Winter Menus

Enjoy a quick alternative to corned beef and cabbage: Our menu includes roast beef instead, plus braised cabbage and scones, topped off with a glass of Irish ale.

main

Roast Beef with Horseradish Sauce

side

Braised Cabbage

Currant Scones

dessert

Baked Cinnamon Apples

Serves 4

Roasting chicken atop a layer of onions and lemon infuses the meat with their flavor. Creamy mashed parsnips and potatoes are drizzled with gravy made from pan drippings and the onions, which caramelize as they cook.

main

Roasted Chicken with Onion Gravy

side

Broccoli Hache

Mashed Parsnips and Potatoes

dessert

Peppermint Hot Fudge Sundaes

Serves 4

Sweet, plump mussels are steamed in sauce, and chorizo, a Spanish sausage, adds extra heat. Garlic bread is for dipping.

appetizer

Fried Herbed Almonds

main

Spicy Mussels and Chorizo

side

Pressed Garlic Bread

dessert

Caramelized Rice Puddings

Serves 4

Roasting a simple chicken breast with capers, olives, and grape tomatoes transforms it into a Mediterranean dish. Rice pilaf is a traditional accompaniment; this version is studded with golden bits of toasted pasta.

appetizer

Herb Salad with Feta

main

Mediterranean Chicken

side

Rice Pilaf

dessert

Apricot-Fig Compote

Serves 4

This meal, inspired by the steak frites served at bistros, features marinated hanger steak with sweet shallots and baked-crisp potatoes.

appetizer

Tart-Apple Bistro Salad

main

Hanger Steak with Shallots

side

Matchstick Fries

dessert

Creme Caramel

Serves 4

Ring in the holidays with style by serving a sumptuous roast with all the trimmings. This grand cut of meat -- like a present in itself -- easily feeds eight or more for dinner, with ample leftovers. Potatoes sizzle in rich pan drippings, which also flavor the accompanying Yorkshire pudding. And no roast beef is complete without a tangy, spicy horseradish sauce to cut through its deep flavor. Supporting players come together easily. Toasted pecans accentuate the earthiness of roasted brussels sprouts and parsnips. Peas and pearl onions with fresh mint brighten the palate. Chocolate Bundt cake, drizzled with glaze and paired with seasonal citrus, completes the meal.

main

Standing Rib Roast with Roasted Potatoes

bread

Yorkshire Pudding

side

Brussels Sprouts with Parsnips

Peas and Pearl Onions

dessert

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Serves 8 to 10

Marinated skirt steak is broiled, then served with a refreshing cucumber salad and a crisp potato pancake.

main

Balsamic Marinated Skirt Steak

side

Cucumber, String Bean, and Olive Salad

Grated Potato Pancakes

dessert

Sunken Chocolate Cakes with Coffee Ice Cream

Serves 4

Pleasing the home crowd shouldn't be complicated. Follow our plan for triply indulgent mac and cheese that's sure to be a hit.

main

Macaroni and Three Cheeses

side

Garlic-Roasted Tomatoes

Sauteed Green Beans and Mushrooms

dessert

Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

Serves 8

A dinner of meat, potatoes, and a velvet cocoa cake is the perfect way to gather your family any weekend of the month.

main

Roast with Potatoes

side

Creamed Spinach

dessert

Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream

Serves 8

Roasted bass is the centerpiece for this showstopping meal.

salad

Arugula and Bresaola Salad

main

Roasted Wild Striped Bass

side

Orange-Braised Fennel

dessert

Banana-Pecan Cake

Serves 4

California merlot is the perfect companion for this beef tenderloin.

main

Beef Tenderloin with Shallots and Red-Wine Glaze

side

Endive Slaw

Lemon-and-Thyme Potato Gratin

dessert

No-Bake Chocolate-Crust Cheesecake

Serves 4

The olive topping on our cod was inspired by tapenade; it includes olives, anchovies, capers, olive oil, and lemon juice. Rosemary-flavored lentils, lightly sauteed arugula, and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc complete the meal.

main

Baked Cod with Olives

side

Rosemary Lentils

Wilted Arugula

dessert

Pear and Dried Cherry Clafouti

Serves 4

This Provencal-inspired menu relies on simple ingredients to yield complex flavors. A departure from the usual entree and two sides, it starts with airy souffles followed by an onion tart and a crisp walnut and radicchio salad.

appetizer

Goat Cheese Souffles

main

Caramelized Onion Tart with Olives

side

Radicchio Salad with Walnut Dressing

dessert

Oranges with Dessert Wine and Rosemary

Serves 4

This winter supper menu does a delicious take on sweet and savory.

main

Pork Chops with Red-Wine Sauce

side

Roasted Yam Halves

salad

Warm Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

dessert

Ice Cream with Butterscotch Sauce

Serves 4

Roasting imparts a hearty flavor to chicken and vegetables in this classic menu.

salad

Frisee and Radicchio Salad

main

Chicken with Onions and Garlic

side

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

dessert

Almond Macaroons

Serves 4

Swedish meatballs -- one of the hot dishes that make up a traditional smorgasbord -- are the centerpiece of this Scandinavian supper, which also includes buttery noodles and a green salad with salmon, cucumber, and dill.

appetizer

Frisee With Flaked Salmon and Cucumber

main

Swedish Meatballs

side

Egg Noodles in Caraway Butter

dessert

Gingersnap-and-Jam Parfaits

Serves 4

Pan-seared striped sea bass is flavored with a blood-orange juice reduction and topped with segments of the fruit and olives. It is served with a frisee salad and thyme-seasoned potatoes.

salad

Green and White Salad

side

Baked Potato Slices

main

Striped Sea Bass with Blood Oranges and Olives

dessert

Chocolate Whole-Wheat Biscuit Cake

Serves 4

Shrimp and scallops, gently simmered in a spicy tomato broth, are spooned over Israeli couscous, which has a larger grain than the traditional version.

main

Shrimp and Scallop Stew

side

Couscous Pilaf

salad

Winter Salad

dessert

Banana Bread Pudding

Serves 4

Tangy puttanesca sauce lends a Mediterranean flavor to sauteed halibut.

salad

Winter Crudite Salad

main

Halibut with Puttanesca Sauce

side

Roasted Fennel and Potatoes

dessert

Chocolate Turnovers

Serves 4

This meal revisits classic pairings: Crostini borrow their topping of kale, white beans, and pork from a traditional Tuscan soup, and spaghetti squash is tossed with the makings of pesto. Sea scallops seared in olive oil require little embellishment.

appetizer

Kale, White Bean, and Prosciutto Crostini

main

Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon

side

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Herbs

dessert

Ricotta Tart with Chocolate and Kumquats

Serves 4

Halibut is braised in white wine and flavored with bacon and carrots, a preparation known as "a la barigoule" that was inspired by a Provencal peasant dish. It is served with smashed red potatoes, which soak up the flavorful sauce.

salad

Iceberg Hearts with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette/a>

main

Halibut a la Barigoule

side

Smashed Red Potatoes

dessert

Oranges with Caramel Sauce

Serves 4

Chicken breasts are given contrasting flavor and texture with the addition of a tangy mustard sauce and a crisp breadcrumb coating.

salad

Winter Greens and Bacon

main

Crisp Mustard-Glazed Chicken Breasts

side

Braised Potatoes

dessert

Vanilla Pudding

Serves 4

Pork chops and apples are a traditional combination. Here, sliced apples have been sauteed in a bit of butter until golden, then used for garnish and flavor.

salad

Frisee, Orange, and Toasted Hazelnut Salad

main

Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage

side

Carrot and Parsnip Puree

dessert

Vanilla Bean Custard

Serves 4

Hearty French-bistro food is perfect for a cold winter evening. This menu was inspired by the classic combination of steak frites.

main

Beef Tenderloin With Shallot Mustard Sauce

side

Celeriac Slaw

Oven Fries

dessert

Baked Apple Wedges

Serves 4

Seared scallops in a flavorful herb broth are a light winter supper. Serve the white-bean-and-wild-mushroom ragu in the broth, as shown here, or on a separate plate.

salad

Winter Spinach Salad

main

Sea Scallops in Herb Broth

side

White Bean and Mushroom Ragout

dessert

Almond Cake with Caramelized Oranges

Serves 4