One of the great things about cooking is that every dish has infinite possibilities, but that doesn't mean it takes a pantry the size of a Trader Joe's to prepare something delicious. Especially for the home cook, simple is usually the best route.
We asked a group of chefs to give us their favorite recipes that only use a handful of ingredients (literally, five ingredients). Read on to learn crazy-easy approaches to impressive dishes like enfrijoladas and pad krapow.
Enfrijoladas
Ingredients:
- Small tub of ricotta
- Black bean mole
- Yellow corn tortillas
- Diced avocado
- Picked cilantro leaves
"The black bean mole I usually make is made up of black beans, chiles, grilled tomatoes, and onions. It's a pretty involved recipe, but using prepared refried beans or store-bought mole also works for those making this recipe at home. I lightly fry the yellow corn tortillas to make them pliable, then fill with ricotta and some salt. Fold the tortillas over to make little quesadillas and grill them in a pan to make them crispy. Heat up the mole in a small pan and spoon it onto the center of the plate, then place the quesadillas on top of the mole and garnish with one more spoonful of ricotta and cilantro leaves." -- Rick Lopez, executive chef at La Condesa (Austin, TX)
Queso fundido
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Havarti
- 2 ounces fontina
- 1 ounce aged white cheddar
- Beer
- Chorizo
"One dish that is doing well at The Hightower right now is our queso fundido. We do a mix of 2 ounces fontina, 2 ounces Havarti, and 1 ounce of aged white cheddar. First we heat the bowl in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes. Add 1 ounce of beer [the chef recommends Austin Beerworks Fire Eagle] to the preheated bowl, place the cheese mixture in the bowl, and heat for about four minutes until the cheese is melted. We make a sausage in-house that is a fairly mild version of a Spanish chorizo, but any version you pick up at a grocery store will work fine, just add about 1.5 ounces. Serve with tortillas or chips. -- Chad Dolezal, chef/owner at The Hightower (Austin, TX)
Gremolata
Ingredients:
- One head of celery, heart removed
- One bunch parsley leaves, fine chiffonade
- 2 ounces horseradish on microplane, to taste
- 1 ounce olive oil
- One whole pomegranate, seeded
"Mix above together and hold as relish for garnish or part of the plate. Add salt and pepper to taste. It has a huge impact on flavor and goes well with most roasted vegetables and meats." -- John Brand, chef at Supper at Hotel Emma (San Antonio, TX)
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