Deep-fry

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

A perfect crab cake is plump and moist with a crisp crust and has enough spice to accent, not overpower, the crab.

"Although I’ve been a subscriber for almost ten years, this is the first time I’ve written to request a recipe," writes Danette Laver of Ambler, Pennsylvania. "The honey-garlic dressing on the salad I had at Fork in Philadelphia was so good that I used a chunk of bread to soak up every last drop."

This is a dessert version of classic fried savory ravioli, dressed up with custard sauce.

This recipe was created to accompany Peppered Pears, Blue Cheese, and Fried Sage . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Skordalia is a garlicky Greek dip made with mashed or pureed potatoes.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min For those who don't like their oysters raw, there's the classic po'-boy sandwich. New Orleans's first po'-boy makers settled on a roll that is light and mild, so that it doesn't overpower the tender oysters inside, yet is substantial enough to keep its shape when the sweet juices are released from their cornmeal crust. We discovered that a soft-crusted French, Italian, Portuguese, or Cuban loaf works well. Hot pepper sauce is the traditional condiment, but we've improvised a little, using chipotle mayonnaise to add a layer of smokiness instead of pure heat.

(Klejner) Every year research editor Karen Hallal serves these spiced diamond-shaped cookies for dessert on Christmas Eve. They are fried like doughnuts and coated with powdered sugar. The recipe for klejner, popular all over Scandinavia, was given to Karen by her Danish mother.

(Three Generations of Squash) Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

Wonton wrappers are used for these samosas instead of traditional pastry dough. Betelnut Pejiu Wu in San Francisco serves them with a tropical chutney.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

To ensure a perfect blend of spices, chef Jason Girard makes his own Cajun seasoning, sold under the brand name BlueChef. We tested a variety of Cajun spice blends for this recipe and liked the McCormick and Spice Hunter brands for their balance of flavor. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

Pla Phad Phrik Khing The pummelo salad makes a nice first course with this dish.

Also delicious served atop steak.