TASTElist

Don’t believe a sweet treat featuring slop could be delicious? Think of the secret ingredient as oatmeal instead and you’ll understand just how good these chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies (featuring a hefty dose of butter, of course) really are. Use the cookies to make Big Brother Ice Cream Sandwiches.

This variation on pulled pork highlights flavors from Mexico, with a touch of the Yucatán. The tart flavor of the tomatillos balances the earthy, slightly smoky achiote spice; the sweet-sour orange juice balances the spicy jalapeños. They all merge with the richness of the pork shoulder to make something really delicious and laid-back. This spicy pulled pork is great on toasted French or ciabatta rolls, served with pickled red onions, or piled in warmed tortillas topped with queso fresco.

A homemade mayonnaise recipe is simple to make and has better flavor than store-bought. Also, mayonnaise is the “mother” (a.k.a. base) recipe for a lot of other sauces out there, including aioli, Rémoulade, and Thousand Island Dressing. Use to to brighten up classic comfort dishes such as an egg salad sandwich. Game plan: Have all the ingredients at room temperature before you start. Since the egg doesn’t get cooked, use one that’s very fresh or pasteurized.

This recipe is brought to you by our friends from Stella Artois. Courtesy of chef Theo Friedman, this grilled eggplant recipe is simultaneously delicate and robust, with a wonderful melting texture, and bright but savory Asian flavors. Japanese eggplants, which are longer, narrower, and thinner-skinned than globe eggplants, are simply halved and brushed with a sweet-salty white miso, mirin, rice wine vinegar, and sugar glaze, then grilled until charred and tender.

This recipe is brought to you by our friends from Stella Artois. These unexpected appetizers from chef Theo Friedman are a beautiful balance of flavors and textures, and are far easier than you’d expect from the impressive results. Grated zucchini and onions are cooked down to a jam-like consistency with garlic, white balsamic, and thyme. The mixture melts into crunchy grilled sourdough toasts that are topped with smoked feta, fresh zucchini, and fragrant basil, plus halved Mexican sour gherk.

With only 3 ingredients, the Gold Rush cocktail is as easy to make as it is elegant. Inspired by the classic whiskey sour, this drink from beloved New York bar Milk & Honey blends bourbon, lemon juice, and rich honey syrup for a balanced sweet-tart, silky, luscious sip. Henry McKenna bonded 10-year old bourbon is the recommended choice here, but use what you like. You’ll have a full 1/3 cup of honey syrup, so you can shake up plenty of cocktails, or try leftover syrup in tea.

This Obituary Cocktail is a little unexpected, and a lot satisfying. Basically a killer Martini with a splash of absinthe, this would certainly be a great choice of deathbed drink, but let’s hope you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy many more. For more tipples with just a trio of components, try Jackson Cannon’s Jack Rose and the Gold Rush too. And for more wickedly delicious ways to use absinthe, try our Death in the P.M. cocktail recipe, and our Sazerac cocktail recipe.

If you’ve never tried apple brandy, fall is the perfect time, though Jackson Cannon’s Jack Rose is delicious any time of year. Be sure to use Applejack, a potent American spirit that dates back to Colonial times, and not another apple brandy. Blended with perfect proportions of fresh lemon juice and homemade grenadine, it makes a lovely cocktail. For a full trio of 3-ingredient cocktails, take a look at the Obituary Cocktail and the Gold Rush cocktail too.

Queso is usually warm and gooey, and it’s delicious that way, of course. But try the Homesick Texan’s novel spin on the dip, which mixes creamy cottage cheese with a punchy blend of jalapeños, onion, garlic, cilantro, vinegar, salt, and cumin for a little earthiness. Diced avocado underscores the cool creaminess of the dip, which is perfect for chips and raw veggies. Try Spinach Queso Blanco or Indian Spiced Queso with Jalapeño Chutney.

You may not think Indian flavors and queso go together, but this dip from The Homesick Texan‘s new cookbook proves it’s a brilliant idea. Processed cheese really does melt perfectly, and combines seamlessly with the spices here: cumin (which regularly shows up in both Indian and Mexican cuisine), paprika, and cayenne. The spicy chutney is heavy on garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño, with a hint of ginger and unsweetened flaked coconut, plus lime juice for brightness.

The crunchy deep-fried cabbage is dressed in an umami-rich sauce with sweet, sour, and spicy notes from pineapple juice, lemon juice, honey, and chili vinegar, then topped with freshly shucked oysters for a briny, minerally contrast. The furikake garnish is a traditional Japanese mix of sesame seeds, seaweed, salt, and sugar, as well as some sort of dried fish, often bonito, which is sprinkled over rice, vegetables, and other dishes for an extra boost of sweet-savory flavor.