The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (75 page)

1 teaspoon coarse salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter an 8-inch-square baking dish. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, and stir in the grits. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.
Add the cheese, butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and hot pepper sauce, if using. Stir until the cheese has completely melted, and stir in the eggs until well combined.

3.
Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until creamy inside and golden on the top, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.

smoky pinto beans

SERVES 6 TO 8

1 pound dried pinto beans, picked over

½ white onion, plus more, finely chopped, for garnish

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 dried avocado leaves

1 teaspoon dried epazote

3 fresh cilantro sprigs

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled

Lime wedges, for serving

1.
Cover the beans with cold water by 2 inches in a bowl; refrigerate 8 hours.

2.
Drain the beans; transfer to a small stockpot. Add the onion, garlic, avocado leaves, epazote, and cilantro; cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, adding water as needed to cover the beans, until the beans are tender and the liquid is soupy, 2 to 2½ hours. Discard the avocado leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with onion, tomatoes, and cheese. Serve with lime wedges.

creamy polenta with bacon and sage

SERVES 4

Water or stock can be substituted for any or all of the milk, but milk makes a creamier polenta.

2 ounces thickly sliced bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves, plus more whole leaves for garnish

4 cups milk

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking polenta

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ teaspoon coarse salt, or more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or more to taste

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

1.
Place a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the bacon, and cook until crisp and golden, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the saucepan; transfer to a paper-towel–lined plate. Set aside.

2.
Add the chopped sage to the saucepan, and cook in the bacon fat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the milk, and bring to a boil.

3.
Add the polenta in a steady stream, whisking constantly until it is smooth and creamy, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the butter, and season with the salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl, and crumble the reserved bacon on top. Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the whole sage leaves, and fry until crisp, about 30 seconds. Remove from the skillet; scatter over the polenta. Serve immediately.

the best onion rings

SERVES 4 TO 6

After cooking the onion rings, keep them warm in a 200°F oven while you finish the remaining batches.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

¾ cup buttermilk

¾ cup beer

1 large egg

4 cups peanut oil

2 large white onions (about 2 pounds), sliced crosswise ½ inch thick and separated into rings

1.
Combine the flour, cumin, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the buttermilk, beer, and egg until smooth. Let the batter stand 15 minutes.

2.
In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375°F. Working in batches, dip the onion slices in the batter, turning to coat. Gently drop the slices into the hot oil. Cook, turning the rings once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. (Adjust heat between batches as necessary to keep oil at a steady temperature.)

3.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the rings to a paper-towel–lined baking sheet to drain. Season immediately with salt.

black beans with poblano

SERVES 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 poblano chile, seeded and chopped

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lime wedges, for serving

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and the chile; cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; add the beans, lime juice, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Toss well to combine. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature, with lime wedges on the side.

roasted squash wedges

SERVES 4

We used acorn squash for this recipe, but other types, such as butternut or pumpkin, work as well.

2 acorn squash

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1.
Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the squash in half through the stem end, and remove the seeds. Cut each half into 3 wedges, 1½ to 2 inches thick. Place the wedges in a large roasting pan.

2.
Toss with the butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Roast the squash, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes.

three-variety squash tian

SERVES 6

For the best flavor, use freshly made bread crumbs for this dish because they have a much fluffier texture. Place as many slices of white bread as will comfortably fit in the bowl of your food processor, and pulse the bread until crumbly. Any leftover bread crumbs can be placed in a resealable plastic bag and frozen for future use.

1¼ pounds assorted squash, such as Costata Romanesco, patty pan, yellow, green, and black, sliced
¹
/
₈
inch thick

2 medium ripe tomatoes (1 pound), sliced
¹
/
₈
inch thick

3 tablespoons olive oil

5 tablespoons homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1.
Heat the oven to 350°F. In a 10-inch round gratin dish, arrange the squash slices and tomatoes in an overlapping pattern to fill the dish. Brush the vegetables with olive oil; drizzle the remaining oil on top. Drizzle the chicken stock on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon thyme leaves.

2.
In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, butter, and remaining thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the bread-crumb mixture on top of the vegetables.

3.
Bake until the vegetables are tender and the bread crumbs are golden, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven. Serve garnished with thyme sprigs.

steamed artichokes with grainy mustard and bacon dressing

SERVES 4

The grainy mustard and bacon dressing is best when made and served immediately. The artichokes, however, can be prepared in advance.

4 large artichokes

Juice of 4 lemons

1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 large sprig fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the cooking liquid

6 strips thick bacon, cut into ¼-inch pieces

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely diced

1 stalk celery, finely diced

2½ tablespoons grainy mustard, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1.
Fill a bowl with ice and water; set aside. Trim the artichokes; snap off the tough outer leaves. Cut in half, and cut off the top quarter of each artichoke. Snip the remaining leaf tips with scissors. Trim the bottom of the stem; using a vegetable peeler, peel off the tough outer skin. Spread the leaves to gain easier access to the choke; scoop out the choke with a melon baller. Squeeze some lemon juice onto the heart; squeeze more lemon juice into the ice bath; add lemon halves and artichokes while preparing the rest.

2.
Fill a saucepan large enough to accommodate all the artichokes with 2 inches of water. Add salt, peppercorns, thyme, garlic, and 2 tablespoons olive oil; bring to a simmer. Add the artichokes, stem end up; cover the saucepan. Steam until tender, about 25 minutes. The leaves should pull off easily; the heart should feel tender when pierced. Drain well. Cool to room temperature.

3.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat until brown and crisp, and the fat is rendered. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the sauté pan, and set aside.

4.
Depending on the amount of bacon fat in the sauté pan, add enough olive oil to make a total of
¹
/
₃
cup fat and oil. Add the shallots, carrots, and celery, and cook until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir in the grainy mustard, and season with salt and pepper. Return the bacon to the sauté pan. Arrange the artichokes on a serving platter. Spoon the hot mixture into the cavity of each artichoke.

miso-glazed eggplant

SERVES 6

The eggplant can also be served as an hors d’oeuvre, cut into bite-size pieces.

5 tablespoons white miso

3 tablespoons sake

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil

6 Japanese eggplants (1½ pounds), sliced in half lengthwise

Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated

1.
To prepare the miso paste, combine the miso, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

2.
Line a baking sheet with a paper towel; set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Place the eggplant halves, cut side up, in the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, turn over, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until golden brown and very soft. Remove the eggplant halves from the skillet, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

3.
Using an offset spatula, spread 2 teaspoons reserved miso paste evenly over each eggplant half. Garnish with lemon zest. Serve warm. Cut the eggplant halves into pieces if serving as an hors d’oeuvre.

spinach soufflé

SERVES 6

Serve this soufflé immediately in the dish, or let cool and unmold for a denser version.

Cooking spray

3 tablespoons bread crumbs

10 ounces spinach, well washed, tough stems removed

4 teaspoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1½ cups skim milk

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 whole large eggs, separated

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

2 large egg whites

Pinch of cream of tartar

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Coat a 2-quart soufflé dish or 6 individual 8-ounce dishes with cooking spray. Coat with bread crumbs. Tap out excess; set aside.

2.
Fill a bowl with ice and water; set aside. Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan; fill with 1 inch water. Bring to a boil, and add the spinach. Cover, and steam until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain, and plunge into the ice bath to stop the cooking. Let cool, and squeeze out excess water. Place the spinach in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until finely chopped; set aside. You should have about 1 cup.

3.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, and bring just to a simmer. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.

4.
In a large bowl, whisk 2 egg yolks until blended. Whisk in a little white sauce to temper the eggs, then add the remaining sauce, whisking until combined. Add the cooked spinach and grated cheese.

5.
Place the 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low until soft peaks begin to form. Increase speed to high; beat until stiff peaks form and the egg whites are smooth.

6.
Using a rubber spatula, transfer one-third of the egg whites to the spinach mixture; gently fold in until blended. Add the spinach mixture to the remaining egg whites; gently fold in until just combined. Pour into the prepared dish or dishes.