DAY Recipe

DIRECTIONS

Stack collard-leaf halves and roll crosswise into a cigar shape. Cut crosswise into very thin slices (no thicker than 3/4 inch) with a sharp knife.

Cook bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp. Add collards, tossing to coat, and cook until just bright green, about 1 minute. Season with salt and serve immediately.

DIRECTIONS

If using a terra-cotta pot for the first time, soak it in water to cover at least6 hours, then drain.

Put beans, water, sage, bay leaf, and whole head of garlic in bean pot. Cover and slowly bring to a simmer over low heat; this can take 2 3/4 hours in bean pot or 1 hour in saucepan.

Simmer beans until tender and soft but not mushy, about 45 minutes in bean pot or 35 to 40 minutes in saucepan. Remove from heat and cool beans, covered, 15 minutes. Stir in sea salt.

Drain almost all cooking liquid from beans (reserve for making soup if desired) and season beans with seasalt and pepper to taste.

Dress beans with oil at the table.

Cooks’ notes:

• Willinger thinks dried beans are best when used within 1 year of harvest; it’s important to purchase them from a store that has high product turnover.

•beans may be cooked 1 day ahead, cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

DIRECTIONS

Cook potatoes:
Cover potatoes with cold salted water by 1 inch, then simmer until just tender, about 20 minutes.

Prepare mushrooms as potatoes cook:
Finely chop mushrooms with shallots and thyme in 2 batches in a food processor. Sauté half of mixture in2 tablespoons butter with salt and pepper to taste in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine and simmer, stirring, until wine is evaporated, about2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then cook remaining mushroom mixture in same manner. Season as needed.

Make potato filling:Drain potatoes in a colander and, when cool enough to handle, peel. Force warm potatoes through food mill into a large bowl. Stir in hot milk, garlic, scallions, remaining 4 tablespoons butter, peas (do not crush), and salt and pepper to taste. Cool to room temperature.

Broil eggplants:
Preheat broiler.

Cut 2 thin lengthwise slices from opposite sides of each eggplant and discard. Cut eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then brush both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange some eggplant slices in 1 layer on rack of a broiler pan and broil in batches 2 to 3 inches from heat, turning once, until just tender and golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Cool cooked eggplant on broiler rack 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Broil remainder in same manner.

Roast peppers:
Lay bell peppers on their sides on racks of gas burners and turn flames on high. (Or put peppers on rack of broiler pan about 2 inches from heat.) Roast peppers, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer peppers to a large bowl and let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Peel peppers, discarding skins. Slit peppers lengthwise and open them flat, discarding seeds and ribs. Pat peppers dry.

Make pastry shells:Oil springform pans. Roll out 1 sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 16- by 10 1/2-inch rectangle. Trim edges and halve pastry lengthwise. Line half of side of 1 pan with 1 pastry half, leaving a 1 1/2-inch overhang at top and 1 inch of bottom edge on bottom of pan. Gently press pastryinto bottom of pan. Repeat with remaining half sheet of dough so that side of pan is completely lined. Gently press together edges of pastry where they meet. Roll out another pastry sheet into a 14-inch square and cutinto a 10-inch round using bottom of springform pan as a guide. (Reserve pastry scraps for another use.) Put round in bottom of pan and press edges to seal. Chill pastry-lined pan while repeating procedure with remaining pan and 2 more pastry sheets.

Assemble tortes:
Sprinkle bottoms of pastry shells evenly with bread crumbs. Divide filling ingredients between pastry shells in following manner, seasoning each layer with salt and pressing each layer firmly and evenly into pans: potato mixture, 1 cup cheese (1/2 cup each), eggplant, mushroom mixture (press down firmly on mushrooms with paper towels to remove excess moisture and repeat process until towels are almost dry), roasted peppers, and remaining cup cheese.

Roll out remaining pastry sheet on lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 16- by 12-inch rectangle, then cut crosswise into1/2-inch-wide strips with a pizzawheel or a sharp knife. Brush pastry overhang with egg and arrange halfof strips in a lattice pattern on top of filling in each torte. Trim strips at edge of pan. Gently press ends of strips into pastry on sides of pans, then roll overhang into inside edge of pan. Brush lattice and rolled edges with egg. Chill tortes 45 minutes.

Bake tortes:
Position oven rack in bottom thirdof oven and cover with a large sheet of foil. Preheat oven to 425°F.

Bake tortes on foil in oven, rotating pans halfway through baking, until well browned, 45 to 50 minutes (if tortes get too brown, tent edges with foil). Transfer tortes in pans to a rack. Run a sharp knife around insideedges of pans and carefully remove sides of pans. Cool tortes at least1 hour (to serve warm) and up to3 hours (to serve at room temperature).

Cooks’ notes:

•potato mixture can be made 1 day before assembling and mushroommixture 2 days and chilled, covered.Bring to room temperature and seasonbefore proceeding.

•peppers may be roasted 3 days before assembling and chilled, covered.Bring to room temperature and patdry before using.

•You can assemble tortes 1 day before baking and serving. Keep chilled, covered. Transfer to hot oven directly from refrigerator.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cook broccoli rabe in boiling salted water 5 minutes, then drain in a colander.

Meanwhile, cook sausage meat in an ovenproof heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately high heat, breaking up meat with a spoon, until browned and crisp. Transfer witha slotted spoon to a large bowl.

Add oil and garlic to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add broccoli rabe and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add salt, then pepper to taste. Addto sausage with spaghetti, cheese, and eggs. Toss well and spoon mixture into skillet, spreading to smooth top.

Bake in middle of oven until centeris set but still moist, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cuttinginto wedges.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450°F and coat inside of a 13- by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking or gratin dish with1 tablespoon butter. Cut 2 thin slices from each lemon half and squeeze juice from remaining lemon.

Mash together remaining2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and shallot and season well with salt and pepper. Sprinkle dish with remaining juice.

Cook lettuce in a large pot of salted boiling water 1 minute. Immediately transfer with tongs to a bowlof ice water to cool. Drain lettuceand cut out ribs, leaving top1 inch of leaves intact.

Spread out 1 lettuce leaf lengthwise on a work surface. Place another leaf on first leaf, overlapping enough to cover any holes (use 2 extra leavesif necessary). Season 1 piece halibut with salt and pepper and place crosswise in center of lettuce. Spread top of fish with one fourth of shallot butter. Wrap lettuce over fish toform a packet (don’t worry ifends aren’t covered by lettuce) and transfer to baking dish. Make 3 more packets in same manner, arranging them close together in baking dish.

Top each packet with a lemon slice. Cover packets with a sheet of wax or parchment paper, then tightly cover dish with foil.

Bake in middle of oven untilcenters of packets are just firm tothe touch, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. Serve withpan juices poured over packets.