Pantry

Berbere Spice Paste

Makes 2 3/4 cups Berbere is a traditional Ethiopian spice blend made with chiles, warming spices, fenugreek, and other aromatic ingredients. Use this paste to rub meats, poultry, and fish before grilling. Ingredients 4 pequin chiles, seeds and stem removed 2 teaspoons cardamom seeds 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Brines for Tender and Flavorful Meats

Curing meats, poultry, and fish in a salt and water solution is known as brining or wet curing. Brining provides depth in flavor, tenderness, and a moister final product. The base of a brine is salt and water, and sometimes sugar. Kosher salt is preferred because it doesn’t have any […]

Free Recipes, Side Dishes

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Makes 6 as a side dish Slab bacon, or unsliced bacon, can be found at specialty stores or from your local butcher. If you aren’t able to find slab bacon, look for thick-cut bacon, but your typical bacon or even pancetta will work just fine.

Sandwiches

Butifarra (Traditional Peruvian Ham Sandwich)

Makes about 24 sandwiches This recipe makes quite a bit of ham, so you may have leftovers (unless you have 24 hungry people to feed!). You can tightly wrap any remaining pork and freeze for later, if you like. You can find Peruvian-style chile pastes (we use ají panca and […]

Side Dishes

Caramelized Sweet Potatoes with Pine Nuts and Currants

Makes 4 to 6 servings This is a hearty side dish for simple roasted chicken or a pork loin, or serve it on its own alongside a green salad or some crusty bread. Substitute yellow or red onion for the shallots and raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries for the […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Crash Course: Low and Slow Holiday Roasts

There is a lot of helpful information down there, but if you’re pressed for time, here’s a summary of the most important parts: Slow roasting typically utilizes large, less tender, less expensive, more active, higher-fat muscles that contain a large amount of collagen, like pork butts. If you are looking […]

Chef's Notes Plus

How to Make a Basic Braise—Just in Time for Autumn

Braising, barbecuing, and slow-roasting are all long, low cooking methods that utilize less tender, fattier cuts of meats with a lot of connective tissue. But braising stands apart in that it includes liquid in the cooking process. It is also a combination cooking method—one that uses both dry and moist […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

How to: Roast Vegetables without a Recipe

As we ease into autumn, we can finally celebrate the return of roasting—especially vegetables. We love roasting because it is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy seasonal fall produce, like hard-skinned squash, cauliflower, fennel, and Brussels sprouts (color = flavor), as well as incredibly easy and hands-off. Even […]