Easy

Mango, hearts of palm, and fresh lime juice bring tropical flavors to the winter table. Try this salad before a meal of roasted or braised fish, or pan-fried steak or chops.

The combination of fennel, citrus, and parsley makes this Italian-style salad an ideal palate cleanser. It tastes particularly refreshing in winter, when salad greens are often scarce.

The salad dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Before serving, whisk the dressing to loosen.

This sweet and spicy soup is wonderfully rich, even though it’s made without a drop of cream. If your carrots don’t taste sweet enough, add up to a teaspoon of sugar in step two.

When buying parsnips, choose those that are smooth, firm, and about 8 inches long, roughly the size of a large carrot. They should not be soft, spotted, or damp.

Like many other bean- and legume-based soups, this one is flavored with bacon. It can be served at the start of a Sunday dinner, or as a weeknight meal itself when paired with a green salad topped with Lemon-Parmesan Vinaigrette (page 347).

Amaretti are crunchy Italian macaroons made from almond paste, sugar, and egg whites. You can substitute any crispy cookie.

This crustless pie is an easy dessert to prepare from scratch. It’s perfect for fall, when pears are at their peak. And because it has a custard base, it needs no accompaniment.

Here’s a delightful take on the grilled sandwich. Because of the challah and the addition of eggs, butter, and milk, this dessert is richer than most, so it’s best served after a light meal.

We like Granny Smith apples for this tart, but you could substitute a number of other varieties, including Macoun, Cortland, or Jonagold.

This dessert is more interesting when prepared with a variety of stone fruits, but if you can’t find one particular type, substitute more of another. You could also use apricots in place of any of the other three fruits.