Serves 2

Tortang Talong

2 small Chinese eggplants

2 long hot peppers

Canola oil, for frying

5 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

3 eggs

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons fish sauce

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Flake salt, for finishing

Steamed jasmine rice, for serving

Banana ketchup, for serving

Vinegar

½ of a large shallot, minced

½ of a finger chili, thinly sliced

⅓ cup cane vinegar or rice vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

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Tomatoes

2 medium heirloom tomatoes, cut into small wedges

2 teaspoons cane vinegar or rice vinegar

1 teaspoon fish sauce, more to taste

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

A handful of fresh torn mint leaves

A handful of fresh torn basil leaves

1. Prep the eggplant and peppers: Place the eggplant over the direct flame on your stove and char all over until blackened and soft, flipping as needed, 8-10 minutes. Char the long hots in the same fashion until charred on all sides, 4-6 minutes.

2. Place both the charred eggplant and peppers in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let them steam in the bowl for 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, make the vinegar: Add everything for the vinegar to a small bowl, and set aside until serving.

4. Prep the tomatoes: Add the tomatoes, vinegar, fish sauce, and salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Add in the mint and basil and give it one gentle toss. Set aside until serving.

5. Make the garlic chips: Add about 1 inch of oil and the garlic to a medium nonstick pan. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the garlic, stirring constantly, until pale golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. The garlic won’t seem very crisp at this point, but it will crisp up when fully cooled. Set the garlic chips aside, and turn off the pan for now, but keep the oil!

6. Cook the tortang talong: Once the eggplant/peppers have steamed, peel off the skin of the eggplant and peppers. Remove the seeds and stem from the peppers as well. Keep the stem of the eggplant intact!

7. Add the eggs, cornstarch, and fish sauce to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Season with a small pinch of salt and pepper.

8. Place the pan with the garlic oil back over medium heat. Place one of the eggplants in the egg mixture and use a fork to flatten it out to about ¼ inch thick. Once the oil is hot, place the egg-coated eggplant in the hot oil, and spoon over about half of the egg mixture. Top with one of the long hots. Cook until set and golden brown on the first side, 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip the omelette and cook for another 2 minutes.

9. Remove to a paper towel and season with flake salt and freshly cracked black pepper all over. Repeat the cooking process with the second eggplant, long hot and remaining half of the egg mixture.

10. Serve the tortang talong with steamed jasmine rice, the tomato salad, and the vinegar mix and banana ketchup for dipping/topping.

Lobster Bisque

Serves 4

Lobster Stock

• Water, as needed

• 3 whole live lobsters (about 1 ¼ pounds each)

• Olive oil, for drizzling

• 5 cloves garlic, smashed

• 3 thai chilis, split

• 2 stalks lemongrass, roughly chopped into 2 inch pieces

• 2 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 small yellow onion, sliced

Bisque

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced

• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

• 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

• ½ of a large head of fennel, cored and thinly sliced

• Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• ⅓ cup brandy

• 1 ½ quarts of the above lobster stock

• Heavy cream, for serving

1. Make the stock: Set up a steamer with about 2 inches of water in the bottom over high heat. Once the steamer is hot and ready to go, add the lobsters and steam, covered, for 11 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to cool. Do this in batches (be sure your water doesn’t run out) if all your lobsters don’t fit in the steamer at once. SAVE THE STEAMING LIQUID!

2. Once the lobster is cool, remove all the meat from the tail, knuckles, and claws, reserving all the shells and the heads. Roughly chop the lobster meat and place in the fridge. There will be cartilage in the claws so be sure to remove and discard that.

3. Using kitchen shears, cut down all the reserved lobster shells/heads into 2 inch pieces.

4. Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and heat until hot over medium heat. Add in the lobster shells and toast in the oil, stirring constantly and breaking them down even further with a wooden spoon, until fragrant, toasty and the shells become more brittle, 10-15 minutes. Add in the garlic, chilis, lemongrass, ginger, bay leaves and onion. Sweat until the veggies start to soften, 5 minutes. Add in 2 ½ quarts of the steaming liquid (supplementing with water if needed), and simmer the stock on low heat for 45 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.

5. Make the bisque: Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat and add in the celery, onion, carrot, and fennel. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sweat until the veggies are almost tender, 8-10 minutes. Add in the tomato paste, and cook, stirring until it deepens in color, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and deglaze with the brandy, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the good bits. Return the pot to low heat and add in 1 ½ quarts of the prepared lobster stock (reserve any remaining for later) and simmer on low heat until the veggies are super soft, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a high powered blender and blend until super smooth. Be sure to start on a slow speed and vent the blender top slightly so it doesn’t explode all over.

6. Add the soup back to the pot (straining through a fine mesh sieve if desired. Not necessary but nice for a super smooth soup!) Season with more salt and pepper to taste and adjust thickness with any remaining lobster stock if needed. Add in the lobster meat to reheat and serve topped with a drizzle of heavy cream.

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Party Prosciutto Parm

Serves 2-4

• Olive oil

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 (24-ounce) jar passata

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon chopped jarred Calabrian chilis or dried crushed red pepper flakes to taste

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 eggs, beaten

• ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs

• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• 4-6 slices prosciutto

• Fresh basil leaves, for the cutlet and garnish

• 6 ounces low-moisture whole milk mozzarella, grated

• Freshly cooked spaghetti, for serving

1. Begin by making the sauce: Coat the bottom of a small sauce pot with olive oil and heat over medium. Add in the garlic and sweat until aromatic, 1 minute.

2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens in color, about 2 minutes. Add in the passata, sugar, and chilies. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

4. While the sauce simmers, prep the cutlets: Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Set aside.

5. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Place beaten eggs in another shallow bowl.

6. Mix the breadcrumbs, grated parm, oregano, and black pepper to taste in another shallow bowl.

7. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to evenly coat the chicken in each step. Repeat with all the cutlets. Place the cutlets in the fridge until the sauce is ready to go.

8. Fry the cutlets: In a large skillet, add enough olive oil to come up about ¼ inch. Heat over medium until the oil is hot (you can check by adding a bit of breading to see if it sizzles).

9. Carefully add the cutlets (doing this in batches if needed) to the pan and cook until golden on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook on the second side, about another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a sheet tray lined with a wire rack.

10. Turn the broiler on high.

11. Top each cutlet with 1-2 slices of prosciutto to cover the cutlet. Add a few leaves of basil, then a spoonful of the tomato sauce. Top with the shredded mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil.

12. Broil the chicken until the cheese begins to brown, about 2-4 minutes. Keep an eye on it, this can happen quickly!

13. Serve the chicken with the cooked pasta topped with more sauce and garnish with more fresh basil.

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Shrimp Tacos

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Tomato Guajillo Salsa

2 tomatoes on the vine, halved

2 cloves of garlic in their skin

½ of a small yellow onion, quartered

3 guajillo chilis

2 arbol chilis

3 tablespoons EVOO

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Slaw

½ of a medium head of red cabbage, thinly sliced on a mandolin

½ red onion, thinly sliced and rinsed under cold water

½ of a bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped

Fresh lime juice, to taste

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Shrimp

6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

⅓ cup olive oil

1 pound peeled, deveined, and tail-off jumbo shrimp

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Lime juice, taste

To assemble

8-10 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Diced avocado

Mexican crema

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1. Make the salsa: Heat a cast-iron griddle or large cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, cut side down, along with the garlic and onion. Char everything on all sides until blackened and soft, about 10-15 minutes total. While everything chars, place the guajillos and arbol on the same griddle. Toast on both sides until slightly darkened, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the griddle and remove the seeds and stems from the guajillo (the arbol are good to go). Place the chilis in a bowl, cover with warm water, and let them soak for at least 20 minutes until soft. Drain off the water. Add the charred tomatoes, onions and garlic (discarding the skin) to a blender along with the soaked chilis, evoo and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth and emulsified. Season with more salt if needed and set aside.

2. Prep the slaw: Add the cabbage, red onion, and cilantro to a medium bowl. Place in the fridge until ready to finish and serve.

3. Cook the shrimp: Add the garlic and oil to a small saute pan. Turn the heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is lightly golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. The garlic will continue to brown and crisp once out of the oil, so just barely golden is the move here. Carefully pour the oil and garlic through a fine mesh strainer. Place the garlic on a paper towel to drain (reserve the oil).

4. Add the shrimp to a small bowl and toss with about 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Return the cast-iron griddle to medium-high heat and heat until it just starts to smoke. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are seared and pink on the first side, 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about another 1-3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the griddle to a cutting board and roughly chop. Add to a bowl and toss with the reserved fried garlic and lime juice to taste.

5. Assemble: Just before serving, toss the slaw with the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Warm your tortillas either in the microwave, wrapped in a damp paper towel, or on the griddle you cooked the shrimp on until pliable. Add some of the shrimp filling to a warm tortilla and top with the avocado, salsa, slaw, and crema.

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Gingery Green Goddess Dressing

Makes about 1 pint of dressing

Dressing

• 1 (½ inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

• ½ bunch fresh cilantro, stems and all, roughly chopped

• 2 scallions, chopped

• ½ of a serrano chili, roughly chopped

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 1 teaspoon fish sauce

• ¼ cup neutral oil

• ⅓ cup sour cream

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Add everything to a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust with more salt and pepper as needed. This can be made and stored in the fridge for up to three days.

Serves 6

Sauce

Olive oil, for coating the pan

4 beef hot dogs, sliced on a thick bias

1 pound ground beef (80/20)

8 ounces ground pork

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1 large yellow onion, diced

6 cloves of garlic, finely grated or minced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons chopped jarred Calabrian chilies

2 cups unsalted chicken stock

1 (24-ounce jar) passata

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons banana ketchup (or sub reg ketchup)

2-3 tablespoons fish sauce, to taste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 bay leaves

To Serve

1 pound dry spaghetti

Grated smoked gouda (or reg gouda is good too!)

Thinly sliced scallions

1. Coat the bottom of a dutch oven with olive oil and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add in the hot dogs and cook until seared and golden on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the hot dogs from the pot and set aside.

2. Add in the ground beef and pork, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned all over, 6ik/-8 minutes.

3. Add in the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent, 5-6 minutes.

4. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, and Calabrian chiles. Cook, stirring constantly, until deepened in color, 1-2 minutes.

5. Stir in the chicken stock, passata, condensed milk, ketchup, fish sauce, soy sauce, and bay leaves.

6. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stirring now and then to make sure the bottom doesn’t scorch, until thickened, 45-60 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper at the end to taste.

7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season heavily with salt and drop in the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, according to the box directions. Drain and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking (do this step once the sauce is almost done, so the pasta is nice and hot when ready to serve).

8. Serve the sauce over individual bowls of pasta and garnish with the gouda, scallions, and freshly cracked black pepper. Comfort in a bowl!

@2peoplecookingFilipino spaghetti 🍝 🌭 🇵🇭

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Traveler’s Special Ramen (BEC)

Serves 2

• 3 ounces very thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch chunks

• 1 bunch of scallions, white bottoms roughly chopped and greens thinly sliced

• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed

• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

• 5 cups unsalted chicken broth

• 2 dried shiitake mushrooms

• 2 packages spicy shin ramen

• 2 eggs

• 2 tablespoons furikake

• 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning

• 2-4 slices yellow American cheese

1. Place the bacon in a medium pot over medium heat. Render the bacon until lightly golden on each side, about 3 to 5 minutes per side.

2. Add in the scallion bottoms, garlic, and black peppercorns and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic just begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add in the chicken broth and dried shiitakes. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the bacon is tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. The broth should be rich and emulsified. Remove the bacon from the broth and set it aside. Strain the broth through a sieve and return the broth to the pot. Stir in the seasoning packets from both ramen packages. Keep the broth warm over low heat.

4. While the broth simmers, prepare the eggs and seasoning: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Gently add the eggs to the boiling water one at a time. Boil for 6 ½ minutes (or even 6:42 seconds iykyk), then immediately transfer to an ice bath. Peel the eggs right away (while submerged in the ice water). Peeling them while they are still slightly warm makes it much easier to get a clean peeled egg. Save the boiling water for the noodles. In a small bowl, mix the furikake and bagel seasoning until combined. Set aside.

5. Once the broth and eggs are ready to go, boil the noodles: In the same pot that you boiled the eggs, drop in the noodles from the ramen packages and boil according to the package directions. Strain and divide the noodles into two bowls.

6. Top with your desired amount of American cheese (1-2 slices) and ladle over the broth (make sure it is nice and hot!)

7. Top with the bacon, halved eggs, scallion tops, and the everything bagel furikake mix. Yummy!

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@2peoplecookingbacon egg and cheese ramen 🧀 🥓

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Makes 2 melts

Melts

• Olive oil, for coating the pan

• 2 medium yellow onions, sliced

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds

• 12 ounces ground lamb (80/20)

• 5 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded

• 4 slices thick-cut marble rye bread

• Dijonaise (see below)

• Half-sour pickles and potato chips of choice, for serving

Cucumber Cabbage Slaw

• ¼ head (about 12 ounces) green cabbage, finely chopped

• 1 English cucumber, grated on a box grater

• 5 teaspoons granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Begin by prepping the onions: Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil. Add in the onions and season with salt. Cook the onions, stirring frequently and adding splashes of water as needed to deglaze the pan, until the onions are lightly golden but not totally caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Add in 2 tablespoons of butter along with the paprika, chili powder, coriander, and caraway. Cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes until jammy and yummy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. While the onions cook, prep the slaw: Place a colander inside a large bowl. Combine the cabbage, cucumbers, sugar, and salt in the colander. Mix until evenly dispersed. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to let the cabbage and cucumbers release their liquid.

3. Using your hands, squeeze the cabbage and cucumbers to release as much liquid as you can. Discard the liquid and transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise, dill, and vinegar. Mix until combined, taste, and season with more salt, pepper, and/or sugar if necessary. Place in the fridge until serving.

4. Next, make the melts: Form the ground lamb into 2 (6-ounce) patties. We like to form them similar to the shape of the bread, but just a touch larger, as they will shrink when cooked. Place a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and heat until hot. Add a small drizzle of oil and add in the patties, sear the patties until a nice brown crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook patties until golden on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove patties from the pan to a plate and wipe out the pan.

5. Place about ¼ of the cheese on the bottom of two slices of rye. Place one patty on top of each. Add your desired amount of paprika onions (save for other uses!). Divide the remaining cheese between the two sandwiches. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the dijonaise on each of the remaining two slices of rye and top off both sandwiches.

6. Add 3 tablespoons of butter to the cast iron and heat over medium-low. Add in the sandwiches and cook until the cheese is melted and the rye bread is toasted on both sides, adjusting the heat as needed.

7. Serve the melts with the slaw, some chips, and a pickle on the side.

Quick Dijonaise: Mix ¼ cup mayo with 1 tablespoon each dijon and whole grain mustard. Season with salt and pepper.

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@2peoplecookingpatty melts!

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Serves 4-6

Chicken and Salsa:

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), giblets removed

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 5 medium tomatillos, husk removed and halved

• 1 bunch knob onions or 1 bunch spring onions (you could even sub w/ half of a medium white onion), root removed and roughly chopped

• 1 serrano, halved and stem removed

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

• Olive oil, for drizzling

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

To Assemble the Tacos:

• Corn tortillas, warmed for serving

• Sour cream or Mexican crema, for serving

• Sliced avocado, for serving

• Chopped white onion and cilantro, for serving

• Flake salt, if desired

• Lime wedges, for serving

1. The night before or morning of, season the chicken all over generously with salt. Place it in the fridge, uncovered, until you are ready to cook. If you don’t have time for this step, feel free to skip, but it does make the chicken SO much better!

2. Preheat the oven to 325F.

3. Place the tomatillos, knob onions, serrano, and garlic in a medium baking dish or roasting pan. Place the chicken on top and heavily coat it with the olive oil. Season the chicken all over with black pepper and the oregano.

4. Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 1 hour. Increase the oven temperature to 450F, and continue roasting until the chicken is golden and the breast is 160F, and thighs are at least 185F, about 35 to 45 minutes more.

5. This is a good time to enjoy this playlist 😍

6. Remove the chicken from the baking dish to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, add the tomatillo mixture from the bottom of the roasting pan to a blender and pulse until just smooth. Add in the cilantro and pulse a few more times. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

8. Carve the chicken and serve it with the salsa, warm tortillas, sour cream, avocado, cilantro/onions, flake salt, and lime wedges on the side. Assemble as desired and enjoy!

@2peoplecookingcelebration chicken 🥳

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You can also double this recipe to serve 4; just sear the flounder in two batches, cleaning the pan between batches, and use ¾ cup of wine (not the double 1 cup).

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Filet O’ Fish Night

Makes 4 sandwiches

Fish

• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (about 32 crackers)

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 4 (4 to 5 ounces) boneless skinless cod filets (about ½ inch thick)

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• Neutral oil, for shallow frying

• Flake salt, for topping

To Assemble the Sandwiches

• 4 American cheese slices

• Butter, for toasting the buns

• 4 brioche buns, split

• Hailee’s tartar sauce or chili crisp tartar sauce

Endive Like Coleslaw

• 2 tablespoons kewpie mayo

• 1 tablespoon sour cream

• 1 tablespoon malt vinegar or lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 4 heads Belgian endive, cored removed and leaves separated

• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned

1. Begin by breading the fish: Add the Ritz and panko to a food processor and pulse into a fine crumb. Place in a shallow bowl.

2. Add the all-purpose flour to another shallow bowl.

3. Add the eggs to another shallow bowl, and beat until homogeneous.

4. Season the fish all over with salt and pepper. Dredge the seasoned fish in the flour, then egg, then finally in the ritz crumb. Be sure to fully coat the fish in each step and really press in the crumb. Place the crumb-coated fish on a plate and repeat with all the remaining filets. Set aside while you make the endive and heat the oil.

5. For the endive: Add the mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined. Add in the endive, chives, and carrots, but don’t mix. Place in the fridge to toss right before eating.

6. Add about ½ inch of canola oil to a high-sided saute pan or cast iron pan. Heat over medium heat until the temperature is around 325F.

7. Working in two batches, carefully place the breaded fish in the hot oil, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Remove from the oil to a wire rack lined sheet tray and immediately top with a pinch of flake salt and one slice of American cheese.

8. Melt some butter in a separate large saute pan and heat over medium. Working in batches, toast the buns in the butter until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

9. Remove the endive from the fridge and toss. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.

10. To assemble the sandwiches: Place the cheese topped fish on the bottom bun and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the tartar sauce. Cover with the top bun and enjoy immediately with the endive on the side.

@2peoplecookingfilet o’ fish night

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Serves 4-6

Lamb Stew

• 2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into about 2 inch chunks

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the baking dish

• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon sichuan peppercorns, crushed

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

• 1 whole star anise

• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed

• ½ teaspoon fennel seed, crushed

• ½ of a cinnamon stick

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons doubanjiang

• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

• 2 ½ cups unsalted beef broth

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

• Thinly sliced fresh chives, for garnish

Mashed Potatoes

• 2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme

• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed

• 1 dried bay leaf

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease a large baking dish with butter and set aside.

2. Season the lamb all over with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Coat the bottom of the skillet with oil and add half of the meat. Sear the meat on all slides until golden, about 7-8 minutes total. Remove from the pan to a plate and repeat the searing with the second half of the meat. Remove the meat to the plate.

4. Add in the butter and melt. Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft, 5-6 minutes.

5. Add in the sichuan peppercorns, coriander, star anise, cumin, fennel, and cinnamon stick and toast until fragrant, about 1 minute.

6. Add in the tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened in color, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the doubanjiang and flour.

7. Whisk in the beef broth, and bring to a simmer. Add the lamb back into the pan and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and then transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil or a lid and transfer to the oven.

8. Bake for 1 ½ hours.

9. Meanwhile make the mashed potatoes: Add the potatoes to a medium pot and cover with cold water.

10. Place the potatoes over high heat to bring them to a boil. Once boiling, season the water heavily with salt and reduce the heat to medium. Boil until very fork tender, 15-20 minutes.

11. Meanwhile, add the cream, thyme, garlic and bay leaf to a small sauce pot. Place over medium heat to gently warm while the potatoes boil.

12. Once tender, drain the potatoes and add them back into the pot you boiled them in. Mash until smooth. This doesn’t need to be super smooth, a little chunk is nice here. Add in the butter and stir until incorporated. Strain out the aromatics from the hot cream, then add to the potatoes. Stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the potatoes and set aside until it’s time to assemble.

13. Once the 1 ½ hours is up, remove the stew from the oven and add in the carrots. Cover tightly and bake until the meat and carrots are tender, another 30- 40 minutes.

14. Remove the stew from the oven and turn on the broiler. Discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Stir in the peas and taste for salt and pepper. Add the mashed potatoes on top. Spread them out all the way to the edge. Gently scrape the surface of the mashed potatoes with a fork to create some cute ridges.

15. Place under the broiler and broil until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Keep in eye on this as broilers vary!

16. Serve topped with chives.

Pandan Shamrock Concretes

Makes 2 hefty concretes

Guinness Brownie “Bark”

• 1 can (14.9 ounce) Guinness

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly (plus more for greasing the pan)

• 1 ¼ cup (250 grams) granulated sugar

• 1 egg, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• ¼ cup (32 grams) all purpose flour

• ½ cup (45 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt

• ½ cup (85 grams) semi sweet chocolate chips

Concrete

• 1 pint mint chocolate chip ice cream

• 1 tablespoon pandan extract

• ¼ of the Guinness brownie, broken into chunks

• Lightly sweetened whip cream, for garnish

• Maraschino cherries, for garnish

1. To make the brownie: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a quarter sheet tray or 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment and grease all over with butter. Set aside.

2. Add the Guinness to a small sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil the beer until reduced to ⅓ cup and slightly syrupy, 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Add butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla to a medium bowl. Whisk until combined. Add in the cooled Guinness and whisk. Add in flour, cocoa, and salt and mix until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread the batter out in the prepared pan. It will be thin.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until set. Let cool completely before using in the concrete. This is supposed to be thin and almost bark-like. Save the extra for more concretes or sundaes. This also freezes well for future uses.

5. To make the concrete: Add the ice cream to a bowl of a stand mixer along with the pandan extract and the Guinness brownie. Mix on medium until the brownie is broken up, the extract is incorporated.

6. Serve topped with whip cream and a cherry.

Soppressata Bolognese

Makes about 2 quarts of sauce (plenty for 1 pound of pasta with leftovers!)

• 6 ounces hot soppressata, casing removed and diced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 pound ground beef (80/20)

• 8 ounces ground pork

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped

• 1 small fennel bulb, cored and roughly chopped

• 6 cloves of garlic, smashed

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon chopped Calabrian chiles in oil or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste

• ½ cup dry red wine

• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, hand crushed

• 1 cup unsalted beef broth, homemade or store bought

• 2 parmesan rinds, if you have them

1. Add the soppressata to a food processor and pulse to a fine chop. Add oil to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the soppressata and render until starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add in the beef and pork, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until brown, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. As the meat browns, add the carrots, onion, fennel and garlic to the same food processor and pulse to a fine paste.

4. Once the meat is browned, add in the vegetable mixture and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid in the vegetables reduces out and the mixture becomes dry. This will take about 10-15 minutes.

5. Add in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened in color, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Add in the bay leaves and the Calabrian chiles or red pepper flakes.

7. Deglaze with red wine and cook for 1 minute. The wine won’t really reduce here, more so just get absorbed by the tomato paste.

8. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth and parm rinds. Bring to a simmer, reduce to low and cover with a lid. Cook for at least 2 hours on low, or up to 4 hours. Be sure to uncover the pot every now and then to stir the sauce to ensure nothing is burning on the bottom. Right before serving, remove the bay leaves and parm rinds and season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Serve with desired pasta, fresh or dry!

@2peoplecookingbolognese night 🍝 🌟

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This is one of our go to weekday meals when we don’t feel like messing up the kitchen too much. Most of our days consist of testing recipes and cooking multiple things and sometimes we just crave something very simple and light but still satisfying. This is very similar to cantonese steamed fish, made a bit simpler by skipping the hot oil pour and just sautéing the aromatics in a pan instead.

Serves 2

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Chicken Adobo Taquitos

Makes 8 to 10 taquitos

Adobo Filling

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil

• 6 garlic cloves, smashed

• 3 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed in a mortar and pestle

• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

• ⅓ cup soy sauce

• ¼ cup rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

• 6 ounces shredded chihuahua cheese

Fish Sauce Roasted Tomato Salsa

• 4 vine ripe tomatoes, cut in half

• 1 serrano or jalapeno, stem removed

• ½ of a small white onion, cut into thick wedges

• 2 garlic cloves, skin on

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• 1 large handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

To Form and Serve:

• 10 (6-inch) corn tortillas

• Neutral oil, for frying

• Mexican crema, for topping

• Thinly shredded iceberg, for topping

• Crumbled queso fresco, for topping

• Chopped white onions and cilantro, for topping

1. Make the adobo: Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add in the garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper and cook, stirring, until aromatic and the garlic is starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add in the chicken, soy sauce, vinegar and oyster sauce and stir. Cover and turn the heat down to medium low and cook until chicken is fully cooked and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes Flip chicken every now and then during the cooking process to promote even cooking. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

3. Make the salsa: Turn the broiler on high with a rack positioned in the middle of the oven. Place the tomatoes cut side down, onions, jalapenos, and garlic on a small sheet tray or cast iron pan. Place under the broiler (on the middle rack) and broil until everything is deeply charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the broiler, flip everything and place back under the broiler to char the other side, another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the skins from the garlic.

4. Let the veggies cool for about 10 minutes then add to a food processor along with the cilantro. Pulse a few times to blend the salsa into a smooth yet still chunky consistency. Stir in the fish sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

5. Form the taquitos: Remove the cooled chicken from the pot to a large bowl and shred with two forks. Add in about ⅓ cup of the adobo sauce and stir to combine. Fold in the cheese. Set aside.

6. Add about 1 inch of neutral oil to a large skillet with high sides. Place over medium heat and heat until hot (around 350F).

7. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave in 30 second intervals until hot and pliable.

8. Working with one tortilla at a time (and keeping the others covered), add about 3 tablespoons (2 ounces) of the adobo filling to the center of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up snugly into a tight cigar shape. Immediately place the taquito into the hot oil seam side down. Fry until golden, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and fry until golden on the second side, 2 to 4 more minutes. Remove the crispy taquitos from the oil to a paper towel lined sheet tray and sprinkle with a touch of salt.

9. Continue rolling and placing more taquitos in the oil and frying according to step 8 until all the filling has been used.

10. Serve the warm taquitos on a small bed of the adobo sauce, topped with the salsa, some crema, iceberg, queso fresco, onions and cilantro. YUMMMM.

@2peoplecookingchicken taquitos

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Salmon and Citrus Tartare with Potato Chips

This tartare is what keeps us going in the dreadfully cold dead of winter. Fresh diced salmon mixed with in season blood oranges makes for such a fresh, punchy bite that is sure to snap you out of the winter blues. It’s so simple to toss together, great for an elegant last minute dinner party app. The guajillo oil is optional, but also easily subbed with store bought chili oil or even EVOO.

Serves 4

Guajillo Oil

• 1 cup olive oil

• 5 guajillos, stem and seeds removed, cut into 1-inch pieces and toasted

• 2 teaspoons annatto powder

• 1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

• 2 orange peels, shaved with a vegetable peeler

• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Tartare

• 1 small shallot, minced

• 1 medium blood orange, peeled and finely diced

• Juice of half a lemon

• 1 finger chile, minced

• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives

• ¼ cup sliced Castelvetrano olives

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• ½ teaspoon fish sauce

• 5 ounces high-quality salmon, diced very small (kept in fridge until ready to toss the tartare)

• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• Flake salt, for topping

• Kettle cooked potato chips, for serving

1. Make guajillo oil: Add all the ingredients to a small pot and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. Remove the bay leaf and transfer to a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth and set aside.

2. Make the tartare: Combine the shallots, orange, lemon, chile, chives, olives, olive oil, and fish sauce to a medium bowl.

3. Add in salmon and gently toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more lemon if needed.

4. Serve immediately drizzled with the guajillo oil, sprinkled with flake salt, and served with chips for dipping.

These are our all time favorite diner style pancakes. Nothing fussy, just straight forward and simple, as a pancake should be. We really love the addition of malted milk powder here, for a toasty/nutty/diner pancake flavor but feel free to skip if you wake up on a Saturday morning craving a good pancake and it’s the only ingredient here you’re missing.

M…

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Does turning the classic scarpariello into a cutlet make the dish better? We aren’t too sure. It probably depends on your mood, but these are darn good. So if you fee like zushing up some chicken cutlets, this recipe is a fun time.

Serves 2

Cutlets

• 4 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, lightly pounded to about ¼-inch thick

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 2 tablespoons gochugaru or red chili flakes

• ½ cup grated pecorino romano

Sauce

• ½ cup olive oil

• 4 ounces hot pork sausage, removed from casing

• 1 shallot, peeled and minced

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

• ¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

• ½ cup sliced jarred hot cherry peppers + 2 tablespoons of their liquid

• ½ cup halved peppadews

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Pasta or rice, for serving

1. Prepare chicken: Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare your breading station. Add flour to a shallow bowl. Crack eggs into another shallow bowl and beat. Add panko, gochugaru, pecorino and some black pepper to a shallow bowl and mix until combined.

   

3. Dredge chicken in flour, then egg, then panko mixture. Making sure to evenly coat the chicken in each step and shaking off excess dredge. Repeat with all cutlets.

   

4. Cook chicken: Add the ½ cup olive oil to a large 12-inch skillet and heat up over medium low heat. Once oil begins to shimmer, add in two chicken thighs and cook until chicken is golden brown and crispy, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a wired rack. (It’s important to monitor the heat here and adjust as needed so you don’t burn the chili flakes in the breading. They will get deeply brown and that is ok!). Repeat with the remaining two chicken thighs. Set aside.

   

5. Make Scarpariello Topping: Remove all but one tablespoon of oil from the pan. With the heat still on medium low add in the sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking the sausage up into small pieces, until sausage is browned and crispy, 4 to 6 minutes.

   

6. Turn the heat up to medium and add in the shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are translucent and softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

   

7. Turn heat up to medium high and add chicken stock and vinegar. Cook until liquid has reduced by ¼ , 2 to 4 minutes.

   

8. Add in cold butter and cook, swirling frequently, until butter is melted and combined with the sauce, about 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce should have the consistency to coat the back of a spoon.

   

9. Add in the cherry peppers, cherry pepper liquid, peppadews and parsley. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper.

   

10. Serve: Place chicken thighs on a platter and spoon pepper mixture over the top. Serve immediately with pasta or rice.

Pastina Caldo

When we think of love and food, we think of comfort. Whether it was a bubbling pot of pastina or arroz caldo, we both found our love of food through the dishes our families honored and cooked for us growing up. Funnily enough, both of our top comfort foods just so happen to be similar when you break them down. Pastina cooked very simply until thick, with some pecorino and an egg for richness, and arroz caldo, a rice and chicken stew with a kick of vibrant fresh ginger. Both are starchy, porridge-y bowls of comfort we both loved whether we were happy or sad, sick or healthy. This is a fun mashup of the two, with pastina being the starch of choice here but with all the flavors of a classic Filipino arroz caldo, which of course means a ton of fresh ginger.

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Serves 4-6

Pastina

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Cider Braised Osso Bucco

A beautifully dry, hard cider is one of our favorite drinks, but it’s often under utilized in cooking. When used in a braise like this, it imparts a lovely deep apple flavor without adding a cloying sweetness. It gives the classic braised osso bucco a fun wintery/fall remix. Serve with creamy polenta, and a simple salad for the perfect cozy meal.

Serves 2-4

Braised Osso Bucco

3 pounds (about 2 large) beef shank osso bucco

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

All purpose flour, for dusting

Olive oil, for coating the pot

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 small fennel bulb, cored and diced

1 green apple, diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

12 ounces dry hard cider

3 cups chicken stock

3 sprig fresh rosemary

1 bay leaf

Horseradish Gremoltata

½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 small garlic clove, grated

Zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish root (or 2 teaspoons prepared)

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.

2. Season the beef shanks all over with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and pat off any excess.

3. Generously coat the bottom of a large dutch oven with olive oil. Heat over medium until the oil starts to shimmer.

4. Add in the shanks and sear until golden, 5-8 minutes per side. Remove the shanks from the pot and set aside.

5. Add in the garlic, celery, onion, fennel, and apple. Season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the veggies are soft, 6-8 minutes.

6. Add in the tomato paste and cook, string, until deeper in color, 2-3 minutes.

7. Deglaze with the dry cider, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce by half, about 2-3 minutes.

8. Add in the chicken stock, rosemary and bay leaf. Return the shanks to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for 3-3 ½ hours until the beef shanks are fork tender.

9. Once tender, remove the beef shanks from the pot to a serving platter.

10. Place the pot over medium high heat and reduce the sauce until it lightly coats the back of a spoon, 10-15 minutes.

11. While the sauce reduces, make the gremolata: Add parsley, garlic, lemon zest, horseradish, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix to combine.

12. Once the sauce has reduced, spoon it over the beef shanks and top everything with the gremolata. Serve with rice, buttered orzo, creamy polenta, or any potato you’d like.