Nut

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Linguine with Walnut Sauce The texture of mixed nuts and bread crumbs makes this an ethereal pasta. When the noodles are cooked and then dressed just right, they taste great even at room temperature.

This dessert is a trompe l'oeil, resembling the peel, rind, and flesh of a cantaloupe.

Baked in individual ring molds, these little desserts feature caramelized pears, streusel topping and sweetened cream.

Chef Lionel Lévy uses black olives in this unusual clafoutis but still serves it as a dessert, along with a mâche salad drizzled with lemon-honey vinaigrette. We like that combination in place of an after-dinner cheese course, but we also think it makes an excellent (and surprising) first course.

Executive chef Bridget Batson of Hawthorne Lane serves this dessert with homemade caramel sauce (you can use purchased if you like). If you're running short of time, omit the homemade ice cream and mix chopped peanut brittle into your favorite vanilla ice cream.

The following pesto — created for Sherried Parsnip Soup with Hazelnut Pesto — would be great on pasta (use about 3/4 cup for 1 pound pasta, thinning the pesto with some of the pasta cooking water), grilled fish and meats, or vegetables. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An appealing update of the classic salad.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Rum and spices-classic Caribbean ingredients-also happen to be the classic ingredients in the traditional English steamed pudding. This lovely version of the Christmas dessert is from the Grand View Beach Hotel, Villa Point, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Begin preparing it at least one day before serving.

From L'Etoile, Madison, Wisconsin.

Hazelnut liqueur adds zip to the sauce in this easy dessert.