Ingredients

• 6 shallots (3 whole, 3 chopped)
• 3 whole cloves, stuck into 3 shallots
• 1 carrot, peeled
• 2 celery stalks
• 6 peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 pounds lamb steaks, cubed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ cup Crème Fraiche
• ½ cup dill, chopped
• 6 ounces white corn, cooked

Preparation

Place 3 clove studded shallots, carrot, celery, peppercorns, bay leaves and stock in heavy saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes, add the lamb and cook for 2 hours. Discard vegetables and spices. Reserve lamb and stock. In saucepan on low heat, sauté 3 chopped shallots in butter. Stir in sugar and flour. Remove from heat, add reserved stock and stir. Return to heat and stir constantly while adding Crème Fraiche. Fold in lamb cubes and ½ pkg. chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over corn. Garnish with remaining sprigs of dill.

Fresh Herbs

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 slice white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 5 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
• ¼ c. chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Trim outer leaves of cauliflower and cut stem flush with bottom of head. Turn head so stem is facing down and cut head into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Cut around core to remove florets; discard core. Cut large florets into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer florets to bowl, including any small pieces that may have been created during trimming, and set aside.

2. Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Heat bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon oil, pinch salt, and pinch pepper in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until bread crumbs are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer crumbs to bowl and wipe out skillet.

3. Combine 2 tablespoons oil and cauliflower florets in now-empty skillet and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover skillet and cook over medium-high heat until florets start to brown and edges just start to become translucent (do not lift lid), about 5 minutes.

4. Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until florets turn golden brown in many spots, about 12 minutes.

5. Push cauliflower to edges of skillet. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, and lemon zest to center and cook, stirring with rubber spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir garlic mixture into cauliflower and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender but still firm, about 3 minutes longer.

6. Remove skillet from heat and stir in parsley. Transfer cauliflower to serving platter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

CI

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 2 oz. hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and cooled
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 5 oz. animal crackers
• 3 tbsp. melted warm butter

For the filling:

• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• ¼ c. lemon juice
• 1¼ c. sugar
• 1 lb. cream cheese, cut into rough 1-inch chunks at room temp.
• 4 eggs, room temp.
• 8 oz. mild goat cheese, room temp.
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ c. heavy cream

For the lemon curd:

• ⅓ c. lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ c. sugar
• 2 tbsp. butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
• 1 tbsp. heavy cream
• ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch salt

Preparation

1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. In food processor, process hazelnuts with 3 tablespoons sugar until finely ground and mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 30 seconds. Add Nabisco Animal Crackers or Social Tea Biscuits and process until mixture is finely and evenly ground, about 30 seconds. Add warm melted butter in slow, steady stream while pulsing; pulse until mixture is evenly moistened and resembles wet sand, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to 9-inch springform pan; using bottom of ramekin or dry measuring cup, press firmly and evenly into pan bottom, keeping sides as clean as possible. Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes. When cool, wrap outside of pan with two 18-inch square pieces heavy-duty foil; set springform pan in roasting pan.

2. FOR THE FILLING: While crust is cooling, process 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in food processor until sugar is yellow and zest is broken down, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl if necessary. Transfer lemon sugar to small bowl; stir in remaining 1 cup sugar.

3. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and goat cheese on low to break up and soften slightly, about 5 seconds. With machine running, add sugar mixture in slow steady stream; increase speed to medium and continue to beat until mixture is creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low and add eggs 2 at a time; beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping sides and bottom of bowl well after each addition. Add lemon juice and vanilla and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds; add heavy cream and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds longer. Give batter final scrape, stir with rubber spatula, and pour into prepared springform pan; fill roasting pan with enough hot tap water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until center jiggles slightly, sides just start to puff, surface is no longer shiny, and instant-read thermometer inserted in center of cake registers 150 degrees, 55 to 60 minutes. Turn off oven and prop open oven door with potholder or wooden spoon handle; allow cake to cool in water bath in oven for 1 hour. Transfer springform pan without foil to wire rack; run small paring knife around inside edge of pan to loosen sides of cake and cool cake to room temperature, about 2 hours.

4. FOR THE LEMON CURD: While cheesecake bakes, heat lemon juice in small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Whisk eggs and yolk in medium nonreactive bowl; gradually whisk in sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon juice into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer and is thick enough to cling to spoon, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in cold butter until incorporated; stir in cream, vanilla, and salt, then pour curd through fine-mesh strainer into small nonreactive bowl. Cover surface of curd directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until needed.

5. TO FINISH THE CAKE: When cheesecake is cool, scrape lemon curd onto cheesecake still in springform pan; using offset icing spatula, spread curd evenly over top of cheesecake. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. To serve, remove sides of springform pan and cut cake into wedges. (If desired, to remove cheesecake from springform pan bottom, slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving plate.)

CI

Ingredients

• 1 c. milk
• ½ c. heavy cream
• 3 tbsp. lemon zest plus ½ cup juice (3 lemons)
• 1 c. sugar
• ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ⅛ tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, separated, plus 2 egg whites
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Bring milk and cream to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove pan from heat, whisk in lemon zest, cover pan, and let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fold dish towel in half and place in bottom of large roasting pan. Place six 6-ounce ramekins on top of towel and set aside pan.

2. Strain milk mixture through fine-mesh strainer into bowl, pressing on lemon zest to extract liquid; discard lemon zest. Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in second bowl until combined. Add egg yolks, vanilla, lemon juice, and milk mixture and whisk until combined. (Batter will have consistency of milk.)

3. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and whip until glossy, soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Whisk one-quarter of whites into batter to lighten. With rubber spatula, gently fold in remaining whites until no clumps or streaks remain. Ladle batter into ramekins (ramekins should be nearly full). Pour enough cold water into pan to come one-third of way up sides of ramekins. Bake until cake is set and pale golden brown and pudding layer registers 172 to 175 degrees at center, 50 to 55 minutes.

5. Remove pan from oven and let ramekins stand in water bath for 10 minutes. Transfer ramekins to wire rack and let cool completely. Serve.

CI

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1½ c. water
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1½ lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch lengths
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped coarse
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¼ c. chopped parsley
• red wine vinegar

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, baking soda, and green beans and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes and their juice, salt, and pepper.

2. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until sauce is slightly thickened and green beans can be easily cut with side of fork, 40 to 50 minutes (or possibly significantly longer). Stir in parsley and season with vinegar to taste. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and serve warm or at room temperature.

CI

Ingredients

• 2.2 lb (1 kg) yellow onions, finely chopped
• 3/4 lb. ground beef or pork
• 2 tbsp. garlic
• 1/2 lb. rigatoni
• 3/4 c. shaved parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 c. cream
• 1/4-1/2 c. dry white wine
• olive oil

Preparation

Liberally coat the bottom of a heavy bottom sauce pot with olive oil. Add all the onions, coat with more olive oil and a liberal amount of salt. Stir to combine. Cover and heat on medium for 40 minutes, stirring every 10-20 minutes. If the onions are completely translucent and a good amount of liquid has appeared, stir in the meat and garlic. Stir hard and long to completely break apart the meat and combine it with the onions. Cover and simmer on very low for 2-3 hours, stirring every 30 mins or so.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil, cook the rigatoni until al dente.

While the pasta cooks, deglaze the pot with the wine, stir to combine and turn the heat to medium-low to cook off the wine. Reduce heat back to very low, stir the cream into the sauce, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, stirring to combine. Spoon the pasta onto plates and cover each with 1/4 cup shaved parmesan.

Raymond’s Food, edited

Ingredients

• 2 meaty ham hocks, or 1/2 lb meaty salt pork (rinsed)
• 16 cups water
• 2 lb onions, finely chopped (divided)
• 2 large carrots
• 1 medium leek, white and green parts only, chopped and rinsed
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 lb dried split peas, picked over and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 tsp. dried savory, crumbled

Preparation

1. Combine ham hocks, 16 cups water, and half of the onions in a large soup pot, uncovered, until meat is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Transfer ham hocks to a cutting board and measure broth: If it measures more than 12 cups, continue boiling until reduced; if less, add enough water to total 12 cups.
2. When hocks are cool enough to handle, discard skin and cut meat into 1/4-inch pieces (reserve bones).
3. Chop carrots, the remaining onions, leek, and celery in 2 tbsp. of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring until softened, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables to the soup, along with salt, pepper, chives, and savory, and continue to simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until peas are falling apart and soup is slightly thickened, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
5. Add ham meat back to soup, heat through, and serve, adjusting seasoning if needed.

Gourmet, combined from two recipes

Ingredients

For the gremolata:

• 2 tbsp minced parsley, stems reserved
• 2 tbsp minced mint, stems reserved
• ½ tsp. lemon zest

For the risotto:

• 1 lb. asparagus, reserving ends, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts sliced thin, green parts reserved
• 4 c. chicken broth
• 3 c. water
• 5 tbsp. butter
• Salt and pepper
• ½ c. peas
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1½ c. risotto rice
• 1 c. white wine
• 1½ oz. grated Parmesan
• 2 tsp. lemon juice

Preparation

1. For the Gremolata: Combine ingredients in small bowl and set aside.

2. For the Risotto: Chop tough asparagus ends and leek greens into rough 1/2-inch pieces. Bring chopped vegetables, reserved parsley and mint stems, broth, and water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Return strained broth to saucepan; cover and set over low heat to keep broth warm.

3. . Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add asparagus spears, pinch of salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add peas and continue to cook 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to plate and set aside.

4. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add leeks, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups hot broth to rice. Simmer, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry, about 12 minutes.

6. Stir in about 1/2 cup hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 minutes; repeat with additional broth 3 or 4 times until rice is al dente. Off heat, stir in remaining tablespoon butter, Parmesan, and lemon juice; gently fold in asparagus and peas. If desired, add up to 1/4 cup additional hot broth to loosen texture of risotto. Serve immediately, sprinkling each serving with gremolata and passing Parmesan separately.

CI

Ingredients

• 4 lb. boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (or a 5 lb. chuck roast)
• Salt
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 bottle Chianti
• 1 c. water
• 4 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 2 carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
• 1 garlic head, cloves separated, unpeeled, and crushed
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. cracked black peppercorns, plus extra for serving
• 1 tbsp. gelatin
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. anchovy paste
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. cornstarch

Preparation

1. Toss beef and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt together in bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef in single layer and cook until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total, reducing heat if fond begins to burn. Stir in 2 cups wine, water, shallots, carrots, garlic, rosemary, bay leaves, cracked peppercorns, gelatin, tomato paste, anchovy paste, and remaining beef. Bring to simmer and cover tightly with sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, then lid. Transfer to oven and cook until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/4 hours, stirring halfway through cooking time.

3. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to bowl; cover tightly with foil and set aside. Strain sauce through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator. Wipe out pot with paper towels. Let liquid settle for 5 minutes, then return defatted liquid to pot.

4. Add 1 cup wine and ground black pepper and bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened to consistency of heavy cream, 12 to 15 minutes.

5. Combine remaining wine and cornstarch in small bowl. Reduce heat to medium-low, return beef to pot, and stir in cornstarch-wine mixture. Cover and simmer until just heated through, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve over polenta, passing extra cracked peppercorns separately. (Stew can be made up to 3 days in advance.)

CI

This isn’t a recipe, but a catalog of times and internal temperatures for the reverse sear method. Preheat the oven to 250F, and take the piece of meat to the internal temperature specified. Then sear it off in as hot a skillet as you can get with a bit of vegetable oil.

• Ribeye, Cowboy Ribeye, Côte à l’os: 115F for medium-rare, 110F for rare, 105F for blue-rare, 1 minute per side sear
• Lamb: 125F, 2 minutes on the fat cap