There are a few cool tricks to this Enchiladas Con Carne recipe, one of which Sam Sifton picked up from an old issue of Bon Appétit, one he learned from Robb Walsh, the great Tex-Mex scholar and restaurateur who runs El Real Tex-Mex in Houston, and a final one Sifton learned by happenstance. First, for the thickening agent in the chile sauce, toast raw all-purpose flour in a pan until it is nutty and golden brown, then reserve it to stir in with the browned beef later in the recipe. Second, if you like truly melty cheese in the classic Tex-Mex tradition, use a mixture of American cheese, like Velveeta, with the Cheddar you use inside and on top of the finished enchiladas.

cooking.nytimes.com

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CHILI CON CARNE
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola
1 pound ground chuck beef, ideally 20 percent fat
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 jalapeño pepper or more to taste, seeds removed if you want it less spicy, stemmed and chopped
1 cup chopped or canned crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons chile powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano, ideally Mexican
2 cups chicken stock, ideally homemade or low-sodium if store-bought

FOR THE ENCHILADAS
½ cup neutral oil, like canola
12 yellow corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, or a mixture of 1½ cups Cheddar cheese and 1½ cups American cheese, like Velveeta
1 medium-size white onion, peeled and chopped (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the chili con carne: Put flour in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to turn golden brown and smell nutty, then pour it onto a plate to cool.

Wipe out sauté pan and return it to high heat with 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot and shimmery, add ground beef to pan, and cook, breaking it up with a fork and stirring, until it is well browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then use a slotted spoon to remove meat to a bowl, leaving drippings behind.

Add onion, garlic and jalapeño to pan and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits of meat, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Stir in tomatoes and cook until their liquid has evaporated, then add chile powder, cumin and oregano and stir to combine. After a minute or so, when mixture begins to turn fragrant, return browned meat to pan, along with toasted flour, and stir well to combine.

Lower heat to medium-high and slowly stir in chicken stock, ½ cup at a time, until mixture has thickened and started to simmer. Lower heat again and allow chili to cook slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until meat is tender. Add more stock or water if needed. Use immediately, or let cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a few days.

When you are ready to cook the enchiladas, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat, heat ½ cup neutral oil until it begins to shimmer. Using tongs or a wide spatula, place a tortilla in the hot fat; it should start to bubble immediately. Heat tortilla for about 10 seconds a side, until soft and lightly browned. Remove tortilla and set on a rack set over a baking pan, or just on a baking pan if you don’t have a rack. Repeat with remaining tortillas, working quickly.

Assemble the enchiladas: Using a ladle, put about ½ cup chili in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it out a little. Roll a few tablespoons of cheese into each tortilla, along with a tablespoon or so of chili, then place it seam-side down in the pan, nestling each one against the last. Ladle remaining chili over top of rolled tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Transfer to oven and bake until sauce bubbles and cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle chopped onions over the top, if using, and serve immediately.

Butternut squash gets roasted, puréed, then tossed with Parmesan to make this nutty, creamy pasta sauce – Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta With Sage and Walnuts. Each serving is topped with crispy fried sage leaves, a hint of lemon zest, and toasted walnuts, adding a crunchy contrast to the squash. Feel free to forgo wrestling with a giant squash and use a package of cubed precut squash instead.

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta With Sage and Walnuts

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
2½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ¾-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves
5 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
¾ packed cup fresh sage leaves
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1 lemon, zested (about 1 tablespoon)
1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, plus more as needed
1 pound short pasta, such as gemelli, casarecce or penne
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash and garlic on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss well and roast until the squash is very tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing twice throughout. While the squash roasts, bring a large pot of water to boil.

Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium. When the oil is hot, add the sage and cook, tossing often, until the leaves begin to crisp, about 1 minute. Add the walnuts and a generous sprinkle of salt and cook, tossing often, until the sage leaves are lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage and nuts to a paper towel-lined plate and wipe out the skillet. Let the mixture drain for 1 minute, then add it to a small bowl with the lemon zest; toss lightly and set aside.

Working in batches if necessary, transfer the roasted squash and garlic to a blender or food processor, along with 1 cup stock, and blend until smooth and thick. The consistency should be somewhere between a purée and a thick soup. Add more stock as needed, if it seems too thick.

Transfer the puréed squash to the reserved skillet and keep warm over very low heat. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water, along with 1 tablespoon salt, and cook until al dente. Just before draining, ladle ½ cup pasta water into a measuring cup and set aside.

Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta evenly, then, off the heat, add the ½ cup Parmesan and toss until the cheese is incorporated. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide the pasta among shallow bowls and sprinkle the sage, walnut and lemon zest mixture on top, and serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

These delicious Swedish Meatballs are simmered in a tangy creamy gravy until tender and served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes. The perfect comfort food!

Serves 6

sipandfeast.com

INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs:
6 slices white bread cut into small cubes, see notes
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion minced
3 cloves garlic grated
1 pound ground chuck
1 pound ground pork
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley minced
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 large eggs beaten
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
vegetable oil for frying – enough to fill the pan a 1/2″ high.

For the gravy:
7 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dry white wine optional
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon allspice plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
For the meatballs:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread and milk and mash together with a fork to form a paste. Let sit for 10 minutes. (Store-bought plain breadcrumbs [1 to 1 1/4 cups] can also be used.)

Meanwhile, heat a frypan to medium heat with butter. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the sauteed onions and garlic and all of the remaining meatballs ingredients to the bread mixture and mix well. Roll meatballs into roughly 1″ diameter balls and place them onto a baking sheet or plate.

Pour vegetable oil 1/2″ high into a heavy frying pan or Dutch oven pot and heat to 350-370f.

Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs, working in batches to not overcrowd the pan, and fry until browned on all sides (about 10 minutes per batch). Remove browned meatballs to a plate.

Or you can bake the meatballs in a 400f oven for 20 minutes

For the gravy:
Heat a pot or large pan to medium and add the butter. Once the butter melts, add the flour and whisk until lightly golden (about 3-5 minutes).

Add the white wine and cook for another minute while scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge any of the browned bits.

Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil while whisking to incorporate. Once boiling lower the heat to a simmer. Add the Worcestershire sauce, allspice, nutmeg, Dijon mustard, and cream, and bring to a simmer.

To temper the sour cream (this will ensure that the sauce doesn’t break), mix 3 tablespoons of the hot gravy into a bowl with the sour cream. Repeat the process by adding more of the hot gravy to the sour cream. Add the tempered sour cream to the saucepan and whisk to combine. Test the gravy, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

When satisfied with the taste of the gravy, add the meatballs to the pot and cook over a low simmer until they are warmed through. Serve meatballs over egg noodles or mashed potatoes with Lingonberry on the side.

Chef Michael Bonacini treks into the Sila region of Calabria, where dense woods and snow-capped peaks influence the Calabrian love for pork. Cooked low and slow with starchy potatoes and woodsy mushrooms, Pork Loin with Mushrooms and Potatoes is warm, hearty, and delicious

4 servings

gustotv.com/recipes

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 1⁄2 pounds (680 g) pork loin, cut into 6 slices Salt and pepper
6 pieces bacon, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 cups (950 ml) sliced porcini mushrooms
1 chili pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) rosemary leaves
1⁄4 cup (60 ml) white wine
2 cups (470 ml) chicken stock
4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
1 lemon, juice

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat olive oil in an earthenware pot over high heat.

Season pork with salt and pepper, then add to the pot, searing 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer pork to a plate.

Add bacon to pot and fry until it has rendered its fat and started to crisp up, 4-5 minutes.

Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until golden, 1-2 minutes. Add chili pepper and rosemary.

Pour the white wine into the pot, scraping the brown cooked bits from the bottom.

Return the pork to the pot, placing on top of the mushroom mixture. Pour chicken stock into the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Lay potato slices over top of pork, covering completely. Season with salt and pepper and cover with a lid. Simmer 90 minutes.

Remove from heat and squeeze lemon juice over top. Serve from the earthenware pot.

The rhyme rings true: Sue Li’s Lemony Shrimp and Bean Stew recipe is quick to make and a delight to eat. In a velvety mix of white beans simmered with browned leeks and plump, tender shrimp, she pairs smoked paprika with lemon juice for a bright and earthy edge. She says it serves four but, let’s be real, that’s just a suggestion.

Serves 2-4

New York Times

INGREDIENTS
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest, plus 2 Tbs juice
1 tsp. sweet paprika
2 garlic cloves, grated
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp (tails removed)
4 Tbs. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
2 large leeks, trimmed, then halved lengthwise, white and green parts sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley
Toasted bread for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine lemon zest, paprika, garlic, 3/4 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. When butter is foaming, add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and starting to curl, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a plate; set aside.

Add leeks, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium until leeks are soft and starting to brown on the edges, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil over high. Lower heat and simmer, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in reserved shrimp and any juices from the plate, parsley, and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with toasted bread.

This Breakfast Bake with Eggs by F&W’s Grace Parisi develops a terrific texture as it cooks slowly in a glass dish (which makes it easy to see when the bottom is perfectly browned). As one F&W editor remarked on tasting it, “I worship the crisp bottom and the chewy, moist bread.”

Serves 8

foodandwine.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound bakery white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (16 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sliced applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
One 28-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes—drained, chopped and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
8 large eggs
Hot sauce, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. In a large bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the bread is golden and lightly crisp.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook until any liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Return the toasted bread cubes to the bowl. Add the contents of the skillet, along with the bacon, shredded cheeses, chives and broth. Stir until the bread is evenly moistened. Season with salt. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and cover with lightly oiled foil.

Bake the bread mixture in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is crispy, about 15 minutes longer. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and, using a ladle, press 8 indentations into the bread mixture. Crack an egg into each indentation. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Serve the breakfast bake right away with hot sauce.

Make Ahead:
The recipe can be prepared through Step 4 and refrigerated overnight.

Almendrado with Chicken recipe from Pati Jinich’s Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 7 – The Art of Mole

Serves 4-5

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
1/2 large white onion cut into pieces
6 cloves garlic unpeeled
2 pounds (about 7 or 8) roma tomatoes
5 whole cloves
12 black peppercorns
1 1-inch stick ceylon cinnamon or canela
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 3-pound chicken cut into serving pieces (wings removed for later use and breasts cut in half)
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
2 cups chicken broth divided
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup black raisins
1/2 cup manzanilla olives stuffed with pimiento sliced
1/4 cup capers chopped
1/2 cup pickled jalapeño rajas or slices

INSTRUCTIONS
Place onion, garlic and tomatoes under the broiler, or on an already heated skillet, griddle or comal set over medium heat. Roast or char for about 10 minutes, flipping in between, until ingredients are completely charred, cooked and mushy. Set aside and peel the garlic cloves when cool enough to handle.

In a small skillet set over medium heat, toast the cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon stick for a couple minutes, moving and flipping them around to toast evenly. Set aside. Toast the oregano for 10 to 15 seconds and remove from the heat.

In the jar of a blender, place the charred onion, peeled garlic and charred tomatoes, along with the tops from the whole cloves (discard the stems), the peppercorns, cinnamon and oregano. Puree until completely smooth.

Heat the oil in a large casserole set over medium-high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Season the chicken with the salt and brown the chicken pieces for 2 to 3 minutes per side. You may need to do this in batches in order to not to crowd the casserole. Once you have removed all the chicken, immediately pour the tomato sauce into the hot oil and cover, as it will splatter. Reduce heat to medium.

Add a cup of chicken broth to the blender and puree for a few seconds to get all the remaining thick sauce out of the blender, pour into the simmering sauce and cover again. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Incorporate the remaining cup of chicken broth, almonds, raisins, olives and capers. Add the browned chicken pieces, cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 20 more minutes.

Remove the lid and add the pickled jalapeño slices. Increase heat to medium and cook for another 10 minutes, allowing all the flavors to blend and the sauce to thicken. Serve with rice.

Cajun Jambalaya is a one-pot wonder, an Acadian specialty that, unlike most other star dishes from Louisiana, cooks (chicken and vegetables and rice) in one fell swoop.

Serves 6-8

saveur.com

INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken (3 lb.), cut into pieces
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp. cayenne
4 large cloves garlic, peeled; 2 whole and 2 minced
4–5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 bay leaves
1½ cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
1 lb. Cajun andouille, sliced ¼ inch thick
3 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock, hot
¼ cup finely chopped scallions
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

INSTRUCTIONS
Season the chicken with salt and cayenne. Smash the whole garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife. Rub onto the chicken, then discard the garlic. In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken in 2 batches and cook until browned, 8 minutes per batch, adding more oil as needed; set aside.

In the same pot, add the onion, bell pepper, minced garlic, and bay leaves. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown, about 8–10 minutes. Add the rice and andouille; cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 15–20 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot, add the stock, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until stock is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Fluff rice with a fork and season with salt. Just before serving, stir in the scallions and parsley.

Red Beans and Rice: So thick, so creamy and so flavorful! The beans are cooked just right – perfectly tender, served with rice and smoky andouille sausage.

Serves 6-8

damndelicious.net

INGREDIENTS
1 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 12.8-ounce package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning, salt-free
3 15-ounce cans red beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.

Add onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, garlic and Cajun seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in red beans, chicken stock, hot sauce, bay leaf and sausage; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover; continue to simmer until reduced, an additional 15 minutes.

Using a wooden spoon, mash beans until slightly thickened, if desired; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately, topped with rice and garnished with parsley, if desired.

On the Abruzzo episode of Bonacini’s Italy, chef Michael prepares a protein commonly found in Abruzzo’s mountainous region: Lamb with Cheese and Egg. Cooked here with delicious mixture of egg and Pecorino, the Italian name for the dish is ‘Agnello Cacio e Uova’. The dish is satisfyingly simple, while somehow managing to also be uber-decadent and packed with flavor!

Serves 4

gustotv.com/recipes

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds (907 grams) lamb meat, cut into cubes
1/3 cup (80 ml) flour
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
½ cup (120 ml) white wine
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped rosemary
1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) pepper
4 eggs
1 cup (240 ml) grated pecorino
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped flat-leaf parsley

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.

Dredge the lamb cubes in flour, then sear on all sides until evenly browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Lower heat to medium low and add onion, cooking 1-2 minutes, until soft.

Add the white wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any stuck bits. Reduce.

Return the lamb to the skillet and add the rosemary, chicken stock, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. [and cover]

Continue cooking for 3-4 hours, until the lamb is tender. [add more stock if sauce gets too thick]

Drain and reserve the excess cooking liquid, leaving the solids in the skillet.

In a bowl, mix together the eggs, pecorino, and some of the parsley.

Pour the egg mixture into the skillet with the lamb and cook, stirring, until the egg is firm.

Remove to a plate, garnish with parsley, and drizzle with reserved cooking liquid to finish. Serve hot.