Recipes with butter

Ziti with asparagus, peas, and lemon cream: tender pasta in a tangy reduced cream sauce with spring vegetables, wilted Bibb lettuce, and Parmesan. A bright, elegant springtime pasta in 30 minutes.

Chocolate cherry cheesecake with a chocolate wafer crust, melted chocolate chip filling spiked with cherry liqueur, and cherry pie filling on top. A show-stopping dessert that chills for 24 hours.

Mussel and saffron soup with fresh mussels steamed in white wine, simmered in a leek, garlic, and fenugreek broth tinted golden with saffron and finished with cream.

Granola scones studded with five-fruit cocktail, baked as one large round and cut into wedges. Crunchy granola clusters, tender crumb, and a sugar-sparkled top.

Penne arrabbiata with a vodka cream sauce: tomatoes, red pepper flakes, garlic, and vodka simmered with heavy cream and tossed with penne and Parmesan.

Southern-style cheesy okra and crab casserole: fresh crabmeat baked with sliced okra, diced carrot and Tabasco in an egg custard, then topped with melted cheddar. A Gulf Coast main dish with Lowcountry roots.

Mimosa ice cream crepes drizzled with buttered honey: delicate custard ice cream infused with mimosa blossoms, folded into crisped crepes. A foraged spring dessert.

Cream of artichoke soup with lemon and garlic, simmered in chicken broth and pureed smooth. A velvety, elegant soup with bright citrus notes and no cream needed.

Duck gumbo simmers deboned duck in a dark butter roux with okra, tomatoes, and the Cajun holy trinity for a rich bayou stew. Ladle over rice for a Louisiana cold-weather classic.

Slow-roasted wild duck basted in flambed dry sherry with onion juice, white pepper, and red pepper flakes. Braised breast-side down for tender, flavorful meat.

Old-fashioned custard pie with a lard-and-butter crust and a silky egg-milk filling dusted with nutmeg. Simple farmhouse dessert with a classic five-ingredient filling.

Southern turnip green soup with cubed turnip roots, wilted and pureed greens, half-and-half, and a spoonful of cooked grits for body. Florida-style cream soup rooted in soul food.

French lemon pie is a simple rustic tart: a whole wheat butter crust filled with a buttery fresh lemon custard and baked golden. Tart, glossy, and finished in an hour with pantry basics.

An elegant pumpkin tart takes place of traditional pie, looks beautiful and pumpkin and banana work very well together!

Baida Paratha is Indian whole wheat flatbread stuffed with spiced mashed boiled egg, cilantro, and black pepper, shallow-fried in ghee until golden brown on both sides.

Flambed ice cream sauce of buttered green grapes, hot chiles, rum, honey, and warm spices. A sweet-heat dessert topping that takes 20 minutes and shocks the palate awake.