Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (101 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Overcooking is the inevitable fate of many casseroles, as the contents are usually cooked twice: once on their own and once again when joined with the other casserole ingredients. We wanted a casserole with a silky sauce, a generous portion of turkey meat, and noodles cooked just till done. We found we could cut the second cooking time down to just 15 minutes by baking the recipe in a shallow dish that would allow it to heat through quickly. Most recipes for turkey Tetrazzini call for a béchamel sauce, in which milk is added to a roux (a paste made from fat and flour that is then cooked on the stovetop). In switching to a velouté, which is based on chicken broth rather than milk, we brightened up the texture and the flavor. We also used less sauce than most recipes call for, giving the other ingredients a chance to express themselves. Still looking for brighter flavor, we spruced things up with a shot of sherry and a little lemon juice and nutmeg. Parmesan cheese provided tang and bite, and a full 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme helped to freshen the overall impression of the dish.
SERVES 8
Don’t skimp on the salt and pepper; this dish needs aggressive seasoning.
BREAD-CRUMB TOPPING
6 | slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters |
4 | tablespoons unsalted butter, melted |
Pinch salt | |
¹⁄ | cup grated Parmesan cheese |
FILLING
8 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
8 | ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin |
2 | onions, chopped fine |
Salt and pepper | |
6 | tablespoons all-purpose flour |
3 | cups low-sodium chicken broth |
1¹⁄ | ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (³⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup dry sherry |
1 | tablespoon lemon juice |
2 | teaspoons minced fresh thyme |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground nutmeg |
12 | ounces spaghetti or other long-strand pasta, broken in half |
2 | cups frozen peas |
4 | cups cooked turkey or chicken, cut into ¹⁄ |
1. FOR THE TOPPING:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Combine bread crumbs, butter, and salt, spread onto rimmed baking sheet, and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, cool slightly, then stir in Parmesan; set aside.
2. FOR THE FILLING:
Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and cook, stirring often, until liquid from mushrooms evaporates, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to medium bowl and set aside. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
3.
Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour turns golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk chicken broth, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Off heat, whisk in Parmesan, sherry, lemon juice, thyme, nutmeg, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt.
4.
Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ¹⁄
2
cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add sauce, mushroom mixture, peas, turkey, and reserved cooking water to pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5.
Transfer mixture to prepared dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake until topping is golden brown and mixture is bubbling around edges, 13 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
W
HY THIS RECIPE WORKS
White rice seems like an easy enough dish to make, but it can be deceptively temperamental, quickly dissolving into unpleasant, gummy grains. For really great long-grain rice with distinct, separate grains that didn’t clump together, we rinsed the rice of excess starch first. Then, to add a rich dimension, we sautéed the grains in butter, before covering them with boiling water. After simmering the rice until all of the liquid was absorbed, we placed a kitchen towel between the lid and pot to absorb excess moisture and ensure dry, fluffy grains.
SERVES 6
You will need a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
2 | cups long-grain white rice |
1 | tablespoon unsalted butter or vegetable oil |
3 | cups water |
1 | teaspoon salt |
1.
Place rice in colander or fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Place strainer over bowl and set aside.
2.
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until grains become chalky and opaque, 1 to 3 minutes. Add water and salt, increase heat to high, and bring to boil, swirling pot to blend ingredients. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes. Off heat, remove lid and place kitchen towel folded in half over saucepan; replace lid. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and serve.
W
HY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Rice pilaf should be fragrant and fluffy, perfectly steamed, and tender. While recipes for rice pilaf abound, none seem to agree on the best method for guaranteeing these results; many espouse rinsing the rice and soaking it overnight, but we wondered if this was really necessary for a simple rice dish. For the best pilaf, we started with long-grain white rice. Instead of the traditional 1:2 ratio for rice and water, we preferred a little less water for each cup of rice. We found that while an overnight soak wasn’t necessary, rinsing the rice before cooking gave us beautifully separated grains. Sautéing the rice in butter for just a minute gave our pilaf great flavor.
SERVES 4
Olive oil can be substituted for the butter. While it’s not necessary, soaking the rice overnight in water results in more tender, separate grains. To soak the rice, add enough water to cover the rice by 1 inch after rinsing in step 1, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours; reduce the amount of water to cook the rice to 2 cups. You will need a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
1¹⁄ | cups long-grain white rice |
2¹⁄ | cups water |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons salt |
Pinch pepper | |
3 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
1 | small onion, chopped fine |
1.
Place rice in bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches; using hands, gently swish grains to release excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Repeat 4 to 5 times, until water runs almost clear. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer, place over bowl, and set aside.
2.
Bring water to boil, covered, in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add salt and pepper and cover to keep hot. Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat grains with butter; cook until edges of grains begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir hot seasoned water into rice. Return to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all liquid has been absorbed, 16 to 18 minutes. Off heat, remove lid and place kitchen towel folded in half over saucepan; replace lid. Let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and serve.
Add 2 minced garlic cloves, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon turmeric, and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon ground cinnamon to softened onion and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. When rice is off heat, before covering saucepan with towel, sprinkle ¹⁄
4
cup currants over top of rice (do not mix in). When fluffing rice with fork, toss in ¹⁄
4
cup toasted pine nuts.
If you’re using soaked rice, use 3 cups of water.
Increase water to 3¹⁄
4
cups. Melt 1¹⁄
2
tablespoons butter in saucepan over medium heat; add 4 ounces vermicelli, broken into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup), and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside. Melt remaining 1¹⁄
2
tablespoons butter and cook onion. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon ground cumin, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon ground coriander, and pinch allspice to softened onion; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add vermicelli along with rice.
W
HY THIS RECIPE WORKS
We wanted a simple, speedy rice pilaf that made the most of the aroma and flavor of basmati rice—no rinsing or soaking necessary. For rice with warm spice notes, we thoughtfully selected a number of whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves) and toasted them before adding the rice to the pot. Thinly sliced onion provided an aromatic background, and simmering until all the water was absorbed gave us tender, evenly cooked grains of rice.
