The following recipe is from the July 24th edition of our weekly recipe newsletter. To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here!
This recipe for Avocado Mousse and Shrimp on Tortilla Chips, from Summer on a Plate by Anna Pump, is the perfect hors d’oeuvre for any outdoor party. To serve it as a first course, simply divide the chips, mousse, and shrimp among small plates.
Light, chilled summer soups such as gazpacho and vichyssoise are all well and good, but every once in a while—even when temperatures are soaring—crave a soup that serves as a hearty, soul-satisfying meal.
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Summer on a Plate by Anna Pump, is for corn and lobster soup. Even though it's served hot, it’s still season-appropriate, brimming with the sweet flavor of sun-ripened corn and succulent lobster. If lobster meat is unavailable (or out of your price range, as it is for me!) you can substitute shrimp or any lean, firm white fish, such as cod or halibut.
We're giving away five (5) copies of Anna's book. Enter for a chance to win here.
Rhubarb season generally runs from late spring to early summer, but this year it seems to have lasted a bit longer: the bright red stalks are still available at my weekend farmers market, and I've spotted them at high-end grocery stores such as Whole Foods as recently as a few days ago. As a lover of rhubarb's snappy, tart flavor, I can only hope its recent proliferation is a sign of increasing popularity. If there is enough demand, maybe someday rhubarb will be available year-round. Sure, it won't taste as good in January as it does in June, but baked into a pie, I doubt anyone will complain.
Today’s Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Summer on a Plate by Anna Pump, pairs a chunky rhubarb-honey sauce with a spicy grilled pork tenderloin rubbed with ground sage, fennel, cayenne, and Dijon mustard. If you have time, prepare the rhubarb sauce one day ahead to give the flavors a chance to blend.
We're giving away five (5) copies of Anna's book. Enter for a chance to win here.
Congrats to hmneilson, caviarandcodfish, apisoni, namepl, and swaaaan. Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page. Thanks to everyone who entered last week's Cook the Book!
To poach or to roast? That is the question when it comes to cooking chicken for chicken salad. Many would argue that roasting imparts a more concentrated flavor, but Anna Pump, author of this week's Cook the Book selection, Summer on a Plate, favors poaching. Not only is it simpler, it makes the meat moist and succulent.
Today's recipe is for a version of chicken salad made all the more vibrant and seasonal with the addition of fresh basil. Chopped celery and sliced grapes add sweetness and crunch, all while keeping the green theme.
A customer favorite at Loaves & Fishes, this recipe is easy to double for a crowd and would make a spectacular lunch paired with tomato-corn salad and bowls of chilled vichyssoise.
We're giving away five (5) copies of Anna's book. Enter for a chance to win here.
Did you know there is a difference between smoked salmon and lox? Before I moved to New York, I certainly didn't. Sure, they both come from the same fish, but lox is actually pickled in brine—it's not smoked at all. The resulting flavor is exceptionally salty, perfect for pairing with doughy bagels schmeared with cream cheese.
Often substituted for lox (or worse, falsely labeled as it), smoked salmon is far less briny and has a delicate, oily texture and silky taste. The salmon is traditionally cold smoked, which means the fish is kept far enough away from the flame to absorb only the smoke and not the heat.
These days, smoked salmon is much more popular than lox, which has been mostly relegated to the few remaining appetizing shops in New York. Steve Jenkins, author of this week's Cook the Book selection, The Food Life, writes: "Lox is like a forgotten aunt who used to be beloved and prominent but is now merely tolerated, when she shows up at the house at all."
In celebration of those old-fashioned, time-honored weekend brunches, attended by ancient family members everywhere, today's Cook the Book recipe is for Lox, Eggs, and Onions. Substitute smoked salmon if you must, but true lox will provide a sharper contrast between the delicate eggs and sweet onions.
In addition to excerpting a recipe each day, we're giving away five copies of The Food Life. Enter to win here »
Fairway's ten-year old seafood department is well-known as one of the freshest and best in New York. This is due In large part to head fishmonger Tony Maltese. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Tony was a fisherman long before he ever worked at Fairway—in fact, he once caught a prize-winning 760-pound bluefin tuna off the coast of Montauk. Needless to say, he is a firm believer in the Fairway adage to "Buy fish from people who fish."
Today's Cook the Book recipe is for Rosemary and Chile-Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Zest. If, like me, you lack a backyard grill, simply sear these shrimp on the stove in a hot frying pan. They're perfect hot or at room temperature, tossed in a salad, or served over couscous as a main course. The Food Life author Steve Jenkins recommends buying whole shrimp with the heads on: "all that gunk in there is flavor, no doubt about it." But if you're squeamish, peeled and deveined shrimp would still be delicious.
In addition to excerpting a recipe each day, we're giving away five copies of The Food Life. Enter to win here »
Ever since I got my Cuisinart ICE-20 at the beginning of the summer, I've been churning out flavor after delectable flavor of cool, smooth, luxurious ice cream. And while there's certainly nothing wrong with indulging every now and again (and again and again), last week I began to feel like maybe I should try to make something if not exactly healthy, then at least marginally less sinful.
I've sampled many homemade frozen yogurts, and have never been impressed. Most commercial brands replace the fat with chemicals and stabilizers that help the yogurt to achieve the right mouth feel. Without the additives, do-it-yourself versions may be more nutritious, but they lack the velvety texture and rich taste of commercial brands. Instead they are often slushy or, worse, frozen rock-hard. What I needed was a frozen yogurt recipe that had enough fat in it to still feel decadent.
This version of chocolate frozen yogurt from The Book of Yogurt turned out to be just what I was looking for. The ingredient list calls for two cups of whole milk, two cups of full-fat plain yogurt, and four egg yolks, not to mention four ounces of melted chocolate. Basically, it's a simple ice cream recipe with one minor change: yogurt is used in place of heavy cream. The results aren't as low-calorie as Yolato, but they're certainly not as over-the-top as many frozen desserts.
Last Saturday, I was delighted to find zucchini blossoms at my local farmers' market. There is just something so amusing, romantic, and exotic about edible flowers, whether they are tossed with a salad or pressed into the frosting of a cupcake.
While zucchini blossoms are expensive, their season is relatively short—it's worth splurging on them once or twice a summer to prepare something special. Their fresh, herbal flavor and subtle crunch (kind of like lamb's lettuce) pairs well a variety of dishes, from sandwiches and pastas to the popular appetizer in which they are stuffed with ricotta cheese and deep fried.
I used mine to prepare the zucchini blossom frittata from the August issue of Bon Appétit. Maybe it was the sunny afternoon, maybe it was because the large iced coffee I was drinking went straight to my head, but I was feeling especially creative and decided to take some poetic license with the magazine's original recipe.
Of all the well-stocked aisles, overflowing produce bins, and plentiful culinary departments at Fairway, none is quite as impressive as the deli counter. Which stands to reason—after all, the market is in New York City, birthplace of the Jewish delicatessen. While traditional kosher delis adhere to strict dietary rules, the Fairway counter is more of a "New World" deli, offering a dizzying array of cooked and cured meats, sausages, pates, and terrines made from pork, beef, chicken, and even wild boar.
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from The Food Life, harkens back to the glory days of the delicatessen. New York Deli-Style Roast Beef Sandwich with Coleslaw and Russian Dressing is a classic wonder made from rare roast beef, tangy carrot-studded coleslaw, and sweet pickle relish all heaped between—what else?—thick slices of seeded Jewish rye.
If you don't have time to roast your own shell steaks for this recipe, you can substitute high-quality deli roast beef. Just make sure it is extremely rare and very thinly sliced.
In addition to excerpting a recipe each day, we're giving away five copies of The Food Life. Enter to win here »
Congratulations to nekineki, windycindy, tmlinla, Planet Chaos, and FoodieTots, this week's Cook the Book winners.
Winners will be notified by email as well.
Thanks for participating, and good luck next week!
Thank you all for participating! The winners this week are: ghinson, lisargold, LIRC, Provey, and AlbinoRockstar. You will also be notified by email.
Good question! I moved last month to an apartment with a broken oven. Everything I've been cooking has either been on the stovetop or in my Cuisinart toaster oven. I'm in the process of getting it fixed. Meanwhile, stay tuned next week for a review of Stonewall Kitchen's Blueberry Pancake Mix!
My dad won't go to a restaurant if it doesn't have a bread basket. One of his all-time favorites is the Publick House, in Sturbridge, MA: http://www.publickhouse.com/historicinndining.htm. It comes with cornbread and sweet rolls. I remember going as a little girl: sticky buns as an appetizer!
Thank you for participating, and congratulations to our winners:
nekineki
windycindy
tmlinla
Planet Chaos
FoodieTots
Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page.
I love a skewer full of cherries & pineapple
Olives or cherries. salt and sugar are my food staples.
@lucy.....maybe it's just me ,but it seems funny that there aint no sugar in this recipe?......please let me know coz i'm dyin to try it!!!!
oops, i'm wrong about that date. it was more like 2006.
lucy, i haven't made these but they were served at a function at the 92nd street Y to celebrate a literary supplement gourmet published back in 2004. they were splendid.
honeydew lime popsicles
The yield for these Popsicles depends on the size of your molds — you could use anything from paper cups to store-bought specialty molds.
Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 8 1/2 hr (includes freezing)
Servings: Makes 6 to 10 popsicles.
ingredients
1/4 cup superfine or regular granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 (3 1/2-lb) ripe honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
Special equipment: 6 to 10 Popsicle molds and sticks
preparation
Dissolve sugar in water by stirring if using superfine or by heating in a small heavy saucepan if using regular granulated (then cool).
Blend half of melon and half of lime juice in a blender until smooth. Add syrup and remaining melon and lime juice and purée until smooth. Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart glass measure or bowl, pressing on solids and then discarding them.
Pour mixture into molds and freeze until slushy, about 2 hours.
Insert sticks, then freeze Popsicles until completely hardened, at least 6 hours.
Cooks' note:
Popsicles can be made 2 days ahead (flavor diminishes if made any earlier).
i love the bread at noho star: slices of amy's baguette and health bread from eli's, served with excellent sweet butter.
I shared the Balthazar bread basket with Robyn a while back, and I thought it was okay. The sticky bun itself was hard (although it was covered up by the caramel syrup). Maybe I would have liked it more if it were $6 rather than $16. Yikes.
I love the bread basket at the Modern Bar Room. I have no shame, and I asked them to pack the leftovers. Instead, I got a whole new bread basket to take home. Now that's what I call service!
The basket at Mastoris is awesome - I agree! Also, the Robin's Nest in Mt. Holly, NJ has fabulous breads. EVERYTHING they bake is to die for!
I too dig Blue Ribbon Bakery's basket but I also like the simple rosemary focaccia from Via Emilia...oh yes I love the cornbread basket at Amy Ruth's and if you ask nicely they'll bring you more!
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Favorite foods: French toast, dirty vodka martinis, lemon meringue pie
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