QUICK TOMATO SAUCE

 

Makes 3 cups, enough for 1 pound of pasta.   Published May 1, 2009.   From Cook's Illustrated.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

To cook this brightly flavored, complex tomato sauce recipe in the time it takes to boil pasta, we chose minimally processed crushed tomatoes, which have a fresh taste but are already pureed. A few ingredients added essential flavor compounds to our tomato sauce recipe. Minced onion sautéed in butter (rather than olive oil) greatly enhanced the flavor of the tomatoes. Adding sugar, garlic, and oregano to the cooked onions further boosted our sauce’s flavor, as did adding chopped basil and olive oil just before serving.

This full-flavored tomato sauce takes only 15 minutes to prepare. High-quality canned tomatoes will make a big difference in this sauce. Our preferred brands of crushed tomatoes are Tuttorosso and Muir Glen. Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater.

INGREDIENTS

• 2tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil for vegan)
• 1/4cup grated onion , from 1 medium onion (see note)
• 1/4teaspoon dried oregano
• Table salt
• 2medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (see note)
• 1/4teaspoon sugar
• 2tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar; increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and oil; season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Caesar Salad

Serves 4 to 6. Published January 1, 2011.
From Cook's Illustrated.


Why this recipe works:  A combination of extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil gave our Caesar Salad dressing a neutral base. We used a rasp-style grater to turn garlic into pulp, then steeped it in lemon juice. To get all of our recipe’s ingredients to emulsify, we beat the yolks, anchovies, and Worcestershire sauce into the lemon juice and garlic, then slowly whisked in the oil and half of the cheese. For our Caesar salad’s croutons, we used ciabatta. Sprinkling the bread cubes with a little water and salt preserved their moistness and ensured they were perfectly tender at the center and browned around the edges after we toasted them.

If you can't find ciabatta, a similar crusty, rustic loaf of bread can be substituted. A quarter cup of Egg Beaters may be substituted for the egg yolks. Since anchovy fillets vary in size, more than 6 fillets may be necessary to yield 1 tablespoon of minced anchovies. The easiest way to turn garlic cloves into a paste is to grate them on a rasp-style grater.



Ingredients

Croutons
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste from 1 medium clove (see note)
1/2 - 3/4 loaf ciabatta, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 5 cups) (see note)
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Salad
3/4 teaspoon garlic paste from 1 large clove (see note)
2 - 3 tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6 anchovy fillets, patted dry with paper towels, minced fine, and mashed to paste with fork (1 tablespoon) (see note)
2 large egg yolks (see note)
5 tablespoons canola oil
5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)
Ground black pepper
2 - 3 romaine hearts, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices, rinsed, and dried very well (8 to 9 lightly pressed cups)

Instructions

1. FOR THE CROUTONS: Combine 1 tablespoon oil and garlic paste in small bowl; set aside. Place bread cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with water and salt. Toss, squeezing gently so bread absorbs water. Place remaining 4 tablespoons oil and soaked bread cubes in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.

2. Remove skillet from heat, push croutons to sides of skillet to clear center, add garlic/oil mixture to clearing and cook with residual heat of pan, 10 seconds. Sprinkle with Parmesan; toss until garlic and Parmesan are evenly distributed. Transfer croutons to bowl; set aside.

3. FOR THE SALAD: Whisk garlic paste and 2 tablespoons lemon juice together in large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.

4. Whisk Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, and egg yolks into garlic/lemon juice mixture. While whisking constantly, drizzle canola oil and extra virgin olive oil into bowl in slow, steady stream until fully emulsified. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and pepper to taste; whisk until incorporated.

5. Add romaine to dressing and toss to coat. Add croutons and mix gently until evenly distributed. Taste and season with up to additional 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Serve immediately, passing remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan separately.

No-Knead Pizza Dough

This dough is chewy, bubbly, and better than what you'll get at most pizza places. It bakes wonderfully in a home oven, on a pizza stone or a baking sheet. And thanks to the brilliant no-knead method of Jim Lahey—owner of New York's Sullivan Street Bakery and pizza spot Co.—it's easy to prepare, deriving its character from overnight fermentation, not laborious kneading. Just remember to start at least 1 day ahead.


Makes six 10"–12" pizzas

active time: 90 minutes
total time: 20 1/2 hours

Recipe by Jim Lahey

Ingredients

    7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (1000 grams) plus more for shaping dough
    4 teaspoons fine sea salt
    1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

Preparation

    Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 3 cups water; stir until well incorporated. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature (about 72°) in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, about 18 hours (time will vary depending on the temperature in the room).
    Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 6 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions.
    Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap each dough ball separately in plastic wrap and chill. Unwrap and let rest at room temperature on a lightly floured work surface, covered with plastic wrap, for 2–3 hours before shaping.

To Make the Pizzas

    During the last hour of dough's resting, prepare oven: If using a pizza stone, arrange a rack in upper third of oven and place stone on rack; preheat oven to its hottest setting, 500°–550°, for 1 hour. If using a baking sheet, arrange a rack in middle of oven and preheat to its hottest setting, 500°–550°. (You do not need to preheat the baking sheet.)
    Working with 1 dough ball at a time, dust dough generously with flour and place on a floured work surface. Gently shape dough into a 10"–12" disk.

If Using Pizza Stone

    When ready to bake, increase oven heat to broil. Sprinkle a pizza peel or rimless (or inverted rimmed) baking sheet lightly with flour. Place dough disk on prepared peel and top with desired toppings.
    Using small, quick back-and-forth movements, slide pizza from peel onto hot pizza stone. Broil pizza, rotating halfway, until bottom of crust is crisp and top is blistered, 5–7 minutes.
    Using peel, transfer to a work surface to slice. Repeat, allowing pizza stone to reheat under broiler for 5 minutes between pizzas.

Bistro Salad

December/January 2012
Cooks Country

Why this recipe works:   Hearty romaine lettuce takes the place of hard-to-find frisee in this classic French salad. Thick-cut bacon and a fried egg add heft, and a potent vinaigrette made with Dijon mustard cuts the richness.

Serves 4
Thick-cut bacon and a fried egg add heft to these greens, turning a quick salad into supper.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large eggs
1 head frisée (6 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 romaine lettuce heart (6 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces


Instructions

1. Combine vinegar, shallot, mayonnaise, mustard, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until thoroughly incorporated; set aside.

2. Cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Heat fat over medium-low heat. Fry eggs, covered, until whites are just set, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, toss frisée and romaine with dressing and divide among individual bowls. Top each salad with fried egg and bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

These sweet, juicy tomatoes fall somewhere between the glorious taste of a ripe summer tomato and the richness of a sun-dried. We got the idea from tomatoes Provencal, a side where the tomatoes are stuffed with a mixture of garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese, then baked. Oven-roasted tomatoes make a delicious, colorful side dish to fish, pork, or beef, and taste great on sandwiches or tossed with pasta and a soft cheese. If you're making the tomatoes just for pasta, try cutting them into four wedges instead of rounds.

1 lb plum tomatoes (about 6), cored and cut into 4 rounds
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cups chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss the tomatoes with the rest of the ingredients in a medium-size bowl.
3. Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on a non-stick aluminum-covered sheet pan. Scrape any remaining basil/garlic/oil mixture over the tomatoes. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the tomatoes until they begin to blacken around the edges, 25-30 minutes. Rotate the pan after about 15 min, and check the tomatoes occasionally to make sure that they're not charring. If they are, lower the oven temperature to 400.
4. Use the tomatoes immediately, or store them, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.

From the Once Upon a Tart cookbook

Mexican Rice

Serves 8-10
Ingredients

1 15 oz can diced or whole tomatoes
1 medium white onion
3 medium jalapeños
2 cups long grain white rice
1/3 cup canola oil
4 minced garlic cloves
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegan)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 lime


Directions

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350.

Process tomato and onion in processor or blender until pureed and thoroughly smooth. Transfer mixture to measuring cup and reserve exactly 2 cups. Discard excess.

Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños and discard. Mince flesh and set aside. Mince remaining jalapeño. Set aside.

Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear - about 1 1/2 minutes.  Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water.This step removes the starch from the rice so it will not stick.

Heat oil in heavy bottomed oven-safe 12 inch straight sided saute pan or Dutch oven with tight fitting lid over medium-high heat about 2 minutes. Drop a few rice grains in and if they sizzle then it is ready. Add rice and fry stirring until rice is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Be careful that the oil doesn't get too hot too fast or the oil will splatter.

Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and 2 minced jalapeños and cook , stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Stir in broth, pureed mixture,tomato paste, and salt. Increase heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.

Cover pan and transfer pan to oven to bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30-35 minutes.Stir well after 15 minutes.

Stir in cilantro, minced jalapeño to taste, and pass lime wedges separately.

Notes:  Be sure that the processed tomatoes and the one onion equals 2 cups.  If you find that after processing your tomatoes and onions that you have less than 2 cups, simply add enough bottled salsa to make up the difference.

Leftovers are just as delicious the next day so this is a perfect dish to make ahead time for potlucks. This rice also freezes well. For Freezing Ahead: Cool, portion and freeze in a ziploc bag. To reheat from frozen: Place in a pyrex dish and warm in the microwave, stirring every 2-3 minutes until heated through.

Crispy Baked Potato Fans

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

This stunning potato dish delivers a fluffy interior, a crisp exterior, and a cheesy bread crumb topping—if you can get the potatoes cooked right. For our Crispy Baked Potato Fans recipe, we found that using the right kind of potato is key. The russet, or Idaho, potato was the best choice because of its starchy flesh and fluffy texture. Taking the time to rinse the potatoes of surface starch after they were sliced prevented them from sticking together, while trimming off the end of each potato gave the remaining slices room to fan out. To prevent overcooking our spuds in the punishing oven heat, we precooked them in the microwave before baking. A topping of fresh bread crumbs, melted butter, two kinds of cheese, garlic powder, and paprika is the crowning touch on our Crispy Baked Potato Fans. As a final step in our Crispy Baked Potato Fans recipe, we broiled the potatoes to make the topping extra-crunchy.

Serves 4

To ensure that the potatoes fan out evenly, look for uniformly shaped potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

Bread Crumb Topping

1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper


Potato Fans

4 russet potatoes, scrubbed
2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper


INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the bread crumb topping: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground. Bake bread crumbs on rimmed baking sheet until dry, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then combine crumbs, butter, cheeses, paprika, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. (Bread crumb topping can be refrigerated in zipper-lock bag for 2 days.)

2. For the potato fans: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Following photos 1 to 3 at left, cut 1/4 inch from bottom and ends of potatoes, then slice potatoes crosswise at 1/4-inch intervals, leaving 1/4 inch of potato intact. Gently rinse potatoes under running water, let drain, and transfer, sliced-side down, to plate. Microwave until slightly soft to the touch, 6 to 12 minutes, flipping potatoes halfway through cooking.

3. Arrange potatoes, sliced-side up, on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush potatoes all over with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until skin is crisp and potatoes are beginning to brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove potatoes from oven and heat broiler.

4. Carefully top potatoes with stuffing mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Broil until bread crumbs are deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Serve.