285 elegant recipes

Sole fillets wrapped around crisp-tender carrot strips and topped with Italian bread crumbs, melted butter, and lemon juice. A light, elegant baked fish dinner that comes together in under an hour.

Crispy dried pear chips made by slicing pears paper-thin, dipping in simple syrup, and slow-baking until dehydrated. A two-ingredient snack and elegant garnish for desserts, salads, and cheese boards.

A golden, puffy soufflé filled with tender zucchini (or spinach), nutty Gruyère, and fresh parsley. Vegetarian, elegant, and easier than you think. Serve it straight from the oven for maximum wow factor.

Orange butter cakes are petite tartlet-tin cakes perfumed with Grand Marnier and candied orange peel, then dipped in orange liqueur glaze. Elegant 36-cake batch for gifts or a holiday tray.

Pistachio chicken stuffs pounded chicken breasts with pistachios, mushrooms, and ham, then bakes them under an apricot-chutney glaze. An elegant dinner-party main with sweet, savory, and nutty in every bite.

Orange custard cookies are mini tartlets with buttery shortbread shells filled with an almond-orange flower water custard, baked in muffin tins. Two dozen elegant bite-sized desserts with a Mediterranean fragrance.

Black-eyed peas simmered in ham hock broth, tossed with sweet crabmeat, crispy bacon, tri-color bell peppers, and fresh herbs, then ringed with juicy ruby grapefruit sections. Southern elegance on a platter.

Brandy-flambéed chicken baked with fresh apples, pears, sliced mushrooms, and apple wine until tender and saucy. An elegant fall dinner that comes together in just 35 minutes. Serve over couscous or rice.

Elegant shrimp poached in champagne, then tossed with sautéed mushrooms, shallots, and tomatoes in a reduced cream sauce over angel hair pasta. This luxurious 40-minute dinner is worthy of a special occasion.

Le Bisse are traditional S-shaped butter cookies with lemon zest, made from a simple egg-butter-flour dough. Crisp and golden, these French-style cookies have an elegant shape and delicate crumb.

Pears Helene is a classic French dessert of poached pear halves served with hot chocolate sauce and optional vanilla ice cream and chopped almonds. Elegant, timeless, and surprisingly simple to make at home.

Fresh blackberries macerated in aged balsamic vinegar, layered with creamy Greek yogurt and honey, then topped with a crackly torched sugar crust. A no-bake crème brûlée that's elegant enough for a dinner party.

A from-scratch turkey chowder simmered from the carcass with carrots, celery, potatoes, and diced turkey, served with a caramelized cranberry compote and sour cream. The most elegant way to use your Thanksgiving leftovers.

Fresh asparagus spears with a make-ahead orange and lime citrus cream sauce. Just 50 calories per serving, this elegant low-fat side dish is ready in 30 minutes and doubles as an impressive entertaining platter.

Steak a la Stone broils thick-cut filet mignon, slices it thin, and tosses it in a buttery sauce of sauteed onions and pimientos. Served on toast points for an elegant retro dinner party main.

Wild mushroom and pasta souffle folds fine egg noodles and sauteed wild mushrooms into a porcini-Parmesan bechamel, lightened with whipped egg whites so it bakes up airy and golden. An elegant mushroom-lover's main.