Alton Brown hams it up with Pork Wellington on THE Dish

You may know Alton Brown from his classic TV show "Good Eats," from hosting Food Network's "Cutthroat Kitchen" or for his impeccable Bow tie fashion collection. On "CBS This Morning: Saturday," the celebrity chef dished out a few of his signature recipes for you to try at home. Here's how to make Pork Wellington, glazed carrots, parsnip crisps, moo-less chocolate cake and a smoky whiskey sour:

Pork Wellington

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

1 ounce dried apple rings

1 one-pound pork tenderloin

4.5 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto ham

.25 teaspoon kosher salt

.25 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1 sheet puff pastry thawed

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

[Procedure]:

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 400˚F.

2. Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl and set aside. Place the apple rings into the bowl of a mini food processor and process for 30 to 45 seconds or until they are the size of a medium dice. Set aside.

3. Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat and silverskin. Slice the tenderloin down the middle lengthwise, creating two separate pieces. Lay the tenderloin pieces next to each other head to tail, so when laid back together they are the same size at the ends.

4. Lay out a 12- x16-inch piece of parchment paper on the counter and arrange the pieces of prosciutto in the center, overlapping them enough to create solid layer that is as long as the tenderloin. Top with a second piece of parchment, and using a rolling pin, roll over the prosciutto to help adhere the pieces to each other. Remove the parchment paper and sprinkle the prosciutto with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Set the tenderloin down the middle of the prosciutto. Spread the dried apples in between the two pieces of tenderloin and push back together so the apples are held between them. Using the parchment paper to assist, wrap the prosciutto around the tenderloin to completely enclose in a package.

5. Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out the pastry to 12- x 14-inches. Spread the mustard thinly in the center of pastry and lay the prosciutto wrapped tenderloin in the center of the pastry on the mustard. Fold the puff pastry up and over the top of the tenderloin, then roll to completely enclose, brushing the edges of the pastry with the egg wash in order to seal. Turn the tenderloin over so the side of the tenderloin with the double thickness of pastry is underneath. Pinch the ends of the pastry to seal.

Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash. Place the tenderloin on a parchment lined half sheet pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 140˚ F.

6. Remove the tenderloin from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack and rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Glazed Carrots

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound carrots: about 7 medium, peeled and cut .25 inch thick on the bias

1 ounce unsalted butter

Heavy pinch kosher salt

1 cup ginger ale: go for the good stuff

.5 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves

1. Combine the carrots, butter, salt and ginger ale in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Cover and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, remove the lid, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Cover again and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, add the chili powder and increase the heat to high. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the ginger ale is reduced to a glaze, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.

Parsnip Crisps

4 servings

Ingredients:

2 quarts peanut oil

1 pound parsnips

kosher salt

black pepper, freshly ground

[Procedure]:

1. Heat peanut oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat to 370 to 375˚F.

2. Meanwhile, scrub the parsnips to remove any excess dirt. Lay the parsnip flat on a cutting board, and using a vegetable peeler, peel off 4 to 5 flat, wide noodle-shaped strips. Rotate the parsnip 90 degrees and repeat. Continue to rotate until you can no longer peel strips. Repeat with the remaining parsnips.

3. Gently add a small handful of parsnips to the oil, stirring gently, until lightly browned and crisp, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the crisps from the oil using a spider or slotted spoon, hold over the pot and allow to drain 30 seconds, before transfer to a cooling rack set over a half sheet pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. After the first batch, the oil temperature will drop. Adjust the heat in order to maintain a minimum temperature of 325 to 350 degrees. Repeat until all parsnips are cooked. Serve warm or at room temperature. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Silky, Smooth, and Arguably Good-for-You Chocolate Pie

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

13 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup coffee liqueur

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pound silken tofu drained

1 tablespoon honey

1 9-inch prepared chocolate wafer crust (store bought or see below)

Procedure

1. Place enough water in the bottom of a 4-quart saucepan to come 1 inch up the sides. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

2. Melt the chocolate chips with the liqueur and vanilla in a medium metal bowl, set over the simmering water, stirring often with a rubber or silicone spatula.

3. Combine the tofu, chocolate mixture, and honey in a blender or food processor and spin until smooth (about 1 minute).

4. Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the filling sets firm.

Chocolate Wafer Crust

One 9-Inch Pie Crust

6 ½ ounces

chocolate wafer cookies

1 tablespoon sugar

3 ounces unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Procedure:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spin cookies and sugar in a food processor until fine crumbs. Then drizzle in the butter, pulsing to combine. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom, up the sides, and just over the lip of a 9-inch metal pie pan.

2. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until crust is set and appears dry.

3. Remove from the oven and cool completely, approximately 1 hour.

Sours are a classic cocktail family including some well-known players - whiskey sour and margarita - all calling for liquor, citrus, and sweetener. I love a sour but to hit a high note for me it needs 2 things - bitter and smoke. The drying sensation that lingers on the tongue after consuming something bitter leaves me wanting more. Amaro Montenegro is an Italian digestif, light and slightly bitter with a hint of orange, making it great for sipping and even better in a in my Smoky Tequila Sour. The Liquid Smoke adds depth and interest. You can omit it, but I wouldn't.

Alton Brown's Smoky Tequila Sour

Ingredients:

10 ice cubes, divided

2 limes

1 ounces 100 percent agave sliver or blanco tequila

1 ounce Amaro Montenegro

1/2 small orange, juiced, approximately 1 1/2 ounces

1 tablespoon light agave nectar

1 dash Liquid Smoke

Fill an old-fashioned glass with 5 ice cubes and set aside.

Cut a wedge from 1 of the limes, and then juice both limes, approximately 2 ounces, into the bottom of a Boston-style cocktail shaker. Add the tequila, Amaro Montenegro, orange juice, agave nectar and the remaining 5 ice cubes in the bottom of a Boston-style cocktail shaker. Cover and shake for 30 seconds.

Strain the mixture through a cocktail strainer into the prepared glass, add Liquid Smoke and serve immediately.

Yield: 1 cocktail

Active Prep Time: 5 minutes