Recipe Sifter

Raisin orange polenta cookies fold Cointreau-soaked raisins, bright orange zest, and a scoop of cornmeal into a buttery Italian-style drop cookie. Golden, subtly crunchy, and citrus-bright.

Old-fashioned apple-blueberry cake with chopped Granny Smith apples and blueberries baked in a buttery cream cake batter. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream.

Garlic chicken breasts stuffed with a frozen butter-herb pat, dipped in buttermilk, then rolled in crushed cornflakes for a shatteringly crisp crust. A retro Chicken Kiev twist.

Almond orange chocolate biscotti: toasted slivered almonds, orange zest, and chocolate chips folded into a buttery twice-baked Italian cookie dough with a splash of amaretto. Perfect with coffee.

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.

Black currant tea brownies layer cassis-infused fudge squares with a glossy berry preserve and a silky black currant tea ganache. A boozy, perfumed showstopper.

Brown butter blackberry charlotte with ladyfingers, eggs, and vanilla baked until crusty on top and custard-smooth inside. A French-style dessert that freezes beautifully for up to 4 months.

Refined split pea soup with fresh sorrel, ham hock, lemon, and cream, puréed silky smooth and strained. Serve it piping hot in winter or well chilled as an elegant summer starter.

Award-winning shortbread with just butter, sugar, flour, and salt pressed into thick cutouts: crisp edges, melt-in-your-mouth crumb, adorable sheep shapes with chocolate eyes optional.

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.

Banana Cake with Brow Sugar Frosting and Cream Cheese Glaze recipe

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.

A puffy, golden Dutch baby pancake with lemon zest and vanilla, topped with dark sweet cherries, sliced almonds, and powdered sugar. Dramatic enough to wow a brunch crowd, easy enough for a Tuesday morning.

A whole salmon fillet braised on a bed of buttery carrots, onions, and celery in dry vermouth with tarragon. Three sauce options from simple pan jus to a rich winey cream veloute.

Buttery cookie press cookies made with nutty brown butter, sandwiched with a silky maple syrup buttercream filling. Elegant enough for gifting, irresistible enough to hoard.