Dairy

Moussaka may be assembled 1 day in advance and refrigerated; bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the center is hot.

Leftover crème fraîche makes a delicious accompaniment to fruit desserts.

These can be made up to 1 day ahead or frozen up to 1 month ahead. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Hard cider has been fermented, so it contains alcohol. It is a traditional ingredient in Normandy, France, but you can substitute dry white wine.

To prevent the arugula from wilting, let the chicken cool slightly before serving.

To fry the sage leaves for garnish, place them in hot oil until they start to curl, about 3 seconds; remove with a slotted spoon.

For a side dish, try basmati rice cooked with a pinch of saffron.

Serve this dish with arugula, tomatoes, blanched green beans, and crumbled Parmesan cheese tossed with extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar.

Save extra pesto to use on other grilled meats or fish. It will last up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Low-fat plain yogurt can be used instead.

You can refrigerate the sauerbraten, covered, for up to 2 days. (In fact, the flavors develop nicely when the dish is made ahead of time.)

After the beef finishes cooking, let it stand at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before carving. Keep in mind it will continue to cook after it has been removed from the oven.

Because this recipe makes a large quantity of risotto, be sure to use a wide, shallow saucepan or skillet to let the rice cook evenly.

Perfect risotto is easy to make; the keys are to be sure the stock is fully incorporated after each addition and to avoid overcooking the rice. If you prefer, you may use Parmesan instead of Asiago cheese in this recipe.