Roast

Ask your butcher to butterfly the leg of lamb for you.

Try a milder domestic Gorgonzola (rather than the equally delicious but more pungent Italian version). Using an assortment of different colored beets makes the salad more vibrant.

The chicken needs to marinate for at least four hours (or overnight), so be sure to start in advance. What to drink: Crisp, full-bodied white wine like Chablis or unoaked Chardonnay from California.

What to drink: The same type of wine the chicken is cooked in — a dry Riesling from Alsace.

St. Patrick's Day in a flash: A zesty glaze makes corned beef from the supermarket deli your own. The perfect go-with? Wedges of cooked, buttered cabbage, of course.

The entrée and side dish roast together for a quick yet elegant meal.

Maple syrup brings out the subtle sweetness of the bacon. If you like, you can substitute molasses (not blackstrap).

Slices of succulent pork, a sauce made from the pan juices, sautéed onions and peppers, and cheese add up to the perfect halftime sandwich.

When chef Sam Choy doesn't have the time to build an imu, he makes this oven-cooked kalua pig. The dish is often served with sweet potatoes and poi (mashed taro root). It's also great on a sandwich with coleslaw and barbecue sauce.

You'd never guess such a sensational main course was so easy to prepare. Roasting and then quickly broiling the duck results in tender meat with crisp, golden-brown skin — and no messy stovetop to clean.

Now that I'm married to a chef (Laurent Gras of New York's Bistro du Vent), the inevitable question from friends is, "What do you cook for your husband when he's such a whiz in the kitchen?" Well, I always joke that I'm the Sunday sous-chef, as I'm the one making supper on the day of rest. Here's a roast chicken recipe of mine that seems to meet with his approval.

Katy Hees of Santa Fe, New Mexico, writes: "Eating local, fresh, organic food is important to me. It doesn't get much more local than the eggs I use, which come from our own chickens. I also have a garden, which inspired my roasted green beans."

Magret duck breasts come from Moulard ducks; you can also use smaller Muscovy duck breasts. Both are available at some supermarkets or at dartagnan.com.

Nouvelle cuisine, for all its annoying pretension and fussiness, did return acidity to the table. Instead of leaning on cream sauce, cooks excited the senses with the interplay of sweet and sour. When first introduced, it seemed edgy and refreshing; now it seems timeless.