Recipe Sifter

Leg of lamb Nicoise marinates butterflied lamb in a Provencal paste of anchovy, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and red wine vinegar. Broiled or grilled to a juicy pink center for a Mediterranean dinner.

Greek marinated smelts fried in flour, then simmered in a white wine and vinegar marinade with herbs and mustard. A classic cold appetizer served chilled, perfect for a meze spread.

Garlic spaghetti with olive oil, fresh parsley, and Parmesan. A classic aglio e olio done simply with pasta water for a silky, garlicky sauce in under 20 minutes.

Stuffed red and yellow bell peppers filled with ground turkey, rice, navy beans, and a spiced picante tomato sauce. A low-fat dinner with real depth - Madeira deglazes the wok, fennel and rosemary do the heavy lifting.

Late summer tomato soup with shell beans, seared squid rings, and garlic-rubbed toast. A rustic Italian-leaning one-bowl meal that celebrates peak-season tomatoes and fresh beans.

Beefsteak smothered in onions (filet braise aux ognons): pounded round steak braised for two hours over six sliced onions with vinegar, thyme, bay, and garlic. Classic French-Creole comfort.

This recipe is delicious but might be too barbaric for some.

Fusilli alla Sorrentina with canned tuna, fresh tomatoes, black olives, white wine, garlic, and fresh mint. A quick Southern Italian pantry pasta.

Quebec poached salmon steaks gently cooked in a lemon court bouillon, chilled, then cloaked in a vivid green herb mayonnaise of spinach, parsley, scallion, and pepper. An elegant make-ahead cold salmon platter.

Confetti crab salad with lump crab meat, chopped radishes, capers, and fresh parsley in a lemon-mayo dressing. A bright, no-cook seafood salad ready in 10 minutes.

Creamed turkey with pastry pillows: leftover roast turkey and Italian sausage in a mushroom-sherry cream sauce, served over buttery puff pastry squares. Holiday-leftover dinner for a crowd.

A silky puréed leek and rice soup with tender chicken breast, brightened by fresh lemon juice and bouquet garni. Light, elegant, and naturally creamy without a drop of cream.

German Hackbraten (Falscher Hase) meatloaf recipe made with ground beef and pork, roasted with onions, garlic and yellow turnip until the crust turns deeply golden. A traditional oven-roasted meatloaf sliced and served with its own pan juices over potato salad.

Sweet and sour chicken saute with orange juice, white wine, raspberry vinegar, and rosemary, finished with fresh orange segments and avocado. Bistro-style chicken with bright pan sauce.

Traditional Italian mixed-meat broth (brodo di carne mista) made with chicken, beef short ribs, and veal bones. A slow-simmered foundation for tortellini in brodo, minestrone, risotto, and countless Italian soups and sauces.

Fish fillets baked in foil packets with sliced onions, herb-rolled potato sticks, lemon juice, and paprika. A complete dinner for two with easy cleanup.