Herbs & Spices

Nuoc cham, the Vietnamese condiment that dresses this crunchy noodle salad, is made with lime juice, fish sauce, chiles, and sugar. The addictive mix of spicy, sweet, sour, and salty flavors is also great as a dipping sauce for grilled meats.

In this rack of lamb recipe, the lamb needs to marinate overnight, so be sure to start 1 day ahead. But trust us: It's worth it.

If you don't have a bunch bowl, use a big glass vase--it's nice and tall and doesn't take up too much space on your table.

Yes, making this rice is a time commitment and a labor of love. But the ingredients aren't difficult to find, and the finished dish is stunning.

Swapping traditional basil for flat-leaf parsley for this pesto recipe makes for a balanced sauce that allows you to really taste the nuts, the olive oil, the Parmesan.

Muddling extracts essentail oils to deliver maximum herb impact. Tarragon flavors the boozy lemonade here, but basil makes an excellent sub.

There's nothing quite as refreshing as this Thai iced tea recipe on a hot summer day.

Sprinkle the cutting board with chopped herbs dressed with oil and citrus zest before setting the meat on top to rest. The cooked protein will absorb the herbs' aroma.

Mild, crunchy green papaya is not the same as underripe papaya. Look for it at Asian or Mexican groceries.

Rice flour gives these cookies a very fine texture, an also results in a gluten-free dessert. Letting the dough rest allows the flour to absorb moisture, making it less crumbly and easier to handle.

This lime-and-cilantro-infused cocktail will appeal to both Gimlet and Martini drinkers. We like to use Tanqueray for its strong juniper and spice profile.

"I like unsweetened whipped cream on top," van Boven says of this pavlova recipe, "because the fruit is sweet enough on its own."

Butterflying the meat in this roast pork loin recipe isn't difficult, but many butchers will do it for you.

Parcooking in vinegar water helps set the starches so the potatoes get crisp, rather than floury, when roasted.

For this juicy, herbaceous salad, feel free to combine different varieties of cucumbers and tomatoes, which are at peak season around the same time.

This healthy spinach recipe is a light version of dip (thanks, yogurt!).

You can also try this recipe with chives, dill, oregano, or parsley.

This herbaceous aioli is also terrific spooned over simply prepared vegetables, such as boiled new potatoes or roasted ramps.