Simmer

Cooking the curry powder over low heat for a short time eliminates any raw taste and sweetens the spice.

Perfect for an elegant dinner party, this sophisticated dessert is a snap to make.

Lowcountry cooking is full of ideas that seem foreign to outsiders. This sweet and spicy chutney is the perfect foil for salty country ham. Ground together, the two form a paste for memorable appetizers.

FANESCA Maricel Presilla, chef-owner of the restaurant Zafra in Hoboken, New Jersey, first offered fanesca — a more elaborate rendition of the streamlined dish here — during Holy Week. Now it's one of the restaurant's most popular weekend specials year-round. Traditional accompaniments include bolitas de harina (flour fritters), fried plantains, and bottled hot sauce.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

Coffee Semifreddo "Drowned" in Coffee We have served this dessert at Pó for six years and it is consistently my favorite—a kind of adult milkshake. Be careful to use decaf for the bathing liquid, or your guests may be up yakking all night.

The caramel sauce adds a grown-up edge to these summer treats.

From L'Etoile, Madison, Wisconsin.

"Because my family loves this hearty stew so much, I included it in a cookbook I put together for my children," Joy Smith, Glastonbury, Connecticut. "It makes a comforting meal on cold winter evenings here in Connecticut, and it's a convenient dish that freezes and reheats well."

Pureeing half of the soup (including the meat) gives it a denser consistency. While most Hungarian cooks do not top goulash with sour cream, go ahead; it adds a nice creaminess and tang.

Serve with: Baked sweet potatoes and sautéed Swiss chard. Dessert: Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.