Recipes

HYDE PARK, N.Y. — As hauntingly good recipes go, anything with parsnips as the main ingredient seems an unlikely candidate. Except for this one.

Don’t be fooled into thinking mole (pronounced mole-EH) is just a Mexican chocolate sauce. To start with, though it is rich and decadent, it is savory, not sweet. In fact, depending on how it is made, it can pack significant heat. Most varieties involve some sort of ground nuts or seeds, which give these sauces a stick-to-your-ribs thickness that begs to be paired with hearty meats.

High-protein, gluten-free canary seed has received approval from Health Canada for human consumption.

Here are two recipes that feature canary seed (alternate ingredients have been given since canary seed is not yet widely available).

CANARY SEED SNAPS

I’ve heard that many restaurant chefs despise making Caesar salads, but I don’t understand why. Who wouldn’t love making lemony-cheesy-black-pepper-salad dreams come true?

When this recipe was first created by The Silver Palate catering and take out shop on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, it earned an immediate following. When the recipe was later published in “The Silver Palate Cookbook” by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso, it was a revelation, mostly thanks to its eccentric ingredient list: Vinegar? Olives? Prunes? Capers? Garlic? Brown sugar? White wine?

Let’s say that most of the folks coming to your place for the Passover feast are vegetarians. And let’s say that you want to cater to them without breaking the hearts of the die-hard carnivores whose mouths water at the very thought of pot roast. Is there a centerpiece dish that will make everyone happy?

Yes. As long as your vegetarians can tolerate dairy, this “lasagna” is a winner.

Though most of my brisket experience has been spent at the smoker or the grill, I have fond memories of braised brisket, which I usually enjoyed during Passover with my Jewish relatives.

I have wanted to make this soup forever, and I have no idea what’s been stopping me.

The fact that decent asparagus is now available all year doesn’t really matter. We’ve been programed to think of it as something we must eat in spring. And so we shall.

According to my grandmother, fruit is God’s candy, making it the perfect ending to a meal. I agree with Grandma ‚Äî fruit is a lovely, healthy way to end a meal. But I’ll also confess that the dessert lover in me sometimes craves something a smidge fancier. And by fancier, I mean with chocolate.