Chef's Notes Plus

Matzo Brei: The Ultimate 5-Minute Comfort Food

Passover begins on Friday, and of course, we’re planning our seder menu. But when there is matzo in the house, there is admittedly only one thing on our mind. Matzo is significant during Passover when unleavened bread is forbidden by tradition, hence flat and crispy matzo. And while you can […]

Pantry, Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments

Mayonnaise

Makes 2 cups mayonnaise We love making mayonnaise the old fashioned way (for special occasions!), but you can also make it in a blender. Follow the directions, plus instead of a bowl, combine the yolks, water, vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a blender, and steam in the oil while it’s […]

Desserts, Family Fun

Milk Chocolate Pudding with Chantilly Cream

Makes 8 servings Pudding Ingredients 3/4 cup sugar (divided use) 1/3 cup cornstarch 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3 cups whole or low-fat milk (divided use) 2 large eggs 2 large egg yolks 4 ounces milk chocolate, melted 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Chantilly Cream Directions In […]

Breakfast and Brunch, Main Dishes

Mushroom Chive Omelettes

Makes 4 servings Dinner omelettes are a hungry chef’s best friend, and we bet you can relate! These omelettes are filled with mushrooms and chives, but you can fill yours with anything you like, including ham and cheese, bell peppers, bacon, or even roasted veggies. For tips on making an […]

Free Recipes, Sandwiches

Pan Bagnat

Makes 8 Servings Sandwich & Dressing Ingredients 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped basil 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 4 anchovy fillets 1 jalapeño, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 8 ciabatta rolls or 2 baguettes 1 lb drained oil-packed tuna, flaked 1 […]

Main Dishes

Pasta Sheets For Lasagna, Cannelloni & Rotolo

Makes 1 pound of dough Ingredients 10 oz (2 1/4 cups) all-purpose or tipo 00 flour 3 medium eggs Directions Combine the flour and eggs by hand or using a machine. Knead until all of the ingredients are well combined and the dough is smooth and elastic. Wrap the dough […]

Desserts

Pastry Cream

Makes about 2 cups Pastry cream, which is essentially vanilla pudding, is incredibly versatile. It is commonly found as a filling in eclairs or as the base of a fresh fruit tart, but you can also use it for trifles, as a layer cake filling, in a cream pie, or […]

Main Dishes

Picadillo Cubano

If you have leftovers, whip up a batch of empanada dough for picadillo empanadas. Ingredients 1 quart beef stock 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed 10 oz Russet potato, peeled, small dice 1 lb ground beef 6 oz ham, small dice 10 oz yellow onions, small dice 8 […]

Breakfast and Brunch

Poached Eggs

Makes 6 eggs Ingredients 6 eggs White vinegar, as needed Kosher salt, as needed Directions Fill a pan with water to a depth of a few inches and season it with a small amount of vinegar and salt to prevent the egg whites from spreading during cooking. The vinegar and […]

Cakes, Desserts

Polenta Cake with Grappa, Berries, and Minted Mascarpone

Makes 6 servings This cake is dense and not too sweet, almost like a sweet cornbread. I like to use coarse polenta so that it also has an interesting texture, but if you have to use regular cornmeal, that works as well. Ingredients Polenta Cake 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at […]