Bring Port, superfine sugar, peppercorns, and mint to a simmer in a 2-quart saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, then carefully ignite Port with a kitchen match, letting flames die down (this will take a few minutes). Simmer over moderately low heat

Preparation Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add corn, chopped thyme, and garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, milk,

If you can't get Nantucket bay scallops, you can use other bay scallops or sea scallops (cut lengthwise into thirds).

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta al dente in boiling salted water as directed on the package. Drain and set the pasta aside. While the pasta cooks, cut the bacon into ¼-inch pieces, and sauté in a small pan until crisp and golden. Remove the bacon from the pan with a

OSCAR'S APPLEWOOD BACON CASSOULET Serves 4. Note: The cassoulet can be made ahead and refrigerated. Pour into bowls and bake for about 40 minutes; finish under the broiler if desired. Leftover roast pork, veal or lamb can be used in place of the sausage. •3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil,

Have ready a large bowl of ice water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the beans and cook until they are just cooked through but still have a slight crunch, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the beans and transfer to the ice-water bath. Drain again. In a medium skillet over