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4 cups white beans, nearly fully cooked, drained if canned or frozen

1 cup stock, dry red wine, bean-cooking liquid, or water

Salt

⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

1 pound Italian sausage, preferably in 1 piece

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 boned duck breast

1. Combine the tomato and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and add the beans; bring to a boil again, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles regularly but not furiously. Cook for about 20 minutes, adding the liquid when the mixture becomes thick. Add the salt and cayenne when the beans are tender and flavorful.

2. Meanwhile, put the sausage in a skillet and turn the heat to medium-high; brown on both sides, turning only once or twice. Add the sausage to the tomato-bean mixture, along with the pork. Raise the heat a bit if necessary to keep a simmer going. Stir the beans occasionally so the pork chunks cook evenly.

3. Cut a ½-inch cross-hatch pattern in the skin side of the duck breast, right down to the fat layer. Put the breast in the same skillet as the sausage, skin side down, and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook until nicely browned, pouring any rendered duck fat and juices into the bean mixture. Turn the duck and brown the meat side, then crisp up the skin side again for a minute or so, once more pouring any juice into the beans. Total cooking time for the breast will be 6 to 8 minutes.

4. To serve, carve the sausage and duck breast into serving pieces and put on each of 4 or 6 plates. Top with beans and pork.

VARIATION

An optional additional step (which is not particularly time consuming and certainly not at all difficult) that will give the dish the look of a traditional cassoulet: In step 4, combine the cut-up duck (or the browned duck confit if you were able to substitute it) with the beans and pork in a shallow baking dish. Finish the dish by toasting some bread crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper, in the fat remaining from browning the duck. Sprinkle these on top of the stew, then run under the broiler to brown just before serving.

SPARERIBS, KOREAN STYLE

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 45 MINUTES

THIS PREPARATION RESULTS in ribs that are dark, glossy, and so tender that just a tug of the teeth will pull the meat off the bone.

3 to 4 pounds spareribs, cut into 2-inch sections

¼ cup sesame seeds

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

¼ cup sugar

5 nickel-sized slices peeled fresh ginger

½ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup chopped scallion

1. Put a large skillet that can hold the ribs in one layer over high heat and add the ribs and ½ cup of water. Boil, turning the ribs occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, then reduce the heat to medium and brown the ribs in their own fat, turning occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds by putting them in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally until they brown slightly and begin to pop.

2. Add the garlic and half the sesame seeds and stir; cook for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, ginger, soy sauce, half the sesame oil, and another ¼ cup of water; turn the heat to medium-high, and cook, turning occasionally, until the liquid is thick and dark. If the ribs are tender at this point, they’re ready. If not, add another ¼ cup of water and repeat the process.

3. Add salt and pepper to taste and the remaining sesame seeds and sesame oil. Stir once, sprinkle with the scallion, and serve.

BRAISED PORK WITH TURNIPS

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 1 HOUR

THIS IS A classic spring or fall dish, times when you can get good, fresh turnips but don’t mind long, slow cooking. Here turnips and pork are both browned for perfect color and then simmered in a little liquid until tender.

Don’t ignore the instruction to preheat the skillet for at least a minute, then allow the butter and/or oil to become hot, and don’t crowd the meat, or it won’t brown properly. Make sure the first side of the pork cubes browns well and that the second is on its way to