Make Ahead

THIS SWEET AND SAVORY STUFFING offers a textural element in every bite. It is a perfect side for poultry dishes.

IF YOU KNOW A CHOCOHOLIC, THEN START BAKING. These intense chocolate cookies are made with three types of chocolate—unsweetened, semisweet, and cocoa powder—for maximum flavor, but have a light-as-air texture. They are incredibly satisfying without being dense or heavy.

THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST HAS A CORNUCOPIA OF MUSHROOMS: morels and porcini in the spring, chanterelles and black trumpets in the fall and winter, and fresh shatakes all year round. Earthy mushrooms bring a new dimension to stuffing. Serve the mushroom stuffing with Kale-Stuffed Chicken Breasts (page 118) or on its own as a vegetarian main course.

SWEET, SALTY OYSTERS AND SPICY SAUSAGE are the stars of this classic American stuffing. This is great for Thanksgiving and perfect with most meat or poultry dishes.

ANYONE WHO’S COOKED WITH ME KNOWS I LOVE CAPERS. (If I had my way, I’d write a caper cookbook.) Here’s a dish I’ve made at home for years that we now sell at Pasta & Co. The rich flavor of cauliflower balances perfectly with the lemon and capers, while the red onion gives the dish a hint of color and a little crunch.

This confit is truly versatile. It can be used as a thickener in a soup or sauce, a flavor and texture boost to potato salad, or a filling for pork or beef sandwiches.

THIS IS A RECIPE WE CREATED FOR BEECHER’S. Although it was popular, it didn’t keep well in the store format so we stopped selling it, much to the disappointment of our loyal customers. We get asked for the recipe for this classic cheesy potato dish all the time, so here it is.

KALE SEEMS TO INTIMIDATE PEOPLE. Maybe it’s the large dark green leaves and the tough thick stalks that spill over the grocery bins. Whatever the reason, it’s a shame. Leafy kale is one of the most nutritious vegetables around and extremely versatile. This recipe takes a detour from the classic gratin: Brown rice replaces potatoes, and the earthiness of the kale creates a healthy, hearty side dish. You can use any variety of kale in this dish, but my favorite is the dinosaur variety for its full flavor.

THE MUCH-MALIGNED BRUSSELS SPROUT can be the hit of the dinner table with just a few added ingredients. A sprinkling of garlic bread crumbs on top gives a nice crunch.

SMOKY BLUE CHEESE ADDS A DECISIVE TANG to ordinary mashed potatoes, and yams lend a great color and flavor. These creamy potatoes are a wonderful accompaniment to the Pan-Roasted Orange-Paprika Carrots (page 146) or virtually any meat dish in the book.

THIS IS A TRIPLE-ORANGE VEGETABLE DISH: bright orange carrots, paprika, and orange juice come together to create a vibrant side dish.

ROASTING VEGETABLES BRINGS OUT THEIR TRUE FLAVORS, and tossing them in a vinaigrette before roasting accentuates the flavors even more. Although red bell peppers are not an autumn vegetable, they add an undeniable flavor and color contrast to the other vegetables. Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.

Any type of mushroom can be used in the ragout, but we prefer crimini, which are flavorful, good sized, and reasonably priced. If you use portobello mushrooms, remove the black gills.

This velvety sauce, made with a bottle of red wine and a bottle of port, a sweet fortified wine, enhances any meat it is served with. The wines are reduced with chicken stock for a sauce more intense than the average red wine sauce.

THIS RICH LAMB STEW is perfect for cold winter nights. It leaves out the traditional potato in favor of mushrooms and oregano, which provide a wonderful earthy flavor. A final twist comes in the addition of soy sauce, which intensifies the taste of this satisfying dish.

BONELESS PORK SIRLOIN is the natural choice for quick braising because it’s leaner than pork shoulder and is thus a bit more tender, yet it still remains flavorful. In this recipe, the technique and the cut of meat allow you to achieve the richness of braised pork in much less time. This pork makes a great taco or burrito filling and can be the main ingredient in a taco salad. Squeeze a few limes wedges over the pork to brighten the flavors and add a handful of chopped fresh cilantro and a side of rice for a quick trip south of the border.

While it’s great for chicken, this stuffing is also delicious on toast and as a sandwich spread.

STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS ARE EASY TO PREPARE but have a wow factor that will impress your guests (or your family). Earthy kale and savory olive tapenade come together to dress up ordinary chicken.

HARISSA IS A FIERY MOROCCAN SPICE BLEND made with chili peppers that appears often in Mediterranean cooking. It comes both dried and as a paste, and when we started selling the spice at Pasta & Co we created this dish to celebrate its vibrant flavor. The trick here is pounding the chicken breasts until they are uniformly thin to let the marinade penetrate, which both flavors and tenderizes the meat.