Shallot

Phyllo-wrapped goat cheese gives this salad served at Un Grand Café in Chicago, Illinois, an elegant touch.

Complement the chicken with Aromatic Yellow Rice and haricots verts or other green beans, and offer a crisp Riesling or cold Asian beer to drink. Finish the meal simply with a platter of tropical fruit.

Sortilège is a blend of Canadian whiskey and maple syrup. Here it infuses the chestnuts with maple flavor and picks up the sweetness of the green beans. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr

A hearty combination of textures and flavors.

"Years ago, I was working on a client at my hair salon when we realized that our conversations always led to food," writes Sandy Ercolano of Ridgewood, New Jersey. "She happened to be taking classes at a local cooking school and suggested that I come along. After one class, I was hooked. Now, in addition to running the salon, I’m an instructor at that same school." In this recipe the steak is broiled, but you can also grill it on your barbecue (over a medium-hot fire).

These bruschette from the cookbook Simple to Spectacular by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman (Broadway Books), look both simple and beautiful. Each is topped with an array of mushrooms—shiitake, cremini, and chanterelle —that is set off by fresh tarragon. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

This recipe originally accompanied epi:recipeLink="101948"Steamed Clams and Lobster with Shallot Butter, Corn, Sausages and Potatoes</epi:recipeLink>.<P> This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.<P>

A satisfying, easy dish that's also versatile: Accompany with sliced melon and some assorted pastries for brunch, or with a green salad and warm focaccia for dinner.

This dish is ideal for entertaining, because you can prepare the sauce ahead and then simply toss it with the cooked pasta. Do not overcook the shrimp!

The delicate grapeseed oil in the dressing allows all the delicious flavors to come out. Regular vegetable oil can be substituted.

A quick and easy side dish that goes well with roast chicken, turkey or pork chops.

Stitt likes to use rock salt — the kind used for old-fashioned ice cream churners — as a bed for these oysters because it keeps the shells from tipping and sliding around in the pan and on the plates. Rock salt is sold at many supermarkets, but kosher salt is a good substitute. At the restaurant, Stitt makes this recipe with local Apalachicola oysters, though he also likes the flavor of East Coast varieties such as Blue Point, Pemaquid, and Malpeque, so feel free to use your favorite.

The tender greens in this salad are a wonderful foil for blue cheeses.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This recipe originally accompanied Halibut with Roasted Vegetables and Spicy Cilantro Sauce .