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INGREDIENTS

1 cup dark raisins

1 cup white wine you enjoy

drinking

1 head white, green, or purple

cauliflower (about 1 pound),

cleaned, trimmed, and cut

loosely into florets

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

(use more if necessary)

1½ teaspoons salt

Ground black pepper

¼ cup pine nuts or chopped

walnuts

4 cloves garlic, smashed

¼ to ½ cup plain bread crumbs

8 to 12 ounces short pasta, such

as penne, farfalle, or gemelli

¼ to ½ cup grated Parmigiano-

Reggiano cheese (optional but

nice)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the wine until they plump up, about 15 minutes.

Place the cauliflower in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or something of similar size. Pour the olive oil on top of the florets, and with your hands, toss until the florets are generously slathered with oil. Season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste.

Add the raisins and wine, nuts, and garlic, and with your hands, mix to combine. Sprinkle bread crumbs generously on top.

Bake uncovered until fork tender, 40 to 45 minutes. After 20 minutes, check the liquid level; if the wine is completely evaporated, add a few tablespoons of water to keep the raisins from burning.

Meanwhile, bring at least 6 cups of water to a boil and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and pour into a serving bowl. Pour the cauliflower and trimmings over the pasta and stir to combine.

Add Parmigiano-Reggiano, if using, and garnish with parsley.

Makes 4 servings

STIR-FRIED CABBAGE & CUMIN (OR CARAWAY)

What a delightful surprise is this zippy little number, a mouthful of crunch and seed-popping flavor from an ordinary head of green cabbage. Although caraway is a traditional cabbage partner, cumin seeds deliver zesty change to the old equation.

KITCHEN NOTES: With a paring knife, remove the core from the bottom of the cabbage, then cut the cabbage into more manageable chunks before slicing into julienne strips. The inner white layers tend to be tougher, FYI.

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, left whole but

peeled and smashed slightly

1 medium-size head green

cabbage, cored and julienned

(5 to 6 cups)

1 medium-size leek, cleaned,

white and light green parts

only, sliced in half lengthwise

and into half-moons

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cumin seeds, or

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Heat the oil in a wide skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic to flavor the oil, stirring to minimize burning. Add the cabbage and leek and stir immediately (or turn with tongs) until the veg are completely coated with oil. Add the salt and continue to stir the mixture to keep it from burning; you’ll notice that the cabbage will reduce by about one-third.

After 5 minutes, the cabbage should be tender with slight crunch; cook for a few minutes longer (8 to 9 minutes, total) if you prefer a softer result. Just before you turn off the heat, add the seeds and stir to combine, allowing them to warm up and release their flavor.

Makes 4 servings

Shepherd’s Pie with Chard-Lentil Filling ★ Onion Gravy

SHEPHERD’S PIE WITH CHARD-LENTIL FILLING

Looking for cozy cookin’? Dog-ear this page pronto. Curled up under a blanket of garlicky mashed is a lentil-chard filling that totally hits the spot. But wait, there’s more: Your hunk o’ pie gets extra love with a sultry caramelized onion gravy.

KITCHEN NOTES: Although this is a four-pot affair, it need not feel like a three-ring circus. First item of business: Get the lentils on the stove. While they’re simmering, work on the onion gravy. While the gravy simmers, boil the potatoes for the mashed topping. Everything comes together in a pie plate.

Make It a Meal

Is your appetite bigger tonight than anticipated? Consider a versatile side to round out your plate. Mix-and-matching encouraged! See Make It a Meal sidebar on page 26.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup wine-braised lentils

(details follow)

1½ cups