French

Along with croissants and pains au chocolat, these buns are ubiquitous in the morning bread basket that arrives after you order your express or café crème in Paris. It's the pastry cream that makes them unique. We used our favorite brioche recipe (by Sally Darr, a former gourmet editor) as the base.

This salad-in-a-sandwich can also be made with individual sourdough rolls. There can be many variations on this theme, so use your imagination. You might replace the tuna with grilled leftover chicken or tuck in a bit of salami, mortadella or roast beef. The sandwich is best if made at least two hours before serving.

In France, an entrecôte (literally, "between the ribs") is the most tender cut of beef; New York strips are a close equivalent. For this recipe, the steaks are quickly seared, then topped with a lighter, contemporary version of the classic sauce bordelaise made with beef marrow and red wine. What to drink: Château Poujeaux 1999 "Moulis."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The secret to these macaroons' texture is the Italian meringue, composed of egg whites and a boiling sugar syrup. When baking these for Passover, dust the sheets with matzo cake meal; you can use flour at other times.

Balsamic vinegar balances the richness and pepperiness of this steak. The Radishes with Tarragon Beurre Blanc would be a wonderful starter. Try green beans and the Crisp Rosemary Potatoes as side dishes.

The technique for cooking vegetables in water, oil, and vinegar is called à la Grecque, or Greek style. Fennel, celery, pearl onions, and feta cheese round out the salad. Serve a full-boded Chardonnay with it

In this mushroom bourguignon, a vegetarian take on a French classic, earthy fungi braise in a wine-rich umami broth with pearl onions and tender carrots.

This modern riff on an old-school French classic is the ultimate fancy-pants dessert.

A crisp, gluten-free snack that pairs well especially well with drinks, these cheesy panisse have the perfect custardy texture and buttery flavor.

Gribiche, the classic French sauce made of hard-boiled eggs, mustard, and herbs, is tossed with snappy summer beans for a simple but substantial salad.

With a generous layer of caramelized onions and plenty of sharp Gruyère cheese, this party-ready tart packs the rich depth of French onion soup into every bite.

If you’re a fan of Italian focaccia, give fougasse, its cousin from the South of France, a try. Its chewy texture and signature leaf pattern are irresistible.

This rustic French soup is perfect cold weather comfort food—best made a day in advance and reheated to serve.

A little oil in this bûche de noel helps keep it pliable even when cool—perfect for rolling the Yule log shape.

For this bone-in ribeye steak recipe (a.k.a. côte de bœuf), you’ll encrust the meat with three types of peppercorns and make a silky cream sauce with the drippings.

This twist on a pissaladière features sweet Vidalia onions, olives, and anchovies on a store-bought pizza dough base for added ease.

Call it retro if you want—we say this classic bacon and cheese quiche is timeless.

Salt cod and potatoes form the base of brandade, a classic French appetizer gratin that’s make-ahead- and party-friendly.

This recipe for eggs en cocotte calls for a stovetop steaming method rather than an oven-baked one, which means you can sit down to brunch even faster.