Make Ahead

This recipe was created to accompany Spiced Beef in Mini Yorkshire Puddings with Mustard Dressing.

We make half of this mac 'n' cheese plain, for kids, and into the other half we stir some chipotle chiles to give it a grown-up kick. Any tubular pasta will do, but we like to use cavatappi, a ridged, spiral macaroni that lends the dish a particularly festive air.

Honey, cinnamon, vanilla and orange slices spice up the wine marinade in this low-fat fruit dessert. Transport it in an airtight plastic container, and serve it in bowls.

We tried several different brands of whole-wheat and found that Pepperidge Farm loaves have a slight sweetness that works especially well in this torte.

This granita is not particularly sweet and is best served as a first or intermezzo course. Try it on top of raw oysters or thick tomato slices.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Cheddar Shortcakes with Corned Beef Hash.

Serve this beautiful starter with Champagne or sparkling wine.

Dashi Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 30 min Elizabeth Andoh's recipe for dashi provides more than you'll need for the dipping sauce but just enough extra for two nice bowls of miso soup: Heat up the stock and stir in a couple of tablespoons of miso, a handful of diced tofu, and a sprinkling of sliced scallion.

We've called for live lobsters in this recipe, but, to save time, you could use 1 pound (about 3 cups) cooked lobster meat from your fish market.

Capers lend tangy contrast to the sweet bell peppers. Serve the stew over egg noodles

This recipe is an accompaniment for <epi:recipelink id="108054">Chicken, Potato, and Carrot Enchiladas</epi:recipelink>.

Make the cheesecake up to two days before serving (it must chill at least four hours).

Salmorejo Cordobés In Córdoba, gazpacho is reduced to its most basic elements, with no cucumbers or peppers, and is known as salmorejo. It takes on a saucelike consistency but is still considered a soup and is served in small portions. It is scattered with chopped hard-boiled egg and julienne strips of serrano ham, both indispensable to achieving salmorejo's fullest flavor. Salmorejo is sometimes used as a dip.

Ajo Blanco Malagueño This gazpacho from Málaga gets its pure white color and creamy consistency from blanched almonds. Sweet green grapes are the essential counterpoint to the tang of garlic and vinegar. The addition of shrimp comes from chef Bartolomé Rodrigo Lucena.