A preserved duck leg from the deli has saved my supper more times than I can count. Cased in its own white fat and crisped up in the oven or in a sauté pan, these “duck confit” are as near as I get to eating ready-made food. One January, arriving home cold and less than 100 percent, I stripped the meat from a couple of duck legs and used it to add protein to an express version of one of those lovingly tended cabbage and bean soups. The result was a slightly chaotic bowlful of food that felt as if it should be eaten from a scrubbed pine table in a French cave house. An extraordinarily heartwarming supper, immensely satisfying. An edible version of the sort of people one refers to as “the salt of the earth.” I am certain no one would have guessed it hadn’t spent the entire afternoon puttering away in a cast-iron pot.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.
This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.
The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.