Cured Meat

Using a freshly made ricotta makes all the difference in these delicious fried morsels.

This hearty stew is brightened by a sprinkling of lemon peel and chopped fresh parsley.

For a classic side, heat drained canned white beans with olive oil, chopped garlic, and chopped fresh sage. What to drink: A full-bodied red wine with black cherry flavors and hints of pepper, like Ravenswood 2002 Monte Rosso Zinfandel from Sonoma ($32).

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Glory of Southern Cooking by James Villas. As Villas explains, hoppin' John is eaten on New Year's Day because black-eyed peas look like coins and are considered lucky. Wanna know why this age-old dish of black-eyed peas and rice is eaten all over the South on New Year's Day to bring good luck? Because the peas look like little coins that swell when cooked, that's why. (Some say for ultimate success and prosperity, you should eat exactly 365 peas.) Stories abound about the obscure origins of the name hoppin' John, one being that, in antebellum days, a certain lame black cook named John hopped about a plantation kitchen on one leg while preparing the dish. Of course, the debate rages from region to region over the correct approaches to hoppin' John. Must the peas be served with rice? Should they actually be cooked with rice? Are tomatoes a key ingredient, and if so, should they be stewed and spooned over the peas and rice or simply chopped raw over the top? Should the peas be cooked till they're almost mushy or just al dente? Herbs added? Everything cooked in a saucepan or cast–iron skillet? Here's the way I do hoppin' John, which is wonderful with baked spareribs or braised country ham or chitlins — or anything else you can think of.

Epicurious asked chef Tom Colicchio for this recipe from 'Wichcraft, the sandwich shop in his growing collection of Craft restaurants. It's the perfect way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey — and a good excuse to roast a turkey any time of year. To create those leftovers, try Tom Colicchio's Herb-Butter Turkey.

Chunks of bacon give this English classic newfound appeal.

If crawfish are hard to find, shrimp make a good stand-in.

This is the ultimate turkey sandwich.

This elegant soup doesn't look or taste anything like leftovers.

Lewis Rossman of Half Moon Bay, California, writes: "I'm a chef, and Mediterranean is probably the best way to describe the kind of cooking I do at my restaurant, Cetrella. There's an emphasis on seafood, plus several dishes inspired by places I've visited like Provence and Catalonia. This is one of my favorite recipes from the menu. It also happens to be the thing I make at home all the time." Thinly sliced lemon — peel and all — gives this dish bright flavor. (No need to peel the lemon since roasting softens the rind.)

What to drink: Roberto Santibañez recommends a Petite Sirah (a full-bodied, peppery red wine varietal) from L.A. Cetto in Mexico's Guadelupe Valley. Or try the Guenoc Petite Sirah from California's North Coast.

Dallas chef Kent Rathbun created this recipe for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. It makes an elegant first course for Thanksgiving dinner.

There's lots of bold flavor in this hearty stuffing, which, though inspired by a classic Italian combination, happens to work in perfect concert with everything on the American holiday table. Baking it in a wide dish yields plenty of crusty top for everyone.

Don't be surprised if these spears prove even more popular than the classic mash—they brown up beautifully, and it's hard to resist the siren call of bacon.

These tiny birds, stuffed with creamy goat cheese, make fun yet elegant turkey stand-ins. Since the quail are small and there's not much meat on each one, plan on serving guests two to three per person, and encourage them to chew the meat off the bones rather than trying to cut it off with a knife and fork.

Hearty and full of flavor, these open-face egg sandwiches (large crostini) are even great for dinner.