Gourmet

The leftover braising oil is extremely flavorful. You can toss it with pasta or use it in dressings. This recipe is an accompaniment for Monkfish and Clam Bourride .

Smothering is a Cajun cooking term that refers to browning anything from meat to vegetables in oil, then braising it in a small amount of liquid, tightly covered, until tender.

The corn coulis also pairs nicely with pork tenderloin, shrimp, or grilled chicken. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 45 min

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

These rolls are based loosely on b'stilla — a phyllo-crusted "pie" of shredded chicken that's been simmered with Moroccan spices and then mixed with egg and nuts. The egg lends the filling an almost custard-like richness.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Store-bought mayonnaise just doesn't compare to the flavor of homemade aïoli. However, if you're short on time or concerned about using raw egg (see cooks' note, below), you could substitute prepared mayo: Just omit the egg yolk and oil, and stir together with remaining ingredients until combined well. This recipe is an accompaniment for Poached Halibut with Saffron Orange Aïoli. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

This salad is so much lighter and fresher-tasting than mayonnaise-based versions. It gets crispy sweetness from sugar snaps and peppers and nuttiness from tahini. Keep in mind that tahini can turn rancid rather quickly (even in unopened cans, in our experience). We recommend buying it from a place with a high turnover, such as a Middle Eastern market or a natural foods store. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

The riper the tomatoes, the better the flavor of this delicate consommé. To clarify it, we've used the traditional French method of creating an egg-white "raft," which attracts particles from the simmering broth and is then discarded. Though the consommé is served cold, it is not jellied.

This chutney is great with sautéed scallops, grilled shrimp, or grilled lamb. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

This variation on the classic Irish apple cake has a top and bottom crust made from a biscuit-like dough. You can cut this cake into wedges or dish it out with a spoon like a cobbler.

A tweed cake gets its name from the classic wool fabric it resembles. The effect is achieved by folding coarsely grated chocolate into the batter before baking. If you can't find matzo cake meal, you can grind batches of regular matzo meal in a clean electric coffee/spice grinder until it's the consistency of flour.

Japanese bread crumbs, called panko , give these cakes a light, crisp coating. Panko is sold at Asian markets and can often be found in the seafood section of large supermarkets. But if it's unavailable, plain dry bread crumbs are an acceptable substitute.

We used chef Fergus Henderson's technique for braising duck legs so the skin sides, peeking above the liquid like "alligators in a swamp," stay crisp while the meat braises.