It was the last day of Passover, and I needed to prepare yet another meal, but I was tired of cooking. I had some leftover steak in the fridge, a jar of horseradish from the seder plate that no one was ever going to eat, too much matzo, and plenty of homemade mayo. I took whatever veggies I could find and voilà—a filling and delicious salad! After an eight-day food fest, this salad was everything we wanted, and we scraped the bowl clean!

Even more than wild leeks, the Passover meal is really the first harbinger of spring for me. It marks the first time in the year that we get to actually use green vegetables. After a cold, hard winter, there is always so much to look forward to—asparagus and sweet peas, especially. Both are easy to use, local, and delicious, and they’re always served at my Passover celebrations. The garlicky-sweet toum dressing here is super-interesting and a very cool garnish for these new vegetables.

I was trying to plan something to cook for one of my first virtual classes when I stumbled upon a bright, colorful photo of salmon covered in “jewels,” on Instagram @laineskitchen and I was inspired. The jewels I am using here are pomegranate seeds, orange suprèmes, rose petals, and pistachios. Other fresh fruit such as cherries, grapes, apricots, or berries can be used along with dried cherries, and apricots (especially the sour ones). This dish is always a hit, whether I serve it hot with rice or at room temperature with salad. I like to cook a large piece of salmon whole because the fish stays juicier, but you can also make this using individual fillets, and you can substitute any thick fish, like halibut or cod, for the salmon.

This carrot cake, sans raisins and nuts (!!) is, to me, perfect. If you can believe it, it doesn’t really need frosting, although I do understand the sentimental attachment. While the salty vanilla frosting (page 293) would be excellent, I know what you want is cream cheese frosting, preferably one that doesn’t require a mixer (just like this cake).

For quick cream cheese frosting, combine 8 ounces/225g of softened cream cheese, ½ cup/60g powdered sugar, and a good pinch of kosher salt together in a medium bowl. Use a fork to combine everything (this is why the cream cheese needs to be at room temperature) until smooth, like softened butter. Spread onto the cake and sprinkle with chopped, toasted nuts if you like.