StoveTop Readings

HERE HERE VEGETABLES LOVERS--THERE'S PLENTY TO LOVE IN PLENTY

2012-01-25T22:30:00.000-08:00

There is going to be plenty of drooling from me over PLENTY: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi (2011; $35.00; ISBN: 978-1-4521-0124-8). Yotam Ottolenghi's thrilling valentine to veggies belonged on my year-end best cookbooks of the year survey. I just didn't pay enough attention in time to include it. My bad. Ottolenghi runs four eponymous "haute couture-to-go food shops in London's" poshest neighborhoods. His is also a popular vegetable columnist for the Guardian. PLENTY's innovative recipes, functional format and vivid color photographs have earned the book lots of accolades and plenty of buzz. At least I didn't get in the book's way!

Green pancakes with lime butter

On just about every page you turn to, the eye is seduced by one tantalizing vegetable recipe after another. This is definitely not your mother's organic veggie cookbook. Let's start drooling with the cover image. Eggplant with buttermilk sauce seems simple enough. The halved eggplants are baked with some olive oil. Then the tops are slathered with a tangy sauce of buttermilk, Greek yogurt, salt and olive oil and then adorned with tart, jewel-like pomegranate. Zing. The Arabic fattoush salad (one of my favorites) is deconstructed for a Quinoa and grilled sourdough salad. Ottolenghi uses sourdough bread instead of pitas. and while it is bulked it up with quinoa, the grain is still delicate. I drool some more. With spinach, cumin and finely sliced green chilies and onions Green pancakes with lime butter, would perk up any brunch. I love edamame and keep bags of it in my freezer for when I need it for...Warm glass noodles and edamame. Plenty of great Asian flavors are here. Another stunning and creative combination is Fried lima beans with feta, sorrel and sumac. Or Roasted parsnips and sweet potatoes with caper vinaigrette. PLENTY is organized by categories, such as root vegetables, mushrooms, zucchini and other squashes, grains, and pasta, polenta and couscous.

Surprise Tatin

Warm glass noodles and edamame

I can't help myself. I just saw the Surprise tatin photo again. Caramelized potatoes take on more color from low-roasted cherry tomatoes, a little goat cheese, oregano, sugar, and puffed pastry. I can't wait to make this. Another eye-catcher is a savory Mushroom ragout with poached duck egg. Often a recipe is as simple as it is beautiful, such as Crusted pumpkin wedges with sour cream. Bread crumbs and Parmesan give this dish its crunch. I'll stop now. For really delicious vegetables dishes, I've always turned to Lidia Bastianich, Deborah Madison, or Jamie Oliver, but Yotam Ottolenghi brings a terrific eye to a culinary category of infinite variety and flavors and turns it inside out. There is a lot of very exciting food in this beautiful book.

Yotam Ottolenghi

SURPRISE TATIN

Filling a tart with potatoes is a real treat for potato lovers. Serve it with a green salad and you don't need much else. You can use commercial sun-dried tomatoes in oil to save yourself making the oven-dried tomatoes.

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over the tomatoes and for the pan

salt and black pepper

1 lb new potatoes (skins on)

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 tbsp sugar

2 tsp butter

3 oregano sprigs

5 oz aged goat cheese, sliced

1 puff pastry sheet, rolled thinly

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Halve the tomatoes and place them skin side-down on the baking sheet. Drizzle over some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to dry for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 25 minutes. Drain and let cool. Trim off a bit of the top and the bottom of each potato, then cut into 1-inch thick discs.

Saute the onion with the oil and some salt for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Once you've prepared all the vegetables, brush a 9-inch cake pan with oil and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. In a small pan cook the sugar and butter on a high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, to get a semi-dark caramel. Pour the caramel carefully into the cake pan and tilt it to spread the caramel evenly over the bottom. Pick the oregano leaves, tear and scatter on the caramel.

Lay the potato slices close together, cut-side down on the bottom of the pan. Gently press onion and tomatoes into the gaps and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread the slices of goat cheese evenly over the potatoes. Cut a puff pastry disc that is 1 inch larger in diameter than the pan. Lay the pastry lid over the tart filling and gently tuck the edges down around the potatoes inside the pan. (At this stage you can chill the tart for up to 24 hours.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the tart for 25 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is thoroughly cooked. Remove from the oven and let settle for 2 minutes only. Hold an inverted plate firmly on top of the pan an carefully but briskly turn them over together, then lift off the pan. Serve the tart hot or warm.

RILLETTES--THE PERFECT FRENCH SPREAD FOR A HOLIDAY PARTY

2011-12-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

My First Homemade Rillettes

I have always had the ambition to make rilletes, an irresistible French meat spread that is perfect for parties or for casual snaking with a glass of wine. Rillettes are milder than pate. There are as many recipes for rillettes as one can imagine and the steps vary greatly, which is why I've resisted making them, until now. The classic rillettes is made from pork and pork fat and little else (a few aromatics, some chicken broth) and requires a long soft simmer in a heavy pot while you go about your business (some recipes call for duck, some for uncured bacon, and other cuts of pork--it can be come very elaborate). I read through all of my French cookbooks (I Know How to Cook, French Farmhouse Cooking, Around my French Table, Glorious French Food, Jacques Pepin's new Essential Pepin, my all-purpose cookbooks (Gourmet Today, How to Cook Everything). I consulted Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking (both volumes) and From Julia Child's Kitchen. Surprisingly, she makes no mention of rillettes at all. So I probably have at least thirty recipes for this heavenly spread. But the easiest, most efficient, least fussy was FROM THE GROUND UP: Hundreds of Amazing Recipes from Around the World for Ground Meats, including Beef Chicken, Pork, Seafood, and More by James Villas (Wiley), which was published this fall. I've already reviewed it, and it has a place in my best-of lists. Villas' mastery makes sense. When you count Beard, Child, Craig Claiborne, Jacques Pepin, Pierre Franey and other cooking legends as friends, you're bound to pick up a tip or two. In this case, Mr. Villas has distilled the essence of this spread. My first batch (I'm making two) produced two impressive pints, which are going under the Christmas tree and traveling to a few parties this season. This is one of those recipes you might incorporate into your season plans, and who doesn't love getting a crock of this silky stuff as a gift. Best of all--you made it.

Here is James Villas' glorious recipe.

French Rillettes of Pork

French pork rillettes are one of the most glorious appetizers ever conceived, and I’ve never served a crock or ramekin that wasn’t wiped clean by guests. Traditionally, rillettes are made by shredding the cooked, tender, unctuous meats with two forks, but so long as you don’t over-grind, they can be prepared quickly in a food processor. Packed into small ramekins, the rillettes could be served as individual appetizers, but I prefer simply to place a large crock with a big basket of toasted French bread rounds in the middle of the table and let guests help themselves. Do try to make the rillettes a day in advance and place in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder

3/4 pound fresh pork fat

1 medium onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

Herb bouquet (1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, 3 whole cloves, and 2 parsley sprigs tied in cheesecloth)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

1. Trim off any skin on the pork shoulder and cut the meat and fat into 2-inch chunks. Place the meat, fat, onion, garlic, herb bouquet, and salt and pepper in a casserole or large saucepan. Add the broth, wine, and enough water to cover by 1 inch, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer till the meat is very tender, about 3 hours, skimming from time to time. Uncover the casserole and continue simmering till the liquid has evaporated and the meat is cooking in the fat, about 1 hour.

2. Transfer the meat to a heavy bowl and let the fat cool to room temperature in the casserole. Shred the meat with two heavy forks (or grind coarsely in a food processor), add the cooled fat, and continue working with the fork till the mixture is smooth and silky—almost a heavy paste. Taste for salt and pepper, pack the rillettes in small ramekins or a large crock, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Serve with small rounds of toasted French bread.

BEST COOKBOOKS OF 2011; Plus a Few More Worthy of Your Attention

2011-12-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

Was there a big trend in cookbooks in 2011? Not that I could see, though meat was a big single subject item with at least six or so coming across my desk. I got a slew of single subject books (more bacon, more cupcakes, even a pie-baked-in-jars collection, which I think are called cutie pies). There were also some thundering disappointments which I'll skip over because they came from sources that I've admired and written about extensively (nobody hits a home run with every book, and cookbook writers are no exception). But there were a bunch of fine cookbooks published this year, some which took me by surprise, while others, long anticipated, lived up to expectations.

My Favorite Book of 2011

I couldn't wait for the American edition of Nigel Slater's TENDER: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch (10 Speed Press; $40.00), because I so much enjoyed The Kitchen Diaries, his previous work. While that book dealt with a seasonal approach to cooking around the year, TENDER is about something I suspect many city dwellers often long for--a garden patch of their own. Since 2000 Slater, one of Great Britain's most admired food writers, has planted vegetables in the small, forty-foot back yard of his London home. In the process of sowing and creating meals with his own lettuces, potatoes, carrots, etc., Slater shares with the reader the thrill of watching something grow, tending to his garden patch with devotion and awe. In all he writes with glowing affection and respect about twenty-nine different vegetables, from seeds to finished dishes. Slater is a wonderful creator of recipes. A Gratin of White Cabbage, Cheese and Mustard is a good example. He smartly points out that "the 'white' cabbages that sit on supermarket shelves like rock-hard footballs can be put to good use in a gratin." I think of celery in tuna fish or potato salad, or as my mother used to do, a celery stalk slathered with peanut butter. Slater gives us a lovely and simple soup of celery and blue cheese or another satisfying gratin of celery napped in a bechamel, Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Here is that rare cookbook that belongs on the nightstand or armchair table, to be dipped into over and over again. But don't forget to whisk it into the kitchen. Kudos to 10 Speed Press for making this outstanding book available to American readers and cooks. Have I already said this is my favorite cookbook of 2011?

I became an enthusiastic member of the Food52.com website run Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs. Presiding over a community of stylish home cooks, Hesser and Stubbs have found like-minded food lovers who share their recipes, suggestions, time-saving tips, selected genius recipes from some of the finest cookbook writers, and contests where members are asked for their best recipes for spinach or holiday cookies, etc. I confess that I've cooked more recipes from this site and now THE FOOD52 COOKBOOK: 140 Winning Recipes from Exceptional Home Cooks (William Morrow; $35.00) by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs and the Food52 community, than any other book or source this year. All the recipes seem fresh, contemporary and even old favorites seem reborn. The book represents "a year's worth of contests--every recipe comes from one of our members and was chosen as a winner by his or her peers," Hesser and Stubbs write in the book's Introduction. Each recipe is accompanied by comments from members, a few words about the or by the cook, and tips and techniques. In my review a few weeks ago, I called it one of my favorite cookbooks of the year. Two recipes from the book appeared on my Thanksgiving table, including Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart, an ethereal creation that uses Meyer lemons--rind and all--with sugar, eggs and butter poured into a pre-baked tart dough and given a thirty minute setting in the oven. I also adapted their recipe for Luciana's Porchetta, using a turkey breast instead of a butterflied pork shoulder. The substitution worked perfectly, and I didn't have to stare at a pile of leftover turkey. I've already raved about Daddy's Carbonara, a fantastic Wishbone Roast Chicken with Herb Butter, and especially Simple Summer Peach Cake. We've all got cookbooks with one or two really good recipes that we hang on to, but THE FOOD52 COOKBOOK is loaded with lots of recipes you'll want to use over and over again. The bonus is the website great cooking ideas, recipes, and community come together every week of the year.

The twelve states that comprise the Midwest received a valentine in the form of HEARTLAND: The Cookbook (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC; $35.00), Judith Fertig's magnificent tribute to the rich culinary traditions of this area of the country. A wonderfully contemporary collection of recipes, historic anecdotes, profiles of food purveyors, and farmers HEARTLAND also soars because of the superb location and food photography of Jonathan Chester and Ben Pieper. Page after page of images of communal dinners, livestock, covered barns, farmlands, gorgeous produce, and homemade foods, provide ample evidence of the sophistication, pride and sheer goodness of the food available in the very center of the United States. A single recipe for No-Knead Clover Honey Dough provides the wide application of Clover Honey Boules, Clover Honey Challah, Farmhouse Yeast Rolls, Cider-Glazed Cinnamon Rolls, Apricot-Cream Cheese Strudel, and Berry Pickin' Coffee Cake. I made a batch of Rosy Rhubarb Syrup last spring, and which was a delightful syrup for pancakes, and a delicious component for Rosy Margaritas and Porch Swing Lemonade. And it freezes beautifully to be enjoyed all year long. Mindful of the seasons, you'll find an inspired Prairie Panzanella that takes advantage of summer's garden bounty, and a rich Butternut Squash, Morel, and Sage Brown Butter Lasagna for an elegant fall dinner party. HEARTLAND reminds us that America's culinary heart is right in the middle of the left and right coasts!

In 1993, the culinary world found it's best stand-up comedian/cookbook writer since Peg Bracken with the publication of Beat This! and two years later, Beat That! Not only is Ann Hodgman funny, she's a brazen kitchen wizard who immodestly declares her recipes for apple pies, hot chocolate, macaroni & cheese, brownies, french toast, roast turkey and strawberry short cake are the best of the best! And dammit, she's right! Nearly twenty years later, it was time to give those recipes a second look. Some were dropped, others improved, as if gilding the lily were needed. In BEAT THIS! COOKBOOK: Absolutely Unbeatable Knock-'em-Dead Recipes for the Very Best Dishes (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; $14.95), Hodgman not only gussied up a collection that will brook no arguments she upped the ante by adding fifty new entries. Now that's crust for you.

When a writer comes up with a line like, "Might as well start liking goat cheese--it's not going to go away," I pay attention. That's funny. Or the opening to World's Best Bread: "I've stolen this recipe from myself; it first appeared in One Bite Won't Kill You (which she wrote)" I howled when I came across this confession: The first time I dropped the poor thing (the lobster, I mean) into the steaming pot, I inadvertently shrieked out, 'God have mercy!'" And She knows a prime example of the emperor's new clothes: "Why are people always so proud of their brownie recipes?" she wonders. "Katharine Hepburn, for example. If there's anything I'm sick of--besides the way she always says she's a regular person and not an actress--it's reading about how sinful her brownies are. Actually, Hepburn's is the dullest brownie formula there is, and one of the most common."

But amongst all the merriment, you'll find the skill of a master home cook. Ann Hodman's Powerfully Better Than Any Other Pot Roast, is exactly that. She uses first-cut beef brisket, because it is superior to such supermarket manicured cuts as "Yankee pot roast." In Perfect Fudge (If You're Lucky), she admits, "You do have a chance of screwing up this recipe, alas. Because it has more chocolate and more butterfat than most fudges, its temperamental. Even with superfine sugar, which helps ward off crystallizing, it still might crystallize. But if you treat it very respectfully and don't overbeat it and don't make it on a damp day and don't let the chocolate scorch and don't scrape the pan when you're pouring the fudge and don't do all the other things that make fudge cranky, you'll find this fudge sublime (to use a food writerly-word)." At least she gives you the bad news before you attempt it, unlike other books that insist in making it your fault by not warning you. Make Ann's Pesto Torta (Best Cocktail Party Cheese Thing). I made this recipe to get over a bad culinary memory. I had bought a large wedge of something similar in name at Balducci's in New York years ago for a holiday party. It was very expensive and tasted just awful. Every ingredient in this oily, cheesy mess tasted way beyond its sell-by date. But Ann's recipe is fresh, elegant and festive and proves that it's better homemade. No wonder she's so proprietary about it (you'll just have to read the book to know what I mean). These recipes are not to be beat, and really, how many cookbooks do you know that have as many "best" recipes or great comedic one-liners as BEAT THIS!? This book could be your most inspired stocking stuffer yet.

Reading James Villas cookbooks takes me back to the culinary gods of my youth--Julia Child, James Beard, Marcella Hazan, Maida Heatter and Barbara Kafka. These personalities wrote with such authority. They were masters, not to be argued with. The food and wine editor at Town & Country magazine for more than twenty five years, and author of many fine cookbooks, James Villas (who counted many of these personalities as friends) also combines craft, knowledge and conviction. FROM THE GROUND UP: Hundreds of Amazing Recipes from Around the World for Ground Meats, including Beef, Chicken, Pork, Seafood, and More (Wiley; $22.99), should be the final word on this wide-ranging subject. Villas covers the ground meats from appetizers, canapés, and dips, soups and salads, patties, balls and dumplings, loaves, croquettes, and cakes, pies, quiches and soufflés, to casseroles and pastas, hashes and chilies, stuffed dishes and forcemeats, sausages, and sauces. I would have bought this book for his French Country Pate recipe alone. The good news is there are more than 200 recipes in this divine collection, which goes far beyond meatloaf.

And speaking of James Villas, I thought he had written the definitive book on Pig in 2010 and Bacon in 2007. As a writer, I am seldom careful with the word definitive and toss it around far too many times. It always comes around to bite me later on, as it did late this summer when THE WHOLE HOG COOKBOOK: Chops, Loin, Shoulder, Bacon, and All that Great Stuff (Rizzoli; $30.00) arrived. Libbie Summers, who is currently the culinary producer for Paul Deen's network show and the senior food editor for Paul Deen Enterprises, produces here a stylish and totally complimentary cookbook to Villas's efforts. The organization of this book is very appealing, with each part of the pig receiving it's own chapters. I'm one of those people who needs a picture or a diagram to locate or define details for me. I now really understand the difference between baby back and spare ribs, or Boston shoulder and picnic shoulder. I know now how to render leaf lard, wet-cure bacon or carve a fresh ham. And I have a new batch of terrific recipes. The first thing I made from the book was Grilled Tenderloin and Fingerling Potato Salad, which I've made at least twice since then. There's a crowd-pleasing Cuban Pork Roast with Sweet Cilantro Rice that can feed eight. Spicy Meatballs and Simple Sunday Red Sauce could change the way you think about using pork instead of beef. Porkovers and Bacon and Cheese Puffers make me want to have friends over for cocktails. Nothing is definitive. Lesson learned.

I have come to the Claudia Roden party a bit late. Arabesque is one of the most gorgeous cookbooks I've ever seen and the recipes are superb. So are many of the other ten cookbooks she has authored, including The Book of Jewish Food and The New Book of Middle Eastern Food. Born in Cairo, she has long made the Middle East her culinary beat. But she has also written extensively about Mediterranean cuisine. When I bought a copy of THE FOOD OF SPAIN (Ecco; $39.95), I thought Ms. Roden had wandered off her usual path, but as she explains, her Grandmother was a descendant of Sephardi Jews expelled from Spain in 1492, the year Columbus set sail for the Americas. So it makes much sense that Ms. Rodin would deliver an impressive survey of Spanish food by region in gorgeously illustrated cookbook that you shouldn't miss. Spanish food has been hot, hot, hot for the past decade. I'm sure to catch hell about this, but during my lone visit to Spain in 1999, I found myself very disappointed in most of the food I encountered in Madrid and Barcelona. It's not that I ate badly, nor did I think my usually good food radar was off. But overall, I found the bread to be flat. The food had a musty old-world feel to it and seemed to lack the creativity and variety of French and Italian cuisine. This was a few years before the country seemed to undergo a huge culinary reversal as Spain emerged from the repressive Franco era. Ms. Roden points out that San Sebastian, in the Basque Country, has become the culinary capital of Europe with "the greatest concentration of Michelin three-star restaurants in Spain." And who can ignore the intense food media focus on the work of Ferran Adria, the iconic master chef of molecular gastronomy who packed them in to his celebrated restaurant, El Bulli in the Catalonian city of Roses (now closed). Adria has influenced chefs globally, and he delivers the cover blur on front of the jacket cover.

You won't find Adria's culinary thumbprint on this book. Ms. Roden notes "Throughout the country, there is a palpable feeling of nostalgia for the old rural life that was too quickly swept away by the booming tourist economy. It has translated into a new found passion for regional cooking and products," she continues. Like Italy, Spain is made up of many different communities, each divided into provinces, and each has its own cooking traditions. In the 200 recipes, Ms. Roden explores this diversity in rich detail. Of course there are recipes for paella, the Spanish national dish, and Salsa De Romesco, which American chefs have recently rediscovered and re-popularized. There are also many dishes that ought to be far better known such as Fried Goat Cheese with Honey and Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus and Shrimp from Andalusia, Angelita's Tuna Pie from Galicia, Mushroom Flan from Navarre. "Wrinkled" Potatoes with Red and Green Sauces from the Canary Islands, Roast Pork Belly with Baked Apples from Asturias, Orange Flan from Valencia and Murcia, Chocolate and Almond Cake from Catalonia, and Puff Pastry Filled with Almond Custard from Navarre and the Basque Country. Ms. Roden explores all these regions and more, while describing the food products each region is famous for . There are detailed sidebars on Spanish kitchen utensils, discussions of olives and olive oil, cheese, various pimenton (paprika), Spains's celbrated cured hams, almonds, safron, and bacalao (dried codfish), which have given Spain its distinctive dishes, as well as profiles of food personalities and chefs she met during the research for this cookbook.

THE FOOD OF SPAIN plunges the reader into the country's diverse culture of food, revealing its influences, and its richness. The 600 photographs will make you want to book a flight there as soon as possible. It is the book on Spanish cuisine and belongs in any serious cookbook collection.

DESSERTS FROM THE FAMOUS LOVELESS CAFE: Simple Southern Pies, Puddings, Cakes and Cobblers from Nashville's Landmark Restaurant (Artisan; 24.95) will save you a lot of time and money by allowing you to bake your own desserts based on the beloved Nashville eatery. The reason this book should get your attention is for its superb collection written by the co-author of Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes. That amazing baking book was seriously overlooked by the food press when it was published two years ago. People have been mobbing the Loveless Cafe since it opened its doors in 1951. With the arrival of the dazzlingly talented Alisa Huntsman in 2004, the restaurant added desserts to the menu and the crowds have just gotten bigger. A master baker, Huntsman was instructed to "come up with a banana pudding, a rice pudding, several assorted pies, and a cobbler--typical Southern staples," she relates in her Introduction. "Turns out I had some learning to do...That included ramping up the sweetness of her confections to match the Southern sweet tooth. "So I tweaked the recipes gradually, notching up the sweetness to please our customers palates, yet not going overboard."

DESSERTS FROM THE FAMOUS LOVELESS CAFE highlights the best of Southern confections. These are desserts dear to every American heart. From Blue-Ribbon Pies (Peekaboo Blueberry Pie, Muddy Fudge Pie, Tennessee Sweet Potato Pie), turnovers (Naked Berry Pies), and cakes (Big Momma's Blackberry Jam Cake, Southern-Style Coconut Cake, Root Beer Float Cake), to crisps, cobblers and shortcakes (Apple-Gingersnap Brown Betty, Peach Cobbler, Fourth of July Berry Shortcakes with Buttermilk Biscuits), cookies, bars and cupcakes (Chocolate Cherry Cha-chas, One-bowl Brownie Drops, Lady Lemon Bars, Black Bottom Cupcakes), and old-fashioned puddings (Butterscotch, Tapioca and Brownie Bread Pudding). The first thing I made was a fantastic and elegant Butterscotch Pudding. This is the real deal--a pudding with old fashioned butterscotch flavor and a texture that is silken. The recipes are gathered into a nostalgic-looking, soft-focus package that make it feel vintage. The Red Velvet Cake on the book's jacket says it all. This is dessert book to dip into all year long.

(My apologies here to Ms. Huntsman--my Amazon link won't let me copy and paste her book for some strange reason). DESSERTS FROM THE FAMOUS LOVELESS CAFE is available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and in bookstores nationwide).

SUGARBABY: Confections, Candies, Cakes & Other Delicious Recipes for Cooking with Sugar (Stewart, Tabori and Chang; $29.95) was my other favorite dessert collection. Gesine Bullock-Prado's approach is to leave the oven (mostly) off and see what you can do with sugar on top of the stove. The sister of Sandra Bullock, Ms. Bullock-Prado has a showbiz personality that she's perfectly aligned with her inner-sweet tooth. The result is a divine assortment of sweets that are organized by the degree on a candy thermometer. You can make your own Rock Candy, Bittersweet Pudding (Pops), Candied Citrus Peel, Candy Corn, Old-School Chocolate Fudge, Pecan Butter Crunch Tart, Gesine's Fruit Gummis, Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels, Buttery Almond Toffee, Parisian Macarons, Mango Moose Cake, Salted Dulce de Leche Cupcakes, and Cotton Candy. The author's reassuring voice is light and humorous and instructions are crystal clear.

The following books didn't make it into my list of best cookbooks of the year, but for various reasons (listed below) and because they make for great Christmas gifts, I couldn't resist talking about them.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COOKBOOK OF 2011

It figures the most beautiful cookbook of year is titled: PLUM GORGEOUS: Recipes and Memories from the Orchard (Andrews McMeel Publishing; $25.00). Written by Romney Steele, the granddaughter of Bill and Lolly Fassett, the creators of the legendary Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur, this is a book that celebrates the sheer gorgeousness of fruit at its peak. The book is loaded with beautiful recipes from savory (Fig Relish and Ham Sandwiches (panini), Pear and Butternut Squash Soup and Marmalade Chicken) to sweet (Blueberry Lemon-Lime Gratin, Plum Blackberry Sorbet and Plum Gorgeous Almond Tart). This is one cookbook that requires no gift wrap.

The Cooking Channel unleashed the sui generis charms of Nadia G, and Bitchin Kitchen became a hit for the fledgling network. Fusing a glam rocker/biker chick image with a Brooklynese accent and culinary school chops, Nadia G's shows are hilariously orginal. She says she's part Italian and she knows her Neapolitan dialect. Sounding like a feminine version of the Fonz, NADIA G'S BITCHIN KITCHEN COOKIN' FOR TROUBLE (Ballantine Books trade paperback; $22.00) delivers in her first sassy slice-of-life cookbook.

Nadia G created her own culinary platform online and then took it to TV, Decked out in bad girl couture, tatted, her long locks streaked eighty shades of blond and bedecked in jewelry of questionable taste, Nadia G attacks a kitchen in stiletto heels with menus for all the emotional ups and downs of a girl's life. Her depression desserts may not cure you of your affliction, but while you're eating them, you'll be smiling. Try Rebecca's Psycho PMS Chocolate Balls, or Inverted Lemon Meringue Pie. Her advice is good too: "When life hands you lemons, make lemon custard." Actually when Nadia G isn't cooking, she's riffing. I cant' resist her recipes or her philosophizing. In her Bitchin' booty camp XTREME, Nadia G relates, "Let's face it, I'm ripped. But it wasn't always this way...one glass of wine used to cut it." Her creamy cream-less soups such as Carrot-Ginger, Spinach and Tomato-Pepper, might make you as sleep in a vinyl cat suit. Did someone mention kitten with a whip? Nadia G has put the fun back in cooking shows. No cupcake competitions or Iron Chef nonsense for this culinary dynamo.

A Cookbook I Should Have Covered in 2010:

I think India may be the only other world cuisine that matches Chinese cooking in sheer variety and exotic splendor. The works of Julie Sahni and Madhur Jaffrey have long dominated U.S. cookbook shelves when it comes to Indian cuisine. But lately they've been joined by 660 Curries, Raghavan Iyer's huge exploration on that particular dish, and Suvir Saran's Indian Home Cooking and American Marsala. Good as those books are, they can't begin to define the enormous range and completeness of the INDIA COOKBOOK (Phaidon; November, 2010; $49.95). Pushpesh Pant, renowned Indian food expert and cookbook author has produced a rich immersion in this astonishingly varied and easy-to-master cuisine with 1,000 recipes. The book is lavishly illustrated with 200 color photographs and is to India what Joy of Cooking is to the U.S. or The Silver Spoon is to Italy.

Vegetables in Indian cookery attain the level of genius and my eye immediately was struck by a recipe for Cauliflower with Oranges. I love cauliflower and I'm always looking for new ways to cook it. Start here with this heady mix of cauliflower, potatoes, turmeric, bay leaf, ground fresh ginger, onions, chili powder, cumin, green chilies and orange slices. Easy to put together and with plenty of simmering while you prepare other parts of your meal. A good use for the popular home deep fryer would be Cauliflower Fritters (I'm purposely using the recipe titles in English). With nine other cauliflower recipes, you begin to see the range of and creativity of Indian cookery for this single vegetable. But I'm digressing.

Open the INDIA COOKBOOK and get caught up in its encyclopedic charms. Professor Pant offers a history of Indian cooking by region with lots of fascinating details about feasts, food traditions, and spices and the vital role they play. If you have one Indian cookbook to buy this year, this one pretty much covers the whole field.

FOOD52.com--THE FRIENDLY AND INCLUSIVE ONLINE FOOD COMMUNITY--CELEBRATES A SENSATIONAL YEAR OF SUPERB EATING WITH A GREAT COOKBOOK

2011-10-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

I got hooked on Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs’ engaging website, Food52.com the minute I heard about it. Dedicated to the creativity, resourcefulness and taste of the home cook, the recipes, which come from their loyal followers, friends and professional colleagues, stay focused on the home cook. It’s a classy website with elegantly simple graphics, how-to videos that encourage the viewer/reader to cook. Hesser and Stubbs, share a winning vision. They view recipes as a template and variation is encouraged. Reading the community response to the recipes is infectious. Hesser and Stubbs interview some of their swell culinary friends, demonstrate really useful techniques, and cut up like best friends. Now as promised here is THE FOOD52 COOKBOOK: 140 Winning Recipes from Exceptional Home Cooks (HarperCollins; $35.00), the first in what I hope will be a series of books from them (a second volume is promised). Amongst a flood of cookbooks this fall, this book is fun to read, has a truly wonderful range of recipes, and is easily my favorite book of the season.

“Food 52 grew out of an insight we had while working on The Essential New York Times Cookbook: many of the best recipes come from home cooks,” Hesser and Stubbs write in their Introduction to THE FOOD52 COOKBOOK. It occurred to us that home cooks are both practical and inventive, and these qualities tend to lead to great recipes. At Food52.com, we recognize talented home cooks by giving them a place to show off their work, a place where cooks of all levels come to be inspired and be part of a constructive and supportive community.” Their calls for reader’s best recipes by categories resulted in superb recipes that I’ve cooked and have been received with enthusiasm and gusto. Peter Steinberg’s Amagansett Corn Salad is the very essence of summer by combining sweet corn and cherry tomatoes with good quality balsamic vinegar—no oil. Try it. From Savour comes an astonishingly tasty Simple Summer Peach Cake. It is one of those recipes that earns standing ovations. Almond flour, almond and vanilla extracts and nutmeg are joined with buttermilk, flour, butter, an egg, baking powder and soda with peaches (on my second go at this cake, I saved time by using nectarines and skipped the peeling process). The simplicity of this cake cannot be underlined enough. It’s a snap to put together. It tastes heavenly the day you make it, and if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, it’s amazing for breakfast. It’s a shame the tomato season is over, because Meredith Shanley’s BLT Panzanella has tomatoes, ciabatta, arugula and bacon and gets dressed with a creamy, lemony dressing that has a small amount of the bacon drippings, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in it to add more flavor. Just look at Dagny’s Zucchini Pancakes, and tell me you wouldn’t eat a pile of them if they were put in front of you. “A little grated potato binds the cakes and gives them the crispness of latkes,” the authors write in their headnote to this superb recipe. I recently made Monkeymom’s Wishbone Roast Chicken with Herb Butter. One can never have enough recipes for roast chicken and this one has a great gimmick. The chicken roasts “beer can style” on the center tube part of a tube pan, which allows the fat “to drip off the bird while it cooks, and we think it does a great job of helping to cook the chicken evenly.” The creator of this method has thought about the technique of her perfect recipe—shallots and butter go under the skin of the bird, and the prepared chicken gets an eight hour sit in the refrigerator to ensure crispy skin. I made this for a friend who is impossible to cook for—fussy and limited in what he will eat. I was delighted to see him sneak bits of chicken from the platter to his plate, even it if was only white meat (that’s okay, I prefer dark meat anyway).

Amanda Hesser (left) and Merrill Stubbs, who always look like they are having fun at Food52.com.

As far as recipes I haven’t made, I love the addition of peas in Eric Liftin’s Daddy’s Carbonara, which looks to be an excellent American version of the Roman original with bacon instead of guanciale. That’s okay. My first version of this dish used bacon and it’s delicious (is there nothing bacon doesn’t enhance?). Abs’ Not Red Velvet Cake with Fudge Glaze will save you time, and is as impressive as the original it emulates. I’m dying to make Susan’s Jordan-based Fasoolya Khadra (Beef and Green Bean Stew). “This is one of those recipes, like pot-au-feu, that seem to defy the laws of cooking by coaxing an intensely flavorful sauce from water rather than broth or wine.” Aliwaks Luciana’s Porchetta look so doable for a change, and is destined for one of my Saturday night dinner parties soon.

THE FOOD52 COOKBOOK has recipes for all courses with soups, appetizers (don’t forget Aliwaks’ toothsome Smoky Fried Chickpeas), loads of main courses and sides (Deensiebat’s intriguing One-Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf, with toasted pine nuts and soft crumbled goat cheese), pastas, bread, breakfast, cocktails and desserts all covered.

Here is the perfect book for the home cook. There’s not a whiff of a chef’s touch in it, even if a chef created the recipe. When Hesser and Stubbs asked viewers for their best recipes for salads using beets and citrus, their best ragu/Bolognese sauce, or their best holiday cookies, they responded and THE FOOD52 COOKBOOK represents a year’s worth of recipes the authors selected, tested. Each contest had two final entrants from the Food52 community, who selected the winner. The book’s design is a model of simple, spare design with no jacket (I’m seeing a few more cookbooks without jackets these days). Organized by seasons, there is a helpful listing of recipes and their page location in each of the four groups (another trend I first spotted in Ms. Hesser’s The Essential New York Times Cookbook).

One of the best cookbooks I’ve read or reviewed all year long, it automatically will be included in my annual round-up of best cookbooks of the year.

One of the fastest-disappearing cakes I ever made!

Simple Summer Peach Cake

By Savour ❘ Serves 8

A&M: We had high hopes for this peach cake, and it didn’t let us down. Savour’s inspiration came from childhood. “On summer mornings my mother would fix me a bowl of cut-up peaches with milk, sprinkled with sugar and a dusting of nutmeg,” she wrote. “Although that’s a pretty sublime combination, the flavors translate well to cake form.” Indeed, they do. The cake is chock-full of juicy summer peaches, and the addition of ground almonds sets it apart from other simple butter cakes. It’s luscious and a bit custardy in the areas surrounding the peaches—a texture that works when the cake is either warm or at room temperature. Don’t be alarmed if the batter seems to curdle when you add the buttermilk, as it will come together again once you mix in the dry ingredients.

6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

3 ripe peaches

3 ⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1⁄2 cup buttermilk

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1⁄4 teaspoon almond extract

1⁄2 cup almond flour (or finely ground almonds)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

Turbinado sugar

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan.

2. Cut the peaches into bite-size pieces. Toss the peaches with the nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and remaining sugar with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the egg, buttermilk, and extracts, and stir to combine.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add this flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until smooth (some lumps may remain). Pour into the prepared pan.

5. Press the peaches into the top of the cake. They can be nicely arranged, but I like to cram as many peaches as possible into the cake. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top.

6. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 325°F and bake for an additional 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Tips and Techniques

PerrySt: “I would recommend using a springform pan if you have one.”

About the Cook

Kate Wheeler lives in Los Angeles and writes a food blog called Savour Fare (www.savour-fare.com) and a home decor and design blog called Savour Home (www.savour -fare .com/ savour -home) .

Her favorite recipe from a cookbook: “I can always fall back on the chocolate chip cookie recipe from the 1963 edition of McCall’s Cookbook. This was my childhood cookie recipe, and I have it memorized.”

What the Community Said

Rhonda35: “Made this last night and threw in a good handful of blueberries along with the peaches. Delicious!”

MEATBALLS, GROUND MEATS, BRISKET AND HOG PRESENTED IN FOUR NEW BOOKS

2011-10-14T22:48:00.000-07:00

In the space of less than six weeks, no more than four books on meat have arrived on my doorstep. The usual theme of books published in the fall runs to lots of dessert cookbooks (and this year is no exception) or lavish cookbooks by today’s superstars in the culinary world. But meat is a big trend right now. Maybe it's because we’re in the fall season, but these new cookbooks have enormous appeal to the carnivore to me. I’ve decided to talk about them as a group. All four will become part of my permanent collection. All of them should be considered as Christmas gifts this season.

Let me start with I LOVE MEATBALLS! (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC; $19.95). Who doesn’t love meatballs? And who better to explore this single subject than Rick Rodgers, one of the best cooks, cookbook writers and teachers in the country. Though I’ve never worked one of his many books, Rick is a friend and someone I enjoy talking shop with. His culinary knowledge is encyclopedic and his personality shines in every book he writes. Long the master of the single-subject cookbook, I LOVE MEATBALLS! explores this wonderfully delicious and economic category. For a cocktail party, you could wow your guests with Fried Olive Meatballs, a divine combination of ground round and pork surrounding a fat, pimento stuffed olive. It is then coated with a crunchy breaded exterior. Knowing me, I would embarrass myself by eating too many. Chafing Dish Meatballs magically evoke the retro glamor of my parents entertaining (now if only I can find my mother’s chafing dish). A soup course might include a Vietnamese Pho with Beef Meatballs. I loved Vietnamese Banh Mi with Quick Pickled Vegetables, Asian flavored pork meatballs, in French baguette-style rolls, stuffed with pickled carrots and daikon with cilantro and cucumber for more vibrant flavor. For dinner try the Moroccan Meatball Tagine on Couscous or the Beef Meatball Bourguignon. Both dishes are ideal for entertaining. Rodgers has plenty of meatball recipes using lamb (Lamb Meatballs in Green Curry Sauce), seafood (Grilled Salmon Meatballs with Iceberg Wedges and Green Goddess Sauce), and chicken (Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs). His skill elevates the humble but seriously flavored Checkered Tablecloth Spaghetti and Meatballs. I’m pretty sure his version is as good as any Sicilian grandmas!

Rick Rodgers (photo credit Brian Dobson)

I LOVE MEATBALLS! celebrates the art of ground meats shaped into those delightfully addictive rounds from every part of the globe. This delightfully slim volume would be a welcome hostess gift instead of wine or flowers the next time you’re invited to a friend’s home for dinner.

Fried Olive Meatballs
makes 6 to 8 servings

My first experience with fried meat-stuffed olives was in Tuscany, where they were served with pre-dinner glasses of Chianti. My first attempt at stuffing olives proved to be more frustrating than threading a needle without glasses. However, the reverse—stuffing meatballs with olives—was much easier, and just as tasty. These burst with flavor, so serve them with something equally hearty, such as . . . well, Chianti.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1⁄3 cup minced yellow onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
4 ounces ground pork
4 ounces ground round (85 percent lean)
2 tablespoons dried plain bread crumbs
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg yolk
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
24 pimento-stuffed olives
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup dried plain bread crumbs
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
Wooden toothpicks, for serving

To make the meatballs, line a baking sheet with wax paper. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool.

Add the ground pork, ground round, bread crumbs, Parmesan, egg yolk, oregano, salt, and pepper to the onion and mix well. Using your wet hands rinsed under cold water, shape the meat mixture into 24 equal small balls. One at a time, flatten a ball slightly in your palms and completely wrap an olive with the meat mixture. Transfer to the wax paper–lined baking sheet.

To fry the meatballs, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200°F. Place a second baking sheet lined with a brown paper bag near the stove. Pour enough oil into a large saucepan to come halfway up the sides. Heat to 350°F on a deepfrying thermometer.

Spread the flour in a shallow bowl. Whisk the egg, salt, and pepper in another bowl. Combine the bread crumbs and oregano in a third shallow bowl. Roll each meatball in the flour, then dip in the egg, and then coat with the bread crumbs. Return to the wax paper–lined baking sheet.

In batches, deep-fry the meatballs in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using a wire spider or slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to the paper-lined baking sheet. Keep the meatballs warm in the oven while frying the remaining balls. Reheat the oil to 350°F between batches.

Transfer the meatballs to a platter and serve warm, with toothpicks for spearing.

—From I Love Meatballs! by Rick Rodgers / Andrews McMeel Publishing

In FROM THE GROUND UP: Hundreds of Amazing Recipes form Around the World for Ground Meats, Including Beef, Chicken, Pork, Seafood, and More (Wiley; $22.95t) the great James Villas explores the wide spectrum of ground, chopped, minced and pulled meat and seafood. Villas’ is a worldview (with his beloved native American South a particularly potent inspiration) on the subject. As he did in Pig and The Bacon Cookbook, Villas, who spent more than twenty-five years as Food and Wine Editor of Town & Country magazine, organizes his recipe by category from appetizers, canapés and dips, through soups, salads, sandwiches, and turnovers, patties, balls, and dumplings, to main course loaves, croquettes, cakes, pies, quiches, soufflés, casseroles, pastas, hashes, chilies and stuffed dishes. There are chapters on sausages and sauces with detailed instructions on fundamental equipment for home grinding.

The thing I always enjoy about Villas’ work is his ability to combine highbrow and luxurious (French Duck Liver Terrine with Pistachios, California Lobster and Avocado Salad in Radicchio Cups) with modest and suburban (Coffee Shop Corned Beef Hash and especially Retro Tuna and Rice Casserole). Of this dish, Villas unapologetically presents his agenda about this much-maligned dish. “Over the years, the variations have been endless, some delicious, others pretty wretched. My version features flavorful brown rice, green peas, pimentos, canned mushroom soup, and a sensuous cheese topping, and I stand solidly behind its integrity.” I find his convictions to be endearing and his authority as admirable as it is unquestionable.

So jump right in here and start cooking. I have always loved French Rillettes of Pork. This is classic and economical spread for a party and this version is well within the abilities of any home cook. Smoked Salmon Stuffed Eggs or Charleston Shrimp Paste will also get any party started. Sticking the South, Villas presents Congealed Ham and Beet Salad. The word congealed has never been appetizing to me. “The American South has always been known for the great array of congealed salads that appear on birthday, wedding, graduation and bereavement buffets,” says Villas. “I’ve always perceived this shredded ham and beet example to be one of the most elegant, colorful and unusual.” I agree. A recipe for Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes immediately follows Steak Tartare Sandwiches. There are hamburgers from the USA, Sweden, France and Turkey. Variety informs the meatball section from Portuguese Gingered Codfish Balls and Jewish Gefilte Fish, to Greek Minted Meatballs. Croquettes, which, are enjoying a revival of culinary interest and I can’t wait to make Curried Chicken Croquettes. Villas prefers a free form meatloaf so that as much of the surface is crusty. American Meat Loaf Deluxe is a prime example with its tasty combination of ground round, pork and ground veal and bulk pork sausage. Sherried Turkey Hash Cakes could be the solution to this Thanksgiving’s leftovers. I remember Mexican Tamale Pie in my California youth, and how great to see some of these iconic recipes re-thought and updated for today’s young cooks.

I can go on and on about the many really swell recipes here. I sat down and read this book from cover to cover (excellent head notes for every recipe), and some lucky diners will be treated to any number of Villas’ excellent efforts at my table this fall and winter.

FRENCH RILLETTES OF PORK

(Makes 8-10 servings)

French pork rillettes are one of the most glorious appetizers ever conceived, and I’ve never served a crock or ramekin that wasn’t wiped clean by guests. Traditionally, rillettes are made by shredding the cooked, tender, unctuous meats, with two forks, but so long as you don’t’ over-grind, they can be prepared quickly in a food processor. Packed into small ramekins, the rillettes could be served as individual appetizers, but I prefer to simply to place a large crock with a big basket of toasted French bread rounds in the middle of the table and let guests help themselves. Do try to make the rillettes a day in advance and place in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld.

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder

¾ pound fresh pork fat

1 medium onion, minced

1 large garlic clove, minced

Herb bouquet (1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, 3 whole cloves and 2 parsley springs tied in cheesecloth)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

Trim off any skin on the pork shoulder and cut the meat and fat into 2-inch chunks. Place the meat, fat, onion, garlic, herb bouquet, and salt and pepper in a casserole or large saucepan. Add the broth, wine, and enough water to cover by 1-inch, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer till the meat is very tender, about 3 hours, skimming from time to time. Uncover the casserole and continue simmering till the liquid has evaporated and the meat is cooking in the fat, about 1 hour.

Transfer the meat to a heavy bowl and let the fat cool to room temperature in the casserole. Shred the meat with two heavy forks (or grind coarsely in a food processor), add the cooled fat, and continue working with the fork till the mixture is smooth and silky—almost a heavy paste. Taste for salt and pepper, pack the rillettes in small ramekins or a large crock, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Serve with small rounds of toasted French bread.

From: From the Ground Up/Wiley

THE WHOLE HOG COOKBOOK: Chops, Loin, Shoulder, Bacon, and All That Good Stuff (Rizzoli; $30.00) is such an appealing cookbook. Libbie Summers, who is the culinary producer for Paula Dean’s network TV shows as well as senior food editor for Paul Dean Enterprises, has produced a very special cookbook devoted to everything pig. Having learned how to butcher hogs as a young girl visiting her grandfather’s hog farm, Libbie knows her way around every part of a pig. That’s important because the handsome design and arrangement of this marvelous book makes the most logical case for understanding the various sections and cuts available. Each chapter is arranged by each part of the hog and within the category, she breaks down the various cuts available. Let’s start with the priciest part of the hog--he loin. Blade chop, butterfly chop, loin chop, rib chop, country style ribs, sirloin. Back ribs, top loin roast, tenderloin, blade loin, center loin sirloin cutlet and porterhouse are all cut from here. Libbie’s precise instructions are a joy to follow.

The first thing I made was so easy, yet to impressive: Grilled Tenderloin and Fingerling Potato Salad tastes great in the summer, but would also work during a busy weeknight in the winter when you want something delicious that is not heavy or too filling. Boil the potatoes while you grill (indoors or out) a simply seasoned tenderloin. Make your vinaigrette (in this case, honey and rice vinegar are added to olive oil and mustard). Slice the tenderloin when rested a few minutes and toss into a large bowl with the potatoes, watercress and capers. Add the vinaigrette. It’s that simple and it tastes superb. I’ve made it twice now. A photo of Goat Stuffed Pig had me salivating. It’s actually a butterflied tenderloin stuffed with goat cheese, toasted pecans, pears, pear brandy, apple cider, thyme, heavy cream and butter. Impressive but also easy to prepare. The Boston Shoulder has four cuts, including a superb Cuban Pork Roast and Pulled Pork Spring Rolls. Bacon provides the means for Pork Belly Gyros and Bacon and Cheese Puffers, are a delicious variation on the classic French Gougeres, and Pan-Fried Brussels Sprout Leaves are given a flavor boost with pancetta, garlic, shallots, red pepper flakes and freshly grated Parmesan. That dish is going on my Thanksgiving table. Mustard Barbecue Sauce poured over South Cakalacky Spare Ribs, sounds like pure pig heaven to me. Pork Osso Buco will make you forget you ever spent a month’s mortgage payment on veal shanks. Spicy Meatballs and Simple Sunday Red Sauce is bound to start a new family tradition. Those meatballs are a heady combination of ground veal, ground chuck and hot Italians sausage.

I found the chapter on hog offal comprising jowl, head, feet, ears, fatback, clear plate, tail organ meats (intestines, stomach, skin and liver) fascinating. Guanciale, the dried spice-rubbed jowls of the pig, is an essential ingredient in Spaghetti Carbonara, the classic Roman pasta dish. Old #7 Pate is a spread made from pork liver. And collagen-rich Pickled Pigs Feet, could help you age more gracefully. As Libbie says, “I’m counting on my love of pig’s feet to help forty be the new thirty.”

THE WHOLE HOG COOKBOOK provides clear instructions for making sausage, trimming and assembling a Crown Roast of Pork (which will save money), how-to photos clarify the best way to carve a ham, split pigs feet for pickling, how to render leaf lard for making pie dough. There’s even a photo tutorial on how to make and decorate Marzipan Three Little Pigs. Reading this charming book made me smile. Cooking form it made me swoon.

GRILLED TENDERLOIN AND FINGERLING POTATO SALAD

(Serves four)

1 pound pork tenderloin

7 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound fingerling potatoes

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons capers, drained

2 cups watercress or arugula, stemmed

Rub the tenderloin with 1 tablespoon of the oil and liberally season it with salt and pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, put the potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to high. Grill the seasoned tenderloin for 8 minutes per side, turning only once. Remove the tenderloin from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the meat and place the slices in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, garlic, and honey. While whisking, gradually add the remaining 6 tablespoons oil in a slow, steady stream, until the vinaigrette sauce begins to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.

Halve the potatoes and add them to the pork tenderloin slices. Pour the vinaigrette over, add the capers and watercress, toss to coat, and serve immediately.

From The Whole Hog Cookbook/Rizzoli

My friend Jon serves his brisket with pride every Rosh Shoshanna, and it’s always delicious. He’s given tons of thought to this dish, something I gather from THE BRISKET BOOK: A Love Story with Recipes by Stephanie Pierson, others have pondered as well. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a bad brisket. This new book is all about brisket passion and is surely the first tribute cookbook to the joys and pleasures of this flavorful cut of beef. Brisket is “so simple and forgiving that even the worst cook can make a good one,” quips Ms. Pierson in the Introduction to THE BRISKET BOOK. “Every country, every community, every culture, every family seems to have a brisket recipe,” she continues. “But while there are millions of brisket recipes and thousands of reasons they came to be, there are essentially only three cooking techniques. You can braise a brisket, barbecue it, or brine it so it becomes corned beef. It’s that simple.” You will find in this lavishly illustrated and profusely anecdotal tribute, a poem to brisket, “50 Things About Brisket That People Can Disagree About” (I’m not kidding), a brisket joke, sixteen ways to order brisket in a foreign language (in Italian it is punta de petto di bovino), a Brisket Etymology, a butcher’s perspective, a basic training chapter on making brisket, a Haiku for Braising Brisket, a barbecue Q&A on brisket, and then brisket nirvana—recipes from pros such as Nach Waxman, the legendary owner of the definitive culinary bookstore in New York City, Kitchen Arts & Letters; Joan Nathan, cookbook author and doyenne of Jewish cooking; New Orleans-based super chef, John Besh, Simon Hopkinson--English chef and author of Simon Hopkinson’s Second Helpings of Roast Chicken, Cook’s Illusrtated’s Onion-Braised Beef Brisket, and much more. There are suggestions for side dishes to accompany brisket, suggestions for Brisket leftovers (Brisket Tamales, anyone?), “What to Drink with Brisket.” Well—you get the point. The only disappointment was not having the recipe for Fatty Cue’s award-winning brisket sandwich. It is cruelly photographed in all its mouth-watering glory on page 58. I deeply regret leaving New York without tucking into that insanely overstuffed creation.

Nach Waxman's beef brisket

Stephanie Pierson has created the ultimate single-subject cookbook, and if you’re a brisket lover, you’re sure to want to make room in your collection for this delightful volume.

I’ve chosen the recipe for Texas Oven-Roasted Beef Brisket by Tom Perini because it is insanely easy, contains lots of spices and flavorings that I love, and is roasted then braised in the same pan for hours—during which time you can do other things instead of hovering over your brisket.

TEXAS OVEN-ROASTED BEEF BRISKET

Adapted from a recipe by Tom Perini, Perini Ranch, Buffalo Gap, Texas

(Serves 8)

With a lightly spiced browned crust and mega Texas-size smokehouse flavor, cowboy/cook Tom Perini comes up with a knockout recipe that lets you oven roast your way to brisket bliss. Just rub, roast, braise—done. Paula Den loves Perini’s cooking, too: check out The Food Network to see a video of Perini showing Paula his skills.

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 bay leaf, crushed

1 (4-pound) beef brisket, trimmed

1½ cups beef stock

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, make a dry rub by combining the chili powder, salt, garlic and onion powders, pepper, sugar, dry mustard, and bay leaf. Season the brisket all over with the rub. Place the brisket in a roasting pan and roast in the oven, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Add the beef stock and enough water to yield about ½ inch of liquid in the roasting pan, then tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F and continue cooking until the brisket is fork-tender, about 3 hours.

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, trim any excess fat, and thinly slice the meat against the grain. Serve with the pan juices.

—From The Brisket Book/ Andrews McMeel Publishing

A FUNNY, AND INVENTIVE NEW COOKBOOK THAT LURES ME BACK TO MAKING SWEETS--WISH THAT WERE A BAD THING!

2011-09-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

In my mid-20s, I conquered my fear of making dessert. Maida Heatter lured me to the stove and astonishing things emerged--cookies of infinite varieties, bavarians full of berries and lots of rich cream. There was frozen key lime pie or coffee jelly for hot summer dinners. I made so many pies, apple, blueberry, pear, and pecan (even Maida's chocolate pecan pie). But most of all I was obsessed with chocolate. No dinner party seemed complete without a chocolate torte, its surface glistening with shiny mirror-like chocolate glaze. One of Jamie Oliver's early published chocolate tarts nearly wore out its welcome at my dinner parties--I prepared it that often. I got carried away, making truffles, chocolate caramel sauce for ice cream and to give away at holidays. And then I somehow lost my enthusiasm for chocolate. I fell back on old standbys--pies time and time again. Meanwhile, beautiful dessert cookbooks kept appearing on my doorstep. I'd read them faithfully, admiring their skill and inventiveness and then put them on the shelf.

Recently SUGARBABY: Confections, Candies, Cakes & Other Delicious Recipes for Cooking with Sugar (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; $29.95; ISBN: 978-1-58479-897-2) arrived to jolt me out of my sugar blues. I liked the whimsical jacket of home-made Cotton Candy juxtaposed against the pastel elegance of the Parisian Macaron. The author, Gesine Bullock-Prado's, imposing name, was at odds with the very funny headers to the recipes, my favorite being for Bittersweet Pudding (POPS):

"When I was old enough to babysit, I didn't do it for the money; I did it for the food. I'd get the little stinkers to bed by reading bedtime stories so fast you could hear a sonic boom, and then I'd eat that poor family out of house and home. I only babysat at homes with a guaranteed score, and I find that I was ever asked to babysit more than once because I never left without demolishing every last edible morsel from the freezer. The Stewart family was especially hard hit, since they always carried the full line of Jell-O Pudding Pops and I had no problems polishing off every last box. I'd apologise for my foolish youthful behavior, but I cannot honestly say that I'm sorry. Or that I wouldn't do it again now that I'm full-grown."

There is lot of this kind of whimsy in the book, but do not be fooled. Ms. Bullock-Prado (who wrote a memoir about escaping her life running a Hollywood production company--her sister is Sandra Bullock--and relocating to Vermont with her husband where she opened her own confection shop) is very serious and the book is full of wonderful stories and recipes such as this. The pudding is luscious on its own as just a pudding. But as a frozen pop, its genius.

Let me get to the point of the book. Most dessert cookbooks are oven-oriented--cakes, pies, cookies and similar treats. SUGARBABY begins on the stovetop with sugar, or as Ms. Bullock-Prado describes it, "this is a book about cooking with sugar, not baking with sugar."

Once past the Introduction (all about sugar), the book is divided into chapters representing various stages of cooked sugar as seen from a candy thermometer beginning at the simple dissolving stage and through the thread stage. As temperatures rise, SUGARBABY has the appropriate recipes, in all stages of caramelization. For the simple dissolve to thread stage (230-235° F) there are Rock Candy, Lemon Gelato, and Lemon Curd. For the softball stage (235-240° F) there is Italian Meringue, Old School Chocolate Fudge, and something divine called Pecan Buttercrunch Tart. Next are selections from the firm ball stage (245-250° F) with Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels and Soft Honey Nougat being but two swooning examples. The hardball stage (250-265° F) means Fleur de Sel Caramels and addictive Babysitting Popcorn. The next level, the soft-crack stage (270-290° F), brings Teetoaling Butterscotch, and the delightfully creepy Barley Malt Skulls. The final hardcrack stage 300-310° F), means Aunt Sis's Peanut Brittle, Butterfly Almond Toffee, and delightfully nostalgic Cotton Candy.

Gesine Bullock-Prado offers easy, unfussy and manageable steps to make these sweet treats. There are many color photographs that show the steps involved in creating the recipes, with instruction techniques for making Cotton Candy. Once you master this, it's a quick transition to a classic mound of stuffed cream puffs, with spun sugar caramel, a.k.a. French croquembouche.

I'm afraid you are simply going to have to make room for SUGAR BABIES in your dessert collections.

Bittersweet Pudding (Pops)

Makes approximately 2 ½ cups (570 g) pudding, 7 rocket pops, or 14 individual bruelees

1/2 cup (120 ml) agave nectar
12 cup (40 g) dark cocoa powder (I use Callebaut Extra Brute)
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt salt
1 cup (240 ml) coffee coffee
1 tablespoon (8 g)
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract.

A Note from the Sugar Baby: Agave nectar is a sweetener produced primarily in Mexico and

is derived from the agave plant. Yup, the same plant that produces nature’s other sublime nectar—
tequila!—yet the nectar tastes nothing like the liquor. As a matter of fact, light agave nectar
has a rather neutral flavor, perhaps with just a hint of caramel, so it’s a perfect sweetener for
both hot and cold beverages. Its consistency is very much like honey but not as viscous; it

to be about one and a half times sweeter than table sugar, it has a much lower glycemic index.

Be aware, however, that agave nectar isn’t a sweetener that can replace sugar or corn syrup in

every recipe; its chemical composition doesn’t lend itself well to higher-temperature sugar work,

but it can be useful at lower temperatures in baked goods.

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the agave nectar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and salt until the mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coffee and cornstarch. While whisking constantly
(especially if the coffee is still warm), add the egg yolks one at a time and then add the vanilla
extract.

3. Return the pan containing the cocoa mixture to the stove. Pour the egg mixture into the cocoa
mixture, whisking constantly over medium heat. Clip on a candy thermometer and whisk whisk
whisk. In all likelihood, the temperature has already exceeded 160°F (71°C), so you’re safe,
bacteria-wise. Now keep whisking for about 5 minutes, until the pudding thickens and the
temperature reaches 200°F (93°C) to 210°F (100°C).

4. Transfer the pudding to a large bowl and serve family style, or use it in other crafty ways like a
filling for a glorious crepe cake (see page 238). Alternatively, pour the pudding into seven popsicle molds and freeze overnight for a luscious, chocolaty summertime treat. You can also pour
the pudding into fourteen individual 2-ounce (60 ml) serving cups and cover each with plastic
wrap, making sure that the wrap touches the entire surface of the pudding to prevent a skin
from forming, and refrigerate for a few hours. You can serve the pudding straight from the
fridge or with a dollop of whipped cream. However, I like to sprinkle a spoonful or two of sugar
over the top and take a kitchen torch to the sugar to caramelize it into a brulee crust.

HEARTLAND--A STUNNING COOKBOOK THAT UPDATES THE AGRICULTURAL CORE OF OUR COUNTRY

2011-07-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

Some people waste too much time pondering the cultural differences between the east and west coasts of our country, while ignoring the vast richness of what lays between them. I know of no greater way of bridging this unnecessary gap than through food, and an outstanding example can be found within the beautiful pages of HEARTLAND: The Cookbook (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC; $35.00; ISBN: 978-1-4494-0057). Judith Fertig, a food lifestyle writer and cookbook author, explores food of the 12 states that make up the great American Middle West in a savory new way. Ably abetted by the eloquent location photography of Jonathan Chester, and the alluring food photography of Ben Pieper, HEARTLAND showcases the endless bounty of foods, animals and eye-catching vistas of these regions, making it the book I think should be thought of as one of the finest cookbooks published in 2011.

The twelve states of the Midwest include Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. While the farm-to-table movement may be a current culinary enchantment for those on either coast, it's a way of life for the nation's central farms, ranches, dairies, and other food providers and has been since pioneer days. The food produced here is fully rooted in the farmhouse kitchen, but the Midwest has kept pace with trends with an impressive thirty-three Slow Food chapters, artisan food purveyors who produce such quality products as prosciutto, guanciale, and pancetta, microwbreweries making small-batch vodka and gin, chocolates of the highest quality, "tastier heritage breeds of turkey, chicken and pork, foraged foods (the darlings of high end restaurant chefs), such as elderflowers, elderberries, native persimmons, mulberries, wild greens, black walnuts and hickory nuts. The diverse ethnic melting pot of the Midwesterner is comprised of Amish, Swedish, Czech, Scandinavian, and other communities. As Ms. Fertig writes, "this book is about ingredient-centered food and is a testament to the fact that if you grow, raise or buy quality foods, you don't have to do a lot to them to make them taste great."

Rosy Rhubarb Syrup

HEARTLAND does a superb job of offering recipes that are steeped in tradition, but feel thoroughly updated and based on the modern, time-saving cooking methods of today. So Crisp Refrigerator Dill Pickles can be made in manageable amounts, and stored in your refrigerator for up to one year--the addition of grape leaves ensures a crisper pickle. Spoon-Able Strawberry Preserves make four cups from a mere one and a half pounds of strawberries, and can be refrigerated for up to 3 months. I recently found gorgeous rhubarb in my local farmer's market at a bargain price, and dragged home two pounds--just enough to make Rosy Rhubarb Syrup, which can be used for pancakes, or French toast. It will also sweeten fresh fruit, but I rather liked the idea of it for lemonade and used some of it (I froze the rest) for a delicious adult cocktail called a Farm Girl Cosmo. It's a delicious syrup, but it's color is gorgeous.

Farm Girl Cosmos

The breakfast/brunch section of HEARTLAND features Farmhouse Breakfast Sausage, an altogether different experience from the dull and lifeless sausages sold in your local supermarket. Winterberry Breakfast Pudding is "like rice pudding, but better for you," because of easy-to find whole-grain wheat berries. Mixed with honey, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and blueberries, this can be assembled in a slow-cooker overnight and be ready for breakfast in the morning. Sweet Potato Waffles with Whipped Orange Butter could make any Sunday morning special. And there's a stunning Persimmon Bread Pudding with Warm Cider Caramel, that looks like a cake and in fact, is baked in a spring form pan. Brunch or wintry dinner dessert? How about both?

A section on No-Knead Clove Honey Dough is a smart take on this contemporary favorite technique for making bread and can be a pantry staple for breads, coffee cakes, or rolls to serve 24 to 32. But no matter what chapter you find yourself, HEARTLAND is filled with amazing gotta-try recipes such as Grilled Pear Salad with Blue Cheese and Honey. This tangy, sweet starter is a perfect marriage of local pears and Midwestern blue cheese with cider vinegar, oil and Dijon mustard for a dressing and a final addition of toasted, chopped hickory nuts or pecans. Minnesota Wild Rice Soup, Caramelized Cabbage Rolls, Butternut Squash, Morel, and Sage Brown Butter Lasagne managed to stand out in a collection full of intriguing choices. For beef lovers there is a Morel-Grilled Rib-Eye (that gets an additional flavor boost from a rubbing paste of sugar, salt, garlic, red pepper flakes, black pepper and morel powder--from ground dried morels) or Heartland Daube with White Cheddar Polenta. Roast Heritage Turkey with Pancetta-Roasted Brussels Sprouts could be the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table this season.

HEARTLAND ends with dessert and I'd love a slice of Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie--such a remarkably easy and deceptively rich dessert using heavy cream, half-and-half, sugar, butter and nutmeg. The Ohio Lemon Tart is an update of the old-fashioned lemon-meringue pie. A Summer Berry Cobbler with Lemon Verbena Whipped Cream takes full advantage of summer's blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries or pitted sour cherries.

Don't be shy about dragging this beautiful book to the kitchen counter. Yes the photographs of the food, farms, markets, livestock, produce are enticing and thoroughly evocative, but the simple fact is that these recipes are well within most home cook's abilities. A spatter or two won't hurt anything. This is food that is as sophisticated and modern as anything you'll find on either coast. Reading through it made me want to jump in a car to take off for an immersion visit to those farms, and heartland kitchens.

Rosy Rhubarb Syrup

Makes about 3 cups

Rhubarb, also known by the old-fashioned term pie plant, was an established garden plant in the Heartland by the mid-nineteenth century. One of the favorite heirloom varieties is Queen Victoria, which is the only variety you can grow reliably from seed. The only problem with perennial rhubarb is that sometimes you have too much of a good thing and it ends up being more woody than tender. That’s when you make this recipe. Rhubarb syrup is a pretty pink color, tart yet sweet, and is delicious over pancakes, French toast, or fresh fruit, or in lemonade or a Farm Girl Cosmo. You can also make Rosy Margaritas with 1 cup Rosy Rhubarb Syrup, ½ cup tequila, the juice of 1 lime, and all the ice you want.

4 cups chopped fresh or thawed

frozen rhubarb

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

Juice of 2 lemons

1. Place the rhubarb and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook the rhubarb until tender and pulpy, about 10 minutes.

2. Strain out the rhubarb pulp, reserving the juice. Measure the juice and add enough water to equal 2 cups. Return the liquid to the saucepan over medium-high heat and stir in the sugar. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and let cool. Strain again, then pour into clean glass jars with lids or bottles. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.

—From Heartland: The Cookbook by Judith Fertig/Andrews McMeel Publishing

Grilled Pear Salad with Blue Cheese and Honey

Serves 8

On the south side of my Kansas home, I have created an edible landscape with twin pear trees, tangled raspberry canes, fragrant roses and lavender, lemon balm, and whatever vegetables I can squeeze in. The Kieffer pears I grow are not good to eat fresh, but they are delicious poached or grilled; any ripe but somewhat firm pear will be fine in this recipe. Sweet pears cozy up to a Midwestern blue cheese like old flames at a high school reunion, made all the sweeter with a drizzle of local honey.

4 ripe but somewhat firm Bartlett or Bosc pears, cut lengthwise

Melted unsalted butter, for brushing

1 cup crumbled creamy blue cheese, such as Maytag, Salemville blue, or

Roth Kase gorgonzola (about 8 ounces)

¼ cup canola or olive oil

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

4 cups baby greens

Fine kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Clover or wildflower honey, for drizzling

Toasted, chopped hickory nuts or pecans, for garnish

Suggested pear varieties:

Golden Spice, Flemish Beauty, or Luscious

1. Prepare an indirect fire in your grill, hot on one side and no fire on the other.

2. Use a melon baller to core and scoop out a small cavity in each pear half. Brush both sides of each pear half with melted butter.

3. Place the pears on the direct-heat side of the grill, cut side down,

for 2 minutes, or until the fruit has blistered. Transfer to the indirect side and place skin side down. Mound tablespoon-size portions of cheese in the cavity of each pear. Cover and grill until the pears have blistered and the cheese has melted, about 8 minutes.

4. Whisk the oil, vinegar, and mustard together in a bowl large enough for the greens. Lightly toss the greens with the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the dressed greens among salad plates. Place a grilled pear on top of each mound of greens, drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

—From Heartland: The Cookbook by Judith Fertig/Andrews McMeel Publishing

COOK FOR YOURSELF? JOE YONAN--THE WASHINGTON POST'S POPULAR FOOD EDITOR INSPIRES US TO DO JUST THAT!

2011-07-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

I have always happily cooked for myself. Partnerless for twenty years now, I've become a very creative cook for one at home. With my dog Beau, and my cat Bit, keeping me company, I am often confronting my refrigerator with the question, "what am I having for dinner tonight?" There are 31 million of us according to Joe Yonan, the highly personable and creative food and travel editor of The Washington Post. He provides plenty of solo dining inspirations in SERVE YOURSELF: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One (Ten Speed Press; $22.00; ISBN: 978-1-58008513-7). Here is a cookbook that is loaded with creative, doable, fun, and flavorful food that we crave today.

Handsome, charismatic, and adored by many in the food world, Joe Yonan (with the help of his deputy Bonnie Benwick) oversees one of the most imaginative food sections of a major daily newspaper in the country. It was Ms. Benwick who urged her single boss to write the "Cooking For One," column, which has become a popular feature in the newspaper.

Like all smart cooks, Joe Yonan likes to keep his refrigerator and pantry shelves fully stocked. "As a single cook, why do I have so much food," he writes early on in SERVE YOURSELF? "I'm a zealot about the fact that if you're fully stocked, making something quick a the end of a long workday is that much easier." He is so right. Most people who when faced with cooking for themselves, don't face it at all. They resort to expensive and not-always-healthy take-out options, or go out to restaurants, sitting solo miserably by themselves (astonishing to me, as I love to eat alone), or stare at the empty spaces in their fridges and cupboards. Instead of another night in front of the TV with a bowl of Cocoa Puffs, it's time to get real about all the good eating possibilities that could be right in front of you.

SERVE YOURSELF is divided into interesting chapters. Basic Recipes, Condiments and Pickles covers salad dressings, salsas and jams. Yonan's recipe for Blueberry Lemon Jam takes advantage of the current blueberry market and is a surprisingly easy recipe. Too ambitious? Cilantro Vinaigrette is a snap to make and last three weeks in your refrigerators and can be used in "all manner of salads, plus avocados, tomatoes, green beans, even cold rice." And Citrus-Pickled Onions are a great condiment for sandwiches, burgers, dogs, salads, or brightening up a taco and a million other dishes. There is a really good egg chapter here with a swooningly-good Shrimp and Potato Chip Tortilla worthy of your attention. A chapter on Sweet Potatoes, Beans, and Other Veggies showcases Yonan's Texas upbringing. Peasant's Bowl, is a soulfully addictive vegetarian of cheese, brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, scallions, shallots, garlic, ground cumin, chill and oregano, all zipped up with a few dashes of hot pepper sauce. After eating this, you'll never touch a bowl of cereal for dinner again. And an Ex-Texas Salad is a riff on a dish his mother made for the family. It's got romaine lettuce, black beans, a scallion, crumbled feta cheese, tomatoes, a crispy bits of corn tortilla, all dressed in his Cilantro Vinaigrette.

Many of the recipes in SERVE YOURSELF can be used with other recipes. So in the meat chapter, a Texas Bowl O' Red can be enjoyed by itself, or incorporated in Chili Cheese Enchiladas, a zesty exercise in flavorful simplicity. The zip in Spicy Glazed Mini-Meatloaf comes from Yonan's Blackened Salsa, which can also be spooned over grilled pork chops or steak, in addition to tasting great with tortilla chips to get the appetite for dinner started. Two standout chicken dishes are must-trys: Roast Chicken Leg with Gremolata and Sunchokes and Wine-Braised Chicken Thighs with Olives, Prunes and Almonds, put dark meat (my preference) in the center of the plate for a change. Sticking close to his Texas roots, Yonan presents an entire chapter devoted to tacos, from Austin-Style Breakfast Tacos and Tacos with Mushroom and Chile-Caramelized Onions to Korean Short Rib Tacos. Yonan also presents worthy chapters on pizza, sandwiches, rice, grains and pasta, and finally dessert (I liked his version of his mom's No-Bake Chocolate Oat Cookies and the Cappuccino Tapioca Pudding with Cardamom Brulee is a much simpler to make than its rather formal title suggests).

The recipe I'm reprinting here is Personal Paella with Squid and Scallions, which I think rightfully belongs on the cover of SERVE YOURSELF. I love squid and rice and this recipe is utter simplicity--not too many ingredients to overwhelm the flavor of the squid and it is just the sort of thing I want to make on a Friday night after a long work week. Break out a bottle of Albarino (my favorite Spanish white wine), or a crisp rose and start cooking. Invite a friend over to share. Or not--hours later those leftovers taste mighty good right from the refrigerator.

Scattered throughout this charming book are thoughtful essays, some new and some previously published. There is one on dining alone when traveling. Yonan draws us into the world of the iconic, Texas dish, chicken fried steak (taught to him by his stepfather) and makes you want to eat it right now. He tackles his conviction of farm-to-table experience by killing a chicken for his dinner (better him than me). And in a remarkably frank closing essay, Yonan explores his own past cooking for two.

I liked Yonan's sage advice on storing and using extra ingredients (often a deal-breaker for solo cooks). And there are lots of advice and tips sections highlighted in yellow for easy reference. A few years ago cookbook writer, Deborah Madison, wrote a charmingly funny book called What We Eat When We Eat Alone and revealed some of the appalling things we consume when we think nobody is looking. While providing plenty of options for delicious eating, Joe Yonan says "you don't have to resort to takeout just because you live alone. You can keep the right (delicious) foods in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer, learn how to shop with an eye for ingredients that support a single cook's lifestyle; and cook without worry about satisfying anyone's hankerings but your own. After all, if you don't feed yourself well, who will?

Indeed! Set the table. Pour a glass of wine. Fire up the stove and begin your own nightly ritual. SERVE YOURSELF.

Personal Paella with Squid and Scallions

1 cup seafood stock or clam juice

Small pinch of crumbled saffron

1/4 teaspoon pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)

4 to 5 ounces cleaned squid, bodies cut into

1/4-inch rings and tentacles halved lengthwise

Kosher or sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste

2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup Arborio, Bomba, or other short-grain rice

4 large cherry tomatoes, quartered

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Combine the seafood stock, saffron, and pimenton in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer; reduce the heat to very low and cover.

Lightly season the squid with salt and pepper. In an 8-inch cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the squid and cook, stirring frequently, just until the squid lose any translucence and exude their juices, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer the squid to a plate and decrease the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil, then the red pepper flakes, scallions, and garlic and sauté until the scallion starts to soften, another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the rice and cook until the grains are well coated with the pan mixture, 1 minute.

Pour in the hot broth and bring to a gentle boil. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Taste the liquid and add salt to taste, then let it continue to gently bubble, swirling the pan occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the rice has swelled and absorbed much of the liquid; it should still be slightly soupy.

Stir in the squid and tomatoes. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the rice is al dente, or mostly tender but with a little resistance in the center.

Remove the pan from the oven, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until the rice is tender. Uncover and return it to the

stovetop over medium-high heat and cook for about 2 more minutes, to brown the bottom of the rice.

Spoon it out onto a plate, and eat, Don’t worry if it sticks. Just scrape it up and know that this is what the Spanish call soccarat, the crispy pieces that are considered a sign of a great paella.

A COOKBOOK FROM A "BOYARDEE" GRANDDAUGHTER CREATES HER OWN ITALIAN CULINARY TRADITIONS

2011-06-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

Where does the granddaughter and great niece of the famous Chef Boyardee Italian food dynasty take the family name in the new millennium? By going back to the family's culinary roots as a teacher of Italian cooking and now the author of DELICIOUS MEMORIES: Recipes and Stories from the Chef Boyardee Family (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; $27.50; ISBN 978-1-58479-906-1). Anna Boiardi (and Stephen Lyness), present a sprinkling of family lore with a tasty and fresh collection of beloved recipes inspired by the iconic Chef Boyardee brand.

Anna Boiardi' illustrious family traces its culinary beginnings back many generations. The Boiardi's were from Piacenza, where they had already established careers in the restaurant business. Anna's great Uncle Paul was the first to emigrate to the United States early in the 1900s. Eventually he became a famous maitre d' at the Plaza Hotel. Another great uncle Hector, the family chef, followed and a few years later, Anna's grandfather, Mario completed the family trio with Paul arranging for them all to work at the Plaza. Eventually Uncle Hector, who would become the famous face of Chef Boyaradee products, took a job running the restaurant at the Winton Hotel in Cleveland before opening and managing two more restaurants. A few years later as the chef/owner of his own successful restaurant, Hector often sent customers home with a bottle of his famous red sauce with a small amount of spaghetti wrapped in paper and a little Parmesan cheese for them to make at home. Out of the demand for his sauce came the Chef Boyardee line, which by 1936 had become the bestselling Italian food products on the shelves the the nation's supermarkets. Chef Boyardee (the name was changed because so many Americans had a difficult time pronouncing Boiardi), is now an established iconic national brand in business for more than seventy years.

Anna Boiardi and her mother ricing potatoes for gnocchi.

Anna's mother was an outstanding home cook, and it was she and her grandparents who taught the young girl the recipes the family had been preparing for large Sunday suppers for generations. Anna now teaches a cooking class, Cucina Academy, and has been profiled on the Today show, CNBC and the Style Network. She also regularly appears on QVC selling her dessert line, Delicious Memories.

Ann Boardi is a natural teacher. One clever aspect of DELICIOUS MEMORIES is her section at the beginning of the book for 12 Essentials to make 15 Dinners. This is an easy way to make sure your favorite dishes can be made with virtually no shopping time by keeping things on hand in your pantry, in your fridge and freezer and spice rack.

Thumbing through the many fine recipes in DELICIOUS MEMORIES, Anna Boiardi has learned well the lessons taught to her in her mother's kitchen. Having recently mastered the art of making gnocchi at home, I turned first to Ms. Boiardi' recipe for Potato Gnocchi. These heavenly, feather-light dumplings are so easy to prepare. They are fun to make and I wonder why they are not as popular as pasta for eating at home. They require some effort, but when the results are as flavorful as they are here, the effort is forgotten instantly. Serve them with Tomato sauce, a sage and butter sauce or pesto. Uncle Hector's Tagliatele with Tomato Sauce "Il Giardino," was the inspiration for the trio of sauces that launched the Chef Boyardee brand. The sauce is based on a recipe native to Piacenza and contains no garlic. The Italians rarely combine onions and garlic the way Italo-Americans do, but Anna urges readers to add garlic to their version if that is what they prefer. Tortelli Piacentini, is another dish native to Piacenza. This rustic stuffed pasta is filled with spinach, ricotta and Parmesan cheese, and is an ideal pasta to serve for a long and leisurely Sunday dinner with the family. Other dishes that tempted me include a beautiful and aromatic Baked Fennel with Parmesan Cheese and Butter, and yet another outstanding family recipe from Piacenza is Pane Degli Angeli, an "angel-food-like" cake. I was intrigued by its use of potato starch instead of flour. But for speed and convenience, I'll be making Leaving-Home Penne Rigate, a pasta dish with only four ingredients (six if you count salt and pepper, which I don't). In this smart dish developed by her mother (to get her kids to eat vegetables), Anna shows how a few simple ingredients, in this case, broccoli and pecorino, can turn into a easy, delicious and impressive dish for any night of the week.

Sprinkled throughout the book are engaging vintage ads for Chef Boyardee products, as well as many beautiful photos of the finished dishes from starters to dessert. Cookbooks that celebrate family history and lore, are amongst my very favorites. In keeping with family tradition, Anna Boiardi is a talented teacher and I had fun reading and cooking through this lovely book.

Gnocchi with Pesto sauce.

POTATO GNOCCHI

WITH PESTO

serves 4 to 6 as an entrée

gnocchi

6 6-ounce medium Idaho potatoes, unpeeled

Salt

1 large egg yolk

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

pesto

2 cups firmly packed basil leaves, preferably small leaves

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons pine nuts

½ teaspoon salt

½ clove garlic

3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

2 tablespoons finely grated pecorino cheese

3 tablespoons heavy cream

pinch freshly ground pepper

kitchen stuff

Slotted spoon or wire mesh spider, available at Asian cooking supply stores

Potato ricer

to make the gnocchi, put the potatoes in a large pot. Add cold water

to cover and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat down so

that the water just simmers, cover, and cook the potatoes 30 minutes. (Don’t

get curious and poke the potatoes with a knife or fork while they cook. If you

puncture the skin, the flesh will get watery and absorb too much flour, which

makes the gnocchi heavy.) Remove the cooked potatoes to a plate with a slotted

spoon or spider and let them sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

Peel the potatoes with a small knife—the skin will slip off easily.

Set a cutting board on your work surface. Press the peeled potatoes through a

ricer onto the cutting board. Use your hands to gently make a well in the center

of the riced potato. Put the egg yolk in the well and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon

salt. Using a spoon or clean hands, sprinkle the potato evenly with the flour.

With a fork, beat the salt and egg together. Little by little, begin drawing the

potato-flour mixture into the center of the well with the fork, and work it into

the egg until the egg mixture becomes too stiff to work with the fork. Use your

fingertips to gently draw the rest of the potato mixture into the center and

mash it all together with your fingertips to make a rough dough. Gather the

dough into a ball and fold it over on itself several times, gently kneading, until

the dough is well blended, soft, and smooth. This will take just a few minutes.

Shape the dough into a log 12 to 14 inches long and 4 inches wide. Set it at the

top of your board.

To shape the gnocchi, lightly flour a baking sheet and put it next to your cutting

board. Use a pastry scraper or a knife to cut off a 1- to 1½-inch wide chunk

of dough. Roll the dough between your hands on the cutting board to make a

rope about ¾ inch thick. Cut the rope into 1-inch lengths (each of these will

be a gnoccho). Lightly flour the tines of the fork. Hold the fork with your left

hand so that the tines are almost flat against the board. Place a piece of dough

across the tines of the fork, close to the handle. With your right thumb, mash it

against the tines while rolling it down and away from the handle. It will roll over

on itself so that instead of being plump and smooth, it will be curled, with an

indentation from your thumb. Set the finished gnoccho on the floured baking

sheet. Continue just like this to shape all of the gnocchi from your rope.

Cut, roll, and shape more gnocchi, until you’ve used all the dough. As you get

adept at the shaping, you’ll get more of an assembly-line thing going: roll three

ropes at a time, cut them all into pieces, and shape them all into gnocchi. Just

like that. I promise.

to make the pesto, combine the basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and salt in a

blender. Cut the garlic into pieces and add it to the blender. Blend until the mixture

is smooth and creamy, and you don’t see any more large pieces of basil.

Scrape the pesto into a medium bowl. Stir in the cheeses and then the cream, 1

tablespoon at a time. Stir in the pepper.

To cook the gnocchi, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add enough salt to

make the water taste salty (about ¼ cup). Set a colander in a bowl, and place

next to the stove. Add half of the gnocchi to the boiling water; when they rise

to the surface, set your timer to 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider to

remove the gnocchi to the colander when done; let drain. Transfer to a bowl.

Return the water to a boil, add the rest of the gnocchi, and cook and drain the

same way. Don’t pour out the cooking water yet. To serve, spoon about half of

the pesto onto a large serving platter and stir in a spoonful of the pasta cooking

water (this will thin the pesto). Spoon the gnocchi on top in an even layer. Spoon

the rest of the pesto over the gnocchi, and gently toss with the spoon so that the

gnocchi are entirely coated with the pesto. Sprinkle all over, very lightly and

evenly, with more Parmesan cheese, and serve.

I didn’t get the hang of gnocchi making until sometime in my early teens.

For years, I watched my mother make them, and it always looked so easy

in her hands. When I tried it, I’d get these shapeless blobs. “Push down

harder, cic,” she’d say (that’s pronounced “cheech,” short for cicetti, an

affectionate term—something like little sweetheart), and then . . . “No, not

too hard!” And always, “You have to go a little faster.”

Gnocchi do require some practice and dexterity, and when I got a little

proficient at making them, it was a real milestone in my cooking career.

My mom still talks about it: the day I mastered gnocchi was the day I truly

became a help to her in the kitchen. And I began to feel pride that I could

make a contribution to the household aside from setting the table and spinning

lettuce. Now the two of us can bang out a batch of these little delicacies

in a little over an hour. Good thing; I adore them.

My niece and nephew get a kick out of making gnocchi, too. They put on

aprons and sit at the kitchen counter with my mom—pretty impressive for a

five-year-old and an eight-year-old. She gives them each a piece of the dough,

and they roll it into ropes and cut it into pieces, just like they’re playing with

Play-Doh. When the gnocchi are cooked and sauced, they’re very proud of

their handiwork (and we don’t tell them otherwise).

Potato gnocchi freeze very well: shape them, stick them (on the floured

baking sheet) in the freezer until they’re frozen hard, then dump them into

freezer bags. When you’re ready to eat, cook the still-frozen gnocchi in boiling

water just as if they were fresh. Gnocchi last several months in the freezer.

Potato gnocchi are traditionally served with tomato sauce (page 80),

Bolognese sauce (page 92), or sage butter (page 98), but I like them best

with pesto, a finely chopped mixture of fresh basil, garlic, and Parmesan

cheese. Some pestos are chunky; I like mine ultimately smooth—the texture

of a sauce rather than a chopped condiment—and we add a little cream to

smooth it out even further. My students love pesto because it’s super easy:

throw all the ingredients into the food processor and press the button.

The best pesto is made from small, mild-tasting young basil leaves. It

lasts well for a couple of days in the refrigerator, but it freezes well too.

Spoon it into ice cube trays and freeze; then put the pesto “cubes” into a

freezer bag. We use pesto on so many things: Caprese salad, panini, pasta, a

dollop on top of deviled eggs, or on bruschetta. And it’s great on sandwiches.

GRILLED CHEESE, PLEASE!--A Second Cookbook from Laura Werlin that Highlights the Gooey Stuff We Love to Melt with Bread!

2011-06-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

Despite the protests of my doctor, I cannot give up cheese. I put it in nearly everything I eat. If I could figure out a way to melt cheese in my coffee or on a cookie, I would--I swear to you. But I never thought I would need a cookbook of grilled cheese recipes. Wrong. I recently received GRILLED CHEESE, PLEASE: 50 Scrumptiously Cheesy Recipes by Laura Werlin (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC; $16.99; ISBN: 978--1-4494-0165-8). I missed Ms. Werlin's first volume on the subject, Great Grill Cheese, but no matter. This one is stuffed with a lot of recipes that I'll want to make and consume as quickly as possible.

First of all, this is a really good looking book. It's the perfect size for a single-subject cookbook, and makes an excellent gift (Note to guests: I'd rather receive a book like this or a bottle of wine, rather than having to stop what I'm doing and search out everything I need to arrange flowers when my head is wrapped up in figuring out my hosting chores). The many photos capture gooey, melted cheese in all its glossy glory, which makes me want to make something cheesy right away, such as: the cover photo--a Double Cheddar and Tomato Jam sandwich. Aside from the cheese, the tomato jam intrigued me so much I went home that night and mixed up a batch of this addictive condiment, which the author recommends using on salmon and on burgers. Or you can use it as an ingredient in another sandwich, Eggplant Parmesan with Fontina and Tomato Jam. I'm craving the Mozzarella and Crispy Prosciutto and Broccoli Rabe sandwich with its dash of red pepper flakes adding a little heat to the bitterness of the vegetable with the salt of the ham. The mozzarella adds a touch of creaminess to this soulful combination.

Tomato Jam, which I made from GRILLED CHEESE, PLEASE! This stuff is addictive. I could eat it on a

toasted bagel or by the spoonful right out of the jar.

I don't own a grill press, but I have a Le Creuset grilled ridge pan, which will do in a pinch. So I had to try the Camembert and Comté with Mushrooms. This sophisticated sandwich which has a whiff of French with its native cheeses and hints of Spanish flair with a splash of Sherry vinegar. I bet you a kid would still love this sandwich. Arepas, are made with a sandwich dough you make with masarepa , a precooked corn flour). They are a bit like a Latin English muffin. I discovered them via Daisy Martinez, and here Ms. Werlin presents Arepas with Monterey Jack, Plantains and Black Beans. Another sandwich with big Latin flavors is the Cubano, a favorite that I often indulged in during my New York years. Everyone should sample the considerable merits of the Cubano, a sumptuous grilled sandwich with roasted Cuban pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles (in this case cornichons) and all gathered and then pressed in crusty sandwich roll. I like it with mustard (not authentic), but Werlin includes it as an optional addition. Served on a very hot day with an ice cold Corona, and you've got yourself a little bit of heaven.

GRILLED CHEESE, PLEASE! includes house specialties of well-known regional restaurants that specialize in grilled cheese sandwiches, with recipes from the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen (San Francisco), Brie's Company (Fayetteville, AK), Grilled Cheese & Company in Catonsville, MD, The Grilled Cheese Truck (Los Angeles), The Milk Truck in Brooklyn, and the Grilled Cheese Grill in Portland, OR (which I now must try).

Keeping an open mind, Laura Werlin collected favorites from friends, including an insanely over-the-top combination called Erika's PB & Cheese. If the obviously incompatible combination of peanut butter and cheese doesn't put you off, the addition of bologna, mayonnaise and kosher dill pickles, should leave you howling. Only a a stoner dude could concoct this mess. I only mention this because Erika works at Rogue Creamery in Oregon--my newly adopted state. Werlin dares us to try it. Some other time.

Rant over. Great idea, great package, terrific recipes. GRILLED CHEESE, PLEASE didn't make me long for my long lost childhood of grilled American cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. It appealed to the adult in me that just goes bananas for cheese, and therefore this delightful cookbook just made it into my permanent collection.

Camembert and Comté with Mushrooms

When mushrooms and two of the world’s best cheeses like these are piled high on a baguette, you get a glorious symphony of earthy, creamy, and buttery flavors. Although this sandwich is sublime with almost any type of mushroom, the easy-to-find white or brown ones taste terrific.

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1 large clove garlic, minced

8 ounces white or brown mushrooms, stems removed and sliced ¼ inch thick

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar (or use red wine vinegar)

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 baguette, cut crosswise into 4 (6-inch-wide) pieces

6 ounces Camembert cheese, sliced ¼ inch thick

8 ounces Comté cheese, coarsely grated (or use Gruyère, Swiss, or fontina)

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook just until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the vinegar. Cook until almost all of the vinegar has boiled away and the mushrooms have begun to caramelize around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Stir once or twice and remove from the heat. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel but do not wash it.

To assemble: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small pan or in the microwave. Cut each baguette piece in half lengthwise. Pinch out a small amount of the soft center of each piece of bread to create a well. Place the baguette pieces, crust side up, on your work surface and spread with butter. Turn the bottom (flat) pieces, crust side down, on your work surface. Distribute the mushroom mixture on the bread, followed by the Camembert. Top with the Comté. Place the remaining baguette pieces on top, crust side up.

For stovetop method: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches in the pan, cover, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until evenly browned. Turn the sandwiches, pressing each one very firmly with a spatula to compress the bread and filling. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Turn the sandwiches once more, press firmly with the spatula again, and cook for 1 minute, or until the cheese has completely melted. (You might need to peek inside to make sure.) Remove from the pan and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve.

For sandwich maker method: Preheat the sandwich maker. Follow directions for assembly above. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes 4 sandwiches

—From Grilled Cheese, Please! 50 Scrumptiously Cheesy Recipes by Laura Werlin/Andrews McMeel Publishing

Double Cheddar and Tomato Jam

It seems that almost everybody likes the combination of grilled cheese and tomato soup. The easy-to-make Tomato Jam (page 148) is a variation on that theme, because the rich tomato flavor that’s usually in the soup goes directly into the sandwich. The double cheddar is your cue that not only is there cheese on the inside of the sandwich, but it’s also on the outside. The result is a little sweet, a little savory, a little crunchy, a little salty, and a lot enjoyable.

12 ounces cheddar cheese

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

8 sandwich-size slices sourdough bread

6 tablespoons Tomato Jam (page 148)

Using the very small holes of a box grater or other similar-size grating device, finely grate 6 ounces of the cheddar. Place the cheese in a small bowl. Add the butter and, using the back of a fork, mash the mixture until the cheese is well incorporated into the butter.

Using the large holes of a box grater or other similar-size grating device, grate the remaining cheese.

To assemble: Spread the cheddar-butter mixture on one side of each of the bread slices. Place 4 slices of bread, buttered side down, on your work surface. Spread 1½ tablespoons of jam on each slice. Distribute the cheese, and top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side up.

For stovetop method: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwiches into the pan, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. Turn the sandwiches, pressing each one firmly with a spatula to flatten slightly. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the undersides are well browned (watch carefully because the cheese on the outside of the bread can darken quickly). Turn the sandwiches once more, press firmly with the spatula again, cook for 1 minute, and remove from the pan. Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve.

For sandwich maker method: Preheat the sandwich maker. Follow directions for assembly above. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes 4 sandwiches

Tomato Jam

This recipe is based on one I got years ago from Charles Dale, now the chef at Encantado Resort in Santa Fe. Although I don’t think Charles had grilled cheese sandwiches in mind when he created the recipe, I feel pretty certain he’d wholeheartedly approve of its use for just that purpose. Note that you can make this a week in advance and refrigerate it. Also, you’ll have more jam than you need for one batch of sandwiches. You can use the extra to make more sandwiches, and it’s also great with salmon or on hamburgers.

6 large ripe tomatoes (about 1½ pounds) peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (use Roma tomatoes if it isn’t tomato season)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2½ tablespoons sugar (if you’re making this in the middle of tomato season when tomatoes are at their sweetest, reduce the sugar by 1 to 2 teaspoons)

Salt

Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. The mixture should bubble ever so slightly but not boil. Cook for about 1 hour, or until the jam has thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Let cool. (You can make this up to 1 week in advance. Store in the refrigerator.)

—From Grilled Cheese, Please! 50 Scrumptiously Cheesy Recipes by Laura Werlin/Andrews McMeel Publishing

A REALLY EFFORTLESS GRILLING PERSEPCTIVE FROM SAM THE COOKING GUY

2011-05-28T10:01:00.000-07:00

"Why isn't grilling simple anymore? What happened? When did it go from basic to

ridiculously over the top? We're nothing if we don't have a Grillinator 6000

Titanium BBQ with Dual Source Infrared Heat capability (all for the

suggested retailprice of $12,500, use at your own risk, grill cover not included)."

--from the Introduction to JUST GRILL THIS! by Sam the Cooking Guy

Sam Zien, known to millions as Sam the Cooking Guy for his popular shows devoted to simple, easy cooking, has re-introduced sanity to the summer grilling season with the publication of you JUST GRILL THIS! (Wiley; $19.95; ISBN: 978-46793-0). Let me explain.

I lived in New York City for decades--almost all of it without a terrace or balcony. A big black hole in my culinary arsenal has been the lack of any expertise, let alone basic skills, for grilling. And then I moved to Portland, Oregon and bought a house. Even before moving, I began to assemble a collection of books on barbecuing and grilling. Most of them are stuffed with information and/or recipes that I'll never need or want to cook. I must have about ten or so of them, and I find I don't use them very much. JUST GRILL THIS! may change all that.

My "Grillinator"

Sam Zien doesn't get all preachy about what woods to burn. He uses a gas grill. "Not because I don't or can't appreciate the charcoal version--because I can," he writes. "I just use a gas grill because I don't plan well in advance, and when I want to eat, I want to eat, and taking the requisite amount of time charcoal takes to do its thing is beyond me." Me too, Sam. Me too! And when it comes to all the complicated grilling accessories (you know--that take up pages of Williams-Sonoma's summer catalogs), Sam says you only need spring-loaded tongs. "Oh, and those cases they sell full of BBQ tools for Father's Day are mostly a waste of time and money," he advises. I agree. "I don't like forks," Sam concludes, "because they poke holes in whatever's being cooked and the juices run out." It doesn't get more basic than this. Amen, brother.

JUST GRILL THIS! sticks to a few basic rules and then leaps right into a few rubs and sauces, which is what most of us want anyway. Nothing exotic, mind you, but all of them full of ingredients we keep on hand. There are six steak butters. Nothing fancy (except perhaps some truffle oil which is always available at your local Trader Joe's, and if not, you don't need it). And then you're grilling. Sam's recipes are simple but designed for maximum flavor impact. In the ten chapters that follow, he takes you from "small things", such as the messy, but oh-so-tasty Steak & Mashed Potatoes (a great idea for using leftovers using smoked Gouda as the ooze factor) and Grilled Shrimp Cocktail to "impressive"--Mexican Chicken on a Mexican Beer Can, and Sesame Grilled Meatballs or sandwiches such as a Chicken Parmesan Sub or a Grilled Cuban. He offers a vegetable chapter (Parmesan Hearts of Palm anyone?) and a Mexican Grilled Corn that is guaranteed addictive. There are great steak and beef grill recipes here as well as a chapter on pork, lamb, chicken and ribs. You'll want the Chinese Grilled Shrimp on skewers in your rep and a Grilled Catfish Sandwich too. Snapper Tacos and Cedar Plank Salmon will round out your fish and seafood grilling skills. I think Sam's chapter on "dogs and burgers," is a masterpiece of the griller's art. Everybody needs good hot dog and burger recipes (i.e, Pastrami Reuben Dog or Blue Cheese Stuffed Sliders). Sam also reminds us that indoor grilling during bad weather keeps those happy grilling days outside uppermost in our minds when the weather turns cold. Pound Cake S'Mores, and Grilled Peaches are but two sweet endings that keep the grill at work throughout the meal.

I suspect that Sam finds much inspiration for his crowd-pleasing and casual cooking at Trader Joe's. And while there are plenty of store-bought condiments that I wouldn't have a problem with in this book, I do have to take exception to store-bought mashed potatoes and frozen french fries. I hope "ready bacon" doesn't mean that pre-cooked stuff from the market and a grilled meatloaf that uses a store-bought meatloaf will never work for me. But these are minor quibbles.

I first became aware of Sam Zien when he had the misfortune to appear on the final hour of the Today show where in exasperation over the silly antics of Hoda and Kathie Lee who acted as if he wasn't there, he basically told them to shut up. Then in a something of a change of heart, the show had him back on, but instead of being gracious, both hosts continued to react as though Sam was at fault and brought on a consultant on anger issues to prove their point. It was a lesson in the rudeness and insensitivity of both hosts (particularly the scolding, motor-mouthed Kathie Lee). In outraged solidarity I immediately bought a copy of Sam's second book, Sam the Cooking Guy: Awesome Recipes and Kitchen Shortcuts. I really enjoyed it and the recipes I made from it were very good. I then got his first book, Sam the Cooking Guy: Just a Bunch of Recipes (both are available from Wiley). I love his show when I can find it.

Sam Zien's breezy style guarantees that his recipes are effortless and fun. JUST GRILL THIS! is an amiable, laid-back cookbook--just what we all need for the long summer backyard grilling season. It also makes a terrific gift, and not just for Father's Day. This is one BBQ book everyone can cook from.

Steak & Mashed Potato Quesadillas

Makes 2 quesadillas

The wonderfulness of the Mashed Potato Taco from book #2 (Awesome Recipes & Kitchen Shortcuts) prompted me to revisit the age-old question “What more can I do with mashed potatoes?” This is it, and it makes sense for four good reasons:

• Because you’re going to have leftover steak - you just are.

• Because where there’s steak, there’s probably potatoes.

• Because a grilled quesadilla is wonderful.

• Because why the hell not?

And who can argue with logic like that? So here it is - make it, eat it, love it.

Olive oil

1 red onion, peeled and cut into ¹/₂-inch circles

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Four 8-inch flour tortillas

1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese

1 cup mashed potatoes, warmed

2 cups (about 10 ounces) leftover cooked steak, very thinly sliced

Preheat the grill to medium.

Lightly oil the onion slices, season with salt and pepper, and put on the grill.

Cook, turning once, until they soften and have good grill marks - remove to a bowl.

Turn the grill down to low.

Put 2 tortillas on 2 plates, sprinkle

¹/₄ cup of the cheese on each, top each with half of the potatoes, add half of the steak to each, and finally add the remaining cheese to each. Top with the 2 remaining tortillas.

Slide the quesadillas from the plates to the grill and grill until golden brown. Carefully flip the quesadillas over. Grill on the second side until the insides are warm and the tortillas are crispy.

Remove, cut into wedges, and serve.

Mexican Grilled Corn

Makes 6 ears - that sounds silly, doesn’t it?

Have it once, and you’ll have it forever - unless of course you’re my wife, and then you’ll have it never. Have I mentioned she’s my food opposite?

6 chopsticks, not pairs, just 6 sticks

6 ears of corns, husks and the crazy pain-in-the-ass silk removed

¹/₂ cup mayonnaise

¹/₃ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chili powder

6 lime wedges

Preheat the grill to medium.

With a small knife, make an X about ¹/₄ inch deep in the middle of the bottom of each ear; this is where the handle will go.

Give the corn a quick rinse under cold water and place directly on the grill.

Place on the grill and cook until softened and golden brown in spots, up to about 30 minutes.

Remove from the grill and push the chopstick into the X you made in each ear, making a handle. Using the back of a spoon or a pastry brush, brush each ear with the mayo - and don’t be shy.

Sprinkle with the Parmesan and then a little dusting of chili powder. Give ’em a quick squeeze of lime and away you go - corn nirvana.

BTW

If you’re jacked for time, you can always wrap the ears in plastic wrap and give them a zap in the microwave for about 3 minutes, then throw them on the grill. It’ll cut the cooking time waaaay down.

FALLING OFF THE BONE: Jean Anderson Shows Us How to Survive the Recession Deliciously

2011-04-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

"Without shanks, shoulders, spareribs, and such, there's be no beef bourguignon or ossobuco, no barbecued ribs or oxtail soup," reminds Jean Anderson, one of the very best cookbook writers in America. In FALLING OFF THE BONE (Wiley; $29.95; ISBN: 978-0-470-46713-8), Anderson reminds us that "every country, every culture has counted on the "lesser cuts" in lean times and as a result, created some of the world's most cherished meat recipes. How many great classics begin with steaks, chops, or prime ribs?" The lady has a very big point!

Before the economy tanked, Americans were spoiled. We gorged on pricey steaks, lamb and pork loin chops, beef filets, and other expensive cuts of meat. For many of us those pricier cuts, once reserved for "special occasions", were becoming daily fare. Less expensive, more flavorful cuts were right under our noses at the supermarkets, but in our haste to put a meal on the table in thirty minutes or less, we skipped those collagen-rich choices for boneless this and filleted that. Pulling out her soup pot and Dutch oven (and slow cooker), Anderson has set out to right these matters, and in four expansive chapters, FALLING OFF THE BONE explores the flavorful, economical, and endlessly delicious possibilities of beef, veal, lamb and pork.

In the Introduction, Anderson relates a story of her taking a semester-long meat-cutting course in college. Her final test remains a vivid memory. "There on butcher-paper-covered tables laid end-to-end in a room the size of a small gymnasium were more than a hundred anonymous cuts of meat. My challenge: ID them one by one noting type of meat (beef, veal, lamb, pork), animal part (shoulder, rib, loin, and so forth), retail cut (not only name, flank, butt, boned and rolled rump--but also whether Chicago cut, Kansas City, or New York), grade (Prime, Choice, Good, etc.), and finally best ways to cook (broil, braise, stew, etc.) plus the reasons why. That early exposure came in handy in writing of more than 20 cookbooks, none more so I would think than FALLING OFF THE BONE.

Beginning with beef, Anderson explains the various cuts such as brisket, chuck (shoulder), flank, oxtail, plate/short ribs, round, rump, shanks, etc., offering a nutritional profile, the various USDA grades, shopping, storage and freezer tips, as well as ideas for recycling leftovers. Each section is described with recommendations for cooking, i.e., pot roast for chuck; stew or soups for oxtails. She then follows with a tantalizing assortment of beef recipes from all over the world. Jugged Beef is an appealing stew of boneless beef chuck, mushrooms, bacon, carrots, red wine and Madeira. Once browned and assembled, it slips into your oven to tenderize in two and a half hours, leaving you free for other things. Mindful of busy schedules, Anderson isn't above some sensible shortcuts, dispensing a few well-thought-out recommendations such as pre-packaged sliced mushrooms and baby carrots. There are several goulashes, a Spanish Beef Catalan, Country-Fried Steak, Best-Ever Borsch, Texas Beef 'N' Beans and Biscuit, Beef and Vegetable Pie.

Veal is often considered expensive, but it needn't be. Veal shoulder and breast are economical choices that yield tender and tasty results. Stufatino is an easy Florentine classic that contains boneless veal shoulder, smoked bacon, Pinot Grigio and rosemary. Russian Crumb-Crusted Veal and Beef Loaf with Sour Cream Gravy is a deceptively rich combination of ground meats, crunchy bread crumb, onions, and half and half. "What also distinguish this meatloaf are its seasonings (dill pickles and nutmeg)," writes Anderson. And there's the final glory of that gravy!

The special flavor and versatility of lamb permeates a Baltic Lamb and Kale Soup, a sumptuous Hassle-Free Oven Stew of Lamb with Peppers and Prosciutto, a homey Crofter's Lamb and Potato Pie, an aromatic Curried Lamb Shanks with Almond Pilaf, and Lebanese Lamb Burgers.

In the final chapter on pork, Anderson provides seven recipes for ribs alone, my favorite being Gingery Lacquered Spareibs. Affordable pork shoulder, tart green apples, mustard and a small amount of heavy cream distinguish a Pork Hot Pot with Parslied Apple and Carrot Gravy. Consider a Braised Shoulder of Pork with Herb Stuffing and Pan Gravy for your next important dinner party.

The slow cooker is one of the best vessels for tenderizing old favorites while imparting maximum flavors. Anderson has smartly adapted such classics as Carbonnade Flamande, Blanquette de Veau, Russian Goulash, Lamb with Raisins and Toasted Almonds, Brunswick Stew with Pork, and Pork Ossobuco to this popular kitchen appliance.

Savoring flavor while saving money is a good mantra for today's thoughtful cooks. FALLING OFF THE BONE dusts off the old school concept of Grandma's long-simmering soups and stews, re-engaging our interests in the whole range of meats and their delicious possibilities and all available at your nearest market. The knowledge Jean Anderson imparts here will make you a better cook as well as a better manager of the family finances.

Jean Anderson (photo: Rudy Miller)

Jean Anderson has long been one of my favorite cookbook authors. The lady has won six best cookbook awards (James Beard, IACP and Tastemaker), and in the 70s co-authored (with Elaine Hanna) my favorite all-purpose kitchen reference, The Doubleday Cookbook, later published as The New Doubleday Cookbook. Her special affection for the people and foods of Portugal resulted in The Food of Portugal. I also admired her last cookbook, A Love Affair with Southern Cooking, and praised it on this blog.

Hassle-Free Oven Stew of Lamb with Peppers and Prosciutto

When I was growing up in the “small-town South,” my Midwestern mother often served lamb to the horror of southern neighbors who wouldn’t touch it. Pork and chicken were their meats of choice with more expensive beef a close third. At long last the South has embraced lamb. Even farmer’s markets sell it, pampered organic lamb grazed on pesticide-and herbicide-free meadows. What I’ve done here is update one of my mother’s hearty lamb stews for today’s tastes. She’d be appalled by the amount of garlic, and to my knowledge, had never heard of prosciutto.

3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut in 1-inch cubes

1 cup unsifted all-purpose flour mixed with

1 tablespoon paprika, 11/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon each freshly ground black
pepper, crumbled dried leaf rosemary and thyme (seasoned flour)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 ounces prosciutto, finely diced

2 large yellow onions, halved lengthwise and each half cut in 2-inch wedges

2 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cored, seeded, and each half cut in 2-inch wedges

2 large yellow or orange bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cored, seeded, and each half cut in

2-inch wedges

8 large garlic cloves, smashed and skins removed

2 large whole bay leaves (preferably fresh)

2 cups dry red wine such as Valpolicella, Merlot, or Cabernet (about)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Dredge lamb, a few pieces at a time, by shaking in a large plastic zipper bag with seasoned flour and set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large heavy nonreactive Dutch oven over moderately high heat until ripples appear on pan bottom--1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

4. Add prosciutto and stir-fry until lightly browned--2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop to paper toweling to drain.

5. Brown dredged lamb in several batches in oil, allowing 8 to 10 minutes per batch and lifting each to a bowl as it browns.

6. Add onions, red and yellow bell peppers, garlic, and bay leaves to pot and sauté, stirring often, until limp--about 5 minutes. Return prosciutto and lamb to pot along with accumulated juices, add wine, and bring to a boil.

7. Cover, slide onto middle oven shelf, and braise until lamb is fork-tender--about 2 hours. Check pot now and then and if liquid seems skimpy, add a little more wine. Discard bay leaves, taste for salt and pepper, and adjust as needed.

8. Serve hot with boiled brown or white rice, buttered broad noodles, or boiled or mashed potatoes. I even like this stew ladled over baked sweet potatoes, halved and plumped.

Makes 6 Servings

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE ART OF THE BUTCHER?

2011-04-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

A shoulder of lamb

I recently watched the great Jamie Oliver braise a shoulder of lamb from his TV series and companion cookbook, JAMIE AT HOME (Hyperion) that looked so good, I was dying to make it myself. Having lived in New York City for many years, I was used to being able to buy meat in any form I liked--whenever I liked, at a variety of places, supermarket, butcher, specialty shop, etc. But it's not so easy to find this economical cut of meat in this very food-trendy city. In fact the meat aisles at supermarkets in Portland these days pretty much stick to the tried and true--lots of beef and pork, with little in the way of lamb and veal. Turkey parts, excellent for stock are rarely to be seen at Fred Meyer or Safeway. Chicken wings are also difficult to find fresh, though you see lots of "drumettes", which have become popular for Buffalo Chicken Wings.

Lamb shoulder chop

A fully cooked lamb shank--heaven on a plate

Lamb seems to exist outside of New York only in cryovac plastic or at expensive grocers. Portland, has few first rate butchers that can order a lamb shoulder or any other specialty cuts not found in local supermarkets by special order. At Gardner's one of the city's most popular butchers, they sell top quality steaks, roasts, and other tender, in-demand cuts such as veal shanks, but if you want a lamb shoulder you must buy it in a box of six (the average lamb shoulder can be five to seven pounds)--not very practical. Trader Joe's here sells New Zealand racks of lamb frozen. What little fresh lamb they have is processed much like supermarket meat and is also expensive. You'll see boneless leg of lamb in supermarkets and sometimes in shank form--again, in plastic. It's difficult to find flavorful shoulder lamb chops in supermarkets, and ground lamb is difficult to find as well. New Seasons, Zupan's and Whole Foods do stock these items, but you'll pay dearly for them. Costco offers only boneless leg of lamb shrink-wrapped and fancy lamb loin chops.

Breast of veal

Ground lamb, shoulder lamb chops, and shanks were a fixture of my childhood meals. My mother braised lamb shoulder for stew, and Sheperd's Pie. A leg of lamb was reserved for Christmas or Easter dinner. In my teens flank steak, knockwurst, oven-fried chicken, rabbit (why do we resist this delicious meat?), meatloaf, spaghetti and meat sauce (as well as a baked American version), beef stew, roast chicken, chili, and the like, was our daily fare. My mother had the only kids who would cheerfully eat calves liver and relished it. We rarely ate grilled steak and never chicken parts. She cut up whole chickens for her meals including chicken and dumplings. Boiled beef with homemade noodles, was comprised of inexpensive cuts of beef long simmered. In California, butchers cut the chuck blade in thick slabs on the bone and we at it braised in one piece with onions, carrots, potatoes and peas (I was shocked to find thin bony versions of this cut when I moved to New York in my early 20s). My mother raised four boys with no father and only her income to keep a roof over our heads. There wasn't any spare money to lavish on the kinds of boring tender and boneless cuts of meat that you see in today's markets.

A chuck blade steak

Maybe we're too far removed from the farm. Americans bland diets will adventurously try every hot and spicy sauce that comes on the market, but get very squeamish about about anything meat that smacks of offal. And now that chefs have co-opted all those delicious cheap cuts--veal and lamb shanks, flank steak, hangar steak, skirt steak, beef, veal, pork and lamb shoulder (and thus ramping up the price at the supermarket checkout), it's as if we've retreated even further towards the really expensive steaks, filet mignon, rib eye and Porterhouse steaks, veal rib and loin chops, lamb loin chops and and pork tenderloin. It's good for a restaurant's bottom line, but is it good for ours? A pork loin roast, with crispy fat on it's surface was a well-loved Sunday supper entree. But the fat police interfered, pigs lost much of the fat that made them taste so good, and so today's supermarket roast pork lacks fat marbling and isn't as tender as it once was.

But back to butchering. I've been hearing that butchering is the hot new career in food. I've yet to see it really take hold. Maybe there's not enough money in it. When I was a kid, there were butcher shops in every neighborhood. I have vivid memories of covered farmer's markets in the center of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the vendors stalls overflowed with locally produced meat and dairy products, vegetables, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. Later when we moved to San Francisco, it was a big deal to go downtown where there were these specialty markets packed with fresh, local, delicious food. The meat for sale looked amazing, and the variety was overwhelming. About the only butchering development that has captured my imagination is sausage. In Portland, the city is awash in fabulous sausage. Otto's, Sheridan Meat and Fruit, and Edelweiss are just three local markets that make their own sausage and elevated the art in the process. Of course, we're surrounded by chicken sausage, but it's a small price to pay.

Let's hope there's a return to great butchering soon. We certainly have a lot of cookbooks with recipes for these nearly forgotten but recovered recipes. We long overdue to start cooking them again.

JULIA CHILD & AVIS DE VOTO: AN ENTHRALLING LONG-DISTANCE FRIENDSHIP IN LETTERS

2011-03-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

One of the most enduring relationships of my adult life was sustained for years through letters. Stephanie von Buchau, was a popular freelance cultural critic who wrote reviews of opera and dance for San Francisco Magazine, The Oakland Tribune, the Pacific Sun and many other Bay Area publications, and was the San Francisco correspondent for Opera News for more than twenty five years. I admired her observant eye and acerbic pen as a high-schooler, and as an adult, we cemented our friendship over a memorable four-hour lunch. We remained close friends until her death nearly thirty years later. A long, chatty and funny letter arrived to thank me for lunch when I returned to New York. It would be the first of hundreds. Hers were deeply personal, often contentious, full of insight--always funny, and endearing. Even when Stephanie's exasperated editors forced her to do her work on a computer, our correspondence continued on the Internet and tended to be long and intricate. She passed away seven or eight years ago, and I miss her every day. She wouldn't have understood Facebook or Twitter where communication is minimal. She had the chops to write about culture, politics, dance, sports, movie, opera, symphonic and chamber music, rock music, books and food and she never lacked an opinion on most subjects. I truly believe those letters made me want to be a better writer and exerted a profound influence on my own work. I will cherish the many I saved forever.

I say this as I write about AS ALWAYS, JULIA: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto, edited by Joan Reardon (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; $26.00; ISBN: 978-0-547-41771-4), a collection of the letters between Julia Child and Avis DeVoto, that charts the long and often tortured odyssey Julia Child endured in getting Mastering the Art of French Cooking published in America. The book also reveals one of the most remarkable relationships between a cooking icon in chrysalis and a hugely sympathetic, funny, and frank woman who recognized Child's talent early on, and had the publishing connections and the self-confidence to nurture, support and help steer Child through the process of having her book published.

Avis DeVoto was married to the popular historian and columnist Bernard DeVoto. Avis, a book reviewer and avid cook, also handled her husband's correspondence. DeVoto had written an article about the poor quality of the American kitchen knife, and Child, who was residing in Paris at the time, sent him a French knife. Avis sent a thank you note and a great correspondence was launched. Julia Child was already involved in the writing of a French cookbook for the American market, and she confided in Avis about the project. Avis was enthusiastic from the beginning, establishing a trust between them. Avis would be Julia's eyes and ears about the book, about the U.S. publishing scene, ingredients readily available in U.S. markets which could be used in her recipes, becoming a valued sounding board with whom Mrs. Child could share opinions and feelings about politics, marriage, and a host of other subjects- that make for fascinating reading.

In the early 50s, for instance, Avis didn't seem to mind not having a dishwasher. She had a part-time housekeeper. Julia could acquire frozen vegetables at the French embassy commissary in Paris, and she liked their convenience, but she abhorred frozen chicken, which she condemned as "absolutely awful and tasteless and stringy." Julia is full of admiration for the classic all-purpose American cookbook, Joy of Cooking. "I adored it, and always have. It is a wonderful book...Somehow, old Mrs. Joy's personality shines through her recipes too." Julia worried about finding herbs to use in the preparations of her recipes. Avis was used to not having them. Julia even sent her shallots from France, which were virtually unknown in American markets of that dark culinary era.

Both women were Democrats and politically at odds with the Truman/Eisenhower 50s-era cold-war politics, the Korean War and the creepy communist witch hunts that characterized McCarthyism "I hate to think what this McCarthy thing is doing to our shreds of prestige in Europe, especially in England," wrote Avis with concern. Because Julia's husband, Paul was stationed in Paris working for the diplomatic corps, Avis cautioned, "The only other thing that is important right now is that I must warn you to be careful about what you say about McCarthy. B. and I can say what we damn well please, and we do. But Paul has a job. And he could lose it."

The heart and center of AS ALWAYS, JULIA is the long gestation of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Julia endures the highs and lows of seeing her great masterpiece see the light of printed day. Avis is with her all the way, as Julia leaves her beloved Paris for a posting in Marseilles, and then to Bonn and their final European assignment in Oslo before returning to the United States. Julia continues to work refining the book while absorbing Houghton Mifflin's rejection. Avis supports her friend via their correspondence. Back in the United States, the Childs settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and awaited the inevitable publication of the cookbook, by Alfred Knopf, and eventual TV series that would start a revolution in cooking in America and make Julia Child an authentic American icon.

Shrewdly edited by Joan Reardon, a culinary historian, cookbook author and biographer, AS ALWAYS JULIA takes the reader into the epicenter of a great friendship between two talented and sympathetic women who took an incredible journey together in that pre-computer, Internet, cellphone, fax and social network era. It just might encourage you to begin a your own life-altering correspondence.

THE COOKING CHANNEL: SO FAR, SO GOOD

2011-03-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

The Food Network has redeemed it self by creating The Cooking Channel. Here a fresh line-up of wonderful, real cooking programming and not a bunch of of what Anthony Bourdain recently described in his book, RAW, as "cynical, fake-ass, soul-destroying, lowest-common denominator shit shows," as one of the dreariest destinations on your remote control. For the time being we don't get the endlessly boring and old line-up of Giada, Rachael, Ina, Paula, Sandra or the tacky shows on how to make candy corn or the even worse shows about competitive cake baking (no more cupcakes contests, please) or the ubiquitous Guy Fieri and his unhealthy Diners, Drives and Drive-Ins. The Cooking Channel features the original Iron Chef, but even that can be ignored. All that has been blessedly jettisoned on The Cooking Channel.

Instead we can celebrate the return of Jamie Oliver. Other than Lydia Bastianich, there is no better cook on TV than Jamie. He's got his old Jamie at Home series plus his new hour-long Jamie's Food Escapes, where we can watch him on his food travels around the world. The original Naked Chef has grown up to be one of the most compelling food personalities on television. Nigella Lawson has a new show where we can admire her voluptuous personality as she effortlessly cooks for her family and friends in an atmosphere of cozy tranquility. Laura Calder is the effortless host of French Food at Home, where this attractive and accomplished cook presents delicious French food in a low-key but authoritative manner. There's a divinely zany new program called Bitchin' Kitchen, starring the hilariously wacky Nadia G. With her over-the-top fashion sense, downtown vibe and commanding culinary abilities, plus several equally bizarre off-set contributors. Nadia G is both a life guru and therapist for our times. Her rants and riffs on dating, dumping your boyfriend, or dealing with his mother are far more entertaining than watching another show about cupcakes. I like Chuck Hughes, host of Chuck's Day Off. The actress Debi Mazar and her Italian husband, Gabriele Corcos, make marriage so much fun, as they live out their culinary and marital lives in Extra Virgin.

How wonderful to have Two Fat Ladies back on TV. Jennifer Patterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright gleefully jumped into their two-person motorcycle and travelled all over the UK in search of culinary adventure. It was always fun, outrageous and instructive to see these two unglamorous, mature, but ever-so-entertaining ladies show us how to cook great food without fuss and with loads of humor. They always closed the show with a cocktail or glass of wine, and deep sense of satisfaction that they had given their best. They did Welcome back, Ladies! Ditto Sara Moulton on her good show, Sara's Secrets (though strong, it lacked the panache of her Cooking Live series). Why this wonderful food personality isn't on TV is a mystery to me.

Rachael Ray has a new show, Week In a Day, which I have yet to see. Nor have I tuned into Hungry Girl, brunch at Bobby's, Chinese Food Made Easy, Indian Food Made Easy, Spice Goddess or Kelly's Essentials. I'm looking forward to tuning into Mark Bittman's new program, and Unique Eats is a lot of fun in its very unhealthy way. I want to go to that restaurant the specializes in fried chicken or meatballs.

But I can do without Mo Rocca lolling on furniture like some demented pin-up model as he narrates a show called Food(Ography). There's something smug and a bit above it all in Rocca's delivery and in two shows he completely wore out his welcome with me. Don't that this deter you from checking into this new food network that has restored interest in food shows for me. It's wonderful to see chefs back in the kitchen doing what they do best rather than a bunch of nobodies competing on the dreary Chopped or The Worst Cooks in America over on The Food Network. I don't expect to see this kind of programming enduring on The Cooking Channel, but while it's here, I'm at least grateful that there's programming for people who care more about food than show biz.

MR. SUNDAY'S SOUPS: A News Anchor's Wife Creates Her First Cookbook Which Finds Itself on The New York Times Besteller Lists

2011-03-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

Jennifer McCord, a regular guest contributor to StoveTopReadings.com falls in love with soup all over again with this new collection.

The weather here in the Northwest over this long and dreary winter has been an unpredictable mess of rain, snow, ice, hail—at times all mixed together. Partaking of food that comforts the soul, the cook and the eater makes a lot of good sense. We have been talking about food since the holidays and what makes us feel warm and cozy as the days feel long, cold and wet.

This reviewer remembers coming home after slogging along in the snow and cold from school to my mother’s homemade beef vegetable or minestrone soup. It warms me up just thinking of it. Lately my husband and I have decided to make an effort to add more soup to our meals. MR. SUNDAY’S SOUPS (Wiley trade paperback; $19.95; ISBN: 978-0-470-64022-7) by Lorraine Wallace is just the book for all the soup enthusiasts amongst us. Wallace, a talented home cook, is married to Fox Sunday News anchor, Chris Wallace. Lorraine turned to soup as a way of bringing her busy family together and every Sunday after her husband’s anchoring chores are over, he comes home and joins other members around the Wallace dining room table to enjoy his wife’s great soups. Wallace raves about Lorraine’s soups so much that he has earned an affectionate name among his colleagues at the show: Mr. Sunday Soups.

The recipes in this cookbook are delicious, but also affordable, healthy and easy. Lorraine Wallace offers varieties of soup and ingredients that can create simple or complex flavors. It was unusually difficult to pick out which soup to make as there are seventy-five choices and they all were ones I wanted to try. We will be turning to this cookbook often.

MR. SUNDAY’S SOUPS is user-friendly because it is divided into the seasons, making it easy to find fresh ingredients available locally. Each season features a list of Wallace family favorites. For the fall season, one that particularly drew me in was Minestrone and Arugula Salad Soup. It is chock full of vegetables including Great Northern beans and yet the soup is low in fat. After ladle the soup into the bowls you add fresh, spicy arugula and parsley that has been tossed with oil and lemon. Other recipes in this section feature squash, lentils, mushrooms and of course Chicken Noodle Soup. Winter season favorites include French Onion Soup, Hot-and-Sour Soup, Beef Barley Soup, and Lorraine’s more broth-heavy version of the classic French stew, now called Pot-au-Feau Soup. Spring offerings include Split Pea Soup and Salmon Chowder. But one I’m absolutely sure will become one of my favorites—Greek Lemon Soup, which is next on my list. Lorraine’s Summer selections are loaded with vegetables at their seasonal best, and I can’t wait to prepare Corn Chowder, Old-Fashioned Tomato Soup with Maple-Candied Bacon and Vineyard Clam Chowder. Lorraine ends the collection with two sections. Friends and Family Favorites, features recipes Lorraine gathered from travels, friends and family experiences. For instance there is the ‘21’ Club Chilled Senegalese Soup, a classic that has been on this legendary New York restaurant’s menu for decades. The soup includes, curry, apples, chicken, carrots, raisins, onions, cream and mango chutney. Four different takes on chili for the Game Day Favorites chapter with Buffalo Chili, a standout with white meant ground turkey, host sauce and blue cheese standing in for the famous chicken wings when family and friends get together to watch sports on TV. The last section is about how to make your own soup stock.

Recently as storm clouds announced the arrival of an approaching snowfall, my husband and I decided to try a soup from the Winter chapter—Green Kale and Kielbasa Soup. We were fortunate to have some kielbasa sausage from a local delicatessen and some fresh green and purple kale from the local farmer’s market. Murray had made some homemade chicken stock, which he had frozen. As the day became colder, we knew this soup would be wonderful for our evening meal. It was not as time consuming as some soups to make. You chop onions and garlic and sauté the onions and then garlic. Next came the potatoes that have been thinly sliced and sautéed, and then added to the stock. When the potatoes are tender, you mash some of them up into the broth, add the sausage, salt and pepper, cook for a few more minutes, adding chopped kale and simmering until the kale is wilted but still bright. A final taste for seasoning and the soup is ready to serve. The resulting soup was both colorful and tasty. We will surely make it again.

MR. SUNDAY’S SOUPS has abundant color photos of soup, but what separates the book from other soup collections is a gallery of Wallace family portraits at play, around the family table, at weddings, graduations, and vacations with Chris’s father, newsman Mike Wallace, and his mother, Mary and Lorraine’s mom, Kathy Leonard, and the family Labrador Retriever, Winston. Lorraine Wallace is making a big point about how gathering the family around meal times is an important part of maintaining the family dynamic. Soup is the vehicle that keeps Lorraine Wallace’s family coming back to the table.

Green Kale and Kielbasa Soup

Serves 6

This is a hearty, vitamin-rich soup that will satisfy the meat-and-potato lovers in your family, while also satisfying their nutritional need for fresh green vegetables during the dark days of winter. This tasty soup will stick to your loved ones’ bones and make them feel cherished and protected against the cold.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 large yellow onions, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 large russet potatoes (about 21/2 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced

2 quarts (8 cups) low-sodium chicken broth, homemade (page 230) or store-bought

2 pounds cooked turkey kielbasa sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch green kale, thick stems and ribs removed, leaves sliced thinly crosswise

Place a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.

Add the potatoes and toss to coat them evenly with the oil and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges have only just begun to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Using a potato masher or handheld immersion blender, puree the soup just slightly, leaving some of the potato slices intact.

Add the sausage, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover the pot and return the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to low so the soup simmers gently and cook for about 5 minutes more, just to heat the sausage through. Add the kale and cook the soup, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

Ladle into warm soup bowls or tall mugs and serve immediately.

Jennifer McCord made her first cake when she was nine years old. Even though the cake did not turn out as she expected, the experience began a life long love of cooking. She read M.F.K. Fisher in her late teens and decided to follow her advice. Cook with the cook whose food you have found delightful. Therefore, she has cooked with a host of cooks from bakers to restaurateurs following her palate and learning how to better her own cooking.

Jennifer has her own publishing consulting company where she operates as an editor, publishing management consultant and book packager. She and her husband Murray, live in Settle, Washington. Jennifer can be reached at www.jennifermccord.com.

ALL IN ONE POT

2011-01-20T22:09:00.000-08:00

We’re are the beginning of 2011 and most of us have staggered away from the orgy of Christmas cooking that overtakes us during the holidays. Most convenience-centered cooking flies right out of the window as we ambitiously prepare the time-consuming dishes we love. In our modern age, once the carnage of the holidays is past, the need to get real sends us back to reality. I’ve always been a big fan of quality short-cut or fast-cooking. For me it started with The 60-Minute Gourmet cookbooks by Pierre Franey some thirty years ago, but the genre has been extended and polished. Jacques Pepin, Rachael Ray, Martha Stewart and many others have been slicing away at the time it takes to put a meal on the table: 30-minutes, 20-minutes, 15-minutes. But there are others that are looking to be very selective about what short-cuts they will take while still delivering convenience and good taste, Sara Moulton accomplished this in her recently published Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners. Pam Anderson is the latest to capture my imagination, and her work deserves to be in every one's kitchen. This review was originally written by my guest reviewer, Jennifer McCord and then I made one of the recipes from the book and decided that we both would weigh in on it.

Cassoulet-Style Italian Sausages and White Beans

We recently looked through PERFECT ONE-DISH DINNERS: All You Need for Easy Get-Togethers (Hougton Miffin Harcourt; $32.00) by Pam Anderson, food columnist for USA Weekend, and the author of a number of bestselling cookbooks. Anderson’s latest has numerous kinds of one-dish recipes in a number of categories, including Stews for All Seasons, Worldly Casseroles, Roasting Pan Complete, Big Summer Salads and Grilled Platters. The author’s introduction explains how the idea was planted for this book. She was teaching a cooking class and an attendee raised her hand and said "I can make one dish just fine, but when I have to orchestrate the rest of the meal so it all comes out at just the right time, I get flustered." Anderson insists "that a memorable meal can be as simple as bringing out one beautifully complete dish at a time." She shows how to do this on a video that can be found when you search for the book on Amazon.com. Here Anderson puts together a Cassoulet-Style Italian Sausages and White Beans casserole in record-breaking time without breaking a sweat. In a large roasting pan, she combines Italian sweet sausage links, cherry tomatoes, one chopped onion, sliced garlic cloves, extra-virgin olive oil, a few drops of balsamic vinegar, some dried thyme, bay leaves, salt and freshly ground pepper, which she roasts in the oven. Ten minutes before the dish comes out of the oven, she adds a few cans of white beans and the dish is complete. You could sprinkle fresh bead crumbs toasted in some butter for a final touch, she suggests, but it’s an extra bit, and not part of the recipe. Fast, flavorful food doesn’t get any easier than this.

The meal Jennifer and her husband, Murray, choose is called Tamale Pie. “It made me think about the first time I tasted a Tamale Pie,” relates Jennifer. “I was in junior high and my mother was trying out new casserole recipes. This casserole passed the test and we were very fond of the dish for years. This was the kind of dish that could be taken to church suppers or get-togethers with family and friends such as Campfire Girl end-of-year suppers. Tamale Pie was one of the first dishes that I made for my husband after we were first married.”

Tamale Pie

“Reading about Tamale Pie in PERFECT ONE-DISH DINNERS brought back such fond memories. It was easy to compile the ingredients and begin cooking. As we added the chili powder, cilantro, pinto beans, green chilies and salsa it looked and smelled so enticing. We spread the corn meal mush over the top of the cast iron frying pan and sprinkled on the cheese and cilantro. The pan went into the oven that was set on broil. We snuck peaks and then waited for it to be done. The dish came out looking golden brown. We waited the recommended five minutes and then dished it up in bowls. It was the perfect evening supper for a rainy night. I gave some to a friend of mine who stopped by to take home. She has already called and asked for the recipe. There is nothing better than a hot, flavorful meal on a Sunday evening before the next week begins. We plan to make this again soon.”

PERFECT ONE-DISH DINNERS works wonderfully well for family dinners and for company. The six veal shanks called for in Osso Bucco with Dirty Polenta, can add big bucks to the cost of a meal, but Rioja Beef with Chickpeas, Peppers and Saffron or Coq au Vin Blanc with Spring Vegetables, are affordable, easy and deliver a flavorful punch when eating in or serving guests. Each one-dish meal offers appetizer, salad and dessert options--all of them easy to prepare and comes with a wine recommendation. This is a book that takes the stress out of producing a multi-course, multi-dish meals worthy of standing ovations.

Cassoulet-Style Italian Sausages and White Beans

Serves 8

If there’s time, sprinkle buttered bread crumbs over each plated portion for a nice touch. Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Toss 2 cups fresh bread crumbs (made in the food processor from a good European-style loaf) with 2 tablespoons melted butter and a light sprinkling of salt. Add the crumbs to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Stored in the refrigerator and warmed on the stovetop or in the microwave, this dish means instant dinner later in the week.

2½ pounds sweet Italian sausage links

3 pints cherry tomatoes

1 medium-large onion, cut into 1½-inch chunks

4 large garlic cloves, sliced

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons dried thyme

3 bay leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cans (about 16 ounces each) white beans, undrained

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix sausages, tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, thyme, bay leaves, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper in a large heavy roasting pan. Set pan in oven and roast until sausages are brown and tomatoes have reduced to a thick sauce, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in beans, and continue to cook until casserole has heated through, about 10 minutes longer. Serve.

Drink An earthy, full-flavored Languedoc or Grenache

Tamale Pie

Serves 6

You can use ground beef or even meat-loaf mix in place of the turkey. Onion lovers, sprinkle the casserole with ½ thinly sliced red onion along with the cheese and cilantro. You can make the tamale pie a day ahead, including topping it with the cornmeal mush. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the pie to prevent a skin from forming. An hour or so before serving, adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap, top the pie with cheese, cover with heavy-duty foil, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the cilantro and the red onion, if you like, then follow the broiling and resting instructions in the recipe.

Any leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.

1½ pounds ground turkey (94% lean)

Salt

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chili powder, divided

1½ cans (about 16 ounces) pinto beans, undrained, ½ can mashed

1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chiles, undrained

2 cans (2.25 ounces each) sliced black olives, drained

1 jar (16 ounces) store-bought salsa (2 cups)

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup (8 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese

Adjust oven rack to middle position and turn on broiler. Heat a large (11- to 12-inch) deep skillet with an ovenproof handle over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, stirring frequently and seasoning lightly with salt, until it loses its raw color, a couple of minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons chili powder, then beans, chiles, olives, salsa, and ¼ cup cilantro and simmer to blend flavors, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 3 cups water, cornmeal, remaining 2 teaspoons chili powder, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, whisking frequently, until mixture thickens to mush. Pour cornmeal mush over hot meat mixture, spreading with a spatula to completely cover. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining ¼ cup cilantro. Broil until cheese melts and mush gets a little crusty, about 5 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Drink: A dry rosé or beer