Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times (34 page)

2.
Add the larger portion of scallions to the water and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Puree the cooked scallions in a blender, adding just enough of the cooking liquid to allow the machine to do its work.

3.
Mix the puree with the egg and soy sauce, then gently stir in the flour until blended; add pepper and the reserved minced scallions. Film a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet with oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Drop the batter by the tablespoon or ¼ cup and cook the pancakes for about 2 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. If necessary, the pancakes can be kept warm in a 200°F oven for about 30 minutes.

VARIATIONS

The same method can be used to make pancakes with many members of the onion family, especially shallots and spring onions (which look like scallions on steroids). Or add:

• About 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

• About 2 tablespoons roughly chopped peanuts

• About ¼ cup minced chives, added along with the uncooked scallions

• A tablespoon or so minced peeled fresh ginger

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 30 MINUTES

THERE ARE A
number of ways to make simple dishes of greens more appealing. Among my favorites is to prepare a topping of crisp-fried shallots. By themselves, these are irresistible; when combined with tender greens they create an alluring contrast in flavor and texture. Furthermore, the oil in which the shallots have been fried is a great addition to the greens and, in the days following, to many other dishes.

1.
Put the oil in a small to medium saucepan or narrow skillet at least an inch deep. Turn the heat to high and wait a few minutes; the oil should reach 350°F. (If you do not have a frying thermometer, just put a couple of slices of shallot in there; when the oil around them bubbles vigorously, it’s ready.)

2.
Add the shallots and cook, adjusting the heat so that the bubbling is vigorous but not explosive. Cook, stirring, until the shallots begin to darken, 8 to 12 minutes. As soon as they turn golden brown, remove them immediately with a slotted spoon—be careful, because overcooking at this point will burn the shallots. Drain the shallots on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper; they’ll keep for a couple of hours this way.

3.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. When it is ready, add the spinach and cook until it wilts, about 1 minute. Remove the spinach with a strainer or slotted spoon and plunge it into a large bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking. When it’s cool, drain and chop. (You can store the spinach, covered and refrigerated, for up to a couple of days if you like.)

4.
Take 1 tablespoon of the shallot oil and place it in a skillet; turn the heat to medium-high. Turn the spinach into this skillet and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up any clumps, until the spinach is hot, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve, topped with the crisp shallots.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 30 MINUTES

GIVEN THAT TOFU
itself does not add much body to a dish, you need a substantial sauce, like one with canned coconut milk as its base, to make up for the tofu’s blandness. Like heavy cream, coconut milk will thicken a sauce, making it luxurious in almost no time.

The onion must be browned carefully and thoroughly: keep the heat high enough so that this happens in a timely fashion—it should take about ten minutes and in no case more than fifteen—but not so high that the onion burns. I call this level of heat “medium-high,” but all stoves are different; the oil should be bubbling but not smoking, and you must stir the onion every minute or so.

1.
Put the oil in a 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges of the onion pieces are well browned, about 10 minutes (for best flavor, the onions must brown but not burn). Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or so; add the nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, for about a minute.

2.
Add the coconut milk. Stir, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium. Add the tofu, stir, and let the tofu heat through for about 3 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning with soy sauce, salt, and/or cayenne as necessary. Serve.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 20 MINUTES

THIS IS NOT
a stir-fry but a simmered dish, easy and fast. The cooking time totals about ten minutes, and the preparation time is about the same, so be sure to start the rice first.

1.
Put the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet or wok, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the garlic, ginger, and hot pepper and cook just until they begin to sizzle, less than a minute. Add the pork and stir to break it up; cook, stirring occasionally, until it loses most of its pink color.

2.
Add the scallion and stir; add the stock. Cook for a minute or so, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon if necessary to loosen any stuck bits of meat, then add the tofu. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the tofu is heated through, about 2 minutes.

3.
Stir in the soy sauce, taste, and add salt and hot pepper as necessary. Garnish with the cilantro if you like and serve.

MAKES 3 TO 6 SERVINGS

TIME: ABOUT 40 MINUTES

THE SPANISH TORTILLA
has nothing in common with the Mexican tortilla except its name, which comes from the Latin
torta—
a round cake. In its most basic form, the Spanish tortilla is a potato-and-egg frittata, or omelet, which derives most of its flavor from olive oil. Although the ingredients are simple and minimal, when made correctly—and there is a straightforward but very definite series of techniques involved—this tortilla is wonderfully juicy. And because it is better at room temperature than hot, it can and in fact should be made in advance. (How much in advance is up to you. It can be fifteen minutes or a few hours.)

1.
Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and onion; it’s easiest with a mandoline. Meanwhile, heat the oil in an 8-or 10-inch nonstick skillet (a nonstick skillet is a must for this dish) over medium heat. After the oil has been heating for 3 or 4 minutes, drop in a slice of potato. When tiny bubbles appear around the edges of the potato, the oil is ready; add all of the potatoes and onion along with a good pinch of salt and a liberal sprinkling of pepper. Gently turn the potato mixture in the oil with a wooden spoon and adjust the heat so that the oil bubbles lazily.

2.
Cook, turning the potatoes gently every few minutes and adjusting the heat so they do not brown, until they are tender when pierced with the point of a small knife. If the potatoes begin to break, they are overdone—this is not a tragedy, but stop the cooking immediately. As the potatoes cook, beat the eggs with some salt and pepper in a large bowl.

3.
Drain the potatoes in a colander, reserving the oil. Heat an 8- or 9-inch nonstick skillet (it can be the same one, but wipe it out first)
over medium heat for a minute and add 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil. Gently mix the warm potatoes with the eggs and add them to the skillet. As soon as the edges firm up—this will take only a minute or so—reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 minutes.

4.
Run a rubber spatula all around the edges of the cake to make sure it will slide from the pan. Carefully slide it out—the top will still be quite runny—onto a plate. Cover with another plate and, holding the plates tightly, invert them. Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet and use a rubber spatula to coax the cake back in. Cook another 5 minutes, then slide the cake from the skillet to a plate. (Alternatively, finish the cooking by putting the tortilla in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.) Serve warm (not hot) or at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.

VARIATIONS

Although potatoes are the most widely enjoyed filling, the tortilla is often filled with a variety of ingredients. Just make sure that any additions are either cooked in olive oil or thoroughly drained of other liquids.

• Replace the potatoes with onion or scallion, in equal amounts.

• Replace the potatoes with
cooked greens
(start with about a pound). Squeeze the greens dry and chop them, then sauté in just a couple of tablespoons of olive oil before adding the eggs.

• Add about 1 cup red bell pepper strips to the potatoes as they cook.

• Add ¼ cup or more diced chorizo, cooked bacon or shrimp, or dry-cured ham like prosciutto to the eggs.

• Add ½ cup or more canned or cooked fresh peas, lima beans, or chickpeas to the eggs.

FASTEST FRENCH BREAD

CORN BREAD

OLIVE OIL CROUTONS

BREAD PUDDING WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

PIZZA DOUGH

PIZZA WITH TOMATOES, ONIONS, AND OLIVES

PIZZA WITH ZUCCHINI AND SAUSAGE

PIZZA WITH GREEN TOMATOES

PIZZA WITH FOUR CHEESES AND BASIL

PIZZA WITH ARUGULA, CORN, AND BACON

LINGUINE WITH GARLIC AND OIL

LINGUINE WITH SPINACH

PASTA WITH GORGONZOLA AND ARUGULA

PASTA WITH ANCHOVIES AND ARUGULA

SPAGHETTI WITH ZUCCHINI

PENNE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

LINGUINE WITH FRESH HERBS

PASTA WITH GREEN BEANS, POTATOES, AND PESTO

PASTA WITH WALNUTS

SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

LINGUINE WITH TOMATO-ANCHOVY SAUCE

PASTA WITH CLAMS AND TOMATOES

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE

PASTA WITH FAST SAUSAGE RAGU

ZITI WITH CHESTNUTS AND MUSHROOMS

PASTA WITH MEATY BONES

ZITI WITH BUTTER, SAGE, AND PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO

PASTA WITH POTATOES

PASTA ALLA GRICIA

SPAGHETTI WITH RED WINE SAUCE

PASTA, RISOTTO STYLE

PARMESAN CUPS WITH ORZO RISOTTO

RICE NOODLES WITH BASIL

STIR-FRIED COCONUT NOODLES

PAD THAI

FRESH CHINESE NOODLES WITH BROWN SAUCE

MAKES 1 LOAF

TIME: 1¼ HOURS, MORE IF YOU HAVE TIME, LARGELY UNATTENDED

I WON’T CLAIM
that this is the best bread you’ve ever eaten, but it’s the fastest yeast bread imaginable, and it’s better than anything you can buy at many supermarkets. It requires little effort, less attention, and rounds out most simple dishes into filling meals.

1.
Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl or food processor. Add 1¼ cups of warm water all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon or with the machine on. Continue to mix, for a minute or two longer by hand, for about 30 seconds total with the food processor. Add water by the tablespoon if necessary, until a ball forms.

2.
Shape the dough into a flat round or long loaf, adding only enough flour to allow you to handle the dough. Put the dough on a baking sheet or a well-floured pizza peel. Let it rise in the warmest place in your kitchen, covered, while you preheat the oven to 425°F. (If you have time, let the dough rise for an hour or so.)

3.
Bake the bread on the sheet, or slide it onto a baking stone. Bake until done, 30 to 45 minutes; the crust will be golden brown, crisp, and firm.