• hpadvantag on February 19, 2010

  I am a huge fan of Tyler Florence's classic cooking with a twist. His recipes are dependable, delicious, and just a little extra special.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Roasted cauliflower soup

  • nicolepellegrini on May 06, 2020

    I thought this was delicious, though the name is a bit misleading. While the garnish topping with a small amount of cauliflower is roasted in the oven, the rest is simmered stovetop with the other main ingredients. It's still extremely rich and decadent in flavor - we had it for a comforting dinner and it was satisfying enough on its own for a filling meal.

• The ultimate French onion soup

  • Cookie24 on December 28, 2017

    Delicious soup, made with white wine instead of red, and used 3 regular brown onions and 1 sweet onion. Even with these substitutions still tastes great.

• Roasted cherry tomato salsa

  • averythingcooks on April 19, 2021

    This was chosen to use up the end of the grape tomatoes so I cut it by a 1/3 to serve with some quesadillas. Mine wasn't as pretty as the picture in the book but I diced rather than sliced my jalapeno and my tomatoes did not end up holding their shape. I roast grape tomatoes all the time for various dishes but I think I like raw tomato salsas & pico de gallo (his version & many others) better.

  • nicolepellegrini on July 23, 2021

    This was nice to serve with a grilled skirt steak. It was fine, but not necessarily a standout salsa.

• Peppered salmon with creamy chickpea dressing

  • nicolepellegrini on March 08, 2019

    I made a number of modifications to this recipe because I wasn't sure how we'd like it exactly as written. First the instructions to grind 1/4 cup black peppercorns & the same amount of coriander seeds makes a HUGE amount for the amount of salmon instructed. I only used perhaps a quarter/third of that amount and it was more than enough to make a nice crust for the fish. I also used 1/2 the amount of ground cumin (as I'm not crazy for an excess of that spice) on the chickpeas. And I thought the spinach/fresh herb salad could use some additions to liven it up, so I added some kalamata olives, chopped tomatoes, and thin-sliced red onion. With those changes the SO and I both thought it was great. I don't usually leave comments/reviews when I modify a recipe this much but we enjoyed it enough that I'd make again, but only with these changes/revisions in mind.

• Scallop saltimbocca

  • nicolepellegrini on July 07, 2025

    Loved this; made it with prosciutto. Another great recipe from Tyler using some unexpected flavor combinations that work really well together and gives restaurant-style meal at home without fuss.

• Pancetta and tuna roast with Tuscan-style borlotti beans and cherry tomatoes

  • crandall57 on February 18, 2025

    I made the cherry tomatoes as written and beans, mostly as the recipe says. But we grilled the tuna and didn't use the pancetta. We used Bobby Flay's Boy Gets Grill for the tuna recipe. It was delicious.

• Grilled swordfish with lemon aïoli and roasted fennel

  • nicolepellegrini on June 21, 2020

    So basic it barely feels like a "recipe" - basically just salt and pepper grilled swordfish with some simply roasted fennel, lemon mixed in mayo on the side. Not that the combination is bad, but just a little uninspired - and not the typical recipe with a creative twist that I expect from Tyler.

• White bean and roasted shrimp salad with cherry tomato vinaigrette

  • nicolepellegrini on July 16, 2018

    Delicious and so easy! I was surprised by how well this came out, making for a perfect summer lunch. I did make a couple changes—most importantly I briefly sauteed the beans in some olive oil, slivered garlic, rosemary and chile flakes instead of just adding to the salad straight out of the can. I think this helped add a little more warmth and depth to the dish. I also found the shrimp were done to perfection in 10 minutes instead of 12-15, so watch your timing so as not to overcook them. Will make again.

• The ultimate beef stew

  • Smokeydoke on December 12, 2016

    This was amazing, almost as good as Julia's Beef Bourguignon. I didn't follow his recipe exactly, he uses one set of vegetables to marinate then toss away, another set of vegetables to serve with the stew. I used the vegetables in the marinade with the stew and I thought it was fine and less waste. I also used a cheap cut (Costco stew meat) and it came out great but I'm sure the shoulder will come out even better.

  • averythingcooks on August 10, 2021

    This note is more about the method than the full recipe as I have things tucked away in my fridge & freezer to use in stews as well as a medley of favourite veg to include. BUT marinating the meat in the wine with lots of aromatic & herby add-ins worked great....after straining you have a flavourful & much richer "version" of red wine to add back in. But I just couldn't see using pearl onions in the marinade (only to be discarded) so I used chopped yellow onions instead and saved the pearl onions for the final steps....sauteed in the pan after the meat was browned & then added at the end with the peas & fresh herbs. I can see using this marinade technique with all my beef stews.

• The ultimate barbecued ribs

  • averythingcooks on August 11, 2021

    This sauce (using molasses & intended for ribs) is really good but it is identical (with just one difference) to the other BBQ sauce in the same book (which uses peach jam & is intended for chicken). I do think I like the version which uses the jam a bit better but this version will find lots of uses until it is gone.

• Grilled skirt steak with lentils, cilantro, and green grapes

  • crandall57 on March 04, 2025

    This was a great meal. I cut the salad in 1/2 for 2 people, and still had leftovers. I might use a flank steak next time, or look for thicker skirt steak, as ours was fairly thin. This was an easy way to roast garlic quickly and it was great with the steak. Easy to throw together and definitely will make this again.

• Pan-fried lamb chops with harissa

  • nicolepellegrini on May 23, 2020

    The main part of this recipe is the harissa sauce, which was quite tasty if spicy. I sautéed the garlic in the olive oil instead of using it raw (which my stomach won't tolerate). Thick lamb chops will need more time to cook, and I finished them with a little balsamic for the last minute or so of cooking as I thought it could use a little something more than salt & pepper.

• Grilled pork tenderloin with chile-coconut sauce

  • kjwright on July 07, 2011

    The end result was somewhat strange. While the flavors were excellent, the textures amongst the ingredients didn't quite come together. The sauce may benefit with a lot of reduction.

• Pan-fried sausage with apples, potatoes, and cabbage

  • kjwright on July 07, 2011

    Great dish. The apples, potatoes, and cabbage come together as a great accompaniment - I could eat this part all on its own!

  • Smokeydoke on November 22, 2016

    Delicious simple weeknight meal. I love the combination of the savory sausage against the sweet apples and the bitter cabbage. Very French, very buttery.

• Juicy grilled pork chops with black olive tapenade and roasted vine tomatoes

  • Tish Johns on March 05, 2010

    This is a simple but flavorful preparation for pork chops. Perfect for summer tomatoes which I just eat raw with the tapenade, no need to roast them!

  • nicolepellegrini on February 28, 2021

    Another winner from Tyler. Dressed up some winter tomatoes by roasting them and they worked so well with the zucchini, chops and olive tapenade (I may have cheated a bit with the tapenade, using a ready-made olive pate in my fridge and dressing it up with some fresh parsley and seasonings.) Pork was nice and juicy and once again, this was one of his recipes that ended up tasting restaurant-quality without too much fuss or bother.

• Grilled chicken with peach barbecue sauce

  • averythingcooks on July 16, 2018

    This is one of 4 regular rotation BBQ sauces in our house. I have used both peach and apricot jam and this is just delicious with BBQ'd chicken.

• Lemon curry chicken

  • themasterkey3000 on June 21, 2024

    Rice salad isn’t great, would be better with farro, maybe?

• Sesame chicken salad with spinach, cucumber, and cilantro

  • hbakke on January 27, 2020

    This was just alright. The salad dressing was too salty and the chicken took much longer to cook than 2 minutes per side. This resulted in an almost burnt crust. Not my favorite recipe.

  • nicolepellegrini on April 30, 2025

    We thought this was terrific. I used chicken tenders so they cooked quickly without burning the crust. The only other change I made was using some sliced button mushrooms instead of cucumbers as I don't like cucumbers in general.

• Chicken paillard with fresh fig salad and blue cheese

  • nicolepellegrini on September 08, 2022

    Another winning, creative and easy dish from Tyler. Husband and I both loved it and it was an excellent way to enjoy some of our fresh summer figs.

• Hunters' minestrone

  • hbakke on February 04, 2020

    I could only fit 8 cups of broth into the pot, but it was fine that way. I didn't add the garlic cloves to the broth then discard them. I just chopped all the garlic up and added it with the onions. Also, I threw everything in the pot instead of putting things in/removing them separately. The parmesan toasts were delicious. I would make this again.

• The ultimate spaghetti carbonara

  • kayanelson on February 09, 2015

    This carbonara is a family favorite and it can be prepared quickly. Easy to do when you don't have a lot of time.

• Baked rigatoni with eggplant and pork sausage

  • hbakke on January 28, 2020

    Next time season the tomato mixture better and maybe add some red pepper flake. I would make this again. The crispy, nearly burnt bits are the best. Yummy!

• The ultimate spaghetti and meatballs

  • Smokeydoke on March 28, 2017

    These are excellent! So moist and flavorful. This will be my new go-to recipe. I only made his meatballs, not his pomodoro sauce.

  • nicolepellegrini on May 04, 2026

    I should have trusted my instincts to make smaller meatballs than the recipe says to given the amount of ground meat used. Mine were practically the size of hamburgers and hard to fry without crumbling apart. The flavor was decent but not anywhere near "ultimate" quality for me. A rare miss from Tyler for me.

• The ultimate baked beans

  • angrygreycat on September 19, 2018

    Made this for dinner tonight along with baked sweet potatoes. We eat a lot of versions of baked beans and I wanted to try something new. This was pretty boring, lacking in sauce quantity and flavor. On top of that bacon is supposed to be placed on top and then you bake the whole thing in the oven at 350 for about 25 minutes. In that time the bacon had not crisped. I was afraid of extending the time because with so little "wet" ingredients, I thought the beans would dry out so I just put it under the broiler for about 3 minutes to crisp up the bacon. Won't be making this again. Edit: Maybe I spoke too soon. My daughter came home and had the beans and loved them. I do have a bad cold so maybe they just don't taste right to me.

  • angrygreycat on July 04, 2019

    Tried this again but doubled the sauce amount. I laid the bacon across the top. Another time I would cut the bacon in pieces to make it easier to serve Better, but not sure I would make again.

  • averythingcooks on January 01, 2020

    I have made these beans several times and we really like them but I do make some modifications to meet our likes. For 2 of us, I use one 19 oz can of navy beans but only cut the sauce recipe in half which results in beautifully saucy beans. I usually add some passata to the sauce for more tomato flavour (without more sweetness). I have a pretty heavy hand with the chipotle as we like the heat. I crisp the bacon in 1 inch pieces & then stir them into the beans before baking - and yes, the 1st time I tried this I also found that laying raw bacon across the top did NOT work. Baked with the rosemary sprigs across the top, this side dish is a favourite.

• Borlotti beans with woody herbs

  • crandall57 on February 18, 2025

    I cut the recipe in half and it still made a lot. I used a combination of cannellini beans and borlotti beans (one can of each). Drain the beans before adding them to the dish. I will make beans this way again.

• The ultimate spinach salad with bacon, black pepper, and honey

  • hbakke on January 30, 2020

    Not worth repeating. There was too much honey and the spinach cooked down too much and turned to gloop. Not appetizing at all. I tried to save it with more salt/pepper and vinegar but it ended up in the trash. Also, no bacon cooks in 3-4 minutes as the recipe states. It easily took 3x the amount of time to cook the bacon and onions than what the recipe lists.

• Roasted broccoli with crispy Parmesan and lemon

  • hbakke on January 28, 2020

    Delicious! I would add more cracked black pepper next time and spray the pan with some nonstick spray (or use silpat) so I don't lose so much cheese to the pan.

• The ultimate chocolate mousse

  • KatGeorge on October 06, 2025

    Absolutely delicious! Be sure to make extra whipped cream to serve it with. I made chocolate cookie crumbles and layered mousse, crumble, and whipped cream for a parfait. Definite make again recipe!

• Chocolate banana bread

  • nicolepellegrini on August 23, 2019

    Very moist and not overly sweet banana bread. In fact, I almost think it could have used a little more sweetness? Even so I quite liked it, will be good with some whipped cream or ice cream on the side.

  • ChefLeen on November 07, 2024

    Mine came out very dry and I even underbaked it. I weighed the flour as light as I could go 120 grams and it still came out almost inedible. More sugar would balance the taste and add moisture. It’s not worth trying to tweak. I won’t make again.

• Herbed garlic bread

  • Zormasa on May 17, 2026

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