beef daube provençal

Ingredients
*Serves 4

2 tsp. olive oil
12 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (2-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1 1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 2) 
2 cups chopped carrot (about 4)
1/2 cup less-sodium beef broth
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
dash of ground cloves
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1-2 bay leaves
wide egg noodles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Heat Dutch oven over low heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic; cook 5 minutes or until garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon; set aside. 
3. Increase heat to medium-high. Season meat with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add beef to pan (in small batches). Cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan. 
4. Add dash of wine to pan and saute onions for 8 minutes. Add more wine if the pan gets dry.
5. Add the rest of the wine to the pan bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen any remaining browned bits. Add reserved garlic, beef, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, carrot, and next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf), and bring to a boil.
6. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaf. Serve over noodles.

* Adapted from Cooking Light

grilled corn and potato chowdah

Ingredients

1 pound small red potatoes, quartered

1 tablespoon salt, divided

3 tablespoons softened butter, divided

6 ears shucked corn

Cooking spray

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

1/2 cup half-and-half

2 thyme sprigs

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Place potatoes and 2 teaspoons salt in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let potatoes stand in hot water 5 minutes. Drain; cut into 1/4-inch cubes.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter; brush evenly over corn. Place corn on grill rack coated with canola oil. Place potatoes on a grill pan. Grill corn and potatoes 15 minutes or until slightly charred, turning occasionally. Cool corn slightly; cut kernels from cobs. Place 1 cup corn kernels in a food processor; process until smooth.

5. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1 teaspoon salt and red pepper; cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Stir in potatoes, remaining corn kernels, pureed corn, milk, half-and-half, and thyme sprigs; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard thyme sprigs. Stir in chives and remaining ingredients.

*Adapted from Cooking Light

pan-roasted chicken with shallot and vermouth sauce

Ingredients

For the chicken:
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
ground black pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the sauce:
1 large shallot, minced (about 4 tablespoons)
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Dissolve salt in 2 1/2 quarts cold tap water in large container or bowl; submerge chicken pieces in brine and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 30 minutes. Rinse chicken pieces under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Season chicken with pepper.
2. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees F.
3. Heat oil in heavy-bottomed 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke, about 3 minutes; swirl skillet to coat evenly with oil. Brown chicken pieces skin-side down until deep golden, about 5 minutes; turn chicken pieces, and brown until golden on second side, about 4 minutes longer. Turn chicken skin-side down and place skillet in oven. Roast until juices run clear when chicken is cut with paring knife, or thickest part of breast registers about 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and thickest part of thighs and drumsticks registers about 175 degrees. Using potholder or oven mitt to protect hands from hot skillet handle, remove pan from oven. Transfer chicken skin-side up to platter, and let rest while making sauce.
4. Still using potholder or oven mitt, pour off most of fat from skillet, add shallot, then set skillet over medium-high heat; cook, stirring frequently, until shallot softens, about 1 ½ minutes. Add chicken broth, vermouth, and thyme; increase heat to high and simmer rapidly, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Simmer until slightly thickened and reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 6 minutes. Pour accumulated chicken juices into skillet, discard thyme, and whisk in butter one piece at a time. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return chicken pieces skin-side up to skillet; simmer to heat through, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

*From America's Test Kitchen