Fast, Fresh & Green (29 page)

Authors: Susie Middleton

Tags: #Cooking, #Specific Ingredients, #Vegetables

BOOK: Fast, Fresh & Green

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3
In a medium (9- to 10-in/23- to 25-cm) nonstick skillet
, melt the remaining 1 Tbsp butter over medium-low heat. Add the leek and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and just starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir well to incorporate it. Add the corn kernels, ¼ tsp salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the corn has lost its raw look, is glistening, and is slightly shrunken, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for a couple of minutes.

4
Combine the heavy cream
and the broth in a liquid measure. Add the lemon zest, thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to mix well and set aside.

5
Add the squash
to the corn-leek mixture and toss to loosely combine. Transfer the mixture to the gratin dish and arrange as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the Parmigiano over the vegetables. Pour the cream mixture over everything, distributing the herbs and lemon as well as possible (you can stir them gently in the pan to distribute better). Be sure to scrape out any seasonings left in the liquid measure. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over all.

6
Bake until the crumb topping
is deep golden and the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, 40 to 45 minutes. The juices should have bubbled below the surface of the vegetables, leaving browned bits in a line around the edges of the pan.

Serves 4 to 5

Acknowledgments of Kindness, Grace, Time, and Patience

If you think you might someday like to write a cookbook, I advise you to be really kind and considerate to everyone you know, as you will need them to help you, in a big way. I can hardly think of a person (or animal!) I know who hasn’t helped me with this book, my first. (And guess what, guys, I hope not the last. This was fun, don’t you think so?!)

I borrowed friends’ kitchens, stole their dishes and tablecloths, cooked on their grills. I took vegetables out of their gardens and spices out of their spice racks. I asked every professional cook I know for advice and opinions. I made my mother and sister keep testing recipes, even after everyone else had smiled and said, We’re done, right?

Best of all, I subjected four huge hogs—Sally, Harley, Penny, and Jelly Bean—to frequent taste tests. They wanted me to tell you that they’re really partial to the potato gratins. But, in a pinch, they will eat fennel fronds, Swiss chard stems, and whole acorn squash. Or anything else.

Seriously, I now have to begin the parade of names, but it pains me to have to reduce them to not much more than a list (or you will stop reading this if you haven’t already). Just to be fair, I’m going to start with those who came in at the beginning.

To everyone listed here, all my gratitude and love.

To my literary agent, Sarah Jane Freymann, for alighting gracefully on the idea (and the title) for this book, and for unconditionally supporting me every step of the way. She is a very special lady. And to Pam Anderson, cook and human being extraordinaire, for generously loaning me Sarah Jane.

To Bill LeBlond, the cookbook editor of every girl’s dreams. If I could have genie-d him up to accept my proposal I would have. When he did, I leapt for joy. And to Doug Ogan, Anne Donnard, Ben Kasman, Peter Perez, and David Hawk, my unseen supporters at Chronicle who backed him up, I am indebted to you.

To a world of very fine folks at the Taunton Press, my home for eleven years. And especially to my staff at
Fine Cooking
magazine, who so graciously let me go off to be a writer even when they knew that meant they were stuck with the issue plans: Jennifer Armentrout, Rebecca Freedman, Laura Giannatempo, Lisa Waddle, Denise Mickelsen, Annie Giammattei, Pam Winn, Enid Johnson, Kim Landi, Allison Ehri Kreitler, Dabney Gough, Sarah Breckenridge, Sharon
Anderson, and Kelly Gearity. Not only did they let me go, but they let me keep writing for them. My special thanks to Sarah for putting up with my long blogs, to Rebecca and Laura for putting up with my long features, to Jennifer for putting up with my long-winded questions about everything, and to
Fine Cooking
’s new editor, Laurie Buckle, for putting up with me altogether! Thanks also to Jennifer, Sarah, and Denise for testing recipes. And to Annie for Annie. And to Karen Lutjen for all those laughs. And to Maria Taylor, my boss and my friend, for her support and understanding. Lastly, to my fellow chief editors and friends, Jeff Kolle and Kevin Ireton, who waited patiently with me to hear the words, “Your book is sold.” You’re next, boys.

To the five women who constituted Team Susie in a year I will never forget: Abby Adis, Janet Bertoldi, Mary Hulbert, Gail Wiggin, and Heather MacLeod.

To Jessica Bard, the most fun and fabulous cook/friend a girl can have, who tested every single one of these recipes not just with professionalism, but also with enthusiasm and excitement. I simply could not have done this book without her, nor would it have been half as much fun. Jessica, there just aren’t enough thank-yous in the world for you.

To Tony Rosenfeld, a more thoughtful and supportive friend there could not be. Thanks not just for your help with the book, but for that keeping-in-touch thing you do.

To Ali Berlow, an angel who appeared to me not long after I arrived on Martha’s Vineyard. (Thank you, John Abrams!) She lent me her kitchen, her friendship, her music, her meat loaf, her wisdom, and even her husband. (Okay, just as a taste tester. Thanks, Sam.). Ali, thanks for living this book with me. I treasure that.

To all of my new farmer and foodie friends on the Vineyard who made me feel so comfortable so quickly: Randi Baird, Noli Taylor, Heidi Feldman, and, most especially, Liz Thompson—and Jeffry, Oscar, Lucy, and all the animals. And to Chris Fischer—I wish I hadn’t eaten that pig, but I’m not sorry I got to travel those back roads with you. Thanks for showing me around. And to Jim and Debbie Athearn and Morning Glory Farm—what an inspiration.

To Jeff Young, for Tamarack Lane, and everything else. To Roy Riley, for the ultimate in patience and for lending a hand. (The first copy is yours.) And to every one of you who answered my e-mails and said, “Yes, I’ll test a recipe!” Cathy Cavender, Kimberly Masibay, Florence Scheffer, Lucy Irwin, Chuck Schoendorf, Lin De Young, Margaret Steele, Janet Bertoldi, and Steve Hunter. My aunt, Randi Evans. My cousin, Kari Evans. My sister, Eleanor Evans. My mother, Pauletta Evans. My best friend, Eliza Peter.

And to Eliza, for more than just recipe testing—for everything, forty-seven years and counting. And to the third diamond in our crown, Liz Gray, for every twenty-four hours.

To Steve Hunter, for your friendship and your ridiculous sense of humor, and for all those props you lent me for the photo shoot—including your beautiful ceramics.

To Ben Fink, for all our photo shoots together, but mostly for making me feel so good about this one. You know how happy I am! To Michelli Knauer, for your spirit, your beautiful food styling, your company, and your doggie aplomb. And to Safaya Tork, for all your help and your eggplant, too. And to Vanessa Dina at Chronicle, for your design inspiration and support during the photo shoot and to Jessica Hische for the design of this book.

To Katie Hutchison, for the glam shots, and to Chris Hufstader, for the Chris-and-Katie check-ins.

To Li Agen, for your amazing thoroughness and for your willingness to hang in with me there at the end, copyediting a boat load of recipes in record time. Promise me you’ll never say no!

To Deborah Kops, for your incredibly graceful editing of one bulky manuscript, and to Sarah Billingsley, for making me feel welcome at Chronicle and for your sensitive shepherding and shaping of my book.

To Martha Holmberg, for getting this whole ridiculous thing started. You are still my inspiration, girl, and I love you.

To Sarah Jay, for Life 101, and a few hundred deadlines that made all this seem like a cakewalk.

To chefs George Germon, Johanne Killeen, and Katherine Alford, for setting me on the right path. And to chef Lenny Green, wherever you are, for your integrity and for not killing me on my first day of work.

To the gals in Rowayton, Lynn Anderson, Joan Dereght, Karen Wolfskehl, and Ann Eydt, for moral support and good laughs. And to Lynn, for letting us bust your iron at the photo shoot.

To my dad and mom, Bob and Pauletta Evans, and my sister, Eleanor Evans, with lots of love—what an amazing family of cooks (and eaters!) to call my own. Thanks for showing me the way and putting up with my finicky taste buds all those years. And a big thanks for putting up with the grown-up me, especially these last couple of years.

To Algy, for your patience with photo shoots, my deadlines, and those all-vegetable dinners. You are my idea of amazing grace. And to Cath Middleton, Anna Middleton, Anne Petersen, and Mary Claire Petersen, for your photo-shoot patience, love, and support.

And to George, for a million tastings (good grub!) and a million moments of patience, love, and understanding. Not to mention doggie day care. Gus and Scout, we love you. Sweet doggie dreams forever.

—Susie

Index
A

Acorn squash

roasting

Vanilla and Cardamom Glazed Acorn Squash Rings,
(MORE)

Apples.
See also
Cider

Cider-Braised Baby Bok Choy and Golden Apples

Gingery Sweet Potato and Apple Sauté with Toasted Almonds

Artichokes, Brown-Braised Baby, and Shallots with Pancetta,
(MORE)

Asparagus

braising

Brown-Butter Asparagus with Pine Nuts