Pernod

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Start with a romaine salad tossed with Dijon vinaigrette, and pass rolls for dipping into the mussel broth. Lemon tarts from the bakery would be a nice finale.

Although bisques tend to be thick and creamy, the following intensely flavorful version is light, with very little cream added.

"I got the inspiration for this recipe from a dish we made in a cooking class I took recently," says Tracy McGillis of San Francisco, California. "I added a few twists and came up with my own tasty version."

Chef Ludovic LeFebvre writes: "I'm looking forward to the opening of my restaurant, Ludo, this fall. It's going to be different from the elaborate French cuisine I've done in the past: People are interested in lighter and healthier foods now, and I want my cooking to reflect that. For me, that means using the best ingredients in simple ways. "Before coming to America, I apprenticed with some of France's best chefs, like Marc Meneau and Alain Passard. I was lucky to have such great teachers, but after two years of working 17-hour days, it was time for a change. Moving to Los Angeles definitely altered my work habits. My days in the kitchen are shorter, and there's more opportunity to enjoy cooking at home. " Sophisticated flavors; simple techniques. Serve with crusty bread.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min We created this recipe using Louis P. De Gouy's article on green salad and agree with the quote he includes from Fred Allen: "A salad should be dressed like Dorothy Lamour — adequate but lightly."

Offer this main course with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the delicious saffron broth. A crisp Sauvignon Blanc is good here, too.

Pernod, the beloved French anise-flavored aperitif, adds an interesting twist to the sauce. Offer Champagne with the starters.

Fennel seeds and Pernod, the French anise liqueur, accent this delicate marinade, named after the famous seaport. It is best with fish, shrimp or lobster tails. The recipe makes enough for one pound of fish, with some to spare for spooning over grilled fish. Any marinade coming in contact with raw meat, seafood or poultry must be boiled for one minute before using it for basting.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Dried mixed salad herbs, found in the spice section of the supermarket, can substitute for herbes de Provence, the French seasoning.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. If you have Arborio rice on hand, use it in place of long-grained rice.

The inclusion of fennel and a dash of Pernod puts a sophisticated spin on the classic chilled potato soup. Offer your guests iced tea with the meal.

(Mussels with Garlic Butter) "I can't stand snails of any kind, not land snails, not sea snails. But I'm crazy for the butter that accompanies them." Thus pronounced a shopper who was buying a large sack of shiny black mussels at Marée Daguerre, the fish stand in the shopping street in the rue Daguerre. This recipes is for mussels broiled in the butter that usually accompanies snails. You can cook the mussels in the oven, covered, or under the broiler. Under the broiler, the mussels open quicker and the butter sizzles faster, cooking the garlic. Baked, covered, in the oven, though, they keep more of the mussel liquor. Either way, it's a divine way to prepare mussels.