These eggs are surprisingly easy: Just four ingredients, and they’re ready in about 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 tsp. unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh chives
2 Tbs. heavy cream

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Butter 2 oven-safe 6-inch gratin dishes with 1 tsp. butter each.

Crack 2 eggs into each gratin dish. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the chives. Drizzle 1 Tbs. cream in each dish, starting over the yolks and working around the dish. Bake until the eggs are bubbly and browned on the edges but not quite set in the middle, 5 minutes. (For firmer eggs, bake an additional 1 minute .)

Heat the broiler on high. Broil the eggs, still on the center rack of the oven, until the center is just set, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oven immediately—the eggs will continue to set.

Nutrition information (per serving):

Calories (kcal): 230; Fat (g): 19; Fat Calories (kcal): 170; Saturated Fat (g): 9; Protein (g): 13; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 6; Carbohydrates (g): 1; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): 290; Cholesterol (mg): 455; Fiber (g): 0;

Susie Middleton is editor at large for Fine Cooking magazine.

They may look like muffins, but a dunk in melted butter and a roll in cinnamon-sugar makes these luscious morsels taste more like donuts, without the hassle of deep-frying. We sell out of these muffins every morning at my Downtown Bakery and Creamery.

Yields about 24 medium muffins.

For the muffins:

12 oz. (24 Tbs.) unsalted butter, warmed to room temperature
1-3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 lb. 11 oz. (6 cups) all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1-2/3 cups milk
1/4 cup buttermilk

For dipping:

8 oz. (16 Tbs.) unsalted butter; more as needed
2 cups sugar
2 Tbs. ground cinnamon
To make the muffins

Put a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. In a stand mixer or a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until just mixed in. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Combine the milk and buttermilk. With a wooden spoon, mix a quarter of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Then mix in a third of the milk mixture. Continue mixing in the remaining dry and wet ingredients alternately, ending with the dry. Mix until well combined and smooth, but don't overmix. Grease and flour a standard-size muffin tin. Scoop enough batter into each tin so that the top of the batter is even with the rim of the cup, about 1/2 cup. (A #16 ice-cream scoop gives you the perfect amount.) Bake the muffins until firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes.

To finish

Make ahead tips

Nutrition information (per serving):

Size : per muffin; Calories (kcal): 430; Fat (g): 21; Fat Calories (kcal): 190; Saturated Fat (g): 13; Protein (g): 5; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 6; Carbohydrates (g): 57; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 270; Cholesterol (mg): 90; Fiber (g): 1;

Susie Middleton is editor at large for Fine Cooking magazine.

The addition of the coffee, for which the recipe is named, deepens the other flavors in the beans.

Serves eight to ten.

Yields about 2 quarts.

1 lb. dried pinto beans
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbs. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. chipotle chile powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups lower-salt beef broth
1 meaty smoked ham hock
1 cup brewed coffee
1/3 cup mild molasses, such as Grandma's Original.
1/3 cup ketchup
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 Tbs. bourbon (optional)
Kosher salt

Tip:

Don't have time to soak the beans overnight? Put them in a 4-quart saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and soak for 2 hours. Drain the beans and continue with the recipe.

Directions

Sort through the beans to make sure there are no little stones and then put them in a large bowl or pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches and let soak overnight. Drain the beans well, tilting the colander instead of shaking it to gently extract the water and protect the beans' skins.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.

Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the chile powders, cumin, allspice, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and ham hock. Stir to combine. Add the beans and bring just to a simmer. Cover and bake until the beans are easy to bite into but still a little mealy in texture, 45 to 60 minutes.

Stir in the coffee, molasses, ketchup, Worcestershire, and oregano. Bake, uncovered, until the beans are fully tender, 30 to 60 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. Discard the oregano stems and the skin from the ham hock. Cut the meat off the bone and chop. Add the meat to the beans and discard the bone. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To finish, bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced to the consistency of thin gravy, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, 40 to 60 minutes. Stir in the bourbon (if using) and season the beans to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition information (per serving):

BOSTON — For food writer Amy Traverso, apples are, well, the apple of her eye. She says she was always fascinated by the storied fruit, but became obsessed after getting married in an apple orchard. For the past five years, Traverso has been crisscrossing the country, learning about varieties and how best to cook them. And she shares it all — along with 100 recipes — in her new cookbook, The Apple Lover's Cookbook. Recipes range from the traditional apple pie, to a stuffed apple pork loin, to the adventurous pickled apples (get the recipe below).

Amy Traverso recently sat down with Greater Boston's Emily Rooney to talk about her favorite dishes from the book. Watch the interview and take a look at some of the recipes she shared with WGBH:

Dutch Baby
Free-Form Apple-Pear-Cranberry Tart
Quick Bread-and-Butter Apple Pickles

I love the rustic look of this tart filled with sliced apples, pears, and cranberries. Rather than baking it in a pie plate, you simply roll out the crust into a circle, fill it with fruit, and fold the sides up around the filling. It's sweet and tangy, doesn't require any fussiness on your part, and makes an impressive Thanksgiving centerpiece.

It's best served with vanilla ice cream.

Apple Notes: Consult the Cheat Sheet on page 30 for a list of firm-tart apple varieties. Any will work very well here.

Equipment: Parchment paper; large rimmed baking sheet

Makes: 8 medium servings, 6 large servings 

Active time: 45 minutes  

Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling time

Ingredients
For the crust
1¼ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick; 113 g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg yolk mixed with 2 tablespoons ice water

For the filling
2 medium (or 1½ large) firm-tart apples (about 12 ounces total; see Apple Notes)
1 large ripe pear, such as d'Anjou or Bartlett
½ cup (103 g) plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
? teaspoon ground cloves
? cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
1 large egg, beaten well

Directions
1. First, make the crust:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar until well combined. Sprinkle the butter cubes on top and use your fingers to work them in (you want to rub your thumb against your fingertips, smearing the butter as you do). Stop when the mixture looks like cornmeal with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining (try to work quickly so the butter doesn't melt). Sprinkle the egg yolk–water mixture on top and stir with a fork until the dough begins to come together. If needed, add one more tablespoon water. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead three times. Gather into a ball, then press into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400ºF and set a rack to the second-from-the bottom position.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into ¼-inch-thick wedges. Peel and cut the pear into ½-inch-thick slices. Gently toss together in a bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of the sugar, the cornstarch, orange zest, and cloves; set aside.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle about 16 inches wide and ? inch thick.

The circle doesn't have to be perfect — this is a rustic dessert — but try to get it as round as possible, even if that means cutting a little dough off one side to add to the other. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

4. Arrange half the apple and pear slices over the dough, leaving a 2½-inch border all around. Sprinkle half the cranberries over the apples. Sprinkle half the sugar-cornstarch mixture over the fruit, then repeat with the fruit and then the sugar mixture. Fold the sides of the dough up and over the edge of the filling, allowing the dough to drape over itself at each fold. Brush the dough with the beaten egg, and sprinkle all with one teaspoon of sugar. Bake for 10 minutes; lower the temperature to 375ºF, and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Let cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter and serve warm.

Dutch Baby
Quick Bread-and-Butter Apple Pickles
Main Greater Boston story

Also called a German pancake, this egg-leavened breakfast dish is like a sweeter version of Yorkshire pudding and a close cousin of the popover. I love it because it solves my eternal breakfast dilemma, providing the sweetness of pancakes, without the sleepiness that follows an all-carb feast. It also takes very little time to make, but looks so impressive, all golden and puffed up, when you bring it to the table.

Apple Notes: A sweeter apple pleases my morning taste buds better than an acidic one. Favorite firm-sweet varieties include Baldwin, Ginger Gold, Gravenstein, Honeycrisp, Jazz, and Piñata. Equipment: 12-inch cast iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet

Makes: 4 servings
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
¾ cup (110 g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter
1½ large firm-sweet apples (about 12 ounces total; see Apple Notes) peeled, cored, and cut into ?-inch-thick rings
5 large eggs
1 cup (240 ml) whole or 2% milk
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling
Lemon wedges

Directions
1. Sift the flour into a medium bowl, then stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk for about 1 minute; the mixture should be frothy and drizzle from the whisk in a thin stream. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 425ºF and set a rack in the middle position. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Lay the apple slices in the butter and cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes. Gently flip the slices and cook until tender, about 2 more minutes.

3. Working quickly, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and whisk just to combine. Pour the batter into the hot skillet with the apples, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the pancake is puffed and golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately from the skillet, with lemon wedges to squirt over the top.

Okay, this relish is actually a bit different from the bread-and-butter pickles you may know from childhood. It's also much simpler. It does have a similar flavor profile, though: sweet and bright, with warm spices.

It's a quick pickle in every sense — just a thirty-minute bath in the vinegar before it's ready to serve, and I simply keep it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, rather than canning it. It never lasts long enough to put up, anyway. Serve as a side salad, or on sandwiches and burgers, or chop up and mix into potato salad.

Pairs well with the Apple and Mustard Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on page 107.

Apple Notes: Red-skinned apples look prettiest here, so consult the apple portraits on pages 31–60 to find some red firm-sweet apple varieties. I often use Jazz, Baldwin, and Melrose here.

Note: To make this pickle truly pretty (and easy), the mandoline and biscuit cutter are essential. The mandoline because you want paper-thin slices, and the biscuit cutter so you can create apple slices that are the same size as the cukes. You don't need anything fancy, though.

See my recommendations for affordable tools on pages 71–72 of the cookbook.

Equipment: Mandoline; 1½-inch biscuit cutter (see Note)

Makes: About 4 cups 
Active time: 25 minutes 
Total time: 60 minutes

Ingredients
1 large seedless (English) cucumber (about 14 ounces or 400 g), unpeeled
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 large firm-sweet apples (about 1 pound total; see Apple Notes), unpeeled and cut in half lengthwise
2 medium shallots
1 cup (240 ml) rice vinegar
½ cup (120 ml) water
½ cup (120 ml) honey
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 sprig fresh tarragon, cut into 4 pieces

Directions
1. First, prep your cucumbers: Cut off the ends and discard, then slice on a mandoline. Put in a colander and toss with the salt. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prep the apples: Trim the seeds and core from each apple half, then set, cut side down, on a cutting board. Use a biscuit cutter to push down into the flesh, extracting two little cylinders from each apple half. Because the apples are round, the cylinders won't be perfectly level. That's fine. Thinly slice each cylinder on the mandoline (again, don't worry if some slices are not perfect circles). Slice the shallots on the mandoline as well, then put in a medium bowl with the apples.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, water, honey, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the cinnamon stick and tarragon, and pour the mixture over the apples and shallots.

4. Rinse the cucumbers well and lightly blot dry (still in the colander) with paper towels. Add the cucumber slices to the bowl with the apples and stir well. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. Refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Dutch Baby
Free-Form Apple-Pear-Cranberry Tart
Main Greater Boston story