Recipe Sifter

Rohkostsalat is a German raw cabbage and fruit salad with diced apple, raisins, and a tangy sour cream dressing with pineapple juice. Crisp, sweet, and refreshing.

Baked Brie with a homemade cranberry-pear compote, honey, currants, and pumpkin pie spice. A warm, bubbly holiday appetizer served with melba rounds or sliced fruit.

Salmon pate made with poached fresh salmon and smoked salmon, blended with butter, dill, and sour cream. Sealed with clarified butter for an elegant make-ahead appetizer.

Three-layer chocolate cake with cocoa, buttermilk, and a rich cocoa icing made with melted unsweetened chocolate. A towering, old-fashioned celebration cake.

Lemon ginger beef stir-fry with flank steak, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, and a glossy sauce of fresh ginger, lemon juice, honey, and sherry. Bright, savory, and ready in an hour.

Fresh Indian cucumber and tomato relish with ground cumin, lemon juice, cilantro, and cayenne. A cool, crunchy kachumber-style side dish that pairs with any spiced meal.

Champagne-battered prawns fried light and shatteringly crisp, the bubbles in the sparkling wine making the airiest batter, served with a homemade cocktail sauce and lemon. A flirty little dish made for sharing.

Showstopper cheesecake with a pecan shortbread crust, cranberry glaze layer, white chocolate orange filling, and candied orange slice topping. A stunning holiday dessert that requires overnight chilling.

Lentil salad with smoked turkey, fresh tarragon, and a tangy yogurt-Dijon dressing. A protein-packed main-dish salad that holds up beautifully for lunch the next day.

Vegan lemon tofu cheesecake with silken tofu, tahini, and lemon zest on a Grape-Nuts crust with maple syrup. Dairy-free and egg-free.

Sweet and spicy couscous salad tosses fluffy whole wheat couscous with crunchy steamed vegetables, fresh mint and almonds, all coated in a currant dressing brightened with orange, cinnamon and cayenne. Vegan and make-ahead.

Portuguese fisherman's stew with white beans, whitefish, stewed tomatoes, and thyme. The fish poaches separately in lemon water to stay tender, then joins the hearty bean broth.

Sambaar is a South Indian vegetable and split pea stew spiced with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and dried chili. Loaded with cauliflower, carrots, eggplant, and cabbage.

Old-fashioned icebox cookies with cardamom, cinnamon, lemon juice, and chopped nuts. Slice-and-bake dough that refrigerates overnight or freezes for weeks. Paper-thin and crispy.

Grilled swordfish steaks basted with a homemade barbecue sauce of ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Marinated an hour then grilled over coals.

Lemon blossom cookies are buttery thumbprint cookies made with lemon juice and powdered sugar, rolled in chopped nuts, and filled with fruit preserves or pecans. A classic holiday cookie tray staple.