This recipe makes a crusty loaf of French bread that is as beautifully rustic as it is delicious. It takes a bit of time, but it’s easy and there’s no demand for unusual ingredients. The only special piece of equipment you’ll need is a Dutch oven, such as a Lodge or Le Creuset.

OVERVIEW
Total: 15 hrs 10 min
Prep: 10 min
Inactive: 14 hrs
Cook: 1 hr
Yield: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed (King Arthur – All Purpose)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt (Diamond Crystal Kosher)
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (Saf Instant – Red)
1 1/2 cups water (bottled or filtered)

INSTRUCTIONS
Mix flour, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and mix until combined. The “dough” will be very sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave for around 12-16 hours.

Flour your counter or baking board liberally and turn out the dough, fold it twice and let it rest for 15 minutes then shape into a rough ball. Use only as much flour as necessary for the dough not to stick to the counter. Put back in mixing bowl and let rise for 2 hours.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and put an empty 4-quart cast iron pot with lid inside (a.k.a. Dutch oven, like Lodge or Le Creuset).

When dough is ready, remove the cast iron pot from oven, take off lid and place the sticky, floury mess of a “loaf” into it, seam side up. Replace the lid and put back into oven. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake for another 15 minutes. Finally, take bread out of pot and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown and delicious. Let cool completely on baking rack before serving.

This is my go-to recipe for sugar cookies because they’re delicious and also because it doesn’t require softened butter; you can mix up this dough immediately. Rolling it out is super easy with the dough sandwiched between parchment sheets and chilled. Perfect for a holiday cookie swap!

INGREDIENTS – COOKIES
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 sticks butter, unsalted

INGREDIENTS – ICING
2 2/3 cups confectioners sugar
2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS – COOKIES
Whisk together egg, vanilla and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a second bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and baking powder.

Process the sugar in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds (6 pulses). Add butter and process for another 30 seconds, or until no large pieces of butter are visible. Add egg mixture and process for 10 seconds, or until dough comes together.

Turn out the crumbly dough onto your counter or a baking board and knead for a few seconds until it comes together. Split dough in half. Put the first half in-between two sheets of parchment and roll out until 1/8 of an inch thick, or roughly 7×9 inches. Repeat with second half. Place both dough halves with parchment on a baking sheet in your fridge for 90 minutes or longer to firm up.

Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment. Retrieve one dough sheet and gently peel off top paper, put the paper back and flip—then peel off the second layer the same way. You should now have an exposed sheet of solid dough that is not stuck to the bottom parchment.

Cut out cookies using your favorite cookie cutters and transfer to parchment covered baking sheet. Bake until cookies are just starting to brown, or about 12-15 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and transfer to wire rack.

INSTRUCTIONS – ICING
Using a stand mixer, whip all ingredients on high until glossy, soft peaks form, or 3-4 minutes. Spread icing onto completely cooled cookies. Let dry completely before serving or storing, or about 45 minutes. Enjoy! >>

This basic stir fry is not only delicious and quick to make, it’s also an example of a dish where the ingredients can be replaced based on preferences and what’s available. There’s no gluten or dairy—and you can substitute corn starch for another thickener (see sidebar on page 111).

The Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce (low-sodium, gluten-free)
1 cup chicken stock (easy to make from scratch)
2 tablespoons honey or sugar (or give monk fruit a try)
1 tablespoon corn starch (see more about alternative thickeners on page 111)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

The Stir Fry
2 tablespoons avocado oil (handles heat better than olive oil)
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
2 carrots, sliced
4 boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1 batch of your homemade stir fry sauce Rice, spring onions and lime wedges for serving

Essential tools

Wok: A wok pan is relatively inexpensive ($15-$20) and can be found in most supermarkets or in your neighborhood Asian grocery store. The rounded shape is ideal for cooking large amounts of food quickly and the thin carbon steel gets hot fast. A regular stainless steel pan will do an acceptable job, but avoid non-stick coated pans since the high heat may result in toxic gases from the coating releasing.

Wooden spatula: Your regular plastic spatula may get damaged from the heat so look for a bamboo spatula or spoon that can tolerate some heat.

Instructions

Start by placing all the ingredients for the sauce into a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken and set aside. (Note: If you are using egg yolks as thickener instead of corn starch, add 3 large egg yolks to the sauce and heat slowly over medium-low heat while whisking constantly. Remove from heat and let cool.)

Prepare all the ingredients for the stir fry before turning on the burner. (Note: Since this dish cooks fairly quickly you may not have time to step away.)

Turn on your exhaust fan and start heating up your wok dry over high heat for 2-3 minutes then add the avocado oil. You will be cooking the ingredients in batches.
Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until done, about 4 minutes depending on how hot you managed to get the pan. Set aside.

Follow the same process with the carrots, broccoli and bell pepper, separately. Once all ingredients have been cooked, mix them into the wok pan over medium heat and add the sauce.

Heat through and serve over rice with sliced spring onions and lime wedges for decoration!

Whole Food Super Smoothie

This is the perfect breakfast! It’s packed full of macro- and micro-nutrients you may have a hard time getting without taking supplements. Everything is either frozen or dry from the pantry. And just like with the stir fry, the exact ingredients can be altered based on what you have available and your personal preference. It’s gluten- and corn-free and the milk can be substituted with Kombucha, coconut water or regular tap water.

Essential Equipment

High-speed blender: Any Vitamix will do the job flawlessly. A NutriBullet or Ninja blender may struggle with whole seeds but if you buy ground seeds, those will do fine.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 banana (buy in bulk and freeze, peeled and halved)
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup frozen, wild blueberries
1 tablespoon peanut butter (or your nut butter of choice)
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt (full fat, like Fage 5%)
1/4 cup frozen spinach
1/2 cup frozen kale
1 1/2 cup whole milk (or coconut water, Kombucha and/or tap water)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1 tablespoon unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Instructions

Add all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend on half speed for 30 seconds and then on max for 90 seconds. Serve in pretty glasses—or pour into a protein shaker for an amazing on-the-go breakfast.

Seed Cracker

If you are sensitive to gluten AND corn, you probably have a hard time finding things that provide some crunch in your life. These seed crackers are delicious and are great with toppings such as cream cheese, peanut butter, fruit preserves—or just some good spreadable butter.

INGREDIENTS

7 ounces sunflower seeds, raw
1/4 cup whole flax seeds
2 tablespoons almond flour
2 tablespoons psyllium husk (thickener, available in health food stores)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, raw
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup poppy seeds, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except the poppy seeds in a bowl and mix until combined. Let sit for 8-10 minutes to allow the psyllium husk to absorb the water. Spread out the mixture into a square shape on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle the top with poppy seeds (and some flake salt if you like). Bake for 30 minutes or until the top starts becoming golden. Break or cut into pieces and serve with a cheese tray or simply with your favorite topping.

About Thickeners

Thickeners are food products intended to help thicken up sauces, gravy, pudding, pie fillings, soup, stews and more. As the name indicates these ingredients are only included for their ability to thicken and rarely affect the taste, which means that if you are sensitive to one, there are options for substitutions. Or, in some cases, you can forego a thickener altogether.

Corn starch and white flour (wheat) are the most common thickeners and both tend to make trouble for tender tummies. The most commonly available alternatives include potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch. They all thicken in different ways, so you may want to test more than one.

However, if starch itself is something you are trying to avoid there are still options, even if they are more limited:

Psyllium husk is a plant-based, gluten-free product that is a good replacement in certain recipes and is worth experimenting with. It is especially useful in baking and sauces.

Gelatin is a protein typically derived from animals and is wonderful when making desserts that will be served chilled. It has virtually no expiration date when stored air-tight.

Egg yolks are often used as emulsifiers (binding an oil and a liquid) in French sauces, like Béarnaise, Hollandaise, or their condiment cousin, mayonnaise. But it can also work as a thickener, like when you make custard for homemade ice cream.

Take The Party Outside With These Recipes For Easy Entertaining

One of the best perks of summer is the opportunity to enjoy a meal outdoors. Whether on the patio or by the water, we love packing a cooler, firing up the grill and pouring a few chilled sips as we converse with friends. What we don’t love, however, is spending hours in the kitchen, especially when there’s summer fun to be had. We’ve gathered a menu of recipes to keep in mind when hosting your next summer shindig. Simple to prepare, enjoyable to eat and popping with fresh summer bounty, these dishes are sure to delight in the great outdoors.

White Gazpacho with Green Grapes & a Twist

Recipe provided by Betsy DiJulio, author at The Blooming Platter, TheBloomingPlatter.com

Soup, you say? On a summer day? Oh yes, you may! This white (although technically light green) gazpacho is naturally creamy, cool as a cucumber and looks quite fetching garnished with a grape and served in chilled tasting glasses.

Ingredients
2 cups bread torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups whole or slivered blanched, skinless almonds
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 large European seedless cucumber, peeled or unpeeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/4 cup fennel fronds and tender stems
2 large cloves garlic, halved (use roasted garlic if you prefer less pungency)
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: finely chopped fennel fronds and green grapes

Method
Place bread and almonds in a large bowl.

Scald milk in a saucepan on top of the stove, or heat for 2 minutes in the microwave and pour immediately over bread and almonds. Let soak for an hour, pressing solids down into milk every so often.

At the end of the soaking time, place cucumber, fennel, garlic, sherry, vinegar and a large pinch of sea salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Process for a couple minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary until smooth.

Add bread, almonds, milk and another pinch of salt and pepper and process for about 3 minutes, again scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, or until very creamy and smooth.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Add plenty of salt to amplify the flavors, although the soup shouldn’t taste salty.
Garnish with finely chopped fennel fronds, if desired, and a green grape, speared on a cocktail pick and rested across the rim of
the glass.

Yield 8 cups

Clambake Packets

Recipe provided by Laura Davis of Tide & Thyme, TideAndThyme.com

Nothing says summer quite like a steaming packet of Old Bay–seasoned seafood. Add in a few ears of corn, quartered red potatoes and sausage, and you’ve got yourself a proper clambake. What’s especially charming about these packets, though, is that you can prep them ahead of time, toss them on the grill and voila—each guest can enjoy their own individual clambake, the most glamourous grab-and-go imaginable.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shell on25 littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed
12 ounces kielbasa or andouille sausage, sliced about 1 inch thick
3 ears corn, shucked and cut into 1-inch slices
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, quartered fresh lemon, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Old Bay
kosher salt

Method
Devein shrimp but leave the shell on as it helps retain moisture. Set aside in a medium bowl.

Prepare packets by tearing 6 sheets of aluminum foil, each about 12 inches long. Stack in a pile and assemble ingredients inside.

Divide potatoes, corn, sausage, clams, shrimp and lemon slices into equal portions in the center of each piece of foil.

Fold up the sides of the packets. Add olive oil, Old Bay and a sprinkle of salt. Gently toss to combine. Fold the sides of the foil over the ingredients, bunching and folding until completely sealed.

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place packets on grill and cook for 20–25 minutes until the shrimp are pink and the clams have popped open.

Yield 6 clambake packs

Watermelon Salad with Thai Flavors, Cotija Cheese & Sea Salt

Recipe provided by Jason Arbusto, Culinary Director for The Craddock Terry Hotel, Shoemakers Restaurant and Waterstone Pizza, Shoemakersdining.com

When summer is in full swing, an ice-cold slice of watermelon does the trick to cool us down. Elevate that idea by adding some fresh herbs, lime juice and Cotija cheese for a summer salad that’s a little sweet, a little salty and a whole lot invigorating.

Ingredients
4 pounds watermelon
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs fresh basil, roughly chopped
4 sprigs fresh mint, roughly chopped
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, roughly chopped zest and juice of 3 limes
4 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled sea salt sprinkled to season

Method
Cut ripe watermelon in bite-sized cubes. Toss with herbs and add lime zest and juice. Crumble the Cotija cheese over the top and season with sea salt and olive oil.

Yield approximately six servings

Mason Jar Lemon & Raspberry Parfaits

Recipe provided by Jason Arbusto, Culinary Director for The Craddock Terry Hotel, Shoemakers Restaurant and Waterstone Pizza, Shoemakersdining.com

When it comes to outdoor entertaining, simplicity is key, even when it comes to dessert. No slicing, scooping or baking required, these individual lemon and raspberry parfaits can be made ahead of time and placed in a cooler until you’re ready to pass out the spoons. The bright tartness of the lemon curd, combined with the airiness of the whipped cream and yogurt, plus a burst of fresh raspberry in each bite, makes this dessert an ideal way to cap off any event.

Ingredients
Easy Lemon Curd
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons lemon zest
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
All at room temperature

Whipped Cream
2 cups cold heavy cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean
2 cups Greek yogurt
2 pints fresh raspberries

Method
For the Lemon Curd
In a small saucepan, add sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and eggs. Heat on low heat and add the butter in small pieces as you whisk, cooking the curd for about 10 minutes until it thickens. Strain it though a fine sieve and reserve. *Editor’s Note: To thicken, we brought the temperature of the curd to 170F.

For the Whipped Cream
In a mixer, mix the cream and the sugar for about 3–5 minutes on high to form stiff peaks.

To Assemble
Mix the whipped cream with the Greek yogurt. Layer a mason jar with as many or as little layers as you would like with the lemon curd, raspberries, and whipped cream/yogurt mix. You can make all of this in advance and store in the fridge up to a few days or build your own at the table.

Yield 12 servings if using miniature Mason jars

By using a layering technique and garnishing with sprigs of onion, this main course is an easy way to practice your food presentation skills. We recommend a rectangular shaped plate.

Ingredients
Scallops
12 large sea scallops, cleaned (take foot off and patted dry)
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons cold butter
Thyme leaf
Lemon wedge
1 bunch spring onions, sliced thinly at angle for garnish
Lemon White Bean Purée
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups canned white beans, well rinsed
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
Grated zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Melt butter for the white bean purée in a saucepan. Add butter to blender with white beans, grated parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and blitz until smooth.

If the mix is too thick you can add a little water until desired consistency is reached.

Place in saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Pat scallops dry and season with salt. Sear scallops salt side down. After about 1 minute, flip scallops and add cold butter, thyme leaf, and a lemon wedge (squeeze some of the juice).

Take off heat. When plating, spoon some of the pan juice over the scallops.

Pour the melted butter in a separate skillet and toss in breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in salt and zest of lemon. When breadcrumbs are crispy (about 1 minute), add fresh parsley and toss.

To plate, put large scoop of bean purée on plate and with back of spoon spread it out the length of the plate. Place 3 scallops on top of the purée and top with lemon crumbs. Drizzle a little of scallop pan juices over all. Garnish with sliced spring onions.

Light and delicate choux pastry puffs filled with ice cream and covered with warm chocolate sauce. This dessert presents well with its height. You can also work on your presentation skills when drizzling the chocolate sauce.

Ingredients
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
Ice cream flavor of your choice
1 cup heavy cream
9 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in butter and salt until butter has melted; reduce heat to low. Vigorously stir in flour until no dry lumps remain and mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Take off heat and stir in the eggs, one at a time, adding the next egg only after the last one has been completely incorporated. Drop the profiterole paste onto the prepared baking sheet in evenly spaced dollops.

Bake in preheated oven until pastries have puffed up and turned golden brown (25 to 30 minutes). Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

Bring 1 cup of heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth.

To assemble, slice the puff (not all the way through), and scoop in ice cream. Place the filled profiteroles onto individual serving plates and top with the warm sauce.

A Local Pro Shares Food Presentation Tips that Will Please the Pupils and the Palate

ne of the best parts about going out to a nice restaurant—aside from the fact that you just get to sit there and relax while your meal is prepared—is the way the dish looks when it slides in front of you.

Let’s be honest—we’ve all drooled a little bit.

“Whether you’re at a restaurant or a home dinner party, you want that ‘wow’ factor,” says Mena Hughes, Culinary Arts Program Director at Central Virginia Community College (CVCC). “What I tell my students is we all visualize our meal before we taste it, so plate presentation is very important.”

It’s so important that Hughes incorporates lessons about presentation into her curriculum. She wants to make sure students know how to make meals that taste good… and look good, too. (You can find out more about CVCC’s Culinary Arts Program in our This City department on page 35.)

For those of you who want to step up your game at your next dinner party, we asked Mena to share a few of her top tricks, along with three tasty recipes that will be sure to impress your friends and family.

Prepping
For those who dream about carrying out fancy, impressive dishes to their guests, organization is crucial. “There are a lot of extra details involved when plating special dinners. I would suggest you write down everything you want to do and when you should do it,” Mena says. Translation: You don’t want to have hungry guests standing around while you slice up sprigs of green onion for a garnish—it needs to be ready to go when the food is hot.

When planning your meal, consider foods with different colors and textures, Mena says. “If you decide to have grilled chicken, mashed potatoes and cabbage, that’s pretty blah,” she explains. Try carrots and something green to go along with your chicken instead.

To make the colors of your food really pop, Mena suggests staying neutral with your plate color. “White plates are a great canvas,” she says. But “go crazy” with the shape. To add some interest to the table, consider incorporating square or even rectangular plates into your cupboard.

Use a round plate for the main course and other shapes for salad and dessert.

There are also some tools you can have on hand to make adding those little “extras” much easier. Toothpicks help with larger garnishes. A piping bag can assist you when embellishing desserts. (If you don’t have one, a Ziploc bag with the tip cut off works just fine.) A plastic squeeze bottle can be used—and reused—for drizzling chocolate or fruit sauces. Mena also uses a pastry brush from time to time to brush sauces onto the plate. (Learn more under Accessorizing.)

Assembling
Unless you have a very picky eater, Mena says you want all of your main course ingredients to be very close to, if not touching, each other. “A lot of people make the mistake of spreading it all out,” Mena says. “But it’s much more pleasing to the eye have everything arranged on the plate closely together.”

For example, start by spreading out your sauce or puree, put your protein down on top, and then make sure your veggie or starch is close to or leaning up against your protein. Layering your food items also adds some height to the plate, which you want to do. “Visually interesting dishes are taller,” Mena says.

Choosing the right ingredients will help you add height to your meal. For example, Mena says a chopped salad presents well since it’s taller. She also likes a Mesclun mix because you can make it fluffier.

Accessorizing
Another way to add height to your dish is to use fresh herbs as a garnish. “If you have some parsley or any kind of greenery that complements your dish, place a sprig of that on top of your protein or even your vegetable,” she says. “Fresh herbs just make the plate look finished.”

For those dishes that taste amazing but just don’t look as appealing (think: boeuf bourguignon) herbs can add a pop of color that those plates need. With boeuf bourguignon, adding a dollop of sour cream on top can give the dish a focal point.

Then, sprinkle some herbs on top of the sour cream for an added pop of color.

CHEF’S TIPS: Accessorizing

Keep in mind that less is more. “You don’t want to overdo it. Because then the extras take away from the main event,” Mena says. “You want your guests to be able to see what you made!”

Here are a few more ideas:
Use a pastry brush to swipe sauce onto your plate so that it’s thick on one end and thinner on the other. Then lay your protein on top of the sauce. Mena says it’s subtle but adds visual interest to the plate.

If you are making pies and have a little leftover dough, use it to make shapes, such as leaves, and add them to the top of the pastry with egg wash.
After using a squeeze bottle to drizzle chocolate sauce on a dessert, take a toothpick and run it through the sauce that’s on the plate. Have some fun making shapes or designs.

When dressing up a salad, use your veggie peeler to peel cucumbers into long curly ques. This same technique can be used with carrots.
Consider pulling one of the main ingredients from a dish to use as a garnish. For example, use a toothpick to add a whole shrimp and some herbs on top of jambalaya.

French Onion Tart
By cutting onions into half moons and layering them with cheese and herbs, your guests will be impressed by the effort you put into this tasty tart.

Ingredients
Pastry
Puff pastry sheets, store bought

Onion Topping
1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded (4 oz.)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
2 teaspoons fresh chives, minced
1/4 lbs. sweet onions peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced into half moons (keep the moons intact, about 3 medium onions)
1 tablespoon heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the dough between two sheets of lightly floured wax paper, slightly larger than 10 x 14 inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the onions.

Sprinkle the rolled pastry with the cheese right to the edges.

Sprinkle with thyme and chives.

Place the onion half moons on the pastry in diagonal lines, just barely overlapping and brush lightly with cream.

Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the tart is golden and browned. Cover the edges with foil if the tart is getting too brown during baking.

Let cool slightly and cut into squares to serve. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cooking with Bourbon

By Lisa Woodroof | Photos by RJ Goodwin

The holiday season elicits the flavors of spice and the experience of warmth—which perfectly describe my favorite relationship in a neat glass of bourbon.

A few years ago, I had an idea: what if I brought the contents of my glass… to the table? Each sip inspires numerous flavors—vanilla, caramel, honey, citrus, rose, black pepper, tobacco leaf, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon. My culinary soul danced at the idea of the collaboration! I took what I knew about this All-American beverage and started incorporating it into different types of recipes.

Cooking with bourbon will elevate your kitchen repertoire. So, shake a classic cocktail and get ready to be inspired.

Bourbon in Sauces

Wheated bourbons, such as Maker’s Mark, are sweeter and warmer enhancing jams, jellies, and barbecue sauces. They pair best with smoky flavors.

Tip: If you use bourbon in your homemade barbecue sauces for basting on the grill, don’t cook off the alcohol in advance. Leave a couple of shots of bourbon in the bottom of your empty bottle, add your vinegar or ketchup-based barbecue sauce into the bottle right over the bourbon and shake well. I recycle the flavors of every bourbon bottle with this technique.

Bourbon in Fruit Pies and/or Cobblers

Spicy, peppery high-rye bourbon offerings, such as Four Roses Single Barrel, work well with dressings and fruit-based dishes and have the brightness to offset rich and creamy ingredients.

Tip: Baking under 375 degrees in your oven will incorporate bourbon flavors richly. As the temperature is increased in cooking, you need to use a higher proof bourbon.

Bourbon in a Marinade

Bourbon will break down the enzymes in meat, so it works well as a multitasking tenderizer and marinade. Mix a shot or two of bourbon with brown sugar, sorghum, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, garlic, shallots, olive oil and your choice of seasonings and spices, and give your protein a soak for a few hours.

Tip: Bourbon marinades need more than a 10-minute pairing. Three hours in advance is ideal. Ensure your meat is brought to room temperature before cooking. This cooking technique is applicable to poultry or beef.

Bourbon on the Grill

Recipes that are exposed to higher temperatures on the grill need the body of a higher proof bourbon. You’re going to incorporate a bourbon bottle above the 100-proof variety. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Wild Turkey 101 and Old GrandDad 114 Barrel Proof, all perform well on the grill.

Tip: Use your bourbon-infused marinade to re-baste during the cooking process. You can even inject your bourbon sauces into your ribs and chicken.

Bourbon Season is Always in Season

From football fare to the Thanksgiving table, be inspired to capitalize on the bourbon spirit… pun intended.

BOURBON SERVED IN CLASSIC FORM

Classic bourbon cocktails inspire the holidays and guests alike. Here’s an early 19th-century recipe for the classic Bourbon Old Fashioned.

1 Demerara sugar cube

3 dashes Angostura bitters

1 teaspoon water

2 oz. bourbon

Add sugar, water, bitters into a rocks glass, and stir or smash until sugar is nearly dissolved.

Fill the glass with a single or multiple large ice cubes, add the bourbon, gently stir to combine the flavors.

Rim the oil of an orange peel over the glass, then drop it in.

Find more of Lisa’s recipes on the following pages.

Lisa Woodroof lives in Goode and is known as a Virginia foodie and Bourbonista. Follow Bourbon in the Kitchen on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram (bourbon_in_the_kitchen) for bourbon recipes and bourbon travel finds.

Bourbon Butter-Basted Cornish Hens

Ingredients

2 Cornish baking hens

Poultry baking herbs
(variety packs for easy purchase at grocer)

1 large onion, halved

1/4 teaspoon of salt & pepper

Directions

Warm your oven to 400 degrees (for electric oven)/375 degrees (for gas oven).

Wash your Cornish hens well and pat dry with paper towels. Place both hens in a baking dish that’s been touched with a good hit of non-stick spray. Place the halved onion inside the cavity of each hen. Within the skin and cavity, incorporate whole stems of the baking herbs. Baste hens well with bourbon butter. Top with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, maybe a little more if they are larger in hen size. Remember to baste throughout the cook time to foster a beautiful brown baking skin on the hen.

Baste with bourbon butter just before serving. If you have any baking herbs left over, garnish your plate next to the hen. It’s fragrant and reminds your guest that this is a holiday plate. A holiday smell can create a life-long memory.

Bourbon Creamed Corn Casserole
Serves 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons bourbon
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup whole milk
1 (15.25 oz) can, whole kernel sweet corn, drained
1 (14.75 oz) can, cream-style sweet corn
1/2 teaspoon salt Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a sauce pan, heat the butter slowly over medium heat swirling until all butter is melted. Set it aside and measure out the rest of the ingredients.

Whisk in the flour into the melted and cooled butter and incorporate well. Then whisk in the sugar, eggs, milk, and bourbon.

Stir the creamed corn into the butter mixture, along with the drained whole kernel corn. Season with the salt and pepper.

Pour into a shallow 8×8 baking dish that’s been touched with non-stick spray.

Bake uncovered for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the center is set and the corn casserole is brown and caramelized on top. You can always broil the top for a hot-minute if the casserole is set but you want a more caramelized appearance.

This is a custardy baked cream corn casserole recipe. It’s easy prep and under ten ingredients. This is an heirloom recipe for any holiday table…rich and a smidgen of sweetness.

Bourbon Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4 (Can Easily Double)

Ingredients

4 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½” chunks
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease
15-20 sage leaves
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons of brown or Irish butter
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Warm oven to 400 degrees and cook off the bacon for 10-14 minutes depending on how thick your sliced bacon is. Set cooked bacon aside, draining off the extra fat.

Add potato chunks to large pot of boiling water and cook until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes. While potatoes are in progress, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the 1/2 tablespoon of unsalted butter and fry up the sage until it is crispy. 1-2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

By now, the potatoes are ready to mash. Once whipped, add in a smidgen of reserved bacon grease, the milk, the bourbon, and the brown and/or Irish butter. Mix until everything is combined. Taste the potatoes and add salt and pepper, seasoning more or less to your preference.

Place potatoes in a dish and top them with the crispy bacon, crumbled with your fingers and/or rough cut with kitchen scissors. If you’re waiting a bit to serve them, place in the oven on a warm 325-degree temp for a maximum of 25-30 minutes. Don’t forget to crumble the sage on top at the very end.

Bourbon Croissant Bread Pudding

Ingredients

6 small stale croissants
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 teaspoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 eggs, thoroughly whisked

Directions

Warm your oven to 350 degrees. Tear croissants into pieces and place into individual ramekins that have been hit with a touch of non-stick spray. Add the sugar and water into a sauce pan. Bring to a rapid boil—remember this is hot stuff. Turn the heat on low and add the heavy cream, bourbon, vanilla and pinch of salt. Remove from the heat and let cool. Slowly add the whisked eggs into the caramel. Pour mixture over croissant pieces in the individual ramekins. Bake for 15 minutes.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime recipe—holiday dessert or a stand-alone breakfast, the choice is yours.

Bourbon Brown Butter*

Melt a stick of butter in a sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. After the butter is melted, it will begin to foam and turn a blond color. A few more minutes and the foaming will subside and the milk solids will turn brown. Measure or eyeball a 1/4 cup of bourbon. Remove the skillet from the heat, and standing back, carefully add the bourbon. The mixture will sputter as the bourbon stops the milk solids in the butter from browning.

*Brown butter is known to French cuisine as beurre noisette. A type of warm sauce used to accompany savory foods and used in French pastry.

(Use this recipe to top the Cornish hens and yeast rolls.)

Ingredients

1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup hot sauce (I like Frank’s)
2 hearts of romaine lettuce
Blue cheese crumbles
Celery hearts, leaves intact

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
(makes double what you need)

3 ounces your favorite blue cheese, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon vinegar (white wine or champagne)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Slice the chicken breast in half, horizontally. Heat olive oil and butter in a stainless skillet over medium heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breast and fry them until golden brown and cooked through. Turn off the burner and pour over the hot sauce. Coat the chicken on both sides and leave it in the cooling pan.

For the dressing, mix all ingredients in a food processor and pulse five times. Done!

Toss the romaine lettuce in a large bowl with enough salad dressing to coat all of the leaves. Slice the chicken into strips on top and sprinkle your creation with some blue cheese crumbles, if you like. Some fresh ground pepper is also nice.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 loaf French bread or boule, cubed (about 5 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
2 large tomatoes, cubed
1 English cucumber, seeded,
sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cubed
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cubed
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
15 basil leaves, julienned
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons vinegar
(white wine or champagne)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat up the oil in a large stainless skillet and add the bread cubes and salt. On medium heat, toss the cubes around the pan until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Allow the bread cubes to cool.

For the vinaigrette, whisk the oil into the mustard until it starts to thicken, then add all the ingredients together.

Mix all the vegetables and basil together in a large bowl. Add the bread and toss with the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve!