Creamed spinach-stuffed squash

Active: 40 minutes; Total: 1 hour 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings 

Acorn squash; halved, seeded	2 large
Oil, olive	1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground	1 teaspoon +
Baby spinach	16 cups
Cream, heavy	2 ½ cup
Crème fraîche	¼ cup
Parmesan; grated	½ cup + ¼ cup

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
2. Cut a thin sliver off the back side of each squash half to help it sit flat. 
3. Place the squash, cavity sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. 
4. Drizzle evenly with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
5. Roast until just tender, about 40 minutes. 
6. Remove from oven; increase temperature to 475°F. 
7. Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. 
8. Add the spinach, one handful at a time; cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. 
9. Transfer the spinach to a fine wire-mesh strainer; let drain and cool for about 20 minutes. 
10. Wipe the saucepan clean. 
11. Squeeze the spinach with a clean kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible; coarsely chop and set aside. 
12. Scoop out about ¼ cup of the squash from each roasted half, leaving cavities with a ¼-inch to ½-inch-thick border of flesh. 
13. Finely chop the scooped squash. 
14. Bring the cream and chopped squash to a boil in the saucepan over medium heat, stirring often; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until the cream is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. 
15. Add the spinach, and cook, stirring often, until thick and creamy, 10 to 15 minutes. 
16. Remove from heat. 
17. Stir in the crème fraîche and ½-cup Parmesan; season to taste. 
18. Spoon evenly divided mixture into the squash halves; sprinkle with remaining cheese. 
19. Bake until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. 
20. Serve immediately. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

Shrimp & crabmeat étouffée with grits

Active: 1 hour; Total: 1 hour; Yield: 8 servings 

Chicken stock or water	12 cups
Grits, uncooked	2 cups
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon + 1 ½ teaspoons
Oil, vegetable or olive	¼ cup
Butter, unsalted	3 tablespoons
Onion, white; chopped	2 cups
Celery; finely chopped	1 cup
Bell pepper, red; finely chopped	1 cup
Garlic, finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Flour, all-purpose	½ cup
Clam juice, fish  or chicken stock	3 cups
Dry sherry	½ cup
Worcestershire sauce	¼ cup
Sage, dried; rubbed	2 tablespoons
Thyme; finely chopped	1 tablespoon
Cayenne pepper	½ teaspoon
Nutmeg, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon
Tomato paste	1 tablespoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Shrimp, raw, jumbo; peeled, butterflied, tail on	1 ½ pounds
Crabmeat, lump jumbo; drained, picked clean	1 ½ pounds

1. Stir together the stock, grits, and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. 
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes. 
3. Combine the oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook until the butter is melted. 
4. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. 
5. Add the flour, and stir briskly. 
6. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes brown, being careful not to burn it, 20 to 25 minutes. 
7. Stir in the 3-cups juice/stock, sherry, Worcestershire, sage, thyme, cayenne, and nutmeg. 
8. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. 
9. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper; reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, stirring often, until creamy and thick, about 15 minutes. 
10. Add the shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. 
11. Reduce the heat to medium-low. 
12. Gently fold in the crabmeat, and cook, undisturbed, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. 
13. Remove from heat; season to taste. 
14. Plate the grits, and then properly smother them with the gravy. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

French onion-stuffed onions

Active: 1 hour; Total: 2 hour 15 minutes; Yield: 4 servings 

Oil, olive	1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons
Onions, yellow; thinly sliced	2 pounds
Salt, kosher	½ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Water	1 to 2 tablespoon
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoon
Dry sherry	2 tablespoon
Beef bouillon paste	½ teaspoon
Onions,white	4 large
Beef stock	1 cup
Thyme, freshly chopped	¾ teaspoon
Gruyère, shredded	1 ¼ cups
Bread, sourdough; ¾-inch thick slices	4

1. Heat 1-tablespoon oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. 
2. Add onions; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 20 minutes. 
3. Stir in salt and pepper. 
4. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and dark golden, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water, as needed if the pan bottom gets too dark. 
5. Stir in the butter, sherry, and beef bouillon paste. 
6. Cook, stirring often, until the butter melts and the sherry evaporates, about 2 minutes. 
7. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
8. Trim about ¼ inch from the root end of each onion, and about 1 inch from the stem end. 
9. Peel the onions, and remove the outermost layer. 
10. Scoop out the flesh from the center of each onion using a small scoop to create a cavity about 1 inch deep, leaving about 2 onion layers intact around the sides; the base should be slightly thicker; reserve the onion flesh, and discard the peels, trimmings, and outer onion layer. 
11. Finely chop the onion flesh. 
12. Spread 1 ½-cups chopped onions in a 9-inch square baking pan, and pour in the beef stock. (Discard any remaining onion flesh, or save for another purpose.) 
13. Nestle the hollowed onions, open end up, in the pan; drizzle with 1-tablespoon oil, and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. 
14. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. 
15. Bake until softened, about 20 minutes. 
16. Uncover, and continue baking until the liquid in the pan has almost completely evaporated and the onions are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. 
17. Remove the pan from the oven; do not turn the oven off. 
18. Transfer the hollowed onions to a paper towel-lined plate. 
19. Stir frenched onions and thyme into the onion mixture in the pan; season to taste. 
20. Stuff each hollowed onion with 1-tablespoon Gruyère and about 1/3-cup frenched onion mixture. 
21. Place the bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle evenly with oil. 
22. Top each slices with one stuffed onion. 
23. Sprinkle onions evenly with the remaining cheese, letting some spill onto the bread. 
24. Bake until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. 
25. Garnish with thyme leaves and black pepper. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

Pork chop Milanese with arugula salad

Active: 40 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

Pork chops, bone-in, rib-cut, about ½-inch thickness; frenched, fat and membrane removed, pounded to ¼-inch thickness	4
Salt, kosher	1 ½ teaspoons + ½ teaspoon +  ¼ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Flour, all-purpose	½ cup
Eggs; beaten	3 large
Breadcrumbs, plain	1 cup
Parmesan cheese, grated	½ cup + ½ cup
Italian seasoning blend	1 ½ teaspoon
Canola oil	¾ cup
Arugula	4 cups
Olive oil, extra-virgin	1 tablespoon
Vinegar, white wine	1 tablespoon
Tomatoes, cherry; cut in half	½ cup

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F. 
2. Set a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. 
3. Season the pork chops evenly with 1 ½-teaspoons salt and ½-teaspoon pepper. 
4. Place the flour in a large, shallow bowl. 
5. Place the eggs in another large, shallow bowl. 
6. In a third large, shallow bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, ½-cup cheese, Italian seasoning, ½-teaspoon salt, and ½-teaspoon pepper. 
7. Working in batches, dredge the chops in the flour, shaking to remove excess; dip in the egg, letting excess drip off. 
8. Dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, patting to adhere; transfer the coated chops to a parchment paper-lined work surface. 
9. In a large skillet, pour canola oil in to a depth of ¼ an inch; heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. 
10. Working in batches, cook the chops until golden brown and a thermometer inserted near, but not touching, the bone registers 140°F, 2 to 3 minutes a side. 
11. Place the chops on the prepared wire rack on a baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt to taste; transfer to the preheated oven to keep warm while preparing the remaining chops and salad. 
12. Combine the arugula and ½-cup cheese in a medium bowl. 
13. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar; toss to combine, and garnish with tomatoes. 
14. Serve salad with the pork chops. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

Chicken & mushroom coconut curry

Active: 50 minutes; Total: 1 hour; Yield: 4 servings 

Coconut oil, unrefined	2 tablespoons
Chicken legs, skin on, bone-in; pat dry	4
Salt, kosher	1 ½ teaspoons
Mushrooms, cremini; quartered	1 cup
Shallot; finely chopped	1 large
Garlic; finely chopped	3 large cloves
Curry powder	1 tablespoon
Turmeric, ground	1 teaspoon
Coconut milk; well shaken and stirred	13.5 ounces
Water	1/3 cup
Fish sauce	1 tablespoon
Coconut milk, evaporated	½ cup
Cilantro, freshly chopped	Garnish
Chile oil	Garnish

1. Heat the coconut oil in a high-sided medium skillet over medium-high heat. 
2. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. 
3. Place the chicken in the skillet skin side down; cook, undisturbed, until the skin is golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. 
4. Transfer to a plate, reserving the rendered fat in the skillet; set aside. 
5. Add the mushroom to the skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. 
6. Add the shallots; cook stirring often, until softened, abut 3 minutes. 
7. Add the garlic, curry powder, and turmeric; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. 
8. Stir in the coconut milk, water, and fish sauce until combined. 
9. Return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up. 
10. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 
11. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the chicken registers 165°F, 20 to 25 minutes. 
12. Transfer the chicken to a shallow serving bowl. 
13. Add the evaporated coconut milk to the skillet, and stir to combine; pour the curry evenly over the chicken. 
14. Garnish with cilantro and chile oil, and serve with rice. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual 2025.