572 elegant recipes

Smoky eggplant soup with fire-charred eggplant, tomatoes, onion, garlic, fresh basil and oregano, simmered with chicken stock and finished with grated Parmesan. Deep Mediterranean flavor, rustic elegance.

Fresh asparagus with a honey-simmered apple vinaigrette made from pureed apples, Dijon mustard, garlic, red wine vinegar, and a splash of brandy. An elegant Canadian-inspired spring side dish.

Pear and blue cheese pizza, a five-ingredient bistro-style flatbread with ripe pears, double-cream blue cheese, honey, and thyme. Ready in 30 minutes for an elegant starter or light dinner.

Chilled avocado soup blends ripe avocados with a lime-and-serrano-spiked stock into a silky, no-cream base, topped with cilantro cream and crisp julienned radishes. A cool, elegant Mexican-inspired starter.

Red snapper fillets topped with a shrimp and scallop mousse on wilted spinach, microwaved in white wine and lemon juice. An elegant seafood dinner for two in 30 minutes.

Pears baked in honey with lemon juice, oven-poached until tender and served chilled with a reduced honey syrup. A refined British dessert with just four ingredients and elegant simplicity.

Port-soaked dried figs stuffed with ricotta cheese and topped with a whole almond. An elegant make-ahead appetizer or dessert bite that needs overnight chilling.

Raspberry glace pie with a cream cheese layer, fresh whole raspberries, and a glossy cooked raspberry glaze in a baked pie shell. Bright, fruity, and elegant.

Mangos poached in a brown sugar and cinnamon syrup with vanilla, served cooled over vanilla ice cream. A simple, elegant tropical dessert with warm spice notes.

Cocoa meringue cake: two crisp cocoa-free meringue disks sandwiched with a mocha-chocolate filling and served in a pool of bright raspberry sauce. An elegant, low-fat dessert showpiece.

Roast duckling glazed with apricot basting sauce, served with wild rice studded with toasted pine nuts, chopped pears, and currants. An elegant holiday centerpiece.

Fresh peaches macerated in white wine, port, sweet vermouth, citrus juice, and sugar. An elegant Italian-style no-cook fruit dessert served chilled in glass cups.

Lightning-fast angel hair tossed with sweet roasted pimientos, Parmesan, and fresh chives for an elegant 10-minute side dish with barely any effort.

Peppery arugula leaves frame a mound of juicy tomato wedges tossed in a tangy mustard vinaigrette for a simple, elegant salad ready in minutes.

Grapefruit segments in lemon sugar syrup with a splash of gin or orange juice. An elegant, refreshing citrus dessert that can be prepped ahead.

Pan-seared beef tenderloin topped with melted blue cheese and sweet balsamic caramelized onions. A simple, elegant steak dinner that's ready in 40 minutes.