Oven Bake

The salt creates a seal around the fish, which preserves its moisture and pure flavors. Romesco is a classic sauce from the Catalonia region. For cooking the fish, use two 13x9x2-inch metal baking pans.

The magnificence of a beautifully presented cooked whole fish is experienced far too infrequently today. Most people prefer the convenience of fillets, but fish has so much more flavor when cooked whole. Wrapping the fish in foil is a simple, effective way to lock in the juices.

A great cocktail snack to have on hand, these will keep for a week before serving.

For a sophisticated touch, crumbled goat cheese is sprinkled over the fennel and broiled until just beginning to brown.

Even though Aux Delices des Bois left Tribeca, Thierry and I still love Zutto, the sushi bar that was near our warehouse. It dates back to when Tribeca's cast-iron canopies cast their shadows on silent streets at night. Its metal loading dock held two tables, the precursor to the neighborhood's current profusion of loading-dock cafes. One evening the sushi chef, Albert Tse, made us this special dish, using a fish from each of the seven seas. Kind of like a Japanese version of the ancient French dish Coquilles St-Jacques, it combines fin fish and aromatic oyster mushrooms with the scallops and sharpens the flavor with rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and seaweed. If scallop shells aren't handy, use any ovenproof baking dish.

Pancetta, the salty Italian bacon, forms a crust around the chicken. Offer a bottle of Pinot Grigio, a crisp Italian white wine, with this entrée. For dessert, try spumoni and sugar cookies.

Cheese production increased in the nineteenth century when dairy cooperatives were formed in Minnesota and Wisconsin; now, that area of the country is known for making outstanding cheese. In this recipe, white cheddar goes into a rich and creamy potato gratin that is a great substitute for — or, at a particularly lavish feast, a fine accompaniment to — mashed potatoes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For the best results, these tender ribs need to marinate for at least 12 hours, so plan ahead. Offer a selection of bottled ales and lagers.