Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

PAULA WOLFERT is an expert on Mediterranean food and the author of seven other cookbooks, including Mediterranean Cooking, The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen, and The Cooking of Southwest France. Her work has received the Julia Child Award, the M. F. K. Fisher Award, the James Beard Award, the Cook's Magazine Platinum Plate Award, and the Perigueux Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2008, the James Beard Foundation inducted her work into the Cookbook Hall of Fame. A regular columnist for Food & Wine magazine, Wolfert lives in Sonoma, California. Her Web site is www.paula-wolfert.com. Her fans can also follow her via her Facebook/Clay Pot Cooking page and on twitter.com/Soumak.

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Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking
 
Traditional and Modern Recipes to Savor and Share
 
Paula Wolfert
 
The World's Oldest
 
Cooking Style,
 
Made New Again
 
by the
 
Queen of Mediterranean Cooking
 
"Most food-and Mediterranean food in particular-tastes better cooked in clay. Think of the difference in taste between organically grown fruits and vegetables and typical supermarket agribusiness produce. The former always taste better. Similarly, unglazed clay vessels are also organic, since clay is a form of earth. Food cooked in them acquires a natural taste. When I taste heirloom beans cooked in a clay pot on top of the stove, I find a special sweetness in them. Just as food cooked in a wood-fired oven acquires the taste and aroma of wood, so food cooked in an unglazed clay pot acquires the taste and aroma of the earth."
 
-Paula Wolfert

Aus dem Klappentext

Cooking/Regional & Ethnic/Mediterranean
 
Before she even knew what they were used for-and long before the Los Angeles Times named her "America's queen of Mediterranean cooking"-Paula Wolfert started to collect clay cooking pots. After decades of picking up pots and companion recipes wherever she traveled, Wolfert now owns ceramic vessels in all shapes and sizes: cazuelas, tagines, bean pots, Romertopf baking dishes, French diables, ordinary casseroles, even Crock-pots (which have a ceramic liner). It just makes sense: For thousands of years, earthenware has been the preferred cooking method for many Mediterranean dishes.
 
In Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking, Wolfert shares recipes as vibrant as the Mediterranean itself, along with the delightful stories behind the earthy pots, irresistible dishes, and outstanding cooks she has met along the way. And don't worry if your collection doesn't match Wolfert's; for each recipe, she suggests alternative equipment.
 
With her inimitable passion for detail, Wolfert demystifies the process of clay pot cooking, in which fresh ingredients are transformed slowly, richly, lusciously into magnificent meals. She offers 150 recipes both classic and contemporary, all of which offer extraordinary depth of flavor. They include:
 
First Courses: Roman Artichokes Braised with Garlic and Mint, Clay Pot-Roasted Eggplantwith Cheese, and Greek Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta Cheese
 
Soups: Piedmontese Bean Soup with Spareribs and Pumpkin Soup with Creamy Roquefort
 
Fish and Shellfish: Moroccan Fish Tagine with Tomatoes, Olives, and Preserved Lemons; Sicilian Fresh Sardines Stuffed with Pine Nuts and Raisins; and Poached Swordfish in the Style of Izmir
 
Chicken, Duck, and Other Poultry: Chicken Thighs Roasted on a Bed of Salt in the Style of the French Alps, Moroccan Chicken Kdra with Almonds and Chickpeas, and Cazuela Quail with Red Peppers and Pine Nut Picada
 
Meats: Slow-Roasted Glazed Lamb Shoulder with Spring Vegetables, Stifado with Beef and Caramelized Onions, and Pork Tiella with Wild Mushrooms and Potatoes
 
Pasta and Grains: Bulgur and Greens with Pistachios and Yogurt; Fideos with Clams, Shrimp, and Mussels; and Oven Polenta in a Clay Pot
 
Vegetables: Compote of Fennel with Onion, Pancetta, and Currants; Green Beans with Tomatoes and Garlic; and Roasted Late Summer Vegetables from the Island of Corfu
 
Plus you'll find savory pies and breads, glorious
 
egg and dairy recipes, and stunning desserts.
 
Whether you've got a single ceramic baking dish or a complete arsenal at your disposal, Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking will transform the way you cook, and the way you eat.

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Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking

John Wiley & Sons

Chapter One

SERVES 6 TO 8

Food and travel writer David Downie was kind enough to teach me some of his Italian mother's recipes for artichokes. One of them is my all-time favorite, especially successful when cooked in clay as presented here. It is inspired by the recipe for Roman-style artichokes in his superb Cooking the Roman Way.

Preferred Clay Pot:

A 3-quart glazed earthenware saucepan or casserole about 10 inches in diameter

If using an electric or ceramic stovetop, be sure to use a heat diffuser with the clay pot.

2 lemons, halved

6 to 8 tender young globe artichokes, preferably with long stems

5 garlic cloves, crushed

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup minced fresh spearmint

1/3 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 cups Italian dry white wine, preferably Frascati or Marino

1 Prepare the artichokes: Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into a bowl of water large enough to hold all the artichokes. Working one by one, cut off the top third of the artichokes. Snap off the tough outer leaves near the base. Use a stainless-steel knife to cut off the stem; if the stems are tender, drop them into the bowl of acidulated water. Remove the hairy choke in the center of the artichoke with a melon scoop; then scrape along the inside wall of the artichoke bottom until smooth. Squeeze a little lemon juice into the center. After cleaning the inside, remove the remaining outer tough leaves by bending them backward and snapping them off where they break. Trim the outside of the artichoke to remove any tough dark green skin with a small paring knife or a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler. Rub the artichoke all over with a piece of cut lemon as you work. Drop the cleaned artichoke into the bowl. When all are cleaned, peel the stems and return them to the acidulated water.

2 In a small bowl, mash the crushed garlic with 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Work in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the mint, parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to a make a thick paste.

3 Remove the artichokes from the water and drain them well. Stuff the center of each with 2 to 3 teaspoons of the herbed garlic paste. Stand the artichokes side by side in the earthenware saucepan. Slip the peeled stems in between the artichokes. Sprinkle the artichokes with salt and pepper and drizzle on the remaining olive oil. Pour in the wine and 1 cup cold water.

4 Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat; cover with a sheet of parchment paper and the lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the artichokes are tender when poked with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the casserole to a wood surface or folded kitchen towel to prevent cracking. Serve warm or at room temperature with a fresh sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Sauted Asparagus with Brown Butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

SERVES 2

This great asparagus preparation is a popular starter in northern Italy, where in many recipes butter-and not olive oil-is the fat of choice. Clarified butter is the key to this dish: When it hits the hot cazuela, it turns golden brown, intensifying the flavor and giving off a hazelnut-like aroma. Yes, you can make this dish with olive oil, but it really won't be the same.

To make a French variation, substitute either shredded Cantal cheese or crumbled bleu d'Auvergne for the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Preferred Clay Pot:

A 9-or 10- or 11-inch Spanish cazuela or a straight-sided flameware or La Chamba skillet

If using an electric or ceramic stovetop, be sure to use a heat diffuser with the clay pot.

12 fat green asparagus spears

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, clarified (see Note )

3 to 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (1 1/2 ounces)

1 Preheat the oven to 400F. Line up the asparagus and trim off about 3 inches from the bottom of the spears. Peel the stalks from the base toward the top, stopping just before the tips.

2 Fill the cazuela with 1 inch of warm water. Set the pan over medium heat, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Arrange the asparagus in the cazuela in a single layer and cook, uncovered, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

3 Drain off the water and return the cazuela to the stovetop. Immediately add half of the clarified butter to the hot pan and gently roll and toss the asparagus spears to coat them. Slowly allow the butter to turn golden brown over low heat; as soon as it does, stop the cooking by adding 1 teaspoon of lukewarm water. Sprinkle the cheese over the asparagus and transfer to the oven.

4 Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and a light crust forms. Set the cazuela on a wooden surface or folded kitchen towel to prevent cracking and serve right from the pan.

Note to the Cook: To clarify butter: Place 6 tablespoons sweet butter in a small saucepan. Set over very low heat. Allow the butter to melt slowly without stirring and without browning. Remove foam as it appears on the surface. When the butter is golden and clear, remove it from the heat and leave to cool. Carefully pour off the clear butter, leaving the sediment in the saucepan.

Asparagus and Truffled Ramps

SERVES 8

Here's a delicious starter that evokes springtime as well as any dish I know, pairing thin early asparagus with ramps, or wild leeks, which appear as one of the first greens in the forest.

Ramps and wild leeks are as close as sisters. In the Appalachians, where they grow wild, they're called ramps. Around the Great Lakes, where they're picked a little later, with a somewhat larger bulb and a slightly milder flavor, they're known as wild leeks. In the Bordeaux region of France, where they grow wild and are foraged in the vineyards, they're called baragnes. Yes, ramps are difficult to find, but you can substitute green garlic or baby cultivated leeks with fine results.

Truffles, of course, aren't really a springtime ingredient, so I use black truffle oil and then, to enhance the springtime effect, scatter a few sunflower sprouts on top just before serving-a distinctly California touch.

Preferred Clay Pot:

A 3-quart glazed or unglazed earthenware or flameware casserole or Chinese sandpot

If using an electric or ceramic stovetop, be sure to use a heat diffuser with the clay pot.

2 pounds ramps (about 5 dozen) or 1 pounds green garlic or baby leeks

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

4 pounds thin asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup crme frache or heavy cream

4 ounces Serrano ham, coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon black truffle oil

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

3 tablespoons walnut oil

4 ounces tender sweet salad greens, such as baby spinach, young chard, pea shoots, orache, or lamb's-quarters, rinsed and dried

1 cup loosely packed sunflower sprouts (optional)

1 Clean the ramps: Cut off the green leaves and purplish stems. Trim the roots and peel the white bulb under cold running water to remove all...