Instagram story viewer> @thehousemenu.official> Posts
Christian(@thehousemenu.official)'s profile avatar HD Profile

Christian

@thehousemenu.official

867
followers
1588
following
Food, wine, a bit of travel. Working on a cookbook.
POSTS STORIES REELS
WOOD. FIRED. HIGH. HYDRATION. PIZZA. . . . You don’t need a specialized, separate recipe for pizza. This is the exact same high-hydration dough used for the weekly House Menu sourdough loaf, just pivoted for the wood-fired oven. It uses the identical four ingredients and the same slap-and-fold tension building method—but instead of shaping a boule and firing it in a Dutch oven, we stretch it out for rapid, high-heat pizza cooking in my @stadlermade oven. When your foundational dough is already working for you, it is way easier to fashion that dough into different shapes, rather than to dial in a new recipe. Save the high hydration dough recipe below 👇 Ingredients: * 100g active sourdough starter (fed 3:3:1 overnight) * 500g bread flour (or all-purpose) * 375g water * 12g fine salt Method: * Feed & Prep: Feed your starter ~12 hours in advance until it has doubled in volume. Confirm it is ready with the float test. * Mix & Fermentolyse: Dissolve the active starter into the water to make a cloudy solution, then mix in the flour by hand until a shaggy dough forms. Let it rest for 30 minutes. * Add Salt: Incorporate the salt thoroughly using wet hands. * Slap & Folds: Perform 4 sets of slap-and-folds, spaced 30 minutes apart over 2 hours, to build gentle tension without tearing the dough. * Bulk Ferment: Cover with a towel and let rest until roughly doubled in size, typically 3 to 6 hours depending on ambient temperature. * Portion & Fire: Instead of shaping a single loaf for a banneton, portion the dough into smaller pizza balls for their final proof. Stretch out onto a surface dusted with semolina, load up with simple crushed tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, and slide into the wood-fired oven until the crust is deeply blistered. . . . #TheHouseMenu #SourdoughPizza #WoodFiredPizza #HighHydrationDough #BackOfHouse KitchenSystems PizzaNight HomeBaking CookSmarter by @thehousemenu.official
EGGPLANT. CAPRESE. . . . Sides don't have to be boring. . By roasting the eggplant and tomatoes together on a single sheet pan, you let the oven do the heavy lifting while you focus on the rest of your evening. Finishing it with fresh basil, and a quick drizzle of balsamic glaze transforms standard produce into a standout dish. Save this modular blueprint for your next weeknight sprint 👇 Roasted Eggplant Caprese Ingredients: * 1 large eggplant, sliced into thick rounds * 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved * Fresh basil leaves *(Optional) Fresh mozzarella (torn) or burrata * Balsamic glaze (for drizzling) * Extra virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt Method: * Roast: Toss the eggplant slices and cherry tomatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a sheet pan at 400°F (200°C) for 25-30 minutes until the eggplant is tender and caramelized and the tomatoes are blistered. * Assemble: Transfer the warm vegetables to a serving platter. Tuck torn mozzarella and fresh basil leaves throughout the dish. * Finish: Finish with a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze, a splash of high-quality olive oil, and extra flaky salt before serving. . . . #TheHouseMenu #RoastedEggplant #Caprese #HomeCook #BackOfHouse LowFrictionCooking FoodRituals WeeknightDinner by @thehousemenu.official
SOURDOUGH. PRACTICE. . . . Even though sourdough seems like a flex, it actually started out of necessity. When my now-wife @mynewyorkcitydiary first moved to New York from Amsterdam, we both found it hard to find bread that matched what was easy to find and afford in the Netherlands. My starter originally came from @bakeribrooklyn and sourdough became a practice that I have stuck with for nearly 6 years. At first, sourdough was a puzzle of hydration ratios, stretch-and-folds, and trial-and-error. But over time, it turned into our weekly ritual—the quiet backbone of The House Menu. Every bake follows the same deliberate cycle: bake hot in a Dutch oven, let it cool, slice the entire loaf, and stash it in the freezer. End crusts become croutons and breadcrumbs; frozen slices become weekday toast rescues for soft scrambles, tuna melts, or a simple swipe of cold grass-fed butter and flaky sea salt. Save the recipe below for your next weekend bake 👇 The House Sourdough Loaf Ingredients: * 100g active sourdough starter (fed 3:3:1 overnight) * 500g bread flour (or all-purpose) * 375g water * 12g fine salt * To serve: Grass-fed butter or EVOO & flaky sea salt Tools: * Digital kitchen scale * Mixing bowl & Dutch oven * Parchment paper & banneton (or tea towel-lined bowl) For the full method, find me on substack! #thehousemenu #sourdough #TheHouseMenu #Sourdough #ArtisanBread HomeBaking SourdoughLoaf BreadMaking HomeCook BackOfHouse FoodRituals RealBread by @thehousemenu.official
AVGOLEMONO. SOUP. . . . Avgolemono is my favorite soup of all time — a Greek chicken soup thickened with egg and flavored with good lemon and black pepper; bits of shredded chicken floating throughout. For me, this is my heritage in a single bowl. I can think of countless instances where different family members have made this for me, and while they all had their own slight spin on it, the comforting feeling was always exactly the same RECIPE Ingredients * 2.5 Liters chicken stock * 250g uncooked medium-grain or Arborio rice * 7 large eggs * Juice of 2 lemons, plus extra to taste * Salt, black pepper, and fresh dill Method * Poach a whole chicken to create a fresh stock, then remove and set the chicken aside. * Bring approximately 2.4 Liters of the stock to a boil in a pot and cook the rice directly in the broth. * In a blender or tall container, combine the eggs and lemon juice. * Drop the broth to a bare simmer, then slowly incorporate warm broth into the egg mixture to temper it without cooking the eggs. * Once the temperatures equalize, pour the tempered mixture back into the pot and stir. * Season with salt, pepper, and extra lemon, then garnish with fresh dill, olive oil, and cracked black pepper. #thehousemenu #avgolemono #cyprus #greece #slowcooking by @thehousemenu.official
MEATBALLS. IN. SAUCE. . . . There are few greater clichés of Sunday cooking in New York than meatballs slowly simmering on the stove. This isn’t a rush-and-eat meal; it’s about slow time, letting the cookware do the heavy lifting, and creating memories while the sauce reduces. Finishing these in the pan with a mountain of Parmigiano, torn fresh basil, and good olive oil. Save this for your next Sunday reset 👇 Meatballs in Sauce Ingredients: The Sauce: * 2 large cans high-quality whole peeled tomatoes * 1 peeled carrot * 1 bay leaf * 2 garlic cloves crushed * 2 Parmigiano rinds (if you have them) * Extra Virgin Olive Oil * Sea salt to taste The Meatballs: * 500g ground beef * 30g sourdough breadcrumbs (finely chopped) * 160ml whole milk * 1 medium white onion (approx. 120g, finely chopped) * 2 garlic cloves (grated) * 30g Parmigiano (grated) * 5g dried oregano * 10g fresh parsley (optional, chopped) * Swig of EVOO * 1 egg (optional – skipping keeps them melt-in-your-mouth tender, but use it if you’re short on resting time) Method: * The Slow Sauce: Gently hand-crush the tomatoes into a pot. Drop in the whole peeled carrot, bay leaf, garlic cloves, and Parmigiano rinds. Bring to a gentle simmer and let it slowly reduce for at least 2 hours until mellowed. Finish with olive oil and sea salt to taste. * The Mix: Soak the fine sourdough breadcrumbs in cold milk and set aside in the fridge. In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion, oregano, grated garlic, grated Parmigiano, and a drizzle of olive oil. Add the milk-soaked breadcrumbs and mix gently by hand—don’t overwork it! * Shape & Rest: Roll into balls (using your thumb and pointer finger as a size guide). Lay on parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. * Sear & Simmer: Heat a wide braiser until hot, sear the meatballs until browned on all sides, then ladle your slow-simmered sauce directly into the pan. Drop the heat to low and let the meatballs finish cooking gently in the sauce. by @thehousemenu.official
Open Bake ASMR by @thehousemenu.official
SOURDOUGH. LOUKANIKOPITA. Sourdough day doubles as snack day 🥖✨ My daughter had been asking for loukanikopita every single day this weekend, so I couldn’t say no. A bit of a tongue twister to say, but it’s essentially a Greek sausage rolL. Next time you do a bulk sourdough bake, slice off a couple of strips before final shaping! Wrap up some sausages, egg wash, plenty of sesame, for an easy snack. #sourdough #loukanikopita #bakinghack #sausageroll #homemadesourdough greekfood by @thehousemenu.official
LAMB. KLEFTIKO. . . . The ultimate Sunday afternoon formula: minimal prep, maximum payoff, and zero hovering over the stove. ​Kleftiko is traditionally made with lemon and oregano, but I wanted to play around with some familiar flavors. I twist the braising liquid with Dijon mustard and fresh orange juice alongside extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. The bright citrus and sharp mustard cut cleanly through the rich lamb fat while everything braises low and slow. ​Wrapped tight in parchment, the carrots and potatoes melt directly into the rendered juices, and the meat gets so outrageously tender the bone slides out with zero resistance. ​Set your oven to 325°, seal your parcel, and get four hours back to yourself. ​Full breakdown, ratios, and technique notes to be posted on Substack (link in bio). #greekfood #thm #thehousemenu #kleftiko by @thehousemenu.official
@stadlermade by @thehousemenu.official
Hanging on to summer. . . . This was a breakfast post Spanish dinner party. Soft scramble with Jamon Iberico (de bellota 🐐) Pan Con Tomate with an 83% hydration sourdough Aged Manchego (Siuu) by @thehousemenu.official
THE ULTIMATE STEAK SANDWICH Recipe up on substack https://thehousemenu.substack.com/p/the-ultimate-steak-sandwich?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=62q1f by @thehousemenu.official
For those that have been following, I mentioned my work on a project beyond Instagram, and this article is a small piece of that work. In my career (as an adult human) cooking at home became a hobby and a passion, but before that it was simply a chore that became a tool for me to watch my weight better, to save money, and to entertain others when the opportunity presented itself. From what I am learning from the small community of food writers that I have been able to interact with, is that cooking is always romanticized. Lots of flowery language, and a lot of artsiness (which don't get me wrong, I love it), but the truth is that cooking for most people is a pain in the ass. It's a bit like exercise, we all know we should do it, and no one does it quite as much as we should. So, I am trying to write on the subject of how to get yourself cooking more. How can we make it easier to enjoy ourselves in the kitchen and reduce friction. Just like exercise, we all know the benefits, but it's really about finding the way to enjoy yourself that makes it work. For those who are reading, thank you. More to come here. https://substack.com/@thehousemenu.official by @thehousemenu.official

Download All

Save the photos and videos currently loaded on this page.

0Photos
0Videos
Ready to download 0 / 0

Keep this tab open until your download is ready.
back to up