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Makes 6 or more servings

Time: 5 minutes with pre-roasted beets

4 fresh beets-about 1 1/2 pounds, washed, roasted, and peeled

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish, optional

1. Place the beets, oil, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely minced.

2. Season to taste with Tabasco, salt, and pepper and serve, or cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Garnish before serving.

Spicy Beet Caviar: Add to the mix 1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped (do not process); 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or Tabasco sauce, or to taste; and 1/4 cup minced capers.

Makes 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes

1/4 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 hard-cooked eggs

6 pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped

1 tablespoon minced onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons mayonnaise, preferably homemade

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain again, and chop into a small dice.

2. Halve the eggs lengthwise and remove the yolks. Mash 2 of the yolks in a medium bowl and set aside the remaining yolks. Add the shrimp, olives, onion, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, and oil and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Mound this mixture into the egg whites. Top with a little dollop of mayonnaise and crumble the remaining yolks on top. Garnish with parsley and serve, or cover with plastic and refrigerate for up to a day; bring back to room temperature before serving.

Total time: 20 minutes

2 6-ounce beef filets, cut from the tenderloin ("filet mignon"), preferably not too lean

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced shallot or onion

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

Lemon juice to taste, optional

Chopped fresh chives or parsley leaves for parsley

1. Flatten the filets a bit with the palm of your hand, the back of a skillet, or a small mallet; you want them to be about 1 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and a lot of pepper. In a small skillet, preferably one just large enough to accommodate the filets, combine a tablespoon each of butter and oil over medium-high heat. When the butter foam melts sear the steaks on both sides, just until browned - no more than 2 minutes per side. Remove to a platter.

2. Wipe the pan clean with a towel; add the remaining butter over medium heat, along with the shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire, and cream, along with some salt and, again, a fair amount of pepper. Stir once or twice, then taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Keeping the mixture at a steady simmer, return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pan. Cook, turning two or three times, until the meat is to your liking, just another 1 or 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the meat to a plate, and add lemon juice, salt, or pepper to the sauce as needed. Spoon the sauce over the meat, garnish with chives or parsley, and serve.

Yield: 2 servings

Leeks in Red Wine

Makes 4 servings

Time: 35 minutes

2 tablespoons butter, extra virgin olive oil, or a combination

4 leeks, trimmed and cleaned

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cups good red wine

2 tablespoons meat or chicken stock, preferably homemade, or use water

1. Put the butter or oil in a skillet or saucepan large enough to fit the leeks in one layer and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, add the leeks; sprinkle them with salt and pepper and cook, turning once or twice, for about 5 minutes, until they begin to brown.

2. Add the wine and stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily. Cook until the leeks are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Use a slotted spoon to remove the leeks to a platter. Raise the heat under the liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes thick and is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Pour it over the leeks and serve immediately, or at room temperature, or cold.

Vanilla Soufflé

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Time: 1 1/4 hours, largely unattended

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar, plus more as needed

1 vanilla bean

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup flour

4 eggs, separated

Pinch salt

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

1. Put the milk in a small saucepan and heat until steam rises; stir in the 1/2 cup sugar to dissolve, then turn off the heat. Split the vanilla bean the long way and scrape the seeds into the milk. Add the pod as well, cover, and let steep for about 15 minutes. When you’re ready, remove the pod and discard. Meanwhile, use a bit of the butter to grease a 2-quart soufflé or other deep baking dish. Sprinkle the dish with sugar and invert it to remove excess sugar. (Hold off on this step if you’re going to delay baking the soufflés until later.)

2. Put the remaining butter in another small saucepan over medium-low heat. When the foam subsides, stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture darkens, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the milk, a bit at a time, until the mixture is thick. Let cool for a few minutes, then beat in the egg yolks. (You can prepare this base a few hours in advance of cooking; cover tightly and refrigerate; bring back to room temperature before continuing.)

3. About an hour before you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375DF. Use an electric or hand mixer or whisk to beat the egg whites with the salt until quite stiff. Stir about a third into the sauce to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, using a rubber spatula or your hand. Transfer to the prepared dish and bake until the top is brown, the sides are firm, and the center is still quite moist, about 30 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

Chocolate Soufflé: Omit the vanilla or not, as you prefer, and add 4 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (like Valrhona, for example), chopped, to the milk as it heats, stirring so the chocolate dissolves. Proceed as above.

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