Recipes Master 12

These mini buffalo chicken egg rolls remind me of the time I ordered something called “boneless Buffalo wings,” many years ago. Like all Western New Yorkers, I have a deep affection for this messy, but delicious snack, and so I was very excited about being able to enjoy some without having to deal with the wing bones. As I waited for my order, I felt sorry for whichever prep cook had been given the tedious task of de-boning them. However, my sympathy was unwarranted, since what they were calling “boneless buffalo wings” were nothing more than strips of fried chicken breast, coated in the same sauce. While happy for the prep cook, I was disappointed they weren’t wings. So, it’s a little bit ironic that all these years later, I'm now using chicken breast to create a Buffalo wing alternative, but at least I’m not trying to trick anybody. That aside, these really do have a very similar flavor profile, and I should probably be more concerned with the people who are going to be upset I’...

This lemon posset seems too good to be true. Not only does it feature a rich, thick, luxurious texture, and intense, clean citrus taste, but it’s also egg-free, starch-free, and gelatin-free. As if that wasn’t enough, it only takes three ingredients, and could not be easier to make. Notwithstanding its calorie count, this may be the perfect special occasion dessert. Like I said in the video, I used lemon since my posset was being paired with gingersnap crumbs, but the first time I ever had this it was done with lime and graham cracker crumbs, and was equally stellar. Next time I think I’ll try it with both, since once you experience this magical mixture, there’s always going to be a next time.   This reminds me a lot of lemon curd, especially with how perfectly it pairs with fresh seasonal fruit, but the lemon flavor is even more intense, despite actually using less juice. It’s also significantly faster and easier to make. So yes, this does seem too good to be true, and yet someho...

Even if your turkey is perfectly cooked, the reheated leftovers can be a little dry and uninteresting, especially since the gravy always runs out before all the meat is gone.  That’s why soup is such a popular choice for using up the last remnants of your bird, but this tamale pie will serve the same purpose, only in a significantly more exciting, and flavorful way. There are two basic types of tamale pie. One features a cornbread topping, which is like eating chili with cornbread, and the other a traditional masa dough, which is like eating chili with polenta on it. Here, I wanted to create something that gives us the best of both, and I was very happy with how this came out. While I’m branding this as a post-Thanksgiving leftover turkey recipe, it’s really a “how to make tamale pie” video, since you can sub in virtually any other meat and/or vegetable, and it should work just as well. In fact, I’m actually thinking of doing a version using cubed butternut squash as a turkey-adja...

They say your greatest strength is also your biggest weakness, which certainly is true when it comes to sweet potatoes.   The starchy sweetness that makes this tuber such a popular holiday side dish, is also its fatal flaw, since, for me at least, it quickly leads to palate fatigue. After a few bites of mashed sweet potatoes, or sweet potato casserole, I’m pretty much over the experience, and I’m reaching for the cranberry sauce to reset my tongue, but here we’ve mixed in a few ingredients specifically selected to cut that sweetness, and push this much closer to the savory side of town. Lime, jalapeño, and sharp cheddar may seem like odd choices here, but paired with the green onions, and bacon, they work wonders, and I had no problem finishing a whole sweet potato. And by whole, I mean two. By the way, these orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are often sold as “yams,” but they’re not, in case that ever comes up in conversation. Besides all the obvious reasons, this is a great choice fo...

I’m not saying this spicy salami spread is as good as traditional nduja, but I am saying this takes about 3 months less time to make, and still delivers most of the characteristics that make this Calabrian delicacy so amazing. And just in case you’re not familiar with nduja, a few of those characteristics are a rich, spicy, super-savory flavor, and soft, luxurious texture. Finding some decent salami to use should be simple enough, but depending on where you live, the oil-packed Calabrian chilies may not be as easy to acquire. Any decent Italian market will carry them, so ask your Calabrian friends where they shop, but if that doesn’t work, you can find them online as well. Or, you could use another spicy, jarred pepper product like Sambal, or simply use fresh hot chilies like Fresno, or cherry peppers. If it’s spicy, and it’s a pepper, it will work. You can substitute bacon for the pancetta, but since bacon is smoked, your final product will taste significantly different. Not bad, jus...

I’ve made custard tarts before, but never the world-famous Portuguese custard tarts, and I’m thrilled to report the results were shockingly good. This really was one of the best pastries I’ve ever enjoyed, custard or otherwise.  Which is a good thing, since they do require a bit of effort to produce. The recipe itself is simple, using just a few basic ingredients, but there are numerous steps, and a certain amount of finesse is required, but the results are so worth it. After watching a few dozen videos on the technique, I decided to try the short cut version first, which uses frozen store-bought puff pastry. The results were not good. Since puff pastry is leavened with yeast, and contains so many more layers of butter and dough, my crust turned out too thick, and gummy, and wasn’t nearly as thin and crispy as it should’ve been. It may have been my technique, but officially I’m blaming the dough. So then I attempted an “authentic” dough recipe from scratch, which was infinitely bet...