Citrus fennel shrimp marinated overnight in lemon, lime, crushed fennel seeds, garlic, and olive oil, finished with fresh tarragon. A chilled make-ahead seafood dish.
Pizza dough made with five ingredients: flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and olive oil. A foolproof homemade base that rises in 1 to 2 hours and stretches into a chewy, blistered crust.
Lamb and white bean stew braises tender chunks of lamb in a red wine and tomato sauce with rosemary and thyme, then folds in creamy great northern beans. A rustic, slow-cooked Mediterranean comfort bowl.
Spinach fettuccine with bay scallops, broccoli, red pepper, and mushrooms in a light white wine sauce. Quick seafood pasta with sweet scallops, ready in 45 minutes.
Seared Scallops with Cucumber-Pepper Relish recipe
Roasted Rack of Lamb with Black Olive Sauce (Postrio's) recipe
Boston cream pie made lighter, a doctored yellow cake split and filled with vanilla pudding, then topped with a chocolate cocoa icing. Egg whites and fat-free fillings keep this classic dessert on the lighter side.
Texas-style chicken chili casserole topped with cornmeal biscuit dumplings and melted Monterey Jack. A one-dish dinner with ground chicken, corn, bell peppers, and crushed tomatoes.
Grilled lamb chops with Gorgonzola cream sauce reduced from white wine, heavy cream, blue cheese, and butter. A steakhouse-style entree for special-occasion dinners.
Pan-seared pork chops smothered in a cranberry-apple sauce with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fresh cranberries burst into a tart, fruity glaze that pairs naturally with browned pork loin.
Fettunta Toscana is Tuscan grilled bread rubbed with raw garlic and topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. The original Italian bruschetta, simple and seasonal.
Texas-style venison chili simmered in beer and beef stock with chili powder, cumin, coriander, and masa harina. No beans, no tomatoes, just bold meat-and-spice flavor that deepens overnight.
Italian-style winter salad of shaved fennel, juicy orange slices, pink grapefruit, red onion, and bitter radicchio dressed with citrus-spiked olive oil. A bright, anise-scented cold-weather starter.
Grilled turkey rolls stuffed with walnuts, spinach, and thyme, then served with a cool chive-lemon yogurt sauce. A lean grill-night main that holds up hot or cold.
Homemade Worcestershire sauce with anchovies, fresh horseradish, molasses, jalapeno, and whole cloves simmered for an hour and aged. A complex, from-scratch condiment that beats bottled.
Light pasta in chicken broth with wilted spinach chiffonade, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan. A brothy, clean-flavored Italian dish ready in under 15 minutes.