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One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

— Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)

Orzo with Kale, Chicken, and Feta Cheese

Serves 6–8

I am often left with cooked chicken when I make chicken broth; it goes into the freezer in small batches for use in other recipes, such as this one. If you don’t have cooked chicken on hand, you can substitute 1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined, or just omit it. Either way, this is a simple one-dish baked pasta meal that packs plenty of flavor.

8 cups lightly packed chopped kale (remove and discard tough stems)

1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1½ cups diced tomatoes with juice, or 1 (15-ounce) can

½ cup dry white wine

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

12 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and cook until limp but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Remove the kale from the water with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain in a colander.

2 Return the water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until just done. Drain well.

3 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish. Transfer the orzo and kale to the baking dish.

4 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until limp, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes with juice, wine, and red pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is somewhat reduced, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

5 Add the tomato sauce to the orzo mixture, along with the chicken and half the feta. Mix well. Top with the remaining feta.

6 Bake for about 30 minutes, until the casserole is heated through. Serve hot.

Lemon-Braised Chicken with Turnips

Serves 4

A combination of lemon, capers, and olives makes a rich-flavored braise for the chicken, which is fully complemented by the turnips. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes to round out the meal.

8 bone-in chicken thighs

½ cup all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken broth (page 127)

½ cup dry white wine

1 lemon, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons brined capers

½ cup green olives, such as Picholine

4 turnips or 1 rutabaga, peeled and sliced

1 Remove any fat from the chicken, rinse, and pat dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour.

2 Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and brown on both sides, about 8 minutes, turning once. You may have to do this in two batches.

3 Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the shallots to the Dutch oven and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, broth, and wine, and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

4 Return the chicken to the pan and place a lemon slice on each piece. Add the capers, olives, and turnips. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 1 hour.

5 There will be a layer of fat on top of the liquid; skim it off. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and vegetables to a bowl and keep warm. Pour the cooking liquid into a tall, narrow container and let stand for 15 minutes. The fat will rise to the top; skim it off.

6 Return the liquid to the pan along with the chicken and vegetables. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cook just long enough to heat through. Serve hot.

Kitchen Note: You can add caperberries to the cooking liquid in addition to, or instead of, the capers.

Red-Cooked Chicken with Turnips

Serves 4–6

Chicken simmered in a soy-sauce-based liquid with spices is a style of cooking that is popular throughout China. When I worked in a Chinese restaurant, the chef would make this dish for the staff about once a week, and we ate it gratefully. He