Bon Appétit

Inspired by Brazil’s national cocktail.

Simple and beautiful. If you can’t find small carrots, use medium ones, halved and cut into five-inch pieces.

This recipe doubles easily: Shape the extra hash browns into smaller cakes. Bake as directed, checking for doneness a bit sooner than indicated, and cool on the sheet. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm in the oven, then top with crème fraîche and smoked salmon or caviar for appetizers in the evening.

This easy appetizer is packed with flavor. And since this is a Latin-themed party, don’t forget to set out a bowl of chips with your favorite salsa.

We southerners love ambrosia, a mélange of sliced juicy-sweet oranges and grated coconut. The sweet salad has been a part of southern Christmas traditions for the better part of two centuries, and I thought it would be fun to use the coconut-orange combo in a new way. I added some finely grated orange peel to classic coconut macaroons, then drizzled the cookies with bittersweet chocolate for a festive finish.

The restaurant switches up this dish from time to time, substituting scallops or foie gras for the duck. The lentil puree would also be a great accompaniment to chicken or pork.

The cake is layered with dark chocolate ganache and white chocolate cream, then topped with marshmallowy peppermint frosting.

The clams and sausage make a warm and comforting one-pot meal. Toss with cooked linguine, or just serve with toasted pain rustique.

A big, beautiful soufflé with a festive chestnut flavor. You’ll need to bake the dessert right before serving, but you can make the soufflé base (minus the egg whites) two hours ahead, then fold in the whites up to one hour before baking.

With just a hint of whiskey in the ice cream and a strong coffee presence in the caramel sauce, this is a grown-up take on a classic chocolate dessert.

An easy, elegant entrée that's perfect for a holiday dinner with friends.

For the perfect ending, a not-too-sweet gelato is drizzled with limoncello, a lemon liqueur from Italy. Round out dessert with purchased cookies.

Serve grilled bread alongside the tuna. Be sure to buy domestic albacore to keep the mercury to a minimum.