504 shell recipes

Toffee bananas are the classic Chinese restaurant dessert: deep-fried banana pieces coated in molten pulled-sugar syrup, then dipped in ice water for a glassy, shatter-crisp shell.

San Joaquin Glamour Salad stuffs a hollowed cabbage shell with ground cabbage, stewed figs, carrot, pineapple, and whipped cream dressing. A retro Central Valley showstopper from California's fig country.

Fresh blueberry cake baked in a springform pan with a buttery batter shell, juicy berry center, and cinnamon crumb topping. A rustic German-style kuchen ready in 40 minutes.

Pumpkin pie in a buttery walnut crust with a warmly spiced custard of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. The walnut shell adds nutty depth that elevates classic Thanksgiving pie.

Mole de guajolote is a traditional Mexican turkey in mole sauce made from scratch with ancho, mulato, and pasilla chilies, chocolate, sesame seeds, peanuts, and warm spices.

Italian sausage, shrimp, and lobster simmered in a wine-spiked tomato broth with vegetables and fusilli, then broiled under a bubbling cap of Jarlsberg cheese. This cheesy cioppino is San Francisco soul food with a gooey twist.

Make your own Boboli-style pizza crust at home with a breadmaker. Garlic, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning bake into a golden shell you can freeze for quick weeknight pizza nights.

Creme de menthe truffle cups: bite-size chocolate candy shells piped full of minty chocolate ganache with ground almonds. A boozy, bakery-style Christmas confection made in a double boiler.

Ritzy chocolate-covered nuts are candied slivered almonds with a crackly sugar shell, roasted to toasty perfection and dipped in melted chocolate. A three-ingredient homemade holiday candy for gift tins.

Medieval-style meat cakes with pork shoulder, dates, raisins, pistachios, and saffron baked into a buttery pastry shell. Ancient sweet-savory tart that blends pork with dried fruits and warm spices.

Filipino-style sauteed egg noodles (pancit) with pork, shrimp, cabbage, and carrots cooked in chicken broth and soy sauce. Served with fresh lemon slices.

Clams casino tops half-shell clams with a garlic-green pepper butter and seasoned breadcrumbs, then bakes hot until the topping turns golden. A New England Shore Dinner appetizer that brings the briny bite of fresh clams alive.

Strawberry chiffon pie with a cocoa-pastry shell, fluffy strawberry-gelatin filling, and chocolate-dipped berries on top. A retro pink-and-chocolate dessert that mixes in minutes once the crust cools.

Italian baked clams on the half shell stuffed with herbed bread crumbs, garlic, Romano cheese, basil, oregano, and lemon juice, finished with a splash of white wine. A classic Italian-American appetizer.

Classic pecan pie with dark corn syrup, melted butter, and toasted pecans, scaled for either a 9 or 10 inch shell. Five ingredients in the filling, no-fuss method, glossy candied top.

Orange custard cookies are mini tartlets with buttery shortbread shells filled with an almond-orange flower water custard, baked in muffin tins. Two dozen elegant bite-sized desserts with a Mediterranean fragrance.