Category: I’m Obsessed With…

Join America’s favorite cook in her home kitchen as she teaches you one of the most simple and delicious Tuscan pasta dishes made with slow-cooked cherry tomatoes, chili peppers and cheese.

COOK’S NOTE: (Rach explains) Place the tomatoes in a deli lid and top with a second deli lid. Use a very sharp knife to halve the tomatoes through the middle, vertically, while holding top lid down with the palm of your hand. Repeat and halve all tomatoes.

If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below, or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration.

Serves 4-6

INSTRUCTIONS

Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. If you are using pici, it will take about 20 minutes to cook at a rolling boil.

Heat a large saucepot or deep skillet over low heat with EVOO, 3 turns of the pan. Melt the butter into the oil, add garlic and stir for about 2 minutes. If using, add the chili pepper half to the garlic and then add tomatoes to the pan. Season with salt, stir and cover the pan to cook, about 25-30 minutes, to collapse tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are broken down, after about 15 minutes, add the torn basil.

Salt the pasta water liberally and cook 1 minute less than package directions. Toward the end of cooking, reserve about 1 cup of starchy cooking water, drain pasta and add to the pot of sauce. [Alternatively, strain pasta and add back to the pot it was cooked in. Pour the pot of sauce over and add some of the starchy cooking water.] Add a couple of handfuls of cheese while tossing pasta with tongs to emulsify. Transfer the pasta to serving bowls and top with additional toppings of choice.

Serve with green salad dressed with lemon and EVOO. For more of a meal, serve with sliced steak with rosemary.

Cook along with this star chef in the kitchen of The Standard Grill in New York, as he teaches you every single thing you need to know to make risotto in your own kitchen. Stir stir stir!

COOK’S NOTE: Have chicken stock warm or at room temperature before you start.

If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration. 

Serves 4

INSTRUCTIONS

Place a medium to large saucepot over low heat and add butter and oil. Let melt out and add the garlic and onion. Let sweat out over low heat to cook with no color. Cook for a minute, add the thyme and give a stir to continue to cook the mixture until cooked through and translucent and soft, but not caramelized.

Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring every now and then making sure not to get any color on the rice, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir.

Deglaze the pot with white wine and stir. The mixture should immediately simmer at a low to medium pace. Turn up the heat to low to medium heat, if needed, and cook for a few minutes. The mixture should be thick and viscous and as you pull your spoon through the mixture, the bottom of the pan should remain dry.

Add a ladle or two of stock at a time, to cover the surface of the pan, while stirring stirring stirring. Do not leave the pan for more than 30 seconds at a time…it needs to be babysat and stirred constantly. When the liquid is almost absorbed, add in more stock and keep doing this until most or all of the stock has been used or until the rice is perfectly cooked. The stock should be added in at least three rounds. Remove the stems of thyme (leaves can stay). The consistency should be similar to wet sand. Turn heat to low, add truffle pieces (if using) and stir; add Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir; and add truffle butter (if using) and stir to incorporate. If it is too rich, add a tablespoon or so of white wine and/or stock. When it is done and seasoned to your liking and the consistency is right, add in the chopped herbs and stir just before plating. Place in a shallow bowl and finish with fresh truffle slices (if using).

Join this Top Chef, Iron Chef, James Beard award winning chef and one of Chicago’s finest from acclaimed restaurant Girl & the Goat (and more) as she walks you through her Thai-inspired pancake with egg, bacon and an easy-to-do dipping sauce.

COOK’S NOTE: The batter recipe is large and can be halved or quartered.

If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration. 

Serves 4

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the Batter:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder and sugar. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, fish sauce and 3 cups cold water. Add the liquid to the flour mixture, whisking until incorporated and smooth. Put in fridge to hang out for a few minutes.

Make the Dipping Sauce:
In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.

Make the Crepes:
Heat a medium nonstick sauté pan over high heat, then turn down to medium high before you add the batter. Add the oil until it is shimmery and then pour about 4-8 ounces of batter into the pan. About 30 seconds to a minute later, crack the 2 eggs directly into the cooking batter, more toward the middle, using the shell to stab and break the yolk (the top of the pancake will still be raw looking). Let cook until edges of the pancake are crispy and then add some of the bacon and kimchi around the eggs. Cook until edges begin to brown, about 2-3 minutes, before flipping carefully with a spatula or in the air. Cook until center is firm, another 2-3 more minutes, then transfer the crepe to a cutting board and cut into pizza-like slices. Repeat.

Place on a plate and top with the sprouts, cilantro and sorrel and serve with the dipping sauce.  

Cook like a pro as this Chicago Rising Star Chef of Bellemore Restaurant teaches you his crispy secrets for his ‘Fire-Bird’ Chicken Sandwich with homemade fried onion ranch.

COOK’S NOTE: The chicken must be brined 6 hours ahead of cooking time.

If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below, or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration.

Makes 4 Sandwiches

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Chicken:
Combine all brine ingredients and whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Refrigerate the brine until cold and ready to use. Add the chicken thighs to the brine or cover the chicken with the brine and store in the refrigerator for approximately 6 hours. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Allow the chicken to rest in the refrigerator for about an hour (out of the brine).

For the Ranch:
To the blender, add the buttermilk, onion, garlic, Worcestershire, celery salt and garlic salt and blend until smooth. Add in the sour cream and mayo and blend for a few seconds and then add in the cream cheese and vinegar, season with black pepper and blend until smooth. Taste, season with touch more salt, if desired, and reserve in the refrigerator. When ready to use, stir in the fresh minced herbs.

For the Hot Paste:
Always use caution when working with hot oil. Place a small pot or skillet over low to medium heat and add the oil. Bring oil to approximately 180-200 degrees and add the spices and salt while stirring. Turn off the heat and stir constantly, while toasting the spices, for about 1 minute. Transfer to another small pot or heat-proof bowl to allow to come to room temperature (and store at room temperature).

For the Fried Shallots:
Place shallots in a small saucepot or skillet, cover with oil, turn the heat to high and fry until lightly golden brown, STIRING CONTINUOUSLY, about 3-5 minutes. Remove shallots using tongs or a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve at room temperature until ready to use.

To Bread and Cook the Chicken:
Always use caution when working with hot oil. Preheat oil in a large  6-8 quart Dutch oven (or using a tabletop deep fryer) to 340°F.

Remove chicken from the refrigerator and make sure it is dry. Add 1-2 cups buttermilk to a large mixing bowl. In another large mixing bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, dill and salt and stir to combine. Dip the chicken into the buttermilk, then toss into the flour, one piece at a time, really working to massage the breading into the chicken and transfer to a plate. Repeat this step with the remaining thigh(s).

Shake off the excess flour and gently drop the chicken thighs in the hot oil and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the breading is golden and the internal temperature of the chicken registers at 155°F at the thickest part. Carry-over cooking will occur to bring the temperature up when it is removed from the oil.   

Tip: If cooking multiple chicken thighs, do not crowd the cooking vessel and be sure to cook in batches. If doing so, in order to keep the cooked chicken warm, set your oven to 200°F and crack the door slightly. Place cooked chicken on a rack set over a baking sheet and place in the warm oven while you cook the remaining pieces.

To Assemble:
Place a medium or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spread the cut side of the rolls with butter and gently toast in the skillet to warm. Remove from the pan and reserve.

Toss the shredded lettuce with 1/4 cup (or more if you prefer) of ranch and add in a good amount of the fried shallots (to your discretion).

Once the chicken is cooked, stir the hot paste and gently drizzle some over your chicken, as little or as much as you prefer. Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on each bottom bun, top with two slices of tomato, 4 slices of pickles and the chicken thigh. Pile on the romaine, and more ranch if you want, and the bun top and enjoy!

Join this TV personality and food writer in her home kitchen as she walks you through her Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich with Peppadew peppers, pickles and more.

If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration. 

Makes 2 Sandwiches

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until melted and foam subsides. Crack the eggs into the skillet, making sure not to crowd the pan, and cook sunny-side-up for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low (cover now, if using cover) and continue cooking until the whites are just set and the yolks are runny, about 3 minutes more. You may flip and cook for a few more seconds if the whites don’t looked cooked through. Season with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate; set aside. If all four eggs didn’t fit in the pan at once, repeat that process with the remaining two eggs and reserve on the plate.

Arrange the bread slices on a cutting board; spread about 2 teaspoons mayonnaise on the top of each. Using the same skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium to medium-high heat, swirling the pan to evenly coat. Add 2 of the bread slices, mayonnaise-side down; reduce the heat to medium.

As the bread cooks, spread the bread slices with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of mustard each, then top each with one-fourth of the Peppadews and cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes, then top each with 2 pickle slices. 

Top each sandwich with a remaining bread slice, mayonnaise-side up. Using a spatula, flip the sandwiches. Continue cooking until the underside of the bread is golden, about 3 minutes more. Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board, flipping the sandwiches onto the board. Lift the top bread slice and slide in a slice of tomato, a piece of lettuce and two eggs, then replace the top slice of bread. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make another sandwich. Transfer each sandwich to a plate and cut in half. Serve with hot sauce (and lots of napkins!) on the side.

Step into this TV icon and best selling author’s home kitchen as she walks you through a pepperoni-topped burger with Calabrian chili honey.

*COOK’S NOTE: Mix hot honey ingredients before starting recipe.

If you’re cooking along with us at home, find the ingredient and preparation list below, or listen and enjoy for your next meal inspiration.

Makes 3 Burgers (depending on the size you form the patties, Rach explains).

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F  and line medium baking sheet with parchment paper.

Arrange pepperoni on parchment and bake to crisp, but not brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer the pepperoni to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard the parchment, keep the tray out and switch oven to broil.

Place beef in mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic and parsley to beef.

In a small bowl, combine sun-dried tomato paste with anchovy paste and hot water, then add mixture to beef. Mix well to combine and score meat into 3 even portions, Form wide patties, not too thick, and thinner at center than edges for even cooking.

Preheat large cast iron skillet, griddle pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat.

Drizzle olive oil or vegetable oil into pan and add patties. If your patties are very thin, cook 4-6 minutes, turning occasionally. If thicker, cook 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally. Melt cheese over the patties in the last minute or so, covering with a lid or piece of foil. Transfer patties to a plate so they don’t overcook while you toast your buns.

Char the split rolls under broiler to toast and darken edges. Don’t take your eye off of them. Assemble burgers: bun bottom, drizzle of good quality EVOO, cheeseburger patty, pepperoni, torn basil, Sweet Heat Honey and bun top. Serve with garlic pickle spears along side