Roman Melt Recipes

Steps:

• Place half of the jalapeños in a small bowl and cover with vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and remaining jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened and onion is translucent, but not browned, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, one handful at a time, whisking so that none of it settles on the bottom (it can burn that way), encouraging it to melt.
• Keep an eye on the pot and continue whisking until the cheese is completely melted (it can take a while for the American cheese to totally melt) and the mixture is thickened considerably, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep on low until ready to serve (you can always thin with milk if it thickens too much).
• To serve, ladle queso into a large bowl and top with sour cream, scallions, reserved pickled jalapeños and cilantro. Serve with chips for dipping.

Steps:

• Toast peppercorns in a dry small skillet over moderately high heat, swirling skillet, until fragrant and peppercorns begin to jump, 2 to 3 minutes. Coarsely crush peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or wrap in a kitchen towel and press on peppercorns with bottom of a heavy skillet.
• Cook spaghetti in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
• Fill a large glass or ceramic bowl with some hot water to warm bowl. Just before spaghetti is finished cooking, drain bowl but do not dry.
• Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta quickly in a colander (do not shake off excess water) and add to warm pasta bowl. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cheese and 3 tablespoons cooking water evenly over spaghetti and toss quickly. If pasta seems dry, toss with some additional cooking water.
• Divide pasta among 4 plates, then sprinkle with pepper and 2 tablespoons cheese (total). Serve immediately with additional cheese on the side.

Steps:

• In a 12-inch high-sided skillet, melt butter over medium. Add shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add oil and garlic, and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add fennel, wine, lemon juice, oregano, parsley and 1½ cups of water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high, stirring to evenly coat the fennel in the liquid. Arrange the fennel in an even layer.
• Cover, reduce heat to medium and braise until fennel is tender, about 30 minutes, stirring and flipping halfway through.
• Transfer fennel to a serving platter, and spoon over the shallots and sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve warm or at room temperature.