Recipe Sifter

Stewed California figs cooked low and slow in water, with variations using orange, lemon, sherry, ginger, or cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled for breakfast or dessert.

Stewed rhubarb is the simplest spring compote: rhubarb and sugar simmered into a tart-sweet sauce. Spoon over yogurt, ice cream, pancakes, or eat it straight from the jar.

Stir-fried asparagus with shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and oyster sauce in a light bouillon-cornstarch glaze. A quick Thai-inspired vegetable side dish ready in minutes.

Fresh spinach wok-tossed with toasted almonds, ginger, and a savory miso-soy drizzle. This 20-minute vegetarian side dish is nutty, earthy, and packed with iron-rich greens.

Stir-fried vegetables with napa cabbage, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and spinach in soy sauce. A crunchy, vegan wok-tossed side dish ready in 30 minutes.

Old-fashioned stone crock pickles made over 15 days with a salt brine, alum soak, spiced vinegar cure, and sugar layering. A heritage pickling method that produces crisp, sweet pickles that keep indefinitely.

Two-ingredient strawberry conserve made with just fresh strawberries and sugar. No pectin, no additives. Slow-cooked to a glossy, spreadable set.

Homemade strawberry popsicles with real frozen strawberries, skim milk, and unflavored gelatin for a creamy texture. A low-fat frozen treat kids can help make.

Fresh spinach topped with spirals of sliced strawberries and drizzled with a tangy raspberry vinegar and shallot dressing. A bright, simple salad ready in 15 minutes.

A light parfait of vanilla ice milk stirred with crushed pineapple and frozen strawberries, set gently with unflavored gelatin. Low-calorie, no-bake, and scoopable in 30 minutes.

Slow-simmered strawberry-rhubarb compote with just four ingredients cooked low for hours until thick and jammy. A versatile fruit topping for yogurt, ice cream, or toast.

String beans Provencal braised in a sauce of plum tomatoes, onion, garlic, and thyme until meltingly tender. A French-style green bean side dish that's vegan and serves a crowd with simple ingredients.

String beans and coconut koora, a South Indian stir-fry with green beans, toasted chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, and coconut. A quick vegetable side dish with a crunchy tadka topping.

Sauteed striped bass escabeche marinated in white wine, sherry vinegar, and citrus with bell peppers, green olives, and crisp green beans. A stunning make-ahead dish.

Fresh cucumber rounds hollowed out and filled with roasted eggplant paté blended with almonds, garlic, and parsley. A cool, elegant vegetarian appetizer that looks as good as it tastes.

Dried figs and dates stuffed with walnut halves and rolled in shredded coconut. A three-ingredient no-cook treat ready in five minutes.