French onion-stuffed onions

Active: 1 hour; Total: 2 hour 15 minutes; Yield: 4 servings 

Oil, olive	1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons
Onions, yellow; thinly sliced	2 pounds
Salt, kosher	½ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Water	1 to 2 tablespoon
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoon
Dry sherry	2 tablespoon
Beef bouillon paste	½ teaspoon
Onions,white	4 large
Beef stock	1 cup
Thyme, freshly chopped	¾ teaspoon
Gruyère, shredded	1 ¼ cups
Bread, sourdough; ¾-inch thick slices	4

1. Heat 1-tablespoon oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. 
2. Add onions; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 20 minutes. 
3. Stir in salt and pepper. 
4. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and dark golden, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water, as needed if the pan bottom gets too dark. 
5. Stir in the butter, sherry, and beef bouillon paste. 
6. Cook, stirring often, until the butter melts and the sherry evaporates, about 2 minutes. 
7. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
8. Trim about ¼ inch from the root end of each onion, and about 1 inch from the stem end. 
9. Peel the onions, and remove the outermost layer. 
10. Scoop out the flesh from the center of each onion using a small scoop to create a cavity about 1 inch deep, leaving about 2 onion layers intact around the sides; the base should be slightly thicker; reserve the onion flesh, and discard the peels, trimmings, and outer onion layer. 
11. Finely chop the onion flesh. 
12. Spread 1 ½-cups chopped onions in a 9-inch square baking pan, and pour in the beef stock. (Discard any remaining onion flesh, or save for another purpose.) 
13. Nestle the hollowed onions, open end up, in the pan; drizzle with 1-tablespoon oil, and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. 
14. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. 
15. Bake until softened, about 20 minutes. 
16. Uncover, and continue baking until the liquid in the pan has almost completely evaporated and the onions are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. 
17. Remove the pan from the oven; do not turn the oven off. 
18. Transfer the hollowed onions to a paper towel-lined plate. 
19. Stir frenched onions and thyme into the onion mixture in the pan; season to taste. 
20. Stuff each hollowed onion with 1-tablespoon Gruyère and about 1/3-cup frenched onion mixture. 
21. Place the bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle evenly with oil. 
22. Top each slices with one stuffed onion. 
23. Sprinkle onions evenly with the remaining cheese, letting some spill onto the bread. 
24. Bake until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. 
25. Garnish with thyme leaves and black pepper. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

Sous vide beef chuck roast with honey & spices

Active: 40 minutes + (Optional) fridge rest: 24 hours + Sous Vide cook time: 24 to 48 hours

Beef chuck roast	3 ½ to 4 pounds
Salt, kosher	To taste + 2 teaspoons
Pepper, freshly ground	To taste + 1 teaspoon
Oil, olive	1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon
Garlic, minced	1 tablespoon
Tomato paste	1 tablespoon
Paprika, smoked	2 tablespoons
Cinnamon, ground	1 teaspoon
Beef demi-glace	1 tablespoon
Bay leaf, dried	1
Thyme, fresh, chopped	2 tablespoons
Wine, red	1 cup
Stock, beef	2 cups
Honey	¼ cup
Onions, cipollini, peeled	2 pounds
Carrots, peeled, chunk cut	1 ½ pounds
Bay leaves, fresh	Garnish (optional)

1. Generously season the beef with the salt and pepper. 
2. Optional: Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours uncovered. 
3. Prepare a sous vide immersion circulation for use according to the its instructions; preheat the water to 135°F medium-raw or 140°F for medium. 
(Chef’s note: I went for 138°F/48H on my first attempt.) 
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm 1-tablespoon oil until just smoking. 
5. Add the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cinnamon, demi-glace, dried bay leaf, and thyme; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the wine, and boil for 5 minutes. 
6. Add the stock, honey, 2-teaspoons salt, and 1-teaspoon pepper; simmer for 5 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. 
8. Place the beef in a vacuum-sealable bag and pour in the stock mixture. 
9. Using a vacuum sealer, vacuum and seal the bag tight; be sure you have a smooth, airtight seal. 
10. Carefully place the bag into the circulating water, and cook for 24 to 48 hours. 
11. One hour before the beef is done, preheat an oven to 450°F. 
12. In a large bowl, toss the onions and carrots with 1-tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. 
13. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast, stirring once midway through, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes; set aside. 
14. Carefully remove the bag from the circulating water. 
15. Remove the beef from the bag, and place on a paper tower-lined baking sheet; pat dry with paper towels. 
16. Strain the sauce in a bowl. 
17. In an essential pan or large deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1-tablespoon oil. 
18. Add the beef and sear, turning about every 3 minutes, until evenly browned. 
19. Transfer to a carving board.
20. Pour off the excess fat from the pan, add the sauce and set over high heat. 
21. Simmer, stirring occasionally and skimming as needed, until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes, adding the onions and carrots during the last 5 minutes of cooking. 
22. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. 
23. Cut the chuck roast into slices. 
24. Transfer to a large platter and spoon the vegetables over and around the meat. 
25. Drizzle some of the sauce over the meat and pour the rest into a bowl. 
26. Garnish the platter with fresh bay leaves. 
27. Serve immediately, and pass the sauce at the table. 

Recipe moderately modified from a Williams Sonoma post.

Slow cooker pepper steak

Skirt steak, cut into strips	1 ½ pounds
Bell pepper, cut into thick strips	1 green + 1 red
Onion, white, sliced	1
Water	¼ cup + ¼ cup
Bouillon, beef	2 cubes
Cornstarch	1 tablespoon
Soy sauce	3 tablespoons
Ginger, ground	¼ teaspoon
Garlic powder	¼ teaspoon
Pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon
Sugar, brown	2 teaspoons
Rice, cooked

1. Place the beef, bell peppers, and onion in a 4-quart or larger slower cooker; set aside. 
2. In a measuring cup, microwave the bouillon cubes in ¼-cup water for 60 seconds; stir to dissolve. 
3. In a small bowl, combine ¼-cup, cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, pepper, and sugar; whisk until the cornstarch dissolves. 
4. Stir in the bouillon water, and pour over the beef mixture in the slow cooker. 
5. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. 
6. Serve over rice.