Great friends are rare as you get older, so when one of them celebrates a birthday, it's always nice to enjoy it in a big way. That's what we did a few weeks ago with friends of mine who were both celebrating birthdays in March.

My husband and I decided to take them to Bistro110 in Chicago, where they had never been before. Located at 110 Pearson Street across from the famous Water Tower, my husband and I have been going there for 20 years to enjoy their fabulous wine and food served in a French bistro setting.

My husband had Cassoulette Toussaint, I had Steak Aux Poivre, and our friends had Ravioli de Champignons; mushroom ravioli. Picking a wine was somewhat of a challenge. We needed something hearty enough to stand up to steak but light enough to not overwhelm the ravioli. After discussing our dilemma with the Sommelier, we decided on a 2005 Domaine de Vieux Chene, Pauys d'Oc.

What a joy to find something that goes well with a heavy cassoulette and ravioli. This earthy red wine is full-bodied, rich and velvety with a smooth aftertaste. The earthiness was a perfect compliment to the ravioli and it was bold enough to stand up to steak.

I had to do some searching, but I was finally able to get a bottle of this great vintage at a local store and tried it with this Wild Mushroom Risotto from Wolfgang Puck.

Northern Italy's most famous category of dishes is risotto. Based on short, plump grains of rice with lots of surface starch that dissolves in the cooking liquid to form a rich-tasting, creamy sauce, risotto may be served as an appetizer; as a satisfying main course for a casual meal; or as a side dish to soak up the sauces of stews or braises, including the classic Milanese braised veal shanks known as osso buco. Make risotto a few times and you'll probably feel as Italian as I do!

Ingredients

1/2 C. peanut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, minced

1 large garlic clove, minced

2 C. Arborio rice

1 C. dry white wine

7 C. chicken stock or good-quality not-too-salty canned chicken broth

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 lb. wild mushrooms such as porcini, chanterelles, shiitakes, or Portobellos, wiped clean with a damp cloth, stemmed, caps cut into bite-sized pieces

Salt

1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into small pieces

1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese

Large pinch chopped fresh Italian parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium-size heavy saucepan, heat the 1/2 C. oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, just until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and continue to stir until the rice is evenly coated with the oil and mixed with the onion and garlic. Add the white wine to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Ladle in just enough chicken stock or broth to cover the rice, about 3 C., and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed, 7 to 10 minutes more. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the remaining 3 Tbs. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute just until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Ladle 3 C. more of stock or broth into the rice. Raise the heat to high and stir in a large pinch of salt and the tomato. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is almost al dente, tender but still very chewy, about 7 minutes more. Stir in the sauteed mushrooms and, as necessary, enough of the remaining stock to cook the rice to doneness, nicely tender but still slightly chewy. Remember that the liquid surrounding the rice should be creamy, not runny. Remove the pan from the heat and vigorously beat in the chilled butter and 1/4 C. of the Parmesan cheese until completely dissolved. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the risotto evenly among 4 heated shallow serving bowls and serve immediately, passing the remaining Parmesan cheese for each person to add to taste. Serves 4.

Chicken Bolognese with Rigatoni

Fontina Cheese and Prosciutto Panini with Fresh Basil

Pasta with Broccoli Raab, Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Toasted Pine Nuts

You could also try it with a beef dish such as Beef Stew with Winter Vegetables also from Wolfgang Puck.

One of the best, easiest, most economical ways I know to impress people with your cooking skills is to make a pot of stew. Yes, old-fashioned, home-style stew. It's the perfect dish for casual winter dinner parties and family meals. A pot of stew simmering slowly on your stove fills your kitchen with one of the best aromas you could imagine for a cold winter day. It promises great flavors, soothing warmth, and all the satisfaction you need to power you through the snow or rain.

Ingredients

2 lb. beef chuck

1/4 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 C. dry red wine

2 C. homemade beef stock or good quality canned beef broth

1/4 C. balsamic vinegar

1 bay leaf

6 to 8 fresh large sage leaves, washed and dried

1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 lb. parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 lb. Roma tomatoes, cored, blanched briefly in boiling water, peeled, seeded and diced

1/4 lb. thinly sliced pancetta or bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 lb. button mushrooms, trimmed and wiped clean with a damp cloth

2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley

Directions

Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes, trimming away excess fat and any gristle. In a plastic food storage bag large enough to hold all the meat with room to spare, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add the meat to the bag and shake until all the beef cubes are coated with the flour mixture. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil. Working in batches to prevent overcrowding, brown the beef cubes on all sides, removing from pan as browned.

In the same saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic and thyme leaves and saute, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the wine to the pan and bring it to a boil, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits. Return the meat to the pan. Add the stock or broth, balsamic vinegar, and bay leaf. Cover, reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer, and cook for 1 hour. On a cutting board, stack the sage leaves, roll them up lengthwise into a tight bundle, and, with a sharp knife, cut them crosswise into thin strips. Stir the sage, butternut squash, parsnips, carrots and tomatoes into the stew.

Cover and continue simmering until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more. About 10 minutes before serving time, heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta or bacon and saute, stirring continuously, until it renders its fat and begins to brown. Add the mushrooms and saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf from the stew. Stir in the mushrooms and pancetta or bacon. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper to taste if necessary. Ladle the stew into shallow soup bowls, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Huntsman-Style Beef with Wild Mushrooms

Herb Roast Beef

Dry-Rub Marinated Rib-Eye Steaks With Grilled Onions And Sweet-And-Spicy Dipping Sauce

And don't miss out on this great lamb dish from Wolfgang Puck, Grilled Boneless Provencal-Style Leg of Lamb with Grilled Tomatoes

I like to grill larger items that call for the indirect-heat method of grilling. By that, I mean the technique by which you turn the grill into a sort of outdoor oven, arranging the fire bed, whether charcoal, wood or gas-fueled, so that the heat source is under only half of the cooking area - either arranged around the perimeter or under just one-half of the bed. That way, you can first quickly sear whatever you're cooking directly over the heat; and then, once its surface is browned, move it off to the side and close the grill, so that the heat circulates around it, cooking it all the way through to your liking without excessively charring the exterior.  One of my favorite things to cook slowly this way on the grill is a butterflied leg of lamb, as I do in the recipe that follows.

Ingredients

1 butterflied boneless leg of lamb, 5 to 6 lb. (2.5 to 3 kg) total weight

1/2 C. (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for tomatoes

1/4 C. (60 ml) fresh lemon juice

1/4 C. (60 ml) balsamic vinegar

1/4 C. (60 ml) chopped scallions

1 Tbs. chopped garlic

1 Tbs. minced thyme leaves

1 Tbs. herbes de Provence

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt or coarse sea salt

Directions

Rinse the leg of lamb under cold running water. Pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels and place it in a roasting pan. In a mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, scallions, garlic, thyme, herbes de Provence and pepper. Pour this marinade over the lamb and turn the meat a few times to make sure it is thoroughly coated. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight. In a charcoal or gas grill, prepare a fire for indirect-heat cooking, with the coals or flames under the perimeter or one side of the cooking grid.

While the fire heats, remove the meat from the refrigerator and the marinade, transferring it to a tray or platter. When the fire is hot, season the meat all over with salt. Place the meat directly over the heat and sear it well, about 15 minutes per side. Move the meat over the cooler part of the fire bed, cover the grill, and continue cooking until the lamb is done medium, 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size and thickness of the meat. Transfer the meat to a carving board, cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, rub the tomato halves generously with some olive oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and grill them directly over the heat until tender and nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the meat across the grain and at a slight angle into slices about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Accompany the carved lamb with the grilled tomato halves.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Slow Cooked Leg of Lamb

Herbed Lamb with Apples

Lamb Parmesan

The next time you have a party where you're serving a variety of dishes, try the 2005 Domaine de Vieux Chene, Pauys d'Oc. It might take some stepping to find it, but it's worth the work. Have a tasty week.