Couscous

Offer this meatless main-course salad with a basket of seeded flatbreads, steamed artichokes, and a lemon-mayo dipping sauce. Follow the meal with a bowl of apricots and some purchased baklava.

I leave the roots on the leeks until after cooking, so they don't fall apart. Just wash and trim beforehand.

An elegant main course from Xaviar’s restaurant in Garrison. Ask the butcher to bone the lamb for you.

Couscous is frequently thought of as a grain, but it's actually a pasta. This is more apparent in rounds of toasted Israeli couscous, which are larger and chewier than the familiar Moroccan kind. Try this dish with chicken or fish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Rosemary, chives and parsley enhance this delicious combination.

Steaming couscous may be a bit more time-consuming than the usual boiling method, but we feel the results are well worth it. Steaming makes the grains fluffier and much more tender. You'll need a bowl-shaped steamer, such as a basket steamer, or you could set a metal sieve into the saucepan.

Warm pita bread would make a delicious accompaniment to this dish.

A U-shaped peeler with a horizontal blade (available at most supermarkets) makes peeling the squash easier. Here it’s okay to pulse the parsley in a food processor rather than chop it by hand, but pat it dry with paper towels first.

Marisol likes to serve the Candied Butternut Squash atop the couscous.

A one-pan, fuss-free dinner that combines spiced couscous, perfectly cooked chicken thighs, and tender carrots.

This homey one-pot stew boasts a short ingredient list but tons of complex flavors, built over three hours in a mostly hands-off braise.

Everyone needs a back-pocket chicken marinade, and this pantry-friendly version lives up to its name. Great both on the grill and under the broiler.

This dish is a perfect choice for those blustery but bright early spring days: It's comforting from the simple-but-flavorful broth and bright from the crunchy fresh topping.

Kohlrabi, a bulbous vegetable with thin stems attached, is a member of the cabbage family. Both green and purple varieties are available. The flavor is a mix of turnip, celery root, and radish; it goes quite well with red lentils and couscous.