Tomato Paste

Daniel Boulud's Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine with Celery Duo

Chef Boulud says that the success of this dish rests on browning the short ribs well at the beginning of cooking the dish to get the best flavors into the sauce. The Celery Duo starts with a celery root puree and ends with the braised ribs that top the beef. This recipe also can be found in the Café Boulud Cookbook, by Daniel Boulud and Dorie Greenspan.

Vegetable Soup with Poached Eggs

You can also serve this soup ladled into ovenproof bowls with a slice of toasted bread in the bottom. Break an egg into each, and bake at 375 degrees until the eggs are set to your liking, 10 to 15 minutes. This works well if you have guests over; they all get their own bowls hot from the oven. Even without the eggs, this stands alone as a hearty vegetable soup.

Italian

Cream of Fava Soup with Rice

Mostly, one thinks of favas as the puffy green pod with the fava bean in it. Well, just as all beans get dried and saved for off-season cooking, so do favas. Shelled and dried, they behave like dried peas when cooked, disintegrating and making a delicious and dense soup. When I was a little girl, it was part of my job to help Nonna Rosa pull the beans out of the pods and lay them on mats for drying so she could make rich winter soups. In my own kitchen, this was a job my mother, Erminia, took very seriously, and she would patiently sit at our kitchen table for hours, pulling beans out of pods, sometimes singing an old Italian song as she proceeded. Since the favas you use here are peeled and split before drying, you do not have to soak them as long as other dried beans—3 hours is fine. You can soak them overnight if you prefer; just be aware that the cooking time on the soup will be a little less. You can make this soup ahead, but add rice only to the portion you want to serve right away.

Italian

Summer Minestrone

This soup is meant to showcase the vegetables of summer, so feel free to vary, based on what is good at your farmers’ market – green beans, yellow squash, or even a handful of cherry tomatoes would be a wonderful addition here. If you’re starting with favas in the pod, you’ll need about 4 pounds or so to get the yield below. But don’t worry- make it a family affair and you’ll have them shucked and peeled in no time.

Italian

All-American Beef Stew

This all-American beef stew recipe includes tender beef coated in a rich, intense sauce and vegetables that bring complementary texture and flavor.

American

Nach Waxman's Brisket of Beef

This is the go-to recipe for knowledgeable brisket lovers, who then share it with others. The secret is slicing the meat midway through cooking. Reheat, covered, for about 1 hour in a 325°F oven before serving.