• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 10 medium carrots (about 1 ¾ pounds), peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
• 8 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pour in the broth and the sugar. Season the soup with the salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until the carrots are very soft (about thirty minutes). Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Working in batches, transfer the carrot mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.

Return the carrot puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat. Stir in the lemon juice and season with pepper. Divide among warm soup bowls and serve immediately.

• 2 cups Dijon mustard
• 2 cups olive oil
• Juice of 8 lemons (keep the juiced rinds)
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• 2-5 pound chickens
• 8 sprigs of rosemary
• 8 sprigs of thyme

Preheat the oven to 500°F.

Stuff each chicken with the reserved juiced rings and two sprigs each of rosemary and thyme.

Roast the chickens in one covered roasting pan for fifty to sixty minutes or until the juices run clear when the chicken is cut at joint, then remove the lid and continue roasting, basting until golden brown.

Serve the chicken topped with remaining sprigs of rosemary and thyme.

• 3 pounds small red skinned potatoes
• ¼ cup good olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Toss until the potatoes are well coated.

Dump the potatoes on a baking sheet and spread out into a single layer. Roast in the oven for at least one hour or until browned and crisp.

Flip twice with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with the minced parsley, season to taste, and serve.

• 1 ½ pounds Haricot Verts or slender green beans, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Rinse beans in cold water.

Whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil, and pour over the green beans, tossing to combine.

• 6 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons superfine sugar for coating baking dishes
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 envelope unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups low-fat (1%) milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 egg whites
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Whisk together milk, egg yolk, and chocolate syrup in a small bowl. Stir milk mixture into the cocoa powder mixture in saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until mixture is thick enough to coat back of a spoon, 12 to 13 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir the vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Then scrape the chocolate mixture into a medium-size bowl. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water, being careful no water splashes into the chocolate mixture. Cool, stirring the chocolate mixture occasionally, until it is the consistency of pudding, for about twenty minutes.

Heat oven to 350°F.

Coat eight 1 ¼ cup ramekins with nonstick vegetable-oil cooking spray. Sprinkle inside of each ramekin with ¼ tablespoon superfine sugar, for total of 2 teaspoons. Turn the ramekins to make sure the insides are evenly coated. Alternatively, coat a 2 ½ quart soufflé dish with non-stick vegetable oil cooking spray and coat the inside with the 2 tablespoons sugar.

Beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large clean bowl with clean beaters until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of superfine sugar, beating until glossy, stiff peaks form when the turned off beaters are lifted. Fold a quarter of the egg white mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining egg white mixture until no streaks of white remain. Divide the soufflé mixture among the individual ramekins or spoon into the large soufflé dish.

Bake the individual soufflés in 350°F oven for 25 minutes or until puffed and slightly browned, or bake the large soufflé in 350°F oven for 45 minutes.

While the soufflés are baking, purée the raspberries with their syrup in a food processor or blender. Push through a fine, mesh sieve to remove the seeds.

Once the soufflés are done, lightly dust the tops with the confectioner's sugar. Serve immediately with the raspberry sauce.