Cookthink

Bucatini With Sardines, Fennel And Tomatoes

This pasta is based on the Sicilian Pasta con le Sarde. Both canned and fresh sardines work here. (We used both.) Bucatini is the classic noodle for this dish, but spaghetti and fettucine are good substitutes.

Three-Hour French Bread

The secret to this bread? Knead the dough for 2 minutes, let it rest, then knead again for 3 minutes. Letting the dough rest allows the gluten to relax, making a smoother dough. Read more about this recipe at Steamy Kitchen.

Apple And Sausage Risotto

Crisp, tart apples have a subtle sweetness that makes them easy to fit into savory recipes. Here, diced apples are cooked with mild sausage to make the base for a hearty risotto, perfect for the cooler nights ahead. Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Salmon Stuffed With Bulgur

The bulgur stuffing, which is basically a pesto tabbouleh, makes a great stuffing for salmon steaks. If you have salmon fillet instead of steaks, just mound the stuffing on top. This recipe is part of Andrew Schloss's Sunday Dinners.

Meatball And Spinach Calzones

Using small meatballs means you can make smaller calzones and use leftover sauce for dipping, or use leftover filling and sauce to make mini lasagna. Read more about this recipe at Coconut & Lime.

Chard And Ricotta Ravioli With White Wine Butter

In this dish, homemade ravioli stuffed with verdant Swiss chard and silky ricotta is tossed in a white wine butter sauce. If you don't feel like making fresh pasta, try making the ravioli with store-bought wonton wrappers.

Gravlax With Brown Sugar, Parsley And Dill

Scandinavian-style gravlax gets an American twist with the use of brown sugar as part of the cure. This recipe may be made with one large or two smaller salmon fillets.

Tomato-Rice Soup

This simple soup is a perfect first course before Bollito Misto, or with just a grilled cheese sandwich. This recipe is part of Andrew Schloss's Sunday Dinners.

Creamy Dilled Potato And Sauerkraut Salad

The bright acidity of sauerkraut -- plus a hit of lemon zest and juice -- gives a lift to creamy dilled potato side salad that works well alongside fish, meats, leafy salads and sandwiches.

Sauerkraut With Champagne

This simple dish is inspired by James Beard's classic recipe. The sauerkraut is traditionally cooked with salt pork, but ham makes for a lean substitute. If you don't have Champagne or don't want to sacrifice a whole bottle, substitute dry white wine.

Roast Leg Of Lamb With Rosemary And Garlic

This recipe is a good as it sounds. If you'd like some ideas about what to eat with it, click on the "goes with..." tab to the left. For the lowdown on ingredients, techniques and tools, click on "related tips."

Beef Osso Buco

Osso buco is a classic. No matter what kind of shank you're using, the marrow-filled bones give osso buco a meaty unctuousness that's hard to get from other cuts. Wine, tomato puree and tomato paste balance that richness beautifully, and fresh thyme gives the dish a delicious woodsy aroma.