Serve the bratwurst with high-quality mustard, and substitute parsnips for the potatoes if your family prefers something sweeter. When preparing the potatoes, don’t use a potato masher or the results will be too smooth. (We just love potatoes that are smashed!)
winter
Fennel Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts
This is the perfect salad for a casual lunch with friends because it comes together in a few minutes and most of the elements can be prepared up to a day before. It’s also ideal for winter since all of the ingredients are available year-round.
Braised Short Ribs with Moxie Beans
Long, cold New England winters would be unbearable if it weren’t for braises. There’s a solid six months between picking the last of the summer’s tomatoes and trimming the first spear of asparagus, and during that time I turn to sturdy long-cooked recipes like these short ribs, which have the added benefit of warming your kitchen as they cook. This is a recipe intended for a cold day, when the wind is blowing sideways and the snow shoveling feels never-ending.
Milk-Braised Chicken Legs with Spiced Rice
Milk may not seem a likely braising liquid, but it works beautifully, tenderizing the meat and combining with the chicken juices and spices to create the sauce. You can brown the meat in advance, assemble the braise and refrigerate it, then pop it into the oven just before you want to eat; in under an hour you’ll have a comforting main course that’s perfect for a snowy evening.
Winter Tomato Sauce
This is a slow-cooker adaptation of Marcella Hazan’s famous 3-ingredient marinara sauce. The butter makes the sauce plush. Good-quality canned tomatoes are a useful pantry staple year-round but especially in winter when fresh tomatoes seem a lifetime away.
