Elie Nassar, Recipe Tester

A list of all the recipes Elie Nassar has tested.

Elie Nassar

Elie (pronounced E-lee) takes any and every possible free moment to cook. When he’s not roasting, baking, curing or smoking meat, he can be found reading and learning about food. He’s been an LC tester since 2003 and really enjoys the science-y and analytical side of testing (weight measures and thermometers rule!) He was born and raised in Lebanon, so Lebanese food is definitely his favorite. (He makes a killer hummus. Let him know if you want his simple yet perfect recipe.)

Elie moved to Texas for college in the mid-’90s and promptly developed a passion for real beef barbecue. He especially enjoys baking naturally leavened bread and pizza, making charcuterie, and slowly smoking brisket over mesquite.

Besides cooking, watching and writing about movies is another of his passions. He combines both on his blog, Oven-Dried Tomatoes, where he writes about cooking, cocktails, and posts his thoughts about movies. Elie lives near Houston, Texas, with his wife, son, and a Goldendoodle called Harry, plus he has another son in college. Elie works in the energy-consulting sector to pay the grocery bills. You can connect with Elie on Instagram as well (where 99% of the posts are about food and cooking.

Cajun chicken and sausage gumbo with a serving of rice, in a white bowl with a spoon.

Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

“Your family will think you are AMAZING.” “A straightforward, real deal Cajun gumbo that everyone loved.” “Easy and affordable.” “A keeper!” That’s what we’re hearing about this.

A platter of Azorean carne assada--chunks of roasted beef, carrots, and sausage on a white plate.

Portuguese Carne Assada

A traditional Azorean dish that boasts meltingly tender oven-braised beef, potatoes, chouriço, and onions. It’s a rustic, homey, Sunday supper sorta dish from David’s VERY Portuguese mom.

A cast-iron skillet filled with Vietnamese caramelized pork, and topped with sliced chiles and scallions.

Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Pork

This caramelized pork is sweet, salty, savory, and a little spicy. It’s every bit as good as what you’ll find in your local Vietnamese restaurant and completely doable on a weeknight.

A hand holding a scoop of Ben & Jerry New York super fudge chunk in a sugar cone.

New York Super Fudge Chunk

Ben & Jerry, we love you and we always will. But we make our own Super Fudge Chunk now that’s even more riddled with chunks of all sorts of super fudge-y spectacularness.

Two cups with scoops of chocolate hazelnut gelato, known as gelato di gianduia, with a spoon.

Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato

We’re food folks, not number crunchers. But perhaps our most favorite equation ever? Chocolate + hazelnuts = gianduia.

A sidecar cocktail, ice cubes and a dried cherry garnish, in a highball glass with a sugared rim.

Sidecar Cocktail

Created during Prohibition, this collision of Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon isn’t for the faint of heart—nor for the slight of tolerance.

Two beet and carrot fritters, garnished with dill, on a white plate with a fork and a dollop of dill yogurt

Beet and Carrot Fritters

Shame we didn’t have these little lovelies on our plates when we were being admonished by our parents to “eat your veggies!”

Pumpkin pie babka in two loaf pans beside a rolling pin and a bowl of pumpkin pie spice.

Pumpkin Pie Babka

This babka is full of all the flavors of fall. Pumpkin, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and a crunchy streusel topping make it unforgettable.

Caramelized honey pumpkin pie in slices on dessert plates, each garnished with dollops of whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice.

Caramelized Honey Pumpkin Pie

A Thanksgiving pie for those looking for something different from last year. Brown butter and caramelized honey give pumpkin pie a whole new twist.

A casserole dish with cheesy pumpkin potato gratin

Cheesy Pumpkin Potato Gratin

If you’ve been looking for a gorgeously cheesy, autumn side filled with potatoes, pumpkin, and lots of cheese, we’ve got good news for you. You’re going to love it.

Fig jam thumbprint cookies in rows on a sheet of parchment paper.

Fig Jam Thumbprint Cookies

A more exotic take on the traditional thumbprint, the addition of fig jam takes these beauties to an even better place. Sweet, warm, and gorgeous.

Bibimbap in an enamel bowl with sections of sprouts, noodles, spinach, carrots, meat, cucumber.

Bibimbap

This bibimbap recipe with its easy, smoky, slightly sweet sauce is going to upend your notion of healthy eating. Swear.

Butter pecan ice cream in a black bowl, with a spoon.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

This isn’t your typical butter pecan ice cream. A creamy, custardy, ice cream base filled with perfectly shattered bits of pecan brittle isn’t exactly typical, is it?