Seafood

Small fish, such as a small trout, can be grilled whole without splitting. A larger, thick fish should be split.

That renewal of my acquaintance with marrow led to the invention of a canapé or sandwich filling that I believe to be without a peer as an accompaniment for cocktails. In the beginning I produced small batches, but they vanished with such unbelievable rapidity that I was forced to make them larger and larger. I pass on the recipe willingly, for the good of the human race, which has too long suffered from canapés that either adhere distressingly to the roof of the mouth or result in unsightly toothpicks scattered on the floor.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

At the restaurant, this spectacular starter also has a tomato confit vinaigrette. Here, we've substituted chopped seeded peeled tomatoes to simplify the recipe.

Oysters are a great way to start any meal, but buttered on toast they are ideal winter comfort food.

This recipe is from chef Matthew Moran of Moran's Restaurant and Cafe in Sydney. He recommends when buying the beef, choose thick sirloin steaks, grain-fed preferably, and that they be brought to room temperature before cooking.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This brunch dish makes delicious use of leftover cooked salmon or potatoes.

Serve this terrific dish with crusty bread and soup spoons so that your guests can enjoy every last drop.

Satisfying accompaniments for this clever hash would be steamed broccoli and a salad of crisp romaine lettuce with red wine vinaigrette and some shaved Parmesan cheese. We recommend serving slices of Boston cream pie afterward.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Onion, Anchovy, and Olive Tarts)

If you can't find yellow pear or yellow cherry tomatoes, use all red cherry tomatoes to make this colorful and refreshing salad.

Gah Yan Tsui writes, via gourmet.com: "I recently enjoyed a delicious lunch at Aquavit in New York City. Marcus Samuelsson makes an incredible mussel and carrot soup. Would it be possible to acquire the recipe?" This soup tastes much better when made with fresh carrot juice. If you don't have a juicer, you can get some at your nearest natural foods store. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min