bon appétit obsession: january edition.
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it’s no secret that i can’t stop lurking all the bon appétit mag content that exists out there. it’s the best, and i’m simply obsooooost.
if you haven’t gotten on board with the bon appétit youtube channel…well, it’s high time you did. especially if you have any sort of twinge of interest in cooking.
[disclaimer from the future, mid 2020: reading this section back of myself singing all the praises of BA is definitely cringeworthy given the very public reckoning that bon appetit has faced over the course of this year. it is safe to say that i have been thoroughly disappointed in discovering their unfair compensation practices amongst beloved staff members and phony strides toward a “diverse” and “inclusive” publication/workplace. it is a reminder to carefully examine all of the things that we think are great, and to really consider the reality of what may going on behind the scenes. this applies to many things that have been brought to light this year - as for my own interests, that includes BA, the ellen show, and many brands and people i’ve admired. it is a healthy & necessary exercise to be aware, curious, and informed of any dangerous or harmful inner-workings of large companies. i want to fully support the mission behind brands i love before blindly giving them such high praise, or funnel my dollars back into their toxic system. needless to say, all the previous content i’ve written in major support of bon appetit is a bit embarrassing now in retrospect - i won’t delete it, as it has been a part of my learning and unlearning process. it has been a part of this year’s huge cultural paradigm shift and so many incidents that have opened my eyes to many types of injustice. we all need to better examine the content that we each choose to consume and decide if it’s really worth or supporting.]
{…back to the past:}
here are some (!) of the recipes from bon appétit that i’ve made during the month of january. i’ve tried to take a decent photo of the dishes to remember all the things i’ve made, but some recipes that i make at night or for dinner just get a silly iphone pic. and some i forget to take a pic of altogether. tragedy.
i will link the recipes beneath each photo.
these were very simple to make, and i’ve been looking for a use for some dates that i had. these cups are richhhh (but healthy-ish), and they satisfy a sweet/chocolate craving with just a bite!
Tostones with Creamy Green Sauce
these were slightly time consuming with the double-frying, but i am definitely glad to know how to make tostones at home now! the green sauce was delish, too. i would omit the water in the sauce recipe because mine was too runny and it produced too much volume. i would have wanted it thicker and the flavor more concentrated. but all in all, lovely recipe!
BA’s “healthyish” chocolate recipes lately have been quite impressive. this fudge was super easy with very few ingredients. it is also super rich. i cut it into less than 1” squares and keep it in a container in the freezer since the texture is quite soft. i used walnuts in addition to the almonds.
…and now for some more hideous iphone photos taken in the glow of the kitchen light during the wintry darkness that is post 4:30pm. wahh.
ok, yum to brocco bolo. this is a very good recipe. peter said after his first bite, “i would eat this again.” i would even add a lot more broccoli than they call for! it could have used some more. scrumptious!
Spicy Chicken Katsu Sandwiches
this recipe is much easier than it seems. i think people get scared off by having to take the time to fry things, but it’s worth it for that texture! we fried up a couple extra chicken thighs and had them cut up the following day as leftovers with rice. i definitely need a meat mallot to thin out the chicken thighs more, but i made it work bashing it with a rolling pin. if i made these again, i’d workshop the amount of sweetness that’s in it. we used dill pickles already, the potato bread was amazing but i’d prefer something even less sweet. that crispy iceberg lettuce is required and it’s a whole textural delight. a yummy lunch or dinner for a fun occasion, i’d say!
i regret to have forgotten to take a photo of the following dishes… (who am i???):
Pomegranate-Glazed Chicken with Buttery Pine Nuts
very delicious chicken recipe. i didn’t use pine nuts or any nuts. you don’t need 1 cup of pom juice for plating, probably closer to 1/3 cup. we topped with cilantro, instead.
Cucumbers in Crunchy Chili Oil
not from BA, but alison roman is certainly within the bon appétit universe. this recipe is from her first book, dining in. i didn’t use kohlrabi, but i would if i’d had it. i was wanting to make her crunchy chili oil and needed a food vehicle for it, so just used cucumber alone. it is verrrry tasty and super refreshing. i’d say to follow the quantity she calls for in the chili oil recipe - i cut it down quite a bit just so i could test the oil out without having to use 1/4 cup of red chili flake, which seemed insane at the time. now, i get it. i wish i had the full amount of this chili oil on hand still - it would be very good with a lot of things, noodles & veggies alike.
Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut & Turmeric
another alison roman orig! one of her most popular recipes, “the stew.” we’ve made this a few times and it is dang delicious. we add chicken to bulk it up a bit, and peter likes rice on the side, too. bulking & extending is the name of our cooking game around here. the stew is very, very tasty. the mint & greek yogurt atop really do it for me.
glad to have these recipes up my sleeve now. some are definitely in our regular cooking rotation now, too. hurrah and bless you, bon appétit magazine.
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