Blender

A dollop of yogurt adds a creamy richness and cuts the heat of the chiles.

A twist on hummus, this sunset-colored dip also makes a delicious sandwich spread. Allow time for soaking the beans overnight.

Although bisques tend to be thick and creamy, the following intensely flavorful version is light, with very little cream added.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For this recipe you will need three mini-muffin pans, each containing twelve 1 3/4-by-1 inch cups.

Doña Tomasa and other Oaxacans often thin their guacamole with water to make a dipping sauce. Sometimes a little cream or milk is added as well.

Also nice over ice cream or pound cake.

This recipe was created to accompany <epirecipelink id="14062">Frozen Lemon Mousses</epirecipelink>. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

When the weather turns chilly, a dinner of perfectly cooked duck, with crispy skin, rosy succulent meat, and a balanced fruity sauce, is something to dream about. This duck dish delivers all these things. It calls for whole ducks which can be found fresh or frozen in most supermarkets for a price per pound not much more than chicken. The breast and leg meat are removed from the carcass and marinated. The carcass is made into stock, strained, and boiled down into a rich sauce. When it's time to cook the duck, the legs are baked in the oven until fully cooked, tender, and crispy, and the breasts are sautéed on top of the stove until the skin crisps but the meat is still rosy. If you are not confident cutting up the duck yourself, buy a fresh duck from a butcher, who will cut it for you. Don't let the many steps scare you off. The result is well worth it, and you can do much of the work the day ahead. The day before, or the morning of serving day: Cut up the duck and marinate it; make the duck stock (3 hours); and strain the stock and boil it down to make the sauce (1 hour). **20 minutes before serving:**Begin cooking the duck breasts. 45 minutes before serving: Begin cooking the duck legs; reheat the sauce. 5 minutes before serving: Allow the duck to rest, then slice and serve.

This Basque dish is essentially a fish pâté or pudding, called budíns in Spain.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

At the restaurant this versatile vinaigrette spices up specials such as grilled swordfish with corn salsa. We loved it on a jícama and carrot salad. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This rich, silky soup has a touch of spice.

We've added a topping of walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds to a southern favorite.

The tofu in this chowder provides a richness surprisingly similar to that of cream but without the fat and cholesterol. Your guests will never know the difference; our tasters didn't. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.