Raisin

Instead of the usual approach of topping dandelion greens with hot bacon dressing, here we tame the greens' bitter bite with a Spanish-inspired dressing flavored with almonds, raisins, and Sherry.

In this dish, inspired by Cuban cooking, hints of clove and cinnamon whisk a standby cowboy steak to the Caribbean.

Haroseth, a fruit and nut condiment, is one of the six elements on the seder plate at Passover. It is traditionally eaten on matzo and symbolizes the mortar that was used to build the pyramids.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from chef Paul Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan, Ireland. Wild salmon, once so plentiful in Ireland that domestic servants could stipulate in their contracts that they should not have to eat it more than three times per week, has now become a luxury item on both sides of the Atlantic. However, when top-notch fish is available, this simple preparation is a great way to showcase it. The compound butter, with its use of raisins, harks back to the dried fruits popular in the Middle Ages, and the capers show the fondness of contemporary Irish cooks for Mediterranean flavors. Irish butter, with its high fat content, will add a particularly rich flavor, but regular American butter can be substituted.

The sweet and savory flavors coaxed from the bacon, onion, raisins, and vinegar in this dish complement the delicate trout without overpowering it.

This wintertime favorite, a great way to use up the leftover rice in your fridge, gets a surprise lift from lemon zest. For added crunch, sprinkle it with slivered almonds or pistachios before serving. This recipe was originally part of a feature on slow cooking. For additional recipes and tips for using a slow cooker, click here.

A layer of sliced fried plantains forms the crust; picadillo — a Latin dish of ground meat, tomatoes, and spices — makes a savory filling. This would be a lovely supper with bread and a salad.

Get the freshest ground star anise by making your own. It's as easy as grinding a few star anise pods in a spice mill or a coffee grinder.

Try replacing the raisins with a different dried fruit, such as apricots. A pinch or two of cinnamon or nutmeg would also be a nice touch.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Christopher Trotter's book The Scottish Kitchen As Trotter mentions, black bun is enjoyed at Hogmanay, which is the name for New Year's in Scotland.. This is a very traditional Scottish sweetmeat and is usually associated by most Scots with Hogmanay when it is eaten with a nip or two of whisky! It differs from most fruit cakes in that it is baked in a pastry case. It should be kept for several weeks to mature.

For the Mediterranean's Sephardic Jews, sweet fried pastries are as strong a tradition as potato latkes are for Eastern Europe's Ashkenazic Jews. The version here is distinctive for the addition of raisins and pine nuts, inspired by a Roman recipe.

Kutia This lightly sweetened pudding is the first of 12 traditional dishes served on Christmas Eve in Eastern Europe. Countries such as the Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania each have their own version, sometimes chilled, sometimes served as a warm porridge. (The dish used to be a tradition in Russia as well, but because of the communist Soviet Union's official atheism, it has become extinct there.) Our version is based on the baked Ukrainian style, which is traditionally made with wheat berries, which require overnight soaking and long cooking. For convenience, we've substituted quick-cooking barley, which packs the same nutty-chewy punch. For the best results, prepare the pudding a day ahead: Let it cool, cover it, and chill it overnight to let the flavors meld. Serve it chilled, plain or sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook by Marion Cunningham. To read more about fruitcake, see the related Daily Dish. Every kitchen file should have a recipe for a distinguished dark fruit cake. This is as good as any to be found.

Fresh kumquats and golden raisins make the familiar cranberry sauce new.

A classic Christmas bread from one of Buenos Aires's most famous bakeries, Las Violetas.

The slight bitterness of the greens is tempered by the sweetness of the beets and the raisins, while the cheese adds a creamy richness.

The recipe for this eastern European favorite varies from Russia to Slovenia, but it is always rich, sweet, and dense. Poppy seeds can easily become rancid, so make sure your poppy-seed filling tastes fresh.