Pearl Onion

The sweet sharpness of both the orange juice and the balsamic vinegar combines with the natural sugars in the onions to create a delicious snack that's perfect to serve with cocktails, as an addition to an antipasto assortment, or as an accompaniment to roasted meats.

The cooking time of lentils varies — the fresher they are, the faster they will cook.

Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

Cipolline in Agrodolce These onions — an homage to New York's Italian-American communities — are great as part of an antipasto or as a condiment for salty meats such as baked ham or duck confit. Although they are hard to resist as soon as they are cooked, the flavors continue to develop over a few days. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr (plus 1 day for flavors to develop)

Stifado, a hearty Greek stew, can be made with almost any kind of meat, though beef is most common. Here we use lamb. It always involves either red wine or red-wine vinegar or both, herbs, and copious quantities of small whole onions.

For optimum browning, roast this dish in the upper third of your oven.

Boeuf bourguignon may be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered (it tastes even better made ahead because it gives the flavors time to develop). If making ahead, it's easier to remove fat from surface after chilling.

You may have to ask your butcher to reserve the marrow bones for this luxurious main course , but the result is well worth the effort. Roasted potatoes and steamed spinach make perfect accompaniments. Begin preparing this a day ahead.

Pre-marinated pork tenderloins can be found in the supermarket meat section. To round out the meal, add a romaine salad dressed with Dijon vinaigrette and a basket of warm cranberry-corn muffins; finish with wedges of apple pie and sharp cheddar cheese.

Brining results in moist, tender meat. Be sure to use a large center-cut loin, which cooks more evenly than two smaller pieces tied together. Begin this recipe one day ahead. What to drink: A medium-bodied fruity red, such as Merlot, or a fruity white, such as Australian Sémillon.

Although having your guests shell their own shrimp can be a messy proposition, the result of grilling shrimp in the shell-unbelievable succulence-is worth it!

(Braised Chicken with Vinegar and Tarragon)

At New York's Nosmo King (the name is a clever twist on "no smoking"), Alan Harding does a terrific job of cooking upscale food with almost entirely organic ingredients.