Starter

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An elegant but easy first course. Frozen artichoke hearts are used for the filling, and purchased gyoza or wonton wrappers replace homemade pasta.

Bruschetta — a rustic Italian canapé — is the perfect vehicle for the robust flavors of late summer. Serve these topped toasts as a first course or, with a salad and a glass of wine, as a light supper.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave oven.

Swordfish, halibut or sea bass fillets are also delicious here.

Here's an Asian - and very elegant - spin on the classic American crab cakes. A dry Gewürztraminer compliments the flavors of this appetizer very well.

Note: To slice the onion and fennel in the following salad into paper-thin spirals, we used a Japanese rotary device known as the Benriner vegetable slicer.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Preparing for the Super Bowl? Think bread bowl. This spinach dip is housed in a hollowed-out loaf of bread. Choose pumpernickel or sourdough and have other items for dipping on hand—those bread bites go fast!

Easy and colorful, this side dish is nice with the lamb.

This soup is related to brotchán foltchep, a classic leek and oatmeal soup (also known as brotchán roy) that combines leeks, oatmeal and milk. This version is thickened with potatoes instead of oatmeal and flavored with chicken stock instead of milk. Serve it with savory whole wheat scones or slices of brown soda bread.

The roasted vegetables add great depth of flavor to this soup.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.