53 perfumed recipes

Persian chicken polo with basmati rice, dried apricots, raisins, and cinnamon layered and steamed together. A fragrant Iranian rice dish where the chicken and fruit sauce perfume every grain.

Swordfish Provencale braised in a French bouquet garni-perfumed tomato sauce with mushrooms, peppers, and white wine. A classic southern French main dish topped with pimentos and capers.

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.

Lard anise cookies cream pure lard with sugar and anise seeds for an Italian classic with melting tenderness and licorice perfume. Shape into letters or slice from a chilled log.

Halva gateau is a Middle Eastern layer cake with semolina-almond sponge, coffee syrup soak, and halva buttercream. Pistachio-topped elegance perfumed with cinnamon.

Semolina halwa sweetened with sugar syrup, cooked in ghee, and perfumed with cardamom and rosewater. Studded with pistachios and almonds, then cut into diamond shapes.

Kesari bhaat (sweet saffron rice): Indian basmati rice perfumed with saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, and clove, sweetened with jaggery, and finished with almonds and currants. Traditional festival dessert.

Easy arroz con pollo, a simplified chicken and saffron yellow rice studded with green peas. Real saffron threads tint and perfume the rice in this fast, one-pot Latin-style weeknight dinner.

Stir-fried beef with orange peel, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chiles. The classic Szechuan restaurant dish with tender velveted beef, citrus perfume, and a numbing tingle on the finish.

Cinnamon and cloves perfume these twisted Greek sesame cookies with golden crusts and soft centers. Makes 72 cookies perfect for Mediterranean holiday cookie exchanges or gift tins.

Moroccan-inspired roast chicken with preserved lemon rubbed under the skin and braised over carrots, celery, and onion in chicken broth. The citrus perfumes the meat while the vegetables catch all the pan drippings.

Tuscan peasant soup with sliced Italian sausage, zucchini, celery, basil, and tomato in a rich beef broth. Slow cooker comfort that perfumes the whole house. Served with garlic-buttered French toast.

Bouillabaisse, the Provencal seafood stew: mussels and red snapper simmered in a saffron-perfumed broth with white wine, garlic, and herbs. Ladled over toasted French bread, French coast in a bowl.

Whole roasted chicken glazed with sweet honey and warm curry spices creates crispy golden skin over tender meat. Clove-studded onion inside perfumes the bird as it roasts.

Hazelnut amaretto loaf baked in the bread machine: a tender white loaf studded with toasted hazelnuts and perfumed with amaretto liqueur. A sweet, nutty bread for breakfast or dessert.

Dry-roasted almonds and pistachios get ground into a silky cream sauce perfumed with saffron threads, coriander, and warm spices for draping over grilled meats or simmering with meatballs.