Sunday Roast Supper

Serves 8

Granny Smiths are the best choice because they hold their shape nicely and are tart. Other apples that hold their shape when cooked, such as Cortlands, can also be used in this recipe. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter 9-inch cake pan.

For the Apples

2. Place butter in large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Once butter has stopped foaming, add sugar and stir to combine. Continue to cook until sugar turns dark brown (it should look like dark brown sugar), about 2 minutes, swirling pan occasionally. Add salt and apples and fold with spatula to combine. Cook, stirring often, until apples have softened slightly and juices are thickened and syrupy, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from heat and spoon apples into prepared cake pan.

For the Cake

3. In small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sour cream, egg, yolk, and vanilla until well combined.

4. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Use electric mixer on low speed for 15 seconds to blend. Add butter and remaining 1/4 cup sour cream and mix on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Add sour cream/egg mixture and beat on medium-high, scraping down sides of bowl, until batter is homogeneous and fluffy, about 1 minute.

5. Spoon batter over apples and gently spread out to thin layer that covers apples. Bake until cake is dark golden brown, feels set, and cake tester comes out clean when inserted in center, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes.

6. Place serving plate over top of pan and invert. Let cake sit inverted for about 1 minute without tapping or shaking pan. Cake will slowly detach itself. Once cake is on platter, gently remove pan. Serve warm (not hot) or at room temperature.

Serves 8 to 10

This casserole is perfect with roast beef.

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place potatoes in large pot and add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring potatoes to boil over high heat, then lower heat to maintain gentle simmer. Cook until potatoes are just barely tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Drain potatoes. When cool enough to handle (5 to 8 minutes), peel potatoes with paring knife. Shred potatoes using shredding attachment of food processor or large holes on box grater. Place shredded potatoes in large bowl and set aside.

3. Bring cream and broth to simmer in small saucepan. Remove pan from heat and stir in garlic, butter, and Parmesan. Pour cream mixture into bowl with potatoes and stir to combine. Stir in salt and pepper. Scrape potato mixture into 2-quart oval baking dish and sprinkle with cheddar.

4. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until top is nicely browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

Be careful not to overprocess the peas. They can go from smashed to pureed in seconds.

1. Bring broth, peas, lettuce, mint, butter, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and cook until peas are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Transfer to food processor and pulse until coarsely mashed, about ten 1-second pulses Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 8 biscuits

Bake the biscuits immediately after cutting them. Allowing them to stand for any length of time can decrease the leavening power of the baking powder and prevent the biscuits from rising properly in the oven.

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Add 1 1/4 cups cream and stir with wooden spoon until dough forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer dough from bowl to countertop, leaving dry, floury bits in bowl. In 1-tablespoon increments, add up to 1/4 cup cream to dry bits in bowl, mixing with wooden spoon after each addition, until moistened. Add moistened bits to rest of dough and knead by hand just until smooth, about 30 seconds.

3. Pat dough into 8-inch circle, cut into wedges, and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake until just beginning to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons remaining cheese on each biscuit, and return to oven, rotating baking sheet from front to back. Bake until golden brown and cheese topping has melted, 7 to 9 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 6 to 8

A heavy, deep-sided (3-inch) roasting pan is the best choice for this recipe, but a shallow broiler pan also works well. If you plan to make the Cuban sandwiches (see related recipe), slice off and reserve a half-pound piece of the roast at the beginning of step 4; if wrapped tightly, it will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Trim outer fat from pork, leaving 1/8-inch-thick layer. Combine garlic, pepper, salt, rosemary, sage, and fennel seeds in small bowl. Tie pork roast tightly into uniform shape. Rub with herb mixture.

2. Transfer to roasting pan and cook 3 hours. Scatter onion wedges around meat, tossing onions in pan drippings to coat. (If roast has not produced any juices, toss onions with oil.) Continue roasting until meat is extremely tender and skewer inserted into center meets no resistance, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. (Check pan juices every hour to make sure they have not evaporated. If necessary, add 2 cups water to pan and stir browned bits into water.)

3. Transfer roast to large baking dish, place onions in medium bowl, and pour pan drippings into liquid measuring cup, adding enough water to measure 1 1/2 cups. Allow all to cool 30 minutes, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

4. One hour before serving, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Cut cold meat into 1/4-inch slices and overlap in large baking dish. Spoon fat layer off drippings (discard fat) and transfer drippings and reserved onions to medium saucepan. Add cider, jelly, and vinegar and bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to simmer. Spoon 1/2 cup simmering sauce over pork slices and cover baking dish with foil. Place in oven and heat until very hot, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, continue reducing sauce until dark and thickened, 10 to 15 minutes (reheat mixture just before serving pork). Serve pork, spooning onion mixture over meat or passing at table.