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Chef Christian Constant's unforgettable potatoes stuffed with pigs' trotters at Les Cocottes, in Paris, inspired this homey but adventurous take on an American favorite: the stuffed baked potato. We used breakfast sausage and a savory glaze that does double duty as a salad dressing.

Bright apple flavor, plus a surprising tanginess. This sweet puree is a nice change of pace from the usual mashed potatoes.

These candies are very chewy. The combination of dates and nuts is classically Middle Eastern, as in Turkish delight, but Chinese confectioners have adopted the combination as their own. You will often see versions of this easy-to-make candy around the Chinese New Year. A celebratory gift, they are traditionally wrapped in thin rice paper, but plastic wrap works just as well. CHEF'S TIP: Maltose gives this candy its distinctive subtle sweetness and chewy texture. It can be found in most Asian or natural food markets.

Forget the marshmallows. All that these sweet potatoes need is a little butter and a drizzle of honey.

The whole beet—greens and all—is used in this clever, elegant main. Gremolata—a mixture of chopped herbs, garlic, and citrus peel—is the classic topping for osso buco. This garlic-free variation gives bright, fresh flavor to the halibut.

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

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Carole Bloom's book The Essential Baker. One of my favorite treats when I was growing up was malted milk balls. I couldn't seem to get enough of them. I vividly remember biting through the crunchy exterior of milk chocolate to find the malt ball inside. Yum! I still love the flavor of malt and believe it goes well with milk chocolate. This cheesecake is inspired by those malted milk balls I loved as a child. It's dense and creamy, with a crunchy cookie crust and a deep malt flavor. As with other cheesecakes, this one has to be made in advance of serving because it needs hours to cool and chill. But it also freezes beautifully, so you can make it well in advance of when you plan to serve it.

These thin chocolate cookies taste just like the very top layer of a brownie. SERVING SUGGESTION: With milk.

This needs a long, lazy roasting, so enjoy the aromas as you get ready for the party.

This gets a delicious lift from lemon in the butter, in the gravy, and under the skin, plus a shortcut for "preserved" lemons.

The cornmeal-crusted shrimp are a crunchy contrast to the creamy risotto.

In clarified butter, the milk solids are removed so the butter doesn't burn as easily. This can be made at least a week ahead.

The intensity of hot mustard varies. Start with 1 teaspoon, then add more by 1/2 teaspoonfuls to taste. Hot English mustard is a good stand-in if Chinese is unavailable.

One of the things we love about pesto is its versatility: Peas can take on basil's traditional role without missing a beat.

A buttery crust is topped with caramel, then a layer of chocolate ganache. The recipe is Granger's take on a traditional Australian dessert. "I used to buy a version of this at school fairs," he says.

Piquillos are sweet Spanish peppers with a rich, full flavor.

The pesto is also great on portobello mushroom burgers, chicken burgers, and turkey burgers.