Steamed mussels in a garlicky white wine sauce with thyme, red pepper flakes, and butter. Breadcrumbs thicken the broth into a rich, scoopable sauce.
Shrimp saute with orzo: garlicky butter-poached shrimp finished with white wine, lemon, capers, and parsley over al dente orzo. Restaurant-style dinner ready in 25 minutes.
Fall off the bone lamb with sweet capsicum (bell pepper) and tomatoes. Stand a shank on top of a 'mountain' of garlic mash potato in a bowl; ladle bell peppers and soupy stock all around. Mop up with crusty bread
Oversized ravioli filled with mascarpone potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and a whole egg yolk that oozes when you cut in. Topped with crispy pancetta and fresh tomato-basil sauce.
Robust Italian beef stew with red wine, cinnamon, cloves, Nicoise olives, and roasted peppers, slow-simmered and ladled over soft polenta. A true feast-day spoon-and-fork dinner.
Tahini toasts: a savory paste of tahini, tomato, onion, parsley, and lemon spread on bread and grilled until the sesame topping browns and sizzles. A quick, vegan snack or buffet bite with real flavor.
Rigatoni with thick mushroom sauce shreds portobello mushrooms straight into the pan, then reduces with garlic, broth, and red pepper for a meaty vegetarian pasta. Pan to plate in 30 minutes.
Grilled shrimp tossed with penne, fresh Roma tomatoes, diced mozzarella, basil, and Italian parsley in a simple olive oil dressing. This no-cook pasta sauce comes together while the penne boils.
Jumbo butterflied shrimp topped with a golden breadcrumb stuffing loaded with garlic, sun-dried tomato, Parmesan, and fresh herbs. Ready in 30 minutes flat.
Rotini with shiitake mushrooms marinated overnight in olive oil and red wine vinegar, tossed with prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, white wine, and toasted pine nuts.
Homemade turkey sausage patties seasoned with sage, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. A low-fat alternative to pork sausage with bold, spicy flavor in every bite.
Fasolia Gigandes, a Greek butter bean stew baked in tomato sauce with olive oil, garlic, and parsley. Giant beans braised in the oven until tender and saucy. Vegetarian.
Cornish game hens stewed in fruit and sugar -- I originally got this recipe from the Sunday magazine of the local paper. I served it last year for Christmas dinner, and it's very good. What's more, this recipe is easy: you just put everything in a bowl, marinate overnight, then bake until done!
Tabbouleh tosses bulgur wheat with masses of fresh parsley, mint, scallions, and ripe Roma tomato, dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil. A vegan Levantine cracked wheat salad that gets better after an overnight chill.
Flour-dusted turkey cutlets sauteed golden in olive oil, then sauced with Marsala wine, chicken broth, scallions, garlic, and rosemary. This lighter spin on classic Marsala is on the table in 30 minutes with restaurant-worthy flavor.
Antipasto pasta salad with salami, provolone, garbanzo beans, olives, and mushrooms in a lemon-garlic-basil dressing. A make-ahead party dish that gets better as it chills.