FISH AND SHELLFISH
| —1870s— | • Deviled Crabs (here). |
| —1877— | • Instructions on how to clean and fry soft-shell crabs appear in the food pages. |
| —1880s— | • Shrimp, salmon, and lobster are potted with butter. |
| —1880— | • Cooking teacher Juliet Corson gives courses on cooking skate. |
| —1881— | • Curries, including Crab and Coconut Curry (here), are surprisingly common. |
| —1890s— | • Oysters are abundant in New York harbor; the city’s inhabitants gorge. |
| —1899— | • Oysters Rockefeller is created at Antoine’s in New Orleans. |
| —1904— | • Unconventional yet delicious Bouillabaisse (here). |
| —1913— | • The Oyster Bar opens in Grand Central Terminal. |
| —1934— | • Zabar’s, specializing in smoked fish, opens on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. |
| —1939— | • Pierre Franey moves from France to New York and is hired as the fish cook at Le Pavillon. |
| —1940s— | • Tomatoes Stuffed with Crab (here) find their audience at hotels and then country clubs. |
| —1946— | • Lobster Thermidor: shellfish meet cream sauce. |
| —1947— | • Maryland Crab Cakes (here)—a love that lasts for decades. |
| —1958— | • Craig Claiborne runs a recipe for Grand Central Pan Roast (here), one of the world’s best dishes, and it can be made in five minutes. |
| —1960s— | • Does any dish say 1960s more than Coquilles St.-Jacques (here)? |
| —1961— | • Meunière and Grenobloise (here). • There is a time for Salmon Mousse (here) and it is this decade. |
| —1970s— | • Greek food is in: shrimp meets feta, with delicious consequences (see here). |
| —1980s— | • Soft-shell crabs move beyond a regional specialty. |
| —1983— | • Craig Claiborne writes about making gravlax at home. |
| —1986— | • Alfred Portale creates a tower of lobster, making his dish—Lobster Salad Max—and his plating style famous. |
| —1990s— | • Tuna is seared, sometimes with black peppercorns, sometimes not. • Ubiquitous wedding hors d’oeuvre: mini crab cakes. • Tuna tartare (here) and ceviche (here). • Monkfish and skate, former trash fish, become popular. • Broiled cod with a miso glaze, a specialty of Nobu in New York, is copied everywhere. • Chilean sea bass, aka Patagonian toothfish, becomes a hit. |
| —1994— | |
| —1997— | • Slow-cooked salmon (see here) foreshadows the days of sous-vide. |
| —1998— | • “Line-caught” and “day boat” become catch phrases for higher-quality fish caught in a humane fashion and brought to shore fresh rather than frozen. |
| —1999— | • Thomas Keller publishes his butter-poached lobster recipe in The French Laundry Cookbook. |
| —2000s— |
• Chilean sea bass is overfished, and is removed from many menus. • Sushi. Sushi. And more sushi. |
| —2002— | • Julia Moskin explains that there are really only four kinds of oysters, they just live in different waters, which impart different flavors. |
| —2004— | • Masa, a sushi bar, opens in New York City and earns 4 stars from the Times. Its tasting menu runs from $300 to $500. |
| —2005— | • Fulton Fish Market, open since 1822, moves from near the Brooklyn Bridge to the Bronx. |
| —2006— | • Tartare is replaced by crudo; same thing, larger pieces of fish. |
| —2008— | • The United Nations reports that overfishing is a global issue. |
FISH AND SHELLFISH
The Times’s food pages’ particular area of expertise, as it happens, has been fish and shellfish. Among its most well-known writers have been fish experts such as Bob the Sea Cook from the nineteenth century; Pierre Franey, who was hired as the fish chef at Le Pavillon in 1939; and Mark Bittman, who wrote a book called Fish before beginning his column “The Minimalist.” And the feeding ground for Times food writers is New York City, which has some of the best fish and shellfish chefs in the world. You will meet some of them—Eric Ripert, David Pasternack, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten—on the following pages.
Over the decades, the ways we cook fish and shellfish have become increasingly varied and nuanced. In addition to French-style sautés and sauces, and American fish chowders, we now make Chinese Clams in Black Bean Sauce (here), Yucatán Fish with Crisp Garlic (here), Broiled Halibut with Miso Glaze (here), and Laotian Minced Fish Salad (here).
But this chapter is one of a few in which the basic recipes haven’t really changed all that much in 150 years. The instructions given in 1882 for serving oysters on the half-shell are exactly what they would be today: “Have half a dozen oysters on the half-shell ready for each guest. Be careful, in ordering them, to state that they must be small. Half a lemon should be served with each plate.” In 1881, Juliet Corson, a cooking school teacher who was a frequent Times contributor, published a recipe for poached trout with peas that’s not all that different from Nigella Lawson’s Scallops with Pea Puree (here). And the Deviled Crab (here) from 1878 is nearly the same as a deviled crab casserole from 1992 that was recommended by readers (but not included here because the old one was better).
The only real change with fish is that the world’s fish supply has been devastated in recent decades. As buying can be fraught, it’s always a good idea to check sources like www.sustainablefish.org and www.edf.org, which post updates on which fish are best to buy.
A few cooking tips before you get started. In 2009, Sam Sifton, then a Times editor and now the paper’s restaurant critic, buttonholed David Pasternak, the chef at Esca, for his fish sautéing technique and extracted three rules that Sifton set down as follows:
1. Get over the fear. You’re going to make fish at home, it’s going to be easy, and it’s not going to take up your day or destroy your kitchen. The recipe is going to work. Trust the process.
2. Buying fish is half the battle. Pasternack said, “The first thing you want to do is you want to find a thick fillet of fish. You want a nice thick fillet so you can develop the color and the crust.” Pasternack speaks in a soft Long Island growl that turns any conversation into an intimacy, a prelude to something possibly criminal and certainly fun. “Ask for the large,” he continued. “They have large in the back. They always do.”
3. Crust is crucial. Pasternack’s method: “You want to make sure the bottom of your pan is completely covered in fat. It’s on a medium flame. You add a pat of butter for flavor, and you put the fillet in the pan. You turn it to medium-high, and you watch it cook until it turns a deep golden brown on the bottom. That’s like 3, 4 minutes. Then you turn it. A minute later, you take it out, put it on paper towels, season it with a little salt.”
Soups and Stews
Soupe de Poisson Jardinière (Fish Soup with Vegetables)
Speedy Fish Stew with Orange and Fennel
Gilbert Le Coze’s Bouillabaisse
Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun-Style Gumbo
Billi-Bi au Safran (Mussels in Saffron Cream)
Thai Sole Chowder with Lima Beans and Corn
Manhattan Clam Chowder with Hake and Chorizo
Clam Stew with Potatoes and Parsley Puree
Cold or Raw Fish and Shellfish Dishes
Poisson à l’Huile (Salmon with Sauternes and Olive Oil)
Joyce Goldstein’s Pickled Salmon
Shellfish
Gilbert Le Coze’s Bouillabaisse
Billi-Bi au Safran (Mussels in Saffron Cream)
Clam Stew with Potatoes and Parsley Puree
Manhattan Clam Chowder with Hake and Chorizo
Fried Mussels with Almond-Garlic Sauce
Grandma Tedesco’s Mussels and Gravy
Cromesquis d’Huîtres à la Sauce Tartare (Fried Oysters with Creamy Tartar Sauce)
Mrs. Reardy’s Shrimp and Artichoke Casserole
Shrimp Baked with Feta Cheese, Greek-Style
Roast Lobster with Vanilla Sauce
Sea Scallops with Sweet Red Peppers and Zucchini
Calamari Ripieni (Stuffed Squid)
Hot Fish Dishes
Yucatán Fish with Crisp Garlic
Fish Steamed over Vegetables and Fresh Herbs
Steamed Fish with Thyme and Tomato Vinaigrette
Baked Goan Fish with Fresh Green Chile Chutney
Salt-Roasted Striped Bass with Salsa de la Boca
Gently Cooked Salmon with Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Salmon with Herb Vinaigrette
Sweet-and-Sour Salmon in Almond Prune Sauce
Arctic Char with Ancho-Shallot Butter
Seared Tuna in Black Pepper Crust
Char-Grilled Tuna with Toasted Corn Vinaigrette and Avocado Salad
Monkfish Encrusted with Pistachios
Swordfish in Green Curry–Basil Sauce
Chinese-Style Steamed Black Sea Bass
Oven-Roasted Branzino with Hazelnut Picada
Halibut with Parsley-Shellfish Sauce
Nina Simonds’s Broiled Halibut with Miso Glaze
Sautéed Fluke with Grapefruit Vinaigrette
Skate with Sautéed Spinach and Fried Potatoes
Sautéed Red Snapper with Rhubarb Sauce
Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel Broth
Sautéed Trout with Brown Butter, Lemon, and Macadamia Nuts
Sole Grenobloise (Sautéed Sole with Capers and Lemons)
Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari Salad
Cold Fish and Shellfish Salads
Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Crab Salad
Clementine’s Tuna-Macaroni Salad
Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari Salad
Seafood Cakes
Salmon Cakes with Yogurt Chipotle Sauce
First-Course Fish and Shellfish Dishes
Joyce Goldstein’s Pickled Salmon
Salmon Cakes with Yogurt Chipotle Sauce
Shrimp Baked with Feta Cheese, Greek-Style
Cromesquis d’Huîtres à la Sauce Tartare (Fried Oysters with Creamy Tartar Sauce)
Fried Mussels with Almond-Garlic Sauce
Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari Salad
Calamari Ripieni (Stuffed Squid)
POISSON À L’HUILE (SALMON WITH SAUTERNES AND OLIVE OIL)
I was taken by the addition of Sauternes in the cooking broth and the specification of olive oil from Lucca in the vinaigrette—long before the age of competitive ingredient fetishes. In the recipe’s defense, it is such a simple dish that you really do need the character of a great olive oil. But, of course, it’s fine if yours comes from Liguria or Catalonia or even California, as long as its flavor pleases you.
The writer of this recipe had come across this dish at a party. Having sought out the hostess who ushered him to the buffet, he described how “she showed me a superb salmon, stretched at length on a silver platter, where in quiet repose it seemed as real as if it were a live fish on an argent wave. Just then, I might have been on the eve of declaring my love, either for the lady or for the salmon, but it was the fish which fascinated me.”
Soon enough he was in the kitchen, asking the chef how to prepare the fish. “Believe me, sir,” the chef is quoted as saying, “this method is the best, the simplest; and at a ball, after dancing, there is nothing so recuperating.”
———
For the Poaching Liquid
4 cups water
2 bottles (375-ml) Sauternes or 1 (750-ml) bottle ice wine or Riesling
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 sage leaf
1 small onion, halved
2 teaspoons salt
1½ tablespoons black peppercorns
One 3-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here)
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread
1 clove garlic, peeled
For the Vinaigrette
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¾ cup your best extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped tarragon
2 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt
1. To make the poaching liquid, combine the water and wine in a saucepan large enough to hold the salmon. Add the parsley, thyme, bay leaf, sage, onion, salt, and peppercorns and bring to a boil.
2. Lower the heat to medium so the poaching liquid simmers gently and lower the salmon into the pan. If the salmon is not covered, add more water until it is. Simmer until the salmon is just cooked through (test with the tip of a knife). Remove the fish to a plate to cool.
3. Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread, and rub it with garlic while it is still warm. Set aside to cool.
4. To make the vinaigrette, beat together the lemon juice, olive oil, tarragon, parsley, and salt to taste.
5. Crumb the cooled toast in the food processor.
6. To serve, lay the fish on a platter and spoon the dressing over it. Sprinkle with the garlic bread crumbs.
SERVES 6 TO 8
COOKING NOTE
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled—and if you can find a whole salmon, by all means, buy it! It will take longer to cook, so build in a few extra minutes when poaching.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Asparagus Salad (here), Yette’s Garden Platter (here), Artichoke Salad with Anchovy and Capers (here), Asparagus and Bulgur with Preserved-Lemon Dressing (here), Rhubarb Orange (here)
OCTOBER 11, 1874: “HOW TO DRESS FISH: LEAVES FROM A SENTIMENTAL COOKBOOK.”
—1874
DEVILED CRABS
Warm sweet crab with a zing of cayenne and Worcestershire. I like this fiery—if you’re not a fan of spicy food, begin with a small pinch of cayenne.
Deviled crab is an ancestor of deviled eggs, which—much as we love them—are a neutered form of deviling. Deviled crab and deviled kidneys were meant to be spicy and bracing, the kind of food you had after a long night of drinking. Deviling grew out of a dish called “a devil,” Anne Mendelson, a food historian, wrote in an e-mail, which you made “by taking odd bits of meat, fish, poultry, game, feathered game, offal—anything from turkey legs to fish bones—and broiling them with plenty of hot condiments and/or serving them with some strong-flavored relish.”
In David Copperfield, Mr. Micawber saves a dinner party by turning undercooked mutton into a devil. Dickens wrote:
“Traddles cut the mutton into slices; Mr. Micawber (who could do anything of this sort to perfection) covered them with pepper, mustard, salt, and cayenne; I put them on the gridiron, turned them with a fork, and took them off, under Mr. Micawber’s direction; and Mrs. Micawber heated, and continually stirred, some mushroom ketchup in a little saucepan. . . . With the novelty of this cookery, the excellence of it, the bustle of it, the frequent starting up to look after it, the frequent sitting down to dispose of it as the crisp slices came off the gridiron hot and hot, the being so busy, so flushed with fire, so amused, and in the midst of such a tempting noise and savour, we reduced the leg of mutton to the bone.”
———
¼ cup mayonnaise
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
½ pound crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
2 tablespoons minced onion
½ teaspoon chopped thyme
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
About 2 tablespoons fine fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 thin slices
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Blend the mayonnaise, mustard, cayenne, and vinegar in a bowl. Add the crab and fold together. Add the onion, thyme, and Worcestershire and fold once more. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
2. Spoon the mixture into four 6-ounce ramekins (or the cleaned crab shells if you have them). Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and top each with a slice of butter. (At this point, the ramekins can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.)
3. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Then place under the broiler until golden brown on top, 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the distance between the heating element and the ramekins.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Gin Rickey (here), Sea Scallops with Sweet Red Peppers and Zucchini (here), Baked Flounder (here), ‘21’ Club Hamburger (here), Saratoga Potatoes (here), Delicate Bread Pudding (here), Peach Balls (here), Tapioca Pudding (here)
FEBRUARY 24, 1878: “THE HOUSEHOLD.” RECIPE SIGNED BOSTON COOK.
—1878
POTTED SALMON
Bob the Sea Cook, who fancied himself a man of culinary prowess, submitted dozens of recipes to the Times during the late nineteenth century. He wrote cannily and conversationally, was a consummate food enthusiast, and showed more know-how than most of the contributors of his time—although he could be alarmingly sexist. In giving the instructions for a lobster and chicken curry, made on a ship, he wrote, “Take a big chicken, cut him in bits, and put the pieces in salt and water; boil about a five-pound lobster and pick it. If there are any ladies on board, make them do it.”
Of this salmon, he noted, “An old man, as I knowed [sic], as good a sailor as ever sailed, was mighty fussy over his eating, and he first showed me how to make potted salmon out of the fish in cans. It is a tip-top relish spread on a bit of bread.”
After testing this recipe and deciding to add it to the book, I came across a strikingly similar potted salmon that was published in Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey’s column in 1981. Turns out, Claiborne and Franey were also featuring Bob the Sea Cook’s dish—as part of a brief dip into the archives—only they halved the recipe (which you may also do) and increased the amount of vinegar to 1 tablespoon.
———
One 1-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed, poached (see Cooking Notes, here and below)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 anchovy fillets, mashed
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground mace, or more to taste
3 black peppercorns
½ teaspoon tarragon vinegar, or more to taste
Salt
Toast points, for serving
1. Using your hands, finely shred the salmon into a double boiler. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the salmon is hot to the touch. Beat in the butter and then the anchovies, cayenne, mace, peppercorns, vinegar, and salt to taste. Remove from the heat and beat for another minute. Let cool for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more vinegar, cayenne, mace, and salt as desired.
2. Beat the salmon for another minute, then pack it into a small crock or dish. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the salmon. Chill (the salmon can be refrigerated for up to 5 days).
MAKES 1½ CUPS; SERVES 4 AS AN HORS D’OEUVRE OR, WITH A SALAD AND TOASTS, AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
To poach the salmon, fill a saucepan large enough to hold the fish with water. Season the water with salt and some aromatics, such as a quartered onion, a few sprigs of parsley and thyme, and 5 peppercorns. Bring the water to a simmer and lower in the salmon. Simmer until the salmon is lightly cooked but still pink in the center. Shut off the heat and let cool in the water.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Park Avenue Cocktail (here), Onion Rings (here), Salade Niçoise (here), Pots de Crème (here)
JANUARY 4, 1880: “RECEIPTS FOR THE TABLE.” RECIPE SIGNED BOB THE SEA COOK.
—1880
CRAB AND COCONUT CURRY
This simple little curry appeared in an article filled with crab and lobster recipes. The writer also suggested mixing crabmeat with vinegar, mustard, cayenne, salt, and pepper and serving it in its shell.
For a party, I’d serve this as an hors d’oeuvre on thin rice crackers or rice pancakes (here; made into individual pancakes) or on Green Pea Fritters (here), topped with diced tomato. For dinner, I’d serve it warm, with steamed rice and a sambol or other condiment.
———
½ pound crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1¾ cups unsweetened grated coconut
¾ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, plus more to taste
Salt
½ teaspoon coconut oil or canola oil (optional)
Mix together the crabmeat, coconut, curry powder, Worcestershire, salt to taste, and oil if using, in a bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
SERVES 6 TO 8 AS AN HORS D’OEUVRE, 4 AS A FIRST COURSE OR LIGHT MAIN COURSE (WITH RICE AND CONDIMENTS)
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Sweet (or Savory) Lassi (here), Manjula Gokal’s Gujarati Mango Soup (here), Aloo Kofta (here), Bademiya’s Justly Famous Bombay Chile-and-Cilantro Chicken (here), Mango Ice Cream (here)
MARCH 6, 1881: “HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD: A CHAPTER UPON CRABS AND LOBSTERS” BY JULIET CORSON.
—1881
This would be a great salad to make with the leftovers from Poisson à l’Huile here.
———
One 10-ounce skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed, poached (see Cooking Notes, here and here)
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 teaspoon Colman’s prepared mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup celery, thinly sliced on a bias
3 heaping tablespoons prepared horseradish
Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
1. Put the salmon in a small saucepan and place over low heat until just warmed through.
2. Meanwhile, remove the yolks from the eggs and mash the yolks with a fork in a small bowl. Work in the mustard and olive oil. Season with salt. Whisk in the vinegar.
3. Finely chop the egg whites.
4. Combine the salmon, celery, and horseradish in a bowl. Mix well, pour in the dressing, and mix again. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Spoon the salad into a nice bowl and top with the chopped egg whites and parsley.
SERVES 4 AS PART OF A LUNCH WITH OTHER SALADS
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill (here), Potato Salad with Beets (here), Frozen Lemon Soufflé (here)
APRIL 3, 1881: “OTHER RECEIPTS.” RECIPE SIGNED MARY B., BROOKLYN.
—1881
BOUILLABAISSE
In 2002, R. W. Apple Jr., the Times reporter and noted bon vivant, wrote that “controversy clings to bouillabaisse like barnacles to a ship. Is it a soup? Perhaps not, because the broth and the solids are eaten separately. Is it a stew? Surely not, because a stew by definition is cooked very slowly, and bouillabaisse must be boiled furiously to achieve an amalgamation of olive oil with water and wine. It is best described as a fish boil, which is what its name seems to imply.” Alan Davidson, in The Oxford Companion to Food, points out that a nineteenth-century dictionary by Littré interprets it as bouillon abaissé, or “broth lowered,” meaning the broth is boiled down.
Whatever you want to call it—broth lowered or fish boil, soup or stew—bouillabaisse is meant to contain a bunch of fish, olive oil, and water, and is not supposed to take three days to make. A century ago, it was much simpler. It was an ideal dish for home cooks: there was no doting over perfect slices of fish, no high-octane fish stock, and no mention of garlicky rouille. It began with water, olive oil, and sometimes wine, an onion or two, tomatoes, saffron, some herbs, and fish. Then you gave the mix a blast of heat so the oil and broth would come to an excited boil and engulf the aromatics.
This 1904 recipe I settled on contained equal parts water and oil and half the amount of white wine. The saffron- and herb-scented oil insulates the fish and dresses it as the fish breaks down, making for a rich and rustic oily broth. It completely changed my sense of what bouillabaisse could be.
If you’d prefer to take on the more complex, modern form of bouillabaisse, the challenge (and reward) is all yours here.
———
1 cup olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, peeled (see Cooking Note, here), cored, seeded, and sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 pinches saffron threads, or to taste
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs parsley
2 cloves garlic
1 pound each skinless cod, halibut, and bluefish fillets (fluke or sea bass may be substituted for two of these), cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups peeled, deveined medium shrimp (about 1 pound)
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fish broth
6 slices country bread, toasted
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, onion, carrot, saffron, bay leaf, and parsley. Crush 1 garlic clove and add it to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the fish, shrimp, and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and boil for 10 minutes.
2. Add the fish broth and wine, bring to a rapid simmer, and simmer until the fish is just cooked through. Adjust the seasoning, adding more saffron, lemon juice, salt, and/or pepper as desired.
3. Rub the toasts with the remaining garlic clove. Set a toast in the bottom of each of 6 bowls and ladle the bouillabaisse on top.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
Set out your fish for 20 minutes beforehand.
You can halve the amount of oil if you find it alarming.
VARIATION
Spice up the soup by adding a little smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and more garlic.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Squashed Tomatoes (here), Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères (here), Hot Cheese Olives (here), Salade à la Romaine (here), Classic Financiers (Buttery Almond Cakes; here)
JULY 3, 1904: “BOUILLABAISSE AND CHOWDERS: AN EEL SOUP DIGRESSION—WHO NOW GET THE BEST VEGETABLES AND FRUITS—A DEAR FISH MARKET.”
—1904
CEYLON CURRY OF OYSTERS
Just as Germany was preparing to invade Poland and America was wondering whether it would have to go to war, New Yorkers, according to the Times, were dabbling in Indian cuisine, with new restaurants opening and hotels putting Indian dishes on their menus. Charlotte Hughes, then a reporter for the paper, none-too-definitively declared, “Everybody in India, apparently, eats curry.” And she noted that although curries were complicated to prepare, “nevertheless, American cooks with a pioneering spirit can master curry dishes.”
Yet seventy years later, we have not. But there is still time. A Ceylonese curry of oysters—one of several vaguely composed recipes included in Hughes’s article—would be a fine place to start.
First, a few disclaimers: Oyster curry, according to Andrew F. Smith, the author of The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, was a popular dish in the nineteenth century, particularly in England—so popular that mixes for it were sold. By the time Hughes revisited it, the recipe was well established and westernized. Back then, food writers didn’t often travel in order to better understand foreign cuisines, so some of the ingredients in Hughes’s recipes were adaptations or innocent misunderstandings. In place of chiles, for instance, she called for a green pepper, which would make for a meek variation of a typically fiery Ceylonese curry. Bay leaves seem to have been substituted for either curry leaves or pandanus leaf, both common in Ceylonese cooking; butter stands in for coconut oil; and curry powder is a Western convenience for cooks who don’t want to measure out each spice individually. Otherwise, it’s totally authentic!
But even Hughes knew where to draw a line. Using good curry powder is imperative, she wrote, adding, “One cannot just make a white sauce and stir in a little curry powder.”
She got her recipe for the oyster curry from someone named Darmadasa at the East India Curry Shop on East 57th Street. You begin by sautéing shallots, garlic, and green pepper. Next you season them with turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves and simmer it all in coconut milk. At the end, you slip in the oysters and their liquor and season the curry with lemon juice. The whole process takes about 10 minutes, and the payoff lasts for years, because you’ll want to make it again and again.
Hughes suggested serving the curry with rice. “Dry, fluffy rice, each particle as separate from the next as a grain of sand on a sunbaked dune, is important to the excellence of a curry dish,” she wrote. Everybody in India, apparently, also eats rice.
———
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil
4 small shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ serrano or Thai chile, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
Large pinch of turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
12 oysters, shucked, liquor reserved
Juice of ½ lemon
1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and chile and sauté until softened and starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, cinnamon stick, cloves, and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and add the coconut milk and salt. Simmer for 3 minutes.
2. Add the oysters and their liquor; simmer until the oysters are just firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add lemon juice and salt to taste.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTES
This recipe won’t win any beauty contests. When oysters are cooked, they shrivel up and warp. You can always sprinkle some chopped cilantro on top.
Hughes’s recipe called for 3 bay leaves; I used only one. Since chiles are now commonly available, I used a serrano rather than the sweet green pepper Hughes suggested.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
A cold lager or, as the article suggested, a cup of Darjeeling tea, Kaffir Lime Lemonade (here), Sweet (or Savory) Lassi (here), Yogurt Rice (here), Stuck-Pot Rice with Yogurt and Spices (here), Jasmine Tea Rice (here), Hoppers (Coconut Crepes; here), Aloo Kofta (here), Saffron Panna Cotta (here)
MARCH 12, 1939: “FOR GOURMETS AND OTHERS: CURRY COMES TO THE TABLE,” BY CHARLOTTE HUGHES. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DARMADASA AT THE EAST INDIA CURRY SHOP ON EAST 57TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY.
—1939
SAUTÉED TROUT WITH BROWN BUTTER, LEMON, AND MACADAMIA NUTS
Tart lemons and fatty macadamia nuts mix well, as if you’d crossed a chatty person with a laconic one and come up with the perfect conversationalist.
———
¼ cup whole milk
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 whole trout, filleted (you can have the fish market do this)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or as needed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Chopped candied pineapple for garnish (optional)
1. Set 2 wide shallow bowls near the stove. Fill one with the milk, the other with the flour. Season the trout fillets with salt and pepper.
2. Place a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter, and, while it melts, dip a trout fillet first in the milk, and then the flour, shaking off any excess. Lay the fillet flesh side down in the foaming butter. Repeat with remaining fillets. (If you can’t fit all the trout in the pan, do it in batches, adding more butter as needed.) When lightly browned, turn the fillets and brown until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes total. Remove to a serving plate and keep loosely covered.
3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let it foam and boil, and when it begins to brown, swirl in the lemon juice, macadamia nuts, and parsley. Let the mixture cook for a few seconds to coalesce. Spoon the sauce over the trout, and garnish with candied pineapple (or not).
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Yellow Pepper Soup with Paprika Mousse (here), Asparagus Salad (here), Junior’s Cheesecake (here), Lemon Mousse for a Crowd (here), Sally Darr’s Golden Delicious Apple Tart (here)
APRIL 7, 1940: “VICTUALS AND VITAMINS,” BY KILEY TAYLOR. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE LOMBARDY IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1940
TOMATOES STUFFED WITH CRAB
In 1948, André Simon, the founder of the Wine and Food Society, came from England to America to promote a new edition of André Simon’s French Cook Book, which advocated seasonal cooking. He also seemed determined to assess the state of American cuisine. “In England,” he told Jane Nickerson, a Times columnist, “there’s enough food, but not enough variety. Here there is enough food, but too much variety.
“Your markets,” he continued, “simultaneously offer endive, which is a winter vegetable, and melon, which is a summer fruit. You eat strawberries in January as well as in June. You enjoy so much variety the year round that your meals must end by becoming the same month in and month out. Perhaps that is good. But I think not. Do we not look forward to the new leaves of spring, to the hot sunshine of summer, to the bright foliage of autumn, to the briskness of winter? Isn’t it kindness to our palates to preserve in our diets, too, this varied rhythm of the seasons?”
After that trenchant and moving statement, Simon offered this recipe for stuffed tomatoes from the “spring” menu in his book! Sigh. Make them in August, you’ll adore them.
———
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ pound white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 cup (about ½ pound) crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
¼ cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dry sherry
6 small tomatoes
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened. Remove from the heat.
3. Heat the crabmeat in the cream. Season with salt, pepper, and sherry; add the mushrooms.
4. Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water (briefly!) to loosen their skins, and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking. Peel the tomatoes. Cut a hole about the size of a quarter in the top of each, where the stem was attached, and using a melon baller, hollow out a space in the center, making sure not to cut through the sides.
5. Fill the centers of the tomatoes with the hot crabmeat and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Arrange the tomatoes in a baking dish. Warm in the oven for 10 minutes.
6. Place each tomato in a shallow bowl, garnish with more parsley, and spoon over any juices left in the baking dish.
SERVES 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
The tomatoes must be small and ripe but not mushy, or they’ll fall apart. I used firm yellow tomatoes, which were both delicious and beautiful.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Wine Lemonade (here), Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil (here), Zucchini and Vermouth (here), Fresh Blueberry Buckle (here), Pavlova (here)
MAY 29, 1948: “NEWS OF FOOD; BRITISH FOOD LEADER, HERE FOR TOUR, SEES TOO MUCH VARIETY IN OUR MEALS,” BY JANE NICKERSON. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ANDRÉ SIMON’S FRENCH COOK BOOK, BY ANDRÉ SIMON, FOUNDER OF THE WINE AND FOOD SOCIETY.
—1948
GRAND CENTRAL PAN ROAST
Pan roasts have been around forever: the best version is this one, which the Grand Central Oyster Bar still serves (for $10.45 on this day in 2009). It’s ugly as hell but sensationally good, with plump, sweet oysters set against a spicy, tangy sauce.
———
16 freshly shucked oysters, with their liquor
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
A few drops of fresh lemon juice
Pinch of celery salt
Pinch of paprika
½ cup heavy cream, plus more if desired
2 pieces dry toast
1. Combine the oysters, in their liquor, with the butter, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire, lemon juice, celery salt, and paprika in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, just until the oysters plump and ruffle. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
2. Add the cream and heat until bubbles form around the perimeter of the pan, then pour over the toasts set in shallow bowls. Sprinkle with additional paprika.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTES
I used Frank’s Hot Sauce.
Make sure you get oysters with their liquor (the oyster’s natural juices), because it adds to the volume and consistency of the sauce. Be flexible with the amount of cream you use—you want just enough sauce to soak into the bread and pool around it a little.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Crab Cakes Baltimore-Style (here), Docks Coleslaw (here), Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top (here), Banana Cream Pie (here)
JANUARY 2, 1958: “VARIED WAYS WITH OYSTERS, NOW AT THEIR JUICY PEAK,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1958
SALMON MOUSSE
Salmon mousse appeared regularly along with paella and cheesecake as part of Craig Claiborne’s annual round-up of most frequently requested recipes. Of the three, only the mousse seems to have been 86’d over time. A mistake, in my view.
The mousse may seem a little strange, because we tend not to combine fish and gelatin in a blender these days, but it’s delicious, and it has an amazing firm consistency, neither bouncy nor stiff. The salmon flavor, which can easily overpower, is contained and flattered by lemon, cream, and dill.
And you will love how easy the mousse is to prepare—it’s a fun dish to make with kids because it involves a lot of pouring of ingredients into a blender and then watching them whirl around.
The only vexing question is how to serve it. Claiborne suggested it as a first course or “luncheon specialty.” You could plate up thin slices topped with a tuft of young greens, dressed with a sherry and shallot vinaigrette. I think it’s best in small doses, say, as an hors d’oeuvre. Serve it on toasts sprinkled with olive oil, or with a coarse wheat or Swedish rye cracker. A smooth cracker won’t provide enough contrast to the mousse.
———
1 envelope (¼ ounce) powdered gelatin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small slice onion
½ cup boiling water
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried dill
One 1-pound can salmon, drained and picked over for bones
1 cup heavy cream
Salt (optional)
1. Empty the envelope of gelatin into a blender. Add the lemon juice, onion slice, and boiling water. Place the blender cover on the container, turn the motor to high speed, and blend the ingredients for 40 seconds. Turn the motor off. Add the mayonnaise, paprika, dill, and salmon, cover, and blend briefly at high speed.
2. Remove the cover and add the cream, ⅓ cup at a time, blending for a few seconds after each addition. Then blend for 30 seconds or longer. Season with salt if needed. Pour into a 4-cup mold; chill until set.
SERVES 8 AS A FIRST COURSE OR HORS D’OEUVRE
COOKING NOTE
I used canned wild salmon—buy the best you can find.
Beet Tartare (here), Raw Spinach Salad (here), Steak au Poivre (here), Taillevent Pear Soufflé (here)
JANUARY 1, 1961: “WIN, PLACE, AND SHOW IN ’60,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1961
MRS. REARDY’S SHRIMP AND ARTICHOKE CASSEROLE
Viola Reardy was Adlai E. Stevenson’s housekeeper and cook. This casserole, which she served for lunch to President Kennedy and UN Acting Secretary General U Thant, greatly intrigued readers, who sent a rush of letters requesting the recipe. When Craig Claiborne tracked down Reardy at Stevenson’s well-equipped suite in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to extract the sought-after details, she asked him, confidingly, “Was there ever so much to-do over a recipe?” It is pretty darn good. When I made it, I thought I’d happily eat just the sherried béchamel.
Stevenson was apparently a decent cook himself, and the enterprising Claiborne also managed to pry from him his recipe for lamb curry.
———
1 pound small shrimp, shelled and deveined
6½ tablespoons unsalted butter
4½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole milk
¾ cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, or one 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, cooked according to the package directions
¼ pound mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
¼ cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the shrimp and cook for 15 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp. Reserve both the shrimp and broth.
2. Melt 4½ tablespoons butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. When blended, gradually add the milk and cream, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking, until thickened and smooth. Season well with salt and pepper; remove from the heat.
3. Arrange the artichokes over the bottom of a buttered 8-inch square baking dish. Scatter the shrimp over the artichokes.
4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown on the edges, 5 to 8 minutes. Spoon the mushrooms over the shrimp and artichokes.
5. Add the sherry and Worcestershire to the cream sauce. If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it with a little reserved shrimp broth and milk. Pour it over the contents of the baking dish.
6. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and paprika and bake for 20 minutes.
SERVES 4 TO 6
COOKING NOTES
If you use frozen artichoke hearts, undercook them slightly.
Also slightly undercook the shrimp when you boil them.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Asparagus Mimosa (here), A Perfect Batch of Rice (here), Chiffonade Salad (here), Mrs. Foster’s Frosty Lime Pie (here), Lee’s Marlborough Tart (here)
PERIOD DETAIL
Paprika was still living in the jail cell of pointless garnish. Here it adds nothing but color to the casserole’s dubious muted shades of white and green. If you want to update the recipe ever so slightly, use smoked paprika, which will contribute not only color, but—whoa!—flavor.
READERS
“My mother always claimed credit for getting [this recipe] published. A news article about the Democratic nominee mentioned that Kennedy had been a guest of Adlai Stevenson’s for a Friday lunch. Stevenson served a shrimp and artichoke casserole because Kennedy could not eat meat on Friday. My mother wrote or called the Times asking for the recipe and shortly afterwards it appeared in the paper. She always assumed that it was her request that had been answered.”
Linda S. Kaufman, Cambridge, MA, e-mail
JANUARY 29, 1962: “FOOD NEWS: STEVENSON’S RECIPE FOR A PRESIDENT,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE. ADAPTED FROM VIOLA REARDY, HOUSEKEEPER TO ADLAI E. STEVENSON.
—1962
COQUILLES ST.-JACQUES
In the article featuring this recipe, Craig Claiborne complained that most coquilles St.-Jacques recipes are burdened by cream, whereas his version, thickened with flour, egg yolks, and butter, was lighter—the contents without all the baggage. Anyone born after 1969 will not think of this dish—scallops in a buttery sauce topped with toasted bits of Parmesan—as light! But it is really delicious. The tulip-yellow sauce covers the scallops like an airy layer of silk, allowing their salinity to shine.
———
1½ pounds scallops, preferably bay scallops
2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 sprig parsley
1 bay leaf
8 black peppercorns
Salt
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup water
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Cayenne pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the scallops, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, salt to taste, wine, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for exactly 2 minutes. Remove the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, and drain the scallops; reserve the cooking liquid. Let the scallops cool.
2. If using bay scallops, cut them in half and set them aside. If using sea scallops, remove the tough side muscle, and cut them into thin slices (so the slices are circular; set aside.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour with a wire whisk; cook for 30 seconds, whisking. When blended, add the scallop liquid, stirring vigorously with the whisk; simmer for 1 minute.
4. Remove the sauce from the heat and, beating vigorously by hand or with an electric beater, add the remaining 5 tablespoons butter a little at a time. It must be added very gradually. Beat in the egg yolks and continue beating until the sauce is cool. Add the lemon juice and cayenne to taste—and you should be able to taste them! Season with salt.
5. Spoon a little of the sauce into 12 small scallop shells or 6 large scallop shells or ramekins. Top with equal amounts of scallops. Cover with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown.
SERVES 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
You can prepare the recipe up through Step 5 ahead, spooning the scallops and sauce into ramekins, then refrigerate the ramekins until you’re ready for dinner. Take them out of the fridge 15 minutes before you are ready to finish them, then proceed with the cheese and baking.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Gigi Salad (Shrimp, Bacon, and Green Bean Salad; here), Crisp Potato Crowns (made to fit over the ramekins; here), Filet de Boeuf Rôti (Roast Fillet of Beef) with Sauce Bordelaise (here), Macaroons (here), Strawberry Charlotte (here)
READERS
Reader Betty Hartik noted that this was one of her enduring favorites. “I am eighty years old—still cook and bake and still turn to the food page of the Times first and will have to live to be at least 200 to cook and bake everything that interests me.”
Betty Hartik, Pikesville, MD, letter
MAY 11, 1969: “THE GENUINE ARTICLE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1969
I might not serve this unprepossessing dish for a dinner party, but I’d definitely make it for a Sunday dinner with family. What it does possess is flavor and rib-sticking goodness. The trick is to season the rice with enough Tabasco so the sweet Creole sauce works as a relief.
———
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
One 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon tomato paste (three-quarters of a 6-ounce can)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
3 small slices lemon peel
2 whole cloves
½ teaspoon sugar
2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
¼ cup olive oil
1 small eggplant, diced (skin left on)
1½ pounds (about 45 medium) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon capers
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Rice (recipe follows)
1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet or casserole. Add the onions, green pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and tomatoes, with the liquid from the can. Break up the tomatoes with a large kitchen spoon. Add the tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, Worcestershire sauce, lemon peel, cloves, sugar, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the eggplant until lightly browned.
3. Add the eggplant to the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 5 to 7 minutes longer. Discard the lemon peel and bay leaf. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the capers.
4. Transfer the dish to a hot serving platter and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve very hot with the freshly cooked hot rice.
SERVES 4 TO 6
RICE
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced onion
½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 cup long-grain white rice
Tabasco sauce
2¼ cups chicken broth
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and cook the onion and garlic in it without browning. Add the rice and Tabasco sauce to taste and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
3. Add the broth to the rice. Cover and simmer for exactly 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Mint Julep (here), Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread (here), Key Lime Pie (here)
JUNE 14, 1970: “CREOLE CAPERS,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1970
SHRIMP BAKED WITH FETA CHEESE, GREEK-STYLE
A relentless and delicious assault of fire, shrimp, herbs, garlic, tangy feta, and an anise-scented spirit. You can’t eat this dish slowly, because there’s so much going on you keep going back to it, back to it.
———
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes
¼ cup fish broth or bottled clam juice
1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons capers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound large shrimp (about 24), shelled and deveined
¼ pound feta cheese
¼ cup ouzo (Greek anise-flavored liqueur)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan or deep skillet and add the garlic, stirring. Add the tomatoes and cook until broken down and reduced to about 2 cups. Stir often to prevent burning and sticking. Add the fish broth, oregano, pepper flakes, capers, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large heavy saucepan or skillet. Add the shrimp and cook briefly, less than 1 minute, stirring and turning the shrimp until they turn pink.
3. Spoon equal portions of half the sauce into 4 shallow baking dishes. Arrange 6 shrimp plus equal amounts of the butter in which they cooked into each dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the shrimp. Crumble the cheese and scatter it over all.
4. Place the dishes in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until bubbling hot. Remove the dishes from the oven and sprinkle each one with 1 tablespoon ouzo; if desired, ignite it. Serve immediately.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
Tell your guests to mix in the ouzo before eating.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Marina Anagnostou’s Spanakopetes (Spinach Triangles; here), Salade à la Grecque (here), Flourless Apricot Honey Soufflé (here), Hazelnut Baklava (here)
MAY 30, 1976: “FOOD: FROM THE GREEK,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
—1976
DEEP-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS
———
4 soft-shell crabs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
3 tablespoons water
½ cup all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Lemon wedges
Tartar Sauce (recipe follows)
1. To prepare the soft-shell crabs for cooking, lift up and pull back the apron or flap attached to the base of each crab. Cut it off with scissors or pull it off. Lift up the pointed left and right tips of each crab. As each side is lifted, use your fingers to pull away and discard the soft porous “lungs” beneath the shell. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut off the “mouth” and eyes of the crabs. If the crabs are large, pull off the parchment-like covering on the upper surface; if the crabs are quite small, this is not necessary. Rinse the crabs if dirty; pat completely dry. Sprinkle the crabs on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. Break the egg into a flat dish and add the water and salt and pepper to taste. Beat to blend well. Place the flour in a separate flat dish and add salt and pepper. Blend.
3. Dip the crabs first in egg, then in flour.
4. Heat the oil in a deep cast-iron skillet, if possible, or other deep pan and add the crabs. Cook, turning as necessary, until crisp and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes total (keep a grease shield on the pan, if you have one). Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.
SERVES 4
TARTAR SAUCE
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup chopped sour pickles, preferably cornichons
1 tablespoon chopped capers
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
COOKING NOTES
If you’re going to go to the trouble of buying and deep-frying the crabs, why not make a party of it and double the recipe?
The original recipe included a third coating of bread crumbs, but I thought it intruded on the crab flavor and omitted it.
Use a grease shield on your pan when frying the crabs. They will spit oil all over your kitchen.
If you don’t want to clean the crabs yourself, have your fishmonger prepare them for cooking.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Ginger Lemonade (here), The Bone (here), Málaga Gazpacho (here), Catalan Vegetable Paella (here), Fresh Morel, Asparagus, and Sweet Pea Risotto (here), Sauce Rémoulade (here), Italian Roast Potatoes (here), Docks Coleslaw (here), Coffee Caramel Custard (here), Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top (here)
PERIOD DETAIL
Soft-shell crabs, which were to become a mainstay of Manhattan restaurants, have been sold in the city’s markets since as early as 1876.
AUGUST 24, 1977: “RECIPES TO PUT CRAB ON THE TABLE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1977
SOLE GRENOBLOISE (SAUTÉED SOLE WITH CAPERS AND LEMONS)
Grenobloise sauce is like meunière (butter, lemon, and parsley), except that it includes capers—and is less popular. But it shouldn’t be: the capers’ little explosions of brine provide a bracing counterpoint to the lemon and butter.
———
4 small sole fillets (about 1¼ pounds total)
¼ cup whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small lemon
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon drained capers
Coarse salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Place the fillets in a dish large enough to hold them in one layer. Pour the milk over them and add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the fillets in the milk so that they are coated on all sides.
2. While they stand, peel the lemon with a paring knife, cutting away and discarding all the white pith as well as the yellow skin. Cut the lemon into thin slices and discard the seeds. Cut the slices into small cubes. Set aside.
3. Scatter the flour over a large plate and add salt and pepper to taste. Blend well.
4. Heat the oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. As the oil heats, remove the fillets from the milk, but do not drain, and coat the fish on all sides in the seasoned flour, shaking to rid the fillets of excess flour.
5. When the oil is quite hot but not smoking, add the fillets (this might have to be done in 2 steps) and cook until nicely browned on one side. Turn and brown on the other side. The total cooking time for each fillet should be from 2 to 5 minutes. As the fillets are cooked, transfer them to a warm platter.
6. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small skillet and cook, shaking the skillet, until the butter foams up and takes on an appetizing hazelnut-brown color. Remove from the heat. Add the cubed lemon and capers.
7. Pour the sauce evenly over the fillets. Sprinkle with coarse salt and the chopped parsley.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Vichyssoise à la Ritz (here), Zucchini and Vermouth (here), Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley (here), Chocolate Eclairs (here), Pots de Crème (here)
SEPTEMBER 7, 1977: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1977
Seasonal shad and its roe don’t need to be coddled. Fatty and rich, they need ingredients that clean up their flavor. This sauce, with caramelized lemon sections and snappy capers, is just the thing. (And I’d happily pair this sauce with any succulent fish.)
———
1 small lemon
1 shad fillet (about 1 pound)
½ pair shad roe
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup whole milk
Flour for dredging
½ cup peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons drained capers
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. To prepare the lemon, slice around it to remove the rind, including the white pith; discard the rind. Cut between the membranes to remove the lemon sections. Set aside on a plate.
2. The fillet may be cut in half crosswise or left whole; it will be easier to handle if cut in half. Place the fillet and roe in a shallow dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the milk and turn to coat the fish and roe with it.
3. Place the flour in a flat dish and season it with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish and roe with the flour.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet large enough to hold the fillet and roe in one layer. The fish and roe should be cooked over relatively high heat. Add the fillet and roe and cook for about 3 minutes, until crisp and golden brown on one side. Turn and cook the fish and roe, basting occasionally with the oil, until crisp and brown on the other side, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a warm platter.
5. Heat the butter in a skillet, and when it is starting to brown, add the capers.
6. Sprinkle the juice that has accumulated around the lemon sections over the fish. Add the lemon sections to the capers and butter. Cook until piping hot, bubbling, and starting to brown. Pour this over the fish. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
SERVES 2 AS A MAIN COURSE, 4 AS A FIRST COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Sautéed Asparagus with Fleur de Sel (here), Hearth’s Fava Bean Salad (here), Maître d’Hôtel Potatoes (here)
MARCH 15, 1978: “THE SHAD ARE RUNNING,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1978
STUFFED CLAMS
There were loads of stuffed clam recipes in the archives; the nineteenth century was particularly stocked with them. But none were as detailed in flavor as these.
———
18 to 24 cherrystone clams, scrubbed
½ cup water
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1½ teaspoons dried basil
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dry white wine
¼ cup thinly sliced prosciutto or other cured ham, finely chopped
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the clams in a large pot with the water. Cover and cook over high heat until the clams open, about 10 minutes. Remove the clams from their shells; there should be about 1 cup. Reserve 24 shells for stuffing (you may not need all 24). Reserve the broth in the pot for another use, if desired.
2. Process the clams briefly in a food processor. Do not overprocess, or the clams will become liquid.
3. Combine the clams, butter, shallots, garlic, parsley, basil, bread crumbs, 6 tablespoons cheese, the wine, prosciutto, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Stuff the reserved clam shells with the mixture, smoothing over the tops.
4. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese over the top of the clams. Arrange the clams in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the olive oil.
5. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Run the clams briefly under the broiler for a final glaze.
SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTES
The leftover clam broth can be frozen for up to 6 months.
You can finely chop the clams by hand, but if you have a food processor, using it is a nifty shortcut.
If your clams are large, they may have tough parts. After steaming the clams, trim off and discard any chewy sections.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pamela Sherrid’s Summer Pasta (here), Green Tomato Pizza (here), Grilled Hanger Steak (here), Chiffonade Salad (here), Maida’s Blueberry Crumb Cake (here), Sour Cream Ice Cream (here)
JUNE 15, 1980: “FOOD: A CLAM BY ANY NAME CAN TASTE AS SWEET,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
—1980
BAKED FLOUNDER
I dismissed this cooking school–style recipe until I made it: you spread the fillets with dill, stack them in pairs, and top with mustard and bread crumbs. Then you broil the fish surrounded by a moat of soy sauce and lemon juice. Turns out I was totally wrong: the light and deliberate seasoning adds definition without overpowering the delicate flavor of flounder. I look forward to making it again, this time for a dinner party.
———
1½ pounds small flounder fillets (try for even numbers: 4, 8, or, ideally, 12)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1½ tablespoons fine fresh bread crumbs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
1. Heat the broiler. Sprinkle each fillet with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Select a baking dish large enough to hold 4 fillets in one layer (see Cooking Note). Brush the bottom of the dish with some of the melted butter. Arrange 4 fillets skinned side down over the bottom of the baking dish. Divide the chopped dill into 2 portions. Sprinkle the tops of the fillets with 1 portion of the chopped dill. Cover each fillet with another fillet and sprinkle the tops with the remaining dill. Place the remaining 4 fillets on top of the others, so that there are 4 stacks of 3 fillets each. Brush the top of each stack with an equal portion of the mustard. Sprinkle each stack with an equal amount of the bread crumbs. Pour an equal portion of the remaining melted butter on each stack.
3. Blend the lemon juice and soy sauce. Pour this around and between the stacks.
4. Place the fish under the broiler about 6 inches from the source of heat. Watch the dish carefully, and cook for 5 minutes, taking care that the bread crumbs on top of the fish do not burn.
5. Sprinkle the fish with the scallions and reduce the oven heat to 450 degrees. Place the dish on the bottom rack of the oven. Close the oven door and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and baste the fish with the cooking liquid.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
Hopefully you’ll have 12 small fillets. But if you have just 4 large ones, season the fillets and then roll them from the tail end toward the head (or where the head was). If you have 8, stack them in pairs; divide the seasoning accordingly.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Potage Parisien with Sorrel Cream (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Jasmine Tea Rice (here), Watercress Salad (here), Queen of Puddings (here), Poached Pears in Brandy and Red Wine (here)
READERS
“Over the years I have changed it somewhat. I now use 2 larger fillets per portion and stuff them with chopped spinach, feta cheese, a little butter, and white pepper. Everything else more or less the same. . . . The dish can be assembled in advance, just add lemon juice, soy sauce and cook. It’s done in 10 minutes.”
Melvin D. Wolf, New York, NY, letter
FEBRUARY 22, 1984: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1984
PAN-BARBECUED SHRIMP
Make these shrimp when you’re in the mood for something fiery and sloppy. Get a cold beer, roll up your sleeves, and dig in, peeling the shrimp as you go. Then sop up the sauce with some ciabatta or country bread.
———
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon rosemary leaves, crushed
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf, crumbled
3 to 5 fresh sprigs thyme, chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
½ to ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds large shrimp (approximately 20 to 24), rinsed briefly in cold water (not shelled)
½ cup bottled clam juice
¼ cup dry white wine
1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, oregano, bay leaf, thyme, salt to taste, cayenne, and black pepper. Stir well and add the shrimp. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring and shaking the pan. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, the clam juice, and wine. Cook, stirring and shaking the pan, for 3 more minutes.
2. Serve immediately, with the hot butter from the pan and country bread.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
This recipe is crazy hot if you use the original amount of cayenne, which was 1 teaspoon. I cut it back to ½ to ¾ teaspoon.
You can shell the shrimp first, if you like; they’ll be much easier to eat (they’ll also cook more quickly).
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Mint Julep (here), Cheese Straws (here), Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread (here), French Potato Salad (here), Fried Green Tomatoes (here), Peach Salad (here)
PERIOD DETAIL
Bryan Miller and Pierre Franey wrote, “Five years ago, if a restaurant served grilled tuna steak that was so pink and rare in the center that it resembled warm sushi, chances were that a diner would send back the dish in a huff. Something as pristine as tartare of raw salmon also would be greeted with astonishment, except perhaps in a sushi bar. Today, these two creations are among the most popular dishes in contemporary French and American restaurants. It is no exaggeration to say that there has been a revolution in seafood cooking in recent years.”
SEPTEMBER 14, 1986: “SEAFOOD COMES OF AGE,” BY BRYAN MILLER WITH PIERRE FRANEY. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM PAUL PRUDHOMME, A CHEF IN NEW ORLEANS.
—1986
CALAMARI RIPIENI (STUFFED SQUID)
———
6 medium calamari
2 ounces bacon, sliced
1 head radicchio, cored and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup fresh bread crumbs, moistened in water and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup dry white wine
1. To clean the calamari, remove the ink sacs, if any, and the intestinal matter and discard. Cut off the tentacles and set the bodies and tentacles aside.
2. Sauté the bacon in a large skillet until slightly brown. Add the radicchio, tentacles, and salt and pepper to taste, cover, and cook over low heat until the radicchio goes limp, about 4 minutes, adding water if needed.
3. Remove the ingredients to a chopping board or food processor and finely chop. Place the mixture in a medium bowl, add the bread crumbs and egg, and mix thoroughly.
4. Stuff the calamari bodies with the mixture. Place the squid and olive oil in a large skillet and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, basting with the wine.
SERVES 3 AS A LIGHT MAIN COURSE, 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Braised Ligurian Chicken (here), Mezzaluna Salad (here), Pine Nut Cookies (here)
JUNE 17, 1987: “A MODERN LIFE IN THE HOUSE OF MEDICI,” BY NANCY HARMON JENKINS, A COOKBOOK AUTHOR AND COOKING TEACHER.
—1987
MONKFISH ENCRUSTED WITH PISTACHIOS
———
½ cup shelled pistachios
1¼-pound monkfish fillet, trimmed
¼ cup clarified unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, beaten in a shallow bowl
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grind the pistachios in a food processor until very fine but not a paste. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Slice the monkfish into 4 servings of approximately equal size. Flatten each slightly between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap using a meat mallet.
3. Heat the clarified butter over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof skillet. Meanwhile, season the monkfish with salt and pepper. Dip each piece in the beaten egg and then dredge, on one side only, in the pistachios.
4. Add the fish, pistachio side down, to the butter and cook for 10 seconds. Turn over carefully and cook for 10 seconds more. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Stewed Fennel (here), Steamed Spinach with Balsamic Butter (here), The Most Voluptuous Cauliflower (here), Barley Risotto (here), Apple Crumb Pie (here), Moroccan Rice Pudding (here)
SEPTEMBER 23, 1987: “IN NEW ENGLAND, CHEFS CULTIVATE THE LOCAL BOUNTY,” BY MARIAN BURROS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM WHEATLEIGH IN LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS.
—1987
HOT PEPPER SHRIMP
If you’ve never made a wok dish like this, you’re in for a surprise. When you add the vinegar mixture to the pan, the effect is like flipping a switch. The sauce instantly clears and seizes, tightening up as if all the liquid were extracted.
I used jalapeños and seeded them to avoid too much heat, but that ended up removing all of it—so don’t seed yours! Turns out, though, you don’t need much chile for this dish to be great: there’s acid, sweetness, richness, and a pleasant muskiness from the fermented black beans.
———
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and rinsed
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ cup chopped scallions (white part only)
⅓ cup hot green chiles, thinly sliced (or 12 dried red chiles)
1 tablespoon fermented (Chinese) black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups corn oil for deep-frying
White rice for serving
1. Place the shrimp in a bowl, add the egg white, and stir to coat all the shrimp. Sprinkle with half the cornstarch and mix well again.
2. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and the remaining cornstarch in a small bowl and, in another, the garlic, scallions, chiles, and black beans.
3. Heat the oil in a wok. When it is hot, add the shrimp and deep-fry, stirring, until they are pink, about 1½ minutes. Drain, saving the oil. Return 3 tablespoons of the oil to the wok, turn the heat to the maximum, add the black bean mixture, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and then the vinegar mixture and cook until the shrimp are well coated with the sauce.
4. Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a heated serving platter. Serve with plain white rice.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
Have all your ingredients ready by the stove. Additionally, place nearby a bowl for the spent oil, a paper-towel-lined plate for draining the shrimp, and a serving bowl.
The recipe uses a painfully large amount of oil that cannot be reused (unless you are frying shrimp again the next day), but the payoff is worth it.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Oriental Watercress Soup (here), Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish (here), Pepper-Cumin Cookies (here), Pine Nut Cookies (here)
JANUARY 3, 1988: “FOOD: HEAT WAVE,” BY JULIE SAHNI. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SHUN LEE PALACE IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1988
JOYCE GOLDSTEIN’S PICKLED SALMON
Joyce Goldstein, the San Francisco restaurateur, said that the technique she used in this recipe was an improvement on her mother-in-law’s, which required soaking smoked salmon for days to draw out the salt before pickling it. Goldstein circumvented this step by using fresh salmon.
Although Goldstein makes this dish for Passover, to be served with matzoh, butter, and sliced cucumbers dressed with sour cream, it should really be enjoyed all year round. The fish is cut into small pieces and cold-cured, which leaves the salmon fresh, springy, and delicate. On non-Passover occasions, I recommend serving it with buttered pumpernickel, blending it into a creamy potato salad, or making sandwiches of it with mayonnaise, sliced red onion, dill, and butter lettuce.
———
2 cups white vinegar
1½ cups water
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 pounds skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here)
2 tablespoons pickling spices
6 bay leaves
2 white or yellow onions, sliced ¼ inch thick
1. Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Let cool completely.
2. Cut the salmon into pieces that are approximately 1 by 2 inches.
3. Place a layer of salmon pieces in a ceramic crock, glass bowl, or plastic container, then add a sprinkling of pickling spices and bay leaves and a layer of onions, then salmon, spices, and onions—continue until you have used all. Pour the cooled marinade over the fish. Cover the container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
4. Serve the salmon with its marinated onions.
SERVES 10 TO 12 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
Pickling spices can be found in the spice section of the supermarket. The pickled salmon will keep for 3 to 4 days.
For Passover, serve with matzoh, butter, and sliced cucumbers dressed with sour cream. The rest of the year: Latkes (here), Fried Artichokes Azzurro (here), Matt’s Whole Brisket with Tomato Gravy (here), Raw Spinach Salad (here), Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake (here).
MARCH 27, 1988: “COMFORTING TRADITIONS,” BY JOAN NATHAN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JOYCE GOLDSTEIN, A RESTAURATEUR IN SAN FRANCISCO.
—1988
CROMESQUIS D’HUÎTRES À LA SAUCE TARTARE (FRIED OYSTERS WITH CREAMY TARTAR SAUCE)
Leave it to the 3-star Parisian restaurant L’Ambroisie to take bar food to new heights. You begin by plumping the oysters in their own liquor, so when they’re later dipped in bread crumbs, the coating spreads out thinly across the belly of the oysters. After frying, you pair the oysters with a super-pungent tartar sauce and fried leek filaments. The leeks, which spray a cloud of nutty, sweet onion aroma over the dish, underline the oysters’ brininess.
You shouldn’t see this as a stand-alone recipe, but rather as three recipes that can be used in lots of different ways. I’d make the tartar sauce to pair with smoked salmon and crab cakes. And the leeks, which I assumed would be nothing but a pain in the neck to prepare, were sweet and smoky, something I’d cook to serve with roasted fish.
———
For the Oysters
Peanut oil for deep frying
1 leek, white part only, well washed
12 large oysters, scrubbed
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
For the Tartar Sauce
2 tablespoons very finely chopped cornichons or dill pickle
2 tablespoons capers, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
½ cup very finely minced flat-leaf parsley
½ cup well chilled crème fraîche or heavy cream
1. To prepare the oysters, heat 1 inch oil to 280 degrees in a deep skillet. Cut the leek into matchsticks about 3 inches long and as thin as possible. In several batches, drop the leeks into the oil and fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. The oil should not be too hot, or the leeks will burn. Drain on paper towels. (This can be done up to 2 hours in advance.) Set the pan of oil aside.
2. Open the oysters, reserving the oyster liquor; strain it to remove any portions of shell or sand. Place the liquor in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the oysters and poach them for just 30 seconds, then drain, again reserving the liquor. When the oysters and the liquor have cooled, combine them again, to keep the oysters moist and plump. (This can be done up to 2 hours in advance.)
3. To prepare the tartar sauce, combine the cornichons, capers, mustard, paprika, and parsley. Whip the crème fraîche until stiff. Carefully fold in the cornichon mixture. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
4. Heat the oil to 375 degrees, or until a bread cube dropped into the olive oil browns in 30 seconds. Prepare 3 shallow bowls for coating the oysters: one with the flour, one with the eggs and egg yolks whisked together, and a third with the fresh bread crumbs.
5. Drain the oysters and dredge them, one at a time, in the flour. Dip them into the egg mixture, then dredge them in the bread crumbs. Fry the oysters, 3 or 4 at a time, until nicely browned, about 45 seconds. Between batches, check that the oil temperature remains steady.
6. To serve, place the oysters on a platter, top with a nest of fried leeks, and place a spoonful of tartar sauce alongside.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTES
I used Wellfleet oysters.
I used coarse bread crumbs, which gave the oysters an appealing shaggy-dog quality with lots of crunch. Panko would also work.
Four bits of strategy will make this recipe more manageable:
Have the fish shop shuck the oysters—and save the liquor—for you.
Double or triple the recipe—if you’re going to fry oysters, you might as well do it for a crowd.
Make the tartar sauce ahead of time (no need to double this if doubling the oysters).
Fry the leeks in the same oil you use to fry the oysters; do the leeks first, and make sure you fish all of them out of the oil before adding the oysters.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
The Vesper (here), Martini (here), Improved Holland Gin Cocktail (here), Fried Olives (here), Onion Rings (here)
JULY 31, 1988: “PARISIAN STAR,” BY PATRICIA WELLS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM L’AMBROISIE IN PARIS.
—1988
GILBERT LE COZE’S BOUILLABAISSE
Looking for a weekend challenge? Here you go! The cooking isn’t so bad, but the shopping may vex you. Stay strong.
———
For the Fish Broth
5 pounds scraps and bones from white-fleshed fish, such as halibut, red snapper, cod, or monkfish
2 medium-to-large cooked blue crabs, chopped
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup thinly sliced fennel
2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced and washed well
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled, and finely chopped
1 small conger eel, skinned and filleted, bones reserved
2 to 3 medium sea robins, skinned and filleted, bones reserved
1 cup dry white wine
A bouquet garni—1 bay leaf and 2 to 3 sprigs each parsley and thyme, tied in cheesecloth
3 ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
About 3 quarts water
Kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Large pinch of saffron threads
For the Bouillabaisse
7 cups Fish Broth (above)
4 medium-to-large new red potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
12 small mussels, scrubbed and debearded
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed
4 large sea scallops, cut horizontally in half
One 10- to 12-ounce red snapper, filleted (you can have the fishmonger do this) and cut into 4 pieces
10 to 12 ounces monkfish fillet, cut into medallions
Rouille (see here)
8 slices French bread, toasted and rubbed with garlic and olive oil
1. To make the fish broth, place all the fish bones and scraps, along with the crabs, in a large piece of cheesecloth and tie securely.
2. Heat the oil in a 10- to 12-quart stockpot. Add the fennel, leeks, onion, shallots, garlic, eel, and sea robin fillets and cook slowly until the vegetables are tender.
3. Add the wine. Place the bag of fish bones and the bouquet garni in the pot and add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and enough water to completely cover the fish bones. Season lightly with salt and cayenne. Bring to a simmer and cook very slowly for 2½ hours.
4. Remove the bag of fish bones and the bouquet garni. Pass the broth mixture through a food mill into a large saucepan. Add the saffron, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 25 minutes to reduce it further. Adjust the seasoning. Strain the broth through several thicknesses of cheesecloth. There should be between 2½ and 3 quarts. (The broth can be prepared in advance and frozen.)
5. To make the bouillabaise, bring 2 cups of the fish soup broth to a boil in a saucepan and cook the potatoes in it until they are tender. Drain the potatoes, reserving the liquid, and wrap in foil to keep warm.
6. Transfer the fish broth used for the potatoes to a 3-quart saucepan and place the mussels and clams in it. Cover and steam the mussels and clams, until they just open. Remove from the heat and keep covered.
7. Place the remaining 5 cups fish broth in a saucepan just large enough to hold all the rest of the seafood. Heat to just barely simmering, add the remaining seafood, and cook until just done; remove each type of seafood to a warm dish as it is cooked.
8. To serve, divide the potato rounds among 4 warmed shallow soup plates. Arrange the cooked fish over the potatoes, then divide the mussels and clams, with the top shells removed, among the plates. Stir some of the broth used to poach the seafood into the rouille, then whisk the rouille back into the broth. Bring to a bare simmer, then pour over the seafood in the plates and serve with the toasted bread.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
If conger eel and sea robin are unavailable—and there’s a 99.9 percent chance they will be—add 1 pound of monkfish or other fish fillets and 2 or 3 fish heads to the fish scraps.
If you want a slightly coarser soup, skip the straining in Step 4.
The original rouille that went with the bouillabaisse had some flavor issues, so you should make the one here.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Kir Royale 38 (here), Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères (here), Pistachio Cream (here), Campton Place Buttermilk Chocolate Cake (here), Lucas Schoormans’s Lemon Tart (here)
SEPTEMBER 11, 1988: “FOOD: NO PLACE LIKE HOME,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT.
—1988
CRAB CAKES BALTIMORE-STYLE
I tried several crab cake recipes and these were the best for one reason: every other ingredient is included to complement but in no way distract you from the crab.
———
2 large eggs, well beaten
½ cup chopped celery
1 cup crushed saltines
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ cup finely chopped scallions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound crabmeat, preferably lump, picked over for shells and cartilage
½ cup fresh bread crumbs
¼ cup vegetable oil
Rémoulade Sauce (recipe follows)
1. Combine the eggs, celery, saltines, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl and blend well. Add the crabmeat, folding it in lightly without breaking it up.
2. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Shape them into hamburger-like patties. Dredge them lightly in the bread crumbs.
3. Heat approximately 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the crab cakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown, using the remaining 2 tablespoons oil if necessary. Drain on paper towels, and serve with the rémoulade sauce.
SERVES 4
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons Dijon or Creole-style mustard
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons grated horseradish (fresh or prepared)
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
⅓ cup finely chopped scallions
⅓ cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons ketchup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Put the egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, and paprika in a medium bowl. Blend with a wire whisk. Add the oil gradually, beating briskly, then add the remaining ingredients and blend well.
MAKES 2 CUPS
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
The Cuke (here), Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread (here), Basic Corn Chowder (here) Zucchini with Crème Fraîche Pesto (here), Stewed Corn (here), Fresh Raspberry (or Blackberry or Blueberry) Flummery (here), Peach Balls (here)
JANUARY 25, 1989: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1989
STEAMED FISH WITH THYME AND TOMATO VINAIGRETTE
Fresh, bright, and healthy, without tasting as if it’s meant to be good for you. This recipe made me wonder why I don’t steam fish more often—it’s a technique that’s easy to control and keeps the fish moist and delicate.
———
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup peeled (see Cooking Note, here), seeded, and diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless fish fillets, such as weakfish, red snapper, sea bass, or salmon (about 6 ounces each)
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1. Put the mustard and vinegar into a bowl and add the oil, whisking in vigorously. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the thyme and fish, seasoning with salt only if needed and with pepper. Keep the sauce at room temperature.
2. Pour water into a steamer. Place the fillets on the steamer rack. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1 sprig of thyme on each fillet (or sprinkle with the dried), and cover the steamer. When the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 3 to 4 minutes; do not overcook. Remove the thyme sprigs. Serve immediately, with the sauce spooned over the fillets.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
I don’t own a steamer, so I improvised by using a 12-inch round braising pan with a round baking rack set inside.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Cold Nicarde (Yellow Squash Soup; here), Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado (here), Artichauts Vinaigrette (here), Ratatouille Niçoise (here), Risotto with Lemon and Crème Fraîche (here), Marjolaine (Multilayered Chocolate and Praline Cake; here), Fontainebleau (here)
JULY 26, 1989: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1989
SEA SCALLOPS WITH SWEET RED PEPPERS AND ZUCCHINI
Ho-hum, right? But if great cooking is what you can do with the most mundane of ingredients, this dish really is great. Think about all those nights after work when you succumb to sautéed chicken breasts. In less than twenty minutes, you could whip this up instead (and use up some of that Ricard that’s been languishing in your cabinet).
If you don’t like scallops but have nonetheless read this far, you can substitute any firm-fleshed white fish fillets, skinned and cut into small pieces.
———
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes
1½ cups sliced zucchini (⅛-inch-thick slices)
¼ teaspoon Tabasco
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1¼ pounds sea scallops, tough side muscles removed; if large, cut them into slices
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Ricard or Pernod liquor
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup coarsely chopped basil or flat-leaf parsley
1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the red peppers and zucchini and cook, tossing, for about 3 minutes. Add the Tabasco and salt and pepper to taste.
2. When the red peppers and the zucchini are nearly cooked, add the remaining tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Increase the heat to high and add the scallops, garlic, thyme, Ricard, lemon juice, and basil. Check the seasoning. Cook and stir for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the scallops are just cooked through; do not overcook.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Roasted Feta with Thyme Honey (here), Blender Corn Pudding (here), Fried Corn (here), Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley (here), Fried Potatoes (here), Almond Granita (here), Honey Spice Cookies (here)
OCTOBER 16, 1991: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1991
SEARED TUNA IN BLACK PEPPER CRUST
Having had my fill of seared tuna in the 1990s, I was prepared to find this recipe dated and pointless. But, no, it turns out I’m just a trend drone, slavishly, hungrily traveling from one new dish to the next, never looking back for perspective. It wasn’t that I had stopped liking seared tuna or that there was anything wrong with it, I had simply moved on to the next thing (tuna tartare!—see here). After my forced revisit, I can report that seared tuna, when done well, is a fantastic little dish.
———
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
¼ cup olive oil
1½ pounds tuna in one thick piece
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound spinach, trimmed, washed, and dried
1 cup freshly cooked cannellini beans
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Beat the lime juice, marjoram, and 2 tablespoons olive oil together. Set this vinaigrette aside.
2. Trim any dark areas from the tuna, then cut it into 4 equal pieces, trimming them a little if necessary to make 4 rectangular logs. Press the cracked black pepper all over the sides of the fish.
3. Heat all but a teaspoon of the remaining olive oil with the canola oil in a large heavy skillet. When the oil is very hot, carefully place the fish in the skillet (to avoid splattering) and sear for barely a minute, then turn and continue to sear the fish briefly on each of the remaining 3 sides. The fish should still be rare in the middle. Remove the fish to a warm plate.
4. Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining olive oil. Add the spinach and sauté for a few minutes, until barely wilted. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper, and continue to sauté until the spinach is wilted but is still a bright green and the beans are completely heated through.
5. Divide the spinach among 4 dinner plates. Cut the blocks of seared tuna into ½-inch-thick slices and array the slices on top of the spinach. Briefly beat the vinaigrette, then drizzle it around the tuna and spinach.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
The only pain-in-the-neck part of this recipe is the beans—canned beans really won’t cut it here. Make a batch the night before, saving some for a white bean soup, or perhaps the Four-Bean Salad here.
Cutting the tuna into logs is tricky because most tuna steaks are triangular. I cut each triangle into thick rectangular logs, which left me with a few tiny cubes. The shapes don’t really matter, because you later slice the cooked tuna; just pay attention to the cooking times if you’re sautéing variously sized pieces.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fresh Corn Griddle Cakes with Parmesan and Chives (here), Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado (here), Catalan Vegetable Paella (here), Cucumber Risotto with Yellow Peppers and Herbs (here), Avocado and Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette (here), Strawberry Soup (here), Lemon Cake (here)
JANUARY 24, 1993: “USING NUTS OR SPICES TO COAT THE FISH,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ALAN HARDING, THE CHEF AT NOSMO KING IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1993
CHAR-GRILLED TUNA WITH TOASTED CORN VINAIGRETTE AND AVOCADO SALAD
Tuna, corn, avocado, and cilantro, the pillars of 1990s cooking, convene here with a delicious outcome.
———
For the Tuna
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
Four 3-by-3-by-2-inch cubes fresh tuna (6 ounces each)
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Vinaigrette
½ cup olive oil
½ cup fresh corn kernels
⅓ cup minced red onion
⅓ cup chopped scallions
¾ teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
¾ teaspoon chopped thyme
1½ teaspoons chopped basil
¾ teaspoon chopped cilantro, plus a few whole leaves for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad
4 cups mixed salad greens
2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and each half sliced lengthwise in half
1. To make the tuna, combine the lemon zest, rosemary, basil, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl. Toss with the tuna and let marinate, covered, in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
2. To make the vinaigrette, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the red onion and scallions and cook until translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and orange juice and remove from the heat.
3. Slowly stir in the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil and the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature.
4. Heat a grill, preferably using hardwood. When the grill is hot, season the tuna on both sides with the salt and pepper and brush with the olive oil. Place on the grill and cook until tuna is charred on the outside and medium in the center, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cut each piece into 4 slices.
5. Divide the greens among 4 plates. Cut each avocado lengthwise into thirds, but leave the narrow ends intact. Fanning out the slices, lean 2 pieces against the outside of each portion of greens. Drape 4 slices of tuna across the top of each salad. Spoon the vinaigrette over the top and garnish with cilantro leaves.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
The tuna is cut into 3-by-3-by-2-inch cubes; so you may want to special-order the fish cut this way to save time/angst.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Ice-Cold Tomatoes with Basil (here), Raspberry Granita (here)
JULY 11, 1993: “FOOD: HOT TUNA,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM OLIVES IN BOSTON.
—1993
ROAST LOBSTER WITH VANILLA SAUCE
In the article where this recipe appeared, Camilla Nielsen, the president of Nielsen-Massey, a top producer of vanilla beans, offered a handy tip for judging vanilla beans. “A good vanilla bean,” she said, “should be moist enough that you can tie it in a knot.”
Lobster and vanilla met in nouvelle cuisine, and have largely remained a restaurant pairing. Other than the expense, though, there’s no reason you can’t cook it at home. Think of it as two dishes in one: the roasted lobster and the lobster chowder you make with the leftover lobster shells (make sure you save them!).
———
Two 1¼- to 1½-pound lobsters
1 tablespoon olive oil
7 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
¼ cup dry white wine
1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ vanilla bean, split
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound watercress, trimmed and washed
¾ pound spinach, trimmed and washed
1. Place a roasting pan large enough to hold the lobsters in the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees. With the tip of a sharp knife, pierce each lobster between the eyes to sever the spinal cord and kill it instantly. Crack the claws using the back of a cleaver or a hammer.
2. Place the lobsters in the hot roasting pan, drizzle with the oil, and roast until red, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a small saucepan. Add the shallots and sauté over low heat until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and vinegar, raise the heat, and cook at a moderate boil until the liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 6 tablespoons butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until all is incorporated. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the sauce and stir to combine; strain into a clean saucepan. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
5. When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the claws. Detach the tails (discard the bodies). With a pair of scissors, cut down through the shell on the underside of each tail; remove the meat and cut it into ¼-inch-thick slices. Cover the meat loosely with aluminum foil and keep warm.
6. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large pot. Add the watercress and spinach and stir until the greens have melted down, then continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.
7. Reheat the sauce over low heat until warm, whisking constantly. Place a bed of greens on each plate, arrange the lobster meat on top, and spoon the sauce over the lobster.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTES
You don’t really need this much watercress. If you want to cook it all, just use what you need for the dish, saving the rest for later.
You can prepare the recipe up through Step 5 up to a day in advance—chill the lobster and sauce separately in the fridge, and reheat the lobster by adding it to the gently rewarmed sauce.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pointe d’Asperge (here), Fresh Corn Griddle Cakes with Parmesan and Chives (here), Evelyn Sharpe’s French Chocolate Cake (here), Tangerine Sherbet (here), Strawberry Soup (here)
MAY 31, 1995: “VANILLA: THE DEFINITION OF PLAIN IS GETTING SOPHISTICATED” BY KAREN KOCHEVAR. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ALAIN SENDERENS, LUCAS-CARTON RESTAURANT, PARIS.
—1995
LOBSTER SHEPHERD’S PIE
Five 1½-pound live lobsters
6 large baking potatoes
7½ tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large shallots, minced
4 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, julienned and washed well
1½ cups finely diced carrots
8 cups shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into large dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen baby peas, defrosted
1 cup half-and-half
¼ cup chopped chives
1. Steam the lobsters until slightly underdone, about 9 minutes. Let cool.
2. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Boil them until they’re soft; drain and pass through a ricer. Set aside.
3. Shell the cooled lobster meat. Cut into large chunks and set aside.
4. Melt 1½ tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the leeks and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas and simmer for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
6. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and the half-and-half, and stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir the lobster into the vegetable mixture.
7. Spoon the lobster mixture into a large shallow oval casserole (or a lasagna pan). Spread the potatoes over the top. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Garnish with the chives.
SERVES 10
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Stuffed Tomatoes (here), Salade à la Romaine (here), Basic Corn Chowder (here), Cashew Butterscotch Bars (here), Whiskey Cake (here)
DECEMBER 24, 1995: “BEEN THERE, ATE THAT,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1995
SWORDFISH IN GREEN CURRY–BASIL SAUCE
———
One 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce, preferably Asian nuoc mam
4 swordfish steaks (about 6 ounces each)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup torn basil leaves
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
White rice for serving
1. Whisk together the coconut milk, green curry paste, and fish sauce in a large skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat so the liquid simmers, add the swordfish, and simmer until just cooked through, about 6 minutes.
2. Remove the swordfish from the sauce and keep warm. Stir in the lemon zest, jalapeño, and salt and simmer slowly for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and lemon juice.
3. Divide the swordfish among 4 plates, spoon the sauce over, and serve with rice.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Yogurt Rice (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Mango Ice Cream (here)
AUGUST 11, 1996: “BRINGING UP BASIL,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1996
NINA SIMONDS’S BROILED HALIBUT WITH MISO GLAZE
Although many people wrote about Nobu Matsuhisa’s black cod with miso—perhaps the iconic New York dish of the 1990s—no one at the Times published his recipe. In a story on miso (my first story for the paper), I included this excellent variation by Nina Simonds, a cookbook author, made with more accessible halibut.
———
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons mellow white miso
One ¾-pound skin-on halibut fillet, cut into 4 pieces
1. Combine the ginger, mirin, and miso in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Rub on the flesh side of the halibut pieces. Marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the broiler. Brush the broiler pan with oil. Lay the fish skin side down in the pan and broil for 7 to 9 minutes, until the flesh flakes and the glaze bubbles and browns.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Simonds said to serve the halibut with steamed sticky rice and sautéed greens. Or, try Edamame with Nori Salt (here), Pork and Watermelon Salad (here), Jasmine Tea Rice (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots (here), Coconut Rice Pudding with Lime Syrup (here).
SEPTEMBER 3, 1997: “MISO GOES BEYOND JAPANESE COOKING,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM A SPOONFUL OF GINGER, BY NINA SIMONDS.
—1997
SALMON CAKES WITH YOGURT CHIPOTLE SAUCE
When I asked Denise Landis, a longtime recipe tester and contributor for the Times, for her favorite recipes, this was among them. Landis has cooked everything from sea urchin to long beans, and yet she chose this very plain-seeming salmon dish. Once I tried it, I understood exactly why she picked it: it’s the kind of recipe that you’ll go back to again and again. The ingredients are easy to find, yet not too ordinary; it’s simple to cook, yet not mindless; and it’s versatile, so you can make larger cakes for a dinner at home or smaller cakes for a cocktail party.
———
For the Yogurt Chipotle Sauce
1 cup plain yogurt
1 or 2 canned chipotle chiles, depending on the heat desired, seeded
¼ cup water
Salt
For the Salmon Cakes
One 1-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here)
1 tablespoon safflower oil
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
½ red bell pepper, chopped
4 large eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh bread crumbs, plus ½ cup crumbs for coating
Vegetable oil spray
1. To make the sauce, place the yogurt in a small strainer lined with cheesecloth or paper towels set over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and drain in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours.
2. Puree the chiles in a blender with the water. Mix with the yogurt and add salt to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. To make the salmon cakes, bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Add the salmon and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until cooked. Drain and cool, then break into chunks.
4. Combine the safflower oil, onion, and thyme in a large skillet and sauté over low heat until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Cool.
5. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine the salmon, onion mixture, and remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs for coating in a large bowl. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable spray. Shape the patties: 1 ounce for hors d’oeuvres (about 40 cakes), 3 ounces for first-course servings (12 cakes), 6 ounces for main-course servings (6 cakes). Coat the patties with the remaining bread crumbs and place on a baking sheet.
6. Bake 3-ounce patties for about 5 minutes. Turn over, and bake for 2 more minutes, or until lightly browned. Adjust the baking time for other sizes as needed. Serve with the yogurt chipotle sauce.
MAKES 40 HORS D’OEUVRES; SERVES 6 AS A MAIN COURSE, 12 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTES
I used Fage Total yogurt, and I recommend that you do too. It has the ideal balance of tang and creaminess, and the texture is like a tightly knit cream.
These cakes are baked, but they can be sautéed in a mixture of butter and oil if you want crisper edges.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Smoked Mashed Potatoes (here), Beets in Lime Cream (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Lime Sherbet (here)
JANUARY 1, 1997: “CASTING FOR SILVER SALMON, RENEWING A LIFE,” BY CAROL LAWSON.
—1997
GRANDMA TEDESCO’S MUSSELS AND GRAVY
The gravy here is a concentrated herb-and-shellfish broth enriched with butter. And yes, I’d slather it on mashed potatoes, so gravy it is!
———
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 cup bottled clam juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Sauté the garlic in the olive oil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until browned on the edges, about 2 minutes. Add the basil, parsley, and mussels and stir gently for 30 seconds. Add the clam juice. Cover the pot, increase the heat to high, and steam until the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Remove the mussels to serving plates.
2. Boil until the sauce is concentrated, about 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the butter 1 tablespoon at a time into the sauce. Spoon over the mussels.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
To remove the beards from mussels, locate the stringy attachment in the seam of the mussel’s shell and pull it off.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Diana Vreeland’s Salade Parisienne (here), Crisp Potato Crowns (here), Reuben’s Apple Pancake (here)
OCTOBER 8, 1997: “BELLE OF THE BIVALVES: THE NEW MUSSEL,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM STEVEN TEDESCO, A HOME COOK IN THE BRONX.
—1997
JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN’S CRAB SALAD
One Sunday afternoon in 1997, Molly O’Neill, the Times’s Sunday food columnist, gathered four of New York City’s top chefs in her loft to cook lunch and talk about their work. “New Yorkers want their food to have the intellectual flair of an artist and the solace of an earth mother,” she wrote. “They want their food to be both a reflection of their life and an antidote to it. They want it all, and they want it fast.”Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who at that point had what now seems a modest grouping of four restaurants (one of which, Jean-Georges, had already earned 4 stars), prepared this salad, one of his signature dishes. The dish hasn’t aged a bit. While Vongerichten may be best remembered for showing chefs how to turn their talents into global brands—he now has nineteen restaurants—he began simply as an inventive cook with a gifted palate. That Sunday afternoon, he told O’Neill, “There is no new fish coming out of the ocean. We must make something different from the same things.”
———
For the Cumin Crisps
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons sugar
1½ tablespoons cumin seeds
⅔ cup white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Crab Salad
1½ pounds crabmeat
2 small ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
1½ shallots, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 bunches mâche (about 2 cups)
1½ mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into ¼-inch dice
1. To make the crisps, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix together the flour, sugar, and cumin seeds in a small bowl. Add the vinegar, water, and butter, and mix thoroughly, but do not overmix.
2. Working in batches, using a pastry brush, dab very thin 2-inch disks of batter onto 2 nonstick baking sheets. Bake until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
3. To make the crab salad, break up the lumps of crab with your fingers to remove any shell or cartilage, leaving the crab as intact as possible. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
4. Combine the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, lemon juice, oil, vinegar, and basil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Slowly stir the tomato sauce into the crabmeat. Coat the crab, but do not soak it.
6. Place 3 scoops of crab salad in a row on each of 6 plates, then place 2 cumin crisps between the scoops. Garnish with the mâche and the mangoes.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Moroccan Tomato Soup (here), Baked Alaska (here), Strawberry Soup (here), Dorie Greenspan’s Sablés (here)
OCTOBER 19, 1997: “FOOD: THE DAY THE CHEFS ATE LUNCH,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN, THE CHEF AT JEAN-GEORGES IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1997
GENTLY COOKED SALMON WITH MASHED POTATOES
Good, rich salmon, a glistening hill of mashed potatoes, and a river of chive oil.
You should commit this salmon technique to memory—it’s stress-free, makes the salmon silky, and is something you can do anywhere as long as you have a pan and an oven. I have a similar slow-cooking method that I use for any kind of fish and shellfish: I place the fish in a casserole dish just large enough to hold it and then, rather than employing butter, I douse the fish in olive oil and cook it at 300 degrees, basting it now and then. It’s a technique I use for dinner parties, so I can serve fish without worrying about overcooking it.
———
2 pounds Yukon Gold or white potatoes (5 or 6), peeled and cut into quarters
Salt
3 tablespoons plus ¼ teaspoon unsalted butter
Four 6-ounce skin-on center-cut salmon fillets, about 1¼ inches thick at the thickest point, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here)
½ ounce chives (a small handful; about 40 to 60)
¼ cup neutral oil, like grapeseed or canola
¾ cup whole milk, gently warmed
Freshly ground black pepper
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper
1. Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water to cover until soft; this will take about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, smear a baking dish with the ¼ teaspoon butter and place the salmon skin side up on the butter. Let sit while you heat the oven to 250 degrees.
3. Mince a tablespoon or so of the chives for garnish. Tear the rest of the chives into 2-inch lengths, and place in the container of a blender with the oil and a little salt. Blend, stopping the machine to push the mixture down once or twice, until the oil has a cream-like consistency.
4. When the potatoes are done, put the salmon in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes.
5. Drain the potatoes, then mash them well or put them through a food mill. Return them to the pot over very low heat and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and, gradually, the milk, beating with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
6. Check the salmon after 10 minutes; the skin should peel off easily, the meat should flake, and an instant-read thermometer should display about 120 degrees. It may look undercooked, but if it meets these criteria, it is done. (If it is not finished, or you prefer it more well done, return it to the oven, checking every 5 minutes.) If you like, scrape off the gray fatty matter on the skin side (or just turn the fish over). Sprinkle with coarse salt and cracked black pepper.
7. To serve, place a quarter of the mashed potatoes on each plate and top with a piece of salmon. Drizzle chive oil all around the plates and garnish with the minced chives.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Airplane Salad (here), Paul Steindler’s Cabbage Soup (here), Escarole with Pan-Roasted Garlic and Lemon (here), Caramelized Chocolate Bread Pudding (here), Teddie’s Apple Cake (here), David Eyre’s pancake (here)
NOVEMBER 26, 1997: “THE CHEF,” BY JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN WITH MARK BITTMAN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN, WITH CHEF DIDIER VIROT.
—1997
TUNA TARTARE
Although fish tartares had become trendy restaurant fare by the 1980s, it took more than a decade for home cooks to get up the nerve to serve raw fish to their friends.
When the tuna is chopped finely enough, it feels like cool little droplets on your palate. What makes this recipe noteworthy is that while each seasoning offers a flicker of flavor, none calls too much attention to itself.
———
½ pound sushi-quality tuna
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 tablespoon minced shallot
½ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon safflower oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 grinds black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
½ small red onion, sliced paper-thin
1 medium cucumber, sliced paper-thin
20 large caper berries or 2 tablespoons capers
16 toast points (without crusts)
1. Dice the tuna as fine as possible, or put it through a meat grinder using the largest plate. Transfer to a small bowl and add the cilantro, shallot, ginger, oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, or for up to 2 hours.
2. When ready to serve, mix the lime juice into the tuna. Divide the tuna among 4 small plates, mounding it in the center of the plates. Divide the onion, cucumbers, caper berries, and toast points among the plates and serve immediately.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
If you’re not in the mood to make toast points, you could serve the tartare with pappadums or good, puffy rice crackers.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
The Cuke (here), Jonathan Waxman’s Red Pepper Pancakes (here), Fish Poached in Buttermilk (here), Zucchini and Vermouth (here), Sour Cream Ice Cream (here)
JULY 19, 1998: “NAME THAT TUNA,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1998
CEVICHE WITH MINT AND MANGO
Good ceviche, like this one, should be exciting, with flashes of acid, sweetness, brightness, heat, and brine in every bite.
———
1 pound small bay scallops
1 cup fresh lime juice (7 to 8 limes)
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into ⅓-inch dice
½ red onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red chile, or to taste, seeded and minced
⅓ cup chopped mint
1. Combine the scallops and lime juice in a small bowl and stir to coat the scallops. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.
2. Drain the scallops, discarding the lime juice. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the mango, onion, garlic, oil, and half the chile, and toss. Add the mint; toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
SERVES 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
If the scallops are larger than a hazelnut, halve them.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
La Paloma (here), The Best Spinach Dip, with Chipotle and Lime (here), Yucatán Fish with Crisp Garlic (here), Coloradito (Red Mole with Pork; here), Caramel Custard (here)
AUGUST 9, 1998: “FOOD: WORTH A MINT,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1998
SKATE WITH SAUTÉED SPINACH AND FRIED POTATOES
———
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large baking potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes, and held in a bowl of cold water
4 large skinless skate wing fillets (5 to 7 ounces each)
2 cups whole milk
1½ pounds spinach
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup all-purpose flour
⅔ cup cracker meal or panko
3 tablespoons clarified unsalted butter (homemade, or ghee from an Indian market), or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely sliced chives
2 lemons, cut into wedges
Flat-leaf parsley sprigs for garnish
1. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Drain the potatoes and dry thoroughly on paper towels. Add a single cube to the oil. If the cube begins sizzling immediately, add the rest of the potatoes. Fry until barely golden, about 1½ minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and set aside. Reserve the pan with the oil.
2. Combine the skate wings and milk in a wide shallow bowl and soak for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, remove the stems and wilted leaves from the spinach, wash it thoroughly, and drain well. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and toss until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain well, return to the pan, and cover to keep warm.
4. Return the pan of oil to medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, return the potatoes to the pan and fry until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels, and season with salt to taste.
5. Combine the flour and cracker meal in a large bowl. Remove the skate wings from the milk and season on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge the wings in the flour mixture, pat off the excess, and set aside on a plate. Heat the clarified butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add the skate wings, smoother sides down, and sauté until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the wings and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
6. To serve, mound one-quarter of the spinach at the top of each plate. Place a skate wing like an inverted fan beneath the spinach. Scatter the potatoes over the spinach and sprinkle the sliced chives over the skate wings. Garnish the plates with the lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Palestine Soup (here), Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber (here), Stuffed Clams (here), Grapefruit Fluff (here), Lee’s Marlborough Tart (here)
PERIOD DETAIL
In 1880, a writer, reporting on the scarcity of some fish species, documented a cooking class in which the instructor, Juliet Corson, introduced an unfamiliar fish: “It was not a salamander, a phoenix, a barnacle goose, or some strange phenomenal creature which she was cooking to the amazement of the world, but only an ordinary fish—a skate . . . !”
AUGUST 28, 1998: “MILD IN TASTE, ELEGANT IN LOOK, SKATE JOINS THE A-LIST,” BY ELAINE LOUIE. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM REBECCA CHARLES, THE CHEF AT PEARL OYSTER BAR IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1998
THE MINIMALIST’S GRAVLAX
When you rinse off the salt and sugar cure, after a day or so in the fridge, the salmon is dark and firm like a block of quince paste. You will think all is lost. Get out your sharpest knife and start shaving off paper-thin slices. You will be astounded that you’ve recreated Zabar’s at home with almost no effort. Mark Bittman—aka The Minimalist—says to serve the gravlax “plain or with lemon wedges, crème fraîche, sour cream, or a light vinaigrette.”
———
1 cup salt
2 cups sugar
1 bunch dill, stems and all, chopped
One 2- to 3-pound skin-on salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note)
1. Mix together the salt, sugar, and dill. Place the salmon skin side down on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Cover the flesh side of the salmon with the salt mixture, making sure to coat it completely. (There will be lots of salt mix; just pile it on.)
2. Wrap the fish well. If the temperature is below 70 degrees, and it is not too inconvenient, let it rest outside the refrigerator for about 6 hours, then refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours. Otherwise, refrigerate immediately, for about 36 hours.
3. Unwrap the salmon and rinse off the cure. Pat dry, then slice on the bias.
SERVES 12 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
To remove the pin bones, run your fingers down the center of the fillet to feel for the bones, and use tweezers to pull them out.
James Beard’s Champagne Punch (here), Onion Rings (here), Heirloom Pea Pancakes (here), Salade Niçoise (here), Papa’s Apple Pound Cake (here)
NOVEMBER 11, 1998: “THE MINIMALIST: GRAVLAX WITHOUT FEAR, A STUNNING DISH JUST LOOKS HARD,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—1998
FISH POACHED IN BUTTERMILK
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the well-known New York chef, based this dish on the French technique of poaching fish in milk. By swapping out the milk for buttermilk, he added another dimension of flavor: acidity. Then he threw in a bunch of seemingly inconsequential and disparate flavor notes, all of which magically coalesce on the plate: a little cayenne, spinach, dill, and a bit of rye bread and mushroom stuffing. There’s also a finishing touch: the buttermilk poaching liquid, now sharpened with lemon and whizzed in the blender, spooned over all.
———
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ shallot, finely chopped
1½ cups cubed white mushrooms
1½ teaspoons thyme leaves
½ clove garlic, finely chopped
1½ cups cubed dry rye bread crusts
¾ cup chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound spinach, trimmed and washed
Pinch of sugar
Four 6-ounce turbot, cod, halibut, or black sea bass fillets
Cayenne pepper
3 cups buttermilk
6 sprigs dill, leaves stripped from stems
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, thyme, and garlic and cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the bread and stir to combine. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the bread has soaked up the liquid. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the chives. Cover and keep warm.
2. Place the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and foaming, add the spinach and toss, using tongs, to wilt the leaves. Add the sugar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Season both sides of the fish with salt and cayenne pepper. Combine the fish, buttermilk, and dill in a sauté pan large enough to hold the fish in a single layer, cover, and place over medium heat. When the buttermilk begins to simmer, cook for 2 minutes. Turn the fish and cook for about another minute. The fish is done when firm to the touch.
4. Remove the fish from the pan and keep warm. With an immersion blender or in a regular blender, whirl the buttermilk with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. When it is emulsified, season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
5. Arrange the spinach in 4 shallow bowls. Place the fish on top and pour the buttermilk sauce over each, topping it off with a spoonful of stuffing.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
When you poach the fish, the buttermilk broth will separate. Not to worry. When you add a little butter at the end and blend the broth, it turns into a creamy and clean sauce.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Escarole with Pan-Roasted Garlic and Lemon (here), Mashed Potatoes Anna (here), Rice Croquettes (here), Warm Soft Chocolate Cake (here), Fresh Ginger Cake (here)
SEPTEMBER 29, 1999: “TEMPTATION: THERE’S A FISH IN MY BUTTERMILK,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JOJO IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1999
In the 1990s, we began eating beets as a treat rather than an obligation. Farmers had begun growing sweeter varieties and harvesting them younger, and cooks had learned to roast them rather than boil them: it was as simple as that. Boiled beets inspired generations of beet haters; the process bleeds them of their vigor. Roasting them, on the other hand, concentrates their sweetness and produces a buttery root. By the turn of the century, roasted beet and goat cheese salad had replaced pear and Gorgonzola as the first-course standby, and beet tartare was a close second (also see the Beet Tartare here).
———
4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
1½ teaspoons finely chopped chives
1½ teaspoons minced tarragon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 drops Tabasco sauce
2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One ½-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here), cut into very small dice
1½ teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Pea shoots for garnish (optional)
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the beets in small roasting pan with ½ cup water. Cover and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Cool.
2. Peel the beets and cut into very fine dice. Transfer to a bowl and add ¾ teaspoon chives, ¾ teaspoon tarragon, ½ teaspoon mustard, and 1½ teaspoons shallot. Add 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, the Tabasco, and 1½ tablespoons olive oil, mix well, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Combine the salmon and the remaining ¾ teaspoon each chives and tarragon and 1½ teaspoons shallots in a medium bowl. Add the parsley, the remaining ½ teaspoon mustard, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon oil, and season to taste. Mix well, cover, and chill.
4. To serve; place one-quarter of the beet tartare in the bottom of a 3-inch ring mold on each of 4 serving plates. Top each with an even layer of one-quarter of the salmon tartare. Pat gently to compress. Remove the ring molds, and garnish with pea shoots, if desired.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
If you don’t have ring molds you can use ramekins to shape the tartare.
You’ll want some kind of toast or cracker to eat with the tartare—crisp and airy rice crackers would be my first choice.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Raw Artichoke Salad with Cucumber (here), Sole Grenobloise (Sautéed Sole with Capers and Lemons; here), Leek and Shiitake Bread Pudding (here), Steamed Lemon Pudding (here)
MAY 31, 2000: “WHO PUT THE BEET IN THE MOUSSELINE?” BY MARIAN BURROS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ESCA IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2000
FRESH SALMON AND LIME CAKES
This recipe really wowed me. The kaffir lime leaves infuse the salmon cakes with an irresistible herbal aroma that’s difficult to describe. You must make them.
The recipe comes from Flavours, one of Australian food writer Donna Hay’s dozen or so books. Like Martha Stewart, Hay built a lifestyle empire on an aesthetic, the viewfinder through which she presents her recipes. For the photographs in her large-format cookbooks, the food is often shot on white plates on a white background, a clean frame for her vivid, unembellished cooking. Although I’ve been a fan of her books, it wasn’t until I made these cakes that I realized there was more to her cooking than the look of the food.
———
One 1-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here), chopped into ¼-inch dice
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons rice flour
2 kaffir lime leaves, chopped, or 6 thin strips lime zest, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon wasabi paste
3 tablespoons chopped chervil or flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Oil for frying (something neutral, like corn, canola, or vegetable)
1. Combine the salmon, egg white, rice flour, lime leaves, ginger, wasabi paste, and chopped chervil in a medium bowl.
2. Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a small bowl and mix well.
3. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Heat ½ inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. For each cake, place 2 tablespoons of the salmon mixture into the hot oil, and cook for 35 to 45 seconds on each side, or until lightly golden; do not overcook. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining salmon. Serve with the lime juice dipping sauce.
MAKES 15 TO 18 SMALL CAKES; SERVES 4 TO 6
COOKING NOTES
Kaffir lime leaves can be found in specialty markets and in Southeast Asian grocery stores.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Gazpacho with Cucumber Granita (here), Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado (here), Yogurt Rice (here), Raspberry Granita (here)
DECEMBER 20, 2000: “BY THE BOOK: FROM AUSTRALIA, THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLICITY,” BY REGINA SCHRAMBLING. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM FLAVOURS, BY DONNA HAY.
—2000
SAUTÉED RED SNAPPER WITH RHUBARB SAUCE
If you haven’t already discovered the combination of rhubarb and fatty fish, start here. Mark Bittman adds an interesting twist with a pinch of saffron that, while barely perceptible, works to soften rhubarb’s sharpness.
———
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch-long pieces
⅓ cup sugar, or more to taste
Pinch of saffron threads
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or a little more oil)
Four 6-ounce skin-on red snapper fillets
Chopped mint or flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
1. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and saffron in a small saucepan, cover, and turn the heat to low. Cook, stirring only occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until the rhubarb becomes saucy. Add salt to taste and a little more sugar if necessary. If the mixture is very soupy, continue to cook a little longer to make it thicker.
2. Meanwhile, when you judge the rhubarb to be nearly done, put a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the oil and butter. When the butter foam subsides, add the fillets skin side down and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the fish is nearly done. Turn carefully; and lightly brown the flesh side, seasoning it with salt and pepper as it cooks. Transfer the fish to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
3. Serve the fish napped with a bit of the sauce and garnished, if you like, with the herb.
SERVES 4
VARIATION
I haven’t tried this option, but Bittman said, “You can also use this sauce as the base for a fool, a simple summer dessert that’s little more than fruit and whipped cream. Just blend the rhubarb sauce with an equal amount of sweetened whipped cream—or yogurt, sour cream, or crème fraîche.”
Puree of Peas and Watercress (here), Al Forno’s Roasted Asparagus (here), Forget-It Meringue Torte (here)
MAY 30, 2001: “THE MINIMALIST: RHUBARB IN A SAVORY MOOD,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2001
SALMON AND TOMATOES IN FOIL
More than any other chapter in the book, this one is filled with simple recipes in which one ingredient or technique gives the finished dish its memorable character. In the Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes here, kaffir lime leaves add extraordinary aroma; in the Bouillabaisse here, olive oil helps the fish maintain its delicate texture. In this case, it’s the basil: when steamed with the fish in a foil packet, the leaf softens and attaches itself to the salmon. When you open the packet, you are met with a beautiful fragrance and sight: the basil leaves glisten with oil and look like decoupage on the salmon.
———
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
One 1½- to 2-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here), cut into 4 pieces
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 leaves basil
1. For each of the 4 packages, place one 12-inch-long sheet of aluminum foil on top of another. Smear the top sheet with ½ tablespoon olive oil and layer a fillet of salmon, 6 tomato halves, salt and pepper to taste, 4 basil leaves, and another ½ tablespoon of oil on it. Seal the package by folding the foil over itself and crimping the edges tightly. Refrigerate until ready to cook, no more than 24 hours later.
2. When you are ready to cook, heat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the packages in a roasting pan. (They can also be cooked on top of the stove in 2 skillets over medium-high heat.) Cook for 5 minutes, for medium-rare, to 8 minutes from the time the oil starts to sizzle, roughly 10 to 12 minutes total.
3. Let the packages rest for a minute, then cut a slit along the top of each with a knife. Use a knife and fork to open the package, and spoon the salmon, garnish, and juices onto a plate.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado (here), Fresh Corn Griddle Cakes with Parmesan and Chives (here), Fried Corn (here), Smoked Mashed Potatoes (here), Yogurt Rice (here), Plum Fritters (here)
JULY 25, 2001: “THE MINIMALIST ENTERTAINS: MIDWEEK, AND THE COOK’S COOL,” BY MARK BITTMAN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN.
—2001
CLAMBAKE IN A POT
A clambake without sand in your food.
———
½ to 1 pound kielbasa (optional)
½ to 1 pound good slab bacon, in one piece (optional)
3 to 4 pounds hard-shell clams, scrubbed (more if you omit the meat)
3 to 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded (more if you omit the meat)
Approximately 1 pound tiny new potatoes, or waxy potatoes cut into small chunks
Two 1¼- to 1½-pound live lobsters
4 ears corn, shucked
½ cup water
Melted butter for serving (optional)
1. Put the kielbasa and bacon, if using, in a large deep pot. Add the clams and mussels, then the potatoes. Top with the lobsters and corn. Add the water, cover, and turn the heat to high. Cook, shaking the pot every few minutes, for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid carefully, and check a potato to see if it is done. If not, cover again and cook for 10 minutes more. The lobsters should be red.
2. Put the corn, meat, and lobsters on a platter. Put the clams and mussels in a large bowl, and ladle some cooking juices over them. Serve, if you like, with melted butter.
COOKING NOTE
You need a really big pot for this recipe. If you don’t have one, divide everything evenly between 2 pots.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Málaga Gazpacho (here), Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (here), Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top (here), Lemon Lotus Ice Cream (here)
AUGUST 29, 2001: “THE MINIMALIST ENTERTAINS: THE CLAMBAKE, MINUS THE BEACH,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2001
ALASKAN SALMON
Tetsuya Wakuda, the owner of Tetsuya’s in Sydney, is famous for this dish. He leaves his fish very pink—cook it longer if you like.
———
One ¾-pound skinless wild Alaskan salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here)
⅓ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup olive oil
10 basil leaves
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and finely chopped
For the Parsley Oil
⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1½ teaspoons salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained, or capers in brine, drained
For the Fennel Salad
¼ large fennel bulb
⅓ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
¼ cup shredded kombu (kelp; available in Asian grocery stores—optional)
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons ocean trout (or salmon) caviar
1. Cut the fish into 4 pieces. Combine the oils, basil, coriander, thyme, garlic, and pepper in a bowl. Add the salmon, turning to coat, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning the pieces frequently.
2. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
3. Heat the oven to 175 degrees (or its lowest temperature). Spread out the celery and carrots on a baking tray and place the fish on top. Bake with the oven door propped open with a wooden spoon until the fish is just lukewarm, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature.
4. Meanwhile, to make the parsley oil, combine the oil and parsley in a blender and puree. Add the capers and pulse until finely chopped.
5. To make the salad, slice the fennel as thin as possible using a mandoline or a very sharp knife. Place in a bowl, add the lemon zest and juice, and season with salt and pepper.
6. To serve, arrange a mound of salad on each of 4 plates. Mix the chives and kombu and pat onto the top of the salmon. Set the salmon on the salads and sprinkle with the sea salt. Drizzle with the parsley oil and dot the caviar around each plate.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
I didn’t love the kombu (kelp), because it was very chewy. If you leave it out, I won’t tell anyone.
My fish took 15 minutes longer to cook than the recipe says. Tetsuya uses ocean trout, but since that’s not available here, the recipe calls for Alaskan salmon.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Saketini (here), Edamame with Nori Salt (here), Asparagus with Miso Butter (here), Jasmine Tea Rice (here), Chilled Sesame Spinach (here), Coconut Rice Pudding with Lime Syrup (here)
NOVEMBER 4, 2001: FOOD; GENIUS DOWN UNDER,” BY JONATHAN REYNOLDS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM TETSUYA WAKUDA OF TETSUYA’S IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.
—2001
———
2 pounds sardines, cleaned and scaled
3 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ tablespoons chopped cilantro
1½ tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch of saffron threads
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1. Place the sardines in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Then pour over the sardines and turn the sardines to coat. Cover and marinate for 1 hour.
2. Heat a grill or heat the broiler. Remove the sardines from the marinade and grill or broil until cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side.
SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Spicy Orange Salad Moroccan-Style (here), Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel Broth (here), Brown Butter Peach Bars (here)
FEBRUARY 24, 2002: “FOOD: DINNER AND A MOVIE,” BY JONATHAN REYNOLDS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE MOROCCAN COLLECTION, BY HILAIRE WALDEN.
—2002
CLAM STEW WITH POTATOES AND PARSLEY PUREE
This is more of a steamed clam dish with sauce than a stew. No matter: the idea is brilliant, and while it may not be the world’s most refined dish, it’s a recipe you can make on the fly. You steam the potatoes and clams together and then stir in a fresh parsley, garlic, and olive oil puree. Buy a baguette when you shop!
———
4 pounds small clams, like littlenecks, cockles, or butter clams
¾ pound waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
1 cup dry white wine
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, thickest stems tied in a small bundle, leaves and thin stems reserved
1 small clove garlic
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
About ½ cup water
Salt
1. Wash the clams well in several changes of water until the water contains no traces of sand. Put in a wide deep skillet or a saucepan, along with the potatoes, wine, and parsley stems, cover, and turn the heat to high. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
2. While the clams and potatoes cook, combine the parsley leaves and thin stems with the garlic and oil in a blender. Blend, adding water as necessary to make a smooth puree; it will take ½ cup or more. Add salt to taste, and transfer to a bowl.
3. Remove and discard the thick parsley stems from the clam-potato mixture. Stir half the puree into the clams and serve, passing the rest at the table.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
You need to cut the potatoes into true ¼-inch dice, or they won’t cook through in time.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Blood Orange, Date, and Parmesan Salad with Almond Oil (here), Mezzaluna Salad (here), Rice Croquettes (here), Straight-Up Rhubarb Pie (here), Winter Fruit Salad (here)
MARCH 27, 2002: “THE MINIMALIST: SAVE THE LAST SLURP FOR ME,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2002
HALIBUT WITH PARSLEY-SHELLFISH SAUCE
Food writing often contains an element of salesmanship. I’m guilty, too: I often want to tell you just how great a dish is, hoping to inspire you to put the paper down and get in the kitchen. A caption that ran with this recipe said, “Halibut in parchment: Presto! It’s done.” In truth, this was a big fat lie. This recipe, which I will now sell to you by telling you that it’s fantastically delicious—it is, it really is!—is by Alain Ducasse, the most famous chef in France. I can assure you that there’s no presto anywhere in this recipe; it’s undoubtedly a chef-style dish.
Invite your three best friends for dinner and no one else. I doubled this recipe when I made it and almost died prematurely from exhaustion (well, isn’t every death premature?). However, all your toiling, your cutting squares of parchment, your whisking of the parsley butter, your arranging of the cooked fish in a square on the plates will be worth it.
And the cooking technique that Ducasse uses for the fish is very cool. You arrange strips of halibut between sheets of parchment and cook them in a hot dry pan, which preserves the purity of the fish and makes it easier to flip.
———
One 1⅓-pound skinless center-cut halibut fillet
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus 4 sprigs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
¼ cup minced fennel
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 clove garlic, sliced
36 cockles (1½ to 2 pounds), scrubbed
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground white pepper
¼ pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
Fleur de sel
1. Cut the halibut in half at the central “seam,” then cut each half in 8 slices about ¼ inch thick. Brush the slices on both sides with the olive oil. Place 4 slices side by side on a 6-inch-square of parchment paper. Top with another square of parchment. Repeat with the remaining halibut. Set the packages aside.
2. With the food processor running, drop the parsley leaves through the feed tube. Process until minced. Add the butter and process until well blended. Remove to a dish.
3. Place the wine, bay leaf, fennel, shallots, and garlic in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and cook over medium-high heat until the wine is reduced to about ½ cup. Add the cockles, cover, lower the heat, and simmer until they open, about 5 minutes. Remove the cockles, shuck into a small bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside.
4. Strain the cooking liquid, pressing on the solids, into a clean saucepan. Simmer until reduced to ¼ cup. Reduce the heat to very low, and whisk in the parsley butter about a tablespoon at a time. Add the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding white pepper. Fold in the cockles and crabmeat, remove from the heat, and cover to keep warm.
5. Place a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 1 package of halibut in the pan and cook for 30 to 60 seconds on each side (the fish should be just cooked through); remove from the pan with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining fish. Peel off the paper and arrange 4 slices of fish on each of 4 warm plates, making a square. Season lightly with fleur de sel and pepper.
6. Spoon some of the warmed seafood butter sauce into the center of each square, then spoon a little more around the outside. Garnish with the parsley sprigs.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
One half of the fish fillet will yield smaller pieces.
The fish slices may stick together when cooking, and you may need a thin spatula to separate them.
Cockles are saltier than clams—keep this in mind when seasoning. I added more lemon juice to the sauce.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères (here), Chilled English Pea–Mint Soup (here), Cream of Carrot Soup (here), Zucchini and Vermouth (here), Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish (here), Queen of Puddings (here)
APRIL 17, 2002: “THE CHEF: ALAIN DUCASSE,” BY ALAIN DUCASSE WITH FLORENCE FABRICANT.
—2002
VENTRESCA TUNA SALAD
There are three very different tuna salads in this book, all excellent. This one comes from David Pasternack, the amiable and unpretentious chef who cooked his way around New York’s better French kitchens before finding his sweet spot—Italian fish cookery—at Esca in the Theatre District, not far from the Times and Condé Nast. Back when people still had expense accounts, if you went to lunch at Esca, every table was filled with editors. It’s the most consistently great restaurant I know in the city.
I think of this recipe from Pasternack as a gift, a perfect salad with all the right elements and proportions. You poach the fish in oil and aromatics that perfume the succulent tuna belly, then mix it with vegetables and an assertive ratio of 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Fold the ingredients, then fold them a few more times, and get ready for a tuna salad unlike those here and here, and indeed unlike any other—with precise acidity, buttery slices of potato, and slivers of fragrant tuna that do not shred.
———
1½ pounds fresh tuna in 1 thick piece, preferably yellow fin or albacore belly cut
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large cloves garlic, smashed
About 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
3 sprigs lemon thyme, or regular thyme plus 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 bay leaves
4 large salt-packed anchovies, preferably Recca brand, or 8 anchovy fillets in oil
¾ pound fingerling potatoes
1 pound flat (romano) green beans or regular green beans, trimmed
1 small red onion, sliced paper-thin
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup lovage leaves or inner celery leaves
¼ cup red wine vinegar, preferably Italian
1. Cut the tuna into 1½-inch chunks. Season well with salt and pepper. Place in a saucepan with the garlic and enough olive oil so the tuna is just covered. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, taking care that the oil does not boil. Remove from the heat, add the lemon thyme (or thyme and lemon zest) and bay leaves, and set aside to cool. (The tuna can be used at this point but is better if allowed to marinate overnight.)
2. Transfer the contents of the pan to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature at least an hour before serving.
3. If using salt-packed anchovies, soak in water for 2 hours, drain, remove the bones, cut into ½-inch pieces, and toss with a little olive oil. Or drain anchovies packed in oil and cut into pieces.
4. Place the potatoes in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, peel when cool enough to handle, and halve lengthwise. Place in a large bowl.
5. Bring 6 quarts salted water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the beans and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl of ice water. When cool, drain well, pat dry on paper towels, and add to the bowl with the potatoes.
6. Add the anchovies, onion, parsley, and lovage to the potatoes and beans. Drain the tuna, reserving the oil, and scrape off the excess fat and gelatin. Break into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl.
7. Beat the vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¼ cup oil from the tuna. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the tuna and fold together. Season with salt and pepper.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
This recipe reveals a gap between what’s available to chefs and to a regular shopper, even one living in New York City. I couldn’t find lemon thyme, romano beans, fingerling potatoes, or lovage. The good news is the salad did not suffer.
I used baby Yukon Golds in place of the fingerlings. And I did not peel them after boiling—couldn’t be bothered.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Grapefruit Wine (here), Open-Faced Tomato Sandwich (here), Squashed Tomatoes (here), Chilled English Pea–Mint Soup (here), Garden Minestrone (here), Petit Beurre Cookies (here), Panna Cotta (here)
JUNE 19, 2002: “THE CHEF: DAVID PASTERNACK,” BY DAVID PASTERNACK WITH FLORENCE FABRICANT.
—2002
SEAFOOD SALAD
———
½ pound cleaned calamari
½ pound sea scallops
¾ pound cooked scungilli (sold in some fish markets)
3 large cloves garlic, sliced paper-thin
About ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 dried red chiles
3 large strands fresh seaweed
Zest of 2 lemons—removed with a vegetable peeler and finely slivered
Sea salt
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed and shucked, juices reserved
½ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 small red onion, finely chopped
⅓ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
⅓ cup minced mint
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Leaves from 6 sprigs parsley and 6 sprigs mint for garnish
1. Remove the tentacles from the calamari and reserve. Slice the calamari bodies into thin rings. Remove and discard the hard nugget of muscle on the side of each scallop. Slice the scallops horizontally in half. Cut the scungilli in half and, with the point of a knife, pry out the sac in the middle of each half. Cut off any narrow dark rubbery protrusions.
2. Combine the garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small dish.
3. Place the chiles, seaweed, and half the lemon zest in a 6-quart pot, add 4 quarts water, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir about 2 tablespoons sea salt into the poaching liquid, add the scungilli, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and set aside. Add the calamari rings and tentacles to the pot and simmer for 1 minute, then remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and set aside. Add the scallops and cook for about 2 minutes; remove, drain, and set aside. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes; remove, drain, and set aside. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the mussels, and cook just until they open; remove and drain. (Discard the poaching liquid.)
4. Cook the garlic in the 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet until softened. Transfer the garlic and oil to a large bowl. Add the clams, and juice, calamari, shrimp, and scallops. Thinly slice the scungilli and add it. Add the remaining lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, onion, minced herbs, and ½ cup olive oil. Fold together. Add the mussels, in their shells, and more oil to taste, the red pepper flakes, and black pepper to taste. Let stand, covered, for about 1 hour.
5. Toss the ingredients. Add more oil and seasonings if needed. Spoon into a serving dish. Bruise the mint and parsley leaves between your fingers, and scatter on top.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Crostini with Eggplant and Pine Nut Puree (here), Ed Giobbi’s Sweet Red Pepper Sauce for Pasta (here), Saffron Panna Cotta (here), Almond Granita (here)
JULY 3, 2002: “THE CHEF: DAVID PASTERNACK,” BY DAVID PASTERNACK WITH FLORENCE FABRICANT.
—2002
SALT-ROASTED STRIPED BASS WITH SALSA DE LA BOCA
If you’ve never salt-roasted a fish, give it a try—the fish, unearthed from its salt crust, is fabulously succulent and moist. You pack the whole fish in a mound of damp salt until it’s fully covered. When it is baked in a hot oven, the top layer of salt hardens like dried mud, and you have to break it off in pieces to uncover the steamy fish. You can also do this with a chicken. Either is fun to make with kids, who can apply their sandbox expertise.
———
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ cup finely chopped garlic
½ cup oregano leaves
Finely diced zest of 2 lemons (zest removed with a vegetable peeler)
Fleur de sel
Cracked black pepper
For the Fish
Five 3-pound boxes kosher salt
4 to 5 cups water
One 8-pound striped bass, cleaned but not scaled, head and tail removed
1. To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and set aside.
2. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Pour all the salt into a very large bowl or a clean plugged sink. Add 4 cups water and toss the salt to incorporate it evenly. The consistency should be like spring snow, slightly wet and lightly clumping. If necessary, add up to 1 cup more water.
3. Tamp down a 1-inch layer of the damp salt in a large roasting pan (about 16 inches long). Place the bass diagonally on top of the salt. Insert a meat thermometer (not instant-read) into the thickest part of the fish and leave it there. Pour the rest of the damp salt into the pan, spreading it to make a 1-inch-thick layer over the fish. Tamp down the salt to compact it.
4. Bake the fish until the thermometer reaches 150 degrees, about 55 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
5. Tap the salt crust with a hammer or mallet until it cracks. Remove and discard the crust. Brush any remaining salt from the fish, and lift off and discard the skin from the top fillet.
6. To serve, use 2 large spoons to lift the fish from the backbone and transfer to plates, then remove the bottom fillet. Garnish with the salsa.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTES
Leaving the scales on the fish protects it—they’ll come off when you remove the salt after baking. The original recipe called for an unscaled fish, but don’t sweat it if you can’t find one.
Boca is the name of a Buenos Aires neighborhood.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Palestine Soup (here), Roasted Squash Soup with Cumin (here), Sweet-and-Spicy Pepper Stew (here), Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion (here), Smoked Mashed Potatoes (here), Baked Chickpeas (here), Potato “Tostones” (Flattened Potatoes; here), Buttermilk Pie (here), Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake (here)
OCTOBER 23, 2002: “LOOK WHAT’S FOR DINNER,” BY PETER KAMINSKY. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM FRANCIS MELLMEN, THE CHEF AT PATAGONIA WEST IN WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NEW YORK.
—2002
SAUTÉED COD WITH POTATOES IN CHORIZO-MUSSEL BROTH
A beautifully composed dish from Eric Ripert, the chef at Le Bernardin, a 4-star restaurant in New York. The chorizo does a lot of work in the broth, adding dimension, color, and aroma. Don’t forget the lemon, which brightens the whole dish.
———
9 large cloves garlic, 4 left unpeeled, 2 thinly sliced, and 3 finely minced
10 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1½ pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
Salt
3 large shallots, thinly sliced, plus ¼ cup minced shallots
½ cup dry white wine
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 ounces dried chorizo, preferably Spanish, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup bottled clam juice
1 sprig thyme, plus 4 small sprigs for garnish
1 sprig rosemary, plus 4 small sprigs for garnish
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Four 5- to 6-ounce skinless cod fillets
Freshly ground white pepper
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the unpeeled garlic with 1 teaspoon olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake for 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a pot of salted water to cover, bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat until very tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the sliced shallots and sliced garlic and cook over low heat until soft but not colored. Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and add the mussels. Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 3 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve, reserving the cooking liquid. Shuck the mussels and reserve, covered. Clean the pan.
4. Place 2 tablespoons oil in the mussel pan. Add the minced shallots and minced garlic and sauté until soft. Add the chorizo and sauté until starting to brown. Add the clam juice and mussel cooking liquid and bring to a simmer. Add 1 sprig each thyme and rosemary, remove from the heat, add the shucked mussels, and set aside, covered.
5. When the roasted garlic is done, remove it from the foil and peel the cloves.
6. When the potatoes are done, drain them and return them to the cooking pot. Mash with a fork, adding the roasted garlic, butter, and ¼ cup olive oil. Place over low heat, fold in 4 tablespoons parsley, add 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and season to taste with salt. Keep warm over very low heat.
7. Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to a heavy skillet large enough to hold the fish without crowding and place over high heat. When the oil is hot, cook the fish, turning once, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, reheat the chorizo-mussel broth over low heat, and add the remaining 2½ teaspoons lemon juice. Remove the thyme and rosemary, and add the remaining tablespoon of parsley.
9. To serve, place a portion of potatoes in the center of each of 4 shallow soup plates. Place the fish on the potatoes. Spoon the broth, chorizo, and mussels around the potatoes, and garnish with thyme and rosemary.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Rebujito (here), Pan con Tomate (here), Fried Chickpeas (here), Catalan Tortilla with Aioli (here), Chocolate Caramel Tart (here), Caramel Custard (here)
NOVEMBER 6, 2002: “THE CHEF; ERIC RIPERT: UPSTAIRS AT LE BERNARDIN, A WHIFF OF THE SPANISH BORDER,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ERIC RIPERT.
—2002
SCALLOPS WITH PEA PUREE
A terrific pairing, but the pea puree, emulsified with fresh rosemary oil, is so good it could go with almost anything.
———
1 clove garlic
One 6-inch sprig rosemary
⅓ cup olive oil
4 cups frozen peas (about two 10-ounce packages)
Salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 large sea scallops, tough side muscle removed, each scallop halved to make 2 slim disks
1. Combine the garlic, rosemary, and oil in a small saucepan and place over medium-low heat until the oil starts to bubble. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture to infuse.
2. Place the peas in a large saucepan of lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the peas are tender but still bright green, about 30 seconds. Drain and transfer to a food processor. Add ¼ cup of the infused oil (discard the garlic and rosemary) and process until pureed, then return to the pan, cover, and keep warm.
3. Season the cornstarch with salt and pepper to taste. Lightly dust the scallop halves with the seasoned cornstarch. Place a heavy nonstick skillet or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the remaining infused oil. When the oil is hot, add the scallops to the pan. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side.
4. Divide the pea puree between 2 plates, and add the scallops.
SERVES 2
Avocado and Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette (here), Potage Parisien with Sorrel Cream (here), Butter-Braised Asparagus and Oyster Mushrooms with Peas and Tarragon (here), Rhubarb-Strawberry Mousse (here)
FEBRUARY 19, 2003: “AT MY TABLE: QUICK AND HEARTWARMING FOR EVERYDAY,” BY NIGELLA LAWSON.
—2003
ROASTED SALMON WITH HERB VINAIGRETTE
The salmon is perched atop a bed of thinly sliced potatoes; then roasted. You can use this clever method with any fish. For a similar method with lamb and potatoes, see here.
———
About ½ cup olive oil
1½ medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
½ teaspoon finely chopped sage
½ teaspoon finely chopped thyme
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Two 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here)
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush two 8-inch terra-cotta cazuelas or other shallow baking dishes with olive oil. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer in the bottom of each. Brush the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
2. While the potatoes bake, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, and herbs in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in 6 tablespoons olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
3. Brush the salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. When the potatoes are done, remove the cazuelas and reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees. Place the fillets on top of the potatoes, skinned side down, and return to the oven. Roast until the salmon is medium-rare, about 12 minutes, or longer if you like your salmon cooked through. Remove the salmon from the oven and drizzle each fillet with the vinaigrette.
SERVES 2
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fresh Morel, Asparagus, and Sweet Pea Risotto (here), Chiffonade Salad (here), Almond-Carrot Salad (here), Al Forno’s Roasted Asparagus (here), Sugared Puffs (here), Rhubarb Orange (here), Sour Cream Ice Cream (here)
FEBRUARY 26, 2003: “THE CHEF: BOBBY FLAY: SALMON HOT FROM THE OVEN, AND NO SLAVING AT THE SINK,” BY MATT LEE AND TED LEE.
—2003
SHRIMP IN GREEN SAUCE
I love this technique: masking the shrimp in a paste-like sauce and blasting them in a 500-degree oven. I love the gutsy garlic-and-scallion-soaked sauce. And I love the resulting dish, which needs nothing but a loaf of good bread and an icy beer to constitute a perfect low-key dinner.
———
6 cloves garlic
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 scallions, chopped
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves and thin stems
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, deveined if desired
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 dried chiles, crushed, or a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
⅓ cup broth (shrimp, fish, or chicken), dry white wine, or water
1. Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Combine the garlic and oil in a small food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the scallions and parsley and pulse until minced. Toss with the shrimp, salt and pepper, and chiles.
2. Put the shrimp in a large roasting pan. Add the broth and place the pan in the oven. Roast, stirring once, until the mixture is bubbly and hot and the shrimp are all pink, 10 to 15 minutes.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
See headnote.
MARCH 5, 2003: “THE MINIMALIST: TOO MUCH GARLIC? IMPOSSIBLE,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2003
SWEET-AND-SOUR SALMON IN ALMOND PRUNE SAUCE
———
Vegetable oil or nonstick vegetable spray
Four 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup whole almonds, toasted and finely ground
½ cup chopped scallions
12 pitted prunes, whole or halved
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (available in Middle Eastern markets and specialty food stores)
1. Heat the broiler with the rack 6 to 8 inches below the heat source. Lightly oil a large cast-iron skillet or other shallow pan suitable for both broiler and stovetop use. Arrange the fillets in the pan skinned side down and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Combine the honey and mustard in a small saucepan. Brush the fish with about half the mixture, and set aside. Add the vinegar, thyme, ginger, ½ teaspoon salt, the almonds, scallions, prunes, red pepper flakes, and pomegranate syrup to the saucepan and mix well.
3. Place the pan of fish under the broiler and cook until the surface is golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
4. While the fish cooks, place the saucepan over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Spread the sauce on and around the fillets in the pan. Transfer the pan to the top of the stove, over medium heat, cover, and allow the sauce to simmer until it is thickened and the fish is flaky when probed with a fork, 5 to 7 minutes.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Blood Orange, Date, and Parmesan Salad with Almond Oil (here), Couscous Salad (here), Judy Rodgers’s Warm Bread Salad (here), Roasted Cauliflower (here), Apple Dumplings (here), Delicate Bread Pudding (here), De Luxe Cheesecake (here)
APRIL 2, 2003: “TAKING COMFORT FROM AN UNEXPECTED SOURCE,” BY RALPH BLUMENTHAL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DELIGHTS FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN, BY NAWAL NASRALLAH.
—2003
YUCATÁN FISH WITH CRISP GARLIC
———
¼ cup neutral oil, like corn or canola
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large or 8 small flounder fillets or 1½ pounds other flatfish fillets
3 small dried hot red chiles, or to taste
½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (optional)
½ cup chopped cilantro
1. Combine 2 tablespoons oil with the garlic in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the garlic browns, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper and turn off the heat.
2. Meanwhile, put the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. A minute later, add the fish and chiles and cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add all but a tablespoon or two of the lime juice, along with the tomatoes, if desired. Cook for another 2 minutes or so, until the fish is cooked through; do not turn the fish.
3. Carefully remove the fish to a platter. Stir the cilantro into the pan juices and spoon, with the tomatoes, over the fish, along with the garlic, its oil, and the remaining lime juice.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
I couldn’t fit all the fish in one skillet, so I used two.
It’s a good idea to heat the oven to 350 degrees before starting the fish. If the fish doesn’t cook through on the stove, you can transfer the skillet to the oven to finish cooking.
You might want to break the fish into pieces and fold it with the garlic, tomatoes, and cilantro into corn tortillas.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Classic Rum Punch (here), The Best Spinach Dip, with Chipotle and Lime (here), Ceviche with Mint and Mango (here), Caramel Custard (here)
JULY 16, 2003: “THE MINIMALIST: LOTS OF LIME, CHILES TOO,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2003
CHINESE-STYLE STEAMED BLACK SEA BASS
This is the kind of recipe you make once and then never again have to look up the amounts. It’s impossible to screw up. The main issue you have to figure out is which cooking vessel to use. I used a wide soup pot. If you’ve been smart enough to buy a steamer, this is the moment to dig it out from behind the juicer.
———
One 1¾-pound black sea bass, cleaned, scaled, and fins removed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons julienned fresh ginger
¼ cup thinly sliced (on the bias) scallions, white parts only (about 2 bunches), plus tops of 1 bunch
8 sprigs cilantro
¼ cup soy sauce
1. Lay the fish on a cutting board. Make 2 diagonal bone-deep cuts perpendicular to the backbone (they should be 2 inches apart at the thickest part of the body). Turn the fish over and repeat the cuts. Transfer the fish to a pie plate and brush both sides of the fish and the cavity with the oil. Season with the salt, pepper, and sugar. Press the ginger and sliced scallions onto the skin on both sides of the fish, into the incisions, and into the cavity. Stuff the cavity with half the scallion tops. Lay the remaining tops and the cilantro over the fish. Pour the soy sauce in a thin stream over the fish.
2. Pour an inch of water into a steamer or a pot large enough to accommodate the plate with the fish on it. Place a rack or a ring of crumpled aluminum foil in the pot and place the plate of fish on top; the plate should sit just above the water. Cover the pot, bring the water to a boil, and steam the fish for 8 to 15 minutes, or until the flesh nearest the bones is opaque.
3. Carefully remove the fish with 2 spatulas. Spoon the liquid from the plate over the fish.
SERVES 2
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Clear Steamed Chicken Soup with Ginger (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots (here), Tea Ice Cream (here)
JANUARY 21, 2004: “WHEN THE WHOLE IS GREATER THAN ITS PARTS,” BY MATT LEE AND TED LEE. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ANITA LO, THE CHEF AT ANNISA IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2004
Creamy and light, just as a mousse should be.
———
1 pound boneless salt cod, soaked for 2 days (change the water 3 to 4 times a day), and drained
2 cloves garlic, or to taste
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅔ cup heavy cream or whole milk
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt if necessary
Bread, toasts, or crackers for serving
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer. Add the salt cod and simmer for 15 minutes, then drain and cool.
2. Place half the cod in a food processor with the garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Process, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides once or twice, until as smooth as possible. Add the remaining cod and repeat.
3. Add small amounts of olive oil alternating with small amounts of cream through the feed tube, continuing until the mixture becomes smooth, creamy, and light. (You may not need all the oil and cream.) Add pepper to taste, some lemon juice, and the nutmeg. Blend, and taste; the mixture may need salt and more lemon juice. (You can prepare the dish several hours or even a day ahead to this point; cover and refrigerate.)
4. Just before serving, heat the brandade very gently in a nonstick saucepan or in a 300-degree oven, covered. Serve with bread, toast, or crackers.
SERVES 6 TO 8 AS AN HORS D’OEUVRE OR FIRST COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Puntarelle with Anchovies (here), Chiffonade Salad (here), Cocido (Chickpea, Sparerib, and Chorizo Stew; here), Roman Lamb (here), Pork Braised in Milk and Cream (here), Churros with Chocolate Sauce (here)
FEBRUARY 4, 2004: “THE MINIMALIST: THE COD TRANSFORMED: FIRST BY SALT, THEN BY FIRE,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2004
MY MOTHER’S TUNA SALAD
An American classic, in detail, from Julia Reed’s mom. If you didn’t already have a recipe for it, now you do.
———
One 12-ounce can StarKist solid white albacore tuna in water
½ cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
4 large stalks celery, peeled and finely chopped
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped sweet pickles, with their juice
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 teaspoon celery salt, or more to taste
1 teaspoon McCormick Season-All, or more to taste
6 dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Drain the tuna, place it in a bowl, and break it up with a fork. Add ¼ cup mayonnaise and blend well. Mix in the remaining ingredients and add the rest of the mayonnaise. Check for celery salt, Season-All, and salt and pepper. This is better if it sits for at least 1 hour before serving.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS
COOKING NOTES
I liked the bites with pickle and might add more next time I make it.
I tripled the Tabasco, whose flavor surfaced after the salad sat for a bit.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Spoon between slices of good white sandwich bread, and mix some Lemon Syrup (here) into a glass of sparkling water (or make a batch of Ginger Lemonade, here, or Jay Grelen’s Southern Iced Tea, here).
FEBRUARY 22, 2004: “FOOD: CLASSIC FROM A CAN,” BY JULIA REED.
—2004
This is what happens when an Asian fish cake gets in the hands of an American with a grill.
———
1 large clove garlic
1 dried or fresh chile, stemmed, seeded, and deveined, or more to taste
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1½ pounds shrimp, peeled, and deveined if you like
¼ cup roughly chopped shallots, scallions, or red onion
¼ cup roughly chopped red or yellow bell pepper (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup cilantro leaves, or to taste
Neutral oil, like corn or canola, as needed
4 toasted buns (optional)
Lime wedges or ketchup for serving
1. Start a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be moderately hot and the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Combine the garlic, chile, ginger, and one-third of the shrimp in a food processor and puree, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides of the container as necessary. Add the remaining shrimp, along with the shallots, bell pepper, if using, salt and pepper to taste, and cilantro and pulse as many times as necessary to chop the shrimp, but not too finely. Shape the mixture into 4 patties.
2. Brush the grill or patties lightly with oil and place the patties on the grill. Cook undisturbed until a dark crust appears on the bottom and they release fairly easily with a spatula, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. Serve on buns or not, as you like, with lime juice or ketchup as a condiment.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
The burgers can also be cooked on the stove. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Brush lightly with oil, then place the shrimp patties in the pan. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes on each side, to form a nice dark crust. Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the burgers are cooked through.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pad Thai–Style Rice Salad (here), French Fries (here), Chilled Sesame Spinach (here), Tapioca Flamingo (here), Coconut Pie (here)
MAY 26, 2004: “THE MINIMALIST: NEW PARTNER FOR A BUN,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2004
FISH STEAMED OVER VEGETABLES AND FRESH HERBS
Efficiency fiends, listen up: you can make ratatouille and steam fish in one swoop. Mark Bittman tells you how.
———
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
2 medium zucchini, cut into thin half-moons
2 small eggplants, cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped, with their juices
1 teaspoon thyme or marjoram leaves
½ cup good black olives, pitted (optional)
1½ pounds skinned red snapper, striped bass, or other firm-fleshed white fish fillets
½ cup roughly chopped basil
1. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic and, when it sizzles, the onions and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini, eggplant, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is fairly soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, and olives, if you are using them, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break up, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
3. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and lay it on top of the vegetables. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers, cover, and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife inserted into the fish at its thickest point meets little resistance. Remove the fish to a plate.
4. If the vegetables aren’t yet done to your liking, cook them a little longer, then stir the basil into the vegetables and spoon them around the fish; drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil (use a little more if you like).
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Potato “Tostones” (Flattened Potatoes; here), Forget-It Meringue Torte (here)
JULY 21, 2004: “THE MINIMALIST: GRILL-LESS IN PROVENCE,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2004
TUNA SALAD
Writing about the salade composée, France’s impeccable layered main-course salad, Toby Cecchini, an occasional contributor to the Times, claimed that it was salade Niçoise that inspired him to rework his own tuna salad, shunning mayonnaise and courting oil and zeroing in on “lemon, mustard, dill, and the mild, crunchy burn of Greek peppers to temper the pungency of the fish.” He forgot to mention the brilliant and delicious addition of smoked almonds.
So delicious, I ate the salad as is, with bread. Cecchini had intended it as part of a composed salad, which I thought too tedious (you can look it up online if you really want it). But it would be a shame not to include his depiction of the composing process which may strike a chord with your own tendencies (it did with me): “Like any fanny-packed tourist, I will often shuffle right over the French mandate of elegant restraint and inadvertently chuck the whole larder into my delicate constructions,” he confessed. “Beginning with the lightest touch, I’ll lay on a feather’s worth at a time—some sautéed zucchini here, those roasted red peppers; oh, and don’t leave out the artichoke hearts, and absolutely those caper berries, and the ricotta salata—until the creaking colossus threatens to bury whichever wide-eyed guests have been lured to my table.”
I’m happy to stick with just the tuna part, which is a god in the salad universe.
———
10 to 12 ounces good-quality solid tuna packed in olive oil, well drained
2 scallions, finely chopped
6 pepperoncini, stemmed and julienned
3 tablespoons chopped dill
¼ cup roasted or smoked almonds, roughly chopped, or a small handful of toasted pine nuts
¼ cup good-quality olive oil (or the oil the tuna was packed in)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
¼ freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
Mix all the ingredients well with a fork in a medium bowl. Taste and adjust the lemon juice and pepper if necessary. (The salad can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.)
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS; SERVES 2 TO 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Limoncello (here), Seasoned Olives (here), White Gazpacho with Almonds and Grapes (here), Squashed Tomatoes (here), Watercress Salad (here), Mezzaluna Salad (here), Cornmeal Biscotti (here), Pine Nut Cookies (here)
SEPTEMBER 5, 2004: “FOOD: ASSEMBLY REQUIRED,” BY TOBY CECCHINI.
—2004
TUNA CURRY
Sri Lankan cooking is utterly unknown in America. If we had any clue how delicious the cuisine is—a cross between southern India and Thai cooking—it wouldn’t be. Begin your adventure here.
———
1 cup water
1 pound fresh tuna, cut into 2-inch cubes
Sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 small tomatoes, cored and sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 long green chiles, sliced in half and seeded
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate, or more to taste
Cooked rice
Katta Sambol (here)
1. Mix the turmeric and water in a medium saucepan. Add the tuna and season with salt. Place over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, and cook for 2 minutes, turning the tuna cubes once. Remove from the heat.
2. Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When it shimmers, add the garlic, ginger, and mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, shallots, and chiles; cook for 1 minute. Add the tuna, about ⅓ cup of its cooking water, the coconut milk, tamarind, and salt to taste. Stir to dissolve the tamarind. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the sauce has blended and thickened slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Serve over rice, with the katta sambol as a condiment.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
Tamarind concentrate and black mustard seeds are sold in Middle Eastern and Indian markets.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Kaffir Lime Lemonade (here), Sweet (or Savory) Lassi (here), Hoppers (Coconut Crepes; here), Katta Sambol (here), Mango Ice Cream (here)
OCTOBER 13, 2004: “JUST OFF INDIA, KISSED BY EUROPE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM GEETHA ILLANGASARIYA, A HOME COOK IN SRI LANKA.
—2004
MINCED FISH SALAD (KOY PA)
This Laotian dish is the perfect lunch on a hot summer day.
———
¾ pound skinless red snapper, yellowtail snapper, or other white-fleshed fish fillets, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce, or more as needed
1 tablespoon toasted rice powder (available in Asian food markets), or 1 tablespoon raw sticky rice, toasted and ground to a powder
¾ cup green beans, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 red chile, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped tender inner parts of lemongrass stalks (2 stalks)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, plus ½ teaspoon minced garlic
8 sprigs cilantro, leaves only, half the leaves chopped and half left whole
8 sprigs mint, leaves only, half the leaves chopped and half left whole
1 scallion, green top only, sliced
Sliced cucumber, watercress, and additional cilantro, mint, and green beans for serving
1. Combine the fish, lime juice, and fish sauce in a small bowl. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. If necessary, drain the fish. Combine the fish, rice powder, sliced green beans, chile, lemongrass, sliced and minced garlic, cilantro, mint, and scallion in a bowl. Toss to mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more fish sauce if desired.
3. Transfer the fish salad to a serving bowl. Serve with the cucumber, watercress, and additional cilantro, mint, and green beans offered separately.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Kaffir Lime Lemonade (here), Laotian Catfish Soup (here), Mi Quang (here), Pad Thai–Style Rice Salad (here), Strawberry Soup (here), Mango Ice Cream (here), Tapioca Flamingo (here)
JULY 13, 2005: “TO EAT IN LAOS,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM 3 NAGAS IN LUANG PRABANG, LAOS.
—2005
LIGHTLY SMOKED SALT COD SALAD
This variation on a salt cod salad that you see all over Spain is superb and, with its brightness and fragrance, unlike any I’ve had. You smoke the salt cod over a mixture of rice, sugar, cinnamon, peppercorns, and tea leaves (your kitchen will smell great for days), then pull it into pieces and rest it on top of grated tomato, onion, herbs, olives, and a thick pool of olive oil.
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One 5-ounce cod fillet, from the tail end
Kosher salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
¼ cup white rice
2 black tea bags, moistened with water
3 small plum tomatoes, halved
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for sprinkling
3 thin slices red onion
⅔ cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
12 Empeltre or Niçoise olives, pitted
1. Place the cod in a baking dish and generously coat on all sides with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and weight down with a 5-pound weight. Let cure in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Rinse the cod and pat it dry with paper towels. Fold it in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze overnight.
3. The next day, defrost the cod for 20 minutes. Line a wok or other deep heavy pan with foil. Add the sugars, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, rice, and tea (emptied from the bags). Set a rack in the pan at least 1 inch above the seasonings.
4. Lay the partially frozen cod on the rack. Place the pan over high heat. When the seasonings begin to smoke, cover the pan with a lid or foil, reduce the heat to medium, and smoke for 4 minutes. Move the pan off the heat and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, grate the tomatoes on a coarse grater (with the cut sides facing the grater); discard the skin. Pour into a wide shallow serving dish. Season with salt. Add the olive oil and stir together.
6. Mix the onion, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and oregano in a small bowl. Season lightly with salt.
7. Using your fingers, pull the cod into shreds, like pulled pork. Blend with the cherry tomato salad and a sprinkling of olive oil. Spoon the salt cod mixture on top of the grated tomato. Scatter the olives over the salad.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fried Chickpeas (here), Pan con Tomate (here), Potato, Ham, and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas (here), Catalan Tortilla with Aioli (here), Málaga Gazpacho (here), Eldorado Petit’s Fried Noodles with Garlic Mayonnaise (with roasted fish; here), Cocido (Chickpea, Sparerib, and Chorizo Stew; here), Caramel Custard (here), Churros with Chocolate Sauce (here)
SEPTEMBER 11, 2005: “THE WAY WE EAT: RAISING THE TAPAS BAR,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM TÍA POL IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2005
SAUTÉED FLUKE WITH GRAPEFRUIT VINAIGRETTE
This recipe comes from Cyril Renaud, a New York chef who is one of the finest—and most underappreciated—fish cooks in the city. Before owning his own restaurants, Fleur de Sel and Bar Breton, he was the chef at La Caravelle, where he transformed the house classic—fish quenelles—into feathery clouds.
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2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon harissa
One ¼-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
½ clove garlic, finely chopped
1 red or pink grapefruit
Four 6-ounce fluke fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon thinly sliced mint leaves
¼ teaspoon chopped rosemary
¼ pound frisée, trimmed (about 3 cups)
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, harissa, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan; set aside.
2. Peel the grapefruit and trim away all the white pith. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, cut the grapefruit segments free from the membranes. Set the segments aside and squeeze the remaining juice from the membranes into the bowl. Whisk 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice into the olive oil mixture.
3. Lightly season the fluke on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet. When the oil shimmers, add 2 fluke fillets and cook for about 1 minute. Flip and cook for 30 more seconds. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 2 minutes. Keep the fish warm, and repeat with the remaining tablespoon of canola oil and 2 fillets.
4. To serve, warm the vinaigrette over medium-low heat. Add the mint, rosemary, and grapefruit segments and warm for about 1 minute, or until the segments are heated through.
5. Lay a handful of frisée on each plate, followed by a piece of fish. Top the fish and frisée with some grapefruit segments and a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
If you’re holding the dish before serving, don’t add the grapefruit segments until you’re ready to sit down. They disintegrate quickly in the pan.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber (here), Tuna Tartare (here), Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish (here), Gâteau de Crepes (here), Tea Ice Cream (here), Coconut Loaf Cake (here)
NOVEMBER 27, 2005: “EAT, MEMORY: THE IDEOLOGY OF TASTE,” BY ROY BLOUNT JR. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CYRIL RENAUD, THE CHEF AT FLEUR DE SEL IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2005
BAKED GOAN FISH WITH FRESH GREEN CHILE CHUTNEY
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For the Chutney
2 cups cilantro leaves and stems
6 green cayenne or other hot chiles, coarsely chopped (use 4 or 5 chiles to reduce the heat)
8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
For the Fish
One 2-pound firm-fleshed fish, like pickerel, trout, or red snapper, cleaned and scaled
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1. To make the chutney, place the cilantro, chiles, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and process to a paste. Add the coconut and blend. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Lightly crush the cumin seeds with a mortar and pestle or a spice/coffee grinder and add to the chile mixture. Stir in the lime juice, sugar, and salt. Add more salt if desired.
3. Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry the fish. Cut a deep slit down the length of the fish on each side of the backbone. Line a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with foil and spread with 3 tablespoons oil. Rub the fish with the lime juice and salt. Using ½ cup of chutney, stuff some of it into the slits and put the remainder in the fish’s cavity. Lay the fish on the foil. Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil over the top of the fish. Cover the fish with foil and crimp together the top and bottom pieces to make a packet.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the fish. The fish is done when the thickest part yields a little to the touch or the flesh flakes with a fork.
5. To serve, lift sections of the top fillet off the bone; when the first side is finished, flip over the fish to serve the second fillet. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the pan juices and additional chutney.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Sweet (or Savory) Lassi (here), Yogurt Rice (here), Hoppers (Coconut Crepes; here), Mango Ice Cream (here), Coconut Rice Pudding with Lime Syrup (here)
JANUARY 29, 2006: “IT TAKES A VILLAGE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM MANGOES AND CURRY LEAVES, BY JEFFREY ALFORD AND NAOMI DUGUID.
—2006
SCANDINAVIAN SEAFOOD SALAD
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6 fingerling or 2 Yukon Gold potatoes
2 cups (about 10 ounces) cooked peeled small shrimp, cut into small pieces
1½ cups (about 10 ounces) chopped smoked salmon
1½ cups (about 10 ounces) crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
4 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon sliced chives
½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 small heads iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Roast the potatoes in a small baking dish for 30 to 40 minutes, until fork-tender. Let cool completely, then peel and cut into ½-inch dice.
2. Combine the potatoes, shrimp, salmon, crabmeat, eggs, shallots, anchovies, cilantro, and chives in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a small bowl. Fold into the salad and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and serve alongside the salad. To eat, roll a lettuce leaf around a dollop of salad, like a spring roll.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Onion Rings (here), Cucumber Sandwiches (here), Chilled Corn Soup with Honeydew Polka Dots (here), Lemon Bars (here), Fresh Raspberry (or Blackberry or Blueberry) Flummery (here)
MAY 14, 2006: “THE ARSENAL,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM AQUAVIT, BY MARCUS SAMUELSSON.
—2006
FRIED MUSSELS WITH ALMOND-GARLIC SAUCE
Inspired by fried mussels on a stick—a street food found in Turkey—Ana Sortun, the chef at Oleana in Boston, paired these stickless fried mussels with another Turkish specialty: tarator, an almond and garlic sauce. I can’t think of a better way to combine mussels, almonds, and garlic. I ate the leftover sauce with poached lobster and blanched peas. Although here the sauce is made with some of the mussel broth, you could use any kind of stock, freeing you up to pair it with chicken, shrimp, or, better yet, artichokes.
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1½ pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 cup dry white wine
1 clove garlic, smashed, plus 2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup blanched whole almonds
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable or canola oil for deep-frying
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup cornstarch
1¼ cups beer (not dark)
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Small romaine lettuce leaves for serving
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1. Put the mussels, wine, and smashed garlic clove in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, bring to a boil, cover, and steam for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mussels open. Uncover and drain in a fine strainer set over a bowl; reserve the liquid. Pull the mussels out of their shells and set aside.
2. To make the sauce, pour ½ cup of the cooking liquid into a blender and add the oil, minced garlic, almonds, and lemon juice. Puree until thick and completely smooth, at least 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 2 inches of oil in a small heavy pot. Combine the flour and cornstarch in a medium bowl and whisk in the beer, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. When the oil is hot (drop in a bit of batter; it should bubble vigorously), stir a handful of mussels into the batter and drop them one at a time into the oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining mussels.
4. Serve immediately on whole romaine leaves, drizzled with plenty of sauce; serve the remainder on the side. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the top.
SERVES 6 TO 8 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
This makes a huge greasy mess—use a spatter guard when frying.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Rebujito (here), Fried Chickpeas (here), Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel Broth (here), Pork Burgers (here), Almond-Lemon Macaroons (here), Toasts with Chocolate, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt (here)
JUNE 7, 2006: “THE CHEF: ANA SORTUN: A MEDITERRANEAN STYLE ALL HER OWN,” BY JULIA MOSKIN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SPICE: FLAVORS OF THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN, BY ANA SORTUN.
—2006
DECADENT LOBSTER SALAD
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4 large handfuls arugula
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Six 1¼-pound live lobsters, cooked, shelled, and marinated as in The Way Life Should Be (here)
2 garlic scapes or garlic chives, snipped (optional)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 slices white bread
1. Lightly toss the arugula with the lemon juice, vinegar, and oil in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the salad among 6 plates.
2. Remove the lobster from the marinade and arrange on top of the arugula. Garnish with snipped garlic scapes. If you have a panini maker, serve with buttered and pressed white bread—it will recall the buttery hot-dog bun that is the crux of every good lobster roll. If you don’t have a panini maker, butter the bread and toast it in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the toasts with salt.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTE
When making the toasts, don’t be stingy: use good white bread and plenty of butter, and sprinkle the buttered toasts with salt while they are still warm.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Vermouth Cup (here), Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano (here), Thomas Keller’s Gazpacho (here), Basic Corn Chowder (here), Saratoga Potatoes (here), Strawberry Sorbet (here), Judson Grill’s Berry Clafoutis with Crème Fraîche (here), Strawberry Charlotte (here)
JULY 2, 2006: “THE WAY WE EAT: THE BOILING POINT,” BY HEIDI JULAVITS.
—2006
CLEMENTINE’S TUNA MACARONI SALAD
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Salt
½ pound elbow macaroni
½ cup diced (¼-inch) celery
2 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into ¼-inch cubes
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
¼ cup sliced cornichons
2 tablespoons mild Tennessee chow-chow (optional)
1 cup mayonnaise
Two 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna in water, drained
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain and cool completely.
2. Fold together the macaroni with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Season with salt, if needed.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTE
Chow-chow is a vegetable relish. A recipe for it from 1880 can be found on p. 00. It can also be purchased in grocery stores and online.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Scotch Eggs (here), Onion Rings (here), Spoonbread’s Potato Salad (here), Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill (here), Chocolate Chip Cookies (here), Caramelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats (here)
JULY 9, 2006: “THE WAY WE EAT: SALAD DAZE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CLEMENTINE IN LOS ANGELES.
—2006
OOLONG-CRUSTED SCALLOPS
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Juice of ½ orange
Juice of ½ lemon
Juice of ½ lime
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Salt
4 teaspoons oolong tea leaves, finely ground in a spice/coffee grinder
12 sea scallops, tough muscle removed and patted dry
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Heat the citrus juices in a saucepan to just below a simmer, then whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Season with salt and keep warm.
2. Place the ground tea on a plate. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, then press both sides into the ground tea.
3. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Sear the scallops until just warmed through but not fully opaque, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Place 3 scallops in each of 4 shallow bowls and spoon the sauce around them.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE OR AS PART OF A LARGER MAIN COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Asparagus with Miso Butter (here), Broccoli Rabe Oshitashi (here), The Most Voluptuous Cauliflower (here), Marinated Flank Steak with Asian Slaw (here), Pineapple Carpaccio with Lime Sorbet (here), Plum Fritters (here)
DECEMBER 17, 2006: “THE WAY WE EAT: STEEP INCREASE,” BY DANIEL PATTERSON, THE CHEF AND OWNER OF COI IN SAN FRANCISCO.
—2006
OVEN-ROASTED BRANZINO WITH HAZELNUT PICADA
I never expected a seasoned hazelnut and bread-crumb “crumble” to deliver so much flavor—you sprinkle it on as the fish emerges from the oven, then leave it to your guests to further garnish each bite as they carve their way through the fish.
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2 slices hearty white bread (about 2 ounces)
20 hazelnuts, roasted, peeled, and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped mint
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
4 whole branzino (about 1⅓ pounds each), cleaned and scaled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, cut into eight ¼-inch-thick slices
1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in small sauté pan and fry the bread until golden. Remove the bread and let cool, then crush into crumbs.
2. Place the bread crumbs, hazelnuts, garlic, mint, orange zest, and ½ teaspoon olive oil in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then let sit for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors develop.
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavities of each fish with 2 slices of lemon. Coat the fish with olive oil and arrange in an oiled baking pan.
4. Roast the fish, turning once, for 7 minutes on each side, or until done. Scatter the hazelnut picada on top of the fish to serve.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
If you can’t get all the skins off the hazelnuts, it’s no big deal.
I liked the fish with a little olive oil sprinkled on at the table.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Almond-Carrot Salad (here), Judy Rodgers’s Warm Bread Salad (here), Couscous Salad (here), Mushrooms with Manzanilla Sherry (here), Potato “Tostones” (Flattened Potatoes; here), Apple Galette (here), Madeleine Kamman’s Apple Mousse (here), Purple Plum Torte (here)
JANUARY 10, 2007: “FLAVORED WITH FLAME AND STONE,” BY OLIVER SCHWENER-ALBRIGHT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE ZUNI CAFÉ COOKBOOK, BY JUDY RODGERS.
—2007
CLAMS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE
Fermented black beans, like anchovies and Worcestershire sauce, seem to possess special powers, an ability to transform a dish, define a sauce, leave you wanting more. Here, they underline the fire and brine, like a shadow underscoring sunlight.
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2 tablespoons fermented (Chinese) black beans
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 pounds Manila or littleneck clams, scrubbed and dried
3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
¾ cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1. Soak the fermented beans in ½ cup warm water for 10 minutes. Drain and coarsely mash with a fork.
2. Set a wok over high heat and pour in the oil. Add the garlic, scallions, and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the beans and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Drop in the clams and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then pour in the wine and broth. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, until most of the clams have opened, about 2 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the cornstarch mixture and raise the heat to high. Stir and cook, uncovered, until the sauce adheres to the clams, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the cilantro.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Shrimp Toast (here), Oriental Watercress Soup (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots (here), Chilled Sesame Spinach (here), Grapefruit Granita (here)
AUGUST 5, 2007: “THE WAY WE EAT: DOUBLE HAPPINESS,” BY NICOLE MONES. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM PAUL MONES, THE AUTHOR’S HUSBAND.
—2007
WOK-SEARED SPICY CALAMARI SALAD
After tasting this, you may feel remorseful about all the mediocre fried calamari you’ve had. Don’t. See this as an opportunity for personal growth.
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1 pound cleaned calamari, the smaller the better, sliced into thin rings, tentacles included
20 roasted salted cashews, chopped
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
1 tablespoon mint leaves
2 to 4 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups tatsoi, baby arugula, or other spicy greens
1 endive, cored and slivered
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1. Place the calamari in a bowl, add the cashews, cilantro, mint, and Sriracha to taste, and toss. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Mix the greens and endive and divide among 4 shallow bowls.
3. Place a wok or large skillet over high heat and add the oil. When it is smoking hot, add the calamari and seasonings and stir-fry for about 20 seconds, until the calamari rings start to turn opaque. Add the lime juice, toss, and remove from the heat. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and Sriracha if necessary. Pour the mixture over the greens.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Mi Quang (Rice Noodles with Shrimp, Herbs, and Fried Pork Rinds; here), Southeast Asian Chicken Two Ways (here), Malaysian-Inspired Pork Stew with Traditional Garnishes (here), Laotian Catfish Soup (here), Pho Bo (Hanoi Beef Soup; here), Mango Ice Cream (here), Vanilla Plum Ice (here)
JANUARY 9, 2008: “PAIRINGS,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM TENPENH IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
—2008
SEA BASS IN GRAPPA
Once I learned about New Yorker writer Jane Kramer’s excellent sea bass recipe, it became my no-stress dinner party standby. I serve it with M’hamsa hand rolled couscous (easily found online).
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2 large cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
One 14-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon saffron threads
1¼ cups water
One 2-pound sea bass, cleaned and scaled, or one 1-pound tail-end striped bass fillet
¼ cup grappa
Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
1. Heat the garlic in the oil in a deep skillet until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juices and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce. Add the saffron and water, mix well, and cook for 5 minutes more.
2. Slip the fish into the pan and simmer, covered, until opaque throughout, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the grappa and let the alcohol burn off. Sprinkle in the parsley.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTES
This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily.
Make sure the sauce reduces enough to thicken slightly in Step 1. And season the sauce generously, because you don’t season the fish.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Puntarelle with Anchovies (here), Italian Roast Potatoes (here), Mashed Potatoes Anna (here), Panna Cotta (here), Marcella’s Pear Cake (here), Chamomile and Almond Cake (here), Coffee Caramel Custard (here)
JANUARY 6, 2008: “THE WAY WE EAT: THE GRAPES OF WRATH,” BY ALEKSANDRA CRAPANZANO. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JANE KRAMER, THE AUTHOR’S MOTHER.
—2008
ARCTIC CHAR WITH ANCHO-SHALLOT BUTTER
Ancho chiles were to the aughts what jalapeño peppers were to the nineties.
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For the Ancho-Shallot Butter
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small shallot, finely minced
¼ cup dry white wine
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt
Four 5- to 6-ounce skinless Arctic char fillets
1. To make the ancho-shallot butter, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
2. Combine the butter, ancho chile, coriander, if using, honey, salt, and shallot in a bowl and mix until blended and smooth. (The butter can be used immediately, covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or well wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months; bring to room temperature before using.)
3. Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Lightly oil a shallow baking pan and arrange the fillets in it in a single layer. Spread each with 1 tablespoon of the ancho-shallot butter.
4. Bake until barely cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
You will have leftover butter, which shouldn’t go to waste. Spread it on grilled steak, whip it into mashed potatoes, or slather it on boiled corn.
This is a great weeknight recipe, especially if you make the butter ahead of time.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
La Paloma (here), Broccoli Puree with Ginger (here), Barley Risotto (here), Amazon Cake (Cocoa Cake; here), Lemon Mousse for a Crowd (here)
JANUARY 30, 2008: “FEED ME: A CELEBRATION UNTO ITSELF,” BY ALEX WITCHEL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM NORTH POND IN CHICAGO.
—2008
FISH TACOS
The fish taco is a West Coast delight that we East Coast food writers continuously celebrate as the next hamburger—our attempts to galvanize the locals haven’t worked all that well so far, but maybe this time will be the charm.
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2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut crosswise into half-moons (optional)
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 limes, 1 halved, 1 cut into wedges
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo, or to taste (optional)
½ cup flour, preferably Wondra or other fine-milled flour
1½ teaspoons chili powder
½ cup whole milk
One 1-pound flounder or any firm white-fleshed fish fillet, cut across the grain into strips about ½ inch wide by 3 inches long
¼ cup peanut oil, plus a splash more for greasing the pan
A pat of butter
Twelve 6-inch fresh corn tortillas
2 cups shredded green cabbage
A saucy hot sauce, like Tapatio or Frank’s
1. Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño, if using, in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk the mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl until combined. Season to taste with the juice of the halved lime, salt and pepper, and the chipotle, if using.
3. Mix together the flour, chili powder, and 1½ teaspoons each salt and black pepper in a medium bowl. Pour the milk into another medium bowl, and place the fish in it.
4. Pour the peanut oil into a 12-inch skillet and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers and is about to smoke. Remove the fish strips from the milk bath and dredge them lightly in the flour mixture, shaking to remove excess. Add the butter to the pan. Place some fish strips in the oil, without crowding them, and cook until deep golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn carefully and cook for 1 minute more. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining fish.
5. Meanwhile, lightly grease a skillet with a drizzle of oil and set over medium heat. Heat the tortillas, 1 or 2 at a time, until soft and hot. Keep them warm, wrapped in a dish towel.
6. Fill each tortilla with 3 pieces of fish, browned side up, followed by some tomato salsa and a pinch of cabbage. Drizzle with the sour cream sauce. Serve with the lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
La Paloma (here), Guacamole Tostadas (here), Strawberry Sorbet (here)
MARCH 22, 2009: “THE CHEAT: BAJA REFRESHER,” BY SAM SIFTON.
—2009
