Easy

Halving the yams before roasting greatly reduces the cooking time and allows them to develop a nice golden crust.

A copper gratin dish or cast-iron skillet is ideal for roasting potatoes, but a rimmed baking sheet works equally well. To ensure the potatoes cook evenly, slice larger ones in half lengthwise and leave smaller ones whole.

Because the potatoes are cooked and served whole, be sure to select those that are similar in size to ensure they cook evenly.

A Japanese or French mandoline is great for slicing vegetables uniformly—anywhere from very thin to thick—and takes much less time than slicing by hand with a knife.

Use a mandoline or a very sharp knife to cut the celery and zucchini.

Quickly grill ramps to make the most of their wild, earthy flavor.

Ears of corn, cut into small pieces, make a perfect summer side dish. Plan on one ear per person.

Frozen lima beans may be substituted for fava beans; start with the second step.

The eggplant can also be served as an hors d’oeuvre, cut into bite-size pieces.

The grainy mustard and bacon dressing is best when made and served immediately. The artichokes, however, can be prepared in advance.

For the best flavor, use freshly made bread crumbs for this dish because they have a much fluffier texture. Place as many slices of white bread as will comfortably fit in the bowl of your food processor, and pulse the bread until crumbly. Any leftover bread crumbs can be placed in a resealable plastic bag and frozen for future use.