Being able to feed yourself is important but being able to make a meal, is impressive. These days, cooking has become a necessity and, like anything, the more you do it the better you become. Whipping up a dish from scratch can sound daunting. However, once you get the hang of it, you'll realize that it's cheaper, healthier, and fun. From a simple savory breakfast to a sexy stolen night in, give takeout a break and try one of these 32 recipes every man should know how to make.
2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups baby spinach (2 oz)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 cup shredded cheese, such as Gruyère, Fontina, or cheddar (optional)
Equipment:
Method:
Heat the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whisk the eggs, heavy cream, and 1/2 tsp salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
Cook the bacon. Place the bacon in a cold 10- to 12-inch nonstick oven-safe frying pan or cast-iron skillet, then turn the heat to medium-high. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and pour off all but 2 tbsp of the fat. (If omitting the bacon, heat 2 tbsp oil in the skillet, then proceed with adding the potatoes).
Saute the potatoes in bacon fat. Return the pan to medium-heat, add the potatoes and sprinkle with the pepper and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes.
Wilt the spinach with the garlic and thyme. Pile the spinach into the pan with the garlic and thyme, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Add the bacon back to the pan and stir to evenly distribute.
Add the cheese. Spread the vegetables into an even layer, flattening with a spatula. Sprinkle the cheese on top and let it just start to melt.
Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and cheese. Tilt the pan to make sure the eggs settle evenly over all the vegetables. Cook for a minute or two until you see the eggs at the edges of the pan beginning to set.
Bake the frittata for 8 to 10 minutes. Bake until the eggs are set, 8 to 10 minutes. To check, cut a small slit in the center of the frittata. If raw eggs run into the cut, bake for another few minutes; if the eggs are set, pull the frittata from the oven. For a browned, crispy top, run the frittata under the broiler for a minute or two at the end of cooking.
Cool and serve. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve.
A breakfast that makes mornings worth getting out of bed for.
Ingredients:
Strawberry Sauce
1 lb strawberries, ends trimmed, left whole (or halved if really big)
1⁄4 cup sugar
Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
Pinch of fine sea salt
French Toast
1 (1-lb) loaf challah
4 eggs
1¾ cups whole milk
1⁄4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1 tsp vanilla extract
Kosher salt to taste
Dash of grated nutmeg
Butter, for the skillet
1 cup sour cream
Fresh mint and ground cinnamon for serving
Method:
Make the strawberry sauce: Combine the berries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the berries begin to release their liquid and the liquid cooks and thickens, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon zest, and cool to room temperature.
Make the French toast: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Cut the bread into 1½-inch thick slices. In an 8-inch square baking dish, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, a few pinches of salt, and the nutmeg.
Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture for 10 seconds per side if you want lighter, fluffier French toast, or 20 per side for denser creamier French toast. Put the slices of bread on a baking sheet to hold.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Grease the skillet generously with butter and add as many slices of bread as will fit comfortably in one layer. Cook until the bread is golden and toasty, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and keep warm, covered with foil, as you make more batches. Repeat with remaining bread, greasing the skillet again between batches.
Arrange the finished French toast on a platter and dollop with sour cream. Pour the strawberry sauce on top, and garnish with mint and a sprinkle of cinnamon, if you like.
Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil over medium in a cast-iron skillet large enough to accommodate 16 poached eggs. (If you don't have a skillet that large, use two pans, dividing the ingredients evenly between them.) Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, dried lime (if using), paprika, cumin, coriander, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables haven softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato puree and sugar and simmer until reduced by about one-third, 10 to 12 minutes. Whisk in the remaining ¼ cup oil.
Crack the eggs into the skillet, spacing them evenly in the sauce. Lower the heat, cover, and cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks remain runny, about 5 minutes. Top with serrano chiles and cilantro and serve immediately right from the pan.
Mix all the ingredients in a jar, except the bananas. Stir to combine and cover. You can add the bananas at the top or mix in afterwards.
Place in the fridge overnight.
The next morning, remove and eat in the jar or place in a pot over medium high heat to reheat the oatmeal, or in the microwave to reheat if a microwave safe jar for about 45 seconds. Top with your favourite toppings – walnuts, chia seeds, more peanut butter, and more coconut sugar (or anything else you want!).
Place the diced vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan. Toss with oil, salt, and pepper.
Lay the chicken breast-side down and using kitchen shears (you can use a knife, but shears make the process much easier), cut out the backbone out of the chicken. (You can save the backbone for making stock if you wish).
Open the chicken up so that you can see the ribs and sternum. Take hold of the chicken and press down to break the sternum.
Place the bird skin side up on top of the vegetables and season as desired. Place in oven, cooking for about 40 minutes, or until the temperature in the thigh reads 165 degrees F.
Let rest five minutes before serving.
Grilled Steak
(From Mastro's)
There's more to a great steak than just throwing it on the grill.
Ingredients:
2 bone-in ribeye steaks, 22 oz each
1 oz butter, melted
1 tsp parsley, chopped
Steak rub of choice (Mastro's uses a blend of fine sea salt, spices, starch, and papain extract)
Method:
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. (Tip: since you want an evenly-cooked steak, the closer you can get your steak to its final cooked temperature, the better.)
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill (or preheat the broiler and position a rack 4 inches from the element). Lightly spray the grill rack with vegetable oil cooking spray. The coals should be medium-hot for the charcoal grill. The burners should be on high for the gas grill.
Season the steaks by dredging them on both sides in the steak rub. Shake off the excess.
If using a charcoal grill, cook on one side for 10 minutes. Turn using tongs and grill the other side for 10-12 minutes for medium-rare, or until the desired degree of doneness. If using a gas grill, grill for 7-8 minutes. Turn using tongs and grill the other side for 6-7 minutes for medium-rare, or until the desired degree of doneness. If using the broiler, broil 4 inches from the heat source for 8 minutes. Turn using tongs, and broil the other side for 6-7 minutes for medium-rare or until the desired degree of doneness.
Remove the steaks from the heat and let sit for 8-10 minutes.
To serve, slice the steaks into .75-inch-thick slices, place on a hot plate, and drizzle with melted butter and fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Let the fish stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Set the fish in a large, shallow roasting pan. Brush all over with the oil and season generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the parsley stems, garlic, and lemon. Add the wine to the pan.
Roast the fish in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, occasionally spooning the pan juices over the fish. The fish is done when the flesh is white throughout and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part near the head registers 135 degrees F. Let the fish stand for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a large platter and spoon the pan juices on top.
4 lbs Italian eggplants (about 4 medium), peeled, sliced lengthwise ½–¾ inch thick
Kosher salt
3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups finely grated Parmesan, divided
1½ cups all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, beaten to blend
1⅓ cups olive oil
½ cup finely chopped basil and parsley, plus basil leaves for serving
6 oz low-moisture mozzarella, grated (about 1⅓ cups)
8 oz fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Method:
Marinara
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in a large heavy ovenproof pot over medium. Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add onion, anchovies (if using), and red pepper akes and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, breaking up with your hands, and their juices; add basil and oregano and stir to combine. Swirl 1½ cups water into one tomato can, then the other, to rinse, and add to pot; season with salt. Transfer pot to oven; roast sauce, stirring halfway through, until thick and tomatoes are browned on top and around edges of pot, 2–2½ hours.
Let sauce cool slightly. Pass through the large holes of a food mill or process in a food processor until mostly smooth.
Taste and season with salt.
Eggplant and Assembly
Lightly season eggplant slices all over with salt; place in a single layer on several layers of paper towels inside a rimmed baking sheet. Top with another layer of paper towels and more slices; repeat as needed. Top with a final layer of paper towels, then another rimmed baking sheet; weigh down with a heavy pot. Let eggplant sit until it has released excess liquid, 45 to 60 minutes. This step gives the eggplant a creamy texture when baked.
Meanwhile, pulse panko, oregano, pepper, and ¾ cup Parmesan in a food processor until very finely ground. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place our in another shallow bowl and eggs in a third shallow bowl. Working one at a time, dredge eggplant slices in our, then dip in egg, allowing excess to drip off. Coat in breadcrumbs, packing all around, then shaking off excess. Place on wire racks.
Heat ⅔ cup oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook as many eggplant slices as will comfortably in the pan, turning once, until deep golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and immediately press with more paper towel to absorb oil. Working in batches, repeat with remaining slices, adding remaining ⅔ cup oil and wiping out skillet as needed. Let cool. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Toss chopped herbs, low-moisture mozzarella, and remaining ¾ cup Parmesan in a medium bowl. Spread 1 cup sauce over the bottom of a 13 x 9″ baking pan; top with a layer of eggplant slices (trim as needed). Drizzle 1 cup sauce over and sprinkle with 1/3 of cheese mixture. Add another layer of eggplant, followed by 1 cup sauce and half of remaining cheese mixture. Repeat layers with remaining slices, sauce, and cheese mixture. Cover with foil and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until eggplant is custardy, 45 to 60 minutes.
Remove from oven and arrange fresh mozzarella over eggplant. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F and bake, uncovered, until cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Let rest for 30 minutes. Top with basil leaves just before slicing.
Eggplant Parmesan can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover with foil and chill. Reheat in a 350 degrees F oven, uncovering halfway through, until bubbling gently at edges.
Add the wine, white onion, chopped carrot, garlic, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, or until reduced by half. Strain out the vegetables and discard, reserving the liquid.
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, drizzle in the olive oil and add the butter. Add the salt pork and fry until crispy and golden brown. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add mushrooms to the Dutch oven and cook until golden in color, then remove with the slotted spoon and set aside. Repeat with the pearl onions and baby carrots, adding more oil if necessary.
Coat the beef cheek chunks in flour and season well with salt and pepper. Fry the cubes in batches until browned all over. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add brandy to the Dutch oven to deglaze, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Add the red wine liquid reserved previously, along with the beef stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, and beef cheeks.
Add the oxtails to the Dutch oven and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours with the pot covered.
When the beef is tender and soft, return the pearl onions, baby carrots, and mushrooms to the Dutch oven and place in the oven to braise for 30 to 45 minutes.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and strip the meat from the oxtails, discarding the bones. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the stew.
Add the salt pork and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles with a glass of Burgundy wine.
1 cedar grilling plank (make sure to get a large one that will fit a full fillet of salmon)
1.5 lbs salmon
2 tbsp Italian parsley, fresh and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp chives, fresh and chopped
1 lemon, sliced
Salt and pepper (coarse)
Method:
Soak the cedar plank in hot water for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven or grill to 400 degrees F.
Season salmon with salt, pepper and add herbs and lemon slices.
Add plank to grill or oven and close lid.
Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until desired doneness.
When done, remove from grill or oven and serve immediately with lemon.
Duck Breast
(By Hank Shaw)
Talk and eat big game with this classy poultry recipe.
Ingredients:
4 duck breasts (breasts from two ducks)
Salt
1 tsp duck fat or olive oil
Method:
Take the meat from the fridge. If you are using a domestic duck or a very fat wild duck, score the skin (but not the meat) in a cross-hatch pattern, making the cross-hatches about 1/2 inch across; this helps the fat render and will give you a crispier skin.
Salt it well on both sides, then let it stand on a cutting board or some such for at least 15 minutes and up to 45 minutes for a goose breast. It is far easier to control the internal temperature with a room-temperature breast than an ice-cold one.
Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. If you are cooking a domestic duck or a very fat wild duck, put 1 tsp of duck fat or cooking oil in a large pan; don't use non-stick pans, as they don't allow you to sear meat as well as steel or cast iron. Lay the breasts skin side down and use them to smear the fat all over the surface of the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high. Yes, you read that right: Don't preheat the pan. You want as much fat to render out as possible, so start with a cool pan.
If you are working with normal wild duck breasts, i.e., skinny ones, heat the pan over high heat for 1 minute, then add 2 tbsp of duck fat, butter or some other oil. Let this get hot, but do not let the fat smoke. Only then do you lay the duck breasts in the pan, skin side down.
Either way, once the duck breasts start cooking, you will notice the "tails" of skin and fat from the head and the tail side of the fillet contract immediately. As the skin contracts, you will sometimes get a little oval patch on the tail end of the breast that curls up and doesn't make contact with the pan. Use your tongs to press down on this part for 30 to 60 seconds. This gives you a more even sear.
Let the pan do its job. Cook at a jocular sizzle — not an inferno, not a gurgle. Think about how bacon sounds in the pan when you cook it, and you have the right idea. How long? It depends. I like my duck medium-to-medium-rare. To do this with small ducks like teal or ruddy ducks, you need only about 3 minutes on the skin side, and you might want to keep the heat higher. Medium-sized ducks like wigeon, gadwall or wood ducks need 3 to 5 minutes. Mallards, pintail, canvasbacks and domestic ducks need between 5 and 8 minutes.
If you are cooking a goose breast, you will want the heat on medium-low and you'll need to cook the skin side a solid 10 to 12 minutes. The key is to let the breast do most of its cooking on this side — it's the flattest, and will give you that fabulously crispy skin we all know and love.
Again, I repeat: When you cook a duck breast, 3/4 of the total cooking time is on the skin side.
Turn the breasts over. When? Follow the guidelines above, but also use your ears: You will hear the sizzle change; it will die down, just a bit. That's when you turn. Now — this is important — lightly salt the now-exposed skin immediately. Doing this seems to absorb any extra oil and definitely gives you an even yummier, crispier skin.
Let the ducks cook on the meat side for less time. I recommend: 1 to 2 minutes for small ducks; 3 to 4 minutes for medium ducks; 4 to 6 minutes for large wild ducks and domestic duck; 5 to 7 minutes for geese.
More than mere time, however, you need to just use The Force to know when your duck is ready. Not in tune with The Force? The next best thing is the finger test for doneness. Use this to determine when you're almost ready. My advice is to go to the next step when your duck breasts are rare.
Now "Kiss" the thick side of the breasts by standing two halves against each other. You will notice that duck and goose breasts plump up and contract as they cook. One side of the fillet will be wider than the other, and this side will need some heat. You can see the wider side in the picture. Just tip the breasts on their sides and cook for 30 to 90 seconds, just to get some good color.
Take the duck off the heat and let it rest on a cutting board, skin side up. Teal need only need a minute or two rest, while big Canada geese might need 10 minutes. Everything else benefits from about a 5 minute rest. A duck breast is just like a steak: If you don't rest it, the juices will run all over your cutting board — and not down your chin, where they should be.
You can slice the breast from either end, either side up. You can get thinner slices by starting at the meat end, but you lose a little of the crispiness of the skin. If you are serving a whole breast, always serve it skin side up, with its sauce underneath.
It's not delivery and not DiGiorno, it's just a few better ingredients to make a better pizza at home.
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups warm water (600 mL)
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
7 cups all-purpose flour (875 g), plus more for dusting
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup semolina flour (30 g)
Optional toppings:
Tomato sauce
28 oz canned whole tomatoes (795 g)
1 tbsp kosher salt
Margherita
Tomato sauce
Fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces
Fresh basil leaf
Pepperoni
Tomato sauce
Fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces
Spicy pepperoni slice
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Method:
"Bloom" the yeast by sprinkling the sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface.
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the olive oil and bloomed yeast mixture. Using a spoon, mix until a shaggy dough begins to form.
Once the flour is mostly hydrated, turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead for 10 to 15 minutes. The dough should be soft, smooth, and bouncy. Form the dough into a taut round.
Grease a clean, large bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside, turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for at least an hour, or up to 24 hours.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead for another minute or so, then cut into 4 equal portions and shape into rounds.
Lightly flour the dough, then cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for another 30 minutes to an hour while you prepare the sauce and any other ingredients.
Preheat the oven as high as your oven will allow, between 450 to 500 degrees F. Place a pizza stone, heavy baking sheet (turn upside down so the surface is flat), or cast iron skillet in the oven.
Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce: Add the salt to the can of tomatoes and puree with an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth.
Once the dough has rested, take a portion and start by poking the surface with your fingertips, until bubbles form and do not deflate.
Then, stretch and press the dough into a thin round. Make it thinner than you think it should be, as it will slightly shrink and puff up during baking.
Sprinkle semolina onto an upside down baking sheet and place the stretched crust onto it. Add the sauce and ingredients of your choice.
Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust and cheese are golden brown.
(Excerpt from Vegetables Unleashed by José Andrés and Matt Goulding. Copyright 2019 by José Andrés. Excerpted by permission of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.)
This is the iceberg that sunk the titanic.
Ingredients:
4 medium beets, or 4 packaged cooked medium beets (1 lb), cut into .5-inch dice
1 cup seaweed salad (from the sushi counter at a gourmet market or grocery store)
Furikake
2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
If using fresh beets, boil whole until fork tender, about 50 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Use a paper towel to peel the beets, then cut into ½-inch dice.
Put the beets in a medium heatproof bowl. Combine the water, vinegar, and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring, to dissolve the sugar.
Add the salt and peppercorns and bring to a boil. Strain the hot marinade over the beets and stir in the ginger. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, drain the beets and transfer to a bowl. (You can reserve the marinade to use again; store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
Add the soy sauce and sesame oil to the beets and toss well.
Rice bowls
Toss the diced carrots and sweet onion together in another bowl.
Divide the beets, rice, seaweed salad, and carrot-onion mix among four shallow bowls, arranging them in separate piles so that the colors and textures really stand out.
Sprinkle the rice with the furikake and sliced scallions and serve.
Carbonara
(From BBC Good Food)
It's like bacon, egg, and cheese but as pasta.
Ingredients:
100 g pancetta
50 g pecorino cheese
50 g parmesan
3 large eggs
350 g spaghetti
2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
50 g unsalted butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.
Finely chop the 100 g pancetta, having first removed any rind. Finely grate 50 g pecorino cheese and 50 g parmesan and mix them together.
Beat the 3 large eggs in a medium bowl and season with a little freshly grated black pepper. Set everything aside.
Add 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, add 350 g spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).
Squash 2 peeled plump garlic cloves with the blade of a knife, just to bruise it.
While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. Drop 50 g unsalted butter into a large frying pan or wok and, as soon as the butter has melted, tip in the pancetta and garlic.
Leave to cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crisp. The garlic has now imparted its flavour, so take it out with a slotted spoon and discard.
Keep the heat under the pancetta on low. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta. Don't worry if a little water drops in the pan as well (you want this to happen) and don't throw the pasta water away yet.
Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later.
Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese. Using the tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn't scramble, and everything is coated.
Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tbsp should do it). You don't want it wet, just moist. Season with a little salt, if needed.
Use a long-pronged fork to twist the pasta on to the serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived.
You don't have to wait for game day to get your wing on.
Ingredients:
1 lb of chicken wings, cut into segments, tips removed and discarded
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
Tequila Lime Sauce
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup Partida Tequila (Blanco or Reposado)
1 tbsp agave syrup, sometimes called nectar (honey is a delightful alternative should no agave be on-hand)
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp adobo sauce
1/2 tbsp freshly cracked pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Season the wings with salt and pepper and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Cook until just brown and crisp, about 45 minutes.
Make the sauce: Combine the lime zest and juice, tequila, agave syrup, cumin, adobo sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tbsp pepper in a bowl. Pour over the warm wings and let marinate at least 30 minutes. While wings are marinating, crank the oven up to 500 degrees F.
Place marinated wings back on clean baking sheet in single layer and in to oven. After 10 minutes, flip all wings one time and place back in over for addition 5 to 10 minutes until wings are crisp and golden brown.
Transfer any remaining marinade to a saucepan and cook until slightly thick, about 8 minutes. Drizzle the wings with the sauce and top with cilantro, if desired.
Melt 4 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. When butter foams, add onion, and cook on low until soft.
Stir in Arborio rice and cook until coated with butter. Add the wine, stir, and increase the heat to high. Stir until wine has evaporated. Stir in the saffron.
Add a ladle full of stock and stir continuously from the outside to the inside of the pot, without lifting up the spoon. Cook until the stock has evaporated. Continue adding stock one ladle at a time, cooking and stirring over medium heat until most of stock is used and the rice has an "al dente" consistency.
When the rice has reached an "al dente" consistency and there is still enough liquid in it to "move like a wave" when you shake the sides of the pot back and forth on the burner, remove from heat and stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano and the remaining one tbsp of butter. Serve immediately.
Combine egg and water in one mixing bowl. Whisk together lightly with fork.
Sieve together flour and salt in separate bowl. In two batches, add egg and water mixture to flour until combined. Knead by hand for 5 minutes until well combined and dough is smooth. Rest for 1 hour.
Roll dough in two batches through pasta machine starting from "6" setting going gradually down to the "1" setting. Note: You can also use a rolling pin, though you'll need to get the dough really flat. Pasta machines are easy to come by and affordable. This one is available on Amazon for $30.
Cut the dough into roughly 3" x 3" squares
Pork and Crab Tortellini
To make filling, combine pork shoulder, crab meat, and egg, mix together gently.
Add remaining ingredients and make sure filling is mixed evenly.
Place a small amount of filling onto each dough square (it might take a few practice rounds to get the right amount).
Gently fold the tortellini dough and filling, then fold the two sides back onto each other.
Boil in salted water for 3-5 minutes, or to desired doneness.
Rub one clove of garlic split in half all over a 10-by-14-inch gratin dish. Let rest for 10 minutes. Butter gratin dish and place aside.
Combine stock, heavy cream, garlic, rosemary, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a medium simmer, lower heat and continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Cook until thick and slightly reduced.
Strain out garlic cloves and rosemary.
Peel potatoes and cut into 1/8-inch slices.
Arrange first layer of potatoes in the butttered pan, overlapping the potatoes a bit.
Sprinkle the potatoes with .5 cup of the liquid and 2 tbsp of the grated cheese.
Repeat with remaining potatoes and cream, about 4 layers.
Add the remaining cheese after the final layer of potatoes.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes, until top turns golden brown.
Remove from oven, let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Ratatouille
(By Anthony Herve)
It's never been easier to get your daily dose of vegetables with this ratatouille recipe.
Ingredients:
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 Roma tomatoes
1 green zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 eggplant
Herbes de Provence, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Put the sliced onions in a pan and cook over medium heat with extra virgin olive oil, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and nicely caramelized.
While the onions are caramelizing, slice the tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and eggplant into ¼-inch slices.
When the onions are cooked, tightly layer the sliced vegetables over the caramelized onions in a baking or roasting pan.
Generously season the ratatouille with herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
Put the ratatouille in the pre-heated oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
Homemade Chips with Guac and Pico de Gallo
For endless chips and dip.
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
2 tbsp minced red onion
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp black pepper
.5 tsp salt
.25 – .5 beefsteak tomato, diced with seeds removed
.5 oz blanco tequila
.5 red chili pepper (or a habanero, if you want it really hot), seeds removed and minced (optional)
Method:
Cut avocados in half longways and twist to separate. Take out the pit and scoop the meat into a bowl. (Tip: Score the avocado in a cross pattern with a knife to make this easier. Alternatively, you can invest in one of these avocado knives.)
Add onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt, pepper and tequila. Mix. If serving immediately, add tomatoes. If you are making the guacamole in advance, wait to add tomatoes until you are ready to serve — they will lose their flavor the longer they sit.
(Excerpt from Avocado Obsession by Lauren Paige Richeson, Rockridge Press)
Cheaper and tastier than any hummus you'll find in the store.
Ingredients:
2 medium avocados, pitted and peeled
2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced, divided
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Method:
In a blender or food processor, combine the avocados, chickpeas, garlic, about ¾ of the diced jalapeños, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, oil, and water. Blend until a smooth dip forms. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with more oil. Top with the remaining jalapeño, feta, if using, and sea salt. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
2 lbs mixed medium and large tomatoes, preferably heirloom, cut into thin slices and/or wedges
8 oz buffalo mozzarella or mozzarella, room temperature, torn into pieces
Coarsely ground black pepper
Small basil leaves and toasted country bread (for serving)
Method:
Toss cherry tomatoes with 1 tbsp oil in a small bowl; season with salt.
Arrange tomato slices on a platter, slightly overlapping; season generously with salt. Arrange mozzarella over tomatoes; lightly season mozzarella with salt. Spoon cherry tomatoes over salad and drizzle with 6 tbsp oil; season with pepper. Let stand 30 minutes to let flavors meld and release juices from tomatoes and mozzarella.
Top salad with basil and additional salt and oil, if desired. Serve with bread alongside.
If you didn't learn how to make banana bread in 2020, you're late.
Ingredients:
2 to 3 very ripe bananas, peeled (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups mashed)
1/3 cup melted butter, unsalted or salted
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar (1/2 cup if you would like it less sweet, 1 cup if more sweet)
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and butter a 4 x 8-inch loaf pan.
In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.
Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees F, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then remove the banana bread from the pan and let cool completely before serving. Slice and serve. (A bread knife helps to make slices that aren't crumbly.)
Place berries in the work bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Combine berry puree, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Heat until melted and just simmering. Whisk cornstarch into the cold water; stir into heated berry mixture. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice. Cool slightly. Refrigerate berry mixture until cold, about 2 hours.
Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. To freeze this sorbet without an ice cream maker; pour strawberry mixture into a shallow dish, place dish in freezer, stir occasionally until sorbet reaches desired consistency.
In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, sugar, and egg.
Scoop out a spoonful of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the cookie balls onto a nonstick baking sheet.
For extra decoration and to make them cook more evenly, flatten the cookie balls by pressing a fork down on top of them, then press it down again at a 90-degree angle to make a criss-cross pattern.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown.
1.5 cups walnuts (can use toasted pumpkin seeds for nut-free option)
3 garlic cloves
.75 cup olive oil
3 tbsp white miso
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1.5 tsp black pepper
1.5 tbsp salt
1.25 cups kale chopped
.5 cup sun dried tomatoes cut in quarters
1 avocado, chopped
.5 red onion, chopped
.5 cucumber, chopped
.25 cup black olives, sliced
Method:
Cook pasta according to the package and save .75 cup of pasta water.
Add basil, spinach, walnuts, garlic, miso, nutritional yeast, black pepper, salt, and water from pasta into a powerful blender (Spino uses a Vitamix) or food processor. Pulse a few times to break down the spinach and basil. Continue to pulse, while slowly adding olive oil into mixture, until it becomes a smooth paste.
Add pasta, pesto and all other ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use extra basil for garnish.
2-1/2 lbs bony chicken pieces (legs, wings, necks or back bones)
2 celery ribs with leaves, cut into chunks
2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
2 medium onions, quartered
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp dried thyme
8 to 10 whole peppercorns
2 qt cold water
Method:
Place all ingredients in a soup kettle or Dutch oven. Slowly bring to a boil; reduce heat until mixture is just at a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 4 hours, skimming foam as necessary.
Set chicken aside until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones. Discard bones; save meat for another use. Strain broth, discarding vegetables and seasonings. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Skim fat from surface.
1 tbsp fresh minced parsley or 2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 medium onion, diced (about 2 tbsp) or 2 tsp onion powder
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
1 tbsp fresh minced basil or 2 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp fresh minced oregano or 2 tsp dried oregano
1 clove garlic, finely minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
14 tsp black pepper
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake until well combined. Alternatively, for thicker dressings like the ranch or Italian, you can combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until well combined and smooth.
Refrigerate and let flavors blend for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2 hours, before serving.
Aioli
(By Chef Alvin)
It's mayo but sexier.
Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp dill pickle juice
Method:
Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
