Red Wine

During hard times, luxury cuts like steaks and chops give way to humbler ones. None are humbler than the oxtail, and all across the country, depression-era cooks made much of it, frequently in soup. Even in these days, when humble cuts have become restaurant menu stars, soup is still a good way to go with oxtails. Simmering them slowly with garlic and vegetables in red wine yields a rich broth and tender, succulent meat, making a lavish feast for us all.

Stifado, a hearty Greek stew, can be made with almost any kind of meat, though beef is most common. Here we use lamb. It always involves either red wine or red-wine vinegar or both, herbs, and copious quantities of small whole onions.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Offer a hearty Cabernet Sauvignon with this impressive prime rib.

In most of France, turkey with chestnuts has become a standard Christmas dish, but in the southwest, goose is preferred.

A braise is like a stew, but requires less liquid and has a longer cooking time. Allow about two and a half hours for the lamb to cook on top of the stove. Serve green beans and the polenta with it. Pour a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Hoisin adds complexity to the flavor of the sauce. You can save some time — and some tears — by chopping the onions in the processor in two batches.

Here, meltingly rich veal shanks combine wonderfully with the chewiness of orecchiette, ear-shaped pasta shells made of semolina (coarsely ground durum wheat).

In winter Kay Simon sandwiches this cake with wine jelly, in summer substituting a simple purée of fresh raspberries. Wine for Cooking and to Drink Merlot is important in the Yakima Valley, and perfect for this cake.

Try this rich sauce over pasta or over the <a></a> Parmesan Polenta Squares

Italian risotto, traditionally served as an appetizer, makes a great vegetarian meal when served with a salad. In this recipe, butter and cream have been replaced with a flavorful mushroom broth. Porcini mushrooms and Arborio rice are available at Italian markets, specialty food stores and some supermarkets.