Recipe Sifter

Roast leg of lamb studded with garlic and rosemary, rubbed with lemon juice, roasted over sliced potatoes and onions. Finished with a fresh mint butter pan sauce.

Pastel de pescado: a showstopping fish pie of cod and spiced Swiss chard wrapped in buttery pastry, twisted into a rustic topknot and baked golden. A centerpiece dish worth the time.

French onion soup with deeply caramelized onions, dry white wine, rich chicken broth, and a bubbling Gruyère crust over toasted baguette slices. Bistro comfort at home.

Orange meringue pie, a sunny twist on lemon meringue with a silky fresh-orange custard, a flaky blind-baked crust, and a cloud of glossy toasted meringue. A splash of grenadine gives the filling its rosy glow.

No-bake chocolate nutty bites with cornflakes, hazelnuts, and raisins in a buttery cocoa mixture. Just six ingredients, ready after an hour in the fridge. Great for kids and holiday treat trays.

Banana walnut sandwich cookies filled with a peanut butter cream cheese frosting and a touch of nutmeg. A two-component cookie with soft banana rounds and a creamy, salty-sweet center.

Mock apple pie made with peeled, sliced zucchini under a buttery crumb topping. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice complete the apple illusion. The pie bakes inside a paper bag for an even, juicy finish.

Curried shellfish pot pie with lobster, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and toasted almonds in a sherry-cream curry sauce under golden puff pastry.

Cajun rice dressing with apples, raisins, pecans, and a cayenne-white pepper seasoning mix. Sweet-savory-spicy side dish cooked in stock until tender and fluffy.

Chilled asparagus soup with slow-sweated vegetables, potato for natural body, and stalks simmered in chicken stock for depth. Finished with half-and-half and crème fraiche.

Death by chocolate: a layered chocolate masterpiece of brownie, cocoa meringue, chocolate and mocha mousse, all under glossy ganache. A multi-day project built for serious chocolate lovers.

Red wine-marinated grilled flank steak with a pecan-serrano chile compound butter and a red wine black bean butter sauce. A Southwestern showstopper served with warm tortillas.

Classic French tarte Tatin with 5 pounds of Golden Delicious apples baked in caramel and topped with flaky puff pastry. A showstopping upside-down dessert worth the effort.

Espresso-hazelnut shortbread cookies with real coffee grounds, toasted hazelnuts, and cold butter baked low and slow. Sandy, crumbly, and deeply aromatic with a bold coffee bite.

Lebanese Baklawa Be'Aj features phyllo squares shaped into lily petals around an egg-white walnut and almond filling, soaked in rose water and orange blossom syrup. A showstopper pastry for special occasions.

Vegetable lasagna layered with spinach, broccoli, carrots, and shallots between a parmesan bechamel and a ricotta-mozzarella-egg cheese filling. White-sauce lasagna with no red sauce.