Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (372 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
The typical margarita tends to be a slushy, headache-inducing concoction made with little more than ice, tequila, and artificially flavored corn syrup. We wanted a margarita with a balanced blend of fresh citrus flavors and tequila. We found that the key was using the right proportions of alcohol and citrus juice—equal parts of each. We started with the tequila: Young tequilas gave our margaritas a raw, harsh flavor, and while those made with super-premium tequilas, aged up to six years, tasted smooth, their distinct tannic taste dominated the cocktail. For a mellow, delicate flavor, we preferred reposado tequila, made from 100 percent blue agave and aged about 12 months. As for orange-flavored liqueurs, a lower-alcohol liqueur, such as triple sec, worked best. Mixes and bottled citrus juice had no place in our cocktail. Instead we steeped lemon and lime zest in their own juices for a deep, refreshing citrus flavor. With a bit of easy-to-dissolve superfine sugar and crushed ice, our margaritas were complete.
SERVES 4 TO 6
The longer the zest and juice mixture is allowed to steep, the more developed the citrus flavors will be in the finished margaritas. We recommend steeping for the full 24 hours, although the margaritas will still be great if the mixture is steeped for only the minimum 4 hours. If you’re in a rush and want to serve margaritas immediately, omit the zest and skip the steeping process altogether. If you can’t find superfine sugar, process an equal amount of granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds.
4 | teaspoons finely grated lime zest plus ¹⁄ |
4 | teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus ¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup superfine sugar |
Pinch salt | |
2 | cups crushed ice |
1 | cup 100 percent agave tequila, preferably reposado |
1 | cup triple sec |
1.
Combine lime zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt in large liquid measuring cup; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors meld, at least 4 or up to 24 hours.
2.
Divide 1 cup crushed ice among 4 or 6 margarita or double old-fashioned glasses. Strain juice mixture into 1-quart pitcher or cocktail shaker. Add tequila, triple sec, and remaining 1 cup crushed ice; stir or shake until thoroughly combined and chilled, 20 to 60 seconds. Strain into ice-filled glasses and serve immediately.
The pineapple flavor in this variation makes the zest and steeping process in the recipe above unnecessary.
Omit lime and lemon zest and steeping process. Peel, core, and halve 1 small ripe pineapple (about 3¹⁄
2
pounds); cut 1 half into rough 2-inch chunks (reserve remaining half for another use). Process in food processor until smooth and foamy, about 1 minute. Add ¹⁄
2
cup pureed pineapple to juice mixture, reducing lemon and lime juices to ¹⁄
4
cup each.
Omit lime and lemon zest and steeping process. Puree 1 cup fresh raspberries, lime and lemon juices, sugar, and pinch salt in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain mixture into pitcher or cocktail shaker. Continue with recipe, reducing triple sec to ¹⁄
2
cup and adding ¹⁄
2
cup Chambord (or other raspberry liqueur) to juice and tequila mixture in pitcher.
Omit lime and lemon zest and steeping process. Process 1 cup hulled strawberries, lime and lemon juices, sugar, and salt in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain mixture into pitcher or cocktail shaker. Continue with recipe, reducing triple sec to ¹⁄
2
cup and adding ¹⁄
2
cup Chambord (or other raspberry liqueur) to juice and tequila mixture in pitcher.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Many people mistake sangria for a random collection of fruit in overly sweetened wine. We wanted a robust, sweet-tart sangria. To start, we found that because of the fruit and added sugar, cheap wine makes as good a sangria as more expensive wine, so it wasn’t necessary to splurge. We experimented with untold varieties of fruit to put in our sangria recipe and finally concluded that simpler is better. We preferred the straightforward tang of citrus in the form of oranges and lemons and we discovered that the zest and pith as well as the fruit itself make an important contribution to flavor. Orange liqueur is standard in recipes for sangria, and after experimenting we found that here, as with the wine, cheaper was just fine, this time in the form of triple sec.
SERVES 4
The longer sangria sits before drinking, the more smooth and mellow it will taste. A full day is best, but if that’s impossible, give it an absolute minimum of 2 hours to sit. Use large, heavy, juicy oranges and lemons for the best flavor. If you can’t find superfine sugar, process an equal amount of granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds. Doubling or tripling the recipe is fine, but you’ll need a large punch bowl in place of the pitcher. An inexpensive Merlot is the best choice for this recipe.
2 | oranges, 1 sliced, 1 juiced (¹⁄ |
1 | lemon, sliced |
¹⁄ | cup superfine sugar |
1 | (750-ml) bottle fruity red wine, chilled |
¹⁄ | cup triple sec |
6–8 | ice cubes |
1.
Add sliced orange, lemon, and sugar to large pitcher. Mash fruit gently with wooden spoon until fruit releases some juice, but is not totally crushed, and sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Stir in orange juice, wine, and triple sec; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
2.
Before serving, add 6 to 8 ice cubes and stir briskly to distribute settled fruit and pulp; serve immediately.
SERVES 4
A Pinot Grigio or an unoaked Chardonnay are the best choices for this recipe.
2 | oranges, 1 sliced, 1 juiced (¹⁄ |
1 | lemon, sliced |
¹⁄ | cup superfine sugar |
1 | (750-ml) bottle fruity white wine, chilled |
2 | tablespoons triple sec |
6–8 | ice cubes |
1.
Add sliced orange, lemon, and sugar to large pitcher. Mash fruit gently with wooden spoon until fruit releases some juice, but is not totally crushed, and sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Stir in orange juice, wine, and triple sec; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
2.
Before serving, add 6 to 8 ice cubes and stir briskly to distribute settled fruit and pulp; serve immediately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Bad versions of mulled red wine can be reminiscent of cough syrup—sickeningly sweet and overspiced, with a harsh taste of alcohol. We wanted a warm, not-too-sweet wine with a mild alcohol kick, deep but not overwhelming spice notes, and some fruitiness. For full, round flavors, we chose a careful balance of cinnamon sticks, cloves, peppercorns, and allspice berries, then toasted the spices to unlock their full flavor. Any medium- to full-bodied wine worked well; we got the best results using wine good enough to drink on its own. We simmered, rather than boiled, the wine, spices, and a modest amount of sugar for a full hour to ensure a full-flavored drink that didn’t taste raw. A couple of spoonfuls of brandy stirred in just before serving added a fresh, boozy kick.
SERVES 8
The flavor of the mulled wine deteriorates if it is simmered for longer than 1 hour. It is best served immediately after mulling but will keep fairly hot off heat, covered, for about 30 minutes. Leftover mulled wine can be reheated in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop. Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Côtes du Rhône are the best choices for this recipe.
3 | cinnamon sticks |
10 | whole cloves |
10 | whole peppercorns |
1 | teaspoon allspice berries |
2 | (750-ml) bottles red wine |
4 | (2-inch) strips orange zest |
¹⁄ | cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar |
2–4 | tablespoons brandy |
1.
Toast cinnamon sticks, cloves, peppercorns, and allspice in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine, orange zest, and ¹⁄
2
cup sugar; cover partially and bring to simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour until wine is infused; do not boil.
2.
Strain wine through fine-mesh strainer placed over bowl and return to saucepan; discard spices and orange zest. Stir 2 tablespoons brandy into wine; taste and add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar and 2 tablespoons more brandy, if desired. Ladle wine into small mugs; serve immediately.
This variation is inspired by Scandinavian glögg.
Substitute 2 crushed green cardamom pods for allspice. Add ¹⁄
3
cup raisins and ¹⁄
3
cup whole blanched almonds to strained wine; omit brandy. Cover and let sit until raisins are plump, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons vodka; add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar and 2 tablespoons more vodka to taste. Ladle wine, raisins, and almonds into small mugs; serve immediately.
QUICK-CHILLING WINE
In the summer months, we tend to get busy tending the grill and often forget to pop a bottle of wine in the fridge before company comes over. Here’s a way to chill beverages in a hurry, borrowed from a method for making ice cream in an old-fashioned churn: Make an ice bath and add salt to it. When ice cubes are placed in plain water, they will absorb heat from their surroundings until they melt at 32 degrees. When salt is added to the mix, the freezing point and temperature decrease, lowering the ice’s melting temperature (which is the same as its freezing temperature) to well below 32 degrees. The result is a brine significantly colder than plain ice water that can rapidly chill or even freeze liquids.
To find out just how quickly an ice brine works, we chilled three bottles of 75-degree white wine in three different environments: in the freezer (the usual desperate approach to quick chilling); submerged in a 50–50 mix of ice and plain water; and submerged in 1 quart water mixed with 4 quarts ice with 1 cup salt. We checked the temperature of each wine every five minutes to see how quickly it reached 38 degrees (the typical temperature of chilled beverages in the fridge). The wine in the ice brine took just 34 minutes, compared with 67 minutes in the freezer and 105 minutes in the plain ice water. The next time we need to transform a drink from lukewarm to icy cold, we’ll reach for the salt.
