European

These soufflés may be made several hours in advance and kept in a refrigerator until just before baking. If refrigerated, bake an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Alternatively, the soufflés may rest at room temperature for up to 1/2 hour before baking with no effect on cooking time.

"My husband and I recently went to Chez Mimi in nearby Santa Monica," writes Randi Fine of Sherman Oaks, California. "We shared a luscious dessert called caramel chomeur, a cake baked atop caramel sauce and served with vanilla ice cream. I've searched my cookbooks, but I can't find a recipe close to it." Chef Mimi Hebert tells us that this dessert from the Great Depression era was called chomeur (from the French word for "unemployed") because it was inexpensive to make.

Churros are a Spanish classic, usually sold in street-side shops and quickly transported home or to a local café to enjoy with thick hot chocolate. They're made with a piece of equipment called a churrera, which is a type of pastry tube.

This recipe was created to prepare <epi:recipeLink ="14262">Chocolate Walnut Biscotti with Chocolate Custard Swirls</epi:recipeLink>.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Pear Clafoutis with Phyllo Crisps, Cider Sauce, and Quince Sorbet .

A taverna standard, saganaki (fried cheese slices) is named for the two-handled pan it's cooked in. Here, the cheese is melted to make a sauce for fish. Chef Costas Spiliades uses a medium-textured feta, such as Mt. Vikos or Dodoni brands, for this dish. He also uses a Greek Chardonnay, Katsaros, which is sold at some U.S. wine shops. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

This is one of the many types of apple cake popular throughout central Europe. I have seen apple cakes, a traditional Rosh Hashannah dessert, served on Sabbath and holiday tables from Israel to Australia.

For a luxurious brunch, split open these rich biscuits and top them with smoked salmon, cream cheese and caviar.

A splash of aquavit is the finishing touch to this practically-no-fat starter.

To make this easy appetizer even easier, substitute store-bought roasted red bell peppers for the home-roasted ones.

(MINESTRA DI CAMPAGNA) Creativity with simple ingredients is one of the themes of Sicilian cooking. There's no better example than this bean and vegetable soup, which some say evolved from food that fifteenth-century galley cooks made for mariners. Serve an island dry red wine such as Corvo with this.

Alternating layers of strawberry and white chocolate mousses form stripes in this creamy frozen dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In Sweden various combinations of matjes herring — a type of herring cured in a spiced sweet-and-sour brine — are eaten with the first tender white potatoes of the season. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A delicious take on lasagne, made with tube-shaped pasta instead of long noodles.

Hearty accompaniments would be grilled or broiled bell peppers and portobello mushrooms and a basket of crusty wheat rolls. In the Italian tradition, offer grapes, biscotti and espresso afterward. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An Italian dish that's great with brunch, or as a light lunch or appetizer on its own.