Fools are a wonderful way to showcase seasonal fruit. In the spring and summer, berries, such as strawberries and raspberries, are mashed and folded into the cream. In the winter, citrus takes center stage in the form of a curd.

A fruit curd is a thick spread or sauce made with fruit, eggs, butter and sugar. A good curd is bright and puckery, so any fruits with a little zing or tartness, such as lemons, oranges, grapefruit and passion fruit are great contenders.

This fool is a billowy trifecta of whipped cream, Meyer lemon curd and crumbled meringue, unabashedly folded together and layered into a glass, parfait-style. The brilliant yellow curd ripples through the cream, providing a jolt of sweet and tangy citrus. Consider it a little sunshine in a glass.

Meyer lemons are at their peak in the winter months. They are brighter, sweeter and less acidic than Eureka lemons, which are more commonly found year-round. Eureka lemons can be substituted for the Meyer lemons.

Meyer Lemon Fools

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 large egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup fresh Meyer (or Eureka) lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

2 ounces prepared or store-bought vanilla meringues, about 6 (2-inch) meringues

Meyer lemon slices for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Fill the bottom of a double boiler with 1 to 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then lower the heat to a bare simmer.

In the bowl of the double boiler, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Place over the double boiler and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the curd thickens and coats the back of the spoon (about the thickness of hollandaise sauce), 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until the butter melts before the next addition. Transfer the curd to a glass jar and place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 1 week).

Beat the cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup curd and, using a spatula, gently fold into the cream, leaving some streaks of the curd visible. Crumble half of the meringues into the mixture.

Spoon a thin layer of remaining curd into the bottom of 6 (4- to 5-ounce) glasses or Mason jars and sprinkle a thin layer of crumbled meringues over the curd. Divide half of the cream between the glasses. Add a drizzle of lemon curd to each glass, then top with the remaining cream.

To serve, top each glass with a dab of lemon curd and a few pinches of crumbled meringues. Garnish with a lemon segment, if desired. Serve immediately.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

I make variations of this recipe under the guise of other comfort-food standards, such as beef bourguignon and Irish stew. The ingredients shift slightly, but the principle is the same. Chunks of meat are seared brown on the stovetop, then submerged in a heady stock of wine, broth and spices. The pot is then banished to the oven for several hours to bubble and simmer until the meat is falling-apart tender and infused with the flavorful stock.

The keys to making this meaty stew are time and patience, which are requisite for the slow-cooking process. Ideally, you will exert even more time and patience by starting the dish one day in advance of serving. This way, the stew can chill overnight, further enriching its flavor and allowing the persnickety fat to rise to the top so that it can be deftly removed before rewarming.

This stew leans to the Southwest for inspiration, with chipotle peppers, cumin and coriander. Root vegetables team up with the meat, adding a touch of earthy sweetness. Note that this recipe calls for boneless short ribs; beef chuck can be substituted.

Chipotle Short Rib and Root Vegetable Stew

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

2½ to 3 pounds boneless short ribs, cut in 1½- to 2-inch chunks

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

6-ounce can tomato paste

1 (750ml) bottle heavy-bodied red wine

2 cups beef stock or chicken stock

1/4 cup chipotles in adobo, chopped with juices

1 bay leaf

2 large carrots, peeled, thickly sliced

1 large turnip, cut into bite-size chunks (or 1 bunch baby turnips, trimmed and scrubbed)

1 medium rutabaga, peeled, cut into bite-size chunks

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon light brown sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the meat on all sides with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, without crowding the pan, brown the meat on all sides, about 8 minutes. (This step is very important, so take the time to do it well.) Transfer to a plate or bowl and repeat with the remaining meat.

Drain off the fat from the pot. Add 1 tablespoon oil, the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onion softens, about 3 minutes, stirring up the brown bits in the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the paprika, cumin and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste and continue to stir to slightly cook the paste and create a slurry, about 30 seconds.

Add the wine, stock, chipotles and bay leaf to the pot. Stir in the meat and any collected juices. If the meat is not completely submerged, add more stock or wine to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook the stew until the meat is very tender, 2½ to 3 hours, stirring every hour or so. Remove the pot from the oven.

(If making the recipe one day in advance, cool the stew, then cover the pot and refrigerate overnight. One hour before serving, remove the pot from the refrigerator and lift or scrape off the layer of fat on the surface. Gently reheat the braise over medium-low heat until the stock is liquid enough to remove the meat. Proceed to next step.)

Carefully remove the meat from the sauce and place in a bowl. Bring the sauce to a boil on the stovetop. Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat until it’s reduced by about half and thickened to a rich sauce consistency, 12 to 15 minutes, skimming any fat as necessary.

While the sauce is reducing, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, turnip and rutabaga and lightly season with salt. Saute until the vegetables are bright and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the vegetables to the sauce along with the beef and any juices. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning and add the sugar if desired. Simmer the stew over medium heat until the vegetables are al dente, about 10 minutes more. Serve warm.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

These Baja-inspired tacos piled with blackened shrimp channel the South, the border and beyond. They are vibrant and wholesome, not bogged down by any heavy sauces, cheeses or meat. A citrusy salsa and fresh avocado are light and healthy accompaniments, refreshing in their simplicity. The tacos are easy to prepare, requiring just a fair amount of chopping, which is a simple activity that distracts from any inclement weather outside. And, perhaps best of all, they are fun to eat, inviting interaction and hands-on noshing.

The blackened spice blend is meant to have heat, but feel free to adjust the cayenne to your taste. In fact, make a double batch to keep on hand to season fish and chicken for later meals. Store any remaining spice blend in a jar in your pantry.

Blackened Shrimp Tacos

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

24 large (18/20) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact (optional)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 large ripe but firm avocado, halved, sliced crosswise

Flour or corn tortillas, warmed

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Lime wedges

Crema:

2/3 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon Sriracha, or to taste

Pinch of kosher salt

Salsa:

1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped

1 cup defrosted frozen yellow corn

1 small poblano pepper, seeded, finely diced

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Spices:

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

Whisk the crema ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready.

In a separate bowl, combine the salsa ingredients. Taste for seasoning.

Combine the spices in a small bowl. Toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl. Add the spices and stir to thoroughly coat the shrimp.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Carefully arrange the shrimp in one layer in the pan without overcrowding (in batches if necessary). Cook until charred and cooked through the center, about 4 minutes, turning once.

To serve, arrange a few slices of avocado on a warmed tortilla. Spoon some of the salsa over, then top with shrimp. Drizzle with some of the crema. Garnish with cilantro and serve with the lime wedges for squeezing.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

Salmon tartare is a perfect multitasking appetizer: It’s fresh, salty and bright with citrus. It’s also rich in protein, B vitamins and calcium, and it’s low-fat to boot. To serve, dress it up and serve on brioche toasts, or keep it more casual and spread on crostini. In this recipe, it’s dolloped on whole-grain cocktail rounds for a slightly heartier texture. It’s also wonderfully versatile: Assemble the tartare up to one day in advance and serve any leftovers on breakfast toast or spooned over greens for a light lunch.

When preparing the tartare, finely chop the salmon and onion in similar minced size. I prefer to do this by hand with a knife rather than use a food processor, which can create a pasty texture if overprocessed. Taste as you go, and don’t skimp on the herbs. Each mouthful should be fresh, juicy and bright. And if you are celebrating, go ahead and pour some bubbles — it’s the party season, after all.

Smoked Salmon Tartare Canapes

Makes about 1¼ cups or 10 to 12 canapes

INGREDIENTS

10 ounces smoked salmon, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or sour cream

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Whole-grain cocktail rounds

Freshly ground black pepper

Dill sprigs for garnish

Lemon wedges and slices for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Finely dice the smoked salmon and transfer to a bowl. Fold in the onion, yogurt and lemon juice. Add the dill and chives and gently stir to combine; feel free to add more herbs to your taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

To serve, mound heaping tablespoons of the tartare on whole-grain cocktail rounds (or crostini or mini brioche toasts). Generously season with freshly ground black pepper. Serve garnished with additional dill and lemon, if desired.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

I use the term “curry” loosely since this recipe is hardly authentic. An authentic curry consists of a mountain of whole spices and aromatics, carefully and lovingly toasted, ground, sauteed and coaxed to create a potent paste that forms the base of a stew, which simmers for an ample amount of time to infuse its flavor. (I highly recommend doing this, by the way, but suggest you wait until after the holidays.)

This yellow curry rendition gets its name thanks to a generous shortcut dump of curry powder into the soup, which, in the category of quick meals, does the trick. It’s a healthy soup, brimming with vegetables and thickened with coconut milk, and it’s a one-pot wonder, prepared in about 30 minutes. During a month of roasts, bakes, sauces and icings, this soup is a spicy and refreshing hiatus, guaranteed to warm and restore before you get back to the business of planning and making that big holiday dinner.

Curried Chicken Stew

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 to 1¼ pounds chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 large carrot, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, chopped

1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes with juice

15-ounce can coconut milk (not light)

2 cups coarsely chopped curly green kale, Tuscan kale or spinach leaves (tough stems removed)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

1 red or green jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide pot or deep skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pot in one layer without overcrowding. Cook over medium heat until the chicken colors on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a plate. (The chicken will not be fully cooked at this point. It will continue to cook when added to the stew.)

Add 1 tablespoon oil and the onion to the same pot. Saute over medium heat until the onion softens, about 2 minutes. Add the carrot and peppers and saute until the carrot brightens in color and the peppers begin to soften, about 3 minutes more. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Add the curry powder, cumin and coriander, stirring to coat the vegetables and lightly toast the spices for about 15 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes, coconut milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Partially cover the pot and simmer over medium-low until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the kale or spinach. Continue to simmer until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the leaves wilt, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the 1/4 cup cilantro and taste for seasoning.

Ladle the curry into bowls. Garnish with additional cilantro and the jalapeno slices. Serve with basmati rice.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

The candles are inserted in special weighted holders perched on the branches, and the flames self-extinguish once the candles melt down to their base. It’s a magical sight, traditionally first done on the eve of Christmas, or julaften, which is celebrated with a big holiday dinner.

We break Danish tradition in our home by lighting our tree candles the weekend before Christmas. This way, we can open our home to friends to enjoy the experience, which has become its own tradition. Naturally, there is plenty of food and libations to go with the event. I load a table with platters of finger food, cheese and charcuterie, and of course, sweet treats such as these cookies.

The ginger and spice in the cookies go well with glogg (spiced mulled wine), which I make in a large pot swimming with orange peel, cinnamon and cloves. Once the sun sets and darkness creeps in, we turn down the lights and light the candles. A hush envelops us as we gather around the tree, entranced by the flickering flames casting a soft glow that illuminates the tree and warms the room.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Makes about 36 cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

1/3 cup finely diced candied ginger

Sanding or demerara sugar for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, salt and cloves in a bowl to combine.

Cream the brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and molasses and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in the candied ginger. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two rimless baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls. Arrange on baking sheet and gently flatten. Sprinkle with the sugar. Bake the cookies until set and crinkled on top, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

A tradition can be a simple gesture or ritual, an act of faith or a gregarious celebration. It needn’t be elaborate; in fact, it can be as simple as a cake.

In our home, this cake is made at least once during the holiday season. It’s a simple, uncomplicated treat for busy days and frenetic times, meant to be left on the kitchen counter for a sweet pick-me-up or a moment of repose. It’s an all-day cake, because it’s equally appropriate for breakfast or afternoon tea and elegant enough for an understated dessert.

Thanks to an infusion of orange and olive oil, the cake is redolent with citrus and spice, and it’s unfailingly moist. Almond meal lightens and adds a wholesome crumb, which encourages second helpings. While this cake will last for days at room temperature, it’s likely to be devoured before the sun sets twice.

The recipe ages well, passed between the hands of family bakers. And, like the telling of an oft-repeated family story, there may be tiny embellishments and tweaks made, depending on the baker. For instance, I add baking soda to elevate the cake and offset any remarkable sinkage in the center. (Baking soda neutralizes any acid in the batter; in this case, citrus juice.) The spices may be slightly edited, influenced by the contents of the spice drawer and creative whimsy. Cardamom often plays a lead role, while ground coriander and cinnamon may step in for support. The citrus zest, however, is nonnegotiable and should never be skimped.

The final presentation can be as grand or as simple as you’d like. Serve it as a no-nonsense naked cake, because it can surely stand on its own and should be celebrated as such. If that’s too plain for your liking, jiggle a flurry of confectioners’ sugar over the top for lightness and snowy frivolity; bathe it in a citrusy sugar syrup for a sticky, shiny finish; or dress it up with a cloud of spirited whipped cream infused with orange liqueur. The possibilities are endless.

Spiced Orange Almond Cake

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup almond meal

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

4 large eggs

1¼ cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup fruity olive oil

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon (packed) finely grated orange zest, from an untreated orange

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, line with parchment and butter the parchment.

Combine the flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom and coriander in a bowl.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light in color. Add the olive oil, orange juice, zest and vanilla and stir to blend. Add the dry ingredients and stir to blend without overmixing. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and cool completely.

Serve dusted with confectioners’ sugar or with whipped cream, if desired. The flavors of the cake will develop while it cools. Store the cake at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Optional glaze:

While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze. Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup fresh orange juice in a small saucepan. Simmer until the sugar dissolves and the liquid reduces to a syrupy consistency, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. When the cake is finished baking, immediately brush the top with some of the glaze. When the sides of the pan are removed, brush with more syrup.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

The tomatillo base of the stew — the key component of this recipe — remains the same no matter the meat. The smoky, herbaceous salsa verde melds with a savory chicken (or turkey) stock, creating a stew that is bright, fresh and comforting at once.

Note that the cooking times will vary depending on your meat choice. Pork requires the longest time to slowly cook and tenderize (and infuse the stew with its flavor, which is a tasty benefit of this recipe). If you use fresh chicken meat or turkey meat, the simmering time will be shorter, approximately 1 hour. And if you repurpose your abundance of turkey leftovers, the time will be about 30 minutes. I recommend testing the stew for doneness every 30 minutes or so if you switch out the pork.

RECIPE

Pork Chili Verde

Serves 4 to 6

Salsa Verde

1 pound tomatillos

1 poblano pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 large jalapeño pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded

1 medium white onion, cut into 6 to 8 wedges

1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pork

2 to 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder (butt), excess fat trimmed, cut in 1-inch chunks

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2 cups chicken or turkey stock

Optional

Cooked long-grain rice

Tortillas, warmed

Chopped fresh cilantro

Chopped red onion

Sliced avocado

Lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

Make the salsa verde: Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse under cold water to remove the sticky film. Halve the tomatillos crosswise and arrange, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the poblano, jalapeño and onion around the tomatillos in one layer. Place under the oven broiler and broil until the vegetables are charred, 5 to 7 minutes, rotating the pan once or twice.

Cool slightly and peel away the pepper skins as much as possible (it’s OK if some bits remain; they add flecks of char). Transfer the vegetables and any juices to a food processor. Add the cilantro, lime juice, salt and black pepper and process to achieve a salsa consistency. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Season the pork on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, brown the meat on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining pork.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and coriander and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the stock and stir up any brown bits. Return the pork to the pot, pour in the salsa verde, and stir to coat. Transfer to the oven and cook until the pork is tender, about 2 hours, stirring once or twice. Remove from the oven. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Ladle into bowls. Serve with rice and tortillas, if desired, and optional garnishes.

Lynda Balslev is a Marin resident, cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

While Tarte Tatins are often prepared with apples, they are also a lovely way to showcase other seasonal fruit, such as pears. Best of all, they are beautifully imperfect. Once you get the hang of making the caramel and performing the final inversion of the tart onto a plate, a Tarte Tatin is unfussy and pleasing, and, in this case, irregular and uneven — and more charming for that.

This recipe has a sour cream pastry, which creates a crumbly, cookie-like crust. As the tart bakes in the oven, the caramel from the fruit filling will bubble up in spots through the crust. This is a good thing. The crust will continue to bake, and when the tart is finished and cooling, the wayward caramel will harden and coat the crust with a shiny shellac of sweetness. Need I say more?

Pear and Cardamom Tarte Tatin

Serves 8

Pastry:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1/3 cup full-fat sour cream

Tart:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, cut into 4 pieces

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

6 large Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, cored and halved

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg, beaten to blend, for glaze

DIRECTIONS

Prepare the dough: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is pea-sized. Add the sour cream and pulse until moist clumps form.

Gather the dough into a ball, and then flatten and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (The dough may be made one day ahead and refrigerated until use, or frozen for up to one month. Allow to defrost in refrigerator overnight before using.)

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling out.

Prepare the tart: Place the butter in the bottom of a large ovenproof skillet with sloping sides. Sprinkle the 1 cup sugar evenly over the butter and pan. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts, the sugar is partially dissolved, and the mixture is bubbling, about 2 minutes.

Arrange the pears closely together, cut sides up, in a circular pattern in the skillet. Cut the remaining pears into quarters to fill in the spaces. Mix the 1 tablespoon sugar, cardamom and nutmeg in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until a thick, amber-colored syrup forms, turning the skillet to ensure even cooking, about 25 minutes.

While the fruit is cooking, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll out the pastry on parchment paper to a round shape slightly larger than the skillet. Slide the paper onto a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until the syrup is ready.

When the syrup has colored, remove the skillet from the heat and lay the pastry over the fruit. Cut 3 to 4 slits in the pastry and brush it with the egg glaze. (Work quickly, because it will begin to melt from the heat of the pan.)

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the tart is deep golden brown and firm when tapped, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a rack 1 minute.

Cut around edge of skillet with a metal spatula to loosen the pastry. Place a large plate over the skillet and, using oven mitts, invert the tart onto the plate. If any of the pears or caramel are stuck in the pan, remove with the spatula and spread on top of tart. Cool the tart slightly before serving; serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

I have nothing against cranberries, mind you — nor a sauce, for that matter. I couldn’t imagine the holiday table without a heaping bowl of glistening ruby berries simmered into a tart compote. Yet each year, I make a cranberry sauce and present it at the table. And each year, I wrap up the sauce after our meal, nearly untouched, and store it in the refrigerator for goodness-knows-what future purpose. I am not sure if this is a problem unique to my family, or if it’s a hushed issue shared by others, too embarrassed to voice their cranberry dysfunction in public. Let me know if you have any insight.

Nevertheless, each year I persevere and make a cranberry sauce, but now I make it with a twist. A straightforward cranberry sauce consists of cranberries and sugar, which (to me) is one-dimensional. Why not step out of the comfort zone and make a jazzy sauce that can be creatively repurposed? I jack up my sauce, transforming it into what could also be called a chutney — in other words, a condiment that has legs: a tasty, vibrant sauce that will carry you through the entertaining season.

Chutneys are a raucous sludge of fresh and dried fruit simmered in a sweet, sharp bath of citrus, maybe vinegar, perhaps a splash of spirits, and infused with sweet whole spices, savory aromatics and a kick of heat. A sweet and puckery chutney will provide a little extra bling to your Thanksgiving while seamlessly multitasking beyond the turkey dinner, because, yes, there may be leftovers. Spread it on a sandwich, serve it on a cheese and charcuterie board, dab it on cocktail crostini, or spoon a dollop alongside a beef roast or pork loin.

Who knows? You might be very pleased this year when you have a lot of cranberry sauce left over after Thanksgiving.

RECIPE

Cranberry Bourbon Chutney

Makes about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup bourbon

3 coins cut from a finger of fresh ginger

1 (3-inch) sprig fresh rosemary

1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

Zest of one orange

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the cranberries burst and the chutney thickens, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and cool completely. Discard the ginger, rosemary sprig and cinnamon stick. Transfer the chutney to a glass container and refrigerate for at least 1 day to allow the flavors to develop. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month. Serve at room temperature.

Lynda Balslev is a Marin resident, cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.