Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (107 page)
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
Don’t stir the cheese into the sautéed tomatoes or it will melt prematurely and turn rubbery.
3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
2 | garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin |
Pinch red pepper flakes | |
Pinch sugar | |
1¹⁄ | pounds cherry tomatoes, halved |
Salt and pepper | |
6 | ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ¹⁄ |
2 | tablespoons shredded fresh basil |
Heat oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and sugar in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and sizzling, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and cook until they just begin to soften, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat. Spoon tomato mixture over individual portions of polenta, top with mozzarella, sprinkle with basil, and serve.
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
If you use shiitake mushrooms, they should be stemmed.
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
2 | tablespoons olive oil |
1 | small onion, chopped fine |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
2 | teaspoons minced fresh rosemary |
1 | pound wild mushrooms (such as cremini, shiitake, or oyster), trimmed and sliced |
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
1.
Heat butter and oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion softens and begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer.
2.
Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until juices release, about 6 minutes. Add broth, and salt and pepper to taste; simmer briskly until sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Spoon mushroom mixture over individual portions of polenta and serve.
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
¹⁄ | cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped coarse |
3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
6 | garlic cloves, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
Salt | |
1 | pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 1¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
3 | tablespoons pine nuts, toasted |
Heat sun-dried tomatoes, oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant and slightly toasted, about 1¹⁄
2
minutes. Add broccoli rabe and broth, cover, and cook until rabe turns bright green, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until most of broth has evaporated and rabe is just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Spoon broccoli rabe mixture over individual portions of polenta, sprinkle with pine nuts, and serve.
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 4 SERVINGS
2 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
2 | red onions, sliced thin |
4 | sprigs fresh thyme |
Salt and pepper | |
2 | tablespoons balsamic vinegar |
2 | tablespoons water |
1 | tablespoon light brown sugar |
6 | ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup toasted walnuts, chopped coarse |
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, thyme, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onions soften and begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in vinegar, water, and sugar and simmer until liquid has evaporated and onions are glossy, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over polenta, sprinkling individual portions with cheese and walnuts.
W
HY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Couscous, granules of semolina, traditionally serves as a sauce absorber under stews and braises, but it can also be a quick and flavorful side dish for a variety of foods. We wanted to develop a classic version for saucy dishes as well as a handful of flavor-packed versions, as convenient as the box kind, but much fresher-tasting. Toasting the couscous grains in butter deepened their flavor and helped them cook up fluffy and separate. And to bump up the flavor even further, we replaced half of the cooking liquid with chicken broth. For our enriched variations, dried fruit, nuts, and citrus juice added textural interest and sweet, bright notes.
SERVES 4 TO 6
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
2 | cups couscous |
1 | cup water |
1 | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
1 | teaspoon salt |
Pepper |
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add water, broth, and salt and stir briefly to combine. Cover and remove pan from heat. Let stand until grains are tender, about 7 minutes. Uncover and fluff grains with fork. Season with pepper to taste and serve.
Increase butter to 3 tablespoons and add ¹⁄
2
cup chopped dates, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon ground cardamom to saucepan with couscous. Increase amount of water to 1¹⁄
4
cups. Stir ³⁄
4
cup coarsely chopped toasted pistachios, 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice into couscous before serving.
Increase butter to 3 tablespoons and add ¹⁄
2
cup coarsely chopped dried cherries, 2 minced garlic cloves, ³⁄
4
teaspoon garam masala, and ¹⁄
8
teaspoon cayenne pepper to saucepan with couscous. Increase amount of water to 1¹⁄
4
cups. Stir ³⁄
4
cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans, 2 thinly sliced scallions, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice into couscous before serving.
Increase butter to 3 tablespoons and add 2 grated carrots and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon ground cinnamon; cook, stirring frequently, until carrot softens, about 2 minutes. Add ¹⁄
2
cup raisins to saucepan with couscous and increase water to 1¹⁄
4
cups. Stir ³⁄
4
cup toasted pine nuts, 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon grated orange zest, and 1 tablespoon orange juice into couscous before serving.
Increase butter to 3 tablespoons and add 3 thinly sliced shallots; cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir ³⁄
4
cup toasted sliced almonds, ³⁄
4
cup minced fresh parsley, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon grated lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice
into couscous before serving.
W
HY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Most versions of orzo pilaf are bland at best, little more than a generic starch used to bulk up a meal. We wanted a flavorful orzo pilaf that would hold its own when paired with any main dish. Toasting the orzo until golden brown before cooking it was the key to an outstanding pilaf. After toasting the orzo with butter and onion, we added a combination of white wine and chicken broth and cooked the orzo over moderate heat. A generous amount of peas made our pilaf more substantial and added some color. Finely grated Parmesan gave the pilaf a creamy texture, while a pinch of nutmeg added warmth.
SERVES 6 TO 8
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
1 | onion, chopped fine |
Salt and pepper | |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
1 | pound orzo |
3¹⁄ | cups low-sodium chicken broth |
³⁄ | cup dry white wine or dry vermouth |
1³⁄ | cups frozen peas |
2 | ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup) |
Pinch ground nutmeg |
1.
Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and ³⁄
4
teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onion has softened and is beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until most of orzo is lightly browned and golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Off heat, add broth and wine. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until all liquid has been absorbed and orzo is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
2.
Stir in peas, Parmesan, nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Off heat, let stand until peas are heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt to taste and serve.
Cook 4 slices bacon, cut into ¹⁄
4
-inch pieces, in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate; set aside. Substitute bacon fat for butter and reduce salt to ¹⁄
2
teaspoon. Add 1 rosemary sprig to pan with broth and wine. Stir reserved bacon in with Parmesan and nutmeg and discard rosemary.
Add 1 small fennel bulb, stalks discarded, halved, cored, and cut into ¹⁄
4
-inch dice, ³⁄
4
teaspoon fennel seeds, and pinch red pepper flakes along with onion. Add 1 teaspoon grated orange zest along with garlic and substitute ¹⁄
2
cup coarsely chopped olives for peas.
W
HY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Black beans are more often than not dull, dry, and mealy. We wanted tender, creamy black beans that were boldly flavored. We started by cooking them with a ham hock for meaty, smoky flavor. We bypassed the usual salt-soaking step and instead added salt right at the start of cooking to help season the beans properly. For a flavorful background, we cooked our sofrito—the aromatic trio of onion, bell pepper, and garlic—in rendered bacon fat, then mashed a portion of the beans with the sofrito to ensure our dish had the creamy, thick consistency we were after. Finishing the black beans with balsamic vinegar and cilantro added bright, fresh notes.
