Cooking projects that aren’t too much of a ~project~

We don't have all day here...

Remember us? If you don’t that’s fair, it’s been a while. We’re Gaby and Courtney, the girls behind Sifted, a newsletter we dreamt up to help you figure out what you actually want to be cooking & eating. Think of it as a gathering place for those who also can’t read a recipe without thinking ‘Oh I need to make that, but with brown butter and a sh*t ton of lemon zest.’ We've missed you guys and sharing the recipes, meals & cultural moments that make our eyes light up and our stomachs grumble.

And for that reason, we’re not out, but we have reimagined Sifted for this new era of our lives. We both got jobs (brag), and go out to eat a lot more than we did in 2020 when we started this (brag). We still exist to share recipes we think are worth cooking, and to offer suggestions for what to cook in highly specific situations. But things will be a little more lax, like Sifted after two negronis on a school night. So let us know what you think of the new format. Like really, do, our comments section is ready and waiting.

RECC CENTER

Gaby’s Recc’s:

What’s cooking:

I’m slicing the tiniest honeynut squash I can find at the farmer’s market in half, rubbing them with olive oil and salt, roasting them cut side down on 400 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the halves are fork tender and caramelized. I then cube or slice them with the skin on and reheat in a cast iron with scrambled eggs and sautéed Swiss chard or mix into arugula salads tossed with lemon, tahini and leftovers of my weekly slow roasted salmon (a lazy, abridged take on this recipe, every time). 

What I’m eating:

The falafel pita from Oasis on Bedford Avenue. Fast (like, 15 seconds fast), cheap ($6), stuffed with crunchy stuff like purple cabbage, salty pickles, spicy raw onion and then blanketed in tahini. My favorite dinner. 

halalfoodstagram_

A post shared by @halalfoodstagram_

What I’m reading/watching/consuming:

Rewatching Entourage (for the second time) and Gossip Girl (for the sixth time?). For 2024 I'm manifesting Sloan's sex appeal, Ari's grind, Chuck's wealth and Blair's manipulation tactics. 

On my radar:

1-900-ICE-CREAM. Court and her boyfriend graciously sent me home with 2 pints — a caramel banana pudding inspired flavor and a strawberry cheesecake with buttery shortbread — from their shipping pack a few weeks ago. Banana lovers (me) 🤝 banana haters (them). I also tried the soft serve at EEEEEatscon, and even my picky sister was floored by how thick and satiny the graham cracker soft serve was. I was personally floored by how Ryan flawlessly captured the experience of crunching into a cinnamon-sugared graham cracker. I'd like to visit Philly for more.  a trip to Philly to have more — anyone want to drive me? I’m a wonderful passenger.

Court’s Recc’s:

What’s cooking:

Batch after batch of my best friend’s mom’s 30 minute chili (DM me for the recipe), spiked with extra chipotles in adobo and a big dash of the aji dulce hot sauce Alex and I made in August. 

What I’m eating:

The stupid simple, absurdly good chicken sandwich from C & B. Leaning away from the over-the-top cross-section-splayed monstrosities (much to my TMJ specialists’ delight), and more towards the minimalist deli sandwiches that remind me of high school. I feel strongly that turkey sandwiches are due for the TikTok treatment that chicken Caesar wraps got last year; kindly, comment your favorites below.

What I’m reading/watching/consuming:

Cookie content. Cookie monster cookies, nostalgic cookies, cookie packages—they’re the reason for the season. Also rewatching Mad Men for the umpteenth time because it’s a perfect Thanksgiving/Christmas/winter/oh, any time of year show (convenient!), according to my boyfriend. I can’t help but admire the meal that makes Roger hurl in S1 E7—multiple dozens of oysters, at least 5 martinis and cheesecake—I’ll take it, minus the 23 floor walk-up.

On my radar:

Knives. It’s gifting season and one of my favorite things to give is a good knife. It sounds aggressive but it never fails to delight, and it means my favorite people will think of me every time they slice a particularly crusty loaf of sourdough. A bread knife is my go-to for friends and hosts, but these kitchen staple paring knives that are SO cheap and SO sharp (just ask my fingers), they’d make a great add-on gift or White Elephant. For that someone special, pick out one at Korin here in New York or order online from Coutelier, a truly special shop based in New Orleans. Because nothing says “I love you” like a giant meat cleaver with a bow on it.

Court and her knives:

elizabethhurley1

A post shared by @elizabethhurley1

---

SO YOU WANT A COOKING PROJECT THAT’S NOT TOO MUCH OF A PROJECT?

A Galette With No Recipe

Thank you to friend of Sifted Rebecca Firkser for reminding me that galettes exist (her cookbook on the subject is coming soon), and that there’s never been a better time to make one. You just brushed up on your flaky crust skills for Thanksgiving, now put them to good use on something low/medium-effort, extremely high reward. Take whatever root cellar spoils you can find at the farmer’s market, slice them thin, and pile them high on a buttery crust (or use frozen phyllo or puff pastry if you’re feeling extra lazy). My mind races at the thought of flavor combinations: onions, leeks, and gruyere; sweet potato, squash, and feta; I’m currently fixating on a caramelized fennel and goat cheese ditty (maybe with pistachio??) inspired by a particularly heavenly bite at Sailor last week. You can’t mess this up - CK

Carbonorzo

While this creamy carbonara recipe only asks for 35 minutes of your time and 5 ingredients, I consider any meal that requires me to stop at my butcher a project. Beyond getting good guanciale, I’d also suggest finding a farmer’s market for a carton of some orange-yolked eggs, and I must warn you of how surprisingly difficult it was to hunt down orzo (in Carroll Gardens, the Italian capital of Brooklyn no less). But once you’ve secured all of those ingredients, hot, glossy, impressive bowls pasta come together pretty seamlessly. I’ll also bravely admit that the cold, leftover spoonfuls I ate straight from the fridge the next morning absolutely delicious, and had enough of a bacon and eggs quality to call it breakfast. - GS

ericjoonho

A post shared by @ericjoonho

The Cutest Cookies You’ve Ever Seen

As I mentioned it’s cookie season, so may I suggest butter cookies, colored, swirled, cut, rolled, and sprinkled to infinity? I love this recipe because it presents a choose-your-own-adventure-like opportunity to get creative. Level one: make them but add in the flavoring of your choice (think cocoa or matcha powder, or finely ground chai or earl grey tea) and eat them. Level two: add color to half, then swirl it like this or go extra and cosplay as someone organized and make a checkerboard. Level three: make these ridiculous marbled cookies. I have, they were a fun way to spend several hours. Friend of Sifted Folu once shared that it’s way easier to just divide and color the dough, then pile globs of different colors on at random and roll it into a log rather than this painstaking method. This year—maybe this week—I’ll be making these Neapolitan checkerboards that immediately called to me. - CK

Thanks for welcoming us back with open inboxes <3 See you all next week!

aplasticplant

A post shared by @aplasticplant