Ingredients

• 6 slices white bread, crusts removed
• 4 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups (8 3/4 ounces) plus 1/3 cup sliced blanched almonds
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 6 ounces seedless green grapes, sliced thin (1 cup)

Preparation

Combine bread and water in bowl and let soak for 5 minutes. Process 2 1/2 cups almonds in blender until finely ground, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed.

Using your hands, remove bread from water, squeeze it lightly, and transfer to blender with almonds. Measure 3 cups soaking water and set aside; transfer remaining soaking water to blender.

Add garlic, vinegar, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and cayenne to blender and process until mixture has consistency of cake batter, 30 to 45 seconds. With blender running, add olive oil in thin, steady stream, about 30 seconds. Add reserved soaking water and process for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain soup through fine-mesh strainer set in bowl, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids.

Measure 1 tablespoon of soup into second bowl and stir in almond extract. Return 1 teaspoon of extract mixture to soup; discard remainder. Chill for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Heat vegetable oil in 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat until oil begins to shimmer. Add remaining 1/3 cup almonds and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to bowl and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Ladle soup into shallow bowls. Mound an equal amount of grapes in center of each bowl. Sprinkle cooled almonds over soup and drizzle with extra olive oil. Serve immediately.

CI

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lb beef (oxtail, short rib, shank—something with fat, flavor, and preferably some marrow and gelatin), in one or two large pieces
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and minced
• 2 ribs celery, minced
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 lb ground pork (preferably from the shoulder)
• ½ cup minced pancetta
• 1 small can whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), drained and crushed
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Season the beef on all sides with salt and cook until deeply browned all over. Remove from the pan.

If the pan is dry, add another splash of oil. Sauté the carrot, celery, and onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the pork and pancetta and cook until lightly browned, then stir in the tomato and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Return the beef to the pan, add the wine, stock, bay leaf and cover. Turn the heat to low and simmer for two hours, until the beef is falling apart.

Shred the beef by hand or with two forks and fold back into the sauce, discarding any bones, excess fat, or cartilage. If the sauce looks too dry, add a splash of broth or water to get the right consistency. Serve over pasta with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Makes about 8 servings.

Matt Goulding, Roads and Kingdoms

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon melted butter, optional

Preparation

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and adjust a rack to the center position. Place the flours, soda, cream of tartar, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour using your fingers until it is completely incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Work the liquid into the flour mixture using a fork until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead briefly until the loose flour is just moistened. The dough will still be scrappy and uneven.

Form the dough into a round about 6 to 7 inches in diameter and place in a cast iron skillet. Score a deep cross on top of the loaf and place in the heated oven. Bake until nicely browned and a tested comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with a tablespoon of melted butter if desired. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

CI

Ingredients

• 3 lbs chuck roast (fat trimmed), cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 chiptoles in adobo sauce, chopped (or more to taste)
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup beef broth or water

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker. Toss gently to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily when shredded with a fork.

Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces inside of the slow cooker. Toss the beef with the juices, then cover and let the barbacoa beef soak up the juices for an extra 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to serve the barbacoa beef.

If not using immediately, refrigerate the barbacoa beef with its juices in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 slices white sandwich bread
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons basil pesto
• 3 ounces Taleggio cheese, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons shelled and crushed pistachios

Preparation

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low. Spread butter evenly on both sides of the bread slices. Place bread in skillet and toast until golden, about 2 minutes. Evenly sprinkle Parmesan on top of the slices and flip. Spread pesto on both slices and top with Taleggio. When cheese melts, turn off heat and sprinkle pistachios on one slice. Top it with the other slice with fillings facing in.

Thrillist

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large white onion, diced
• ½ batch (12 ounces) homemade green chorizo, or use another spicy fresh sausage
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro stems, leaves reserved for serving
• 7 cups cooked black beans (from 4 cans or 1 pound dried beans), drained
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced plum tomatoes with their juices
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
• Diced avocado, for serving
• Sliced scallion, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving

Preparation

Heat oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot. Add onion and cook until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in chorizo and cilantro stems and cook 5 minutes over high heat, or until much of the liquid has evaporated.

Stir in beans, tomatoes and their liquid, and 1 cup water. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; reduce to medium.

Partly cover pot and simmer until tomatoes have fallen apart, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Season with salt. Serve topped with avocado, scallion, cilantro leaves and lime wedges.

New York Times

Ingredients

For sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (from 1 orange)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch sugar
• Pinch cayenne

For fish cakes

• 2 pounds carp fillets, skinned and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/3 cup matzoh meal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup or more vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 tablespoon sea salt

Preparation

Make sauce In medium bowl, stir together all ingredients. Cover and chill.

Make fish cakes Line large baking sheet with waxed paper.

Working in 2 batches, in food processor pulse carp until coarsely ground (do not purée to paste). Transfer to large bowl and add onion, cilantro, mayonnaise, egg, lemon juice, and orange juice. Mix gently until well blended, then add matzoh meal, salt, and pepper and mix gently until incorporated.

Using wet hands, roll mixture into 1 1/4-inch-diameter balls and press into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Arrange on baking sheet with additional waxed paper between each layer of patties. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

In large heavy skillet over high heat, heat 1/4 inch oil. Working in batches of 5 and adding more oil as needed, fry patties until brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt while still hot. Serve warm with sauce.

Epicurious, March 2007

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
• 4 small shallots, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ serrano or Thai chili, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 large pinch turmeric
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup coconut milk
• Salt
• 12 oysters, shucked, liquor reserved
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Preparation

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots, garlic and chili, and sauté until softened and starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute.

Reduce heat to low and add the coconut milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add the oysters and their liquor; simmer until the oysters are just firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve over rice – the rice in the fish recipe that follows would go well – or on hoppers (see the recipe at nytimes.com/magazine).

New York Times

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 4 whole cloves
• 8 garlic cloves (do not peel)
• 2 Serrano chiles
• 1 poblano chile
• ¼ cup sherry vinegar
• 1 cup parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Preparation

Place the ground pork in a large bowl. Set a cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, oregano, bay leaf and cloves and toast briefly until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Remove from the heat, transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Add to the bowl with the ground pork.

Return the skillet to a high flame and heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic cloves, Serrano and poblano chiles and roast, turning them from time to time until softened slightly and blackened in spots, about 6 to 12 minutes, removing the pieces as they finish cooking. Set aside to cool at room temperature. Once garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, peel them and discard the skin. Wearing gloves if possible, remove the stems and seeds from the Serrano chiles. Remove the stems and seeds from the poblano chile, and peel away the charred skin.

In a blender, purée the roasted garlic cloves, Serrano and poblano chiles along with the sherry vinegar, parsley and kosher salt until smooth. Transfer to the bowl with the ground pork and spices.

Mix the chorizo with your (preferably gloved) hands until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use, or for up to 3 days. The chorizo can also be frozen in an airtight bag for up to 1 month.

New York Times

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 ¼ cups milk, heated to 110°F
• 2 ¼ teaspoons (one package) active dry yeast
• 2 eggs
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
• 2 quarts canola oil

For the topping:

• 4 ½ cups shredded sweetened coconut
• 22 ounces soft caramels
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the chocolate glaze:

• 8 ounces dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk with yeast. Stir lightly and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Attach mixer with a dough hook and beat eggs, butter, sugar, and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Gradually add the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and roll it out until 1/2-inch thick. Using floured 3½" and 1½" cookie cutters, cut out 6 donuts and holes.

Put the donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet with plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 45 minutes.

Pour oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F on an oil thermometer.

Carefully add the donuts to the oil, a few at a time. Fry, flipping once until puffed and golden, about 4 minutes.

Transfer donuts to a wire rack to drain.

Make the topping while donuts cool. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Melt caramels, milk, and salt in a double-boiler by placing a medium bowl over a smaller pot of simmering water.

Cook, stirring constantly, until the caramels are melted. Remove from heat.

Carefully spread 1 tablespoon of caramel on the top of each donut. Combine the remaining caramel with toasted coconut in a large bowl. Mix well. Spoon 1/4 cup of the coconut mixture on the top of each donut, covering the caramel layer.

Make the chocolate glaze by mixing chocolate, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Bring cream and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; let sit for 2 minutes without stirring. Whisk until smooth.

Dip the bottom half of each donut in the chocolate glaze and return to wire rack to let excess drip off. Use a fork to drizzle the tops with chocolate. Let donuts sit until the chocolate hardens, about 20 minutes.

Thrillist