153 plate recipes

Rack of lamb primeurs roasted over its own bones with thyme, then sauced with a deglazed pan jus and plated with spring baby vegetables. Classic French bistro dinner-party centerpiece.

Peaches with a Sunshine Smile is a fun kids' snack plate with canned peach halves, cottage cheese sun rays, raisin faces, and lettuce. No cooking, easy assembly for little hands.

Salami and avocado salad: salty cured salami strips over creamy sliced avocado and butter lettuce, finished with a dab of sour cream and a squeeze of lemon. A fresh, no-cook plate ready in minutes.

Jellied veal loaf: an old Pennsylvania Dutch cold-cut classic. Slowly braised veal, ground and set in its own gelled stock with onion and celery. Sliced cold for sandwiches and supper plates.

Beef tenderloin slit lengthwise, packed with a savory mushroom and ham bread stuffing, then broiled and served with a brandied tomato gravy. The retro dinner-party showpiece that turns one tenderloin into a memorable plated entree.

Grilled portobello mushrooms with mango chutney: meaty caps marinated in vinegar, miso, and soy, then crosshatch-grilled and plated on arugula with a fresh diced mango-jalapeño-pepper relish.

Crustless quiche in a green chile shell with chorizo sausage, Monterey Jack cheese, and a five-egg custard. Whole green chiles line the pie plate as a gluten-free, low-carb crust alternative with built-in Southwestern heat.

Giblet gravy done right starts with a slow-simmered broth of turkey neck, wing tips, and giblets with aromatics, then finished with skimmed pan drippings. The backbone of every classic Thanksgiving plate.

Goong Pad Pong Garee: Thai curried shrimp stir-fried with garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce, bell peppers, and sweet basil. From skillet to plate in 15 minutes. Serve over jasmine rice for an authentic Thai dinner.

Crustless tuna cheese pie with a tuna and egg base pressed into a pie plate, topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. A low-carb, high-protein dinner in 45 minutes.

Final assembly step for handmade pappardelle with rich duck ragù. Hand-cut egg pasta ribbons tossed with warm duck sauce and parmesan, served on heated plates with more cheese at the table.

Oysters au champagne is a classic French appetizer: fresh oysters poached in champagne and oyster liquor with garlic butter, plated over a bed of wilted spinach, and cloaked in a silky roux sauce.

Sauteed spinach with garlic and a little fresh tomato, cooked down in olive oil into a quick, savory side dish. A simple, healthy way to turn a pound of greens into a flavor-packed plate in minutes.

La sabana: a Mexican restaurant classic of paper-thin beef filet pounded to the size of a plate, flash-seared with lime, and served with refried beans and salsa. Four seconds on the griddle, no more.

Shrimp scampi sauteed in butter with garlic, lemon juice, and a hit of Tabasco. Five minutes from pan to plate over angel hair pasta or rice. The classic Italian-American restaurant dish made faster than takeout.

These delicate desserts are so elegant, ricotta cheese gives the smooth, creamy and light taste and texture, fresh strawberries let the flavor so refreshing and the vanilla sugar adds some nice zing along with some finely grated chocolate pieces on top.