Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook - Hardcover

Garten, Ina

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0804187045 ISBN 13: 9780804187046

Publisher: Clarkson Potter, 2018

Synopsis

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Cook with confidence no matter how much experience you have in the kitchen with the help of the beloved Food Network star
 
“Garten has kicked things up a level, this time encouraging readers to try more ambitious recipes that are still signature Ina: warm, comforting, homey.”—Chicago Tribune
 
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • Food Network • Food & Wine • PopSugar • The Atlanta Journal-Constitution • Country Living • The Feast • Eater • The Kitchn • Delish
 
In this collection of foolproof recipes, Ina brings readers’ cooking know-how to the next level by answering questions, teaching techniques, and explaining her process right in the margin of each recipe—it’s as if she’s in the kitchen by your side guiding you through the recipe. When you make her Cauliflower Toasts with prosciutto and Gruyère, she shows you the best way to cut a cauliflower into perfect florets without getting them all over the kitchen (from the stem end, with the head turned upside-down!) and when making her Red Wine–Braised Short Ribs, Ina shares a fantastic tip for keeping your stovetop clean (roast the short ribs in the oven rather than browning them in a pan on the stove!). You’ll discover dozens more ingenious tips and shortcuts throughout, such as how to set up an elegant home bar, how to peel two heads of garlic quickly, how to use a paring knife to create a pro-worthy pattern on her decadent Chocolate Chevron Cake, and the key to making unbelievably creamy Truffled Scrambled Eggs (add the eggs to the skillet before the butter melts—who knew?!).
 
Both beginners and advanced cooks will love this book filled with new dishes that will become part of your repertoire and practical cooking advice that will give you more confidence in the kitchen. Your friends and family will be so impressed!

About this title

About the Author

INA GARTEN is a New York Times bestselling author and the James Beard Award-winning host of Barefoot Contessa, which has won an Emmy Award and airs on Food Network. She lives in East Hampton, New York, with her husband, Jeffrey. This is her eleventh book.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Crispy Mustard Chicken & Frisee

Serves 4

This is a great summer dinner! I love the interplay of hot and cold—the crispy chicken and roasted fingerling potatoes with the slightly bitter greens and mustard vinaigrette. This hits all the right notes for me.

2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup good Dijon mustard
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 large)
1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
12 ounces baby frisée or chicory salad greens (see tip)
Mustard Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Pro tip: Vinaigrette won't cling to wet lettuce. Wash and thoroughly spin-dry greens before dressing them.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the garlic is finely minced. Add the panko, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the butter and pulse a few times to moisten the panko. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the mustard and wine.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Dip each piece first in the mustard mixture to coat the top and bottom and then coat the skin side only in the crumb mixture, pressing gently to make the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken on one side of a sheet pan, crumb side up, and press any remaining crumbs onto the chicken.

Place the potatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and toss. Spread the potatoes on the other side of the sheet pan in one layer and roast both together for 40 to 50 minutes, turning the potatoes once during roasting, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. The chicken and potatoes should be done at the same time.

Meanwhile, place the greens on a serving platter. When the chicken and potatoes are done, toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to moisten and place the chicken and potatoes on top, adding any crumbs from the sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt and serve while the chicken and potatoes are still warm.

Mustard Vinaigrette
Makes 3/4 cup
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 tablespoon good Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the shallots, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl and whisk until emulsified.

Pro tip: To cut onions or shallots neatly, cut them in half and peel them, leaving the root end intact before slicing, chopping, or mincing. Otherwise, you’ll have onions all over your cutting board!

Edition details

• Publisher: Clarkson Potter
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0804187045
• ISBN 13: 9780804187046
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272