Holidays | Saveur

Lidnivikis

Jenn Louis — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:44:51 +0000

Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

These old school Polish pancakes are lighter, fluffier, and cheesier than the batter-based standard. The batter—really more of a dough made from cottage cheese and egg barely bound together with flour—is sliced into rounds and baked, rather than cooked in a pan. Be careful not to overwork it when adding flour; the pancakes should be fall-apart tender.

Featured in: “Old School Pancakes So Good They Don’t Need a Pan.”

Yield: 5–7

Time: 45 minutes

2 cups cottage cheese (about 1 lb.)
3 large eggs
1½ cups (7½ oz.) all-purpose flour, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Fresh dill and sour cream, for serving

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F; position two of the racks in the top and bottom third of the oven. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together the cottage cheese and eggs. Stir in 1 cup of the flour, the baking powder, and salt. Lay a second large rectangle of parchment paper on a clean work surface and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup flour lengthwise down the center. Pour the batter over the flour in an approximately 12- by 2½-inch log, then lift the long sides of the parchment to roll the log back and forth over the parchment until it’s evenly coated in flour (the dough will be very wet and soft). Using a knife, cut the log crosswise into ten 1½-inch thick rounds; using the side of your knife for help, quickly transfer the rounds to the lined baking sheets cut-side-up and spaced at least 2 inches apart.
Bake, rotating the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through cooking, until lightly browned on the bottom and set in the middle, about 20 minutes.
Using a thin, offset spatula, transfer the pancakes to a plate or serving platter. Pinch off small knobs of butter with your fingers and place over each pancake. Sprinkle with dill and serve hot with sour cream on the side.

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Borůvkový Koláč (Blueberry-Poppy Seed Squares)

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:07 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Floral poppy seeds perfume tart fresh blueberries in the filling for borůvkový koláč, a traditional Czech dessert. The seeds must be ground to release their flavor; buy them pre-ground from Kalustyan’s, or grind whole seeds as finely as possible using a spice grinder, blender, meat grinder, or mortar and pestle. Poppy seeds turn rancid quickly, so buy them from a source with reliable turnover, then store whatever’s left in the freezer. When lining the pan with dough in step 1, it may be helpful to use the bottom of a water glass to press it into an even layer.

Featured in “Flower Power,” by Gabriella Gershenson.

Yield: 12

Time: 2 hours

20 Tbsp. softened unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing
1½ cups sugar, divided
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, divided
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ cups ground poppy seeds (see headnote)
½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Using a stand or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat 16 tablespoons of the butter and ½ cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 2½ cups of the flour and ½ teaspoon of the salt and beat until just combined. Press the dough (see headnote) evenly into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared pan. Chill for 20 minutes, then bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the streusel: In a small bowl, use a fork to combine ¼ cup of the sugar; the vanilla; and remaining butter, flour, and salt until coarse crumbs form.
In a medium pot set over medium-high heat, stir together 3 cups of the berries, the lemon juice, cinnamon, and remaining ¾ cup of sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining berries. Set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the poppy seeds and cream, then use a silicone spatula to spread evenly over the crust. Top with the blueberry mixture, spreading it to the edges, then sprinkle with the streusel. Bake until bubbly and lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

The post Borůvkový Koláč (Blueberry-Poppy Seed Squares) appeared first on Saveur.

Vichyssoise

Louis Diat — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 10:00:00 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY CHRISTINE ALBANO; PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

Credited with the invention of this famous chilled potato leek soup, Chef Louis Diat of New York City’s original Ritz-Carlton Hotel once prepared eight portions of the dish to be delivered to the Manhattan townhouse of Sara Delano Roosevelt, Franklin D.’s mother—and enclosed this vichyssoise recipe. The best potatoes to use for something like vichyssoise are low-starch varieties, such as Yukon Golds, which will retain their creamy flavor and velvety texture even after a long cooking and double-straining process.

Yield: 8

Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

4 Tbsp. (2 oz.) unsalted butter
4 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
5 medium potatoes (about 2¼ lbs.), peeled and thinly sliced
Kosher salt
2 cups whole milk
2 cups light cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives

Instructions

In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, about 20 minutes. Add the potatoes, 4 cups water, and salt to taste, and turn up the heat to high to bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft, 50–60 minutes.
Set a fine sieve over a medium bowl and strain the soup, pressing and scraping the solids with a spoon. Wipe the pot clean and return the strained soup to it. Whisk in the milk and light cream, bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then remove from heat and let cool.
Set the sieve over a medium bowl and strain the soup again, pressing and scraping with the spoon. Discard any solids that remain in the sieve. Stir the heavy cream into soup, then cover and refrigerate until chilled, for at least 2 and up to 24 hours. Season soup with salt to taste just before serving.
To serve, divide the vichyssoise among soup bowls and garnish with chives.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pâte de Fruit

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:20:31 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

Instead of coating his pâte de fruit with plain white sugar, Bay Area pastry chef William Werner flavors Demerara sugar with Clément Créole Shrubb, a liqueur made of aged and white rhum agricole and bitter orange peels.

Featured in: “Our Best Strawberry Recipes Let the Fruit Shine Like Never Before.”

Yield: 16–18

Time: 5 hours 30 minutes

¾ cups raw sugar, such as demerara or turbinado
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and pod reserved
1 oz. Clément Créole Shrubb or Cointreau
3 cups sugar, divided
2 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. pectin
Vegetable oil, for greasing
12 oz. rhubarb (2 medium stalks), cleaned and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. light corn syrup
7 oz. strawberries, hulled
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200°F. In a small bowl, rub the vanilla seeds into the raw sugar until incorporated. Pour in the Shrubb and stir to combine. Using a silicone spatula, spread the sugar mixture in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake with the oven door slightly ajar until dried, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and when cool enough to handle, use your hands to crumble; set aside.
Oil an 8-by-8-inch baking pan and line with parchment. In a small bowl, whisk together the pectin and ¼ cup of the sugar; set aside.
To a medium pot set over medium-high heat, add the vanilla pod, rhubarb, and 1 cup of the sugar and cook until the rhubarb is soft, 8–10 minutes; set aside to cool, about 45 minutes.
Discard the vanilla pod and transfer the rhubarb mixture to a blender (do not clean the pot). Add the corn syrup and strawberries and purée, then pour back into the pot and turn the heat to high. When the liquid boils, whisk in the pectin mixture and cook, stirring continuously, until dissolved, 1–2 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of the sugar and cook, stirring continuously, until dissolved, 1–2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining sugar, then continue cooking until the mixture has thickened and a thermometer reads 175°F, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the lemon juice, then pour into the prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature until set, about 4 hours.
To serve, cut the pâte de fruit into 1-inch squares and sprinkle with the reserved Shrubb sugar. (Pâte de fruit will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.)

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Eli Zabar’s Chocolate Caramel Matzo Ice Cream

Eli Zabar — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 05:29:50 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATE BERRY

I’ve been making sourdough matzo for over thirty years and I’ve been making vanilla ice cream ever since 2003, when I opened Eli’s Market on New York City’s Upper East Side. Nothing brings me more joy than marrying two great ideas and finding other smart uses for simple products. My motto has always been “waste not, want not,” and I firmly believe that just about everything I make can become even more delicious in its “second” life. Case and point: this seasonal chocolate caramel matzo ice cream.

My best ideas tend to come about when I mistakenly make too much of one item and need to figure out what to do with it. Almost anything can be repurposed and turning my unsold jelly donuts into jelly donut bread pudding or using the heels of crusty baguettes to make crostini batons are just two examples of the end result being almost better than the original ingredient. As we started planning for this Passover season, I realized my matzo and vanilla ice cream were such an excellent pairing that I’m almost annoyed I didn’t think of it earlier. What about matzo ice cream sandwiches next year?

At the market, of course I use our own housemade sourdough matzo for this recipe. If you’re unable to come by the shop to pick some up for yourself—or if you just want to use up your own Passover leftovers—Streits, Yahuda, or Schmurah work really well, too.

Yield: 6–8

Time: 7 hours

Ingredients

For the vanilla ice cream:

6 large egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
1 cup plus 3 Tbsp. sugar
Pinch kosher salt
1 vanilla pod cut open and scraped
2 cups heavy cream
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

For the chocolate caramel matzo:

1½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup heavy cream
16 Tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 sheets plain matzo
6 oz. 60–70% chocolate, melted (1 cup)
½ cup toasted sliced or slivered almonds (optional)
Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the vanilla ice cream base: In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth, then set the bowl by the stove. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, whisk together the milk, sugar, and salt. Add the vanilla pod and scrapings and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the mixture reaches 130°F on an instant-read candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and, whisking vigorously, drizzle about a third of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks until homogenous. Pour the milk-yolk mixture back into the pot and whisk until thoroughly combined. Return to medium-low heat and cook, stirring continually to avoid scrambling the eggs, until the custard reaches 170°F. (If the custard turns lumpy, remove from the heat immediately and use an immersion blender to emulsify.) Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Set a fine mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl or container and strain the hot ice cream base into it, discarding any solids. Whisk in the cream, then refrigerate or chill in an ice water bath, stirring occasionally, until completely cold, at least 6 and up to 24 hours. (The colder the base, the better the ice cream).
Meanwhile, make the chocolate caramel matzo: In a medium pot over medium-low heat, melt the brown sugar. Cook, swirling frequently, until dark amber in color, 10–12 minutes (don’t walk away from the stove; brown sugar caramel can burn very quickly). Whisk in the cream followed by the butter and condensed milk. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the vanilla and salt until completely smooth. Set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until cooled to the consistency of smooth peanut butter, about 1 hour.
Arrange the matzo on two large rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the caramel over the matzo in a thin and even layer. Pour the chocolate over the caramel-coated matzo, then spread that in an even layer as well. Sprinkle with toasted almonds (if desired) and coarse sea salt, then refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Set a large metal bowl in the freezer. When the ice cream base is chilled, churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until frozen and smooth, about 20 minutes.
While the ice cream churns, coarsely chop the chocolate caramel matzo into bite-size pieces. As soon as the ice cream is finished, remove the metal bowl from the freezer, scrape half of the ice cream into it, and, using a silicone spatula, spread ice cream evenly over the inside surface of the bowl. Sprinkle evenly with 2 cups of the matzo pieces. Scrape the remaining ice cream into the bowl, spread it evenly over the matzo pieces, then sprinkle another 2 cups of matzo pieces over the top. Scoop into airtight pint containers and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours. To serve, scoop into bowls and serve with extra chocolate caramel matzo pieces, if desired.

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Old-School Gefilte Fish

Anya von Bremzen — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:56:51 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio; Food Styling Pearl Jones; Prop Styling by Dayna Seman

This Passover, consider ditching the usual jarred gefilte and make your own instead. This gefilte fish recipe is lighter, fresher, and less cloying than the dense, oblong patties found on the shelves of Jewish groceries next to the matzo ball mix and egg noodles. Those who enjoy a sweet-and-sour taste should double or triple the sugar. Horseradish is an essential accompaniment.

Featured in “You Never Forget Your First Gefilte Fish,” by Anya von Bremzen.

Yield: Serves 10 as an appetizer

Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

2 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
2 medium onions, finely chopped, divided
2 matzo sheets, broken into pieces
2 medium carrots, 1 peeled and coarsely chopped, 1 sliced into ¼-in. coins
¾ lb. whitefish, pike, or other firm white fish fillets, cut into ½-in. chunks
¾ lb. carp fillets, cut into ½-in. chunks
2 large eggs
1½ tsp. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground white pepper, or black pepper
2½ cups fish stock, or chicken stock
Curly (or flat-leaf) parsley sprigs, for garnish
Fresh or bottled horseradish (white or red), for serving

Instructions

To a medium skillet set over medium heat, add the oil and three quarters of the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to brown, about 14 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, cover the matzos with cold water and set aside for 10 minutes. Drain, use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and return to the bowl.
In a food processor, pulse the carrot and remaining onion until very finely chopped, then add the matzo and pulse to combine. Scrape into the bowl and set aside.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425ºF. To the empty food processor, add the whitefish and onions and pulse to a paste (the fish chunks should be no larger than a grain of rice). Scrape into the bowl with the matzo mixture. To the food processor, add the carp, salt, sugar, and white pepper and pulse to a paste. Scrape into the bowl with the whitefish, then add the eggs. Using your hands or a spoon, mix until homogeneous. (If the mixture is too loose to shape, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.)
Using two large spoons or wetted hands, shape about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into a quenelle or oblong ball and transfer to a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Brush lightly with oil. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, then bake until just beginning to brown, about 21 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small pot, bring the stock and sliced carrot to a simmer, then pour over the fish to come two thirds of the way up the quenelles. Loosely cover with foil and turn the oven down to 325ºF. Bake, turning the balls over halfway through cooking, until cooked through and moist, about 45 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the fish to cool in the liquid, about 3 hours. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours.
To serve, cover the bottom of a large platter with parsley if desired and scatter with the radishes, then arrange the gefilte fish on top. Top each fish with a carrot slice and parsley sprig and serve cold with horseradish on the side.

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You Never Forget Your First Gefilte Fish

Anya von Bremzen — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:56:21 +0000

After we emigrated to Philadelphia from Moscow in 1974, my mom and I were invited to our first-ever Passover seder. I still remember being at the posh suburban home of our kind Jewish sponsors, paraded around as “heroic refugees” in our shabby hand-me-down clothes. When everyone stared at us and sang “Let My People Go,” Mom and I wept, from emotion mixed with embarrassment. To make matters even more embarrassing, while stammering out passages from the Haggadah in my still-broken English, I kept saying “ten pleasures” instead of “ten plagues.” Then the hostess brought out the gefilte fish. Flashing back to the whole stuffed carp my grandmother’s family made in her native Odesa, Ukraine, I tucked into the neat American fish ball with great curiosity . . . and could barely swallow!

The taste was so shockingly sugary, Mom and I kicked each other under the table, later concluding that the hostess must have accidentally added sugar instead of salt. At our second seder the following night at a different house, the fish balls were even sweeter. Noticing our total bewilderment, the host explained that his people come from Southern Poland, where Jews liked their gefilte fish on the sweet side. “You Russians, don’t you make your fish peppery?” he inquired. Mom blushed. She’d never once made gefilte fish in her life; back in the atheist USSR, Jewishness was considered an ethno-cultural, not a religious, identity.

Now, many seders and almost five decades later, Mom and I know that Russian and Ukrainian Jewish babushkas usually cut their fish into thick steaks, remove the meat, and grind it with onions and carrots, then pack this stuffing (no sugar involved!) into the skin around the bones. The fish simmers short of forever with different ingredients, which sometimes include beets, until the bones all but dissolve— delicious, though not exactly Instagram-pretty. Some perfectionists even go a step further. Like my Odesa ancestors, who stuff a whole fish for a grand presentation. If you can find an accommodating fishmonger willing to remove the skin in one piece—like a stocking, with the tail still attached—this is by far the most festive and dramatic gefilte fish presentation.

The head is then packed with some of the minced fish filling and poached alongside. At serving time, you reassemble the beast and get ready for social media compliments. If you don’t have a whole skin, just make a loaf and lay a long strip of skin on top as a decoration. And of course, you can always prepare terrifically delicious fish balls from this mixture, in which case you’ll need about 3 quarts of stock. Back in 1920s Odesa, my great-grandmother Maria prepared her gefilte fish with pike from the Privoz market. In America, many ex-Soviet immigrants use carp. My personal favorite is a combo of delicate whitefish with the darker, oilier carp, which I buy live from my neighborhood Asian market. And while this recipe does contain a good pinch of sugar, it’s the slowly cooked onions that deliver the natural sweetness. Serve it with plenty of horseradish at the table.

This essay is adapted from Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking, Anya von Bremzen’s memoir. Her new book, National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History, and the Meaning of Home, will be out in June.

Recipe

Old-School Gefilte Fish

Photography by Belle Morizio; Food Styling Pearl Jones; Prop Styling by Dayna Seman

Get the recipe >

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Eggless Pasta Frittata with Anchovies, Raisins, and Pine Nuts

Katie Parla — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:29:54 +0000

Photography by Benjamin Kemper

Welcome to Parla’s Pastas, a column by the Rome-based, New York Times best-selling cookbook author Katie Parla with traditional and inspired recipes from Italy’s 20 regions. Get ready for a carb-driven journey through the trattorias of Rome, the kitchens of Sicily (her ancestral homeland), rural Campania, and beyond. Fire up a pot of water, and andiamo!

Scammaro (SCA-ma-ro) is the anti-frittata frittata: crispy, crackly, and conspicuously eggless. An old-school staple of Lenten tables in southern Italy, this frittata di scammaro recipe makes a simple—and phenomenally flavorful—pantry-based meal year round.

Featured in “The Crispy, Crackly Pasta Dish Neapolitans Make Every Lent,” by Katie Parla.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 45 minutes

¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed with the side of a knife
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed
1 large ripe tomato, grated, or ¼ cup good-quality tomato purée (such as Mutti)
¼ cup Gaeta olives, rinsed, pitted, and roughly chopped, or substitute Kalamata olives
3 Tbsp. raisins, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained
3 Tbsp. salt-cured capers, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained, and rinsed
2 Tbsp. pine nuts
2 tsp. coarsely chopped parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
Sea salt
12 oz. vermicelli pasta, or thin spaghetti

Instructions

To a 10-inch nonstick skillet set over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of the oil and the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden, about 3 minutes. Add the anchovies and cook until they dissolve, about 2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the tomato, and cook until reduced slightly, about 4 minutes. Add the olives, raisins, capers, and pine nuts and cook for 2 minutes more. Turn off the heat and discard the garlic.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just beyond al dente, about 4 minutes (use the recommended cooking time on the package).
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the tomato mixture and parsley and toss well to combine. (Do not clean the skillet.)
To the empty skillet, add 3 more tablespoons of the oil and turn the heat to high. When it’s shimmering and hot, add the pasta. Use a spoon to flatten the top. Cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes, then turn the heat to medium and continue to cook until the pasta has set and the bottom is deep golden brown, about 9 minutes more.
Place a plate over the frittata and flip the pan upside down. Slide it back into the pan, uncooked-side down, and pour the remaining tablespoon of oil around the edge of the frittata. Brown on the other side, about 12 minutes more.
To serve, slide the frittata onto a plate and garnish with parsley. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into wedges.

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Duck and Andouille Gumbo

Justin Devillier — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:34:18 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY CHRISTINE ALBANO; PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

For his take on Cajun gumbo, chef Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery in New Orleans uses rendered duck fat in the roux instead of butter and quartered ducks in lieu of the classic chicken. In this duck and andouille gumbo recipe, we’ve called for only duck legs, which stay tender during a low-and-slow cooking process and won’t run the risk of drying out like breast meat.

Featured in: “The Hunter’s Way to Cook a Louisiana Thanksgiving.”

Yield: 8-10

Time: 5 hours

8 duck legs (about 6 lb.), fat trimmed, thighs and drumsticks separated
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
12 thyme sprigs
1 fresh sage sprig
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (5 oz.) all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. hot sauce
2 Tbsp. sweet paprika
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. andouille sausage, cut crosswise into ¼-in.-thick coins
1 lb. okra, cut crosswise into ⅓-in.-thick coins
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked white rice, for serving

Instructions

In a large skillet, place the duck thighs skin side down in a single layer, then place the skillet over medium heat. Cook until the thighs are deep golden brown on one side, about 40 minutes. Flip the thighs and continue cooking until browned on the opposite side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the thighs to a plate, then add the drumsticks to the skillet, skin side down, and cook until deep golden brown on one side, about 20 minutes. Flip the drumsticks and continue cooking until browned on the other side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the drumsticks to the plate with the thighs and pour the rendered fat from the skillet into a heatproof measuring cup. Set 1 cup of the fat aside, and save the remainder for another use. (Duck fat keeps very well in the freezer for up to 3 months.)
Return the skillet to medium heat, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until the onions are soft and just beginning to brown, 6–10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Make a bouquet garni: in a large square of cheesecloth, bundle together the thyme and sage sprigs; tie with kitchen twine to close, and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the cup of reserved duck fat over medium-low. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring continuously, until the roux turns dark brown, 30–40 minutes. Scrape the cooled onion-garlic mixture into the roux, then stir in the hot sauce, paprika, cayenne, and Worcestershire. Add the reserved duck pieces and herb bouquet to the pot, followed by the andouille, okra, and 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the duck meat is falling off the bone, about 2 hours.
Season the gumbo with salt and black pepper to taste, ladle into wide bowls, and serve hot with rice.

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Roman-Style Rigatoni with Oxtail Ragù

Katie Parla — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:46:04 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio; Food Styling by Laura Sampedro; Stemless Wine Glasses: Glasvin

This Roman-style oxtail ragù recipe calls for no garlic or onions, which might sound like a red flag to some. But trust us—the deep, pure flavor of stewed beef with tomatoes and celery is nothing short of a revelation. Romans often make this ragù a day or two ahead, embracing how the flavors improve in the fridge.

Featured in “The Only Good Thing About My Ex Was His Mom’s Amazing Ragù Recipe,” by Katie Parla.

Yield: 6

Time: 12 hours

2½ lb. oxtails, trimmed (see footnote)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. lard, or olive oil
½ cup dry white wine
1½ (28-oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes, juice reserved, coarsely chopped
5 medium celery stalks, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 lb. dry rigatoni or bombolotti pasta
⅓ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano

Instructions

In a large bowl, season the oxtails generously with salt and black pepper and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 8–24 hours.
Using paper towels, blot the meat dry. In a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium-high heat, melt the lard. When it’s hot and shimmering, working in batches if necessary, add the oxtails and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes.
Add the wine and cook until reduced slightly, about 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and their juices, celery, and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to maintain a strong simmer, then cover and cook, turning the oxtails every 30 minutes or so, until the meat is falling off the bone, about 3 hours.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate. Place a food mill over a large bowl and, working in batches, purée the sauce (see footnote). Pick the meat off the bones (discarding them) and add it to the bowl with the sauce, then return the ragù to the pot, cover, and turn the heat to low.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente, 11–13 minutes. Drain, then return the pasta to the pot and stir in 3 cups of the sauce, or more to taste. (Reserve leftover sauce for another use.) Serve topped with the Pecorino.

Notes: Frozen oxtails can be used in place of fresh; be sure to thaw them completely before proceeding. An immersion or regular blender will also work for puréeing the sauce, but before processing, be sure to fish out any small pieces of bone that may have come loose during cooking.

This recipe is from Parla’s Pastas, a column by the Rome-based, New York Times best-selling cookbook author Katie Parla covering traditional and inspired recipes from Italy’s 20 regions. Get ready for a carb-driven journey through the trattorias of Rome, the kitchens of Sicily (her ancestral homeland), rural Campania, and beyond. Fire up a pot of water, and andiamo!

The post Roman-Style Rigatoni with Oxtail Ragù appeared first on Saveur.