“Mille Feuille” (Napoleon) – Short and Sweet

This mille feuille, which I’m sure I pronounced perfectly in the video, is also referred to as a Napoleon, and is the easiest, “fancy” pastry I know. The technique for creating your “thousand leaves” is very simple, especially if you use frozen dough, which any sensible person should do.

Whether you use frozen or homemade dough, the key is to keep it flat. We do this by “docking” the dough, and pressing with another pan. I used a few layers of foil before placing the pan on top, to make sure it was in contact with the dough, and depending on the size and shape of your pans, you may need to do the same.

Most patisseriers will make these well ahead, and keep them in the fridge, so that the pastry softens a bit, as it absorbs moisture from the filling. This is standard procedure, and they are much easier to eat that way, but I actually prefer to enjoy them right away, so as to fully experience the contrast between the crispy, buttery pastry, and the cold, creamy custard. 

Stay tuned for the new and improved pastry cream video heading your way soon. In the meantime, your favorite recipe should work, as well as things like whipped cream, sweetened ricotta/mascarpone, and/or lemon curd. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

-- Bake at 400 F. for about 15 minutes “pressed,” and then continue for another 10-15 minutes, uncovered, or until browned and crisp. I turned mine once during that time.

-- To make the icing, simply add enough water or milk to powdered sugar, until the right consistency is reached. For the chocolate one, I started with one part unsweetened cocoa to four parts powdered sugar, and then stirred in the liquid. Check this video if you are confused.

Candied Yams – So Good You’ll Forget You’re Eating Sweet Potatoes

While it’s true the “yams” used in this gorgeous candied yams recipe are really just orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, it’s also true that no one cares, “yams” sounds better, and takes less characters to share on Twitter. Like I said in the video, I only mentioned it in case “that guy” is at your Thanksgiving.

I’m not a huge sweet side dish person, but I do make an exception for these candied yams, since it’s, well, exceptional. Part of that, I believe, is using lemon instead of orange juice, since we have plenty of sweetness, and what we really need is some tartness for balance.

Speaking of sweetness, I like to use a Grade B maple syrup, since it seems to have a little deeper maple flavor; or at least that’s what Alton Brown said once, and I believed him. Having said that, any real maple syrup will be just fine.

This will be our last video before the Thanksgiving holiday, and I’ll be taking the next few days off, so just a heads-up that I won’t be around to answer questions on the blog. I’m sure you’ll be fine. Anyway, I want to wish you all a very healthy, and happy holiday, and I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions:

For the yams:

3 pounds yams, peeled, cut in 2-inch pieces,

2 quarts cold water

3 tablespoons kosher salt (or about 5 teaspoons of fine salt)

For the glaze:

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch cayenne

salt to taste

chopped pecans, walnuts or pistachios for garnish

Creamy Corn Pudding – Perfect for Holidays, Weekdays, and Weekday Holidays

Corn pudding doesn’t get the same attention as some other holiday side dishes, but it’s a real crowd-pleaser that pairs perfect with all your favorite special occasion meats. 

It also looks, and tastes like you have to be a good cook to make, which happily you don’t. If you have a decent blender, or food processor, there isn’t much that can go wrong.

If you are sans mechanical pureeing device, you can still make this by using the corn kernels whole. In fact, many corn pudding makers will leave some portion whole for texture, but as I said in the video, I like the smooth version best. 

The pan under the baking dish is optional, and if you’re in a hurry, you can skip it, which will cut about 15 to 30 minutes off your cooking time; but I like that it slows the cooking, which I think improves the texture. You can do the same thing with a water bath, but that’s slightly more work, and this really isn’t that temperamental of a recipe.

Speaking of cooking time, I used an 8” x 11” baking dish, which is kind of an odd size, so if you use the more common 9” x 12” casserole, you’ll have to test for doneness, as the batter will probably cook faster. Either way, if you’re looking for a special holiday side dish, or just something delicious to throw next to sausage on a Tuesday night, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for a 12 portions:

2 pounds frozen yellow corn (buy premium quality)

3 tablespoons maple syrup

6 large eggs

1/2 cup milk
3 teaspoons kosher salt (1 1/2 teaspoon fine salt)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup melted butter, divided (2/3 for batter, 1/3 for baking dish)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

- Place baking dish on a sheet pan and bake at 350 F. for between 60 and 75 minutes, or until brown and just set. You may need to adjust for different size/shape baking dishes.  

Next Up: Something with Frozen Corn

Chef John is on Vacation

Just wanted to let everyone know I’ll be on vacation until the middle of next week, and no, it’s not because I’m moving to Canada. Not sure how this rumor got started, but it's not true, and besides, California is way more of a foreign country than Canada will ever be.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to a nice, relaxing break, and suggest you use this time to catch up on all the videos you’ve missed. We have lots. Thank you, and we’ll see you next week!

Potato Leek Soup (aka Vichyssoise) – The Perfect Autumn in San Francisco Soup

This can be a strange time of year for weather in San Francisco. Our climate can suddenly swing from hot and humid, to cold and wet; which makes this potato leek soup a very valuable addition to the recipe repertoire. 

There is nothing better on a chilly, damp day than a steaming bowl of this; and conversely, few things are as delicious, and refreshing on a hot, sweaty day than a bowl of ice cold vichyssoise. As long as you cook the leeks long enough, you can’t go wrong either way.

Since the amounts of leeks and potatoes in yours may not be exactly the same as mine, be prepared to adjust the amount of stock in this recipe. It's always easier to add than reduce, so as long as your potatoes are covered, I’d play it by ear until it’s blended, and go from there. So, no matter what the weather, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

1 1/2 pound leeks (about 4 or 5)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 1/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes

3 to 4 cups chicken broth/vegetable stock, or as needed to adjust the thickness

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup crème fraiche, plus more to garnish (click here for recipe video)

pinch of cayenne pepper

sliced fresh chives for garnish

Pork Osso Buco – Keeping it Real without Veal

I’ve never shared the same love for veal osso buco that most of my fellow Italian food fans profess, and it’s been the source of a fair amount of introspection. Was there something wrong with me? It’s a sticky, succulent shank, braised until fork tender; what’s not to like? Then I made it with pork, and figured it out.

It comes out too good with the veal shank. Because of their massive quantities of connective tissue, the sauce veal shanks produce is rich, sticky, and sweet; which I personally find overpowering. It’s great for a few bites, but then I’m over it, quickly. On the other hand, pork shank isn’t quite as rich, and gelatinous, and I personally enjoy it much better.  

For some of the same reasons, I don’t generally reduce the sauce too much. It’s not supposed to be a very thick sauce, and I’m generally happy to get to the coats-the-back-of-a-spoon stage. Anyway, whether you use veal or pork, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

six thick-cut pork shank sections

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup white wine

2 cups chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/8 teaspoon ground clove, or *one whole clove

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried Rosemary

freshly chopped Italian parsley and freshly grated lemon zest for the tops

* if using whole clove, tie in some cheese cloth, along with the bay leaf and other herbs to create a “bouquet garni.”