European

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In Belgium, steak-frites is practically one word. A steak without a mountain of Belgian fries and a pint of fresh beer is unthinkable. The two signature dishes of Belgium are moules-frites (mussels with fries) and steak-frites. My grandfather Charles, a butcher all his life, always said to choose meat that is marbled with tiny veins of fat. A perfect steak is small and plump with a thin layer of fat around the edges. A steak that is too lean and thin will have no flavor and will be dry. Look for meat that is labeled prime or choice.

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.

Mâche is so delicate that tossing it with vinegar would not only wilt it instantly but would completely mask its subtle flavor. Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 5 min

(COMPOTE DE CERISES NOIRES) When in season, fresh cherries can be used in place of the frozen ones.

Ninety-nine percent of cava—Spanish sparkling wine—is made in Catalonia. So it's natural that the bubbly beverage has found its way into many elegant Catalan desserts. Here it is combined with the luscious flavors and bright colors of strawberries and oranges in a refreshing sorbet.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Find the dried mushrooms in the produce section of the supermarket. Breadsticks and a radicchio salad with crumbled goat cheese and lemon vinaigrette round out the meal. End with poached apricots and honey cookies.

Serve this with crusty bread to soak up the delicious olive oil.

This refined French appetizer is traditionally made by pounding confit of pork, goose, or (in this case) duck into a silky paste. Here a mortar and pestle is replaced by a food processor and elbow grease by a light touch — rillettes are best easily spread but not quite smooth.