Citrus

Lemon curd, a classic London teatime treat, is layered between crispy squares of sugared phyllo. Any remaining curd is great on toast, biscuits or scones.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A lovely array of textures and flavors. Very nice with skewers of grilled scallops or panfried salmon fillets.

Cunetto House of Pasta in St. Louis has an excellent grilled skewered chicken entrée. Sometimes I even make a special trip just to have it. Could you request the recipe? Georgeann King Memphis, Tennessee

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve the fish with steamed rice and braised bok choy or Napa cabbage for an elegant and easy Asian-inspired dinner. Begin marinating the fish at least three hours before you plan to cook it.

The shrimp are simmered and served in a peppery, New Orleans-style sauce-peel them at the table as you eat. Coleslaw, crusty French bread for sopping up all the sauce, and plenty of napkins are ideal accompaniments. For dessert, crullers and coffee with whipped cream would be easy substitutes for traditional beignets and café au lait.

Fools are traditionally prepared with pureed fruit mixed with whipped cream, or egg custard, or a combination of the two. (The term fool probably comes from the French fouler, meaning "to crush.") They seem to be especially successful when made with sharply flavored garden produce like rhubarb, gooseberries, and black currants, which still have enough bite to be interesting when blended with cream. But strawberries, which are much easier to find, also work quite nicely. Strawberry fool is best when the fruit is mashed rather than pureed, resulting in a more appealing texture. Serve it with cookies.

This entrée from Anzu restaurant in Dallas partners Japanese miso and sake with Italian balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.