Saveur: The New Comfort Food (3 page)

Carciofi Stufati

Artichokes, in an abundance of colors and sizes, are a springtime fixture in markets across Italy, and cooks there do wonderful things with them. This classic antipasto, in which full-size globe artichokes are stuffed with a mixture of garlic, Pecorino Romano, and bread crumbs and baked until tender, is one of our all-time favorites.

4 large artichokes

1 lemon, halved

1¾ cups dried bread crumbs

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

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cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

8 cloves garlic, minced

5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Serves 4

1. Using a serrated knife, cut off the artichoke stems to create a flat bottom. Cut the top third off each artichoke, pull off the tough outermost leaves, and trim the sharp tips of the leaves with kitchen shears. Rub the cut parts with the lemon halves. Open the artichoke leaves with your thumbs to make room for the stuffing; set aside.

2. Heat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, ¾ cup cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic. Working with 1 artichoke at a time over a bowl, sprinkle one-quarter of the bread crumb mixture over the artichoke and work it in between the leaves. Transfer the stuffed artichoke to a shallow baking dish and repeat with the remaining artichokes.

3. Drizzle each artichoke with 1 tbsp. oil. Pour boiling water to a depth of 1 inch into the baking dish. Rub 1 tbsp. olive oil on a sheet of aluminum foil, cover the artichokes with the foil (oiled side down), and secure the foil tightly around the dish with kitchen twine. Bake until a knife easily slides into the base of an artichoke, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the artichokes with the remaining cheese, and heat the oven to broil. Broil until the tops of the artichokes are golden brown, about 3 minutes.

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Albóndigas en Salsa

Succulent miniature meatballs, simmered in a sauce of olive oil, beef stock, and white wine, can be had throughout Spain, from the tapas bars of Madrid to the kitchens of home cooks like Carmen Barrio Perez (pictured), who lives in the small Catalan city of Sils. The meatballs are typically skewered with toothpicks and served in earthenware dishes called cazuelas. Tapas-Style Meatballs

FOR THE MEATBALLS
:

1½ lbs. coarsely ground beef

1½ lbs. coarsely ground pork

½ cup fresh white bread crumbs

¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley

4 eggs, lightly beaten

4 cloves garlic, minced Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup flour

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish for the sauce:

FOR THE SAUCE
:

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 large leek, white part only, chopped

1 dried bay leaf

2 tbsp. flour

2½ cups beef or veal stock

1½ cups white wine

Serves 4–6

1. Make the meatballs: Mix together the beef, pork, bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, garlic, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Refrigerate for about 1 hour to chill.

2. Put the flour into a shallow bowl. Moisten your hands with water and divide the meat mixture into 20 even portions; roll portions into meatballs. Roll each meatball in flour, shake off the excess, and transfer to a baking sheet.

3. Heat ½ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown half the meatballs in the skillet, 10–12 minutes; transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet and repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs, leaving the oil and caramelized bits in the skillet.

4. Make the sauce: Heat the skillet (with the reserved oil) over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, onions, leeks, and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 12–15 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the stock and wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 12–14 minutes. Let cool and discard the bay leaf.

5. Purée the sauce in a blender in batches. Return the sauce to the skillet along with the meatballs and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thickened and the meatballs are cooked through, 16–18 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide between 6-inch or 7-inch cazuelas (earthenware dishes) or bowls to serve.

Potato pancakes, bolstered with grated onion and fried until crisp and lightly browned, have held a central place at Jewish holiday tables since the mid-nineteenth century, a time when the potato was becoming a widespread crop in Eastern Europe. They remain a beloved standby at Hanukkah, in particular. Sour cream or apple-sauce, both popular accompaniments, balance the latkes’ rich flavor.

1 medium yellow onion

3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2½ lbs.), peeled Kosher salt, to taste

6 tbsp. minced fresh chives

3 tbsp. plain matzo meal

2 large eggs, lightly beaten Freshly ground white pepper, to taste Canola oil, for frying Sour cream or applesauce, for serving

Serves 6

1. Working over a bowl, grate some of the onion, followed by some of the potatoes, on the large-hole side of a box grater. Repeat until all the vegetables are shredded.

2. Sprinkle the potato mixture with salt and transfer to a sieve set over a bowl. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the mixture, allowing it to collect in the bottom of the bowl. Transfer the potato mixture to another bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap; set aside. Set the reserved potato liquid aside to let the milky white starch settle. Pour off the liquid from the starch. Transfer the starch to the potato mixture along with the chives, matzo meal, eggs, and pepper. Gently mix.

3. Pour oil into a skillet to a depth of ¼ inch and heat over medium-high heat. Working in small batches, form the potato mixture into balls, using about ¼ cup of the mixture for each, and place them in the oil. Flatten each ball gently with a spatula to form 3-inch to 4-inch pancakes. Fry, turning once, until golden brown, crisp, and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Serve the latkes warm with sour cream or applesauce.