By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear
Overall Ranking: 2) Solid swallow
Who Wrote This and Why Should I Care?
Hailee Catalano is a culinary school graduate and a former line cook at Chicago’s acclaimed Cellar Door Provisions, but you probably recognize her as a consistently viral TikTok chef. With over two million followers on the platform, Hailee has moved from the heat of professional line cooking to a home kitchen in New Jersey, where she lives with her partner, Chuck (a fellow chef), and their dog, Gus where they now manage the cutest recipe blog on the internet at https://cafehailee.com/.
What makes Hailee worth your time, and why her debut cookbook, By Heart, has been so well received, is her ability to successfully translated high-end restaurant techniques into something so approachable for the average person that you wouldn't realize you were using a professional technique at all. Her style is a blend of her Midwestern roots, her Italian-American heritage, and a deep, seasonal obsession with produce.
Before you start cooking/baking
Special Equipment Needed
You can make any of these recipes 'by heart' without needing to use any specialty equipment/utensils. Extremely approachable for even the most basic of kitchens.
Recipe Breakdown
There are going to be sections that give you pause and perhaps even a chuckle. A crash course of sourdough in less than 8 pages? Entire books have been written on sourdough starters. To me, this small section is a testament to Catalano's passion for food. Reading those pages, you can practically hear her shout, 'I LOVE SOURDOUGH! And once you give it a chance, you'll love it too!'. While at the same time, recognizes that this isn't the focal point of the book. So she drills as much info to set you up for success, trusts in your ability to follow her instructions, and moves on to the next section. Plumping up our cooking knowledge foi gras style. It's fun, unengaging, and becomes more of a one stop shop for your cooking needs. It also leads me to believe that she already has her second book on her mind.
All in all, the book breaks down as follows:
277 pages
106 recipes
12% Pickles, Condiments and Dips, 13 recipes
11% Breads and Butters, 12 recipes
10% Vegetable Forward, 11 recipes
10% Sweets, 11 recipes
9% Seasonal Pastas, 10 recipes
8% Italian American Meals, 9 recipes
8% Salads, 9 recipes
7% Pizza, 7 recipes
6% Seafood, 6 recipes
6% Meat Dishes, 6 recipes
4% Sandwich's, 4 recipes
3% Crunchy Snacks, 3 recipes
3% Broths, 3 recipes
3% Sourdough, 3 recipes
Why I Love it/Like It/Pass on It/Avoid It:
I am a cookbook addict, trying to gain control. My shelves are currently groaning under the weight of glossy spines, and I truly didn't have room for one more. But this one called out to me. I found the space for it, and I think you should as well.
What makes Hailee Catalano's By Heart an absolute delight right off the bat is the sheer sense of joy that radiates from every page. In a world of clinical instructions and high-stress kitchen environments, Hailee has created a sanctuary for the home cook that feels both comforting and genuinely exciting.
Coupled with this joy is a laser-eyed clarity on flavor and a knack for deploying a short list of ingredients to great effect. She successfully bridges the gap between high-end restaurant standards and the practicalities of a home kitchen, stripping away the fuss without losing an ounce of professional quality. And somehow, the whole process feels like a celebration. Need I say more? There is an entire "Tomato Party" menu. That alone should tell you everything you need to know about the spirit of this book. It’s joyous, it’s vibrant, and it makes you want to get into the kitchen immediately.
The dishes inside are thoroughly comforting, driven by seasonal ingredients and just the right amount of "chef-y" ambition. Hailee spans every corner of the menu, offering flavor combinations that feel like a warm hug while still delivering spectacular results that look and taste restaurant-grade.
It’s approachable for every level of chef, brimming with dishes that work just as well for a rowdy dinner party as they do for a quiet Tuesday night. She manages to strike that rare chord where a meal feels both familiar and thrillingly new.
This is a solid book that has already added a couple of recipes to my regular weeknight rotations. The ease with which these dishes slide into a busy schedule without sacrificing the depth of flavor Hailee is known for is exactly why I couldn't say no to it. Whether it's a quick seasonal pasta or a more involved weekend project, the "spectacular results" she promises are the reality of her well-tested methods.
Recipes I Tried from "By Heart" and what I thought about them
Creamy Corn Orzo
Just got my hands on "By Heart" by Hailee Catalano, and this Creamy Corn Orzo was the perfect first one-pot recipe to dive into! 🌽✨ It’s rich, comforting, and a perfect level of creamy and sweet. Plus, the touch of spice on top keeps it from getting boring. This side could be an entree all by itself if you wanted. Exactly the kind of dish that makes you excited to keep cooking. If this is just the start, I can’t wait to see what else this cookbook has in store.
Ingredients 🌽
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels removed (about 2 cups/365 g kernels)
8 ounces (227 g/1 cup) dry orzo
3 cups (720 ml) unsalted chicken broth at room temperature
3 ounces (85 g) mascarpone
1/3 cup (35 g) finely grated pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
Mild chile flakes or powder (Hailee likes the Guntur Sannam from Diaspora), to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions 📜
1. Cook the Aromatics: Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Cook shallots and garlic until softened, 3–4 minutes.
2. Add Corn: Stir in corn and cook until it softens, 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook the Orzo: Stir in orzo to coat with butter. Add 1 cup broth, stir until mostly absorbed, 5 minutes. Repeat with 1 more cup broth, stirring until absorbed, 5 minutes. Add final 1 cup broth, cook until orzo is al dente and has a creamy texture, 15–20 minutes. Keep at a gentle simmer (not boiling).
4. Finish with Cheese: Reduce heat to low, stir in mascarpone and pecorino Romano. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Garnish & Serve: Top with extra pecorino, chile flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Butter Bean, Sungold, and Smashed Cucumber
This Butter Bean, Sungold & Smashed Cucumber Salad from By Heart by Hailee Catalono has got its savory, spicy flavor down pat. And that sauce pooling at the bottom? Absolute gold. Get yourself some focaccia and let it soak up every drop just like Hailee recommends. It's good.
However, it's texture left me wanting more because it is soft, even with the cucumber. This makes me feel that overall as a salad it feels lacking, but it’s BEGGING to be a topping. It's already a rockstar combined with bread. We just need to give it some crunch, some texture, something to make it pop. Do that and this will soar.
Total cost ~$9
Total Time: 20 min
Dirty Dishes: 3
Ingredients 🥒
6 ounces (170 g) sungold tomatoes, halved
2 mini seedless cucumbers, smashed and cut into irregular 4-inch (1 cm) chunks
3 tablespoons celery vinegar or red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
One 15.5-ounce (439 g) can butter beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 red finger chile (or a Fresno chile for a bit less heat!), thinly sliced
¼ cup (8 g) loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves
Directions 📜
1. Toss the tomatoes, cucumbers, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Add the beans, olive oil, scallions, chile, and basil and toss to combine. Season with more salt and pepper.
3. Serve, topped with more olive oil and pepper.
Chicago Style Braised Italian Beef Sandwiches
Hailee Catalano has created a Chicago-style Italian Beef sandwich that could almost stand up to the legendary Portillo’s, and that is very high praise if you've never had Portillo's.
This recipe is the real deal. It's slow-braised for nearly four hours, allowing every ingredient to meld into something deeply flavorful and ridiculously tender. The rich beef, infused with herbs, spices, and amber ale, has that unmistakable depth that only time can create. The resulting au jus is sublime.And dunking the sandwich in it is chefs kiss
And the Chicago-style giardiniera? It’s the finishing touch that takes it over the top, adding that pop of heat and tang that keeps you coming back for more. Do NOT skip over it, it is absolutely necessary.
This sandwich is a true labor of love that pays homage to the classic while carving out its own space. If you’re willing to put in the time, this sandwich will reward you.
Tina's Italian Meatballs
Tina’s Meatballs from By Heart by Hailee Catalono are a masterclass in flavor! The secret to tender, juicy, and delicious meatballs are thanks to simple tricks:
1: Mixing the meatball ingredients together BEFORE mixing in the meat itself. This keeps you from overworking the meatballs so they stay tender.
2: Coat your hands in olive oil before rolling out the balls. It makes your hands slick so it's easier to roll out the balls, keeps you from overworking them, and gives them a coat of oil on the outside to help with searing.
3: You gotta give the meatballs a golden sear to lock in flavor BUT not cook them all the way through. You want to finish them in the passata/sauce.
4: Finishing the meatballs in the sauce makes every bite extra rich, cooks the meatballs evenly, and keeps them moist.
A perfect example of needing to trust the process! This recipe builds its own success, one perfect step at a time. It is delicious, perfectly sweet with a touch of pepperiness. And the leftovers reheat GREAT 🧆
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