Behind the Scenes
Senior Editor Matthew Fairman enjoys a bowl
Editor in Chief Toni Tipton-Martin
Editorial Director Bryan Roof
Executive Editor Scott Kathan
Executive Editor, Creative Content Morgan Bolling
Deputy Food Editor Nicole Konstantinakos
Deputy Editor Megan Ginsberg
Senior Editors Matthew Fairman, Jessica Rudolph
Senior Photo Test Cook Lawman Johnson
Test Cooks Mark Huxsoll, Amanda Luchtel, Kelly Song
Photo Test Cook Faye Yang
Executive Editor, Digital Mari Levine
Contributing Editor Eva Katz
Senior Science Research Editor Paul Adams
Executive Editors, ATK Reviews Hannah Crowley, Lisa McManus
Deputy Editor, ATK Reviews Kate Shannon
Senior Editors, ATK Reviews Miye Bromberg, Carolyn Grillo
Associate Editor, ATK Reviews Chase Brightwell
Assistant Editor, Digital, ATK Reviews Sawyer Phillips
Assistant Editors, ATK Reviews Valerie Sizhe Li, Sarah Sandler
Executive Managing Editor, Publishing Operations Todd Meier
Copy Editors Amelia Freidline, Katrina Ávila Munichiello, April Poole
Creative Director John Torres
Photography Director Julie Cote
Art Director Maggie Edgar
Art Director, ATK Reviews Marissa Angelone
Associate Art Director Rose Flynn
Graphic Designers Liz Higgins, Zoë Meadow
Senior Staff Photographers Steve Klise, Daniel J. van Ackere
Staff Photographer Kritsada Panichgul
Senior Photography Producer Meredith Mulcahy
Production & Imaging Coordinator Amanda Yong
Production & Imaging Specialist Tricia Neumyer
Production & Imaging Assistant Chloe Petraske
Manager of Procurement & Kitchen Facilities Rachel Appelbaum
Test Kitchen Shopping & Receiving Lead Heather Tolmie
Senior Kitchen Operations Assistant Crispin Lopez
Ingredient Receiving Coordinator Christopher Miller
Kitchen Facilities and Equipment Coordinator Ethan Rogers
Executive Editor, Video & Cooking School Christie Morrison
Culinary Producers Alli Berkey, Janette Zepeda
Assistant Culinary Producer Mel Velasco
Food Stylists Sasha Coleman, Chantal Lambeth, Elle Simone Scott
of gumbo at the Mosquito Supper Club in New
Orleans (left). The outside of Li’l Dizzy’s, an
iconic New Orleans eatery and home to some
of the city’s finest gumbo (right).
Chief Executive Officer Dan Suratt
Chief Creative Officer Jack Bishop
Chief Operating Officer Evan Silverman
Chief Marketing and Data Officer Lee Boykoff
Chief Digital Officer Fran Middleton
Chief People Officer Colleen Zelina
VP, Brand Partnerships Michelle O’Connor
VP, Marketing Natalie Vinard
VP, Technology Dustin Brandt
Editorial Director, Digital Content Kevin Pang
Director, Audience Acquisition & Partnerships Evan Steiner
Director, Finance Fran Guardabascio
Director, Public Relations & Communications Brian Franklin
Senior Director, Social Media & Emerging Platforms
Kathryn Przybyla
Senior Social Media Manager Charlotte Errity
Social Media Manager Norma Tentori
Social Media Coordinator Sarah Ahn
Community Engagement Coordinator Karen Tran
Photography: Pableaux Johnson
Director, Customer Support Timothy Quinn
Customer Support Specialists Nanda-Devi Davies,
Michaela Gilgenbach, Danielle Lutz
Hosts & Executive Editors, Television Julia Collin Davison,
Bridget Lancaster
Circulation Services PWX Solutions
 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

I F I W E R E going to make a declaration Today a soup of black-eyed peas, rice,

about gumbo, the way that the cooks do in
Matthew Fairman’s story about the silky
stew on page 14, I would say that gumbo
is a delicious mystery waiting to be solved
and every cook is a detective. Here are
some of the variations, ideas, and fun facts
to consider.
An article entitled “A Short History
of Gumbo,” published by the Southern
Foodways Alliance, states that gumbo
is considered a “melting pot” dish that
crosses class and regional barriers. The
first documented references to gumbo in
the United States appeared around the
turn of the 19th century. In 1803, gumbo
was served at a reception in New Orleans,
and in 1804 gumbo was enjoyed at a Cajun
gathering on the Acadian coast.
“The name derives from a West African
word for okra, suggesting that gumbo was
originally made with okra,” the article contin-
ues. “The use of filé (dried and ground sassafras
leaves) was a contribution of the Choctaws and,
possibly, other local tribes. Roux has its origin
in French cuisine, although the roux used in
gumbos is much darker than its Gallic cousins.”
Okra is a finger-shaped vegetable that can be
green or red and has a mucilaginous interior.
Devotees love that slime; it thickens gumbo and
gives the stew body. To make Ghanaian and
Bahamian okra soup, a cook might stir tomatoes,
other vegetables, and seafood into the pot.
Another adaptation, okra stew, is made with
greens and okra (but no tomatoes) and is likely
descended from African beef soup, as I wrote
in my cookbook Jubilee (2019).
Okra soup and okra (or ochra) gumbo
appeared to be interchangeable terms in early
African American cookbooks and were flavored
by ham and a rich broth made from simmering
beef or poultry bones. Abby Fisher, a former
bondswoman who lived in Northern California
and won awards for her pickles and preserves,
included a recipe for ochra gumbo in her book,
What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern
Cooking (1881). Her version’s savory and allur-
ing flavor derives from a broth made by boiling
a beef shank.
Creole chef, cooking teacher, and restaura-
teur Lena Richard included a recipe for okra
gumbo thickened with a roux and filé in her
1939 cookbook, though most cooks do not
approve of working all three thickeners into a
single pot. Years later, Leah Chase, the “queen
of Creole cuisine,” added ham and veal and
sometimes sausage to hers.
and blue crab is on the tasting menu at
Serigne Mbaye’s Dakar NOLA in New
Orleans. The menu helps connect Senega-
lese food and New Orleans cuisine, and
the soup, which is served as a first course,
“recalls the city’s famous gumbos,” Brett
Anderson observed in The New York Times.
I have not yet visited Dakar NOLA, but
I intend to. Until then, I will continue to
enjoy gumbo the way I have for years—at
home following a recipe I adapted to my
own pantry and tastes. My husband loves
the dish and likes to join in making it. An
engineer, he is the designated roux stirrer.
He patiently tends to the flour-and-fat
mixture as it transforms from gloppy and
white to smooth and caramel-colored. It
takes him more than 20 minutes over low
heat, but eventually he achieves the
brick-red roux his heart desires. Nirvana.
With Matthew’s recipe, you can bring the
luxurious taste of Louisiana to your home too.
Some advice: Take your time and enjoy the
process. And after you’ve made it once, impro-
vise with bits of diced ham or crabmeat until
the dish is your own. Serve it with cooked
rice, or add to the mystique and spoon it
over homemade potato salad the way some
locals do. Call it gumbo ya-ya—Cajun for
“everybody talking all at once.”
TONI TIPTON-MARTIN
Editor in Chief

THE COMPLETE BEANS AND GRAINS COOKBOOK

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Attention omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans: This cookbook is for you. Our test cooks
worked through mountains of beans and grains to provide you with expert cooking
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 31

12 32

10
FEATURES

6 A FAT TUESDAY CELEBRATION 25 ON THE ROAD: FRIED CHEESE CURDS

Open up your home and celebrate Mardi Gras Milwaukee’s Dairyland brings fine-dining precision
like a local. to burger-joint food.

7 KING CAKE 28 STRIP STEAKS WITH COWBOY BUTTER

Make this traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras Perfect steaks with a punchy, buttery sauce.
treat in your own kitchen, no matter where No horse or saddle required.
you live.
29 MUSTARD-ROASTED POTATOES
10 BOUDIN BALLS Golden roasted potatoes cooked with and coated in
How do you make this iconic Cajun sausage a brassy combination of mustards.
party-ready? Fry it.
30 QUINOA SALAD(S) FOR THE WIN
12 RILLONS (AKA PORK CANDY) There’s a lot to love about this flavorful, easy-to-cook
For your next gathering, think beyond the ingredient.
cocktail meatball.
31 SHAVED BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD
14 ON THE GUMBO TRAIL Quick-cooking and easy to dress up, these sprouts
This landmark dish is much more than you belong on your weeknight table.
think, and it’s infinitely more delicious.
32 CRÈME BRÛLÉE
18 GETTING TO KNOW SHRIMP For an easier version of this restaurant staple, we
Learn how to shop for and prep these small eliminated the tricky water bath.
crustaceans.
34 CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY PIE
20 BIG-BATCH SAZERACS A glorious-yet-simple treat for anyone you’re sweet on.
Because sometimes you need a round of
cocktails at the ready.
 America’s Test Kitchen has been teaching home
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21

34 FAREWELL TO THE
ROOSTER!
As Cook’s Country continues to grow and

DEPARTMENTS
evolve, we are moving on from using the rooster
icon. Accordingly, the “Find the Rooster” contest
has ended—there is no rooster hidden in this

4 QUICK BITES 36 COOKING CLASS

issue. The October/November 2023 drawing
winner, Kelly Phong of Oneida, Washington,
Beer-Brined Roast Chicken found the rooster on page 40 of that issue.
5 ATK REVIEWS
Nonalcoholic Beer 38 COOKING FOR TWO
Scallops with Orzo Risotto

21 DINNER TONIGHT 39 HOW TO MAKE 20

Creamy Shrimp and Crispy Fried Chickpeas
Andouille Penne
40 ONE PAN
Honey-Roasted Chicken Chorizo with Sweet
Drumsticks with Carrots Potatoes and Black Beans

Pesto Potato Frittata with

41 INSTANT POT
Peas and Goat Cheese
Barbecue Pulled Chicken
Sandwiches
Pork Chops with Spicy
Tomato-Braised Escarole
42 ATK REVIEWS DOWNLOAD OUR APP
Pork Tacos with Rolling Pins The America’s Test Kitchen app delivers the
best-tasting recipes, how-to-cook videos,
Orange Salsa
43 ATK REVIEWS and more! Download America’s Test Kitchen
today and become a culinary master! Go to
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AmericasTestKitchen.com/app.
Mushrooms and Dijon
44 BONUS RECIPE
Tuna, Fennel, and Warm Marinated Olives
Radish Salad Toasts
45 PORTRAIT
White Bean and Sun-Dried Wally Wroblewski
Tomato Burgers

41

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 QUICK BITES:
T E ST K I TC H E N T I P S, R EC S , A N D OT H E R T I D B I TS TO C H E W O N
by Matthew Fairman

ALL ABOUT HAM HOCKS R ÉMO U L A D E RÉM OU L ADE

Ham hocks are an excellent and
affordable way to boost flavor and
add body to myriad dishes, includ-
ing our Smoky Chicken, Sausage,
and Shrimp Gumbo (page 17).
In that recipe, we use them to
build a flavorful stock. They store
exceptionally well,
particularly in the
freezer; they’re
cheaper than
bacon (at less than
$3.00 a pound); and
they have even more
to offer.
A ham hock is a roughly fist-size
hunk of pork containing the joint
that connects the upper leg to the
hoof. It has a great deal of skin
and bone, with a small amount of
meat. Ham hocks also have loads
of connective tissue that’s rich in
collagen, which adds a luscious,
silky body to their cooking liquid
and imparts a deeply meaty flavor.
They’re often salt cured and
smoked, but they can be found
fresh too. Smoked hocks impart
more flavor than fresh—adding a
salty, smoky richness similar to
bacon—so we typically default to
those. Because they’re composed
primarily of bone, skin, and con-
nective tissue, ham hocks require
long cooking to release flavor
and to tenderize. This makes
them especially suited for slowly
braising along with beans, hearty
greens, or other tough cuts of
meat. Once the hocks are tender,
the skin and fat can be easily
removed so that the meat can be
picked off the bones and added
back to the dish.
A typical Louisiana-style
rémoulade is a tangy, creamy,
mayonnaise-based sauce often
containing some or all of the fol-
lowing: chopped celery, scallions,
parsley, pickles, and capers, as
well as horseradish, ketchup,
mustard, and a bit of cayenne or
hot sauce. We prefer a simplified
version—one that requires no
chopping—to use as a dipping
sauce for our Boudin Balls
(page 11). The cool, bright heat of
the horseradish, Dijon mustard,
and hot sauce contrast and bal-
ance the richness of the sausage,
and the smooth sauce lightly
coats the crispy spheres without
competing with the texture and
complexity of the boudin.
Makes 11⁄2 cups
Total Time: 5 minutes
We like to make this rémou-
lade with Crystal Hot Sauce;
you can substitute other
Louisiana-style hot sauces, but
start with less and add to taste.
11⁄3 cups mayonnaise
3 tablespoons prepared
horseradish
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
sauce
2 tablespoons Crystal Hot Sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon pepper
Whisk all ingredients together
in bowl. (Rémoulade can be
refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

Ham hocks
are part of the
hog’s lower leg
above the hoof.

WHAT TO DO WITH USE in a roux when making a bécha-

RENDERED PORK FAT
Making our recipe for Cajun Rillons
(page 13) produces about a cup of
slightly salty, supersavory rendered
pork fat. Don’t toss it; it’s liquid
gold. That fat can be strained and
reused multiple times; it keeps well
when refrigerated or frozen; and it
has innumerable uses, making it
a delicious secret weapon to have
on hand in the kitchen. Strain the
melted pork fat through a fine-mesh
strainer lined with cheesecloth to
remove all solids, and store the fat
in an airtight container for months
in the refrigerator or even longer in
the freezer. Here are just some of
the ways you can put this flavorful
cooking medium to use.
mel or gumbo; to fry eggs and home
fries; when searing steaks or chops;
or as a portion of fat when making
mayonnaise, baking biscuits or dough
for savory tarts or pies, or making
french fries.
RUB on
meats
before
roasting.
TOSS with vegetables such as pota-
toes, brussels sprouts, cauliflower,
carrots, or cabbage before roasting.
B L END into mashed potatoes or
into root vegetable purees.

4 CO OK’S COU NT RY • F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H 2024

 QUICK BITES

HOW TO MAKE ATK REVIEWS

COLORED SUGARS
Colored sugars are great for
decorating cakes, cookies,
cupcakes, and more. We call
for purple, green, and gold
colored sanding sugars to
decorate our King Cake
(page 9). If you can’t find
them, it’s easy to make your
own colored sugar by mixing
food coloring into sugar. If
you use coarse sugar, you’ll
get large crystals more akin
to sanding sugar, but granu-
lated sugar also works with
this technique.
1. Spread 1⁄2 cup sugar onto
plate and add 1⁄16 teaspoon gel
food coloring or 5 drops liquid
food coloring.
THE BEST
NONALCOHOLIC BEER
by Valerie Sizhe Li
NONALCOHOLIC BEER ONCE had a bad rap,
but it is staging an exciting metamorphosis. Sales in
the United States totalled $670 million in 2021, and
they have continued to skyrocket. Though still just a
fraction of the beer market, nonalcoholic beer sales
account for 85 percent of the alcohol-alternative sec-
tor, according to NIQ, a consumer-data provider.
This rising demand has been attributed to two fac-
tors: the “sober curious” movement that motivated
people to cut down on alcohol intake and technological
advances that made nonalcoholic beer taste like the
real deal. So how did nonalcoholic beer go from tasting
skunky and metallic to being full-bodied and nuanced?
The tradition of making nonalcoholic beer in the
U.S. goes back to when Congress passed the Volstead
Act in 1920; this act banned the sale of alcoholic
beverages with greater than 0.5 percent alcohol by
volume (ABV). Pabst and Anheuser-Busch pivoted
to making low-alcohol beers, reducing their alcohol
levels to less than 0.5 percent ABV. Called “near beer,”
most were riffs on mass-market lager, notes Joshua
Bernstein, author of The Complete Beer Course
(2013). “The lack of options beyond lager contributed
to the delayed takeoff of nonalcoholic beer,” he added.
Fast forward to the 2010s, when the demands for
nonalcoholic beer began to rise. The craft-beer move-
ment in the early 2000s also helped turbocharge the
nonalcoholic beer surge, leading breweries to diversify
the styles of very low-alcohol and completely nonal-
coholic beer to mirror current trends in the craft-beer
industry. You can now find nonalcoholic versions of
popular styles, from hoppy and fruity IPAs
and chocolaty stouts to crisp Italian
pilsners and funky sour ales. We
tasted 23 types in a range of
styles and a found a favorite
(or two) in each category.
TOP FIVE STYLES OF NONALCOHOLIC BEER
1. LAGER: The most popular category, this
easy-drinking beer is crisp, light, and refreshing, but
our tasters found nonalcoholic lager a mixed bag.
Many tasters were impressed that Heineken 0.0
tasted nearly identical to its alcoholic counterpart.
2. ALE: Ale is a category that encompasses several
styles. Its fermentation method is different from
lager. We tasted blonde, amber, sour, and pale ales.
The Athletic Brewing Co. Upside Dawn Golden
Non-Alcoholic Brew had “slight sweetness” at the
start and a “lemon zest finish.” Two other standouts
were the “full-bodied” and “fruity” Omission Bal-
anced Brewing Good to Go Golden Non-Alcoholic
Brew and the “hop-forward” Big Drop Brewing Pine
Trail Pale Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage.
3. WHEAT: Wheat beer is technically an ale as its
appearance is cloudy, but its popularity earned it a
separate category. Although wheat beers are hard to
replicate in nonalcoholic form, our tasters enjoyed
“bright, citrusy” Mikkeller Drink’In the Sun Non
Alcoholic Wheat Ale.
4. INDIA PALE ALE (IPA): IPA tends to have
strong hoppy flavors with notes of pine. We liked
earthy West Coast–style IPA and fruitier New England
IPA. The Untitled Art West Coast Nonalcoholic IPA
was impressively “fizzy” and “bright” with “a fair bit
of hoppiness.” For East Coast style, Samuel Adams
Non-Alcoholic Just the Haze had “fruity hop[s]” and
won high praise.
5. STOUT: Full-bodied and rich, stout typically fea-
tures notes of coffee and caramel. Our tasters were
impressed with the Guinness Zero Non-Alcoholic
Draught. Flavorwise, it hits all the “coffee,” “licorice,”
“rye,” and “bread” notes of its alcoholic counterpart.

5
2 4
1 3

2. With your gloved hands, rub

food coloring into sugar until
evenly combined. Let sugar dry
completely before using, about
1 hour.
The complete results chart is available at AmericasTestKitchen.com/mar24.

F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024 • CO OK’S COU NTRY 5

A FAT
TUE DAY
S
Open up your home and
celebrate Mardi Gras like
a local. by Matthew Fairman
W H E N I M O V E D to New Orleans
a few years ago, I had a lot to learn
about Mardi Gras (literally translated,
“Fat Tuesday”). I primarily pictured
the most salacious bits I had seen on
TV from afar. You know the scene
that’s so often associated with Carnival:
beads and delirious college students.
Although tourists can certainly find
those on Bourbon Street during the
Carnival season, the truth is, they can
find them there any night of the week,
the whole year round.
On the other hand, the truly
unique, essential delights of Mardi
Gras are to be found celebrating and
feasting with family and friends in the
Crescent City’s other neighborhoods.
Sure, there are parades with lots of
people throwing beads and myriad
other collectible objects, but the
targets for those are less likely to be
a drunken tourist than an overjoyed
4-year-old hoisted up on her parent’s
shoulders. Families will have camped
out and picnicked all day long to get
the best spot on the parade route.
For me, this image truly
encapsulates Mardi Gras: elaborately
costumed families dancing joyously
down neighborhood streets on their
way to congregate in friends’ homes
to refuel on spreads of Popeyes fried
CELEBRATION
chicken, a signature
family gumbo, mini
muffulettas, fried
seafood po’ boys,
king cake, and more.
6 COO K’S COU NTRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H
While the rest of the
country is emerging
from the holiday season
and hunkering down for
winter, New Orleans
locals are ramping up
for Mardi Gras, which
is much more than a
one-day celebration;
it’s an entire season.
January 6, the 12th night of Christ-
mas in the Catholic calendar, marks
the official beginning of Carnival
season—also known by many locals
as “king cake season”—when we
are finally allowed to eat king cake
and when the first of the dozens of
upcoming parades hits the streets.
Christmas decorations aren’t taken
down; they’re simply transformed
into Mardi Gras decorations.
From that date until Fat Tuesday,
locals are frantically constructing
costumes. One of my wife’s students
says that after New Year’s her family’s
dinner table becomes “the glitter
factory.” Then comes the menu plan-
ning, attending parades and king cake
parties, and generally anticipating the
indulgent farewell to the flesh—the
literal English translation of the Latin
“carnival.” Because Mardi Gras season
is traditionally tied to the Catholic
calendar, the Wednesday following
Mardi Gras marks the beginning of
Lent, a season of penance and absti-
nence that precedes Easter. But on that
2024
last Tuesday before Lent, we’ll don our
costumes, lay out feasts, and either hit
the neighborhood streets ourselves to
become part of the parade or open up
our houses to fortify and resuscitate the
passing revelers.
So wherever you are this Fat
Tuesday, there’s no better way to
celebrate than to do as we do and
take it literally, preparing a decadent
spread of Louisiana specialties. These
are the recipes for an unforgettable
Mardi Gras: a homemade King
Cake (page 9) filled with a gooey
cinnamon-sugar swirl; the heaviest
of hors d’oeuvres in crispy Boudin
Balls (page 11) and luscious Rillons
(page 13); celebratory Big-Batch
Sazeracs (page 20); and the pièce de
résistance—a supremely comforting
pot of Smoky Chicken, Sausage,
and Shrimp Gumbo (page 17). So
drench yourself in purple, green, and
gold glitter; invite your friends and
family over to feast; and forget the
doldrums of midwinter. Today, we let
the good times roll.
Photo: Pableaux Johnson
 KING
CAKE
Make this traditional New
Orleans Mardi Gras treat
in your own kitchen, no
matter where you live.
by Bronwen Wyatt

NEW ORLEANS IS a city of

people with passionate opinions,
especially concerning food. The
easiest way to start an argument
among New Orleanians is to
pronounce as fact your opinion on,
say, the best way to boil crawfish
or how dark to take your roux for a
certain dish—you’ll barely need to
pause before your sparring partner
interjects to inform you that you
are wrong and how the way their
grandma prepared it is actually cor-
rect. King cake, the reigning dessert
of Mardi Gras, is no exception.
This celebratory circle of dough has
achieved near mythic status in Loui-
siana, and where to get the best one
is the subject of intense debate. I’m
here to pronounce my own strong
opinion—the very best king cake is
the one you make yourself.
Many folks will tell you the best
king cake was from McKenzie’s, a
local bakery chain that, in the New
Orleans’ colloquialism, “ain’t dere
no more.” Though now shuttered,
the bakery also famously origi-
nated the tradition of including a
baby figurine, meant to represent
the infant Jesus, in the king cake.
These babies were once made of
porcelain and are now typically
plastic, though other charms are
deployed as well—in the past, folks
might use an almond or a dried
bean. The guest who receives the
baby is responsible for bringing the
king cake to the next gathering. In
your average Louisiana workplace,
this means you’ll likely have the
chance to enjoy king cake every
single workday through the Mardi
Gras season.

F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024 • COO K’S COU NT RY 7

 When I first started making
king cakes several years ago,
I approached the process with a
bit of a critical eye—I’m not a
New Orleans native, and I felt
like a lot of the cakes I tried were
a bit, well, lackluster. In its
simplest form, king cake is a soft
bread filled with a ribbon of
cinnamon sugar and topped with
a sweet glaze and brightly colored
sanding sugar representing the
colors of Mardi Gras. I wanted
my own king cake to feature an
elegant ring of dough and have a
strong pop of cinnamon flavor
with a more moderate overall
sweetness. The version published
here is traditional with a few
modern tweaks to make it easier
to make and enjoy.
Begin with a simplified enriched
bread dough (enriched simply
means the addition of sugar or
fat—here, melted butter). Chill
the dough, divide it in two, and
fill each half with a lush cinnamon
spread before braiding the two
pieces together—working with
cold dough makes this assembly a
breeze. The filling includes gin-
gersnap crumbs, which help lock
the buttery spiced filling into place
so that each slice features a distinct
swirl. This is a great opportunity
to use the very best cinnamon you
have; an excellent, fresh cinnamon
will really shine in this recipe.
Next, place the braided ring of
dough in a round cake pan to rise
and bake. King cakes are often
baked free-form on a sheet tray
rather than baked in a pan. I prefer
the latter—having the support of
the sides of a round cake pan allows
you to use a more tender dough
and still get a great rise and shape
without the filling leaking out and
scorching the bottom. Last, use
sour cream in the glaze to cut the
sweetness and add a bit of tang.
These breaks from king-cake
convention might stir up a debate
here in New Orleans, but I think
you’ll find the end result well
worth it. If you include a charm
with your king cake, don’t forget
to remind your guests to expect
it—especially so that they can
plan to bring the king cake to the
next party.
Bronwen Wyatt is a pastry chef
with nearly two decades of experi-
ence in restaurants across America,
including in New Orleans; Baltimore;
San Francisco; and Portland, Maine.
In 2020, Wyatt established Bayou
Saint Cake, a boutique cake studio
specializing in imaginative layer
cakes featuring intensely seasonal
Southern produce. Wyatt lives in a
century-old shotgun house in New
Orleans with her wife, where her
hobbies include gardening, painting,
and writing.

HOW TO FORM KiNG CAKE

1. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and 2 . Lightly flour dough portions and roll each into 3. Using offset spatula, spread half of filling over
divide into 2 equal portions. 12 by 4-inch rectangle with long edge parallel to 1 dough rectangle, leaving ¾-inch border at long
counter edge. edge of dough opposite counter edge.

4 . Beginning with long edge nearest you, roll
dough away from you into even log, pushing in
ends to create even thickness. Pinch seam to
seal and roll log seam side down. Repeat with
second dough rectangle and remaining filling.
5. Place dough logs next to each other, perpen- 6. Carefully transfer shaped dough to prepared
dicular to counter edge. Cross left log tightly over pan, forming ring in pan, and pinch both ends
right log. Continue twisting, 3 times total, to wrap together to seal.
dough logs around each other.

8 COO K’S COUN T RY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024


A SWEET,
HiSTORiC REiGN
A round baked good contain-
ing a symbolic trinket, eaten
in celebration of the holiday of
Epiphany, is found across the
Catholic diaspora in different
forms. Epiphany marks the
three kings' visit to baby Jesus,
and it’s generally agreed that
New Orleans inherited the king
cake from France and Spain.
In francophone cultures, you
might enjoy a galette des rois, a
very French confection of puff
pastry and almond frangipane,
while in Spain the rosca de
reyes consists of a round of bri-
oche topped with dried fruit. In
New Orleans, this has morphed
into the circle of sweet bread,
often flavored with cinnamon
and topped with sugar colored
purple, green, and gold. Tradi-
tion dictates that the colors
represent justice, faith, and
power (though that may be
another New Orleans legend in
its own right).
In Louisiana, king cake is
eaten between January 6, the
feast of Epiphany, and Mardi
Gras. In recent years, local bak-
ers have competed to develop
increasingly innovative king
cake flavors, and you’ll find
them now filled with anything
from pecan praline to choco-
late to strawberry. There are
even savory versions such as
those filled with boudin.
Illustration: Rose Flynn
KI NG CA KE portions. Roll each portion into
Serves 8 Total Time: 2½ hours, plus 3 hours 50 minutes 12 by 4-inch rectangle with long
to 4 hours 20 minutes chilling, rising, and cooling edge parallel to counter edge.
We prefer to refrigerate the dough overnight, which gives it a fuller 5. Using offset spatula, spread half
flavor and makes it easier to handle. You’ll need about 10 gingersnap of filling over 1 dough rectangle,
cookies to yield ½ cup of crumbs. To make the crumbs, pulse the cookies leaving ¾-inch border at long
in a food processor or place them in a zipper-lock bag and crush them edge of dough opposite counter
with a rolling pin until finely ground. You can substitute graham cracker edge. Beginning with long edge
crumbs or Biscoff cookie crumbs for the gingersnap crumbs if you’d like. nearest you, roll dough away from
This recipe was developed using a light-colored cake pan; if your pan is you into even log, pushing in ends
dark, begin checking for doneness at about 35 minutes (before tenting to create even thickness. Pinch
it with foil). If you don’t have colored sanding sugar, you can make your seam to seal and roll log seam side
own colored sugar (page 5). Be sure to advise your guests if you choose down. Repeat with second dough
to hide the (inedible) king cake baby under your cake. rectangle and remaining filling.
6. Place dough logs next to each
CA K E in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk other, perpendicular to counter
2½ cups (12½ ounces) all-purpose ⅓ cup water, 2 eggs, milk, melted edge. Cross left log tightly over
flour butter, and vanilla together in right log. Continue twisting,
¼ cup (1¾ ounces) granulated liquid measuring cup. Make well in 3 times total, to wrap dough
sugar flour mixture and add water mix- logs around each other. Care-
2¼ teaspoons instant yeast ture to well. Fit mixer with paddle fully transfer shaped dough to
¾ teaspoon table salt attachment and mix on low speed prepared pan, forming ring in
1⁄3 cup plus 1 tablespoon water, until ingredients are just combined, pan, and pinch both ends together
divided about 30 seconds. Increase speed to to seal. Cover pan loosely with
3 large eggs, divided medium-high and mix until dough plastic wrap and let rise at room
3 tablespoons whole milk forms stretchy, web-like strands temperature until doubled in size,
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, on sides of bowl, about 5 minutes, 1 to 1½ hours.
melted scraping down sides of bowl half- 7. Adjust oven rack to middle posi-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract way through mixing (dough will be tion and heat oven to 350 degrees.
Vegetable oil spray soft and sticky). Transfer dough to Whisk remaining 1 egg and
Purple, green, and yellow lightly greased large bowl and coat remaining 1 tablespoon water
colored sanding sugars dough lightly with oil spray. Cover together in small bowl. Brush
1 king cake baby, dried bean, with plastic wrap and refriger- dough evenly with egg wash.
or almond (optional) ate for at least 2 hours or up to Bake until cake is glossy and deep
24 hours. golden brown, about 35 minutes.
F ILL ING 2. FOR T HE FILL IN G: Using Tent cake with aluminum foil and
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, clean stand mixer bowl and continue to bake until center of
softened paddle attachment, beat all ingre- cake registers 200 to 210 degrees,
½ cup (2 ounces) gingersnap dients on medium speed until 15 to 20 minutes longer.
crumbs well combined, about 1 minute. 8. Transfer cake to wire rack set
½ cup (3½ ounces) granulated (Filling can be refrigerated for up in rimmed baking sheet and let
sugar to 48 hours; let filling sit at room rest until cool enough to handle,
¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces) temperature until softened, at about 20 minutes. Run paring
brown sugar least 15 minutes, before spread- knife around edges of pan. Care-
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ing onto dough in step 5.) fully remove cake from pan and
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3. FOR TH E G LAZ E: Whisk all transfer to rack, rounded side up,
1⁄8 teaspoon table salt ingredients in bowl until smooth. discarding parchment. Pour glaze
Refrigerate until ready to use. evenly over cake and let sit until
G LA ZE (Glaze can be refrigerated for up glaze stops running but is still wet,
3 cups (12 ounces) confectioners’ to 48 hours.) about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with
sugar 4. Grease 9-inch round cake colored sugars, alternating colors
½ cup sour cream pan, line with parchment paper, in pinwheel pattern around cake.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch table salt
1 . F OR TH E CAK E: Whisk
flour, sugar, yeast, and salt together
and grease parchment. Working
quickly, transfer dough to lightly
floured counter and divide into
2 equal portions (about 12 ounces
each). Lightly flour dough
Let cake cool until just warm,
about 30 minutes.
9. Transfer cake to serving platter.
Hide king cake baby underneath
cake, if using. Serve.

F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024 • CO OK’S COUN T RY 9

BOUDIN BALLS
T O S AY T H AT Cajun boudin is and create the holy trinity, the
a pork sausage doesn’t do it jus- vegetable mixture that became
tice—this mix of spiced pork, rice, the foundation of much of Loui-
and liver is a totem of Cajun cui- siana cuisine. Like any people
sine and helps tell the story of one living off the land, the Cajuns
of the richest culinary traditions used every part of the animals
in America. Boudin is fully cooked they butchered; hence, chicken
before it gets stuffed into the cas- or pork livers came to be a staple
ings, and the preferred method of in the sausage. Today boudin is
consumption is to bite off the top sold in all manner of markets,
of the casing and squeeze the soft, grocery stores, and gas stations
heavily seasoned mixture directly throughout Louisiana.
into your mouth. And if company There is nothing subtle about
is coming, you can spread it on the best boudin, so I knew my
crackers or ball it up, roll it in version had to be assertively
breading, and fry it into delectable seasoned. Simmering chunks of
morsels known as boudin balls. heavily marbled pork shoulder in
The history of boudin is just as water with the trinity, salt, garlic,
rich as its flavor. Boudin’s roots can smoked paprika, white and black
be traced back to the Acadians (or pepper, and cayenne created a
“Cadiens”), a deep base of flavor
group of French in the meat and
expatriates who How do you make liquid. Using some
came to Nova
Scotia, which this iconic Cajun of that flavorful
liquid—now pork
was known as sausage party- stock—to cook the
Acadia at the rice infused the
time, in 1604. ready? Fry it. grains with flavor.
Eventually by Laila Ibrahim The preferred
expelled to dif- ratio of pork to
ferent parts of rice and liver is
America in 1755, many ended up hotly debated in Louisiana; my
scattered throughout Louisiana, tasters (including a few former
where they identified themselves as Louisiana residents) and I settled
Cajuns and made use of the land’s on 2 pounds of pork, 1⅓ cups of
bounty by hunting and fishing— raw long-grain white rice, and
and cooking. As with architecture 12 ounces of chicken livers for a
and music, they adapted their sausage that was bold but balanced.
cuisine to fit their new surround- Additional flavor comes from more
ings. (It should be noted that the flavorful pork-cooking liquid (plus
word “Cajun” is not strictly used to whatever fat was skimmed from it)
identify just one region or group of and plenty of sliced scallions.
people in Louisiana.) You can stuff this filling into
Among the foods they brought casings, poach it, and even smoke
was boudin blanc, a white sausage it if you like—there are many
made from pork (or veal or ways to enjoy boudin. But with
chicken), bread, cream, mirepoix Mardi Gras on the mind, I wanted
(onions, celery, and carrots), and party-friendly boudin balls. To
spices. Because rice was abun- make them, you simply chill the
dant in Louisiana, over time it filling, portion it into spheres, and
replaced the bread as the starchy then bread and fry them. This
filler. Similarly, the wide avail- crowd-pleasing version is an abso-
ability of green bell peppers led lute treat, especially when served
Cajun cooks to lose the carrots with rémoulade for dipping.

10 CO O K’S COU NT RY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024

 BOUDIN BALLS 7. Line second rimmed baking sheet
Makes 30 balls Total Time: 4¾ hours, plus 4½ hours cooling and chilling with triple layer of paper towels.
Pork butt roast is often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket. Do not trim Add oil to clean Dutch oven until it
the pork butt; the rendered fat is used in the recipe. Use a Dutch oven that measures about 1½ inches deep and
holds 6 quarts or more. We developed this recipe using Diamond Crystal heat over medium-high heat to 350
kosher salt; if using Morton kosher salt, decrease the amount to 2½ table- degrees. Using spider skimmer or
spoons. If using table salt, decrease the amount of salt to 1¾ teaspoons. slotted spoon, gently lower 10 balls
Serve with Rémoulade (page 4). into oil and cook until golden
brown, about 6 minutes, rotat-
2 pounds boneless pork butt 4. Bring 2 cups reserved cook- ing balls halfway through frying.
roast, cut into 2-inch pieces ing liquid and rice to boil in large Adjust heat as needed to maintain
4 cups water, plus extra as saucepan over medium-high heat. oil temperature between 325 and
needed Reduce heat to low; cover; and 350 degrees. Transfer balls to paper
1 onion, chopped coarse simmer until rice is tender and towel–lined sheet. Return oil to
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, liquid has been absorbed, about 350 degrees and repeat with remain-
seeded, and chopped coarse 20 minutes. Off heat, let rice sit, ing balls in 2 more batches. Serve.
1 celery rib, chopped coarse covered, for 10 minutes.
3½ tablespoons kosher salt 5. Working in 3 batches, pulse TO MAKE AHEAD
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled cooled pork mixture in food proces- After step 6, all or some of balls can
1 tablespoon smoked paprika sor until coarsely ground, about be refrigerated for up to 24 hours
1 tablespoon white pepper 6 pulses; transfer to large bowl. or frozen on sheet until solid and
2 teaspoons pepper Fold in scallions, remaining 1 cup then transferred to zipper-lock
1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper reserved cooking liquid, cooked bags and stored in freezer for up to
12 ounces chicken livers, patted rice, and reserved 3 tablespoons fat 1 month; thaw frozen balls over-
dry and trimmed until thoroughly combined. Cover night in refrigerator before frying.
11⁄3 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and refrigerate boudin filling until
9 scallions, sliced thin (1¼ cups) completely chilled, at least 4 hours
1 cup all-purpose flour or up to 2 days. CASED AND SMOKED BOUDiN
4 large eggs 6. Place flour in shallow dish.
2½ cups panko bread crumbs Beat eggs in second shallow dish.
2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for Spread panko in third shallow
frying dish. Line rimmed baking sheet
with parchment paper. Measure
1 . Combine pork, water, onion, bell ¼-cup portions of boudin mixture
pepper, celery, salt, garlic, paprika, and, using your lightly moistened
white pepper, pepper, and cayenne hands, roll into balls. Transfer
in large Dutch oven. Bring to boil boudin balls to prepared sheet (you
over medium-high heat. Reduce should have about 30 balls). Work-
heat to low; cover; and simmer until ing with 1 ball at a time, dredge
pork is tender, about 2 hours. Stir in in flour; dip in eggs; and coat with Visit AmericasTestKitchen.com/
chicken livers and cook until cooked panko, pressing gently to adhere. mar24 to learn how to case and
through, about 10 minutes. Return balls to prepared sheet. smoke boudin sausages.
2 . Using slotted spoon or spi-
der skimmer, transfer pork and
vegetables to rimmed baking sheet. CALViN TRiLLiN ON BOUDiN
Strain pork cooking liquid through The scribe Calvin Trillin is a champion of many foodstuffs, but he may be
fine-mesh strainer set over large most passionate about boudin. Here’s an excerpt on the topic from his book
bowl and transfer any remaining Feeding a Yen (2003).
solids to sheet with pork. Spread “When people in Breaux Bridge or Opelousas or Jeanerette talk about
pork mixture into even layer and let boudin (pronounced ‘boo-DAN’), they mean a soft mixture of rice and pork
cool completely, about 30 minutes. and liver and seasoning that is squeezed hot into the mouth from a sausage
3. Let cooking liquid settle for casing, usually in the parking lot of a grocery store and preferably while
5 minutes. Using wide, shal- leaning against a pickup. (Boudin means ‘blood sausage’ to the French, most
low spoon, skim off and reserve of whom would probably line up for immigration visas if they ever tasted the
3 tablespoons fat from surface; Cajun version.) I figure that about eighty percent of the boudin purchased
discard remaining fat. Measure out in Louisiana is consumed before the purchaser has left the parking lot, and
and reserve 3 cups cooking liquid; most the rest is polished off in the car. In other words, Cajun boudin not only
discard excess liquid. (Add extra doesn’t get outside the state, it usually doesn’t even get home.”
water as needed to yield 3 cups.)

F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024 • COOK’S COUN TRY 11

 RILLONS
(AKA PORK CANDY)
For your next gathering,
think beyond the
cocktail meatball.
by Matthew Fairman

I S A A C T O U P S O F Toups’
Meatery in New Orleans says he
found this unique version of ril-
lons—bite-size bits of pork belly
braised in a red-wine caramel—in
an old Cajun cookbook (rillons
are a cousin of rillettes—meat
cooked and preserved in its own
fat). He calls them pork candy or
“alcoholic pork belly caramel.”
I call them the ultimate party
snack, decadent and irresistible.
This recipe is inspired by the ril-
lons I had for “dessert” at the end
of an unforgettable meal at the
Meatery and by the recipe Toups
published in his book Chasing
the Gator: Isaac Toups and the New
Cajun Cooking (2018).
Relying on the test kitchen’s
care for engineering the most fail-
proof recipes for the home cook,
I’ve adapted his recipe based on
techniques I learned from making
the more classic French-style
rillons. They’re a centuries-old
delicacy in the Touraine province
in France’s Loire valley, a region
famous for its way with potted
meats. Salting the chunks of pork
belly a day ahead not only helps
keep the pork juicy through the
long braise it needs to become
tender but also seasons the meat
throughout, balancing the sweet-
ness of the red-wine caramel that

12 CO OK’S COU NTRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024

glazes each little morsel. Browning
the chunks of rich pork belly until
their fat is rendered allows you to
pour off some of the excess fat so
that it doesn’t pool in the finished
dish. The fat that remains on the
rillons becomes impeccably unctu-
ous, tender, and silky and is a big
part of the dish’s appeal. So take
Toups’s advice and look for pork
belly with lots of good fat. Finally,
cooking the red-wine caramel
until it reaches 225 degrees
ensures a sauce with the perfect
glossy, glaze-like texture and
guarantees consistent results
every time.
Next time you’re asked to bring
food to a party or are planning a
spread for your own, make these.
Trust me, they are a next-level
replacement for the cocktail
meatball and are bound to kick off
a lively conversation. And please,
if you have leftover pork-infused
GETTiNG THE CARAMEL RiGHT
Cook caramel until it is thick and
syrupy and registers 225 degrees.
red-wine caramel, don’t throw it
out; you haven’t lived until you’ve
tried it warm, drizzled over a
brownie sundae.
RIL LO NS
Serves 6 to 8
Total Time: 2½ hours,
plus 12 hours salting
Medium-bodied red wines, such
as Côtes du Rhône or Pinot Noir,
are best for this recipe.
33⁄4 pounds skinless pork belly
51⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
11⁄2 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups red wine
11⁄2 cups packed light
brown sugar
9 sprigs fresh thyme
1 . Slice pork belly into and simmer until pork is tender, until sauce is thick and syr-
1½-inch-thick strips, then cut 1½ to 2 hours, stirring once half- upy and registers 225 degrees,
strips crosswise into 1½-inch-thick way through cooking. 10 to 15 minutes. Off heat,
pieces. Transfer pork to large 4. Using slotted spoon, trans- return pork to sauce and stir to
bowl, sprinkle with salt and pep- fer pork to large plate; discard coat. Let cool for 10 minutes,
per, and toss until evenly coated. thyme sprigs. Cook wine mixture then stir again to coat with
Cover and refrigerate for at least over high heat, stirring often, sauce. Serve.
12 hours or up to 24 hours.
2. Pat pork dry with paper towels.
Heat oil in large Dutch oven CUTTiNG RiLLONS
over medium-high heat until
just smoking. Add half of pork
and cook, turning occasionally,
until fat is rendered and pork is
well browned on all sides, 12 to
15 minutes. Using slotted spoon,
transfer pork to large plate.
Repeat with remaining pork.
Pour off fat from pot and reserve
for another use.
3. Add wine and sugar to
now-empty pot and stir until sug-
ar is dissolved, about 30 seconds.
Add thyme sprigs and pork and
bring to simmer over medium-high 1. Slice pork belly into 11⁄2-inch 2. Cut strips crosswise into
heat. Cover; reduce heat to low; strips. 11⁄2-inch-thick pieces.
F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H 2024 • COOK’S COUN TRY 13
 ON THE
GUMBO TRAIL
This landmark dish is much more than you
think, and it’s infinitely more delicious.
by Matthew Fairman

I N LO U I S I A N A , E V E RYO N E
has a gumbo story. I’ve gathered
a few favorite declarations about
gumbo in my quest to write my
own: “Gumbo is a food group”
(Pableaux Johnson). “Gumbo
is like a religion” (Melissa M.
Martin). “Gumbo is a celebra-
tion” (Wayne Baquet, Sr.). These
proclamations hint at an elusive-
ness that is essential to gumbo,
one that I have found to be, at
turns, bewildering and tantalizing.
How could a humble pot of food
hold something so sublime that
it converts all Louisianians—no Pableaux Johnson
matter how wildly different their
environments and backgrounds— response was almost philosophi-
into gumbo evangelists, zealots cal. “My gumbo is less a recipe
even? Maybe taking a look at than a process. Almost like a cycle.
three specific gumbo stories can It takes place during a season.”
give us a clue. Pressed for specifics, he produced
this gem: “I buy a [ton] of turkeys
GIFTS FROM GUMBO CLAUS and smoke them over the course
Pableaux Johnson is also known of a very long time and then turn
as Gumbo Claus because of his them into gumbo over the course
decade-long practice of handing of a very long time.” In this way,
out quarts of his turkey-bone he explains, it’s a variation on a
gumbo around the holidays. I’ve typical post-Thanksgiving gumbo
come to depend on him as my using the leftover turkey and
gumbo mentor. carcass. So it’s a turkey and sausage
When I asked him how he gumbo. But that doesn’t do it
makes his gumbo, Johnson’s first justice. He calls it a “stock-first,

14 CO OK’S COU NT RY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024

 roux-last gumbo.” He smokes
turkeys, picks the meat, and makes
a rich stock with the bones. The
roux doesn’t get added until after
the stock has cooked down with the
other ingredients. He includes the
trinity of onion, bell pepper, and
celery, but Johnson is keen to point
out that the onion gets treated dif-
ferently. With supreme patience he
“cooks down 30 pounds of onions
until they resemble something
like hashish,” that is, until they’ve
been transformed into an intensely
dark, concentrated higher form
of themselves.
Another key is the sausages he
uses: andouille (a very coarsely
cut sausage seasoned heavily with
garlic, black pepper, and smoke) and
smoked sausage (a finer, emulsified
sausage with a completely different
finished texture)—both from Jacob’s
in LaPlace. According to Johnson,
these are “the pinnacle of their form
made at a very specific place by
very specific people.” These are the
kinds of pork products so crucial
to a specific gumbo’s essential
character and deliciousness that you
don’t mind driving west out of New
Orleans for 30 miles to get them.
Asked if there’s anything else he
needs to tell me about his gumbo,
Johnson gets adamant again,
expressing the deeply personal,
ultimately subjective nature of all
gumbos: “Everybody has a differ-
ent way that they do it. My gumbo
is like my thumbprint. No one will
say, ‘I have the best thumbprint.’
You don’t. It’s just you.” I like
Johnson’s gumbo. A lot.
Here are two more gumbo
Photo: Pableaux Johnson, Michael DeMocker
stories, both of which originate
in two very different traditions,
approaching the opposite poles of
the gumbo continuum.
NOT ALL CAJUN GUMBO
IS WHAT YOU EXPECT
Melissa M. Martin is a coastal Lou-
isiana Cajun by birth, lauded New
Orleans chef by profession, and
Melissa M. Martin
author of the hauntingly beautiful
Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes
from a Disappearing Bayou (2020),
which is filled with recipes from
her acclaimed Mosquito Supper
Club restaurant. For Martin, whose
family includes shrimpers and
oyster fishermen whose lifestyles
always meant cooking according
to the seasons, Cajun food is about
the excellence of local seafood and
produce. It’s also predominantly
the purview of women cooking
at home. In the tradition of her
mother and grandmother, Martin’s
Cajun gumbos take a purist’s pride
in simplicity.
With a fisherman’s reverence
for the pristine seafood that is her
peoples’ birthright, Martin recalls
how her mother’s “subtle, modest,
timeless” shrimp okra gumbo—
which she calls the ultimate
gumbo—required only “the perfect
shrimp, a few vegetables, a couple
of seasonings, and her Magnalite
pot.” A gumbo made without a
roux, it rests on the strong foun-
dation of smothered okra (okra
cooked low and slow in a covered
pot for 8 hours) and sweet, fresh
shrimp. It’s seasoned simply with
onions; bay leaf; modest amounts
of black and cayenne pepper; and a
mild, vinegary Louisiana hot sauce.
This is the gumbo by which Mar-
tin judges all others. It’s a gumbo
F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024
Wayne Baquet, Sr.
emblematic of the heart of Cajun
cooking, a home-cooked cuisine
stamped with the terroir of rural
Louisiana—whether bayous or
prairies—and one that defies popu-
lar impressions of Cajun food left
by Paul Prudhomme and Emeril
Lagasse at the height of their fame
in the 1980s and ’90s.
GUMBO IS PERSONAL
The final gumbo story in our
trilogy is different too. It’s that of
Wayne Baquet, Sr., founder of Li’l
Dizzy’s Cafe, a New Orleans Cre-
ole restaurant in the historic Tremé
neighborhood. If Martin’s Cajun
gumbos prize simplicity, Creole
gumbos in the style of the Baquet
family seem to showcase and
celebrate abundance. Baquet dis-
cussed his Creole gumbo in an oral
history interview for the Southern
Foodways Alliance. He learned
the restaurant business from his
father Edward Joseph Baquet, Sr.,
“namesake of the legendary 7th
Ward restaurant Eddie’s,” and went
on to open a total of 11 restaurants
over the ensuing 40 years.
Starting with his mother’s recipe,
he and his father perfected their
gumbo—commonly referenced as
one of the city’s finest—by engi-
neering a fully seasoned dry roux
(toasted in the oven) that would
ensure that the family gumbo tasted
• CO OK’S COU NTRY 15
 the same at each of their restaurants.
In addition to their signature roux,
their Creole filé gumbo features
crab, shrimp, their own homemade
hot sausage, smoked sausage, and
ham. The trinity; garlic; bay leaf;
thyme (which Baquet notes is
essential); and a final sprinkling of
earthy, green tea–like filé powder
round out the extraordinary gumbo.
It’s relatively light and brothy but in
no way insubstantial. Rather, it’s rich
and robust (just as Baquet says that
gumbo has “got to be”), unforgetta-
ble and completely distinct. Baquet’s
final word on gumbo, when asked
to define it, was that “gumbo is the
soup of New Orleans with soul
in it.” If any bowl of soup can
be said to have a soul, a kind of
essence that exists apart from and
transcendent of its mere physical
components, Li’l Dizzy’s gumbo
would be the one.
Perhaps this is the deeper mean-
ing of the common refrain that
“gumbo is personal.” Chances are, if
you’re a Louisiana family—whether
you’re surrounded by brackish
bayous on tendrils of land fading
into the great Gulf or you can trace
your Creole ancestry back to the
names on crypts in 200-year-old
New Orleans cemeteries—you have
a family gumbo. You make a version
of the one you love so much because
that’s the one your mother made
and because her mother did too.

A NEW GUMBO STORY BEGINS

Though she made the world’s finest
potato salad, my mother did not
make gumbo. Just three and a half
years into my life in New Orleans, I
am a relatively fresh convert to the
religion of gumbo. But I am devout,
absorbing the cuisine and every-
thing written about the cuisine at as
fast a clip as one human can handle.
My gumbo story is short, but I am
still writing it.
I had my first gumbo in New
Orleans on a trip with a girl while
we were still at the beginning stages
of careening wildly into love. I can
still see the single red crab claw,
emerging from gumbo’s dark waters,
beckoning me in. That trip hooked

16 COO K’S COUN TRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H 2024

me on the soup and the girl for
good. A native of New Orleans
with French-Sicilian roots, she’s
now my wife of 14 years, and she
is the first person to have made
me gumbo. She always told me
to take my time with the roux, to
stir it for as long as it takes to play
one side of a record. Later on, the
cookbooks of Paul Prudhomme
dared me to make the roux faster
and darker, preheating the oil
to the smoke point before add-
ing the flour and stirring for only
about 10 minutes. My wife hasn’t
divorced me yet.
Of course, Johnson’s gumbo has
had a huge impact on mine as well.
From him I take the stock-first
approach, replacing the turkey
with a whole chicken and layer-
ing in smokiness with ham hocks.
He’s convinced me completely
about using two kinds of sausage;
two of my personal favorites are
the intensely smoky kind from
Bourgeois Meat Market out in
Thibodaux, Louisiana (thank
you to the kind man behind the
counter there for teaching me how
to pronounce AHN-doo-ee), and
Jacob’s World Famous Andouille.
And since I learned to love
gumbo first in the “more is more”
Creole style of the city, I side with
their abundant approach when
adding things to my pot. After all,
gumbo is a celebration, and I made
my first, proudest, big batches for
the most revered high holidays:
one at Thanksgiving and then
again for Christmas a month later
and then again for Mardi Gras the
following March, adding to a cycli-
cal story I hope never ends and
only gets richer.
I lavished love on those gumbos,
carefully and patiently tending
to them, knowing full well that
they would reward me, that when
I ladled the gumbo into bowls for
my friends and family to feast on
that I would be proud and that
it would be more than worth it,
knowing that if you’re going to
go to the effort to make a gumbo,
it should be one worth telling
stories about.
SMOKY CHICKEN, SAUSAGE, AND SHRIMP GUMBO whisking constantly, until roux
Serves 10 to 14 Total Time: 4½ hours is color of milk chocolate, 8 to
You will need a 7-quart or larger Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed large 14 minutes. (Roux will begin to
stock pot for this recipe. You can substitute 3 pounds of mixed bone-in, smoke during final few minutes of
skin-on chicken pieces for the whole chicken. Making the roux quickly, cooking.) Reduce heat to medium
as called for here, requires constant attention and whisking, so moni- and add bell peppers, celery, sugar,
tor it closely, and be sure to have your prepped vegetables at the ready. Creole seasoning, and chopped
We strongly recommend using good-quality Louisiana andouille and onions. Cook, stirring and scrap-
smoked sausage, such as those from Jacob’s World Famous Andouille. ing bottom of pot often, until
Bourgeois Meat Market in Thibodaux is another good online resource vegetables are softened, about
for smoked sausages. In a pinch, you can substitute kielbasa for either 10 minutes.
or both. The saltiness of the final dish will vary depending on the pork 5. Stir in pepper, paprika, white
products you use, so liberal seasoning with additional salt before serving pepper, and minced garlic
may be necessary. We like to serve this gumbo with Crystal Hot Sauce. and cook until fragrant, about
2 minutes. Add reserved stock,
1 (3-pound) whole chicken, chicken and cook, turning as andouille sausage, thyme sprigs,
giblets discarded needed, until well browned on and remaining 2 bay leaves, scrap-
1¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Add ing up any browned bits. Bring to
vegetable oil, divided broth, ham hocks, halved onion, simmer over medium-high heat.
12 cups chicken broth reserved shrimp shells, smashed Cover, reduce heat to low, and
2 (12-ounce) smoked ham hocks garlic, and 2 bay leaves and bring simmer for 1 hour.
3 onions (1 halved, 2 chopped), to simmer over high heat. Reduce 6. Meanwhile, cook smoked
divided heat to low; cover; and simmer sausage in 12-inch nonstick skil-
1½ pounds large shrimp (26 to 30 per until chicken registers at least let over medium-high heat until
pound), peeled, deveined, tails 160 degrees in breasts and thighs, browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Using
removed, and shells reserved 40 to 45 minutes. slotted spoon, transfer sausage to
16 garlic cloves (6 smashed, 2. Off heat, transfer chicken to plate; set aside.
10 minced), divided cutting board and let cool slightly. 7. Add okra, shredded chicken
4 bay leaves, divided Pull meat from bones, shred into and ham, and browned sausage to
1½ cups all-purpose flour bite-size pieces with 2 forks, and gumbo and cook, covered, until
2 green bell peppers, stemmed, transfer to bowl; refrigerate meat okra is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
seeded, and chopped while finishing stock. Add skin Add shrimp and cook, uncovered,
3 celery ribs, chopped and bones to stock and bring to until opaque, about 5 minutes. Off
1 tablespoon sugar simmer over medium-high heat. heat, skim excess fat from surface
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s Reduce heat to medium-low; of gumbo. Discard bay leaves and
Creole Seasoning cover; and simmer until ham thyme sprigs. Season with salt and
2½ teaspoons pepper hocks are tender, 1 to 1½ hours. pepper to taste. Serve over rice,
1 teaspoon smoked paprika 3. Off heat, transfer ham hocks to sprinkled with scallions.
1 teaspoon white pepper cutting board and let cool slightly.
1 pound Jacob’s World Famous Strain stock through fine-mesh
andouille sausage, quartered strainer set over large bowl or THE RiGHT ROUX HUE
lengthwise and sliced container (you should have about Cook the roux, whisking con-
½ inch thick 12 cups stock; add water as needed stantly, until it is the color of
12 sprigs fresh thyme to make up difference). Shred ham milk chocolate.
1 pound Jacob’s World Famous hocks into bite-size pieces and
smoked sausage, sliced ¼ inch transfer to bowl with chicken meat
thick (keep refrigerated); discard skin
12 ounces fresh or frozen okra, and bones. Skim excess fat from
trimmed and cut into ½-inch surface of stock using large spoon
pieces or ladle; set aside. (Cooled stock
6–8 cups cooked white rice and shredded meats can be refrig-
8 scallions, sliced thin erated separately for up to 3 days
or frozen for up to 1 month; thaw
1 . Pat chicken dry inside and out before using.)
with paper towels. Heat 2 table- 4. Heat remaining 1¼ cups oil
spoons oil in 7-quart or larger in now-empty, dry Dutch oven
Dutch oven over medium-high over medium-high heat until just
heat until just smoking. Add smoking. Add flour and cook,
F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H 2024 • COO K’S COU NT RY 17
 GETTING TO K N O W

SHRIMP
Learn how to shop for and prep
these small crustaceans.
by Megan Ginsberg

SHOPPiNG FOR SHRiMP

BUY FROZEN
For the “freshest” shrimp, we actually recommend buying bagged
frozen shrimp. Most shrimp sold at fish counters have been previ-
ously frozen and then defrosted; once shrimp are defrosted, their
quality starts to decline rapidly.

BUY SHELL-ON
Seek out shell-on shrimp, which are typically cheaper, sweeter,
and firmer than prepeeled shrimp. Plus, you can use the shells for
stock (see “What to Do With Shrimp Shells”).

AVOID ADDITIVES
Check the ingredient list to make sure that shrimp is the only
ingredient listed. Many shrimp are treated with salt or additives
such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP); this chemical can give
the shrimp an off-flavor and a rubbery texture, so it is best avoided.

WILD VERSUS FARMED

Wild shrimp are often more expensive, but they tend to be sweeter
than farmed.

SHRiMP SiZES
Shrimp are sold by size and by the number of raw, unfrozen shrimp
needed to equal a pound. Because size labels can vary, using the
per-pound number to purchase what you need is more accurate.

EXTRA- SMALL MEDiUM MEDiUM- LARGE EXTRA-LARGE JUMBO EXTRA- COLOSSAL

SMALL (51 TO 60 (41 TO 50 LARGE (26 TO 30 (21 TO 25 (16 TO 20 JUMBO (UNDER 12
(61 TO 70 PER POUND) PER POUND) (31 TO 40 PER POUND) PER POUND) PER POUND) (UNDER 15 PER POUND)
PER POUND) PER POUND) PER POUND) Illustration: Rose Flynn

18 CO O K’S COUN T RY • F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H 2024

 HOW TO PEEL AND DEVEiN SHRiMP
Shrimp shells are edible, but if you’re following a recipe that calls for
removing them, here’s how to do it.

1. Break shell on underside, under swimming 2. If recipe calls for removing tails, tug tail to
legs, which will come off as shell is removed. remove shell. If not removing tails, pinch tail to
hold in place while removing shell.

Our recipe for Shrimp Po’ Boys
is available at
AmericasTestKitchen.com/poboys
3. Using paring knife, make shallow cut 4. Using tip of knife, lift out vein. Discard vein
along back of shrimp to expose vein-like by wiping knife blade against paper towel.
digestive tract.

HOW TO DEFROST SHRiMP WHAT TO DO WiTH 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

We recommend thawing frozen shrimp
in the refrigerator overnight. But if you
forget, you can quickly thaw shrimp by
placing them in a colander under cold
running water for a few minutes, stirring
occasionally. Thoroughly drain and pat
them dry before using.
SHRiMP SHELLS
An added benefit of buying
shell-on shrimp is being able to
use the shells to make a flavor-
ful shrimp stock, which can be
added to chowder, risotto, gumbo,
and more. –Lawman Johnson
QU ICK SHRI MP STOCK
Makes about 11⁄2 cups
Total Time: 25 minutes
Use this recipe as a guide:
The quantity of water can be
adjusted to accommodate fewer
or more shrimp shells. The
water should cover the majority
of the shells in the skillet.
11⁄2 cups shrimp shells
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups water
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet
over medium-high heat until
shimmering. Add shrimp shells
and cook until spotty brown,
5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomato
paste and cook until fragrant,
about 30 seconds. Add water
and bring to boil. Cover, reduce
heat to low, and simmer for
5 minutes. Strain stock, press-
ing on solids to extract as much
liquid as possible; discard shells.
Stock can be refrigerated in air-
tight container for up to 1 week
or frozen for up to 2 months.

F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024 • CO OK’S COU N TRY 19

 BIG-BATCH
SAZERACS
Because sometimes you need a round of
cocktails at the ready. by Matthew Fairman

A R O M AT I C A N D C O M P L E X ready to pour for a group at a

in flavor, the Sazerac is one of
America’s oldest cocktails and a sig-
nature drink of New Orleans. The
fact that it remains hugely popular
around the Crescent City—a place
known for storied bars and famous
drinks and that boasts a booming,
growing cocktail scene—is a testa-
ment to its excellence.
The drink gets its name
from a cognac called Sazerac de
Forge et Fils, which was used
in early iterations of the cock-
tail; that cognac has since been
replaced by whiskey—either rye
or bourbon. This classic is easy
to make ahead in large batches,
moment’s notice.
The measured added water
We call for rye
means that you don’t need to add here, but bourbon
ice cubes and shake before serving makes a fine
Sazerac too.
and ensures the perfect amount of
dilution so that you can serve the
cocktail straight up to your guests,
right from the fridge.
BI G -BATCH SAZ ERACS
Makes 8 cocktails
Total Time: 10 minutes,
plus 2 hours chilling
If you’re serving only one or two
cocktails at a time, pour ½ teaspoon
of absinthe into the first glass in
step 2.

16 ounces rye whiskey

ABOUT
ABSiNTHE
Absinthe is an anise-flavored,
bitter green liquor with an air of
mystery. The strong, overproof
spirit is made with botanicals
including wormwood, which can
cause hallucinations when con-
sumed in very large amounts;
modern-day absinthe has only
trace amounts. Nicknamed
the “green fairy,” the drink was
popular with artists and writers
including Degas, Van Gogh,
Picasso, and Hemingway, who
chased the drink’s psychoactiv-
ity as a muse. A traditional way
to enjoy absinthe is to pour it in
a glass and then drizzle water
over a sugar cube on a special
absinthe spoon above it; this
process sweetens and dilutes
the strong liquor, while giv-
ing it an enchantingly opaque,
milky appearance.
8 ounces water
8 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Peychaud’s bitters
1 tablespoon absinthe or Herbsaint
8 (3-inch) strips lemon peel
1 . Stir rye, water, sugar, and bitters
in serving pitcher or large contain-
er until sugar has dissolved. Cover
and refrigerate until well chilled, at
least 2 hours or up to 1 month.
2 . Pour absinthe into 1 chilled
old-fashioned glass, then tilt and
rotate glass to coat interior wall.
Pour excess absinthe into second
chilled old-fashioned glass and tilt
and rotate glass to coat interior.
Repeat pouring off excess absinthe
and coating interiors of 6 more
old-fashioned glasses; discard
excess absinthe.
3. Stir cocktail to recombine, then
pour into prepared glasses. Pinch
lemon peel over each drink, rub
outer edge of glass with peel, then
garnish with lemon peel and serve.
PEYCHAUD’S BiTTERS
No ingredient outside of spirits has a greater impact on
a cocktail’s flavor than bitters. There are two main types
of bitters: potable and cocktail (or nonpotable). The for-
mer are liqueurs intended for consumption on their own,
typically as an aperitif or digestif (think Campari and
Italian amari such as Fernet-Branca or Montenegro);
the latter are intensely concentrated elixirs designed to
bring nuance and complexity to cocktails.
There are hundreds of types of cocktail bitters, but the
two most common commercial varieties are Angostura
and Peychaud’s. Peychaud’s was first produced in New
Orleans in 1832 (it is now made in Kentucky) and is the
traditional—some would say only—choice for Sazeracs.
These bitters are made with a high proportion of gentian
root and have a strong anise aroma, with hints of mint
and citrus when tasted on their own. They bring their
unique character and subtle depth to Sazeracs and
other cocktails.

20 COO K’S COUN TRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024

 TUNA, FENNEL, AND RADISH SALAD TOASTS QUICK BEEF STEW WITH MUSHROOMS AND DIJON

DINNER TONIGHT / SERVES 4 / 25 MINUTES DINNER TONIGHT / SERVES 4 / 45 MINUTES

HONEY-ROASTED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS WITH CARROTS PESTO POTATO FRITTATA WITH PEAS AND GOAT CHEESE

DINNER TONIGHT / SERVES 4 / 45 MINUTES DINNER TONIGHT / SERVES 4 / 45 MINUTES

 Quick Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Dijon
Sirloin steak tips are often sold as flap
meat. Serve with mashed potatoes,
egg noodles, rice, or crusty bread and
sprinkle with chopped fresh chives.
1½ pounds sirloin steak tips,
trimmed and cut into ½-inch
cubes
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces cremini mushrooms,
trimmed and quartered
1 onion, chopped
¼ cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh
rosemary
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
½ ounce dried porcini
mushrooms, rinsed
and chopped fine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 . Pat beef dry with paper towels
and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.
Melt butter in Dutch oven over
Pesto Potato Frittata with Peas and Goat Cheese
You can use homemade or
store-bought pesto here. Serve this
frittata with a green salad to round
out the meal.
10 large eggs
½ cup half-and-half
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes,
peeled and cut into ½-inch
pieces
½ cup pesto
1 cup frozen peas
4 ounces goat cheese,
crumbled (1 cup)
1 . Adjust oven rack to
upper-middle position and heat
oven to 375 degrees. Whisk eggs,
half-and-half, ¼ teaspoon salt,
and pepper together in bowl.
high heat. Add beef and cook, stir-
ring occasionally, until browned,
6 to 8 minutes; transfer to plate.
2 . Add cremini mushrooms, onion,
tomato paste, rosemary, and
remaining ½ teaspoon salt to fat
left in pot and cook over medium
heat, stirring occasionally, until
vegetables begin to soften and
tomato paste darkens, 4 to 7 min-
utes. Stir in flour and cook for
1 minute. Stir in broth and water,
scraping up any browned bits. Stir
in porcini mushrooms, mustard,
and beef, along with any accumu-
lated juices, and bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer,
covered, until beef and vegetables
are tender, about 10 minutes (or
up to 1 hour if time allows; the
meat will get more tender the lon-
ger it’s simmered. Add extra water
if stew gets too thick). Season
with salt to taste. Serve.
2 . Melt butter in 12-inch ovensafe
nonstick skillet over medium-high
heat. Add potatoes, pesto, and
remaining ½ teaspoon salt and
cook, stirring frequently, until
potatoes are tender and lightly
browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir
in peas and cook until warmed
through, about 1 minute. Stir in
egg mixture and sprinkle evenly
with goat cheese. Transfer skillet
to oven and bake until frittata is
just set in center, 10 to 12 minutes.
Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve.
Tuna, Fennel, and Radish Salad Toasts
A mandoline makes quick work of
thinly slicing the fennel and radishes.
We developed this recipe using a
round boule, but any rustic, crusty
bread will work.
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices thick-crusted country
bread, 6 inches wide and
¾ inch thick
1 garlic clove, halved
2 (5- to 7-ounce) cans/jars
olive oil–packed tuna, flaked,
with packing oil
1 fennel bulb, 1 tablespoon
fronds chopped; stalks
discarded; bulb halved,
cored, and sliced very thin
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
3 radishes, trimmed and
sliced thin
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
plus 2 tablespoons juice
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Honey-Roasted Chicken Drumsticks with Carrots
For a heartier meal, serve with a
salad, rice pilaf, or buttered noodles.
1 pound carrots, peeled and
halved crosswise, thicker
pieces halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons unsalted butter,
melted
1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
sauce
5 teaspoons cider vinegar,
divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 pounds chicken drumsticks,
trimmed
1. Adjust oven rack to middle
position and heat oven to
450 degrees. Line rimmed baking
sheet with aluminum foil and
spray with vegetable oil spray.
Toss carrots, butter, ½ teaspoon
salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper
together in large bowl, then
1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over
medium-high heat until shim-
mering. Add bread and cook until
golden and toasted, 2 to 3 min-
utes per side. Transfer toasts to
platter and rub cut sides of garlic
on toasts.
2. Combine tuna, fennel slices,
parsley, radishes, lemon zest and
juice, salt, pepper, and pepper
flakes in large bowl. Season with
salt and pepper to taste. Mound
salad onto toasts and sprinkle
with fennel fronds. Serve.
arrange in single layer on half of
prepared sheet.
2. Whisk honey, Worcestershire,
1 tablespoon vinegar, garlic,
and paprika together in small
saucepan. Pat chicken dry with
paper towels and sprinkle with
remaining 1¼ teaspoons salt and
½ teaspoon pepper. Toss chicken
with 2 tablespoons honey mixture
in now-empty bowl, then arrange
on empty half of prepared sheet.
Roast for 20 minutes.
3. Bring remaining honey mixture
to boil over medium-high heat
and cook until reduced to 3 table-
spoons, about 3 minutes. Brush
chicken with glaze and continue
to roast until chicken registers
at least 175 degrees and carrots
are tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove chicken and carrots
from sheet. Stir remaining 2 tea-
spoons vinegar into drippings.
Spoon drippings over chicken
and carrots and serve.
PORK CHOPS WITH SPICY TOMATO-BRAISED ESCAROLE WHITE BEAN AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO BURGERS

DINNER TONIGHT / SERVES 4 / 35 MINUTES DINNER TONIGHT / SERVES 4 / 45 MINUTES

CREAMY SHRIMP AND ANDOUILLE PENNE PORK TACOS WITH ORANGE SALSA

DINNER TONIGHT / SERVES 4 / 1 HOUR DINNER TONIGHT / SERVES 4 / 30 MINUTES

 White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Burgers
Drain the beans thoroughly
after rinsing.
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup chopped fresh basil,
divided
1⁄3 cup oil-packed sun-dried
tomatoes, chopped fine, plus
2 tablespoons packing oil,
divided
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini
beans, rinsed, divided
1 large egg
2⁄3 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns, split and
toasted
1½ ounces (1½ cups)
baby arugula
1. Combine mayonnaise, 1⁄4 cup
basil, 1 tablespoon tomato packing
oil, half of garlic, and ¼ teaspoon
salt in bowl; set aside.
Pork Tacos with Orange Salsa
We like to serve these tacos with
diced avocado and finely shredded
cabbage.
2 oranges
1 small red onion, halved and
sliced thin
2 tablespoons minced fresh
cilantro
1 serrano chile, stemmed and
sliced thin
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus
wedges for serving
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
1 pound ground pork
2 teaspoons Goya Sazón with
Coriander and Annatto
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced canned
chipotle chile in adobo sauce
½ cup water
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas,
warmed
2. Place half of beans in large
bowl and mash with potato
masher. Add remaining beans
and mash coarse until partially
broken down. In separate bowl,
whisk together egg and remaining
1 tablespoon tomato packing oil,
remaining garlic, and remaining
½ teaspoon salt. Stir egg mixture,
panko, tomatoes, and remaining
¼ cup basil into mashed beans
until combined. Divide mixture
into 4 equal portions and lightly
pack into 1-inch-thick patties.
Transfer patties to plate and
refrigerate for 10 minutes.
3. Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch
nonstick skillet over medium heat
until shimmering. Add patties
and cook until well browned and
heated through, about 4 minutes
per side. Spread mayonnaise mix-
ture on cut sides of buns. Place
burgers on bun bottoms, top with
arugula, and add bun tops. Serve.
1 . Cut away peel and pith from
oranges. Holding fruit over bowl,
use paring knife to slice between
membranes to release segments
into bowl. Add onion, cilantro, ser-
rano, lime juice, and ½ teaspoon
salt and toss to combine. Set
aside salsa.
2. Combine pork, Sazón, and
remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in
12-inch nonstick skillet and cook
over medium-high heat, breaking
up meat with wooden spoon, until
cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and chipotle
and cook until paste darkens,
about 1 minute. Stir in water and
cook until sauce thickens and
coats meat, about 2 minutes.
3. Divide filling evenly among
tortillas and top with salsa. Serve
with lime wedges.
Pork Chops with Spicy Tomato-Braised Escarole
This recipe is inspired by Hilda
Minter’s Spicy Escarole from Molly
O’Neill’s cookbook One Big Table
(2010). We like to serve cornbread
on the side.
4 (8- to 10-ounce) bone-in pork
rib chops, ¾ to 1 inch thick,
trimmed
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
2 ounces link pepperoni, cut
into ¼-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 head escarole (1 pound),
trimmed and cut into 1-inch
pieces
1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed
tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
oregano
Creamy Shrimp and Andouille Penne
Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
Table salt for cooking pasta
12 ounces penne
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 ounces andouille sausage,
halved lengthwise and sliced
¼ inch thick
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s
Original Creole Seasoning,
divided
1½ cups half-and-half
8 ounces fontina cheese,
shredded (2 cups), divided
1 pound extra-large shrimp
(21 to 25 per pound), peeled,
deveined, tails removed, and
cut into thirds
1. Adjust oven rack to middle
position and heat broiler. Bring
4 quarts water to boil in Dutch
oven. Add 1 tablespoon salt and
1 . Pat chops dry with paper
towels. Sprinkle all over with
1¼ teaspoons salt and pep-
per. Heat oil in Dutch oven over
medium-high heat until just
smoking. Add chops and cook
until well browned on 1 side,
about 5 minutes. Transfer chops,
browned side up, to plate.
2. Add pepperoni, garlic, and
pepper flakes to fat left in pot
and cook until fragrant, about
1 minute. Stir in escarole, toma-
toes and their juice, oregano, and
remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook
until escarole is wilted, about
3 minutes, stirring occasionally
and breaking up tomatoes with
wooden spoon.
3. Arrange chops, browned side
up, in pot and add any accu-
mulated juices. Reduce heat to
medium-low; cover; and simmer
until chops register 140 degrees,
5 to 10 minutes. Serve.
pasta and cook until al dente.
Drain pasta in colander and leave
in colander.
2. Melt butter in now-empty Dutch
oven over medium-high heat. Add
andouille and cook until browned,
3 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour, garlic,
and 2 teaspoons Creole season-
ing and cook until fragrant, about
30 seconds. Whisk in half-and-half
and cook until thickened, about
2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium
and whisk in 1 cup fontina until
melted. Add shrimp and cook, stir-
ring, until shrimp are just opaque,
2 to 3 minutes.
3. Off heat, stir in pasta. Sprinkle
with remaining 1 cup fontina and
remaining 1 teaspoon Creole
seasoning. Broil until cheese is
melted and beginning to bubble,
2 to 5 minutes. Serve.
 Fried
Cheese
Curds
Milwaukee’s Dairyland
brings fine-dining precision
to burger-joint food.
by Bryan Roof; photos by Steve Klise

R
OU IPE
C
RE

Find on
page 27.
S TA N D I N G I N F R O N T of
Dairyland Old-Fashioned Fro-
zen Custard & Hamburgers in
Milwaukee, chef and co-owner
Kurt Fogle tells me with a calm,
matter-of-fact confidence,
“Milwaukee is the center of
the universe for quality cheese-
burgers.” His Midwest politeness
then kicks in and he quickly adds,
“No offense to anyone else.”
He’s talking about cheese-
burgers, but he could easily be
talking about cheese curds, a
signature side dish at the res-
taurant he co-owns with fellow
chef Joe McCormick. “Kurt and
I are cosmically aligned kindred
spirits,” McCormick says.
The pair, both born and
raised in Wisconsin, came up
cooking in fine-dining restau-
rants in cities from Chicago to
New York. After growing tired
of working for other people, they
returned to Wisconsin and to the
popular foods of their home state:
burgers, frozen custard, and fried
cheese curds, all made with the
best local ingredients.
After experimenting with
pop-ups and a food truck, Fogle
and McCormick finally opened a
permanent location at 3rd Street
Market Hall in downtown Milwau-
kee in January 2022, with Fogle’s
wife, Katie, and his cousin Brent
on board as partners.
Their intention wasn’t to upend
the foundation of a typical Wis-
consin burger and custard shop
but rather to increase its caliber.
“We’re interested in digging deep
and improving quality wherever
we can,” Fogle says. “You know,
you can only go to so many burger
shops and just be disappointed.
We both have this classical [culi-
nary] training. So the burgers,
the chicken tenders, the chicken
sandwiches, the onion rings, the
cheese curds—we give them the
same attention and same level of
work as we would in a fine dining
restaurant. [But] no hiding behind
fig jam and whipped Brie and
caramelized shallots. None of it.”
Fried cheese curds are a custom-
er favorite, more popular today,
according to Fogle, than when
he was growing up. While most
restaurants buy frozen prebat-
tered curds from big food-service
distributors, at Dairyland they
purchase fresh curds from the
nearby Clock Shadow Creamery
and then batter and fry them to
order in their own house-made
beer batter. The goal, as McCor-
mick says, is clear: “It’s gotta be a
little salty, it’s gotta be crispy, it’s
gotta be gooey, it’s gotta make you
want to have another beer.”
Speaking of beer, it plays a key
role in the cheese curd batter.
“The best beer for this application
is actually the cheapest, worst beer
you can find,” McCormick says.
“[Cheap beer is] actually very well
balanced. There’s not one over-
powering flavor in it, but it gives
a nice, clean, bright, sweet, malty
character. And there is just a little
bit of hop bitterness, just enough
to give you that beer flavor.”
Also in the batter: flour,
cornstarch for crispiness, paprika
for color, salt, and baking powder
to help the crust puff slightly
as it fries.
Fogle and McCormick freeze
the fresh curds before frying to
help them melt at a more mea-
sured pace. When an order comes
in, they toss the curds in just
enough batter to barely coat them.
“We don’t want to actually eat a M I LWA U K E E
lot of extra batter. It may not seem
like it’s fully coated, but you’ll see
it’s going to puff up [while frying]
and make a nice shell,” McCor-
mick says as he drops a batch
into the fryer. He lets them fry
undisturbed for the first minute to
allow the crust to develop and to
prevent the curds from “coming
out of their clothes.”
The curds emerge from the
fryer as golden-brown nuggets
with little pockets of cheese ooz-
ing through tiny pin-size holes
in the coating. “Everything’s nice
and melty,” McCormick says. “It’s
the deceptive simplicity. Every-
thing is simple on its surface, but
it takes more than just slapping
[together] some beer and flour and
putting cheese in a fryer to make
something really nice.”
McCormick says that growing
up in Wisconsin, everybody had
their go-to burger and custard
shop, a place they frequented as
a kid, a place that holds special
memories. At Dairyland, he
and Fogle hope to preserve that
burger-shop legacy. “This is part
of our culture and tradition. We
think it’s worth celebrating and
continuing. And it’s something for
my children to have. A place [for
them] to go and be like, ‘yeah, this
was my place growing up.’”
It all comes back to a simple
question, Fogle says. “What can
we do as a result of our work that
leaves Milwaukee, and Wisconsin,
better than we found it?”
MILWAUKE

What Are Cheese Curds?

To make cheese curds, coagulants are added to milk, causing the milk to solid-
ify. The solidified milk is cut and heated to separate the curds from the liquid Clockwise from top left: Inside the 3rd Stree
whey. To make cheddar cheese, the cut and drained curds would get pressed Market Hall in downtown Milwaukee, Wiscon
sin; Joe McCormick sampling a crispy, gooey
together in a mold overnight and aged, but some are diverted to be sold as
Illustration: Rose Flynn

cheese curd; selection of Dairyland’s flavore

fresh curds. These are just gently pressed for a few hours before being tossed sodas; Kurt Fogle presenting some of the m
with salt. Cheese curds have a rubbery, squeaky texture. Their flavor is mild and popular menu selections.
salty. Aside from frying, they are also commonly used in poutine. When you fry
the curds, they melt and become pliable, creating delectable cheese pulls. FR ESH CUR DS

26 COO K’S COU NT RY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024

 FRI ED C HE ESE CURDS WITH RANC H DRESSIN G
Serves 2 to 4 Total Time: 1 hour, plus 2½ hours chilling and freezing
The cheese curds should average 1 inch in length; break any that are larger
into smaller pieces. Note that the cheese curds need to be frozen for 2 hours
before frying. We recommend weighing the flour and cornstarch for the
most consistent results. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more. When
dropping the curds into the hot oil, it’s best to hold the bowl close to the oil
to minimize splatter.

DR ESSI NG (Curds can be frozen for up

1⁄3 cup buttermilk
1⁄3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
cilantro
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Pinch cayenne
CURDS
1 pound cheddar cheese curds
½ cup (2½ ounces) all-purpose flour
½ cup (2 ounces) cornstarch
1½ teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon table salt
2⁄3 cup lager or other light beer
EE 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
1. FOR T HE D R ESSING:
Whisk all ingredients together
in bowl. Refrigerate for at least
et 30 minutes to allow flavors to
n- blend. Season with salt to taste.
y
ed
(Dressing can be refrigerated for
ost up to 3 days.)
2. FOR T HE CU RDS : Place
cheese curds in zipper-lock bag,
seal bag, and lay bag flat in freezer.
Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
to 1 month.)
3. When ready to fry, whisk flour,
cornstarch, paprika, baking powder,
and salt together in bowl. Whisk in
beer until no lumps remain (texture
should resemble pancake batter).
Let batter sit for 5 minutes to
thicken fully.
4. Divide frozen curds evenly among
3 medium bowls. Add ¼ cup batter
to each bowl of curds and stir to
combine (curds should be just coated
with batter). Set bowls aside and dis-
card any remaining batter. Set wire
rack in rimmed baking sheet. Add
oil to Dutch oven until it measures
about 1½ inches deep and heat over
medium-high heat to 350 degrees.
5. Working with 1 bowl at a time,
position bowl close to oil and, using
dinner spoon, slide curds into oil,
one at a time, moving bowl as you
dispense curds. Fry, without stirring,
until golden brown, 1 to 1½ minutes.
(Pockets of melted cheese should
barely begin to show through crust.
Don’t worry if some curds clump
together; they can be separated once
removed from oil.) Using spider
skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer
curds to prepared rack.
6. Return oil to 350 degrees and
repeat with remaining curds, stirring
to recoat with batter before frying.
Serve immediately with dressing.

F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024 • CO OK’S COU NT RY 27


We use the reverse-sear
method here for steaks
that are cooked just right.
Strip Steaks
with Cowboy
Butter
Perfect steaks with a punchy, buttery sauce.
No horse or saddle required. by Mark Huxsoll
THE IDEA OF cowboy butter
can be traced back to cattlemen in
the Old West mixing thick, sticky
sorghum molasses with leftover
ham or bacon grease into a spread-
able paste to smear on hardtack.
In contemporary America, cowboy
butter is a compound butter whose
ingredients vary from cook to
28 CO O K’S COU NT RY •
cook. There are many recipes for it
in food publications and blogs, and
they’re all wildly different.
We did some digging and
discovered a modern take from
the now-closed Mr. Donahue’s
restaurant in Manhattan’s Nolita
neighborhood. There, husband
and wife partners Matt Danzer and
F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024
Ann Redding created flavor-packed
American food inspired by Matt’s
grandparents, Frank and Rose, for
their small operation. Some menu
items were served with the option
of sauces; the most coveted was
cowboy butter. It was inspired by
and named after Grandma Rose’s
shoot-from-the-hip mentality of
stirring together whatever condi-
ments she would find in the fridge
with melted butter. “Grandma
Rose thought she was being a cow-
boy by not following a recipe and
just throwing it together,” Matt
reveals. “[I] think she was onto
something. The whole idea behind
it is making it yours and personal-
izing it to your taste.”
With a tip of the hat to
Grandma Rose, I wanted my
version to be a glossy emulsified
butter sauce that could pair with
thick-cut steaks and also enhance
any vegetables on the table. It’s
easy: Just stir together softened
butter with chives, parsley, Dijon
mustard, lemon juice, paprika,
cayenne, and salt and pepper.
Then, melt a good pat of but-
ter, add minced garlic and a little
water, and stir for 30 seconds.
Pour this over the original butter
mixture and stir: The water helps
emulsify the butter into a sauce
that’s creamy, not greasy, and has
a consistency somewhere between
that of softened and fully melted
butter. Once you get the con-
cept down, you can make it your
own—just like Rose.
Our tried-and-true method when
cooking steaks is reverse searing.
The name stems from the fact that
you sear the steaks after you’ve
warmed them in a low oven to
about 30 degrees below their target
temperature for doneness. This
allows you to cook the steaks for the
first phase gently and evenly in the
oven, which has the added benefit of
drying their exteriors so that they’ll
brown more readily when you sear
them in a skillet. The rosy slices of
steak are the perfect vehicle to soak
up the delicious cowboy butter.
REVE RSE- SE AR E D ST RI P
STEAKS WITH COWBOY BUTTER
Serves 4
Total Time: 1½ hours
You can use a nonstick skillet in
place of cast iron; heat the oil in
the nonstick skillet over medium-
high heat until just smoking before
adding the steaks. This recipe also
works with boneless rib-eye steaks
of a similar thickness.
COWBOY BUTTER
6 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into six 1-tablespoon pieces
and softened, divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon water
ST RIP STE AKS
2 (12- to 16-ounce) boneless strip
steaks, 1 to 1½ inches thick,
trimmed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1. FOR T HE COW BOY
BU TTER: Combine 5 tablespoons
butter, chives, parsley, mustard,
lemon juice, paprika, cayenne,
pepper, and salt in small bowl and
mash with fork. Set aside.
2. FOR THE S TRI P S TE AKS :
Adjust oven rack to middle position
and heat oven to 275 degrees. Set
wire rack in rimmed baking sheet.
Pat steaks dry with paper towels,
sprinkle all over with salt and pep-
per, and place on 1 side of prepared
rack. Bake until steaks register
90 to 95 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Heat 12-inch cast-iron skil-
let over medium-high heat for
5 minutes. Add oil to skillet and
swirl to coat. Add steaks and cook
until well browned and registering
125 degrees (for medium-rare),

about 2 minutes per side. Return
steaks to clean side of now-empty
rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon
butter in now-empty skillet over
medium-low heat. Add garlic
and water and cook, stirring
constantly, until fragrant, about
30 seconds. Carefully pour garlic
mixture into softened butter
mixture and stir until smooth and
butter has consistency of pancake
batter. Slice steaks, transfer to
individual plates, and spoon sauce
over steaks. Serve.
Building a Better Butter
Sauce
1. Combine 5 tablespoons butter,
chives, parsley, mustard, lemon
juice, paprika, cayenne, pepper,
and salt in small bowl and mash
with fork.
2. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon
butter in now-empty skillet over
medium-low heat. Add garlic and
water and cook, stirring constantly,
until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Carefully pour garlic mixture into
softened butter mixture and stir
until smooth.
Mustard-Roasted
Potatoes
Golden roasted potatoes cooked with and coated in a brassy
combination of mustards. by Amanda Luchtel
RECIPES INSPIRED BY
supermarket condiments are a
fun and time-tested marketing
ploy. Makers of ketchup, may-
onnaise, relish, hot sauce, and
mustard have featured recipes
on the backs of their packages
for the better part of a century.
These recipes provide the
consumer with the opportunity
to use the condiment in unex-
pected ways—and encourage
them to keep buying lots of it.
With flavor (not product sales)
as a driver, we wanted to create
a recipe for roasted potatoes
that highlighted the complex-
ity and bright sharpness of
different types of mustards,
packing in as much mustard
flavor as we could.
A sublime roasted potato
has got to have some flavorful
browning, and one easy path
there is to create flat sides
that lie smoothly on a rimmed
baking sheet. Halving small immediate mustard flavor. A bit 1. Adjust oven rack to lowest posi-
red potatoes was the right of rosemary—some added before tion and heat oven to 350 degrees.
move—their flat sides took roasting and more added after— Line rimmed baking sheet with
on nice browning, the knife gave a nice flavor counterpoint. parchment paper. Toss potatoes,
work was easy, and they didn’t ¼ cup oil, whole-grain mustard,
require peeling. MUSTARD- ROASTE D 1 tablespoon rosemary, ¾ teaspoon
There are lots of varieties of POTATOES salt, and pepper in large bowl until
mustard to choose from, and we Serves 4 Total Time: 1¼ hours potatoes are evenly coated with
tested most of them both alone Use small red potatoes measuring oil mixture. Arrange potatoes cut
and in combination. In the end, 1½ to 2 inches in diameter. sides down on prepared sheet.
we loved the potatoes we coated Roast until potatoes are tender
in a mixture of whole-grain 2 pounds small red potatoes, and bottoms are golden brown,
mustard and olive oil before unpeeled, halved 50 minutes to 1 hour.
roasting; the oil added richness 6 tablespoons extra-virgin 2. Whisk Dijon mustard, garlic,
and thinned the mustard to a olive oil, divided lemon zest and juice, remain-
consistency that made it easy to 2 tablespoons whole-grain ing 2 tablespoons oil, remaining
evenly cover the potato halves, mustard 1 teaspoon rosemary, and remain-
and the whole mustard seeds 4 teaspoons chopped fresh ing ¼ teaspoon salt in large bowl
became nutty and crisp in the rosemary, divided until smooth.
oven, adding nice texture to the 1 teaspoon table salt, divided 3. Transfer roasted potatoes to
exteriors of the soft potatoes. ½ teaspoon pepper bowl with Dijon mixture and toss
Tossing the roasted potatoes 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard until potatoes are evenly coated.
with a mixture of Dijon mustard 2 garlic cloves, minced Season with salt and pepper to
and lemon zest and juice added 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest taste. Serve.
brightness and more fresh, plus 1 teaspoon juice
F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024 • CO OK’S COUN T RY 29

QU I NOA SAL A D
WIT H H ER BS A ND PA RM ESA N
Serves 4 to 6
Total Time: 1 hour
We prefer red quinoa in this
salad. To crumble the Parmesan
cheese, cut 2 ounces of cheese
into two or three large pieces on
a cutting board, and then use a
fork to break the pieces into ¼- to
½-inch crumbles.
1¼ cups quinoa
1 teaspoon table salt, plus salt
for cooking quinoa
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus
¼ cup juice (2 lemons)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon pepper
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
6 scallions, sliced thin
2 ounces Parmesan cheese,
crumbled (½ cup)
1. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in
large saucepan over medium-high
heat. Add quinoa and 1 tablespoon
salt; return to boil; and cook until
quinoa is tender with slight chew,
30 CO O K’S COUN TRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H
Apricots, olives, and
tangy goat cheese
add interest and
heft to this
satisfying
salad.
15 to 18 minutes. Drain quinoa,
spread onto rimmed baking sheet,
and let cool for 20 minutes.
2. Whisk oil, lemon zest and juice,
garlic, pepper, and salt together in
large bowl.
3. Stir in cooled quinoa, pars-
ley, scallions, and Parmesan
until evenly combined. Let sit
for 10 minutes to allow flavors
to meld. Serve. (Salad can be
refrigerated for up to 4 days; serve
chilled or at room temperature.)
SPI C ED QU I NOA SALAD
WI TH APR ICOTS, OLI VES,
AN D GOAT CHE ESE
In step 2, reduce salt to ¾ teaspoon
and add 1 teaspoon ground cumin
and ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
to oil mixture before adding qui-
noa. In step 3, decrease chopped
parsley to ½ cup; substitute 1 cup
crumbled goat cheese for Parme-
san; and add ½ cup chopped dried
apricots, ½ cup pitted and chopped
Castelvetrano olives, ½ cup
toasted and chopped walnuts,
and ½ cup chopped fresh mint to
quinoa mixture.
2024
Quinoa
Salad(s) for
the Win
There’s a lot to love about this flavorful,
easy-to-cook ingredient. by Kelly Song
Q U I N OA ( “ K E E N -WA H ” )
has a delicious nutty flavor, cooks
quickly, is relatively inexpensive,
and is a nutritional powerhouse.
Often, this ancient Andean food
is considered fodder for the
super-health conscious. It is high
in protein and contains all the
essential amino acids. But I think
quinoa deserves to be celebrated
for its appeal on the plate.
This “grain” is not a grain at all
but rather the seeds of a flower-
ing plant in the amaranth family.
It comes in three colors—red,
white, and black (see “The Colors
of Quinoa”)—and while all work
in this recipe, we prefer the nut-
tier profile of red quinoa, which
retains its shape when dressed and
provides a host of complex textures
and flavors.
As for cooking the quinoa, lots
of people follow the directions
on the package and use the pilaf
method, where the quinoa is first
rinsed (to wash off the saponin, its
natural bitter coating) and then
cooked with water or stock until all
the liquid is absorbed, much as you
would cook rice. But for this reci-
pe, we lean into the pasta method,
The Colors of Quinoa
You can use any color
of quinoa in this salad.
Red quinoa is firm and
nutty, black quinoa is more
crunchy than the others,
and white quinoa is mild
and fluffy.
where you boil the quinoa (no
prerinsing required) in an ample
amount of salted water and then
drain it in a fine-mesh strainer.
The quinoa emerges well seasoned
and tender with a clean, nutty
flavor. To thoroughly cool and dry
the drained quinoa, we spread it
out on a baking sheet before intro-
ducing it to the dressing.
We found that a simple vinai-
grette of olive oil and lemon juice
is the perfect complement. A mix-
ture of parsley, scallions, and
garlic further brightens the salad,
along with crumbled Parmesan
for a salty, complex finish. For
a more elaborate variation, we
draw inspiration from Moroccan
cuisine and include dried apricots,
green olives, walnuts, cumin, and
cinnamon plus goat cheese for a
sharp flavor accent and creamy
textural contrast.
Both versions can be enjoyed on
their own as side dishes or vegetar-
ian mains. Or add intrigue with a
variety of light additions, such as a
bed of mixed greens, grilled veg-
etables, or a handful of our crispy
chickpeas (page 39).
 is a charred and nutty bottom
layer and a bright-green, crisp,
fresh-tasting top layer.
Drizzling the sprouts with a
savory-sweet dressing that clings
turns them into a salad. Because
it’s nice to have options, we devel-
oped three dressings, each based
on a different sweet and viscous
element: sweet chili sauce, apricot
preserves, and honey. These
ingredients help to even out any
lingering bitterness and enhance
the fresh vegetal notes. Each
dressing also includes an acid and
either salt or a salty component to
balance the sweet element.
As a finishing touch, we top
the sprouts with toasted nuts for
crunch. So no matter how you
dress them, these sprouts will
shine at dinnertime.
Chopped
peanuts and fresh
cilantro add crunch and CHARRED SHAVED BRUSSELS
freshness, respectively.
SPROUT SALAD WITH SWEET
CHILI–LIME DRESSING
Shaved
Serves 4 to 6 Total Time: 30 minutes
You can find sweet chili sauce in
Brussels
most well-stocked supermarkets
or in Asian grocery stores. We
prefer to use the slicing disk of
Sprout Salad
a food processor, but you can
also slice the brussels sprouts
by hand: Cut the sprouts in half
lengthwise, arrange the halves cut
sides down on a cutting board,
and then slice crosswise as thin
S H AV I N G B R U S S E L S S P R O U T S
preferable to roasting them in as possible. You can substitute
may sound fussy, but it is ideal the oven, where it was difficult 1½ pounds of preshredded brus-
for a weeknight meal: The to control the cooking. Since we sels sprouts for the 2 pounds of
shaving, which is easy to do in a wanted to cook 2 pounds of brus- whole sprouts called for here.
food processor, transforms this sels sprouts (to feed four to six
dense vegetable people), we sau- DR ESSI NG
into small pieces Quick-cooking téed them in two ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
that cook quickly. batches so that the 1 tablespoon lime juice
And because the and easy to dress skillet wasn’t over- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
shavings are irreg- up, these sprouts crowded. This 3 garlic cloves, minced
ularly shaped, technique achieves
they brown belong on your good browning, BRUSS ELS SPROUTS
unevenly, creating
a multitude of
weeknight table. and because each
batch cooks in
2 pounds brussels sprouts,
trimmed
interesting flavors by Amanda Luchtel just 6 minutes, it’s 3⁄4 teaspoon table salt
and textures that still fast. Resist ½ teaspoon pepper
you don’t get when cooking whole the urge to stir the sprouts after 6 tablespoons vegetable oil,
or halved sprouts. spreading them in the pan so divided
Through our testing, we found that the pieces on the bottom 1⁄3 cup dry-roasted peanuts,
that cooking the shaved sprouts caramelize while the pieces on top chopped
in a skillet on the stovetop was steam to tenderness. The result ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H
1. FOR T HE DRE SS IN G:
Whisk all ingredients together in
small bowl; set aside.
2. FOR T HE BRUS S ELS
SP RO U TS: Fit food processor
with slicing disk. Slice brussels
sprouts, then transfer to large
bowl. Add salt and pepper and toss
to combine.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in
12-inch nonstick skillet over
medium-high heat until shim-
mering. Add half of sprouts in
even layer and cook without
moving them until sprouts are
well browned on bottom and
bright green on top, 6 to 8 min-
utes. Transfer sprouts to serving
platter, spread into even layer,
and drizzle with half of dressing.
Repeat with remaining 3 table-
spoons oil and remaining sprouts,
layering second batch of cooked
sprouts on top of first batch, then
drizzle with remaining dressing.
Sprinkle with peanuts and cilan-
tro. Serve.
CHARRED S HAV E D
BRUSSELS S PRO U T SAL A D
WITH APRI COT D R ESS ING
Substitute 3 tablespoons warmed
apricot preserves, 1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons
white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon
lemon juice, and ¾ teaspoon table
salt for dressing ingredients in
step 1. Increase salt to 1 teaspoon in
step 2. Substitute ⅓ cup chopped
toasted hazelnuts for peanuts and
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon for
cilantro in step 3.
CHARRED S HAV E D
BRUSSELS S PRO U T SAL A D
WITH SH E RRY- HO NEY
DR ESSIN G
Substitute ¼ cup honey, 3 table-
spoons sherry vinegar, 1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons
chopped fresh thyme, 1 minced
garlic clove, ¾ teaspoon table salt,
and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
for dressing ingredients in step 1.
Increase salt to 1 teaspoon in step
2. Omit cilantro and substitute
⅓ cup toasted slivered almonds for
peanuts in step 3.
2024 • CO O K’S COUNT RY 31

LET’S SET THE SCENE:
You’re in a dimly lit restaurant,
you’ve just finished dinner, and
the server is bringing over dessert.
They set it down and your eyes fol-
low to a glowing, lacquered crust.
You lift your spoon and strike
the top, shattering the surface. A
soft creamy custard speckled with
vanilla bean seeds peeks out from
underneath. That is the joy and
drama of a great crème brûlée.
The building blocks are simple:
eggs, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla.
But transforming these ingredi-
ents into a stunning dessert is not
always easy. Traditionally the cus-
tard ingredients for crème brûlée
are heated just enough to dissolve
the sugar and temper the eggs. The
custard is then poured into rame-
kins, which are set in a water bath
and baked (for even cooking and
a perfectly set final product). The
32 CO O K’S COUNTRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H
FRUI TY
PE BBLES
Crème
Brûlée
CO RN
BL AC K
S ESA M E
water surrounding the ramekins ramekins and baking. It may sound were successful or created a thin,
absorbs excess heat, allowing the counterintuitive to prevent a cus- crunchy top that ate like the one
custard to gently and evenly come tard from overcooking by putting crème brûlée is known for. Pat-
up to and hold at 180 degrees, the it into the oven when it’s already ting excess moisture from the
temperature at which certain egg hot. But that allows us to bake it tops before sprinkling with sugar
proteins begin to coagulate and set. much more gently, in a low oven, ensured that the crust didn’t turn
One of the so the center out flabby or wet. But the real trick
hurdles for home For an easier and the edges was in our double-layered sugar
cooks is having to reach the target crust—crème brûlée recipes typi-
wrestle with the version of this temperature at cally call for just one layer of sugar.
To make it, sprinkle the tops of
water bath. The
whole ensemble is
restaurant staple, the same time.
Without a water the custards with sugar, tap out any
unwieldy, and the we eliminated bath (or our excess, and then torch it just until
fear is that water stovetop cooking the sugar melts (you don’t want
could splash into the tricky water bath. method), putting color yet). This creates a protective
the custard—or by Faye Yang a cold custard in barrier that prevents the custard
scald the cook’s a hot oven would from burning and offers an even
hands. Getting a beautifully cara- result in the edges curdling before surface for the next layer of sugar.
melized top can also be difficult. the center cooks through. Sprinkle that second layer on top,
Our aim was to simplify the process For the crust, you need a kitchen again tapping out the excess, and
by eliminating the water bath. torch. We tested a handful of reci- torch until evenly caramelized to
The solution was to cook the pes that called for work-arounds a beautiful amber. This crackly
custard to 180 degrees on the such as broiling and pouring hot crust is the perfect crown for the
stovetop before transferring it to caramels over the top, but none silky-smooth custard beneath.
2024

Dish Choice
While shallow fluted dishes are
the traditional vessels for crème
brûlée, you can use 4-ounce
ramekins (shown below)
instead. Note that the baking
time remains the same.
C RÈM E B RÛ L ÉE
Serves 8 Total Time: 2 hours,
plus 6 hours cooling and chilling
You can substitute one Tahitian
vanilla bean for the two Madagascar
beans, if desired. Vanilla beans give
the custard the purest vanilla flavor,
but 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract,
whisked into the yolks in step 3,
can be used instead. It is important
to bring the custard to 180 degrees
twice—first on the stovetop and
again in the oven—to thicken it and
achieve a creamy texture without a
water bath.
2 Madagascar vanilla beans,
split lengthwise
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar, divided
¼ teaspoon table salt
10 large egg yolks
1. Adjust oven rack to middle
position and heat oven to
225 degrees. Arrange 8 shallow
4-ounce fluted dishes on rimmed
baking sheet.
2. Using paring knife, split
vanilla beans in half lengthwise
and scrape seeds from pods.
Combine cream, ⅓ cup sugar,
salt, and vanilla bean seeds and
pods in medium saucepan. Bring
to simmer over medium heat,
stirring occasionally. Cook until
sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.
Remove saucepan from heat and
let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk yolks and ⅓ cup sugar
in large bowl until pale yellow
in color, about 1 minute. Whisk-
ing gently, slowly add cream
mixture to yolk mixture until
thoroughly combined.
4. Return mixture to now-empty
saucepan and cook over medium-
low heat, stirring constantly with
rubber spatula, until mixture
thickens slightly and registers
180 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes.
Immediately pour custard through
fine-mesh strainer into 8-cup
liquid measuring cup, pitcher, or
clean large bowl; discard solids.
Using spoon, skim any bubbles or
foam from top of custard. Pour or
ladle custard evenly among dishes,
filling nearly to top of each dish.
5. Carefully transfer sheet with
dishes to oven. Bake until centers
of custards register 180 degrees
(custards will have set up slightly
but will remain jiggly throughout),
45 minutes to 1 hour. (If custards
do not reach 180 degrees after
45 minutes, check every 5 minutes
until they reach 180 degrees.)
6. Transfer dishes to wire rack and
let cool completely, about 2 hours.
Set dishes on rimmed baking sheet;
cover sheet tightly with plastic
wrap; and refrigerate until cold,
at least 4 hours. (Custards can be
refrigerated for up to 7 days.)
7. Remove plastic. (If any conden-
sation has collected on custards,
gently dab paper towel on surface
to absorb moisture.) Sprinkle each
custard with 1 teaspoon sugar,
tilting and tapping dishes to evenly
distribute sugar and dumping out
any excess sugar.
8. Ignite torch; holding flame
4 to 5 inches from surface of
custard, sweep flame over surface
to melt sugar (sugar should look
transparent but not caramel-
ized). Sprinkle each custard with
another 1 teaspoon sugar. Reig-
nite torch; holding flame close to
surface, move flame over custard,
starting from edges and moving
into center, to evenly caramelize
sugar. (Caramelized crème brûlée
can be refrigerated for up to
45 minutes.) Serve.
BL ACK S ESA ME
CR È ME BRÛ LÉ E
Toast ¼ cup black sesame seeds in
10-inch skillet over medium-low
heat, stirring frequently, until just
beginning to smoke, 3 to 4 min-
utes. Transfer to plate to cool,
about 5 minutes. Grind seeds
in spice grinder to form paste.
Substitute black sesame paste for
vanilla beans.
CORN CRÈM E B RÛLÉE
Substitute 2 ears of corn, kernels
cut from cobs and cobs cut in
half, for vanilla beans. Increase
steeping time to 30 minutes. After
liquid has steeped, strain into
8-cup liquid measuring cup before
whisking into yolk mixture.
FRUITY PEBBLES
CRÈME BRÛLÉE
Substitute 2 cups Fruity Pebbles
cereal for vanilla beans. Increase
heavy cream to 5½ cups. Omit
⅓ cup sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt
in step 2. Increase steeping time
to 30 minutes. After liquid has
steeped, strain into 8-cup liquid
measuring cup, pressing gently
on solids to extract as much liquid
as possible. Add ⅓ cup sugar
and ¼ teaspoon salt to strained
mixture and stir until dissolved
before whisking into yolk mixture.
After torching, top each individual
custard with about 2 teaspoons
crushed Fruity Pebbles cereal,
if desired.
Torch Twice for a Thin, Crisp Crust
FIRST TORCH
Hold flame 4 to
5 inches away
1. Sprinkle each custard with 1 tea-
spoon sugar, tilting and tapping dish
for even coverage and dumping out
any excess sugar. Holding flame 4 to
5 inches away, melt sugar.
F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H
RASPB ER RY C RÈ M E BRÛ L ÉE
Add 6 halved raspberries to bot-
tom of each dish before topping
with custard (you may have some
leftover custard).
The
American
Table
THE O RI GI NS OF
CRÈ ME B RÛ LÉE
Crème brûlée was brought
to the United States by
James Hemings, who
was enslaved by Thomas
Jefferson and worked as
his personal assistant
as well as his head chef.
Hemings trained as a cook
in Paris and was likely the
first American to do so.
He brought myriad French
cooking techniques and
dishes back to America,
among them ice cream,
macaroni, and french fries.
The dish became a nation-
wide phenomenon after it
became a “must-have” des-
sert at New York’s Le Cirque
restaurant in the 1980s.
SECOND TORCH
Hold flame close
to dish
2. Repeat tilting and tapping with
1 more teaspoon sugar and, holding
flame close to dish, evenly caramel-
ize sugar.
2024 • COOK’S COU NTRY 33

Chocolate-Raspberry Pie
THERE’S SOMETHING
uniquely melodious about the
combination of chocolate and
raspberries. Chocolate is dark and
bitter, smooth and melty. Raspber-
ries are tangy and bright, all juicy
bursts and crunchy seeds. The
berries bring out fruity under-
tones in the chocolate, and the
chocolate smooths out the berries’
sharpness. It is a combination
greater than the sum of its parts,
unlocking even more flavor from
each ingredient. This pie, bracing
and decadent, is a celebration of
those flavors.
34 COOK’S COU N TRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H
A little care in placing
the berries goes a long way toward
an elegant presentation. We like
to arrange them in concentric
circles, starting from the
outside and working in.
It starts with a simple chocolate with cream (use dark with gelatin. After the pie is
Oreo-cookie crust; the cook- chocolate for more intense flavor, refrigerated until firm, the top
ies (filling and all) are ground milk chocolate if you prefer that is decorated with fresh raspber-
to crumbs in a creamy sweet- ries, making a pretty jewel-like
mosaic. A Chambord-spiked
food processor
with a little sugar
A glorious-yet- ness). On top
of that goes the whipped cream is the ideal
and bound with simple treat for jammy raspberry accompaniment, its richness
melted butter. The filling: Frozen mellowing the tangy-bitter-sweet
mixture is pressed anyone you’re raspberries (just as edges of the pie.
(very firmly, to sweet on. flavorful as fresh The result is stunningly gor-
keep it in place) in cooked applica- geous, every bit as delicious as
into a pie plate by Jessica Rudolph tions but more it looks. It’s the perfect love letter
and baked until affordable) are to your valentine, galentine,
crisp. Next, a fudgy ganache cooked with sugar until broken or palentine. Better yet, make
layer comes together easily in down and syrupy, flavored with it for yourself for the ultimate
the microwave by simply melting lemon juice and vanilla, and set expression of self-love.
2024

B IT TE RSW EE T
CH O COL AT E– RAS P B E RRY PI E
Serves 8 to 10
Total Time: 11⁄4 hours, plus
41⁄2 hours chilling and cooling
Be sure the fresh raspberries are
dry before arranging them on
top of the filling in step 6. You
can omit the Chambord in the
whipped cream if desired.
CRUST
16 Oreo cookies, broken into
rough pieces
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter,
melted and cooled
GA N AC HE
¾ cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate,
chopped
¼ teaspoon table salt
FI LLIN G
2 tablespoons water
21⁄2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
11⁄4 pounds (4 cups) frozen
raspberries
1⁄2 cup (31⁄2 ounces) sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces (2½ cups) fresh
raspberries
WH IP P ED C RE A M
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Chambord
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch table salt
1. FO R T HE CR UST: Adjust
oven rack to middle position
and heat oven to 325 degrees.
Pulse cookies and sugar in food
processor until coarsely ground,
about 15 pulses, then process to
fine, even crumbs, about 15 sec-
onds. Drizzle melted butter over
crumbs and pulse to incorporate,
about 5 pulses.
2 . Transfer mixture to 9-inch pie
plate. Using your hands, press
crumbs very firmly into bottom
For neat slices, use a
sharp, thin knife and
gently saw through
the berries before
cutting into the pie.
and up sides of pie plate. Using
lightly greased bottom of dry mea-
suring cup, press and smooth crust
into even, compact layer. Bake
until crust is fragrant and appears
set, about 15 minutes; transfer
pie plate to wire rack and let cool
completely, about 30 minutes.
3. FOR TH E G ANACHE : Once
crust has cooled, microwave cream,
chocolate, and salt in bowl at
50 percent power, whisking fre-
quently, until chocolate is melted,
1 to 3 minutes. Pour ganache
into cooled crust. Refrigerate,
uncovered, until set, 30 minutes to
1 hour.
4. FOR THE FILL IN G:
Meanwhile, whisk water and
gelatin together in bowl and let
sit until gelatin softens, at least
5 minutes (gelatin mixture will
become rubbery as it sits; this is 1 minute. Set aside until cooled on medium-low speed until foamy,
OK). Cook frozen raspberries, slightly, about 15 minutes. Transfer about 1 minute. Increase speed
sugar, and salt in large saucepan filling to crust and refrigerate until to high and whip until soft peaks
over medium-high heat, stir- set, about 4 hours. (Pie can be cov- form, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve pie
ring occasionally, until mixture is ered loosely with plastic wrap and with whipped cream.
boiling, about 8 minutes. Reduce refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
heat to medium-low and cook, 6. Arrange fresh raspberries in MI LK C H OCOL AT E–
stirring frequently, until mixture is concentric circles over filling, RASPB E RRY PIE
thickened and reduced to 2 cups, rounded sides up, pressing berries Substitute milk chocolate for
8 to 10 minutes. gently to adhere to filling. bittersweet chocolate and reduce
5. Off heat, whisk in lemon 7. FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: heavy cream for ganache to ⅓ cup.
juice, vanilla, and gelatin mixture Using stand mixer fitted with whisk After pouring ganache into crust,
until gelatin is dissolved, about attachment, whip all ingredients spread into even layer with spatula.
Key Steps
1. Press crumb mixture firmly into 2. Cook raspberry filling, stirring fre- 3. Arrange berries on top of finished
pie plate with your hands and then quently, until mixture has thickened pie in concentric circles (starting
smooth it with greased bottom of dry and reduced to 2 cups. from the outside), pressing berries
measuring cup to avoid slumping. gently to adhere.
F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H 2024 • COOK’S COU N TRY 35
COO K I N G C L ASS
Beer-Brined Better flavor through science.
Roast by Mark Huxsoll
Chicken W O U L D I T S U R P R I S E you
to learn that the secret to deeply
flavorful roast chicken is beer? It
surprised us.
Let us back up for a moment.
Over the years, we’ve learned that
it’s best to treat a chicken with
salt before roasting, whether it
be through a brine (submerging
the bird in a salt solution) or a
“dry brine,” which entails rubbing
the chicken with salt (and other
seasonings). The salt seasons
the meat and also chemically
helps it retain moisture during
the cooking process.
Through our testing, we found
that brining a chicken in beer
instead of water has some distinct
advantages that have scientific
backing. While you don’t neces-
sarily think of beer as acidic, it
BEER-BRINED ROAST CHICKEN
Serves 4 Total Time: 13⁄4 hours,
plus 121⁄2 hours brining and resting
We developed this recipe pri-
marily with Budweiser, for its
simple lager flavor. We tested with
other styles of beer and found
that they each contributed subtle
nuances; feel free to use the beer
style of your choice. Note that
nonalcoholic beer will result in a
less flavorful chicken but will still
yield great results.
3 cups lager, such as Budweiser
¼ cup table salt
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 onion, peeled and quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled and
smashed
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon peppercorns
8 bay leaves
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 (3-inch) strips lemon zest
1 (4-pound) whole chicken, giblets
discarded
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1. Whisk beer, salt, and sugar in
large bowl until salt and sugar have
is, and that acidity helps tender-
ize the meat during an overnight
brine. And while acidity can inhibit
browning, that effect is negated by
sugar—both the sugar in the beer
and the brown sugar we add to
this brine. Patting the brined bird
dry and rubbing it with oil before
roasting also helps encourage dark,
flavorful browning. The resulting
roasted chicken emerges from the
oven with beautiful mahogany skin.
A beer brine also has flavor
advantages: Many flavor molecules
aren’t soluble in water but are
soluble in alcohol or oil, so the
alcohol in the brine can unlock
flavors in ingredients such as the
lemon, thyme, coriander, pepper,
and bay leaves we use here. The
salt in the brine helps carry these
flavors into the meat.
dissolved, about 1 minute. Add
onion, garlic, coriander seeds, pep-
percorns, bay leaves, thyme sprigs,
and lemon zest. Place chicken,
breast side down, on cutting board.
Using kitchen shears, cut through
bones on either side of backbone;
discard backbone. Flip chicken
breast side up and press on breast-
bone to flatten. Submerge chicken,
breast side down, in brine; cover;
and refrigerate for at least 12 hours
or up to 48 hours.
2. Adjust oven rack to
upper-middle position and heat
oven to 425 degrees. Set wire
rack in rimmed baking sheet.
Transfer chicken, breast side up,
to prepared rack. Pat chicken
dry, tuck wingtips behind back,
and remove any spices with paper
towels. Brush skin evenly with oil.
Roast chicken until well browned
and breasts register 160 degrees
and thighs register 175 degrees,
50 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Transfer chicken, breast side
up, to carving board and let rest,
uncovered, for 30 minutes. Carve
and serve.

How to Make Beer-Brined Roast Chicken
1. Make Brine Whisk beer, salt, and
sugar until salt and sugar have dis-
solved. Add onion, garlic, coriander
seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves,
thyme sprigs, and lemon zest.
Why? Many flavor molecules that
aren’t soluble in water are soluble in
alcohol, so using alcohol in the brine
can unlock these flavors. Salt helps
carry the flavors into the meat.
5. Dry Pat chicken dry and remove
any spices with paper towels. Tuck
wingtips behind back.
Why? Patting the skin dry helps
remove excess moisture, which
makes browning more efficient.
Tucking the wingtips helps prevent
them from burning.
Which Beer Should You Use?
We tested several types of beer in this recipe;
here are four of our favorites.
A M ER I CA N E NG L IS H
L AGER BROW N A L E
2. Remove Backbone Place chicken,
breast side down, on cutting board.
Using kitchen shears, cut through
bones on either side of backbone;
discard backbone.
Why? Removing the backbone
allows the chicken to open up and
creates a meat side and a bone side,
which helps with even cooking.
6. Oil Brush skin evenly with oil.
Why? Brushing the skin with oil
encourages browning.
I RI SH
I PA
STOUT
3. Flatten Flip chicken breast
side up and press on breastbone
to flatten.
Why? Pressing down on the breast-
bone makes the chicken flatter,
which means it will cook more evenly.
Removing the backbone and flatten-
ing is known as spatchcocking.
7. Roast Roast chicken at 425 de-
grees on upper-middle rack until well
browned and meat is cooked through.
Why? Roasting a spatchcocked
chicken at a high temperature on a
high rack employs the heat reflected
off the oven ceiling, which allows for
nice browning of the chicken’s skin
without overcooking the meat.
A ME RI CAN LAGER
The classic “king of beers” provided
mild but balanced flavor to the
chicken in this recipe.
ENGLI SH B ROWN ALE
Newcastle, a robustly flavored ale,
permeated the chicken with notes of
cooked honey and black tea.
F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H
COO KI N G C L ASS
4. Brine Submerge chicken, breast
side down, in brine; cover; and refrig-
erate for at least 12 hours or up to
48 hours.
Why? Brining allows the beer time
to unlock flavors and the salt time to
carry those flavors into the chicken.
The acidity in the beer also helps
tenderize the meat.
8. Let Rest Transfer chicken to
carving board and let rest, uncovered,
for 30 minutes. Carve and serve.
Why? Heat makes muscle fibers
contract and squeeze out the juices,
so if the chicken were cut right
away, the juices would leak out.
Letting the chicken cool allows the
fibers to relax so that they hold on
to more juices.
I PA
Hoppy IPAs imparted floral and tropi-
cal notes that were accented by the
coriander and lemon we added.
I RI SH STOU T
Guinness’s iron-like minerality and
balanced bitterness complemented
the deeply roasted chicken skin.
2024 • COO K’S COU NTRY 37
 CO O K IN G FOR T WO
Scallops with Orzo Risotto
Pasta stands in for rice in this delicious take on classic risotto.
RISOTTO IS SO creamy and
satisfying that many spin-offs of it
have been created using grains and
pasta instead of the classic arborio
rice. One such variation uses orzo,
a short pasta shaped similarly to
rice grains. Using the right method
to cook the pasta results in a dish
that has the silky consistency of
classic risotto.
Dressing up the risotto with
artichokes and serving it with
pan-seared sea scallops transforms
it into an elegant dinner that is
quick and easy to prepare.
To make the orzo risotto, melt
butter in a saucepan and add
Drying the Scallops
Pat the scallops dry to ensure that
they brown before they overcook.
38 CO O K’S COUN T RY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H
by Lawman Johnson
minced shallot and garlic to build
an aromatic base. Then toast the
orzo in the infused butter to bring
out its flavorful nutty notes. Add
broth and chopped artichoke
hearts, and simmer the pasta, stir-
ring frequently, until it is tender
and has released its starches,
which help make the dish creamy.
Finish the orzo risotto by stirring
in Parmesan cheese and butter for
even more creaminess and lemon
zest and juice for brightness, and
let it sit to thicken. Just before
serving, stir in chopped parsley for
color and freshness.
The quick-cooking scallops
can be made while the risotto
thickens. Pat them dry with paper
towels to remove any moisture that
would keep them from browning
quickly when seared. Then season
them with salt and sear them in
oil over high heat for 2 minutes
per side, just long enough for a
beautiful brown, caramelized crust
to develop while leaving the scal-
lops with tender, perfectly cooked
opaque centers.
Serve the creamy artichoke
orzo risotto in individual bowls,
arranging the scallops on top,
and relax and enjoy this easy yet
sophisticated dinner for two.
2024
SE ARED SCALLOPS
WITH ART IC HOKE O RZO
RI SOTTO FOR TWO
Total Time: 45 minutes
We recommend buying “dry”
scallops, which don’t have chemi-
cal additives and taste better than
“wet.” Dry scallops will look
ivory or pinkish; wet scallops are
bright white.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter,
divided
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup orzo
2¼ cups chicken or vegetable broth,
plus extra as needed
4 ounces frozen artichoke hearts,
thawed, patted dry, and chopped
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
(½ cup), plus extra for serving
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus
1 tablespoon juice
12 ounces large sea scallops,
tendons removed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh
parsley
1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in
medium saucepan over medium
heat. Add shallot and garlic
and cook until fragrant, about
30 seconds. Stir in orzo and cook
for 1 minute. Stir in broth, arti-
chokes, and ¼ teaspoon salt and
bring to simmer. Reduce heat to
medium-low and simmer gently,
stirring often, until orzo is tender
and broth is mostly absorbed,
16 to 18 minutes. Off heat, vigor-
ously stir in Parmesan, lemon
zest and juice, and remaining
1 tablespoon butter until remain-
ing liquid is creamy. Season with
salt and pepper to taste. Let sit
until slightly thickened, about
5 minutes.
2. Pat scallops dry with paper
towels and sprinkle with
remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet
over high heat until just smok-
ing. Add scallops in single layer
and cook without moving them
until well browned on first side,
about 2 minutes. Flip scallops and
continue to cook without mov-
ing them until well browned on
second side, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir parsley into orzo;
adjust consistency with extra
broth as needed. Transfer orzo to
individual serving bowls, top with
scallops, and serve with
extra Parmesan.

Crispy
Fried Chickpeas
F RIED CHICKPEAS MAKE a heat to medium-high and cook the
superb snack. They’re crunchy chickpeas until crispy and golden
and satisfying, and you can season brown. Starting the chickpeas in
them any way you want. While cold oil ensures that they all cook
there are ways to make chickpeas evenly and are crunchy through-
crunchy by baking or sautéing out, as the oil heats the chickpeas
them, these versions don’t get through slowly instead of just crisp-
quite as crispy ing the outsides
as fried versions. If you like salty before reaching the
For the ultimate insides. Transfer
crunch, don’t snacks, these the cooked chick-
be afraid to fry crunchy, customiz- peas straight to a
these little beans; large bowl instead
it’s easier than able chickpeas of draining them
you think. on paper towels, as
Start with
might become is called for with
pantry-friendly your new favorite. most fried foods;
canned chickpeas— the oil left clinging
by Mark Huxsoll
two cans make to the chickpeas
enough for a small group. Simply will help the seasonings adhere.
drain and dry them, but don’t Customizing the flavorings
rinse them because this loosens is the fun part. First, they need
their skins. Drying the chickpeas salt, but after that the sky’s the
well with paper towels helps avoid limit. We developed a few different
splatter and speeds up the crisping seasoning combinations: minced
because it removes moisture. raw garlic and fresh parsley; spicy
Then, instead of pulling out chipotle chile powder, lime zest,
a big Dutch oven and fretting and fresh cilantro; and lemon zest
over dropping the chickpeas into and black pepper. Start with these
bubbling-hot oil, transfer the chick- three seasoning ideas, but don’t be
peas to a saucepan and cover them afraid to branch out and make these
with just 2 cups of oil. Turn the chickpeas your own. Serve them
at a Super Bowl party, snack on
them while you curl up with a good
book, swap them in for popcorn
on movie night, or pack them up
for sustenance on a road trip. You
can also add them to salads, such as
our Quinoa Salad with Herbs and
Parmesan (page 30), or other dishes
where you want a little texture or
added protein, such as on top of
hummus or steamed rice.
A Cold Start
Starting the chickpeas in room-
temperature oil takes the fear out
of frying.
F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H
HOW TO MAK E
GARLI C- PARS LEY
C RISPY C HI CK PE AS
Serves 4 Total Time: 35 minutes
Do not rinse the chickpeas after
draining them, and be sure to dry
them as thoroughly as possible
before frying.
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas,
drained
2 cups vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon table salt
1. Spread chickpeas into even
layer over clean dish towel. Cover
chickpeas with second clean dish
towel, then press and gently roll
chickpeas between towels to remove
as much moisture as possible.
Transfer chickpeas to large sauce-
pan (no need to discard any loos-
ened or separated skins). Add oil
and cook over medium-high heat,
stirring occasionally, until chickpeas
are deep golden brown and crispy,
27 to 32 minutes, adjusting heat as
needed to maintain oil temperature
between 325 and 350 degrees.
2. Using spider skimmer or slotted
spoon and allowing excess oil
to drain back into saucepan,
transfer chickpeas to large bowl.
Add parsley, garlic, and salt and
toss until evenly combined.
Transfer to serving bowl. Serve.
(Chickpeas can be stored in airtight
container for up to 2 days.)
CHI POTL E- LI ME
C RISPY C HI CK PE AS
Substitute cilantro for parsley. Omit
garlic. Add 1½ teaspoons grated
lime zest, ¾ teaspoon chipotle chile
powder, and ½ teaspoon sugar along
with cilantro and salt in step 2.
LEMON- P EPPE R
C RISPY C HI CK PE AS
Omit parsley and garlic. Add
1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
and ½ teaspoon pepper along with
salt in step 2.
2024 • COO K’S COU N TRY 39
 O N E PA N

Chorizo
with Sweet
Potatoes and
Black Beans
Fresh links of Mexican chorizo star in this
comforting one-pot meal. by Kelly Song

ONE-PAN FRESH CHORIZO WITH SWEET POTATOES

AND BLACK BEANS
Serves 4 Total Time: 50 minutes
Use the greater amount of chipotle chile for a spicier dish.

The cooling crema

FEW THINGS BRING more
comfort to the table than a
bowl of warm, deeply seasoned
stewy beans. This dish ups the
satisfaction quotient by adding
chorizo and sweet potatoes to
black beans for a simple, warming
one-pot dinner.
We wanted to celebrate the full-
flavored appeal of fresh Mexican
chorizo, a pork sausage seasoned
with vinegar, chiles, and a variety
of spices, in this recipe. Since the
sausage is a staple in Mexican cui-
sine, we drew inspiration from that
country’s pantry for a harmonious
combination of flavors.
To make the dish, start by
searing the chorizo links in a
pot to add flavorful brown-
ing and render some of the fat.
Then, remove the sausages and
cook a mixture of poblano pep-
pers, onion, garlic, cumin, and
dolloped over the top
is fortified with lime
zest and juice.
chipotle chile in the remaining
fat to create a rich, smoky base
for the stew. Next, add diced
sweet potatoes and broth; as the
mixture simmers, the sweet pota-
toes absorb the porky flavors and
cook to tenderness. Then, stir in
drained canned black beans and
return the seared sausages to the
pot for a final simmer.
Once the sausages are fully
cooked, remove them and
thoroughly stir the vegetables
to thicken the broth slightly
with the starches from the sweet
potatoes and beans. To serve,
ladle the silky vegetable mixture
into bowls. Slice the links and
top the bowls with the slices plus
homemade lime crema and cilan-
tro leaves. This comforting and
rib-sticking dish comes together
in no time, and once served, will
be devoured just as quickly.
½ cup Mexican crema
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
plus 1 tablespoon juice
2¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ pounds Mexican-style chorizo
sausage
1 onion, chopped
2 poblano chiles, stemmed,
seeded, and cut into 1-inch
pieces
1–2 tablespoons minced canned
chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled
and cut into ½-inch pieces
1½ cups chicken broth
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans,
rinsed
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
1. Combine crema, lime zest and
juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in small
bowl; set aside.
2. Heat oil in Dutch oven
over medium heat until shim-
mering. Add chorizo and cook
until browned on 2 sides, about
5 minutes; transfer to plate. Add
onion, poblanos, and ¼ teaspoon
salt to fat left in pot and cook until
softened and lightly browned, 5 to
7 minutes. Stir in chipotle, garlic,
and cumin and cook until fragrant,
about 30 seconds. Stir in sweet
potatoes, broth, and remaining
1¾ teaspoons salt, scraping up any
browned bits, and bring to simmer.
Cover; reduce heat to medium-
low; and simmer until potatoes are
tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Stir in beans and nestle chorizo
and any accumulated juices into
pot. Cover and simmer until
chorizo registers 160 degrees, 5 to
7 minutes, flipping each link half-
way through cooking; transfer links
to plate as they finish cooking.
4. Simmer bean mixture, stir-
ring constantly, until slightly
thickened, about 1 minute. Slice
chorizo on bias, about 1 inch
thick. Divide bean mixture
among serving bowls and top
with sliced chorizo. Dollop with
crema mixture and sprinkle with
cilantro. Serve.

40 COO K’S COUN TRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024


Barbecue
Pulled Chicken
Sandwiches
N O T H I N G S AY S S U M M E R Stir in the chicken and cook
quite like barbecue, but when it under high pressure for just
it’s not summer, why wait? This 6 minutes; it will be infused with
tender, tangy pulled chicken all the flavors from the sauce and
can be made year-round in an spices. Remove and reserve ½ cup
Instant Pot in just 1 hour. of the cooking liquid. Since the
Start by nailing down the main chicken is so meltingly tender,
components. For the chicken, all it takes is a few passes with a
boneless thighs provide a rich potato masher to turn it into juicy
flavor and juicy texture without shreds. Since there’s liquid in the
the added work pot at the end of
of picking the cooking, use the
cooked meat Who says great sauté function to
from the bones. pulled chicken cook it off and
For the barbe- brown the exteri-
cue sauce, start can’t be or of the chicken;
by whisking the fond (flavorful
together a few
cooked quickly? caramelized bits)
staple ingredi- by Lawman Johnson that develops is
ents: ketchup, reminiscent of the
brown sugar, cider vinegar, bark on slow-cooked barbecue.
Worcestershire sauce, Dijon Just before serving, stir in ¼ cup
mustard, and hot sauce. Then, of reserved cooking liquid to give
using the Instant Pot’s sauté func- the chicken some sauciness, and
tion, cook finely chopped onion add the reserved barbecue sauce for
until softened and sweet, and add fresh hits of acidity and brightness.
granulated garlic, chili powder, To complement the saucy shred-
salt, and cayenne to boost the ded chicken, whip up a crunchy,
flavor. Add ½ cup of the ketchup bright apple-cabbage slaw. Pile the
mixture to the pot with the onion chicken and slaw on toasted buns,
and spices, reserving the rest of take a bite, and let your taste buds
the mixture to add later. carry you away to summertime.
IN STAN T P OT BAR BECUE
PULLED CH IC KEN SAN DWI CH ES
Serves 6 Total Time: 1 hour
To make sliders, substitute eight
to 12 slider buns for the ham-
burger buns.
S L AW
1½ tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and
cut into thin matchsticks
1 shallot, halved and sliced thin
CHI CK E N
¾ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons packed brown
sugar
1½ tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
¾ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless
chicken thighs, trimmed
6 brioche hamburger buns,
toasted if desired
1. FOR THE SLAW: Whisk vine-
gar, mayonnaise, sugar, and salt in
large bowl until sugar is dissolved.
Add cabbage, apple, and shallot
and toss until evenly combined;
set aside.
F E B RUA RY/ M A R C H
INSTA NT P OT
A crunchy slaw,
made tangy with
cider vinegar and
green apple,
helps balance the
richness of the
saucy meat.
2. FOR T HE CH IC KEN:
Combine ketchup, sugar, vinegar,
Worcestershire, mustard, and hot
sauce in small bowl; set aside.
3. Using highest sauté function,
heat oil in Instant Pot until shim-
mering. Add onion and cook,
stirring occasionally, until onion
is softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in
granulated garlic, chili powder, salt,
and cayenne. Cook until fragrant,
about 30 seconds. Add ½ cup
ketchup mixture and chicken, stir
until chicken is evenly coated with
ketchup mixture and onion, and
arrange chicken in even layer.
4. Lock lid into place and close
pressure-release valve. Select high
pressure-cook function and cook
for 6 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot
and quick-release pressure. Care-
fully remove lid, allowing steam
to escape away from you. Remove
½ cup cooking liquid; reserve
¼ cup and discard remainder.
Using potato masher, mash chicken
in pot into bite-size pieces.
5. Using highest sauté function,
bring chicken and cooking
liquid remaining in pot to
simmer. Cook, stirring occasion-
ally and scraping bottom of pot,
until liquid evaporates and some
fond develops on bottom of pot,
6 to 8 minutes. Off heat, stir
in reserved cooking liquid and
¼ cup ketchup mixture.
6. Divide chicken evenly over
bun bottoms. Spoon remaining
ketchup mixture over chicken.
Divide slaw among sandwiches
and top with bun tops. Serve.
2024 • CO O K’S COU NT RY 41
 ATK R EVI EWS

The Best Rolling Pins

What do many pies, tarts, tortillas, and flatbreads have in common?
They’re all made with this simple kitchen tool. by Carolyn Grillo
WE TESTED ROLLING pins
in three styles—handled pins,
dowels, and tapered pins (also
called French rolling pins)—made
from a variety of materials. After
rolling out dozens of pie doughs,
pizza doughs, and cookie doughs,
we found several options that
rolled over their competition.
We didn’t like any of the
handled pins. It’s easier to assess
a dough’s thickness and how hard
to press when using a dowel or
tapered pin. Between those styles,
each has benefits and the choice is
a personal one. With dowels, the
weight is distributed evenly across
the pin. Their size and heft make
them ideal for rolling out wide,
long doughs such as croissants
See the full testing results at
and slab pies. Tapered pins are
AmericasTestKitchen.com/mar24.
lighter and thinner and offer finer
control—but using a pin that isn’t
completely flat can initially be
challenging. For both styles, there
are some important things to look WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHAT TO AVOID
for and to avoid when shopping.
WOO D PI N S: Rolling pins made MAR BL E, PL AST IC, OR DRAMATICA L LY TA PE R ED
from wood were efficient as well as STAI NLESS-STE E L PI N S : ROL LING PINS : The usable
easy to use. Wood’s slightly rough We found flaws in pins made flat space on the tapered pins
OUR TOP PICKS
surface held a fine dusting of flour, from each of these materials. varied from 5.2 to 9.5 inches. It
B EST D OWE L making these pins virtually nonstick. The marble was easy to
Plus, textured wood gripped the pin we make unwant-
M AR B LE, PL AST I C, OR
dough well, causing the dough to be tested was ed indents
STAI NLESS STEE L
responsive to our movements. by far the while using
JK Adams Plain Rolling Dowel Pin heaviest in the pins with
Model: PRP-2 Price: $22.00 MO D E RATE WE IGH T: Our favor- our lineup the shortest
Weight: 1.4 lb Flat Surface: 19 in
Comments: This pin gave us plenty of
ite rolling pins weighed about 1 to and felt amount of flat
space to roll out doughs of all sizes. Plus, 1½ pounds, making them heavy cumber- space, and we
it was heavy enough to help us as we enough to assist us while rolling some. The WO OD had to work
rolled but not so heavy that it crushed but not so heavy as to make them stainless- a little harder
the dough underneath.
uncomfortable while using or to steel pin to achieve
crush the dough underneath. we tested warmed under our an evenly flat dough.
BEST TAPE RE D hands during use, which can
LO NG BA RR E LS : Rolling pins with warm up the dough as well ROL LING PINS W I TH
shorter barrels left unwanted indents and result in tough, dense pas- HAN DL ES : It is more difficult
JK Adams French Rolling Pin where their edges pressed into the tries. Marble, stainless-steel, to assess a dough’s thickness
Model: FRP-1 Price: $19.99 dough. These pins also required more and plastic models were also and how hard we’re pressing
Weight: 15.9 oz Flat Surface: 9.5 in
passes over the dough. This can over- too smooth to hold a dusting when using a handled pin than
Comments: Of all the tapered rolling pins
we tested, this had the most usable flat work the dough, causing it to turn out of flour and stuck to pie dough it is when using a dowel or
surface area, so it was easier to form tough, rather than light and flaky. as a result. tapered pin.
dough into rounds.

42 COOK’S COU N TRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024


We tasted a broad array of honey from all over the world and found that
the best honey offers far more than just sweetness. by Carolyn Grillo
B LEN D ED H O NEY
HONEY HAS BEEN used as
food and medicine around the
world for more than 8,000 years.
Like wine, olive oil, and oysters,
honey’s flavor and aroma are
impacted by its terroir. You get
very different results based on
where the honeybees live, what
they eat, and how the honey is
processed. Honey always offers
sweetness, but it can also taste
floral, bitter, or acidic, and even
have notes of menthol or tobacco.
We wanted to learn about the
wide variety of honeys, so we
purchased 15 jars from produc-
ers around the world in three
categories: blended, monofloral,
and creamed.
Blended Honey
Blended honeys are what you’re
most likely to find at supermarkets.
They’re what they sound like:
blends of honeys from multiple
sources. By combining honey
from hives across the country or
even around the world, companies
ensure consistent flavor from year
to year. It’s common to see blends
of wildflower or clover honey.
Sampled plain, the blended hon-
eys tasted “classic” and “familiar”
with “sweet,” “fruity,” and “floral”
notes. Some had a bit more nuance
but none surprised our tasters.
Monofloral Honey
Monofloral honey is made when
All About Honey
MO NO FLO RAL H ON EY
honeybees eat nectar from the
same primary floral source. Bee-
keepers can’t control bees’ flight
patterns, but they can introduce
them to environments when a
specific flower is in bloom. In the
United States, there are more
than 300 unique types of mono-
floral honey from different floral
sources, according to the National
Honey Board, and there are many
more around the world.
The monofloral honeys in our
lineup came from nine different
floral sources: acacia, blackberry,
buckwheat, chestnut, linden,
mānuka, meadowfoam, orange
blossom, and tupelo. They
were a revelation, with com-
plex flavor profiles determined
by the flowers the bees visited.
The acacia honey had “strong
sweetness” with “floral” notes,
specifically “vanilla,” “jasmine,”
and “honeysuckle.” When sam-
pling tupelo honey, tasters picked
up on “lovely floral flavor” and
“lots of notes of fresh plants”
and “pollen,” and described it as
“slightly musky like wet wood or
moss.” Buckwheat honey took
many people by surprise with its
dark color, “barnyard funk,” and
“roasty,” “earthy” notes.
Their complexity makes them
ideal for a variety of uses: pairing
with a cheese plate, mixing into
homemade pasta filling, or driz-
zling over grilled meat.
Creamed Honey
Most honey is liquid, but three
of the honeys in our lineup
were creamed honeys with a
thick, sticky consistency similar
to lemon curd. They’re made
by adding already-crystallized
honey to liquid honey, whipping
liquid honey, or using honey that
is prone to crystallization. Our
tasters loved this “incredibly lush
and luxurious honey.”
Creamed honey melts quickly
in tea but we prefer to showcase
its ultra-
smooth,
luxurious
texture.
Serve with
cheese and
crackers or
slather it
on thick,
buttered
toast and
sprinkle
Maldon salt over the top.
Choosing a Honey
Sweet, mild honeys are perfect for
everyday use. But if you can find a
monofloral or creamed honey at a
store or farmers’ market, we hope
you’ll give it a try. We loved their
unique aromas and flavors, and we
think you will too.
See the full tasting results at
AmericasTestKitchen.com/mar24.
F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H
ATK R EVIEWS
C R EAME D HON EY
What’s the best way to
store honey?
Store honey in an airtight
plastic or glass container at
room temperature (at or above
65 degrees). Honey crystal-
lizes quickest at temperatures
between 45 and 65 degrees, so
don’t refrigerate honey. You can
freeze honey, but let it defrost
at room temperature for
24 hours before using it.
What should I do if my
honey crystallizes?
There’s no reason to throw
out crystallized honey—it isn’t
spoiled. Simply set the jar in
warm water until the honey
liquefies. Because evaporation
leads to crystallization, make
sure the jar is tightly sealed.
Does honey go bad?
When stored at room tem-
perature in an airtight container,
honey does not spoil. However,
over time honey can lose some
of its flavor and aroma nuances
as well as darken in color. If
your honey becomes contami-
nated with water, the honey can
ferment. If you see mold or if
your honey smells fermented or
cheesy, toss it.
2024 • CO OK’S COU NTRY 43
 BONUS RECIPE

Warm
Marinated
Olives
A simple snack for your next gathering.
by Amanda Luchtel

WARM MARIN AT ED OLIV ES 1. Using vegetable peeler, remove

Serves 6 to 8
Total Time: 25 minutes
To crush the coriander seeds,
place them in a zipper-lock bag
and press or gently pound with a
skillet, rolling pin, or meat mallet.
For spicier olives, use the full
½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
1 orange
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups pitted brine-cured
green olives
2 cups pitted brine-cured
black olives
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
2 teaspoons coriander seeds,
crushed
¼–½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Crusty bread
four 2-inch strips of zest from
orange. Slice each strip thin
lengthwise. Heat oil and zest in
12-inch skillet over medium heat
until zest is fragrant and begins to
curl, about 3 minutes. Add olives,
herbes de Provence, coriander
seeds, and pepper flakes and cook
until spices are toasted and olives
are sizzling, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic and cook until
fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off
heat, stir in vinegar. Let olive
mixture sit in skillet until cooled
slightly, about 5 minutes. Serve
(directly from skillet or in large
shallow serving bowl) with crusty
bread. (Marinated olives can be
refrigerated for up to 4 days. Let
sit at room temperature for about
10 minutes before serving or reheat
in 12-inch skillet over medium heat
until warm, about 3 minutes.)

COMING HUNGRY FOR MORE CONTENT?

NEXT ISSUE Vi s i t u s o n I n s t a g r a m : @ c o o ks c o u n t r y
Our April/May 2024 issue is a celebration What Cook's Country recipes are you cooking at home?
of all things green to welcome spring— Post them on Instagram with the hashtag #CooksCountry.
from creamy, crowd-pleasing Leek and
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Spinach Dip and easy Grilled Garlic
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Scapes to elegant Braised Artichokes
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and flavor-packed Sautéed Pea Greens.
instagram.com/CooksCountry
Then, for a showstopping centerpiece for
your Easter or other spring dinner, there’s Follow us on Pinterest
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Crown Roast of Pork. Finally, we end
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4 4 COO K’S COUN TRY • F E B RUA RY/ M A RC H 2024

PORTRAIT
BY STEVE KLISE

WALLY WROBLEWSKI
prepares brandy old-fashioneds at the Five O’Clock Steakhouse,
a supper club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Read our collection of On the Road articles at CooksCountry.com/ontheroad

 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

35 Bittersweet Chocolate– 28 Reverse-Seared Strip Steaks 24 White Bean and Sun-Dried 22 Quick Beef Stew with 29 Mustard-Roasted Potatoes
Raspberry Pie with Cowboy Butter Tomato Burgers Mushrooms and Dijon

11 Boudin Balls 13 Rillons 17 Smoky Chicken, Sausage, and 9 King Cake 20 Big-Batch Sazeracs
Shrimp Gumbo

31 Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad 27 Fried Cheese Curds with Ranch 30 Quinoa Salad with Apricots, 24 Pork Tacos with Orange Salsa 22 Pesto Potato Frittata with Peas
with Sweet Chili–Lime Dressing Dressing Olives, and Goat Cheese and Goat Cheese

39 Garlic-Parsley Crispy Chickpeas 41 Instant Pot Barbecue Pulled 36 Beer-Brined Roast Chicken 40 One-Pan Fresh Chorizo with 38 Seared Scallops with Artichoke
Chicken Sandwiches Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans Orzo Risotto for Two

44 Warm Marinated Olives 22 Honey-Roasted Chicken Drum- 33 Crème Brûlée 22 Tuna, Fennel, and Radish Salad 24 Pork Chops with Spicy
sticks with Carrots Toasts Tomato-Braised Escarole