The Way We Cook: Recipes from the New American Kitchen - Hardcover

Julian, Sheryl; Riven, Julie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0618171495 ISBN 13: 9780618171491

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2003

Synopsis

The weekly food columnists for the Boston Globe present 250 simple recipes that reflect American food tastes and lifestyle today, in a collection that includes such options as Chicken Roasted on a Bed of Apples and Warm Gingerbread Cake with Blueberries.

About this title

About the Authors

No Bio

No Bio

Reviews

Julian and Riven, cooking columnists for the Boston Globe, promise their book to be uncomplicated and practical while at the same time elegant and informed-and they more than live up to their promise. "We aren't restaurateurs and we don't think people at home, taking times from their busy lives, should pretend to be either," they tell the reader, and say they've written a book the average American household can really use. Filled with simple recipes for the modern kitchen, the book offers enthusiastic introductions to each dish, and the recipes, which are written in a warm, mentoring tone, have ample guidelines and helpful tips. The authors shed light on cooking the Roast Pork Tenderloins with Caramelized Onions: "Pork is safe-and quite good-cooked until it is pink, not grayish-white like everyone did years ago." The suggestions for variations on any recipe are novel without being showy: for Chicken Pot Pie with Rich Pastry, they recommend a Salmon and Mushroom Pot Pie variation, which instructs the cook to simply halve the pastry recipe. The photographs that accompany the recipes are simple and instructive. Sections, aptly named "When You're in a Rush," "Good Enough for Company" and "If You Like to Bake," make choosing the right recipe a snap. Reminiscent of that 1980s standby, The Silver Palate, Julian and Riven's cookbook is innovative enough to be inspiring but familiar enough not to strike fear in the heart of the average cook.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Summer Tomato Soup In Teacups

When tomatoes are so ripe that they barely need anything besides salt, we
cook them in a pot with a few herbs and work them through a food mill.
What results is the most glorious summer soup. Ladle it into teacups for
guests to sip hot. We often make this soup in large quantities and freeze it
for winter.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 1/2–4 pounds (6 large) ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Large handful fresh herbs on their sprigs (thyme, basil, rosemary)
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Pinch of sugar

In a large, flameproof casserole, heat the oil and add the tomatoes, salt,
and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until
the tomatoes begin to release their juices.
Add the herbs and red pepper. Bring to a boil. (If the tomatoes are
not very ripe, add 1/2 cup water and a pinch of sugar to the pan.) Turn the
heat to low and cook the tomatoes for 15 minutes, or until they collapse
completely.
Transfer the mixture, a little at a time, to a food mill set over a
large bowl. Puree the tomatoes. Return the puree to the pan and heat it just
until boiling. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and black pepper, if you
like. Ladle it into teacups and serve at once.

Corn and Pasta Salad

For years this has been Sheryl"s potluck offering. Fresh corn and tiny pasta
shells are tossed with red bell pepper and red onion, lots of fresh herbs, and
a cider vinaigrette. Make it with the smallest pasta shells you can find
because as you stir the salad, something miraculous happens: the corn
kernels manage to tuck themselves inside the shells. People will think that
you"ve placed each one there yourself.

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
2 cups tiny pasta shells
8 ears fresh corn, kernels removed from the cobs (see page 113)
1/4 cup cider vinegar, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup canola oil
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, and add 1 tablespoon of the salt.
Add the pasta shells, and when the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat
to medium-high and simmer for 6 minutes. Add the corn and cook for 2
minutes more, or until the pasta is tender but still has some bite.
Drain in a colander, shaking it to remove the excess moisture.
Transfer the shells and corn to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, remaining
1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil in a slow, steady
stream, until the dressing emulsifies. Pour the dressing over the warm
pasta and stir gently to coat the shells.
Add the bell pepper, onion, scallions, parsley, and oregano. Add
more salt and pepper and another splash of vinegar, if you like.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour for the
flavors to mellow before serving.

To Remove Corn Kernels from the Cob

Shuck the corn and lay an ear on a cutting board. Hold it firmly in place
with one hand. Using a small, sharp knife, cut off several rows of kernels,
pulling the knife from the pointed end of the corn to the stalk end. Keep
turning the cob until all the kernels have been cut from it. Use the cut kernels
within several hours.

Herb-Roasted Flattened Chicken

A whole bird that has been split and flattened cooks almost as quickly as
parts but retains the irresistible juiciness of good roast chicken.
Unfortunately, supermarket butchers won"t split it for you, but you can do
so yourself at home (see page 193). You can brine the chicken (see page
167), if you like. Otherwise, roast it with a mustard and herb paste slipped
between the skin and flesh. Serve with Roasted Onion Wedges (page 266),
Crusty Smashed Potatoes (page 260), or Winter Squashes Roasted in
Chunks (page 270).

2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 3–3 1/2-pound chicken, backbone removed and flattened (see page 193)

Juice of 1 lemon

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, oil, rosemary, thyme, salt,
and pepper.
Place the chicken in a roasting pan, skin side up. Create a space
between the skin and flesh of the chicken by gently inserting your finger
under the skin at the neck end and working it away from the flesh. Spoon
half of the mustard mixture between the skin and flesh, beginning at the neck
and moving along the breast and thigh, then rub the remaining mixture onto
the skin. (If preparing in advance, cover the chicken loosely with plastic wrap
and refrigerate it for 4 hours or up to overnight.)
Set the oven at 400 degrees.
Place the chicken, skin side up, in a roasting pan. Tuck the ends
of the wings under the bird. Bend the legs up so the thighs sit high on the
breast and protect the bottom of the breast from drying out.
Roast the chicken for 50 to 60 minutes, or until an instant-read
thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170
degrees. Set in a warm place for 5 minutes.
With poultry shears, cut the chicken into 10 pieces (see page
194). Arrange them on a platter, sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.

To Flatten Chicken for Quick Roasting

Have on hand several sheets of paper towels, a paring knife, and poultry or
kitchen shears. Place a broiling or frying chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds) on a
cutting board, breast side down. With the shears, cut along either side of
the backbone and lift it out (top left). (Freeze it for making stock.) With paper
towels, wipe out the cavity, removing any soft pieces clinging to the edge
where the backbone was cut away. Trim off and discard the excess fat.
Place a hand on either side of the back where the backbone was,
then press down on the chicken so it opens and you can see the
breastbone (middle left). With the paring knife, make a 1/4-inch incision
through the cartilage just above the breastbone until you reach a deep red
diamond-shaped bone. Using your hands, fold the breasts toward each other
(you"ll fold the skin, too), so the reddish bone pops out. Lift the bone out with
your fingers (just keep wiggling if it"s stubborn; bottom left).

Blue Cheese Popovers

A little crumbled blue cheese folded into a popover batter becomes mellow
and gives the popovers a nice tang. If you have an extra muffin tin, use two
pans and fill every other indentation so each one has plenty of room to puff
up. But they work well in one pan, too. Serve them quickly. They go well
with Tenderloin of Beef with Red Wine Sauce (page 172).

4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crumbled Danish blue,
Maytag, or other blue cheese

Set the oven at 425 degrees. Butter a standard 12-muffin tin (or use two, if
you have them).
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer or by hand
for 2 minutes, until they are light and fluffy. Add the milk, flour, and salt and
beat for 30 seconds. Stir in the cheese.
Spoon or ladle the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 20
minutes.
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 15 to 20
minutes more, or until the popovers are golden brown and toasted. Do not
open the oven until the last few minutes, or you risk deflating the popovers.
Remove the popovers from the oven. Use a blunt knife to gently
ease them out of the tin. Serve at once.

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

The trick to a fudgy cake is to bake it just until the top is firm to the touch,
but not hard. It will still be moist inside if tested with a cake tester. As the
cake cools, the chocolate hardens again. This batter is enriched with sour
cream and flavored with light brown sugar.

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Set the oven at 350 degrees, with a rack in the center. Butter a 10-inch
Bundt pan thoroughly. Dust it with flour. Turn the pan upside down on the
counter and rap it hard once to remove the excess flour.
In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate in the water until the
mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and let sit until cool but still
liquid.
Cream the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until it is
soft and light. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, then the
chocolate.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, baking soda, and salt.
The mixture will begin to froth and bubble; work quickly.
With the mixer set on its lowest speed, add the flour to the batter
alternately with the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.
Pour the batter into the pan.
Bake for 55 minutes in the center of the oven, or until the cake
springs back when pressed gently with a fingertip and pulls away from the
sides. The cake will still be moist inside.
Remove from the oven and set the cake on a wire rack for 30
minutes. Turn it out of the pan onto the rack, set it right side up, and cool
completely before serving.

Copyright © 2003 by Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven. Reprinted by permission
of Houghton Mifflin Company.

Edition details

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0618171495
• ISBN 13: 9780618171491
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 388