Starter

This is one of my favorite hors d'oeuvres. Normally I make them as rounds, but I have learned that you can also make them larger in sandwich form, which works very well. Any way, shape, or form, these simple toasts are the best. The onions and mayonnaise melt together under the high heat of the broiler and taste delicious. They're a great nibble to serve to get your appetite going, and they couldn't be easier to put together. I like to use a sweet Vidalia onion if I can find it.

Serve this elegant first course with Champagne or sparkling wine. The recipe makes a few extra pancakes for those who want seconds.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 50 min Pasta wasn't always the carbohydrate vehicle of choice — in the '40s, lots of saucy things were spooned onto toast. These mushrooms appeared in one of our stories about Katish — the Russian cook immortalized by Gourmet's Wanda E. Ivanoff — who liked their versatility as a side dish or main course, and who often made a big batch to keep on hand for impromptu snacks.

Remove the kernels from the cobs by holding each ear of corn upright on a flat surface and running a chef's knife along the cob and cutting downward, as close to the cob as possible.

To form the noodle cakes, measure them out by taking a few strands of noodles and loosely squiggling them into a tablespoon. Once you get the hang of the amount needed, you can pretty much eyeball it.

This refreshing winter salad goes well with the fennel and sausage ragù or the .

"While in Greenville, South Carolina, we dined at The Palms, located in the Phoenix Inn," writes Marilyn J. Smith of Bradford, Pennsylvania. "All their food is outstanding, but I would particularly like the recipe for the Roquefort terrine. It was delicious!"

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Paper clips are useful for tightly sealing these simple appetizer packages. Foil is a good substitute for the parchment. (Paper clips are not necessary with foil; just crimp the edges to seal tightly.) Be sure to discard any mussels that do not open.

To make this borscht into a full meal, serve the butter-braised oysters as a starter, or vice versa.

Soupe au Pistou During Marion Cunningham’s last visit with Richard Olney, he made a version of this recipe, which comes from Simple French Food. As he made it, he told her that he thought the trick to cooking is tasting — in the case of the soup that day, adding the right amount of salt and pepper, then cheese, then a little olive oil, and finally some macaroni. After making the soup in our own kitchens, following the recipe from the book (it's highly adaptable to seasonal produce or the contents of your larder), we can understand why this recipe is so loved among Olney’s fans.

A break from the standard salsa. This versatile condiment is good on crusty bread as an appetizer, and adds zip to flank steak or skirt steak for an entrée.

At her restaurant, Lynch includes black truffle in the vinaigrette for this salad, but it's so flavorful as it is that we didn't feel the truffle was necessary.