BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH
| —1870s— |
• Uptown breakfast: poached eggs with wine sauce. • Griddle cakes abound: buckwheat cakes, flannel cakes, Johnnycakes (here) and snow pancakes (actually made with snow). • German Toast (here), a lighter-weight cousin to French toast. • The era of crullers, jolly boys, twisters, and moonshines—doughnuts! |
| —1879— | • Omelet with Asparagus (here). |
| —1880s— | • Worker’s breakfast: chipped beef, veal, or lamb on toast. |
| —1880— | • An omelet made with apples is sometimes called a friar’s omelet. • Milk toast and cream toast. |
| —1900s— | • Scrambled eggs are jazzed up with dried mushrooms and caraway (see here) and with ham and anchovies (here). |
| —1958— | • The first IHOP opens in Toluca Lake, California. |
| —1960s— | • Obsession with coffee cake. |
| —1967— | • Eggs Benedict starts its long run as a brunch star. |
| —1980s— | • Bagels go mainstream. • Weekend breakfast: pancakes. |
| —1987— | • Heavenly Hots (here): pancake and crepe unite in a pillowy disk. |
| —1990s— | • Blue period: first someone has the horrible idea of removing the yolks from omelets, then someone else convinces people to start the day with protein shakes. • Game changer: the frittata eases the anxiety of cooks who can’t roll an omelet. • Muffin tops—first a food, later a fashion problem. |
| —2001— | • Fage Greek yogurt is first imported, and it changes granola with yogurt forever. |
| —2002— | • Bill Granger’s Scrambled Eggs (here). |
| —2006— | • Poached Scrambled Eggs (here). |
| —2009— | • Breakfast pizza on both coasts—Morandi in New York City and Big Sur Bakery in California (see here). |
BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH
Breakfast has changed more than any other meal over the past century and a half. When the Times started publishing recipes in the 1850s, breakfast looked more like dinner. A typical breakfast might have included hashed beef or lamb, potatoes, johnnycakes, eggs, and fried smelts. There were pancakes too, including a variation called “snow pancakes,” in which a few heaping tablespoonfuls of “dry snow” were folded into the batter before it was ladled onto a griddle.
In the late nineteenth century, Americans began laying off meat as European-style coffee and sweet treats such as coffee cakes and pastries started infiltrating the morning meal.
But it was the late 1930s when Sunday breakfast changed from a meal focused on sustenance to a culinary spectacle called brunch. “Sunday breakfast has, in fact, become so important in the modern scheme of things,” Jane Holt, a Times reporter, wrote in 1941, “and such flights of fancy have been taken from the traditional cereal, bacon and eggs, and toast, that it becomes impossible to draw a line between where breakfast ends and lunch begins—a dilemma that resulted in the coining of ‘brunch’ to cover borderline cases.” Among the flights of fancy Holt discussed were kidneys and mushrooms and cocktail frankfurters with pineapple sauce. And you can thank me for not including them.
Over the decades, as breakfast became less like dinner and more like lunch, some great cooks have continued to return to eggs, pastry, and pancakes, making tiny adjustments in a tireless effort to perfect them. This chapter contains some extraordinary examples of these classic breakfasts, including Molly Katzen’s Amazing Overnight Waffles (here), Bill Granger’s Scrambled Eggs (here), and Daniel Patterson’s Poached Scrambled Eggs (here).
Pancakes, Waffles, and French Toast
Kathleen Claiborne’s Hot Cakes
Katharine McClinton’s Foursome Pancakes
Hazelnut-Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes
Eggs and Other Savory Dishes
Eggs with Mushrooms and Caraway
Lidia Bastianich’s Swiss Chard and Scallion Frittata
Buttery Polenta with Parmesan and Olive-Oil-Fried Eggs
Poached Eggs with Date-Chorizo Paste
Scrambled Eggs with Toast and Bacon
Soft Scrambled Eggs with Pesto and Fresh Ricotta
Chorizo Revueltos (Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo)
Oats
Doughnuts, Muffins, and Coffee Cakes
Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake
The Times’s food coverage started to take off in the 1870s, and the fervor of people’s responses seemed to take the editors by surprise. “During the past week, we have received upward of two hundred letters from correspondents in various parts of the country, containing receipts or questions for the ‘Household’ columns,” the editors wrote, with evident exasperation. “We have made the best selection we could from them, and must beg the indulgence of correspondents whose letters we are not able to acknowledge this week.” Among the recipes chosen were an apple tart scented with rosewater, queen pudding, eggplant gratin, eggs with anchovy sauce, orange pudding, Welsh rarebit, and this one for German toast, which is like deconstructed French toast. You first dip the bread in milk, then coat it in egg before frying it and dusting it with sugar. Milk soaks into the bread more quickly than an egg-and-milk mixture and its moisture causes any excess egg coating the bread to slip off, leaving just a thin sheath. After a quick trip to a hot griddle, you end up not with a rich, heavy toast but a crisp shell encasing a soft belly of milk-soaked bread. I’m a convert.
———
2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
Butter for the griddle or pan
Twelve ½- to ¾-inch-thick slices bread
Sugar for sprinkling
1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Pour the milk into a wide shallow bowl and beat the eggs in a similarly sized bowl; set both near the griddle or stove.
2. Heat a griddle or place a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, and butter the surface of the griddle. Working quickly, dip the slices of bread in batches, first in the milk, then in the egg, set on the griddle, and brown on both sides. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until all the slices are cooked; don’t stack them. Sprinkle with sugar just before serving.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
The best bread for this is a crusty Pullman loaf with a loose, airy center (airier than pain de mie) so the edges remain firm and the center fluffy. In a pinch, any good sandwich bread will do.
Do not dip the bread in the milk ahead of time or allow it to soak in the milk, or it might fall apart.
You can sprinkle regular sugar on top; I like infusing sugar with other flavors. Blend 1 cup sugar with a spent vanilla bean, and let it sit in a jar for a week. Or zest a lemon, rub the zest into 1 cup sugar, and let sit for a few hours before using.
DECEMBER 19, 1875: “THE HOUSEHOLD.” RECIPE SIGNED CHRISTMAS.
—1875
CALLIE’S DOUGHNUTS
These cinnamon-scented cake doughnuts incorporate both sour milk and regular whole milk—“sweet milk” in nineteenth-century parlance—in the dough, which keeps them light and downy.
———
1¼ to 1½ cups whole milk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
4 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
Peanut oil for deep-frying
Confectioners’ sugar or cinnamon sugar
1. Mix together ¾ cup milk and the vinegar in a medium bowl; let sit until curdled, about 5 minutes.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs into the milk mixture, then pour into the well. Add ½ cup more milk and begin stirring, incorporating the flour mixture from the edges, until all the flour is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. You want the texture to be somewhere between batter and dough; add up to another ¼ cup milk if it’s too dry.
3. Heat 3 inches of peanut oil to 365 degrees in a deep heavy pot, or test by dropping a bread crumb in the oil; if it browns in 30 seconds, the oil is ready. Using two soupspoons, drop the dough by tablespoonfuls into the oil. Make sure you don’t crowd the pot—you want the doughnuts to cook quickly—and adjust the heat from batch to batch as needed. Let the doughnuts brown on the bottom, then turn and brown the other side, 2 to 3 minutes total. Drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Dust with confectioners’ sugar (or roll in cinnamon sugar).
MAKES 24 TO 30 DOUGHNUTS
SERVING SUGGESTION
Honey-Orange Smoothie (here)
FEBRUARY 27, 1876: “RECEIPTS FROM CORRESPONDENTS.” RECIPE SIGNED CORNELIA.
—1876
JOHNNYCAKE
Johnnycake, a cornmeal flatbread, can easily be sodden, but these are at once lacy like Swedish pancakes and gritty like good corn bread. I could eat them by the dozen. Serve them with syrup for breakfast, or as a side dish with roasted chicken.
———
3 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2½ cups cornmeal
Butter and syrup or honey for serving
1. Mix the milk and vinegar in a bowl and let sit until it curdles, about 5 minutes. Whisk the baking soda into the milk.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in the milk mixture, butter, sugar, and salt. Whisk in the cornmeal. The batter will seem very loose, but it will thicken as it sits. Let rest for 1 hour, whisking every 30 minutes.
3. Heat a large nonstick pan or griddle over medium-high heat. (No greasing is necessary.) Whisk the batter, fill a ¼-cup measure halfway with it, and gently drop the batter into the pan—it should sizzle and bubble and spread into a thin round cake. Add more cakes to the pan, being careful not to crowd them. Cook until browned, 30 to 60 seconds, then flip and brown on the other side. Adjust the heat as you go so the cakes brown quickly without burning. Serve the cakes with butter and syrup as you cook them, or keep them warm on a heatproof platter in a 175-degree oven.
MAKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN CAKES
COOKING NOTES
I used Quaker Oats cornmeal, which is bright yellow and coarse.
This makes a large amount—you can halve it easily.
It will take a few tries before you get the hang of cooking the cakes. The cornmeal sinks to the bottom of the batter, so you need to whisk the mixture every few minutes for your cakes to have the right mix of liquid and cornmeal. Also, because the cakes are so thin, you need the thinnest-possible flexible spatula to turn them. Slide it halfway under the cake, then lift it up and gently set the cake back down on its other side. Then pat yourself on the back.
MARCH 17, 1878: “THE HOUSEHOLD: RECEIPTS FOR THE TABLE.” RECIPE SIGNED GEORGIE L.W.
—1878
EGGS À LA LAVALETTE
If you’re an egg-white-omelet eater, run away quickly. Eggs à la Lavalette are for egg fanatics (a similar recipe that appeared in 1897 was called “eggs for epicures”). Poached in heavy cream, this dish is the savory equivalent of floating island and is as sublime, in my opinion, as eggs en cocotte. Use the best eggs and cream you can get hold of.
———
Heavy cream (at least 1 cup)
2 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 slices country bread, toasted
1. Fill a very small shallow flameproof baking dish (or tiny skillet) with ¼ inch of cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl. When the cream is about to boil, gently slide the eggs into the cream. They should be almost covered by it; if not, add more cream. Simmer the cream, spooning it over the yolks, until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve directly from the dish, setting it on a potholder on a plate, or carefully transfer to a shallow bowl. Garnish with the toast.
SERVES 1
COOKING NOTES
I used a 5-inch-diameter cast-iron pan.
The recipe can be doubled or quadrupled, using a larger pan.
PERIOD DETAIL
Modern food pages aren’t nearly as captivating as those from the nineteenth century. Often printed under the rubric “The Household,” the Times columns contained a random blend of reader recipes, food prices, and advice ranging from tips on personal hygiene to how to mend rugs. On the day this recipe ran, the editors listed the foods available in New York City markets—potatoes from Bermuda, strawberries, gooseberries, cherries, Spanish mackerel, weakfish, porgies, cod, soft-shell crabs, spring lamb, and peaches from Florida—and gave instructions for pressing seaweed for decoration and removing skin blemishes by burning them off with “lunar caustic,” a method described as “somewhat painful” but “worth the experiment.” Jane Brody, the Times’s personal health columnist, would not approve.
JUNE 2, 1878: “THE HOUSEHOLD: RECEIPTS FOR THE TABLE.” RECIPE SIGNED CHESTNUT-STREET.
—1878
AN OMELET
The culinary rift between France and America apparently began not with le burger but l’omelet. In 1881, a Frenchman wrote to the “Household” editors:
I look over a great many cook-books to instruct myself, and to see how the great American people are to be advised as to the making of an omelet, and I am made very unhappy. I see the reason why I so rarely eat a good omelet. There are two little words—which always come in—which destroy such pleasures as one ought to get from an omelet. These very bad words are “or milk.” “Or milk” is the extinguisher of the omelet. The receipts are generally beautiful as far as they go, but they always say—add a little water “or milk.” I say never use water “or milk,” because the “or milk”—which must be, I suppose, a peculiar kind of milk, converts a soft, light omelet into the toughest leather. No “or milk” in an omelet if you please, or the future of this great country is lost.
This Frenchman must have missed the recipe contributed to the Times two years earlier by another of his countrymen, who was equally passionate about the proper way to make this unprepossessing breakfast, without milk, of course.
ORIGINAL RECIPE
“It is an easy thing to do, and not often well done. I think the trouble lies in the fact that most cooks overbeat their eggs. A simple omelet is not a soufflé. Break all your eggs in one plate; stir rather than beat up the whites and yolks; to each three eggs you use, put in a teaspoonful of cold water; I do not like milk; salt and pepper your eggs moderately (American cooks use too much pepper); take some parsley and chop it; let the parsley be fine-fine (American cooks never chop parsley fine enough), put two ounces of sweet butter in your pan; lard for an omelet is an abomination; when your butter is very, very hot, pour in your eggs; just as soon as it is cooked on one side, not crisp, turn quickly and cook on the other side; double it over when you serve it, on a very hot plate; the cold water in the eggs makes the omelet light and moist.”
APRIL 13, 1879: “RECEIPTS FOR THE TABLE.” RECIPE SIGNED A LITTLE VACHETTE.
—1879
———
20 thin asparagus spears, wild asparagus if you can get it
8 large eggs
1 tablespoon whole milk
Salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1. Use the top 3 inches of the asparagus spears; reserve the rest for another use. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus tips and blanch until crisp-tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain again. Finely chop.
2. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a bowl. Season with salt. Add the chopped asparagus.
3. Melt the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook until set on the bottom and nearly cooked in the center. Carefully lift one edge of the omelet and fold it over the center of the omelet, as if you were folding a letter, then fold the remaining third on top.
SERVES 3 TO 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Rhubarb Bellini (here), Green Goddess Salad (here)
JUNE 22, 1879: “USEFUL FAMILY HINTS.” RECIPE SIGNED MISS GEORGIE D.
—1879
EGGS WITH MUSHROOMS AND CARAWAY
———
1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried chanterelles, porcini, or morels
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon caraway seeds, lightly crushed
Salt
5 large eggs, beaten
Buttered toast, preferably rye, for serving
1. Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes. Lift the mushrooms from the liquid, leaving any grit behind (reserve the liquid for another use, such as soup or risotto, if desired) and pat dry. Roughly chop the mushrooms.
2. Melt the butter in a medium skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they’ve released most of their moisture, are lightly browned and starting to crisp. Season with the caraway and salt to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then pour in the eggs and cook, stirring to gather the eggs toward the center of the pan. Pull the pan off the heat about 30 seconds before the eggs are cooked to the desired doneness. Serve with toast.
SERVES 2 TO 4
SERVING SUGGESTION
Bloody Mary (here)
JANUARY 12, 1902: “A NEW MUSHROOM RECIPE.”
—1902
EGGS ELI
A century ago, the Times ran a story on ways to cook eggs for breakfast on Easter Sunday. According to the unnamed writer, the challenge a cook faces in disguising the flavor of eggs “is a puzzle that adds years to his age unless inspiration or accident brings a happy solution.” He apparently never experienced the delight of eggs with truffles or, for that matter, of eggs and bacon. Three decades later, Marcel Boulestin’s book Eggs would come to the aid of anyone still befuddled by egg cookery, and by 2000, eggs had inspired so many recipes that Marie Simmons’s cookbook The Good Egg ran to 464 pages.
In the article, one solution was offered by John W. Keller, a former city commissioner. His Eggs Eli involved rubbing a chafing dish with a garlic clove, then scrambling eggs in it with a mash of Virginia ham and anchovies—just the kind of robust, unfussy dish you might find today on the brunch menu at Prune in the East Village. (Though Keller, a Yale dropout, added, “Serve on a Yale blue dish.”)
Among the story’s other overstrenuous ideas for masking the dread flavor of eggs were poached eggs topped with a hops-scented béchamel, President Taft’s campfire omelet (fried trout, salt, and pepper), and the Colony Club’s Eggs Suffragette, a twist on deviled eggs that incorporated anchovies (see here; the dish didn’t hasten women’s suffrage, however). Delmonico’s restaurant, on the other hand, was lambasted for having “failed to evolve any novelty” on the egg front.
Most inventive of all was Mark Twain’s Eggs à la Canton, Williamsport, Trout Run, and Way Stations, which instructed you to: “Divest two genuine eggs of shell and claws, being careful to avoid breaking same. If you break ’em, begin again at the top of the recipe and proceed anew. Lay the plumage and cackle on one side, roll the remainder very thin, add baking powder, and boil in a pudding bag over a slow fire for a week. Tie with baby ribbons and serve cold.”
———
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon finely minced anchovy
3 tablespoons finely minced Virginia ham or other smoked ham
Rub the inside of a large skillet with the garlic clove. Place over medium-high heat and add the butter. When it’s nice and foamy, pour in the eggs. Sprinkle the anchovy and ham over the eggs, then begin scrambling them, stopping when they’re done to your liking.
SERVES 4
APRIL 4, 1909: “WAYS OF COOKING EGGS.” RECIPE BY JOHN W. KELLER.
—1909
SHAD ROE SCRAMBLE
Surf ’n’ turf eggs, a forgotten East Coast specialty.
———
½ pair shad roe
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons whole milk
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or bacon fat
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the roe, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and let the roe cool enough to handle.
2. Remove the outer membrane from the roe and discard.
3. Beat the eggs with the milk in a bowl. Add the pepper, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the roe, broken into small pieces.
4. Melt the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and scramble to your liking. Sprinkle with the parsley.
SERVES 4
APRIL 22, 1946: “NEWS OF FOOD; SHAD AGAIN IN LIBERAL SUPPLY HERE—A WELCOME SUBSTITUTE FOR SCARCE MEAT,” BY JANE NICKERSON.
—1946
FRESH PLUM KUCHEN
A hearty, crackly-topped cake, inlaid with plums. Serve it for breakfast or dessert.
———
For the Cake
1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable shortening
1 large egg
⅓ cup whole milk
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Melted butter for brushing
For the Topping
⅓ to ½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons all-purpose flour
8 small ripe plums, halved and pitted
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Heavy cream, for serving
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a bowl. Add the shortening and cut in using a pastry blender or your fingertips, until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
2. Beat the egg, milk, and lemon zest together. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until blended.
3. Press the dough into a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Brush the surface with melted butter.
4. To make the topping, mix the sugar (exact amount depends on the sweetness of the plums), cinnamon, and the 1½ teaspoons flour. Arrange the plums cut side up on the dough. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the fruit.
5. Blend the egg yolk with the cream and drizzle over the fruit. Bake for 35 minutes, covered for the first 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm, with cream.
SERVES 6 TO 8
JULY 21, 1947: “NEWS OF FOOD; FRESH PLUM KUCHEN A TASTY SUMMER DISH SERVED WARM WITH CREAM FOR DESSERT,” BY JANE NICKERSON.
—1947
THE NEXT SIX RECIPES OFFER INDISPENSABLE BASICS ON COOKING EGGS.
SHELL-COOKED EGGS
———
Large eggs, at room temperature
Bring enough water to cover the eggs to be cooked to a rapid boil in a saucepan. Place each egg on a spoon and lower it into the water. Reduce the heat until the water barely simmers; cook the eggs to desired doneness. For soft-cooked eggs, leave in the water from 3 to 4½ minutes. For hard-cooked, leave in the water for 9 minutes, then drain immediately and plunge the eggs into cold water; this causes a jacket of steam to form between the egg and the shell, facilitating peeling.
COOKING NOTE
Craig Claiborne added; “Eggs cooked in this fashion for exactly 6 minutes are called eggs mollets. The white is set and firm and the yolks remain liquid. They are used in much the same way as poached eggs.”
MARCH 23, 1958: “FRAGILE—HANDLE WITH CARE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1958
SCRAMBLED EGGS
———
6 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt
1. Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat until well mixed but not frothy.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet or the top of a double boiler and add the eggs. Place the skillet over low heat or the double boiler top over boiling water and cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs begin to set. Add the cream and continue stirring until the desired degree of firmness. Correct the seasoning with salt and serve immediately.
SERVES 2 TO 3
VARIATIONS
Craig Claiborne noted; “Tarragon, chives, parsley, and chervil complement the flavor of scrambled eggs. Garnishes include sautéed mushroom caps, anchovy fillets, and chicken livers.”
MARCH 23, 1958: “FRAGILE—HANDLE WITH CARE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1958
FRIED EGGS
———
Unsalted butter or bacon fat
Large eggs, at room temperature
1. Melt enough butter or bacon fat in a heavy skillet to cover the bottom.
2. Break the eggs into a small bowl and slip them carefully into the pan. Cook over low heat, basting the eggs with the hot fat, until the whites are set. If the eggs are to be cooked on both sides, turn with a pancake turner.
VARIATION
Craig Claiborne added, “The most famous fried egg dish, other than plain fried eggs, is the French specialty fried eggs au beurre noir. Eggs are fried in butter and transferred to a warm serving dish. A little additional butter is added to the pan and cooked quickly until dark brown. A few drops of vinegar are added for each egg and the mixture is poured over the eggs. Each egg is garnished with ½ teaspoon of capers.”
MARCH 23, 1958: “FRAGILE—HANDLE WITH CARE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1958
POACHED EGGS
———
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Large eggs, at room temperature
1. Bring 4 cups water to a rolling boil and add the vinegar and salt. Immediately reduce the heat.
2. Break the eggs one at a time into a small bowl, then slip them gently into the water. Let the eggs steep until the white is firm.
3. Using a slotted spoon or spatula remove the eggs and drain on absorbent paper. Trim with a knife or cookie cutter. Serve topped with butter or a sherry and cheese sauce.
COOKING NOTE
Craig Claiborne wrote, “Eggs may be poached in advance and reheated briefly in boiling salted water for about 30 seconds just before serving. This is advantageous if a quantity of eggs are to be poached for special occasions.” I’d use simmering, not boiling water, though.
MARCH 23, 1958: “FRAGILE—HANDLE WITH CARE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1958
PLAIN OMELET
———
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon cold water
Salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1. Break the eggs into a small bowl, add the water, season with salt, and beat until light and foamy.
2. Place an omelet pan over moderate heat. Flick a drop of water into the pan; if it skitters about and disappears almost at once, the pan is ready. Swirl the butter around in the pan, and pour the eggs into the pan. Shake the pan with your left hand, using fore-and-aft motion; with your right hand stir in a circular motion with a fork.
3. Change your left hand position, to hold the handle with your palm turned upward. Raise the skillet to a 45-degree angle. Using a fork, roll the omelet from the top down; turn onto a warm plate held in your right hand. Garnish as desired.
SERVES 1
MARCH 23, 1958: “FRAGILE—HANDLE WITH CARE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1958
BAKED OR SHIRRED EGGS
———
Unsalted butter
Large eggs, at room temperature
Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in each individual ramekin (any small heatproof dish). Break 1 or 2 eggs into each dish and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the white is milky and still creamy.
MARCH 23, 1958: “FRAGILE—HANDLE WITH CARE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1958
DANISH PASTRY
As Craig Claiborne pointed out, we call this pastry Danish, and the Danes call it wienerbrod, or Vienna bread. Somehow I doubt the Viennese call it American pastry to complete the loop, although I wish they would. Danish differs from puff pastry in that it’s leavened with yeast.
———
Approximately 4¾ cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1½ packages (scant 1½ tablespoons) dry yeast
1¼ cups whole milk, warmed
¼ cup sugar
2 large eggs
Choice of fillings (recipes follow)
1. Measure ⅓ cup flour and the salt onto a board or into a bowl. Add the butter and chop the flour and butter together with a pastry blender or 2 knives.
2. Roll the mixture between two sheets of waxed paper into a 12-by-6-inch rectangle. Chill.
3. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk and let stand until the yeast becomes foamy and the mixture has cooled.
4. Add the sugar and 1 lightly beaten egg to the yeast. Stir in the remaining flour (4⅓ cups or so) gradually, mixing with a wooden spoon until a soft dough is formed.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead until it is smooth. Roll the dough on a generously floured board into a 14-inch square. Place the butter-flour mixture on one half of the dough and fold the other half of the dough over it. Press around the edges to seal.
6. Pat the dough with a rolling pin and then roll it out into a paper-thin sheet. Fold the sheet of dough into thirds like a business letter. Repeat the patting, rolling, and folding process 3 times. If the butter mixture softens and begins to ooze out upon rolling, chill the dough before continuing.
7. Cut the finished dough into 3 equal portions. Roll and shape into envelopes, combs, and crescents and fill as described below. (Save any trimmings and stack them neatly to preserve the pastry layers; chill and use to make additional pastries.)
8. Place the pastry shapes on lightly greased baking sheets. Set them aside to rise until half doubled in size.
9. While the pastries are rising, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the envelopes and crescents with the remaining egg, lightly beaten and diluted with a teaspoon or two of water. Bake on the lower shelf until brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on racks.
10. If desired, ice the crescents and envelopes with confectioners’ icing made by mixing 1 cup confectioners’ sugar with about 1 tablespoon whole milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
MAKES 2 DOZEN PASTRIES
VANILLA CREAM FILLING
½ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Mix all the ingredients except the vanilla in the top of a double boiler. Cook the mixture over boiling water, stirring constantly, until thick. Cool the mixture, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in the vanilla.
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 8 PASTRIES
ALMOND PASTE FILLING
¾ pound blanched almonds (about 2¼ cups)
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
Grind the almond with the sugar in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl, fold in the egg by hand, and mix until smooth.
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 8 PASTRIES
PRUNE FILLING
½ cup pureed prunes
¾ cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Mix all the ingredients together.
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 8 PASTRIES
CHEESE FILLING
1 cup creamed cottage cheese
1 large egg, well beaten
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger
Blend all the ingredients thoroughly.
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 8 PASTRIES
SHAPING PASTRIES
Envelopes
1. Roll 1 portion of the dough into a long strip about 5 inches wide and ¼ inch thick. Trim the edges to make it 4 inches wide and cut it into 4-inch squares.
2. Spread the center of each square with 1 tablespoon of filling. Fold all 4 corners into the center, and press down.
Cockscombs
1. Roll 1 portion of the dough into a strip about 5 inches wide and ¼ inch thick.
2. Place a strip of filling about ½ inch in diameter down the center and fold the dough over it. Press around the edges and trim evenly.
3. Sprinkle with sugar and chopped almonds and cut into 4-inch lengths. Gash side of each piece 4 times, cutting in about ¾ inch toward the filling.
Crescents
1. Roll 1 portion of the dough into a strip about 5 inches wide and ¼ inch thick. Trim the edges to make it about 4 inches wide. Cut into 2 squares, and then cut into triangles.
2. Place 2 teaspoons filling on the wide side of each triangle and roll up, twisting the ends if necessary to cover the filling.
SERVING SUGGESTION
A café au lait.
JANUARY 11, 1959: “. . . AND A CUP OF COFFEE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1959
FYRSTEKAKE (ROYAL CAKE)
Indulge yourself with this fragrant and crumbly Scandinavian breakfast bar—filled with cardamom-infused almond paste—and repent with Mark Bittman’s Coconut Oat Pilaf here.
———
For the Filling
1¼ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg white
About 6 tablespoons water
1¼ cups blanched almonds, finely ground
For the Cake
2¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons whole milk
1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. To prepare the filling, mix together the confectioners’ sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, egg white, and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl. Fold in the ground almonds. Continue adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms a spreadable paste.
2. To prepare the cake, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the butter and cut it in until mixture has the consistency of coarse crumbs. Beat the egg yolk with the milk, add to the flour mixture, and blend well.
3. Press two-thirds of the dough into the base of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan. It should be about ¼ inch thick. Spread with the filling.
4. Roll the remaining dough into a ⅛-inch-thick rectangle roughly the same dimensions as the pan. With a pastry cutter or knife, cut into ½-inch-wide strips. Place crisscross fashion over the filling to make a simple lattice.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, or until browned on top. Cool, then cut into 2-by-1-inch bars.
MAKES 54 BARS
If rolling and shaping dough makes you nervous, you can skip the lattice and just crumble the pastry on top.
PERIOD DETAIL
In 1960, three well-regarded hostesses were asked for their menus for Christmas brunch.
June Platt, cookbook author
Baked foie gras [from a can] with toasts
Champagne
Pineapple ice meringue
Evelyn Patterson, cookbook writer and owner of a cooking school
Ripe persimmons or broiled grapefruit with sherry
Sweetbreads on fried toast
Croissants
Banket [puff pastry roll filled with almond paste]
Helen Worth, cookbook writer and owner of a cooking school
Orange and lemon punch
Chicken sticks [deep-fried chicken wings]
Crusty cornmeal [baked polenta]
Panned apples
Platter of kumquats and assorted cheeses
DECEMBER 8, 1963: “CHRISTMAS SPICE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1963
SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE
A great coffee cake should have on interior that’s sweet and dewy, and a sugary top that’s as crusty as Robert Frost. This recipe, which appeared in Craig Claiborne’s annual “Four Favorites” column, more than meets the challenge.
Early “coffee cakes” were made with coffee. Stephen Schmidt, a food historian and the author of the forthcoming Dessert in America, said such coffee cakes were “part of the Victorian fashion for dark-colored fruited, spiced cakes.” If you’re curious about this style, see the Wedding Cake here. “Coffee cakes” designed to be eaten with coffee appeared toward the end of the nineteenth century and were typically made with rich yeast doughs, although now we tend to call these kinds of breakfast breads Danishes. By the 1960s, many coffee cakes, like this one, were leavened with baking soda and baking powder, making them easier to toss together if an impromptu visitor arrived.
———
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups plus 4 teaspoons sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (about 4 ounces) chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan or 9-inch tube pan. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.
2. Cream the butter in a large bowl. Add 2 cups sugar gradually, beating until very light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating very well. Fold in the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture.
3. Combine the remaining 4 teaspoons sugar, pecans, and cinnamon.
4. Place about one-third of the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with three-quarters of the pecan mixture. Spoon in the remaining batter. Sprinkle with the remaining pecans. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer or knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack until cool enough to touch, then unmold the cake, or the edges will get mushy.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTES
This can be made in either a Bundt pan or a tube pan. If you use a Bundt pan, the cake will be more architectural, but once you turn out the cake, you’ll lose the great crust that formed on top. If you use a tube pan, you can serve it crust side up, but the cake won’t look as handsome.
You might want to toast the pecans to intensify their flavor before adding them to the batter.
READERS
“Have used the sour cream coffee cake many times with yogurt substituted for the sour cream. It is always delicious. I also use walnuts rather than pecans.”
Theda Kashin, Glen Head, NY, letter
“The instructions are perfect and this is one cake that never fails to live up to its promise.”
Nancy Denburg, e-mail
JANUARY 7, 1968: “FOUR FAVORITES,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1968
DOROTHY JEWISS’S COFFEE CAKE
If you like watching a batter come together in your mixing bowl, you’ll love this one, which develops into a silky, golden mass. Out of the oven, the cake is light and springy and rather sweet. For a sterner cake, reduce the sugar in the topping to ¼ cup.
———
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅓ cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Using a mixer or beating by hand, beat the butter and 1 cup sugar together in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Stir the flour mixture into the batter until it is smooth.
3. Spoon half the batter into the pan. Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar, the pecans, and cinnamon and sprinkle two-thirds of it over the batter. Top with the remaining batter and sprinkle with the remaining pecan mixture.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out almost clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm.
SERVES 9
COOKING NOTE
In Step 3, use a spoon dipped in water to spread the top layer of batter, or it will be impossible to nudge the batter to the edges of the pan.
NOVEMBER 24, 1968: “TO GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE,” BY JEAN HEWITT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DOROTHY JEWISS, A HOME COOK IN WINCHESTER CENTER, CONNECTICUT.
—1968
LAURA GOODENOUGH’S APPLE COFFEE CAKE
A moist, tall cake, threaded with cinnamon-bound apples. You may recognize the proportions which have appeared in various cake recipes for decades—it is the pound cake of coffee cakes.
———
3 to 5 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ⅛ inch thick (4 cups)
2 cups plus 5 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream for serving
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10-inch tube pan. Combine the apples, 5 tablespoons sugar, and cinnamon; set aside.
2. Sift the flour, the remaining 2 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the oil, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until well blended.
3. Spoon one-third of the batter into the prepared pan. Make a ring of half the apple mixture, drained of any excess moisture on top, taking care not to let the apple mixture touch the sides of the pan. Spoon another one-third of the batter over. Make a ring of the remaining apples and top with remaining batter.
4. Bake until a skewer or knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Cover the top with aluminum foil if it begins to overbrown.
5. Allow the cake to cool to lukewarm in the pan, then turn out onto a serving plate. Serve warm, with whipped cream.
SERVES 10
COOKING NOTE
Use a flavorful apple such as Honeycrisp, Winesap, or Braeburn. You can also make the recipe with peaches or plums.
NOVEMBER 24, 1968: “TO GRANDMOTHER’S HOUSE,” BY JEAN HEWITT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM LAURA GOODENOUGH, A HOME COOK IN WINCHESTER CENTER, CONNECTICUT.
—1968
MAIDA’S BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE
I love that food writers had become such affectionate fans of Maida Heatter’s baking that they began to use only her first name, as we now might refer to Marcella, Alice, and Julia. One of the reasons people love Heatter is her perfectionism. She obsesses so you don’t have to. Craig Claiborne wrote about the time that, after turning in a cookbook, Heatter discovered that her oven temperature was 25 degrees off. She told her publisher to hold the manuscript and promptly retested all the recipes.
———
2 cups blueberries
Dry bread crumbs
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1¼ cups sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
½ cup whole milk
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
½ cup finely chopped walanuts
1. Pick over and wash the berries. Drain in a sieve and turn them onto a towel in a single layer. Pat dry with a second towel and set aside to dry thoroughly.
2. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-square baking pan and dust with dry bread crumbs. Combine ⅓ cup flour, the cinnamon, and ½ cup sugar in a small bowl. Cut in 4 tablespoons of the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
3. Sift together the remaining 2 cups flour, the baking powder, and salt. Place the blueberries in a bowl and sprinkle with 1½ tablespoons of the dry ingredients. Toss gently. Set aside.
4. Beat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter with the remaining ¾ cup sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer (or in a mixer fitted with a paddle) until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the zest.
5. Spoon the stiff batter over the blueberries and, with a rubber spatula, fold until just mixed. Turn into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the nuts and then the cinnamon topping.
6. Bake for 50 minutes, or until done. Cool on a rack in the pan for 30 minutes.
7. Loosen the sides of the cake with a knife, place a large sheet of foil over the cake, and invert onto a rack. Place a cake plate over the cake and invert again so that the crumb side is up.
SERVES 9 TO 12
JUNE 10, 1973: “OUR TRUE BLUE BERRY: NATIVE DELIGHTS,” BY JEAN HEWITT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM MAIDA HEATTER, THE COOKBOOK AUTHOR.
1973
KATHARINE McCLINTON’S FOURSOME PANCAKES
Mix sour cream and cottage cheese into pancakes, and you give them character. Fold in egg whites, and you give them wings. And if you stir Cognac into the maple syrup that’s poured over the downy pancakes, you get a breakfast you will never forget.
———
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons sugar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, separated
Butter for cooking the pancakes
Maple syrup
Cognac (optional)
1. Combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, flour, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and egg yolks in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer to blend thoroughly.
2. Beat the whites until they hold stiff peaks, and fold them into the batter.
3. Heat a griddle and lightly butter it. Ladle on about ⅓ cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until browned on one side. Turn and cook on the other side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm in a 175-degree oven. Continue ladling the batter and cooking until all the batter is used. Be sure to stir the batter from the bottom as it is used so that it maintains its consistency.
4. Serve with maple syrup, laced, if desired, with Cognac to taste.
MAKES 16 TO 20 PANCAKES
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve with Spiced Hard Sauce (here) or Sauce Suprême (here) and Honey-Orange Smoothie (here).
FEBRUARY 3, 1980: “FOOD: PANCAKES ON THE REBOUND,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM READER KATHARINE MCCLINTON.
—1980
KATHLEEN CLAIBORNE’S HOT CAKES
In 1980, Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey were cautiously bullish about pancakes in their Sunday food column, noting that there was “a time a couple of decades ago when pancakes were a staple of this country’s diet, as much a part of the breakfast table as ham or bacon and eggs; then they almost disappeared. But the correspondence that has reached our desk within recent months indicates that pancakes may be making some small comeback. More and more readers seem to be asking for recipes.” And yet, they hedged—“We do not predict a tidal wave in the popularity of pancakes . . .”—before providing a few recipes, including this marvelously light cornmeal pancake from Claiborne’s mother, Kathleen.
The method is nothing very promising. First you pour boiling water over a cornmeal mixture, which thickens to the consistency of library paste. But if you keep whisking the batter, it eventually loosens, and it is further lightened—and this is the key—when you fold in whipped egg whites. If you don’t have a griddle, use a large nonstick frying pan or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. I made smaller cakes than the original recipe instructed—a scant ¼ cup batter rather than the ⅓ cup recommended. They get crisper edges and are easier to flip.
———
½ cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
2 large eggs, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
Syrup, preserves, jams, or jellies for serving
1. Combine the cornmeal, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Pour the boiling water over, stirring constantly with a whisk, making sure to get all the lumps in the corners. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture will begin to coalesce and then suddenly will stiffen. Don’t fret. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl, and let sit for a few minutes to cool, whisking it every now and then.
2. Whisk in the egg yolks. Sift together the flour and baking powder and stir it into the batter; it will get very lumpy and impossibly thick. Add the milk and oil and whisk until smooth.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the batter.
4. Lightly oil a griddle and heat it to medium-high; you want the pancakes to brown in less than 1 minute. Ladle on about ¼ cup of the batter for each pancake. Cook until browned on one side: bubbles will rise to the surface, and when they begin popping and the edges begin to dry, it’s a sign that the pancakes are brown beneath. Turn and cook on the other side, less than 1 minute. Transfer to a platter and keep warm in a 175-degree oven. Continue ladling and cooking until all the batter is used. Serve with syrup, preserves, jams, or jellies.
MAKES ABOUT 20 PANCAKES
SERVING SUGGESTION
Serve these with Spiced Hard Sauce (here).
FEBRUARY 3, 1980: “FOOD: PANCAKES ON THE REBOUND,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE AND PIERRE FRANEY. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM KATHLEEN CLAIBORNE.
—1980
HEAVENLY HOTS
Sometimes the name of a dish is irresistible: Ratatouille. Financiers. Mooncakes. Oysters Rockefeller. Fallen soufflé. Anything confited. And my recent favorite, pudding chômeur (biscuit dough baked in maple syrup and cream—a delight that Canadians have been keeping to themselves), which translates to “unemployed-person pudding.” When I began work on this book and several readers wrote in about heavenly hots, there was no question—I had to try a recipe with that name.
Although heavenly hots sound like a late-night cable offering, they’re nothing more salacious than pancakes. Once you make them, you’ll understand the name: they are so feathery, creamy, and tangy—so heavenly—that you find yourself unable to let them cool at all before devouring them.
Heavenly hots clarify what’s wrong with other pancakes—namely, that most of them are god-awful: doughy, heavy thuds in our bellies. You always think they’re a great idea until about ten minutes after you’ve eaten them.
What makes the hots so heavenly is that they ignore all the classic ratios of flour to sugar to eggs (sorry, Michael Ruhlman!). They’re made with low-gluten cake flour and just enough of it to lash the batter of sour cream, sugar, and salt into fragile cakes.
The only problem with heavenly hots is that your first batch is likely to be a wash. The batter is very loose and it produces pancakes—some might call them blini—that are about as sturdy as wet tissue paper. You need to take deep breaths when it’s time for flipping, and you need to let the hots know you’re the boss. Timid jabs with a spatula will not end well.
Heavenly hots were popularized at the Bridge Creek Restaurant in Berkeley, but the original recipe came from Bob Burnham, a chef who once worked for John Hudspeth, later the owner of Bridge Creek. Burnham served a sugarless version like blini, with caviar. At Bridge Creek, they were breakfast, served in stacks and doused with maple syrup—“real maple syrup,” Hudspeth said, “which was unusual in Berkeley at the time.” They’re the kind of recipe that makes an impression. Hudspeth named his company Heavenly Hots, Inc., and Marion Cunningham, the author of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, and a friend of Hudspeth, included the hots in The Breakfast Book.
———
4 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup cake flour
2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
Vegetable shortening for cooking the pancakes
Maple syrup or honey
1. Whisk together all the ingredients (except the vegetable shortening and syrup) in a large bowl, beating until smooth. This can also be done in a blender. Chill the batter overnight. (The batter will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.)
2. The next day, heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat. Beat the batter again until smooth. Lightly coat the griddle or skillet with shortening. Drop small spoonfuls (I used ¾ tablespoon) of batter onto the griddle, making sure that when they spread out, they measure less than 3 inches in diameter. When a few bubbles appear on top of the pancakes and the bottoms are browned, turn and cook the second side briefly—you don’t want to cook the pancakes all the way through, because you want them to remain creamy in the center. Transfer to a platter and keep warm in a 175-degree oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.
3. Serve with syrup or honey.
MAKES 50 TO 60 SMALL PANCAKES
COOKING NOTES
Don’t cook the pancakes all the way through. You want the center to be a pocket of cream.
The pancakes are so fragile that it may take a few tries to flip them. I used the thinnest, most flexible spatula I own, wedged it halfway under each pancake, letting the other half hang, then turned my wrist and gently laid the cake down on its other side. I recommend this over more aggressive flipping, which will tear the pancakes.
VARIATION
Substitute light brown sugar for the sugar and full-fat Greek yogurt for the sour cream.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
A light maple syrup or acacia honey served on the side, or better yet a sprinkling of lemon zest sugar or cinnamon sugar. Also, Mango Lassi (here).
MARCH 1, 1987: “FOOD: FEAST BEFORE FAST,” BY JOANNA PRUESS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM MARION CUNNINGHAM AND THE BRIDGE CREEK RESTAURANT IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.
—1987
JORDAN MARSH’S BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Mashing some of the blueberries before adding them to the batter and building the batter on a sturdy foundation of butter makes for muffins that are as delicate as baby birds. As Andrea Estes, a reporter, once wrote in the Boston Globe, “For decades, any decent downtown shopping trip ended at Jordan Marsh, where the promise of a sugar-crusted blueberry muffin could make annoying children angelic.”
———
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup whole milk
2 cups blueberries, rinsed and picked over
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 12 large muffin cups. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. Cream the butter and 1¼ cups sugar in a large bowl until light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add to the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beating just until smooth.
3. Crush ½ cup blueberries with a fork, and mix into the batter. Fold in the remaining whole berries.
4. Fill the muffin cups with batter. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the tops of the muffins. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pan.
5. Store, uncovered, or the muffins will be too moist the second day—if they last that long.
MAKES 12 MUFFINS
READERS
“[T]here are two sacred things in my life (and kitchen). My mother’s seventy-five-year-old rusted vegetable peeler, which I use religiously, and my blueberry muffin recipe. Both items look like they need to be tossed, but they contain my very soul.”
Suzanne Casden-Borriello, Woodmere, NY, letter
JUNE 13, 1987: “DE GUSTIBUS: THE BATTLE OVER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS,” BY MARIAN BURROS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JORDAN MARSH, A DEPARTMENT STORE IN NEW ENGLAND.
—1987
LIDIA BASTIANICH’S SWISS CHARD AND SCALLION FRITTATA
While frittatas are usually served warm here, Lidia Bastianich, the restaurateur, cookbook author, and cooking show host, reminded us that in Italy they are often eaten at room temperature. This frittata, layered with greens, garlic, and ricotta, is allowed to cool, wrapped in wax paper, and refrigerated until you’re ready to eat.
Bastianich also introduced a smart technique: half the eggs are poured into the hot pan and allowed to set, establishing a crisp foundation for the rest of the eggs and the filling.
This frittata would also make a fine lunch. Slice and serve between thin slices of focaccia with the Mezzaluna Salad (here) on the side.
———
1 pound Swiss chard
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 scallions, cut into ¼-inch-wide slices
1 cup ricotta cheese
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the leaves from the chard (reserve the ribs and stems for another use). Wash and dry the leaves and cut them into ½-inch-wide strips.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the garlic until golden-brown. Add the chard and salt and pepper to taste, cover, and cook over medium heat until the chard is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Discard the garlic and transfer the chard to a bowl.
3. Cook off any excess liquid left in the pan, then add the scallions and sauté until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour off any liquid that has accumulated in the bowl of chard, then add the scallions to the chard. Mix in the ricotta and half of the eggs.
4. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining eggs and allow to set on the bottom. Add the vegetable mixture, spreading it evenly. Cook, uncovered, over low heat until the frittata browns lightly on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the frittata is set but not dry, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
6. Transfer the frittata to a plate, cover with wax paper, and refrigerate. (The frittata can be made up to a day in advance.) To serve, cut into thin wedges.
SERVES 6
JUNE 2, 1991: “A DAY AT THE BEACH,” BY MARK BITTMAN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM LIDIA BASTIANICH.
—1991
POACHED EGGS WITH DATE-CHORIZO PASTE
This is a dish I had at Arzak, a three-star restaurant in San Sebastián, Spain. The flavors—eggs, chorizo, and bread—are routine in Spanish cooking, but in the hands of the right chef, they sparkle (and cost a lot more). The egg was poached sous vide with goose fat and truffle oil. The bread was reduced to crumbs and mixed with ham and olive oil, then spooned onto the plate like a relish next to the egg. The chorizo was pureed with dates, which subdued its sharpness and gave the resulting orange paste a deep, tantalizing sweetness. This sauce was spooned in a straight line on the plate.
The poached egg preparation turned out to be easy to replicate in a home kitchen. I substituted butter for goose fat and, following a hint from the chef, Juan Arzak, let the eggs sit in little plastic-wrapped packages of truffle oil and salt for 2 days before poaching them (you may own a sous-vide machine; I don’t). The paste was a matter of balancing acidity and sweetness, adding a touch of vinegar and sugar syrup as I pureed the dates and chorizo in the food processor.
The bread sauce would turn this dish into a project; serving toasted country bread sprinkled with great olive oil on the side, I decided, would be a saner alternative.
A single bite will tell you that it’s the date paste that makes this dish. If you want to take a shortcut, a little dab of the paste rubbed on a hard-boiled egg wouldn’t be a bad idea. In fact, it was a fantastic discovery, worth traveling to Spain to learn.
Medjool dates are available at markets with a good dried fruit selection.
———
Unsalted butter, softened
White truffle oil
Fine sea salt
6 large eggs
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
½ cup Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
¾ cup skinned, thinly sliced Spanish chorizo
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bread
6 thick slices rustic bread
Coarse salt
1. Two days before serving, prepare the eggs: For each egg, lay out a 12-inch square of plastic wrap. Generously grease it with butter and sprinkle with truffle oil and salt. Crack an egg in the center of each square, then quickly collect the edges of the plastic wrap, twist the ends of wrap tightly, and tie with kitchen string. Refrigerate for 2 days.
2. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let cool.
3. Combine the dates, chorizo, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar syrup in a food processor, season with pepper, and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. The mixture should be thick but not stiff. Pulse in the olive oil, and then water, a tablespoon at a time, as needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
4. Put the paste on a large square of cheesecloth. Wrap it into a ball and squeeze with your hands over a bowl. (This is messy and time-consuming, but it strains out any chewy pieces of chorizo and makes the paste markedly smoother.)
5. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer. Using a slotted spoon, gently add the egg packages to the water. Simmer for 3½ minutes, for a runny yolk.
6. Meanwhile, toast the bread.
7. When the eggs are done, transfer the packages to paper towels to drain. Place 1 package on each of 6 plates and cut open at the top with scissors. Carefully remove the plastic wrap, making sure all the oil stays on the plate. Sprinkle each egg with coarse salt and spoon a little date-chorizo paste around it. Sprinkle olive oil on the toasts, and serve with the eggs.
SERVES 6 FOR BRUNCH OR AS A FIRST COURSE
JANUARY 12, 2000: “SURPRISE FROM A 3-STAR TABLE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ARZAK IN SAN SEBASTIÁN, SPAIN.
—2000
SPICED PUMPKIN OATMEAL
———
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
4½ cups low-fat milk or water
1½ cups steel-cut oats
¾ teaspoon salt
Warm applesauce (optional)
Chopped apples (optional)
Apple cider syrup (optional)
1. Toast the allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, then add the pumpkin and stir to combine. Add the milk, raise the heat, and bring to a simmer. Stir in the oats and simmer over medium heat until tender but not mushy, about 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Stir in the salt. Serve with applesauce, apples, and syrup, if desired.
SERVES 6
JANUARY 3, 2001: “OATMEAL THAT ISN’T FOR URCHINS,” BY MELISSA CLARK. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM OLIVES NY IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2001
SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH TOAST AND BACON
I once got the hardship assignment of having Daniel Boulud prepare me breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This is what he made for breakfast—a display of how a great chef can turn the most basic of basics into gastronomic bliss.
He cracked seven room-temperature eggs into a sieve set over a bowl and began whisking. “What’s very important,” he said, “is to strain them, so you remove what makes the coagulation lumpy. It should be smooth.” The eggs streamed from the sieve into the bowl, and he seasoned them with salt and white pepper. Then he placed them over a pan of simmering water and began gently rocking the eggs back and forth in the bowl with a spoon.
The bowl heated slowly, and he stirred and stirred and looked bored. I thought he might start whistling. The eggs lost their shine and thickened like pastry cream. When tiny curds began to form, he returned to his whisk and increased the pace, all the while keeping the heat as low as possible. When the mixture began to look creamy, like polenta, he began adding chunks of cold Échiré butter. One tablespoon, then two, each getting absorbed in the mix. Next came the finishing touch: off the heat, he held the bowl close to his stomach and whisked in large spoonfuls of cold heavy cream, “to stop the cooking,” he said.
As promised, there wasn’t a single lump. Just creamy egg pudding with tiny soft curds. Boulud resisted the temptation to plop on a dollop of caviar. Instead, he had toasted some bread crumbs in a pan with butter and salt and piled them into a small round dish. He’d also cut bacon on a meat slicer. Some slices he baked flat; others he wrapped around dowels and baked into thin, salty coils, as fragile as icicles.
I sprinkled the bread crumbs on the eggs like cheese on pasta and nibbled on the bacon. It was a little like eating soufflé and pudding at once, the eggs delicate and lovely, the crumbs offering up faint crunch.
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6 paper-thin slices bacon (sliced like prosciutto)
3 slices day-old white bread, crusts removed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, preferably French
Fine sea salt
7 large eggs
Freshly ground white pepper
¼ cup cold heavy cream
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the bacon on top. Cover with another piece of parchment, then top with another baking sheet, to keep the bacon flat.
2. Bake until the bacon is browned and crisp, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels and place on a serving plate. Keep warm.
3. Rip the bread into pieces and pulse in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the crumbs and sauté until toasted to a hazelnut color. Season with salt and place in a serving bowl. Set in a warm spot.
4. Add water to the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a steady light simmer. Crack the eggs into a fine sieve set over the top of the double boiler and, using a whisk, work the eggs thoroughly through the sieve. Season generously with salt and pepper. Place the pan with the eggs over the bottom pan (with about 1 inch of clearance between it and the water). Using a wooden spoon, stir the eggs constantly. If they begin to coagulate, lower the heat. It should take about 5 minutes for a light film to form on the bottom and sides of the pan. Keep stirring. When small curds appear, whisk the mixture until it is thick like pudding.
5. Remove the top pan and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; the eggs should smooth out. Whisk in the cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the texture is like a creamy polenta. If the eggs are runny, place the pan briefly back over the hot water and stir until they have thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour the eggs into serving dishes. Serve with the bacon, and sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTE
You may need to go to a specialty market to get the bacon sliced like prosciutto.
SERVING SUGGESTION
Bloody Mary (here)
APRIL 8, 2001: “FOOD: HOW TO: COOK THE BASICS LIKE DANIEL BOULUD,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DANIEL BOULUD, THE OWNER AND CHEF AT DANIEL AND OTHER RESTAURANTS IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2001
MORNING BREAD PUDDING
One year for Christmas, my sister, Rhonda, made a strata (baked eggs and bread). Hers was actually more flan than strata, with caramel on the bottom and a filling of bread that had been soaked overnight in egg and milk. It was baked and then inverted like an upside-down cake. Everyone loved it, but the holidays passed, and the recipe vanished.
This was my attempt to replicate it, which resulted in a dish that’s more like a cross between a tarte Tatin and a moist, delicate bread pudding. I swirled a caramel around the base of a pie dish as you would for flan, then filled the bottom of the pan with thick slices of challah. I could have used any kind of bread—the Italian sweet bread panettone would be delicious, as would walnut bread or even plain country bread—but I like the feathery interior and shiny crust of challah.
Then I whisked together eggs, sugar, and a little mascarpone cheese, adding milk a little at a time, as you would oil to a salad dressing. I also whisked in a few drops of almond extract (and, later, just before baking, sprinkled chopped toasted almonds over the top, for a little crunch). I poured this mixture over the bread in the pie dish, making sure every piece was saturated, and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator. That extra time seems to meld the bread with the pudding, so that when it bakes it is light, moist, impossibly fluffy.
The next morning all I needed to do was slide the pie dish into a hot oven. Then I inverted it onto a serving plate. The caramel soaked through the edges and formed a dark sauce that ran around the plate. It was like syrup on French toast, without any of the cloying qualities of syrup.
A spoonful of fromage frais or fromage blanc, both of which are weepy and loose, works here much the way crème fraîche does on tarte Tatin. It eases the richness of the pudding with a rousing touch of acidity.
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¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 to 15 slices brioche or challah (all should be about ½ inch thick and about 3 inches round; cut accordingly)
8 large eggs
¼ cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¼ cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds
About ¾ cup fromage frais or fromage blanc for serving
1. Combine ¾ cup sugar and the butter in a small heavy saucepan and place over medium-low heat. The butter will melt and the sugar will dissolve, then the mixture will boil for a few minutes and begin to brown. Adjust the heat and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon so it browns evenly. When it’s a dark brown, remove from the heat and pour into a 9-inch ceramic or Pyrex pie dish. Swirl the caramel around the base and 1 inch up the sides of the dish. Place the dish in the refrigerator and chill until the caramel is cold.
2. Place the heel of bread in the center of the pie dish (or 2 slices stacked on top of each other). Arrange the remaining slices, standing them against one another, around the center. They should fill the pie dish snugly.
3. Whisk together the eggs, the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and mascarpone cheese in a large bowl until very smooth. Add the milk and almond extract. Pour this over the bread, making sure to saturate all of it. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. In the morning, take the pie dish out of the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
5. Bake the pudding for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the almonds over the pudding and continue baking until moist but not wet in the center, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edges of the dish, loosening the bread from the sides. Place a serving plate over top of the dish (bottom side up) and, using pot holders, hold the pudding over the sink and, in a single fluid motion, holding it away from your body, invert the plate. Lift off the pie dish. Scrape any extra caramel from the pie dish over the pudding.
6. To serve, cut into wedges at the table and spoon a healthy dollop of fromage frais onto each plate.
SERVES 6
I served this with Winter Fruit Salad (here). Other possibilities: a glass of tangerine juice, scented with fresh mint and just a splash of Champagne. Perhaps a few crisp slices of Irish bacon, to give the meal the contrast of sweetness and salinity. A cup of milky coffee (warm whole milk and whisk it so it’s frothy but not too hot) never hurts.
DECEMBER 19, 2001: “THE LAST GIFT OF THE MORNING,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2001
BILL GRANGER’S SCRAMBLED EGGS
This dish made Bill Granger, a young cook with a small restaurant in Sydney, famous. After cooking these eggs, for which no adjective is adequate, a friend summed them up as “fried cream.” I’d say that’s exactly right; the eggs are there just to bind the cream as you cook it.
No one who’s serious about food goes to Sydney without stopping in at Bills Café for his scrambled eggs. R. W. Apple Jr., the Times correspondent and legendary gourmand, was a regular, and on one of his visits, he had the foresight to secure the recipe for the rest of us. I’ve included an ingredient list to make shopping and assembling the dish easier, but I’ve left Apple’s artful recipe instructions, which he wove into his story about Granger.
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½ tablespoon unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
“Mr. Granger uses a nonstick pan and the merest sliver of butter (¼ ounce), a pinch or two of salt, no water, and ½ cup of cream with 2 eggs. The eggs have a soft, mousse-like texture, not the slightest bit rubbery, with unusually large curds. Not surprisingly, they are divinely creamy, but they are also as light as the breath of an angel.
“Melt the butter over high heat, whisk the other ingredients together in a bowl, pour them into the pan, and—summon your courage. Do nothing for 20 seconds, except maybe cross your fingers. Then stir very slowly with a wooden spoon, folding the rim of the egg mixture toward the center. Don’t churn away like a cement mixer. Pause for another 20 seconds, then repeat the gentle stirring-and-folding process. Take the pan off the flame, allowing the residual heat in the pan to complete the cooking. Finally, give the eggs one last easy swirl.
“The additional liquid represented by the cream slows down the cooking, reducing the prospects of overcooking. But there is a limit to the amount the eggs can absorb; research by the food scientist Harold McGee suggests that Mr. Granger is pushing the limit hard. Overcooking is a disaster, resulting in either a leathery texture or solid lumps floating in watery liquid.
“Serve with thick toast.”
SERVES 1, MAYBE 2
JANUARY 9, 2002: “THE EGG MASTER OF SYDNEY,” BY R. W. APPLE JR. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM BILL GRANGER, THE OWNER OF BILLS CAFÉ IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.
—2002
CHORIZO REVUELTOS (SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH CHORIZO)
Revueltos are a Spanish form of scrambled eggs and, in my view, are the best way to scramble eggs. The eggs are cracked directly into the pan and cooked rapidly over high heat while you break them up and swirl them around, gathering threads of white and yolk and, in this recipe, bits of chorizo. Revueltos make a fine breakfast and an even better first course for dinner. The fat in the chorizo has a way of making the eggs taste creamy without the need for any cream.
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1½ ounces mild Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced, cut crosswise into half-moons
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 large eggs, cracked into a bowl
Coarse sea salt
1. Spread the sliced chorizo over the bottom of a large nonstick skillet and place over medium-high heat. When the chorizo begins to sizzle, add the olive oil to the pan. Pour in the eggs, then, using a wooden spoon, very quickly stir the eggs, breaking the yolks and turning the eggs over and over again, until just barely cooked, lifting the pan off the heat halfway through. It will take less than a minute.
2. Pour onto a serving dish, sprinkle with sea salt, and serve.
SERVES 2 FOR BREAKFAST OR AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTES
If you want to serve 4, it’s best to repeat the recipe in the same pan, or use 2 pans at once.
To make the recipe less stressful, I have you crack the eggs into a bowl and then pour them into the hot pan. If you prefer to crack them into the pan, go for it.
VARIATIONS
Revueltos can be made with almost anything, but they are best with drier ingredients (i.e., not tomatoes or peppers). Try rock shrimp, sautéed ramps, cured ham, or sautéed mushrooms. And don’t use too much of any of them—revueltos are best when the added flavors merely scent the eggs.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pan con Tomate (here), Potato, Ham, and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas (here), Rabbit Soup with Garlic, Peppers, and Chorizo (here), Lightly Smoked Salt Cod Salad (here), Churros with Chocolate Sauce (here)
MARCH 6, 2002: “TRULY SPANISH CHORIZO, IN AMERICA AT LAST,” BY AMANDA HESSER; AND FEBRUARY 6, 2005: “THE ARSENAL,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2002
“BREAKFAST” SHRIMP AND GRITS
There’s no reason to limit this Low Country dish to breakfast. Shrimp and grits makes an enviable lunch or dinner, which is how I ate it. The grits portion is an excellent recipe itself and should probably become your go-to grits method, to be used with this or any other accompaniment.
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For the Grits
3½ cups water
¾ cup grits
¼ teaspoon salt
6 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (about 1½ cups)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Shrimp
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced ripe tomatoes with a little of their juice (chopped canned tomatoes are preferable to less-than-perfect fresh tomatoes)
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 pound medium to large shrimp, shelled, shells reserved for stock
½ to 1 cup shrimp stock (see Cooking Note)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. To make the grits, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan and stir in the grits. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the grits are tender and the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, add the salt, cheese, and butter, and stir until the cheese is melted. Keep warm.
2. To make the shrimp, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, pepper, and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, with their juice, and thyme, bring to a simmer, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir well. Add the shrimp and stir constantly until they begin to turn pink, about 2 minutes.
3. Add ½ cup stock and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and stir until blended. Add the cream, Worcestershire, and Tabasco, and more stock if needed to make a spoonable sauce that generously coats the shrimp. Heat thoroughly, being careful not to let it come to a boil. Taste for salt.
4. Place a portion of grits in the center of each plate and spoon the shrimp over or around it. Sprinkle with the parsley.
SERVES 4 FOR BREAKFAST OR AS A LIGHT LUNCH OR FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTES
You can have your fish guy shell the shrimp and save the shells for you—or just do it yourself, it’s only 1 pound.
I added, as I often find I need to with recipes calling for Tabasco, more than what’s called for.
Shrimp cook very quickly—it’s better to take them off the heat when they’re underdone and have to finish them later. If you overcook them, you’re doomed.
The recipe offered this method for making shrimp stock: Combine the reserved shrimp shells and 2 cups water and boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain.
SERVING SUGGESTION
Bloody Mary (here)
AUGUST 18, 2002: “FOOD: BIGHEARTED SHRIMP,” BY JULIA REED.
—2002
AMAZING OVERNIGHT WAFFLES
Like a warm pretzel, these waffles have the consummate balance of sweetness, yeast, and salinity. They’re the work of Mollie Katzen, one of America’s most successful cookbook writers of the 1980s and ’90s. If you make the waffles, you’ll understand her success.
———
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for the waffle iron
Nonstick cooking spray
1. Combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the milk until blended. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature. (If the room is warmer than 70 degrees, refrigerate.)
2. In the morning, heat the waffle iron. Beat the egg and melted butter into the bowl of batter; the batter will be quite thin. Spray the hot waffle iron with nonstick spray, and rub on a little butter with a paper towel or piece of bread. For each waffle, add just enough batter to cover the cooking surface—like icing on a cake. Cook the waffle until crisp and brown but not too dark, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot with toppings.
MAKES 3 TO 12 WAFFLES, DEPENDING ON THE KIND OF WAFFLE IRON YOU USE (BELGIAN OR STANDARD)
COOKING NOTES
I used a 1961 Westinghouse waffle iron and the recipe made 12 thin waffles.
I did my very best to rid this book of all “nonstick spray,” and yet here it is (it makes a few other appearances, but let’s not discuss the details). I grudgingly admit that it’s helpful for evenly, sparingly coating the iron. Butter, of course, is still needed, for flavor.
SERVING SUGGESTION
Serve these with Sauce Suprême (here).
OCTOBER 9, 2002: “BREAKFAST AS THE NEW CURE-ALL,” BY ALEX WITCHEL. ADAPTED FROM MOLLIE KATZEN’S SUNLIGHT CAFÉ, BY MOLLY KATZEN.
—2002
In Mississippi they know how to make a feathery pancake.
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2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1. Place a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until light and foamy. Add the milk, oil, and butter.
2. Sift together the dry ingredients into another bowl, then beat them into the liquid ingredients with a whisk.
3. When the griddle is hot, pour in about ¼ cup batter for each pancake, leaving space between. Flip when the batter bubbles and continue cooking for about a minute. Serve immediately.
MAKES ABOUT 20 PANCAKES
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Honey-Orange Smoothie (here), Mango Lassi (here)
DECEMBER 4, 2002: “WITH PANCAKES, EVERY DAY IS SUNDAY,” BY LUCIAN K. TRUSCOTT IV.
—2002
CHEESE PUDDING SOUFFLÉS
Many steps, many rewards. You end up with individual soufflés, each as light as a dandelion puff and suffused with onion and garlic. These are ideal for both brunch and as a first course for dinner. Plan them for a party, because you can make them, up to the point of the second baking, before everyone arrives. And don’t be shy with the cayenne. Onion and garlic grow more beguiling when stoked with a little heat.
———
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups whole milk, slightly warmed
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 sprigs thyme
1 medium onion, diced
½ cup thinly sliced scallions, including a bit of the green part
½ cup thinly sliced garlic
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
½ cup grated Gruyère cheese
3 large eggs, separated
⅓ cup heavy cream
1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the milk a little at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Add ½ teaspoon salt and the thyme sprigs, reduce the heat to very low, and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is medium thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, and remove the thyme.
2. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, garlic, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ cup water, reduce the heat, and cook until the garlic is soft and the water is nearly evaporated, about 10 minutes; add more water if necessary to keep the vegetables from browning. Set aside to cool.
3. Puree the onion mixture in a food processor. Add the sauce, black pepper, cayenne, and Gruyère and process until blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning—it should be fairly highly seasoned. Add the egg yolks and process until blended. Transfer to a large bowl.
4. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter six 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until they form soft peaks, and gently fold them into the cheese mixture. (Do not overfold.)
5. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins and place them in a baking pan. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the soufflés are puffed and light golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath.
6. When the soufflés have cooled for 10 minutes, unmold them by running a paring knife around the edges, inverting each soufflé into the palm of your hand, and placing it in a shallow baking dish, top side up. They can now be held at room temperature for a few hours. (They can also be held in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap, overnight.)
7. When ready to serve, heat the oven to 425 degrees. If they’ve been refrigerated, bring the soufflés to room temperature. Pour the cream over and around the soufflés. Bake until the cream is hot and bubbling and the soufflés are puffed up again, about 6 to 8 minutes. Serve with the hot cream.
SERVES 6 FOR BRUNCH OR AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
In Step 2, I added 3 more tablespoons water after the initial 10 minutes of cooking the garlic.
FEBRUARY 16, 2003: “PREP SCHOOL,” BY JULIA REED. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CHEZ PANISSE CAFÉ COOKBOOK BY ALICE WATERS AND THE COOKS OF CHEZ PANISSE.
—2003
BOILED EGGS
Julia Moskin, a Times food writer, laid down these rules for boiling eggs that produce “consistently excellent results.”
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ORIGINAL RECIPE
“Place the eggs in a single layer in a heavy saucepan and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Add a teaspoon of salt. Leaving the pan uncovered, turn the heat to high. As soon as the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and cover. After 10 minutes, remove the cover and run cold water over the eggs for 1 minute. (For firmer yolks, leave the eggs to cool in the water for up to 2 hours.) Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
“To peel, gently tap each egg against the counter, turning to make a crackle pattern. Start peeling at the broad end, where there is an air pocket. For the best flavor, eggs, once peeled, should be used within a few hours.”
APRIL 9, 2003: “HOW TO BOIL AN EGG: SO SIMPLE, BUT NOT EASY,” BY JULIA MOSKIN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM COOKS ILLUSTRATED.
—2003
HAZELNUT-LEMON-RICOTTA PANCAKES
Notes from my recipe playbook: here I essentially fused the lemon-ricotta pancakes from the Four Seasons in New York City with the hazelnut waffles served downtown at Balthazar—and I did so by taking a recipe for cottage cheese pancakes from Joy of Cooking and adding ricotta, lemon zest, hazelnuts, and more salt.
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Grated zest of 2 lemons
⅓ cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup finely ground toasted hazelnuts
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for cooking the pancakes
2 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup ricotta cheese, drained of any liquid
Honey
1. The day before, rub together the lemon zest and sugar in a bowl. Cover and set aside at room temperature.
2. The next day, make the pancakes: Mix the flour, lemon sugar, hazelnuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk the milk, butter, egg yolks, vanilla, and ricotta in another bowl. Fold this into the dry ingredients.
3. Whip the egg whites just until stiff, then fold them into the batter.
4. Heat a pancake griddle. Lightly coat the surface with butter, then use a ¼-cup measure to scoop the batter and cook, in batches, until the pancakes appear dry around the edges, about 3 minutes, then flip them and cook for another minute or two. Serve with honey.
MAKES 12 TO 16 PANCAKES; SERVES 4
NOVEMBER 6, 2005: “THE WAY WE EAT: CITRUS MAXIMUS,” BY AMANDA HESSER. FOUNDATION OF THE RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE ALL NEW ALL PURPOSE JOY OF COOKING.
—2005
POACHED SCRAMBLED EGGS
Daniel Patterson, the chef and owner of Coi in San Francisco and an occasional columnist for the Times Magazine, came up with this recipe in an attempt to find a low-stress egg dish. “What would happen,” he wrote, “if I beat the eggs before putting them in the water? I expected that they would act much as the intact eggs did and bind quickly, but I did not expect them to set into the lightest, most delicate scrambled eggs imaginable.”
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4 large eggs
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted butter (optional)
1. Crack each egg into a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl, letting the thin part of the white drain away, then transfer the remaining yolk and white to a small bowl. Beat the eggs vigorously with a fork for 20 seconds. Don’t add salt. (The grains of salt would tear the structure of the eggs, causing them to disintegrate on contact with the water.)
2. Set a medium saucepan filled with 4 inches of water over moderate heat. Put a strainer in the sink—line it with cheesecloth if you have it. When the water is at a low boil, add a few large pinches of salt, then stir in a clockwise direction to create a whirlpool. Pour the eggs into the moving water, cover the pan, and count to 20. Almost instantly, the eggs will change from translucent to opaque and float to the surface in gossamer ribbons.
3. Turn off the heat and uncover the pan. While holding back the eggs with a spoon, pour off most of the water through the strainer. Gently slide the eggs into the strainer and press them lightly to expel any excess liquid. Let them sit there for a minute while you get bowls or remove bread from the toaster.
4. Scoop some eggs into each bowl, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a fresh and vibrant green olive oil or melted butter if desired.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTE
Patterson instructs you to strain the egg whites, an odd step, but as he explained, the thicker parts of the whites are higher in protein and help bind the eggs in the simmering water. The loose whites dilute the thick whites’ strength, so it’s best to strain them out. Fresh eggs have less loose whites, so use fresh ones!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve with smoked paprika (pimentón), piment d’Espelette, or a spoonful of crème fraîche and a dollop of caviar.
JANUARY 8, 2006: “THE WAY WE EAT: WHICH CAME FIRST?” BY DANIEL PATTERSON.
—2006
BUTTERY POLENTA WITH PARMESAN AND OLIVE-OIL-FRIED EGGS
This is the kind of dish that will be good no matter who makes it, as long as he follows the directions and doesn’t skimp on the butter. But its presentation—yellow on white on yellow, blob on blob on blob—separates the stylist from the functionalists. Someone like Suzanne Goin, the chef at Lucques in Los Angeles, would plate it in such a way that you’d be rapturous before even tasting it. Kenny Shopsin, the famously sloppy king of diner food in New York, would toss it onto the plate in a heap, and you’d probably avert your eyes. Which are you?
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5 cups chicken broth or water
1½ cups polenta (not quick-cooking), coarse cornmeal, or corn grits
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
One 1-ounce chunk Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 large eggs
Coarse sea salt
1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a large pot. Stir in the polenta and salt. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened to taste, 10 to 20 minutes. Stir in the butter and pepper; cover the pot to keep warm.
2. Using a vegetable peeler, slice the cheese into slivers. Or grate it on the largest holes of a box grater.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet until very hot. Fry 4 eggs until their edges are crisp and the yolks still runny. Transfer to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining oil and eggs.
4. Spoon the polenta into 4 shallow bowls, shower with the cheese, and top with the fried eggs. Garnish with coarse salt and more pepper.
SERVES 4
FEBRUARY 7, 2007: “A GOOD APPETITE; A MORNING MEAL BEGS TO STAY UP LATE,” BY MELISSA CLARK.
—2007
SOFT SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH PESTO AND FRESH RICOTTA
Melissa Clark designed this recipe to serve just one—a knowing choice, because you won’t want to share this with anyone.
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½ tablespoon unsalted butter
3 large eggs
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 heaping tablespoon pesto, homemade (here) or store-bought, or more to taste
3 tablespoons fresh ricotta cheese, broken up into clumps
1. Melt the butter in a medium skillet, preferably well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick over medium-high heat. Beat the eggs with the salt, pepper to taste, and, if using, Parmesan cheese. Pour the eggs into the pan, swirl, and turn the heat to low. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir the eggs constantly until very loosely set and slightly runnier than you like them.
2. Remove the pan from heat and drizzle the pesto on the eggs. Give the eggs one more gentle stir—enough to finish cooking them and to distribute the pesto in dark green streaks. Scatter the ricotta on eggs and drizzle with more pesto if desired. Serve at once.
SERVES 1
SERVING SUGGESTION
Rhubarb Bellini (here)
OCTOBER 10, 2007: “A GOOD APPETITE; THE URBAN FARMER’S AUTUMN RITUAL,” BY MELISSA CLARK.
—2007
BREAKFAST PIZZA
Pizza for breakfast, but a big step up from the leftovers-in-college kind. Christine Muhlke, a Times Magazine columnist and food editor, called this pizza “a life-changing pie of bacon, eggs, and cheese that will make scallion skeptics rethink that ’70s garnish.”
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Pizza dough (here)
For the Topping
6 slices bacon
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
6 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
1. One hour before baking, place the dough in a warm spot. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and set a pizza stone on it. Heat the oven to 500 degrees.
2. Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate, then roughly chop.
3. Dip your hands and a ball of dough into flour. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured countertop, pat the dough into a disk with your fingertips, then drape the dough over your fists and carefully stretch it from beneath to form a 12-inch circle.
4. Generously dust the surface of a pizza peel or large inverted baking sheet with flour and place the stretched dough on it. Sprinkle the dough with half of the Parmesan, mozzarella, and bacon. Crack 3 eggs on top and season with salt and pepper.
5. Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully lift any sections that are sticking and sprinkle a bit more flour underneath, then slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick forward-and-back motion. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pizza after 5 minutes. When the crust is golden, the cheese is melted, and the egg yolks are cooked, use the peel to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle half of the parsley, chives, scallions, and shallot on top. Let cool for 2 minutes, then slice and serve immediately. Prepare the second pizza in the same way.
MAKES TWO 12-INCH PIZZAS
AUGUST 10, 2008: “THE WAY WE EAT: WOOD-FIRED,” BY CHRISTINE MUHLKE. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM BIG SUR BAKERY, IN BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA.
—2008
COCONUT OAT PILAF
———
2 tablespoons peanut oil or unsalted butter
1½ cups steel-cut oats (not rolled), rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (brown or black is fine)
3 cardamom pods
1 or 2 dried red chiles, like Thai (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2½ cups water
½ cup grated unsweetened dried coconut
½ cup chopped cilantro, mint, scallions, or flat-leaf parsley, or a combination
1. Put the oil or butter in a pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot or the butter melts, add the oats and ginger and stir until coated. Add the spices and a pinch each of salt and pepper; stir until fragrant, just a minute or two.
2. Gradually stir in the water—be careful, some of the oats may hop out of the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low so the mixture gently bubbles. Cook, undisturbed, until most of the water has been absorbed and holes begin to appear on the surface, 5 to 7 minutes. Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for at least 10, or up to 20, minutes.
3. Meanwhile, toast the coconut in a skillet over medium-low heat, shaking the pan and stirring until it is toasted and fragrant, several minutes (watch carefully so that it does not burn).
4. Toss the coconut and cilantro into the oats, fluffing the mixture with a fork. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve hot or at room temperature.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
If you want a lot of coconut flavor, you can double the coconut.
Go light on the scallions, if using; you don’t want them to upstage the other herbs.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Mango Lassi (here), Honey-Orange Smoothie (here)
FEBRUARY 18, 2009: “THE MINIMALIST: YOUR MORNING PIZZA,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2009
