Elevating Classic Recipes

Crispy Tuna Melt Croquettes with Horseradish Honey Mustard

Ingredients for the Croquettes

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole milk, warm
• 1 tbsp white miso paste
• ½ cup Gruyère cheese, grated
• 2 cans (5 oz each) high-quality tuna, drained
• 1 tbsp capers, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cornichons, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten

Ingredients for the Coating

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ cup kettle-cooked potato chips, crushed
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• ½ cup all-purpose flour

Ingredient for the Frying

• Neutral oil (grapeseed or sunflower)

Ingredients for the Horseradish Honey Mustard

• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1½ tsp prepared horseradish
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook for about a minute until golden. Gradually whisk in the warm milk, then stir in the miso paste until smooth. Lower the heat and stir in the Gruyère until fully melted, then set aside to cool.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the tuna, capers, cornichons, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and chives. Fold in the miso Gruyère béchamel, then mix in the beaten egg until everything is evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and gently roll into a cylinder or elongated oval shape with slightly rounded ends. Arrange them on a lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
4. Set up a breading station with three bowls: one with flour, one with beaten egg, and one with a mix of panko, crushed potato chips, smoked paprika, and salt. Dredge each croquette in flour, dip in egg, and coat in the panko-potato chip mixture, pressing gently to ensure the coating sticks.
5. Heat about ½ inch of neutral oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, place the chilled croquettes in the pan and fry, turning occasionally to ensure even crisping, for about 2 minutes per side, or until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack and keep warm while frying the remaining croquettes.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, horseradish, mayonnaise, and white wine vinegar until smooth. Serve the crispy croquettes hot with the horseradish honey mustard on the side for dipping.

Carrot Cake Sticky Buns

Ingredients for the Dough

• 1 cup whole milk, warmed
• ¼ cup carrot juice, warmed (see note for homemade option)
• 2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast (or 1¾ tsp instant yeast)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 3½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ cup fraîche full-fat Greek yogurt

Ingredients for the Filling

• 1½ cups finely shredded carrots, squeezed dry
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped
• 1 tbsp orange zest

Ingredients for the Sticky Glaze

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ tsp white miso
• ¼ tsp kosher salt

Ingredients for the Miso-Cream Cheese Drizzle

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• ½ tsp white miso
• 1–2 tbsp whole milk, as needed

Ingredient for the Topping

• ¼ cup candied pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions

1. If using active dry yeast, whisk together the warm milk and carrot juice in a large bowl, then sprinkle in the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy. If using instant yeast, skip this step and mix the yeast directly with the dry ingredients in the next step. Add the remaining sugar, butter, egg, flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and crème fraîche (or sour cream or yogurt). Mix until combined, then knead on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by combining the shredded carrots (make sure to squeeze them dry), brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, nuts, and orange zest. For the sticky glaze, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, honey, cream, miso, and salt. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until glossy, then pour into the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges. Roll tightly from the long side into a log, then slice into 12 equal rolls. Arrange them in the baking dish over the sticky glaze, cover, and let rise for another 45 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let cool for 5 minutes, then carefully invert onto a serving tray so the sticky glaze coats the buns.
5. To make the miso-cream cheese drizzle, whisk together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and miso until smooth, adding milk as needed to thin to a drizzle consistency. Drizzle over the sticky buns, sprinkle with candied pecans or walnuts, and serve warm.

Note: If you don’t have carrot juice, you can make your own. Peel and chop 2–3 large carrots, blend them with ½ cup of water, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing to extract the juice.

Flaky Biscuit Sliders with Creamy Coconut Chicken

Ingredients for the Biscuits

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• ¾ cup buttermilk, chilled
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp milk

Ingredients for the Savoury Chicken Filling

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, finely minced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp white miso paste
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works well)
• 1 cup sautéed leeks, thinly sliced
• ½ cup roasted wild mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, or cremini)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ tsp kosher salt, to taste
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper, to taste

Ingredients for Assembly

• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the chilled butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in the chilled buttermilk until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold the rectangle into thirds like a letter, then gently pat it back into a rectangle. Repeat the folding process two more times to create flaky layers. After the final fold, pat the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough into approximately 12 squares. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the beaten egg and milk to create an egg wash. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the egg wash to ensure a glossy, golden-brown finish. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly.
3. For the filling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken stock, coconut milk, Dijon mustard, and miso paste, whisking to combine. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the shredded chicken, sautéed leeks, and roasted mushrooms. Cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper to brighten the flavours.
4. Adjust seasoning to taste. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. To assemble, split the biscuits and spoon the chicken filling onto the bottom halves. Place the biscuit tops on and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve warm.