Coriander

New York City chef Seamus Mullen uses almonds and spices to make a crisp and tasty crust for chicken legs; the coating is also good on lamb chops.

This simple dish uses both the leaves and seeds of the coriander plant. Try to save the juices from the roasted peppers; they add a lot of flavor.

This recipe is Neelam Batra's riff on the ubiquitous restaurant dish saag paneer (spinach with Indian cheese), with tender chunks of potato coated in a silky spinach puree.

This lovely dish combines a trio of ingredients from the same family: sweet roasted carrots, coriander and caraway.

These smoky grilled chicken legs get a boost of flavor from a marinade made with brown sugar, mustard, coriander and jalapeno.

Chef Justin Cogley of Aubergine in Carmel, CA adds barley to this lovely, delicate, spring-like soup, which makes it hearty but not heavy.

Like all raw fish dishes, this one is about the quality of the sea bass. Good olive oil is also key: Lokanta Maya's chef, Didem Senol, uses oil her father presses himself in the south of Turkey (her family picks the olives, too).

Taking a cue from French verrines, these portable, layered chicken salads could also be assembled in one big glass bowl.