(This was a very spirited contest: we had dozens of entries from home chefs around the country who took to the stove and braised up a storm. Our five winners will each receive a Calphalon Dutch Oven and a copy of Braise: A Journey Through International Cuisine by Daniel Boulud and Melissa Clark.)

What we loved about it: Emily had never braised before and had never cooked or eaten endive, so this was brave. She seemed very relaxed about it; so much so that she lost the backgammon game she played as she and her husband consumed the braise. We especially loved the photos she sent in of the finished braised on the backgammon table. We also loved that she looked to a fellow blog, Orangette for the recipe.

Read on for the recipe and words from the chef...

Recipe: Braised Endive with Prosciutto

"I turned to one of my favorite food blogs for inspiration, Orangette. Last Thursday, I browsed the link section which led me to your site. And behold, what do I see? A call to action! A call to Braise!

"I was very pleased with the results: rich, caramelized goodness. The prosciutto added a great texture to the soft endive. Salty and mildly bitter, yet creamy and satisfying. I, along with my husband, enjoyed a serving each as we challenged each other in a game of backgammon. Unfortunately, I was defeated to an embarrassing degree..."