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Za’atar

Course: Sauces & Condiments
Keyword: Condiments, Spices, Za'atar

Za'atar

Za'atar on a butcher block cutting board on the set of Alton Brown's Good Eats.
ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
Yield: 2
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Specialized Hardware

Coffee/spice grinder
Za'atar on a butcher block cutting board on the set of Alton Brown's Good Eats.
ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
Yield: 2

Procedure

  • Put all of the ingredients into a spice grinder and pulse until a powder is formed, 30 to 45 seconds. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Honey Plums

 

Course: Sweets
Keyword: Dairy-Free, Desserts, Fruit, Gluten-Free, Honey Plums, Summer

Honey Plums

ACTIVE TIME: 8 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 18 minutes
Yield: 5 servings
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  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup wildflower honey
  • 10 slightly underripe plums, pitted and quartered
ACTIVE TIME: 8 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 18 minutes
Yield: 5 servings

Procedure

  • Cover the bottom of a saute pan with honey and place over low heat to warm through. Add the plums, cut-side down. Cook until the cut sides are slightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the plums and cook until the fruit is soft but not mushy, another 3 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

Cranberry Granita

 

Course: Sweets
Keyword: Cranberry Granita, Dairy-Free, Desserts, Fall, Frozen, Gluten-Free, Make-Ahead, Thanksgiving

Cranberry Granita

ACTIVE TIME: 12 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 12 hours 12 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Photo by Lynne Calamia
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  • 2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups cranberries, washed and sorted
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Specialized Hardware

Immersion blender, conventional blender, or food processor
ACTIVE TIME: 12 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 12 hours 12 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Procedure

  • Place the water, cranberries, and sugar into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and simmer until the berries begin to pop, approximately 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Puree with a stick blender, blender, or food processor for 1 minute. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer directly into a metal 13-by-9-inch pan. Do not press on the skins; simply allow the juice to drip through the strainer. Add the zest and stir to combine. Place in the freezer until set, at least 6 hours and up to overnight. Once frozen, scrape the mixture with a fork to create a shaved ice texture. Serve immediately.

Strawberry Pepper Icebox Cake

 

Course: Sweets
Keyword: Desserts, Frozen, Make-Ahead, Strawberry Pepper Icebox Cake

Strawberry Pepper Icebox Cake

Strawberry pepper icebox cake presented on a white, rectangular platter.
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 8 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
An icebox cake constructed with strawberry preserve-flavored whipped cream, graham crackers, and a bit of black pepper for balance.
All the flavor of strawberry cheesecake, no baking required.
This recipe first appeared in Season 1 of Good Eats: The Return.
Photo by Lynne Calamia
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  • 1 cup strawberry preserves, divided
  • 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold, divided
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 13 graham crackers
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper, divided

Specialized Hardware

a stand mixer
loaf pan
Strawberry pepper icebox cake presented on a white, rectangular platter.
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 8 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 10 servings

Procedure

  • Line an 8-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang in each direction to completely cover the top. Measure out 2/3 cup of the strawberry preserves. Set both aside.
  • Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high until fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream and lemon zest and beat until combined, about 30 seconds more. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • Swap the paddle for the whisk and whip 1/2 cup of the cream along with the powdered sugar on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Fold into the cream cheese mixture and transfer to a zip-top bag.
  • Cover the bottom of the prepared loaf pan with a layer of graham crackers. Snip the corner of the zip-top bag and pipe in approximately 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the whipped cream mixture and smooth with a spoon or spatula. (It's totally fine to eyeball this; just know you'll end up with 6 cream layers.) Top with about 3 tablespoons of preserves (again, it's fine to eyeball), followed by 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and another layer of whipped cream.
  • Continue layering — crackers, whipped cream, preserves, pepper, whipped cream, crackers — until you have 4 layers of graham crackers (see Cook's Notes). Fold the excess plastic wrap over the cake and refrigerate 8 hours and up to 24.
  • When ready to serve, whip the remaining 1 cup cream in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high until stiff peaks have almost formed. Drop the mixer to low and work in the remaining 1/3 cup strawberry preserves and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Boost the speed back to medium-high until stiff peaks form.
  • Pull back the plastic wrap and invert the cake onto a serving dish. Remove the plastic wrap completely and frost with the strawberry whipped cream. Slice and serve immediately.

Spicy Pineapple Sauce Sundae

Course: Sweets
Keyword: Desserts, Fruit, Gluten-Free, Sauces, Spicy Pineapple Sauce

Spicy Pineapple Sauce Sundae

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
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  • 1 (12-ounce) can pineapple chunks
  • 1 small habanero pepper, minced
  • 4 leaves fresh mint, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup corn or canola oil
  • 2 (10-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 8 wedges
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Specialized Hardware

Candy/fry thermometer
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Procedure

  • In a 2-quart saucepan, combine pineapple chunks and habanero pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer to a small mixing bowl, add the mint, and place in the refrigerator to cool.
  • In a 2-quart saucepan fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, bring the oil to 325ºF. Carefully add the corn tortilla wedges and cook until golden brown on each side, approximately 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
  • Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl with a fork. Liberally dust warm corn wedges with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
  • Remove the mint leaves from the chilled pineapple sauce and serve over vanilla ice cream with the fried corn tortillas.

I.C. Fennel Cordial

 

Course: Drinks
Keyword: Cocktails, Drinks, Gluten-Free, I.C. Fennel Cordial, Vodka

I.C. Fennel Cordial

Immersion circulator fennel cordial with fresh fennel and citrus zest
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 1 quart
Infusing flavors into a spirit at room temperature can take weeks, which means you have to wait quite a while to discover whether you got it right.
Because we can maintain the perfect extraction temperature, an immersion circulator can shorten weeks to just 1 hour.
Try out this mouthwatering miracle with my fennel cordial, an herbal tipple that tastes kind of like licorice.
This recipe first appeared in Season 1 of Good Eats: The Return.
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Specialized Hardware

Immersion circulator
one-gallon zip-top freezer bag
coffee filter
Fine-mesh sieve
Immersion circulator fennel cordial with fresh fennel and citrus zest
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 1 quart

Procedure

  • Install an immersion circulator in a water bath and set it to 140ºF.
  • Place the vodka, fennel fronds, sugar, fennel seeds, cardamom seeds, green cardamom pods, and star anise in a one-gallon zip-top freezer bag (see Cook's Note). Remove as much of the air from the bag as possible then seal and submerge the bag in the bath for 1 hour (see Cook's Note).
  • Transfer the unopened bag to an ice water bath. Once cool, strain the mixture through a coffee filter set inside a sieve and discard the solids. Don't squeeze or press the solids to extract additional liquid: It will cloud the liqueur and release off flavors.
  • Chill before serving.

Cocoa Nib Hot Chocolate

 

Course: Drinks
Keyword: Chocolate, Cocoa Nib Hot Chocolate, Drinks, Fall, Non-Alcoholic

Cocoa Nib Hot Chocolate

ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 (6-ounce) servings
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  • 1 ounce cocoa nibs
  • 16 fluid ounces whole milk
  • 6 ounces 65% to 70% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 3 ounces sugar
  • 2 fluid ounces water
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Specialized Hardware

Coffee/spice grinder
French press
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 (6-ounce) servings

Procedure

  • Pulse the cocoa nibs in a spice grinder 3 to 4 times until the nibs are coarsely chopped. Place the nibs in a 1-quart microwave-safe measuring cup and add the milk. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes or until the milk reaches 160ºF. Steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, combine the chocolate, sugar, water, and salt in the carafe of a 1-liter French press. Set aside.
  • After steeping, return the nib-milk mixture to the microwave and heat on high for 2 minutes until it simmers or reaches 185ºF. Strain the hot nib-milk mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into the French press carafe. Set aside for 1 minute, and then stir to combine the chocolate and milk. Pump the plunger of the French press 10 to 15 times to froth and aerate. Serve immediately.

Silky Salsa Verde

 

Course: Sauces & Condiments
Keyword: Condiments, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Make-Ahead, Sauces, Silky Salsa Verde, Vegetarian

Silky Salsa Verde

Silky salsa verde with fresh tomatillos, cilantro, and lime
ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
Yield: 3 cups
“Green sauces” can be found worldwide, but I tend towards those of Mexican and Central American extraction that feature the husk tomato, or tomatillo, like this Silky Salsa Verde.
Lightly charred tomatillos, onions, and chiles bring a pleasant smokiness to this sauce, making it the perfect accompaniment to grilled seafood or simply served with tortilla chips.
About the xanthin gum: Don't freak out. This thickening agent is naturally occurring and sticky enough to stabilize emulsions like salad dressing. A pinch will not only thicken our salsa, but also allow more of the fruit flavors of the tomatillo to come through. Cool, huh?
This recipe first appeared in Season 1 of Good Eats: The Return.
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  • 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
  • 1 serrano chile, stemmed, halved and seeded
  • 1/2 large white onion, peeled and separated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
  • 1 cup packed fresh cilantro with stems
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

Specialized Hardware

Blender
Silky salsa verde with fresh tomatillos, cilantro, and lime
ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
Yield: 3 cups

Procedure

  • Position an oven rack 3 inches below the broiler and set the broiler to high.
  • Toss the tomatillos, chile, and onion with the grapeseed oil in a large bowl. Transfer them to a half-sheet pan and broil until blistered and slightly charred, about 7 minutes. (You'll need to give the pan a shake every now and then to ensure even cooking.)
  • Let the charred vegetables cool slightly and then blend them on high with the cilantro and salt until smooth. With the blender still running, add the xanthan gum and blend 10 seconds more.
  • Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Always serve at room temperature.

Sourdough Waffles

 

Course: Breakfast
Keyword: Breakfast, Brunch, Make-Ahead, Sourdough Waffles

Sourdough Waffles

ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 9 hours
Yield: 4 servings
Sourdough waffles are pretty much the best waffles ever. That full flavor with a touch of delightful sourness balanced by malty goodness, toothy yet yielding interior, crunchy exterior...these things can not be attained through speedy mechanized means.
Yes, they require some work and some time, but...your patience will be rewarded.
Best served warm with whipped cream, caramelized bananas, or macerated berries.
Photo by Lynne Calamia
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To Begin

For Daily Feeding

Sourdough Waffles

Specialized Hardware

Kitchen scale with tare function
Quart-sized, wide-mouthed glass jars with lids
Hand mixer
Belgian waffle iron
ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 9 hours
Yield: 4 servings

Procedure

For Daily Feeding

  • To begin: Mix together 125 grams flour and 125 grams water with a clean hand in a medium glass bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit undisturbed at room temperature until the mixture is full of bubbles and has nearly doubled in size, usually 2 to 3 days. During this time, yeasts and bacteria from the air and from the flour and probably from you will set up housekeeping in the bowl (see Cook's Note).
  • For daily feeding: Peel back any crust that may have formed and transfer 20 percent of the culture (50 grams) to a clean, wide-mouthed jar. Stir in 100 grams flour and 100 grams water, loosely screw on the lid and stash at room temperature for 24 hours. (The culture will have a stinky-sour smell at this point.) Discard the rest of the original mixture.
  • Repeat step 2 every 24 hours for 5 days. By then, the culture should smell yeasty-sweet-sour, which means you're ready to put the starter to work. The waffles are to be made with the discarded percentage of starter.

Sourdough Waffles

  • Combine the starter, milk, and flour in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Rest for 8 hours at room temperature, until the batter is light, full of bubbles, and roughly doubled in size. (If you'd like to make these for breakfast, you can refrigerate the batter overnight after this 8-hour rest.)
  • Stir the egg yolk, butter, sugar and salt into the starter mixture until just combined and set aside.
  • Beat the egg white and cream of tartar with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes, then fold the egg white into the batter using as few folds as possible to keep it from deflating. Rest the batter at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  • Heat a Belgian waffle iron on medium heat. When hot, lightly coat both plates with nonstick spray. Ladle the recommended amount of waffle batter onto the iron according to the manufacturer's recommendations and cook until crisp and golden brown. Serve immediately or cool on a rack and wrap in plastic wrap followed by foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Summer Sorbet

 

Course: Sweets
Keyword: Dairy-Free, Desserts, Frozen, Fruit, Healthy, Summer, Summer Sorbet, Vodka

Summer Sorbet

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 9 hours
Yield: 1 quart
Photo by Lynne Calamia
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  • 2 pounds fresh fruit, any combination of berries or stone fruit
  • 8 ounces sugar
  • 1 fluid ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 0.5 fluid ounce vodka
  • Pinch kosher salt

Specialized Hardware

Food processor
Ice cream maker
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 9 hours
Yield: 1 quart

Procedure

  • Rinse, stem, and halve large strawberries. Peel the stone fruits. Halve, pit, and chop larger specimens into 1/2-inch pieces.
  • Puree the fruit in a food processor along with the sugar, lemon juice, vodka, and salt. Pour into another vessel and refrigerate until the mixture reaches at least 40ºF, 4 to 6 hours.
  • Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream, 20 to 30 minutes. Freeze for at least 4 hours in an airtight container or until ready to serve