Recipes that Don’t Suck

I really like to cook.

I also find tons of horrible recipes.

Luckily for you guys, we eat the crap so you don’t have to.

I figured that I would toss out three more gems for your dining enjoyment.

This is going to be a long one, but it’s worth it. I promise these recipes don’t suck.

#1 Beef Tenderloin in Salt Crust

5 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups kosher salt
3 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper
5 egg whites
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, and/or sage)
1 (6 to 7-pound) whole beef tenderloin, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place the flour, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and water and add to the dry ingredients along with 2 tablespoons of the herbs. Combine with a potato masher until the mixture begins to come together. Then knead with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large zip-top bag, seal, and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours, or up to 24 hours. Transfer dough to a floured surface and roll out to 3/16-inch thickness, approximately a 24 by 18-inch rectangle. Trim away extra dough, if necessary. Sprinkle the remaining herbs on the center section of the dough and gently press down.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In order to achieve uniform cooking, fold over slender tail end of tenderloin and tie with kitchen twine. Set a large electric griddle at its highest setting; brush the tenderloin with the olive oil and sear on all sides until well browned, approximately 10 minutes. Rest the meat for at least 5 minutes or until it is cool to the touch so as not to melt the dough.

Place the tenderloin in the center of the dough. Fold top part of dough over, flipping back about 1-inch of dough onto itself. Repeat with the bottom half of the dough. Press together the 2 flaps of dough and seal. Make sure the dough is not too tight around the tenderloin. At the ends of the tenderloin, press together dough to form a seal and cut away any excess. Transfer to a sheet pan, place in the oven and roast to an internal temperature of 125 degrees F, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. The tenderloin will continue to cook 10 to 15 degrees more. Cut salt crust at 1 end and extract meat by pulling out of dough tube. Slice and serve immediately.

#2 Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder

Poached chicken and chicken broth:
1 large (approximately 6 pounds) chicken
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Kosher salt
1/2 pound thick bacon, diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 stalks celery, diced
2 medium Spanish onions, diced
2 medium russet or all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
8 ears fresh corn, removed from the cob
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
3 cups heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper

To poach the chicken: Combine the chicken, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, pepper and a tablespoon of salt large pot. Add water to cover, at least 3 quarts. Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat, skimming occasionally. Skim, add more water if necessary to keep the chicken covered, and continue to gently simmer until the chicken is fully cooked (the juices from the thigh will run clear), about 40 minutes. Drain the chicken reserving the broth. Allow the chicken to cool then remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and refrigerate the meat until ready to make the chowder. Measure out 1 1/2 quarts of the broth and reserve for the chowder. Freeze or refrigerate any remaining broth until needed for another purpose. To make the chowder: Heat the bacon and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook until the bacon fat is rendered and the meat firming but not yet crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the potatoes, corn, and thyme. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are fully soft, about 8 additional minutes.

Add the chicken broth to the pot. Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and reserved chicken. Return the chowder to a simmer, season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into warm bowls and serve.

#3 Stuffed Pork Chops

4 double-cut pork chops
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 pound fresh Italian sausage, diced
1 slice prosciutto, minced
1 slice fresh mozzarella, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch salt and pepper
String, for tying
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup butter
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With a pairing knife, cut a pocket in the rounded side of each chop. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, sausage, prosciutto, mozzarella, garlic, and salt and pepper. Stuff each chop with the mixture and sew or tie them closed with string.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, pat the chops dry then place them in the pan. Brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops and set them aside in a roasting pan.

Add the onions, butter, white wine, and chicken broth to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes. Add them to the pan with the pork chops. And bake for 1 hour. Remove chops from pan and let rest for 15 minutes. Mix 1-2 Tb of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water. Add cornstarch mixture to blender along with pan juices and onions. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture back into pan and heat until thickened. Pour over chops and enjoy!

If anyone ends up making one of these, drop me an email or comment cause I’d like to know if you loved them as much as we do.