Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450F. Butter 1 large baking sheet. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheeses and scallions with a wooden spoon, then add buttermilk and stir until just combined. Drop dough in 8 equal mounds about 2 inches apart on baking sheet...

Cut out a round of wax paper to fit just inside a 12-inch heavy skillet, then butter 1 side of round. Fit endives, cut sides down, snugly in skillet. Add broth, lemon juice, butter bits, sugar, and salt, then cover endives with wax-paper round, buttered side down, and simmer until endives are tender and liquid is thickened and reduced to about a quarter of its original volume, 20 to 25 minutes...

Chop enough fennel fronds to measure 2 tablespoons, then cut off and discard stalks from bulb. Quarter bulb lengthwise and core, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.Cook fennel, onion, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.Meanwhile, cut potatoes crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices...

Preheat oven to 200F.Cook onion, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in 2 tablespoons butter in a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, then add cottage cheese, eggs, flour, 1/4 cup butter, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper and whisk until combined...

For bread dough:Whisk 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water and yeast in small bowl; let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 10 minutes.Mix flour, nigella seeds, and salt in medium bowl. Add yeast mixture and stir with wooden spoon until mixture clumps together. Add butter; mix until incorporated. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes...

Cook kale in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.Bring milk, water, polenta, salt, and pepper to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.Meanwhile, cook pancetta in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes...

Melt 1 tablespoon butter with olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add Jerusalem artichokes and half of sage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until brown and just beginning to soften, turning frequently, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer Jerusalem artichokes to shallow serving bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sage to skillet; fry until sage darkens and begins to crisp, about 30 seconds...

Combine walnuts, sugar, 2 teaspoons oil, and 1 tablespoon vinegar in medium nonstick skillet. Stir over medium heat until syrup coats nuts thickly, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer nuts to piece of foil. Separate nuts; freeze on foil 5 minutes or cool completely at room temperature.Whisk remaining 1/4 cup oil, 2 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, and garlic in large bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper...

Peel celery root with a sharp knife, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Peel and core apples, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Melt butter in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, then add celery root, apples, and salt and stir to coat with butter. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook (without adding liquid), stirring occasionally, until celery root is tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour...

Preheat oven to 350F. If you are also making crown roast of pork with onion and bread-crumb stuffing (page 230), oven racks will already be in lower third and bottom of oven; if not, put oven rack in middle position. Peel potatoes, then halve lengthwise (quarter if very large) and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick pieces...

Cook onion in 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until very soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in squash and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Bring water, milk, salt, and pepper to a boil in a 4-quart heavy pot. Add polenta in a thin stream, whisking. Cook polenta at a bare simmer, stirring with a long-handled whisk and turning down heat as needed to prevent spattering, 5 minutes...

Force beans, trimmed ends first (keeping strings to the side), up through funnel of frencher (if using; see cooks' note, below). Cook beans in 2 batches in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer beans with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and toss with salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil. Serve hot or warm. Cooks' notes: If you do not have a frencher, beans can be halved diagonally...

Char chiles over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag 15 minutes. Peel and seed chiles, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine 1 1/2 cups corn, eggs, and next 3 ingredients in blender. Blend until almost smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl...

Preheat oven to 400F. Wrap beets individually in foil. Roast until beets are tender, about 1 hour. Cool. Peel beets, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.)Fold Swiss chard leaves in half lengthwise and cut stalks away from leaves. Cut leaves coarsely into 1-inch pieces. Slice stalks thinly crosswise. Reserve stalks and leaves separately...

For dressing:Preheat broiler. Place garlic cloves on small baking sheet; broil until golden brown, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add onion slices; cook until light brown and slightly softened, about 7 minutes per side. Finely chop garlic and onion. Whisk pomegranate juice and next 4 ingredients in small bowl. Whisk in 1/4 cup oil. Mix in onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper...

Char peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag 15 minutes. Peel and seed peppers, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add button mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until mushrooms are softened but still hold shape, about 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil to same skillet...

Stack a few kale leaves and roll lengthwise into a cigar shape. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips with a sharp knife. Repeat with remaining leaves. Cook bacon in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain...

Butter a shallow baking pan (15 by 10 inches). Bring 6 cups water with salt to a boil in a 4-quart heavy pot, then add polenta in a stream, stirring with a long-handled spoon, and simmer, stirring constantly, 5 minutes (polenta will be very thick). Add 3 tablespoons butter and stir until butter is incorporated. Spread polenta in buttered pan and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 15 minutes...

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350F. Spread bread cubes in 2 large shallow baking pans and bake, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until dry, 20 to 25 minutes total. Transfer bread to a large bowl...

Heat butter with oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté radishes with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes. Add water and cook, covered, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, then cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, 1 to 4 minutes. Add watercress and sauté, stirring, until wilted, about 1 minute...

Heat oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook pine nuts, stirring constantly, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add onion to pan, then reduce heat to moderately low and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add bulgur and cook, stirring, 1 minute...

Peel strings from celery with a vegetable peeler, then cut celery on a long diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Peel jicama with a sharp knife and cut into 2- by 1/4-inch matchsticks. Heat oil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, turning, until golden on all sides, about 2 minutes. Discard garlic. Add celery to oil and sauté, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes...

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 500F. Oil bottom of a shallow baking pan (15 by 10 by 1 inch) with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges and toss with salt, pepper, and remaining tablespoon oil in a large bowl. Arrange potato wedges, flat sides down, in baking pan, then cover pan tightly with foil and roast 10 minutes. Remove foil and roast 10 minutes more...

Bring butter, salt, pepper, and 1 cup water to a boil over high heat in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet, then add Brussels sprouts and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove lid and boil over moderately high heat until water is evaporated and sprouts are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add cream and remaining 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil, stirring...

Cook beans in a 4-quart saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes, then drain well in a colander. Transfer to a bowl and toss with nuts, parsley, zest, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Cooks' note:Green beans can be cut 6 hours ahead and chilled, wrapped in dampened paper towels in a sealed plastic bag...