food52

Relationships with teriyaki, sushi stereotypes, and the immigrant hustle—host Peter J. Kim looks at Japanese-American cultural identity with comedian Yumi Nagashima, rapper G Yamazawa, and producer Dan the Automator.

Check out Counterjam on Spotify for bonus playlists featuring tracks from Yumi, G, Dan and so many other wonderful Japanese-American artists!

This episode is all about the city that never sleeps and always eats. Host Peter J. Kim looks at the undefinable cuisine of New York City, with the help of A Tribe Called Quest founding member Jarobi White and multiplatinum artist, chef, and fashion icon Kelis.

Referenced in this episode:

• Are you, too, a sauce person? Check out Kelis's Skillshare on the stuff.
• Peter is still going with his Tribe. Check out Counterjam on Spotify for bonus playlists like this one featuring evitaN, Nickodemus, and so many other wonderful artists from NYC!

Referenced in this episode 

• Sarsoon ka Saag (Fragrant Butter-Laced Pureed Mustard Greens) From Julie Sahni 
• Watch this recipe (food52)
• Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Julie Sahni's Curried Avocado with Garlic and Green Chiles
• Learn Indian cooking from the master herself - Take a cooking class with Julie

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Referenced in this episode 

• Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora
• Salatet Fattoush (California Fattoush Salad)

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Reem Assil on Instagram

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions

Referenced in this episode

• Epic Snickerdoodles for Stephanie Recipe
• Snackable Bakes: 100 Easy-Peasy Recipes for Exceptionally Scrumptious Sweets and Treats

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Jessie Sheehan's Instagram

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions

Referenced in this episode 

• Get your culinary questions answered - listen to Esther on the Hotline Offline Podcast
• Esther's White Kimchi Recipe
• Kristen gushes about THIS Sheet Pan Pierogies with Brussels Sprouts and Kimchi recipe (New York Times)

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Follow Esther on her Instagram page
• Wanna taste? Check out and try out Mokbar -- they ship Nationwide!

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

There are so many recipes out there to make granola, but then there are recipes that are Simply Genius. Jenné Claiborne's recipe bakes up faster and easier than any recipe out there by thoughtfully omitting what you may have thought was a crucial ingredient.

Referenced in this episode 

• Why Jenné Claiborne's Tahini Granola is Genius (Article)
• Jenné Claiborne's book, Sweet Potato Soul

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Get a signed copy of Kristen's book, Simply Genius, to find this and so many other incredible and simply genius recipes

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions

Special thanks to listeners Kayla (@kaylacalbano), Rachel (@craftsandcrumbs), and Oumaima (@lemonshmallow) for your potato-tales.

Referenced in this episode:

• Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes From a Secret Indonesian Cooking Club—Plus 20 Beginner Recipes I’m Still Hunting (Food52)
• Crispy Soy & Ginger Roast Potatoes recipe
• and of course, Lara's stunning book, Coconut & Sambal

Genius-Hunter Extra-Credit:

• Read about how Lara put this book together on Cherry Bombe
• Mayukh Sen's beautiful profile of Sri Owen that Lara stumbled across 3 years ago (Food52)

P.S. Help me hunt the 20 remaining recipes for the forthcoming genius beginners book! See the full list and join the conversation here.

Referenced in this episode:

• Whipped Hummus With Roasted Carrots & Za'atar Oil recipe
• Dreamy-Smooth Hummus From a Kitchen Oops (Food52)

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit:

• Everything you ever wanted to know about magical bean water, aquafaba
• Hetty's podcast, The House Specials
• View transcript

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it! I'm at genius@food52.com.

Kristen Miglore, lifelong Genius hunter, speaks with chef, cookbook author, and TV personality Carla Hall. Of Top Chef and Carla Hall's Soul Food fame, Carla talks about the genius buttermilk biscuit recipe she's spent decades perfecting.

Referenced in this episode:

• The Genius Secrets to Carla Hall’s Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits (Food52)
• Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits with Carla Hall (Genius Recipes | YouTube)

Genius-Hunter Extra-Credit:

• Join Carla Hall on Instagram at 11 EST daily for... recess!
• View transcript

Referenced in this episode:

• Sweet Corn Butter recipe
• How to Magically Turn Corn Into Butter (Food52)

Genius-Hunter Extra-Credit:

• The jewelry company Whitney founded to connect and empower women
• Check out Lukas Volger's corn tofu: Butter It, Tofu It, Dip It. But Don’t Boil It. (Taste)
• View transcript

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it! I'm at genius@food52.com.

*GENIUSHUNTERS is valid towards 10% off all Five Two products, max redemption $100. Offer valid starting 10/28/2020 at 12:01am ET through 11/28/2020 at 11:59pm ET, while supplies last. User must be logged into a Food52 account to apply, limit one use per customer. Valid in the U.S. on in stock items only. Cannot be redeemed for cash, combined with other offers, or applied to previous orders. To redeem, enter code GENIUSHUNTERS at checkout.

Referenced in this episode 

• Citrus Cake From Yasmin Khan (Recipe)
• Yasmin's book,  Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Follow Yasmin on Instagram 
• More backstory, The story behind Ripe Figs

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Referenced in this episode 

• Ali Slagle's Not Just Another Chicken Caesar Salad
• Ali's Book,  I Dream of Dinner (So You Don't Have To)
• Ali's Biscotti Recipe 

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Kristen's OG fried toast inspiration: Borlotti Beans on Toast with Greens (Food52)
• Follow Ali on Instagram @itsalislagle

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Referenced in this episode 

• Sam Seneviratne's Website
• Joy of Baking 

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Cook and a Half - Sam's cooking show co-hosted with her son, Artie
• Banana Bread Scones - A previous Genius recipe from Sam Seneviratne's Joy of Baking
• Kristen's newest book, Simply Genius

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions

Join Chef Farokh Talati on our Play Me a Recipe Podcast as he cooks through Masala Oats, his go-to quick breakfast that brings warmth, tang, and everything else you need for the day ahead from his new cookbook Parsi: From Persia to Bombay: recipes & tales from the ancient culture.

Recipe
Serves 4
For Oats

• 100g ghee or unsalted butter
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, finely diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 2 small green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 100g rolled oats or porridge oats
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric a pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• 500ml chicken stock or water
• 4 tablespoons tangy onions (see below)
• a small handful of well-chopped curly
• leaf parsley freshly cracked black pepper

For Tangy Onions

• 1 small red onion
• 2 generous tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

To Make the Oats

1. Melt the ghee or butter in a sturdy-bottomed pot over a low heat. When hot, add the onion, celery and carrot and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened, but none have taken on any colour.
2. Add the tomato, chillies, garam masala and salt. Season with a few healthy grinds of black pepper and stir everything together. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to break down.
3. Add the oats, turmeric, hing and stock or water. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, stirring continuously, for about 2–4 minutes, until the oats cook and thicken – you want the consistency of a well-formed but loose porridge, as this is the essence of what you’re creating.
4. Place the hot masala oats in serving bowls and top each with a spoonful of tangy onions (see below) and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

To Make Tangy Onions

1. To prepare the tangy onions, peel a small red onion, cut in half, then thinly slice using a mandolin or sharp knife.
2. Sprinkle the salt and cracked black pepper.
3. Sprinkle the apple cider vinegar over the onions and, using your fingers, massage together.

Whether its recreating the iconic moon pie cookie in bar form or using tahini to elevate your go-to recipes, Joy the Baker is chock full of incredible baking tips and tricks to bring into a new year of better baking. 

Referenced in this episode 

• Joy's Plum and Lemon Curd Cake
• Joy's Moon Pie Bar
• Joy's Dark Chocolate Tahini Skillet Cookie

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Joy the Baker's Website
• Find Joy on Instagram!

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions

Rugelach is a beloved Jewish treasure originating from Eastern Europe. The cookie-pastry hybrid can be filled with anything from jam to chocolate and is the perfect two-bite treat fit for any holiday spread. This version, a classic chocolate rugelach bolstered with the flavors of creamy milk chocolate and malted milk powder, has a nostalgic flavor and tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that will shine at any cookie swap.

Recipe

16 Rugelach 

Dough

• 2 1/4 cups (288g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (40g) malted milk powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks/226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 8 ounces (226g) cold cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes

Malted Milk Chocolate Filling

• 4 ounces (about ⅔ cup/113g) milk chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate
• 1/3 cup (53g) malted milk powder
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (6g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg, for egg wash, plus more if needed
• sanding sugar, for sprinkling

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the flour, sugar, ¼ cup malted milk powder, and salt. Process until combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Add the butter and cream cheese and process until a rough, shaggy dough forms that just starts to pull away from the sides of the food processor, 30 to 45 seconds. (If you don’t have a food processor you can pinch and knead the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients using clean hands as if you are making pie dough.) Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, cut in half, and roughly form each half into a rectangle. (Wipe out the food processor, but don’t wash it.) Tightly cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
2. Make the filling: Place the chocolate chips, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until the mixture is the texture of coarse sand, 25 to 35 seconds. (Alternatively, chop the chocolate into a fine dust and mix with the other ingredients.) Transfer into a bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, crack the egg for the egg wash and beat with a fork until no streaks of unincorporated yolk remain.
3. Unwrap one of the chilled doughs, generously dust with flour, and roll into a 11- by 8-inch rectangle. (The dough can get sticky, so use a bit more flour than normal.) Trim the edges to create crisp lines, if desired. Sprinkle about half of the filling onto the dough in an even layer leaving a ½-inch border on the top and bottom, pressing it in with your hands so it sticks and compacts slightly. Brush the top and bottom border with the egg wash. Roll into a spiral shape, brushing the underside of the dough with egg wash each time you roll it over, and transfer onto a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling and freeze both logs uncovered for 1 hour.
4. As the cookie logs are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F and set 2 racks at the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets (you can line the one in the freezer once the logs are done chilling) with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
5. Brush the chilled dough logs with the egg wash on all sides. (If your egg wash has a lot of chocolate in it, it’s best to make a new one.) Generously sprinkle the tops of the logs with the sanding sugar. Cut the logs into 1½-inch thick slices using a thin sharp knife and place onto the prepared baking sheets spacing at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until lightly browned, then let cool completely on the baking sheet before serving. (If any of the rugelach spread more than you would have liked, just use the back of a spoon to push them back together while still hot from the oven.)

A look back at some of our favorite genius recipes of the year with Food52 co-founder and CEO, Amanda Hesser

Referenced in this episode 

• Julia Turshen's Fried Eggs 
• Lindsay Maitland Hunt's Slow Roasted Chicken with Crispy Skin 
• Yasmin Khan's Stunning Citrus Cake
• Dorie Greenspan's French Yogurt Cake
• Dorie Greenspan's Caramel-y Chocolate Cookies
• Tara O'Brady's Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Jessie Sheehn's Snickerdoodles (Ketchup optional)
• Ali Slagle's Chicken Caesar Salad
• Monifa Dayo's Potato Salad 

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions

Cook along with Jesse Szewczyk to make these crunchy, perfectly spiced, and understated shortbread cookies that are as delicious dunked into hot coffee as they are eaten all on their own.

Recipe
Makes 24 bars
 

Shortbread Base

• 1 2/3 cups (214g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks/170g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Salted Speculoos Caramel

• 3/4 cup (175 grams) packed light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick/57g) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (59 ml) light corn syrup
• 1 14-ounce can (414 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup (90 grams) speculoos cookie butter (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Topping

• 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces/85 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces/85 grams) white chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons (59 ml) whole milk, divided
• 2 tablespoons (36 grams) speculoos cookie butter, divided
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

1. Make the shortbread base: Heat the oven 325°F. Grease an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with nonstick pan spray and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all four sides. In a large bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir together until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough into the lined baking pan and press into an even layer. Prick the top several times with a fork and bake until the shortbread is slightly puffed and golden brown in the center, 33 to 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and use the bottom of a measuring cup or a metal spatula to press down on the shortbread to compact it slightly. (This will prevent the bars from crumbling when sliced.) Let the shortbread cool for 30 minutes.
2. While the shortbread is cooling, make the caramel: In a medium saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, speculoos cookie butter, vanilla, and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent burning, until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and registers 240°F on the candy thermometer, about 8 to 11 mins. Pour over the shortbread base, spread into an even layer, and transfer into the fridge. Let cool for 1 hour.
3. As the caramel is cooling, make the topping: Place both the white and semisweet chocolate chips in two separate medium, microwave-safe bowls. Add 2 tablespoons whole milk and 1 tablespoon cookie butter to each bowl. Microwave each bowl on high power in 10 second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds total. Transfer the white chocolate ganache into a piping bag or zip-top baggie.
4. Working quickly, pour the dark chocolate ganache over top of the caramel and spread into an even layer. Pipe thin, straight lines of the white chocolate ganache all going the same way. (You might not need all of the ganache.) Use a toothpick to drag it through the lines, alternating the direction you go each time to create a rough chevron pattern. Transfer the bars into the fridge and let set for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Sprinkle the top of the bars with flaky sea salt and cut into a 3 by 8 grid to make 24 bars. (For cleaner edges, feel free to trim off the border of the pan before slicing.) Serve chilled or at room temperature.

There are so many recipes out there to make granola, but then there are recipes that are Simply Genius. Jenné Claiborne's recipe bakes up faster and easier than any recipe out there by thoughtfully omitting what you may have thought was a crucial ingredient.

Referenced in this episode 

• Why Jenné Claiborne's Tahini Granola is Genius (Article)
• Jenné Claiborne's book, Sweet Potato Soul

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit

• Get a signed copy of Kristen's book, Simply Genius, to find this and so many other incredible and simply genius recipes

Have a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions