YOUR HIGH WINTER SURVIVAL GUIDE | PART TWO

Here i am, back again so soon. Unusual, i know, but high winter waits for no one, and if this finds you in the northeast, then it’s finding you freshly post blizzard — how apropos. I was not about to let you down.

To collectively help us push through the final stretch of what is entirely too long of a season, i have another actionable winter survival item yonder — and read part one here if you didn’t catch it.

Before we get started, please enjoy this musical amuse bouche comprised of what i like to describe as upbeat melancholy. You know, to lean into the “ughhhh” feeling while simultaneously boosting your dopamine. Hit play and read on.

Quick refresher: a very fine line separates winter appreciation from winter breaking point. Personally, i was teetering on the edge of it last week, but i’ve since fully crossed over to the latter side—snow days have lost their luster and the whole thousand layers thing is no longer cute. I’m ready for spring.

Problem is, the current view out of my window is nothing but several feet of snow. We’re not even close to being out of the woods. You know it, I know it, yet it still hurts to hear because somehow, someway, every year since birth without fail, we get to March and very wrongly celebrate the end of winter.

This firmly calls for our trusty checklist again, which I shared in part one. So let’s get reacquainted with it to expand on a different point.

It’s cold. It gets dark early. Leaving the house is a production. What i’m trying to say is: there’s no better time to hunker down and make use of your kitchen. To cook hearty dishes that warm both the body and the soul, ya know?

And because i always practice what i preach, below is every single noteworthy dish i’ve prepared since the start of the year. This hopefully inspires you to keep cheffing when you’re just about ready to throw in the towel.

I’ve been cooking as much as i’ve been able to, sometimes lazily, other times elaborately. Let’s dive into some of the best things i made.

1. Egglplant Lasagna. I feel like lasagna gets a bad rap for being too long and complicated to make, but this cold weather triggered a major craving and i got ambitious. When i pulled up this recipe i’d saved a while back and noticed it was by my friend Lidey Heuck, that settled it: i knew it would be equally amazing and hassle free. I was right. Pretty much made this to the letter (but with fresh spinach instead of frozen and a tad extra cheese and sauce) and it was out of this world.

   Served it with a light, zippy leafy salad to offset the heaviness and it was perfection (easy vinaigrette: fresh lemon juice, olive oil, grated parmesan, salt & pepper to taste—pure acidic delight between every bite of cheesy lasagna).

2. Halibut burgers. No recipe needed for this: it’s your patty of choice (veggie, fish, turkey, beef, whatever you like), with your bun of choice (favs are sesame, potato, or brioche), and whatever toppings and condiments you enjoy.

   We love the halibut patties from our monthly Wild Alaskan fish delivery, and the above photo really reveals my enthusiasm for toppings (who else is an over-stuffer?). I like to make roasted potatoes as a side, but this is another opportunity to get creative.

3. Feta pasta. This is one of my lazy pantry night dinners, aka when i don’t have a lot of time/don’t feel like cooking/fridge is empty, so i just freestyle with what i can find. The concept for this is baking a block of feta together with a bunch of vegetables, then combining the mixture with pasta to create a super creamy, flavor-packed sauce.

   Here are a few things i always keep around that i tend to throw in there:

   • Several blocks of Dodoni feta (i get mine at ShopRite, but here’s where else you can buy in the US)

   • Bags of dry pasta

   • Jarred olives (pitted kalamata and castelvetrano)

   • Cherry tomatoes

   • Capers

   • Garlic

   So long as you have pasta and feta, the combos are endless. See “recipe” card below for this fuss-free/minimal prep dish (more like very loose parameters with a lot of room for interpretation).

1. Lemony Fish and Orzo Soup. I gotta say, this exceeded my expectations. One key thing i’d recommend is to use vegetable broth instead of water to make it more successful. This is a good general tip for any soupy recipe that calls for water — broth will amplify flavor. This was very simple and really, really delicious. Served it with warm crusty sourdough.

2. Baked Mushrooms and White Beans with Buttery Bread Crumbs. I had very high expectations for this dish, knowing the recipe was created by my dear friend Colu Henry (a happy coincidence!), and it did not disappoint. Made it as a side dish to sausages and it was sensational.

   I used leeks and butter beans because that’s what i had in my pantry, so don’t hesitate if you prefer a larger bean. And a splash of wine always goes a long way: deglazed the mushrooms with a little red before adding in the beans. The leftovers were even better!

3. Shepherd’s Pie. This is hearty comfort personified. I made it most recently during the coldest weekend of the year while hosting friends, and it fulfilled every expectation — see photographic evidence below. The zippy arugula side salad was perfect (just lemon, olive oil, a little parm, salt & pepper).

   A few modification notes for this recipe that i think take this to the next level:

   • I added celery with the carrots

   • Deglazed the meat with red wine

   • Added a heaping tablespoon of Maille grainy mustard to the meat

   • Added about 3 splashes of Worcestershire sauce to the meat

   • Added some grated parmesan to the top before putting it in the oven

On a serveware note: my go-to salad bowl (i also have it in this colorway) and beautiful hand-painted dinner plates.

1. French Onion White Bean Soup. Another cold weather banger. It was hearty without feeling too heavy, and paired wonderfully with a caesar salad. I also added spinach (get your greens where you can). Hot tip: don’t add the sugar, it absolutely doesn’t need it — onions get so sweet when they cook down, adding more sugar is cuckoobananas.

2. The viral Japanese Cheesecake. This dessert seemed too easy not to try, plus sort of healthy? It’s literally shoving your cookie of choice in a container of strained dairy: I’ve seen it done with cottage cheese, greek yogurt, and my personal choice: Icelandic Provisions skyr. Decided on a key lime flavor profile, using 6 containers of Icelandic Provisions key lime and biscoff cookies — you really don’t need toppings. This usual dessert shunner thought it was pretty revolutionary.

3. Pouding Chômeur. A very traditional dish from my motherland, french Canada, that literally translates to “unemployed man’s pudding” (lol). The name refers to its once-commodified ingredients — flour, eggs, butter, sugar, milk, and maple syrup. Hard to believe that a premium product like maple syrup used to be the pauper’s food (just like lobster).

   Although the name of this dessert no longer represents its humble roots, it remains nostalgia-coded thanks to flavors that every kid in Québec grew up on. An ooeygooey upside down maple syrup cake that’ll keep anyone warm. Many variations exist, but this is the one you want to make, trust.

   While it calls for a 10 cup soufflé dish, i make the whole thing directly in my Staub 5.5 quart cast iron dutch oven — it’s more simple (minimal dishes, but also who even own a soufflé dish that size?) and reduces spillover risk in the oven. Plus it makes for a nice rustic presentation.

   Non-french speakers, i got you: the translated recipe card is below. Don’t forget the vanilla ice cream! It cuts the sweetness wonderfully.

When it comes to winter hosting, there’s nothing better than a cozy evening around the fire with people you love, vibey tunes floating among the scattered candlelight, homemade plate of something comforting in one hand and a goblet of liquid warmth in the other. Ditto for brunch, really.

Spending the whole evening in the living room next to the fireplace instead of eating at the dinner table is a choice i easily make over and over and over again. There’s just something so inviting and informal about this kind of scene that creates a comfortable, blissful mood.

If it all becomes too much, i get it. Sometimes leaning in too hard requires a little recalibrating. I can certainly relate, and this month i decided to rest with Methodology’s Signature 3-day program.

It’s my third winter doing it and i always enjoy the cooking break and healthful pause. They offer veg, pescatarian, or meat menus with wonderful variety and i really appreciate the easy prep, truffle ball snacks, and ideal portion sizes.

If you’re looking to try it, use code HELENE10 for 10% off.

That’s it for part two of your high winter survival guide. May this lead you right to your kitchen and keep your bellies and hearts full until the thaw.

Part one is here if you missed it!

À bientôt,

Hélène