Season 6 of Netflix’s Queer Eye has been a ray of daylight to the lots who’ve been given the ol’ one-two by darkish winter days and social distancing. In case you missed it, the newest season dropped on the finish of January. Lastly, we might spend the weekend crying over the wholesomeness of the Fab 5 giving different peoples’ lives a makeover whereas wrapped in a blanket burrito on the sofa. (Oh boy, did that occur.)
Frankly, we might by no means choose only one favourite out of the Fab 5. We would like Tan France’s fashion recommendation. We want that Jonathan Van Ness would give us a haircut, that Karamo Brown may very well be our life coach, and that Bobby Berk would redesign our front room (with thrifted decor, in fact). However it is a cooking article–and at this time, we’re speaking about Queer Eye’s resident culinarian, Antoni Porowski, and the way he’s been making use of extra of his culinary know-how in the direction of creating extra vegan recipes. All through Season 6, the 37-year-old Montreal native shared 4 plant-based recipes, which we’ll get to in a bit. First, what does he cook dinner for himself when he’s not educating different individuals in regards to the joy of cooking?
What does Antoni Porowski eat?
At residence, Porowski takes a relaxed method to meals, typically utilizing solely what he has at home. He takes a flexitarian method, too, as was demonstrated in an episode of his quarantine-cooking sequence on Instagram. Within the first “Meet-Much less Monday” model, he makes a vegan pizza with almond-based mozzarella, meatless sausage, marinated artichoke hearts, fire-roasted crimson peppers, and leeks. It sounds gourmand, however every little thing got here premade, or in a jar.
“We must always all be inspired [to eat less meat] as a result of we must always all be inspired to do this for the sake of our planet,” Porowski explains on the high of the video. There’s additionally an eco-friendly angle to cooking with solely issues that he has in his kitchen: it helps minimize down on food waste, a difficulty that worsens local weather change.
In another episode, he makes chickpea pasta with crumbled vegan sausage, peas, and zucchini in a lemon-white wine sauce. “As ordinary, I’m utilizing actually no matter I’ve readily available and making an attempt to make the very best of it, like all of us are,” he says to start with.
Not solely does Porowski dole out the knowledge on social media, however he’s additionally put it on paper in two cookbooks: 2019’s Antoni within the Kitchen and final yr’s Let’s Do Dinner. The latter features a handful of meatless recipes, like roasted cabbage steaks with apple-Dijon vinaigrette and a vegan chili.
Porowski’s lack of culinary coaching has earned him some side-eye, however the self-taught cuisinier’s approachable recipes and primary ideas have clearly resonated with each Queer Eye’s makeover recipients and the present’s followers. Right here’s what he cooked in Season 6:
Rainbow maple-glazed carrots
In Season 6, Episode 3 of Queer Eye, titled “No Extra Bull,” the Fab 5 assist a 32-year-old cattle rancher named Josh get his act collectively so he can “lasso the love of his life” by embracing a few of that candy, candy self-care. Meat is, as anticipated, an enormous a part of Josh’s life. Lower than 5 minutes into the episode, we see the Texan rubbing spices right into a rib rack and slamming a slab of meat down right into a cast-iron skillet.
Porowski digs deep into the interior workings of Josh’s weight loss plan and learns that the cattle rancher eats steak “just about on daily basis” with some “hen from time to time, however not when anybody’s watching,” incomes him an exasperated “Oh, masculinity!” from Queer Eye’s resident cook dinner. (Identical, Antoni. Laborious similar.) So, what’s the issue? Josh doesn’t like greens, doesn’t suppose that they style good, and may’t keep in mind the final time he had a carrot. “Mother was a reasonably good Texas girl,” he says. “Didn’t feed me a complete lot of veggies.” We would unpack that meat-masculinity factor at a later date–let’s get to how Porowski proves Josh fallacious about tasteless veggies.
Collectively, Josh and Porowski saute a bunch of rainbow carrots in a skillet with butter, olive oil, and salt till they develop a lightweight char. They then whisk up a glaze consisting of contemporary thyme, honey, and chili flakes, tossing to coat the carrots. “The rationale I’m including [honey] now and never earlier is that [it’s] very excessive in sugar, and this could have burnt to a crisp if we had added it earlier on,” Porowski advises. They find yourself plating the carrots with steak, however for Porowski, the purpose was to persuade Josh that greens might be scrumptious. “This is perhaps the very best carrot I’ve ever had in my entire life,” he says. Victory!
Refried bean taquitos for promenade
The very subsequent episode, “A Evening to Bear in mind,” takes us to a spot that my youthful self dreaded: highschool. However concern not, the episode brings the heartwarming vibes that we’ve come to count on from the Queer Eye crew. This time round, they’re out to assist a highschool promenade committee pull off an out of doors dance for seniors which have been, for essentially the most half, attending courses remotely due to the pandemic. The committee is on a time crunch to get every little thing collectively as a result of the promenade’s approval was slowed down, additionally on account of COVID-19.
So, Porowski is available in clutch with an concept for a taquito bar that includes three flavors: hen, cheese, and refried beans. “We want one thing for the vegans,” scholar physique co-president Emilio tells him in a dialog in regards to the menu. “Everyone ought to be completely happy and fed.” To which Porowski responds “Have a look at you, enthusiastic about different individuals!”
The taquitos themselves are easy, Porowski explains: simply combine refried beans with some salsa, lay down a spoonful of the filling on the primary third of the tortilla, roll it away from you, spray it with some oil, after which pop it within the air fryer till it’s crispy. They’re then served with bowls of pico de gallo, inexperienced sauce (avocado, jalapeño, lime juice, onion, and salt), and bitter cream for topping. Everybody agrees that college students will probably be more than pleased with the taquitos on the massive night time.
Braised cauliflower steaks
We wait with bated breath for the subsequent plant-based recipe in Season 6, which occurs in Episode 7: “The Snow White of Central Texas.”
This time round, the Fab 5 assist Jamie, the founding father of Secure in Austin Rescue Ranch, a sanctuary for special-needs animals. The refuge is residence to 18 species and 170 animals. Jamie’s massive coronary heart additionally extends to kids with particular wants: she runs a program that connects children with rescued animals who share a similar story. (Warning: the wholesomeness of this episode will make you cry.)
Jamie is “on” for her job and her household virtually 24/7, so she hardly ever permits herself to take a break, and that features cooking. As a result of nature of her job–rescue each livestock and those we preserve as pets–Jamie follows a plant-based weight loss plan. She admittedly “sucks” at it and since she’s so used to only ordering takeout as a substitute, she finds her personal kitchen intimidating.
Porowski to the rescue! “Plant-based appears to be the route that everyone is heading in the direction of,” he tells Jamie earlier than introducing the recipe: braised cauliflower steaks. (Jamie says that her expertise with cauliflower consists of smashing it on the bottom for hungry rabbits and tortoises.)
To make the steaks, Antoni slices a complete cauliflower down the center, then coats every slab in olive oil, turmeric, contemporary cracked pepper, and salt. They brown either side of the cauliflower steaks in a cast-iron skillet, then braise it in vegetable broth. It’s then topped with a French dressing made out of olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, gochujang, maple syrup, and salt. They each dig in, and savor the flavorful vegetable dish.
Antoni Porowski’s plant-based protein shake
In Episode 8, “Gimme Shelter,” Porowski retains issues easy, however private–we’re speaking his very personal smoothie recipe. This episode’s makeoveree is 36-year-old Chris, who describes himself as a “tattooed, no-good, potty-mouthed humanitarian.” He’s the founder and government director of The Different Ones Basis, which offers hygiene amenities and starvation aid to individuals experiencing homelessness. His spouse, Elizabeth, tells the Fab 5 that Chris is “probably the most compassionate” individuals she is aware of, however worries that he’s going to burn himself out.
Not solely is Chris busy serving to others on a regular basis, however he additionally underwent gastric bypass surgical procedure. Which means that his meals have to be fast, but additionally nutrient-rich, choices that his abdomen can deal with. He continuously buys bottled whey protein shakes out of comfort, which Porowski explains “is milk-derived and might be exhausting to digest” for individuals who have had a gastric sleeve.
Porowski provides a selfmade swap: a vegan protein shake made with pistachio milk, pea protein, banana, almond butter, “an offensive quantity” of cinnamon, and ice. “You don’t save time by making your smoothie from scratch, but it surely’s cheaper and you’ve got an consciousness of what you’re placing into your physique,” he says. Chris’s verdict? “Oh my god, that is so good. It’s like gingerbread. It tastes like Christmas.”
Need to learn the way different stars cook dinner at residence? Try the remainder of our series, the place we share extra superstar cooking ideas.
