Stacy Adimando Archives | Saveur

Sour Cherry Crumble

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 13:03:47 +0000

Photography by Brian Klutch

Whether you call it a crisp or a crumble, this easy recipe from Stacy Adimando requires just a baking dish and a few bowls. Delicious right after it cools, sour cherry crumble is arguably even better the next day for breakfast. Using natural cane sugar—which is less refined and slightly coarser—helps keep it from being overly sweet.

Featured in: Sour Cherries Are Summer’s Greatest, Most Fleeting Gift.

Yield: 8

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the crumb:

1 cup all-purpose flour
¹⁄₂ cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
2 Tbsp. natural cane sugar
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground cinnamon
¹⁄₂ tsp. kosher salt
9 Tbsp. (41/2 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into medium cubes

For filling and serving:

8 cups fresh sour cherries (about 2 lb. 12 oz.)
¼ cup tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
¹⁄₄ cup natural cane sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of ½ small lemon
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch kosher salt
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

Make the crumb: In a large bowl, mix the flour, both sugars, the cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and squeeze the mixture firmly and repeatedly with your fingers, scooping up the bits from the bottom of the bowl until the mixture feels moist and comes together in golf-ball-size crumbles. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
When ready to bake, set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Gently pit the cherries, recruiting help as needed, and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the tapioca flour, sugar, vanilla, zest, cinnamon, and salt.
Quickly transfer the cherry mixture to a 10-inch ceramic baking dish or pie plate. Sprinkle the topping evenly on top to cover the cherries, crumbling it into smaller pieces as you go.
Bake on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet until the juices are thickened, syrupy, and bubbling slowly and the top is lightly golden, about 50 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely (or nearly). Serve with vanilla ice cream.

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The Best Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:38:50 +0000

Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls. Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

Cookbook author Stacy Adimando buys fresh, live lobster and good-quality buns for the most delicious lobster rolls. For the best possible results, look for live crustaceans from Maine that come with all their claws and antennae intact, and make sure to butter and toast the fresh buns on a griddle before filling and serving. Find all of our favorite lobster recipes here.

What You Will Need

3 live Maine lobsters (about 1 1/2 lb. each)
10 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1½ tsp. fine sea salt, divided
4 split-top buns, such as hot dog buns
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter
Sweet paprika
8 medium leaves of bibb, butter, or Boston lettuce
Finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Instructions

To a large pot, add enough water to reach about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Add the black peppercorns, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon sea salt, and bring to a boil. Add the lobsters and quickly cover the pot. Cook until the shells are bright red and the meat is just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Remove the lobsters and let cool slightly, then crack open the claws, tails, and knuckles and remove the meat; rinse under warm water as needed to remove any impurities. Cut the meat into 1-inch pieces and reserve. (You can discard the carapaces and shells, or save for stock.)
On a large griddle or cast iron skillet over medium heat, spread ½ tablespoon of the butter to thinly coat the cooking surface. Add the buns and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are lightly toasted, about 4 minutes.
In a small pot, melt the remaining butter and stir in ½ teaspoon sea salt and a generous pinch of paprika. Turn off the heat and add the reserved lobster meat; stir to coat.
Line each of the rolls with two lettuce leaves. Spoon the lobster among the prepared rolls. Top with more paprika to taste, garnish generously with chives, and serve warm.

The post The Best Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls appeared first on Saveur.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina with Watercress and Pistachio Salad

Stacy Adimando — Tue, 28 May 2019 17:43:47 +0000

Photography by Jenny Huang

Modeled after the famed Tuscan porterhouse, which in Italy is most often served in hefty cuts intended for sharing, this slightly more petite version from cookbook author Stacy Adimando quickly comes together for dinner at home. The simple, umami-packed seasonings are slicked on using a pastry brush at the end of cooking. If possible, select a quality steak with some age on it for this recipe.

Featured in: “Italy’s Most Delicious Steak, on a Weeknight at Home.”

Yield: serves 2

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the steak:

1 bone-in porterhouse steak (1¼ lb.)
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped, plus ½ tsp. oil from the jar
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, grated (1¼ tsp.)
1 tsp. very finely chopped fresh rosemary

For the salad:

2 tbsp. finely chopped shallot (from ½ shallot)
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups loosely packed watercress (2½ oz.)
Freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. raw or roasted, unsalted pistachios
Parsley sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Dry the steak with paper towels if needed. Season all over with salt and black pepper, ensuring that it thoroughly sticks to the meat. Set aside to come to room temperature, at least 20 minutes.
To a medium bowl, add the anchovies and their oil, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, and rosemary. Stir well to combine.
Prepare the salad dressing: To a large bowl, add the shallot, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Stir briefly and set aside.
Set a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium heat. Brush the steak with a little oil from the anchovy mixture (avoid any solids at this point). Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and turn up the heat to medium-high. When the oil begins to smoke, carefully add the steak and cook, pressing down on the bone with tongs as needed to help the steak remain in contact with the skillet, until a very dark crust forms on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Flip the steak and cook until the remaining side is deeply browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the steak to press its fatty sides up against the skillet until browned, about 1 minute more.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and immediately brush all over with the remaining anchovy mixture. Set aside to rest for 6–8 minutes.
Make the salad: In the bowl with the shallot mixture, whisk in the olive oil. Add the watercress and a pinch of salt and black pepper; toss gently to coat.
Using a chef’s knife, cut the meat away from the bone and into two pieces by following the lines of the center bone. (Reserve the bone.) Starting from one end, slice each piece of meat about ½ inch thick against the grain, keeping it in the shape of the original steak.
Transfer the salad to one side of a large serving platter. Add the steak bone to the other side of the platter and nestle the two halves of meat back into the bone, overlapping slightly with the salad. Drizzle the meat with juices from the cutting board, and top the salad with the pistachios and parsley leaves (if using); serve immediately.

The post Bistecca alla Fiorentina with Watercress and Pistachio Salad appeared first on Saveur.

Japanese Sashimi and Rice (Chirashi)

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:26:00 +0000

Photography by Stacy Adimando

A rice bowl covered in slices of fresh fish, salmon roe, and a rainbow of other garnishes, chirashi requires far less effort than a sushi platter. This recipe comes courtesy of Houston-based chef Mike Lim. Find all of our favorite fish recipes here.

Featured in: “Chirashi is Sushi for the Rest of Us.”

Yield: serves 1 person

Ingredients

For the vinegar mixture:

¼ cups rice vinegar
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. mirin
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt

For the sushi rice and toppings:

1 cup (8 oz.) short-grain sushi rice
½ sliced seafood such as raw tuna, raw salmon, raw yellowtail, and chilled poached squid
3 tbsp. salmon roe (ikura)
¼ cups thinly sliced chilled vegetables such as cucumber, avocado, and poached asparagus
1 chilled 1-egg omelet, preferably tamago (sushi style), thinly sliced

Instructions

Make the vinegar mixture: In a bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar, salt, and mirin.
Make the sushi rice: To a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, add the rice and cover with cold water. Using your hands, swish the rice to release its starch (the water will turn cloudy). Discard the water, cover with fresh water, swish again, and repeat until the water is clear after swishing, 3–6 changes. Drain well.
Transfer the rice to a rice cooker, add 1¼ cups water, and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions. (Alternatively, cook the rice on the stove: To a medium pot set over high heat, add the rice and water, bring to a boil, cover, turn the heat to low, and cook until the water is just absorbed, about 18–20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.)
Using a rubber spatula, transfer the rice in an even layer to the bottom of a shallow nonreactive bowl, then drizzle with the vinegar mixture and stir to combine. Cover with a damp towel and set aside to cool slightly, about 20 minutes.
Ten minutes prior to serving, remove the seafood from the refrigerator. When ready to serve, onto the bottom of a serving bowl, spread 1½ cups of the cooked rice (reserve the remaining rice for another use). Arrange the sliced seafood over the top, followed by the salmon roe, vegetables, and omelet. Serve immediately.

The post Japanese Sashimi and Rice (Chirashi) appeared first on Saveur.

Shaved Carrot Tart with Ricotta

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:37:30 +0000

FOOD STYLING BY JASON SCHREIBER; PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

Piles of colorful carrot ribbons—which skew more savory than sweet, thanks to a lemony coriander-flecked dressing—top this tart from cookbook author Stacy Adimando. The keys to the flaky crust: keep the butter as cold as possible, and don’t overwork the dough. If you can track down heirloom carrots in a variety of hues, use them here for pizzazz.

Yield: serves 8

Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
12 tbsp. (6 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into ½-in. cubes, chilled

For the topping:

2 cups ricotta
½ cups extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
Pinch finely grated lemon zest
10 medium carrots with greens attached (1½ lb.)
½ cups fresh lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. coriander seeds, coarsely ground
½ tsp. ground caraway seeds
Torn cilantro leaves, for garnish
Flaky salt, for garnish

Instructions

Make the dough: Fill a small bowl with ice water and set aside. To the work bowl of a food processor, add the flour, salt, and black pepper, and pulse to combine. Scatter over the butter and process until you have pea-size clumps, 10–15 pulses. Pour 2 tablespoons of the ice water through the feed tube and pulse 2–4 times to incorporate. Add additional ice water by the tablespoon as needed until the dough holds together when pinched, about 8 tablespoons total.
Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic, then press into a 1-inch-thick square. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
Make the topping: To the bowl of a food processor, add the ricotta, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and lemon zest, and process until smooth. If the mixture looks dry, add up to 1 tablespoon more olive oil. Cover and refrigerate.
Cut off the carrot greens, wash them thoroughly under cold water to remove any grit, and set aside 2 tablespoons of the leaves for garnish (reserve the remaining greens for another use). Using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrots (discard the peels), then use the peeler to slice them into thick ribbons. If using various colors, separate by hue; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, coriander, caraway, remaining oil, and remaining salt; set aside.
Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 11-by-16-inch rectangle. Use a knife to square off the edges if desired. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes. Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the crust, leaving a ½-inch border. Using a pastry brush, moisten the edges lightly with olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake until the crust is lightly golden, 16–18 minutes.
Remove the tart from the oven. To the bowl with the dressing, add one quarter of the carrot ribbons and toss to coat, squeezing lightly to allow any excess liquid to drip back into the bowl. Pile the carrots atop one quadrant of the ricotta, and repeat with the remaining carrots. (For an ombré effect, overlap the colors slightly). Reserve any remaining dressing.
Return the tart to the oven and bake, rotating the pan halfway through cooking, until the crust is golden brown, 10–12 minutes more. Drizzle the carrots with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with the cilantro, reserved carrot leaves, and flaky salt. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

The post Shaved Carrot Tart with Ricotta appeared first on Saveur.

Fried Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:48:44 +0000

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

Raegan Steinberg, co-owner of Arthur’s Nosh Bar in Montreal, calls her partner chef Alex Cohen an “everything and the kitchen sink kind of cook.” His piled-high creation, called the McArthur Sandwich (named for Raegan’s late father), is a crispy breaded chicken schnitzel seasoned with Montreal steak spice and served on challah toast. Toppings include sweet honey, salty dill pickles, and vinegary iceberg slaw. The secret to the hearty schnitzel breading? Instant mashed potato flakes.

Yield: 4

Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

For the chicken:

2 cups buttermilk
6 oz. plain full-fat yogurt
1 tbsp. Montreal steak spice (optional)
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste, divided
¹⁄₄ cup grated yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large chicken breasts, halved crosswise, each piece pounded ¼-in. thick
8 oz. uncooked instant mashed potatoes
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 ¹⁄₂ cups bread crumbs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
¹⁄₂ cayenne pepper
3 large eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying
¹⁄₂ lemon

For the sandwich:

¹⁄₂ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. chile paste, such as Israeli schug
¹⁄₄ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
pinches kosher salt
pinches freshly ground black pepper
4 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
2 whole pickled chiles, finely chopped
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
Softened unsalted butter
8 ½-in.-thick slices of challah
Honey
Kosher dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, yogurt, steak seasoning (if using), 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the onion and garlic. Add the chicken breasts, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 24 hours.
In a large bowl, whisk together the instant potatoes, 1 cup of the flour, the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. In another large bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, remaining salt, and black pepper to taste. In a third large bowl, beat the eggs with 1 cup of the buttermilk marinade from the chicken until combined.
Make the chicken: Coat one of the breasts first with the flour mixture, then in the egg, then with the potato-bread crumb mixture, packing the crumbs onto the meat to adhere. Transfer to a plate by the stove and repeat with the remaining breasts.
Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and set it next to the stove. Into a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, pour the oil to a depth of 3 inches and attach a deep-fry thermometer. When the temperature reads 350°F, add two of the breasts and cook, turning once, until golden, crisp, and cooked through, 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to the rack and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining breasts. Squeeze the lemon over the 4 fried breasts.
Make the sandwiches: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and schug. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and black pepper; spoon two tablespoons of the vinaigrette into a small bowl and set aside. To the medium bowl, add the lettuce, pickled chiles, and shallot, and toss to coat. Set the three bowls aside.
Generously butter both sides of each challah slice. To a large cast-iron skillet set over medium heat, add 4 of the slices and cook, turning once, until browned and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with the remaining slices.
Spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over 4 pieces of the challah (one side only). Place the breasts on top, then drizzle with honey to taste and the reserved vinaigrette. Top each chicken schnitzel with 1 cup of the slaw, the pickle slices, and finally the remaining slices of bread. Slice the sandwiches in half, and serve.

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Lemon-Infused Spaghetti with Provolone

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:27:18 +0000

Matt Taylor-Gross

You’ll hear the “simple is better” mantra used by chefs all over Italy, and Peppe Guida of Antica Osteria Nonna Rosa in Vico Equense is no exception. One of his best-known dishes, spaghettini con acqua di limone, transforms basic ingredients into something sublime. The secret: infusing water with lemon peels overnight, then using the flavored water to cook the pasta. Check out 47 of our essential pasta recipes.

3 whole whole medium lemons, scrubbed
1 lb. thin spaghetti
Kosher salt
¹⁄₂ cup grated provolone
¹⁄₄ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, remove the peels from the lemons and reserve (save the fruit for another use). In a large, high-sided skillet, combine the peels and 2 cups water. Bring to a low simmer, then turn off the heat and set aside to steep at room temperature for 12 hours.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is flexible but still somewhat crunchy at the center, 4–5 minutes. Drain the spaghetti, rinse under cold running water, and set aside.
Remove the lemon peels from the skillet, then bring the lemon water to a boil over high heat. Add the reserved spaghetti and finish cooking, tossing constantly with tongs, until al dente, 5–6 minutes. (The lemon water should be mostly or fully absorbed.) Transfer the spaghetti to a large bowl, toss with the provolone, olive oil, and pepper, and serve immediately.

47 Essential Pasta Recipes for Olive-Oiled, Red-Sauced Happiness

Jasmine P. Ting

Twirl your way to greatness with our best pasta recipes—from linguini to tortellini and lasagna.

The post Lemon-Infused Spaghetti with Provolone appeared first on Saveur.

How To Make Kimchi With Chef Esther Choi

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:27:35 +0000

Photography by HANNAH WHITAKER

Three decades ago, when Esther Choi’s parents and grandmother emigrated from Korea to New Jersey, they set to work building a garden to make their own kimchi, the basis of most of their weeknight meals.“At the time, there was no kimchi at restaurants nearby,” she says, “and it was hard even to find any Asian ingredients in stores.” Choi’s grandmother began gathering neighbors and friends to make communal batches of kimchi in their local church basement. The fall batch was the most important because it meant their garden vegetables would be preserved through the winter.

Making her grandmother’s recipe—an amalgam of thick cabbage spears, dried and fermented fish, sticky plum sauce, and a fire-engine-red chile paste left to ferment for a week or more—is still a steady ritual for Choi, who is now chef-owner of mŏkbar, a Korean restaurant with locations in Brooklyn and Chelsea Market.

“I’m obsessed with kimchi and always have been,” the chef says. “It’s in my blood.” Aside from being a staple side dish of Korean cuisine (which Choi eats alongside everything, even pizza), this spicy, fermented vegetable mixture is the main component in many Korean dishes. Today, Choi’s menu at mŏkbar features riffs on some, such as kimchi-jjigae, a comforting stew.

Traditional Kimchi

At her restaurant, Choi has at least 12 different types of kimchi in rotation. Beyond using the traditional Napa cabbage, she makes versions with daikon radish, perilla leaf, and ramps.

There’s no single perfect formula or recipe for how to make kimchi—every family has its own, something Choi likens to an Italian tomato sauce—nor will every batch turn out the same. The results might vary based on the water content of the vegetables or the time of year and the day’s weather, or the particular type of salt you use. But more than anything, Choi says, “It’s the person—it’s the knowledge that you bring to it and the lessons that you learn with each batch that make your kimchi your own.”

“It’s a slow, long process,” she continues, “which is why it carries a stigma of being difficult.” But if you like eating kimchi, try making your own. The flavors are more complex, and “it’s not that hard,” she says. “It just takes repetition, and then it becomes sort of like a memory.”

Making Kimchi Is Easier Than You Think

You just need a large jar, a couple of bowls, gloves (if you want them), and these four steps

Step 1: Salt The Cabbage.

Prepare the cabbage

“This is the number-one thing,” Choi says about salting, a part of the process called joelim in Korean. Salting the cabbage and letting it rest draws out its water and gives it a lightly “cooked” texture, preparing it to be fermented. “Not every salt is the same and not every cabbage is the same, so even if you have an exact recipe, you will still probably have to improvise based on what looks and feels right.” Eight to 10 hours of rest after salting is a good starting point, but check earlier to determine how much the cabbage leaves have wilted. “You want a little bit of crunch to remain, but when you lift up the cabbage, it should flop down,” says Choi. Be sure to rinse vegetables at least 3 times in cool water after salting.

Step 2: Make The Paste

Don’t forget the sticky rice “glue”

“This is where people get creative—each region and household has their own recipe,” Choi says. Her take falls between the flavors of southern Korea, which is known for fishier versions, and Seoul style, which is spicy and sour. She swears by adding plum extract to the paste, but you can substitute puréed fruits like apple or kiwi if plum extract proves difficult to find. Other crucial elements include a sticky rice “glue” made from cooked rice flour, for thickening, and a combination of fish sauce, fermented baby shrimp, and dried pollock or cod—which gives the kimchi a refreshing brightness called shiwon. “It’s just not the same without it,” Choi says. You can make the paste a day ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container.

Step 3: Mix Thins Up

Mix the paste

The best way to mix the paste into the salted cabbage is with your hands. Because—particularly in traditional recipes—the cabbage is kept in large wedges before it’s seasoned, nothing else can do a better job of working the paste into the nooks and crannies. So wear gloves if you want, and focus on coating each piece. “Don’t overdo it, but don’t skimp either—get every leaf covered in some paste.” Then, see how the color looks. “I like kimchi that’s vibrantly red, which means it’s really well seasoned and the chile flakes are fresh,” Choi says. If your chile paste looks too dark or too brown, that means your chile flakes are old. Use them soon after buying, or store them in the freezer to retain their color and freshness.

Step 4: Let It Ferment

Once your chile paste is made, homemade kimchi is simply a matter of mixing everything together, sealing the jar, then just patiently waiting.

Traditionally, kimchi makers would bury their batch in the ground in earthenware pots to ferment. But since the neighbors will likely talk if you start digging holes in your backyard, a vessel on your kitchen counter will work just as well. Coil the cabbage pieces into a large airtight jar or crock, leaving at least 3 inches of space at the top to prevent the bubbly, fermented juices and gases from oozing out (something Choi says has happened to her countless times). After 2 days at room temperature—or more if you want it really sour and funky—transfer the jar to the refrigerator for another 5 days. After that, it’s ready to eat and will last up to a year. “The whole idea of kimchi is that it’s long-lasting,” Choi says.

Korean Kimchi Stew with Pork Belly and Tofu (Kimchi-jjigae)

The post How To Make Kimchi With Chef Esther Choi appeared first on Saveur.

How Do You Make a Tarte Tatin Even Better? By Making it With Tomatoes

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:21 +0000

Michelle Heimerman

In late summer, we like to throw back ambrosial bite-size tomatoes like candy. On assignment in Australia for her profile on Bruce Pascoe, the steward of the country’s indigenous cuisine, writer Shane Mitchell encountered a different use for these tiny, sweet treats. “It was early autumn and the end of Australia’s tomato season,” Mitchell says. “The kitchen at chef Dan Hunter’s restaurant Brae was harvesting them for the tasting menu that night.”

A twist on the French classic, this tomato tarte Tatin that Hunter served works as a savory starter paired with burrata or sliced saucisson. With a dollop of whipped mascarpone, it’s just sweet enough to eat for dessert.

Juicy cherry or grape tomatoes are coated in a light caramel to make the “topping” for this tart, but the whole thing is baked upside down in a skillet. Do most of the steps to prepare it in advance—make the zucchini paste and defrost the puff pastry a few hours or up to two days ahead—but be sure to serve the tart just after baking, turning it out from the pan in front of guests. It tastes best while the caramel is still runny and the warm, topmost layer of dough has a custardy consistency.

Get the recipe for Cherry Tarte Tatin »

The post How Do You Make a Tarte Tatin Even Better? By Making it With Tomatoes appeared first on Saveur.

The Best Way to Roast a Thanksgiving Turkey is to Stop Worrying About It

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:21:45 +0000

There used to be a time when all people did with their Thanksgiving turkeys was roast them in a pan. Sure, there was the annual round of timorous self-questioning beforehand: Should I stuff the bird, and with what? Did I tie the legs last year or leave them untrussed? Should I brine it? How will I know when it’s done roasting?

Roasting turkey has its moments of doubt for sure, like how to treat a large-breasted bird versus a heritage one (the answer: rely on thermometers not clocks), and we’ve all suffered through the occasional turkey so overcooked that no amount of gravy could save it. But when done right, it can be a masterpiece of nostalgia and deliciousness. And I miss the simpler days, before all the fuss of spatchcocking and brining, when all you had to do on Thanksgiving was put a damned turkey in the oven.

In culinary school, we were taught the simple, universal principles of perfect roasting: shape the meat so that the parts get cooked as evenly as possible, get a nice brown crust on the outside using a targeted amount of high heat, and keep air evenly circulating all around the meat at all times. We didn’t rely on recipes—we took temperature (the sweet spot is pulling the meat out around 145° for most roasts) or checked the color of running juices in the thickest parts to determine doneness (for turkey, they should be relatively clear, not too pink). We learned to salt by instinct. And we basted the meat, well, if or when it looked like it needed to be basted. Point being: roasting is about instinct. If you trust yourself, there’s really not much that can go wrong.

Because even the best roast turkeys are usually still just pretty good, I’ve let my friends and family talk me into a thousand different turkey cooking methods. Probably like you, I’ve flipped through decades of magazine articles—and even written some myself—touting new turkey ideas and flavorings. I’ve survived novel-length family email chains, all seeking to answer the question “How should we do our turkey this year?”

One year, we confited the legs and roasted the breasts separately (probably my favorite of the experiments). More than once we’ve deep-fried our turkey in a vat of peanut oil in a gadget invented specifically for deep-frying turkeys. We’ve wet-brined in giant tubs. We’ve injected flavorings into our turkey with a syringe. I’ve roasted a bird partially upside down, and slow-grilled a turkey over indirect heat from coals. I’ve never had a turkey cooked underground, but I’m sure someone has, and that person would be glad to tell you all about how just okay it was. I’ve had smoked turkey. And a bird sous vide in parts. But never have I ever had a turkey that really blew me away.

Our Complete Guide to the Best Thanksgiving Recipes

That’s because turkey is just never going to be the king of meats. Even the blandest Butterballs versions have at least some gamey flavor, and even the plumpest don’t have quite enough fat to keep the disproportionate amounts of meat juicy or yield many decadent pickings beyond that bronzed, paper-thin shell of crispy skin (as good as it may be).

To me (and I’m not alone), simply salting and roasting is and always will be the easiest, most classic, and least absurd way to get crispy, deeply browned skin, and meat that’s not water-logged or so salty it tastes like it came from the ocean (read: wet-brined). So slap some salt on the skin, give it a day to dry off in the fridge, and then, guys, just put the damned turkey in the oven.

Here are my methods to a simple but iconic roasted bird:

Pre-Salt Generously

Even I have been guilty of calling this method “dry brining” before—mostly because that name makes salting a turkey sound like an adequate and valid defense against the die-hard wet briners out there, bless their patient souls. But, as brining has everything to do with soaking in salty liquid (which I think creates unnaturally spongy meat), we should really just call this step pre-salting.

One day before cooking, pat the fresh or fully defrosted bird dry with paper towels and salt and pepper it very well all over. Refrigerate it, uncovered and breast side up, for a full day, letting any excess moisture from the skin evaporate.

Add Fat if You Want To

Because turkey breast is especially lean, I like to rub softened fat beneath the skin just before roasting. It melts and gives the meat extra flavor, richness, and moisture. Duck fat is wonderful for this, and it fortifies the poultry flavors, but unsalted butter works well, too. You really don’t need to baste the meat with more fat as it cooks. A combination of low-heat and high-heat roasting helps render then crisp the skin.

Don’t Bother Trussing

Part of the blame for dry white meat turkey actually falls on the legs: Because they take longer to cook through, by the time they are done, the breast may be overcooked. The meat in the fold between the thigh and the breast can be some of the last meat to finish cooking when trussed. Trussing prevents air from circulating around and between the legs, which can cause them to take even longer to cook.

I don’t tuck the wings either, but if you’re cooking a massive bird (above 15 pounds), you may want to tent them part of the way through with foil to prevent the tips from burning.

Stuff—But Not With Stuffing

Especially if you’re not trussing the legs, adding some aromatics into the cavity of the bird seems to help slow the cooking process and prevent dried-out white meat. I fill mine with a combination of halved lemons and shallots, cut heads of garlic, and bushels of herbs. (If desired, after your turkey is done roasting, you can squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves and whisk them into your gravy for added flavoring.)

Heat From Low to High

For forever, I started my bird on high heat to kick-start the browning of the skin, then lowered it to roast slowly the remainder of the way. This works well enough. But the best crispy skin I’ve ever achieved came from starting off at low temperature (usually 350°), when the skin can more fully render onto the meat, and then finishing the turkey on higher heat (around 425°).

And Don’t Worry About Basting

Basting or brushing the bird with the juices and drippings from the pan presents several problems. For one, it distributes more moisture onto the top skin of the bird, preventing the outermost layer from getting crispy. But secondly, it slowly steals from the pan juices that can and should later become your gravy. In this particular recipe, you do not need to baste in order to achieve crispy bronze skin. But if you insist, baste with rendered duck fat or from a fresh cup of olive oil instead.

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