Discover the passion for food that extends beyond the professional kitchens of Bon Appétit editors, as they share their personal culinary journeys and the delightful dishes they've crafted during their leisure.
Unveiling Our Editors' Home Kitchen Masterpieces
Quick and Refreshing Corn Soup: A Culinary Creation for Warm Evenings
Even when the heat is stifling, a delectable meal is within reach. One editor's ingenious twist on chilled corn soup, incorporating frozen corn and potato flakes, transforms it into an instant cool-down dish. This quick preparation, featuring onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coconut milk, lime, and a vibrant tomato-mint-cilantro topping, proves that culinary brilliance doesn't always require hours in the kitchen, especially when battling the summer swelter.
The Art of Macarons: Mastering Delicacy and Precision
Embarking on the delicate craft of French macarons demands both patience and precision. Despite their perceived difficulty, these meringue-based confections are achievable with careful attention to detail. Utilizing leftover egg whites, an editor successfully created monochrome pink macarons, filled with a luscious white chocolate and strawberry ganache, showcasing the beauty of complementary flavors and colors, and the subtle challenges of this intricate baking art.
Annual Apricot Jam Session: Preserving Summer's Bounty with a Twist
Each summer, a dedicated ritual unfolds: the annual apricot jam session. This tradition involves transforming an abundance of apricots into numerous jars of preserves, ensuring a taste of summer throughout the colder months. A particular recipe, enhanced with ginger, elevates the classic apricot jam, making it a highly anticipated gift and a versatile accompaniment for various dishes, from rice pudding to simple toast.
Cultural Flavors and Comfort: Yemeni and Iraqi Culinary Inspirations
In moments of global and personal intensity, food offers solace and connection. Inspired by a new cookbook that explores the impact of conflict on cuisine, an editor ventured into Yemeni and Iraqi culinary traditions. Preparing Masoub, a banana and flatbread pudding, and Salatet Summaq, a tangy cucumber and tomato salad, provided not only nourishment but also a deeper appreciation for the resilience of foodways and the cooling comfort of unique flavors like sumac.
The Enduring Charm of Slow-Cooked Caramelized Onion Dip
The allure of caramelized onions lies in their rich, savory depth, a flavor worth the time and patience required for their preparation. A caramelized onion dip, celebrated for its transformative qualities, exemplifies this. The process of slow-cooking onions until they are deeply sweet and jammy, then combining them with a sour cream base and fresh alliums like shallots and chives, yields a dip that is both comforting and exquisitely flavorful, proving that some things are truly worth the wait.
A Special Vegetarian Feast: Creamy Spinach and Chickpeas
For those who gravitate towards plant-based meals, finding dynamic and flavorful vegetarian dishes is a constant quest. A creamy spinach and chickpea recipe, featuring fiery harissa-dressed beans, offers a satisfying and special weeknight option. The harmonious blend of creamy greens, tangy giardiniera, and the crunchy delight of fried shallots creates a rewarding culinary experience, perfectly complemented by warm naan bread.
French Toast Reinvented: Sweet and Savory Variations for Every Palate
French toast, a breakfast classic, can be adapted to suit diverse tastes. By preparing a split batch, one savory and one sweet, it caters to different preferences. Thick slices of brioche, lightly dried, serve as the base for a savory version seasoned with pepper and MSG, topped with a fried egg. The other half is soaked in a sweet mixture of maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon, creating a customizable and indulgent morning meal, complete with fresh fruit and whipped cream.
Quick Pickled Carrots: A Tangy Transformation for Forgotten Vegetables
Sometimes, forgotten vegetables can be given a new lease on life. Carrots, often overlooked, find their purpose transformed into quick pickled ribbons. Shaved thinly and bathed in a simple, tangy-sweet brine, these carrots retain their delicate crunch and absorb the vibrant flavors, proving that even neglected produce can become a delicious and refreshing snack or accompaniment, tasting even better the day after preparation.
Crispy Gnocchi Caprese: A Summer Garden on a Plate
Embracing the bounty of summer, a crispy gnocchi Caprese offers a minimal-effort, maximum-flavor weeknight dinner. Store-bought gnocchi crisps up beautifully in a skillet, while roasted peppers and fresh cherry tomatoes are dressed with sherry vinegar, balancing sweetness and acidity. Topped with creamy mozzarella or burrata and fresh herbs, this one-pan dish delivers the essence of a summer garden, making it an ideal choice for warm evenings without heating up the kitchen.
