Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics Season 19 Episode 3 Remembered Flavors

In season 19 episode 3 of Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics, titled "Remembered Flavors," Ina Garten takes a trip down memory lane as she recreates some of her most cherished classic recipes. The episode opens with Ina reminiscing about her grandmother's cooking and how her recipes have served as the foundation for many of Ina's own dishes.

The first dish Ina creates is a classic French Onion Soup, which she first learned to make during her time in Paris. She explains the importance of slowly caramelizing the onions to bring out their sweet flavor, and then deglazing the pan with white wine before adding the beef broth. To finish the soup, Ina tops it with a slice of baguette and gruyere cheese, which she broils in the oven until melted and bubbly.

Next, Ina makes a roasted vegetable lasagna, inspired by a dish she used to make for her friends in college. She starts by roasting a variety of vegetables, including zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms, before layering them with homemade marinara sauce and lasagna noodles in a casserole dish. She then tops the lasagna with a generous amount of ricotta and mozzarella cheese before baking it in the oven until golden brown and bubbling.

For the main course, Ina prepares a classic Coq au Vin, which she learned to make while working in a French restaurant in her twenties. She starts by sautéing bacon in a large Dutch oven before browning chicken thighs in the bacon fat. Ina then adds pearl onions, mushrooms, and garlic to the pot, along with a bottle of red wine and some chicken stock. She lets the dish simmer for a couple of hours until the chicken is falling off the bone and the sauce has thickened.

Finally, for dessert, Ina makes an old-fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie, which she grew up eating as a child. She starts by blind-baking a pie crust before making a tangy lemon custard filling. Ina then whips up a fluffy meringue using egg whites and sugar, which she tops the pie with before baking it in the oven until golden brown.

Throughout the episode, Ina shares tips and tricks for making these classic dishes, as well as stories about how they have played a role in her life. "Remembered Flavors" is a heartwarming tribute to the dishes that have shaped Ina's culinary journey, and a reminder of the power of food to bring back cherished memories.