Month: February 2023

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A French onion pasta recipe that turns the soup into a one-pot meal

A French onion pasta recipe that turns the soup into a one-pot meal

French Onion Pasta

Total time:1 hour

Servings:2 to 4 (makes about 3 1/2 cups)

Total time:1 hour

Servings:2 to 4 (makes about 3 1/2 cups)

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Carolyn Wong, who goes by @carolbeecooks on TikTok, is relatively new to the world of food blogging. It was a hobby she picked up during the pandemic as an outgrowth of her love of cooking and her desire to share that with others.

Her style embraces spontaneity. “In general, I just kind of like using ingredients I have on hand, since I just do it for fun,” Wong said in a phone interview from her home in Columbus, Ohio. “A lot of times I don’t really do a lot of planning things out. I just kind of think of things throughout the day and see what I have to try to get some inspiration using ingredients I like.” In January 2022, after recently enjoying homemade French onion soup, she was inspired to make a one-pot French onion pasta — “I make a lot of pasta dishes in general,” Wong said — and a viral recipe was born.

But Wong acknowledges she wasn’t the first to come up with the idea. “There’s definitely people that have thought of it before me, years and years ago, and I’ve seen a lot of people do it since,” she said.

One of those people is Joy Wilson, a.k.a. Joy the Baker, who shared a version of the dish on her blog back in 2014. “French onion is one of my favorite flavor profiles just because it feels so luxurious, but it’s actually pretty attainable with simple ingredients that I usually have in my pantry,” Wilson told me. She was inspired to create the dish when she thought about “how to get the most luxury out of a box of pasta and some onions.” While some might feel a sense of territorialism over their creation, as a veteran of the blogging world, Wilson acknowledges that’s not how things work in the recipe sphere. “I never hold on to it so tight as mine, because I’m putting it out in the world for it to be everyone’s.”

It doesn’t take hours to make an intense, dark and rich French onion soup

Wilson said her recipe was popular when she originally posted it and continues to get attention whenever she reshares it. And now, with Wong’s social media videos, the dish is gaining even more traction. “It is pretty cool that a whole new TikTok generation is finding these kinds of dishes and getting excited about it,” she said. “I feel like this technique is a gateway for people who think that they don’t know how or don’t like to cook to feel chef-y.”

Wong’s original video from early 2022 has garnered more than 1 million views on TikTok — a veritable success. But when she shared it again last month, this time capitalizing on a trend in which people list three reasons they won’t do something (with all of the reasons left blank), Wong’s video took off again to even greater heights. “That video takes like 2 seconds to make and then it has like 17 million views between Instagram and TikTok,” Wong said.

The best TikTok food creators

It’s always interesting to see which recipes gain the most traction on social media. With some, such as baked feta pasta, it’s clear as day why they become so popular. Others, such as the tortilla “hack” that is basically a folded quesadilla, required a bit more convincing for me to jump on the bandwagon. And few, such as pasta chips, still make zero sense to me. French onion pasta squarely falls into the first category. Why? Well, it’s a confluence of factors.

TikTok’s viral baked feta pasta is worth the hype

“I think people like things that are simple and they feel like they can approach at home,” Wong said. Timing also plays a role, as these cold weather months are affectionately known as soup season to some, and drawing on a classic soup is an instant pull. Combining that with a one-pot pasta ratchets the dish’s intrigue level up a notch because of the ease and, well, pasta. And it’s both saucy and cheesy, giving videos of this creation an intense visual appeal for viewers.

“I think it’s so appealing because it’s really simple and it’s stuff that you can look around your kitchen and find without having to go to the grocery store for the most part,” Wilson said. “It’s fairly adaptable and it just is a very simple way to get a lot of comfort and flavor out of super simple ingredients. And it only uses one pot, so it’s light on dishes, too.”

Wong said she “was literally just using stuff that [she] had on hand,” when she first made it. “I didn’t buy specific ingredients for it, so I feel like people shouldn’t be scared to experiment and see how it turns out.” So experiment I did.

TikTok’s B. Dylan Hollis gives wacky vintage cookbook recipes new life

I followed Wong’s recipe in my first pass, and while it was good, I thought it could better evoke the source material. The first thing I did was increase the amount of onions, because if we’re going to call something French onion pasta, then I want to be smacked in the face with onion flavor. I also decided to use port to deglaze the pan instead of white wine for the caramel undertones port often has, which complement the sauteed onions. Other small tweaks I made include tying the thyme sprigs with twine to make them easier to fish out later and using chicken stock or broth instead of beef for a cleaner flavor that lets the onions shine through more. Lastly, while parmesan cheese is undoubtedly more likely to be in a home cook’s fridge at any given time, I missed the distinct flavor profile of Gruyere cheese that typically accompanies the soup.

The result is a carby, saucy, cheesy, oniony bowl of pasta that lives up to the hype and my expectations. Give this recipe a try, and I’m sure it will do the same for you. Or, as Wong and Wilson suggest, use it as a blueprint to make use of the ingredients you already have on hand for a luxurious pasta that’s easily within reach.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.

NOTE: The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so it’s okay if it is still saucy.

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  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 medium yellow onions (1 pound), thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 cup tawny port (may substitute madeira, sherry, dry vermouth, red wine, or additional stock or broth)
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth, preferably unsalted or reduced-sodium, if store-bought
  • 8 ounces short dry pasta, such as rigatoni, fusilli or orecchiette
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with twine, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 2 ounces (1/2 cup) finely shredded Gruyere cheese, plus more for serving

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and salt, stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are nicely browned in spots and the bottom of the pot is covered with stuck-on bits, 20 to 25 minutes.

Add the port to deglaze by scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Add the stock or broth, pasta, thyme and pepper, cover partially and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to keep the mixture at a gentle, not rolling, boil, until the pasta is al dente and the liquid has reduced to coat the pasta, 15 to 20 minutes (see NOTE). Remove from the heat, discard the thyme, and stir in the cheese until melted. Taste, and season with more salt and/or pepper, if needed.

Divide among bowls, sprinkle with more cheese and fresh thyme leaves, if desired, and serve.

Per serving (scant 1 cup), based on 4

Calories: 373; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Sodium: 401 mg; Carbohydrates: 47 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 3 g; Protein: 15 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Recipe from staff writer Aaron Hutcherson.

Tested by Aaron Hutcherson; email questions to voraciously@washpost.com.

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Emile Henry Mixing Bowl Review 2023

Emile Henry Mixing Bowl Review 2023

We independently choose these products—if you invest in from just one of our inbound links, we may well generate a commission. All costs have been accurate at the time of publishing.

I am not a “kitchen gadget” sort of individual. I’m a little previous-college in the kitchen — I even now chop garlic with a knife (no garlic crusher below!), and I really don’t have a mandoline, but somewhat count on my often-questionable self-taught knife expertise to thinly slice all my vegetables. Even nevertheless I never splurge on enjoyable kitchen devices, I do love investing in long lasting, trustworthy gear that I can use for yrs — namely, the humble mixing bowl.

When I initial commenced cooking with my mother as a teen, I remember her telling me that I should really have a various bowl for uncooked meat and not use the salad bowl for offal, for example, for dread of cross-contamination. I guess my mom’s adore for mixing bowls has finally been handed on to me since I have a first rate quantity of them in my very little condominium kitchen area. Normally on the lookout for the elusive and perfect mixing bowl for every single situation (of course, it’s a factor!), I assume I’ve inadvertently stumbled on my most loved mixing bowl of all time: the Emile Henry Mixing Bowl.

What’s So Good About Emile Henry’s Mixing Bowls?

I am a large supporter of Emile Henry. Their items are long lasting, reliable, and thoughtfully made, so I’m not astonished that the French brand also tends to make the mixing bowl of my desires.

The Emile Henry mixing bowl is much extra practical than all the other mixing bowls I have experienced and utilized. It is manufactured with the identical material utilised in most signature Emile Henry products — ceramic — so it is tremendous sturdy and can go into the oven. The ceramic can make it scratch-resistant, so you can use a metallic whisk and toss it into the dishwasher, too. The bodyweight of the bowl also makes it possible for it to sit firmly and securely on your kitchen area bench, which means you can simply whisk with a person hand and change the website page of your preferred cookbook with the other without having owning to hold the bowl down.

How Several Dimensions Are There?

The Emile Henry mixing bowl comes in 3 sizes. The substantial just one that I have is rather major and significant. I acquired this one simply because I thought it’d be a excellent bowl for proofing bread. I are inclined to increase a whole lot of yeast to my bread, and I hate when the dough rises so higher that it sticks to my plastic wrap (which can hinder the growth of the bread). In this bowl, the dough hardly ever reaches the plastic wrap, resulting in near-great bakes (most of the time!). 

The medium- and tiny-sized mixing bowls are my most-utilized items in the kitchen area. I use the medium mixing bowl for anything involving raw meat, specially when I make Chinese dumplings. It has more than enough home for me to blend and marinate my dumpling filling there is lots of space to hold the total head of shredded Chinese cabbage way too (I make a massive batch of dumplings at a time and freeze them). The more compact-sized mixing bowl is especially valuable for whipping up salad dressings or even beating an effortless egg omelet collectively.

Following getting all a few sizes of Emile Henry’s ceramic mixing bowl, I’m tempted to stock up on a several a lot more specified how handy they’ve been in my kitchen area. But even if I did not, I hope this places an finish to my mixing bowl purchases — except, of system, the French model releases a further one particular that is superior, but I’m not absolutely sure they can best this one particular — c’est parfait.

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Alton’s Gumbo 2 Geaux celebrates Cajun culture, food

Alton’s Gumbo 2 Geaux celebrates Cajun culture, food

ALTON — Authentic Cajun kitchen Gumbo 2 Geaux is the closest anyone will get to New Orleans in this River City.

Gumbo 2 Geaux, at 1808 Washington Ave., in the heart of Upper Alton, is owned by Troy and Kyndra Green, who went to Roxana High School. Both of the Greens grew up in or around Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but Kyndra Green moved to Roxana when she was in seventh grade. Two days after graduation she moved back to attend Louisiana State University, where she met her husband. 

The Greens opened Gumbo 2 Geaux last October in Alton. Its menu is at ordergumbo.com where it lists daily specials. Fat Tuesday is next week but Saturday Gumbo 2 Geaux will have fun specials in honor of Mardi Gras.

On Sunday, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.,Gumbo 2 Geaux will be at Flock, 210 Ridge St., at Landmarks Boulevard, serving gumbo, red beans and rice and king cake, until sold out. This is a treat because the restaurant is closed on Sunday.

On Sunday, March 12, Gumbo 2 Geaux will be featured at Jacoby Arts Center’s Jazz Brunch along with live music from the Alton High School Jazz Combo. Tickets cost $30 per person and are available at jacobyartscenter.org. Gumbo 2 Geaux will be serving a grits bar, king cake and more.

The restaurant hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday; it’s closed Sunday. Starting March 1, the restaurant will be extending its hours to 8 p.m.

“I am a Cajun woman,” Kyndra Green said. “We lost everything in a flood in 2016, from a low-pressure system that did not move for two days. That’s why I felt compelled to take our culture to a safer area.

“The reality is a lot of people cannot evacuate because of their circumstances, and I feel like, if you can, preserve it,” she said. “From South Louisiana, we are capable of carrying that in our heart, in our soul, wherever we go. Our restaurant has not only become a destination for authentic Cajun food, but it has become active preservation for Cajun culture.”

The Greens decided to come back to Illinois to start over. They moved with their first born, Theodore James, 7, while they were pregnant with their second child, William Oliver, 6, who is the only member of the family born in Alton, and not in South Louisiana.

“He’s our little Alton boy,” his mother said.

When COVID happened, and restaurants closed, folks were asking Green to make her granny Linda Cormier’s gumbo recipe. That’s when they got the idea and established the goal to buy a business and sell the gumbo to go.

“My grandma is very important to me,” Green said. “She is the literal reason I am who am and know what I know, not just in food. but in life.”

Green even shared the basis of her grandmother’s gumbo recipe.

“My entire life, my grandma said, ‘Kyndra, if you have good quality meat, and good quality onion and bell pepper, just salt and (cayenne) pepper, just focus on the meat with good salt and good pepper, that is what makes Cajun food truly Cajun food.’ That is why, when it’s prepared correctly, it is delicious.”

She describes Gumbo 2 Geaux as “authentic Cajun, not perfect Cajun.”

“It’s very subjective,” she said. “You can go five miles north, south, east, or west of Lafayette, and the gumbo will be different, depending on whose granny made it.”

She also shared that people fail at Cajun food when they use too much, too many different spices, when salt and cayenne pepper are sufficient.

“That is where the mistake is made,” she said.

“We love and appreciate this community so much,” Kyndra Green said. “Y’all keep us busy and we are happy to be here serving y’all! Hopefully this helps some of you who have been trying to get in and try our food. Keep it up and I’m more than happy to extend our hours once again for summer..

“Y’all enjoy this sunshine today,” she added. “Spring is coming – just a slice of what’s on the way.”

For more information, follow Gumbo 2 Geaux’s Facebook page.

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The recipes we’re cooking in October

The recipes we’re cooking in October

Oct sees the commencing of crisp, chilly mornings, the crunch of autumn leaves and, most importantly, the begin of wintertime squash and pumpkin season, together with lots of a lot more enjoyable fruit and veg.

What fruit and greens are in season in October?

Blackberries – these sweet berries are delectable raw, cooked in crumbles (particularly with apples), in a jam or utilised to infuse vodka or gin to make a blackberry liqueur. Glimpse out for these purple berries in hedgerows and you can get picking on your own! Make absolutely sure they are gentle but not squishy and check out to select them from no lessen than eye height. And do rinse them nicely when you get dwelling.

Butternut squash – being a single of the most preferred wintertime squashes, this ingredient is frequently the hero of vegetarian dishes. Its sweet orange flesh is mouth watering when roasted and can be used as the foundation to a soup, additional to risottos and curries, or even stuffed as a meat substitute for Sunday lunch. If you wrestle with how to lower one, then we have you protected.

Chestnuts – you are likely familiar with the smell of roasting chestnuts close to street corners in wintertime. When roasted, these bitter nuts (that occur from chestnut trees) develop into buttery and sweet, generating them significantly a lot more desirable to consume. You can roast your individual chestnuts, but most folks obtain pre-cooked chestnuts to use in recipes for relieve.

Leeks – not dissimilar in flavor to onions, this root vegetable is a great addition to casseroles, pies and stews. It really is also lovely when simply fried with butter and eaten as a scrumptious aspect dish. Make absolutely sure to clean this vegetable properly ahead of using, since mud usually gets trapped in its layers.

Pears – United kingdom varieties involve Meeting, Comice, Concorde and Williams. Pears are usually utilised in desserts – consider poached pears, pear crumble or pear loaf cake – nonetheless they also operate perfectly with pork to build tasty savoury dishes.

Pumpkin – Oct has become synonymous with pumpkins, since Halloween falls on the 31st every calendar year. But besides the voluptuous orange squash remaining an iconic decoration, they are also mouth watering. Applied in pastas, tarts, soups and even cakes and cheesecakes, you can find no conclusion to what your pumpkin can do. By no means discard your pumpkin seeds when you put together your pumpkin possibly. Merely rinse them to get rid of any flesh, dry them and roast them in the oven with some olive oil for a delightful snack.

Savoy cabbage – this cabbage is characterised by its huge, veined, inexperienced leaves that overlap every other to kind a limited, round ball. Merely fry the chopped leaves in butter and garlic, incorporating some chilli if you fancy an added kick, and there you have it, a uncomplicated but completely tasty side dish.

Swede – known as neeps in Scotland, this hardy root vegetable is both steamed, boiled or roasted. Nonetheless you cook it, make sure you reduce off the root and peel off the tough outer pores and skin, prior to chopping into chunks. Hold an eye on cooking occasions (approximately 10 min for boiling and steaming, 45 min for roasting) as swede does disintegrate very easily if overcooked.

Sweetcorn – rows and rows of sweet, tightly-packed kernels, all wrapped in eco-friendly, silky husks, sweetcorn is as photograph-great as it is delicious. Take in as complete cobs dripping in butter, or slash off the kernels and fry with seasonings (this kind of as paprika, lime juice and garlic) for salads or salsas.

Other fabulous ingredients in year in October include things like root veggies marrow, parsnips beetroot, carrots, radishes, onions, spring onions and fennel. Greenery will come in the sort of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, peas, runner beans, spinach, spring greens, Swiss chard, watercress, whilst aubergine cauliflower, celeriac, crimson cabbage and wild mushrooms also appear. Ordinarily sweet produce consist of apples, elderberries and quince.

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What recipes we’re cooking this July

What recipes we’re cooking this July

The hotter temperature bring with it a entire host of vivid fruit and vegetables in our gardens, fields, allotments and hedgerows. Anticipate fennel, rocket, cucumber and radishes to liven up summer salads, and a bounty of British berries (which include raspberries, blackberries and strawberries) to garnish cocktails. cakes and blended to make handmade ice cream.

A lot of July’s seasonal produce is most effective enjoyed as it is, in particular when freshly picked. But if you might be seeking for inspiration on what to make with your summer months harvest, then you’ve appear to the ideal position. Here, we’ve compiled our favourite recipes furthermore practical recommendations on how to prepare the season’s star components.

What fruit and veggies are in year in July?

Wide beans – Along with a bevy of British veggies, wide beans are ready to be picked and podded by July. Also regarded as fava beans – and touted as a superfood – broad beans boast a range of wellbeing added benefits and are an excellent resource of fibre and protein. Adhere to our useful recommendations on how to get ready your broad beans then steam only and gown with lemon juice, butter and black pepper.

Cauliflower – This multipurpose brassica has soared in level of popularity in current decades. When finely chopped, it would make a delicious, reduced carb alternative to rice, although cauliflower “steaks” are a company fixture on vegan menus throughout the nation. Uncover you with a glut of cauliflower on your hands? Anxiety not, it’s straightforward to freeze, far too.

Chillies – Homegrown chillies require a lengthier escalating time – with some kinds remaining planted as early as January – but the flavour is perfectly value the wait around. Incorporate a dash of warmth to your favourite stir-fries, salads and curries, or make a aromatic chilli oil to drizzle anywhere you fancy. It is significant to get ready and deseed your chilli effectively to stay clear of any undesired warmth, so be sure to follow our practical recommendations.

Courgettes – Element of the squash, marrow and cucumber household, courgettes are at their greatest from June as a result of to Oct. They are straightforward to expand and oh-so flexible try them grilled on the BBQ, stuffed, stirred into pasta, or shaved like ribbons into summer time salads. Take care of their flowers, as well, as these can be stuffed with ricotta and fried to produce an extraordinary starter.

Fennel – July marks the starting of British fennel period, bringing with it that unique aniseed aroma. Never just stick to serving it raw when roasted or barbecued, fennel usually takes on a mouth watering, smoky-sweet flavour. Long lasting appropriate via to November, it is worthy of bookmarking our recipe for gruyere fennel gratin when Sunday roasts are firmly back on the menu.

Rocket – With its spicy, peppery leaves, rocket is excellent for pepping up salads and topping pizza. To be certain a steady provide if you are developing your very own, it’s ideal to sow rocket seeds just about every fortnight during the spring and summer time months.

Tomatoes – Escalating your have tomatoes is more simple than it might seem to be, even if you might be new to the yard. They’re great for containers (possibly in a sunny spot outdoors or a greenhouse), and just a pair of tomato plants is more than enough to assure a plentiful source in the course of the summer months. Our assistance? Plant an array of tomatoes – from sweet, smaller cherry tomatoes to giant heirlooms – for included intrigue.

Strawberries – Whether or not coupled with cream at Wimbledon or paired with clean mint and cucumber in your Pimms, there is a motive British strawberries scream “summertime”. Dazzling, warm days coupled with interesting evenings suggests locally-grown strawberries are vividly crimson and deliciously sweet. In our opinion, homegrown just cannot be overwhelmed, but here’s what to look out for when purchasing strawberries in the grocery store.

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Tonari chef Mary Mendoza shares recipe for yummy 3-ingredient chocolate dessert

Tonari chef Mary Mendoza shares recipe for yummy 3-ingredient chocolate dessert

As Valentine’s Working day methods, WTOP questioned community chefs to share their favourite quick and easy recipes that readers can study to make for their liked kinds.

As Valentine’s Working day strategies, WTOP questioned local chefs to share their favored speedy and uncomplicated recipes that audience can understand and cook for their mates and substantial other folks. Tonari Chef Mary Mendoza demonstrated how to make nama chocolate and rice pudding with caviar.

Nama chocolate is a variety of Japanese truffle. The recipe only involves 3 ingredients, but Mendoza says that “the planet is your oyster” when it comes to this dish, as house cooks can incorporate optional matcha powder or strawberry powder as an alternative of cocoa powder when finishing it.

To see a demonstration of how to make nama chocolate, check out out the online video above, filmed at Tonari.

Mendoza also demonstrated how to make yet another delicious dessert — rice pudding. But this approachable and straightforward handle has a twist: It is concluded with grated white chocolate and hazelnuts, with a dollop of caviar on top rated to add a fatty, salty, briny end.

“Rice is lifestyle,” stated Mendoza, who extra that she feels rice receives pushed aside as well frequently. This encouraged her to create a dessert that highlights the fluffy, delicate grain.

Alas, the rice pudding recipe for Hole in the Wall is proprietary and was not furnished to WTOP, but you can use any rice pudding recipe or you can invest in pre-made rice pudding.

See the earlier mentioned video, as effectively, for additional move-by-phase instructions on how to recreate the delightful rice pudding dessert.

Tonari is a Wafu Italian cafe, which indicates Japanese-type Italian. “We want to get Italian dishes and prepare dinner them with Japanese sensibility,” Mendoza stated.

Listed here is the recipe for nama chocolate. Appreciate!

Nama Chocolate

By Gap in the Wall/Tonari chef Mary Mendoza

Ingredients 

  • 340 grams dark chocolate, chopped, even dimensions (any would do as very long as it is previously mentioned 67{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} no lecithin)
  • 355 grams weighty product (at minimum 36{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} fat)
  • 28 grams butter

Guidelines

  1. Weigh out all elements. Line your pan with parchment. Make sure the edges are also lined for effortless dealing with.

  2. Blend butter and chocolate in a heat-harmless bowl. 

  3. Heat weighty product to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. The cream is completely ready the moment you see little bubbles all over the edges. 

  4. Pour the incredibly hot hefty product into chocolate-butter combination. Let it stand, unperturbed for 4-5 minutes. 

  5. Following, blend all components with a rubber spatula until finally easy and homogenized. Faucet the pan on the counter to remove excess air bubbles.

  6. Let the chocolate in the fridge for at the very least two hrs prior to slicing.

  7. Slash the chocolate with a sharp, warm knife to your preferred size or shape. 

  8. Coat the truffles with cocoa powder or any powder of your preference these types of a matcha or strawberry.

  9. Provide at place temperature. 

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