November 27, 2009
Posted by Carolyn Cope, November 24, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Note: You may know Carolyn Cope as Umami Girl. She stops by on Tuesdays with ideas on preparing fruits and vegetables.
[Photographs: Carolyn Cope]
Cranberry sauce will never be my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. As a Jersey girl, though, I have a certain innate respect for cranberries. As with Bon Jovi, pharmaceuticals, and big hair, a Jersey girl's appreciation for cranberries is not so much about tradition as it is about a vague, ever-present fear of extradition should it come to light that you had ever spoken ill of them in your travels.
Because I regard cranberries with at least as much respect as love, the ruby-colored condiment at our Thanksgiving table this year will be a fairly regal version. For starters, it's a chutney rather than a mere sauce. It's studded with raisins and perfumed with ginger, cinnamon and cloves. It comes from the Williams-Sonoma Complete Entertaining Cookbook, which is classy as hell, though don't take it from a Jersey girl. Because of its relatively high concentration of oranges and sugar, it shows off cranberries' good side while protecting you from knocking yourself over the head with them (just like big hair would do, but I bet you already saw where I was going with that). And best of all, it will keep for at least a week in the fridge. So make it today, put it aside and spend the next three days getting geared up for stuffing and mashed potatoes with gravy.
Happy Thanksgiving, Serious Eaters. Hope it's a great one.
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Posted by Caroline Russock, November 17, 2009 at 12:55 PM
[Photograph: Caroline Russock]
Summer might be the height of pickling and preserving season, but a recent trip to the market left me with plenty of fruits and vegetables that were just waiting to be put up. The inspiration for my fall pickling adventure came from Matt Lee and Ted Lee's Simple Fresh Southern, which includes a wealth of atypical pickling recipes that are ripe for the Thanksgiving table.
The first recipe that caught my eye was Pickled Grapes with Rosemary and Chiles. Pickled grapes might not be something that you'd normally associate with Thanksgiving, but here's some insight into my thought process: Green and grapes have always had a place in a cornucopia, the cornucopia is one of the most recognizable symbols of Thanksgiving, and I really like anything pickled. Pickled grapes seemed like a perfect predinner snack for my guests while they sipped their Celery Juleps.
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Posted by Caroline Russock, November 11, 2009 at 5:00 PM
The following recipe is from the November 11 edition of our weekly recipe newsletter. To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here!
One of the best things about the recipes in How to Roast a Lamb by Michael Psilakis is that they involve several recipes within recipes. Take this Octopus with Chickpea Salad for example: Not only do you learn how to braise a perfectly fork-tender octopus, but there is also a recipe for a fantastically bitey Red Wine-Black Pepper Vinaigrette and a method for infusing normally pedestrian chickpeas with aromatics that turn them into something worth being enjoyed on their own.
Putting these three components together to make one octopus salad is a recipe for success. The canned garbanzos that went into the Chickpea Confit came out of the oven redolent of cumin and almost buttery from the olive oil that they braised in. The octopus was cooked three times: first seared, then braised, and finally charred for a crunchy exterior and a meaty interior. Fresh herbs, chewy-tart sun-dried tomatoes, and a just tart and peppery enough vinaigrette finished the mix.
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Posted by Caroline Russock, November 5, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Bolognese is my favorite sauce for pasta, and from fall until spring I'll always have a batch on hand. It's an all day project that involves lots of chopping, browning, and slow simmering, but it's one that I enjoy immensely. When I decided to make this bolognese from New Classic Family Dinners by Mark Peel I was under the impression that I would be spending all day in the kitchen, but this version of bolognese is another story.
I must confess that I didn't really read through all of the instructions before setting out to make this beast of a sauce. Once I had all of my ingredients assembled I sat down at the kitchen table and read the recipe. It was then that I realized that this wasn't any ordinary Bolognese—this was the three day Bolognese. That's quite an investment of time for a pasta sauce, but my interest was piqued, and I had the whole weekend ahead of me.
I chopped all of the vegetables, cubed the brisket, doused the whole thing with plenty of red wine, and stuck it in the fridge to marinate overnight. The next day marked the beginning of the tedious tasks that go into making this incredible bolognese. First, I had to pick out every last piece of brisket, drain and reserve the red wine, and painstakingly dry off the vegetables. Then I separated the canned tomatoes from their purée and put the tomatoes in the oven to roast, reduce, and bring out their flavors. After searing the meat in several batches, I removed it from the pan and added pancetta and the vegetables from the marinade. Once the vegetables were softened, the meat went back in with the roasted tomatoes. The whole mixture was left to simmer for two hours.
You might be thinking that this is the end of the story, but there's more, so much more.
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Posted by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, October 23, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Note: Read about making animal-fat mayonnaise for a full recap on the science behind these recipes. The jarred mayonnaise added to the food processor at the start makes it easier to create a more stable emulsion. If you are an experienced mayonnaise-maker who has no problems with mayonnaise breaking on you, you may omit the jarred mayonnaise. The mayonnaise can also be made in a bowl with a whisk. This mayonnaise can be made with vegetable oil in place of the rendered animal fat - though flavor will suffer.
- makes about 2 cups duckonnaise -
Ingredients
3/4 cup rendered duck fat, melted
3/4 cup canola oil
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)
1 to 2 cloves garlic, grated on microplane grater or pressed through garlic press
1 teaspoon red Thai curry paste
1 tablespoon water, plus more to correct consistency
lime juice to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Procedure
1. Combine duck fat and canola oil in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Whisk to combine.
2. Add egg yolks, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise garlic, curry paste, and water to bowl of food processor. Run processor for 5 seconds to combine. Scrape down sides of processor bowl with rubber spatula. With processor running, slowly drizzle fat into bowl in a thin, steady stream, stopping and scraping down sides as necessary. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste, and adjust consistency with water until thick, smooth, and creamy, but not mouth-coatingly waxy. Stir in cilantro. Store in refrigerator in air-tight container for up to two weeks.
Posted by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, October 23, 2009 at 10:41 AM
Note: Read about making animal-fat mayonnaise for a full recap on the science behind these recipes. The jarred mayonnaise added to the food processor at the start makes it easier to create a more stable emulsion. If you are an experienced mayonnaise-maker who has no problems with mayonnaise breaking on you, you may omit the jarred mayonnaise. The mayonnaise can also be made in a bowl with a whisk. This mayonnaise can be made with vegetable oil in place of the rendered animal fat - though flavor will suffer.
- makes about 2 cups baconnaise -
Ingredients
3/4 cup rendered bacon fat, melted
3/4 cup canola oil
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)
1 tablespoon water, plus more to correct consistency
lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper to taste
4 strips crisp bacon, crumbled
2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced (optional)
Procedure
1. Combine bacon fat and canola oil in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Whisk to combine.
2. Add egg yolks, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and water to bowl of food processor. Run processor for 5 seconds to combine. Scrape down sides of processor bowl with rubber spatula. With processor running, slowly drizzle fat into bowl in a thin, steady stream, stopping and scraping down sides as necessary. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste, and adjust consistency with water until thick, smooth, and creamy, but not mouth-coatingly waxy. Stir in cumbled bacon bits and sliced scallions, if using. Store in refrigerator in air-tight container for up to two weeks.
Posted by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, October 23, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Note: Read about making animal-fat mayonnaise for a full recap on the science behind these recipes. The jarred mayonnaise added to the food processor at the start makes it easier to create a more stable emulsion. If you are an experienced mayonnaise-maker who has no problems with mayonnaise breaking on you, you may omit the jarred mayonnaise. The mayonnaise can also be made in a bowl with a whisk. This mayonnaise can be made with vegetable oil in place of the rendered animal fat - though flavor will suffer.
- makes about 2 cups beefonnaise -
Ingredients
1/4 cup rendered beef fat, melted
1 1/4 cups canola oil
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)
1 to 2 cloves garlic, grated on microplane grater or pressed through garlic press
1 tablespoon water, plus more to correct consistency
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure
1. Combine beef fat and canola oil in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Whisk to combine.
2. Add egg yolks, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, garlic, and water to bowl of food processor. Run processor for 5 seconds to combine. Scrape down sides of processor bowl with rubber spatula. With processor running, slowly drizzle fat into bowl in a thin, steady stream, stopping and scraping down sides as necessary. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste, and adjust consistency with water until thick, smooth, and creamy, but not mouth-coatingly waxy. Store in refrigerator in air-tight container for up to two weeks.
Posted by Carolyn Cope, October 13, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Note: You may know Carolyn Cope as Umami Girl. She stops by on Tuesdays to help us cook through seasonal surplus with ease.
[Photographs: Carolyn Cope]
One of the happier symptoms of this chronic condition we call adulthood is the ability to see beauty in imperfection. Maybe it's just nature's way of steeling us to continue looking in the mirror morning after morning, year after year, but the charm of the run-down and slightly spent seems to grow more obvious all the time.
It's no coincidence that this unfussy condiment is rose-colored.
Sure, it's nice to be able to cast off some of the restlessness of youth at a certain point. But the real benefits of this aging vision are, of course, culinary. Isn't everything?
Folks around here have been weighing in on bruised bananas and foods past their prime in the last few weeks. Since every CSA member and prolific gardener ends up with a rapidly ripening embarrassment of riches from time to time, I want to add one of my favorite tried-and-true recipes to the discussion. Made without the pears and with sugar, this is my mom's crowd-pleasing applesauce recipe. The unsweetened version was one of my own and my children's first foods. This unfussy sauce is accommodating, easily scalable, and rose-colored. Just like the glasses on those gorgeous, wise eyes of yours.
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Posted by MichaelNatkin, October 7, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Note: Serious Eater Michael Natkin of the vegetarian blog Herbivoracious drops by every Wednesday to share a delicious recipe to expand our vegetarian repertoire.
[Photograph: Michael Natkin]
If you grew tomatoes this year, chances are you've still got a few green ones sulking on the vines. You've been holding out hopes that they are going to ripen. Time to face the truth, and today's recipe will ease the pain.
Southerners long ago figured out that green tomatoes, lightly breaded and pan-fried, have a delicious tang that you will look forward to. You might even find yourself sneaking a few in August next year. Smoky, spicy mayo is my favorite companion for fried green tomatoes.
This version has one surprising ingredient: tomato leaves. I know, I know. You think they are toxic. Harold McGee says think again, which is good enough for me, though you can of course omit them and increase the parsley if you are really concerned. Personally, I find the smell of tomato leaves completely intoxicating, so I love the chance to infuse a bit into my sauce.
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Posted by Blake Royer, September 17, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
I'm always experimenting with new ideas when it comes to tomato-based pasta sauce, a seemingly inexhaustible genre of cooking. When summer is at its peak, I love to make this no-cook marinated sauce, basically a bruschetta topping tossed with noodles instead of spooned onto bread. Then I turn to canned tomatoes when summer is over, trying new ideas like a roasted fennel sauce or adding a pinch of saffron.
Now is a time when fresh tomatoes are at the market, but they're not necessarily at their peak. What's one great thing to do with not-quite-perfect vegetables? Roast them. It dismisses any problems with mealy texture and amps up the sweetness.
This recipe for spicy roasted tomato and pepper sauce, from a book called Verdura by Viana la Place, roasts peppers and tomatoes side-by-side, which creates a sauce of smoky sweetness, enhanced by a pinch of hot red pepper flakes. As is my little secret, I added a tablespoon of butter, which works wonders for tomato sauces. A wonderful late-summer/early-fall dish, for days when there is a slight crispness to the air.
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Posted by Caroline Russock, September 15, 2009 at 1:45 PM
When you decide that you are going to write an entire book devoted to bacon, it's pretty much a given that the recipes are going to be good. Ari Weinzweig has filled Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon with some truly wonderful baconcentric recipes, but this recipe for Bacon Fat Mayonnaise is pure genius.
By whipping up some rendered bacon fat with egg yolks, lemon, some mustard, salt, and pepper, you have made what is essentially a spreadable BLT. Once you have a jar of this stuff in your fridge, the possibilities are endless. Can you imagine the deviled eggs that this stuff would make? Or what about a bacon-tinged chicken salad or even a humble fried egg on a roll? I told you: genius. This recipe also caters to all of the lazy bacon eaters out there who love bacon but are hesitant to dirty a pan every time a craving strikes.
Win 'Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon'
As always with our Cook the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon to give away this week. Enter to win here »
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Posted by Andrea Lynn, September 9, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Note: On Wednesdays, Andrea Lynn, senior editor of Chile Pepper magazine, drops by with Serious Heat.
[Photograph: Robyn Lee]
What is it about the smoky pep of a chile combined with the rich goodness of dark chocolate? The duo doesn't necessarily have to be saved for dessert either. Welcome to the wonders of mole! There are many types of mole sauce--combos include a variety of chiles, garlic, onion and spices, sometimes with a little chocolate snuck in. Pumpkin seeds, raisins, and plantains can also make their way into the smooth, flavorful sauce.
This recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, The New Steak by Cree LeFavour, is so good that the first time I made it, I had to use restraint not to lick the plate clean. It proves yet again that chiles and chocolate are a dreamy combination.
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Posted by Hawk Krall, September 4, 2009 at 1:55 PM
This recipe is great for beer marinated chili dogs, which you can read about here.
Ingredients
1 to 2 large onions, rough chopped
8 to 10 garlic cloves, smashed
4 to 5 bay leaves
Fresh thyme sprigs
Chile arbol, broken up with no seeds
Whole peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander, juniper berries, 1/2 a clove (if you can find "pickling spice" you'll have most if not all of these)
Hot dogs, preferably all-beef, Deitz & Watson or Hebrew National
Beer, enough to cover the dogs: nothing too bitter, cheap works fine but a nice Hefeweizen would be appropriate
Procedure
1. Cut shallow slits in the dogs lengthwise to allow the flavor to seep in.
2. Toss everything together in a plastic container or whatever fits. Make sure the dogs are covered with liquid. Don't be shy with the ingredients, you want as much flavor as you can get in there.
3. Marinate dogs, preferably overnight.
4. For best results braise the dogs in an oven at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes and then finish on the grill.
Posted by Caroline Russock, September 3, 2009 at 1:15 PM
Big Bob Gibson was well-known for many reasons. First off, he was a big, friendly guy—six-foot-four and around 300 pounds, hence the nickname. Secondly, he had an unsurpassed gift for making some pretty amazing barbecue. But if you ask any of the residents of Decatur, Alabama, they'll tell you that Big Bob Gibson is famous for his white sauce.
Big Bob's serves countless racks of ribs and perfectly cooked brisket, but the real draw is the barbecued chicken. The chicken itself isn't that complicated—just whole butterflied chickens rubbed with salt, pepper, and oil, and grilled over hickory until golden. The magic lies in the white sauce the chickens are submerged in once they've finished cooking.
The Gibson clan has tried to keep this unique white sauce recipe under wraps up—until now. Chis Lilly, heir to the Big Bob empire, has generously decided to share his family's secret barbecue sauce recipe in Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book.
The white sauce is a creamy, rich, and mayonnaise-y concoction with a kick of lemon, vinegar, horseradish, and cayenne. If you're a fan of ranch dressing with Buffalo wings, this is right up your ally.
Win 'Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book'
As always with our Cook the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book to give away this week. Enter to win here »
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Posted by homesicktexan, August 27, 2009 at 6:15 PM
Note: You may know Lisa Fain as the Homesick Texan. She joins us each Thursday this summer with a new salsa recipe for you to try. Have at it, Lisa.
My philosophy is that you can always judge the quality of a taco truck by the appearance of its salsas. For example, if there are no salsas for you to use then you should walk away—these people are not only stingy, but they’re also probably not very proud of their food. If there are only one or two salsas—say, the requisite red and green—I’d probably stay, but first I’d check and see if there are other taco trucks in the area with more condiments on hand.
What exactly am I looking for? How about a truck that has an array of salsas—red, green, yellow and orange—along with pickled jalapenos, sliced radishes, chopped cilantro and onions. If I see this, there’s no question—this taco truck is where I want to eat. And heck, even if the taco isn't all that great, you’ll be able to make it sing with that chorus of delicious condiments. There’s a taco truck I like to go to* and I started eating at it for this reason alone. Out on display for your eating pleasure are usually at least six salsas, if not more.
My favorite taco to order is a carnitas taco and this truck makes them especially well—crisp and juicy. And while I usually opt for a creamy green salsa to put on my carnitas, at this truck I choose a yellow salsa instead.
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Posted by glutenfreegirl, August 25, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Note: We've offered a small amount of gluten-free recipes on SE in the past but have never had a specific column devoted to the topic. That changes today. This post marks the Serious Eats debut of Shauna James Ahern. You may already know her from her blog, Gluten-Free Girl (one of the most popular gluten-free cooking blogs out there), or her book of the same name. We're pleased to welcome her to the site. Take it away, Shauna!
[Photograph: Shauna James Ahern]
A few weeks ago, on Top Chef Masters, Michael Chiarello quaked at the announcement of a blind taste test. The show's host explained that the chefs would have to guess at foods such as umeboshi plum. Chiarello, who prides himself on his extensive knowledge of Italian cuisine, uttered a load groan. "I don't even know what that is," he admitted in the personal interview.
Really? I've been using umeboshi vinegar (also called ume plum vinegar) for years now, splashing it into stir-fries and adding it to brining liquids for crisp pickled vegetables. Bottles of it sit in the Asian section of most of the grocery stores here in Seattle. I've started to take it for granted.
"After letting go of gluten, I have opened my palate to the entire world's foods."
But when I started to think about ume plum vinegar and why it's in my pantry, I realized how lucky I am.
I can't eat gluten.
You see, when I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2005, my entire life changed. Told that I could not eat gluten--the elastic protein in wheat, rye, barley, triticale, and spelt--for the rest of my life, I rejoiced. I had been so sick and laid up with malaise for years that I celebrated having an answer. More than that, I saw how lucky I am. Given the choice of diseases and auto-immune disorders I could have, give me the one where I can heal myself solely by eating great food.
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Posted by Gina DePalma, August 20, 2009 at 8:30 AM
"In the midst of so many other big flavors, rosemary's tendency to overwhelm is muted to a pleasant back note."
This past weekend I was given my annual windfall of lush, deep-green rosemary from my cousin Armand's herb garden. Not a mere handful of sprigs—I'm talking about an entire paper bag of the stuff. I dry some of the load for the winter, but my heart always tells me to use as much as possible while it is fresh and loaded with essential oil.
Rosemary's flavor is strongest in the summer, and that strength means that you either have to use it sparingly or match it with equally strong players that can march alongside its assertiveness. A perfect example is this sweet and sour onion jam, or confiturra. Slow, careful reduction capitalizes on the natural sweetness of onions, and being jacked up with balsamic vinegar and honey provide the perfect vehicle for rosemary to release its full, resin-y qualities. There's something liberating about grabbing an otherwise scary amount of this herb and tossing it into a pot with wild abandon. In the midst of so many other big flavors, rosemary's tendency to overwhelm is muted to a pleasant back note.
Exercise your freedom with the onions, too. The confiturra works wonderfully with white, yellow, and red onions, or a mix of all three. Either way, it's a bargain; onions are still relatively cheap, and the full recipe below yields about three cups of confiturra. I pack it into canning jars, leaving me one to store in the pantry, one to keep in the refrigerator, and give one as a gift.
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Posted by Andrea Lynn, August 19, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Note: On Wednesdays, Andrea Lynn, senior editor of Chile Pepper magazine, drops by with Serious Heat.
Chiles and fresh produce are everywhere in Morocco, including this serene scene on the edge of the Atlas Mountains.
Do you need to rev up a meal with flavor but are short on time? During a trip to Morocco this summer, I discovered an under-acknowledged ingredient blend: chermoula (also spelled charmoula). I have trouble classifying it as a hot sauce, paste, or marinade. And that’s because this combination of chiles, onions, garlic, cumin and olive oil works fabulously as all of the above.
It’s my current go-to when anything needs a pick-me-up. I’ve marinated tilapia in it for 30 minutes, then broiled it. Success. I've stirred it into the rice. Double success. You can rub it under the skin of chicken thighs before sautéeing; mix it into sour cream and slather baked potatoes. The options are endless. Be warned, the recipe below, which I concocted based on Moroccan versions, is quite hot with a massive rush of garlic. But once you taste it, you’ll be coming up with reasons to use it.
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Posted by Michele Humes, August 18, 2009 at 9:30 PM
Photographs by Michele Humes
Shopping List
1/2 pound medium shell-on shrimp: $3.50
2 hot dog buns (pro-rated): $0.79
Bunch celery: $0.99
Bunch chives: $1.49
1 egg (pro-rated): $0.20
1 lemon: $0.35
Pantry items:
Vegetable oil, white wine or cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, butter
Total cost: $7.32
In the days before air-conditioners, New Yorkers would go to considerable lengths to avoid roasting in their tenements. The blog Ephemeral New York lists some of them, from camping out on the fire escape to pitching a tent in Central Park. In August 1938, the temperature hit 93°F:
"More than 3,000 persons slept on the sand at Coney Island and Brighton Beach to escape the heat last night, the police estimated. Ten additional patrolmen were assigned to the area to prevent molestation of the sleepers, many of whom brought blankets and sheets." --The New York Times
As I write this, the mercury is set to creep up to 95. It is, in the words of Cole Porter, too darn hot. Being fortunate enough to own an air-conditioner, I've so far been able to avoid the drastic measures of yesteryear. Still, I do battle with the siesta-monster on a daily basis, and if I had a hideaway in Montauk, I'd be hiding there right now. But I don't, so I just pretend I'm by the sea--and these shrimp rolls do a pretty good job of setting the scene.
In this everyday alternative to the pricier lobster roll, poached shrimp are mixed with just a little diced celery, dressed in a homemade chive mayo, and piled into a butter-seared hot dog bun. (I love the sweetness of a Martin's potato roll.) Serve with a handful of your favorite potato chips--lately, I've been devouring Zapp's Cajun Crawtators, a supremely crackly chip with a wallop of Old Bay--and forget, for just a moment, that infernal heat.
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Posted by homesicktexan, August 13, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Note: You may know Lisa Fain as the Homesick Texan. She joins us each Thursday this summer with a new salsa recipe for you to try. Have at it, Lisa.
The other day I arrived at the office to find a bottle on my desk. It was an old beer bottle, but inside wasn’t the usual pale yellow liquid. Instead, this bottle was filled with a thick, orange liquid. This definitely wasn’t beer.
Thinking it was garbage, I was about to throw away the bottle when a colleague came over and said, "You like hot sauce, don’t you? Try this." And he reached over, twisted off the bottle cap and poured out a bit into a paper cup.
I asked him if he had any tortilla chips, but he didn’t. No matter; you don’t need chips to taste a salsa.
First, I took a sniff of the salsa. It smelled like vinegar, lime juice and garlic. The scent was innocent enough, but there must have been some powerful juices in that bottle as while smelling it my nose started to tickle and my eyes started to water.
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