Pantry & Herbs | Saveur

Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Casserole)

Aglaia Kremezi — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:15 +0000

Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

A good moussaka is “one of the most fabulous things you can eat,” according to Aglaia Kremezi, author of Mediterranean Hot and Spicy. Her recipe for the Greek eggplant casserole, inherited from her mother, is a labor of love requiring sautéing, frying, boiling, and baking—but it’s well worth the trouble. The components (meat sauce, béchamel, and fried eggplant and potatoes) can be prepared the day before assembling.

Yield: 8-10

Time: 4 hours 40 minutes

2 cups plus 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 lb. ground beef
¼ cup tomato paste
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided, plus more for dusting
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, divided
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
One 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
3 large eggplants, sliced into ¼-in.-thick rounds
5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into ¼-in.-thick rounds
1 cup coarsely grated graviera cheese, or Gruyère
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

To a large pot set over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 5–7 minutes. Add the beef and cook until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, 1¼ teaspoons of the ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of the nutmeg, and the cloves and cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, sugar, tomatoes, and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly all the liquid has evaporated, about 1½ hours. Remove from the heat, then discard the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Season generously with salt and black pepper and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the béchamel: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Melt the butter in a medium pot set over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until light golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 1½ teaspoons of salt, the milk, and the remaining cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook, whisking frequently, until thick, about 10 minutes. Ladle about 1 cup of the béchamel into the egg, then whisk to combine. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot, then whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. To a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil. Lightly dust the eggplant slices with cinnamon slices. When the oil is hot and shimmering, working in batches, fry the eggplant (turning once) until soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the potatoes and cook until barely tender, 8–10 minutes. Drain and transfer to an ice bath. When cool, drain and set aside.
On the bottom of a 10-by-14-inch baking dish, spread 1 cup of the béchamel. Sprinkle with ⅓ cup of the graviera. Spread the potatoes evenly over the cheese, then cover evenly with the eggplant. Pour the meat sauce over the top, then spread with the remaining béchamel. Top with the remaining graviera. Bake until bubbling and golden brown, about 1 hour.

Around the World in 26 Eggplant Recipes

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

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Changua

Megan Zhang — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:40:00 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY JESSIE YUCHEN; PROP STYLING BY KIM GRAY

Since the early 1800s, the tiny, beloved restaurant La Puerta Falsa in Bogotá has been serving traditional homestyle Colombian fare, with a short menu featuring tamales, ajiaco, and—the one that stayed with me the most—changua. A milky soup bobbing with jammy eggs, hunks of bread, and pungent alliums, changua is a belly-warming breakfast with an interesting amalgamation of textures and flavors. This changua recipe is adapted from the version served at La Puerta Falsa.

For the bread, almojábanas and pandebono (two Colombian varieties made with cheese), as well as calados (a type of stale bread), are popular choices—look for them at a Colombian bakery, or online. Day-old crusty country loaves or baguettes are also typical.

For the cheese, Bogotana chef Alejandra Cubillos González recommends queso Colombiano or queso campesino. When she can’t find these, she sometimes substitutes cheese curds. Or, use halloumi or low-moisture mozzarella, as Colombiana cookbook author Mariana Velasquez suggests. Though adding cheese—as Puerta Falsa does—is common, the dish is just as often made without it, depending on region and personal preference.

Featured in, “This Milky, Eggy, Cheesy Soup Comes to the Rescue on Chilly Mornings,” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 4

Time: 20 minutes

3 cups 2-percent milk
3 scallions, two halved lengthwise, one finely chopped
3 cilantro sprigs, plus ¼ cup finely chopped leaves and stems
Kosher salt
6 oz. Colombian-style queso fresco, cut into ½-in. slices, optional (see headnote)
4 large eggs
6 oz. day-old bread (see headnote), cut into large bite-size pieces (3 cups, lightly packed)

Instructions

To a medium pot set over medium-high heat, add the milk, split scallions, cilantro sprigs, and 4 cups water, then lightly season with salt. When the liquid begins to boil, turn the heat to medium-low and cook at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until the scallions are soft but still green, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cheese if using, then crack one egg into a small cup and gently slide it into the pot; repeat with the remaining eggs. Cook, without stirring, until the whites are set and the yolks are jammy, 3–4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Season the broth with more salt to taste.
Using tongs, discard the split scallion and cilantro sprigs. Into four serving bowls, place a few chunks of bread, then divide the soup among the bowls. Top with the chopped scallion and cilantro and serve.

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Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce

SAVEUR Editors — Thu, 23 May 2019 18:06:40 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY VICTORIA GRANOF; PROP STYLING BY DAYNA SEMAN

While whimsical-looking Scotch bonnet chiles have a flavorful fruitiness, they also pack a capsaicin punch that can easily overwhelm a dish. A fresh, Caribbean-style pepper sauce, tempered with sweet tropical fruit, is a great way to make the most of the fiery peppers. This hot sauce originally ran alongside Korsha Wilson’s guide to traditional Jamaican-style jerk cooking. (If you can’t find coconut vinegar, a staple in Caribbean cooking, white wine vinegar is a suitable substitute.)

Featured in: “Master Jamaican Jerk with Our Definitive Guide.”

Yield: makes about 2 cups

Time: 10 minutes

6 Scotch bonnet chiles, stemmed
2 cups chopped fresh mango
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 chopped red onion
1 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. whole allspice berries
1 tsp. mustard powder
¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. coconut vinegar
Kosher salt

Instructions

To a blender, add the chiles, mango, garlic, onion, honey, allspice, and mustard powder. Pulse to break down the ingredients slightly, then add the coconut vinegar and blend until lightly chunky. Season to taste with salt. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 10 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

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Aïoli Provençal

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:26:11 +0000

Photography by Paola + Murray; Food Styling by Olivia Mack McCool; Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

This traditional aïoli recipe comes to us from the inn Relais Notre-Dame in Alpes de Haute Provence. The garlicky sauce perfectly illustrates Provence’s culinary touchstones: simple preparations and local ingredients. Throughout Southern France, the silky, mayo-like condiment is served alongside meats, seafood, and raw or roasted vegetables as the centerpiece of a “grand aïoli.”We find it just as delicious paired with crispy frites.

Yield: about 2 cups

Time: 13 minutes

6 cloves garlic, peeled
Coarse salt
2 large egg yolks
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

To the bowl of a mortar, add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Use the pestle to pound the mixture into a smooth paste. Working with the pestle or a whisk, beat the egg yolks into garlic until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Begin adding the oil a few drops at a time, beating continuously, until the sauce begins to emulsify. (The flow of oil can be increased to a fine stream as the sauce comes together.) Once all the oil has been added, add the lemon juice a teaspoon at a time to thin, if desired. Season to taste with salt. Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

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Dilly Salmon Pasta Salad with Pickles and Caraway Breadcrumbs

Benjamin Kemper — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 13:56:37 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Welcome to One Pot Bangers, Benjamin Kemper’s weeknight cooking column, where you’ll find our freshest, boldest ideas that require just one pot, skillet, or sheet pan. Busy week? We’ve got you covered with these low-effort, high-reward recipes from around the globe.

Deli-case pasta salad—you know the type, gobbed with sugary mayo and flecked with bargain-bin tuna—can be grim, frightening stuff. With cookout and picnic season upon us, I wondered how I might freshen up the American side to give it a more intriguing flavor profile. The goal was to give the dish what a zoomer might call “main character energy”: pasta salad as the meal, not a sorry accessory to it.

I settled on using fresh salmon instead of tuna—a generous amount, flaked into big, juicy chunks. Then, drawing inspo from my Ashkenazi forebears, I added a few tugs of fresh dill, a glob of horseradish, and a handful of chopped pickles (plus a splash of their brine to loosen everything up). A sprinkling of caraway-scented breadcrumbs on top, and I had a recipe I could get behind. I’ve been making this salmon pasta salad on repeat for picnics, barbecues, and (since all the action happens in one pot) casual weeknight meals.

Feel free to use frozen or canned salmon in place of fresh. Poaching is the easiest way to cook the fish: Simply place the salmon in an 8-by-8-inch microwaveable pan, add ¼ cup of water, then cover and cook on high until opaque, about 8 minutes for center-cut fillets (9–12 minutes for frozen). For a more elegant presentation, transfer the drained pasta to a serving bowl in step 2.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 30 minutes

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup panko bread crumbs, or homemade bread crumbs
1 tsp. ground caraway seeds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. conchiglie (shell) or orecchiette pasta
¾ cup coarsely chopped dill or bread-and-butter pickles, plus 1 Tbsp. brine
3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. finely chopped dill fronds, plus more whole fronds for garnish
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. bottled horseradish
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
½ small red onion, very finely chopped
2½ cups flaked cold cooked salmon (see headnote)
½ cup crème fraîche, or sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise, plus more to taste

Instructions

In a large pot set over medium-low heat, melt the butter, then add the panko and caraway and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, 4–6 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
Rinse the pot, then fill it with generously salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and boil, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked (just past al dente) according to the instructions on the package. Strain and rinse under cold water until cool. Return the pasta to the pot.
Stir in the pickles, brine, parsley, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, horseradish, mustard, cayenne, and onion and set aside to marinate for 5 minutes. Stir in the salmon, crème fraîche, mayonnaise, and three quarters of the reserved bread crumbs. Season with salt and black pepper to taste (it should be very well seasoned) and more mayonnaise if desired.
Garnish with the remaining bread crumbs and dill fronds. Serve immediately (at room temperature), or cover and chill until ready to serve. (Tightly covered, the salmon pasta salad will keep for 2 days in the fridge; if it looks dry, stir in a couple tablespoons of water.)

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Cold Tofu with Cucumber Vinegar

Nancy Singleton Hachisu — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:45:00 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AYA BRACKETT. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF PHAIDON

Serving cold tofu as a light side dish for a summer meal is a popular method for combatting the hot, humid weather in Japan. Here the cucumber vinegar is an especially refreshing and tasty dressing for the tofu, but also could be combined with lightly roasted sesame oil or fruity olive oil as a dressing for summer tomatoes. Konbu dashi is easy to make from scratch, and a batch can be used to make a variety of vegetarian Japanese dishes.

This recipe is adapted from Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook and was featured in “This 1-Ingredient No-Cook Stock is at the Heart of Japanese Vegetarian Cooking.”

Yield: 4

Time: 10 minutes

2 small Japanese cucumbers (5¼ oz.)
¼ cup konbu dashi
2 tsp. shoyu
2 tsp. rice vinegar
10½ oz. silken tofu, cut into 4 squares

Instructions

Finely grate the cucumber and scrape into a small bowl. Stir in the dashi, shoyu, and vinegar. Place each square of cold tofu on a small saucer and spoon the dressing onto the center of each square. Serve cold.

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Rhubarb Red Onion Chutney

Anna Lise Kvan — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:53:37 +0000

Matt Taylor-Gross

Rhubarb Red Onion Chutney Matt Taylor-Gross

This rhubarb red onion chutney recipe comes from Anna Lise Kvan, of Paris’s Holy Belly Café. She rightly calls it a labor of love since it requires patience and a little elbow grease—it’s important to keep stirring to make sure the rhubarb and onions caramelize without sticking. Make a big batch, so you can keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks. She suggests pairing the chutney with roasted pork cutlets or tenderloin, or spreading it on turkey, chicken, or ham sandwiches. We also like adding it to grilled cheeses and charcuterie boards.

Featured in “How to Cook With Rhubarb (Beyond Turning it Into Pie)”

Yield: Makes 2 cups

Time: 2 hours

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 medium red onions, thinly sliced (7 cups)
1 tsp. fine salt
1 tsp. sugar
1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 whole cloves
6 rhubarb stalks, cut into 1⁄4-in. pieces (4 1⁄2 cups)
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

Instructions

In a medium pot over medium heat, heat the butter and oil until the butter melts and begins to foam, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are jammy and deep brown, about 1 hour. Add the salt, sugar, black pepper, cloves, and rhubarb and turn the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is soft and broken down, about 50 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest.

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Chimichurri

Francis Mallmann — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:40:13 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY VICTORIA GRANOF; PROP STYLING BY DAYNA SEMAN

A saltwater brine prevents fresh herbs from discoloring in this zesty chimichurri, adapted from a recipe in Argentine chef Francis Mallmann’s Seven Fires. The bright condiment pairs beautifully with steak, vegetables, and crunchy bread served straight off the grill.

This recipe first ran alongside a rib eye recipe with Shane Mitchell’s 2013 article, “The Art of the Parilla.”

Yield: 6

Time: 35 minutes

1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
¾ cup finely chopped fresh oregano
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a small pot, bring the salt and 1 cup water to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
To a small bowl, add the parsley, oregano, garlic, chile flakes, olive oil, vinegar, and black pepper. Stir in the saltwater brine, then let the chimichurri sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Use the chimichurri immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

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Laabify Your Life

Pailin Chongchitnant — Mon, 01 May 2023 03:32:44 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

This recipe is brought to you by the SAVEUR Cookbook Club, our passionate community of food-loving readers from around the globe celebrating our favorite authors and recipes. Join us as we cook through cookbooks new and old, and share your food pics and vids on social media with the hashtags #SAVEURCookbookClub and #EatTheWorld.

Cookbook author and host of the YouTube channel Pailin’s Kitchen, Pailin Chongchitnant believes that you can laabify anything—from last night’s pork roast to slivers of this morning’s omelette to a cup or two of vegetables, saved from the crisper drawer. Tart, spicy, and fresh, Chongchitnant’s “leftover anything” laab recipe is also guaranteed to “fix” lackluster proteins like dry Thanksgiving turkey, the overcooked ends of roast beef, and under seasoned baked or fried tofu.

Laab is usually served with Thai-style sticky rice, which you can learn how to make here, or you can swap it out for steamed jasmine rice. If you’re taking it easy on carbs, you can leave the rice out entirely and instead wrap up scoops of laab in soft lettuce leaves. Roasting whole dried chiles before grinding them to flakes or powder is a popular technique in Thai cooking. Make your own or look for roasted chile flakes at your local Southeast Asian grocery store.

This recipe is adapted from Pailin Chongchitnant’s cookbook Sabai: 100 Simple Thai Recipes for Any Day of the Week.

Yield: 4

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the laab:

1 Tbsp. uncooked jasmine or Thai sticky rice
5 oz. leftover cooked meat and/or vegetables
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Pinch sugar
Roasted chile flakes (store-bought or homemade)
3 Tbsp. thinly sliced shallots
Handful fresh mint, Thai basil, cilantro, and other fresh herbs

For serving:

English cucumber, sliced
Sticky rice or jasmine rice
Romaine or butter lettuce

Instructions

To a small dry skillet over medium-high heat, add the rice and cook, stirring continuously, until the rice is evenly dark brown. (Don’t walk away from the stove; the rice may start to smoke, so make sure the kitchen is well ventilated.) Transfer the toasted rice to a plate to cool, then transfer to a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder and pulverize to a medium-fine powder with a few larger pieces for texture. Set aside.
Thinly slice, chop, or shred your leftovers into small pieces. Decide how best to process depending on the ingredient: Poultry and braised pork is best shredded; beef, pork chops and tenderloin, and egg is best thinly sliced; most vegetables are best coarsely chopped. If cold, heat the leftovers slightly so they are just barely warm or at room temperature (you can do this in the microwave or give them a quick sauté in a skillet.)
In a medium bowl, stir together the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chile flakes, and shallots, until the sugar is nearly dissolved. Add the leftovers, reserved toasted rice powder, and the fresh herbs and toss to coat in the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste with more fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chile flakes. Serve the laab warm or at room temperature with sliced cucumber, rice, and lettuce leaves on the side.

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Fany Gerson’s Horchata Paletas

Fany Gerson — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:47:13 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio; Food Styling By Jessie YuChen; Prop Styling By Kim Gray

New York City chef Fany Gerson and her husband and business partner Daniel Ortiz de Montellano served these creamy horchata paletas at El Barrio, an outdoor celebration of Latinx food and culture at the 2023 Charleston Wine and Food Festival. Gerson sells these and other Mexican-style ice pops at Brooklyn’s La Newyorkina, and also at Mijo, the pair’s newest collaboration in Manhattan’s Pier 57 marketplace.

Toasting the rice, almonds, and cinnamon before steeping them in the horchata base results in an exceptionally deep and nutty flavor, so don’t be tempted to skip this important step. For even creamier paletas, swap out 2 cups of the half & half for heavy cream; for a vegan version, feel free to replace the dairy entirely with any non-sweetened nut, oat, or soy milk.

Yield: 8–10

Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

¾ cup long-grain white rice
¾ cup raw almonds
One 3-in. cinnamon stick
6 cup half & half
¼ cup sugar, plus more
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt

Instructions

To a medium pot over medium heat, add the rice, almonds, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice and almonds are slightly toasted and the cinnamon is very fragrant, 3–6 minutes . Stir in the half-and-half and ¼ cup sugar, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer to the fridge to steep for at least 3 and up to 24 hours.
In a blender, working in batches, puree the rice-almond-half & half mixture until the rice and nuts are completely pulverized. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth, then set over a large bowl. Strain the horchata base into the bowl, pressing down on the solids with a spatula or the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible; discard any solids that remain in the strainer. Working in batches, blend the strained liquid once more; strain into the bowl again, discarding any solids. Stir in the vanilla and salt, and season to taste with more sugar.
Pour the base evenly into a popsicle mold, leaving a little bit of room at the top as the paletas expand as they freeze. Transfer to the freezer until the paletas are slushy, about 1 hour, then insert a popsicle stick in the center of each. Continue freezing until firm, at least 4 hours.
To unmold, dip the paleta mold into a container of warm water. Serve the horchata paletas immediately or place on a clean sheet pan and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. (If storing longer than 24 hours, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.)

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