Parsnip

This wintry soup can be enhanced with any sausage you like. We find it a great dish in which to use the lowfat turkey sausages now available. The blue cheese corn bread and a green salad make ideal accompaniments. Finish with ripe pears.

In addition to the fried parsnip the executive chef at Ashford Castle, Denis Lenihan, often adorns this soup with a poached carved apple.

An excellent complement to roast pork.

The gentle sweetness of this simple side dish goes well with the slightly spicy flank steak .

Here's an updated coq au vin that's from Fringale in San Francisco.

This mixture of vegetables is subtly flavored with apple juice and wine.

This is an adaptation of a recipe by Claire Winslow at The Would Bar & Grill in Highland, New York. Winslow and her partner, Debra Dooley, have found that their clientele is becoming more interested in meatless entrées, especially homey ones like this fricassee. Its great with buttermilk biscuits.

Nice with grilled or roasted meat, fish or fowl.

This recipe yields enough to have leftovers the next day. Serve with glasses of beer or Zinfandel for a warming autumn supper.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 35 min

Maple syrup, marjoram, coriander seeds, and lemon peel flavor a do-ahead butter that is spread on the turkey before baking. That same butter is also added to the Madeira-laced gravy. Grape clusters or steamed baby vegetables, such as carrots and squash, make a pretty garnish for the platter.