anytime 24/7

Chapter Two

Soups and Sandwiches

Slurpable

chinese egg noodle soup

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)

Bring the broth to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Add the chicken and simmer gently until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously, add the egg noodles, and cook until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and divide the noodles among four soup bowls.
Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside to cool slightly. Bring the broth to a boil, add the broccoli, and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, lift out the broccoli and divide among the bowls.
Slice the chicken and divide among the bowls. Ladle the broth into the bowls and top each with a poached egg and some hot sauce, if desired.

nutshell recipe: poached eggs

Fill a medium skillet with 1 inch of water. Add a splash of vinegar, cover, and bring to a gentle boil. Break eggs one at a time into a small cup and slip each into the boiling water. Reduce the heat to a simmer and poach until the whites turn opaque and the yolks have set, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a soup bowl.

You can poach eggs 1 to 2 hours ahead: in that case, place each poached egg on a cotton-towel-lined baking sheet. Cool and cover. Just before serving, submerge in boiling water for 10 seconds to reheat.

chicken broth

makes 2 quarts

Whenever I’m cutting up whole chickens at home, I reserve the back and wing tips, put them in a resealable bag in the freezer, and use my stockpile the next time I make this delicious homemade broth. To add even more nutrients, or for recipes with an Asian theme, add a 3-inch piece of ginger, sliced, and 2 spicy chili peppers with the other ingredients.

2 chicken backs, necks, and wing tips

6 chicken thighs

1 large yellow onion, quartered

4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon coarse salt

Combine all the ingredients in a stockpot and add cold water to barely cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, skimming and discarding the foam as it rises to the surface. Strain the broth into another pot (the cooked chicken meat can be used in a salad). Simmer to reduce to 8 cups, which will concentrate the flavor.
To store, cool completely and seal in plastic freezer containers. The broth will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.

Store-Bought Chicken Broth? I’d love to rant and rave about how you should only use your own homemade chicken broth because it’s so easy, so good, so healthy, blah, blah, blah. But the truth is, I often get stuck at the last minute, needing it as an ingredient and with none premade in the freezer and no time to make it. Honestly, though, I haven’t found a commercial variety I love. It’s hard to make well for mass production. Even if premium chicken parts were affordable for large-scale broth making (which, apparently, they aren’t), the broth must be reduced to lower shipping costs and then reconstituted. Using canned commercial broth is a lose-lose situation, where you have to take the best of the worst and make it work. I do keep boxes (resealable) of Pacific Natural Foods organic, free-range chicken broth in my pantry/fridge. If you live near a gourmet shop that makes its own, that’s usually the best alternative to homemade that you can keep stocked in your freezer.

Crispy to Soft

tortilla soup

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

Simmer the broth over high heat for about 2 minutes, until hot.
Divide the hot broth among four bowls. Top each with some shredded chicken, a few slices of avocado and radish, and a few cilantro leaves. Squeeze the lime juice over the soup, add a few tortilla chips, and serve.

Do it yourself

Tortilla chips are a must-have pantry item for snacking. Crumbled or ground up, they can be used to coat chicken breasts or top a casserole. If you have packages of corn tortillas on hand, tortilla chips are easily homemade.

nutshell recipe: tortilla chips

Brush corn tortillas with safflower oil. Sprinkle with salt and slice or cut into small triangles. Spread on a baking sheet and toast in a 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden on the edges and crispy. Or fry them in ½ inch of safflower oil, if you are into it. Serve with Roasted Salsa Verde (page 211) or Salsa Roja (page 208).

Tangy and Creamy

avgolemono

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

Heat a 4- to 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When it shimmers, add the onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the salt and rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and lemon juice until thoroughly combined.
Remove the soup from the heat and slowly ladle 1 cup soup into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Add the tempered eggs and pepper to the pot, stirring to combine, and serve immediately.

Tempering When whisking eggs into a hot liquid or mixture, it is important to “temper” the eggs first by combining them with a little of the hot liquid, bringing both mixtures closer in temperature, to prevent the eggs from curdling or turning into scrambled eggs. Then the tempered mixture is slowly whisked into the hot liquid to thicken it smoothly.

Cozy Comfort

classic tomato soup

serves 6 to 8

Classic Tomato Soup with Sun-Dried Tomato–Parmesan Crisps (page 130)

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)

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil (see Note, page 171). When it shimmers, add the shallots, carrots, and celery, season with the salt, and sauté until soft and golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, 2 cups of the chicken broth, and Parmesan rind, if using, bring to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, until the soup has thickened slightly. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind.
Transfer the soup to a blender, working in batches, and puree. Reheat the soup, if necessary. Add more chicken broth if needed for the desired consistency.
Divide among bowls and garnish each with a drizzle of olive oil or a small pat of butter and grated Parmesan, if desired.

Tomato soup

Tomato is one of those soups that can be so good done well, and absolutely disgusto if done wrong. Eating out, beware of a purple-tinged red tone (usually overly acidic), little brown bits (bitter dried herbs), or chunks of tomatoes with core still attached. • Made well in classic American style, tomato soup is a smooth puree. The consistency should resemble heavy cream, and the soup should be slightly pink-tinged (not from the addition of cream, but from the emulsification when the tomatoes, aromatics, and stock are blended) rather than reddish, and neither too salty nor sweet—elements achieved with good ingredients, especially good canned tomatoes (see page 63).

Parmesan Cheese

If you buy Parmesan in chunks instead of the desiccated, flavorless grated variety, you will end up with Parmesan rinds. These add a wonderful savory bottom flavor to many soups or stews. If you go through as much cheese as my family does, accumulate your rinds in a resealable plastic bag stored in the freezer.

Canned Tomatoes

I’ve tried them all and can report with absolute certainty that your soup will be most delicious if made with Muir Glen organic canned peeled whole plum tomatoes, which taste tomatoey and have the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.

nutshell recipe: grilled cheese sandwich

Heat a griddle to medium heat. Place 2 slices of cheese (cheddar, Swiss, Muenster, Monterey Jack) between two slices of bread (white Pullman, sourdough, whole wheat, seven grain). Liberally spread mayonnaise (my little trick) or softened butter on the top of the bread. Place the sandwich mayo side down on the hot griddle. Spread some more mayonnaise or butter on the slice of bread facing up. Using a spatula, press down on the sandwich. Toast for 3 minutes, until golden. Flip and repeat on the other side. Slice and serve with soup.

Ham and Cheese, Please

croque madame

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

Preheat the broiler with a rack in the top position. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until lightly golden. Add the milk and salt and whisk constantly until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the nutmeg, and gradually add half the cheese, stirring to combine.
Lay the slices of bread on a small baking sheet. Spread the mustard on 2 slices and top with the ham. Spoon half the béchamel sauce onto the remaining 2 slices and top with the remaining cheese. Close the sandwiches, with the ham and cheese facing each other inside.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and cook, turning once, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the sandwiches back to the baking sheet, cover with the remaining béchamel sauce, and put under the broiler until bubbly, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the same skillet over high heat. Fry the eggs, sunny-side up, about 2 minutes.
Top each sandwich with a fried egg, season with pepper, and serve immediately.

a white delight

Béchamel sauce, or creamy white sauce, is a French “mother sauce” (sounds fancier than it is) from which spring many variations and applications. Mastering how to make it lets you create many different dishes. Even when there’s “nothing in the house to eat,” you can usually rustle up some flour, butter, and milk along with something to fold in—like tuna, corned beef, or canned salmon—in order to fashion a casserole-type meal. Vary the flavoring by adding mustard or horseradish to the milk. Fold in a cup of shredded cheese and you have a Mornay sauce, which can be folded together with a pound of macaroni elbows for a quick mac ’n’ cheese (see page 194) or layered into a lasagna (see page 192).

nutshell recipe: béchamel sauce

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over high heat. If desired, add a minced shallot. Whisk in 1 tablespoon flour and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 cup milk, stirring constantly, until boiling again, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 more minutes. Makes 1¼ cups sauce.

Three-in-One

classic french dip

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

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third position. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil. Season the meat with the salt and pepper. When the oil shimmers, add the meat to the pot, and brown on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and sauté until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Boil to reduce the liquid by half.
Return the chuck roast to the Dutch oven, add 2 cups of the chicken broth and the bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and cook, basting a few times, until the meat is falling-apart tender, about 3 hours.
Transfer the meat to a baking dish and shred, using two forks. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Add the remaining 1 cup broth and keep warm on the stovetop until ready to serve.
Preheat the broiler. Slice the baguette lengthwise in half, drizzle with oil, and place on a baking sheet. Mound with the shredded meat to cover the bread, top with the Swiss cheese, and broil until the cheese is bubbly, about 2 minutes.
Cut the sandwich into 6 portions and serve immediately, with a bowl of jus on the side.

It’s no wonder this crazy-good sandwich gets people’s attention. The braised meat is really just a delicious pot roast. Work double-duty by serving the meat with mashed potatoes (see page 215) and a vegetable side dish, then bust out a baguette the next day for the sandwich transformation. A slow-roasted seasoned cut of meat, bubbling away in the oven for hours, fills the house with an aroma that is out of this world. Everyone will want to stay home!

Sandwich of Brotherly Love

philly cheesesteak

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)

To make slicing it easier, freeze the beef for 30 minutes to firm up.
Preheat a double-burner griddle or two large skillets over medium-high heat. Thinly slice the meat against the grain.
Toss the onions in a bowl with the oil and put them on the griddle. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent. Push the onions to the back of the griddle.
Place the beef on the griddle and season with the salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until no pink remains. Stir the onions into the beef and chop the beef mixture into bite-size pieces with the side of a metal spatula.
Divide the beef and onions between the hoagie rolls. Top with the provolone and cheese sauce. Serve immediately, topped with giardiniera, if desired.

Slicing Meat Thin Whether you’re slicing top round for cheesesteaks, thinly slicing flank steak for Beef Satay (page 140), or some fillet for a stir-fry, it can be tricky to cut the meat thin enough. But if you partially freeze it, for about 30 minutes (just long enough to firm it, without freezing it through), the job becomes easy and the results accurate.

creamy cheese sauce

makes 2 cups

This creamy cheese sauce can be made ahead of time, cooled, and stored in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat it, stirring occasionally, in a saucepan over low heat when ready to use.

One 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 scant teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 pound mild yellow cheddar cheese, shredded

Bring the evaporated milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat, add the mustard, gradually add the cheese, and stir gently until the cheese is melted. Keep warm on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve.

giardiniera

makes 2 quarts

This is a great pickled “vegetable” to keep in the fridge for sandwiches and salads. The recipe can be halved if desired.

2½ cups white wine vinegar

2½ cups water

2 tablespoons coarse salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 bay leaf

3 whole cloves

1 teaspoon celery seeds

2 celery stalks, peeled and sliced on the bias into 1-inch pieces

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias into 1-inch pieces

½ head cauliflower, core removed and separated into florets

1 small yellow onion, quartered lengthwise and halved crosswise

2 serrano chilies sliced on the bias into ½-inch-wide pieces

Combine the vinegar, water, salt, sugar, bay leaf, cloves, and celery seeds in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients and return to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid. The giardiniera can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Beefy or Not

beefy black bean soup

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

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When it shimmers, add the onions and sauté, stirring for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the cumin, paprika, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring for a few minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, bay leaf, broth, beer, and 4 cups water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are soft, 1 to 2 hours, depending on the age of the beans; add water as needed to keep a soupy consistency.
Stir in the salt and the beef and heat through.

To thicken bean soups and achieve a creamy consistency, remove a cup or two of the beans once they are cooked and soft and mash them with a large fork, then return to the pot and stir to combine.

Variation

vegetarian black bean soup

Substitute vegetable broth for the beef broth and omit the beef.

Big Apple in a Bun

new york city hot dog

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)

For the relish, heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When it shimmers, add the onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden brown in places, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, water, red wine vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the onion relish is thick and glossy, a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat.
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a deep skillet. Add the hot dogs, reduce the heat, keeping the water at a bare simmer, and heat through, at least 8 minutes (or until ready to serve).
Just before serving, line a steamer basket or colander with cheesecloth and set in a pot with ½ inch of boiling water. Place the hot dog buns on the cheesecloth, cover the pot, and steam the buns for 2 minutes to warm them. (Or put the buns on a plate and microwave them for 1 minute.)
Put the hot dogs in the buns, top with some onion relish, spicy brown mustard, and sauerkraut, and serve immediately.

Hot dog buns

Don’t try to get fancy with the bun for this dog—you need a soft, doughy, garden-variety commercial one. They’re meant to be merely the supporting flavor/texture player next to the starring roles of the dogs and condiments.

quick kraut

makes 3 cups

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

½ teaspoon coarse salt

½ head green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup water

⅓ cup apple cider or apple juice

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When it shimmers, add the onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, vinegar, water, and apple cider and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
Let cool if not using immediately. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid. The kraut can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Dragged Through the Garden

chicago hot dog

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

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Brush the outside of the buns with the butter and sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Put on a baking sheet, cut side down, and toast in the oven for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, simmer the hot dogs in the pot of water to heat through, about 8 minutes.
Place a hot dog in each bun. Place a pickle spear on one side and 2 tomato wedges on the other of each hot dog. Squirt or drizzle the mustard in a zigzag pattern over the dogs. Spoon a dollop of relish onto each one, and scatter some of the white onion over each one. Place a peperoncini on top of each hot dog, sprinkle with celery salt, and serve.

There is a “weenie war” in Chicago between the main two purveyors of the famous red hot dogs: Vienna Beef vs Chicago Red Hot. Choose your weapon:

The original

www.viennabeef.com (where you can also procure the authentic condiments)

The upstart

www.redhotchicago.com

Double-Decker Meal

chicken club

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

Cook the bacon in a 10-inch sauté pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan.
Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon of the salt, ⅛ teaspoon of the pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Heat the reserved fat in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, flipping once, until golden brown in places and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and thinly slice on the bias.
Lay the slices of toast side by side on a work surface and spread the mayonnaise over them. Divide the chicken between 2 slices, followed by the avocado, bacon, and tomato. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Top with the lettuce, place one bread stack on top of the other, and close the sandwich with the remaining slice of toast. Spear each pickle with a 6- to 8-inch wooden or metal skewer and secure two opposite corners of the sandwich from top to bottom with the skewers. Cut the sandwich in half on the diagonal and serve.

Keep prepped chicken breasts in your freezer and, if your pantry is stocked, you’ll be ready for many meals. Freeze them in one of three ways:

Whole boneless chicken halves Wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil or freezer paper. Write the contents and date on a piece of freezer tape and apply this label. Freeze. Use for Chinese Egg Noodle Soup (page 56) or Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo (page 190).
Butterflied boneless breasts Cut each breast half almost but not completely horizontally in half through the center and open like a book. Wrap individually in plastic, stack together, and wrap a whole batch in foil. Write the contents and date on a piece of freezer tape and apply this label. Freeze. Use for Chicken Club (page 78).
Sliced into thin strips Freeze plain or in a marinade. If freezing plain, wrap in individual portions in plastic wrap and foil; store marinating strips in a freezer container wrapped in foil. Write the contents and date on a piece of freezer tape and apply this label. Freeze. Use plain chicken strips for a quick stir-fry.

There are also three ways to safely thaw frozen chicken:

The fridge Thawing in the refrigerator takes the longest—1 or 2 days.
Cold water Unwrap the chicken, put it in a resealable plastic bag, and submerge in a sink full of cold water. One pound of chicken breast will take less than 1 hour to thaw this way.
The microwave Remove the aluminum foil before thawing in the microwave and plan on cooking immediately—in case any part of the chicken begins to cook as you thaw, which can leave the meat at a temper-ature where bacteria can grow.

Take-out Fusion Fare

banh mi

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

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.
Add the pork tenderloin, stir to coat evenly, and let marinate for 30 minutes.
To make the pickled vegetables, bring the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the carrots and daikon, remove from the heat, and let cool to room temperature.
Preheat a grill pan over high heat. Grill the pork, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 140°F, about 4 minutes total. Remove the pork from the grill pan, let rest for 5 minutes, and thinly slice.
Preheat the broiler with the rack in the upper third position. Halve the baguette lengthwise. Place cut side up directly on the oven rack and broil until toasted and brown around the edges, 2 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Combine the mayonnaise and chili paste in a small bowl, then spread evenly across the bottom of the baguette. Top with the pâté, ham, and grilled pork. Distribute the cucumber spears, pickled vegetables, cilantro sprigs, and jalapeños evenly over the meats. Close the baguette, cut into portions, and serve.

Production-Line Sandwich Making When I make banh mi, Cuban sandwiches, Italian pressed sandwiches, or breakfast sandwiches for a group, I start with one large loaf, split it horizontally, layer in the filling, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. It’s a clever do-in-advance technique. Leaving it whole means it stays fresher longer and allows the flavors to meld—then slice into single portions when ready.

To cut the vegetables into julienne (thin matchstick-shaped pieces), first cut into ⅛-inch slices, then stack the slices, and cut into ⅛-inch-thick strips. Trim pieces to desired length, usually about ½ inch.

Where’s the Beef?

chicken chive burgers

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

Preheat an outdoor grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat. Combine the chicken, salt, pepper, mustard, bread crumbs, lemon juice, and chives in a large bowl. Form into four ½-inch-thick patties.
Grill the patties, flipping once, until the juices run clear (the center should register 160°F on an instant-read thermometer), 8 to 10 minutes. Top the patties with the cheese during the last minute of cooking, if using, and cover the grill or pan to melt it.
Meanwhile, lightly grill the cut side of the buns, if desired.
Serve with any or all of the garnishes.

burger

I was never a burger eater until the retro-inspired burger joints raised the bar with better ingredients and clever combinations. One important basic idea drives the re-creation of my favorite home versions, regardless of what type of burger I’m making: the relationship between burger and bun. First, the burger patty type is determined: choose beef (and what cut or combination of cuts), chicken, salmon, or tuna; keeping in mind the patty’s thickness and width, the cooking method, and the seasoning, the bun choice follows—size, texture, softness, crustiness, toastiness, and coating. Whether or not there are condiments available to adorn said burger, it should stand on its own two feet as burger and bun!

Thanks Parents

lamb burgers with tzatziki and parsley salad

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

Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Combine the lamb, salt, pepper, and curry powder in a bowl. Form into 8 oblong patties, 3 inches by 2 inches. Set aside to come to room temperature.
Meanwhile, for the tzatziki sauce, combine the yogurt, cucumber, mint, salt, lemon zest, and juice in a medium bowl. Set aside.
For the parsley salad, combine the tomato, parsley, red onion, and olive oil in another medium bowl. Set aside.
Put the burgers on the grill or in the grill pan and cook to the desired doneness, about 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Stuff the burgers, tzatziki sauce, and parsley salad into the pitas and serve immediately.

Curry Powder Commercial curry powders vary dramatically in flavor. Find the blend you like, buy it in small quantities, and store it, well sealed, in a cool, dry place; it should stay pungent for 9 to 12 months. Nevertheless, check it before using. Like any spice, curry powders lose freshness and flavor punch if left in the cupboard too long. Don’t add flavorless powder to your recipe and expect it to taste good.

Flaky Layers

spinach phyllo pie

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

Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position. Combine the butter and oil in a small saucepan and warm over low heat until the butter is melted. Stir to combine. Keep in a warm spot.
For the filling, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Brush some butter-oil mixture onto a baking sheet and lay 1 sheet of phyllo on it. Brush the phyllo with the butter mixture. Layer 8 more sheets, brushing each with the butter mixture, then cover with another sheet. Spread the spinach topping evenly over the phyllo. Top the spinach with the remaining 10 sheets of phyllo, brushing the butter mixture on each one. Fold over ½ inch of the edges of the dough and press to seal.
Bake the spinach pie for 45 minutes, or until the top is risen and golden. Use a knife to check the bottom and make sure it is nice and crispy. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then slice and serve.

The pie can be frozen after assembly. Place directly in the oven from the freezer and bake about 10 minutes longer.

Phyllo Dough

Frozen phyllo dough is the most awesome convenience item. Don’t be intimidated by its seemingly delicate nature. Handled correctly from the outset, it’s actually very forgiving and easy to work with. Not only is it a good low-fat alternative to regular pie dough, but it also bakes into the most gloriously beautiful flaky layers. Here are a few tips for using it, from freezer to plate.

The dough must be thawed slowly in the refrigerator to prevent it from becoming too moist—as it would if thawed at room temperature. And if it’s still slightly frozen when unwrapped, it’ll crack.
Have the filling made and ready to go before you start working with the dough. You don’t want to stop and let the dough dry out.
While working with the dough, after you unroll it, keep unused sheets covered with a damp towel.
Use a mixture of melted butter and oil for brushing each layer of dough. This is also your glue for patching any tears: just brush a little of the mixture on the tear, patch it with a small piece of dough, and brush again. The final product will be just fine, since the dough puffs and flakes as it bakes.
You can freeze most pies and pastries made with phyllo dough. Bake directly from the freezer.

Satisfying Vegetarian

falafel with israeli chopped salad

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

Put half the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse a few times, until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the remaining chickpeas to the processor, along with the garlic, onion, herbs, spices, baking soda, salt, and lemon juice. Pulse to a thick, chunky paste, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the bowl of chopped chickpeas. Add the egg and sesame seeds and stir to combine. Cover and chill the batter in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. When it shimmers, drop heaping tablespoons of the batter into the skillet and gently press into 2-inch round patties. Cook, turning once, until deep golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
Serve the falafel with the salad as well as the pita bread, sliced tomatoes, red onion, romaine leaves, and tahini.

israeli chopped salad

tops 6 to 8 sandwiches or serves 6

Top the falafal sandwiches with this salad, or serve it on its own at another meal. Israeli cucumbers, which are like the Persian variety, can be found in gourmet stores, greenmarkets, and some supermarkets. If unavailable, use Kirby cucumbers.

3 medium Kirby cucumbers or 6 small seedless Israeli cucumbers, chopped into small cubes

4 plum tomatoes, chopped into small pieces

1 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Dried Bean and Legume Options

Eat them often. They are an inexpensive protein and a great source of fiber. Cooked plainly, they possess a subtle natural taste but are also a perfect benign canvas to combine with different flavor profiles. Canned, they’re as convenient as it gets, but if you have the time to rehydrate the dried ones, you’ll get about six times the value for the price. If you aren’t accustomed to eating beans, start with chickpeas. There’s just something about the shape and texture of chickpeas—also known as garbanzo beans—that makes them a friendly introduction to the wide world of beans. On Friday nights, my Italian grandma always made a chickpea-based dish she called ceci e pasta.

nutshell recipe: ceci e pasta

Drain a 15-ounce can of chickpeas and sauté them in olive oil with 2 cloves minced garlic. Add a 15-ounce can of chicken broth along with a 28-ounce can of good-quality tomatoes, crushed. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over boiled macaroni shells that will capture the round seasoned beans. Top with lots of grated cheese. There’ll be plenty of leftover sauce for next time.