The origins of coq au vin (cock in wine) is steeped in frugality and addressed how to cook a tough rooster by tenderizing the meat with a long braise. The resulting stew was deliciously rich in wine and aromatics, so it's easy to see why this French specialty has transcended time.

Coq au vin is rustic and homey and especially cozy as a winter meal. Nowadays, a roasting chicken is easily substituted for the rooster, and the length of cooking time is somewhat shortened. Nonetheless, the dish is best when left to simmer over low heat or braise in the oven, while the sauce absorbs the flavors of the chicken and aromatics before it's reduced and thickened into a luxuriously rich stew.

In this version, I omit the frequently added bacon and pour in a generous glug of cognac to deglaze the pan and further fortify the stock. Tomato paste brightly rounds out the sauce, and the final touch is a spoonful of brown sugar, which is a useful way to add extra depth to a stew. This is the epitome of winter weekend food, and a perfect way to fill your home with warmth and comforting aromas when it's cold and wet outside.

Coq au Vin: Chicken Braised in Red Wine

Active time: 40 minutes

Total time: 2 hours and 10 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1/3 cup cognac

4 garlic cloves, smashed

2 to 3 large carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 large onion, chopped

8 ounces white mushrooms, halved (quartered if large)

1 (750 ml) bottle full-bodied red wine

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the oil in an oven-proof pot with a lid or a Dutch oven over medium-high. In batches, add the chicken pieces, skin-side down, and brown, turning once or twice, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Reduce the heat to medium and carefully add the cognac to the pot (it will sizzle and steam). Stir to deglaze the pot while you let the cognac reduce by about half.

Add the garlic, carrots, onion and mushrooms, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the wine, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Return the chicken to the pot and nestle the pieces in the wine. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the pot to the stove top. Remove the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Boil the sauce over medium heat until reduced by about half and thickened to a sauce consistency, about 20 minutes, skimming the fat. Add the sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot, and gently simmer to thoroughly heat through.

Serve warm in low bowls with mashed or roasted potatoes.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

When the weather is cold, wet and snowy, nothing is more comforting than a platter of meatballs, browned and braised in a fragrant tomato sauce. These meatballs take inspiration from a Moroccan lamb kefta and an Italian meatball and are rolled into a spicy and oh-so satisfying dish.

In this recipe, the ground lamb is seasoned with North African spices, and each ball is filled with a nugget of feta cheese nestling in the center. After a quick browning in a skillet, they are popped into the oven to braise and finish cooking in a blanket of roasted tomato-pepper sauce infused with spices and a kick of heat, reminiscent of harissa.

It may be chilly outside, but these meatballs will surely warm you up!

Braised Lamb Meatballs With Feta

Active time: 40 minutes

Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling time

Yield: makes about 20 meatballs and 2 1/2 cups sauce; (4 to 6 servings)

Sauce:

1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes with juices

1 (12-ounce) jar roasted peppers, drained

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons ground chili paste, such as sambal oelek

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for cooking the meatballs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Meatballs:

2 pounds ground lamb

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces feta, cut into 1/3-inch cubes, plus 1/4 cup, crumbled, for garnish

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint leaves for garnish

Combine the sauce ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process to blend. Set aside.

Combine all of the meatball ingredients, except the feta, in a bowl. Using your hands, gently mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Shape the meat into 1 1/2-inch balls. Make a small indentation in the center of each ball with your thumb and insert a feta cube, then close the meat around to seal it. Place the meatballs on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Add the meatballs in batches, without overcrowding, and brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 5 minutes. (The meatballs will not be cooked through at this point. They will continue to cook in the sauce.) Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Add the sauce to the skillet and cook briefly over medium heat, scraping up any brown bits in the pan. Return the meatballs to the skillet and nestle them in the sauce, turning to coat. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the meatballs are thoroughly cooked through, about 30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, sprinkle the crumbled feta over the lamb.

Serve with couscous or rice and garnish with chopped mint or cilantro.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Sometimes, a fluffy, creamy side dish is called for, and potatoes just won't do the trick (shocker). It may simply be that potatoes are not the perfect match to the accompaniment, or the cuisine may not traditionally include potatoes, or (no judgment) you binged on a bowl of spuds last night and want to take a breather.

Enter cauliflower. There's something magical about this gnarly crucifer. Eaten raw, its flavor is barely pronounced -- a little nutty, a bit grassy and unmistakably cruciferous. When steamed or roasted, cauliflower transforms into something else entirely, morphing into a sweetened, buttery and juicy version of itself. When pureed, these flavors converge in a light and delicate mousse, minus the weight and starch of mashed potatoes. It's a great alternative to ubiquitous russets and pairs equally well with just about anything as a side dish.

The chicken stock adds extra flavor to the puree. If you prefer a vegetarian version, simply use water and adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Cauliflower Puree

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Yield: 3 cups (approximate)

1 large head cauliflower, about 2 1/2 pounds, florets and core cut into 1-inch pieces

3 cups chicken stock

1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, loosely packed

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for garnish

Fresh thyme leaves

Combine the cauliflower and chicken stock in a large pot. Cover the pot, bringing the stock to a boil, and simmer over medium-low heat until the cauliflower is very tender, about 20 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the chicken stock and process until smooth. Add the cheese, garlic, butter, salt and pepper and process to blend. If the puree is too thick, add additional stock, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve a light and smooth consistency.

Serve garnished with fresh thyme leaves and extra black pepper.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS