808 style recipes

Louisiana-style baked beans dressed up with sauteed onion, green pepper, ham, honey and brown sugar, with a Worcestershire-and-hot-sauce kick. A 30-minute Creole spin on canned pork and beans.

Iced mint green tea spiked with sake and honey, steeped with fresh mint leaves, and finished with a lemongrass stalk stirrer. A refreshing cocktail-style summer drink with an easy non-alcoholic version.

Chinese-bakery style almond cookies with shortening, brown sugar, and a whole blanched almond pressed into each round. Egg yolk wash gives the signature glossy golden top from your favorite dim sum tray.

Stuffed eggplant pickles filled with minced cabbage, red bell pepper, garlic, and dill, tied with softened celery ribs and fermented in vinegar brine. A traditional Middle Eastern style pickle ready in 2 to 3 weeks.

Smoke-at-home beef brisket with simple salt and pepper rub, cooked low and slow over oak or hickory chips for 8 to 9 hours. The Texas-style technique that turns tough muscle into fall-apart tender.

A simple French-style onion soup for two: one big onion browned in butter, simmered in broth, and topped with toasted bread and melted cheese. Comfort food in 30 minutes with just 4 ingredients.

Maryland-style crab soup simmered with beef shin, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, and a pound and a half of crab meat. A slow-cooked Chesapeake Bay classic loaded with briny sweetness and deep beefy broth.

Yeast dough pinwheels filled with fruit preserves, shaped into a windmill pattern, and baked until golden. A European-style pastry with a soft, brioche-like dough and a jewel of jam in the center.

Crisp whole wheat oatmeal cookies spiced with ginger and allspice, made with bran and brown sugar. Egg-free and simple to roll and cut, these British-style biscuits are wholesome comfort in every bite.

Dairy-free potato leek soup pureed with brown rice for natural body and silkiness. No cream, no butter. A light French-style potage with a splash of white wine vinegar to brighten every spoonful.

Classic creamy chocolate fudge made from scratch with unsweetened chocolate, evaporated milk and corn syrup, boiled to soft ball stage and beaten until thick. Cuts into 36 squares of dense, fudge-shop-style candy.

Cajun dry-rub pork ribs: paprika, three peppers (white, black, red flake), garlic, onion, thyme, and oregano pressed into pork ribs and grilled low and slow over indirect heat. Bayou-style barbecue without sauce.

Chou-chou koot is a South Indian-style squash dish, tender chayote or winter squash cooked with turmeric, then finished with fresh coconut, green chili, and a fragrant tempered seasoning. A simple vegan side.

A South African-style spiced mince filling for samoosas: beef or mutton braised dry with jeera, ginger, garlic, turmeric, fresh coriander and mint. The keep-it-dry method that stops samoosas from going soggy.

Halloween candy corn bars layer chopped chocolate cookies, salty pretzels, and raisins under a white chocolate drizzle, then top with candy corn and Halloween sprinkles. A no-bake bark-style treat kids can help make.

A culinary school-style white chicken stock made from blanched bones, mirepoix, and a classic sachet of herbs and spices. Simmered for hours and strained into a clear, clean-flavored foundation for soups and sauces.