GPG Recap: Ranking My Favorite Recipes

I cooked my way through Formula 1 this year — but these recipes were my favorites.

Well, here is is: the Formula 1 off-season. I don't know about you, but it kind of feels like this year has flown by, even though I've literally been going crazy making F1 content since literally January. I blinked, and now I'm writing my recap for the year!

Today, I'm looking at every singe dish I made this year — the ones I loved, the ones I probably would have liked more if I hadn't messed them up, and the ones that were just pretty “meh.” If you cooked along with me, let me know in the comments what your favorite dishes were!

23. Roast Lamb - Australian GP

I hate that I had to rank any of these dishes last because there wasn't one I actively disliked! The roast lamb for the Australian Grand Prix was tasty, but it also wasn't terribly exciting. That may be down to the recipe I picked, but for our ranking purposes, it was Just Fine But Not Thrilling. This recipe did assure me that I enjoy the taste of lamb, though — even when it's not loaded up in lots of spices!

22. Goulash - Hungarian GP

I almost feel as if I've personally failed by ranking goulash so low on this list! It was tasty, but I also don't think I liked it as much as I'd expected — but, again, it was also fairly standard as far as flavor went. The goulash may not have knocked my socks off, but I'm still looking forward to trying different Hungarian recipes! I know there's something out there that I'll enjoy far more.

21. Key Lime Pie - Miami GP

My struggle with the key lime pie I made for the Miami Grand Prix was largely down to my own preparation. I've had damn good key lime pie before, and what I made didn't quite compare! It was still delicious, as many failed desserts can be, but I would have preferred if my preparation had led to a different consistency!

20. Shrimp Cocktail - Las Vegas GP

I frickin loved my shrimp cocktail sauce, because nothing is better than having all your senses assaulted by a swift horseradish kick. My main issue with this recipe was that it wasn't all that fun to make! I'm not saying I always want to spend hours in the kitchen, but this project has taught me how to better appreciate the process of cooking, not just the end result. I will say, though, the shrimp cocktail was the epitome of Las Vegas: quick, powerful, and to the point.

19. Hainanese Chicken Rice - Singapore GP

Everything about the Hainanese chicken rice I made for the Singapore Grand Prix was perfect except for one thing: the chicken itself. It was delicious and well prepared, but I had a hard time getting past the slightly gelatinous texture. I've mentioned a few times throughout this project that I have a few specific food icks, and certain textures in meat can kinda freak me out. Such was the case here, and I hate that I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped!

18. Tagliatelle with Ragu - Emilia Romagna GP

This poor dish ranks low because of my measly preparation. Not only did I let my ragu get a little too charred, but I also somehow ended up with a very oily sauce. I have a few new ragu recipes saved and I'm ready to try again!

17. Barbajuan - Monaco GP

These barbajuan were so frickin delicious but the fiddly preparation made them slightly more effort than they were worth. I bet these absolutely frickin RIP when you grab 'em from a street food stand in Monaco, and that is exactly where I intend to have them next.

16. Khuzi - Abu Dhabi GP

I fell in love with khuzi for several different reasons. Not only was the meat itself delicious, but the mixture of tomato paste and ghee I rubbed on the outside of the meat before roasting it has become my new go-to trick when I'm trying to build up a good flavored crust. Plus, my god, the rice cooked in lamb water was LIFE CHANGING.

15. Stamppot - Dutch GP

I wanted to make fun of stamppot so bad, but the Dutch have given credence to the warning that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Creamy mashed potatoes filled with kale and topped with sausage is a delightful combination. I'm so obsessed. 

14. Tharid - Saudi Arabian GP

Spicy and hearty and filling: this is comfort food at its finest. The tharid I made for the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix was incredible, but it was also a smidge spicy for my tastes. I've got my eye on a butcher shop and will be stocking up on lamb the next time they get some in so I can remake this dish, just without the lingering mouth burn.

13. Plov - Azerbaijan GP

I had no idea how delicious it could be to sauté dried fruit and then mix them into fluffy rice. I'm keen on trying this plov recipe again to see if I can get a nice crust on my rice for added texture and flavor.

12. Machboos - Bahrain GP

Machboos was the first dish I took on for this project, and it was an impressive undertaking! It was something of a trial by fire, but the results were incredible. It convinced me I made the right choice diving headfirst into this culinary adventure.

11. Paella - Spanish GP 

It feels like a crime that my first foray into the flavors of paella was in my own kitchen, and the only reason I'm keeping this fantastic dish out of the top 10 is that I know I didn't do it justice. The flavors were so wonderful, and I was delighted with how it came out, but it also felt like it was missing a little something. Once I sample the real thing, I'll know how to recreate this dish at home and bump it up the list!

10. Wiener Schnitzel - Austrian GP

All the flavors of Austria, delivered right to my mouth on one plate — the Austrian Grand Prix is one of my favorites on the calendar largely thanks to all the fond memories I have there, but also because the food is so frickin good. I don't quite think I nailed the crust on my schnitzel, but that's OK; I'll be making this dish again. 

9. Madrouba - Qatar GP

The concept of rice pudding has always vaguely horrified me, but I don't think there's any way to describe madrouba but as a spicy, savory rice pudding — and it is absolutely delicious. This is one of this dishes I can't wait to make time and again on gray, cloudy days. 

8. Mole Poblano - Mexico GP

I think this is possibly the dish my husband and I disagree on the most: he felt it wasn't worth the effort I put in, and I disagreed, especially for the amount of sauce this makes. Sweet, bitter, smoky, spicy, and a little bit sour, mole poblano is one of the most complete sauces in the world in terms of its expansive flavor profile. It takes some time, but it's instantly worth it once you taste all its layers.

7. Poutine - Canadian GP 

I feel like this one is fairly self explanatory: there is nothing better than a crispy French fry topped in gravy and cheese. Poutine is just good for the soul.

6. Moules-Frîtes - Belgian GP

I don't know why I was so convinced that moules-frîtes would be some ultra complex recipe that would take hours to prepare, and that's primarily why I've never made them at home before. Color me surprised when it turned out to be one of the simplest dishes in this project! A deep fryer and fresh mussels will make all the difference here.

5. Chicken Tikka Masala - British GP 

In college, I used to make homemade Indian-inspired food all the time. Then I got older and decided that I didn't have enough time to invest in dinner. This chicken tikka masala was a good reminder that tackling a complex dinner one small step at a time is worth the effort.

4. Curry Rice - Japanese GP

I'd had Japanese curry once before Grand Prix Gastronomy, and now I'm keen on making it time and again. I've been dying to try this meal with curry powder tablets to see how that compares to the homemade version — which is to say, that it will be just as delicious but a little less intensive.

3. Chili - U.S. Grand Prix

My husband says it's cheating to give my own recipe a podium position: "It's like if Quentin Tarantino made a list of his favorite movies, and it was two classics and then Reservoir Dogs." But you know what? Tarantino would be right, and I'm right, too. It would be lying to say this specific recipe wasn't tailor made for me– I was the one who made it! I'll never apologize for knowing just what I want and standing by it. This chili rips.

2. Feijoada - Brazil GP

Good lord almighty, feijoada is so damn good. I know I absolutely beefed the farofa, but the beany, meaty stew itself was so delicious that I didn't want any of the sides to take up extra space in my tummy (aside from the pão de quiejo, which is now my go-to recipe for all family functions). This isn't just one of my favorite dishes of this project; it's one of my favorite dishes in the world.

1. Risotto - Italian GP  

If I could eat heaping piles of risotto every day of my life without any health consequences whatsoever, I absolutely would. There's nothing better than creamy, cheesy rice, and it only got better with the Italian sausage mixed in. I don't think I got the best expression of risotto alla milanese thanks to my shitty saffron, but you just can't beat risotto as a whole.