10,000 bitter recipes

Plump prawns simmered in a bold honey-coffee sauce with bacon, chili, and tomato, served over dill mashed potatoes. An unexpected sweet-savory seafood dish with a deep espresso edge.

A rich, velvety Chesapeake-style oyster bisque simmered with bay leaf, finished with cream and a splash of dry sherry. Serves 24 for elegant entertaining.

Greek moussaka layered with golden-fried eggplant, sliced potatoes, spiced ground beef or lamb in tomato, and a rich parmesan bechamel custard topping. A traditional Mediterranean casserole that bakes to a deep golden crust.

Fluffy couscous cooked in duck stock with sliced dates and dried figs, ready in just 30 minutes. A sweet-savory side dish that pairs beautifully with roasted duck, lamb, or any rich main course.

Grilled salmon en papillote with homemade basil-garlic butter, tomato slices, lemon, and bay leaf. Sealed in foil packets on the barbecue for a no-mess dinner.

Dried cherry apple pie: a twist on classic apple pie with tart dried cherries tucked among cinnamon-spiced apple slices. The cherries plump up in the juices for bursts of tangy flavor.

Classic French-style lobster tart with a buttery lard-and-butter pastry, sweet lobster medallions, and a silky egg-and-cream custard. An old-school dinner-party showstopper.

Classic French gougères with Gruyère cheese baked into airy pâte à choux. Savory cheese puffs that deliver crisp, golden shells with tender, eggy interiors for cocktail parties and appetizer spreads.

Oven-braised pheasant in a white wine and stock sauce with peeled grapes stirred in at the end. A classic European game bird dish with an elegant, fruity finish.

Italian fig and raspberry crostata with almond cream filling on a buttery sweet pastry crust. Fresh figs, scattered berries, and a dusting of powdered sugar make this tart stunning.

Chocolate mint cookie sandwiches stack slice-and-bake chocolate rounds around a cool mint buttercream, then dip half in semisweet chocolate glaze.

Pineapple casserole: a Southern bread pudding-style side dish with crushed pineapple, white bread cubes, butter, and sugar. The traditional sweet companion to baked ham at Easter and Christmas.

Purple prune plum pie with halved plums arranged in overlapping circles on a cinnamon-sugar base in a single pie shell, dotted with butter. A rustic, open-face fruit pie for plum season.

Streusel and cream pear kuchen with a yeasted hot-roll base, sweet cream cheese filling, cinnamon-pecan streusel, and fanned poached pears on top. A German-style coffee cake worthy of a holiday brunch table.

Babute is a South African curried beef bake with chopped dried apricots, bay leaves, and a rich egg custard poured over the top. Simple comfort food with exotic spice and fruity sweetness in every bite.

Classic baked graham cracker crust with just 3 ingredients. Press into a 9-inch pie plate, bake 8 minutes, and you have a crisp, buttery base ready for cheesecake, key lime pie, or any chilled filling.