When I buy beets, carrots and turnips at the market, they are often presented as bright bunches, crowned with exuberant stalks sprouting a cascade of green leaves. While it may be tempting to chop off the stems and discard the mountain of greens left behind with the trimmings ... do not do that. These greens are delicious on their own, sauteed in olive oil, blitzed into pestos, folded into omelets and baked in frittatas. Rich in nutrients and ranging from sweet to peppery to earthy in flavor, they are an underappreciated bonus attached to your roots and crucifers.

Lately, I’ve been on a beet green kick. Yellow or golden beets are sweet, nutty and less earthy than their red brethren, and their mildness is reflected in the flavor of their leaves. I remove and store the leaves in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where they can last for up to one week, ready for use in a simple side dish or, in this recipe, a frittata.

It’s safe to say that this is a very green frittata, with just enough egg to bind the leaves but not dominate. If you prefer a more eggy dish, feel free to add two more eggs and one additional tablespoon of half-and-half. You can use just one or any combination of greens, including the tops of beets, carrots and turnips, as well as chopped kale and chard leaves. (If using kale or chard, remove the stems and ribs before adding them to the mix.) I blanch sturdy greens, such as kale, chard and beet greens, first to wilt them just enough for a quick saute in olive oil and garlic before adding the eggs. When using more fragile greens, such as wispy carrot tops, you can omit the blanching step.

Green Frittata

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

1 pound greens

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon half-and-half or whole milk

1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided

1/4 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wash the greens and tear into large pieces. If using kale or chard, remove the ribs.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the greens and blanch until bright in color, about 1 minute. Drain the greens and press to remove any excess liquid.

Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl and stir in half of the cheese. Mix the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs together in a separate small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the greens, season with the salt and black pepper, and saute until the greens are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Pour the eggs over the greens, gently nudging the greens around to evenly distribute the eggs. Sprinkle the cheese and breadcrumbs evenly over the frittata.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the eggs are set and the top of the frittata is golden brown in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Traveling abroad may be on hold right now, but there’s no reason why we can’t bring the taste and ambience of travel home to our kitchens and gardens with mezze. Mezze is an appetizer tradition essential to the cuisines of the Middle East, Turkey and Greece.

The word “mezze” derives from the Arabic term t'mazza, which translates as "savor in little bites.” The tradition consists of just that -- a sampling of simple and fresh bites enjoyed with a refreshing drink, meant to whet the appetite before a meal. It’s a daily ritual and social tradition enjoyed with family and friends, centered around the table, often al fresco in the warm weather season.

This is a tradition we can all get behind. What could be a more convivial and pleasurable way to begin a meal than with a sampling of mezze accompanied by a glass of something cool and sparkling on a warm summer evening? Mezze can vary from a simple bite or two to a substantial spread. It almost always includes a sampling of dips, such as hummus, tzatziki or baba ghanoush, along with fresh crudites, pickles and olives. For a more substantial selection, the samplings are endless, including brochettes of meat and keftas (ground meat patties and meatballs), grilled calamari or octopus, simple salads and dolmas (stuffed vegetables and filled grape leaves.) The portions should be small and served in stages, encouraging mingling and lingering at the table.

Here are two basic mezze recipes you can make in advance and stash in the refrigerator, ready for serving or last-minute guests. Get started with these, then pour yourself a glass and enjoy a moment in the sunshine.

Smoky Eggplant and Chickpea Dip

This recipe is inspired by baba ghanoush, which is a traditional Middle Eastern dip made with roasted eggplant, tahini and lemon. In this version, extra flavor-boosting spices are added, as well as chickpeas for more structure. Select an eggplant that is firm, shiny and smooth and has a nice heft to its weight.

Active time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes, plus draining and cooling time

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

1 medium globe eggplant, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds

1 cup cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup tahini

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 large garlic cloves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Chopped Italian parsley leaves for garnish

Pita bread or crudites for serving

If grilling, prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium-high heat. Pierce the eggplant all over with a fork. Grill the eggplant over direct medium-high heat first, until charred on all sides. Move to indirect heat and continue to grill until the eggplant is slightly collapsed and very soft when pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplant. Remove and cool to the touch, then slice in half.

If using an oven, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise. Brush with olive oil and arrange cut-side-down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast in the oven until collapsed and very tender, 35 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplant. Remove and cool to the touch.

Scoop the eggplant flesh into a strainer over a bowl and let drain for 30 minutes. Discard the skins.

Combine the eggplant and all of the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to blend to your desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors develop. Serve at room temperature with pita bread and crudites for dipping, garnished with chopped fresh parsley. The dip may be prepared up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. The flavors will diminish slightly with time.

Marinated Feta With Lemon

This appetizer is impossibly easy to make and best made ahead of serving. The longer the feta can marinate, the better the flavor.

Active time: 10 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes, plus marinating time

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

8 ounces feta cheese, rinsed and patted dry, cut in 3/4-inch cubes

Zest of one lemon, peeled with a vegetable peeler

2 to 3 thyme sprigs

2 to 3 oregano sprigs

1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

Extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 cup

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Shelter in place has given way to an abundance of bread baking. If you follow social media, you can’t miss the number of proud bread photos and sourdough sagas to admire and read. It makes sense. With all of our stay-at-home time, why not take the opportunity to develop and perfect our baking skills? I propose adding tarte tatins to that list.

Tarte what? Tarte tatin is a French upside-down fruit tart that could easily pass as the poster-child for a universally pleasing, caramelized dessert demanding to be shared. It traditionally features fall fruit, such as apple and pear, but I am here to tell you that those ingredients are not mandatory. In fact, any fruit that can be slow-cooked in butter and sugar without dissolving into a puddle will work. Stone fruits, such as plums, nectarines and apricots, are excellent contenders, which is why tarte tatins should be added to your summer to-do list.

The key to a successful tarte tatin, besides luscious in-season fruit, is the caramel, which is the base in which the fruit is cooked. A pastry crust is then layered over the bubbling, fruity confection, and the tart is finished in the oven. Once baked, the tart is inverted onto a plate, and the caramel becomes the top of the tart -- a shiny sheen encasing the fruit like fossilized amber.

Tarte tatins may appear tricky to make, but each step is straightforward. The biggest mistake you can make is not taking the time to allow the fruit to properly caramelize. It may be tempting to rush this step and hasten to the bake stage, but you will risk a runny topping that lacks in caramel color and flavor.

When making the caramel, remember these tips. As mentioned, heed the time. Be patient and vigilant, and allow the caramel to achieve its ideal color. This should take about 30 minutes, while you keep an eye on the bubbling sugar and butter, turning the pan to ensure even cooking. The ideal color should resemble golden-brown amber or the color of peanut butter. If it’s too light, the flavor will read sweet. If it’s too dark, you risk burning when the caramel continues to darken while the tart bakes. I find that the best pan in which to make the tart is metal. A cast-iron pan may be alluring and oh-so rustic to use, but it will be difficult to read the color of the caramel as it cooks. I prefer to use a stainless steel oven-proof skillet.

The final turn of the baked tart onto the plate is easier than it sounds. Make sure you are properly gloved up. Steady and center the skillet and the plate, and ... just flip it. If any bits remain in the pan, you can simply add them to the top of the tart. Detailed perfection is not necessary. This is a rustic tart. Fruit and caramel are forgiving, whether in pristine or cobbled-together desserts, and they always taste great. The good news is that once you’ve made a few of these tarts, you’ll get the hang of the technique. So go ahead and start practicing your tarte tatin baking skills. Your friends and family will appreciate your new project.

Apricot Tarte Tatin

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes, plus chilling time

Yield: Serves 8

Pastry:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced

1/3 cup full-fat sour cream

Filling:

2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 chunks, room temperature

1 1/2 pounds medium apricots, halved and pitted

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 egg, lightly beaten

Prepare the pastry:

Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor once or twice to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is pea-sized. Add the sour cream and pulse until moist clumps form. Gather the dough in a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Before preparing the filling, roll the dough out on parchment paper to a round shape to fit size of skillet. Slide the parchment and pastry onto a baking tray and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the tart:

Whisk the 2 tablespoons sugar, cardamom and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Arrange the butter in a 10-inch oven-proof skillet with sloping sides. Evenly sprinkle the 3/4 cup sugar over the skillet. Place over medium heat and cook until the butter melts, the sugar begins to dissolve, and the mixture begins to bubble, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully arrange the apricots, skin-side down, in a circular pattern in the skillet. Sprinkle the reserved sugar mixture and the lemon zest over the fruit.

Continue to cook the fruit over medium heat until a deep amber-colored syrup forms, 25 to 30 minutes, turning the skillet to ensure even cooking.

While the apricots are cooking, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

When the caramel is the desired color, remove the skillet from the heat. Working quickly, lay the pastry over the apricots and peel away the parchment. (It’s OK if the pastry breaks or tears in places. You can piece it together once the parchment is discarded. Remember, it’s the bottom of the tart -- it needn’t look pristine.) Press the pastry around edges of the skillet. Cut 3 to 4 slits in the pastry and brush with the egg.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes.

Remove the tarte from the oven. Let it stand for one minute, then run a knife around the edge of the tarte to help it release when inverted. Place a large heat-proof platter over skillet. Using oven mitts, hold the skillet and platter together and invert the tart onto the platter. If any bits stick to the pan, use a knife or spatula to remove and add to the tart. Cool for at least 30 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS