Make Ahead

Purchased wonton wrappers stand in for fresh pasta in this easy recipe.

Giant beans in some form or another are never absent from Greek meze menus. The key to making this dish taste as good as possible is to use high-quality roasted sweet peppers preserved in extra virgin olive oil. I usually make my own oil, and have them on hand. All you need to do is roast the peppers whole under the broiler, let them cool, peel them, and store them in a container in the fridge covered with good olive oil. You can pour a few tablespoons of the pepper-infused oil into the baking dish for added flavor. As for the beans themselves, the trick is to get the texture right. Giant beans need first to be soaked, then boiled, and finally baked. Once done, they should be soft, almost buttery, without being baked to the point that they fall apart.

This recipe was created to prepare <epi:recipeLink ="14264">Apricot Almond Shortbreads</epi:recipeLink>.<P> You will need three mini-muffin pans, each containing twelve 1 3/4-by-1 inch cups.

This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipelink id="14144">Camarones Adobados a La Parrilla (Grilled Shrimp with Ancho Pasilla Sauce).</epi:recipelink> Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

This fail-safe method for steaming rice comes from Kasma Loha-Unchit's book It Rains Fishes.

Purée de Carottes et Pommes de Terre Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

These are favorites in Mexico and Russia.

Make these up to two days ahead and serve them cold or at room temperature.

This dessert has a baked chocolate-cookie crust and a chilled light-and-fluffy filling of pureed fresh raspberries folded into whipped mascarpone cheese.

The sorbet can be processed in an ice cream maker or simply frozen in a shallow container (a 13x9-inch metal or glass baking pan works best).

This recipe was developed by Houston pastry chef Pamela Manovich, with the help of Girl Scout Laura Watkins.

I use a small, plump, shrewdly marketed black lentil dubbed "beluga" for this soup, but you can use dark green French lentils or flat olive-green ones, or you can try other pulses such as split peas — green, orange, or gold. Just be prepared to adjust the amount of stock or water. Whole cumin and black peppercorns, crushed just before you add them to the soup, flavor it boldly. I have served this soup three different ways — straight from the pot, irregularly mashed in a mortar, and fully puréed in a blender or processor. Each method produces a different texture and character, and I like all three.

This herbed cheese dip has almost nothing else in it to mask the thyme flavor. Serve with crackers, lightly toasted pita bread, and raw vegetable sticks.

Most of the Christian Mediterranean cultures have some form of rich, festive egg bread that they prepare for the Holy Week before Easter. This is when pinze were made at our house. It is a tradition that is still strong in the Veneto region of Italy. The panettone and colomba cakes often found in the country today are derivatives of pinza. Making good pinza requires some understanding of leavening and bread making, which I have carefully described below. It also requires patience, because the dough, rich with eggs and butter, requires several long risings. Serve slices of pinza with espresso, tea, or, in the morning, with caffè latte. For a richer dessert, top with whipped cream or mascarpone and berries, or enjoy it as is on a wonderful festive table or for brunch on Easter Sunday. The loaves keep well for one week at room temperature if sealed in plastic wrap for six to eight weeks in the freezer. For the effort, it pays to make a larger quantity and enjoy for weeks after.

Begin making this ultra-creamy flan (think crème brûlée) one day before serving.

Great to give as gifts in pretty boxes or tins or to have on hand for unexpected company.