White Wine

When showing me his straightforward technique for making this traditional dessert, chef Cesare Giaccone (at Da Cesare restaurant in Albaretto della Torre) credited a parish priest in a nearby hamlet for giving him new understanding of zabaglione. Whether that meant pointers or inspiration was hard to tell, but knowing that this ambrosia has such a godly source allows me to enjoy it even more!

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A sophisticated main course that's quick and easy to make. Accompany the fish with wild rice pilaf and steamed asparagus.

Serve with: Orzo with parsley, and steamed carrots and green beans. Dessert: Pear tart.

"My profession as a real estate agent requires a lot of my time," writes Edi Meadows Morrissette of Westin, Florida, "so it helps that I am lightning-fast in the kitchen. I cook every day, and on the weekends I sometimes make three meals a day. I accomplish that by following my main cooking principles: (1) do a lot of prep work, and (2) keep the kitchen well stocked. For example, at holiday time I might chop onions in advance or bake bread the day before company arrives. And since I converted the bedroom next to my kitchen into a pantry for extra storage, I know I'll always have the right ingredients at my fingertips." Use crusty French bread or the roasted garlic cheese toasts to soak up the fennel-flavored juices.

Hazelnuts and prosciutto are combined in a seasoned butter that coats the turkey as it roasts, and also flavors the gravy.

Serve this dish on a bed of orzo to capture every drop of the tart, creamy sauce. After trimming and slicing each artichoke, immediately place the quarters in the pot of lemony water so that they won't turn brown. What to drink: Sauvignon Blanc.

Caramelized pears plus dried apricots, cranberries, and prunes add intense fruit flavor to this stuffing from Rochelle Palermo Torres, a freelance recipe developer and cooking teacher.

These clams in garlicky broth were named after Bulhão Pato, a 19th-century Portuguese poet. Although his verses have been largely forgotten, the dish remains popular throughout Lisbon. Serve it as the first course of an elegant meal or as the main course of a light lunch.

Côtelettes de Saumon Frais Dorigny Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Melting the chocolate in the pear poaching liquid makes an instant sauce.

My recipe was adapted from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I've changed the meats (a lot) and the seasonings (a bit). I've also tinkered with cooking times and sequence.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min

"During a recent business trip to Birmingham, Alabama, I had dinner at the Hot and Hot Fish Club," writes Shelia Murray of Paradise, California. "Every bite of chef Chris Hasting's shrimp and grits was packed with flavor. I'd love to prepare this stand-out dish at home."