Chapter Two
serves 4
My son Miles makes many different Asian noodle soups in my kitchen. He’s been influenced by working in restaurants with Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese cooks and traveling in Thailand. He’s become so adept at preparing soup from our Asian pantry (see page 16) that we rarely order out any of these soups anymore. Feel free to add some soy sauce, fish sauce, or hoisin to jazz this one up and make it your own.
Chicken Broth (recipe follows) or 8 cups store-bought chicken broth
Two 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
9 ounces Chinese dried egg noodles
1 pound Chinese broccoli or broccolini, sliced crosswise into 1-inch pieces
4 large poached eggs
Hot sauce, such as Sriracha (optional)
Crispy to Soft
serves 4
This is a Mexican chicken soup, and instead of noodles, there are tortilla chips scattered throughout it, which takes the soup over the top. The floating bits of once-crunchy, salty tortilla chips slowly absorb the flavor of the chicken broth as they soften. The basic bowl of good chicken broth is enhanced with the addition of some highly flavorful add-ins: avocado, lime, and cilantro. Use left-over cooked chicken or reserve the meat from the homemade broth.
6 cups Chicken Broth (page 57)or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
2 to 3 cups cooked shredded chicken, warmed
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
2 radishes, thinly sliced
Fresh cilantro leaves (from about 4 sprigs)
1 lime, cut into wedges
Tortilla chips
Tangy and Creamy
serves 6
Avgolemono is my mom’s favorite soup, lemon lover that she is. Whenever I visit her, we order it from a local Greek diner/cafeteria in a town near her Massachusetts home. The silky texture is achieved by whisking the egg whites to soft peaks, then adding the yolks and lemon juice before incorporating it all into the chicken broth. The result is a creamy concoction that tastes instantly familiar, homey, and comforting.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1½ teaspoons coarse salt
1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
Chicken Broth (page 57) or 8 cups store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
4 large eggs, separated
½ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
serves 6 to 8
When I realized how damn easy it is to make homemade tomato soup, I was incredulous. Why on earth had we been eating the red-and-white cans of pink stuff all those years? Serve grilled cheese sandwiches on the side for dipping, or cut into small squares to float on top. Or, better yet, double-down on the star ingredient and serve the soup with Sun-Dried Tomato–Parmesan Crisps (page 130), which were inspired by the breadsticks tucked inside the take-out bags from my local soup stand.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes in juice
2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
A 3-by-1½-inch piece Parmesan rind (optional)
Garnishes: extra virgin olive oil or butter and grated Parmesan (optional)
Ham and Cheese, Please
makes 2 sandwiches
This is a freakishly good crunchy hot ham and cheese sandwich taken over the top by a creamy cheese-laced béchamel sauce and a fried egg with a runny yolk on top. Hands down, it’s my preferred, salivating-when-I-see-it-on-the-menu brunch choice. It’s so not low-fat, it’s a treat to indulge in once in a while. Omit the eggs and you have a Croque Monsieur.
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
4 slices white bread
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 ounces thinly sliced best-quality deli ham
2 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
makes 6 sandwiches, with leftover meat
This French dip sandwich is actually three recipes in one: a braised boneless chuck roast, a jus made from the braising liquid, and the assembled sandwich. The chuck roast is braised for three hours and then shredded. It’s piled on a split fresh baguette, topped with Swiss cheese, and put under the broiler. The cheese is melted. It’s crunchy on the outside, soft, melty, and unctuous on the inside. The bread stays crisp but then instantly softens when dipped in the jus—impossible for any meat lover to resist.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
One 3-pound boneless chuck roast
1 tablespoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 baguette
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
makes 2 sandwiches
My Philadelphia-born friend is so devoted to her city’s most famous sandwich that the first thing she did after her big fancy wedding was to head, gown and all, to her favorite local spot for a cheesesteak to end the night. On a recent visit, I comparison-shopped the cheesesteak sandwich shops. Here’s my standard order: onions, whiz (i.e., Cheez Whiz), provolone, and giardiniera—the pickled vegetables perk up the whole meaty, cheesy business. Regardless of where you buy it, everything starts with the vigorous sound of chopping and flipping spatulas cutting through the frying beef a-sizzle on the flattop. Beyond that, the rest is personalized. Add the whiz? provolone? onions? peppers? hot peppers? giardiniera? You better know what you want before you step up to the counter.
One 1-pound boneless beef top round steak
½ medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon safflower oil
1 tablespoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Two 8-inch-long hero rolls
4 slices provolone cheese
1 cup Creamy Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
Giardiniera for garnish (optional; page 72)
serves 6 to 8
This is the biggest-bang-for-your-buck, whole-meal soup you can make. I marry my favorite black bean soup with a touch of rich and hearty beef barley soup (minus the barley). It was designed as a vehicle for some leftover beef and the black beans in the cupboard. For a hearty vegetarian option, see the variation.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¾ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tomatoes, chopped (about ¾ cup)
2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and picked over
1 bay leaf
4 cups canned low-sodium beef broth
One 12-ounce bottle Guinness beer
4 to 6 cups water
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 cups shredded leftover beef
Big Apple in a Bun
makes 6 dogs
I can’t tell you how many times my sons used to come home from school, to a delicious meal cooking in the kitchen, only to answer the question “Are you hungry?” with “Not really, I already ate.” It drove me nuts until I learned to replicate the food they love from the outside in our home. Here I’ve put together the classic NYC hot dog, the kind you get at Gray’s Papaya, which apparently my guys frequented even when their pockets were practically empty. Back then, $1.75 would get you two hot dogs and a delicious fresh fruit drink, like papaya or coconut—it’s known as the recession special. Like the ubiquitous street cart New York City hot dog, mine is served on a steamed bun with a red-tinged onion relish and sauerkraut.
Onion Relish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
6 all-beef hot dogs
6 hot dog buns
Spicy brown mustard
Quick Kraut (recipe follows)
Dragged Through the Garden
makes 4 dogs
Vendor after vendor I visited along the shores of Lake Michigan left me with no doubt as to what constitutes an original Chicago Hot Dog. I will not be accused of riffing on this one. The essentials are a Chicago red hot dog (simmer the hot dogs with a beet if you can’t find these at your local store), a poppy seed bun (not easy to find), authentic neon-green relish (also not easy to find), and celery salt. And never, ever, use ketchup.
4 hot dog buns, split open
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
4 all-beef hot dogs (see headnote)
4 dill pickle spears
1 tomato, cut into 8 wedges
About 1½ tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
½ white onion, chopped
4 jarred peperoncini
Celery salt
makes 1 sandwich
You can’t beat the bite of golden toasted bread leading into soft avocado, creamy mayonnaise, grilled chicken, and a cool, sweet hit of tomato, all punctuated with the salty smokiness of bacon. This triple-decker number needs a toothpick pushed through it to hold the whole thing together. And do not forget the pickle.
A club sandwich always goes well with a gin and tonic. Pairing this one with Cucumber-Mint Gin and Tonic (page 252) results in a killer luncheon, an updated double-decker “club car” classic.
4 slices bacon
One 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast half, butterflied
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
3 slices white bread, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ avocado, thinly sliced
Two ¼-inch-thick slices beefsteak tomato
A few iceberg lettuce leaves, torn
2 small dill pickles
serves 4 to 6
Banh mi shops cluster together in Vietnamese neighborhoods, from small, funky specialty shops that offer affordable variations and speedy delivery to fast-food franchises, which in the Vietnamese communities of Orange County, California, are as common and commercial as burger joints. The banh mi sandwich is a quintessential representation of the French colonial presence in Indochina (Vietnam), where the French left their taste for baguettes and pâté and the Vietnamese added fresh vegetables, herbs, and lightly pickled veggies to take it into the stratosphere. This homemade version is just killer.
Marinade
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
One 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped palm sugar or brown sugar
2 tablespoons safflower oil
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ pound pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide pieces
Pickled Vegetables
¾ cup white vinegar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup julienned carrots (see Note)
1 cup julienned daikon (see Note)
1 baguette
⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chili paste, such as sambal oelek
6 ounces store-bought pork pâté, thinly sliced
4 ounces thinly sliced ham, such as Black Forest (sliced by the deli)
⅓ English cucumber, cut into 8 spears
8 cilantro sprigs
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
makes 4 burgers
This burger—a healthy homage to New York City’s premier fast-food joint, Shake Shack—is made from ground chicken that’s spiked with chives, lemon juice, bread crumbs, and Dijon mustard to build a flavorful, juicy burger. For a completely healthy menu, add Potato Poppers (page 214; baked, not fried) and a Strawberry Buttermilk Shake (page 260; buttermilk and sorbet replace ice cream).
1½ pounds ground chicken (light and dark meat)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
⅓ cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
4 slices Fontina cheese (optional)
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
Optional garnishes: Sliced tomato, sliced red onion, lettuce, mayo, Dijon mustard, and/or pickles
Thanks Parents
makes 8 burgers
What you expose your kids to when they’re little does matter. Indelibly imprinted on my mind are memories of the street festivals in Detroit’s Greektown that my parents took us to, and the delicious kebabs in pita bread. This burger manifests those taste-flavor recollections. Ground lamb makes the most flavorful and unusual burger, especially when the mix is spiced up.
2 pounds ground lamb
1 teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
Tzatziki Sauce
2 cups Greek-style yogurt
1 English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Parsley Salad
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 individual pitas or 4 regular pitas, split open
serves 8 to 10
Admittedly, this is neither a soup nor a sandwich—but it makes a satisfying meal anytime, which is why I’ve included this pie here. Plus, it made me fall in love with spinach long before I’d ever eat it on its own. This version, from the family of my Albanian friend Milot, is the easiest ever because there’s no precooking of the spinach. Milot’s mom makes her very own phyllo dough (which, hmm, I haven’t mastered); I use packaged frozen dough with great results.
One 8-ounce container whipped butter
½ cup safflower oil
Filling
3 bunches spinach, stemmed, washed, and chopped
½ small onion, chopped
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons butter and oil mixture, from above
20 sheets prepared phyllo dough (see page 89), thawed if frozen
makes 6 to 8 sandwiches
On a recent visit to New York City, my Israeli friends swore these were better than any falafel they’d had on the streets of Tel Aviv! I think these fried patties of ground and flavored chickpeas are as close as you’ll come to the savory satisfaction of meat in the vegetable world. Topped with tahini dressing and served with a simple Israeli salad, they make one of my favorite protein-filled vegetarian or vegan meals. Even my meat-mad sons and husband agree.
One 15½-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1¾ cups cooked chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 small yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
Juice of 1 lemon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (see page 17)
½ cup safflower oil
Israeli Chopped Salad (recipe follows)
For serving: pita bread, sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, romaine lettuce leaves, and/or tahini