INGREDIENTS
- special equipment: a chestnut knife and protective gloves
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F.
Make a large X with a chestnut knifeor sharp paring knife on flat side of each chestnut through the shell but not the meat. Soak chestnuts in a bowl of warm water to cover by 2 inches for 15 minutes, then drain well. Roast in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until shell curls away at X mark, about 15 minutes. Wearing protective gloves, peel away shells from chestnuts while still hot. Blanch chestnuts in boiling water 2 minutes and drain.Rub in a kitchen towel to remove skins.
Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr
Makes about 3 1/2 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, cut into1-tablespoon pieces
1 lb chicken livers, trimmed and rinsed
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons brandyaccompaniment: baguette slices oven-toasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cook onion in 4 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in livers, curry powder, paprika, salt, and pepper and cook, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until livers are barely pink inside, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add brandy.
Pur
e warm mixture in a food processor with remaining butter until smooth. Pour into a 3 1/2-cup terrine and cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
Cooks’ note:
• Pâté is best the day after it’s made and keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week.
Makes about 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 pita bread rounds
-
salt, cumin, and chili powder, to taste
-
salt and madras curry powder, to taste
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Split 3 whole pita breads into 6 rounds. Stack and cut into 6 wedges. Spread wedges in single layer on baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Season chips with salt and Madras curry powder.
Involtini di Manzo
Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min
Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2lb fresh plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 2large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 1/4teaspoon salt
- 1/4teaspoon black pepper
- 4 1/2tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3cup pitted green olives, chopped
- 1tablespoon drained bottled capers, chopped
- 4tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/4cup fresh bread crumbs from an italian loaf
- 2/3oz finely grated parmigiano-reggiano (1/3 cup)4tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2(1/2-lb) pieces boneless beef top round (1/4 inch thick)special equipment: kitchen string
DIRECTIONS Make tomato sauce:
Cook tomatoes with garlic, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in 2 tablespoons oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down and sauce is thickened, 8 to 12 minutes.
Make filling:
While tomatoes are cooking, pulse olives, capers, and 2 tablespoons pine nuts in a food processor until coarsely chopped and transfer to a bowl. Stir in bread crumbs, cheese, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1 tablespoon oil, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Pulse tomato sauce in cleaned processor until coarsely puréed, then return to saucepan and keep warm.
Make beef rolls:
Pound meat between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin until 1/8 inch thick, then cut each piece in half crosswise. Sprinkle 1 piece of beef evenly with one fourth of filling. Starting with a long side, roll up beef, then tie in 3 places with kitchen string. Season beef roll well with salt and pepper. Make 3 more rolls with remaining beef and filling. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until just beginning to smoke, then cook beef rolls, turning, until well browned on outside, 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare. Let beef stand 5 minutes. Cut off kitchen string and halve each roll diagonally.
Spoon sauce onto 4 plates, then top with beef and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons each of pine nuts and parsley.
Wild striped bass is an incredible delicacy on the order of wild king salmon. To complement its robust flavor and steak-like texture, we serve it with a beautiful and aggressive squid vinaigrette. This is not a dish for people who are on the fence about eating fish.
Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound cleaned calamari tentacles or cuttlefish tentacles
-
4 large leeks, whites only, cleaned and cut into 5-inch lengths
-
9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
-
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
-
4 6-ounce wild striped bass fillets, skinned
-
1/4 cup dry white wine
-
juice and zest of 1 lemon
-
2 packets (2 tablespoons) of squid ink
-
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
DIRECTIONS 1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and set up an ice bath nearby. Plunge the calamari into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the calamari with a slotted spoon or strainer and immediately plunge it into the ice bath. Allow it to cool for 1 minute, then drain and set aside. Blanch the leeks in the same water for 8 to 9 minutes, until just tender. Refresh in the ice bath, then cut in half lengthwise.
2. Preheat the grill or broiler. Brush the leek halves with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil the leeks, cut side toward the heat, until charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Resist the temptation to move them more than once.
3. In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until smoking. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and cook, skin side down, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the flesh is crispy and moves easily without tearing.
4. While the fish cooks, combine the wine, lemon juice, and squid ink in another sauté pan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the mustard, then the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and add the calamari. Keep warm.
5. Turn the fish over and add the leeks to the pan. Cook the fish on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes and heat the leeks through. Place two leeks in the center of each of four warmed plates. Place one fillet atop each bed of leeks, flesh side up. Drizzle each fillet with some of the squid vinaigrette and garnish with the tentacles and lemon zest. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 loaves.
INGREDIENTS
- yellow cornmeal
- 1 1/4cups buttermilk
- 1/4cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 3cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1teaspoon baking soda
- 1teaspoon baking powder
- 1cup raisins
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil large baking sheet; sprinkle with cornmeal. Whisk buttermilk, molasses and oil in medium bowl. Stir in oats; set aside. Mix next 6 ingredients in large bowl. Make well in center. Add buttermilk mixture and raisins. Stir until dough comes together (it will be moist). Let stand 5 minutes.
Lightly flour work surface. Scoop half of dough onto surface; knead gently just until no longer sticky, about 30 seconds. Shape into 4 1/2-inch-diameter ball. Repeat with remaining dough. Place loaves on baking sheet, spacing evenly. Using sharp serrated knife, make 2 parallel slashes atop each loaf, about 3/4 inch deep.
Bake loaves 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F. Bake until dark and crusty and loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 25 minutes. Transfer loaves to rack; cool completely. (Can be made 8 hours ahead.)
Wong uses Fontina cheese and includes a slice of foie gras in each of these improbably luxurious grilled cheese sandwiches. At the restaurant, they are served with a Martini glass filled with swirled, chilled red
and yellow tomato soups that the waiter instructs you to down in one gulp. Salud!
Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 5 1/2 hr
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter
8 (1/4-inch-thick) baguetteslices
4 thin slices mozzarella or swedish fontina
4 rounded tablespoons
kalua pig
accompaniment: chilledtomato soups
DIRECTIONS
Butter 1 side of each baguette slice and sandwich 1 slice each of cheese and some pork between unbuttered sides to make 4 sandwiches. Grill sandwiches in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat until golden and cheese is melted, about 1 minute on each side.
Ribbons of soft coconut stand in for noodles in this version of the popular Thai dish.
Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- almond-chile sauce
- 1/2cup raw almond butter*
- 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1tablespoon soy sauce
- 1tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 1tablespoon minced serrano chile with seeds
- 1to 2 tablespoons watertamarind vinaigrette
- 1/27-ounce block tamarind with seeds**
- 2tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2tablespoons soy sauce
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2teaspoons minced peeled fresh gingerpad thai
- 1cup (packed) very thinly sliced napa cabbage
- 1/2cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1teaspoon fresh lime juice2large young thai coconuts (also called white coconuts), outside husk cut away, cracked open with hammer, drained1 1/2cups matchstick-size strips peeled carrots (from 2 large)
- 1cup matchstick-size strips red bell pepper
- 1cup mung bean sprouts
- 1/2cup matchstick-size strips seeded english hothouse cucumber
- 1/4cup slivered fresh basilfresh cilantro sprigs
DIRECTIONS For almond-chile sauce:
Combine all ingredients except water in blender or processor. Puree until smooth. Thin with water by tablespoonfuls, as desired. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
For tamarind vinaigrette:
Combine tamarind and enough hot water to cover in medium bowl. Let stand until pulp softens, breaking apart occasionally with fork, about 1 hour. Using slotted spoon, transfer tamarind pulp to sieve set over bowl. Press pulp through sieve, leaving seeds behind. Measure 6 tablespoons pulp into medium bowl (discard remaining pulp). Whisk in remaining 4 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
For pad thai:
Combine cabbage, cilantro, and lime juice in small bowl; toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and let stand 30 minutes.
Using small heavy knife, pry large pieces of soft coconut meat out of shells. Slice coconut very thinly into 2- to 3-inch-long strips.
Combine carrots, red bell pepper, bean sprouts, cucumber, and basil in large bowl. Toss with just enough almond-chile sauce to coat lightly.
Arrange 1/4 of cabbage mixture on each of 4 plates. Top with coconut and mixed vegetables. Drizzle tamarind vinaigrette and more almond-chile sauce over, if desired. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.
*Available at natural foods stores.
**Tamarind is a legume with large brown seedpods. The pulp is used in Indian, Thai, Caribbean, and Latin American cooking. The pulp is sold in block form and is available at Indian markets.
Called bianca, or “white,” because they are sauceless, these crispy pizzas are the essence of clean flavor. The toppings are added after the crusts come out of the oven, melting the cheese slightly. This recipe makes two round pizzas or four rectangular ones.
Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 210-ounce cans refrigerated pizza dough
- 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 16thin slices prosciutto (about 6 ounces)
- 2cups (packed) arugula leaves
- 2cups fresh parmesan shavings (about 4 ounces)
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 500°F. Flour 2 large baking sheets. Unroll each pizza dough on work surface.
To make round pizzas: Cut corners off dough, forming total of two 10-inch rounds. To make rectangular pizzas: Cut each crosswise in half to make total of four 8×5-inch rectangles.
Arrange on prepared sheets. Drizzle each round pizza with 1 tablespoon olive oil or each rectangular pizza with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Bake until crusts are brown, about 8 minutes. Using metal spatula, loosen crusts from baking sheets. Cut round pizzas in half. Transfer pizza crusts to plates. Top each with prosciutto, arugula, and Parmesan, dividing equally. Drizzle each with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and serve immediately.
Bulgogi
This popular dish can be found on the menu at virtually every Korean restaurant in Manhattan. The beef is topped with various accompaniments such as a few raw garlic slices, kimchi (assorted spicy pickles), and steamed white rice, then wrapped in lettuce and eaten with your hands.
Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min
Makes 4 main-course servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4cup soy sauce
- 1tablespoon sugar
- 2teaspoons asian sesame oil
- 1bunch scallions (white and pale green parts separated from greens), minced (1/2 cup)
- 1tablespoon minced garlic
- 1tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 3tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- 1lb flank steak, cut across the grain into very thin slices (no more than 1/8 inch thick)
- 1tablespoon vegetable oilaccompaniments:butter lettuce or other soft-leaf lettuce; thinly sliced garlic; packaged kimchi*; steamed white rice
DIRECTIONS Stir together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, white and pale green scallions, garlic, ginger, and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add steak and toss to coat, then marinate 15 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking, then add steak in 1 layer and sauté, turning over occasionally, until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with scallion greens and remaining 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, then serve with accompaniments.
*Available at Asian markets and many supermarkets.
