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1 teaspoon dried sage

3 cups crumbled cornbread or packaged unseasoned cornbread crumbs

½ cup golden raisins

1 cup chicken broth, plus additional if needed

1 large egg, beaten

melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, prosciutto, thyme, and sage and sauté until the onion is softened and the prosciutto begins to curl in the pan, about 3 minutes.

transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the cornbread, raisins, 1 cup broth, and egg and stir to combine. If the stuffing appears dry, add more broth until it is the consistency you like. Set aside.

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One 3- to 4-pound boneless turkey breast

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 medium onions, quartered

2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup Pinot Grigio wine

1 cup double-strength chicken broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

lay the turkey breast, skin-side down, on a flat surface. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the turkey and pound until the meat is an even thickness, ½ to ¾ inch. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

spread the stuffing over the turkey breast in a ½-inch layer. Roll up the breast from the narrower end and secure using kitchen string or silicone bands. Put the vegetables in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker and pour in the wine and broth. Top with the turkey breast.

cover and cook on high for 3½ to 4 hours, until the turkey registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer.

transfer the turkey to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly. Mix the butter and flour to a paste, whisk it into the sauce, and return to a boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

remove the string or silicone loops from the turkey breast and cut into ½-inch slices. Serve with the sauce on the side.

serves 8

Pork Chops Smothered in Figs and Sweet Onions

Thick-cut boneless pork chops simmer here in a sweet and savory broth of onions, dried figs, Dijon mustard, and Marsala until they are fork tender. The sauce is thickened and poured over the pork chops and is served with buttered noodles for a delicious meal.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

Eight 1-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia, cut into half rounds

1 cup Marsala wine (see savvy)

½ cup Dijon mustard

24 dried figs

½ cup beef broth

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle the pork with the salt and pepper and add as many as will fit in a single layer to the skillet.

brown the chops on both sides in batches and transfer to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the onions to the skillet and sauté until they become translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Marsala and mustard to the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slowcooker insert and add the figs and broth. Cover and cook on high for 2½ to 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours.

remove the chops from the sauce and pour the sauce into a saucepan. Skim off any fat from the sauce and bring to the sauce to a boil. Mix the water and cornstarch and whisk into the sauce. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

serve the chops smothered with the sauce. The chops may be returned to the slow cooker with the thickened sauce and served from the cooker set on warm.

serves 6–8

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marsala savvy

Using dry or sweet fortified wines like sherry or Marsala is really the choice of the cook. I like the sweeter versions because I think they have a bit more complexity. That said, there are many people who prefer the dry versions of these wines. It’s really a matter of personal choice—just make sure not to