Salt to Taste: The Key to Confident, Delicious Cooking - Hardcover

Canora, Marco; Young, Cathy; Kernick, John

 
9781594867804: Salt to Taste: The Key to Confident, Delicious Cooking
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 1594867801 ISBN 13: 9781594867804
Verlag: Rodale Books, 2009

Inhaltsangabe

The key to confident cooking lies not in learning to follow intricate recipes but rather in mastering a select handful of truly appealing yet straightforward dishes that invite experimentation and improvisation to reflect the seasons and the cook's own palate.

In Salt to Taste, Chef Marco Canora presents a tempting repertoire of 100 soulful recipes that embody this philosophy perfectly: food that is comforting and familiar but with a depth of flavor and timeless appeal that mark the dishes as true essentials of the contemporary table. Each meticulously written recipe offers insightful lessons drawn both from memories of his mother's cooking and his years as one of New York's most respected chefs, guiding the way to a delicious dish every time. Extensive chef's notes suggest ways to streamline the process and enhance the savory results, marrying the precision of the professional kitchen with the warmth of home cooking.

Those looking to elevate their cooking from merely good to truly spectacular will find much here to inspire them, while those in need of culinary coaching will learn that creating greatness is within reach. With a little forethought, care, practice, and observation, any cook can quickly gain the confidence to "salt to taste."

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Marco Canora is the co-owner and executive chef of New York's Beard-nominated Hearth, Insieme (the recipient of a Michelin star), and Terroir restaurants and, prior to striking out on his own, held various positions in such highly regarded kitchens as Grammercy Tavern and the famed Cibreo in Florence, Italy. He was the original chef of Craft restaurant, which won a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant during his tenure there, and oversaw the menus of Craftbar and Craftsteak in Las Vegas.

Catherine Young, a former editor at Saveur magazine, is a food writer who has worked on a number of award-winning cookbooks and contributed articles and recipes to many food publications.

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stocking the shelves

cooking food at home every day doesn't have to be stressful. No small part of success is having the right ingredients on hand, and by ingredients I don't mean just the meat and vegetables but also the spices, herbs, and condiments that make things taste good and simplify your work. When I was growing up, our pantry was always filled with canned tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, vinegar, bread crumbs, flour, pasta, rice, olives, anchovies, capers, dried herbs, spices, garlic, and beans. Our refrigerator was stocked with milk, eggs, cheese, and fresh herbs, not to mention onions, carrots, celery, and other vegetables that keep well. When my mother got home, she could make a veal cutlet with a quick pan sauce, or even simpler still, penne with Parmesan cheese, sage, and black pepper with a salad, and have dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

Years of restaurant work have taught me to take things a step further. Having brodo (meat broth--Easter Broth, page 8) and soffritto (aromatic flavoring base, page 10) on hand as well as marinated peppers, cooked beans, pickled onions, salsa verde, and lemon confit allows you to elevate everyday cooking without investing any extra time.

Start by going to the store and getting the basics. The list below covers a few essentials that I thought worth a few words. It's not intended as a complete shopping list, just a place to begin. Start here and fill your refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards wisely, and I think you'll find yourself cooking more easily and eating good food more often.

Salt I am not a salt connoisseur. Truth is I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt both at home and in the restaurant. It's really all you need. If you want to get fancy, splurge on fleur de sel for finishing salads and sprinkling over grilled and roasted meat.

Pepper I am finicky about pepper. It must be freshly ground. Buy a pepper mill and use it.

Nutmeg Another spice you should always buy whole is nutmeg. I use freshly grated nutmeg in pasta fillings and polpettone (page 13), and it makes all the difference.

Peperoncini Peperoncini are small, very hot dried Italian peppers that I use a lot. They have intense heat and complex flavor. Usually I mince peperoncini before I use them (mixing in a drop of oil as you chop makes the job easier and neater). If you can't find peperoncini locally, they are available by mail.

Oregano Sicilian oregano is my choice. It's available by mail and at gourmet stores. This seasoning lends an authentically Italian flavor to many dishes. The oregano buds come dried on the stem. You can either crumble them off as needed (rubbing the buds in your fingers releases their flavor) or take a few minutes and crumble the whole package and store the oregano ready for use in a sealed container.

Tomatoes Canned San Marzano tomatoes are what I reach for all year long, except at the height of our local tomato season. They are harvested when perfectly ripe and are very flavorful.

Anchovies I always have salted anchovies packed in oil in my cupboard. I like to buy the jars,because once you open them you can twist the top back on and keep them in the refrigerator more or less forever. Tubes of anchovy paste are more expensive, but they are compact and tidy and again they keep.

Capers I like smallish capers packed in brine and always have an open container to dip into in my refrigerator to add to pastas, salads, and sandwiches as well as a backup in the pantry.

Olives Nicoise olives are tasty and salty but not overwhelming. I use them a lot to flavor sauces and braises. If you prefer other black olives, such as Kalamata, keep those on hand instead.

Pasta When I am at the supermarket, I buy De Cecco or Barilla. At the restaurant, I like to use a few harder-to-find brands: Setaro, Rustichella d'Abruzzo, and Martelli.

Olive Oil The flavors of olive oils vary depending on where they come from. Tuscan and Umbrian oils are grassy and peppery, while southern Italian oils are fruitier and softer on the palate. I tend to prefer Tuscan oil because that is what I grew up with, but personal taste should be your guide. You need a nice bottle of extra virgin to pour over food just before serving; use a less expensive extra virgin oil for sauteing. Virgin olive oil comes from the second press, pure olive oil from the third, and pommace from the fourth. When you are frying, oil from later presses is fine. A blend of olive oil and vegetable oil is a good way to go for deep-frying. Keep in mind that the flavor of olive oil fades with age, so young oil is more vibrant.

Vinegar I use red and white wine vinegars, sherry vinegar, and occasionally distilled vinegar. While I don't think you have to buy fancy wine vinegar, I do think it is essential to buy real aged balsamic. Avoid supermarket varieties; they are sweetened, artificially colored impostors at worst and young, commercially prepared knockoffs at best. Real aged balsamic is amazing stuff. It is sweet and tart, not sour, and should generally be drizzled on meats, salads, or fruit just before serving.

Parmigiano-Reggiano This is the one cheese you must have. It is the MSG of the Italian kitchen. It tastes nutty and salty and melts evenly, binding sauces and flavoring meatballs. A cow's milk cheese made in Emilia-Romagna, Parmigiano is aged a minimum of 12 months. Young cheese is fine for cooking, but look for cheese that is aged at least 3 years for grating over pasta or eating in chunks with a glass of wine.

Bread Crumbs Making bread crumbs is easy and the perfect way to use up old baguettes and loaves of country-style bread. Just break the stale bread into smallish pieces, then pulse them in a food processor. Store the bread crumbs in a sealed container in a dry place.

Broth Having good broth on hand is one of the best ways I know to lift up your cooking. Not only useful in soups, broth is an important ingredient in braises and many sauces. Easter Broth (page 8), a rich meat broth, is what I recommend. Good homemade chicken broth can be substituted. A little lighter tasting, homemade chicken broth will work even in recipes like Stracciatella (page 83), where the broth is the star. Commercial broth won't work in these featured roles, but good canned broth can be substituted in most braises and ragus. My favorite canned broth is Health Valley Low Fat Chicken Broth.

Fresh Eggs The white of a fresh egg is thick and firm, the yolk a deep golden yellow, and the taste rich and wonderful. It is worth the trouble to seek out fresh eggs at a farmers' market.

pantry recipe:

eggs with tomato on toast

4 eggs

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon thinly sliced garlic

Small pinch of minced peperoncini or red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Sicilian

5 canned tomatoes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

4 slices country white bread--whatever you have, toasted

Separate the eggs, reserving each yolk in its shell and combining 2 whites in a cup. Refrigerate the remaining 2 whites for another use.

In a cold medium skillet, combine the oil, garlic, peperoncini, and oregano. Turn on the heat and warm over medium-high heat until the garlic begins to fry (without browning) and the mixture becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Raise the heat to high, then use your hands to crush each tomato into the pan, allowing the juice to fall into the skillet. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Fry the tomatoes, continuing to break them up with the fork. Cook until they concentrate and no longer look watery, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the basil.

Lower the heat to medium and stir in the egg whites. Cook until the whites become opaque and firm, thickening the tomato sauce, about 1 minute.

Turn off the heat....

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Verlag
Rodale Books
Erscheinungsdatum
2009
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
1594867801
ISBN 13 
9781594867804
Einband
Gebundene Ausgabe
Anzahl der Seiten
288
Kontakt zum Hersteller
Rodale
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/imprints/A6/rodale-books/books

Attn: Andrea T Sheridan 1745 BROADWAY, 14-1
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NY
10019
USA
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