Category Archives: recipes

Spicy Roasted Broccoli Pasta by Melissa Clark

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2 ½ pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

  • 12 ounces chiocciole or other tube-shaped pasta
  • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 ounces best quality, whole milk ricotta
  • Fresh lemon juice, for serving (optional)
  • Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together broccoli, oil, cumin (if using), 3/4 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes. Roast until tender and browned at the edges, 18 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway through. Remove from oven and set oven to broil.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
  • In a small bowl, stir together Parmesan, panko, lemon zest, a pinch of salt and the black pepper.
  • Toss cooked pasta with broccoli on baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then dollop with ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan mix, drizzle generously with oil, and broil until topping is crisped and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice to taste, and serve.

Paul Bertolli’s Cauliflower Soup from food52.com

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3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion (6 ounces), sliced thin
1 head very fresh cauliflower (about 1-1/2 pounds), broken into florets
Salt, to taste
5 1/2 cups water, divided
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  1. Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.
  2. Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.
  3. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.
  4. Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup. Serve hot, drizzled with a thin stream of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper. Serves 8

 

Okonomiyaki from food52.com

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Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sriracha, more or less to taste
Pancakes
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil

  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups cabbage, shredded with a mandoline or finely chopped
  • 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
  • 3/4 cup (roughly) baby or chopped shrimp
  • Canola oil for frying
  • 1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • Bonito flakes (optional)
  1. Whisk the first set of ingredients together and voila, your sauce. Set aside while you make the pancakes.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Gradually add the flour until incorporated. Fold in cabbage, scallions, and shrimp.
  3. Warm a couple glugs of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until glistening. Ladle the batter into the skillet as you would for regular old pancakes. I usually make them about the size of saucer. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Keep pancakes covered in a warm oven as you make the rest. Scatter sesame seeds and/or bonito flakes on top of pancakes and serve with dipping sauce and a cold pilsner.

Somen with Broccoli, Butter and Soy from food52.com

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  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided (2/1)
  • 3 to 4 cups small broccoli florets
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 ounces Somen noodles (or other very thin wheat noodles)
  1. Start boiling a pot of water for the noodles. They will only take a couple of minutes to cook.
  2. In a large saute pan with a lid, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the garlic and cook on low heat just until the garlic becomes fragrant. Stir in two tablespoons of soy sauce.
  3. Add the broccoli florets and pour the water over. Stir, cover and cook on medium heat just until the broccoli becomes crisp tender.
  4. Cook the noodles in the boiling pot of water while you’re waiting on the broccoli Like I said, they will cook very quickly. Drain, saving a little of the cooking liquid.
  5. Stir the noodles into the broccoli along with the last tablespoon of butter and the second tablespoon of soy sauce. Add a little of the noodle cooking liquid to loosen everything up and serve right away.  Makes about 3 sides or two mains
  6. I used ramen noodles

Creamy Garlic Mushroom Sauce from 12tomatoes.com

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  • 4 cups mini portabella or crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • ½ yellow onion, chopped
  • 8 oz heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  1. Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
  2. Add onions, mushrooms, and thyme to pan, season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and sauté until onions are translucent and mushrooms are golden brown.
  3. Add cornstarch to milk and stir to combine. Pour milk mixture and cream into pan. Lower temperature and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened.
  4. Add parsley and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Pecan Pie Bars from slowroasteditalian.com

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Crust
1 1/4 pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Topping
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 pounds pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined.  Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 2-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the edge like you would a pie crust . It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine

the butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

Instant Pot French Onion Soup from pressureluckcooking.com

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  • 3 tablespoons (1/4 stick) of salted butter
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons of light brown sugar
  • 4 big onions (I used 1 of each: Vidalia/Sweet, Red, Yellow and Spanish)
  • 4 cups of veggie broth
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (not shown in the video but I do add this)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
  • Croutons (you can buy a small bag of your flavor choice in any market or make your own)
  • Provolone and Swiss/Gruyere Slices
  • Paprika for presentation
  1. Cut the onions so they are halved and then slice into strips (don’t dice!) and set aside in a bowl.
  2. Put the Instant Pot on Sauté and melt the butter and oil until it sizzles.
  3. Add the onions and brown sugar and stir regularly for about 10-15 minutes or until the onions have cooked down by about half and have become translucent and have a pasta-like consistency. Make sure they aren’t too firm or too mushy!
  4. Add the broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Give it a stir and secure the lid. Hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” for 8 minutes. Quick release when done. Preheat your oven to broil while quick releasing. Taste the soup (but be careful – It’ll be hot!) and feel free to add additional salt and pepper as you see fit. But I think it’s perfect as is!
  5. Ladle the soup into the crocks until it’s just below the brim. Layer the croutons on top of the soup so that it serves as a foundation for the cheese. Seal with 1-2 slices of provolone (depending on how wide your crock is. Mine needs 2 to cover it properly but many will only need 1). And then layer a slice of Swiss or some shredded Gruyere. Leave some a little over the edges so when it bakes, it coats some of the side of the crock. Peeling the cheese off while eating is one of the best parts of the french onion soup experience! Sprinkle lightly with some paprika.
  6. Place the crock on a baking tray lined with tin foil and pop into the oven for 5 mins or until the top begins to bubble, turns slightly brown and forms a cheese-like crust.

Savory Crispy Potato Upside Down Cake

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  • 3 medium baking potatoes
  • 1/2 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Rinse and peel potatoes. Slice thinly (we used a mandolin set to 1/8-inch thickness) and soak slices in cold water to remove excess starch.
  • Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat and sauté garlic for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
  • Remove potatoes from water and pat dry with a paper towel.
  • Place dry potatoes in a large bowl and pour 3/4 garlic butter over them, reserving the rest for later use. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss until everything is evenly coated.
  • Add oil to the skillet and heat until it’s shimmering and ripply. Remove pan from heat and add potatoes in a spiral formation; the potatoes on the bottom of the skillet will be the top of the “cake.” Once all the slices are in the pan, press it flat like a cake.
  • Place pan over low heat and cover with a lid for 15 minutes, adding the remaining butter and loosening the edges as the cake cooks. Wipe away moisture that collects on the lid occasionally so the potatoes get crispy as they cook.
  • Lift edges of cake and check that it is browned; potatoes should be fork tender. Invert cake onto a large plate.
  • Add more oil to the pan if necessary to keep the cake from sticking. Slide the cake back into the pan with the unbrowned potatoes on the bottom, and cook an additional 15 minutes until golden brown.
  • Cut cake into wedges and serve hot.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars from Martha

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1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons melted
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 package (11.5 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 1 stick room-temperature butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt until coarse crumbs form. Pour mixture into prepared pan; press firmly into bottom.

2. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool, 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in same large bowl, mix eggs, corn syrup, granulated sugar, and melted butter until well combined. Add chocolate chips and pecans; spread over crust. Bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan before lifting out (using foil to lift). Cut into 32 bars (8 rows by 4 rows).