FLOSS
TRUSS CHICKEN
Trussing a chicken keeps the drumsticks and wings close to the body, which ensures even cooking. But if you don’t have kitchen twine, you can just use plain dental floss. Yes, you can cook with it—just make sure it’s unflavored!
STEP 1 Place the chicken on a cutting board, breast side up. Tuck the wing tips under the body and face the legs away from you.
STEP 2 Take a piece of floss three times the length of the chicken and center it under the tail. Tie the legs together in a double knot.
STEP 3 Pull both ends of the floss around the sides of the bird toward you so that each piece runs between the drumstick and the thigh.
STEP 4 Flip the bird over and pull the floss tight around each wing. Tie a double knot at the neck. Trim the excess floss.
Green Curry Roast Chicken
Active
15 min;
Total
1 hr 15 min;
Serves
4
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
4 Tbsp. Thai green curry paste
1½ tsp. finely grated lime zest
Kosher salt and pepper
One 3½-lb. whole chicken, trussed
Lime wedges, for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small bowl, using a fork, blend the butter with the curry paste, lime zest and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Carefully loosen the skin on the chicken breast and legs with your fingers. Spread the paste under the skin, gently pressing to even it out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and transfer breast side up to a large ovenproof skillet.
2. Roast the chicken for about 50 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in an inner thigh registers 165°. Let rest for 10 minutes, then carve the chicken and serve with lime wedges.
SERVE WITH Steamed rice.
3 More Butters for Your Bird
MIDDLE EASTERN One of my favorite street foods in New York City is shwarma (thin slices of spit-roasted meat, usually in a pita). Those seasonings inspired a spiced butter for roast chicken. To make it, I use a fork to blend softened butter with ground cumin, hot paprika, turmeric, allspice, garlic powder, cinnamon, black pepper and salt.
PROVENÇAL I like to borrow flavors from Provence for a wonderful chicken that evokes the south of France. To make it, I use a fork to blend softened butter with olive tapenade, minced fresh rosemary and finely grated lemon zest and garlic.
CITRUS Chicken and citrus love each other. A combo of different citrus zests with butter and garlic is delicious any time of year. To make it, I use a fork to blend softened butter with finely grated garlic and zest of orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime, then I season with salt and black pepper.
SLICE SOFT CHEESE
The thing about soft cheese is that it’s messy to cut. Using a knife can mash it and make it stick to the blade. But with floss, you get clean, even slices every time. This is an awesome trick for cutting rounds from a log of fresh goat cheese. It also works like a charm on Brie, Camembert and fresh mozzarella.
Place a long string of unflavored dental floss under the cheese. Cross the floss, then pull each end through the cheese to slice it.
Beet and Crispy Goat Cheese Sandwiches
Total
45 min;
Serves
4
One 9-oz. log of fresh goat cheese
2 large eggs
Kosher salt and pepper
1½ cups panko
3 medium steamed beets (not canned), thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
2 Tbsp. minced chives
8 slices of seeded Jewish rye bread, lightly toasted or grilled (see Note)
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1. Using unflavored dental floss, slice the cheese into ⅓-inch-thick rounds and transfer them to a plate. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Spread the panko in another shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dip the cheese rounds in the egg, then dredge in the panko, pressing to help it adhere. Transfer the coated cheese rounds to a plate and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the beet slices with the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the chives. Season the beets with salt and pepper.
3. In a large skillet, heat ¼ inch of olive oil until shimmering. Add half of the goat cheese rounds and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and repeat with the remaining cheese rounds.
4. Top 4 slices of the toast with the baby spinach, marinated beets and their juices and the crispy goat cheese. Close the sandwiches and serve them right away.
NOTE To grill the bread, heat a grill pan. Brush the bread with olive oil and grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, about 2 minutes.
MAKE AHEAD The marinated beets can be refrigerated overnight.
LIFT FRAGILE COOKIES
Slide unflavored dental floss under cookies or little cakes like these to loosen them from a baking sheet without breaking.
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
Active
40 min;
Total
1 hr 30 min;
Makes
16
CAKES
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. ground ginger
1½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
6 Tbsp. unsulfured molasses
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¾ cup buttermilk
FILLING
2½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest plus 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1. Make the cakes Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cloves. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, molasses and vanilla. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients and buttermilk in 3 alternating additions; scrape down the bowl as necessary.
2. Using a 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop, scoop 16 level mounds of dough onto each sheet, 1½ inches apart. Bake in the lower and upper thirds of the oven for 12 to 14 minutes, until risen and firm; shift the pans halfway through. Transfer the sheets to racks; let the cakes cool completely.
3. Make the filling In a large bowl, beat the butter with the confectioners’ sugar and lemon zest and juice until smooth. Spoon the filling onto the flat sides of 16 of the cakes and close the whoopie pies, pressing to distribute the filling to the edges. Transfer to a platter and refrigerate until barely chilled, 15 minutes.
CUT LAYER CAKES
Use floss to make the most precise cuts for beautiful layer cakes.
STEP 1 With a ruler, measure the center of the cake. Insert six toothpicks in the midpoint evenly around the cake.
STEP 2 Wrap floss around the cake using the toothpicks as a guide.
STEP 3 Cross the floss and pull the ends through the cake.
Chocolate Layer Cake with Strawberry Buttercream
Active
1 hr 15 min;
Total
3 hr plus cooling
Serves
12
CAKE
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed, plus more for greasing
1¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1¾ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1¾ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1¾ cups whole milk
3½ oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
FROSTING
1 lb. unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar (1¼ lbs.)
One 12-oz. jar strawberry preserves, at room temperature
Pinch of kosher salt
1. Make the cake Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper. Dust the inside rims of the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the 1¾ cups of flour with the granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and 6 tablespoons of butter. Let stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk the warm milk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then beat in the eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated.
3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans, then invert them onto a work surface. Peel off the parchment.
4. Using unflavored dental floss, slice each cake into 2 layers. Transfer the layers to baking sheets.
5. Make the frosting In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the butter with the confectioners’ sugar at low speed until just incorporated, then beat at medium speed until smooth. Add the strawberry preserves and salt and beat until fluffy and smooth; scrape down the side of the bowl as needed.
6. Set 1 cake layer on a plate. Spread the top with ¾ cup of the frosting. Top with the second layer and another ¾ cup of the frosting. Repeat the layering one more time and then set the final cake layer on top. Spread 1 cup of the frosting over the top and side of the cake in a thin layer. Refrigerate until the frosting is firm, about 30 minutes. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and side of the cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing.