Gourmet

Found throughout the Middle East, this shortbread-style cookie remains white after baking. Some people make diamond-shaped or round cookies with this dough, but the ring shapes are more common.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Although this dressing is rich in flavor, it has a surprisingly light and silky texture, which keeps it from weighing down the fragile lettuce.

"This incredible cheesecake was made by the mother of my first boss," says Jim Carrier of Greenwich, Connecticut. "When I called Mrs. Marshall to ask if she would consider showing me how she made it, she warmly replied, 'I would be delighted to share the recipe with you, kid.' On the evening of my 'seminar,' it was a wonderful sight as I walked into her kitchen and found the stage set with all the ingredients and utensils for the important lesson. Mrs. Marshall sat on a wooden stool and directed me through the entire process. 'Pick up that wooden spoon—and save some energy for later,' she said. 'You will be beating the egg whites by hand. We don’t use any electrical appliances in this production except the oven!' I dutifully followed each step. This is a cheesecake recipe to treasure." Although Mrs. Marshall doesn't use any electric appliances to make this cheesecake, feel free to use a food processor for the crumbs and an electric mixer for the filling. The cake will rise as it bakes and fall as it cools. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 6 1/4 hr

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This simple sauce enhances the natural sweetness in foods—try it on steamed cauliflower or asparagus or with sautéed fish.

Though this recipe makes more than enough hors d'oeuvres, they are small and disappear in a New York minute!

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but may require additional sitting time.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The following is chef Robert Freitag's variation of a recipe by Joyce Goldstein, chef-owner of Square One, in San Francisco, until it closed in 1996. The chef likes to use king salmon when making this dish.

This confection calls for half of our recipe for sweet tartlet shells. Use the remaining half for Chocolate Raspberry Bites.

This side dish would be a perfect way to round out a meal of leftover roast chicken (or a bird from the local deli).

Chef Christian Thornton serves the cake with caramel ginger ice cream and a berry compote, but for the home cook he suggests an infinitely easier ginger whipped cream: Beat 2 cups chilled heavy cream to soft peaks and fold in 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger. Its airy softness tempers the intensity of the rich chocolate.

Terms like large and jumbo can vary among fishmongers. In this recipe we used what are known universally as "U 16/20s" (16 to 20 of them make a pound). We asked our fishmonger to shell and devein the shrimp for us. It cost a little more but saved lots of time. The dried Aleppo chile flakes we call for in this recipe are from the Aleppo province of northern Syria. Their earthy, robust flavor—with more richness than heat—is famous throughout the Middle East.

To ensure you get moist, beautiful-looking apricots, avoid those sold in boxes and bags that you can’t see through. If you buy Turkish apricots, keep in mind that they’re usually sold pitted but whole and, unlike most California apricots, will need to be halved horizontally.