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This satisfying meal in a bowl is also good sprinkled with a touch of grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2tablespoons olive oil
• 1lb onions (3 medium), halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
• 2lb russet (baking) potatoes (about 4)
• 2cups heavy cream
• 1/4lb maytag blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
• 1/4lb whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated (1 cup)
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/2teaspoon black pepperspecial equipment:a japanese benriner or other adjustable-blade slicer

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375°F.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onions, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Peel potatoes and slice paper-thin crosswise (slightly less than 1/16 inch thick) with slicer. Combine potatoes and cream in a 2-quart heavy saucepan (potatoes on top may not be completely immersed) and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool to warm, about30 minutes.

Transfer one third of potatoes with a slotted spoon to a lightly oiled 3-quart shallow baking dish (reserve any cream in pan), spreading them in an even layer, then sprinkle evenly with half of onions and one third of each cheese and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Make 1 more layer each of potatoes, onions, cheeses, and seasoning in same manner, then top with remaining potatoes and remaining cheeses. (Do not season top layer.) Pour reserved cream evenly over top and cover tightly with foil.

Bake in middle of oven 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 400°F, then remove foil and bake until top is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 5pounds medium tomatoes, shallow x cut in skin on side opposite stem
• 3cups low-salt chicken broth
• 3/4cup finely chopped red onion
• 2/3cup fresh lime juice
• 6garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley
• 2tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2medium haas avocados (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded, diced
• 2serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, deveined, minced
• 2tablespoons (about) cold water
• 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Drop in 3 tomatoes; cook 30 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to plate. Repeat. When cool, peel tomatoes starting at X. Cut tomatoes in half horizontally; squeeze out seeds and juice. Place tomatoes in processor. Using on/off turns, chop to coarse puree. Transfer puree to strainer; let drain 30 minutes, stirring often. Combine tomato puree, chicken broth, onion, 1/3 cup lime juice, garlic, parsley, chives, and cilantro in large bowl. Season gazpacho with salt and pepper. Chill 2 hours or up to 1 day. Blend avocados, chiles, 2 tablespoons water, and 1/3 cup lime juice in processor until smooth. Season with salt; add more water to thin if desired. Ladle gazpacho into bowls. Top withavocado puree, then drizzle of oil.

Buffalo meat can be very red, even when cooked to medium-rare. Don’t be alarmed — this is a naturally occurring phenomenon that has to do with the animal’s diet and how little fat is marbled through the muscle. While testing this recipe, we learned that buffalo meat varies in quality; the purveyors whose meat we like best are Wild Idea Buffalo Company (866-658-6137; wildideabuffalo.com), Jackson Hole Buffalo Meat Company (800-543-6328; jhbuffalomeat.com), Arrowhead Buffalo Meats (877-283-2969; arrowheadsteaks.com), and D’Artagnan (800-327-8246; dartagnan.com).

Before you begin roasting your buffalo, roughly calculate the total roasting time: Plan on about 16 minutes per pound once the oven temperature is reduced to 350°F (20 minutes per pound for beef), but start checking the temperature of either type of roast about 30 minutes before you think it will be done.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 5 1/4 hr (4 3/4 hr for beef)

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1(7- to 8-lb) bone-in buffalo prime rib roast or bone-in beef prime rib roast (sometimes called standing rib roast; 3 or 4 ribs), brought to room temperature (allow 1 hour)
• 4 1/2to 5 cups water
• orange balsamic glaze for jus
• 2/3cup dry red wine
• 1/4cup madeira (preferably sercial)
• 1 1/2cups beef brothspecial equipment:a v-rack for roasting; a meat or instant-read thermometer

DIRECTIONS Cook roast:
Preheat oven to 450°F.

If using beef, trim all but a thin layer of fat from roast. Generously season buffalo or beef with salt and pepper. Roast buffalo, fat side up, on V-rack in a 17- by 12- by 2-inch flameproof roasting pan in middle of oven 15 minutes (use a 13- by 9- by 2-inch flameproof roasting pan for beef, which is taller and narrower than buffalo).

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and add 1/2 cup water to roasting pan, then continue to roast meat 30 minutes more. Brush meat with some of glaze and add 1/2 cup water to pan, then continue to roast, brushing with glaze and adding 1/2 cup water to pan every 15 minutes, until thermometer inserted into center of roast (do not touch bone) registers 125°F, 2 to 2 1/4 hours more (115°F for beef, 1 3/4 to 2 hours more). Transfer meat to a large platter and let stand, uncovered, 25 minutes. (Meat will continue to cook as it stands, reaching about 135°F for medium-rare buffalo or 130°F for medium-rare beef.)

Make jus while meat stands:
If using buffalo, straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add red wine and Madeira and deglaze pan by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits,2 minutes. Add broth and boil until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 3 minutes. (If using beef, pour pan juices into a 1-quart fat-separator pitcher or glass measure and skim off fat, then pour juices back into pan. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners and deglaze pan by boiling juices over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 8 minutes. Add red wine and Madeira and boil until reduced to about 2/3 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Add broth and boil until reduced to about 2 cups, about 6 minutes.)

Stir in any buffalo or beef juices accumulated on platter and season jus with salt, if necessary. Pour jus through a fine-mesh sieve into a gravy boat and keep warm, covered.

Carve roast and serve with jus.

Makes 6 (side-dish) servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2tablespoons olive oil
• 2very large onions, halved, sliced (about 4 cups)
• 1large carrot, coarsely grated
• 1teaspoon ground cumin
• 1garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
• 4cups canned low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 16-ounce bag fresh baby spinach

DIRECTIONS Heat oil in heavy large wide pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until tender and deep brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup onion slices to small bowl and reserve. Add carrot, cumin, and garlic to onions in pot; stir 1 minute. Stir in rice. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir spinach into rice mixture; cover and cook until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pilaf to bowl; top with reserved 1/2 cup onion slices.