Recipe Sifter

Crisp asparagus stir-fried with mushrooms, green onions, bell pepper, and water chestnuts in a light soy-broth sauce. A crunchy, vibrant vegetable side dish ready in 30 minutes.

Parchment wrapped chicken: tender chicken strips marinated in ginger-soy, tossed with bean sprouts, scallions, and walnuts, folded into parchment parcels and steamed. A classic Chinese restaurant appetizer made at home.

Steamed cherrystone clams in a white wine, garlic, and butter broth loaded with a full dozen garlic cloves, scallions, and Italian herbs. A punchy seafood starter served with crusty bread.

Caribbean-style baked crab in shells with curry powder, scallions, chili peppers, coriander, and breadcrumbs. A spicy, fragrant seafood appetizer for eight.

A lighter green chili loaded with beans, green peppers, jalapenos, green chiles, and cumin in chicken broth. No tomatoes, all heat, ready in 30 minutes flat.

Oysters Bienville baked on the half shell with a rich cream sauce of shrimp, mushrooms, white wine, green onions, and Parmesan. A classic New Orleans appetizer that's worth every minute.

Corn salsa with green chilies, jalapeno, bell pepper, and white wine vinegar. A sweet, tangy, no-cook salsa made from pantry staples and ready after a quick chill.

Curried turkey cutlets simmered in a pineapple-ginger sauce with plump dried apricots, fresh mint, and a cool yogurt dollop. A fast weeknight skillet dinner ready in under 30 minutes.

Grilled eggplant with hoisin sauce, balsamic vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and tamari. Salted rounds grilled until smoky and tender, then drizzled with a sweet-savory Asian glaze.

Crispy pantry tuna patties with celery, scallions, and soft breadcrumbs, pan-fried golden and served with a quick lemon sour cream sauce. Pantry dinner that doubles as next-day cold lunch.

Fresh tuna burgers with basil, mint, lemon zest, and red chili, grilled and stacked on whole-wheat ciabatta with wasabi mayonnaise. A lighter burger with a Thai-Japanese lean.

Four-onion soup made with yellow onion, red onion, leeks, and scallions in beef broth, topped with toasted baguette slices and broiled Swiss and Parmesan. A deeper, more complex twist on classic French onion soup.

Cream cheese dip with crumbled bacon, green olives, Parmesan, and hot sauce. Shape it into a cheese ball or serve as a dip with wheat crackers. No cooking required.

Three pounds of beef chuck simmered for nearly 3 hours with cumin, oregano, jalapeño, and tomato concassé, thickened with a masa harina slurry. No beans, no shortcuts. This is cookoff-caliber chili built on patience and bold spice.

Pan-seared sea scallops sauteed with mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and scallions in a butter and white wine sauce. A restaurant-quality seafood dinner with a rich, lemon-bright pan sauce.

.