The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (2 page)

S
ince we started work on the first issue of
Cook’s Illustrated
magazine in 1992, the editorial process has remained the same: Put people who know food and cooking around a table to hammer out ideas and then move into the kitchen to see how things really work. One person leads the development process for each recipe, but we all taste and critique each other’s cooking. Every recipe, every article, and every review has been shaped by the ideas, opinions, and tastes of the entire staff working in our test kitchen at the time.
Cook’s Illustrated
is truly a collaborative effort.

The launch team for
Cook’s Illustrated
first worked together in the 1980s at
Cook’s
magazine. Christopher Kimball, Pam Anderson, Mark Bittman, Stephanie Lyness, John Willoughby, and I created the editorial framework we still use today. Eva Katz ran our first test kitchen, Adam Ried was our first equipment guru, and Dawn Yanagihara developed many landmark recipes in those early years. Bridget Lancaster, Julia Collin Davison, and Rebecca Hays joined the magazine staff soon after and went on to become the faces of our test kitchen on television. Erin McMurrer transformed the small kitchen in which we developed our first recipes into the 2,500-square-foot facility we use today. Erin has worked with Keith Dresser to guide the recipe development process at the magazine for many years. Lisa McManus leads our team of product reviewers, and Guy Crosby guides us in matters of food science. Amanda Agee has edited the magazine for the past four years and manages our editorial team. After nearly a decade away in New York, John Willoughby returned last year to lead all our magazine publishing efforts.

Choosing the recipes for this book reminded me of the many talented cooks who have worked in the test kitchen (or who are working in it now): Shannon Blaisdell, Liz Bomze, Erika Bruce, Matthew Card, Garth Clingingsmith, Hannah Crowley, Maryellen Driscoll, Keri Fisher, Andrea Geary, Elizabeth Germain, Amy Graves, Jolyon Helterman, Matt Heron, Charles Kelsey, Rachel Toomey Kelsey, Andrew Janjigian, Sean Lawler, Susan Light, Susan Logozzo, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, John Olson, David Pazmiño, Raquel Pelzel, Kay Rentschler, Francisco J. Robert, Bryan Roof, Yvonne Ruperti, Sally Sampson, Taizeth Sierra, Dan Souza, Meg Suzuki, Anne Tuomey, Diane Unger, Sarah Wilson, Marcus Walser, Nina West, Sandra Wu, Anne Yamanaka, and Mark Zanger. In the early years of the magazine, we also relied on recipes from Katherine Alford, Melanie Barnard, Douglas Bellow, Stephana Bottom, Phillis M. Carey, Joe Castro, Elaine Corn, A. Cort Sinnes, Julia Della Croce, Brooke Dojny, Ann Flanigan, Sarah Fritschner, Sam Gugino, Gabrielle Hamilton, Melissa Hamilton, Cynthia Hizer, Dana Jacobi, Steve Johnson, Dan Macey, Jeanne Maguire, Nick Malgieri, Alice Medrich, Judy Monroe, Jamie Morris, Pamela Parseghian, Susan G. Purdy, Chris Schlesinger, Stephen Schmidt, Regina Schrambling, Michele Scicolone, Diana Shaw, Karen Tack, Lisa Weiss, Ann Marie Weiss-Armush, Eric Wolff, Rebecca Wood, and Stephanie D. Zonis.

Art has been an important part of
Cook’s Illustrated
from the outset. Meg Birnbaum designed the first issues of the magazine and her ideas still inform our work today. Amy Klee has led the design team for 14 years and created a magazine where form perfectly matches function. Illustrator John Burgoyne, photographers Carl Tremblay and Daniel van Ackere, and stylists Marie Piraino and Mary Jane Sawyer create the artwork that brings our test kitchen’s work to life. Julie Bozzo has skillfully led the art team since 2008.

David Mack has run the business side of the magazine for the past 15 years and is responsible for getting our magazine into millions of kitchens. Sharyn Chabot has managed the company’s finances and guided our expansion over the last decade.

Lori Galvin turned 20 years of the magazine recipes into a single book, and Cheryl Redmond updated 2,000 recipes into a single style. Greg Galvan and Beverly Hsu created the handsome design, and Guy Rochford and Jessica Quirk delivered the perfect physical package. Elizabeth Carduff led the book team’s efforts, as she has done with every book we have published in the last eight years.

Finally, the entire staff would like to thank our loyal readers.
Cook’s Illustrated
has never taken advertising and your support has been essential to our success. It has been a pleasure to work for you these past 20 years.

Jack Bishop

Editorial Director

America’s Test Kitchen

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Most spiced nuts are made with a heavily sugared syrup that causes the nuts to clump awkwardly and leaves your hands in a sticky mess. We wanted to develop a recipe that was both tasty and neat. We eliminated two popular methods—boiling the nuts in syrup and tossing them in butter—straight off. The former made the nuts sticky and the latter dulled their flavor. What finally worked was a light glaze made from very small amounts of liquid, sugar, and butter, which left the nuts just tacky enough to pick up a coating of dry spices.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

We like the crunch and clean flavor of kosher salt in this recipe, but table salt can be substituted—just reduce the amount specified by half.

NUTS

SPICE MIX

GLAZE

1. FOR THE NUTS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread pecans in even layer; toast 4 minutes, rotate baking sheet, and continue to toast until fragrant and color deepens slightly, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack.

2. FOR THE SPICE MIX:
While nuts are toasting, stir together sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice in medium bowl; set aside.

3. FOR THE GLAZE:
Bring rum, butter, vanilla, and brown sugar to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Stir in toasted pecans and cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until nuts are shiny and almost all liquid has evaporated, about 1¹⁄
₂
minutes.

4.
Transfer glazed nuts to bowl with spice mix; toss well to coat. Return nuts to parchment-lined baking sheet to cool before serving. (Nuts can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.)

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

If substituting table salt for kosher, reduce the amount specified by half.

NUTS

SPICE MIX

GLAZE

1. FOR THE NUTS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread cashews in even layer; toast 4 minutes, rotate baking sheet, and toast 4 minutes longer. Add pistachios, spreading in even layer; continue to toast until fragrant and color deepens slightly, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and add currants.

2. FOR THE SPICE MIX:
While nuts are toasting, stir together sugar, salt, curry powder, cumin, and coriander in medium bowl; set aside.

3. FOR THE GLAZE:
Bring water, butter, and brown sugar to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Stir in toasted nut mix and cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until nuts are shiny and almost all liquid has evaporated, about 1¹⁄
₂
minutes.

4.
Transfer glazed nuts and currants to bowl with spice mix; toss well to coat. Return nuts to parchment-lined baking sheet to cool before serving. (Nuts can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.)

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, are available at most supermarkets and natural foods stores. If substituting table salt for kosher, reduce the amount specified by half.

NUTS

SPICE MIX

GLAZE

1. FOR THE NUTS:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread almonds in even layer. Toast 4 minutes, rotate baking sheet; add peanuts and pumpkin seeds, spreading in even layer. Continue to toast until fragrant and color deepens slightly, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack.

2. FOR THE SPICE MIX:
While nuts and seeds are toasting, stir together sugar, salt, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and garlic powder in medium bowl; set aside.

3. FOR THE GLAZE:
Bring water, butter, and brown sugar to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Stir in toasted nuts and seeds and cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until nuts are shiny and almost all liquid has evaporated, about 1¹⁄
₂
minutes.

4.
Transfer glazed nuts to bowl with spice mix; toss well to coat. Return nuts to parchment-lined baking sheet to cool before serving. (Nuts can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.)