Recipe Sifter

Velvety oyster soup with heavy cream, tender scallions, and nutmeg. This elegant restaurant-style recipe for two uses strained oyster liquor for deep briny flavor. Serve with crisp toast points.

Homemade falafel made from cooked chickpeas mashed with tahini, garlic, cumin, turmeric and cayenne, then deep-fried into golden balls. Stuff into pita with cucumber, tomato, sprouts and your favourite sauce.

Sausage-stuffed hamburger rolls wrap apple-spiced ground beef around pork sausage links, then simmer in pan gravy. A fall-flavored take on Scandinavian beef rolls.

Oysters Rockefeller, the New Orleans classic appetizer with fresh oysters on the half shell topped with a rich spinach, scallion, and anchovy butter and broiled hot.

Oven-baked chicken pieces coated in seasoned flour, sprinkled with sesame seeds and lemon juice, then finished with white wine. Simple one-pan dinner with elegant results.

Cheddar cheese and jalapeno peppers definitely make this corn bread a super star.

Cheesy potato and egg casserole layers sliced potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and tomato in a sharp cheddar and sour cream sauce, topped with crumbs and baked golden. A comforting vegetarian side or brunch bake.

Crab quiche with sweet crabmeat, sharp cheddar, half-and-half custard, and scallions baked in a flaky pie shell. Brunch dish that doubles as a light dinner.

Creamy artichoke and oyster soup with a white roux base, pureed artichoke hearts, green onions, and plump oysters added at the end. Rich, elegant, and quick.

Louisiana crawfish etouffee with a dark roux, holy trinity vegetables, tomatoes, and cayenne served over rice. A Cajun classic built on a proper 10-minute dark roux.

Mama Blue's shrimp patties: Gulf shrimp bound in a thick béchamel with green onions, hot sauce, and paprika, then breaded and pan-fried golden. A Lowcountry shrimp cake with a rich, silky center.

Minced lamb fondue rolls seasoned ground lamb with scallions and breadcrumbs into walnut-sized balls that get speared and deep-fried at the table. Served with a creamy sherry-mushroom sauce for dipping.

Rich onion soup with six types of alliums: yellow onions, red onions, white onions, shallots, leeks, and scallions. Bacon-enriched, partially pureed, finished with cream.

Oyster-artichoke soup is a New Orleans classic with briny oysters, tender artichoke hearts, and a butter-flour roux base. Make it a day ahead so the flavors deepen overnight before reheating.

Schwaebische Pockets (Swabian Maultaschen) with homemade egg noodle dough filled with smoked ham, toasted bread cubes, and onion rings. Simmered in salted water.

A lush Cajun-style cream sauce loaded with shrimp, crawfish tails, and oysters simmered in white wine, sour cream, and fresh herbs. Serve over pasta or rice for a Louisiana-worthy feast.