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 MARCH & APRIL 2022

Alu Parathas and

Tomato-Onion
Spaghetti al Tonno, 14 Salad, 8

Smoky, Spiced
Broiled Shrimp, 11 Homemade Yogurt, 20 Milk Chocolate Crémeux Tart, 22 Roasted Kale, 15

2 Quick Tips 14 Pescatarian Pantry Pasta 24 Do You Need a Smart Oven?

Quick and easy ways to perform everyday tasks, Oil-packed tuna stars in the gutsy weeknight savior “Smart” countertop ovens use technology to take
from processing canned tomatoes to blind-baking that is spaghetti al tonno. BY ADAM RIED over cooking for you—or guide you step by step.
pie crusts. COMPILED BY ANNIE PETITO Are any worth buying? BY LISA McMANUS
15 Why You’ll Love Roasted Kale
4 The Magic of Roasted Chicken Wings Just 10 minutes in the oven unlocks a variety of 26 All About Heirloom Beans
Forget frying. After a stint in the oven, the vivid textures in the brassica. BY ANNIE PETITO These vibrant, flavorful legumes give new meaning
best part of the bird emerges fall-off-the-bone to the phrase “cool beans.”
tender, with exceptionally savory, golden-brown 16 The Starchy Secrets to Cooking BY CHASE BRIGHTWELL
skin. BY STEVE DUNN Potatoes
Starch is the key to the fluffy, crispy, creamy 28 Ingredient Notes
6 Hawaiian Oxtail Soup textures that make potatoes so good. The trick is BY KEITH DRESSER, STEVE DUNN, NICOLE
In this Chinese-influenced local favorite, harnessing it to your advantage. KONSTANTINAKOS & ANNIE PETITO
spicy-sweet aromatics perfume a rich broth BY ELIZABETH BOMZE AND DAN SOUZA
brimming with pungent greens and meaty knobs 30 Kitchen Notes
of its signature ingredient. 18 Treat Yourself to Matzo Brei BY PAUL ADAMS, KEITH DRESSER, STEVE DUNN,
BY NICOLE KONSTANTINAKOS Broken-up matzo cooked with eggs is Passover ANDREA GEARY & LAN LAM
comfort food. It also happens to be one of the
8 Mom’s Alu Parathas easiest, heartiest, and most versatile scrambles you 32 Equipment Corner
To make these scrumptious Punjabi flatbreads, can make. BY MARI LEVINE BY CHASE BRIGHTWELL, MIYE BROMBERG,
wrap fragrant spiced mashed potatoes in delicate HANNAH CROWLEY, CAROLYN GRILLO &
dough, roll the parcels into thin rounds, and 20 The Best Yogurt Is Homemade GRACE KELLY
griddle them with ghee. BY KAUMUDI MARATHÉ DIY yogurt has an incomparably fresh, milky
taste—and it’s entirely customizable. Whether you
11 A Hands-Off Way to Sear Shrimp like it mild or tart, creamy or lean, our foolproof
For tender, succulent, spotty-brown shrimp, let method has you covered.
your broiler do the work. BY ANNIE PETITO BY PAUL ADAMS AND LAN LAM
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 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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C
ulinary school can feel a lot like middle early days as a cook, that’s pretty much all I did: fresh
school: You get judged on everything pasta rolled so thick I’d boil it for 15 minutes, loaves
you do. From how well you ironed your of bread that’d pass for pancakes, and homemade ice
chef coat to the internal temperature of cream that somehow never moved past milkshake
your steaks, it all matters. But there’s consistency. There’s a lot to learn
one place where the judging gets in not getting it right the first time.
particularly intense: knife skills class. And of course, that’s how the recipes
As you dice carrots and mince shal- in this issue came to be: with much
lots, a chef instructor strolls through trial and error before eventual success.
the kitchen with a ruler. Are your One recipe that has already entered
small-dice carrots ¼ inch on all my weekly rotation is Paul Adams and
sides? Sure hope so. They even check Lan Lam’s recipe for Homemade
your scrap pile to make sure that you Yogurt on page 21. Their story not
aren’t wasting food. only delves into the science of yogurt
I did pretty well when I took making but also offers simple ways
the class, but my knife work never DAN SOUZA to tweak the richness, acidity, and
competed with that of one classmate, thickness so that you can dial in your
Editor in Chief
whose slices, dices, and minces were ideal batch.
flawless. Curious how he did it, I watched him Annie Petito’s Roasted Kale with Coriander,
work one day and figured out his utterly genius Ginger, and Coconut (page 15) offers a beguiling
technique. After prepping a vegetable, he’d pick mix of textures: part kale chip and part tender greens.
through it carefully. And then he’d start eating. It has the power to convert any kale skeptic. (Trust
He’d tuck any piece that wasn’t exactly to spec in me, I know from personal experience.)
his palm and discreetly move it to his mouth. Like And Steve Dunn’s recipe for Roasted and Glazed
some kind of culinary ventriloquist, he’d barely Chicken Wings (page 5) might just end the age-old
move his jaw while chewing and swallowing. It fight over who gets the two off a roasted bird. His
was impressive to watch, not least of all because his recipe delivers 4 pounds of chicken-glazed chicken
consumption wasn’t limited to carrots and cucum- wings, so everyone’s a winner.
bers—raw onions, shallots, and russet potatoes were I know you will have great success while cooking
equally fair game. through this issue. But should anything go awry
No, I didn’t turn him in. I wasn’t even upset. I’m anytime you cook, I encourage you to embrace
a big proponent of eating kitchen mistakes. In my your mistakes and eat them in full sight.

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ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE
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march & april 2022

1

Warm Your Coffee Mug
When Mia Slotnick of Ithaca, N.Y.,
makes drip coffee, she sets her mug
on top of the coffee maker so that it
heats up as the coffee is being made.
When the coffee is ready, her mug is
perfectly warmed.
A Space-Saving Way to
Travel with Seasonings
Shannon McClendon of Seattle,
Wash., saves the small plastic con-
tainers that take-out condiments
often come in and uses them to
pack salt and pepper for camping
trips and picnics so that she doesn’t
have to pack bulky jars or boxes.
SEND US YOUR TIPS We will provide a complimentary one-year subscription for each tip we print. Send your tip, name, address, and
telephone number to Quick Tips, Cook’s Illustrated, 21 Drydock Avenue, Suite 210E, Boston, MA 02210, or to QuickTips@AmericasTestKitchen.com.
QUI C K TI P S
j COMPILED BY ANNIE PETITO k
The Recipe Stand You
Probably Already Own
When she is cooking from recipes
that have been printed out or pub-
lished in magazines, Mary Stephens
of Lynchburg, Va., uses the arm of
her paper towel holder to hold the
paper upright. This way, she can read
the recipe while conserving valuable
counter space.
Season with a Squeeze
Palomita Mountbatten of New
York, N.Y., keeps a squeeze bottle
of salt water next to the stove for
Blind-Bake the Reusable Way seasoning foods that don’t have
In an effort to reduce waste when she’s blind-baking pie pastry, Robin Conley enough moisture to easily dissolve
of Fort Collins, Colo., trades the usual aluminum foil or parchment paper for a salt, such as tuna salad, salad
silicone bowl cover. The cover neatly contains her pie weights, and as a bonus, dressings, and roasted
the silicone wrapper is big enough to cover any leftovers in the pie pan. vegetables. To make
the saltwater
solution,
Make a Parchment Paper Handle dissolve
When baking cookies on parchment paper, Betty Lesczynski of Cicero, N.Y., ¼ cup of
always folds up one of the parchment’s corners before baking. This allows her to table salt
easily grab the sheet and pull it off the hot tray to transfer it to a wire rack. in 1 cup of
water.
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE
cook’s illustrated
2
Process Tomatoes
Directly in the Can
Rather than getting out the food
processor when she needs to puree
a can of whole tomatoes, Elizabeth
Shank of Minneapolis, Minn., simply
drains the tomatoes and uses an
immersion blender to process them
right in the can. If she is making a
no-cook tomato sauce, she also
adds seasonings and oil to the mix.
A No-Smear Brie Slicer
When Mary Wardley of Bedford,
Mass., found that a chef’s knife
smeared soft cheeses such as Brie,
she switched to a pizza cutter. The
tool is particularly handy for cutting
large, neat pieces for sandwiches.
Use a Saw to Create
Flat-Edged Spoons
When Barbara and Raymond
Bernero of Fairfax, Va., grew
frustrated by the way their wooden
spoons couldn’t quite reach the
corners of cookware when stirring,
they came up with an innovative
solution: They simply sawed off the
tops of a few wooden spoons at an
angle, creating pointed edges that
could easily tuck into corners.
The Cleanest, Most Efficient At-Home Waffle Station
Maggie and Ben Browder of Reno, Nev., have perfected their waffle-making
routine: They place a waffle iron on one side of a rimmed baking sheet and a
small wire rack on the other side. The baking sheet catches any batter drips,
and the rack prevents the waffles from getting soggy after they are removed
from the iron.
Don’t Toss Parchment
Trimmings
After trimming parchment
paper to fit her baking sheet,
Lynn Mangan of Dyer, Ind.,
doesn’t throw away the excess.
When she’s baking bread, she
places one of the long, wide
strips across the bottom and
up the sides of her loaf pan
and uses it as a sling to
lift out the loaf.
The Best Way to Clean Your Peanut Butter Jar
Mary Kaszyca of Trumansburg, N.Y., has found that the chain-mail scrubbers sold for cleaning cast-iron cookware are also
great for cleaning out empty jars of peanut butter. She places the scrubber in the jar, adds a bit of water, replaces the lid, and
shakes and swirls the jar to get the remaining peanut butter out before tossing the jar into the recycling bin. Afterward, she just
places the scrubber in the utensil basket of her dishwasher to get it clean.
march & april 2022
3
 The Magic of Roasted Chicken Wings
Forget frying. After a stint in the oven, the best part of the bird emerges
fall-off-the-bone tender, with exceptionally savory, golden-brown skin.
j BY STEVE DUNN k

P
rofessional cooks learn early
to taste as they work, check-
ing a dish at various points for
balance and seasoning. It’s a
critical skill. We also come to under-
stand that some morsels of food are best
kept as a secret treat. My favorite solo
snack? The chicken wings plucked from
a freshly roasted bird.
These small packages deliver the very
essence of poultry—rich, succulent meat
wrapped in bronzed, well-rendered skin—in
a couple glorious bites. That’s because the
bony appendages peek out just enough from
under the body of the bird to turn deliciously
brown and savory in the heat of the oven.
Too bad there are only two per chicken.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could pro-
duce an entire platterful of wings that tasted
just like two delectable noshes snuck from
a whole bird? I thought so too, so I set out
to develop a recipe that would allow me to
enjoy the roasted wing experience at the
table with my guests instead of in secrecy.

Winging It
As a starting point, I cribbed the roasting Chicken-Glazed Chicken Wings
time and oven temperature from one of Chicken wing skin is packed with collagen that turns
our standard whole roast chicken recipes. to gelatin during cooking. We take full advantage by
I halved 4 pounds of wings (enough to collecting every last drop of the meaty, gelatinous
serve four) at the joint to separate the meaty jus that collects on the baking sheet during roasting;
drumettes from the slim flats; lopped off reducing it to a thick glaze; and brushing it onto the
and discarded the pointy wingtips; and wings for a glossy, savory finish.
then tossed the parts with oil, salt, and
pepper. I spread the parts out evenly on
a rimmed baking sheet and slid them into
a 400-degree oven for about an hour. A Weighty Decision First, I speculated that the heft of a 4-pound
Disappointingly, the wings’ abundant skin I suspected that two factors make wings pulled from chicken is enough to pin the wings against a hot
browned unevenly, and only some of the fat was a whole bird superior to the ones I had just prepared, roasting pan, helping render the chicken fat and
rendered, leaving a slew of flabby, pallid spots. and both revolve around the anatomy of a chicken. brown the skin. Second, I posited that the drip-
pings from the body of the bird bathe the wings
with umami-rich juices as they roast. Without that PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE
The Tastiest Part of a Roast Chicken period of self-basting, my wings were pretty lack-
Wings have a fat content similar to that of dark meat: They contain about 3.5 percent fat, while luster in flavor.
thighs contain nearly 4 percent; breast meat, on the other hand, contains a mere 1.25 percent. To explore the weight question, I started
Wings’ large amounts of connective tissue and high skin-to-meat ratio mean that they’re loaded by arranging the thicker drumettes along the long
with collagen, so wings roasted on a whole chicken become incredibly tender and juicy. In the edges of a baking sheet, which tend to run the hot-
heat of the oven, the fat is slowly rendered from their abundant skin, leaving it lightly crisp and test, and then scattered the more slender flats in the
attractively browned. As they roast, the wings are also basted in the golden, savory jus that middle. I set a second baking sheet on top, pressed
comes off the body of the bird, which adds even more umami richness. down lightly, and then roasted the assembly the
same way I had roasted the first batch.

cook’s illustrated
4
 HOW TO CUT UP CHICKEN WINGS
1. Using your fingertip, locate joint
between wingtip and flat. Place blade
of sharp chef ’s knife on joint, between
bones; using palm of your nonknife
hand, press down on blade to cut
through skin and tendon.
2. Find joint between flat and drumette
and repeat process to cut through skin
and joint. Reserve wingtips.
What a difference. The top sheet encouraged
better contact with the bottom sheet, enhancing
browning and rendering on the undersides of the
wings. It also conducted heat more efficiently than
the air in the oven, which improved browning
and rendering on their top sides. Unfortunately,
sandwiching the parts between two pans caused
skin-tearing sticking. Oil didn’t fully resolve the
issue, but placing sheets of parchment paper under
and over the wings did the trick.
I evolved my method to roasting the weighted
wings for 45 minutes before removing the top bak-
ing sheet, pouring off any excess juices, flipping each
piece, and then briefly popping the sheet under the
broiler for a final skin-browning blast of heat.
Self-Basting Wings?
At this point, the skin was tawny brown, the fat amply
rendered, and the meat moist and tender. Yet the
chicken still lacked concentrated poultry flavor. To
mimic the taste-enhancing basting action that hap-
pens on a whole bird, I tried coating the raw wings in
melted butter, thinking that the milk solids would add
Wings like the Ones You Sneak
from a Whole Bird (and a Lot of ’em)
To produce a full 4 pounds of
golden-brown, well-rendered
wings—just like the two delicacies
you might nibble on while carving
a whole roasted bird—we strate-
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE (TOP), JAY LAYMAN (BOTTOM)
gically arrange the flats, drumettes,
Parchment
and wingtips on a parchment
Paper
paper–lined baking sheet. The
thicker drumettes go on the out-
side edges of the sheet, which we Wingtips
found heated more quickly. The
thinner flats occupy the center, Drumettes
with the collagen-rich wingtips
(added to boost the flavor of the
Flats
jus) filling in any empty spots. To
promote even, deep browning
and to encourage fat and juices to
render, we weigh the parts down
with a second baking sheet (after
laying a sheet of parchment on Parchment
top to prevent sticking). Paper
depth as they browned. Sadly, the extra fat made the
wings slick with grease. Next, I braised the wings in a
shallow layer of chicken broth, hoping it would reduce
and coat the skin as it evaporated. No such luck. The
additional liquid simply turned the wings soggy.
Then it occurred to me: Without thinking, I’d
been draining off the incredibly tasty drippings
released by the wings during roasting. Instead of
abandoning those precious liquids, what if I captured
them and reintroduced them as a glaze? The skin on
chicken wings is full of collagen that turns to gelatin
during cooking, so I hoped to produce something
with real cling.
For my next batch, I proceeded as before, but this
time instead of getting rid of the wingtips, I nestled
the tiny bundles of skin, bone, and cartilage in among
the drumettes and flats to yield as much umami- and
collagen-rich jus as possible. After the parts had
roasted for 45 minutes, I tipped the corner of the
baking sheet over a fat separator to pour off every
drop of the golden liquid. I removed the fat and then
reduced the drippings to a thick glaze that I brushed
onto the wings after they emerged from the broiler.
Top Baking Sheet
Bottom Baking Sheet
march & april 2022
5
As I’d hoped, the gelatinous reduction clung
beautifully to the skin, which emerged glistening and
slightly tacky, just like wings you pull from a whole
bird. How did they taste? Awesome. The glaze was
a real breakthrough, supercharging the wings with
savory flavor.
My wing-hoarding days are officially over. I now
have more than enough finger-licking, chicken-y
goodness to share with everyone who joins me at
the table.
ROASTED AND GLAZED CHICKEN WINGS
SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 1¼ HOURS
We roast the wingtips along with the flats and dru-
mettes to boost the flavor and volume of the juices,
but if you purchase chicken wings that are packaged
without wingtips, it’s OK to omit them. This recipe
was developed with Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if
you’re using Morton, which is denser, decrease the
amount to 2¼ teaspoons. Roasted chicken wings
make a tasty, informal meal; serve them with a crisp
green salad and crusty loaf of bread.
4 pounds chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips
reserved
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1. Adjust oven racks to lowest and upper-middle
positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray
rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray and
line with parchment paper. Pat chicken dry with
paper towels and transfer to large bowl. Add oil, salt,
and pepper. Toss well to combine.
2. Arrange drumettes along 2 long sides of pre-
pared baking sheet. Place flats rounded side down in
center. Tuck wingtips in to fill any gaps on sheet (dis-
card any wingtips that don’t fit). Top chicken with
second sheet of parchment, then gently press second
rimmed baking sheet on top of parchment to weigh
down wings. Roast on lower rack for 45 minutes.
3. Remove sheet from oven and heat broiler.
Carefully and gently tilt 1 corner of sheet over fat
separator or liquid measuring cup and drain off
as much liquid as possible; you should have ⅓ to
½ cup. Remove top baking sheet and parchment.
Discard wingtips (or save for nibbling). Flip remain-
ing pieces.
4. Transfer defatted drippings to small saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, swirling saucepan occasion-
ally, until juices are reduced to 2 to 3 tablespoons,
6 to 8 minutes. Cover to keep warm.
5. While juices are reduc-
ing, broil chicken on upper
rack until evenly golden
brown, 6 to 8 minutes, rotat-
ing sheet halfway through
broiling. Brush chicken with
reduced juices, transfer to plat-
ter, and serve. SCAN FOR VIDEO
 Hawaiian Oxtail Soup
In this Chinese-influenced local favorite, spicy-sweet aromatics perfume a rich broth
brimming with pungent greens and meaty knobs of its signature ingredient.
j BY NICOLE KONSTANTINAKOS k

I
n Hawaii, oxtail soup is steeped in history—
and the ghost of homesickness. Early versions
date to the mid- to late 19th century, when
scores of Chinese people from Guangdong
Province arrived in Hawaii as laborers for its sugar
and pineapple plantations. With thousands of miles
of ocean separating them from their families, the
newcomers found consolation in preparing famil-
iar foods. And oxtails, readily available thanks to
Hawaii’s burgeoning cattle industry (see “How Beef
Came to Every Hawaiian Table”), allowed them
to re-create some of the nourishing, long-cooked
soups from Guangdong that more commonly fea-
tured pork or chicken. They loaded up the pot with
this cut, along with traditional Cantonese flavorings
and vegetables, and a Hawaiian classic was born.
The succulent meat and bits of mineral-sweet
marrow clinging to the oxtails’ bony hollows are star
attractions in the soup. But the whole ensemble is a
stunner. The broth is beefy-rich; silky with gelatin;
spicy with ginger; and fragrant with star anise and the
aged dried orange peel known as chen pi. There’s a
hint of sweetness from jujubes (Chinese dates) and
earthy notes from dried black mushrooms (and in
banquet-worthy versions, maybe a whisper of alco-
hol). Creamy peanuts add texture, and depending on
Creamy peanuts, lightly chewy
the cook and the occasion, so might other items such shiitakes, and crisp-tender swaths
as lotus root and winter melon. Mustardy gai choy of mustardy gai choy add textural
goes in at the end, and then cilantro and scallions are contrast to this satisfying soup.
heaped on before serving. Everyone gets soy sauce
and grated ginger at the table for additional seasoning. Beefing Up the Broth hours of cooking; laborious skimming; or having to
The appeal of this dish among locals is so universal For a soup as rich and nuanced as this one, I quickly blanch the oxtails first, as many Hawaiian cooks do

PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE; ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE

that it’s as likely to be served in a diner as it is to com-
pany for dinner. Lynette Lo Tom, a fifth-generation
Hawaiian of Chinese descent and author of A Chinese
Kitchen: Traditional Recipes with an Island Twist
(2015), attributes Hawaiians’ special love for the
Chinese version (it can also tilt Okinawan, Japanese,
or Korean) to its heady aroma. “It’s the smell, you
know, you just get that feeling,” she told me.
discovered that pulling it together was straightfor-
ward. The trimmed oxtails go into the pot with
water and everything save the greens (and other
vegetables that can’t withstand the long simmer),
and then they’re cooked until they’re tender. The
aromatics are then discarded, the broth strained of
fat, and the gai choy briefly wilted. My main chal-
lenge: getting a rich, gelatinous, clear broth without
to remove impurities. I also wanted to figure out the
best way to ensure that the gai choy didn’t lose its
tender chew and that any other vegetables I might
include were perfectly cooked, too.
Using a multicooker solved the first issue. It
dramatically shortened the usual 3 to 4 hours
necessary to cook the oxtails, and because liquid in
a pressure cooker doesn’t

Oxtails: Perfect for Pressure Cooking

There’s hardly a better cut for imparting beefy flavor and lustrous body to broth than oxtail. This
appendage from the posterior of a cow is full of connective tissue that transforms into gelatin during
cooking, making the meat meltingly tender and the broth satiny. On the stovetop, that process can take
3 or 4 hours, but using the high setting of a multicooker, we were able to reduce the time to an hour, plus
30 minutes for releasing steam naturally. A note on shopping: Oxtails are sliced into sections that range
greatly in diameter depending on whether they were cut from the top of the tail or the bottom. If possible,
buy wider, 2-inch-thick pieces to help ensure that the meat doesn’t overcook and stays attached to the bone.
You can order oxtails from your butcher; they’re also often found in the freezer section.

cook’s illustrated
6
 CHEN PI (aged
dried Mandarin
orange peel)
Floral and bitter
FRESH
GINGER
Spicy and
warm
SHIITAKE
MUSHROOMS
Meaty and earthy
DRIED
JUJUBES
STAR ANISE Sweet and
Sweet and licorice-y slightly tannic
Flavorings That Taste
Like Home
The vast majority of the first Chinese settlers
and sojourners in Hawaii came from Guangdong
Province, where long-simmered broths known
as lo foh tong (“old-fire soup”) were essential
to daily life. A number of ingredients treasured
in those soul-satisfying tonics, such as the aged
dried Mandarin orange peel called chen pi, made
it into the oxtail soup they crafted in Hawaii. We
use some of them, too, for a soup suffused with
a remarkable array of flavors and fragrances.
bubble violently except when it’s venting, the foam
remained intact and was easily strained. One hour
under pressure, plus 30 minutes for the pressure to
release naturally, gave the oxtails’ collagen enough
time to convert to silky gelatin while still allowing
the meat to cling gently to the bones—a must in the
soup, according to Lo Tom. “For us,” she noted,
“the joy is the meat being the perfect texture, where
it’s soft but not dissolved off the bone.”
Figuring Out the Add-Ins
PHOTOGRAPHY: HAWAI‘I STATE ARCHIVES
For the aromatics, Lo Tom stressed using plenty of
ginger for spicy kick. I landed on 8 ounces, bundling
it into cheesecloth for easy removal, along with lots
of star anise and slivers of the musky, floral chen pi
I’d sourced from an Asian market. For the remaining
ingredients, after testing recipes from other Hawaiian
Chinese cookbooks, I opted to stick with the essentials:
peanuts, dried jujubes, and dried shiitakes, all of which
could be slipped in with the aromatics at the start of
cooking. Gai choy would then be easy to add at the
end. For seasoning, soy sauce and salt did the trick.
Once the oxtails were done and the broth enriched
by all the other ingredients, I transferred the meat,
shiitakes, and peanuts to a large bowl. I strained the
stock, including the jujubes (some cooks chop the
dates and add them back, but I found the soup plenty
complex without them), to yield a clean, full-bodied
broth. Cooking the gai choy was a simple matter of
reheating the strained broth on the highest sauté
function until it was piping hot and then wilting the
greens in the broth with the heat turned off.
I divided the oxtails, shiitakes, and peanuts among
bowls; ladled the broth and greens over the top; and
capped each with cilantro and scallions, all while luxu-
riating in the soup’s beefy, vibrant aroma.
MULTICOOKER HAWAIIAN OXTAIL SOUP
SERVES 4 TO 6 TOTAL TIME: 2¼ HOURS
Look for oxtails that are approximately 2 inches thick;
thaw them if they’re frozen. For more information on
jujubes, see page 29. For the most nuanced flavor, we
highly recommend that you avoid substitutions, but if
necessary, you can substitute dry-roasted peanuts for
the raw peanuts, four Medjool dates for the jujubes,
1½ tablespoons of dried orange peel or three strips
of fresh orange zest for the chen pi, and 1 pound of
stemmed American mustard greens for the gai choy.
This dish can also be cooked in a pressure cooker.
Place the cooker on medium heat when instructed to
use the “highest sauté function.” Serve this soup in
large, deep soup bowls. For a complete Hawaiian-style
meal, serve each diner two scoops of white rice.
8 ounces fresh ginger, sliced thin, plus
4 tablespoons peeled and grated for serving
5 star anise pods
¼ ounce chen pi
3 pounds oxtails, fat trimmed to ¼ inch or less
8 cups water
½ cup raw peanuts
8 dried jujubes
1 ounce dried whole shiitake mushrooms,
stemmed and rinsed
¼ cup soy sauce, plus extra for serving
½ teaspoon table salt
1 pound gai choy, trimmed and cut into 2-inch
pieces
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 scallions, sliced thin on bias
1. Bundle sliced ginger, star anise, and chen pi in
single layer of cheesecloth and secure with kitchen
twine. Add cheesecloth bundle, oxtails, water, peanuts,
jujubes, mushrooms, soy sauce, and salt to multicooker.
2. Lock lid into place and close pressure-release
valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook
for 1 hour. Turn off multicooker and let pressure
release naturally for 30 minutes. Quick-release any
remaining pressure, then carefully remove lid, allow-
ing steam to escape away from you.
3. Discard cheesecloth bundle. Using slotted
spoon, transfer oxtails, peanuts, and mushrooms
march & april 2022
7
HOW BEEF CAME TO EVERY
HAWAIIAN TABLE
Beef has long been a thread in the vibrant, mul-
ticultural tapestry of local Hawaiian cooking, but
this wasn’t exactly the goal when British explorer
George Vancouver made a gift of several cows and
a steer to Hawaii’s King Kamehameha I in 1793—
the first cattle to ever graze its grassy, rolling hills.
The move was self-serving. “It was the custom of
the British explorers to drop off cattle and sheep
in case they came back,” said culinary historian
Rachel Laudan, author of The Food of Paradise:
Exploring Hawaii’s Culinary Heritage (1996).
“They would leave them in strategic spots and
hope that they’d multiply and become provisions
in the future.” At Vancouver’s urging, the king even
put a temporary moratorium on slaughtering the
animals. The cattle multiplied so dramatically over
the next few decades that the Hawaiian monarchy
hired cowboys from the then-Mexican territory
of California to help control them. The upshot:
the birth of cattle ranching on these islands—and
beef not only on British tables but also on native
Hawaiians’ and those of all the immigrant groups
who settled on the archipelago. –Amanda Agee
to large bowl; tent with aluminum foil; and let
rest while finishing soup. Strain broth through
fine-mesh strainer into large bowl or container,
pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as pos-
sible; discard solids. Let broth settle for 5 minutes.
Using wide, shallow spoon or ladle, skim excess fat
from surface. (Broth can be refrigerated overnight
before defatting to allow for easier skimming.
Reheat oxtails, peanuts, and mushrooms in simmer-
ing broth before adding gai choy in step 4.)
4. Return defatted broth to now-empty pot. Using
highest sauté function, bring broth to simmer, then
turn off multicooker. Stir in gai choy and cook, using
residual heat, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season
with extra soy sauce to taste.
5. Slice mushrooms thin, if
desired. Divide oxtails, peanuts,
and mushrooms among bowls,
then ladle hot broth and gai
choy over oxtails. Sprinkle each
bowl with cilantro and scallions.
Serve, passing grated ginger and
extra soy sauce separately. SCAN FOR VIDEO
 Mom’s Alu Parathas
To make these scrumptious Punjabi flatbreads, wrap fragrant spiced mashed potatoes
in delicate dough, roll the parcels into thin rounds, and griddle them with ghee.
j BY KAUMUDI MARATHÉ k

M
y mother, Meera Marathe,
is the most accomplished
Indian bread maker
I know. No one’s chapa-
tis, puris, or sweet stuffed griddled breads
such as puran poli and gulachi poli are
as good as hers. And her alu parathas?
They’re exceptional. These potato-stuffed
flatbreads hail from Punjab and are a sta-
ple across the northern part of the Indian
subcontinent.

“One of the most delicious

foods a human could eat.”
–Meera Sodha
Alu parathas are made by wrapping cir-
cles of dough around a boldly spiced potato
stuffing, rolling the stuffed balls into slim
disks, and browning the disks (brushed with
ghee) until crisp brown patches develop.
The steamy, pliable breads are typically
enjoyed as the center of a meal rather than
as an accompaniment, and frankly, there is
no more satisfying breakfast, lunch, or din-
ner than a stack of piping hot alu parathas
served with spicy-sweet mango pickle,
cooling raita, or a refreshing tomato salad.
Acclaimed cookbook author Meera
Sodha wholeheartedly agrees. After read-
ing in her column in The Guardian that The best alu parathas
are thin and pliable,
alu paratha is one of her “all-time favorite making them useful for
dishes,” I reached out. She doubled down eating with one’s hands.

PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE (TOP), KEYA BAJAJ (BOTTOM)

on her affinity for the breads, proclaiming
them “one of the most delicious foods a
human could eat.” The mother of two
young children has a habit of packing alu
parathas as an on-the-go breakfast for fam-
ily jaunts: “We take [them] wrapped up in
foil to our local forest, where we go walking
with the dog most weekends,” she said.

The Best Bread Maker w FAMILY TIES

Although my experience with Indian food
runs deep—I authored The Essential Marathi
Cookbook (2009) and owned a catering
company specializing in Indian cookery—I’d
never made alu parathas myself. Mom’s were
so good that there was never a need, and
they’re not part of the cuisine in my native
state, Maharashtra.
Left, America’s Test Kitchen cookbook editor
Kaumudi Marathé as a child with her father, Sudhakar,
and mother, Meera; right, Kaumudi and Meera. Meera
was an army brat who spent much of her childhood
in Punjab, where her father was posted. It was there
that she learned how to make what Kaumudi consid-
ers the best alu parathas anywhere.

cook’s illustrated
8
 Cilantro
Amchoor
Fresh
chiles
Cumin Kalonji Ajwain
So when I was asked to develop a recipe for Cook’s
Illustrated, I promptly phoned Mom. She explained
that while there’s nothing particularly hard about
making the breads, they involve multiple steps, the
dough can be tricky to roll, and cooking the rounds
efficiently takes practice. But after she talked me
through her technique, I felt ready to embark on an
alu paratha adventure.
Mom uses a floury Indian potato for her stuff-
ing, and I suspected that russets would be a good
stand-in. I peeled, chopped, and boiled a pound
and then mashed and cooled them before incor-
porating the blend of herbs, aromatics, and spices
that she assembled from fond memories of the alu
parathas her own mother used to cook. A fresh,
fragrant trio—cilantro, ginger, and chile—starts
things off. Then comes sweet-tart amchoor (dried
A Boldly Seasoned Mash
The seasoning blend for Mom’s alu paratha stuffing
is second to none: Amchoor (dried mango powder)
offers fruity tartness, ajwain (carum seeds) aids
digestion, kalonji (nigella seeds) brings allium notes,
cumin provides smoky earthiness, fresh chile gives a
burst of heat, and cilantro rounds the potatoes out
with grassy freshness. The resulting mash is so good
that you may find yourself whipping up a batch even
when you’re not making parathas. Try frying it hash
brown–style to serve with eggs, or use it as a flavor-
ful addition to burritos or avocado toast.
mango powder); oniony kalonji (nigella seeds);
earthy cumin; ajwain (carum seeds) to aid in diges-
tion; and, of course, salt. Even though Mom had
done her best to give me exact measurements,
I needed to tweak the amounts to produce the
flavor I remembered. As I divided the stuffing into
eight portions, I knew she would be pleased—the
high-starch mixture held together in neat balls and
tasted wonderfully complex.
It was time to make the dough. Many cooks pick
atta, a stone-ground whole-wheat flour, but Mom’s
choice is maida, a refined white flour. I found that
dough made from all-purpose flour, which I think of
as American maida, produced parathas with a subtle
nuttiness just like Mom’s.
Indian cooks have kneaded dough by hand
for centuries, so when colleagues suggested that
I use a food processor, I balked. Still, I decided to
experiment, pulsing the flour with touches of sugar,
salt, and oil and then drizzling in cold water. I was
quickly won over: In mere seconds, the machine
produced a satiny, pliable dough. I finished kneading
by hand so that I could appreciate its silky feel while
ensuring that it was perfectly smooth, and then I set
it aside and let it rest for 30 minutes (as Mom sug-
gested) to allow the gluten to relax. After dividing
the dough into eight pieces, I went one step beyond
my mom’s recommendation and let the individual
balls rest again, this time for just 15 minutes. This
second rest let the dough become more slack so that
it was a breeze to roll out to 4-inch circles.
Now I stuffed the parathas by placing a round of
dough on the counter and centering a potato ball on
top. From there, it was easy to bring the sides of the
dough up and around the potato mixture and seal
its edges together. I sprinkled flour on the counter
and set the ball seam side down.
As I prepared to roll the parathas, I reflected on
Mom’s ability to produce remarkably thin, delicate,
and pliable breads, useful for those who eat with their
hands. I took her advice and rolled the dough slowly
and gently to avoid tearing and exposing the stuff-
ing, producing parathas that were about 8 inches in
diameter and ⅛ inch thick. It requires patience, but
there’s no need to fret if the round isn’t perfect. As
Sodha soothingly noted, “The brilliant thing about
making filled parathas is that there’s always another
one to roll and you get a little better every time.”

ALU PARATHAS, Rolling the alu parathas thin is crucial; to prevent the edges from tearing, take your time and press gently as you roll. Cooking the flatbreads only
STEP BY STEP twice on each side ensures that they stay pliable.

1. ROLL DOUGH to 4-inch 2. PLACE STUFFING in cen- 3. PINCH EDGES tightly to 4. ROLL stuffed dough to 5. PLACE IN SKILLET, being
round. ter of dough. seal. Turn ball seam side down. ⅛-inch-thick, 8-inch round. careful not to stretch paratha.

6. FLIP when large bubbles 7. BRUSH surface of paratha 8. PRESS any puffed edges to 9. FLIP, then repeat brushing, 10. COVER loosely with towel
start to form on surface. with ghee. ensure even contact with skillet. pressing, cooking, and flipping. after letting paratha cool slightly.

march & april 2022

9
Tava Time
Mom cooks her parathas on a traditional Indian tava,
a thin, round pan that’s flat or concave and made
of cast iron or aluminum. Brushing the breads with
ghee as she goes, she flips them several times until
they are mottled brown. I tried her approach using
a cast-iron skillet, and there was no discernible dif-
ference in the end result. The skillet was just a little
thicker than a tava, so it took longer to heat.
The last way my paratha recipe differs from Mom’s
is due to her expertise. While she nimbly griddles one
paratha while stuffing and rolling the next, I chose
to assemble all the parathas before starting to cook.
This way, I had to focus only on browning the breads
instead of ping-ponging between the tasks of stuffing,
rolling, and griddling.
When all the parathas were golden brown, I sat
down to enjoy them with bowls of vibrant condi-
ments. I can’t wait until Mom visits next. I know
just what I’m going to make for dinner.
ALU PARATHAS
(PUNJABI POTATO-STUFFED GRIDDLE BREADS)
SERVES 4 (MAKES 8 PARATHAS) TOTAL TIME: 1½ HOURS, PLUS
1 HOUR 5 MINUTES COOLING AND RESTING
Ghee, kalonji, ajwain, and amchoor can all be pur-
chased at a South Asian market or online. Ajwain
has an oregano-like flavor and is often added to
fried Indian food to aid digestion; if you can’t find
it, it’s OK to leave it out. If preferred, you can
substitute ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for the
Thai chile in the stuffing. We strongly recommend
weighing the flour for this recipe. Serve the parathas
as an entrée with raita, prepared mango pickle,
or Tamatya-Kandyachi Koshimbir (Tomato-Onion
Salad) for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For more
information on amchoor, see page 29.
Potato Stuffing
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into
1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1½ teaspoons amchoor
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 Thai chile, stemmed and minced
¼ teaspoon kalonji
¼ teaspoon ajwain
Dough
1⅔ cups (8⅓ ounces) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cold water
¼ cup ghee, melted
1. FOR THE POTATO STUFFING: Place
potatoes in large saucepan, add cold water to cover
by 1 inch, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce
heat to maintain simmer and cook until potatoes are
very tender, about 16 minutes. Drain well and pro-
cess through ricer or mash with potato masher until
completely smooth. Set aside and let partially cool,
about 20 minutes.
2. Stir cilantro, ginger, amchoor, cumin, salt, Thai
chile, kalonji, and ajwain into potatoes. Season with
salt to taste. Cover and set aside. (Potato stuffing can
be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; let come to room
temperature before using.)
3. FOR THE DOUGH: Pulse flour, salt, and
sugar in food processor until combined, about
5 pulses. Add oil and pulse until incorporated, about
5 pulses. With processor running, slowly add cold
water and process until dough is combined and no
dry flour remains, about 30 seconds. Transfer dough
to clean counter and knead by hand to form smooth,
round ball, about 30 seconds; transfer to bowl, cover
with plastic wrap, and let rest for 30 minutes.
4. Divide potato stuffing into 8 equal portions
and roll into balls (they will be about 1½ inches
wide); cover with plastic. Divide dough into 8 equal
pieces, about 1¾ ounces each, and cover loosely
with plastic. Working with 1 piece of dough at a
time, form dough pieces into smooth, taut balls.
(To round, set piece of dough on unfloured counter.
Loosely cup your hand around dough and, without
applying pressure to dough, move your hand in small
circular motions. Tackiness of dough against counter
and circular motion should work dough into smooth
ball.) Let dough balls rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
While dough balls rest, line rimmed baking sheet
with parchment paper.
5. Roll 1 dough ball into 4-inch disk on lightly
floured counter. Place 1 stuffing ball in center of
dough disk. Gather edges of dough around stuffing
to enclose completely; pinch to seal. Place seam side
down on lightly floured counter, gently flatten, and
lightly and gently roll to even ⅛-inch-thick round
(about 8 inches wide). Transfer to prepared sheet
and cover loosely with plastic. Repeat with remain-
ing dough balls, stacking parathas between layers
of parchment.
6. Heat 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium
heat for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Brush
any remaining flour from both sides of 1 paratha,
then gently place in hot skillet, being careful not to
stretch paratha. Cook until large bubbles begin to
form on surface, underside of paratha is light blond,
and paratha moves freely in skillet, 30 to 60 seconds.
(Paratha may puff.) Using metal spatula, flip paratha;
brush with ghee. Cook until underside is spotty
brown and moves freely in skillet, 20 to 60 seconds,
pressing any puffed edges firmly onto skillet with
spatula to ensure even contact.
7. Flip paratha back onto first side. Repeat brush-
ing with ghee, pressing, cooking, and flipping once
more until paratha is even more spotty brown on
both sides and no longer looks raw, about 30 sec-
onds per side. Transfer cooked paratha to second
rimmed baking sheet, let cool slightly, then cover
loosely with dish towel.
cook’s illustrated
10
A vibrant
tomato-
onion salad
spiked with
chile, cilantro,
cumin, and
coconut balances
the rich parathas.
A Salad That Turns Bread
into a Meal
Alu paratha differs from many other Indian breads
in that it is typically served as an entrée rather
than as an accompaniment. This refreshing, lightly
spiced salad is one of my favorite ways to com-
plete the meal.
TAMATYA-KANDYACHI KOSHIMBIR
(TOMATO-ONION SALAD)
SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES
If you are not fond of raw onion, substitute
¼ cup of crushed peanuts.
4 large, firm tomatoes, cored and cut into
¼-inch dice
½ teaspoon table salt
1 Thai green chile, sliced
Pinch sugar
1 large onion, chopped fine
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons grated fresh coconut (optional)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
(optional)
Stir tomatoes, salt, Thai chile, and sugar
together in bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow
flavors to meld. Stir in onion and cumin. Serve,
garnishing with coconut and cilantro, if using.
8. Repeat with remaining parathas, wiping out skil-
let with paper towels between each paratha and briefly
removing skillet from heat if it begins to smoke or if
paratha browns too quickly. Serve hot. (Parathas can
be stacked between layers of parchment paper, placed
in zipper-lock bag, and refriger-
ated for up to 2 days; to refresh,
heat 10-inch cast-iron skillet over
medium heat for 5 minutes, then
reduce heat to low. Cook paratha
until warmed through, flipping
3 times, 10 to 15 seconds per side.) SCAN FOR VIDEO
PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE
 A Hands-Off Way to Sear Shrimp
For tender, succulent, spotty-brown shrimp, let your broiler do the work.
j BY ANNIE PETITO k

T
he broiler is an unsung hero in
the kitchen: It preheats quickly,
transfers heat more efficiently
than the ambient waves of the
oven’s bake setting, and in certain appli-
cations requires less babysitting than the
stovetop. Take shrimp, for example, which
cook so rapidly in a hot pan that they must
be constantly monitored. Spreading them
out on a baking sheet and broiling them,
I hoped, would be a more hands-off way
to “sear” the pieces, since I could strategi-
cally distance them from the broiler’s fierce
element. If I found that sweet spot, I could
achieve a tray of snappy, lightly charred
shrimp to top rice, noodles, or salads or
swipe through cocktail sauce.
When shopping for shrimp, I gravitate
toward the extra-large size—they’re meaty
but conveniently bite-size, perfect for every-
day applications. After peeling and deveining
them, I salted them for 15 minutes so that
they’d be thoroughly seasoned and hang
on to their moisture during cooking. Then
I thoroughly blotted them dry, hoping that
would allow their surfaces to brown.
But no matter where I positioned the
oven rack—within 2 inches or as far as
8 inches from the broiler element—the
PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE
GARLICKY BROILED SHRIMP
SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE OR 6 AS AN APPETIZER
TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES
We prefer untreated shrimp; if yours are treated with
salt or additives such as sodium tripolyphosphate, skip
the salting in step 1. This recipe was developed with
Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you’re using Morton,
which is denser, use a little less than ½ teaspoon.
A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the
garlic into a paste. For a simpler flavor profile suit-
able for serving with cocktail sauce or adding to salad
or pasta, omit the garlic and red pepper flakes. Our
recipe for Hot Honey Broiled Shrimp is available for
free for four months at CooksIllustrated.com/apr22.
1½pounds extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per
pound), peeled and deveined, tails left on
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
6 garlic cloves, minced to paste
½–¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Requiring no Lemon wedges
flipping or fussing,
these shrimp 1. Toss shrimp and salt together in bowl; set aside
cook through in and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes.
just 5 minutes. 2. Combine butter and honey in small bowl.
Cover and microwave until butter is melted, 30 to

shrimp cooked through before taking on any attrac- sheet so that the heat could circulate around each 60 seconds. Add garlic and pepper flakes and stir to
tive, flavorful char. The problem wasn’t the broiler piece—and tried coating the pieces with various combine. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. While
itself; the rack positions offered plenty of range for sources of fat and sugar in hopes of boosting brown- mixture cools, adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler
harnessing its radiant heat, which is focused and ing. Melted butter was a great start—and a better element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet
intense at close range and more diffuse with distance. option than oil—thanks to its quick-browning milk with aluminum foil and set wire rack in sheet.
The problem was that shrimp cook quickly and lack solids. A sprinkle of sugar nudged the browning a 3. Spread out shrimp on large plate or cutting
sufficient fat to undergo rapid browning. little further, but not nearly as much as honey. The board and pat dry with paper towels. Return to bowl
So I zeroed in on the setup that produced the latter’s reducing sugars catalyzed the color develop- and pour butter mixture over shrimp. Toss until
plumpest, most succulent shrimp—4 inches below ment almost instantly. I incorporated a tablespoon shrimp are thoroughly and evenly coated, including
the element, elevated on a wire rack in the baking into the butter and then coated the shrimp thor- where they are split from deveining (it’s OK if butter
oughly in the mixture, especially in and along the starts to solidify). Arrange shrimp in single layer on
crevices where they’d been deveined so that those prepared rack.
S C I E N C E Keys to Quick Browning ridges would char attractively. 4. Broil until shrimp are opaque throughout and
Shrimp are so small and lean that it’s Briny-sweet and juicy with toasty bits of char, beginning to lightly char in spots, 3 to 5 minutes.
difficult to achieve flavorful, rich char the shrimp were a treat straight off the pan. And Transfer shrimp to serving platter and serve, passing
on their exteriors before their interi- the formula was easy to dress up with bold season- lemon wedges separately.
ors become rubbery. To encourage ings: Loads of garlic and
more-rapid browning, we coat the red pepper flakes paid trib- SMOKY, SPICED BROILED SHRIMP
shrimp in a mixture of butter and honey: ute to scampi, while smoked
The butter’s milk solids bronze readily paprika, cumin, and coriander Omit garlic and pepper flakes. Stir 1½ teaspoons
in the heat of the oven, and made for a smoky spice blend, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and
honey contains fructose, freshened up with a shower of 1 teaspoon ground coriander into warm honey-butter
which can caramelize more cilantro. Suffice it to say, the mixture before cooling. Sprinkle cooked shrimp with
rapidly than white sugar. broiler finally got its due. SCAN FOR VIDEO 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

march & april 2022

11
 A Love Letter to Simple Fried Rice
Tap into the sheer joy that is tender-chewy, delicately seasoned, twice-cooked rice.
j BY LAN LAM k

M
y grandmother made rice-lover’s
fried rice: a heap of steamed jas-
mine that she seasoned subtly and
cluttered judiciously with mix-ins
so as not to obscure the grains’ delicate fragrance
and tender chew. It was strictly a leftovers dish,
but she planned for it as deliberately as any other
stir-fry, cooking a big batch of rice for our meal the
day before so that there’d be plenty to cook with
later. Along the way, she saw to it that I learned
how to execute a proper pot. Perching me on a
chair beside her, she’d swish and swirl my hand
through the soaking grains until the water clouded,
and she taught me to strain off the starchy liquid
and repeat the rinsing process two more times so
that the rice wouldn’t cook up sticky. She’d flatten
her hand over the damp, ivory kernels and instruct
me to add enough cooking water to just cover the
knuckle of her pointer finger. Years later, when
I got older and my hand got bigger, I was allowed
to measure the water with my own knuckle.
When it was time to stir-fry, she’d slick the wok
with oil; sizzle some chopped scallions; and then toss
the stiff, brittle clumps of cooked rice in the oniony
fat so that they mopped up its aromatic savoriness
and relaxed into pliant, distinct grains. That gloss
of infused oil plus salt and pepper and the jasmine’s
popcorn-y aroma accounted for most of the dish’s
flavor. Whatever chopped-up proteins and vegetables
were being repurposed—lap cheong (salty-sweet
Chinese pork sausage), eggs, carrots, shrimp, peas—
were there as pops of crunch, chew, and succulence.
Cooking with her was a master class in restraint,
and to my mind that approach still delivers the nicest,
easiest fried rice. There’s no garlic or ginger to mince,
no spices or curry paste to bloom, and no sauce to
mix up, which keeps the prep work minimal and the
backdrop neutral and cozy—not plain, but simply
devoted to the loveliness of the namesake ingredient.
Cantonese egg fried rice might be the closest analog,
but what she made reflected her life in both China
and Vietnam and was very much her own. Same goes
Chopping the mix-ins into small pieces makes them easy to eat
for the version I’ve created here, which is as much a
PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE
and delivers a balance of flavors and textures in each bite.
tribute to her approach as it is an extension of it.

THE NICEST RICE FOR FRYING
Making fried rice is a great way to use up
the dry, clumpy leftover grains that you have
in the fridge, but if you’re feeding multiple
people you’ll probably need to make extra
rice for stir-frying. Here are three steps we
always take when cooking rice for fried rice.
RINSE AND COOK IN ADVANCE Fried rice is best TEMPER; THEN STIR-FRY
1 2 3
DRAIN WELL made with day-old rice. The starch mole- If you’re working with fridge-cold
It’s important to rid the cules in cooked rice crystallize (or retrograde) rice, let it sit at room temperature while
raw grains of surface starch during chilling, and the hard, dry clumps of you prep the other ingredients so that
so that the cooked rice rice separate easily into individual grains that can the clumps soften and become easier to
isn’t too sticky and readily be thoroughly coated in the flavorful seasoned oil. break apart during cooking. Alternatively,
breaks apart into individual When stir-fried, these grains will turn pleasantly microwave it at 50 percent power for
grains as you stir-fry it. tender-firm—but not mushy. 2 minutes.

cook’s illustrated
12
 SMOKING-HOT SCRAMBLED EGGS
Pockets of fluffy scrambled eggs are a fried-rice
staple, and the key to their texture is to cook them
hot and fast. Poured into oil that’s just beginning
to smoke (not merely shimmering), the eggs puff as
their water rapidly turns to steam and their proteins
set. In less than a minute, they’re tender enough to
break apart easily but still hold their shape as you
toss them in the rice.
Seasoned with Scallions
Jasmine has always been my default rice, and it’s espe-
cially worth using in a stripped-down stir-fry such as
this, where its delicate fragrance can stand out. As with
any type of fried rice, day-old stuff is best. The dry,
clumpy grains can be pushed around the high, sloped
sides of the wok without turning mushy, and after a
few minutes the stove’s heat restores just enough of
their tenderness to make them pleasantly firm.
The more nuanced work of making simple fried
rice is seasoning it, and the magic of scallion-infused
oil can’t be overstated. When you slice and toast the
white part of the stalk in neutral oil and then toss
the rice in it to coat, the grassy, fatty-tasting hot oil
saturates each grain with beguilingly pervasive savori-
ness. Paired with ample salt and pepper, the effect is
quiet but deliberate—and so tasty.
In the Mix
While stir-frying and seasoning the rice, I press down
on the clumps with a spatula to break them up so
that they separate into fluffy, distinct grains that
easily merge with the mix-ins, and I aim for a ratio
of roughly 1 part chopped proteins and vegetables
to 2½ parts rice so that the finished product is
appropriately grain-heavy. Sometimes it’s a fridge
clean-out: cubed roast chicken, a handful of bean
sprouts, punchy bits of ya cai (fermented Sichuan
mustard greens), lacy shreds of napa cabbage. But
when I plan for it, I tend to go for a combination of
ham, carrots, peas, and egg. There’s virtually no prep
work, and in between the tender chew of the grains
of rice are smoky, meaty morsels of ham; sweet pops
of vegetables; and—when I scramble them hot and
fast—gently puffed egg curds. (For more informa-
tion, see “Smoking-Hot Scrambled Eggs.”)
The only real strategy is to add the ingredients
based on how much cooking they need. Eggs always
go first, since they should be fully set. When wisps
of smoke rise from the pan, I pour in the sunny
whisked liquid and gently pile the puffed curds
atop each other while allowing the still-runny egg
to spill across the wok and cook. After shuttling
them onto a plate to cool, I stir-fry dense produce
such as carrots or broccoli until
they’re mostly tender, followed
by precooked proteins such as
ham and naturally tender items
such as peppers or snap peas.
Those items get moved to a
SCAN FOR VIDEO plate while the oil is seasoned
Fragrance
You Can Taste
It’s fine to use conven-
tional white rice when
you’re seasoning the dish
with assertive aromatics and
sauces. But in simple fried rice, it’s
STAMP OF
worth seeking out a fragrant
APPROVAL
variety such as jasmine. Native Packages of
to Thailand and a staple of high-quality jasmine
many East and Southeast Asian rice bear this
and the rice stir-fried, and then I stir the precooked cuisines, jasmine rice has a highly green seal.
proteins and vegetables into the hot rice along with prized aroma, due in part to its high concentration
peas and anything else that just needs to warm of a delicately popcorn-like, floral-smelling com-
through. Raw sliced scallion greens are added at the pound called 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP). The gold
end, bringing bursts of sharp, oniony bite—the flip standard strain of jasmine, known as Hom Mali
side of that subtle yet unmistakable allium savoriness (“good smelling”), receives special government
that glossed the grains. certification, and packages of jasmine rice that are
tested to be purebred descendents of that strain,
SIMPLE FRIED RICE including our favorite, from Dynasty, are stamped
SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES with a green seal from Thailand’s Department of
Foreign Trade.
We prefer jasmine rice, but you can use any long-grain
white rice in this recipe. Day-old rice works best; in
a pinch, cook your rice 2 hours ahead, spread it on cook, stirring frequently and pressing on rice with
a rimmed baking sheet, and let it cool completely spatula to break up clumps, until grains are separate
before chilling it for 30 minutes. All rice should be and heated through, 2 to 5 minutes longer. Add peas,
roughly room temperature when you stir-fry. Our egg mixture, and scallion greens and cook, stirring
recipe for Simple Fried Rice for Two is available for frequently and using edge of spatula to break eggs
free for four months at CooksIllustrated.com/apr22. into small pieces, until peas are warmed through,
about 2 minutes. Serve.
3 large eggs
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided Customize Your Mix-Ins
1 carrot, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces You can change up fried rice with almost any-
4 ounces ham steak, cut into ½-inch pieces thing. Here are my favorites, grouped by how
(¾ cup) much cooking they need. Plan on adding a total
4 scallions, white and green parts separated of 1½ cups.
and sliced
4 cups cooked jasmine rice, room temperature Stir-fry separately until tender (2 to 4 minutes),
¼ teaspoon pepper then stir-fry with hot rice to finish cooking
½ cup frozen peas (about 2 minutes)
1. Beat eggs and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl until Broccoli ½-inch pieces
well combined. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 14-inch Mushrooms ¾-inch pieces
flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch carbon-steel or Shallot/onion ½-inch pieces
cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until oil is
just smoking. Add eggs and cook, stirring frequently, Stir-fry separately until warmed through
until very little liquid egg remains, 30 to 60 seconds. (1 to 2 minutes), then stir-fry with hot rice
Transfer to large plate. to finish cooking (about 2 minutes)
2. Add 1 teaspoon oil to now-empty wok and
reduce heat to medium. Add carrot and ¼ teaspoon Bell pepper ¼-inch pieces
salt and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning Bok choy ¼-inch slices
to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add ham and cook, stir- Char siu ½-inch pieces
ring frequently, until ham is warmed through, 1 to Roast chicken ½-inch pieces
2 minutes. Transfer to plate with eggs. Spam ½-inch pieces
3. Add scallion whites and remaining 1 tablespoon Sugar snap peas ¼-inch slices
oil to now-empty wok. Cook, stirring constantly,
until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rice and stir until Stir into hot rice and stir-fry until warmed
combined. (It’s OK if some clumps of rice remain.) through (1 to 2 minutes)
Spread into even layer. Sprinkle pepper and remain-
ing 1 teaspoon salt evenly over rice. Continue to Bean sprouts
Napa cabbage finely shredded
Ya cai
march & april 2022
13
 Pescatarian Pantry Pasta
Oil-packed tuna stars in the gutsy weeknight savior that is spaghetti al tonno.
j BY ADAM RIED k

T
SPAGHETTI AL TONNO
he ingredients are familiar— SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES
al dente pasta, meaty canned
tuna, sweet tomatoes, heady We prefer spaghetti or linguine for this dish, but
garlic, and plenty of extra-virgin short or tubular shapes such as penne, fusilli,
olive oil to round things out—but the farfalle, ziti, or rigatoni also work. Likewise, we
resulting tangle, known as pasta al tonno, prefer oil-packed tuna, but if you happen to have
is anything but pedestrian. The prove- water-packed tuna instead, don’t let that stop you.
nance of this satisfying Italian staple is For a spicier dish, use the full ½ teaspoon of red
unknown, but I do know that it delivers pepper flakes.
big flavor and practicality, making it ideal
to keep on file for midweek suppers. 2 (5- to 7-ounce) jars/cans olive oil–packed
The formula is loose—every family has tuna, drained
its own routine for seasoning a simple 1 tablespoon lemon juice
tomato sauce with aromatics, folding in 1 teaspoon table salt, divided, plus salt for
tuna, and combining it with pasta—so cooking pasta
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
I ran a series of tests to crystallize my wish
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra
list. I wanted a tuna-forward sauce accented
for drizzling (optional)
by tomato, not the inverse, as presented in 1½ tablespoons minced garlic, divided
some recipes. That would mean two jars (or 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and minced
cans) of fish to a pound of pasta. Speaking ¼–½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
of pasta, spaghetti was more alluring than 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes,
chunky shapes; I liked the way it cradled drained with juice reserved, crushed by
the flakes of tuna. hand to small pieces
For the tomato, I opted for canned, not 12 ounces spaghetti
fresh, because at its heart, pasta al tonno 6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
is a meal from the cupboard. I preferred
small, supple pieces strewn throughout the Finish the pasta with grassy fresh parsley and a gloss of olive oil. 1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot.
spaghetti strands, so I opted to hand-crush While water comes to boil, gently stir tuna, lemon
the whole type into soft, irregular shapes. minced anchovies supported the dish with a savory juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper
Eschewing a kitchen-sink approach, I skipped the backbone. After stirring the tomatoes into the aro- together in small bowl.
onion, wine, oregano, and basil found in some itera- matics, I let the sauce bubble gently to thicken it up. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon garlic,
tions. Olives and capers gave off puttanesca vibes, so On to the tuna. First off, I wholeheartedly agree anchovies, and pepper flakes in saucepan over
I left them out, too. On the other hand, garlic—and with the prevailing recommendation to use the olive medium heat, stirring occasionally, until oil sizzles
lots of it—was essential. To capture the allium’s oil–packed type. In both flavor and texture, it eas- gently and anchovies break down, 1½ to 2 minutes.
broad range, I added it in two stages, sizzling some ily edges out the water-packed stuff. What’s more, Stir in tomatoes and their juice and ½ teaspoon salt.
in olive oil for nutty sweetness and just warming if budget and availability allow, a high-end brand can Increase heat to high and bring to strong simmer.
some through in the hot pasta for an assertive edge. really elevate the dish. Adjust heat to maintain gentle simmer and cook,
Red pepper flakes heated things up a bit, while a few To ensure that the tuna tasted its best, I bor- stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 6 to
rowed a trick from one of our tuna salad recipes 7 minutes. Cover and keep warm over low heat.
and seasoned it with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. 3. Add spaghetti and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling
Next-Level Tuna These simple additions really perked things up. Since water. Cook, stirring often, until barely al dente.
With rich flavor and silky, cooking tinned fish risks drying it out, I added the Reserve ½ cup cooking water. Drain pasta and
thick-cut yellowfin fillets, our tuna to slightly underdone spaghetti along with the return it to pot. Off heat, add tomato mixture,
favorite oil-packed tuna— tomato sauce and then let everything sit off the heat, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, remaining ¼ teaspoon
Tonnino Tuna Fillets in Olive covered, for 3 minutes. This not only warmed the pepper, and remaining 1½ teaspoons garlic and toss
Oil—is a step above most fish through gently so that it stayed moist but also until pasta is well coated. Add tuna mixture and toss
brands. It costs a few extra hedged against mushy spaghetti. gently. Cover and set aside for 3 minutes so flavors
dollars, but it yields pasta al Tucking into the finished dish, I noticed that it can meld and pasta can finish cooking.
tonno that’s posh enough for seemed a little heavy on pasta. Dropping the amount 4. Adjust consistency of sauce with reserved
company, and it can bring a from 16 ounces to 12 produced a more balanced, cooking water as needed. Add ¼ cup parsley and
luxurious touch to any week- saucier dish that easily served four. remaining 2 tablespoons oil and toss to combine.
night meal. And there you have it: spaghetti al tonno. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Distribute
Down-to-earth? Absolutely. Dull? Not a chance. among pasta bowls. Drizzle each portion with
extra oil, if using. Sprinkle with remaining 2 table-
spoons parsley and serve.
PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE cook’s illustrated
14
 Why You’ll Love Roasted Kale
Just 10 minutes in the oven unlocks a variety of vivid textures in the brassica.
E
ven the cynics have to admit: Kale has
range. Raw, its leaves are tenacious and
hearty, but a brief stint on the stovetop
renders the vegetable moist and tender,
and a long, low period in the oven produces crispy,
shattery chips. And as I recently discovered, roast-
ing can capture the many faces of cooked kale on
a single baking sheet. In just 10 minutes in a hot
oven, the leaves turn a deep emerald color and
take on a delightful mélange of textures: crunchy,
browned edges; crisped centers; and still-tender
wilted spots. It’s the most versatile of dishes,
equally capable of accompanying a simple entrée
and melding seamlessly into pastas, scrambles, or
grain bowls when you’re clearing out the fridge.
There are generally two widely available options
when it comes to kale—Tuscan (also known as
dinosaur or lacinato) and curly. Tuscan kale gets a
lot of love for its more tender leaves, but the frilly,
more fibrous curly kale actually works better here: Its
leaves retain some volume and featheriness, while the
crinkly edges crisp and brown dramatically.
After rinsing and stripping the leaves from the
tough stems of a pound’s worth of kale (enough to
serve four but still roast on a single sheet), I tore the
leaves into 1½- to 2-inch pieces, which would wilt
to bite-size. To get the kale to brown, I knew it was
crucial that it be rid of most of its excess moisture, so
I broke out my salad spinner, spinning the leaves in
batches until most of the water was whisked away.
(Leaving a few beads of water on the leaves helped
them soften during roasting.)
Oil is key to attaining browning during roasting,
but a quick toss didn’t thoroughly coat the ruffled
leaves. Instead, I opted to take the time to spread
GIVE IT A SQUEEZE
PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE
There are two benefits to massaging the kale
before roasting it: It evenly distributes the season-
ings and oil and it begins to tenderize the leaves.
j BY ANNIE PETITO k
A little bit kale chip, a little bit sautéed green, roasted
kale boasts an array of textures.
the spun leaves directly on the sheet where they’d
roast; drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of vegetable
oil, along with some salt; and massage the oil and
salt into the leaves. In addition to being the most
efficient way to coat the kale, kneading and squeezing
also breaks down the kale’s cell walls, darkening and
tenderizing the leaves. Sure enough, just a minute
after I began the process, the leaves began to soften,
which transformed the mountainous pile into some-
thing manageable and evenly settled on the sheet.
With that, all that was left to do was roast. I slid
the tray into a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes; the
relatively high temperature encouraged browning and
cooked the greens through quickly without drying
them out. It wasn’t necessary to toss the leaves; in fact,
leaving them be was key to attaining myriad textures:
Pieces near the bottom were tender, as if sautéed; those
closer to the top were crisp; and others made an audible
crunch when eaten because of their deep browning.
Roasted kale can certainly stand on its own, but
I found that adding garlic, red pepper flakes, and
lemon to the mixture before roasting made the kale
downright snackable. What’s more, the dish is so
versatile that it’s easy to swap out the seasonings:
Parmesan, shallot, and nutmeg turned the kale warm
and nutty, and grated fresh ginger with coriander
and unsweetened coconut chips (added after cook-
ing) gave the greens a rich, citrusy sweetness.
march & april 2022
15
ROASTED KALE WITH GARLIC,
RED PEPPER FLAKES, AND LEMON
SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES
Washing the kale and drying it in the salad spinner
leaves it with just the right amount of surface mois-
ture to facilitate cooking; kneading and squeezing
the kale helps soften its texture and evenly distributes
seasonings—do not skip these steps. Kale bunches
can vary in the amount of usable leaves; buy 1 pound
to ensure that you end up with 12 cups (10 ounces)
of kale pieces. To minimize waste, look for bunches
where leaves run the length of the stem. Serve the
kale as a side dish or mix it into pastas, scrambles, or
grain bowls. For some kale shopping tips, see page 28.
1 pound curly kale, stemmed and torn into
1½- to 2-inch pieces (12 cups)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and
heat oven to 400 degrees. Working in 3 batches,
wash kale and spin in salad spinner until leaves are
mostly dry. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet.
2. Combine oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper
flakes in small bowl. Drizzle over kale. Gently knead
and squeeze kale until leaves are evenly coated in oil
mixture, have started to soften, and
are slightly wilted, about 1 minute.
3. Roast kale until leaves are
tender and some edges of leaves are
crisp and brown, about 10 min-
utes. Serve immediately (leaves will
soften as they stand). SCAN FOR VIDEO
ROASTED KALE WITH CORIANDER,
GINGER, AND COCONUT
Omit lemon zest. Substitute 2 teaspoons grated fresh
ginger for garlic and ½ teaspoon ground coriander
for pepper flakes. Sprinkle ½ cup unsweetened
coconut chips over kale after roasting.
ROASTED KALE WITH PARMESAN,
SHALLOT, AND NUTMEG
Substitute ½ cup grated Parmesan for garlic, 2 table-
spoons minced shallot for lemon zest, and ground
nutmeg for pepper flakes.
The Starchy Secrets
to Cooking Potatoes
Starch is the key to the fluffy, crispy, creamy textures
Why Temp a Baked Potato?
that make potatoes so good. The trick is harnessing When baking a russet potato, our goal is
it to your advantage. BY ELIZABETH BOMZE AND DAN SOUZA for its starch to soak up so much intersti-
tial water that its cells swell and separate,
rendering the interior uniformly dry and
There are more than 4,000 varieties of potatoes in the world, all of which contain water and lots of starch, fluffy. We found that this happens when
which exists as microscopic granules within a potato’s cells. The amount of starch in a given variety and the way the spud’s core surpasses 205 degrees, so
you manipulate the tuber before, during, and after cooking are largely responsible for a potato’s cooked texture. it’s important to check its doneness with
a thermometer.

3 KEY TYPES These common potatoes span the starch spectrum and can cover a wide
range of spud cookery.
BEST BAKED POTATOES
SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 1½ HOURS

Dipping the potatoes in salty water before baking

seasons their skin; brushing them with vegetable
oil once they’re cooked through and then baking
them for another 10 minutes crisps them up so
that they crackle. Be sure to open up the potatoes
immediately after removing them from the oven
in step 3 so that steam can escape; otherwise, that
trapped moisture will make the interior gluey.

RUSSET YUKON GOLD RED Table salt for tossing potatoes

4 (7- to 9-ounce) russet potatoes, unpeeled,
STARCH CONTENT: High (at least STARCH CONTENT: Medium STARCH CONTENT: Low each lightly pricked with fork in 6 places
20 percent by weight) (16 to 18 percent by weight) (about 16 percent by weight) 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
COOKED TEXTURE: Dry, fluffy COOKED TEXTURE: Velvety COOKED TEXTURE: Firm, creamy

FLAVOR: Earthy, mild FLAVOR: Buttery, sweet FLAVOR: Mineral-y, sweet 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and
HOW TO COOK: Bake, roast, HOW TO COOK: Roast, mash, fry HOW TO COOK: Braise; boil for heat oven to 450 degrees. Dissolve 2 tablespoons
mash, fry salads, soups, and stews salt in ½ cup water in large bowl. Place potatoes
in bowl and toss so exteriors of potatoes are
evenly moistened. Transfer potatoes to wire rack
How Starch Content Affects Cooked Texture set in rimmed baking sheet and bake until center
When cooked, the cells of starchier spuds such as russets soak up more cooking water and interstitial of largest potato registers 205 degrees, 45 min-
moisture, which causes their cells to swell and push each other apart, resulting in a dry, fluffy interior that utes to 1 hour.
eagerly soaks up flavorful liquids such as cream and butter. Meanwhile, low-starch varieties such as red 2. Remove potatoes from oven and brush
potatoes absorb less moisture into their cells and thus contain more free moisture. That water gets absorbed tops and sides with oil. Return potatoes to oven
by pectin that’s released from the cell walls during cooking and forms a gel that holds the cells together, and continue to bake 10 minutes longer.
creating a waxy potato’s famously dense, creamy consistency. The moderate starch content and absorption of 3. Remove potatoes from oven and, using par-
Yukon Gold potatoes is what makes them so versatile; they cook up neither dry nor dense but velvety. ing knife, make 2 slits, forming X, in each potato.
Cooking cubes of each potato type in water dyed deep blue shows the difference in absorption. The dye Using clean dish towel, hold ends and squeeze
travels deep into the russets, seeps a little into the Yukon Golds, and forms only a thin line around the exte- slightly to push flesh up and out. Season with salt
rior of the red potatoes. and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE

WANT MORE
SPUD SCIENCE?
For an even deeper
dive into how potato
starches work, plus tips
for making perfect mashed potatoes, scan this
RUSSET YUKON GOLD RED code for the What’s Eating Dan? episode
“The Science Behind Potatoes and Why
the Type Matters” on YouTube.
cook’s illustrated
16
 CLASSIC MASHED POTATOES
SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES
We call for starting the potatoes in cold water,
since adding them to boiling water will cause
their exteriors to overcook and slough off
before the interior cooks through. Boiling
them until they’re just tender—but not falling
apart—helps limit the amount of loose starch
in the mix, minimizing gumminess.
2 pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup warm half-and-half
1½ teaspoons table salt
1. Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover
with 1 inch water. Bring to boil over high heat;
reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until
potatoes are tender (paring knife can be slipped
into and out of center of potatoes with very little
resistance), 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.
2. Set ricer or food mill over now-empty
saucepan (saucepan should still be warm). Spear
1 potato with dinner fork, then peel back skin
with paring knife. Repeat with remaining pota-
toes. Working in batches, cut peeled potatoes
into rough chunks. Using ricer or food mill, rice
or process potatoes into saucepan.
3. Stir in melted butter until incorporated;
gently stir in half-and-half, salt, and pepper to
taste. Serve immediately.
How We Make a Better
Mash
Rice, Don’t Mash: Unlike conventional
potato mashers, which require repeated
smashing that can burst the spuds’ cells
and cause them to spill gluey starch, a ricer
forces each cooked spud through a perfo-
rated disk only once. Thus, fewer cells burst,
and the resulting mash is creamy, not gluey.
Add Butter Before Liquid: Stirring melted
butter into cooked potatoes before add-
ing cream coats their starch molecules and
blocks them from absorbing water that
would otherwise make them gummy.
Mushy Paste Crisp Crust
For extra-crusty exteriors on our roasted
potatoes, we add a dash of baking soda to
the water as they parboil. The alkaline envi-
ronment breaks down pectin in the potatoes’
cell walls, causing their surface layer to fall
apart and release starch that forms a pasty
film. Then we further rough up their surface
by tossing them with the fat and salt so that
the pasty film thickens. When water in the
film evaporates during roasting, the starch
that’s left behind crisps and browns deeply.
DUCK FAT ROASTED POTATOES
SERVES 6 TOTAL TIME: 1¼ HOURS
Animal fat contributes incredibly savory flavor.
Duck fat can be found in many supermarket meat
sections, or you can substitute chicken fat, lard,
or a 50/50 mixture of bacon fat and olive oil.
3½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and
cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus salt for
boiling potatoes
½ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons duck fat, melted, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1. Adjust oven rack to top position. Place
rimmed baking sheet on rack and heat oven to
475 degrees.
2. Bring 10 cups water to boil in Dutch oven
over high heat. Add potatoes, ⅓ cup salt, and
baking soda. Return to boil, cook for 1 minute,
and drain. Return potatoes to pot and cook over
low heat, shaking pot occasionally, until surface
moisture has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Off
heat, add 5 tablespoons fat and salt; mix with
rubber spatula until potatoes are coated with
thick paste, about 30 seconds.
3. Remove sheet from oven and add potatoes,
spreading into even layer. Roast for 15 minutes.
4. Remove sheet from oven. Using thin metal
spatula, turn potatoes. Roast until golden brown,
12 to 15 minutes. While potatoes roast, combine
rosemary and remaining 1 tablespoon fat in bowl.
5. Remove sheet from oven. Spoon rosemary
mixture over potatoes and turn again. Continue
to roast until potatoes are well browned and rose-
mary is fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Season
with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
march & april 2022
17
BRAISED RED POTATOES
WITH LEMON AND CHIVES
SERVES 4 TO 6 TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES
Once the water boils away, the butter in the
skillet browns the cut sides of the potatoes for
a crisp-creamy interplay. Alter the seasonings as
you like; try trading the lemon juice and chives
for miso and scallions or Dijon and tarragon.
1½ pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled,
halved
2 cups water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 sprigs fresh thyme
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1. Arrange potatoes in single layer, cut side
down, in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add water,
butter, garlic, thyme sprigs, and salt and bring
to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat
to medium; cover; and simmer until potatoes
are just tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Remove lid and transfer garlic to cutting
board; discard thyme sprigs. Increase heat to
medium-high and vigorously simmer, swirling
skillet occasionally, until water evaporates and
butter starts to sizzle, 15 to 20 minutes. When
cool enough to handle, mince garlic to paste.
Transfer garlic paste to bowl and stir in lemon
juice and pepper.
3. Continue to cook potatoes, swirling skillet
frequently, until butter browns and cut sides
of potatoes turn spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes
longer. Off heat, add garlic mixture and chives
and toss to thoroughly coat. Serve immediately.
How Waxy Spuds Turn Silky
As the red potatoes in our recipe simmer, they
soften but remain largely intact because their plump,
moist cells nestle closely together, creating a dense,
silky-smooth texture. Cooking them long enough
that they absorb as much moisture as possible maxi-
mizes this effect.
 Treat Yourself to Matzo Brei
Broken-up matzo cooked with eggs is Passover comfort food. It also happens to be
one of the easiest, heartiest, most versatile scrambles you can make.
I
f you’ve ever wanted another way to
harness the transformative power of
butter or schmaltz, you should make
matzo brei. If you’re always on the
lookout for quick, comforting meals, you
should make matzo brei. If you’ve ever
eaten scrambled eggs and thought, “These
could be better,” you should make matzo
brei. If you think anything made with
matzo tastes bland and lean, you should
make matzo brei.
I’ll stop there, since there are as many
reasons to make matzo brei as there are
ways to make it.
“Matzo brei” is Yiddish for “fried
matzo.” (The “brei” conveniently rhymes
with “fry.”) This simple Ashkenazi dish of
eggs, matzo (unleavened flatbread made
from flour and water), and fat is eaten during
Passover, the Jewish holiday during which
observers avoid eating leavened food. The
requisite steps go something like this: Break
sheets of matzo into pieces, soften them in
liquid (water or milk), mix them with eggs,
and then scramble everything in fat. Those
details in between? They all depend on what
you grew up with and what you’re used to.
“Matzo brei is a blank canvas,” said
Jake Cohen, author of Jew-ish: Reinvented
Recipes from a Modern Mensch (2021). “For
many people, it could be the thing that
changes their minds about matzo.”
My First Brei
The first brei I had was cooked on a hot
plate in my friend’s college dorm room. She had
sautéed some onion in butter before adding the
egg-matzo mixture to the pan and folding it all
together for a minute or two. The result was deeply
savory, and its texture—with its tender pockets of
egg-coated matzo—was more substantial and satisfy-
ing than any plate of scrambled eggs I’d ever eaten.
“Matzo brei is a blank canvas.
For many people, it could be the
thing that changes their minds
about matzo.”
–Jake Cohen, author of Jew-ish: Reinvented
Recipes from a Modern Mensch (2021)
j BY MARI LEVINE k
you’re going to do chicken livers, you might
as well do green and red onions with them.”
Other ideas for spiffing up the scramble
that arose from my conversations with
Nathan and Cohen: sautéed mushrooms,
crispy pastrami, peanut butter and bananas,
and stewed rhubarb.
Brei Basics
But you can’t have great matzo brei without
nailing the building blocks, starting with the
egg-to-matzo ratio. You can use as little as
one egg per sheet, which sufficiently binds
up the matzo shards, but I prefer my fried
matzo to have a more substantial scrambled
egg presence. Three eggs per two sheets,
I found, is enough to thoroughly coat the
matzo pieces without overwhelming them.
As for the soaking liquid, water (many cooks
rinse matzo under the faucet) and milk work
perfectly well, but I realized that I could do
without either one if I simply dunked the
broken pieces right into the whisked eggs.
It saves a step, and as long as I let them
hydrate in the eggs for a few minutes, the
matzo softens without turning soggy.
Meanwhile, matzo brei’s flavor is
largely bound up in the fat and additional
seasonings, which is why I always use
nutty-tasting butter for a sweet scramble or
schmaltz when I’m going for savory. And
I’m generous with it—both for the flavor
Sautéed onions and plenty of salt and pepper make it delivers and to pay off the “brei” that the
even plain matzo brei taste supersavory. name promises.
Onions are the other key to matzo brei
In the 20 years since then, I’ve made matzo brei with a savory backbone, so I usually start by chop-
countless times—always during Passover but also any ping and sautéing a big handful in the fat until it’s
time I’ve had a box of matzo to use up or wanted a soft and just shy of browned. (Alternatively, you
heartier, more dynamic plate of eggs. Because one of can use caramelized onions.) Then I pour in the
the best things about fried matzo is that it’s infinitely egg-matzo mixture, gently stirring and folding
customizable. You can cook it like a pancake in a everything together over medium heat until the eggs
PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE
single layer or stir it up like a scramble. You can make are just cooked through and most of the scramble
it sweet or savory and zhuzh it up with just about any sets up into rustic, tender, two-bite clumps. That’s
condiment: hot sauce, maple syrup, jam, applesauce, all there is to it, save for lib-
sour cream, or ketchup. And the flavor is neutral, so eral doses of salt and pepper
it can easily be the foundation for more elaborate and sometimes a last-minute
riffs. When I talked to legendary Jewish cookbook handful of fresh herbs (I like
author Joan Nathan, the conversation turned into a dill and chives). Be gener-
brainstorm of possible mix-ins. ous with the seasonings—the
“I happen to really love chicken livers, so I would main ingredient in matzo
put them in,” Nathan said. “And then, of course, if brei is still matzo, after all. SCAN FOR VIDEO
cook’s illustrated
18
 Make It Savory or Sweet
SMOKED
SALMON AND DILL
Transfer to serving dish; top
with 1 ounce smoked salmon,
torn into ½-inch strips; sprinkle
with 1 tablespoon chopped
fresh dill; pass crème fraîche
separately.
MATZO BREI
SERVES 2 TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES
The brittleness of matzo makes it challenging to
break into uniform pieces; don’t worry if yours are
slightly irregular. Different brands of matzo hydrate
at slightly different rates; start checking for softness
at the beginning of the time range in step 2. Matzo
brei can be served with condiments such as sour
cream, crème fraîche, yogurt, hot sauce, applesauce,
or ketchup.
2½ tablespoons unsalted butter or schmaltz
⅔ cup chopped onion
½ teaspoon pepper, divided
¼ teaspoon table salt, divided
3 large eggs
2 sheets plain, unsalted matzo (about 2 ounces),
broken into approximate 1½-inch pieces
1. Melt butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over
medium heat. Add onion, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and
⅛ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally,
until onion has softened and started to brown, 6 to
8 minutes.
PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF STREIT’S MATZOS
2. While onion cooks, whisk eggs, remaining
¼ teaspoon pepper, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt
in medium bowl until no streaks of white remain.
Add matzo pieces to egg mixture. Stir and fold until
matzo is thoroughly coated with egg and pieces have
softened (they should maintain their shape, but you
should be able to break them easily with spatula),
2 to 4 minutes.
3. Add matzo mixture to skillet and gently but
constantly stir and fold mixture onto itself, scraping
along bottom and sides of skillet as needed until eggs
are soft and just set, about 2 minutes. Serve immedi-
ately, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
MUSHROOM
AND CHIVE
Substitute ⅔ cup chopped white
mushrooms for onion. Transfer
to serving dish and sprinkle
with 2 tablespoons minced
fresh chives; pass crème fraîche
separately.
MATZO: THE ULTIMATE JEWISH FOODWAY
There’s tremendous ritual and precision bound
up in a sheet of matzo. Biblically, the unleavened
flatbread, which Jews snack on year-round but eat
ceremoniously during the weeklong Passover holi-
day, represents both the suffering of Jewish people
during their enslavement in Egypt and their freedom
from it. They fled the Pharaoh’s bondage so hastily,
the Haggadah reminds us at each Seder, that there
wasn’t time for their bread dough to rise, so it baked
on their backs as they migrated through the desert.
Rabbis at Streit’s Matzos inspect matzo along the
production line.
“Recounting the exodus from slavery is the essen-
tial fulfillment of the Passover holiday,” said Danny
Kaplan, vice president of operations at Streit’s
Matzos, a New York–based company that has been
producing matzo for more than 100 years. “Eating
matzo is one of the tools or Mitzvot we are com-
manded to perform to help us remember the story.”
Matzo producers have long since mimicked the
cracker-y, austere qualities of this “bread of affliction”
by adhering to the strictest criteria. Every part of the
process, from milling the flour to mixing, kneading, and
march & april 2022
19
CINNAMON
AND SUGAR
Omit onion and pepper.
Add 1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon and 1 teaspoon sugar
to eggs. Cook in butter. Serve
with maple syrup.
baking the dough, is supervised by rabbis who ensure
that each batch of matzo is produced in no more than
18 minutes. If any more time elapses, Kaplan explained,
rabbis consider the dough chametz (Hebrew for
“risen”) and unusable. Every piece must be perfectly
flat and square; an imperfection could cause the
dough to underbake.
“Our production line has a robotic system with
an electronic eye that determines if each piece is
good enough,” Kaplan said. “There’s a trap door for
pieces that aren’t.”
And those are just the customs for everyday
matzo; making the stuff that’s certified kosher for
Passover is an even more rigid ritual that involves
inspecting the wheat for sprouting and ridding the
milling equipment of any conventional matzo flour.
But eating matzo is ritualistic in an unbridled,
personal way, and the flatbread’s plainness is what
allows it to function so seamlessly in the countless
preparations that feature it. If you grew up eating
commercial matzo, you’re probably allied with a
particular brand and style, as well as a preferred
schmear: butter, cream cheese, peanut butter, hum-
mus, Nutella, guacamole, chopped liver. Matzo brei
might be the Passover breakfast you look forward
to every year or the lazy dinner you cook whenever
you don’t feel like doing any real cooking. A few
sheets can step in for the noodles in lasagna, the tor-
tillas in chilaquiles (a favorite riff of late Los Angeles
Times food critic, Jonathan Gold), and the ladyfingers
in tiramisu, and matzo toffee can be shellacked (or
not) with chocolate of any shade. It’s certainly not
just for Passover.
“You can use it to make matzo brei, matzo pizza,
and matzo balls for soup,” said Kaplan. “You can use
it to replace challah, put peanut butter and jelly on it,
and make peanut brittle out of it. That’s what makes
it so versatile.” –Elizabeth Bomze
 The Best Yogurt Is Homemade
DIY yogurt has an incomparably fresh, milky taste—and it’s entirely customizable.
Whether you like it mild or tart, creamy or lean, our foolproof method has you covered.
T
he genesis of yogurt was likely accidental:
Historians envision a serendipitous union
of raw goat’s, sheep’s, or cow’s milk and
wild bacteria, left by happenstance to sour
in the hot sun. The tart and creamy living food
tasted great, kept longer without refrigeration than
fresh milk, and could be consumed in many ways.
That yogurt was a far cry from today’s commercial
offerings. If you want full control over the finished
product—pure, undoctored cultured dairy of the
j B Y PA U L A D A M S A N D L A N L A M k
If you’ve ever been disappointed by homemade
yogurt, this failproof recipe is for you.
highest quality (no stabilizers, sweeteners, or addi-
tives)—as well as the ability to control the fat content,
sourness level, and consistency, consider making
yogurt at home.
Our streamlined process demands little effort,
just time, and our ingredient recommendations and
oven incubation setup (as well as our sous vide varia-
tion) guarantee a milky, silky delight. Along the way,
you’ll be rewarded with the satisfaction (and fun!) of
witnessing natural fermentation.
cook’s illustrated
20
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
INGREDIENTS
ULTRA-PASTEURIZED MILK:
Ultra-pasteurized milk leads to
yogurt with a thick, uniform texture;
it also saves time and effort. To
understand, look at the usual first
step in yogurt making: heating milk
to 160 degrees or above. Along
with killing unwanted microbes, this
changes the milk’s protein structure
and gives the yogurt body. The scalding temperature
affects the consistency of the final product. Lower
temperatures produce a runnier gel, while higher ones
make a thicker gel but can lead to separate curds and
lots of whey if some of the proteins overcook. The
ideal creamy, homogeneous texture is achieved when
the milk is given only a very short, uniform exposure to
high heat—which, as it happens, is how ultra-pasteur-
ized milk is treated: It’s heated to 275 degrees for less
than 5 seconds and then rapidly chilled.
STORE-BOUGHT PLAIN
YOGURT: Use any commercial
yogurt made with live, active cultures
to initiate fermentation. Streptococcus
thermophilus and Lactobacillus
delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus are
the two (symbiotic) species of lactic
acid bacteria mandated by the U.S. Food and Drug
PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE; ILLUSTRATION: JAY LAYMAN
Administration because they “characterize yogurt”;
almost all yogurts also contain other species and strains.
EQUIPMENT
You’ll need two 1-quart glass Mason jars with metal lids
to contain the yogurt while it incubates in hot water;
one large saucepan; and two large pots (one with a lid)
that will fit in your oven at the same time. A funnel is
helpful for transferring the yogurt to the jars.
THE JOURNEY FROM
MILK TO YOGURT
1. HEAT: Warm milk on the stovetop until it reaches
115 degrees, an ideal temperature for bacterial
proliferation.
2. INOCULATE: Thoroughly whisk store-bought
yogurt into the warm milk to begin the process of
fermentation. Transfer the mixture to Mason jars.
3. INCUBATE: Hold the milk mixture at a warm
temperature to allow microbes in the starter to digest
lactose (milk sugar) in the milk and produce lactic acid,
creating tartness and causing the protein to gradually
coagulate and form a gel. Do this by submerging the
jars in a large pot of 120-degree water. Place the pot
in a turned-off oven (with the light on) along with a
second, lidded pot of boiling water. The second pot
will emit heat so that it takes several hours for the oven
temperature to fall from 115 to 100 degrees (the range
where fermentation takes place).
HOMEMADE YOGURT HOW TO CUSTOMIZE
MAKES 2 QUARTS TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES, PLUS
13 HOURS FERMENTING AND CHILLING
Making yogurt that you’ll love begins with choosing a
starter yogurt that you enjoy. Any variety (whole milk,
Greek, Icelandic, etc.) will do the job, but keep in mind
This recipe will work only with ultra-pasteurized
that different brands use different combinations of bac-
milk. Most organic milk is ultra-pasteurized;
teria, and this accounts for variability in flavors ranging
this will be noted on the label. Be sure to use
from buttery to cheesy to tangy to mild; textures can be
freshly opened containers of milk. Any type of
firm, thin, gelatinous, ropy, or custardy. These qualities
plain yogurt (whole-milk, low-fat, Greek, etc.)
will transfer to your finished yogurt.
that contains live cultures can be used. You
Then there’s the milk. Any type (whole, low-fat, or
can halve this recipe, if preferred. Be sure to
skim) will work, but the more fat your milk contains,
save ½ cup of yogurt to use as the starter for a
the richer your yogurt will be and the more structure it
subsequent batch.
will have.
And yet, the starter and milk are only the beginning.
7½ cups ultra-pasteurized whole, 2 percent
Here are more ways to create a truly artisanal yogurt to
low-fat, 1 percent low-fat, or skim milk
suit your personal tastes.
½ cup plain yogurt
TWEAK THE CONSISTENCY
1. Bring milk to 115 degrees in saucepan
over medium heat, 2 to 5 minutes. (If your RICHER
milk gets hotter than 115 degrees, let it cool Substitute ½ cup ultra-pasteurized
to 115 degrees before proceeding. Higher heavy cream for ½ cup milk.
temperatures can kill some cultures.) Off
heat, whisk yogurt into milk until very well DENSER
combined. Divide mixture evenly between Whisk ¼ cup nonfat dry milk powder
two 1-quart Mason jars (they will be very full; into cold milk before heating it.
a funnel can be helpful for this step). Add lids,
then screw on rings until just finger-tight. STRAINED
2. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and Place triple layer of cheesecloth over
turn on oven light. Bring 5 quarts water to mouth of jar with chilled yogurt, screw
boil in large covered pot. Place jars in second on lid ring, and drain in refrigerator
large pot. Add water until jars are submerged upside down in 2-cup measuring cup
to their necks. (If jars are taller than pot, overnight. (See page 30 for ideas for
add water to 1¼ inches from rim of pot.) using whey and how to make labneh.)
Remove jars and bring water to 120 degrees
ADD FLAVORINGS
over medium heat. Return jars to pot of
120-degree water. Transfer both pots to oven. EXTRACT Stir ¼ tea- SWEETENER Garnish
Incubate yogurt, without opening oven door, spoon extract (we like individual servings with
for 5 hours. vanilla or almond) into white or brown sugar,
3. Remove 1 jar from water bath. Using milk along with honey, maple syrup, or
clean spoon, taste yogurt for tartness and starter. fruit jam.
consistency. If tarter, thicker yogurt is desired,
return jar to water bath and shut oven door. CONTROL SOURNESS
(Bear in mind that yogurt will thicken sig- AND THICKNESS
nificantly as it cools but can be loosened
up by stirring prior to serving.) Set oven to Adjust the
350 degrees and heat for 3 minutes (start your incubation time to
timer as soon as you set the dial; oven will not produce the effect you
reach 350 degrees). Turn off oven and let incu- desire: The longer yogurt MILD AND THIN
Incubate for 5 hours.
bate for up to 10 more hours, repeating heating ferments, the more lactic
step each time oven door is acid is produced, and the
opened. Remove jars from more sour and thick it
water bath and refrigerate becomes. Chilling stops
until fully cooled and set, fermentation and allows the
about 8 hours. (Yogurt gel to set fully (it will loosen
can be refrigerated for up when stirred or served).
to 2 weeks.) SCAN FOR VIDEO
Extra-tart
SOUS VIDE YOGURT yogurt is great
For our free recipe for Homemade Sous Vide for making
frozen yogurt.
Yogurt, go to CooksIllustrated.com/apr22. TART AND THICK
Incubate for up to 15 hours.
march & april 2022
21
 The Chicest
French Tart Shell
This crisp, elegantly slim, and shockingly simple pâte
sucrée crust should be in every baker’s back pocket.
j BY ANDREA GEARY k
F
or those daunted by pie and tart dough,
a pat-in-the-pan crust can be a saving
grace. The method, which involves
pressing crumbly dough into the base
and sides of the pan, is both simple and ultra-
forgiving, allowing novice bakers to commit a
multitude of sins. But the technique has its limits:
Pat-in-the-pan crusts are nearly impossible to
distribute in an even layer, so they always bake up
a bit chunky, leaving less room for the contents.
This means that either the filling must be assert-
ively flavored or you have to build above the edge
of the tart, as you would for a classic fruit tart.
For a truly elegant, slim crust that can cradle the
maximum amount of filling, the training wheels
have to come off: You must graduate to a classic
rolled-out crust.
EASIER ROUTE TO AN ULTRASLIM TART CRUST
We simplified the usual approach of fitting a large, delicate disk of dough into the bottom and sides of a pan.
1. Using the tart pan like a giant 2. Fit the excess strips of dough
cookie cutter, cut out a fluted base along the sides of the pan to create into the flutes for a pretty and
and fit it into the bottom of the pan. thin, elegant sides.
Now, before you panic: You needn’t be a profes-
sional pâtissier to attain such a shell. While many
methods for this type of crust are intimidatingly
fussy, involving repeated chilling, precise rolling,
and careful shaping, I managed to find a way to
simplify and streamline the process such that it’s just
as foolproof as, and only a bit more involved than,
patting a dough into the pan.
Picking a Pâte
Traditional French pastry doughs range from flaky and
savory to shortbread-like and sweet. For an all-purpose
dessert shell, I opted for a dough firmly on the sweeter
side: pâte sucrée. This pastry typically contains more
sugar than pâte brisée (the French equivalent of
American pie dough), but more important, the butter
is incorporated differently, getting thoroughly worked
3. Trim the top to force the dough
clean edge.
cook’s illustrated
22
Simplified and streamlined, this
is your new go-to tart shell.
into the flour rather than being left in small chunks.
This results in a finer, shorter crumb.
I had only a couple small quibbles with the clas-
sic ingredients for the dough. In addition to flour,
butter, confectioners’ sugar, and flavorings such as
salt and vanilla, the formula often calls for an egg
yolk instead of a whole egg and about 1 tablespoon
of heavy cream. I’m fine with separating eggs, but
I’d rather not buy a container of cream to use such a
small amount, especially because the butter already
provides plenty of richness. So I omitted the cream
and added the whole egg, knowing the egg white
would replace the cream’s moisture and its protein
would provide a structural boost. The ingredients
came together quickly in the food processor, forming
PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE; ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE
a soft, uniform mixture that resembled cookie dough.
Shaping Up
The shaping and baking steps were where I was really
hoping to make some updates to the classic method.
The process most home bakers typically follow goes
something like this: Chill the dough for at least an
hour; roll it out to a big, thin round; carefully trans-
fer the delicate dough to a tart pan; and ease it up
the pan’s sides, patching the inevitable breaks and
cracks before chilling it once more. Suffice it to say,
it’s a time-consuming and often frustrating method,
but as I pulled my dough from the food processor
in preparation for that first lengthy chill, I had an
idea about how I could shave off some time and
toil. Instead of chilling the dough in a disk, waiting
for it to soften, and then rolling it out, I could roll
it out straight from the food processor with the help
of some parchment paper.
 I plopped the dough onto a large piece of parch-
ment and placed another on top. I pressed with my
hands until the dough was about half an inch thick,
and then I picked up my rolling pin. I gently rolled
toward the edges of the parchment until the dough
was a uniformly thin rectangle—so much easier than
struggling with hard, brittle, refrigerated dough.
I slid the parchment package onto a baking sheet and
popped it in the freezer. In less than 30 minutes, my
soft dough had transformed into a rigid plank. Perfect.
While I was at it, I wanted to rework the inelegant
step of squishing the dough into the contours of the
pan. I couldn’t quite picture accomplished pastry
chefs doing something so clumsy—and after doing
some research, I learned that they don’t. Efficiency is
a top priority in pastry kitchens, and all that squish-
ing and patching would take too much time. Instead,
pastry chefs cut out a crisp disk of chilled dough and
position it in the bottom of the tart pan (or, more
commonly, in a steel ring set on a baking sheet), and
then they build the sides of the tart with neat strips
of dough placed around the edge, spliced together in
one or two places. As the tart shell bakes, the edges
and bottom meld into a tidy, thin crust.
I set my chilled dough plank back on the counter;
removed the bottom from my tart pan; inverted the
ring over the dough; and pressed, cutting out my tart
base like a huge, fluted cookie. I cut the remaining
dough into 1-inch-wide strips. I lifted the round
from the parchment, fit it snugly into the assembled
tart pan, and then fit the strips around the sides. This
tidy process took about 5 minutes and produced the
neatest tart shell I’d ever formed.
I chilled the shell while the oven heated and then
lined the shell with foil, filled it with baking weights,
and baked it for 30 minutes. Then I removed the
foil and weights and returned the shell to the oven
for 10 more minutes to brown.
And there I had it: an ultrathin, crisp crust with
sharp right angles and perfect flutes that wouldn’t
be out of place on a pastry shop counter. And the
hardest part of the whole process, arguably, was
choosing a filling to go in it—with a picture-perfect
tart shell, the possibilities are endless.
PÂTE SUCRÉE TART SHELL
SERVES 8 TO 10 TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR, PLUS 1 HOUR
20 MINUTES FREEZING AND COOLING
You’ll need a 9-inch metal tart pan with a removable
bottom for this recipe. If you don’t have pie weights,
dried beans or raw rice make great substitutes. The
tart shell can be baked up to two days ahead; let it
cool, wrap it tightly, and store it at room temperature.
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups (7½ ounces) all-purpose flour
⅔ cup (2⅔ ounces) confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into
½-inch pieces and chilled
Crémeux: The Creamiest Chocolate Filling
Chocolate crémeux, whose name translates from French as
“creamy,” is silkier than a ganache yet denser than a mousse.
It’s a delicate filling that pairs perfectly with a crisp, cookie-like
tart shell such as our Pâte Sucrée Tart Shell. Using milk
chocolate rather than dark heightens the filling’s
luxurious creaminess further, and adding a bit of
cocoa powder can cut the chocolate’s sweet-
ness and lend a sophisticated note to
lower-cacao bars.
MILK CHOCOLATE
CRÉMEUX TART
SERVES 8 TO 10 TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES,
PLUS 2 HOURS 20 MINUTES COOLING AND CHILLING
This recipe was developed using Endangered
Species Smooth + Creamy Milk Chocolate,
which has a high cacao content. If you’ll be using
another brand, consider adding the optional
tablespoon of cocoa powder for a darker milk
chocolate flavor. Avoid chocolate chips, which
sometimes contain additives to hinder melting.
If desired, serve with unsweetened whipped
cream or fruit.
1 cup half-and-half
4 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
(optional)
⅜ teaspoon table salt
12 ounces milk chocolate, chopped fine
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and hot
1 recipe Pâte Sucrée Tart Shell
1. Whisk together egg and vanilla in 1-cup liquid
measuring cup; set aside. Pulse flour, sugar, and salt
in food processor until combined, 2 pulses. Scatter
butter over flour mixture; process until mixture looks
like very fine crumbs with no pieces of butter visible,
about 20 seconds. With processor running, add egg
mixture and continue to process until dough just
forms mass, about 18 seconds longer.
2. Transfer dough to center of 18 by 12-inch piece
of parchment paper. Place second sheet of parchment
on top of dough and press with your hand to ½-inch
thickness. Using rolling pin, roll out dough so it
nearly reaches edges of parchment. Using your flat
hand on parchment, smooth out wrinkles on both
sides. Transfer dough with parchment to baking sheet
and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Place dough and parchment on counter and
peel away top layer of parchment. Replace top layer
of parchment, flip dough and parchment, and peel
away second piece of parchment. Invert 9-inch
metal tart ring on left half of dough and press to cut
out circle (leave circle on parchment). Using paring
knife and ruler, cut right half of dough lengthwise
into 1-inch-wide strips. Place removable bottom in
tart pan. Lift dough round (if necessary, use thin
march & april 2022
23
Our slim pâte sucrée shell can hold an
abundance of this luxurious milk chocolate filling.
1. Place fine-mesh strainer over medium bowl.
Whisk half-and-half; egg yolks; cocoa, if using;
and salt in medium saucepan until combined.
Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring
constantly and scraping bottom of saucepan
with heatproof spatula, until mixture is thickened
and silky and registers 170 to 175 degrees, 5 to
7 minutes. Remove from heat. Working quickly,
whisk in chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Add
melted butter and whisk gently until incorpo-
rated. Pour mixture into prepared strainer and
transfer strained mixture to cooled tart shell. Let
cool completely, about 20 minutes, and then
refrigerate until filling is set, at least 2 hours or
up to 24 hours.
2. Remove outer ring from tart pan. Insert
thin metal spatula between crust and pan bot-
tom to loosen tart; slide tart onto serving platter.
Cut into wedges and serve. (Leftovers can be
wrapped loosely and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
spatula to loosen) and fit into bottom of tart pan,
pressing edges of dough firmly into corners (it’s
OK if some dough smears up sides of tart pan). Lift
strips and fit into sides of pan, overlapping strips
only slightly. Trim final strip to fit. (Dough scraps
can be sprinkled with sugar and baked as cook’s
treat.) If at any point dough becomes too soft to
manipulate, freeze for 15 minutes.
4. Freeze tart shell until very firm, about 20 min-
utes. While tart shell chills, adjust oven rack to
middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Hold paring knife parallel to counter and shave
off any excess dough to force dough into flutes for
clean edge. Spray large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum
foil with vegetable oil spray. Place foil sprayed side
down in tart shell and smooth gently along bottom
and sides. Fill with pie weights. Bake on rimmed
baking sheet until tart shell is golden and set, about
30 minutes, rotating sheet halfway
through baking. Remove foil and
weights and continue to bake tart
shell until fully baked and golden
brown, about 10 minutes longer.
Transfer sheet to wire rack and let
cool completely, about 30 minutes. SCAN FOR VIDEO
 Do You Need a Smart Oven?
“Smart” countertop ovens use technology to take over cooking for you—
or guide you step by step. Are any worth buying?
j BY LISA McMANUS k

S
mart ovens promise to
make cooking easier ANATOMY OF A WINNER
and more foolproof. We
tested several, and while ATTACHED THERMOMETER PROBE FAST, STEADY CONNECTIVITY
we liked features of each, we found The oven monitors food doneness and adjusts Unlike other smart ovens we tested, June links up
two smart ovens that stood out. the cooking time so that you don’t have to. quickly and easily and doesn’t lose Wi-Fi connection.
Both were easy to use and worked
like highly enhanced countertop
toaster ovens, with a variety of
LARGE,
clever abilities that we found hard
CLEAR
to give up when testing was done. SIX WINDOW
We highly recommend the June HEATING The window
Smart Oven (3rd Generation). We ELEMENTS makes it easy
liked both earlier generations of this There are to check
four heating cooking, with an
oven—and this new model improves elements on accurate view of
on them. Using artificial intelligence, top and two browning.
it can recognize both fresh foods and on the bottom
many brand-name packaged foods, for even,
responsive
initiate cooking programs, and guide
cooking.
you through its library of recipes.
Its display and controls are simple,
whether you’re relying on its smart TOUCH-SCREEN DISPLAY
functions or using it like a regular An exact mirror of the app controls,
oven. It can toast, broil, bake, roast, it shows progress three ways: in
air-fry, dehydrate, and slow-cook, words, numbers, and graphics.
and it offers accessories for grilling INTERIOR CAMERA
and for baking pizza. Every recipe The camera inside the roof of the oven lets you check progress from
we prepared came out perfectly. the app and makes time-lapse videos; it also helps June identify foods. WINNER

We also recommend the Tovala

Smart Oven, which can auto-
matically switch between baking,
broiling, and steaming as it cooks
and will notify you when your
food is done. Like June, it also
functions as a regular oven, and it
uses “scan-to-cook” technology for
many packaged meals and snacks.
Its app guides cooks through its
own recipes; the results were very
good. Tovala also sells meal kits,
which were fresh, palatable, and
easy to prepare. Tovala would be
ideal for someone who lives alone
JUNE Smart Oven
(3rd Generation)
MODEL: JCH03
WHAT MAKES THESE OVENS “SMART”?
PRICE:$999.99
Typically, smart ovens use apps that let you control cooking, peruse (Premium package)
built-in recipes, and buy accessories or meal kits. They use software in FUNCTIONS AND
various ways, whether to identify foods or run programs that combine FEATURES: Toast;
Bake; Convection
traditional and innovative cooking technologies to optimize results. Bake; Roast; Broil;
While you can operate them exactly like a standard oven, smart Air-Fry; Grill; Pizza;
ovens can do much more, whether it’s guiding you step by step as Proof; Keep Warm;
Dehydrate; Reheat;
you cook, adjusting time and temperature (monitoring with built-in
Slow Cook; Food ID;
temperature probes), offering tips, sending images or graphs of cook- scans and cooks pack-
ing progress, and scanning packaged foods or meal kits for one-step aged foods; app offers
preparation. Some also offer a community of users. All periodically controls, notifications,
recipes, and guided
update software and add features, just like a smartphone does. Most cooking; live video
PHOTOGRAPHY: KEVIN WHITE

and doesn’t cook much but would work with Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant. monitoring; data and
be equally useful for a skilled home Not every oven lived up to its promises. Even after we’d entered temperature charts
cook, though its compact size is best a whole chicken’s exact weight in ounces, one roasted it until the leg PERFORMANCE:

for small households. and wing meat was as hard as plastic. Another took 8 minutes (and ACCURACY:
We identified a few key factors three separate stages) to toast bread and still failed. We expected EASE OF USE:
to consider when choosing a smart competent cooking in every mode—and hopefully with less effort or CLEANUP AND
oven (see “What to Look for When time than conventional appliances. DURABILITY:
Shopping for a Smart Oven”).

cook’s illustrated
24
 KEY
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN
SHOPPING FOR A SMART OVEN OTHER OVENS WE TESTED GOOD
FAIR
POOR
( SIMPLE, INTUITIVE CONTROLS: Whether RECOMMENDED
you’re using an app or the oven display, controls should
be easy to operate and clearly tell you what’s happening.
TOVALA Smart Oven
( FOOD-TEMPERATURE PROBE: Ovens with MODEL: Gen 2 PRICE:$299.00
FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES: Toast; Bake; BEST
attached food-temperature probes make checking BUY
Convection Bake; Steam; Broil; Reheat;
doneness a thing of the past. Our favorite ovens Scan-to-Cook packaged foods; Tovala Meal
adjusted heat accordingly, shut off when food was Kits; app with guided recipes, controls,
done, and clearly notified us that food was ready. and notifications
PERFORMANCE: ½ ACCURACY:
( COMPACT PROFILE: Your countertop oven EASE OF USE: ½
CLEANUP AND DURABILITY:
shouldn’t dominate the kitchen.
COMMENTS: Compact and easy to use, this is a solid choice for small households, combining steam and
conventional cooking. It needs 1 cup of tap water to generate steam, which helps baked goods rise and
( MAKES GOOD TOAST: Since this oven foods stay moist. The capacity is small: A butterflied chicken or half rack of ribs just fit. The optional meal
replaces your toaster oven, it should be able to toast. kits were surprisingly good.

( EASY TO CLEAN: We preferred ovens that R E C O M M E N D E D W I T H R E S E R VAT I O N S

were easy to maintain, with interiors and accessories
that washed clean and exteriors that resisted smearing.
PANASONIC HomeCHEF
4-in-1 Countertop Multi-Oven
( STURDY PANS AND ACCESSORIES: MODEL: NN-CD87KS $529.99
PRICE:
We preferred pans with polytetrafluoroethylene-free FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES: Bake; Broil; Convection
nonstick or enamel coatings for fast cleanup and sturdy Bake; Air-Fry; Inverter Microwave; FlashXpress Broil;
pans and racks that didn’t warp or slump. Turbo Defrost; Sensor Reheat; Keep Warm; works with
Drop recipes app
PERFORMANCE: ACCURACY:
NICE TO HAVE
EASE OF USE: CLEANUP AND DURABILITY:
( LARGE, CLEAR WINDOW: We were sur-
COMMENTS: Oversize (but roomy), this oven is a microwave, air fryer, and countertop oven and speeds up
prised by how much we appreciated being able to cooking and defrosting using these functions in combination. It defrosted meat and air-fried vegetables well,
check on food without opening the door. but its preset program overcooked roast chicken, despite having us enter its weight in ounces. It took 11 min-
utes to preheat to 400 degrees, just 1 minute faster than our regular oven.
( MEAL KIT OPTION: We’re not huge fans of
meal kits, but they’re a nice perk when you don’t feel
like cooking. BRAVA
MODEL: n/a PRICE:$1,095.00 (Starter Set)
WHAT TO AVOID FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES: Toast; Bake; Sear; Reheat;
Slow Cook; Air-Fry; Dehydrate; Keep Warm; Custom
Cook; uses visible and infrared light to cook; monitor
( C ONFUSING CONTROLS : Anyone should be cooking via video on display and app; Brava Plus membership
able to walk up to the device and get it going. PERFORMANCE: ACCURACY:
EASE OF USE: CLEANUP AND DURABILITY :
( EXCESSIVELY COMPLICATED COMMENTS: Brava has lots of rules about using this small
PREPARATION: One model demanded that you oven that cooks with light, including that many foods must be cut into small pieces and placed in specific,
prep and lay out food in a particular way to get it to narrow zones on proprietary trays. On the awesome side, you can cook two or three very different foods
simultaneously; chicken and vegetables roasted to perfection. A tiny screen on the oven (and app) is the only
work. Another required gallons of distilled water and
way to monitor cooking; looking at the powerful lights can damage eyes.
had multistep programs for even very simple foods,
which took longer than usual for mediocre results.
N OT R E C O M M E N D E D

( SCARY TECHNOLOGY: It was alarming to

learn that one oven could damage eyes if opened
while cooking. We don’t want to have to police
guests and children while making dinner.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
( STEAM OPTIONS: Steam
adds moisture and transmits
heat faster than the dry, hot air
of regular ovens. In theory, this
preserves moisture in foods,
speeds cooking, and helps
doughs rise taller. In practice, we
didn’t notice a big improvement. SCAN FOR VIDEO
ANOVA Precision Oven
MODEL: n/a $599.99
PRICE:
FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES: Steam and convection,
programmable cooking, sous vide mode, app
PERFORMANCE: ½ ACCURACY:
EASE OF USE: CLEANUP AND DURABILITY:
COMMENTS: This oven automatically adds steam to
conventional oven cooking or lets you set the relative humidity expressed as a percentage.
Recipes typically follow low, slow steaming with quick broiling for browning. We found this oven oversized,
with a difficult app and cryptic controls; it also needed gallons of distilled water for steam. Everything took
much longer to cook, often with subpar results. Ribs stayed chewy after 8-plus hours; a small chicken was
underdone after a 3-hour program. Even toast was white after an 8-minute program. Bread baked up tall but
with a strangely puffy, Wonder Bread–like crumb. We tested a second copy of the oven, with similar results.
For the complete testing results, go to CooksIllustrated.com/APR22.

march & april 2022

25
 All About Heirloom Beans
These vibrant, flavorful legumes give new meaning to the phrase “cool beans.”
T
here are more than 30,000 vari-
eties of beans in the world, but
only a handful are cultivated
using commercial farming
techniques on an industrial scale. In the
past 200 years, bean breeders identified
certain varieties of the common bean
(Phaseolus vulgaris) that were easier to
grow, transport, process, and sell than
others. Black beans, pinto beans, navy
beans, and even green beans are part of
this “commodity bean” monoculture
that can be easily found at your local
supermarket. They are low-cost and con-
sistently available and can be delicious.
The downside: Most consumers are miss-
ing out on other unique varieties.
What Makes a Bean an “Heirloom”?
When the commodity bean industry zeroed
in on a handful of beans and ignored the
rest, a few things happened. Most bean
varieties were lost to history, but the
luckier ones were passed down for genera-
tions, preserved by avid small-scale farmers
and dogged seed collectors for their unique
appearances or flavors. Heirloom bean
farming has been small-scale by definition,
kept strong by networks of family farms
growing the same beans
for generations. In the
past two decades, there
has been a wider spot-
light shone on heirloom
beans in the United States,
with the advent of a few
companies dedicated to
preserving and cultivat-
ing these lesser-known varieties. Heirloom beans
from these purveyors and others—including local
farmers—can be purchased online, at specialty food
stores, or at farmers’ markets.
What Sets Heirloom Beans Apart?
Interested in deciphering the differences between
heirloom and commodity beans, we prepared heir-
loom dried black beans, pinto beans, and cannellini
beans and tasted them alongside their commodity
counterparts. We tasted each bean type plain.
Our first discovery: Most of the heirloom beans
cooked faster (about 30 minutes faster on aver-
age) than the commodity versions. When we asked
experts to explain this difference, they all agreed on
j BY CHASE BRIGHTWELL k
it’s widely believed that dried beans can last
for years without much reduction in quality,
so commodity beans often sit in storage for
up to three or even four years until prices
benefit the seller. According to experts, how-
ever—despite what many brands say—the
longer the beans sit, the drier they become,
and the longer they’ll take to cook.
Most of the heirloom beans
cooked about 30 minutes
faster on average.
Our second discovery: There were dis-
tinct flavor and textural differences between
the two types of beans. Our tasters picked
up on hints of fruit, smoke, chocolate, and
more from the heirloom beans, while they
found the commodity beans to be a bit
more muted in flavor, though still tasty.
And the heirloom beans were creamy and
almost melted in the mouth when cooked,
whereas the commodity beans were a bit
denser, though not unpleasant. Impressed,
we purchased and tasted nine more heir-
loom bean varieties. From tiny, darkly
mottled moros to big, meaty, buttery royal
coronas, each one was more beautiful and
more complexly flavored than we generally
give beans credit for being (see “A Bean for
Every Pot”).
PHOTOGRAPHY: KEVIN WHITE; ILLUSTRATION: MARISSA ANGELONE/JAY LAYMAN
Another significant difference between
The commodity beans found on supermarket shelves the two types of beans is price. Heirloom
(far left) are grown on an industrial scale, whereas beans often cost $3 more per pound than
heirloom beans (left) have been grown by small-scale commodity beans. Given that, they might
farmers for generations. not become your new everyday bean, but
for special occasions and simple dishes that
one factor: time since harvest. The heirloom bean allow their unique flavors and appearances to shine,
producers we spoke with told us that they package we think heirloom beans are well worth seeking out.
their beans shortly after harvest and generally sell
95 to 100 percent of their supply within a year. But
Closed pod
The Bean Life Cycle
Simply put, “bean” is an umbrella term used to describe the seeds
Flower
of thousands of flowering plants within the legume family. Many
common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) varieties are edible at three Fruit
stages of the growing process. Green beans, sold and eaten fresh,
are the young seed pods. Mature pods can be harvested and eaten
as so-called shelled beans. If left in the pods, the seeds develop their
signature hues and markings as they dry. The dried beans are ready Seed
to be cooked and eaten or planted for next year’s crop. Adult plant
cook’s illustrated Sprout
26
 A BEAN FOR EVERY POT
Fascinated by the large array of heirloom beans available in stores and online, we purchased 12 different varieties from three leading purveyors. Our choices repre-
sent a diverse sample of beans—with different flavors, textures, and styles—that can be substituted in some of our favorite recipes. We brined and rinsed the beans
before simmering them. We tasted them plain, taking note of their flavors and textures. Here, we’ve compiled notes from our tasters as well as recommendations
for how to use each variety. Because they’re so different, we chose to forgo our traditional ranking system and instead listed them alphabetically.
NORTH BAY TRADING CO. Christmas Lima Beans
PRICE: $12.95 for 1-lb bag ($0.81 per oz) ORIGIN: United States
COMMENTS: Lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus) belong to a different spe-
cies than the common beans we tasted, but they are prepared and
used similarly. These lima beans, which have stunning, undulating red-
dish markings, were meaty yet had a “melt-in-your-mouth” texture
and a “mushroomy,” “vegetal” grassiness that tasters loved. Serve
Christmas lima beans on their own as a side dish or in a salad.
RANCHO GORDO Chiapas Black Beans
(Frijoles Negros de Vara)
PRICE: $6.95 for 1-lb bag ($0.43 per oz) ORIGIN: Chiapas, Mexico
COMMENTS: These heirloom black beans had a complex depth of
flavor that was “smoky” and reminiscent of chipotle chiles, with an
earthy touch and a piquant, “mild astringency.” They held their shape
well and were “dense and fudgy,” with “a pleasant give.” They would
be perfect for a classic black bean soup or served with rice.
RANCHO GORDO Mayocoba Beans
PRICE: $5.95 for 1-lb bag ($0.37 per oz) ORIGIN: Jalisco, Mexico
COMMENTS: These pale-yellow beans resembled cannellini beans and
other white bean varieties, but they had a pronounced meatiness and
held their shape especially well. They had a subtle “bacony” vibe and
reminded tasters of “cured meat” “with a subtle sweetness.” They
would be perfect for pasta e fagioli or served in a simple stew with
wilted greens; they’re also a classic option for refried beans.
RANCHO GORDO Royal Corona Beans
PRICE: $6.95 for 1-lb bag ($0.43 per oz) ORIGIN: Poland
COMMENTS: Notably large, these meaty white beans have thick
skins but are “creamy” and “smooth” once fully cooked. A variety
of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus), they have “a fairly familiar
white bean flavor—but intense” and offer a “sweet nuttiness on
the finish.” These beans are substantial and versatile enough for
almost any application, but we recommend them on their own,
with a little olive oil, salt, and vinegar added just before serving.
RANCHO GORDO Yellow Eye Beans
PRICE: $5.95 for 1-lb bag ($0.37 per oz)
ORIGIN: California, United States
COMMENTS: These striking beans’ dappled appearance—white with
small yellow “eyes”—reminded tasters of black-eyed peas, though
they differ in texture. They presented a “subtle woodsy flavor” and
were “savory” and “earthy.” Their “creamy” yet “substantial” texture
makes them versatile—they’re great on their own or as the star of
traditional baked beans.
ZÜRSUN Snowcap Beans
PRICE: $11.00 for 1.5-lb bag ($0.46 per oz)
ORIGIN: Idaho, United States
COMMENTS: These beautifully mottled tan-and-white beans had a
“pronounced nutty flavor” reminiscent of chestnuts. Take care to
cook them fully to avoid any mealiness; when perfectly cooked, they
became velvety smooth and creamy but held their shape beautifully.
Though their markings fade somewhat with cooking, they are still
pleasantly speckled when fully tender and would be ideal for salads
and simple side dishes that show off their spots.
Web subscribers can see the full tasting results at CooksIllustrated.com/APR22.
march & april 2022
27
NORTH BAY TRADING CO. Flageolet Beans
PRICE: $6.95 for 1-lb bag ($0.43 per oz) ORIGIN: United States
COMMENTS: Often added to cassoulet, these subtly greenish flageolet
beans were among the creamiest beans we tasted. They were “fabulously
silky,” so much so that they basically dissolved on the tongue. Their
“wheaty sweetness” and “buttery” richness were reminiscent of oats with
a “nutty hint.” These beans would shine when added to stews at the end
of cooking, but they may be too delicate for extended cooking times.
RANCHO GORDO Marcella Beans
PRICE: $6.95 for 1-lb bag ($0.43 per oz)
ORIGIN: California, United States
COMMENTS: These heirloom cannellini beans were delicate and creamy,
with thin skins and a “bright,” “buttery” flavor. They’re named for Italian
cooking authority Marcella Hazan, who was especially partial to them.
As one taster noted, they’re “a beautiful canvas for other flavors,” as in
stews or side dishes, but they would be great served on toast drizzled
with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil.
RANCHO GORDO Moro Beans
PRICE: $6.95 for 1-lb bag ($0.43 per oz) ORIGIN: Hidalgo, Mexico
COMMENTS: These beans’ beautiful black-and-gray markings and “dense”
but “smooth” texture reminded tasters of a cross between black beans
and pinto beans. “Earthy” and “slightly smoky,” these flavorful beans
conjured comparisons to black tea and red wine, with a “hint of fruitiness”
that was “elegant” yet “subtle.” Moro beans hold their shape well and are
versatile, but they would be ideal in soups or stews.
RANCHO GORDO Scarlet Runner Beans
PRICE: $5.95 for 1-lb bag ($0.37 per oz)
ORIGIN: California, United States
COMMENTS: A vibrant standout variety from the runner bean species
(Phaseolus coccineus), these “starchy” beans were substantial, “almost
like a potato.” They kept their scarlet “mottled, palomino-like” markings
throughout cooking, though they did become a bit darker and more
muted over time. They were “faintly sweet, mild, and roasty,” with a
freshness that was “almost like you cooked them right off the vine.”
ZÜRSUN Pinto Beans
PRICE: $8.50 for 1.5-lb bag ($0.35 per oz)
ORIGIN: Idaho, United States
COMMENTS: This heirloom bean’s flavor stood out from that of its com-
mercial counterpart, offering a “buttery richness” and a pleasant, “mild
nuttiness.” Starchy and dense, these beans hold their shape well and can
stand up to long cooking. We recommend them for rice and beans and
especially for refried beans.
ZÜRSUN Trout Beans
PRICE: $11.00 for 1.5-lb bag ($0.46 per oz)
ORIGIN: Idaho, United States
COMMENTS: Another strikingly spotted variety—featuring burgundy
splotches and shaped similarly to kidney beans—trout beans (which
are also known as Jacob’s cattle beans) sport a “natural sweetness” and
a concentrated bean flavor with a “vegetal” finish. These beans cook
quickly (in roughly 30 minutes) and are creamy and slightly grainy. Their
intricate markings all but disappear during cooking, but their pleasantly
soft texture makes them ideal for bean dip or creamy soups.
The images above depict the actual sizes of the beans.
 I N G R E D I E N T N OT E S
The Best Espresso Powder
Espresso powder is a staple in our baking pantry.
We often add it to brownies, cookies, and cakes
to enhance rich dark-chocolate notes and to other
recipes, such as coffee buttercream, where we expect
bold coffee flavor. It can also contribute depth to rubs,
barbecue sauces, and other savory foods. To find the
best product, we rounded up six and sampled them in
our Chewy Brownies and Easy Coffee Buttercream.
+ =
RICHER
CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO
CHOCOLATE
DESSERT POWDER
FLAVOR
Espresso powder is made by spray-drying or freeze-drying brewed
espresso. The dried crystals are water-soluble, so they dissolve fully when
mixed with liquid. Some products are labeled “espresso powder,” while
others are “instant espresso coffee.” We consider them to be the same
product, and both can be used for baking and for drinking. The espresso
powders in our lineup varied in both color and texture, but in the end they
were all good enough to enhance chocolate desserts.
All the brownies were “rich and flavorful” and “very chocolaty,” but tasters
especially loved one and liked another a bit less than the others. Differences
between the powders were more apparent in the coffee buttercream. All were
acceptable, but some tasted more strongly of coffee than others. Our favorite
buttercream—which tasted like “a fantastic cup of coffee”—was made with
the same espresso powder that scored highest in the brownie tasting.
While we recommend all the products in our lineup, our favorite is
Civilized Coffee Espresso Powder. The brownies we made with it had a
“more pronounced chocolate” flavor than the others. In the buttercream,
this espresso powder contributed “complex flavor” that tasted like “freshly
brewed” espresso. –Carolyn Grillo
H I G H LY R E C O M M E N D E D
WINNER
CIVILIZED COFFEE Espresso Powder
PRICE: $9.85 for 1.75-oz jar ($5.63 per oz)
INGREDIENTS: Arabica Coffee
COMMENTS: The brownies and buttercream we made with
this espresso powder tasted just a bit better than the rest.
The brownies were “just a notch above the other brownies”
due to their “more pronounced chocolate flavors.” The cof-
fee buttercream tasted “buttery and warm,” like a “freshly
brewed,” “fantastic” cup of coffee with “complex flavor.”
For the complete tasting results, go to CooksIllustrated.com/APR22.
cook’s illustrated
28
Shopping for Curly Kale
When shopping for curly kale (the type we roast
on page 15), you’re likely to see some bunches
that look leggier and more bouquet-like, with
leaves limited to the upper half of the stem, as
well as fuller bunches with greens running the
entire length of the stem. Because the stem is
too tough to eat, be sure to maximize the usable
leafy portion by looking for fuller bunches, which
can have as much as 15 percent more.
And what about bagged precut kale? You might
be tempted by the opportunity to skip some prep,
but you won’t actually save much time—or money,
for that matter. We found that bagged kale contained
irregularly sized pieces, from large, 2-inch pieces to
some that mea-
sured less than an
inch, which wilted
to almost nothing
when roasted. The
bags also contained
more than half their
weight in inedible
stem pieces, which
needed to be sorted
out and replaced.
AVOID PRECUT KALE What’s more, some
FULLER IS
usable leaves had been cut crosswise, which left the stem intact,
BETTER
contributing an unpleasant woodiness to finished dishes. With all Look for greens
that in mind, it’s safe to say that prepping your own leafy bunches that run the entire
is your best bet. –A.P. length of the stem.
The Bitter Appeal of
Orange Blossom Water
Fresh bitter-orange-tree blossoms are often distilled for
their essential oils to make perfume. However, the process
also creates a by-product widely used in Middle Eastern,
North African, and European cooking: orange blossom
water, or orange flower water. The water is pleasantly bit-
ter, like orange peel, but intensely aromatic, and it is thus
often used sparingly. While occasionally used in savory
dishes, it’s more frequently used in sweets such as baklava,
the Lebanese rice pudding riz bi haleeb, Moroccan ktefa,
and French madeleines and gibassier.
It can be an alluring substitute for vanilla in other des-
serts, too. To determine how much to use, we swapped
some for vanilla in our Chewy Sugar Cookies—a neutral
recipe that would allow us to discern subtleties—using half
the amount, an equal amount, and twice the amount. All
were delicious, but here’s our rule of thumb: Substitute an
equal amount of orange blossom water for vanilla for a sub-
tle essence, 50 percent more for a discernible hint of bitter
orange, and twice as much for full-bodied flavor. –S.D.
 A Great Steak, No Matter What You Call It DIY Grenadine
We’ve long been fans of an outstanding cut from the belly of the cow that’s A sweet-tart garnet-colored syrup that gives so many cocktails a bright punch of
inexpensive but also seriously beefy-tasting and tender when you cook (and flavor and an unmistakable hue, grenadine made its first appearance in published
slice) it right. It also flies under the radar, perhaps due to confusion over its drink recipes in the late 1800s. Deriving its name from “grenade,” the French
multiple names. In the Northeast, the cut tends to go by “flap meat” or “sirloin word for pomegranate, this sweet syrup is traditionally made from the juice
steak tips,” but in other parts of the country, you may encounter it more often of pomegranates (sometimes with the addition of orange blossom or rose
under its French moniker, water). Over the years, commercial brands replaced the pomegranate juice
“bavette steak” (an abbre- with other red fruit juices, and some even got rid of natural juice altogether,
viation of “bavette d’aloyau,” relying on high-fructose corn syrup and added coloring for sweetness and hue.
or “bib of the sirloin”). Our DIY version is made with real pomegranate juice and has all the panache
It’s situated near the area of the original. We combined the juice with sugar using a basic simple syrup
of the cow where flank and skirt ratio and included ½ teaspoon of pomegranate molasses
steak are cut, and it shares these two and a touch of allspice for a warm counterpoint to the
steaks’ distinctive loose, longitudinal bracing character of the juice. –N.K.
grain. The coarse fibers make it an excel-
lent candidate for marinating and grilling, GRENADINE
as they allow liquid to penetrate the meat and trap little bits of flavorings such MAKES ABOUT 8 FLUID OUNCES
as minced garlic or ginger so that they don’t burn over the fire. But the steak’s TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES, PLUS 30 MINUTES COOLING

rich flavor can stand on its own with nothing more than a sprinkling of kosher
salt. It’s so flavorful that it’s our go-to (in combination with boneless short ribs) Pomegranate molasses gives our grenadine a more
for grinding into burger meat for the ultimate beefy-tasting patties. complex flavor, but you can omit it if you prefer.

¾ cup (5¼ ounces) sugar

5 fluid ounces unsweetened 100 percent
pomegranate juice
8 whole allspice berries, lightly crushed
½ teaspoon pomegranate molasses
(optional)

Heat sugar; pomegranate juice; allspice

berries; and pomegranate molasses, if using,
Here’s a guideline to follow when cooking a bavette/flap meat steak: As in small saucepan over medium heat, whisk-
with flank and skirt, it’s best to cook it to medium (from 130 to 140 degrees), ing often, until sugar has dissolved, about
which shrinks the diameter of the fibers and makes them more tender while 5 minutes (do not let mixture boil). Let cool
still retaining enough moisture for the meat to taste juicy. Any rarer, and the
muscle fibers are overly tough and chewy. To maximize tenderness, we also
serve the steak cut thin against the grain. –K.D.

Dried Jujubes Are for

Snacking and Steeping Amchoor Adds Fruity Tang, No Moisture
Rich in minerals and vitamin C, Amchoor, also known as aamchur or amchur, is a mainstay in the
jujubes have been valued by cooking of the Indian subcontinent. The spice is made by drying
Asian cultures for their medicinal green, unripe mangoes that have been harvested early or have
properties for thousands of years. fallen from trees and then grinding them to a powder. The
The green-red fresh jujube is hard result is a beige-to-golden-colored powder with a honey-like
to find in the United States (the fragrance and pleasingly tart flavor.
plant is grown primarily in China), but Amchoor is often used to enhance acidity without extra
the red, wrinkly, dried version, also known as moisture in applications such as samosa and alu paratha fillings,
A VERSATILE FRUIT
the red date, Chinese date, or Indian date, is Use as a flavoring or a sweet snack pakoras, and sautéed or stir-fried vegetables. It also lends sour-
widely available. ness to stews and soups, chutneys, pickles, dals, and marinades
Traditionally, dried jujubes are used in soups and stews (such as our Multicooker for meat and poultry. Kaumudi Marathé, author of our alu parathas
Hawaiian Oxtail Soup on page 7), infused in alcohols or tea, or eaten as a snack. story on page 8, likes to dust amchoor over keema at the table or
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE

I bought some recently for tasting: Their dark, creased skins yielded with a satisfy-
ing snap, and their interiors, drier than dates’, were light, fluffy, and a bit tacky, like a
marshmallow. Their flavor is similar to that of dates, though not quite as sweet and
with a hint of tannic bitterness from their skin. They are delicious on their own or
chopped and used anywhere you’d toss raisins, dates, or dried cranberries or cher-
ries. Try them in granola or oatmeal, stirred into yogurt, or tossed into grain or green
salads. Alternatively, chop up a handful of dried, pitted jujubes and combine them in
a pot with a few slices of peeled fresh ginger and a quart of water. Simmer them for
15 to 20 minutes, and then strain and sweeten the liquid for an invigorating tea. –S.D.
combine it with chile powder, cumin, and salt to season boiled or roasted
potatoes. Amchoor is often added at or near the end of cooking, and unlike
other spices with high concentrations of essential oil that can be forced out with
heat, amchoor doesn’t need to be bloomed before use. Because the powder is quite
potent, there’s no need to use more than a teaspoon or two.
Buy amchoor from a reputable spice shop—Marathé likes Burlap & Barrel
brand—and store it in a cool, dark place. To test the quality of your amchoor, fol-
low her advice: Pinch some between your fingertips and give it a lick. You should
taste pure, unadulterated tartness. –A.P.

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29
 K I TC H E N N OT E S
j B Y PA U L A DA M S , K E I T H D R E S S E R , S T E V E D U N N , A N D R E A G E A R Y & L A N L A M k

This dual cherry pitter, adver- Yes, You Can Sous Vide Frozen Steaks
tised as “The Family Cherry The only thing easier than defrosting
Stoner,” is just one of many steaks and cooking them with a sous vide
simple mechanical devices designed machine? Dropping already-prepped bags
in the late 1800s by the New Hampshire– of frozen steak straight into the water.
based Goodell Company, a pioneer in the To see if the frozen meat cooked as suc-
development of labor-saving devices for the cessfully with a sous vide machine as fresh
kitchen (think peach parers, potato parers, and one or thawed meat, we ran an experiment:
“lightning apple parer”). To use this We seasoned two 1½-inch-thick steaks
What cast-iron and wood tool, I attached with salt and pepper and vacuum-sealed
is it it to the side of my countertop
and then loaded eight cherries into
them in a bag with oil (necessary for fill-
ing air gaps). When the steaks were fully
the hopper. I slid them two at a time into the recessed frozen, we seasoned two fresh steaks
dimples near the handle and then lifted the handle, which and sealed them in another bag with oil.
caused two curved pitting arms to press down We used a probe thermometer to track
through the fruit and push the pits into a wait- how long it took each batch to reach
ing bowl. When I retracted the handle, 130 degrees Fahrenheit in the water bath. Surprisingly, the frozen steaks took only
the pitted cherries dropped on an 10 percent more time to hit 130 degrees. And after 3 hours of cooking and a quick
angled wooden slide to roll into sear, both sets were equally tender, juicy, and delicious.
a separate bowl. While I wished If you want to sous vide your steaks from frozen, here are two tips. Most
the slide had been pitched a bit sous vide steak recipes give a range for the cooking time, so simply increase the
steeper—the cherries needed recipe’s minimum time by 25 percent to allow for ample thawing time. And make
some coaxing to roll down—the sure to add the oil and any stock, butter, herbs, or spices that your recipe requires
innovative tool was a success when portioning and vacuum-sealing the steaks for freezing. That way, the bag is
overall. –S.D. good to go right from the freezer. –S.D.

A Quicker Way to Turn Yogurt into Labneh Three Good Ways

Popular all over the Middle East, labneh is yogurt that’s been drained of most to Use Whey
of its whey so that it takes on a thick, lush consistency akin to that of whipped If you strain our homemade
cream cheese. Drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with za’atar, labneh can be yogurt (page 21), don’t pour
part of a meze offering; it’s also great spread on bread, spooned over granola, the whey down the drain. The
or dolloped anywhere else a lightly tart and creamy component would be wel- tart liquid has a number of good
come. Normally yogurt must be drained for several days to create labneh, but applications. –P.A.
we found a much speedier approach. After straining yogurt through cheesecloth
overnight, we used paper towels to blot away enough moisture to create a 1. Buttermilk substitute: In our
spreadable consistency. –L.L. Best Drop Biscuits, replacing all
the buttermilk with whey yielded
a batch just as tall, tender, and
flavorful as the original.

2. Cocktail enhancer:
Whey can
The tartness of whey can bring sourness
complement or replace citrus in and froth to
a cocktail, and the dairy protein whiskey sours.
in it produces a magnificent froth
in shaken drinks. Try a whiskey
sour using an ounce of whey in
Line large plate with triple layer of paper towels. Spread ⅔ cup homemade or lieu of egg white.
commercial strained yogurt (our yogurt recipe and straining method are on
page 21) evenly over top; set aside and let sit for 10 minutes. Grasp paper towels 3. Yogurt starter: Freeze whey
and fold yogurt in half; peel back towels. Rotate plate 90 degrees and repeat fold- in an ice cube tray. Then, when-
ing and peeling 2 more times to consolidate yogurt into smaller, drier mass; you ever you want to make a new
should have about ½ cup labneh. batch of yogurt, add two cubes
to the milk as your starter.

cook’s illustrated
30
 CUTTING-EDGE TECHNIQUE Small-Batch Baking
Potatoes Sometimes you’ve got a hankering to
Cutting potatoes into even pieces bake, but you don’t need a couple dozen
isn’t the most challenging kitchen task, cookies, a full-size cake, or a whole tray
but it does take a little know-how. Be of biscuits. But scaling down a recipe
sure to use a pinch grip (i.e., pinch the isn’t always a simple matter of cutting
blade with your thumb and forefinger back ingredient amounts. And depending
where the blade meets the handle) for on what you’re baking, you may also need to
all these steps, as it gives you the most adjust the oven temperature and cooking time.
control over the entire length of the Enter my new column on small-batch baking,
blade. –K.D. where I’ll be downsizing some of our most
popular recipes so that they’ll bake up just as
HOW TO SLICE successfully as their full-batch counterparts.
Here, I scaled down our Perfect
Using chef ’s knife, cut thin Chocolate Chip Cookies from 16 to eight
1
slice from 1 side of potato cookies. The original recipe contained one
to create stable base. whole egg and one egg yolk, both of
which are difficult to halve, so I used
Rest potato on flat base. a single egg yolk and added a small
2
Hold knife blade parallel to amount of water to replace some of
length of potato for lengthwise slices the moisture that the egg white would
and perpendicular for crosswise have contributed instead. Decreasing
slices. For small potatoes, start with the flour slightly also helped ensure the
tip of knife on cutting board and proper spread. –A.G.
middle of blade resting on potato.
For larger potatoes such as russets, SMALL-BATCH PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
start with front of blade on potato. MAKES 8 COOKIES TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES, PLUS 20 MINUTES COOLING

Hold potato with claw grip and When making small batches, accurate measurements are crucial for success; we
3
apply steady downward pressure with strongly recommend that you weigh your flour and sugars. Avoid using a nonstick
knife while moving blade forward to cut slices of skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult
desired thickness. to gauge when the butter is sufficiently browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar.

¾ cup (3¾ ounces) all-purpose flour 1teaspoon vanilla extract

TIP Keep Potatoes from Sticking
Starchy potatoes are notorious for
clinging to the knife blade as you cut them.
To prevent sticking, after each cut and
before drawing back the blade, place the
index finger of your claw hand on top of
the piece(s) you just cut to steady it (them),
and then draw back the knife blade.
HOW TO DICE
Cut slices as directed above; thickness should match desired size of dice
1 to cook, swirling skillet constantly, until butter is dark golden brown and has
(e.g., cut ½-inch slices for ½-inch dice).
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE
¼ teaspoon baking soda 1teaspoon water
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon table salt
divided 1large egg yolk
⅓ cup packed (2⅓ ounces) ⅔ cup (4 ounces) semisweet
dark brown sugar chocolate chips
¼ cup (1¾ ounces) granulated sugar ⅓ cup chopped nuts (optional)
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line
18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking
mat. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
2. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Continue
nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer browned butter to large heatproof
bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until completely melted.
3. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, water, and salt to butter;
whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg yolk; whisk until mixture is smooth with
no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand for 3 minutes,
then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more
times (mixture should be thick, smooth, and shiny). Using rubber spatula, stir
in flour mixture until just combined (dough will be stiff), about 1 minute. Stir

Stack several slices together and
2 3
cut into batons, using claw grip
and same motion as for slicing above.
Turn 90 degrees and cut
crosswise into dice.
in chocolate chips and nuts, if using. Give dough final stir by hand to ensure
no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Working with 3 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into balls and space
them 2 inches apart on prepared sheet. Bake until cookies are golden brown and
still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are soft, 10 to 14 minutes,
rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes,
then transfer to wire rack. Let cookies cool completely before serving. (Cookies
can be stored in zipper-lock bag for up to 3 days.)

march & april 2022

31
 E Q U I P M E N T CO R N E R
j B Y C H A S E B R I G H T W E L L , M I Y E B R O M B E R G , H A N N A H C R O W L E Y, C A R O LY N G R I L LO & G R A C E K E L LY g

Rice Cookers U P D AT E Multicookers

You can make rice on the stovetop (or in the Our winning multicooker, the Instant Pot Duo
oven), but there are advantages to using a rice Evo Plus, was discontinued, so we tested its
cooker: The process is mostly hands-off, and it replacement, the Instant Pot Pro 8Qt (model
yields consistent results from batch to batch. We Pro 80). This new model is a great, easy-to-use
tested nine models. Our favorite, the Zojirushi appliance. Its flat-bottomed interior pot allowed
5.5-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker & Warmer for even searing, and its stay-cool handles let us
(model NS-ZCC10), which makes 2 to 11 cups easily move the pot, even when it was hot. The
of cooked rice, always produced consistent streamlined interface was easy to navigate. Its
results. The water measurement markings on its H I G H LY pressure-release switch kept our hands away
cooking bowl were easy to read, and the handles on its RECOMMENDED from the hot steam while venting the machine, and H I G H LY
cooking bowl protected our hands from heat. This model’s a diffuser on the vent made the steam disperse RECOMMENDED
ZOJIRUSHI
menu was simple enough, though we had to refer to the slightly more gently. We liked that we could dis-
5.5-Cup Neuro INSTANT POT Pro 8Qt
manufacturer’s booklet when picking the setting for long- able the “keep warm” function to keep food from
Fuzzy Rice Cooker PRICE: $149.99
grain white rice (it cooks on the mixed-rice setting, not the & Warmer overcooking and that we could set the timer to alert
white rice setting). It kept rice at a food-safe temperature us after 5 or 10 minutes of natural pressure release had elapsed. Also, a “favorites”
PRICE: $163.99
for 12 hours, a perk for people who like to enjoy rice feature let us save go-to recipes. The baking function uses steam, so it’s excellent for
throughout the day. We also tested the larger version of this model, the Zojirushi cheesecake, flan, and other desserts that benefit from a water bath. The temperature
10-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker & Warmer, which makes 2 to 20 cups of cooked of the sous vide setting was off by a couple degrees. Since precision is paramount
rice; it performed as well as our winner. –C.G. in sous vide cooking, we don’t trust this setting. It also couldn’t slow-cook large cuts
of meat. If you are mostly interested in slow cooking, we recommend buying a slow
cooker; otherwise, this model’s pressure-cooking, rice, sautéing, yogurt, and steaming
Bamboo Steamers functions were all excellent and are reason enough to buy this machine. It’s the best
Bamboo steamers are perhaps best known today multicooker we’ve tested yet. –H.C.
as the vessels used to cook and serve many
popular dim sum dishes. Because they’re made up
of tiers with level interior surfaces, they’re ideal for U P D AT E Kitchen Shears
steaming foods that need to sit flat during cooking, In our original review of kitchen shears, we
H I G H LY
such as dumplings or bao, or food that might break named both the Kershaw Taskmaster Shears
RECOMMENDED
in a collapsible steamer with a curved base, such as fragile and the Shun Multi-Purpose Shears as winners,
fish fillets. While you can get bamboo steamers in many JUVALE 10 Inch since both are made by the parent company
H I G H LY
sizes and configurations, they’re most commonly available Bamboo Steamer Kai and were identical in design and perfor- RECOMMENDED
as sets of two or three 10-inch round bamboo tiers—a with Steel Rings for mance. We recently learned that Kai made changes to
size that is compatible for use with a 14-inch wok or a Cooking the design of the Kershaw shears, so we retested them SHUN Multi-Purpose
12-inch skillet or sauté pan, among other vessels. Each tier PRICE: $23.99 both and found a few key differences between the two. Shears
PRICE: $49.95
provides about 68 square inches of surface area—roughly the same surface area as Superior blades gave the Shun Multi-Purpose Shears
our favorite collapsible steamer. But because the tiers are stackable, you can double (model DM7300) the edge, with their razor-sharp, 25-degree-angle cutter blade
and triple the capacity as needed. You can also steam foods with different cooking easily slicing through all kinds of foods. Deep, angular serrations on the anvil blade
times simultaneously, removing tiers as each food finishes cooking. And, of course, helped secure slippery foods. The length of this model’s blades ensured smooth,
the steamers are pretty enough that you can serve food right out of them at the table. continuous cutting; their overall narrowness made them easy to maneuver; and a
Our favorite is the Juvale 10 Inch Bamboo Steamer with Steel Rings for Cooking. It medium level of tension between them provided just enough shearing force with-
cooks food well and is solidly made: Its two tiers are reinforced with steel bands, so out taxing our hands. They’re ambidextrous and comfortable to hold and can be
they resist warping, and the slats in each tier are thick and durable. –M.B. taken apart for cleaning. –G.K.

The Bluicer
The Breville 3x Bluicer Pro (model BJB815BSS1BUS1) has a somewhat silly but accurate name; it’s a combination of a blender and a juicer. At about
$400, the Bluicer costs more than our winning centrifugal juicer (the Breville Juice Fountain Cold) and our winning midpriced blender (the Breville
Fresh & Furious) combined. Intrigued, we tested it against both of these winners in a Breville battle to see if it could truly replace both appliances. Like
other centrifugal juicers, the Bluicer wasn’t very good at juicing kale (the lightweight leaves aren’t flung against the filter basket with sufficient force).
It did effectively juice both carrots and grapes, but the carrot juice was initially slightly foamier and the grape juice was a bit pulpier than the juices we
made with our favorite centrifugal juicer. When it came to blending, the Bluicer and our winning midpriced blender performed
almost identically. From well-blended smoothies and snowy crushed ice to creamy mayonnaise and smooth almond butter, the RECOMMENDED
Bluicer kept up with the Fresh & Furious at every turn. If you have the space, it’s more cost-effective to buy our winning centrifu- BREVILLE 3x
gal juicer and blender separately. The Bluicer does offer the advantage of a more compact footprint and streamlined design, so if Bluicer Pro
you are an avid juicer who frequently blends and wants to save kitchen space, it may be worth your while. –C.B. PRICE: $399.95

Complete results available at CooksIllustrated.com/APR22

cook’s illustrated
32
 INDEX
March & April 2022

M AI N DI SHES
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Christine Ha, chef and restaurateur

Alu Parathas (Punjabi Potato-Stuffed

Griddle Breads) 10
Garlicky Broiled Shrimp 11
Hot Honey [ONLINE]
Smoky, Spiced 11
Matzo Brei 19
with Cinnamon and Sugar 19
with Mushroom and Chive 19
with Smoked Salmon and Dill 19
Multicooker Hawaiian Oxtail Soup 7
Roasted and Glazed Chicken Wings 5 Roasted and Glazed Chicken Roasted Kale 15
Wings 5
Simple Fried Rice 13
Vietnamese Herbs for Two [ONLINE]
Fragrant, flavorful herbs lend their verdant freshness
Spaghetti al Tonno 14
to countless Vietnamese dishes, from noodle soups
to salads to stir-fries. NGÒ (cilantro) and HÚNG S ID E DI SH E S
LŨI (spearmint) are often passed at the table, allow- Best Baked Potatoes 16
ing diners to customize and garnish their plates. The Braised Red Potatoes with Lemon
sawtooth-edged, more strongly flavored relative of ngò,
and Chives 17
NGÒ GAI (culantro), has hearty leaves that stand up
Classic Mashed Potatoes 17
to simmering in dishes such as pho. Pointy-leaved RAU
RAM (Vietnamese coriander) also packs a cilantro-like
Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes 17
pepperiness; however, this herb is actually a member Milk Chocolate Crémeux Tart 23
Roasted Kale with Garlic, Alu Parathas 10
of the knotweed family. The long, grasslike fronds of HE. Red Pepper Flakes, and Lemon 15
(garlic chives) contribute garlicky punch to fresh spring with Coriander, Ginger, and
rolls. HÚNG QUẾ (Thai basil), sturdier and more asser- Coconut 15
tive than its Italian counterpart, boasts anise-scented with Parmesan, Shallot, and
leaves and purple stems. The beloved delicacy bo lá Nutmeg 15
lốt consists of marinated, grilled beef wrapped in wide Tamatya-Kandyachi Koshimbir
LÁ LỐT (wild betel) leaves. X (lemongrass) is also a (Tomato-Onion Salad) 10
natural pairing for beef, flavoring the base of bún bò
huế, a rich and spicy beef noodle soup. RAU MÁ (pen- B REA K FA ST
nywort) is often blended into a drink and served as a Homemade Yogurt 21
home remedy for afflictions from eczema to indigestion. Sous Vide [ONLINE]
Particularly popular in the northern regions of Vietnam,
THÌ LÀ (dill) features alongside turmeric in Hanoi fried Multicooker Hawaiian Oxtail Soup 7 D E SS E RT S Simple Fried Rice 13
catfish. Assertive and citrusy, KINH GI I (Vietnamese Milk Chocolate Crémeux Tart 23
balm) is an ideal accompaniment to grilled meats. One Pâte Sucrée Tart Shell 23
of the most unique herbs in the Vietnamese kitchen, Small-Batch Perfect Chocolate Chip
pungent DIẾP CÁ (fish mint) lends a distinct pungency to Cookies 31
vermicelli bowls. –Alyssa Vaughn
M IX ER
Grenadine 29

ONLINE CONTENT at
CooksIllustrated.com/APR22

Homemade Yogurt 21 Smoky, Spiced Broiled Shrimp 11

Nutritional Information
Scan the QR code (or go to
CooksIllustrated.com/APR22) for
the nutritional breakdown of every
recipe in this issue.
Spaghetti al Tonno 14 Matzo Brei with Smoked Salmon and Dill 19

BACK COVER ILLUSTRATED BY JOHN BURGOYNE PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE KLISE, DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE, KEVIN WHITE; STYLING: ASHLEY MOORE, ELLE SIMONE SCOTT