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TAUNTON'S M A RC H 1 9 97 NO.

19

me

FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO COOK


A New Twist
on Classic
Pot Roast

Simple
Salmon

Spicy Creole
Gumbo Menu

Great Kitchen
Countertops

Baking Real
French Bread

Luscious,
[ ow-Fat
Fruit Souffles

$5.95 CAN $6.95


03>
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Leaves are hand-selected, perfectly formed and so good they make the difference in
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68 Use Italian meringue
to make light, luscious
souffles without

fine FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 ISSUE 19

OKING®
D E PA R T M E N T S

6 Letters 72 Basics Making a

8 Q&A Deveining
roux; all about whisks

shrimp; rice vinegar's 74 Food Science Keep


shelf life; preventing great flavor and texture
bread from bursting in foods you freeze

12 At the Market 78 Flavorings


Savory greens for Pepper's pungent power

80
cooking
Reviews
16 Notes Citrus oils; Proven�al cookbooks

83
heavy-duty mixer;
vegetable storage bags Advertiser Index

18 Technique Class 84 Calendar


Simple steps to making
89 Recipe &
versatile chicken stock
Technique Index
20 Kitchens for 89 Nutrition
Cooks Choosing Information
durable, great-looking
kitchen counters 90 T idbits Good Food

22 T ips Roasting meats


with a flavorful rack; 92
& Moral Ambiguity

Artisan Foods
52 Learn the right kneading and shaping techniques to make
removing yolks from Prizewinning cheese
authentic French peasant loaves at home
whites; freezing bacon from sheep's milk

Fine Cooking (ISSN 1072-5121) is published bimonthly by The Taunton Press,lnc.,Newtown, CT06470-5506. Tel. 203/426-8171. Periodicals postage is paid at Newtown,CT06470and at additional mailing offices .
GST paid registration # 12321 0981. U.S. distribution by Curris Circulation Company, 433 Hackensack Ave., Hackensack, NJ 07601,and Eas[ern News DisrribumTS. Inc .• 1 130Cleveland Rd., Sandusky, OH 44870.
52 Master Class: Baking French Bread
at Home by Maggie Glezer
Craft chewy peasant loaves with the crispest crust
using the right flours and good shaping technique

57 For a Delicious Cake, Turn It


Upside Down by Margery K. Friedman
Buttermilk makes a tender cake crumb; caramel and
fruit make it tangy-sweet

60 Cook to Perfection with Instant,Read


Thermometers by Toni Lydecker
From inexpensive dial models to the latest digital probe,
thermometers give you more control over your cooking

62 Fun,to,Make Chinese Dumplings


by Lily Loh Fold and cook these tasty take-out favorites
with family and friends

66 Italy's Refreshing Lemon Liqueur


by Joanne Weir Steep vodka with lemon and sugar and
then taste the citrusy zip ofItalian limoncello
ARTICLES
68 Light Fruit Souffles You Can Make
Ahead by Laurann Claridge
26 A New Twist on Classic Pot Roast Italian meringue makes luscious, low-fat souffles that

by Beth Dooley & Lucia Watson Fork-tender braised are stable enough to assemble ahead

meats get a boost from herbs, vegetables-even fruits


On the cover: Black Bean Soup with Tomato-Tomatillo Salsa, "Simmer
a Pot of Beans for Good, Hearty Fare," p. 32.
32 Simmer a Pot of Beans for Good, Cover photo, Lauric Smith. Opposite p<lge: [OP left, Ellen Silvennanj bonom, Richard
Felber. This p::lge: above and below, Alan Richardson.
Hearty Fare by David Tanis
Master the basics and enjoy soulful black bean soup,
savory gratins, and white beans fragrant with rosemary

38 Stirring Up a Spicy Creole Menu


by Jamie Shannon Pair chicken gumbo with tangy
shrimp and bourbony bread pudding for a satisfying
do-ahead dinner

44 Cooking Salmon Simply for Full,


Rich Flavor by James Peterson
Easy to find and quick to prepare, salmon tastes great
baked, braised, or sauteed

48 Think Cabbage for Comforting


Winter Meals by Hubert Keller
Stuffed with sausage, braised in wine, or tossed in a warm
salad, cabbage tastes sweeter when it's cold outside

Postmaster: Send address changes to Fine Cooking, The Taunton Press, Inc., South Main Street, PO Box
63 5 0 6 , 06470-5 06.
Newtown, CT Printed in the USA.
LEITERS

If you'd like to share your Love the bread- the stem off, the strings end
are you on the Web? up in your guests' teeth.
thoughts on topics like Love your magazine; I've just -Edward McCabe,
been looking at Fine Cooking New York, NY
genetically engineered

tomatoes, our most recent


# 16. I made it as far as the
rosemary flatbread article
(p. 46), but no farther, due to
Georgeanne Brennan replies:
I've heard of this method but
EDITOR
Martha H olmberg

ART DIRECTOR
Steve H unter
the fact that I was compelled never practice it because I MANAGING EDITOR
baking article, or your food to stop and make the bread. truly don't find it necessary. I Jan Newberry

It's excellent. cut the stems and pare off the ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Joanne McAllister Smart
and cooking phi losophies, I was wondering, as you outer layer from the base of the Susie Middleton
have an Internet address, do artichoke. I wonder if your ASSISTANT EDITOR
here's the place to do so. you have a Web page? method is a holdover from the Amy Albert

-George A. Jager days when mature, tough arti­ COPY/PRODUCTION EDITOR


li Agen
Send your comments to (via e -mail) chokes were common. Now,
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
even many large artichokes are Annie Giammattei
Letters, Fine Cooking, Ed itors' reply: Thanks for tender and the bottoms and ILLUSTRATOR

the kind words. We're happy stems are prized for their flavor Rosalie Vaccaro

PO Box 5506, Newtown, to say that we do have a and texture. In French and EDITORIAL SECRETARY
Kim landi
Web site now. Visit us, and all Italian markets, artichokes RECIPE TESTER
CT 06470-5506, or by the Taunton magazines, at with foot-long stems still at­ Abigail Johnson Dodge

www.taunton.com. tached are sold at a premium. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

e-mail: fc@ta unton.com.


Paul Bertolli, Shirley O. Corriher,
James Peterson, Molly Stevens,
The thorny issue of Quicker tamales Rosina Tinari Wilson

handling artichokes I'd like to offer a faster method PUBLISHER


Christine Arrington
Generally I love your maga­ for making tamale dough than
CORPORATE CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
zine, but when I read "How to the one described in your arti­ Douglas Newton
Handle Artichokes" by
Georgeanne Brennan (Fine
cle'1\ #New Twist on Tamales"
(Fine Cooking 1 7 , p. 52). The
recipe I use is from The Feast of
MARKETING SECRETARY
Marjorie Brown

ADVERTISING MANAGER
Tom leihbacher
Santa Fe, by Huntley Dent
NATIONAL ACCOUNTS MANAGER
(Fireside, 1993). This method Paul McGahren
produces a fine tamale using SENIOR ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
the food processor, and it gives Nancy Crider

you more time for filling and HOW TO CONTACT FINE COOKING:
wrapping more tamales. Telephone: 800/283·7252
203/426·8171
For the dough: 1 Yz cups
Fax: 203/426·3434

#
Cooking 1 4, p. 36), I began
masa harina, Yz6 tablespoons lard
or vegetable shortening, tea­
spoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking
E·mail:
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
fc@taunton.com

Orders: 800/888·8286
to question whether your powder, 1 cup lukewarm broth. Other Inquiries: 800/477-8727
magazine actually knows any­ The method: put all the in­ E·mail: fcservice@taunton.com

thing about fine cooking. gredients but the broth in a Advertising Sales: 800/283·7252 x547
E·mail: fcads@taunton.com
Never, ever, ever, cut the food processor; process until
TAUNTON TRADE COMPANY:
stem off an artichoke, as your mixed, about 10 seconds. With
Retail Sales: 800/283-7252 x265
article recommends. You must the motor on, pour in the
Copyright 1997 by The Taunton Press, Inc. No
roll the artichoke with one broth and process a few sec­ reproduction without permission of The

Fine Cooking welcomes article hand, pressing on the stem onds until the dou.gh is stiff Taunton Press, Inc. Fine Cooking® is a registered
trademark of The Taunton Press, Inc.
proposals from our readers. We with the heel of the other enough to spread, rather like a Subscription rates: U.S.and possessions, S30 for
one year, S48 for two years, S66 for three years;
acknowledge all submissions, return hand until the stem comes buttercream icing. If the dough other countries, S37 for one year, S59 for two
years, $82 for three years (in U.S. doliars,
those we can't use, and pay for out. That way those nasty, gets too stiff later, beat in hot please). Single copy, $5.95. Single copies
outside U.S. and possessions, S6.95. Address
articles we publish. Send proposals coarse, tough strings come out water, a tablespoon at a time. correspondence to the appropriate department
to Fine Cooking, PO Box 5506, of the bottom of the heart -Bonnie Russell, (Subscription, Editorial, or Advertising), The
Taunton Press, 63 South Main St., PO Box 5506,
Newtown, CT 06470-5506.

6
with the stem. If you just cut Stillwater, OK• Newtown, CT 06470-5506.

FINE COOKING
NOT ONLY ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER.
Sometimes all it takes is a little something sublimely delicious and rapturously wrapped to bring
out the passion in a certain someone's soul. For the Godiva boutique nearest you, call1·800·9·GODIVA .
(
O r visit u s on the Internet a t www.godiva.com. Or AOL keyword: GODIVA . )

New York Paris GODIVA Tokyo Brussels


Chocolatier
Q&A
Have a question of general Why devein shrimp? muddy taste. Deveining is been sufficiently stretched by
simple enough to do either the growing volume of gas
Is deveining shrimp necessary?
interest about cooking? before cooking or after. I think that occurs during the rising
-Jan Darbhamulla,
it's worth the few extra min­ process.
Newark, CA
Send it to Fine Cooking, utes of work. If the indentation just sits
M o l ly Steve n s replies: De­ Molly Stevens is a contributing there, the bread has risen too
PO Box 5506, Newtown,

CT 06470-5506, or via
veining shrimp is more of an
aesthetic choice than a neces­
sity. While there's no harm in
editor for Fine Cooking.

Preventing
long. Bake it anyway. The
bread will still taste good: it
just won't look like the master­
eating cooked shrimp that homemade breads piece you'd first envisioned. If
e-mail: fc@ta unton.com. haven't been deveined, most from cracking the indentation comes back
people prefer cleaned shrimp. slowly but deliberately, like a
My breads crack open severely
We'll find a cooking The black line that runs down cat taking its time stretching
in the final 1 5 minutes of bak­
the back of each shrimp, before acknowledging you,
ing (total baking time is
professional with the sometimes referred to as the your dough is perfect.
30 minutes) . Is this related to
"sand vein," is the intestinal Another cause of bursting
too much or too little rising
answer. may be that the dough has
time? I heat the oven to 500°F
skinned over during shaping
and lower it to 425° . The
or rising. Here, the dough
breads are baked on a hearth­
hasn't been properly pro­
stone, with water in a pan at
tected from air currents. Its
the bottom of the oven.
surface dries out, forming a
-Betti Weiss,
sort of straitjacket around the
Manhattan, KS
loaf. This prevents the loaf
Noel Co mess replies: "Burst­ from rising properly, and it
ing," as it's called in the busi­ also causes bursting once the
ness, can be caused by a num­ dough is put in the oven. To
ber of factors. avoid this common problem,
Insufficient rising time is be sure that your bread dough
the most common culprit. To is worked and left to rise in a
Deveining shrimp makes it look test your dough's rise, give place that's draft-free and suf­
and taste better. it a good, deep poke. (Don't ficiently humid.
worry: the indentation will Last, the seam formed
tract. In very small shrimp, disappear in the oven.) If when the dough is rolled
this vein is almost impercep­ the indentation springs back closed may not be properly
tible and is generally left in. quickly, nervous and anxious sealed. Be sure to apply plenty
But for medium and large to please, your bread dough of pressure with the heel of
shrimp, the vein is unat­ isn't ready to be baked, and it your hand to ensure that the
tractive against the clean will burst in the oven. This is seam is well closed. W hen
white meat and adds a gritty, because the gluten hasn't setting the bread on the stone

Taunton
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8 FINE COOKING
Life in the kitchen just go
Introducing
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Q&A
or in the pan to bake, be sure under oil at room tempera­ odorless vegetable oil and put
to position its seam dead cen­ ture or warmer dramatically it in a moderately hot oven
ter at the bottom. increases the possibility of (350° to 375°F) for 30 to
Noel Comess owns Tom Cat spoilage. The only safe 45 minutes (if you can do this
Bakery in Long Island City, method of long term preser­ twice, it's even better). When
New York. vation is pressure canning, you're ready to grill, set the
which, of course, alters the grill pan over the burners,
How long do roasted quality of the roasted peppers. coat it with a thin layer of oil,
bell peppers keep? The best and most reliable and warm it up over high
advice I can give is to make heat. If you're grilling meat,
I like to roast large batches of
small batches, continue to rub the meat with a light
bell peppers and store them in
store them as you have been, coating of oil, too.
oil for long-term use. I've kept
in the refrigerator, and enjoy The reason for your sticky
them for up to two weeks in
them as soon after you've pre­ mess may be that liquids or
the refrigerator, tightly covered.
pared them as possible. sugars clung to the cast alu­
How long can I keep them
Paul Bertolli is the chef and co­ minum. Certain foods, like
in the refrigerator, and must
owner of Oliveto restaurant in onions, release sugars as they
they be completely immersed
Oakland, California, and a cook, which will subsequently
in oil? Is there a way to pre­
contributing editor to Fine caramelize and burn (sweet
serve roasted peppers without
Cooking. barbecue sauces and glazes
refrigeration?
also do this). To clean the
-Mary McNulty,
Seasoning a cast­ pan, use a metal grill brush, or
Freising, Germany
aluminum griddle a damp cloth with some
P a u l B e rt o l l i r e p l i e s: I 've kosher salt. Don't soak the
I love grilling hamburgers on
found that roasted peppers pan in water. If you must use
my cast-aluminum stovetop
will keep for up to three soap and water to clean the
griddle, but when I tried sea­
weeks or more if immersed in pan, dry the pan completely
soning it, a sticky mess ensued.
oil and refrigerated; generally, in a warm oven afterwards.
What's the proper technique
I add some vinegar and salt, Then coat it with a thin layer
for seasoning such a pan?
which seems to protect them of oil and put it back in the Rice vinegar, made from rice wine,
-Osnat Teitelbaum,
from spoiling. It's unsafe, oven for 30 minutes for addi­ will keep for six to nine months.
Gainesville, FL
though, to assume this as a tional seasoning.
general rule. Peppers are a Karen Deutsch replies: Cast­ Karen Deutsch is associate buyer grow on the surface of the
low-acid food; the apparent aluminum stove top griddles for Lamalle Kitchenware in vinegar, sticking together
absence of air due to the oil and grills are recent arrivals New York City. to form a skin in a disk
layer on top offers no assur­ on the market. They 're shape. This bacteria is usually
ance that bacteria could not lighter than the classic cast The shelf life of known as the vinegar plant or
enter the food just the same. iron, and conduct heat more rice vinegar the "mother" of the vinegar
Storing peppers rapidly. Cast aluminum is not and may be used as a starter
I have a bottle of rice vinegar
as porous as cast iron, but it for a new batch of homemade
that has been open for a few
does benefit from traditional vinegar. Although the vine­
years. Recently, I've noticed
seasoning techniques. Before gar is safe to use, it sounds like
round, mushy white disks
using the pan for the first you haven't used it for a
growing in the vinegar. The
time, oil it lightly with an while. Rice vinegars are low
disks are the same diameter as
in acid, and these acids are
the bottle. What's causing this?
volatile ones that evaporate
Is the vinegar safe to use, or
within six to nine months,
should I throw it out?
causing the opened bottle of
-Lillian Williams,
vinegar to lose its strength
Baltimore, MD
and flavor. Fortunately, rice
Ken Hom replies: The round, vinegar is inexpensive, so I'd
mushy, white disks growing in suggest buying a fresh bottle.
the vinegar are caused by bac­ Ken Hom is the author of Ken
teria that attack the alcohol Hom's Chinese Kitchen (Hy­
in the rice wine and convert perion, 1 994) and Ken Hom's
Roast bell peppers in small it to acetic acid. Because the Asian Ingredients (Ten Speed
batches and use them quickly.

10
bacteria require oxygen, they Press, 1 996) .• FINE COOKING
"If you don't line your pans
with Heavy Duty Reynolds Wrap�
cleanup can get complicated."

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Reyno/tis 'Ill
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AT THE M T
ARKE

Savory Greens for


Cooking
Spinach is versatile, popular,
quick cooking, and available in
all but the hottest months. The
stems are usually Red or green Swiss chard is valued
discarded, but for its leaves and stems. Mild tasting
the crowns­ and tender, the leaves can be
the root end blanched and used for stuffing. The
with a few inches of stems can be slivered and
braised or baked into gratins.
ing when steamed
and dressed with
butter or olive oil.

in just a few minutes. Use them in


place of spinach, especially for fillings,
keeping in mind that the red stems will
bleed like beets. Also steam orsaute beet
greens with butter and lemon or garlic.
Kale, a hearty winter green, is dis­
tinguished by its blue-green ruffled

A t the end of winter, when


spring is just around the
corner, I start to crave leafy
summer's heat (they go to
seed, becoming bitter and
inedible), buy them during
hasten spoilage. To thor­
oughly clean dirty greens,
separate bunches into indi­
leaves. Discard the ropy stems and
steam the leaves or shred them and
stir into soups.
greens. I wind up cooking the cool months of fall, win­ vidual leaves and soak the
them several times a week­ ter, and early spring when leaves in a deep bowl of water
and the stronger tasting they they're more tender and fla­ for a few minutes,
are, the better I like them. vorful. In the market, look for the leaves once or
I know I'm not alone in this greens that are bouncy and twice with your
passion. I see plenty of shop­ vibrant, fairly gleaming with hands to loosen
pers piling bunches of greens greenness (or whatever color grit. Carefully
into their market carts as win­ is appropriate). Size isn't im­ lift the leaves
ter comes to an end. It must portant, but vitality is. Limp, out of the
be nature's doing, turning our yellow leaves or slimy signs of water: the grit
tastes toward sweet and pun­ decay are big turnoffs. will sink to the
gent greens just around the If you can't use your robust bottom of the
time we need them. greens right away, refrigerate Discard the water and grit,
them in perforated plastic rinse the bowl, and repeat this Red Russian kale is less hearty than
G RE E N S ARE COOL­ bags so that they won't sweat process until no more grit falls its more familiar cousin and has frilly
S EA S O N VEG ETABLES or wilt. Wash them just before from the leaves. purple-veined leaves. Saute or steam
Because greens don't tolerate using, as drops of moisture (Continued on p. 14) and serve with pasta.

12 FINE COOKING
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FEB RUARY / MARCH 1 997 13


AT THE MARK
ET

Mustard greens are


Collard greens hot and peppery
have large, fleshy, tasting and can be
raund, sage-colored yellowish green or
leaves that require reddish purple in color.
plenty of cooking Remove the stems and
time-at least 75 to simmer or steam the
20 minutes. Mildly leaves until completely
peppery, collards like a dash tender; 7 0 to 7 5 min­
of pepper sauce, red pepper utes. Season with vinegar
flakes, and garlic, or toasted or pepper sauce.
sesame oil and sesame seeds.

Turnip greens can be prickly to the


touch and have a distinct,
Broccoli raab has a unique peppery taste when cooked.
flavor: pungent yet appealing. They can be slow-cooked,
Similar to Chinese flowering southern style, or steamed
broccoli, these greens have until tender; like mustard greens.
edible stems and small,
broccoli-like florets.
Raab is best
parboiled for

Dandelion greens are strong and


bitter tasting, so eat this spring
combined with pasta. green when it's very young, before
it gets too bitter. Combine with
other strong flavors such
as mustard, Gruyere
T E N D E R G RE E N S COOK cluded in this group because cheese, or hot
Q U I C K LY; TOU G H E R O N ES their fibrous texture requires bacon dressing.
N EED M O R E T I M E long cooking. Stronger greens
Greens can be loosely grouped are usually boiled in a pot of
into two categories: tender/ water for extended periods.
sweet and toughlbitter. Ten­ Unfortunately, when cooked
der, mild greens include red this way, many nutrients go
and green Swiss chard, spin­ down the drain, unless the steamed tougher greens, they
ach, and beet greens-all greens are cooked southern can be sauteed or drained,
Chenopodiums, or members of style, to the point where the chopped, and incorporated
the goosefoot family. These liquid is greatly reduced and BOOST G RE E N S into fillings or gratins, or
tender greens can be cooked that "pot likker" is mopped up W I T H B O L D FLAVORS directly dressed for the dinner
merely with the water that with hot cornbread. Cook tender, sweet greens in table. All greens, especially
clings to their leaves after The most efficient way to butter or olive oil and season the strong ones, are miracu­
washing, quickly wilted in a cook strong greens is to steam them with garlic, mint, pars­ lously sweetened with the ad­
hot pan, or stirred into soups them: simply simmer the ley, marjoram, cream, and dition of a little vinegar or
just before serving. leaves in a few cups of water cheese, such as Gruyere and lemon juice.
The tougher, more aggres­ in a covered pan. The steam fontina. The more aggressive
sively flavored greens include reduces their volume and greens, whose flavors remain Deborah Madison, the author
broccoli raab, turnip, mustard, softens the greens. Tough clear, are always flattered with of The Vegetarian Table:
and dandelion greens. Kale greens will be tender in any­ garlic and red pepper flakes, America (Chronicle, 1 996),
and collards, while not partic­ where from 5 to 25 minutes, oils and bacon fat, but not lives, writes, and cooks greens
ularly strong tasting, can be in-

14
depending on the variety. butter or cream. Once you've in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

FINE COOKING

What do you
pour on
YOUR salad?

If it's not
Extra Virgin Olive Oil,
the facts
may surprise you!
FACT:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the "virgin"
oil cold-pressed from the best fruit of
the olive tree - the natural juice of the
olive. It's unmatched for freshness and
flavor. The "EXTRA" in extra virgin
means "premium;' or simply, "the best."

FACT:
Ordinary Olive Oil and Light Olive Oil
are refined with chemicals and heat
after pressing to remove defects. Small
amounts of virgin oil are added to
restore some flavor and color.
NOTES

Citrus Boyajian citrus oils


everything from cake batter
to pasta dough.
mineral that absorbs ethylene
gas, the stuff that accelerates
flavor in can replace zest in
many recipes.
T h e M a g ic M i l l m i m ic s
kneading by ha nd w i t h its
the deterioration of produce.
r tested the Evert-Fresh
a bottle h eavy r o l le r a n d scra p e r. bags, which come in three
stores, or order With a rhythmic motion, the sizes, on cauliflower, broccoli,
I can easily get fresh from King Arthur scraper turns and folds the and carrots. My control was
lemons year round Flour Baker's Cat- dough while the roller pushes the same kinds of vegetables
from the trees in my alogue (800/827- and beats it. It also has a stan­ left in the plastic bags from the
back yard, but zesting ..... 6836) or Williams-
�. dard dough hook, but I love grocery store. After three
the fruits to use in baking is Sonoma (800/541-2233). the doughs I 've made with weeks, there was no doubt
still a chore I don't enjoy. Carole Bloom, of San Diego, is the roller and scraper. Large that the grocery-bagged vege-
I recently tried Boyajian
citrus oils-lemon, lime and
orange-which can replace & ho
the aut r ofThe Intemational
Dictionary of Desserts, Pastries
Confections (Hearst, 1995).
and small bread doughs come
out smooth and elastic, with
all ingredients well distrib­
zest in many recipes. No more uted. In my side-by-side tests
scraping your knuckles on the with other mixers, breads
grater, and no more bitter Heavy-duty made in the Magic Mill baked
pith in with your zest. Ac­
cording to Boyajian, the less mixer handles up higher and lighter with a
finer crumb. And clean-up is
the oils are cooked the more
flavor they 'll have. This
lots of dough a breeze.
At $499, the Magic Mill is
makes them perfect additions Several years ago, I decided to not cheap. But I'm so sure this
to buttercreams, glazes, and get a stand mixer, especially to will be my last mixer that it's
vinaigrettes. But I use zest the use for kneading bread dough. worth it to me. It comes with Evert-Fresh bags extend the life of
most in baking, so that's how After several disappointing a three-year warranty, and your fruits and vegetables.
I tested the oils. purchases, my friends con­ many attachments are avail­
The o i l s p rovide a m i l d vinced me to try the Magic able, including a blender, a tables were inedible. Those in
but a ut hent ic flavor to Mill DLX, made by Elec­ grain and coffee mill, a citrus the Evert-Fresh bags were do­
baked goods. You can't beat trolux, the vacuum makers. juicer, and a meat grinder. To ing much better. They weren't
the convenience of these oils, Now that I've got the Magic order, call Magic Mill in Mon­ dried out, their color was
and used in the right propor­ Mill, I only wish I 'd bought sey, New York, 914/368-2532. good, and the carrots weren't
tion, they offer a good citrus it sooner. With its 450-watt Judy Monroe is a food and rubbery. They even tasted
flavor. My only complaint was motor and 23-cup capacity, health writer based in St. Paul, good; apparently, this is be­
that I had to use a little more it not only kneads bread Minnesota. She has co-written cause the bags also "breathe,"
oil than the company suggests dough, but it can also mix three cookbooks. allowing the damaging gases
to get good flavor in baked to be released. An antifogging
items. When baking scones, I treatment minimizes moisture
found that Yz teaspoon of Bags to keep on the inside of the bag and
lemon oil (the equivalent of
one zested lemon, according vegetables inhibits bacterial growth.
So while these bags may
to Boyajian) was completely
lost in my first batch, whereas
fresh longer not save me from my over­
indulgences, they're worth a
1 Yz teaspoons gave a nice cit­ Although I work as a produce try if you don't go through
rus flavor to the next batch. A buyer for a large food market, produce quickly. The re­
full tablespoon of orange oil in
my brownies added a wonder­
ful orange flavor that devel­
r
when I shop for myself, al­
ways buy more fruits and
r
vegetables than can possibly
usable bags start at $2.50 for
ten and are sold in the pro­
duce section of many grocery
oped even after the brownies use. The Evert-Fresh Corpo­ stores. For more information,
had cooled. ration, with its vegetable stor­ call 800/822-8141.
Look for these oils, and age bags, proposes to help me. Kristi Johnson is the director of
Boyajian's newest flavors (cin­ According to the company, buying perishables at Sutton
namon, clove, anise, and three The Magic Mill has a 23-cup the polyethylene bags are im­ Place Gourmet/Hay Day, a
different mints), in gourmet

16
capacity and a 450-watt motor. pregnated with oya, a natural large specialty-food retailer

FINE COOKING
.•
WhitPorke Balsamic Vmewitghar
I 1/2-21b. pork tenderloin
I cup flour
3 tbsp, butter
2 tbsp. cracked peppercorns
4 oz. Alessi White Balsamic Vinegar
I pkg. Alessi Dried Funghi Porcini
Mushrooms
8 oz. heavy cream
Reconstitute mushrooms in 2 oz. water and 2 oz. bal­
samic vinegar. Strain liquid through paper towel or cof­
fee filter; retain. Salt pork, then dust in flour and roll in
peppercorns to evenly coat. Sear pork in 2 tbsp. butter.
Bake in oven uncovered at 400' on rack with pan to
catch drippings. Cook for 25 minutes or until done. Cut
in1 1/2" slices. In the saucepan used to sear pork, stir
fry reconstituted mushrooms in 1 tbsp. butter and drip­
pings from cooked pork for 30 seconds. Add cream, 2
When Opportunity !mocks, doyou er the door?
cmsw
oz, Alessi White Balsamic Vinegar and strained liquid
used for the mushrooms. Stir until thickened
3 minutes). Serve pork along side of
The
Cambridge School of
(Approximately
broad egg noodles. Top both with sauce. Serves 4,

C ulin
ary Arts
Also a delicious recipe for wild game.
It's em opportunity Patent Approved
won't wemt to nlisyous
Day and evening classes
12-1 student/teadler ratio
,q.leSsl.
White Balsamic
100% job placement Vinegar
Accredited by ACCST &
When you desire the taste of balsamic vinegar
Licensed by the Co onwealth
mm
minus the color, your choice is clear.
For additional recipes write:
of Massachusetts
For more information call VIGO IMPORTING CO., INC. TAMPA, FL 33614
(617) 354-2020 or visit our web site at httpJ/www.vigo.com

FEBRUARY/ M ARCH 1997 17


TECHNIQUE CLASS

Simple Steps to Making


Versatile Chicken Stock
M any people don't make
their own chicken stock
because they think it's a diffi­
chicken pieces, aromatic
vegetables, and herbs in a
large pot of water; and brown
My master recipe suggests
particular herbs and vege­
tables, but you can play with
cult endeavor that takes a lot stock, made by browning the different combinations to suit
of time. The truth is that chicken and vegetables be­ your needs. You can even
it isn't and it doesn't. fore adding the water. I usu­ make stock without herbs and
You can assemble ally prefer the deeper, more vegetables. It won't be as tasty,
the ingredients for intense flavor of a brown but if you're using the stock as
a chicken stock in stock, which is what I'm mak­ a base for a soup or sauce, you
about 15 minutes. ing here. But if I'm cooking can add flavor down the road.
Then, except for skim­ a pale, delicately flavored
ming occasionally as soup, I'll opt for white stock. A F EW T R IC K S
the stock simmers, you To make a white stock, follow FOR C lEAR STOCK
can forget all about it­ the same steps described Cooks are often disappointed
at least until you use it as here, but don't brown the by stock that ends up cloudy.
a soup base or to make ingredients. Cloudy stock tastes just fine
risotto and you taste the and makes little difference if
huge difference between All YOU REAllY N E ED you're using it in, say, a cream
homemade stock and IS THE C H ICKEN soup. But if you want per­
store-bought. Many cookbooks offer very fectly clear chicken noodle
Homemade stock adds a rich, deep Brown stock v s . w h i te specific lists of ingredients for soup, you'll need a clear
flavor to risotto, soups, stews, and stock. There are two types making stock, but the truth is stock. Here are a few tricks:
sauces. Freeze it in amounts you of chicken stock: white that stock recipes are really • Make a brown stock. Insol­
often need. stock, made by simmering quite flexible. uble fat and proteins can cloud

For rich flavor, brown the chicken and include its juices in the stock

Spread the chicken and vegetables in a single Deglaze the roasting pan to capture all the Put the chicken, vegetables, and juices in a
layer in a roasting pan. Roast in a 475°F oven flavorful juices. With the pan over medium heat, 6-quart pot and add cold water to just cover.
until the brownedjuices cling to the bottom of the pour in 2 cups of water and scrape up the cara­ Too much water will make a weak stock; a good
pan, about 45 minutes. Remove the chicken and melized juices-those brown bits. rule is 7 pound of solids to 7 pint of liquid.
vegetables and spoon off the fat.

18 FINE COOKING
For clear stock, simmer, skim, and strain

Add the herbs in a bouquet garni. Tying them Bring to a simmer and then cook gently for Strain the broth into clean containers. To re­
together or bundling them in cheesecloth makes 1 � hours, skimming occasionally with a ladle move any particles you missed during skimming,
them easy to remove and keeps them from cloud­ or spoon. Don't let the stock come to a rapid boil. pour the stock through a strainer lined with a
ing the stock. triple layer of cheesecloth.

your stock. Browning causes by a hard boil, making the last for months once frozen. ten minutes to kill any bac­
the proteins in the chicken to stock cloudy. Freeze stock in quantities teria, let it cool, and then re­
coagulate before they come in • S kim off fat and scum. If you'll likely need. Don't freeze frigerate it for another five
contact with the water so they you're going to use your stock it in gallon containers or you'll days. You can repeat this
won't cloud the stock. right away, be diligent about have to defrost the whole process, if necessary.
If you're making more skimming it. If you have time thing even if you're only mak­
than a couple of quarts of to chill the stock, however, the ing a small pot of soup. Chicken Stock
stock, brown the chicken fat and any remaining scum You can also refrigerate You can adjust this master
pieces (and any aromatic will solidify on the surface, stock for up to five days. After reCipe to suit your own needs
vegetables) in a roasting pan making it very easy to remove. that, if you want to keep it by substituting different herbs
in the oven. For smaller • Strain t h e stock wel l . If longer, simmer the stock for and vegetables. If you double
or triple the recipe, don't for­
amounts, the bones and meat the stock still has any par­
get to increase the size of your
can be browned right in the
stockpot on the stove before
ticles you missed during skim­
ming, strain it through a triple Cool the stock bouquet gami accordingly.
Yields 2 quarts.
the water is added. layer of cheesecloth. to get all the fat 4 lb. chicken pieces (backs, bones,
• For a white stock, include
necks, drumsticks, wings)
more meat in the pot. Un­ STOCK U P O N STOC K 1 large onion, unpeeled, rinsed
like a brown stock, a white I t takes a s much time and ef­ and cut into quarters
1 large carrot, cut into about
stock made with just bones fort to make two quarts of 8 slices
will always be cloudy. To pre­ stock as it does to make two 1 rib celery, cut into quarters
vent this, use equal amounts gallons, so I always make a 1 bouquet gami containing a
bunch ofparsley, a bay leaf,
of meat and bones. As the large batch. and 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
meat cooks, it slowly releases Cooling the stock i n or 1 tsp. dried thyme
proteins, which coagulate stages is most efficient and For the procedure, follow the
and trap the minute particles keeps the temperature of your photos starting on p. 1 8.
that cloud the stock, making refrigerator and freezer from
them easy to skim off. Meat being lowered by hot stock. James Peterson, a contributing
also adds more flavor to both Before freezing, allow the Fat is easy to remove from editor to Fine Cooking, is
white and brown stocks. stock to come to room tem­ cooled stock. As the liquid cools, the author of Splendid Soups
• Don't let your stock boil. perature, using an ice bath for the fat will form a layer on the (Bantam, 1 993). His new
The particles that should
float to the top will be
churned back into the broth
large quantities, and then
refrigerate it until cool before
putting it in the freezer. It will
surface that you can remove
with a spoon or a ladle.
stores now
&.•
book, Fish Shellfish
(Morrow, 1 996), is in book­

FEBRUARY ( M A RCH 1997 19


KITCHENS FOR COOKS

Choosing Durable, Great- looking


Kitchen Counters
Laminates are economi­
C ountertops are a kitch­
en's single most domi­
nant feature. A wealth of
need finishing with another
strip of laminate or a contrast­
ing material, like wood. You'll
cal, easy to maintain, Solid surfacing means counter space can make see a hairline seam where lam­
and come in hundreds of solid color all the way kitchen work fun, while not inate sheets join up. Lami­
colors. Be sure your sink is through, so you can enough leads to stressful jug­ nate's main drawback is that
properly overmounted so sand away scratches and gling of appliances and ingre­ if you damage it, you'll have to
the overlap doesn 't trap stains. Edges don't need dients when it's time to work. replace the entire surface.
dirt and moisture. finishing, so a sink can Counter surface choices Also, you're limited when in­

/ be undermounted.

Granite has impact.


vary widely both in cost and in
looks. They're generally priced
by the foot. As a rough guide
stalling a sink to an "over­
mount,» where the edge of the
sink sits on top of, and hides,
It's heatproof, it's great to estimating costs, a continu- the cut edge of the laminate.
for rolling doughs
because it's smooth
and cool-and it's Base you r decision o n pri ce, bea uty,
undeniably elegant.
a n d resista n ce to wea r a n d tea r.

ous 6-foot-long, 2-foot-deep Formica and Wilsonart are


counter with an 18-inch back- the main manufacturers.
splash requires 12 linear feet of Solid su rfaces have color
material. See the chart oppo- running evenly throughout
site for price ranges. so you can repair minor bum
Beyond price and aesthet- marks and scratches by rub-
ics, durability-resistance to bing with steel wool or fine-
heat and stains-is an impor- grit sandpaper, as long as the
tant factor to consider in your finish is matte. N onporous
decision making. and stain-resistant, solid sur-
facing is made of resins, poly-
MAT ER IALS VA RY FROM esters, acrylics, or a combina-
SYNTHETICS TO STO N E tion. The stuff is costly, and
Though counters are impor- color choices are more lim-
tant, they're also one of the ited than with laminate, but a
places you can cut costs when solid-surface countertop is
redesigning your kitchen. sturdier than any other. The
laminates a re the m o st main brands are Avonite,
Butcher block is warm p o p u l a r c hoice for kitchen Corian, Gibraltar, and Surell.
looking and functional. cou ntertops-and the least G ranite is the most sen-
Because it expands, expensive. They come in hun- s i b l e c h oice if you want
contracts, and absorbs dreds of colors and need no the handsome appearance of
water, butcher block special care. Laminates are stone in your kitchen; it's
Stainless requires no special
care and provides a professional,
shouldn 't abut other
materials or the sink.
made of resin-soaked papers
pressed together to create a
sturdy, heatproof, elegant,
and resists staining when

2E
Jolis
restaurant-style look. It scratches thin veneer on a fibrous base. well-sealed. Marble is beauti- j
easily, but with age, the scratches They're not solid all the way ful, but it's far too porous for
form a pleasing patina. through, so countertop edges kitchen counters. -"0-§
20 FINE COOKING
Granite costs only about less is very forgiving--easy to
10% more than solid surfac­ clean, heatproof, stainproof,
ing. It's visually commanding, and sturdy.
so you might want to install
some in selected areas of your P I C K A M I X TO S U I T
kitchen (if you like making Y O U R TASTE A N D
pastry, at least one granite Y O U R B U DG ET
surface is great). Granite Much depends on aesthetics,
must be rubbed with a special where you like to work in the
sealer about once a year. kitchen, and your budget. If
B u t c h e r b lo c k, a h a rd you love the look and feel of
is the most
m a p l e s u rface, granite but can't swing an en­
popular choice for wooden tire kitchenful, think about a
counters. Wood offers warmth granite inset or work island,
and charm, and butcher block with the rest of your counters
is the only surface on which in laminate. If you want the
you can cut directly without look of stone but shiver at
damaging it or your knives. Mix and match surfaces. Here, inexpensive ceramic tile lines the utilitarian cold counters, there's always
Wood scorches and stains dish zone, while more pricey and elegant granite covers the island, which can solid surfacing in a stone-like
easily, and it expands and serve as a pastry work station or even a pretty place to serve a buffet. pattern. If you've found bril­
contracts. To avoid traps for liantly colored handmade
dirt and bacteria, don't let it it's a great choice for back­ that you can't roll dough on tiles but want a more func­
abut other materials or pos­ splashes. I always suggest tile, and that it's tricky to set tional work surface, save the
ition it next to the sink. matte-finish tiles for counter­ down delicate glasses or to tile for a backsplash and con­
Butcher block needs a min­ tops, because high-gloss tiles slide plates and pans over a sider a butcher-block island
eral oil rubdown every three show scratches more easily. tile surface. and laminate countertops.
or four months to prevent Tile is heatproof, and if you Stainless steel is striking, Certified kitchen designer Don
drying and cracking. Never pick larger tiles set close to­ and it's a popular choice for Silvers is the author of Kitchen
coat it with polyurethane. gether, you'll minimize grout who want a
s e ri o u s c o o k s Design with Cooking in Mind
C e r a m i c ti l e offers i n ­ lines, which stain and collect kitchen with a professional, (NMI, 1994). He's on the Inter­
finite d e s i g n o ptions, and dirt. Some cooks point out restaurant-style look. Stain- net at sildesigns@aol.com .•
A choice of countertops for every budget and kitchen design
Here 's a roundup to help you select the right countertops for your favorite workplace

Ma terial Installation Main Care Heat- Cu tting Advantages Disadvantages


per linear foot brands e.roof surface
Laminate $30 to $45 Formica, wipes clean no no affordable, whole surface needs
Wilsonart resists stains, replacing if damaged,
easy care edges need finishing
Solid surfacing $1 00 to $ 1 50 Corian wipes clean; no no resists stains, more expensive than
Avonite repairs with easy care, laminate or tile
Gibraltar abrasion easy repair
Surell
Butcher block $60 to $80 various seal with mineral no yes warm looking; burns/stains easily,
oil; disinfect cutting surface needs sealing,
with bleach can't go near sink
Granite $ 1 50 to $225 various use sealer yes no heatproof, expensive,
cool to the touch, stains if improperly
c� good pastry surface sealed
Stainless $1 1 0 to $ 1 60 various wipes clean yes no heatproof, scratches easily
1
:J:
cool to the touch,
good pastry surface
-"1:' Ceramic tile $45 to $65 various wipes clean yes no heatproof, grout traps dirt,
j"-
� infinite choice, not a ruler-flat surface
looks great

FEBRUARY / M ARCH 1997 21


TIPS

Do you have a clever way Taming spice in stews


and sauces
to peel vegetables, line a A friend from Barbados
taught me a trick for rescuing
cake pan, or keep herbs a stew or sauce that's sear­
ingly hot from too much pep­
tasting fresh? Write to Tips, per. Just add a splash of wine;
it seems the acid in the wine
Fine Cooking, PO Box 5506, tames the spice.
-Susan Asanovic,
Newtown, CT 06470-5506. Wilton, CT

Or send your tip by e-mail Cleaning oil and


vinegar bottles
to fc@taunton.com. We pay Cleaning unusually shaped oil
and herb vinegar bottles is
for tips we publish. sometimes tricky. Add some Stray bits ofyolk in your egg whites will adhere to a cloth moistened with
uncooked rice to the soap and cold water.
hot water in the bottle and
shake. The rice will help rub Removing egg yolk particularly good work sur­
off stubborn residue. from whites face for pastry), I used ice
-Sylvie Parent, Despite my best efforts, some­ packs to cool my counters so
Rimouski, Quebec times a little yolk gets into the it would be easier to make
whites when I separate eggs. pastry dough. I wrapped the
Roast meats without The stray yolk can be re­ frozen packs in kitchen
a rack moved by touching it with a towels to keep the countertop
A tasty way to keep roasts off corner of a clean cloth that's dry. I set the packs on the
the bottom of the roasting been moistened with cold counter for an hour or so be­
pan without a rack is to set water. The yolk will adhere to fore working with the dough.
the meat atop several celery the cloth, but the white won't. I still do this in the summer­
ribs or carrots cut lengthwise. -Helen D. Conwell, time; it makes working with
-R. B. Himes, Fairhope, AL dough much easier.
Vienna, OH -Carole Kimball,
De-fatting canned EI Cajon, CA
stock
Canned stock usually comes Grind nuts with
with a teaspoon or two of fat. sugar to prevent
Separate the fat from the sticking
stock by punching a small Making a dessert that calls for
hole in the top of the can with nuts? Grind the nuts with
a manual can opener. Then some of the sugar from the
punch another slightly bigger recipe so that they won't stick
hole opposite the first one together or become oily.
and pour the stock through -B. Bader,
the larger opening. The stock
pours easily, while the fat
stays in the can. Removing water
Hartsdale, NY
-Kenneth Danko, from fresh herbs
San Francisco, CA To remove excess water from
fresh herbs after washing,
Ice packs cool warm wrap them in a thick dish­
Improvise a flavorful roasting rack countertops towel by folding it in thirds
from celery ribs and carrots cut Before I had granite counter­ the long way. Grab an end of
lengthwise. tops (their coolness makes a the towel in each hand and

22 FINE COOKING
Dynasty...
for When on A Star.

Wishes c a n come true. You want a commer­


cial quality ranSJe but you want a liSJht in the
or 60" model in . white or stainless fin­
ish. And, alonSJ the way you'll find it reassur­
oven. You want a window in the oven door. inSJ that Dynasty's
You want a convec­ new ranSJes are built
tion oven that can be to the same hiSJh
operated convention­ quality standards for
ally as well . And, materials and work­
wouldn't it be nice if manship that have
these features can be made Dynasty the
found in a
ci al quality commer­
r� e that Ultimate Professional
RanSJe.
isRitachenperfecabict fnitetwistfhroyournt tosback?
tandard See a Dynasty ranSJe and you'll
aSJree. Use a Dynasty ranSJe and
Wishes do come true . Dynasty's you'll know it for sure. For com­
new commercial quality ranSJes plete product information or for
offer all the features you have the name of the Dynasty dealer
been wishinSJ for whether nearest you, write or phone today.
your choice is a 30", 36", 48"
A Division of Jade Ran�e. Inc.
7355 E. Slauson Ave.. Commerce. CA 90040 Phone (213) 728-5700
• • Fax (213) 728-2318
TIPS
Easy-peeling bacon fruit gently and lay it out on a
strips clean terry-cloth dishtowel.
I like to use bacon as a flavor­ Lay another towel on top and
ing, but I rarely use the entire gently pat the berries to absorb
package. I 've found a way to as much moisture as possible.
ensure that the uncooked Then remove the top towel
bacon doesn't spoil by stash­ and finish drying the berries
ing it in the freezer. I sand­ using a blow dryer on its
wich slices between accor­ "cool" setting.
dioned layers of aluminum -Phyllis Kirigin,
foil and then fold the ends
over to seal the entire pack­
age. This makes it easy to
Croton-on-Hudson,

Cleaning coffee
NY
peel off the one or two slices grinders
I need, and it keeps the frozen Grinding fresh coffee beans is
bacon from becoming an un­ an essential part of my week­
manageable lump. end coffee ritual. After grind­
-Virginia Teichner, ing the beans, I use a rather
Before freezing bacon slices, sandwich them in foil folded in accordion-like Ridgefield, CT unorthodox tool to clean the
pleats; this method makes it easy to peel off one or two slices. grinder: an old-fashioned
Blow-drying fruit bristle shaving brush (about
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times by moving your hands just as well for small amounts which fresh fruit must be the job as effectively as a more
towards each other slowly of herbs or greens. washed and then completely expensive culinary brush.
and apart very quickly. This -Nancy Kohl, dried, such as chocolate­ -Isabella Losinger,
method is faster than using a Lynn, MA dipped strawberries, rinse the Burnaby, British Columbia •
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A New
Twist on
Classic
Pot Roast
Fork.. tender braised meats
get a flavor boost from
herbs, vegetables, and
even subtle fruits

BY B ETH DOOLEY Cst L U C IA WATSON

A pot roast in the oven gives off an aroma


that welcomes you into the kitchen and
engulfs you in its warm embrace. An American clas­
sic, it calls to mind Sunday afternoons spent at
grandma's house, sections of the newspaper spread
out all over the living room, and the slow, relaxed
pace of the day.
Evocative as it is, the term pot roast is really a mis­
nomer. The meat, usually a large, inexpensive cut,
isn't actually roasted, which would require high, dry
heat. Instead, it's braised-cooked in a little liquid
with moderate heat until it's fork-tender.
A traditional pot roast, often called a Yankee pot
roast, is made with beef and might include in the pot
vegetables such as onions, carrots, and potatoes. But
we've found that lamb and pork are also wonderful
cooked this way, and that the method allows for lively
flavor combinations. In our version of the classic, for
example, the beef is marinated with rosemary and

27
balsamic vinegar for extra depth of flavor. Our pork sive cuts, such as a boneless Boston butt (and shoul­
pot roast pairs perfectly with long-cooked fennel and der butt, cut from the blade), cook longer and be­
pears, while apricots and orange zest make a sweet­ come more tender.
sour stuffing to complement a savory lamb roast. For l a m b-A butterflied leg is well-suited to this
method. The meat becomes meltingly tender, and
T H E BE ST C UTS FOR POT ROAST the rendered juices make a silky sauce.
ARE ALSO T H E C H EAPEST Whatever cut you choose,
Pot roast evolved as a brilliant allow about half a pound per
way to use cheap, tough cuts Because pot roast person and trim off any excess
of meat, those from the ani­ fat. If you're cooking a bone­
mal's most-used muscles­ g oes i ts own s l ow way less roast, it's best to tie it with
the leg, shoulder, and neck. butcher's twine at two-inch
But pot roast isn't only about i n the ove n, it's a intervals for uniform cooking
frugality. We can't really ex­ and moisture retention.
plain the scientific reason, wo n d e rfu l d ish for the
but these tougher cuts yield EVERYT H I N G I N
the most flavor when properly busy cook. T H E POT ADDS TO
cooked. The long cooking A F LAVO R F U L F I N I S H
time and moist heat tenderize Studding the meat with garlic,
the meat and draw out the gelatin, which gives the marinating it, and rubbing it with spices are all ways to
pan juices lots of body. enrich the pot roast's flavor. The meat is often
The specific cuts for pot roast vary slightly de­ browned in a little fat before it's braised, which adds a
pending on the animal the meat comes from. Here caramelized flavor, but we've found that you can skip
are the cuts we like to use. All are boneless. this step and still have a wonderful tasting dish.
For beef-Chuck roast offers a lot of flavor and When choosing a braising liquid, consider the
not too much fat. Other possibilities include bone­ meat's flavor. Strong-flavored beef and lamb will
less shoulder, rump, or the eye of the round. hold up to a red-wine-based braise, while the more
For pork-A lean pork loin will make a juicy pot subtly flavored pork requires gentler flavors, such as
roast but not necessarily a tender one. Less expen- chicken stock or white wine.

Lamb stuffed with


apricots, currants,

'"E

�0
and a hint of orange
is both homey and
�]
0
exotic. As the lamb ��•
braises, its rendered
juices contribute to
I
a silky sauce. jc..
Give the roast a rest
We like to add vegetables-and sometimes pan covered tightly with aluminum foil also works to let its juices flow
fruits-to the pot roast to give the meat and the well, especially for bigger cuts of meat. Be sure the evenly throughout
braising liquid even more flavor. Onions, celery, and pan or pot offers a snug fit-just big enough to ac­ for the most tender
carrots are classic aromatic additions and will com­ commodate the meat, some vegetables, and the texture. Authors Lucia
plement the flavor of any meat. Tomatoes add mois­ braising liquid. Too much area encourages evapo­ Watson (left) and
ture and break down during cooking, which natu­ ration, which can dry up your braising liquid. Beth Dooley ready
rally thickens the sauce. We often serve the Though some chefs cook their pot roasts on top of the rest of the meal.
vegetables, which have sopped up the tasty meat the stove, we prefer the indirect and even heat from
juices and braising liquid, along with the meat. the oven.
Other times we strain them out, keeping only their The meat is cooked when it's tender and eas­
essence in the flavor of the gravy. ily pierced by a thin-bladed knife or sharp-pronged
A snug fit keeps flavors concentrated. As its fork. The juices should also run clear. One hour of
name implies, you can cook pot roast in a pot. The cooking time per pound of meat is the general rule.
pot should not be too tall and should have a tight­ The cooked meat should rest to allow the juices to
fitting lid; a Dutch oven works nicely. A roasting redistribute within the meat. While the meat rests,

F E B RUARY ( M ARCH 1997 29


you can make a simple gravy or finish preparing
your side dishes.
G reat g ravy starts with the pan j u ices. Some
roasts, like the beef pot roast below, are delicious
served simply with the ingredients that were cooked
along with the meat in the roasting pan, the juices
degreased if necessary (see the sidebar below). For
other roasts, we take the sauce to the next level by
cooking the degreased pan juices until reduced by
half to thicken the sauce and intensify its flavor. If
you want to end up with more liquid, add an equal
amount of stock to the juices before reducing. You
can season the sauce with a few sprigs of your favor­
ite fresh herbs, a pinch of dried herbs, and a gener­
ous splash of red wine, brandy, or dry sherry.
For a silky sauce, whisk in several pats of cold
butter or a bit of cream. A dollop of mustard or
tomato paste will give the sauce a little body and
bright flavor. We don't like to use cornstarch or flour
to thicken the sauce b ecause they can make it
gummy and muddy the flavor. For a thick, gravy-like
sauce without flour, puree the pan vegetables with
the degreased juices and season to taste.

Marinated Beef Pot Roast


An overnight soak makes the meat especially tasty.
Serves four to six.

2l-2 to 3 lb. rump, chuck, eye of round, or shoulder roast Keep flavors concen­
3 cloves garlic, slivered Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the sliced onions in a trated with a snug­
1 cup balsamic vinegar fitting pot. There
large casserole or small roasting pan. Nestle the meat
2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
3 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced into the onions and pour in the remaining marinade. should be just enough
14l-2-oz. can whole tomatoes, chopped, all juices Season the meat with salt and pepper. Add the toma­ room for the meat,
reserved toes and juice. Cover the pot or pan tightly with a lid the vegetables, and
Salt and freshly ground black pepper or aluminum foil. Cook the beef until it is easily pierced the braising liquid.
Poke the meat all over with a thin-bladed knife and with a fork and its juices run clear, 3 to 31,12 hours.
insert the garlic slivers into the holes. Remove the roast from the oven and allow it to rest
In a large ceramic dish or bowl, or in a zip-top bag, com­ in the pan for 5 to 1 0 min. before carving. Serve the
bine the vinegar and rosemary. Add the meat and turn to sliced meat with the onions, tomatoes, and pan juices
coat completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (degreased if necessary).

Degrease pan juices for a better tasting sauce


When making a sauce for pot the coolest part of the pot, where • If you're making the pot
roast, it's important to remove it can be more easily spooned off. roast ahead of time, put the
any fat from the cooking liquid. • If there's a lot of liquid, skim strained juices in the refriger­
While the roast is resting, you the fat off the surface by dipping ator and let the fat solidify on
can degrease the juices in a few a soup ladle under the layer of the surface. To remove the fat,
different ways. fat so that it swirls into the ladle's slide the edge of a metal spoon
• Gently tilt the pan and spoon bowl (see photo, right). under the fat and lift it out.
the fat away, being careful not to • Strain the juices into a de­ To reheat the roast, return the
stir it into the juices. greasing cup (its spout starts at meat to the pan, add the
• Pour the juices into a sauce­ the bottom of the cup). The fat degreased juices, cover the Get the grease out. Use a ladle
pan and set half of the pan over a will rise to the top, and the juices roast tightly, and warm it in a to skim the fat from the pan juices
high flame. The fat will travel to can be poured from the spout. low oven. for a better tasting sauce.

30 FINE COOKING
leg of lamb with it's easily pierced with a fork and its juices run clear,
about another 3 hours and 40 min.
Apricot-Orange Stuffing
Transfer the lamb to a platter or cutting board and cover
If you butterfly the leg of lamb yourself, hang on to the
it loosely with foil. Degrease the pan juices (see the side­
bones and cook them with the pot roast-they'll boost
bar opposite) and pour them i nto a small saucepan . Boil
the sauce's flavor. If your lamb is already butterflied, ask
the juices, skimming off any grease or scum that rises to
the butcher for a couple of lamb shank bones to add to
the surface, until the liquid is reduced by half, about
the pot. Serves six to eight.
1 5 m i n . Slice the lamb and serve it with the sauce.
1 cup chopped dried apricots
lQ cup dried currants or raisins
1 lQ cups boiling water
4 lb. butterflied leg of lamb
3 cloves garlic, slivered
Pork Roast with Fennel & Pears
The fennel and pears soften d u ring cooking but keep
their shape so you can serve them alongside the slices of
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated zest of 1 orange pork. Serves four to six.
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme
2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
3 to 4 lb. pork butt, well trimmed
4 cloves garlic, slivered
1 rib celery, coarsely chopped
1 bulb fennel, coarsely chopped (about 1 lQ cups)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
Sprig of fresh thyme (optional)
3 shallots, minced
3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced
Lamb bones (optional)
1 cup dry red wine
Y.! cup dry sherry
Juice of 1 orange
Y.! cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken stock
1 Tbs. fennel seeds, chopped
Heat the oven to 425°F. I n a medium-sized bowl cover 1 112 tsp. salt
'
the apricots and currants with the boiling water. Set % tsp. freshly ground black pepper
them aside to plump for about 20 min. Heat the oven to 350°F. Poke the meat all over with a
Pierce the lamb all over with a thin-bladed knife and thin-bladed knife and insert the garlic slivers into the
insert the garlic slivers into the holes. Season both sides holes. Put the fennel, shallots, pears, sherry, and stock
of the lamb with salt and pepper. i nto a large casserole or small roasting pan; toss to com­
bine. Put the pork in the pan and pat the fennel seeds
Drain the apricots and currants, reserving the liquid.
over the pork. Sprinkle the pork with the salt and pep­
Spread the fruit, orange zest, and chopped thyme over
per. Cover the pan with a lid or foil, and cook the pork
the interior of the meat, covering it thickly. Beginning
until it's easily pierced with a fork and its juices run clear,
with the narrow end, roll up the lamb jelly-roll style.
3V2 to 4 hours. Remove the roast from the oven and al­
Tie the roll with butcher's twine at 2-inch intervals.
low it to rest in the pan for 5 to 1 0 min. before carving.
Save any filling that spills out of the lamb and add it
Slice and serve with the fennel, pears, and pan juices
to the roasting pan.
(degreased if necessary) spooned over the top.
Set the lamb and any stray filling in a large casserole
or roasting pan . Add the carrots, celery, onion, thyme Beth Dooley is a food writer in Minneapolis. Lucia
sprig, lamb bones, reserved fruit-soaking liquid, red
Watson is the chef at Lucia's, also in Minneapolis. The
wine, and orange j uice to the pan. Cover the roasting
pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and cook for two recently collaborated on Savoring the Seasons
20 min. Reduce the heat to 350°F. Cook the lamb until of the Northern Heartland (Knopf, 1 995) .•

A few quick knots ensure even cooking and keep in the stuffing. Use butcher's twine and
Roll the lamb around the stuffing, beginning with the small end. tie the meat every two inches.

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 1997 31


S imm er a Pot of Beans
for Good, Hearty Fare
Master the basics and enjoy soulful black bean soup,
savory gratins, and white beans fragrant with rosemary

BY DAV I D TAN I S

I was a Birds Eye baby, raised on frozen vegetables


and every 1950s-sryle convenience food. When
cornbread in the middle. We ate them with a fork.
I was immediately, utterly converted-I had never
my family had beans for dinner, you can be sure tasted anything better, and I wanted more.
those beans came from a can. It wasn't until I left
home that I tasted real beans for the first time. They LOTS OF POSS I B I LIT I ES
were pinto beans, prepared by a wonderful cook FRO M LOTS O F D I FFE R EN T B EAN S
who understood that good food needn't be fancy. Along with all kinds of so-called peasant foods,
She simmered them slowly with a little bacon and dried beans are enjoying a renaissance of sorts.
onion, ladled them into a shallow plate with lots of A staple of almost every cuisine, dried beans are
the rich broth, and served them with a wedge of extremely versatile. Some of my favorite ways to
feature their creamy-starchy character
are in substantial soups, fortified with
herbs and vegetables, and in simple, sat­
isfying salads laced with fruity olive oil.
Beans also can be pureed and served as a
dip or spread, or mashed, shaped into
cakes, and fried. Beans can also make
wonderful gratins; I add savory sausage
and top them with a crunchy bread­
crumb crust.
You ' l l fi nd most sta ndard beans at
your su permarket: black, Great North­
ern, small white, pinto or pink beans, red
kidney, chickpeas or garbanzos, black­
eyed peas, and limas. I use these types
most often.
All beans have their own distinct tex­
tures and flavors, but they can often be
substituted for one another. Look for
beans of a similar size and color as the
ones called for in your recipe, but don't
be afraid to experiment. Chickpeas have
a grainy texture and a flavor that
couldn't be more different than creamy,
smooth-textured white beans, but they
would make a delicious though very
different kind of dish if used in the white-bean off the heat, cover the pan, and let the beans soak
recipe included here. for an hour.
Ev en d ri e d b e a n s n e e d to be fre s h . In a Look out for "floaters." In the process of turn­
more perfect world, beans would be dated for fresh­ ing from fresh beans to dried, beans sometimes
ness, just the way milk and eggs are. Unlike dairy shrink within their skins, creating air pockets
products, beans can't really go bad, but old beans that may hide dirt. You can't tell if your beans
can take an impossibly long time to cook, and they have shrunk just by looking at them, but the
don't always cook evenly. trapped air will make the
Since it's difficult to know beans buoyant enough to
how old your beans are, buy For m o re del icious float. Skim off any floaters
them from a busy market with and toss them out.
a steady turnover and use bea n s, l et them cool
them soon after you get them HOW T O C O O K B EA N S
home. in their b roth so the The basic principle for cook­
ing all beans is the same, no
FOR B ETTER TEXT U R E fl avo rs c a n m e l d . matter how you plan to use
A N D FASTER COO K I N G, them in a recipe.
SOAK Y O U R B EA N S • Before you cook them, pick
Dried beans absorb water through the point at through the beans and remove any stones, broken
which they were attached to their pods-their belly beans, or other bits of debris. It isn't unusual for a bit
buttons, so to speak (which, on a bean, is called a of the bean field to end up in the bag along with
hilum). Their skins are less penetrable. While many your dried beans.
cooks claim to find little advantage in soaking, I feel • Put the beans in a large, heavy-based pot, cover
that soaking gives beans a better texture and speeds them with cold water-usually six to eight cups
the cooking time a bit. If your beans are from a rel­ per pound of beans-and bring the water to a
atively recent harvest, they should cook quickly hard boil.
without soaking. Beans that have been sitting in the • Reduce the heat and let the beans simmer. Skim
cupboard for a year or more will definitely benefit any foam that rises to the surface. Add any herbs,
from a soak. spices, or aromatic vegetables.
The standard recipe direction calls to soak beans • About halfway through the cooking time, when
"overnight. " That really means four to eight hours. the beans have softened, add the salt and any acidic
Don't worry if it's dark or light outside, simply give ingredients like tomatoes. Beans require a good
yourself enough time to soak before you cook. dose of salt to bring out their full flavor, but salt and
If you ' re pressed for time, the q uick-soaking
method will help you get your beans to the table
sooner. Put the beans in a large pot, cover them
with cold water, and bring to a hard boil. Then turn

Refresh your beans


before you cook.
Some cooks suggest
that cooking beans in
Pick your beans clean. Before cooking, look over your beans the same water they're
carefully. You're likely to find small stones, broken bits of beans, soaked in can make
and other debris. Discard any intruders or you may end with the beans more diffi­
rocks in your soup. cult to digest.

34 FINE COOKING
Give hot beans a quick cool down. Dump the cooked beans
into a shallow baking dish. The increased surface area helps the
steam evaporate so the beans cool more quickly.

their own rich taste. Slow cooking will also keep


beans from bursting through their skins.
The size, variety, and age of your beans will
determine how long they need to cook. Also, con­
sider how you plan to use the beans. For a bean
salad, you'll want the beans to remain whole. But
if you're making a soup, cook the beans a little
longer until they break down a bit and thicken
the broth.
M ost beans i m p rove in flavor a nd texture if
cooked a day in advance. But it's important to
cool beans quickly if you don't plan to eat them the
day they're cooked. Once cooled, refrigerate the
beans until they're well chilled before storing them
in a closed container. If kept at room temperature
for too long, beans can sour and ferment.

Black Bean Soup


Simmer beans slowly. with Tomato-Tomatillo Salsa
Like all beans, these acids inhibit water penetration and, when added
Epazote, an herb often used in Mexican cooking, adds
white beans are best too soon, can toughen the beans. an authentic, m usky undertone to this soup, and some
cooked over low heat. • When the beans are fully cooked, taste one and claim it makes beans easier to digest. Look for epazote in
If cooked at too high adjust the seasonings as needed. T hen let them sit Mexican groceries or order some from Penzeys, Ltd.
a heat, the skins are off the heat for at least an hour for the flavors to (41 4/564-027 7) . If you can't find chipotle chiles, use
cayenne instead. You r soup will have nice spicy kick, but
likely to burst, and meld. If you're afraid the beans will overcook while
you'll miss the distinctive smoky flavor that's found only
the beans will turn sitting in the hot broth, strain them and cool the in chipotles. Yields about 6 cups.
to mush. beans and broth separately; then, when both are
cool, recombine them. 1 lb. dried black beans
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
Gentle simmering makes the best beans. Keep 2 large onions, finely diced
the heat low to give your beans time to absorb 4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
flavor from the aromatics in the pot and to develop (Ingredient list continues)

FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 35
1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped tomato Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and
(fresh or canned) garnish each portion with a spoonful of creme fralehe
Small sprig fresh or dried epazote (optional) and the salsa.
1 Tbs. finely chopped canned chipotle chile
(or I;" tsp. cayenne; more to taste)
1 tsp. ground cumin seed
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. salt
Gratin of Flageolet Beans & Sausage
Tiny French flageolet beans have a delicate, mild
flavor and make a wonderful gratin. For more flavorful
Cassoulet made

FOR THE SALSA:


easy. This bean
beans, let them sit in their broth overnight and bake
1 large tomato, finely diced the gratin the following day. Serves six. and sausage gratin
3 medium tomatillos, husks removed and finely diced is an uncomplicated
1 small red onion, very finely diced FOR THE BEANS:
1 serrano or jalapeno chile, very finely diced version of the classic
1 lb. dried flageolet beans
Y., cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1 large onion, peeled and quartered French dish.
Salt to taste

FOR THE GARNISH:


Creme fraiche or sour cream

Pick over the beans. Soak if desired and d rain. I n a deep,


heavy-based pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add
the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 min. Add
the beans, garlic, and 6 cups cold water. Bring to a boil,
skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce to a
simmer and when the beans are soft, after about 1 hour,
add the tomato, epazote if using, chipotle chile, cumin,
coriander, and salt. Continue cooking until the beans
start to break down and the broth begins to thicken.
Taste for seasoning; add salt and pepper if needed. If
you're serving this soup i mmediately, you may want to
thicken it by pureeing a cup or two of the beans in a
blender or food processor and then recombining them
with the rest of the soup. The soup will thicken on its
own if refrigerated overnight.
To make the salsa-In a small bowl, combine the
tomato, tomatillos, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Taste
for seasoning and add salt as needed. This salsa will taste
best if assembled no more than an hour before serving.

Heirloom beans are


prized for their flavor
Many specialty groceries now carry what
are called heirloom beans. U sually more
flavorful than their uniformly bred
cousins, these beans come in a range of
sizes, shapes, and colors: brown- speckled
Jacob's Cattle; fat, white Aztecs; black­
spotted Appaloosas; Scarlet Runners;
Anasazi beans. Heirloom varieties are well
worth seeking out.
Choose from a wide selection of un­
usual beans grown by my friend Elizabeth
Berry. For a brochure and order form, send
one dollar and a self-addressed, business­
size envelope to Elizabeth Berry, Gallina
Canyon Ranch,
N M 875 1 0.
PO Box 706, Abiquiu,

36
1 head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh sage
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 tsp. salt

FOR THE GRATIN:


6 Tbs. olive oil or rendered duck fat, or a combination
2 large onions, finely diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh sage
6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. French-style garlic sausage or sweet Italian sausage
2 cups homemade breadcrumbs
Homemade or low-salt canned chicken stock if needed

To prepare the beans-Pick over the beans. Soak if


desired and drain. In a large, heavy-based pot, cover
the beans with 8 cups cold water. Add the onion,
garlic, bay leaf, sage, and thyme; bring to a boil over
high heat. Reduce the heat to a bare simmer, skimming
any foam that rises to the surface. Simmer gently
until the beans have softened, about 1 Y2 hours. Add
the salt and continue cooking until the beans are
q u ite tender, 20 to 30 min. longer. Allow the beans
to cool in the broth. Refrigerate overnight to let the
flavors meld.
To prepare the gratin-Heat the oven to 450°F.
Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard
the garlic and any stems from the herbs.
In a frying pan, heat 4 Tbs. of the olive oil over
medium heat. Add the onions, % tsp. salt, and
pepper; cook until the onions are soft and lightly
browned, about 1 0 min. Add the thyme, sage, and
%
tsp. Beans make a meal. With a loaf ofgood bread and a small salad,
these luscious White Beans with Rosemary & Olive Oil make a
simple but satisfying supper.
garlic; cook 1 min. longer.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the beans with
1 lb. large dried white beans, such as cannellini or
the onion mixture. Taste for seasoning and add more
Giant Aztec
salt and pepper if needed. The mixture should be
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
highly seasoned. Transfer the beans to a shallow 1 head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
2Y2-qt. casserole. Sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage
In a hot frying pan, brown the sausages well on all 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for garnish
sides. Let the sausages cool before cutting them into 2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground fennel seed
1 Y2-inch thick slices. Arrange the sliced sausages over 1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes; more or less to taste
the beans, then push them down beneath the surface
Freshly ground black pepper
of the beans with a wooden spoon. Chopped fresh rosemary for garnish
Bring the reserved cooking liquid to a boil and pour
Pick over the beans. Soak if desired and drain. In a large,
enough of it into the casserole to barely cover the
heavy-based pot, cover the beans with 8 cups cold
beans (add chicken stock if there isn't enough).
water. Add the onion, garlic, and herb sprigs and bring
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and, with a
to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a bare sim­
wooden spoon, push them down a bit to absorb some
mer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. When
of the liquid. Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil over
the beans are almost tender, after about 1 hour, add the
the top. Cover with aluminum foil, set the pan on a
baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for 30 min. olive oil, salt, ground fennel, and pepper flakes. Con­
Reduce the heat to 325°F. and continue cooking for tinue cooking until the beans are very tender but still
45 min. Remove the foil and cook until the surface is whole, about 30 min. longer. Taste the beans and broth;
golden brown and the juices are bubbling, about add more salt if necessary. Allow the beans to cool in the
1 5 min. longer. broth for at least 1 hour before serving.
To serve, warm the beans in the broth, and then transfer
the beans to a platter with a slotted spoon, discarding
White Beans with Rosemary
the onion, garlic, and herb sprigs. Garnish with a drizzle
&Olive Oil
This recipe works well with any large, meaty bean.
Serve the dish warm or at room temperature. It could
of olive oil, a few grindings of black pepper, and the
chopped rosemary.

accompany grilled tuna and tomatoes in summer or


lamb chops with radicchio in the winter months. Yields David Tanis is a chef and author who cooks and lives
about 8 cups. in Santa Fe, New Mexico. • 37
MENu
ReTenmShrdeoulriGrmadepe onns

ChiGumbSausckoeaYaYange&

BrwietahSaucdBourPuddie bonng
made from seafood, poultry, sausage, game, or vege­ Equal parts flour and oil make a roux. For an
tables in a dizzying number of combinations. As the evenly cooked brown roux (pronounced ROO) , use a
chef of a busy New Orleans restaurant, I have the low flame and stir constantly, being careful to scrape
luxury of making a different gumbo every day, but the bottom and sides of the pot. The roux may foam
like every gumbo cook, I have my at first but will subside and slowly
favorites. At home, I always stir up turn a light brown as long as you
a big pot of chicken and sausage G u m bo g ets its go slow. Making a brown roux can
gumbo, known as Gumbo Ya Ya, take anywhere from 1 0 to 40 min­
during Mardi Gras season. rich, mysterious utes, depending on the fat, the
Gumbo is great for entertaining pot, and the level of heat. The
because the slow simmer gives me fl avo r from b rown longer it cooks, the smokier and
time to put together the rest of deeper its flavor. The roux is ready
the menu: cool and tangy shrimp rou x a n d a long, when it turns a rich, mahogany
remoulade on salad greens and a brown and gives off a nutty, toasty
buttery, bourbony bread pudding. slow s i m me r. aroma. Don't walk away while the
roux cooks because if it burns (it
ONE BIG POT IS ALL YOU N EED will look grainy and smell acrid),
I like to cook everything-the chicken, the vege­ you'll need to start over with fresh oil and flour.
tables, and the entire gumbo-all in one heavy-based A rich stock adds flavor to the stew. For chicken
Gumbo is everything soup pot. This way I'm building layers of flavor as I go gumbo, I like to use a good chicken stock. Vegetable
you want in one (and spending less time at the sink afterwards). stock or even water will do, but the end flavor will be
bowl-spicy sausage, I first sear the chicken (thighs, for more flavor) in a bit lighter.
tender chicken, lots of hot oil, followed by the vegetable mix, called a mire­ Simmeri n g a n d skim m i n g are the keys to a
vegetables, all bound poix (pronounced meer-pwAH). Once the vegetables savory gu mbo. Be especially diligent about skim­
by a deep, savory and chicken are browned, it's time to make the roux, ming the stew during the first half hour. After that,
mahogany sauce. the thing that makes gumbo gumbo. just skim any time you see any froth or fat floating on
the top. After several hours, the chicken will fall from
the bone, letting you know that the gumbo is ready.
File powder gives this gumbo its smooth tex­
ture. Cooking a roux until brown adds a lot of flavor
but destroys its ability to thicken liquid. This means
finding another method for thickening gumbo. Some
cooks use okra, which goes in the pot at the start and
adds its thick, sticky juices to the stew; other cooks
use file powder-a rich, brown powder ground from
sassafras leaves-which is added at the end. No
self-respecting gumbo cook would ever use the two
together-the gumbo would be too thick, and the
individual flavors of each would disappear.
I prefer file powder because I like its slightly sweet,
woodsy flavor. You can buy file powder in lots of gro­
cery stores now; look in the spice section. If you can't
find it, you can order it from Penzeys, Ltd., PO Box
1 448, Waukesha, WI 5 3 1 87; 4 1 4/574-0277. Add file
powder at the last minute or it will tum stringy.

S H R I M P R E M O U LADE FOR STARTERS


Like gumbo, recipes for remoulade sauce vary from
parish to parish, even from house to house. Inspired by
the classic French mayonnaise-style sauce made with
capers, cornichons, and tarragon, New Orleans
remoulade sauce has been spiced up by Creole cooks.
My version is made pale pink with tomato
paste and gets a little kick from vinegar So New Orleans
and Creole mustard. T he cool, fresh, serve them closer to room temperature: the flavor will (and so easy), bread
briny flavors of boiled shrimp dressed in be fuller, and the texture more tender. pudding is the perfect
remoulade sauce provide a good balance foil for spicy gumbo.
to the hearty gumbo. BREAD P U D D I N G MAKES A bourbon sauce lifts
Beyond a good sauce, a great shrimp A C O M FORT I N G FI N I S H the version a notch
r e m o u l a d e needs p e rfectly cooked Bread pudding h a s long been a favorite New above homey.
s h r i m p . Undoubtedly, this begins with Orleans dessert. One of the reasons this pudding is
fresh shrimp--if you can find them. If not, so delicious is the local French bread, which is in­
uncooked frozen white, pink, or brown credibly light and tender with a good crisp crust. Buy
shrimp are best. Avoid tiger shrimp (easily the bread a day or two in advance and let it dry out
identified by their striped shells) which so it can really soak up the sweet egg custard.
can be inconsistent in quality.
Traditionally, shrimp are boiled in Shrimp Remoulade
water that's highly seasoned with cay­
The remoulade sauce may be made a day in advance, but
enne, plenty of salt, and other spices­ it's best to cook the shrimp an hour or so before serving.
called a boil. Have the pot boiling hard V.J
Serves eight as an appetizer; yields 1 cups sauce.
when you add the shrimp and a slotted
FOR THE REMOULADE SAUCE:
spoon ready to scoop up the shrimp as 1 Tbs. white-wine vinegar
soon as they're pink and cooked through. 1 Tbs. prepared yellow mustard
Keep in mind that shrimp can quickly 2 Tbs. Creole or country-style Dijon mustard
2 tsp. tomato paste
overcook , making them tough and flavor­ 1 small clove garlic
less. Once cooked, plunge them in a bowl Dash Tabasco
of ice water to avoid carry-over cooking. I \-2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 egg
like to save the boiling liquid and add Y., tsp. paprika
some of it, along with more salt, to the \-2 cup vegetable oil
shrimp (with plenty of ice) as they cool. 3 Tbs. chopped scallions (white and pale green parts from
about 2 small scallions)
T his gives the shrimp a zestier flavor and 3 Tbs. chopped celery
helps to keep them tender. It's best not to 2 Tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley
refrigerate the shrimp at this point but to Salt to taste (Ingredient list continues)

41
A spicy "boil" gives shrimp more flavor. Cook them until they're just barely opaque through An ice bath stops the cooking. A quick soak in a little of the
the center; overcooking makes shrimp tough. cooled boil boosts the flavor.

FOR THE SHRIMP: Gumbo Va Va


'l3 cup salt, preferably kosher
1 Tbs. cayenne Andouille sausage is traditional for this g u m bo, but any
2 Tbs. whole black peppercorns spicy smoked sausage will do. Serves eight as a main
2 lemons, cut in quarters course or twelve as an appetizer.
1 large clove garlic
4 bay leaves
3 Tbs. plus % cup vegetable oil
2� lb. skinless chicken thighs
1 medium onion, diced Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 � lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined but tails left on 1 cup flour
Tender leafy lettuce (such as Bibb or Boston) cut into strips 1 medium bunch celery, cleaned and thinly sliced
4 large onions, diced
For the sauce-In a food processor, combine the vine­
4 green or red bell peppers, diced
gar, mustards, tomato paste, garlic, Tabasco, lemon 2 Tbs. minced garlic
juice, egg, and paprika. Pulse to mix. With the processor � to 1 tsp. cayenne or 5 fresh cayenne peppers, diced
running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. Add the % tsp. dried oregano
scallions, celery, parsley, and salt to taste; pulse briefly to % tsp. dried basil
combine. Overprocessing at this point may make the % tsp. dried thyme
4 bay leaves
sauce separate. Chill.
8 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken stock or water
For t h e shrimp-In a 6- to 8-qt. pan, combine 1 gallon 1 � lb. andouille sausage or other spicy smoked sausage,
of water, % cup of the salt, the cayenne, peppercorns,
lemon, garlic, bay leaves, and onion. Bring to a boil
and simmer for 1 5 min. Add the shrimp and cook until
cut into �-inch chunks
1 Tbs. file powder
6 cups cooked white rice
Chopped scallions for garnish
they're pink and just barely opaque through the center, Tabasco or other Louisiana-style hot sauce
about 3 m i n . Pull the shri m p from the boil and put
In a heavy-based soup pot, heat 3 Tbs. of the oil over
them in a large bowl. Cover with ice and then add
high heat until almost smoking. While the oil is heating,
2 cups of the boil liquid to the iced shrimp. Soak for
season the chicken generously with salt and pepper,
5 m i n . Add the remaining salt. When the shrimp is well
chilled, drain.
Before serving, dip each shrimp in the remoulade sauce
dust it with %cup of the flour, and shake off the excess.
Sear the chicken in the hot oil untii golden brown, turn­
ing once to brown both sides, 4 min. on each side. Re­
to coat and arrange them on a bed of the lettuce. move the chicken and set aside.

Drink Choices
Gumbo's deep, dark spiciness needs quenching from a cold beer
Mardi Gras means the country these days-well pale ale. With the Gumbo Ya Ya's Beer, light and clean, is a good
merriment, mouth- balanced, clean, and refreshing, deep, rich raux and smoky sau- partner for the shrimp, while Dixie
searing Cajun and Creole main- with enough sweetness to tame sage flavors, you'll want a darker Blackened Voodoo Lager is rich
stays, and mammoth thirsts. But some of the flame. brew, often dubbed amber, enough for the gumbo. And let
wine lovers beware: this food Try a light-colored brew with brown, even black, or the German the good times roll. �

.s.
needs the grain, not the grape. the Shrimp Remoulade. Look for "Dunkel," meaning dark. Rosina Tinari Wilson is a food and

You'll find lots of quality- blonde, golden, or wheat beer Try seeking out the down- wine writer and teacher based in c"

��
crafted beers in every corner of (the Germans call it 'Weizen"), or home New Orleans originals. Dixie the San Francisco Bay area.
0.
42 FINE COOKING
Let the oil reheat for a minute and then reduce the heat
to medium high and add the celery, onions, and peppers
Three steps to good gumbo
and cook until soft, 1 0 to 1 2 min., stirring to prevent
First make a roux
scorching. Remove the vegetables and any liquid from
with approximately
the pan and set aside. Add % cup oil to the pot and let it
heat up for a minute over medium heat. Slowly add the
remaining flour to the pan and cook, stirring constantly,
equal weights of oil
and flour. Use a
until the mixture is the color of chocolate, 1 0 to 20 min. heavy-based pan,
Stir carefully, being sure to scrape the sides and bottom of stir with a wooden
the pot to prevent scorching. Pay attention not to burn
spoon, and go slow.
the roux; if you do burn it, you'll need to start over.
When the roux has reached a good mahogany brown,
return the cooked vegetables to the pot, along with the
garlic, cayenne, oregano, basil, thyme, and bay leaves.
Stir to scrape the bottom of the pot and cook until well
combined, 3 to 5 min. Season with salt and pepper.
Slowly add the stock while stirring until smoothly
blended. Add the seared chicken and the sausage. Bring
to a simmer and skim off excess fat. Simmer uncovered Cook the roux until
for 2 V2 hours, skimming any foam or fat that rises to the it's glossy and a rich
surface. When the chicken meat falls from the bones, dark brown. It should
remove the bones from the pot and discard.
smell toasty and nutty,
Return the soup to a boil and stir in the file powder, stir­ not burnt.
ring vigorously to avoid clumping, until the file powder
is dissolved. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper
as necessary. Serve the g u m bo in bowls over cooked
white rice with chopped scallions and Tabasco to taste.

Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce


To bake this i n one large dish instead of individual custard
cups, simply add 1 0 minutes to the cooking time. Serves
eight; yields about I cup sauce. Add the vegetables
carefully-brown
lI.! cup golden raisins
3 Tbs. bourbon roux is extremely hot.
5 eggs The "Holy Trinity"­
v., cup sugar celery, onion, and bell
2 tsp. vanilla extract
lI.! tsp. ground cinnamon pepper-gives the
� tsp. ground nutmeg gumbo a true Creole
Pinch salt flavor.
3 cups heavy cream
8 oz. stale white bread with crusts, preferably Italian or
French, torn into I -inch pieces
FOR THE SAUCE:
Ill.! cups heavy cream
lI.! cup sugar
3 Tbs. bourbon
� tsp. ground cinnamon
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the
raisins and bourbon and heat gently until the liquid is
evaporated and the raisins are plump, about 7 min.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, browned on top and a knife inserted in the center
sugar, vanilla, spices, and salt. Stir in the cream until well comes out barely clean, about 50 min.
blended. Toss in the torn bread and plumped raisins and
T o make the sauce-In a small saucepan, combine the
stir together. Let the mixture sit for 1 5 min., stirring oc­
casionally, to allow the bread to soak up the liquid. The cream and sugar. Dissolve the sugar over medium heat
pudding may be made ahead until this point and refrig­ and let the mixture come slowly to a boil. Cook, boiling
erated for 4 hours until you're ready to bake.
gently, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back
of a spoon, 5 to 7 min. (235°F on a candy thermome­
Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter eight 6-oz. custard cups ter). Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon and
or ramekins. Divide the bread mixture among the cus­ cinnamon. Serve the sauce warm on the side.
tard cups and pour any remaining custard over the top
of each. Set the cups in a baking pan or shallow roasting
pan and add enough water to the pan to come halfway Jamie Shannon is the chef at Commander's Palace in
up the sides of the cups. Bake until the puddings are

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 1997


New Orleans. • 43
A sweet, shiny glaze
created in minutes.
Serve this Japanese­
style salmon with
wilted spinach
tossed with a little
soy sauce and
toasted sesame oil.

Cooking Salmon Simply


for Full, Rich Flavor
Easy to find and quick to prepare, salmon tastes
great baked, braised, or sauteed

BY J A M E S P ETERSON

44 FINE COOKING
S almon is an easy fish to love. When
cooked, it has a delicate pink color,
you buy a salmon fillet, chances are you'll
still come across pin bones.
a tender texture, and a rich flavor with A quick tug is all you need to remove
just a hint of sea breezes. It's also relatively pin bones. To find the pin bones on a fil­
inexpensive (about $2 to $3 less per let, run your finger along the middle of the
pound than tuna or swordfish), it's easy to flesh; you'll easily feel the bones. Use
handle, and it can be prepared just about tweezers, small pliers, or your thumbnail
any way with the possible exception of and forefinger to pinch the bones one at a
deep-frying. While wild salmon is for most time and give them a yank. They should
of us a rare treat, farmed salmon, also slide right out. In a steak, the pin bones
called Atlantic salmon, is always available are still attached to the backbone so you'll
and almost always extremely fresh. have to pull harder to remove them.
For p retty stea ks, m a ke b o n e l e s s
STEAKS A N D FI LLETS-T H E EASY medal lions. The large bones in salmon
WAY TO H A N D L E SALMON steaks are easy to eat around, so you don't
Versatile salmon comes in a variety of have to remove them. But I find steaks
forms. You can buy a whole fish-worth unwieldy, so I bone them and shape them
the trouble if you're cooking for a large into medallions (see photos on p. 46) ,
crowd--or a whole side of salmon. Most which only takes a few extra minutes.
often, however, you'll find fillets (pieces jim Peterson cuts a salmon steak to make a bone­
cut from the side) and steaks (horseshoe­ QUICK M ETHODS TO COOK SALMON less medallion. See his method on the next page.
shaped pieces cut crosswise to include A whole poached salmon is perfect for a
the backbone). Steaks and fillets cook in summertime party. And with its moderate more traditional sauce. Fillets are fine to
almost the same way, so you can often to high fat content, salmon is great on the braise, but I think steak medallions look
use them interchangeably. grill. But in winter, I usually stick to the more dramatic served this way. Steaks
Buying the best fillet. For the fresh­ oven and stove, which means baking, are also generally thicker, so the longer
est fish, ask for one large piece (about braising, or sauteing the fish. cooking time lets the flavors in the brais­
Vz
1 pounds for four servings) cut from a
whole side of salmon , and then cut that
piece into individual servings yourself.
Baki n g is the simplest way to g o .
Just arrange the salmon in an oiled baking
dish and bake until done. I like to spread
ing liquid mingle and develop.
Swift sauteing brin g s o u t flavor.
Sauteing salmon means cooking it on the
You'll likely get fresher fillets this way, not a thin layer of garlic, herbs, and bread­ stove in a little fat, such as butter or olive
ones that were cut days before. Also, try crumbs on top to make a fragrant crust. oil. You can saute salmon steaks with
to get a piece from the center of the side. Steaks and fillets both bake well. good results, but I prefer sauteing fillets.
Fillets from the tail end are thinner, while Braising salmon makes an easy base Usually thinner, fillets cook quickly, and
those from the head end are thicker and for a sauce. Cooking the fish in a little if they still have their skin on, they yield
sometimes awkward to handle. liquid with aromatic herbs and vege­ the extra benefit of delicious, crisp skin. I
tables has the advantage of supplying you often dress up my sauteed fillets with a
WHAT ABOUT T H E B O N E S ? with a sauce base that's rich with the shiny sweet-and-savory soy glaze.
A salmon has a central backbone, ribs, salmon's flavor. The liquid can be served
and small pin bones, which are em­ as a light broth surrounding the fish, or K E E P SALMON FRO M STI C K I N G
bedded in a row down its sides. Even if cooked down to the consistency of a Like most fish, salmon loves to stick to the
saute pan. Using a nonstick pan helps, but
sometimes salmon will even stick to that.
Here are a few tips to prevent sticking:
• Start with perfectly d ry fish. Pat it
with paper towels before it goes in the pan.
• M a ke s u re the fat is hot. Test it by
dribbling a drop of water or two in the
pan; it should sizzle.
• Shake the pan when adding the fish.
While putt·ing the salmon in the pan,
shake the pan back and forth so that the
fish moves over the pan's surface for the
first 5 or 10 seconds of cooking.
• Turn the fish only once. This won't
A quick tug gets rid of the pin bones. Use pincers, For the freshest fish, buy a large section of necessarily keep it from sticking, but it
pliers, or tweezers to pull these easy-to· find bones. salmon side. Then cut it to size yourself. lessens the chance of the fish falling apart

F E B RUARY/MARCH 1997 45
if it does stick. Begin with the best-looking
side facing down in the pan. If the fillets
Tum a salmon have their skin, start with that side down.
If they're skinless, cook the bone side first;
steak into a the skinned side may have some harmless
but unsightly discoloration.
compact, boneless
DETE R M I N I N G DO N E N ES S

medallion Salmon generally needs about nine


minutes of cooking per inch of thickness.
Actual cooking times depend on the
shape and size of the steak or fillet, on
the cooking temperature, and on how
you like your fish cooked.
The foolproof way: cut into the fish.
The trick is to do this discreetly by cut­
ting into the underside of the fish. Prop­
erly cooked salmon should be just starting
to turn pale and opaque, but you want to
Cut out the backbone and any ribs with a see a lightly translucent trace of bright
small, sharp knife. Slide the knifejust under orange toward the middle of the fish.
the bones that adhere to the inside of the Salmon that's completely opaque and
stomach flaps and cut along the backbone pale orange throughout is overcooked.
1 /;2 lb. salmon fillet, skin on, pin bones removed
almost all the way to the skin. Cut out the T h e a d v a n ce d method: t o u c h . A 3 Tbs. mirin (or 1 Tbs. sugar dissolved in 2 Tbs.
backbone but don't cut through the skin. more subtle, less intrusive way to deter­ hot water)
mine done ness is by feeling the fish. 3 Tbs. Japanese dark soy sauce
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
Touch the salmon or squeeze it gently.
Raw or undercooked salmon feels fleshy. Cut the salmon in half lengthwise and then
crosswise into four rectangles. I n a shallow
As salmon cooks, it becomes firmer. The
dish large enough to hold the salmon, mix
idea is to stop cooking the instant the the mirin and soy sauce. Marinate the
salmon begins to feel firm. This method salmon in this mixture for 1 5 min. to 1 hour,
takes some practice, but you can train turning it to coat both sides. Remove the
yourself by feeling the salmon each time salmon and pat it dry with paper towels.
you cut into it-you'll soon get the knack. Reserve the marinade.
In a nonstick frying pan just large enough to
Soy-G lazed Sauteed Salmon accommodate the fish, heat the oil over high
heat until it just begins to smoke. Put the
Keep the skin on the outside of the M i rin, a very sweet sake, is sold in most
salmon, skin side down, in the pan and im­
medallion by cutting a 1 /;2-inch section of supermarkets, as is Japanese dark soy sauce.
mediately give the pan a shake to keep the
skin from one of the flaps. Roll this flap in If you can't find mirin, a little sugar dis­
salmon from sticking. With the back of a
solved in water works fin e-o r use bottled
toward the center of the steak. spatula, gently press down on each piece,
teriyaki sauce for the glaze. Serves four.
moving from one to the other to keep the fil-

Overlap the other flap to make a round


medallion and tie it with kitchen twine. The
twine and skin come off easily after cooking.

46
A garlic-herb crust adds color and flavor to salmon fillets. These pieces were cut crosswise from the side
of salmon. The thinner end of each strip was folded under for even cooking.

Cook the steaks until just browned on one 3 Tbs. fresh breadcrumbs
side, flip them, and brown the other side. 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for the pan
l-2 tsp. salt
Remove the salmon from the pan; drain off Freshly ground black pepper
the fat. In the same pan, cook the onion, car­ 1 l-2 lb. salmon fillet, skin and pin bones removed
rots, and garlic over medium-high heat until
Heat the oven to 400°F. With the side of a
soft and slightly golden, about 7 min. Add
chef's knife or in a mortar and pestle, crush
the wine and water to the pan to deglaze it.
the garlic to a paste. I n a small mixing bowl,
Put the salmon back in the pan, cover, and
combine the crushed garlic with the mar­
cook until done, another 1 0 to 1 2 min.
joram, parsley, breadcrumbs, olive oil, and
Remove the salmon from the pan, leaving salt. Grind in a little black pepper and stir
lets from curling. Cook the salmon over high the liquid and vegetables in the pan. If using the mixture until you have a stiff paste.
heat until the skin side browns, about 3 min. medallions, remove the string and the skin.
Cut the fillet crosswise into four pieces. If
Carefully flip the fillets and cook the flesh side Taste the sauce and, if necessary, boil for a
necessary, tuck the thin end of each piece
until it browns, about 2 min. Take the salmon few minutes to reduce it to intensify its flavor.
under so that the two ends of each fillet are
out of the pan and put it (skin side down) on Add the cilantro and parsley to the sauce.
of even thickness.
paper towels to remove some of the oil. Re­ Swirl in the butter. Season with salt and pep­
move the pan from the heat, wipe it with a per to taste. Arrange the vegetables over the Lightly grease a baking pan with about 2 tsp.
paper towel, and return it to the heat. Pour in salmon and spoon the sauce over all. olive oil. Arrange the fillets on the pan with at
the reserved marinade and boil it for about least an inch of space around each. Bake the
20 seconds. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Re­ Baked Salmon with salmon for about 5 min. Remove the pan
turn the salmon to the pan, skin side down. from the oven. With your fingers, spread the
Cook until the marinade glazes the salmon
skin, about 3 min. Don't burn the glaze. If
&
Garlic Herb Crust
An herb crust adds flavor with none of the
last-minute preparation that a sauce would
garlic-herb mixture on top of the fish. Finish
baking the salmon, another 5 to 1 0 min.
you smell caramel as you cook the fish, add
1 Tbs. water to the pan. Turn the salmon over entail. Serves four.
James Peterson, a contributing editor for
to glaze the flesh side and cook until done, 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
Fine Cooking, teaches cooking across the
2 to 3 min. Serve the salmon skin side up. 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh marjoram

Braised Salmon Steaks


or 1 Tbs. dried
4 Tbs. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
&•
country. His latest book is Fish Shell­
fish (William Morrow, 1 996.)
with Cilantro
Use this as a master recipe and experiment
with your own herb and vegetable combina­
tions, such as thyme and fennel. Serves four.

Wine Choices
Choose white or sherry for salmon's light, fresh flavors
4 salmon steaks (about l-2 lb. each)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced With the clean fla- vide a bit more body. Rose- make good fino sherries at
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin vors in these recipes, white mount from Australia is a fair price. Or try Shaoxing
rounds
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped wines work best. For the sal- buttery and smooth, and its rice wine from China, or a
.v., cup dry white wine mon with a garlic-herb crust, Semillon-Chardonnay blend Japanese sake, both served
.v., cup water I'd want a mildly herbal Sau- has complex fruit flavors. warm. All three are a bit
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1 Tbs. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley vignon Blanc like Columbia With the teriyaki, try a higher in alcohol, so beware
1 Tbs. butter Crest from Washington, or a chilled fino sherry from the wallop.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste crisp Oregon Pinot Gris such Spain. Why sherry? Its dry, Rosina Tinari Wilson teaches
Remove the pin bones from the steaks. If you as Adelsheim or Elk Cove. nutty flavor plays off the and writes about food and
want, shape the steaks into medallions (see With the braised salmon toasty, slightly sweet teriyaki. wine in the San Francisco
photos opposite). In a large nonstick frying steaks, Chardonnay will pro- Lustau and Hartley & Gibson Bay area.
pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 47
, I 'hink Cabbage
for Comforting
Winter Meals
Stuffed with sausage, braised in wine,
or tossed in a warm salad, cabbage
tastes sweeter when it's cold outside

BY H U B E RT KELLER

I n Alsace, where I was born, cabbage is at the


heart of many traditional cold-weather dishes.
Until recently, it was the only green available in
Green cabbage, also winter. Though I've had enough sauerkraut to sat­ crinkled, deeply veined green leaves that are pretty
called Dutch white, is isfy me into old age, I never tire of other classic cab­ when stuffed. Cooked Savoy cabbage has a more
ideal for coleslaws or bage dishes: braised red cabbage made sweet and mellow flavor than red or green cabbage.
warm salads. tart with apple s and cider vinegar, or tender One variety or another of leafy cabbage is avail­
sausage -filled Savoy cabbage slowly cooked in a able year-round, but cabbage's flavor is enhanced by
fragrant broth. Today, I live in San Francisco, cold weather, which turns the starch in the plant to
where there are plenty of greens available all sugar, making the vegetable sweeter.
year long, but come winter, I'm still partial to Choose cabbage that feels hard and heavy for
cabbage. For me, it recalls warming family meals The leaves should be tightly curled with no
its size.
and the good, simple life. brown spots. If you plan to stuff the cabbage, avoid
those whose leaves have small cracks, a result of
T H R E E K I N D S OF CABBAG E, rough handling. If you're going to chop or shred the
Red cabbage has a
ALL BEST I N WINTER cabbage, you needn't be quite as picky. If you plan to
pleasant, peppery
Green, red, and Savoy cabbage are the basic types of
flavor.
European cabbages, and they're the ones I'm fea­
turing here. All can be eaten raw, but they're often Prepare
easier on the palate and for digestion when cooked.
Steaming, braising, and stir-frying are wonderful the
ways to prepare cabbage. Boiling, however, is not.
Too often the cabbage is overcooked until it be­ cabbage
comes a limp, sulfurous mess.
Green cabbage, also called Dutch white, is firm to suit
and round, with smooth, tight leaves. It's good raw,
as in coleslaw, and cooked, as in braises or soups. the dish
Savoy cabbage has Red cabbage is actually a striking pinkish purple ; its When you want whole leaves for
a more mellow flavor pleasant pe ppe ry flavor is wonderful in salads, stuffing, cut out the conical core
when cooked. braises, and stews. Beautiful Savoy cabbage has whole with a sharp knife.

48 FINE COOKING
This warm red and
green cabbage salad
with cumin and
sherry vinegar
combines wonderful
textures and flavors.
Whole cumin seeds
not only add flavor
but are also said to
aid digestion.

eat the cabbage raw, use it within a few days. If you're site). With the core removed, the leaves come off in
cooking it, you can keep it refrigerated for about two one piece. If you don't need whole leaves, cut the
weeks (less for the more delicate Savoy). cabbage in half from top to bottom to reveal the core
and then simply cut it out (see center photo below).
C O R I N G , S H RE D D I N G , A N D B LA N C H I NG S h red the head for salads and braises. To cut
To prepare cabbage, begin by throwing away any cabbage into julienne for salads and braises, slice the
tough or discolored outer leaves. What you do next
depends on how you're going to use it.
Two ways to core cabbage. Because the center
cored cabbage halves into lengths about
Y4inch thick with a long, sharp vegetable knife. You
can also shred cored cabbage in a food processor, but
to VB
of the cabbage is tough and woody, the core must be be careful not to cut it too fine or you'll end up with
removed. When I want whole leaves, as for stuffed a mushy texture if you cook it.
cabbage, I insert a sharp knife at the base of the cab­ B l a n c h i n g m akes c a bba ge softer for s a l a d s
bage and cut out the conical core (see photo oppo- and supple for stuffi n g . I often blanch cabbage-

A quick blanch softens cabbage, mak­ If the cabbage will be chopped, sliced, or shredded, You can shrf!d cabbage in a food processor,
ing it easier to stuff. Blanch shredded first slice the cabbage in half. Cut out the triangular but a knife gives you more control. For man­
cabbage to soften it for salads. core with a sharp knife. ageable lengths, cut the cabbage in quarters.

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 1997 49


Use a cup to make perfectly round stuffed cabbage

Twist the plastic for a tight bundle. After pulling


the plastic-wrapped cabbage out of the cup, the
author holds the excess plastic in one hand and A compact little globe. The leaves stay
twists the stuffed cabbage in the other, stretching tightly closed after the plastic is removed.
the plastic around the cabbage tighter and tighter.
A coffee cup is the
perfect size. Line the
caramelized, about 1 5 min. Add the cabbage
cup with a 1 2-inch dropping it in boiling water and then into cold to
and any liquid, the wine, and the bay leaves.
square piece of plastic stop the cooking process-to make it flexible Cover and cook gently; check occasionally to
wrap, letting the ex­ enough to roll without cracking for stuffed cabbage be sure nothing sticks to the pan. After
cess hang over the
edge. Line the plastic
with a large cabbage
or to make it slightly less crunchy for salad. For
stuffed cabbage, I simmer the whole leaves until
they're limp but not mushy. For a salad, I plunge
1 %hours, add the apples to the pan. Cook
for another 1 0 min. Check the seasoning; add
salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to a serv­
ing platter and top with the toasted pecans.
leaf (or two over­ shredded cabbage into the hot water for just about a
lapping smaller minute. Braised cabbage doesn't need this prelimi­
leaves). Pack in about
l-3 cup of stuffing and
nary step because it cooks for such a long time. & &
Red Green Cabbage Salad
with Cumin Sherry Vinegar
then fold the leaves Braised Cabbage with Apples & Pecans You can make this salad with just red or green
over the stuffing. cabbage, but the contrast of colors looks
I often make this dish with fresh chestnuts, but pecans great. Heated vinegar softens the cabbage's texture and
are easier to find. Though this braise is easy to make, helps the flavor penetrate. The components can be pre­
the cabbage has to cook for about two hours. You can pared up to three hours ahead and mixed at the last
do this ahead; before serving, reheat the cabbage, add m i nute. Serves six to eight.
the apples, and cook for another 1 0 minutes. Serves six
to eight. Y2 head red cabbage, cored and cut in thin strips
Y2 head green cabbage, cored and cut in thin strips
1 Tbs. cider vinegar 6 Tbs. sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar Y2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 Y2 tsp. salt Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste 4 thick slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 head red cabbage (about l Y2 lb.), cored and cut in thin strips 1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 Tbs. butter 1 sweet apple, such as Golden or Red Delicious, peeled and
2 large Rome or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced (toss with a little lemon juice to prevent
cut in large chunks browning or cut just before adding to the salad)
2 Tbs. Calvados or brandy (optional) 3 Tbs. finely chopped flat-leafparsley
l-3 cup vegetable oil 3 Tbs. walnut pieces, lightly toasted
1 large onion, chopped 1 Tbs. sugar
Y2 cup dry red wine 2 Tbs. olive oil
2 bay leaves
Y2 cup pecan halves, toasted Bring about 6 qt. water to a full boil. Fill a large bowl
with ice water. Add the green cabbage to the boiling
I n a large bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. water and blanch it for 1 min. With a slotted spoon,
Add the cabbage, toss well, and let marinate at room transfer the cabbage to the ice water to halt the cook­
temperature, tossing occasionally, for about 20 min. ing. Drain the cabbage wel l and set aside in another
Meanwhile, in a heavy-based saucepan over medium bowl. Repeat with the red cabbage using the same pot
heat, heat the butter and saute the apples until slightly of boiling water. Set the red cabbage aside in a second
browned and caramelized, about 1 0 min. Add the Cal­ bowl (so its color doesn't bleed into the green cabbage).
vados. Remove from the heat; set aside. I n a small saucepan, bring the vinegar to a boil. Pour
I n a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, heat the half the vinegar over the green cabbage and toss well;
oil; add the onion and cook until slightly browned and repeat with the red cabbage. Divide the cumin seeds be-

50 FINE COOKING
2 Tbs. butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup white wine (preferably slightly sweet)
2 cups homemade or low-salt canned vegetable,
chicken, or beef stock; more if needed
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the stuffing-In a large bowl, combine the veal,


sausage, bacon, parsley, shallots, garlic, breadcrumbs,
eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. M ix well and refrigerate.
To prepare the cabbage-Bring a large pot of salted
water to a boi l . Fill a large bowl with ice water. Core the
cabbage whole. Peel and discard any loose outer leaves.
Separate the leaves, taking care to keep them intact.
Plunge the leaves into the boi l ing water and boil them
until they're limp but not m ushy, 6 to 8 min. Drain the
leaves and refresh them in the cold water. Spread the
leaves to d ry on an overturned bowl or on paper towels.
Cut the stiff rib from the center of each leaf.
Stuff the cabbage-Follow the method shown opposite.

Finish the dish- Heat the oven to 350°F. In a heavy cas­


serole, melt the butter on the stove over medium heat.
Add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cover the casserole
and cook until the vegetables are soft but not browned,
about 5 min. U ncover, add the wine, stock, thyme, pars­
ley, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; cook until the liquid is
reduced by about one-third. Season lightly with salt and
pepper. Arrange the stuffed cabbages in the casserole
side by side. Check that the broth covers at least the
bottom third of the rolls. Cover the casserole and bake
until the rolls are somewhat firm to the touch, 50 to
60 min. Serve with a little broth to moisten them. Braised cabbage
Individual-size servings of stuffed cabbage entice rather than makes a great side
overwhelm. The braising liquid doubles as a flavorful sauce. Hubert Keller is chef/owner of Fleur de Lys in San dish for hearty meats.
Francisco and the author of The Cuisine of Hubert Toasted pecans add
tween the two bowls of cabbage; season both with salt Keller (Ten Speed Press, 1 996) .• a little crunch.
and pepper. Let the cabbage marinate about 20 min.
Drain the green cabbage and put it into a large mixing
bowl. Drain the red cabbage and toss it with the green
cabbage. Add the bacon, carrot, apple, parsley, toasted
walnuts, sugar, and olive oil. Toss several times, taste for
seasoning, and add salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed.

Alsatian Stuffed Cabbage


I like Aidells chicken-and-apple sausage, but any sausage

FOR THE STUFFING:


% lb. ground veal
8
will do. Yields about small stuffed cabbages to serve four.

� lb. sausage meat, removed from casing


14 lb. lightly smoked bacon, finely chopped
3 Tbs. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 medium shallots, finely chopped (about % cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 dash ground nutmeg (freshly ground, if possible)
1 � tsp. salt; more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
FOR THE CABBAGE:
1 head Savoy or green cabbage (about 3 lb.) or two smaller
cabbages

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 1997


MASTER CLASS
Baking French
Bread at Home
Craft chewy loaves with the crispest crust using
the right flours and good shaping technique

BY MAG G I E G lEZER

I think of French bread as the


Mount Everest of baking. Getting
hybrid-in this case, between a
round and a long shape. Batards are
method, including a special resting
period called an autolyse (pronounced
the characteristic crisp, mahogany­ relatively easy to master and can fit ah-toh-LEEZ), but it's slightly wet and
colored crust and lacy interior isn't comfortably into home ovens, unlike will take some getting used to.
an insurmountable challenge, but longer, unwieldy baguettes. To seasoned home b akers, my
to make authentic French bread, you One of the few darker French method may seem quirky. I don't use
do need good technique and a well­ breads, pain paysan always includes flour when I knead, I punch the
formulated recipe. some whole-wheat flour. A high pro­ dough down early, and my shaping
Of the many styles of French portion of a French starter called pate method is detailed. But all these
bread, a good one to start with is pain fermentee, or fermented dough, gives tricks help you end up with an ex­
paysan, or peasant bread. This bread the bread its rich flavor. The dough it­ pansive, deeply flavored loaf with a
is molded into a batard, which means self is made using a fairly standard dark, crisp crust.

Mix a starter, assemble the dough, and give it a rest

Mix to form a shaggy dough; knead


Mix the starter 12 to 24 hours before making the bread. Stir just until it starts to smooth out. It will
the flours, yeast, and water together to make a shaggy dough. To make the dough, combine the bread flour, still be soft and sticky, so use a spatula
Turn it onto an unfloured surface and knead a few times, just yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Put the or scraper. Cover the dough with a
until you can shape a ball. Put it in a jar, seal it, and leave it at water in another bowl, break up the starter in bowl and let it rest for 15 to 20 min­
room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. the water, and add it to the flour mixture. utes. This rest is called an autolyse.

52 FINE COOKING
Serve this crusty,
flavorful peasant

Knead the dough and test for doneness loaf sliced, not
ripped, to reveal
its lacy interior.

After the autolyse, knead the dough on an un­


floured surface until it's smooth, strong, and
firm, 7 5 to 20 minutes, using a scraper if needed.
The dough is right when it stands up pertly and To see if kneading is done, stretch a chunk ofdough into a "gluten window. "
sticks to itself when you fold it in half. One that's It should be thin and translucent, with flakes of bran embedded in it-a few
too wet will quickly spread out. holes are all right. Shape the dough into a ball, put it in a clean bowl, dust the
top with flour, and cover it well with plastic wrap.

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 1997 53


U S E F L O U R S WITH TH E PROPER
Ferment the dough and punch it down early
A MOUNT O F P ROTE I N
You'll need two types of flour for this rec­ Let the dough fer­
ipe. The unbleached bread flour you'll ment in the rising
find in the supermarket can make good bowl for 1 0 minutes
French bread and is usually the right pro­ and then punch it
tein content, about 12%. The bag's side down. To do this,
panel should read 4 grams of protein per dust the dough with
Y<!-cup serving (see p. 56 for flour sources). flour and press it very
You'll also need a whole-wheat flour flat with your hands,
with at least 15% protein. The package popping air bubbles
should read 5 grams per Y<!-cup serving. If as you encounter
you can't find this type of flour in the them. Take care not
supermarket, try a health-food store. Buy to rip it.
whole-wheat flour that's as fresh as pos­
sible and keep it in an airtight container in
the refrigerator or freezer. (You don't need
to do this with white flour.)

K N EAD ON AN U N F LO U R E D
S U RFACE A N D G IVE T H E D O U G H
A S H O RT REST
Breadmaking isn't difficult, but it re­
quires practice. Don't be afraid to touch
the dough all throughout the process­
especially during the final proof-to get
acquainted with its changing consis­
tency. Each time you bake, think about
what you did with the dough and com­
pare it to the finished bread.
Begin yo u r starter a d ay a head of
time, and let it ferment for at least
1 2 hours but for no more than 24. If you
can't use the starter immediately, seal it Fold it in half again to form a very tight bundle.
and refrigerate it-it will keep for at least Fold the left, top, right, and bottom edges of the Return it to its rising bowl, covered, to ferment for
a week. When you're ready to continue, dough into the middle. 1 0 minutes; repeat the punching and folding.
you can use the starter cold, straight out
of the fridge.
Don't use extra flo u r on your work
surface when kneading the dough. Ex­ left alone for a minute. Dough that's too
tra flour can make the dough too stiff. wet will spread quickly; one that's too dry
During the first knead especially, this won't stick to itself. If it's too wet and feels
dough will be sticky, so use a spatula or way too soft and sticky, work in a table­
scraper to help you. Knead just until the
dough starts to smooth out.
Aft e r t h e first k n e a d , g iv e t h e
if
spoon or two of flour; it's too dry, work
in a tablespoon or two of water.
A dough that's too wet makes coarse­
called an autolyse, which
d o u g h a rest, textured bread with a spread-out shape
will make the dough stronger and more and a slash that's poorly opened and flat,
extensible without any work on your instead of wide open and deeply creviced.
part. Just cover the dough with a bowl A dough that's too dry makes heavy bread
or sheet of plastic and let it sit for about that won't expand as much when it bakes.
1 5 minutes. Return the dough to its rising bowl, cover it, and
Before you fin i s h the fi n a l knead, A G LUTEN WI N DOW TElLS YOU let it continue to ferment for another 1 0 to 25 min­
look for proper consistency. Dough with WHEN YOU'RE DONE K N EA D I N G utes (longer if your kitchen is cold), until it has risen
the right amount of water sticks to itself The gluten window (see p . 53) is one of just slightly. It should not double. Total fermenta­
when folded in half and stays pert when the best tests to tell if you've kneaded tion time will be about 45 minutes.

54 FINE COOKING
enough and to check the dough's con­
sistency. A well-kneaded dough with
Cut the dough in half to shape two loaves
the right consistency makes a gluten win­
dow that's phyllo-dough thin and trans­
lucent, with flakes of bran embedded
in it. A few holes are all right as long as
you get a nice, clear window. Dough
that's insufficiently kneaded makes a
gluten window that's opaque in spots and
won't pull into a thin sheet. Dough that's
too dry makes a window that tears and
resists stretching.
When you've finished kneading, the
dough is ready for fermentation (what
bakers call the rise before the dough is
shaped; after shaping, the rise is called a
proof). Once fermenting begins, handle Flip the dough onto its cut side andgently stretch
the dough gently so you don't rip or tear it. the skin over each piece, rounding it into a ball. Try
Early into the fermentation, pu nch When the fermenting is done, cut not to deflate the dough. Cover with plastic and let
d own the d o u g h to stre ngthen a n d the dough into two equal pieces. stand until soft, about 7 0 minutes.
degas i t .Bakers typically do this after
the dough has doubled in bulk, but I find
that early punching makes for better vol­ Start the shaping by folding the dough
ume and a pleasantly irregular texture.

S H A P I N G A N D BA K I N G TO G ET A
T R U E F R E N C H C R U ST A N D C R U M B
A well-formed batard must b e tightly
shaped so that there's a strong, unripped
skin enclosing it (see photos p. 56) . The
bread must be well bonded, because it
will expand as it proofs, putting high
stress on the seals you'll be making. With
shaping, you're creating tension over the
dough's surface so that it will just about
pop open when slashed with the razor.
Support the dough as it proofs to
preserve its shape. One way to do this is
with a linen-lined basket, called a banne­
ton. I also like a method that uses a piece Lay the dough skin side down on a very lightly Fold the bottom edge over, then the top edge
of raw linen called a couche. You can buy floured work surface. Press it flat, degassing as much down, just as you would fold a business letter.
a professional couche, pick up a piece of as possible-air bubbles make a biltard lumpy. Press your palms on the folds to seal them.
raw linen at a fabric store, or use a kitchen
towel. Roll each end of the cloth into a
bolster (you won't need to flour raw linen,
but if you're using a kitchen towel, flour it
heavily). Prop one bolster against a wall
and fold a deep pleat in the center to
make two troughs. Brace the other bol­
ster with something long and heavy, like
a glass baking pan.
Use a hot baking stone and bake the
bread to a deep brown to get true French
flavor and a crust that stays crisp after
cooling. Serve the bread sliced, not ripped, Fold over the top edge of the
to reveal its lacy interior. This bread freezes dough past the bottom edge,
beautifully, so if you're not going to eat it Press a crease across the middle of the dough from end to end. creating a narrow cylinder.

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 1997 55


Shape the dough into a tightly formed batard

Push the edge away from you, forcing the dough With the heel of your hand floured, seal the seam Place your palms on the ends, angle them slightly,
to curl up and tighten (you may need to move to that now runs lengthwise down the cylinder, push­ and roll back and forth until the ends are well
an un floured area to get the work surface to grip ing very hard to seal it completely. tapered and the center is plump. Repeat with the
the dough during this last step). second piece of dough. Set the loaves in a couche.

within eight hours, let it cool thoroughly, Proof the dough and prepare it for baking
seal it in plastic bags, and freeze it.

Pain Payson (Peasant Bread)


Amounts for flours are listed by weight
(ounces) and by volume (cups, tablespoons);
use either measurement. Yields two loaves.
FOR THE STARTER:
6 oz. (7 cup plus 2 Tbs.) whole-wheat flour
1 oz. (3 Tbs. plus 2 tsp.) unbleached bread flour
Y'76 tsp. instant active dry yeast (QuickRise, Rapid-
Rise, or Fleischmann's Bread Machine yeast)
Y.? cup plus 1 Tbs. water
FOR THE FINAL DOUG H:
14 oz. (3 cups plus 2 Tbs.) unbleached bread
flour; about 1 oz. more, if needed
Y.? tsp. instant active dry yeast (see brands above)
21M tsp. salt
1 cup water; up to 1M cup more, if needed
Proof the loaves in the couche for about 2 hours.
For the procedure, follow the photos start­ When they've risen to three times theirsize and feel
ing on p. 52.
soft, press them gently with your finger. If the in­ Gently roll each loaf from the couche to the peel,
EQU I PM ENT AND FLO U R BY MAIL dentation fills up slowly, they're ready to bake. seam side down and make one long, shallow slash
• The cheapest and best source for couches and Forty-five minutes before baking, heat the oven to (about 1M inch deep) with a razor, down the length
bannetons is a professional equipment supplier 450°F and set a baking stone in the top third of the of the dough. Dough that's well shaped and
that happily sells to home bakers: French Baking oven. Flour a peel or other flat, rimless sheet. properly proofed will almost burst when slashed.
Machines, 609/860-0577; fax, 609/860-0576 .
• My current favorite flours for homemade
French bread are Giusto's Baker's Choice organic
unbleached white flour, and Giusto's whole­ Bake the loaves on a hot stone
wheat high-protein medium-grind spring wheat
flour. Order them from Bob's Red Mill Natural Slide the loaves from the peel onto the hot
Foods, 503/654-321 5; fax, 503/653-1 339. baking stone, parallel to the sides of the oven.
• A good all-around source for equipment and Spritz the bread generously with water. Bake the
flour is the King Arthur Flour Baker's Catalogue, loaves for 20 minutes without opening the oven,
800/827-6836. and then rotate them and bake 7 0 to 20 minutes
more until they're a rich, dark caramel. If the
Maggie Glezer bakes her batards in loaves get too dark after half an hour, reduce the
Atlanta, where she teaches and writes oven temperature to 425° and continue to bake
about breadmaking.

56
• for 7 0 minutes more. Cool on a rack.
For a Delicious Cake,
Turn It Upside Down
Buttermilk makes a tender cake crumb;
caramel and fruit make it tangy.. sweet

BY MARG E RY K. F R I E D M A N

hen most people think of upside- down mented with different fruits and sugar mixtures, and
cake, the standard version comes to mind: my fantasy came true.
tons of melted butter and brown sugar and, most
likely, canned pineapple rings. I was raised on the B UTTE R M I L K A D D S A S U BTLE TAN G
stuff, and the memories are sweet. Recently, though, I love using buttermilk in cakes-the subtle tang
I craved something a little lighter than that child­ and tender crumb are so appealing. The secret lies
hood treat. I envisioned perfectly caramelized fresh in buttermilk's acid, which tenderizes flour's gluten.
fruit atop a slice of tender buttermilk cake. I experi- Using nonfat buttermilk cuts the fat somewhat and

A crown of caramel­
ized fresh pineapple
atop tender butter­
milk cake is a light,
new take on an old
favorite.
When the caramel turns light
amber, take it off the stove right
away The caramel will continue to
cook by itself off the heat.

You're creating the


cake's top as you
arrange the fruit
slices, so overlap
them attractively,
flat edge up.

still produces a moist cake, but if it isn't available your fruit, you can add your own touches with spices
where you shop, you'll get great results with regular (see the sidebar opposite).
buttermilk, or by adding lemon juice to whole or 2%
milk-l teaspoon per cup. CARAM E l N EE D S A C L O S E WATCH
The transformation of sugar into caramel is a glori­
C H OO S E F R E S H , R I P E F R U IT ous one. Here's how to ensure success:
To find a perfect pineapple, smell the core; if it has a • Use a heavy, wide-based pan with a tight-fitting
faint sweetness and gives slightly when pressed, it's lid and a sturdy handle. Boiling sugar can be scary:
probably a good one. While a sweet pineapple is its when you lift a pan of boiling syrup, pay attention
own reward, a dash of dark rum on the baked cake and use a steady grip.
just before serving is delicious. Pineapple is the clas­ • Once you stir the water and sugar together and
sic fruit choice for upside- down cake, especially at have begun to heat it, don't stir it again. Swirl the
this time of year, but apples, pears, or bananas are pan gently to make sure that the sugar has dissolved
also delicious in this recipe. Once you've chosen before the syrup comes to a full boil. When the syrup

For uniform pieces, quarter a pineapple and slice it crosswise

Remove the strip of core. Hold the knife almost Separate the fruit from the rind. Again, hold the Slice the fruit crosswise into y.,-inch wedges.
parallel to the cutting board and cut just below knife almost parallel to the cutting board and cut
the core. between the rind and the fruit.

58 FINE COOKING
Heat t h e oven t o 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square or round
cake pan and set it on a heatproof surface.
Make the caramel-In a heavy saucepan with a tight­ BE CREATIVE
fitting lid, stir the water and sugar together. Bring to a WITH OTH E R
boil over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally. Cover FRESH, RI PE
the pan for about 4 min. so the condensation washes FRUIT
down any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan. Un­
cover and boil for about 1 2 min. (the bubbles will be Why limit yourself
large) or until it turns light amber. Remove from the heat to pineapple?
and i mmediately pour the caramelized syrup into the Other fruits are
prepared cake pan. Be careful: the syrup will be very hot. also delicious on
Allow the caramel to cool; it will set up within 5 min.
this cake.
Prepare t h e fruit-Cut off the top of the pineapple and
cut a slice from the bottom so it will stand upright and
then quarter it. Core, peel, and slice the pineapple as
shown in the photos opposite. Arrange the slices on the
hardened caramel, overlapping them, with flat edges
up. Remember that this will be the top of the cake (see
the sidebar at right for other fruit preparations).
Assemble the cake-With an electric mixer, cream the
butter. Gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture
is light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about Pears-About five
1 5 seconds to incorporate each. Add the vanilla extract.
Spoon the batter over the fruit gently so you don't disturb your firm, ripe ones of
handiwork. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the any variety will do.
mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients to the
If you like, lightly
butter mixture and mix just until the flour disappears. Add
begins to boil, cover the pan to let the condensation the buttermilk and mix again. Add the remaining flour, sprinkle the slices
wash stray sugar crystals down the sides of the pan. mixing just until the flour disappears. Spoon large dollops with cinnamon or
Undissolved sugar can turn a beautiful caramel into of the batter over the sliced fruit, taking care not to dis­ cardamom.
a grainy mess. turb the arranged fruit slices. Smooth out the batter. AppleS-I like
• W hen the caramel has turned light amber, Bake the cake until a skewer stuck i n the center comes Golden Delicious,
remove it from the heat immediately. Don't talk out clean and the top of the cake is a deep golden color, which hold their
yourself into leaving it on the heat for "just another about 50 min. Remove the cake from the oven and run shape and have a
a knife between the cake and the pan. Set a serving
minute"-the hot caramel will continue to cook by lemony sweetness.
platter upside down on top of the cake pan, invert the
itself off the heat. platter and the pan, and let them rest for 4 to 5 min. to You'll need about
allow the caramelized fruit to settle onto the cake. five. The slices will
SAVE T I M E BY MAKI N G T H E CARAM E L A H EAD Gently lift the pan from the cake and serve. be more even if
The caramel can be made the night before; let it you cut them
cool thoroughly in the prepared cake pan and cover Margery Friedman is a cake designer, pastry chef, and crosswise. Again,
it loosely until you're ready to use it. You can even
refrigerate an assembled, unbaked upside- down
cake for two to three hours before baking.
food writer who lives in Rockville, Maryland. • I like a sprinkle of
cardamom or cin­
namon for apples.
Bananas-You'll
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake need four or five
This cake is terrific warm, and it's mighty good cold, long, ripe bananas
too. Amounts for flour and butter are listed by weight (or six or seven
(ounces) and by volume (cups or tablespoons); use smaller ones),
either measurement. Serves eight.
sliced Y2 inch thick
FOR THE CARAMEL: on a gentle diag­
4 Tbs. water
onal. A sprinkling
1 cup sugar
of nutmeg is
FOR THE FRU IT:
1 large, ripe pineapple particularly good
FOR THE CAKE: with bananas.
4 oz. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
� tsp. vanilla extract
7 oz. (1 � cups) unsifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder Set your serving platter on the cake pan and then flip the pan
',4 tsp. salt
'h cup nonfat buttermilk and platter over. Let the caramelized fruit settle for a few min­
utes before gently removing the pan.

FEBRUARY/M ARCH 1997 59


Cook to Perfection with an
Instant-Read Thermometer
From inexpensive dial models to digital probes,
thermometers give you more control over your cooking

BY TO N I LY D E C K E R
Good-quality pocket
dial thermometers
cost less than $ 1 5.

I 'm an experienced cook, so I often rely on touch,


smell, and sight to tell me when food is done
the pointer. The
number on the dial is
rather than reaching for a thermometer. But there an average of temperatures
are times when that habit backfires, and I'm faced registered from the tip of the
with an unpleasant surprise-a lasagna that's nicely stem to a point about two
browned on top but tepid on the inside, or a roast inches up. Because the dial thermometer must be
that's bordering on blue rather than rosy. inserted deeply and can take as long as twenty
An instant-read thermometer eliminates guess­ seconds to react, it may give inaccurate read-
work in cooking. Beyond checking a roast for done­ ings for foods that are thin or small
ness, a good thermometer can help you find the right in mass, or that cook quickly.
temperature for proofing yeast or tempering choco­ This type of thermometer
late. It comes in handy when you want to ensure is also fragile and can mal­
that your burgers are medium or well done. And function when dropped
choosing a thermometer is easy, with instant-reads or jarred.
now widely available to home cooks. Make sure your dial thermom­
eter can be recalibrated. Ther­
D I A L T H E R M O M ETERS: mometers sometimes "drift" from
I N EX P E N S IVE AND ACCU RATE an accurate reading, but only some
Pocket dial- style thermometers (sometimes called models can be recalibrated. On the
bi-therms) have become popular over the last sev­ stem just under the dial face, the ther­
eral years. These instant-reads perform well, they're mometer must have a movable hexag­
easy to use, and they don't cost much-less than onal nut. Inferior models have a look-alike hex Easy-to-read digital
$ 1 5 , even for the best quality. nut that's fixed and therefore useless. thermometers have
Inside a dial thermometer is a coil of two wires To find out if your thermometer needs to be re­ a range from _58°
that expand and contract at different rates, moving calibrated, hold it two inches into boiling waterj it to 300°F.

Using an instant...read thermometer like a pro


• Estimate cooking time by checking • Measure food temperatures in • Remember that temperatures
the food's internal temperature be­ several spots, especially if you're using may rise as much as 25° after food is
fore you cook it. Whether the food a tip-sensitive digital thermometer removed from the heat. To avoid over­
is 35° or 55°F will make a difference that gives a spot temperature, not an cooking, you may need to take food
in cooking time. average. Rotate food in the oven if it out of the oven or off the burner before
isn't cooking evenly. it reaches the target temperature.

60 FINE COOKING
should read 212°F. If it doesn't, grip the hex nut with
pliers or a small wrench and twist the face of the dial
until it reads 212°F. Or test your thermometer in an
icy slurry (made by churning a cup of ice cubes with
a cup of water in a blender); it should read 32°F.

D I G I TAL T H E R M O M ETERS:
V ERSAT I LE A N D EAS Y TO READ
At $15 to $30, the digital thermometer is a slightly
more expensive alternative to the dial type. The
biggest advantage of a digital model is that it has an
electronic sensor near the tip that gives an accurate Instant-read dial thermometers make it quick and easy to check the temperature
reading when inserted only half an inch into food. of everything from melted chocolate to roasted chicken.
Figures on a digital thermometer are also wonder­
fully legible.
Digital thermometers have a broader temper­ that remains in the food as it cooks. A thin wire THERMOMETER
ature range than the dial models. A digital ranges snakes through the oven door, connecting the probe SOURCES
from -58° to 300°F, compared to a dial thermometer, with a temperature/timer display unit that magneti­ The Taylor 8i-Therm
which ranges from 0° to 220°F. Digital thermometers cally sticks to the outside of your oven door or sits on Dial Thermometer
don't register temperature changes significantly the kitchen counter. I used this thermometer to roast (#5989), the Taylor
faster or more accurately than dial thermometers. a chicken, and I loved the temperature readout, Pocket Digital Ther­
It's easier to tell when a digital thermometer goes which was so large that I could see it half-way across mometer (#9840),
haywire, however; instead of drifting a few degrees the kitchen. The only drawbacks are that you can't and the Polder Cook­
one way or the other, it usually fails completely. Re­ use it in an oven that's hotter than 400°F-and, of ing Thermometer are
calibration is not an option. Unless the problem is a course, you can't clip it to your pocket. available from the fol­
failing battery, the thermometer must be replaced. lowing sources.
Digital and dial instant-reads can be destroyed TH E R M O C O U P L E T H E R M O M ET E R S :
by prolonged exposure to heat. While pocket T H E TOP O F T H E LI N E By mail order:
thermometers are very handy, they aren't meant to The latest high-tech thermometer is equipped with Williams-Sonoma,
be left in the oven. An alternative, made by Polder, thermocouple sensors and probes with different tips PO Box 7456,
is a $30 digital thermometer with a separate probe for specific foods. The thermocouple thermometer San Francisco, CA
can measure temperatures up to 5 00°F, and it can 91 420-7456;
quickly and accurately measure just about anything, 800/541 -2233.
from a blueberry to a lettuce leaf, provided you have Chefs Catalog,
the right probe. Thermocouple thermometers are 321 5 Commercial
found mostly in restaurant-supply stores and cat­ Ave., Northbrook, IL
alogs; unfortunately, they cost around $125 (in­ 60062-1 900;
cluding one or two probes). When manufacturers 800/338-3232.
modify the design and the price, the thermocouple
will be more practical for home use. From the
manufacturers:
C H O O S I N G AN I N STANT- READ Taylor, PO Box 1 349,
If ! had to choose just one instant-read thermometer, Fletcher, NC 28732;
it would be a high-quality pocket digital. I like read­ 704/684-51 78.
ing the temperature at a glance, and the tip sensor Polder, 8 Slater St.,
permits reasonably accurate readings even for shal­ Port Chester, NY
low liquids and thin foods such as steaks or chicken 1 05 73; 91 4/937-
breasts. And I can use it for quick accuracy checks. 8200.
Recently, I was puzzled when a pork roast I was cook­
ing had reached the required temperature an hour
sooner than expected. I used my pocket digital to find
out whether my traditional meat thermometer was
telling the truth. It was, and thanks to that informa­
This digital thermometer from Polder is a great choice for tion, I dined on meat that was roasted to perfection.
long-cooking roasts. A thin wire connects the probe in the food
to the display unit. An alarm sounds when the food reaches Toni Lyd.ecker writes and cooks in Irvington, New York.
a set temperature.

FEBRUARY/ M ARCH 1997


She's working on a cookbook for Lake Isle Press .• 61
Fun�to�Make
Chinese Dumplings
Fold and cook these tasty take --out favorites
with friends and family

BY l i lY lOH

D umplings are as popular in China as pizza is


in America. But while not every American
knows how to make a pizza from scratch, almost
everybody in China knows how to make dumplings.
Why are dumplings so popular? Because these
little meat- or vegetable-filled bundles of dough,
which are fried, boiled, or steamed and then dipped
in a tangy sauce, are great fun to eat. They make
wonderful appetizers and are always a part of fes­
tivities, especially the celebration of the Chinese
New Year, which falls on February 7 this year.
At my house, we don't wait for a special occasion
to make dumplings, and neither should you. They're
very easy to make once you get the hang of folding
the wrappers.

E N LI ST H E LP TO WRAP
Wrapping dumplings is one of those relaxing cook­
ing chores that can't and shouldn't be rushed. It isn't
difficult, but it does take a little time. I often have
family or friends help out-the only way to speed
things along.
Many people use store-bought wrappers, called
gyoza or pot-sticker wrappers, but there's nothing
� like homemade dumpling dough. Its superiority is


:r: especially apparent when you steam dumplings;

commercial wrappers can turn slippery and rubbery.


.� I make the easy flour-and-water dough by hand (see
recipe, p. 64), but you can use a food processor.
J Either way, it takes just minutes.
§�
11-£ R o u n d s of d o u g h become the w ra p pers. A
Vz VB
good size is abou t 3 to 3 inches across, which
:;;: makes dumplings that can be eaten in two bites. The
"2
11 wrappers should be only about inch thick in the
� middle and slightly thinner at the edges.

! To make wrappers, you can roll the dough quite


thin and stamp out rounds with a cookie cutter, or

5: you can roll each round individually. I prefer the Lily Loh sets up a steamer to cook dumplings.

63
Make the wrappers with a thinner edge so they fold better

Individual pieces of dough are rolled to make


flat rounds. You could also roll the dough flat and A savory filling is at the heart of a dumpling.
stamp out rounds with a cookie cutter, but then Thinner edges make a better fold. Pinch the edges About 2 teaspoons of filling leaves room to press to­
you'd have to reroll the scraps of dough. of the circle with your fingers to make them thinner. gether the edges, which are first brushed with water.

latter method, which, after some practice, doesn't them, you'll always want a batch in the freezer for a
take much longer than using a cutter and doesn't quick, delicious meal that's fun to make and to eat.
COMM ERCIAL leave you with scraps of dough to be rerolled.
WRAPPERS I often use a Chinese rolling pin, which looks like Dumpling Dough
WORK I N A a dowel that's thicker in the middle. I use the thicker If the dough feels stiff, add a little more water a table­
PINCH part to press the edges of the dough so they're thinner spoon at a time, but don't exceed %cup total. Yields
Store-bought wrap­ than the middle. When I use a regular rolling pin, I 4 8 three-inch wrappers.
pers don't steam as pinch the edges of the round to make them thinner. 2 cups all-purpose flour
well as homemade, Pleating the wrappers makes d umplings look � cup cold water
but they are handy good and g ives them texture especially impor­
- Sift the flour into a bowl. Gradually add the water,
when you don't have tant to steamed dumplings. It isn't as crucial to pleat mixing with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough
the time to make the fried dumplings because frying gives them texture forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface;
dough from scratch. in a crisp coating, and because they're usually served knead until smooth and springy, about 5 min. Put the
You can find them in with the unpleated (fried) side up. But pleats do dough in a clean bowl, cover it with a towel, and let it
rest at room temperature for 20 min.
the refrigerated make the pale side look prettier. It's easier to explain
section of the grocery how to pleat the wrappers with pictures; see the Put the rested dough on a lightly floured surface and
knead it for 2 min. Divide the dough and shape each
store, usually next to illustrations opposite.
half into a 1 2-inch-long cylinder that's about 1 inch in
wonton wrappers
diameter. With a serrated knife, cut each cylinder cross­
and tofu in the STEAM F O R D E L I CACY, F RY FOR C R U N C H wise into 24 rounds. Lay the rounds on a lightly floured
produce section. Chinese dumplings have different names depend­ surface and flatten with the palm of your hand to about
Usually sold as pot­ ing on how they're cooked. In Mandarin, pan-fried 1.14 inch thick. Sprinkle flour lightly on the pieces to pre­
sticker wrappers or dumplings are called guo tie, which means "pot vent sticking. With a rolling pin, roll each slice into a
3-inch circle about Vs-inch thick. Pinch the edges of the
gyoza, the round stickers." Pot stickers are crunchy on the outside and
rounds to make them thinner than the middle. Arrange
wrappers are made juicy inside. I cook them in a nonstick pan; other­ the rounds in a single layer on a lightly floured tray or
of flour and water. wise, they live up to their name. A cast-iron pan is baking sheet and cover with a towel .
You can refrigerate traditional, but you'll need more oil to keep the
Fill each wrapper with about 2 tsp. filling (recipes oppo­
them or freeze them dumplings from sticking. Steamed dumplings are site). Wrap them following the d i rections at right. Cook
in a sealed bag. called cheng jiao; they're especially suited to deli­ them according to the d i rections that follow. Serve with
Defrost them thor­ cately flavored vegetable fillings. G inger & Scallion Dipping Sauce (recipe opposite).
oughly and bring For fried dumplings-In a 1 2-inch nonstick pan, heat
them to room tem­ MAKE LOTS A N D F REEZE F O R T H E F U T U R E 1 Tbs. cooking oil over medium-low heat. Arrange the
perature before Don't be afraid of making too many dumplings; d u mplings in the pan, pleated side up, starting from
using; otherwise, the people can eat plenty in one sitting. You can also the center and radiating out, with the sides of the
dumplings just touching. Cook the d u m plings until the
wrappers may crack freeze uncooked dumplings. Arrange them on a tray
bottoms are lightly browned, about 1 0 min. Add 1 cup
and break. in a single layer and seal them with plastic. You don't
of water or chicken stock; cover the pan and cook over
need to defrost dumplings before cooking: just cook medium heat until all the liquid has evaporated, about
them a few minutes longer than usual. Once you try 1 0 min. Uncover and drizzle 1 Tbs. oil around the inside

64 FINE COOKING
edge of the pan. Fry the d u mplings until the bottoms 10 dried black or shiitake mushrooms
are golden brown, about 3 min. Loosen the dumplings 4 Tbs. canola oil
around the edges with a spatula, and then set a large y" lb. fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1 Tbs. soy sauce
serving plate over the pan. Wearing mitts to protect
2 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
your hands, quickly i nvert the pan. Serve the d u m plings 1 medium rib celery, trimmed, peeled, and finely chopped
fried side up. v., lb. bok choy or Chinese cabbage, trimmed and finely
For steamed dumplings-Arrange the d u mplings,
chopped
1 tIp. finely chopped fresh ginger
pleated side up and not touching, on a bamboo
1 tsp. salt
steamer l ined with cheesecloth or wilted cabbage y" tsp. freshly ground black pepper
leaves. Fill a wok or a large pot with 2 inches of water
and bring the water to a boil. Cover the steamer and Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 1 5 min.;
set it on the wok. Steam over high heat for 1 5 min. drain . Cut off and discard the stems; finely chop the
Serve the d u m plings in the bamboo steamer set on a mushroom caps.
large plate to catch any water that might drip. If you I n a wok or large skillet, heat 2 Tbs. of the canola oil
don't have a bamboo steamer, you can steam the over medium-high heat. Add the dried and fresh mush­
d u m plings on a greased, heatproof plate. Set the plate rooms; stir-fry for about 2 min. Add the soy sauce and
over a steam rack in the wok or a large pot. Be sure sesame oil; stir briefly. Remove the mushrooms and set
there's enough space around the edge of the plate to aside. Pour the remaining oil in the wok. Add the celery,
allow the steam to rise and circulate freely. cabbage, and g inger; stir-fry for about 3 min. Season
with salt and pepper. Stir in the cooked mushrooms.
Remove the mixture from the wok; drain in a colander
Meat &: Cabbage Filling
You can vary this filling by substituting ground beef,
chicken, turkey, or veal for the pork, and spinach,
before wrapping.

A tangy soy-based
scallions, or bok choy for the cabbage. Yields enough
to fill 48 three-inch dumplings.
Ginger &: Scallion Sauce
This is a perfect dipping sauce for dumplings. For the
heartier meat-filled dumplings, try dipping them in
sauce adds more
flavor. This Ginger

1 lb. lean ground pork a little chile sauce as well. Yields about 10
cups.
& Scallion Sauce
2 Tbs. cold water enhances both meat­
1 Tbs. dry sherry 4 Tbs. toasted sesame oil and vegetable-filled
1 Tbs. soy sauce 4 tIp. minced fresh ginger
dumplings.
1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil 4 Tbs. minced scallion
1 tsp. salt 6 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger 4 tsp. dark Chinese rice vinegar, light rice vinegar, or cider
l,2 lb. Chinese cabbage, trimmed and finely chopped vinegar
(about 2 cups) 1,-2 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken stock
2 tIp. sugar
I n a large bowl, combine the ground meat with the
water, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and ginger. In a small saucepan, heat the oil over low heat. Add the
Add the cabbage and mix until thoroughly blended. ginger and scallion. Stir for a few seconds until fragrant.
Add the remaining i ngredients and bring to a boil. Serve
at room temperature.
Vegetable Filling
This delicately flavored filling works best in dumplings Lily Loh teaches Chinese cooking from her home in
that are steamed. Yields enough to fill 48 three-inch southern California. She's the author of Lily Loh's
dumplings. &
Chinese Seafood Vegetables (Solana, 1 99 1 ) . •
Pinch and tuck for pretty pleats, which give the dumplings texture

Make two small pleats on either side o f the


pinched middle. To do this, gather the dough Seal the pleated and unpleated sides by pinch­
A pinch in the middle keeps the two sides to­ and fold it over onto itself. Point the pleats toward ing along the top. The pleated dumpling curls
gether. Make the pleats on one side only of the the middle of the dumpling. naturally to make a half-moon that sits in the
wrapper-the side nearest you. steamer.

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 1997 65


Making Italy's
glasses, all frosty and beaded with cold
and filled with an icy cold, bright yellow
liqueur. Sweet but not cloying, and pleas­
ingly tart, limoncello captured my imagi­
nation. I 'm grateful that my hostess was

Easy, Refreshing
as generous with her recipe as she was
with her limoncello, for it's really quite
simple to make. Vodka, infused with
lemon zest and sweetened with sugar
syrup, is set to steep for eighty days. The

Lemon Liqueur
infusion is then strained and bottled.

D RI N K LlMONCELLO STRAI G HT
OR U S E IT I N D E S S E RTS
Limoncello is remarkably versatile.
sometimes mix it with sparkling wine or
Simply steep vodka with lemon zest and sugar mineral water and add a twist of lemon
peel to serve as an aperitif Or I use limon­
and then taste the citrusy zip of li monc ello cello to flavor homemade granitas, sor­
bets, or ice cream.
in desserts or on its own Try tossing limoncello with blueberries
and peaches and serving it over sweet
biscuits for a summer shortcake. Or
simply drizzle limoncello over store­
BY J OAN N E W E I R bought sherbet or ice cream and serve it
with a plain butter cookie or biscotto for
a simple dessert. But my favorite way to
enjoy limoncello is straight up, ice- cold
from the freezer.
aking homemade liqueurs is a spirits are becoming increasingly fash­
centuries-old tradition in the ionable in the States.
Mediterranean. It's part of a long­ My favorite of these drinks is the Ital­
established ritual that includes good ian limoncello (pronounced lee-mohn­
friends, conversation, food, and, of CHEL-loh), which I first tasted on a visit
course, something refreshing to drink. As to the town of Sorrento on the Amalfi
America's passion for Mediterranean coast. Our hostess brought to the table
foods continues to grow, these infused what looked like miniature martini

Scrub your lemons with warm water and a brush Strip the lemons with a vegetable peeler. You'll Forty days later, add the second bottle of vodka
to remove any wax or pesticide residue. get long, wide strips of zest with little of the bitter and the sugar syrup, give the mixture a stir, and
white pith. Add the zest to half the vodka and wait. let the limoncello sit for another forty days.

66 FINE COOKING
A F EW I N G RE D I E NTS about 1 5 medium to large fruits. Wash
AND P L ENTY O F TI M E the lemons well with a vegetable brush
The ingredients for limoncello are simple and hot water to remove any residue of
and few, and making a batch doesn't pesticides or wax. Pat the lemons dry and
require much work, but you'll need some remove the zest. A vegetable peeler does
the job best: it gives you long, wide strips
of zest with hardly any of the bitter white
As the lim on cello sits, pith. If you do get some of the pith with
the zest, carefully scrape it away with the
the vod ka s l owly tip of a knife. Fill the jar with one bottle
of the vodka and, as you remove the zest,
ta kes on the flavor add it to the jar.
Limon cello s h o u l d taste l i ke fresh
and ri ch ye l l ow h u e of not poor-quality vodka. Use
l e m o ns,
l OO-proof vodka, which has less flavor
the l e m o n zest. than a lower proof one. Also, the higher
alcohol level will ensure that the limon­
cello won't turn to ice in the freezer.
time. Limoncello must steep for eighty
days; start making it now so that it's ready M I X T H E I N G R E D I E NTS A N D WA IT
to drink in the hot months to come. After combining the vodka and lemon
To begin, you'll need a large glass zest, cover the jar and store it at room
jar-at least four quarts-with a lid. Or temperature in a dark cabinet or cup­
divide the recipe into smaller batches. board. T here's no need to stir: all you
Choose thick- s k i n n e d l e m o n s be­ have to do is wait. As the limoncello sits,
cause they're easier to zest. You'll need the vodka slowly takes on the flavor and
rich yellow hue of the lemon zest.
After about forty days, combine the
sugar and water in a saucepan , bring it to
a boil, and cook until thickened, about
five minutes. Let the syrup cool before
adding it to the limoncello mixture, along
with the other bottle of vodka. Cover and
return to the cupboard for another forty
days. Then simply strain the limoncello
into bottles and discard the lemon zest.
You can store the bottles in a cupboard,
but always keep one in the freezer so it's
icy cold when you're ready to drink it.

limoncello
Start your limoncello now, while lemons
are plentiful and inexpensive. By the time
it's ready, summer will be here and you'll
have a freezer full of the perfect hot-weather
refresher. Yields 3 quarts.
15 thick-skinned lemons
Two 750ml bottles 1 00-proof vodka
4 cups sugar
5 cups water

For the procedure, see the text above.

Joanne Weir, a cooking teacher in San Fran­


cisco, writes regularly for the San Francisco
Chronicle and is the author of From Tapas
to Meze: First Courses from the Mediter­

FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997
ranean Shores (Crown, 1 994) .• 67
Light Fruit Souffles
Italian meringue makes luscious,
low-fat souffles that are
delicate yet stable enoug h
to assem ble ahead

BY LA U RA N N C lA R I D G E


1� 1ere's something impressive about a
ouff1e-puffed and cloud-like,
with just a hint of a wobble. But preparing
a classic dessert souffle can mean missing
the entire main course in order to whisk
up egg whites and then wait with all fingers
crossed while the souffle bakes.
Years ago, I stumbled across the tech­
nique of replacing the temperamental egg
whites in a souffle with the more stable,
but equally airy, Italian meringue. The re­
sult: a high-rising souffle that can be made
ahead and baked at the last minute.

VIVI D F R U I T F I LL I N G BALANCES
SWEET, A I RY M E R I N G U E
These souffles have two parts: the me­
ringue and a "surprise" center. T he me­
ringue provides the billowy volume and
airy texture typical of a souffle, while the
fruit center delivers intense, concentrated
flavor. The two elements are made sep­
arately and then layered in individual
souffle molds before baking to provide a
delightful balance of texture and flavor.

Pretty, delicious.
These meringue­
based souffles are less
temperamental than
classic souffles, but
equally light and airy.
You Can Make Ahead
U se fruit p u ree, cu rd, or sweete ned example, apricot-flavored orange juice The sugar syrup takes the longest,
berries as the fruit center; I've even had gives the meringue a sweet nectar flavor so start with that. Sugar syrup is tradi­
great success with store-bought fruit pre­ and a pale orange color. tionally made in a well-cleaned, unlined
serves. Purees, curds, and other smooth­ copper pan, but a heavy-based stainless­
textured fillings give you a creamy, moist W H E N WH I P P I N G AN ITALIAN steel pan works just as well. Most recipes
center, while individual berries provide M ER I N G U E, T I M I NG IS KEY use a ratio of two parts sugar to one part
more of a bright, fresh burst of flavor Despite its name, Italian meringue is a water. Too little water may encourage
scattered throughout the souffle. Either staple in French dessert making. This type crystallization, while too much water
way, it's best to begin by preparing the of meringue is fluffy, very glossy, and quite simply means a longer cooking time. As
fruit center and then setting it aside while stable. The basic process is straight­ the syrup boils, water evaporates, and the
you focus on the Italian meringue. With forward: whisk egg whites until stiff peaks syrup becomes more concentrated. For
the exception of fresh berries, the filling form and then pour sugar syrup cooked to my souffles, I jazz up the meringue by
should be spoonable, like jam, but not 248°F (hard-ball stage on a candy ther­ substituting lemon juice, apricot cooking
runny. Anything too thick won't mingle mometer) onto the whites as you continue liquid, and even fresh berries for some or
with the meringue, and anything too to whisk. The hot syrup sets the meringue, all of the water to add flavor and color to
liquid will sink to the bottom. which is what makes it so sturdy and airy. the meringue.
F lavor the meringue to match the The tricky part is having the whites Sugar can crystallize easily as it cooks,
fruit.Adding fruit juice, liqueur, or zest and sugar ready at the same moment. If but a bit of acid, such as cream of tartar,
to the sugar syrup in the standard Italian the syrup is ready too soon, it may turn to vinegar, or lemon juice, should prevent
meringue recipe (see the sidebar below) caramel and be lost, while overbeating the this. If you notice crystals forming on the
gives it a backdrop of flavor to comple­ whites makes them lumpy and dry. I rec­ side of the pan as the syrup cooks, wipe
ment the fruit center. It also transforms ommend using a standing mixer for the them down with a clean, wet pastry brush,
the meringue from marshmallow white to whites to give you more time to monitor or cover the pan briefly with a tight-fitting
lovely pastel shades that echo the flavors the cooking syrup and to leave your hands lid to create steam that will wash the crys­
within. In the apricot- orange souffle, for free when you beat in the hot syrup. tals down the sides of the pan.

Careful timing leads to firm yet fluffy Italian meringue

Keep beating until the


The syrup needs a head start, so bowl is cool to the
begin cooking it before beating the When the egg whites form soft peaks, add the When the syrup reaches 2480 (or touch.
egg whites. When the temperature confectioners' sugar and keep beating until shiny 2400 for the raspberry syrup), pour
hits 220°F, start your mixer. (This peaks form. Don't worry if the syrup isn't quite hot it in a steady stream over the whites,
syrup is flavored with raspberry.) enough: the whites will wait for a few minutes. aiming just to the side af the whip.

FEBRUARY/M ARCH 1 997 69


Once the syrup reaches 220°F, begin When the temperature of the sugar the meringue, it's time to put the souffles
beating the whites at medi u m speed. syrup reaches 248°F (or 240° for the berry together. Individual ramekins or straight­
The syrup still has another 5 to 10 min­ syrup), gradually pour it in a steady stream sided coffee cups make the most elegant
utes to go at this stage, which is about the onto the egg whites with the mixer run­ (and easy) presentation. Brushing the in­
time needed to beat the egg whites. Grad­ nin5' Aim the syrup between the whip sides with melted butter prevents the
ually increase the mixer speed as the and the bowl so the moving beater doesn't souffle from sticking, but can cause prob­
whites stiffen. splash the hot syrup to the sides of the lems as the souffles rise-they'll slip and
A pinch of cream of tartar added to the bowl where it will harden and not mix. slide on the buttered ramekins. Give them
whites at the beginning makes a silkier, something to cling to by dusting the but­
sturdier meringue, and a bit of confec­ tered surface with confectioners' sugar
tioners' sugar added toward the end of You c a n h o l d th ese and gently tapping out the excess.
beating sweetens and further stabilizes the Each s o uffle g ets t h ree l aye rs of
meringue. Once the whites are volumi­ so uffles u n ba ked fo r meringue that sandwich two spoonfuls
nous and stiff, turn off the mixer and of filling. Use a pastry bag or a spatula to
monitor the sugar syrup closely. T he tem­ th ree d ays i n the fri d g e get the meringue into the mold and a
perature will climb quickly and you need tablespoon for the filling. T he meringue
to be ready when it hits 248°. If the sugar o r a wee k i n t h e freeze r. goes in first, about halfway to the top of
syrup cooks faster than the egg whites, each ramekin, followed by a tablespoon of
carefully add a little bit of water to the filling, another layer of meringue, a second
syrup to bring its temperature down. If, on Continue to beat the meringue until the spoonful of filling, and finally a smooth top
the other hand, the peaks of the egg bottom of the bowl feels cool to the touch, layer of meringue. With smooth-textured
whites are in danger of becoming too stiff, about 10 minutes. fillings, like preserves or curd, I lightly swirl
tum off the mixer until the sugar syrup is the meringue and filling together at each
ready. They can easily sit for 5 to 10 min­ A S S E M B L E T H E LAYERS O F F LAVOR layer for a more homogenous texture. The
utes while you wait for the syrup. Once you've prepared the fruit center and Italian meringue is much less delicate than
a classic souffle, so don't worry about de­
flating it as you work.
These souffles can wait. Unlike tra­
ditional souffles, which must be baked
immediately, these souffles can be refrig­
erated (or even frozen) and then baked
when you're ready to serve them. Souffles
refrigerated for a few hours may be left
uncovered, but for longer periods, cover
them loosely with plastic wrap. For freez­
ing, wrap a layer of foil around the plastic.
These souffles hold for up to three days
in the refrigerator or for up to one week in
the freezer. To defrost a frozen souffle,
simply leave it at room temperature for
half an hour before baking.

S E RVE S O U F FLES R I G HT F R O M
T H E OVEN
Souffles taste best when still a bit moist
and creamy inside. Overcooking makes
the insides overly dry and, since the whites
are already partially cooked by the sugar
syrup, there's no reason to fear that the
eggs are undercooked. Once the souffles
are lightly browned and nicely risen­
they tend to inflate a bit less than a classic
souffle-serve them immediately on small
Piping the Italian meringue is easy and neat, dessert plates. A sprinkle of confectioners'
but you could use a spoon to fill the ramekins, too. sugar dresses them up nicely, but some­
A surprise inside. Fresh berries, lemon curd, or Smooth the tops of the souffles with a butter knife times I also offer a little ice cream, creme
apricot puree adds contrasting texture and flavor. or an offset spatula. anglaise, or fruit puree on the side.

70 FINE COOKING
ramekin. Lightly swirl the filling into the simmer until the apricots are tender, about
meringue with a knife. Fill the ramekins with 20 min. Remove from the heat and leave
more meringue to just below the rim and the apricots in the juice to cool, about
add the remaining filling. Divide the remain­ 1 5 min.
ing meringue among the ramekins and,
Strain the apricots, pressing hard to squeeze
using a butter knife or small offset spatula,
out as much liquid as possible. You should
smooth the top of each souffle. At this
point, the souffles can be refrigerated for up
to three days or frozen for up to a week.
have about %cup of apricot cooking liquid.
If necessary, add more water to make cup
and set aside to use in the meringue. Puree
%
Set the souffles on a baking sheet and bake the strained apricots until smooth.
until the tops are light brown, 8 to 1 0 min.
Remove them carefully from the oven and
Flavored Sugar Syrups
sprinkle with confectioners' sugar if you like.
LEMON SUGAR SYRUP
1 \4 cups sugar
Fruit Fillings Y.t cup fresh lemon juice
LEMON CURD
6 egg yolks Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a
Y.t cup sugar small heavy-based stainless-steel saucepan;
� cup fresh lemon juice bring to a boi l . Begin the procedure for the
1 � tsp. finely grated lemon zest meringue when the syrup reaches 220° on a
Puffed and browned, these souffles just want a
1 Tbs. unsalted butter candy thermometer.
dusting ofsugar for decoration.
In a small double-boiler insert or a stainless­ BERRY SUGAR SYRUP
steel bowl over simmering water, combine 1 lb. fresh or thawed unsweetened frozen
M aster Recipe for Fruit Souffles the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. raspberries or blackberries
Begin by making one fruit filling and the Stir the mixture over the simmering water 1 cup sugar
matching sugar syrup, and then continue until it becomes thick and creamy-the � cup water
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
with the meringue and the souffle assembly. consistency of mayonnaise-3 to 5 min.
Yields eight individual souffles. Remove the bowl from the double boiler, Choose a heavy-based stainless-steel sauce­
whisk in the butter and stir until incorpor­ pan that's large enough to accommodate
Sugar syrup from one of the following recipes
6 egg whites (about Y.t cup) ated. Covered tightly and refrigerated, the the berry mixture, which tends to bubble up
� tsp. cream of tartar lemon curd will keep for three days. as it cooks. Combine the berries, sugar,
\4 cup confectioners' sugar; more for the BERRY FILLING
water, and lemon j uice in the pan; bring to
ramekins and for sprinkling 6 oz. (1 � cups) fresh or thawed frozen a boi l . Cook at a rapid boil, stirring occa­
For the berry souffle only: 2 Tbs. Chambord or raspberries or blackberries or Y.t cup berry Sionally until the berries have disintegrated
other berry liqueur preserves and rendered all their juices, about 1 0 min.
Fruit filling from one of the following recipes If using berries: 2 Tbs. sugar, or to taste Remove the pan from the heat and i mmedi­
Butter eight individual ramekins or straight­ If using berries, toss them with sugar and let ately pour the mixture through a fine sieve
sided coffee cups; dust the buttered surface them sit while you make the meringue. suspended over a clean, heat-safe mixing
with confectioners' sugar and gently tap out bowl. Using a large spoon or the bottom of
the excess. Heat the oven to 400°F and set APRICOT-ORANGE PUREE a small ladle, gently press the berry pulp in
the rack in the lower third of the oven. 1 cup packed dried apricots
the strainer to get all the juices but none of
1 � cups orange juice
Make the Italian meringue-Cook the
the seeds. You should have about 1 V2 cups.
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 � tsp. grated lemon zest Return the strained syrup to a clean sauce­
sugar syrup until it reaches 220° on a candy
thermometer. Start beating the egg whites pan set over medium-high heat. It will be
In a small saucepan over mediu m heat, mix quite thick and bubbly as it boils. Begin the
and cream of tartar in a standing mixer on
the apricots, orange juice, ginger, and zest; procedu re for the meringue when the syrup
medium speed. Gradually increase the speed
to the highest setting. When the whites form reaches 220° on a candy thermometer.
Watch carefully to be sure it doesn't scorch
soft peaks, add % cup confectioners' sugar
in a slow, steady sprinkle. Beat until the
whites form stiff, shiny peaks. If this happens
and note that it should only cook to 240°.
APRICOT-ORANGE SUGAR SYRUP
before the sugar syrup reaches 248° (2400 Y.t cup apricot cooking liquid from apricot
for the berry syrup), turn off the mixer. filling recipe (if there isn't enough liquid,
add water to equal Y.t cup)
Remove the sugar syrup from the heat as Y.t cup sugar
soon as it reaches 248°F (240° for the berry
syrup). Turn the mixer back on to the high­ Combine the apricot cooking liquid and
est speed if you have turned it off. Pour the sugar in a small heavy-based stainless-steel
hot syrup between the bowl and the beaters saucepan; bring to a boil . Begin the proce­
in a slow, steady stream. (For the berry souf­ dure for the meringue when the syru p
fle, add the liqueur). Continue beating until reaches 2200 on a candy thermometer.
the mixing bowl feels cool, about 1 0 min.
Laurann Claridge studied at Ecole Len8tre
Assemble and bake the souffles-Using a
pastry bag or a spoon, fill the ramekins
and La Varenne in France. She hosts the
Houston-based radio show "Food Talk,
halfway with the meringue, spreading it Keep the souffle center moist and creamy by
II
evenly. Add about 1 Tbs. filling to each

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 1997


avoiding overcooking. on KPRC-950AM. • 71
BASICS

Making and using a roux quickly that it becomes lumpy.


Bring the mixture to a gentle
A fl at whisk m a kes ea sy
w or k of stirri n g a r o u x

as a classic thickener simmer, skimming any foam


or fat that rises to the surface.
o r d e g l a z i n g a p a n . Also
known as a skillet, shovel, or
A rich bechamel sauce, a clas­ making roux is not an exact Long cooking i m p roves roux whisk, its flat shape
sic clam chowder, and a spicy science. Experienced cooks both the flavor and the tex­ means you won't miss any
gumbo may not seem to have often add the flour until it A roux­
t u re of the sa u c e . lumps of flour or bits of cara­
much in common. Yet all three looks right. A colleague de­ thickened sauce should sim­ melized juices stuck in the
are thickened with a cooked scribes perfect roux as "wet mer for at least 30 minutes. corner of a roasting pan.
mixture of flour and fat known sand at low tide": moist but As the liquid reduces and
as roux. Roux (pronounced not runny. thickens, the pasty taste of WHAT TO LOOK F O R
ROO) is one of the corner­ As a roux cooks, it gets raw flour disappears, and the IN A WHISK
stones of sauce -making and darker and its flavor becomes sauce becomes rich tasting Whisks are sold by size, meas­
it's made in three versions: more complex. It's important and velvety smooth. uring from the tip of the
white, blond, and brown (see to understand, however, that handle to the top of the wires.
photos below) . as a roux colors, it loses its I find 12- inch whisks most
Most recipes call for equal ability to thicken because the useful, but different sizes come
weights of fat and flour, but starch in the flour is broken Choosing the in handy for small or large
down by the heat. You'll need
more brown roux than blond best whisk amounts of food. No matter
what size or style you're buy­
to thicken the same amount When it comes to kitchen­ ing, look for these features:
of liquid. A truly dark roux ware, I've always thought it • stainless-steel wires, which
won't thicken at all. excessive to have more than won't corrode, chip, or react
one version of any tool, but I with acidic foods. If you're
H OW TO MAKE A ROUX make an exception for whisks. concerned about scratching a
Begin by heating the fat. But­ I have three-a straight nonstick surface, whisks with
ter is used most often, but dif­ whisk, a balloon whisk, and a nylon wire are now available.
White raux cooks for only a few min­ ferent tastes and traditions flat whisk-and I use them to • a sealed hand le, which en­
utes. Use it when you want to thicken call for different fats, includ­ handle different tasks. sures that liquids and food
without adding color or flavor. ing vegetable oil, clarified A straight whisk is essen­ can't get into the handle and
butter, lard, or duck fat. Once tial for making sm oot h cause corrosion or problems
the butter is melted, add the sauces. It also comes in handy with bacteria.
flour and stir until smooth. for mixing and folding. Some­ • a stu rdy h a n d l e; profes­
Coating the flour with fat pre­ times referred to as a French sionals prefer stainless steel.
vents it from forming lumps whisk, the straight whisk has
when mixed with a liquid. an elongated shape and rela­ Molly Stevens is a contributing
Cook roux over medium­
low heat and stir constantly
to prevent scorching. High
tively stiff wires, making it
sturdy enough for stir-
ring heavy batters.
editor to Fine Cooking
dotli1l':-�
.•
Blond roux cooks a little longer and heat will burn a roux, making A balloon whisk aer­
has more flavor. Use it to enrich it grainy and off tasting. ates egg whites, cream,
chowders and cream-based soups. and l i ght batters.
A D D I N G LIQU I D Its thin wires
TO A R O U X make this
Once a roux is cooked to the whisk much
proper color, gradually add the lighter than a
liquid your recipe calls for, straight whisk,
whisking constantly. I prefer so whipping egg
to warm the liquid slightly whites for meringue is
first. If it's too cold, you'll a lot less tiring. T h e large
spend extra time whisking bulb-shaped head and deli­
Flat whisk
Dark brown roux cooks the longest while the sauce comes to a cate wires can beat the maxi­
and has a complex flavor. It's a clas­ simmer. But if the liquid is too mum amount of air into thin
sic ingredient in gumbo. hot, the sauce may thicken so liquids.

72 FINE COOKING
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FOOD SCIENCE

Keep Great Flavor and Textu re


in Foods You Freeze

Freeze berries
individually and
then store them Lamb and beef
in plastic. The flavor freeze well because their highly
will be fine, though the saturated fat resists rancidity.
texture will soften.

When food freezes slowly, a and type of fat present-lean


few crystals form gradually meats and fish last longer than
and then grow into progres­ fatty ones, and more saturated
sively larger crystals as the fats stay fresh longer than un­
temperature drops. These saturated fats. For example ,

H ave you ever wondered


why some foods emerge
from the freezer looking and
the water that has been
frozen, because water always
tries to be in balance on both
large crystals occupy a lot of
space. On the other hand, if a
food freezes rapidly, a process
the fat in beef tops the list for
saturation and so beef can be
frozen for 12 months while
tasting great, while others be­ sides of a cell. Once outside called "sharp freezing," thou­ fish, the fat of which is much
come unappealing, if not un­ the cell, this replacement water sands of small crystals form at less saturated, shouldn't be
palatable? In general, freezing also freezes. Meanwhile, the once. T hese small crystals are kept for more than a few
does an excellent job at pre­ liquid in the cells becomes much l ess damaging to the months in the freezer.
serving foods; however, some more and more concentrated cells than the larger crystals (Continued on p. 76)
foods simply do not freeze in natural salts, finally so and cause less overall mois­
well and some require special much so that it won't freeze. ture loss and texture change. AVERAGE SHELF LIFE
treatment before freezing. It's Eventually, this l iquid be­ See the sidebar on p. 7 6 for OF FROZEN FOODS
good to know which foods are comes so concentrated that it tips on successful freezing.
TYPE OF SHELF
the best candidates for freez­ FOOD LIFE
ing as you're eying the lamb (in months)
chops on sale or deciding Yo u n eed to know which foods Beef & lamb,
whether to bake a doubl e steaks & roasts 12
batch of focaccia. freeze best, wra p them t i g h t, Pork chops & roasts 4 to 8
Ground meat 3
WHAT H A P P E N S a n d freeze them fast. Sausage 1 to 3
I N T H E F R EEZ E R Whole turkey & chicken 12
Cold slows down but does not Turkey & chicken parts 6
completely halt the re­ denatures the cell membranes, W H I C H FOODS Whole duck & goose 6
actions-chemical, enzyma­ causing them to shrink, which F REEZE B E ST Lean fish 6
tic, and physiological-that in tum makes the cell leak and Although the principles of Oily fish 2
cause changes and deteriora­ lose even more water. This ex­ freezing are the same for all Vegetables 8
tion in foods. Freezing also plains why thawed meats can foods , the characteristics of Fruit 12
causes some cell damage. taste dry and once firm, crisp different foods bring up spe­ Butter 2
A l l fresh food c o n ta i n s vegetables can become soft cific concerns and problems. Heavy cream
water, a n d as food freezes, and limp. M e a t s a n d fish Fat in
- Breads & rolls 2 to 3

ice crystals form between the F rozen water a l s o d a m ­ meat and fish can tum rancid Raw yeast dough 3
cells. This causes the water in­ ages cell structure i n a n ­ even in the freezer. The shelf Unbaked fruit pies 6
side the cell to flow through other way. A s water freezes, life of frozen meat and fish cor­ Cakes 6
the cell membrane to replace it expands to form ice crystals. relates directly to the amount

74 FINE COOKING
AT T E N T I O N
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Management, and C i rculation
1. Publication title: Fine Cooking. 2. Publication no. 1 072-5 1 2 l .
Thai Cooking School Kit
3. Filing date: September 26, 1 996. 4. Issue frequency: Bi­
monthly. S. No. of issues published annually: 6. 6. Annual sub­ All the Thai specialties needed to make at least
scription price: S26. 7. Complete mailing address of known office
of publication: 63 S. Main St., PO Box 5506, Newtown, Fairfield four servings of eight wonderful Thai dishes plus
County. CT 06470-5506. 8. Complete mailing address of head­
quarters or general business office of publisher: 63 S. Main St.,
the new 60 minute Light & Easy Video Cook­
PO Box 5506, Newtown, (T 06470·5506. 9. Publisher: Christine
book. You will make Thai Salmon, Thai Fish
Arrington, 63 S. Main St., PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-
5506. Editor: Martha Holmberg, 63 S. Main 5t., PO Box 5506, Cakes, Vegetable Curry and many more delicious
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AYef� no. copies Actual number c�
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Issue mon nearestissue published
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Total (sum of 1 5G, 1 5H1, ' 5H2)
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231,935
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Over
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1 50 Thai recipes, with photos and meal
Make authentic Thai dishes or give
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March 1 997 issue of this publication. 17. I certify that all infor­
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 75
FOOD SCIENCE
(Continued from p. 74) to develop off tastes, indicat­ some activity in the cold, so the freezer. The soft and
Ground meat has the ing rancidity, after a few add a little extra yeast to composite character of cas­
shortest shelf life of all be­ months. doughs that are to be frozen. seroles and soups allows a lot
cause grinding increases the Emul sified sauces-M ost Properly wrapped pastry of leeway in terms of slight
risk of contamination and in­ emulsions, mayonnaise for freezes well, baked or un­ texture changes. For soups,
troduces oxygen, which pro­ example, don't freeze wel\. baked. it's best to whisk in any milk,
motes rancidity. Once the water freezes into ice Unbaked fruit pies freeze cream, or egg yolk after thaw­
Ve g e t a b l e s-Raw vege­ crystals, it separates from the well, but the raw fruit may ing to avoid curdling.
tables are loaded with en­ oil and the sauce breaks as suffer some. A little oatmeal
zymes that, if left unchecked,
can cause the vege-
tables to discolor
it thaws. Hollandaise sauce
(which is partially thickened
by heated egg yolks)
or cookie crumbs added to
a fruit filling will work to
absorb moisture that
0.
Shirley Corriher, of
Atlanta, is a contributing ed-
itor to Fine Cook­
and soften even in is an exception, may leak out dur­ ing. She teaches
the freezer. Blanching and it can easily ing thawing of food science and
the vegetables before be whisked back higher-moisture cooking classes
freezing inactivates into shape once it's fruits like apples around the
these enzymes. thawed. or peaches. country. Her
Fruits-One S t a rc h - b o u n d Soups and Make fruit pies ahead book, Cookwise,
reason fruits turn
soft and mushy is
that the pectic sub­
Frozen vegetables
turn brown and soft
unless blanched first.
sauces -S auces or
custards thickened
with flour or corn-
casseroles-T hese
are some of the
best candidates for
and freeze unbaked.
The fillings will need a
little more thickening.
is being published
in May by William
Morrow.•
stances that hold starch don't freeze
the cells together convert to wel\. Amylose, the type of
soluble pectins and dissolve, starch predominant in grain
causing the cells to fall apart. starches such as wheat flour Tips for better freezing
Either sugar or calcium added and cornstarch, freezes into a • Check your freezer temperature.
to the fruit before freezing will
impede this process and pre­
serve the fruit's texture.
firm sponge network while the
liquid drains out. On the
other hand, sauces or custards
Ideally, home freezers operate at about
O°F and can freeze food quickly. Poorly
operating freezers and ice-tray com­
E g g s-Raw egg whites thickened with root starches
freeze beautifully, but the (such as arrowroot or tapioca) partments will freeze food slowly
yolks will turn thick and freeze and thaw beautifully. (between 25° and 3 1 °F) , resulting
gelatinous. Add a bit of sugar Hig h-starch foods-Pota­ in larger ice crystals and poor texture in
or salt to the yolks to prevent toes, pasta, barley, rice, and your frozen food.
this. On the other hand, other grain-based starches dis­
• Wrap food tightly. Limit moisture loss and prevent
cooked egg yolks freeze well, integrate much like sauces
freezer burn by sealing food tightly in moisture- and
but cooked egg whites turn thickened with grain starches
leathery and unappetizing. (above), but if they 're mashed vapor-proof wrap. Freezer burn occurs when the mois­
D a i ry p r o d u cts-Any or mixed with a sauce they fare ture from the surface of food evaporates. Be sure to use
frozen milk product with less wel\. On its own, a high-starch plastic bags that are specifically for freezer
than 40% butterfat will sepa­ food turns into a dry sponge use, nonpermeable plastic
rate when thawed, while high­ and a puddle, but when mixed wrap (Saran) or containers,
fat products like heavy cream with a liquid, such as pasta in
and squeeze out as much air
won't. For example, decorated sauce or mashed potatoes with
cakes with high-fat icings cream, the "puddle" gets in­ as possible before sealing.
freeze well, but icings based corporated into the sauce and • Freeze food quickly. Set the food on the freezer's
on egg whites or sugar the "sponge" stays lowest shelf, which is usually colder than the upper
only (such as moistened. shelves. When the food is frozen solid, it can then be
fondant, royal Baked goods­
moved to another shelf. Adding too much frozen food
icing, or boiled Baked goods low in
can warm up the freezer, so add only about 1 0% of the
icing) don't. moisture are ideal
Butter freezes for freezing and freezer's capacity at a time.
easily with no their texture suffers • Don't exceed the expected shelf life. Even foods
changes in tex- little. Breads, rolls, that freeze well deteriorate if left in the freezer too long.
ture, but because High-fat dairy prod- and even raw yeast Label and date frozen foods. Use the chart on p. 74 as a
of its high fat con- ucts freeze well, but doughs can be guideline for maximum storage time.
tent, it will begin only for a few months. frozen. Yeast loses

76 FINE COOKING
� 9t�-.:
V f "Passion.
Dedication. Practice.
That's how you make great pastry,
and a great pastry chef."
- Jacques Pepin
Dean of Special Programs.
The French Culinary Inslitute
1 package any
2 tablespoons EDENEDEN
1 medium onion, chopped
Ribbon Pasta
Olive Oil

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped


1 teaspoon dried rosemary, chopped

1/ 2 pound mushrooms, sliced


1 green or yellow pepper, chopped

2 medium zucchini, chopped


1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 cup
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1 - 1 5oz. can
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Crushed Tomatoes
Mirin
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Cook pasta according to package

The

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onion, garlic and rosemary for 3 minutes.
Add green pepper, mushrooms, zucchini,
and saute 3 more minutes. Add basil,

Culinary Institute diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, mirin,


and simmer 5 minutes. Salt to taste and
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 77
FLAVORINGS

The Pung ent Power


of Pepper Top·grade black
pepper has fruity overtones.

G rind a healthy dose of


fresh pepper onto your
next omelet, chop, or plate of
B lack, white, a n d g reen
peppercorns come from the
same plant. All are harvested
pasta and you'll see why Co­ green, but the corns are pro­ �.� ... White pepper adds a sharp,
lumbus searched so far for bet­ cessed differently to yield the winy note to food.
ter routes to pepper-growing variation of color and flavor in this region.
areas. With its robust, singular the final product. Its flavor comes SHOPPING AND STO RI N G
flavor, pepper is the world's The best b l a c k pepper­ out best at high heat. In classi­ When hunting for good pep­
most popular spice. corn comes from India's Mal­ cal Western cooking, white per, pick the biggest corns.
a b a r coast, where long, hot pepper is often preferred in Peppercorns need to ripen
THE DI FFERENCE IS I N summers and monsoon rains cream sauces, soups, and naturally; extra growing and
T H E P ROC E S S I N G create the perfect growing cli­ dishes where black pepper ripening time make for a fuller­
Pepper plants, or spikes, grow mate. Indian peppercorns might look too rough. But tasting peppercorn.
best in hot, moist, sunny cli­ have a bold, fruity fragrance don't let its whiteness fool you Buy pep percorns whole
mates, usually within fifteen with none of the sneezy sharp­ into thinking it's mild: white and grind them as you need
degrees of the equator. ness of less mature pepper­ pepper packs a punch. them. If you do buy ground
corns from other countries. All G re e n p e p pe rcorns are pepper, be sure it has been re­
peppercorns are picked, sun­ the youngest. Traditionally, cently ground. The rich oils
dried, and graded by size. Only they've been available packed released by grinding fade
the largest 1 0% from Malabar in a salt brine. Dried green within a few months.
are labeled Tellicherry; look peppercorns are relatively new
for this top grade in gourn1et on the market. Slightly milder Pamela Penzey travels far from
shops and catalogs. than black or white pepper, home to find the best pepper and
Sumatra and Borneo pro- green peppercorns are great for other spices for Penzeys, Ltd., in
duce the c h o i cest w hi te
pepper. Large, mature
corns are soaked to remove
flavoring lighter dishes. Dried
green corns are fragile enough
to crush with your fingers.
Waukesha, Wisconsin. •
the outer mantles, revealing Pink "peppercorns" aren't
a smooth white interior. really peppercorns: they're
The creamiest white corns, the berries of an unrelated
the most desirable, are tree. They add color to a mix
picked out by hand.White of true peppercorns.
pepper has a sharp, almost
winy flavor, quite differ- Green pepper is a milder
-'"""""� ent from black. It's partner for delicate foods.
considered more
desirable and re­ EXPERI M ENT WITH PEPPERCORNS
fined in many • Black peppercorns are indispensable in savory dishes such as pasta, salads,
places: in Indo­ eggs, fish, and beef. They'll enliven sweets, too: grind some into ginger-snap
nesia, Malaysia, or brown-bread batter, stewed fruits, hot chocolate, or spiced cider.
and Thailand, • Try white peppercorns on seared or grilled meats, Indonesian-style satays
for example, you'll and shish kebabs, Chinese hot and sour soups, and creamed soups. Add
rarely see black pepper unless them to black peppercorns in your mill for a broader range of flavor.
it's assumed that, as a West­ • Dried green peppercorns are good with poultry, vegetables, fish, and
erner, you'd prefer it. Pungent seafood. Use green corns by themselves or include them in a peppercorn
Peppercorns (Piper nigrum) white pepper forms the basis mix for added aroma and depth.
grow on stalks known as spikes. for the spicy, vibrant tastes of • Toss brined green peppercorns whole into potato salads and pasta.

78 FI E COOKING
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 79
REVIEWS

Cookbooks that Capture


the Flavors of Provence
I spent much of my child­
hood on a 400-year-old farm
nestled in the rocky foothills
each true to the flavors of Pro­
vence but written from a dif­
ferent perspective. The first
story of Lulu and Lucien
Peyraud and their entire wine­
making family, and he includes
of Haute-Provence. My par­ immerses the reader in the life old black-and-white family
ents raised pigs, rabbits, and of a true Proven<;al cook, photos to show his subjects.
goats, and made goat cheese while the next is a New York Olney takes the reader into
to sell at local markets. What I chef 's interpretation of the Lulu's kitchen, the heart of Antoine Bouterin's innovative
remember most about my food of his Proven<;al child­ Domaine Tempier, a vineyard recipes highlight his personal
childhood in Provence is the hood. T he third reflects an not far from the coast near memories of "old" Provence.
food-the earthy cooking, in­ American's life in her adopted Banon, France. With the ease
fused with fragrant herbs from home of Provence, and the and culinary confidence of a The simple dish of roasted
the hillsides, reflecting the fourth is a cooking teacher's lifelong food lover and cook, tomatoes seasoned with pars­
seasonal changes. straightforward collection of Lulu cooks everything from ley, garlic, and breadcrumbs
Today it's easy for me to becomes something sublime
rekindle my memories of this Yo u can a l m ost s m e l l the lavender under Lulu's direction.
heady food by cooking from a Cooking Provence, by New
coterie of wonderful Proven­ a n d taste the ta penade wh i l e turn i ng York chef Antoine Bouterin
<;al cookbooks. Among my and writer Joan Schwartz, is
favorites are the following the pages of th ese books. both a cookbook and a mem­
four books, oir. Bouterin, a native of Saint­
recipes she shares in her simple vegetable soups to lav­ Remy-de-Provence near Aries,
classes at home in Provence ish feasts, with a special feel for writes of his homeland and the
and in New York City. the bounty of fish and shellfish culinary legacy he inherited.
Richard Olney's Lulu's available to her. His story of his childhood
Provenc;;al Table is a beauti­ Lulu Peyraud cooks with home and his grandmother's
fully written book that be­ the seasons, cherishing each kitchen depicts a piece of Pro­
came an instant classic delicacy that may only appear ven<;al life which is, sadly,
when it was published in a few weeks each year. Olney slowly disappearing. In "old"
1994. Olney tells the takes the readers through Provence, everyone lived off
Lulu's seasonal kitchen, first home gardens, the hillsides,
Richard Olney's portrait of by offering sample menus, and and daily markets.
Lulu Peyraud brings to life then by exploring Lulu's cook­ While Bouterin introduces
the Provenfal family farm. ing-from soups to tarts­ each section of his book with
with individual recipes. Fall family vignettes, this is really a
and winter menus include recipe-driven book, with more
LlI I ll \ K l l l' H I '

I I ."
Radicchio & Lamb's Lettuce
Salad, Rabbit Stew, and Roast
Guinea Fowl, while spring and
than 200 included (and very
few color photos). In his rec­
ipes, Bouterin concentrates on
summer menus include rec­ the traditional ingredients of
ipes for Green Bean
Shell Bean Salad, Grilled
&
Lamb Skewers, classic Rata­
Fresh the region-herbs, olives,
garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes.
And fish play a starring role in
touille, and Apricot Compote. Bouterin's cooking, as Saint­
My memories lured me Remy is not far from the coast.
into the kitchen to make Pork Bouterin remembers that
Chops with J uniper and Wednesday was saltwater fish
Tomatoes a la Proven<;ale. day at the market when he was

80 FI E COOKING
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 81
REVIEWS
a child. Today his recipes in­ and gathered large groups of still four more books I recom­
clude Codfish Fritters, Red new and old friends for fre­ mend to you: Pedaling through
Snapper Fillets with Prune quent meals. Provence, by Sarah Leah
Stuffing & Grape Sauce, and
a variation of something I
remember eating in Provence
All this has simplified Ms.
Wells' personal cooking style,
bringing it in line with the
Chase-classic recipes, warm
anecdotes; Recipes from a Pro­
venc;:al Kitchen, by Michel
called Sardines in Court seasonal, wholesome cooking Biehn-an elegant, seasonal
Bouillon. Bouterin's sardine of Provence. A hearty meal book; Provence: The Beauti­
recipe is simple to prepare and might start with a wedge of ful Cookbook, by Richard
delicately flavored with white custardy Tomato Clafoutis or Olney-regional recipes,
wine, garlic, and herbs. dish of Harissa Olives. The coffee-table looks; and Pro­
Bouterin is also fond of lav­ All-Star Herb Salad might Lydie Marshall invites readers into ve�al Light, by Martha Rose
ender, and includes a recipe precede a lusty bowl of Monk­ her kitchen to sample honest and Shulman-a comprehensive
for Apple Lavender Pound fish Bouillabaisse. Dinner flavorful Provenr;al cooking. work of authentic recipes with
Cake, which I enjoyed mak­ could be a Butter-Roasted a lighter touch.
ing. Though it took a bit Herbed Chicken or Seared No one embraces the phi­
longer to cook than the recipe
indicated, this cake smelled
of Provence itself when it
Pancetta-Wrapped Cod. Her
breads include a Golden Par­
mesan Pepper Loaf and a Pro­
losophy of "keep it simple" bet­
ter than Lydie Marshall, au­
thor of Chez Nous-Home
Ethel W. Brennan successfully
made the transition from Pro­
ven�al farm life to city life in
came out of the oven, and the venc;:al Olive Oil Brioche. A Cooking from the South of San Francisco. She is the co­
apples made a lovely crust. seasonal dessert might be the France. Marshall, who spends author ofCitrus, Sun-Dried
Bouterin's "old" Provence Apricot Honey Almond Tart. summers at home in her native Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese
is still alive and well at Chan­
teduc, the home of Amer-
France and winters in New
York City, is a seasoned cook­
ing teacher on both conti­
(all from Chronicle) .

PUBLISHING I NFORMATION

nents. Whether it's One-Hour Lulu's Provenr;al Table, by Richard
Beef Broth or Candied Lemon Olney. Harper Collins, 1 994. $30,
Tart, Marshall highlights the hardcover; 364 pp. ISBN 0-06-
essential ingredients of Pro­ 01 6922-2.
vence by cooking them with a Cooking Provence, by Antoine Bou­
minimum of embellishments. terin. Macmillan, 1 994. $25,
Her vegetables alone-Fava hardcover; 368 pp. ISBN 0-02-
Bean Puree, Fennel Fondue, 51 3955-X.
Stuffed Porcini-inspire a mad Patricia Wells at Home in Provence,
rush to the market, despite the by Patricia Wells. Scribner, 1 996.
lack of photographs in this $40, hardcover; 349 pp. ISBN
very functional book. 0-684-81 569-9.
Rarely does a recipe have Chez Nous, by Lydie Marshall. Har­
more than six or eight ingre­ per Collins, 1 995. $25, hard­
Herbs, olives, fruit dients, and yet each teaches so cover; 303 pp. ISBN 0-06-
AT HO M E I PROVENCE
trees, bread from a wood-burning much. For example, she uses 01 7203-7.
oven-Patricia Wells' home one dough recipe for three dif­ Pedaling Through Provence Cook­
harbors the flavors of Provence.
',"/f0. . .,HI ., a"n" ,....u.. ferent types of bread-pis ­ book, by Sarah Leah Chase. Work­
saladiere, fougasse, and ba­ man, 1 995. $ 1 4.95, softcover;
ican journalist Patricia Wells Throughout the book, guettes. Her savory meat 239 pp. ISBN 0-761 1 -0233-7.
and her husband, Walter. Wells answers questions an dishes (Chicken with Yogurt Recipes From a Provenr;al Kitchen,
A dozen years ago, the two
purchased this old stone farm­
house in northern Provence
American cook might ask
("Just what is a ragout !").
And she concludes with a sec­
& Mustard, Rabbit Rillettes,
Braised Pork Shoulder) just
make sense. Chez Nous really
by Michel Biehn. Flammarion,
1 995. $35, hardcover; 200 pp.
ISBN 2-0801 3-586-4.
and set out to restore it. tion of recipes for the pantry, brings the Provenc;:al spirit out Provence: The Beautiful Cookbook,
Patricia Wells at Home in so that Provenc;:al flavors such of the hillsides and into the by Richard Olney. Collins, 1 993.
Provence is the delicious re­ as aYoli, pistou, and home­ kitchens of American cooks. $35, hardcover; 256 pp. ISBN
sult of their new life. The two cured olives are never out of 0-00-2551 54-3.
have cultivated figs, apricots, reach. Generous photographs ALSO RECO M M ENDED Provenr;al Light, by Martha Rose
and olives, as well as grapes for illustrate the food and the If by now you are fairly swoon­ Shulman. Bantam Books, 1 994.
the house wine. They've built place that make these meals ing for a slice of cherry clafoutis $29.95, hardcover; 472 pp. ISBN
a new wood-fired bread oven, special. and a glass of pastis, there are 0-553-08723-1 .

82 FINE COOKING
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87 86 85 85
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Roasters Embellishments Pepper Mill Imports Sowul Farms
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Chesapeake Bay Honorable Jane Co. Rafal Spice Co. Viking Penguin
12 32
86 87 11 81
Gourmet Kelly and Sons Replacements Ltd. Western Culinary
66 42 71
15 87 Rhode School of Cuisine 83 87
Chili La Isla Kevlar Gloves Reynolds Wrap Institute
47 50 70
91 87 3
Colavita USA Kitchen Krafts Wilma Saxton, Inc.
33 10 72
86 87 San Francisco Herb Co. 85 86
Cookbooks by Morris KitchenAid Royalty Seafood Wolf Range Co.
Press 5 Knife Merchant 51 25 Wood Prairie Farm

FEBRUARY IMARCH 1997 83


CALENDAR

Send event annou ncements CALI FORNIA fried as fritters, or steam-fried with N EVADA
e v -Holt
50th Annual Carrot F sti al white bacon. The festival takes place Pizza Expo '97-Las Vegas Conven­
Park, Holtville. This tiny desert com­ on the banks of the Caloosahatchee tion Center. Watch "pizza athletes"
to Calendar, Fine Cooking, munity grows vegetables on some of River, beneath a canopy of live oaks compete in the World Pizza Games for
the best farmland in the area, all whose graceful limbs are draped with highest and longest pizza dough spin,
watered by an intricate network of Spanish moss. February 2 1-23. Call fastest pizza maker, largest pizza dough
PO Box 5506, Newtown, canals. Its produce is showcased in a 94 1 1675-254 1 . stretch, and most innovative pizza rou­
carrot cooking contest, dinner ban­ tine. The World's Largest Pizza Show
CT 06470-5506, or via
quet, and barbecue and rib cook off, has over 700 exhibits, educational
ending with a parade and carnival. Jan­ I N DIANA seminars, pizza recipe contest, and piz-
uary 24 through February 2. Call Parke County Maple Fair- il B- za baking demonstrations. March
e-mail: fc@taunton.com. 6 1 9/356-2923. lie Creek Village, Rockville. 24-27. For registration information,
4th Annual Napa Valley Mustard Watch maple syrup and maple caU 800/746- 1 1 22 or 8 1 2/949-0909.
e v -Napa Valley. According to
F sti al cream being made the old-fash-
Include dates, a complete legend, fields of brilliant yellow mus­ ioned way at a primitive sugar N EW M EXICO
tard have bloomed in the wine country camp set in a recreation ofa turn- 9th Annual National Fiery Foods
since one of the first European mis­ of-the -century village. Have a Show--Southeast Hall, Albuquerque
address, and the phone sionaries sowed seeds of Spanish mus­ maplesyrup pancake breakfast Convention Center. More than
tard on his journey north through what with fresh-cured bacon and ..,......·L...... 1 2,000 "pepperheads" converge for
is now California. The mustard blooms ham. Visit the this "Meltdown" to taste, sell, and
number for more
blazed a golden path for him to follow talk peppers. Check our the hot and
home. The two-month mustard season spicy foods of hundreds of exhibitors,
information. Listings are is filled with events celebrating the cooking demonstrations and cook­
food, wine, and art of the region. Feb­ book signings, capsicum-related
ruary I through April 5 . Call 707/259- kitchenware, art, and clothing. Febru­
free, but restricted to 9020. ary 28 through March 2. Call 505/298-
1 2 th Annual Fetzer Red Wine & 3835, or visit the Web site at
e v l Fetzer Tasting
Chocolate F sti a - http://www.fiery-foods.comlffshow.
events of di rect interest
Room & Visitor Center at Valley Oaks,
N EW YORK
Hopland. In honor of St. Valentine's resident craftsmen: the James Beard Foundation Culinary
to cooks. The deadline for Day, Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet potter, broom maker, candle and
Sauvignon will be paired with the finest v
E ents- James Beard House, New
soap maker, weaver, miller, and York City. Call 800/36-BEARD or
chocolate from California's North blacksmith. February 2 1-23, 28 &
entries in the J u ne/July Coast. Live music and food. February 2 1 21627-2308 for information about
March 1-2. Call 3 1 7/569-3430. the following three events:
8-9. Call 7071744- 1 250.
• Fete Proven"a1-A French Proven­
Boston University Presents: A Food,
issue is March 1. Wine, and Cooking Tour to the Napa
<;al feast by Chef Robert Reynolds of
Valley with Mary Ann Esposit o-
Join
Cooking School of the Rockies, Boul­
M I N N ESOTA der, Colorado. February 6.
cookbook author and teacher Mary Twin Cities Food & Wine Experi­ • Chinese ew Year Dinner-With
Ann Esposiro on a gourmand's dream ence-Hyatt Regency, Minneapolis.
vacation through California's famed Chef Anita Lo of Mirezi Restaurant,
Investigate over 1 50 exhibirs of the lat­ New York. February 1 3 .
Napa Valley wine country. Explore the est in kitchen technology and new • Valentine's Dinne r-With Chefs
vineyards and wines, sample olive oil at products; taste some ofthe best domes­
a local factory, eat and drink at the Gale Grand & Rick Tramonto of Bras­
finest restaurants and wineries, and
tic wines available; and sample specialty serie T, Northfield, Illinois. February 14.
foods such as smoked fish, exotic cof­ U.S. Beer & Food Festival-Bridge­
when you're sated with the best the fees, sourdough breads, homemade
Valley has to offer, sit back and watch water's at the South Street Seaport,
pestos and salsas, barbecue sauces, and ew York City. Dozens of U.S. micra­
some pastry and cooking demonstra­ more. There are over 40 wine and food
tions. April 5-12. Call 61 7/353-9852, brewers join rap New York restaurants
seminars, plus a grand tasting, a gala for this food and beer pairing event.
or fax 61 7/353-41 30. winemakers dinner, and a champagne
Riverside County Fair & National March 10. Sponsored by the American
brunch. February 28 & March 1-2. Call Institute of Wine & Food. Call
Date F estival-Riverside County Fair­ Barbara Duff at 6 1 2137 1 -58 12.
grounds, Indio. More than 250,000 2 12/447-0456.
M I S S I S S I PP I Quintessential Wine Week-New
people attend this campy desert festi­
val of " 1 00 1 Arabian Nights." See 22nd Annual World Catfish Festi­ York City. Don't plan on going back to
Queen Scheherazade and her Arabian val-Belzoni. Barking fish, mud pup­ work if you lunch at one of six New
Court perform in a musical pageant, pies, mud cars, bullheads, and whisker York eateries during Wine Week, with
watch men in Arabic costumes race faces are some local nicknames for cat­ each restaurant pouring 10 to 13 dif­
camels and ostriches, learn all about fish, but regardless of what you call ferent wines complimentary each day
dates in the exhibition at the "Taj Ma­ them, they're good eating, and people with lunch, with unlimited refills.
hal" and, of course, eat dates cooked in in this "Catfish Capital of the World" March 1 7-2 1 . For a list ofparticipating
a variety of imaginative ways. February sure know how to cook them: catfish fil­ restaurants, call Beverly Barbour or
14-23. Call 800/44-INDIO. lets are fried into crunchy, golden curls Joyce Gee at 800/638-6449 or
and served with crisp hush puppies and 2 1 21838-206 1.
flORIDA cole slaw. April 5. Call 800/408-4838.
LaBelle Swamp Cabbage Festival­ TEXAS
Barron Park, LaBelle. Swamp cabbage MISSOURI 1 2t h Annual Texas Hill Country
is the unfortunate name Floridians Italian Celebration- The Saint Louis Wine & Food Festival-Four Seasons
have bestowed on the luscious hearts Art Museum. A celebration of the Hotel, Austin. Winemaker Robert
of palm, the tender hearts of the sabal food, wine, music, and art of all the re­ Mondavi is a featured guest in this culi­
palmetto. Swamp cabbage is served gions of Italy, with a different region nary weekend filled with dinners, sem­
raw in salads, braised and served like a featured each week. February 20 inars and tastings, cooking classes, and
vegetable, used in baking cakes and through April 20. Call Kay Porter or more. April 3-6. Call Frances Kurio at
cookies, baked in casseroles, deep- Debbie Boyer at 3 14/72 1 -0072. 5 1 21329-0770.

84 FI E COOKING
COOK'S MARKET

LOOKING FOR A DISTINGUISHED SINGLE-ESTATE TEAS T ,.. ,; &::0 /ie.r}!'


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FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 85
COOK·S MARKET

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Timer M U SH ROOM TE RRARI U M
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86 FINE COOKING
COOK'S MARKET

AGA Cookers ,......�


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FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 87
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The CLASSIFIED rate is $6. 00/word, minimum 15 GENERAL INTEREST MAJESTIC CHOICES, an international
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88 FI E COOKI G
INDEX

REC I P E S Marinated Beef Pot Roast 30 Boiling shrimp 41 Caramel 58-59


Pork Roast with Fennel & Pears 31 Cooking winter greens 14 Chicken stock, making 18-19
COVER R E C I P E Vegetable Coring cabbage 48--49 Dumpling wrappers 64-65
Black Bean Soup with Tomato­ Alsatian Stuffed Cabbage 51 Degreasing pan juices 30 Egg whites, whipping 69-70
Tomatillo Salsa 35 Gratin of Flageolet Beans Folding dumpling wrappers 65 File powder 41
& Sausage 36 Freezing foods74-76 French bread, kneading 53-54;
A P P ETIZERS
White Beans with Rosemary shaping 55-56; baking 56
Frying dumplings 64-65
Chinese Vegetable Dumplings 65 & Olive Oil 37 Italian meringue 69-71
Meat & Cabbage Pot Stickers 65 Kneading French bread 53-54
SALADS Making a roux 40, 43, 72 Lamb, cuts fot pot roast 28
Shrimp Remoulade 41 Peppercorns, black 78; green 78;
Red & Green Cabbage Salad with Making Italian meringue 69-7 1
"pink" 78; white 78
B READS Cumin & Sherry Vinegar 50 Making salmon medallions 46
Pain Paysan (Peasant Bread) 56 Preventing fish from sticking 45
Pineapple, slicing 58
SAUCES, C O N D I M E NTS 28
Pork, cuts for pot roast
D E S S E RTS, CAKES &S EASO N I N G S Recalibrating a thermometer 60--6 1
Remoulade sauce 41
& PASTRY Bourbon Sauce 43 Removing pin bones from salmon 45
Roux, about 40, 43,72; blond 72;
Bread Pudding with Bourbon Ginger & Scallion Sauce 65 Rolling dumpling wrappers 63-64 brown 40, 43, 72; in gumbo 40, 43;
Sauce 43 Soaking beans 34 white 72
Remoulade Sauce 41
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake 59 Tomato-Tomatillo Salsa 35 Sauteing salmon 45 Salmon, baking 45; braising 45;
Souffles Seasoning cast-aluminum griddles 10 choosing 45; determining
Apricot-Orange Souffles 71 S I D E D I S H ES doneness 46; fillets 45; making
Shaping French bread 55-56
Berry Souffles 7 1 boneless salmon medallions 46;
Braised Cabbage with Apples Shredding cabbage 48
Lemon Souffles 7 1 preventing sticking 45;
& Pecans 50
Slicing pineapple 58 sauteing 45; steaks 45
MAIN D I S H ES White Beans with Rosemary
Steaming dumplings 64-65 Shrimp, boiling 4 1
Fish/Shel lfish & Olive Oil 37
Stuffing cabbage 50 Sugar syrup 6 7 ; 69
Baked Salmon with Garlic &
Herb Crust 47
SOU PS, STEWS & STOCKS Whipping eggwhites 69-70 Winter greens 12-14
Black Bean Soup with Tomato­
Braised Salmon Steaks with
Tomatillo Salsa 3 5 TOO LS
Cilantro 47 I N G R E D I ENTS
Soy-Glazed Sauteed Salmon 46 Gumbo Ya Ya 42 Beef, cuts for pot roast 28 Banne!011 55, 56
Meat Beans, cooking 32-35; soaking 34; Chinese rolling pin 64
Alsatian Stuffed Cabbage 51 T E C H N I QU E S sources for 36 Couche 55, 56
Gratin of Flageolet Beans Baking, French bread 56; salmon 45 Buttermilk 57 Instant-read thermometers, dial 60;
& Sausage 36 Braising, cabbage50; pot roast Cabbage, blanching 49; braising 50; digital 61; thermocouple 6 1
Leg of Lamb with Apricot-Orange 28-30; salmon 45 choosing 48; coring 48--49 ; Whisks, balloon 7 2 ; flat 72;
Stuffing 3 1 Blanching cabbage 49 shredding 48; stuffing 50; types 48 straight 72

N TION INFO
UTRI TION
RMA
Recipe (analysis per serving) Page Calories Protein Carb Fats (g) Chol Sodium Fiber Notes
total from fat (g) (g) total sat mono poly (mg) (mg) (g)

Marinated Beef Pot Roast 30 310 80 41 15 9 3 4 0 120 540 2 based on 6 portions


Leg of Lamb w/Apricot-Orange Stuffing 31 320 80 32 24 8 3 4 1 95 360 3 based on 8 portions
Pork Roast with Fennel & Pears 31 300 80 35 18 9 3 4 1 105 630 4 based on 6 portions
Black Bean Soup with Salsa 35 380 1 00 18 55 11 4 3 3 20 750 18 per cup, with l Tbs.
creme fraiche
Gratin of Flageolet Beans& Sausage 36 580 230 26 63 25 6 15 3 30 1240 16 based on 6 portions
White Beans with Rosemary & Olive Oil 37 240 35 14 38 4.0 0.5 3.0 0.5 o 540 9 per cup
Shrimp Remoulade 41 200 1 40 14 2 15 3 5 7 145 1050 includes sauce
Gumbo Ya Ya 42 910 420 35 83 47 11 17 15 95 1020 4 main course portion
Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce 43 770 480 10 58 54 32 16 2 315 320 1 includes 2 Tbs. sauce
Soy-Glazed Sauteed Salmon 46 270 110 32 2 13 2 4 5 90 520 o
Braised Salmon Steaks with Cilantro 47 430 190 44 9 21 5 9 6 130 680 2
Baked Salmon with Garlic & Herb Crust 47 370 220 33 3 25 4 14 5 90 350
Braised Cabbage with Apples & Pecans 50 220 150 2 18 17 4 6 6 10 440 5 based on 8 portions
Red & Green Cabbage Salad 50 110 60 3 11 7 1 4 2 5 200 3 based on 8 portions
Alsatian Stuffed Cabbage 51 680 360 42 40 40 15 17 4 230 1870 14 per serving (2 pieces)
Pain Paysan (Peasant Bread) 56 70 0 2 13 0 0 0 0 o 150 per slice (16 per loaf)
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake 59 440 120 5 77 13 8 4 1 85 130 2
Meat & Cabbage Pot Stickers 65 50 20 2 4 2.5 0.5 1.0 0.5 5 75 o per fried dumpling
Vegetable Dumplings 65 40 15 5 2.0 0 1.0 0.5 o 70 o per steamed dumpling
Ginger & Scallion Sauce 65 15 10 o 1 .0 0 0.5 0.5 o 1 30 o per teaspoon
Lemon Souffle 71 300 60 5 58 6 3 2 1 165 65 o per souffle
Berry Souffle 71 190 15 3 42 1.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 5 60 3 per souffle
Apricot-Orange Souffle 71 170 10 4 38 1.0 0.5 0.5 0 5 65 per souffle

The nutritional analyses have been calculated by a registered dietitian at The Food Consulting Company the calculations. Optional ingredients and those listed without a spec�ic quantity are not included.
of San Diego, California. When a recipe gives a choice of ingredients, the first choice is the one used in When a range of ingredient amounts or selVings is given, the smaller amount or portion is used.

FEBRUARY/ M ARCH 1997 89


TIDBITS

Good Food and


said, but Hilda stubbornly
insisted. Grandfather got
up at five in the morning

Moral Ambiguity
to punch down the
dough, and at breakfast
we would glory in stacks
of buckwheat pancakes

M y first memories of good


food and morality waft
from my grandmother's kitch­
above the top oven. A
stockpot simmered on
the back burner, filled
dripping with melted
butter and maple syrup.
Hilda played with
en. It was wartime. I was four. with marrow bones or knives, and when a
My younger brother, my moth­ vegetables or chickens knife blade flashed in
er, and I had come to stay with with yellow feet. Grand­ her hand, it looked
my grandparents in their old mother stood at the to me like a treacher-
Palo Alto adobe while my stove in her white lab 0us game. It was
father went off to war. Hilda, coat, tasting, season­ common knowl­
the cook, reigned indomitable ing, finishing the edge that nobody
in the kitchen. Only my sauces. Her lab coat was allowed to
grandmother, clad in the white convinced me that play with knives.
lab coat she always wore when cooking was a science as It was common
she cooked, was allowed un­ deep and mysterious as knowledge that
challenged entry through the biochemistry, to be taken nobody was al­
pantry, which was lined to the seriously. lowed to bother
ceiling with glass-faced cup­ Hilda wouldn't even Hilda. Even
boards full of breakable china, turn to look at me, Grandfather, a
sharp cutlery, and brittle crys­ which was impolite. tall, formidable
tal. To a child, it looked as "What do you want?" mining engineer who
dangerous as an armory. Her hands never had spent his youth in
Grandmother 's kitchen strayed from the the gold fields of Aus-
was a cavernous room with dough she was tralia and Mexico, quailed
high windows I couldn't see working-square Wisconsin one gray area was Hilda. Hilda in her stony presence. Grand­
out of, and a spotless black­ hands, chilblained and cal­ was sullen, but her cheese mother, a straight-backed no­
and-white checkered lino­ loused from her youth as a souffles puffed up like gilded nonsense lady, made allow­
leum floor that scuffed even hired girl on a dairy farm. No clouds. Hilda was rude, but ances for Hilda. Hilda was
when I tiptoed. A mammoth wonder she hated my brother her intricately latticed berry neither vain nor silly, two cap­
refrigerator took up the far end and me. At the age of ten she'd pies were works of art. Hilda ital female offenses in my
wall, with a series of little been given a room over her had had four husbands, but grandmother's view. Hilda
doors like hatch covers. I had been blighted, Grand­
could only reach the lower H i l d a was s u l l e n , H i l d a was ru d e, mother said ominously. I
doors, but they revealed wasn't sure what "blighted"
square glass dishes filled with but h e r ch eese so uffles puffed u p meant, but I looked for spots.
rose-pink hothouse rhubarb in When Hilda announced
its own sweet syrup and jellied l i ke g i l ded c l o u d s . dinner, we went in to dinner.
bouillons and bottles of cream. Nobody, ambassador nor Arab
Across the kitchen, stand­ employer 's barn, m y mother Hilda's yeast-raised buck­ prince, was allowed to straggle.
ing on black iron legs bow­ told me. Some winter nights wheat pancakes were a dream. Hilda's creamed sweetbreads
legged by the weight of it, was the hot-water bottle she took She put the pancake batter on or crab timbale waited for no
the Garland range, a behe­ to bed froze solid. It had made the grand piano at night, de­ man. In that early, delicious
moth of a stove clad in white her "hard," Mother said. I took creeing the piano to be the kitchen, I learned there was
enamel with two ovens and the remark literally, though I perfect temperature for yeast­ another moral standard,
eight gas burners covered by never dared to touch her. raised batter. Grandmother fudged on the edges, one re­
double boilers and soup kettles In a house where moral objected. One night the served for good cooks.
and steamers. The smells were principles and good manners dough would rise up and ooze -Sally Small,
intoxicating. Dough rose

90
were strongly adhered to, the out onto the piano strings, she Orinda, California

FINE COOKING

Some peop l e wi l l tel l you t h a t food p roces sors a re

o n l y worth hau l i ng out fo r t h e rea l l y b i g j ob s ( l i ke

col e s l aw for 3 5 ) . Not true wi t h t h e Ki t c henAi d®

Proces sor . It ' s the onl y one


wi th a bui l t - i n mi n i bowl . Is
anyon e else r e a dy to

give up oni on choppi ng

by hand , may b e fo r e v e r?

And i ts tal ents range

from pea n u t b u t t e r m a k i n g

to orange j u i c i ng to
M i n i Bowl
majobkeswisthormit nwimoarlk cofl easnm-uapl . g ra t i ng even , ce

o r P a rme s a n .

Defi n i tel y one appl i a n c e that earns

i ts ri g h t fu 1 p l ace on t h e coun ters 0 f


,,
,
wi s e coo ks e v e ry w h e r e . ,,
,,
,
r- -C-l-ea-n- -To-u-c-h;�- -C-o-n-t-ro-f- Pa-dL- l
! wi pes cl ean i n a fl ash . No� nooks and cran ni es !
L�_��__=_��_�_�__��___��:___���_�_�__�_�_ _______________________________j
ARTISAN FOODS

Prizewinning Cheese from Sheep's Milk


Sheep's milk makes a
uniquely rich and flavorful
cheese but, until eight years
ago, no sheep's milk cheese
was made in this country.
Then a small sheep dairy in
New York's Hudson River
Valley began experimenting
with hand-crafted cheeses.
Today, the Old Chatham It takes a lot of sheep to make sheep's milk cheese.
Shepherding Company in These sheep produce less than 2 quarts of milk a
Stuyvesant, New York, uses day, compared with the 40 quarts a cow can give.
primarily sheep's milk to
make its cheeses. In 1995,
the dairy's Hudson Valley Milk curds are fragile, so ladling by hand, instead of by machine,
is a gentler way to transfer them to molds; this method preserves
Camembert won a blue
their smooth texture. Ladling is done in two passes, which makes
ribbon from the American
for freer drainage, and ultimately, a creamier cheese.
Cheese Society. One expert
calls the dairy's Saint Andre
style cheese "lush, creamy,
and rich as ice cream. "

"There's no big secret to this­


we're using traditional techniques
that I learned on my parents ' farm
in France, " says cheesemaker
Benoit Mail/ol. "The innovation is in
using sheep's milk, which makes a
more flavorful, creamier cheese. "

The curds are drained of their whey overnight, and then they're
given a brief soak in a salty brine bath, which flavors the cheese
and helps control ripening. The cheese is stil/ quite soft, so it's
turned out onto plastic forms, which help the cheese keep its
shape as it drains for another 24 hours.

After draining, the


cheese dries on racks
for two to three days.
The racks are flipped
every day to ensure
the cheeses dry evenly.
A cheese that's too
watery won 't ripen
properly and has a
shorter shelf life.

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