Recipe Sifter

Full-flavored borscht in 40 minutes flat, thanks to the pressure cooker. Beets, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, and tomatoes in a rich beef stock with caraway and allspice. Finished with vinegar and sour cream.

Kentucky pecan cake with applesauce, cinnamon, and a full cup of chopped pecans, lightened with whipped egg whites and baked in a tube pan. A dense, spiced Southern cake dusted with powdered sugar.

Jalapeno jelly made with fresh jalapenos, bell peppers, vinegar, and liquid pectin. A sweet-hot pepper jelly for pouring over cream cheese, glazing meats, or gifting in jars.

Flour-dusted trout fillets pan-seared in fragrant walnut oil, finished with toasted walnuts and a splash of sherry vinegar. Elegant enough for company, easy enough for Tuesday.

Pineapple crisp with a brown sugar oat topping, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A tropical twist on classic fruit crisp using canned pineapple chunks for an easy year-round dessert.

Gluten-free quinoa jambalaya built on a whole-wheat flour roux, crushed tomatoes, bell pepper, and celery. A lighter Louisiana-inspired one-pot with optional shrimp.

Fudgy no-bake cookies with cocoa, peanut butter, oats, and vanilla boiled on the stovetop and dropped onto wax paper. A classic chocolate oat cookie that sets in the fridge with zero oven time.

A stunning layered terrine of baked eggplant, ripe tomato wedges, and buffalo mozzarella set in a light tomato gelatin. Chilled, pressed, and sliced for an elegant appetizer.

Here is how Boston chef William Poirer makes red chowder, and it is good enough to convert the most diehard white chowder fanatic.

Griddle flat bread cooks fast on a hot skillet with just flour, shortening, water, and baking powder. A no-yeast, pan-fried bread that pairs beautifully with sautéed greens like escarole.

Shrimp scampi with Ritz crackers butterflied in their shells, brushed with garlic butter, topped with crushed buttery crackers, and baked until golden. Old-school New England seafood favorite.

Fluffy couscous cooked in duck stock with sliced dates and dried figs, ready in just 30 minutes. A sweet-savory side dish that pairs beautifully with roasted duck, lamb, or any rich main course.

This curry is a delicasy in the Indian state of Goa. It has plenty of coconut and some chilly which go very well with prawns.

No-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies with coconut, cocoa, and margarine boiled for 2 minutes then dropped onto wax paper. A classic fridge cookie ready in under an hour.

Pineapple crumble with fresh pear and crushed pineapple filling under a matzo meal, walnut, and brown sugar crumb topping. A Passover-friendly, dairy-free dessert with real fruit sweetness.

A light, fruity and delicious summer dessert. Creamy and smooth mascarpone and strawberries are a tasty pair, mint adds a hint of refreshing punch.