646 elegant recipes

Jellied fruit soup combines orange and pineapple juice with lemon gelatin, chilled and cubed. Vintage 1950s aspic-style cold soup served in bouillon cups for elegant lunches.

Fruited cream puffs: shortcut pate a choux made with pancake mix, filled with ice cream and topped with sweetened strawberries. Ten elegant frozen desserts from pantry staples.

Calvert's pecan flounder bakes flounder fillets in foil packets with pecan vinaigrette, lemon slices, white wine, and toasted pecan halves. An elegant Southern-inspired dinner for four.

Three mini cream puff fillings: smoked salmon mousse, curried caramelized onions, and a crab-cream cheese spread with red peppers. Ready to pipe into pate a choux for elegant hors d'oeuvres.

Scallops marinated in lemon, honey, soy sauce, and fresh ginger, then seared in a blazing-hot skillet until caramelized and tender. Elegant enough for date night, fast enough for a Tuesday.

Mushroom-stuffed eggs baked on a bed of sauteed mushrooms with grated cheese. A Marguerite Patten classic that turns simple deviled eggs into a warm, elegant vegetarian starter.

Sole fillets baked in Sauterne wine with whole mushrooms, then glazed with a reduced wine and egg yolk cream sauce. A classic French fish dish with elegant simplicity.

Melon, hearts of palm, and prosciutto salad on mesclun greens with red-wine vinaigrette. An elegant Italian-inspired starter with sweet cantaloupe, salty prosciutto, and tender palm hearts.

Poached cabrilla fish medallions served over braised celery bulb with a fragrant court bouillon, pickled ginger and carrot ribbons. A refined seafood main course with clean, elegant flavors.

Plump oysters simmered in spicy Tabasco cream and served in hollowed-out brioche rolls. Just 3 ingredients and 40 minutes for an elegant Cajun appetizer or brunch showpiece.

Butter-baked chicken breasts topped with a rich sherry and mushroom almond sauce with Worcestershire and a hint of almond extract. Elegant enough for company, served over rice.

Escargots a la Bourguignonne served in large mushroom caps instead of shells, filled with canned Burgundy snails and topped with garlic-herb snail butter. An elegant French appetizer.

Chinese-style drunken chicken salad marinated overnight in sherry, then served cold on red lettuce with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and scallions. Elegant, refreshing, and make-ahead friendly.

Smoked chicken strips dredged in spiced flour, browned in butter, simmered in white wine, then wrapped in thin-sliced ham. An elegant party appetizer served on cocktail picks.

Shrimp ceviche "cooked" in fresh lime juice with green onions and capers, folded with homemade creme fraiche. An elegant make-ahead appetizer served on lettuce or scallop shells.

Elegant shortbread-style cookies with ground toasted pecans and a splash of dry sherry. Pressed with decorative designs and ripened overnight for the best texture. Makes 90 cookies.