Winter

This recipe was inspired by the delicious lemon-oregano jam Mario Batali serves at Babbo, in New York City. Try a dollop of our version on poached or grilled fish or chicken, or use it as a dip for steamed asparagus or artichokes.

Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 12 hr (includes soaking beans)

The miso dressing — which has the body of an egg yolk dressing without all the fat — lends depth of flavor to sweet persimmon and creamy avocado.

Here is the perfect present for those who indulge in holiday eggnog — a mixture of spirit and spice to blend into the Christmas beverage. To make the gift complete, pour it into a beautiful bottle and tie a small nutmeg grater and some whole nutmegs around the neck with a festive ribbon.

The ultimate dinner-party dish for a wintry evening, this is robustly flavorful and sophisticated. It's also simple to prepare. Market Tip: Don't buy pork tenderloins that have been pumped with salts and preservatives. Avoid anything that contains 10 percent water solution or phosphates.

These sandwiches make a savory lunch or, served with a bowl of soup, a perfect Sunday supper. We prefer Madras curry powder for this recipe because its subtle, sweet flavor complements the apple and cheese particularly well.

A beautiful dessert for the December entertaining season.

Crisp rounds of potato are layered with wild mushrooms in this hearty dish. Prepare both galettes in the morning, then reheat them after the turkey comes out of the oven.

When Archibald makes this recipe, she uses a kind of apple called Yellow Transparent, grown in the Pacific Northwest. We substituted Macouns, Fujis, and Jonagolds (which hold their shape during baking), all with great success.

This Swedish stew called Sjömansbiffgryta is one of the most typical family stews, which every Swede knows. This is one of those "lots of bang for the buck" types of stews. It's so simple, yet the taste it delivers is so satisfying. It is best to cook it in an enameled cast-iron casserole because it goes into a very hot oven for quite a while, and all the liquid gets absorbed and the casserole becomes a little crusty. I know it seems like an awfully long time to keep a stew in such a hot oven, but trust me, it works. You can deglaze the casserole with a bit of water if you like and pour it over the stew, which should be transferred to a serving bowl.

Hollowed-out orange halves are filled with mashed yams and topped with marshmallow creme and pecans.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 10 min

This classic cookie combines two of my favorite sweets: buttery-tender Scottish shortbread and satiny lilting English lemon curd. The problem has always been getting a firm enough topping and avoiding a soggy shortbread base. The special technique discovered for this recipe virtually guarantees success. The clean, refreshing flavor of lemon makes these the perfect sweets to follow a rich Christmas goose.

Four years ago, while food-styling with chef Alain Rondelli, we got to sample one of his creations—an inspired combination of pears and Roquefort and pepper. Its playful mix of sweet and savory led to this dessert. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"This recipe for Swedish drommar, meaning 'dreams,' comes from my grandmother," writes Elizabeth Wigg Maxwell of New Providence, New Jersey. "She and my mother made these every Christmas when my siblings and I were growing up. As children, we were amazed that my mother had to go to the pharmacy to obtain one of the ingredients: ammonium carbonate. Equally incredible was the fact that something which smelled so horrible helped make such delicious cookies!" "Years ago, I began baking drommar for my own family. I called the local pharmacy to request the unusual ingredient and was delighted when the pharmacist said, 'You must be making those Swedish cookies!'" Ammonium carbonate, used by European bakers, makes especially crisp cookies. Its smell, which you may find off-putting while making the dough, disappears completely in the baking process.

If you set aside several hours on three days to make the house, that will allow plenty of time for all the icing to set firmly and plenty of time for you to have some fun. The completed house can stand for up to one month.