• Eat Your Books

  See Lisa Is Cooking's take on Eggplant gratin and Zucchini vichyssoise, Meringues Chantilly from this book.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Raspberry royale

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    Made with Chambord and inexpensive cremant de limoux, I liked this even better than the traditional version.

• Kir

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    A classic. Best with a crisp white wine, but still good with California chardonnay.

• Cassis à l'eau

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    Tasty. Cassis is quite sweet, so the drink wasn't as refreshing as advertised. This makes a big drink; I was fine with half.

• Cheese straws

  • vickster on September 24, 2012

    A simple and irresistible appetizer.

  • Delys77 on April 29, 2013

    Pg. 30 made the pesto variation and it went over very well. They came out very nicely, but I did have to cook a bit longer than suggested, probably another 2 minutes on the first side and another minute or so on the second side. Be careful not to salt too heavily as the pesto is quite savoury. Nice and easy appie or party food.

  • dmass on December 25, 2018

    Always a hit and simple to make. Delicious!

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    The pastry was tricky to twist because it must be warm enough to roll, but not too warm to twist neatly. They baked up fine even though they were ugly before baking. I assembled them a day ahead and chilled them overnight before baking, which worked well. They were quite good, but best when fresh.

  • julesamomof2 on September 19, 2023

    My twists were not great form wise, but my guests loved them warm as an appetizer and again in bread basket at dinner. I would make this again and they keep well so if you don't want them warm they're fine made ahead. Love!

• Blini with smoked salmon

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    The blinis were not difficult except the batter was rather gluey and tricky to portion into tablespoons. I think Ina meant 2 tablespoons though because I got 28 blinis. There was a lot of butter - the blinis were practically swimming in it and there was still extra. We topped them with creme fraiche, then some with smoked salmon, some with caviar. Served them at room temperature. They were very good.

• Cheese puffs (Gougères)

  • dmass on March 16, 2015

    These are delicious! A little messy to make, but worth it.

  • Analyze on February 13, 2017

    My friend highly recommended this recipe, but my husband and I didn't think they had much flavor (even using a really nice strong Gruyere). However, I'm not usually a big fan of pate a choux dough, so maybe that's the bias there.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    The cheese leaked while baking, but they still turned out okay. I brought them to a party and a French woman there told me to try them because they were so delicious (she didn't know I'd made them).

• Rosemary cashews

  • dmass on December 25, 2018

    These are delicious and get gobbled up fast! I accidently put the topping on before I warmed the cashews in the oven - still turned out great.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    This is my favorite way to serve nuts. The Union Square Cafe recipe calls for mixed nuts; either way they are delicious. Addictive!

  • dbuhler on August 19, 2023

    These are so delicious and addictive! I love the sweet/spicy combo with the rosemary. I mistakenly made a half batch when we had some family in town and they didn't last long, so I'll be sure to make a full batch next time!

• Radishes with butter and salt

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    I sliced the radishes since the whole ones were rather large and served them with salted Irish butter. They were quite good. My radishes were not too hot, which was good (for me anyway).

  • anya_sf on August 24, 2022

    Made again using the herbed butter and think that really elevated the radishes, which are not my favorite.

• Herbed butter

  • anya_sf on August 24, 2022

    Easy to make and quite versatile. Very good with the bread and radishes, but also melted over cooked chicken or potatoes.

• Potato chips

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    I'm probably no good at frying. The first batch was awesome straight from the fryer, but remaining batches were pale and oily even though the temperature was supposedly hot enough. Maybe the oil was old or got too much water in it, even though the potatoes were pretty dry.

• Croque monsieur

  • Analyze on March 25, 2017

    This is an interesting recipe; on the one hand, we didn't think that it had that much flavor and I couldn't taste the ham, but on the other hand, I accidentally DOUBLED the amount of bread, so that could explain that! It's not a repeat for me, but I just wanted to note that the sauce that you top your sandwich with (and then bake, then broil) is really good and tastes just like the cheesy sauce you'd typically find in a cauliflower gratin or something like that, so if that sounds delicious, you might really enjoy this. I prefer the sauce to stay in my veggie dishes personally, but I could see people really liking this sandwich.

  • luolili on February 17, 2018

    I would not call this a healthy recipe, but it sure is tasty! Husband adores it!

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    I just made 2 sandwiches and used whole wheat sandwich bread and Black Forest ham, since that's what I had. Lowfat milk worked for the cheese sauce. The sauce was very thick, but needed to be to stay on the bread. My broiler only took about 30 seconds and the edges that weren't covered in sauce started to burn (the sandwiches were probably too close). Very tasty!

  • averythingcooks on March 12, 2024

    We loved these beside a green salad with a pretty assertive vinaigrette from the same book. I left the crusts on the bread & made 2 sandwiches. 1/4 of the sauce was going to be a bit annoying with such small amts so I made 1/3 which gave us a generous top layer with some leftover.

  • adellel on February 03, 2026

    Good! The mustard adds a nice flavor.

  • Jbattista on May 10, 2026

    Insanely good. No notes

• Blue cheese soufflé

  • stef on November 04, 2018

    We love this souffle. Baguette and white wine. Heaven

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    I didn't have a 2 quart souffle dish, so I used a 2 quart square casserole with 2 1/2" sides. I substituted Stilton for Roquefort. Delicious!

  • hbakke on May 10, 2022

    Yum! This was my first savory soufflé and it was perfect. The blue cheese I used had a strong flavor, but this would probably be great with a milder cheese as well. The crispy edges were the best bits. I would make this again.

  • SpatulaCity on August 17, 2023

    Tasty! Solid technique and recipe.

  • angela_gnbj4y on April 29, 2026

    This is fun and easy to make if you have the mise all ready to go. Have made for a few parties and everyone loves it!

• Salad with warm goat cheese

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    The croutons are just the right blend of richness and tang

  • lhkelsey on December 08, 2013

    This was a great salad. The dressing was yummy and the goat cheese was perfect.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    The vinaigrette was really great, nicely balanced. I've made it both with egg yolk, and substituting mayonnaise for the yolk. Goat cheese is great, but brie is also nice here.

• Eggplant gratin

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    This was very tasty, sort of provencal with a creamy edge. I would increase the tomato a little and decrease the custard a little.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    I only had 1 pound of eggplant, but I didn't reduce the other ingredients. I'd expected the ricotta mixture to be layered and might try that next time. Overall, it was good, but definitely could have used the full amount of eggplant. Two of us finished the whole thing as a main course for dinner.

  • chawkins on August 12, 2020

    Relatively quick and easy dish. Tasted like a lasagne but a lot lighter. I did not pan-fry the eggplant slices, I just brushed them with oil and broiled them until they took on some color.

• Pissaladière (Provençal pizza)

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    I used instant yeast and substituted bread flour for 1 cup of the all-purpose flour to see if the crust would end up chewier. It did, but was also harder to roll out. I refrigerated the dough for 4 hours and it rose quite a bit anyway. Kalamata olives worked in place of French black olives. The pissaladiere was quite good and pretty easy to make. I topped the second crust with mozzarella and tomato and that was good too.

• Goat cheese tart

  • MVitek on June 03, 2011

    Very good filling but use the Once Upon a Tart savory tart crust recipe for the pastry.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    I cheated and used frozen pie dough, which baked for 30 minutes covered with foil, then 5 minutes uncovered. In a 10" tart pan, there was plenty of room for the filling, which baked in 30 minutes. The tart was good, but very rich. The filling could have used a bit more flavor - perhaps more shallots and herbs.

  • SpatulaCity on August 20, 2023

    Delicious. Wow it was beyond rich! Based on some feedback here about it being a little bland, I doubled the basil. The recipe called for garlic herb goat cheese but half of my cheese was just plain, so I added a sprinkle of green goddess seasoning. Needed 40+ min to bake through. Small slices made for an excellent appetizer for an alfresco summer party and everyone loved it!

• Scrambled eggs with truffles

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    I made 1/3 recipe (6 eggs) for 2 people and the servings were very generous. The eggs had a wonderfully creamy texture. I would not do this often (even without the pricey truffle), though, because it took so long and the bowl was very hard to clean. The truffle flavor was not strong even though the mixture sat for about 2 hours before cooking; the truffles added a nice background note. This was wonderful with brioche toast - I mean, if you're going to splurge on truffles, you might as well use brioche.

• Herbed-baked eggs

  • anya_sf on August 20, 2022

    I made 1 serving, which was a nice supper with bread and salad. After 4 min under the broiler, the top was browning quite a bit and the yolks seemed in danger of overcooking so I removed the eggs. Unfortunately, some of the whites at the bottom were still runnier than I'd have liked. My broiler does tend to cook unevenly. The herb topping was super flavorful.

• Spinach in puff pastry

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2020

    I made half the recipe (shaped long and skinny), but with 16 oz frozen spinach. I prepped it earlier in the day and chilled it before baking; it needed a bit longer to bake through. Absolutely delicious!

  • redbird on March 22, 2025

    Great flavor and easy to prepare. Would like to try again, substituting feta cheese for the Gruyère cheese. Perfect Saturday lunch.

• Mussels in white wine (Moules marinières)

  • anya_sf on February 22, 2020

    Very nice flavors. I'm not sure flour is needed to soak farmed mussels, but I used it. A mini food processor worked okay for shallots, great for garlic, but not well for parsley (maybe it was too wet?). The sauce seemed rather boozy, but was very tasty.

• Seafood platter

  • anya_sf on February 22, 2020

    I scaled this down to serve 2 people for dinner: 6 oysters, 1 crab, 1 lb shrimp (no lobster). Served with a butter lettuce, mandarin orange, and avocado salad on the side, it was quite filling. The sauces were all excellent; I made 1/3 of the mayo and 1/2 of the others and there was a lot left. Easy and festive.

• Mustard sauce

  • anya_sf on August 18, 2022

    Just made 1/3 recipe since I made the other 2 sauces as well and there was extra. Excellent.

• Cocktail sauce

  • anya_sf on August 18, 2022

    Just made 1/2 recipe since I made the other 2 sauces as well and there was extra. Excellent.

• Mignonette sauce

  • anya_sf on August 18, 2022

    Just made 1/2 recipe since I made the other 2 sauces as well and there was extra. Excellent.

• Winter squash soup (Soupe au potiron)

  • Delys77 on November 06, 2012

    Pg. 82. A bit different from your average butternut squash soup as it includes a fair amount of pumpkin, something I have never put in soup. Overall the pumpkin adds a slightly different nuance, and is generally good. The croutons are always a nice touch. Overall a good soup that was healthy, a little different, and came together easily. Not extremely exciting but solid.

  • anya_sf on February 22, 2020

    My squash weighed 3 lbs, but I used the whole thing, so the soup ended up quite starchy and very thick, but that was okay. The flavor was rather bland, so I added a bit of sherry. Pureeing it in a food processor worked well. Served with sour cream and grated cheese, the soup was quite good.

• Provençal vegetable soup (Soupe au pistou)

  • anya_sf on February 22, 2020

    My family loved this. I added zucchini and mushrooms and used less broth, although the soup could have used the full amount since the pasta absorbs a lot of liquid. I added salt to taste and used pecorino instead of parmesan. The pistou was fantastic - don't skip it. The soup was easy to make and super yummy.

  • averythingcooks on November 09, 2020

    This was a big win for 3 reasons! First, it was a great opportunity to use up lots of different things in my fridge. I did use zucchini in place of the string beans, I added a handful of bacon crumbles at the onion stage & I added the remains of a can of fire roasted tomatoes from my freezer. I always go slowly with broth (a mix of boxed chicken & homemade veg) but ended up using it all as the broken spaghetti got to work. Second, I easily made all of it (including the DELICIOUS pistou!) early in the day to be reheated for dinner. Thirdly, (and most importantly) it is REALLY GOOD - a great Sunday night dinner after a busy "outdoor day" with Ina's outrageous garlic bread on the side. Even a 1/2 recipe gave us 2 dinner bowls & 3 lunch portions.

  • ginger2212 on October 30, 2021

    Very delicious!! My favorite recipe is still Mimi Thorisson's in A Kitchen in France, but this one is very good.

  • Tinala523 on December 10, 2025

    The soup was good but bland, until the pistou. It absolutely makes the soup! It's a must. Now I'm wondering what else I can put it on....

• Homemade chicken stock

  • Analyze on February 09, 2017

    This is a great chicken stock IF you like vegetable stock - I guess it's sort of mid-way between chicken and vegetable broth. The celery, dill, and other herbs do definitely diminish the taste of the chicken. My husband and I much preferred the recipe from the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook for chicken broth to this one, because I personally want a really strong chicken flavor that's not complicated by other herbs... but to each their own. I could see this recipe being very popular with you if you like more of an herbal/vegetal flavor to your broth.

  • anya_sf on August 18, 2022

    Same recipe as Ina's other books

  • Laura on October 06, 2023

    We loved this! So much so that we just drank it out of mugs and there was definitely not enough left to make a pot of soup with. Will be making this again soon.

• Pistou

  • anya_sf on February 22, 2020

    Great in the vegetable soup.

  • Lisentric on August 02, 2024

    Garlic forward! Very good.

  • Lisentric on August 02, 2024

    Very tasty! It was garlic forward (I am sure due to the garlic I used). Thinned it with some vinegar and used it as a dressing for salad. Very good.

• Zucchini vichyssoise

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Good simple soup but don't freeze as it has way too much potato

  • anya_sf on February 22, 2020

    I made the soup a day ahead and chilled it before pureeing. I accidentally simmered it for an hour, so had to add a whole extra quart of chicken broth. Pureed in a blender instead of a food mill, it turned out a bit gluey, but with extra broth the texture was okay. Next time I would peel the potatoes first for ease and maybe use russet potatoes. The flavor was good warm or cold.

• Seafood stew

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    I altered the proportions to serve 3 generously: full amounts of onion, fennel, potatoes, garlic; 14 oz tomatoes; 30 oz fish stock; 1 c wine; 1 tsp saffron; 12 mussels; 1 lb cod; 1/2 lb shrimp, 3 Tbsp Pernod (oops - a bit too much); 1 tsp orange zest (would reduce next time); added 1 thyme sprig. The stew was quite good and relatively quick to make with prepared stock.

• Salmon with lentils

  • jaelsne on August 17, 2010

    Delicious.

  • tmitra on July 14, 2022

    Like others below, I prepared the salmon differently (broiled), but I liked the lentils and the two in combination.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    The lentils needed an extra 1/2 cup water and simmered 30 minutes, but could have used 10 minutes more to get extra tender. I left the skin on the salmon while cooking, so it was easy to remove afterwards (or let people eat the crispy skin). I preferred to cook the salmon medium rather than rare. The fish needed extra seasoning, but otherwise this dish was great.

  • DFarnham on June 12, 2021

    Delicious and light. Halved lentils for just two of us, and still had extra. We prefer to pan-sear our salmon and take the skin off when flipping. Allow salmon to sit with salt and pepper for at least 10 minutes before cooking. Flavor is perfect.

  • Skamper on February 04, 2018

    Love this recipe. There are 2 of us so I make a full batch of lentils and freeze half.

  • kariholsberry on February 04, 2026

    Great winter comfort food! Easy and delicious!

• Endive, pear, and Roquefort salad

  • Julia on June 16, 2011

    Easy and delish! Nice presentation.

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    Great! Classic flavor combination. I made 1/2 the salad (6 endives) with 1/3 vinaigrette, which was just right. I tossed the endives and pears with dressing and sprinkled cheese and walnuts on top.

• Moroccan couscous

  • austin.brandon on August 24, 2011

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/moroccan-couscous-recipe/index.html

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Delicious side wish combo of starch and veggies. The roasting took close to 45 minutes but the dish came together very easily.

  • kari500 on February 20, 2017

    Delicious, and good for getting both your carb and veg in the same dish. If you roast the vegetables the day before while doing something else, this comes together very quickly.

  • swegener on February 08, 2015

    This was delicious--I used a homemade vegetable broth that had a lot of flavor, and a few extra vegetables. It did make a lot of couscous.

  • SpatulaCity on August 15, 2023

    Tasty! As others have noted, this makes A LOT of couscous. I wish I had halved the recipe. I roasted my vegetables until they were soft, but not caramelized, 30 min. The saffron makes this dish - yum! Served with Ina’s chicken with 40 cloves of garlic and I agree that it’s a nice pairing. The sweetness of the butternut squash is lovely in this dish as it is, and especially partnered with the chicken.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I served this with the chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, which was good, but lamb would probably be even better. It was relatively quick and easy to make, although the vegetables took about 45 minutes to roast (my pieces may have been larger).

  • Skamper on April 12, 2020

    Made a half batch, which was enough for 2 meals for the 2 of us. Didn't have butternut squash so added a little extra zucchini. Probably used a bit more than half of the cumin, because I like it.

• Plum raspberry crumble

  • austin.brandon on September 07, 2011

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/plum-raspberry-crumble-recipe/index.html

  • julesamomof2 on September 20, 2023

    The crowd I made this for raved about how delicious it was, which was a relief for me as many reviews noted the crumble as being too tart. The plums and raspberries were a really nice combo. I lean towards fruit desserts almost always these days and love a make ahead crumble.

  • Barb_N on September 20, 2023

    Technically this is a crisp not a crumble, as it has oats in the streusel. I had to adapt this to the constraints of a beach house— owned by non-cooks! Had to adapt by making flour out of oats and nuts in a mini food processor. The only baking pan was heart shaped. It calls for no spices, and received rave reviews.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I used black plums and extra raspberries. I made 3/4 of the topping, which was just the right amount (made topping 1 day ahead). Quite good! Not too sweet (my berries were kind of tart) - great with vanilla ice cream. Just the right juiciness of fruit and crispness of topping.

• Fennel salad

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    The flavour was a bit flat so you added bit of white wine vinegar. Over all just so so

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    This was OK, but not a favorite. While I do prefer cooked fennel to raw and appreciate that the fennel was sauteed, I'd rather just eat roasted fennel.

  • Lisentric on December 22, 2024

    This is just ok, I wouldn't make it again.

• Loin of pork with green peppercorns

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Absolutely fabulous sauce and a delicious and simple roast. Quite an easy dish to put together also. You might want to go a tiny bit lighter on the salt in the sauce.

  • SpatulaCity on August 17, 2023

    So delicious. Butcher didn’t have a full roast, so I bought two individual bone-in pork loins (only needed to serve two) and tied them together. The rub was delicious and the green peppercorn sauce was wonderful. It felt like a restaurant quality recipe, and may be one of my favorite pork dish that I’ve ever made. Served with garlic mash from the same book and it was a delightful and relatively easy weeknight dinner, but would also be impressive enough to make for company. Would make a nice holiday or special occasion dinner. I especially appreciate that it packed a lot of flavor without needing a long marinade or any magical techniques.

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    My pork roast was 4.5 lbs but only had 5 bones (= 5 super-thick chops). It roasted for 1 hour 20 minutes; the thermometer did not consistently read 140 degrees (I guess due to the bones), but it turned out to be perfectly cooked. The rub was very flavorful. The sauce was really good too, but ugly due to the fond, so I strained it before adding peppercorns. I'd definitely make this again.

• Zucchini gratin

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    The flavour of this was great, with a nice oniony bite and delicious zucchini that retain some texture. You pureed the onion to please Jinny so it wasn't too chunky, which impacted the texture a bit. Don't do this in future.

  • pattig on March 08, 2019

    Everyone really liked this. I made it ahead & baked before dinner.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    Half the butter was enough, and lowfat milk worked here. The zucchini needed 15-20 minutes to cook. This was a satisfying dish and tasted rich even with less fat.

  • suzanne_zfuz2c on March 24, 2026

    Ina has improved upon this recipe in her Modern Comfort Food book on page 166. Proportions for ingredients are slightly different and she uses half and half instead of milk in that recipe.

• Roasted beets

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    This was great, nice tang to cut the sweetness of the beets. The orange and thyme were a great touch, and the roating actually gave a nice crunch. I ended up roasting for closer to 50 minutes. Spencer isn't a big fan of beets so this wasn't a huge hit for him.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I used a combination of red and chioggia beets. The chioggias got gray in places during roasting - not sure why - so they weren't pretty, but tasted fine. The flavors were good, nicely balanced.

• Brussels sprouts lardons

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Simple but if you like brussel sprouts you will love this. Crank the heat at end to finalize the caramelization.

  • Analyze on February 09, 2017

    We love this recipe. First time I made it for friends and they really loved it. About five years later, made it again and it was great. The pancetta and golden raisins are particularly delicious. I like Delys77's idea to finalize the caramelization (though the original recipe is delicious too).

  • pistachiopeas on October 13, 2015

    I think the raisins are superfluous here and I'd leave them out next time.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    We love these Brussels sprouts. I'm on the fence about the raisins, but they were better than expected.

  • Lisentric on December 22, 2024

    This recipe has a great balance of sweet/salt/bitter flavors. I would add less or none of the 3/4 teaspoon of salt the recipe calls for. And also the extra 2 tablespoons of olive oil wasn't needed, in my opinion. I thought there was enough fat from the sauteing of the pancetta.

• Cauliflower gratin

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    She is right that the cheese béchamel really turns this dish into a treat. The presentation is only so so because of the extensive white.

  • adrienneyoung on August 29, 2016

    Came together very easily. That said, I think I prefer a good English cauliflower cheese.

  • dmass on December 25, 2018

    Very tasty! Liked even by vegetable wary children.

  • dmass on March 16, 2015

    This is very tasty. The non cauliflower lovers or should I say picky eaters in my family really like this.

  • julesamomof2 on August 19, 2017

    This, and her spinach gratin, has made an appearance at my Christmas table for many, many years. Can be made the day before and popped in the oven. I make this exactly once a year. It is very rich, but perfect for the occasion.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    This is my husband's favorite way to eat cauliflower. It's super decadent and even good reheated the next day.

• French string beans (Haricots verts)

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Good flavour and super simple. You can cut the onions and peppers to large dice as the roasting will make them manageable

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    Very tasty. If the beans are extra thin, they don't need to blanch as long. This dish is easier if the beans are blanched at the last minute, then tossed with the roasted vegetables.

  • Soulkitchenjen on December 25, 2024

    Very good. Lot live changing. A lot of fussing for what it is.

• Herbed new potatoes

  • Delys77 on October 26, 2011

    Great little potatoes were essentially no work and made a perfect side dish.

  • redbird on February 20, 2026

    Delicious recipe. With something this simple, it goes without saying that the potatoes must be top quality. Will definitely make again.

  • averythingcooks on September 02, 2022

    I can not believe that I just made these for the 1st time last night....they are delicious! My herb mix was parsley, oregano & chives. An absolute repeat.

  • anya_sf on August 09, 2018

    I love to make this with a mixture of potatoes (red, gold, purple). If some potatoes are larger, cut them in half. Any fresh herb or mixture works well, even if you just one one (like parsley). Really delicious.

  • Lisentric on December 22, 2024

    Simple.

• Green salad vinaigrette

  • Delys77 on May 14, 2012

    Pg. 102 The major difference between my typical vinaigrette and this recipe is that Ina suggests you add an extra large egg yolk. I did so and I did note that this adds a touch of richness to the vinaigrette which offsets the acidity of the white wine vinegar. I'm not sure however that this added richness is to my taste, I might simply stick to a simpler vinaigrette that excludes the egg.

  • averythingcooks on March 12, 2024

    A rich, cheesy main demanded an assertive vinaigrette for our salad and this worked perfectly. She does suggest leaving out the raw egg yolk if desired, so I replaced it with a spoonful of yogurt to get that little bit of creaminess. I used champagne vinegar and I will make this one again.

  • SpatulaCity on August 17, 2023

    Tastes punchy on its own, and is perfection with mixed greens.

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    This is the same vinaigrette called for in the salad with warm goat cheese. The egg yolk and garlic really boosted the flavor vs. a traditional vinaigrette.

• Chicken with forty cloves of garlic

  • Delys77 on May 24, 2012

    Pg 113 The key thing with this dish is to make sure you brown your chicken well and that you season both the sauce and the chicken aggressively. Also I would suggest halving the cloves and sautéing a little longer, or perhaps use organic garlic because there was a touch of bitterness this time around. On the whole this recipe yields a very flavorful dish with excellent gravy and juicy chicken.

  • marin_4o52wd on March 10, 2026

    Delish

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    Very tasty. The garlic got so soft that it mostly melted into the sauce. I cooked the chicken for closer to 1 hour and it was falling off the bone. This would be best with thighs.

  • SpatulaCity on August 15, 2023

    I thought this was good, but not quite great. This may have been my fault though as I don’t think I cooked the garlic long enough so that it gave itself up in a meltingly luscious way. Thought the sauce need a bit of umami so added some Worcestershire sauce. Agree that it needed aggressive seasoning, but trying not to overdo salt, so don’t think we took it to the level needed. Still, pretty easy and probably worth another try. Served with her Moroccan couscous as suggested

• Asparagus with Hollandaise

  • Delys77 on June 03, 2012

    Pg 144 This version of hollandaise is much simpler and stays emulsified perfectly. I would suggest cutting the salt a little bit and doubling the lemon juice. You can fiddle with it to taste of course. The technique makes this a real winner.

  • missyvanee on March 19, 2013

    I used 1 tsp salt and it was still a bit too much.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    This was so easy! The hollandaise sauce sat for 30 minutes with no problem. Delicious!

• Beef stew with red wine (Boeuf Bourguignon)

  • Delys77 on September 19, 2012

    Ina has all the components right here, and as per usual she has a few smart shortcuts that yield a very nice result. The only reason I didn't give this one a 5 is because the meat was a bit tough and I suspect this might have to do with the shorter cooking time. I did use pre cubed stewing beef and perhaps that was it. Either way, it is a very flavourful recipe that is a bit quicker than some bourguignon recipes, so I might try it with the recommended chuck and see if that helps.

  • Aggie92 on March 29, 2013

    This is essentially the same recipe as Julia Child's with a lot fewer steps. The end result was a delicious, rich stew that would be a perfect meal for a dinner party.

  • lhkelsey on November 24, 2013

    The best! I cooked it in the oven at 300 for 30 minutes then 275 . 250 was not hot enough. It is perfect!

  • dmass on October 10, 2014

    This is delicious and as Ina states even better the next day. A favorite that my family and friends request regularly.

  • dmass on December 25, 2018

    Delicious and easy. A great make ahead for dinner parties. My friends request it at least once a year.

  • stef on January 31, 2022

    I used ends of beef tenderloin. Cooked for about 25 minutes more. The sauce has a nice color and deep flavor. Served over egg noodles.

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    I made it ahead without adding pearl onions and mushrooms, but had to freeze it, then reheat before adding those. I used pre-cubed "beef stew", which was probably a mistake. The cooking time was not long enough; it needed at least 45 minutes longer. I think chuck would have needed extra time also. My meat was somewhat dry and stringy (that "pre-cut beef stew"). Overall, the flavor was very good.

  • jhallen on December 10, 2020

    Really tasty broth, easy prep. Solid recipe.

• Potato celery root purée

  • Delys77 on September 19, 2012

    I love the combination of potato and celery root, it just screams fall to me. In the past I have made Dorie's version, which is very similar except that she recommends you puree the whole batch in the food processor. While this is expedient, the result is slightly gummy potato. Ina's approach of ricing the potato and pureeing the celery root separately then combining is a much better way to go. Fabulous side!

  • MKinLA on February 22, 2013

    Really delicious side, excellent, lightly and almost herbal alternative to mashed potatoes. Ricing the potatoes definitely the way to go, and I pureed the celery root in the Vitamix, so they were silky smooth (good enough to be a side on their own, though slightly less complex from a flavor profile).

  • Analyze on March 25, 2017

    The first time I made this, maybe 5 years ago, we thought that it was really good. Over then, we've kinda both developed an aversion to celery root. This has a nice texture and tastes strongly of celery. If that sounds good to you, I'd definitely recommend it.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I made this ahead, so I added all the milk, which was a bit much. I added salt to taste. Lowfat milk was fine. Overall, this was good. Next time I'd add less milk so it's thicker, but otherwise the texture was nice - smooth, not gluey.

  • Skamper on December 13, 2018

    This was a delicious side to mustard chicken. Kind of a lot of dishes to do, though.

• Scallops Provençal

  • MKinLA on January 31, 2013

    This is regularly the dinner my partner requests as a "special meal," i.e., birthdays, holiday dinner (we've had it several years running for New Year's Eve), etc. It's not "light cooking" by any stretch of the imagination. You need a *big* pan to make sure you have enough room for the scallops. Ina recommends cutting the scallops in two if you get sea scallops; I don't do this, because then you'd need to do the scallops in batches, which I think is a little much. After taking the scallops out of the pan, I tend to boil down the sauce so it's thicker.

  • stef on November 29, 2015

    This is a wonderful quick dish. My husband requests this for a special dinner. Served with thick sliced potatoes microwaved for 3 minutes and then browned in bacon fat. Mushrooms and salad with a white wine. Divine

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I made this initially with rock shrimp and bay scallops, which were too small and hard to coat with flour. They exuded so much liquid that they didn't brown and I had to drain the pan. The shallot was a bit bitter. The wine needed to cook more. Served with rice, it was just OK. I made this dish again using (dry) sea scallops and it turned out great.

• Filet of beef au poivre

  • Delys77 on February 15, 2013

    This was pretty good but not up to Ina's usual standard. The sauce has a nice flavour but it is a bit one note as it is a bit lacking in acidity. I would add some green peppercorns with a bit of their brine to elevate the flavour profile a little. Otherwise this was just ok.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe and the sauce reduced more quickly. The sauce was good, although not quite as good as some versions I've had. Still, this was simple to make and delicious.

• Lemon chicken with croutons

  • LaurenKLauren on January 26, 2014

    I first tried this recipe almost 10 years ago. Since then, it has entered my regular rotation of meals and friends frequently ask me to prepare this chicken for dinner parties. The recipe is quite literally foolproof - and you'll come to know it like the back of your hand. My favorite side dishes for "lemon chicken with croutons" - green salad, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and asparagus!

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    I did not make the croutons. The chicken turned out fine, but isn't my favorite recipe. The butter on the skin was unnecessary and made the drippings oily. Onions burned and did not provide enough vertical clearance for the chicken, so the underside took too long to roast - better to use a rack. There were too many lemons for my taste; one would have been enough (we didn't care to eat them).

  • ginger2212 on October 30, 2021

    I adore this chicken! The croutons are superb. Great to make with lemony goat cheese pasta with leftovers.

  • mamabog on May 05, 2020

    A go-to for years. The entire family loves it.

  • lhaddad7 on May 19, 2026

    So good! I seasoned the chicken in the morning , so it was seasoned for about 8 hours before cooking, and doubled the butter amount. These were both good choices. The croutons were a great twist!

• Lentil sausage soup

  • Laura on March 15, 2015

    Pg. 90. This recipe is the same as the lentil vegetable soup that Ina has in her 'Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,' except with the addition of sausage. I liked it fine, but didn't think it was anything special. I might have liked it more had I used the kielbasa that the recipe calls for because that would have probably added a smoky accent. As it happened, I had chicken 'bratwurst' sausages on hand, so used them. They really didn't add anything taste-wise.

  • ksg518 on April 27, 2024

    Good winter soup. Like anya_sf, I didn't bother soaking the lentils and the soup was still ready in less than the hour referenced in the last step of the recipe. It may have helped that I used Rancho Gordo lentils. I thought about browning the sausage first even though the recipe doesn't call for it but in the end my inherent laziness won out and the sausage was just fine. I made half a recipe and added some canned tomatoes in lieu of the tomato paste and reduced the chicken stock accordingly. I made half a recipe and it made a lot. The full recipe might require my biggest soup pot.

  • stef on December 18, 2025

    Nice lentil soup. Instead of kielbasa I used hot dogs, cooked separately and added 1/2cup of farro. 24 minutes in instant pot.

  • dbuhler on April 09, 2025

    This was absolutely delicious! Due to taste preference, I omitted the cumin, subbed more carrots for the celery, and used smoked turkey sausage instead of kielbasa, and added a splash or two more of the vinegar. My soup was more stew by the end (I live at high altitude and forgot to compensate by adding more liquid) but no one minded. I served this with a cheesy roll. I can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow!

  • karen_qnl5ds on April 20, 2026

    I made half the recipe, and there was a lot! Easily enough for 6. I soaked the lentils, and they were tender before the recommended cook time. Left out the leeks (forgot to get them), used dried thyme, and added chopped canned tomatoes. Very good!

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    Good basic recipe. I didn't soak the lentils first and the soup turned out fine. Very tasty.

  • SpatulaCity on November 05, 2025

    I made two large changes that should disqualify me from rating or making any notes: Due to family preferences, I substituted sweet Italian sausage for the kielbasa, and left out the carrots completely. In the end it was still delicious! Thought I might need to add sugar to compensate for the missing carrot sweetness but it was fine. Also great with some soft greens mixed in at the end so they are just wilted.

  • a_hint_of_rosemary on May 15, 2025

    The absolute best lentil soup ever - according to my official taste testers!

  • Lisentric on April 09, 2026

    This was very good! I didn't have any leek and substituted shallots, but at a smaller volume than called for. I used rainbow carrots from a local farm, and they may have stolen the show! I will definitely make this again.

• Sautéed wild mushrooms

  • PennyG on June 16, 2017

    I make this often - especially nice as a side dish to a great steak!

  • Soulkitchenjen on December 25, 2024

    Very good. Need higher heat than low or you won’t get anywhere

  • lhaddad7 on April 08, 2026

    It was good! But felt like it needed lemon, or just something more.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I used cremini and shiitake mushrooms and reduced the oil and butter by 1/3. Very good, even without the parsley.

• Garlic mashed potatoes

  • Delys77 on October 12, 2021

    I also only used about 2/3 of the oil. I ended up using a rice and it worked well. I don't think the garlic was cooked enough in just the oil even after leaving it to cook for a bit longer so I ended up putting the garlic in with the potatoes to simmer for a bit. Overall a good recipe but I think I prefer my usual oven roasted garlic and butter based mashed potato.

  • SpatulaCity on August 17, 2023

    Fantastic. Used a mix of half olive oil and half extra virgin olive oil, and poured it all in. To me it didn’t seem like too much oil- it all absorbed beautifully. This was less fatty and greasy than a lot of cream and butter laden mashes that I’ve made in that past. The garlic flavor was delicate and just present enough, without being too heady. Would make again!

  • averythingcooks on October 24, 2023

    I also used a ricer and a mix of extra virgin & regular olive oil. I used it all, adding slowly & stirring well. I used 5% cream & ultimately added around 1/2 called for. As the main was a "make it at the last minute" recipe, I prepped these a bit early & kept them warm in a small slow cooker. Quote from T..."these are awesome!"

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    The food mill was a pain to use and took forever. It was good for the garlic and the texture was super smooth, but the potatoes were already very soft. I would use a ricer for the potatoes. There was so much oil that it seemed like too much; I added half and thought it was plenty. I used half-and-half for the dairy. Very good!

• Roast lamb with white beans

  • Delys77 on February 02, 2015

    Pg. 130 This is very easy and very delicious. The white beans really stand out for their flavour, textures, and how well they compliment the lamb. I thought the amount of herbs would interfere with the mellow flavour of the beans, but they complimented them perfectly. I used dried navy beans and they worked just fine but took a bit longer to cook than suggested (about an hour). Lamb wise I found my 2 kg lamb was a bit overdone at the 1h15 mark. I would probably start checking at 45 minutes and assume a good 15% degrees of carry over cooking (ie. pull it at no more than 115 degrees). Eventhough it was a touch overdone it was just delicious. I also removed most of the fat cap and I don't think the lamb was dry at all. That said, I did brush the top with about 1.5 tb of oil. You could also up the number of carrots to surround the roast with.

  • Pamsy on January 22, 2024

    We really enjoyed this but I'd make a few changes next time. Firstly, I would cook the lamb at 150c (fan) for at least 2 hours. I used tinned cannellini beans and would do that again. I didn't really get the point of the roasted carrots as there were carrots with the celery and beans. In future I'd add smallish new potatoes In their skins around the lamb whilst it was roasting. Would also probably cover the tin with foil for the first hour.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    My lamb was only 2.2 pounds. I checked it after 1 hour, but it was already overdone. It was still pretty good, but there was not as much garlic and rosemary flavor as I'd hoped, and too much mustard. I made half the beans; they needed extra stock and about 20 minutes longer to cook, but were delicious in the end. The carrots weren't good; they should be rubbed with oil and seasoned a bit, plus they weren't fully tender and there weren't enough of them.

• Raspberry sauce

  • Analyze on June 06, 2017

    We love this sauce. I used Bonne Maman raspberry jam, which is sweeter than Smuckers, and strained it, which required over a jar to get 1 cup of strained jam. Maybe I'll skip the straining next time. The sauce did turn out pretty sweet, so depending on how sweet you like it, you could vary the type of jam that you use or the amount of sugar you add. Anyway, this was delicious with the Coeur a la Creme recipe from this cookbook (though that wasn't a repeat recipe for us), and even better with cheesecake the next time!

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    Made 1 day ahead using low-sugar jam with some seeds. I accidentally added the jam to the sugar and berries to simmer, but it still turned out fine. So good!

  • jdjd99 on April 23, 2020

    It’s hard to believe that something so simple can taste so amazing. I didn’t have raspberry liqueur, but added maybe a quarter teaspoon of raspberry extract to ramp up the raspberry flavor, though I’m sure it would’ve been delicious without it.

• Roast duck

  • Analyze on May 08, 2018

    The duck turned out delicious. However, I wish that Ina would give more specific instructions (I'm so spoiled by Cook's Illustrated!), like what temperature to cook the duck to, or even which direction to face it in the roasting pan. The skin underneath the duck (whichever side you face down) also ended up very flabby, and I'm wondering if there's a cooking method that would give you crisp skin on both sides of the duck. However, it was still yummy!

  • dc151 on April 26, 2023

    I spontaneously bought a duck on sale and then searched this site for a straightforward recipe. I chose wisely- this came out great! I did let it sit to dry before the roast to allow the skin to dry for crispier results to good effect. I also made one duck for three people- no leftovers.

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    I made 1 duck for 3 people. The recipe was actually pretty easy (I had worried). I had no idea how to carve the bird and ultimately needed to use my hands to pull the meat from the bones. There wasn't much meat on 1 duck. It was pretty tasty and the skin got crispy, but needed extra salt.

  • Soulkitchenjen on December 25, 2024

    This was very good. A great jumping off point. It tasted more like chicken than pork. I’m used to restaurant duck tasting like pork.

• Caramelized shallots

  • clkandel on December 24, 2017

    Delicious and easy to make.

  • mreils on December 26, 2019

    These are excellent. Easy. Can be made ahead and always a winner. I served with filets.

  • averythingcooks on July 22, 2019

    If a prime rib roast is on my menu ( ie big holiday dinners) then you can be sure these shallots are also on my table and they are always devoured. They are just delicious!

  • anya_sf on December 26, 2019

    So delicious! I probably blanched them a bit long (to aid in peeling them), which helped them cook faster in the end.

• Pear clafouti

  • KarinaFrancis on July 16, 2022

    My first clafoutis and I’m hooked! The batter came together easily and I let it stand for about 30mins, I guess it’s like pancake batter and holds well for a while. My dish was a little shallower than Ina instructs so I held back a bit of batter lest it overflow but it would have all fit (note for next time)

  • ginger2212 on October 30, 2021

    I love this recipe! The pear brandy is really a nice touch. It hits the perfect sweet note for after dinner. Easy to make too!

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    Really good! My pears were pretty firm but still turned out nice and tender. The filling took about 50 minutes to set. This could probably be made with half-and-half instead of heavy cream.

• Chicken with morels

  • stockholm28 on May 13, 2016

    Creme fraiche is missing from the ingredient list. The recipe calls for 1 cup creme fraiche and 1 cup cream. I used 2 cups cream and it was fine. I liked this recipe better the second day as the mushroom flavor was more pronounced and the madeira had mellowed. I used fresh morels rather than dried.

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    Delicious! There was enough sauce for 8 chicken breasts. My breasts were large and thick, so they took 25 minutes to bake, but were still plenty moist due to the sauce. I added some mushroom soaking liquid to the sauce with the Madeira. I didn't bother clarifying the butter.

  • jhallen on December 07, 2020

    This was perfect as written. Easy and delicious.

• Coeur à la crème with raspberries

  • Tinala523 on February 16, 2026

    Made this for Valentine's day. It is delicious! The recipe doesn't say what size Coeur mold she used, so I used the one I had, which was too small. Too much filling so it didn't drain properly. It was delicious anyway!! I did not put framboise in the sauce but the fresh raspberries made it perfect. Will make again (maybe make two, lol).

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe (serving 4) using a 7" heart-shaped mold and the filling barely fit - I can't imagine how the full recipe would possibly fit. Neufchatel cheese worked fine. It was like soft, creamy cheesecake - delicious with the sauce and berries.

• Crème brûlée

  • Tinala523 on January 01, 2022

    Made eight servings. Absolutely perfect creme brulee. Be sure to use XL eggs.

  • stef on February 14, 2021

    Turned out perfect. Timing just right. Used raw sugar.

  • stef on March 27, 2016

    Sorry, its from baking from my home to yours

  • Lepa on January 12, 2021

    This recipe is absolutely perfect.

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe using 3 yolks, to serve 3. The surface bubbled a bit, so maybe they got too hot (oven temp may have been off), but they turned out great anyway. Delicious.

• Warm mushroom salad

  • stef on June 19, 2016

    Made it following recipe exactly. Delicious lunch with baguette and white wine.

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    I tossed the arugula and mushrooms together with the dressing and sun-dried tomatoes, then sliced prosciutto into strips and sprinkled those on top with the shaved parmesan. I used basil instead of parsley. Very tasty!

  • breakthroughc on May 01, 2022

    Delicious salad, made as instructed. I think with a fried eggs on top is would make a great entree salad.

• Seafood stock

  • anya_sf on August 18, 2022

    Same recipe as Ina's other books

  • ginger2212 on October 30, 2021

    Easy! And delicious! Perfect to make when you've cooked with shell on shrimp :)

• Brioche loaves

  • averythingcooks on February 15, 2024

    I have made similar enriched doughs before, but if you haven't, be prepared/don't panic when you see how sticky it is! I cut this in 1/2 for 1 loaf and it rose as expected but once in the oven, I also thought it was browning at an alarming rate. I actually took it out 3 minutes early and that may have been a couple of minutes late. This is a very nice loaf of bread but I do have at least 3 other versions to try for comparison.

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    The dough was sticky but scrapable. The shaped loaves needed 3 hours to rise in my cool kitchen. They browned too quickly (my oven may have been off), so I tented them with foil after 20 minutes. The bread was good - light but rich.

  • kaityblueeyes on January 01, 2023

    These loaves were so good! I was worried about my rise since my kitchen was cold but tit puffed up beautifully in the oven. They were tasty on their own but I used them to make French toast and it was delicious.

• Celery root rémoulade

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    I used 1.5 lbs celery root, julienned using a mandoline, which wasn't too awful, then tossed with 1.5 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp salt. I only made 1/2 recipe of dressing and it was plenty. Made 1 day ahead. The flavor was excellent.

• Avocado and grapefruit salad

  • anya_sf on March 02, 2020

    A simple, nice salad. The dressing complemented the avocado and grapefruit well. There was more dressing than needed. The salad was pretty rich and could serve 6.

  • hbakke on June 10, 2020

    The grapefruits I used were very bitter. I initially didn't love this salad, but I think it kind of grew on me the more I had. I don't think I would make it again, but it wasn't terrible. I just don't think I liked the pairing of grapefruit and avocado. The recipe makes quite a bit more dressing than is required in the salad.

• Steak with Béarnaise sauce

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    My ribeyes were very large so I had to cook them in batches. I used a cast iron pan. The searing time could have been longer. The bearnaise sauce was super easy to make. I made 1/2 recipe using 2 small egg yolks, which was plenty. The sauce was a bit acidic although I reduced it a lot.

• Veal chops with Roquefort butter

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    Simple and delicious. I used a gas grill on medium. The chops were fairly large and thick, and 8 minutes per side was perfect. Veal can be bland in its own; the Roquefort butter added a lot. Use plenty of salt on the chops.

  • averythingcooks on May 30, 2026

    I made the butter with the best blue cheese I can buy, using chives in place of scallions. Veal is a hard no in this house but we have used it on grilled steaks with delicious results.

• Rack of lamb persillade

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    Nice overall. The topping could have browned more and the lamb could have used more salt - maybe add salt to the topping and add the topping sooner next time. The lamb was cooked just right.

  • MissKoo on February 13, 2021

    One of my favorite rack of lamb recipes. The cooking instructions are spot on, the lamb always comes out perfect. I seasoned the racks an hour or so before cooking and left them at room temperature. The topping is lovely, but does not always adhere well, and completely fell off when I cut into the rack. No matter, my dinner guests loved it. Served with sauce from Marcus Samuelsson's Aquavit (p. 156) that has ruby port (or Madeira), chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, fresh thyme, lemon zest and juice, butter, salt and pepper. The flavors in the sauce meld beautifully with the lamb. Served Ina's roasted butternut squash with brown butter and sage as a side veggie (Modern Comfort Food, p.158).

• Roasted striped bass

  • Susanbk on March 29, 2024

    I used sea bass for this and, taking the lead from anya_sf here, made this with just the sea bass. It was amazing and amazingly simple.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I couldn't find striped bass, so I used halibut, which was probably too lean and dry. The sauce was great. I'd make this with just shrimp or just fish. The mussels could easily be skipped.

• Vegetable tian

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    Dried thyme worked fine. I added a little more cheese on top, but it was not very cheesy overall. The tian needed some extra salt, but was delicious.

  • ginger2212 on October 30, 2021

    This is such a delicious, beautiful side dish.

  • averythingcooks on November 06, 2020

    This was a lovely side dish for a grilled pork tenderloin. I made the full amount of onions/garlic and used a regular glass pie dish. I then started spiraling in the veg, slicing as I went, and ultimately fit in 2 Yukon golds, 2 plum tomatoes & 2/3 of medium sized zucchini. With fresh thyme, gruyere and a final sprinkle of parmesan it was delicious!

• Tomato rice pilaf

  • Soulkitchenjen on December 25, 2024

    Very good. Ignore the LOW temp. You need closer to low Mid for it to actually cook.

  • Lisentric on December 22, 2024

    Very good. Generous amount, I would cut the recipe next time as I have a household of only 2.

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I omitted the parsley as I was out. Served with beef stew, which was a good combination. This was tasty, but the rice was mushy. I'd make it again with less broth. The flavors were definitely good. It would also be good with peas.

• Matchstick potatoes

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I had a hard time maintaining the oil temperature, so one batch turned out soggy. Fortunately, I had extra potatoes. The ones that turned out were absolutely addictive. The only way to eat these is with your fingers (they break with a fork).

• Meringues Chantilly

  • anya_sf on March 04, 2020

    I made the meringues 2 days ahead. After 2 hours in the oven, they were not crisp yet, so they baked another 30 minutes. They got a bit brown, but tasted fine. I used a combination of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, which served more than the recipe states. I'd feared this dessert would be too sweet, but it was very good.

• Île flottante

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe. The caramel hardened very quickly and was difficult to mix with the almonds. There was more praline and caramel than needed. Meringues were huge - only needed 1 per person so there were extras (1/2 recipe made 6). They did not stay crisp and were sticky. The caramel had hardened and had to be reheated; it was sticky and hard to eat. Flavor was good, but I'd use a different recipe next time.

• Lemon meringue tart

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    Despite careful handling, the crust shrank a lot. Using Meyer lemons, the filling was fantastic but runny. The tart didn't slice neatly or keep well, but the flavor was really good.

  • hlange on January 06, 2026

    Agree with anya on all counts. Curd was runny. Not a particularly well written recipe.

• Vanilla sauce (Crème Anglaise)

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    Good flavor even without the vanilla bean. The sauce thickened quickly. The method is overly complicated but works.

• Baba au rhum

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    Folding in the currants into the dough was tricky; I wonder if they could be added sooner (although that might affect the rise). The dough rose A LOT, especially while baking. It baked in 25 minutes. I wasn't sure if I should re-use the syrup that dripped onto the pan; I did once but not again. I didn't fill the baba with whipped cream, just served it on the side. There was more cream than needed. The baba was fabulous - people had seconds so it only served 6. Quite sweet. The rum was not harsh at all. Still good 2 days later.

• Rum syrup

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    Great in the baba au rhum.

• Whipped cream

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    A bit more than needed for the baba au rhum.

• Elephant ears (Palmiers)

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe but started with the full amount of sugar at first, not realizing how much I'd need, so there was a lot of waste. Easy to roll. 1 sheet made 24 cookies. I should have spread them out more on the pan. Maybe my oven was off, but it took 10 minutes before they looked ready to turn; baked 5 minutes more on the other side to golden brown. They may have overbaked, as they were a bit too crunchy for me, but were pretty tasty anyway.

• Mango sorbet

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I used 4 very ripe Manila mangoes, which yielded 2.5 cups puree, and adjusted the other ingredients proportionately. Despite the admonition to make it right before serving, I made it a few hours ahead and the texture was fine. It tasted just like mangoes - the quality clearly depends on the flavor of the mangoes. Not overly sweet. Really good.

• Ice cream bombe

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I used store-bought ice cream and sorbet. Just about the full amount fit in my nesting bowls (nesting bowls helped). Softening the ice cream in the refrigerator or countertop might be better, as the microwave can be uneven. The bombe was difficult to unmold, but I managed with only minor damage, which was reparable. Very attractive, nice flavors. Keeps well in the freezer. Raspberry sauce was pretty, but almost too sweet with this; better with tarter sorbets.

• Plum cake "Tatin"

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    Easy and good. Sweet, but not too much so. I would try this with pears as well. Cake had nice flavor and was moist. It took 40 minutes to bake.

• Chocolate orange mousse

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe as one large mousse, which served 6 because it was so rich. Grand Marnier flavor was a bit strong (better the 2nd day). Although well aerated, the mousse was dense from so much butter and needed lots of whipped cream to balance the texture and intense flavor. I'd make a different recipe next time.

  • MissKoo on February 13, 2021

    Extremely rich, so small servings suffice and also mean that the recipe can easily serve 10-12. I had four individual servings in coupes for dinner guests, and had an entire soufflé bowl full of leftover mousse! I served it with a bit of whipped cream and several fresh orange segments on each serving which I think lightened it a bit and cut through the unctuousness of all that cream and butter.

• Brownie tart

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    The top started to brown too much before it puffed (perhaps oven was too hot), but the center was still fudgy. The flavor was delicious. The appearance was not so great, as the top cracked a lot upon cutting, but if you topped it with ice cream, who would care?

  • Kinhawaii on April 19, 2025

    Rich & good. I think the coffee was a little too prominent for me & in my oven it was a little overcooked at 35 min- I had crunchy edges- but I guess if you like it less squishy in the center it was good. I skipped the topping & while I like it plain, I think I would rather have whipped cream served on the side instead of more chocolate ganache on top. Next time I’m adding less coffee. It was a big tart!

• Pain perdu

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    We ate this for breakfast and it was not too sweet. I made 5 slices of brioche and 7 slices of whole wheat sandwich bread (probably 1/2" thick); both worked well. I forgot to get almonds, but am sure this would be good with them. We topped the French toast with strawberries and maple syrup. Good, perfect texture. Cooking in a cast iron pan worked well.

• Peaches in Sauternes

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    Made 1 day ahead using white peaches, peeled with a serrated peeler. The peaches were just so-so. Maybe my Sauternes wasn't sweet enough? I would add more sugar next time. The perfume was amazing though.

  • FlowerGold on September 09, 2024

    Lovely! Used yellow peaches. Want them sweet and just ripe so they don’t get mushy. Serve over ice cream and have the perfect summer dessert for your family or entertaining.

• Coconut madeleines

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I just have a mini madeleine tin, which I used at first, but overfilled the shells, so they did not look very pretty. However, they tasted delicious straight from the oven. I also tried barquette molds, which browned more and weren't quite as tender (maybe I overbaked them). Easy to make once you prepare the molds.

• Strawberry tarts

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I made the dough 1 day ahead and made a 9" tart rather than tartlets. I omitted the pistachios. Cutting the larger tart was messy because the pastry cream wasn't that thick, so I might do tartlets next time. The tart was delicious. This was a smart way to cut the berries, as more fit than if the berries were left whole.

• Pastry cream

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    Made 1 day ahead for tarts. Good flavor. Took less time to thicken, but worked well.

  • Kinhawaii on April 16, 2019

    My favorite pastry cream for fruit tarts. I love the cognac & the texture- not too soft or oozy.

• Profiteroles

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I made the puffs ahead and froze them. The pate a choux was a bit thin and hard to pipe (spread a lot). I only got 15 puffs. They mostly baked up okay though. Some browned a bit much and about half deflated in the final 10 minutes, but they all worked for profiteroles since those get filled. Sauce was easy and delicious; I just used low heat rather than a double boiler. There was extra sauce. Overall, really yummy. Great for entertaining.

• Chocolate truffles

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2020

    I substituted Mandarine Napoleon for Grand Marnier and used Valrhona and Ghirardelli chocolates. The chocolate took about 1 hour 15 minutes to chill before it was scoopable (I used a scoop, not spoons). I wasn't sure if I should chill the truffles between rolling in cocoa and powdered sugar; I did, but the sugar did not stick easily. We ate some after about 6 hours of chilling. They tasted amazing with a deep chocolate flavor.