We can’t all be Martha Stewart. But this holiday season, Us Weekly has your back. We sat down with Graham Elliot who is back to judge Season 15 of Top Chef which premieres Thursday, December 7, and he told Us how to solve some common holiday cooking mishaps. Watch the video to see how a professional handles a burnt batch of cookies, red wine that turns into vinegar and more!
Holiday Dilemma: Burnt Batch of Cookies
Graham Elliot: You can always take those cookies and scoop a little ice cream and pad it and now you’ve got a little ice cream sandwich. Always with being burnt, you can always say you’re adding a bitter note!
Holiday Dilemma: Red Wine That Has Turned to Vinegar
GE: You can always use it as a means to add acidity to a dish. Never toss!
Holiday Dilemma: Two-Day-Old Leftovers
GE: It’s like good wine, it just gets better as it ages. You can probably push it three or four days. Depends on if you’re single or not and you brought all the leftovers home, and you’re just really sad and eat by yourself late at night.
Holiday Dilemma: Leftover Eggnog
GE: You can freeze it. It’s almost an ice cream base. Or, find a way to bake it with a little big of egg and it’s like crème brûlée.
Holiday Dilemma: Burnt Bacon
GE: I think once that happens, that’s very hard to get around. I think you have to toss it. Throw it in the dog food. I have a big German shepherd. [If] you take anything and toss it in the bowl, they love it.
Holiday Dilemma: Thin Gravy
GE: A little cornstarch at the end. So cornstarch and water. It’s called a slurry – not the prettiest word! Throw it in, cook it for five minutes and it will thicken it up naturally.
Top Chef season 15 premieres Thursday, December 7, at 10 p.m. ET.
