Renee Muller: Favorite Recipes From My Cookbook - Between Carpools (2024)

We asked Renee Muller what her family loves and what her fans love…and discovered one more little culinary secret.

BCP: What is your family’s favorite recipe from Our Table?

Renee: Oh wow. That’s like asking me to pick one of my children. Seriously? Well, if I really have to do this, then I’d say among the top 5 is the Fragrant Standing Rib Roast. My children’s eyes literally light up when that roast appears at the Yom Tov table. That and the Onion Crisps, of course, which I always share side by side.
The other 3 (from the top 5) would definitely be the legendary Kaas Potjes, the Classic Chicken Soup, and the Sea Salt Caramels. And the Irresistible Toffee. Oh, wait. That’s 6.
See? I told you it was impossible. And I forgot to tell you about my Seared Tuna.
I give up.

BCP: Which recipe do you think is the most popular from your cookbook?

Renee: Most definitely the Kaas Potjes. But a close runner-up is my Whole Wheat Challah.

BCP: Is there a dish you make that’s not really a recipe but you make all the time? Something that your family loves but you couldn’t put in a cookbook because it’s either embarrassingly simple and/or uses ready-made or store-bought ingredients?

Renee: Sure. We all have those. Our favorite is Miami ribs marinated in Bone Suckin’ sauce. Grill them for a few minutes and dinner is served, and it’s always a hit.

The Recipes:

Fragrant Standing Rib Roast

This recipe has been circulating for years now. I came up with it one Erev Yom Tov when I was a newlywed and had splurged on a beautiful hunk of meat I saw at Epstein’s butcher shop. I couldn’t quite afford it, but I couldn’t leave it there either; Yom Tov seemed like a good excuse to buy it. After much research and debate about how to cook this meat, we were not disappointed. The roast proved to be worth every penny, and many, many standing ribs later, I can attest that it’s always a hit. Just the scent of the meat roasting in the oven will make your guests want to linger.

And so, every Erev Yom Tov without fail, I receive a few phone calls, emails, or text messages asking once again, “How exactly do you cook that unbelievable roast?” By now, it’s a classic.

Don’t expect the bones on your roast to look like those in the photo; usually the bones are cut short, but Mr. Epstein left these long so the roast would look so dramatic in the picture. You will notice that some roasts come with the bones removed yet still attached to the meat with twine or a net. This is because the roast is best cooked with the bones, yet slices easily without bones. Once cooked, discard them.

Onion Crisps

You know those amazing deep-fried, crunchy onions that restaurants serve next to a succulent steak? Tell me one person who does not love those onions. I once ordered a bowl of them at a Manhattan restaurant, as an appetizer (no, they were not listed on the menu) (yes, the waiter thought I was quite odd).

I’ve been trying to replicate these onions for years, with different batters and such, ranging from beer to eggs. This method proved to be the easiest. And the best. I just love it when that happens. These onion crisps are highly addictive. And fattening. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Last Sunday, as we were munching on them at our family BBQ, we tried to come up with an appropriate name for this crunchy and irresistible side.

“Funions?” said my cousin.

“Onion Fries?” said my son.

Then someone said “Heartburn,” and we all had a good laugh.