The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (5 page)
Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
MAKES ABOUT
³⁄
4
CUP
¹⁄ | cup soy sauce |
3 | tablespoons mirin |
1 | teaspoon sugar |
1 | teaspoon toasted sesame oil |
1 | scallion, sliced thin |
2 | teaspoons grated fresh ginger |
1 | garlic clove, minced |
Whisk all ingredients together in medium bowl.
MAKES ABOUT
³⁄
4
CUP
Sriracha, an Asian chili sauce made with garlic and chiles, adds both heat and flavor to this sauce.
¹⁄ | cup mayonnaise |
2 | tablespoons sriracha sauce |
2 | tablespoons lime juice |
1 | tablespoon grated fresh ginger |
¹⁄ | teaspoon soy sauce |
Whisk all ingredients together in medium bowl.
MAKES ABOUT
³⁄
4
CUP
This dipping sauce gets its zesty bite from mustard, ginger, and horseradish.
3 | tablespoons mayonnaise |
2 | tablespoons Dijon mustard |
2 | teaspoons lime juice |
2 | teaspoons prepared horseradish |
2 | teaspoons soy sauce |
1 | teaspoon grated fresh ginger |
Whisk all ingredients together in medium bowl.
When cooking shrimp for tempura, the underside tends to shrink more than the top, causing the shrimp to curl tightly and the batter to clump up and cook unevenly inside the curl. Here’s a way to alleviate that problem.
After peeling and deveining shrimp, hold it on its back on cutting board. Use tip of paring knife to make two ¹⁄
4
-inch-deep incisions on underside about 1 inch apart.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Gravlax, served with thin slices of toasted rye and a few condiments, is a terrific choice when you’re looking for a satisfyingly rich appetizer to serve a group. Gravlax is simply salt- and sugar-cured salmon. The salt draws liquid from the fish and cures it, while the sugar serves to counter the harshness of the salt. But because a traditional cure has little or no liquid, the fish can develop oversalted areas that are too dry and even a bit tough. For an easy method for making gravlax that was evenly moist, tender, and consistently salted, we opted for a wet brine in red onion juice. The procedure was simple enough: We skinned the salmon and placed the fillet and curing ingredients in a zipper-lock bag, thereby maximizing brine penetration and eliminating the need to flip the fillet. All the fish needed was to be weighted down and refrigerated for 12 to 18 hours (depending on thickness). The gravlax was ready when the fish was no longer translucent and its flesh was firm, with no give.
See “PREPARING A SALMON FILLET FOR GRAVLAX” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 10 TO 12
Don’t buy a larger side of salmon; it won’t fit well in the bag. Serve sliced gravlax with lightly toasted rye bread.
3 | red onions, peeled and quartered |
1 | cup kosher salt |
³⁄ | cup sugar |
2 | cups coarsely chopped fresh dill (both stems and leaves) plus 1 cup minced fresh dill |
1 | teaspoon pepper |
1 | (3- to 4-pound) whole side of salmon, skinned, excess fat and brown flesh removed, and pinbones removed |
1 | recipe |
1.
Process onions in food processor until liquefied, about 4 minutes. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer to extract 2 cups of liquid, then stir in salt and sugar until dissolved. Stir in coarsely chopped dill and pepper.
2.
Place salmon diagonally in 2-gallon zipper-lock bag and add onion mixture. Seal bag, removing any excess air, and lay fish skin side up on rimmed baking sheet. Place second baking sheet on top and set about 7 pounds of weight (such as heavy cans or bricks) on top. Refrigerate weighted fish until very firm, 12 to 18 hours.
3.
Remove salmon from bag and pat dry with paper towels, removing any dill stems. Before serving, sprinkle minced dill over top and sides of salmon and slice very thin on bias. Serve with Onion Relish and/or Cilantro Cream. (Salmon can be wrapped in parchment paper, then plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
MAKES 2 CUPS
The onions are cooked slowly to bring out their sweetness while the sugar and vinegar temper the heat of the chiles, but this relish is still potent, so use sparingly.
2 | tablespoons olive oil |
2 | white onions (about 1 pound), peeled and chopped fine |
2 | serrano or jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced |
1 | red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine |
¹⁄ | cup sugar |
¹⁄ | cup white wine vinegar |
Heat oil in large sauté pan. Add onions; cook over medium heat until soft but not colored, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in chiles and bell pepper; continue to cook until all vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in sugar and vinegar and cook until pan is almost dry, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to airtight container and refrigerate until flavors meld, at least 1 hour. Bring to room temperature before serving. (Relish can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
1 | cup crème fraîche or sour cream |
4 | teaspoons minced fresh cilantro |
Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Cilantro Cream can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
1.
After removing skin by running a long, flexible knife from tail to head-end, between flesh and skin, check for any pinbones. Run your fingers over surface to feel for pinbones, then remove them with tweezers or needle-nosed pliers.
2.
Hold sharp chef’s knife at slight downward angle to flesh and cut off and discard whitish, fatty portion of belly.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
We wanted hummus with a light, silky-smooth texture and balanced flavor profile. We quickly settled on using convenient canned beans (we would also develop an “ultimate” hummus variation using dried beans). In theory, the best way to guarantee a creamy texture is to remove the chickpeas’ tough skins, but we couldn’t find an approach that wasn’t tedious or futile. The food processor, while it couldn’t remove all the graininess when we pureed the chickpeas alone, did produce the desired texture when we used it to make an emulsion (much like mayonnaise). We started by grinding just the chickpeas and then slowly added a small amount of water and lemon juice. Then we whisked the olive oil and a generous amount of tahini together and drizzled the mixture into the puree while processing; this created a lush, light, and flavorful puree. Earthy cumin, a pinch of cayenne, lemon juice, and garlic kept the flavors balanced.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
We recommend Joyva or Krinos tahini and Pastene chickpeas.
¹⁄ | cup water |
3 | tablespoons lemon juice |
6 | tablespoons tahini |
2 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling |
1 | (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed |
1 | small garlic clove, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground cumin |
Pinch cayenne pepper | |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley |
1.
Combine water and lemon juice in small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk together tahini and 2 tablespoons oil in second small bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons chickpeas for garnish.
2.
Process remaining chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice mixture in steady stream. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With machine running, add tahini mixture in steady stream; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
3.
Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chickpeas and cilantro over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve. (Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 5 days; refrigerate garnishes separately. When ready to serve, stir in approximately 1 tablespoon of warm water if texture is too thick.)
Rinse and pat dry 1 cup drained canned artichoke hearts. Chop ¹⁄
4
cup artichoke hearts and set aside for garnish. Increase lemon juice to 4 tablespoons (2 lemons) and omit cumin. Process entire can of chickpeas (do not reserve 2 tablespoons) along with remaining ³⁄
4
cup artichokes and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon grated lemon zest in step 2. Garnish hummus with reserved artichokes, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or mint, and olive oil.
Process entire can of chickpeas (do not reserve 2 tablespoons) in step 2 and substitute 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for cumin. Omit cilantro. Garnish hummus with 1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion greens, 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, and olive oil.
Remove outer papery skins from 2 heads garlic; cut top quarters off heads and discard. Wrap garlic in aluminum foil and roast in 350-degree oven until browned and very tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves in 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic slices to paper towel–lined plate and set aside; reserve oil. Once roasted garlic is cool, squeeze cloves from their skins (you should have about ¹⁄
4
cup). Substitute garlic cooking oil for olive oil in step 1 and omit cumin. Process entire can of chickpeas (do not reserve 2 tablespoons) along with roasted garlic puree in step 2. Garnish hummus with toasted garlic slices, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, and olive oil.
Omit water and cumin. Process entire can of chickpeas (do not reserve 2 tablespoons) along with ¹⁄
4
cup jarred roasted red peppers that have been rinsed and dried thoroughly with paper towels in step 2. Garnish hummus with 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, and olive oil.
Pick through and rinse ¹⁄
2
cup dried chickpeas. Place beans in large bowl, cover with 1 quart water, and soak overnight. Drain. Bring beans, ¹⁄
8
teaspoon baking soda, and 1 quart water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving ¹⁄
4
cup bean cooking water, and cool. Continue with recipe, replacing tap water with cooking water.
