100 country recipes

Real Irish stew: traditional Irish country stew of mutton, potatoes, carrots, and onions simmered slowly in water until the meat falls apart. Six ingredients, no shortcuts, pure comfort.

Carrot and rhubarb preserve combines pureed sweet carrots with tart sliced rhubarb. A three-ingredient old-country jam with vibrant color and a bright sweet-tart flavor.

Hickory-smoked pork ribs marinated in cider vinegar and garlic salt, grilled over charcoal, then dunked in a warm BBQ-and-steak sauce with molasses. Backyard classic.

Country-style rabbit stew braised in dry sherry, chicken broth, and a strained game marinade with sage and thyme. The way old hunters do it, in a black iron pot.

Homemade elderberry wine fermented with fresh berries, sugar, lemon juice, and yeast. A traditional country winemaking recipe that needs just five ingredients and three months of patience.

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.

Old-fashioned rabbit pie with slow-stewed meat topped with buttermilk biscuits and served with homemade gravy. A hearty country supper for a crowd.

Riewe Schales is an Amish turnip and potato casserole with grated root vegetables, yogurt, milk, and onions baked under whole wheat breadcrumbs. A hearty Pennsylvania Dutch side dish from plain country cooking.

Devonshire splits, soft sweet yeast buns from England's West Country, split and filled generously with clotted cream and jam, then dusted with icing sugar. A traditional cream-tea treat.

Cornish hens Provencal style braised with tomatoes, saffron, olives, leeks, white wine, and fresh herbs. A one-skillet French country dinner with golden-skinned game hens in 50 minutes.

Old-fashioned Southern crackling bread made with cornmeal, buttermilk, and crispy pork cracklings. Shaped into oblong cakes and baked golden, this is country cooking at its finest.

Slow-braised calamari in umido with garlic, white wine, crushed chili, and tomato sauce, served with grilled ramp bruschetta and fresh marjoram.

Poulet en casserole is a French country classic: whole roasted chicken braised in white wine and rosemary with tender potatoes, carrots, and onions. One pot, one oven.

Louisiana-style duck breast strips dredged in sage-seasoned flour, browned in butter, then simmered with mushrooms, celery, onion, bacon, and thyme. Serve over rice or noodles for a hearty Cajun-country supper.

Swiss kuttle soup from Ticino: a rustic Alpine tripe soup with carrots, leeks, celeriac, cabbage, bacon, red wine, and parmesan. Old-country comfort food at its most honest.

English cucumber and ginger conserve macerates sliced cucumber in sugar, then simmers the syrup with bruised ginger root for a translucent, spiced preserve. An old British country jam for cheese boards and tea.