2,897 bitter recipes

Medaillons de veau en croute: veal loin medallions seared, topped with mushroom duxelles, and baked in puff pastry. Classic French haute cuisine served with a white wine pan sauce.

Golden-crusted sweetbreads braised in dry sherry and chicken broth, finished with cream and butter. A classic French bistro dish with a warm hint of mace that's easier than you think.

Creamy mushroom scallion soup pureed with chicken broth and cream, finished with whole mushroom slices and a dollop of whipped cream. A silky, elegant soup in 30 minutes.

Jam tarts press tender cream cheese pastry around dollops of fruit jam for bite-size, flaky tea-time pastries with golden browned edges. A 7-ingredient throwback for the cookie tin.

Mouclade, the classic French Bordeaux mussel dish steamed with shallots, white wine, saffron, and cream. Like moules marière's richer, golden cousin.

Quick chicken stir-fry with garlic butter, mushrooms, and parsley finished with a splash of chicken broth. A weeknight skillet dinner in under 35 minutes for 4.

Greek-style tripe stew simmered for hours in a tomato paste, white wine, and butter sauce with onions and parsley. Serve with pilaf for a traditional Mediterranean comfort meal.

Danablu soup: Danish blue cheese melted into a chicken broth and roux base, finished with cream and topped with whipped cream and parsley. Elegant first course.

Italian chicken livers in a creamy Dijon mustard and white wine sauce with sautéed mushrooms. Senape means mustard, and this rich one-skillet dish delivers.

Veal fricassee with fiddleheads gently simmers cubed veal in white wine and cream with onions and fresh chervil, finished with tender spring fiddlehead ferns. Elegant French country dinner.

Butter-browned veal steaks simmered in white wine with rosemary and a hint of umami from Mei Yen seasoning, finished with sautéed mushrooms folded into a lush sour cream sauce. Comfort food with continental flair in one hour.

Savory winter squash tart with roasted squash, buttery leeks, Gruyere, and creme fraiche in a flaky pastry shell. A rustic, elegant main dish for fall and winter entertaining.

Silky chicken liver pate with brandy, mushrooms, shallots, and fresh herbs. A quick, elegant appetizer that's ready to chill in under 30 minutes.

Savory cheesecake squares with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and cream cheese on a buttery shortcrust. These bite-sized appetizers are rich, tangy, and made for sharing at parties.

Turkey breast Marsala pounded thin, dredged in herbed flour, and sauteed in butter with a quick Marsala wine and chicken broth pan sauce. An Italian-style dinner ready in 30 minutes.

Chicken scaloppine with oregano is a fast Italian classic: thin pounded chicken breasts dredged in flour, pan-seared golden in butter and oil, and finished with oregano and a quick white wine pan sauce.