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Cut bacon into dices, then cook in a pot over moderate heat, stirring, until fat begins to render, 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden (about 10 minutes). Add wine and boil until reduced by half (1 to 2 minutes). Cook spaghetti in a 6 to 8 quart pot of boiling salted water. While pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, Pecorino, 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Drain spaghetti “al dente” and add to onion mixture, then toss with tongs over moderate heat until coated. Remove from heat and add egg mixture, tossing to combine. Serve immediately.

bacon; 1 medium onion finely chopped; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 400 gr spaghetti; 3 large eggs; Parmisan cheese finely grated (3/4 cup); Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated (1/3 cup); Moliterno Pecorino cheese; 1 teaspoon Sechuan black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon salt

Lamb and Orange Khoresh - 4 organic oranges, about 700 grams (1 1/2 pounds) total - 30g (2 tablespoons) butter - 2 tablespoons sugar - 1 tablespoon olive oil - 1.8 kilos (4 pounds) lamb, half from the shoulder and half from the neck (bone-in), cut into 4-cm (1 1/2-inch) cubes - 400 grams (14 ounces) yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon - 4 pods green cardamom, smashed with the blade of a knife - a pinch saffron threads (optional) - 1 lime - 600 grams (1 1/3 pounds) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced - 2 tablespoons orange flower water - 40 grams (1/3 cup) unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped - a handful of fresh mint leaves - salt, pepper Serves 6.

Prepare the candied orange peel. Wash 3 of the oranges well and use a vegetable peeler to peel off the very surface of their peel: the goal is to get the orange part and as little of the white as possible. Cut the peel in matchstick-size strips (I use kitchen shears). Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan, add the orange peel and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and return to the pan. Add the butter, sugar, and a good pinch of salt. Melt over medium heat and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the pan smells like salted butter caramel and the strips are lightly browned. Don't overcook or they will be bitter. Lift the peels from the pan with tongs or a slotted spoon, letting the melted butter drip down, and transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to cool. Reserve the butter that remains at the bottom of the pan. (This can be made a day ahead.)

Cook the stew. Heat the oil and reserved butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I use my cast-iron cocotte) over medium heat. Add the meat without crowding (you may have to work in two batches) and cook for a few minutes on each side until browned. Set aside on a plate. Pour in a little water to deglaze the bottom of the pot, add the onions, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook for a few minutes, until soft. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, and saffron, and cook for a minute to toast the spices. In the meantime, squeeze the juice from the lime and 2 of the oranges (one of them now naked). Return the meat to the pot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour in the citrus juices, and add a little water so the liquids almost cover the meat but not quite. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every once in a while. Add the carrots 30 minutes before the end of the cooking. Segment the 2 remaining oranges and add the segments to the pot 10 minutes before the end of the cooking. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the orange flower water at the last minute, and serve with basmati rice (I opted for brown basmati rice) and a sprinkle of candied orange peel, pistachios, and mint cut into strips -- I just passed these toppings around in small bowls for each guest to help himself.

1 1/2-ounce bunch fresh mint 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced 4 to 6 (depending on size) perfectly ripe tomatoes

1. Pick the leaves from the branches of mint, wash thoroughly and chop finely. 2. In a non-metallic serving bowl, mix the mint leaves with the olive oil, orange juice, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. 3. Slice the tomatoes and place in the dressing, turning the slices so that they are evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Carottes et Betteraves Râpées - 450 grams (1 pound) carrots - 450 grams (1 pound) uncooked beetroots (get small, young ones, with smooth skin and firm flesh) - 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic paste - 1 tablespoon hazelnut oil (or walnut, or squash seed, or olive oil) - 1 tablespoon honey vinegar (or cider or balsamic vinegar) - 1 teaspoon strong Dijon mustard - Tabasco sauce or poblano pepper flakes, to taste - Smoked salt (or regular sea salt, or gomasio, or zaatar) - Freshly ground black pepper Optional add-ins: - Leafy fresh herbs (cilantro, chervil, flat-leaf parsley), chopped - Toasted nuts (almonds, pine nuts, cashews, peanuts) or seeds (sesame, sunflower seeds), or better yet, my new friend the dukkah - Shaved parmesan or cubed feta cheese or crumbled blue cheese - Mâche or baby spinach leaves - A grated apple or shallot - Any dried herb, spice, or spice mix you think might work (and you know there's only one way to find out) Serves 4 to 6. Trim, peel, and grate the carrots and beets. (If you own a food processor with a grater attachment, yay for you!) Place the rest of the main ingredients, from garlic to black pepper, in a large salad bowl, add the grated carrots and beets, and toss until well combined. Add any desired add-ins and toss again. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and let stand for 30 minutes, if you can, before serving: the beets and carrots will render juices that will make the salad moister. If you don't have that kind of time and the salad does not feel quite moist enough, add a dash of citrus juice, tomato juice, or any sort of juice that may currently reside in the refrigerator door.

Gratin Dauphinois - 1 kg (2.2 pounds) potatoes, a mix of waxy and baking potatoes (if you prefer to use only one type, pick waxy potatoes, not too firm) - 500 ml (2 cups) milk (whole or part-skim, not skim) - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt - freshly grated nutmeg - 1 clove garlic, sliced lengthwise - 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives (optional) - 60 ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream (marketed as double cream in the UK and crème fraîche liquide in France) Serves 6 as a side dish. Peel the potatoes, rinse them briefly, and slice them thinly (about 3mm or 1/10th of an inch) and evenly. (A food processor or a mandoline come in handy at this point.) Do not rinse after slicing, or you will lose all that precious starch. Combine the sliced potatoes, milk, salt and a good grating of nutmeg in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and keep simmering for 8 minutes, stirring the potatoes and scraping the bottom of the pan regularly to prevent sticking/scorching. The milk will gradually thicken to a creamy consistency. While the potatoes are simmering, preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) and rub the bottom and sides of a medium earthenware or glass baking dish (I use an oval dish that's 26 cm/10 inches at its widest, and 2 liters/2 quarts in capacity) with the cut sides of the garlic clove. Transfer half of the potatoes into the baking dish, sprinkle with the chives if using, and drizzle with half of the cream. Add the rest of the potatoes, pour the cooking milk over them, and drizzle with the remaining cream. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until bubbly on the edges and nicely browned at the top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. You can also bake the gratin a few hours ahead, let cool, and reheat for 15 minutes in a 220°C (430°F) oven before serving