10,000 flack recipes

This easy version of the classic pepper sauce clearly illustrates why some old-time combinations just cannot be improved upon. Serve this with beef or game, especially pheasant.

Crayfish etouffee built on a deep buttery base of onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, simmered with tomato paste, white wine, and tender crayfish tails. The Cajun classic, served over rice. Best made a day ahead.

San Joaquin Glamour Salad stuffs a hollowed cabbage shell with ground cabbage, stewed figs, carrot, pineapple, and whipped cream dressing. A retro Central Valley showstopper from California's fig country.

Indian chicken pies with flaky lard-and-margarine pastry wrapped around garam masala-spiced chicken, mushrooms, and corn. Handheld curry-pot pies worth the weekend effort.

Tender beef cubes braised in a from-scratch garlic tomato sauce with red wine, then spooned over spaghetti. Slow-cooked in a Dutch oven for 3 hours of deep, saucy flavor.

Savory bread pudding with arugula, chicken sausage, artichoke hearts, and fontina cheese baked in a Dijon mustard custard. A hearty brunch or dinner dish.

Creamy sweet potato polenta with smoky chipotle, fresh rosemary, honey, and corn kernels. Chilled into firm squares, reheated until warm, and served with salsa for a vegetarian side that steals the show.

Ratatouille casserole with layers of pre-roasted eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, and sauteed peppers baked with fresh herbs. A light, Provencal-style vegetable bake.

Oven-baked beef and navy beans braised low and slow with tomato sauce, chili powder, mustard, and bay leaves. A hearty from-scratch casserole that feeds a crowd.

Hearty beef summer vegetable soup with fresh tomatoes, corn, lima beans, and cabbage. Slow-simmered soup with tender beef chunks and garden vegetables.

Fresh Italian antipasto salad with marinated mushrooms and artichokes over crisp vegetables drizzled with balsamic herb dressing for a light, impressive no-cook meal.

Whole chicken and lentils baked in a clay cooker with smoked pork, aromatics, red wine, and dry mustard. A one-pot French-style braise with deeply concentrated flavor.

Five-day beans: a slow-cook project where dried limas soak, simmer with aromatics, rest, and finish under a crusty cream and breadcrumb topping. Bean heaven for patient cooks.

Grilled Cornish game hens marinated in honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and white wine vinegar. Basted frequently and finished directly over charcoal for crispy skin.

Ratatouille-topped chicken: pan-seared breasts blanketed in Provencal vegetable stew with eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes. Mediterranean weeknight dinner.

Poaching can be done with or without a lid. Covering the pan will increase the temperature of the poaching liquid.