Ten favorite recipes from 2007

If you could make a wish for 2008, what would it be? Personally, I would like to find myself in an episode of Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone," the one where time comes to a complete stop. I don't want to be stuck there for eternity, but just long enough to be able to savor the bounty of this past year.

On the final Wednesday of December, we do just that. We stop and take a look at the recipes served up from The Seattle Times Test Kitchen over the past 12 months and then choose 10 favorites. We hope you are able to slow down and savor this year's selections.

On Jan. 10, we ran a feature titled "The soup that soothes the soul," and judging by your response, it did just that. Of course, it's hard to miss with a good chicken soup, especially when based on homemade stock.

Burmese Chicken Coconut Soup has it all: spicy notes of ginger, cayenne and turmeric, soothing coconut milk, noodles — both soft and crispy — and lots of chicken. It's a perfect winter meal.

Ancient Aztec Cacahuatl, from "Hot Chocolate: 50 Heavenly Cups of Comfort" by Fred Thompson, followed on Jan. 17 in a mini roundup of cookbooks chosen to warm up gloomy winter nights. The cocoa was embellished with touches of Mexican chocolate, vanilla bean and ancho chili powder. A curl of whipped cream sprinkled with slivered toasted almonds topped this lovely rendition.

You won't need the luck of the Irish to make Sugar-Brined Beef Brisket with Herbed Roasted Vegetables, which ran March 14 in our St. Paddy's Day look at corned beef. It can be boiled, glazed or barbecued with good results, but our new favorite is this home-brined brisket that's flavorful through and through. When paired with caramelized carrots, parsnips and new potatoes, it's a dish that's hard to resist.

Gingered Salmon, from "The Ethnic Paris Cookbook: Bringing the French Melting Pot into Your Kitchen," by Charlotte Puckette and Olivia Kiang-Snaije (reviewed April 18), is a simple but unusual treatment of salmon. Marinated in dried bonito flakes, soy sauce and black pepper, it's then fried to a crusty coat, producing a moist interior. Superb.

In honor of the annual Seattle Cheese Festival at the Pike Place Market, we published several "cheesy" recipes, including Chicken Lasagna with Smoked Mozzarella (May 16). Layers of marinara sauce, chicken, molten cheese and no-boil noodles come together for a quick but luscious meal.

Butter-Rubbed Salmon with Blueberry Sauce (July 25), conceived by Kurt Beecher Dammeier and Laura Holmes Haddad, was featured in "Pure Flavor: 125 Fresh All-American Recipes from the Pacific Northwest." The salmon is glazed with a lemony butter and caper blend, then napped with a rich berry sauce. It's a dish that clearly symbolizes the best of Pacific Northwest cuisine.

On Aug. 15, we took a look at the abundance of stone fruits available on farmers market tables, and two of our favorite recipes come from this package. Apricot-Hazelnut Tart is a contrast in textures: the cinnamon-spiced dough made with hazelnut flour retains some of its nutty quality, while ripe apricots sweetened with jam cook to a velvety finish.

If the tart is a study in textures, Roasted Plum and Arugula Salad with Smoky Blue Cheese is a lesson in flavor contrasts. The sweetness of roasted plums pairs with the sharp bite of arugula, and a bit of smoky cheese provides an unexpected touch.

Garden Salad with Sautéed Chanterelles celebrated autumn (Oct. 10). Crispy greens receive playful hits of chilies and seeds. They're then tossed with golden sautéed chanterelles, red peppers and a warm, tart vinaigrette for an irresistible first course.

It was just a few short weeks ago that we published Turkey Breast Milanese in our holiday cookbook roundup. But this recipe, from "A Great American Cook: Recipes from the Home Kitchen of One of Our Most Influential Chefs" by Jonathan Waxman, is worth a second look. It's a dish to savor: fresh, light and absolutely delicious.

CeCe Sullivan: csullivan@seattletimes.com