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2 pounds medium-size potatoes

(4 to 5 potatoes; my favorites

are Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn),

washed, trimmed/peeled as

needed, and cut into quarters

2 teaspoons salt

3 cloves garlic, peeled but left

whole

5 tablespoons olive oil

Ground black pepper

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Grease a 9-inch pie plate.

Fill a medium-size saucepan with 4 cups of water, and add the potatoes and salt. The water should just barely cover the potatoes. This is important.

Cover and bring to a boil. Add the whole garlic. Return the lid and cook until fork tender, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

With a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer the potatoes and garlic to a large mixing bowl and mash with a hand masher. Stir in the reserved cooking liquid as necessary to moisten the potatoes. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and stir in vigorously with a wooden spoon. Taste for salt, pepper, and texture and season and stir accordingly; mashed potatoes should be smooth and well seasoned.

3 to 4 cups chard (from 1 bunch),

washed, stemmed, and

chopped finely into “ribbons”

1 clove garlic, chopped roughly

¼ teaspoon freshly grated

nutmeg

¼ cup grated Parmigiano-

Reggiano cheese

In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat and cook the chard with the chopped garlic, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes, regularly tossing with tongs to cook evenly. Stir in the nutmeg and season with more salt to taste, if needed. Transfer to a medium-size bowl.

Portion out 1 cup of the lentils (the rest is cook’s treat) and stir into the chard until well combined.

Assemble the pie: Transfer the chard mixture to the greased pie plate. Top with the mashed potatoes, and with a rubber spatula, smooth the mash so that it’s evenly distributed and completely covers the surface. Top off with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Place the dish in the oven and heat through, 20 to 25 minutes. During the final 2 minutes of cooking, set the oven to the broil setting to brown the cheesy-mashed top.

Remove from the oven, slice into wedges, and eat hot with a ladleful of onion gravy.

Makes about 6 servings

INGREDIENTS: Wine-Braised Lentils

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ cup onion, diced

¼ cup carrot, peeled and diced

1 sprig fresh thyme, or

½ teaspoon dried

½ cup dried brown or green

lentils, rinsed (the smaller

French lentilles du Puy, with a

more refined texture, are my

preference, but they’re not

always available. Use what you

can find in your local market.)

2 tablespoons red wine you enjoy

drinking

¾ to 1 cup water

¼ to ½ teaspoon salt

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, carrot, and thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the lentils and stir to coat. Add the red wine (if using) and bring to a lively simmer. The wine will reduce a bit. Add ¾ cup of the water, return to a lively simmer, then lower the heat, cover and cook until fork tender, about 40 minutes. Check and add a little extra water if need be, to keep the lentils from drying out completely. Stir in ¼ teaspoon of the salt, taste, and add the remaining salt, if needed.

Makes 1½ cups. If you love these lentils, amounts may be doubled for a big pot that will keep for days and pair up seamlessly with your favorite grain.

INGREDIENTS: Onion Gravy

3 tablespoons butter

2 cups onions, sliced thinly into

half-moons

1 or 2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 cups water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

dissolved in 1 tablespoon

water

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

In a deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions and thyme. With tongs, toss to coat the onions with the butter and cook over medium-low heat, until softened, reduced, and jamlike, about 25 minutes.

Add the balsamic vinegar, stir, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Add the water and bring to a lively simmer. Reduce by half, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for an additional