The Best of ’92 : Cook’s Dozen: Our Favorite Recipes of the Year

Every year we print about 1,500 recipes. We spend hundreds of hours--and thousands of dollars--testing them. The ones we don’t like, we throw out. The ones we do like, we print. And the ones we love--well, they become the best of the year.

And here they are.

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This recipe from “Simply French,” Patricia Wells’ book with three-star French chef Joel Robuchon, is a good example of the attention to detail that makes a truly great cook. It’s a small thing, but tilting the duck on the platter after the cooking really does result in a much moister breast. The citrus-flavored caramelized apples that accompany it are a perfect foil for the rich flesh.

ROASTED DUCK WITH SAUTEED APPLES AND HONEY

1 (2 1/2- to 4-pound) duck, liver reserved, trimmings (neck, heart, wing tips) chopped

Sea salt

Freshly ground white pepper

3 large cloves garlic

1 small carrot, cut into thick diagonal slices

1 small onion, cut into thick slices

1 sprig fresh thyme

Grated zest of 1 small orange

Grated zest of 1 small grapefruit

Grated zest of 1 lime

1 tablespoon honey

3 to 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, about

1/2 cup water, about

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

Caramelized Apple Slices

Season duck to taste, inside and out, with sea salt and white pepper. Place duck liver in cavity and truss.

Place duck on its side in large oven-proof skillet. Set in 425-degree oven with fullest part of duck (breast portion) toward back. Roast, uncovered, 10 minutes. Turn duck on other side and roast at 425 degrees 10 minutes more. Turn duck on its back and roast 10 minutes more.

Remove skillet from oven and surround duck with chopped duck trimmings and garlic, carrot, onion and thyme. Remove trussing string from bird and season legs to taste with salt. (At this point bird will hold shape on its own. Without string, legs will cook more evenly.)

Return skillet to oven and roast duck total of 13 to 15 minutes per pound. Spoon cooking juices over duck 3 or 4 times to keep bird moist.

Remove duck from oven and season generously to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer duck to platter, reserving skillet and contents. Place duck platter at angle against edge of baking dish, with head down and tail in air. (This allows juices to flow down through to breast meat.) Cover duck loosely with foil. Turn off oven and place duck in oven, with door ajar. Let stand at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour. Duck will continue to cook as it stands.

Bring medium saucepan of water to boil. Place orange, grapefruit and lime zests in fine-mesh sieve. Submerge in boiling water 2 minutes to blanch. Rinse zest under cold running water, drain and set aside.

Place skillet with trimmings over high heat. Cook until trimmings are browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and discard all liquid in pan (it will be mostly fat). Add honey, stir and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Deglaze with several tablespoons vinegar, and cook 1 minute. Add about 1/2 cup water (or enough to make rich sauce), and simmer 5 minutes more.

Strain sauce through fine-mesh sieve placed over clean skillet, pressing down on trimmings to extract as much juice and flavor as possible. Add any cooking juices that have drained from duck as it was standing. Bring sauce to boil over high heat. Taste and, if necessary, add 1 or 2 teaspoons more vinegar. Remove pan from heat and add chilled butter, few pieces at time, working on and off heat so that butter melts gently to thicken sauce. Stir in reserved zest.

Carve duck and arrange meat in center of platter, surrounded by Caramelized Apple Slices. Spoon about half sauce over duck. Pour reserved sauce into warmed sauce boat. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Cooking time for duck will vary according to size of duck and flavor preference. Select shorter roasting time per pound for large duck, longer time for smaller duck. Total roasting time for 2 1/2-pound duck, for example, would be about 37 minutes, for 5-pound duck, 1 hour and 5 minutes.

Each serving contains about:

1,145 calories; 334 mg sodium; 216 mg cholesterol; 104 grams fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 26 grams protein; 1.03 grams fiber.

Caramelized Apple Slices

1/4 cup clarified butter

4 cooking apples, cored, peeled and cut into 6 even slices

Heat clarified butter until very hot in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples in single layer and cook until golden brown on 1 side, then turn and cook other side. Cook until tender, when apples offer no resistance when pierced with tip of 2-pronged fork, 5 to 10 minutes.

Drain, arrange around edge of oven-proof platter, cover with foil and keep warm.

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Anybody interested in baking with whole grains ought to invest in Ken Haedrich’s new book, “Home for the Holidays: Festive Baking With Whole Grains. “ Consider the following tart. On the face of it, chocolate and buckwheat don’t sound compatible. But Haedrich points out that since both are quite assertive, they actually complement one another, and the tart proves his point. It’s rich, sophisticated and so delicious that a number of us instantly put it on our list of 12 favorite recipes of the year.

CHOCOLATE-BUCKWHEAT TART

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 (9-inch) Buckwheat-Cocoa Tart Shell

Lightly sweetened whipped cream, optional

Almond extract, optional

Heat whipping cream, milk and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until very hot. Add chocolate, turn off heat and whisk until smooth, about 15 seconds. Stir in vanilla. Let mixture stand in saucepan 15 minutes. Whisk egg into chocolate mixture just until smooth.

Scrape filling into Buckwheat-Cocoa Tart Shell and bake at 350 degrees 20 to 25 minutes, just until surface looks set and edge looks slightly dry. Transfer to rack and cool in pan.

Slice and serve warm or at room temperature with lightly sweetened whipped cream flavored with drop of almond extract. Store tart in cool spot, covered with plastic wrap. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

612 calories; 134 mg sodium; 119 mg cholesterol; 44 grams fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 0.34 gram fiber.

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Buckwheat-Cocoa Tart Shell

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons ice-cold water

Combine buckwheat flour and unbleached flour with sugar, cocoa powder and salt in large bowl. Stir well. Add butter and cut in thoroughly until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Sprinkle on 1 tablespoon water, tossing and compacting mixture with fork. Sprinkle on another 1/2 tablespoon water and continue to toss and compact, adding remaining 1/2 tablespoon water, if needed, to allow dough to be gathered into ball. Knead dough in bowl several times to distribute fat. Gather in ball.

Place dough on sheet of plastic wrap and flatten with palm into disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap, then refrigerate about 30 minutes. (If dough is refrigerated longer, it will be too cold to roll out easily. If dough is too cold, let pastry stand at room temperature about 10 minutes before rolling.)

Place dough on lightly floured sheet of wax paper and roll into 11-inch circle. Leave pastry on paper and invert over 9-inch tart pan. Center pastry, then peel off paper. Gently tuck pastry into crease of pan. Pastry will be slightly fragile and may develop cracks at this point. Remedy by pushing dough back together. Take any overhanging dough and push against side of pan even with top of pan, to push side up. Refrigerate or freeze pastry 30 minutes to firm up.

Line pastry with foil and weights and bake at 400 degrees 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights and bake another 10 to 12 minutes. Shell will be shade or 2 darker when done and will feel crisp, not soft. Cool. Makes 1 (9-inch) tart pan.

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For a fall story on walnuts, we turned up this complexly flavored stew from “Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook,” by Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman. The intricate blending of spices is typical of Georgian cooking.

SATSIVI (Chicken With Walnuts)

2 pounds chicken breasts with bone, well rinsed and patted dry

2 pounds chicken thighs, well rinsed and patted dry

2 quarts chicken stock or canned broth

3 1/2 cups walnut pieces

10 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 large bunch cilantro, stems removed

1 small dried red chile, chopped

1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 large onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon flour

3 egg yolks

3/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Dash ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

Salt, optional

3 tablespoons white vinegar

Walnut pieces

Cilantro sprigs

Combine chicken breasts, thighs and stock in large soup pot. Bring to boil and skim off foam as it rises to top. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked, about 45 minutes. Strain out chicken, reserving 6 cups stock for sauce.

Let chicken stand until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard skin. Remove all meat from bones and shred meat into medium-size pieces. Set aside.

Finely grind walnuts, garlic, cilantro, chile and coarse salt in food processor, batch at time, if necessary. Set aside.

Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they just begin to color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring 1 minute more. Gradually stir in reserved chicken stock. Simmer 5 minutes without boiling.

Turn heat down to low and gradually add ground walnut mixture, stirring with wooden spoon. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes.

Whisk egg yolks in small bowl, then stir in about 1 ladle of simmering mixture. Whisk yolks into sauce. Add paprika, cayenne, fenugreek, ground coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, tarragon and salt to taste. Simmer about 10 minutes without boiling. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.

Add reserved chicken to sauce and stir to coat. Serve hot or at room temperature with steamed rice, garnished with walnut pieces and cilantro sprigs. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Each serving contains about:

620 calories; 865 mg sodium; 222 mg cholesterol; 41 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 48 grams protein; 3 grams fiber.

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Through our Low-Fat Baking series, we spent much of the year trying to figure out new ways to cut the fat out of dessert. In this adaptation of the lush classic, tarte tatin, we replaced the traditional pastry tart with an almond-flavored nonfat cake. The apples are cooked with sugar and a minuscule amount of butter until they are coated with a thick golden glaze, developing an intense flavor. The trick is to get the apples to caramelize correctly: not too light and liquid-y, nor too dark and sticky (watch out for scorching). To enhance the taste of this simple cake, we added a little amaretto.

CARAMEL APPLE CAKE, TARTE-TATIN STYLE

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

3 pounds apples (preferably Fuji apples or green-skinned Golden Delicious)

1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup thawed frozen nonfat egg substitute (equivalent to 1 egg)

1/2 cup apple juice

2 tablespoons amaretto

2 egg whites

1 cup low-fat whipped topping, optional

Combine 1 cup sugar and water in heavy, deep, oven-proof 10-inch skillet. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook to light caramel stage or pale amber color, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Swirl in butter and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Set aside.

Peel, core and cut each apple into 4 wedges. Arrange about 3/4 of apple wedges in tight single layer over caramel. Cut remaining apple wedges in halves and place atop first apple layer. Cover skillet and cook over medium-low heat until apples exude juices, about 10 minutes.

Uncover skillet, increase heat to medium and continue cooking about 25 to 30 minutes, or until caramel syrup is thick, but not burnt (adjust heat to low ,if caramel starts cooking too fast). Baste apples occasionally with caramel syrup, using baster or spoon. Remove from heat and cool.

Sift cake flour with baking powder and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in bowl. Make well in center. In another bowl whisk egg substitute, apple juice, remaining 1 teaspoon almond extract and amaretto. Add to well in flour mixture, slowly stirring in dry ingredients just to blend.

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, then beat until stiff but not dry. Fold small amount of batter into egg whites, then fold mixture back into remaining batter. Pour over apples in skillet. Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes, or until wood pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes. Loosen cake around edges. Place platter over skillet and carefully invert pan, shaking gently to release cake onto platter. Spoon any remaining glaze over cake. Serve with low-fat whipped topping. Makes 12 servings.

Each serving, without whipped topping, contains about:

232 calories; 88 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.56 gram fiber.

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Farsumagru -- it’s Sicilian for “false lean” -- is steak stuffed with meats, cheeses, eggs and vegetables and then rolled to look like a roast. When sliced it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s most commonly seen on buffet tables, served at room temperature, but it’s terrific hot out of the roasting pan, the delicious meat juices drizzled over the slices. This recipe comes from Carlo Middione’s “The Food of Southern Italy.” Have a butcher butterfly the steak you buy (to facilitate pounding). If a large slice of meat in one piece is not available, get two slices of equal weight and proceed as described. There will then be two smaller rolls of meat, which many find more manageable than a single roll.

FARSUMAGRU (Rolled Steak, Stuffed Sicilian Style)

1 bunch spinach or Swiss chard

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

2 pounds round steak, or similar cut of beef, cut into single slice not more than 1/2-inch thick and butterflied

1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 pound ground veal, beef or pork

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

Salt, pepper

2 large eggs

3 hard-cooked eggs

1 pound equal amounts various cold cuts and cheeses: salami, prosciutto, provolone or caciocavallo cheeses, cut in medium dice or julienne strips

1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

2 to 3 ounces pork fat, finely chopped

1 cup dry red wine

1 cup veal, beef or chicken broth, homemade preferred

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Remove hard stems from spinach, wash well and drain. Place spinach, with only wash water clinging to leaves, in medium saucepan. Gently cook over medium heat about 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove pan from heat and let spinach cool. Drain and squeeze to remove as much water as possible, then set aside. (Use water in soup, or as desired.)

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in saute pan. Add onion and saute until just golden. Remove from heat. Place in large bowl (must hold all filling later on).

Pound out steak slice (or slices) to 1/4-inch thickness with mallet or flat side of heavy cleaver. Do not tear meat.

Mix pecorino cheese, bread crumbs, ground veal and parsley in bowl with sauteed onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add raw eggs and mix again. Spread mixture evenly on pounded meat. Place hard-cooked eggs lengthwise, in row, on meat mixture. Scatter cold cuts and cheeses, peas, chopped pork fat and spinach evenly on top of ground-meat mixture and hard-cooked eggs. Roll meat tightly over stuffing into shape of log and tie with string in several places to secure during cooking.

Brown meat roll in large skillet in remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, turning often. When meat is browned, place in heat-proof casserole dish. Pour in wine and broth. Add tomato paste and stir liquids well to disperse paste. Bring liquid to boil, then immediately reduce to simmer. Finish cooking meat on top of stove on simmer, or in 350-degree oven, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning meat often to baste with liquid. There should be about 1 cup liquid to use as sauce in dish, left in pan when meat is done.

Remove meat from casserole, let stand in warm place about 10 minutes, then remove string. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve on heated plates. Spoon on remaining pan juices. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

870 calories; 1,528 mg sodium; 319 mg cholesterol; 60 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 57 grams protein; 0.56 gram fiber.

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From a story on a day behind the scenes at Joachim Splichal’s Patina restaurant, this recipe is neither low-fat nor fast. But one taste and you’ll understand why--despite the winds of fashion--this kind of cooking is still in favor. After completing the cooking process--including 4 1/2 hours of cooking the oxtail--you may also understand why a meal in a fine restaurant costs so much.

BARLEY RISOTTO

Oxtail Meat and Braising Juice

1 large yellow onion, diced

3/4 cup butter

1 cup white wine, preferably Chardonnay

1/2 pound pearl barley

3 cups chicken stock, about

1 carrot, diced

1 leek, white part only, diced

5 shallots, minced

Cloves from 1/2 head garlic, diced

Salt, pepper

1 cup finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cut oxtail meat into small pieces and reserve. Reduce braising juice to about 2 cups. Strain and reserve.

Place onion in saucepan with 2 tablespoons butter and saute until caramelized. Deglaze with wine until liquid evaporates. Add barley and roast 2 minutes, stirring. Add chicken stock and simmer until barley is al dente, about 30 minutes. If barley doesn’t cook through, add bit more chicken stock than called for until stock reduces. Repeat process 2 to 3 times as necessary.

Saute carrot, leek, shallots and garlic separately, using 1 1/2 tablespoons butter for each vegetable. Combine vegetables in bowl and refrigerate.

Combine cooked barley, sauteed vegetables and 1/2 cup reduced braising juice in large saucepan, Cook over medium-high heat until liquid is absorbed. Add another 1/2 cup reduced juice, stirring until additional liquid is completely absorbed. Repeat process until all reduced juices are absorbed. Add reserved chopped oxtail. Whisk in remaining 1/4 cup butter, little at time, until it emulsifies into risotto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in serving dish and top with parsley and Parmesan cheese. Makes 8 servings, about 6 cups.

Each serving contains about:

470 calories; 1,430 mg sodium; 77 mg cholesterol; 28 grams fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 19 grams protein; 0.8 grams fiber.

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Oxtail Meat and Braising Juice

2 1/4 pounds oxtail, cut up

1 large yellow onion, sliced

2 heads garlic, sliced in half

6 sprigs thyme, tied in bundle

4 bay leaves

2 quarts chicken stock

Combine oxtail, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and chicken stock in large casserole. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 325 degrees about 4 1/2 hours, until beef is tender and just about falling off bone.

Strain meat juices and reserve. (Should have about 4 cups.) Pick meat off bones and, if cooking ahead, refrigerate. Oxtail can be prepared 1 day ahead.

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This recipe from a story on chili-style dishes from around the world is one of those things that people just can’t stop eating; friends have been known to have thirds and then smile with slight embarrassment and serve themselves some more. Part of its appeal is that it smells so good while it’s cooking -- the combination of garlic, pork, orange juice and dark beer is extremely potent. It’s good served over rice or in bowls with corn bread on the side.

PORK AND TOMATILLO CHILI

1 cup orange juice

1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer

1 pound tomatillos, papery husks removed, quartered

1/4 cup peanut oil

1 head garlic, peeled

2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Salt, pepper

2 large onions, thinly sliced

2 pounds Roma tomatoes, chopped

3 jalapeno chiles, diced

1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper, or more to taste

1 bunch cilantro, leaves chopped

1 (1-pound) can black beans with liquid or 1 1/2 cups homemade cooked black beans with liquid

Cooked rice

1/2 avocado, peeled and sliced

Cilantro sprigs

Lime Sour Cream

Combine orange juice, beer and tomatillos in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Heat peanut oil in large skillet. Add garlic cloves and cook 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 of cubed pork and season to taste with salt and pepper. Brown pork on all sides, remove pork with slotted spoon and add to tomatillos. Cook remaining pork in skillet. Remove pork and garlic and add to tomatillos.

Add onions and lightly brown. Add to tomatillo and pork mixture. Mix in tomatoes, jalapeno chiles, crushed red pepper and cilantro. Cover and cook over low heat 2 hours. (Chili can also be cooked in 350-degree oven 2 hours.) Add beans. Cook, uncovered, 1/2 hour more. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve over rice, garnished with sliced avocado, sprigs of cilantro and Lime Sour Cream. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving, without rice, contains about:

547 calories; 171 mg sodium; 86 mg cholesterol; 25 grams fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 34 grams protein; 3.74 grams fiber.

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Lime Sour Cream

1/2 cup sour cream

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

Combine sour cream with lime zest and juice. Stir until blended. Makes 1/2 cup.

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Rowland Heights’ Luk Yue restaurant, featured in our series of neighborhood Cooks’ Walks, gave us this recipe, which shows the brilliance of simple, flavorful food. The noodles come together in no time and are delicious. Whenever they appeared in The Times Test Kitchen, a line formed for samples. Yee-fu noodles (also spelled e-fu) are dried noodles processed so they cook quickly. Many Chinese markets carry them, packaged in loose clumps. The cooked meats may be purchased at Chinese delis.

LUK-YUE’S PAN-FRIED TRI-SHREDDED YEE-FU NOODLES

1/2 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms

1 (8-ounce) package yee-fu noodles

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 cup julienned steamed chicken

1 cup julienned barbecued pork

1 cup julienned roast duck

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon sugar

4 to 5 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

15 stalks yellow chives, cut in 2-inch lengths

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Soak mushrooms in warm water until tender. Drain and cut julienne. Cook noodles in boiling water until tender, about 45 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Heat wok until hot. Add peanut oil and saute chicken, pork and duck meats. Stir in mushrooms. Add water and simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar, soy sauce and white pepper. Stir in cornstarch paste and cook just until thickened, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and adjust other seasonings to taste.

Gently mix in noodles, chives and sesame oil. Cook over medium-low heat just to heat. Do not overmix. Serve hot. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

497 calories; 1,362 mg sodium; 76 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 33 grams protein; 0.79 gram fiber.

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One of several Great Home Cooks profiled through the year, Claudie Ces makes this lamb the old-fashioned way, roasting it until the herb coating is crusty on the outside, while the meat remains tender and juicy. A local Provencal rose would accompany the lamb in Aix-en-Provence, where Ces’ relatives live. If you can’t find a Provencal rose, Ces suggests Beaujolais as an alternative.

GIGOT D’AGNEAU ROTI A LA PROVENCALE (Provencal Roast Leg of Lamb)

1 (5-pound) leg of lamb

3 cloves garlic, cut into slivers

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons herbes de Provence, or combination of 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Sauce Pernod

Ratatouille Nicoise

Remove fat from leg of lamb. Make several slits in meat and insert sliver of garlic in each. Make paste with olive oil, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Rub all over leg of lamb. Bake at 350 degrees, allowing 20 minutes per pound, about 1 hour 40 minutes.

Reserve pan juices for Sauce Pernod. Arrange sliced meat on warmed dinner plates. Cover with Sauce Pernod and accompany with Ratatouille Nicoise. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving, without ratatouille, contains about:

583 calories; 684 mg sodium; 242 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 79 grams protein; 0 fiber; 37% calories from fat.

Sauce Pernod

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons minced shallots

3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence or combination of 3/4 teaspoon thyme, 3/4 teaspoon basil, 3/4 teaspoon marjoram, 3/4 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

Salt, pepper

3 tablespoons Pernod

Reserved lamb cooking juices

Heat olive oil in heavy skillet or saucepan. Add shallots and brown. Add tomatoes, basil, herbes de Provence and fennel seeds and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook 15 minutes. Add Pernod and cook 15 minutes longer. Incorporate cooking juices reserved from lamb. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Ratatouille Nicoise

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 Japanese eggplants, peeled and cubed

4 zucchini, peeled and cubed

2 medium green peppers, cored, seeded and cut julienne

2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon herbes de Provence or combination of 3/4 teaspoon thyme, 3/4 teaspoon basil, 3/4 teaspoon marjoram, 3/4 teaspoon rosemary

1/2 cup canned Greek olives, pitted

Salt, pepper

Heat olive oil in heavy skillet. Add and saute onion, garlic, eggplants, zucchini and green pepper strips. Add tomatoes, herbes de Provence, olives and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook on medium heat, covered, 45 minutes. If vegetables yield too much liquid, cook partially covered to reduce juices. Makes about 6 cups, or 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

93 calories; 121 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1 gram fiber.

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Paul Bocuse is probably the world’s most famous chef; he’s not somebody you associate with hearty, homey dishes. But this recipe proves that a truly great chef can bring something special to even the most rustic fare.

PAUL BOCUSE’S STUFFED CABBAGE

1 sheet caul fat or kitchen string

5 or 6 slices country-style bread

2/3 cup milk

3/4 pound boned shoulder of veal

3/4 pound boned pork loin

3/4 pound smoked slab bacon

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 onions, chopped

1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 carrots, peeled and finely diced

2 turnips, peeled and finely diced

2 onions, finely diced

1 large head savoy cabbage

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 tablespoons oil

If using caul fat, soak in cold water. Drain and rinse several times.

Remove crusts from bread slices and crumble into bowl. Add milk and let soak 5 minutes. Gently squeeze bread to remove excess liquid. Place bread in large mixing bowl and set aside.

Finely chop veal, pork and bacon separately, or ask butcher to grind them. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and saute until tender. Add to bread with veal, pork and bacon. Add parsley, egg, egg yolk and allspice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly.

Bring saucepan of lightly salted water to boil. Add carrots, turnips and finely diced onions. Blanch several minutes. Drain and refresh vegetables under cold water. Drain and pat dry.

Trim savoy cabbage, removing tough outer leaves and stem. Rinse. Blanch in large pot boiling salted water about 10 minutes, turning halfway through to cook all sides. Remove cabbage and rinse under cold water. Drain, stem-side up.

Place cabbage, stem down, on work surface. Gently fan out leaves, 1 at time, being careful not to detach from core. Using sharp knife, remove inner core or heart.

Form 2/3 meat stuffing mixture into ball size of cabbage heart and place in center of cabbage. Fold up inner leaves of cabbage, wrapping firmly around stuffing. Continue to fold cabbage leaves around core, sprinkling diced vegetables and remaining stuffing mixture between layers of leaves.

Spread caul fat on work surface. Place stuffed cabbage in center and wrap fat around, using kitchen string to tie firmly but gently in place. If not using caul fat, use string to gently truss cabbage.

Dissolve bouillon cubes in 1 3/4 cups boiling water. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with oil in large Dutch oven. Add cabbage and saute, turning until lightly browned on all sides. Drain fat. Pour bouillon over cabbage. Cover and bake at 400 degrees 30 minutes. Lower temperature to 300 degrees and bake 1 1/2 hours more, basting occasionally. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

455 calories; 720 mg sodium; 141 mg cholesterol; 31 grams fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 21 grams protein; 0.92 gram fiber.

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Melissa Manchester says her mom, Ruth, “always goes into the kitchen in a crisis.” Another of our Great Home Cooks, her Lamb Bastids (you have to say it with a New York accent to understand) certainly caused a panic in the Test Kitchen.

LAMB BASTIDS

Juice of 3 lemons (about 1/2 cup)

2 (14-ounce) bottles Chris & Pitts barbecue sauce

2 (5-ounce) bottles red horseradish

1 (18-ounce) jar apricot-pineapple jam

60 lamb riblets (about 7 pounds)

Combine lemon juice, barbecue sauce, horseradish and jam in large bowl. Add riblets, cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight.

Line large pan with foil. Place riblets in pan and bake at 350 degrees 1 hour until glazed. Turn riblets, brush with sauce and bake 30 minutes to 1 hour more or until dark brown. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

583 calories; 723 mg sodium; 148 mg cholesterol; 20 grams fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 44 grams protein; 1.69 grams fiber.

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Another Great Home Cook, Terrie Snell, drove to Hollywood from Libertyville Illinois in her rebuilt ’78 Buick. Although she’s making it as an actress, Snell is still a Midwesterner who makes her own apple butter from the fruit on her own apple trees. Her Rhubarb Bread was so good that, later in the year, we did our own low-fat version. We like that one too--but the original is still the best.

RHUBARB BREAD

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

2/3 cup oil

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups diced rhubarb

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 tablespoon soft butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Combine brown sugar and oil in bowl. Stir well until smooth. Stir in egg, buttermilk, salt, baking soda, vanilla and flour. Blend until moist. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Turn batter into 2 greased (8x4-inch) loaf pans.

Combine butter and granulated sugar until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees 50 to 55 minutes or until wood pick inserted in center comes out dry. Turn out onto racks. Cool before slicing. Makes about 20 slices per loaf, 2 slices per serving.

Two slices contains about:

456 calories; 292 mg sodium; 25 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 65 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0 fiber.