235 stale recipes

Homemade chocolate fondant candies made from a sugar syrup cooked to firm-ball stage, kneaded with unsweetened chocolate, then finished with pecans or dipped in white chocolate.

Roasted Cornish hens brushed with olive oil, parsley, and thyme, served with pan-gravy mushrooms, glazed carrots, and Brussels sprouts. A rustic Sunday dinner plate, scaled small.

Old-school Italian focaccia built on a two-stage rise, olive oil, and unbleached flour. A chewy, golden flatbread ready for any topping from rosemary to olives.

Incredibly moist, aromatic and tasty. So easy to make, definitely a keeper!

Master method for cooking duck: first steam to render fat and tenderize, then roast at moderate heat for crisp skin. The two-stage technique pros use for perfectly rendered, crackling-skinned duck.

Vodka witch's brew is a Halloween punch with apple juice, lime, vodka, and lime sherbet floated in club soda. Eerily green, slushy, and easy to scale up for a crowd of 16.

Crispy skinned red snapper crusted with eight spices including Szechuan peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, and cumin. Pan-seared then oven-roasted for shatteringly crisp skin.

Authentic Swiss fondue from Neuchatel with Emmentaler, Gruyere, dry white wine, and kirsch. Per-person measurements so you can scale to any gathering. Served with crusty bread cubes.

Peanut fudge is old-school stovetop chocolate fudge made with milk, corn syrup, and unsweetened chocolate, beaten to the classic soft-ball stage and loaded with salted peanuts.

Whole grilled sea bass over a raw winter slaw of julienned carrot, parsnip, and celeriac with toasted walnuts and champagne vinegar. Bistro-style dinner for two in 30 minutes.

Old-fashioned coconut fudge candy shaped into little haystacks. Brown sugar, butter, and shredded coconut cooked to soft-ball stage, then dropped onto wax paper. Makes about 60 pieces.

Cold-smoked grilled pompano with a smoked tomato and aged balsamic vinaigrette. A two-stage technique that builds deep smoke and char on a rich Gulf Coast game fish.

Smoked and grilled pompano with a raw smoked-tomato and balsamic vinaigrette. A two-stage seafood main that builds wood smoke into the fish and a bright tomato dressing.

Chocolate praline truffles with homemade caramelized almond praline powder, semi-sweet chocolate ganache, orange liqueur, and a hand-rolled cocoa-dusted shell. A three-stage holiday confection worth the effort.

Pan-fried white perch in a crispy beer batter with cornmeal, dill, and paprika. A simple skillet fish recipe that delivers golden, crunchy fillets with tender, flaky flesh inside.

Massive fire camp chili recipe scaled to feed 1,200 people. Pinto beans, ground beef, bacon, jalapenos, and chili powder simmered for 6 hours over an open fire. A true crowd feeder.