Port

Of all the cakes in the flourless genre, this Gâteau Victoire has the most marvelously creamy texture. Once baked, it’s so velvety moist that I recommend you cut it with a length of dental floss instead of a knife—even at the risk of getting some funny looks from your dinner guests who might think that you’re preparing to brush your teeth and call it a night.

In this light and elegant dessert, the pears turn a beautiful rosy color from the wine. The slightly tart taste of lemon topping drizzled over the pears and the crunch of toasted pistachios complete the dish.

Try this recipe with steak or tempeh or even veal. Spoon any residual broth over the chicken before serving and remember to remove the rosemary sprig.

This simple preparation replaces the bitterness of raw rhubarb with the musty richness of port while maintaining a special crispness in flavor. You could put this out with cheese. Or pair it with Pink Peppercorn Meringues (page 38), fresh berries, ice cream, and whipped cream for a deconstructed vacherin.

I love sangria in the summertime and always thought about turning it into a slushy. Here, I’ve taken it one step further and made granité. The acid from the raspberries both brightens and enhances the flavors of the wines.

This dish is perfect for entertaining a large group because it serves a crowd and looks spectacular, and the rich, velvety fig sauce will knock your guests’ socks off; it’s so sweet you could even serve it over ice cream. Many European cultures have traditional recipes that pair pork with sweet fruit, usually apples. But apples aren’t so prevalent in Italy, and figs are. Lucky for Italians.

Everyone will be blown away by how simple these are. They will be the runaway hit of the night. The moisture and sweetness of the grape inside the cheese is a flavor burst.

This hearty dish was inspired by frango na púcara, a Portuguese chicken dish that's cooked in a terra-cotta jug. We've streamlined the method, but kept all of the smoky, tangy, sweet flavors. The chicken is even better the next day, when the flavors have had a chance to meld. Serve with crusty bread.

I pair the pecorino with a homemade fig paste that takes a little while to make—only because you have to let the figs dry in a warm oven—but is an absolutely spectacular condiment. There's no point in making just a little, so the recipe makes about three times as much as you need here, but that's okay; if well wrapped, it keeps in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and goes well with other cheeses, meats, and poultry.

The tanginess of the homemade pickled eggs (they're easy!) balances the richness of the chicken liver. Timing note: Begin making the eggs at least one day ahead.

A restaurant-worthy dessert: Oval-shaped scoops of decadent chocolate mousse and tangy whipped crème fraîche are served atop a puddle of Port-spiked ganache.

This gorgeous tart features an easy no-bake filling and is topped with fresh strawberries in a rich port glaze.

Crisp-skinned duck breast really pops with the nutty, buttery flavor of tawny Port. Any leftover meat makes a terrific sandwich.

The peppery watercress and tangy onion are balanced by the sweet richness of the braised figs. It takes eight hours to pickle the onion, so be sure to plan ahead.

Pollo con Frutos y Frutas Secas As this recipe demonstrates, Ferran Adrià, the alchemist chef of El Bulli, is as practical as he is inventive. It's adapted from the cookbook he dedicated to quick recipes that can be made with supermarket ingredients, and it features a store-bought rotisserie chicken that's deliciously doctored with a sauce of dried fruit, pine nuts, and port wine. Though you can whip the dish up in less than half an hour, the flavors are sophisticated enough for a fancy dinner party. If you'd like to roast your own chicken, so much the better.

Ever dream about bringing an impressive roast to the holiday table with equally impressive ease? Now you can. Stuffing and preparing the pork a day ahead leaves you free to entertain and makes the meat especially flavorful as well. Bacon wrapped around the roast keeps it moist as it cooks. Prunes and dried apricots simmered in Port bring a fruity but not overly sweet intensity to the pork and its sauce.