30 Recipes for *Intentionally* Burnt or Charred Foods


Uhhh, we meant to do that?
Annabel Mehran1/30"Burnt" Carrots and Parsnips
Got some burned bits? Great job! The natural sugars in the root vegetables, along with the brown sugar, will caramelize, giving you a little bitterness to counter all that sweetness.
Alex Lau2/30Charred Caprese Sandwich
How do you improve on a classic Caprese? Grill your tomatoes—and create a Charred Caprese Sandwich.
Ted Cavanaugh3/30Charred Scallion Butter
Charring whole scallions before whipping them into the butter gives this spread an irresistible sweet, smoky flavor.
Marcus Nilsson4/30Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Charred-Chile Adobo
The key to this adobo is truly burning the chiles and spices. Not browned, not toasted—burned. Try this at home; just open the windows and turn on the fan first.
Jarren Vink5/30Charred-Bread Powder
Don’t have a spice mill? You can use a blender or food processor for this one.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott6/30Charred Romaine with Tomatillo Dressing
Charred to a crisp: Not a statement usually associated with salads, but delicious nonetheless in this Mexican-inspired romaine number from Rose's Luxury, the No. 1 Best New Restaurant in America for 2014.
Peden & Munk7/30Lamb Chops Scottadito with Charred Cherry Tomatoes
The sweet tomatoes stand up well to a little char.
Danny Kim8/30Charred Broccoli Salad with Eggplant Purée
The broccoli should still have snap and crunch after charring—this is a far cry from the mayo-based broccoli salad you may be thinking of.
Peden & Munk9/30Charred Spring Onion and Sesame-Chile Butter
Spring onions are sweet, so they can take the char. It's kinda like burning a marshmallow on purpose.
Gentl & Hyers10/30Burnt-Caramel Custards
You'll know the caramel is done when it turns a deep amber color.
11/30Charred and Raw Corn with Chile and Cheese
All the flavors of a Mexican grilled corn on the cob, now in a convenient, tossed-together form, with multiple corn textures happening at once.
Peden & Munk12/30Whole Corn on the Grill
How to choose corn: Look for tight, squeaky, green husks and rows of kernels that feel taut and full when you run your hands over the cobs.
Christina Holmes13/30Marinated Tofu with Peanuts and Charred Bean Sprouts
“At home I cook quick, healthy, and vegetarian,” says chef Peter Serpico, of Philadelphia's Serpico. Cue this soy-and-ginger-marinated tofu that tastes way better than takeout.
Peden + Munk14/30Charred Onion Petals
Charred onions offer the best of three worlds: a slightly bitter taste (in a good way), caramelized edges, and crunchy-sweet flesh. If you want to eat them like potato chips, we won't tell.