Roast

Two summer favorites join forces in this gratin-style main dish, whose complex flavors belie its ease of preparation.

Beets are high in folate, a vitamin that may help ward off heart disease; this dish delivers 1/3 of your daily requirement.

A balsamic vinaigrette flavors the chicken and dresses the salad.

Present the shrimp atop the green beans.

Moroccan hospitality, always gracious, begins with mezes, the enticing little dishes set out to welcome guests before the meal. Cumin and mint are a classic combination, and they work particularly well with roasted beets — the cumin underlines their earthiness, and the mint freshens their undeniable sweetness.

In India, no two families use the same masala blend. We think the combination here is perfect for potatoes, but have fun trying your own mixtures at home.

The Japanese table seasoning known as shichimi togarashi (dried chiles, sesame seeds, and seaweed) adds great flavor.

Good old-fashioned rump roast scores two points: It has great beefy flavor, and it's less expensive than other cuts. Similar to a chimichurri, the springlike green sauce adds punch without requiring much effort.

Chicken legs, with their moist, succulent dark meat, are ideal for many cooking methods. For a last-minute dish that's abundant with the flavors of spring, we roast them with thyme, garlic, and lemon.

Blasting cauliflower florets in a hot oven concentrates their natural sweetness, turning them into something akin to vegetable candy.

This roast, with its light, flavorful vegetable gravy, is perfect for spring.

Editor's note: This recipe was created by chef Einat Admony for an Israeli Passover menu. These fragrant birds, glazed with a Persian-inspired sauce, are delicious paired with the Swiss potato pancakes called rösti. However, if you're not making them for Passover (or if you're Sephardic and don't avoid rice on this holiday), you could go a more traditional route and serve them over basmati rice flavored with nuts and dried fruit.

Charmoula is a zesty herb and garlic sauce from the Middle East.

Here's a veggie take on classic carpaccio. Chioggia beets would also be beautiful.

This recipe was created by Govind Armstrong, chef and co-owner of Table 8 restaurants in Los Angeles and Miami. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. If lamb is not brought to room temperature before being placed in oven, roasting may take up to 45 minutes.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. For Bittman's tips on preparing a modern Passover meal, click here.

Pork and beef are the usual suspects when it comes to ribs, but the rich, bold flavor of lamb is a perfect match for this tangy Tex-Mex marmalade glaze. Grits cooked with a generous amount of Cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano round out the meal.