Cook's Country

AS THIS ISSUE goes to press, we still don’t know what the holidays will hold for us. Will we be gathering in groups this year or celebrating in smaller bubbles? Will we have a big meal or a more modest one? Will we travel or stick close to home? It’s

Moisten about ½ inch of the glass rim by running a citrus wedge around the outer edge (or by dipping the edge of the glass in a small saucer of water). Spread ½ cup of kosher salt or sugar (for up to four glasses) into an even layer on a small saucer

The difference between steel-cut oats and old-fashioned (“rolled”) oats lies in the manufacturing process. Steel-cut oats are full oat groats (whole oat kernels with the hull, or outer shell, removed) sliced into small pieces with steel blades. This

We love sweet and tender roasted beets, but you’re right—roasting them can take more than an hour, and then you have to factor in the time for cooling and peeling. Is there a faster way to cook beets? Yes, in the microwave. Simply peel the beets, cut

I love using anchovies to add a savory punch to dishes such as stews and pasta sauces, but I’ve never enjoyed the messy task of mincing them (or the lingering odor they can leave on cutting boards). Recently, while I was making a recipe that called f

AT ITS SIMPLEST, choucroute garnie is a rustic, rib-sticking, country-style dish that puts the focus on the meat. You might not guess it from the name: “Choucroute” means “sauerkraut” in French (the dish has roots in the Alsace region of France). And

FOR ME, THE appeal of orange chicken is undeniable. Crispy fried bits of juicy boneless chicken tossed in a vibrant, sweet-sour, slightly spicy orange sauce—what’s not to like? According to Panda Express cofounder Andrew Cherng, orange chicken was in

“CHOUCROUTE IS A local dish that everybody kind of puts their own spin on,” says Eric Joppie, culinary director at Olympia Provisions in Portland, Oregon. “I’ve seen big pieces of salt pork, big pieces of smoked bacon, everything from different types

CHICKEN BREAST PROS: It’s readily available, relatively inexpensive, tender, quick cooking, and takes well to lots of different seasonings. Chicken breast cons: It’s not exactly packed with flavor, and it can be dry. My goal was to create a fast, eas

RUGELACH, SWEET ROLLED cookies popular in Jewish bakeries around the world, come in at least two distinct variations. The first is built on a yeasted dough and is most often found in Israel and among Mizrahi and Sephardic Jewish communities in many c

EVERY TIME I visit my local Tex-Mex restaurant, I contemplate ordering several different dishes, but inevitably I hear the familiar, mesmerizing sizzle of fajitas being delivered to a neighboring table. I smell the tantalizing aromas from the searing

A GOOD COLANDER is a kitchen asset—and not just for pasta lovers. We use ours for draining many foods, from blanched vegetables to produce we’ve salted to shed liquid. We wondered if our previous favorite was still the best. We skipped silicone model

IMAGINE A ONE-POT shrimp pasta dish: a cross between a garlicky scampi and a zippy, lemony piccata, with a little bit of creamy sauce tossed in for good measure. That’s what I was craving when I started work on this recipe. I wanted tender, succulent

BROCCOLI DOESN’T NEED to be bland or boring. It shouldn’t be overcooked to mush, underseasoned, or gray, either. I wanted to create a broccoli salad that brought out the best in broccoli by highlighting its mildly bitter flavor. My goal was a salad t

BOLOS LÊVEDOS, AT first glance, look a lot like English muffins. But these Portuguese treats (“bolos” means “cakes,” and “lêvedos” means “yeast”), originally from the Azores, are denser, sweeter, and richer than English muffins, thanks to whole milk,

CENTRAL BAKERY IN Tiverton, Rhode Island, makes only one thing: bolos lêvedos. But brothers Paul and David Lopes believe this laser focus is the key to their 30-plus years of success. “My mom and dad came to the United States and realized no one was

I LOVE A FULLY loaded bagel on a weekend morning. I’m talking a schmear of cream cheese, smoked salmon, sliced onions, briny capers, fresh dill—the whole nine yards. It’s a perfect combination of flavors, so I wanted to bring it to cocktail hour, too

A BEAUTIFUL PRIME RIB roast is usually a special-occasion centerpiece, one that’s surrounded by equally special side dishes. All that makes for a busy day in the kitchen, and when you add in the worry of an overcooked roast, it can be overwhelming. I

FEW INGREDIENTS ARE as adaptable and versatile as potatoes. You can boil, bake, mash, fry, or grill them—just about any method you can think of, you can use it on potatoes. But I’m extra-excited about a process I’ve been tinkering with a lot in my ho

UNTIL RECENTLY, HERE’ Swhat I knew about snickerdoodles: They have a great name, there’s cinnamon sugar involved, and I love them. But they also have a subtly tangy flavor and a signature crinkly look, and therein lies their mystery. I wanted a clear

FOR A FEW years as a teenager I had a flawless routine for Friday lunch at school. I’d hit up the cafeteria for two slices of cheese pizza and then, instead of sitting down with the other kids to eat, my best friend and I would carry our lunches stra

Serves 6 to 8 Total Time: 2 hours, plus 2¼hours chilling and cooling The pie may seem loose when it comes out of the oven; it will set up as it cools. You can substitute 3 cups of turkey meat for the chicken, if desired. ½ cup sour cream, chilled1 la

The test kitchen has two winning rolling pins: the straight J.K. Adams Plain Maple Rolling Dowel ($14) and the tapered Fante’s Tapered Baker’s Pin ($25), which is also made by J.K. Adams. The straight pin has more heft and is great for rolling out la

PORK GRILLADES, A Louisiana favorite of pork (usually chops) braised in a spicy gravy, is one of my favorite dishes from the state. To make it, you cook a roux of flour and oil until it’s dark and fragrant to help form a rich, cohesive sauce base, an

WHEN PUREED WITH broth and maybe a bit of cream, roasted butternut squash makes a fantastic, hearty soup—one that’s a little sweet, pleasantly rich and earthy, and deliciously savory. But let’s face it: With the peeling, seeding, and chopping of the

CHICKEN AND POTATOES are a classic pair: humble and hearty, with lots of room for gussying up. Here I was after a simple one-pan chicken and potato dish with deep flavor. I chose bone-in chicken thighs, a great cut for braising because they stay juic

IF YOU’RE A fan of taste-budprickling, sinus-tingling horseradish, you’re in for a treat. We’re here with the news that making your own version of prepared horseradish is supersimple and yields a product that’s fresher and brighter than anything you

Serves 4 to 6 Total Time: 35 minutes Use potatoes that measure 1 to 2 inches in diameter. 1½ pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking potatoes4 tablespoons unsalted butter2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Serves 4 (Makes twelve 4-inch pancakes) Total Time: 1 hour Do not stir the batter after letting it rest in step 3. Stirring bursts the bubbles created when the baking soda reacts with the buttermilk; these bubbles give the pancakes lift as they cook.

Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes Pecorino Romano cheese can be substituted for the Parmesan. 3 cups water¾ cup instant polenta2½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1¼cups), divided½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped coarse1 teaspoon table salt,

Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes If there’s not enough brine in the kimchi jar to yield ¼ cup, add water to compensate. Make sure to use firm (not soft) tofu here. 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef½ teaspoon table salt½ teaspoon pepper1 tablespoon g

Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes Serve over basmati rice, sprinkled with fresh cilantro leaves. 1 tablespoon garam masala¾ teaspoon table salt½ teaspoon pepper4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces2 ta

Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes Sirloin steak tips, also known as flap meat, can be sold as whole steaks, cubes, and strips. To ensure uniform pieces, we prefer to purchase whole steaks and cut them ourselves. 1½ pounds sirloin steak tips, trimmed an

Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the carrots. 4 (10- to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded to ¾-inch thickness1½ teaspoons table salt, divided1 teaspoon pepper, divided1 pound carr

Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes One large or two small bunches of basil will yield the ½ cup needed here. ¼cup table salt for brining2 pounds shell-on jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound)6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided3 scallions, white an

Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes You can substitute spaghetti or linguine for the bucatini. 2 ounces pancetta, cut into ½-inch pieces2 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, divided½ cup dry white wine2½ cups water2 cups chicken broth1 p

Serves 4 Total Time: 30 minutes Top these tostadas with fresh cilantro leaves and crumbled queso fresco. 1 (14-ounce) bag green coleslaw mix1 tablespoon minced jarred jalapenos, plus ¼ cup brine, divided¾ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided⅓