Starter

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Here's an easy, make-ahead recipe. If asparagus is unavailable, steamed broccoli is a nice substitute.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This composed salad is a variation of a recipe from Chef Antonio Ortega of Príncipe y Serrano in Madrid, Spain.

Quince paste has a texture somewhere between that of stiff jelly and gumdrops.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This lovely summer soup has a rich, smooth texture even though it contains no cream. For a picnic, bring the cold soup in a thermos and the chives in a plastic bag, and then serve in sturdy ceramic bowls.

This soup is very thick; it can be thinned with additional chicken broth, if desired.

This starter gets a double dose of cayenne — in the cornmeal coating for the shrimp and in the garlicky mayonnaise dip.

A simple but elegant cold dish. The sauce can be made a day in advance.

The method of preparing this salad — paper-thin shavings of vegetables, usually raw, tossed together and lightly dressed just before serving — has become a regular theme on the restaurant's menus. The variations are extensive (peppers, celery, and radishes are often added) and always fresh and satisfying. Note: Slices of very fresh, raw cepes (porcini, or Boletus edulis) are superb in this salad. Another autumnal variation on this salad theme is to dress the shavings of fennel with lemon and olive oil and top with shavings of fuyu persimmon accented with a few drops of balsamic vinegar.