Orange

These steaks pair nicely with the roasted Potato Wedges with Rosemary Butter and are, conveniently, roasted at the same oven temperature.

At her restaurant, Magnolia Grill, Karen Barker serves this tart with fresh raspberries and whipped cream. I think it's perfect all by itself.

Duck breast is a sadly underrated meat. Served rare to medium-rare and sliced on the diagonal, it has the mineral tang of beef. This southwestern version, with its slightly spicy sauce, elicits every ounce of flavor from the bird. And it's so easy!

IMPROV: No fresh figs? Dried ones work just fine, too. The only adjustment that you will need to make is the baking time — 45 minutes instead of 20.

The compote is a mixture of spiced fresh and dried fruits that are cooked in white grape juice and white wine. Any leftovers are great over ice cream or with plain yogurt for breakfast. Prepare the compote and flans at least one day before you plan to serve them.

Even easier: The base for this ice cream — a warm orange custard — is equally delicious with the Apple-Raisin Crumble. Instead of turning it into ice cream, just spoon the warm custard over each serving.

This syrup is perfect for French toast.

Chojín Alma Guillermoprieto of Cambridge, Massachusetts, writes: "My guatemalan grandmother made a salad she called chojín. I remember the taste vividly, but when I went to Guatemala, no one knew the dish. This is my attempt to re-create it." While the ingredients in this recipe are extremely simple, the result is an eye-opening explosion of flavors.

Requiring a scant 20 minutes of prep time, chef Don Jakubowski's flavorful starter salad delivers more than a burst of color: The spinach packs beta-carotene and lutein for healthy eyes; the raspberries, oranges, and carrots add fiber; and the red bell pepper offers vitamin C.

A fresh raspberry syrup infuses this pretty drink with bright fruit flavor.

"All my favorite things are about chocolate," says Elizabeth Falkner. Thin layers of flourless chocolate cake and an intensely chocolaty mousse are paired with crunchy hazelnuts and hints of orange in this truly decadent dessert. Try it with a scoop of coffee-chocolate chip ice cream alongside. For best results, use a premium bittersweet chocolate with a high cocoa bean content (variously labeled "cocoa solids," "cocoa," or "cacao"), such as Scharffen Berger 70 percent or Callebaut.

Mahimahi is on of Hawaii's most popular fish; firm-fleshed and mild-flavored, it can be cooked in almost any manner and cloaked in almost any sauce. I like the flavor of citrus with mahimahi, enhanced by some spicy peppercorns. Sweet bananas, a hint of coconut, and macadamia nuts add to the tropical flavors in this light dish.

The sweet sharpness of both the orange juice and the balsamic vinegar combines with the natural sugars in the onions to create a delicious snack that's perfect to serve with cocktails, as an addition to an antipasto assortment, or as an accompaniment to roasted meats.

Anatra Ripiena This is virtuoso trattoria cooking; not modest, certainly, but authentic. What to drink: A reserve Chianti. Try: Fontodi Chianti Riserva.

This dish — meant to be eaten with your fingers or with wooden picks — is a light, refreshing hors d'oeuvre to complement tequila. The recipe is a take on the jicama and cucumber spears that are a popular Mexican street snack.

The red portions of rhubarb stalks make the best-looking pie, so buy extra and trim as needed.

This creamy, low-fat soup is packed with vitamins A and C.