Gourmet

Muhammara — a toasted walnut, roasted red pepper, and cumin sauce — can also be spread on pita toasts.

Roast ducks are readily available at Chinese markets and for takeout from many Chinese restaurants. Since red curry pastes vary in heat, we suggest tasting a tiny bit of the one you buy before using it.

Calabazas are commonly found at Latino markets already cut into large wedges; kabochas are generally sold at natural foods stores.

The trick to stuffed soup buns is to fill them with a solid form of soup. The tender wrappers are filled with an aspic made from pork and chicken bones, which melts into a savory broth during steaming.

This recipe makes more smoked-tomato butter than you need for the scallops — use the leftover butter on steak or fish.

This update on a classic terrine is made with an aromatic broth and olive oil instead of cream. If you're short on time, don't bother with the leek lining—though it is pretty, the terrine works fine without it.

We love the look of fluted mushrooms in this recipe. Fluting will add about 25 minutes to your preparation time.

If you substitute regular bread crumbs for the panko, the coating will be heavier and the texture denser. In this recipe, the peas are soaked but not precooked before grinding, much like in a falafel.

When selecting the Champagne for this cocktail, we wanted something moderately dry but with a hint of sweetness. Demi-sec (a French term meaning "half dry") Champagnes and sparkling wines provide the perfect balance.

We made our potpie in an oval baking dish, but you could also use a square or rectangular one.

The Spanish eat salt cod often and, given the excellence of their cod, it's no wonder — the dried fish is snowy white, delicate, and, once rehydrated, tender enough to eat raw. Though you can't get the same thing here, the salt cod from the Spanish specialty store La Tienda is very good (they sell lomo — the center cut — which we prefer over the chewy, skinny end pieces), and its turnover is high, so there's no concern that the fish has been sitting on the shelves too long.

In this recipe adapted from Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook, ground cashews thicken the curry and give it a rich, nutty flavor. Both roasted and raw cashews work well, so use whichever you prefer.