Recipe Sifter

Ginger-carrot bisque: silky pureed carrot soup with fresh ginger, orange zest, and coriander, finished with cream. The elegant first-course soup that converts vegetable skeptics.

Gourmet chocolate chip cookies use both light and dark brown sugar with optional ground coriander for warm depth. Big quarter-cup-sized cookies with semi-sweet chips and walnuts. Makes 3 dozen.

Carrot soup with coriander purees sweet carrots and potato in chicken broth, finished with milk and a splash of sherry. Topped with sour cream and cilantro for a vibrant orange starter.

Moroccan chicken stew with acorn squash, chickpeas, raisins, and warm spices served over fluffy couscous. A microwave-friendly one-pot North African dinner with toasted almonds and fresh mint.

Cream of pumpkin soup with coriander, curry powder, and a finishing drizzle of walnut oil. Smooth, golden, and ready in an hour using fresh or canned pumpkin.

Fresh or in a pinch canned tomatoes add depth to the rice in this fluffy pilaf. A great side dish and I usually finish cooking the rice using my rice cooker while I'm busy watching the Food Network!

Malai kofta are golden-fried potato and paneer-style balls stuffed with cashews and raisins, simmered in a cashew-cream sauce warmed with cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne. A North Indian restaurant classic.

Curry lobster risotto: arborio rice cooked the classic risotto way with West Indian curry powder, ginger, and shallots, finished with sweet papaya, mango, banana, and chunks of cooked lobster.

Kobeba samakeyah are Lebanese fish-filled bulgur croquettes seasoned with cumin and cilantro, deep-fried golden, and served with homemade tahini sauce. A Middle Eastern classic.

Makkhani murghi (butter chicken) with tandoori-style chicken in a creamy tomato sauce with garam masala, ginger, roasted cumin, and fresh green chile. India's most beloved curry sauce.

A quick salsa tops this omelette stuffed with avocado and bacon and cheese.

Mughlai-style mixed vegetable curry with paneer, cream, pineapple, and golden raisins. A rich, mildly spiced North Indian dish that finishes with a sprinkle of fried nuts for royal-court flair.

Crispy roasted chickpeas tossed in garlic butter with curry powder, cumin, coriander, and ginger. A crunchy, spiced vegetarian snack baked until golden.

Red wine-marinated grilled flank steak with a pecan-serrano chile compound butter and a red wine black bean butter sauce. A Southwestern showstopper served with warm tortillas.

Spanish-style butterflied Cornish hens rubbed with crushed coriander and garlic, roasted crisp, then topped with sauteed almonds and julienned bell peppers. Gallina de Cornuallo al Ajillo for a crowd.

West: Royal Lamb Chops Braised with Nuts and Saffron recipe