Easter Recipes

Lightly steamed asparagus spears are drizzled with a lemony vinaigrette and sprinkled with hard-cooked egg in this dressy but simple Asparagus With Vinaigrette & Egg. The French always serve asparagus on its own (never on a plate with other dishes). You can follow suit and serve this as a first course, or chuck tradition and serve it alongside the Easter ham or lamb.

Raw asparagus and butter lettuce are tossed with a lemony vinaigrette and topped with mozzarella and pistachios in this very green, springy Asparagus Butter Lettuce Salad. The thinly sliced asparagus has a clean, fresh flavor that will be most delightful to those who've only had this spring vegetable cooked.

This simple Fava Bean & Pecorino Salad is a wonderful way to enjoy the fresh, spring flavor of fava beans. Fava beans and fresh pecorino cheese are a classic Italian preparation. Be sure to serve it by itself (maybe with a bit of bread) as a first course where the fava beans (and all the work that went into shelling them) can shine.

Toss thinly sliced radishes with freshly grated ginger and rice wine vinegar for the easiest - and most refreshing - of spring salads. Gingery Radish Salad adds a zing that is perfect next to a rich roast lamb or sweet Easter ham.

This mildy spicy cilantro sauce in these New Potatoes In Cilantro Sauce is particularly suited to new potatoes (both true new potatoes that are harvested with super-thin skins and come in a range of sizes and the teeny-tiny bite-size potatoes often labeled "new potatoes" at markets). These potatoes are fabulous with roast or grilled lamb.

Spinach and rice cooked in broth merge into more than the sum of the parts in this easy, nutritious Spinach Rice Pilaf. Serve alongside a big Easter ham or any roast meat.

The warmth of ginger and the Sweet Short Crust complement the sour rhubarb in this Rhubarb Tart. Lightly cooking the rhubarb on the stovetop leaves it tender but cohesive, and a thin layer of cheese filling mellows and binds the tart's diverse flavors.

Wow your guests with this ultra-easy Buttermilk Panna Cotta. Quality buttermilk and cream are highlighted in the silky-smooth texture that pairs beautifully with spring strawberries. Garnish with hulled and sliced ripe strawberries or make a Simple Strawberry Sauce.

Tangy berries and luscious whipped cream make a simple yet elegant classic English Strawberry Fool in a snap. Fold fresh berries - either lightly mashed or fully pureed - into a good quality whipped cream for a light, fluffy dessert that will wow your guests (and leave them disbelieving the dessert’s simplicity). That this dessert can be prepared hours in advance, makes it a great choice for an Easter brunch, lunch, or dinner.