Vegan

"A friend served my homemade pear chutney at her dinner party, and everyone thought it was an unusual and delicious accompaniment for chicken," says Susan Banks of Seattle, Washington.

This recipe originally accompanied Lemon-Almond Buttermilk Loaf with Balsamic Strawberries .

Perfect for the Jewish holiday, this flourless torte has an airy soufflé-like texture. The sauce adds a special-occasion touch.

Preserving a Meyer lemon captures its glorious perfume. We’ve adapted cookbook author Paula Wolfert’s quick method, our favorite, and made it even faster by blanching the lemons first. The rind of a preserved lemon is a common ingredient in Moroccan dishes; we also love it in all kinds of soups, stews, and salads and as a low-fat alternative to olives. Save the pulp for Bloody Marys or anything else enlivened by a little lemon juice and salt.

Lane Crowther, Bon Appétit contributing editor, says, "When I was young, the potatoes on the holiday table were always mashed. Even today, my mother, who is still in charge of our Thanksgiving dinners, will rarely stray from tradition. Either there has to be a trade-off to get her to try something new, or—as in the case of this recipe—innovation simply comes as an addition to the menu, not a replacement. Well, with so many different kinds of potatoes available nowadays, I like to mix varieties for their contrasting flavors, textures and colors. This combination of red potatoes and Yukon Gold is an easy-to-make and great-tasting accompaniment to any meal."

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 hr.

"My grandmother, who was a successful restaurateur from C″rdoba, Spain, hesitantly relinquished her gazpacho recipe to me," says Lawrence Saez of San Francisco, CA. This nourishing cold soup is ideal for a hot summer day and is best enjoyed with a glass of Manzanilla Sherry.

Peeled, split fava beans for this Egyptian falafel are available in most Italian or Middle Eastern grocery stores. Ta’miyya is served with tehina.

Whether you pick blossoms from your garden or buy them at the farmers market, choose male flowers. The males — which don't produce a vegetable but exist to pollinate the females — are recognizable by their long, straight stems and the unmistakably male-looking stamen in the center of each blossom. Females swell at the base of the blossom, where the squash forms, and four little shoots make up the pistil inside. Some chefs like to fry female blossoms when the baby zucchini is just emerging and still attached, but Mexican and Italian purists wouldn't hear of it. Other chefs like to remove the stamen of the male flowers, but it isn't necessary.

An easy-to-make infused oil makes a big difference in the taste of these potatoes.

These mashed potatoes are a great accompaniment to the bass fillets with mushrooms and the shrimp and endive. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 40 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

I first tasted this Cantonese pickle in a commercial version that I bought in Seattle's International District. The pickle contained stem ginger, in thick pieces so tender that you could eat them right along with the other vegetables. If you happen to grow your own ginger, by all means use the stems in this recipe. Otherwise, include the ginger just as a flavoring. The children who have tasted this pickle love it just as much as the adults do.

A colorful dish with fresh — and surprisingly compatible — flavors.