10,000 brack recipes

Braising can turn a tough piece of meat into a tender, fall off the bone, comfort food. I can think of no better example than the classic dish osso buco, made from veal shanks.

Tender microwave salmon ring with bread crumb texture and curry-lemon flavor, topped with creamy dill sauce for retro-style fish dinners in 25 minutes.

Savory smoked salmon and dill waffles with chopped Nova Scotia salmon, fresh dill, and onion folded into the batter. Topped with cream cheese and scallions or sour cream and salmon caviar for brunch.

Best homemade tourtiere, the French-Canadian meat pie: spiced ground pork bound with mashed potato, onion and garlic under a flaky double crust. Sage and nutmeg give this Quebec holiday classic its warm, cozy flavor.

Rich Portuguese chickpea soup partially pureed for creamy body, studded with browned pepperoni, stir-fried spinach, potatoes, thyme, and coriander. A hearty, layered bowl.

Smoked salmon mousse layered with a green spinach stripe, set in a ring mold with cream cheese, sour cream, whipped cream, dill, and a hit of lemon. Elegant make-ahead party appetizer.

Fork-tender chuck pot roast browned and slow-simmered with dill and a splash of vinegar, then finished with potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and a tangy sour cream gravy. A one-pot Sunday dinner.

Moroccan-spiced roast chicken with saffron, ginger, and cilantro, finished with a pan sauce of green olives and julienned lemon zest. Two birds roasted golden for a crowd of 10.

Homemade vegetable broth simmered with leeks, fennel, turnips, carrots, mushrooms, herbs and white wine. A clear, flavorful stock base for vegetarian soups, risottos and braises. Yields 8 cups in under an hour.

Baked kidney beans with bulgur, brown rice, mushrooms, and tomato sauce served warm over fresh spinach leaves. Two whole grains and beans in one hearty vegetarian main dish.

Moose stew braises cubed game meat with red wine, beef broth, pearl onions, carrots, and new potatoes. A Northwoods chop-house classic thickened with buttery beurre manie.

Chicken in white wine: floured breasts pan-seared, then simmered in a bright white wine sauce with garlic, bay, and lemon zest, finished with scallions and butter. An elegant, fast 30-minute skillet dinner.

Leg of lamb Nicoise marinates butterflied lamb in a Provencal paste of anchovy, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and red wine vinegar. Broiled or grilled to a juicy pink center for a Mediterranean dinner.

Whole brook trout poached in a white wine court bouillon with five fresh herbs, lemon zest, and spices. Served with herb butter made from the poaching liquid.

Turkey sandwiches with herbed cream cheese spread made from reduced-fat cream cheese, sour cream, tarragon, parsley, and green onion. A flavorful upgrade to plain deli turkey.

Lamb, lentil, and rosemary soup made from leftover roast lamb stock and bones, simmered with carrots, tomatoes, and earthy lentils. The Mediterranean way to stretch a Sunday roast into Monday's dinner.