Camille Lebro, a home

cook in Paris, preparing

seven-hour leg of lamb.
(For a recipe, see
page 142.)
 The New
Comfort Food
Home Cooking from Around the World

Edited by James Oseland

Table of Contents
Introduction 8 Pasta and Noodles Meat Key Lime Pie 211
Baked Ziti with Sausage 75 Lamb Chops with Snickerdoodles 212
Snacks, Starters, Fettuccine Alfredo 76 Salsa Verde 141 Dulce de Leche Cake 215
and Salads Orecchiette with Rapini Seven-Hour Leg of Lamb 142 Chocolate-Caramel Tart 216
The Ultimate Grilled and Goat Cheese 79 Marinated Flank Steak 145 Katharine Hepburn's
Cheese Sandwich 17 Brown Butter Pasta 80 Brownies 219
Italian-Style Meatballs
Frisée Salad with Poached Vegetarian Lasagne 83 Red Velvet Cake 220
with Tomato Ragù 148
Eggs and Bacon 18 Pasta with Ragù 84 Ice Cream with
Filets Mignons with Butterscotch Sauce 223
Spring Rolls with Bucatini with Spicy Mushroom Sauce 151
Chile-Garlic Sauce 21 Tomato Sauce 89 Lindy’s Cheesecake 227
Italian-Style Stuffed Pineapple–Chipotle- Caramel Coconut Flan 228
Macaroni and Cheese Glazed Ham 152
Artichokes 22 with Ham 90 German Chocolate Cake 231
Tapas-Style Meatballs 25 Sweet and Sour
Figaretti’s “Godfather II” Pork Chops 155
Golden Potato Latkes 26 Linguine 95 Drinks
Guacamole 29 Sid’s Fried Onion Burgers 156
Everyday Fried Noodles 96 Spiced Tea 235
Spicy Beef Empanadas 30 Patty Melt 161 Black-and-White Banana
Wild-Greens Pie 33 Fish and Shellfish Chicken Fried Steak 162 Malted Milk Shake 236
Mushroom and New Orleans–Style Slow-Smoked Brisket 165 Puka Punch 239
Herb Crostini 34 BBQ Shrimp 101 Roast Pork Loin 166 Hot Buttered Rum 240
Herbed Tomato Tart 37 Stuffies 102 Spiced Wine 243
Hummus with Tahini 38 Veracruz-Style Vegetables and Sides Regent’s Punch 244
Red Snapper 105 Potatoes Gratin 171 Six Texas Cocktails
Soups and Stews Broiled Salmon Steaks Chiles Rellenos 172 Michelada 246
Burgundy-Style Beef Stew 43 with Tomatoes, Onions,
Kimchi Pancakes 175 Kentucky Club
and Tarragon 106
Creamy Corn Chowder 44 Thai-Style Green Beans with Margarita 246
Deep-Fried Southern
German Split Pea Soup 47 Chile and Basil 176 Book Club Sangria 246
Catfish 111
French Onion Soup 48 Zucchini Fritters 179 Longhorn Bull Shot 247
Cod Cakes with
Matzo Ball Soup 51 Chowchow 112 Peppers Stuffed with Feta 180 Cucumber Cooler 247
Woody DeSilva’s Grilled Lobster with Creamy Spiced Chico 247
Championship Chili 52 Cilantro-Chile Butter 115 Indian Lentils 183 Six Regional Bloody Marys
Thai Hot and Sour Stir-Fried Mushrooms Original Bloody Mary 248
Shrimp Soup 55 Poultry and Bok Choy 184 Michelada Bloody Mary 248
Tuscan-Style Kale Soup 56 Green Bean Casserole 188 Cajun Bloody Mary 248
Lemony Roast Chicken 119
Smoked Pork and Butter Risotto 191 Old Bay Bloody Mary 249
Red-Chile Chicken
Sauerkraut Stew 59 Fennel Baked in Cream 192
Enchiladas 120 Heirloom Tomato
Chicken Tikka Masala 124 Boone Tavern's Bloody Mary 249
Eggs Chicken Paprikash
Spoonbread 195 Boston Bloody Mary 249
Ricotta and Roasted with Dumplings 127 Randy Evans’s
Pepper Frittata 63 Southern Peas 196
Indonesian Chicken Curry 128 Index 250
Classic Eggs Benedict 64
Sweet-and-Spicy Korean Table of Equivalents 254
Eggs Poached in Spicy Fried Chicken 131 Baked Goods
and Sweets Acknowledgments 255
Tomato Sauce 67
Northern Fried Chicken 132
Huevos Rancheros 68 Chive and Cheddar Biscuits 201
Roasted Herbed Chicken
Matzo Brei with Mushrooms and Vegetables 135 Buttermilk Flapjacks 202
and Asparagus 71 Huckleberry Crisps 205
Thai Red Curry with
Roasted Duck 136 Sopaipillas 208
A home cook in Oneida
County, New York,
frosts a spiced pumpkin
cake for a community
potluck supper.
Introduction
Last night I cooked the perfect meal. There was nothing
new or unusual about it, just split pea soup and frisée
salad, recipes I’ve known for years. But the crisp, bitter
greens were studded with smoky bacon, and the yolk of
a just-poached egg ran luxuriously over the top. The soup,
made with leftovers from a ham I’d baked the day before,
was warming and rich. Together with a hunk of crusty
bread, these dishes made me incomparably happy.
Foods like these—comfort foods—we don’t just eat, we hunger transcends trend and defines the way people eat all over the globe.
for. They are the chicken soup that’s been simmering on the Every cuisine has its canon of comfort, the foods that folks crave
stove all afternoon, filling the house with tantalizing aromas. above all others and the ones they eat day in and day out. Those
Or the macaroni and cheese, the version with béchamel and are the recipes you’ll find in this book: for good, old American
Gruyère, that your family and friends beg you to make. You eat stick-to-your-ribs fare, like Texas chili, Rhode Island stuffed
them on the fly, standing up at market stalls: shakshuka, eggs clams, chicken pot pie, and patty melts; and for international
poached in a spicy tomato stew, scooped from a curbside pot in dishes like guacamole and French onion soup, whose comfort the
Jerusalem; or crisp-fried spring rolls stuffed with pork and rice world has claimed as its own. There are the great pastas of Italy,
noodles, gobbled in a busy Bangkok market. They are restaurant like fettuccine Alfredo—that irresistible tangle of pasta, butter,
classics: the crunchy fried chicken that a neighborhood joint is and cheese—and homemade tagliatelle egg noodles with slow-
famous for, or the linguine tossed in white-wine sauce with simmered, meaty ragù bolognese. There are the lusty one-pot
mussels and shrimp at that Italian-American place we keep meals, like boeuf à la bourguignonne, and oven-baked triumphs
going back to. No matter where they’re eaten, comfort foods like potatoes gratin—dishes that French cooks affectionately call
are the ones we’ve known and loved forever; the ones we ate as cuisine grand-mère, or grandma’s cuisine. All told, this compendium
kids and the ones we yearn for as adults. They’re the foods that represents some of the best traditional home cooking on the planet.
taste like home, wherever you happen to be when you eat them. There’s also something new about this collection of comfort
These are the dishes that we’ve always celebrated in the pages foods. It reflects just how much the category has grown. If you’re
of sav eu r magazine: soulful, honest, traditional fare that like me—I came of age in postwar California, raised by parents

8 The New Comfort Food

Hair and makeup artists,
working at a fashion show
at the Millennium Biltmore
Hotel in Los Angeles, break
for a lunch of burgers.
Shoppers at the Mercato
Orientale, a busy
market in the heart
of Genoa, Italy.
Diners enjoy peel-and-
eat boiled shrimp from
the Gulf of Mexico.
who loved to cook—you might have grown up on a far-reaching
diet of foods like tamales, bagels and lox, Chinese spareribs, and,
yes, meat loaf. But today, our comfort-food vocabulary is even
broader. We have access to it all: fresh lemongrass, Israeli couscous,
handmade corn tortillas, dried baccalà. We travel more. America’s
population continues to become more diverse. And we’ve learned
volumes about the way the world eats.
At sav eu r , we’ve always been interested in where these
foods come from, and we’ve trekked to the places where they’re
produced. We’ve marveled at the producers’ ingenuity: the
gristmills that grind wheat into flour, the aging rooms where
cheeses develop their flavors. We’ve come to understand the
historical and cultural contexts that shape a cuisine’s character:
the trade routes, the agricultural traditions, the ways people
obtain their food. We’ve learned to use cooking tools like seasoned
woks for making Chinese stir-fries and clay tagines for Moroccan
stews, and we’ve embraced techniques for everything from
extracting the flavor from lemongrass to evenly slicing carrots.
Most of all, we’ve come to know and admire the people who
acquainted us with these dishes. Some of them are chefs, to be
sure, but most are people making a living serving great food—like
José and Gloria Fonseca of Los Angeles’s La Abeja café, whose
huevos rancheros introduced me to the pleasures of Mexican
breakfast; and the Mississippi Delta line cook Brandon Hughes,
who deep-fries catfish like nobody’s business. They’re home cooks
preparing meals for family and friends: people like sav eu r
contributor Alia Yunis, who gave us her Palestinian-Lebanese
mother’s exemplary recipe for hummus; Aggeliki Bakali, from
the Greek village of Pertouli, who taught us how to make hortopita,
a savory pie of wild greens wrapped in homemade phyllo dough;
and even my dad, Larry, whose method for marinating and grilling
flank steak yields a charred, salty crust and a perfectly pink center.
This book is a tribute to those great cooks and to all the valuable
lessons we've learned from them over the years. In the sidebars and
notes that run alongside the recipes, our editors and contributors
share their stories, as well as kitchen wisdom and ingredient
information that inspire and empower us as cooks. The dishes
these people make is food for the body and soul. We can’t help but
give ourselves over to it. That’s the beautiful thing about comfort
food: no matter where it comes from, it awakens our senses and
lifts our spirits. It comforts us again and again.

—Ja m e s O s e l a n d

Introduction 13
Snacks, Starters, and Salads
Every corner of the globe has its favorites: Thai spring
rolls, Argentine empanadas, Italian crostini. From the
Mediterranean and the Middle East, where snacking
on small plates is a way of life, we get hummus drizzled
with aromatic olive oil, vegetable-filled savory pies, and
grilled bread topped with peak-of-season ingredients
like wild mushrooms or sweet, juicy tomatoes. If you
ask us, there’s no more convivial way to eat than laying
out a table full of these flavorful starters and inviting
everyone to dive in.
A variety of mezedes, or small plates, at Tsinari, an ouzeri in the city of Thessaloniki, in northern Greece.
 The Real Thing a few weeks before
being entrusted to an
As much as I loved affineur, or cellar mas-
grilled American ter, who oversees its
cheese sandwiches further maturation.
as a kid, it wasn’t until Unlike many AOC

The Ultimate Grilled a few years ago that

I discovered how tran-
cheeses (meaning
those from specially

Cheese Sandwich
scendent this classic designated cheese-
comfort food can taste making regions),
when it’s made with Comté is made with
The French cows' milk cheese Comté is one of the best melting cheeses truly great cheese. an emphasis not on
we know of. The key to bringing out its mildly sharp, herbaceous flavors That epiphany came uniformity but on
is to cook it very slowly in a generous amount of butter over moderate after a visit to the Jura individuality. A young
heat, allowing it to relax into a luscious melt—in this case between two mountains, along the cheese that’s just a
thick slices of sourdough bread. French-Swiss border. few months old may
There, I was seduced taste and smell like
by Comté, a semifirm butter, an older one
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, COOKING NOTE While Comté cheese born of the that’s been aged for
softened makes the ultimate grilled cheese sand- distinctive milk of a year or more, like
4 1⁄2-inch-thick slices wich, other semifirm cheeses—including local Montbéliarde fruit and spices. Over
sourdough bread Jarlsberg, fontina, and Gruyère—melt cows, whose diet time, the cheese devel-
8 oz. Comté cheese, grated beautifully, too. ops hints of chocolate,
spice, nutmeg, apricot,
hazelnut, and caramel,
Serves 2 flavors that become
even more prominent,
1. Spread the butter evenly on both I discovered, once the
sides of each slice of bread. Put half cheese has melted.
the cheese on one slice and half on It’s no wonder that
Comté is such a cele-
another. Top each with a remaining brated cooking cheese,
bread slice. includes wild orchids, used in both France
daisies, dandelions, and the United States
2. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and more than 400 for everything from
over medium-low heat. Add the other plant variet- fondues to soufflés to
sandwiches to the skillet and cook, ies that grow on the gratins to my personal
green hillsides of favorite, great grilled
flipping once with a metal spatula,
the Franche-Comté cheese sandwiches.
until golden brown and crusty on region. Produced in —Cara de Silva
both sides, 9–10 minutes each side. the fruitières, or
Transfer the sandwiches to a cooperative dairies,
cutting board and slice in half that have dotted this
with a knife. landscape for cen-
turies, the wheels of
cheese are aged on
spruce boards for

Snacks, Starters, and Salads 17

 Frisée Salad with Poached Eggs
and Bacon
Frisée aux Lardons

This classic French bistro salad gets its savor and crunch from a liberal scattering of thick bacon slivers,
which the French call lardons. sav eu r contributor Eugenia Bone (pictured below) makes it with her
own home-cured bacon, but any store-bought unsmoked slab bacon will work well. For tips on poaching
eggs, see “Perfect Poaching” on page 64.

5 1⁄2-inch-thick slices salt and pepper. In a large bowl,

unsmoked slab bacon, toss frisée with vinaigrette. Divide
sliced crosswise into frisée and bacon between 4 plates.
1
⁄2-inch-wide strips
2 cups distilled white 4. Swirl the simmering vinegar
vinegar water with a spoon to create a
Kosher salt, to taste whirlpool. Carefully slide each
4 large eggs egg into the water and poach until
1 tbsp. minced shallots just firm, 2–3 minutes. Using a
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to
2 tsp. Dijon mustard paper towels to drain, then top
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil salads with 1 egg apiece. Season
Freshly ground black 2. Prepare eggs for poaching: salads with salt and pepper. Serve
pepper, to taste Bring 16 cups of water to a boil immediately.
⁄2 lb. frisée greens, torn into
1
in a tall 6-qt. saucepan over high
medium-size pieces heat. Add the vinegar and 2 tsp.
salt, lower heat to medium, and
Serves 4 bring to a simmer. Crack each egg
into its own ramekin and set aside.
1. Combine bacon and 1 cup water (Don’t cook the eggs yet.)
in a 12-inch skillet over medium-
high heat. Cook, stirring, until 3. In a medium bowl, whisk
water evaporates and bacon crisps, together shallots, lemon juice,
30–40 minutes. Using a slotted mustard, and 3 tbsp. reserved
spoon, transfer bacon to a plate. bacon fat. While whisking, slowly
Reserve fat in skillet. drizzle in the olive oil to make a
smooth vinaigrette. Season with

18 The New Comfort Food

Spring Rolls with Chile–Garlic Sauce
Boh Biah Tote

Crunchy fried spring rolls like these, stuffed with pork, mushrooms, and rice noodles and served with a
sweet and spicy dipping sauce, are a popular midday snack in Thailand. Be sure to keep the reserved spring
roll wrappers covered with a damp towel while you’re working, to prevent them from drying out.

for the chile–garlic sauce: 1. Make the chile–garlic sauce: of the wrapper, and brush the far
1 cup sugar In a 2-qt. saucepan, bring the edge of the wrapper with a little
⁄2 cup distilled white vinegar
1
sugar, vinegar, garlic, salt, and of the beaten egg. B Fold the near
2 tbsp. minced garlic ⁄2 cup water to a boil over medium
1
corner up over the filling to make
2 tsp. kosher salt heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar a cylinder, and cinch the cylinder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper and reduce the heat to low. to make sure the filling is tightly A
Simmer until the liquid is thick wrapped. C Fold the sides of the
for the spring rolls: and syrupy, about 20 minutes. wrapper into the center of the
3 dried mushrooms, Remove the pan from the heat, cylinder. D Roll the cylinder
such as cloud ear, stir in the cayenne, and transfer toward the far corner until the
porcini, or shiitake to a serving bowl. Chill until spring roll is sealed. Transfer the
2 oz. rice vermicelli noodles ready to use. spring roll, seam side down, to a
⁄4 lb. ground pork
1
plate. Repeat with the remaining
⁄4 lb. medium shrimp, peeled,
1
2. Make the spring rolls: Put the filling and wrappers; set aside. B
deveined, and minced mushrooms into a small bowl,
2 tbsp. fish sauce cover with hot water, and let soak 4. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches
2 tbsp. minced shallots until soft, about 20 minutes. into a 6-qt. heavy-bottomed pot
⁄2 tsp. freshly ground
1
Meanwhile, put the noodles into over medium-high heat. Heat
white pepper a large bowl and cover with hot until a deep-fry thermometer
⁄2 tsp. sugar
1
water; let soak until soft, about reads 350°F. Working in batches,
1 clove garlic, minced 6 minutes. Drain and roughly fry the spring rolls, turning, until
Kosher salt, to taste chop the noodles; set aside. Drain golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer C
7 6-inch square spring roll the mushrooms and finely chop to a paper towel–lined plate. Serve
wrappers, quartered them. In a large bowl, combine the spring rolls with the chile–
into small squares the noodles and mushrooms along garlic sauce.
1 egg, lightly beaten with the pork, shrimp, fish sauce,
Peanut oil, for frying shallots, white pepper, sugar, and
garlic. Mix the filling together
Makes 28 rolls and season lightly with salt.
D

3. Working with 1 small square of

spring roll wrapper at a time, put
the wrapper on a work surface so
that one corner faces you. A Put 1
scant tbsp. of filling in the center

Snacks, Starters, and Salads 21

Know Your 4 The oblong siena,

Artichokes about four inches in

diameter and born of
Scores of different
a breeding program
artichoke cultivars
in central Italy, has

Italian-Style Stuffed
are grown around
a small choke and a
the world. Pictured
wine-red color. Slow
on facing page and

Artichokes
to mature and still
described below are
grown in relatively
nine of our favorites
small quantities, this
that are commercially Carciofi Stufati
petite artichoke usu-
available in the
ally weighs less than a Artichokes, in an abundance of colors and sizes, are a springtime
United States.
pound and has a heart fixture in markets across Italy, and cooks there do wonderful things
tender enough to be
1 Developed in the with them. This classic antipasto, in which full-size globe artichokes
eaten raw.
mid-1980s by a Cali- are stuffed with a mixture of garlic, Pecorino Romano, and bread
fornia grower, the big 5 The four-inch-wide crumbs and baked until tender, is one of our all-time favorites.
heart is aptly named.
lyon is classically
It is endowed with a
shaped and has a 4 large artichokes
large, fleshy base and
maroon tint to its 1 lemon, halved
weighs in at over a
leaves. A versatile, all-
pound. Excellent for 1 3⁄4 cups dried bread crumbs
purpose artichoke.
stuffing. 1 cup freshly grated
6 Light red and Pecorino Romano
2 The classic green
roughly one inch in 1
⁄3 cup chopped flat-leaf
globe, sometimes
diameter when fully parsley
called just the globe,
grown, the purple 2 tsp. kosher salt
has a buttery-tasting
baby anzio is a rela-
heart and bottom and 1 tsp. freshly ground
tive of the romanesco
an ample amount of black pepper
artichoke of the Lazio
meat at the base of 8 cloves garlic, minced
region of Italy. Like
the leaves. This arti-
many baby artichokes, 5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
choke, which ranges
baby anzios can be between the leaves. Transfer
in size from three to
eaten whole. Serves 4 the stuffed artichoke to a shallow
five inches in diam-
eter, was originally 7 The dense and
baking dish and repeat with the
brought to California 1. Using a serrated knife, cut off remaining artichokes.
rotund omaha is less
from Italy. the artichoke stems to create a
bitter than many arti-
choke varieties. Great flat bottom. Cut the top third off 3. Drizzle each artichoke with
3 The two-inch-wide
for stuffing. each artichoke, pull off the tough 1 tbsp. oil. Pour boiling water to
fiesole artichoke has
a fruity flavor and a outermost leaves, and trim the a depth of 1 inch into the baking
8 The chianti, a wide
deep wine color that sharp tips of the leaves with kitchen dish. Rub 1 tbsp. olive oil on a
green artichoke with
does not fade with shears. Rub the cut parts with the sheet of aluminum foil, cover the
a touch of maroon on
cooking. Bred from the lemon halves. Open the artichoke artichokes with the foil (oiled side
the leaves, is tender
violetta de provence, a
and a good choice for leaves with your thumbs to make down), and secure the foil tightly
purple variety native
boiling. room for the stuffing; set aside. around the dish with kitchen
to southern France,
the fiesole has a com- twine. Bake until a knife easily
9 The vividly colored
paratively tender stalk 2. Heat the oven to 425°F. In a large slides into the base of an artichoke,
king has green spots
that can be quickly bowl, combine the bread crumbs, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil,
on the tips of its leaves.
steamed and eaten. ⁄4 cup cheese, parsley, salt, pepper,
3
sprinkle the artichokes with the
Relatively small, it has
a soft heart that makes and garlic. Working with 1 artichoke remaining cheese, and heat the
this a great choice for at a time over a bowl, sprinkle one- oven to broil. Broil until the tops
steaming or grilling. quarter of the bread crumb mixture of the artichokes are golden brown,
over the artichoke and work it in about 3 minutes.

22 The New Comfort Food

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9
Tapas-Style Meatballs
Albóndigas en Salsa

Succulent miniature meatballs, simmered in a sauce of olive oil, beef stock, and white wine, can be had
throughout Spain, from the tapas bars of Madrid to the kitchens of home cooks like Carmen Barrio Perez
(pictured at left), who lives in the small Catalan city of Sils. The meatballs are typically skewered with
toothpicks and served in earthenware dishes called cazuelas.

for the meatballs: 4. Make the sauce: Heat the

1 1⁄2 lbs. coarsely ground beef skillet (with the reserved oil)
1 1⁄2 lbs. coarsely ground pork over medium-low heat. Add the
1
⁄2 cup fresh white bread garlic, onions, leeks, and bay leaf
crumbs and cook, stirring occasionally,
1
⁄4 cup minced flat-leaf until soft, 12–15 minutes. Add
parsley the flour and cook, stirring, for
4 eggs, lightly beaten 2 minutes. Whisk in the stock and
4 cloves garlic, minced wine, raise the heat to medium-
Kosher salt and freshly high, and bring to a boil while
ground black pepper, whisking constantly. Reduce the
to taste heat to medium-low and simmer
1 cup flour 1. Make the meatballs: Mix until thickened, 12–14 minutes.
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, together the beef, pork, bread Let cool and discard the bay leaf.
preferably Spanish crumbs, parsley, eggs, garlic,
and salt and pepper in a large 5. Purée the sauce in a blender in
for the sauce: bowl. Refrigerate for about batches. Return the sauce to the
4 cloves garlic, minced 1 hour to chill. skillet along with the meatballs
1 large yellow onion, and bring to a boil over medium-
chopped 2. Put the flour into a shallow high heat. Reduce the heat to
1 large leek, white part bowl. Moisten your hands with medium-low and simmer until
only, chopped water and divide the meat mixture the sauce is thickened and the
1 dried bay leaf into 20 even portions; roll portions meatballs are cooked through,
2 tbsp. flour into meatballs. Roll each meatball 16–18 minutes. Season with salt
2 1⁄2 cups beef or veal stock in flour, shake off the excess, and and pepper. Divide between 6-inch
11⁄2 cups white wine transfer to a baking sheet. or 7-inch cazuelas (earthenware
dishes) or bowls to serve.
Serves 4–6 3. Heat 1⁄2 cup olive oil in a large
skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown half the meatballs in the
skillet, 10–12 minutes; transfer
to a plate. Wipe out the skillet
and repeat with the remaining
oil and meatballs, leaving the oil
and caramelized bits in the skillet.

Snacks, Starters, and Salads 25

Miracle Food
Fried foods like latkes
have long been favored
during the eight days

Golden Potato Latkes

of Hanukkah because
oil is considered
symbolic of the mir-
acle that is central Potato pancakes, bolstered with grated onion and fried until crisp
to the holiday, which
and lightly browned, have held a central place at Jewish holiday
commemorates the
Jews’ victory over tables since the mid-nineteenth century, a time when the potato
the Syrian-Greeks was becoming a widespread crop in Eastern Europe. They remain
in 164 b.c. and the a beloved standby at Hanukkah, in particular. Sour cream or apple-
rededication of the sauce, both popular accompaniments, balance the latkes’ rich flavor.
Temple in Jerusalem.
(According to Jewish
1 medium yellow onion bowl and cover the surface
scripture, a single
day’s worth of oil kept 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes with plastic wrap; set aside. Set
the temple’s sacred (about 2 1⁄2 lbs.), peeled the reserved potato liquid aside
lamp lit for eight days.) Kosher salt, to taste to let the milky white starch
Every latke lover has 6 tbsp. minced fresh chives settle. Pour off the liquid from
strong opinions about 3 tbsp. plain matzo meal the starch. Transfer the starch
the best way to pre-
2 large eggs, lightly beaten to the potato mixture along
pare the dish. Some
argue for using a food Freshly ground white with the chives, matzo meal,
processor to grate the pepper, to taste eggs, and pepper. Gently mix.
potatoes; others insist Canola oil, for frying
on hand-grating them. Sour cream or applesauce, 3. Pour oil into a skillet to a depth
Most agree that this for serving of 1⁄4 inch and heat over medium-
rich dish calls for a
high heat. Working in small
cool condiment—
typically, sour cream Serves 6 batches, form the potato mixture
or applesauce—and into balls, using about 1⁄4 cup of the
many cooks enhance 1. Working over a bowl, grate some mixture for each, and place them
the classic potato ver- of the onion, followed by some of in the oil. Flatten each ball gently
sion by adding grated the potatoes, on the large-hole with a spatula to form 3-inch to
celery root, apple, zuc-
side of a box grater. Repeat until 4-inch pancakes. Fry, turning
chini, beets, or acorn
squash to the mix. all the vegetables are shredded. once, until golden brown, crisp,
Others remain purists, and cooked through, about
making latkes with 2. Sprinkle the potato mixture 8 minutes. Transfer the latkes
reasonably starchy with salt and transfer to a sieve to a paper towel–lined plate to
potatoes like russet set over a bowl. Squeeze out as drain. Serve the latkes warm
or Yukon Gold and
much liquid as possible from the with sour cream or applesauce.
adding matzo meal or
bread crumbs, as well mixture, allowing it to collect in
as egg, to help hold the the bottom of the bowl. Transfer
pancakes together. the potato mixture to another
Whatever ingredients
you use, slowly fry-
ing latkes in oil gives
them their distinctive
crisp-on-the-outside,
tender-on-the-inside
character. —Joan
Nathan

26 The New Comfort Food

 Love Fruit with avocados, which
it called “grenades of
Today, they’re almost glamour.” Capitalizing
as common as apples, on a vogue for things
but avocados have not tropical in the 1950s,
always been an easy Calavo also encour-

Guacamole sell. In fact, it took

more than 50 years
aged consumers to
associate the avocado
Dozens of styles of this classic avocado dip can be found across Mexico, of creative marketing with exotically themed
to get Americans party dishes that could
from elegantly smooth versions to chunky, rustic ones like this, in to embrace them. be served at suburban
which diced jalapeños and fresh cilantro add bright notes to the creamy Growers—and, more luaus. Such strategies
avocado. It comes from the New York City restaurant Rosa Mexicano, important, the adver- contributed consider-
which in the 1980s popularized the trend of having servers make tisers they hired—had ably to America’s love
guacamole tableside in a molcajete, or mortar. to convince consum- affair with guacamole.
ers that these exotic By the 1970s, Calavo’s
fruits were fashion- marketers had recog-
3 tbsp. minced fresh 4 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts
able. How did they do nized the need to
cilantro leaves through its flesh down to the skin, it? Like any successful respond to a rapidly
2 tbsp. minced white onion without cutting through the marketer, they hawked liberalizing society
2 tsp. minced jalapeño skin. Make 4 crosswise cuts in status, patriotism, and and media culture,
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus the same fashion. sex. Taking their lead and began fashioning
more to taste from the success of a sexy image for the
the California orange once humble avocado;
3 medium-ripe Hass 3. Scoop the diced avocado flesh
industry, the avocado one ad, in McCall’s
avocados (about 1 1⁄2 lbs.) into the mortar or bowl. Repeat growers of California magazine, called the
3 tbsp. chopped, with the remaining avocados. formed their own fruit the “love food
seeded tomato Gently fold the avocado pieces cooperative, in 1924. from California.” A
Tortilla chips, for serving into the onion paste, keeping the Initially, Calavo, as the California Avocado
avocado pieces fairly intact. organization came to Commission print
be called, positioned and billboard cam-
Serves 4
the avocado as a sub- paign from 1983 said
4. Add the remaining cilantro and stitute for meat. By it all: it pictured the
1. In a mortar, using a pestle, onions, along with the tomatoes. the late 1920s and the movie star Angie Dick-
pulverize 1 tbsp. cilantro, 1 tbsp. Fold together all the ingredients 1930s, however, diet- inson beside the words
onions, jalapeño, and 1 tsp. salt to and season with salt. Serve ing was on the rise and “Would this body lie
a paste. (Alternatively, on a cutting immediately, directly from salads were chic. So, to you?” Avocado sales
Calavo began to attach reached an all-time
board, finely chop and scrape the the mortar (or bowl), with the
new catchphrases to high. —Jeffrey Charles
ingredients into a paste and tortilla chips. its product—“the aris-
transfer to a bowl.) Set the tocrat of salad fruits”
onion mixture aside. was a favorite—in
advertisements placed
2. Cut the avocados in half in magazines like The
New Yorker and Vogue.
lengthwise. Twist the halves
In 1943, California
to separate them, and remove Farmer, a trade
the pits with the tip of the knife. magazine, ran an
Place an avocado half, cut side ad proclaiming that
up, in your palm and make 3 or people with victory
gardens (which were
patriotically culti-
vated to provide food
for civilians and
troops) make their
salads more delightful

Snacks, Starters, and Salads 29

 Spicy Beef Empanadas
Empanadas de Carne

These fried pies are a ubiquitous snack in Argentina, and given the vast cattle ranches that fan out over the
landscape there, beef is what you most often find inside. The ground beef in these empanadas gets a spicy
kick from red chile flakes; chopped green olives add savory flavor. We based this recipe on one that appears
in Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann.

4 tbsp. lard or vegetable 1. Bring 3 tbsp. of the lard, 3. To form the empanadas,
shortening 1 1⁄2 tbsp. salt, and 2 cups water to cut each dough disk in half
1 1⁄2 tbsp. kosher salt, plus a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over high and, working with one half at a
more, to taste heat; pour into a large bowl and time, roll the dough to a 1⁄8-inch
6 cups flour, plus more let cool to room temperature. Add thickness. Using a 5-inch round
for dusting the flour and mix until a dough cookie cutter, cut out circles and
6 tbsp. unsalted butter forms. Transfer the dough to a transfer to a parchment paper–
1 lb. ground beef lightly floured work surface and lined baking sheet. Repeat with
3 medium yellow onions, knead until smooth, 6–8 minutes. the remaining dough, rerolling
quartered lengthwise, Halve the dough and flatten each as needed to make 24 circles total.
thinly sliced crosswise half into a disk; wrap each disk in Working with one dough circle at
1 tbsp. crushed red plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. a time, place 1 heaping tbsp. of the
chile flakes beef mixture in the middle and
1 tbsp. ground cumin 2. Meanwhile, heat 4 tbsp. butter top it with a pinch of olives and
1 tbsp. sweet Spanish in a 12-inch skillet over medium- egg. Lightly moisten the edge of
smoked paprika high heat. Add the beef and the circle with water and fold the
4 scallions, white and green cook, stirring occasionally, until dough circle in half to form a
parts kept separate, both browned, about 15 minutes. turnover; pinch or crimp the
minced Transfer the beef to a large bowl dough to seal. Place on a baking
1
⁄4 cup fresh oregano leaves, and set aside to cool. Return the sheet and repeat with the
minced skillet to the heat and add the remaining dough circles,
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil remaining lard and butter. Add beef mixture, olives, and
Freshly ground black the onions and cook, stirring egg. Chill until ready to use.
pepper, to taste often, until soft, 10–12 minutes.
1
⁄2 cup pitted green olives, Add the chile flakes, cumin, 4. Pour canola oil to a depth of
minced paprika, and the white parts of 3 inches into a 6-qt. Dutch oven
2 hard-boiled eggs, minced the scallions and cook, stirring and heat over medium-high heat
Canola oil, for frying often, for about 2 minutes. until a deep-fry thermometer
Remove from the heat and stir reads 375°F. Working in batches,
Serves 12 in the scallion greens, oregano, fry the empanadas, turning
and olive oil; season with salt and occasionally, until golden brown
pepper. Transfer the mixture to and crisp, 3–4 minutes. Transfer
the bowl with the beef and stir to a paper towel–lined plate to
to combine; set aside. drain, and repeat with the remain-
ing empanadas. Serve hot.

30 The New Comfort Food

A B

C D
Wild-Greens Pie
Hortopita

In many parts of Greece, harvesting wild herbs and greens and baking them into savory pies is an unbroken
tradition dating back centuries. Aggeliki Bakali (pictured at left), a home cook in the central Greek village of
Pertouli, makes this pie of greens, herbs, and feta from a family recipe that also calls for her to make her own
phyllo dough, which she rolls into large circles to fit a 12-inch round cake pan. We found that store-bought
country-style phyllo works just as well to make the pie in a 9 x 13-inch rectangular baking dish.

1 cup plus 1 tbsp. extra-virgin 1. Heat 1⁄2 cup oil in a pot over on top of greens and cover with
olive oil medium-high heat. Add scallions half the remaining greens. Top
16 scallions, minced and garlic and cook, stirring, until with remaining 2 baked sheets
6 cloves garlic, minced soft, 3–4 minutes. Add chard and and the remaining greens B .
1 3⁄4 lbs. Swiss chard (about herbs and cook, stirring often,
2 bunches), chopped until tender, 12–15 minutes. 4. Cut 2 phyllo sheets into
1 cup each minced fresh dill, Remove from the heat and season 9 x 13-inch rectangles. Cover
mint, and parsley with salt and pepper. Let cool to greens with 1 sheet, and brush
Kosher salt and freshly room temperature and stir in with 2 tbsp. oil; top with remain-
ground black pepper, feta; set aside. ing phyllo and fold phyllo dough
to taste from the bottom layer hanging
12 oz. feta, crumbled 2. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking over edges onto top of pie. Brush
1 16-oz. package frozen dish with 2 tbsp. oil. Cut 2 phyllo top and edges with 1 tbsp. oil
country-style phyllo sheets into 11 x 15-inch sheets; C and score phyllo to vent. Bake

dough, thawed layer them in the baking dish A , for 20 minutes, reduce heat to
brushing each with 2 tbsp. oil. 350°F, and bake until golden
Serves 6–8 Spread a third of the greens in brown, 18–20 minutes. Let cool
pan on top of the phyllo. slightly and then cut into
squares to serve D .
3. Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut
4 phyllo sheets into 9 x 13-inch
rectangles, and transfer to baking
sheets. Bake each until golden,
4–6 minutes, and then set aside
to cool. Place 2 baked phyllo sheets

Snacks, Starters, and Salads 33

Alfresco Feast
One of the joys of
living in Tuscany is
that locals love a good
party, which explains
why many towns
frequently hold com- Mushroom and Herb
Crostini
munal meals and
sagre­—outdoor festi-
vals that celebrate the
Crostini con Funghi
harvest of a cherished
local food. Such gath- Simple, satisfying crostini like these are among the many dishes
erings are a testament prepared by sav eu r contributor Beth Elon and her neighbors for
to Tuscans’ abid-
a feast held each summer in their Tuscan town of Buggiano. We like
ing attachment to the
seasonal rituals that the earthy flavor of cremini mushrooms in this classic antipasto,
are the foundation of but you can use any variety of mushroom you like.
rural life here. In Bug-
giano (pictured below), 8 oz. mixed mushrooms, 2. Put the bread slices on a
where I live, we have such as cremini, oyster, baking sheet and brush with
several alfresco feasts
and button, stemmed and the remaining oil. Bake bread
each year, but our sum-
mertime cena (the thinly sliced slices until golden brown, about
name simply means 7 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 10 minutes. Let cool slightly,
3 tbsp. minced flat-leaf then spoon the mushroom mixture
parsley over the bread. Using a peeler,
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice thinly slice strips of Parmigiano
1 clove garlic, minced to garnish the crostini.
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper, COOKING NOTE The best way to
to taste clean mushrooms—rinse or soak in
8 slices country-style Italian water, or wipe each mushroom with
dinner) is the most bread, such as ciabatta a damp cloth to avoid its taking in
special because all of Small wedge of Parmigiano- water—has long been a subject of debate.
the food is prepared Reggiano It took scientific proof to satisfy us once
by local home cooks. and for all. In an experiment described
The dinner, which
Serves 4 in the book The Curious Cook, author
is held in our main
piazza, is a lavish pot- Harold McGee demonstrated that after
luck: there are platters 1. Heat the oven to 475°F. Toss soaking for five minutes, a button mush-
of antipasti, including together the mushrooms, 4 tbsp. room absorbs only one-sixteenth of a
crostini topped with oil, parsley, lemon juice, and garlic teaspoon of water. A speedy rinse, McGee
seasonal ingredients, in a medium bowl. Season with salt concludes, results in virtually no water
and herbed tomato
and pepper and let sit at room retention. The myth of the soggy mush-
tarts (page 37). There
are pastas, and a main temperature until the mushrooms room, it turns out, just doesn’t hold water.
dish of roast pork, fra- have softened, about 20 minutes.
grant with garlic and
herbs. And for dessert:
a spread of pastries,
followed by glasses of
locally made limon-
cello, and dancing that
goes on late into the
night. —Beth Elon

34 The New Comfort Food

Herbed Tomato Tart
Cookbook author Beth Elon, who lives in Buggiano, Italy, provided this recipe for a Tuscan-style cherry
tomato tart. She prepared it for her village’s annual outdoor summer feast (pictured at left; also see
“Alfresco Feast,” page 34), and it would serve just as well for any barbecue, picnic, or other outdoor meal.

2 9 x 11-inch sheets frozen 2. Heat the oven to broil and

puff pastry, thawed and arrange a rack 4 inches from
chilled the heating element. In a large
1
⁄2 cup freshly grated bowl, mix together the olive oil
Parmigiano-Reggiano and anchovies; add the tomatoes
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
12 anchovy filets in oil, Toss to coat. Transfer the tomato
drained and finely chopped mixture to another rimmed baking
3 lbs. cherry or grape pan and broil, shaking the pan
tomatoes once or twice, until the tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly blister, about 12 minutes. Remove
ground black pepper, the tomatoes from the oven and
to taste 1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Fit let them cool slightly. Use a slotted
1
⁄4 cup minced flat-leaf the pastry sheets side by side spoon to transfer the tomato
parsley in a parchment paper–lined mixture to the prepared tart
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives 13 x 17 3⁄4-inch rimmed baking shell and distribute the tomatoes
2 tbsp. minced fresh oregano pan, pressing the pastry against evenly over the shell.
Freshly grated nutmeg, the bottom and sides. Press
to taste together the center where the 3. Lower the oven heat to 425°F.
two sheets overlap to make an In a bowl, combine the parsley,
Serves 12–16 even seam; trim the pastry chives, oregano, and nutmeg.
hanging over the sides of the Sprinkle the herb mixture evenly
pan. Prick the bottom of the over the tomatoes. Return the
pastry with a fork. Line the tart to the oven and bake until
bottom and sides of the pastry hot, about 15 minutes. Let the
with parchment paper and fill tart cool slightly before serving,
with dried beans or pie weights. or serve at room temperature.
Bake until the edges of the tart are
golden, about 25 minutes. Remove
the beans and parchment paper,
sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano
over the tart shell, and bake
until the cheese is melted and
the tart shell is golden all over,
15–20 minutes. Transfer to a
rack and let cool.

Snacks, Starters, and Salads 37

Family Recipe not. Overwhelmingly,
the responses were in
When my brother favor of the traditional
married a Polish- combination of ingre-
American girl named dients—chickpeas,
Rachael, my Palestin- tahini, lemon juice,
ian-Lebanese mother
held her breath. When
and garlic. In an act
of Middle Eastern Hummus with Tahini
they named their diplomacy, Rachael Hummus B’Tahina
son after a baseball asked my mother how
hero rather than my to make hummus the The building blocks of this most popular of Mediterranean mezes, or
brother, she held her small plates, couldn’t be simpler: chickpeas, sesame paste, lemon juice,
tongue. But when garlic, and not much more. Yet these few ingredients can yield incredibly
Rachael proudly nuanced flavors and a sumptuous texture, and versions vary in subtle
served “black bean and not-so-subtle ways from family to family, kitchen to kitchen, country
hummus” at a family to country.
party, my mother let it
all out. “Hummus with
black beans?” she said. 5 oz. dried chickpeas about 2 minutes. Add 3⁄4 cup of
“Why do Americans 1 tsp. baking soda the cooking liquid, along with
have to mix every- 6 cloves garlic, crushed 1 1⁄4 cups tahini, 1⁄2 cup lemon juice,
thing up until you “real way.” My mom 1 1⁄4 cups plus 3 1⁄2 tbsp. tahini and 2 tbsp. olive oil; season with
can’t even tell what quickly listed the 1
⁄2 cup plus 2 tbsp. fresh salt. Process, stopping occasionally
is what? Hummus is ingredients, giving
just hummus!” That no measurements or
lemon juice to scrape down the sides of the
made me wonder what proportions. Always Kosher salt, to taste bowl, until the mixture is very
truly makes hummus an advocate for peace, 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, smooth, about 8 minutes. Cover
hummus, so I polled I decided to write plus more for garnish with plastic wrap; refrigerate until
my Arab-American down the recipe for 1
⁄8 tsp. sumac or paprika, flavors have melded, about 4 hours.
friends and received Rachael. After gath- for garnish
passionate responses ering advice from
1 tsp. finely chopped flat-leaf 3. Bring hummus to room
as to what genuine family and friends,
hummus was and was and testing and tast- parsley, for garnish temperature. Finely chop the
ing ten batches, I Sliced pickles, for garnish remaining clove of garlic and
distilled a formula for Pita, for serving sprinkle with salt. Using the side
classic hummus, one of a knife, scrape the garlic against
that made my mother Makes 4 cups the work surface while chopping
proud. —Alia Yunis
occasionally to make a paste; set
1. In a medium bowl, combine aside. In a small bowl whisk
chickpeas with 6 cups cold water together the remaining tahini,
and stir in baking soda; cover lemon juice, 3 1⁄2 tbsp. ice water,
and let soak overnight. Drain and the garlic paste until the
chickpeas, transfer to a 2-qt. mixture is creamy; season with
saucepan, and cover with 6 cups salt and set aside.
fresh water. Cover and bring to
a boil over medium-high heat 4. To serve, place hummus in a
and cook until very tender, bowl and make a small indentation
40–50 minutes. Remove pan in the middle using the back of a
from heat and let cool slightly. spoon. Pour the reserved tahini
mixture into the indentation and
2. Drain chickpeas, reserving garnish hummus with olive oil,
cooking liquid. To the bowl of a sumac or paprika, parsley, and
food processor, add chickpeas pickles. Serve with pita.
and 5 cloves garlic and process for

38 The New Comfort Food

Soups and Stews
First, you brown some onions, celery, and bacon.
Next, you pour in stock or water and maybe a little
wine, scraping up the f lavorful caramelized bits
before adding meat or vegetables. Then you stir,
season, taste, and wait. As the pot simmers and your
kitchen fills with aromas, sharp f lavors mellow and
subtle ones intensify, until it all comes together in
a beautiful union. Creamy corn chowder, French
onion soup bubbling beneath gooey Gruyère,
Polish pork and sauerkraut stew—such dishes feed
the soul, warm the body, and leave us content.
A student at Le Ferrandi culinary school in Paris tends to a simmering pot of veal stock under the watchful eye of his professor.
Burgundy-Style Beef Stew
Boeuf à la Bourguignonne

There are many ways to say “beef stew” in French. In Provence, you might ask for daube; in Belgium, it’s called
carbonnade and is made with dark beer. But the most famous of these regional stews is Burgundy’s, made with
red wine and cooked slowly, until the flavors fully meld and the beef becomes meltingly tender.

8 oz. slab bacon, cut 1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Cook golden brown, 10–12 minutes.
into 1⁄2-inch slices and the bacon in an 8-qt. Dutch oven Transfer the mushrooms to a
cut crosswise into over medium heat, stirring occa- bowl and set aside.
⁄4-inch pieces
1
sionally, until browned and crisp,
2 tbsp. canola oil about 20 minutes. Using a slotted 4. Add 1 tbsp. butter to the skillet
2 1⁄2 lbs. trimmed boneless spoon, transfer the bacon to a along with the pearl onions and
beef chuck, cut into paper towel–lined plate; pour off 2 tbsp. water. Cover partially and
2-inch cubes all but 2 tbsp. of the rendered fat. cook until the water evaporates
Kosher salt and freshly and the onions are tender, about
ground black pepper, 2. Increase the heat to medium- 4 minutes. Uncover and continue
to taste high and add the oil to the Dutch cooking the onions, stirring
1 large carrot, roughly oven. Working in batches, add the occasionally, until browned all
chopped beef, season with salt and pepper, over, 2–3 minutes more. Transfer
1 large yellow onion, and cook, turning occasionally, onions to the bowl with the mush-
roughly chopped until the beef is browned on all rooms and cover to keep warm.
1 rib celery, roughly sides, 5–6 minutes. Transfer the
chopped beef to a plate and set aside. Add 5. Remove the beef from the oven.
2 tbsp. tomato paste the carrots, onions, and celery Using a slotted spoon, transfer the
3 cloves garlic, roughly and cook, stirring occasionally, beef to a large bowl and cover to
chopped until onions are soft and browned, keep warm. Set a fine mesh strainer
1
⁄4 cup flour about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato over a 4-qt. saucepan. Strain the
2 cups beef or veal stock paste and garlic and cook for cooking liquid, discarding solids,
1 750-ml. bottle full-bodied 1 minute. Return the beef to the and bring to a boil over medium-
red wine, such as merlot pot along with any juices, sprinkle high heat; cook until reduced and
1 bouquet garni (1 sprig each with flour, and stir until the ingre- thick enough to coat the back of a
parsley and thyme and dients are well coated with flour. spoon, 10–12 minutes. Season
1 bay leaf, tied together Add the stock, wine, and bouquet sauce with salt and pepper.
with kitchen twine) garni. Cover, transfer to the oven,
2 tbsp. unsalted butter and cook until the beef is tender, 6. To serve, divide the reserved
10 oz. button mushrooms, 2 1⁄2–3 hours. beef between 8 serving bowls and
stemmed and quartered pour some sauce over each serving.
32 pearl onions, peeled 3. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp. butter Divide the bacon, mushrooms,
1
⁄4 cup flat-leaf parsley in a 12-inch skillet over medium- and pearl onions evenly between
leaves, for garnish high heat. Add the mushrooms and the bowls, and garnish with the
cook, stirring occasionally, until parsley leaves. Serve with crusty
Serves 8 the mushrooms are soft and bread, if you like.

Soups and Stews 43

 Creamy Corn Chowder
The recipe for this summer chowder comes from the Murphy family of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia (their home
is pictured at right during a late-summer party). Matriarch Eva Murphy, a home cook who harvests many of
the ingredients for the soup from her own vegetable patch, scrapes sweet corn off the cob and thickens the
soup by puréeing a little of the chowder and stirring it back into the pot.

8 ears fresh corn, shucked 3. Discard the cobs and bay leaf;
8 strips bacon, chopped transfer 1 1⁄2 cups of the soup to a
4 tbsp. unsalted butter blender and purée. Stir the purée
1 tbsp. minced fresh thyme back into the chowder to thicken it.
4 cloves garlic, minced Season with salt and pepper and
2 ribs celery, minced serve the soup garnished with the
1 medium yellow onion, reserved bacon and basil.
minced
1 bay leaf COOKING NOTE Here are two other
6 cups milk methods for slicing corn kernels off
3 medium new potatoes the cob: Lay the cob horizontally on the
(about 1 1⁄2 lbs.), peeled cutting board to cut off the kernels. Or,
and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes 2. Heat the bacon in a 6-qt. pot firmly hold the cob vertically, resting
Kosher salt and freshly over medium heat and cook, the bottom on the cutting board, and
ground black pepper, stirring occasionally, until crisp, slice off the kernels from the bottom
to taste about 12 minutes. Reserve 3 tbsp. half first, then turn the cob and hold
⁄4 cup thinly sliced fresh
1
bacon for a garnish, leaving the the opposite end as you slice off the
basil, for garnish remaining bacon and fat in the kernels from the other half.
pot. Add the butter, thyme, garlic,
Serves 8 celery, onions, and bay leaf. Cover
the pot and cook, stirring occa-
1. Working over a large bowl, sionally, until the onions soften,
slice the kernels off the corn about 6 minutes. Add the reserved
cobs, scraping the cobs with the corn kernels and cobs, milk, and
knife to extract the flavorful potatoes. Cover, bring the chow-
juices. Halve 5 of the bare corn der to a boil, reduce heat to low,
cobs crosswise, discarding the and simmer, stirring occasionally,
rest. Set the corn and cobs aside. until the potatoes are tender,
about 25 minutes. Skim any foam
from the surface of the soup.

44 The New Comfort Food

 Comfort Bowl
The year my family
moved to Germany,
my dad booked us a bus

German Split Pea Soup

trip into the Taunus
Mountains, north of
Frankfurt—an adven-
Erbsensuppe ture that included
sav eu r editor Todd Coleman fell in love with this fragrant split pea dinner and the chance
to chop down our own
soup as a child in Germany. The addition of a little flour gives it a smooth Christmas tree. The
texture, while celery root adds an earthy note. excursion did not begin
auspiciously. Mom,
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1. Put the oil and bacon into a Dad, my then three-
2 slices bacon, minced 6-qt. pot and cook over medium- year-old brother, Casey
1 large onion, minced high heat until crisp, about (that’s him on the left
in the photo below;
1 rib celery, minced 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, I’m in the Superman
1 large carrot, peeled and transfer the bacon to a paper pj’s), and I piled into
minced towel–lined plate; set aside. Add the car, but when Dad
1 small celery root, peeled onions, celery, carrots, and celery
and minced root, season with salt, and cook,
Kosher salt, to taste stirring occasionally, until soft,
2 tbsp. flour about 10 minutes. Stir in flour;
10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves 2. Tie the parsley, thyme, and bay
1 lb. green split peas, rinsed leaves together with kitchen twine;
and drained add to the pot along with the peas, turned the key, the
2 large smoked ham hocks ham hocks, and 7 cups water. Bring engine wouldn’t start.
(about 2 lbs. total) to a boil over high heat. Reduce We made it to the bus
Freshly ground black heat to medium-low and simmer, just as it was about to
depart. Three hours
pepper, to taste covered, until peas are very tender,
later, we arrived at our
about 1 hour. Remove from heat. destination. We had to
Serves 4 Discard herbs. Transfer hocks to trudge deep into the
a plate and let cool; pull off and woods, hungry and
chop the meat; discard fat, skin, cold, to find a worthy
and bones. Stir meat into the soup, specimen. A dose of
salvation arrived hours
season with salt and pepper, and
later when we stopped
ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle off at a guesthouse
with reserved bacon. for dinner and were
served erbsensuppe, a
nourishing split pea
soup. Each smoky
spoonful warmed our
bodies and revived our
spirits. —Todd Coleman

Soups and Stews 47

Nighthawks at
the Brasserie
Before Paris’s famed
Les Halles market
moved out to the
suburbs, the forts des
Halles—strong men
who worked through
French Onion Soup
Soupe à l’Oignon
the night lugging meat
and produce—made The first step to making this brasserie classic is slowly braising onions with sherry and butter until they
the nearby brasserie are luxuriously soft and intensely flavorful. Rich veal stock and a browned and bubbly layer of Gruyère
Au Pied de Cochon the further enrich the luscious soup, a favorite at the Paris brasserie Au Pied de Cochon (pictured at right);
wildest party in town. this recipe is based on theirs. To make it, you’ll need six ovenproof ceramic bowls.
As Paris awoke and the
market disgorged its
1 cup white wine Remove and discard the bouquet
workers, Au Pied de
Cochon heaved with ⁄2 cup plus 3 tbsp. sherry
1
garni. Stir in the remaining sherry
life; haulers and off- 10 tbsp. unsalted butter and cook for 5 minutes more.
duty butchers (two of 1 tsp. sugar
whom are pictured at 3 large yellow onions, 3. While the broth simmers, spread
right, in the restaurant thinly sliced the baguette slices with the remain-
in the 1950s) took
Kosher salt and freshly ing butter. Toast in a skillet over
their seats alongside
Paris’s nocturnal ground black pepper, medium heat, turning once, until
creatures, who were to taste golden, 5–7 minutes total. Rub the
only just winding up 6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley slices generously with the garlic
their revelries. Diners 6 sprigs fresh thyme cloves and set aside. Discard any
slurped oysters, 2 bay leaves remaining garlic.
dipped into bowls
2 qts. beef or veal stock 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Combine
of the restaurant’s
signature cheese- 12 1⁄2-inch-thick slices the wine, 1⁄2 cup sherry, 8 tbsp. 4. Heat a broiler and place the rack
laden onion soup, and baguette butter, sugar, onions, and salt 6 inches from the heating element.
devoured pigs’ feet, 2 cloves garlic, smashed and pepper in a 9 x 13-inch casse- Arrange 6 heat-proof bowls on
another specialty, all 6 cups grated Gruyère role dish and cook, uncovered, a foil-lined baking sheet, divide
of it accompanied by 2 cups finely grated stirring occasionally, until the the onions and broth between the
bottles of house beau-
Parmigiano-Reggiano onions just begin to brown, about bowls, and stir together. Place
jolais. The restaurant,
which opened in 1946, 2 tsp. minced flat-leaf parsley 40 minutes. Cover casserole with 2 baguette slices in each bowl and
is no longer such a rau- for garnish, optional foil and continue braising, stirring top each with about 1 cup Gruyère
cous place, but across occasionally, until onions are and about 1⁄3 cup Parmigiano-
from the pedestrian Serves 6 caramelized, about 1 hour more. Reggiano. Broil until the cheeses
walkways and souve- Set onions aside and keep warm. are browned and bubbly, about
nir shops that have
4 minutes. Serve the soup garnished
replaced the market
stalls of Les Halles, 2. Meanwhile, tie the parsley, with minced parsley, if you like.
the brasserie’s neon thyme, and bay leaves together
sign still glows like with kitchen twine to make a
a beacon to hungry bouquet garni. Put the herb
passersby. And the bundle and stock into a stockpot
onion soup is as good
and bring to a boil. Reduce the
as ever. —Jay Cheshes
heat to medium-low and simmer,
partially covered, for 30 minutes.

48 The New Comfort Food

Matzo Ball Soup
In Jewish households around the country, chicken soup is so closely associated with comfort and well-being
that it has earned the nickname Jewish penicillin. With the addition of matzo balls, it is often served at the
Passover meal. This recipe comes from sav eu r contributor Pamela Renner, who adds a little seltzer or club
soda to the matzo balls to ensure that they turn out light and airy.

12 sprigs fresh dill 1. Gather the fresh dill, cilantro, 4. Whisk together the reserved
3 sprigs fresh cilantro garlic cloves, onions, celery, and chicken fat, club soda, dried dill,
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced parsley sprigs in a piece of cheese- and eggs in a bowl. Pour in the
2 small yellow onions, cloth to form a purse; secure with matzo meal while whisking. Cover
thinly sliced twine. Make a second purse with and chill the matzo mixture for
1 bunch celery, cut into the carrots, turnips, and parsnips. 15 minutes.
⁄2-inch pieces
1

Sprigs from 1⁄2 bunch flat- 2. Put the dill purse, chicken, 5. Bring 2 1⁄2 qts. salted water to
leaf parsley, plus 1 tbsp. chicken feet, salt, and 1 1⁄2 gallons a boil over high heat. With wet
chopped of water into a large pot and bring to hands, form the matzo mixture
3 large carrots, peeled and a boil. Reduce the heat to medium- into 1-inch balls. Reduce the heat
cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces low and simmer, covered, for about to medium and drop in the matzo
1 turnip, peeled and cut into 1 1⁄2 hours. Add the carrot purse balls. Cook, covered, for about
⁄2-inch pieces
1
and simmer gently, covered, until 15 minutes. Stir the matzo balls
1 parsnip, cut into 1⁄2-inch the carrots are tender, about gently and simmer, covered, until
pieces 30 minutes. fluffy, about 10 minutes more.
1 3 1⁄2-lb. whole chicken
1 lb. chicken feet (optional) 3. Remove and discard the dill 6. Meanwhile, transfer the
Salt, to taste purse and chicken feet. Transfer reserved shredded chicken,
2 tbsp. seltzer or club soda the chicken and carrot purse to vegetables, and broth to a large
1
⁄8 tsp. dried dill a plate and let cool. Pull enough pot and heat over medium heat.
2 eggs, at room temperature breast meat into fine shreds to Transfer the matzo balls to the
1
⁄2 cup plus 1 tbsp. matzo meal make 3⁄4 cup. Reserve 1 cup of the broth. Serve the soup garnished
vegetables from the carrot purse. with chopped parsley, if you like.
Serves 8–10 Cover and chill the shredded
chicken and vegetables. (Reserve
the remaining chicken and vegeta-
bles for another use.) Set a fine
mesh sieve over a large bowl and
strain the broth; chill overnight.
Skim off and discard all but 2 tbsp.
chicken fat from broth; set fat aside.

Soups and Stews 51

 grease, melding with
Hot Stuff the beef and tomatoes
Chili powder is to in a pot of chili to cre-
Texas what peanut ate its distinctive taste
butter is to jelly: you and look. Rubbed onto
can’t think of one a steak before grilling,
without the other.
With its deep red
it lends a striking hue
and char. Chili powder Woody DeSilva’s
Championship Chili
color and robust was invented in Texas;
aroma, chili powder by whom is a matter
is the very essence of of some dispute. The
Tex-Mex food, season- chili historian Joe In Texas, chili is practically a religion—and by chili Texans mean cubed
ing everything from Cooper maintains beef chuck simmered for hours with tomatoes and chili powder and
the meat for chilies that a German immi- then thickened with masa harina (corn flour). Don’t even think about
and tacos to the sauce grant named William adding beans. Each year, scores of the faithful converge in the town
for enchiladas. The Gebhardt invented
of Terlingua, Texas, for the mother of all chili cook-offs; this recipe,
powder is made from the first chili powder
seemingly mundane in 1896 in the town of created by home cook Woody DeSilva, took first prize in 1968.
ingredients—dried New Braunfels, which
chiles (usually ancho), lies between Austin 4 lbs. beef chuck, trimmed 2. Add the onions and garlic
oregano, cumin, gar- and San Antonio. Geb- and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes to the pot, reserving a few table-
lic, and, sometimes, hardt operated a café Kosher salt and freshly spoonfuls of chopped onion for
salt—that, when pro- in the back of a place
ground black pepper, garnish. Cook, stirring, until
cessed together, make called Miller’s Saloon
a substance whose and devised a way of to taste golden brown, about 5 minutes.
properties are nothing pulverizing Mexican 4 tbsp. canola oil Return the beef to the pot, stir
short of magical. Chili dried chiles using a 5 medium onions, chopped in the tomato paste, and cook,
powder disperses its meat grinder (proba- 5 cloves garlic, minced stirring frequently and scraping
color and potent fla- bly in an adaptation of 2 6-oz. cans tomato paste the bottom of the pot with a
vor when fried in oil or the Hungarian method
4 tbsp. dried oregano wooden spoon, until the tomato
for making paprika).
He sold his new prod- 3 tbsp. chili powder paste is caramelized, 10–12 min-
uct as “Tampico Dust” 4 tsp. ground chile pequín utes. Add the oregano, chili
but later changed the or cayenne pepper powder, chile pequín, paprika,
name to Gebhardt’s 1 tbsp. sweet paprika Tabasco, and cumin; cook, stir-
Eagle Chili Powder, as 1 tbsp. Tabasco ring frequently, for 1 minute.
it is still called today.
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 tbsp. masa harina 3. Add 5 cups water to the chili
and bring to a boil. Reduce heat
Serves 6 to medium-low and simmer, stir-
ring occasionally, until the meat
1. Season the beef with salt and is tender, about 2 hours.
pepper. Heat the oil in a 6-qt.
pot over high heat. Working in 4. Stir the masa harina into
4 batches, brown the beef, about the chili, season with salt, and
3 minutes per batch. Using a slotted simmer, stirring, until thickened,
spoon, transfer the beef to a plate. about 5 minutes. Ladle into
serving bowls and garnish with
the reserved onions, if you like.

52 The New Comfort Food

 beautiful citrusy fra-
Big World grance. Then the pad
For my 13th-birthday Thai arrived, a heap
dinner, my parents of rice noodles tan-
and I drove from our gled with stir-fried egg
home in Falmouth, and scallion, sprin-

Thai Hot and Sour Massachusetts, to

Boston to eat at a pop-
kled with peanuts, all
of it strange to me and

Shrimp Soup
ular Thai restaurant addictive. I remember
called the King and looking around to see
Tom Yum Goong
I. This was a big deal. how the other diners
We didn’t go to Bos- used chopsticks, and
Fragrant with lime juice and lemongrass, this hot and sour soup is ton often and we’d then back at my quiet
served throughout Thailand, with subtle regional variations in heat, never eaten Thai food. family who twirled our
sweetness, and pungency. Pictured at left are Wai Smitaman and his In small-town Massa- noodles around forks.
chusetts at that time, After that meal, I’d sit
wife, Kiew Krislas, a home cook in southern Thailand who provided
the brick oven pizzeria in algebra class and
the recipe upon which this one was based. was as urbane as it got. dream of tom yum, the
The place was bright memory of its tartness
3 large stalks fresh and loud and packed. making my mouth
lemongrass The waiter came over water. I’d spend week-
4 cups chicken stock and we each ordered ends making pad Thai
pad Thai—the noodles for my friends, once
12 fresh or frozen Kaffir
were enough like pasta I realized that the
lime leaves to assuage my father, “international foods”
1 cup canned straw who would rather have section of the Stop
mushrooms, drained been at a red-sauce & Shop carried fish
2–4 tbsp. roasted Thai chile joint—plus a bowl of sauce. That soup made
paste (nam prik pao) tom yum soup for me, me lust for places like
which I chose because New York City, where
8 oz. medium shrimp, peeled
it included shrimp. surely everyone ate
and deveined The soup arrived things like Thai food
1 1⁄2 tbsp. fish sauce first, a brown crock every night. And when
4–6 Thai chiles, stemmed and 2. Remove and discard lemongrass of cloudy broth with I finally moved there—
smashed with side of a knife and lime leaves and increase heat a few mushrooms, a and realized that
3 scallions, cut into 1-inch to high. Stir in mushrooms and sprig of cilantro, flecks they didn’t—I felt at
of chopped something home anyway. —Sarah
lengths chile paste, to taste, and boil for
(lemongrass and Kaf- DiGregorio
Juice of 1 lime 1 minute; add shrimp and fish fir lime leaf, I would
2 cups cooked rice (optional) sauce and cook until shrimp are later learn), and just
just cooked through, about one pink shrimp. No
Serves 2 45 seconds. Combine remaining matter; it was the
lime leaves with chiles, scallions, broth that floored me.
It had an unfamil-
1. Trim tip and root ends of lemon- and lime juice in a serving bowl
iar sourness that was
grass stalks and remove and or tureen. Ladle soup into serving round and sweet, but
discard tough outer layer. Using a bowl, stir, and serve immediately, it also had an intrigu-
meat mallet or the side of a knife, with rice, if you like. ing fishy flavor and a
smash lemongrass to flatten it; tie
stalks into a knot; set aside. Pour
stock into a 2-qt. saucepan and
bring to a boil. Add lemongrass
and half the lime leaves, reduce
heat to medium-low, and simmer
until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Soups and Stews 55

 Tuscan-Style Kale Soup
Ribollita

The Italian name for this soup—ribollita, which literally means reboiled—reveals its very practical origins
as a way to use leftover vegetables and day-old bread. Long simmering renders the beans tender and the kale
silky; hunks of rustic bread all but disappear, thickening the broth to a stewlike consistency. Flavorful and
sustaining, the sum of these humble parts is a masterpiece of Tuscan peasant cooking.

⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil,

1
1. Heat 1⁄4 cup oil in an 8-qt. pot remaining oil. Cook, stirring
plus 3 tbsp. for serving over medium-high heat. Add the occasionally, until thick, about
⁄2 cup chopped flat-leaf
1
parsley, celery, garlic, carrots, and 30 minutes. Season with salt and
parsley onion and season with salt and pepper and serve soup drizzled
6 ribs celery, chopped pepper. Cook, stirring occasion- with olive oil.
4 cloves garlic, chopped ally, until vegetables are golden
3 medium carrots, chopped brown, 15–20 minutes. COOKING NOTE Ribollita can be
1 small red onion, chopped made with any type of kale, but cavolo
Kosher salt and freshly 2. Put the tomatoes into a medium nero, a Tuscan variety that grows
ground black pepper, bowl. Crush the tomatoes by hand through the lean winter months,
to taste and transfer to the pot along with maintains its body and crinkly texture
1 28-oz. can whole peeled the juices. Reduce the heat to particularly well. In the United States,
tomatoes, undrained medium-low and cook until thick- cavolo nero is also known as dinosaur
2 lbs. trimmed and roughly ened, 25–30 minutes. Add the kale, kale, Tuscan kale, and lacinato kale.
chopped kale or cavolo 2 cans of beans, and 16 cups water.
nero (see Cooking Note) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to
3 14-oz. cans borlotti or medium-low, and simmer, uncov-
cannellini beans, drained ered, until the kale is tender, about
1 3⁄4 -lb. loaf stale ciabatta 30 minutes.
bread, trimmed of crust
and torn into 1-inch pieces 3. Meanwhile, purée the remain-
ing can of beans and 1⁄2 cup of
Serves 8–10 water in a blender. Stir into the
pot. Add the bread pieces and

56 The New Comfort Food

 City of Pork
Hog heaven is the deli
counter at Bobak’s, the
Polish supermarket on
Chicago’s Southwest

Smoked Pork and Sauerkraut Stew side. There you can find
the world’s best bacon,
double-smoked and
Bigos
meaty, with ribbons
The extravagant pork and sauerkraut stew called bigos may be our favorite from Poland’s wide repertoire of aromatic fat that
of hearty pork dishes. Thick with smoked pork shoulder, pork butt, bacon, and kielbasa, this version is based melt on your tongue;
on one made by Stella Bobak, whose family owns the Chicago supermarket Bobak’s, a venerable emporium dozens of varieties of
of Polish products and pork in every imaginable cut and cure. kielbasa dangling from
hooks, some thick and
reddish with crinkled
⁄4 oz. dried porcini
1
1. Put the dried mushrooms and 3. Add the allspice, bay leaves,
rinds, others in slender
mushrooms 1 1⁄2 cups water into a bowl and let and onions to the pot and cook, loops; not to mention
⁄4 lb. smoked bacon, cut into
1
soften for 1 hour. Drain and scraping up browned bits, until all the smoked hams
1-inch pieces reserve water. softened, 8–10 minutes. Add the and loins and ribs and
2 oz. fatback, cut into tomato paste and cook until
⁄2-inch cubes
1
2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Cook browned, 8–10 minutes. Add
⁄2 lb. boneless pork butt,
1
the bacon and fatback in a large the flour and cook for about
cut into 1-inch pieces pot over medium heat until crisp, 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms
⁄2 lb. smoked kielbasa, cut
1
8–10 minutes. Using a slotted and sauerkraut to the pot and
into 1-inch pieces spoon, transfer the bacon and fat- cook for about 12 minutes. Add
⁄3 lb. smoked pork shoulder,
1
back to a plate. Add the pork butt, the mushroom water; the bacon
cut into 1-inch pieces kielbasa, and pork shoulder to the and fatback; the pork butt, kiel-
6 whole allspice pot and increase heat to medium- basa, and pork shoulder; the wine; more. Not surprisingly,
2 bay leaves high; cook, turning meat and the stock and bring to a boil. this store started life
2 large yellow onions, occasionally, until the meat is Season with salt and pepper. Cover as a smokehouse; after
Stan Bobak emigrated
chopped browned, 12–14 minutes. Using the pot with foil and a tight-fitting
from the Highland
6 tbsp. tomato paste a slotted spoon, transfer the lid and braise in the oven until the region of Poland in the
1 tbsp. flour meat to a plate and set aside. meat is very tender, about 1 hour. 1960s, he worked in
4 lbs. sauerkraut, roughly Divide the stew between bowls, the city’s stockyards
chopped and rinsed garnish with parsley, and serve. and started smoking
⁄2 cup red wine
1 sausage on the side.
Now the business is as
6 cups beef or veal stock
beloved for its home-
Salt and freshly ground style cooking as it is for
black pepper, to taste its cured meat; on my
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, last trip to Bobak’s
for garnish in-store restaurant,
I ate an unforgettable
bowl of bigos along
Serves 8
with crêpes filled with
shredded pork, mini
aspics studded with
herbs and ham, and
bacon-wrapped pork
loin. Ah, the joys of
lunch at a butcher
shop! —Dana Bowen

Soups and Stews 59

Eggs
It’s our favorite way to greet the day: a farm-
fresh egg fried in olive oil until the white is crisp
around the edges and the yolk is barely firm.
A little coarse sea salt, a grind of black pepper,
a thick slice of crusty bread, and the morning is
off to a blissful start. Other times, we ask more of
this elemental ingredient, whether poached and
covered in hollandaise, smothered with a bright
tomato salsa, or baked into a frittata topped with
ricotta. So indispensable is the egg to our well-
being that calling it the perfect food almost seems
like an understatement.
A line cook at the Waffle House in East Point, Georgia.
Ricotta and Roasted Pepper Frittata
Frittata con Ricotta e Peperoni

Main-course frittatas like this one are popular in the southern Italian region of Calabria, where
traditional sheep farming is an enduring way of life and freshly made sheep’s milk ricotta is an everyday
pleasure. Calabrians sometimes add sliced cured sausage to this ricotta frittata on Easter, to celebrate
the end of the Lenten fast.

1
⁄2 cup freshly grated 1. Arrange a rack in the middle of 3. Remove the skillet from the
Pecorino Romano the oven and heat oven to 425°F. heat. Add the egg mixture to
2 tbsp. roughly chopped In a large bowl, whisk together the skillet and stir to distribute
flat-leaf parsley ⁄4 cup of the Pecorino, the parsley,
1
the onions and potatoes evenly.
1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt ⁄2 tsp. salt, oregano, and eggs and
1
Scatter the peppers over the top,
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano season with black pepper. Set the spoon the ricotta over the mixture
8 eggs, beaten egg mixture aside. in 6 dollops, and sprinkle with the
Freshly ground black remaining Pecorino. Bake until
pepper, to taste 2. Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick the frittata is lightly browned on
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil ovenproof skillet over medium- top and the center is set, about
1 large yellow onion, halved high heat. Add the remaining salt 15 minutes. Run a rubber spatula
and thinly sliced and the onions and potatoes and around the edges of the frittata to
1 small new potato, peeled cook, stirring occasionally, until loosen it, then slide it onto a serv-
and sliced into 1⁄8-inch lightly browned and soft, about ing plate. Season with more black
rounds 20 minutes. pepper, if you like, cut into
1 medium red bell pepper, wedges, and serve.
roasted, peeled, and cut
into 1⁄4-inch strips
3
⁄4 cup ricotta cheese

Serves 4–6

Eggs 63
Perfect
Poaching
Many years ago, when I
was a private chef, I was

Classic Eggs Benedict

asked one morning to
prepare eggs Benedict for
breakfast. No problem,
I thought. But when I
No one knows for sure where the name “eggs Benedict” came from, but most accounts trace this dish’s
dropped the first egg into
the simmering water, it invention to Delmonico’s, an iconic Gilded Age restaurant in New York City. It has since become an
spread out into an amor- American brunch classic, and no wonder. The combination of poached eggs, creamy hollandaise, and
phous mess. Same thing Canadian bacon on a toasted English muffin manages to be elegant and comforting at the same time.
on the next try. What was
I doing wrong? I called 2cups distilled white vinegar 1. Bring 16 cups of water to a boil 4. Swirl the simmering vinegar
my friend Ted MacLeod,
2 1⁄2
tsp. kosher salt, plus in a tall 6-qt. saucepan over high water with a spoon to create a
an expert brunch cook.
“The secret to poaching more to taste heat. Add the vinegar and 2 tsp. whirlpool. Carefully slide each
eggs,” Ted told me, “is 1 tbsp. canola oil salt, lower heat to medium, and egg into the water and poach until
in the amount of vin- 8 slices Canadian bacon bring to a simmer. just firm, about 3 minutes. Using
egar you use. The right 3 egg yolks a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs
amount coaxes them 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. fresh 2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet to a paper towel–lined plate.
into firmness.” I tried his
lemon juice over medium-high heat. Add the
method—a half cup of
white distilled vinegar ⁄4 tsp. Tabasco
1
bacon and cook, turning once, 5. Divide the toasted muffin
and a half teaspoon 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, until lightly browned, about halves between 4 plates and top
of salt in four cups of melted 3 minutes. Remove the skillet each half with 1 slice of the
water—and, sure enough, 8 eggs, cracked into separate from the heat. reserved bacon and 1 poached egg.
my poached eggs came small bowls Spoon about 3 tbsp. hollandaise
out beautifully. Months
4 English muffins, split and 3. Combine the egg yolks, lemon over each egg, sprinkle with
afterward, though, I ran
into another problem. lightly toasted juice, Tabasco, 4 tsp. warm water, paprika or cayenne, and serve.
I was using a skillet Paprika or cayenne pepper, and the remaining salt in a blender.
to poach eggs; when I for garnish Blend at medium speed while
dropped the eggs into the slowly drizzling in the melted
water they flattened into Serves 4 butter to make the hollandaise.
dispiriting disks. Think-
Transfer to a bowl, cover with
ing that the outcome
might have something foil, and set aside.
to do with the water’s
depth, I switched to a
tall pot, and—voilà!—the
eggs gracefully formed
into appealing orbs. An-
other egg-poaching tip I
picked up along the way:
cracking each egg into
a small bowl or teacup
before pouring it into the
simmering water helps
the eggs maintain a more
compact shape.
—Todd Coleman

64 The New Comfort Food

Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Shakshuka

In Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda market (pictured at left), this spicy tomato stew dotted with poached eggs
is a popular breakfast item at many food stalls. We think it makes a satisfying meal at any time of the day,
especially with warm pita bread to sop up the thick sauce and rich egg yolks.

⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1
2. Crack eggs over sauce so that
5 Anaheim chiles or eggs are evenly distributed across
3 jalapeños, stemmed, sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and
seeded, and minced cook until yolks are just set, about
1 small yellow onion, 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste
chopped the whites of the eggs with tomato
8 cloves garlic, crushed mixture, being careful not to dis-
1 tbsp. paprika turb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka
1 tsp. ground cumin with feta and parsley and serve
1 28-oz. can whole peeled hot with pita bread, for dipping.
tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
8 eggs 1. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over
⁄2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1
medium-high heat. Add chiles and
1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf onions and cook, stirring occa-
parsley sionally, until soft and golden
Warm pita bread, brown, about 6 minutes. Add
for serving garlic, paprika, and cumin and
cook, stirring frequently, until
Serves 4–6 garlic is soft, about 2 minutes more.
Put tomatoes and their liquid into
a medium bowl and crush well
with your hands. Add crushed
tomatoes and their liquid to skillet
along with 1⁄2 cup water, reduce
heat to medium, and simmer, stir-
ring occasionally, until thickened
slightly, about 20 minutes. Season
sauce with salt.

Eggs 67
Best Breakfast highest order; not
surprising considering
I first stumbled on La that the place started
Abeja, a little Mexi- its life as a corner store
can café on Figueroa in 1969 with a kitchen
Street in the Los Ange- in the back where the
les neighborhood of
Highland Park, in
1986, when I was 23
owners, Jose and Glo-
ria Fonseca, would
prepare meals for their
Huevos Rancheros
(that’s me, pictured family. Eventually, This recipe for huevos rancheros, the gorgeous mess of fried eggs
below on the left, right customers started ask- smothered in a spicy tomato sauce, came from La Abeja, a café in
around that time). My ing whether they could Los Angeles where the Fonseca family has been serving up Mexican
best friend, Joyce, get take-out versions home-style cooking for decades. Traditionally a cowboy’s breakfast
lived in nearby Mount of some of those foods, served over warm corn tortillas with rice and refried beans, the dish
Washington, and we many of them made
has become a fixture in diners on both sides of the border.
started making an from recipes the fam-
almost religious ritual ily had brought from
out of meeting there their native Mexico 14 plum tomatoes, cored 2. Heat 4 tbsp. oil in a 4-qt. pan
Saturday mornings City. Before long the 12 tbsp. canola oil over medium heat. Add the garlic,
to go over in peni- Fonsecas cleared out 3 cloves garlic, minced jalapeños, and onions and cook
tential detail all the the aisles and shelves 1
⁄2 jalapeño, stemmed until soft, 6–8 minutes. Add the
silly, alcohol-fueled and set up tables and
and minced tomato purée and bring to a boil.
chairs (they
kept the
1
⁄2 medium yellow onion, Stir in the lime juice and season
candy coun- chopped with salt and pepper. Remove
ter up front). 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice from the heat and set aside.
When I vis- Kosher salt and freshly
ited La Abeja ground black pepper, 3. Working in 4 batches, heat
recently, I to taste 1 tbsp. oil in a 12-inch nonstick
hadn’t been
back in over a 8 corn tortillas skillet over medium-high heat.
decade. I was 8 eggs Add 2 tortillas to the skillet and
things we’d done the sad to learn that the Pickled jalapeño slices, cook, flipping once, until warmed,
night before. Boy, did Fonsecas had passed for garnish about 20 seconds. Repeat with
those breakfasts hit away, but relieved to the remaining tortillas.
the spot: huevos ran- find their son Roy at Serves 4
cheros served with the helm. After all
fluffy Mexican rice those years, very little
4. Divide the tortillas between
and some of the best had changed. Neigh- 1. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet 4 plates. Working in 2 batches,
refried beans in the borhood kids were over high heat. Add the tomatoes heat the remaining oil in the same
world; big, hot bowls of stopping in for a pack and cook, turning, until the skins skillet over medium heat and fry
menudo studded with of Bubble Yum; sleepy- blacken, 8–10 minutes. Peel the the eggs to desired doneness. Top
tender tripe and hom- eyed art students and tomatoes, purée in a blender, strain each tortilla with a fried egg and
iny; and endless cups guys from the auto
of soul-satisfying,
through a sieve, and set aside. tomato sauce. Garnish with pick-
body shop down the
diner-variety coffee. street filled the tables; led jalapeño slices and serve.
La Abeja (or The Bee) and the platillo de
serves Mexican home- huevos rancheros
style cooking of the that I ordered was
still the most fortify-
ing breakfast around.
—James Oseland

68 The New Comfort Food

Matzo Brei with Mushrooms
and Asparagus
Simple and soulful, this scramble of eggs and matzo is a breakfast staple in many Jewish households,
particularly during the Passover holiday, when leavened breads are off limits. We’ve added sautéed
mushrooms and asparagus, but you could just as well leave them out and serve the matzo brei as you
might pancakes or French toast, with a topping of jam or maple syrup.

8 asparagus tips 1. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil 4. Transfer the softened matzo
4 tbsp. unsalted butter in a 4-qt. pot. Add the asparagus to a bowl, add the eggs, and
8 cremini mushrooms, and cook until just tender, about combine. Heat the remaining
stemmed and cut into sixths 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, butter in a 10-inch skillet over
Kosher salt and freshly transfer the asparagus to a bowl medium-high heat. Add the
ground black pepper, of ice water, reserving the boiling matzo mixture, reduce the heat
to taste water. Let the asparagus chill for to medium-low, and cook, turning
3 6-inch square pieces matzo about 5 minutes, then drain and the mixture occasionally with
5 eggs, lightly beaten set aside. a rubber spatula, until cooked
1 tbsp. minced flat-leaf to the desired doneness, about
parsley, for garnish 2. Heat 2 tbsp. butter in a 10-inch 4 minutes for soft curds. Divide
(optional) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the matzo mixture between
the mushrooms and cook, stirring 2 plates, top with the reserved
Serves 2 occasionally, until just tender, mushrooms and asparagus, gar-
about 6 minutes. Add the asparagus, nish with the parsley, and serve.
season with salt and pepper, and
remove the pan from heat; set aside.

3. Break the matzo into 1-inch

pieces and transfer to a strainer
set over the sink. Slowly pour the
reserved boiling water over the
matzo to soften it; let the matzo
sit for 4 minutes.

Eggs 71
Pasta and Noodles
We hunger for them like nearly nothing else:
a plate of ethereal tagliatelle alla bolognese—
ribbons of fresh, handmade egg pasta tossed
with a long-simmered sauce of meat and
tomatoes—or a deep bowl of Chinese noodles,
stir-fried with pork and carrots. Pasta and
noodles provide a canvas for a broad palette
of ingredients, whether it’s a lasagne filled
with vegetables or good old American
macaroni and cheese.
A cook prepares tagliatelle egg noodles at La Vecchia Scuola Bolognese, a cooking school in Bologna, Italy.
Baked Ziti with Sausage
In Italian-American homes and red-sauce restaurants alike, this dish has remained a standby for generations.
The ingredients are simple and the proportions generous, forming layer upon layer of pasta, beef ragù, creamy
béchamel, and a beautifully browned topping of melted mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano. This recipe
calls for sweet Italian sausage to boost the flavor of the meaty filling, but it works well with spicy sausage, too.

1
⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1. To make the meat sauce: Heat to bubble, about 2 minutes. While
1 lb. sweet Italian sausages, the oil in a 6-qt. pot over medium- whisking, add the milk in a thin,
removed from casings and high heat. Add the sausage and steady stream. Bring the milk to a
broken into 1⁄2-inch chunks cook, stirring occasionally, until simmer and cook, whisking often,
1 medium carrot, minced well browned, 8–10 minutes. until the sauce thickens and coats
1 medium onion, minced Using a slotted spoon, transfer the back of a spoon, 10–15 min-
1 rib celery, minced the sausage to a plate and set utes. Remove the pan from the
1 1⁄2 lbs. ground beef chuck aside. Add the carrots, onions, heat, add the nutmeg, season the
1
⁄2 cup dry red wine and celery and cook, stirring béchamel sauce generously with
2 tbsp. tomato paste often, until soft and golden brown, salt and pepper, and set aside.
1 28-oz. can whole peeled about 15 minutes. Add the beef
tomatoes, undrained and cook, stirring and breaking 3. Heat the oven to 400°F. Bring
and puréed it up with a wooden spoon, until a 6-qt. pot of salted water to a
3 tbsp. minced flat-leaf browned, 8–10 minutes. Add the boil. Add the pasta and cook,
parsley wine and cook, stirring, until stirring, until al dente, about
Kosher salt and freshly evaporated, about 5 minutes. 9 minutes. Drain the pasta,
ground black pepper, Add the tomato paste and cook, transfer to a bowl, stir in the
to taste stirring frequently, for about reserved meat sauce, and season
5 tbsp. unsalted butter 2 minutes. Add the tomato purée, with salt and pepper. Grease a
5 tbsp. flour reduce the heat to medium-low, 4-qt. oval baking dish with the
2 1⁄2 cups milk and simmer, stirring occasionally, remaining butter and add half
1
⁄4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg until the sauce is thick and the the pasta mixture. Pour half the
1 1⁄2 lbs. pasta, preferably ziti liquid has almost evaporated, béchamel over the pasta, spread-
2 1⁄2 cups coarsely grated about 1 hour. Stir in the reserved ing it evenly with a rubber
mozzarella cheese sausage and any juices from the spatula. Top the béchamel with
1
⁄2 cup freshly grated plate, add the parsley, and season the remaining pasta and then
Parmigiano-Reggiano the sauce with salt and pepper. with the remaining béchamel.
Remove from the heat and set Sprinkle mozzarella and
Serves 10 the meat sauce aside. Parmigiano-Reggiano over the
béchamel. Bake until golden
2. Meanwhile, make the bécha- brown and bubbly, about 25 min-
mel sauce: Melt 4 tbsp. butter utes. Let the baked ziti sit for
in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium 10 minutes before serving.
heat. Whisk in the flour and cook,
whisking constantly, until it begins

Pasta and Noodles 75

The Real amounts of grated
cheese. The dish and
Alfredo its creator became
How did fettuccine famous in Rome, but
Alfredo become an they were unknown
American comfort- outside of Italy until
food staple? It all began
in the early 1900s,
when a Roman restau-
1927, when George
Rector, an American
restaurant owner,
Fettuccine Alfredo
Mixing the ingredients on a warmed platter will help them melt quickly
rateur named Alfredo writer, and bon vivant,
di Lelio started serving sang their praises in to make a satiny sauce. For the best results, use dried pasta, which
a lavish version of fet­ his Saturday Evening doesn’t break as easily during tossing as fresh egg pasta does.
tuccine al burro, Post column. Soon,
a homely dish of pasta celebrities like Mary Kosher salt, to taste 2. Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano
tossed with nothing Pickford and Douglas 1 lb. dried fettuccine evenly over pasta B and drizzle
more than butter and Fairbanks were seek-
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted with 1⁄4 cup reserved pasta water.
Parmigiano-Reggiano. ing out the dish,
Di Lelio's signature followed by a steady butter, cut into thin pats Using a large spoon and fork,
dish was prepared stream of tourists. 3 1⁄4 cups finely grated gently toss the pasta with the
tableside (as pictured In 1966, food packagers Parmigiano-Reggiano butter and cheese, lifting and
below, in 1949); as the jumped on the trend: swirling the noodles and adding
heat from the noodles the Pennsylvania Serves 4 more pasta water as necessary
melted the butter, the Dutch noodle company
to create a smooth sauce C . Work
smiling and musta- started marketing
chioed di Lelio lifted fettuccine with a rec- 1. Bring a large pot of salted in any melted butter and cheese
and twirled the fettuc- ipe for Alfredo’s sauce, water to a boil and add pasta; that pools around the edges of the
cine with a gold fork but it wasn’t exactly cook, stirring occasionally, until platter. Continue mixing pasta
and spoon, pausing to authentic, considering pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. until the cheese and butter have
sprinkle in copious that it called for cream Meanwhile, place butter pats on fully melted and the noodles are
and Swiss cheese.
a large, warmed serving platter. coated, about 3 minutes. (For a
Drain pasta, reserving 3⁄4 cup quicker preparation, bring the
pasta water, and place the pasta reserved 3⁄4 cup pasta water and
over the butter on the platter A . the butter to a boil in a 12-inch
skillet, and then add the pasta,
sprinkle with the cheese, and toss
with tongs over medium-low heat
until the pasta is creamy and
coated, about 2 minutes.)

3. Serve the fettuccine immedi-

ately on warmed plates D .

76 The New Comfort Food

A B

C D
 Bright Green
Rapini is one of the
most assertively fla-
vored vegetables we’ve
had the pleasure of

Orecchiette with Rapini tasting. Known in

English as broccoli

and Goat Cheese

rabe, this member
of the cabbage fam-
ily (also referred to
This dish is one of the best ways we know to use rapini (a k a broccoli rabe) when it’s in season. Bright lemon in Italian as brocco­
zest, garlic, and red chile flakes play off the bitterness of the rapini and reveal its sweetness; soft, tangy goat letti di rape, or “little
cheese brings together the more piquant ingredients with the al dente pasta. turnip sprouts”) only
resembles broccoli in
color and form, with
Kosher salt, to taste 1. Bring an 8-qt. pot of salted zest to reserved skillet over high its jagged leaves and
1 bunch rapini (about 1 lb.), water to a boil. Add rapini and heat. Toss to combine and season slim stalks topped
roughly chopped boil until crisp-tender, about with salt. Divide pasta between with green buds that
1
⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, bowls and add a dollop of goat blossom into yellow
6 cloves garlic, crushed transfer rapini to a large bowl cheese to each. flowers. (Once rapini
flowers, it becomes
3
⁄4 tsp. crushed red chile of ice water; chill. Drain rapini,
even more bitter.)
flakes pat dry, and set aside. COOKING NOTE Boiling a vegetable Though the vegetable’s
12 oz. orecchiette pasta such as broccoli rabe and then submerg- origins are in Central
2 tbsp. lemon zest 2. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over ing it, or “shocking” it, in an icy water Asia, where it’s com-
4 oz. goat cheese, softened medium heat. Add garlic and cook, bath is called blanching. The technique monly stir-fried, it has
stirring occasionally, until golden, does three things: it preserves the vibrant also been embraced
in the Italian kitchen,
Serves 2–4 about 3 minutes. Add chile flakes color of the vegetable, transforms the
where cooks put its
and cook, stirring frequently, for vegetable’s flavor ever so slightly, and bright flavor to good
30 seconds. Add rapini, toss, and arrests the cooking process, preserving use in side dishes,
remove pan from heat; set aside. the vegetable’s crisp-tender texture. panini, and pastas.
You’ll often find rap-
3. Meanwhile, bring a 6-qt. pot ini paired with garlic,
which balances and
of salted water to a boil. Add
takes the edge off the
pasta and cook until al dente, vegetable’s pungent
about 10 minutes. Drain pasta flavor. Blanching and
and transfer pasta and lemon shocking rapini in cold
water before sautéing
it is another way to
temper its bitter edge.

Pasta and Noodles 79

Simple Beauty a more profound
flavor. (Don’t let your
Cook butter long brown butter get too
enough to see it sput- dark, or the milk solids
ter and foam, and will scorch and the
something wonder- sauce will taste acrid
ful occurs. The color
deepens to a golden
brown, and the scent
and burnt.) It ’s impor-
tant to remove brown
butter from the pan as
Brown Butter Pasta
evolves from unctu- soon as caramelization Chef Gabrielle Hamilton of the New York City restaurant Prune shared
ous to toasty. This is achieved; pour it this recipe for pasta, which she tosses in brown butter and pine nuts, and
is brown butter, into a small bowl so then tops with sunny-side-up eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and nutmeg.
what the French call that the sauce doesn’t
beurre noisette (liter- continue cooking in Kosher salt, to taste 2. Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet
ally, hazelnut butter), the pan. Otherwise,
8 oz. fresh pasta, such as over medium heat. Add pine nuts
named both for its you can stop the cook-
nutty color and fla- ing process with the fettuccine or tagliatelle and cook, stirring often, until
vor. It’s also one of addition of something (see recipe on page 86) golden brown, about 10 minutes.
the simplest and most acidic; a squirt of 1 cup unsalted butter Using a slotted spoon, transfer
rewarding sauces a lemon juice does 3
⁄4 cup pine nuts pine nuts to a bowl. Working in
home cook can make. the trick (while also 4 eggs two batches, crack eggs into butter
balancing out the
Freshly ground black and cook, spooning butter over
richness of the sauce).
The addition of pepper, to taste yolks, until whites are set but yolks
chopped parsley and Freshly grated Parmigiano- are still runny, about 3 minutes.
lemon juice turns Reggiano and nutmeg, Transfer eggs to a plate and keep
brown butter into the to taste warm. Add pasta and half the pine
classic French sauce nuts to skillet and toss until hot.
known as beurre
Serves 4 Stir in some of the reserved pasta
meuniere, a traditional
pairing for fish. Brown water to create a sauce, and season
When butter melts 1. Bring a large pot of salted water with salt and pepper.
butter works well on
in a pan over heat, its
its own, as a sauce for to a boil and add pasta; cook, stir-
butterfat separates
pasta or a garnish for ring occasionally, until al dente, 3. To serve, divide pasta between
from its milk solids
fish or vegetables; it about 4 minutes. Set a strainer 4 serving plates and top each serv-
and the water evapo-
takes well to accompa-
rates out, leaving over a bowl; drain the pasta, ing with a fried egg. Sprinkle pasta
niments like grated
behind a more concen- reserving 1⁄2 cup pasta cooking with remaining pine nuts, Parmi-
Parmigiano-Reggiano
trated, buttery liquid. water, and set aside. giano-Reggiano, and nutmeg.
or Grana Padano, pine
The solids sink to the
nuts, and spices like
bottom of the pan and
nutmeg and mace.
begin to caramelize,
Brown butter also
taking on an increas-
brings a welcome depth
ingly darker hue and
of flavor to many baked
richer flavor. A pale
goods, like pecan pie
brown color will
and shortbread.
correspond to a faint
nutty taste, while a
deeper shade means

80 The New Comfort Food

Vegetarian Lasagne
It’s the archetypal family meal, a layering of sauce, cheese, and pasta that is uncomplicated and appealing.
This lasagne is a vegetarian take on classic lasagne bolognese. Here, meat’s savoriness is replaced with earthy
shiitake mushrooms, and the noodles aren’t boiled before baking, so they still retain some of their bite when
they come out of the oven.

12 tbsp. unsalted butter 1. Grease a deep 9 x 13-inch baking 4. Heat the oven to 375°F. Spread
12 sun-dried tomatoes pan with 1 tbsp. butter; set aside. 2 cups of the tomato sauce in the
1 shallot, chopped In a bowl, cover dried tomatoes prepared baking dish. Cover with
1 carrot, chopped with 1 cup boiling water; soak for a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup
1
⁄2 cup flour about 20 minutes. Drain, chop, béchamel over top; sprinkle with
5 cups milk and set aside. ⁄2 cup of each cheese and 2 cups
1

1 tsp. ground nutmeg tomato sauce. Repeat layering

Kosher salt and freshly 2. Make the béchamel sauce: Heat 2 more times. Top with the
ground black pepper, 8 tbsp. butter in a 4-qt. saucepan remaining noodles, tomato sauce,
to taste over medium heat. Add shallots béchamel, and cheeses. Cover
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and carrots and cook, stirring with aluminum foil, transfer to a
2 lbs. shiitake mushrooms, occasionally, until tender, about baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour.
stemmed and quartered 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, Uncover and raise oven heat to
1
⁄2 lb. spinach, chopped stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in 500°F. Bake until golden brown
6 cloves garlic, chopped milk and bring to a boil. Reduce and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Cut
3 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf heat to medium-low, bring to a into squares and serve.
parsley simmer, and cook, whisking
2 tbsp. chopped oregano occasionally, until thick, about
1 tbsp. chopped rosemary 25 minutes. Add nutmeg and
1 tbsp. chopped thyme season with salt and pepper.
1 tbsp. tomato paste
5 cups whole canned 3. Meanwhile, make the tomato
tomatoes, crushed sauce: Heat the olive oil and
1 lb. lasagna noodles remaining butter in a 6-qt. pot
2 1⁄2 cups grated Grana Padano over medium-high heat. Add the
or Parmigiano-Reggiano mushrooms; cook, stirring, until
2 1⁄2 cups grated fontina tender, about 10 minutes. Add the
dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic,
Serves 6–8 parsley, oregano, rosemary, thyme,
and tomato paste and cook, stir-
ring, for 3 minutes. Add the canned
tomatoes and cook, stirring occa-
sionally, until slightly thickened,
about 10 minutes. Set the tomato
sauce aside.

Pasta and Noodles 83

Italy’s Other Calabrian versions
made with meaty fish
Ragù like tuna and sword-
The meaty wonder fish. Unlike their
that is ragù alla bolo­ counterparts in the
gnese may be the most north of Italy, virtu-
famous pasta sauce in
all of Italy, but other
styles of ragù (which
ally all southern ragù
are heavy on tomatoes.
In other parts of Italy,
Pasta with Ragù
Tagliatelle alla Ragù Bolognese
are sometimes called the type of meat is
sugo) have similarly often the distinguish- This recipe for a hearty ragù, paired here with ribbons of tagliatelle pasta,
deep roots in other ing characteristic of came from Alessandra Spisni, who owns a cooking school in Bologna, Italy.
parts of the country. the sauce. In the prov- Slow, low cooking thickens the sauce and marries the flavors of savory
One of the most dis- ince of Verona, for beef chuck and bright aromatics; making a double batch means that you
tinctive hails from example, horse meat is can set aside some for use in a lasagne or another dish. Homemade pasta
Naples: ragù alla napo­ a traditional ingredi-
makes it all the more delicious; on the following pages, you’ll find
letana is a thick, robust ent, and Tuscans and
tomato-based sauce Umbrians are partial instructions on how to roll out, cut, and cook your own tagliatelle.
cooked for hours with to game, including
pork ribs, meatballs, duck, hare, and wild 1
⁄2 cup butter 2. Raise the heat to medium-high,
fresh and cured sau- boar. Roman versions 3 small yellow onions, add the beef, and cook, stirring
sages, and plenty of are often made with minced constantly, until the meat is broken
bones, which not only cured meats, and in
2 medium carrots, minced up and just cooked through, about
flavor the sauce but Abruzzo and Molise,
also lend it body. The two provinces that sit 2 ribs celery, minced 7 minutes. Add the wine and cook,
thick sauce is tossed adjacent to each other 2 lbs. ground beef chuck stirring occasionally, until evapo-
with hard durum in the east-central 1
⁄2 cup dry red wine rated, about 4 minutes. Stir in the
wheat pasta of various part of the country, 2 3⁄4 cups canned tomato purée tomato purée and 1 1⁄2 cups water
shapes, from tubular ragù of lamb and pork Kosher salt and freshly and bring to a boil over high heat.
penne rigate to spa- are the norm; they’re
ground black pepper,
ghetti, and showered often flavored with
with grated cheese, rosemary and served to taste 3. Reduce the heat to low and sim-
often a pungent with pasta that’s been 2 lbs. fresh tagliatelle mer, partially covered, stirring
sheep’s milk variety. cut with a tool with or fettuccine occasionally, until the sauce is
There are countless strings like a guitar Grated Parmigiano- thick, about 2 hours. Season with
other ragù in the called a chitarra, which Reggiano, for serving salt and pepper.
southern part of Italy, creates rough edges to
including Sicilian and which the sauce clings
beautifully. Serves 8 4. Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water
to a boil. Add the pasta and cook,
1. Heat the butter in a heavy- stirring, until al dente, or accord-
bottomed pot over medium heat. ing to the package directions.
Add the onions, carrots, and celery Drain the pasta, transfer to a
and cook, stirring frequently, until bowl, and toss with about half of
vegetables are somewhat softened, the ragù, reserving the rest for
about 8 minutes. another use. Serve warm with
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

84 The New Comfort Food

Homemade F Fold dough in thirds,

Tagliatelle creating another rect-

angle; feed open edge
Many Bolognese through roller set at
pasta makers roll their widest setting. Fold
pasta dough by hand again; roll twice more
to make tagliatelle, using same setting.
but we found that Decrease setting one
using a hand-cranked notch and roll the
pasta roller and cut- pasta through again;
ting the dough with a repeat, decreasing
knife yields excellent setting each time until
results. you’ve reached the
second-to-last setting,
A On a clean surface, creating a 1⁄16-inch
form 3 cups flour into thick sheet.
a mound; create a well
in center. Sprinkle G Sprinkle sheet with

1 tsp. kosher salt over flour; halve crosswise.

flour. Add 3 eggs, 1 egg Transfer to flour-
yolk, 2 tbsp. water, and dusted parchment
1 tbsp. olive oil to well. paper. Repeat with
the remaining dough,
B Using a fork, incor- adding flour-dusted
porate eggs and liquid parchment paper
in a circular motion, between each layer.
A
pulling in small
amounts of flour until H Tightly roll each

dough becomes stiff. sheet, from short

end to short end; cut
C Knead dough, cylinder crosswise
adding a little flour into 3⁄8 -inch wide
as necessary, until strips. Unroll strips
it’s smooth and elas- and toss with flour;
tic, about 10 minutes. spread on a floured
Wrap in plastic wrap; parchment sheet. Let
let rest for 30 minutes. dry for 30 minutes. To
serve: Cook tagliatelle
D Cut dough into in salted boiling water
quarters. until al dente, about
3–4 minutes. Drain;
E Flatten 1 quarter transfer to a bowl and
into a rectangle (cover toss with 2 cups ragù
others with a towel). (or more, to taste);
Pass dough through see recipe on page 84.
a hand-cranked pasta Serve with grated
roller set at widest Parmigiano-Reggiano.
setting.
Serves 4

86 The New Comfort Food

E
 B C D

F G H
 Secret what softer. While
guanciale, which can
Ingredient be cured with every-
Cured pork jowl, thing from black
known as guanciale, pepper to spices,
is an essential compo- is traditionally

Bucatini with Spicy nent of many Roman

pasta dishes, includ-
unsmoked, smoked
versions are popular

Tomato Sauce
ing spaghetti alla nowadays in Rome.
carbonara and buca­ Smoked guanciale
Bucatini all’Amatriciana
tini all’amatriciana. isn’t readily available
But it can also be sau- in the United States,
This Roman classic is flavored with guanciale, or cured pork jowl, téed with vegetables, but Mauro Trabalza,
though pancetta is a fine substitute. Toasting the black pepper in the added to stewed fava the chef at Sora Lella,
fat rendered out from the guanciale boosts the flavor of this sauce. beans, or cooked with a restaurant in Rome
meat or fish so that that has an outpost in
its fragrant fat ren- New York City, rec-
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil for 1 minute. Stir in tomato purée, ders out and suffuses ommends a mixture
4 oz. thinly sliced guanciale reduce heat to medium-low, and the dish. Usually sold of three parts regular
or pancetta, cut into simmer, stirring occasionally, whole, guanciale has a guanciale or pancetta
3
⁄4-inch pieces until sauce thickens and flavors flavor that is less salty to one part bacon to
Freshly cracked black meld, 20–25 minutes. Season but stronger and fat- approximate the flavor
tier than its cousin of smoked guanciale.
pepper, to taste with salt; keep warm.
pancetta—Italian salt-
2 cloves garlic, minced cured pork belly—and
1 small carrot, minced 2. Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water a texture that’s some-
1
⁄2 medium onion, minced to a boil. Add pasta and cook until
1
⁄2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes just al dente, 6–8 minutes. Reserve
1 28-oz. can peeled tomatoes, ⁄2 cup pasta water; drain pasta.
1

preferably San Marzano, Heat reserved sauce over medium

undrained and puréed heat. Add pasta and reserved water;
Kosher salt, to taste cook, tossing, until sauce clings to
1 lb. bucatini or spaghetti pasta, 2–3 minutes. Add 1⁄2 cup
1 1⁄4 cups grated Pecorino Pecorino Romano; toss. Divide
Romano between serving bowls; serve with
remaining Pecorino Romano.
Serves 4

1. Heat oil in a large, high-sided

skillet over medium heat. Add
guanciale; cook, stirring, until
lightly browned, 6–8 minutes.
Add pepper; cook, stirring often,
until toasted and fragrant, about
2 minutes more. Increase heat to
medium-high; add garlic, carrots,
and onions and cook, stirring
occasionally, until soft, about
6 minutes. Add chile flakes; cook

Pasta and Noodles 89

 Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
You can use any kind of cooked or cured ham for this luscious mac and cheese, which has a pleasingly tangy
edge thanks to the addition of a little blue cheese. Black Forest ham, for example, will add a note of subtle
sweetness, while country ham will provide an earthy, deeply savory flavor and a slightly chewy texture.

11 tbsp. unsalted butter, 1. Grease a 2-qt. baking dish with COOKING NOTE There are a few
melted 1 tbsp. melted butter and set aside. tried-and-true secrets to making maca-
Kosher salt, to taste Bring a 6-qt. pot of salted water roni and cheese with the perfect creamy
12 oz. pasta, such as rigatoni to a boil, add the pasta, and cook texture. You need a smooth sauce as a
2 slices crustless white bread until al dente, about 8 minutes. base—in this case, it’s a velvety bécha-
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme Drain the pasta, rinse, and set mel made of butter, flour, milk, and
1 small onion, minced aside. Pulse the bread in a food cream. And you need to make sure the
1
⁄2 cup flour processor until finely ground, mix cheese melts evenly and becomes one
3 cups milk with 4 tbsp. butter, and set aside. with that sauce. Firm cheeses like ched-
2 cups heavy cream dar, Comté, fontina, and Gruyère are
12 oz. grated sharp 2. Heat the oven to 400°F. Melt reliable choices. Let the cheese come
cheddar cheese the remaining butter in a 6-qt. to room temperature before you use it,
8 oz. cooked ham (any variety pot over medium heat. Add the shred it as finely as possible, and heat
will do), roughly chopped thyme and onions and cook until it gently with the sauce; a blast of high
3 oz. blue cheese, crumbled soft, about 6 minutes. Whisk in heat can cause proteins in the cheese
1
⁄2 cup minced flat-leaf the flour and cook for about 3 min- to separate from the fats, resulting
parsley utes. Whisk in the milk and cream. in a macaroni and cheese that’s both
1
⁄4 tsp. hot sauce, such as Increase the heat to medium-high grainy and oily.
Tabasco and cook, whisking, until thick,
4 scallions, minced 10–12 minutes. Whisk in the ched-
1
⁄4 tsp. freshly ground dar, ham, blue cheese, parsley, hot
black pepper sauce, scallions, pepper, and nut-
1
⁄8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg meg. Taste and season with salt as
needed. Stir in the pasta, transfer
Serves 8–10 to the prepared baking dish, and
sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
Bake until golden brown and
bubbly, 30–40 minutes.

90 The New Comfort Food

A volunteer plates spaghetti with homemade tomato
sauce at the Sacred Heart Church in Cincinnati,
Ohio. The church has been hosting its biannual
Italian Spaghetti and Ravioli Dinner since 1910.
 America’s First as a salesman for print-
ing businesses; driving
Food Critic around the country to
I first learned about meet with clients, he
the great Italian- filled a notebook with
American fare at thoughts about his

Figaretti’s “Godfather II” Figaretti’s in West

Virginia by reading
favorite places to eat
along the way. Hines

Linguine
an old guidebook writ- published the first
ten by Duncan Hines. Adventures in Good
Today, Duncan Hines Eating guide in 1936.
This dish, a mainstay at Figaretti’s restaurant in Wheeling, West is invariably associated The guide was a best-
Virginia, is Italian-American cooking at its bighearted, bountiful best: with the boxed cake seller and was updated
shrimp and mussels, peppers and tomatoes, fresh basil, white wine, mixes that bear his every year until 1962.
and silky linguine. name, but before he In 1949, Hines launched
started hawking a line of products on
mass-produced food the strength of his
Kosher salt, to taste 1. Bring a pot of salted water to products in the 1950s, steadfast reputation;
8 oz. dried linguine a boil over high heat. Add the he reigned as one of the ice cream came first,
⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1
linguine; cook until al dente, country’s most influen- followed by the popu-
⁄2 cup chopped green
1
8–10 minutes. Drain the pasta; tial restaurant critics. lar cake mixes. Today,
bell pepper reserve 1⁄4 cup pasta water. In the days before I continue to take
Zagat Surveys, the inspiration from his
⁄2 cup chopped red
1
words “Recommended simple mission: to
bell pepper 2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil by Duncan Hines” introduce travelers to
3 cloves garlic, minced in a 12-inch skillet over medium- were a seal of approval “the refinements of
1 small yellow onion, high heat. Add the green and red proudly displayed out- good living, while see-
chopped peppers, garlic, and onion; cook side restaurants across ing America.” —Todd
⁄3 cup white wine
1
until they begin to soften, about the country. Duncan Coleman
Hines was born in Bowl-
8 mussels, scrubbed and 3 minutes. Add the wine and the
ing Green, Kentucky,
debearded mussels; cook, covered, until in 1880. He first got the
⁄2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1
the mussels open, about 2 minutes. idea of reviewing res-
2 tbsp. unsalted butter Add reserved pasta water, toma- taurants for travelers
8 large shrimp, peeled and toes, butter, and shrimp and cook, when he was working
deveined stirring, until the shrimp are just
8 leaves basil, torn, plus pink, about 1 minute. Add the
more for garnish cooked linguine, toss to combine,
Freshly ground black and cook, stirring occasionally,
pepper, to taste until the sauce thickens and clings
⁄2 cup grated Asiago cheese
1
to the pasta. Stir in the basil and
4 lemon wedges season with salt and pepper.

Serves 2 3. Divide pasta between 2 bowls.

Sprinkle with more basil and Asiago
and garnish with lemon wedges.

Pasta and Noodles 95

Nice Slices learned from Shirley
Cheng, a professor of
Uniformly sliced veg- Asian cooking at the
etables are essential Culinary Institute of
to stir-fries, so that America in Hyde Park,
the ingredients will New York. Here’s how
cook evenly. To trans-
form carrots into the
thin sticks called juli-
to do it.

Trim and peel a

Everyday Fried Noodles
A Tian Tian Chao Mian
enne requires patient carrot. Using a large,
slicing. Most profes- sharp knife, slice on In this Beijing-style noodle stir-fry, ingredients go into the wok in a
sional cooks chop a deep diagonal into measured progression so that each one cooks to the point of optimal
their carrots into thin, broad slices, flavor and texture. Carrots and onions are stir-fried just long enough
2-inch-long segments, keeping the overlap- to reveal their sweetness; pork, ginger, and garlic release their fragrance
square off and dis- ping slices nestled into the hot oil; then soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar cook down quickly
card the edges, and close together as you
into a sauce that clings to the noodles, which get a final toss in the wok
work. Cutting on the
diagonal allows you to along with salted cucumber and a drizzle of sesame oil. The subtle,
use almost the whole surprising result is a beautiful testament to what a little care applied
carrot; slices from the to a few simple elements can produce.
tapered end will be
about the same length 1
⁄2 small seedless cucumber, 1. Toss the cucumbers and a pinch
as those from the
peeled and julienned of salt together in a small bowl; set
thicker end.
Kosher salt, to taste aside for at least 5 minutes. Heat
B Spread the carrot 3 tbsp. canola oil a 14-inch wok (or a stainless-steel
cut the segments into slices out like a deck 1 medium carrot, julienned skillet) over high heat until it
thin planks, which of cards, so that one 1 medium onion, thinly sliced begins to smoke. Add 1 tbsp. oil
they then stack up and slice overlaps most of 1
⁄4 lb. ground pork around the edge of the wok and
slice into slivers. It’s a another.
4 cloves garlic, minced swirl to coat the bottom and sides
perfectly serviceable
way of going about it, 1 1-inch piece ginger, minced of the wok. Add the carrots and
but it produces a lot 6 scallions, minced onions and cook until softened,
of wasted carrot. We 1 1⁄2 tbsp. dark soy sauce about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate
prefer the following 1 1⁄2 tbsp. rice cooking wine and set aside.
technique, which we 1 1⁄2 tsp. sugar
2 cups bean sprouts 2. Return the wok to high heat
6 oz. dried flat noodles, and add the remaining oil. Add
boiled and rinsed under the pork, garlic, ginger, and half
C Working from one cold water of the scallions and cook, breaking
end of the pile to the 1 tbsp. Asian sesame oil the pork into small pieces, until
other, cut the carrot browned, 3–4 minutes.
slices into thin slivers,
Serves 2–4
holding the carrots
down firmly with your 3. Add the soy sauce, rice cooking
free hand as you go. wine, sugar, bean sprouts, and
reserved carrots and onions. Cook,
stirring, until hot, 30 seconds.

4. Add the reserved cucumbers,

remaining scallions, noodles, and
sesame oil and cook, tossing, until
hot, about 1 minute. Season with salt.
Divide between plates and serve hot.

96 The New Comfort Food

Fish and Shellfish
Fish markets are some of the most extraordinary
places on the planet: from the sprawling wholesale
marts of Bangkok or New York City to the dock-
side stalls in coastal villages around the world. It’s
not just the sensory experience—the ocean scent,
the glistening fish—that we find alluring; it’s the
promise of a great meal. Stuffed clams, crisp-fried
catfish, spicy Veracruz-style snapper—these dishes
make the most of the ocean’s bounty and reaffirm
our love of the sea, no matter how far from it we
happen to be.
A fisherman delivers his daily catch to a waterfront fish market on the coast of Tanzania.
 Let the Good is a more exuberant
Times Roll example of the mani-
fold glories of dining
There’s no place I’d in the Crescent City
rather be on a Sunday than Commander’s
morning than Com- Palace. It is formal,

New Orleans–Style mander’s Palace in

New Orleans’ Garden
but good fun. The
fare is traditional—

BBQ Shrimp
District, with a milk a marriage of elegant,
punch in hand and a European-inflected
plate of eggs Sardou, Creole dishes with
Despite the name, these shrimp are cooked in a skillet, not on a grill; BBQ shrimp, or redfish more rustic Cajun
“barbecue,” in this case, refers to the sweet-hot sauce served with Lyonnaise on the way. ones—with just
them. Tory McPhail, the chef at the legendary New Orleans restaurant A brass band ambles enough whimsy to
Commander’s Palace, serves this house specialty with plenty of crusty from room to room, keep it interesting.
silverware clanks, With flaming table-
bread for mopping up that mouthwatering sauce.
conversation bubbles side desserts like
forth. In the foyer, Ella bananas Foster
16 jumbo shrimp, peeled 1. Put the shrimp and Creole sea- Brennan, the matri- (a dish Miss Ella
and deveined, tails left on soning into a bowl and toss to coat; arch of the family that invented on the
2 tbsp. Creole or Cajun set aside. has run this restau- fly one night back
seasoning, such as Tony rant for the past four in the 1960s at the
decades, is holding family’s restaurant,
Chachere’s brand 2. Heat a large skillet over medium
court and telling sto- Brennan’s), Command-
1
⁄4 cup canola oil heat until hot. Add the oil and garlic ries. Her niece, Lally, er’s distinguishes itself
4 cloves garlic, minced to the skillet and cook until the escorts guests to the from other temples of
2 tbsp. minced fresh garlic is golden, about 1 minute. bar—which happens to New Orleans gastron-
rosemary leaves Add the rosemary and cook for be in the kitchen. No omy by embracing the
1
⁄2 cup beer, preferably 2–3 seconds. Add the shrimp and one does restaurants city’s joie de vivre.
like the Brennans, —Dana Bowen
Abita Amber cook, flipping once, until they start
and no restaurant in
6 tbsp. hot sauce to turn pink, about 30 seconds. that family’s expand-
6 tbsp. Worcestershire Transfer the shrimp to a large plate ing empire, which
5 tbsp. fresh lemon juice and set aside. Add the beer, hot includes a dozen or so
12 tbsp. unsalted cold butter, sauce, Worcestershire, and lemon bistros, steak houses,
cut into small pieces juice to the skillet and stir well. and cafés in New
Orleans and other cit-
1 loaf crusty French bread, Cook, stirring, until thickened,
ies across the South,
for serving 7–8 minutes.

Serves 4 3. Remove the skillet from the heat

and whisk in the butter, a few pieces
at a time (the sauce will start to
thicken). Return the shrimp to the
skillet and toss to coat. Return
the skillet to medium heat and
cook until the shrimp are cooked
through, 2–3 minutes. Transfer
the shrimp and sauce to 4 plates.
Serve with chunks of crusty bread.

Fish and Shellfish 101

Clam Varieties necks (2–2 1⁄2 inches),
cherrystones (2 1⁄2 –
With their sweet, briny 3 inches), and quahogs
flavor, clams are at the (3 inches or more 4 ).
heart of some of New Usually, the
England’s best cook- 3 smaller the
ing. The most common
species in the United
States belong to the
hard clam,
the more it
costs, since
Stuffies
its meat is
They’ve got a way with shellfish in Rhode Island, a state that surely has
hardshell variety,
which is native to the tenderer and more roadside clam shacks per capita than any other. An all-time Ocean
Eastern seaboard; its delicately flavored, State favorite is stuffed quahogs—the biggest of the Atlantic hardshell
classification, Merce- and ideal for eating clams—affectionately known as stuffies. The garlicky linguiça sausage
naria mercenaria, raw. Larger quahogs in the stuffing is a legacy of Rhode Island’s Portuguese immigrants.
derives from or “chowdah” clams, (Pictured at right, a Rhode Island clam fisherman in the 1940s.)
1 the Latin as they’re called in
word for New England, are
money, firmer and more 15 slices white sandwich
and refers emphatically flavored; bread
to the they’re often chopped 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
clam shells and then simmered, 3
⁄4 lb. linguiça (Portuguese
Native Americans used stewed, fried, or used sausage), minced
to polish into beads for for stuffing. Delicate
6 cloves garlic, minced
wampum. At one time, softshell clams 3
the names for different or steamers—or as the 2 ribs celery, minced
clams reflected a place old-timers say, pissers— 1 small yellow onion, minced
of origin—littlenecks are another species 1 small green bell pepper,
1 came from Little entirely (Mya are- cored, seeded, and minced
Neck, Long Island; naria). These clams, 2 1⁄4 cups chopped clam meat,
cherry-stones 2 with their fragile
preferably quahogs
came from Cher- shells and a necklike
rystone Creek siphon, are always
3
⁄4 cup clam juice or sheet and bake, tossing often,
2 in Virginia. cooked. Traditional- strained clam liquor until dried, 15–20 minutes;
But nowadays, ists steam them in 6 tbsp. minced flat-leaf set aside.
hardshell their shells in a couple parsley
clams’ names of inches of seawater, 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 2. Raise the oven heat to 425°F.
distinguish size, not or shuck them for
1 1⁄2 tbsp. Tabasco Heat the oil in a large skillet over
origin. The East Coast that quintessential
is arguably home to summer specialty, 1 1⁄2 tbsp. Worcestershire medium heat. Add the sausage,
the country’s most fer- fried clams. 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, garlic, celery, onions, and peppers
vent clam culture, cubed and cook until soft, 12–15 minutes.
from the smallest to Kosher salt and freshly Add the clams, clam juice, parsley,
the largest: there are ground black pepper, lemon juice, Tabasco, and Worces-
countnecks (1–1 1⁄2
to taste tershire and bring to a boil. Reduce
inches), littlenecks
(1 1⁄2 –2 inches), top- 16 empty large quahog the heat to medium-low and add
4
half shells the butter. Add the bread crumbs
Paprika, to taste and salt and pepper; stir.
Lemon wedges, for serving
3. Divide the stuffing between the
Serves 6–8 shells and place on a baking sheet.
Bake until browned, about 25 min-
1. Heat the oven to 275°F. Pulse utes. Sprinkle with paprika and
the bread in a food processor into serve with lemon wedges.
fine crumbs. Transfer to a baking

102 The New Comfort Food

Veracruz-Style Red Snapper
Pescado a la Veracruzana

The Caribbean-inflected cuisine of the coastal city of Veracruz, in southeastern Mexico, is one of bright flavors
and abundant seafood; ingredients like capers and olives are a legacy of the Spanish, who imported products
from Europe into Mexico via this port throughout the colonial period. Cooks in Veracruz often bake fish filets
together with a sauce of tomatoes, capers, olives, and jalapeños. We’ve found that searing the fish separately
preserves its firm texture, and the same skillet can then be used to make a quick and flavorful pan sauce.

4 6- to 8-oz. skin-on boneless 1. Heat the oven to 200ºF. Season until the garlic is soft, about
filets of red snapper, the snapper filets with salt and 3 minutes. Add the stock, lime-
striped bass, or redfish pepper. Put the flour on a plate juice, olives, tomatoes, parsley,
Kosher salt and freshly and dredge the fish in the flour, and cilantro and cook, stirring
ground black pepper, shaking off the excess. Heat 2 tbsp. occasionally, until the flavors
to taste oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over meld, about 5 minutes. Season
⁄2
1
cup flour medium-high heat. Add 2 fish filets the sauce with salt and pepper.
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and cook, pressing down with a Transfer the fish to a platter,
1 small white onion, minced spatula (to prevent the filet from spoon the sauce over the fish,
2 pickled jalapeños, minced curling up) and flipping once, until and serve.
3 tbsp. liquid from a jar golden brown, about 4 minutes.
of pickled jalapeños Transfer the fish to a baking sheet
2 tbsp. salt-packed and repeat with 2 more tbsp. oil
capers, soaked, drained, and the remaining fish filets.
and minced Transfer baking sheet to the oven
⁄2
1
tsp. dried oregano to keep fish warm.
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves 2. Return the skillet to medium-
⁄4
1
cup fish or chicken stock high heat with the remaining oil.
⁄4
1
cup fresh lime juice Add the onions and cook, stirring
8 large green olives, such occasionally, until soft, about
as manzanitas, pitted and 10 minutes. Add the pickled
roughly chopped jalapeños, jalapeño liquid, capers,
3 large tomatoes, peeled, oregano, garlic, and bay leaves
seeded, and chopped and cook, stirring occasionally,
(or one 28-oz. can whole
peeled tomatoes, drained
and chopped)
2 tbsp. roughly chopped
flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp. roughly chopped
fresh cilantro

Serves 4

Fish and Shellfish 105

King of Fish
Each summer, they
rush upriver with
remarkable urgency—
schools of indomitable
salmon, leaping sky-
ward in glistening Broiled Salmon Steaks with Tomatoes,
Onions, and Tarragon
arcs of silver as they
return from the ocean
depths to their fresh-
water birthplaces to Meaty salmon steaks take well to broiling with sweet roasted vegetables and herbs.
spawn. For centuries,
North American fisher- ⁄2 cup plus 4 tbsp.
1
1. Heat oven to 450°F. Line a bak- with 2 tbsp. oil, and season with
men and cooks have extra-virgin olive oil ing sheet with aluminum foil and freshly ground black pepper to
eagerly awaited this
2 large yellow onions grease it with 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin taste. Place 1 slice of lemon on
annual spring pilgrim-
age; it signals a return 4 medium tomatoes olive oil. each salmon steak and sprinkle
to a season of abun- 16 cloves garlic, smashed ⁄2 tbsp. chopped thyme and 1⁄2 tbsp.
1

dance and vitality in 10 sprigs each of fresh thyme 2. Cut onions into 1⁄4-inch-thick chopped oregano over the fish.
the kitchen. Different and oregano, plus 1⁄2 tbsp. rings; cut tomatoes into 1⁄2-inch Broil salmon until lightly
waterways along each of fresh thyme and slices. Spread out the onions and browned and just cooked
North America’s West
fresh oregano leaves, tomatoes on the baking sheet to through, about 5 minutes.
Coast attract different
species of Pacific roughly chopped form a bed for the salmon steaks.
salmon (see “Know Kosher salt and freshly Tuck garlic, thyme, and oregano 4. To serve, transfer salmon and
Your Salmon,” page ground black pepper, to between vegetables and drizzle vegetables to a platter. Sprinkle
108): Alaska’s Yukon taste with 1⁄4 cup olive oil. Season the with tarragon, Pernod, and
River, for example, 4 10-oz. bone-in salmon vegetables with kosher salt and remaining oil.
is known for king
steaks freshly ground black pepper to
salmon, while Wash-
ington’s Puget Sound 4 thin slices of lemon taste. Roast the vegetables until
yields mostly pink 2 tbsp. fresh tarragon leaves soft and lightly browned, about
and sockeye salmon. 2 tbsp. Pernod 25 minutes.
On the Atlantic, how-
ever, wild salmon Serves 4 3. Remove the baking sheet
populations are less
from the oven. Set an oven rack
than half of what they
were only 20 years 3 inches from the broiler element;
ago; just a few coun- heat oven to broil. Arrange
tries in the North salmon steaks on top of the
Atlantic, including roasted vegetables and drizzle
Ireland and Iceland,
still support a very
small salmon fishery.

106 The New Comfort Food

Know Your salmons, it’s often
Salmon canned. Lower in
fat, its delicate, sweet
Different varieties of flesh has a subtle flavor
salmon vary substan- best brought out by
tially in taste and pan-frying or whole-
texture, but they all roasting. Sometimes
share one cardinal known as leaper
trait: a high fat con- salmon, the Atlantic
tent, which gives their salmon 4 once flour-
flesh a rich flavor and ished in North Atlantic
lush texture. All wild waters, but overfish-
salmon taste their best ing, pollution, and a
when caught just host of other factors
before their journey have decimated wild
home to freshwater stocks. Demand for
spawning grounds, this fatty, full-flavored
since they prepare for salmon, probably the
the trip by fattening most versatile variety
up on ocean crusta- when it comes to cook-
ceans. Featured here ing, is met mostly by
are the six varieties fish farms, which now
available in the United produce more than
States. Also known as half of all the salmon
chinook salmon, the sold in this country.
mighty king 1 can The flesh of the red
weigh well over a hun- salmon, or sockeye,
dred pounds; its salmon 5 , a variety of
habitat ranges from Pacific salmon whose
California to Alaska. range stretches from
The meaty fish has a British Columbia to
pure flavor and ample Alaska and which is the
fat and cooks beauti- second- fattiest type,
fully over a charcoal has a distinctive, deep
fire. The coho salmon orange-red color and
2 , also called silver is dense and full-
salmon, constitutes flavored. Sockeye,
just 10 percent of the which first comes to
commercial salmon market in May, is
fishery in the United usually the variety
States. Making its favored for raw prepa-
home in the waters rations. The abundant
from Oregon to Alaska and relatively neutral-
and available in mar- tasting chum salmon
kets from late summer 6 , sometimes called

through fall, the fish keta salmon, is second

has a firm texture and only to the king in size
a rich, gamy flavor and inhabits waters
suited to simple prepa- throughout the Pacific
rations like poaching. Northwest; chum 1 2
Pink salmon 3 , also salmon is harvested in
called humpback the late fall and is most
salmon, is the smallest often canned, smoked,
variety available in or cured.
this country, averaging
only five pounds; the
most abundant of our
3 4 5 6
 Pride of the Carmack aren’t wild:
Delta they are sustainably
farmed in the Missis-
On a Saturday night sippi Delta. Catfish
in Mississippi, there’s may be the world’s
always a wait at the only widely consumed

Deep-Fried Southern local catfish houses,

those family-style
fish that tastes better
farmed than wild.

Catfish
fried-fish restaurants Wild catfish feed on
that serve cornmeal- the pond bed, which
dusted filets piled on gives them a muddy
Melt-in-your-mouth fried catfish is a veritable birthright if you’re from a plate with lemon flavor, but farm-raised
the Deep South, where family-style restaurants called catfish houses are wedges, tartar sauce, fish have a sweet, clean,
fixtures of the rural landscape. This dish doesn’t call for any dressing and a mound of fries and nutty taste that
up, aside from a big spoonful of tangy tartar sauce and an ice-cold beer. and hush puppies. lends itself to even
“Catfish is to Missis- more than frying;
sippi what crawfish it’s also a perfect can-
Canola or peanut oil, 2. Meanwhile, combine the corn- is to Louisiana,” says vas for everything
for frying meal, flour, seasoned salt, baking Brandon Hughes, a fry from rémoulade-
2 cups yellow cornmeal powder, and pepper in a large bowl. cook at Taylor Grocery, smothered po’boys to
1 1⁄3 cups flour Add the catfish and toss to coat. a popular catfish fiery curries. Catfish
1
⁄4 cup seasoned salt, Gently shake off the excess corn- house in Oxford, has long been consid-
Mississippi. There are ered a trash fish, a
such as Lawry’s meal mixture and transfer the
28 North American misconception that a
2 tbsp. baking powder catfish to a wire rack set over a species of catfish (so single bite of farmed
1 tbsp. freshly ground rimmed baking sheet. named because of its catfish will instantly
black pepper whiskers, or barbels, erase. “The catfish,”
4 3- to 5-oz. boneless, 3. Working in 2 batches, fry the which the fish uses to wrote Mark Twain,
skinless catfish filets catfish in the hot oil until golden search for food), and “is good enough fish
many others that are for anybody.” You don’t
or bone-in, skinless brown and cooked through, about
native to parts of Asia, have to tell that to the
catfish steaks 6 minutes. Using tongs, transfer where catfish is also folks in Mississippi,
1
⁄2 lemon, cut into wedges, the catfish to a wire cooling rack prized, but it is Ictal- where catfish is king.
for serving set over a rimmed baking sheet to urus punctatus, —Hunter Lewis
Tartar sauce, for serving drain. Transfer the fish to 2 plates commonly called
and serve with a lemon wedge and channel catfish, that
is favored across the
Serves 2 tartar sauce.
American South.
The fish fried at places
1. Pour oil into an 8-qt. pot to a like Taylor’s and
depth of 3 inches and heat over
medium-high heat until a deep-
fry thermometer reads 350°F.

Fish and Shellfish 111

 Cod Cakes with Chowchow
These pan-fried cod cakes, served with a tart-sweet relish of pickled vegetables called chowchow, come from
Eva Murphy, a home cook in Cape Breton Island, off Nova Scotia, who also shared her corn chowder recipe
(see page 44). The dish makes good use of the firm-fleshed cod caught nearby.

for the chowchow: 1. Make the chowchow: Toss the fork. Transfer the mashed potatoes
1 1⁄2 lbs. unripe green tomatoes, tomatoes, onions, celery, and pep- to the reserved bowl of celery–
cored and minced pers in a large bowl with the salt. onion mixture and set aside to cool.
1 yellow onion, minced Cover with plastic wrap and let sit
1 rib celery, minced at room temperature for 4 hours or 5. Season the cod with salt and
1
⁄2 medium green bell pepper, overnight. Transfer the vegetables pepper. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a 12-inch
cored, seeded, and minced to a sieve and press to extract the nonstick skillet over medium heat.
1
⁄2 medium red bell pepper, excess juices; discard the juices. Add the cod and cook, turning
cored, seeded, and minced once with a metal spatula, until
2 tbsp. kosher salt 2. Transfer the vegetables to a 6-qt. cooked through, about 8 minutes.
1
⁄2 cup sugar saucepan and add the remaining Transfer the cod filets to a plate
1
⁄3 cup distilled white vinegar ingredients. Cover, bring the mix- and let cool. Break the cod into
1 ⁄2 tsp. dry mustard
1
ture to a boil, reduce heat to 1-inch chunks and set aside.
1 1⁄2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds medium-low, and simmer, stirring
1 tsp. celery seeds occasionally, until the vegetables 6. Add the bread crumbs, mayon-
1 tsp. crushed chile flakes are very soft, about 2 1⁄2 hours. naise, herbs, egg yolk, and lemon
1
⁄4 tsp. ground coriander Transfer the relish to a jar and juice to the potato–onion mixture
for the cod cakes: let cool. Cover and refrigerate for and stir vigorously to combine. Add
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil up to 2 weeks. the reserved cubed potatoes and
2 ribs celery, minced the cod and mix gently to combine.
1 medium onion, minced 3. Make the cod cakes: Heat 2 tbsp. Using your hands, divide the mix-
1 clove garlic, minced oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium ture into 8 equal portions and form
2 russet potatoes (about heat. Add the celery, onions, and into cakes approximately 3 inches
1 lb.), peeled and cut into garlic and cook, stirring occasion- in diameter. Transfer the cakes to
⁄4-inch cubes
1
ally, until soft, about 8 minutes. a wax paper–lined baking sheet,
Kosher salt, to taste Transfer the celery–onion mixture cover with plastic wrap, and refrig-
1 lb. boneless, skinless cod filets to a large bowl and set aside. erate for 30 minutes until firm.
Freshly ground black
pepper, to taste 4. Put the potatoes into a 4-qt. 7. Working in 2 batches, heat
1
⁄2 cup dried bread crumbs pot, cover with salted water by remaining oil and butter in the
1
⁄4 cup mayonnaise 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Reduce skillet over medium-high heat.
2 tbsp. minced fresh dill the heat to medium and simmer Add the cod cakes and cook, flip-
2 tbsp. minced parsley until the potatoes are tender, about ping once, until golden brown,
1 egg yolk, beaten 15 minutes. Drain; transfer half the about 8 minutes. Transfer cakes
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice potatoes to a plate and set aside to to a platter. Serve with chowchow
4 tbsp. unsalted butter let cool. Transfer the remaining and lemon halves, if you like.
potatoes to a bowl and mash with a
Serves 4

112 The New Comfort Food

 Lobster 101
With its sweet,
succulent meat, the
American lobster,
Humanus americanus,

Grilled Lobster with is the most luxurious

delicacy pulled from the

Cilantro–Chile Butter
cold waters of the North
and Mid-Atlantic. It’s
also one of the easiest
Halving and grilling is an excellent way to cook a whole lobster; the to cook if you follow a
tender meat cooks inside the cupped shell along with melted butter. In few simple guidelines.
this variation on that theme, the crustacean is seasoned with cilantro, Figure on 11⁄4 to 2 lbs.
of lobster per person,
chiles, and lime zest.
and buy only feisty live
lobsters that feel
4 oz. unsalted butter, lobster halves, flesh side up, to a heavy for their size
softened baking sheet; crack the lobster from a fishmonger who
3 tbsp. minced cilantro claws and transfer them to the keeps the specimens
4 Fresno or Holland chiles, baking sheet. Drizzle the lobster in aerated tanks. Some
cooks elect to humanely
stemmed, seeded, and halves and claws with oil and sea-
kill lobsters before
minced son them with salt and pepper. cooking by freezing
1 lime, zested and quartered them for 2 hours or by
2 2-lb. live lobsters 2. Build a medium-hot fire in a putting the lobster
⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1
charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to belly side down on a
Kosher salt and freshly medium-high. (Alternatively, heat cutting board and slic-
ing through the middle
ground black pepper, a 12-inch cast-iron grill pan over
of the head with a
to taste medium-high heat.) Place lobster sharp chef’s knife or
halves (flesh side down) and claws cleaver. If grilling
Serves 2–4 on grill and cook for 5 minutes. or broiling, continue
Turn over lobster halves and claws slicing all the way
1. In a small bowl, stir together and spread each with some of the down the lobster
through the tail, mak-
the butter, cilantro, chiles, and cilantro–chile butter; continue
ing sure to remove the
lime zest; set aside. Using a heavy cooking until cooked through, gravel sac near the
cleaver, split each lobster in half about 3 minutes more. Serve with head and the vein that
lengthwise through its head and lime wedges. runs along the back.
its tail. Scoop out and discard the
gravel sac near the head and the
vein running along the back. Twist
off the lobster claws. Transfer the

Fish and Shellfish 115

Poultry
These are the dishes that bring us together
around the table: the oven-roasted chicken,
with crackling herb-rubbed skin and juicy
breast meat; the simmering pot of chicken
stew rich with paprika and lashed with sour
cream; Thai red curry, studded with duck.
Across cultures, chicken and poultry are at the
heart of the kitchen and are the centerpieces
of some of our most soulful meals.
Chef Sara Jenkins, with her son at her side, serves roasted chicken in her New York City home.
Lemony Roast Chicken
Pollo Arrosto

It sounds simple, and it is: nothing more than chicken, olive oil, rosemary,
lemon, and garlic. But when chef Evan Kleiman began serving this rustic
Italian-style roast chicken at Los Angeles’s Angeli Caffe back in 1984, it
turned out to be everything her customers were craving—honest food
prepared with minimal fuss. Serve with rice or buttered noodles.

1 3 1⁄2-lb. chicken, cut into 1. Toss the chicken pieces with the
8 pieces olive oil, rosemary, lemon juice,
1
⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil garlic, lemon, and salt and pepper Family Style to sleep-deprived new
parents to mature
1
⁄2 cup fresh rosemary leaves to taste in a bowl. Marinate for
Want to get to know stewards of a younger
1
⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice about 1 hour. your community? generation of tattooed
10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Open a neighborhood hipsters. When I was
1 lemon, peel removed, 2. Heat the oven to 475°F. Arrange restaurant, and be growing up in L.A. in
pith and pulp chopped the chicken in a 9 x 13-inch baking lucky enough to have the 1960s, there was
Kosher salt and freshly dish and add the remaining mari- it stick around for a nowhere to get food
couple of decades. My like this; you couldn’t
ground black pepper, nade. Roast, turning once, until
little place in Los even buy fresh basil at
to taste cooked through, 30–40 minutes. Angeles, Angeli Caffe, the supermarket. It
has been in business wasn’t until I went to
Serves 4 3. Divide chicken between 4 plates since 1984 on the Italy that I discovered
and serve. wacky end of Holly- the simple goodness
wood’s Melrose of dishes like lemony
Avenue. The space was roast chicken, dishes
a former screen door that most of us take for
shop that my partners granted today. Open-
and I turned into a ing Angeli was my way
restaurant with very of bringing that kind
little money and lots of beautiful comfort
of good will. At the food home, and con-
beginning, we were necting with the people
hip, so hip, feeding a I prepare it for. —Evan
generation of partying Kleiman
boomers who were
eating out every night.
But over the years, I
watched our customers
go from dancing fools

Poultry 119
 Red-Chile Chicken Enchiladas
In southern New Mexico and neighboring El Paso, Texas, brick-red chile colorado salsa is the sauce of choice
for enchiladas. We learned to make these from Malú Gonzales, a home cook in Las Cruces, New Mexico, who
garnishes her enchiladas with a drizzle of cool crema and crumbled cotija cheese, a refreshing contrast to
the gentle sting of the red chiles in the sauce.

Kosher salt, to taste 1. Bring 6 cups of lightly salted 4. Meanwhile, pour oil into a
2 bone-in, skinless chicken water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan 10-inch skillet over medium-high
legs over medium-high heat. Add the heat to a depth of 1⁄2 inch. When
20 dried New Mexico chiles, chicken legs and reduce the heat the oil is hot, using tongs and
stemmed and seeded to medium-low; simmer until the working with 1 tortilla at a time,
3 tbsp. canola oil, plus more chicken is cooked through, about dip a tortilla in oil and cook until
for frying 35 minutes. Set a fine sieve over slightly crisp, about 15 seconds.
10 cloves garlic, smashed a bowl. Strain the chicken, reserv- Transfer the tortilla to a rack set
⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
1
ing the cooking liquid. Let the over a rimmed baking sheet to
1 tbsp. ground cumin chicken cool, then shred the meat, drain. Dip the tortilla in the
2 tsp. sugar discarding the bones; set aside. warm chile sauce to coat, and
12 6-inch corn tortillas transfer to a plate. Sprinkle some
2 cups shredded mozzarella 2. Meanwhile, soak the chiles in of the shredded chicken, mozza-
2 cups shredded sharp the reserved cooking liquid until rella, cheddar, and onions along
cheddar cheese softened, 20 minutes. Transfer the the center of the tortilla and roll
3
⁄4 cup minced red onion chiles and 2 cups of soaking liquid the tortilla to make an enchilada.
⁄4 cup finely crumbled
1
to a blender; set aside. Repeat with the remaining torti-
cotija cheese llas and chicken, reserving some
2 tbsp. minced fresh 3. Heat the oven to 450°F. Heat of the cheese and onions.
cilantro for garnish 3 tbsp. oil in a 12-inch skillet over
3 tbsp. crema or sour cream medium heat. Add the garlic cloves 5. Arrange the rolled enchiladas
and cook, stirring often, until seam side down in a large casse-
Serves 4–6 golden brown, about 2 minutes. role dish or on a rimmed baking
Using a slotted spoon, transfer sheet, pour over the remaining
the garlic, reserving the oil in the sauce, and sprinkle with the
skillet, to the blender with the remaining mozzarella and ched-
chiles. Purée the chile–garlic dar. Bake until the cheese is
mixture and then add the lime melted, about 5 minutes. Garnish
juice, cumin, and sugar and season the enchiladas with the remaining
with salt. Set a fine sieve over a onions, cotija cheese, and cilantro,
bowl; strain the sauce, discarding drizzle with crema, and serve.
the solids. Transfer the chile sauce
to the reserved skillet and keep
warm over medium-low heat.

120 The New Comfort Food

Three generations of the Enriquez
family—esteemed for their cook-
ing—prepare dinner at their home
in El Paso, Texas.
Special Sauce reinterpreted through-
out the colonial and
The winning combina- postcolonial eras,
tion of succulent giving rise to a distinct,
chicken and creamy, Anglo-Indian style

Chicken Tikka Masala

spice-laden tomato of cookery. The dish’s
gravy known as main component,
chicken tikka masala chicken tikka, or bone-
has, over the years, less chicken pieces Thick tomato gravy makes a rich, creamy complement to juicy
become a comfort- marinated in a mixture chicken with a hint of smoky flavor from the broiler; keeping the
food staple on Indian of yogurt and spices
restaurant menus and and then cooked in a meat separate from the sauce until just before serving preserves
in home kitchens clay tandoor oven, is its firm, succulent texture.
around the world. Its itself a classic Punjabi
beginnings are murky, dish. The tandoor 1 tbsp. ground turmeric a bowl. In the same blender, purée
though it likely origi- imparts a smoky flavor 4 tsp. garam masala the tomatoes and strain through a
nated in Great Britain to the chicken, which 1 tsp. red food coloring sieve into a separate bowl; set aside.
in the 1970s, when an acquires a vivid orange
(optional)
6 cloves garlic, crushed 2. In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp. of the
1 2 1⁄2-inch piece ginger, reserved paste, along with the
peeled and chopped, plus chicken cubes, yogurt, and salt;
julienned strips for garnish marinate for about 30 minutes.
1 jalapeño, stemmed Place an oven rack 4 inches from
and chopped the heating element; heat to broil.
1 28-oz. can whole peeled Transfer the chicken to a foil-
tomatoes, undrained lined baking sheet. Broil until
Indian restaurant cook or scarlet hue from 2 lbs. boneless, skinless cooked through, about 5 minutes;
attempted to replicate turmeric, cayenne, chicken breasts, cut into set aside.
a famous Delhi restau- or, often, food coloring 1 1⁄2-inch cubes
rant’s signature dish, in the marinade. Today,
⁄4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1
3. Heat the butter in 6-qt. sauce-
murgh makhani (butter many chefs opt for
chicken): tandoor- fresh tomatoes instead Kosher salt, to taste pan over medium-high heat. Add
baked chicken in a of tomato soup; some 6 tbsp. unsalted butter the coriander and cumin and
sauce made with butter also enrich the sauce 1 tsp. coriander seeds toast for 4–6 minutes. Add the
and tomatoes. Though with ground almonds ⁄2 tsp. cumin seeds
1
paprika and onions and cook until
some condemn the and substitute more- 1 tbsp. paprika the onions are soft, 6–8 minutes.
British riff on the dish, fragrant coconut milk
2 small yellow onions, Add the remaining paste and
known as chicken tikka for cream. Home cooks,
masala, as inauthentic too, have furthered the minced brown for about 5 minutes. Add
(many recipes call for evolution by grilling or 1 cup heavy cream the tomatoes and cook for about
canned tomato soup, broiling the chicken to Fresh cilantro leaves, 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and
after all), I would reproduce the tandoor- for garnish 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then
argue that it belongs to baked flavor. While 6 cups cooked basmati rice, reduce the heat to medium-low
a long and illustrious the exact lineage of
for serving and simmer until thickened,
line of South Asian chicken tikka masala
dishes that have been remains a subject of 6–8 minutes. Stir in the remain-
debate, I regard it with Serves 6 ing garam masala and the broiled
affection as an example chicken; season with salt. Garnish
of the dynamic nature 1. In a blender, purée the turmeric, with the julienned ginger and
of Indian food. —Lizzie 2 tsp. garam masala, food color- cilantro and serve over rice.
Collingham
ing, garlic, ginger, jalapeños, and
⁄2 cup water. Transfer the paste to
1

124 The New Comfort Food

Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings
Paprikás Csirke

When sav eu r reader Isabelle Zgonc of Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, sent us her family recipe for paprikash,
Hungary’s famous paprika-spiced braised chicken dish, she also shared some of the happy childhood memories
it evokes for her. “It was good, hearty food that pleased all our senses,” she recalled. Soft dumplings, sautéed
with butter and parsley just before serving, are perfect for soaking up the paprikash’s thick red sauce.

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus 1. First, make the dumplings. Bring Add the reserved chicken and
more to taste an 8-qt. stockpot of salted water the stock and bring to a boil.
2 1⁄2 cups plus 2 tbsp. flour to a boil. In a bowl, whisk together Reduce the heat to medium-low
1 egg, lightly beaten 2 cups of the flour and 1 tsp. of salt and simmer, covered, turning the
1 3- to 4-lb. chicken, cut into and form a well in the center. Add chicken once, until fully cooked,
6–8 pieces, skin removed the egg and 1⁄2 cup water to the well 12–15 minutes. In a small bowl,
Freshly ground black and stir to form a dough. Knead whisk together the remaining
pepper, to taste dough in the bowl until smooth, 2 tbsp. flour and the sour cream.
1
⁄4 cup canola oil about 1 minute. Using a teaspoon, Whisk in 3⁄4 cup of the sauce from
2 tbsp. sweet paprika scoop walnut-size portions of the the pot. Stir the sour cream mix-
1 Italian frying pepper, dough into the pot of boiling water. ture back into the sauce in the pot.
chopped Boil the dumplings until tender, Remove from the heat.
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, 6–8 minutes. Drain the dumplings
cored, seeded, and chopped and rinse in cold water; cover with 4. Melt the butter in a 12-inch
1 large yellow onion, minced a tea towel and set aside. skillet over medium-high heat,
1 1⁄2 cups chicken stock add the reserved dumplings and
3
⁄4 cup sour cream 2. Meanwhile, season the chicken the parsley, and cook, tossing
3 tbsp. unsalted butter with salt and pepper. Put 1⁄2 cup occasionally, until hot, about
2 tbsp. minced flat-leaf flour on a plate, dredge the chicken 2 minutes. Serve the chicken gar-
parsley in the flour, and shake off the excess. nished with the remaining frying
Heat the oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven peppers and dumplings on the side.
Serves 4 over medium-high heat. Cook the
chicken, turning once, until brown,
8–10 minutes. Remove the chicken
and set aside.

3. Add the paprika and half the

frying peppers, along with the
tomatoes and onions, to the Dutch
oven and cook, stirring, until the
onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

Poultry 127
Fit to Be Tied
Lemongrass is a tough-
fibered aromatic herb
that’s used as a flavor-

Indonesian Chicken
ing in countless dishes
in Southeast Asia,
including ones like
Indonesian chicken
curry. A stalk or two
of the pale green herb
Curry
Opor Ayam
infuses soups, braises,
and curries with a In this dish, based on a recipe in sav eu r editor-in-chief James
citrusy taste. Lemon- Oseland’s cookbook Cradle of Flavor, cinnamon and lemongrass
grass can be pulverized lend vibrancy to the silky sauce.
to make an ingredient
in spice pastes or finely 1 tbsp. coriander seeds 1. Finely grind coriander and chile
sliced for stir-fries, but
⁄2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
1
flakes in a spice grinder. Put spice
it’s often used in its
whole form, in much 2 cloves garlic, chopped mixture into a small food proces-
the same way a bou- 1 medium yellow onion, sor with garlic, onions, and ginger;
quet garni is: dropped chopped purée to a paste. Add 1–2 tbsp.
into the pot as a dish 1 4-inch piece ginger, peeled water, if necessary.
cooks and then and thinly sliced
removed at the end.
3 tbsp. peanut oil 2. Heat oil in a 5-qt. Dutch oven
First, trim the tip and
the root end and peel 5 fresh or frozen Kaffir over medium-low heat. Add paste;
away the stalk’s fibrous lime leaves cook, stirring frequently, until
outer layers. Next, use 4–6 4-inch sticks cinnamon fragrant, 5–7 minutes. Add lime
a meat mallet (or, in a 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed leaves, cinnamon, and lemongrass.
pinch, the back of a and tied into a knot Cook, stirring occasionally, until
kitchen knife) to
(shown at left) cinnamon is fragrant, about 2 min-
smash and bruise the
stalk until it’s pliable. 3 lbs. mixed chicken utes. Increase heat to medium, add
Finally, tie the stalk thighs and legs chicken, and cook, turning once,
into a knot and put it 2 cups coconut milk until golden brown, 8–10 minutes.
into the pot. 3
⁄4 tsp. kosher salt Stir in 1 cup coconut milk, 1 1⁄4 cups
4 cups cooked jasmine rice, water, and salt. Simmer, stirring
for serving occasionally, until chicken is ten-
der, 40–50 minutes.
Serves 4–6
3. Add remaining coconut milk to
the curry; cook for 2 minutes. Let
cool for 20 minutes before serving
with the rice.

128 The New Comfort Food

 The Other KFC chicken. The key is
in the precision fry-
Twice-fried sweet- ing. When an order
spicy chicken has comes in, a cook takes
long been a favorite a batch of unseasoned

Sweet-and-Spicy Korean
in Korean homes and wings and drum-
restaurants. Nineteen sticks—pared from

Fried Chicken
years ago in Gumi, small, fresh chickens
South Korea, a res- and chilled over-
taurant owner named night to decrease their
Yangnyeom Dak moisture before fry-
Kwon Won Kang
The South Korea–based, internationally popular Kyochon restaurant added his own savory ing—and dunks them
garlic-soy dressing to in a thin batter of
chain guards its recipe for fried chicken closely, but we think we’ve
double-fried wings wheat flour, water, and
managed to crack the code. Our version has the same spicy-tangy flavor cornstarch. Then he
and drumsticks, and
and incomparable crunch. gives the wings and
drumsticks a 9-minute
Canola oil, for frying 1. Pour oil into a 6-qt. pot to a sizzle in a deep-fryer
5 cloves garlic depth of 2 inches and heat over containing 350°F
1 ⁄2-inch piece peeled ginger
1
medium-high heat until a deep- canola oil, which cooks
the meat and forms a
3 tbsp. soy sauce fry thermometer reads 350°F.
light crust. Next, he
3 tbsp. gojujang (Korean
tosses the chicken in a
chile paste) 2. Mince the garlic and ginger in a wire strainer to shake
1 1⁄2 tbsp. rice vinegar food processor. Add the soy sauce, the specialty known off loose bits of fried
1 tbsp. Asian sesame oil gojujang, vinegar, sesame oil, and as yangnyeom dak batter before plunging
1 tbsp. honey honey and purée. Transfer the (Korean fried chicken) it into a second fryer,
2
⁄3 cup flour sauce to a bowl and set aside. took off as a fast-food which contains oil left
phenomenon. Today, over from the previ-
1 tbsp. cornstarch
the business Kwon ous day; the darker oil
16 chicken wings or 3. Whisk together the flour,
founded, called Kyo- gives the skin a deeper
drumettes (about 1 3⁄4 lbs.) cornstarch, and 2⁄3 cup water in chon, has more than flavor and hue. Three
another bowl. Add the chicken 1,000 outlets world- minutes later, the
Serves 2–4 and toss to coat. Working in wide, and Korean fried chicken emerges with
3 batches, fry the chicken until chicken has a global a delicate texture and
golden, 6–8 minutes. Drain on following. The restau- crackly crust that is
rant’s popularity is no ready to be sauced.
paper towels.
surprise. Its wings and —Cathy Danh
drumsticks are unfail-
4. Return the oil to 350°F. Fry the ingly juicy inside,
chicken until crisp, 6–8 minutes crunchy outside, and
more. Drain again. Toss the glazed with one of two
chicken in the sauce and serve. delicious sauces: hot-
sweet or garlic–soy. A
totally addictive food,
it’s lighter, less salty,
and less greasy than
American-style fried

Poultry 131
 Northern Fried Chicken
The fried chicken at Blue Ribbon (pictured at right), a restaurant in New York City, has a thick, crunchy
crust made with matzo meal; the chefs there serve it with honey for dipping, collard greens quick-sautéed
in brown butter, and mashed potatoes with gravy.

Canola oil, for frying 1. Pour oil into a 5-qt. Dutch oven cooked through, 10–12 minutes.
1
⁄2 tsp. hot paprika to a depth of 2 inches. Heat over Transfer chicken to paper towels
1
⁄8 tsp. each cayenne pepper, medium-high heat until a deep-fry and season with salt, pepper, and
dried basil, dried parsley, thermometer reads 375°F. the reserved paprika mixture.
garlic powder, and Serve with honey, if you like.
onion powder 2. Combine paprika, cayenne,
4 egg whites, beaten basil, parsley, and garlic and onion
1
⁄2 cup flour powders in a bowl; set aside. Put
1
⁄2 cup matzo meal egg whites into a bowl. Combine
1
⁄4 tsp. baking powder flour, matzo, and baking powder
1 3-lb. chicken, cut into in another bowl.
8 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly 3. Working with one piece at a
ground black pepper, time, dip chicken in egg whites
to taste and press into matzo mixture to
Honey, for dipping coat. Shake off excess; transfer
(optional) chicken to a rack set inside a bak-
ing sheet. Working in 2 batches,
Serves 4 fry chicken until crispy and

132 The New Comfort Food

 Carving a
Chicken
A perfectly roasted
chicken all but demands
a deftly wielded knife

Roasted Herbed Chicken and a sense of cere-

mony. The four steps

and Vegetables
below are easy to mas-
ter and produce neat, C Hold the breast
elegant portions. down with the fork.
The first step to making this traditional Sunday supper is to infuse melted Using the knife, make
butter with herbes de Provence, a mix of lavender, thyme, tarragon, sage, an incision alongside
marjoram, and savory. After frequent basting with that herb butter the wishbone. Make
during roasting, the chicken turns golden brown and intensely fragrant. a deep cut along the
breastbone to remove
breast meat. Halve and
4 tbsp. unsalted butter In a bowl, combine wine, half the
set aside on carving
1 1⁄2 tbsp. dried herbes oil, fennel, whole garlic, turnips, platter.
de Provence squash, and salt and pepper; set
1 tbsp. honey turnip mixture aside. A Set chicken on its

2 cups white wine side with the breast

1
⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2. Season chicken with salt and away from you. Place a
1 tbsp. fennel seeds pepper. Peel rind from lemon in fork against the thigh
12 cloves garlic, unpeeled strips. Halve lemon; set aside. Put to steady chicken and,
using a carving knife,
(8 whole, 4 crushed) rind into cavity with remaining
cut between the body
3 medium turnips, cut into garlic and thyme. Tie legs with and the leg to begin to
2-inch pieces twine; tuck wings under body; set separate the two. D Separate the drum-
1 small butternut squash chicken on a small roasting rack stick from the thigh by
(about 1 1⁄2 lbs.), peeled, in a roasting pan. Arrange turnip cutting through the
seeded, and cut into thick mixture around chicken; scatter connecting joint while
half-moons with onions. Brush chicken with holding the leg steady
Kosher salt and coarsely some herb butter. Roast, basting with the fork. Turn
the chicken over and
ground pepper, to taste chicken with herb butter and vege- repeat preceding steps
1 4-lb. chicken tables with pan juices, until turnips on the other side.
1 lemon are just tender, about 1 hour.
1 bunch thyme B Pierce the breast

1 large yellow onion, cut into 3. Toss Brussels sprouts, mush- with the fork to steady
thick wedges rooms, and sage together in a bowl the chicken, and com-
3
⁄4 lb. Brussels sprouts, with remaining oil and salt and plete the separation of
leg from body by work-
trimmed and halved pepper; transfer to pan. Continue
ing the knife through
3
⁄4 lb. cremini mushrooms, roasting until a thermometer the connecting joint.
left whole inserted in chicken’s thigh reads Set the leg aside on the
12 large sage leaves 165°F, 25–30 minutes. Transfer carving platter.
chicken to a platter; cover loosely
Serves 4 with foil. Return vegetables to
oven; roast until very tender, about
1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Melt the 20 minutes more. Carve chicken
butter and herbes de Provence in (following steps shown at right),
a pot over medium heat. Remove squeeze reserved lemon over top,
from heat; whisk in honey. Cover; and serve with vegetables.
let herb butter steep for 20 minutes.

Poultry 135
Classic
Seasonings
Deeply flavored and
fragrant, curry pastes
are a mainstay of
Thai cuisine. A com-
bination of varying Thai Red Curry with
Roasted Duck
amounts of chiles,
spices, and aromat-
ics like lemongrass Gaeng Phed
and galangal that are
crushed or pounded The crisp-skinned roasted duck available in Chinatowns across America
together until smooth, makes a great shortcut ingredient for many delicious, homey dishes,
curry pastes are fried including this spicy-sweet Thai curry. Ask the counterperson at your
in coconut cream or
local Chinese market to cut the roasted duck into bite-size pieces,
oil, or whisked into
boiling broth or coco- which you can then simply toss into the simmering curry sauce.
nut milk, to flavor
dishes. There are 2 1⁄2 cups canned unsweetened 2. Add the cut-up duck to the curry
five principal kinds coconut milk mixture and increase the heat to
of curry paste, each 1
⁄4 cup Thai red curry paste, medium. Cook, stirring occasion-
containing an ingre-
such as Mae Ploy brand ally, until the duck is heated
dient or combination
of ingredients that
1
⁄2 Chinese roasted duck, cut through, about 7 minutes. Add
defines their appear- into 2-inch pieces the remaining coconut milk, lime
ance and flavor: 10 fresh or frozen Kaffir leaves, and 3⁄4 cup water. Increase
yellow (includes tur- lime leaves the heat to medium-high, bring to
meric), green (made 1 cup fresh pineapple, a boil, then reduce the heat to
with Kaffir lime leaves
peeled, cored, and cut medium-low. Simmer, stirring,
and rind, cilantro, and
green chiles), red (full into 1-inch chunks until the flavors meld, about
of dried red chiles), 1 1⁄2 tbsp. fish sauce 2 minutes. Add the pineapple,
panang (flavored with 1 tbsp. Thai palm sugar fish sauce, palm sugar, and chiles
peanuts), and massa- 6 Thai chiles, stemmed and continue to simmer on medium-
man (pounded with 20 cherry tomatoes, left whole low heat, stirring occasionally,
warm spices like
Leaves from 10 stems basil, until the pineapple is fork-tender,
clove, cardamom,
and cumin). All are preferably Thai basil about 5 minutes more.
available in Asian and 4 cups cooked jasmine rice,
specialty stores, as for serving 3. Skim off and discard some of the
well as on the Internet, oil from the top of the curry, if you
in jars and vacuum- Serves 4 like. Stir in the tomatoes and basil
sealed bags. One of our
and simmer the curry for about
favorite brands in the
sav eu r test kitchen 1. Heat 1 cup of the coconut milk 1 minute more; the tomatoes and
is Mae Ploy. in a large pot over medium heat basil should retain their shape and
until it just begins to boil. Reduce bright color. Serve the curry over
the heat to medium-low and sim- steamed jasmine rice.
mer, stirring often, until the liquid
is slightly reduced, about 5 min-
utes. Whisk in the curry paste and
continue to simmer the mixture,
stirring occasionally, until the
liquid is very aromatic, about
5 minutes more.

136 The New Comfort Food

Meats
Whether it’s a juicy burger straight off the grill
or some beautiful lamb chops we brought home
from the butcher shop, our love of meat is all-
consuming. This is food we treat ourselves with: a
plate of meatballs braised in a rich tomato sauce;
a flank steak, left to tenderize overnight in a spicy
marinade, then grilled until it’s charred at the
edges and reddish-pink in the middle; a chicken
fried steak, with its crispy coating and creamy
gravy. At once nuanced and straightforward,
these dishes sate us in an almost primal way.
Owner Peter Servedio assists customers at Peter’s Meat Market, a butcher shop on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, New York.
 Lamb Varieties petite, tender rib
chops. Australian
The flavor and the tex- lamb, though it’s
ture of lamb can differ slaughtered when a
considerably from bit older, has a milder
place to place, reflect- taste and richer mar-

Lamb Chops with ing everything from

what the animals eat
bling—the results of
both breeding and the

Salsa Verde
to the physical charac- fact that the animals
teristics of particular are sometimes fed
breeds. Because sheep grain during the last
Bracing mint cuts through lamb’s richness. Cooks in Spain and Italy farming remains a weeks of their lives.
often combine mint with anchovies, red chile flakes, garlic, capers, small industry in the Free-range, grass-
and other herbs in a vibrant salsa verde like this one, a bold match United States when fed Icelandic lamb
for seared lamb chops. compared with those is exceptionally fine-
of beef and pork, your grained and mild
local supermarket tasting; it is prized by
4 1-inch-thick lamb loin 1. Put the lamb chops into a small is as likely to carry chefs and increasingly
chops (about 1 lb.) or baking dish, rub with 2 tbsp. oil, cuts of lamb raised sold in the United
frenched lamb rib chops and season with salt and pepper. in Australia or New States at stores like
2 tbsp. plus 3⁄4 cup extra- Set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Zealand—the world’s Whole Foods Market.
virgin olive oil top lamb-exporting Most varieties of
countries—as it is American lamb are
Kosher salt and freshly 2. Meanwhile, make the salsa
fresh domestic meat. crossbred from wool
ground black pepper, verde: Combine the mint, parsley, Most New Zealand breeds like Columbia
to taste tarragon, capers, chile flakes, lamb is almost entirely and meat breeds such
2 cups loosely packed fresh anchovies, and garlic in a medium pasture fed, usually as Suffolk and are
mint leaves, minced bowl. Slowly drizzle in the remain- in fields rich with raised in the high
⁄2 cup minced flat-leaf
1
ing oil while stirring with a fork; ryegrass and clover, rangelands of the
which accounts for the Western states.
parsley leaves set aside.
meat’s characteristic Colorado lamb, one
2 tbsp. minced fresh leanness. Because New of the predominant
tarragon leaves 3. Build a medium-hot fire in a Zealand lambs come domestic varieties, is
1 tbsp. salt-packed capers, charcoal grill or set a gas grill to to market very young, pasture fed and given
soaked, rinsed, and minced medium-high heat. (Alternatively, typically at only six or a diet of corn before
⁄4 tsp. crushed red chile
1
heat a cast-iron grill pan over seven months of age, slaughter to make it
they have smaller yield princely cuts of
flakes medium-high heat.) Add the lamb
frames that yield richly marbled meat.
6 oil-packed anchovy filets, chops and cook, turning once,
drained and minced until well browned and crusty
1 clove garlic, minced and cooked to the desired done-
ness, 6–8 minutes for medium
Serves 2 rare if using loin chops; about
4 minutes if using rib chops.
Transfer the lamb chops to a
platter. Stir the sauce and drizzle
over the chops, reserving some
of the sauce to serve on the side.

Meats 141
 Seven-Hour Leg of Lamb
Gigot de Sept Heures

Roasting a leg of lamb for a full seven hours in wine with garlic and herbs leaves the meat ultratender; white
beans stewed with thyme, cloves, and onion and finished with crème fraîche are a luxurious accompaniment.
This recipe was given to us by Parisian home cook Camille Labro (pictured at center of top left photograph on
facing page), who learned it from her Provençale mother.

for the lamb: 1. Cook the lamb: Heat the oven Uncover, flip lamb, and continue
1 4-lb. shank end leg of lamb to 300°F. Rub lamb with oil and to cook, basting frequently, until
or 4-lb. piece of shoulder, season generously with salt and lamb is very tender, 3–3 1⁄2 more
trimmed pepper. Heat a 6-qt. Dutch oven hours. Transfer to a rack and let
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add lamb cool for 20 minutes.
Kosher salt and freshly and cook, turning occasionally,
ground black pepper, until browned on all sides, about 2. Meanwhile, prepare the beans:
to taste 12 minutes. Transfer lamb to a About 1 1⁄2 hours before the lamb
1 750-ml bottle dry plate. Add wine and 2 cups water is done, drain beans and transfer
white wine to the Dutch oven; scrape up to a 4-qt. saucepan along with
20 cloves garlic, unpeeled browned bits from bottom of pot. 4 cloves garlic, the herb bundle,
10 sprigs each fresh thyme, Nestle garlic and herbs into a and 6 cups water. Pierce the onion
rosemary, and savory large oval casserole and place with the cloves and add to the pot.
5 fresh or dried bay leaves lamb on top of herbs. Carefully Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low,
pour in pan juices and wine from cover, and simmer until beans are
for the beans: Dutch oven and cover lamb with tender, about 1 hour. Remove pot
2 cups dried white beans, foil. Transfer to oven and roast, from heat and season with salt
preferably cannellini basting frequently, for 3 1⁄2 hours. and pepper. Discard herbs and
or white coco, soaked strain beans, reserving cooking
overnight liquid. Transfer 2 cups beans,
5 cloves garlic, smashed ⁄4 cup cooking liquid, oil, crème
1

3 sprigs fresh thyme and fraîche, and remaining garlic

parsley and a bay leaf clove to a blender and purée. Stir
tied together with puréed bean mixture and about
kitchen twine 1 cup of the cooking liquid back
10 whole cloves into pot and cover to keep warm
1 large onion, halved until lamb is cooked. Serve the
Kosher salt and freshly lamb sliced or torn into chunks,
ground black pepper, alongside the beans.
to taste
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. crème fraîche

Serves 6–8

142 The New Comfort Food

 Is It Done Yet? including those issued
by the USDA—will
When it comes to pretty much ensure
cooking a steak, most that your steak is over-
restaurant cooks have cooked. Some cooks

Marinated Flank Steak

the seemingly magical determine the done-
ability to take the ness of a steak by
meat off the heat at checking firmness—
Flank steak, also known as London broil, isn’t the most tender cut of beef, exactly the right an old rule says a rare
but it is one of the most flavorful. The key to getting a tender flank steak moment. For most of steak should feel like
us at home, however, the soft flesh between
is to let the meat marinate for a good, long time—in this case, in a mixture of learning to cook a your thumb and fore-
red wine, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, various spices, and fresh rosemary— steak to perfection is finger. Others follow
and then carve it across the grain into thin slices before serving. a process of trial and a ten-minutes-per-
error. But take heart: inch rule. But for our
1 tbsp. black peppercorns 2. Add the wine, vinegar, Worces- you don’t need X-ray money— and when
1 tbsp. coriander seeds tershire, garlic, rosemary, and olive vision to divine the we’re shelling out for
color of the inside of a good meat, that’s not
1 tbsp. fennel seeds oil to the baking dish and whisk to thick steak; just some an inconsiderable
2 dried chiles de árbol, combine. Prick the steak all over basic know-how. The factor—the single best
broken with a fork, place it in the marinade same rules apply to all solution is the tried-
2 bay leaves and spoon some marinade over the cuts, whether it’s a fla- and-true “nick and
⁄2 cup red wine
1
top. Cover and refrigerate, turning vorful flank (like the peek” method. Make a
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar occasionally, for at least 12 hours one pictured at left) or small cut in the steak,
a pricey porterhouse: take a look inside, and
2 tbsp. Worcestershire and up to 24 hours. steaks become firmer judge the color for
4 cloves garlic, crushed and lose their red color yourself. Until you’ve
2 sprigs fresh rosemary 3. An hour before grilling, transfer as they cook, proceed- confidently mastered
⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1
the steak to a plate, season with ing from “blue” (nearly your own method,
1 2-lb. flank steak salt, and set aside at room tempera- raw) to rare (deep red) though, err on the side
Kosher salt, to taste ture. Transfer the marinade to a to medium rare (deep of caution and remove
pink) to medium (light the steak from the heat
small pot and bring just to a boil;
pink) to medium well slightly before you
Serves 4 set aside. (gray with a hint of think it has achieved
pink) to well-done its desired doneness;
1. Toast the peppercorns, corian- 4. Build a medium-hot fire in a (gray throughout). it will continue to cook
der, fennel, chiles de árbol, and bay charcoal grill or set a gas grill to Many cooks agree that as it rests. And keep in
leaves in a small skillet over high medium-high heat. Grill the steak, medium rare is usually mind that with thicker
the level that brings steaks, lean cuts (like
heat, stirring occasionally, until turning once and, using a brush,
out a steak’s best qual- a filet mignon) cook
fragrant, 2–3 minutes. Transfer basting with the reserved mari- ities, in both flavor faster than fattier
the aromatics to a hard surface, nade occasionally, until browned and texture. The most ones (like a rib eye)
lightly crush them with the bottom and medium rare, 7–8 minutes per important thing to and that the presence
of a heavy skillet, then transfer side. Transfer the steak to a cutting remember is that steaks of a bone prolongs the
them to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. board, tent with foil, and let rest for cook fast (especially cooking time.
those from lean, grass-
about 10 minutes. Carve the steak
fed cattle). A meat
into thin slices across the grain and thermometer usually
serve with any accumulated juices. isn’t a good option for
gauging doneness,
since it’s hard to get a
reliable reading using
most standard models.
Also, following many
published guidelines
for judging doneness
by temperature—

Meats 145
A cowboy rides herd at La
Cense ranch, an 88,000 acre
grass-fed cattle operation
in Dillon, Montana.
 Italian-Style Meatballs with
Tomato Ragù
There are many ways to make meatballs. This is, hands down our favorite. The recipe calls not only for ground
pork shoulder and beef chuck but also for prosciutto, ricotta, and bacon. The meatballs are browned in a skillet,
braised in red wine and tomatoes until they’re succulent and suffused with sauce, then showered with minced
parsley and grated cheese. Serve with crusty bread or spaghetti.

10 oz. ground beef chuck 1. In a large bowl, combine the the wine, increase the heat to
10 oz. ground pork shoulder beef, pork, prosciutto, pork fat, high, and cook for 2 minutes.
2 oz. prosciutto, minced parsley, oregano, fennel seeds, Stir in tomatoes and beef stock,
2 oz. minced pork fat chile flakes, cumin, allspice, and bring to a boil, and tightly cover
or pancetta bread crumbs and season with the skillet. Transfer to the oven
1 1⁄4 cups loosely packed salt. Using your fingers, mix the and bake until the meatballs are
flat-leaf parsley leaves, ingredients gently until combined, tender and have absorbed some
minced, plus more then set aside. In a medium bowl, of the sauce, about 1 1⁄2 hours.
to garnish whisk together the ricotta, milk,
2 tsp. dried oregano and eggs until smooth, then add to 5. Divide the meatballs between
1 1⁄2 tsp. fennel seeds the meat mixture and gently mix 6 serving bowls, top each serving
1 tsp. crushed red until incorporated. Refrigerate with some of the sauce, and gar-
chile flakes the mixture for about 1 hour. nish with Parmigiano-Reggiano
1
⁄2 tsp. ground cumin and parsley.
1
⁄4 tsp. ground allspice 2. Heat the oven to 300°F. Grease
7 slices white bread, finely 2 large rimmed baking sheets
ground in a food processor with oil and set aside. Using a
Kosher salt and freshly 2-oz. ice cream scoop, portion
ground black pepper, the mixture, roll into meatballs
to taste with your hands, and transfer
2
⁄3 cup ricotta, drained in to the greased baking sheets.
a strainer for 2 hours
2 tbsp. milk 3. Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a 3-qt. high-
3 eggs, lightly beaten sided skillet over medium-high
6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, heat. Add half the meatballs and
plus more for greasing cook, turning occasionally, until
1
⁄4 cup dry red wine browned, about 10 minutes. Using
4 cups canned tomato purée a slotted spoon, transfer the
1 cup beef or veal stock meatballs to a plate. Repeat with
Finely grated Parmigiano- the remaining oil and meatballs.
Reggiano, for garnish
4. Add the reserved meatballs
Serves 6 back to the skillet along with
any juices from the plate. Add

148 The New Comfort Food

 Making the primarily sold in
supermarkets—are
Grade generally too lean
The passion for prime to yield better than
steak is fueled by how average results. The

Filets Mignons with

little of it there is to remaining grades
go around. Less than designate meat that’s
4 percent of all beef sold wholesale for use

Mushroom Sauce that passes through

USDA gradings—
which, unlike safety
in a range of products,
from frozen foods to
hot dogs.
A concentrated mushroom sauce made with red wine and sherry inspection, is volun- In addition to the
brings intense flavor to filet mignon, a mild-tasting and especially tary and paid for by federal grading sys-
tender cut. the meat processor— tem, consumers have
is labeled prime, and another option avail-
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut most of that ends up able to them: beef that
into small pieces being sold in high- has undergone certifi-
end butcher shops, cation. This program,
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
or served by waiters overseen by the USDA,
4 8-oz. filets mignons at pricey steak houses certifies that the beef
Kosher salt and freshly (such as Karl Zartler, bearing the designation
ground black pepper, pictured on the facing is from a particular
to taste page, at New York breed or variety. The
2 shallots, minced City’s famed Peter most common breed
Luger Steak House). certification is for beef
1 lb. cremini mushrooms,
Among the criteria for from Angus steer and
sliced inclusion in this elite heifers, which have
1 cup red wine tier are fat marbling consistently demon-
1 cup chicken stock (the more the better) strated a predisposition
2 tbsp. sherry 2. Return skillet to medium-high and the animal’s age for developing well-
2 tsp. cornstarch, mixed heat. Add 1 tbsp. butter, the (younger animals have marbled meat.
less collagen in their Steak lovers on a
with 1 tbsp. water remaining oil, and shallots and
muscle and, thus, meat budget should remem-
1 tbsp. chopped chives cook for 1 minute; add mushrooms that’s more tender). ber that they’ll get
1 tbsp. chopped parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, There are eight tastier results using
until softened, about 5 minutes. government grades lesser cuts (top round
Serves 4 Add red wine, reduce heat to for beef: prime, choice, or flank steak, for
medium, and cook, stirring select, standard, example) graded prime
commercial, utility, or choice than they will
1. Heat the oven to 500°F. Heat occasionally, until syrupy, about
canner, and cutter. with higher-end cuts
1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. oil in 8–10 minutes. Add stock and cook Steak aficionados seek (like rib eye or porter-
a 12-inch skillet over high heat. until slightly reduced, 4–5 minutes. out the top two, prime house) graded select.
Season filets with salt and pepper Whisk in sherry and cornstarch and choice (the latter Note that most beef
and add to skillet; cook, flipping mixture and bring to a boil; cook, of which represents from grass-fed or
once, until browned, 4–5 minutes. stirring often, until thickened, more than half of all “organic” animals is
graded beef), which sold ungraded, as its
Transfer filets to a baking sheet, 2–3 minutes. Remove pan from
are streaked with quality can’t be judged
reserving skillet, and roast in oven heat. Whisk in remaining butter, plenty of intramuscu- by the same standards
until medium rare, 4–5 minutes. chives, and parsley and season lar fat—a condition that apply to commer-
Transfer filets to a platter and with salt and pepper. Serve filets that makes them cial beef.
cover with aluminum foil. with mushroom sauce. tender enough for dry-
heat cooking methods
like grilling, roasting,
and broiling. Steaks
that have been graded
select—a variety

Meats 151
American Ham
Smithfield, Virginia,
has been the epicenter
of America’s ham busi-
ness for four centuries.
Jamestown, the site of
the earliest English Pineapple–Chipotle-
Glazed Ham
colony in North Amer-
ica, is just a few miles
upriver; the settlers
who brought pigs to New York chef Zarela Martinez gave us the idea for this glaze made
the New World started from Coca-Cola, chipotle chiles, and honey—which caramelizes
confining hogs on a during roasting to produce a burnished, smoky-sweet exterior.
nearby island to raise Many home cooks in Martinez’s native Mexico use cola in this way,
them for ham, and
to bring sweetness and cinnamon notes to braised and roasted meats.
in 1779 a sea captain
named Mallory Todd If you’re using fresh pineapple slices, make perfect rings by using a
started to ship hams 3-inch round cookie cutter to trim the outer edges and a 1-inch round
from Smithfield to the one for the center.
British West Indies.
1 12–15-lb. whole 3. Meanwhile, combine the
semiboneless ham remaining Coca-Cola, chipotles,
8 fresh or canned and honey in a saucepan and bring
pineapple slices to a boil over medium-high heat.
64 whole cloves Reduce the heat to medium and
2 3⁄4 cups Coca-Cola cook, stirring the glaze, until
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, syrupy, 12–15 minutes. Uncover
drained and minced the ham and brush with some
The Virginia trade 1
⁄3 cup honey of the glaze. Increase the oven
eventually spread to temperature to 500°F. Bake the
England, where Queen
Serves 14–20 ham, brushing occasionally with
Victoria placed a stand-
ing order for six Smith- the glaze, until browned and glossy,
field hams a week. By 1. Put the ham into a 16-qt. stock- 15–20 minutes. Let cool for about
the 1900s there were pot and cover with water. Bring to 20 minutes before carving.
dozens of local produc- a boil, reduce the heat to medium-
ers, but over time most low, and simmer for 1 hour.
were consolidated into
a single company, called
Smithfield Foods, which 2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Transfer
today is the largest pork the ham to a rack in a roasting pan.
processor in the world. Using toothpicks, secure the pine-
But there are still many apple slices to the ham and stud
small producers in the with the cloves. Pour 2 cups Coca-
area; our favorite is Sam
Cola over the ham and pour 1 cup
Edwards (pictured
above), a fourth- water into the roasting pan. Cover
generation producer the ham loosely with foil and bake
who cures his smoky for 1 hour.
hams just a few miles
outside the Smithfield
city limits.

152 The New Comfort Food

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
Maiale in Agrodolce

These grilled pork chops with a glaze of honey and balsamic vinegar are typical of the sturdy, lusty food
found in Roman neighborhood restaurants (such as the 51-year-old Sora Lella, pictured at left) and home
kitchens alike. They pair well with stewed sweet peppers, roasted potatoes, or sautéed greens.

4 10-oz. bone-in pork chops,

frenched
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper,
to taste
⁄3 cup balsamic vinegar
1

2 tbsp. honey
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 sprig fresh rosemary,
torn into 1-inch pieces

Serves 4 3. Put pork chops on grill and

cook, occasionally turning and
1. Put pork chops on a plate and basting with balsamic mixture,
drizzle with oil. Season the chops until browned and just cooked
generously with salt and pepper through, 12–14 minutes. Transfer
and let sit for 30 minutes. to a platter and let sit for 5 minutes
before serving.
2. Meanwhile, build a medium-
hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat
a gas grill to medium-high heat.
Combine vinegar and honey in
a 1-qt. saucepan and cook over
medium heat until reduced to
⁄4 cup. Add butter and rosemary,
1

stir until butter is melted, and

set aside.

Meats 155
Local Specialty specialty as a grill
cook 41 years ago,
One reason to visit places a small ball of
Sid’s Diner (pictured beef on a hot flattop
below) in El Reno, griddle, showers the
Oklahoma, is the meat with a heap of
hospitality. A small
town 35 miles west
of Oklahoma City,
thinly sliced Vidalia
onions, and then
presses the patty
Sid’s Fried Onion Burgers
Onions are a classic burger topping, but at Sid’s Diner in El Reno, Oklahoma,
El Reno is the kind of down until the onions
place where nice-guy and beef become one. they are an integral element of the patty itself. Squashing the ground beef
burger joint operators When the burger is and onions together into the hot skillet results in a well-seared exterior,
like Marty Hall are crunchy and browned crisp edges, and a delectable caramelized-onion flavor.
local celebrities. The on the bottom, it’s
other reason to visit flipped so that the 1 lb. ground beef 2. Working in two batches, heat
Sid’s, of course, is to same thing can hap-
2 medium Vidalia or 2 tbsp. of the oil in a 12-inch cast-
eat the onion burger, pen to the other side.
the best of a local The last time I was at yellow onions iron skillet over medium-high
breed that was invented Sid’s, I asked Marty 4 tbsp. canola oil heat. Add 3 of the beef balls and,
in El Reno during the whether his burgers Kosher salt, to taste using the back of a spatula, press
Great Depression. The had changed over 6 slices American cheese down on them until they are thin.
burger’s distinguish- the years. “Cooking (optional) Cook for 1 minute. Top each patty
ing feature—lots and burgers is like laying
6 hamburger buns, toasted with a portion of the onions, then
lots of onions cooked brick,” he told me.
right into the patty— “Your best comes with Dill pickle slices season with salt. Press the onions
began as a way of years of experience. It into the meat and cook for about
stretching ground becomes like an art.” Makes 6 burgers 1 minute more.
beef. Marty, who —George Motz
started making the 1. Divide the ground beef into 3. Flip the onion-topped patties
6 equal balls, making sure to and flatten them with the spatula.
handle the meat gently. Very Place a cheese slice, if using, on
thinly slice the onions on a each patty and let the cheese melt
mandoline, or slice them using while the onions and meat brown.
a sharp knife; divide the onions Top the bottom half of each bun
into 6 equal portions. with the onions and cheese-topped
patties, add the top bun, and serve
with dill pickle slices, if you like.

156 The New Comfort Food

Building the Perfect Burger
It just might be the ultimate comfort food: a juicy hamburger
customized to appeal to our particular tastes and cravings.
There’s almost no limit to what works well when crafting a
delicious burger; countless toppings and types of buns provide
a pleasing contrast in taste, texture, and temperature. Maybe
you’re in the mood for a classic cheeseburger with some crisp,
cool lettuce and raw red onion. Or something more decadent:
blue cheese, sweet caramelized onion, and smoky bacon. Here
are some of our favorite burger building blocks. Multiseed bun Burger’s answer Roasted peppers Gives burgers
to the everything bagel. a smoky, sweet accent.

English muffin Sturdy and Bibb lettuce A velvety alterna- American cheese Sunny yellow, Kaiser roll Bulky, with a fluffy
soaks up juices like a sponge. tive to crunchy iceberg. quick-melting, presliced. Classic. interior perfect for juicy burgers.

Caramelized onions Give Sesame seed bun Soft and fra- Pickled beets An earthy alter- Olive tapenade Lends burgers
burgers a rich, decadent note. grant, the iconic burger platform. native to sweet pickles. a briny, Mediterranean quality.

Potato roll This sweet pillowy Brie Takes on a silky texture Onion roll Studded with onion, Red onion A crisp, spicy, and
roll makes the softest of buns. and a rich aroma when melted. brings flavor to simple burgers. robust addition.

158 The New Comfort Food

Limburger This strong washed- Bacon Cured pork of all types Cornichons Lends a slightly Sautéed mushrooms Bolsters
rind cheese adds pungency. adds a smoky taste. sour flavor and snap. a burger’s savory qualities.

Pineapple rings Introduces Pretzel roll Salty, chewy; great Blue cheese Bold tartness Coleslaw Cool and creamy,
a refreshing, tangy sweetness. with strong-flavored toppings. balanced by a creamy texture. gives crunch to burgers.

French roll A white, dense Alfalfa sprouts Their fresh, Toasted bread Dense-textured Emmentaler A Swiss cheese
interior with a crisp crust. grassy taste pairs well with beef. bread is classic for a patty melt. with a luscious, even melt.

Pepper Jack Flecked with jala- Ciabatta roll Thick-crusted; Tomato A bright, sweet pres- Peperoncini These brined
peños, this lends a spicy edge. supports the juiciest of burgers. ence between burger and bun. peppers bring mild heat.

Meats 159
Patty Melt
This lunch counter favorite—ground beef, caramelized onions, and melted cheese between slices of rye bread—
is easy to make at home. Beyond the sliced bread that replaces the standard hamburger bun, what sets the patty
melt apart is the fact that the whole thing, bread and all, is buttered and fried in a skillet after the patties have
been cooked, for a result that’s half grilled cheese, half burger.

1 1⁄2 lbs. ground beef 1. Season the beef with salt and 3. Top each of 6 bread slices with
Kosher salt and freshly pepper. Divide the meat into six some of the onions, a cheese slice,
ground black pepper, ⁄4-inch-thick patties that are
1
and a burger patty. Top each burger
to taste slightly wider and longer than with a cheese slice and a piece of
5 tbsp. canola oil the bread slices. Set aside. bread. Using a butter knife, spread
2 medium yellow onions, butter over the top and bottom of
halved and thinly sliced 2. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a 12-inch each sandwich.
12 slices rye bread cast-iron skillet over medium-high
12 thin slices cheddar, Swiss, heat. Add the onions, season with 4. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet
or American cheese salt and pepper, and cook, stirring over medium heat. Working in
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, occasionally, until softened and 3 batches, cook the sandwiches,
softened browned, 10–12 minutes. Transfer flipping once, until golden brown
Pickles, for serving the onions to a bowl; wipe out and warmed throughout, about
(optional) the skillet. Working in 3 batches, 6 minutes. Serve with pickles,
heat 1 tbsp. oil in the same skillet if you like.
Serves 6 over high heat. Add 2 burger patties
and cook, flipping once, until well
browned, about 4 minutes total.
Repeat with remaining patties.
Transfer the patties to a plate.

Meats 161
Texas Classic fried steak was a
Depression-era inven-
The best chicken fried tion of Hill Country
steak in Paradise, German-Texans.”
Texas, looks like it’s German-style CFS

Chicken Fried Steak

covered in corn flakes is made of pounded-
and comes with pep- thin beef cube steak,
pery cream gravy. I'm dredged in bread
talking about the one crumbs or cracker There’s more than one way to cook a chicken fried steak, that Texan
served at a place called meal and fried like creation of cube steak pounded out thin and tender, dipped in a butter-
the Finish Line Café. schnitzel. The cowboy
What brought me to version is often called milk batter, and fried until it forms a thick, crunchy crust. Our favorite
the Finish Line was pan-fried steak in one comes from the Finish Line Café in Paradise, Texas, where they
not just a deep love for West Texas, where serve it smothered in a thick cream gravy.
CFS (as the dish is it’s the most popular
often called) but also style. It’s said that 2 cups plus 3 tbsp. flour 2. Pour oil into a 12-inch cast-iron
a strong hunch. Driv- chuckwagon cooks, 2 tsp. paprika skillet to a depth of 1⁄2 inch; heat
ing around the state who tenderized their
researching CFS, I’d steaks by beating them
Freshly ground black over medium-high heat until a
begun to suspect that with anything handy, pepper and kosher salt, deep-fry thermometer reads
you could get a great would simply dredge to taste 320°F. Working in 2 batches, fry
version in just about them in flour before 1 cup buttermilk steaks, flipping once, until golden
any small-town café frying them to a crisp. 1 tsp. Tabasco, plus more brown, 6–8 minutes. Place steaks
west of Dallas and Southern-style CFS, to taste on rack in oven to keep warm.
north of Waco—an has a thick, crunchy
1 egg
area of Texas I’d come buttermilk batter
to dub the Chicken crust that looks like 4 4–6-oz. cube steaks, 3. Melt butter in a 2-qt. saucepan
Fried Steak Belt. I the coating on a piece pounded to 1⁄4-inch over medium-high heat. Whisk in
decided to test this of fried chicken; this is thickness remaining flour; cook until golden,
theory by picking a the style most common Canola oil, for frying 1–2 minutes. Whisk in milk; cook,
random town along in East Texas, and it 3 tbsp. unsalted butter whisking, until thick. Season with
my planned route. was the style that I
2 cups milk Tabasco and salt and pepper. Serve
Paradise (population became smitten with
519) sounded like as at the Finish Line. steaks with gravy.
good a spot as any, and The dish, prepared Serves 4
the Finish Line Café from a family recipe,
was the most popular was cooked by Marie 1. Heat the oven to 200°F. Put a
place in town. Brown, the matriarch baking sheet fitted with a rack
There are three of the three genera-
inside. In a shallow dish, whisk
categories of CFS in tions who run the
Texas—German, café (her daughter, together 2 cups flour, paprika,
Cowboy, and South- Rayanne Gentry, is pepper, and salt. In another dish,
ern—and each has pictured at right). whisk together buttermilk, 1 tsp.
its proponents who Dredged in seasoned Tabasco, and egg. Season steaks
believe it’s the original. flour, then in a batter with salt and pepper. Working with
According to Jane and of eggs and butter-
1 steak at a time, dredge in flour
Michael Stern’s book milk, then in the flour
Eat Your Way Across again, Marie's steak mixture, then in egg mixture, and
the U.S.A., “chicken emerged from the again in flour; shake off excess.
kitchen with an awe- Transfer to a plate.
some, ripply crust that
shattered when I bit
through to the tender
steak. This was the
ultimate CFS: I was
in paradise, indeed.
—Robb Walsh

162 The New Comfort Food

Slow-Smoked Brisket
Brisket is the king of Texas barbecue, thanks in part to mid-19th-century German and Czech immigrants who
sold deli-style smoked brisket in the meat markets they opened in the central part of the state, a few of which are
still in operation. You don’t have to be a pit master to make good barbecued brisket; perfectly delicious results
can be achieved at home, in an ordinary kettle grill. Here’s how to do it.

1 1⁄2 tbsp. kosher salt 1. In a small bowl, stir together 6. Cover grill and cook brisket,
1 1⁄2 tbsp. dark brown sugar salt, brown sugar, paprika, garlic replenishing coals as needed to
1 tbsp. sweet paprika powder, mustard, pepper, thyme, maintain a 225°–250°F tempera-
2 tsp. garlic powder coriander, and cumin; rub spice ture, until meat registers 160°F
2 tsp. mustard powder blend into brisket with your fin- on an instant-read thermometer,
1 1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground gers to cover evenly; wrap tightly 4–5 hours.
black pepper in plastic wrap. Refrigerate
1
⁄2 tsp. dried thyme overnight. 7. Transfer brisket to a sheet of
1
⁄2 tsp. ground coriander heavy-duty aluminum foil and
1
⁄2 tsp. ground cumin 2. Build a medium-hot charcoal pour beer on top.
1 5-lb. flat-cut beef brisket fire in a grill.
with 1⁄2-inch fat left 8. Wrap brisket in foil to seal in
attached 3. When coals are ready, push juices and beer. Return brisket to
3 large chunks mesquite them to one side of grill and grill over pan, and cook, replenish-
wood nestle the chunks of mesquite ing coals as needed, until meat
3
⁄4 cup beer around them. reaches 190°F, about 2 hours more;
uncover grill and let brisket cool
Serves 6–8 4. Cover grill, open all vents, and for 1 hour.
let grill heat until temperature
registers 225°–250°F on an 9. Unwrap and arrange brisket,
instant-read thermometer fat side up, on a cutting board, and
inserted in a top vent. slice across the grain into 1⁄8-inch-
thick slices. Collect the juices and
5. Arrange a foil pan half-filled pour over meat before serving.
with water on the bottom grate
opposite the coals, put the top
grill grate in place, and set brisket
on top grill grate directly over
foil pan.

Meats 165
 Roast Pork Loin
Arista di Maiale

Stuffing a butterflied pork loin with herbs and wrapping it with prosciutto, a classic Tuscan preparation, keeps
the meat juicy and bolsters its flavor. After roasting, let the meat rest to allow the moisture concentrated in the
center during cooking to infuse the entire loin, and then serve it with a pan sauce made with fresh lemon juice.

1 lemon 2. Butterfly the pork loin: Place 4. Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof
5 tbsp. chopped fresh pork loin perpendicular to you on skillet over medium-high heat.
rosemary a work surface. Using a long knife, Add pork roast and cook, turning
25 fresh sage leaves, minced start cutting into the meat along occasionally, until browned on all
12 cloves garlic, minced its long edge, keeping knife sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer
1 4-lb. boneless pork loin, roughly 1⁄2 inch above the work pork to a plate. Nestle onion slices
trimmed surface. Continue slicing inward in skillet and pour in 1⁄2 cup water;
12 thin center-cut slices so that the meat unrolls and splays put pork on top of onions. Roast,
prosciutto di Parma (3 oz.) open. Set pork to the side and basting occasionally with pan
Kosher salt and freshly arrange ten 16-inch-long pieces juices, until an instant-read ther-
ground black pepper, of kitchen twine perpendicular to mometer inserted into middle
to taste you, each one spaced 1⁄2 inch from of roast registers 140°F, about
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil the next; lay one 36-inch-long 45–50 minutes.
1 large onion, cut into piece of twine across the shorter
thick rings lengths. Lay 6 slices of prosciutto 5. Transfer pork to a cutting
side by side atop and parallel to board; let rest for 20 minutes.
Serves 8–10 the short lengths of twine. Season Remove twine. Slice pork and
both sides of pork loin with salt transfer to a platter along with
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Zest lemon, and pepper and rub both sides onions. Squeeze juice of reserved
slice in half, and set aside. Pile with herb mixture. lemon into skillet and whisk to
zest, rosemary, sage, and garlic incorporate. Serve pan juices
on a cutting board and chop them 3. Roll pork into a cylinder and with the pork and onions.
together with a knife until com- place it on top of prosciutto slices.
bined. Set the herb mixture aside. Lay 6 more prosciutto slices over
pork, tucking edges of bottom slices
under top ones. Transfer prosciutto-
wrapped pork loin to sit on top of
prepared lengths of twine. Bring
ends of long piece of twine up over
pork loin, pull twine taut, and tie
ends together. Bring ends of each
short piece of twine together, pull
taut, and tie together. Trim excess
twine and discard.

166 The New Comfort Food

Vegetables and Sides
As cooks, we find our deepest inspiration in
markets overf lowing with beautiful, freshly
picked produce. These ingredients are the
beginning of meals that fully express a sense
of place and season: tender Southern cream
peas simmered with smoky bacon, potatoes
gratin baked under a blanket of tangy Gruyère,
or Thai-style green beans spiced with chiles
and fish sauce. Call them side dishes if you
like, but we know full well that these vibrant
vegetables are good enough to take center stage.
A market scene in Bangkok, where vendors sell produce as well as freshly prepared foods.
 The Easy Way careful layering or
ovenside tending is
Few things are more needed if you add a
satisfying than a simple preliminary
crusty gratin, straight step: Combine all the
out of the oven. Years ingredients except

Potatoes Gratin ago, when I learned to

make the dish, I took
great pains to shingle
the cheese in a pot,
cook until the mixture
thickens (the potatoes
A casserole of creamy potatoes beneath a layer of bubbly Gruyère cheese
layer upon layer of the cook partially, releas-
is known variously as potatoes gratin, gratin dauphinois, and scalloped sliced potatoes care- ing some of their starch
potatoes. Over years of trial and error, sav eu r executive food editor fully into the baking and absorbing some of
Todd Coleman developed the recipe for this sumptuous, perfectly dish before covering the cream), and trans-
browned gratin, an excellent match for baked ham or prime rib. them with cream and fer the mixture to a
cheese, repeatedly casserole dish before
pressing down on the topping it with cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, and nutmeg and cook, stirring
slices so that they and baking it. You still
cubed occasionally, until the potatoes would remain sub- get the same delicious
2 cloves garlic, minced are just tender and the mixture merged in the liquid result without any of
Kosher salt, to taste has thickened, about 10 minutes. while they baked. It the fuss. —Todd
6 large waxy potatoes (about was laborious and slow Coleman
2 1⁄2 lbs.), such as red bliss, 3. Transfer the mixture to the and, I discovered, kind
of a waste of time. No
peeled and cut crosswise prepared baking dish, smoothing
into 1⁄8-inch rounds the top. Sprinkle the cheese over
2 cups half-and-half the gratin and bake until golden
Freshly ground black brown and bubbly, 30–40 min-
pepper, to taste utes. Let the gratin cool slightly
Freshly grated nutmeg, before serving.
to taste
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese COOKING NOTE Potatoes gratin
tastes best when the potatoes retain some
Serves 6 firmness. Low-starch, or waxy, varieties
such as red bliss, French fingerling, and
1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease white rose are best suited to the task. So-
an 8-inch square baking dish with called “all-purpose” potatoes like Yukon
1 tbsp. of the butter and set aside. Golds are also lower in starch and will
Make a garlic paste by sprinkling hold up almost as well as waxy potatoes
the garlic with a little salt and after cooking. Testing a potato’s starch
scraping the garlic repeatedly level is easy: drop the spud into a pot
against a work surface with the containing 2 3⁄4 cups of water and 1⁄4 cup
side of a knife. table salt. If the potato sinks, it’s a floury
variety (that is, dense with starch); if it
2. Combine the garlic paste, pota- floats, it’s a waxy variety.
toes, half-and-half, and remaining
butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over
medium-high heat and bring to
a boil. Season with salt, pepper,

Vegetables and Sides 171

 Chiles Rellenos
This central Mexican specialty of deep-fried chiles filled with melted cheese and served with a cinnamon-
scented tomato sauce is popular in restaurants and home kitchens on both sides of the U.S.–Mexico border.
We love this recipe from La Abeja, a Mexican-American café in Los Angeles, for its airy egg-white batter,
which puffs and crisps around the chiles as they fry.

2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled, 1. Combine the tomatoes, salt, 4. Stuff each chile with 1 strip
cored, and roughly chopped cinnamon, garlic, cilantro, onions, of Monterey Jack cheese. Place
1 tbsp. kosher salt, plus and serrano chiles in a blender and ⁄2 cup flour in a shallow bowl and
1

more to taste purée until smooth. Transfer the dredge the chiles in the flour,
⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1
mixture to a 2-qt. pot and bring shaking off the excess, and set
3 cloves garlic, roughly to a boil over medium-high heat. aside. Whisk the egg whites in
chopped Reduce the heat to medium-low a medium bowl until soft peaks
5 sprigs fresh cilantro, and simmer, stirring occasionally, form, then add the remaining
plus more to garnish until slightly thickened, about flour and egg yolk, and whisk to
1 small yellow onion, 10–12 minutes. Season the sauce combine, making a batter.
roughly chopped with salt and pepper and set aside
1 serrano chile, roughly to keep warm. 5. Heat oil to 350°F. Working in
chopped 2 batches, hold each chile by its
Freshly ground black 2. Using a paring knife, cut about stem and dip it into the batter,
pepper, to taste ⁄2 inch from the bottom tip of each
1
letting the excess batter drain.
8 Anaheim or poblano chiles, Anaheim chile. Using a thin knife, Nestle the chile into the frying oil.
about 6 inches long scrape out and discard veins and Cook, turning once, until the chiles
Canola oil, for frying seeds and set the chiles aside. are deep golden brown and crisp,
8 1⁄2 x 1⁄2 x 4-inch long strips 6–8 minutes. Transfer the chiles to
Monterey Jack cheese 3. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
1 cup flour into a 6-qt. Dutch oven and heat
8 egg whites, plus 1 yolk over medium-high heat until a 6. Divide the sauce between
Crema or sour cream, deep-fry thermometer reads serving plates and top each with
to garnish 350°F. Add the chiles and cook, a fried chile. Garnish with crema,
Crumbled cotija or feta turning occasionally, until their cotija cheese, and cilantro and
cheese, to garnish skin starts to brown and blister, serve immediately.
about 2–3 minutes. Using tongs,
Serves 8 lift the chiles from the oil to let
drain and transfer them to a bak-
ing sheet. Let them cool slightly
and then peel and discard skins.
Remove pan from heat.

172 The New Comfort Food

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9
 A World of anchovy sauce, and
Kimchi scallions and aged
in jars—is a staple in
Though cabbage Korean households
( paechu) kimchi and the most widely

Kimchi Pancakes
and daikon (mu) available kimchi in
kimchi are the two Asian markets in the
best-known versions United States.
Anyone who has tried Korean food knows kimchi, the pungent pickled of the food, literally 6 Gat kimchi is an

hundreds of other intensely flavor-

vegetables used both as a condiment and an ingredient in spicy, soulful
kinds exist. Pictured ful pickle of mustard
dishes like these crisp-fried pancakes, made with paechu (cabbage) on the facing page are leaves and stems that
kimchi and ground pork. The recipe makes about 25 small pancakes, nine varieties that have been fermented
but you can also cook large ones that fill the bottom of the skillet and hint at the astonish- with anchovies and
then slice them into wedges to serve. ing diversity of flavor, glutinous rice paste.
color, and texture that 7 The big, pumpkin-

kimchi can possess. like squash called

1
⁄4 lb. ground pork
1 Tongchimi kimchi,
rumbo that's harvested
2 cups chopped cabbage or water kimchi, can in the fall in Korea
kimchi (paechu) be any number of fer- is frequently used as
1 cup flour mented pickles that the base for a sumptu-
1
⁄2 cup rice flour are often served in ous, mildly sweet dish
6 scallions, minced their brining water; called hobak kimchi.
1 egg, lightly beaten
the version shown 8 A kind of Korean

contains Asian pear, wild lettuce called

10 1⁄2 tbsp. canola oil
daikon, scallions, kodulpaegi is the base
Kosher salt, to taste pomegranate seeds, for this slightly sour
and chiles. kimchi; over time, the
Serves 4–6 2 Uong kimchi is
firm leaves become
made with woodsy- soft and pliable.
1. Combine the ground pork, kim- 2. Working in 7 batches, heat tasting, crunchy 9 Naeng-myun kimchi

burdock root and is is a striking, peppery

chi, flour, rice flour, scallions, egg, 1 1⁄2 tbsp. oil in a 12-inch nonstick usually aged for just pickle of thin-sliced
and 1 cup ice-cold water in a bowl; skillet over medium-high heat. a day or so. daikon radishes that
whisk to combine. Set the batter Scoop four 2-tbsp. portions of bat- 3 For muchae kimchi , have usually been aged
aside to rest for 10 minutes. ter into the skillet and flatten each crisp daikon radishes for only a few days
portion with the back of a spoon. are shredded into long and are often gar-
Cook until the edges crisp, about strands before being nished with scallions
fermented in a thick, and sliced chiles.
2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and
pungent paste of chile
cook until set, about 2 minutes powder and garlic.
more. Transfer the pancakes to 4 The broad leaves of

paper towels and wipe out the skil- the herb perilla (also
let after each batch. Repeat with known as beefsteak),
the remaining oil and batter. Serve which have a distinc-
tive cinnamon-like
the pancakes sprinkled with salt.
flavor, are the base
for kaennip kimchi,
which has a refresh-
ing bite.
5 Paechu kimchi—

brined cabbage leaves

rubbed with a paste
of ground chiles, gar-
lic, salted shrimp,

Vegetables and Sides 175

 Thai-Style Green Beans
with Chile and Basil
Tua Kaek Pad Prik Pao

The roasted chile paste called nam prik pao—a pantry staple in
Thailand that can be found in most Asian markets in the United
States—lends smoky heat and an earthy, salty-sweet flavor to
stir-fried green beans.

3 tbsp. peanut oil 1. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed

8 cloves garlic, roughly wok or a skillet over high heat.
chopped Add the oil and swirl to coat the
1 lb. green beans, trimmed pan. When the oil is hot and
and cut into 2-inch lengths almost smoking, add the garlic
3 tbsp. nam prik pao (Thai and cook, stirring constantly,
roasted chile paste, or any for 10 seconds. Add the green
jarred Asian chile paste) beans and stir-fry for 1 minute.
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 cup torn Thai basil leaves 2. Stir in the chile paste, toss to
coat the green beans, and cook,
Serves 4 stirring occasionally, until the
beans are crisp-tender, about
6 minutes. (Sprinkle in a little
water if the pan gets too hot and
the beans brown too quickly.)
Add the fish sauce and basil,
toss to combine, and serve.

176 The New Comfort Food

 mezedes are regional
Small Wonders (like stuffed mussels,
The small plates a specialty from Thes-
known as mezedes are saloniki), while others
essential to the Greek are seasonal (like
way of eating. Served the fava beans and

Zucchini Fritters as snacks or appetizers

in homes and tavernas,
they make a convivial
chickpeas you’ll see
diners shelling at their
tables in spring). Then
Kolokitho Keftedes
beginning to a meal. there are the classics
On the Greek island of Crete, cooks transform bumper crops of summer They’re also designed you’ll find always and
vegetables into a wide array of mezedes, or small dishes. These parsley- to accompany drinks, everywhere: grilled
flecked zucchini fritters can be served hot or at room temperature. as it’s frowned upon octopus; garlicky dips
in Greece to drink served with bread; the
1 lb. zucchini, grated 1. Mix the zucchini and salt in without food. (As long rice-and-herb-filled
as you’re eating, it’s grape leaves called
2 tsp. kosher salt a strainer; set a weighted plate
safe to order another dolmades; cheese-and-
⁄2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
1
on top and let drain for about round.) Greeks have tomato-laden baked
⁄2 cup grated Pecorino
1
30 minutes. Transfer the zucchini been eating this way dishes called saganaki;
Romano to a tea towel and squeeze out the since ancient times; and the ubiquitous
⁄2 cup dried bread crumbs
1
liquid. Mix together the zucchini, the third-century fritters, known as kef-
1 medium yellow onion, parsley, cheese, bread crumbs, author Athenaeus, for tedes, made with meat
instance, writes of or vegetables. By con-
grated onions, and egg in a bowl. Season
meals that centered vention, one starts
1 egg, beaten with the pepper and cayenne. on “a large tray on with the cold vege-
Freshly ground black Divide the mixture into 12 balls which are five small tables, spreads, and
pepper, to taste and press the balls into 3⁄4-inch plates.” Mezedes can pickles, continues on
Pinch of cayenne pepper thick patties. range from humble to to cold seafood, and
Olive oil or canola oil, fancy. The simplest— finishes with the fried
oil-cured olives, feta and warm foods. Who-
for frying 2. Pour oil into a 4-qt. pot to a
sprinkled with oreg- ever has “the quickest
depth of 2 inches and heat over ano—are known as fork,” as the old saying
Serves 4 medium-high heat until a deep-fry pikilia, which means goes, succeeds in tast-
thermometer reads 315°F. Working “assortment,” and ing them all. —Aglaia
in 2 batches, fry the patties, turn- they usually arrive Kremezi
ing once, until browned and crisp, free of charge with
any order of spirits,
5–6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon,
wine, or beer. Some
transfer the fritters to paper towels
to drain. Serve warm or at room
temperature.

Vegetables and Sides 179

Smoky, Hot filling is a whipped
feta dip called htipiti,
You might find peppers which is spiked with
stuffed with cheese hot chiles; some ver-
(pictured at right) in a sions get a tangy boost

Peppers Stuffed with Feta

taverna in Athens or in from fresh lemon
other parts of Greece, juice. It’s a powerful
but this classic dish combination of flavors,
is associated above but then this is food Piperies Gemistes Me Feta
all with the region designed as a match
Cooks in northern Greece make this meze, or small dish, with the sweet,
of Macedonia, in the for anise-flavored ouzo
north. Peppers—mild or the equally potent red Florina peppers grown in that part of the country. You can substitute
and hot, fresh and spirit tsipouro. Htip- Anaheim chiles, which have a good deal of sweetness, or Fresnos for a
dried—are one of the iti is often served with little more heat.
agricultural glories pita for dipping, but in
of the region, and the this case it’s stuffed 10 3–4-inch Fresno chiles,
queen of them all is the inside the split Florina
or six 4–5-inch Anaheim
sweet, firm-fleshed, peppers, which are
long red pepper grown broiled until they’re chiles
around the town of black around the 9 oz. feta, crumbled
Florina, in the moun- edges and the htipiti 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
tains of Macedonia’s is golden and bubbly. 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
far northwest. I ate The result—salty, 1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
these stuffed Florina sweet, smoky, hot, and 1
⁄3 tsp. lemon zest
peppers at Myrovolos luscious all at once—
Smyrni, an ouzeri, or embodies the bold
1
⁄4 tsp. dried oregano
ouzo bar, in business cuisine of the region 2 egg yolks
since the 1950s in the better than any other Kosher salt and freshly
Macedonian city of dish I know. ground black pepper,
Thessaloniki. (A wait- —Beth Kracklauer to taste 2. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer
ress from Aristotelous, 1
⁄4 cup grated Parmigiano- to whip feta, oil, yogurt, parsley,
another Thessaloniki
ouzeri, is pictured on Reggiano zest, oregano, and egg yolks; sea-
the facing page.) The son with salt and pepper. Make a
Serves 4–6 lengthwise cut from the stem to
the tip of each pepper; scoop out
1. Arrange a rack 6 inches from and discard seeds and ribs. Stuff
the broiler element and set oven each pepper with some of the feta
to broil. Put peppers on a baking filling; transfer peppers to an
sheet and broil, turning once, until aluminum foil­­–lined baking sheet;
just soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer chill for 30 minutes. Sprinkle
to a rack; let cool. peppers with grated cheese; broil
peppers until cheese is golden
brown and bubbly, about 6 min-
utes. Transfer peppers to a platter
and serve hot.

180 The New Comfort Food

Creamy Spiced Indian Lentils
Dal Makhani

This velvety Punjabi stew is simmered for hours, until the lentils all but disintegrate and the flavors
of cumin, coriander, garam masala, and other spices bloom, deepen, and intermingle. The name,
dal makhani, is itself a testament to the stew’s richness: Makhan is the Hindi word for butter, and
this dish contains plenty of it.

1 1⁄2 cups whole black lentils 2. Heat clarified butter in a large

1
⁄2 cup split yellow lentils pot over medium-high heat. Add
1
⁄2 cup small red cumin; cook for 1 minute. Add
kidney beans onions and cook until browned,
1 tbsp. mustard or 8–10 minutes. Add paste, corian-
canola oil der, and turmeric; cook 3 minutes.
6 cloves garlic, coarsely Add tomatoes and cook, stirring
chopped and scraping until thickened,
2 Thai green chiles, 6–7 minutes. Add the lentil mix-
stemmed and coarsely ture and 2 quarts water; bring to
chopped a boil. Reduce heat to medium-
1 2-inch piece peeled ginger, low; simmer, covered, until tender,
coarsely chopped 1. Combine lentils and kidney about 2 hours.
6 tbsp. clarified butter beans and wash under running
1 tsp. cumin seeds water until it runs clear. Toss with 3. Add garam masala, fenugreek,
1 medium red onion, chopped oil in a bowl; set aside. Purée chile powder, and salt to taste;
1 tsp. ground coriander garlic, chiles, ginger, and 1⁄4 cup simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in milk
1 tsp. ground turmeric water in a blender; set paste aside. and butter; simmer for 5 minutes.
1 cup canned peeled whole Drizzle cream on top and serve.
tomatoes, puréed
2 tbsp. garam masala
1 tbsp. dried fenugreek
leaves, optional
1 tsp. Kashmiri red chile
powder or paprika
Salt, to taste
1 1⁄2 cups milk
8 tbsp. unsalted butter,
cut into pieces
1
⁄2 cup heavy cream

Serves 6–8

Vegetables and Sides 183

The Art of instance, stir-frying
the Wok shiitake mushrooms,
which she dries herself
In Beijing, where in her own living
I live, I’ve met cooks room, magnifies their

Stir-Fried Mushrooms
from all over China, earthy taste and
and they’ve taught fragrance. For such a
me a lot about their delicious ingredient,
respective regional
cuisines. The one
common denominator
Suefen insists, no
sauce, no aromatics
are called for; just
and Bok Choy
Donggu Pei Shucai
they all share is stir- heat, oil, salt, and
frying—not a single sugar, applied with This is stir-frying at its purest and best: no sauce to make, no
technique, but a whole care. Constant stirring complicated steps to follow, just the judicious exposure of food
approach to cooking and flipping ensures to heat. Each ingredient remains in the wok long enough to undergo
that involves quickly that every morsel the desired transformation and not a moment longer; the mushrooms’
preparing dishes over gets equal exposure earthy fragrance seems to magnify many times over, while the bok
high heat in a wok, to the center of the
with ingredients wok, where the heat
choy takes on a vivid color and a mildly sweet flavor.
added in a measured is the most intense.
progression so that The mushrooms are 6 large dried mushrooms, 2. Return wok to high heat until
each one cooks to the cooked with bok choy, such as shiitake it begins to smoke. Add bok choy
point of optimal flavor and I love the pleasing 1 tbsp. canola oil cut side down, along with 2 tbsp.
and texture. transformation the ⁄2
1
lb. small Shanghai or water, and cook, without stirring,
One of the best stir- vegetable undergoes in
fry cooks I’ve ever the wok: the crunchy
baby bok choy, halved until the water evaporates, about
met is Pan Suefen white stem develops a lengthwise (about 10 heads) 1 minute.
(pictured at right), a caramelized flavor as ⁄4
1
tsp. sugar
native of Taiwan who it’s left alone for a min- Kosher salt, to taste 3. Add sugar and season with salt.
lives in Beijing. Suefen ute with its cut surface Vigorously stir and toss bok choy
is fanatical about in direct contact with Serves 2–4 until it’s bright green and wilted,
sourcing her ingredi- the wok, and the leaves
ents, and stir-frying is
about 1 more minute.
wilt slightly, acquiring
a technique that a mild sweetness as 1. Put mushrooms into a medium
brings out their best they cook. bowl of water and soak for 2 hours. 4. Return mushrooms to wok,
flavor and texture. For What strikes me as Drain and squeeze any excess water toss to combine, and cook until
I watch Suefen cook is from the mushrooms and cut off the flavors meld, about 30 seconds.
the way that just a few their stems. Cut mushrooms into Transfer mushrooms and bok choy
elements—wok, oil,
⁄4-inch thick slices. Heat a 14-inch
1
to a serving platter and serve hot
a handful of ingredi-
ents—can produce wok (or skillet) over high heat or at room temperature.
endlessly varied until wok begins to smoke. Add
results depending oil around the edge of the wok and
on how a cook chooses swirl to coat bottom and sides. Add
to use them. —Lillian mushrooms and cook, stirring and
Chou
tossing constantly, until fragrant,
about 2 minutes. Transfer mush-
rooms to a plate and set aside.

184 The New Comfort Food

Sun Guoying, a home cook
in Mutianyu, a village near
Beijing, China, stir-fries a
dish of eggs and scallions
in her kitchen.
A Recipe of Press, who sought help
in reproducing a dish
Convenience she’d tasted at a press
dinner. The dinner
took place at the home

Green Bean Casserole

of John Snively, a
wealthy citrus rancher
in Florida, and his
wife, May. The conceit There will always be a place in our hearts for the 1950s-style version of
of the event was that
this classic casserole, the one made with canned cream of mushroom
the Snivelys had
served a replica of soup and store-bought fried onions. Still, using fresh ingredients is
the evening’s menu to nearly as easy, and, it must be said, the results are a whole lot tastier.
This casserole's roots Iranian royalty: Shah
can be traced to mid- Mohammed Reza
century America, a 3 cups chicken stock 2. Pour oil into a large pot to a
Pahlevi and his wife, 1
⁄2 oz. dried shiitake depth of 2 inches and heat over
time and place that Queen Soraya (pic-
gave rise to a number mushrooms, stemmed medium-high heat until a deep-
tured at left), who had
of one-dish meals recently paid a visit to Kosher salt, to taste fry thermometer reads 350°F. Put
made with readily the ranch. Mrs. Sniv- 2 lbs. green beans, cut into 1 cup flour into a bowl. Working
available and inexpen- ely had presented a 2-inch pieces in batches, toss the onions in the
sive ingredients. The delicious green bean
version many of us
Canola oil, for frying flour, shake off the excess, and fry
casserole made with 1 1⁄4 cups flour until golden brown, 3–4 minutes.
grew up with was cream sauce and
invented by the Camp- 2 small yellow onions, Transfer to a paper towel–lined
mushrooms. The
bell Soup Company in queen, Mrs. Snively thinly sliced plate and season with salt.
1955 and called for a told the assembled 5 tbsp. unsalted butter
trinity of convenience members of the press, 1
⁄3 cup heavy cream 3. Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease
foods: canned Durkee had apparently loved
or French’s fried
Freshly ground black an 8-inch square casserole with
the casserole and “had pepper, to taste 1 tbsp. butter and set aside. Melt
onions, Green Giant eaten [it] with gusto.”
canned green beans, the remaining butter in a saucepan
With that, Brownstone
and Campbell’s con- had her story and, Serves 6–8 over medium heat. Whisk in the
densed cream of thanks to some help remaining flour and cook for
mushroom soup. The from the Campbell 1. Bring the stock to a boil in a 1 minute. While whisking, pour
recipe had been Soup test kitchen, an small pot. Remove from the heat in the reserved broth and bring
invented to fulfill a easy-to-make recipe.
request from Cecily and add the dried mushrooms. to a boil. Reduce the heat to
The article she wrote
Brownstone, the Cover and let soften for about medium-low and simmer, whisk-
was headlined “Beans
prominent food editor Fit for an Iranian 20 minutes. Strain and reserve ing occasionally, until thickened,
at the Associated Queen,” and it sparked the broth. Thinly slice the mush- 15–20 minutes. Whisk in the
a national love affair rooms and set aside. Meanwhile, cream, remove from the heat,
with the dish. Over bring a pot of salted water to a and add the reserved green beans,
the years, the Camp- boil. Add the green beans and half the fried onions, the reserved
bell Soup Company
cook until tender, 6–7 minutes. mushrooms, and salt and pepper.
has subtly altered the
recipe, but the basics Chill the beans in an ice bath, Transfer to the prepared casserole,
of the iconic dish have drain, and pat dry. top with the remaining onions, and
remained essentially bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes.
unchanged. Serve warm.

188 The New Comfort Food

Butter Risotto
Risotto alla Milanese

We usually think of olive oil when we think of Italian cuisine, but home cooks in Italy, particularly in the north,
use plenty of butter, too. In Milan, for instance, they make this sumptuous risotto by sautéing rice in butter
before simmering it in a saffron-infused stock, and then they stir in even more butter just before serving.

6 cups chicken stock 4. Set a fine mesh strainer over a

⁄8 tsp. saffron threads
1
bowl; strain the saffron-infused
9 tbsp. unsalted butter stock and set the saffron threads
1 small yellow onion, minced aside. Pour the saffron-infused
2 cups vialone or arborio rice stock into the rice and cook, stir-
1 cup grated Grana Padano ring constantly, about 2 minutes.
cheese Gently stir in the saffron threads.
Remove the pan from the heat and
Serves 4 stir in the remaining butter and
half of the grated cheese. Serve the
1. Bring the stock to a bare simmer risotto with the remaining cheese
in a saucepan over medium heat. rice and cook, stirring constantly on the side.
Put the saffron and 1⁄2 cup hot stock with a wooden spoon, until opaque,
into a small bowl, cover, and set 4–5 minutes.
aside to let the saffron bloom.
Cover the stock and keep warm. 3. Add 1⁄2 cup stock and cook,
stirring often, until the stock is
2. Heat 5 tbsp. butter in a medium mostly absorbed, about 3 minutes.
pot over medium heat. Add the Add another 1⁄2 cup stock, stirring
onions and cook, stirring, until often, and repeat the process until
softened, 2–3 minutes. Add the all the stock is used, about 25 min-
utes total. Continue cooking the
rice until just al dente, about
3 minutes more.

Vegetables and Sides 191

Brilliant Bulb
When I was growing up,
my Italian-American
family used fennel
every which way. Its

Fennel Baked in Cream

dried, anise-scented
seeds studded my
grandfather’s home-
Finocchio al Forno
made sweet pork
sausage, and its fresh, Chef Gabrielle Hamilton of Prune restaurant in New York City turned
feathery fronds were us on to this simple, classic Italian preparation. Baking fennel in the
chopped up and sprin- oven with cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese makes for a
kled into everything
from salads to bean luxurious gratin with a delectable caramelized top.
soups. At the end of
each meal, after the 1 1⁄2 lbs. fennel (about 2 large 1. Heat oven to 425°F. In a bowl,
plates were cleared and bulbs), stalks removed, toss together fennel, cream, and
the coffee was poured, halved lengthwise, and cut 1 cup cheese and season with salt
slices of the crisp, raw into 1⁄2-inch wedges and pepper. Transfer to a 3-qt.
bulb were brought to
the table as a refresh-
2 cups heavy cream baking dish and dot with the but-
ing palate cleanser. 1 1⁄2 cups finely grated ter. Cover dish with foil and bake
When I started travel- Parmigiano-Reggiano for 1 hour.
ling to Italy as an adult, Kosher salt and freshly
I encountered this ver- ground black pepper, 2. Uncover the baking dish and
satile vegetable in even to taste sprinkle the top with the remain-
more preparations that
highlighted its sweet
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, ing cheese. Continue baking until
flavor. In Sicily, slender cubed fennel is tender and top is well
wild fennel fronds are browned, about 30 minutes.
chopped and tossed Serves 6–8 Serve immediately.
with sardines, pine
nuts, and pasta, and in
the north, the bulbs are
grilled and drizzled
with balsamic vinegar,
or baked until soft and
creamy. —Dana Bowen

192 The New Comfort Food

 Southern Belle
Off State Highway 78
in central Kentucky
you’ll find Boone
Tavern, a century-old

Boone Tavern’s restaurant and hotel.

Situated on the campus

Spoonbread
of Berea College, the
establishment earned
wide acclaim under
This soft, luxurious spoonbread marks the start of most meals at Kentucky’s Richard T. Hougen,
century-old Boone Tavern (pictured at left). The eggy corn bread pudding who managed it from
rises and settles like a soufflé and goes exceptionally well with that other 1940 to 1976 and popu-
Kentucky specialty, smoky and salty country ham. larized such dishes as
Pork Chops the Tricky
Way, Chicken Flakes in
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, 3. Heat the oven to 350°F. Transfer a Bird’s Nest, and Ken-
1 tbsp. softened and the cornmeal mixture to the bowl tucky Chess Pie. But the
3 tbsp. melted of a standing mixer fitted with a most popular item at
3 cups milk paddle attachment. Add the melted this Southern institu-
1 1⁄4 cups finely ground butter, baking powder, salt, and tion is the spoonbread,
white cornmeal eggs and mix on medium speed a creamy corn bread
soufflé (pictured at left
1 tsp. baking powder until uniform and aerated, about
1 tsp. kosher salt 15 minutes.
2 eggs, beaten
4. Pour the cornmeal batter into
Serves 6–8 the prepared pan and bake until
golden brown and puffy and a
1. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan toothpick inserted in the center
with some of the softened butter. comes out clean, about 1 hour and
Cut out a parchment paper circle to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
fit inside the pan, nestle it into the held by a waitress)
bottom, and grease the paper with that’s been served
the remaining softened butter. Set before each meal for
more than 60 years.
the prepared cake pan aside. And while the building
has undergone an over-
2. In a 2-qt. saucepan, bring the haul, Bruce Alcorn, a
milk to a boil, whisking occasion- Boone Tavern cook
ally, over high heat. While whisking, who, along with fellow
pour in the cornmeal in a steady old-timer Rawleigh
Johnson, has been
stream. Whisk vigorously to incor-
making the custardy
porate the cornmeal, for about pudding for decades,
1 minute. Remove the pan from assures us that the
the heat and set aside to let the spoonbread has not:
cornmeal mixture cool to room “Me and Rawleigh
temperature. made it back then, we
make it now; nothing’s
changed.”

Vegetables and Sides 195

Lovely zipping motion.
Legumes Though not in the
same genus as South-
There are dozens of ern peas, butter beans
varieties of Southern 2 have a similarly lus-

Randy Evans’s
peas (which mostly fall cious texture and taste
into the genus Vigna and are often lumped
unguiculata), but we’re into the Southern-
especially fond of the
five shown here, for
their versatility, dis-
peas category; we like
the speckled variety
shown below. The
Southern Peas
tinctive appearance, light-hued, unblem- Randy Evans, the executive chef at Brennan’s restaurant in Houston,
and flavors. The zipper ished surface of cream grew up on slow-cooked Southern peas, also known as field peas or
cream 1 , developed by peas 3 accounts for cowpeas. He recommends simmering them along with a ham hock,
a Florida agronomist the name, though carrots, celery, and chopped onion and serving them with corn bread
in 1972, gets its name the moniker is often to sop up the smoky-sweet liquor that accumulates during cooking.
from the fact that the attributed to the
peas can be whisked cooked peas’ butter-
from their hull in a soft texture. The 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2. Cut the celery and carrot in half
pink-eyed purple hull 1 small onion, minced and add both to the pan along with
4 has a red spot 1 rib celery the peas, stock, and ham hock.
at the center of 1 small carrot, peeled Bring to a boil, lower the heat to
each pea, and 2 cups fresh or frozen medium, and simmer, stirring
1
an earthy taste.
Southern peas (such as occasionally, until tender and
Crowders 5 have a
squarish shape, a zipper creams, black- creamy, about 1 hour. (The time
result of their being eyeds, or butter beans) depends on the type and size of
densely packed inside 2 1⁄2 cups chicken stock the peas; cook smaller peas about
the hull (hence the 1 small smoked ham hock 50 minutes and larger ones about
name); brown Kosher salt and freshly one hour and 10 minutes.)
crowders (shown),
ground black pepper,
2 which have a deep,
earthy flavor, are to taste 3. Remove the ham hock, slice
most prevalent in the Corn bread, for serving the meat from the bone, and chop;
South. Fresh-frozen return the meat to the pan and
3 Southern peas are Serves 4 discard the bone. Season the peas
available all year in with salt and pepper and serve
supermarkets across
1. In a 4-qt. saucepan, heat the oil with corn bread.
the region, and can
also be ordered online over medium-high heat. Add the
through websites like onion and cook, stirring occasion-
4 southwesternproduce ally, until soft and translucent,
.com. In the summer, about 10 minutes.
you can find them
fresh at
Southern
farmers’
markets.
5

196 The New Comfort Food

Baked Goods and Sweets
Everyday ingredients can undergo remarkable
transformations. Sugar becomes caramel, butter
becomes butterscotch, egg whites become meringue.
The metamorphosis from simple to sublime is the
product of forceful whisking, patient stirring, and
meticulous timing—processes that are as scientific
as they are artful. From rustic sweets like huckleberry
crisp and sticky buns to more lavish desserts, like a
ganache-topped caramel tart, the meal’s sweet finish
makes us feel like a kid again.
Dietmar Muthenthaler, the head chef of Demel, the legendary pastry shop in Vienna, Austria.
Chive and Cheddar Biscuits
It seems that every Southern cook has a cherished recipe for homemade biscuits, but this one is a standout.
Generous amounts of butter and buttermilk impart richness and a tender texture, and the sharp, tangy
flavors of fresh chives and cheddar cheese provide a mouthwatering counterpoint.

2 cups flour, plus more 1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Whisk 3. Turn the dough out onto a
for dusting together the flour, baking powder, floured surface and gently pat into
2 tbsp. baking powder baking soda, sugar, and salt in a a 6 x 9-inch rectangle. Fold into
1
⁄2 tsp. baking soda bowl. Using a pastry cutter, work thirds as you would a letter and
1 tbsp. sugar the cold butter into the flour pat into a 6 x 9-inch rectangle
1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt mixture until the butter is the again. Dip the edges of a 3-inch
8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, size of small peas. round biscuit cutter in flour and
cut into thin pats punch out 6 biscuits from the
3
⁄4 cup plus 2 tbsp. buttermilk 2. Add the buttermilk, cheddar, dough. Transfer the biscuits to
1
⁄2 cup shredded sharp and chives to the flour–butter a parchment paper–lined baking
cheddar cheese mixture and stir with a fork to sheet. (Form and cut the dough
1
⁄2 cup minced chives form a loose dough. scraps into another biscuit or
2 tbsp. heavy cream two, if you wish; they won’t rise
as high, though.) Brush the tops
Makes 6 biscuits with heavy cream and bake until
lightly browned, 14–16 minutes.
Serve warm.

Baked Goods and Sweets 201

Belly Pulpit have long made a habit
of pulling up a chair
As big as the plate at out-of-the-way, all-
they’re served on American spots like
and crisp around the Robie’s in the hope
edges, the tender that their enthusiasm
buttermilk flapjacks
at Robie’s Country
Store & Deli, in Hook-
for down-to-earth,
local meals would
make them more
Buttermilk Flapjacks
The ideal flapjack is browned and crisp around the edges and tender
sett, New Hampshire, appealing to voters.
a town of 13,000 peo- Robie’s is particularly and fluffy inside. According to the seasoned cooks at Robie’s Country
ple in the southeastern significant because it’s Store & Deli, in Hooksett, New Hampshire, for the best results, you’ve
part of the state, are one of the earliest and got to take your time and cook the flapjacks one by one with plenty of
so incomparably deli- most anticipated stops butter in a hot skillet.
cious that they nearly on the cross-country
outshine the estab- campaign trail: New
2 cups flour 2. Melt 4 tbsp. butter. Whisk
lishment’s other claim Hampshire tradition-
to fame: politics. The ally holds one of the 2 tbsp. granulated sugar together the melted butter, butter-
old-fashioned gen- first primary elections 4 tsp. baking powder milk, vanilla, and eggs in a medium
eral store, with its of the voting season, 1 tsp. baking soda bowl. Pour the buttermilk mixture
eight café tables and so the nation naturally 1 tsp. fine sea salt into the flour mixture and whisk
its counter lined with turns its attention to 12 tbsp. unsalted butter, together until just combined to
jars of penny candy for the state. Robie’s also
plus more for serving make a thick batter. (For tender
sale, is a frequent stop functions as a com-
for campaigning politi- munity social club: 2 cups buttermilk flapjacks, don’t overmix the batter.)
cians passing through Dorothy Robie, who 1 tsp. vanilla extract
the state. Campaigners ran the store for 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet
five decades with Maple syrup, for serving over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp.
her husband, Lloyd Confectioners’ sugar, butter and heat until the butter’s
(whose great-grand-
for serving foam subsides. Ladle in about
father bought the
place in 1887), can still ⁄2 cup of the batter. Cook the
1

be found having cof- Serves 2–4 flapjack, turning once, until deep
fee and flapjacks with golden brown on both sides, about
neighbors there a few 1. Put the flour, granulated sugar, 5 minutes total. Transfer to a large
times each week. baking powder, baking soda, and ovenproof serving platter and keep
salt into a large bowl and whisk to warm in a low oven. Repeat the
combine; set aside. process with additional butter
and remaining batter to make
8 flapjacks in all. Serve hot, topped
with butter and maple syrup and
a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

202 The New Comfort Food

Huckleberry Crisps
August is the height of the wild huckleberry season in the Pacific Northwest, where the tiny purple, intensely
sweet fruit is harvested from mountain meadows and used in pies, milk shakes, tarts, crisps, and even in
savory dishes. These individual-size desserts, with their crumbly brown sugar topping, can be made with
fresh or frozen huckleberries or with the fruit's close cousin, blueberries.

6 tbsp. plus 1⁄2 cup 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place four 3. In a large bowl, stir together
granulated sugar 6-oz. ceramic ramekins on a parch- the remaining granulated sugar,
6 tbsp. flour ment paper–lined baking sheet. salt, and vanilla, along with the
1
⁄4 cup rolled oats lemon juice, brandy, huckleberries,
1
⁄4 cup packed light 2. In a medium bowl, combine and cornstarch. Divide the berry
brown sugar 6 tbsp. granulated sugar, flour, oats, mixture between the ramekins.
1
⁄4 cup chopped walnuts brown sugar, walnuts, lemon zest, Mound some of the topping over
1 tsp. lemon zest plus ⁄4 tsp. vanilla, 1⁄4 tsp. salt, and
1
each ramekin and bake until the
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice cinnamon. Using your fingers, berries are bubbly and the topping
3
⁄4 tsp. vanilla extract work the butter into the flour is browned, 35–40 minutes. Top
1
⁄2 tsp. kosher salt mixture until crumbly; transfer each crisp with a dollop of crème
1
⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon the topping to the freezer to chill fraîche or ice cream and serve.
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, for 30 minutes.
softened
2 tsp. brandy
4 cups huckleberries or
blueberries
2 tbsp. cornstarch
Crème fraîche or vanilla
ice cream, for serving

Serves 4

Baked Goods and Sweets 205

A World of the most prized but-
ters in this country
Butter are raw-cream butters
Butter is integral 4 , which are made

to baked goods and from unpasteurized

sweets: whether we’re farm-fresh cream, an
creaming it into cake ingredient that’s hard
batter, rubbing it into to get your hands on
biscuit dough, melt- if you don’t live on or
ing it over pancakes, near a dairy farm. But-
or blending it with ter that’s been heated
brown sugar to make so that its water con-
a streusel topping, it tent evaporates and
works its rich magic in has had its milk solids
myriad ways. Various removed is referred to
styles have emerged as clarified butter 5 .
around the world, each This pure, long-
one reflecting differ- lasting butterfat, pop-
ent regional tastes ular in India (where
and production meth- it is called ghee), has a
ods. Cultured butter high smoke point and
1 is made from cream is ideal for frying, as
in which fermenta- well as baking; it is
tion—the conversion also mixed with nuts
of milk sugars into lac- and chickpea flour
tic acid—has begun to to make fudge-like
take place. Most but- sweets called barfi.
ters are made from Uncultured butter
pasteurized cream, made from fresh,
a process that kills pasteurized cream
naturally occurring is generally referred
bacteria, so, for this to as sweet cream
style, lactic-acid bacte- butter 6 and is the
ria are added to induce most common choice
5
fermentation and for baking. Americans’
create a sharper, “cul- predilection for chilled
tured” taste that many yet spreadable butter
European bakers pre- led to the development
fer. Salted butter of whipped butter 7 ,
2 can come in both which has nitrogen gas
cultured and uncul- whipped into it after it
tured versions. Salted has been churned, so
butters make for an that it will remain soft
emphatically flavored at low temperatures.
condiment or spread. It’s wonderful spread
Pungent-tasting pre- on a bagel, but is a poor
served butters such choice for cooking.
as smen 3 , a Moroc-
can delicacy, belong
to a variety known
as fermented but-
ter; they have been
allowed to age for any-
where from two weeks
to two years. Among
 1

7 2

3
 Sopaipillas
The puffy, deep-fried dough squares known as sopaipillas in New Mexico are just one of a number of delicious
fried breads found on both sides of the United States–Mexico border. Often dusted with sugar or drizzled with
honey, they are a cousin of Mexican buñuelos and American Indian fry bread and are best eaten seconds after
coming out of the frying oil, when they’re at their lightest and crispest. Pictured at right is Gabriela Bojalil, a
home cook in Puebla, Mexico, who gave us this recipe.

2 1⁄4 cups flour 2. Pour canola oil into a 6-qt.

1 1⁄2 tsp. sugar Dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches
1 tsp. baking powder and heat over medium-high heat
1 tsp. kosher salt until a deep-fry thermometer
1
⁄4 cup milk, at room reads 370°F.
temperature
1 1⁄2 tsp. canola oil, plus 3. Working with one dough ball
more for frying at a time, roll out the dough on
1
⁄4 cup sugar mixed with a lightly floured surface into an
1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 8-inch square. Cut the square
for serving into 4 equal smaller squares, and
1 cup honey, for serving repeat with the remaining dough
1. In a large bowl, whisk together balls to create 12 squares total.
Serves 8–12 the flour, sugar, baking powder,
and salt; add the milk, vegetable 4. Place 4 squares in the oil and
oil, and 1⁄2 cup of lukewarm water fry, turning once, until they’re
and stir until a sticky dough forms. golden brown on both sides, about
Transfer the dough to a lightly 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon,
floured work surface and knead transfer the sopaipillas to paper
until soft and no longer sticky, towels to drain. Repeat with the
about 2 minutes. Cover the dough remaining dough squares. While
with a damp cloth and let it rest hot, sprinkle the sopaipillas with
for 15 minutes. Divide the dough cinnamon-sugar, drizzle with
into 3 equal pieces, form each into honey, and serve.
a ball, and cover again; let rest for
30 minutes.

208 The New Comfort Food

 Sour Power cultivar most readily
available in U.S. mar-
Tangy, creamy Key kets, is much milder by
lime pie derives its comparison. So, why
tartness from its tiny aren’t Key limes as
but powerful name- widely used here as in

Key Lime Pie sake fruit, the Key

lime. Native to Asia
and grown now in
the rest of the world?
It has to do with the
fruit’s checkered
This Key lime pie is based on the one served at Joe’s Stone Crab, a Miami
tropical and subtropi- new-world history.
restaurant. You can use tiny, intensely flavorful Key limes or bottled cal regions worldwide, Arriving in the Carib-
Key lime juice, though ordinary Persian lime juice works well, too. the Key lime, a Ping- bean with Christopher
Pong ball–size citrus Columbus, the Key
1 cup plus 2 1⁄2 tbsp. graham 2. In a medium bowl, beat lime fruit also known as the lime thrived in the
cracker crumbs zest and egg yolks with a hand West Indian or Mexi- United States up
can lime, is the most through the early
1
⁄3 cup sugar mixer until pale and thick, about
widely used lime in twentieth century.
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, 5 minutes. Add milk and beat kitchens outside the Then, in 1926, a hurri-
melted until thickened, 3–4 minutes United States. It’s an cane wiped out most of
1 1⁄2 tbsp. lime zest (from more. Add lime juice; mix until essential ingredient in Florida’s crop, which
2 limes) smooth. Pour filling into pie everything from sal- was replaced with
3 egg yolks crust; bake until filling is just ads to noodle dishes plantings of the larger,
to marinades, prized thicker-skinned Per-
1 14-oz. can sweetened set in the middle, 8–10 minutes.
for its dynamic acidity sian lime, considered
condensed milk Let the pie cool. (which is at its great- sturdier and there-
2
⁄3 cup fresh lime juice, est when the fruit is fore easier to cultivate
preferably from Key limes 3. In a medium bowl, whisk cream green and unripe) and and transport. A few of
1 cup heavy cream, chilled and confectioners’ sugar to stiff copious juice. Mixed the original trees sur-
1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar peaks. Spread whipped cream over with eggs and sweet- vived in the Florida
ened condensed milk, Keys, where the fruit
the top of pie and chill 2–3 hours
the Key lime’s zest acquired its Ameri-
Serves 8 before serving. and juice make for an can name and where,
intensely citrusy pie in the nineteenth cen-
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Pulse cracker filling. The flavor of tury, the eponymous
crumbs, sugar, and butter in a food the Persian lime, the pie was invented.
processor to combine. Press evenly
into bottom and sides of a 9-inch
pie pan. Bake until lightly browned,
about 10 minutes. Let cool.

Baked Goods and Sweets 211

 Snickerdoodles
These sweet, spicy cookies are a classic example of how beautifully the flavor of cinnamon blooms in butter.

3 cups flour 1. In a medium bowl, whisk a 1-tbsp. measure, spoon out

2 tsp. cream of tartar together flour, cream of tartar, 48 portions, rolling each portion
1 tsp. baking soda baking soda, and salt; set aside. into a 1-inch ball as you go. Roll
1
⁄4 tsp. kosher salt Using a handheld mixer on medium each ball in the cinnamon–sugar
1 3⁄4 cups sugar speed, beat 1 1⁄2 cups sugar and the mixture to coat. Arrange dough
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, butter together in a medium bowl balls 2 inches apart on 2 parch-
at room temperature until pale and fluffy, 2 minutes. ment paper–lined baking sheets.
5 tsp. ground cinnamon Add 2 tsp. cinnamon and the Bake until golden brown, about
1 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract vanilla; beat for 1 minute more. 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack
2 eggs and let cool. Store in an airtight
2. Add eggs one at a time, beating container for up to 3 days.
Makes 48 cookies well after each addition. Add
reserved dry ingredients; mix
on low speed until just combined.
Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 375°F. Combine

remaining sugar and cinnamon
in a small bowl. Remove dough
from refrigerator and, using

212 The New Comfort Food

Dulce de Leche Cake
Pastel de Cuatro Leches

The Spanish name for this dessert, popular in the Dominican Republic, is pastel de cuatro leches—“four-milks
cake”—a nod to its four key components: heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and the
milk-based caramel sauce dulce de leche. That last ingredient is, literally, the frosting on the cake and also
what sets it apart from the more common pastel de tres leches.

2 tsp. unsalted butter 1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly 3. Pour the cake batter into the
1 tbsp. plus 2 cups flour grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan reserved baking pan and bake
2 tsp. baking powder with the butter and dust with until golden brown, 25–30 min-
1 1⁄2 tsp. fine sea salt 1 tbsp. of the flour. Invert the utes. Set the cake aside and let
6 eggs, at room temperature, pan, tap out the excess flour, cool slightly for 30 minutes.
separated and set aside.
1 1⁄4 cups sugar 4. Whisk together the sweetened
1
⁄2 cup whole milk 2. Sift together the remaining condensed milk, evaporated milk,
1 1⁄2 tbsp. dark rum flour, baking powder, and salt into and heavy cream in a bowl. Using
1 tbsp. vanilla extract a bowl and set aside. Put the egg a knife, poke the cake with holes
1 14-oz. can sweetened whites into a large bowl and beat all over, penetrating to the bottom
condensed milk with a hand mixer on medium of the pan. Pour the milk mixture
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk speed until soft peaks form, about over the warm cake and set aside
1 cup heavy cream 2 minutes. While the mixer is still to cool completely.
1 16-oz. jar dulce de leche running, add the sugar in a grad-
(milk caramel) ual stream and continue beating 5. Cover the cake with plastic
again to medium peaks. Add the wrap and refrigerate until well
Serves 8–10 egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well chilled and the liquid is absorbed,
after each addition. Alternately at least 4 hours. Spread the dulce
add the reserved flour mixture de leche across the top of the cake
and the whole milk in 3 parts, and serve.
beating until smooth after each
addition. Add the rum and vanilla
and beat again briefly until smooth.

Baked Goods and Sweets 215

 Chocolate–Caramel Tart
In this tart—served at the Brooklyn, New York, restaurant Marlow & Sons and its sister restaurant, Diner
(server Lindsay Debach is pictured at right)—a layer of chocolate ganache sprinkled with coarse sea salt gives
way to a center of gooey caramel. Dutch-process cocoa powder, less bitter than other cocoa powders, is the best
choice for the crumbly, cookielike crust.

for the crust: Prick the tart shell all over with a
1 1⁄2 cups flour fork and bake until cooked through,
1
⁄4 cup plus 1 tbsp. Dutch- about 20 minutes. Transfer to a
process unsweetened rack and let cool.
cocoa powder
1
⁄4 tsp. kosher salt 2. Make the caramel: In a 1-qt.
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, saucepan, whisk together the
cubed and softened granulated sugar, corn syrup,
1
⁄2 cup plus 2 tbsp. salt, and 6 tbsp. water and bring
confectioners’ sugar to a boil over medium-high heat.
2 egg yolks, at room Cook, without stirring, until
temperature caramel smells toasted and takes
1
⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract 1. Make the crust: Heat the oven on a deep amber color (and a candy
to 350°F. Combine the flour, cocoa thermometer inserted into the
for the caramel: powder, and salt in a medium bowl syrup reads 365°F). Remove the
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar and set aside. Using a handheld pan from the heat and whisk in
3 tbsp. light corn syrup mixer, cream together the butter the butter, cream, and crème
1
⁄4 tsp. kosher salt and confectioners’ sugar in a large fraîche (the mixture will bubble
6 tbsp. unsalted butter bowl until the mixture is pale and up) until smooth. Pour the cara-
6 tbsp. heavy cream fluffy. Mix in the egg yolks and mel into the cooled tart shell and
1 tbsp. crème fraîche vanilla and then mix in the let cool slightly; refrigerate until
reserved dry ingredients. Transfer firm, 4–5 hours.
for the ganache: the dough to a 9-inch fluted tart
⁄2 cup heavy cream
1
pan with a removable bottom and 3. Make the ganache: Bring the
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, press the dough evenly into the cream to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan
finely chopped bottom and up the sides of the pan. over medium heat. Put the choco-
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. late into a medium heat-proof bowl
Gray sea salt, for garnish and pour the hot cream over the
chocolate; let sit for 1 minute, then
Serves 8–10 stir slowly with a rubber spatula
until smooth.

4. Pour the ganache evenly over

the tart and refrigerate until set,
4–5 hours. Sprinkle the tart with
the sea salt, slice, and serve chilled.

216 The New Comfort Food

Katharine Hepburn’s
Brownies
A version of this recipe accompanied an interview with the actress
Katharine Hepburn in the August 1975 issue of The Ladies’ Home
Journal. This brownie recipe, which calls for a smaller than average
amount of flour, produces incredibly chewy bars with a full but
mellow chocolate flavor.

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, 2. Melt the butter and the choco-

plus more for greasing late together in a 2-quart saucepan
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly
1 cup sugar with a wooden spoon. Remove the
2 eggs, beaten pan from heat and stir in the sugar.
⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
1
Add the eggs and vanilla and stir
1 cup roughly chopped to make a smooth batter. Add the
walnuts walnuts, flour, and salt; stir until
⁄4 cup flour
1
incorporated. Pour the batter into
⁄4 tsp. fine salt
1
the baking pan and spread evenly.
Bake until a toothpick inserted
Makes 9 brownies into the center comes out clean,
40–45 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease Cut and serve.
an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with
butter. Line pan with parchment
paper; grease the paper. Set the
pan aside.

Baked Goods and Sweets 219

 Red Velvet Cake
According to one legend, red velvet cake was invented in the 1950s at Oscar’s restaurant, in New
York’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel. Another tale—passed on by Raven Dennis of Brooklyn’s Cake Man
Raven Confectionary, who also shared this recipe with us—traces the cake’s origins to the Civil
War–era South.

for the cake: 1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven 2. Make the frosting: Beat cream
3 cups plus 2 tbsp. to 350°F. Sift together cake flour, cheese, butter, and vanilla
cake flour; more for sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt together in a large bowl with an
dusting pans into a medium bowl. Beat eggs, oil, electric mixer until combined.
1 1⁄2 cups sugar buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, Add sugar and beat until frosting
1 tsp. baking soda and vinegar in a large bowl with is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes.
1 tsp. cocoa powder an electric mixer until well
1 tsp. salt combined. Add dry ingredients 3. Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate;
2 eggs and beat until smooth, about spread one-quarter of the frosting
1 1⁄2 cups vegetable oil 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly on top. Set another layer on top and
1 cup buttermilk between 3 greased and floured repeat with frosting. Set remain-
2 tbsp. (1 oz.) red 8-inch round cake pans. Bake ing layer on top, and frost top and
food coloring cakes, rotating pans halfway sides with the remaining frosting.
1 tsp. vanilla extract through, until a toothpick inserted Press pecans into the sides of the
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar in the center of each cake comes cake. Chill for 2 hours to set frost-
Butter, for greasing pans out clean, 25–30 minutes. Let ing, if you like.
cakes cool 5 minutes, invert each
for the frosting: onto a plate, then invert again
12 oz. cream cheese, softened onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool
12 oz. butter, softened completely before frosting.
1 1⁄2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1⁄2 cups chopped pecans

Makes one 8-inch cake

220 The New Comfort Food

Ice Cream with Butterscotch Sauce
Cooking butter with sugar causes its milk solids to caramelize and take on deep, toasty flavors as well
as a gorgeous saffron color. What you end up with is butterscotch. The soda jerks at Franklin Fountain,
in Philadelphia (pictured at left), serve it on cherry-topped sundaes and other old-fashioned confections,
but butterscotch works equally well when simply drizzled over a couple of scoops of good vanilla ice cream.

8 tbsp. unsalted butter 3. Remove the saucepan from the

2 tbsp. light corn syrup heat. Carefully add the cream, rum,
3
⁄4 cup granulated sugar vanilla, salt, and lemon juice and stir
1
⁄4 cup light brown sugar to combine. Let the sauce cool to
1
⁄3 cup heavy cream room temperature. Serve drizzled
1 tsp. dark rum over scoops of vanilla ice cream.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1
⁄2 tsp. fine sea salt COOKING NOTE To make a
1
⁄2 tsp. fresh lemon juice butterscotch swirl ice cream, spread
Vanilla ice cream, softened vanilla ice cream in a baking
for serving pan. Top it with 1⁄3 cup or more of
butterscotch sauce (cooled, not hot),
Makes 2 cups 2. Stir in the granulated sugar and swirl the sauce through the ice
and brown sugar, scraping down cream using a rubber spatula. Return
1. Heat the butter, corn syrup, the sides of the pan with a rubber the ice cream to the freezer until the
and 1⁄4 cup water in a medium spatula. Bring the mixture to a ice cream sets, then serve.
saucepan over medium-low heat, boil over medium heat, without
stirring constantly, until the stirring. Cook until the sauce is
butter has melted. light brown and a candy thermom-
eter inserted in the sauce reads
245°F, 6–8 minutes.

Baked Goods and Sweets 223

The Lilly Lunch Bunch—retired employees of the
Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company—having vanilla
ice cream sundaes with their choice of toppings at the
Hollyhock Hill Restaurant in Indianapolis, Indiana.
 New York Icon
The story of New York
cheesecake, like that
of so many beloved
American foods, is a

Lindy’s Cheesecake narrative of immigrant

tradition, disputed
pedigree, and local
This cheesecake, a favorite at the Manhattan delicatessen Lindy’s, can be put together almost entirely in pride. The city’s sig-
the food processor, which means it’s not only easy to make but also remarkably smooth and light in texture. nature dessert owes
The shortbread crust tastes of butter, lemon, and vanilla scraped straight from the bean; the airy filling is its existence in large
flecked with lemon and orange zest; and a blast in a very hot oven gives the top a golden color. part to Philadelphia
cream cheese, which
was invented in Ches-
for the crust: 1. Make the crust: Heat the oven Add eggs and yolks one at a time,
ter, New York, in 1872
2 cups flour to 400°F. Combine flour, sugar, processing 10 seconds after each and distributed by a
⁄4 cup sugar
1
lemon zest, salt, and vanilla seeds addition, until smooth; stir in company called Phila-
1 tsp. lemon zest in a food processor and pulse until cream. Pour filling into crust delphia Brand. Jewish
⁄4 tsp. salt
1
evenly incorporated. Add butter (filling will come over the crust), immigrants from
1 vanilla bean, halved and pulse until pea-size crumbles set on a baking sheet, and bake Eastern Europe made
do with the cheese
lengthwise, seeds form, about 10 pulses. Add oil and until top is deep golden brown,
when they couldn’t
scraped and reserved egg yolk and pulse until a dough about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to find fresh-curd vari-
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, forms. Press dough into the bot- 200°F and bake for 1 hour more. eties like cottage and
cut into 1⁄4-inch cubes tom and halfway up the side of a Transfer to a wire rack and let farmers’ for their tra-
2 tbsp. vegetable oil 9-inch spring-form pan; refriger- cool completely to room tempera- ditional baked goods.
1 egg yolk ate for about 30 minutes. Bake ture. Wrap in plastic wrap and How this American-
ized cheesecake was
until golden brown at the edges refrigerate overnight.
introduced into New
for the filling: and set, 15 minutes; transfer to York City mythology
2 1⁄2 lbs. cream cheese, a wire rack and let cool. 3. Remove cake from pan and let has long been a subject
softened sit at room temperature for 1 hour of debate. Arnold Reu-
1 1⁄4 cups sugar 2. Make the filling: Preheat oven to soften slightly. Cut cake into ben, of the Manhattan
3 tbsp. flour to 500°F. Combine cream cheese, slices and serve. delicatessen that bears
his name, claimed he
1 1⁄2 tsp. lemon zest sugar, flour, zests, and vanilla
was the first to serve it,
1 1⁄2 tsp. orange zest in a food processor and process around 1910. Reuben’s
1
⁄2 tsp. pure vanilla extract until very smooth, about 1 minute. main competitor, deli
5 eggs plus 2 egg yolks man Leo Lindemann,
1
⁄4 cup heavy cream lured away Reuben’s
Swiss-born pastry
chef, Paul Heghi, to re-
Makes one 9-inch cake
create the dessert at his
establishment, Lindy’s,
where it became a New
York icon.

Baked Goods and Sweets 227

 Caramel Coconut Flan
Many traditional recipes for this custardy Mexican sweet call for cooking it on the stove top, but baking
it is easier and results in an equally sumptuous texture and flavor. A rich combination of coconut milk,
evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk makes for an especially silky flan.

1 cup sweetened bowl, whisk together the vanilla, center, about 30 minutes. Covering
condensed milk salt, eggs, and yolks until smooth. your hand with a kitchen towel or
3
⁄4 cup evaporated milk Whisking constantly, slowly driz- an oven mitt, pick up the ramekins,
1
⁄2 cup unsweetened zle in the warm milk mixture until transfer them to the refrigerator,
coconut milk incorporated; set aside. and let chill for about 3 hours.
3
⁄4 tsp. vanilla extract
1
⁄4 tsp. kosher salt 2. Stir together the sugar and 4. To serve, use a knife to cut
3 eggs plus 3 egg yolks ⁄2 cup water in a 2-qt. saucepan
1
around the inside edges of each
1 1⁄2 cups sugar over medium-high heat. Cook, ramekin and immerse the bottom
without stirring, until the sugar of each ramekin in a baking pan of
Serves 8 turns a deep caramel color, about hot water for 20 seconds; invert
15 minutes. Remove the pan from the ramekins onto small plates
1. Arrange a rack in the middle the heat and pour equal amounts to release the flans.
of the oven and heat the oven to of the caramel mixture into eight
325°F. Heat the condensed milk, 6-oz. ramekins; let cool.
evaporated milk, and coconut milk
in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium 3. Put 4 ramekins each into two
heat until it just begins to simmer; 8-inch square glass baking dishes
remove from the heat. In a large and pour an equal amount of the
reserved milk mixture into each
ramekin. Pull out the oven rack
and place the baking dishes on it,
side by side. Pour enough boiling
water into the baking dishes that it
comes halfway up the sides of the
ramekins. Bake until the custard
is just set but still wiggly in the

228 The New Comfort Food

German Chocolate Cake
Don’t let the name fool you: This cake is a slice of pure Americana. The first known recipe, which appeared
in a Dallas, Texas, newspaper in the 1950s, called for German’s Sweet Chocolate, a popular home-baking
ingredient. This version is crowned with the traditional coconut–pecan frosting and leaves the sides bare
for a just-right balance of deep cocoa flavor and luscious, nutty topping.

for the frosting: 1. Make the frosting: Combine the 4. Whip the egg whites to soft
1 1⁄2 cups sugar sugar, butter, vanilla, egg yolks, peaks. Add the remaining sugar
1 3⁄4 cups unsalted butter, and evaporated milk in a 2-qt. and whip to stiff peaks. Fold the
softened pot over medium heat. Bring to a egg whites into the batter; divide
1 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract simmer and cook until thick, about between the pans and smooth the
4 egg yolks 12 minutes. Strain through a sieve batter. Bake until the cakes are set,
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk into a bowl and stir in the pecans 25–30 minutes. Transfer the cakes
1 1⁄2 cups roughly chopped and coconut. Chill the frosting in to racks and let cool in the pans for
pecans the refrigerator until firm. about 5 minutes, then run a knife
7 oz. package sweetened around the sides of the cakes and
shredded coconut 2. Meanwhile, make the cakes: invert them onto a rack to cool to
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease room temperature.
for the cake: three 9-inch round cake pans with
1 cup unsalted butter, butter and line the bottoms with 5. Place 1 layer on a cake stand or
softened, plus additional parchment circles. Grease the a platter and spread one-third of
butter for greasing the pans parchment and set aside. Put the the frosting over the top, leaving
4 oz. German’s Sweet chocolates into a small heat-proof the sides bare. Repeat with the
Chocolate, chopped bowl, pour in 1⁄2 cup boiling water, next 2 layers to assemble the cake.
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, and let sit for 1 minute. Stir until Slice into wedges and serve.
chopped smooth, then set aside. In another
2 cups flour bowl, whisk together the flour,
1 tsp. baking soda baking soda, and salt and set aside.
1
⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
1 1⁄2 cups sugar 3. In a standing mixer, beat
4 egg yolks together 1 1⁄4 cups sugar and the
1 tsp. vanilla extract butter until fluffy. Add the egg
1 cup buttermilk yolks, one at a time. Add the melted
4 egg whites chocolate mixture and the vanilla
and beat until smooth. On a low
Serves 12–14 speed, alternately add the flour
mixture and buttermilk until just
combined; set the batter aside.

Baked Goods and Sweets 231

Drinks
A good drink revives and refreshes us, warm-
ing or cooling us from the inside out. The best
drinks—a glass of milky-sweet masala chai,
fragrant with cardamom; a spicy bloody mary
spiked with vodka and horseradish; a rich
black-and-white malted milk shake—comple-
ment the foods on the table, but they are just
as wonderful when sipped on their own.
A group of friends drink masala chai at a dhaba, or truck stop, in Delhi, India.
 Precious Pods cousin, black carda-
mom (Amomum
Of the two main variet- subulatum), which
ies of cardamom, green grows in much larger,
cardamom (Elettaria brown pods, is smoky
cardamomum) is the and bold from drying

Spiced Tea one that’s more com-

mon. Its floral perfume
penetrates all sorts of
over wood fires. It’s
perfect for infusing
earthy depth into a
Masala Chai
invigorating beverages, Pakistani lamb biri-
A far cry from the so-called chai drinks sold at chain coffee shops in the both hot and cold, from yani or other roasted
United States, this sweet, milky tea gets its invigorating piney fragrance Indian masala chai and meats as well as full-
from the crushed pods of green cardamom. frothy yogurt lassis to flavored stews. Both
potent Turkish coffee; spices are grown
⁄2 cup evaporated milk
1
Bring milk, sugar, tea, cardamom, many gins are flavored primarily in India;
with it, too, and some Guatemala, Costa
5 tsp. sugar and 4 cups water to a boil in a 2-qt.
bartenders keep a Rica, Tanzania, and
6 black tea bags saucepan. Remove from heat and bottle of simple syrup Sri Lanka, too, grow
5 pods green cardamom, let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and infused with cardamom significant quantities
crushed serve hot. on hand for mixing of the green variety,
into cocktails. It while black cardamom
Makes 4 1⁄2 cups brightens chicken also comes from the
curries throughout Himalayan regions
South Asia and dozens of Nepal, China, and
of Scandinavian sweets Bhutan. For the best
and pastries, like pulla, flavor, buy the spices
a braided challah-like whole and grind them
loaf, and semlor, Finn- yourself in a spice
ish cream puffs filled grinder or with a
with rich cardamom- mortar and pestle.
scented pastry cream.
Green cardamom pods
are small and oval,
containing tiny black
seeds that are crushed
or ground to release
their sweet, eucalyptus-
like fragrance. Its

Drinks 235
Precious patented their inven-
tion in 1883 in Racine,
Powder Wisconsin, where
We love milk shakes their company was
of all sorts, but we’re based. In 1890, James
especially ardent brought the company
devotees of the malted
version. Malteds get
to the brothers’ native
England. Over there, Black-and-White Banana
Malted Milk Shake
their toasty, rich flavor Horlick’s powder
from malted milk mixed with hot milk
powder, a combination became a popular bed-
of malted barley, wheat time treat. Stateside, We adapted this recipe from one in Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes, by
flour, and whole milk, however, the malted Adam Ried. Unlike the classic black-and-white, in which chocolate syrup
mixed together and milk powder went on and vanilla ice cream are blended together, this shake has alternating
evaporated to a fine to inspire the early- layers of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, with ripe banana and malted
dust. There are several twentieth-century
milk powder mixed in to add body and rounded sweetness.
brands to choose from, milk shake craze. It’s
including Carnation often cited that a soda
and Kitchen Krafts, jerk named Ivar “Pop” 1
⁄2 cup cold milk 2. Place remaining milk and vanilla
but we’ve always pre- Coulson invented the 1 tbsp. malted milk powder, extract along with the chocolate
ferred Horlick’s malted malted milk shake at a such as Horlick’s ice cream in the blender and blend,
milk powder, which has Walgreens store in 1 1⁄4 tsp. vanilla extract pausing once or twice to mash the
a wonderfully rounded, Chicago in 1922 when 1
⁄2 ripe medium banana mixture with a rubber spatula,
mildly sweet taste. he blended together
The late founders of scoops of vanilla ice 1 pint vanilla ice cream until smooth, about 45 seconds.
the company that cream with Horlick’s 1 pint chocolate ice cream
makes it, James and milk powder and choc- 3. Layer vanilla and chocolate
William Horlick, also olate syrup to create a Serves 2 shake mixtures in 2 large chilled
happened to be the chocolate shake called milk shake glasses, beginning
inventors of the ingre- “Horlick’s Milk Shake.”
1. Place 1⁄4 cup milk, malted milk and ending with vanilla. Serve
dient itself, which they Prior to that, malted
conceived of as a diges- milk drinks were made powder, 1 tsp. vanilla, and banana immediately with straws.
tive aid and fortifying by mixing milk, choco- in a blender and blend until smooth.
food for babies. They late syrup, and malted Add vanilla ice cream and blend,
powder in a glass. pausing once or twice to mash the
Coulson’s invention mixture with a rubber spatula,
went on to become
until smooth, about 45 seconds.
Walgreens’ signature
shake, and it has Pour mixture into a pitcher and
inspired countless set aside in the refrigerator.
variations around
the world.

236 The New Comfort Food

 Polynesian
Spirits
They don’t serve beer.
They don’t serve wine.
For weeks at a time,

Puka Punch they don’t serve any-

thing at all—whenever
they feel like getting
This sophisticated rum cocktail with its dark, spicy depths comes from
sand between their
the Tiki-Ti, a Los Angeles institution and a shrine to well-made tropical toes, they close up
drinks. Puka Punch is a relic of the golden age of tiki cocktails, roughly shop. The owners of
from the 1930s to the 1950s, when some of the most talented mixologists the Tiki-Ti in the L.A.
were focusing on exotic drinks. This recipe calls for three different rums, neighborhood of Los
but you can substitute either dark or white rum for any of them. Feliz are textbook
examples of how not
to succeed in the bar
2 oz. white rum 1. Put 1 1⁄2 cups ice cubes into business; nevertheless,
1 oz. fresh lime juice a blender and crush. Add first for over 49 years the
3
⁄4 oz. dark Jamaican rum 9 ingredients and blend on high Buhen family has been
3
⁄4 oz. fresh orange juice speed. Pour into a tall glass. slinging Singapore
3
⁄4 oz. pineapple juice Slings and Mission-
ary’s Downfalls for
3
⁄4 oz. passion fruit syrup 2. Slowly pour 151-proof rum
a fanatical following.
2 tsp. honey mixed with over back of a spoon into cocktail. My first visit was in
2 tsp. hot water and chilled Garnish with pineapple, orange, 1979. I’d previously dis-
1
⁄4 oz. falernum (optional) and cherry. missed tropical
1 dash Angostura bitters cocktails as slushy
3
⁄4 oz. 151-proof rum umbrella drinks, but
the Tiki-Ti’s came with
(optional)
an impressive pedi-
Pineapple slice, orange gree: many of them
wedge, and maraschino were invented at the
cherry, for garnish country’s first tiki bar,
Don the Beachcomber
Makes 1 cocktail (opened in the mid-
1930s), where Ray
Buhen, a native of the
Philippines, was one of
the original bartend-
ers. The Beachcomber
attracted a Hollywood
crowd and kick-started
the midcentury Poly-
nesian craze. Ray
Buhen spent the golden
age of tiki honing his
craft behind some 60
different bars. In 1961,
Ray; his wife, Geral-
dine; and son Michael
(pictured at left)
opened a place of their
own. Ray died in 1999,
but his spirit lives on at
the Tiki-Ti. —Jeff Berry

Drinks 239
Liquid Gold be made from sugar-
cane juice; have a
Rum has always had a relatively low proof;
good-time reputation and when aged, it must
in the United States. be stored for three to
Midcentury tiki 15 years in charred-
lounges popularized
the sugar-cane distil-
late in whimsical
oak barrels (like the
ones pictured below).
Until the nineteenth
Hot Buttered Rum
This drink is a holdover from the colonial period in America, when the
cocktails served century, sugarcane
in scorpion bowls, planters in Martinique harsh edges of old-style rums were softened with the addition of warm
ceramic coconuts, distilled rum from butter, dark sugar, and spices. Made with the mellower aged rums
and hollowed-out molasses, a byproduct available today, it is a smooth, rich, and soothing potion.
pineapples. Even so, of sugar production.
rum is a spirit worth But when competition 1 1⁄2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted 1. In a large bowl, beat together
taking seriously. Aged from sugar beets
butter, softened butter and sugar with a hand mixer
varieties can be savored depressed demand
straight, offering a pal- for sugarcane, planters 1 cup packed dark brown set on medium speed until smooth,
ette of citrus, vanilla, discovered that a dis- sugar 1–2 minutes. Add nutmeg, cinna-
butterscotch, caramel, tillate could be made 1
⁄4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg mon, cloves, and a pinch of salt and
and stone fruit. Some from pure cane juice 1
⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon beat again to combine. Cover bowl
of the finest examples at a lower proof than 1
⁄4 tsp. ground cloves with plastic wrap and chill mix-
are produced on the molasses-based rum’s,
Kosher salt, to taste ture until ready to use.
French Caribbean allowing the pleasing
island of Martinique, flavors of the cane 3 cups aged rum
the only source of to shine through. 2. To make 1 hot buttered rum,
rum with its own Capitalizing on this Serves 16 place 2 heaping tbsp. of the chilled
Appellation d’Origine new method, 150 dis- butter mixture in an 8-oz. mug
Contrôlée, the certifica- tilleries flourished along with 1 1⁄2 oz. rum and fill with
tion created by the on Martinique in the
boiling water. Stir to melt and mix
French government nineteenth century.
for quality agricultural Today, only eight sur- ingredients; serve immediately.
products. The parame- vive, but producers like
ters for rhum agricole Clément and Neissen
are steadfast: it must make some of the fin-
est rums in the world.
—Wayne Curtis

240 The New Comfort Food

 in the seventeenth
Holiday Cheer century made the
In northern Europe, flavors we associate
mulled wine announces with the drink—such
the arrival of the as cinnamon, nutmeg,

Spiced Wine
Christmas season. cloves, and mace—more
Vendors at winter readily available, and
markets that pop up today, many countries
Glühwein throughout the region have their own recipe
sell steaming mugs of for mulled wine. In
Warming cinnamon thoroughly suffuses this mulled wine; the German
it, while home cooks Sweden, glögg is
name for it, in fact, translates literally as “glow wine.” Especially popular brew bubbling pots scented with carda-
at Christmastime, glühwein is plenty potent on its own, though aficiona- bound for the holiday mom and sometimes
dos have been known to ask for it mit schuss, spiked with a shot of rum. table. In fact, though, fortified with hard
Pictured at left, a Christmas eve dinner in the Berlin home of Werner the festive drink— liquor; the British
Blanck, at which generous portions of glühwein were consumed. typically a blend of make wassail, fragrant
red wine, citrus fruit, with ginger, nutmeg,
spices, and sugar— and other spices. In
1 750-ml bottle medium- predates Christmas Germany, it’s glüh-
bodied red wine, such by thousands of years. wein, a comforting
as zweigelt Early civilizations, as concoction heady
⁄2
1
cup sugar far back as 5000 b.c., with cinnamon and
8 whole cloves used heated, spiced holiday cheer.
wines for many pur-
4 lemon wedges
poses, ranging from
4 4-inch sticks cinnamon the gastronomic to
the religious. Romans
Serves 4 drank a version called
hippocras, named for
Bring ingredients to a boil, stirring the Greek doctor
Hippocrates, because
occasionally, in a 4-qt. saucepan
it was believed to have
and remove from heat. Discard COOKING NOTE Mulling is a method healing properties.
cloves. Ladle wine into 4 glasses of flavoring liquid by heating it with The expansion of the
and garnish each with 1 of the herbs, spices, and other aromatics. Using spice trade between
cinnamon sticks and 1 lemon whole cinnamon sticks, rather than pow- Europe and the East
wedge. Serve hot. der, leads to a gentler extraction of the
oils, and a softer flavor. Other whole
spices, such as cardamom, nutmeg, and
mace, will work just as well in this recipe.

Drinks 243
Mastering
Muddling
Muddling sugar and
citrus peel is a tech-
nique called for in
many classic punch
recipes. First, use a
vegetable peeler to
Regent’s Punch
In London in the early part of the nineteenth century, punch houses were upscale gathering places where
remove the peel of a
lemon or an orange the fashionable could relax, and punch itself was a dry, complex drink presented with a fair amount of pomp.
in 3⁄4 -inch-wide strips, This one gracefully combines green tea and champagne with various liquors and three kinds of citrus.
taking care to avoid
the bitter white pith. 1 cup sugar 1. In a 1-qt. saucepan, combine 4. To serve, combine mixture and
Next, add the strips 1 cup cubed pineapple ⁄2 cup sugar and 1⁄4 cup water. Stir
1
champagne in a punch bowl along
to a small, heavy bowl
2 lemons over high heat until sugar dissolves with a large block of ice. Garnish
along with the amount
of sugar specified in 2 oranges and transfer to a bowl along with with nutmeg.
the recipe. Finally, use 1 Seville orange (also called pineapple. Allow to macerate in
a muddler—the small, bitter or sour orange) refrigerator for at least 8 hours COOKING NOTE Arrack, a fiery
baseball bat–shaped 2 green tea bags (or 2 tsp. to make a pineapple syrup. Strain sugarcane-based spirit distilled on the
stick used by bartend- green tea leaves) and reserve; discard solids. Indonesian island of Java—and not to
ers—or a pestle or
1 cup brandy, preferably be confused with the grape-based, anise-
wooden spoon
VSOP cognac 2. Using a peeler, peel lemons, flavored Middle Eastern spirit called
⁄4
1
cup dark Jamaican rum oranges, and Seville orange, taking arak—is an essential ingredient in many
⁄4
1
cup arrack liquor, off as little white pith as possible. classic punch recipes. For years it was
preferably Batavia-Arrack Transfer peels to a heavy bowl; unavailable in this country, but a new
van Oosten, or cachaça reserve fruit. Add remaining brand, Batavia-Arrack van Oosten, has
2 750-ml bottles brut sugar; use a muddler or a wooden recently gone on the market. If your
champagne, chilled spoon to vigorously crush sugar liquor store doesn’t carry it, Brazilian
Freshly grated nutmeg and peels together until sugar cachaça will supply some of the arrack’s
turns faintly yellow and slushy. characteristic fire.
to vigorously crush the
sugar and citrus peel Makes 3 quarts
together. The abrasive 3. In a medium bowl, steep tea in
sugar helps rupture 2 cups of boiling water for 5 min-
the citrus’s cell walls utes. Strain tea over lemon and
and release the flavor- sugar mixture; stir until sugar
ful oils within. You’ll
dissolves. Juice reserved fruit
know that’s happened
when the sugar takes into tea mixture. Strain through
on the color of the a sieve into another bowl and
peels and becomes discard solids. Stir in pineapple
moist, slushy in tex- syrup, brandy, rum, and arrack.
ture, and intensely Chill mixture.
fragrant. The result
is a concentrated,
aromatic base that
cuts the astringency
of the alcohol in the
punch and lends a
bright, pleasing taste.

244 The New Comfort Food

Drinks that
Beat the Heat Six Texan Cocktails
We’ve always loved
the spicy, stick-to- Michelada Kentucky Club Book Club Sangria
your-ribs cuisine of
Texas, but it wasn’t This peppery and refreshing beer
Margarita Red wine and ginger ale make
until we devoted an cocktail, a particular favorite in Most historians agree that the a tasty base for this fruit-filled
entire issue to Texan Austin, Texas, is also popular Kentucky Club, just across the punch, popular among members
foodways in the sum-
throughout Mexico. border from El Paso in Juarez, of the Junior League of Houston
mer of 2009 that we
came to understand Mexico, is the birthplace of the in the 1970s.
the Lone Star State’s 1 lime wedge margarita. Unlike its sugary
equally impressive way Kosher salt, to taste frozen cousin, this elegant shaken ⁄4
3
cup sugar
with drinks. There’s 1 oz. fresh lime juice margarita is more tart than sweet. 1 750-ml bottle fruity red
the elegant yet potent ⁄2
1
tsp. Worcestershire wine, such as pinot noir
sangria (our favorite
⁄8
1
tsp. freshly ground 1 lime wedge ⁄4
1
cup brandy
is a midcentury rec-
ipe from the ladies at black pepper Kosher salt, to taste ⁄4
1
cup fresh lemon juice
the Junior League of 5 dashes Tabasco 1 1⁄2 oz. silver tequila ⁄4
1
cup fresh lime juice
Houston), the refresh- 1 12-oz. bottle or can of 3
⁄4 oz. freshly squeezed ⁄4
1
cup fresh orange juice
ing cucumber cooler (a Mexican beer, such as lime juice 1 cup ginger ale
signature drink at the Tecate or Pacifico 1
⁄2 oz. Cointreau 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
bar of the Gage Hotel,
4 thin slices each of orange,
in Marathon, Texas),
and the still-popular Makes 1 drink Makes 1 cocktail lemon, and lime
Tex-Mex originals like 1 fresh peach, pitted
the garnet-colored Rub a lime wedge around the rim 1. Rub a lime wedge around the and sliced
Chico (a cocktail born of a pint glass and dip the rim in rim of a chilled margarita glass
in cantinas along the salt. Add lime juice, Worcester- and dip the rim in salt to coat. Serves 6–8
Texas–Mexico border
shire, pepper, and Tabasco. Fill
during World War II).
Revitalizing savory the glass with ice and beer. 2. In a cocktail shaker, combine Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a
cocktails like the tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, and boil in a 1-qt. saucepan. Let cool
tart-spicy beer-based 1 cup crushed ice. Cover and shake and transfer to a pitcher; add wine,
Michelada (all the rage vigorously to chill. Strain the drink brandy, and citrus juices. Chill.
in Austin) and the into the glass. Before serving, add ginger ale,
longhorn bull shot (a
pineapple, citrus slices, and
nod to the state’s cattle
industry) will knock peaches. Stir and serve over ice.
the dust off your spurs.
And, of course, there
are the best margaritas
on earth. At right,
a few of our favorites.

246 The New Comfort Food

Longhorn Bull Shot Cucumber Cooler Chico
This is the Texan cattleman’s The bartenders at the Gage Hotel The Chico, an old cantina
answer to the bloody mary, with in Marathon, Texas, make this favorite, gets its ruby color
beef broth in place of tomato juice fresh-tasting cocktail with and earthy sweetness from
and plenty of Tabasco. cucumber and thyme from the blackberry liqueur.
kitchen garden and Texas-made
6 oz. beef broth Tito’s vodka. 2 oz. gin or silver tequila
1 1⁄2 oz. vodka 2 oz. blackberry liqueur
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice 1 2-inch piece cucumber, 1 oz. simple syrup
Worcestershire, to taste thinly sliced crosswise, ⁄2
1
oz. fresh lemon juice
Tabasco, to taste plus 1 additional slice Club soda, to taste
for garnish
Makes 1 cocktail 1
⁄8 tsp. fresh thyme leaves Makes 1 cocktail
1 ⁄2
1
oz. vodka
Combine the broth, vodka, lime 1
⁄2 oz. simple syrup Fill a highball glass with ice.
juice, Worcestershire, and Tabasco Add the gin, liqueur, simple
along with a few ice cubes in a tum- Makes 1 cocktail syrup, and lemon juice. Top
bler. Stir to combine. the drink off with club soda.
1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Gently stir to combine.
cucumber slices, thyme, and 1⁄4 cup
crushed ice.

2. Using a muddler, crush ingredi-

ents until slushy. Add more ice,
vodka, and simple syrup. Cover,
shake vigorously to combine, and
pour contents into a glass gar-
nished with a slice of cucumber.

Drinks 247
Hail Mary
Some say the classic
Six Regional Bloody Marys
eye-opener known
as the bloody mary Original Bloody Michelada Bloody Cajun Bloody Mary
was created by a bar-
tender in Paris in
Mary Mary
Pickled okra, beef broth, and
1921; others claim This classic version has been the Sav eu r contributing editor Rick
that same barkeep a spoonful of tangy mustard
signature cocktail at the King Bayless suggested this variation,
invented it at the St. make this substantial bloody
Cole Bar at New York City’s inspired by the Mexican beer
Regis Hotel in Man- mary, based on one served at the
hattan. And then there St. Regis Hotel since 1934. cocktail michelada (see page 246).
New Orleans restaurant Cochon,
are those who believe practically a course in itself.
a comedian who pro- 1 oz. vodka 1 cup tomato juice
moted the Smirnoff 2 oz. tomato juice 1 oz. fresh orange juice 4 oz. tomato juice
vodka company in the 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice 1 oz. beef broth
1950s deserves the
Worcestershire, to taste 1 oz. fresh lime juice, 1 tsp. whole-grain mustard
credit. No matter who
dreamed up the com- Kosher salt and freshly plus 1 lime wedge 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
bination of tomato ground black pepper, ⁄2 oz. pomegranate juice
1
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
and lemon juices, to taste (optional) 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
vodka, Worcestershire Cayenne pepper, to taste Kosher salt, for garnish ⁄8
1
tsp. garlic powder
sauce, and pepper, Lemon wedge, for garnish 4 oz. tequila blanco Tabasco, to taste
the bloody mary has
1 12-oz. bottle Mexican beer Pickled okra juice, to taste
since become Ameri-
ca’s favorite cocktail. Makes 1 cocktail Tabasco, to taste Freshly ground black
The zesty concoction Worcestershire, to taste pepper, to taste
belongs to a group Combine ingredients in a mixing 4 pickled jalapeños, 1 1⁄2 oz. vodka
of drinks called glass, stir, and pour into an ice- for garnish Pickled okra, pickled green
snappers, which are filled Collins glass. Garnish beans, and caper berries,
defined by a savory
base (like tomato
with lemon.
B
Makes 4 cocktails for garnish
juice) and the condi-
ments that give them Combine juices in a pitcher; Makes 1 cocktail
their character. The set aside. Spread salt on a plate.
real beauty of a bloody
mary—aside from the
D
Rub the rim of 4 beer mugs with In a mixing glass, combine the
a lime wedge. Dip rims of mugs tomato juice, broth, mustard,
taste—is its versatility.
into salt. Fill mugs with ice and lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar,
There are variations
all over America that divide juice mixture between and garlic powder and season with
speak to regional mugs. Add 1 oz. tequila and 3 oz. Tabasco, okra juice, and black
tastes and creative beer to each. Season with Tabasco pepper; refrigerate mixture until
whims. Add a freshly and Worcestershire, stir, and add chilled. To serve, fill a rocks glass
shucked East Coast a jalapeño to each glass. with ice cubes, pour in vodka,
oyster, and the drink
and stir in tomato juice mixture.
tastes of New England.
Throw in some pickled Garnish with okra, beans, and
okra, and it takes on a caper berries.
Southern accent. On
these pages: a tried-
and-true recipe for a
classic bloody mary,
and a few of our favor-
ite riffs on the drink.

248 The New Comfort Food

Old Bay Bloody Heirloom Tomato Boston Bloody Mary
Mary Bloody Mary The raw oysters in this bloody
Old Bay seasoning gives this drink, At the Union Square Cafe in New mary, based on one at the Boston
served at the Old Ebbitt Grill in York City, bartenders make this restaurant Eastern Standard,
Washington, D.C., a savory kick bloody mary using heirloom impart a hint of brine.
that works well with a garnish of tomatoes from the nearby
boiled shrimp. farmers’ market. 4 oz. tomato juice
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. Old Bay seasoning 2 large ripe heirloom ⁄8
1
tsp. celery salt
1 lime wedge tomatoes Prepared horseradish,
1 1⁄2 oz. vodka, preferably 2 oz. vodka to taste
pepper flavored 1 oz. fresh lime juice Worcestershire, to taste
1 oz. beef broth 1 tsp. freshly grated Tabasco, to taste
3 oz. tomato juice horseradish Kosher salt and freshly
1 1⁄4 oz. fresh lemon juice Tabasco, to taste ground black pepper,
1
⁄4 tsp. freshly ground Sea salt and coarsely to taste
black pepper ground black pepper, 2 oz. vodka
1 large tail-on shrimp, to taste 2 freshly shucked oysters
peeled, boiled, and chilled Cherry or grape tomatoes, with their juice
for garnish 2 green olives, for garnish
Makes 1 cocktail Celery stalk, for garnish
Makes 1 cocktail
Sprinkle Old Bay on a plate. Rub Makes 1 cocktail
the rim of a small glass with the Push tomatoes through a potato
lime wedge and dip rim in Old Bay ricer or a medium sieve into a small In a mixing glass, combine tomato
to coat. Add cracked ice to glass; set bowl; discard solids. Refrigerate juice, lemon juice, and celery salt
aside. In a mixing glass, combine juice until chilled. Stir in vodka, and season with horseradish,
vodka, beef broth, tomato juice, lime juice, horseradish, and Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt, and
lemon juice, and black pepper; stir Tabasco and season with salt and pepper; chill. Fill an old-fashioned
to combine. Pour into reserved pepper. Fill a highball glass with glass with ice. Pour in the chilled
glass; garnish with shrimp. ice and add tomato juice mixture. tomato juice mixture and the vodka.
Garnish with a wooden skewer Add oysters and their juice; stir.
threaded with tomatoes. Garnish with olives and celery.

Drinks 249
Index
A Bigos, 59 Lindy's Cheesecake, 227 Matzo Ball Soup, 51
Albóndigas en Salsa, 25 Biscuits, Chive and Cheddar, 201 Red Velvet Cake, 220 Northern Fried Chicken, 132
Arista di Maiale, 166 Black-and-White Banana Malted Caramel-Chocolate Tart, 216 Red-Chile Chicken
Milk Shake, 236 Caramel Coconut Flan, 228 Enchiladas, 120
Artichokes
Bloody Mary cocktails, 248–249 Carciofi Stufati, 22 Roasted Herbed Chicken and
Italian-Style Stuffed Vegetables, 135
Artichokes, 22 Boeuf à la Bourguignonne, 43 Cardamom, green, cooking
Boh Biah Tote, 21 with, 235 Sweet-and-Spicy Korean
types of, 22 Fried Chicken, 131
Asparagus and Mushrooms, Bok Choy and Mushrooms, Carrots, how to julienne, 96
Stir-Fried, 184 Catfish whole, carving, 135
Matzo Brei with, 71 Chicken Fried Steak, 162
Book Club Sangria, 246 Deep-Fried Southern
Avocados Chico, 247
Boone Tavern's Spoonbread, 195 Catfish, 111
Guacamole, 29 Chile peppers
Boston Bloody Mary, 249 notes about, 111
marketing strategies and, 29 Chiles Rellenos, 172
Breads Cheese. See also Cream cheese
Chive and Cheddar Baked Ziti with Sausage, 75 Grilled Lobster with Cilantro-
B Biscuits, 201 Chiles Rellenos, 172 Chile Butter, 115
Bacon and Poached Eggs, Sopaipillas, 208 Chive and Cheddar Peppers Stuffed with
Frisée Salad with, 18 Broiled Salmon Steaks with Biscuits, 201 Feta, 180
Baked Ziti with Sausage, 75 Tomatoes, Onions, and Compté, about, 17 Pineapple-Chipotle-Glazed
Banana Malted Milk Shake, Tarragon, 106 Ham, 152
Fennel Baked in Cream, 192
Black-and-White, 236 Brown Butter Pasta, 80 Red-Chile Chicken
Fettuccine Alfredo, 76 Enchiladas, 120
Beans Brownies, Katharine French Onion Soup, 48
Green Bean Casserole, 188 Hepburn's, 219 Thai-Style Green Beans with
Italian-Style Stuffed Chile and Basil, 176
Hummus with Tahini, 38 Bucatini all'Amatriciana, 89 Artichokes, 22
Bucatini with Spicy Tomato Chili, Woody DeSilva's
Seven-Hour Leg of Lamb, 142 Macaroni and Cheese with Championship, 52
Thai-Style Green Beans with Sauce, 89 Ham, 90
Burgers Chili powder, history of, 52
Chile and Basil, 176 Orecchiette with Rapini and
customizing, ideas Chive and Cheddar
Tuscan-Style Kale Soup, 56 Goat Cheese, 79 Biscuits, 201
Beef for, 158–159 Patty Melt, 161
Patty Melt, 161 Chocolate
Baked Ziti with Sausage, 75 Peppers Stuffed with Black-and-White Banana
Burgundy-Style Beef Stew, 43 Sid's Fried Onion Feta, 180
Burgers, 156 Malted Milk Shake, 236
Chicken Fried Steak, 162 Potatoes Gratin, 171 Chocolate-Caramel Tart, 216
Burgundy-Style Beef Stew, 43 Red-Chile Chicken
Filets Mignons with German Chocolate Cake, 231
Mushroom Sauce, 151 Butter Enchiladas, 120
brown, cooking with, 80 Katharine Hepburn's
Italian-Style Meatballs with Ricotta and Roasted Pepper Brownies, 219
Tomato Ragù, 148 Brown Butter Pasta, 80 Frittata, 63
Chowder, Creamy Corn, 44
Marinated Flank Steak, 145 Butter Risotto, 191 The Ultimate Grilled Cheese
Sandwich, 17 Cilantro-Chile Butter, Grilled
Pasta with Ragù, 84 regional styles of, 206 Lobster with, 115
Patty Melt, 161 Buttermilk Flapjacks, 202 Vegetarian Lasagne, 83
Clams
Sid's Fried Onion Butterscotch Sauce, Ice Cream Wild-Greens Pie, 33
Stuffies, 102
Burgers, 156 with, 223 Cheesecake, Lindy's, 227
varieties of, 102
Slow-Smoked Brisket, 165 Chicken
Classic Eggs Benedict, 64
Spicy Beef Empanadas, 30 C Chicken Paprikash with
Coconut & coconut milk
steaks, judging doneness, 145 Dumplings, 127
Cajun Bloody Mary, 248 Caramel Coconut Flan, 228
Tapas-Style Meatballs, 25 Chicken Tikka Masala, 124
Cakes German Chocolate Cake, 231
USDA grades of, 151 Indonesian Chicken
Dulce de Leche Cake, 215 Curry, 128 Indonesian Chicken
Woody DeSilva's German Chocolate Cake, 231 Curry, 128
Championship Chili, 52 Lemony Roast Chicken, 119
Thai Red Curry with Roasted
Duck, 136

250 The New Comfort Food

Cod Cakes with Chowchow, 112 Cucumber Cooler, 247 Broiled Salmon Steaks Pineapple-Chipotle-Glazed
Heirloom Tomato Bloody with Tomatoes, Onions, and Ham, 152
Cookies & bars
Mary, 249 Tarragon, 106 Randy Evan's Southern
Katharine Hepburn's Peas, 196
Brownies, 219 Hot Buttered Rum, 240 catfish, about, 111
Kentucky Club Cod Cakes with Roast Pork Loin, 166
Snickerdoodles, 212
Margarita, 246 Chowchow, 112 Heirloom Tomato Bloody
Corn Chowder, Creamy, 44 Mary, 249
Longhorn Bull Shot, 247 Deep-Fried Southern
Cornmeal. See Spoonbread Herbed Tomato Tart, 37
Michelada, 246 Catfish, 111
Cream cheese Homemade Tagliatelle, 86
Michelada Bloody Mary, 248 salmon varieties, 106, 108
Lindy's Cheesecake, 227 Hortopita, 33
Old Bay Bloody Mary, 249 Veracruz-Style Red
Red Velvet Cake, 220 Snapper, 105 Hot Buttered Rum, 240
Creamy Corn Chowder, 44 Original Bloody Mary, 248
Flan, Caramel Coconut, 228 Huckleberry Crisps, 205
Creamy Spiced Indian Puka Punch, 239
French Onion Soup, 48 Huevos Rancheros, 68
Lentils, 183 Regent's Punch, 244
Frisée aux Lardons, 18 Hummus B'Tahina, 38
Crostini, Mushroom and Spiced Tea, 235
Frisée Salad with Poached Eggs Hummus with Tahini, 38
Herb, 34 Spiced Wine, 243 and Bacon, 18
Crostini con Funghi, 34 Duck, Roasted, Thai Red Curry Frittata, Ricotta and Roasted
Cucumber Cooler, 247 with, 136 Pepper, 63 I
Curry, Indonesian Chicken, 128 Dulce de Leche Cake, 215 Frittata con Ricotta e Ice cream
Curry, Thai Red, with Roasted Peperoni, 63 Black-and-White Banana
Duck, 136 E Fritters, Zucchini, 179 Malted Milk Shake, 236
Curry pastes, types of, 136 Fruit. See specific fruits Ice Cream with Butterscotch
Eggs
Sauce, 223
Brown Butter Pasta, 80
D Classic Eggs Benedict, 64 G Indonesian Chicken Curry, 128
Italian-Style Meatballs with
Dal Makhani, 183 Eggs Poached in Spicy Gaeng Phed, 136 Tomato Ragù, 148
Deep-Fried Southern Catfish, 111 Tomato Sauce, 67 German Chocolate Cake, 231 Italian-Style Stuffed
Desserts. See also Cakes Frisée Salad with Poached German Split Pea Soup, 47 Artichokes, 22
Caramel Coconut Flan, 228 Eggs and Bacon, 18
Gigot de Sept Heures, 142
Huevos Rancheros, 68
Chocolate-Caramel Tart, 216
Matzo Brei with Mushrooms
Glühwein, 243 K
Huckleberry Crisps, 205 Golden Potato Latkes, 26
and Asparagus, 71 Kale Soup, Tuscan-Style, 56
Ice Cream with Butterscotch Green beans
Sauce, 223 poaching, tips for, 64 Katharine Hepburn's
Ricotta and Roasted Pepper Green Bean Casserole, 188 Brownies, 219
Katharine Hepburn's
Frittata, 63 Thai-Style Green Beans with Kentucky Club Margarita, 246
Brownies, 219
Empanadas, Spicy Beef, 30 Chile and Basil, 176 Key limes
Key Lime Pie, 211
Empanadas de Carne, 30 Greens Key Lime Pie, 211
Lindy's Cheesecake, 227
Enchiladas, Red-Chile Frisée Salad with Poached notes about, 211
Snickerdoodles, 212 Eggs and Bacon, 18
Chicken, 120 Kimchi
Sopaipillas, 208 Tuscan-Style Kale Soup, 56
Erbsensuppe, 47 Kimchi Pancakes, 175
Dips Wild-Greens Pie, 33
Everyday Fried Noodles, 96 varieties of, 175
Guacamole, 29 Grilled Lobster with Cilantro-
Hummus with Tahini, 38 Chile Butter, 115 Kolokitho Keftedes, 179
Donggu Pei Shucai, 184 F Guacamole, 29
Drinks Fennel Baked in Cream, 192 L
Black-and-White Banana Figaretti's "Godfather II" H Lamb
Malted Milk Shake, 236 Linguine, 95 Lamb Chops with Salsa
Filets Mignons with Mushroom Ham
Book Club Sangria, 246 Verde, 141
Sauce, 151 American producers of, 152
Boston Bloody Mary, 249 Seven-Hour Leg of Lamb, 142
Finocchio al Forno, 192 German Split Pea Soup, 47
Cajun Bloody Mary, 248 varieties of, 141
Fish. See also Shellfish Macaroni and Cheese with
Chico, 247
Ham, 90

Index 251
Lasagne, Vegetarian, 83 Matzo Brei with Mushrooms Brown Butter Pasta, 80 Frisée Salad with Poached
Latkes, Golden Potato, 26 and Asparagus, 71 Bucatini with Spicy Tomato Eggs and Bacon, 18
Legumes. See also Beans Mushroom and Herb Sauce, 89 guanciale, about, 89
Creamy Spiced Indian Crostini, 34 Everyday Fried Noodles, 96 Italian-Style Meatballs with
Lentils, 183 Roasted Herbed Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, 76 Tomato Ragù, 148
German Split Pea Soup, 47 and Vegetables, 135 Figaretti's "Godfather II" Kimchi Pancakes, 175
Randy Evan's Southern Spring Rolls with Chile- Linguine, 95 Roast Pork Loin, 166
Peas, 196 Garlic Sauce, 21 Homemade Tagliatelle, 86 Smoked Pork and Sauerkraut
Southern pea varieties, 196 Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Macaroni and Cheese with Stew, 59
Bok Choy, 184 Ham, 90 Spring Rolls with Chile-
Lemongrass, working with, 128
Vegetarian Lasagne, 83 Orecchiette with Rapini and Garlic Sauce, 21
Lemony Roast Chicken, 119
Lentils, Creamy Spiced Goat Cheese, 79 Sweet and Sour Pork
Indian, 183 N Pasta with Ragù, 84 Chops, 155
Limes. See Key limes New Orleans–Style BBQ Spring Rolls with Chile- Tapas-Style Meatballs, 25
Lindy's Cheesecake, 227 Shrimp, 101 Garlic Sauce, 21 Potatoes
Lobster Northern Fried Chicken, 132 Vegetarian Lasagne, 83 Golden Potato Latkes, 26
Grilled Lobster with Nuts Pastel de Cuatro Leches, 215 Potatoes Gratin, 171
Cilantro-Chile Butter, 115 Brown Butter Pasta, 80 Patty Melt, 161 Poultry. See Chicken; Duck
notes about, 115 German Chocolate Cake, 231 Pea, Split, Soup, German, 47 Puka Punch, 239
Longhorn Bull Shot, 247 Katharine Hepburn's Peas, Southern, Randy
Brownies, 219 Evan's, 196 R
Pecans
M Red Velvet Cake, 220 Randy Evan's Southern Peas, 196
German Chocolate Cake, 231
Macaroni and Cheese with Rapini
Ham, 90
O Red Velvet Cake, 220
about, 79
Peppers. See also Chile peppers
Maiale in Agrodolce, 155 Old Bay Bloody Mary, 249 Orecchiette with Rapini and
Cod Cakes with Goat Cheese, 79
Malted milk powder, history Onions Chowchow, 112
of, 236 French Onion Soup, 48 Red-Chile Chicken
Peppers Stuffed with Enchiladas, 120
Malted Milk Shake, Black-and- Green Bean Casserole, 188 Feta, 180
White Banana, 236 Patty Melt, 161 Red Snapper, Veracruz-
Ricotta and Roasted Pepper Style, 105
Margarita, Kentucky Club, 246 Sid's Fried Onion Frittata, 63
Marinated Flank Steak, 145 Burgers, 156 Red Velvet Cake, 220
Pescado a la Veracruzana, 105
Masala Chai, 235 Opor Ayam, 128 Regent's Punch, 244
Pies
Matzo Ball Soup, 51 Orecchiette with Rapini and Ribollita, 56
Key Lime Pie, 211
Matzo Brei with Mushrooms Goat Cheese, 79 Rice. See Risotto
Wild-Greens Pie, 33
and Asparagus, 71 Original Bloody Mary, 248 Ricotta and Roasted Pepper
Pineapple Frittata, 63
Meat. See Beef; Lamb; Pork Oysters Pineapple-Chipotle-Glazed
Meatballs Boston Bloody Mary, 249 Risotto, Butter, 191
Ham, 152
Italian-Style Meatballs with Risotto alla Milanese, 191
Thai Red Curry with Roasted
Roasted Herbed Chicken and
Tomato Ragù, 148 P Duck, 136
Vegetables, 135
Tapas-Style Meatballs, 25 Piperies Gemistes Me Feta, 180
Pancakes Roast Pork Loin, 166
Michelada, 246 Pollo Arrosto, 119
Buttermilk Flapjacks, 202 Rum
Michelada Bloody Mary, 248 Pork. See also Ham; Sausages
Golden Potato Latkes, 26 history of, 240
Milk Shake, Black-and-White Bucatini with Spicy Tomato
Banana Malted, 236 Kimchi Pancakes, 175 Sauce, 89 Hot Buttered Rum, 240
Mushrooms Paprikás Csirke, 127 Classic Eggs Benedict, 64 Puka Punch, 239
Filets Mignons with Pasta & noodles Everyday Fried Noodles, 96
Mushroom Sauce, 151 Baked Ziti with Sausage, 75

252 The New Comfort Food

S Slow-Smoked Brisket, 165 Woody DeSilva's Veracruz-Style Red
Smoked Pork and Sauerkraut Championship Chili, 52 Snapper, 105
Salad, Frisée, with Poached Eggs
and Bacon, 18 Stew, 59 Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Tom Yum Goong, 55
Salmon Snacks & starters Bok Choy, 184 Tortillas
Broiled Salmon Steaks Frisée Salad with Poached Stuffies, 102 Huevos Rancheros, 68
with Tomatoes, Onions, Eggs and Bacon, 18 Sweet and Sour Pork Chops, 155 Red-Chile Chicken
and Tarragon, 106 Golden Potato Latkes, 26 Sweet-and-Spicy Korean Fried Enchiladas, 120
varieties of, 106, 108 Guacamole, 29 Chicken, 131 Tua Kaek Pad Prik Pao, 176
Sandwiches & burgers Herbed Tomato Tart, 37 Tuscan-Style Kale Soup, 56
Patty Melt, 161 Hummus with Tahini, 38 T
Sid's Fried Onion Italian-Style Stuffed
Tagliatelle alla Ragù
U
Burgers, 156 Artichokes, 22
Bolognese, 84 The Ultimate Grilled Cheese
The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Mushroom and Herb Sandwich, 17
Sandwich, 17 Crostini, 34 Tahini, Hummus with, 38
Sangria, Book Club, 246 Spicy Beef Empanadas, 30 Tapas-Style Meatballs, 25
Sauce, Butterscotch, Ice Cream Spring Rolls with Chile- Tarts V
with, 223 Garlic Sauce, 21 Chocolate-Caramel Tart, 216 Vegetables. See also specific
Sauerkraut and Smoked Pork Tapas-Style Meatballs, 25 Herbed Tomato Tart, 37 vegetables
Stew, 59 The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Tea, Spiced, 235 Roasted Herbed Chicken and
Sausages Sandwich, 17 Thai Hot and Sour Shrimp Vegetables, 135
Baked Ziti with Sausage, 75 Wild-Greens Pie, 33 Soup, 55 Vegetarian Lasagne, 83
Smoked Pork and Sauerkraut Snickerdoodles, 212 Thai Red Curry with Roasted Veracruz-Style Red Snapper, 105
Stew, 59 Sopaipillas, 208 Duck, 136
Stuffies, 102 Soupe à l'Oignon, 48 Thai-Style Green Beans with W
Seafood. See Fish; Shellfish Soups. See also Stews & chili Chile and Basil, 176
Wild-Greens Pie, 33
Seven-Hour Leg of Lamb, 142 Creamy Corn Chowder, 44 Tian Tian Chao Mian, 96
Wine
Shakshuka, 67 French Onion Soup, 48 Tomatoes & tomato juice
Book Club Sangria, 246
Shellfish. See also Shrimp German Split Pea Soup, 47 Broiled Salmon Steaks
with Tomatoes, Onions, Spiced Wine, 243
Boston Bloody Mary, 249 Matzo Ball Soup, 51 Woody DeSilva's Championship
and Tarragon, 106
clam varieties, 102 Thai Hot and Sour Shrimp Chili, 52
Bucatini with Spicy Tomato
Figaretti's "Godfather II" Soup, 55 Sauce, 89
Linguine, 95
Grilled Lobster with Cilantro-
Tuscan-Style Kale Soup, 56 Chicken Paprikash with Y
Spiced Tea, 235 Dumplings, 127
Chile Butter, 115 Spiced Wine, 243 Yangnyeom Dak, 131
Chicken Tikka Masala, 124
lobster, about, 115 Spicy Beef Empanadas, 30 Chiles Rellenos, 172
Stuffies, 102 Split Pea Soup, German, 47 Cod Cakes with
Z
Shrimp Spoonbread, Boone Tavern's, 195 Chowchow, 112 Zucchini Fritters, 179
Figaretti's "Godfather II" Spring Rolls with Chile-Garlic Eggs Poached in Spicy
Linguine, 95 Sauce, 21 Tomato Sauce, 67
New Orleans–Style BBQ Squash Herbed Tomato Tart, 37
Shrimp, 101
Roasted Herbed Chicken and Huevos Rancheros, 68
Old Bay Bloody Mary, 249 Vegetables, 135 Italian-Style Meatballs with
Spring Rolls with Chile- Zucchini Fritters, 179 Tomato Ragù, 148
Garlic Sauce, 21
Stews & chili Pasta with Ragù, 84
Thai Hot and Sour Shrimp
Soup, 55 Burgundy-Style Beef Stew, 43 regional Bloody
Smoked Pork and Sauerkraut Marys, 248–249
Sid's Fried Onion Burgers, 156
Stew, 59

Index 253
Table of Equivalents
The exact equivalents in the following tables have been rounded for convenience.

Liquid and Dry Measurements

U.S. METRIC
1⁄4 teaspoon ........................................................................................................................1.25 milliliters
1⁄2 teaspoon ......................................................................................................................... 2.5 milliliters

1 teaspoon ...............................................................................................................................5 milliliters

1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) ................................................................................................ 15 milliliters
1 fluid ounce ......................................................................................................................... 30 milliliters
1⁄4 cup ......................................................................................................................................65 milliliters
1⁄3 cup ..................................................................................................................................... 80 milliliters

1 cup ....................................................................................................................................... 235 milliliters

1 pint (2 cups) ....................................................................................................................480 milliliters
1 quart (4 cups, 32 fluid ounces) .................................................................................... 950 milliliters
1 gallon (4 quarts) ........................................................................................................................3.8 liters
1 ounce (by weight) ....................................................................................................................28 grams
1 pound ...................................................................................................................................... 454 grams
2.2 pounds ................................................................................................................................ 1 kilogram

Length Measures
U.S. METRIC
1⁄8 inch ...................................................................................................................................3 millimeters
1⁄4 inch ...................................................................................................................................6 millimeters
1⁄2 inch .................................................................................................................................12 millimeters

1 inch .................................................................................................................................2.5 centimeters

Oven Temperatures
FAHRENHEIT .CELSIUS GAS
250°............................................................................. 120° ....................................................................... 1⁄2
275°............................................................................ 140° ......................................................................... 1
300°........................................................................... 150° .........................................................................2
325°............................................................................ 160° .........................................................................3
350°............................................................................ 180° .........................................................................4
375°............................................................................ 190° .........................................................................5
400°.......................................................................... 200° .........................................................................6
425°........................................................................... 220° .........................................................................7
450°........................................................................... 230° .........................................................................8
475°........................................................................... 240° .........................................................................9
500°.......................................................................... 260° .......................................................................10

254 The New Comfort Food

Acknowledgments
Though I’m listed as the editor of this book, that’s only partly guru, Don Hill and his indefatigable team at Bonnier’s headquarters
true. The fact is I was just one of many collaborators who joined in Winter Park, Florida. My hat goes off to every one of these people
in the journey that led to its making. Foremost among those not only for their selfless dedication but for their wisdom. Working
collaborators are Todd Coleman, executive food editor (and star with them all is a daily source of inspiration.
photographer) at sav eu r , whose expertise and intelligence grace I’m grateful to the sav eu r contributors whose writing appears
every page; executive editor Dana Bowen, whose second-to-none in these pages, including Jeff Berry, Jeffrey Charles, Jay Cheshes,
editorial instincts set the tone for the entire book; David Weaver, Lillian Chou, Lizzie Collingham, Wayne Curtis, Cathy Danh, Cara de
our art director (and book designer), who proved as always to be Silva, Sarah DiGregorio, Beth Elon, Evan Kleiman, Aglaia Kremezi,
a model not only of talent but of endless level-headedness; deputy George Motz, Joan Nathan, Alia Yunis, and Robb Walsh. I also want
editor, Beth Kracklauer, who patiently wrote (and then re-wrote, to give a special shout out to our regular stable of photographers
many times) the recipe headnotes; managing editors Greg Ferro who created the images in this book, including André Baranowski,
and Georgia Freedman, who pushed us all to the finish line with Virginie Blachere, David Brabyn, Bruce Crippen, Penny De Los
(fabulously) cheap jokes, endless optimism, and the occasional Santos, Ben Fink, Natalie Fobes, David Hagerman, Michael Kraus,
jolt-of-fear e-mail; Hunter Lewis, sav eu r’s kitchen director, who Ariana Lindquist, Landon Nordeman, and Barbara Ries. The
along with Ben Mims, assistant kitchen director, diligently tested, brilliant work they do is its true heart and soul.
multiple times, all the recipes that appear in the book; senior I also want to thank the ever-cheery and intensely skilled folks
editors Betsy Andrews and Gabriella Gershenson, whose eleventh- at Weldon Owen in San Francisco, whose vision it was to create this
hour comments and guidance were invaluable; our scary-smart book, including Terry Newell, Hannah Rahill, Kim Laidlaw, Amy
copy chief Dorothy Irwin and her second-in-command, Kathryn Kaneko, and Kara Church. Equally crucial to its existence is the
Kuchenbrod; associate editor, Karen Shimizu, assistant editor, terrific team at Chronicle Books, especially Bill LeBlond. Finally,
Marne Setton, and former sav eu r deputy editor David McAninch, I owe special thanks to Merri Lee Kingsly, publisher of saveur
all of whom provided crucial editorial assistance along the way; and (and one of its fiercest advocates); Terry Snow, CEO of Bonnier
Larry Nighswander, sav eu r’s photo director, who along with Paul Corporation, our parent company; and Jonas Bonnier, chairman
Love, Mary Rose Lorenzana, Lyndsey Atkinson, and Katherine Pease of the corporation. You keep us on our toes, you push us toward
culled and gathered the images that appear herein. Additionally, I’m excellence. —James Oseland, Editor-in-Chief
indebted to our production manager, Courtney Janka, and prepress

Photography Credits
André Baranowski 12, 16, 18, 19, 27, 44, 50, 53, 58, 59, 62, 65, 77, 78, 82, 86, 87, 91, 94, 100, 102, 107, 108, 110, 118, 125, 129, 130, 134, 135,
137, 140, 150, 151, 160, 163, 164, 175, 189, 191, 196, 197, 200, 203, 204, 206, 213, 214, 216, 223, 226, 230, 237, 243; Virginie Blachere 22;
David Brabyn 40; Todd Coleman 14, 20, 21, 25, 28, 31, 32, 35, 42, 47, 48, 55, 57, 70, 74, 81, 96, 97, 104, 121, 145, 149, 152, 167, 170, 171,
173, 174, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 185, 186, 192, 193, 208, 210, 211, 218, 221, 227, 229, 234, 235; Bruce Crippen 92; Penny De Los Santos 9,
10, 24, 38, 39, 66, 67, 69, 88, 89, 114, 122, 141, 154, 156, 157, 182, 183, 209, 232; Ben Fink 242; David Hagerman 168; Michael Kraus 52,
153, 155, 158, 159, 246, 274, 248, 249; Ariana Lindquist 119, 238; Jen Munkvold, 80; Larry Nighswander 60; Landon Nordeman 2,
34, 36, 37, 45, 72, 84, 85, 101, 113, 116, 131, 138, 143, 198, 217, 222, 240, 241, 244, 245; James Oseland 23, 54, 68, 95, 124, 126, 128, 133,
136, 194, 195, 224; Barbara Reis 144, 146; Corbis: Owen Franken, 17; Bettmann, 49; Martin Harvey, 98; The Mariners' Museum, 103;
A. H. Wilcox, 190; Getty: Ralph Crane, 76; Alamy: Mirrorpix, 188

Acknowledgments 255
Copyright © 2011 Weldon Owen Inc.

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