15 Golden Recipes That Taste Like Home
Winning dishes from the Pinterest x Food52 Golden Recipe Contest.
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Photo by JULIA GARTLAND. PROP STYLIST: ALYA HAMEEDI. FOOD STYLIST: ERICKA MARTINS.
We teamed up with Pinterest for the Golden Recipe contest, a special call for recipes treasured by your family or community. The contest is now closed, and we’re sharing a few of our favorite winning dishes you can try at home.
Growing up as the daughter of a chef has its perks (unlimited access to restaurant-sized containers of almond paste being one of them), but in reality we ate a lot of catering leftovers and restaurant takeout. On the rare occasions when my mom was home from work early and feeling inspired, she’d spend hours whipping up dinners with more dishes than could fit on our table: a whole chicken roasted to golden perfection, farmer’s market vegetables charred over an open flame, Anson Mills Carolina Gold rice cooked until fluffy then tossed with butter, quick-pickled cucumbers, a crusty loaf of bread, and a leafy green salad we hardly ever ate because we’d fill up on everything else first. These recipes were simple, often cooked from memory, but they were cooked with love and that’s what made them so special.
The goal of the Pinterest x Food52 Golden Recipe Contest was to celebrate the dishes that make us whole, just as my mom’s have for me. After sifting through (and tasting!) hundreds of entries, the winners have been selected and the line-up is looking pretty dang delicious. Here are a few of my personal favorites, from dreamy purple drinks to spicy, crispy wings.
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Sips
This tart, fruity mocktail reminds creator Ana De Angulo of her grandmother’s kitchen in Bogotá, Colombia. It’s made with passion fruit, papaya, melon, and pineapple, and it’ll quench your thirst on warm, sunny days.
Inspired by the flavors of Filipino sweets, this pastel latte gets its violet hue from ube extract. The mild nuttiness of the ube is a delicate foil to the floral vanilla, creamy coconut milk, and zippy espresso.
Small Bites
A classic Czech kolaches recipe gets the tangzhong treatment (like the one used in this milk bread) to make them even more pillowy. Filled with a fluffy cream cheese mixture and topped with streusel, snack on these Texan-inspired treats for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Warm, crispy comfort is the name of the game when it comes to this Bengali dish featuring potatoes, peas, tomatoes, green chilis, and plenty of aromatics all wrapped in homemade pastry dough and fried until golden.
Taking a cue from a quintessential summer dish, this side is essentially a mash-up of corn on the cob and garlic bread. Corn, parsley, and garlic come together to form a compound butter that tastes like summertime in Indiana.
Mains
The cha chaan tengs of Hong Kong—similar to American diners—inspired this peanut butter-stuffed French toast. Instead of syrup, the whole thing is drizzled with condensed milk and finished with flakey sea salt for a salty-sweet balance.
Chicken wings are transformed with the addition of jerk seasoning for a dish that's representative of the creator's Caribbean-American identity. Make a meal of it by serving with sweet potato fries, salad, or your favorite side dish.
The secret to this dish is in the store-bought pesto and Alfredo sauce that add flavor and save you time in the kitchen. Slices of pan-seared chicken are served over top to finish this comforting, mom-approved pasta.
Tender pork meets umami-rich sauce in this recipe that was inspired by the creator's Vietnamese heritage. Enjoy these ribs on their own or pair with white rice and refreshing pickled cucumbers.
Quick and easy are the name of the game when it comes to hot pot, especially for this single-serve version. Start with a base of your favorite ramen soup mix, then add noodles and whatever vegetables and meats you're in the mood for.
Jollof rice is a staple in Nigerian households for every occasion, from festive parties to weeknight meals. This recipe gets a double dose of smokiness from aromatics (think: habanero, curry powder, and thyme) plus a crispy, almost-burnt bottom.
Sweet Treats
A mother's love for peaches is behind these sweet and lightly savory mini galettes. Fresh slices are fanned out over a layer of goat cheese and pre-made pie crust before everything gets baked till gooey and golden.
This dairy-free take on a classic Midwestern quick bread recipe features bananas, freshly grated zucchini, cinnamon, and plenty of chocolate chips. Bonus: You'll only need to dirty one bowl to make it.
This generations-old dessert combines the flavors of apples, cinnamon, and pecans in a cake that's perfect for gatherings of all kinds. The whole thing gets topped with a silky sauce made by boiling butter, brown sugar, and milk.
Tart cherries are the star in this simple pie recipe, originally dreamt up by creator Elizabeth Keener's grandmother. Depending on what's in season, you could easily swap in peaches, apples, or berries.
What’s your favorite family recipe? Tell us in the comments below!