Makes about 1⁄2 cup

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SERVES 6 TO 8
In step 1, the salted, rinsed, and dried cabbage can be refriger- ated in a zipper-lock bag for up to 24 hours. To prep the apples, cut the cored apples into 1⁄4- inch-thick planks, then stack the planks and cut them into thin matchsticks.

SERVES 8
Pork shoulder—usually labeled pork butt or Boston butt— comes both boneless (usually wrapped in netting) or on the bone. The boneless roast is easier to handle, but either one can be used in this recipe. If your roast weighs more than 5 pounds, plan on an extra 30 to 60 minutes of oven time. The cooked meat can be shredded or chopped.

Serves 4

You will need at least a 6-quart Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. If you choose not to serve the skin with the chicken, simply remove it before carving. The amount of jus will vary depending on the size of the chicken; season it with about 1⁄4 teaspoon lemon juice for every 1⁄4 cup.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: The basic method for poulet en cocotte, or French chicken in a pot, is simple: place a seasoned chicken in a pot, scatter in some vegetables, cover, and bake. When done right, this dish forgoes crisp skin for unbelievably tender, succulent meat and rich, concentrated flavor. The key is a dry cooking environment; unlike braising, little to no liquid is added. Our main challenge was to prevent the humidity in the pot from diluting the flavor of the meat as it cooked. By removing the chunks of vegetables we had been adding—the liquid they released made the pot too steamy—and cooking the chicken by itself in a tightly sealed pot, we got the rich, concentrated flavor we sought. Cooking the bird at a low 250 degrees ensured the breast meat didn’t dry out. Finally, we found that we could add a small amount of potently flavored aromatics if they were lightly browned with the chicken to remove most of their moisture.

Serves 4 to 6
French green lentils, or lentilles du Puy, are our preferred choice for this recipe, but it works with any type of lentil except red or yellow. Brining helps keep the lentils intact, but if you don’t have time, they’ll still taste good. The salad can be served warm or at room temperature.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: The key to making a lentil salad is perfecting the cooking of the lentils so they maintain their shape and firm-tender bite. There are two important steps to achieve this. The first is to brine the lentils in warm salt water. With brining, the lentils’ skins soften, which leads to fewer blowouts. The second step is to cook the lentils in the oven, which heats them gently and uniformly. Once we had perfectly cooked lentils, all we had left to do was pair the earthy beans with a tart vinaigrette and boldly flavored mix-ins.

Makes about 3 quarts, serving 8 to 10.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
With the goal of developing a no-fuss chili recipe that would taste far better than the sum of its common parts, we discovered that adding the spices to the pan with the aromatics boosted their potency. For our chili recipe, we added the beans with the tomatoes so that they cooked enough to absorb flavor but not so much that they fell apart. And we found that cooking the chili with the lid on for half of the cooking time resulted in the best consistency.
Good choices for condiments include diced fresh tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced scallions, chopped red onion,chopped cilantro leaves, sour cream, and shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese. If you are a fan of spicy food, consider using a little more of the red pepper flakes or cayenne—or both.

Serves 4 to 6
When skimming the fat off the stock, we prefer to leave a little bit on the surface to enhance the soup’s flavor. The soup can be prepared through the end of step 2 and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Store the chicken breasts in a zipper-lock bag with the air squeezed out and the stock in an airtight container.

Serves 4 to 6
For ideal flavor, allow the gazpacho to sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Red wine vinegar can be substituted for the sherry vinegar. Although we prefer to use kosher salt in this soup, half the amount of table salt can be used. Serve the soup with additional extra-virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, ground black pepper, and diced vegetables for diners to season and garnish their own bowls as desired.

Serves 6 to 8
If half of the soup fills your blender by more than two-thirds, process the soup in three batches. You can also use an immersion blender to process the soup directly in the pot. For an even smoother soup, pass the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before stirring in the chicken broth in step 2. Serve this soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for a Crowd or topped with Butter Croutons (see related recipes).