Cuisine at Home

as simple as it gets

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Buttermilk PieButtermilk Pie

Pizzafrom the Grillcrisp, smoky, perfect

Dig

ital Ed

ition

tips.....................................................................................................................................................4

cuisineclassClassic roast beef ...................................................................................6Old fashioned roast beef never goes out of style!The right cut and cooking technique make dinner a snap.

Classic beef gravy...................................................................................9Roast beef encores........................................................................10

Pizza from the grill......................................................................................12You’re just steps away from great pizza—thesecret is in your own backyard!

Crusting chicken..............................................................................................16Crisp, golden, flavorful—good crusted chicken isan art. We make it easy.

Parmesan crusted chicken .........................18

allaboutSalt to taste.....................................................................................................20There’s a lot more to salt than just the blue box.It has quite a story.

table of contents

2 C u i s i n e a t h o m e

editor’s letter

Most of our kitchens tend to have a split personality.

During the week, the kitchen serves as a survival “pit

stop” of sorts—fueling the family machine for a fast-

paced week. It’s also a social intersection of lives where

family members cross paths to eat and chat briefly on

their way to meetings, work, or school.

But it’s a little different on the weekend. The kitchen

takes on a relaxed mood and opens itself up to friendly

gatherings and casual conversations. There always seem

to be people in the kitchen when you cook on the

weekend. And that’s just why this special issue is

jammed-packed with so many great recipes that appeal

to all tastes—even your pickiest eater.

Pasta, beef, pork, chicken ... even pizza. We’ve got it

all. Start out on Page 6 by learning a few new tricks with

an old favorite—roast beef and gravy. Then find out

what to do with those great leftovers. And who doesn’t

love a good barbecued rib? The best usually come from

hours of slow smoking and endless basting. But these

ribs are different ... your oven and a little grill time are

all you need for some of the best ribs you’ve ever eaten.

In the mood for chicken? Try the crusted chicken

beginning on Page 16. For over-the-top flavor, add

Parmesan cheese to the crust and serve with Sage-Butter

Sauce and roasted rosemary potatoes. Good enough for

a dinner party but easy enough for a Wednesday night!

But no matter what recipe you try, be sure to finish it

with either of the buttermilk pies. They’re so easy it’s

almost embarrassing, but are amazingly good.

Enjoy this special issue. I’m sure you’ll find all the

information in Cuisine at home just as good as every bite

of our buttermilk pies.

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chefathomeHoward Helmer Making omelets ......................................................................................22This Guinness Book record holder shows youhow to make the perfect omelet. It’s fast, easy,and oh, so good!

Herb & three-cheese omelet.................................23Tortilla omelet wrap...................................................................24French omelet...........................................................................................25

basiccuisine.............................................................................................................26Ever wonder how to make crème fraîche, orwhat the best technique for melting chocolateis? Here’s your chance to brush up on the basics.

cuisinetechniqueThe secret to easy grilled ribs.............................28Contrary to what you may think, great-tastingribs can be made without tending a fire for anentire day. We’ll show you the ropes.

Asian lime ribs..........................................................................................30

waresCan openers ...............................................................................................32We tested a bevy of openers to find the best. See which ones opened our eyes.

then&now8-layer lasagna ..........................................................................34True Lasagna Bolognese takes hours to make.But fewer ingredients and less preparation timedon’t diminish this version’s flavor.

Chicken alfredo lasagna.......................................................37

fasterwithfewerEasy dips.................................................................................................................38The problem with these dips is that they’re sogood, the party will always be at your house!

1-2-3 weeknightRecipes good enough for weekend company butmade for weeknight schedules.

Sun-dried tomato crusted chicken............40Japanese steak rolls.......................................................................42Lamb chops.....................................................................................................44

Q&A ..............................................................................................................................................46

index/nutritionals .....................................................................................48

Buttermilk piesSo simple, but my, what a pie! Add a splash of fruitand you have a blue-ribbon award winner.

Lime-coconut buttermilk pie..................................49Lemon buttermilk pie..............................................................50

grandfinaleParmesan baskets..............................................................................52Want to impress your guests without any effort?Make Parmesan baskets and fill them with yourfavorite greens and vinaigrette.

3w w w. C u i s i n e A t H o m e . c o m

EDITOR

John F. MeyerSENIOR EDITOR

Susan HossASSOCIATE EDITORS

Sarah Marx FeldnerJohn Kirkpatrick

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Sara OstranskyTEST KITCHEN DIRECTOR

Kim SamuelsonART DIRECTOR

Cinda ShambaughASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR

Holly WiederinSENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

April Walker JanningPHOTOGRAPHER

Dean TannerCONTRIBUTING FOOD STYLIST

Jennifer PetersonPRE-PRESS IMAGE SPECIALIST

Troy Clark

PUBLISHER

Donald B. PeschkeCUSTOMER SERVICE AND FULFILLMENT:

Operations Director: Bob Baker • Customer Service Manager: JennieEnos • Customer Service Representatives: Anna Cox, Kim Harlan, Cheryl Jordan, April Revell, Deborah Rich, Valerie Jo Riley, Tammy Truckenbrod • Buyer: Linda Jones • AdministrativeAssistant: Nancy Downey • Warehouse Supervisor: Nancy JohnsonFulfillment: Sylvia Carey

CIRCULATION:Circulation Operations Director: Sandy Baum • Circulation MarketingDirector: Wayde J. Klingbeil • Circulation Marketing Analyst: PatrickA. Walsh • Renewal Manager: Paige Rogers • Strategic BusinessAnalysts: Kris Schlemmer, Paula M. DeMatteis • CirculationFulfillment Manager: Steph Forinash • Art Director: Doug Flint Senior Graphic Designers: Mark Hayes, Robin Friend

Cuisine at home® (Digital Edition) (ISSN 1537-8225) is publishedbi-monthly (Jan., Mar., May, July, Sept, Nov.) by August HomePublishing Co., 2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312. Cuisineat home® (Digital Edition) is a trademark of August HomePublishing Co. Copyright 2004 August Home Publishing. Allrights reserved. Subscriptions: One year subscription (6 issues),$22.00. Send subscription inquiries or change of email addressto: Cuisine at home® (Digital Edition), P.O. Box 842, DesMoines, IA 50304-0842 or email to: [email protected] . Goto www.zinio.com/help for inquiries requiring technical support.Cuisine at home® (Digital Edition) does not accept and is notresponsible for unsolicited manuscripts.

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t psand techniques

A “fresh” tip Buy day-old breadfrom a good bakery.It’s cheaper, worksbetter for breadcrumbs, and it’salready stale forstuffing. Plus, thebaker might justthrow in a cookie!

Ed BurroughsAlbuquerque, NM

Board StorageI have several small cutting boards that I use fre-quently in the kitchen. To store them on the counterwhere I can easily reach them, I use somethingthat’s usually found on an office desk—a verticalsorter! I have a small black metal type with threeslots, but plastic works well too. It’s easy to clean,looks nice, and the cutting boards stand up in it,out of the way.

Pam Caminiti JonesBoulder Creek, CA

Neater Butter PatsAfter placing a whole stick of but-ter onto a butter dish, slice it intotablespoon-size pats. This way,it’s already pre-portioned forrecipes, plus it helps keep thebutter dish a little neater.

Lila FultonRancho Mirage, CA

Perfect SlicingWhen I need evenly slicedstrawberries (especially fortopping a dessert), I use anegg slicer. Stem the berriesfirst, then slice just like youwould a boiled egg. It’squicker than using a knife!

Jamile McConnellMountain View, CA

Hands-free MeatloafIf you don’t like getting yourhands messy when mixing meat-loaf, put the ingredients into alarge, resealable plastic bag. Closethe bag, then “knead” everythingtogether until well mixed. Kidslike helping with this too!

Kate BerryMontpelier, VT

For Better BrowningMeat will brown better if you blot any moisture off its surface.A paper towel works great.

Karen WestDuluth, GA

Filling Pasta Stuffing manicotti is difficult, butif you use a pastry bag without atip, it’s a breeze! Just spoon thefilling into the bag, then squeezeit into the cooked pasta tubes.

Shannon ZellmerApex, NC

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If you have a unique way of solving a cooking problem, we’d like to hear from you, and we’ll

consider publishing your tip in one or more of ourworks. Just write down your cooking tip and mail it to

Cuisine at home, Tips Editor, 2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312, or contact us through our

email address shown below. Please include your name,address, and daytime phone number in case we havequestions. We’ll pay you $25 if we publish your tip.

Email: [email protected] address: CuisineAtHome.com

share your with Cuisine at homet psand techniques

Artichoke HoldersArtichokes tend to fall over in the potwhen steaming. To steady them, placethick rings of onion on the bottom ofthe pot, then set the artichokes on top.Not only does this hold the artichokesupright, but they cook more evenly,too, and the onion imparts great flavor.

Joel DrakeDes Moines, IA

Coating Cake PansWhenever I bake cakes,rather than greasing andflouring the pans, I greaseand sugar them. Sugarspreads better than flourand doesn’t clump orleave a floury film on thebaked cake. Instead, itleaves a slightly sweetcoating on the bottomand sides.

Gloria J. RecknerGarland, TX

Skimming FatTo remove excess grease frombrowned ground beef or sausage,“blot” the extra fat from the panusing a piece of bread. This alsoworks for skimming fat off of thetop of soup or chili, and it’s greatfor absorbing oil when cleaningoff the bottom of a pan.

Kathy DriggsChicago, IL

Great GrippersAs I’ve gotten older, it’sbecome harder for me toopen new jars. But I’vesolved the stubborn lidproblem by wearing rub-ber gloves when opening them—non-skid and non-slip!

Kim BaldwinStillwater, MN

Scorch Saver Before heating milk,rinse the pan withcold water (do notdry). This keeps themilk from scorching.

Becky FoxSun Prairie, WI

Soggy-less RiceWhen cooking rice, put a foldedtowel between the lid and thepot. That way, when the ricesteams and creates moisture, thecondensation doesn’t drip backinto the rice. It’s absorbed intothe towel! Cook the rice for the recommendedamount of time.

Micky StikasPawleys Island,SC

Hammer TimeWhen pounding meat for cutletsor for tenderizing, a meat malletoften tears the plastic bags or waxpaper. To solve the problem, Ipurchased a large rubber malletat the hardware store. Not onlydoes it work great for poundingand tenderizing meats, but it’s

also indispensable for breakingapart frozen foods, such as veg-etables and fruit, allowing me toget just the amount I need. It’salso ideal for breaking up chunksof ice. This is my favorite kitchentool now!

Dayle HodakievicWilloughby, OH




cuisineclass

Classic roast beefA few decades ago, roast beef was almosta weekly menu item in many households.But today’s lifestyles demand economi-cal, healthful meals that can be madewithout much fuss. As a result, roast beefhas taken a back seat to chicken.

But believe it or not, this classic roastbeef meal actually meets those criteria.Save swank prime rib and tenderloin cutsfor the holidays—this is all about theoften overlooked eye round roast. True, itisn’t a serious contender in the category

of super-flavorful, fork-tender beef cuts(it comes from a steer’s back thigh). Butof all the roasts tested, the eye round cameout on top in terms of availability, ease ofroasting and carving, flavor, and texture.The $4 a pound price tag isn’t bad either—so reasonable that I cook two roasts justto have leftovers (see Pages 10–11)!

Of course, potatoes and gravy are heretoo, and must be included in the meal.Since they’re both made right in the roast-ing pan, there’s no reason to skip them.

We all grew up with roast beef, potatoes, and gravy. So why isn’t it on

today’s dinner tables more often? Now there’s no excuse to pass it by.

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There are a few steps that need to betaken before the roasting can begin.Here’s how to get started.

Potatoes: First, parboil the pota-toes so the outside is cooked whilethe center is still a bit hard. It mayseem like a frivolous step, but thismakes a big difference. The roastedpotatoes are fluffy inside, likemashed potatoes, and crisp outside.

Roasts: Next, sear the roasts ina heavy roasting pan on top of thestove, Figure 1. This colors and fla-vors the outside of the meat andestablishes a base for the gravy.

An herb and garlic gremolata[greh-moh-LAH-tah] is rubbed onthe seared roasts, Figure 2. It gives

good flavor to the meat, but whereit really shines is in the gravy. Afterthe beef has roasted, the gremolatais scraped off and simmered in thegravy to enhance its flavor.

I’m not kidding when I say thisgremolata is coarse. Roughly chopthe parsley, thyme, and lemon zest,then smash it all together with awhole head of unpeeled garlic. Don’tworry—it’ll be strained out later.

Before roasting

Preheat oven to 400° with rack onthe bottom.Parboil potatoes in salted water for15–20 minutes. Drain, reserving thewater for gravy.Combine all gremolata ingredientsin a large resealable plastic bag. Withthe flat side of a meat mallet, crushthe garlic cloves with the herbs.Sear seasoned roasts in oil in a largeroasting pan until brown.Remove roasts; top with gremolata.Arrange potatoes in the pan andplace the meat on the other side.Roast meat and potatoes for 45 minutes. Cook until the meat reachesdesired doneness, 130–135° formedium (see Page 8 for a detailedexplanation of doneness).Scrape gremolata from the roastsinto the roasting pan. Remove meatand potatoes; allow roasts to rest for15 minutes before carving.Prepare gravy as on Page 9.

FOR THE POTATOES—PARBOIL:11/2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and

cut into large chunks

FOR THE GREMOLATA—COMBINE:3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves1 whole head garlic3 T. olive oil1 T. kosher salt

Zest of one lemon, chopped

FOR THE BEEF—SEAR IN 2 T. OLIVE OIL;TOP WITH

GREMOLATA AND ROAST:2 eye round roasts (2–3 lb. each),

seasoned with salt

GREMOLATA RUBBED ROAST BEEFAND ROASTED POTATOES

MAKES TWO 2–3-LB. ROASTS; TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 2 HOURS

1 Sear roasts in oilover med.-high heat,adding a bit more oil ifmeat starts to scorch.Parboil potatoes.

2 Divide gremolata between roasts. It won’tstick well, so just pat it on top of each roast.



cuisineclass

Before the roasts go in the oven,add a couple more tablespoons of oilto the empty roasting pan, then thedrained potatoes, Figure 3. Save atleast two cups of the potato water

meat to rest. To take advantage ofthe brown residue coating the bot-tom of the pan, make the gravy onthe stove—right in the roaster! Aftersauteing the onions, deglaze withwine, scraping bits off the bottom,Figure 6. This will give the gravydeep color and rich flavor.

for gravy, and be sure most of thewater drips off the potatoes so oildoesn’t spatter. They may breakapart a bit as they’re stirred in theoil, but that’s okay—that rough sur-

face on the outside iswhat creates their crispcrust. Arrange the pota-toes on one side of thepan, then put the roastsin opposite them.

Cook the meat andpotatoes for 45 minuteson the lower oven rack.When time is up, checktheir progress using aninstant read thermo-meter, Figure 4. They

probably won’t be done, but thisreading will give you an idea of howlong they should continue roasting.Check their temperature every 10or 15 minutes until you reach thedesired doneness—for medium, gofor 130–135°; medium-rare, 125° orso. The roasts’ internal temperaturewill rise 5–10° as they rest, so if it’shigher than 135° out of the oven,the meat could wind up overcooked.

After the roasts are done, scrapethe gremolata from them into theroasting pan, Figure 5, and allow the

Roasting and finishing

4 After 45 minutes, take a temperature read-ing and turn potatoes. Roast to 130–135°.

5 Remove the potatoes, then scrape the gremola-ta from the meat. Transfer meat to plate to rest.

6 Saute onion and seasonings 3–4 minutes.Deglaze with wine, scraping bits from thepan. Simmer until wine evaporates.

3 Add oil and pota-toes to the pan.Arrange in a singlelayer to one side.Return the meat tothe pan and roast.

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Flour is the primary thickenerfor this gravy, Figure 7, but the starchin the reserved potato cooking waterwill also help to thicken. To reducelumps, whisk in the broth and pota-to water a little at a time. (If youforget to save the water, add anoth-er can of beef broth.)

Simmer the gravy for a few min-utes to thicken it and eliminate anystarchy taste from the flour. If theroasts have leeched juice while rest-ing, add it along with the butter andvinegar, Figure 8, then strain. Finally,slice the roast crosswise and againstthe grain, as thinly as you can.

CLASSIC BEEF GRAVYThis may seem like a lot of gravy, butyou’ll be glad to have it when servingthe leftover roast beef the next day! MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 20 MINUTES

SAUTE:1 cup yellow onion, diced1 T. tomato paste2 bay leavesDEGLAZE WITH:1/4 cup dry red wineSPRINKLE IN:3 T. all-purpose flourGRADUALLY WHISK IN; SIMMER:2 cups reserved potato water1 can (14 oz.) low-sodium

beef brothFINISH WITH; STRAIN:2 T. unsalted butter1 T. balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to tasteMeat juices from the roasts

Saute onion, tomato paste, and bayleaves over medium heat with thegremolata from the beef in the roast-ing pan (you may need to be on twoburners). Cook until onion softens.Deglaze with wine, scraping thepan. Simmer to evaporate liquid.Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture—it will be pasty.Gradually whisk in reserved potatowater and beef broth. Whisk con-stantly to prevent lumps. Simmeruntil slightly thick, about 5 minutes.Finish gravy with butter, vinegar,seasonings, and any juices that haveaccumulated as the roasts have rested. Strain, then serve with slicedbeef and roasted potatoes.

7 Sprinkle in flour, stirring to coat.Then whisk in water and broth.

8 Simmer gravy until slightly thickened.Finish with butter, vinegar, and any meatjuices. Strain before serving.



Roast Beef Encores

KUMMELWECK SANDWICHMAKES 6 SANDWICHES

TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

FOR THE ROLLS—BRUSH WITH TWO BEATEN EGGS:6 kaiser rolls, splitCOMBINE; SPRINKLE ON TOPS:2 T. caraway seeds2 T. coarse saltFOR THE JUS—SAUTE IN 1 T. OLIVE OIL AND

1 T. UNSALTED BUTTER:1 cup yellow onion, choppedADD, REDUCE, AND STRAIN:4 cups low-sodium beef broth1/2 cup dry white wine2 T. garlic, chopped 1 T. tomato paste2 t. minced fresh thymeFOR THE SANDWICH—WARM IN JUS:11/2 lb. leftover roast beef,

thinly sliced SERVE WITH:

Prepared horseradish and jus

Preheat oven to 375°.Brush kaiser roll tops with egg.Combine caraway and salt; sprin-kle generously on rolls. Bake 5 min.Saute onion for the jus in oil andbutter until golden brown.

It may surprise you but Buffalo,New York has given us two ofAmerica’s finest—Buffalo wingsand a roast beef sandwich knownas the kummelweck.

A “weck” is a hot French dipsandwich served with horserad-ish and au jus. The real kicker,though, is the roll—a Germankaiser laced with caraway seed(kummel) and coarse salt. Therolls are hard to find outside ofBuffalo, so make your own usingregular kaiser buns. They’realmost as good as the real deal!

Add remaining jus ingredients andsimmer over medium-high heatuntil reduced by half, about 15minutes. Strain; return jus to pan.Warm sliced beef in the jus—dip,don’t simmer them in the jus.Arrange slices on the bottom halfof a weck roll. Dip the undersideof the roll tops into the jus andplace on top of the beef.Serve with horseradish and aside of hot jus.

<Brush tops ofrolls with eggwash. Coat withcaraway-salt mix-ture and bake.

Dip beef slices in hot jus towarm through. The meatshould stay pink.>

kummelweck sandwich

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THAI BEEF SALAD WRAPSMAKES ABOUT 10 WRAPS

TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR

FOR THE DRESSING—SIMMER; REDUCE:1 cup water1/2 cup fresh lime juice1/2 cup brown sugar3 T. garlic, minced 1 t. chili garlic paste (or 1/2 t.

crushed red pepper flakes)FOR THE WRAPS—FRY IN 3 CUPS VEGETABLE OIL:1/2 bundle (about 3 oz.) rice

stick noodles (mai fun)PREPARE:2 cups leftover roast beef,

thinly sliced, julienned1 cup bean sprouts1/2 cup fresh mint leaves1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves1 cucumber, seeded, bias sliced1 yellow or red bell pepper,

julienned10 large leaves red leaf lettuce

Simmer water, lime juice, sugar,garlic, and chili garlic paste in asmall saucepan over medium heat.Reduce until dressing thickensslightly, about 20 minutes.Fry noodles in small batches in oilheated to 375°. Remove and drainon a paper towel-lined plate.Prepare remaining ingredientsand arrange on a large platter. Toserve, have each diner assembletheir own wrap: Start with a let-tuce leaf, then follow with someof the roast beef, fried noodles,and vegetables. Drizzle with somedressing before eating.

A hand-held salad? Why not!The spicy, sweet, tangy flavors ofThai beef salad are a great wayto showcase leftover roast beef.

The most unusual ingredienthere is the noodles. Find mai funin many grocery stores or Asianmarkets. Tear the bundle apartinto smaller, more manageablebundles before frying.

Thinly slice leftover roast beef,then cut into julienne strips. >

{Heat oil in a saucepan to375°. Drop small bundle ofnoodles in oil—they’ll puffinstantly (see inset).

{Mai fun are thread-like Chineserice noodles that are fried until crisp.Half of a 7-oz. package is all youneed here.

thai beef salad wraps



pizzafrom the grill

Some of the best pizza comes fromcoal-fired ovens. Temperatures inthem can hit a whopping 900°,cooking a pizza in minutes. Thosehot ovens deliver a dynamite crustthat’s crisp, smoky, and a littlecharred. To me, it’s the perfect pizza.

In the endless quest for pizzaperfection at home, I knew I need-ed hot temperatures along with theability to produce a little char andsmoke. The natural solution wasright outside on the deck—the grill.

It doesn’t matter whether youown a gas or charcoal grill, the tech-nique is the same and the resultsare excellent. One side of the grill ishot—this is where the crust getscrispy and charred. The other side,on low heat, is where you slide thecrust over and add the toppings.

All this results in an unbeliev-able pizza that rivals those baked incoal-fired ovens. But there is onemore secret to an excellent pizza—underdress it. With this great crust,the last thing you want to do is over-load it with too much sauce, cheese,or toppings. Keep it simple.

Grilled pizza has everything

going for it—crispy crust,

delicious smoky flavor, and the

chance to be outside.

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PIZZA DOUGHMAKES ENOUGH FOR FOUR 12" PIZZAS

TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES + 3 HOURS RISING

COMBINE:1 cup warm water (105–115°)1 T. sugar1 pkg. (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast (21/4 t.)MIX:21/4 cups all-purpose flour1 cup cake flour1 T. kosher saltADD:2 T. olive oil

Combine water, sugar, and yeast.Proof until foamy, about 5 minutes.Mix flours and salt in the bowl of astand mixer fitted with a dough hook.Add oil to yeast mixture once it hasproofed, then pour into flour mixture.

Knead on low speed 10 min-utes (if kneading by hand,knead same amount of time).

Place dough in a lightlyoiled bowl, turning to coat.Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place untildoubled, about 2 hours.

Punch dough down anddivide into four balls, pinchingthe bottoms closed. Coverwith plastic wrap, and let risein a warm place another hour.

Making the dough

Mix flours and salt instand mixer. Add yeastmixture and knead onlow speed 10 minutes.Dough will climb upthe hook when ready. >

For grilled pizza, the dough mustdeliver good flavor as well as theability to be rolled thinly. This isabsolutely necessary so it doesn’tburn before it cooks through.

A blend of all-purpose andcake flours makes the dough veryelastic (from the all-purposeflour), yet tender (from the cakeflour). That, along with proof-ing, kneading, and rising createsthe Italian-style crust you want.

Proofing: Yeast is a livingorganism that, when activated,causes dough to rise. To trigger itsrising powers, proof the yeast inwarm water and a little sugarprior to mixing it with the flour.You can tell it’s working whenthe mixture becomes foamy.

Kneading: Kneading is theprocess of developing glutenwhich allows dough to stretch. Astand mixer makes it easy, but

you can knead by hand too. Stopwhen the dough is smooth andsprings back when poked.

Rising: Pizza dough developsflavor and texture during tworises. The important thing here isto let the dough rise at room tem-perature (75°)—not in a heatedoven or near an air conditionervent! Hot temperatures will cookthe dough, and cold tempera-tures will slow the yeast down.

{Divide dough into four balls. Pinchbottoms to keep air out. Let rise 1 hour.

{CAfter two hours, the dough will havedoubled in size. Punch it down.

<Dissolve yeast and sugar inwarm water. The yeast feeds onthe sugar and activates quickly.



Topping grilled pizza

<Mediterranean Pizza: Brush dough witholive oil, then top with cubed fontina, slices of salami, quartered marinated artichoke hearts, andslivered kalamata olives. Sprinkle with diced freshtomatoes and grated Parmesan cheese. Add tornfresh basil leaves when the pizza is off the grill.

{Sausage Pizza: Brush dough with olive oil, then top withgrated white Cheddar, cooked and sliced link Italian sausage,and some Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce. Sprinkle with thinlysliced red onion, grated Parmesan cheese, coarse sea salt, andcrushed red pepper flakes. Add torn fresh basil before serving.

{Pepperoni Pizza: Brush dough with olive oil,then top with fresh mozzarella, sliced pepperoni,and some Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce. Sprinklewith thinly sliced fresh spinach, grated Parmesancheese, coarse sea salt, and red pepper flakes.

COMBINE:8 cups (4 lb.) Roma

tomatoes, quartered1 cup yellow onion,

chopped4 cloves garlic, whole2 t. kosher salt1 t. red pepper flakes1 t. sugarTOSS WITH:1/2 cup olive oilSTIR IN:1/2 cup fresh basil,

chiffonade

Preheat oven to 450°.Combine tomatoes,onion, garlic cloves, salt,pepper, and sugar in alarge casserole dish.Toss with olive oil androast 35–40 minutesuntil tomatoes have softened. Remove fromoven and mash with apotato masher, keepingtomatoes a bit chunky.Stir in basil.

OVEN-ROASTED TOMATO SAUCEThis recipe make more sauce than you’ll need for

pizzas. Use leftovers as a light pasta sauce. MAKES 5 CUPS; TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES

The sky’s the limit with pizza top-pings, but these three ideas mayhelp guide you. Remember thesethings: Layer the toppings in theorder in which they’re listed, anddon’t overload the crust. Add freshherbs at the last minute—the resid-ual heat will release their flavor.

Grilled pizzas cook quickly sohave all the toppings ready, and setup an area near the grill for them.

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Grilling pizza

{Roll dough out from the center to theedge on a lightly floured work area.

With the toppings ready to go,you’re literally minutes awayfrom pizza nirvana.

Shaping: Roll out the doughon a dry work surface dustedwith flour. Shape it into a 10–12"circle or rectangle—don’t worryif it’s not perfect. An irregularshape makes it look rustic.

On the grill: To transfer thedough to the grill, use your fin-gertips to lift it by the edges anddrape directly onto the hottestpart of the grill. The high, direct

heat from the fire will penetratethe crust and firm it up. Usetongs to move the crust aroundif the grill has hot spots.

Toppings: Before adding top-pings, move the crust to the coolside of the grill. (If you don’thave a double burner, move thecrust to a baking sheet to top.)Then return the pizza to the hotside for final cooking—check itfrequently for burning. Use apizza wheel to slice, and listen forthe great crunch!

1 Preheat grill with one side set to medium-high, theother side to low. Place dough over hot side, closelid, and cook 2–3 minutes. The crust will bubble andgrill marks will appearunderneath.

2 Use tongs to flip crust over and move to the cool side of grill. Brush witholive oil—it adds flavor and contributes to thecrispy texture.

3 Add toppings (see Page 14 for order).Keep quantities light so theycook quickly. Return pizzato hot side of grill for 4–5 minutes.

4 Pizza is done when cheese is melted. Remove from grill using a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet.



Finally! A crusted chicken breast

that’s crisp on the outside, juicy on

the inside. Read on for the secrets.

I’m picky about crusted chicken.Way too much of it has beendredged in powdered, pulverizedbread crumbs and dull, driedherbs. As if that weren’t enough,it’s often baked—to death.

So developing a recipe forchicken with a flavorful crust andjuicy interior was just the kindof challenge I like. The keys arein the four “Cs”: the chicken,crumbs, coating, and cooking.

The chicken

Boneless, skinless breast halvesare the way to go—they’re con-venient and cook quickly. Wholebreast halves are too big, so first,halve each one lengthwise, seeFigure 1. Doing this ensures thatthe coating doesn’t burn beforethe chicken is cooked through. Ifyou double this recipe, just besure to saute the chicken in twopans to avoid crowding.

Now, lightly pound the piecesto an even 1/2" thick, see Figure 2.You aren’t tenderizing or creatinga cutlet for scaloppine here, sobe gentle. Pounding them in aslightly damp plastic bag helpsprevent sticking and tearing.

1 Trim excess skin and fat from chick-en. Slice each breast half lengthwisedown the center.

2 Lightly pound each piece (ina plastic bag with a little waterinside) to an even thickness.

CRUSTED CHICKENBREASTS

MAKES FOUR 2–3 OZ. PIECES

TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR

PREPARE:2 boneless, skinless chicken

breast halves (6–8 oz. each)FOR THE DIPPING MIXTURE—BLEND:2 egg whites2 t. cornstarch

Juice of 1/2 lemonFOR THE CRUSTING MIXTURE—COMBINE:1 cup coarse dry bread

crumbs, see right1 T. chopped fresh parsley1 t. kosher salt1/4 t. ground black pepper

Zest of one lemon, mincedSAUTE CHICKEN IN:3 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°.Prepare chicken breasts, cut-ting and pounding, Fig. 1 and 2.Blend egg whites, cornstarch,and lemon juice with a fork ina wide, shallow dish; set aside.Combine bread crumbs,parsley, salt, pepper, and zestin a second wide, shallow dish.Crust chicken breasts, Fig. 3and 4. Let chicken rest atroom temperature on a rackfor 20–30 min. to set crust.Saute chicken in oil in alarge, nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heatfor about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, Fig. 5.Carefully turn with a spatula,Fig. 6, and transfer the skilletto the oven to finish cooking.Roast chicken just until done,about 8 more minutes, Fig. 7.

Crustingchicken

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The crumbs

Crumbs are the most important“C” in this equation. Besidesadding great flavor, they’re essen-tial for the right texture. Theycreate a crouton-like crust on thechicken, not a dry, crumbly one.

For the best crumbs, you needthe right bread. A rustic-type loafwith a chewy, yet fairly soft crust(like ciabatta) is ideal. Bread witha holey interior makes crumbsthat vary in size—that’s good.Stay away from loaves havingdense, hard crusts. These crumbswould make chewing painful!

Coating and cooking

To coat, you need to dip thechicken into something wet (eggwhites), then roll it in somethingdry (crumbs). Even if the meatfeels moist, it’s not enough forcrumbs to stick and stay stuck.Egg whites are the natural “glue.”

Dip the chicken in the egg,then the crumb mixtures, seeFigures 3 & 4. Because the crumbsare fairly coarse, they won’tadhere well—don’t worry. Scoophandfuls of crumbs, piling themon each piece, then transfer thechicken to a rack set over a bak-ing sheet. Air-dry chicken 20–30minutes to help set the crumbs.

To cook, first saute the chick-en on the stove in an ovenproof,nonstick skillet. As you put thechicken in the pan, lay it toward

3 Dip both sides of preparedchicken into egg white-corn-starch mixture. Transfer thechicken to the crumb dish.

4 Pat crumbs on both sides of chick-en—it’s okay if some crumbs fall off.Air-dry on rack 20–30 minutes.

5 Heat oil in largenonstick pan. Laychicken toward youin the pan—theloose crumbs willform a “bed” forchicken to lay on. 7 Roast chicken in the pan in

the oven 8–10 minutes, or untilcooked through.

you, see Figure 5. This way, it restson top of any crumbs that falloff. Saute until the chicken isgolden and crisp on one side,then carefully flip the pieces over

6 Saute chicken until golden,3 minutes. Carefully flip chick-en, then transfer pan to oven.

Cut bread intocubes (leave cruston) and process tocrumbs. Work inbatches and don’toverfill the bowl.The crumbs will bedifferent sizes—from pow-dery to the size of peas.That’s fine. Uniformity is notthe goal here.

Dry the crumbs on a baking sheetfor 10–15 minutes in a 200° oven untilthey’re completely dried but not toasted.Freeze any extra crumbs in a resealable bag.

(use your hand to help gentlyguide them), see Figure 6. Finally,transfer the whole pan to a 450°oven to finish, see Figure 7. Eightto 10 more minutes is all it takes.



Parmesan crustedchicken

with sage-butter sauce

It’s true, the crusted chicken on Page 17is really good. But for something a tadmore fancy (without a whole lot morework), try this—Parmesan crusted chick-en with sage sauce and roasted potatoes.You’d pay money for this meal in a restau-rant (but it wouldn’t be as good).

Making a full dinner like this isn’t ashard as you think. The chicken is pre-pared just like it is on Page 17 except that

Parmesan is added to the crumb recipe.Follow the crusting steps for the chickenon Page 17, then prepare the potatoesand start roasting them while the chick-en air-dries (but before it’s sauteed).

After that, make the sage sauce andkeep it warm in a water bath—it will holdjust fine like that for at least an hour.Then, once the potatoes have roasted for15 minutes, saute and roast the chicken.

Don’t think crusted chicken is “upscale” enough for company? Well, it is

when it’s with a rich butter sauce and crispy roasted potatoes.

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SAGE-BUTTER SAUCEMAKES ABOUT 1 CUP


SAUTE IN 1 T. UNSALTED BUTTER:3 T. shallot, mincedADD AND REDUCE:1/2 cup dry white wine1/2 cup heavy cream1/2 cup low-sodium chicken

broth1 t. fresh lemon juiceWHISK IN:4 T. (1/2 stick) cold unsalted

butter, cubedFINISH WITH:1–2 t. minced fresh sage

Salt, white pepper, and cayenne to taste

Saute shallot in butter in asmall saucepan over mediumheat just until soft, 2–3 minutes.Add wine, cream, broth, andlemon juice. Simmer untilreduced by half, 8–10 minutes.Whisk in butter, 1 T. at a time,stirring constantly. Do not addmore butter until previous addition has melted completely.Finish sauce with sage and seasonings. Keep warm in awater bath until ready to serve.

make it a menu

Gradually whisk cold butter intosimmering sauce base. }

<Keep saucewarm in a cupset inside abowl of hot(not boiling)water. Stirsauce often.

PREPARE:2 boneless, skinless chicken

breasts halves, Page 16WHISK:

Dipping Mixture, Page 16ADD TO CRUSTING MIXTURE,PAGE 16:1/2 cup Parmesan cheese,

gratedSERVE CHICKEN WITH:

Sage-Butter SauceRoasted Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary

Preheat oven to 450°.Prepare chicken breasts byhalving and pounding.Whisk egg whites, cornstarch,and lemon juice in shallow dishfor Dipping Mixture.Add Parmesan to the CrustingMixture. Crust prepared chicken, let rest, saute, androast, Page 17.Serve chicken with Sage-ButterSauce and Roasted Potatoes withGarlic and Rosemary.

PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKENMAKES 4 SERVINGS; TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR

Sage advice Dried or fresh,a little sagegoes a longway. Fresh ispreferable here,but 1/2 t. driedsage will do.

<To heat oil,place the pandirectly on thestovetop.

ROASTED POTATOES WITHGARLIC AND ROSEMARYMAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

TOTAL TIME: 30–45 MINUTES

HEAT:1/4 cup olive oil4–5 cloves garlic, smashed1 T. chopped fresh rosemaryBOIL:2 lb. Yukon gold and/or red

skinned potatoes, unpeeled,cut into large chunks

ROAST; SEASON WITH:Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450° with rack inlower third. Bring 6 quarts saltedwater to a boil in a large saucepan.Heat oil, garlic, and rosemary on alarge baking sheet (with sides) onstovetop over medium-low heat.Do not allow garlic to brown.

Boil potatoes in water for oneminute. Transfer to the bakingsheet on the stove with a slottedspoon; stir to coat with oil.Roast potatoes in oven on lowerrack for 20 minutes. Carefully tossthem with a spatula, then roastanother 10 minutes, or untilcooked through, browned, andcrisp. Season with sea salt andfreshly ground black pepper.

onlinextrapotato recipe

Look under Issue 35

http://www.cuisineathome.com/learnmore/oe-35.html



Salttotaste

Don’t think for a moment that salt is salt. If you’re

into cooking, here’s the information you need to know

to make all your food taste even better.

Salt just might be one of themost important commodities inour world—thank goodness thereis plenty of it.

I’m frequently asked whyfood in restaurants tastes somuch better than food preparedat home. The secret? Besides

years of training, chefs useplenty of butter and

salt. What’s notto love? Real

butter makeseverythingbetter, but

salt is a different story. The prop-er amount of salt is imperative,but the kind of salt is even moreimportant. Top chefs know thisand have been using specialtysalts for years.

Salt has always played a rolein society. The ancient Greekstraded salt for slaves resulting inthe phrase “not worth his salt.”Roman soldiers were partiallypaid in salt—the word “salt”comes from the Latin wordsalarium, meaning salary. Today,salt has over 40,000 applicationsfrom manufacturing to medi-cine, but to most of us, its mainfunction is in the kitchen.

Like so many things, saltshave become trendy—red saltfrom Hawaii, Jurassic salt fromUtah, and the multitude of seasalts from Europe. Is the salttrend overrated, or are some ofthose Mediterranean sea saltsreally worth $30 a pound? Well,maybe, but you need to knowthe basics before deciding.

Table salt

Table salt (granular salt) is whatmost of us know. It is mined and

processed to form small, uni-formly shaped cubes. Additivesare added to prevent caking andsome medical problems. Mosttable salt is mined like coal orextracted by forcing water downinto subterranean salt deposits.The resulting brine is pumpedout and processed to form tiny,dense, cube shapes that don’t dissolve very well.

Kosher salt

Kosher salt is made by compact-ing granular salt between rollerswhich produces large irregularflakes. This shape allows the salt to easily draw blood whenapplied to freshly butcheredmeat (part of the kosheringprocess). Unlike table salt, koshersalt contains no additives.

Sea salt

Sea salt is created when oceanwaters flood shallow beds alongcoastlines. During the summermonths, the water evaporatesleaving large salt crystals. Thedifferent waters and mineralsfrom the surrounding land lendtheir flavors to these flaky salts.

allabout

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What to use

At $30 a pound, you need toexercise good judgment whenselecting salts for your kitchen—especially exotic salts.

For regular cooking, nothingbeats 70¢ a pound kosher salt. Itblends well, is clean-tasting, easyto cook with, and additive free.

All of the qualities ofexpensive salts get

lost during cooking. Their valueis geared towards finished food—that is, sprinkling on top of foodjust before serving. Texture aswell as taste become importantfor a finishing salt.

My favorites, hands down,are Fleur de Sel and Maldon seasalts. Their flavors are mild andtheir textures pleasingly crisp.

Kosher SaltKosher is granular salt that’spressed together. If you look at it microscopically, each grainresembles an ancient Egyptianpyramid—stacked cubes thathave weathered. Why am I tellingyou this? It’s the design thatmakes kosher so good. This struc-ture dissolves easily and impartsplenty of flavor (without over-salting) because of its large surfacearea. We use it in our test kitchen.

Table SaltExcept for baking, I haven’t usedtable salt in years. It always seemsto taste really salty and harsh.The reality is that it isn’t any salti-er than other salts, it’s just thatthe crystals are small and don’tdissolve well. Because of this, the crystals tend to linger on the surface of the tongue.

Maldon Sea SaltBesides Fleur de Sel, England’sMaldon sea salt is worth its $11a pound price. A good “finish-ing salt” that gets its delicate flavor from a tradition of boilingthe sea water to form hollowpyramid-shaped crystals. You canactually crush the crystalsbetween your fingers. This makesfor a light taste on your tongue.

Fleur de SelA finishing salt that I think isworth its high price tag. A by-product of Sel Gris, Fleur de Sel iscreated only when the winds arecalm and the days are warm. It ison these rare few days that thegray salt “blooms” lacy, whitecrystals. This is the “flower ofsalt” and is carefully skimmedfrom the surface. Use sparinglyon foods just before serving.

Sel Gris “Gray salt” is harvested on France’sAtlantic coast where shallow basins areflooded with ocean water. Evaporationtakes place between May and Septemberwhen artisan harvesters rake the salt tothe edge of each bed. The salt picks upits gray color and distinct flavor fromminerals in the bed’s clay bottom.

Red Alae Hawaiian Sea SaltHawaiian red and black sea salts (blacknot shown) are specialty finishing salts.While they look cool, their flavor is abit strange. Red salt has an iron tastefrom the soil that’s used to add colorwhile the black salt tends to have a sul-furic aroma from added purified lava.



making omeletschefathome: Howard Helmer

Howard Helmer’s message is simple: Making an omelet should

not be intimidating. It’s fast, easy, and anyone can do it!

The world’s fastest omelet maker,Howard Helmer has twice earnedthe Guinness Book record, cook-ing up a whopping 427 omeletsin just 30 minutes. His manytelevision appearances includeOprah, Good Morning America,and The Food Network.

As National Representativefor the American Egg Board,Howard criss-crosses the countryeach year demonstrating cookingtechniques for both professionaland home cooks. Visit aeb.orgfor incredible egg information,safety facts, and recipes.

Howard’s most emphaticomelet advice is “Please, pleasedon’t overcook the eggs!” It pullsthe moisture out, leaving theomelet tough and dry. And leavethe three-egg omelets to therestaurants—two eggs are perfect.

Giving us three differentrecipes, Howard teaches thebasic omelet technique, a jazzytortilla omelet wrap, and acreamy French variation.

Enthusiasm exudes from HowardHelmer as he demonstrates howto make an omelet. He repeatshis unique “dig a hole and fill it”technique as he whips out 40-second omelets one after another,proving that omelet-making isindeed as easy as it looks! Evenbeginners can do it in less thantwo minutes. Once you learn thetechnique, you’ll never be at aloss for a quick, wonderful meal.

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Howard Helmer omelet lesson

HERB & THREE-CHEESEOMELETMAKES ONE OMELET


WHIP:2 eggs1 T. half-and-half, milk, or water1 T. chopped fresh chives (or

other fresh herb)Salt and pepper to taste

MELT:1/2 T. butterPOUR IN EGG MIXTURE;ADD:6 T. grated cheeses (3 T. Swiss,

2 T. Cheddar, 1 T. Parmesan)

Whip eggs with liquid, chives, salt,and pepper. Make sure all the whiteis fully incorporated.Melt butter over high heat in a 10"nonstick skillet coated with cookingspray. Heat until bubbly.Pour egg mixture into skillet, pullingthem toward the center from eachside. Remove from heat when eggsno longer run but are still quite moist.

Add cheeses to top half of omelet,fold, then invert onto a plate. Let rest1 minute before serving.

{Melt butter in a briefly preheated pan. Addeggs as soon as butter begins to bubble. Don’tlet butter brown—it affects flavor and color.

{Pull eggs from outer edge to center of the pan, tilting so rawegg fills the hole.

{Add fillings to front half of omeletwhen egg is still wet, but not runny.

<Lift skillet, scootingomelet until it hangsan inch over the edge,resting on a plate.Quickly invert ontoplate so the undersideof the omelet is up.

Gently lift omelet half to fold. Don’tworry if it tears—it won’t show. }

Making an omelet isn’t complicated,but there is a technique to learn.

Equipment: Omelets require justtwo tools—a skillet and spatula. Usea 10-inch nonstick skillet (slope-sided)so the eggs don’t cling. A narrowturning spatula made of plastic orwood won’t scratch the pan.

Liquid: An omelet can be madewith eggs alone, but adding a littleliquid loosens the egg so it movesfreely in the pan. The type of liquidis up to you. Water produces a lightomelet, while dairy products makethe flavor and texture richer.

Fat: Butter is melted in the skillet for the sole purpose of addingflavor to the omelet. The nonstickskillet and spray ensure easy release.

Heat: The key to a tender omeletis quick cooking over high (but notscorching) heat. High heat is not an

egg’s enemy—it’s too muchtime over the heat that tight-ens the proteins, squeezingall the moisture out.

Pulling: Howard’s “diga hole and fill it” techniqueworks like this: Pull the eggsfrom the outer edge to thecenter of the pan, tilting asyou go so raw egg covers theempty surface. Repeat thisprocess, pulling from eachside of the pan. When asmall mound forms in thecenter and the edges are set, rollexcess liquid to the outer edges. It’sready to fill when the egg no longerruns. It may appear moist, but resid-ual heat will firm up the omelet asit makes its way to the table.

Filling and folding: Howardsays anything goes for fillings. Theomelet method will still be the same.

With eggs set but still moist, addthe fillings to one side of the omelet,opposite and perpendicular to thehandle. Now use a spatula to foldthe unfilled half over the filled half.Grasp the pan’s handle and “roll”the omelet out onto a plate.



WHIP:2 eggs1 T. half-and-half, milk, or water

Salt and pepper to tasteWARM:1 10-inch flour tortillaMELT:1/2 T. butterPOUR IN EGG MIXTURE;TOP WITH:1/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese,

grated1/3 cup cooked ham, diced2 T. red bell pepper, diced2 T. scallions, diced1 T. jalapeño, seeded, dicedSLIDE ONTO:

Warmed tortilla CUT AND SERVE WITH:

Salsa or avocado-tomato relish

chefathome: Howard Helmer

{ In a preheated skillet, warmtortilla 5–10 seconds on each side.

{Cook omelet following steps on Page 23,without folding; fill and slide onto tortilla.

{Fold bottom and side edges in, thenroll up omelet and tortilla together.

{Carefully cut wrap in half at anangle. To serve, lean one half on topof other so cut side is visible.

Whip eggs, liquid, and seasonings.Warm tortilla in skillet; set aside.Melt butter in a 10" nonstick skilletcoated with cooking spray overhigh heat. Heat until bubbly.Pour in egg mixture. Pull eggstoward the center from each side.Remove from heat when eggs nolonger run but are still quite moist.

Top with filling ingredients,sprinkling them over entire omelet.Slide omelet onto warmed tortilla.To roll, first fold bottom edge oftortilla up 1", then fold sides in 1".Begin rolling, ending seam sidedown. Let rest for 1 minute, thencut omelet in half.Cut and serve with salsa or avocado-tomato relish.

TORTILLA OMELET WRAPThe tortilla makes this omelet an especially hearty breakfast or lunch.

Serve with salsa, or avocados and tomatoes tossed with lime juice.MAKES ONE OMELET; TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES

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FRENCH OMELET WITHSPINACH & SWISS CHEESEMAKES ONE OMELET


WHIP:2 eggs1 T. half-and-half, milk, or water

Salt and pepper to tasteMELT:1/2 T. butterPOUR IN EGG MIXTURE;ADD:1/3 cup Swiss cheese, grated1/3 cup sauteed spinach, drainedGARNISH WITH:1 T. sour cream

Strip of lemon peel

Whip eggs, liquid, and seasonings.Melt butter in a 10" nonstick skillet coated with cooking sprayover high heat. Heat until bubbly.Pour egg mixture into skillet.Immediately begin shaking the panwhile making small, quick stirringmotions. Remove from heat wheneggs no longer run but are stillquite moist.

Add cheese and spinach to tophalf of omelet. Fold in half andinvert onto a plate. Tuck the thinedges under the omelet if desired.Let rest for 1 minute.Garnish with a dollop of sourcream and a strip of lemon peel.

Stirred French omelet

The previous two omelets havelarge curds because of the gentlepull and fill technique you’vebeen using. It creates a firm, sturdy omelet that’s easy to fill.

However, if you like anomelet with a smoother, tendertexture, try this French omelet.The pan, butter, and eggs remainthe same. It’s after you add theeggs that the real action begins.

Simultaneously shake thepan and stir the eggs vigorouslywith a spatula. You will noticeimmediately that the curds aremuch smaller. Just like the otheromelets, as soon as the eggs nolonger run, the cooking is fin-ished. Now add the fillings andfold out onto a plate. Voilà.

<Add fillings to front half of theomelet when eggs are still moist,but not runny. Fold and serve.

{Roll excess liquid around to theedges of the omelet.

{Shake the pan while makingsmall, quick stirring motions.



basiccuisine

Many recipes call for crèmefraîche, a thick, tangy Frenchcream similar to sour cream,but smoother and richer. Itsbody and thickness comesfrom natural bacteria inunpasteurized cream. Butsince this is an unpasteurizedprocess, we have to impro-

vise in the States by using the naturalfermenting agents in buttermilk. Mix 1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup buttermilk,and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Coverand let sit at room temperature 6–8hours, then refrigerate. Crème fraîcheis great for cooking because of its richflavor and stability—it doesn’t breakwhen heated, unlike sour cream.

making crème fraîcheClarifying butter is a process used toseparate the milk solids from the oilybutterfat in butter. You’ve probablyexperienced putting whole butter intoa hot pan—it quickly turns brown. Thatbrowning is the milk solids cooking.They just can’t tolerate higher heats.

To get the butter taste without thebrowning, clarify butter. Slowly meltwhole butter over low heat. You’ll eventually see three layers form. Thetop layer is foamy and made up of waterand milk—skim it off and discard. Thedeep yellow middle layer is the butter-fat—pour this off into a container. Thisis the clarified butter you want to usefor sauteing. What’s left in the bottomare the milk solids—pitch them.

clarifying butter

{Add buttermilkand lemon juiceto cream. Let sitat room temper-ature, then chill.Use when thick.

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To melt dark, milk, and white choco-lates for dipping or recipes, use a double boiler set over barely simmeringwater (a heatproof bowl nested over asaucepan makes a great double boiler).Take the chocolate off the heat beforeall lumps are totally gone—they’ll meltas the chocolate sits. Microwaving on high power works too,but stir the chocolate every 30 seconds to keep it from scorching.

If using a double boiler,it’s critical that no water orsteam gets in the chocolate.Just a drop will cause thechocolate to “seize,” or stiffen, and render it useless.

deglazing a panmelting chocolate

Chop the choco-late into smallpieces for quick,even melting. }

After sauteing or roast-ing, look at the bottomof the pan. Those darkfood particles stuck tothe bottom are caramel-ized drippings from meatjuices. This is called“fond,” a French termloosely meaning bottomor foundation. Fond is loaded with flavor, and can be used to make gravyor added to sauces. The best way tocapture these flavorful deposits is bydeglazing. Add any liquid like wine,stock, or water to the pan and startscraping vigorously while bringing theliquid to a boil. This is your “foundationof flavor” for sauce or gravy.

{Deglaze the panwith liquid, thenscrape the bottomto loosen the fond.


Choosing Ribs: Serving goodribs begins with picking the rightones. Advertising has convincedus that baby back ribs are the onlyribs to buy. They’re okay, but fortexture and flavor, the spareribis the clear winner. Here’s why.

Picture the side of a pig anddraw a line dividing the top fromthe bottom. Tender loin cuts runalong the top but lack flavorsince they don’t get much exer-cise. Baby back ribs come fromthis area and are simply an exten-sion of pork chops. They arehardly even ribs and usually havenothing to do with younger pigs.

Now, picture the lower halfof the pig. This is where the ribsare located that protect all thebreathing parts. These ribs areexercised constantly making thesurrounding meat flavorful. Youknow how flavorful bacon (porkbelly) is. It’s a close neighbor. So,without a doubt, for the mostflavorful ribs, buy spareribs.

Use your oven to make spareribs juicy and tender. Then grill

them quickly to deliver knock-out outdoor flavor.

grilled ribsthe secret to easy

cuisinetechnique

So, you’re going to buy ribs?There are two choices—baby back andspare. True rib enthusiasts will tell you thereis only one—spare. I agree.

Baby BacksFrom the loin rib section.Real baby backs are froma young pig and weighabout a pound. If theyweigh more than that,they’re not baby backs.

SpareribsThese 13 ribs are alsocalled “3 and down”because they weigh 3 pounds or less. Notethe hump at top. Thisis the breast plate andfeather bones. Removeand grill with ribs.


Good ribs are an art form. To dothem right, most hardcore ribcookers smoke them for hours ina carefully controlled 200–225°outdoor smoker. This makes agreat rib, but the attention thisprocess requires can be too timeconsuming. So what do you dowhen you want to eat a few ribswithout the fuss? Oven-roast,then give them a quick grilling.

By slow-roasting the ribs firstin an oven, you ensure this toughcut will be tender. Then, for thatoutdoor flavor, finish them onthe grill with your favorite sauce.

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Trimming and docking ribs

Rub and roasting ribs

You first have to trim the ribs toremove the tough membraneand bony ends of the ribs.

Trimming: You can do thisyourself or have the butcher doit for you. It’s not hard.

To start, trim the little pieceof flap (skirt) from the sinew sideof the ribs, Figure 1. You can grillthis along with the ribs.

Next, cut off the breast plateand flexible feather bones thatform the rounded part of the ribs,Figure 2. You can leave them, butfor a uniform look, cut them off.This is called St. Louis style.

All ribs have a sinewy mem-brane that won’t melt awaywhen cooked. This has to beremoved. Grab the corner of thismembrane with a paper toweland slowly pull it away from thebones, Figure 3.

Finally, trim any unusuallyfatty areas and dock between thebones, Figures 4 and 5. You’renow ready to apply a rub.

Season the ribs with your favoriterub, cover with foil, and let themsit for about an hour. Longerexposure to the rub isn’t neces-sary since most of the flavor willpenetrate the ribs in the firsthour. Besides, the rub will con-tinue to flavor the meat whilecooking for several hours.

Double check the foil to makesure it fits snugly around the pan.Now, slow-roast the ribs in a 250°oven for about two hours. Thisisn’t an exact science so checkthe ribs after 11/2 hours. You wantthe meat to pull away from thebone, Figure 8. Now, you’re readyto grill.


1 Remove the skirt flapfrom the sinew side of theribs. This can be grilled.

2 Cut off the breast plate andfeather bones. This can be grilled.

3 Remove the sinewymembrane by pullingwith a paper towel.

4 Trim some ofthe unnecessaryfat from the ribs.

5 “Dock” the meatbetween the bonesfor extra flavor.

6 Apply the rubusing your hands.

7 Cover sheet pan tightly withaluminum foil.

8 These ribs roasted for 2 hours.The meat has pulled away fromthe bones and the fat has ren-dered. Roasting may take longer.



asian lime ribsPork and Asian flavors naturally go together. The refreshingly light

tastes of ginger and lime make this a perfect summer dinner.

Once you taste this Asian Lime sauce,you’ll want to put it on everything!What’s interesting about this sauce is itscomplexity—sweet, tart, spicy, full-bod-ied, yet light-tasting. It has several layersof flavor. But perhaps the best thing aboutAsian Lime sauce is it’s not hard tomake—no cooking required.

The rub is simple to make as well. Youshould have most of these spices in yourpantry. If you don’t, make it easy on your-self. Go to your grocery store and buy fivespice powder—it’ll be sitting with the restof the spices. It is almost the same as therub recipe except it has star anise and fennel—both add a nice touch of flavor.

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3 Allow ribs torest for10 min-utes. Hold therack verticallyon a cuttingboard. Cut theribs betweenthe bones.

2 When the outside of the ribsbegin to char, they are ready.

1 Slather sauce over ribseach time you turn.

ASIAN LIME RIBSServe plenty of sauce on the sidefor dipping the ribs. MAKES 26 SPARERIBS

FOR RIB RUB—COMBINE; RUB ON TWO RACKS

OF SPARERIBS:2 T. ground cinnamon2 T. kosher salt2 T. black pepper1 T. ground cloves1 T. ground coriander

FOR THE ASIAN-LIME SAUCE—STIR TOGETHER:3 T. ginger, coarsely chopped2 T. garlic, coarsely chopped3/4 cup rice vinegar1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce1/2 cup ketchup1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro1/3 cup fresh lime juice1/3 cup brown sugar1/4 cup hoisin sauce2 T. dark sesame oil1 T. crushed red pepper flakes

GRILL; SERVE WITH:Cucumber SaladAsian-Lime dipping sauce

Prepare two racks of spareribsas on Page 29.Combine ingredients for ruband apply to ribs. Cover andrefrigerate for 1 hour. Roastaccording to instructions onPage 29.Stir together ingredients forsauce. Brush on roasted racks ofribs before grilling.Grill over medium-high heat atotal of 15 minutes. Serve ribswith Asian-Lime Sauce andchilled mint cucumbers.

Grilling ribsmake it a menu

Keep the menu light andrefreshing with this crunchy

cucumber salad. It’s perfect fora summer meal, but tastes

great any time of year.

Asian Lime Spareribs

Cucumbers withMint Vinaigrette

Lemon Sorbet

After the ribs have been rubbedand roasted, you’re only 15 min-utes away from eating somemighty fine barbecue.

Grilling: Before you heat upthe grill, you’ll need to coat itwith a nonstick spray. This saucehas sugar in it and tends to stickto the grate when the sugar meltsfrom the heat.

Simply lift up the grate andspray it thoroughly. You can alsorub the grate with an oil-soakedpaper towel. Whatever you do,just don’t spray the grate whilethe flame is on—it’ll flare up andcould back up into the can.

Now, preheat the grill tomedium-high. Coat the ribs withsauce and place on the grill.When they begin to develop a little black char on them, flip andbrush again with sauce, Figure 1.

Repeat this process at leasttwice so that the ribs becomewell glazed and nicely charred,Figure 2. This will take only about

15 minutes. With the ribs

grilled, you areready to serve. Ona cutting board,hold the rack ver-tically and cutbetween bones,Figure 3. Servewith chilled mintcucumbers andplenty of extrasauce for dipping.

What ishoisin sauce?[Hoy-sihn] is asweet and spicysauce madefrom soybeans,garlic, andchile pepper.Widely used inChinese cook-ing, it’s readilyavailable inmost grocerystores.

{Use English cucumber slicedthinly on a mandoline. Therough, green peel is attractive.

CUCUMBERS WITHMINT VINAIGRETTEEven if you’re not a fan ofcucumbers, you must try this. It’sthe perfect palate cleanserbetween bites of each spicy rib. MAKES 4 CUPS

PUREE IN BLENDER:10–15 fresh mint leaves1/4 cup sugar1/4 cup rice vinegar2 t. fresh ginger, chopped1/2 t. crushed red pepper

flakesTOSS WITH:1 English cucumber,

thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

Puree in blender the mintleaves, sugar, vinegar, ginger,and red pepper flakes.Toss with thinly slicedcucumber. Serve chilled.


cuisinereview

enamored with them the firsttime I saw the results—smooth-edged, danger-free lids and cans.And the lid fits right back on to store things like dog food.Pretty slick.

Each particular brand attachesto the can a little differently.While they may seem tricky orunfamiliar at first, like most tools,after the first few times it becomessecond nature. And because thecutting mechanisms don’t comein contact with food, they stayclean and don’t accumulate acrusty buildup.

But safety lid openers maynot be for everyone. Because theyactually cut through the thickrim of the lid, more turning effortis usually required than with aquality traditional opener. Andthey often cut into a line of glueused on many cans, so thatstrands of gummy glue stretchand lift as the lid is removed.

And the winner is . . .

Happily there’s something foreveryone here. As it turns out,openers in both categories receivedour highest rating. And interest-ingly enough, they were the mostexpensive and least expensive ofthe 22 tested. Buy these openersat kitchenware stores (prices mayvary slightly).

Cutting mechanisms

Here’s a close-up look at theway openers are driven.

The requirements for a good hand-held can opener are

pretty simple: to cut open a can quickly and capably, with as

little effort as possible. So who meets the standard?

We went through case after caseof chili beans to determine thebest openers on the market.Starting with 22 name-brandopeners, we whittled the final-ists down to eight. Among thosenot making the first cut weresome big names, a few gimmicky,“inventive” ones, even an “AsSeen on TV” model.

While hand-crank can open-ers come in a myriad of styles,they all fall into two basic cate-gories: The traditional openerthat cuts the lid off inside therim, and the safety lid openerthat cuts the lid from the outsideof the can, on the rim, so thewhole lid lifts off.

Traditional openers

Traditional openers are familiarand straightforward to operate.They attach to cans without

much thought, and then cutwith a gear-driven mecha-nism, see right. The lid is cut

off completely, then dropsinto the can. (To prevent the lid

from dropping in, stop justshort of finishing the

cut, leaving a thinthread of metal.)

Safety openers

Then there are safetylid openers. I became

{Rösle safety lid: In a designcategory by itself, the revolu-tionary Rösle mounts from theside, with the support arch(shown above) resting on topof the can. It rolls around thecan powered by a notched driving gear, while the cuttingwheel penetrates the outer rim.

{Gear-driven: Traditionalopeners rely on gears (theheavily notched wheels) tomove around the can and turnthe blade.

{Standard safety lid:Mounting from the top, anotched circle hugs the innerrim and rotates, as the nearlyhidden blade cuts into the outside of the rim.

can openers

32 C u i s i n e a t h o m e DE


Rösle★★★★★

Pedrini Ergo Soft★★★

Available in transparent (shown)or white, the top-mounting Zylissattaches easily to the can and cuts into the rim at thepoint where the lid is welded onto the can. But turningdoes require some effort. Lid removal is with a beakdesigned to grab and lift. Zyliss features an impressivefive-year warranty and is dishwasher safe. Watch for animproved model on the market within a year.

Chantal★★★★

price: $24.99

Swing-A-Way★★★★★

safety lid traditional

Introduced last year, German engineering produced asafety lid opener that’s a cut above the rest. So sleek andcompact, it doesn’t appear capable of opening anything.But not so! The weighty single handle attaches easilyfrom the side, then moves around the rim with smoothturning action, cutting at a level that usually misses thenasty “glue line.” The opener removes the lid by simplylifting up, and carries an incredible lifetime warranty.

Kuhn Rikon DeluxeSafety Lid Lifter★★★★

price: $24.95

Made in Italy, the PedriniErgo Soft is sold in sev-eral different finishes and colors, but they all share thesame cutting mechanism and general design features—like the raised soft-grip handles that are designed to moldto each hand. While certainly capable, the Pedrini turnswith considerable effort. This opener is dishwasher safeand boasts a lifetime warranty.

On the market for threeyears, Kuhn Rikon offerstwo top-mounting Safety Lid Lifter models. Both thewhite plastic and deluxe stainless steel versions are builtwith identical cutting mechanisms and attach to thecan exactly the same. Each carries a two-year warranty.

Their differences are both aesthetic and operational.While the plastic version is considerably lighter in weightand cost, the handsome, well-balanced stainless versionedged ahead with a more comfortable turning knob thatseems to rotate just a little easier.

The patented Lid Gripper located on the side ofeach opener looks like a tiny beak. It works as

its name implies, grabbingthe lid and lifting it off.

That they are notdishwasher safe isn’t aserious flaw. The gearsnever actually come incontact with contents ofthe can, and stay prettyclean as a result.

Elegant comfort marks the Chantalopener. The long, contoured handlesare shaped so well they don’t need any

padding. Filled with a nonreactive cement that keepsthem in perfect balance, they fit any size hand com-fortably. It attaches with ease and rolls masterfullyaround the can, but doesn’t consis-tently cut the lid offentirely. Dishwasherfriendly, it has alifetime warranty.

Since they began man-ufacturing hand-heldopeners in 1955, Swing-A-Way has sold over 200 million. And they’ve done it allwith the same original model (#407, above) and the newerComfort Grip (#709, below), carrying five-year warranties.

Mechanically identical, both openers attach with apowerful pop, then roll around the can with unmatchedease. While the original model is quite comfortable, theComfort Grip kicks it up a notch with a chunkier handlethat offers more padding. To keep your opener spinningsmoothly, wipe with a damp cloth, then dry.

Still made at their factory in St. Louis, it’s the mostreadily available opener on the market. But don’t be mis-led by knock-offs. The name Swing-A-Way is imprintedon every opener. Watch for their upscale Signature linein kitchenware stores soon.

price: $15.95

price:$6.99

price: $15.00

price: $34.99 price: $12.99

Kuhn Rikon Safety Lid Lifter★★★★

price: $7.99

Zyliss Safe ’N Secure★★★

Swing-A-Way Comfort Grip★★★★★



then&now

In Issue 19 there’s a great recipe forLasagna with Bolognese Sauce.Trouble is, making it takes a lot oftime—five hours just for the sauce!

This recipe illustrates that goodlasagna need not be a culinaryordeal. For one thing, making themeat sauce takes just 30 minutes,with no sacrifice in flavor. Second,instead of ricotta filling, a simplemilk based béchamel [bay-shah-MEHL] sauce adds creaminess—as

well as a kick from Boursin [boor-SAHN] cheese. And third, addingfrozen spinach to the béchameleliminates the need for blanchingSwiss chard leaves (use baggedfrozen spinach, not the kind in abox; it thaws faster in the sauce).

Fresh mozzarella is the finaladjustment to the old recipe, mak-ing this lasagna rich and gooey.Part-skim “pizza” mozzarella worksfine, but it won’t ooze as much.

8-layer

... and now

this recipe streamlines

things. The sauce is made

in a fraction of the time,

and frozen spinach is put

to good use. Making

lasagna is still a labor of

love, but here the labor

isn’t as intense.

then...

A long-simmered meat

sauce and blanched Swiss

chard make a great

lasagna—but who has

time to make it?

lasagna

DE


8-LAYER LASAGNABoth the meat and béchamel sauces can be made the day before assembly

and chilled. The assembled lasagna may also be frozen—thaw before baking.MAKES ONE 9X13X3" PAN; TOTAL TIME: 21/2 HOURS

FOR THE MEAT SAUCE—BROWN:11/2 lb. ground chuck11/2 lb. ground mild Italian sausageADD:2 cups yellow onion, diced2 T. garlic, minced2 T. tomato paste2 t. each dried basil, thyme, and

oregano1/2 t. red pepper flakes1 bay leafSTIR IN; SIMMER:1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes

in puree1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes,

drained3/4 cup beef broth or water2 T. balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE BÉCHAMEL—SAUTE IN 1/4 CUP UNSALTED BUTTER:1 cup yellow onion, diced1/8 t. cayenne

Pinch nutmegSTIR IN:1/3 cup all-purpose flourGRADUALLY ADD:3 cups whole milk10 oz. Boursin cheese, see below

Salt to tasteWHISK IN:8 oz. frozen chopped spinach1 egg, beatenTO ASSEMBLE—PREPARE:1 lb. oven-ready lasagna sheets,

parboiled, see Page 261 lb. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced6 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400° with rack inthe center.Brown the meats in a large sautepan over medium-high heat; spoonoff as much of the fat as possible.Add onions, garlic, tomato paste,and seasonings. Saute until onionsoftens, about 8 minutes.Stir in both types of tomatoes,broth, vinegar, salt, and pepper.Simmer over medium heat until most of the liquid is evaporated,about 10 minutes; set aside.Saute onion for the béchamel inmelted butter in a saucepan overmedium heat. Add onion, cayenne,and nutmeg; cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir oftento prevent scorching.

Stir in flour to coat; cook 2 minutes.Gradually add milk, stirring untilsmooth. Simmer until thickened,about 5 minutes. Add Boursin insmall pieces and whisk until smooth;season with salt. Set aside 1 cupbéchamel for the top of the lasagna.Cool remaining sauce for 10 minutes.Whisk in frozen spinach and egg.Prepare lasagna sheets as on Page 36; have both cheeses ready.

Assemble lasagna as on Page 36.Bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes,or until bubbly and top is golden.Allow lasagna to rest 20–30 minutesbefore cutting and serving.

{Boursin is a soft, triple-creamcheese flavored with herbs and garlic.If you can’t find it, Alouette is another good brand.

onlinextraoriginal recipe

Look under Issue 43

http://www.cuisineathome.com/learnmore/oe-43.html



The anatomy of lasagna

{Although pasta sheets are “oven-ready,” they tend tobreak during assembly. Boil sheets until pliable, 1 min.,then arrange in single layers on a foil-lined, sprayedbaking sheet. Separate each layer with sprayed foil.

Coat a 9x13x3" casserole withnonstick spray; spread 1/3 cupbéchamel on the bottom (it willbe a thin layer). Lay three pastasheets across the bottom of thepan, then spread another 1/3 cupbéchamel over them.

Spread 1 cup meat sauce on thebéchamel (the meat sauce won’tcompletely cover the pasta; it’sfine if the sauces blend). Topwith mozzarella, sprinkle withParmesan, then lay three morepasta sheets across the bottom.

Keep layering in this manneruntil all the pasta is used.Spread the last pasta layer withthe reserved béchamel, thensprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake lasagna, uncovered,until hot, bubbly, and browned.Let rest 20–30 minutes beforecutting to set the fillings.

DE



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chicken alfredolasagna

CHICKEN ALFREDOLASAGNAMAKES ONE 9X13X3" PAN

TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 21/2 HOURS

FOR THE CHICKEN—BROWN IN 2 T. OLIVE OIL:2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken

breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste

SAUTE IN 2 T. OLIVE OIL:2 cups leeks, sliced, rinsed1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced2 T. garlic, minced2 t. each dried basil, thyme,

and oregano1/2 t. red pepper flakesSTIR IN:1/2 cup dry white wine1/2 cup chicken broth

Juice of 1/2 a lemonSalt and pepper to tasteSauteed chicken, thinly sliced

FOR THE LASAGNA—PREPARE:1 recipe Béchamel, Page 351 lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced6 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated1 lb. oven-ready lasagna sheets,

parboiled, Page 36

Brown chicken on both sides inoil in a large saute pan over med.-high heat, 4–5 minutes per side.Remove to a cutting board; thinlyslice when cool enough to handle.Saute leeks in oil in the same panuntil softened. Add mushrooms,garlic, and seasonings. Cook untilmushrooms are soft, about 3 min.Stir in wine, broth, lemon juice,and seasonings; simmer 5–8 min-utes, or until liquid is reduced byhalf. Off heat, add the chicken.Prepare remaining ingredientsfor lasagna; assemble and bake ason Page 36. Let rest 20–30 min-utes before cutting and serving.

This recipe proves how versatile lasagnais. Except for the chicken-based sauce, it’sidentical to the one on Page 35. That said,though, the two are worlds apart in termsof how they taste. Which recipe is better?That’s your call—make both to find out!

It’s not necessary to cook the chickenall the way through when you brown it.A pink tinge in the middle is fine. It’ll fin-ish cooking through as the lasagna bakes.

option

If you like Fettuccine Alfredo, you’ll love this dish. Full of

chicken and mushrooms, it’s got flavor written all over it.

<Trim off the dark green part ofthe leek. Cut the lighter part inhalf lengthwise, slice into half-moons, then rinse to clean.


EasydipsGot chips? You’ll want plenty because these

simple-to-do dips put dairy case versions to

shame. A party has never tasted better!


fasterwithfewer

Blend all ingredients exceptbacon and scallions in a foodprocessor until fairly smooth.Saute bacon until crisp; drain.Reserve some bacon bits andscallions for garnish, then foldthe remainder into the cheesemixture. Chill at least 1 hour.Garnish dip with reservedbacon and scallions.Serve with breadsticks,sliced cucumbers, or roundsof sliced toasted baguette.

3/4 cup sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded

4 oz. cream cheese,softened

1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise1/4 cup bottled roasted red

peppers, diced2 t. Tabasco

Salt to taste2 pieces thick-sliced bacon,

diced3 scallions, sliced (1/2 cup)

Flavored breadsticks

RED PEPPER CHEDDAR DIPThere’s not much that doesn’t taste good with this dip

smeared on it—potato chips, cucumbers, breadsticks, they’reall terrific. It does wonders for a roast beef sandwich too.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS; TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES

SUN-DRIED TOMATO DIPCut calories by using reduced fat cream cheese and yogurt.

This also makes a great spread on a chicken sandwich!MAKES ABOUT 21/2 CUPS; TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES

8 oz. cream cheese, softened1 cup plain lowfat yogurt3/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried

tomatoes, drained1/3 cup shallots, coarsely

chopped (about 3 shallots)1 T. fresh lemon juice1/2 t. lemon zest, minced1/2 t. kosher salt1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley1 T. minced fresh tarragon

Bagel chips

Fold the herbs into the dip,then chill before serving. >

< Fold bacon and scallions into the dip(save some for garnish). Chill before serving toblend flavors.

Blend cream cheese, yogurt,tomatoes, shallots, lemonjuice, zest, and salt in a foodprocessor until smooth.Fold in parsley and tarragon,then chill for at least 1 hour.Serve with bagel chips.

DE


CURRIED AVOCADO DIPThis lightly spicy dip is perfect on chilled poached shrimp,

cucumber spears, or lime-flavored tortilla chips. Serve it within an hour of making or it will darken a bit.

MAKES ABOUT 21/2 CUPS; TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 15 MINUTES

8 oz. feta cheese,crumbled

8 oz. cream cheese 1/2 cup mayonnaise

or plain yogurt1/2 cup pickled peppers

(pepperoncini and/or sweet red cherry peppers), sliced

1/4 cup scallions, sliced 1/2 t. lemon zest, minced

Black pepper to tasteExtra-virgin olive oilBBQ potato chips

FETA PEPPER DIPMy brother, Jerry, makes a feta dip that inspired this version.

Our favorite dipping “utensils” for it are BBQ potato chips, butit’s also an awesome spread for beef or lamb burgers.

MAKES ABOUT 21/2 CUPS; TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES

1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, packed

1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt3 T. shredded sweetened

coconut2 T. fresh lime juice1 T. fresh ginger, chopped1/2 t. curry powder1 serrano or jalapeño,

seeded and sliced1 shallot, peeled, chopped

Salt to taste2 ripe avocados, peeled,

pitted, and choppedChilled poached shrimp,peeled and deveined

Blend all ingredients exceptthe avocado and shrimp in afood processor until minced.Scrape down the sides of thebowl to insure even blending.Add chopped avocado andblend until very smooth. Tastefor seasoning, then transfer toa serving dish.Serve with poached shrimp.

Blend feta, cream cheese, andmayonnaise in a food processoruntil smooth, scraping downsides of bowl periodically.Transfer to a mixing bowl.Fold in peppers, scallions,lemon zest, and black pepper.Transfer to a serving dish andchill dip for at least 1 hour.Drizzle dip with olive oil.Serve with BBQ potato chipsor toasted pita triangles.

Slice around avocado fromtop to bottom, then twisthalves to separate. }

Remove the stem of the pep-pers then slice into rings. It’sokay to leave the seeds in—thepeppers aren’t terribly spicy. }

{Strike the pit with the knifeblade, then twist it out. Peeloff the skin and chop.

Pickled peppers run the gamut fromsweet to a little spicy.The pepperoncinihave a bit of heat, so I balance the dip’sflavor by using mild, sweet cherrypeppers too.



2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 oz. each)

1 t. black pepper1/2 t. kosher salt2 cups bread crumbs1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried

tomatoes, drained, sliced 4 large garlic cloves, peeled1/2 cup all-purpose flour2 eggs2 T. water2 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°.

Prepare breast halves by trimming fat.Slice each breast in half lengthwise;pound to 1/2" thick. Season with pepperand salt.

Pulse bread crumbs, tomatoes,and garlic in a food processor. Transferto a shallow dish.

Place flour in a second shallow dish.Blend eggs and water with a fork in a third shallow dish.

Dredge both sides of chicken in flour,then dip into egg mixture to coat.Transfer chicken to crumb mixture andpat onto both sides; place on a bakingsheet or plate.

Heat oil in an ovenproof nonstick skilletover medium-high heat. Saute chicken 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Care-fully flip chicken, then place pan in oven.Roast 8–10 minutes, or until cookedthrough. Rest 5 minutes before serving.

sun-dried tomato crusted chicken MAKES 4 CHICKEN BREASTS


Make crumbs from 4 cups cubedFrench bread. You don’t want thecrumbs too fine—coarse is good.

Saute chicken, turning itbefore finishing in the oven.The tomato will be dark.

Dredge chicken in flour, dipinto egg wash to coat, thenpress into the crumbs.

We all know sun-dried tomatoeshave concentrated tomato flavor,but oil packed sun-dried tomatoesare twice as good—the oil is a mari-nade that adds more flavor, plusthey’re soft and ready to use.

I don’t say this much, but pleasemake the crumbs from scratch. First,they’re ten times better than storebought, and second, they’ll fry upcrispier. I can’t tell you how greatthey taste with the butter sauce!

But what makes this dish sogood is intensity. Tomatoes appearin both the crust and sauce. Goodflavor and looks—in minutes!

weeknight1 32--

1 3

Sun-dried tomatoes and crusty bread crumbs

combine for a delectably different fried chicken.

2DE


1 cup dry white wine2 T. capers, crushed2 T. fresh lemon juice1/2 cup cold unsalted butter,

thinly sliced1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried

tomatoes, drained, sliced 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Boil wine in a skillet untilreduced by half.Add capers and lemon juice;boil l min. Reduce heat to low.Whisk in butter one piece ata time, stirring constantly. Aseach melts, add another. Stirin tomatoes and parsley.

MAKES ABOUT1 CUP; TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES

FETA COUSCOUSMAKES 2 CUPS


PREPARE ACCORDING TO

PACKAGE DIRECTIONS:3/4 cup dry plain couscous

(to make 2 cups cooked)COMBINE WITH:1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled2 T. finely snipped fresh

chives

make it a menu

sunny butter sauceThis sauce is blended and thickened by stirring chilled butter into the wine reduction.

Add the sun-dried tomatoesat the end to preserve theirbright color. }



This traditionally Japanese beefdish makes the Zen-like case forless is more. Vegetables arewrapped in slices of flank steakthat have been pounded thin forquick broiling. The steak rolls arethen marinated briefly in a sim-ple mixture of vinegar and soysauce. The high heat of broilingquickly browns the beef andcooks the vegetables.

Don’t limit your recipe choic-es to asparagus and scallions.Portobello mushroom slices, bellpepper strips, or julienne zuc-chini are just a few of the othervegetable possibilities out there.

The marinade is reduced to asavory glaze for the steak, but theoptional red bell pepper dip alsomakes a spectacular addition.

Roll the beef with as little over-lap as possible for more uniformcooking. Secure with a toothpick.

Use a fine-mesh strainer toclarify the marinade beforereducing it to a glaze.

Arrange rolls on a pan, tooth-pick side down, then pour themarinade over them.

weeknight1 32--

1 2 3

secure with a toothpick. Place on a shallow baking pan in a single layer;roll remaining beef and vegetables.Combine remaining ingredients, pourover beef, and marinate 10 minutes.Meanwhile, prepare Garlic Lime Rice.Preheat broiler to high.

Broil steak rolls 5 minutes. Removefrom pan, tent with foil to keep warm,and strain marinade into a smallsaucepan. Remove toothpicks fromsteak rolls before serving.

Boil marinade until syrupy, about 5minutes. Spoon glaze over each serving.

MAKES 16 STEAK ROLLS

TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES WITH RICE

1 lb. flank steak, trimmed16 8"-asparagus spears trimmed16 8"-pieces scallion, trimmed6 T. seasoned rice vinegar6 T. low-sodium soy sauce4 t. sugar1 T. toasted sesame oil

Slice flank steak across the grain into16 strips, 1/4–1/2" thick. Pound each toabout 1/8" thick and season with salt and pepper.

Place one asparagus spear and onescallion across the short end of a strip ofbeef. Roll beef around vegetables and

With just a few ingredients and quick cooking,

this easy meal demonstrates that simplicity

can produce amazing results.

Seasoned Rice VinegarThis vinegar should stand rightnext to plain rice vinegar at thestore. Don’t let the “seasoned”part scare you—only sugar andsalt are added.

japanese steak rolls

DE

garlic lime riceMAKES 2 CUPS


1 T. olive oil3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced1 cup long-grain white rice2 cups water2 T. fresh lime juice1 t. kosher salt2 T. minced fresh cilantro2 t. lime zest, minced

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high. Add garlic; saute 3 min., or untilgolden brown. Stir in rice; saute 2 min.Add water, lime juice, and salt; bring toa boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer20 minutes, or until water is absorbed.Stir in cilantro and lime zest.

{Add rice to the lightlybrowned garlic. Briefly sauteit to add a toasted flavor.

RED BELL VINEGAR DIP

MAKES 11/2 CUPS


11/2 cups red bell pepper,seeded, chopped

2/3 cup distilled vinegar1/3 cup sugar1/2 t. red pepper flakes1/2 t. cornstarch

Combine and blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transferto a saucepan; boil 5 minutes.


sauce option



Little lamb chops with jalapeño

jelly make a perfect weeknight

meal—fast, flavorful, and easy.

These little grocery store lambchops are right on the weeknighttarget. From start to finish, din-ner can be on the table in aboutan hour! And while not exactlylow fat, they’re hardly loadedwith calories—about 250 perchop. Add the muddled-herbpotatoes and you have a flavor-ful 400 calorie dinner ... not bad!

4 lamb loin chops1 T. all-purpose flour1 T. spicy steak seasoning

(such as Spice Islands)1 T. olive oil1/2 cup chicken broth1/2 cup jalapeño jelly1 jalapeño, seeded, sliced2 T. chopped fresh mint

Trim fat from chops. Combine flourand steak seasoning; dredge bothsides of each chop in flour mixture.

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high. Add chops; sear 5 min.per side for medium-rare. Removechops from pan; keep warm.

Add broth to pan, scraping up any

lamb chops with jalapeño mint sauceMAKES 4 CHOPS


brown bits. Stir in jelly and jalapeño;bring to a boil, stirring until jelly melts.Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.

Off heat, stir in mint. To serve, drizzleabout 3 T. sauce over each chop.

Option: For a little less spiciness and abit sweeter flavor, substitute seedlessraspberry jelly for the jalapeño jelly.

This lamb chop recipe givesyou a powerfully fast and fla-vorful twist on the traditionalmint jelly accompaniment. Ifyou’re sensitive to heat, simplyleave out the fresh jalapeño.

The herbed potatoes are a per-fect side dish. “Muddling” herbs(a method borrowed from bar-tending), is just rough mixing.

So the chops cook evenly anddon’t curl in the pan, trim offthe outer rim of fat.

Add the mint off heat tokeep it bright green andfresh tasting.

Sear 10 minutes, turning oncefor medium-rare. Adjust cook-ing time for desired doneness.

weeknight1 32--

1 2 3DE


Can't find lamb loin chops?Boneless, skinless chickenbreasts or thighs also work well.Just saute them about 6 minuteson each side.

For a faster side dish,try instant polenta or couscous.Follow package directions foryield and method. At the end,add the herb mixture and “muddle” as directed, left.

muddled-herb potatoesMAKES 4 CUPS


2 lb. small red potatoes,quartered

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives1 T. chopped fresh rosemary1 T. extra-virgin olive oil1 t. kosher salt1 t. garlic, minced 1/2 t. black pepper

Boil potatoes 10 min-utes, or until tender;drain well. Place themin a bowl, add theremaining ingredients,and coarsely mash to“muddle,” or bruise,the herbs to releasetheir flavors.

options


JAMS, MARMALADES, ETC.How can you distinguish betweenjam, jelly, preserves, marmalade,and conserves?

Mikael KrizWindsor, Ontario

While jam, jelly, preserves, mar-malade, and conserves are allcommonly used as spreads, dif-ferences remain in their textureand ingredients.

According to the Food Lover’sCompanion by Sharon TylerHerbst, jelly has the thinnest

consistency of the bunch—fruits,or sometimes vegetables, arecooked and then strained untilsmooth and clear. Jams are nextdown the line. Like jelly, the fruitis cooked until soft and almostformless. But instead of beingstrained, the fruit is pureed.Preserves are very similar to jamexcept the fruit is left in medi-um to large chunks. Marmalade isa type of preserve that containsfruit peels. And conserves are amixture of fruits and nuts thatare cooked until thick.

fromourreaders


ALCOHOL SUBSTITUTESI don’t like to cook with alcohol.Can you please recommend goodsubstitutes that I can use?

Julie BrownCedar City, UT

The following is a general list ofnon-alcoholic substitutes thatcan be used in cooking. Choosethe option that best matches theflavor of the dish you are making.

BELGIAN WAFFLESHow are Belgian waffles differentfrom others?

Scott HarpBoston, MA

Hailing from Belgium where theywere originally called Brusselswaffles, crisp, deep-holed Belgianwaffles made their Americandebut at the 1964 World’s Fair inQueens, New York—thanks toBelgian Maurice Vermersch.

Traditionally, Belgian wafflesare made with yeast, so the bat-ter needs time to rise. That’s what

Substitute with:

white grape juice; chicken or vegetablebroth; ginger ale

grape juice; cranberryjuice; chicken, beef, orvegetable broth; flavoredvinegar; tomato juice

white grape juice; applejuice; cherry, peach, orapricot syrup

chicken, beef, or mush-room broth; white grapejuice; ginger ale

pineapple juice withalmond extract ormolasses; vanilla extract

water; apple cider orwhite grape juice mixedwith lime juice

vanilla extract; orange orpineapple juice; coffee

gives the waffles their character-istic lightness and slightly tangyflavor. Today, for the sake of con-venience, many Belgian wafflerecipes have replaced the yeastwith a combination of bakingpowder and baking soda in anattempt to speed up the process.

The ingredients, not largeholes, truly characterize Belgianwaffles. So there’s no need to buyspecial equipment to make them.Any waffle iron will work fine.

Recipe calls for:

white wine

red wine

brandy

beer

rum

vodka

sherry

Jam

Jelly

Preserves

Marmalade

Conserves

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If you have a question about a cooking term, procedure, or technique, we’d like to hear from you.

We’ll consider publishing your question in one ormore of our works. Just write down your questionand mail it to Cuisine at home, Q&A Editor, 2200Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312, or contact usthrough our email address shown below. Pleaseinclude your name, address, and daytime phone

number in case we have questions. Email: [email protected]

Web address: CuisineAtHome.com

Do you have a question for Cuisine at home?


SUPERFINE SUGARWhat is superfine sugar and how isit used?

Greg ThorneSeattle, WA

Superfine sugar (also knownas castor or ultrafine sugar) isan incredibly fine grain ofsugar, finer than both extra-fine and baker’s sugars. Itsclaim to fame is its ability toeasily dissolve. Consequently,superfine sugar is often usedwhen making meringue or tosweeten cold liquids—henceits nickname “bar sugar.”

Superfine sugar can besubstituted teaspoon for tea-spoon with granulated sugar.But there’s no need to run tothe store—it’s easy to makeyour own. Just grind granu-lated sugar in a coffee grinder,food processor, or blender forabout one minute.

APPLE JUICE VS. CIDERIs there a difference between applejuice and apple cider?

Christine SchirmerNew Holstein, WI

There are no FDA labelingrequirements that distinguishapple juice from cider. But ingeneral, with regional differencesaside (i.e. what the East Coastcalls “cider,” the West Coast calls“juice”), here’s the deal.

Apple cider is commonlyassociated with unprocessed,freshly pressed juice that’s oftensold at orchards and farm stands.Bits of apple flesh and skin stillremain, and it’s the oxidation ofthese remnants that gives ciderthe gorgeous brown color forwhich it’s known.

Apple juice is the transparentliquid you find in the juice aisleof the grocery store. It’s shelf-sta-ble and filtered, which makes itclear enough to see through. apple juice {

apple cider }

In other parts of the world,(England and Australia specifi-cally), and slowly gaining backpopularity in the States, distinc-tions are made between “sweet”and “hard” cider. Sweet cidercontains 100% juice, while hardcider takes sweet cider one stepfurther, fermenting it into analcoholic beverage.

Fresh MozzarellaThis is not your everyday pizza cheese—it’sbetter! Originating in Italy, mozzarella dibufala is traditionally made from the milk ofwater buffalo. It has a soft texture and deli-ciously rich flavor, but can be hard to find inAmerica. For a more readily available alterna-tive, opt for fresh mozzarella made from cow’smilk. With a similar texture and milder flavor,it offers a great introduction to the cheese.

A classic way to try fresh mozzarellais in a Caprese [kah-PREH-seh]salad. Alternate slicesof ripe red tomatoes,fresh mozzarella, andwhole basil leaves on aplatter. Drizzle with oliveoil, then sprinkle withcoarse sea salt and freshlycracked pepper.

Balls of fresh mozzarellaare usually sold soaking in water(which is sometimes salted)—this keeps thecheese cool and adds moisture. If you can’tfind fresh mozzarella in your area, order some from the Mozzarella Company at(800) 798-2954 or mozzco.com.

tellmemore




Japanese Steak Rolls, 42Kummelweck Sandwich, 10Lamb Chops with Jalapeño Mint

Sauce, 45Parmesan Crusted Chicken, 19Sun-Dried Tomato Crusted

Chicken, 40Tortilla Omelet Wrap, 24

DessertsFlaky Pie Dough, 50Lemon Buttermilk Pie, 51Lime-Coconut Buttermilk Pie, 49

Appetizers, Salads & Soups Curried Avocado Dip, 39Feta Pepper Dip, 39Parmesan Basket, 52Red Pepper Cheddar Dip, 38Sun-Dried Tomato Dip, 38Thai Beef Salad Wraps, 11

Sauces & SidesClassic Beef Gravy, 9Cucumbers with Mint Vinaigrette, 31Feta Couscous, 41Garlic Lime Rice, 43Muddled-Herb Potatoes, 45Red Bell Vinegar Dip, 43Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and

recipeindex

NUTRITIONFACTS

Rosemary, 19Sage-Butter Sauce, 19Sunny Butter Sauce, 41

Main Dishes8-Layer Lasagna, 35Asian Lime Ribs, 31Chicken Alfredo Lasagna, 37Classic Roast Beef and Roasted

Potatoes, 7Crusted Chicken Breasts, 16French Omelet with Spinach &

Swiss Cheese, 25Grilled Pizza, 13Grilled Ribs, 29Herb & Three-Cheese Omelet, 23

Classic Roast Beef and RoastedPotatoes, 7(Per 4 oz. roast beef and 4 oz. pota-toes): 367 calories; 30% calories fromfat; 12g total fat; 28g carb.; 760mg sodi-um; 2g fiber

Classic Beef Gravy, 9(Per 1/4 cup): 40 calories; 48% caloriesfrom fat; 2g total fat; 3g carb.; 110mgsodium; 0g fiber

Kummelweck Sandwich, 10(Per 1 sandwich): 489 calories; 30%calories from fat; 16g total fat; 36gcarb.; 695mg sodium; 3g fiber

Thai Beef Salad Wrap, 11(Per 1 wrap): 300 calories; 60% calo-ries from fat; 20g total fat; 23g carb.;62mg sodium; 1g fiber

Grilled Pizza (Pepperoni), 13(Per 1/8 pizza): 233 calories; 64% calo-ries from fat; 16g total fat; 12g carb.;738mg sodium; 1g fiber

Crusted Chicken Breasts, 16(Per 4 oz. portion): 304 calories; 41%calories from fat; 14g total fat; 22gcarb.; 883mg sodium; 0g fiber

Parmesan Crusted Chicken, 19(Per 4 oz. portion): 260 calories; 23% calories from fat; 6.5g total fat; 22gcarb.; 1067mg sodium; 0g fiber

Sage-Butter Sauce, 19(Per 1/4 cup): 260 calories; 87% caloriesfrom fat; 26g total fat; 3g carb.; 175mgsodium; 0g fiber

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic andRosemary, 19(Per 3/4 cup): 285 calories; 41% caloriesfrom fat; 14g total fat; 41g carb.; 226mgsodium; 3g fiber

Herb & Three-Cheese Omelet, 23(Per 1 omelet): 379 calories;70% calories from fat; 29g total fat;3g carb.; 1005mg sodium; 0g fiber

Tortilla Omelet Wrap, 24(Per 1 omelet): 669 calories; 49% calo-ries from fat; 36g total fat; 45g carb.;1842mg sodium; 3g fiber

French Omelet with Spinach &Swiss Cheese, 25(Per 1 omelet): 381 calories;68% calories from fat; 29g total fat; 6gcarb.; 915mg sodium; 2g fiber

Asian Lime Ribs, 31(Per rib): 227 calories; 66% caloriesfrom fat; 17g total fat; 8g carb.; 869mgsodium; 1g fiber

Cucumbers with Mint Vinaigrette, 31(Per 1/2 cup): 35 calories; 2% caloriesfrom fat; 0g total fat; 9g carb.; 2mgsodium; 0g fiber

8-Layer Lasagna, 35(Per 1/12): 739 calories; 52% caloriesfrom fat; 42g total fat; 45g carb.;1026mg sodium; 5g fiber

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna, 27(Per 1/12): 626 calories; 50% caloriesfrom fat; 34g total fat; 37g carb.; 643mgsodium; 3g fiber

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip, 38(Per 2 T.): 59 calories; 70% caloriesfrom fat; 5g total fat; 3g carb.; 112mgsodium; 0g fiber

Red Pepper Cheddar Dip, 38(Per 2 T.): 82 calories; 86% caloriesfrom fat; 8g total fat; 0g carb.; 154mgsodium; 0g fiber

Curried Avocado Dip, 39(Per 2 T.): 40 calories; 72% caloriesfrom fat; 3g total fat; 2g carb.; 36mgsodium; 1g fiber

Feta Pepper Dip, 39(Per 2 T.): 123 calories; 88% caloriesfrom fat; 12g total fat; 1g carb.; 190mgsodium; 0g fiber

Sun-Dried Tomato CrustedChicken, 40(Per 4 oz. portion): 786 calories; 35%calories from fat; 31g total fat; 59gcarb.; 1264mg sodium; 4g fiber

Feta Couscous, 41(Per 1/2 cup): 172 calories; 22% caloriesfrom fat; 4g total fat; 26g carb.; 213mgsodium; 2g fiber

Japanese Steak Rolls, 42(Per steak roll): 72 calories; 39% calo-ries from fat; 3g total fat; 5g carb.;393mg sodium; 1g fiber

Garlic Lime Rice, 43(Per 1/2 cup): 221 calories; 16% caloriesfrom fat; 4g total fat; 42g carb.; 588mgsodium; 1g fiber

Lamb Chops with Jalapeño MintSauce, 45(Per chop with 3T. sauce): 254 calo-ries; 29% calories from fat; 8g total fat;29g carb.; 817mg sodium; 0g fiber

Muddled-Herb Potatoes, 45(Per 1/2 cup): 99 calories; 17% caloriesfrom fat; 2g total fat; 18g carb.; 298mgsodium; 2g fiber

Lime-Coconut Buttermilk Pie, 49(Per 1/8 serving pie): 418 calories; 38%calories from fat; 18g total fat; 61gcarb.; 100mg sodium; 1g fiber

HOW TO REACH USFor subscriptions,address changes, or questions, write or call:

Customer Service2200 Grand Ave.Des Moines, IA 50312800-311-39958 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT

Or visit our web site www.CuisineAtHome.com

To find more tips,recipes, and videos, look for this symbol on our web site

onlinextraCuisineAtHome.com

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buttermilk pies

The phrase “easy as pie” must have its roots in buttermilk pie.

Making one is easier than picking up dessert from a local bakery!

LIME-COCONUTBUTTERMILK PIEMAKES ONE 9" PIE

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR + COOLING

WHISK TOGETHER:11/2 cups sugar3/4 cup sweetened shredded

coconut1/2 cup buttermilk1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

milk1 T. all-purpose flour2 eggs2 egg yolks1/2 t. vanilla extract

Minced zest and juice of 1 limePinch salt

POUR INTO:1 9" unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350°.Whisk all ingredients together ina large bowl until blended.Pour into pie shell and place on abaking sheet. Bake until filling isjust set, yet still a bit jiggly, 40–50minutes. Remove from oven andcool to room temperature; chill ifnot serving right away. (Let chilledpie stand at room temperaturefor 15 minutes before serving.)

These recipes are so simple they seemwrong. But if you can use a whisk, youcan make both of these pies. I promise!

This dessert has been a Southerninstitution for a long time. Don’t letthe buttermilk turn you off—it makesa delicate, slightly tangy custard whenblended with eggs and sugar. Sincebuttermilk is low in fat, the pie isn’tquite as rich as a typical custard pie.Plus, there aren’t too many eggs, justenough to gently set the filling.

When it comes to flavoring, youhave a choice to make. The lime-coconut version on this page tastes alittle like key lime pie. But if that’s notup your alley, the plainer lemon oneon Page 51 is every bit as good.

Fresh fruit is the best accompani-ment, and this is the perfect seasonfor it! You can use a store-bought pieshell, but the recipe on Page 50 andonline video will show you just howeasy it is to make your own crust.


HEAT; POUR OVER:1/4 cup honey

Juice of 1 lime1 ripe mango, peeled and diced1/2 pint fresh blueberries1/2 pint fresh raspberries2 kiwi, peeled, sliced into

rounds, and quartered

Heat honey and lime juice untilmelted. Pour over fruit and letstand at least 5 minutes.

pie option

{To peel, cut off ends of kiwi, slidea spoon under skin, and carefullytwist it around the fruit.

Gently push the kiwi out of itsskin, slice into rounds, then cutthe rounds into quarters. >

FLAKY PIE DOUGH

MAKES ONE 9" PIE SHELL

TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES + CHILLING

BLEND:11/4 cups all-purpose flour1 T. sugar

Pinch salt CUT IN:1/4 cup shortening1/4 cup cold unsalted butter,

cubedSTIR IN:4–5 T. ice water

Blend flour, sugar, and salt in alarge bowl.

Cut in shortening and butterwith a pastry blender or your fingers until mixture resemblescoarse meal. Some pea-size piecesof butter should still be visible.

Stir in water with a fork. Addmore, 1 teaspoon at a time, ifdough seems dry when pinched.Press into a disk, wrap in plastic,and chill 1 hour before rolling out.

MIXED FRUIT SALSADon’t feel “locked in” to using only these fruits for this salsa. An all-berry

mixture (blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries) is also terrific.

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS; TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 15 MINUTES


onlinevideoRolling out pie dough

Look under Issue 44

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http://www.cuisineathome.com/videos/index.html

LEMONBUTTERMILK PIEMAKES ONE 9" PIE

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR + COOLING

WHISK TOGETHER:11/2 cups sugar1 cup buttermilk1 T. all-purpose flour2 eggs2 egg yolks1/2 t. vanilla extract

Minced zest and juice of 1 lemonPinch salt

POUR INTO:1 9" unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350°.Whisk all ingredients togetherin a large bowl until blended.Pour into pie shell and placeon a baking sheet. Bake untilfilling is just set, yet still a bitjiggly, 40–50 minutes. Removefrom oven and cool to roomtemperature; chill if not servingright away. (Let chilled piestand at room temperature for15 minutes before serving.)

STRAWBERRY TOPPINGDon’t top the pie until justbefore serving or the filling willcollapse. You could serve theberries on the side—withwhipped cream, of course!

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 15 MINUTES

HEAT; POUR OVER:1/4 cup honey

Juice of 1 lime2 pints strawberries, hulled,

halved

Heat honey and lime juiceuntil melted. Pour over berriesand let stand at least 5 minutes.Just before serving, arrange onpie with a slotted spoon.



w w w. C u i s i n e A t H o m e . c o m52

grandfinale

Remember when it was the rage to put chili or chowder in

a bread bowl and then eat the whole thing?

{Quickly drape disk over aglass, golden side up, andpress to form a bowl. Cooledbaskets can sit several hours.

{Heat 10" nonstick skilletover medium-high. Sprinkleshredded Parmesan into adisk shape (keep cheese lightaround the edges so it lookslacy). When disk is slightlygolden underneath, carefullyremove it using a spatulaand your fingers.

Well, this Parmesan basketis in the same family—onlya bit more classy. As you cansee in the photograph, theedges are delicate and lacy.Plus, the sides are very thinso it doesn’t look heavy.And of course, the basket ismade to eat. It goes greatwith the soft textures ofmesclun lettuces and acidicvinaigrettes.

Use inexpensive shredded(not grated) Parmesan—thekind in a bag works great.

parmesan basket


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