You will need a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven and steamer or a tamale steamer for this Mexican-inspired main dish recipe. For a shortcut version of the homemade sauce, substitute canned enchilada sauce.

Ingredients

• 36 dried cornhusks (about 8 inches long and 6 inches wide at the top)
• 1 recipe Shredded Beef and Pork (see Recipe Center)
• 3 ounces dried New Mexico peppers* (about 12 peppers)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup lard or shortening
• 4 cups masa harina tortilla flour
• 36 medium pitted green or ripe olives, halved

• Soak cornhusks in hot water for several hours or overnight until soft. Prepare Shredded Beef and Pork as directed. Cover and refrigerate shredded meat and reserved broth.
• For sauce, wearing disposable plastic gloves or small plastic bags, remove stems and seeds from peppers. Place peppers in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Cook peppers, covered, for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender. Strain liquid and reserve.
• Place peppers in a blender or food processor with 1/2 cup broth from Shredded Beef and Pork, the garlic,1/2 cup of the reserved pepper liquid, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the oregano, and the cayenne pepper. Cover and blend or process until smooth.
• Meanwhile in a saucepan combine flour and oil. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until evenly combined and flour mixture is golden brown. Add pureed pepper mixture. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Add shredded beef and pork. Cool. (Filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.)
• For the dough, in a large bowl beat shortening, lard, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Continue beating; add masa harina alternately with 2 cups of the reserved met broth. (To test dough, drop 1/2-teaspoon ball of dough in cold water. When the dough floats, the tamale dough is ready for shaping.) The mixture will be the texture of mashed potatoes. Add more broth, if needed, to reach desired consistency.
• Drain cornhusks well; pat dry with paper towels. To assemble each tamale, starting about 1 inch from the narrow edge of the husk, spread about 2 tablespoons of dough into a rectangle 3 inches wide and 4 inches long so one of the long sides of the tamale dough is at the long edge of the wrapper. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon meat filling down center. Place 2 olive halves in the center. Fold the long edge of wrapper over the filling so it overlaps dough slightly. Fold the narrow end of husk over filling, then continue rolling. If desired, tie strips of cornhusk or a 100-percent-cotton kitchen string around center of tamale.
• To prepare steamer, place a cone-shape piece of aluminum foil, point side up, in the center of steamer basket. Stand tamales upright around cone; place basket in steamer or large Dutch oven. (Don't pack tamales too tightly, but fill the space.) Place about 1-1/2 inches of water in the bottom of steamer. Bring to boiling. Cover steamer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Steam for 45 to 60 minutes. Tamales are done when dough easily pulls away from cornhusks and is spongy and well-cooked throughout. Makes 36 tamales.

• You can wrap tamales in foil and refrigerate up to 2 days before serving, or freeze them up to 3 months. To reheat refrigerated tamales, steam them still wrapped in the husks, for 8 to 10 minutes or until heated through. To reheat frozen tamales, take them directly from the freezer, wrapped in foil (do not pack tightly), and heat them in a 350 degree F oven for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours.

• For a milder tamale, use 4 dried ancho and 2 dried New Mexico peppers.

• Calories 179, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Monounsaturated Fat 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 21 mg, Sodium 233 mg, Carbohydrate 14 g, Total Sugar 1 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 8 g. Daily Values: Vitamin C 2%, Calcium 3%, Iron 7%.
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Tom Colicchio learned to cook using Jacques Pepin's 1976 La Technique and 1979 La Methode. The books' lessons came in handy during an apprenticeship at the Hotel de France in Gascony, in southwest France. One morning, Colicchio showed up for work after a long night of drinking. "The chef took one look at me, said 'I have a job for you' and pointed at a box with a big, dead hare in it. Luckily, Jacques had written about prepping rabbit, so I knew what to do." Colicchio (an F&W Best New Chef 1991) perfected the dish below when he was working at Manhattan's Gramercy Tavern, braising the tender rabbit with sweet tomatoes, spicy soppressata, and olives.

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 pounds plum tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 rabbit legs (about 7 ounces each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1 cup pitted Nicoise olives (4 ounces)
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
• 6 ounces thickly sliced soppressata, finely diced
• 3/4 pound pappardelle

• Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice water. Score the bottom of each tomato with a shallow X. Plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Transfer the tomatoes to the ice water bath to cool. Peel the tomatoes and cut them in half crosswise. Scoop the seeds and pulp into a strainer set over a bowl. Press the pulp and juice through the strainer and discard the seeds. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and add them to the strained pulp and juice.
• Heat the olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven. Season the rabbit legs with salt and pepper. Add them to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until lightly browned all over, about 6 minutes. Transfer the rabbit to a plate.
• Add the chicken stock to the casserole and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the tomatoes, olives, sherry vinegar, rosemary, and the browned rabbit and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover partially and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rabbit is tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Transfer the rabbit to a plate. Boil the sauce until thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Pull the rabbit meat from the bones and shred it. Return the rabbit meat to the casserole, add the diced soppressata, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pappardelle until al dente. Drain the pasta well and divide among shallow bowls. Spoon the rabbit ragout over the pappardelle and serve hot.

Chiles rellenos (literally, stuffed chiles) are a classic Tex-Mex dish of roasted poblanos filled with cheese or meat, then battered and fried. For his version, Tim Love scoops succotash into poblanos, then grills the chiles rellenos in a cast-iron pot for smokiness.

Ingredients

• 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for rubbing
• 10 poblano chiles
• 3 ounces thickly sliced bacon, cut into small dice (1/2 cup)
• 2 ounces dry Spanish chorizo, cut into small dice
• 2 ears of corn, kernels cut off
• 1/2 medium red onion, cut into small dice
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into small dice
• 1 celery rib, minced
• 1/2 pound okra, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon Tim Love's Wild Game Rub
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a pie plate, rub the head of garlic with olive oil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skins.
• Meanwhile, light a grill. Grill the poblanos over high heat or cook them directly over a gas flame, turning, until charred all over. Transfer the chiles to a plate, let cool slightly, then rub off the skins. Make a slit along one side of each chile. Using scissors, snip out the cores and scoop out the seeds.
• Heat a large saucepan. Add the 1 tablespoon of oil, the bacon, and chorizo and cook over moderate heat for 4 minutes, stirring. Add the corn, onion, bell pepper, celery, and roasted garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes. Add the okra, Wild Game Rub, bay leaf, and broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, until the liquid is thickened, about 7 minutes. Season the succotash with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and let cool. Discard the bay leaf.
• Season the insides of the poblanos with salt; arrange in a large cast-iron skillet or casserole. Spoon the filling into the poblanos and sprinkle with the cheese. Set the skillet on the grill, close the lid and grill over moderately low heat for 20 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted. Alternatively, cover the skillet and bake in a 350 degrees oven for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

For this one-pan dish, Grace Parisi roasts chicken legs on a bed of potatoes and kale so the meaty juices keep the vegetables moist.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds tender, young kale, stems and inner ribs removed
• 1 1/2 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 whole chicken legs (about 10 ounces each)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Lemon wedges, for serving

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a very large roasting pan, toss the kale, potatoes, and onion with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and spread in an even layer.
• Set the chicken on a cutting board, skin side down. Slice halfway through the joint between the drumsticks and thighs. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the paprika, and set on top of the vegetables.
• Cover the pan with foil. Roast the chicken in the upper third of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and roast for 30 minutes longer, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Transfer the chicken to plates and spoon the vegetables alongside. Serve with lemon wedges.

For a comforting wintry meal, F&W Test Kitchen Supervisor Marcia Kiesel adopts Simple French Food author Richard Olney's method of roasting lamb shanks at a low temperature with no added liquid. The spare ingredients yield an incredibly rich sauce that infuses the beans. The currant and berry notes in a right bank Bordeaux brighten this luxurious dish.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 meaty lamb shanks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme

• In a large saucepan, cover the beans and the bay leaf with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Drain the beans and discard the bay leaf.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Heat an enameled cast-iron casserole that's large enough to hold the lamb shanks in a single layer. Season the shanks with salt and black pepper and cook over moderate heat, turning a few times, until lightly browned all over, about 15 minutes. Nestle the garlic cloves among the shanks. Cover and cook in the oven for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, turning 3 times, until the shanks are very tender.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees. Transfer the shanks to a small roasting pan, and the garlic cloves to a small bowl. Cover the shanks with foil and keep warm in the oven. Strain the juices from the casserole into a bowl and skim off the fat. Return the juices to the casserole, add the chicken stock and set the casserole over a burner. Boil over high heat until the juices have reduced to 2 cups, about 12 minutes.
• Peel the garlic cloves and add the sherry vinegar. With a fork, mash to a paste. Add the garlic paste to the juices in the casserole and stir in the beans and thyme. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Place the lamb shanks on plates and serve with the beans.

• The beans can be prepared through Step 1 and refrigerated overnight in their liquid. The lamb can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.

"A good sauce is the bridge between the meat and the wine," says Ken Frank. When pairing beef with Cabernet, he usually serves a hearty red-wine sauce, like the one on these short ribs. Veal stock gives the dish extra-deep flavor, but chicken stock (preferably homemade) works well too.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 750-milliliter bottle dry red wine
• 2 cups veal or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 2-inch-thick, flanken-cut short ribs with bone (2 3/4 pounds)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Buttered egg noodles, for serving

• In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and carrot, cover and cook over moderate heat until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the wine and veal stock and bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Season the ribs with salt and pepper, add them to the pan and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until they are well browned, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the short ribs to the casserole. Partially cover and cook over moderately low heat until very tender, about 2 hours.
• Transfer the ribs to a plate and remove the bones. Strain the sauce into a heatproof measuring cup and skim off the fat. Return the sauce to the casserole and boil until reduced to 2 cups, 10 minutes. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer over low heat until heated through. Serve the ribs with egg noodles.

• The short ribs can be refrigerated in the sauce for up to 5 days.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups dill chips, well drained

• In a deep fryer or a large Dutch oven with a deep-frying thermometer, heat oil to 360 degrees.
• In a shallow bowl, stir together cornmeal mix, flour, and black pepper.
• In another bowl, combine egg and milk.
• Dip dill chips in milk mixture and roll in cornmeal mixture. Fry pickles in batches for approximately 3 minutes per batch until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Forget sandwiches--here's a tastier way to use leftover roast beef. And it's prepared start-to-finish in just 20 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 10.75-ounce can condensed golden mushroom soup
• 1 10.75-ounce can condensed tomato soup
• 1/2 cup dry red wine or beef broth
• 2 cups chopped cooked roast beef
• 1 16-ounce package frozen sugar snap stir-fry vegetables or one 16-ounce package frozen cut broccoli
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

• In a 4-quart Dutch oven combine water, mushroom soup, tomato soup, and wine. Stir in beef, frozen vegetables, and thyme.
• Cook over medium heat until bubbly, stirring frequently. Continue cooking, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
• Makes 5 servings

• Calories 304, Total Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 56 mg, Sodium 852 mg, Carbohydrate 24 g, Total Sugar 6 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 23 g. Daily Values: Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 36%, Calcium 5%, Iron 21%. Exchanges: Vegetable 1, Other Carbohydrate 2, Lean Meat 3.
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh okra
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

• Cut off and discard tip and stem ends of okra. Cut okra into 1/2-inch thick slices.
• Combine buttermilk and eggs. Add okra slices, stirring to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and baking powder.
• Remove okra from buttermilk mixture with a slotted spoon; discard buttermilk. Dredge okra, in batches, in cornmeal mixture.
• Pour oil to a depth of 2 1/2 inches in a Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet. Heat to 365 degrees over medium-high heat. Fry okra, in batches, for 6 to 7 minutes or until golden brown; drain on paper towels.

• Alternate cooking method: Heat oil in a deep fryer to 365 degrees. Place okra in fryer basket. Fry okra, in batches, for 6 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown; drain on paper towels.

With pancetta, goat cheese and kalamata olives, this chicken dinner is loaded with flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 4-ounce package pancetta, chopped, or 4 slices bacon, chopped
• Olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs (about 2-1/4 lb.), skinned
• 2 14-1/2-ounces cans diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
• 1 cup dried orzo
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh basil
• 1 6-ounce bag pre-washed baby spinach leaves
• 3 ounces goat cheese with basil and roasted garlic (about 1/3 cup)

• In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven cook pancetta until browned. Remove pancetta, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in pan (add olive oil if necessary to equal 2 tablespoons). Drain pancetta on paper towels; set aside. Cook chicken in drippings about 10 minutes or until light brown, turning to brown evenly; drain off fat. Add undrained tomatoes, orzo, garlic, and 1 cup water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
• Simmer, covered, 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (180 degree F) and orzo is tender. If necessary, cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is desired consistency. Stir in pancetta, olives, and basil; heat through. Divide spinach among 6 plates. Top each with a thigh, some of the orzo mixture, and some of the cheese. Makes 6 servings.

• Calories 395, Total Fat 18 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 77 mg, Sodium 1229 mg, Carbohydrate 32 g, Total Sugar 7 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 26 g. Daily Values: Vitamin C 31%, Calcium 8%, Iron 25%.
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet