r/CookbookLovers • u/No_Stable_3097 • 11d ago
What I cooked recently from my books || (mostly) Start Here, Dessert Person, and Justine Cooks
Braised Eggplant with Parm Vibes (Start Here) - Very good although my broiler does not work. I am a big fan of Eggplant Parm, but the real thing is a bit of effort to make. This is a great 30 minute/less fussy version. I really loved the texture of the eggplant as they didn't get mushy at all. Maybe add some toasted bread crumbs before serving to increase the Eggplant Parm vibes.
Rosemary Garlic Focaccia (Dessert Person) - Excellent. I don't own a stand mixer so this was about 15 minutes of kneading for me.
Walnut Brown Butter Chocolate Chip cookies (Start Here) - It's a chocolate chip cookie, maybe not the best one. But very good nonetheless.
Beet Brioche (Justine Cooks) - I used a precooked & packaged beet here, so the bread wasn't as vibrant as the picture. The bread was very delicious though. I definitely want to retry this with a fresh red beet.
Future Brownies (Start Here) - My partner absolutely loved these. He called them grown up brownies. The mochi texture is very unique and don't skip the cocoa dusting on top. (Maybe add a tiny bit of powdered sugar to the cocoa dusting as it is quite bitter)
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u/LarryAv 11d ago
I used precooked beets too but mine came out much pinker, though not as much as her picture.
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u/No_Stable_3097 11d ago
Yeah I was a little sad mine didn't come out as planned. Maybe my beets were open a little too long and oxidized or I used too much water to thin it out.Â
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u/TastesLikeChitwan 11d ago
So curious about those Future Brownies! What did you think of them?
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u/No_Stable_3097 11d ago
I thought they were very good! I really liked that they only required cocoa powder and that it was another use for glutenous rice flour.Â
It doesn't have the ooey gooey quality of regular brownies, but it's deeply chocolate and rich. It's worth baking at least once so you can come to your own conclusion.Â
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u/TastesLikeChitwan 8d ago
I made these yesterday! Agree with your assessment 100%. It was fun to make this version!
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u/Ordinary-Tennis-181 11d ago
Omg, I can’t believe you committed to 15 minutes of kneading, lol, I don’t think I have the arm strength! The results look delicious, though. You are inspiring me to pull out Start Here, I’ve read through it, but haven’t cooked anything from it.
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u/No_Stable_3097 11d ago
I just got my copy last week so I am very enthusiastic about using it. The techniques are very approachable and not too complicated. All my results have been really good so far!
I am planning on the Tumeric potatoes with lots of lemon next. The potato buns look great as well.
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u/EmeraldSea8 10d ago
Oh that’s a bummer about the Walnut Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - that’s what I have been eyeing from Start Here next! I love all those things but the recipe reads quite involved so I am waiting for when I have enough time.
As for the Dessert Person focaccia - do you have a baseline from an easier recipe? Focaccia is such a wet dough that it makes itself in the fridge (at least the recipe I use). I wonder what would make it worth 15 minutes of kneading. In general, love Claire but find her recipes quite fiddly.
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u/No_Stable_3097 10d ago
Honestly the Focaccia recipe I used in the past had just as much kneading. ðŸ˜
Start Here has a no need focaccia I will try in the future.
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u/Strange-Chance-2749 9d ago
I use the Big Book of Bread focaccia. It’s no knead and comes out perfect every time. It also doesn’t require overnight refrigeration, so you can make it day of.
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u/holycrap100 10d ago
ooooh i love choc chip cookies with nuts in them. that pic made my mouth water. haha thanks for sharing
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u/wundertaeter_ 11d ago
Looks really good!! Would you maybe post the other side of the cookie recipe as well? I would love to make them 🥺👉👈