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This fragrant soup from Sam Hazen, executive chef at Tao in New York City and Las Vegas, is brimming with lean protein. Perfect for chilly weather!

This recipe comes exclusively to Epicurious from Suzanne Tracht of Los Angeles's Jar restaurant.

I developed this light and tasty Italian-style tuna salad for Parma, an Italian fresh-made fast-food company that had quite a successful run in Philadelphia, including Air Parma at the airport. The salad is light because the tuna is dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice instead of the usual mayonnaise. The fresh herbs give it brightness, and the red bell peppers and purple olives make for a colorful and appetizing preparation. The important thing here is to use the tasty tuna packed in olive oil enjoyed throughout the Mediterranean region, rather than the drier, rather mealy white tuna packed in water.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Italian Two Easy: Simple Recipes from the London River Cafe by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. To read Epicurious's review of the cookbook, go to The Best Cookbooks of 2006. Vegetables trifolati is a method of slicing and cooking with garlic, olive oil, and parsley. Other ingredients, such as mint, wine, or chiles, are sometimes added. In this recipe we add fresh, ripe tomatoes.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition: 4500 Recipes for the Way We Cook Now by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker. To read Epicurious's review of the cookbook, go to The Best Cookbooks of 2006. This rich, spicy cheese spread appeared in some fashion in JOY from 1931 until the 1960s. The 1936 edition declared it "a grand cheese spread for hot or cold sandwiches."

Because fresh fruit was once scarce in Sweden during the winter, compotes stewed from dried fruits (mixed with a little alcohol to take the nip off the cold) are traditional at Christmas julbord. Here, dried cherries simmered with red wine and Port are subtly spiced with cinnamon and black pepper. This compote partners beautifully with cheese, which is how Magnus Ek serves it; we've also found that it complements the rice pudding in place of warm milk and sugar.

Broiling tomatoes and onions concentrates their flavor in this spicy salsa that's good any time of the year.

Buttery and crunchy, with a rich, oozy center, these little sandwiches (a cross between panini and chocolate croissants) provide a sweet ending that can be prepared in just minutes.

This satisfying stew just may be the essence of Cajun cooking: shrimp with onion, celery, and green pepper, all given depth by brown roux and livened up with cayenne.

The red stems and green leaves of Swiss chard may hint at Christmas, but once you taste them with feta and currants, you'll want to cook this dish throughout the winter.

This recipe originally accompanied five-spice gingersnaps.

Salty, crunchy bites, tasting of the sea, complement the lobster gelées' delicate, melting texture.

Beautifully bright green, this herbaceous oil really enhances the anise flavor in the lobster gelées.