25 french fry recipes

Light, pillowy yeasted beignets fried golden and buried under powdered sugar. This overnight dough recipe makes about 5 dozen New Orleans-style French doughnuts.

Orange-scented French toast soaked in warm cinnamon-vanilla custard and fried golden. Day-old bread gets a 30-minute refrigerator soak for custardy centers.

Eggplant a la Provencale layers golden olive-oil-fried eggplant slices under a slow-simmered tomato, garlic, and parsley sauce. A chilled French summer appetizer or salad.

Oven-baked French toast made with blended cottage cheese, skim milk, and egg whites on whole wheat bread. A lighter, protein-packed brunch that skips the frying pan entirely.

Cinnamon raisin French toast soaked in a rum-spiked egg custard with nutmeg, fried golden in butter, and drizzled with homemade maple-rum syrup. Weekend brunch just got serious.

Rack of lamb primeurs roasted over its own bones with thyme, then sauced with a deglazed pan jus and plated with spring baby vegetables. Classic French bistro dinner-party centerpiece.

Mixed bean casserole with four kinds of beans, cubed Spam, brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, and mustard baked low and slow. A classic potluck baked beans dish.

Glazed rack of lamb for two basted with a honey-soy-sherry sauce spiked with ginger, garlic, and mustard. A romantic dinner centerpiece with an Asian-inspired sticky glaze.

Serves a large group and can be prepared the morning of the party and is assembled at the site of the party, 10 minutes before serving.