Chicken livers mashed with onions and schmaltz are a Jewish deli staple that has a tendency to beg the question, "what am I, chopped liver?" Because, well, chopped liver isn't usually all that thrilling. But with chicken livers come a world of delicious possibilities, like these genius Chicken Liver Crostini from Kosher Revolution. More

This salad is essentially two recipes in one: the cumin roasted carrots and the salad. On their own the carrots are exciting; eoasting brings out their sweetness but the mashed cumin, chile, garlic and thyme paste that they're roasted in brings out a level of worldliness not often seen in a carroty side. More

Feel free to vary the flavorings as desired. Omit ginger and thyme and replace with other herbs or spices (orange zest works well, as does star anise, fennel, chilies, etc.). For tips on how to cut carrots, check out our Knife Skills: Carrots, and for ginger, our Knife Skills: Ginger guides. More

[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt] About the author: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is the Managing Editor of Serious Eats where he likes to explore the science of home cooking in his weekly column The Food Lab. You can follow him at @thefoodlab... More

Lentils, carrots, onions, and kale are tossed with a light mustard vinaigrette. More

This colorful side dish is a study in contrasts. Braising cabbage in apple cider brings out its natural sweetness, while finishing it with apple cider vinegar adds a pleasing acidity. Thin sticks of gala apples adds a bit of crunch and tart flavor, while raisins absorb the cider to become sweet and plump. This dish pairs perfectly with a glass of cloudy, straw-colored hefeweizen. More

I used to really, truly loathe this dish. It was the one thing I wouldn't touch on my Passover plate. Anyone else? But this version adds a touch of honey to highlight the carrots' natural sweetness and spices like cardamom to give the dish more dimension. More

I like to think of matzo as a blank canvas; it can do pretty much anything you want it to. Here, it becomes a sweet and utterly delicious matzo brei with pears and dried sour cherries. You get a bite of sweet with a touch of sour—I wind up making matzo brei most of the days and I never tire of it. More

[Photograph: Carrie Vasios] Check out other recipes from An Early Spring Dinner.... More

This recipe with white beans is probably my favorite farro salad yet. The creamy beans play a huge role in that, along with the sweet tender leeks and fresh parsley. But it's the chunks of salty, citrusy preserved lemon, a condiment often used in Moroccan cooking, that really takes this salad to the next level. More