The entrée can mean three different things in major parts of the world. The Oxford English Dictionary, for example, defines it two ways. In North America, an entrée is the main course of the meal. It’s the roasted turkey, the beef casserole, the fried chicken on the dinner table. The Merriam-Webster dictionary bears the same meaning. But in British, the word refers instead to “a dish served between the first and main course at a formal dinner.” Based on that meaning, it’s neither the soup, the starter or the main course.
In the Wikipedia entry, an entrée, “if it does not precede a roast—might serve as the main course of the luncheon.” This is attributed to the late renowned chef and cookbook author Julia who had a chapter on entrées and luncheon dishes in one of her books. The entrées in that sense referred to “quiches, tarts and gratins, soufflés and timbales, gnocchi, quenelles and crepes.”
On the other hand, the modern French meaning of entrée reflects another course of the meal, as cited by the linguist Dan Jurafsky of Stanford University in his series of essays on the language of food. In that French definition, it is “a dish served at the beginning of the meal, after the soup or after the hors d'oeuvres.” The word, after all, also refers to beginnings and entrances. It is then the appetizer to the French.
So which definition then should we use? While linguists and food historians point to how the word has fallen into disuse, it would depend on which part of the world you’re on. The disuse, by the way, may stem from the disappearance of the other meal courses served in very long, formal sit down affairs. All three meanings may be lumped together, to play on the diversity such a union will create out of the entrée recipes here.
Browse the recipes according to which definition of the entrée you wish to adhere to. To us, it points to the main course, like the apple cider baby back ribs recipe fresh off the grill, the baked chicken tenders, the apple and sausage roast goose, the artichoke and beef fettuccine, and the steak. It’s also the avocado feta cheese stackers, the autumn beet salad, and the Athenian pizza, all of which are perfect as starters. One can also mix several light entrées and call that dinner already since small plates when combined may be as heavy and rich as a regular main course.
