Recipe Sifter

The victual of choice to be served with vodka is of course caviar but other kinds of seafood and various salty morsels are also good choices.

Traditional Irish stew layered with lamb chops on the bone, sliced potatoes, onions, and parsley-thyme seasoning, then oven-braised low and slow until everything melts together.

Classic fettuccine Alfredo with unsalted butter, light cream, freshly grated Parmesan, and a pinch of nutmeg. A silky, rich Italian pasta ready in 20 minutes.

Italian walnut-garlic sauce with toasted walnuts, parsley, bread, and olive oil blended into thick paste: traditional Ligurian agliata tossed with your favorite pasta.

Compared to restaurant and store-bought veggie burgers this is the best black bean burger recipe I’ve ever tried. Add a quick avocado salsa for a topping and we're in love.

Budget-friendly beef stew with round steak, potatoes, carrots, and celery simmered in tomato sauce. A hearty one-skillet meal that feeds 10 from simple pantry staples.

Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, lemon zest, chives, and chopped almonds, then drizzled with a bright lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. Served cold or at room temperature.

Vegetarian nori rolls with brown rice, cucumber, carrots, daikon, bean sprouts, and umeboshi plum. No-cook, low calorie, and packed with crunch.

Sauteed rabbit loin brined then braised with fennel, balsamic vinegar, and white wine, finished with a vibrant salsa verde of parsley, capers, spinach, and fennel fronds.

Toasted vermicelli simmered in a smoky chipotle-tomato broth with oregano and garlic. This Mexican-style sopa seca is a one-pot side dish with serious smoky heat.

Kakavia is the Greek fisherman's soup built from homemade fish stock, whole fish pieces, lobster tails, and shrimp simmered with tomatoes, leeks, and potatoes. A traditional seafood soup served with crusty bread and lemon wedges.

Saussarelle d'escargots with snails in red wine, tomato, and espagnole sauce finished with brandy and fennel, served in artichoke bottoms. A refined French appetizer.

Shellfish shell marinara with littleneck clams and shrimp in a slow-simmered tomato sauce with red wine, basil, and garlic, served over shell pasta. A seafood pasta with real Italian soul.

Flank steak marinated in dry red wine, olive oil, and onion soup mix, then grilled and sliced thin against the grain. The reduced marinade doubles as a savory pan sauce.

Rack of lamb marinated 48 hours in fresh herbs, roasted to perfection, served with complex red wine demi-glace sauce studded with ham and pickles.

Eggs poached directly in a skillet of smoked ham and vegetable hash with potatoes, corn, peppers, and tomato. A one-pan brunch ready in 25 minutes.