dinner indian food meat recipes restaurant recipes

I Am... Dishoom’s Ruby Chicken Curry Recipe

Dishoom’s chicken ruby curry is everything: spicy, sweet, savory, and utterly addictive. A lot of people think the best Indian food in the world is in London, and it’s probably true. It’s also probably not at Dishoom, which is kind of like a local casual-fine chain. But because the bar is set so high in London, Dishoom manages to be both really good and very accessible. And man, is Dishoom ever good. Steph and I love it there: the fun atmosphere, creative cocktails, and of course the food, which is carefully tuned to be just a little less authentic: not too spicy, not too extreme. We’ve made many of their recipes and they've all been hits. Strangely however, we’ve never made what is arguably their signature dish, until now. This ruby chicken was awesome and so easy to make. It’s like the next step in Indian curry chicken. If you like butter chicken or chicken tikka masala, you'll love this: still sweet and a total crowdpleaser, but a little more complex and satisfying and adult. We had it with homemade cheddar naan, but it would go great with just about anything: basmati rice, garlic naan, or even more chicken via Dishoom’s chicken biryani (biryani is like a mixed rice). The chicken all by itself is amazing. We had a few pieces fresh off the grill and it was mind blowingly good. It's like an even easier chicken tandoori. If you’re feeling lazy, you can totally skip the whole curry part and just marinate and grill the chicken to eat with just about anything. It’s some of the best grilled chicken – from any cuisine – I’ve ever had. If you do go just chicken, you might want to pull back a bit on the spice. Indian chili powder can be pretty over the top spicy, depending on which one you use.

Cooking Notes

The original recipe contains sugar and honey. I omitted both because the cherry tomatoes I used were plenty sweet, but if you like sweetness, you might want to add a tablespoon of sugar back in. I also skipped the dill and kasoori methi (aka fenugreek) powder, and combined the two cardamoms into one, because I didn’t want to buy herbs & spices just for one dish. The deggi mirch chili powder specified in the OG recipe is just a mild variety of indian chili powder; I subbed the standard (spicier) one we have at home. Last but not least, the ginger garnish is really really good, don't skip it. This was an awesome and really delicious curry that was mostly hands off and totally foolproof. It looks like a long ingredients list, but it's mostly duplicates between the chicken and the curry, and it looks like a lot of time, but it's just an overnight marinade. The actual cooking was more like an hour. I highly recommend doubling or tripling this recipe. I’m definitely going to be adding this one to our dinner list, especially that awesome grilled chicken. Curry for life! Mike

Dishoom’s Ruby Chicken Curry Recipe

Chicken

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 2” chunks)
  • 1/4" fresh ginger (finely diced)
  • 5 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 1 tsp Indian chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • juice of 1/4 lime
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as grapeseed)
  • 1/4 cup kefir or greek yogurt

Curry

  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2" fresh ginger (plus extra for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil (such as grapeseed)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 pods green cardamom
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 14 ounces cherry tomatoes (blended)
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp Indian chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (aka whipping cream)
  1. In a medium bowl, mix the marinade ingredients together, then toss chicken until evenly coated. Wrap and store in the fridge to marinate 6 hours to overnight.



  2. Making the curry takes about 45 minutes. Start by crushing or finely dicing the ginger and 2 cloves of the garlic. A mortar and pestle is ideal. Set aside.



  3. Roughly chop the remaining 2 cloves of garlic. Add the 1/2 cup oil to a large pan and set over medium high heat, then add the garlic. Cook garlic until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, watching carefully to ensure it doesn't burn.



  4. Remove the garlic with a skimmer or slotted spoon and set aside. Add the bay leaf, cardamon, and cinnamon. Cook for about 1 minute, or until the cinnamon stick opens.



  5. Reduce the heat to medium and add the reserved ginger-garlic paste from step 2. Cook until paste has browned a little, about 5 minutes, then add the blended tomatoes, being careful of splattering. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced about 2/3 and darkened, roughly 15 minutes.



  6. Add the butter, chili powder, garam masala, cumin, the reserved crispy garlic from step 4, and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until sauce has reduced by about 1/2, then stir in the cream. Cook for another 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside while you make the chicken.



  7. Preheat your grill on high. Oil the grates well, and then skewer and and cook the chicken until charred and just cooked through, 8-10 minutes. If you don't have a grill handy, fry the chicken in 1-2 tbsp oil until just cooked through.



  8. Add the chicken to the curry and simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring evenly to coat.



  9. Plate and garnish with ginger matchsticks and cilantro (optional).



Adapted from Dishoom's cookbook, via The Guardian

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cookie recipes small batch

I Am... The Best Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are the best cookie out there. Everyone always talks about warm chocolate chip cookies, but they have chocolate and that’s the equivalent of bringing a gun to knife fight. Real cookie connoisseurs know that snickerdoodles are the true winner.

The best snickerdoodle cookies

If you’re a snickerdoodle lover like me, you’ve probably searched google for “The Best Snickerdoodle Recipe.” For a long time, the top hit was Ms. Sigg’s Snickerdoodles. There are also a bunch of other recipes out there claiming they’re the best. I’ve made them all because I have loved snickerdoodles my whole life. After extensive research and experimentation, this recipe is hands down my favorite snickerdoodle recipe.

What is a snickerdoodle?

A snickerdoodle is a cookie coated in cinnamon and sugar. What makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle is cream of tartar. My ultimate snickerdoodle has ripple-y rings of different textures: crispy golden edges and a thick, soft, chewy middle. There’s a hint of toffee from the nuttiness of the brown butter and plenty of cinnamon. The cream of tartar adds a bit of tang in the background and there’s just enough salt to accentuate the sweet. Here’s how to make them!

How to make snickerdoodles

  1. Measure: Scoop out and whisk the dry ingredients together.
  2. Brown the butter: Heat up the butter over very low heat until it start to foam and smell nutty, swirling occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool.
  3. Cream the browned butter and sugar: Add the white and brown sugar to the cooled brown butter and mix until lump free. Stir in the egg and vanilla.
  4. Add the dry ingredients: Mix until there are no streaks of flour.
  5. Shape the cookies: Use a cookie scoop to scoop out two balls of dough, then smush them one on top of each other to form a snowman. Tall balls of dough equal thick cookies.
  6. Cinnamon sugar: Coat the cookies in cinnamon and sugar and let rest in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.
  7. Bake: Bake until just done on the edges.

Snickerdoodle ingredients

Snickerdoodle cookies need all the usual cookie suspects: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, vanilla, and salt. The two key ingredients that turn regular sugar cookies into snickerdoodles are cream of tartar and cinnamon.
  • Cream of tartar: This gives snickerdoodles their signature tang.
  • Cinnamon: Cinnamon gives snickerdoodles a warm and cozy flavor profile.

What is cream of tartar

Cream of tartar is a powdery acid that’s the byproduct of winemaking. It’s mostly used to stabilize egg whites and sometimes used as a leavener. You can find it in the baking aisle, near the baking powder and baking soda. Many people think it's a pain to have around and are always looking for substitions or recipes without, but cream of tartar is usually under $5 on amazon so it's totally worth it.

What does cream of tartar do

In the case of snickerdoodles, cream of tartar adds a bit of tang to the cookies. Some people say that it also makes them more chewy.

Cream of tartar substitutes

A great substitute for cream of tartar is fresh lemon juice. If you want a bit of acidity in your cookie but don’t have cream of tartar, try adding in 1.5 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice. Or, you can leave it out and have a soft and chewy cinnamon sugar cookie!

What else can you make with cream of tartar?

Can you make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?

Yes, but they won’t technically be snickerdoodles. They’ll still be awesome though, probably the best soft cinnamon-sugar cookie you’ll ever make.

The key to making the best snickerdoodles

Browned butter

Browned butter brings so much flavor to baked goods for just a tiny bit of extra effort. It’ll add a nutty caramel roundness and highlight the cinnamon and sugar making your snickerdoodles deeper, richer, and more intense. And bonus, you don’t have to wait for your butter to come to room temp!

Shaping

If you want cookies that are plush and thick, not thin and spread out, make cookie ball snowmen. Instead of scooping out single balls of cookie dough, scoop out two balls and stack them. As they bake, the cookie dough balls will melt down but not spread out, baking into distinct edges and middles. I hope you give these snickerdoodles a try. I’ve been making them over and over. There’s nothing quite like a still warm snickerdoodle!

Best Snickerdoodle Recipe

Crisp rippled edges, nutty browned butter chewy middles, and a delightful cinnamon-sugar coat make these the ultimate snickerdoodles.

  • 1.5 cups all purpose flour (200 grams)
  • 3/4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (plus 1-2 tablespoons)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (70 grams)
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar (65 grams)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  1. Whisk together the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.



  2. Brown 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan, swirling, until butter foams and starts to turn brown and smells nutty. Immediately transfer butter to a liquid measuring cup and see how much water content you lost. You want to have 1/2 cup of butter, so stir in the remaining 1-2 tablespoons of butter if you need it – the butter should just melt, not foam.



  3. When the butter is mostly cool, whisk in both 1/3 cup of brown and white sugar until incorporated with no lumps. Whisk in the egg until smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla and use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients until just combined and no dry spots remain. Do not over mix.



  4. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and scoop out two balls of dough, so that each cookie is 3 tablespoons large. Smoosh the two balls on top of each other – they should kind of look like a 2 ball snowman (see photo) and you should get about 8-10 cookies. Roll the logs/tots generously in the cinnamon sugar, being sure to coat evenly. Place the cookies on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes



  5. Heat the oven to 325°F and bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are just set, rotating and moving trays halfway if browning unevenly. Remove from the oven and bang the pan down against the counter top (this helps create a couple of ripples like you see on Instagram) Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, the move to a rack to cool completely. Enjoy!



adapted from chelseamessyapron.com

Dessert
American
cookies

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sweet christmas treats sweets

I Am... Mint Snowman Marshmallows

I think snowman marshmallows might be my favorite ever marshmallows. Especially if they’re mint flavored and homemade. These mint snowman marshmallows are so incredibly festive and cute; they never fail to get me into the holiday mood. If you’ve never had homemade marshmallows and you’re a fan of marshmallows in general, you need to make marshmallows from scratch. They’re like a whole other species: super soft, fluffy and plush. They just melt in your mouth. Honestly, I think clouds probably taste like super puffy marshmallows. Homemade marshmallows probably seem a bit intimidating, but they’re actually pretty simple. The only caveat is that you need a stand mixer because the marshmallow mixture is whipped for over 20 minutes and it gets super thick and fluffy which will basically make your arm fall off if you try to do it by hand.

How to make homemade marshmallows

  1. Prep your pan. Butter and use powdered sugar to lightly dust a pan or glass baking dish.
  2. Bloom the gelatin. Add the gelatin to some cold water in the bowl of your stand mixer and let sit/bloom.
  3. Heat up sugar, corn syrup, and water to 240°-245°F, the firm ball candy stage. If you have a candy thermometer, clip it into your pan, making sure the bulb isn’t touching the base, otherwise it’ll get a false reading.
  4. Slowly add the hot sugar to the gelatin in the bowl of the stand mixer. Then whip until fluffy and marshmallow-y.
  5. After you have marshmallow fluff, it’s time to spread it in the pan and let it cure until firm.
  6. After that, you can cut it out and decorate it. You did it, you made marshmallows!

Marshmallow ingredients

  • Sugar - regular granulated white sugar is the bulk of this recipe
  • Corn syrup - this helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing and keeps your marshmallows super soft
  • Gelatin - gelatin is what’s going to set the marshmallows
  • Mint extract - these guys are mint marshmallows and a little bit of mint extract is what gives them that coolminty flavor. These marshmallows are amazing in hot chocolate! If you’re not a fan of mint, feel free to use the extract of your choice

Do I need a stand mixer to make homemade marshmallows?

Unfortunately, yes. The hot sugar and gelatin mixture takes about 20 minutes to whip up on high and the fluffier it gets, the stickier and more difficult it is to whip. Our current mixer is the KitchenAid Artisan Mini and it's awesome, but sold out everywhere as of this writing. There are some available on amazon still, although refurbished.

Why make snowman marshmallows

  • You love projects and you’re tired of making sourdough
  • You’ve never made candy before - this is a great first candy to make!
  • You love marshmallows and these are pure melt in your mouth fluffiness
  • You want to see little snowman faces melting away in your hot chocolate

What if i don’t have time to make homemade marshmallows?

You can make these snowmen with store bought marshmallows!
  1. Cut jumbo marshmallows in half with a pair of scissors.
  2. Dip the sticky sides into icing sugar, then shake off the excess.
  3. Decorate with melted orange candy melts noses and melted dark chocolate eyes and mouths.

How to store homemade marshmallows

There’s no denying it, these guys have a lot of sugar in them. But, because they’re most all all sugar, they keep for a really long time. Make sure they’re in an air tight container and keep them at room temp - they’ll stay soft and squishy for up to 3 weeks. I hope you have a chance to make these little guys! They are so worth it as a pick-me up on a random winter afternoon. Their little faces melting will definitely make you squee with the cuteness.

More fun holiday projects

melty snowman marshmallows forever! xoxo steph

Mint Snowman Marshmallows

  • stand mixer
  • 1 tbsp gelatin (1 envelope)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp corn syrup
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/4 tsp mint extract
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup candy melts (orange)
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate (chopped)

Prep

  1. Bloom the gelatin: In the bowl of your stand mixer, pour in 1/4 cup of cold water. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and mix to moisten.

    Pan: lightly butter an 8x8 inch pan, then dust with icing sugar. If desired, line with parchment paper.

    Tools: Lightly butter a spatula and an offset spatula.



Marshmallows

  1. In a pot, mix together the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Stir until the sugar is incorporated and wet, then bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat, swirling occasionally to distribute the heat. Heat until the mixture reaches 240°-245°F. When the sugar mix comes to temp, remove it from the heat and let the bubbles subside. Sprinkle in a bit of salt and add the mint extract to the gelatin. Carefully pour the sugar into the bowl of the stand mixer.



  2. With the whisk attachment, turn the stand mixer to low and beat for 2 minutes. Increase the speed to high and whip until the marshmallows double to triple in size and are fluffy and white, about 10-15 minutes.



  3. When the marshmallows are full and white and fluffy, use your buttered spatula to help pour them into the prepared 8x8 pan. Smooth out with the buttered offset spatula and lightly dust the tops with powdered sugar. Let cure in the pan for 3-6 hours.



  4. Remove the marshmallows from the pan and place on an icing sugar dusting cutting board. Lightly butter a 1 inch round cutter and cut out snowmen heads.



  5. Dust with powdered sugar and use melted orange candy melts and dark chocolate to pipe on eyes, mouths, and noses. Let set then enjoy as is or in hot chocolate!



Storage: Store in an air tight container at room temp for up to 3 weeks.

Estimated nutrition assumes you're not consuming all the candy melts and dark chocolate, only enough to make the snowman faces.

Dessert
American
christmas, marshmallows
I first made these mint snowman marshmallows way back in 2015! They still bring me as much joy today as they did then. Here’s a little update with some clearer marshmallow making insights.

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loaves

I Am... Gingerbread Loaf

Gingerbread loaf reminds me of snowy winter nights, oversized fluffy cardigans, and all that is right with the world. The smell of gingerbread baking is so warm and cozy that I get an instant hit of serotonin when those signature ginger-cinnamon spices waft through the air. If you asked me what I liked better: gingerbread loaf or gingerbread cookies, I would say gingerbread loaf for eating and gingerbread cookies for decorating. Cookies are cute and fun and delicious, but there’s just something about sinking a fork into a plush cake topped with thick snowy white glaze that gets me every time. I LOVE loaves and quick breads because they’re quick, easy, and essentially cake! Who doesn’t love a slice of cake in the morning with coffee? Or mid-morning, after lunch, as afternoon tea, dessert, or a late night snack? Give me all the loaves masquerading as cake, but especially deep, dark, mysterious gingerbread.

How to make gingerbread loaf

  1. Prep: Heat your oven, lightly butter a loaf pan, and whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Mix: Whisk together the molasses with a bit of warm water to loosen it.
  3. Cream: Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the egg, applesauce, and molasses-mix.
  4. Fold: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well combined. Pour into your prepped pan.
  5. Bake: Let the gingerbread bake and enjoy the delicious smells that will drive you nuts with longing.
  6. Enjoy: Let cool completely in the pan, then glaze (if desired), slice and enjoy!

Gingerbread loaf ingredients

All the ingredients for gingerbread are pretty standard loaf ingredients, with a couple of special mentions. You’ll need: flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, butter, sugar, egg, molasses, and applesauce.
  • Ginger: Try to use fresh powdered ginger as ginger tends to loose its potency as it sits in your cabinet. I love my gingerbread extra gingery and sometimes I even add an extra teaspoon to the mix.
  • Molasses: Make sure you get the right kind of molasses, because it’s important! You want unsulfured fancy or light molasses, more on that below!
  • Applesauce: This adds an extra bit of moisture in your loaf.

What is gingerbread?

Gingerbread is an umbrella term for baked goods sweetened with molasses or honey and flavored with ginger, cinnamon and cloves. It can range from soft and cakey like this gingerbread loaf to crisp and crunchy like ginger snaps. Gingerbread is especially popular around the winter holiday season because of all the warming spices.

What is the difference between gingerbread and ginger cake?

In most of the world, gingerbread can mean either cookies or cake, but sometimes it’s confusing, so people have started to refer to soft, cake-y gingerbread as ginger cake. This gingerbread loaf is ginger cake, baked in a loaf pan. Really, if you think about it, the name gingerbread is very fitting because it’s kinda sort of bread shaped? This recipe tastes very similar to Starbucks’ gingerbread loaf except there isn’t any crystallized ginger because I don’t really like things like fruit and nuts in my loaves. This is the best kind of gingerbread out there: heavily spiced with a large amount of ginger and cinnamon, scented with sticky molasses, and made extra soft and moist with a touch of applesauce. It’s a classic old-fashioned gingerbread, the kind you want to come home too after an afternoon of playing in the snow. I like it glazed, which reminds me of a layer of freshly fallen snow, or dusted with powdered sugar, or with a dollop of softly whipped cream. I like it all ways and always :)

Which molasses should I use for gingerbread?

This gingerbread uses light/fancy molasses.

But maybe you’re wondering: what is molasses?

Molasses is a dark and sticky smoky syrup that’s the byproduct of refining sugar from sugar cane or sugar beets.

There are three types of molasses out there:

  • Light Molasses is the sweetest and lightest of the three kinds of molasses. It’s also called first pass, mild, sweet, and light molasses. It’s the one most commonly used when baking ginger cookies, gingersnaps, gingerbread, and ginger cakes.
  • Dark molasses, also called full, robust, cooking, or second pass, is thicker, darker, and stronger. This is used in baking gingerbreads with a stronger, more molasses-y flavor.
  • Blackstrap Molasses is the darkest and thickest of the three types of molasses. It’s bitter and not really used for baking, more for savories like baked beans and barbecue.

What if I don’t have molasses?

No molasses gingerbread is super easy. If you don’t have any molasses on hand and there’s a big snowstorm outside, use this molasses substitute:
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
Mix them together and you’re good to go. In fact, if you’re not a huge fan of the flavor of molasses, which can be robust, caramel-y, and smoky, just make no-molasses gingerbread!

Which loaf pan?

I bake all my loaves in this 1 lb loaf pan.

Can I make this as a gingerbread cake?

You can absolutely make this as a cake! It slices up beautifully and looks so pretty with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Bake it in an 8x8 or 9x9 inch pan. Happy gingerbread-ing! xoxo steph

PS - If you’re a gingerbread lover, here are some other gingerbread recipes for you!

Gingerbread Loaf

Give me all the loaves masquerading as cake, but especially deep, dark, mysterious gingerbread.

  • standard loaf pan
  • 2.5 cups all purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup fancy molasses (unsulfured light)
  • 1/2 cup apple sauce
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly butter a loaf pan. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Set aside.



  2. In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together 1 cup hot water and molasses. Set aside.



  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg until glossy, then mix in the apple sauce and molasses mix.



  4. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well combined and pour into the pan.



  5. Bake for 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too much, top loosely with a piece of foil. Cool completely in the pan on wire rack before optional glazing (see notes for glaze).



This is a medium-low sweet loaf, so the glaze will add a lot of sweetness if you're looking for that.

To glaze: mix 1.5 cups powdered sugar with 3 tbsp milk until smooth. Spoon over the top of the loaf.

Estimated nutrition doesn't include glaze.

Dessert
American
gingerbread

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pork recipes italian food pork loin recipes

I Am... Easy Pork Tenderloin Recipe

The juiciest, tastiest pork tenderloin. This porchetta inspired pork tenderloin will take you right to the sun drenched middle of Italy. It's based on the flavors of Umbria, the part of Italy where they make delicious melt-in-your-mouth pork tenderloin with lemon, rosemary, fennel, and good italian cheese and olive oil. It’s perfect for eating on its own or in a crusty ciabatta. This pork tenderloin is based on porchetta, simplified with weeknight ingredients, and you’ll be amazed at how flavorful, buttery, and melty it is. Best of all, it’s healthy, lean, and low fat, with only 7 ingredients.

What is pork tenderloin

Pork tenderloin, also called fillet, is a small slender muscle along the spine. When cooked right, they’re buttery delicious, juicy, and full of flavor, rivaling hundred dollar wagyu steaks. Pork tenderloin is the single, best cut of pork. Unlike beef tenderloin, which runs into the hundreds of dollars, you can often get pork tenderloin for under $10/lb, which is a bargain for how good it tastes. This is one of those things, like oxtail, that you should get into before they blow up and triple in price.

Pork tenderloin vs loin

Although they share the same name, pork tenderloin and pork loin are not the same. Tenderloins are small and long like a zucchini or cucumber, whereas a loin is much, much larger. You could make this recipe with a loin if you can adjust the cooking times (or sous vide the whole thing), but in my opinion, the tenderloin is worth looking for. It’s not even in the same league.

What is ‘in porchetta’

This recipe is inspired by a traditional Umbrian method called in porchetta, where they use the techniques and flavors of porchetta on other foods. Classically, these include chicken in porchetta, duck in porchetta, and rabbit in porchetta. The protein is different but the preparation - a dry rub of fennel, rosemary, and olive oil, is the same. A pork tenderloin happens to be one of the things you can stuff a traditional porchetta with, so this is like an easier, extra tender and not crunchy porchetta. You can also adapt this recipe to any protein you like and it’ll taste amazing.

How to cook pork tenderloin

  1. Temper the tenderloin by letting it rest on the countertop while you prepare the porchetta rub, pour some wine, or make while-cooking cocktail.
  2. Make the dry rub by combining lemon zest, salt, pepper, fennel, and rosemary.
  3. Brush your tenderloin with some nice olive oil and rub the dry rub on evenly. Sear in a pan if desired.
  4. Bake the pork tenderloin at 400ºF for 20-25 minutes.
  5. Make the salsa verde while your tenderloin is baking to perfection.
  6. Rest. Then slice, and enjoy with crusty bread, risotto, or pasta.

Pork tenderloin temp

We all grew up with hyper overcooked pork, but today’s pork is safe and the USDA has reduced the safe pork temp down to 145ºF. For me personally, I prefer pork at 130ºF, with carryover heat bringing it up to 135ºF. It was perfect: tender, super juicy, and flavorful. If the thought of pink meat is off putting to you, cook your pork tenderloin to 145-155. It will still be tender and delicious.

How long to cook pork tenderloin

Cooking times depend a lot on your oven, the size of the tenderloin, and the temperature of your pork before it goes into the oven. The most accurate thing you can do is get a meat thermometer with a probe. They can be really cheap. If you have a pretty accurate oven and prefer to wing it, some suggested cooking times are below.

Pork tenderloin at 400ºF

With a 1lb tenderloin that’s been tempered for an hour, it takes about 25 min at 400ºF to get to 140ºF. The carryover heat will bring it up to 145ºF.

Pork tenderloin at 350ºF

Although it's not as effective, there might be reasons to do it at 350ºF (ie, you need to have other things in the oven at 350ºF). If so, cook it for 30-35 minutes.

What temp should I cook pork tenderloin?

It's best to cook it at 400ºF. The higher temperature will ensure that it doesn’t overcook by getting the middle up to temp faster.

Do you need to sear?

I didn’t sear this one because I wanted to keep it as tender as possible. It will end up a little grey though. I don’t mind that too much, but if you want it to look its best, sear it all around over medium high heat before popping it in the oven.

Green sauce, aka salsa verde

The salsa verde in this recipe goes wonderfully with the porchetta, bringing a little bit of acid and a lot of umami from Parmigiano-Reggiano. Definitely don’t skip out on it. It’s so good Steph and I often use it as a quick pasta sauce, no meat required. In America, salsa verde is known as a mainly Mexican or Spanish thing, but Italians have a green sauce called salsa verde too. This version is a super simplified one, using only the ingredients in the porchetta plus cheese, but usually Italian salsa verde also includes anchovies, capers, and vinegar.

Saltiness

Porchetta was traditionally generously seasoned. In Umbria one of the main ways to eat porchetta is in a sandwich, and the bread in that part of Italy wasn’t salted, so it was a marriage made in heaven. I’ve reduced the salt here so you can eat the porchetta by itself, but I’ve also tested it with up to a tablespoon of salt to recreate that classic porchetta taste. It works if you eat it with something very bland, like bread or pasta.

What to serve with pork tenderloin

Pork Tenderloin Recipe

The best pork tenderloin with the flavors of Umbrian Porchetta in only 10 ingredients

Pork Tenderloin

  • 2 lb pork tenderloin
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (or more if needed)
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp rosemary (chopped, ~10"-12" sprig )
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt
  • 1.5 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest (1/2 a lemon)

Salsa Verde

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley (roughly torn, about 1 bunch)
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (grated)
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (chopped)
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest (1/2 a lemon)
  1. Temper your pork by leaving it on the counter while you prepare your dry rub. At the same time, preheat your oven to 400ºF.



  2. Make the porchetta dry rub by mixing the fennel, rosemary, sea salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a small bowl.



  3. Rub your pork tenderloins down with olive oil, then evenly rub the porchetta spice mix on.



  4. Arrange the tenderloins on a rack over a baking sheet, and bake for 20 min or until 130ºF in the middle (see notes). While the pork is baking, make your salsa verde by combining all salsa verde ingredients except lemon zest in a blender. Blend until smooth, then taste and season with extra salt and pepper if needed. Drizzle a splash of olive oil on top and top with the lemon zest.



  5. When the pork is has reached your desired temp, remove and rest for 5 min. Slice, then serve with salsa verde.



I prefer my pork at 130ºF. If you think this looks undercooked based on my photos, bake your pork until it hits 140ºF. The carryover heat tends to add 5ºF, which will bring it up to a USDA approved 145ºF.

Estimated nutrition includes all the salsa verde

Main Course
Italian
porchetta, pork tenderloin, tenderloin

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easy salmon recipes

I Am... Baked Salmon

Making baked salmon by slow roasting in a low oven ensures that it never over cooks, flakes apart perfectly and is just the best. If you love juicy, tender, succulent salmon, this is the post for you! Slow roasted salmon in a sweet, savory, slightly spicy sauce, finished with caramelized limes, fresh scallions, and toasty sesame seeds. I feel like everyone loves salmon. When it’s cooked properly, it’s so flavorful and satisfying. The finicky part with salmon is that when it’s over cooked, it’s a dry, crumbly travesty. Salmon is kind of mysterious but it’s really one of the easiest, healthiest, and tastiest proteins you could ever learn to make.

How to bake salmon

  1. Mix: Mix together a flavorful sweet and spicy gochujang honey sauce.
  2. Slow roast: Coat the salmon in the sauce and bake in a low oven to ensure tender, juicy, perfectly cooked salmon.
  3. Flake: Use a spoon to gently flake the salmon into perfectly imperfect pieces to present on a plate or platter.
  4. Enjoy: Finish with some scallions and toasted sesame seeds and enjoy!

The best baked salmon recipe

This oven baked salmon is spicy, sweet, savory, and so addictive. The gochujang honey glaze is AMAZING. If you’ve ever had Korean fried chicken, the glaze is very similar to that sticky, bright red, deeply delicious sauce you get on the spicy wings.

Best salmon for baked salmon

Go for a larger cut of salmon instead of individual fillets: a larger piece of fish means it won’t dry out as much in the oven; a large piece of fish is much more forgiving than smaller fillets. You can either go for skin on or skinless. I went with skin on because the skin provides an extra layer of protection against over baking. Since we’re going to flake the salmon in pieces and present it on another platter, I recommend skin on so the salmon stays a bit juicer. Either way, make sure you remove the pin bones, if there are any. Run your fingers lightly across the surface of the fillet, near the middle. If you feel any pin bones, use a pair of kitchen tweezers to pluck them out.

What is gochujang ?

A savory, sweet, spicy fermented paste made from chili powder and sticky rice. It adds sweet and heat and a ton of flavor to your favorite Korean dishes. We use it for Korean fried chicken, oven roasted chicken, and Korean BBQ. Traditionally it comes in tubs, but these days you can find it in squeeze bottles in the Asian aisle of literally any grocery store (or online, as always).

How long to bake salmon

Slow roasting salmon at a low temp ensures that your salmon is moist and tender and never dry. Instead of cooking at high heat, which has the tendency to dry out salmon, a low oven will gently surround your salmon and bring it up to temp. Plus it gives the salmon time to absorb the flavors of the marinade!

The best baked salmon temp

Slow roasted salmon works best at 275°F

How to tell if salmon is cooked

The best and easiest way to tell if salmon is cooked is to gently press it with the back of a spoon, when it’s cooked properly it will flake. Perfectly done salmon will be tender, barely opaque, and juicy. Over cooked salmon will flake too but it will be dry, lighter in color, and tough.

Wild salmon vs farmed salmon

Wild salmon is always going to be less fatty than farmed salmon because they have to work to find their food. Since wild salmon have less fat, it’s best to cook them to a lower finished temp so they remain silky, firm and juicy. If you want to be precise, use an instant read thermometer.

What internal temperature should I cook salmon to?

For wild salmon, aim for 120°F internal temperature For farmed salmon, aim for 125°F internal temperature Note: the FDA recommends 145°F.

How to serve salmon

Our favorite way of serving salmon is not in individually portioned filets. Instead, a whole side of salmon is oven baked, then gently flaked into large perfectly imperfect pieces onto a platter. We were inspired by a Bon Appétit recipe and the salmon looked so pretty on the platter that we have never gone back. Presenting salmon like this is nice because you (or guests, if we’re ever in a time when you can have guests again) can custom portion out how much salmon you want to eat. Another bonus of cooking a side of salmon and flaking it is that cooking a larger piece of salmon ensures that it doesn’t dry out while cooking because it has more mass. And, when you serve salmon not in the dish you’ve baked it in, you can go ahead and buy skin-on salmon (the skin protects the fish from over cooking) and easily serve it without the skin. Above: Harissa Salmon

Here are some of my other favorite oven baked salmon flavors

Garlicky tomato with vine cherry tomatoes: toss 2 pints cherry tomatoes with 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and 4-6 cloves minced garlic. Bake as directed below. Harissa: mix together 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup harissa paste, 1 clove minced garlic. Bake as directed below. Miso baked salmon: mix together 2 tbsp neutral oil, 2 tbsp miso paste, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin, and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Bake as directed below.

What to serve with salmon:

Baked Salmon Recipe

Perfectly soft and tender slow roasted baked salmon in a sweet, savory, slightly spicy honey gochujang sauce.

  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 3 tbsp gochujang
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 tbsp ginger (grated)
  • 1.5 lb boneless salmon fillet
  • 1 lime (thinly sliced)
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (to serve)
  • 1 stalk green onion (sliced, to serve)
  1. Temper the salmon. Let the salmon rest at room temp for 20-30 minutes while you heat up the oven and prep the marinade and garnish.



  2. Heat the oven to 275°F. Whisk the oil, gochujang, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl.



  3. Spread half of the gochujang mix to the bottom of a large baking dish. Lightly pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides then place in the baking dish (skin side down if your salmon has skin). Spread the remaining gochujang mix on top. Arrange the limes on top and place in the oven for 30 minutes (see notes).



  4. When 30 minutes is up, remove the salmon from the oven and take a spoon and try to flake the salmon to see if it flakes and is cooked through, barely opaque and tender. If needed, return to the oven for another 5 minutes.



  5. Flake the salmon into 2-3” irregular sized pieces. Arrange the salmon and lime on a platter, spoon on any remaining sauce on top. Finish with scallions and toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.



Depending on the thickness of your salmon and how done you like it, it may take up to 45 mins in the oven. 30 mins should cook a 1" fillet to rare, 45 min should cook a 1.5" fillet to medium.

Main Course
American, korean
salmon

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thanksgiving sides

I Am... Best Ever Stuffing for Crock Pot or Oven

Set-it-and-forget-it crock pot (or oven) stuffing recipe with soft, custardy bread and crispy, toasty edges and a secret ingredient. I LOVE stuffing. I feel like I could make a meal of stuffing and mashed potatoes and be a very happy camper. Give me ALL the carbs. Ever since I discovered making stuffing in the crock pot I have been sneakily meal prepping stuffing at the beginning of every week so I can feed my stuffing addiction. Who says stuffing is only for Thanksgiving? Not me! Stuffing isn’t even hard to make. It’s one of the easiest sides dishes – maybe even the most easy? The most pressing thing you’ll need to think about is: if you should cut up a loaf of bread or use store bought bread cubes. I do both. When I’m in a hurry those store bought bread cubes are a life saver, but for more special stuffing, like Thanksgiving, I’ll get a rustic loaf, tear it up, and dry out the cubes myself.

How to make bread cubes for stuffing

  1. Decide on a loaf of bread. There are so many kinds of bread out there! I usually use a rustic white, sourdough, or French bread.
  2. Cube the bread. Use a bread knife to slice the bread into 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick slices, the lay them flat and cut into 1/2 - 3/4 inch strips. Cut the strips into cubes.
  3. Toast the bread cubes. Spread the bread cubes out into a single layer on a baking pan and bake them in a low oven, until dry and crisp, stirring once or twice. Let cool completely. Boom! Homemade bread cubes.
  4. Bonus: If you want your stuffing to have a more artisanal, rustic, hipster look, tear your bread. Irregular torn up pieces look more homemade and the extra texture and craggily crevices toast up better!
Once you have your bread cubes, you’re basically done. This stuffing is stuffed (heehee) with classic flavors like celery, garlic, sage, and thyme, but I also added a couple of umami boosting ingredients to take this stuffing over the top: mixed mushrooms, shallots, and a splash of soy sauce. This crock pot stuffing is a winner! It has the best mix of textures, crispy and toasty, soft and squishy. The edges where the stuffing is right against the side of the crock pot are the best part: crispy and well caramelized.

How to make stuffing

  1. Toast the bread. Toast the bread in the oven so it’s crisp on the outside but not too dry on the inside. You want it to feel like a crouton.
  2. Sauté the aromatics. You’ll have to break out a pan for this step, but it’s worth it because searing the mushrooms and shallots brings out so much more flavor.
  3. Mix up the stuffing. Get a giant bowl so you can mix everything up evenly. Aim to evenly soak all the bread.
  4. Cook it in the crock pot. Generously butter the insert of the crock pot then add everything in, cover, and cook on low for 3-4 hours. The sides will get gloriously crisp and the insides will be creamy and custardy.

Stuffing Ingredients

You will need: 1 loaf of bread, butter, mushrooms, shallots, celery, garlic, herbs, eggs, chicken stock, and just a touch of the secret ingredient: soy sauce!
  • Bread - My favorite thing to do is to get a sourdough or rustic loaf from our neighborhood bakery and rip it up into different sized pieces so there’s lots of surface area and craggily bits for all the flavor to cling to.
  • Mushrooms - The deep savoriness of mushrooms will add a huge hit of flavor to this stuffing. Try to get a mix of mushrooms (cremini, portobello, button, maitake, shiitake, oyster, trumpet, king) and tear the delicate ones so they get textured surface areas. Most grocery stores sell mixed mushrooms sets, so just grab one of those.
  • Shallots - The sweetness of shallots and their pretty purple color is perfect in stuffing to add a note of caramel sweetness to play off all the savory flavors.
  • Herbs - I stuck with classic herbs like sage and thyme for that nostalgic stuffing feel but you can mix in any fresh herbs you like.
  • Eggs - Eggs are one of those controversial things in stuffing. If you grew up with eggs in your stuffing, you’re probably an egg fan. If you like stuffing that is very loose and falls apart on the plate, you think eggs in stuffing are a travesty. I like how eggs lightly bind your stuffing together and make it custardy. We’re just going to add one egg so the stuffing doesn’t end up too dense. Make sure you whisk the egg very well so it’s fully incorporated with the stock.
  • Soy sauce - This is the not-so-secret ingredient. Soy sauce adds an extra layer of saltiness and umami, tying everything together. Butter, mushrooms, and soy sauce are seriously one of the most amazing flavor combinations in the world.

I don’t have a crock pot can I still make this?

Of course! Just pop everything into a lightly buttered casserole dish and bake in a 350°F covered with foil for 30-40 minutes, then remove the foil and crisp up the top for an extra 10.

Which crock pot for this stuffing?

Since we are a little family of two, we have the casserole crock, which holds 2.5 quarts. If you’re making this in a bigger crock pot, use the handy “serves” scale and double the number of servings.

Make ahead

If you want to prep this ahead of time, toast the bread cubes and sauté the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic the night before. Keep the bread at room temp, uncovered and put the aromatics covered, in the fridge. The next day, combine all the ingredients together and place in the crock pot!

How to store

Keep in the fridge in an air tight container for up to one week.

To reheat

To heat up, crisp up in an oven safe dish at 350°F for 10 minutes or until warmed through. Or simply microwave if you want it quick, easy, and not-so-crisp.

What to serve with stuffing

Stuffing all day, every day! xoxo steph

Stuffing Recipe

Set-it-and-forget-it crock pot stuffing recipe with soft, custardy bread and crispy, toasty edges and a secret ingredient.

  • crockpot/slow cooker
  • 1/2 lb bread (rustic white or sourdough loaf, cut or torn into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups))
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 lb mushrooms (mixed, sliced or torn)
  • 2-3 shallots (quartered)
  • 2 stalks celery (diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 2 tbsp sage (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme (leaves only)
  • 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
  • 1.5 cup chicken stock (low sodium preferred)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
  1. Heat the oven to 225°F and arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake, until dry and crisp, stirring occasionally, about 1 to 1 and half hours. Let cool completely.



  2. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sear, not moving, until caramelized, flipping as needed. Add the shallots and cook until golden, then add the garlic and cook until just soft. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the celery, sage, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.



  3. Add the bread cubes to a large bowl and toss with the cooked vegetables. Whisk the eggs with the chicken stock and soy sauce in a liquid measuring cup or bowl, the pour over the bread cubes and toss until everything is evenly coated. Season generously with salt and pepper.



  4. Generously butter a crock pot and add the stuffing. Cook covered for 3-4 hours on low, until the stuffing starts to crisp around the edges. Enjoy hot!



Side Dish
American
stuffing, thanksgiving

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potato recipes basics comfort easy

I Am... Best Baked Potato

Although they often get over looked for mashed or roasted, a perfect baked potato is a thing of beauty.  Crisp and salty potato skins with the fluffiest potato-y insides?! Oh my gosh, they are the epitome of pure. Add some toppings on and seriously, they might be the most perfect easy-to-make and even easier-to-eat potato out there. Confession: I was that weird kid that ordered Wendy’s baked potatoes. I mean, I get why no one gets excited about those baked potatoes - they’re often wrinkly and not at all fluffy inside - but a proper baked potato? Those are perfection! In my books, there are three things you need to have to be considered a perfect baked potato: crispy salty skins, fluffy insides, and piping steamy heat. A proper baked potato is so incredibly easy you’ll wonder why you’ve overlooked them your whole life.

How to bake a potato

  1. Wash and dry your potato. Give it a good scrub and then make sure it’s completely dry.
  2. Poke. I have never had a potato explode on me but I also don’t want to clean up exploded potatoes, so I always give my potatoes pokes with a fork.
  3. Rub with oil. No foil jacket here - all you need to do is loving rub your potato with a bit of oil.
  4. Salt. Chanel your inner salt bae and make it rain salt. The oil will help the salt stick to the skin.
  5. Bake. Bake your potato, on a rack in a very hot oven. Give it a flip half way through to encourage even baking.
  6. Make Fluffy. After your potatoes are baked, use clean oven mitts (or a clean kitchen towel) to squeeze and massage your potato a bit.
  7. Slice and serve. Cut a little opening, use a fork to fluff, and serve! I like them pure with a pat of really good grass-fed butter and flaky sea salt, but I never ever say no to baked potato toppings!

Ideal temp for a baked potato in oven

The ideal temperature for baked potatoes is 425°F. A super hot oven will help the skins crisp up beautifully and bake the insides to fluffy, steamy perfection.

How long to bake a potato?

Not gonna lie, baked potatoes take time, but it’s worth it. Bake potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how big your potatoes are.

Baked potato in foil or no foil?

Should baked potatoes be wrapped in foil? The answer is no! Leaving your potatoes naked in the oven means that the skins will be crispy instead of wrinkly. You know skin on french fries? The skins of these potatoes taste like that.

Baked potato ingredients

Literally all you need is a potato. The best and original baking potato is a russet. Along side your potato you’ll need some oil and salt.

What are the best potatoes for baking?

The absolute best potatoes for baking are russets. Russets are the classic potato for baking. They have a thick skin that crisps up perfectly in a piping hot oven and their starchy insides bake up incredibly fluffy, sweet, and starchy. They’re also suitably large, which is nice because you can make a meal out of one potato. Or even two?!

How to pick the best potatoes

Take your time when you’re picking out your potatoes. You’ll want potatoes that are all about the same size so they finish in the oven at the same time. Give them a gentle squeeze. The best potatoes are firm and not squishy. They should be relatively blemish free with no cuts, bruises, or wrinkles.

Air fryer baked potatoes

To air fry a baked potato: scrub, dry, and poke your potatoes. Rub them with a bit of oil and season with salt. Place in your air fryer and cook on 400°F until fork tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour, flipping half way.

Crock pot baked potatoes

To make crock pot potatoes: scrub, dry, and poke your potatoes. Rub them with a bit of oil and season with salt. Place in your crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until fork tender.

Instant Pot baked potatoes

To make Instant pot baked potatoes: place 1 cup of water in the bottom of your crock pot and place the insert inside. Scrub, dry, and poke your potatoes. Rub them with a bit of oil and season with salt. Cook on high pressure for 14 minutes, then natural release.

Microwave baked potato

Microwave a washed, poked, and salted potato on full power for 5 minutes, then flip and go another 5 minutes. use tongs or oven mitts and be careful, the potato will be hot. Do one at a time.

Loaded baked potato

To make a loaded baked potato, bake a potato, fluffy it up, and top with shredded cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, sour cream, and chives or scallions.

Carbonara baked potato

The most luxurious baked potato I make is a carbonara baked potato. It is SO good. Think: the creamy, cheesy, egg sauce you love on pasta, but mixed in with fluffy steamy potatoes. Little crispy nuggets of pancetta and freshly cracked black pepper and you’re GOLD. To make carbonara sauce, warm 2 tablespooons heavy cream over medium heat in a small sauce pan. When there are whips of smoke, move the cream off the heat and whisk in two egg yolks until thick and creamy. Whisk in 1/4 cup finely grated parm, returning to very very low heat if needed to melt the cheese. Pour on your baked potato and add some crispy bits of pancetta and lots of black pepper.

Other baked potato topping ideas

Best Baked Potato Recipe

Check out the blog post for topping suggestions. Use the scale button in the serves box to change the number of potatoes.

  • 4 medium russet potatoes
  • 4 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Scrub and dry your potatoes. Use a fork and lightly poke the potato in a couple of spots.



  2. Rub the potato with oil and season generously with salt. Place on a wire rack on a baking sheet.



  3. Bake for 30 minutes, then flip and bake for another 20-30 minutes. Squeeze or use a fork to check the doneness. The potato should be tender and soft.



  4. Use clean oven mitts or a clean kitchen towel to gently squish your potato to mash the insides a bit. Place the potato on a place and slice lengthwise then use a fork to fluff the insides. Enjoy hot with plenty of butter, sour cream and chives.



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dinner noodles soup vietnamese food

I Am... Hue Style Spicy Turkey Vermicelli Noodle Soup Recipe

Everyone knows the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers, especially leftover turkey. We always, always make stock with our turkey carcass, and we often use it to make this hue style turkey noodle soup. I'm all about leftovers. I mean, once, when I was at a party, someone asked how everyone liked to eat their Thanksgiving leftovers. I literally said that I like to make myself a plate that looks just like Thanksgiving dinner. I kind of got some weird looks and when everyone else answered, I realized why. Most people were saying things like turkey chili, sandwiches, turkey alfredo pasta, things like that. But really, I mean, I LOVE turkey dinner and don't understand why people get tired of it. But, as much as I love straight up leftovers, I really really like using leftovers to make entirely new dishes. Dishes like this spicy turkey vermicelli noodle soup, a take on Vietnamese bun bo hue. Hue style soup is so good. It's lemongrass-y, spicy, and incredibly addictive. If you like pho, you're in for a treat because hue noodle soup is like pho but turned up times ten. Traditionally hue noodle soup is made with beef, which is why it's called bun bo hue. Bun means vermicelli, bo means beef, and hue, well, that's an area in Central Vietnam. So, this is kind of like bun turkey hue: vermicelli turkey in a hue style soup. The best part of this dish, aside from the fact that it's delicious, is that it comes together pretty fast.

How to make hue style turkey noodle soup

  1. Make the stock in the oven. It doesn’t get more hands off than this and it’s perfect fo a lazy Friday you spend on the couch surfing Black Friday deals.
  2. Pop the turkey carcass, minus any meat left on the bones, into a large pot with lemongrass, garlic cloves, shallots, sugar, water, and fish stock. Let it hang out in a 200°F oven for at least two hours.
  3. While you take a break from online shopping, make some some chili oil aka satế aka what gives this noodle bowl all of its flavor. It’s garlicky, spicy, and full of lemongrass flavor.
  4. Blend up lemongrass, shallots, garlic, and chilis in a food processor, then add everything to a small pot with netural oil and gently simmer. Remove from the heat, then mix in chili flakes, sugar, and fish sauce. Let cool.
  5. When your stock is done, cook some thick vermicelli, add a scoop of satế to your bowl, top up with noodles and leftover turkey. If you have herbs (cilantro, mint, sliced green onions, thinly sliced red onions, or Thai basil) it will absolute be a win.

What is bun bo hue?

A spicy noodle soup from Central Vietnam, specifically the Hue region. Bun bo hue, or BBH as those in the know call it, is herbaceous beefy lemongrass stock seasoned with a spicy saté (sauce). Thick, round vermicelli noodles swim in the red hued soup and tender slices of meat and fresh herbs punch everything up. It’s spicy, savory, sour, and sweet all at once. Balanced, yet in your face full of flavor. Here, instead of the classic beef stock we’ll make a lemongrass turkey stock then flavor it with a chili oil that has lemongrass, shallots, garlic, fish sauce, and two kinds of chilis. It’s seriously delicious. Happy leftover-ing! xoxo steph

Hue Style Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Lemongrass Soup Stock

  • 1 turkey carcass
  • 3-4 stalks lemongrass (bruised and cut into 4" lengths)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 shallot (halved)
  • 1.5 tbsp sugar (or ~20 grams of rock sugar (preferred))
  • 8-9 cups water

Lemongrass Chili Oil

  • 1/2 cup neutral oil
  • 1-2 tbsp red pepper flakes (divided)
  • 2 shallots (minced)
  • 6-8 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 cup lemongrass (minced)
  • 1 tbsp sugar (or ~10 grams of rock sugar (preferred))
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp shrimp paste (optional, see notes)

To Finish

  • 12-16 oz dried rice vermicelli (look for thick hue style noodles)
  • 1 lb leftover turkey (sliced or chopped)
  • red onion (thinly sliced)
  • mint (roughly chopped, optional)
  • cilantro (roughly chopped, optional)
  • green onions (sliced, optional)
  • 1 lime (cut into wedges)
  1. Make the stock: Adjust the racks in the oven so a large pot can fit in the middle and heat to 200°F. Place the turkey, lemongrass, garlic, shallot, and sugar in the large pot and top with water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then very carefully transfer to the oven, uncovered, and cook in the oven for 2 hours.



  2. Meanwhile, make the chili oil: in a small, deep sauce pan, heat the oil and chili peppers over medium low heat, stirring often, until it smells aromatic. Remove from the heat and strain with a mesh strainer. Add the oil back to the pan along with the shallots, garlic, and lemongrass. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the shallots just begin to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in rock sugar until dissolved, then stir in the red pepper flakes, fish sauce, and shrimp paste.



  3. Remove the stock from the oven and carefully strain into a large pot. Season it with fish sauce, by the tablespoon until it is aggressively seasoned but not overly salty, about 3-4 tablespoons. Keep the stock on a low boil.



  4. Assemble: Cook the noodles according to the package. Drain well and place the noodles in large warmed bowls and top with about 2 cups of the spicy lemongrass broth, 1-2 tablespoons of chili oil (to taste), and leftover turkey. Add sliced red onions, mint, cilantro, green onions, and lime to taste. Add more chili oil if you like it hot!

    You will definitely end up with more chili oil than stock so you can save it for another round of whatever soup you might have on hand. Enjoy :)



The shrimp paste can be found at most asian grocery stores. It’s quite smelly on its own but essential if you want an authentic flavor. 

Estimated nutrition (esp the sodium) will be highly dependent on your seasoning and how much soup you consume.

Main Course
Vietnamese
leftovers, turkey

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potato recipes round up sides thanksgiving

I Am... 5 Best Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a classic side. They’re comforting, they’re delicious, and they can be classic OR dressed to the nines. If you’re making steak for date night or maybe even just a simple air fryer chicken breast, mashed potatoes are the answer. Start off by mastering perfect mash, then try these five variations to take your mash over the top. Once you master pure mashed potatoes, it’s time to make the best mashed potatoes. These are my five best potato mix-ins and flavors. These are fancy mashed potatoes. They are over the top goodness, flavor packed, and will elevate any mashed potato to the best mashed potato it can be.

What kind of potatoes for mashed potatoes?

There are only two kinds of potatoes that are perfect for mashed potatoes: Yukon golds (my absolute favorite) and Russets.

Yukon golds: dense, buttery, rich, more potato flavor

Yukon golds are perfect for mashing because they’re starchy, beautifully yellow, and have a rich buttery potato taste. They’re also a more dense potato with a thin skin, and when you use them, you get a more luxurious mash.

Russets: light, delicate, fluffy, mild potato flavor

Russets (or Idaho) potatoes are those big potatoes with the dusty skin that most people use for baked potatoes. These are also excellent for mashed: fluffy, dry, and starchy, when cooked right. Russets are the more mild potato of the two potatoes I recommend and if you’re a fan of lighter potatoes, they make a mash with a more delicate texture.

How to make super smooth and creamy mashed potatoes

  1. Scrub and peel (or leave the skins on if you’re into that) the potatoes and cut into even pieces.
  2. Place the potatoes in a large pot of water and cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat.
  3. Turn the heat down to medium-high once the potatoes hit a rapid boil, making sure that the potatoes are still at a simmer. Cook until fork tender.
  4. Drain the potatoes. Use a slotted spoon or colander and drain the potatoes well.
  5. Mash! Push the potatoes through a fine mesh sieve for the smoothest, fluffiest potatoes you’ll ever eat.
  6. Stir in the butter and milk. Add the butter and milk, gently stirring until the potatoes reach your desired consistency. Taste and season generously.
  7. Enjoy!

Pesto Mashed Potatoes

There’s a pesto pasta dish from Liguria in Northern Italy that is fantastic. The fresh basil, toasty pine nuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and nutty, umami filled Parmesan go perfectly with potatoes. It’s not much of a stretch to think of pesto and mashed potatoes and truly, they are a match made in heaven. Creamy, smooth mashed potatoes with flecks of green, grassy basil ribboned throughout is both a feast for the eyes and your tastebuds. It’s a super easy addition to your classic mash and makes it so incredibly flavorful. You can make your own pesto or use store bought, either way, these pesto potatoes are a winner.

Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Pesto and mashed potatoes are truly a match made in heaven.

  • 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup pesto
  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.



  2. Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot.



  3. Place the pot over low heat and stir in the butter, whole milk, and half of the pesto until smooth. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

  4. Before serving, make a divot in the middle of the potatoes and add the remaining pesto on top. Alternatively, swirl the pesto into the potatoes, creating pesto ribbons throughout.

Side Dish
American, Italian
mashed potatoes

Cacio e Pepe

If you love cacio e pepe you’ll love these cheesy, peppery mashed potatoes. They key is to toast freshly ground black peppercorns in butter so they bloom and flavor the butter with a light floral pepperiness. Pepper and pecorino go together perfectly with creamy mashed potatoes – it’s heaven.

Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes

If you love cacio e pepe pasta you’ll love these cheesy, peppery mashed potatoes

  • 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup pecorino (grated, plus extra to serve)
  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.



  2. Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot.



  3. Using the pot that you cooked the potatoes in, gently melt the butter over low heat. Add the freshly cracked black pepper and stir, letting it toast slightly. Stir in the milk, potatoes, and pecorino until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with extra grated pecorino on top.



Side Dish
American, Italian

Spicy Chili Crisp

This is probably the easiest and most tasty mashed potato glow up. If you’re a spice lover and find that potatoes are too bland, spicy chili crisp mash is for you. They’ll add zing to any main.

Spicy Chili Crisp Mashed Potatoes

If you’re a spice lover, spicy chili crisp mash is for you

  • 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup chili crisp
  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.



  2. Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot.



  3. Place the pot over low heat and stir in the butter, and whole milk, until smooth. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.



  4. Before serving, make a divot in the middle of the potatoes and add the chili crisp on top. Alternatively, swirl the chili crisp into the potatoes, creating spicy ribbons throughout.

Side Dish
American, Chinese
mashed potatoes

Nori Brown Butter

The deliciousness of nutty brown butter combined with the salty umami flavors of roasted nori cannot be beat. This is a winning combination of flavors, especially when paired with the smooth creaminess of mashed potatoes.

Nori Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Nutty brown butter combined with salty umami roasted nori

  • 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs)
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 sheets nori
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.



  2. While the potatoes are cooking, lightly toast the nori using tongs and holding it 1-2 inches above the stove burner. Pulse the cooled nori in a spice grinder until very small or use a blender to blend until the seaweed turns into a powder.

  3. Make the brown butter by melting the butter in a small pan over medium low heat. The butter will start to sputter and turn foamy. Once it turns a deep golden yellow and smells toasty, remove it from the heat and stir in the nori, rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.



  4. Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot. Place the pot over low heat and stir in the nori brown butter and milk until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.



Side Dish
American, Japanese
mashed potatoes

Garlic Gruyere Aligot

This is a classic French inspired take on aligot potatoes: a super cheesy, rich fondue like potato dish. These potatoes are incredibly creamy and full of a mix of smoky gruyere and stretchy, melty mozzarella. The potatoes become a melty, stretchy mix between mashed potatoes and fondue. Seriously good.

Garlic Gruyere Aligot Potatoes

A super cheesy, rich fondue like mashed potato dish

  • 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and quartered, ~2 lbs)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 12 oz Gruyère cheese (shredded)
  • 12 oz fresh mozzarella
  1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1-2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat so the potatoes are simmering. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.



  2. Mash or push the potatoes through a ricer or sieve back into the pot.



  3. Place the pot over low heat and stir in the garlic, butter, cream, and half of the cheese. Once the cheese melts, stir in the remaining cheese until the potatoes stretch like melted mozzarella. Taste and season with salt and freshly cracked pepper.



Side Dish
American, French
mashed potatoes
Potato on, frens! -steph

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beef recipes entertaining

I Am... Beef Tenderloin with a Giant Sauce Board

This holiday season you should treat yourself. It’s been a rough year and you need something luxurious and show-stopping for your main holiday meal. This year you need a beautifully rosy, fork-tender, juicy beef tenderloin! You’re probably thinking, aren’t beef tenderloins giant and serve 8-10 people? The answer is yes. But there are also center cut tenderloins that are mini and serve just 4. That’s perfect for you, your other, and LEFTOVERS. Or maybe just a really, really hearty meal. Either way, if you’re looking to make a large beef tenderloin or a slightly smaller one, here are all the tips and tricks for making the best roast beef in your life, aka roast beef tenderloin. Note: this year beef tenderloin is expected to be really expensive and hard to come by for a lot of different reasons, so if you traditionally plan one for the holidays, it might be worth asking a butcher about it now, or consider switching to a slightly more accessible but still fancy cut like our prime rib roast or even pork tenderloin.

What is beef tenderloin?

Beef tenderloin, also known as eye fillet or filet is cut from the loin. The tenderloin is found underneath the ribs, close to the backbone. This part of the cow does very little work which is why is is the tenderest part of beef. Cooked properly, it’s got a melt-in-your-mouth buttery texture and is extremely juicy and delicious. It naturally comes in a nice round-cylinder shape with no bones which means it’s really easy to carve into medallions and serve.

Is beef tenderloin the same as filet mignon?

Tenderloin and filet mignon come from the same part of beef and even have the same shape and size, but technically, they’re not the same cut. Filet mignon is part of beef tenderloin but tenderloin is not filet mignon. It gets pretty in-depth, but all you need to know is that filet mignon are cut from a certain part of tenderloin and when you buy a whole tenderloin, some parts are the filet mignon and some parts are just going to be tenderloin. Is this really important though? I say no, just tell yourself and your guests that you’re serving them up filet mignon steaks ;)

Where is the best place to buy beef tenderloin?

Not going to lie, beef tenderloin is probably one of the most expensive pieces of meat out there. If you’re looking for the most affordable beef tenderloins, go to Costco. They sell beef tenderloins that are a fair bit cheaper than say, Whole Foods. That being said, the tenderloins at Costco – just like everything else there – are giant, so keep that in mind. If you’re looking for a smaller, center cut tenderloin, visit your local butcher where you’ll be able to find a tenderloin that’s about 3.5-4 pounds compared to the 6-10 pound giants at Costco.

Should I buy a trimmed or untrimmed beef tenderloin?

When buying beef tenderloin you’ll notice that they come in trimmed and untrimmed, also sometimes called denuded. If you’re excellent and confident about your knife skills you can save yourself some money and get an untrimmed tenderloin. Personally, we always go for trimmed because part of the beauty of a tenderloin is the nice cylindrical shape and nothing beats the years of experience a butcher has trimming tenderloins into perfect pieces.

How big of a beef tenderloin should I buy?

Generously, go for 3/4 lb of tenderloin per person. If you’re having a large amount of sides, 1/2 lb should be more than enough.

The best way to cook beef tenderloin

The best way to cook beef tenderloin is to start in a high oven to sear and brown the outside, then turn the oven low so that the inside cooks at a very slow and low rate. It’s a brilliantly simple foolproof method that ensures you don’t mess up a very expensive piece of meat. The outside ends up with a nicely browned crust and the insides are ultra-tender and perfectly pink.

How to cook beef tenderloin

  1. Heat your oven to 475°F. We’re going to start by blasting the tenderloin with super high heat.
  2. Pat the tenderloin very dry and salt generously while the oven is preheating,
  3. Tie the tenderloin in 1 inch intervals to ensure that it’s compact and evenly sized throughout. Make sure you dip your butcher string in some oil so it doesn’t stick to the roast.
  4. Rub the loin all over with oil and coat with crushed peppercorns. Insert an oven probe into the thickest part of the tenderloin.
  5. Roast at 475°F for 15 minutes then turn the oven down to 200°F and roast until the inside reaches your desired temperature.
  6. Remove, let rest, slice, and enjoy the deliciousness.

How to tie beef tenderloin

Beef tenderloins are nice and round in the middles, but unless you get a smaller, center cut tenderloin, you’ll find that the edges are tapered. We want to wrap these up and tie them so that everything is compact and round, ensuring that the edges don’t get overcooked.

To tie your beef tenderloin:

  1. Cut some butchers string into 12 inch lengths.
  2. Soak the strings in oil.
  3. Tuck the tapered ends underneath themselves to create the same thickness throughout the tenderloin.
  4. Use the oiled strings to tie the tenderloin in 1 inch intervals.

Beef tenderloin ingredients

We’re keeping this beef tenderloin super simple so we can let the beef shine. All you need is: whole beef tenderloin, neutral oil, salt, whole crushed peppercorns.

Beef tenderloin sauces

I love a naked salt and pepper tenderloin with all of its elegant simplicity, but sometimes I want to be punched in the face with flavor too. So here are six different sauces you can pair with your beef tenderloin. We did a choose your own adventure sauce board and it was awesome to go from simply seasoned to trying a different sauce on each bite! Each sauce recipe will make about 1 cup sauce.

① Classic Creamy Peppercorn

Add 1/4 cup brandy or cognac to a pan and reduce slightly over medium heat. Stir in 1/2 cup no sodium beef broth and 1/3 cup cream. Add 1-2 tsp crushed whole peppercorns and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking. Season with salt to taste.

② Mustard Cream Sauce

Add 1/4 cup white wine to a pan and reduce slightly over medium heat. Stir in 2 tbsp dijon mustard and 3/4 cup heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking. Season with lots of freshly cracked black pepper and salt to taste.

③ Garlic Soy Chimichurri

Combine 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 cloves crushed garlic, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

④ Garlic Herb Butter

Melt 1/2 cup butter with 4 cloves crushed garlic in small pan over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme) and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

⑤ Sichuan Peppercorn

Combine 2 tbsp Sichuan chili oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp black vinegar, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 2 thinly sliced scallions, and 1 tbsp chopped cilantro to a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

⑥ Wasabi Cream Sauce

Combine 2 tbsp sour cream, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1/2-1 tbsp wasabi and 2 thinly sliced scallions in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

⑦ Red Wine Shallot

Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 thinly sliced shallot to a pan and sauté over medium low heat. Sprinkle on 1 tbsp flour and cook lightly. Slowly stream in 3/4 cup stock and 1/4 cup red wine while whisking. Simmer and thicken, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pro tips when cooking beef tenderloin

  • Dry the surface throughly. Patting the skin dry with paper towels will dry out the surface which will help the tenderloin brown when it’s in the oven. Moisture is the enemy of browning.
  • Salt so that the surface of the skin is dry. Ditto on salting - salt draws out moisture so the surface can brown more evenly. Be generous because the inside of the meat won’t be seasoned. Make it rain salt! But not too much because overly salty meat is a travesty
  • Tie the tenderloin. Tenderloins have tapered tips that need to be tucked and tied so they cook evenly. Use a meat probe. A meat probe will ensure the middle of your tenderloin is a juicy, rosy ruby pink.
  • Let it rest! Let the meat rest before slicing into it.
  • Don’t forget about carry over cooking. Pull your tenderloin when it reaches just a couple of degrees under the temperature you’re aiming for. While you’re resting, the internal temperature will rise by a few degrees because of carry over heat. Ours rose by 12ºF while resting.

The importance of a meat thermometer

A meat thermometer is essential when cooking a big piece of meat. You spent a large chunk of your paycheck on this, so let’s not do the whole squishing your thumb/touching your earlobe. Do yourself a favor and get an oven probe; one that beeps when the target temp is hit. They can be really cheap, extremely expensive wireless app driven, or something in between. If you have an instant read or thermocouple style thermometer , be sure to check often so the tenderloin doesn’t go over temp.

Roast beef cooking temps

For a quick and easy reference, roast beef is roughly done at:
  • Rare: 125ºF
  • Medium-rare: 135ºF
  • Medium: 145ºF
  • Medium-well: 155ºF
  • Well done: ??‍♀️

Why isn’t my beef tenderloin pink?

Oops, you probably left it in the oven too long. But fear not! If when you slice into your tenderloin right away and it’s not as pink as you like, just wait. Roast beef becomes more pink and rosy after you cut it and the juices are exposed to the air. On that note, most of the tenderloin recipes on the internet show a super bloody rare middle. If you want your tenderloin to be on the very pink side, pull it out of the oven at 115°F and the carryover heat should bring it to 120°F for the super pink look. Also, the majority of tenderloin recipes you see are very small center cut tenderloins, 3-4 pounds, which take much less time to cook, so if you’re looking for a very pink middle, make sure you keep an eye on the time and use a meat probe.

How to neatly slice roast beef

You’ve invested time and money into your glorious beef tenderloin, don’t hack at it and get those weird saw marks! To get the cleanest, nicest slice:
  1. Get your biggest knife. You’ll need the length. Give it a sharpen and wash it off. When was the last time you sharpened your knife?!
  2. Hold the beef tenderloin on a cutting board with your non-dominant hand. Position the very tip of the knife, at a 30° angle on the edge of the tenderloin that is closest to your body.
  3. Push the knife away from your body, almost perpendicular to the cutting board. Use the whole length of your knife so that the heel of your knife is now at the opposite edge of the tenderloin, the side farthest away from you. The knife should slide right into the tenderloin, about 1/3 to half of the way down.
  4. Pull the knife back towards your body, giving it a bit of pressure so that the tip of the knife is now where it started, at the end of the tenderloin closet to you. You should be about another 1/3 or so of the way down through the tenderloin.
  5. Finally, push the knife away from you one last time and you should have a nice clean slice. Keep your motions smooth and gentle and let the sharpness of your knife do the work.
We like super thick and luxurious slices of tenderloin - aim for at least 1 inch thick!

How to store leftover beef tenderloin

Wrap it up tightly and store in an air tight container in the fridge. Beef tenderloin should keep for 3-4 days.

How to reheat beef tenderloin

If you have leftovers, this is how to reheat beef tenderloin: Place slices covered, in a low 200°F oven, for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through. OR microwave it in 30 second increments. Believe it or not, the inside will still be red and juicy. If it’s not hot after the first 30 seconds, continue to microwave in 15 second intervals.

What to serve with beef tenderloin

POTATOES! It’s always the answer:

Greens are good too:

And bread-y carbs because bread:

Beef Tenderloin

The best roast beef tenderloin!

  • Meat thermometer with probe
  • 1 beef tenderloin (trimmed, about 5-6 lbs)
  • neutral oil
  • salt
  • 1/2 cup peppercorns (crushed)
  1. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels. Season with salt. Soak some butcher string in oil then tie the tenderloin every 1 inch or so, being sure to tuck in the tails so that the tenderloin is an even thickness throughout.



  2. Rub the tenderloin with oil and coat in crushed peppercorns. Heat the oven to 475°F.



  3. Place the tenderloin on an oiled roasting rack over a rimmed baking sheet and insert a meat probe set for your desired doneness. When the oven is hot, place the tenderloin in the oven and roast at 475°for 20 minutes.



  4. Turn the heat down to 200°F and roast until the center is 120°-125°F for rare to medium rare, about 2-2.5 hours, depending on size.



  5. Once the meat reaches your desired temperature, remove from the oven, tent with foil and let rest for minimum 10 minutes. Slice into 1 inch pieces, arrange on a platter, and enjoy.



Sauce Ideas:

Classic Creamy Peppercorn

Add 1/4 cup brandy or cognac to a pan and reduce slightly over medium heat. Stir in 1/2 cup no sodium beef broth and 1/3 cup cream. Add 1-2 tsp crushed whole peppercorns and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking. Season with salt to taste.

Mustard Cream Sauce

Add 1/4 cup white wine to a pan and reduce slightly over medium heat. Stir in 2 tbsp dijon mustard and 3/4 cup heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your liking. Season with lots of freshly cracked black pepper and salt to taste.

Garlic Soy Chimichurri

Combine 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 2 cloves crushed garlic, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Garlic Herb Butter

Melt 1/2 cup butter with 4 cloves crushed garlic in small pan over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme) and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Sichuan Peppercorn

Combine 2 tbsp Sichuan chili oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp black vinegar, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 2 thinly sliced scallions, and 1 tbsp chopped cilantro to a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Wasabi Cream Sauce

Combine 2 tbsp sour cream, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1/2-1 tbsp wasabi and 2 thinly sliced scallions in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Red Wine Shallot

Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 thinly sliced shallot to a pan and sauté over medium low heat. Sprinkle on 1 tbsp flour and cook lightly. Slowly stream in 3/4 cup stock and 1/4 cup red wine while whisking. Simmer and thicken, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Main Course
American
beef, tenderloin

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potato recipes sides thanksgiving

I Am... The crispiest, easiest roasted potatoes

British style roasted potatoes are the best potatoes: fluffy and soft on the inside with ultra crispy almost chip-like outsides. So much better than regular roasted potatoes. I am potato obsessed. Potatoes are and always will be my all time favorite vegetable. I love potatoes all the ways and a potato buffet would be my dream come true! It’s hard for me to choose a favorite potato dish but I will admit that I have a huge soft spot for roasted potatoes, or what I like to call them: British style roasties.

How to make roasted potatoes

  1. Parboil the potatoes. Parboil peeled potatoes in salted water until just cooked but not soft.
  2. Fluff up the potatoes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and give them a shake to rough and fluff up their edges. The fluffy edges will get extra crispy in the oven.
  3. Coat potatoes in oil. Coat the potatoes in oil, more on that below.
  4. Roast. Roast, flipping as needed, until crispy and crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Remove from the oven, toss in the scallions in and season with flaky sea salt.

So crispy, so potato-ey

Ultra crunchy and crisp outsides, a fluffy and mashed potato inside, and an addictive amount of scallions finished with a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Best potatoes for roasting

First off, for the best roasted potatoes you have to use the best roasting potatoes. The best potatoes for roasting are a combination of waxy and starchy. The waxiness holds its shape so it can develop crusty, caramelized outsides and the starchiness is the creamy, buttery, silky, fluffy inside. The perfect combination of waxy and starchy is the beautifully yellow, sweet and buttery Canadian Yukon gold potato! They are my all-time number one potato choice. But, if you can’t find Yukon golds, you can use russets, which are just a touch more starchy – they tend to not hold their shape as much.

Double Cooked Method

After potato choice, the key to these potatoes is the fact that they’re doubled-cooked. So many roasted potato recipes have you put raw potatoes in the oven, which is easy, but doing that won’t give you a potato with two distinctive textures. If you parboil your potatoes first, they get a head start so the oven doesn’t have to penetrate into the middles. Parboiling makes sure the insides are cooked and creamy. Since the potatoes go in the oven hot, the oven heat can concentrate on crisping up the outsides. Plus, when you parboil in salted water, you’re seasoning the insides of the potatoes.

Three levels of crispiness

You can achieve three different levels of crispiness depending on how you want to make your potatoes. From crunchiest to crunchy:
  1. Crispiest: Place the oil in a deep roasting pan and place it in a hot oven for 10 minutes until shimmery. Carefully remove the roasting pan, place on a heat proof surface and use a pair of tongs to place the potatoes in the hot oil, turning to coat, then roast the potatoes in the oven.
  2. Crispier: In a small pan, heat up the oil over medium heat. When hot and shimmer, very carefully pour it into it to a deep roasting pan. Use a pair of tongs to transfer the potatoes over to the hot oil and toss to coat then roast in the oven.
  3. Crispy: Place the potatoes in a roasting pan, drizzle on the oil and then use a pair of tongs to coat each potato then roast in the oven.

The secret to ultra crispy roasted potatoes

My favorite way of getting super crispy potatoes without the scariness of pulling a hot pan of oil out of the oven is a combination of numbers 2 and 3. I like to get my biggest cast iron, and heat it up with the oil over medium high on the stove. When it’s hot and shimmery, I carefully use a pair of tongs to add the fluffed up potatoes in, tossing, while the pan is still on the heat. Once everything is evenly coated in oilm I pop the whole thing into the preheated oven where everything gets super crispy and crunchy. The key to crispy potatoes is the hot oil and the hot pan in combination, so this is my number one choice for both, as well as safety.

What is the best fat for roast potatoes?

  • A neutral oil that has a high smoke point is best, something like: sunflower oil, safflower oil, grapeseed, or canola oil.
  • If you want to increase your roast potato game and go for something ultra luxe, try duck fat. Duck fat is super rich and full of flavor.
  • Why not butter? Butter has a low smoke point and will burn and smoke in a 425°F oven.

Roasted potato tips

  • Start potatoes in cold water: Starting the potatoes in cold water makes sure that the potatoes are par cooked through evenly.
  • Season twice: Salt the water when you’re cooking the potatoes (just like pasta) so the potatoes are seasoned. After they’re done getting roasted and crisp in the oven, finish them with flaky sea salt while still hot.
  • Don’t crowd the pan: Give the potatoes some space. These potatoes need a bit of social distancing so they can get their crispy on.
  • Use enough oil: If you want crispy potatoes, don’t skimp on the oil. I used 1/4 cup but if your roasting pan is really big you might need more.
  • Make sure to flip: After the first 15 minutes of roasting, it’s time to flip so the sides that haven’t had any contact with the pan get a chance to crisp.

Air fryer roasted potatoes

As much as I love the air fryer, I say no. Technically you can, but the ultra crispiness of these potatoes comes from the fact that they have full, flush contact against a hot pan. The nature of air fryers is air circulation so their inserts are baskets with holes in them. That being said, you can air fry these, they just won’t be quite the same!

How to store

Roasted potatoes will keep in the fridge in an air tight container for up to one week.

To reheat

To heat up, place potatoes in an oven safe dish at 350°F for 10 minutes or until warmed through.

What to serve with roasted potatoes

Roasted Potatoes Recipe

Fluffy and soft on the inside with ultra crispy almost chip-like outsides.

  • 4-6 potatoes (Yukon Gold or similar preferred)
  • 1/4 neutral oil (high heat such as grapeseed or safflower oil)
  • 1 bunch green onions (sliced)
  • flaky sea salt
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel the potatoes and cut into even 2-inch pieces. Rinse the potatoes and place in a large pot just covered with cold water. Salt the water and bring to a boil. When at a boil, turn down the heat to a gentle boil and cook for 7-8 minutes until the potatoes are par cooked. Drain in a colander and shake to roughen up the edges. The potatoes will look fluffy.



  2. Put the potatoes on a deep baking sheet or oven safe roasting dish and use a pair of tongs to coat each potato with oil.



  3. Roast the potatoes for 30-35 minutes, flipping once or twice during the last 15 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.



  4. Remove the pan from the oven and add the scallions. Toss briefly so the heat of the pan wilts them a little. Scoop everything out and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Enjoy hot!



Pro tip: If you want REALLY crunchy roast potatoes, heat the oil up before roasting your potatoes, as in the above post.

Side Dish
American, british
potatoes

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