Welcome! This is “Staying In,” a Sunday newsletter with recipe ideas for your week ahead. Every other Thursday I also publish a “Going Out” edition where I review a restaurant, bar, or activity here in Portland. Know someone who might like Riley’s Recs? Get your share link here! And don’t forget to check out pdxrecs.com for even more recommendations and follow RR on Instagram at @rileysrecs. Enjoy!
I got a knee injection this week as part of my ongoing effort to reverse poor genetics and years of wearing unsupportive Converse. Also because an MRI revealed the most undignified diagnosis of all time—a fat pad impingement—and my doctor suggested PRP.
Anyways, I’ve been mostly immobile. But this weekend I did do something other than doom scroll, watch mindless movies like Master of Disguise and She’s the Man, and listen to Bachelorette recap podcasts. I made bread. Using Ken Forkish’s fool-proof recipe.
This is all to say that you’ll see lots of soup on this week’s menu. Perfect for bread mopping.
You will also see several dishes inspired by Tusk, the subject of this week’s Going Out. My favorite recipe hack is to recreate restaurant meals at home. I basically look at the ingredients listed on the menu, Google them, and then use whatever similar recipe pops up. I don’t reproduce the dishes perfectly, but it’s a way for me to discover new recipes that have a high probability of success.
Enjoy!
✨ Inspo for the week: homemade bread and Tusk! ✨
DINNERS
Balthazar’s Cream of Mushroom Soup | Bread
Coconut Collard Greens with Butternut Squash | Yams
Creamy Tortellini Soup | Broccolini | Bread
Sorry I Like Celery Salad | Creamy White Beans
LUNCH
New Season’s White Cheddar Shells | Arugula Salad
DRINK
Hazy Jane
Notes:
The Hazy Jane calls for orgeat syrup, which you can find at New Deal Distillery or at most liquor stores.
For the white beans, I’ll be using this recipe, which I always turn to in a pinch.
New Seasons White Cheddar > Annie’s White Cheddar any day of the week.
Balthazar’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
Deb Perelman | Smitten Kitchen
After the disastrous Smitten Kitchen eggplant stir fry from a few months ago, I went cold on Smitten Kitchen. But then this recipe for mushroom soup popped up on my feed, and I couldn’t resist. To make sure I didn’t lead you all down the wrong path again, I decided to recipe test this yesterday.
And, okay—I have notes. First, and quite obviously, you have to like mushroom soup. It calls for like 8 cups of sliced mushrooms. Second, ignore all of her modifications. You should definitely use the exact amounts called for and puree until smooth. Leaving little bits on mushroom results in an uncomfy mouthfeel. You should also know that the color will not be as brown as pictured.
Still with me? Great. I think you’ll enjoy this soup then. My last suggestion is to pair with bread and a salad or sautéed vegetable like broccolini for a full meal. It’s an earthy, warming soup that works.
Coconut Collard Greens with Butternut Squash
Pierre Thiam | Simply West African
When I went to Tusk this week to get some last-minute pics for the newsletter, I ordered the acorn squash with collard greens and coconut. I immediately turned to my friend and said, “This tastes like West African food.” So I Googled “squash collard greens coconut milk” and, sure enough, this Senegalese recipe popped up. It’s from James Beard award-winning chef, Pierre Thiam, whose book Simply West African I now want to buy. It’s a healthy serving of winter squash whose inherent sweetness pairs perfectly with coconut milk and spices.
You’ll tame the collard greens by letting them simmer for an hour before finishing the rest of the dish. If you can’t find collard greens, I bet chard will work just fine. Serve alongside yams/sweet potatoes.
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Dan Pelosi | New York Times (Gifted Link)
I feel like this whole post has turned into shameless self-promotion, but I genuinely want to make the tortellini soup that my friend Kendall includes in her rotating meal plan that we released for paid subscribers last week. It relies on store-bought cheese tortellini, which is cooked in minutes in a tomato broth. It’s dubbed as “easy” but has a lot of ingredients so I’m skeptical easy = fast. But if it’s good enough for Kendall’s regular meal plan, it’s good enough for me. It has a mirepoix base (onion, celery, and carrot) and includes heavy cream, spinach and a touch of balsamic vinegar (the key finisher to a good soup!). Let’s go, Dan Pelosi!
Sorry I Like Celery Salad
Carla Lalli Music | That Sounds So Good
Carla Lalli Music compares this salad to a Caesar, but other than anchovy and Parmesan, I fail to see the similarities. Either way, this salad makes a regular appearance on my dinner table for parties and potlucks. It’s a crowd-pleaser, and I’ve had several people ask for the recipe. I would have never thought to make a celery salad, but the crunchy celery combined with the acidity and heat of pickled peppers make for a really satisfying bite. It’s changed the way I think about celery. Cool!
Some recipe notes: you can swap for banana or pepperoncini peppers if you can’t find Aleppo. You can also ignore the directions to use a mortar and pestle. If you have one, great! But you can just chop and smash everything together on a cutting board.
Hazy Jane
Tusk Restaurant
The Hazy Jane is a vodka cocktail turned opaque thanks to a touch of yogurt. The version on Tusk’s menu right now includes hibiscus, giving it a Pepto-Bismol pink hue. But their original recipe doesn’t call for that. It calls for orgeat syrup, which is an almond syrup traditionally used in drinks like Mai Tais. I’m excited to keep this syrup on hand for a fun party drink when friends come over.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 OZ. Vodka
1 OZ. Orgeat Syrup
1/2 OZ. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 OZ. Rich Simple Syrup (2:1)
1/2 OZ. Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
DIRECTIONS
Put in an ice-filled shaker, mix well, and strain over a glass filled with ice.
