Perfect dinners according to Antoni
‘Queer Eye’ star’s new cookbook favours the simple but never boring
Depending on the day of the week, you might find “Queer Eye” star Antoni Porowski in his home kitchen whipping up a plant-based dinner (say, his one-pot coconut-cauliflower korma) or heaping a baking sheet with “the best damn nachos.”
Both recipes feature in the Montreal-born, Brooklynbased TV personality’s appealingly laid-back sophomore cookbook, “Antoni: Let’s Do Dinner,” which just landed in stores.
Entire chapters are devoted to hearty salads, veggie suppers, “carb comas” and more, catering to wide-ranging tastes. While the dishes are a hodgepodge, the common ingredient is Porowski’s penchant for the simple yet special, with a few secret weapons peppered in (like eggs, to rustle up breakfast for dinner, pronto).
Flexibility is also key, so you can make, for example, his Golden Root Vegetable Pot Pie with what’s kicking around in your fridge. Here’s how to pull it all together.
Antoni Porowski’s Golden Root Vegetable Pot Pie
“For a Meatless Monday when you want to stick to the script, or for any day you prefer vegetables to meat, this creamy pot pie is the perfect meal.
The flexible mix of vegetables means you can try something new from the farmers’ market or use up any veg-drawer stragglers. Baking the puff pastry separately keeps it from getting soggy. For an added creative twist, sprinkle the top of the pastry with everything bagel seasoning mix, which can be found in the spice section at Trader Joe’s and other grocery stores.”
Puff pastry
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half a 17-oz package), thawed
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tsp (5 mL) water for egg wash Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Veg filling
4 tbsp (60 mL) unsalted butter
6 cups (1.4 L) mixed root vegetables, cubed (1/3-inch), such as carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, butternut or kabocha squash, sweet potato, and/or celery root
1 cup (250 mL) frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp (10 mL) finely chopped fresh rosemary or 3/4 tsp dried
11/2 tsp (8 mL) kosher salt
1 1/4 tsp (7 mL) ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or black pepper)
1 can (13.5 oz) full fat coconut milk, well shaken
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) sour cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh lime or lemon juice
Heat the oven to 400F, with a rack in the lower third. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface. Cut into eight 2-1/4- by- 4-1/2inch rectangles and place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until puffed and golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
While the pastry is baking, melt 2-1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a large wide saucepan over medium high heat. Add the firmer root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, rutabaga), onions, garlic, rosemary, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and cayenne, then add the remaining root vegetables, the coconut milk, and 1 cup water. Partially cover and cook until the vegetables are just tender, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 -1/2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes to remove the floury taste. Remove from the heat.
When the vegetables are just tender, scrape the flour mixture into the pot (get every bit) and stir well, then stir in the sour cream. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the lime or lemon juice and adjust the seasonings to taste. Remove from the heat.
To assemble: Place one piece of puff pastry, golden side down, in each of four shallow bowls. Top with the filling and the remaining pastry, golden side up. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Recipe excerpted from “Antoni: Let’s Do Dinner,” © 2021 by Antoni Porowski with Mindy Fox. Photography © 2021 by Paul Brissman. Reproduced by permission of Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.