Recipes From Chef Kathy Gunst's Favorite Cookbooks Of 2019

Baked Macaroni And Cheese

• Softened butter, for the baking dish
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese; 2 cups shredded Jack cheese
• 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, melted
• ½ cup sour cream
• 3 large eggs, well beaten
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 13 × 9-inch baking dish.
2. Bring a large pasta pot or saucepan of generously salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain.
3. In a large bowl, combine the Cheddar and Jack cheeses.
4. Measure out 1 cup of the cheese mixture and set aside for the top of the dish. Layer the remaining combined cheeses and macaroni in the buttered baking dish, beginning and ending with the macaroni.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, eggs, evaporated milk, ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste), white pepper and cayenne. Pour the cream sauce over the macaroni and cheese. Top with the reserved 1 cup cheese and sprinkle generously with paprika.
6. Place the dish on a rimmed baking pan to catch any juices that spill over.
7. Bake until the cheese is bubbling and the top is browned and crusty, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Jingalov Hats

• ⅔ cup lukewarm water
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

• 8 heaping cups finely sliced greens and herbs (see Jingalov Hats Herbs and Greens below), such as:
• 4 cups neutral greens
• 2 cups herbal herbs
• 2 cups sour greens and herbs
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1½ Tbsp sunflower oil or other neutral oil
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Handful of pomegranate seeds (optional)

• To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the water and salt. Add the flour gradually with your hands to incorporate. Knead briefly in the bowl. (It’s okay if it’s slightly sticky at this point.)
• Dust the counter with flour. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead until it is just starting to become smooth, about 4 minutes. Roll the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rest while you chop the greens and herbs. It will soften and become smoother as it rests.
• After at least 20 minutes (or up to an hour), place the dough on the floured counter and divide it into four equal pieces, about 3 oz each. To shape the dough, cup the palm of your hand over one portion at a time and move your hand in a circle. The friction from the counter will help form the dough into a ball. If there is too much flour on the surface and the dough is sliding around, give the counter a spritz of water and try again.
• To make the filling, mix the greens with the green onions, paprika, salt, red pepper flakes, oil and lemon juice, mixing well with your hands to ensure everything is seasoned.
• To shape the Jingalov Hats, lightly dust the counter with flour. Pat a ball of dough into a round. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin circle about 8 inches in diameter.
• Place about 2 cups of the filling in the center of the dough circle. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if using. Pick up two sides of the circle and pinch them together over the center of the filling, almost like sealing pie crust.
• Continue to pinch the edges together from top to bottom so that the middle is wide and the ends form points. When you get to the end, tuck in the tip so it’s sealed but ensure that there is filling all the way to the tip.
• Firmly press the seam with the edge of your hand to ensure the dough is sealed. Turn over and flatten the dough with the palm of your hand so that it resembles a deflated football. It should be ¼ to ½ inches [6 to 12 mm] thick. If thicker, roll with a rolling pin to flatten.
• To cook the Jingalov Hats, heat a 20-inch cast-iron griddle or pan over medium-high heat. Place the filled dough, seam-side down, in the center. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 2½ to 3 minutes, until it is evenly brown. Flip over and continue to cook on the remaining side for another 2 minutes. If the dough still seems a little pale or raw, adjust the heat to medium-high and continue to cook the flatbread, flipping it over now and again so it cooks evenly. While the first flatbread cooks, start rolling out and filling the dough for the second Jingalov Hats.
• Using a spatula, transfer the cooked flatbread to a serving platter and repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
• Serve warm or at room temperature. Alternatively, cool completely and freeze for up to 2 months. Jingalov Hats can be reheated by popping them in the oven at 400ºF [200ºC] for about 10 minutes, or until hot and crispy on the edges. Otherwise, extra Jingalov Hats keep for a day at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Jingalov Hats Herbs and Greens

• Beet greens
• Chard
• Collards
• Purslane
• Spinach

• Chervil
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Flat-leaf parsley
• Tarragon

• Dandelion greens
• Radish tops
• Sorrel
• Watercress

Chicken Thighs With Pancetta And Green Olives

• 8 whole chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces pancetta, diced 1 garlic clove, sliced
• Splash of white wine vinegar
• 1½–2 cups green olives, preferably Castelvetrano, pitted or not

• Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper and arrange them in a heavy large skillet in a single layer, skin-side down. Cook them over medium heat without moving them until the fat has rendered out and the skin is deep golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes. Fiddle with the heat, reducing it to medium-low if the skin begins to burn before it gets evenly golden brown.
• Scatter the pancetta into the skillet around the thighs. Turn the thighs over and continue cooking them until the meat closest to the bone is cooked through and the juices run clear when pierced, 10–15 minutes. Stir the pancetta as it cooks so it browns evenly. Add the garlic, vinegar, and olives to the skillet about 5 minutes before the thighs are finished cooking. Adjust the seasonings. Serve the thighs with the pancetta, olives, and pan drippings.

The Jerre Anne Bake Shoppe Pecan Pie

• 1½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening

• 1½ cups light corn syrup
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup light brown sugar (not packed)
• 1 pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 4 large eggs, beaten
• 3 cups pecan halves (not pieces)

1. For the pastry dough, whisk together the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Work the butter and shortening into the flour using a pastry blender, two knives, or even your fingertips until the mixture resembles very coarse cornmeal with pea-size flecks of butter. Sprinkle in 5 tablespoons of ice water tablespoon by tablespoon, mixing it in lightly with your hands until the dough comes together (add a little more water if needed). Press the mixture together with the heel of your hand until it forms a mass. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 flat disks; don’t overhandle. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack set in the middle of the oven. Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface into an ⅛-inch thick round. Roll the dough loosely around the rolling pin and unfurl it into a 9-inch pie tin. Lightly press the dough into the tin. Trim the excess dough from the edge with a sharp knife or pair of scissors. Use your thumb and forefinger to crimp the edges. Repeat with the remaining dough.
3. For the pecan filling, mix together the corn syrup, melted butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the salt, vanilla and eggs, mixing well after each addition. Arrange 1½ cups of the pecans right side up in each unbaked pie shell, then gently pour in the filling. The pecans will float to the top.
4. Bake the pies for 40–50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.