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

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

"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

"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?

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

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

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

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.