Recipe Sifter

Provencal beef stew (daube) marinates chuck overnight in red wine vinegar, garlic, thyme, and orange zest, then braises low and slow in dry red wine for fork-tender meat with sun-soaked southern French character.

Mushroom and barley soup built on pearl barley, white wine, and thyme, then finished with a splash of sherry and fresh dill for a deeply savory vegetarian one-pot dinner.

Fennel Nicoise braises quartered fennel with tomatoes, white wine, and thyme for a silky Provencal side dish served cold. A do-ahead starter from the South of France.

Steelhead fillet Bonne Femme: poached in fish fumet, blanketed in white wine sauce and sauteed mushrooms, glazed with hollandaise under the broiler. A classic French seafood preparation.

Vegetarian garbanzo cassoulet: chickpeas and carrots simmered with a clove-studded onion, baked under a tomato sauce and a triple layer of crispy herb bread crumbs. A rustic meatless casserole for cold nights.

Skillet garlic croutons toasted in butter with thyme. Homemade croutons with real garlic flavor in 15 minutes, far better than anything from a box.

Creamy garlic soup made with 40 cloves of garlic, plum tomatoes, and a hint of cayenne and curry. A pureed cream soup with deep mellow garlic flavor and a touch of warming spice.

Creamy garlic soup pureed with potatoes, carrots, celery, and two whole bulbs of garlic. A vegan, no-cream soup where potatoes provide the silky body and garlic brings bold flavor.

Garlic vegetable soup with two whole heads of garlic simmered into a creamy, vegan, fat-free puree with potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion. The cure-all soup for cold and flu season.

Gratin of red beans baked with caramelized onions, sweet red peppers, tomato, red wine, and a parmesan-breadcrumb crust. A hearty, mostly vegetarian one-dish dinner.

Grilled chicken breast sandwiches stacked with smoky home-roasted red peppers, peppery arugula, ripe tomato, and a tangy Dijon-mayo sauce on toasted bread. The marinade does its work overnight.

Halloween black spiders' leg noodles toss inky squid ink linguine with roasted butternut squash, orange bell peppers, garlic, and Kalamata olives. A vegetarian Halloween pasta with bold spooky color contrast.

Hearty lentil tomato sauce with dried lentils, fresh tomatoes, and Italian herbs simmered into a thick, protein-rich vegetarian pasta sauce. Meaty texture without the meat.

Heartland corn chowder built on a smoked ham bone broth with pureed vegetables, fresh corn, and milk, topped with crumbled bacon. A thick, creamy Midwest-style chowder.

Hearty minestrone: vegetable soup with leeks, potatoes, white beans, zucchini, orzo pasta, and spinach in chicken broth. Lighter weeknight take on the Italian classic in 30 minutes.

Homemade herb cheese spread with cream cheese, butter, parsley, chives, marjoram, and thyme. A simple make-ahead spread for crackers or veggie sandwiches.