Green Bean

"Even in the spring it can be very chilly here in New England," saysMichelle M. Littlefield of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts. "My mom and I like to prepare this soup on weekends — and our entire family loves to warm up with a bowl of it."

Ribollita In leaner times, this hearty soup provided a delicious way for Tuscans to use their leftovers: Ribollita means "reboiled," and the soup was always eaten two days in a row. Plus, it was poured into the bowl over a slice of stale bread, which we recommend that you do, too. Begin making it two days ahead, and don't leave out the final drizzle of olive oil.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

If you can't find fresh chervil, use fresh parsley instead.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 40 min

Gaeng Pah Muu Most curries from southern Thailand use coconut milk. This one, from the mountainous north, doesn't, because the climate is too temperate for coconut palms to survive. Don't be intimidated by the start-to-finish time; the curry paste and chicken stock can be made days ahead. Once you have those components at hand, the recipe only takes about 1 hour to put together. If you prefer your food less spicy, use the smaller amounts of curry paste and vegetable oil. Active time: 3 1/4 hr Start to finish: 7 1/4 hr (includes making curry paste and stock)

At the restaurant the chef garnishes this dish with fresh seasonal flowers, chervil, and chives.

Orange juice adds zip to the dressing.