Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (23 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Traditionally, Mediterranean bread salads like fattoush consist of small bites of days-old pita bread mixed with cucumbers and tomatoes and dressed with lemon juice and fruity olive oil. The dry bread should hold up to the dressing and vegetables without becoming soggy. To prevent the bread from turning soggy under the vinaigrette, we crisped the already dried bread in the oven. We also salted and drained the cucumbers to rid them of liquid and ensure they stayed crisp and flavorful. A lemony vinaigrette with a generous amount of mint and cilantro kept the flavors in the salad fresh and bright.
SERVES 6
This simple version of fattoush is dressed with the juice of fresh lemons instead of vinegar, which gives the salad a lovely, refreshing tartness. While draining the cucumbers is an extra step, it keeps the salad from becoming soggy.
1 | cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ¹⁄ |
Salt and pepper | |
4 | (6-inch) pita breads, several days old, torn into ¹⁄ |
12 | ounces cherry tomatoes, halved |
6 | scallions, whites and 2 inches of greens, sliced thin |
¹⁄ | cup minced fresh mint |
¹⁄ | cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley |
¹⁄ | cup extra-virgin olive oil |
6 | tablespoons lemon juice (2 lemons) |
1.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put cucumber in colander; sprinkle with ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt. Weight cucumbers with gallon-size zipper-lock bag filled with water; drain to release most of liquid, about 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
2.
Put bread pieces on baking sheet; bake until crisp but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; add cucumber, tomatoes, scallions, and herbs, and toss well. In small bowl, combine oil and lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add to large bowl, toss again, and serve immediately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
When the rustic Italian bread salad, panzanella, is done well, the sweet juice of the tomatoes mixes with a bright-tasting vinaigrette, moistening chunks of thick-crusted bread until they’re soft and just a little chewy—but the line between lightly moistened and unpleasantly soggy is very thin. Toasting fresh bread in the oven, rather than using the traditional day-old bread, was a good start. The bread lost enough moisture in the oven to absorb the dressing without getting waterlogged. A 10-minute soak in the flavorful dressing yielded perfectly moistened, nutty-tasting bread ready to be tossed with the tomatoes, which we salted to intensify their flavor. A thinly sliced cucumber and shallot for crunch and bite plus a handful of chopped fresh basil perfected our salad.
SERVES 4
The success of this recipe depends on high-quality ingredients, including ripe, in-season tomatoes and fruity olive oil. Fresh basil is also a must. Your bread may vary in density, so you may not need the entire loaf for this recipe.
1 | (1-pound) loaf rustic Italian or French bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups) |
¹⁄ | cup extra-virgin olive oil |
Salt and pepper | |
1¹⁄ | pounds tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces |
3 | tablespoons red wine vinegar |
1 | cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin |
1 | shallot, sliced thin |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh basil |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss bread pieces with 2 tablespoons oil and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt; arrange bread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Toast bread pieces until just starting to turn light golden, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through baking. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
2.
Gently toss tomatoes and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt in large bowl. Transfer to colander set over bowl; set aside to drain for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
3.
Whisk remaining 6 tablespoons oil, vinegar, and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon pepper into tomato juices. Add bread pieces, toss to coat, and let stand for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
4.
Add tomatoes, cucumber, shallot, and basil to bowl with bread pieces and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Substitute 1 thinly sliced red pepper for cucumber and 1 cup coarsely chopped baby arugula for basil.
Add ¹⁄
3
cup coarsely chopped kalamata olives and ¹⁄
2
cup crumbled feta cheese to salad in step 4.
Add 1 minced garlic clove, 2 minced anchovy fillets, and 2 tablespoons rinsed capers to dressing in step 3.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Roasting can give new life to tired produce, but it can also make for a limp, soggy salad. We wanted a simple, flavorful salad built on a base of roasting vegetables with compatible flavors and colors. We chose combinations of vegetables (like beets and carrots) that kept their structure when cut into same-size pieces and cooked to a firm yet tender consistency. Tossing the roasted vegetables with a vinaigrette while they were still hot allowed for better flavor absorption. To make our roasted vegetable salad a true salad, we added crisp and raw ingredients to the mix.
SERVES 4
To prevent the beets from staining your cutting board, lightly spray the board first with vegetable oil spray. A thin coating adds no discernible slickness and will allow you to quickly wipe the board clean with a paper towel.
1 | pound beets, peeled and cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | pound carrots, peeled and cut on bias into ¹⁄ |
3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
2 | tablespoons white wine vinegar |
1 | teaspoon honey |
1 | shallot, minced |
6 | ounces (6 cups) watercress, torn into bite-size pieces |
1.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Toss beets and carrots with 2 tablespoons oil, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon pepper, and sugar in large bowl. Remove baking sheet from oven and, working quickly, carefully transfer beets and carrots to hot baking sheet and spread in even layer. (Do not wash bowl.) Roast until vegetables are tender and well browned on one side, 20 to 25 minutes (do not stir during roasting).
2.
Meanwhile, whisk remaining tablespoon oil, vinegar, honey, shallot, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt, and ¹⁄
8
teaspoon pepper in now-empty bowl.
3.
Toss hot vegetables with vinaigrette and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Stir in watercress, transfer to serving platter, and serve.
SERVES 4
If fennel fronds (the delicate greenery attached to the fennel stems) are unavailable, substitute 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon.
2 | fennel bulbs, fronds chopped and ¹⁄ |
1¹⁄ | pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered if large or halved if medium |
3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
2 | tablespoons lemon juice |
1 | teaspoon Dijon mustard |
4–6 | radishes, cut in half and sliced thin (³⁄ |
1.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Toss fennel and mushrooms with 2 tablespoons oil, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon pepper, and sugar in large bowl. Remove baking sheet from oven and, working quickly, carefully transfer fennel and mushrooms to hot baking sheet and spread in even layer. (Do not wash bowl.) Roast until vegetables are tender and well-browned on one side, 20 to 25 minutes (do not stir during roasting).
2.
Meanwhile, whisk remaining tablespoon oil, lemon juice, mustard, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt, and ¹⁄
8
teaspoon pepper in now-empty bowl.
3.
Toss hot vegetables with vinaigrette and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Stir in radishes and reserved fennel fronds, transfer to serving platter, and serve.
SERVES 4
Avoid very thin beans as they’ll overcook and shrivel under the high heat of the oven.
1 | pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1¹⁄ |
1 | pound red potatoes, cut into ¹⁄ |
3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
2 | tablespoons red wine vinegar |
1 | small garlic clove, minced |
1 | small head radicchio, (6 ounces), washed and cut into 2-inch by ¹⁄ |
1.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Toss beans and potatoes with 2 tablespoons oil, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon pepper, and sugar in large bowl. Remove baking sheet from oven and, working quickly, carefully transfer beans and potatoes to hot baking sheet and spread in even layer. (Do not wash bowl.) Roast until vegetables are tender and well-browned on one side, 20 to 25 minutes (do not stir during roasting).
2.
Meanwhile, whisk remaining 1 tablespoon oil, vinegar, garlic, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt, and ¹⁄
8
teaspoon pepper in now-empty bowl.
3.
Toss hot vegetables with vinaigrette and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Stir in radicchio, transfer to serving platter, and serve.
