Red Wine Pinto Beans with Smoky Bacon

From New York Times by Melissa Clark

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 45 minutes, plus overnight soaking

• 1/2 pound smoky bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large sprigs rosemary
• 1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
• 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt, more to taste
• 2 cups dry red wine
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving (optional)
• Coarsely grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)
• Coarsely ground black pepper or red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)

PREPARATION

1.

In the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat, brown bacon until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in onion, celery, carrots, garlic and rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

2.

Drain beans and add to pot along with 1 tablespoon salt. Pour in enough water to just cover the beans (about 7 to 8 cups). Bring liquid to a boil; reduce heat and simmer gently until beans are just tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

3.

Meanwhile, in a small pot over medium heat, simmer wine until it is reduced to 2/3 cup, 20 to 30 minutes.

4.

Remove rosemary branches from bean pot and discard them. Pour wine into beans and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes longer to meld flavors and thicken broth to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired; add more salt and black or red pepper to taste.

YIELD

8 to 10 servings

• Originally published with Red Wine Pinto Beans with Smoky Bacon
• February 20, 2013
• It started with a question from a friend.

  “What budget-conscious, vegetarian dinner party dish can you think of that’s as impressive as beef Bourgignon, can be made entirely in advance, doesn’t involve tofu and will be satisfying enough for meat eaters?”

  After much discussion, the answer we came up with was: a big pot of beans stewed with red wine.

  The rationale went like this: beans can be made ahead and get better after sitting a few days. The red wine, cooked down to syrup, adds intensity, complexity and that certain company-worthy fanciness to the whole thing. And even if you splurge on heirloom beans, it’s still going to be less expensive than beef.

  The idea stuck with me for weeks before I decided to try it. To get the most intense flavor out of the red wine, I used a classic beef-stew trick taught to me by the chef Daniel Boulud when I was working on one of his cookbooks.

  Instead of adding a bottle of red wine directly to the pot along with the meat, Mr. Boulud would simmer the wine down first in a little saucepan on the stove until it condensed. Then he would use the concentrated wine to braise the meat. This resulted in a richer, more intense sauce.

  I fiddled with the method a bit to translate it to the bean pot. Instead of taking 30 minutes to reduce the wine before cooking the beans, which would then need at least another hour to soften, I simmered beans and wine at the same time next to each other on the stove. One the beans were soft and the wine reduced, I combined them and continued to simmer for a few more minutes to bring the flavors together and allow the sauce to thicken. Then I served it all over polenta, though egg noodles or rice would have been nice, too.

  The next time I craved the red wine beans, I completely ignored their vegetarian origin and added bacon to the mix. I liked it even better.

  Since then I’ve made the dish several times, with smoky bacon, not-so-smoky bacon, with white wine instead of red, and once without any wine at all (just leave it out). I’ve also added extra water and thinned it down into a hearty soup. All of the variations work well, which goes to show what an adaptable recipe this is. So take it and have your way with it. Whether you’re vegetarian, meat eater, soup slurper, wine lover or none of the above, the only thing you need is a fondness for beans. That part is nonnegotiable.

  
  

Coconut Black Rice Pudding

I still have some glutinous rice in the pantry and this recipe from Kitchn would be perfect for it.

Makes 4-6 servings

2 - 2 1/2 cups water
1 cup Thai black rice
1 cup light coconut milk
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan, mix 2 cups water, rice and coconut milk, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, make sure to keep a close eye, adding extra water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the rice gets too dry.

Meanwhile, toast the coconut. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until golden-brown, stirring once during baking.

When the rice is tender, add the sugar and salt. Simmer for a couple more minutes, or until pudding is desired texture. (Add a little more water for a looser pudding; let cook several more minutes for a drier pudding.) Taste and adjust seasoning. Spoon into individual bowls, top with toasted coconut flakes, and serve.

Additional Notes
• When making this pudding for breakfast, I only use 2 tablespoons of sugar for a less sweet version.

• For a richer pudding, use full-fat coconut milk. Reserve the coconut cream — the thick layer that rises to the top of the can — and use a little to top each serving before adding the toasted coconut flakes.

• You can reduce the cooking time by soaking the rice overnight before cooking. In a medium bowl, cover the rice with cold water and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Drain and proceed with the recipe, reducing the water to 1-1 1/2 cups and the cooking time to 30 minutes before adding the sugar and salt.

Crisp Bacon

Here's a simple technique from Cook's Illustrated for making bacon that's crisp and tender instead of dry and crumbly: Place the bacon (in strips or cut into pieces) and just enough water to cover it in a skillet over high heat. When the water reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium. Once all of the water has simmered away, turn down the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the bacon is crisp and well browned. The meat plumps up as it is cooked instead of shriveling, leaving the bacon pleasantly crisp, not tough or brittle.

The addition of water keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender. By the time the water reaches its boiling point (212 degrees), the bacon fat is almost completely rendered, so you're much less likely to burn the meat while waiting for the fat to cook off.

No-Cream Pasta Primavera

1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned (pricey! use green pepper or leave out! - or splurge)
1 tomato, chopped
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
5 spears asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil, divided (can use a little bit less)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1-1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (originally called for fresh, but dried is cheap!)
1-1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley (same as above - use fresh if you want to splurge!)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

directions

1. preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. add penne pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. in a bowl, toss squash, zucchini, red bell pepper, tomatoes, green beans, and asparagus with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning. arrange vegetables on the baking sheet, and roast 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender.

4. heat remaining olive oil and butter in a large skillet. stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until tender. mix in cooked pasta, lemon zest, basil, parsley, and balsamic vinegar. gently toss and cook until heated through. remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. toss with roasted vegetables and sprinkle with cheese to serve.

about 6 servings

Chicken Enchiladas

I made this recipe from Skinny Taste using Gardein Ground Crumble.

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 enchilada • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts 
Calories: 159.5 • Fat: 5.9 g • Protein: 16.2 g • Carb: 17.8 g • Fiber: 8.3 g  

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the chicken: 

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

• 8 (7-inch) reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas (la tortilla factory)
• 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese
• non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions or cilantro for topping

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it.

Place on baking dish seam side down, top with sauce...  

Then top with cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with low fat sour cream or scallions if you wish. (Extra points) Makes 8 enchiladas.

Scrambled Eggs with Avocado

From Kitchn.

Yes, Adding Avocado to Scrambled Eggs Is a Very Good Idea

I love avocado with eggs. I add slices on top of fried eggs on toast, and inside egg sandwiches. But I had never tried adding avocado to scrambled eggs — until last week. Why not? I have no idea — these two things were meant to go together.

I will be the first to admit that chunks of avocado in scrambled eggs looks a little odd. There's a greenish cast to the whole dish (Green Eggs and Ham, anyone?). But ignore that. The soft, creamy eggs coat the bites of even creamier avocado for one big mess of savory creaminess. It's utterly delicious.

It's also extra-simple to make. Just scramble some eggs until they are barely set, and still soft. (See how to make creamy, luscious scrambled eggs.) Dice an avocado and stir it in, gently, cooking until it is just warmed through. Pile on toast and eat immediately!

Do you ever add avocado to scrambled eggs? I'm already plotting a signature breakfast burrito with avocado in scrambled eggs, perhaps with a little cilantro and queso fresco tossed. in.

Related: How To Make Creamy, Luscious Scrambled Eggs

Egg Salad with Avocado

From Kitchn.

Better Egg Salad: Add an Avocado, Use Less Mayonnaise

Did any of your parents try to dye eggs green when you were little as a nod toGreen Eggs and Ham? The results were always gross. These green eggs, however, we'll take any day—a simple egg salad with mashed avocado mixed in. Turns out it's healthier than the original, too. You use half the mayonnaise.

Avocados don't exactly lower the calorie content, but they add a boost of good fat, plus great flavor, unbeatable creaminess, and a lovely green color that perks up your average lunch.

We first saw this tip on Pioneer Woman (she makes her egg salad in a food processor- smart if you're doing a huge batch) and couldn't believe we hadn't thought of it before. The first time we tried it, we added the avocado in after we'd already mashed our eggs up with mayonnaise. The avocado was so creamy that the whole thing was almost too soft and fluid. The second time, we cut back on the mayonnaise by half and got a perfect consistency.

You'll need to add a bit more salt to bring out the flavor of the avocado. We used one medium avocado for eight hard-boiled eggs (and, in case you're wondering, it didn't turn brown the next day). This is our new favorite sandwich, hands down.

Anyone else adding avocados to their egg salad?

Baked Avocado with Egg

From Lifehacker.

Avocados are amazing things—they're delicious on their own, but they also have a lot of healthy fats, dietary fibers, and vitamins, and despite their high caloric value, they're remarkably easy to prepare. If you have an avocado that's too firm to use for something else, or you're just in the mood for something new and healthy for breakfast, slice it in half, remove the pit, and carve out a little space in the center. Crack an egg where the pit was, and bake. In a few minutes, you'll have a delicious, protein and vitamin-packed breakfast treat that's rich enough to keep you going all morning.

The recipe itself is pretty simple, and comes to us thanks to reddit user fungz0r:

• preheat oven to 425, have cast iron pan in there
• Slice avocado in half, take out pit
• take pan out, put avocado half on, crack egg in
• put whatever you want on top
• place in oven and cook till your eggs [are done how you] desire

Avocados are used in all sorts of breakfast dishes, but this is a great example of using the avocado as a breakfast dish, and pretty tasty one at that.

Healthier Zucchini & Carrot Stuffed Fritters

From Kitchn.


Makes about 16 fritters

1 large zucchini
8 medium carrots
1 bunch green onions
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
1 recipe of regular pancake batter, such as this one: The Best Pancakes Ever

To start, peel zucchini and carrots. Grate the zucchini and the carrots using the large holes on a box grater. Dice the onions, garlic, and parsley. Set aside.

Make one recipe of your favorite homemade or store-bought pancake mix. Make recipe as called for using 1/4 cup less liquid. The zucchini will add a great deal of liquid to the mix, don't worry.

Pre-heat a skillet to medium-high and brush it gently with olive oil. Stir together the prepared vegetables and pancake mix. Use a 1/3 measuring cup to scoop the batter onto the heated skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes and flip.

Cook an additional 2 minutes and remove from heat. Sprinkle liberally with salt and allow the fritters to cool slightly before serving. Serve with butter, sour cream, or even a nice bacon jam if you have it! Enjoy!

Simple Crochet Spiral Necklace

Simple necklace

This is a quick crochet pattern for a spiral necklace crocheted in Bernat organic cotton which is a worsted 10 ply (9 wpi). I used a 4.5 mm or U.S. 7 hook. The soft cotton makes for a light and soft accessory.

Start by loosely chaining 69 stitches. Single crochet in the 4th chain from hook. This will be the loop for your button closure. Then, make 3 single crochets in each of the remaining single crochets to end of chain. This creates the spiral!

Sew on a pretty button for the loop closure. As you can see, I used a wool needle and my cotton yarn to wrap the loop to make it more substantial. But, you may choose to leave it as crocheted.

Crochet Rose

I crocheted these roses from a pattern featured on The Dark Knit  It was very easy to follow even though I have never crocheted from a pattern before. I found out what the abbreviations in the pattern meant. I then found tutorials on how the stitches were formed. It all made sense eventually and it was easy.

This is the pattern:

Leaving a 10" length for sewing, chain 57.

White Flower Necklace

White Flower Necklace link


A very dainty necklace made by three chains with leaves and a white flower, that closes by a crochet ring behind the flower through which pass the strands.
It was quite hard to explain it, but I hope you'll understand this pattern.
For any problem just contact me, and I'll be happy to help!
Here it is:

Materials:4.00mm hook
Cream White Cotton yarn (worsted weight) for the flower
Green Cotton yarn (worsted weight) for the stems and ring


The Necklace:

Crochet Ring:
Wind the yarn 5 times around the left hand's forefinger and the middle finger.
Insert the hook under the 5 strands in the direction of the palm, yarn over hook and fasten the strands with a simple crochet stitch.
Work 24 sc in the ring made by the 5 strands.
Sl st to first sc to close ring.
Don't cut the yarn.

Three Stems with Leaves:
1st Stem: Chain 115.
Leaf: Sc in second chain from hook, 1hdc, 1dc, 1 hdc, 1sc. Turn and work 1sc, 1hdc, 1dc, 1hdc, 1sc in the opposite side of the just worked stitches. Sl st to first sc to close the leaf. Cut yarn and weave in end.
2nd Stem: Attach yarn on the sc of the ring that is next to the first stem chain. Chain 105.
Work as for the first leaf.
3rd Stem: Attach yarn on the sc of the ring that is next to the second stem chain. Chain 125.
Work as for the first leaf.

The Flower:
Bottom Layer:
Chain 3, sl st to make ring.
Chain 3 and work 11 dc in ring. Sl st to third chain of beginning ch3. (12dc)
*4dc in next dc, sc in next dc*. Repeat from * but ending with a sl st on last dc to close round.
Cut yarn and weave in end.
Top layer:
Chain 4, sl st to make ring.
*Chain 3 and sc in ring*, repeat from* four times more. Sl st to close round. (You'll have 5 petals)
Work in each chain loop of previous round: 1sc, 3dc, 1sc.
Cut yarn and weave in end.
Sew the two flower leyers together, the top layer on the bottom one, and sew a nice button on the center.

Finishing:
Sew the flower between the ring and the three stems chains, leaving a space in the ring through which you'll pass the three strands to fasten you necklace around your neck!

Crocheted Necklace

Link

Well, this is quite different from the "Easiest Crochet Necklace" I've shown in the other post, and I've tried to write down an outline of this one's pattern.
For any question just contact me.. I know that probably this is not so clear!
Anyway, here it is:

Materials:
Less than one ball of any colour cotton yarn (worsted weight)
4.00mm hook

Necklace:
Ch77, sc in second ch from hook and in the next 3chs.
Ch76, sc in the 4th ch at the beg of previous ch loop, and in next 3chs, ch1, turn.
Sc in first sc and in next 3 sc, ch80, sc in the 4 sc at the beg of previous row, ch1, turn.
Sc in first sc and in next 3 sc, ch84, sc in the 4 sc at the beg of previous row, ch3 and sl st on the other side of the same closure piece to make a button hole.
Sew a button on the opposite closure piece of the button hole.
Make a flower of any kind (mines are just improvised!) to embellish the necklace, and sew it on the four chains strands.

Fresh Pasta without a Machine

Not sure if I will attempt this but I miss making fresh pasta.

Chicken Marbella

Any combination of split breasts and leg quarters can be used in this recipe.

Paste:
1/3 cup pitted green olives
2 tablespoons capers
1/3 cup pitted prunes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves
3 anchovies
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch red pepper flakes

Chicken Ingredients:
3-lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
Kosher salt and pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup pitted green olives
1 tablespoon capers
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup pitted prunes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1. To make the paste, rinse olives and capers, and peel garlic cloves. Place all paste ingredients in your food processor, and process for ten 1-second pulses. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then continue to pulse for another 1 to 2 minutes until the paste becomes mostly smooth.
2. Set an oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat your oven to 400-degrees. Use paper towels to pat your chicken dry, and season both sides with 1-1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and a sprinkling of pepper.
3. Begin heating 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a 12″ skillet on a medium-high burner. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the chicken (with skin-side down) and cook until the skin becomes nicely browned; 5 to 8 minutes depending on size of the chicken pieces. Meanwhile rinse olives and capers, and slice your olives in half. Coarsely chop your prunes, and finely chop 2 tablespoons of parsley (which will be added in two steps).
4. Set chicken aside on a plate, and drain off most of fat from skillet, and reduce burner to medium-low. Put 1/3-cup of paste in skillet and saute for 2 minutes. Use the wine and broth to deglaze the bottom of the pan, then mix in rinsed olive halves, capers and bay leaves.
5. Add the chicken (skin-side up) and any accumulated juices back to the skillet. Try to keep the skin above the liquid. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
6. Carefully remove skillet from oven and spread the remaining paste on tops ans sides of chicken. Evenly distribute chopped prunes around the chicken. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes more until the breasts reach 165-degrees (leg quarters should be cooked to 175-degrees).
7. Remove chicken to a clean serving platter and loosely tent with foil. Fish out the bay leaves and add butter, vinegar, 1 tablespoon minced parsley. Adjust salt and pepper according to taste, and pour sauce around chicken or in a gravy boat. Sprinkle the chicken with final 1 tablespoon of minced parsley.

Home Fries

In case my son wants to have home made fries.

2-1/3 pounds russet potatoes
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 yellow onions
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1. Peel your potatoes and dice into 3/4″ pieces, and cut your 2 tablespoons of butter into 8 equal-sized pieces.
2. Set an oven rack to the lowest position, and place a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack. Pre-heat the oven and baking sheet to 500-degrees.
3. Set a dutch oven over a high burner and boil 8 cups of water. Add diced potatoes and 1/3 teaspoon baking soda. Return water to a boil and cook for just 1 minute.
4. Drain potatoes in a colander and immediately return potatoes to the dry Dutch oven; reduce burner to low heat. Cook for 2 minutes until all moisture has dried from the surface of the potatoes, shake the pot occasionally to ensure complete drying. Remove Dutch oven from burner, and add the pieces of butter, 1 teaspoons salt, and pinch of cayenne.
5. Use a rubber spatula to mix for 30 seconds; the potatoes will become coated with a thick paste.
6. Drizzle foil-lines rimmed baking sheet with 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, then evenly spread potatoes onto baking sheet.
7. Bake at 500-degrees for 15 minutes. Meanwhile dice your onions into 1/2″ pieces and place in bowl. Add 3/4 tablespoon vegetable oil, and 1/3 teaspoon kosher salt. Toss to combine.
8. Remove potatoes from oven after 15 minutes, then use a thin metal spatula to scrape and turn potatoes.
9. Clear a 8″x5″ area in center of the baking sheet in which you should place your onion mixture. Bake for another 15 minutes at 500-degrees.
10. Using the metal spatula to scrape and turn potatoes again, but this time mixing the onions and potatoes together.
11. Bake for another 5 or 10 minutes until the potatoes become browned and the onions become soft and are beginning to brown.
12. Mix in minced chives and adjust with salt and pepper according to taste. Serve immediately.

Notes:

• Use russets for their earthly flavour, plus their high starch content helps create a substantial golden-brown crust.
• Adding potatoes to boiling (not cold) water cooks them more on the outside than on the inside - just the uneven effect we want.
• Baking soda accentuates the uneven cooking by quickly breaking down the exteriors, leaving the insides nearly raw. (When making potato salad though, adding vinegar to the cooking water creates an acidic environment that slows the breakdown of the pectin that holds potato cells together, resulting in a firm, intact texture.)
• Salt roughs up the drained potatoes, so their moisture evaporates more readily, leading to better crisping in the oven.
• Pretreated potatoes achieve a "fried" texture after oven roasting. This technique yields three times as many servings as frying in a skillet.

Shepherd's Pie

From Cook's Illustrated.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds 93 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons water, PLUS
2 teaspoons water
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg yolk
8 scallions, green parts only sliced thin
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Madeira or ruby port
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Toss beef with 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place potatoes in medium saucepan; add water to just cover and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are soft and tip of paring knife inserted into potato meets no resistance, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Return saucepan to low heat and cook, shaking pot occasionally, until any surface moisture on potatoes has evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and mash potatoes well. Stir in melted butter. Whisk together milk and egg yolk in small bowl, then stir into potatoes. Stir in scallion greens and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.

3. Heat oil in broiler-safe 10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just starting to soften and dark bits form on bottom of skillet, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic; cook until bottom of skillet is dark brown, about 2 minutes. Add Madeira and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add broth, Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaf, and carrots; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, add beef in 2-inch chunks to broth, and bring to gentle simmer. Cover and cook until beef is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and breaking up meat chunks with 2 forks halfway through. Stir cornstarch and remaining 2 teaspoons water together in bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into filling and continue to simmer for 30 seconds. Remove thyme and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Adjust oven rack 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place mashed potatoes in large zipper-lock bag and snip off 1 corner to create 1-inch opening. Pipe potatoes in even layer over filling, making sure to cover entire surface. Smooth potatoes with back of spoon, then use tines of fork to make ridges over surface. Place skillet on rimmed baking sheet and broil until potatoes are golden brown and crusty and filling is bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

Notes

Don't use ground beef that's fattier than 93 percent or the dish will be greasy.

Why this recipe works:
The traditional version of this dish of meat and gravy topped with mashed potatoes is time-consuming to make, and the end product is a bit heavy for modern palates. We streamlined the process by building and serving the pie in one skillet and by using lean ground beef rather than braised chunks of meat. To keep the meat tender, we treated it with baking soda, which raised the pH and kept the proteins from bonding too tightly, and we simmered the meat in the gravy rather than seared it. To replace the browned meat flavors that usually form the basis of the sauce, we sautéed the onions, mushrooms, and tomato paste in the skillet until quite dark, and then we deglazed the pan with fortified wine.

Roasted Root Vegetables

From Cook's Illustrated.

Serves 6

1 celery root, (14 ozs), peeled
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 1/2-inch lengths, halved or quartered lengthwise if necessary to create 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter
12 ounces parsnips, peeled and sliced 1-inch-thick on bias
5 ounces small shallots, peeled
Kosher salt and pepper
12 ounces turnips, peeled, halved horizontally and each half quartered
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 425°F. Cut celery root into 3/4-inch-thick rounds. Cut each round into 3/4-inch-thick planks about 2 1/2 inches in length.

2. Toss celery root, carrots, parsnips, and shallots with 1 teaspoon salt and with pepper to taste in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover bowl and microwave until small pieces of carrot are just pliable enough to bend, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through microwaving. Drain vegetables well. Return vegetables to bowl, add turnips and oil, and toss to coat.

3. Working quickly, remove baking sheet from oven and carefully transfer vegetables to baking sheet; spread into even layer. Roast for 25 minutes.

4. Using thin metal spatula, stir vegetables and spread into even layer. Rotate pan and continue to roast until vegetables are golden brown and celery root is tender when pierced with tip of paring knife, 15 to 25 minutes longer. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Serves 6

Notes

Use turnips that are roughly 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Instead of sprinkling the roasted vegetables with chopped parsley (tarragon or chives may also be substituted), try garnishing them with one of the toppings (see related content).

Why this recipe works:
When properly roasted, root vegetables develop wonderfully complex and intense flavors. We started with sweet carrots and parsnips, whose flavors are concentrated and caramelized in the heat of the oven. By properly preparing each vegetable, we can simply roast them all together in one batch. To speed up the cooking process, the vegetables are microwaved and then to jump-start the browning, we place them on a preheated baking sheet.

Before root vegetables can fully caramelize, any moisture they release must be driven off. To speed up the process, we microwaved all but the turnips (which cook relatively quickly without any help) before putting them in the oven. I don't have a microwave so i prepare the vegetables a day ahead and keep them in the fridge.

Bacon-Shallot Topping

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Directions

Bring bacon and water to boil in 8-inch skillet over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until water has evaporated and bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel lined plate and pour off all but 1/2 teaspoon fat from skillet. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add vinegar. Transfer shallot mixture to bowl and stir in bacon and chives. Sprinkle over vegetables before serving.

Makes about 1/2 cup

Notes

Why this recipe works:
In developing toppings for our Roasted Root Vegetables, we looked to bold flavor combinations that would complement the vegetables' inherent sweetness and also provide a contrasting texture.

Orange-Parsley Salsa

Ingredients

1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 orange
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. Toast almonds in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add cumin and coriander; continue to toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Immediately transfer to bowl.

2. Cut away peel and pith from orange. Use paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments. Cut segments into 1/4-inch pieces. Stir orange pieces, parsley, garlic, oil, vinegar, and salt into almond mixture. Let stand for 30 minutes. Spoon over vegetables before serving.

Makes about 1/2 cup

Notes

Why this recipe works:
In developing toppings for our Roasted Root Vegetables, we looked to bold flavor combinations that would complement the vegetables' inherent sweetness and also provide a contrasting texture.

Turkish Spice Blend

Ingredients

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Directions

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Sprinkle over vegetables before serving.

Makes About 1/4 cup