If you don't already, dishes will make you love to eat

Here are recipes adapted from Genuine Food: Down-to-Earth Cooking for People Who Love to Eat.

The fruit plays off the rich gaminess of the lamb and the spices add a subtle background flavor in this Moroccan-inspired dish. Serve for a weeknight dinner with a green salad and basmati rice or as a starter for a dinner party. The best part is that you can prep the onions ahead and pop them in the oven before dinner.

ROASTED SWEET ONIONS STUFFED WITH GROUND LAMB AND APRICOTS

4 medium Vidalia onions

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup dried apricots (about 16), diced

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/2 pound ground lamb

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 or 4 shakes hot sauce

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

Arugula leaves for garnish

Without peeling the onions, cut about 1 inch off the top of each and just enough off the bottoms so they stand upright. (Reserve tops and discard bottoms.) Remove all but the outer two layers of each onion by scooping out the centers with a spoon or melon baller. Finely chop the scooped-out onion. Place the onion shells and tops in a baking dish, and set aside.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small pot, heat the stock, apricots and zest over medium heat. Simmer until apricots are plump and liquid is reduced to 1/2cup, about 10 minutes.

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until soft, about 12 minutes. Add the lamb, cinnamon and cumin. Raise heat to medium-high, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the lamb is crumbly, 7 or 8 minutes. (Do not drain the rendered fat; you need it for moistness.)

Remove pan from heat and stir in apricot mixture with its liquid, the hot sauce, parsley and mint. Let cool slightly. (Can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated, covered.)

Spoon the lamb mixture into the hollowed-out onions, pressing with your hands to pack it in, and mound it over the onions. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.

Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes, until the bread crumbs are brown. Serve immediately with a few leaves of arugula on the side. Makes 4 servings.

Pasta bathed in butter, oil, eggs, bacon and cheese - it's a rich dish but enjoy it; you don't eat this every day.

FETTUCCINE CARBONARA WITH CRISP BACON AND POACHED EGG

1 pound dried fettuccine

1 tablespoon white vinegar

4 large eggs

1/4pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Chopped fresh chives

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (al dente).

Meanwhile, fill a wide pot with 2 inches of water and add the vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Carefully crack 1 egg into a small cup and gently pour it into the water. Add a second egg and poach for about 2 minutes, until the whites are just cooked and the yolks are still soft. With a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a plate and blot with paper towels. Repeat with remaining eggs.

Set a deep skillet over medium heat. Fry bacon until crisp, about 4 minutes. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallot, and saute for 1 minute to soften.

Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2-cup of the cooking water. Add the fettuccine to the skillet and toss well for 1 minute to coat it and create a thick, creamy sauce. Thin sauce with reserved pasta water, if needed. Sprinkle on Parmesan and toss again. Season with salt and pepper.

Mound the fettuccine in 4 warm bowls and set a poached egg on each. Garnish with chives. Pass more grated cheese at the table. Makes 4 servings.

This silky, pudding-like dessert is drizzled with olive oil for an unexpected pop of flavor. Use the best-quality chocolate, such as Valrhona, Lindt or Scharffen Berger.

MILK CHOCOLATE CREMOSO WITH ESPRESSO PARFAIT

Cremoso:

10 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 large egg yolks

Espresso Parfait:

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 tablespoons brewed espresso, cooled

1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt

6 thin slices sourdough bread, toasted

To make the cremoso, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Combine the cream and sugar in a pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until slightly thick. Whisking constantly, slowly add the hot cream to the egg yolks. Do not add it too quickly or the eggs will scramble. Return the eggs to the pot and whisk over medium-low heat until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes; do not boil.

Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Cover and chill until firm, at least 6 hours or, even better, overnight. (Can be prepared a day or two in advance to this point.)

To make the parfait, whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Gently fold in the espresso and spoon into 6 small (3- to 4-ounce) ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

To serve, set aside about 2 teaspoons hazelnuts for garnish; divide the remainder among 6 dessert plates. Dip a metal tablespoon into hot water for a couple of seconds. Wipe the spoon dry and run it along the cremoso to make a long wave that barrels over itself.

Spoon the cremoso on top of the hazelnuts. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Top each serving with a slice of sourdough toast, and set a ramekin of the parfait on the side. Sprinkle with the reserved nuts. Makes 6 servings.