Genius Recipes
Ultra-Crispy Roast Potatoes From a Secret Cooking Club in Indonesia
Plus, 20 beginner recipes I’m still hunting for our next Genius cookbook.

From our new podcast network, The Genius Recipe Tapes is lifelong Genius hunter Kristen Miglore’s 10-year-strong column in audio form, featuring all the uncut gems from the weekly column and video series. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss out.
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89 Comments
Wendy L.
January 6, 2021
For the strata definitely go with Sohla's recent Off Script lesson. The pizza one is so good I may never make actual pizza again....and the process is infinitely adaptable.
cyn
December 27, 2020
3) Huevos rancheros, migas, or other new life for stale tortillas
my wife i ate big fans of deb perelman of smitten kitchen’s method for making an inauthentic but still awesome version of huevos rancheros. so much so that the word “huevo” is now a shorthand in our house for this recipe/technique. it doesn’t always work perfectly it even when you mess up your egg, it’s still always delicious! it also stands up to whatever toppings you have on hand. e like it with the leftover black beans that are often sitting in our fridge, chopped scallions, avocado, hot sauce, cilantro, and maybe a little yogurt or sour cream.
https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/huevos-rancheros/
my wife i ate big fans of deb perelman of smitten kitchen’s method for making an inauthentic but still awesome version of huevos rancheros. so much so that the word “huevo” is now a shorthand in our house for this recipe/technique. it doesn’t always work perfectly it even when you mess up your egg, it’s still always delicious! it also stands up to whatever toppings you have on hand. e like it with the leftover black beans that are often sitting in our fridge, chopped scallions, avocado, hot sauce, cilantro, and maybe a little yogurt or sour cream.
https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/huevos-rancheros/
cyn
December 27, 2020
13) A sheet pan dinner that works every time (and is truly one-pan, and doesn’t sneak in extra washings of said pan)
Okay, I have so so many ideas but I’ll start with this one because it’s such a no-brainer and has been in our rotation all pandemic long. i’m talking about SHEET PAN GNOCCHI. this is the best because it’s truly so flexible — you can make it vegetarian or vegan, you can use store-bought, $1.99 gnocchi, make your own, or even cauliflower gnocchi — it all works and it’s all delicious.
just throw the gnocchi in a sheet pan with some rough-chopped (i actually like to use narrow-ish wedges) red onion and bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes (whole if they are even smaller), smashed garlic, salt, freshly-ground black pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes if that’s more your thing, as it is ours). and maybe a quarter cup of olive oil, maybe less. smash a few garlic cloves and throw them in there. we like to break up some veggie sausage by hand and put that in, too, but you can also apparently do the same with actual pork sausage. add some dried oregano TOSS, TOSS, TOSS. roast at 425° for about 30 minutes, tossing once. YUM. crumble some feta cheese on top when you serve, if you feel like it, but delicious without, too! honestly the easiest sheet pan dinner that does not require you to fussily add different ingredients at different times, and is so so satisfying.
Okay, I have so so many ideas but I’ll start with this one because it’s such a no-brainer and has been in our rotation all pandemic long. i’m talking about SHEET PAN GNOCCHI. this is the best because it’s truly so flexible — you can make it vegetarian or vegan, you can use store-bought, $1.99 gnocchi, make your own, or even cauliflower gnocchi — it all works and it’s all delicious.
just throw the gnocchi in a sheet pan with some rough-chopped (i actually like to use narrow-ish wedges) red onion and bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes (whole if they are even smaller), smashed garlic, salt, freshly-ground black pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes if that’s more your thing, as it is ours). and maybe a quarter cup of olive oil, maybe less. smash a few garlic cloves and throw them in there. we like to break up some veggie sausage by hand and put that in, too, but you can also apparently do the same with actual pork sausage. add some dried oregano TOSS, TOSS, TOSS. roast at 425° for about 30 minutes, tossing once. YUM. crumble some feta cheese on top when you serve, if you feel like it, but delicious without, too! honestly the easiest sheet pan dinner that does not require you to fussily add different ingredients at different times, and is so so satisfying.
Catherine
December 26, 2020
I just wanted to add a few more easy recipes thats I've found genius:
Barbara Kafka's microwave-made spicy polenta (from Microwave Gourmet)
Kafka's orange cumin roasted mushrooms (from Roasting)
Paul Prudhomme's blackening seasoning for chicken or fish takes no time at all to get the main course on the table.
Dorie Greenspan's salmon en papiote (from Around My French Table)
Peter Reinhart's pancake recipe is so easy and so good that I know it by heart (from Crust and Crumb).
Alice Medrich's Queen of Sheba is so easy for so little effort.
My local Afghan restaurant just puts a little rose water and crushed cardamom on vanilla ice cream and it's divine.
Deborah Madison's stewed fennel and tomatoes
Cobb salad, coleslaw, shakshuka, and aloo gobi were dishes I made over and over while a beginning cook.
Barbara Kafka's microwave-made spicy polenta (from Microwave Gourmet)
Kafka's orange cumin roasted mushrooms (from Roasting)
Paul Prudhomme's blackening seasoning for chicken or fish takes no time at all to get the main course on the table.
Dorie Greenspan's salmon en papiote (from Around My French Table)
Peter Reinhart's pancake recipe is so easy and so good that I know it by heart (from Crust and Crumb).
Alice Medrich's Queen of Sheba is so easy for so little effort.
My local Afghan restaurant just puts a little rose water and crushed cardamom on vanilla ice cream and it's divine.
Deborah Madison's stewed fennel and tomatoes
Cobb salad, coleslaw, shakshuka, and aloo gobi were dishes I made over and over while a beginning cook.
Sharon R.
December 26, 2020
For #19. Super easy Chicken dinner. I use a glass oven pan; pour sliced mushrooms (I use the pre-sliced packs from Walmart), carrots cut however you prefer (store bought pre-cut stick carrots is what I usually use), and plenty of onion slices into the pan as a bed for the chicken. Then I make a quick mix of oil and Dale's (it's actually a liquid steak seasoning, but I love the flavor and it works really well here) to pour over the top of everything and give it some liquid to cook in so it doesn't dry out. Put it in the oven at 350 degrees for something like 35 or 45 minutes (I just make sure the chicken cooked through honestly). Wa-la. Yummy dinner in less than an hour.
Makiko K.
December 24, 2020
For #7 and #10: quick and easy canned mackerel (or sardines or tuna) poke bowl. Over a bowl of cooked rice, place mackerel, cherry tomatoes (cut in half), diced avocadoes and edamame. Top with chopped seaweed,light soy sauce, sesame seeds and a pinch of chili pepper. Endlessly adaptable, super healthy and ready in a flash.
Catherine
December 23, 2020
I love Deb Perelman's extra billowy Dutch baby. Rose Levy Beranbaum has the easiest and best French toast and chocolate semifreddo on her blog. Caramelized onions make the best blue cheese and onion galette. Breakfast drop biscuits from America's Test Kitchen are my favorites. A big batch of Sam Ross's Paper Planes is so easy and a huge crowd-pleaser. Bon Appétit has a great and really easy recipe for roasted green beans with harissa. You can make the harissa, but don't have to.
Katie
December 23, 2020
Canned fish:
I’ve been making tuna muffins (basically a tuna melt) since I first started cooking for myself. Mix up a can of tuna, some diced carrots and celery, and enough mayo to make it wet. Spread it on English muffins and bake at 350 for a few minutes. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and put under the broiler until bubbly. It’s still a go-to meal for when I don’t want to cook a full dinner but don’t feel like take-out either. There are no set measurements, and if I mix up too much tuna, I put the rest in the refrigerator to eat the next day.
I’ve been making tuna muffins (basically a tuna melt) since I first started cooking for myself. Mix up a can of tuna, some diced carrots and celery, and enough mayo to make it wet. Spread it on English muffins and bake at 350 for a few minutes. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and put under the broiler until bubbly. It’s still a go-to meal for when I don’t want to cook a full dinner but don’t feel like take-out either. There are no set measurements, and if I mix up too much tuna, I put the rest in the refrigerator to eat the next day.
Pat T.
December 21, 2020
Hi Kristen! I have 2 suggestions for a stir-fry. Many people don't realize that single veggie stir-fries (called qingchao or plain stir-fry) are de rigueur as part of an Asian meal. For dinner, I usually serve a meat/protein dish with a leafy green vegetable like bok choy or snow pea shoots flash-fried in a wok with garlic and salt or soy sauce--it completes the meal with steamed rice. It's so easy and quick, and allows the vegetable's sweetness and flavor to really stand out. (I have a recipe for stir-fried pea shoots in "The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook).
Another recipe I love is cabbage and egg stir-fry. After being tossed in the pan, the shredded cabbage caramelizes and becomes deliciously sweet and bits of egg add protein and a contrast in texture. Link: http://smithsonianapa.org/picklesandtea/eggy-stir-fried-cabbage/
(the dish can be easily made vegan too!)
Another recipe I love is cabbage and egg stir-fry. After being tossed in the pan, the shredded cabbage caramelizes and becomes deliciously sweet and bits of egg add protein and a contrast in texture. Link: http://smithsonianapa.org/picklesandtea/eggy-stir-fried-cabbage/
(the dish can be easily made vegan too!)
Grace G.
December 21, 2020
I love Smitten Kitchen's sheet pan chickpeas & meatballs! https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/01/sheet-pan-meatballs-with-crispy-turmeric-chickpeas/
And Sohla El-Waylly just did a great video about strata!
And Sohla El-Waylly just did a great video about strata!
Eliav O.
December 21, 2020
Hey,
I really enjoy the Genius Recipes series. I think you are great Kristen and the recipes are awesome. Quite a few of them have become staples in my rotation.
A neat little sandwich I like to have is peas with olive oil, ginger and mint. I came across it on this blog here: https://whatshouldieatforbreakfasttoday.com/pea-sandwiches-with-ginger-and-ricotta/ but it's all over the internet. Really simple but full of flavors that I wouldn't think of pairing. The recipe calls for ricotta but I usually just use cottage cheese and am perfectly satisfied.
Can't wait to see what you have in store for us.
I really enjoy the Genius Recipes series. I think you are great Kristen and the recipes are awesome. Quite a few of them have become staples in my rotation.
A neat little sandwich I like to have is peas with olive oil, ginger and mint. I came across it on this blog here: https://whatshouldieatforbreakfasttoday.com/pea-sandwiches-with-ginger-and-ricotta/ but it's all over the internet. Really simple but full of flavors that I wouldn't think of pairing. The recipe calls for ricotta but I usually just use cottage cheese and am perfectly satisfied.
Can't wait to see what you have in store for us.
durun99
December 20, 2020
America's Test Kitchen has two last-minute sauces we use all the time: "Chipotle Mayonnaise" (recipe from a great black-bean burger but goes with lots of stuff: https://apnews.com/article/f7ddc0430ebb40248f55b2cea715b889) and "Avocado Crema" (https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/12279-avocado-crema).
durun99
December 20, 2020
Alton Brown's "Overnight Coconut Oats" are ambrosial and take <10 minutes to throw together. There's a recipe for one serving in his "Everyday Cook" cookbook, and a recipe for four in the "Oat Cuisine" episode in Season 2 of "Good Eats: Reloaded": https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/alton-brown/overnight-coconut-oats-reloaded-8670507
Bonniesue
December 19, 2020
Easiest go to meal, which sometimes becomes breakfast the next day is a frittata. It’s rarely the same, but usually includes some kind of protein like leftover chicken or ham, and vegetables. If I’m using onion, I sauté them first, then add the mixture of protein, vegetables and eggs mixed with a bit of milk, and sprinkle the top with cheese. For 2 people, I use 4 eggs, cook in a 8 inch skillet until set and brown in the oven. If I’m making it for a larger group, I might make it in a casserole dish and cook the whole thing in the oven.
pat
December 19, 2020
Kristen, Lately have been familiarizing my husband with the kitchen. He finally has a go to recipe for Summer Spaghetti with Wilted Tomatoes and Burrata. This recipe is so easy, so quick and it has many culinary moves we need to know in the kitchen. If interested and if you cannot find it yourself let me know. And thanks for all your time, all your great lessons and for letting us come into your home these past crazy months. Much appreciated !
JV
December 19, 2020
For daal: my mother is born and raised in India, and hers is the best daal recipe I’ve made... sure is authentic too, and was also easy for me to follow. I’ll see if I can copy the full recipe into this comment.
Seema Saigol’s Daal Recipe
If making yellow channa daal you should soak it for two hours. If not it will take longer to cook which is fine too.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried daal (any dried lentils such as yellow or red lentils)
4 cups water
2 tbls oil
2 tsp zeera (cumin) seeds
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida) (optional)
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)
1/2 tsp red chile powder (pure spicy chili, not the spice blend that has cumin and other things) (depending on taste)
1 to 2 tsp salt (depending on taste)
2 tsp crushed coriander seeds (or powder)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
About 2 tbls ginger julienned or chopped
1/2 tsp Garam masala for the end (optional)
Rinse out the dried daal in 2-3 changes of water.
Add daal to a pan with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil and let it simmer till it softens. The red daal takes the least time to soften (about 20 mins). Turn off heat and leave pan there.
For the tardka (tempering of spices), heat 2 tbls oil in another pan. Add hing (optional), zeera, haldi, coriander and red chillie. Swirl around for 30 seconds till you can smell the aroma. Then add the onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes and salt and let cook till the onions soften and you can see the oil separating from the vegetables. Then add the boiled lentils (with their water) to this. Let it gently simmer with lid on for about ten mins. If your daal is too watery you can keep lid off!
Now taste the daal. It might need more salt and you can add lemon (I usually do in daal).
Add garam masala. If you feel it needs more spices you can add a chilli tarka.
For chili tarka just heat up a tbls of oil or ghee in a small pan and add chillies (can also add ginger/garlic and more cumin seeds if you need it) to it. Let it cook for a few seconds. It can burn easily so need to watch it! Now add this tarka to the hot daal.
Check for salt!
Seema Saigol’s Daal Recipe
If making yellow channa daal you should soak it for two hours. If not it will take longer to cook which is fine too.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried daal (any dried lentils such as yellow or red lentils)
4 cups water
2 tbls oil
2 tsp zeera (cumin) seeds
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida) (optional)
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)
1/2 tsp red chile powder (pure spicy chili, not the spice blend that has cumin and other things) (depending on taste)
1 to 2 tsp salt (depending on taste)
2 tsp crushed coriander seeds (or powder)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
About 2 tbls ginger julienned or chopped
1/2 tsp Garam masala for the end (optional)
Rinse out the dried daal in 2-3 changes of water.
Add daal to a pan with 4 cups water. Bring to a boil and let it simmer till it softens. The red daal takes the least time to soften (about 20 mins). Turn off heat and leave pan there.
For the tardka (tempering of spices), heat 2 tbls oil in another pan. Add hing (optional), zeera, haldi, coriander and red chillie. Swirl around for 30 seconds till you can smell the aroma. Then add the onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes and salt and let cook till the onions soften and you can see the oil separating from the vegetables. Then add the boiled lentils (with their water) to this. Let it gently simmer with lid on for about ten mins. If your daal is too watery you can keep lid off!
Now taste the daal. It might need more salt and you can add lemon (I usually do in daal).
Add garam masala. If you feel it needs more spices you can add a chilli tarka.
For chili tarka just heat up a tbls of oil or ghee in a small pan and add chillies (can also add ginger/garlic and more cumin seeds if you need it) to it. Let it cook for a few seconds. It can burn easily so need to watch it! Now add this tarka to the hot daal.
Check for salt!
Kristen M.
December 19, 2020
Thank you all for taking the time to share these delicious-sounding ideas! I really appreciate your help, as always.
JV
December 18, 2020
19 & 20) a “no recipe” recipe I make constantly for quick vegetarian dinners and lunches: quesadillas. Brown rice tortillas get the crispiest, but flour or corn ones work.
Spray a nonstick skillet, or melt a bit of butter/oil. Lay a tortilla flat on the pan (can be straight from frozen). Sprinkle a light layer of any cheese on the full circle. Add your fillings to half the tortilla*. Sprinkle a bit more cheese on top of fillings to help stick. Once the base layer of cheese is melted and bottom of tortilla is brown and crispy, it’s ready to fold over. Press down, slice and enjoy! The recipe is from the Instagram @diyascooking in the quesadillas+ highlight!
Fillings: I like to do veg like bell peppers, spinach, black beans cooked in cumin, paprika, chile powder; or lentils mixed with same spices and tomato paste; or sautéed spinach or kale with goat cheese... endless options. I’ll usually cook the veggies first in same skillet, then wipe it down and cook tortilla).
Spray a nonstick skillet, or melt a bit of butter/oil. Lay a tortilla flat on the pan (can be straight from frozen). Sprinkle a light layer of any cheese on the full circle. Add your fillings to half the tortilla*. Sprinkle a bit more cheese on top of fillings to help stick. Once the base layer of cheese is melted and bottom of tortilla is brown and crispy, it’s ready to fold over. Press down, slice and enjoy! The recipe is from the Instagram @diyascooking in the quesadillas+ highlight!
Fillings: I like to do veg like bell peppers, spinach, black beans cooked in cumin, paprika, chile powder; or lentils mixed with same spices and tomato paste; or sautéed spinach or kale with goat cheese... endless options. I’ll usually cook the veggies first in same skillet, then wipe it down and cook tortilla).
JV
December 18, 2020
14) love this classic recipe of garlic bread, with a few changes. Used 6 cloves instead of 2, and crush them in garlic crusher or very finely mince. Don’t skip the parmesan. Then, slice a baguette in half lengthwise, not going all the way through, so you can flap it open. Spread on the garlic butter on the top and bottom sides of the flap. Wrap the full baguette in foil, can freeze at this point till ready to eat. Bake straight from freezer as per recipe. The foil help steams the garlic so it’s cooked, but retains some of the pungent garlic flavor while keeping the bread soft and fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Slice crosswise into individual pieces, so you get the shape of mini garlic bread “sandwiches” (bread on top and bottom with garlic butter in between).
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