135 elegant recipes

Minty salmon salad with canned red Alaska salmon, fanned avocado halves, curly endive, and a cool cucumber-mint-yogurt dressing. A light, elegant no-cook main course.

Lemon cats' paw cookies piped from almond dough with lemon zest and vanilla, sandwiched and dipped in dark chocolate. An elegant bakery-style cookie worth the effort.

Tender duck breast meets creamy avocado and bright orange segments in this elegant no-cook salad. Topped with toasted pecans and citrus mayo, it's a showstopper appetizer.

Summer fruit compote with poached plums, boysenberries, raspberries, citrus, and grapes in a maple syrup and wine sauce finished with fresh mint. An elegant warm fruit dessert.

Elegant chocolate mousse in a press-in chocolate pastry crust, topped with chocolate curls and powdered sugar stripes. A no-bake filling in a baked flan shell.

Pears poached in red Burgundy wine with cinnamon and lemon zest. An elegant French dessert with just 5 ingredients, served warm or cold in ruby-red syrup.

Cream of artichoke soup with lemon and garlic, simmered in chicken broth and pureed smooth. A velvety, elegant soup with bright citrus notes and no cream needed.

Steamed orange spinach wilted with fresh orange juice and zest, tossed with pine nuts. A bright, elegant side dish with just 4 ingredients and no added fat.

Oranges in red wine sauce with cinnamon, cloves, and lemon, served chilled in a spiced wine syrup with julienned orange zest. An elegant French-style fruit dessert.

Chilled raspberry dessert soup with strawberry wine, maple syrup, and lemon, thickened with arrowroot. Served cold with sour cream and fresh berries for an elegant summer starter.

Egg and watercress finger sandwiches layer creamy egg salad with peppery watercress on buttered whole-wheat bread, sliced into elegant fingers for tea, brunch, or bridal showers.

Pâté de poulet en gelée layers poached chicken, broiled chicken livers, poached vegetables, and apple in individual aspic molds. Elegant French cold starter set in savory gelatin.

Elegant braised squab nestled in buttery cabbage and bacon, unmolded in a mosaic of turnips, carrots, and broccoli with a rich veal jus. A showstopping French-inspired centerpiece.

Elegant crab-stuffed avocado halves with sliced pear, peach, and fresh primrose petals, dressed in a homemade creamy vinaigrette. A stunning no-cook appetizer ready in 10 minutes.

Chocolate tortoni is a frozen Italian dessert with two kinds of chocolate, whipped cream, beaten egg whites, toasted almonds, and candied cherries. Elegant, no-churn, and make-ahead.

Tender pork and crab meatballs braised with crisp Chinese cabbage in savory broth. This classic Lion's Head recipe brings restaurant-style elegance to your table in 30 minutes.