Gourmet

The large amount of chocolate glaze called for in this recipe makes the dipping process easier. (The leftover glaze is an excellent sauce for ice cream.)

Anywhere you go in Laos, you will find women patiently preparing papaya for this salad. Using a small machete-like knife, they make repeated shallow parallel cuts, each about 1/8 inch deep, in a section of the papaya. Then they scrape the papaya from top to bottom so they end up with very nice julienne. A food processor fitted with the julienne disk or a manual slicer such as a mandoline works equally well.

We ordered our lamb chops ahead to allow time for the butcher to french them to the eye (to trim them of all fat and scrape the rib bone clean). This not only makes for a nice presentation but also makes it much easier for guests to pick them up. Our chops, purchased from a fancy Manhattan butcher, cost $400 and were by far the most expensive part of this wedding menu. Sounds like a lot, we know, but just think what a caterer would charge. Charmoula is a fragrant, spicy Moroccan marinade and sauce often used with fish and seafood.

Because of their high oil content, sesame seeds begin to turn rancid very easily. For this recipe it is important that they be very fresh. Taste the seeds after you purchase them, and if they are a little "off" take them back.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min (includes cooling onion)

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Some varieties of fresh thyme are stronger than others, so we've given a range. Try starting with 2 teaspoons and adding a third if you need more flavor. And, whatever you do, don't stint on the salt!

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This recipe originally accompanied Salmon and Leek Pie .

Presenting the ultimate treat for the die-hard chocolate fan….

This feisty sauce gets its name from one of its ingredients, dried crushed red pepper (arrabbiata is Italian for "angry"). Use extra red pepper for an even spicier result. Serve with: Deli antipasti such as olives, roasted red peppers, and provolone atop a bed of arugula, and seeded semolina bread. Dessert: Purchased tiramisù.

We've combined two holiday heavy hitters — chestnut stuffing and sausage stuffing — into one delicious dish. We call for bacon in addition to fresh pork to bring in a bit of smokiness.