James Beard Recipes: 12 Classics From the Dean of American Cooking, Starting With the Onion Sandwich Millions Watched

James Beard recipes are the kind of food that never goes out of style: simple, generous and full of real flavor. Beard was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1903, hosted one of the very first TV cooking shows, I Love to Eat, in 1946, and spent the next four decades teaching Americans to cook with confidence. Food writers called him the dean of American cookery, and today the country’s top food awards carry his name. His tiny party onion sandwich went viral all over again when his old friend Jacques Pepin made it on TV, a clip with about 2.8 million views. If you loved our Jacques Pepin recipes gallery, these 12 classics are a perfect match for holiday entertaining, each with the story, what you will need and easy steps..

James Beard’s Famous Onion Sandwiches

Of all the James Beard recipes, this little party bite is the one that made him famous among New York hosts. He cut rounds of thin white bread or brioche, spread them with mayonnaise, tucked in a paper-thin slice of sweet onion, then rolled the edges in mayonnaise and chopped parsley so each one wore a bright green ring. Guests could not stop eating them. When Jacques Pepin made them on TV, a new generation discovered how good three humble ingredients can be. They belong on any tray of gourmet party bites. Read more about his life on Wikipedia..

You will need: 1 loaf thin-sliced white sandwich bread or brioche, 1 large sweet onion, 1/2 cup good mayonnaise, 1 cup very finely chopped fresh parsley, salt and a 2-inch round cutter.

How to make it: 1. Cut two rounds from each slice of bread with the cutter. 2. Slice the onion paper thin and trim the slices to fit the rounds. 3. Spread every round with mayonnaise, add an onion slice to half of them, salt lightly and top with the other rounds. 4. Spread a thin line of mayonnaise around each edge. 5. Roll the edges in the parsley, cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Penne With Fried Eggplant, One of the Simplest James Beard Recipes

Beard loved pasta and once called it one of the shorter routes to heaven, a line the James Beard Foundation still shares with its classic recipe videos. This dish is pure Italian home cooking: eggplant cubes fried until golden and creamy inside, then tossed with hot pasta, fresh tomato, garlic and plenty of grated cheese. It is fast, cheap and filling, which is why so many James Beard recipes still work for busy families. If you want more ways with the purple vegetable, try our easy eggplant recipes for sides and light meals, then come back to this weeknight favorite.

You will need: 1 pound penne, 1 large eggplant cut in 3/4-inch cubes, olive oil for frying, 3 garlic cloves sliced, 3 ripe tomatoes chopped, salt, pepper, fresh basil and 1 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino.

How to make it: 1. Salt the eggplant cubes and let them drain in a colander for 20 minutes, then pat dry. 2. Fry the eggplant in hot olive oil in batches until golden, and drain on paper towels. 3. Cook the penne in well salted water until al dente, saving a cup of the water. 4. Warm the garlic in a little oil, add the tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. 5. Toss the pasta with the tomatoes, eggplant, cheese, basil and a splash of pasta water.

Old-Fashioned Nutmeg Coffee Cake

Among James Beard recipes, his coffee cake is the one home bakers keep coming back to. It is a tender, buttery cake with a big dose of freshly grated nutmeg and a crunchy sugar crumb on top, the kind of thing he would set out with a pot of coffee for weekend guests. Freshly grated nutmeg makes all the difference, so grate it right before you mix. For more crumb-topped classics, our vintage coffee cake recipes gallery is full of them.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg, 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup milk, plus 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 3 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg for the crumb.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and butter a 9-inch square pan. 2. Rub the crumb ingredients together with your fingers until clumpy, and set aside. 3. Beat the butter and sugar, add the eggs, then the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. 4. Spread the batter in the pan and scatter the crumb evenly over the top. 5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean, and serve warm.

Southern-Style Tomato Pie

Tomato pie is a summer tradition in the South, and Beard, who championed regional American cooking long before it was trendy, loved dishes like this that let ripe produce shine. Thick tomato slices are salted and drained so the crust stays crisp, then layered with basil and covered with a golden cheese topping. It is savory, juicy and, like many James Beard recipes, best served warm or at room temperature. It sits happily next to retro favorites like our impossible pies at any potluck or holiday buffet.

You will need: 1 baked 9-inch pie crust, 4 large ripe tomatoes sliced thick, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup chopped basil, 2 green onions sliced, 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, 1/2 cup mayonnaise and black pepper.

How to make it: 1. Salt the tomato slices and let them drain on paper towels for 20 minutes. 2. Heat the oven to 350 F. 3. Layer the tomatoes, basil and green onions in the baked crust, seasoning with pepper. 4. Mix the cheese and mayonnaise and spread it over the top to the edges. 5. Bake 30 minutes until golden and bubbly, then rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Chicken With Tarragon From the James Beard Recipes Collection

Beard spent time in France as a young man, and the French love of tarragon with chicken stayed with him for life. The James Beard Foundation still shares his chicken with tarragon as one of his classic recipes. The bird is browned in butter, cooked gently with white wine and fresh tarragon, and finished with a little cream for a silky sauce. It is elegant enough for a dinner party yet easy for a weeknight, much like the French classics Julia Child taught home cooks.

You will need: 4 bone-in chicken thighs or breasts, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 shallot chopped, 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon and 1/2 cup heavy cream.

How to make it: 1. Season the chicken well and brown it skin side down in the butter. 2. Turn the pieces, add the shallot and cook 2 minutes. 3. Pour in the wine, add half the tarragon, cover and simmer 25 minutes until cooked through. 4. Lift out the chicken, stir the cream into the pan and boil 3 minutes until slightly thick. 5. Add the rest of the tarragon, season and spoon the sauce over the chicken.

Ratatouille, the Summer Stew Beard Loved

Ratatouille comes from Provence, and Beard, who adored French country cooking, helped make it a staple in American kitchens. His version is part of the James Beard Foundation’s classic recipe series. Eggplant, zucchini, peppers, onions and tomatoes cook slowly in olive oil with garlic and herbs until soft and rich. It tastes even better the next day, warm or cold, and it is one of the James Beard recipes worth making in a big batch. For a showier, sliced version inspired by a famous chef, see our ratatouille recipes gallery and compare the two styles.

You will need: 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 onions sliced, 4 garlic cloves, 1 eggplant cubed, 2 zucchini sliced, 2 bell peppers cut in strips, 4 tomatoes chopped, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, salt, pepper and fresh basil.

How to make it: 1. Cook the onions and garlic in half the oil over medium heat for 8 minutes. 2. Add the eggplant and remaining oil and cook 10 minutes, stirring. 3. Add the zucchini, peppers and thyme and cook 10 minutes more. 4. Stir in the tomatoes, season and simmer uncovered 30 minutes until thick. 5. Finish with torn basil and serve warm or at room temperature.

Simple White Bread From Beard on Bread

In 1973 Beard published Beard on Bread, a friendly book that convinced thousands of nervous home cooks they could bake their own loaves. His basic white bread is the place to start: flour, yeast, water, a little sugar and salt, kneaded by hand and baked until the crust sounds hollow when tapped. Nothing makes a house smell better, and few James Beard recipes teach you more. Once you are hooked on baking, try one of our focaccia recipes for an easy next step. It also makes perfect slices for the onion sandwiches.

You will need: 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 cups warm water, 1 tablespoon salt, 5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour and soft butter for the pans.

How to make it: 1. Stir the yeast and sugar into 1/2 cup warm water and let it foam for 5 minutes. 2. Add the rest of the water, the salt and enough flour to make a soft dough. 3. Knead 10 minutes until smooth, then let it rise in a buttered bowl until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. 4. Shape into two loaves, put them in buttered loaf pans and let rise until doubled again. 5. Bake at 400 F for 35 to 40 minutes until golden and hollow sounding, then cool on a rack.

Hangtown Fry, a Gold Rush Classic in James Beard Recipes

Beard grew up on the West Coast and wrote proudly about its old dishes, including Hangtown fry from the California Gold Rush. Legend says a miner who struck it rich in Placerville, once nicknamed Hangtown, asked for the most expensive meal in town, and the cook combined oysters, bacon and eggs, all costly luxuries at the time. Today it is a hearty brunch treat and one of the most fun James Beard recipes to try. Serve it at a holiday breakfast alongside ideas from our Ina Garten Christmas brunch gallery.

You will need: 6 slices bacon, 8 to 10 shucked oysters, 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup fine cracker or bread crumbs, 7 eggs, 2 tablespoons milk, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon butter and chopped chives.

How to make it: 1. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp, then set it aside and keep the fat. 2. Dip the oysters in flour, then 1 beaten egg, then crumbs, and fry them in the bacon fat until golden. 3. Beat the remaining eggs with the milk, salt and pepper. 4. Melt the butter in the skillet, add the oysters and bacon and pour the eggs over them. 5. Cook gently until just set, then fold or slide onto a plate and top with chives.

Roast Turkey the Beard Way

Beard believed a holiday turkey should be juicy, well seasoned and never fussy. He liked to rub the bird generously with butter, season it well and roast it at a steady heat while basting, then let it rest so the juices settled back into the meat. It is the same simple advice that runs through all his James Beard recipes, and cooks still rely on it today. If you worry about dry breast meat, our guide to turkey methods that never dry out has extra tips. Serve it with plenty of gravy and your favorite sides.

You will need: 1 turkey (12 to 14 pounds), 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped thyme and sage, 1 onion, 1 lemon, a few celery ribs and 2 cups chicken stock.

How to make it: 1. Pat the turkey dry and rub it inside and out with salt, pepper and herbs. 2. Spread the butter all over the skin and fill the cavity with the onion, lemon and celery. 3. Roast at 325 F on a rack with the stock in the pan, basting every 45 minutes. 4. Roast about 13 minutes per pound until the thigh reaches 165 F. 5. Rest 30 minutes before carving and make gravy from the pan juices.

Oregon Pear and Hazelnut Tart, a Nod to Beard’s Portland Roots

Beard never forgot the food of his Oregon childhood, from Pacific crab to the juicy pears that grow in the valleys of the state. Oregon also grows nearly all of America’s hazelnuts, so a pear tart with a nutty filling is a sweet way to honor him. Ripe pear halves are fanned over a rich hazelnut and almond cream and baked until golden. For more cozy fruit ideas, see our pear and fig desserts for fall. Serve it with lightly whipped cream, a sweet ending for a dinner of James Beard recipes.

You will need: 1 unbaked 9-inch tart crust, 1/2 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup ground toasted hazelnuts, 1/2 cup ground almonds, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 4 ripe pears peeled, halved and cored.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and fit the crust into a tart pan. 2. Beat the butter and sugar, then add the eggs, ground nuts, flour and vanilla. 3. Spread the nut cream in the crust. 4. Slice each pear half thinly crosswise and fan it over the filling. 5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until puffed and golden, then cool before slicing.

Simple Cream Biscuits, Cut in Rounds or Wedges

Beard loved to show that great baking does not have to be hard, and these cream biscuits, one of the easiest James Beard recipes, prove it. There is no butter to cut in. Heavy cream supplies all the fat and moisture, so the dough comes together in a minute and bakes up tender and tall. Brush the tops with a little melted butter for a golden finish and serve them warm with jam or gravy. For more easy breads for the holiday table, browse our homemade dinner rolls and biscuits gallery.

You will need: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 3 tablespoons melted butter.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment. 2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. 3. Stir in the cream until the dough just holds together. 4. Pat it 3/4 inch thick on a floured board and cut into rounds, or into wedges like a scone. 5. Brush with melted butter and bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden.

Chicken With 40 Cloves of Garlic, Among the Best Loved James Beard Recipes

This Provencal dish sounds alarming, but the long, gentle cooking turns forty cloves of garlic soft, sweet and mild, like a spread. Beard is widely credited with making it popular in the United States, and home cooks have loved it ever since. Chicken pieces bake in a covered pot with the unpeeled cloves, herbs and a splash of wine, and you squeeze the soft garlic onto toasted bread at the table. Garlic fans will also enjoy our creamy garlic dinners for busy weeknights.

You will need: 1 chicken cut into 8 pieces, salt, pepper, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 40 unpeeled garlic cloves (about 3 heads), 4 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary, 1/2 cup dry white wine or stock and toasted country bread.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and season the chicken well. 2. Brown the chicken in the oil in a heavy ovenproof pot. 3. Scatter the garlic and herbs around the chicken and pour in the wine. 4. Cover tightly and bake 1 1/4 hours without lifting the lid. 5. Serve with the pan juices and toasted bread for spreading the soft garlic.