What We Eat When We Eat Alone Part 3

3. Cook in your panini maker or in a skillet until the bread is crispy and the cheese melts. When a wave of melted cheese hits the hot surface, there's a bonus tang, but don't let it burn. Slice it diagonally-it's easier to eat that way and it looks jaunty, too.

English m.u.f.fin with (spiceless) Ragu and Sharp Cheddar Feel free to add spice. Well, not spice, exactly, but herbs -oregano, minced rosemary, torn basil leaves, chopped parsley. They do make everything taste so much more interesting. And if you have tapenade on hand, spread some over the toasted m.u.f.fin before adding the cheese.

1 ENGLISH m.u.f.fIN.

GRATED SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE.

34 CUP TOMATO SAUCE OR RAGU, WARMED PEPPER.

CHOPPED FRESH HERBS.

Toast the m.u.f.fin, then lightly cover both halves with cheese. Divide the tomato sauce between the two halves, cover with a little more cheese, and heat in a toaster oven until the cheese starts to bubble and melt. Season with pepper and liberal pinches of chopped herbs.

Roasted Potato Wedges with Red Chile These chile-dusted potatoes are simple and good. Use pure ground chile, such as New Mexican molido, or whatever your favorite chile substance is, and add it once the potatoes are tender so that it doesn't burn and take on a bitter taste. These are excellent with cooked greens (chard, spinach, and kale) and all kinds of sauces (garlic mayonnaise and romesco sauce), fried eggs, and alongside chicken or meat. They'd also be a great addition to the breakfast burrito.

1 OR 2 RUSSET POTATOES.

OLIVE OIL OR CANOLA OIL.

SALT.

GROUND RED CHILE (NEW MEXICAN MOLIDO), SMOKED PAPRIKA, OR GROUND CHIPOTLE.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish, such as a ceramic gratin dish or a sheet pan, as potatoes tend to stick.

2. Neatly peel the potatoes; cut them in half lengthwise and then into quarters lengthwise to make long pieces. Toss them with a teaspoon or two of oil and several pinches of salt so that they're well coated but not dripping with oil. Make a single layer of potatoes in your dish and bake until a pale gold crust has formed and the flesh feels tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes.

3. Remove and sprinkle with chile, starting with 14 teaspoon and adding more, to taste; add additional salt, also to taste.

Grilled Cheese and Green Chile Sandwich For fans of Southwestern flavors, it's hard to find a better grilled cheese than one that includes a long, roasted green chile.

1 OR 2 ROASTED LONG GREEN CHILES OR POBLANO CHILES, BELOW.

2 SLICES BREAD.

GRATED OR SLICED CHEESE TO COVER, SUCH AS MONTERREY JACK OR MUENSTER.

CHOPPED CILANTRO.

b.u.t.tER OR OLIVE OIL.

1. Remove the stem, skin, and seeds from the roasted chile(s), then tear the flesh into long strips.

2. Cover one piece of bread with enough cheese to reach nearly to the edge. Add the chile, chopped cilantro, and more cheese. Top with the second piece of bread and brush with olive oil. Put it in a hot skillet and cook over medium-low heat until the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted. Press on it a few times with a spatula while it's cooking. When golden brown on the bottom, turn it over and cook the second side until golden brown.

How to Roast Green Chile Regardless of whether its sweet or hot, you can roast a pepper by turning on your burner, putting the pepper right in the flame, and leaving it there until the skin is charred. You'll have to turn it this way and that to make sure the whole chile is. .h.i.t with the flame. Drop it in a bowl and cover with a plate to steam for 10 minutes or longer. Next, pull off the charred skins (try to avoid just was.h.i.+ng away the flavor under running water, which is easier), slit them, and sc.r.a.pe out the seeds unless you want more heat, in which case, leave them in.

Potato and Green Chile Stew The Quaker cowboy selected mashed potatoes with green chile as one of his eat-alone dishes. This thick and hearty stew retains that timeless combination but is more of a main dish. You could mash it, if you like, or add another cup or two of liquid to turn it into a soup. The sour cream softens the chile's heat and brings everything into a delicious and balanced mouthful.

1 OR 2 LONG GREEN CHILES OR POBLANO CHILES, ROASTED AND PEELED (SEE GRILLED CHEESE AND GREEN CHILE SANDWICH).

1 TABLESPOON SUNFLOWER SEED OIL OR OTHER VEGETABLE OIL.

1 SMALL ONION, DICED.

12 TEASPOON GROUND CORIANDER 14 TEASPOON GROUND c.u.mIN 1 GARLIC CLOVE, MINCED.

1 LARGE RUSSET OR 5 SMALLER POTATOES (A SCANT POUND) PEELED AND CHOPPED INTO 112-INCH CHUNKS SALT AND PEPPER.

1 CUP WATER OR CHICKEN STOCK.

SOUR CREAM TO FINISH.

CHOPPED CILANTRO TO FINISH.

1. Chop the chiles coa.r.s.ely. Heat the oil in a wide pot; add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the coriander, c.u.min, garlic, and potatoes, followed by the chile along with 12 teaspoon salt and give a stir. Cook together for a few minutes, then add the water or stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.

2. Cover and cook until the potatoes are completely softened, about 25 minutes. Taste for salt and season with pepper. At this point you can mash the potatoes, or at least a few of them to give the dish a creamy sort of background, if desired.

3. Pour into a bowl; add a dollop of sour cream and the chopped cilantro.

Tomatillo Salsa This is enough tangy green sauce to a.s.semble chilaquiles verdes for the course of a week, which is great if you're the kind of person who likes to eat the same thing over and over. Make half as much if that thought doesn't appeal to you.

2 POUNDS TOMATILLOS.

2 OR MORE JALAPEnOS (DEPENDING ON WHETHER THEY'RE HOT), STEMMED AND QUARTERED, SEEDS LEFT IN FOR A HOTTER SAUCE 1 BUNCH GREEN ONIONS, INCLUDING A LITTLE GREEN, ROUGHLY CHOPPED.

1 LARGE GARLIC CLOVE.

HANDFUL OF CILANTRO, ROUGHLY CHOPPED.

SALT.

3 CUPS WATER OR CHICKEN BROTH.

SUNFLOWER SEED OR VEGETABLE OIL.

1. Remove the tomatillo husks and rinse the fruits. Put them in a skillet or on a sheet pan; broil until charred in places, about 10 to 15 minutes in all. Give the pan a shake every 4 minutes or so, making sure that the tomatillos brown and blister in places.

2. Throw the tomatillos in a blender with the jalapenos, green onions, garlic, cilantro, 12 teaspoon salt, and the water or broth. Puree until smooth.

3. Our solo cook stopped at this point and stashed his sauce in the refrigerator, but you can take the raw edge off the garlic and onions by briefly cooking the sauce: heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a pot or skillet, add the sauce and cook at a slow boil while stirring for five minutes. Let cool, then taste for salt.

Chilaquiles Berdes Chilaquiles, a soul-satisfying dish, is a.s.sembled on the stove within minutes once you have your tomatillo salsa. Amounts of cheese and sour cream and all of that are entirely up to you, and if you like, you can top it all with a fried egg. The most important thing is to not let the chips stay in the sauce so long that they get soggy, so you'll want to have everything grated, crumbled, and chopped, plus a warm plate.

1 TO 1-12 CUPS TOMATILLO SALSA 2 HANDFULS TORTILLA CHIPS, PREFERABLY THICK MEXICAN-STYLE CHIPS.

A HANDFUL GRATED MONTEREY JACK.

A LITTLE CRUMBLED CHEESE FOR SHARPNESS, SUCH AS COTIJA, FETA, OR PARMESAN.

COOKED CHORIZO SAUSAGE (OPTIONAL).

SOUR CREAM OR MEXICAN CREMA, LOOSENED WITH A FORK.

CILANTRO LEAVES, THINLY SLICED WHITE ONION, OR PICKLED ONION RINGS FOR GARNISH.

Choose a skillet that's large enough to hold everything comfortably, such as an 8-inch cast-iron or nonstick pan. Bring the sauce to a boil in the pan, then add the chips and stir them into the sauce with a rubber spatula. Get them well coated and, at the most, just slightly softened. Sc.r.a.pe everything onto a heated plate, scatter the cheeses and sausage (if using) over the top, then drizzle over sour cream and finish with a flourish of cilantro and sliced onion. Enjoy without a moment's hesitation.

Dan's Spicy Tapenade Makes 1 heaping cup This is the ingredient that has guided so much of Dan Welch's cooking, whether for himself alone or for others. If you like tapenade too, you'll find many places to use it. Some suggestions are given below. It keeps for at least a week or two in the refrigerator.

12 POUND MIXED BLACK OLIVES (ABOUT 112 CUPS) 14 CUP CAPERS, BRIEFLY RINSED 4 ANCHOVIES (UNLESS YOU'RE A VEGETARIAN) 14 CUP GOOD OLIVE OIL OR MORE, AS NEEDED TO LOOSEN THE MIXTURE 2 SMALL GARLIC CLOVES, FINELY CHOPPED.

GRATED ZEST AND JUICE OF 1 LARGE LEMON.

1 TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES OR A FEW TWISTS OF BLACK PEPPER.

1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED PARSLEY.

Remove the pits from the olives if they aren't already pitted. You should end up with about a cup. Chop them by hand or in a food processor, leaving the olives a bit coa.r.s.e. Add the rest of the ingredients except the parsley, and pulse, leaving some texture; you don't want mush. You might need to add a little additional olive oil to loosen the mixture. Stir in the parsley and you're ready to go.

Uses for Tapenade Spread on crackers with white bean puree, goat cheese, or nothing at all. Slather on bread in a grilled cheese sandwich or just about any panini. Serve with hard-boiled eggs and little tomatoes. Toss with egg pasta, using extra oil or some of the hot pasta water. Serve with raw vegetables. Serve with the seared tuna.

Open-Faced Melted Cheese Sandwich with Tapenade The grilled cheese sandwich changes form here, becoming open faced and including, along with the cheese, a thick layer of tapenade, sliced tomatoes, and cuc.u.mbers, all piled on old-world levain bread. It's too messy to hold, so you might want to add a second slice of bread, toasted or not, to eat the sandwich in a more or less mannerly fas.h.i.+on. Serve with pickled onion rings and coleslaw.

1 OR 2 SLICES LEVAIN BREAD OR OTHER RUSTIC BREAD.

MUENSTER, MOZZARELLA, AGED CHEDDAR, OR YOUR FAVORITE CHEESE, THINLY SLICED.

DAN'S SPICY TAPENADE SLICED TOMATOES.

CHOPPED CILANTRO AND JALAPEnO CHILE.

SLICED CUc.u.mBERS.

Lay the cheese on the bread and toast it in a toaster oven until the cheese is bubbly and starting to melt. Remove and spread a thick layer of tapenade over the cheese, then add a layer of sliced tomatoes. Chop the cilantro and chiles together, sprinkle over the tomatoes, then top with cuc.u.mbers. You probably won't need salt because of the tapenade. Add a second layer of bread if you like, toasted or not. Slice in half. Have a lot of napkins nearby.

Salsa Fresca Makes about 12 cup Although it's easily purchased, those who love salsa and find it indispensable often prefer to make their own. This is the one to eat with Dan's poisoned eggs, a burrito, or stirred into a bowl of pinto beans. It's also for chips. Although salsa fresca will keep, it's much better eaten sooner than later.

2 MEDIUM RIPE RED TOMATOES.

1 JALAPEnO CHILE OR SERRANO, FOR MORE HEAT AND MORE FLAVOR.

10 CILANTRO SPRIGS, CHOPPED.

2 OR MORE TABLESPOONS FINELY DICED WHITE OR RED ONION.

SALT.

FRESH LIME JUICE, TO TASTE.

A FEW TEASPOONS COLD WATER OR OLIVE OIL.

Cut the tomatoes in half around the equator, pull out the seeds with your fingers, then chop the tomatoes into small pieces and put them in a bowl. Finely dice either chile, including the seeds, to give the salsa more heat. Add them to the tomatoes along with the cilantro, onion, and a few pinches of salt. Stir in the lime juice to taste and add enough water or olive oil to loosen the mixture.

Frijoles, or Pretty Plain Pinto Beans for Frito Pies, Burritos, and More Makes about 5 cups Once you've got cooked pinto beans on hand, you can enjoy a hot bowl of them laced with a salsa fresca use them to make a Frito pie or drain them, mash them up a bit, and put them in a burrito or turn them into a soup. You can also freeze some for another time if you've made more than you can contemplate eating over the course of a few days.

If you want your beans to have a smoky flavor, stir in some smoked Spanish paprika, starting with a teaspoon and working up from there.

2 CUPS DRY PINTO BEANS, RINSED.

1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED.

2 GARLIC CLOVES, CHOPPED.

1 TEASPOON DRIED OREGANO.

SALT.

1 TEASPOON SMOKED PAPRIKA, PLUS MORE, TO TASTE.

COTIJA OR CHEDDAR CHEESE, FOR SERVING.

1. To speed the cooking time, first cover the beans with boiling water and let them stand for an hour or just while you chop your onion and gather ingredients. Then, drain the beans.

2. Put the beans in a soup pot, cover with 8 cups (2 quarts) water, and boil for 10 minutes. Remove any foam that collects on the surface, then add the onion, garlic, and oregano. Lower the heat so the beans barely boil and continue cooking, partially covered, until they're tender, 1 to 112 hours, adding 2 teaspoons salt about halfway through.

3. When the beans are done, taste for salt again. Add smoked paprika to taste if using. Serve in bowls with their broth, fresh tomato salsa, and a sprinkling of cheese, such as Cotija or Cheddar.

Some Variations 1. Slowly fry a sliced onion in two tablespoons oil with several pinches dried oregano and 1 teaspoon ground c.u.min. Then add the beans and water, and cook.

2. Add a dried red chile to the pot while the beans cook. You can stem and seed the chile first or not.

3. If you're handy with a pressure cooker, skip the soaking and cook the beans with the aromatics at 15 pounds for 25 minutes. Drop the pressure, remove the lid, and check to make sure they're done. If not, return the lid, bring the pot back up to pressure, and cook 5minutes longer.

Breakfast Burrito for Day or Night This is a simple burrito consisting of eggs softly scrambled in b.u.t.ter and enfolded in a big warm whole-wheat tortilla flecked with bits of bran. Leave it plain or add your favorite salsa.

You'll need two skillets, one for the tortilla and the other for the eggs. You'll be warming the tortilla and making the eggs at the same time. It's no big deal.

1 LARGE TORTILLA, PREFERABLY WHOLE WHEAT.

2 OR 3 FRESH EGGS.

SALT.

1 TABLESPOON b.u.t.tER.

GRATED JACK OR CHEDDAR CHEESE OR CRUMBLED GOAT CHEESE.