Reprinting our favorite recipes of the outgoing year has been an annual tradition in the Food/Wednesday Style section for more than a decade.
These are the recipes we made again and again. They are the recipes readers wrote to us about. They are the recipes that wowed our taste buds and our guests.
In chronological order:
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
1 pound stew beef, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup dry red wine
1 ½ cups beef stock or vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, cut into thick wedges
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
1 ½ pounds small potatoes, halved or quartered
1 cup frozen lima beans or cut green beans, optional
½ pound carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
Toss beef cubes with flour to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Brown beef on all sides in butter in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Transfer beef to slow cooker.
Add wine, broth, bay leaves, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and garlic to the pan and bring mixture to a boil, scraping up any browned bits, over medium heat. Boil 2 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in wine mixture. Cook on low for about 6 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. If stew is too thin, thicken it by whisking a bit of the liquid in a small bowl with about 1 tablespoon of flour, then whisk the smooth flour mixture into the stew. Discard bay leaves before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
From Kelly Brant's 'Front Burner: Slow Cooker Stew warms soul,' Jan. 10
This Citrus Syrup is a revelation. The no-cook, no-waste recipe utilizes juiced citrus rinds (there must be pulp attached; peels alone will not work) and produces an intensely flavored and aromatic syrup that is delicious in beverages or drizzled over cake.
A kitchen scale is recommended for this recipe.
Citrus Syrup
15 ounces rinds from juiced citrus fruit (about 6 lemons, 8 limes, 2 ½ medium oranges OR 1 large grapefruit)
7 ounces granulated sugar (about 1 cup)
Cut rinds into 1-inch chunks.
In a glass or plastic bowl, combine rinds and sugar and toss to mix well. Set aside for 3 to 4 hours, stirring every hour or until sugar has completely dissolved. Or, let stand 8 to 12 hours, stirring less frequently.
Working in batches, press mixture through a potato ricer or several layers of cheesecloth to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Strain liquid into an airtight jar. Syrup will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 months.
Makes ½ to a scant cup, depending on the fruit.
Recipe adapted from seriouseats.com
From the story 'On the sunny side,' by Kelly Brant, Feb. 7
Honey-Orange Chops
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon garlic paste OR 1 clove fresh garlic, very finely minced (see note)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 butterfly boneless pork chop OR 2 boneless pork loin chops
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, halved or sliced
In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest and juice, honey, garlic, coriander, cumin and smoked paprika; set aside.
Season pork on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet until hot, but not smoking. Add pork and asparagus and cook, turning pork once or twice, until pork is browned and reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees, about 5 minutes per side for 1-inch thick chops. Cook asparagus, rolling spears occasionally, until lightly charred and crisp-tender. Pour orange-honey mixture over pork and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add olives and serve.
Makes 2 servings.
Note: Look for garlic paste in the produce section near the fresh herbs.
From Kelly Brant's Front Burner: 'Olives make sweet, citrusy chops shine,' April 11
Puerto Rican Picadillo Empanadas
1 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons sofrito, jarred is fine
½ cup canned tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chopped green olives
1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1 batch Empanada Dough (see recipe)
Oil, for frying
In a large frying pan, brown ground beef over medium heat. Drain. Add sofrito and saute for a few minutes.
Stir in tomato sauce, olives, adobo and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add potatoes, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until potatoes are cooked through, about 25 minutes.
Divide dough into 10 pieces and shape into small rounds. Roll each portion into a 5-inch circle about ⅛-inch thick. Place a 2- to 3- tablespoon mound of filling slightly off center on dough round. Fold dough over filling to create half-moon (like a fried pie) and pinch closed. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.
In a deep pot, heat several inches of oil to 375 degrees. Fry empanadas, two at a time, until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels.
Makes about 10 empanadas.
Recipe adapted from kitchengidget.com
Empanada Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon white vinegar
¾ to 1 cup ice-cold water
In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles chunky sand.
Make a well in the center of the flour and add vinegar and ¾ cup of the water. Stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Add remaining water a tablespoon at a time if all the flour has not been moistened.
Turn out onto a clean surface and gently knead into a smooth dough. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Makes enough for 10 (5-inch) empanadas.
From the story 'Give empanadas a hand' by Sean Clancy, April 25
Savory Tomato Pound Cake
1 pound fresh ripe tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes, but any kind will work)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
7 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing pan, softened
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more if flouring pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling
3 ½ ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
½ cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
4 eggs
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9- or 10-inch springform pan or regular cake pan. (I lined the bottom of my pan with parchment paper and buttered the sides, but skipped flouring.)
If using large- or medium-size tomatoes, remove the cores, then slice the tomatoes in half through their equators. Squeeze or scoop out the seeds, then coarsely chop the flesh. If using small cherry or grape tomatoes, halve or quarter them, and squeeze out the seeds by pinching and rolling them between your thumb and fingers. (I saved the seeds and juice for making vinaigrette because that's how much I love tomatoes, but I understand if you want to toss them.)
Place the seeded tomatoes in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and gently toss to coat. Set aside to drain while you prepare the batter, giving them a shake every so often.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the remaining teaspoon of salt, the baking powder and black pepper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, parmesan and olive oil on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (I imagine you could prepare this using a regular hand mixer, but the beating time will be longer.) Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and continue mixing until just combined. The batter should be airy and light with a mousselike texture.
Spoon about half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the drained tomatoes over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over the tomatoes, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula. Top with the remaining tomatoes, lightly pressing them down into the batter. Brush the exposed tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with a few grinds of black pepper.
Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan. Then cool completely.
Serve at room temperature. Store any uneaten cake at room temperature, in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.
Recipe adapted from The New Yorker
From Kelly Brant's Front Burner: 'Savory cake will delight tomato lovers,' June 27
Ricotta Gnudi
1 (16-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
¼ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (see note)
2 egg yolks
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ to ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
2 generous cups all-purpose flour, divided use
Desired sauce, for serving
Line a sieve or colander with a layer of muslin or a tea towel. Add ricotta and let drain for about 30 minutes, longer if you wish. Twist muslin or towel around the cheese and give it a squeeze to remove any excess moisture.
In a mixing bowl, combine the drained ricotta, the parmesan, egg yolks, seasonings and 2 tablespoons of the flour.
Scatter about 1 cup of the remaining flour in a rimmed baking sheet.
Place the remaining flour in a bowl.
With floured hands, pinch off walnut-size bits of ricotta mixture and roll it between your palms to form a rough ball. Then roll it in the flour in the bowl to form a smooth ball, about the size of a quarter. Place the balls on the flour-dusted baking sheet. Repeat with all of the ricotta mixture. You should have about 24 dumplings.
Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Brush off any excess flour from the bottom of the balls and roll between your palms to reshape. Working in batches, add the gnudi to the simmering water and cook for about 3 minutes, or until they float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Serve hot with desired sauce.
Makes about 4 servings.
Note: It's important to grate your own parmesan to avoid additives that would affect the texture. I used a Microplane. Don't use the stuff in the green can.
From Kelly Brant's Front Burner: 'Punt potatoes, this dumpling needs cheese,' Oct. 24
Bacon-Pimento Cheese "Truffles"
10 slices bacon
1 cup pecan halves, divided use
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
½ pound sharp or extra-sharp orange cheddar, grated
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh snipped chives OR finely chopped green onion tops
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne), or more to taste
1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos, rinsed and patted dry OR ¼ cup diced roasted red bell pepper
Cook bacon until crisp; reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Crumble cooked bacon.
In a food processor, combine half of the bacon, half of the pecans and all of the parsley. Process until bacon and pecans are the texture of coarse bread crumbs. Transfer mixture to a plate.
To the now-empty food processor, add the grated cheddar, cream cheese, the remaining bacon, the remaining pecans, the reserved tablespoon of bacon fat, chives, salt and cayenne. Process until mixture comes together. Add the pimentos or red bell pepper and process until smooth, scraping sides as needed.
To form the truffles, using your hands, scoop and roll the cheese mixture into quarter-size balls. Roll balls in bacon-pecan-parsley mixture. Refrigerate until firm.
Serve with cocktail picks or in the center of round crackers arranged on a serving platter.
Makes about 25 "truffles."
Recipe adapted from Pimento Cheese The Cookbook by Perre Coleman Magness
From 'Say cheese: No holiday (or party) required for these flavorful cheese balls,' by Kelly Brant, Oct. 24
Bourbon Cream Liqueur
1 cup half-and-half OR heavy cream
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 ¼ to 1 ⅓ cups bourbon whiskey (see note)
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur OR 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract, optional
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Transfer to an airtight container (an empty 750 milliliter liquor bottle works well) and refrigerate until ready to use. Shake well before using. Will keep for about 2 months.
Makes about 4 cups.
Note: I recommend a low- to mid-range whiskey for this recipe as the finer nuances of an expensive whiskey will be overpowered by the cream and other flavors.
From Kelly Brant's Front Burner: 'Bourbon Cream Liqueur is very merry,' Dec. 19
Food on 01/02/2019