Carrot

Brown rice is not traditionally used for sushi in Japan, but since it's such a healthy whole grain, we've decided to bend the rules. You'll have leftover vegetables, which are great for salads. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

This recipe was inspired by stoemp, a Belgian dish of mashed potatoes with vegetables.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Simple to make, and very pretty on the plate.

The bisque is very rich, so a small serving (about two-thirds cup per person) is plenty. At the restaurant, this is baked in individual crocks, with puff pastry on top.

This satisfying meal in a bowl is also good sprinkled with a touch of grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

We prefer Gorgonzola, Italy's star blue cheese, for this recipe, but if Iowa's Maytag blue — or another import — is easier to find in your area, then use it instead.

This satisfying entrée goes well with a mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette. It would also be nice alongside sea bass.

A sure-fire way to get the kids to eat their vegetables—and chips, of course.

This can also be prepared with duck breasts, which is how it is often made in Tuscany. Either way, the dish is good with rosemary-flavored mashed potatoes and sautéed artichoke hearts.

Our food editors agree that this is one of the best-tasting and most elegant shepherd's pies they've ever had. The recipe is not as complicated as it appears at first glance—the different components all come together to make a complete meal in a single dish. The potatoes are stiffer than the average mash because they will be forming the crust for the pie.

Grilled Matambre Matambre (literally, "kill the hunger") is a classic South American meat dish. Every family has its own favorite combination of ingredients for the filling — some use vegetables, eggs, and nuts; others use ground pork, calves' brains, and spinach. We kept it simple and went with spinach and carrots. Traditionally, this dish is poached, but we decided to grill ours. After testing this recipe on both gas and charcoal grills, we found that we prefer the flavor that charcoal imparts to the dish. We used a 22 1/2-inch kettle grill, a large chimney starter, and a 10-pound bag of hardwood charcoal.* Active time: 2 1/2 hr Start to finish: 3 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This is a lighter, first-course version of a classic Pennsylvania main-course soup. Saffron was initially a Colonial rich man's spice, and it retained a certain panache even for the Pennsylvania Dutch in Philadelphia, who grew their own.

Sweet, salty, and spicy, nuoc cham is the indispensable sauce of Vietnam's cuisine. It's a favorite dipping sauce for spring rolls and for fresh rice-paper rolls such as these.