Ad Hoc - Bringin' it Home

If you have a birthday coming up or are already starting your holiday wish list, I highly recommend adding Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller to your list. I've had some seriously great grub at Ad Hoc the past two years. It's a style of cooking I've dubbed 'haute comfort' - meaning, comfort food done super-clean -- and stylishly plated, of course!


Just to be clear and give credit where it's due, the gorgeous food photos in this post are reproduced from the book and are the work of the amazing Deborah Jones who has photographed all of TK's cookbooks.


With the change in weather (called 'seasons' in other parts of the country) and my hungry posse coming over for Sunday supper, comfort food was calling. I dove into Ad Hoc at Home for inspiration and emerged with this incredibly delicious, succulent pork roast stuffed with a fig balsamic jam. I served it with a delicata squash/sweet potato/wild chanterelle hash inspired by a dish made at a competition I judged the week prior (that post is in the queue...)


A pastry chef friend tried out the brownie recipe and had to seriously negotiate with her husband to share one (yes, one) with me. Fortunately for me, she won. After devouring it, I understood why he didn't want to let it go: it very well may be the best brownie I've ever had.

If after making the recipe yourself, you think you have a better brownie recipe, please feel free to bake a batch and send 'em my way! I'll be happy to offer my opinion.