French

Avgolemono, a classic Greek sauce flavored with lemon juice and thickened with eggs, adds richness to the tender stewed chicken in this outstanding main course. Pour a chilled Chardonnay, and offer purchased baklava for dessert. See how to joint a chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The trick to this gorgeous dessert is to use imported white chocolate and to melt it carefully, since white chocolate is extremely heat sensitive. Let the terrine mixture get only warm enough to melt the white chocolate and butter.

Serve as an entrée with salad and wine, or as a side dish with steak, ham or roast beef.

One of the very best things about this stew is its practical nature: If you blanch the vegetables, boil the potatoes, and make the infused broth a day ahead, this dish takes only 15 minutes to cook.

Named for the pan in which it is traditionally made, this stew is cooked over high heat in chicken broth and bacon drippings, which are then reduced to a thick sauce

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The sauce is a variation of a classic one from the Normandy region of France, where it's made with apples and Calvados.

Begin preparing the custards a day ahead so that they can chill overnight.

By using a microwave to melt the chocolate, you can whip up a batch of these sophisticated truffles in no time. The ground espresso beans add great coffee flavor. Serve the truffles directly from the refrigerator because they soften quickly at room temperature.

Poisson à la Niçoise Typical Niçois ingredients—including tomatoes, fennel, anchovies and olives—flavor this dish from Auberge des Arts. At the restaurant it's made with red mullet (rouget), which is a local fish. We've substituted red snapper.

Phyllo dough gives this dessert a crisp texture that contrasts nicely with the smooth lemon filling.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(GALETTE DE POMMES A L'ORANGE) A country-style fruit tart with a lattice top.