Poach

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Artichokes and truffle cream make these poached eggs an elegant brunch dish. If you use porcini (cèpes in French), leave the stems attached but trim the side and bottom of each stem well.

This recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of cooked beet. Wrap a fresh beet tightly in foil and put it in the oven with the almond cake if you're making this whole menu (if you're not, simply roast the beet in a 325°F oven for 1 hour). You could use canned beets instead, but fresh beets have far more vibrant color and flavor.

Poaching time for pears will vary, depending on their firmness.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

Using the freshest eggs possible is the key to great poached eggs. This dish makes a savory breakfast or, when paired with a salad, a satisfying brunch.

Côtelettes de Saumon Frais Dorigny Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

This dessert, called sciummette ("little sponges") in Liguria, is the Italian version of the French oeufs à la neige. One look at these fluffy ovals of meringue will tell you where the name comes from.

As a working mother with four daughters, my mom had very little spare time, yet she always managed to turn out meals reminiscent of her native Canton, China. This dish, one of her specialties, takes its name from the moist, velvety texture the chicken gets from being poached at a low temperature. My mother loved the short preparation time (the chicken finishes cooking through heat retained in a covered pot) and that the poaching liquid can be strained and then chilled or frozen to be used again. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

When poaching eggs for a crowd, we've found the baking pan method below to be almost foolproof. Have a friend help you wrap the eggs in salmon before they get cold. If you're working on your own, you may want to simply drape the salmon over the eggs.

Poach the pears and serve with traditional anise-flavored fried pastries. Start the pears one day ahead.

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

Apple ice wine gets its particular sweetness and deep golden color from frozen apples: The presence of water crystals during pressing increases the sugar content of the resulting wine. Canada produces more ice wine per year than any other country. Sophisticated-looking and intensely apple-flavored, this seasonal dessert is delicious on its own or as a complement to the maple walnut bûche de Noël. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 4 1/4 hr (includes chilling)

Pae Thee Thoke Chinese long beans, also known as yard-long beans, really are long — about 18 inches.

A pretty and refreshing composed salad that can be made using only one skillet.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.