with fresh pineapple, mango, and papaya. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 4 hr (includes cooling)

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min A wonderfully versatile salad that can be served with almost any main course. The vinaigrette is zesty and fresh, yet it's mild enough to work well with a variety of flavors.