West Coast Seafood Chowder with Lemon and Dill Dumplings

The inspiration for this recipe was to have as much seafood as possible in one dish; my partner loves seafood and cannot get enough. I serve this dish in a large tureen in the middle of the table and let everyone serve themselves "family style". I serve with a great glass of cold white wine and everyone has a great time.

Baharat Tomato Sauce

This aromatic sauce makes an excellent dip with bread, labneh and fresh herbs, or use it to top eggplant or chickpea stews, meatballs or braised lamb.

Crispy Polenta with Vegetable Ragù

A bit of pesto adds complexity to this quick sauce, without the need to simmer it for hours. This recipe feeds a larger group, so it's perfect for easy entertaining, but it can easily be halved for an everyday dinner. Top the ragù with a bit of extra shaved Parmesan, if desired. Serve with our Sautéed Kale with Golden Raisins.

Crispy Calamari

The best calamari are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This requires a thin coating of the flour mixture and then quick-frying in oil at the proper temperature. Enoy it as is, with a squeeze of lemon or with Basil Aïoli Dipping Sauce.

Chicken Milanese with Celery Root Purée

This dish is low-fuss because you can bread and refrigerate the chicken up to 8 hours ahead—meaning you can avoid greeting guests with eggy, floury, crumby fingers. If you can't find watercress, arugula makes an equally appealing salad topper for the meal.

Saffron Couscous Turkey Roll

Stuffed turkey breast is the answer for small Easter dinners. Serve with Asparagus Mushroom Stir-Fry.

Hot Italian Sausages

Here's a basic and simple sausage recipe that is good for novices. You can play around with the flavourings to taste, of course, adding a little dried oregano or marjoram, for instance. Other common seasonings include paprika and ground coriander.

Pork, Apple, Sage and Stilton Sausages

Cheese isn't a typical sausage filling, but here it adds a creamy tang that's addictive. Be sure to work with a partner and use medium-width pork sausage casings -- lamb casings are too narrow.

Beef, Caramelized Shallot and Thyme Sausages

The beef makes these sausages surprisingly lean, but offers a rich meatiness that's the perfect counterpoint to sweet shallots and fresh thyme.

Christine Cushing’s Coq au Vin