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N U M B E R S I XT Y- S E V E N

M A R C H t APR I L 211
1 1 1 ` 1 . 1
|JssiC rOvIiCs
Not Cakey, Not Fudg, Just Right
)UiC, OrI |IOs
Start with a Cold Pn?
oiIJCI lJsJIJ
Presoak Noodles and Quick-Bake
|IiCICI JIG KiCC
Indian Spices, Complex Flavors
1JsIiI iIICrsvCCI
|IOCOJICs
Ghirrdelli Wins, Herhey's Scores
JI-oCJrCG oIrii
KJIiI JIiI JIs
!9Pn Beats !95 Model
Perect Baklava
Piza Proven<ai-Style
How to Buy Pork
Orange Salads
Etra-Crisp Wafles
www. c ooks i l l u s t r at ed . c o m
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March 6 April 2004
2 Notes from Readers
Readers ask questions and sugest sol utions.
Quick Tips
Quick and easy ways to perform everday task, from
making favored cofee to cleaning cheese graters.
b Resurrecting Raised Waffles
Yeasted wafes seem ol d-fashioned, and they require
an ounce of pl anning, but they are crisper. tastier. and
more convenient to prepare than regul ar wafes.
BY KERI F I S HE R WI TH GARTH CLI NGINGS MI TH
o Chicken and Rice,
Indian-Style
Chicken birani is a complicated (and often greasy)
classic Indian dish. Chicken and rice is a plain and simpl e
American one- pot meal . Coul d I find a happy medium?
BY MATTHEW CARD
|Juicy Weeknight Pork Chops
Dr and tough pork chops are the realit. My dream was
juicy, tender pork chops on the tabl e in 20minutes.
BY BRI DG ET LANCASTER
|2 How to Pan-Sear Shrimp
We wanted shrimp that were wel l caramelized but sti l l
moist. briny, and tender. BY KE I TH DRESSER
| Proven<al Pizza
Pissladiere theclassic olive, anchov, and onion pizza
from Provence, is easy enough to prepare, but each
ingredient must be handl ed just so.
BY ULI A COLLIN DAVI S ON
|b A Guide to Buying
Fresh Pork
Here's everthing you need to know about cooking
today's l ean pork. incl uding identifing the best cuts and
choosing the proper cooking method. BY RE BE CCA HAYS
|o Better, Easier Spinach Lasagna
We dump the mozzarel l a. add cottage cheese, and soak
no-boil noodl es in hot tap water. Is this any way to treat a
northern Italian classic? BY RE BECCA HAYS
2 Better Orange Salads
Sl ice the oranges into smal l pieces, and use lime juice to
make a bol d-favored dressing. BY E RI N MC MU RRER
2! Perfecting Baklava
Prt pastr, part confection, baklava is often subject to
the foibles of both: too sog and too sweet. We made
more than three dozen batches to uncover its secrets.
BY DAWN YANAGIHARA
2 The Best Classic Brownies
Whatever happened to the chewy, not over-the-top,
yet chocolatey brownie? BY E RIKA BRUCE
2bJust What Is Dark Chocolate,
Anyway?
A tasting of nine "dark" chocolates revealed an industr
with little regulation and two widely avail abl e (and
inexpensive) brands that beat out the pricier
competition. BY E RI KA BRUCE AND ADAM RI ED
2o What Makes a Better
Baking Pan?
You can spend $9 or $95 on a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
Does more money buy you better resul ts?
BY ADAM RI ED WI TH GARTH CLINGINGS MI TH
J Kitchen Notes
Test resul ts, buying tips. and advice related to stories past
and present, directly from the test kitchen.
BY BRI DG ET LAN CASTE R
J2 Resources
Products from this issue and where to get them, incl uding
basmati rice, wafe irons. and pizza wheel s.
A'''
5ALKSAND SHOO1 Al though many shoots and stalks are now avail abl e year- round, they
are traditionally harbingers of spring. Asparagus is avail abl e in shades of green, white, or purpl e.
Fiddl ehead fems are young, unfurl ed fem shoots, aptl y named for their resembl ance to the
head of a viol in. They have a chewy texture and a flavor somewhere between asparagus and
green beans. Thriving in cool er climates, fiel d-grown rhubarb has rosy red and bright green
hues, whereas the hothouse tpes come in paler shades. The roots and l eaves are poisonous
and shoul d not be eaten. The artichoke, the unopened bud of a thistl e stalk. is best eaten when
it has a deep green col or and tightly cl osed l eaves. Al so a member of the thistle family. cardoon
l ooks like oversize cel er but has the flavor of a mild artichoke. It is best braised, boil ed, or
fried. Cel er can range in col or from white to green. Fennel can be eaten raw or cooked, in
which case its mil d licorice flavor becomes even mil der. Lemon grass stal ks are used l ike herb
sprigs to infuse many Asian dishes with a mil d l emon favor.
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COOK'S
l l. |. l - T l1_\ T l |1
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11'J1.1
THANKSGIVING DAYS
J
he day before Thanksgivi ng, my
8-year-old son, Charlie, and I set out
up the mountain with my Winchester
32 special ( Charlie had his lever
action BB gun) and hiked up to the ledges,
rocky outcroppings that give a hunter a com
manding view of the woods below. The old log
ging trails stood out as if they had been marked
by a road crew, and the shape of the ridges,
knolls, and valleys rose up through the bare
trees. Mter sitting a bit, we headed up over the
backside of the mountain into a hollow, where
we came upon paths littered with sign, plenty
of tree scrapings, and my favorite old elm, with
its smooth, sculpted trunk that splits into thirds
and spirals up and away from the forest foor.
P hour later, we ended up on a narrow ridge
with the wind surging through the pines and
a view down the other side through a stand of
half-dead chestnuts, gnarled, moss- covered, and
standing round- shouldered like overdressed old
men in holiday vests . In the distance we could
see the remains of Fred West' s farm, the house
having been destroyed by fre last summer,
three chimneys blackened and standing bare, as
if in a child' s drawing.
The sun was sinking into long dirty fngers
of clouds, and the two of us peered down into
a wooded bowl , a hazy abyss of trees and rocks
a sea of browns and grays, indistinct and smoky
in twilight. Above, we looked up to the surface,
patches of pale blue sky visibl e, where the sun
was still strong, its warmth no longer reaching
the depths . Winter was on its way, but Charli e' s
boyish enthusiasm for the hunt overwhelmed
thoughts of a dark season.
The week before I had attended a
family funeral in Baltimore . The relatives
had gathered as if at a standing room-only
Thanksgiving; a quiet chattiness descended on
the room, which was overheated and decorated
in a woody 1950s style, with a large bowl of
wrapped peppermint candies by the door.
children, the two groups bound
uncomfortably by ritual . A
postfuneral l unch at a nearby
country club offered snow crab
soup, sof-shell crab club sand
wiches, and stiff, well-seasoned
bloody marys .
This half of my family is an
odd bunch and fond of nick
names . The four sisters ( my
grandmother among them) were
named Mick, Dick, Kd, and
Shick; one of their daughters
was called Snoozie ( as a baby,
she slept most of the day) and
another Squee ( now referred to,
with more deference, as Dee).
Kid' s frst husband, John Condit,
frmly believed that he could
build a moon rocket. In Florida
Christopher Kimball
Back on the farm, around
the Thanksgiving table, adults
and children had gathered once
again. The last piece of choco
late trife had been scooped off
the plate, and, with the apple,
back in the 1 920s, he actually constructed one,
charged admission, and then skipped town on
the day of the launch. Kid ( named after the
Yellow Kid comic strip) was herself a character.
She kept a monkey as a pet, raised pit bulls, and
more or less terrorized the rest of the family.
(With her last breath, she called the nurse over
to the bed, pinched her hard on the thigh,
and then expired. ) Shick, who was commonly
referred to as Aunt Charlotte, was an artist,
making sculptures of boiled chicken bones and
colored glass . On a visit to her house as a child,
I opened a large bureau only to fnd a treasure
trove of these medieval artifacts, each delicately
wrapped in tissue.
In the reception room at the cemetery, the
youngest among us were prim, quiet, and stiff;
the older family members, being used to the
feeting nature of life, were rather enj oying
themselves, sof laughter bubbling up through
hushed reminiscences . There was a procession to
the graveside and then a short service performed
by a stout, hirsute nun, a bit unsteady on her
feet, from a nearby church. The wind whipped
the holy water and earth i nto the faces of those
seated in the front row, stinging their eyes with
a reminder of life' s indignities . The cemetery
was raw and cold, the sky gray; perfect weather
for hunting, I thought. Photographs were
taken of old men standing behind overdressed
pecan, and pumpki n pies hal f- gone, silence
descended and the table was as quiet as the
woods . Five-year-old Emily was folded up in
her Mom' s lap. Our teenage girls were tem
porarily sated from the pl easures of dessert.
Parents and guests were happy to just sit back
and watch the fre.
Now that I am decidedly closer to death than
birth, I am ofen surrounded by the young and
the old, celebrating beginnings and endings .
Winter comes, the dead are buried, the young
grow up, and we meet again in familiar places.
These days, I seem to focus on the food and
the fre rather than on meanings. Horace, the
Roman philosopher- poet, was given a farm
upon retirement, and he was quoted as saying,
"Now I have nothing lef to pray for. " I am
quite content to live on the edge of darkness,
with my son by my side in the twilight or seated
awkwardly at fnerals, hugged by a cold, wet
wind. Those lucky to have lived long enough
fnally see only what is before them. In the
woods, we look for signs of prey, not deliver
ance. At a fneral, we see friends remembered,
not forgotten.
In this life, on this day, I see a table well
stocked with children and pie. I start to think
that Horace and I have a lot i n common. On
a farm, on the far side of need, we have fally
found nothing l ef to pray for.
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MARC H [ A P RI L 2 0 0 4
`1: 1` 11.i11:
Measuring Greens
Recipes ofen call for 8 or 1 0 cups ( or a volume
measurement) of salad greens, but greens are usu
ally sold by weight or by the head. How do I make
the conversion fom weight or heads to cups?
BILL CONKLIN
PORT TOWNSEND. WASH.
Hoping that we could fnd a simple formula
for converting from weight to volume, we pur
chased baby spinach, mesclun, and a couple of
heads of red leaf lettuce. Back in the test kitchen,
we happily found that in each case 1 ounce of
greens (we tore the lettuce leaves into bite-size
pieces so they could be measured) equaled about
1 cup lightly packed. While there' s no waste when
buying baby spinach or mesclun, fgure on losing
about 20 percent per head of lettuce afer coring
and cleaning. If you want 10 cups of cleaned, torn
lettuce leaves, buy a head that weighs 12 ounces .
We generally fnd that about 2 ounces ( or 2 cups)
of greens makes for a single serving.
All-Purpose Ramekins
I never seem to have enough of the right-size
ramekins for whatever individual - type dessert
I'm making. I don't want to H my cabinets with
a dozen of every size. As it is, I' m overrun! Does
anyone know what the most commonly used size
is? Is it better to go bigger and fll less when nec
essary? Please help before I buy again!
JOANNE FORMISANO
MORGANVILLE. N.J.
@ If you want to purchase one set of ramekins
and one set onJy, we have the following advice.
As for size, go ( slightly) large rather than small;
a size between 6 and 8 ounces ( but no bigger)
should accommodate recipes calling for 4-ounce
ramekins, but 4-ounce rarekins W not accom
modate larger recipes. For material, select smrdy,
high- fred porcelain over Pyrex glass custard
cups, which are neither broilersafe nor tl1e most
attractive container for an elegantly executed
creme bnllee . For shape, the most practical
choice is round. Altlough we like shallow oval
ramekins for our November/December 2001
creme bnlee recipe because they provide a high
ratio of sugary burnt crust to custard, a round
vessel with straight sides is necessary if you want
to use ramekins for individual soufes; souffles
W rise successfl y only if they have the straight
sides of a vessel to climb. Also with regard to
shape, avoid overly deep ramekins witl1 a narrow
circumference. Ramekins ranging from 6 to 8
C O MPI L ED B Y I N D I A K O OP M A N <
ounces should measure 3 to 4 inches across. You
can determine the volume of any ramekins you
have at home by measuring the amount of water
tl1ey will hold when filled to tl1e rin1 .
Leave the Stirring to Us
What do you know about a gadget called tle
StirChef It supposedly saves you time by stirring
tl1e pot for you-a replacement for the personal
chef, perhaps?
MARGARET MOREY
HANDS - FRE E STI RRI NG
Can the StirChef take the pl ace of a real cook wi th
two hands? Can it make decent risotto?
For $30, the StirChef buys you tl1e feedom
to handle otl1er tasks while it stirs food on tle
stovetop. Of the more than a dozen types offood
tl1e StirChef is supposed to be able to stir, we
tried three: risotto, which requires a long period
of constant stirring; chili, which needs intermit
tent stirring; and chocolate pudding, which calls
for a brief but steady stretch of stirring.
The StirChef comes with a cylindrical motor
run on four P batteries ( guaranteed to hold up
for three to four hours of constant stirring), three
different- sized stirring paddles ( to fit saucepans 6
to 81/2 inches wide, or about 1112 to 4l2 quarts),
and a stainless steel shaf that connects any of the
paddles to the motor. The motor also has three
arms to stabilize it; tley stretch as needed to ft
the size of tl1e pan. Once we fi gured out how to
put all of tl1ese pieces togetl1er ( and which end
was up-no easy task), we started cooking.
The most annoying clung about the StirChef
is that once you set it up in tle pot, you can't
remove it untiJ you fi nish cooking ( try and you'll
burn your hands). That also means tl1at if you
want to add ingredients to the pot during cook
ing, you have to maneuver arotmd the StirChef
Thus for the risotto, we had to add butter,
onion, and, most inconveniently, a cup of rice
through the rather small spaces between the arms
C OOK's I L L U S TRA T E D
Z
grabbing the sides of the pot. This requirement
became even more inconvenient when we had to
ease in a couple of cans of beans and tomatoes
and a pound of ground beef when making chili .
(We made onJy half a recipe because that was all
that would ft in a 4-quart saucepan. This points
up another limitation imposed by the StirChef)
Finally, the StirChef also makes it impossible to
cover the pot because the motor sticks up above
the rim ( no matter the size of the pot used). This
was a problem when making our chili recipe,
which calls for one hour of cooking covered and
one hour uncovered.
Yes, the StirChef did deliver creamy risotto
( with no scorching), evenJy cooked chili (with
very, very minor scorching), and serviceable
chocolate pudding ( no curdling, but the texture
was not completely smooth). No, we still don't
recommend it. The idea of a tool that W do the
stirring for you sounds like such a convenience,
but, in practice, it's not. In fact, given all of its
limitations, it's more of an inconvenience, and
who wants to spend $30 on tl1at?
Reusing Oil for Fring
I have tried reusing cooking oil for deep-fying
and have found that the second time I use the oil
there are tiny little particles in it that coat the food
and darken it; this seems to affect appearance and
taste to a degree. Is it not possible to reuse oil, or
can it be reused, and, if so, how does one fJter
out the tiniest of these particles? I hate to throw
away all of that oil, which seems perfectly good
other than the suspended particles .
CHARMAINE MCCRYSTAL
REDWOOD CITY. CALIF.
?The test kitchen doesn' t like the idea of wast
ing seemingly good, if slightly used, oil, either,
and generally fiJters out food partices with a fi ne
mesh strainer. For very fne particles, the strainer
can be lined with two or three layers of cheese
cloth. A strainer lined with a paper coffee fiJter
works, too. Once tl1e oil has been fJtered, the
test kitchen stores it in the refigerator and gen
erally fnds that the oil is good for three or four
uses (with ftration afer each use). Of course,
the kitchen goes through stored oil more quickly
than most home cooks and so ends up keeping it
for onJy tlrree or four months. One more point:
While you can reuse oil tlat has been used to fry
potatoes or doughnuts or any other bakery prod
uct, do not reuse oil used to fy protein, such as
fish or ducken, because of the off favors these
foods impart to the oil .
Understanding Wild Rice
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JUNEAU. ALASKA
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JACKSON, MICH.
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The zester hol der keeps
grted cheese and ci trus zest
of the counter.
V11 D :
Tis looks like a kitchen tool to us. Do you know what it's used for?
D.J. AND STEVE STAR
ANAHOLE. HAWAII
.We found a couple of these tools for sale for about $5 on
the Web, where they were called tomato or onion grippers or
holders. Made from cast aluminum, this tool is intended to
help you cut slices of tomato or onion or even lemon or any
other round or oval fruit or vegetable of a similar size. You
place the object beteen the to "grippers" at one end and squeeze at the
other end, as you would a pair of pliers, to hold the object in place. You then
slice down into the object with a knife, using the tines of the grippers as guides to
make even slices. Placing an onion on its side and slicing will give you onion rings. and
doing the same with a tomato will give you rounds for sandwiches.
We didn't find this tool to be helpful. The tines in the gripper are spaced such that you get
slices about '/inch thick, something most cooks can easily achieve with a good knife. In addition, the tomato
or onion supposedly secured in the gripper sometimes slipped, which made for uneven slices. If you'd like to
get perfectly even and impressively thin slices of onion and tomato, as well as lots of other vegetables and fruits,
we recommend a mandoline-a hand-operated slicing machine. While stainless steel mandolines usually cost
upward of $100, plastic models, ofen called V-slicers, can be had for much, much less. Te V-slicers we liked in
the test published in the March/ April 2003 issue of the magazine were the Progressive Mandoline Multi Slicer
($8. 99) and the Target Mandoline Slicer ($9.99). They cost only twice as much as the tomato/onion gripper,
and they're at least 20 times as useful.
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your inquir, name, address, and daytime telephone number
to Notes from Reader, Cook's Illustrted, P.O. Box 470589,
Brookline, N02447, or to notesfromreaders@bcpress.com.
MARC i l b A P RI L 2 0 0 4
9
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Quick Tips
3 C O MPI LE D B Y R E B E C C A H AY S A N D N I N A W E ST E
Crushing Peppercorns
Whi l e many cooks use the bottom
of a smal l heav ski l l et to crush
peppercorns, Katheri ne Toy of San
Frncisco, Cal if. , favors a Prex
measuri ng cup. The cup is heav
enough to crush the peppercorns,
and i ts clear gl ass bottom al l ows her
to gauge her progress as she works.
Ofset Spatula Substitute
Unwilling to pay prmium kitchenwre
stor prices for a lare ofset icing spat
ula, Justin Brce of Aat, Calif.. went
shopping for afordable options at a
hardwr store. He bought a lare of
set palette knife with a fexible blade,
which is norally used for mixing small
amount of paint or Spacke. The knife
wor almost as well as an icing spatula,
and it cost only one quarer to one
half as much. Plette knives can also be
purhased at art supply stors.
Reading Kitchen Scales
Bulk container, lare roasts, and the like can obscure the display on a digital scale.
Uef Erikson of Minneapolis, Minn., found an ingenious way around the prblem.
I.
I.Steady a lighteight cake stnd on the scale, and set the tre at zero.
Z.Te cake stand. which is wide enough to accommodate lare pans and big cuts of
meat, elevates items so that the display is visible.
Heating Milk for Cofee
Jessica Joy Gadeken of Evanston, I l l . , l i kes her cofee with mi l k, but she al so
l i kes i t pi pi ng hot. I nstead of pouri ng col d mi l k i nto her cup for a tepi d dri nk,
she does the fol l owi ng.
I . Measure the desi red amount of mi l k into the empt carafe of an el ectric
cofee maker before brewi ng.
Z.
Z.Athe hot cofee dri ps i n, the warmi ng pl ate of the cofee maker heats the
mi l k, resul ti ng i n a pot of steami ng hot cofee with mi l k.
bcn0 USY0Ur1g We will provide a complimentary one-year subscription for each tip we print. Send your tip, name, address, and
telephone number to Quick Tips. Cook's Illustrated, P.O.Box 470589, Brookline. MA 02447, or visit www.cooksillustrated.com.
C O OK
'
s I L L U S TRATE D

Kitchen Twine Stand-In


Fi ndi ng hi msel f in need of kitchen
tine but wi th none at hand,
Norman Lmberg of Arl i ngton, Va. ,
came u p wi th a substitute. He now
ti es meat, poultr, and bouquet
garni wi th unflavored, unwaxed
dental fl oss when kitchen ti ne is
unavai l abl e.
Pcking Dishes
Cathy Bush of Virinia Beach, Va ..
wrps dishes in plastic befor boxing
them for moving. Unlike newspaper,
which can stin, plastic wrp keeps the
dishes clean. Crumpled newspaper or
bubble wrp can be used to pad the
box and keep plastic-wrpped dishes
and glassr sfe.
Reviving Stale Chips
Self-descri bed potato chi p addi cts,
Val eri e Dar ofWestfi el d, Mass. , and
Crig Di l l of Al buquerque, N. M. ,
hate to throw away lefover chi ps,
even if they've gone stal e. Tey
found that mi crowaving stale potato
or torti l l a chi ps restores crispness
beautiful ly. Spread 2 cups of chi ps
on a Prex pi e pl ate and mi crowave
on hi gh for I mi nute. Place the hot
chi ps on a doubl e layer of paper
towels and al l ow them to come to
room temperture before sering. U
Z
b
C

D
m
Z
Z

Z
C

Homemade Fl avored Cofee


Sandy Hyman of Denver, Col o. ,
appreci ates the taste of store
bought flavored cofee but has
devel oped a creative way to make
her own speci al t brews at home.
For I 0 cups of cofee, pl ace 11
teaspoon of ground ci nnamon, '/s
to '/teaspoon cardamom, or 'h
teaspoon al l spi ce in the fi l ter of a
dri p-stl e cofee maker al ong with
the ground cofee. Brew the cofee
as you normal ly woul d and enjoy a
subtly scented dri nk.
Disposal Freshener
Rther than di scardi ng the remnants
of zested ci trus peel s, Ptri ci a Fr
of Wol feboro, N. H. , gri nds l eftover
pi eces of l emon, l i me. ornge. and
grpefrui t ri nd i n her kitchen si nk
disposal . The strong scent of the frui t
helps to mask unpl easant odor that
someti mes col l ect in the di sposal .
Cleaning Cheese Graters
Graters coated with the sti ck resi due from soft cheeses can be a chore to cl ean.
Shi rley Ei senson of Gol den, Col o. , found an easy way to handl e thi s task.
I. Rub a hard. stale crust of bread (such as the end of a baguette) over the di rt
grter plate to remove most of the mess.
Z.Scrub the grter i n hot soapy water to fi ni sh the job.
Shaping Ptties
Easy Ground Spices
When a reci pe cal l s for a smal l
amount of freshly ground whol e
spi ces, such as cumi n or cori ander
seed, Chri s Cal des of Gol den,
Col o. , reaches not for an el ectric
spice gri nder but for an empt
pepper mi l l designated for spi ces.
Chri s drops the whol e spi ces i nto
the hopper of a cl ean pepper mi l l ,
sets the mi l l to the desi red
l evel of coarseness,
and starts gri ndi ng.
Knowing that crab cakes must be uniformly shaped if they are to cook evenly, Elma Mi l l er of Burl i ngton, Ontario, Canada,
came up with a way to shape them, as wel l as hamburgers and other patti es, with a si mpl e item she always has on hand.
I . Une a smal l , to- pi ece
Mason jar l i d with pl astic wrap.
Instant Ol ive Pste
Z. Press enough fi sh, crab, or potato cake mix
ture i nto the l i d to fi l l it compl etely and evenly.
When A Shi rl ey Gudl i nk of Matteson, I l l . , needs a few spoonful s of ver fi nely mi nced
ol ives, caper, or sun- dri ed tomatoes, she pul l s out a garl i c press. She pl aces to or
three pitted ol ives, a teaspoonful of caper, or two oi l -packed, sun- dri ed tomatoes
in the hopper of a garl i c press and squeezes. The pastes can be used to favor salad
dressings, di ps, and sauces or be used as a pasta toppi ng or sandwi ch spread.
M A R C i l b APR I L 2 0 0 4
5
J. Remove the patt by gently push
i ng the l id up from the bottom.
Handy Cake Tester
avid baker. Bets Regan of Branford,
Conn. , hangs a smal l , cl ean, unused
straw whi sk broom near her oven.
When she needs to test a cake for
doneness, she breaks of a straw and
i nserts i t i nto the cake.
Resurrecting Raised Wafes
Yeasted waff l es seem ol d- fashioned, and they requ i re an ounce of pl anni ng,
but they are cri sper, tasti er, and more conven i ent to prepare than regular waffles.
` B Y K E R I F I
.
S H E R W I T H G A R T H C L I N G I N G S M I T H E

aised wafes are barely


on the current culinary
radar, and that's a shame.
Instead of being leavened
with baking powder or baking soda,
raised wafes rely primarily on yeast,
which yields breakfast fare with a
unique texture and flavor. Rised
wafes are much more interesting
than basic waffl es; they are at once
creamy and airy, tangy and salty,
refned and complex.
The concept is simple enough.
the rght amount was 1% cups. Whole, reduced
fat, and skim m all yelded sinillar results, a big
surprise until I recalled that I had already added a
stick of melted butter; the total fat content of the
batter wasn't changed much by the tpe of m
used. (I bad tested 2 and + tablespoons of butter,
but tasters preferred the extra-crisp exterior and
rich flavor provided by a h stick.)
Just teaspoon of vanilla added depth of fla
vor, and a teaspoon of salt complemented the
wafle's tangy flavor. A tablespoon of sugar gave
the wafles a sweetness that wasn't cloying.
Thi nki ng Ahead Most of the ingredients (flour, salt,
sugar, yeast, milk, melted butter,
and vanilla) are combined the night
before and lef to rise on the counter.
The next day, eggs and baking soda
are added and the batter is baked of.
In fact, yeasted wafes involve less
work than traditional wafles when
it comes time to make them in the
morning. But as we soon found out,
many of the old recipes still in circu
lation are not reliable. Sere these del icate, ai r wafles with room-temperature srup. Hot srup
qui ckly soaks i nto the wafes and softens thei r texture.
At this point, my working recipe called for only two
ingredients to be added i the morning: eggs and
baing soda. Wondering if the eggs could be mixed
in tle nght before, I prepared a batch and found
that tl1ese waf es had the same great texture and
flavor as a batch made with eggs added at the last
minute. Best of all, adding the eggs at the outset
made for even less last-minute work than was called
for in the old-fashioned recipes. (Rcipes that call
for leaving the batter on the counter overnight add
the eggs in the morning for safet reasons. Because
I was letting the batter rise i the refgerator, I
could safely add tl1e eggs at the outset.) The Basics
Most raised waffe recipes cal for the batter to be
lef out at room temperature overnight to rise. A
warm kitchen provides a fertile feld in which the
yeast can feed. During my initial tests, however, I
discovered that these recipes had too small a win
dow of time before tangy turned downright sour.
Batter lef to rise unrefrigerated overnight (for
me, fom o o'clock in the afernoon-the end of
the work day-until V o'clock the next morning)
rose and fell, leaving behind a t watery batter
tat yielded an unpleasantly sha-tasting wafe. A
more fexible option, I discovered, was to leave tle
batter to rise-more slowly-in the refigerator.
Now I could prepare the batter before dller and
let it sit safely overnight. This simple change made
the rest of my testing go much more smooty.
Because most home cooks now use instant
(rapid-rise) yeast, which does not require proofng,
this was my leavener of choice. The question was,
muCh. P h packet of yeast (214 teaspoons)
yielded an overly fluff, insubstantial wafle; the
large amount of yeast was producing a glut of gas.
Wafles made with a scant teaspoon of yeast were
too bland, so I settled on teaspoons, which
imparted a pleasant tang flavor and a texmre half
way beteen airy and eartl1bow1d.
Choosing the right flour was confusing
because raised wafes are part bread ( tlink yeast
bread) and part cake (tlink griddle cakes). Tests
quickly determined tl1at waffl es made witl1 bread
four were bready, tough, and chewy. Cake four
produced a sour, tllin wafe. All-purpose four
lived up to its name and was the four of choice,
providing a solid base for botl1 good fl avor and
The next question concerned the baking soda
called for in some recipes. Did these waf es really
need it? Tests proved tlut wafes made with
r1d without baking soda were virmally indistin
guishable. Why, then, do most recipes call for it?
Because batters left at warm room temperature for
too long are usually batters that contain dead yeast
in tl1e morning (as I found out in an early test).
The baking soda, tl1en, is a fail-safe ingredient, one
that ensures raised wafes. Because my recipe has
good texmre.
Tasters overwhelningly preferred
wafes made with milk to those made
with heavy crean or butter. The
batter made witl1 cream was too
heavy for the leavening power of
tl1e yeast, and the resulting wa les
were dense. The wafes made witl
buttermilk, on tl1e otler band, were
thought to taste "like cheese" (tl1e
yeast provides more tlr1 enough fla
vor), so I crossed it of my list, along
with sour cream and yogurt. Too
much milk made tl1e waffles delicate;
Yeasted versus Regul ar Wafl es
C OOK
'
S I L L U S TRA T E D
6
LEAVENE D WI TH YEAST
Cri spy and dark.
CHE MI CALLY LEAVENE D
Chewy and pal e .
Why bother with yeasted wafl es? Two reasons: The yeast gi ves the
wafl es a tan g flavor, and i t makes the m espe ci al ly l ight, ai r, and
cri sp (l eft) . Typi cal wafl es, made with baki ng powder or baki ng
soda, are more dense and chewy and don 't brown as much (right) .
C | E N C E . The Effects ofTemperature on Yeast
Fermentation is aruably the ol dest of cooking techni ques. Even the early hunters and gatherer must have noticed
that meat and berries tasted and smel l ed quite diferent a few days after col l ecti on. Luis Psteur made the semi nal
di scover that the changes i n food overtime often resul t from the metabol i c activit of mi crobes; Psteur was obser-
ing the acti on of yeast, which converts sugar to ethyl al cohol and rel eases carbon di oxi de gas as a byproduct.
In our wafe reci pe, yeast pl ays two rol es, provi di ng leaveni ng and flavor. I ni ti al tests convi nced us that l eavi ng
the yeasted batter out al l night at room temperature yi el ded an exhausted, sour-tasti ng batter. Curi ous to see
how much faster yeast respi rati on occurred at room temperature than i n the 40-degree envi ronment of the
refrigerator, I fashi oned a si mpl e respi rometer usi ng a test tube and a bal l oon. the yeast breaks down sugars
i nto carbon di oxi de, gas becomes trapped in the bal l oon, causi ng i t to i nflate.
Withi n a short peri od of time (three hours) , the room-temperature batter had pro
duced enough carbon di oxi de to i nflate the bal l oon, i ndi cati ng heal thy yeast activit. But
after 1 8 hours, the batter was spent and no l onger produced carbon di oxi de. The refriger
ated batter produced carbon di oxi de at a ver sl ow but steady rate-whi ch i s good news for
the cook. Ratherthan havi ng to cl osel ymoni torawafle batterl eft at room temperature, we
refrigerate ours, thereby affordi ng oursel ves one of the greatest l uxuries of al l : sl eepi ng i n.
-j ohn Ol son, Sci ence Editor
ON THE COUNTE R
After 3 hours
The batter quickly produces
enough carbon dioxide to
fill the balloon.
After 1 8 hours
Yeast cells have died and
the batter has collapsed
and separated.
the batter rise in the controlled environment of the
refigerator, the yeast is not given the chance to die
of. (See "The Effects of Temperature on Yeast,"
above.) In dozens of tests, the yeast still had plenty
of leavening power the next morning, making the
baking soda redundant.
Now there was nothing to add in the morning
except syrup. I had discovered that raised waffes
not only taste better than the traditional variety
but that a tiny bit of advance planning made them
easier to prepare at breakfast time as well.
YEASTED WAF FLES
MAKE S ABOUT S E VE N 7 - I NCH ROU ND OR
F OUR 9 - I NCH S QUARE WAF FLES
The batter must be made 12 to 24 hours in
advance. We prefer the texture of the wafes made
in a classic wafe iron, but a Belgian wafe iron
wll work, though it will make fewer wafes. The
waffles are best served fresh from the iron but can
be held in an oven until all of the batter is used.
P you make the waffles, place them on a wire
rack set above a baking sheet, cover them wth a
clean kitchen towel, and place the baking sheet in
a 200-degree oven. When the fnal wafe is in the
iron, remove the towel to allow the waffles to crisp
for a few minutes. These wafes are quite rich;
buttering them before eating is not compulsory
and, to some, may even be superfuous.
I N THE RE F RI G E RATOR
After 3 hours
The batter produces a little
carbon dioxide to partially
fill the balloon.
After 1 8 hours
The batter continues to
produce carbon dioxide
at a steady rate.
l l cups whol e, low-fat, or ski m mi l k
8 tabl espoons unsal ted butter, cut i nto 8 pi eces
2 cups ( I 0 ounces) unbl eached al l - purpose fl our
tabl espoon sugar
teaspoon salt
1 11 teaspoons i nstant yeast
2 l arge eggs
teaspoon vani l l a extract
1 . Heat milk and butter in small saucepan over
medium-low heat until butter is melted, to b
minutes. Cool milk/butter mixture until warm
to touch. Meanwhile, whisk four, sugar, salt, and
yeast in large bowl to combine. Gradually whisk
warm milk/butter mixture into four mixture;
continue to whisk until batter is smooth. In small
bowl , whisk eggs and vanilla until combined,
then add egg mixture to batter and whisk until
incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl with
rubber spatula, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and
refrigerate at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
2. Following manufacturer's instructions, heat
wafe iron; remove wafe batter from refrigera
tor when wafle iron is hot (batter will be foamy
and doubled in size). Wisk batter to recombine
(batter will deflate). Bake wafes according to
manufacturer's instructions (use about '/ cup
for -inch round iron and about 1 cup for 9-inch
square iron). Serve wafes immediately or hold in
low temperature oven (see note).
M A R C i l b A P R I L 2 0 0 4
7
T E S T I N G E Q U I P M E N T :
Waffl e I rons
Wafe i rons range i n price from l ess than $ 20 to almost
$ 1 00. Is there as wi de a range in qual i t? To fi nd out, we
gathered eight cl assi c (not Bel gi an) model s. There were
two tpes of i ron: The first group, lare and square,
yi el ded huge perforated wafes that can be tom i nto
four smal l er squares for i ndivi dual seri ngs; the second
yi el ded a much smal l er, round wafle that seres one.
Al l of the model s tested featured a sensor that l i t or
dimmed to i ndi cate whether the wafe was ready. Al l
but two model s had adj ustabl e temperatures, letting
you choose how dark you want your wafes. Te two
unadj ustabl e model s-the Hami l ton Beach/Proctor
Si l ex Wafe Baker, priced at $ 1 6. 99, and the Toastmaster
Cool -Touch Wafe Baker, priced at $ 1 9. 99-produced
i nsi pi d wafes. Nei ther model is recommended.
Our favorite i rons were those that produced wafles
with good hei ght and dark, even browni ng. Toppi ng
the l i st were two Vi l l aWare model s (Uno Series
Cl assic Wafl er 4-Square, $ 89. 95 , and Cl assic Round,
$ 5 9. 95 ) ; the Cui si nart Cl assi c Wafe Maker, $29. 95;
and the Bl ack and Decker Gri l l and Wafe Baker,
$ 56. 99. The Vi l l aWare model s featured not only a
ready l ight but al so a ready bel l .
A more meani ngful feature on whi ch to base
your choi ce i s si ze. The Vi l l aWare Cl assi c Round and
Cui si nart i rons are fi ne if you don' t mi nd maki ng one
smal l wafe at a time. In the end, we preferred the
conveni ence of the Vi l l a Ware 4-Square and the Bl ack
and Decker Gri l l and Wafl e Baker, whi ch cook four
i ndivi dual wafl es at once. Whi l e the Vi l l aWare pro
duced a mari nal ly better wafle (whi ch was sl ightly
darker and more evenly col ored) , the Black and
Decker costs $30 less and also features
reversi bl e gri ddl e pl ates. -K. F
E$T PERFORMANCE
VI LWARE Uno Seri es
Cl assi c Waffl er 4-Square,
$ 89. 95
Makes the best wafl es,
and the i ron chi mes when
wafl es are done, but note
the pri ce tag.
E$T VALUE
BLACK AND DECKER Gri l l
and Wafl e Baker, $ 56. 99
Makes bi g, beautiful
wafl es and al so doubl es as
a gri ddl e.
WOR$T PERFORMANCE
PROCOR SI L Wafl e
I ron, $ 1 6. 99
No way to adj ust
thermostat, and wafl es
are pal e and very flat.
Chicken and Rice, Indian-Style
Ch i cken bi ryani i s a comp l icated (and often greasy) cl assi c I ndi an di sh . Ch i cken and
ri ce i s a pl ai n and si mpl e American one- pot meal . Cou l d I fi nd a happy medi u m?
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COVC8a8OVCtQOWCtIH_.LOtiaHUCt!OOWa8
CXCuUCUDu!i! Wa8 IOt DCiH_ !OO HiU.H
!HCCHU!a8!Ci8 aQQtOVCU OI CiH-
HaHOHCuHiH 8CCUaHUHC8H_iH_Ct8iCCU
iH!OCOiH8.bWCC!Cat!Hy8HatQaHUHu8}
!HC 8QiCC8 QaitCU WC !O_C!HCt. i_H!y
8Ha8HiH_UC CatUaHOHaHU _iH_CtWi!Ha
CHC!8 KHICiH!CH8i1CU !HCit HaVOt.
u! i! COHC8 a! a 8!II QtiCC. taUi!iOHa
DityaHitCCiQC8atCOH_iHDO!HiH_tCUiCH!8
aHUaDOt.HCCHiCKCHi8tuDDCUWi!H8QiCC8
aHU HatiHa!CU DCIOtC DCiH_ DtOWHCU, !HC
tiCC i8 8OaKCU DaHCHCU aHU HiXCU Wi!H
a COmQCX masala, Ot DCHU OI iHHuHCt-
aDC 8QiCC8, !HC OHiOH8 atC UCCQ-ItICU, aHU
CVCty!HiH_ i8 1Hay ayCtCUtiCC OHiOH8
CHiCKCH tCQCa!iH!O a COOKiH_ VC88C aHU
DaKCU Ot 8!CaHCU uH!i !HC HaVOt8 HaVC
DCHUCU. H aUUi!iOH HO8! DityaHI tCCiQC8
!C8!CUWCtCHaUC_tCa8yDy!HCUCCQ-HiCU
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!iHC!HC CHiCKCH Wa8UOHC.8C!Ou!!O1HU
aHiUUCQa!HDC!WCCH!HCCX!lCHC8OIUu
8imQiCi!y aHU CQiCutCaH COHQCXi!y.
Chi cken and ri ce gets a makeover with I ndi an i ngredi ents and European
cooki ng techni ques. A yogurt sauce tames the heat of the spi ces.
CIOtC 8CtViH_ Uii_CH!y 18HCU Ou!
!HC 8QiCC8 ItOH !HC tiCC a8 !a8!Ct8 8!tOH_y
OD]CC!CU !O uHCXQCC!CUy Di!iH_ UOWH OH
WHOC CatUaHOH QOU8 Du! !Hi8 Hi!QiCKy
!a8K _tCW !itC8OHC. DC_aH U_ OI
Way8 !O i8Oa!C !1C8QiCC8. H tCHCHCOOK-
iH_ HCtD8 aHU 8QiCC8 atC OHCH DuHUCU
!O_C!HCt IH CHCC8CCO!H aHU aUUCU !O
8OuQ8. HC iqUiU HOW8 UtOu_H !HC QCt-
HCaDC DuHUC aHU !HC 8OuQ i8 HaVOtCU.
UCCiUCU !O !ty a i!!C H8iOH COOKiH_ aHU
_iVC !HC DuHUC iUCa a WHit. !iCU !HC
8QiCC8 !O_C!HCI aHU aUUCU !DC DuHUC !O
!HC ayCtCU DityaHi DCOIC C1D Du!
!Ha! aCCOHQi8HCU i!!C. H !HC CHU aH
CVCH Ca8iCt 8Ou!iOH UCiVCtCU Di_ HaVOt.
Getti ng Started
QtCQatCU a ICW Ca88iC DityaHi tCCiQC8 !O DC!!Ct
aCquaiH! Hy8CI Wi!H !HC U8H a !a8K !Ha! tCquitCU
am Uay iH !HC !C8! Ki!CHCH aHU QtOUuCCU a Hu_C
QiC OI Uit! Ui8HC8. HaUC !HtCC !iHC-8aViH_
Ui8COVCtiC8. it8! CatHCU !Ha! COuU 8KiQ !HC
8!CQ OI HatiHa!iH_ UC CHiCKCH [!OO HuCH !HC
!OOi!!C HaVOt CHHaHCCHCH!}. bCCOHU IOuHU 1
COuU QtCQatC !HC WHOC tCCiQC OH !HC 8!OVC!OQ
CiHiHa!H_ !HC HCCU IOt aH OVCH. HitU i! Wa8
QO88iDC!O COOK!HC OHiOH8aHU!HC CHiCKCHiH !HC
8aHC at_C 8KiC! 8aViH_ a QaH. HC 8!tCaHiHCU
tCCiQCa!HOu_H8!HO!a HiHu!C 8uQQCtHOW
COH8i8!CU OI COOKiH_ !HC OHiOH8 DtOWHiH_ !HC
CHCKCHQatDOi!H_ !HCtiCCaHU!HCH8iHHCHH_y
8!CaHiH_ !HCayCtCU DityaHi uH!i UOHC.
JHC DC8!-!a8!iH_ DityaHi HOH Hy tCCiQC !C8!8
Wa8 maUC Wi!H !WO aDuHUaH! ayCt8 OI UCCQ-HiCU
OHiOH8Du!!HCyiHCVi!aDy!utHCU!HCUi8H_tCa8y.
\HiOH8 8au!CCU iH a !aDC8QOOH OI Ia! [Oi Ot Du!-
!Ct}IaiCU !ODtOWHiHa 8iHiatIa8HiOH. OtCIa!
Wa8 CCatyHCCC88aty Du! HOW HuCH COuU aUU
Wi!HOu!!utHiH_!HCUi8H_tCa8y: 8!at!CU Wi!H 12
CuQ OI Ia! IOt !WO 8iCCU OHiOH8 aHU tCUuCCU i!
!aDC8QOOH a! a !iHC. H !HC CHU !aDC8QOOH8
QtOVCU 8uI1CiCH!. u!!Ct QtCVaiCU OVCt Oi aUU-
iH_HOtC HaVOt aHU COOt.
Chi cken and Spi ces
a8!Ct8 QtCICttCU UatKHCa! CHiCKCHi! Wa8 mOtC
HaVOtHaHU ]uiCy !HaH WHi!CHCa! WHiCH CHUCU
uQUty.OHCiH!H_H8atC!HC!C8!Ki!CHCHIaVOti!C
DCCau8C !HCy atC 8O HCa!y. aViH_ atCaU CHi-
Ha!CUHatiHa!iH_IOOWCU!C8! K!CHCH QtO!OCO
IOtDtai8iH_CHiCKCHQiCCC8.[ityaHii8iHC88CHCCa
Dta8CDCCau8Ci!u8C8HOi8!OWHCa!IOtCOOKH_.}
O CKC Ou! a8 HuCH HaVOt a8 COuU DtOWHCU
!HCCHCKCHUCCQyWi!H!HC8KiHOHIOtQtO!CC!iOH.
CIOtC ayCtiH_ !HC QiCCC8 Wi!H !HC tiCC 8!tiQQCU
!HC8KiH.Yi!HU i8a8!8!CQ!HC_tCa8iHC88i88uCWa8
1Hay Qu! !OtC8!.
ityaHi`8 8uD!C UCiCa!C HaVOt aHU atOHa atC
at_Cy UCtiVCU HOH !HC Ha8aa OI WHOC 8QiCC8
DCHUCU iH!O !HC tiCC. [LtOuHU 8QiCC8 !C8!CU
C OOK
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S I L L U S TRA T E D
8
8iHQy 8iHHCtCU !HC DuHUC iH !DC Wa!Ct u8CU
!O QatDOi !HC tiCC. 1 a8O IOuHU !Ha! aUUiH_ a
QOt!iOH OI !Hi8 HaVOtCU iquiU !O !HC ayCtCU
DityaHi8Ot! OI iKC aUUH_ Qa8!a COOKiH_ Wa!Ct
!O a Qa8!a Ui8HHt!HCt iH!CH8i1CU !HC 8QiCC Ha-
VOt. ^OW HaU iHCuUCU DO!H tCHCH aHU !aiaH
!CCHHiquC iH 8!tCaHiHiH_ a Ca88iC 1HUiaH Ui8H.
The Fi nal Touches
baIItOH i8 HiXCU \v!H !HC tiCC a8 DO!H a COOt
iH_ aHU HaVOtiH_ a_CH!. 1Hy HOtC !HaH a QiHCH
!utHCU!HCtiCC1ay-LO OtaH_C aHU HaUCi!!a8!C
HCUiCiHa. a8!Ct8 UCHaHUCU a Iait aHOuH! OI
_atiCaHU]aaQCHOa8WCa88OHC8CCU8HOH!HC
CHiC8 IOt aUUi!iOHJ 1tC. A i!!C 8WCC!HC88 ItOH
CuttaH!8 [Ot ta8iH8 iH a QiHCH} HCQCU !O !CHQCt
!HC HCa!aHU aCCCH! !HCWatH8QiCC8. \iaH!tOaHU
HiH! DO!H 8!aHUatU DityaHi iH_tCUiCH!8 IOuHU
IaVOtWi!H!a8!Ct8.
^OW 1 HaU a lvO QO! CHiCKCH aHU tiCC Wi!H
QCH!y OI QCt8OHa!y !Ha! HaU DCCH HaUC Wi!H-
Ou! !HC Iu88 !CCHHiquC8 OI aH au!HCH!iC
CHiCKCH DityaHi . Hi8 i8 !HC C88CHCC OI _OOU
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American home cooking: Take the best parts of


a foreign cuisine and adapt them to their new
home. I had a renewed appreciation of the term
"melting pot . "
CHI CKEN BI RYAN I
S E RVES 4
This recipe requires a 3l2 - to 4-quart saucepan
about inches in diameter. Do not use a large,
wde Dutch oven, as it W adversely affect both
the layering of the dish and the fnal cooking
times. Begin simmering the spices in the water
prior to preparing the remaining ingredients; the
more time the spices have to infse the water ( up
to half an hour), the more favor they W give
to the rice. Biryani is traditionally served with a
cooling yogurt sauce; ideally, you should make it
before starting the biryani to allow the favors in
the sauce to meld.
I 0 cardamom pods, preferably green. smashed
with chef' s kni fe
ci nnamon sti ck
pi ece fresh gi nger (about 2 i nches) , cut i nto
11- i nch-thi ckcoi ns and smashed with chef' s kni fe
11 teaspoon cumi n seed
J quarts water
Sal t
4 bone- i n, ski n- on chi cken thi ghs (about
1 11 pounds) , tri mmed of excess ski n and fat and
patted dry wi th paper towel s
Ground bl ack pepper
J tabl espoons unsalted butter
2 medi um oni ons, sl i ced thi n (about 4 cups)
2 medi um jalapeno chi l es, one seeded and chopped
fi ne, the other chopped fi ne with seeds
4 medi um garl i c cl oves, mi nced or pressed through
garl i c press (about 1 11 tabl espoons)
I '/ cups basmati ri ce
11 teaspoon saffron threads, l i ghtly crumbl ed
'/ cup dri ed currants or rai si ns
2 tabl espoons chopped fresh ci l antro l eaves
2 tabl espoons chopped fresh mi nt l eaves
Yogurt Sauce (reci pe fol l ows)
1 . Wrap cardamom pods, cinnamon stick,
ginger, and cumin seed in small piece of cheese
cloth and secure with kitchen twine. In 3l2 - to
4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan about inches
in diameter, bring water, spice bundle, and 1 112
teaspoons salt to boil over medium-high heat;
reduce to medium and simmer, partially covered,
until spices have infsed water, at least 15 min
utes ( but no longer than 30 minutes) .
2. Meanwhile, season both sides of chicken
thighs with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat
butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium
high heat until foaming subsides; add onions
md cook, stirring fequently, until sof and dark
brown about edges, 1 0 to 1 2 minutes. Add j ala
penos and garlic and cook, stirring frequently,
Lyeri ng the i ngredi ents i nto a sauce
pan i s the secret to the mi ngl i ng of
until fragrant, about 2 min
utes. Transfer onion mixture
to bowl , season lightly with
salt, and set aside. Wipe out
skillet with paper towels,
return heat to medium-high,
and place chicken thighs skin
side down in skillet; cook,
without moving chicken,
until well browned, about
5 minutes. Flip chicken and
brown second side, 4 to
5 minutes longer; transfer
chicken to plate and remove
and discard ski n. Tent with
flavors in chi cken bi rani . Here' s the
assembly method that works best:
Return hal f ofthe parboi l ed ri ce to the
saucepan, top wi th hal f the oni ons,
fol l owed by the chi cken pi eces, the
rest of the oni ons, and then the rest of
the ri ce. Moi sten everhi ng with the
spi ce- i nfused cooki ng l i qui d from the
ri ce, cover. and steam over medi um
l ow heat unti l the chicken i s done and
the ri ce i s tender.
foil to keep warm.
3. If necessary, return spice-infsed water to
boil over high heat; stir in rice and cook 5 min
utes, stirring occasionally. Drain rice through
fne-mesh strainer, reserving 3/4 cup cooking
liqui d; discard spice bundle. Transfer rice to
medium bowl; stir in saffron and currants ( rice
will turn splotchy yellow) . Spread half of rice
evenly in bottom of now-empty saucepan using
rubber spatula. Scatter half of onion mixture over
rice, then place chicken thighs, skinned- side up,
on top of onions; add any accumulated chicken
juices. Evenly sprinkle with cilantro and mint,
scatter remaining onions over herbs, then cover
wth remaining rice; pour reserved cooking liquid
evenly over rice.
4. Cover saucepan and cook over medium-low
heat until rice is tender and chicken is cooked
through, about 30 minutes (if large amount of
steam is escaping from pot, reduce heat to low) .
Run heatproof rubber spatula around inside rim
of saucepan to loosen any affxed rice; using large
serving spoon, spoon biryani into individual
bowls, scooping fom bottom of pot and serving
1 chicken thigh per person.
YOG U RT SAUCE
MAKES ABOUT | ' ,C U PS
cup whol e mi l k or low-fat pl ai n yogurt
medi um garl i c cl ove, mi nced or pressed through
garl i c press (about I teaspoon)
2 tabl espoons mi nced fresh ci l antro l eaves
2 tabl espoons mi nced fresh mi nt l eaves
Salt and ground bl ack pepper
Combine frst four ingredients in small bowl;
season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand at
least 30 minutes to blend favors.
T A T | N C . Basmati Ri ce-Buy Ameri can?
Basmati is a vari et of very l ong-grai n ri ce most commonly grown in northern I ndi a and Pki stan. It is aged for
a mi ni mum of a year. though ofen much l onger, before bei ng packaged. Agi ng dehydrates the ri ce, whi ch
trnsl ates i nto grai ns that. once cooked, expand greatly-more so than any other l ong-grai n ri ce.
Several Ameri can ri ce growers now sel l thei r own basmati . Unfortunately. the two products we tasted
coul dn' t compare wi th the real thi ng. Thei r flavor was not nearl y as aromati c as I ndi an-grown basmati , and
the cooked grai ns were sof and stubby. I l ater l earned that Ameri can-grown basmati i s not aged and hence
doesn' t expand as much as I ndi an-grown ri ce. Lucki ly. Indi an ri ce i s wi dely avai l abl e i n
most supermarkets an d costs about the same as domesti c. Make sure that the
l abel i ndi cates that the ri ce has been
aged; otherwi se your bi ryani might be
uncharacteri sti cal l y mushy. -M. C.
CALI FORNI A D REAM I N'
Thi s California rice lacked the aroma
and flavor of the Indian original,
and tasters found the cooked grains
"mushy" and broken.
TROU B LE I N TEXAS
Comments on this rice were
nearl y identical to those about the
California rice, incl uding "gummy."
"soft." and "chewed-up looking."
M A R C H b A P R I L 2 0 0 4
9
TH E ORI G I NAL AND BEST
Tasters' comments on Indian-grown,
aged rice incl uded "great texture,"
"great grain separation." "something
to chew on. " and "toast."
Juicy Weeknight Pork Chops
Dry, tough pork chops are the real i ty My dream was j u icy tender pork chops i n z. mi nutes.
J
here are two kinds of pork chops : the
double-thick chops-with dark, cara
melized exteriors and juicy, succulent
interiors-that are great when I have
the time to brine, rub, sear, roast, or grill, and
the run-of-the-mill chops that I grab in haste at
the supermarket and throw into a skillet at home,
hoping for the best. Hope fies out the window,
however, when I sink my teeth into a chop that's
dry as leater and tough as nails. Then there' s
notg to do but open a j ar of applesauce and
cover the chop with it, using it like a sheet at a
crime scene.
But with all its many faws, tis basic pork chop
has one major beneft: time. From beginning to
end, it's only minutes away fom the table (just
enough time to open the applesauce) . Sure, I' d
like a juicier, more tender chop, but at what cost?
Would I need to succumb to the temptation of
brining or grlg? Or could I fnd a simple way
to create the elusive juicy pork chop and get it on
the table in 20 minutes?
Choosing the Chops
Boneless chops cooked up much drier than bone
in and were eliminated from contention. Also
rej ected were superthin chops ( about l/4 inch
thick) , which dried out in the course of being
walked through a hot kitchen. Thick, l -inch
(or more) chops, which were less apt to dry out,
necessitated the use of the stovetop and the oven,
the former to brown the chops and the latter to
cook them through wthout burning the exterior.
This just wasn't quick enough to meet my 20-
rute goal . The right thickness was l/2 inch to
3/4 inch-thin enough to keep the cooking on the
stovetop and thick enough to give the chops a
fighting chance for a juicy interior.
The next decision was which cut to buy: blade
chop, center-cut chop, or rib chop ( see page 1 7
for more information) . Rib chops fared best;
center-cut were a close second.
Reci pe Review
Pork chop recipes use one of three basic
approaches. In the frst, the chops are seared
over high heat and then cooked uncovered over
medium-low. The second method also starts the
chops on high heat, then adds stock or water and
covers the pan before reducing the heat. The
third method again sears the chops over high
heat but covers the pan without adding any liquid
beforehand. The worst of the lot was leaving the
B Y B R I D G E T L A N C A S T E R E
method, I uncovered a few secrets of pork
chop cookery. First, chops should not be
cooked to an internal temperature much
higher than 140 degrees-ooking them
beyond this point results in tough, dry
chops. I also found that when I reduced
the searing te fom three minutes per
side to one minute per side, the chops
were more moist, albeit not juic. In fact,
I needed only to look in the pan to see the
enormous amount of juices that had been
released. If the juices were in the pan, they
weren't in the chops.
An unusual method, whi ch starts by pl aci ng the chops i n a col d
pan, produces j ui cy chops wi thout any fussi ng.
P I thought out loud ( aka complained)
to my colleagues, one raised an interest
ing query: Was the high heat causing the
problem? Although we usually sear pork
roasts and thick chops over high heat
to develop favor, perhaps these thinner
chops were too quick to dry out in a hot
pan. I raced back to the stove and heated
the pan over a more modest medium
heat before adding the chops . Afer a
few minutes, I covered the chops and
coC C C medium-low. When
pan uncovered, which produced unevenly cooked
chops. Adding liquid and then covering the pan
was not much better. Afer 1 5 minutes ( about
the same cooking time the other two methods
required) , the chops were still tough. The last
method, which seared the pork chops over high
heat and covered the pan without frst adding
liquid, showed the most promise. Although still
miles away from my dream of juicy, tender pork
chops, I didn' t need a gallon of water or the j aw
strength of a bear to get them down.
Using the high- heat, covered-pan cooking
1 uHCOVCtCO C chops, voila-! found a
large reduction in the amount of pan juices. I cut
into what appeared to be a pretty tender chop
and happily found the j uices right where they
belonged, inside the meat. Progress!
Perhaps pushing my luck, I wondered what
would happen if the pork chops were introduced
to heat at an even slower pace. If medium heat
was good, what about-you guessed it-no
heat? Although it seemed strange, I placed the
next batch of chops in a cold pan and then turned
the heat to medium. Afer the chops had cooked
for a few minutes on each side, I covered them
STE P - BY- STE P C OOK| NC 1Ul C UOP S
I. Cut two sl i ts about 2 i nches apart Z. Pl ace pork chops in cold pan wi th
through fat and connective tissue. bony ri bs faci ng center.
C O OK
'
S I L L U S T R A T E D
1 0
J. Rely on temperture, not ti mi ng,
to j udge when chops are done.
Z
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C | | N C | . Why Pork Chops Don' t Li ke Hi gh Heat


Curi ous about the unconventi onal col d- pan method of cooki ng chops i n our
reci pe, I deci ded to i nvestigate the effect of heat on pork. What I di scovered was
that the secret to j ui cy pork resi ded in the structure of i ts muscl e protei ns.
Te top photo shows the
dramatic efects of high
heat cooking on what had
been a perfect cube of
pork. Te bottom of the
cube, which was i n direct
contact with the hot pan,
contracted significantly.
Te contraction of the
meat fi bers leads to signifi
cant moisture loss-i n the
case of four pork chops,
about 5 tablespoons by
the time they reached the
proper i nternal temper
ture. The bottom photo
shows that over low heat
there is far less contrction
of the meat fiber. In our
test, by the time the four
chops reached the proper
i nteral temperture, they
had shed not even I table
spoon of li qui d.
Protei ns are l ong chai ns of l i nked ami no aci ds that fol d i nto a huge vari et of
three- di mensi onal shapes. Fol ded muscl e protei n al so hol ds and i mmobi l i zes a
consi derabl e amount of water in an ordered fashi on. When thi ngs heat up, thi s
organized state of afai rs i s thrown i nto di sarray as the protei ns unfol d. Thermal
analysi s of pork has shown that there are three approxi mate temperatures at
which groups of pork protei ns come undone: 1 26 degrees, 1 44 degrees, and 1 68
degrees. each of these temperatures is reached, more water is freed from the
protei ns. Meat protei ns al so tend to compact as they cook, squeezi ng out the
freed- up water.
Al l cooks focus on the temperture reached at the mi ddl e of a pi ece of meat to
determi ne doneness, but thi s may be too myopi c. The means by whi ch the mi ddl e
gets to that temperture i s at least as i mportant. Hi gh- heat cooki ng methods, such
as searing, guarntee that the outer layer of meat wi l l be wel l browned before the
i nsi de i s j ust done. By keepi ng the heat l evel l ow, water l oss on the outsi de of the
chop i s mi ni mized, and more of the jui ce that i s bound i nsi de the meat remai ns
there. And so the secret to j ui cy pork chops i s reveal ed: Sl ow cooki ng over l ow heat
is best. -john Ol son, Sci ence Edi tor
and cooked them through over low heat while
uttering a silent prayer. My hopes ran high when
I noticed that there were barely any pan j uices in
the skillet. I plated a chop, bit down, and was met
with the j uiciest and most tender chop yet.
The only drawback was color-or lack thereof
These pork chops were as blond as the ubiqui
tous bombshell . Using a little sugar in addition to
salt and pepper to season them went a long way
toward helping to color the chops. I also found
that instead of splitting the browning time and
the sugar evenly between the two sides of a chop,
it was better to sugar one side and let it develop a
more substantial color.
Although starting meat in a cold pan seemed
a little odd-if not downright weird-it made
quick-cooking a weeknight pork chop almost
foolproof. Would these pork chops win any
beaut contest? I doubted it. But from now on I
could serve my applesauce on the side.
EASY PORK CHOPS
S E RVES 4
In this recipe, "natural" pork chops-not
"enhanced"-work best; the liquid injected into
enhanced pork inhibits browning. (For more infor
mation on enhanced pork, see page 1 6. ) Electric
burners are slower to heat than gas burners, so, if
Do You Hear What I Hear?
If you don' t hear a gentl e sizl e afer the pork chops
have been cooki ng for to mi nutes over medi um
heat, your stovetop i s runni ng at a l ow heat output.
Ri se the heat to medi um- high to cook the pork
chops uncovered (as di rected i n the reci pe) . Ten
rduce the heat to medi um- low i nstead of low,
cover the pork chops, and conti nue as di rected.
using one, begin heating the burner before season
ing the chops. When cooking tle fi rst side of tle
chops, use color as an indicator of when to flip
tl1em; to determine doneness, use an instant-read
thermometer-do not go solely by cooking times.
Serve tl1ese simple pork chops witl1 chutney or
applesauce, or try one of the variations.
4 bone- i n pork ri b or center-cut chops, about
7 ounces each and 11 to V i nch thi ck,
patted dry wi th paper towel s and prepared
accordi ng to i l l ustrati on I on page I 0
teaspoon vegetabl e oi l
Sal t and ground bl ack pepper
11 teaspoon sugar
1 . If using electric stove, turn burner to
medium heat. Rub botl1 sides of each chop with
1/s teaspoon oil and sprink with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle one side of each chop evenly with 1s
teaspoon sugar, avoiding the bone.
2. Place chops, sugared-side down, in 1 2-inch
nonstick skillet, positioning chops according to
illustration 2 on page 1 0. Using hands, press
meat of each chop into pan. Set skillet with chops
over medium heat; cook w1til lightly browned,
4 to 9 minutes ( chops should be sizzling afer 2
minutes; if not, see box at lef) . Using tongs, fip
chops, positioning tl1em in same manner. Cover
skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook until center
of each chop registers 140 degrees on instant-read
tlermometer, 3 to 6 minutes ( begin checking
temperature-as shown in illustration 3-afer 2
minutes) ; chops will barely brown on second side.
Transfer chops to platter, tent witl1 foil, and let
rest 5 minutes; do not discard liquid in skillet.
3. Add any juices accumulated on platter to
skillet. Set skillet over high heat and simmer vig
orously until reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 30
seconds to 90 seconds; adjust seasonings with salt
M A R C i l ( A P R I L 2 0 0 4

COOKI NG METHOD J UI CES RELEASED
H I G H H EAT
5 TAB LE S POONS
LOW H EAT S CANT TAB LES POON
and pepper to taste. Off heat, return pork chops
to skillet, turning chops to coat with reduced
juices. Serve chops immediately, browned- side
up, pouring any remaining j uices over.
PORK CHOPS WI TH MUSTARD- SAG E SAUCE
Follow recipe for Easy Pork Chops; afer transfer
ring chops to platter, pour liquid in skiet into small
bowl. While chops are resting, add 1 teaspoon veg
etable oil and 1 medium garlic clove, minced, to
now-empty skillet; set skillet over medium heat and
cook until fagrant, about 30 seconds. Add 14 cup
low-sodium chicken broth; increase heat to hgh
and sin1mer until reduced to about 2 tablespoons,
about 3 minutes. Add pork chop juices to skiet.
Of heat, whsk in 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and
3 tablespoons unsalted butter until combined. Str
in 1 teaspoon minced fesh sage leaves and adjust
seasonngs with salt and pepper; spoon sauce over
chops and serve inlmediately.
PORK CHOPS WI TH BRANDY AN D PRU NE S
Cover 1
3
cup chopped pitted prunes with 14 cup
brandy and let stand. Follow recipe for Easy Pork
Chops; afer transferring chops to platter, pour
liquid in skillet into small bowl . While chops
are resting, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1
medium shallot, minced, to now-empt skillet;
set skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring
occasionally, until shallots have sofened, about
2 minutes. Off heat, add brandy and prunes; set
skillet over medium- high heat and cook until
brandy is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about
3 minutes. Add pork chops' juices to skillet. Off
heat, whisk in 2 teaspoons minced fesh thyme
leaves and 3 tablespoons butter until CO
Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; spoon
sauce over chops and serve immediately.
How to Pan-Sear Shrimp
We wanted sh ri mp that were wel l caramel i zed bu t sti l l moi st, bri ny, and tender.
Pn-seari ng is the easi est way to cook shri mp-i f you
know a few secrets.

aving prepared literally tons of


shrimp in my lifetime as both a chef
and a home cook, I have found that
pan-searing produces the ultimate
combination of a well-caramelized exterior and
a moist, tender interior. If executed properly,
this cooking method also preserves the shrimp's
plumpness and trademark brny sweetness.
That being said, a good recipe for pan-seared
shrimp is hard to fnd. Of the handfl of recipes
I uncovered, the majorit resulted in shrimp that
were variously dry, favorless, pale, tough, or
gummy-hardly appetizing. It was time to start
some serious testing.
I quickly uncovered a few basic rules. First,
tasters unanimously favored shrimp that were
peeled before being cooked. Peeled shrimp are
easier to eat, and unpeeled shrimp fail to pick up
the delicious caramelized favor that pan-searing
provides. Second, the shrimp were best cooked
in a 12-inch skillet; its large surface area kept the
shrimp fom overcrowding the pan and steam
ing-a surefre way to prevent caramelization.
Third, oil was the ideal cooking medium, favored
over both a dry pan (which made the shrimp
leathery and metallic tasting) and butter (which
tended to burn) .
Because the test kitchen likes to brine shrimp
before grlg them, I assumed that a successfl
reipe for pan-seared shrimp would include brin
ing. Although brining did enhance their moist
ness and texture, the shrimp released just enough
moisture to inhibit caramelization.
Although I rej ected brining as a favor
B Y K E I T H D R E S S E R E
enhancer, my brining tests yielded an unexpected
beneft. I had been adding sugar to the brining
solution wth the hope of improving the shrimp's
browning characteristics. Wile the sugar did not
promote browning in the brined shrimp, it did
accentuate their natural sweetness and nicely set
off their inherent sea-saltiness. Capitalizing on
this serendipitous discovery, I added a pinch of
sugar to some unbrined shrimp along with the
requisite salt and pepper. This did indeed boost
the favor, as I had expected, and, absent the
water from the brine, the sugar also encouraged
browning.
Even in a 12-inch skillet, 1 12 pounds of shrimp
must be cooked in two batches or it W steam
instead of searing. The trick was to develop a
technique that neither overcooked the shrimp
nor let half of them turn cold while the other
half fnished cooking. To prevent overcooking,
I tried searing the shrimp on one side, remov
ing the pan fom the fame, and then allowing
the residual heat to fnish cooking the other side
of the shrimp. This worked like a charm. Better
yet, the residual heat fom the pan also solved
the cold shrimp problem. P soon as the second
batch fnished cooking ( the frst batch was now
near room temperature) , I tossed the frst batch
back into the pan, covered it, and let residual heat
work its magic once again. Afer about a minute,
all of the shrimp were both perfectly cooked and
piping hot. Now all I needed were a few ideas for
some quick sauces.
I tested sauces made from assertive ingredients
such as garlic, ginger, and chipotle chile mixed
with plenty of acidity as a foil for the shrimp's
richness. The most successfl of these sauces
were those that clung to the shrimp like a glaze.
P of them could easily be made ahead of time
and quickly tossed with the shrimp during the
last stage of cooking, once the pan was removed
fom the heat.
PAN- S EARED S HRI MP
S E RVES 4
The cooking times below are for 21/25 shrimp
( that is, the size of the shrimp is such that there
are 21 to 25 in 1 pound) . If 21/25 shrimp are
not available, adjust cooking times slightly. Either
a nonstick or traditional skillet W work for this
recipe, but a nonstick W simplif cleanup. For a
guide to buying supermarket shrimp, see Kitchen
Notes, page 30.
C O O K
'
s I L L U S T R A T E D
1 2
2 tabl espoons vegetabl e oi l
1 11 pounds 2 1 /2 5 shri mp, peel ed and devei ned
1/4 teaspoon sal t
1/4 teaspoon ground bl ack pepper
1/a teaspoon sugar
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high
heat until smoking. Meanwhile, toss shrimp,
salt, pepper, and sugar in medium bowl . Add
half of shrimp to pan in single layer and cook
until spotty brown and edges turn pink, aOOul 1
minute. Remove pan fom heat; using tongs, fip
each shrimp and let stand until all but very center
is opaque, about 30 seconds. Transfer shrimp to
large plate. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil
and shrimp; afer second batch has stood of heat,
return frst batch to skillet and toss to combine.
Cover skillet and let stand untl shrimp ae cooked
through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
PAN- S EARED S HRI MP WI TH
GARLI C- LE MON BUTER
Beat 3 tablespoons sofened unsalted butter with
fork in small bowl until light and fuf. Stir in
1 medium garlic clove, minced, 1 tablespoon
lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and
I/s teaspoon salt unt combined. Follow recipe
for Pan- Seared Shrimp, adding favored butter
when returning frst batch of shrmp to skillet.
Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
PAN- S EARED S HRI MP WI TH
GI NGER- HOI S I N G LAZE
Stir together 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 table
spoon rice vinegar, 1 12 teaspoons soy sauce, 2
teaspoons grated fesh ginger, 2 teaspoons water,
and 2 scallions, sliced Hin small bowl . Follow
recipe for Pan-Seared Shrimp, substituting an
equal amount red pepper flakes for black pepper
and adding hoisin mixture when returning frst
batch of shrimp to skillet.
PAN- S EARE D S HRI MP WI TH
CHI POTLE - LI ME GLAZE
Str together 1 chipotle chile in adobo, mced, 2
teaspoons adobo sauce, +teaspoons brown suga, 2
tablespoons lime juce, and 2 tablespoons chopped
cilantro in small bowl. Follow recipe for Pan-Seared
Shrmp, adding chipotle me when retning
frst batch of shrmp to skil et.
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Proven<a l Pizza
Pi ssal ad i ere, the cl assi c ol i ve , anch ovy, and on i on pi zza from Provence , i s easy
enough to prepare , bu t each i ngred i ent must be han dl ed j u st so.

issaladiere is Proven<al street food,


a fagrant, pizzalike tart prized for
its contrast of salty black olives
and anchovies against a backdrop
of sweet caramelized onions and thyme.
Supporting this rough and rustic favor
combination is a wheaty crust with a tex
ture that is part chewy pizza and part crisp
cracker. Commonly eaten as an appetizer
or even a light supper alongside a salad, this
classic French favorite is still something of a
foreigner to most Americans-darkly hand
some, but a bit diffcult to understand.
I had to start with a series of "get
acquainted" tests to flly comprehend the
range of possibites. Most recipes produced
a crust i the style of a pizza, others called
for savory pie dough ft into a futed tart pan,
and I even found a few that used squares of
store-bought puf pastry. 1 of them called
for caramelized onions, black olives, thyme,
and anchovies, but additonal sources of fa
vor, such as Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes,
basil, and oregano, were not uncommon.
3 B Y J U L I A C O L L I N D AV I S O N <
major ingredients-bread flour, oil, water,
and yeast-to see where I could make
adjustments.
I replaced varous amounts of bread four
with all-purpose but made zero headway.
Bread four has more protein than all
purose, and that translates into a more sub
stantial chew. Testing amounts of olive oil
ranging fom none at all up to 6 tablespoons,
I again found that the original recipe (which
called for 1 tablespoon) produced the best
balance of crsp to tender without causing
the dough to be brittle (a problem when the
amount of oil dropped below 1 tablespoon)
or greasy (a problem when the amount of oil
exceeded 1 tablespoon) .
Pfor the basic favor ingredients, almost all
of the caramelized onions were underdone,
while the bullish flavor of anchovies overran
Thi s pi zza captures the flavors of Provence-caramel i zed oni ons. bl ack
ol ives, anchovi es, and fresh thyme-i n every bi te.
Next on my list of ingredients to tnker
with was water. The original recipe called
for % cup of water to 2 cups of four. Less
water made the crust drier ( no surprise)
and tougher. More water made the dough
chewier, but I soon learned that there was
such a thing as too chewy. When I increased
the water to 1 1 cups, the crust baked up wth
huge holes and was as chewy as bubble .
The crust made with 1 cup of water proved
to be a happy medium-chewier than the
orignal pizza crust but not over the top. the olives and thyme. Anchovies, I thought,
should not rule but rather act as a counteroint to
the sweet onions, briny olives, and fagrant thyme.
P for the crust, the test kitchen quickly elimi
nated pu pastry and pie dough. Unfortunately, the
more authentc pizzalike crusts weren't very good,
either. Textures were too short (t shortbread)
ad crackery or overly sof and doughy. Like me,
tasters thought that good pissaladiere should have a
dua-textured crust that is crsp on the outside (like
a cracker) and chewy on the inside.
Understandi ng the Dough
The Crust
Although pizza crusts aren't exactly right for pis
saladiere, I whipped up three different Cook1spizza
crusts to see if any could be used as a jumping-off
point. The thin crust wasn't sturdy enough and
the deep- dish was much too doughy, but the
traditional crust was the right thckness ( about
inch) and had about the right favor. Knowing that
I wanted it to be chewer, with a more crackerlike
exterior, I took a closer look at each of its four
When I varied the amount of yeast, the flavor
changed ( as did the rising time) , but not the tex
ture. Less yeast and an overnight rise-a common
favor-enhancing technique--did produce a crust
with a slightly more complex favor, but it was
awflly hard to detect once it came up against
the onions, olives, and anchovies. One teaspoon
of yeast pumped the dough through the frst
rise in a convenient 75 minutes ( give or take 1 5
minutes, depending on the humidity and the
We found that the same basi c i ngredi ents-fl our, water, yeast, sal t, and oi l -can yi el d doughs that bake up quite di fferently, dependi ng on the rati o of i ngredi ents as wel l
as the shapi ng techni que and baki ng temperature. Here are the characteristics and differences of four of our dough reci pes.
FOCACCI A DOUGH
Fcaccia is made with a lot of ol ive
oi l and is baked in a pan in a mod
erate oven. Aa resul t, i t bakes up
thick, chew, and very soft.
TH I N - CRUST PI ZZA D OU G H
Thi s dough i s rol l ed with a pi n unti l
very thi n and baked di rectly on a
heated stone in a superhot oven. I t
bakes up crisp and brittl e.
DE E P- D I S H D OU G H
Thi s dough i s baked i n a pan set on a preheated
stone. (Addi ng ol ive oil to the pan ensures a
crisp bottom. ) However, because the dough i s
so thi ck, the top and i nteri or are fairly soft.
M A R C H E APR I L 2 0 0 4
9
P I S SALAD I
E
RE D OU G H
Thi s reci pe combi nes attributes of al l the other doughs.
A moderate amount of ol ive oil i s rubbed i nto the
exterior to crisp the crust, and, because the dough is
not stretched thi n, the i nteri or remai ns chew.
1Ab 1 | N C ' Bl ack Ol ives
Prized i n Provence for thei r nutt, smok favor, ti ny ni<oi se ol ives are a staple of the regi on' s cui si ne and the trdi
tional ol ive of choi ce for toppi ng a pi ssal adi ere. Tese bri ne-cured ol ives are generl ly sol d loose or packed i n del i
contai ner, and they cost a prett penny-usual l y $ 1 I per pound or more (and most of that weight i s pi t' ) . On a
piza already packed with the powerful favor of carmel ized oni ons and anchovies, woul d other tpes of readi l y
avai l abl e bl ack ol ives make acceptable substitutes? Ater rul i ng out canned bl ack " Cal ifornia" ol ives (whi ch are really
green ol ives col ored bl ack with a chemi cal addi tive) , we gathered eight varieties of jarred and fresh bl ack ol ives.
Sampl ed pl ai n. most other black ol ives made poor substitutes for the ni oi se. Buri ed beneath a layer of oni ons
and anchovi es, however, most of the ol ives were hard to di sti ngui sh from the ni oi se, al though there were two
excepti ons. Salt-cured bl ack ol ives (ofen erroneousl y l abel ed "oi l - cured" and known for thei r wri nkl ed exteri or)
were far too salt and bi tter in combi nati on with the anchovi es. The other l oser was the oversized cerignol a,
whi ch was so mi l d that the pi ssaladi ere was left wi th al most no ol ive flavor at al l . -Sean Lwl er
BE ST CHOI CE
Ni coi se
"Smok" and "nutt."
BE ST PI NCH H I TTE R
Kal amata
" Fruit" and " briny. "
kitchen temperature), during which there was
ample time to prep and caramelize the onions.
Doughs made in a standing mixer, a food
processor, and by hand showed substantial dif
ferences, and, surprisingly, tasters preferred the
method most professional bakers would scoff at.
Doughs made by hand and in the mixer were
tough and snappy afer being baked, requiring a
m set of well-rooted molars. To achieve the best
texture, this dough apparently would accept only
minimal handling. I knew that bread dough could
be kneaded in a food processor in a two-step pro
cess. Step l is to whiz the ingredients for a mere 1 5
seconds until they come together; step 2 is to wait
for to minutes and then knead the dough in the
food processor an addtional 30 seconds. It turned
out that the secret to perfect pissaladiere dough
was to complete step and simply ignore step
2! This crust was a wnner, unanimously favored
1 | b 1 | N C | C U | P N | N T ' Pi zza Cutters
TOO STRONG
Sal t Cured
" Harsh, " "bi tter," and "salt."
TOO ME E K
Ceri gnol a
" Bl and" and "mi l d. "
for i ts crackerlike exterior and decently chewy
crumb. (I eventually fgured out how to make the
dough by hand and in a standing mixer, but the
process for bot was more time-consuming and
difcult, and the timing and results were never as
consistent.) The best part of the food processor
technique is that it's foolproof You know tl1at the
dough has been processed properly when it comes
together in a ball . Nothing could be sin1pler.
Dough pressed onto a rimmed baking sheet
didn' t brown nearly as well as a fee-form oval
baked directly on a preheated baking stone at 500
degrees. Pressing the dough out on parchment
paper made for an easy transfer to the oven. Tasters
also preferred the rustic texture of dough that was
pressed out by hand as opposed to the uiform
consistency of dough fl attened by a rolling pin.
A key problem with this recipe is the sticki
ness of the dough. I had been using plenty of
four when shaping the dough, until, on a whim,
I tried oil instead. Good idea. Not only was it a
snap to shape the dough on the parchment, but
the extra oil pressed into the bottom of the crust
made it even crisper. Brushing the dough wth yet
more olive oil before adding the toppings frther
ensured a crackerlike exterior, offcially turning
this crust fom pizza to pissaladiere.
The Fl avor
Most recipes for caramelized onions subscribe to
one of two methods-low and slow or fast and f
ous-yet neither works. Lw and slow dres out
the onions before they have a chance to get dark,
while fast and frious leaves the onons crunchy
and burnt tasting. Taking a cue fom our story on
caramelizing onions in the January /ebruary 2002
issue of the magazine, I used a combinaton ofhigh
and low heat, startng the onions on high to release
their juices and sofen them, then turning the heat
to medium-low to let the j uices caramelize.
A nonstick skillet works best for caramelizing
onions. The low sides of a skillet ( as opposed to
the high sides of a Dutch oven) allow the steam
to evaporate rather than interfere with brown
ing, while the nonstick surface ensures that the
caramelization sticks to the onions, not the pan.
I was having problems sprinkling the cooked
onions over the pizza, as they tended to clump.
The solution? I stirred in j ust a bit of water once I
removed the onions fom the heat.
Whereas most recipes call for whole black
olives, I found that they roll around and occa
sionally fall off the crust. In addition, the intense
heat of the oven dries them to a leathery texture.
A better method was to chop the olives coarsely
and layer them underneath the onions, where
they are protected from overcooking. This same
trick also worked with the leaves of fresh thyme.
It' s traditional to arrange anchovies across me
A shoddy piza cutter drgs mel ted cheese out of pl ace and fai l s to cut through crisp crust
cleanly, l eaving you to tear l oose a sl i ce by hand. Al l of the eight piza wheels we tested
cut through crisp thi n-crust pi es wi thout a probl em, but deep-di sh pizas l oaded up with
gooey cheese and toppi ngs qui ckly thi nned the pack. Cutters with l are, 4-i nch-diameter
wheel s were abl e to pl ough through such pi es wi thout a probl em, whi l e those with smal l er
wheels qui ckly got mi red i n the mess and left me with greas knuckl es. Of the l are wheel
cutter, the Oxo Good Gri ps 4-\ nch was the wi nner for its rubberi zed, nonsl i p handl e;
protective thumb guard; and angl ed neck, whi ch made cutti ng easi er on the wrist.
Professi onal pi zzerias often employ a l are rocki ng knife to cut cl ean through the pi e
i n one stroke wi thout drggi ng any hot cheese out of pl ace. A few home versi ons of these
knives are avai l abl e. Vi l l aWare' s 1 4- l nch Stai nl ess Piza Chopper cuts cl eanl y through
crusts both thi ck and thi n, but its size makes i t doubly awkard: It' s a bit too short to
cut through a ver l are pi zza but sti l l too lare for eas storge. LmsonSharp also makes
a rocker, but its wooden handl es are troubl e in the di shwasher, and i ts edge
cures up toward the gri ps, posi ng a seri ous hazard to exposed pi nki es. So save your
money (and your fi ngers) and go wi th the Oxo Good Gri ps. -Sean Lwl er
X Good Gri ps 4- l nch Piza
Wheel , $ 9. 95
Lrer wheel can handl e the extra
cheese; comforable gri p.
X Good Gri ps Piza Wheel ,
$7
Smal l wheel can't motor through
gooey deep-dish piza.
DOU BLE TH E TROU BLE
WMF Doubl e Wheel Piza
Cutter, $ 29. 99
Flashy for sure, but flimsy for
the price.
C O OK
'
s I L L U S T R A T E D
1 4
TOO B I G
VI LWARE Brushed Stai nl ess
1 4- l nch Piza Chopper, $ 1 3 . 9 5
Efective on personal -size pizas,
but that' s a l ot of sharp metal .
A HAN D LE , P LEAS E
ZUSS Piza Wheel ,
$ 9. 95
Who needs a handl e? We di d.
Straight cuts are a chal l enge.
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top of a pissaladiere in a crosshatched pattern. This


was too much anchovy for the test kitchen staf, so
I focused on how to incororate their strong flavor
without offending anyone. P with the olives, I
found it best to chop and spread them underneath
the onions. Just four anchovies per tart was perfect,
and rinsing them first made sure they weren't too
salty or fishy. (Still, several fish lovers missed the
crosshatching, so I included it as an option. ) The
only untraditional flavors that passed our relatively
strict code of authenticity were fennel seeds and
feshly miced parsley, and both are optional. Now
I can invite this relative stranger to dinner and
expect to understand every word he says.
PI S SALADI
E
RE
MAKES 2 TARTS . S E RVI NG 8 TO | U AS A F I RST COU RS E
Instant yeast i s almost always sold under a mar
keting name; look for "rapid rise," "perfect rise, "
or "quick rise. " If your food processor includes a
plastic dough blade attachment, use it; its short
blades and dull edges make kneading easier on
the motor. If not, the regular metal blade works
almost as well . For best flavor, use high- quality
oil-packed anchovies; in a recent tasting, Ortiz
were our favorite. The dough in this recipe rises
for 1 to 1 11 hours. If a longer or overnight rise is
more convenient, make the dough with lz tea
spoon of instant yeast and let it rise in the refrig
erator for 16 to 24 hours. The caramelized onions
can also be made a day ahead and refigerated.
To prebake and feeze crusts for pissaladiere, see
Kitchen Notes, page 30.
Dough
2 cups ( I I ounces) bread fl our, pl us extra for
dusti ng work surface
teaspoon i nstant yeast
teaspoon salt
tabl espoon ol ive oi l , pl us addi ti onal oi l for
brushi ng dough and greasi ng hands
cup (8 ounces) warm water
(about 1 1 0 degrees)
Caramelized Onions
2 tabl espoons ol ive oi l
2 pounds yel l ow oni ons, sl i ced 1/4 i nch thi ck
11 teaspoon salt
teaspoon brown sugar
tabl espoon water
Olives, Anchovies, and Garnishes
Ol ive oi l
11 teaspoon ground bl ack pepper
11 cup ni oi se ol ives, pi tted and chopped coarse
8 anchovy fi l l ets, ri nsed. patted dry,
and chopped coarse (about 2tabl espoons) .
pl us | 2 fi l l ets, rinsed and patted dr
for (opti onal ) garnish
2 teaspoons mi nced fresh thyme leaves
teaspoon fennel seeds (opti onal )
tabl espoon mi nced fresh parsley
l eaves (opti onal )
1. FOR THE DOUGH: In workbowl of food
processor fitted with plastic dough blade ( see note) ,
pulse flour, yeast, and salt to combine, about five
1 -second pulses. With machine running, slowly
add oil, then water, through feed tube; continue to
process until dough forms ball, about 1 5 seconds.
Generously dust work surface wth flour; using
fl oured hads, tansfer dough to work surface and
knead lightly, shaping dough into ball . Lightly oil
1 -quart measuring cup or small bowl, place dough
in measuring cup ( see photo, page 3 1 ) , cover
tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside in draf-fee
spot until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1 hours.
2. FOR THE CAELIZED ONIONS: Wlie
dough is rising, heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet
over high heat until shimmering but not smoking;
stir in onions, salt, and brown sugar and cook, stir
ring fequently, until moisture released by onions
has evaporated and onions begin to brown, about
1 0 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook,
stirring fequently, until onions have sofened and
are medium golden brow, about 20 minutes lon
ger. Of heat, stir in water; transfer to bowl and set
aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, set bak
ing stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.
3. TO SHAPE, TOP, A BA THE DOUGH:
When dough has doubled, remove from measur
ing cup and divide into 2 equal pieces using dough
scraper. Working wit one piece at a time, form
each piece into rough ball by gently pulling edges
of dough together and pinching to seal ( see illus
tration 1 below) . Witl1 foured hands, turn dough
ball seam-side down. Cupping dough with both
hands, gently push dough in circular motion to
form taut ball ( illustration 2) . Repeat with second
piece. Brush each lightly with oil, cover with plastic
wrap, and let rest 1 0 minutes. Meanwhile, cut two
20-inch lengths parchment paper and set aside.
4. Coat fingers and palms of hands generously
with oil. Using dough scraper, loosen 1 piece of
dough fom work surface. With well-oiled hands,
hold dough alof and gently stretch to 12-inch
length (illustration 3) . Place on parchment sheet
and gently dimple surface of dough wth fingertips
(illustration 4) . Using oiled palms, push and flatten
dough into 14 by 8-inch oval (illustration 5 ) . Brush
dough with oil and sprinkle with V4 teaspoon pep
per. Leaving 1-inch border around edge, sprinkle
cup olives, 1 tablespoon chopped anchovies, and
1 teaspoon thyme eveny over dough, then evenly
scatter with half of onons (illustration 6) . Arrange
6 whole anchovy fillets, if using, on tart and sprkle
with fennel seeds, if using. Slip parchment with tart
onto pizza peel ( or inverted rimless baking sheet),
then slide onto hot baking stone. Bake until deep
golden brown, 1 3 to 1 5 minutes. While frst tart
bakes, shape and top second tart.
5 . Remove tart from oven with peel or pull
parchment onto baking sheet; transfer tart to cut
ting board and slide parchment out from under
tart. Cool 5 minutes; sprinkle with 1 1z teaspoons
parsley, if using. Cut tart in half lengthwise, then
cut crosswise to form 8 pieces; serve immediately.
While frst tart cools, bake second tart.
COOK'S EXTRA gives y ou f ree additi onal i nf ormati on
onli ne. For the f ull res ults of our olive tasti ng . visit
ww.c ookill ust rated .c om a nd key in c ode 204 1 . For t he
f ull res ults of our pizza c utter t esti ng . key i n c ode 2042.
This i nf or mati on will be availabl e until April 1 5 . aft er
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ST E P - BY- ST E P S UAPl NC P l S SAlAll l kl
I . Pu l l dough edges together. Z. Rol l dough i n to taut bal l . J . Hol d dough al oft and stretch .
4. Di mpl e dough with fi ngers. 5 . Push dough i nto oval . . Add toppi ngs.
M A R C H c A P R I L 2 0 0 4
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Here' s everth i ng you need to know abou t cooki ng today' s l ean pork, i nc l u di ng
i denti fi ng the best cuts and ch oosi ng the proper cooki ng method . O' c O c ''/ '/'`
The Thi nni ng of the American Pig
TA 1 | N C . Modem versus Ol d- Fashi oned Pork
We purchased center-cut pork chops from New York farmer who ri se
heri tage breeds the ol d-fashi oned way (the ani mal s roam free and are
fed whol esome, naturl di ets) and tasted them al ongsi de supermarket
chops. Taster had an i nteresti ng response to the farm- ri sed pork,
noting that whi l e i t was j ui cy. with significantl y more fat than the super
market chops, i t al so had unusual "mi nerl " and " i ron" favor. Some
taster al so found that the extr fat i n the ol d-fashi oned pork l eft behi nd
an unpl easant coati ng i n thei r mouths. Surpri si ngly, most tster favored
the more fami l iar supermarket meat. A few tasters thought that the ol d
fashi oned pork was del i ci ous but defi ni tely an acquired taste.
In 1 985 . ami d growi ng concerns about satu
rted fat i n the Ameri can di et, Congress cre
ated the Nati onal Pork Board wi th the goal
of hel pi ng producers provi de consumers with
the l eaner meat they desi red. Worki ng with
the board. producer devel oped new breed
i ng techni ques and feedi ng systems ai med at
sl i mmi ng down pi gs. a resul t, pigs are now
much leaner and more heavi l y muscl ed than
they were 20 years ago. with an average of 3 1
percent l ess fat. Thi s i s good news for our waist
l i nes. but much of the meat flavor. moi sture,
and tenderness di sappeared al ong with the fat,
causi ng some cuts of fresh pork to taste l i ke di et
food. For thi s reason , choosi ng the ri ght cut and
the ri ght cooki ng method make a bi g difference
when prepari ng today' s pork.
We wondered j ust how fatt thi s ol d-fashi oned pork was and so sent
a sampl e pork butt to a food l abortor to be ground and analyzed for
fat content. For comparison, we also sent a supermarket sampl e of the
same cut. we expected, the ol d-fashi oned pork butt had si gni ficantly
more fat-b0percent more-than the supermarket butt. Ol d-fashi oned
pork chops had 2 1 0 percent more fat than the supermarket sampl es,
but thi s sk-high fat l evel was probably due to diferences i n the way the
to ki nds of pork were tri mmed; supermarkets tend to remove most
external fat; pork farmers who ri se heri tage breeds do not.
TA1 | N C . Enhanced or
Unenhanced Pork?
Because modem pork i s remarkably
lean and therefore somewhat bl and
and prone to drness i f overcooked,
a product cal l ed enhanced pork has
overtaken the market. Enhanced
pork i s i njected with a sol uti on of
water, sal t, sodi um phosphates,
sodi um lactate. potassi um lactate.
sodi um di acetate. and vari ng favor
agents to bol ster flavor and j ui ci ness,
wi th the total amount of enhanc-
i ng i ngredi ents addi ng 7 percent to
I 5 percent extra wei ght. The Pork
Board cl ai ms that the purpose of
enhancement i s not to i mprove i nfe
rior meat but to boost the overal l
qual i t of the product. Pork contai n
i ng addi tives must be so l abel ed,
with a l i st of the i ngredi ents.
Afer severl taste tests, we have
concl uded that whi l e enhanced pork
is i ndeed j ui ci er and more tender
than unenhanced pork, the latter
has more genui ne pork flavor. Some
tasters pi cked up unappeal i ng artifi
cial , salt favor i n enhanced pork.
Enhanced pork can al so leach j ui ces
that, once reduced, wi l l resul t i n
overly salt pan sauces. If you want
to add moisture and fl avor to a dry
cut. buy unenhanced pork and bri ne
it at home (that i s, soak the meat i n
a saltwater sol uti on) .
Pri mal Cuts
The term "pri mal cuts" refers to the basi c cuts made to an ani mal when i t is i ni ti al l y butch
ered. Butchers turn pri mal cuts i nto the chops, roasts, and other cuts sol d at the retai l
l evel . Retai l cuts from the same pri mal cut general ly share si mi l ar trai ts, so when shoppi ng
i t hel ps to understand the characteri sti cs of the five pri mal cuts of pork.
BLADE SHOULDER LOI N
ARM SHOULDER LEG
BLADE SHOULDER Cuts from the upper porti on of the wel l - exerci sed front l egs of the
pi g tend to be tough, wi th a fai r amount of fat. Shoul der cuts requi re l ong. sl ow cooki ng
to become fork-tender.
ARM SHOULDER The economi cal arm, or pi cni c shoul der, has characteri sti cs si mi lar
to the blade shoul der. Shoul der hocks (used pri mari l y as a flavori ng agent in sou ps, sl ow
cooked greens, and stews) al so come from thi s part of the pig. whereas ham hocks come
from the hi nd l egs of the ani mal .
LOI N Butchers di vi de thi s area between the shoul der and the leg i nto some of the most
popul ar cuts of pork. i ncl udi ng pork chops, tenderl oi n, roasts, and ribs. Because the l oi n
area i s so l ean, these cuts are prone to drness.
SI DE The si de, or bel ly, of the pi g i s the fattiest part. home to spareri bs and bacon .
LEG The l eg i s someti mes referred to as the ham. Ham can be wet- or dry-cured or sol d
fresh , as a roast. Our favori te cured hams are sol d bone- i n and spi rl -sl i ced.
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Retai l Cuts
We tested I 5 common cuts of fresh
pork in the test kitchen to determi ne
our favori tes and fi nd the best ways
to cook them. We rted the cuts for
favor ( **** bei ng the best) and
cost per pound ( $$$$ bei ng the most
expensi ve) . We' d l i ke to thank j ohn
Dewar. owner of John Dewar &Co.
Qual i t Meats i n Newton, Mass. , and
Ceci Snyder of the Nati onal Pork Board
for sharing thei r expertise with us.
B LAD E S H CU L D E R
Pork Butt
Aternate Names: Bosto n Shoulde r, Pork
Butt Roast . Bosto n-Stle Butt
F LAVOR ****
COST $$
EST WASTOCOOK Barbecue, Brise,
Thi s flavorful cut, whi ch i s often used
for pul l ed pork, has enough fat to stay
moi st and succul ent duri ng l ong. sl ow
cooki ng. It is often sol d bonel ess and
wrpped i n netti ng. as pi ctured above.
AR M S H O U L D E R
Shoul der Arm Pi cni c
Aternate Names: Pic nic Shou lde r,
Fresh Pic nic . Pic nic Roast
FLAVOR ****
COST $
ESTWAS TO COOK Barbecue, Bri se,
Roast
Thi s afordabl e cut contai ns i ts fair share
of fat and ri nd, but the meat has potent
pork flavor and becomes mel ti ngl y
tender wi th cooking. Pi cni c roasts are
someti mes sol d ski nl ess and bonel ess.
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LO I N
Bl ade Roast
Alternate Names (Bone-I n Cuts) :
Pork 7- Ri b Roast, Pork 5- Ri b Roast,
Pork Loi n Rib End, Ri b-End Roast
FLAVOR ***
COST $$
BEST WA TO COOK Braise
The part of the l oi n cl osest to the
shoul der, the bone- i n bl ade roast
can be difi cul t to care because
of its many separate muscl es and
fatt pockets. We prefer the
bonel ess versi on of thi s roast.
Center Ri b Roast
Alterate Names: Rck of Pork,
Pork Loi n Ri b Hal f, Center-Cut Roast
F LAVOR ***
COST $$$
BEST WA TOCOOK Roast
Often referred to as the pork
equival ent of pri me ri b, this mi l d,
fairly l ean roast consi sts of a si ngl e
muscl e wi th a protective fat cap. I t may
be cut with anyhere from 5 to 8 ri bs.
Center loi n Roast
Alternate Names: Center Cut,
Loi n Roast Center Cut, Pork Roast
FLAVOR ***
COST $$$
BEST WA T O C OOK Roast
This popul ar roast is j ui cy, tender, and
evenly shaped, wi th somewhat l ess fat
than the center ri b roast. pi ctured,
thi s roast i s someti mes sol d with the
tenderl oi n attached.
Si rl oi n Roast
Alternate Name: None
FLAVOR No star
COST $ $ $
BEST WA T OCOOK Not recommended
Thi s si nuous cut wi th a good amount
of connective ti ssue i s di fi cul t to cook
evenly and to care.
Tenderl oi n
Alternate Name: None
FLAVOR **
COST $ $ $
BEST WAS T OC OOK Roast, Saute,
Gri l l , Stir- Fr
Lean , del i cate, bonel ess tenderl oi n has
l i ttl e marbl i ng, cooks very qui ckly, and
can dry out faster than fatti er cuts.
Baby Back Ribs
Alternate Names: Loi n Back Ri bs, Ri bl ets
FLAVOR ****
COST $ $ $ $
Barbecue
These ri bs, cut wi th I I to 1 3 bones,
come from the upper end of the ri b
cage cl osest to the backbone. They are
l ean, tender, and smal l er than other
ri bs. Choose meati er racks, preferbly
those wei ghi ng more than I % pounds.
Countr-Stle Ribs
Alternate Name: Country Ri bs
FLAVOR ****
COST $ $ $
BEST WAS To c ooK Barbecue, Brise
These meat, tender ri bs are cut from
the upper si de of the ri b cage from the
fatt bl ade end of the l oi n. Butchers
usual ly cut them i nto i ndivi dual ri bs and
package several together.
Bl ade Chops
Alternate Name: Pork Chop End Cuts
FLAVOR ***
COST $ $ $
BEST WA T O COOK Not recommended
Cut from the shoul der end of the l oi n,
these chops can be di fi cul t to fi nd at
the market. They are fatt and tough ,
despi te good flavor and j ui ci ness.
Ri b Chops
Alternate Names: Ri b Cut Chops,
Pork Chops End Cut
FLAVOR ****
COST $$$
BEST WAS TO COOK Pn-Sear and
Roast, Gri l l ,
Our favorite chops are cut from the ri b
secti on of the l oi n. They have a rel a
ti vel y hi gh fat content, renderi ng them
flavorful and unl i kely to dry out duri ng
cooki ng. Ri b chops can be di sti n
gui shed by the secti on of ri b bone
runni ng al ong one si de.
Center- Cut Chops
Alternate Names: Top Loi n Chops,
Loi n Chops
FLAVOR ***
COST $ $ $ $
BEST WAS T OC OOK Pn-Sear and
Roast, Gri l l , Brai se,
Saute
I denti fy these chops by the bone that
divi des the l oi n meat from the ten
derl oi n muscl e, as i n a T- bone steak.
The l ean tenderl oi n secti on cooks
more qui ckl y than the l oi n secti on ,
maki ng these chops a chal l enge to
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cook. They are someti mes avai l abl e
bonel ess and may then be referred to
as Ameri ca' s cut.
Si rl oi n Chops
Alterate Name: Si rl oi n Steaks
FLAVOR No stars
COST $ $ $
BEST WA T OCOOK Not recommended
These chops, cut from the si rl oi n, or
hi p, end of the pi g, are tough, dry, and
tastel ess. The chops contai n tenderl oi n
and l oi n meat, pl us a sl i ce of hi p bone.
S I D E
Spareri bs
Alterate Name: St. Loui s-Stl e Ribs
FLAVOR ***
COST $ $ $ $
BEST WAS To cooK Barbecue, Braise
These fatt, succul ent ri bs are cut from
the underbel ly, or l ower rib cage. A ful l
rack contai ns 1 3 ri bs and wei ghs about
3 pounds. St. Loui s-stl e ri bs are pre
pared by removi ng the bri sket (shown
on the left side of this i l l ustrti on) so
that the rack i s more rectangul ar.
L E G
Fresh Ham
Alternate Name: Fresh Leg
FLAVOR ****
COST $$
BEST WA TOCOOK Roast
Fresh ham i s not cured. We prefer
the shank end (shown here) Ovcr\nc
rounded si rl oi n (butt) end because it i s
easi er to care.
Better, Easier Spinach Lasagna
We du mp the mozzare l l a , add cottage cheese , and soak n o- boi l nood l es
i n hot tap water. I s thi s any way to treat a n orthern I tal i an cl assi c?

n northern Italy, where traditional


spinach lasagna has its roots, cooks
keep things simple, combining layers
of homemade pasta, fresh spinach,
bechamel (white sauce) , and cheese. Given
its delicate flavors and straightforward ingre
dient list, it makes an ideal entree for infor
mal dinner parties. Yet the Americanized
recipes I've encountered invariably fail.
: B Y R E B E C C A H AY S E
as too acidic. I regrouped and sauteed a cup
of minced shallots (they're sweeter and less
harsh than onions) and plenty of garlic in
butter before whisking in the four for the
roux. To infse the sauce with even more fa
vor, I added two potent bay leaves (kept fesh
in the feezer, as is our custom in the test
kitchen) and feshly grated nutmeg and then
fished by strring in some grated Parmesan
cheese. Sprgs of salt and pepper were
the only other refnements I needed for a
luxurious sauce that would complement, but
not obliterate, the favor of the spinach.
The Cheese and the Noodl es
The problem ( but not the solution) i s
simple enough. Most American cookbook
authors call for convenient no- boil ( also
called oven-ready) noodles, whereas tradi
tional Italian recipes use homemade fresh
pasta. Lasagna made with fesh pasta, whch
cooks in an instant, requires only a brief
stay in the oven to give the separate layers
a chance to bind. No- boil noodles are a dif
ferent story. No matter what the brand, the
instructions on the back of the box-which
I confrmed in the test kitchen-insist on at
least 50 minutes of baking. This long stint
in the oven robs the spinach of its vibrancy,
rendering it greenish-gray and lifeless. The
other complication is that bechamel-made
wth only m_ four, and butter and serving
as the necessary glue that holds the layers
together-usually exhibits little more favor
than a squirt of Elmer's.
We've taken a tradi ti onal I tal i an reci pe and made i t si mpl er and more
flavorful .
Most recipes for spinach lasagna call for both
ricotta and mozzarella, but I wanted to try
other optons as well. Whole m rcotta was
declared slightly heavy and grainy by my tast
ers. When I covertly added scoops of cottage
cheese (pureed wth an egg to smooth out
its curds) , not one taster could identif the
mystery ingredient. Although heretical to
any "real" northern Italian cook, it provided
a pleasig tang and extra creaess wthout
the distinct, somewhat dry layer created by
the ricotta. Finally, I tried replacing bland
mozzarella with fontina, a creamy, semifrm
Italian cheese with buttery, nutty tones. Its
Getti ng the Spi nach and Sauce Right
I kew I could rescue the spinach fom ruin by
shortening the bakng time of the lasagna. As
d interim solution, I used conventional lasagna
noodles, cooked al dente, so that I could prepare
test batches with 20-minute baking times. I dis
missed fozen spinach because tasters consistently
gave it low marks durng preliminary tests. P for
fesh spinach, two types are available at the market:
tender baby leaves and the mature, crinly variety.
Though I generally favor the former, for this appli
cation, the heartier crinkly spinach proved ideal;
baby spinach was too fagle to withstand the pun
ishing heat of the oven. I then made four lasagnas,
preparg the crinkly spinach diferently for each.
COOK' S EXTRA gi ves you free addi ti onal reci pes and
i nformati on onl i ne. For two addi ti onal spi nach l asagna
variati ons, vi si t ww. cooks i l l ustrated. com and key i n
code 2043. Thi s i nformati on wil l be avai l abl e unti l Apri l
I 5, after whi ch i t wi l l be avai l abl e to si te subscri bers only.
Sauteed spinach took on a muddy favor and baked
up slimy. Finely chopped raw spinach retained a
brilliant green color afer baking but tasted grassy
and underdone. Rw spinach that I wlted in the
hot bechamel sauce didn' t work; it took on an
unappealingly wet texture. Blanching ( dunking in
boiling salted water, then shocking in an ice water
bath) was the solution, as it allowed the spinach to
retain its verdant color and pure flavor. I wrapped
the spinach in a kitchen towel and forcefl y wrung
out excess liquid to guard against soggy lasagna.
Bechamel is a classic m sauce thickened with
a roux ( see "Bechamel 1 01 ," page 19) . Because
the sauce thickens considerably in the oven ( as the
noodles leach starch) , I needed a bechamel on the
lighter side, finally settling on 5 tablespoons butter,
14 cup four, and 3l cups m Then I needed to
add some favor. A lone bay leaf plus seasoning with
salt and pepper did little. Rplacing part of the m
wth chicken stock wasn't tle answer-the result
ing sauce was watery and salty. Lemon juice and
lemon zest were rejected as well, judged by tasters
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complex favor was a welcome additon, and it also
melts beautl y.
With approximately 40 lasagnas under my belt,
I'd grown tired of the slick, cooked conventional
noodles draped over every colander and bowl in
the kitchen. I was determined to fnd a way to
use no-boil noodles, despite my misgivings about
their lengthy baking time. I covered a lasagna
made with no- boil noodles with aluminum foil to
trap the heat and cranked up the dial on the oven,
but the lasagna still took too long to cook-me
spinach was overdone while the noodles remained
chewy. Next, I parcooked no- boil noodles by
soaking them in boiling water and met with
some success, although it seemed ridiculous to
be boiling water for no- boil noodles. The simpler
solution-and the key to this recipe-was to soak
the noodles in hot tap water for just 5 minutes.
Aer only 20 minutes in a 425 -degree oven, the
noodles were perfectly cooked and, j ust as impor
tant, the spinach had maintained its vitalit. The
only cooking lef to do involved a quick trip to
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Bechamel I 0 I
Bechamel i s a si mpl e whi te sauce made with fl our and butter (the roux) and mi l k. Bechamel i s the base for a
number of creamy di shes. i ncl udi ng grati ns, macaroni and cheese. and creamed spi nach. For a proper bechamel .
the four must be adequately cooked to el i mi nate i ts rw taste and the mi l k sl owly whi sked i n to prevent l umps.
I . Mel t butter unti l foami ng. then
whi sk i n four to make a white raux.
Cook raux for 1 11 to 2 mi nutes to
el i mi nate any rw. four flavor. but
do not brown.
Z.Whi ski ng constantly. sl owly add
mi l k to roux. (ere' s no need to
scal d mi l k. as most reci pes di rect;
see Ki tchen Notes, page 30. for
more i nformati on. )
J. Bri ng sauce to l ow boi l , whi ski ng
often , and l et si mmer about 1 0
mi nutes. Fi ni shed sauce shoul d be
gl ossy. wi th consi stency of heavy
cream.
the broiler to brown the cheese.
And now I had 1 0 minutes ( lasagna needs
to rest before being served) to wonder whether
this spinach lasagna was as good as a classi c,
full-flavored meat lasagna. P a dozen test cooks
eagerly lined up for this fnal tasting, I think I knew
the answer.
S PI NACH LASAG NA
S E RVES 6 TO 8
Be sure to use Italian fontina rather than bland
and rubbery Danish or American fontina; if it is
not available, substitute whole milk mozzarella.
To make the cheese easier to shred, freeze it
for 30 minutes to frm it up. If fresh nutmeg is
unavailable, use only '/ teaspoon ground nut
meg. Because the lasagna is broiled at the end of
cooking to brown the surface, make sure to use a
baking dish that is broilersafe.
Spinach
l tabl espoon salt
2 bags ( I 0 ounces each) curly spi nach , stemmed
and ri nsed
Bechamel
5 tabl espoons unsal ted butter, pl us I tabl espoon
for baki ng di sh
5 large shal l ots, mi nced (about I cup)
4 medi um garl i c cl oves, mi nced or pressed
through garl i c press (generous I tabl espoon)
'/ cup al l - purpose fl our
3 1 1 cups whol e mi l k
2 bay l eaves
/ teaspoon freshl y grated nutmeg
11 teaspoon salt
'/ teaspoon ground bl ack pepper
ounce fi nely grated Prmesan cheese
(about 11 cup)
Cheeses and Pasta
8 ounces whol e mi l k cottage cheese
l arge egg
'/ teaspoon salt
1 2 no- boi l l asagna noodl es from I box
2 ounces fi nely grated Prmesan cheese
(about I cup)
8 ounces I tal i an fonti na, shredded (about 2 cups)
1 . FOR THE SPINACH: Fill large bowl with
ice water. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large
Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat; add salt
and spinach, stirring until spinach is just wilted,
about 5 seconds . Using skimmer or fne-mesh
strainer, transfer spinach to ice water and let stand
until completely cool, about 1 minute, then drain
spinach and transfer to clean kitchen towel. Wrap
towel tightly around spinach to form ball and
wring until dry ( see illustration, below) . Chop
spinach medium and set aside.
2 . FOR THE BECHAMEL: Melt 5 tablespoons
butter until foaming in medium saucepan over
medium heat; add shallots and garlic and cook,
stirring frequently, until translucent, about 4
minutes. Add four and cook, stirring constantly,
for about 1 12 minutes; do not brown. Gradually
whisk i n milk. Bring mixture to boi l over
medium- high heat, whisk in bay leaves, nutmeg,
salt, and pepper; reduce heat to low and sim
mer 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk
in Parmesan and discard bay leaves. Transfer
sauce to bowl , press plastic wrap directly against
surface, and set aside.
3 . FOR THE CHEESES, PASTA, AND
ASSEMBLY: Blend cottage cheese, egg, and salt
in food processor or blender until very smooth,
about 3 0 seconds . Transfer to bowl and s et
aside. Adj ust oven rack t o middle position and
heat oven to 425 degrees. Place noodles in 1 3
by 9- inch broilersafe baking dish and cover with
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Soak the No- Boi l Noodl es
A five- mi nute soak i n hot tap water dramati cal ly
reduces the baki ng ti me for the no- boi l noodl es,
al l owi ng the spi nach to remai n fresh l ooki ng and
tasti ng. We tested fi ve brands of no- boi l noodl es
i n our spi nach l asagna reci pe and found them al l to
be adequate. We di d, however, noti ce differences
i n vari ous brands. Our favori te, Bari l l a, consi sts of
ver thi n noodl es that resembl e fresh pasta; i t i s
avai l abl e i n supermarkets nati onwi de.
hot tap water; l et soak 5 minutes, agitating noo
dles occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove
noodles from water and place in single layer
on kitchen towel . Wipe baking dish dry and
coat with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Use
rubber spatula to distribute \ cup bechamel in
bottom of baking dish; position 3 noodles on
top of sauce. Stir spinach into remaining becha
mel in bowl , mixing well to break up clumps of
spinach (you should have about 4 cups spinach/
bechamel mixture) . Spread 1 cup spinach mix
ture evenly over noodles, sprinkle evenly with
Parmesan, and top with 3 more noodles . Spread
1 cup spinach mixture evenly over noodles,
sprinkle evenly with 1 cup fontina, and top
with 3 more noodles . Spread 1 cup spinach
mixture evenly over noodles, followed by cot
tage cheese mixture . Finish with 3 noodles,
remaining cup spinach mixture, and remaining
cup fontina. Lightly spray large sheet foil with
nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake
until bubbling, about 20 minutes, then remove
foil . Remove lasagna and adj ust oven rack to
uppermost position ( about 6 inches from heat
ing element) and heat broiler. Broil lasagna until
cheese is spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool 1 0
minutes, then cut into pieces and serve.
Squeezi ng the Spi nach
I f excess water i s not
removed from the bl anched
spi nach, the l asagna wi l l be
water. After bl anchi ng,
shocki ng, and drai ni ng the
spi nach, wrap i t i n a cl ean
ki tchen towel and wri ng
the towel to expel as much
water as possi bl e. When
you ' re done, the spi nach wi l l
form a dr bal l .
Better Orange Salads
Sl i ce the oranges i nto smal l pi eces , and use l i me j u i ce to make a bol d - fl avored d ressi ng.
W
ith their sweet juice, oranges can
turn a simple salad into some
thing special. Unfortunately, they
ofen sink to the bottom of the
bowl. And when you t to remx the salad, the
greens bruise and the oranges fall apart. In addi
tion, their abundant juice dilutes the dressing.
I started my testing by trying to determine
the best way to cut the oranges so that they
would retain their shape. The winning method
turned out to be cutting the oranges pole to
pole, removing the center pith, cutting each half
in thirds ( pole to pole) , and then fnishing with
1-inch slices cut crosswise.
For the dressing, my frst thought was to
make a quick vinaigrette, using the juice from
the oranges along wth the standard ingredients
of mustard, oil, salt, and pepper, but the result
was too sweet. More acidity was needed, and the
addition oflime juice, rather than lemon j uice, did
the trick. But when I tasted the dressing on the
salad, I found it had became diluted. What to do?
Make a bold vinaigrette using only lime juice-no
orange juice, as the oranges would release some
juice into the dressing no matter what. I did fnd,
though, that letting the cut oranges sit in a fne
mesh strainer while I prepared the other ingredi
ents relieved them of excess juice.
For the salad ingredients, I found that small
amounts of greens ( or no greens at all ) worked
best, keeping the oranges in the forefont. As for
the oranges falling to the bottom of the bowl
while the salad is tossed, my advice is, don't try to
fght gravity. Toss the salad as little as possible and
then plate individual portions, evenly distributing
the oranges and other weightier ingredients that
remain at the bottom of the bowl .
ORANGE , AVOCADO, AND WATERCRESS
SALAD WI TH G I NG ER- LI ME VI NAI G RETE
S E RVES 4
1 11 cups prepared oranges (see i l l ustrati ons) from
3 medi um oranges
teaspoon grated fresh gi nger
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
tabl espoon j ui ce from I l i me
Pi nch cayenne
tabl espoon fi nel y chopped fresh mi nt l eaves
Salt
3 tabl espoons vegetabl e oi l
1/4 smal l red oni on, sl i ced very thi n (about 1/4 Cup)
medi um avocado, ri pe but fi rm
3 B Y E R I N M C M U R R E R E
smal l bunch watercress, stemmed and cut
i nto 2-i nch pi eces (about 2 11 cups)
. Place orange pieces in nonreactive mesh
strainer set over bowl; let stand to drain excess
j uice. Meanwhile, whisk ginger, mustard, lime
juice, cayenne, mint, and teaspoon salt in large
bowl until combined. Whisking constantly, gradu
ally add oi. Toss onion in dressing and set aside.
2. Halve and pit avocado; cut each halflength
wise to form quarters . Using paring knife, slice
fesh of each quarter ( do not cut through skin)
lengthwise into ffhs. Using soup spoon, care
flly scoop flesh out of skin and fan slices from
each quarter onto individual plates; season avo
cado lightly with salt.
3. Add oranges to bowl wth onions; toss to
coat. Add watercress and toss gently. Divide
watercress among individual plates, mounding
it in center; place portion of orange pieces and
onions on top of watercress. Drizzle any dressing
in bowl over avocado; serve immediately.
ORANGE - J
i
CAMA SALAD WI TH SWE ET
AND S PI CY PEPPERS
S E RVES 4
1 11 cups prepared oranges (see i l l ustrati ons) from
J medi um oranges
3 tabl espoons j ui ce from 2 to 3 l i mes
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 teaspoon ground cumi n, toasted in smal l dry
ski l l et unti l fragrant, about 30 seconds
Sal t
4 tabl espoons vegetabl e oi l
medi um jicama (about I pound) , peel ed and cut
i nto 2- i nch- l ong matchsti cks (about 4 cups)
medi um red bel l pepper, seeded and cut i nto
1/s- i nch-wi de stri ps (about 1 11 cups)
2 medi um jal apenos, quartered l engthwi se, seeded,
then cut crosswi se i nto 1/s- i nch-thi ck sl i ces
STE P- BY- STE P
I . Cut thi n sl i ce from top
and bottom, stand on end,
and sl i ce away ri nd and
whi te pi th.
Z. Cut in hal f from end to
end, remove stri ng pi th,
cut each hal f i nto three
wedges, and cut crosswise
i nto 1/4- i nch pi eces.
C O O K
'
S I L L U S T R A T E D
2 0
11 cup fresh ci l antro l eaves, chopped coarse
3 medi um scal l i ons, green parts sl i ced thi n on bi as
. Place orange pieces in nonreactive mesh
strainer set over bowl; let stand to Oexcess juice.
Meanwhile, whisk lme juice, mustard, cumin, and
V4 teaspoon salt in large bowl until combined.
Whisking constantly, gradualy add oil.
2. Toss jicama and red bell pepper with tea
spoon salt in medium bowl until combined. Add
jicama mixture, oranges, jaapenos, cilantro, and
scallions to bowl with dressing and toss well to
combine. Divide among individual plates, drizzle
with any dressing in bowl, and serve immediately.
ORANGE AN D RADI S H SALAD WI TH ARUG ULA
S E RVES 4
1 11 cups prepared oranges (see i l l ustrati ons) from
3 medi um oranges
5 teaspoons j ui ce from I to 2 l i mes
1/4 teaspoon Dij on mustard
11 teaspoon ground cori ander, toasted in smal l dry
ski l l et unti l fragrant, about 30 seconds
1/s teaspoon sal t
Ground bl ack pepper
3 tabl espoons vegetabl e oi l
5 radi shes, quateed l engthwise and cut crosswise
i nto 1/s - i nch-thi ck sl i ces (about 1 1/ cups)
4 ounces baby arugul a (about 4 cups)
. Place orange pieces in nonreactive mesh
strainer set over bowl; let stand to drain excess
juice. Meanwhile, whisk lime juice, mustard, cori
ander, salt, and pepper to taste in large bowl untl
combined. Whisking constantly, gradually add oil.
2. Add oranges, radishes, and arugula to bowl
and toss gently to combine . Divide arugula
among individual plates, place a portion of
oranges and radishes over arugula, and drizzle
with any dressing in bowl; serve immediately.
U
Z
>
C
C

Z
1
C
Perfecting JlIJVJ
Part pastry, part confecti on , bakl ava i s often su bj ect to the foi bl es of both : too soggy and
too sweet. We made more than th ree dozen batches to u ncover i ts secrets .
D
aklava is a cross-cultural sweetmeat
phenomenon. It is commonly
regarded as a Greek pastry but
accepted as Turkish in origin, and
its ancient progenitors are said to be Assyrian.
Yet the question remains unanswered as to
why, in this country, in this modern age,
baklava, so lavish with butter, sugar, and
nuts, is so ofen a lamentable experience.
Sad, soggy, punishingly sweet, and utterly
lifeless specimens ae ubiquitous. Extremely
rare are crisp, fak, buttery lozenges, light
yet rich, flled with fagrant nuts and spices,
and sweetened just assertively enough to pair
perfectly with a Turkish cofee.
B Y D A W N Y A N A G I H A R A
Balava comes in numerous forms, fom
cigar-shaped rolls to turbanlike nests. The
Aerican noton of baklava is a multlayered
diamond-shaped pastry and so that was the
shape I decided to pursue. I opted to develop
a Greek-style baklava, also sweetened in part
by honey and flavored with spices such as
cinnamon and cloves. A Turkish or Middle
Eastern baklava-scented with cardamom
and rose or orange-fower water and less
familiar to the American palate-I decided to
leave to a variaton.
Baklava is a l abor of l ove, but if you fol l ow some precauti ons you
can rest assured that thi s dessert wi l l turn out cri sp, flak. and
l ightl y sweetened.
Over the course of three days, I plodded
trough six representative recipes to a disappoint
ing end. Though the ground rules for all of the
recipes were the same-buttered phyllo sheets are
layered into a baking dish wth nuts, the assem
blage baked and then soaked in sugar syrup-the
outcomes were vastly diferent. Whereas one was
awash in a thin, watery syrup, another was dry,
its viscous, chewy syrup offering no relief Yet
anoter was overspiced, one lacked cohesiveness,
and the worst had a moist, pasty nut fg that
made the baklava heavy and soggy. The sixth was
remarkable in that there was nothing egregiously
wrong with it, but its flling was meager and
lacked favor, its stature was slight, and it was
highly oversweetened. I had work to do.
Phyl l o Fcts
Prepared phyllo (homemade phyllo was out of the
queston) is sold boxed in the supermarket feezer
section and, when halved crosswise, the phyllo
sheets conveniently yield perfectly sized pieces for
a straigt-sided 1 3 by 9-inch baking pan. I quickly
learned that packages caked with ice are almost
sure to contain phyllo that is cracked and brittle,
so avoid such boxes. It is no surprise that phyllo
needs to be flly defosted before use. Storing it
overnight in the refigerator requires forethought
but is a good method, as is a four- to fve-hour thaw
on the countertop. Do not be fooled, as I was, by
phyllo that has been sittng at room temperature
for only an hour; still in its plastic sleeve ( but out of
the box), the roll felt pliant and thawed, but its core
was stll fozen. P attempt to use only partally
defosted phyllo resulted in fustraton. Unfolding
caused multple large cracks and tears, rendering
the sheets unusable.
Phyllo has a reputation for being diffcult
to work with in its uncooked state . Indeed,
the paper-thin sheets are quick to dry out and
become brittle . Despite recipes' advice to use
one or another protective covering, I found that
during baklava assembly the phyllo was best kept
under a sheet of plastic wrap, then covered with a
damp kitchen towel as added insurance.
Using a pound of very fnely chopped nuts
( about 4 cups) , a fll 1 -pound box of phyllo
( some recipes called for only lf or 3/4 pound) ,
l ^ K L | b ^ l K l L 2 0 0 4
2 1
and a 1 3 by 9- inch baking pan, I started
building the baklava. Pieces of baklava wth
only one thick, central layer of nuts tended
to split in two ( they lacked cohesion) . With
the nuts divided into two layers separated
by several sheets of phyllo, the pieces held
together better, but the baklava composed
of three relatively U nut layers (I reduced
the nuts by 4 ounces) between four sections
of phyllo had the superior structure. My fnal
recipe called for eight to 1 0 phyllo sheets in
the bottom; three nut layers, each separated
by six sheets; and another eight to 10 phyllo
sheets to cover. This required nearly the
entire pound of phyllo.
Nuts, Spi ces, and Butter
I immediately dismissed pecans as too sweet
and too American. Hazelnuts need to be
husked and were not well liked by tasters.
Most everyone also objected to an all-walnut
fg ( too harsh and bitter) or an all-almond
fg (rather nondescript) . Eight ounces of
almonds and 4 ounces of walnuts ( chopped
very fnely in a food processor-indeed,
nearly ground) was a good blend. Pistachios
are also a common bakava fg, and when I
tried them they were a smash, but they are better
suited to a baklava with Turkish or Middle Eastern
favors. Toasting the nuts was urmecessary, if not a
misstep, because the nuts cook thoroughly in the
time it takes to bake the baklava. I tried various
spice combinations, and the winner consisted of
1 14 teaspoons warm, familiar ground cinnamon
and l/4 teaspoon deep, rich ground cloves.
Must the butter be clarifed, as many recipes
suggested? (To learn more about clarifed butter,
see "Clag the Situation," page 22. ) The sur
face of the baklava made wth whole butter was
splotchy brown, while that made with clarifed
butter colored uniformly. It also had a cleaner,
sweeter favor. And because the water had been
extracted from the clarifed butter, the phyllo lay
ers were slightly fakier and crisper.
I tried, as one recipe suggested, to butter every
other sheet of phyllo, but this resulted in a dry
baklava that was chall and gritt. Clearly, every
sheet needed a coating of butter. Some recipes
advocated dousing the assembled baklava with a
generous amount (a half cup or more) of melted
butter, a step that I found absurdly excessive. Yet
C | ( N C ( : Cl arifi ng the Si tuati on
foam
Buter has a lot of fat, but it al so contai ns-i n smal l amounts-protei ns. carbohy-
drtes. and mi nerl s (the mi l k sol i ds) . as wel l as water. all of whi ch are di stri buted
throughout the fat i n an emul si on. Usual ly these resi dual i ngredi ents are wel come
favor bonuses. but i n certain rre appl i cati ons, such as baklava. these extrs become
more nuisance than nuance and shoul d be removed i n a process cal l ed cl arifi ng. butterfat
To clarif butter. butter i s heated to break the emul si on. whi ch causes its dif
ferent components to separte accordi ng to densit and chemical predispositi on.
Wite foam col l ects at the top; thi s consi sts of ai r that has been encapsul ated by
mi l k sol ids. Di rectly below the foam l i es the butterfat; by law. the fat must make up
mi l k sol i ds
80 percent of the total content of the butter. Undereath the fat l i es a thi n layer
that i ncl udes protei ns and phosphol i pi ds. Fi nal ly, at the bottom l i es the aqueous
layer; this i s predomi nantly water al ong wi th some di ssolved material .
The si mplest method of cl arifi ng butter i s to cut i t i nto l - i nch chunks, then mel t i t i n a smal l saucepan over
medi um- low heat, which tkes about I 0 mi nutes. Once taken of the heat, the butter is al l owed to settle for I 0
mi nutes and i s then ski mmed with a soup spoon (see i l l ustrti ons bel ow) to cl arif i t.
Butter can al so be cl arified usi ng a mi crowave oven. Start by cutti ng the butter i nto l -i nch chunks. then pl ace i t
i n a mi crowave-safe bowl covered wi th pl astic i n the mi crowave at 50 percent power for about five mi nutes. Let
the butter settle for I 0 mi nutes. then ski m of and di scard the foam on the surface. Let the butter cool to room
temperature. then cover i t wi th pl asti c wrp and refrigerte unti l the fat sol i difi es. whi ch takes at l east four hour.
The sol i dified butter can then be popped out of the bowl (where the water and sol i ds wi l l remai n) and i ts damp
bottom dri ed wi th paper towel s. -DY wi th John Ol son, Sci ence Edi tor
tlAk| lY| NC U11l k
I . Lt mel ted butter settle for I 0
mi nutes. With soup spoon, careful ly
ski m of foam from surace.
Z. Spoon butterfat i nto smal l cup,
ti ppi ng saucepan gently and only
when i t becomes necessar.
J. Make sure to leave water and
mi l k sol i ds behi nd i n saucepan so
they can be di scarded.
it turned out that this step was indeed essential to
help prevent (though not eliminate) the curling
of the uppermost phyllo sheets during baking. I,
however, opted for a more modest 4 tablespoons
of butter.
Aer assembly but before bakg, the baklava
must be cut into the familiar diamond-shaped
pieces. Merely scoring the layers, as some recipes
suggest, was a waste of time; the baklava needs to
be flly cut. A serrated knife or a bread knife, used
wth a gentle sawing motion, made the easiest and
Except for a few tablespoons of sugar mixed
into the nut flg, the sugar in baklava is intro
duced afer baking in the form of a syrup. The
syrup is absorbed by the bottom layers of pastry
and nuts, which become moist and cohesive.
Honey is an essential ingredient in a Greek-style
baklava, but tasters found its favor to be cloying
and overpowering when used in large quantities.
One-third of a cup of a mild-favored honey such
as orange blossom was the ideal amount; l l/4 cups
of granulated sugar supplemented the sweemess.
cleanest cuts, but even wth a
good knife, this step does take
a bit of patience ( and persever
Why Cl ari fi ed Butter Matters
ance) .
A low 300-degree oven and
a slow 75- to 90-minute baking
time proved best. The top and
bottom phyllo layers colored
evenly, and the nuts became
golden and fragrant. Even
with shorter baking times, MAD E WI TH WHOLE BUTTE R MADE WI TH C LARI F I E D BUTE R
Evenly browned. hgher temperatures tended to
overdarken both the bottom
pastry layer and the nuts.
Overbrowned i n spots.
The mi l k sol i ds i n whole butter will bum during baki ng, causing dark spots and
uneven browning. Clarified butter has no mi l k sol i ds, so the phyl l o col ors uniformly.
C O O K
'
s l L L L 5 J K ^ J L L
2 2
The amount of water in the syrup determines
its viscosity, a key factor in the moismess and
crispness of the pastry. If the syrup is too thin
and watery, the pastry becomes wet and sogg. If
the syrup is too thick, the baklava resists absor
tion and the bottom layers are stick and heavy.
Three-quarters of a cup of water was the right
amount, combined with l tablespoon of lemon
juice to spruce up favors.
Taking H advantage of the fact that the syrup
must be heated to dissolve the sugar, I tried ins
ing it with a few spices, a step common to most
recipes. A few strips of lemon zest, a cinnamon
stick, several cloves, and a pinch of salt were all
welcome additions. They added a H sof favor
and a rich, heady fagrance.
Finally, I needed to determine how to intro
duce the syrup to the baklava. Some recipes assert
that for best absorption, room-temperature syrup
must be poured over hot baklava as it emerges
fom the oven. Others take the opposing stance
that the baklava must be room temperature and
the syrup hot. I baked four baklava to test all of
the permutations: cool-hot, hot-cool, hot-hot,
and cool-cool . Hot baklava joined by cool syrup
clearly gave the individual pieces superior cohe
sion, moistress, and texture. When pourng the
syrup over the baklava, I poured the majorit into
the cuts so as not to sofen the top layers of crisped
pastry. When down to only a couple tablespoons,
I lightly drizzled the syrup over the entire surface,
which gave the bakava a glistening sheen and a
tackiness to which a nut garnish could adhere.
As if the process of making perfect baklava
weren' t arduous enough, it really should not
be consumed the same day, not even as a reward
for having expended the effort. If lef to stand
overnight, the favors meld and mellow and the
texture becomes more unifed. But take consola
tion in the thought that it holds for upward of a
week ( so long as humidity doesn't ruin its crisp
ness) and that its lavishness allows for it to be
consumed only one piece at a time.
BAKLAVA
MAKES J2 TO 40 P I E CES
A straight-sided traditional ( not nonstick) metal
baking pan works best for making baklava; the
straight sides ensure that the pieces will have
nicely shaped edges, and the surface of a tradi
tional pan will not be marred by the knife during
cutting, as would a nonstick surface. If you don't
have this type of pan, a glass baking dish W
work. Make sure that the phyllo is flly thawed
before use; leave it in the refigerator overnight
or on the countertop for four to fve hours. When
assembling, use the nicest, most intact phyllo
sheets for the bottom and top layers; use sheets
with tears or ones that are smaller than the size of
the pan in the middle layers, where their imper
fections will go unnoticed. If, afer assembly, you
U

U
x
L

.
U
have remaining clarifed butter, store it in an air
tight container in the refrigerator; it can be used
for sauteing.
Sugar Syrup
1 114 cups sugar
cup water
11 cup honey
tabl espoon j ui ce from I l emon pl us 3 stri ps zest
removed in large stri ps with vegetabl e peel er
ci nnamon sti ck
5 whol e cl oves
11s teaspoon salt
Nut Filling
8 ounces bl anched sl ivered al monds
4 ounces wal nuts
1 114 teaspoons ground ci nnamon
114 teaspoon ground cl oves
2 tabl espoons sugar
11s teaspoon salt
Pastry and Butter
1 11 cups (3 sti cks) unsalted butter, cl arified
(see box on page 22for i nstructi ons) ,
mel ted and cool ed sl ightly (about I cup)
pound frozen phyl l o, thawed (see note)
. FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP: Combine syrup
ingredients in small saucepan and bring to fl
boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally
to ensure that sugar dissolves. Transfer to 2- cup
measuring cup and set aside to cool while making
and baking baklava; when syrup is cool, discard
spices and lemon zest. ( Cooled syrup can be
refrigerated in airtight container up to 4 days. )
2. FOR THE NUT FILLING: Pulse almonds in
food processor until very finely chopped, about
twenty 1 - second pulses; transfer to medium
bowl. Pulse walnuts in food processor until very
fnely chopped, about ffeen 1 -second pulses;
transfer to bowl with almonds and toss to com
bine. Measure out 1 tablespoon nuts and set
aside for garnish. Add cinnamon, cloves, sugar,
and salt; toss well to combine.
3. TO ASSEMLE AND BA: Brush 1 3 by
9- inch traditonal ( not nonstick) baking pan with
butter. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle posi
tion and heat oven to 300 degrees . Unwrap and
unfold phyllo on large cutting board; careflly
smooth with hands to fatten. Following illustra
tion 1 , right, and using baking pan as guide, cut
sheets crosswise with chef's knife, yielding two
roughly evenly sized stacks of phyllo ( one may be
narrower than other) . Cover with plastic wrap,
then damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.
4. Following illustration 3, place one phyllo
sheet ( from wider stack) in bottom of baking pan
and brush until completely coated with butter.
Repeat with 7 more phyllo sheets ( from wider
stack) , brushing each with butter.
5. Following illustration 4, evenly distribute
about 1 cup nuts over phyllo. Cover nuts with
phyllo sheet ( fom narrower stack) and dab wit
butter (phyllo W slip if butter is brushed on) .
Repeat with 5 more phyllo sheets ( from narrower
stack) , staggering sheets slightly if necessary to
cover nuts, and brushing each witl1 butter. Repeat
layering witl1 additional 1 cup nuts, 6 sheets
phyllo, and remaining 1 cup nuts. Finish witl1
8 to 1 0 sheets phyllo ( fom wider stack) , using
nicest and most intact sheets for uppermost layers
and brushing each except final sheet with butter.
Following illustration 6, use palms of hands to
compress layers, working from center outward
to press out any apockets. Spoon 4 tablespoons
butter on top layer and brush to cover a surfaces.
Following ilustration 7, use bread knife or other
serrated knife with pointed tip in gentle sawing
motion to cut baklava into diamonds, rotating pan
as necessary to complete cuts. ( Cut on bias into
eighths on both diagonals. )
6. Bake until golden and crisped, about 1 lz
hours, rotating baking pan halfay through bak
ing. Immediately afer removing baklava from
oven, pour cooled syrup over cut lines untl about
2 tablespoons remain ( syrup will sizzle when it
hits hot pan) ; drizzle remaining syrup over sur
face. Garnish center of each piece with pinch of
reserved ground nuts. Cool to room temperature
on wire rack, about 3 hours, then cover with
foil and let stand at least 8 hours before serving.
( Once cooled, baklava can be served, but favor
and texture improve if lef to stand at least 8
hours . Baklava can be wrapped tightly in foil and
kept at room temperature up to 1 0 days. )
P I STACHI O BAKLAVA WI TH CARDAMOM
AND ROS E WATER
Follow the recipe for Baklava, making the follow
ing changes:
1 . In sugar syrup, increase sugar to 1 cups;
omit honey, lemon zest, and cinnamon; substitute
1 0 black peppercorns for cloves; and stir i 1 table
spoon rose water afer discarding peppercorns.
2 . In nut flling, substitute 1 2 ounces raw
shelled pistachios for almonds and walnuts and
1 teaspoon ground cardamom for cinnamon and
cloves.
ST E P - BY- STE P AS S l M ll NC AKlAVA
I . Cu t phyl l o to fi t pan .
4. Spread nut fi l l i ng.
7. Cut i nto di amonds, then bake.
Z. Cover phyl l o to keep moi st. J. Butter bottom layers.
5. Butter more layers. . Compress layers.
8. Pour syrup over cut l i nes. 7. Gam i sh each pi ece wi th nuts.
M A R C i l [ A PR I L 2 0 0 4
Z `
The Best Classic Brownies
Whatever happened to the chewy, not over- th e- top , yet ch ocol atey browni e?
J
hese days, if you go to a bakery
and order a brownie, chances are
you'll end up with a heavy chunk
of pure confection. While there's
no denying that such brownies are sumptu
ous, they are also most ofen overwhelm
ing. More candy than cake, such brownies
are fne as infequent treats, but many of us
can look back to a time when the brownie
was a much simpler M a more chocolate
bar than chocolate trufe, more bake sale
than upscale cafe.
My initial recipe testing was not a success.
Either pale and dry or cloyingly sweet, all of
the brownies I baked lacked substantial
chocolate flavor. I wanted an old-fashioned
brownie, but I also wanted serous choco
late flavor. I wanted browes I enjoyed in
my youth-Mom's brownies-but altered
to cater to my adult tastes.
Before I embarked on a long course of
testing, however, there was one thing about
3 B Y E R I K A B R U C E E
Pumpi ng Up Chocol ate Fl avor
m of these recipes that I knew I wanted to
change: their size. The recipes called for
baking the brownies in skimpy 8-inch
square pans. I wanted big brownies, and a
lot of them, so a 1 3 by 9-inch baking pan
When sti rred i nto brown i e batter, nuts steam in the oven and become
soggy. Spri nkl i ng the nuts over the batter hel ps to keep them crunchy.
My browes now had the right texture
neither fdgy nor cakey, with a tender
chew-but the favor was a bit insipid.
Although I ddn't want the decadent tex
ture of fdgy brownies, I did appreciate
their assertive chocolte these
recipes call for a mof diferent chocolates,
and they sometimes even add cocoa powder.
In search of a sinlar chocolate intensity, I
added a little high-quality bittersweet choc
olate to the unsweetened chocolate in my
working recipe. These brownies were too
sweet, too greasy, and too heavy. Wen I cut
back on the sugar, the brownies were less
sweet, but they remained heavy and soggy.
In addition, tasters felt that the favor was
more reminiscent of milk chocolate ( that
is, very mild) than bittersweet chocolate.
Wen I used considerably more bittersweet
chocolate, the favor was more intense but
the texture now decidedy confection-like.
Ounce for ounce, unsweetened chocolate
has more chocolate favor than bittersweet
or semisweet chocolate ( which are one
third to one-half sugar ) . To get enough
favor fom the these chocolates, you have
was the size of choice. I then constructed a
master recipe that contained 4 ounces of unsweet
ened chocolate, 2 sticks of butter, 2 cups of sugar,
4 eggs, and 1l4 cups of all-purpose four.
Fl our, Leavener, Sugar
My working recipe yielded brownies that were
dense and a bit greasy. Cutting back on the but
ter seemed like an obvious way to make them less
greasy. Going fom 2 sticks to sticks did the
trick, but it also produced an unintended side
efect-an unpleasantly gritty texture. I suspected
that the source of the problem might be in the
starch in the recipe, not j ust fom the all-purpose
four I' d been using but from the chocolate,
which also contains starch. Not wanting to ater
the amount of chocolate (my brownies needed
more chocolate flavor, not less) , I decreased the
four. The brownies were still too gritty. Next I
tried substituting the whole amount of all-purose
COOK'S EXTRA gives you free addi ti onal reci pes and
i nformati on onl i ne. For two addi ti onal browni e vari a
ti ons, vi si t www. cooksi l l ustrated. com and key i n code
2044 . Thi s i nformati on wi l l be avai l abl e unti l Apri l | 5 ,
after whi ch it wi l l be avai l abl e to si te subscri bers only.
four with cake flour. This solved the problem,
producing nicely tender brownies. ( Cake four is
milled fom sofer wheat than all-purpose four
and contributes less protein, or gluten, to a recipe.
The result is a finer-textured product, which, i n the
case of these brownies, was preferred. ) Here was
my frst big revelation: Cake four makes tender
brownies wth a delicate chew.
Though tender, the brownies were still too
compact. I tl1ought an extra egg might provide
more structure, but it made tl1e brownies too
cakey. Maybe baking powder would lighten the
crumb. Well, too much baking powder produced
a dry and cakey brownie, but a modest 3/4 tea
spoon was just right. The texture of the brown
ies was now nearly perfect, right in the middle
between cakey and fdgy.
Sugar was the next ingredent subject to scru
tiny. Both light and dark brown sugars created a
moister, slightly wetter brownie, and tasters found
the favor of these sugars to be a distraction fom
the chocolate. Granulated sugar was the best
choice. Tasters felt that my working recipe could
use a bit more t1an the original 2 cups, so I added
another cup and everyone was happy.
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to use a lot, and that made the browies
fdgy and rich--exactly what I did not wnt for
my recipe.
In small amounts, cocoa did nothing to pump
up the chocolate favor. Using l4 cup cocoa in
place of an equal amount of four helped some
( at least according to a few tasters) , but now the
texture was dense and past. I realized that for
the cocoa to do its work, I would have to remove
so much four that the brownies would lose their
structure and chew. I crossed cocoa of my list.
I now tried the simplest idea yet-increasing
the amount of unsweetened chocolate in my
working recipe. Using 6 ounces ( rather than +
ounces) of unsweetened chocolate gave me the
desired favor-not too sweet, with profound
chocolate notes. Athough I had performed a lot
of unnecessary tests, I now realized why Mom's
recipe usually called for unsweetened chocolate. I
j ust needed to use more to make my recipe taste
better than Mom' s.
Mixi ng Method and Bake- Of
Many recipes call for creanlg the butter ( beat
ing it until light-textured) , but my tests showed
that this produced a' light, dry texture. Much to

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K | C | | | T | T | N C . Devel opi ng a Browni e to Pl ease Everone
Seemi ngly mi nor changes i n browni e reci pes c a n yi el d quite different resul ts.
TOO CAKEY TOO F UDGY J U ST RI G HT
This reci pe cal l ed for creami ng the
butter and sugar and for lots of baking
powder, yi el di ng brownies with a fluf.
cakey texture.
Thi s reci pe cal l ed for a l ot of chocol ate
and no baking powder and produced
a confecti on- l i ke browni e that was
extremely rich and dense.
Wi th a moderate amount of chocolate
and a l i ttle baking powder, our browni e
has good flavor and a moi st texture
that i s nei ther cakey nor fudgy.
my delight, the easiest method worked best: Melt
the chocolate and butter, add the sugar, eggs, and
vanilla, and then fold in the four.
As simple as they are to mix up, these brown
ies need to be baked just right to guarantee the
perfect texture . An even temperature of 325
degrees baked them through without drying
the edges-a problem when the oven tempera
ture was higher. Close attention near the end
of the baking time proved benefcial as well .
Underbaking by just a couple of minutes resulted
in a gummy ( undercooked) center, and overbak
ing quickly dried them out. Because home ovens
are notoriously fckle and poorly calibrated, the
bakng times in this recipe should be used only as
a general guide.
Wen I mixed nuts into the batter before bak
ing the brownies, they steamed and became sof.
Sprinkling the nuts on top j ust before baking
kept the nuts dry and crunchy; toasting them frst
made them even crunchier while also enhancing
their favor.
Looking back over my test results, I realized
that I had not reinvented the wheel but simply
made small adjustments to a classic recipe. That
being said, these minor changes greatly improved
the brownies' taste and texture. I tl1ink Mom
would be proud to bring them to the next bake
sale or potluck supper.
CLSS I C BROWNI E S
MAKES TWE NTY- F OUR 2 - I NCH- SQUARE BROWN I E S
Be sure t o test for doneness before removing
the brownies from the oven. If under baked ( ie
toothpick has batter clinging to it) , the texture
of the brownies will be dense and gummy; if
overbaked ( ie tooipick comes out completely
clean) , the brownies will be dry and cakey.
cup ( 4 ounces) pecans or wal nuts, chopped
medi um (opti onal )
1 11 cups ( 5 ounces) cake fl our
1 1 teaspoon salt
31 teaspoon baki ng powder
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate,
chopped fi ne
1 2 tabl espoons ( I 11 sticks) unsal ted butter, cut
i nto si x l - i nch pi eces
2 11 cups ( 1 5 3/ ounces) sugar
4 l arge eggs
tabl espoon vani l l a extract
. Adjust oven rack to middJe position; heat
oven to 325 degrees. Cut 1 8-inch length foil
and fold lengiwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into
lengtl1 of 1 3 by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it
into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess
to overhang pan edges . Cut 14-inch lengi foil
and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to
1 2-inch widtl1; ft into width of baking pan in
same manner, perpendicular to frst sheet. Spray
foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed
baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to
8 minutes. Set aside to cool .
3 . Whisk to combine four, salt, and baking
powder in medium bowl; set aside.
4. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof
bowl set over saucepan ofalmost-simmeringwater,
stirring occasionally, until smootl1 . (Alternatively,
in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large
microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds,
then stir and heat for 30 seconds more . Sti r
agai n, and, if necessary, repeat i n 1 5 - second
increments; do not let chocolate burn. ) When
chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove
bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar.
Add eggs one at time, whisking afer each addi
tion until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla.
Add four mixture in three additions, folding witl1
rubber spatula until batter is completely smootl
and homogeneous.
5 . Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spat
ula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth
surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts ( if using) evenly
over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden
skewer inserted into center of brownies comes
out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35
minutes. Cool on wire rack t o room temperature,
about 2 hours, tlen remove brownies from pan
by lifing foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2- inch
squares and serve. ( Store lefovers in airtight con
tainer at room temperature up to 3 days. )
M A R C i l { A PR I L 2 0 0 4
2 5
TA T | N C . Boxed Browni e Mixes
Admi t i t. In a moment of desperati on. you' ve
reached for a boxed baki ng mix. Maybe you forot
about tomorrow' s school bake sal e or in a moment
of haste vol unteered to make somethi ng for an
ofice part. Why not use one of the countl ess pack
aged comesti bl es avai l abl e on supermarket shelves?
You know why not-most boxed browni es are
not very good. But we wondered if some brnds
were better than the others-and if perhaps one
might even ri val homemade. (OK. that was a bi t
opti mi sti c. ) We purchased si x brands, prepared
each accordi ng to the i nstructi ons on the package,
and rted them based on thei r texture, moi stness.
and chocolate favor.
We came away with only one boxed brownie
mix to hal fleartedly recommend: Ghi rardel l i
Doubl e Chocol ate Browni e Mix. No one loved
these browni es. but they had a decent amount of
chocolate flavor and were the l east offensive of the
bunch. Tasters compl ai ned-l oudly-about artifi ci al
favors and excessive sweetness i n the Pi l l sbur.
Bett Crocker. and Duncan Hi nes mixes. The two
remai ni ng brnds were a bi t di ferent. I n pl ace of
the tpi cal water, vegetabl e oi l . and egg addi ti ons
that most mixes requi re. No- Pudge cal l s for nonfat
yogurt and vani l l a extrct, whereas Oetker uses
mel ted butter and egs. Tasters felt that both lacked
chocolate favor and had undesi rbl e textures.
In the end. we can' t be too enthusiastic about any
of these choi ces, especi al l y given that homemade
browni es are so eas to prepare. But if you must
make a mi x. at least you now know that
they' re not all the same. -Ni na West
Premi um Browni e Mix, $ 2. 79
Brownies were tice as thi ck as other
brands and had the " best chocol ate flavor."
On the sweet si de, also "somewhat mushy. "
PI UBURY Ri ch &Moist Fudge Browni e
Mix, $ 1 . 79
" Bitter," with "mi l d, fake chocol ate
flavor."
BE CROCKER Tradi ti onal Chew
Fudge Browni e Mix, $ 1 . 89
"Artifi ci al ; " " l i ke chewing on a
chocol ate chamoi s. "
DUNCN HI NES Fami ly-Stl e Chew
Fudge Browni es, $ 1 . 89
"Tastes commerci al , " "dry," and "chal k. "
OEKER Si mpl e Orani cs Organi c
Browni e Mix, $ 3 . 1 9
Leaden, " "tough, " and "no flavor."
NO PUDGE Ori gi nal Fudge Browni e
Mix, $ 3 . 69
" Uke chewi ng gum, " with "no chocol ate
flavor."
Just What I s Dark Chocolate, Anyway?
A tasti ng of n i n e "dar k" ch ocol ates reveal ed an i ndustry wi th l i ttl e regu l ati on and two
wi del y avai l abl e (an d i n expensi ve) brands that beat out the pri ci er competi ti on .

ark chocolate sounds simple enough,


doesn' t it? In reality, though, dark
chocolate is anything but simple .
Located somewhere between milk
chocolate and unsweetened chocolate, dark choc
olates are made mostly fom two basic ingredients:
chocolate liquor ( also called cocoa mass or abbre
viated to j ust cocoa on labels; it is the result of
grinding roasted cacao beans) and sugar. Although
the term "dark" has no offcial meaning, it gener
ally refers to chocolates labeled sweet, semisweet,
or bittersweet. The only regulation fom the U. S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that con
cerns these dark chocolates is that tey must con
L at least 35 percent chocolate liquor, although
most contain more than 55 percent and on rare
occasions go as high as 99 percent. The rest con
sists of sugar and, depending on the manufacturer,
emulsifers, favorings, extra cocoa butter ( for
fluidity and smoothness; some cocoa butter exists
naturally in the chocolate liquor), and m fat (if
present, in small amounts only) .
To complicate matters, many companies sell
more than one line of dark chocolate, the dif
ference being in tl1eir percentage of chocolate
liquor. The consumer is readily stymied by the
fact that tl1ese percentages are not always printed
on the label . P a result, many labels offer little
reliable indication of what the chocolate inside
tastes like, leaving us all, as it were, in the dark.
Hoping to make some sense of this confsing
Testi ng the Sugar Theor
3 B Y E R I K A B R U C E A N D A D A M R I E D E
array of dark chocolate choices, we organized
a tasting. We included nine samples chosen to
mirror the widely divergent choices that every
consumer faces, tasting each chocolate raw, in
chocolate sauce, and in fl ourless chocolate cake.
Chocol ate Pri mer
All chocolate begins as cacao beans, which are
the seeds of large pods that grow on cacao trees
in equatorial regions. The beans are fermented,
dried, and roasted to develop the telltale choco
late fl avor, which can be altered depending on me
roasting time and temperature. The meats of the
roasted beans, called nibs, are then ground into
a paste called chocolate liquor, which consists of
cocoa butter, a natural fat, and cocoa solids ( but
no alcohol , the word "liquor" notwitl1standing) .
For chocolate liquor t o become the dark
chocolate we nibble and cook with, it is processed
with the additional ingredients listed above, the
primary additive being sugar. ( If a dark chocolate
is 62 percent chocolate liquor, for example, most
of what remains-35 percent to 38 percent-will
be sugar. ) Companies guard their formulas
careflly and, in our experience, are steadfast
in their refsal to divulge specifc information
about them. To get some help, we turned to
noted chocolate technologist, researcher, and
industry expert Terry Richardson of Richardson
Researches in Oakland, Calif Richardson
explained tl1at companies sometimes add cocoa
Curi ous to test our theor that more sugar makes a more popular dark chocolate, we i nvited 7 5 food editor from
newspaper and magazi nes around the countr to pari ci pate in a second dark chocolate tasting in our test kitchen.
I ncl uded were two i dentical sampl es of the favorite from the firt tasti ng-Ghi rrdel l i Bi ttersweet ( one sered as the
control to assess the accurcy of the tasters' resul ts) -as wel l as to di ferent sampl es of the brnds Undt, El Rey,
Val hrona, and Scharfen Berger-one of each sampl e bei ng 70 percent cocoa (chocol ate l i quor) and the other bei ng
a sweeter. lower-cocoa versi on of each of the four brnds. Woul d the sweeter chocol ates overtake thei r more bi tter
brethren when tasted in chocol ate sauce, thus confrmi ng our theor of "the more sugar the better? "
The sweeter Scharffen Berger prevai l ed over the more bi tter versi on. I n fact, i t won thi s second tasti ng. I n
addi ti on , dozens of professi onal food editors agreed wi th ou r sel ecti on of Ghi rardel l i Bi ttersweet a s a wi nner:
I t came i n second. The bi tter and sweeter Val rhona chocol ates ti ed i n the rati ngs and , a bi t to our surpri se, the
food edi tors preferred the more bi tter, 70 percent cocoa versi ons of the Undt and El Rey to those wi th l ess
cocoa and more sugar.
Ghi rardel l i , then, emerged as a cl ear wi nner after bei ng tasted by our staff at the magazi ne and 75 food edi
tors. We al so noted that tasters' percepti ons of Scharffen Berger i mproved greatly when given the company' s
semi sweet chocol ate (wi th Zpercent cocoa) rather than i ts bi ttersweet chocol ate (wi th 70 percent cocoa) .
-Adam Ri ed
C O O K
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S I L L U S T R A T E D
2 6
butter to improve fow properties, especially
when the percentage of chocolate liquor is on the
low side. The other ingredients-an emulsifi er,
fl avoring, and, in some cases, milk fat-are part of
each manufacturer's proprietary formula.
Prepared to assess the various chocolates in
the tasting as we would fne wines ( the favor
descriptors typically used to describe chocolate
include fruit, appl e, smoke, tobacco, cherry,
raspberry, and tanni n) , we ended up j udging
them on a much simpler scal e. We found, to our
great surprise, that one factor had more infl uence
on the success or failure of a chocolate than any
otl1er: sugar.
Sugar Rul es
If sugar content is that important, we reasoned,
it should be readily identifable on labels . For
that matter, we assumed, sugar content should
be regulated. Wrong, on both counts . The
government- mandated nutritional information
printed on the back of me labels includes sugar
by number of grams but not in percentage terms.
Not even the terms "semisweet" and "bittersweet"
are surefre indicators of a chocolate's sweetness.
( Some brands of bittersweet contain more sugar
than some brands of semisweet. Callebaut Dark
Bittersweet, for example, contains more sugar
then Scharffen Berger' s semisweet. ) The FDA
draws no offcial distinction between the two.
To figure out total sugar content ( a number
that includes added sugar as well as sugars that
occur naturally in the chocolate liquor), you must
divide the number of sugar grams by the number
of grams in the serving size ( bom listed on all
labels) and then multiply by 1 00. Our top three
fishers-Ghirardelli, Callebaut, and Hershey' s
had sugar contents of 44 percent, 44 percent, and
49 percent, respectively.
The four high-cocoa ( remember, that's choc
olate liquor) chocolates tasted-the expensive
brands revered by pastry chefs-had sugar con
tents mat ranged from 28 percent to 35 percent,
about 1 0 percent lower tl1an the sweeter choco
lates at the top of the ratings. Willie they did earn
ardent support from a vocal minorit of tasters,
they ended up in the lower half of the ratings
overall because most tasters were put off by their
lack of sweetness and challenging favor profles.
If the really bitter dark chocolates did not score
well in our tasting, what, then, is their appeal?
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TASTI NG DARK CHOCOLATE
Twent tasters sampl ed ni ne diferent dark chocolates i n three formats: raw, i n
chocolate sauce, and baked i nto fourless chocolate cake. Al l of the sampl es fel l
under the broad categor of "dark chocol ate, " whi ch i ncl udes chocol ates that are
l abel ed "semi sweet, " " bi ttersweet. " "mi l dly sweet, " or "dark bi tter" and that have
i denti fi abl e percentages of chocol ate l i quor. We tri ed sampl es in di fferent orders
to el i mi nate palate fati gue, with one sampl e repeated twice as a control . The
chocol ates are categorized as "sweet" or "di sti nct and bi tter" based on tasters'
percepti ons and the total sugar content, rounded to the nearest whol e number.
Withi n each category, the chocol ates are l i sted in order of preference based on
thei r combi ned scores from the three taste tests.
SWE ETE R DARK CHOCOLATES



CLBUT Dark " Bittersweet"
Chocolate, 8 3 5 , $42. 95 for I I pounds
44% sugar
Sold for about $6 per pou nd at the super
market in l arge, pl asti c-wrapped chunks
l abel ed si mpl y " Cal l ebaut Bi ttersweet
Chocol ate, " B J 5 i s, i n fact, one of seven
dark chocol ates avai l abl e from that com
pany. The meri ts of thi s Bel gi an chocol ate
were a creamy texture, gentl e bi tterness,
and i nteresti ng nutt and tropi cal "coco
nut" notes. Other tasters pi cked up dai ry
favors, cal l i ng i t "sweet and mi l k. "
HERSHEY' S Special Dark Mi l dly Sweet
Chocolate, $ 1 . 5 9 for 7 ounces
49% sugar
The sweetest sampl e and appreci ated for i t.
Numerous tasters remarked on i ts " mi l k"
qual i ti es, and some even pi cked up a sweet
ness akin to bananas. A sl i ght waxy texture
was noted when sampl ed raw, but both the
sauce and the cake were consi dered "very
creamy and smooth . " Th i s chocol ate was
comforti ng and fami l i ar to tasters.
DI STI NCT AN D BI TTER DARK CHOCOLATE S
UNDT Excel l ence Dark Chocolate,
70% Cocoa, $2. 75 for 3 . 5 ounces
. 28%sugar
Rated fairly smooth , compl ex, and creamy
across the board. Undt was better received
raw than i n sauce. In the cake, many tasters
found i t l acki ng in sweetness, compl ai ni ng
that i t was "ver bi tter, l i ke cofee" and that it
"tastes strongly of unsweetened chocol ate. "
The opposi ng camp procl ai med " l ots of per
sonal i ty" and noted the flavor of "roasted
nuts, " "tobacco, " and " burnt caramel . "
EL REY Gran Saman Dark Chocolate
Carenero Superior 70%, $2. 9 5 for
2. 8 ounces 3 5 % sugar
Consi dered aggressi vel y bi tter, thi s Ven
ezuel an chocol ate was al so rated as on e
of t h e most compl ex. Tasters frequentl y
repeated the adjectives "roasted, " " nutt. "
and "smoky" and rarel y used the word
"sweet. " The texture when tasted raw was
characterized as " fi rm" and "crunchy. " wi th
h i nts of "chal ki ness. " Not a chocol ate for
the fai nt of heart.
FAVORl TE DARK CHOCOLATE
GHI RRDEW Bittersweet Chocolate
Premi um Baking Bar, $2. 29 for 4 ounces
44% sugar
Wi th i ts hi gh percentage of sugar, thi s Cal i forni a chocol ate was consi dered the most bal
anced-nei ther too bi tter nor too sweet. I ts smooth , creamy textu re won poi nts i n the raw
and sauce tests, whi l e sol i d aci di t and frui ty flavor notes shone through i n the cake despi te
i ts sweetness. Tasters noted both " fl avor bu rsts" and a fl avor range wi th comments such as
"starts sweet and fi n i shes bi tter, " whi ch expl ai ns why thi s chocol ate stood out.
1Hakcrs



BAKER' S Bittersweet Baking Chocolate
Squares, $2. 29 for 6 ounces
3 6% sugar
True to i ts name, tasters preferred Baker' s
(made by Kraft) when cooked. Wi thout
much bi tterness, " nutty." " roasty," and
"coffee" flavor notes came through i n the
sauce and cake, but raw Baker' s scored
poorly because the texture was "gri tt" and
"chal k. " Not for ni bbl i ng.
VALRHONA Guanaja 70% Cacao Dark
Bitter Chocol ate, $ 3 . 50 for 2. 6 ounces
3 5% sugar
Earni ng consi stentl y average scores i n each
test, thi s "very bi tter and fru i t" French
chocol ate had uni que flavor characteri sti cs.
Tasters found "cherry," "wi ne. " " rai si ns i n
port, " and even a mi l d vegetal fl avor aki n
to ol ive oi l . The texture was descri bed as
dry and fi rm.
, , ,,-- -


M


PERU GI NA Bittersweet Chocolate,
$ 1 . 99 for 3 . 5 ounces
36% sugar
Made by Nestl e, the fl avor profi l e of thi s
chocol ate was comparbl e wi th Herhey' s.
Givi ng i t high rti ngs i n the cake test, tasters
consi dered Perugi na " bal anced , " "subtl e, "
and " not overhel mi ng. " The "si l k, creamy"
texture was wel l received in al l tests, but the
flavor was too mi l d for some when eaten
pl ai n or i n sauce, and a few tasters pi cked up
"artifi ci al " and "plasti c" flavor notes.

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SCHARFFEN BERGER Bittersweet Pure
Dark Chocolate, 70% Cacao, $8. 95 for
9. 7 ounces 3 3% sugar
Thi s compl ex Cal i forni an scored very hi gh
when eaten raw, with tasters noti ci ng fl a
vors from "aci di c" to "cherry" and "earthy,"
but not sweet. I t fared poorly, however, in
the sauce and cake, in whi ch i t was consi d
ered " too bi tter" and "astri ngent. " Asi de
from a few who noted that the texture was
"chal k" in the cake, most tasters prai sed
the smooth texture of thi s chocolate.
Technical advisors from the Belgian choco
late company Barry Callebaut put it this way.
"Sugar," they said, "interferes with the percep
tion of chocolate favor nuances in the product. "
The experts argue that high-cocoa chocolates
have a more robust and nuanced favor, and our
tasters' comments supported tlis assertion.
In descriptions of the cake and the sauce made
with these chocolates, the words "bitter," "sour,"
and "sharp" appeared again and again, but a few
tasters picked up on distinct favors tley didn't
notice in the sweeter chocolates. In tl1e Lindt,
people noticed coffee, tobacco, smoke, and tan
run; in the El Rey it was a roasted quality, smoke,
cherry, and fuit; the Valrhona evoked toast, rasp
berry, sour apple, and vegetable; and in Scharffen
Berger it was cherry, wine, raisins, fowers, and
fruit . These lower-sugar chocolates have favor
profles that are more complex than those of our
winners, but they are not necessarily more likable.
Wat, then, to buy? Unless you have a rarefed
palate (at least when it comes to chocolate), you
don't have to shell out a lot of money or search
gourmet shops to fnd a winning brand. Our
top tllree choices included the inexpensive and
ubiquitous Hershey's Special Dark as well as the
reasonably priced Ghirardelli Bittersweet.
M A R C i l b A P R I L 2 0 0 4
2 7
What Makes a Better Baking Pan?
You can spend $ 9 or $ 9 5 on a baki ng pan. Does more money buy you better resu l ts?
= BY A D A M R I E D W I T H G A R T H C L I N G I N G S M I T H E

ere in cake- and- casserole- crazed


America, the shallow, rectangular
13 by 9- inch baking dish is a kitchen
workhorse. As you might expect,
there is a huge variet of options fom which to
choose, many with new designs, materials, finish
colors, and baking surface textures, all taking
m at the tried-and- true pans of old-Pyrex and
stoneware. These "improvements, " of course,
come at a cost. Would our grandparents have
spent nearly $ 1 00 on a baking pan? En route
to determining the true value of these pans, we
found ourselves kee-deep in cornbread, lasagna,
raspberry squares, and gingerbread, a baked in
each of 12 pans representing the major designs
and materials, both old and new.
Tri ed- and-True-and New-Desi gns
Though no longer common, rough stoneware
and earthenware pans have been around since
the days of communal bread ovens in the village
square. Ovensafe glass, represented by the Pyrex
brand, came to market in 1 91 5 and in the years
since has become a standard kitchen item familiar
to almost every home cook.
Pans made from both materials performed
well i our tests, browning cornbread deeply and
eveny. (We put a hgh value on the enhanced favor
and texture of deeply browned exteror surfaces .
Pans that did not brown well were marked down. )
Like a trust cast-iron skillet, stoneware has a huge
capacity to absorb and retain heat. The story is
similar for glass. Although it heats up slowly, once
glass is hot, it stays that way. In both cases, it's
good news for fans of deeply browned crusts.
Our group included six pans with nonstick
surfaces. All but the Wearever ( which is also
We Li ke Brown Better
insulated-more on this later) browned cornbread
deeply. Previous bakeware tests have shown-and
the cornbread baked in this test confrmed-that
when it comes to browning, a dark surface color
is more important than the material of the pan.
Dark-colored surfaces absorb heat in the oven;
bright surfaces do, too, but they also refect it.
The nonstick pans did, however, present a seri
ous practical consideration. Many dishes baked
in a 1 3 by 9-inch pan, including the lasagna we
tested, are customarily cut and served right from
the pan. With a nonstick pan that's a problem,
because the use and care recommendations usu
ally advise against cutting in the pan to protect
the nonstick coating. Though not offcially part
of this test, some old, poorly cared for pieces of
nonstick bakeware brought in from home by
several editors were scarred, chipped, and rusted,
proving that it pays to follow the manufacturer's
guidelines in this respect. In our view, not being
able to cut in a pan is a strike against it ( in fact, it
precluded the use of a nonstick pan for the bak
lava on page 2 1 of this very issue) .
I n the last couple of years, some manufacturers,
including Doughmakers and Emerilware, have
introduced heav-gauge aluminum pans with tex
tured baking surfaces that are supposed to increase
airfow beneath the baked good to improve
browning and release. Although pure aluminum
is kown to conduct heat efciently, previous tests
of bakeware have shown tl1at tl1is advantage is
offset by its shiny surface, which reflects some of
the oven's radiant heat. (The crusts of cornbread
baked in these pans were on the light side. ) Also,
when you grease a textured pan, excess lubricant
clings to the ridges, which in our tests caused the
bottom of tl1e gingerbread cake to turn soggy.
NI CE LY BROWN E D AN D
VERY FLAVORF U L
S POTTI LY B ROWN E D AN D
LESS F LAVORF U L
PALE AN D DOWN RI G HT
BLAN D
Cornbread baked in a dark nonsti ck pan (l ef) browned very wel l , as di d cornbread baked i n gl ass and stone
ware pans. When we baked the same reci pe i n a l i ght-col ored metal pan , the browni ng was spotty (center) .
An i nsulated baki ng pan yi el ded cornbread that was much too l i ght (ri ght) .
C OOK
"
S I L L U S T RA T E D
2 8
In addition to subpar browning, aluminum
pans have anomer limitation. Manufacturers rec
ommend against preparing acidic foods ( such as
tomato- based products) in them because acid and
aluminum can react, causing off favors.
The Rolls-Royce of the aluminum group was
tle All- Clad. Though it was solid as a rock, this
wallet-wilting $95 pan didn' t brown cornbread
or raspberry squares as well as some of its darker
competitors . Yes, it's nonreactive, and, yes, you
can put it under me broiler and use metal utensils
with it, but this pan j ust costs too much for us to
recommend it over less expensive alternatives that
performed better.
Another design innovation that has surfaced
in recent years is insulated bakeware, which
incorporates an air layer between two sheets of
metal . Altl10ugh this pan has a dark nonstick fi n
ish on the cooking surface, it did a lousy job of
browning. Part of me problem was the refl ective,
shiny exterior surface of tl1e pan. The pan' s main
selling point, its insulating air layer, was the
second problem. We found that it also prevents
baked goods from browning-not a good thing.
The newest and most unexpected design in
our group was the Kaiser Backform Noblesse
springform, which brings me removable sides of
a classic round cheesecake pan to a 1 3 by 9- inch
size. This unique pan had both pros and cons.
Removal of baked goods intact couldn' t
been easier, but me seal between tl1e sides and
bottom was not tight enough to prevent some
lasagna j uices from leaking out and burning in
the oven.
Comi ng Ful l Ci rcl e
It turns out that our story ends almost right
where it began, with Pyrex. This pan may not be
perfect, but it did have fve distinct advantages
over the newcomers. First, it browned on a par
with the dark- colored nonstick pans. Second, it is
compatible with metal utensil s. Third, it is non-
reactive. Fourth, wille it's no stunning beauty,
most people we asked were perfectly willing to t
set it on a dining table at dinnertime, which
allows it to pull double duty in sweet and
savory baking. Last, it's inexpensive; only
two other pans in the lineup cost less. The
stoneware pan offers the same virtues but costs
more. Of course, if your baking is usually of the
sweet variety and you are willing to forgo cutting
foods right in the pan, any of me recommended
nonstick models will also serve you well . I
RTI NGS
COOD.
M8.
PO8.
RATI NG 1 3 2 9- I NCH PANS
We tested telve | J x 9-i nch cake/baki ng
pans in the test kitchen by baki ng four
C66k': 1hu:trtrdrecipes i n each-com
bread, rspberr squares, gingerbread, and
si mpl e lasagna-and eval uated the pans
accordi ng to the fol l owi ng criteri a. Two
brnd new. freshly cal i brted ovens were
used for all tests. and all l i ke food items
were baked i n the same oven-that i s. one
oven was used for al l of the com bread, one
oven for al l of the lasagna. and so on. For
P Bakewr ' J x > Bkng Di sh
MATERI AL/F I NI S H: Ovensfe glasjclear
the cornbread and gi ngerbread, al l pans
were coated wi th I tabl espoon butter; a
buttered parchment paper sl i ng was used
for the raspberry squares; and the pans
were not prepared or greased at al l for lasa
gna. Performance diferences beteen the
pans that did wel l were mi nor enough to
let us recommend any of them. Withi n the
Recommended and Not Recommended
categori es, pans are l i sted i n ascendi ng
order by price.
RESTRI CTI ONS: Brakble: no seer tempertur changes, contct wit
fame or di rct heat source (stovetop, broiler, or toaster oven) , harh
cleanser, or souring pads. Cool pan before submering i n wter.
Baker's Secret Non-Stick Obl ong Cake Pn
MATERI AL/F I NI S H: Tinned steeljmedium-gry nonstick
RESTRI CTI ONS: No metl utensils, steel wool, abrsive pads or cleanser, aerosol
cookng spry, long-ter food storge, dirct contct with fame, or micrwve.
Chicago Metal l i c Prfessi onal Bake N' Rast Pn
MATERI AL/F I NI S H: Aumi nized steel/medium-gry nonstick
RESTRI CTI ONS : No metl utensils, cutting i n pan. steel wool, abrsive pads or
cleanser, or exposur to oven temperturs above 33degres.
Kitchenid Sheet Cake Pn ' J X >
MATERI AL/F I NI S H: Caron steeljblack-brwn nonstick
RESTRI CTI ONS : No cutting i n pan, steel wool, or abrsive pads or cleanser.
Calphalon Commercial Nonstick Bakeware Rectngular Cake Pn
MATERIAL/ Fl N I S H: Auminized steel/ dar-gry nonstick
RESTRI CTI ONS: No metl utensils, steel wool, abrsive pads or cleanser.
Kiser Backom Noblesse Quadr ' J X > Spri ngfom Pn
MATERI AL/F I NI S H: Chromi um-plated steel/light-gry nonstick interior /
dar-black nonstick exteror
RESTRI CTI ONS : None listed.
Pmpered Chef Fmi Hertge Stonewre Rectngul ar Baker
MATERI AL/F I NI S H: Unglaed stonewar/light mate beige
RESTRI CTI ONS : Brakble: no sudden tempertur changes, contct with
flame or dirct heat source, contct with soap, deterents, or cleanser of any
kind. Cool pan befor submering i n wter. Rquires initial seasoni ng.
NOT RECOMME NDE D PANS
Wilton Prformance Pn ' J x > x z Sheet
MATERI AL/F I NI S H: Aodized aluminum/mate silver
RESTRICT! o NS: Not rcommended for tomato-based recipes.
Doughmaker ' J X > Cake Pn
MATERI AL/F I NI S H: Aumi num/shiny silver, teurd "Pbble Ptter"
RESTRI CTI ONS: No steel wool, abrsive pads or cleanser, aerosol cookng spry,
high-acid foods, or long-ter food storge.
Wearver Cushi oni r Coverd Obl ong Baking Pn
MATERI AL/ Fl N I SH: Two sheet of aluminum with an air layer in beteen/
medium-gry nonstick
RESTRI CTI ONS: No soakng i n wter, dishwasher deterent tblets, steel wool ,
abrsive pads or cleanser, or knives or other sharp-pointed utensils.
Emerilwre ' J x > Al Purpose Pn
MATERI AL/ FI NI S H: Auminum/shiny silver, texturd "Diamond Surace"
RESTRI CTI ONS : No steel wool , abrsive pads or cleanser. deterents with
chlorine, or aersol cooking spry.
Al -Clad Rctngul ar Cake Pn ' J X >, #>UU
MATERI AL/F I NI S H: Auminum cor with stinless steel exterior and light
gold, stick-rsistnt interor
RESTRI CTI ONS : No steel wool . abrsive pads or cleanser, or cleanser with
chlorine bleach.
PRI CE: Prices paid in Boston-area stores.
in nati onal mai l - order catal ogs. and on
Web si tes.
overll perforance rti ng. Of the four tests,
com bread carried the most weight because
it provided the clearest i l l ustrtion of each
pan' s browning charcteristics.
RESTRICTI ONS: Warni ngs noted in a
pan' s use and care gui de that might i nfl u
ence the deci si on to purchase. regardless
of perormance.
MATERIALFI NI SH: Material from whi ch
the pan i s made and the color of the baking
surface.
DI SHWAHER-SFE: Dishwsher-sfe pans
prefenred.
PERFORMANCE: Pn scores on the com
brad, rspber squares, gingerbread, and
lasagna tests were averged to determi ne an
TESTERS' COMMENTS: Observati ons
regardi ng the pan design. features. perfor
mance in specific tests. care. and cl eani ng.
PRI CE: $8. 95
DI SHWASH ER- SAFE: Yes
PERFORMANCE:

PRI CE: $6. 29


DI SHWASHE R- SAFE: Yes
PERFORMANCE:

PRI CE: $ | 8. 99
DI SHWAS HE R- SAFE: Yes
PERFORMANCE:

PRI CE: $24. 99


DI SHWAS HE R- SAFE: No
PERFORMANCE:

PRI CE : $25. 99
DI SHWASHE R- SAFE: No
PERFORMANCE :

PRI CE: $29. 99


DI SHWASHE R- SAFE: No
PERFORMANCE:

PRI CE: $ 30. 75


DI SHWAS HE R- SAFE: No
PERFORMANCE :

PRI CE: $7. 69


DI SHWASHE R- SAFE: No
PERFORMANCE:

PRI CE: $ | 9. 99
DI S HWAS HE R- SAFE: No
PERFORMANCE:

PRI CE: $ 22. 99


DI SHWASHER- SAFE: Yes
PERFORMANCE :

PRI CE : $24. 99
DI SHWASHER- SAFE : No
PE RFORMANCE :

PRI CE: $94. 99


DI SHWASHE R- SAFE: Yes
PE RFORMANCE :
=
Produced deep and evenly gol den brown com-
bread and slightly dark edges on rspber squares
and gi ngerbread. Te latter were by no means
unacceptbl e, and the clear glass makes i t eas to
moni tor browni ng.
Browns deepl y and evenly, cleans up easily, and it's
inexpensive. Not the sturdiest pan, but cheap enough
to replace if need be.
Pn produced handsome dark gol den brown com-
bread and rspberry squares. Wter col l ected in,
then oozed out of, folded interior comer seams after
washing and dring.
Overized rims/handles make for especially eas han-
dl ing. It is sfe to use metl utensils, excluding knives,
fors, and other pointed items.
Asence of rims or handles made i t a bit trick to grb
with oven mi tt. Items baked i n thi s pan. however,
were ver deep golden brwn and evenly cooked.
Despite super-eas release owing to the springfor
design, we recommend this pan with a caveat: We
woul dn' t use it for dishes that might prduce juices,
for fear of leakge. Strictly for baking.
The browni ng, especi al ly on corbread and ginger-
bread, ws good, and it's OK to cut foods with a knife
rght in the pan. Did not rtin food odor, as might be
expected from unglazed cermic.
Cooked rspberr squares less thoroughly than other
pans and not as eas to clean as nonstick pans.
On the pro side, sol i dly constructed with generous
handles. On the con side, the crst of the corbrad
and the base of te rspberry squares wer lighter tan
examples baked i n darer nonstick pans.
Produced pale, spong corbread, rspberr bar
rnging from pal e to rw, and leaden, underbaked
gingerbrad. Aditional baking time may have helped
(as the use and care instrctions stte) , but other pans
perfored better witin prscrbed baking times.
P i n the other textured-al umi num entrnt, com
bread crusts and rspberry square bottoms were
l ighter than we prefer, and the bottom of the
gingerbread was sog.
Browning of the cornbread crust and rspberry
squares was acceptable but not stel l ar.
price, this pan shoul d slice and butter your corbread
for you.
l ^ K L | c ^ l K | L 2 0 0 4
2 9
| 1` `'1:
B Y B R I D G E T L A N C A S T E R j
Te Scal di ng Truth
Once upon a time, scalding milk
the practice of heating milk almost
to the boiling point-was the only
way to destroy potentially danger
ous bacteri a. Thanks to pasteuri
zati on, we don' t have to worry
about that anymore . But this begs
the question: Is it still necessary to
scald milk when making bechamel
(white sauce) or pastry cream or
when baking bread?
When it comes to the bechamel
sauce for our Spinach Lasagna ( page
1 8) , the answer is no. We made two
sauces, one with scalded milk and
one with milk straight from the car
ton, and could discern no difference
between them. Evidently, the only
fnction served by scalding the milk
for this recipe was to add an extra
step ( and another dirty pan) .
As for pastry cream, scalding
the milk turned out to be a mat
ter of convenience, not necessity.
Typically, the milk is scalded sepa
rately and gradually added to egg
yolks, sugar, and cornstarch, then
brought back over heat for about
30 seconds, during which time the
pastry cream thickens . Except for
these last few seconds, the whole
procedure is basically hands- off.
To see if we could skip the scald
ing step, we added cold milk to the
other ingredients in tl1e saucepan
(making sure that everything was
well mixed) and cooked tl1e mix
ture over medium heat while stir
ring constantly. Afer about seven
minutes, we had perfectly good
pastry cream. Without scalding, the
process was more labor-intensive,
but there also was one less bowl
to wash.
Scalding milk is also used ofen
in bread baking. According to tl1e
Oregon State University Food
Resource Web site, scalding breaks
down a constituent in milk that
can weaken gluten, the protein in
dough that gives bread its structure.
That milk protein is removed when
the skin that forms on the scalded
milk is skimmed off and discarded.
Thus a loaf made with unscalded
milk will not rise to the level of a
loaf made with scalded milk.
Always ones to question science,
we decided to test this tl1eory and
baked up a few
loaves of white sand
wich bread. One was
made with scalded
and skimmed milk
that was then cooled
MADE WI TH S CALD E D
AND S KI MME D M I LK
MADE WI TH ROOM
TE M PE RATURE M I LK
to room tempera
ture, and one with
milk that was sin1ply
heated to room
temperature. We also
included a third loaf
Te efects of scal di ng are clear, at least in tens of bread making,
with scalded milk yielding a tal l er loaf with a l ight crumb (lef) . made with scalded
11 N 1L M W Keep I t Col d
OK, you' ve made the bread dough-now for the cl eanup. But before you go and
gum up your kitchen sponge or pot scrubber with dough remnants from the bot
tom of the mixi ng bowl (whi ch, by the way, wi ll never come out of the sponge) ,
we suggest that you try the fol l owi ng, counteri ntui tive though it may be.
Fi rst, use 6ol0 Wtcr, not hot, to remove the dough resi due from the bowl .
Hot water wi l l only make the dough sti cki er and harder to remove, whi l e col d
water hel ps to sol i di f i t. Second, u$courh0, not a scrubber, to remove the
dough. Dough comes off very easi l y when you scrub i t wi th your fi ngers. Once
the dough has been cl eared away, you can turn on the hot water, soap up your
sponge, and ri nse away.
milk tl1at had not been skimmed to
determine whether or not the m
protein in queston had to be physi
cally removed fom tl1e milk or was
simply destroyed by the scalding pro
cess. There was no doubt tl1at bor
scalding and skimming were required
to remove the protein. The loaf
made witl1 tl1e scalded and skimmed
milk rose much higher, had a much
more open crumb, and was more
tender man the other two, which
were nearly identical. We baked up
four more loaves of each and had
exactly me same results: The bread
made wii scalded and skimmed m
was superior every time. So if you're
following a bread recipe that calls
for scalded milk, the extra dirty pan
you'll need is well worth it.
A Frozen Crust
Want a good frozen pizza? Make it
yourself We found that by parbak
ing our pissaladiere crust ( page 1 5 )
and then storing i t i n the freezer,
we could pull out the makings for a
hot, homemade pizza whenever we
wanted. The process is simple. Make
and shape the dough as directed in
the recipe. Brush each crust liberally
with olive oil and bake on a baking
stone i n a preheated 500- degree
oven until the crust is j ust set, two
or three minutes. Remove the crust
from tl1e oven, peel off the parch
ment, and place the crust on a cool
ing rack until completely cooled.
Repeat with the remaining crust.
Wrap the cooled crusts in plastic
wrap and place in your freezer for
M W 1M 1M 1 1 N 1L M W Frozen Shri mp
Even the most basic market now sel l s severl ki nds of shri mp. We cooked more
than I 00 pounds to fi nd out j ust what to look for (and avoi d) at the supermarket.
FRESH OR FROZEN?
Because nearly al l shri mp are frozen at sea. you have no way of knowi ng
when those " fresh" shri mp i n the fi sh case were thawed ( unl ess you are on very
personal terms wi th you r fi shmonger) . We found that the favor and texture
of thawed shri mp deteri orate after a few days. so you' re better of buyi ng
frozen .
PEELED OR UN PEELED?
I f you thi nk you can dodge some work by buyi ng frozen shri mp that have
been peel ed, thi nk agai n. Someone had to thaw those shri mp in order to
remove thei r peel , and they can get prett banged up when they are refrozen
(compare the left and center photos) .
CHECK THE " I NGREDI ENTS "
Fi nal ly, check the i ngredi ent l i st. Frozen shri mp are often treated or
enhanced wi th addi tives such a s sodi um bi sulfate. SP (sodi um tri pol yphos
phate) , or sal t to prevent darkeni ng (whi ch occurs as the shri mp ages) or to
counter "dri p l oss, " the i ndustry term referri ng to the amount of water i n the
shri mp that i s l ost as i t thaws. We have found that treated shri mp have a strange
transl ucency and an unpl easant texture and suggest that you avoi d them (see
right photo) . Look for the bags of frozen shri mp that l i st "shri mp" as the only
i ngredi ent.
U N PE E LE D &
U NTREATE D
P E E LE D &
U NTREATED
P E E LE D &
TREATED
L | | |
'
5 | L L L 5 ! K ^ ! L L
30
J UST MI XE D F U LLY RI S E N
A quar-sized l i qui d measuri ng cup i s good for more than j ust hol di ng l i qui d. We
let the pi ssal adi ere dough (see page 1 3) ri se i n a measuri ng cup covered wi th
pl asti c wrap.
up to two months . When you're
ready to bake, preheat the oven
(with the baking stone) again at 500
degrees for an hour (this gives you
plenty of time to make the toppings) .
Top the crusts, and bake for 1 0 to 12
minutes.
PBlade for Al l Doughs?
We usually call for the metal food
processor blade when making
bread dough. In our recipe for
Pissaladiere ( page 1 5 ) , however,
we prefer to use the plastic dough
blade, fnding that this duller blade
has an easier time mixing the sturdy
dough than the metal blade. (The
arms of the plastic blade are shorter
and do not span the fll diameter of
the workbowl, so the dough moves
more freely. ) We decided to put
the dough blade up to a real chal
lenge-namely, our Rustic Country
Bread ( January/February 1 995 ) ,
which, during its development, was
responsible for the demise of many
a food processor.
In the original recipe, which calls
for the metal blade, this huge, wet
mass of dough has to be processed
in two batches. We wondered if the
plastic blade would let us complete
the processing in just one batch. No
way! While the plastic blade fared
much better than the metal blade,
the vast amount of dough was still
too much for it to handle at once.
So we cut the next batch of dough
in half and again used the plastic
blade. This was a big improvement.
When working the dough with
the metal blade, our food proces
sor danced across the counter and
the motor housing of the machine
became very hot. The plastic blade
brought the dough together much
more quickly and with only a bit of
shimmying on the machine' s part.
A touch to the motor housing
revealed that it was warm-but not
hot-making for a much happier
machine.
The metal blade still plays a role
in making dough. We found that
the plastic blade can' t cut butter
into four when making dough for
pies or tarts . For these j obs, you
need the sharp metal blade. But for
wet bread dough, the plastic blade
is now our frst choice.
Ode to a Wonderul Cup
I Wonder Cup . . . how did we ever
get along without you? Composed
of nothing more than a clear acrylic
tube and a plunger-type insert, the
Wonder Cup ( see Resources, page
32) makes quick and clean work of
measuring sticky ingredients ( such
as honey, shortening, and peanut
butter) that cling to other measur
ing cups. The clear tube is marked
with measurement increments in
teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, fuid
ounces, and even milliliters. Just pull
the insert top down to the desired
measurement, fll the container,
then turn the cup upside down over
a bowl and plunge out the ingredi
ents. Every bit of the ingredient is
removed fom the cup with ease.
A WOND E R WI TH STI CKY STU F F
HL C | H L U H OA1L . READERS RESPOND
Know Your Dough
Wet, sti ck bread dough can be difi cul t to mani pulate and can l ead home cooks to
wonder if they've made a mi stake. We've come up wi th some gui del i nes to fol l ow if
you' re worki ng wi th one of our popul ar reci pes i n whi ch the dough is on the stick
si de, such as Ci nnamon Buns (May/June 2002) , Rustic Ital ian laf (Januar/
February 2003 ) , or Ricotta Calzones (September/October 2003) .
Usi ng the correct tpe and brnd of fl our can make a bi g diference. Unl ess oth
erise speci fed, our reci pes cal l for unbl eached al l - purpose fl our wi th about I 0. 5
percent protei n, such as Gol d Medal or Pi l l sbur. I f you use a l ow-protei n fl our,
such Whi te Uly or Martha Whi te, wet doughs wi l l be downright soupy.
When rol l i ng or kneadi ng the dough, avoi d the temptation to add more four to
make the dough easi er to handl e. Moisten your hands or, better yet, use a metal or
pl astic dough scrper to knead, fol d, and rol l moi st doughs. Knead the dough i n a
lare bowl to keep i t corrl l ed-and from sticki ng to the counter.
Beyond Margaritas
When we devel oped our reci pe for Fresh Mararits (July/August 2000) , we
were-owi ng to the nature of the dri nk-obl igated to pai r the Citrus Mix (see recipe
in chart) with tequi l a. But severl reader wondered if this brci ng citrus mix coul d
be used i n other dri nks, both wi th and without al cohol . The answer i s yes.
New Uses f Cis Mi
C| T8 U5 H| X 8 C| P : 4 teaspoons each grted lemon and lime zest +
11 cup each l emon and l i me jui ce +
11 cup sugar + pi nch of salt
dri nk citrus mi x + crushed i ce + l i qui d
LE MON/ 1/4 cup lf cup l f cup water
LI MEADE
S PARKLI NG 1/4 cup 1h cup lf cup soda water
LE MON/LI M EADE
VODKA/ RU M/ 1/4 cup 1h cup 1/4 cup l i quor
G I N COLLI NS 1/4 cup soda water
CI TRUS I CE D TEA 1 -2 tbsp 1h cup I cup i ced tea
Real ly Red Meat
We woul dn' t hesi tate to send back a restaurnt steak if the i nteral color weren' t to
our l i ki ng. But woul d you rel ent if you knew that col or i sn' t always a good i ndicator
of doneness? Such a pardox is refl ected in our reci pe for Sirloin Steak Tips (May/
June 2003) . Reader noted that even when careful ly cooked to temperture ( 1 35
degrees, or medi um, bei ng i deal in the reci pe) , rested, and then cut, the steak tips
retai ned a bright red color in the ver center.
We cooked six batches of steak tips to six diferent tempertures to obsere the
correl ati on beteen col or and temperture. Beteen 1 25 and 1 40 degrees, there
was very mi ni mal change in the meat's i nteral col or. Ater bei ng rested and sl i ced
for seri ng, the meat sti l l had a bright red ti nge in the ver center. We began to see
darker col or emere only with steaks taken of the gri l l at I b0to 1 60 degrees.
Myogl obi n gives meat its red col or when rw. Thi s protei n remai ns relatively
unchanged unti l the temperture of the meat reaches 1 40 degrees. Because the
flap meat used in our steak tip reci pe has an unusual ly high concentrtion of myoglo
bi n, its col or i s more i ntense than that of steaks with l ess myogl obi n. It's surprising
and, to some, sl ightly of-putti ng. as we expect the temperture/ col or correlation
to remai n constant in all steaks. Tis i s further proof that your i nstant-read ther
mometer shoul d always be at the ready when you' re tri ng to deci de if the meat is
done-temperture i s al most always a better i ndicator than col or al one.
-Compl i ed by Ni na West
| | YOU HAVL A QULST|ON about a recently publ i shed reci pe, l et us know.
Send you r i nqui r, name, address, and dayti me tel ephone number to Recipe
Update, Cook' s I l l ustrated, P. O. Box 470589, Brookl i ne. MA 02447, Or \O
reci peupdate@bcpress. com.
M A R C i l [ A P R I L 2 0 0 4
!
11:I1|1:
Most of the i ngredi ents and materi al s necessary for
the reci pes i n thi s i ssue are avai l abl e at your l ocal super
market, gou rmet store . or ki tchen supply shop. The
fol l owi ng are mai l - order sou rces for parti cul ar i tems.
Pri ces l i sted bel ow were current at press ti me and do
not i ncl ude shi ppi ng or handl i ng unl ess otherwi se i ndi
cated. We suggest that you contact compani es di rectl y
to confirm up- to- date pri ces and avai l abi l it.
BM RICE
Basmati roughly translates from Hindu into
"the fagrant one. " Unfortunately, most of the
domestically grown basmati rice available in
supermarkets is anything but fagrant. Imported,
aged basmati rice, both nutty and aromatic, is
the key ingredient in our rich, favorfl chicken
biryani (page 9) . Many better food markets offer
a true aged Indian basmati . It is also available at
Kalustan' s ( 1 2 3 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
1 00 1 6 ; 800- 3 5 2- 3 45 1 ; w. kal ustyans. com} ,
item #300B10, in 1 - and 4-pound bags for $2. 49
and $7. 99, respectively. If ordering onle, search
for "Dehraduni" at Klustyan' s Web site.
WHEEl
Oxo has produced the Hummer of the pizza
cutting world. This massive 4-inch wheel plows
through deep-dish pizza as well as the pissaladiere
on page 1 5 . Sur L Tabl e ( 1 7 6 5 Sixth Avenue
South, Seattl e, WA 98 1 34-08 5 2 ; 800- 243 -08 5 2 ;
ww . surl atabl e. com) sells the Oxo Good Grips
4-Inch Pizza Wheel, item #209023, for $1 0. 95.
Y||E IRNS
Of the eight wafe irons we tested for our
yeasted wafes (page 7), two baked crisp, evenly
browned wafes every time, and both made
four wafes at once. If price is not an issue, the
$89. 95 VillaWare Classic Square does an exem
plary j ob. It's available from Wi l l iams-Sonoma
(P. O. Box 7456, San Frncisco, C941 20-7456; 877-
8 1 2- 623 5 ; ww .wi l l i ams-sonoma. com) , item #90-
3684271 . For those on a tighter budget, Black
Decker offers the Grill Wafe baker for $56. 99.
It pulls double duty as a waffe maker and sand
wich press-style griddle by way of interchange
able cooking plates. It is available from Main St.
Supply ( I 0 I N. Sutherland Avenue, Monroe, NC
28 1 1 0; 800- 624- 83 73 ; w . mai nstsupply. com} ,
item #55479.
BING P
Even with nonstick coatings, insulating a bar
riers, innovative surface textures, and price tags
pushing triple digits, no baking pan could surpass
the Pyrex 3- quart baking dish, which turned out
fne results in every test ( see page 28) and looks
good enough to be brought to the table-all for
less than $ 1 0. Pyrex products are available at
many retailers and supermarkets or can be ordered
from Cooki ng. com ( 2850 Ocean Park Blvd. , Suite
3 1 0, Santa Moni ca, CA 90405 ; 800- 6 6 3 - 88 1 0;
w. cooking. com) , where the 1 3 by 9 by 2-inch
pan, item #1 5901 8, sells for $8. 95.
R EKI NS
Although we have a shelf-fll of j ust about
every size ramekin and soufle dish known to the
culinary world, the one we reach for more than
any other is made by Apilco. With a capacity
of just over 6 ounces, a 4-inch diameter, and
a depth of 1 7/s inches, this enameled porcelain
dish is about as all - purpose as a ramekin can
get, whether used for baking creme bnlees and
individual soufes or organizing the ingredients
for a stir fy ( see page 2 for more information on
ramekins ) . Safe in the oven, microwave, and dish
washer, the Apilco ramekin, item #APAP- S- 2, is
available from Bridge Kitchenware (2 1 4 East 5 2nd
Street, New York, NY 1 0022; 2 1 2- 688- 42 20;
w. bridgekitchenware. com) for $9. 00.
WONDERCLP
The Wonder Cup ( tested on page 31 ) is designed
to measure any ingredient but excels at gauging
those items we all dread to measure. Molasses,
honey, mayonnaise, peanut butter, shortening,
and any other sticky, semisof substance can be
packed into the delineated, clear plastic tube and
simply plunged out and scraped off The Wonder
Cup is available in 1 - cup ( item #1 CMWC,
$3. 95 ) and 2- cup ( item #2CMWC, $6. 5 0)
capacities from The Posh Peddl er ( 627 South
Mai n Street, Sharon, MA 02067; 877- 5 78-0088;
ww .theposhpeddler. com) . At the Web site, click
"Measuring Cups Gadgets. "
SKil l LLIDS
In the recipe for pork chops on page 1 1 , a 1 2-
inch skillet with a lid i s essential . We make the
recipe in our prized All - Clad 1 2-inch skillet,
which is sold lidless. The good news is that a
matching lid can be ordered from Cutl ery and
More (645 Lunt Avenue, El k Grove, I L 60007;
800- 6 50- 9866; w . cutleryandmore. com) , item
#391 2, for $44. 95.
All- Clad i s not the only company that sells a
skillet without a matching lid. Luckily, there is a
very affordable way around this problem. Mirro
makes a near- universal lid intended to ft any
skillet, pot, or pan measuring between 8 and 1 2
inches i n diameter. This lightweight aluminum
dsk is gradually recessed from a diameter of nearly
1 21z inches to an innermost ring of 7 inches. On
C O O K
'
s I L L U S T R A T E D
Z
the downside, the lid's concave design does not
allow for much headroom in a wide, shallow skil
let such as the All- Clad, and in smaller skilets the
skillet handle ofen keeps the lid fom forming a
tight seal. Stll, at $7. 99, this piece of equipment
is a bargain, even if you never use it on anything
but a 1 2-inch skillet. The Mirra Multi Purpose
Lid, item #1 89888, is available fom Kitchen Etc.
( 3 2 1 ndustrial Drive, Exeter, NH 03 8 3 3 ; 800- 2 3 2-
4070; ww. kitchenetc. com).
ZER HOLDER
Those cooks who want to get every last bit of
citrus zest or Parmesan cheese in the bowl and
not on the countertop may want to purchase
the Zester Holder featured on page 3 . It fts
snugly over the 1 2-inch handle- free model of
the Microplane rasp- style grater, our favorite
tool for the j ob. The holder, item #27W02. 1 1 ,
is avaiable for $4. 95 fom Lee Val l ey Tool s (P. O.
Box 1 780, Ogdensburg, NY 1 3669; 800- 87 1 - 8 1 58;
w . l eeval l ey. com) . The grater and holder can be
purchased as a set for $1 2. 95.
DRK CHOCOI A
Baker's and Hershey' s Special Dark are available
at most supermarkets nationwide . Ghirardelli
Bi ttersweet Chocolate Premium Baking Bar
( item #F3 146) is available in 4- ounce bars for
$2 . 29 from Cooks Corner ( P. O. Box 2 20, 83 6
5 . 8th Street, Mani towoc, WI 5 42 2 1 - 0220; 800-
2 3 6- 243 3 ; w . cookscomer. com) and at many
better supermarkets . The remaining choco
lates we tasted are available from the following
sources . Perugina Bittersweet Chocolate bars
weigh in at 3 . 5 ounces and are available for
$ 1 . 99 at Eri ka' s Del i catessen (4547 28th Street
S . E . , Grand Rapi ds, Ml 49 5 1 2 ; 877- 278- 1 99 3 ;
www. eri kasonl i nestore. com} . The remaining fve
chocolates can be ordered fom ChocolateSoure.com
(9 Crest Road, Wllesley, M02482; 80- 2 1 4-4926;
w . chocol atesource. com) . Cal lebaut Dark
"Bittersweet" Chocolate is a favorite in the
pastry industry and is available only in wholesale
quantiti es. An 1 1 -pound block ( item #83 5 )
costs $42. 95 and should get you through a few
holiday seasons. The other four chocolates can
be ordered in quantities more reasonable for the
home cook: Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate
70%, item #L49801 4, four 3- ounce bars for
$ 1 2 . 25 ; El Rey Gran Saman Dark Chocolate
Carenero Superior 70%, item #ER444, six 2. 8-
ounce bars for $ 1 5 . 05; Valrhona Guanaj a 70%
Cacao Dark Bitter Chocolate, item #V281 2,
pack of four 2. 62- ounce bars for $1 2. 25; and
70% Scharffen Berger Cocoa Home- Chef Bars,
item #SB300, one 1 0-ounce bar for $8 . 95.
K1' l1:
March b April 2004
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Pan- Seared Shri mp | Z
with Chi potl e- Ume Gl aze | Z
with Garl i c- Lemon Butter | Z
with Gi nger- Hoi si n Gl aze | Z
Pork Chops
Easy Pork Chops | |
Pork Chops wi th Brandy and
Prunes | |
Pork Chops wi th Mustard-Sage
Sauce | |
Spi nach Lsagna | V
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