Pork

"My wife, Jean, and I run a coffee farm on the Big Island of Hawaii," writes George Fike of Keauhou Mauka, Hawaii. "I really love to cook, so we entertain a lot, and I enjoy planning the dinners as much as I do making them. I tell people the best restaurant in town is our house! Since I do most of the cooking, recipes must either be relatively fast or look after themselves. My recipe for Hawaiian-style pork has both of those qualities. It's based on the traditional Hawaiian kalua pig, in which the meat is steamed in an underground oven. For this version, you don't have to dig a pit in your back yard, and once everything's in the pot — which involves chopping a few ingredients — it cooks slowly but doesn't require a lot of attention." Complete this main course with steamed rice. Look for Chinese five-spice powder in the spice section of the supermarket.

These hors d'oeuvres should be served warm, so reheat the arepas in batches as platters need replenishing.

Many packages of pork tenderloin contain 2 tenderloins weighing about 3/4 pound each. If you happen to get a package with 1 larger tenderloin, simply cook it a little while longer.

Though these dumplings are traditionally cooked in stacked Asian bamboo or metal steamers, you can also use a pasta pot with a deep perforated colander-steamer insert. If your pot has a second shallow colander-steamer insert, you can steam 2 batches at once. The dumplings should be served warm, so reheat them in batches as platters need replenishing.

Serve this dish with brown rice.

Carnitas con Salsa de Aguacate y Salsa Mexicana In Uruapan and other parts of Michoacán, large copper cauldrons made in Santa Clara del Cobre are used to fry delicious carnitas in pork lard. This recipe has been adapted for the home cook: Meaty pork ribs are boiled, then fried in their own fat until browned. Use either purchased fresh tomato salsa or Tomato, Onion, and Serrano Chile Salsa . Accompany the carnitas with Classic Red Rice and beans.

This was one of those invented-while-walking-up-and-down-the-aisles-of-the-supermarket dishes; the thought process in it is a good example of how one uses taste elements to design a dish. It was a cold day and the idea of a hearty pork roast conjured up some equally substantial lentils. Then the hard salami and figs suggested themselves for salt and balancing sweetness. We figured the bulbiness of the onions would pull up all of the strong tastes in the wild palate of this recipe. Serve with lentil stew.

The slow-sipping, mellow character of bourbon has always suited my palate, in a glass and as an ingredient. Compared to the sophisticated, somewhat standoffish refinement of brandy, bourbon is sturdy and straightforward in the kitchen. Always searching for a way to use bourbon, I've discovered that its sweet, no-nonsense flavor is perfectly at home in this garlicky glaze where it adds depth and a sweet edge to the taste. The recipe makes enough glaze for two racks of spareribs, but it can be doubled if you need more. Serve with collard greens and baked sweet potatoes.

Start this at least one day before serving.

If you prefer to grill the ribs — which will intensify the hoisin flavor — remove them from the marinade (do not bake) and grill them over medium heat until tender and lightly charred, turning often and basting occasionally with marinade, about 25 minutes. Look for chili-garlic sauce in the Asian foods section of supermarkets.

Steve Katz of Potomac, Maryland, writes: "I would like to share a recipe for the most finger-licking baby back ribs you'll ever cook on your stovetop. The secret ingredient is Lapsang souchong tea, used in the braising liquid to give the ribs a smoky flavor. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

With the pork, serve sautéed spinach and some steamed baby red-skinned potatoes with butter and chopped fresh dill. Warm apple tartlets from your favorite bakery complete this elegant meal.

Magnolia Grill offers these chops with a black-eyed pea risotto and homemade corn relish. The pork is chilled overnight in brine.

The sweet and spicy sauce is a perfect complement to pork.

A simply spectacular main-course. Ask the butcher to grind any pork trimmings to use in the stuffing. Either hard cider or Pinot Noir would be delicious alongside.

Turkey Stuffed with Chestnuts and Prunes This is definitely my favorite way to do turkey because it never comes out dry. My wife, Susi, is always upset when she sees me prepare this abstract-looking sausage of a gobbler, but she's happy when she eats the tender and succulent meat and stuffing, all encased in a crisp and well-seasoned skin. The advantages of this method are twofold: it's in the oven only for an hour, freeing up cooking space for other dishes; and carving is simplicity itself — just cut straight through, like a regular roast.