Taiwanese Oil Rice/Sticky Rice 油飯

Date Published: March 13th, 2025 | Last Updated: March 13th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: Asian, mains, Taiwanese
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: soak rice overnight + 30 mins | Cook time: 40 mins for rice + 10 mins for stir-fry

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油飯 (Yoú Fàn) is a Taiwanese dish comprised of glutinous rice sautéed in a sauce and various add-ons (most commonly pork, shiitake mushrooms and small shrimp). This is a dish that can be found served at special occasions, restaurants, or made at home for a fancy night in. The name directly translates to “oil rice” because the rice is sautéed in a decent amount of pork fat (1/4 cup, to be exact in this recipe), but don’t worry the end result won’t be overly greasy. The pork fat gives it extra flavour, but you can substitute it with another neutral oil if you wish. You can eat the rice on its own or serve it with a drizzle of sweet Haishan sauce.

The cooking process for this dish is quite quick, so before you turn on the heat, make sure all the ingredients and sauces have been prepped and portioned out, ready to go!

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2 cups (400g) glutinous rice (sometimes called ‘sweet rice’)
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1.5 Tbsps small dried shrimp
Pork marinade:
- 1.5 Tbsps soy sauce
- 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 200g pork tenderloin, cut into thin 2cm strips
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
- 1 Tbsps granulated sugar
- 2 tsps rice wine vinegar/michu
- 1 tsp black vinegar
1/4 cup (60ml) lard (or neutral oil)
3 large (~1.5 cups) shallots, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 sticks (85g) of lap cheong (Chinese sausage)
1 medium (~100g) carrot, peeled and julienned
1 can (280g) sliced bamboo shoots, sliced into sticks
Optional: haishan sauce

Directions:

Soak the rice the night before: Wash the glutinous rice in a colander a few times then transfer to a large bowl and add enough water to cover 2-3 inches above the rice. Let it soak overnight.

Cook the rice: The next day, strain the rice. Prepare a large steaming basket with a moistened liner. Add the rice into the steaming basket and use the back of a chopstick to create holes in the rice help it cook evenly. Note: I used two smaller bamboo steaming baskets stacked since I didn’t have a large one. Steam for 30-40 minutes until the rice is cooked (a little chewy but not too tough or mush). Once finished, turn off the heat and set the rice aside.

You can steam it however method you wish. I put my steaming baskets with a lid on into a wok with a couple inches of boiling water and let it simmer until the time is up. Add water as needed to the wok when it evaporates.

Prepare the mushrooms: In a bowl, add the dried shiitake mushrooms and enough warm water to cover. Let it soak for at least an hour (or overnight) until the mushrooms have softened. Once softened, reserve 1/3 cup of the mushrooms soaking liquid and strain out the rest. Cut off and discard the thick stems and slice the mushrooms thinly. Set aside.

Prepare the shrimp: Add the 1.5 Tbsp dried shrimp into a small bowl and soak in warm water for 10 minutes then strain.

Marinate the pork: Add all of the pork marinade ingredients into a bowl: 1.5 Tbsps soy sauce, 1/8 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil, sliced pork. Mix together and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Prepare the sauce: Mix together the 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, 2 tsps rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp black vinegar, and the reserved 1/3 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid. Set aside.

Putting it all together (make sure all of your ingredients are chopped and ready – this will be a quick process): In a wok on MED-HIGH heat, add the 1/4 cup of lard. Once it starts to sizzle, add in the shallots and sautée for 1-2 minutes until softened, then add in the garlic, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and lap cheong. Continue to sautée for another 1 minute until fragrant.

Add in the marinated pork (from step 5). Cook for 1-2 minutes until the edges of the pork turns opaque then add in the carrots and bamboo. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the carrots have softened and the pork is completely cooked. Add in the sauce (from step 6) and mix everything around for 30 seconds.

Turn off the heat and add in the cooked glutinous rice (from step 2). Gently mix it all together until the rice absorbs all of the liquid. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve immediately with an optional side of Haishan sauce.

Summarized Recipe:

Taiwanese Oil Rice/Sticky Rice 油飯

Ingredients:

2 cups (400g) glutinous rice (sometimes called ‘sweet rice’)
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1.5 Tbsps small dried shrimp
Pork marinade:
- 1.5 Tbsps soy sauce
- 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 200g pork tenderloin, cut into thin 2cm strips
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
- 1 Tbsps granulated sugar
- 2 tsps rice wine vinegar/michu
- 1 tsp black vinegar
1/4 cup (60ml) lard (or neutral oil)
3 large (~1.5 cups) shallots, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 sticks (85g) of lap cheong (Chinese sausage)
1 medium (~100g) carrot, peeled and julienned
1 can (280g) sliced bamboo shoots, sliced into sticks
Optional: haishan sauce

Directions:

Soak the rice the night before: Wash the glutinous rice in a colander a few times then transfer to a large bowl and add enough water to cover 2-3 inches above the rice. Let it soak overnight.
Cook the rice: The next day, strain the rice. Prepare a large steaming basket with a moistened liner. Add the rice into the steaming basket and use the back of a chopstick to create holes in the rice help it cook evenly. Note: I used two smaller bamboo steaming baskets stacked since I didn’t have a large one. Steam for 30-40 minutes until the rice is cooked (a little chewy but not too tough or mush). Once finished, turn off the heat and set the rice aside.
- You can steam it however method you wish. I put my steaming baskets with a lid on into a wok with a couple inches of boiling water and let it simmer until the time is up. Add water as needed to the wok when it evaporates.
Prepare the mushrooms: In a bowl, add the dried shiitake mushrooms and enough warm water to cover. Let it soak for about an hour (or overnight) until the mushrooms have softened. Once softened, reserve 1/3 cup of the mushrooms soaking liquid and strain out the rest. Cut off and discard the thick stems and slice the mushrooms thinly. Set aside.
Prepare the shrimp: Add the 1.5 Tbsps dried shrimp into a small bowl and soak in warm water for 10 minutes then strain.
Marinate the pork: Add all of the pork marinade ingredients into a bowl: 1.5 Tbsps soy sauce, 1/8 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil, sliced pork. Mix together and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Prepare the sauce: Mix together the 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sugar, 2 tsps rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp black vinegar, and the reserved 1/3 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid. Set aside.
Putting it all together (make sure all of your ingredients are chopped and ready – this will be a quick process):
- In a wok on MED-HIGH heat, add the 1/4 cup of lard. Once it starts to sizzle, add in the shallots and sauté for 1-2 minutes until softened.
- Add in the garlic, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and lap cheong. Continue to sautée for another 1 minute until fragrant.
- Next, add in the marinated pork (from step 5). Cook for 1-2 minutes until the edges of the pork turns opaque.
- Add in the carrots and bamboo and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the carrots have softened and the pork is completely cooked.
- Add in the sauce (from step 6) and mix everything around for 30 seconds.
- Turn off the heat and add in the cooked glutinous rice (from step 2). Gently mix it all together until the rice absorbs all of the liquid.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Serve immediately with an optional side of Haishan sauce.

March 13, 2025February 11, 2025

AbbyLeave a comment

Joons’ Dak Galbi – Korean Spicy Chicken Stir Fry with Cheese & Noodles

Date Published: Mar 7th, 2025 | Last Updated: Mar 7th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy, Asian
Serves: 4 | Prep time: overnight marinating + 20 mins | Cook time: 40 mins

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In my high school years when I lived in Canada, my friends and I would often hangout in downtown Toronto on the weekends, either perusing Kensington market, browsing through record shops, shopping on Queen Street, studying for finals at Robarts, or just grabbing a bite to eat at one of the many restaurant options in Toronto. One of my favourite Korean restaurants was Joons on Bloor St. in Koreatown. It was a small dingy restaurant that you had to take a few steps down from street level to get to the front door. The decor wasn’t anything impressive and the table water was served in scratched up refillable rubbermaid bottles. Despite its appearance, it was often relatively busy with nearly every other table ordering their AMAZING dak galbi, including me! I would religiously order this same dish every time – in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever ordered anything else at Joons 🤔. Dak galbi is a stir-fry chicken dish in a spicy sauce that’s seen on most Korean restaurant menus, but Joons did it differently. A portable cook top is brought out to the table and the whole dish is cooked in front of you. It usually took at least 15-20 minutes to cook which is excruciating when you’re starving and this amazing aroma in front of you keeps wafting in your face every time the waitress lifted the lid to give it a stir, but the wait was always worth it. You had options of add-ins to the dish, but most people would get everything in it which is usually cabbage, instant noodles, chicken, and cheese 🤤.

An image of Joon’s Dak Galbi from the Yelp archives, taken in 2015.

Sadly, Joons has been closed for about 4-5 years now and I mourn that loss every time I pass through the area 💔. This recipe is a tribute to Joons’ dak galbi. I’ve scoured the internet for people’s old photos and videos of the dish to try and recreate it exactly as it was. I had some help from My Korean Kitchen with the chicken marinade portion and included everything else from the instant noodles to the mozzarella cheese on top. Although mine didn’t quite come out as saucy and red as theirs, I’d say the flavours are pretty damn close! But of course, I haven’t had Joons since before vet school which is nearly a decade ago now, so I could also be remembering it a little differently. Either way, this is still a pretty tasty dish. If you’ve had the dak galbi at Joons before, let me know how close I am in the comments!

What is Dak Galbi?

Dak galbi or dakgalbi directly translates to “chicken rib”. No actual ribs are used in this dish – the origin of this word is thought to be due to using chicken as a cheaper source of meat compared to pork 🤷🏻‍♀️. It’s a dish that is essentially chicken and vegetables stir-fried in a gochujang-based sauce. The vegetables are usually cabbage, sweet potato, and green onions. You can serve it along side perilla leaves as a wrap. In my recipe I’ve used carrots instead of sweet potato because it’s already a pretty carb-heavy dish with the noodles and rice cakes, but feel free to substitute! This dish is mildly spicy. If you prefer spicier, you can buy the spicier versions of gochujang or add in more gochugaru (Korean chilli powder).

What is Gochujang?

Gochukang is Korean red chilli paste. It’s savoury, sweet, and spicy all together. It’s a very popular condiment used in Korean cooking and is used as a base to many sauces, including in this dak galbi recipe. There really is no substitute to gochujang. You can usually find this in the Asian section of most grocery stores. They come in a variety of levels of spiciness, so choose carefully! I usually go for the mild one and add in chilli powder if I want more of a kick.

What are Garaetteok/Tteok (Korean rice cakes)?

Garaetteok/tteok are Korean rice cakes that are made from non-glutinous rice flour and come in skinny long cylinders. On their own they don’t have much flavour so they’re often added to a flavourful saucy dish (such as this dak galbi recipe) or a soup. They have a soft and chewy texture once cooked and make a great textural addition to many dishes. You’ll most commonly see garaetteok/tteok served in a dish called tteokbokki which is a spicy rice cake dish.

You can find these vacuum-sealed in the refrigerated section of most Asian grocery stores. They will be very hard coming out of the package and need to be soaked for at least 10 minutes in warm water to slightly soften before cooking them. If you’re lucky and your Asian grocer have these fresh, you can put them directly into the dish without soaking.

Don’t worry if you can’t find any garaetteok/tteok. Simply omit them from the recipe altogether. It won’t change the flavour of the dish. It’s mainly to add an extra textural component.

A Quick Note on Gochugaru – Korean Chilli Powder

This recipe uses Gochugaru, a Korean chilli powder, which is not too spicy and it gives the dish a deeper orangey/red colour. It can be easily found in most Asian grocery stores, but if you don’t have any, a good substitute is Kashmiri chilli powder (an Indian variety). Do NOT substitute with cayenne pepper which is a MUCH spicier chilli powder. If you absolutely can’t find Gochugaru or Kashmiri chilli powder, then you can substitute with 1 part cayenne powder: 3 parts paprika, or consider skipping it altogether.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Chicken Marinade:
- 600g chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
- 7 Tbsps (160g) gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/4 cup rice wine
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsps soy sauce
- 2 Tbsps granulated sugar
- 2 tsps curry powder
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsps minced ginger
- 2 green onions, sliced to 4cm pieces
1 medium carrot, julienned or grated on the large hole (optional)
250g mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 medium brown onion, sliced
1/4 small (6 cups) cabbage, chopped
25 pieces (180g) Garaetteok/Tteok (Korean rice cakes)
2 cups (230g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 packets of instant noodles
Garnish: 1 green onion, chopped

Directions:

Marinate the chicken: In a mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients of the chicken marinade: diced chicken thighs, 7 Tbsps gochujang, 1/4 cup rice wine, 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 2 Tbsps soy sauce, 2 Tbsps sugar, 2 tsps curry powder, minced garlic, minced ginger, and sliced green onions. Mix thoroughly and transfer to a resealable bag or container and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

Rinse and soak the garaetteok/tteok in warm water for 10 minutes (skip this step if you have freshly made garaetteok/tteok).

In a non-stick pan on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in the carrots, mushrooms, onion, and cabbage. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.

Next add in the garaetteok/tteok and the marinated chicken (from step 1) along with all of the marinade in the bag. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes, then turn the heat down to MED, put a lid on, and continue to cook until the chicken is nearly done (~10 minutes). Stir occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the pan.

When the chicken is almost ready, add in the instant noodles and submerge it into the ingredients and sauce. Put the lid back on and let it steam for 3-4 minutes until the noodles are soft enough to separate with chopsticks.

Once the noodles, chicken, and garaetteok/tteok are cooked, turn off the heat and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Garnish with chopped green onion. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Mix it all togther, ensure everything is cooked and turn off heat

Summarized Recipe:

Joons’ Dak Galbi – Korean Spicy Chicken Stir Fry with Cheese & Noodles

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:
- 600g chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
- 7 Tbsps (160g) gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/4 cup rice wine
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsps soy sauce
- 2 Tbsps granulated sugar
- 2 tsps curry powder
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsps minced ginger
- 2 green onions, sliced to 4cm pieces
1 medium carrot, julienned or grated on the large hole
250g mushrooms, sliced
1 medium brown onion, sliced
1/4 small (6 cups) cabbage, chopped
25 pieces (180g) garaetteok/tteok (Korean rice cakes)
2 cups (230g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 packets of instant noodles
Garnish: 1 green onion, chopped

Directions:

Marinate the chicken: In a mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients of the chicken marinade: diced chicken thighs, 7 Tbsps gochujang, 1/4 cup rice wine, 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 2 Tbsps soy sauce, 2 Tbsps sugar, 2 tsps curry powder, minced garlic, minced ginger, and sliced green onions. Mix thoroughly and transfer to a resealable bag or container and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
Rinse and soak the garaetteok/tteok in warm water for 10 minutes (skip this step if you have freshly made garaetteok/tteok).
In a non-stick pan on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and add in the carrots, mushrooms, onion, and cabbage. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
Next add in the garaetteok/tteok and the marinated chicken (from step 1) along with all of the marinade in the bag. Sauté for another 3-4 minutes, then turn the heat down to MED, put a lid on, and continue to cook until the chicken is nearly done (~10 minutes). Stir occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the pan.
When the chicken is almost ready, add in the instant noodles and submerge it into the ingredients and sauce. Put the lid back on and let it steam for 3-4 minutes until the noodles are soft enough to separate with chopsticks.
Once the noodles, chicken, and garaetteok/tteok are cooked, turn off the heat and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Garnish with chopped green onion. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

March 7, 2025February 15, 2025

AbbyLeave a comment

Avocado Salsa Verde

Date Published: March 2nd, 2025 | Last Updated: March 2nd, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: dips, vegetarian, easy, healthy, snacks
Serves: 3 cups | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

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Since moving to the US 2 years ago, Toby and I have had a lot more exposure to Mexican/Latin cuisine. There’s a severe lack of good Mexican food in Melbourne and Toby’s mind has been blown away by all the amazing choices within arms reach. Our South Slope neighbourhood is full of so many authentic Mexican restaurants that sometimes we need a Spanish translator app just to order our food (seriously, once we asked one of our Spanish-speaking co-workers to order our food for us 😅). We joke that every new shop is either going to be a cannabis dispensary, bodega, or Mexican restaurant.

We have had more than our share of amazing burritos, tacos, and empanadas in this neighbourhood and it often comes with a red, green, and sometimes orange sauce. These sauces tend to be a house-made chilli salsa in varying degrees of spiciness and no two sauces are the same between restaurants. I usually gravitate towards the green sauce which is made with a green chilli but on one occasion the green sauce had hints of avocado flavour and took me by surprise. It was so good that I went right back and ordered a large container of it just to keep in the fridge. This avocado salsa verde recipe is a result of that sauce. Although I haven’t been able to recreate it to exactly the same sauce, this end result came out so good that I’ve decided to share it anyway. I hope you enjoy!

What are Tomatillos?

A tomatillo is also known as a Mexican husk tomato. To me it looks exactly like a green tomato, but with a papery shell/husk on the outside. You must remove the shell/husk before using them and the underlying skin can have a slightly sticky residue that comes off with a quick rinse. Tomatillos can be used raw or cooked. The flavour of a tomatillo is a bit unique in that in can have a tartness to it when eaten raw, but it mellows out when cooked.

Avoiding a bitter salsa verde

A common complaint when making salsa verde is that it can turn out a bit bitter. I came across this in my first few batches and it took a bit of research to figure out why – the tomatillos! Before this recipe, tomatillos were foreign to me and I had to learn how to use them. They are the most common cause for a bitter salsa verde due to a number of reasons:

Unripe tomatillos – a ripe tomatillo should be:
- Bright green under the husk
- Have a tight husk (the fruit fills up the husk rather than a small and shrunken fruit within which can indicate that it was harvested too early)
- Have some firmness but not too hard (under-ripe) nor mushy (over-ripe)
Overcooked tomatillos – tomatillos should be cooked until they just turn colour from a bright green to a more pale/army green colour. Overcooking your tomatillo is one of the most common causes for bitterness.
Remove the ribs and stem base – The stem base can be a cause of bitterness so I like to remove it before blending it in my salsa. Some people also claim that the seeds and ribs can also cause the bitter flavour and will scoop it out as well.
Taste! The best way to avoid a bitter salsa verde is to taste your tomatillos and its components after its cooked before blending it with the rest of your ingredients so you know if you need to make any corrections.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2-3 (200g) tomatillos
1 medium (100g) avocado, deseeded and peeled (weight is after deseeding and peeling)
1 large (90g) red shallot (or a quarter of a red onion)
7g cilantro, leaves and stem
1/2 (10g) fresh jalapeño, deseeded, for mildly spicy. Add more to your liking, you can also use serrano chili
2 large (7g) garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp salt, or more to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

Remove the outer husks of the tomatillos, rinse off the sticky residue, remove the rib/stem base, then place it on a baking tray. Add a drizzle of oil over the tomatillos and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until soft with a light golden brown on top (the colour will turn from a bright green to a lighter/army green).

Not pictured: remember to remove the rib/stem base before using in your sauce

While the tomatillos are roasting, prepare and add the rest of the ingredients to a blender: avocado, red shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and salt.

Once the tomatillos are done roasting, add them to the blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend on HIGH until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice, and jalapeños to your liking. Done!

Tip: If it’s too spicy, add more avocado.

Summarized Recipe:

Avocado Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

2-3 (200g) tomatillos
1 medium (100g) avocado, deseeded and peeled (weight is after deseeding and peeling)
1 large (90g) red shallot (or a quarter of a red onion)
7g cilantro, leaves and stem
1/2 (10g) fresh jalapeño, deseeded, for mildly spicy. Add more to your liking, you can also use serrano chili
2 large (7g) garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp salt, or more to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
Remove the outer husks of the tomatillos, give it a rinse, then place it on a baking tray. Add a drizzle of oil over the tomatillos and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until soft with a light golden brown on top (the colour will turn from a bright green to a lighter/army green).
While the tomatillos are roasting, prepare and add the rest of the ingredients to a blender: avocado, red shallots, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and salt.
Once the tomatillos are done roasting, add them to the blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend on HIGH until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, lime juice, and jalapeños to your liking. Done!
- Tip: If it’s too spicy, add more avocado.

March 2, 2025December 24, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Brown Butter Carrot Purée with Roasted Carrots

Date Published: Feb 25th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 25th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: sides, vegetarian, easy, <30 mins
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

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I’m obsessed with anything brown butter. Seriously. What’s not to love? It’s nutty, umami, complex, flavourful, and is just such a unique flavour that it can’t be substituted anyway else. Any time there’s mention of brown butter on a menu, I’m all over it. This dish came to me at our friend Amy’s wedding in Melbourne a few years ago. It was a beautiful wedding in an intimate venue and although the weather could’ve been better, the heartfelt speeches and the amazing family-style food made it a wonderful evening. This roasted brown butter carrot dish was my absolute favourite of the night and I’m pretty sure I had more than my fair share 🤫. After the wedding I obsessed until I was able to recreate this dish myself. So here I am again, sharing the fruits of my labour. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!

This dish tastes luxurious and is actually so easy to make. It’s a perfect side dish to serve when you’re wanting to impress! The nutty butter carrot purée paired with the roasted carrots are the perfect combination.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

113g/1 stick unsalted butter
500g Dutch carrots, leaves removed, peeled, and kept whole
500g large carrots, peeled and sliced
Drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup whole milk (or more)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 190˚C/375˚F.

Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Place the whole Dutch carrots in one and the sliced carrots in the other. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each tray and mix thoroughly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until roasted and tender.

They’re cooked when they’re soft enough to pierce with a fork

While the carrots are baking, make the brown butter: In a saucepan on MED heat, add the butter to the pan and occasionally stir until you get browned bits on the bottom then remove from heat into a separate bowl to cool.

You can refer to this more thorough guide for browning butter here.

When the carrots have cooked, add the sliced carrots into a blender (set aside the whole Dutch carrots for later). Pour the brown butter over the sliced carrots in the blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend on HIGH until you get a smooth purée. If the purée is too thick to blend, add 1 Tbsps of milk at a time until you get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

To plate: Spread the puréed brown butter carrots (from step 4) onto a plate, then place the cooked whole Dutch carrots over top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Brown Butter Carrot Purée with Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:

113g/1 stick unsalted butter
500g Dutch carrots, leaves removed, peeled, and kept whole
500g large carrots, peeled and sliced
Drizzle of olive oil
1/4 cup whole milk (or more)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C/350˚F.
Prepare 2 lined baking trays. Place the whole Dutch carrots in one and the sliced carrots in the other. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to each tray and mix thoroughly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until roasted and tender.
While the carrots are baking, make the brown butter: In a saucepan on MED heat, add the butter to the pan and occasionally stir until you get browned bits on the bottom then remove from heat into a separate bowl to cool.
- You can refer to this more thorough guide for browning butter here.
When the carrots have cooked, add the sliced carrots into a blender (set aside the whole Dutch carrots for later). Pour the brown butter over the sliced carrots in the blender along with 1/4 cup of milk. Blend on HIGH until you get a smooth purée. If the purée is too thick to blend, add 1 Tbsps of milk at a time until you get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
To plate: Spread the puréed brown butter carrots (from step 4) onto a plate, then place the cooked whole Dutch carrots over top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

February 25, 2025December 24, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (a Panera copycat)

Date Published: Feb 20th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 20th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: < 30mins, easy, soup, vegetarian, mains, quick
Serves: 6 as a main | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

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There’s something about Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup that just spells out warm and cozy. This recipe is a copycat version of said soup. It’s quick, easy, and in no way light on the calories. It packs in the butter, cream, milk, and cheese. This soup is to be made for those indulgent meals where you just don’t give a f*ck. It’s an easy crowd pleaser and a big pot can be whipped up in no time. Feel free to add in shredded chicken and extra chicken to round out this soup.

Happy cooking!

This recipe is adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Ingredients you’ll need:

113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups (1L) chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 large head (500g) of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large (~2 cups) carrot, julienned or grated large through large holes
500g cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot on MED heat, melt the 1 stick of butter then add in the diced onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions soften.

Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of flour over the onions and mix well. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring.

Pour in the 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of heavy cream, and 2 cups of milk. Mix well, then turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down LOW-MED.

Add in the broccoli and carrots and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.

Add the cheddar cheese and ground nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has fully melted then taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Done! Serve with some bread and an additional sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.

Optional step: to make the soup thicker, you can remove 4-5 ladles of soup into a separate bowl and blend until thickened then pour it back into the pot.

Summarized Recipe:

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (a Panera copycat)

Ingredients:

113g (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups (1L) chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 large head (500g) of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large (~2 cups) carrot, julienned or grated through large holes
500g cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot on MED heat, melt the 1 stick of butter then add in the diced onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions soften.
Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of flour over the onions and mix well. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes while continuously stirring.
Pour in the 4 cups of chicken stock, 2 cups of heavy cream, and 2 cups of milk. Mix well, then turn the heat up to HIGH to bring the soup to a boil, then turn it down LOW-MED.
Add in the broccoli and carrots and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
Add the cheddar cheese and ground nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has fully melted then taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Done! Serve with some bread and an additional sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.
- Optional step: to make the soup thicker, you can remove 4-5 ladles of soup into a separate bowl and blend until thickened then pour it back into the pot.

February 20, 2025December 24, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Philly Cheesesteak – “Whiz Wit Mushrooms”

Date Published: Feb 15th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 15th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

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Since moving to New York nearly 2 years ago, we’ve visited Philadelphia a handful of times. This city is full of rich history and endless food options. Of course with this being a food blog, no trip to Philly is complete without a cheesesteak. There are debates over who has the best cheesesteaks, with top 2 mentions from locals being Jim’s South St. and D’alessandro’s and the more tourist-driven places being Pat’s and Geno’s. So far, Jim’s South St. is our favourite.

If you’re looking for the best cheesesteak in Philly, check out my separate post below!

The Ultimate Guide to Top Philly Cheesesteak Spots

This is my ultimate guide to Philly Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia! I’ve made it my personal mission to try as many popular cheesesteak spots as I can find through online research,…

Keep reading

by Abby March 25, 2025September 8, 2025

This sandwich is a local favourite and I’m sure every Philadelphian will have their own go-to spot and opinions on how a good cheesesteak should be. In this recipe I’ve written it to how I prefer my cheesesteaks (with mushrooms, onions, cheez whiz and provolone), but it is very customizable to tailor to your liking.

What is a Philly Cheesesteak? What makes it so special?

A Philly Cheesesteak is a sandwich that is essentially bread, cooked steak, and cheese. The combination of these 3 ingredients don’t sound like much, but it’s the quality of the bread, the tenderness and juiciness of the beef, and the cheesy goodness all combined together that makes this sandwich magical. There’s no fancy truffle aioli, or a complex combination of marinades and spices. It’s just simple ingredients made well. Also be prepared – a good cheesesteak tends to be pretty greasy so pack your wet wipes!

Dissecting the Philly Cheeseteak:

Bread:

You want a sandwich roll that’s got a light crust on the outside (but not hard like a baguette) and soft on the inside. You don’t want the bread too soft like a hotdog bun or else the juices from the sandwich will make the bread soggy and it won’t hold up. I went for a locally available “hero roll” at my bodega.

Usually the bread is not toasted in a traditional cheesesteak, but for my recipe I’ve done a quick broil in the oven so the bread gets a little more crunch to hold up to the moisture of the beef a little better.

Steak:

Although more expensive, rib eye steak is the go-to choice for a Philly cheesesteak. It’s a good quality cut with enough marbled fat to give it extra flavour. A cheaper alternative is skirt steak. The steak needs to be very thinly sliced to achieve the right texture, so you can either slice it yourself if you happen to have a deli meat slicer at home (we just got one recently!), freeze the steak for 20 minutes to firm up the beef to make it easier to slice by hand with a knife, or ask your butcher to slice it for you. Another alternative is to buy the pre-sliced frozen beef at Asian grocery stores in the hotpot freezer section.

Toby playing with our new meat slicer for the first time!

Cheese: Provolone, Cheez Whiz, or American Cheese?

When Toby and I went to order our first ever Philly Cheesesteak, we had no idea that there were cheese options! The guy at Jim’s didn’t specifically ask us what cheese we wanted. He instead asked “Provolone?”. In a moment of panic, we just said “yes”. Surely provolone is the most popular option, otherwise he would’ve led with a different cheese choice, right? When we unwrapped our cheesesteak, it was decent, but I couldn’t really taste the provolone and it didn’t look ooey gooey with cheese as I had imagined it. For a cheesesteak, I was expecting big cheesy flavours so we were a little disappointed. Maybe we chose the wrong cheese? Maybe we should get extra cheese? After polishing off our sandwich, Toby went right back in line and ordered another one, this time with BOTH provolone and Cheez Whiz. After taking the first bite, we were in love! This was it. The Cheez Whiz made all the difference. This gooey fake cheese product penetrated through the layers of the beef and onions and melded the flavours together into a mess of greasy cheesy delicious goodness. I now understand why this sandwich is a classic. For my recipe, I’ve included both provolone and Cheez Whiz below, but feel free to change it up to your liking.

A cheesesteak at Jim’s South St. in Philadelphia

Fun fact: local slang for a cheesesteak with onions and Cheez Wiz is called a “Whiz wit“. If you don’t want onions, it’s called a “Whiz without“!

Onions (optional):

Onions are optional, but essential in my opinion. They’re usually cooked to just browned and softened with a bit of a bite. I prefer the cheesesteak joints that take it a little further and slightly caramelize the onions to add a bit of sweetness to a sandwich that’s full of cheese and salty meat. In my recipe below, the onions are slightly caramelized but feel free to cook it as much or as little as you like.

Mushrooms (optional):

Sautéed mushrooms are also another must for me, but I just love mushrooms in general. I find that it adds a nice texture to the sandwich, but Toby prefers it without.

Other toppings:

Other toppings you’ll often find are sautéed bell peppers, hot banana peppers, relish, ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. I prefer my cheesesteak with just onions and mushrooms, but Toby likes to add relish for a bit of sweet vinegary kick.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 + 1 Tbsp of bacon fat/neutral oil
2 large onions, diced
Drizzle of olive oil
300g white mushrooms, sliced
2 sandwich/hoagie rolls
6 slices of provolone cheese
1 pound/500g rib eye steak, sliced as thin as possible
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup of Cheez Whiz

Directions:

Cook the onions: In a wide skillet on MED heat, melt 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and add in the diced onions. Cook until the onions slightly caramelize and brown (~20-30 minutes) – you don’t want to fully caramelize it, but with a bit of bite and sweetness. When finished, remove the onions into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Cook the mushrooms: In the same skillet on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper until cooked (5 minutes). Remove the cooked mushrooms into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Optional step: Toast the bread: Slice each bread roll lengthways without fully cutting through, and lay open on a baking tray. Brush a small amount of olive oil onto the inside of the bread and toast in the oven on the BROIL setting for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

Cook the steak: In the same skillet on MED heat, melt another 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and add in the rib eye steak slices. Add a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper and continue to sauté until the steak is fully cooked (~5 minutes). Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Turn the heat off.

Assemble the sandwich:

Add 3 slices of provolone cheese to one side of each sandwich.

Spoon the cooked onions (from step 1) and cooked mushrooms (from step 2) to the other side of each sandwich.

Add the just-cooked hot steak (from step 4) over the provolone cheese (if it’s not hot, turn on the heat to warm up the steak so it melts the provolone when you add it on top).

Microwave the Cheeze Whiz for 30 seconds until it’s warmed and gooey, then drizzle on 1/4 cup of the cheese whiz over the steak on each sandwich.

Close the sandwich and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Philly Cheesesteak – “Whiz Wit Mushrooms”

Date Published: Feb 15th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 15th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy
Serves: 2 | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

1 + 1 Tbsp of bacon fat/neutral oil
2 large onions, diced
Drizzle of olive oil
300g white mushrooms, sliced
2 sandwich/hoagie rolls
6 slices of provolone cheese
1 pound/500g rib eye steak, sliced as thin as possible
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup of Cheez Whiz

Directions:

Cook the onions: In a wide skillet on MED heat, melt 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and add in the diced onions. Cook until the onions slightly caramelize and brown (~20-30 minutes) – you don’t want to fully caramelize it, but with a bit of bite and sweetness. When finished, remove the onions into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
Cook the mushrooms: In the same skillet on MED heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper until cooked (5 minutes). Remove the cooked mushrooms into a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
Optional step: Toast the bread: Slice each bread roll lengthways without fully cutting through, and lay open on a baking tray. Brush a small amount of olive oil onto the inside of the bread and toast in the oven on the BROIL setting for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
Cook the steak: In the same skillet on MED heat, melt another 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and add in the rib eye steak slices. Add a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper and continue to sauté until the steak is fully cooked (~5 minutes). Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Turn the heat off.
Assemble the sandwich:
- Add 3 slices of provolone cheese to one side of each sandwich.
- Spoon the cooked onions (from step 1) and cooked mushrooms (from step 2) to the other side of each sandwich.
- Add the just-cooked hot steak (from step 4) over the provolone cheese (if it’s not hot, turn on the heat to warm up the steak so it melts the provolone when you add it on top).
- Microwave the Cheeze Whiz for 30 seconds until it’s warmed and gooey, then drizzle on 1/4 cup of the cheese whiz over the steak on each sandwich.
- Close the sandwich and serve immediately. Enjoy!

February 15, 2025July 12, 2025

AbbyLeave a comment

French Dip with Caraway Focaccia Bread and Horseradish Chives Cream Cheese

Date Published: Feb 10th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 10th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: mains
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 3 hours | Cook time: 3 hours

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If you haven’t guessed it already, my last three published recipes have been gearing up for this one! This recipe makes the most incredible juicy roast beef sandwich that is balanced with a subtle hint of horseradish masked in the chives cream cheese, and placed between soft fresh focaccia bread topped with caraway seeds. The homemade jus made from the roast beef drippings bring it all together in this amazing sandwich. *chef’s kiss*

I’m going to admit, this combination of flavours is not my original idea. This sandwich is a copycat to a French dip that we had at WINNER Bakery in Brooklyn on 7th Ave a few months ago. If you’ve never been, you should definitely hit them up. There’s usually a queue but their sandwiches and breads are well worth it! I tried this sandwich for the first time a few months ago when I was strolling home from the farmer’s market, and the combination of flavours were so good that I had to bring Toby back to try it. I wanted this sandwich all the time, but at $20 a pop for a small sandwich and the long queue, it wasn’t going to be an everyday sandwich. I thought about this sandwich frequently and knew I just had to give it a go and try to make it myself – and I did! In my humble opinion (and Toby’s), I think my version is even better than the original with a more flavourful jus. I use a focaccia instead of a bun and fresh roast beef. The best part is that I can pack on as much roast beef and cream cheese I want and have it again and again. This recipe make enough for at least 6 sandwiches (if you’re a cream cheese fiend, you may want to double the horseradish chives cream cheese portion).

Where it all began – the French Dip sandwich at WINNER Bakery, Brooklyn

Everything is made from scratch in this recipe. I mean everything, from the bread to the roast beef to even the prepared horseradish. It is a labour of love so you’ll need to dedicate your morning to this. The good thing is, there’s a lot of waiting (ie. for the beef to come to room temperature, for the dough to proof, for the beef to cook), so you can do multiple steps while you’re waiting to cut down on the overall time to make this sandwich. If you’re in a rush, you can cut corners by using store bought roast beef deli slices, pre-made jus, and any kind of sandwich bread. The only thing you can’t buy is the horseradish chive cream cheese, which is pretty easy to whip up anyway. I’d highly recommend not cutting any corners to get the full experience of this beauty.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Roast Beef:
- 2 lbs chuck roast/whole eye round/rump roast (I like to use chuck roast with some marbling)
- 2 + 2 Tbsps salt
- 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Olive oil
Caraway Seed Focaccia:
- 1 x basic dough ball
- Olive oil drizzle
- Salt
- 1/4 cup Caraway seeds
Au Jus:
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 Tbsp Worccestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsps red wine (ie. pinot noir)
- +/- butter
- +/- beef bouillon cube
- Salt to taste
Horseradish & Chives Cream Cheese:
- 1 package (8oz/226g) of plain cream cheese, softened
- 3 Tbsps (7g) of fresh chives, chopped
- 1-2 Tbsps horseradish (or more to taste) – check out how to make your own horseradish from scratch here
- Salt to taste

Directions:

Roast Beef:

Take the beef out of the fridge 2 hours before. Rinse, pat dry and salt all sides. Wrap it back up in plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.

You can make the caraway focaccia bread in this time.

After 2 hours, preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C (if it’s not already preheated from baking the focaccia). Unwrap the beef and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a pairing knife and create 5 slits into both sides of the roast and push a clove of garlic into each slit. Rub salt (yes, more salt), fresh ground black pepper, and olive oil on all sides of the beef. Cover again and leave at room temperature for another 20 minutes.

Prepare a baking tray with a metal rack over top and place the beef on the rack. Rub a small amount of olive oil on the outside one more time. If you have a layer on your beef, face the fat layer on top so the fat will drip onto the meat as it cooks. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the middle of the beef if you’ve got one. Bake in the preheated oven at 400˚F/200˚C for 15 minutes to start the browning process, then turn the heat down to 325˚F/163˚C and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 120˚F/49˚C (roughly 1.5-2.5 hours, depending on the size of your beef).

You can make the horseradish chives cream cheese in this time.

Once done cooking, let the roast rest for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before slicing.

You can make the au jus in this time.

When rested, use a sharp knife or deli meat slicer and slice the roast into very thin slices.

Use a knife or deli slicer to slice the beef into thin pieces

Caraway Focaccia Bread:

Follow the recipe for Easy Focaccia Bread. When you get to the toppings part, use 1/4 cup caraway seeds and a sprinkle of salt with the olive oil. Bake according to instructions at 400˚F/200˚C for 20-25mins.

After baking, brush on another 2 Tbsps of olive oil over the top. Let it rest for a few minutes then transfer on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

Horseradish & Chives Cream Cheese:

In a mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, chopped chives, and the horseradish 1 teaspoon at a time until desired taste (horseradish can be very strong and some brands are hotter than others, so add small amounts until you’re happy).

Au Jus:

Once the roast beef has finished cooking, collect the drippings from the roast tray into a small saucepan. You should have about 1/4 cup (if not, add enough butter to make it 1/4 cup).

Add 1 cup of beef stock, 1 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce and 2 Tbsps of red wine to the saucepan and heat on MED heat until simmering. Taste and adjust salt as needed. To make it a more robust beefy flavour, add in 1 beef bouillon cube.

Assembly of the sandwich:

Slice the focaccia into desired sandwich size rectangles, then slice it horizontally.

Apply a layer of the horseradish & chives sour cream onto one slice of the bread, then sandwich a few slices of roast beef in between. Serve with the jus. Done! Serve immediately with a hot jus.

Summarized Recipe:

French Dip with Caraway Focaccia Bread and Horseradish Chives Cream Cheese

Date Published: Feb 10th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 10th, 2025
Author: Abby | Category: mains
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 3 hours | Cook time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

Roast Beef:
- 2 lbs chuck roast/whole eye round/rump roast (I like to use chuck roast with some marbling)
- 2 + 2 Tbsps salt
- 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Olive oil
Caraway Seed Focaccia:
- 1 x basic dough ball
- Olive oil drizzle
- Salt
- 1/4 cup Caraway seeds
Au Jus:
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 Tbsp Worccestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsps red wine (ie. pinot noir)
- +/- butter
- +/- beef bouillon cube
- Salt to taste
Horseradish & Chives Cream Cheese:
- 1 package (8oz/226g) of plain cream cheese, softened
- 3 Tbsps (7g) of fresh chives, chopped
- 1-2 Tbsps horseradish (or more to taste)
- Salt to taste

Directions:

Roast Beef:

Take the beef out of the fridge 2 hours before and salt all sides. Wrap it back up in plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.
- You can make the caraway focaccia bread in this time.
After 2 hours, preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C (if it’s not already preheated from baking the focaccia). Unwrap the beef and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a pairing knife and create 5 slits into both sides of the roast and push a clove of garlic into each slit. Rub salt (yes, more salt), fresh ground black pepper, and olive oil on all sides of the beef. Cover again and leave at room temperature for another 20 minutes.
Prepare a baking tray with a metal rack over top and place the beef on the rack. Rub a small amount of olive oil on the outside one more time. If you have a layer on your beef, face the fat layer on top so the fat will drip onto the meat as it cooks. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the middle of the beef if you’ve got one. Bake in the preheated oven at 400˚F/200˚C for 15 minutes to start the browning process, then turn the heat down to 325˚F/163˚C and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 120˚F/49˚C (roughly 1.5-2.5 hours, depending on the size of your beef).
- You can make the horseradish chives cream cheese in this time.
Once done cooking, let the roast rest for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before slicing.
- You can make the au jus in this time.
When rested, use a sharp knife or deli meat slicer and slice the roast into very thin slices.

Caraway Focaccia Bread:

Follow the recipe for Easy Focaccia Bread. When you get to the toppings part, use 1/4 cup caraway seeds and a sprinkle of salt with the olive oil. Bake according to instructions at 400˚F/200˚C for 20-25mins.

Horseradish & Chives Cream Cheese:

In a mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, chopped chives, and the horseradish 1 teaspoon at a time until desired taste (horseradish can be very strong and some brands are hotter than others, so add small amounts until you’re happy).
- Making your own horseradish:
  - 1. Add 240g horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup).
  - 2. Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

Au Jus:

Once the roast beef has finished cooking, collect the drippings from the roast tray into a small saucepan. You should have about 1/4 cup (if not, add enough butter to make it 1/4 cup).
Add 1 cup of beef stock, 1 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce and 2 Tbsps of red wine to the saucepan and heat on MED heat until simmering. Taste and adjust salt as needed. To make it a more robust beefy flavour, add in 1 beef bouillon cube.

Assembly of the sandwich:

Slice the focaccia into desired sandwich size rectangles, then slice it horizontally.
Apply a layer of the horseradish & chives sour cream onto one slice of the bread, then sandwich a few slices of roast beef in between. Serve with the jus. Done! Serve immediately with a hot jus.

February 10, 2025December 24, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Classic Juicy Roast Beef

Date Published: Feb 5th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 5th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 2.5 hours | Cook time: 2 hours

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This classic roast beef recipe is easy and guarantees juicy and tender results. All you need is beef, garlic, salt, and pepper as the ingredients and a little patience. Most of the work is in the prep, which is essentially rubbing salt and pepper and inserting cloves of garlic, then slow roasting it in the oven. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for it to rest before diving in!

Which cut of beef to choose?

When it comes to choosing which cut of beef to use, there are many choices. The most common cuts are top round, bottom round (rump roast), eye of round, and top sirloin. These are leaner cuts and are best suited for slicing thinly for sandwiches, but it can be a little tough and chewy if you can’t slice it thin enough.

If you’re making a roast beef to serve on its own in thick slices, choose a cut with some fat marbling for better flavour and tenderness (such as chuck roast, prime rib, sirloin, or rib eye).

If you’re struggling to find a specific cut of meat, this roast beef recipe is pretty forgiving – essentially get anything that is a big chunk of meat that resembles a roast and it should be fine. If it’s on the leaner side, then it’s best to slice it thin for sandwiches.

What’s the secret to a juicy roast beef?

Browning the outside to seal in the juices – This is achieved either by searing the meat separately before putting it in the oven, or cranking up the heat briefly at the start of cooking, then turning it down low. You can do either with this recipe. I’ve done it the oven-method to save on cleaning.
Cook it low and slow – After the browning process, turning down the heat and slowly cooking the roast will ensure that the juices are slowly released as it cooks.
A meat thermometer is important – Overcooked beef becomes dry and tough. The best way to avoid this is to get an oven-safe thermometer, ideally with a temperature timer so you can set it and forget it.
Letting it rest appropriately before resting – As tempting as it is, slicing a piping hot roast that has just come out of the oven will make the juices drip out from the meat and evaporate from the heat, causing it to dry out quickly. To avoid this, you must let the roast rest for at least 20-30 minutes after taking it out of the oven to allow the juices to be maintained in the meat. I usually leave my meat thermometer in after taking it out of the oven and once the temperature stops climbing, that’s when I know it’s time to slice.

What to do with leftover roast beef?

A 3 pound roast is a hefty amount of meat and you’re bound to get leftovers, especially if you’re only cooking for 2 people. Here are a number of ideas to help you use up the leftovers:

Steak & Blue Cheese Salad
Beef stroganoff
Shepherd’s/Cottage Pie
Beef stew
Chillis
Quesadillas
Nachos
Philly Cheesesteaks

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2-3 pounds/1-1.3kg chuck roast/whole eye round/rump roast (I like to use chuck roast with some marbling)
2 + 2 Tbsps salt
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
Fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil

Directions:

Take the beef out of the fridge 2 hours before. Rinse, pat dry and salt all sides. Wrap it back up in plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.

After 2 hours, preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C. Unwrap the beef and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a pairing knife and create 5 slits into both sides of the roast and push a clove of garlic into each slit. Rub salt (yes, more salt), fresh ground black pepper, and olive oil on all sides of the beef. Cover again and leave at room temperature for another 20 minutes.

Once done cooking, let the roast rest for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before slicing.

If you’re using this for sandwiches, use a sharp knife or deli meat slicer and slice the roast into very thin slices.

Summarized Recipe:

Classic Juicy Roast Beef

Date Published: Feb 5th, 2025 | Last Updated: Feb 5th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: mains, easy
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 2.5 hours | Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

2 – 3 lbs chuck roast/whole eye round/rump roast (I like to use chuck roast with some marbling)
2 + 2 Tbsps salt
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
Fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil

Directions:

Take the beef out of the fridge 2 hours before and salt all sides. Wrap it back up in plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.
After 2 hours, preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C. Unwrap the beef and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a pairing knife and create 5 slits into both sides of the roast and push a clove of garlic into each slit. Rub salt (yes, more salt), fresh ground black pepper, and olive oil on all sides of the beef. Cover again and leave at room temperature for another 20 minutes.
Prepare a baking tray with a metal rack over top and place the beef on the rack. Rub a small amount of olive oil on the outside one more time. If you have a layer on your beef, face the fat layer on top so the fat will drip onto the meat as it cooks. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the middle of the beef if you’ve got one. Bake in the preheated oven at 400˚F/200˚C for 15 minutes to start the browning process, then turn the heat down to 325˚F/163˚C and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 120˚F/49˚C (roughly 1.5-2.5 hours, depending on the size of your beef).
Once done cooking, let the roast rest for 20-30 minutes at room temperature before slicing.
- If you’re using this for sandwiches, use a sharp knife or deli meat slicer and slice the roast into very thin slices.

February 5, 2025December 22, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

Easy Focaccia Bread

Date Published: Jan 31st, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 31st, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: breads, how-to, easy, <30 mins, appetizers, basics, pastry, snacks, vegetarian
Serves: 1 pan | Prep time: 1.5 hours | Cook time: 25 minutes

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Making your own focaccia bread is incredibly easy and so customizable. With this recipe, you can make any flavour of focaccia you like and you can be as creative and artistic as you like. Go crazy with your focaccia art!

This recipe uses my basic dough recipe, which can be used for so many other things as well – think halloumi cheese pie, za’atar manakish (Lebanese flatbread), pizza dough, flat bread! You can follow the recipe for the basic dough here, but I’ve also outlined the gist of the recipe in a series of photos in this post.

My Go-To Basic Dough

This is my go-to recipe for a basic bread-based dish (ie. flatbread, pizza, manakish, cheese pocket…etc). It only requires 5 ingredients + water and comes together so easily. Make it an hour or two ahead of time and…

Keep reading

by Abby July 13, 2020December 22, 2024

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

One ball of basic dough, after proofing: follow the instructions here
- 1 Tbsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup (250ml) warm water
- 3 cups (432g) all purpose flour + extra for dusting/kneading
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
3 + 2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
+ Any toppings you want (tomatoes, black olives, caramelized onions, feta cheese, parmesan, basil, honey…etc.)
- I like to infuse the olive oil with rosemary, lemon zest and garlic as a topping

Directions:

Make one basic dough ball (you can double the recipe for a thicker focaccia): follow the instructions here, I’ve summarized the process in a series of photos below.

1 Tbsp active dry yeast + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

Place a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a 9″x13″ pan and spread it around to coat the entire pan, including the sides and edges. Place your dough ball in the pan and gently spread it out to the edges ensuring even thickness. If your dough is difficult to spread out to the edges and is tearing, wait 5-10 mins and try again (letting the dough rest relaxes the gluten).

Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for another 20 minutes to relax the dough.

Use your fingers and make indents all over dough to release any air pockets.

Brush 3 Tbsps of olive oil over the bread then add your choice of toppings (I used caraway seeds and salt in the photos). Gently press down on the toppings into the bread and use your fingers to make indents again.

Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 mins until the top is golden. Rotate your pan halfway through so the top cooks evenly.

After baking, brush on another 2 Tbsps of olive oil over the top. Let it rest for a few minutes then transfer on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Easy Focaccia Bread

Ingredients:

One ball of basic dough, after proofing:
- 1 Tbsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup (250ml) warm water
- 3 cups (432g) all purpose flour + extra for dusting/kneading
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
3 + 2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil
+ Any toppings you want (tomatoes, black olives, caramelized onions, feta cheese, parmesan, basil, honey…etc.)
- I like to infuse the olive oil with rosemary, lemon zest and garlic as a topping

Directions:

Make one basic dough ball (you can double the recipe for a thicker focaccia)
Preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
Place a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a 9″x13″ pan and spread it around to coat the entire pan, including the sides and edges.
Place your dough ball in the pan and gently spread it out to the edges ensuring even thickness. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside for 20 minutes to relax the dough.
- If your dough is difficult to spread out to the edges and is tearing, wait 5-10 mins and try again (letting the dough rest relaxes the gluten).
After 20 minutes, use your fingers and make indents all over dough to release any air bubbles.
Brush 3 Tbsps of olive oil over the bread then add your choice of toppings (I used caraway seeds and salt in the photos). Gently press down on the toppings into the bread and use your fingers to make indents again.
Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 mins until the top is golden. Rotate your pan halfway through so the top cooks evenly.
After baking, brush on another 2 Tbsps of olive oil over the top. Let it rest for a few minutes then transfer on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

January 31, 2025December 22, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment

How to make horseradish from scratch

Date Published: Jan 26th, 2025 | Last Updated: Jan 26th, 2025
Author: Abby |Category: basics, how-to, <15 mins, easy, sauces, vegetarian
Serves: 1 jar | Prep time: 5 mins | Blend time: 1 minute

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I’m not a fan of horseradish, but recently I needed a small amount for a new recipe I was trying out and for whatever reason I couldn’t find any jarred horseradish at the bodegas near me. Surprisingly, I did manage to find fresh horseradish root instead. I’ve never used fresh horseradish before (I thought the shop worker was giving me a parsnip 😅), but a quick google search showed how easy it was to make my own prepared horseradish. So here I am, sharing another recipe with everyone on what I’ve learned and to document it incase I’m ever in the same situation again in the future. Preparing your own horseradish is actually super easy and you can tailor it to how spicy, mild, or salty you like. The best part is that it keeps in the fridge for months, which perfect if you go through a jar of horseradish super slowly like me.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and chop up the horseradish root.

2. Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup). Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.

3. Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Done!

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

Summarized Recipe:

How to make horseradish from scratch

Ingredients:

240g horseradish root, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Wash, peel, and chop the horseradish root.
Add the horseradish root (peeled and chopped) to a small blender or food processor and add enough water to blend the horseradish into a smooth purée (I added about 1/4 cup).
- Be careful when opening the blender lid. Horseradish can be pretty pungent and can sting your eyes like an onion if you get a big enough whiff.
Once blended, strain out any excess water, then add in 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to offset the spiciness. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.

January 26, 2025December 22, 2024

AbbyLeave a comment