When Southerners like Birmingham chef Frank Stitt talk about field peas, they mean small shelling beans, such as black-eyed peas. (Crowder peas and lady peas also qualify, but they’re less common.) When field peas are fresh, in summer, Chef Stitt, a 1999 Workshop attendee, shows them off in this salad, tossing them with grilled corn cut from the cob, tomato, grilled red onion, and herbs. Serve the salad when you’re also grilling salmon, sausages, or pork chops, or with Brian’s Grilled Mahimahi with Preserved Lemon Butter (page 113). If you can’t find fresh black-eyed peas, use dried ones, soaked overnight, then simmered gently until tender.
An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.
A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.