Recipe Sifter

Irish tea cake with cream cheese and buttermilk batter studded with dried currants, finished with a bright lemon glaze. Tender crumb that keeps for days.

Leek and pea risotto with grilled calamari crowns creamy arborio with flash-grilled squid tossed in lemon-scallion vinaigrette. Bright, briny, deeply savory.

Makkhani murghi (butter chicken) with tandoori-style chicken in a creamy tomato sauce with garam masala, ginger, roasted cumin, and fresh green chile. India's most beloved curry sauce.

Greek Pasta Flora with a Cognac-butter pastry crust and a rich filling of stewed apricots, dried figs, raisins, apricot jam, and orange zest. A traditional Athenian lattice tart.

This is a very easy dish to put together, just a matter of mixing all the ingredients together and baking for 30 minutes. The sauce needs to be reduced at the end of the cooking, but that only takes about 5 minutes. I suggest that you serve it with a Saag aloo and rice.

Layered banana bread pudding soaked in a rich egg custard with fresh nutmeg, baked golden, and drizzled with a buttery brown sugar rum sauce. Pure indulgence for 6.

Slow-simmered black bean soup with a smoky ham hock, fresh thyme, and a splash of dark rum stirred in at the end. Garnished with chopped egg, parsley, and lemon slices.

Caramelized pears cooked in butter, sugar, brandy, and lemon juice until golden and tender. An elegant French-style dessert topping ready in 30 minutes.

Chiu Chow lemon chicken features lightly floured breasts pan-fried in butter, topped with a tangy lemon-soy sauce and toasted slivered almonds. A refined Cantonese take on lemon chicken.

Curried cold asparagus soup with chicken broth, egg yolks, and cream, lightly spiced with curry powder and brightened with a squeeze of lemon. Elegant chilled spring soup for first courses.

Spiced gingerbread cupcakes topped with tangy lemon cream cheese frosting. The warm spices meet bright citrus in every bite, creating a holiday treat that's cozy and refreshing at once.

Lemon almond madeleines: classic French shell-shaped tea cakes with ground almonds and fresh lemon zest, finished with powdered sugar. Twenty-four buttery cookies for tea time.

Here I adapted an 18th century English spice cake recipe which also makes nice cupcakes.

Fluffy and buttery shortcake is filled with spiced and citrus plums in between.

Delicious spinach pesto and great melting and flavorful swiss cheese make these super cheesy and tasty grilled cheese sandwiches. An excellent twist from tradition.

Sweet pea soup with pear, potato, and watercress, finished with a lemon-pepper sour cream drizzle. Serve hot, chilled, or at room temperature for an elegant starter.