Get the most out of your bacon. In the episode, Juliette explains the proper technique to render bacon fat and create perfectly crisp, flat bacon. Learn how to store the rendered fat and use it to infuse vegetables, baked goods, stews and more with the wonderfully smokey flavor of bacon. The featured recipe is smothered green beans, a wildly flavorful side dish that uses just four ingredients and the easiest cooking technique ever.

Smothered Green Beans

Ingredients:

12 ounces bacon, diced

3 Tbl bacon fat

1 shallot, thinly sliced

12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and black pepper

Action:

1. Add diced bacon to a room temperature large skillet with high sides. Turn heat to medium-low and allow bacon lardons to slowly cook. Only stir occasionally to prevent charring. Fat will be rendered and lardons will be cooked in 15-20 minutes. Remove lardons with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Reserve 3 tablespoons of rendered fat in pan. (Once cool, extra rendered fat can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a year.)

2. Heat bacon fat over medium heat. Add shallots and stir. Sprinkle with 1-2 tsp black pepper (depending on taste) and add a pinch of salt. Cook 5 minutes, until shallots are soft and nearly translucent. 

3. Add green beans and stir to coat with fat and shallots. It is okay if green beans overlap in pan. Pour chicken stock over beans, fully covering beans with liquid and scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Allow beans to simmer on medium-low heat, uncovered, until the stock is nearly evaporated and a thin reduction remains to coat beans, about 1 hour. Stir, and taste for seasoning. Top with reserved bacon lardons and serve.

Lighten up a comfort food favorite with green olives. Learn how green olives provide bright and buttery flavor to a variety of dishes, including featured recipe Roast Chicken with Green Olives and Herb Sauce. This simple, weeknight recipe is bursting with flavor. Get expert tips on how to perfectly cook a roast chicken and make an easy pan sauce in one hour, using everyday pantry ingredients.

Roast Chicken with Green Olives and Herb Sauce

For Chicken:

1 lemon|
1 head of garlic|
1/4 cup clarified butter (ghee) or unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup warm water
1 3½–4 lb. whole chicken
1/2 cup pitted green Castelvetrano olives
Salt and black pepper

For Sauce:

Pan drippings, including roasted garlic and lemon
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1 Tbl. Cold butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh tarragon, parsley, and chives
Salt and black pepper as needed

Action - Roast Chicken:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut lemon into quarters. Cut 1 head of garlic in half crosswise. Melt butter or ghee in a small saucepan or microwave.
3. Remove giblets from bird and discard. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season liberally all over with salt and pepper. Place one lemon quarter and 1/4 cup of olives into cavity of bird.
4. Place chicken breast-side up in a large oven-safe skillet. Arrange remaining lemon and olives around bird. Add garlic cut side down to pan.
5. Pour 1/4 cup warm water into pan.
6. Drizzle melted butter or ghee over chicken and move pan to oven.
7. Roast for 45 minutes, or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and allow to rest 15 minutes before cutting.

Action - Sauce

1. Remove lemon, garlic, and olives from pan and reserve. Skim fat off surface of pan drippings.
2. Roughly chop roasted olives. Squeeze cloves from roasted garlic and mash with a fork to make a paste. Add olives and garlic paste to sauce pan. Squeeze roasted lemon juice into pan.
3. Stir to incorporate into pan drippings. If pan looks a little dry, add a few tablespoons of warm water and heat over medium. Add heavy cream, whisking constantly. Allow to simmer gently until slightly thickened.
4. Whisk in 1 Tbl. cold butter. Add 1/2 cup chopped herbs and stir. Taste, season with salt and pepper as needed.
5. Carve chicken. Serve with pan sauce.

Perfect tofu is easy to make when you know the right technique. On this episode, you’ll learn about the different types of tofu, as well as exactly how to prepare extra firm tofu for an unconventional riff on classic New Orleans yakamein. This spicy ramen bowl features seared tofu and all the vegetables in a savory and spicy broth. Additional tips and explanation demonstrate how to make this dish come together in 30 minutes.

The recipe

Tofu and Vegetable Yakamein

Ingredients:

1 block extra firm tofu
Assorted vegetables, chopped small or thinly sliced (such as bell pepper, carrots, mushrooms, fresh baby corn, peas, asparagus, and broccoli)
2 tablespoons sesame oil, more as needed
4 shallots, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbl black vinegar (substitute rice vinegar if black is unavailable)
2 Tbl fish sauce
3 Tbl honey
2 Tbl chili paste
2 Tbl water
2 squares ramen noodles

Approximately 1-2 cups of heated low sodium broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable) OR water

Garnish: Lime juice, Louisiana hot sauce, soft boiled egg, toasted peanuts, sesame seeds, green onions, and chopped cilantro

Action

1. Prep extra firm tofu: Drain block and wrap in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place a cast iron skillet (or similarly heavy, flat-based item) on top to press out water. Let sit 20-30 minutes. Remove towel. Cut into small cubes and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Make sauce: Whisk soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, chili paste, 2 Tbl water, five spice powder, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat stock or water in a separate pot just to boiling. Keep warm.
4. Heat sesame oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add tofu cubes and let cook, undisturbed, approximately 5 minutes. When a golden crust has formed, flip tofu pieces and continue cooking, tossing as needed until all sides are lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. Reduce heat to medium. If pan looks dry, add an additional tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the shallots and cook until the shallots begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and jalapeño and continue to cook stirring often, 3-5 minutes.
6. Add vegetables and stir to coat with aromatics and oil. Cook just until vegetable are warmed through, but still firm, 3-5 minutes.
7. Return tofu to pan and stir with vegetables.
8. Pour in soy sauce mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When mixture is boiling, place ramen squares in pan. Pour warm stock or water over ramen until liquid reaches halfway up the sides of the ramen. It is not necessary to submerge the ramen.
9. Allow liquid to boil for several minutes, flipping the ramen and separating the ramen strands with a spoon as it cooks. The dish is ready when ramen is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Toss to incorporate the vegetables with ramen.
10. Garnish with cilantro, lime juice, green onions, and Louisiana hot sauce. Other garnishes can be added as desired. Serve.