Chicken Thigh

Make this almost entirely ahead (up to two days), and simply reheat before serving. Crusty bread and a salad round out the main course. Serve Sauvignon Blanc alongside.

Complement the delicious soup with biscuits and a spinach and red bell pepper salad. Top it all off with some sliced sweetened plums spooned over vanilla ice cream.

Curry powder, cumin, and cinnamon give this dish a hint of the exotic.

At New York's Nosmo King (the name is a clever twist on "no smoking"), Alan Harding does a terrific job of cooking upscale food with almost entirely organic ingredients.

Brandy, apples and cream add a taste of France's Normandy region to this entrée.

Add corn biscuits (you can find them in the supermarket refrigerator case) and a romaine, arugula, and radicchio salad with goat cheese. Coffee ice cream drizzled with Kahlúa is a nice dessert.

Jerk seasoning — here a spicy blend of garlic, onion, chiles, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon, though recipes vary — originated in Jamaica and is traditionally used on pork and chicken. Because the jerk marinade can burn easily, the chicken requires slow cooking on the grill, which also helps keep the meat moist.

Start marinating the chicken four to six hours ahead. Pour frosty Pilsners or a chilled Chenin Blanc.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Do-ahead tips make this rendition of the Spanish classic perfect for entertaining.

A century ago, spicy English mustards like Colman's were too pungent for American tastes, even in small quantities: Back then, mustard was used only in salad dressings. George French came along in 1904 with a formula for a milder condiment he called French’s Cream Salad Mustard. Eventually slathered on everything from bologna sandwiches to soft pretzels, French’s mustard is also delicious in this barbecue sauce.

Kathy Lee, Valley Center, Calif.
If you can't find a package of thighs at the market, buy whole chickens. You (or the butcher) can cut up the chickens and freeze the leftover pieces for another use.

Serve this delicious curried chicken dish with steamed basmati rice or Indian flatbreads.

Sautéed radishes give a nice kick to this dish, an easy version of fajitas.