CASE: Use up leftover asparagus, lemon, and arugula. In a delicious way. Brandon and I were mucking about at home, totally disinclined to go out and I wanted to use up these leftover items. Here is the result!
ASPARAGUS & SHITAKE MUSHROM RISOTTO
2 handfuls dried shitake mushrooms
1/2 chopped up onion, white or red or even shallots is fine
3 cloves garlic
1 large bunch of asparagus (try to get the thinner ones, they're more tender)
1/2 bottle of white wine (ohhh shush it's delicious. We picked a $10 Joel Gott, can't remember if it was pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc but it was really a great wine to cook and drink)
1 large tin or can of beef stock (use chicken stock if you want, but I don't recommend it!)
1 1/2 c choped zucchini (get a mix, yellow and green, whatver)
1 1/2 cups risotto rice (go to the Italian deli and get the good stuff)
1 c frozen peas
1 T choped cilantro
1 cup fresh arugula (try to get the tender baby arugula, the wilder the better!)
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Boil the dried shitakes and asparagus in the beef stock. When the asparagus is cooked (I would cut it into 1 inch pieces) pull them out and set aside. Slice up your mushrooms, toss 'em back in the stock and keep on simmer.
Fry up your onions and garlic in some oil for a few minutes, then add the risotto. It is critical, and I mean it, that you fry up your risotto too. Add butter if you want, but a well-cooked risotto needs neither butter nor milk, and certainly not any cream. The cheese adds that thickness but it really is just for the taste. So wilt your onions and garlic in 1/4 c of olive oil, then add the risotto and let it cook, stirring around, for at least 3 minutes. Add some lemon zest, and even lemon juice. It adds a certain freshness. Then you add your wine. Glorious smells will emanate from your pot, but it only gets better, trust me! Add it 1/2 cup at a time, and stir it around. Risottos need love, i.e. constant stirring, but too much stirring and it breaks it up and gets mushy. So don't give it too much love. Once you've got a fair amount of wine in there, then add the sliced up zucchini and sliced mushrooms. You have about 15-20 more minutes of cooking to go at this point. Periodically add the stock to the risotto, 1 cup at a time, and stir it in. When the liquid evaporates, add some more. If you run out, don't panic, just start using water...or more wine...but even that is pushing it a bit. Most recipes call for 1/2 cup of wine. Just use water. When it's just about done, add the asaparagus and peas and cheese and cilantro. You can add a bit of worcestshire or even balsamic vinegar if you want to add a little more oomph, maybe 1 T, but I don't recommend it. The lemon you added earlier, with the cilantro, really is enough. Salt and pepper go without saying. And give it one last good bit of love, stirring 'til the cheese melts. Don't worry about defrosting the peas, just pop them in. At the end, once you've ladled it into the bowls, mound the arugula on top and then add a smattering more of the cheese. The lucky eater will be able to wilt the arugula themselves.
NOTE: You do not need to serve this with meat! But you can, and I would say lamb or pork, rubbed with lemon and rosemary and roasted in the oven. It's honestly enough to serve this by itself, and Brandon loved it. He got to finish most of the bottle of white wine which made him even happier!
VERDICT: GUILTY! OF BEING DELICIOUS!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Nina's Favorite Cookbooks and Recipes
My friend Nina wrote up a short dissertation regarding her favorite cookbooks and various recipes. (We're all waiting breathlessly for her actual dissertation. Keep us posted Nina! I want to go to your graduation too!) She has made me her pancakes and they are amazing. (John, she is worth EVERY PENNY of that ring.)
Cookbooks:
1) How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. The only book one really needs to own in this day and age. To hell with The Joy of Cooking. Risotto-Lightest Pancakes--I made this for John a couple weekends ago, and it was amazing. The key is to beat the egg whites separately from everything. Then you fold them into the pancake batter.-Best Scrambled Eggs Ever-Hummus (though not so much tahini)--really, use all the ingredients he tell you to, but to taste-Corned Beef Hash-his fish recipes are so great, because they are so simple but tasty-banana bread (but cut the sugar in half); add blueberries and walnuts
2) Jean-Georges Cooking at Home with a 4-star Chef by Jean Georges and Mark Bittman http://www.amazon.com/Jean-Georges-Cooking-Home-Four-Star-Chef/dp/076790155X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222217697&sr=1-2This is a great book to have because this book is interpreted extremely well by Bittman, who understands the average cook. Also, Jean-Georges is a genius when it comes to combining unusual flavors. -Carrots simmered in OJ and cumin-chicken with olives-warm molten cake; this is the original recipe. It was an accidental discovery. Jean-Georges simply undercooked his chocolate cake. You'll be shocked to learn how easy it is to make, and you will be equally shocked at how bad it is for you. But god, it's good.
3) Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan-best pesto recipe http://www.amazon.com/Essentials-Classic-Italian-Cooking-Marcella/dp/039458404X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222217542&sr=8-1
4) Splendid Soups by James Peterson http://www.amazon.com/Splendid-Soups-Recipes-Master-Techniques/dp/0471391360/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222217924&sr=1-2This book pretty much has every soup recipe imaginable. Plus, they're all good. I discovered this book through the head caterer at Cleary, Gottlieb, where they always had great soups in the cafeteria.
5) The New York Times 60-minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey http://www.amazon.com/New-York-Times-60-Minute-Gourmet/dp/0812933028/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222220632&sr=1-1John's uncle, a gourmand, recently told me about this book. I've only made one recipe so far (sauteed green beans with parsley), but I liked it. I think this book is promising.
6) Baking with Julia by Julia Child http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Julia-Savor-Americas-Bakers/dp/0688146570/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222218030&sr=1-1-Wonderful recipe for popovers in here; one of the most reliable ones
7) Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 by Julia Child http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Art-French-Cooking-Fortieth/dp/0375413405/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222218081&sr=1-1So, I only have this book because Suvir Saran, an acquaintance and owner of Devi in Gramercy, told me that this is the book that teaches you how to cook. I've never made a single recipe from it because some of them require unusual ingredients, but I thought I'd toss it in here anyway. For an Indian chef to cite a French cookbook as the book to have, the book has to be good.
A word about Martha Stewart's books. She wrote a bunch of them back in the day, when cookbook writers didn't think very much about how the average cook has little time and patience for cooking. Thus, her recipes are difficult and not very tasty. (I think it has to do with the fact that most people don't have access to their own organic, farm-raised foods. However, if you must buy one, I think this is the one. It's been around for ages: http://www.amazon.com/Martha-Stewart-Cookbook-Collected-Recipes/dp/0517703351/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222221422&sr=1-15
I have, however, found the recipes she posts online to be quite good. They are tasty and they are not as time-consuming. Unsurprisingly, her new stuff shows how she has adapted to the times. If you didn't want to invest in a lot of cookbooks, my recommendation is to have Bittman's book (and forget his others, they're no good because they just repackage a lot of the recipes already in How to Cook Everything. But do follow his column on nytimes.com), and get a subscription to the bi-monthly magazine America's Test Kitchen (Although it's chicken-recipe heavy, it's great for inspiration. Their baking recipes are usually extremely reliable and good). They're great at taking into consideration healthiness and time. With the internet, there's no really need anymore to accumulate cookbooks.
Recipes I love:
Sesame-Crusted Tuna with Ponzu Sauce: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=682907This takes practically no time at all to make, if you have all the ingredients, and it looks gorgeous when it's done. I actually served this with Jean-Georges' carrots simmered in cumin-dish.
Gingered Soba Noodles: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/GINGERED-SOBA-NOODLES-13247This is a simple dish and extremely quick to make. You can serve it hot or cold. You can forgo the ginger, or just add some finely minced ginger. But don't bother to extract the juice. Waste of time. Also, when you're boiling the water for the noodles, add eggs (if you like hard-boiled eggs), and during the last five minutes of boiling the eggs, add the noodles. This way, you can have hard-boiled eggs to go with the noodles. Instead of eggs, you can also serve with chicken.
Chicken Colombo: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chicken-colombo-with-purple-jasmine-rice?autonomy_kw=chicken%20colombo&rsc=header_2-Forget the purple rice. It's not all that. Plain jasmine rice can do the trick. This also doesn't take all that much time to make. BTW, don't use coconut milk lite. I found out the hard way, that it's gross. If you like rice and you eat it a lot at home, a rice cooker is definitely a worthwhile investment. If you have a rice cooker, then you can make the following recipe: 7-minute risotto http://discountcookingblogs.blogspot.com/2008/06/7-minute-risotto.html
Beef Tenderloin: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1809088 I didn't bother with all the herbs, and just used parsley. Very tasty.
Mac and Cheese: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/index.html Who doesn't love mac and cheese? This version is nice because it has other stuff added to it. If you don't have a lot of time, buying Annie's Deluxe Elbow Mac and Cheese is great. To it, you can add chicken, onions, peas/broccoli, and/or anything else to it to make it a bit healthier. (Truth be told, I have a soft spot for Kraft's cheap-o mac and powdered cheese).
Baked Ziti a la freestyle http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1658,128180-250199,00.html This recipe tells you the basics of baked ziti. Follow it but just freestyle it; use cheeses and pre-made tomato sauces you love. I use shredded mozzarella and ricotta with Whole Food's tomato sauce, and the result is divine. To cut down on cooking time and hassle, just use fresh ziti pasta and just throw everything into a baking pan without cooking the pasta.
Chicken Soup: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CHICKEN-SOUP-WITH-RICE-232605 Nothing is more comforting than chicken soup when one gets soup. If you're like me, you stock up on Citarella's version, but if you don't have it, then grab a rotisserie chicken (to cut down on cooking time), and make this version.
Italian Wedding Soup:I love this soup. It's not worth the hassle to make. So if you can, just buy the Fairways version and freeze for that day when you crave it. It's the best one I've tasted in the city so far.
Monkey Bread: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1813,135189-241192,00.html Great for kids and adults. Easy to make with packages of buttermilk biscuits from refrigerated section in the grocery store. Serve with ice cream if you want.
Cinnamon Rolls: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_169,00.html This takes a bit of work, but the payoff is huge (especially with kids, especially when they're 30 years old though I haven't made it for John yet). For the icing, just take the 1 lb. of powdered sugar and mix with a little bit of water. Then add some lime juice instead of the butter extract the recipe recommends. The unusual addition of the lime was something my Thai friend's mother came up with--only a Thai person, I think, would have thought to use lime.
Neiman Marcus Cookie: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/service/nm_cookie_recipe.jhtml Urban legend, delicious cookie. I never made it myself, but my friend has, and boy is it yummy.
Pasta:When there's no time and I don't want to think, I make pasta but for the most part I don't use boxed pasta (except for Cipriana's spinach noodles). I use the freshly made pastas from Citarella's, which also has great prepared foods in general. (I just recently discovered that you can order from them online and they deliver for $6 to anywhere in the city). Their spaghetti sauces and soups are incredibly tasty. Plus, you can freeze them (along with the pasta) for months on end, and defrost the day you need them (though the pasta doesn't need to be defrosted). To the pasta sauces, I will add chicken or mushrooms sometimes. Whole Foods and Fairways both have their own great tomato sauces that you can similarly enhance with whatever you want.
Cookbooks:
1) How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. The only book one really needs to own in this day and age. To hell with The Joy of Cooking. Risotto-Lightest Pancakes--I made this for John a couple weekends ago, and it was amazing. The key is to beat the egg whites separately from everything. Then you fold them into the pancake batter.-Best Scrambled Eggs Ever-Hummus (though not so much tahini)--really, use all the ingredients he tell you to, but to taste-Corned Beef Hash-his fish recipes are so great, because they are so simple but tasty-banana bread (but cut the sugar in half); add blueberries and walnuts
2) Jean-Georges Cooking at Home with a 4-star Chef by Jean Georges and Mark Bittman http://www.amazon.com/Jean-Georges-Cooking-Home-Four-Star-Chef/dp/076790155X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222217697&sr=1-2This is a great book to have because this book is interpreted extremely well by Bittman, who understands the average cook. Also, Jean-Georges is a genius when it comes to combining unusual flavors. -Carrots simmered in OJ and cumin-chicken with olives-warm molten cake; this is the original recipe. It was an accidental discovery. Jean-Georges simply undercooked his chocolate cake. You'll be shocked to learn how easy it is to make, and you will be equally shocked at how bad it is for you. But god, it's good.
3) Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan-best pesto recipe http://www.amazon.com/Essentials-Classic-Italian-Cooking-Marcella/dp/039458404X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222217542&sr=8-1
4) Splendid Soups by James Peterson http://www.amazon.com/Splendid-Soups-Recipes-Master-Techniques/dp/0471391360/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222217924&sr=1-2This book pretty much has every soup recipe imaginable. Plus, they're all good. I discovered this book through the head caterer at Cleary, Gottlieb, where they always had great soups in the cafeteria.
5) The New York Times 60-minute Gourmet by Pierre Franey http://www.amazon.com/New-York-Times-60-Minute-Gourmet/dp/0812933028/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222220632&sr=1-1John's uncle, a gourmand, recently told me about this book. I've only made one recipe so far (sauteed green beans with parsley), but I liked it. I think this book is promising.
6) Baking with Julia by Julia Child http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Julia-Savor-Americas-Bakers/dp/0688146570/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222218030&sr=1-1-Wonderful recipe for popovers in here; one of the most reliable ones
7) Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 by Julia Child http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Art-French-Cooking-Fortieth/dp/0375413405/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222218081&sr=1-1So, I only have this book because Suvir Saran, an acquaintance and owner of Devi in Gramercy, told me that this is the book that teaches you how to cook. I've never made a single recipe from it because some of them require unusual ingredients, but I thought I'd toss it in here anyway. For an Indian chef to cite a French cookbook as the book to have, the book has to be good.
A word about Martha Stewart's books. She wrote a bunch of them back in the day, when cookbook writers didn't think very much about how the average cook has little time and patience for cooking. Thus, her recipes are difficult and not very tasty. (I think it has to do with the fact that most people don't have access to their own organic, farm-raised foods. However, if you must buy one, I think this is the one. It's been around for ages: http://www.amazon.com/Martha-Stewart-Cookbook-Collected-Recipes/dp/0517703351/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222221422&sr=1-15
I have, however, found the recipes she posts online to be quite good. They are tasty and they are not as time-consuming. Unsurprisingly, her new stuff shows how she has adapted to the times. If you didn't want to invest in a lot of cookbooks, my recommendation is to have Bittman's book (and forget his others, they're no good because they just repackage a lot of the recipes already in How to Cook Everything. But do follow his column on nytimes.com), and get a subscription to the bi-monthly magazine America's Test Kitchen (Although it's chicken-recipe heavy, it's great for inspiration. Their baking recipes are usually extremely reliable and good). They're great at taking into consideration healthiness and time. With the internet, there's no really need anymore to accumulate cookbooks.
Recipes I love:
Sesame-Crusted Tuna with Ponzu Sauce: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=682907This takes practically no time at all to make, if you have all the ingredients, and it looks gorgeous when it's done. I actually served this with Jean-Georges' carrots simmered in cumin-dish.
Gingered Soba Noodles: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/GINGERED-SOBA-NOODLES-13247This is a simple dish and extremely quick to make. You can serve it hot or cold. You can forgo the ginger, or just add some finely minced ginger. But don't bother to extract the juice. Waste of time. Also, when you're boiling the water for the noodles, add eggs (if you like hard-boiled eggs), and during the last five minutes of boiling the eggs, add the noodles. This way, you can have hard-boiled eggs to go with the noodles. Instead of eggs, you can also serve with chicken.
Chicken Colombo: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chicken-colombo-with-purple-jasmine-rice?autonomy_kw=chicken%20colombo&rsc=header_2-Forget the purple rice. It's not all that. Plain jasmine rice can do the trick. This also doesn't take all that much time to make. BTW, don't use coconut milk lite. I found out the hard way, that it's gross. If you like rice and you eat it a lot at home, a rice cooker is definitely a worthwhile investment. If you have a rice cooker, then you can make the following recipe: 7-minute risotto http://discountcookingblogs.blogspot.com/2008/06/7-minute-risotto.html
Beef Tenderloin: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1809088 I didn't bother with all the herbs, and just used parsley. Very tasty.
Mac and Cheese: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/index.html Who doesn't love mac and cheese? This version is nice because it has other stuff added to it. If you don't have a lot of time, buying Annie's Deluxe Elbow Mac and Cheese is great. To it, you can add chicken, onions, peas/broccoli, and/or anything else to it to make it a bit healthier. (Truth be told, I have a soft spot for Kraft's cheap-o mac and powdered cheese).
Baked Ziti a la freestyle http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1658,128180-250199,00.html This recipe tells you the basics of baked ziti. Follow it but just freestyle it; use cheeses and pre-made tomato sauces you love. I use shredded mozzarella and ricotta with Whole Food's tomato sauce, and the result is divine. To cut down on cooking time and hassle, just use fresh ziti pasta and just throw everything into a baking pan without cooking the pasta.
Chicken Soup: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CHICKEN-SOUP-WITH-RICE-232605 Nothing is more comforting than chicken soup when one gets soup. If you're like me, you stock up on Citarella's version, but if you don't have it, then grab a rotisserie chicken (to cut down on cooking time), and make this version.
Italian Wedding Soup:I love this soup. It's not worth the hassle to make. So if you can, just buy the Fairways version and freeze for that day when you crave it. It's the best one I've tasted in the city so far.
Monkey Bread: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1813,135189-241192,00.html Great for kids and adults. Easy to make with packages of buttermilk biscuits from refrigerated section in the grocery store. Serve with ice cream if you want.
Cinnamon Rolls: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_169,00.html This takes a bit of work, but the payoff is huge (especially with kids, especially when they're 30 years old though I haven't made it for John yet). For the icing, just take the 1 lb. of powdered sugar and mix with a little bit of water. Then add some lime juice instead of the butter extract the recipe recommends. The unusual addition of the lime was something my Thai friend's mother came up with--only a Thai person, I think, would have thought to use lime.
Neiman Marcus Cookie: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/service/nm_cookie_recipe.jhtml Urban legend, delicious cookie. I never made it myself, but my friend has, and boy is it yummy.
Pasta:When there's no time and I don't want to think, I make pasta but for the most part I don't use boxed pasta (except for Cipriana's spinach noodles). I use the freshly made pastas from Citarella's, which also has great prepared foods in general. (I just recently discovered that you can order from them online and they deliver for $6 to anywhere in the city). Their spaghetti sauces and soups are incredibly tasty. Plus, you can freeze them (along with the pasta) for months on end, and defrost the day you need them (though the pasta doesn't need to be defrosted). To the pasta sauces, I will add chicken or mushrooms sometimes. Whole Foods and Fairways both have their own great tomato sauces that you can similarly enhance with whatever you want.
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