572 elegant recipes

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.

Boneless beef rib eye roast seasoned simply and oven-roasted, then carved thin and served with a savory red wine and mushroom pan sauce. Elegant enough for holidays, easy enough for Sunday dinner.

Silky double-boiler polenta topped with a melting slice of tangy Gorgonzola and a swirl of butter. This elegant Italian side dish is simple enough for weeknights yet impressive enough for dinner parties.

Handmade chocolate-covered cherries soaked overnight in kirsch brandy, then wrapped in a rich truffle mixture of milk and unsweetened chocolate. Rolled in a cocoa-powdered sugar coating for an elegant homemade confection.

Sea bass fillets baked over a bed of black olives, garlic, oregano, basil, and parsley, basted in vegetable stock. A Mediterranean-inspired Turkish fish dish that's low calorie, high flavor, and effortlessly elegant.

Classic French truite au bleu: whole trout gently poached in a white wine court bouillon with shallots, herbs, and tarragon vinegar. Serve hot with herb butter or cold as an elegant first course.

Pounded-thin veal scallops seared golden in minutes, then topped with wilted spinach, briny capers, and a bright lemon pan sauce. Just 6 ingredients and 45 minutes for an elegant Italian weeknight dinner.

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.

Pepper poached pears simmer in white wine with black peppercorns, ginger, cinnamon and a whisper of chili heat, then chill in a syrup reduced from the poaching liquid. An elegant, lightly spiced dessert.

Basic rack of lamb: a French-trimmed rack marinated, then roasted hot to a rosy medium-rare and carved into elegant double-bone chops. The foundation technique for an impressive special-occasion main.

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.

An elegant German zucchini cake with coconut, candied cherries, rum, and lemon, lightened with whipped egg whites and finished in a glossy chocolate glaze. Baked in a traditional Rehruecken mold for a stunning presentation.

A medieval recipe brought to life: young turnips simmered in white wine with chestnuts, sage, and a touch of honey. Simple, earthy, and elegant enough to grace a lord's table or your Tuesday dinner.

Anginares tarama is a Greek island appetizer of tender braised artichokes filled with creamy taramosalata, the classic emulsion of cured cod roe, lemon, olive oil, and grated onion. Old-school meze with elegant presentation.

Hot zabaglione is the classic Italian dessert: egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala whipped over a double boiler into a warm, frothy custard served in glasses. Three ingredients, ready in 15 minutes, restaurant-quality elegance.

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.