Fruit

Confiture is the sweet version of confit, in which sugar acts as the preservative.

Store-bought caramel sauce spiked with a little sea salt makes these fast and easy puddings something special.

For an extra kick, sprinkle a little ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, or finely grated lime peel over the rice puddings before serving.

Great for dessert or breakfast.

Braising is an excellent way to keep fish steaks moist and flavorful.

Oven-roasting whole fish marries ease of preparation with stunning presentation.

If you're stopping at a Greek market for ingredients, grab some butter cookies.

Pastourma (also spelled basturma) is seasoned, cured beef.

Purchased biscuit dough makes these dessert dumplings a snap to make.

Miss Lewis loved to serve this old-fashioned Southern dessert (which is actually more of a double-crust pie) warm, with the syrupy juice spooned over the crisp crust.

Here, radicchio is paired with another member of the chicory family: frisée. With Sherry vinegar, feta, oranges, and Kalamatas, this salad has great Mediterranean flavor.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Rick Tramonto's book Fantastico! I unabashedly love beef tartare and yes, this is my favorite crostini, particularly because I gild the lily with a drizzle of truffle oil! Steak tartare has been around for a good long time, and according to legend, its name refers to the Tartars, the nomads who roamed eastern Europe, for a time under the leadership of Attila the Hun. Fierce and bloodthirsty, the Tartars purportedly ate raw meat for strength. Tartars were Huns, but "beef hun" just doesn't have the panache of beef, or steak, tartare. If you've never had beef tartare, try it my way; then make it your way by omitting what you may not like such as capers, Worcestershire sauce, or anchovies. But don't fool with the beef. Buy the best you can from a reputable butcher. I use prime beef when possible, but because it is sometimes hard to find, I may turn to high-quality choice beef instead.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Rick Tramonto's book Fantastico! What is the difference between crostini and bruschetta? In general, crostini are more sophisticated and smaller. The bread slices for my crostini are about two inches across and thinner than those for bruschetta. When topped with great flavors, they fit the definition of a powerful tiny bite that by virtue of their size are less overwhelming than bruschetta. Crostini are always toasted, never grilled, and when you make them with the best, freshest bread available and sweet creamery butter, they become the ultimate garlic toasts. I pile everything on them under the Tuscan sun, even scrambled eggs at breakfast.

Quesillo de Coco You could buy a ticket to the Tropics—or you could simply make this flan. Heady with rum and sweet flaked coconut, this incredibly easy, super-delicate dessert will transport you straight to a table in the sand, under the swaying palms. If only every recipe could be this straightforward and rewarding.

While the bavarian and the caramel sauce flirt subtly with the flavor of the fruit, this candied peel is very direct, delivering a straight shot of sweet-tart tangerine flavor.

Tangerine juice plays two roles here: It stops the cooking of the sugar, and its bright perfume brings complexity to the sauce.

Of all the citrus fruits (conveniently in season right now), tangerine has perhaps the most complex qualities. Floral and gently sweet, with an underlying tartness—like three fruits in one. And this lighter-than-air bavarian is wonderfully cool on the tongue, slowly releasing its various aromas as it melts in the mouth.

Canned coconut soups are full of distinct Thai flavors such as Kaffir lime leaves and galangal (a gingerlike root). They lend great depth to this surprisingly easy meal.