Gourmet

A crisp bread coating and savory serrano ham put a new spin on Eggs Florentine.

Who needs toast when you have golden croutons in this otherwise classic omelet?

This timeless dish is a beautiful, delicious, easy beginning to dinner. You can also think of mimosa as a nice way to add a little inexpensive protein to a vegetable side or leafy green salad.

Because fresh fruit was once scarce in Sweden during the winter, compotes stewed from dried fruits (mixed with a little alcohol to take the nip off the cold) are traditional at Christmas julbord. Here, dried cherries simmered with red wine and Port are subtly spiced with cinnamon and black pepper. This compote partners beautifully with cheese, which is how Magnus Ek serves it; we've also found that it complements the rice pudding in place of warm milk and sugar.

Julgröt Chef Magnus Ek uses Arborio rice for a rich pudding with a consistency that's creamier than most. It's barely sweetened, but we've found that most people like to stir in warm milk and sprinkle some turbinado sugar and cinnamon on top.

This version of the classic is gorgeously cheesy, not gunky. Slow cooking gives the broth depth of flavor and a silky texture.

You'll want to use the best Scottish smoked salmon and salmon roe, available at specialty foods shops, for these pretty nibbles.

Broiling tomatoes and onions concentrates their flavor in this spicy salsa that's good any time of the year.

Sweet and tangy, these ribs are a one-dish masterpiece that is surprisingly mild despite all the added Tabasco.

Thin and crisp, these waferlike cookies add sparkle to the holidays with a glittery topping of cinnamon and sugar.

Laden with chocolate, butter, and old-world charm, this babka is luscious served as dessert, with coffee, or as breakfast. While baking, the rich dough becomes incredibly tender, so it pulls apart in buttery pieces that melt in your mouth.

Drop scones are a boon for busy holiday bakers, since they're a snap to make and almost foolproof. These bake up light and fluffy. A touch of maple syrup and pieces of fig make them just sweet enough — ideal for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

We like to bake this lightly spiced bread, filled with bits of flavorful candied fruit, in small loaves — perfect for gift-giving. Mild honey lends sweetness, while molasses adds notes of caramel.

There's something abundantly festive about the puffed dome of panettone bread. In this traditional Italian holiday favorite, a sweet yeast dough is studded with golden raisins and jewel-toned glacéed citron.

If you want dramatic impact on your holiday table, look no further. These leaf-shaped breads (traditionally one of the 13 desserts of a Provençal Christmas Eve) are large and sculptural, with a heady fragrance of orange and anise.

A touch of sugar blended with tamari creates a rich, salty coating for whole almonds. They're ideal for holiday parties — just set them out in festive dishes and watch them disappear.

It's the sprinkle of sea salt that really takes these caramels over the top, teasing out the creamy richness of the buttery chocolate candies.