The Minimalist Cooks Dinner (34 page)

• 1 pound broccoli or other vegetable
  

• Salt
  

• Fresh lemon juice, soy sauce, melted butter, or extra virgin olive oil
  

1. Trim the broccoli as necessary (the thick stems should be peeled with a vegetable peeler or paring knife to make them less tough). Cut into equal size pieces. Steam over boiling water (or boil in salted water to cover) until tender and bright green, usually less than 10 minutes.
   

2. Drain if necessary, sprinkle with salt, and drizzle with any liquid seasoning you choose (including melted butter if you like). Or run under cold water and refrigerate. To reheat, put a little olive oil or butter in a pan over medium heat and turn the vegetable in it until hot; season to taste and serve.
   

TIME:
About 20 minutes

MAKES:
4 servings

This is a fast and ridiculously easy way to make rice, and it works. It also produces rice that keeps well in the pot for a long time.

• 1½ cups long-, medium-, or short-grain rice, rinsed and drained
  

• 2½ cups water
  

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the water starts boiling, stir and lower the heat to medium, so that it still bubbles but not furiously.
   

2. After 8 to 12 minutes, small craters will appear on the surface of the rice, indicating that the water is almost all absorbed. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and cook until tender, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately or let the rice sit for up to an hour before serving.
   

TIME:
About 40 minutes

MAKES:
4 servings

Mashed potatoes are easy to make. If you like them lumpy mash them with a fork or potato masher; if you like them creamy use a food mill or ricer. If you like them lean, omit the butter and substitute some of the potato cooking water for the milk.

• 2 pounds baking potatoes, such as Idaho or russet, peeled and cut into quarters
  

• 3 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
  

• 24 cup milk, gently warmed
  

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

1. Boil the potatoes in a pot with salted water to cover until soft; this will take about 30 minutes.
   

2. When the potatoes are done, drain them, then mash them well or put them through a food mill. Return them to the pot over very low heat and stir in the butter and—gradually—the milk, beating with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper as necessary. Serve immediately, keep warm, or reheat in a microwave.
   

TIME:
45 minutes

MAKES:
4 servings

The late, great Pierre Franey—author of
The 60-Minute Gourmet
—showed me how to make these twenty years ago (of course he used butter), and I have been making them weekly ever since.

• 1½ to 2 pounds waxy red or white potatoes, peeled and cut into ½- to 1-inch cubes
  

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, more or less
  

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

1. Add the potatoes to a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer until nearly tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well.
   

2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch nonstick skillet for 3 or 4 minutes. You can use more oil for crisper potatoes, or less oil to cut the fat. (You can also use butter, if you prefer, or a combination.) Add the potatoes along with a healthy sprinkling of salt and pepper, and cook, tossing and stirring from time to time (not constantly), until they are nicely browned all over, 10 to 20 minutes.
   

3. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve.
   

TIME:
1 to 2 hours, largely unattended

MAKES:
1 loaf

I won’t claim that this is the best bread you’ve ever eaten, but it’s the fastest yeast-risen bread imaginable, and it’s better than anything you can buy in my supermarket. Nor does it take much of your attention.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
  

• 2 teaspoons instant yeast, such as SAF
  

• 2 teaspoons salt
  

1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl or food processor. Add 1¼ cups warm water all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon or mixing with the machine on. Continue to mix, for a minute or two longer by hand, about 30 seconds total with the food processor. Add additional water by the tablespoon if necessary, until a ball forms.
   

2. Shape the dough into a flat round or long loaf, adding only enough flour to allow you to handle the dough. Place the dough on a baking sheet or a well-floured pizza peel. Let it rise in the warmest place in your kitchen, covered, while you preheat the oven to 425°F. (If you have time, let it rise for an hour or so.)
   

3. Bake the bread on a sheet, or slide it onto a baking stone. Bake until done, 30 to 45 minutes; the crust will be golden-brown, crisp, and firm.
   

TIME:
10 to 15 minutes

MAKES:
4 servings

A crouton is not only a little cube of bread you use in salads or for stuffing, it is also a perfectly toasted slice that makes a wonderful side dish. The perfect use for stale bread.

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, butter, or a combination
  

• 1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
  

• 4 thick slices good bread
  

• Salt
  

1. Pour the oil into a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and cook, turning occasionally, until it is lightly browned, less than 5 minutes.
   

2. Add the bread slices and cook, turning occasionally and adjusting the heat so they brown nicely, 2 or 3 minutes per side. Remove and sprinkle lightly with salt; serve hot or at room temperature.
   

TIME:
About 45 minutes

MAKES:
About 6 servings

Cornbread is a quick bread—that is, risen with baking powder, no yeast—and the most useful one of all

Everyone loves it, too.

• 1¼ cups buttermilk, milk, or yogurt
  

• 2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter or olive oil
  

• 1½ cups cornmeal
  

• ½ cup flour
  

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt
  

• 2 tablespoons sugar
  

• 1 egg
  

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the butter in a medium ovenproof skillet (nonstick or well-seasoned) or in an 8-inch square baking pan over medium heat; heat until good and hot, about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
   

2. Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix the egg into the buttermilk. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients, combining well; if it seems too dry, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons milk. Pour the batter into the preheated fat, shake the pan once or twice, and place it in the oven.
   

3. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the sides have pulled away from the pan; a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean. Serve hot or warm.