Burnt Toast

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters (if you're in Apple Podcasts, swipe up on the episode player page—the podcast chapters will be at the bottom).  

If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Danielle starts listing them at 2:08) before starting the episode.

Corn Grits with Wild Mushrooms & Jammy Eggs

Serves 4

• 4 to 8 large eggs, depending on how hungry you are
• 2 fresh corn cobs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup diced roasted hatch chiles
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup medium-ground grits or polenta (not instant)
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (loosely packed)
• 1 pound wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, lobster, or oyster, cleaned well and dried
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Juice of half a lime
• 1 handful chopped cilantro leaves or chives, to garnish

1. Soft Boil the eggs: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and carefully ladle in each egg. Set a timer for 6:45 seconds for the perfect, soft-boiled egg. As soon as the timer goes off, transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Once cool enough to handle, carefully peel each egg. Set aside. This step can be made up to two days in advance.
2. Make the grits: Use the larger holes on a box grater and grate the corn. Do this inside of a large bowl to catch all of the liquid juices that come out. Set aside.
3. Heat butter or oil in a medium sized saucepan. Once hot, sauté the yellow onion until soft and lightly golden in color, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Pour in 3 cups of water and stir the pan to release any browned bits at the bottom. Stir in the diced hatch chiles, grated corn, sea salt, and grits. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to the lowest and cook until thickened about 15 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally to keep the grits smooth. In the last few minutes of cooking, stir in the feta cheese and season to taste.
5. Make the mushrooms: Brush the mushrooms clean or wipe with a slightly damp towel. Do not wash under running water unless the mushrooms are gritty. If they are wet, be sure to let them air dry for a couple hours before cooking.
6. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, spread the mushrooms across the pan. Once they’re down, leave them down and let them properly brown. After a few minutes, give the pan a hard shake to release them from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, stir to combine, and cook for another 3 minutes.
7. Stir in the garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. When the garlic is soft and golden, turn off the heat and squeeze half a lime into the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. To serve: Spoon the sweet corn grits into a large bowl and top with the browned mushrooms. Top with a soft-boiled egg (or two!), plus a sprinkle of chives or fresh chopped cilantro.

If you loved listening to this episode, be sure to subscribe to The Genius Recipe Tapes wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Referenced in this episode:

• My Family's Forever Banana Bread (Food52)
• Kristen's Family Banana Bread recipe

Genius-Hunter Extra-Credit:

• Did you catch part 1, fried eggs chez Mike, too?
• ICYMI: Our 10 Most Popular Banana Breads of All Time 

Love what you heard in this episode?  Be sure to subscribe to The Genius Recipe Tapes wherever you get your podcasts.

Referenced in this episode:

• The Crispy Fried Eggs That Made Me a Better Cook (Food52)
• Mike's Famous Fried Eggs recipe

Genius-Hunter Extra-Credit:

• Some more crispy egg-spo: ho bao dan (pocket eggs), kai dow (Thai fried eggs)

What's the recipe you first make in a new home? Tell me all about it at [email protected]. 

First up: A food writer's reflection on loss and grief—and the untold power of a mother-knows-best birthday cake.

"I think food can serve so many important functions, specifically in grief. It is a way to nourish us, physically nourish us, at a time when we are just feeling so weak and so sad and so, maybe incapable of nourishing ourselves well." —Lisa Ruland

Referenced in this episode:

• A Chocolate Cake That Celebrates Mothers—Lost & Found (Food52)
• Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting recipe

Find more My Family Recipe episodes here.

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters (if you're in Apple Podcasts, swipe up on the episode player page—the podcast chapters will be at the bottom).  

If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Carla starts listing them at 1:03) before starting the episode.

Sorry, I Love Celery

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 3 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
• 2 garlic cloves
• kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
• 10 Castelvetrano olives
• 6 Piparra peppers
• 1 bunch celery
• 2 ounces Parmigiano
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves and tender stems

1. In a mortar and pestle or mini chopper, combine the anchovies and garlic with a big pinch of salt and many grinds of black pepper. Pulverize until a paste forms. (Alternatively, you can finely chop the anchovies and garlic together on a cutting board, then season with salt and black pepper and use the flat edge of the knife blade to smash the ingredients into a paste.)
2. Scrape into a medium bowl and whisk in lemon juice, olive oil, and Aleppo pepper until combined. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper, if needed.
3. Use the flat side of a chef’s knife to smash the olives and loosen the pits, then tear the flesh into 2 or 3 pieces (discard pits). Cut peppers in half lengthwise, then halve crosswise. Place the olives and peppers in a salad bowl.
4. Trim the celery at both ends, then separate the bunch into individual stalks; wash and dry. Snap off the light green leaves from innermost stalks and set those aside. Cut the celery into very thin slices on a dramatic angle, then transfer to the bowl with the olives and peppers.
5. Use a vegetable peeler to shave half the Parmigiano over. Add most of the dressing and toss with your hands to coat.
6. Add the parsley and reserved celery leaves and toss gently to combine. Shave the other half of the Parm over, drizzle with dressing, and top with a few more grinds of black pepper.

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters (if you're in Apple Podcasts, swipe up on the episode player page—the podcast chapters will be at the bottom).  

If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Emma starts listing them at 1:23) before starting the episode.

Tuna Avocado Toast

Serves One

• 2 slices of bread
• 1 small, ripe avocado
• 1 (5oz) can oil-packed tuna
• 1tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper

1. Toast 2 slices of bread however you want (toaster, broiler, pan).
2. Halve, pit, and peel 1 small ripe avocado and add to a bowl with 1 drained (5-ounce/140g) can oil-packed tuna, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a big pinch each of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Mash with a fork until it’s as smooth or chunky as you want, adjust the seasonings to taste, then divide between the toast.
4. Finish with another squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. (Psst: If you want a more avocado-y situation, you can use a large avocado, then stretch to 3 to 4 slices.)

SoulPhoodies Tamara Celeste and Derek Kirk speak with husband-and-wife duo Gail and Uche Azodo about how a passion for coffee began with utility, later grew into the love of the bean, and the rise of SIPS—a café and coffee roasting business.

If you're enjoying this podcast, follow Black & Highly Flavored so you don't miss out on future episodes.

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters (if you're in Apple Podcasts, swipe up on the episode player page—the podcast chapters will be at the bottom).  

If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Peter starts listing them at 10:15) before starting the episode.

Instant Ramyun "Carbonara" 

Serves 1

• 1 packet instant ramen, such as Shin Ramyun
• 1 slice American cheese
• 1 large egg, divided

1. Put half of the ramen seasoning packet in a bowl; top with the cheese and then the egg yolk. Reserve the dried veggies and bottom-of-the-package crunchy noodle bits.
2. Simmer the "cake" of dried noodles, in a small saucepan of boiling water, until it just starts to unravel, about 1 minutes. Drop in the egg white and swirl with chopsticks, encouraging the noodles to further unravel.
3. Once the noodles are al dente (not soft!), drain and add them to the bowl. With chopsticks, mix the noodles with the yolk, cheese, and seasoning powder. The water on the noodles should help turn this all into a creamy, clingy sauce.
4. And, the pièce de résistance: garnish with the crunchy noodles and veggies for texture.

SoulPhoodies Tamara Celeste and Derek Kirk are joined today by Anthony and Janique Edwards, founders of the EatOkra app, which helps users discover local Black-owned restaurants and businesses.

If you're enjoying this podcast, follow Black & Highly Flavored so you don't miss out on future episodes.

How many meats is too many? What is provolone anyway? Is there an ideal lettuce-to-everything-else ratio?

Molly and Declan get to the bottom of what makes—and breaks—the Italian (aka grinder, aka hoagie, aka hero, aka sub). 

Special thanks to our listeners for your questions—especially those who took the time to call in. Send your burning sandwich questions (not burning sandwich, you know what we mean) to [email protected].