Soup/Stew

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The cooking water for these beans becomes a flavorful broth to serve them in.

A thick, rich soup that's very satisfying on a cold day, especially with warm tortillas or biscuits alongside.

Puréed ancho chilies lend a rich, sweet, and only mildly hot flavor to this chili. To make a hotter dish, do not remove the veins or seeds from the chilies. If anchos or similar dried chilies are not readily available, substitute one roasted and peeled red bell pepper and 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes when puréeing.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Japanese connoisseurs of the noodle hold soba, made primarily of buckwheat flour, in particularly high regard. Here the nutty taste of the soba noodles is set off by a restorative broth in which miso is a savory option. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For this recipe, the lamb chops are frenched all the way down to the eye of the meat-which involves completely trimming the layers of fat and thin layer of meat that surround the eye and scraping the bones clean of fat and meat. You may want to have this done by your butcher.

This hearty winter stew has rich, deep flavors that improve if the stew rests in the refrigerator overnight. what to drink: Rioja, Syrah, or any medium-bodied red wine with soft berry fruit and some spice.

Teri Carpenter of Albuquerque, New Mexico, writes: "On a trip to British Columbia, we dined at Blue Heron Inn, on Porpoise Bay, in Sechelt. They served a fabulous onion and fennel bisque. Could you get the chef to share the recipe with Gourmet?" This bisque is so lush that demitasse cups make an ideal serving size. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

For more information about forming tortellini, see Wrapped Around Your Little Finger. Active time: 3 hr Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr

Country bread and a salad of thickly sliced tomatoes sprinkled with oil, vinegar and crumbled bacon complete the supper. Strawberry tarts make a lovely finale.

Dhall Curry In this recipe, the legacy of Cape Town, South Africa's Indian immigrants is apparent.