Simmer barley in 4 cups water, uncovered, in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot, until almost tender, 20 to 40 minutes. Drain in a sieve. Remove skin and any fat from duck legs. Cook skin and fat in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered, about 8 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, discarding skin. Reserve fat. While fat is rendering, remove duck meat from bones, reserving bones, and shred meat into small pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon duck fat (reserving any remainder for...

Heat oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook pine nuts, stirring constantly, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add onion to pan, then reduce heat to moderately low and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add bulgur and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in water, apricots, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, until bulgur is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter baking pan and line with parchment paper, then butter paper. Dust pan with flour, knocking out excess.Melt butter (3 tablespoons) in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a slow stream, whisking, then add nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to moderate and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer mixture, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes....

Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ginger. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook until skin is brown, about 8 minutes. Turn chicken and transfer skillet to oven. Roast chicken until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; tent with foil.Add onion to drippings in same skillet; sauté onion over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 5...

Combine all dry ingredients, plus a pinch of salt, in a bowl; set aside. Mix egg yolks with buttermilk and oil. Incorporate yolk mixture into dry ingredients. Whip egg whites to medium peaks with whisk or hand mixer and fold into batter in 3 stages to incorporate fully (and to make fluffier waffles). Ladle 1/4 batter onto a nonstick waffle iron until griddle is covered but not overflowing (waffle iron sizes vary; adjust if necessary). Cook waffles until golden, 3 to 4 minutes; keep warm in oven. Repeat 3 times. Optional sauce: Bring honey and...

Cook garlic in oil in a 2- to 3-quart wide heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir in remaining ingredients, then cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand, undisturbed, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.Cooks' note:Taste your olives before you start cooking; if they are very salty, reduce the salt in this recipe.

Heat oven to 400°F. Spread sesame seeds and pine nuts on a cookie sheet and bake until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from sheet and set aside. In a large saucepan, boil 1 cup water with butter and salt. Remove from heat and add couscous. Stir, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Toss couscous with sesame seeds, pine nuts, chickpeas, cucumber, currants, and fines herbes. Season to taste with remaining ingredients and salt and pepper.Nutritional analysis per serving 393 calories, 10.3 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 65.6 g...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Toast oats in another baking pan, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 12 minutes. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Whisk together flour, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda, then beat into butter mixture until incorporated. Stir in oats, pecans, and cranberries. Spread in buttered pan. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool...

Make polenta:Bring water to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan. Add grits in a slow stream, whisking until incorporated. Simmer, stirring occasionally with a long-handled whisk or wooden spoon, until liquid is absorbed and polenta is thick and soft, about 30 minutes. (Grits will have a loose, risotto-like consistency.) Remove from heat and stir in cream, cheese, salt, and pepper. Keep warm, covered. Sauté mushrooms while polenta simmers:If using porcini, halve if large, then slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. If using...

For soufflés: Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter eight 1-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Combine first 4 ingredients in large saucepan. Bring just to simmer; remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes. Strain; return milk to pan. Add salt; bring to boil. Gradually stir in grits and cook over medium heat until mixture is thick and grits are tender, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Mix in butter. Season with black pepper. Stir in egg yolks. Cool slightly.Beat egg whites in large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into grits...

Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy small skillet. Toast over medium heat until fragrant, shaking skillet occasionally, about 3 minutes. Grind spice mixture in spice grinder. Transfer to bowl; mix in 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, and half of garlic in small bowl. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store spice mixture airtight at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate lemon aioli.) Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrot and onion and sauté until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add thyme...

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat together butter, sugars, and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then beat in egg until combined well. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in granola and chocolate chips. Drop 18 mounds (about 2 level tablespoons per mound) of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 ungreased large baking sheets,...

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Combine flour, sugar, oat bran, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Place mashed bananas in large bowl. Stir in soy milk, egg, oil, and lemon juice. Mix in dry ingredients, then blueberries. Divide batter among muffin papers. Bake muffins until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Turn muffins out onto rack and cool 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For pilaf:Bring 2 cups water and salt to boil in medium saucepan. Mix in barley. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain barley.Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add shallot; stir 30 seconds. Add cubed vegetables and sugar; sauté 6 minutes. Add barley, lemon juice, and herbs; stir 2 minutes. Mix in bacon; season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 hour...

Whisk lime juice, ginger, and mustard in small bowl. Slowly whisk in 4 tablespoons oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Brush salmon on both sides with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper, then 1 tablespoon dill and 1 tablespoon basil. Press herbs to adhere. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon, herb side down; sauté 4 minutes. Turn over; sauté until salmon is just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Toss greens with remaining herbs and some dressing. Divide between 2 plates....

Cook kale in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.Bring milk, water, polenta, salt, and pepper to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.Meanwhile, cook pancetta in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels. Add mushrooms and 2 tablespoons oil to drippings in skillet. Sauté until mushrooms...

Make chili:Simmer dried chiles in 2 cups water, covered, in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until very soft, about 20 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking liquid, then drain in a colander. Stem chiles (do not remove seeds), then purée in a blender with reserved cooking liquid until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Reserve purée.Pat lamb dry, then sprinkle with pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat 2 tablespoons lard in a 6-quart wide heavy pot or a 3-inch-deep straight-sided skillet over...

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Sift together flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a food processor. Add 1 1/3 cups oats and pulse 15 times. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size lumps. Transfer to a bowl. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms. Gently knead on a floured surface 6 times. Pat into a 9-inch square (1/2 inch thick). Cut into 9 (3-inch) squares. Cut each square diagonally to form 2 triangles....

Heat milk in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan over low heat until hot but not boiling, then remove pan from heat and stir in oats. Let stand, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooled to warm. Stir together water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon honey in a small bowl; let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) Stir yeast mixture, melted butter, and remaining honey into cooled oatmeal. Stir together whole-wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour, and salt in a large bowl. Add oat mixture,...

Butter a shallow baking pan (15 by 10 inches). Bring 6 cups water with salt to a boil in a 4-quart heavy pot, then add polenta in a stream, stirring with a long-handled spoon, and simmer, stirring constantly, 5 minutes (polenta will be very thick). Add 3 tablespoons butter and stir until butter is incorporated. Spread polenta in buttered pan and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 15 minutes. While polenta is chilling, cook sausage in 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, breaking up lumps, until no longer...