Smoked-Salmon Deviled Eggs
“Deviled eggs are fun because you can dress them up or down,” says Michael Mina, who dresses them up with chopped smoked salmon here.
GO TO RECIPE
Spring Panzanella with Asparagus
Recipes for panzanella (a Florentine bread salad popular in the summer) typically call for tomatoes, but in the spring, Mike Lata prefers using seasonal ingredients like asparagus and radishes.
GO TO RECIPE
Sweet Pea Soup with Ham and Croutons
Instead of the usual starchy split peas, chef Chad Newton blends fresh sweet peas—at their peak in spring—with spinach to make a silky, vibrantly green soup that’s good hot or cold.
GO TO RECIPE
Garlic-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with Spring Vegetables
Pork shoulder is often braised or smoked, but Andrew Green rubs it with garlic and herbs, then slow-roasts the meat until it’s juicy and crusty.
GO TO RECIPE
Pea Tortilla with Mint and Yogurt
A Spanish tortilla is like a frittata. Francis Mallmann makes a lovely spring version with yogurt, fresh mint and sweet peas, baked in an oven (preferably a wood-fired oven) until just set. It’s delicious served warm or at room temperature.
GO TO RECIPE
Rosemary Lamb Chops
In this dish by Lidia Bastianich, a rosemary-mint sauce tops the lamb chops. To make it easier, skip the sauce for the lamb chops; instead, rub rosemary onto the chops before they’re seared.
GO TO RECIPE
Pancetta-Wrapped Asparagus with Citronette
In Mario Batali’s riff on the traditional antipasto of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, he wraps spears in pancetta (which, unlike prosciutto, becomes nicely crispy when cooked) and grills them. Adding a bit of tanginess is the citronette, a marvelously bright-tasting mustardy-orange dressing.
GO TO RECIPE
Herb-and-Spice Lamb Chops with Minted Asparagus
After Jason Wilson marinates the lamb in an oil scented with marjoram, cumin and fennel seed, he grills the meat until slightly crusty, then serves it with asparagus drizzled with mint vinaigrette.
GO TO RECIPE
Crudités with Wasabi Dip
Nonfat Greek yogurt blended with fresh goat cheese and spiked with wasabi makes for a luscious, thick, tangy and addictively spicy dip. In addition to the vegetables listed below, try raw kohlrabi, chayote and endive, and wax beans that are blanched until crisp-tender.
GO TO RECIPE
Roasted Sunchokes with Buttery Bagna Cauda
Creamy, sweet sunchokes are a great change of pace from the usual crudites served with bagna cauda, the Italian garlic-and-anchovy sauce.
GO TO RECIPE
Honeyed Carrots with Currants and Saffron
Here, sliced carrots are quickly simmered with fresh orange juice, honey, ginger and a pinch of saffron, then simmered again with dried currants before serving.
GO TO RECIPE
Garlic-and-Herb-Crusted Leg of Lamb
This leg of lamb is perfectly juicy in the center, with a fantastic crust. The recipe is so easy that it’s ideal for a dinner party, as well as for Easter.
GO TO RECIPE
Peas and Pea Shoots with Spring Onions and Mint
This fresh deliciously buttery side dish is a terrific showcase for peas.
GO TO RECIPE
Spinach-and-Parmesan Sformati
Top Chef Masters’ Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson adds Parmesan to his wonderful spinach custard, then garnishes it with a little more cheese before serving.
GO TO RECIPE
Basil-Crusted Leg of Lamb with Lemon Vinaigrette
With its basil-and-pine nut crust and bracing dressing of lemon juice and Dijon mustard, this lamb dish bridges Brazil and Provence.
GO TO RECIPE
Lemon-and-Pickled-Pepper-Glazed Ham
Any pickled pepper will work in this recipe but hot Peppadews with their fruity flavor and sweet-and-sour brine are especially delicious. Since the heat level of pickled peppers can vary wildly, add them gradually while making the glaze.
GO TO RECIPE
Lemon Upside-Down Cake
Cal Peternell usually uses sweet Meyer lemons from his neighbor’s tree for this versatile cake. Regular lemons are tasty too and add a bitter note that’s a lovely contrast to the gooey brown-sugar topping.
GO TO RECIPE
Almond and Cream Spiced Buns
Swedes eat a traditional sweet called a semla every Tuesday from just before Lent through Easter. It’s a soft cardamom-spiced bun filled with almond paste and topped with whipped cream.
GO TO RECIPE
Cornmeal-Almond Cake with Strawberries and Mascarpone
This buttery cake contains more than a half-pound of toasted almonds. It’s delicious served with fresh strawberries and a luscious mix of whipped cream and mascarpone.
GO TO RECIPE
Tuscan Fresco
“I love the challenge of creating original nonalcoholic drinks that are special in their own right,” says Seis Kamimura.
GO TO RECIPE
Saba-and-Dijon-Glazed Easter Ham
We’re switching up the traditional sugar-crusted holiday ham by using saba, a sweet and slightly acidic syrup made from cooked-down grape must (similar to aged balsamic). We bake the ham on a bed of carrots and shallots so the drippings flavor the vegetables in the oven.
GO TO RECIPE
