The 20 Dishes We Can’t Wait to Cook in May
Soups, salads, and sundaes bursting with every color and flavor in the spring-produce canon
With spring in full swing, we’re going crazy for bright salads and, when we’re feeling frisky, colorful ice cream sundaes. Cold soups are another favorite this month, along with recipes that make the most of leaves: stuff your favorite fillings in grape leaves to make dolmas and if you can find them, banana leaves add a subtle layer of grassy flavor. From lobster linguine to an iceberg wedge salad, we’ve rounded up the dishes we’re most excited to cook this May.
This classic spicy seafood pasta is enriched with the lobster’s coral, or roe sac, adding a pop of briny flavor. Get the recipe for Lobster Linguine With Chiles »
Carrots are roasted before being topped with crunchy pistachios and a sweet fig vinaigrette in a simple salad from Eli and Max Sussman’s Classic Recipes for Modern People. Get the recipe for Carrot and Pistachio Salad »
Mascarpone Ice Cream with Apricots, Raspberries, and Honey Granola
This simple but delicious dessert, served at L’Enclume, features ice cream made with a fresh mascarpone cheese that is lightly sweetened and set without eggs, which makes for a lighter texture. Syrup-soaked apricots and fresh raspberries add some sweetness. Get the recipe for Sweet Cheese Ice Cream with Apricots, Raspberries, and Honey Granola »
This grilled chicken dish is the Holy Trinity of weeknight cooking: delicious, quick, and made from easy-to-find ingredients. Get the recipe for Honey-Grilled Chicken with Citrus Salad »
Soba Salad with Lemon-Miso Vinaigrette
This refreshing salad of soba noodles tossed with winter greens and mixed vegetables is brought together by a tart dressing of miso, ginger juice, and lemon. Get the recipe for Soba Salad with Lemon-Miso Vinaigrette »
Crêpes stuffed with fromage blanc and maple syrup are topped with stewed blueberries, strawberries, and peaches at Heartbeet Lifesharing, a community for developmentally disabled adults in Hardwick, Vermont. Get the recipe for Crazy Day Crêpes »
Roasted Guinea Hens with Spring Beets and Runner Beans
Guinea hens have a richer, meatier than chicken, perfect for pairing with light spring vegetables. Get the recipe for Roasted Guinea Hens with Spring Beets and Runner Beans »
Pastry chef Anna Posey of Chicago’s Publican blackens rhubarb in a wood-fired oven for the cheesecake’s compote topping. A standard oven will also do the trick. Get the recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake »
The chef of Lucky Leek in Berlin, Germany, Josita Hartanto makes her minestrone with hearty kohlrabi and briny green olives. The soup is brightened by a fresh pesto, which is stirred in just before serving. Get the recipe for Green Minestrone with Kohlrabi, Olives, and Spinach Pesto »
“This recipe came about when I had a fat bunch of chives threatening to wilt in my fridge. Our former test kitchen director, Farideh Sadeghin, suggested I make chive oil, and then chive mayonnaise; I had some teeny-tiny fingerlings from the farmers market sitting on my counter, and a salad was born. It’s bright and green and springy, and like any good salad, super adaptable.” —Marian Bull, editor alumna Get the recipe for Fingerling Potato Salad with Chive Mayonnaise »
Look for ripe mangoes that yield easily to the touch, because they will have the most vibrant flavor to play off the warming spices in this refreshing sorbet from cookbook author Suzanne Zeidy. Get the recipe for Spiced Mango Sorbet with Pistachio Tuiles »
Almond Cheesecake with Macerated Strawberries and Mint
Ground almonds add body and flavor to this creamy Swedish cheesecake, topped with clouds of whipped cream and ripe strawberries macerated with fresh mint. Get the recipe for Almond Cheesecake with Macerated Strawberries and Mint »
The sweetness of cherries balances the saltiness of halloumi in this simple summer salad, perfect for a side or a main dish. Get the recipe for Grilled Halloumi and Cherry Salad »
A classic Persian herb-loaded egg dish with the fragrant lift of rose petals. Get the recipe for Persian Herb-Stuffed Frittata With Walnuts and Rose Petals (Kuku Sabzi) »
In this simple Japan-meets-California salad, radishes are tossed with cilantro and a fragrant rice vinegar and soy sauce vinaigrette before topped with goat cheese. Get the recipe for Radish and Cilantro Salad with Goat Cheese »
Super-Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits With Honey Butter
This honey butter-topped biscuit recipe, from Jean-Paul Bourgeois, executive chef at Blue Smoke in New York City, earned first prize in the 2017 Charleston Food & Wine Festival’s Battle of the Biscuits. High-quality dairy—and high-fat dairy—are two of chef Bourgeois’ tricks to making them extra-special. Look for either high-fat buttermilk or a higher fat, European-style butter, which make for a more delicate, flakier texture. Get the recipe for Super-Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits With Honey Butter »
Beef Dolmas with Apricots and Tamarind
In the Syrian Jewish kitchen, this Middle Eastern basic gets a sweet-and-sour spin. In the warmer months, try to find and use fresh grape leaves; they are more tender and flavorful than the jarred types. Out of season, jarred leaves are a fine substitute (we prefer the Orlando brand). Get the recipe for Beef Dolmas With Apricots and Tamarind »
Cilantro and Peanut Salad (Huāshēngmĭ bàn xiāngcài)
Due to its long, cold winters and hot, dry summers, Xinjiang is not renowned for its vegetable dishes, but fast-growing produce like spinach and cilantro often make it to the table during the brief respites between seasons. This refreshing salad is a perfect to accompaniment to fatty grilled meats. Use the most delicate cilantro you can find, so the stems can be eaten along with the leaves. Get the recipe for Cilantro and Peanut Salad (Huāshēngmĭ bàn xiāngcài) »
Iceberg Wedge with Lemon-Parsley Dressing
The classic wedge with a zesty upgrade. Get the recipe for Iceberg Wedge with Lemon-Parsley Dressing »
In this easy dinner preparation, delicate white fish is drowned in an intoxicating coconut custard which is then steamed in a water bath until just set. Get the recipe for Fish Baked in Curry Custard (Amok) »
