In honor of Easter, Passover and spring, I share this roasted lamb recipe. Mind you, this is not your traditional springtime lamb roast studded with garlic and served with mint (which is always a good option, of course). Instead, this roast veers to North Africa with a generous smear of chermoula, a heady concoction of aromatic spices, fresh herbs, chiles and garlic. Consider it Easter break on holiday -- a spring fling for culinary travelers.

Chermoula is a flavorful and versatile condiment in Moroccan, Libyan and Tunisian cuisines. It’s used as a marinade and garnish for fish, meats and vegetables, and it can also be swirled into rice and couscous dishes. Recipes for chermoula vary from region to region and cook to cook, but the gist is to use fistfuls of fresh green herbs, such as parsley, cilantro and mint, and plenty of spice, such as cumin and coriander. While it’s a long list of ingredients, it’s easily blitzed in a food processor in just a few minutes. The end result should be bright, sharp and aromatic with a kick of heat. Ideally, toast and grind whole spices for best flavor, but pre-ground spices will do just fine.

The meat is served over a platter of spring greens, lightly dressed with lemon and olive oil. Choose a selection of sturdy greens that are a mix of bitter, peppery and sweet. The cooking juices from the lamb will slightly wilt leaves, for a refreshing contrast that mirrors the season. And, for best flavor results, begin marinating the lamb the night before roasting.

Lamb Chermoula With Spring Greens

Active Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hours

Marinating Time: 24 hours, plus 1 hour standing time

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Chermoula:

4 cloves garlic

1 cup Italian flat leaf parsley sprigs

1 cup cilantro sprigs

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed

Lamb:

1 (5- to 6-pound) semi-boneless leg of lamb, fat trimmed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 cups mixed spring greens such as frisee, mustard greens, mizuna, arugula

1 small handful mint leaves, coarsely torn

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley and/or cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Begin marinating the lamb one day before serving. Place all of the chermoula ingredients, except the olive oil, in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to coarsely chop. Add the oil and process to blend. The chermoula should have a runny paste consistency. If needed, add a little more oil to achieve this consistency.

Place the lamb in a large bowl and season on all sides with salt and black pepper. Rub the chermoula all over the lamb. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. One hour before roasting, remove the lamb from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Roast the lamb for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat (not touching the bone) reaches 135 degrees for medium-rare, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the lamb. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the juices to collect.

While the lamb is resting, place the greens, mint and parsley and/or cilantro in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle the lemon zest over, lightly season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

Carve the lamb into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spread the greens on a serving platter. Arrange the lamb in the center. Drizzle any collected lamb juices over the meat and greens and scatter the pine nuts over. Serve warm.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

If you are looking for a cake that you can eat for breakfast, with tea, as a snack or dessert, this is the cake for you. And it also happens to be gluten-free. This lemon polenta cake is moist with olive oil and drenched in lemony syrup. The result is a moist and dense cake, bursting with citrus and with a nutty, toothsome texture, thanks to the polenta and almond meal. It’s also not an overly sweet cake, which may lead you to munch on it all day long. For the record, no one will judge you for that.

The only tricky issue is that this cake actually tastes better the day after baking, once the flavor and texture have been allowed to develop. So the challenge, if you can bear it, is to wrap the cake tightly in plastic and let it stand at room temperature overnight (perhaps out of sight). Of course, it’s highly acceptable to have a nibble or two when it’s right out of the oven. After all, you’re the chef, and it’s always good practice to taste and inspect your results.

This cake keeps well and can last up to four days at room temperature, which really is moot, because it’s also positively addicting, so chances are, once you begin eating it, you won’t be able to stop.

Lemon Almond Polenta Cake

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes, plus cooling time

Yield: Makes 1 (8- or 9-inch) cake

Cake:

1 1/2 cups almond meal (flour)

1 cup polenta

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon almond extract

Syrup:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch spring-form pan and line with parchment.

Combine the almond meal, polenta, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl and whisk to blend.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light in color, about 2 minutes. Mix in the olive oil, lemon juice, zest and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine without over-mixing.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. If the cake begins to brown on top before finished baking, loosely cover with foil.

While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup. Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.

Transfer the cake from the oven to a wire rack. Brush the top with the syrup and cool 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and brush the cake on the sides with the syrup. Cool completely.

Serve as-is or with a dusting of powdered sugar and/or candied lemon peel. To store, wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to four days or freeze for up to one month.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

This dish is no-drama with honest ingredients. During a busy week, its simplicity and flavor are a welcome and uncomplicated interlude. Crisp-tender broccolini spears and plump, briny shrimp mingle in a quick-cooked, three-ingredient tomato sauce infused with garlic. It’s fresh and bright, and can be whipped up in 30 minutes for a healthy weeknight dinner that’s low-maintenance and utterly delicious.

A series of quick steps ensures that each ingredient is perfectly cooked before tossing the whole lot together. The broccolini and shrimp are sauteed with crushed red pepper flakes and olive oil long enough to brighten in color and amplify their flavor, without overcooking and rendering them dull and limp. A simple Italian plum tomato sauce simmers with garlic to blend and thicken before binding the dish. A final flourish of fresh basil is added to the mix, letting the heat of the pasta wilt the leaves and release their perfume.

This short list of ingredients is accessible, straightforward and, well, honest. In return, it demands the best ingredients you can find for optimum flavor and freshness.

Spaghetti With Shrimp, Broccolini and Basil

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

12 ounces broccolini, ends trimmed, cut into bite-size pieces

Crushed red pepper flakes

Salt

1 pound large (20/24) shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails intact

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes with juice

Pinch of sugar, optional

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti or linguine

1/2 cup whole basil leaves, torn if large, plus extra for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccolini, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and lightly season with salt. Saute the broccolini until bright in color and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet. Add the shrimp in one layer with a pinch of red pepper flakes and season with salt. Cook over medium heat until pink on both sides and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the broccolini.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes, breaking the tomatoes apart with a spoon. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and/or a pinch of sugar if desired.

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain the spaghetti and transfer to the skillet with the sauce. Add the shrimp, broccolini and basil, and stir to combine.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and additional basil leaves.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS