Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds waxy potatoes (such as Yukon gold or Yellow Finn), peeled
3 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup creme fraiche
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped chives

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the garlic all over the inside of a 3-quart baking dish, then mince it. Grease the dish with about 1/2 tablespoon butter.
2. Slice the potatoes about 1/8 inch thick (a mandoline works well). Combine in a large saucepan with the minced garlic, the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, the half-and-half, creme fraiche, flour, thyme, mace, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the chives and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, shaking it to distribute the potatoes evenly. Bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 1 hour 5 minutes, occasionally spooning some of the liquid over the top. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
4. You can also make the scalloped potatoes in individual ramekins; bake about 40 minutes.

Serves 8.

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Ingredients

2 medium pineapples, peeled lengthwise, cored, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/4 cup cup country-style mustard
1 smoked, bone-in ham (10 pounds), trimmed of excess skin and all but a 1/4-inch layer of fat
40 whole cloves
1 cup cup dry white wine
Mustard greens, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Bring pineapples, sugar, and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, skimming foam. Cook until pineapples are translucent and mixture has reduced to 4 cups, 60 to 80 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool. Stir in mustard. (Glaze will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 3 days.)
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lowest position.
3. Score ham with a sharp knife in a pattern of 1 1/4-inch diamonds. Press a clove into the center of each diamond. Place ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan; drizzle wine over top. Coat ham with half the glaze. Cover with parchment, then foil, and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven.
4. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Uncover ham, and coat with remaining glaze (some will fall to the bottom of the pan). Bake, uncovered, basting occasionally, until browned, 40 to 45 minutes. (Tent bone with foil if it becomes too dark.)
5. Transfer ham to a cutting board; let rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Serve with pan drippings and pineapple. Garnish with mustard greens if desired.

Serves 8-10.

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Ingredients

1 pound medium asparagus
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 ounces mixed spring lettuces
One 1 1/2-ounce piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon of the oil and the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for about 8 minutes, until just tender and the tips begin to turn brown.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the mustard and the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, toss the lettuces with all but 2 tablespoons of the dressing.
4. Arrange the salad on plates and top with the roasted asparagus and cheese curls. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the asparagus and serve.

Serves 6.

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Ingredients

For shrimp butter
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup minced onion
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
For toast points
10 slices firm white sandwich bread, crusts discarded and each slice cut to form 4 triangles
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Garnish: whole cooked shrimp

Directions

1. Make shrimp butter: Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shrimp with salt and black pepper, stirring, until just cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a food processor, reserving skillet (do not clean).
2. Cook onion in 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape onions into processor and cool mixture to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
3. Add lemon juice, cayenne, and remaining 9 tablespoons butter and pulse until shrimp are finely chopped. Pack shrimp butter into a 2-cup ramekin or serving bowl and chill, its surface covered with plastic wrap, at least 6 hours (to allow flavors to develop).
4. Bring to room temperature 45 minutes before serving.
5. Make toast points: Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
6. Brush 1 side of bread triangles lightly with melted butter and toast, buttered sides up, in a large shallow baking pan until golden around edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve toast points with shrimp butter.

Serves 10.

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Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons cider vinegar or white-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
8 cups mixed salad greens
4 1/2-inch slices whole-wheat country bread, toasted
1 2-pound roasted chicken, (hot or cold), skin discarded, sliced into large pieces

Directions

1. Mince one garlic clove and whisk with vinegar, oil and olives in a medium bowl. Toss greens in the dressing to coat well.
2. Rub each bread slice with the remaining garlic clove. (Discard garlic.) Divide the salad among 4 plates, place chicken on top and serve with the bread.

Serves 4.

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