Roast

Black-eyed peas are said to bring luck in the new year, but you're going to want to eat this dressed-up version of the Southern classic for more than just luck.

Delicately flavored avocado oil can lose its personality when heated; pour a touch of the oil over food just before serving.

On their own, roasted mushrooms are golden, buttery, and delicious, but we've gone a step further and jazzed them up by showering them with a blanket of crunchy, chile-flecked breadcrumbs.

In this fast and easy recipe, the shrimp release their juices and create a delicious sauce in the pan. Using unpeeled shrimp with heads on does make it a little messier to eat, but the results are finger-licking good. If serving this as a main course, a bed of couscous or steamed rice is a nice accompaniment to help soak up the sauce.

This simple slow roast uses the pork shoulder, one of the least expensive cuts of pork—so go ahead and splurge on heritage breed pork if you can. Regardless of the variety, what makes this roast so good is the dry rub, which gently cures the pork and infuses it with flavor. Two days’ marinating time is ideal, but 24 hours is fine, too. Don’t do it if you can’t wait at least a day, though; the results will not be ideal. If you’re lucky enough to get a roast with the skin on, you’ll be rewarded with a bonus: chicharrones! The skin will bubble and puff as the roast cooks; if you want to amplify the crunchiness, after the roast is done, take off the skin and place it on a cooling rack set on the roasting pan. Continue to roast until the fat has rendered off to your liking. The accompanying slaw is inspired by the kind typically served with Carolina-style barbecue. Its sweet and sour notes complement the rich pork nicely.

My translation of one of Mom’s great recipes, this dish quickly became a favorite among the regulars at my restaurant Rendezvous du Monde. Sumac is a spice used in marinades and salads throughout the Middle East. It has a tangy, citrusy flavor and adds a beautiful pinkish hue to the chicken. It’s worth seeking out sumac, but if you can’t find it, the recipe will still be delicious. Serve with buttered couscous or grilled country bread drizzled with the pan juices.

Tri-tip goes by several other names, including corner cut and bottom sirloin, but curiously it’s generally only found on the West Coast. It’s flavorful and toothsome and worth seeking out, but you can also use an equal weight of flank, bavette, or top round.

This autumnal salad is a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors, thanks to the scalloped half-moons of squash, wispy leaves of baby arugula, and shiny red jewels of pomegranate seeds. It’s as visually pleasing as it is delicious. Boasting both tender greens and roasted potatoes, this dish is sort of a half salad, half starchy side dish. As such, you can serve it alone as an entrée or in smaller portions as an accompaniment. You can roast the potatoes and squash and make the dressing well ahead of time, then assemble at the last minute.

Farro is an ancient grain that, despite its popularity in central Italy, was once impossible to find in the United States. With rising demand for it, more and more domestic growers are starting to cultivate it, including Eatwell Farm in Northern California and Bluebird Grain Farms in Oregon. This hearty fall salad works well as a vegan entrée or a side dish, or even warmed and served as a Thanksgiving stuffing. I like to add diced or pulled roasted turkey to turn this into an entrée salad. Small cubes of good-quality Pecorino Romano are also a nice addition and give the dish added richness and umami.

Like most of the chefs we take to visit Forni-Brown Gardens (see page 164) in Calistoga, Rocco di Spirito was overwhelmed by the bounty. This farm grows impeccable lettuces, tomatoes, herbs, and other produce for some of the most discriminating restaurants in Napa Valley. For his astonishing first course at the 2000 Workshop, Rocco used Forni-Brown beets, baby carrots, tiny tomatoes, and three kinds of basil. This aromatic stovetop braise is an adaptation of the more elaborate dish he made.

The quince trees at our River Ranch property are just delivering their first harvest at the time of the Workshop. Many chefs are captivated with these uncommon autumn fruits, which are rockhard and astringent when raw and must be cooked to release their floral perfume. Chef David Everett made a memorable quince chutney for duck breasts when he attended the Workshop in 1994. Brian likes to serve the same chutney with brined pork chops. Cooking the pork on the bone enhances flavor and seals in the succulence imparted by the brine. Accompany the pork with braised escarole or Tuscan kale, or with Brussels sprouts and chestnuts. Any leftover chutney will keep for at least a week in the refrigerator and would be delicious with blue cheese. Note that the chops need to rest in the brine overnight.

Take care not to crowd the vegetables, or they will steam rather than brown. You’ll also need to toss them periodically so they’ll stay coated in oil. Add leftover vegetables to a salad, or use them to top the Roasted Root-Vegetable Pizza (page 45).

New potatoes are really just young potatoes of any variety. They are crisp, waxy, and hold their shape when boiled or roasted, as in the recipes that follow. Try any of these rustic potato dishes with roast chicken, pork, or beef (see page 284).

With a little artful arranging (and minimal seasonings), humble potatoes are transformed into an elegant side dish. This resembles a gratin but has none of the usual cream or cheese.