Make Ahead

Beurre composé, or compound butter—butter creamed with various flavorings—is a classic French accompaniment, used to top anything from broiled steak or fish to steamed vegetables. Compound butter can be frozen and a few slices cut off whenever the need arises.

Purchased sorbet, frozen yogurt and pound cake make this the season's quickest elegant dessert.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Passion Fruit Tart. This pastry is ideal for making custard and fruit tarts. It can be made in advance and will keep in the refrigerator for a week. It also freezes well. The recipe yields one 28 cm (10-inch) tart case or several smaller ones.

Glutinous rice is distinctively aromatic and appealingly chewy. Before being steamed, it requires at least 3 hours of soaking (overnight is fine, too).

A sophisticated dessert that is great on its own, mixed with sweet berries or used as a topping for ice cream or frozen yogurt.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A quick-to-make vinaigrette that's great tossed with greens and poured over steamed vegetables or orange slices. Present it in an antique glass cruet.

Use a cherry pitter to remove the pits before cutting the cherries in half.

This is also delicious sprinkled over fresh fruit or stirred into iced tea. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"One of my favorite restaurants in Providence is Neath's," writes Emily Hughes of Tulsa, Oklahoma. "On my most recent and memorable trip, I had my preferred dessert — chocolate wontons with ginger ice cream. Can you procure this recipe from chef Neath Pal?"