Nut

Bake this at least a day before serving.

The Italian combination of chocolate and hazelnuts, called gianduia, is used here in a sumptuous, dense cake. The torte's lustrous chocolate glaze makes this a perfect dessert for holiday entertaining.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Italian fruitcakes with Frangelico chocolate sauce If you don't have the mini Bundt molds called for, oversize muffin cups (about one-cup capacity) can be used instead. Begin preparing this at least a week ahead.

This dressing is best cooked in a dish of its own, which also allows the top layer of bread to brown to an appealing crisp.

Serve this dish at the end of a meal — it's a fruit and cheese course in one. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min

Posole is a thick, hearty stew typically containing corn and pork that originated in Jalisco, Mexico. Since I wanted to make this recipe vegetarian anyway, I decided to take it in an entirely new direction. The dried cherries may seem a little odd at first, but they lend a pleasant sweet-tartness to the dish while the pecans take it a bit deeper into the South. In the United States, we call the dried posole "hominy."

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Country tart meets city topping; the streusel is revved up with nutty-tasting brown butter — a popular flavoring in this year's desserts.

Salmorejo Cordobés In Córdoba, gazpacho is reduced to its most basic elements, with no cucumbers or peppers, and is known as salmorejo. It takes on a saucelike consistency but is still considered a soup and is served in small portions. It is scattered with chopped hard-boiled egg and julienne strips of serrano ham, both indispensable to achieving salmorejo's fullest flavor. Salmorejo is sometimes used as a dip.

Ajo Blanco Malagueño This gazpacho from Málaga gets its pure white color and creamy consistency from blanched almonds. Sweet green grapes are the essential counterpoint to the tang of garlic and vinegar. The addition of shrimp comes from chef Bartolomé Rodrigo Lucena.

Chef Christoforos Peskias turned rice-stuffed tomatoes inside out and came up with something that resembles sushi topped with tuna. He forms rectangular "sushi" using a special mold; we found that a scoop works well for the home cook. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 4 hr

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min