Authors: Tanya Steel

The Epicurious Cookbook (21 page)

BOOK: The Epicurious Cookbook

3.02Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

ads

2.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until tender. Drain well and return it to the pot it was cooked in. Add the sauce, vinegar, and basil, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

orzo
with grilled shrimp, summer vegetables, and pesto vinaigrette

Served cold or at room temperature, this colorful orzo is picnic and party ready. Save yourself some time—and effort—by buying peeled and deveined shrimp, and look for bocconcini, which are tiny mozzarella balls, usually sold in water. With precut veggies, this salad is a snap.

YIELD: MAKES 6 SERVINGS

8 ounces orzo (about 1⅓ cups)

6½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

2 medium zucchini or summer squash, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices (about 9 ounces total)

1 red or yellow bell pepper, quartered

3 tablespoons favorite pesto

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 large heirloom tomatoes, cored, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes

Special equipment: Gas or charcoal grill

1.
Cook the orzo in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil.

2.
Prepare the grill to medium-high heat. Whisk 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a small bowl. Brush the zucchini and bell pepper with the oil mixture, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk the pesto, lime juice, remaining 3½ tablespoons oil, and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar in a small bowl for the pesto vinaigrette. Place the shrimp in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons pesto vinaigrette; toss to coat.

3.
Grill the zucchini and bell pepper until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes per side for zucchini and 4 minutes per side for bell pepper. Transfer to work surface.

4.
Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper; then grill until charred and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place the shrimp in the bowl with the orzo. Chop the zucchini and bell pepper; add to the bowl with the orzo. Add the remaining vinaigrette, the tomatoes, sliced basil, and mozzarella; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5.
Garnish shrimp with basil sprigs and serve cold or at room temperature.

“Made my own pesto, and used asparagus and summer squash (didn’t have zucchini)—also had to roast the veggies thanks to a grill malfunction. Grown-ups and kids alike had seconds.”

do ahead:

The
ORZO
can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover; chill.

Chilled Soba with Tofu and Sugar Snap Peas

chilled soba
with tofu and sugar snap peas

When the heat is on, there’s no better way to cool down than with a bowl of chilled noodles. To make this truly vegetarian and vegan friendly, seek out a ponzu sauce without dashi, an ingredient made with dried fish. Two brands worth considering are Marukan and Wan Ja Shan. For die-hard meat eaters, add some thin slices of cold beef.

YIELD: MAKES 6 SERVINGS

FOR SAUCE

1 large dried shiitake mushroom

2½ cups water

8 (1-inch) pieces kombu (dried kelp)

½ cup soy sauce, preferably Japanese

¼ cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

3 tablespoons ponzu sauce (not containing dashi)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

FOR SOBA

1 pound sugar snap peas, thinly sliced

10 ounces baby spinach (16 cups)

1 pound dried soba noodles

1 (14- to 18-ounce) package silken tofu

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tablespoons thin matchsticks of peeled fresh ginger

MAKE SAUCE

1.
Simmer the mushroom in the water in a small saucepan, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the kombu and barely simmer, covered, 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a large glass measure, pressing on and discarding solids.

2.
Return 2 cups liquid (add water, if necessary) to the saucepan. Add the soy sauce, mirin, ponzu, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in the sesame oil, then cool in the pan set into a large ice bath.

COOK NOODLES AND VEGETABLES

1.
Blanch the snaps peas in a large pot of unsalted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large colander set into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Lift the colander to drain, then transfer peas to a bowl.

2.
Meanwhile, return the cooking water to a boil. Blanch the spinach until just wilted, about 30 seconds, then cool and drain in same manner. Squeeze out excess water. Add to the peas.

3.
Return the cooking water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Cool in an ice bath until very cold (add more ice to water as necessary). Drain well.

4.
Carefully drain the tofu and pat dry. Cut into ¾-inch cubes.

5.
Whisk the sauce, then pour 1½ cups sauce into a large bowl. Add the noodles, sugar snaps, spinach, and half of the onions and toss.

6.
Serve in shallow bowls, topped with tofu, remaining scallions, and ginger. Drizzle with some of the remaining sauce and serve remainder on the side.

“I was taken aback by the amount of sauce, but it was great. So that the noodles and tofu don’t soak up all the sauce, it is a good idea to add the remaining sauce just before serving.”

Blinknoodle, Canada

do ahead:

The
SAUCE
can be made 3 days ahead and chilled.

quick paella

Bring the vibrant colors and fresh flavors of this Spanish dish to your table in under an hour. Spicy chorizo, fresh shrimp, roasted peppers, and tangy artichoke hearts melt together on a bed of saffron-infused rice in an easy dish, ideal for summer sharing. Personalize your paella by adding a favorite shellfish or throwing in some cooked onions.

YIELD: MAKES 4 SERVINGS

¾ pound cooked chorizo or linguiça sausage, cut into chunks

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 (1-pound) bag saffron rice, such as Vigo

1 (9-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained

1 (8-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced

2 cups chicken or fish broth, or wine

2 cups water

1 pound large shrimp, peeled

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted

1.
In a large skillet with a lid, brown the sausage in the oil until crisp, about 5 minutes.

2.
Add the rice, artichoke hearts, peppers, broth or wine, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

3.
Stir in the shrimp and peas. Cover and continue cooking until the shrimp are opaque, 5 to 7 minutes.

“It was fast and easy, a good break from grilling during a hot Texas summer. I made it almost exactly as written, except I used fresh red peppers, andouille sausage, and frozen artichoke hearts.”

Pamthecook, Dallas, Texas

mussels and fries
with mustard mayonnaise

Although there’s no substitute for enjoying a pot of freshly steamed mussels on the coast of France, this 30-minute supper is a pretty good substitute. The briny flavor and deep garlic aroma of stewed mussels are surprisingly simple to recreate. Crunchy french fries (whether frozen or homemade) and a mellow mustard mayonnaise round out this classic meal. Served with crusty bread, these mussels can create an intimate weekend dinner or an easy weekday escape.

YIELD: MAKES 2 SERVINGS

1 (15- to 16-ounce) package frozen french fries

1 small onion

2 garlic cloves, forced through a press

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons water

½ cup mayonnaise

1 cup dry white wine

2 pounds cultivated mussels, rinsed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Crusty bread, preferably a baguette

Special equipment: Mandoline

1.
Cook the fries according to package instructions and keep warm in the oven if necessary.

2.
Meanwhile, cut the onion into very thin slices with the slicer, then cook with garlic and a pinch of salt in the butter in a wide heavy medium pot over medium-high heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until pale golden.

3.
While the onion cooks, whisk together the mustard and water until smooth, then whisk in the mayonnaise and about ¼ teaspoon pepper.

4.
Add the wine to the onion and briskly simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the onion is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until mussels are just open wide, 4 to 6 minutes, checking frequently after 4 minutes and transferring as cooked to a bowl. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened.)

5.
Stir the parsley into the cooking liquid and season with salt. Pour liquid over mussels, then serve with fries and mustard mayonnaise.

“Delicious, quick, and cheap. This recipe required exactly 30 minutes and less than $15, including the baguette. (Okay, I used cheap leftover wine.)”

A cook, Berkeley, California

cook’s note:

This
RECIPE
can be doubled in an 8-quart heavy pot.

grilled tuna salade niçoise

The crisp beans and potatoes can be cooked an hour ahead and kept at room temperature, but toss the potatoes with the dressing while they are still warm. To soak up any extra herbed garlicky goodness, serve with the Garlic Bruschetta.

YIELD: MAKES 6 SERVINGS

FOR DRESSING

¼ cup red-wine vinegar

2½ tablespoons minced shallot

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with ½ teaspoon salt

Rounded ½ teaspoon anchovy paste

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

FOR SALAD

12 ounces green beans (preferably haricots verts), trimmed