Food

Sweet and Sour Peppers
Preservation is a popular technique in Sicily to ensure that there are good things to
eat in frugal times or out of season.
Though I can buy fresh peppers in my local supermarket all the year round, I will
always have a jar of these delicious sweet and sour preserved peppers in my fridge.
I
make them in a large batch and then eke them out over a few weeks – they actually
get even better over time. I use them in many ways; everything from a simple
topping
on warm flatbreads as a snack or to accompanying grilled chicken or fish. I even
sometimes stir some into a ragù towards then end of cooking to add depth and a
boost of flavour.
Serves 6–8
10 pointy peppers
olive oil for cooking
100ml sweet white wine vinegar (such as moscatel)
100ml water
40g golden caster sugar
4 bay leaves
10 sprigs of thyme
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
10 black peppercorns
a good pinch of saffron threads
180ml quality Sicilian extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/Gas Mark 6–7.
Place the whole peppers in a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and roast,
turning
once or twice, for 25–30 minutes or until soened and starting to blacken.
Remove from the oven, cover the tray with foil and leave for 20 minutes to
cool.
Meanwhile, place the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan. Set over a
medium
heat and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Reserve this
marinade.
When the peppers have cooled, carefully peel off the skin, then slit the
peppers
down the middle and remove the seeds. You may need to rinse quickly with
cold
water to ensure all seeds are removed. I like to keep the pepper tops
attached to
give a rustic, natural appearance.
Place the peppers in a bowl and pour over the marinade. Cover and leave in
the
fridge for 24 hours. ey will be delicious aer this time but can be kept for
at
least 3 weeks and get better with time.
To serve, take what you need with some of the marinade and serve at room
temperature as antipasti or a side dish.
Sweet and Sour Peppers
Tiramisu
the classic Italian dessert
Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus cooling time)
Per serving approx. 520 kcal/2170 kJ
7 g P, 42 g F, 28 g CH
Serves 4
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp sugar
350 123
g Mascarpone
2 tbsp Amaretto
100 g sponge fingers
50 ml cold espresso coffee
2–3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and use an electric whisk to beat the
mixture until it is frothy. Add the Mascarpone spoonful by spoonful and add
Amaretto to taste, stirring constantly.
Cover the bottom of a flat baking dish or serving bowl with half of the sponge
fingers. Drizzle some espresso over the top, followed by a layer of half of the
Mascarpone cream. Follow this with another layer of sponge fingers, more
espresso and the other half of the Mascarpone cream.
Cover the tiramisu and leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours so that the
flavours can develop well. Sprinkle cocoa powder over the dessert before
serving.
Ratatouille
French vegetable stew
Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus cooking time)
Per serving approx. 170 kcal/710 kJ
5 g P, 11 g F, 12 g CH
Serves 4
300 g aubergines
salt
500 g tomatoes
250 1234
g courgettes
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 onions
4 garlic cloves
½ bunch basil
4 tbsp olive oil
black pepper
1 sprig of rosemary
½ bunch thyme
½ bunch oregano
Wash the aubergines, rub dry and remove the stalks. Halve lengthways and cut into
½ cm thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and leave to stand for approx. 10 minutes in
order to get rid of any bitterness. Rinse with water, pat dry and cut into cubes.
Score crosses into the tomatoes, scald briefly with boiling water, then plunge in
cold water, skin, cut into quarters, deseed and remove the cores. Cut into cubes.
Wash the courgettes and cut into small dice. Wash and halve the peppers and cut
the
flesh into cubes. Peel and very finely chop the onions and garlic. Wash the basil
and pat
dry with kitchen paper. Chop the leaves finely with a large kitchen knife.
Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish. Fry the aubergine cubes in the oil at a high
heat, then remove and set to one side. Do the same with the other vegetables.
Leave the onions and garlic to last. Sweat them in the oil, then return the other
vegetables to the dish. Season with salt and pepper, place the sprigs of herbs on
top,
cover and leave the ratatouille to braise over a low heat for approx. 25 minutes.
Add a
little water if necessary.
Serve the ratatouille as an accompaniment to roast meat, rice or French bread
Marinara Linguine
Looking for a vegetarian dish that’s delicious and easy to prepare?
Here’s one recipe that should be part of your menu more often. Both
kids and adults would surely enjoy this recipe. It’s hard to go wrong
with this one!
Serving Size: 6
Preparation Cooking Time: 5 hours and 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
4 teaspoons garlic, minced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
26 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
6 oz. tomato paste (unsalted)
½ cup dry red wine
1 zucchini, sliced
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
12 oz. whole-wheat linguine, cooked
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions:
1. Pour the oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Cook the onion and celery for 5 minutes.
3. Transfer to a slow cooker.
4. Add the garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato
paste, dry red wine, zucchini, salt and oregano.
5. Mix well.
6. Cover the pot
7. Cook on low for 5 hours and 30 minutes.
8. Serve the linguine topped with the marinara sauce, basil and
cheese.
POTATO and OLIVE SALAD

Slada Batata Bil Zaytoun
salads. Look for good ones for this salad, which is best made in advance so that the
dressing and flavors are absorbed. The potatoes will attract the dressing and flavors better
if they are peeled.
SERVES 4
1 pound new potatoes

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of chili pepper
salt
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ large mild red or white onion, chopped finely
12 black olives
Peel the potatoes and boil them in salted water until tender. Drain
them
and cut them in half, or quarters if large, but leave them whole if
small.
Prepare the dressing in the serving bowl. Mix the oil with the lemon
juice, paprika, cumin, chili pepper, and salt.
While still warm, turn the potatoes in the dressing, add the parsley,
onion, and olives and mix gently.
CARROT SALAD with CUMIN and GARLIC

Jazar Bil Kamoun Wal Toum
Carrot salads are very common in Morocco. This one is sold by street
vendors and is particularly delicious. Use older carrots, which have a better taste than young ones.
SERVES 4 TO 6
5 large carrots (about 1¼ pounds)

4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and black pepper
juice of ½ lemon
Peel or wash and scrape the carrots and trim off the tops and tails.
Cut
them in quarters lengthwise and then cut each quarter in half to
produce
sticks. Boil in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender but not
too
soft, then drain.
In a large skillet, heat the oil and put in the carrots, garlic, cumin,
and
some salt and pepper. Sauté on a medium-high heat, stirring and
turning
the carrots over, until the garlic just begins to color.
Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve cold.
ALMOND PASTRIES in HONEY SYRUP

Briwat Bi Loz
These exquisite pastries called “the bride's fingers” feature in medieval Arab
manuscripts
found in Baghdad, fried and sprinkled with syrup and chopped pistachios. In
Morocco,
they are made with the thin pastry called warka or brick (see page 29 ) and deep-fried. I
prefer to make them with fillo and to bake them. For a large-size version of the pastries, I
use a supermarket brand where the sheets are about 12 inches [.dotmath] 7 inches.
I especially recommend you try the dainty little “bride's fingers” (see Variation). I
make them for parties and I keep some in a cookie tin to serve with coffee. They are great
favorites in our family; my mother always made them and now my children make them,
too.
MAKES ABOUT 14 PASTRIES
½ pound clear honey

½ cup water
2 cups ground almonds
½ to 2/3 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
2 tablespoons orange blossom water
14 sheets of fillo
5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, melted
Make the syrup by bringing the honey and water to the boil in a pan
and
simmering it for half a minute. Then let it cool.
Mix the ground almonds with the sugar, cinnamon, and orange
blossom water. Open the package of fillo only when you are ready to
make the pastries (see page 9). Keep them in a pile so that they do
not
dry out. Lightly brush the top one with melted butter.
Put a line of about 2 to 2½ tablespoons of the almond mixture at one
of the short ends of the rectangle, into a line about ¾ inch from the
short and long edges. Roll up loosely into a fat cigar shape. Turn the
ends in about one-third of the way along to trap
the filling, then continue to roll with the ends opened out. Continue
with
the remaining sheets of fillo.
Place the pastries on a baking sheet, brush them with melted butter,
and bake them in an oven preheated to 300°F for 30 minutes, or until
lightly golden and crisp.
Turn each pastry, while still warm, very quickly in the syrup and
arrange on a dish. Serve cold with the remaining syrup poured all
over
WALNUT PASTRIES in HONEY SYRUP

Briwat Bi Joz
Follow the recipe for Almond Pastries in Honey Syrup (page 127) but
use the following filling.
Coarsely grind 2 cups shelled walnuts in the food processor. Add 1/3
cup sugar and the finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed orange and mix
well.
Add 1½ tablespoons orange blossom water to the syrup.
KATAIFI with CREAM FILLING
Osmaliyah Bil Ashta
Osmaliyah has been known for generations in my family in Egypt as konafa and I
have
featured it before. I include it here again because, of all the Lebanese
pastries that are
good to make at home and to serve at a dinner party, this is one of the best; it
is my
mother's recipe. It is meant to be served hot but it is also good cold.
You can buy the soft white vermicelli-like dough frozen in Lebanese, Turkish,
and
Greek stores. In Lebanon, it is called knafe but in America it is sold by its
Greek name,
kataifi , usually in 1- pound packages; it should be defrosted for 2 to 3 hours.
The
quantities below will make one large pastry to serve 10, but you can also
make two half
the size—one to serve fewer people and one to put in the freezer to bake at a
later date. It
freezes well uncooked.
SERVES 10
FOR THE SYRUP

2½ cups sugar
1¼ cups water
1¼ cups water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange blossom water (see page 6) FOR THE CREAM
FILLING
½ cup rice flour
4 cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons sugar
FOR THE PASTRY
1 pound kataifi (knafe) pastry, defrosted 2 sticks or ½ pound unsalted
butter, melted
To garnish: 2/3 cup pistachios, chopped finely Make the syrup first.
Boil the sugar with the water and lemon juice over low heat for 5
to 8 minutes, until it is just thick enough to coat the back of a
spoon. Another way to test it is to pour a drop onto a cold plate,
and if it does not spread out like water, it is ready. Stir in the
orange blossom water and cook a moment more. Let it cool and
then chill in the refrigerator. (If you have overcooked the syrup
and it becomes too thick to pour when it is cold, you can rescue it
by adding a little water and bringing it to the boil again.) For the
filling, mix the rice flour with enough of the cold milk to make a
smooth, creamy paste. Bring the rest of the milk with the cream to
the boil, preferably in a nonstick pan (this stops the cream sticking
at the bottom and burning). Add the rice flour paste, stirring
vigorously with a wooden spoon. Leave it on very low heat and
continue to stir constantly for 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture
is quite thick, being careful not to scrape any burnt bits from the
bottom of the pan. Then add the cream and sugar and stir well
Put the kataifi pastry in a large bowl. With your fingers, pull out and
separate the strands as much as possible. Melt the butter and when it
has
cooled slightly, pour it over the pastry and work it in very thoroughly
with your fingers, pulling out and separating the strands and turning
them over so that they do not stick together and are entirely coated
with
butter.
Spread half the pastry on the bottom of a large round pie pan,
measuring 11 to 12 inches in diameter. Spread the cream filling over
it
evenly and cover with the rest of the pastry. Press down firmly and
flatten it with the palm of your hand. Bake in an oven preheated to
350°F for about 45 minutes. Some like to brown the bottom, which
comes out on top when the pastry is turned out, by running it over
heat
on the stove top for a brief moment only. Others prefer the pastry to
remain pale.
Just before serving, run a sharp knife around the edges of the
osmaliyah to loosen the sides, and turn it out onto a large serving dish.
Pour the cold syrup all over the hot pastry and sprinkle the top
lavishly
with the chopped pistachios.
Alternatively, you can pour only half the syrup over the pastry and
pass the rest around in a jug for everyone to help themselves to more,
if
they wish.
Spanish Seafood Paella/Arroz en paella
Paella is known as "SSP[FO1BFMMBin its homeland of Spain. Original paella recipes consisted of rabbit, chicken,
snails, and beans, the paella pans were rubbed in ash and cooked over orange wood. This “party in a pot” is said
to be a descendant of Arabian LBCTBI a similar dish originating in the Arabian Peninsula. Arabs introduced rice into
southern Spain in the ninth century, along with spices such as saffron. A unique feature of paella is that a crunchy
topping forms on it. Do not worry, this is called the TPDBSSBUin Valencian dialect, and is the most treasured part of
the paella.
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin
olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
¼ pound (115 g) jumbo shrimp,
deveined and peeled
1 pound (455 g) baby squid,
cleaned, peeled, and sliced into rings
¼ pound (115 g) boneless white fish
fillet (such as cod or swai), cut into
2-inch (5 cm) pieces
2 cups (390 g) medium-grain
Spanish rice
Pinch of good-quality saffron
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (8 g) Italian parsley
5 cups (1 L) Seafood Stock
(see page 183)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup (45 g) jarred pimiento peppers
Yield: 8 servings
Heat the oil in a large wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and
cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, and stir
slowly to heat through and blend the paste with onion and oil.
Add the shrimp, squid, and fish to the pan. Cook until barely opaque,
3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir in the saffron, paprika, garlic, and
parsley. Pour the stock over the top of the mixture and add salt.
Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and stir.
Cook the paella, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until all liquid is
absorbed, stirring occasionally.
When the paella is done, allow to stand at room temperature for
10 minutes. Garnish with pimientos and serve warm.
Roasted Plums with Basil–Yogurt Cream/

Susine al forno con yogurt e basilico
Roasting fruits enhances their sweetness and gives them a unique texture. Serving them with yogurt and herbs
increases health benefits. Keep this in mind when planning desserts for yourself, friends, and family. Even though
recipes such as these are simple and healthful, many people prefer their flavor to store-bought cakes and pastries.
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 ripe plums, halved and pitted
4 teaspoons (16 g) sugar
1 cup (230 g) vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons (5 g) finely chopped
fresh basil
1 teaspoon honey
Yield: 4 servings
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Oil a large baking dish. Place the
plums inside, cut side up, and sprinkle ½ teaspoon sugar over each. Bake,
uncovered, for 35 minutes.
While the plums are baking, stir together the yogurt, basil, and honey.
Divide half of yogurt mixture onto each of 4 plates, or a large serving
platter.
When plums are finished baking, remove them from the oven and place
2 halves over yogurt on each plate. Fill the holes with remaining yogurt
mixture and serve warm.
Sweet Olive Oil, Cherry, and Almond Cake/

Torta di ciliegie e mandorle
While this cake is definitely not diet material, I decided to include it in this chapter for two reasons. First, it shows
olive oil’s versatility, and how delicious it can be in desserts. Second, with the combination of oil, almonds, and
fruit, this dessert is actually quite nutritious—and when eaten sparingly can fit into a healthful eating plan. Serve
with Vin Santo.
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil,
plus extra
1½ cups (188 g) unbleached allpurpose flour, or all-purpose glutenfree baking mix, or almond flour,
plus extra
½ cup (55 g) sliced almonds
2 eggs, separated
2⁄3 cup (160 ml) freshly squeezed
orange juice
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 cup (200 g) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt or salt
2⁄3 cup (64 g) almond flour (or finely
ground almonds)
1 cup (155 g) pitted cherries
2 tablespoons (16 g) powdered
sugar, to serve
Yield: 9 servings
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Oil and flour a 9-inch (23 cm)
springform pan. Line with a 9-inch (23 cm) round of parchment paper.
Brush the parchment paper with olive oil and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
In the bowl of a standing mixer or in a large metal bowl using a hand
mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Combine the orange juice, orange zest, ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, egg
yolks, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, and orange blossom water in a
medium bowl.
In a large bowl, sift together the ½ cup (188 g) flour, baking powder,
salt, and ground almonds. Mix in the orange juice mixture and fold in the
cherries.
Pour into the baking pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake
until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the cake
begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cool completely. Invert onto a platter, release sides. Remove the
parchment paper, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve
Trout Cooked in Parchment/Trota al cartoccio
Moist and flavorful, this easy-to-clean cooking method is popular all over Italy. Trout is one of the fish with some of
the highest amounts of omega-3s.
4 (4 ounces, or 115 g, each)
trout fillets
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
½ cup (30 g) finely chopped fresh
parsley
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1⁄3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt or salt

Freshly ground pepper
Lemon wedges
Yield: 4 servings
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine the garlic, sage, parsley,
lemon zest and juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Cut four
pieces of parchment paper—each more than double the size of the trout.
Place 1 trout on top of each piece of parchment and equally distribute
¼ of garlic herb mixture on each fish. Brush any remaining garlic herb
mixture over the fish and fold the parchment over the fish. Fold and crimp
the edges to seal tightly and place in a baking dish.
Bake about 10 minutes, until fish is cooked through. Remove from the
oven, and serve with lemon wedges, allowing guests to open their own
individual packages at the table
Turkish Yogurt, Garlic, and Dill Sauce/Cacik
Yogurt is one of the traditional pleasures of kitchens around the Mediterranean. It’s usually enjoyed for breakfast,
or a light snack, with fresh figs and luscious mountain honey. For best results, drain the yogurt overnight. After
draining the yogurt, enjoy the excess liquid, or whey, as a refreshing drink. It is full of healthful probiotic nutrients,
and good bacteria known to aid digestion.
3 cups (690 g) plain organic
full-fat yogurt
2 English cucumbers, peeled and
diced
Unrefined sea salt or salt
¼ cup (16 g) fresh dill, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, grated
and drained
Yield: 8 servings
Place the yogurt in a medium colander over a bowl to drain overnight in
the refrigerator.
Place the cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Let
stand for 20 minutes. Rinse off the salt and add cucumbers to yogurt. Stir
in the dill. Add the garlic and onion, and season with salt to taste. Serve
immediately to prevent salad from becoming runny. If storing, place in
an airtight container in the refrigerator and drain off excess liquid before
serving.
Spiced Greek Yogurt with Apricots/
Giaoúrti me veríkoka
In Greece, Turkey, and other Balkan countries, yogurt is a popular breakfast and snack. The combination of
cinnamon, citrus, and apricots in this recipe make it so sweet and flavorful, that it can double as dessert. I like
to serve it in clear martini glasses for an elegant presentation.
2 cups (460 g) full-fat plain Greek
yogurt
1 teaspoon pure cinnamon
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (130 g) dried apricots
1⁄3 cup (67 g) sugar
Juice and zest of 1 orange

4 teaspoons sliced almonds
or chopped, shelled pistachios
or walnuts
2 teaspoons honey
Yield: 4 servings
In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt and cinnamon, stirring until
incorporated. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
When the butter melts, add the apricots and toss to coat. Add in the sugar,
stir, and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to cook until the apricots begin
to caramelize and plump up, 6 to 8 minutes.
In the meantime, divide the yogurt into 4 serving glasses. When the
apricots are ready, deglaze pan with the orange juice. When liquid is almost
completely absorbed, stir in orange zest. If sauce doesn’t immediately
thicken, allow it to simmer, uncovered, over low heat until it is mostly
evaporated, 5 to 8 minutes.
Divide the apricot mixture on top of the yogurt in the serving glasses.
Top with 1 teaspoon nuts each. Drizzle with ½ teaspoon of honey each,
and serve
Almond–Stuffed Figs in Chocolate Sauce/
Ficchi al Cioccolato
Ounce per ounce, figs contain more nutrients than any other fruit, and nutrient-rich almonds are considered one
of the world’s healthiest foods. Antioxidant rich dark chocolate, which should be eaten in extreme moderation for
its fat content, is known to balance blood sugar levels in people with diabetes when eaten in small quantities. If I
had to pick only one dessert to enjoy in life, this would be it—not for its health boosting virtues, but because of its
combination of sensual textures and tastes. It’s very common in my ancestral homeland of Calabria, Italy, which is
known for its prized figs.
20 fresh, ripe figs or good-quality
dried white figs
¼ cup (27 g) slivered almonds
Zest of 1 orange, or ¼ cup candied
citrus peel
1 teaspoon ground pure cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
4 ounces (115 g) good-quality dark
chocolate
Yield: 4 servings
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment
paper.
With the fig upright, make an incision halfway down to the bottom, and
open with your fingers. In a small bowl, combine the almonds, orange zest
or peel, cinnamon, and cloves. Stuff each of the figs with the filling. Press
the figs closed and place them an inch (2.5 cm) apart on one baking sheet.
Bake until slightly softened and darkened, 5 to 8 minutes.
Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over low heat. Heat,
stirring constantly, just until chocolate is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the figs from the oven, and using tongs, or holding figs by
the stem, dip them quickly into the warm chocolate. Place on the second
baking sheet and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container in the
refrigerator. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes
before serving
bruschetta with grilled
eggplant and vidalia onion
ServeS6To8
1 medium eggplant (1 to 11/4 lb.)
1 medium-large (about 12 oz.)
vidalia onion (or other sweet
variety, like Texas Sweet or
Walla Walla)
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves,
chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; more
for the bread
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated
Parmigiano-reggiano
about 1/2 baguette, sliced
diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick
slices
You can cook the eggplant on a
stovetop grill pan with equally
delicious results.
1. Prepare a medium-hot grill fire.
2. Trim off 1/2 inch from the top
and bottom of the eggplant. Cut
the eggplant lengthwise into
1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut the
onion crosswise into 1/2-inchthick slices. To keep the onion rings together, insert toothpicks horizontally
through the rings of each slice.
3. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream, garlic, and
thyme to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently until the
cream has reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. When the grill is ready, brush the eggplant and onion slices with the 1/4 cup
olive oil. Arrange them on the grill and cook with the lid closed until they start
to soften and get grill marks, 2 to 3 minutes for the eggplant and 5 to 6 minutes
for the onion. Flip and cook the other sides with the lid closed until the eggplant is tender and the onion is nicely
charred but not necessarily fully tender,
2 to 3 minutes more for the eggplant and 5 to 6 minutes more for the onion.
Transfer the eggplant to a cutting board and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Transfer the onion to a large sheet of foil, stack the slices,
wrap tightly, and let rest until residual heat has softened the onion, about
5 minutes.
5. Remove the skewers from the onion slices. Coarsely chop the eggplant
and onion and combine in a medium bowl. Add the cream mixture and the
Parmigiano; stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Brush
the bread slices on both sides with oil and grill until lightly golden brown,
30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Top each slice with a generous dollop of the
eggplant mixture. —Tony Rosenfeld
PER SERVING: 230 CALORIES | 4G PROTEIN | 26G CARB | 13G TOTAL FAT | 4.5G SAT FAT |
7G MONO FAT | 1G POLY FAT | 20MG CHOL | 380MG SODIUM | 4G FIBER
rosemary-garlic oil
M a K e S 1 1/2 C u P S
11/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, smashed and
peeled
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
This wonderfully fragrant oil
involves little more than heating the oil so that the garlic and
rosemary just begin to sizzle and
infuse it.
Heat the olive oil and garlic
in a small saucepan over
medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic starts to
bubble steadily, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the rosemary, remove from
the heat, and let cool to room
temperature. Transfer to a clean
glass jar or other storage container, cover, and refrigerate. Use
within 5 day
white bean soup with sautéed shrimp
and garlic croutons
MaKeSaBouT6CuPS;
ServeS4aSaFIrSTCourSe
11/2 cups dried cannellini beans,
sorted through and rinsed
5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; plus
1 Tbs. for drizzling
1 large yellow onion, cut into
1/4-inch dice
1 carrot, peeled and cut into
1/4-inch dice
1 inner rib celery, cut into
1/4-inch dice
black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon
juice; more to taste
21/2 cups 3/4-inch-diced country
bread or baguette (about
6 oz.)
3/4 lb. large shrimp (21 to
25 per lb.), peeled, deveined,
rinsed, sliced in half lengthwise, and patted dry
Pinch of cayenne
Earthy rosemary is the dominant flavor in this light, mostly puréed soup.
It complements, and perks up, the white beans.
1. Cook the cannellini beans following the Basic Beans method on the
facing page.
2. Heat a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add
11/2 Tbs. of the oil, along with the onion, carrot, and celery. Season with salt
and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and start to brown,
about 7 minutes. Add half the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the
beans and their cooking liquid (there should be about 4 cups liquid; if not, add
more water to equal this amount) and half the rosemary. Season well with salt
and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a bare simmer, and cook for 30 minutes so
that the beans soften a little more but don’t break up. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Scoop out 1 cup of the beans and set aside. Working in batches, purée the
remaining beans and all of the broth in a blender. Transfer the puréed soup
and the reserved beans to a clean saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Thin with water, if necessary,
to get the consistency you like.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add 11/2 Tbs. oil and
the bread cubes and season well with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until the bread starts to brown
around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the
remaining garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute, tossing well. Transfer to
a large plate. Season the shrimp well with salt and pepper. Add the remaining
2 Tbs. olive oil and the shrimp to the skillet and sauté, stirring often, until the
shrimp is firm, opaque, and browned slightly, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Ladle the soup into large, shallow bowls and dust with a pinch of cayenne.
Garnish with a few of the croutons, a portion of the shrimp, a sprinkling of the
remaining rosemary, and a drizzle of oil. —Tony Rosenfeld
PER SERVING: 730 CALORIES | 40G PROTEIN | 84G CARB | 27G TOTAL FAT | 4G SAT FAT |
pizza dough
MaKeS4individualPizzaS
orcalzoneSor
2StroMBoli;eachServeS4
1 lb. (31/2 cups) unbleached
bread flour; more as needed
2 tsp. sugar or honey
11/2 tsp. table salt (or 21/2 tsp.
kosher salt)
11/4 tsp. instant yeast
11/2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil;
more as needed
Semolina flour (optional)
This versatile dough also works for calzones and stromboli. It’s best to mix the
dough at least a day ahead. It keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator or 3 months
in the freezer.
1. Combine the flour, sugar or honey, salt, yeast, and olive oil in a large bowl
or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add 11 fl. oz. (11/4 cups plus 2 Tbs.) of
cool (60° to 65°F) water. With a large spoon or the paddle attachment of the
electric mixer on low speed, mix until the dough comes together in a coarse
ball, 2 to 3 minutes by hand or 1 to 2 minutes in the mixer. Let the dough rest,
uncovered, for 5 minutes.
2. Knead the dough: If using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook. Knead
the dough for 2 to 3 minutes, either by hand on a lightly floured work surface or
with the mixer’s dough hook on medium-low speed. As you knead, add more
flour or water as needed to produce a ball of dough that is smooth, supple,
and fairly tacky but not sticky. When poked with a clean finger, the dough
should peel off like a Post-It® note, leaving only a slight residue. It may stick
slightly to the bottom of the mixing bowl but not to the sides.
3. Chill the dough: Lightly oil a bowl that’s twice the size of the dough. Roll the
dough in the bowl to coat it with the oil, cover the top of the bowl tightly with
plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. It will rise
slowly in the refrigerator but will stop growing once completely chilled. If the
plastic bulges, release the carbon dioxide buildup by lifting one edge of the
plastic wrap (like burping it) and then reseal.
4. To make a pizza, follow the directions on the facing page.
5. To freeze the dough: After kneading the dough, divide it into 4 pieces for
pizzas or calzones or 2 pieces for stromboli. Freeze each ball in its own zip-top
freezer bag. They’ll ferment somewhat in the freezer, and this counts as the
rise. Before using, thaw completely in their bags overnight in the fridge or at
room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. Then treat the dough exactly as you would
regular overnighted dough, continuing with the directions for making pizzas,
calzones, or stromboli. —Peter Reinhart
no-cook tomato sauce

M a K e S 3 1/4 c u P S
1 28-oz. can crushed or ground
tomatoes
2 tbs. red-wine vinegar or
lemon juice
1 tsp. dried (or 1 tbs. finely
chopped fresh) oregano, basil,
marjoram, thyme, or parsley
(optional)
3 to 5 cloves garlic, minced or
pressed (optional)
Kosher salt or table salt and
freshly ground black pepper
Canned crushed tomatoes plus mixed herbs combine for a simple, yet
flavorful sauce.
Whisk the tomatoes, vinegar or lemon juice, and any optional ingredients in a
bowl. Add just enough water to thin the sauce so that it is easy to spread. Use
thinner sauce for pizza and thicker sauce for stromboli and calzones. Season
with salt and pepper to taste. The sauce can be refrigerated for a week or
frozen for up to 6 months.
PER 1/4 CUP: 20 CALORIES | 1G PROTEIN | 5G CARB | 0G TOTAL FAT | 0G SAT FAT |
pizza topping ideas

e nou G h for one 12 -inch
P izza
The key to these pizzas is to use only a small amount of sauce and cheese.
Too much sauce will make the dough soggy, and too much cheese will make
it greasy.
claSSic MarGherita Pizza
For each pizza, you’ll need about 1/4 cup No-Cook Tomato Sauce (recipe above),
2 to 3 oz. sliced fresh mozzarella or 1/4 cup grated low-moisture mozzarella,
and 4 to 6 large basil leaves, thinly sliced (save the basil for topping the pizza
right after it comes out of the oven)
pickled mushrooms with garlic and herbs

MaKeSaBout1Quart
6 cups mixed fresh mushrooms
(such as maitake, enoki, oyster, cremini, shiitake, and royal
trumpet), washed, trimmed,
and if large, halved or separated into smaller sections
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup white-wine vinegar
3 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. sugar
10 whole peppercorns
1 dried bay leaf
1 large clove garlic, slivered
1 small dried hot red chile
(about 2 inches long)
Kosher salt
Use as many varieties of mushrooms as you can find for the best flavor and
texture. In addition to the pizza above, try these with any egg or cheese dish.
1. Bring an 8-quart pot of water to a boil. Immerse a quart-size canning jar, lid,
and band in the water and boil for 10 minutes to sterilize. With tongs, transfer
to a clean dishtowel to drain.
2. Boil the mushrooms in the water until tender, 10 minutes. Drain and pack
them into the jar along with the thyme sprigs.
3. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, oil, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaf, garlic, chile, 1 Tbs. salt, and 1/2 cup
water to a boil over medium heat. Pour the mixture
over the mushrooms until it reaches the top of the
jar. Screw on the lid, cool to room temperature, and
refrigerate for 3 days before using. The mushrooms
will keep in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.
PER 1/2 CUP: 20 CALORIES | 1G PROTEIN | 3G CARB |
0.5G TOTAL FAT | 0G SAT FAT | 0G MONO FAT |
0G POLY FAT | 0MG CHOL | 45MG SODIUM | 1G FIBER
spaghetti with portabellas,
sage & walnuts
ServeS4
3/4 lb. dried spaghetti
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 large portabella mushroom
caps, gills scraped out and
discarded, caps thinly sliced
and cut into 2-inch pieces
black pepper
2/3 cup loosely packed fresh sage
leaves
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely
chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigianoreggiano
In this dish, mushrooms, sage, and walnuts turn ordinary spaghetti into the
perfect fall meal. The mix is filling, flavorful, and a welcome diversion from
traditional sauce.
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until it’s
tender but still firm to the tooth, about 9 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta
cooking water and then drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and 2 Tbs. of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over
medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add the mushrooms, season
with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re brown and
tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
3. In the same sauté pan, melt the remaining 6 Tbs. butter over medium heat.
Add the sage leaves, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they darken and crisp
and the flecks of milk solids in the butter are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Return the mushrooms to the pan and pile in the walnuts, the cooked pasta,
and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta continuously with tongs to coat
well, adding more water as needed so the pasta is moist, 1 to 2 minutes. (If
your skillet isn’t big enough, you can toss everything together in the pasta pot.)
Season with salt and pepper, mound into bowls, and sprinkle generously with
the Parmigiano. Serve immediately. —Arlene Jacobs
cooking Pasta Properly

Help your pasta dish be its best by knowing a few of the hows
and whys of cooking the pasta itself.
Stir at the start
Many pasta recipes begin like this: “Bring a large pot of water, 4 to
5 quarts, to a rapid boil.” Do you really need this much water?
Well, if you’re only boiling a small amount of pasta (less than
1/2 lb.), you don’t need so much, but a generous pot of rapidly
boiling water is helpful for several reasons: it comes back to a
boil faster when you add the pasta; it makes it easier to submerge long, rigid pastas like spaghetti; and it helps to reduc
e
sticking slightly by quickly washing away the exuding starch from
the pasta surface.
To keep pasta from sticking, stir during the first minute or
two of cooking. This is the crucial time when the pasta surface
is coated with sticky, glue-like starch. If you don’t stir, pieces of
pasta that are touching one another literally cook together.
add salt, but not oil
While adding oil to the pasta water can prevent pasta from sticking, it’s at a great price. Pasta that’s cooked
in oily water will become oily itself and, as a result, the sauce slides off, leaving you with flavorless pasta. And
adding oil may keep the pasta water from bubbling up and boiling over the rim, but this can also be achieved
by using a large pot and also by reducing the heat a little (but still maintaining a boil). This is a much better
solution than greasing your pasta and sacrificing flavor.
Salted water flavors the pasta. A generous amount of salt in the water seasons the pasta internally as it
absorbs liquid and swells. The pasta dish may even require less salt overall. For a more complex, interesting
flavor, add 1 to 2 Tbs. sea salt to a large pot of rapidly boiling water.
hot pasta absorbs more sauce
Toss hot pasta with hot sauce quickly—without rinsing it—so the pasta absorbs more sauce and flavor. As it
cools, the swollen starch in the pasta crystallizes and becomes insoluble, and the pasta won’t absorb as
much sauce. Just so there’s no delay, always prepare the sauce first in a large skillet, even if it’s simply olive
oil, garlic, and pepper flakes. The second the pasta is done, scoop it out of the water with a big ladle-type
strainer or spider. Let the pasta drain over the pot for a few seconds, and then dump it into the hot sauce,
stir well, and set a lid on the skillet. Let the pasta sit, covered, to absorb the sauce for a minute or two, and
then remove the lid, stir again, and serve instantly.
Starch-enriched cooking water thickens the sauce
Rinsing the pasta after cooking is a bad idea for a couple of reasons. It can cool the pasta and prevent
absorption of a sauce, and it can wash away any remaining surface starch, which at this point in the cooking
can work to your advantage. The small amount of starch left on the pasta by the cooking water can thicken
your sauce slightly. —Shirley Corriher
spaghetti with
mushroom cream sauce
ServeS4
12 oz. dried spaghetti
Kosher salt
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 lb. mixed mushrooms,
cleaned, trimmed, and sliced
1/4 inch thick
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. tawny port
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
3 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley or
2 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon
Grated Parmigiano-reggiano,
for serving
This easy pasta gets complex
flavor from a combination
of mushrooms (try a mix of
cremini, shiitake, black trumpet,
portabella, and chanterelle),
cream, and a secret ingredient—
tawny port.
1. Over high heat, cook the
spaghetti in a large pot of boiling
salted water according to the
package directions until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until it just begins to color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add
the mushrooms, 3/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper and stir constantly
until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid, about 3 minutes. Lower the
heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned,
about 5 minutes more.
3. Add the port and stir to deglaze the pan. Add the cream and sour cream,
bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring
frequently, until the liquid reduces to a saucy consistency, about 2 minutes.
4. When the spaghetti is al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain
the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti and the reserved water to the sauce. Toss
over low heat, sprinkle with the parsley or tarragon, and toss again to combine.
If the sauce seems thin, continue to toss until it has thickened a bit. Season
to taste with more salt and pepper. Serve and pass the Parmigiano at the
table. —Jennifer McLagan
P A S TA 57
When you bring a pot of water to a boil to cook pasta, be sure to
add a generous amount of salt. Well-salted water seasons the
pasta internally as it absorbs liquid and swells. If the pasta is
sufficiently salted during boiling, the pasta dish may even require
less salt overall.
For 1 lb. pasta, use 4 quarts water and 2 Tbs. kosher salt—the
water should taste as salty as seawater.
potato gnocchi
ServeS6
2 lb. russet potatoes (about
4 medium), scrubbed
63/4 oz. (11/2 cups) unbleached
all-purpose flour; more for
kneading and rolling
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Classic Italian gnocchi are pressed on a fork to curl
them and impart the traditional ridges. To save
time, cut them in small squares and leave them as
little pillows. They’re a lot less fussy to make and
taste just as good.
1. Put the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot. Fill the
pot with enough cold water to cover the potatoes
by at least 2 inches and bring to a simmer over
medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium,
partially cover the pot, and simmer the potatoes
until they’re completely tender and easily pierced
with a skewer, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. Drain the potatoes, let them cool just enough that you can handle them, and
then peel them. Cut them in half crosswise and pass them through a ricer into
a large bowl. Let cool until almost at room temperature, at least 20 minutes.
3. Lightly flour a work surface. In a small bowl, mix the flour with the salt. Add
the egg to the potatoes and then add the flour mixture. Mix with your hands
until the flour is moistened and the dough starts to clump together; the dough
will still be a bit crumbly at this point. Gather the dough together and press it
against the bottom of the bowl until you have a uniform mass. Transfer it to
the floured surface and wash your hands. Knead gently until the flour is fully
incorporated and the dough is soft, smooth, and a little sticky, 30 seconds to
1 minute. (Don’t overmix it or the gnocchi will be tough; the dough should feel
very delicate.) Move the dough to one side, making sure the surface underneath it is well floured. Cover it with a clean
kitchen towel.
4. Cover 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment and sprinkle lightly
with flour.
5. Remove any lingering bits of dough from your work surface and lightly reflour
the surface. Tear off a piece of dough about the size of a large lemon and put
the towel back on the rest of the dough so it doesn’t dry out.
6. With the palms of both hands, roll the
dough piece on the floured surface into a
rope about 3/4 inch in diameter. With a sharp
knife or a bench knife, cut the rope crosswise every 3/4 inch to make roughly 3/4-
inchsquare gnocchi. Arrange the gnocchi in a
single layer on the prepared baking sheets,
making sure they don’t touch. Repeat until
you run out of dough, reflouring the work
surface as needed. When all the gnocchi
have been cut and spread out on the baking
sheets, sprinkle them with a little more flour.
If you’re going to use the gnocchi within 2 to
3 hours, they can sit out on the counter
fettuccine with tomatoes,
capers & olives
ServeS4
11/2 lb. ripe tomatoes, peeled,
seeded, and chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. fettuccine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 imported black olives, pitted
and coarsely chopped
8 imported green olives, pitted
and coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. capers, rinsed and
chopped if large
3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper
This recipe depends on juicy,
flavorful tomatoes. Big, fruity,
green Cerignola olives are less
briny than other green olives and
make a delicious difference.
1. Toss the tomatoes and garlic
together and drain them in a
strainer while you continue with
the recipe.
2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine until
al dente. Drain it well, return it to the pot, and toss it with the tomato mixture.
Toss again with the olive oil, olives, capers, parsley, and salt and pepper to
taste. Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes to absorb the flavors before serving.
—Clifford Wright
linguine with clams and
lemon-garlic oil
ServeS4
1 lemon
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3/4 lb. dried linguine
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 lb. small clams, rinsed and
scrubbed to remove grit
1/3 cup dry white wine
black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley; more for
garnish
Fresh, in-the-shell clams are the
key to getting true clam flavor,
and tiny littlenecks are the most
tender.
1. Put a large pot of salted water
on to boil.
2. Peel five 1-inch-wide strips
of zest from the lemon with a
peeler. Cut the lemon in half for
juicing later.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon
strips and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the garlic starts to brown
around the edges, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and use a fork to
pick out and discard the lemon strips. Transfer a little more than ¼ cup of the
oil (without the garlic) to a small bowl.
4. Put the pasta in the water.
5. Raise the heat under the skillet to high and add the pepper flakes and the
clams. Cook the clams for 1 minute, shaking the pan. Pour in the wine and cook
for 1 minute. Cover the pan and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until all the
clam shells open, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Finish cooking the linguine until it’s just tender, about 10 minutes total. Drain
and add to the clams. Raise the heat to high and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing gently. Stir in the 1/2 cup parsley
and a squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 Tbs.).
7. Add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately, topped
with a drizzle of the reserved lemon-garlic oil and more parsley.
—Tony Rosenfeld
orecchiette with mussels and mint

ServeS4
1 Tbs. salt
1 recipe basic Orecchiette
(recipe p. 65)
12 to 16 mussels, scrubbed and
debearded
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 medium zucchini, cut into
1-inch matchsticks
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper to taste
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint
leaves, chopped
This somewhat startling coupling of seafood and mint makes sense against a
background of supportive, plain pasta.
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and orecchiette and cook
until done, about 8 minutes for freshly made or about 20 minutes for dried.
Drain well.
2. Put the mussels in a large frying pan with the wine. Cover and bring to a boil.
Steam over medium heat until all the mussels have opened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon. Strain the mussel broth through
a coffee filter or a double layer of cheesecloth and return it to the frying pan.
Add the zucchini, cover, bring to a boil, and steam until cooked but not mushy,
about 3 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, remove the mussels from their shells and set aside. When
the zucchini are cooked, add the mussel meats and the cream; simmer
until the liquid is thickened and reduced, about 3 minutes. Season with salt
and pepper.
4. Toss the cooked orecchiette in the cream sauce over the heat until most
of the cream is absorbed, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with the mint and serve
immediately. —Natalie Danford
pickled cipollini onions with chile and cloves

MAKeS1PInt
1/2 lb. small cipollini onions,
peeled
1 sprig fresh thyme
3/4 cup white-wine vinegar
6 tbs. sugar
3 tbs. olive oil
4 whole cloves
1 dried bay leaf
1 small fresh hot chile (about
1 inch long)
1 large clove garlic, sliced
Kosher salt
Available throughout the winter, cipollini onions vary in size, so choose the
smallest ones you can find, preferably all the same size. Pickled, they’re great
in composed salads, stuffed into a chicken before roasting, or used as a cocktail garnish.
1. Have ready a sterilized pint jar, lid, and band. Wedge the onions and thyme
into the jar, packing them as tightly as you can without crushing them.
2. In a 1-quart saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, oil, cloves, bay leaf, chile,
garlic, and 1 tsp. salt to a boil over medium heat. Pour the mixture over the
onions until it reaches the top of the jar.
Distribute the cloves, bay leaf, garlic, and
chile evenly throughout the jar. Screw on the
lid, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate for 3 days before using. The onions will
keep in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.
PER 1/2 CUP: 40 CALORIES | 1G PROTEIN | 7G CARB |
1G TOTAL FAT | 0G SAT FAT | 0.5G MONO FAT |
0G POLY FAT | 0MG CHOL | 30MG SODIUM | 1G FIBER
giardiniera
MAKeSABout3quArtS
1 small head cauliflower
2 medium red bell peppers
1 medium yellow bell pepper
2 ribs celery
3 small pickling cucumbers
1 lb. carrots (baby carrots are
especially nice)
2 to 3 small Japanese eggplant
3 cups white-wine vinegar or
rice vinegar
21/2 cups water
4 tbs. sea salt or kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 to 3 small dried chile pods
12 whole black peppercorns
8 large sprigs fresh dill
olive oil
This updated version of the
traditional Italian pickled
vegetables is colorful, spicy,
and easy, and it can be made in
small batches.
1. Thoroughly clean and trim the
vegetables, removing all blemishes, seeds, ribs from inside the
peppers, and tough cauliflower
stems. Cut the vegetables into
uniform sizes; we like 2-inch
pieces. (Baby carrots can be left
whole.) Blanch the eggplant for 1 minute in boiling salted water. Pack all the
vegetables snugly into a clean glass jar with a clamp lid.
2. In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix the vinegar, water, salt, and seasonings. Pour
the mixture over the vegetables to completely submerge them. Make more
pickling liquid if necessary. Top off with a 1/2-inch layer of olive oil. Store in a
cool pantry for 2 weeks before eating. —Jeanne Quan
tiramisù
ServeS10to12
5 cups hot brewed espresso (or
double-strength drip coffee
made with espresso roast)
1 cup plus 2 tbs. sugar
2 tbs. rum; more to taste
(optional)
4 large eggs, separated
16 oz. (2 cups) mascarpone
46 ladyfingers (approximately) or
savoiardi cookies, preferably
Balocco®, Bonomi®, or elledi®
brands
2 tbs. unsweetened cocoa
powder, or 1 to 2 oz. bitter
sweet chocolate
This recipe calls for uncooked eggs, so keep the tiramisù refrigerated and
serve it within 48 hours. If the uncooked eggs in this dish are a concern, use
pasteurized eggs instead.
1.Pourthecoffeeintoalargebowlandadd2Tbs.ofthesugarwhileit’sstill
hot.Stirwellandletitcooltoroomtemperature.Addtherum,if using.
2.Combinetheeggyolksandtheremaining1cupsugarinthebowlofastand
mixerfittedwiththewhiskattachment.Beatonmedium-highspeeduntilthe
yolksarepaleyellowandfluffy,about5minutes.(Themixturewillbefairly
thickatfirst.)Addthemascarponeandbeatuntilit’sfullyincorporatedintoa
smoothcream,another2to3minutes.Transfertoalargebowl.
3.Thoroughlywashanddrythestandmixerbowlandwhisk.Puttheeggwhites
inthebowlandwhiponmedium-highspeeduntiltheyformmedium-stiff
peakswhenyouliftthebeaters(thetipsshouldcurloverontothemselves
justalittle).Witharubberspatula,foldaboutone-quarterofthebeaten
whitesintothemascarponecreamtolightenit.Thengentlyfoldinthe
remainingwhites,takingcarenottodeflatethem.Coverwithplasticwrapand
refrigerate.
4.Submergeoneladyfingerinthecooledcoffeeuntilthecoffeepenetrates
abouthalfwaythrough,leavingthecoredry(breakittocheck).Thiscantake
from1to12seconds,dependingonthetypeofladyfinger(seethesidebar
below).Youdon’twanttheladyfingertogetcompletelysoakedoritwill
becomesoggyandfallapart.Youshouldbeabletofeelthattheoutsideissoft
buttheinsideisstillfirm.
5.Onceyou’vedeterminedthecorrectsoakingtime,submergeeachlady
fingerindividually,gentlyshakeoutexcesscoffee,andimmediatelysetitina
9x13-inchbakingdish;continueuntilyouhaveonetightlayerthatcoversthe
bottomofthedish.(Youmayneedtobreakafewladyfingerstofitinsnugly.)
Spreadone-halfofthemascarponecreamevenlyontopoftheladyfingers.
6. Repeat the soaking procedure with the remaining ladyfingers to create a

second snug layer, arranging them on top of the mascarpone cream as you
did for the first layer. Spread the rest of the mascarpone cream evenly on top.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before
serving, sift the cocoa powder or finely grate the chocolate over the top to
evenly cover. —Laura Giannatempo
creamy orange-ricotta tart

M a K e S o n e 9 1/2 - i n c h ta r t;
ServeS12
1 5-oz. container whole-milk
ricotta (about 11/2 cups)
3 oz. cream cheese, at room
temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbs. unbleached all-purpose
flour
1/4 tsp. table salt
3 large egg yolks
1 tbs. finely grated orange zest
1 tbs. orange-flavored liqueur
(such as Grand Marnier® or
cointreau®) or orange juice
1 Press-in cookie crust (recipe
below; preferably vanilla or
chocolate), baked and cooled
Strips of orange zest or segments of blood orange, for
garnish (optional)
Using ricotta in addition to cream cheese gives this tart a fluffier, lighter
texture.
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. In a
medium bowl, combine the ricotta and cream cheese. Using an electric
mixer, beat on medium speed until well blended and no lumps remain, about
3 minutes. Add the sugar, flour, and salt and continue beating until well
blended, about 1 minute. Add the egg yolks, orange zest, and orange liqueur.
Beat until just incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the filling into the
crust and spread the filling evenly.
2. Bake the tart until the filling just barely jiggles when the pan is nudged, 30 to
35 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Refrigerate the tart in the pan until
chilled and firm, 2 to 3 hours. Serve garnished with strips of orange zest or
blood orange segments, if you like. —Abigail Johnson Dodge
press-in cookie crust

MaKeS1cruStFor
a 9 1/2 - i n c h ta r t
1 cup finely ground cookies
(ground in a food processor);
choose one from the following: about 35 vanilla wafers,
about 25 chocolate wafers, or
8 whole graham crackers
2 tbs. sugar
11/2 oz. (3 tbs.) unsalted butter,
melted
Alter the type of cookie you use and you can change the flavor profile of
your tart.
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Have
ready an ungreased 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the cookie crumbs and sugar with a fork until well
blended. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumbs and mix with the fork or
your fingers until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Put the crumbs in the tart
pan and use your hands to spread the crumbs so that they coat the bottom of
the pan and start to climb the sides. Use your fingers to pinch and press some
of the crumbs around the inside edge of the pan to cover the sides evenly and
create a wall about a scant 1/4 inch thick. Redistribute the remaining crumbs
evenly over the bottom of the pan and press firmly to make a compact layer.
(A metal measuring cup with straight sides and a flat base is good for this task.)
3. Bake the crust until it smells nutty and fragrant (crusts made with lightercolored cookies will brown slightly), about
10 minutes. Set the baked crust on
a rack and let cool. The crust can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored at
room temperature, wrapped well in p
tips for making

the crust
• If you don’t have a food processor,
put the cookies in a zip-top bag
and crush them with a rolling pin.
• Lay a piece of plastic wrap over
the crumbs as you spread them
so they won’t stick to your hands.
orange-hazelnut olive oil cookies
MaKeSaBout6dozen
cooKieS
2 cups toasted and skinned
hazelnuts
10 oz. (21/4 cups) unbleached
all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tbs. sugar
2 large eggs
Finely grated zest of
2 medium oranges (about
11/2 packed tbs.)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Reminiscent of biscotti in texture, these not-too-sweet cookies are a perfect
dipper for after-dinner coffee.
1. Finely grind the hazelnuts in a food processor. In a medium bowl, whisk the
hazelnuts, flour, baking powder, and salt to blend. With a hand mixer or a stand
mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, oil, eggs, zest, and
vanilla on low speed until the sugar is moistened, about 15 seconds. Increase
the speed to high and mix until well combined, about 15 seconds more (the
sugar will not be dissolved at this point). Add the dry ingredients and mix on
low speed until the dough has just pulled together, 30 to 60 seconds.
2. Divide the dough in half. Pile one-
half of the dough onto a piece of parchment. Using the parchment to help shape the dough, form it into a log 11 inches
long and 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the parchment around the log and twist
the ends to secure. Repeat with the remaining dough. Chill in the freezer until
firm, about 1 hour.
3. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to
350°F. Line 4 cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners.
4. Unwrap one log of dough at a time and cut the dough into 1/4-inch slices; set
them 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets. Bake 2 sheets at a time until light
golden on the bottoms and around the edges, about 10 minutes, rotating and
swapping the sheets halfway through for even baking. Let cool completely on
racks. The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for
up to 1 week. —David Crofton
gingerbread biscotti
MaKeSaBout24BiScotti
10 oz. (21/4 cups) unbleached
all-purpose flour
11/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. ground ginger
11/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. (1 cup) pecans, coarsely
chopped
4 oz. (1/2 cup) lightly packed
dried apricots, coarsely
chopped
1/4 cup molasses
2 large eggs
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
(from about 1 medium navel
orange)
Biscotti are very forgiving, and
you can bake these to your taste:
chewy, crunchy, or somewhere in
between.
1. Position a rack in the center of
the oven and heat the oven to
350°F. Line a large cookie sheet
with parchment.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the
paddle attachment, combine the
flour, brown sugar, ginger, baking
powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda on medium-low speed until
well blended. On low speed, briefly mix in the pecans and apricots. In a measuring cup, lightly whisk the molasses, eg
gs, and orange zest. With the mixer
on low, slowly pour in the egg mixture. Continue mixing until the dough is well
blended and comes together in large, moist clumps, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Dump the dough onto an unfloured work surface. Divide into 2 equal piles
(about 1 lb. each). Shape each pile into a log that’s 10 inches long and about
11/2 inches in diameter, lightly flouring your hands as needed (the dough is a bit
sticky).
4. Position the logs on the lined cookie sheet about 4 inches apart.
5. Bake until the tops are cracked and spring back slightly when gently pressed,
30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a rack and let cool until the logs are
cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
6. Carefully peel the biscotti logs from the parchment and transfer to a cutting
board. Using a serrated knife, saw each log into diagonal slices 3/4 inch wide. Return the slices to the cookie sheet (no
need for fresh parchment) and arrange
them cut side down. It’s all right if they touch because they won’t spread.
7. Bake until the biscotti are dried to your taste, about 10 minutes (for slightly
moist and chewy) to 20 minutes (for super-dry and crunchy). Transfer the
cookie sheet to a rack and let the biscotti cool completely. The biscotti will still
give slightly when pressed, but will harden as they cool. When cool, store in
airtight containers. —Abigail Johnson Dodge
triple-chocolate biscotti
MaKeSaBout4dozen
BiScotti
9 oz. (13/4 cups) hazelnuts
101/2 oz. (22/3 cups) unbleached allpurpose flour
31/2 oz. (1 cup) dutch-processed
cocoa powder
11/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
11/2 tbs. finely ground darkroast coffee beans or instant
espresso powder
4 oz. (2/3 cup) chocolate chips
5 large eggs
11/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
12 oz. white chocolate
Covering one side of these
chocolate biscotti with white
chocolate gives them an elegant
look and a moister texture.
1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Toast
the hazelnuts on a baking sheet
for 10 to 15 minutes, until they
emit a nutty aroma but haven’t
turned dark brown inside. If they
still have skins, cover the nuts
with a dishtowel or paper towels
for a few minutes after you take
them out of the oven, and then rub the nuts with the towel to remove the
skins. Set aside to cool.
2. Put the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and ground coffee
beans into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Combine these
ingredients on medium-low speed and then toss in the nuts and chocolate
chips. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract.
With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the egg mixture to the mixing
bowl and mix until the dough comes together. Remove the bowl from the
mixer and mix in any remaining dry ingredients from the bottom by hand.
3. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. With floured hands, roll each part into a
log about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Place the logs 4 inches apart
on greased or parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake the logs at 325°F for 30 to
35 minutes, until the sides are firm, the tops are cracked, and the dough inside
the cracks no longer looks wet. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and
reduce the oven temperature to 300°F. Let the logs cool on the baking sheets
for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Cut the logs on a slight diagonal into
3/4-inch-thick slices. Place the biscotti flat on the baking sheet and dry them in
the oven for about 25 minutes, until the biscotti offer resistance when
pressed. Transfer the biscotti to a rack to cool.
4. While the biscotti are cooling, chop the white chocolate and melt it in a
microwave on low power or in a double boiler over simmering water. With a
knife, spread white chocolate on one cut side of each cooled biscotti. Put the
biscotti, white-chocolate side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Allow the chocolate to harden. Peel the biscotti from the parchment and
store in an airtight container. —Emily Luchetti
how to make
biscotti
Don’t overmix the batter or the
biscotti will be fine-crumbed and
dense. Turn the dough out of the
mixing bowl while it’s still crumbly
and knead in the last bit of flour
by hand.
SIMPLE IS OFTEN BEST” TOMATO SAUCE
Yield: 28 ounces (800 g) This simple combination of
tomatoes and salt is not really even a sauce, but it
is used by pizzaioli the world over, especially in
Naples. Simple to prepare and oh so delizioso!
1 (28-ounce [800-g]) can tomatoes (our favorite is the real San Marzano
tomato) ½ teaspoon sea salt (less, or possibly none, if the tomatoes are
salted) 1. Drain the tomatoes in a colander for a few minutes.
2. Use your fingers to lightly crush the tomatoes, and let them drain for a
couple
more minutes.
3. Pour the tomatoes into a bowl and crush them thoroughly with your fingers
or
a potato masher. You can use a food processor, but that will take all the fun
out of using your hands to play with the tomatoes.
4. Stir in the salt to taste. Let the tomatoes rest for a few minutes.
5. Taste again and adjust the salt if necessary.
But: This recipe requires using very good tomatoes (preferably true San
Marzano DOP tomatoes). If the tomatoes are very acidic, you might want to
add a pinch of sugar to them. If they taste a bit flat, you can add a splash of
wine vinegar or lemon juice. After you add the sugar, vinegar, or lemon
juice,
let the tomatoes rest for a few minutes, and then taste. Adjust if necessary.
These added minutes will give you a better sauce.
And finally: If you wish, you can add some fresh or dried herbs (usually
basil
and/or oregano) to the sauce. A small amount will give the sauce an extra
dimension. You can also try a bit of crushed fresh garlic or freshly ground
black pepper, but remember that the sauce is called “Simple Is Often Best,”
and when you use great tomatoes you do not really need anything other
than a
pinch of salt.
LA SALSA (COOKED TOMATO SAUCE)

Yield: about 40 ounces (1100 grams)
This sauce is often called “marinara” (not to be confused with the pizza of the
same name). The sauce includes classic Italian ingredients such as garlic and
basil, and you simmer it just like your grandmother did (or would have done
if
she were Italian). This great pizza sauce can also be used in pasta dishes, with
chicken or fish, or even with baked or grilled vegetables.
1 (28-ounce [800-g]) can tomatoes (the best you can find)
1 medium onion, chopped
Pinch sea salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1–2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch dried oregano
3–4 large fresh basil leaves
1. Strain the tomatoes through a colander placed over a bowl. Reserve the
juices.
2. Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and crush them with your fingers or a
potato masher.
3. Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
4. Add the onion, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat for a couple of
minutes.
5. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so, until the vegetables are
soft
but not browned.
6. Add the drained tomatoes and the oregano, and stir well. Reduce the heat
and
simmer for about 15 minutes. Add some of the reserved tomato juice if the
sauce is too thick.
7. Add the basil leaves, stir, and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Let
the
sauce simmer for a few more minutes. Let the sauce cool before using on
your pizza.
FOCACCIA WITH ROSEMARY
Yield: 1 (12-inch [30-cm]) pizza
This is a classic focaccia, topped with fresh rosemary!

1 clove garlic, peeled
1 generous sprig of rosemary

1 Our Favorite Dough, 9 ounces (260 g) (page 191) Couple pinches of sea
salt, preferably flaked salt such as Maldon 1. Place a pizza pan in the
oven, and preheat to 500°F (260°C) or higher for 1 hour.
2. Warm the oil in a saucepan on medium–high heat.
3. Sauté the garlic in the oil for 2 minutes. Turn down the heat to the lowest
setting, then add the rosemary and cook for 3–4 minutes. Remove the pan
from the heat, and let it cool.
4. Discard the garlic, reserving the oil and rosemary.
5. Stretch the pizza dough to a diameter of 12 inches (30 cm). Place the
dough
neatly in the pizza pan and let rise for 30 minutes.
6. Use your fingertips to gently “dimple” the dough. Pour the oil mixture over
the dough, leaving a 1-inch (3-cm) border. Redistribute the rosemary leaves
if necessary.
7. Sprinkle salt over the focaccia, and bake until golden brown.
8. Remove the focaccia from the oven, and place it on a heat-resistant
surface.
9. Remove the focaccia from the pan, place it on a plate, and serve.
Tip
For a thicker focaccia, let the dough rise for 45 minutes or longer.
PIZZA QUATTRO FORMAGGI

Yield: 1 (12-inch [30-cm]) pizza
It is hard to beat a great crust topped with four great cheeses. We recommend
the
stronger-flavored Gorgonzola piccante when available—this is the original
Gorgonzola, a wonderful cheese to melt on top of a pizza. The word piccante
refers not to the cheese being spicy but to the fact that it is extra flavorful.
The milder Gorgonzola dolce will also work well.
1 Our Favorite Dough, 9 ounces (260 g) (page 191)
4 ounces (110 g) fresh mozzarella di bufala, shredded
2 ounces (60 g) Gorgonzola piccante, thinly sliced
1 ounce (30 g) Taleggio, thinly sliced
1 ounce (30 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, thinly sliced
2–3 fresh basil leaves
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
1. Place a baking stone in the oven, and preheat to 500°F (260°C) or higher
for 1
hour.
2. Stretch the pizza dough to a diameter of 12 inches (30 cm).
3. Spread the mozzarella over the dough, leaving a 1-inch (3-cm) border.
4. Bake the pizza on the baking stone until the mozzarella has melted and the
crust is a light golden color, and remove from the oven. Place the pizza on a
heat-resistant surface.
5. Distribute the Gorgonzola and Taleggio over the pizza, return the pizza to
the
oven, and continue baking until the crust is golden and the cheese is
bubbling
6. Remove the pizza from the oven, and place it on a plate.
7. Distribute the Parmigiano-Reggiano and basil leaves over the pizza, add
coarsely ground black pepper, and serve
Rules of Cooking Pasta
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil for every 4
ounces of pasta you intend to cook. The water
should be at a rolling boil when you add the
pasta, or the pasta won’t cook through evenly.
Add at least 1 teaspoon of salt per quart of
water after the water comes to a boil (if you add it
earlier, it will raise the boiling temperature of the
water and make the water come to a boil more
slowly). The water should be very salty; not all of
the salt will penetrate the pasta, but rather it will
flavor the water, so the pasta will not be too salty
once drained.
Never add oil to the cooking water! The
pasta won’t stick together unless you forget to stir
it often as it cooks. (Adding oil to the water will
create a slippery surface on the pasta; the sauce
will adhere poorly to the pasta when it’s time to
combine the two.) 5. Add the pasta to the boiling
water all at once, and stir with a long-handled
spoon that will allow you to reach all the way to
the bottom of the pot. If you are making long
pasta, keep stirring until it becomes supple, loses
rigidity, and is entirely submerged in the water. If
you aren’t careful when cooking long pasta, you
may end up leaving parts of it hanging out of the
water for minutes, resulting in unevenly cooked
pasta; take the time to push all of the pasta
strands into the boiling water, and do it as quickly
as possible so the pasta cooks evenly.
be overcooked by the time the inside is al dente.
The only case where you don’t want water at a
rolling boil is when cooking filled pastas such as
ravioli or tortellini, as the filling may leak out; in
this case, keep the water at a low boil.
7. Stir the pasta every 30 seconds or so. This is
crucial to prevent sticking and to ensure even
cooking. And don’t forget to reach all the way to
the bottom of the pot when stirring.
8. Taste often to see if the pasta is almost fully
cooked, and drain it when it’s al dente (meaning
“to the tooth,” because it should offer a little bite
when it’s drained): there should still be a tiny
white dot at the center. Fresh pasta may cook
very quickly (in as little as 1 minute for delicate,
thin pasta), so never walk out of the kitchen when
cooking pasta. Dried pasta takes anywhere from 8
to 14 minutes, depending on the thickness and
shape (except angel hair pasta, which cooks in a
minute or two); start tasting the pasta about 2
minutes prior to the suggested cooking time on
the box. You can always cook pasta longer, but
you can’t “uncook” pasta that is overcooked.
When cooking angel hair pasta, taste for
doneness 30 seconds after it has been added to
the boiling water.
Reserve about 2 cups of the pasta cooking
water before you drain the pasta. Use as much of
this reserved pasta cooking water as needed to
thin out your sauce (this allows you to cut down
on olive oil or butter). Also, because the pasta
cooking water is so rich in starch, it helps the
sauce bind to the pasta, making for a lovely,
velvety quality. And the residual heat in the
reserved pasta cooking water will help your pasta
stay hot longer.
10. Never rinse pasta after you drain it, even if
you plan to serve the pasta cold: rinsing pasta will
wash out the starch and much of the flavor. (To
cool drained pasta for use in cold dishes, toss it
with a touch of olive oil and spread it out on a
large tray until it reaches room temperature,
about 15 minutes.)
Isn’t That Too Much Salt?
As a cooking teacher, I want to be sure that my students enjoy what
we cook together.
But I also want them to learn that there are certain basic parameters
that can’t be ignored
when cooking properly. One of these basic parameters is the use of
salt in the kitchen. So
unfortunately, I often face a student who looks on aghast as I add
salt to a dish, saying (or
visibly thinking), “Isn’t that too much salt?” The fact is, food tastes
best when it is seasoned
with salt during cooking (not just when it is sprinkled with salt as an
afterthought, when
serving); pasta tastes better when it is boiled in properly salted
water; and no dish can be
made without salt if you really want to taste the ingredients to their
fullest. Use goodquality sea salt (not iodized salt, which has an odd
metallic flavor) and add enough salt so
that each flavor in the dish aligns. And remember: when you taste a
dish and you are
unexcited by it, chances are that it needs more salt.
About Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Nearly all my recipes

call for extra-virgin olive oil; if I’m not using butter,
I’m using extra-virgin olive oil. But why should I
specify extra-virgin, rather than virgin, pure, or
light olive oil, especially given that it costs so much
more?
Extra-virgin olive oil is produced according to stricter
guidelines than other olive oils. You
need to use less in any given recipe because it delivers
more flavor per tablespoon than other
olive oils. The olives are picked when ripe, sent to the
mill within a day of picking (so the fruit
does not begin to deteriorate), and crushed mechanically.
The resulting mash is spread onto
thin mats that are stacked in a stainless steel press. As
pressure is applied, oil and water seep
out; since no heat is used, this oil is called “first cold
pressed.” After pressing, water and oil are
separated, and the oil may or may not be filtered to
remove small bits of fruit or pit. The oil is
then bottled and sold as “extra-virgin olive oil.”
Oils that do not meet the criteria for “extra-virgin” after
pressing are sent to a refinery where
defects in color, taste, and aroma are rectified by
industrial processing. When olive oil is refined
with the aid of chemicals, it becomes colorless and
tasteless; this inferior oil is then blended
with some virgin olive oil (which provides color and
flavor) and sold as “pure” olive oil. “Light”
and “mild” olive oils are also produced this way, using
chemical processes and solvents, but
less “virgin” oil is added to rectify flavor and color.
Extra-virgin olive oil is required by law to have no more
than 0.8% acidity, which makes it
more digestible and healthier than virgin olive oil (2% or
less acidity) and pure olive oil (higher
than 2% acidity). Acidity in olive oil is directly correlated
to production methods: when olives
are picked mechanically or bruised before they are
pressed, or when the olive oil oxidizes,
acidity levels increase. Therefore, lower acidity is an
indication of better quality.
All olive oil (whether extra-virgin, virgin, or pure) has the
same number of calories: 120 per
tablespoon, so steer clear of olive oil labeled “light,”
which has the same calories but a much
blander, nondescript flavor and higher acidity than extra-
virgin olive oil.
As for most foods, heat and light are olive oil’s natural
enemies, causing the oil to deteriorate
faster than it would otherwise, and to oxidize, eventually
becoming rancid. Store olive oil away
from light and heat; a pantry far from the stove is ideal.
You can store olive oil in the
refrigerator if you don’t plan on using it within a year of
purchase; the oil will turn cloudy and
firm up in the refrigerator, but it will return to its liquid
state when brought back to room
temperature.
Olive oil oxidizes over time and will become rancid if stored for too long; the average shelf
life of olive oil is eighteen months from the date of bottling, as long as it is properly stored.
Some bottles have a production date stamped on the label, but most do not, so you are better
off buying your olive oil at a store that has a good turnover.
If you like the flavor of extra-virgin olive oil, there is no reason to relegate it to the “raw use”
category only: try extra-virgin olive oil in your pan sauces, rub it on meat before grilling, add it
to marinades, deep-fry in it … While it is true that the characteristics of extra-virgin olive oil are
more pronounced when the oil is savored raw, extra-virgin olive oil nevertheless brings more
fruity olive flavor to the plate than any other oil. And it is far healthier.
Extra-virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point than chemically extracted oils, so do not heat it
beyond 350°F. This is also why I start my sauces cold when using olive oil to sauté aromatic
ingredients (see Starting Cold and this page).
Starting Cold “Place the olive oil in a pan and add the
onion, carrot, and celery. Cook over medium heat until …”
Does this sentence seem strange or counterintuitive to
you? Why would you put the ingredients together in a cold
pan? Simple: starting cold brings the best out of the
aromatic ingredients that form the flavor base of most
Italian recipes. By gently warming these ingredients
(usually finely minced, they are known as battuto in Italian)
at the same time as the olive oil when preparing a sauce,
you extract more of their flavor and lessen the risk of
burning them. When you add aromatic ingredients to hot
oil in a hot pan, you seize them and often burn them,
rather than coax out their essence. The exception to the
rule is butter, of course, which needs to be melted before
you use it to cook or sauté.
Knowing When Meat Is “Tender”
One of the things I’ve noticed after teaching cooking for so many
years is that a lot of
people have trouble gauging when braised meats are tender.
Braising meat is the
preferred method for cooking tough cuts such as shoulder, butt, and
other muscles that
work hard and need long, slow cooking with plenty of liquid to
become tender. Most
people undercook braised meats, stopping shy of when the meat
magically changes
texture and becomes silky and tremulous at the touch of a fork. To
test whether meat is
truly tender, poke it with a fork; if there is resistance, you’re not
there yet. Keep going, and
you’ll find that eventually the meat falls off the bone (if it is being
cooked on the bone) or
flakes when the tines of the fork penetrate it. Be sure to keep the
meat nicely moistened
with liquid as you braise it, or it will emerge dry and tough no
matter how long you cook
it.
Preserving Fresh Herbs Fresh herbs are always in

abundant supply in my refrigerator, both at home
and at my cooking school. I find that with the
exception of bay leaves and oregano, dried herbs
really don’t add much to a dish
Their flavor is
usually dull and dusty, just a ghost of the lovely
fragrance of the fresh herb. A lot of people are
hesitant about buying fresh herbs because they
figure they won’t be able to use them up before
they wilt or get soggy. Here is how to conserve
fresh herbs when you simply have too much on
your hands. Start by rinsing the herbs, then dry
them thoroughly by laying them out on paper
towels. At this point, you have several choices:
Wrap in clean, dry paper towels and wrap in a new
freezer-safe plastic bag in the least cold part of
your refrigerator for a few days; this works for all
but the most delicate herbs (basil is notably prone
to go dark and soggy after a day or so, and cannot
be rinsed more than 30 minutes or so in advance
of use).
Strip the herbs from the stems, and place in a food
processor with an equivalent volume of coarse sea
salt; pulse until you obtain a fine salt. This herbed
sea salt can be stored in a clean glass jar in the
refrigerator for a few months, but will lose potency
over time. Use herbed salt in place of salt in any
dish. Sturdy herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and
sage do especially well in this preparation, because
their aroma lasts longer.
3. Strip the herbs from the stems, place in a blender
or food processor with a bit of sea salt, and add
enough extra-virgin olive oil while the motor is
running to create an emulsion. This herbed olive
oil will last in the refrigerator for a week or so,
losing potency over time. Top with a fresh layer of
olive oil as needed.
Strip the herbs from the stems, and chop coarsely.
Place in ice cube trays, cover with extra-virgin
olive oil, and freeze until solid. Pop out of the ice
cube trays, wrap in plastic, and store in freezersafe plastic
bags for up to 2 months. Defrost as
needed. Delicious melted on a grilled steak or
grilled fish, or swirled into a simmering pasta sauce
upon serving!
Great Finishes Most of us think about cheese when we
imagine sprinkling something over a finished pasta
dish … yet there are many other ways to finish a pasta and
give it an additional layer of flavor just before serving. For
pretty much any pasta sauce that incorporates olive oil, I
like drizzling my finished pasta with raw olive oil; the raw
oil has incredible flavor and fruitiness compared to oil that
has been warmed or cooked, so I often use less olive oil to
cook a sauce, and drizzle the rest over the pasta when
serving. I also love the crunch and nutty flavor provided by
toasted bread crumbs; this is a classic way to finish pastas
in southern Italy and Sicily (see this page and this page).
For seafood sauces and long-simmered bean sauces, I
find a little bit of finely minced garlic and parsley add a
lovely freshness. Almost any pasta tossed with a tomatobased sauce
benefits from a few torn basil leaves; and
there are few pasta sauces, especially those rich with
cheese and slow-cooked meat, that aren’t improved by a
last-minute sprinkling of black pepper
I so love these beautiful pizzas for their crisp, practically crackery outer rim.
If
they’re topped with sauce and cheese, the moisture will put some sag in the
middle. If the toppings are more minimal, the entire pizza might retain its
crispness all the way through, depending on the pizzeria and how it’s baked.
One
of my favorite Roman tondo pizzas has no cheese: it’s topped with tomato
sauce
and a little ore
gano, and after it comes out of the oven, cured anchovies and a
drizzle of good aromatic olive oil.
DETAIL 8: UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF SALT IN

PIZZA DOUGH
The first rule to remember is that salt slows down fermentation in any
leavened
dough. The second rule to remember is that there is no one right amount of
salt to
use to make a great pizza dough. A typical bread dough recipe calls for 2
percent
salt, by weight, as measured against the total flour in the recipe, although I
usually
push it to 2.2 percent because I like the way it affects flavor. Most published
pizza
dough recipes I’ve seen use about 2 percent salt, as do we at Ken’s Artisan
Pizza.
Researching for this book, I discovered Neapolitan and Roman pizzaiolos
using salt
up to 3 percent in their recipes, and at first I thought it was a typo. Then I
reviewed the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana rules and saw that the
dough
recipe called for 3 percent salt. I matched that to my understanding of two
things
in Italian pizzerias: First, there is agreement among them that they get the
best
results when making their style of pizza from dough at room temperature,
not
from refrigeration. Second, many don’t even have the option of using
refrigeration
due to space and other concerns. Then I thought, okay, in a pizzeria if you
don’t
have refrigeration and you want a long-fermented dough for the best
texture and
flavor, you have to use more salt; otherwise, the dough blows out (that is, it
gets
too gassy) halfway through an evening’s service. Salt tempers the
fermentation and
allows the dough balls to hold longer without overfermenting.
The typical sauce at a Neapolitan pizzeria is simply pureed canned whole

tomatoes
and salt. Most pizzerias empty cans into a big bucket and use an immersion
blender to mix the sauce, while some use a more labor-intensive manual
food mill.
Olive oil does not go into the sauce. It goes on the pie as a dressing after the
sauce
and the cheese. If oregano is going to be on the pizza, it is sprinkled on top
of the
sauce.
A pizza stone in the home kitchen was once the only option for baking pizzas
brick-oven style, on a hot, earthen surface. An improvement to the earthen
pizza
stone is now on the market: the pizza steel, made from ¼-inch-thick steel.
Steel is
more conductive than stone, and in all of my test baking I get superior
results with
the steel. The stone doesn’t release its heat as fast as the steel does. A
greater
intensity of heat hits the bottom of the pizza crust, which is exactly what we
want,
and you see more of the leopard-spot pocks of dark color on the bottom of
the
crust, just like at a good pizzeria. Pizza steels are made to the same
dimensions as a
pizza stone, and the thick steel won’t crack or break like some poorly made
pizza
stones will. It’s a little more expensive than most stones, but it will last a
lifetime
and then some.
Andris Lagsdin of Stoughton Steel deserves credit for being the first to
market a
pizza steel—though he gives credit for the inspiration to Nathan Myhrvold’s
Modernist Cuisine. It works so well that he now has competitors. I bought
my pizza
steel online from Stoughton Steel. It came pre-seasoned and shipping was
included
in the purchase price ($79). A good pizza stone is less expensive than a steel;
before
you buy either, I would encourage you to check user reviews: I have heard
reports
of some brands of pizza stones cracking under the high heat of pizza baking.
FWSY SAUCE
This recipe from Flour Water Salt Yeast was called Smooth Red Sauce, and
it’s
flavored with olive oil, garlic, dried oregano, and chile flakes. I have adjusted
that
recipe here, removing the step of draining the tomatoes in a colander. The
sauce
will be thick enough provided you do not overmix it in the blender.
Use the best-quality dried oregano you can get; if you can find Calabrian
oregano,
all the better.
MAKES 750 grams (3 cups), enough sauce for five 12-inch pizzas 20 grams (1½ tablespoons) extravirgin
olive oil 1 clove garlic, chopped
8 grams (1½ teaspoons) fine sea salt 0.3 gram (¼ teaspoon) dried oregano 0.4 gram (¼ teaspoon)
chile flakes 1 can (800-gram/28-ounce) whole peeled tomatoes
1 Put the olive oil, garlic, salt, oregano, and chile flakes in a blender. Add just
a
spoonful of tomatoes and blend briefly until the garlic and oil have
emulsified.
Then add the rest of the tomatoes and blend very quickly, with brief pulses
only,
until all the ingredients are combined. Overblending releases water from the
tomato pulp and makes the sauce too thin.
2 Pour the sauce into a sealable container. I use a quart-sized deli container
with a
lid. Label the container with the date and refrigerate what you don’t use. It
should
keep for 1 week in the refrigerator.
There are various ways of categorizing spices, but five general
categories are helpful: sweet, pungent, tart, hot, and savory.
Many spices have elements of more than one category, so that
habanero chiles are both hot (very hot!) and sweet and fruity,
while coriander seeds are citrus-scented and the leaves, often
known as cilantro, are highly pungent. Sweet spices include
cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and vanilla. Pungent spices include
star anise, licorice, cardamom, black cardamom, asafetida,
mace, and clove, which may also have numbing qualities. Tart
or tangy spices include sumac, ginger, tamarind, anardana and
limu omani. Savory spices include many of the seeds and herbs
such as coriander, fennel, parsley, oregano, rosemary, and mint
The best way to dry herbs, such as these

spearmint leaves, is on the branch. Spread
the stems out on a metal tray, preferably
lined with parchment paper, and leave to
dry at room temperature. Turn the stems
after a few days so that they dry evenly.
Or tie them into small bundles and hang
to air-dry, which is best done indoors as
bright sunlight will cause color fading
and flavor loss. In humid climates, use
an electric dehydrator, drying from 1 to
4 hours.
The herbs are fully dried when the
leaves crumble easily and the small stems
break when bent. Sturdy, resinous herbs
such as sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme,
and summer savory will dry most easily
without a dehydrator.
BABIES
Broth of any kind is never a replacement for a mother’s breast milk or for
formula.
However, as babies grow older and start being weaned onto solids, it’s worth
considering
adding some freshly-made chicken broth, or other bone broth, to their diet.
It’s packed
with vital amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, and when
these are
combined with calcium, magnesium, boron and manganese, they help in the
formation of
strong bones. As well as being rich in all these minerals, broth contains high
levels of zinc,
which is needed for building a healthy immune system, especially at this
early stage in a
baby’s life.
As you start to wean your baby onto his first solids, adding a little of any of
the animal
broths will provide excellent nutrients for promoting growth, immunity and
healthy gut
development. It’s a good idea to purée the broth with root vegetables, such as
carrots,
sweet potato, swede (rutabaga) and parsnip. They are a good source of
antioxidants and
have a natural sweetness that is appealing to a baby trying out new flavours.
In addition to
the bone broths, you may also use the Vegetable top and tail broth, but the
Allium broth
has too strong a taste for a young palate and can cause wind or even colic in
some babies
with under-developed digestive systems.
Once he is fully weaned, there is no reason why your baby can’t enjoy a cup
of bone
broth several times a day – be led by him and you can’t go wrong.
CHILDREN
The changes that take place in a child’s brain development during the first 10
years of life
are the most rapid and complex in their life cycle. During this time it’s
essential that their
diet is high in both omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids, as these are the vital
carriers that
encourage the connectivity of messaging between one nerve cell and another;
this is very
important for the healthy development of learning, memory and
concentration. These fatty
acids are found most abundantly in fish (especially oily fish, such as sardines
and
mackerel) and shellfish, so try introducing these into your child’s diet to
ensure he is
getting everything he needs for his mental development. Both the White fish
bone broth
and Shellfish broth, and their related dishes in this book, are a great way of
obtaining
omega-3 and especially its bio-active components EPA and DHA
(eicosapentaenoic and
doxosahexaenoic acids), which are the richest and most important sources of
all.
If your child dislikes or cannot tolerate seafood, don’t worry – omega-
nutrition is
present in all meat, poultry and game bone broth, although to a lesser degree.
ADOLESCENTS
In addition to brain food, all children and adolescents require ample protein
for skeletal
development as their bodies are continuously growing and developing
throughout
childhood and puberty – all the animal broths are ideal for this. Teenage girls
also require
abundant sources of magnesium to support their hormonal development as it
starts to
evolve and menstruation begins. The Vegetable top and tail broth is a rich
source of
magnesium-laden vegetables and can be used in a variety of soups, stews,
casseroles, rice
and grain dishes. And, as boys’ hormones change, their testes drop and their
sex drive
amplifies, their need for zinc increases – it is an essential requirement for
sperm
production. Fish, shellfish, beef and chicken bone broths all supply plenty of
zinc.
PREGNANCY
At no point during a woman’s life is the nutritional content of her food more
important
than when she is pregnant. During this time your body focuses on providing
your unborn
child with all the nutrients that are essential for his development, even at the
expense of
your own health – for example, if you’re not getting sufficient calcium, your
body will
take it from your bones to give your growing child what he needs, thereby
making your
bones more unhealthy and brittle.
As protein provides the essential amino acids for development and growth,
it’s
important that you have some at every meal. Drinking a supplementary cup
of bone broth
(chicken, beef, ham hock or fish) will supply a rich source of protein without
having to
consume large amounts of meat. This is especially useful if you are feeling
nauseous or
unwell.
During pregnancy, it’s vital that you balance your blood sugar levels
throughout the day.
Doing this helps to maintain lasting energy during what can be a very
exhausting time,
especially if this is not your first baby and other children are making demands
on your
time. Eating family-friendly meals with protein-rich bone broths as their base
is a great
way of satisfying hunger, not only for you and your children but also your
unborn child,
whilst helping to prevent morning sickness. Good meals from this book to try
would be
Chilean pork cazuela, Chicken cacciatore with white bean smash and
Griddled chicken
with scented lemon couscous. If you’re vegetarian, you can add some nori
seaweed, beans
and pulses, nuts and seeds to your broth, soup or risotto to boost the protein
content.
You can substitute your usual late-night drink with a cup of bone broth, either
on its own
or with some added flavourings. This helps to ensure that your unborn child
is getting the
calcium needed for healthy ligament, cartilage and teeth development while
not sacrificing
your own supply.
And it’s good to continue drinking broth during the postnatal period, too,
when you’re
recovering from the birth, looking after your new baby and you need to drink
a lot of
liquid throughout the day to stimulate your breast milk. It’s also convenient
and highly
nutritious when you’re feeling tired or don’t have much time to cook.
MENOPAUSE
Many women don’t even realize that they are experiencing the onset of
menopause, as
they may associate some of the symptoms with those of aging: temperature
fluctuations
(hot flushes), loss of sex drive, and skin texture and hair changes are all easy
to miss or
ignore when you’re dealing with the pressures of everyday life. For some
unfortunate
women, the symptoms are more serious and pronounced, including
forgetfulness, lack of
focus and concentration, and even low-grade depression and loss of identity.
However,
there’s no need to despair: all of these symptoms are related to hormonal
fluctuations and
can be ameliorated by consuming the essential fatty acids found in meat,
poultry, fish and
shellfish broths. The realization that a cup of simple bone broth can help
regulate our
hormones as well as providing us with a hot, nutritious drink is one of the key
reasons, we
believe, for its recent surge in popularity.
As well as helping to manage our hormones (or, certainly, reducing sudden
fluctuations
in their levels), the essential fatty acids found in animal bone broth also play
a role in
regulating nerve function and neuronal connectivity in the brain, aiding the
maintenance
of a good memory and lessening the likelihood of anxiety and depression in
later years.
And another benefit is that these fatty acids help to maintain skin integrity
and elasticity,
so we look younger for longer.
LATER LIFE
During later life, especially beyond the age of 70, our body presents us with a
whole new
set of problems, especially digestive ones. These often appear when the
delicate lining of
the intestine starts to thin, which can lead to ‘leaky gut’. If you have this
condition, your
body’s intolerant reactions to what were previously acceptable foods can
increase because
they are released more readily into the blood stream. Drinking and cooking
with bone
broth can be very therapeutic – the collagen it contains is vital for helping
strengthen the
lining of the digestive tract. The flipside of this thinning of the lining of the
gut is that it’s
easier for the body to digest and assimilate amino acids, which, in turn, help
to balance
blood sugar levels and provide you with more energy throughout the day. At
this time in
life, look for simple foods that taste delicious and provide an abundance of
antioxidants
together with protein for (see maximum potency: Aegean fish soup and
Tuscan bean and
vegetable soup with Parmesan crisps are both good options, as are Spelt with
wild
mushrooms and all the risottos. On a practical note, if you are preparing food
for an
elderly relative, focus on dishes that can be prepared in bulk and frozen in
individual
portions. These help to promote independence while guaranteeing good
nutrition.
Make it a rule to eat ‘light at night’: by keeping your evening meal light and
not eating
too late, you are less likely to experience heartburn, indigestion and disturbed
sleep, and
your blood sugar levels will stay constant. The old maxim of breakfast like a
king, lunch
like a prince and dine like a pauper still holds true. Always eat a good
breakfast and lunch
as you need these sources of energy for boosting movement and thought
throughout the
day, but just a cup of broth or light soup in the evening is sufficient.
Bones, ligaments and cartilage are more brittle at this stage of life, so bone
broth
provides bone-supporting nutrients (see the chart opposite) to help prevent
tears, fractures
and osteoarthritis. Eat at least three dishes containing bone broth per week –
this goes a
long way towards protecting these increasingly delicate tissues.
Classic beef bone broth
more bio-available to the body than any supplement alternative or
cosmetic injectable
facial treatment, and works with the body’s natural repairing
systems over a longer period
of time.
MAKES APPROX. 1.2 LITRES/2 PINTS
1.5 kg/3 lb 3 oz beef bones (T-bone and knuckle work well) cut into
5 cm/2 in pieces
2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots (parsnips or swede (rutabaga) would also work
well), roughly chopped
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
1 mixed bunch thyme, sage and marjoram, tied together with string
2.25 litres/4 pints water
4 tbsp apple cider or red wine vinegar
ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Spread the chopped bones
over a large
roasting sheet and transfer to the oven to cook for 45–50 minutes until well
browned and
sticking to the tray. Add a splash of water to the pan and stir to loosen the
bones and
remove any congealed juices. Transfer the bones to a large pan
2 Place all the vegetables and herbs in the pan and pour over enough of the
water to
cover. Add the vinegar and a generous grinding of black pepper, then cover
the pan and
bring to the boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and leave to cook, covered, for
12–24 hours,
regularly topping up the water to ensure it is always covering the bones. The
longer the
broth cooks, the richer it will be
3 Cool the broth to room temperature, then strain through a piece of muslin
(cheesecloth)
into a large bowl. Use the broth immediately or portion it into freezer-proof
containers and
store in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for up to 5 months
Light chicken broth

Think of every culinary remedy known to your grandmother (and
she didn’t need to be
Jewish to know the healing properties of chicken) and, without a
doubt, your list will have
started with chicken soup. The mineral content of chicken bones,
especially zinc, is superb
for supporting the immune system in helping to combat simple
fatigue-related illnesses
right through to major illness. Chicken broth is the panacea we have
all sought, and
always had at our side. My own mother never disposed of a chicken
carcass without
having made a broth first, and I have followed suit. I believe that it
is the regular
consumption of chicken broth in my soups and stews that has
allowed me to age
gracefully without the use of facial fillers and plumpers, as the
abundant collagen
released in broth-making has served me so well. Try it and see for
yourself.
2 chicken carcasses weighing at least 500 g/1 lb 2 oz each
2 leeks, trimmed and chopped
3 medium spring onions (scallions)
2 cloves garlic
1 thumb-sized piece root ginger, peeled and grated
1 thumb-sized piece root turmeric, peeled and sliced
1 tsp red or black peppercorns.
1 sprig thyme, oregano or bay leaf, according to taste
1 bunch parsley
1 Put the chicken carcasses in a large heavy-based pan with the remaining
ingredients and
bring to the boil.
2 Cover the pan and reduce the heat to a simmer for 40–50 minutes. Turn off
the heat and
allow to cool slightly.
3 Skim off any froth or fat that has risen to the surface.
4 Strain through a fine sieve, pressing all the juice out of the bones and
vegetables.
Discard the vegetables and herbs.
5 Allow the broth to cool before transferring to the fridge and leaving
overnight. Skim
any congealed fat off the top of the broth in the morning and the broth is
ready to use. It
will keep in the fridge for 5–6 days or can be frozen in batches for future use.
Dark rich chicken broth

This is a far richer and darker stock for those dishes that require a
fuller taste, as the
bones are roasted prior to simmering, which changes the colour and
enriches the flavour
of the stock. In Italy, where they still cook capons (male birds), they
tend to use their
bones for their broth as this creates an earthier, richer stock. If you
know a local chicken
farmer who is willing to sell you his capons, try this recipe with one
– it pays to source
them!
10–12 chicken leg and wing bones (or leg bones only)
2 red onions, unpeeled and quartered
1 stick celery, chopped
1 carrot, unpeeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs thyme or marjoram
1 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
10 red or black peppercorns
sea salt, to taste
! Do not add salt until the broth is cooked, as the natural salts in the
vegetables can be sufficient.
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Spread the chicken bones
over a large
baking sheet and transfer to the oven to cook for 25–30 minutes until golden
and crispy
2 Place the bones in a large saucepan, together with remaining ingredients.
Bring to a
rolling boil, before reducing the heat to a gentle simmer and leaving to cook,
covered, for
3–4 hours until the bones are soft and leaching their marrow into the broth.
Skim the
surface to remove any fatty chunks and set the broth aside to cool.
3 Strain the broth through a fine colander and discard the vegetables.
Transfer the broth to
the fridge for at least 2 hours until the broth has set to a jelly-like consistency.
4 Turn the jellied broth out into a bowl and remove any sediment that has
gathered at its
base. The broth is now ready to use and will keep in the fridge for 5–6 days
or in the
freezer for up to 3 months. To use the broth, transfer to a pan and heat to
return it to a
liquid consistency.
White fish bone broth

In many restaurants, the white sauces found in fish dishes are made
from fish heads and
bones. In some countries, especially throughout the Caribbean and
Asia, fish heads,
spines and tails are largely considered to be the most nutritious parts
of the fish and are
often eaten as dishes in their own right. In Greece, the cooked fish
head is often served
standing in the centre of a plate or bowl to be fought over for its
nutritionally rich flesh.
Pescetarians, who eat fish but not meat or poultry, can derive as
much nutritional benefit
from fish broths as those made from meat or poultry, with fish
broths being especially
high in nutrients that are essential for eye, skin, heart and brain
health. This broth can be
made in bulk as it freezes well and will transform even the simplest
of dishes into
something absolutely delicious.
1 kg/2 lb 4 oz heads, spines and tails of any white fish (sea bass,
bream, haddock, cod,
hake or haddock would all work well)
6 shallots, halved
6 sticks celery, finely sliced
3 star anise
1 large bunch parsley
1 large bulb fennel, including leaves and stalks, chopped lengthways
2 large carrots, sliced into rounds
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled and sliced
250 ml/9 fl oz/generous 1 cup dry white wine (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
! Do NOT include smoked fish bones, as the resulting broth will be
far too salty. Remember to wash all fish thoroughly and cut out all
fish gills from the heads, as they are filled with blood.
1 Put the fish heads, spines (broken in half if too long) and tails into a large
heavy-based
saucepan, pile in all the other ingredients, then cover with the water.
2 Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, and simmer gently for 2–3 hours.
3 Leave to cool, if you wish, for a stronger flavour before straining out all the
bones,
vegetables and herbs, through a muslin (cheesecloth) lined sieve (strainer) for
a crystal
clear broth.
4 Store in the fridge for 3–4 days or freeze in batches for up to 3 months.
Vegetable top and tail broth

This delicious vegetable broth originated on a retreat that I was
running for many of my
regular guests. I was fortunate enough to have a whole day set aside
for preparing several
of the dishes. I was cooking on a large Aga range in a huge country
house kitchen that
could have catered for over 100 people, so I set up my broth pan
into which I threw the
‘tops’, ‘tails’, skins and peelings from all the vegetables I was using.
Then I simply added
a few pints of water to cover everything and kept this pot simmering
away all weekend,
adding more tops and tails and liquid as the days passed. What
transpired was delicious,
highly nutritious and an obvious way to recycle what I had in front
of me, rather than
putting it all out to compost. If you have a relatively large family,
this is worth doing –
believe me!
Choose any 6–8 from the following as you will only be using what
you have cut off the
whole vegetables ready to discard or compost, and pick 2 herbs and
one spice at a time:
onions, garlic and leeks, celery, endive, fennel, turnips, parsnips,
swede (rutabaga),
courgettes (zucchini), sweet potatoes, butternut squash, French,
runner or broad (fava)
beans, beetroot (beet), carrots, chard, kale or spinach
2 tbsp apple cider or wine vinegar
coriander (cilantro) leaves, parsley, bay leaves, sage, thyme,
rosemary or fennel
ginger, turmeric root, star anise, cloves, cinnamon or nutmeg
1 Place all your ingredients (scrapings, shavings, peelings, tops and tails,
less-than-perfect
leaves, strong spines of chard, curly kale and spinach) into a large cauldron
(this is the
Witches’ Brew, after all!) and set onto a moderate heat on the hob (stovetop)
for several
hours, (or whilst you are cooking the main dishes for your day).
2 Check every hour to ensure that there is sufficient liquid and to stir the
ingredients in
the melting pot.
3 Turn off the heat at night and leave covered, but do not refrigerate, as the
flavours will
develop more if the broth is left at room temperature.
4 Strain the soup into another pot before ladling out your broth as needed,
and heat to
have as a hot drink, with mixed spice, or to add to relevant recipes.
NOTE
These broths will never taste the same twice, but that is their beauty – add
flavourings and
herbs as you wish, depending on the meals you are serving at the time
Allium broth
2 large white onions, skin on, sliced
2 leeks, green ends included, sliced
1 bunch spring onions (scallions), sliced vertically
4–6 garlic cloves, rolled and smashed, skins on
4 small shallots, skin on, sliced into rounds
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 Combine all the ingredients in a large pan. Cover with a lid and bring to the
boil.
2 Lower the heat to a simmer, and continue cooking for 2 hours until all the
allium
vegetables have softened, become totally transparent and are almost reduced
to a pulp.
3 Strain the broth through a sieve (strainer), pushing through the finer
vegetables with a
wooden spoon. Set aside to cool.
4 Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up
to 3 months
French onion soup
Who can resist this classic simple soup of meltingly sweet and
tender onions in a richly
flavoured broth topped with floating cheesy croûtes? The secret to
its success lies in the
most important ingredient: the beef bone broth. A bouillon cube just
won’t do and will
produce a pale, inferior imitation of the real thing. To serve a lighter
version of this soup,
you may choose to omit the cheesy croûtes and go for a healthier
option, such as toasted
rye cubes with a tiny sprinkling of Parmesan or Grana Padano.
SERVES 6
2–3 tbsp olive oil
1 knob butter
4 large onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
1.5 litres/2½ pints boiling classic beef bone broth
125 ml/4 fl oz/generous ½ cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 small baguette
10 ml/2 tsp Dijon mustard
125 g/4 oz/generous 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Heat the olive oil and butter in a deep heavy-based pan over a low heat.
Add the onions
and cook very gently for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them
sticking,
until they are meltingly tender and sweet and have started to caramelize and
turn golden
brown.
2 Stir in the flour and cook gently for 2–3 minutes, then add a little of the
boiling broth,
stirring until smooth and well combined.
3 Stir in the remaining broth together with the wine and bay leaf, then
partially cover the
pan and simmer very gently for at least 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt
and pepper.
4 Preheat the grill to high. Slice the baguette into diagonal rounds and lightly
toast under
the grill. Thinly spread each slice with mustard.
5 Divide the soup between 6 heatproof bowls and float the toasted baguette
slices,
mustard-side up, on top. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and place under the
hot grill for
just long enough to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.
Aegean fish soup

Variations on psarosoupa – a basic soup of fish, boiled vegetables
and potatoes – are
served throughout Greece and its Aegean archipelago of islands. It’s
usually made with
the fresh catch of the day – whatever fish is available – so for the
best flavour use the
freshest, best-quality fish you can find. There are no strict rules and,
like most Greek
family dishes, recipes are passed down through generations and
tweaked according to
preference and local and seasonal ingredients.
SERVES 6
1 kg/2 lb 4 oz mixed fish (e.g. monkfish (anglerfish), cod, hake,
grouper, sea bream, sea
bass, red or grey mullet, whiting), preferably left whole and scaled,
cleaned and gutted
4 tbsp fruity olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 courgettes (zucchini), sliced or cut into matchsticks
500 g/1 lb 2oz potatoes, peeled and cubed
450 g/1 lb juicy tomatoes, roughly chopped
a pinch of crushed chilli flakes (optional)
1.2 litres/2 pints white fish bone broth
a pinch of saffron threads
3 bay leaves
2 strips orange zest
juice of 1 orange or lemon
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 small bunch dill, chopped
extra-virgin olive oil, to garnish
1 Rinse the fish under cold running water. Pat dry with kitchen paper and cut
each one
through the bone into several thick pieces. Set aside.
2 Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the onion, leek, carrots, celery
and garlic over
a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not
not coloured.
3 Stir in the courgettes (zucchini), potatoes and tomatoes with a pinch of
chilli (if using).
Heat through gently and then add the fish broth, saffron, bay leaves and
orange zest.
4 Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer and cover
the pan. Cook
gently for 15–20 minutes until the vegetables are tender, then add the fish and
simmer for
a further 10–15 minutes until it is thoroughly cooked, opaque and starting to
come away
from the bone. Add the orange or lemon juice and season to taste.
5 Stir in the chopped herbs and ladle the soup into shallow bowls, dividing
the fish
equally between them. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.
Or you can try this…
▪
To make this soup even more substantial, you can add lobster, shrimp, squid
or
mussels – whatever seafood is in season and readily available.
▪
If you don’t want to fiddle about with bones, tails, fins and skin, use fish
fillets
instead. You can ask the fishmonger to prepare the fish for you.
▪
To enhance the flavour, a glass of white wine could be added to the
simmering soup.
Alternatively, a thinly sliced fennel bulb will infuse it with a subtle aniseed
flavour.
▪
Some Greek cooks use fewer potatoes (or omit them altogether) and add a
cupful of
rice to the soup 15 minutes before the end, or serve the soup poured over a
toasted
slice of bread sitting in the base of each bowl
Laxsoppa (Swedish fish soup)

Variations on this creamy fish soup are found in all the
Scandinavian countries but the
two common ingredients to them all are salmon and dill. This is
very filling and more of a
complete meal than a first course, especially when mopped up with
some rye or crusty
bread. Wild salmon is undoubtedly one of the richest sources of
omega-3 essential fatty
acids, and it has a better flavour than the farmed sort
SERVES 6
30 g/1 oz butter
2 leeks, trimmed and shredded
1 kg/2lb 4 oz waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 litre/1¾ pints white fish bone broth
2 bay leaves
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
500 g/1 lb 2 oz salmon fillet, skinned and thickly sliced
80 g/3 oz baby spinach leaves
100 ml/3½ fl oz soured cream or crème fraîche
1 small bunch dill, chopped, and a few sprigs reserved to garnish
rye bread, to serve
1 Melt the butter in a large pan and cook the onion and leeks over a low to
medium heat,
stirring occasionally until they are tender but not coloured. Add the potatoes
and cook,
stirring, for 8–10 minutes. Reduce the heat if the onion starts to brown.
2 Add the fish broth and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat
and add the
tomatoes. Simmer gently, partially covered, for a few minutes until the
potatoes are
cooked and tender.
3 Add the salmon and spinach and continue cooking gently for 5 minutes
until the salmon
is cooked through. Season to taste.
4 Gently stir in the soured cream or crème fraîche and chopped dill, taking
care not to
break the salmon slices.
5 Serve the soup in shallow bowls, garnished with sprigs of dill, with sliced
rye bread

▪
In Sweden and Finland, other vegetables, usually roots such as carrots and
swede
(rutabaga), are sometimes added to this soup.
▪
We like the acidity of soured cream or crème fraîche but if you prefer a
creamier
texture and richer flavour you can substitute double (heavy) cream and add a
dash of
lemon juice.
▪
The quality of the salmon will affect the flavour of the soup. If you can find
it, wild
salmon is better – nutritionally and taste-wise – than the farmed sort.
Roasted tomato soup with basil oil

For the best flavour, you need really juicy, fragrant sun-ripened
tomatoes, preferably
home-grown – most supermarket varieties won’t make the grade and
you might be better
off investigating the stalls at your local farmers’ markets in late and
early autumn.
Always be sure to sniff the tomatoes before buying; they should
have a distinctively sweet
scent, one of the great aromas of summer
SERVES 6
1 kg/2lb 4 oz juicy ripe tomatoes, halved
2 red onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 carrots, sliced
a pinch of sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
900 ml/1½ pints vegetable top and tail or light chicken broth
2–3 drops balsamic vinegar
To serve:
4 tsp crème fraîche
4 tsp basil oil
4 sprigs basil
focaccia or sourdough bread, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.
2 Place the tomatoes, cut-side up, in a roasting pan with the red onions, garlic
and carrots.
Sprinkle over the sugar and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with a little salt
and pepper.
Roast for about 45–50 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and just
starting to char
around the edges. Check occasionally and turn the onions and carrots in the
oil to prevent
them sticking.
3 Remove the garlic cloves and squeeze out the garlic, discarding the skins.
Place in a pan
with the roasted vegetables and broth. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat
to medium
and cook for 5–10 minutes.
4 Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blitz, in batches, until
smooth – or
use a stick blender off the heat. Check the seasoning, add the balsamic
vinegar and reheat
the soup over a gentle heat.
5 Ladle the hot soup into bowls and swirl in the crème fraîche and basil oil.
Top each
bowl with a sprig of basil and serve with hunks of bread.

▪
For a bright fiery red colour, substitute 2 red (bell) peppers (stalks, ribs and
seeds
removed) for the carrots and roast as above.
▪
If you prefer a creamier texture, stir a couple of tablespoons of crème fraîche
into the
soup before ladling it into the bowls.
▪
Don’t worry if you don’t have any balsamic vinegar – use red wine vinegar
instead.
Go easy on the balsamic as it is strongly flavoured and if you add too much it
can
darken the soup and destroy the vibrant, fresh colour.
Tuscan bean and vegetable soup with
Parmesan
crisps
In Tuscany this is made with dried beans but we’ve used canned
ones to make it simpler
– for the more traditional version see the variations below. This
soup is so mineral-rich
that you could make it every week just to give your immune, heart
and regenerating
systems a great boost. It’s also an excellent source of vegetarian
protein
SERVES 4
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, trimmed and chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
2 carrots, diced
800 ml/1 pint 7 fl oz vegetable top and tail or allium broth
450 g/1 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 1 × 400 g/14 oz can)
2 potatoes, cubed
stripped leaves of 2 sprigs thyme
stripped and chopped leaves of 1 sprig rosemary
1 × 400 g/14 oz can borlotti or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
175 g/6 oz curly kale, centre ribs and stems removed, leaves
shredded
For the Parmesan crisps:
100 g/3½ oz Parmesan, grated
1 Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the onion, leek, celery and carrots
over a low
heat for about 10 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Stir occasionally
to prevent
them sticking. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
2 Add the broth, tomatoes and potatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat
and add the
herbs. Simmer gently for 45 minutes, until all the vegetables are cooked and
tender.
3 Add the beans and kale and continue cooking for 5 minutes – be careful not
to overcook
the kale or it will become soggy and lose its bright green colour. Season to
taste.
4 While the soup is cooking, make the Parmesan crisps. Preheat the oven to
180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and line a baking sheet with greaseproof
(parchment) paper. Add
4 circular heaps of grated Parmesan and bake for 5 minutes or until the
cheese has melted
and spread to form circles – don’t let it get too brown. Remove from the oven
and set
aside to cool.
5 Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and serve with the Parmesan crisps.

▪
Instead of using canned beans, which are quick and convenient, you could
make the
soup in the traditional way with dried beans. Soak them overnight, then rinse
and
drain before adding to the soup with the broth. Simmer for at least 1¼ hours,
until the
beans are cooked and tender, then add the kale at the end.
▪
The beauty of this dish is that it’s infinitely versatile and you can add almost
any
seasonal vegetables – courgettes (zucchini), fennel bulb, chard, spinach and
cabbage
all add to the flavour and nutritional benefits. For a more substantial dish, add
a
handful of macaroni or vermicelli about 10 minutes before the end of
cooking.
▪
In spring and summer, try using basil instead of rosemary with fresh new
season
shelled peas, broad (fava) beans, courgettes (zucchini), asparagus and fine
green beans
plus baby spinach leaves instead of kale. Delicious!
Pumpkin and butterbean soup with

tarka
This is a delicious spicy soup to eat in the autumn when pumpkin is
in season, especially
around Hallowe’en, when it’s great for using up the flesh that’s
scooped out from making
grinning jack-o’-lanterns. Pumpkin is a good source of beta-
carotene, as are most gourds
and squashes. Butterbeans (lima beans) are one of the richest
sources of vegetarian
protein, as well as abundant zinc for healing and repair.
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
900 g/2 lb pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into cubes
1 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp coriander seeds, roasted and crushed
1.2 litres/2 pints hot vegetable top and tail broth
1 × 400 g/14 oz can butterbeans (lima beans), rinsed and drained
6 tbsp low-fat natural yogurt
shredded coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve
For the tarka topping:
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and shredded
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Heat the coconut oil in a large pan and cook the onion over a low heat,
stirring
occasionally, until tender but not coloured. Add the pumpkin and cook
gently, stirring it in
the oil, for 3–4 minutes until golden. Add the spices and cook for 1 minute,
stirring well.
2 Add the hot vegetable broth and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover
the pan and
simmer gently for 20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Add the beans and
heat through
for a couple of minutes.
3 While the soup is cooking, make the tarka topping. Heat the oil in a frying
pan over a
medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until it is tender,
crisp and
golden brown. Turn up the heat and stir in the garlic, chilli and seeds, and
cook for 1
minute, or until the mustard seeds start popping. Remove from the heat –
don’t overcook
them or the garlic will colour and taste bitter
4 Blitz the soup to a smooth purée in a blender or food processor, or use a

stick blender.
Season to taste and reheat gently, then ladle into wide bowls.
Swirl a spoonful of yogurt into each portion and add the tarka topping.
Scatter some
coriander (cilantro) over the top and serve.
▪
This soup works equally well with butternut squash or even root vegetables,
such as
parsnips, swede (rutabaga) and carrots, instead of pumpkin. You will still end
up with
a sweet, spicy flavour and a lovely deep golden-orange colour.
▪
For a hotter, spicier version, try adding some dried or chopped fresh chilli or
a
spoonful of garam masala when cooking the onion and pumpkin.
▪
To roast the coriander seeds, stir them in a small frying pan over a low heat
for 1–2
minutes until they release their warm, spicy aroma.
Spinach soup with slow-dried baby

plum tomatoes
This lovely bright green soup is perfect in spring and summer when
spinach is plentiful
and you want something fresh-tasting and light. The primary
antioxidant lycopene is
found in higher quantities in cooked tomatoes than raw, whilst
young spinach is rich in
iron, magnesium and vitamin C.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 litre/1¾ pints vegetable top and tail or allium broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
200 g/7 oz frozen peas
1 kg/2 lb 4oz spinach leaves, chopped with any tough stalks
removed
a good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
a squeeze of lemon juice
4–5 tbsp reduced-fat crème fraîche (optional)
rosemary-infused olive oil, to drizzle (optional)
For the slow-dried baby plum tomatoes:
2 tbsp fruity green olive oil
a few drops of balsamic vinegar
1 sprig fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
12 baby plum tomatoes, halved
sea salt
2 To make the tomato garnish, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar
and herbs.
Pour onto a baking sheet and add the tomatoes, turning them in the oil. Lay
the tomatoes
on the sheet, cut-side down, and season lightly with sea salt. Cook in the
preheated oven
for at least 1 hour, checking them occasionally to ensure they don’t brown or
burn. When
cooked, they should be quite soft and starting to shrivel and wrinkle, with a
concentrated
sweet flavour. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
3 Meanwhile, make the soup. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion
and potato
over a low heat until tender. Add the broth and bring to the boil, then turn
down the heat to
a simmer, add the herbs and cook gently for 15–20 minutes.
4 Stir in the peas and spinach and cook for 2–3 minutes until just tender but
still a vibrant
green.
5 Remove the sprig of rosemary, transfer the soup to a blender or food
processor and
blitz, in batches, until smooth – or use a stick blender off the heat. Return to
the pan and
season with nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and pepper. For a creamier consistency,
stir in the
crème fraîche.
6 Ladle the soup into bowls and serve garnished with the slow-dried
tomatoes and a
drizzle of rosemary-infused olive oil.
▪
Instead of thyme and rosemary, try using mint, basil or coriander (cilantro) to
flavour
the soup.
▪
For a richer and more flavoursome version, just stir some grated Parmesan,
mature
Cheddar or crumbled blue cheese into the puréed mixture and then reheat
very gently
until the cheese melts into the soup.
▪
In springtime, substitute a handful of seasonal fresh sorrel leaves for some of
the
spinach. It will give the soup a lovely fresh lemony taste. You can enhance
this with a
squeeze of lemon juice. If you can’t buy sorrel, grow a patch in your garden
or plant
some in a large tub on your patio
Spring vegetable salad broth

There’s no point making this delicious broth in the autumn or winter
months when you
have to rely on imported vegetables – it won’t taste the same. You
need the freshest and
most intensely flavoured new season’s vegetables as the hours of
daylight grow longer
and they start appearing in farmers’ markets and your local stores. If
you have a garden
or allotment and grow your own, so much the better
250 g/9 oz shelled broad (fava) beans
1 Cos (Romaine) lettuce
3 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
125 g/4 oz Chantenay baby carrots, trimmed
250 g/9 oz baby new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
1 litre/1¾ pints allium or vegetable top and tail broth
125 g/4 oz thin asparagus spears, cut into shorter lengths
100 g/3½ oz fresh podded peas
1 small bunch mint, roughly chopped
4 tsp green pesto
1 Tip the broad (fava) beans into a pan of boiling water and cook for 1
minute. Drain
immediately, then refresh under cold running water. When the beans are cool
enough to
handle, slip off the skins. Set aside.
2 Cut the lettuce through the centre lengthways and then cut each half
through the middle
again, so you end up with four quarters, each with a core. Plunge the lettuce
into a pan of
boiling salted water for 1½ minutes before removing with a slotted spoon and
refreshing
in a large bowl of cold water. Remove and pat dry with kitchen paper, then
cut out and
discard the central core.
3 Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the shallots, garlic and carrots
over a low heat
for about 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes.
4 Add the broth and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for
10 minutes.
Stir in the asparagus, peas and broad beans and simmer for 5 minutes or until
all the
vegetables are cooked and tender.
5 Add the lettuce leaves and mint and cook for 1 minute more. Check the
seasoning and
divide between 4 shallow bowls. Cool a little and serve warm with a spoonful
of pesto.

▪
This soup is akin to a liquid salad. If you like a sharper, more piquant taste,
reminiscent of vinaigrette dressing, add a dash of lemon juice or wine vinegar
or even
some baby cocktail onions.
▪
You can add virtually any green spring vegetables – have fun with sorrel,
spinach,
shredded spring greens, baby courgettes (zucchini), spring onions (scallions),
small
leeks or purple sprouting broccoli
Gulyas
Sweet rust-red paprika is the spice that defines Hungarian cooking
and nowhere is it put
to better use than in gulyas, the national dish. With its characteristic
smoky flavour, it
adds colour and a subtle hint of smokiness to a range of soups, stews
and casseroles
made with beef, pork, sausages, bacon, potatoes, cabbage, peppers
and mushrooms –
the staples of a land-locked country with long, bitterly cold winters.
Goulash was
traditionally made with meat that had been dried in the sun and then
cooked in an iron
pot over an open fire
2 tbsp dripping or olive oil
2 red onions, thickly sliced
1 hot red chilli, deseeded and chopped (optional)
1 large red (bell) pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 large green (bell) pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
500 g/1 lb 2oz lean chuck steak or shin of beef, cubed
1 heaped tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
2–3 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
2 tsp caraway seeds
400 ml/14 fl oz classic beef broth or rich marrow bone broth
1 × 400 g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
125 ml/4 fl oz soured cream
zest of 1 lemon, to garnish
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
a good pinch of paprika to sprinkle
wide noodles, to serve
2 Heat the dripping or oil in a large heavy flameproof casserole and cook the
onions over
a low heat for at least 10 minutes until soft. Stir them occasionally to prevent
them
sticking to the pan. Stir in the chilli and peppers and cook for 4–5 minutes.
Remove the
vegetables from the pan and set aside.
3 While the vegetables are cooking, sprinkle the beef with the flour, paprika
and some salt
and pepper. Stir or toss together in a bowl until the beef is well coated.
4 Add the beef to the pan and sear over a medium heat, stirring, until
coloured all over.
Return the cooked vegetables to the pan and stir in the caraway seeds.
5 Add the beef broth, tomatoes and red wine vinegar and heat until it starts to
bubble
gently and simmer. Cover the casserole and place it in the oven for 1½–2
hours, until th
beef is meltingly tender and the liquid has reduced. Check the seasoning.
6 Briefly stir the soured cream into the goulash in a quick single swirl.
Sprinkle the lemon
zest, parsley and paprika over the top, and serve with a pile of steaming
buttered noodles
and some tender green cabbage.
▪
Instead of beef, use lean leg or shoulder of pork, cut into cubes. In Hungary,
pork is
often substituted for beef.
▪
If you wish, you can add mushrooms, garlic or some spicy sausage, or fresh
tomatoes
instead of canned ones. For a more intense flavour, add a tablespoon of
tomato purée
(paste) with the broth.
▪
The traditional accompaniments, if not using noodles, are boiled potatoes and
cabbage. Add a little butter or soured cream, some caraway seeds and a good
grinding
of black pepper to the cabbage, which should be cooked al dente.
Stifado
In Greece, stifado is often made with rabbit or veal rather than beef.
It is slow-cooked on
top of the stove until the meat is so tender that it is literally falling
apart, or left in a cool
oven until the wine and broth reduce to a thick, glossy sauce. Keep
the lid on tightly while
it’s cooking to keep the stew moist and prevent it drying out. Like
most things Greek, you
cannot rush this… the slower the better. Stifado is eaten all the year
round, not just in
winter, and it’s a permanent fixture on the menu of most tavernas,
no matter how hot it is.
4 tbsp fruity olive oil
600 g/1 lb 5 oz baby shallots, peeled
1 kg/2 lb lean stewing beef or chuck steak, cubed
3 garlic cloves, halved
125 ml/4 fl oz/generous ½ cup red wine
500 ml/18 fl oz hot classic beef bone broth
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs rosemary
1 cinnamon stick
3 allspice berries
2 tbsp raisins
orzo pasta, to serve
grated kefalotiri cheese or Parmesan, for sprinkling
1 Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pan or flameproof casserole dish and
cook the
shallots over a low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden
brown all
over and starting to caramelize. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2 Add the beef to the pan and turn up the heat. Brown it all over and then stir
in the garlic
and wine. Let it bubble away and reduce for 3–4 minutes.
3 Add the broth, wine vinegar, tomatoes, tomato purée (paste), herbs and
spices. Stir well,
then cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for 1 hour. Alternatively,
cover the
casserole, if using, and cook in a preheated oven at 140°C/275°F/gas mark 1.
4 Add the raisins and shallots to the stifado and continue cooking for about
45–60
minutes until the meat is really tender and the sauce is rich and reduced.
Season to taste
with salt and pepper.
5 Serve the stifado with orzo pasta and grated kefalotiri cheese (or Parmesan
if you can’t
get it)

▪
Instead of beef, try rabbit or veal – if using rabbit, substitute the beef broth
with earthy
game broth.
▪
Instead of serving the stifado with pasta, try potatoes roasted with rosemary
in olive
oil. Or, in the winter, serve it with potatoes mashed to a creamy consistency
with
crushed garlic, olive oil and herbs.
▪
In the summer and autumn, do as the Greeks do and add some halved stoned
(pitted)
plums or sliced quinces to the stew for a more fruity, sweet flavour.
Brodetto di pesce
Which fish or shellfish you put into this fish stew is entirely up to
you. There are no hard
and fast rules. Even in Venice it often depends on which fish are
available on the marble
slabs in the Rialto market on any given day. The authentic versions
of brodetto are made
with whole fish and shellfish, giving you the tactile pleasure of
picking the meat off the
bones and prising it from the shells. However, if you’re a bit
squeamish about heads and
fins or don’t enjoy the messy business of eating this way, you can
use filleted fish instead
450 g/1 lb live mussels and/or clams, cleaned
4 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, diced
a pinch of dried red chilli flakes
5 juicy tomatoes, roughly chopped
150 ml/¼ pint/generous ½ cup white wine
1.5 litres/2½ pints hot white fish broth
300 g/11 oz raw tiger prawns (jumbo shrimp) or 4 langoustines
1 kg/2 lb 4oz mixed fish, cleaned and left whole or cut into pieces,
or 450 g/1 lb fish
fillets, e.g. red mullet, monkfish (anglerfish), cod, whiting and
grouper, cut into large
chunks
juice of 1 small lemon
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
griddled sliced focaccia or sourdough bread, to serve
1 Put the mussels and clams in a pan with 250 ml/8 fl oz water over a
medium to high
heat. Cover the pan and cook for about 4–5 minutes, giving the pan an
occasional gentle
shake, until the shells open. Discard any mussels and clams that don’t open.
When they
are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from most of the shells, leaving a
few in the
shells for the garnish. Set aside.
2 Heat the olive oil in a deep heavy pan and cook the onion, garlic and celery
over a
medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until tender but not
coloured. Stir
in the chilli flakes and tomatoes and cook for a few minutes.
3 Add the wine and cook briskly until it reduces by at least half. Stir in the
fish broth and
bring to a simmer. Add the prawns (jumbo shrimp) or langoustines and cook
gently for a
few minutes until they turn pink.
4 Gently add the fish to the pan and simmer until it is cooked through and the
flesh is
opaque and starting to flake. The time taken will depend on whether you are
using fish on
the bone – either whole or cut into pieces – or filleted chunks.
5 Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the cooked mussels and clams.
Stir in the
lemon juice and parsley.
6 Ladle into wide shallow serving bowls and serve immediately with grilled
thick slices
of bread to mop up the delicious broth.
▪
Brodetto is a moveable feast and there are many variations along the Adriatic
coast.
Crab, baby calamari, squid, lobster, scallops and almost any firm-fleshed fish
can be
added, so there’s no need to slavishly follow the fish and shellfish we’ve
suggested
above.
▪
For a much richer-tasting brodetto, you could substitute shellfish broth for
white fish
broth. Whichever you use, it’s a good idea to have it simmering ready in a
pan before
adding it to the vegetables.
Risotto ai frutti di mare

450 g/1 lb small clams in their shells, scrubbed
25 g/1 oz unsalted butter, plus extra for finishing
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
350 g/12 oz fresh or frozen and thawed squid, cut into pieces
a pinch of chilli flakes or powder
250 g/9 oz/scant 1½ cups Arborio or Carnaroli risotto rice
125 ml/4 fl oz/generous ½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 litre/1¾ pints hot simmering white fish bone or shellfish broth
a pinch of saffron threads
200 g/7 oz baby plum tomatoes, halved
350 g/12 oz large raw prawns (jumbo shrimp)
juice of 1 lemon
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1 Put the clams in a large pan with a little water. Place over a medium heat
for about 5
minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the clams have opened – discard
any that stay
closed. Remove about half the clams from their shells and set aside together
with the
remaining ones in their shells.
2 Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy-based wide pan and cook the onion,
fennel and
garlic over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until tender but
not
coloured.
3 Add the prepared squid and cook gently for about 8 minutes, stirring often,
until tender.
Stir in the chilli and the rice and cook for a few more minutes until the grains
are
crackling. Pour in the wine or vermouth and turn up the heat. Cook rapidly
for 2–3
minutes until reduced and almost evaporated.
4 Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add a ladleful of the hot simmering
broth with
the saffron and cook gently, stirring, until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Add another
ladle of broth and continue stirring and adding more in this way until the rice
is tender but
not too soft, about 20 minutes.
5 Stir in the tomatoes, prawns (shrimp) and reserved clams. Cook for a few
more minutes
until the prawns turn pink and the tomatoes start to soften.
6 Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the
lemon juice,
parsley and a knob of butter. Cover the pan and set aside to rest for 5 minutes
before
serving.
▪
You can add any fish or shellfish to this risotto – a cooked dressed crab,
langoustines,
chunks of cooked lobster meat plus the cracked claws, scallops, mussels or
pieces of
fish … even a packet of frozen fruits de mer if you’re in a hurry.
▪
Parmesan is not usually served with seafood and fish risottos in Italy but you
can rebel
and sprinkle some over the top if you like. For a creamy texture, stir in a little
double
(heavy) cream or crème fraîche with the parsley and butter.
Espagnole sauce
This is one of Escoffier’s five ‘mother sauces’, the classic brown

sauce that was used as a
base for so many others, including demi-glace, Bercy, Chasseur and
Madeira sauces. In
the past it was always made with broth made from roasted veal
bones but now most chefs
make a lighter version with chicken or beef broth, which is more in
keeping with our
contemporary approach to less rich, healthy food. It’s not difficult to
make – it always
starts with a ‘mirepoix’ of diced onion, celery and carrot cooked
slowly in butter, and a
simple ‘roux’ (a cooked mixture of flour and fat) is used as a
thickening agent. You may
wish to make this with quinoa, rice or chickpea (gram) flour if you
are fastidious about a
gluten-free diet.
60 g/2 oz unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
1 stick celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
30 g/1 oz plain (all-purpose) flour
30 g/1 oz tomato purée (paste)
900 ml/1½ pints hot dark rich chicken or classic beef bone broth
1 bay leaf
a few black peppercorns
1 Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat and cook the onion, celery
and carrot,
stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until tender and golden.
2 Stir in the flour and cook over a low heat for a few minutes until the roux
turns brown –
take care not to let it burn or you will have to start again.
3 Start adding the hot broth slowly, whisking vigorously all the time, until it
is thoroughly
incorporated and there are no lumps.
4 Stir in the tomato purée, bay leaf and peppercorns and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat
to a bare simmer and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until reduced to
about two-thirds
of the original volume. This may take 30–45 minutes.
5 Strain through a fine mesh sieve and serve immediately or cool and use as a
base for
other sauces. If you wish, store in containers or freezer bags and freeze until
required.
What you can do with this…
▪
You can play with this basic recipe by adding chopped, skinned and deseeded
tomatoes, garlic or a little white wine or Madeira for extra flavour.
▪
To make a highly flavoured demi-glace sauce, heat equal quantities of
Espagnole
sauce and chicken or veal broth in a saucepan and cook until reduced by half.
Strain
through a fine mesh sieve until it’s really smooth.
▪
Serve this sauce as a savoury gravy with roasted meat, especially beef, veal
and lamb
– it adds the finishing touches to the Sunday roast. Or pour a little pool on a
serving
plate and add a griddled juicy steak and mushrooms
Avgolemono sauce
This light lemon sauce is served with chicken, meat, fish and
vegetables throughout
Greece and its archipelago of islands. With its fresh, sharp taste,
avgolemono manages to
be robust yet delicate at the same time. Ideally, it should be made in
a double boiler but if
you don’t have one, just suspend a basin over a pan of simmering
water.
MAKES 300 ML/½ PINT
300 ml/½ pint dark rich chicken broth
3 eggs
juice of 1 large lemon
1 Heat the chicken broth in a pan to a gentle simmer. Heat some water in the
bottom of a
double boiler or another pan over a low heat
2 Break the eggs into the top of a double boiler or a large heatproof bowl and
beat with an
electric whisk. Beat in the lemon juice.
3 Slowly add the hot broth to the egg and lemon mixture, beating
continuously.
4 Place over the pan of simmering water and continue beating or stirring until
the sauce is
smooth and thick. As soon as it’s the right consistency, take it off the heat to
prevent it
curdling. To be on the safe side, you can quickly dip the base of the top of the
double
boiler or bowl into some cold water to halt the cooking process and cool it.
What you can do with this…
▪
Serve this sauce with roast, grilled or poached chicken, lamb cutlets or
kebabs, lamb
or veal meatballs, grilled or oven-baked white fish, boiled vegetables or
dolmades –
rice and lamb stuffed vine leaves that are cooked in chicken broth.
▪
A lighter, thinner version is a delicious soup made with 1 litre/1¾ pints
chicken broth,
3 eggs and a large lemon. A little rice or orzo (pasta shaped like grains of
rice) is
added to the soup and cooked until tender.
▪
Alternatively you can make an avgolemono fish soup by substituting white
fish bone
broth for chicken broth and adding chunks of white fish and potato.

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