William Doran — Wed., Sep 27, 2023

‘Tis the season for soups, and beans, and stews, and pies. You might also say, ‘tis gumbo season! That we will save for the next newsletter when it’s actually cold in my home state of Louisiana. In the South, summer doesn’t really end until October. Here in the Northeast, however, cooler weather is upon us. So this newsletter brings recipes for white beans (and red beans), and a special treat I like to call an Earl Grey Float (perhaps a British version of affogato?). We’ve also got a beautiful citrus salad that takes advantage of cold weather produce like onions, fennel, and grapefruit. I also pulled pie crust from my archive! Hopefully, this gets you in the mood for all things autumn!

It’s stew-ier than a soup and soupier than a stew. Caramelized onion, poblano, garlic, and anchovy form a slightly spicy, savory base for this quick stew (made even quicker with canned beans). Smoked sausage and kale add heartiness and color, as do carrots. Serve with grated cheese and a lemony-garlicky dressing to make this soup especially cozy on a cold night. This recipe is very flexible - feel free to substitute different types of beans or vegetables. Other greens like collards or chard work well. It could also handle a diced tomato, some mushrooms, or even some crumbled leftover bacon. [ … more ]

Salads should be built on simple, beautiful ingredients - big on color, flavor, and texture. They also taste better when they look pretty. Thin slices of mildly spicy radish hide between delicate grapefruit segments, arugula, and lush mint. Whisps of red onion round out the flavor profile as they mingle with pools of olive oil and lots of citrus juice. The dressing is simple too - lime, olive oil, salt, and pepper - added right on the plate.
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In most Louisiana kitchens, magic unfolds on a daily basis. Red beans and rice are no exception. Chicken bones become chicken stew, stale bread becomes bread pudding, or in the case of red beans: ham hocks from a Sunday dinner breathe life-eternal into a big pot of beans as it simmers on the stove all day. Flavor lurks in so many hidden places - inside bones, in scraps of fat - awaiting release through slow extraction and bubbling for a luxurious number of hours. I originally published this recipe in 2022, but have since updated the back story to include my own family history with this iconic dish and its dramatic appearance in the early days of my parents’ relationship. [ … more ]

Anyone can make a beautiful, flaky pie crust and feel like a Michelin-star chef (at least until the pie is gone or your friends leave). When the temperature drops and leaves begin to fall, all I want to do is make pie. Many call it pumpkin or baking season, but we all know this is really pie season. Any discerning palettes in the vicinity of your kitchen will thank you. Pie dough has remarkably few ingredients - flour, butter, salt, and water - and is surprisingly low maintenance if you follow a few simple rules. [ … more ]

No recipe required! This is essentially an affogato with Earl Grey tea. One of my favorite ice cream makers here in Brooklyn (Van Leeuwen) makes an Earl Grey Tea French Ice Cream. The rest is history.

If you’re enjoying what you see, please forward this newsletter or give me a shout at william@adventurouscooks.com. Ask me questions or tell me why you hate cooking. I will gladly convince you that cooking is fun and that you can do it in your spare time. Find and follow me on social media below!