N U M B E R N I N E T Y J A N U A R Y b F E B R U A R Y 2008

STR AT E D

No-Knead Bread 2.0 Dutch-Oven Method, Better Loaf

Cutting Boards Wood, Plastic, Bamboo,

or Composite?

Chicken in a Pot French Method, Juiciest Bird

Dark Chocolate Taste Test

Pay Less, Get Better Chocolate!

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

Sunday Roast Beef Slow Cooking Transforms Cheap Cuts

Best French Onion Soup

...... y::»

Crispy Oatmeal Cookies

Mastering the Art of Stew

Sizzling Garlic Shrimp

Roasted Broccoli

www.c o o k s i l l u s t r a t e d.c om

$5.95 U.S./$6.95 CA�ADA

0 74470 62805 7

0 2>

CONTENTS January f.Y February 2008

2 Notes from Readers BY SANDRA WU AND DAVID PAZMINO

4 Quick Tips COMPILED BY DAVID PAZMINO

6 Improving Cheap Roast Beef Roasting inexpensive beef usually yields tough meat best

suited for sandwiches. How do you transform a bargain

cut into a tender. juicy roast that can stand on its own at

dinner? BY DAVID PAZMINO

8 Introducing French Chicken in a Pot Taking cues from a French technique for cooking chicken

in a covered pot, we forgo crispy skin for succulent meat

and unforgettable flavor. BY CHARLES KELSEY

I 0 Ultracrunchy Baked Pork Chops Pork chops with a thick coating that won't fall off

require more than just a shake in a bag. We get rid of

crumbly crusts and soggy bottoms to create chops with

real crunch. BY SANDRA WU

12 Best French Onion Soup Most versions of this age-old recipe hide a mediocre

broth under a crust of bread and a blanket of Gruyere.

What is the secret to coaxing impressive flavor out of

humble onions? BY REBECCA HAYS

14 Spanish-Style Garlic Shrimp Shrimp in garlicky olive oil is a tapas bar classic. But

make this appetizer at home and suddenly the shrimp

are rubbery and the garlic goes missing in a sea of olive

oil. BY J. KENJI ALT

I 6 Mastering the Art of Stew A little know-how goes a long way toward avoiding

common mistakes when making stews. Here's how to

get it right every time. BY KEITH DRESSER

COOK'S ONLINE

18 No-Knead Bread 2.0 A no-fuss recipe is revolutionizing home baking but

trades flavor and reliability for ease. Could we improve

the bread's bland taste and make it rise high every time1

BY J. KENJI ALT

21 How to Roast Broccoli Roasting can concentrate flavor to turn dull vegetables

into something great. Could it transform broccoli I BY MATTHEW CARD

22 Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies You may think an oatmeal cookie should be moist

and chewy. T hin and crispy oatmeal cookies can be

irresistible-if, that is, you can get the texture just right.

BY SANDRA WU

24 Perfecting Spice Cake Spice cakes can be bland and leaden. Could we create a

tender, airy cake with convincing spice flavor that stands

up to a rich cream cheese frosting?

BY KEITH DRESSER

26 The Truth About Dark Chocolate Does spending more for "gourmet" chocolate buy

richer. more complex flavor and better baking results?

BY LISA McMANUS

28 Cutting Boards Cutting boards made from bamboo and wood com­

posite are flooding the market. Is there any reason to

choose these new-fangled materials over traditional

wood and plastic! BY LISA McMANUS

30 Kitchen Notes BY J. KENJI ALT

32 Equipment Corner BY ELIZABETH BOMZE

Go to www.cooksillustrated.com to access all recipes from Cook's Illustrated since 1993 as well as updated tastings

and testings. Watch videos of all the recipes in this issue being prepared and a special report on the cutting board testing.

EXOTIC MUSHROOMS Violet-stemmed blewit mushrooms. often called bluefoot, have

a pronounced hominy or barley flavor and a firm, meaty texture. Fairy ring mushrooms have

stems that are too tough to eat, but their dainty, bell-shaped caps yield a full-bodied, heady

nuttiness. Mushrooms of the oyster variety include the hearty king oyster, silver-capped

blue oyster, and abalone, which derives its name from its resemblance to the shellfish and

rivals the blewit in meatiness. Oyster mushrooms are characterized by a clean, mild sweet­

ness. Popular Japanese shimeiji mushrooms include the musky beech and the nutty pioppini.

Namekos, also favored in Japanese cooking and similar in shape to the clustered shimeiji,

are distinguished by their spongy, mucilaginous texture. Another textural oddity, the nearly

translucent wood ear is rubbery and gelatinous when reconstituted from its more common

dried form or when used fresh. Bear's head mushrooms have a flavor similar to asparagus

and artichoke.

COVER: Gmpefruil by Robert Papp: BACK COVER: Exotic ,\ luslmm1115 by John Burgoyne

For list rental information, contact: Specialists Marketing Services, Inc ., 1200 Harbor Blvd .. 9th Floor, Weehawken, NJ 07087: 201-86S-S800. Editorial Office: 17 Station St .. Brookline. MA 02445: 617-232-1000: fax 617-232-1572. Subscription inquiries, call 800-S26-8442. Postmaster: Send all new orders, subscnption inquines, and change-of-address notices to Cook's Illustrated. P.O. Box 7446, Red Oak, lA 5 I 591-0446.

COOK'S -'-'·-'· -l :-.J H IT t;_IJ

www.cooksillustrated.com

IIClME OF A,\\ ERICA'S TEST KITCIIEN

Founder and Editor Editorial Director

Executive Editor Test Kitchen Director

Managing Editor Senior Editors

Associate Editor Television Producer

Copy Editor Test Cooks

Assistant Test Kitchen Director Assistant Editor

Editorial Assistant Senior Kitchen Assistant

Kitchen Assistants

Contributing Editors

Consulting Editors

Proofreader

Online Managing Editor Online Editor

Online Media Producer Online Assistant Editor

Executive Editor, Books Senior Editors, Books

Associate Editors, Books

Test Cooks, Books

Assistant Test Cook, Books Editorial Assistant, Books

Design Director Art Director, Books

Senior Designer, Magazines Designers

Staff Photographer

Vice President Marketing Circulation & Fulfillment Manager

Circulation Assistant Partnership Marketing Manager

Direct Mail Director Direct Mail Analyst

Marketing Database Analyst Product Operations Director Product Promotions Director

E-Commerce Marketing Manager Associate Marketing Manager

Marketing Copywriter Customer Service Manager

Customer Service Representatives

Vice President Sales Retail Sales & Marketing Manager

Retail Sales Associate Corporate Marketing Associate

Production Director Traffic & Projects Manager

Senior Production Manager Production & Imaging Specialist

Imaging & Color Specialist

Christopher Kimball Jack Bishop Amanda Agee Erin McMurrer Rebecca Hays Keith Dresser Lisa McManus Charles Kelsey Melissa Baldino Will Gordon J. Kenji Ait David Pazmiiio Yvonne Ruperti Matthew Herron Elizabeth Bomze Meredith Smith Nadia Domeq Maria Elena Delgado Ena Gudiel David Lentini Matthew Card Dawn Yanagihara Scott Brueggeman Guy Crosby Jasper White Robert L Wolke Jean Rogers

Katherine Bell Lindsay McSweeney Peter Tannenbaum Leaya Lee

Elizabeth Carduff Julia Collin Davison Lori Galvin Elizabeth Wray Emery Rachel Toomey Sarah Wilson Suzannah McFerran Bryan Roof Megan Wycoff Adelaide Parker Elizabeth Pohm

Amy Klee Greg Galvan Julie Bouo Tiffani Beckwith Jay Layman Erica Lee Christine Vo Matthew Warnick Daniel J. van Ackere

David Mack Carrie Horan Elizabeth Dayton Pamela Putprush Adam Perry Jenny Leong Ariel Gilbert-Knight Steven Browall Randi Lawrence Hugh Buchan Laurel Zeidman David Goldberg Jacqueline Valerio Julie Gardner Jillian Nannicelli

Demee Gambulos Emily Logan Anthony King Bailey Vatalaro

Guy Rochford Alice Cummiskey Jessica L Quirk Lauren Pettapiece Andrew Mannone

Vice President New Technology Craig Morrow Systems Administrator S. Paddi McHugh

IT Development Manager Justin Greenough Web Developer Doug Sisko

Support Technician Brandon Lynch

Chief Financial Officer Sharyn Chabot Human Resources Manager Adele Shapiro

Controller Mandy Shito Senior Accountant Aaron Goranson

Staff Accountant Connie Forbes Office Manager Danielle Pezely

Receptionist Henrietta Murray Publicity Deborah Broide

PRINTED IN THE USA

z 0

� t; j

The World's Food Fair. Boston. October

1896. Admission: 25 cents. Huge crowds

throng the Mechanics Hall convention

center. Women queue up for free sam­ples from 200 different vendors: cereals, gelatins,

extracts, candy, and custards. Table displays include

"Edible Flowers" and "A Mermaid's Dinner." Luncheons are offered-a Dietetic Luncheon,

a Hygienic Lunch-and teas as well, including Tennis Tea and Japanese Ceremonial Tea. Booths are constructed in the shape of buildings: a log cabin to sell pancake flour, a castle to sell all­

purpose flour, and a Dutch cottage to promote

Dutched cocoa. Other exhibits include a miniature

margarine factory, a cereal machine that produces

shredded wheat, an electrically operated dairy that churns out 3,000 pounds of butter each day, and a life-sized wax woman that promotes Pearline soap. Just like today, food and cooking were at the con­

vergence of popular entertai1m1ent and capitalism.

Newspapers were raucous, loudmouthed, com­

mercial, and utterly working class, and Boston's

private clubs were much the same. Yes, in 1906

H. G. Wells accused the members of the Club of

Odd Volumes of too much preoccupation with the past, but another private club of the period pre­

sented an evening entitled tl1e Dime Museum, one of the features of which was the Bearded Lady, who was described by a reporter as an "exquisite picture

of ravishing loveliness, whose heaving and sensitive

bosom is concealed from view by her depending

beard." Yet another bizarre dining establishment

of the period featured a member who ate only with

his toes and housed a live bear as a mascot. The world was getting rapidly smaller. Three

innovations-steamships, refrigeration, and rail­roads-meant that perishable goods could be trans­ported across the country or across the Atlantic, both in and out of Boston. The S. S. Pierce supermarket offered more than 4,000 items for sale, including

mushrooms grown in old quarries near Paris, tl1e

highest-quality Spanish olives, and isinglass, a pre­

cursor to modern gelatin (originally made from tl1e

bladders of Russian sturgeon, but a cheaper sub­

stitute was later made from cod). Quincy Market

EDITORIAL

LOST RECIPES was a hotbed of local vendors, tl1e original farmers' market, if

you will, and Boston was also fi.tll

of smaller establishments, many of which specialized in poultry (chicken, partridge, quail, wood­

cock, snipe, etc.), fruit, confec­tionary products (cream cakes,

Washington pie, vanilla jumbles, charlotte russe, etc.), seafood (scallops, smelt, clams, white­fish, salt cod, shad roe, mackerel,

etc.), or household dry goods. Christopher Kimball

ing cups, start with dry, then liq­uid, and finally fat/shortening; to make coffee, steep 2 tablespoons

grmmds in 1 cup cold water over­night and then bring tl1e mixture to a boil the next morning to serve; birds should be dredged in flour before roasting to create a bet­

ter crust; and when baking bread, reduce the oven temperarure for the last 15 minutes to cook the interior after the crust has been

set. Not bad for 1896---or 2008, The Boston Globe contained

two food colun1ns: one entitled "The Housekeeper's Department" and the otl1er penned by tl1e Boston Cooking School. Recipes included Dewey's Fried

Shortcakes (a recipe that was rediscovered in Pennsylvania almost 100 years later by Marion

Cunningham, tl1e author of tl1e revised Fannie

Farmer Cookbook), Sniffed Baked Tomatoes, Welsh

Rarebit, Oatmeal Drink, Eggs Nest on Toast,

Corn Bread, Salmon Croquettes, Chicken Pate,

both Puff and Plain Paste, Brown Bread, Leap

Year Cake, Pressed Cake, New Brides Cake, Pear and Rice Pudding, and Cinnamon Tea, to name a few. Staid? Repressed? Hardly. It was a mon­grel mix of classic French (puff pastry and pate), Soutl1en1 (corn bread), English (pudding), health

food (oatmeal drink), pioneer (brown bread), and classic American (layer cakes). And what about

taking a Victorian cooking class? Look no further

than Fannie Farmer to learn about five types of

acids (acetic, tartaric, malic, citric, and oxalic), four

types of starch (cornstarch, arrowroot, tapioca, and sago), and tl1ree types of fermentation (alcoholic, acetic, and lactic). Readers of this publication will find those lists familiar. In addition, you would learn how to cook a live terrapin, including draw­ing out the head and removing the skin, and how to boil a calf's head for mock rurtle soup.

You might ask about cooking technique. Sure,

they were cooking on coal stoves, but tl1ey were thoroughly modern in their approach. Farmer

suggested tl1at when using only one set of measur-

for that matter. Many of you have, like me, a long reach back

through history. I grew up on a small mountain farm, learned to simmer and bake over a wood stove, and extracted water from the well under

the side porch using a loosely bolted green metal pump handle located in the pantry sink. I remem­ber poor milk the color of an early morning sky­

faint, powdery, and tinged with blue-hot baked

potatoes opened with the swat of a fist, and baking

powder biscuits stored in mistletoed Christmas

tins separated by ragged, hoary rounds of waxed paper. A recently uneartl1ed snapshot of my father

standing arms stretched back, hat high, on an air­field in Egypt during the Second World War looks historical, but hoecakes, wine jelly, Irish moss, and chocolate cream do not. Good food lives on. If it

pleases the palate, it's as timeless as an open-eyed

kiss taken in the back of a school bus.

The history of food has sailed oceans to ship­

wreck on America's shores. Where this half­remembered flotsam has fetched up is sometimes hard to say, but the recipes are still there, buried perhaps, but not so far beneath our footsteps. We claim cooking as sometlling new, yet another form of modern art, while the feasts of the ancients still echo through flickers of candlelight.

That is why so many of us stand at the stove to

remember-to recall the wood smoke, the perfume

of warm molasses, the fecund aroma of yeast. One lost recipe remembered is like love rediscovered, as

fresh and unexpected as that first kiss.

FOR INQUIRIES, ORDERS, OR MORE INFORMATION: COOK'S ILLUSTRATED Magaz ine

www. cooksillustrated. com At www.cooksillustrated.com, you can order books and subscriptions, sign up for our free e-news­

letter, or renew your magazine subscription. Join the website and gain access to 15 years of Cook's Illustrated recipes. equipment tests, and ingredient tastings, as well as Cook's Live companion videos

for every recipe in this issue.

COOKBOOKS We sell more than 50 cookbooks by the editors of Cook's Illustrated. To order, visit our bookstore

atwww.cooksillustrated.com or call 800-6 1 1-0759 (or 5 15-246-69 1 1 from outside the U.S.).

Cook's Illustrated magazine (ISSN 1068-282 1 ). number 90. is published bimonthly by Boston

Common Press Umited Partnership, 17 Station St., Brookline, MA 02445. Copyright 2008 Boston

Common Press Umited Partnership. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, Mass .. and additional mailing

offices USPS #0 12487. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40020778. Return undeliverable Canadian

addresses to P.O. Box 87 5, Station A. Windsor, Ontario N9A 6P2. POSTM.ASTER: Send address changes

to Cook's Illustrated. P.O. Box 7446, Red Oak. lA 5 159 1-0446. For subscription and gift subscription

orders. subscription inquiries, or change-of-address notices. call 800-526-8442 in the U.S. or 515-247-

757 1 from outside the U.S .. or write us at Cook's Illustrated. P.O. Box 7446, Red Oak,IA 5 159 1-0446.

J A N U A R Y [y F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

NOTES FROM READERS 3 BY S A N D R A WU A N D D AVID P AZ M IN O E

When to Oil a Grill Grate Your recipes call for oiling the grill grate after it's

heated, but my husband insists on oiling prior to

heating. His premise is that the grilling surface is bet­

ter able to hold the oil when it's still cool. Is one way

better than the other? SUZANNE EYERMAN

LONGMONT, COLO.

�To prevent food from sticking, oiling your grill

grate is essential. The reason we call for oiling the

grate after it has been heated is because the grate

always needs to be scraped down before it can be

used. Debris is more readily removed from a hot

grate than a cool one, and once these stuck-on bits are

gone, the grate can be more effectively slicked down

with an oil-dipped wad of paper towels.

Oiling the grill grate once it's hot also helps the

oil to bond quickly to the metal and prevent proteins

from sticking to the grill grate. When oil is added to

a cold grill grate, the oil slowly vaporizes as the grill

reaches the desired cooking temperature. The more

the oil vaporizes, the less oil will be left on the grill

grate, making sticking more likely. One more point:

Never try to take a shortcut by spraying a hot cook­

ing grate with nonstick cooking spray. You might

save about 10 seconds, but risk having a flare-up on

your hands.

Seasoning Cold Food Is it ttue that cold food needs more salt to taste fully

seasoned than the same food when eaten hot?

B IL L S IEVER

NORTHAM PTON, MASS.

�We often find that food that tastes great piping hot

seems underseasoned when it is sampled again after

refrigeration. To test this observation, we made some

vichyssoise (cold potato-leek soup) and gazpacho. We

divided the vichyssoise into two batches, then warmed

one and kept the other ice-cold. For the gazpacho,

we served one batch straight from the refrigerator

and the second at room temperature. The results? Even though both versions of each soup contained the same amount of salt, tasters judged the hot and

room-temperature soups saltier and better seasoned.

This perception was particularly pronow1eed in the

milder-tasting vichyssoise.

It turns out that chilling dulls all flavors, including

saltiness, making them more difficult for the taste buds to perceive. But the next time you make a dish to serve cold, don't jump the gtm by oversalting while

the food is still hot. Instead, season as you would

normally. Once the food is chilled, taste and add

more salt as desired.

Keeping Waffles Warm How can I keep waffles warm and crisp w1til I'm

ready to serve them?

CRISWELL CHOI

SAN MATEO, CAL IF.

�We experimented witl1 several metl10ds of keep­

ing waffles warm and crisp before finding one tl1at

worked well. First, we set tl1e waffles on a bak­

ing sheet in a 200-degree oven, which was just

hot enough to keep them warm without actually

recooking them. But by the time the last batch

was done, the ones that had been waiting in tl1e

oven the longest had lost their crispness. Next,

we placed the waffles on a wire rack set in a bak­

ing sheet. Though tl1is metl1od improved matters

dramatically by allowing hot air to circulate under­

neath and keep the waffles crisp, it also dried them

out over time. To retain moisture, we covered

the waffles witl1 a clean kitchen towel, removing

it only when tl1e last waffle was in the oven. After

a few more minutes in the oven, the waffles­

held for about 30 minutes total-recrisped and

tasted like tl1ey had just come from the waffle iron.

Sweet versus Hot Paprika How can I substin1te sweet paprika in recipes that call

for hot paprika?

MELAN IE F ILES

MART INS BURG , W. VA.

�Botl1 sweet and hot paprika come from tl1e dried

pods of Capsicum annuum L., which includes a

large swath of pepper varieties ranging from sweet

red bell peppers to hot chile peppers. The type of

pepper used will influence tl1e flavor, spiciness, and

intensity of the paprika. Sweet paprika is made from

only tl1e middle layer of tl1e pepper's outer wall (the

mesocarp ), while hot paprika also contains some of

tl1e white veins (the placenta) and seeds, where most

of the heat resides. Most paprika labeled "paprika"

or "mild paprika" is of the sweet variety.

Heat aside, we wanted to find out if tl1ere were any other flavor differences between the two varieties and if one was better suited for a particular type of recipe

than anotl1er. We took our winning brand (Penzeys

Hungary Sweet Paprika) and its spicy counterpart

(Penzeys Half-Sharp Paprika-the retailer's only type

of hot paprika) and used each in three applications:

chicken paprikash, barbecue sauce, and a dry rub for

baked chicken breast. Most tasters fOLmd tl1e sweet paprika, witl1 its "bright," "well-balanced," and

"smoky" flavors, to be a better choice in tl1e chicken

paprikash; the hot paprika was less flavorful, aside

from its pronounced heat. The differences were even

C OOK' S ILL U S T R A TE D

2

more apparent in the spice-rubbed chicken breasts,

where the hot paprika took on an unpleasant bitter

edge. In the barbecue sauce, however, tasters found

both varieties perfectly acceptable, and some pre­

ferred the sauce made with the hot paprika. Here, its

spiciness seemed less

aggressive and was

actually a virtue.

If yours is going

to be a one-paprika

household, we rec­

ommend stocking

the more versatile

sweet, as a pinch or

two of cayenne pep­

per can be added to

replicate the flavor

of the hot stuff.

Paprika Paprika llungat) flalf-Slwp Hungary Sweet

Hot paprika (left) lends spiciness but not much flavor; sweet paprika (right) provides

earthy, smoky notes.

Raw-Milk Cheese Is it possible to buy raw-milk cheese in the United

States? My Lmderstanding is that the federal govern­

ment requires all cheeses to be made from pasteurized

milk. Is that ttue? M ILTON GAR BER

JEFFERSON CITY, MO.

�Raw-milk cheeses can be purchased domesti­

cally, but they may not be exactly like the raw-milk

cheeses available in Europe. The U.S. Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) requires that cheeses manu­

£Knu·ed here and abroad from raw (unpasteurized)

milk must be aged for at least 60 days at 35 degrees or

higher at their point of origin before being imported

or sold. Any cheese whose recipe precludes it from

being aged longer than 60 days is affected by the

regulation, including soft-ripened cheeses (such as

Camembert and Brie), washed-rind cheeses (such as

Epoisses ), natural-rind goat's milk cheeses, and fresh

(unaged) cheeses. The purpose of the FDA-enforced

waiting period is to give tl1e safe-to-ingest bacteria in

the cheese (such as lactobacillus) sufficient time to

multiply and become the dominant bacteria, which

obstructs me potential growth of harmfi.Il bacteria such as E. coli, listeria, and salmonella.

As a result of tl1e FDA nile, heavily pasteurized milk is often used to produce these cheeses in tl1e United

States, but not without a sacrifice in flavor. Cheese

authority Steven Jenkins told us that a cheese will "in1mediately report" whether it was made from raw

milk by the "depth, intensity, nuance, [and) rusticity"

of its flavors. A heavily pasteurized cheese, he said, will be equally revealing, with flavors that are "muted, viti­

ated, absent, and blurry." Some cheese makers deal

with the issue by pasteurizing milk slowly and gently

.u z

J , " :> " z I J

n J :::

at a low temperarure. Jenkins said that this procedure,

known as thermization, preserves flavor molecules and

yields excellent cheese virtually indistinguishable from

raw-milk cheeses. The only way to identifY these lightly

pasteurized cheeses is to ask your cheese monger.

Egg Substitutes Is it okay to use egg substitutes instead of whole eggs

for baking? EL LEN McLAUGH L IN

VIA E-MAIL

�In past tests using different brands of egg substi­

tutes (yolk-free liquid-egg products composed mainly

of egg whites, yellow coloring, flavotings, salt, and

vegetable gums) to make scrambled eggs, we fow1d Egg Beaters to be the best of the bunch. Despite an unnaturally bright yellow color and slightly spongy texture, Egg Beaters has decent flavor tl1at tasters

found acceptable. To see if this egg substintte would

work in baking applications as well, we used it in place

of real eggs in three recipes: yellow cake, peanut butter

cookies, and custard pie filling.

The verdict? In all cases, tasters found Egg Beaters

to be a reasonable substitute. The yellow cake made witl1 engineered eggs didn't brown or rise quite as well as the one made wim real eggs and had a slightly

gummy top, but it was still acceptable, especially once the cake was frosted. The Egg Beaters and me

real eggs turned out equally

good results in me peanut but-

ter cookies and the custard pie

filling. (In fact, some tasters

actually preferred the custard

made with the egg substitute for

its "less-eggy" flavor.)

While we still prefer real

whole eggs to additive-laden

egg substitutes, me vegetable gums in Egg Beaters do a good

job of rn.imicking the texrure of • ---

real yolks and will work just Good for more than fine in most foods. just breakfast?

Turning Layer Cake into a Sheet Cake Is there a rule of thumb to follow for converting layer

cakes into sheet cakes? I find it much easier to frost

a cake baked in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish than to

frost a layer cake. BET T Y PARKE R

FORT M Y E RS, F LA.

�To answer your question, we followed our recipes for Rich and Tender Yellow Layer Cake (March/

April 1999) and Old-Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake (March/April 2006) witl1out altering a tl1ing in either batter. But instead of pouring each batter into two 9-inch round cake pans, we baked each cake in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper, following me baking times and oven tempera­rures in tl1e recipes.

Each sheet cake required about five extra minutes

WH AT I S I T?

I enjoy col lecting antique kitchenware and recently bought this wire contraption. It looks l ike it may have been used to hold or l ift things, but I 'm not sure . Do you have any ideas?

KEUI-CHEN HSIEH. SAN D IE GO, CAL IF.

This antique kitchen tool provides a sure grip on canning jars.

We did some research and determined that this funny- looking gadget, made of wood and heavy-gauge wire, is an old-fash ioned jar-l ifter used to remove canning jars from their hot water baths, m inimizing the risk of burns or broken jars. The gadget works l ike a pair of giant tongs. To use it, p lace your middle finger through the top loop and position the handles around the edge of the jar's ring top. Next, pu l l up on the wooden bars with your free fingers. The tension from the pu l l ing action wi l l cause the handles to close secure ly around the top of the l id, a l lowing jars of any size to be l ifted up and out of the water. We found a few of these for sale onl ine for about $6.

of baking w1til a toothpick inserted in its center revealed a few moist crw11bs: petfectly done. So tl1e next time you want to prepare a recipe for two 9-inch

layer cakes in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish, bake tl1e cake as usual and add about five minutes of baking

time to the original recipe (checking for doneness a

few minutes early to prevent overbaking). Let tl1e

cake cool completely before frosting it in the pan or

turning it out to be frosted.

Grilling Safety When grilling, is it OK to use tl1e same pair of metal tongs to handle botl1 raw and cooked chicken?

RE BECCA FO RMAN

STATEN IS LAND. N. Y.

�You should never use tl1e same tongs to handle

both raw and fully cooked chicken (or any other meat)

Lmless you wash tl1em in hot, soapy water first. Using the same w1washed pair for botl1 tasks would be an

invitation for cross-contamination. Sinlilarly, tongs used to pick up and flip raw or Lmdercooked chicken should not be used to handle and serve grilled vegeta­

bles. We recommend buying a second pair of tongs.

Pastry Cloth What exactly is pastry clotl1? I've seen some recipes tlut call for it, but I wonder if using a floured work swface is good enough.

LAW RENCE A LD RED

PORT LAND, O RE.

�Pastry cloth is a large, lightweight canvas cloth on which pastry dough can be rolled out. We found tllis item for sale on several cooking websites and tried it out for ourselves to see if it worked any better than a

floured coLmtertop. We soon discovered tl1at one key to using a pastry

J A N U A R Y [y F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

3

cloth successfi.illy is making sure a little flour is mbbed into me fibers of the cloth. Otl1erwise, the dough tends to stick to tl1e urilloured areas of the cloth, just

as it will to tl1e urilloured sections of a countertop. The pasuy clom made rolling out and transferring

dough to a pie plate easier man doing the same on a

cow1tertop, but no easier man rolling out dough on a large piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Given

tl1at pastry cloms must be washed in between uses (fat

residue gets stuck between me fibers and will become rancid if not removed, affecting me flavor of fumre

dough), they are more trouble man they are worth.

Pastry cloth is no better than parchment paper for rol l ing out dough.

Erratum �"Thinking Outside tl1e Pantry" on page 17 of

me November/December 2007 issue contained

incomplete information. Here is tl1e complete text.

To replace 1 stick U11salted butter, use 1 stick salted butter - 1/2 teaspoon salt from recipe; to replace 1 cup butternlilk, use 1 cup milk+ 1 tablespoon lemon juice allowed to thicken for 10 minutes; to replace 1 cup whole milk, use % cup skin1 milk+ 3fs cup half-and­half. We apologize for this error.

SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS We will provide a compli­mentary one-year su bscription for each letter we print. Send your inqu iry, name, address, and daytime telephone number to Notes from Readers, Cook's I l lustrated, P.O. Box 470589, Brookline, MA 02447, or to notesfromreaders@americastest kitchen.com.

No-Mess Measuring It can be tricky to measure dry ingredients from small containers, such as cocoa powder or cornstarch boxes, without getting the work surface messy. To keep things tidy, Kate Griffin of Oakland, Calif., relies on a piece of parchment paper.

I. Place a dry measuring cup on a square of parchment or wax paper and measure the ingredient i nto the cup. Use a flat utensi l to sweep excess onto the paper. 2. Holding the edges, pick up the paper and sl ide the excess ingredient back into the original container.

Cutting Marshmallows Mini marshmallows are an important garnish for hot

chocolate, but what if you only have large marshmal­

lows on hand? Ari Wolfe of Princeton, N.J., found

himself in such a predicament and reached for his

kitchen shears, lightly spraying them with nonstick

cooking spray to prevent the sticky marshmallows

from adhering to the blades.

Portable Kitchen Robert Romano of San Diego,

Calif., often misses must-have

ingredients or favorite kitchen

tools when cooking at friends'

homes. His solution? He packs a

few sharp knives and other indis­

pensable items like a garlic press,

a pepper grinder, his favorite type

of salt, and a bottle of extra-virgin

olive oil into a plastic container to

take along. Multiple containers can

easily be stacked on top of each

other and lowered into a paper

grocery bag.

Stacking Glass Measuring Cups Stacking glass measuring cups can resu l t in chipped and broken edges. Celeste Marien of Medina, N .Y., found that a small square of wax or parchment paper p laced between the cups prevents them from chipping and makes them eas ier to separate when needed.

Send Us Your Tip We will provide a compl imentary one-year subscription for each tip we pri nt. Send your tip, name. and address to Quick Tips, Cook's I l l ustrated, P.O. Box 470589, Brookl ine, MA 02447, or to quicktips@americastestkitchen.com.

C OOK'S I L L U ST R A TE D

4

Removing Refrigerator Odors Mary LeBrun of Raymond, Maine, came up with a techn ique that works better than baking soda to deodorize a refrigerator. She p laces a handful of charcoal briquettes in a dispos­able p lastic container (with no l id) in the refrigerator or freezer. Once the offending smel l has dissipated, she s imply discards the container.

A Cleaner with Frills Susannah Dickey of High Point,

N.C., came up with an ingenious

tool for removing bits of food from

the nooks and crannies of hard-to­

clean kitchen tools such as pastry

tips, garlic presses, and rasp­

style graters: the frilly

end of a toothpick.

Unblemished Cauliflower Even the freshest head of caul iflower can have minor blemishes. Sharon Cul l inane of Farmington , N .Y., gently rubs a rasp-style grater over discol­ored areas u nti l they disappear.

Perfect Pie Pastry Citrus-Flavored Cocktails Susan Abell of Hinesburg, Vt.,

came up with an idea for using up

the zest taken from juiced lem­

ons, limes, grapefruit, or oranges.

Rolling pie dough into an even circle requires deft hands and experience. Joy Lillie of San Jose, Calif., uses parchment paper and a

pencil to make the process less daunting.

Combine the grated zest from

I to 2 pieces of fruit with I

cup of vodka in a glass jar

and refrigerate. W hen it's

time to use the vodka in

I . 2.

I. Place a 12-inch skillet lid on a sheet of parchment paper. Using a pencil, trace a circle around the lid.

2. Roll out a disk of lightly floured dough on the parchment, using the tracing as a guide and stopping when the dough reaches

the line.

Makeshift Double Boiler Many recipes call for melting chocolate in a homemade double boiler, which

is created by suspending a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Finding

herself with a bowl too small for her pot, Marika van Eerde of Santa Barbara, Calif.,

came up with a clever solution.

I. Place a heatproof colander in a pot of simmering water (the perforations should

be above the level of the water).

2. Set a heatproof bowl with the chocolate inside the colander. Using an oven mitt

to avoid a steam burn, stir the chocolate with a spatula until it melts.

Scoring Chicken Skin Cutting slashes in chicken skin with a knife to

help render fat during cooking is

a slippery job that often results

in the meat being scored as

well, leading to a loss of juices

and drying out the meat. Tracey

Bissell of West Hartford, Conn.,

found a better way: Pinch the

chicken skin with one hand,

then use kitchen shears in the

other to snip the skin two or

three times.

Chemical-Free Cleaning To avoid cleaning kitchen countertops

with chemicals that might contami­

nate food, Carolyn Roberts of

Vienna, Va., uses a spray bottle

filled with equal -._.::·, parts white vinegar

and water.

An Easier Squeeze Pressing all the juice from a lemon or lime with a citrus juicer can be tricky. To

ensure he gets every last drop, Fred Dunayer of Sarasota, Fla., employs the follow­

ing technique:

I. Using a paring knife, cut the lemon peel from pole to pole, making four

!/.!-inch-deep slits. Next, cut the lemon in half crosswise.

2. Place the lemon half in the juicer and squeeze to remove all of the juice.

J A N U A R Y [y F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

5

Improving Cheap Roast Beef Roasting inexpensive beef usually yields tough meat best suited for sandwiches. How do you

transform a bargain cut into a tender, juicy roast that can stand on its own at dinner?

F or most families, Sunday roast

beef isn't prime rib; it's a lesser

cut that's sometimes good,

sometimes not. The roasts my

parents prepared throughout my child­

hood were typically tough and dried­out and better suited for sandwiches

the next day. But when my grand­

father was at the stove, he could take

the same inexpensive cut and turn it

into something special-tender, rosy,

beefY-tasting meat that had everyone

asking for seconds. I wanted to work

the same kind of wizardry on my own

Sunday roast.

3 B Y DAVID PAZMINOE

First I needed to zero in on the most promising beef. After a week in the

kitchen testing a slew oflow-cost cuts (see

"Low-Cost Lineup," right), I had a clear

winner: the eye-round roast. Though

less flavorful than fattier cuts from the

shoulder (the chuck) and less tender than

other meat from the back leg (the round),

my eye roast had one key attribute the

others lacked: a uniform shape from front

to back. This was a roast that would not only cook evenly but look good on the

plate as well .

Th in ly s l i c ing the eye round is the last step i n transforming it from tough to tender.

The Showdown: High or Low Heat? My next challenge was choosing between the two

classic med1ods for roasting meat-high and fast

or low and slow. I began with the more common

high-heat approach, quickly searing the meat on d1e

stovetop and then transferring it to a 450-degree oven for roasting. The technique works great with

more upscale rib and loin cuts but showed its flaws

with the leaner eye round, yielding meat that was

overcooked and dried-out. But before heading down the low-temperature

Jlil4 C O O K' S LIVE Original Test Kitchen Videos

www. c o o ks i llu s t r a t e d.c o m

HOW TO MAKE

• Slow-Roasted Beef

VIDEO TIPS

• Which cut of meat should I buy? • How do I carve roast beef? • Do I real ly need an i nstant-read thermometer? • Can I check the temperature of my oven without an

oven thermometer/

pad1, which normally involves roasting meat in an

oven set between 250 and 325 degrees, I wanted to

try something more extreme. To extract maximum

tenderness from meat, the popular 1 960s nutritionist

Adelle Davis advocated cooking it at the temperature desired when it was done. For a roast to reach an end

temperature of 1 30 degrees for medium-rare, this

process could involve 20 to 30 hours of cooking.

Davis's advice wasn't new. Benjamin Thompson,

the 18th-century physicist who invented the roasting oven, observed that leaving meat to cook overnight in

an oven heated by a dying fire resulted in exceptional

tenderness.

Tossing aside practical considerations like food

safety and the gas bill, I decided I had to replicate these two experts' findings. I set the one oven in the test kitchen capable of maintaining such a low temperature to 1 3 0 degrees and popped in an eye round. Twenty-four hours later, I pulled out a roast

wid1 juicy, meltingly tender meat that tasters likened to beef tenderloin. What special beef magic was

going on here ?

C OO K"

s ILL U ST R A TE D

6

T h e Lowdown When I thought back to the test kitchen's discoveries

in "The Problem with Thick-Cut Steaks" (May/June

2007), I had my answer: Beef contains enzymes that

break down its connective tissues and act as natural

tenderizers. These enzymes work faster as the tem­

perature of the meat rises-but just LU1til it reaffies 122

degrees, at which point all action stops. Roasting the

eye round in an oven set to 130 degrees allowed it to

stay below 122 degrees far longer than when cooked in the typical low-temperature roasting range, transform­

ing this lean, unassw11ing cut into something great.

But given that most ovens don't heat below

200 degrees-and that most home cooks don't

want to run their ovens for a full day-how could I

expect others to re-create my results? I would have

s H o P P 1 N G : Low-Cost Lin eup Not al l bargain cuts have the potential to taste l ike a mi l l ion bucks--or look l ike it when carved and served on a plate.

OUR FAVORITE �EYE-ROUND ROAST ($4. 99 per pound)

We singled out this cut not only for its good flavor and relative tender-

TOO FATTY �CHUCK EYE ($3.99 per pound)

While undeniably tender

ODD SHAPE �TOP ROUND ($ 3. 99 per pound)

A del i staple for sandwiches, th is cut

TOUGH TO CARVE �BOTTOM ROUND RUMP ($4.29 per pound)

We ruled out th is roast for being both tough and hard to carve against the grain .

R E C I P E S H O RT H A N D j TH E TRAN S F O RMATI O N FROM TO U G H TO TE N D E R

Along with salting and searing, the key to our eye round 's makeover into a tender, juicy roast i s keeping its i nternal tem­perature below 1 22 degrees for as long as possible. Below 1 22 degrees. the meat's enzymes act as natural tenderizers, breaking down its tough connective tissues.

CD � �

I . SALT Salt the roast and al low it to rest for 1 8 to 24 hours. Salt breaks down proteins to improve texture. 2. SEAR Sear the meat in a hot pan before roasting. While this won't affect tenderness. it wil l boost flavor. 3. OVE N O N Cook the meat in an oven set to 225 degrees and open the door as i nfrequently as possib le. 4. OVE N OFF When the roast reaches 1 15 degrees. turn off oven and continue to cook the roast as the oven cools.

to go as low as I could and see what happened. To

accommodate the widest possible range of ovens, I

settled on 225 degrees as my lowest starting point.

I also decided I would brown the meat first to give

it nice color and a crusty exterior. (Willie tender,

my 1 30-degree roast had an unappetizing gray

exterior. ) Searing would also help to ensure food

safety, since bacteria on roasts are generally confined

to the outside .

When I took tl1e roast out of the oven, however,

I was disappointed. It was tender, but notlung like

the texture of the eye row1d cooked at 1 30 degrees.

What could I do to keep the meat below 122 degrees

longer? A new idea occurred to me: Why not shut off

the oven just before the roast reached 122 degrees? As the oven cooled, the roast would continue to cook

even more slowly.

Using a meat-probe them1ometer to track tl1e inter­

nal temperamre of the roast, I shut off the oven when

the meat reached l l 5 degrees. Sure enough, the meat

stayed below 122 degrees 30 minutes longer, allowing

its enzymes to continue the work of tenderizing, before

creeping to 1 30 degrees for medium-rare. Tasters

were certainly happy with tlUs roast. It was remarkably

tender and juicy for a roast that cost so little.

The Home Stretch With the tenderness problem solved, it was time to tackle taste . So far I 'd simply sprinkled salt and pep­

per on tl1e roast just before searing it. Perhaps the

flavor would improve if the meat were salted over­

night or even brined. Brining-normally reserved

for less fatty pork and poultry---certainly pumped

more water into the beef and made it very juicy, but it also made it taste bland, watery, and less beefY. Next I tried salting the meat for first four, tl1en 1 2 ,

and finally 2 4 hours. As n1ight b e expected, tl1e roast

benefited most from tl1e longest salting. Because

the process of osmosis causes salt to travel from

areas of higher to lower concentration, tl1e fi.1ll 24

hours gave it tl1e most time to penetrate deep into

the meat. There was another benefit: Salt, like the enzymes in meat, breaks down proteins to furtl1er improve texture .

At last I had tender, flavomll beef for a Sunday

roast tl1at even my grandfatl1er would have been

proud to serve to his fanlliy. The leftovers-if tl1ere

were any-would have no need for may01maise or

mustard to taste good.

S LOW- R OA S T E D B E E F

S E RV E S 6 TO 8

We don't recommend cooking tlUs roast past

meclium. Open tl1e oven door as little as possible

and remove the roast from tl1e oven while taking its

temperanrre . If tl1e roast has not reached the desired

temperature in the time specified in step 3, heat the

oven to 225 degrees for 5 minutes, shut it off, and continue to cook the roast to tl1e desired temperature.

For a smaller (21f2 - to 3 112-pound) roast, reduce the

amount of kosher salt to 3 teaspoons ( 1 112 teaspoons

table salt) and black pepper to 1 1f2 teaspoons. For a

4lf2 - to 6-pow1d roast, cut in half crosswise before

cooking to create 2 smaller roasts. Slice me roast as

minly as possible and serve witl1 Horseraclish Cream

Sauce, if desired (recipe follows) .

boneless eye-round roast (3 V2 t o 4 V2 pounds)

(see note above)

4 teaspoons kosher salt or 2 teaspoons table salt

2 teaspoons plus I tablespoon vegetable o i l

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 . Sprinkle all sides of roast evenly witl1 salt. Wrap

with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 8 to 24 hours.

2. Adjust oven rack to nuddle position and heat

oven to 225 degrees. Pat roast dry with paper towels; mb witl1 2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle all sides evenly with pepper. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in 1 2 -

inch skillet over meclium-high heat until starting to

smoke . Sear roast until browned on all sides, 3 to 4

minutes per side . Transfer roast to wire rack set in

rimmed baking sheet. Roast until meat-probe tl1er­

mometer or instant-read thermometer inserted into

center of roast registers 1 1 5 degrees for meclium­rare, 1 114 to 1 % hours, or 125 degrees for medium, 1 % to 2 1f4 hours .

J A N U A R Y 6- F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

7

3 . Turn oven off; leave roast in oven, witl1out

opening door, until meat-probe mermometer or

instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast

registers 1 30 degrees for mecliwn-rare or 140 degrees

for mecliun1, 30 to 50 n-llnutes longer. Transfer roast

to carving board and let rest 1 5 n-llnutes. Slice meat

crosswise as tl1inly as possible and serve.

H O R S E R A D I S H C R E A M S A U C E

M A K E S A B O U T I C U P

V2 c u p heavy cream

V2 cup prepared horserad ish

teaspoon table salt

Va teaspoon ground black pepper

Whisk crean1 in meclium bowl until tlUckened but

not yet holcling soft peaks, 1 to 2 n-llnutes. Gently

fold in horseradish, salt, and pepper. Transfer to

serving bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or

up to 1 hour before serving.

E Q U I P M E N T T E S T I N G :

M e at-Probe Thermometers Repeatedly opening the oven door to monitor the i nternal temperature of a roast can throw cooking times off kilter. One solution? Meat-probe ther­mometers. These remote devices transmit tempera­ture from a long probe left in the meat and attached to a thin cord that snakes out of the oven to a digital console. But don 't throw out your i nstant-read thermometer just yet. We tested I I models-sev­eral by the same manufacturers-and not one was flawless. The ones that accurately measured temperature sported function buttons that were too s low or too hard to figure out. Others that were user-friend ly were also unrel iable .

The best of the bunch-an easy-to-use ther­mometer from Thermo Works ($ 1 9)-was great when it worked but has probes that even its manufacturer admits are sometimes defective. Unti l a better meat probe comes on the market, we recommend this one--with reservations. Check the probe's accuracy by boi l ing water and taking a reading before trying it with a roast. If the probe doesn't read very close to 2 1 2 degrees. ask for a replacement. For complete testing results, go to www.cooks i l l ustrated.com/february.

U S E R - F R I E N D LY B U T U N R E L I A B L E The ThermoWorks Original/ Cooking Thermometer/ Timer offers a long cord and simple, single-function buttons, but its probe can be inaccurate.

-El izabeth Bomze

Introducing French Chicken in a Pot Taki ng cues from a Fre n c h tech n i q u e fo r coo ki ng ch i cke n i n a cove red pot ,

we fo rgo cr i spy ski n for s u ccu l e nt meat an d u nfo rgettab l e f lavo r.

I first encountered poulet en cocotte in a Par i s ian b i s tro l a s t fal l .

Recommended t o m e b y the waiter

as a specialty of the house, the dish

featured a whole chicken baked with a

smattering of root vegetables in a covered

pot. It was just the kind of homey com­

fort food I was craving on that cold, wet

night. The bird arrived at my table in a

cast- iron pot, and my anticipation grew as

the waiter lifted the lid. At first glance, the

chicken was notlung to rave about-it had

pale, soft skin very unlike the crisp exterior

of the roasted poultry I was used to-but

its deep aroma was better than that of

any roast chicken I could remember. My

first bite confirmed that the dish was very

special, indeed-the meat was incred­

ibly tender and juicy, with a rich, soul­

satisfYing flavor.

3 B Y C I I A R L E S K E L S E Y E

My next go-round, I cooked a chicken

by itself save for a little oil to prevent it

from sticking. When I pulled the pot &om

the oven and removed tl1e lid, a tiny puff

of stean1 emerged-not the great whoosh

tl1at had been escaping &om tl1e tests with

vegetables. This was a bird witl1 great flavor

tl1at won over tasters and ren1inded me of

my meal in Paris. And witl1 no vegetables to

soak them up, tl1e flavorfi.t! juices remained

in the pot. After defatting the liquid, I had

a simple, richly flavored jus to accompany

my chicken-a huge bonus . Still, tl1e bird

was not perfect. Tasters complained that

the breast meat was a tad tough and fibrous,

and I had to agree. I wondered what a lower

oven temperature would do.

T i m i ng Is Everyth ing

As I continued to savor each bite, I began

to think about the American obsession with

crisp chicken skin. We are so bent on getting

this one aspect right that we'll sacrifice what's

really important-the meat. I'd certainly be

willing to give up a crisp exterior if it meant

I could have tender, succulent meat bursting

with concentrated chicken flavor. I had to try making poulet en cocotte at home.

As it bakes in a Dutch oven , the ch icken re leases ju i ces that stay i n the pot, contributing to exceptiona l ly moist meat and a rich-tasti ng jus .

Setting up a half dozen chickens in pots, I

tested a range of oven temperanrres below

400 degrees. To account for pots with

poorly fitting lids, I sealed each witl1 foil

before adding the top, ensuring tlut as

much of the chicken juices as possible wOLtld

stay inside . Temperamres from 300 to 375

degrees produced better results, but even

lower temperanires-between 250 and 300

degrees-yielded chickens with increclibly

Blowi ng Off Steam The basic metl1od for poulet en cocotte is simple :

Place a seasoned chicken in a pot, scatter in a small

handfi.il of chopped vegetables, cover, and bake.

Unlike braising, little to no liquid is added to tl1e

pot, resulting in a drier cooking environment. Many

of tl1e recipes I found called for aLLxiliaty ingredients

such as bacon, mushrooms, or tomatoes. But when

I tried tl1ese extras, I fow1d they served only to cover

up what I was really after: great chicken flavor, pure

and simple, like I'd had in Paris. I would stick witl1 the

chlll1ks of potatoes, onions, and carrots I remembered

&om that meal .

As I continued to experiment with clifferent recipes

in tl1e test kitchen, I realized the bistro had described

their dish as a specialty of the house with good reason:

Notlling I made could compare. Though most recipes

did nothing to the chicken except season it before

placing it in the pot to bake, I decided extra measures

were necessary. I tried basting the bird, but going to

the oven every 20 Illinutes was a hassle that had little

impact on tl1e taste . Next I tiied lightly browning tl1e

top and bottom of tl1e chicken on tl1e stove top before

baking. Now I was getting somewhere-tile flavor was

beginning to deepen. But how cOLtld I get even more

intense chicken flavor? I remembered earlier tests in

which I'd added a splash of wine or brotl1 to tl1e pot

at tl1e start of cooking. These versions resLilted in meat

tl1at was very juicy, but the steamier environment cre­

ated a washed-out flavor. What if I actually decreased tl1e humidity inside tl1e pot? Would tl1at give me tl1e

result I was looking for?

Eager for answers, I prepped a new chicken and

a batch of vegetables, drying each tl1oroughly witl1

paper towels before adding them to tl1e pot. This

had little effect. And tl1en it dawned on me tl1at the

vegetables were releasing liquid and making tl1e pot

too steamy. To create something close to a one-pot

meal, I had been using more vegetables and in larger

chunks than I remembered &om my bistro dish. But

I'd gladly sacrifice tl1e veggies if it meant a bird with

better flavor.

C O O K'

S I L L U S r R A 'I E D

8

tender breast meat. And willie these birds

took much longer tl1an average to cook (about an hour

and a half-all walk-away time, mind you) , tasters raved

about tl1e meat's rich, concentrated flavor, which was

all tl1anks to tl1e technique: slow-cooking the chicken

in nothing more tl1a11 its own juices.

The last cooking hurdle to clear was the matter of

tl1e dark meat not cooking quickly enough. By tl1e

time the breast meat was perfectly cooked to 1 60

degrees, tl1e dark meat (which needs to be cooked to

1 75 degrees) still wasn't ready. Placing tl1e oven rack

on tl1e lowest position, so it was closer to the heat

source, combined witl1 browning tl1e dark meat for

an extra minute or two, solved the problem.

With the cooking process under control , it was

time to finesse the flavors . Two teaspoons of kosher

salt was enough to season the chicken witl1out mak­

ing tl1e jus too salty. And I discovered tl1at I could

get away with adding a small an10lll1t of potently fla­

vored aromatic vegetables--chopped onion, cele1y,

whole garlic cloves-to tl1e pot. Lightly browning

them along with tl1e chicken helped wick away any

z <{ l:

s � z 0

excess moisture, and the caramelization added tich

color and flavor to the jus . Stirring in a litde fresh

lemon j uice to finish the jus brightened and balanced

all of its flavors.

My French Chicken in a Pot will never place first in

a beauty contest, of course, if a browned roast bird is

the standard. But its tender, j uicy, intensely flavored

meat is sure to be a winner every time.

F R E N C H C H I C K E N IN A POT

S E RV ES 4

The cooking times in the recipe are for a 4 1/z - to

5 -pound bird. A 3 Vz - to 4Vz -pound chicken will

take about an hour to cook, and a 5- to 6-pOLmd

bird will take close to 2 hours . We developed this

recipe to work wid1 a 5- to 8-quart Dutch oven with

a tight-fitting lid. !fusing a 5-quart pot, do not cook

a chicken larger than 5 pOLmds . Use the best chicken

available, such as a Bell & Evans. If using a kosher

chicken, reduce d1e kosher salt to 1 teaspoon (or lfz

teaspoon table salt) . If you choose not to serve d1e

skin wid1 d1e chicken, simply remove it before carving.

The amount of j us will vary depending on the size of

the chicken; season it with about 1/4 teaspoon lemon

juice for every lj4 cup.

whole roasting chicken (4 V2 to 5 pounds),

giblets removed and d iscarded, wings tucked

under back (see note above)

2 teaspoons kosher salt or I teaspoon table salt

\4 teaspoon ground b lack pepper

tablespoon ol ive oil

small onion, chopped medium (about V2 cup)

smal l celery stalk, chopped medium

(about \4 cup)

6 medium garl ic cloves, peeled and trimmed

bay leaf

medium sprig fresh rosemary (optional)

V2- l teaspoon ju ice from I lemon

l. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat

oven to 250 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper

rowels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in

large Dutch oven over medium heat until j ust smok­

ing. Add chicken breast-side down; scatter onion,

Dry Cooking versus Braising

French Chicken in a Pot shares some s imi larities with braised chicken-both are cooked in covered pots in low­temperature ovens to yield tender, flavorful meat. Un l ike braising, however, where lots of l iqu id is added to the pot, our chicken is placed in a dry pot and left to cook in noth ing more than the essence of its own ju ices.

D RY E N V I RO N M E N T I n a dry pot with no added liquid, juices that come out of

the chicken go right back into it, undiluted by other flavors.

W E T E N V I RO N M E N T The wet environment of a braise creates an ongoing

exchange between the flavors of the chicken as well as other ingredients, such as wine, broth, and vegetables.

celery, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary ( if using) around

chicken. Cook until breast is lighdy browned, about

5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon inserted into

cavity of bird, flip chicken breast-side up and cook

w1til chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6 to

8 minutes . Remove Dutch oven from heat; place

large sheet of foil over pot and cover tighdy wid1

lid . Transfer pot to oven and cook until instant-read

d1ermometer registers 1 60 degrees when inserted in

duckest part of breast and 1 75 degrees in mickest part

of thigh, 80 to llO minutes.

2. Transfer chicken to carving board, tent wid1

foil, and rest 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain chicken

j uices from pot d1rough fine-mesh strainer into fat

E Q U I P M E N T T E S T I N G :

I s a C l ay Cooke r Better? Clay pot roasters have garnered fame for coaxing remarkable flavor from few ingredients and minimal work: You simply soak the cooker in water for I S minutes, add the raw ingredients, and place the cov­ered pot in a cold oven. You then crank the heat up to at least 400 degrees. Theoretically, the steam released from the water-soaked clay and the gradual tempera­ture increase should yield tender, ju icy meat.

Can a clay cooker outperform a Dutch oven? To find out, we compared two batches of our French Chicken in a Pot, one cooked in a Dutch oven and the other adapted for a c lay roaster. We preferred the Dutch oven method. Though both chickens cooked up equal ly moist and fal l-apart tender, clay cookers are not stovetop-safe, so we needed to brown the ch icken in a ski l let before transferring it to the c lay pot. We' l l stick with the Dutch oven.

-El izabeth Bomze

O N LY I N A H OT OV E N Clay cookers aren't stovetop-safe, so you' l l need

to brown chicken separately.

separator, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard

solids (you should have about % cup j uices) . Allow

Liquid to settle 5 minutes, men pour into saucepan

and set over low heat. Carve chicken, adding any

accumulated juices to saucepan. Stir lemon juice into

jus to taste . Serve chicken, passing j us at table .

lil4 C O O K' S L I V E Original Test Kitchen Videos

w w w. c o o k s i l l u s t r at e d. c o m

H OW TO M A K E

• French Chicken in a Pot

VIDEO TIPS

• Which Dutch oven should I buy? • How can I separate fat without a fat separator?

K E Y S TO S U C C E S S I M O I S T C H I C K E N W I T H C O N C E N T R AT E D F L AV O R

� I . BROWN Sear chicken on both sides 2. SEAL Cover pot with foil before adding 3 . S LOW-COOK Cook chicken at 250 4. REST Transfer chicken to carving board t:; to enhance flavor. l id to trap chicken ju ices inside. degrees for 80 to I I 0 minutes. to rest so juices can redistribute. �

J A N U A R Y [y F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

9

Ultracrunchy Baked Pork Chops Pork c h o ps with a th i ck coat i ng that wo n 't fa l l off req u i re m o re than j u st a s h ake i n a bag.

We get r id of c ru m b ly crusts and soggy botto m s to create c h o ps with rea l cru n c h .

W hen done right, baked

breaded pork chops are

the ult imate comfort

food: tender cutlets sur­

rounded by a crunchy coating that crack­

les apart with each bite . But all too often,

baked chops fall short of that ideal . Opt

for the convenience of a shaky packaged

product from the supermarket for your

breading and you wind up with a bland­

tasting chop with a thin, sandy crust. Make

your own breading with fresh crumbs and

the flaws are different-a soggy, patchy

crust that won't stick to the meat. My goal

was clear: to cook a j uicy, flavorful chop

with a crisp, substantial crust that would

stay on the meat from fork to mouth.

Choice Chops

3 B Y S A N D R A W U E

cheated. What if I let air circulation keep

the bottom crumbs crisp? Placing tl1e chops

on a wire rack set inside the baking sheet

defi11itely helped. Upping the oven tem­

perature from 350 to 425 degrees helped

even more . The coating nisped up more

readily, and the excess moisture evaporated

by the time the pork reached the requisite

1 5 0-degree serving temperature .

Crisp and Cru nchy I had figured out the right chops to use

and the proper way to cook them. Now I

could concentrate on the breading. Tasters

deemed panko too fine- textured and

bland. Crushed Melba toast was crunchier

but didn't stick together. Ultimately, tast­

ers preferred the fresh flavor and slight

sweetness of crumbs made from white

sandwich bread.

I tossed the fresh crumbs with a little

My first task was choosing the best cut of

meat. Though bone-in chops retain mois­

ture better, I decided on a boneless cut for

this dish, so I wouldn't have to bread the

bone and there would be no distraction

from the crunchy crust. This gave me two

options: sirloin or center-cut. I settled on

center-cut boneless loin chops, which were

not only easier to find in the supermarket

but also cooked more evenly.

A nove l techn ique gives these chops the ir serious ly crunchy coating.

salt, pepper, and oil ; tl1en I spread them on

a baking sheet and toasted them until they

were golden brown. The resulting crust

was decently crisp but still not as good as

I knew it could be. What if I took a cue

from tl1e supermarket coating and toasted

the crumbs to a deeper brown? Though

boxed crumbs produce a crust tl1at is thin

Next I needed to determine tl1e chop size . The

1!2 -inch-thick chops generally used for pan-frying

were too easily overwhelmed by the kind of crust I

wanted, and the l lfz -inch-thick chops usually reserved

for barbecuing or stuffing proved to be too tllick, giv­

ing me too much meat and not enough crust. Pork

chops that fell in between-% to l inch thick-were

my tasters' top choice.

The test kitchen's standard breading metl10d

( dusting witl1 flour, clipping in beaten egg, and

rolling in toasted bread crumbs) was sufficient as I

figured out the best cooking tecrulique . Simply bak­

ing tl1e breaded chops on a baking sheet, the most

obvious method and one used in many recipes, made

tl1e bottoms soggy. I tried breading just the top and

sides, and while this quick fix worked, tasters felt

R e c 1 P e T e s T 1 N G : Coatings without the C runch

T H I N This popular boxed mix gives

chops an insubstantial, bland crust.

PATC H Y The crust peels off chops dipped

in a typical thin egg wash.

C RU M B LY Fresh, untoasted crumbs have trouble sticking to the chop.

C OO K ' S I L L U S T R A T E D

1 0

and sandy, the processed coating does have one

thing going for it-a true crispness tint I 'd yet to

achieve . For my next test, I left the crumbs in tl1e

oven until they looked dangerously overtoasted and

was pleasantly surprised that tllis worked-the bread­

ing didn't burn when baked again on tl1e chops, and

my crumb coating was now seriously crisp . To add

even more flavor, I stirred in some minced garlic and

shallot with the crumbs before they went into the

oven and tossed in some grated Parmesan cheese and

minced herbs after they cooled. These chops tasted

great. Everything would be perfect if I could just

ensure one thing: that the crumbs swck onto the

pork evenly, rather than peeling off in patches .

Stick to It Witl1 cnunbs as tl1ick and coarse as these, I knew I'd

need sometlling witl1 more holding power than a

typical egg wash to glue them to the pork. I recalled

a cookbook recipe that used mustard instead of eggs

to stick crun1bs on chops. A straight swap made the

taste too intense, but keeping tl1e eggs and adding

5 "' I: w a: f-a: <i u >­I 0..

;;; <:J 0 f--0 iE

S T E P - BY- S T E P 1 S E C R E T S T O A C R I S P C O AT I N G

I . D I P A thick batter of flour, 2. COAT Coating the chops with 3. E LE VATE Baking the chops on a rack set in a baking sheet al lows greater air c irculation and prevents the bottoms from turning soggy.

mustard, and egg whites grips the fresh, wel l-toasted bread crumbs bread crumbs l ike glue. results in a crust with flavor and

crunch.

a few tablespoons of Dijon mustard thickened the

mh::mre nicely and brought just enough new flavor to

the mix. But wlUle the crumbs stuck onto the baked

chops better than they had with a simple egg wash, a

few areas still flaked off.

A fellow test cook wondered aloud what would

happen if I got rid of the egg wash altogether and

dipped the floured chops into a thick batter before

breading them. I laughed. After all, batter is for fried

food. Who ever heard of using it for baking? I did it

anyway, using a basic fiitto misto batter of flour, corn­

starch, water, oil, and eggs as my base . Fully expecting

this experiment to tank, I was surprised when the pork

chops came out with a crust that was crunchier than

before and stayed on like a protective sheath. This

batter, though, requires resting and seemed too fi1ssy

for a weeknight dish. But what if ! made a quick egg

wash d1at was more like a batter?

I whisked enough flour into d1e egg and mustard

mixmre to give it the thick consistency of may01maise .

This adhering agent was now more of a spackle d1an a

watery glue . After flouring the chops, I coated d1em

evenly in d1e egg wash-batter hybrid, covered d1em

in bread crumbs, and baked them again. Much better,

but d1ere was a soft, puffY layer direcdy benead1 the

crumbs. Replacing the whole eggs with egg whites,

which have less fat but enough protein to lend stick­

ing power, provided just the crisp, dry crust I was

looking for. But even more impressive, d1e crumbs

clung firmly onto the meat even during some heavy

knife-and-fork action. This pork final.ly had some

real chops.

C R U N C H Y B A K E D P O R K C H O P S

S E RV E S 4

This recipe was developed using natural pork, but

enhanced pork ( injected with a salt solution ) will

work as well . If using enhanced pork, eliminate the

brining in step l . The bread crumb mixn1re can be

prepared through step 2 up to 3 days in advance .

The breaded chops can b e frozen for u p t o l week.

They don 't need to be d1awed before baking; simply increase the cooking time in step 5 to 35 to 40 minutes.

Table salt

4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces

each, 3,14 to I inch thick, trimmed of excess fat

4 s l ices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into

l - inch pieces

I smal l shal lot, m inced (about 2 tablespoons)

3 med ium garl ic c loves, m inced or pressed

through garl ic press (about I tablespoon)

2 tablespoons vegetable oi l

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

V> teaspoon m inced fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons minced fresh pars ley l eaves

V4 cup p lus 6 tablespoons unbleached

al l -purpose flour

3 large egg whites

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Lemon wedges

l . Adjust oven rack to rniddJe position and heat

oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve lj4 cup salt in l quart

water in mediwn container or gallon-sized zipper-lock

bag. Submerge chops, cover vvid1 plastic wrap, and

refrigerate 30 minutes. Rinse chops Lmder cold water

and dry d1oroughly with paper towels.

2 . Meanwhile, pulse bread in food processor

until coarsely ground, about eight 1 -second pulses

(you should have about 3 1Jz cups crumbs ) . Transfer

crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot,

garlic, oil, lj4 teaspoon salt, and lj4 teaspoon pepper.

Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. B ake

untiJ deep golden brown and d1y, about 1 5 minutes,

stirring twice during baking time . ( Do not turn off

oven . ) Cool to room temperature . Toss crumbs

with Parmesan, thyme, and parsley.

3. Place 1/4 cup fl our in pie plate . In second

pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until

combined; add remaining 6 tablespoons flour and

whisk until almost smooth, with pea-sized lumps

remaining.

4 . Increase oven temperatme to 425 degrees. Spray

wire rack wid1 nonstick cooking spray and place in

rin1med baking sheet. Season chops wid1 pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat wid1 egg mixntre; let excess drip off. Coat

J A N U A R Y [y F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

l l

The 3 0 - M inute B rine You might b e tempted t o skip the brin ing step when prepari ng Crunchy Baked Pork Chops. Don 't. Center-cut chops are quite lean, and left untreated they wi l l be very dry and chewy, even when cooked to medium (an i nternal temperature of I SO degrees). The salt in the brine changes the structure of the muscle proteins and al lows them to hold on to more moisture when exposed to heat. My tasters had no trouble p icking out the chops that I had brined versus chops that I had left untreated .

If you're accustomed to brining a turkey for the hol idays, you m ight think you don't have time to brine pork chops for a weeknight recipe l ike this. But I found that making the brine super-concentrated (with !4 cup of table salt dissolved in I quart of water) gets the job done in just 30 minutes-the time it wi l l take you to prepare the fresh bread crumb coating. And my potent brine fits, along with four chops, in a medium container or gal lon-sized zipper-lock bag. No brining bucket needed.

One exception: If you've purchased enhanced chops injected with a salt solution, don't brine them. The injected solution wi l l make the chops moist, even spongy, and brin ing wi l l make the meat way too salty. We prefer the flavor of natural chops and find that 30 minutes in a strong brine makes them plenty ju icy. -S.W.

all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing

gendy so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop.

Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with

remaining 3 chops.

5 . B ake untiJ instant-read thermometer inserted

into center of chops registers 1 5 0 degrees, 17 to 25

minutes. Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving

with lemon wedges.

C R U N C H Y B A K E D P O R K C H O P S W I T H

P R O S C I U T T O A N D A S I A G O C H E E S E

Follow recipe for Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

through step 3, omitting salt added to bread crumb

mixn1re in step 2 . Before breading, place lJs -inch­

thick slice Asia go cheese ( about lJ2 ounce ) on

top of each chop . Wrap each chop wid1 thin slice

prosciutto, pressing on prosciutto so that cheese

and meat adhere to one another. Proceed wid1

recipe from step 4, being careful when handling

chops so that cheese and meat do not come apart

during breading.

lil4 C O O K'S L I V E Ori inal Test Kitchen Videos

www. c o o k s i l l u st ra t e d . c o m

H OW TO MAKE

• Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

VIDEO TIPS

• How do I mince a shal lot? • How do I mince parsley?

Best French Onion Soup M ost vers ions of th i s age-o l d rec i pe h i de a med iocre b roth u nd e r a crust of b read and a

b lan ket of G ruyere . What i s the secret to coaxi ng i m p ress ive fl avor out of h u m b le o n i on s?

Legend has it that a hungry King Louis XV ofFrance invented onion soup after return­

ing home to an em pry larder late one night

from a hunting excursion. He took the few

ingredients he could find-a sack of onions, left­

over beef stock, and a bottle of Champagne-and

created tl1e now-famous recipe .

These days, tl1e ideal French onion soup combines

a satisfYing broth redolent of sweet caramelized onions

with a slice of toasted baguette and melted cheese . But

the reality is mat most of the onion soup you find isn't

very good. Once you manage to dig through the layer

of congealed cheese to unearth a spoonful of broth, it

just doesn't taste like onions. I discovered tl1e source

of these watery, weak brotl1s when I looked up some

recipes. One was particularly appalling, calling for a

mere 7 owKes of onions to make soup for six ! Even

more disturbing were tl1ose recipes that advised saute­

ing the onions for only five or six minutes-not nearly

enough time for tl1em to caran1elize .

The French Connection The good news is tl1at I really didn't need these lack­

luster recipes. I knew of a terrific one introduced to

the test kitchen by a friend visiting from France. Henri

Pinon patiently cooked 3 pounds of onions in butter

over very low heat until tl1ey were golden brown ( tlus

took about 90 minutes) , then deglazed tl1e pot wim

water. Notlling w1L!sual there-deglazing is common

in onion soup recipes. What followed, however, was

something entirely new. Henri allowed the onions to

recara.melize, and tl1en he deglazed tl1e pan again. And

again. He repeated tllis process several more times over

the course of another hour, finally fuushing the soup

by simmering the onions with water, white wine, and

a sprig of tl1yme. He garnished tl1e soup in the tradi­

tional way, witl1 a slice of cmsty toasted baguette and

a very modest amow1t of shredded Gmyere, passing

the crocks under me broiler to melt tl1e cheese . How

did it taste? Beyond compare-me broth was impos­

sibly rich, with deep onion flavor that burst through

the ranginess of the Gmyere and bread.

Having watched Henri make his soup, I couldn't

wait to give the recipe a try. But before I started

cooking, I pondered his technique. When onions

caramelize, a complex series of chemical reactions

takes place . Heat causes water molecules to separate

from tl1e onions' sugar molecules . As tl1ey cook, tl1e

dehydrated sugar molecules react witl1 each otl1er to

form new molecules that produce new colors, flavors,

and aromas. (Tlus is tl1e same series of reactions tlut

3 B Y R E B E C C A II A Y S E

borrow Hemi's technique while cutting

down on me active cooking tin1e?

This soup i s best fi n i shed under the bro i l er i n oven-safe crocks. I f using regu lar bowls, bro i l the cheese toasts separate ly.

I cranked the heat from low to high

to hurry the muons along, and my risk­

taking was rewarded wim burnt

muons that ended up in me trash . I

needed steady heat that wouldn't cause

scorching-me stovetop was concen­

trating too much heat at tl1e bottom

of tl1e pot. Why not use tl1e oven? I

spread oiled sliced onions on a baking

sheet and roasted tl1em at 450 degrees.

Instead of caramelizing, however, mey

simply dried out. Lower temperatures

caused the onions to steam . Next, I

cooked as many sliced onions as I could

squeeze into a Dutch oven ( 4 pounds ) ,

witl1 far more promising results-me

muons cooked slowly and evenly, build­

ing flavor all me while. After some trial

and error, I finally settled on a metl1od

in which I cooked me onions covered

in a 400-degree oven for an hour, then

continued cooking witl1 me lid ajar for

occurs when granulated sugar is heated to make cara­

mel . ) Each time Henri deglazed the pan and allowed

tl1e muons to recaramelize, he was ratcheting up me

flavor of the soup in a big way.

Back in the test kitchen witl1 Henri's recipe in hand,

I started cooking, and a long while later, tl1e soup was

on. It was as delicious as when Henri had made it, yet

after standing at the stove for more man two hours, I

barely had me energy to enjoy it. Was there a way to

anotl1er hour and a half.

Witl1 my new hands-off method, the onions

emerged from the oven golden, soft, and sweet, and

a nice fond had begwl to collect on me bottom of the

pot. Even better, I 'd only had to tend to them twice

in 2 1J2 hours . Next, I continued the caramelization

process on tl1e stovetop. Because of tl1eir head start in

tl1e oven, deglazing only tl1ree or four times was suf­

ficient ( tl1e process still took nearly an hour-but tllis

was far better than the two-plus hours Henri spent

S T E P - BY- S T E P I G O L D E N O N I O N S W I T H O U T T H E F U S S

Forget constant stirring on the stovetop. Cooking onions i n the oven takes time but requ ires l ittle attention.

I . RAW The raw onions nearly fi l l 2. AFTER I HOUR I N OVE N 3 . AFTER 2 V2 HOURS IN OVEN

a large Dutch oven . The on ions are starting to wi l t and The onions are golden, wilted, and re lease moisture. sign ificantly reduced in volume.

C O O K'

S I L L U S T R A T E D

1 2

� ..J "' :E w a:: >­..J a:: <i u ;_: iE � <.:J 0 >-0 I 0..

Most recipes for French onion soup cal l for deglazing-loosening the flavorful dark brown crust, orfond, that forms on the bottom of the pot-only once, if at a l l . The secret to our recipe is to deglaze the pot at least three times.

on his dozens of deglazings ) . Once the onions were

as dark as possible, I poured in a few splashes of dry

sherry, which tasters preferred to sweet sherry, white

wine, Champagne, red wine, and vermouth.

F in ish ing Touches Settling on a type of onion from standard supennarket

va.Jieties was a snap. I quickly dismissed red onions­

they bled out to produce a dingy-looking soup. White

onions were too mild, and Vidalia onions made the

broth candy-sweet. Yellow onions, on the other ha.J1d,

oftered just the sweet and savory notes I was after.

Hemi had used only water for his soup, but after

making batches with water, chicken broth, a.J1d beef

broth alone and in combination, I decided the soup

was best with all tlu·ee. The broths added complex­

ity, a.J1d my goal was to build as many layers of flavor

as possible .

At last, I could focus on tl1e soup's crowning gl01y:

bread and cheese . So as to not obscure the lovely

brotl1, I dialed back the hefty a.J110LU1ts tl1at have come

to define tl1e topping in this country. Toasting tl1e

bread before floating a slice on tl1e soup warded off

sogginess. As for the cheese, Emmenthaler a.J1d Swiss

were fine, but I Wa.J1ted to stick to tradition. A modest

sprinkling of nutty Gruyere (see "Gruyere Cheese,"

right) was a grand, gooey finish to a great soup .

B E S T F R E N C H O N I O N S O U P

SERVES 6

Sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, will

make tl1is recipe overly sweet. Be patient when cara­

melizing tl1e onions in step 2; tl1e entire process takes 45 to 60 minutes. Use broiler-safe crocks md keep

tl1e rim of the bowls 4 to 5 inches fi·om tl1e heating

element to obtain a proper gratinee of melted, bub­

bly cheese . If using ordinary soup bowls, sprinkle tl1e

toasted bread slices witl1 Gruyere and return tl1em

to the broiler Lll1til the cheese melts, tl1en float tl1em

on top of the soup . We prefer Swa.J1son Certified

Organic Free Range Chicken Brotl1 a.J1d Pacific Beef

Brotl1. For tl1e best flavor, make the soup a day or

2 in advaJKe. Alternatively, tl1e onions Ca.J1 be prepared

tlcrough step 1 , cooled in tl1e pot, and refrigerated for

up to 3 days before proceeding with tl1e recipe .

Soup

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut i nto 3 pieces

6 large yel low onions (about 4 pounds) , halved

and cut pole to pole into V4 - inch-thick s l ices

(see "Sl ic ing On ions," page 30)

Table salt

2 cups water, plus extra for deglazing

Y2 cup dry sherry

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (see note above)

2 cups beef broth (see note above)

6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine

bay leaf

Ground black pepper

Cheese Croutons

I small baguette, cut on bias into Y2 - inch s l ices

8 ounces Gruyere, shredded (about 2 Y2 cups)

l . FOR THE SOUP: Adjust oven rack to lower­

middle position a.J1d heat oven to 400 degrees.

Generously spray inside of heavy-bottomed large

(at least 7-quart) Dutch oven with nonstick cook­

ing spray. Place butter in pot a.J1d add onions and 1

teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, 1 hour ( onions will be

moist and slightly reduced in volume ) . Remove pot

from oven a.J1d stir onions, scraping bottom and sides

of pot. Return pot to oven with lid slightly ajar md

continue to cook Lll1til onions are very soft a.J1d golden

brown, 1 V2 to 1 % hours longer, stirring onions and

scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.

2. Carefully remove pot from oven a.J1d place over

medium-high heat. Using oven mitts to ha.J1d..le pot,

cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom

and sides of pot, until liquid evaporates and onions

brown, 1 5 to 20 minutes, reducing heat to medium if

onions are browning too quickly. Continue to cook,

stirring fi·equently, until pot bottom is coated with

da.J·k crust, 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary.

(Scrape a.J1Y fond that collects on spoon back into

onions . ) Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping pot bottom

to loosen crust, a.J1d cook w1til water evaporates a.J1d

pot bottom has formed a.J10tl1er dark cmst, 6 to 8

minutes. Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more

times, until onions are vety dark brown. Stir in sherry

and cook, stirring frequently, until sheny evaporates,

about 5 minutes.

3 . Stir in broths, 2 cups water, tl1yme, bay leaf, a.J1d

V2 teaspoon salt, scraping up a.J1Y final bits of browned

crust on bottom a.J1d sides of pot. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes . Remove and discard herbs,

tl1en season witl1 salt and pepper.

4. FOR THE CROUTONS: Willie soup simmers,

arra.J1ge baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet

a.J1d bake in 400-degree oven until bread is dry, crisp,

and golden at edges, about 1 0 minutes. Set aside . 5 . TO SERVE: Adjust oven rack 6 inches fi:om

broiler element a.J1d heat broiler. Set individual

) t\ N LI A R Y b· F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

1 3

T A s T , N G : G ruyere C heese Though its fame derives mainly from its use in fon­due and French onion soup, Gruyere is also a table cheese revered for its creamy texture and savory flavor. Both Switzerland and France make authentic versions that are crafted from raw cow's milk and aged for the better part of a year in government­designated regions (the French cheese is called Gruyere de Comte) . Though labeled "Gruyere," domestic cheeses of this type bear l ittle resemblance to the real thing. Made from pasteurized cow's mi lk, they are aged for fewer months and have a rubbery texture and bland flavor. In fact, in a bl ind taste test of n ine brands, tasters overwhelmingly panned the two domestic versions, l ikening one (from Boar's Head) to "plastic . " Imported Gruyeres, on the other hand, received raves. The top picks in the l ineup were three reserve cheeses, aged I 0 or more months to develop stronger flavor: the Gruyere Reserve carried by Whole Foods Market, Emmi Le Gruyere Reserve, and a Gruyere Sale from a Boston­area cheese shop. For complete tasting results, go to www.cooks i l lustrated.com/february.

-Elizabeth Bomze

broiler-safe crocks on baking sheet and fill each with

about 1 % cups soup . Top each bowl with 1 or 2

baguette slices ( do not overlap slices) and sprinkle

evenly with Gruyere. Broil until cheese is melted and

bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes . Let cool 5

minutes before serving.

Q U I C K E R F R E N C H O N I O N S O U P

This variation uses a microwave for the initial cook­

ing of tl1e onions, which dramatically reduces tl1e

cooking time . The soup's flavor, however, will not

be quite as deep as witl1 tl1e stovetop method. If you

don't have a microwave-safe bowl large enougl1 to

accommodate all of tl1e onions, cook in a smaller

bowl in 2 batches .

Follow recipe for Best French Onion Soup, com­

bining onions a.J1d 1 teaspoon salt in large microwave­

safe bowl and covering with large microwave-safe plate

(plate should completely cover bowl a.J1d not rest on

onions) . Microwave on higl1 power for 20 to 25 min­

utes Lmtil onions are soft a.J1d wilted, stirring halfWay

ilirough cooking. ( Use oven mitts to remove bowl

fi:om microwave and remove plate away from you to

avoid stea.Jn burn . ) Drain onions ( about V2 cup liquid should drain off) a.J1d proceed witl1 step 2, melting butter in Dutch oven before adding wilted onions.

llliiitl C O O K'S L I V E Original Test Kitchen Videos

www. c o o k s i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m

HOW TO M AKE

• Best French Onion Soup

VID EO TIPS

• H ow do I peel and s l i ce an on ion ? • What s i ze on ions shou ld I buy?

Spanish-Style Garlic Shrimp S h r i m p in garl i cky o l ive o i l i s a tapas bar c l ass i c . But make th i s appet izer at h o m e and

sudden ly the sh r i m p are ru bbery and the gar l i c goes m i ss i ng in a sea of o l ive o i l .

I f there is one thing that can catch

attention in a Spanish tapas res­

taurant, it's the heady aroma waft­

ing up from a dish of gambas al

ajillo-little shrimp sizzling in a pool of

olive oil and garlic . One bite will confirm

that the garlic shares equal billing with

the shrimp; when properly prepared, the

shrimp is wonderfully sweet and tender

and infused with deep garlic flavor. The

key to achieving this flavor is the oil . A

large quantity is heated along with sliced

garl ic , Spanish chi les , and bay leaves

in a cazuela ( an earthenware ramekin)

until lightly sizzling. A handful of small

shrimp are added, heated until just barely

cooked through, and served directly out

of the cooking vessel . The dish is always

accompanied by crusty bread to soak

up all the leftover garlic- and shrimp­

flavored oil .

3 B Y J . K E N J I A L T E

As perfect as the dish is, it needs some

adjustments to work as an appetizer served

at home . At a tapas restaurant, where your

table is overflowing with other dishes, it's

easy to be content witl1 a few small shrimp.

Back at home, where most cooks are going

to prepare only a single appetizer, the dish

Shr imp and garl i c share equa l b i l l i ng in th is tapas bar favorite.

needs to be more substantial, meaning eitl1er big­

ger shrimp or more small ones . Tasters in me test

kitchen preferred bigger shrimp, and I settled on a

pound of large shrimp as the ideal portion size for six people. But now that I was playing around witl1

tl1e size and quantity of shrimp, what would mat

mean for the rest of the dish?

s H o P P 1 N G : Choosing the Right Chi le

Ensu ring Tender Shr imp Traditional recipes for gainbas a ! ajillo call for com­

pletely submerging the sluimp in oil , where tl1ey Cai1

be heated very evenly aild gently at a low temperanrre. Short of accidentally bringing tl1e oil up to deep-fiy

temperantres, the sluimp are almost in1possible to

overcook. But to fi.illy submerge me pOLmd of large

Paprika llungary S"ect

AUTH E N T I C C H O I C E The sl ightly sweet cascabel chi le is the traditional choice for gambas

al aj i l lo.

B E S T S U B S T I T U T E New Mexico chi le (aka California

chi le, chile Colorado, or dried Anaheim chile) is far more widely avai lable and has the same bright

freshness as the cascabel.

LAST R E S O RT You won't have any trouble finding paprika, but its sl ightly stale flavor cannot compare with the complex

taste of whole dried chiles.

C OOK"

s I L L U S T R A T E D

1 4

sluimp I wanted to use, I 'd need nearly

2 cups of oil-far more man six people

could ever finish. I wouldn't have to

serve all mat oil, of course, but why waste

it? I wanted to find a way to reduce tl1e

amow1t (about half a cup was a reasonable

quantity for six people) but still maintain

me juiciness and garlic flavor mat are tl1e

hallmarks of this dish .

Witl1 less oil, I figured using the small­

est pan I could fit me sluimp into would

be more effective, since a smaller pan size

meant deeper oil . In an 8-inch saucepan,

the oil came only lJ2 inch up the side,

covering about half of me sluimp. The

results? Overcooked shrimp on tl1e bottom

and raw shrimp on top. Even wiili almost

constant stining and tossing, I couldn't get

tl1e shrimp to cook as evenly as if tl1ey were

completely submerged in oil.

I sat down and went back to clunking

about cooking basics. In order to keep

shrimp juicy and tender, it is important to

not overcook tl1em. My shrin1p were par­

tially overcooking because iliey were heat­

ing w1evenly. They were heating unevenly

because iliey were arranged in me pan in

layers-some sluimp were closer to tl1e

heat source d1ai1 others. I switched out tl1e 8-inch pot

for a 12-inch skillet. In tl1e wider pail, me oil provided

only a thin coating beneaili tl1e shrimp, but at least I

could fit them in a single layer.

The new single-layer meiliod meai1t tl1at I would

have to turn the shrin1p hal£\,vay through cooking.

Witl1 tllis mailY shrimp in tl1e pan, I was afraid tl1at

turning t11em wiili tongs would take too long; by me

time I had ntrned tl1e last shrin1p, tl1e first ones would

be overcooked. Keeping tl1e heat at mediwn-low gave

me plenty of time to tw·n each shrimp indi,�dually, so I managed to cook tl1em as evenly aild gently as if tl1ey had been completely submerged in oil .

I now had tender shrin1p, but the oilier key charac­

teristic of me dish was missing: great garlic flavor.

B u i l d i ng Garl ic F lavor With only a tllin layer of oil in the pan, the shrimp

were not absorbing enough garlic flavor. I increased

tl1e garlic from four thinly sliced cloves to eight, which provided me right proportion of shrimp to garlic, but tl1e slices were still acting more like a gar11ish Wail a fi.illy integrated part of the dish. More sliced garlic

Garlic F lavor Th ree Ways

We imparted garl ic flavor to the shrimp in three different ways for three different effects, resu lting in a d ish with multilayered garl ic complexity.

RAW = P U N G E N T B ROW N E D = S W E E T POA C H E D = M E L LOW

The minced garlic in the marinade gets Gently browning smashed whole Sl iced garl ic cooked gently in low­temperature ol ive oil loses its harsh flavor. becoming soft and mel low.

cooked briefly with the shrimp. main- garl ic cloves infuses the ol ive oil with raining a hint of raw-garl ic pungency. a sweet roasted-garl ic flavor.

would just give me more garnish: I had to find a dif­

ferent way to get more garlic flavor into the shrimp.

I knew that allicin, the chemical responsible for

garlic's flavor, is highly soluble in oil-which meant

I could use the oil as a vehicle to deliver more flavor

to the dish . Allicin is not formed until the garlic's

cells are ruptured, so I smashed four garlic cloves

before heating them in a fresh batch of olive oil . I

allowed them to brown and impart a sweet roasted

flavor to the oil, discarded the smashed cloves,

and then added the shrimp. But to my frustration,

despite the supercharged garlic base with its new

type of garlic character, the shrimp were better but

still not great.

I realized that the only way to get more garlic

flavor into the shrimp was through a matinade. I

minced two garlic cloves at1d combined them with

2 tablespoons of oil . Knowing that salt would draw

flavorful juices out of the garlic through osmosis, I

added a teaspoon to the marinade. After 30 minutes,

I cooked the marinated shrimp and sliced garlic in the

oil in which I had previously browned the smashed

cloves. I waited with bated breath while my tasters bit

into the shrimp. It was a resOLmcl.ing success.

Finally, I had juicy shrimp that were deeply flavored

with garlic in a robust and complex sauce. By adding

the gat·lic to the pa11 in three forms md at three dif­

ferent stages (minced raw garlic to provide pungency

in tl1e marinade, crushed and browned garlic to infuse

sweetness into tl1e oil, at1d slow-cooked sliced garlic to

add mild garlic flavor), I was able to coax three distinct

flavors from tl1e versatile bulb. Not only did the olive

oil evenly coat each shrimp with garlic flavor, it also

provided protection for tl1e garlic (see "Marinade

Superheroes: Oil and Salt," below) .

The traditional additions of bay leaf a11d red chile

(see "Choosing the Right Chile," on page 14) were

deemed essential to tl1e recipe . Heating the aromatics

in tl1e pan along witl1 the sliced garlic allowed them

to flavor tl1e oil , giving the finished dish a sweet,

herbal at·oma. Wh.i.le most recipes call for a splash of

dty sheny or brandy, I fow1d that sherry vinegar md

chopped parsley were better suited to rowKiing out

tl1e flavors; tl1ey provided a jolt of brightness tl1at cut

tl1rough tl1e richness of tl1e olive oil .

As a finishing touch, I realized I could recapture

some of the restaurant spirit by transferring tl1e dish

to a small cast-iron skillet that I'd heated on the stove.

s c 1 e N c e : Marinade Superh e roes: Oil a n d Salt We found that omitting eidler the oi l or the salt from our marinade significantly reduced garl ic flavor i n the cooked shrimp. Why? Oi l protects and stabi l izes al l ic in, the compound in garl ic that is responsible for its characteristic flavor. Allicin is produced when garl ic is cut or crushed, and it quickly degrades into less flavorful compounds when exposed to air. Once in oil, however, the al l ic in d issolves and is protected from air. With this protection in place, it can move into the shrimp. There's one more advantage to o i l-it coats the shrimp and del ivers flavor evenly, not just in areas directly in contact with the minced garl ic . Salt contributes to the process by speeding things up. Salt d raws water contain ing al l ic in out of the garl ic at a faster rate than al l ic in wou ld m igrate on its own. -J .K.A.

+ +� O I L + SALT + G A R L I C + S H R I M P = C O M P L E T E F LAVO R D I S T R I B U T I O N

Oil protects garl ic flavor, and salt speeds u p the marinating time.

J A N U A R Y b F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

I S

Placed on a trivet on the table, the sllrin1p and garlic

continued to sizzle w1til my eager tasters downed

the last one.

S PA N I S H - S T Y L E GA R L I C S H R I M P

S E RV E S 6 A S A N A P P ET I Z E R

Serve shrimp witl1 crusty bread for dipping i n tl1e

richly flavored olive oil. The dish cat1 be served directly

from the skillet (make sure to use a trivet) or, for a

sizzling effect, trmsferred to an 8- inch cast-iron skillet

that's been heated for 2 minutes over medium-high

heat. We prefer the slightly sweet flavor of dried chiles

in this recipe, but 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika can be

substituted. If sherry vinegar is Lmavai.lable , use 2 tea­

spoons dry sherry md 1 teaspoon white vinegar.

1 4 medium garl ic c loves, peeled

pound large (3 1 - 40) shr imp, peeled, deveined,

and tai ls removed

8 tablespoons ol ive oi l

V2 teaspoon table salt

bay leaf

(2-inch) piece mi ld dried ch i le, such as New

Mexico, roughly broken, seeds inc luded (see

note above and page 1 4)

I V2 teaspoons sherry vinegar (see note above)

I tablespoon chopped fresh pars ley leaves

1 . Mince 2 garlic cloves with chef's knife or garlic

press. Toss minced garlic with shrimp, 2 tablespoons

olive oil, md salt in medium bowl. Let shrimp mari­

nate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Memwhile, using flat side of chef's knife, smash

4 garlic cloves. Heat smashed garlic wiili remain­

ing 6 tablespoons olive oil in 12- inch skillet over

medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, Lmtil garlic

is light golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove pan

from heat md allow oil to cool to room temperature.

Using slotted spoon, remove smashed garlic from

sk.i.Uet and discard.

3 . Thinly slice remaining 8 cloves gat·lic. Return

skillet to low heat at1d add sliced garlic, bay leaf,

at1d chile . Cook, stirring occasionally, Lmtil garlic is

tender but not browned, 4 to 7 minutes. (If garlic

has not begun to sizzle afrer 3 minutes, increase heat

to medium-low.) Increase heat to medium-low; add

shrimp wiili marinade to pm in single layer. Cook

shrimp, w1disturbed, until oil starts to gently bubble,

about 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip shrimp md con­

tinue to cook until almost cooked through, about

2 minutes longer. Increase heat to higl1 md add sherry vinegar and parsley. Cook, stirring constmtly, until

shrimp are cooked t.l1rough a11d oil is bubbling vigor­

ously, 1 5 to 20 seconds. Serve immediately.

!lil4 C O O K'S L I V E Original Test Kitchen Videos

www. c o o k s i l l u s t r ate d . c o m

HOW TO MAKE

• Spanish-Style Garl ic Shrimp

V I DEO T I P

• How do I pee l and s l i ce garl ic?

Masteri the Art of Stew A l itt l e kn ow- h ow goes a l o ng way toward avo i d i ng com mo n m i stakes w h e n maki ng stews . H e re 's how to get it r ight eve ry t i m e . B Y K E I T H D R E s s E R

Stew is kitchen alchemy that turns a marginal cut of meat and some basic vegetables i nto something rich, flavorful , and much more interesting. Even better, stew general ly requires l ittle preparation or effort; time and gentle simmering do all the work. That said, we've all had (or made) stews with tough meat, l istless veg­etables, and dul l , watery broth. Over the years, we've learned which steps produce a superior stew.

Choosing the Right Meat Choosing the proper cut of meat is the single most impor­tant part of making a great stew. We l ike to use cuts from the shoulder area, because they have the best combination of flavor and texture. Meat from this region is wel l marbled with fat, which means it won't dry out during long, slow cooking. In chicken, the high percentage of intramuscular fat in thigh meat makes this part the preferred choice. For the best results, we l ike to cut our own stew meat (see "Cut Your Own Meat, " page 17).

PORK

We l ike pork butt (also called Boston shoulder or Boston butt) for its great flavor, but the less-expensive and sl ightly fattier picnic shoulder is also a fine choice.

B E E F

We love exceptional tenderness of chuck­eye roast. Another good option: the chuck 7 -bone roast.

LAM B

Roasts from the lamb shoulder can be hard to find , so we rel y on shoulder-cut chops such as the round-bone for our stews. This chop has bold taste mel lowed by long cooking, and its bones are a bonus that add extra flavor to the pot. An alternative choice is the blade chop.

C H I C K E N

The extra fat and connective tissue

C H U C K E Y E

RO U N D - B O N E C H O P

i n thigh meat make i t better su ited B O N E - l N

than breast meat for stew; it also c H 1 c K E N T H 1 G H separates more eas i ly from the bone than does d rumstick meat. We use skin-on thighs to protect the meat and keep it from overcooking and drying out during browning. Both the bones and fat lend stronger chicken flavor.

D U TC H OV E N

A Dutch oven is essential for making stew. Look for one that is twice as wide as it i s high, with a m in imum capacity of 6 quarts (7 or 8 i s even better) . The bot­tom shou ld be thick, so food browns even ly and the pot retains heat during cooking. The pot shou ld also have a tight-fitting l id to prevent excess evaporat ion.

TEST K I TC H E N W IN N E R:

�LE CREUSET -----

7 '/•-Quart

Round French

Oven, $229.95

B E S T B U Y:

�T RAMONTINA 6.5 Quart Cast I ron Dutch

Oven, $39.86

H EAT P RO O F S PAT U LA

Wooden spoons are things of the past. Our favorite spatu la i s rigid enough to stir a thick stew yet flex ib le enough to get into the tight corners of a pot when deglazing. Throw in the fact that i ts surface won't sta in , and what's not to l ike?

T E S T K ITC H E N W IN N E R :

�R U B B E RMAI D 1 3 .5- lnch H igh Heat Scraper,

$ 1 1 .40

TO N G S

After fl ipp ing thousands o f batches of cubed meat, we've come to value a good pair of tongs. Our favorite handi ly picks up the smal lest p ieces of meat without tearing or mashing.

T E S T K ITC H E N W IN N E R :

�XO Good Grips 1 2- lnch Locking Tongs, $ 1 0.39

LA D L E

A lad le i s defin itely t he best tool for d iv id ing portions among indiv idual bowls ; it's a lso use­fu l for sk imming fat from the surface of the stew before serving.

T E S T K I TC H E N W I N N E R:

�ROSLE Lad le with

Pouring Rim & Hook

Handle, $26.95

C O O K'

S I L L U S T R A T E D

1 6

While broth is not as central to the flavor of stew as it is to soup, choos­ing a high-qual ity brand is sti l l impor­tant. And using a low-sodium broth is essential; as the l iqu id in a stew reduces, regular fu l l -sod ium broth can turn the stew too salty and ru in the flavor.

T E S T K I TC H E N

W I N N E RS :

�SWANSON Certified Organic

Free Range Chicken Broth and

PACIFIC Beef Broth

W I N E

When a stew cal ls for wine, many cooks will grab the least-expensive bottle on hand. But even in smal l amounts, there is no h id ing the taste of bad wine. In the test kitchen, we prefer the fu l ler, more complex flavor of wine made with more than one grape variety.

T E S T K ITC H E N W IN N E R :

�COTES DU RHON E or other

fruity wine with l ittle or no oak

B E E R

I n general , we prefer darker ales to l ighter lagers for the rich , fu l l flavor they impart to stew (lager can leave stews tasting watery). As long as they're dark, nonalcoholic ales wi l l work equal ly wel l .

T E S T K ITC H E N W IN N E RS :

�Amber and dark-colored

ales

TO M ATO PASTE

A small amount of tomato paste added to a stew along with the aromatics brings depth and color, and its sl ight acidity enhances the flavor of other ingredients.

TEST KITC H E N W I N N E R:

�AMORE Tomato Paste

w z >-0 <.:J " :::J "' z I 0

z 0

� t;; j

I . C U T YO U R OWN M EAT

Packaged stew meat is often made up of irregularly shaped scraps that cook at varying rates. Cut your own stew meat to guarantee same-sized chunks that share the same flavor and cooking t ime. Use fatty, flavorful cuts from the shou lder, or chuck, that will stay moist with extended cooking.

2. S KIP T H E F LO U R B E FORE B ROW N IN G

Contrary to popular belief, dusting meat with flour before searing it doesn't help it brown better. In fact, we have found just the opposite. The flour itself darkens a lit­tle, but the meat remains pale and doesn't develop the intense flavor compounds that are the goal of browning. I nstead of flour­ing, pat stew meat dry and season it with salt and pepper before browning.

3 . B ROWN M EAT P R O P E R LY

Crowding the pan with too much meat or us ing inadequate heat can cause meat to steam (rather than brown) and ultimately lose flavor. To avoid this problem, add the meat only after the oi l begins to smoke and leave plenty of space (about V2 inch) between pieces (this means no more than I pound of meat per batch). Turn only when the first s ide is well seared.

4 . IF FON D B U R N S , R E M OVE IT

Browning meat in more than two batches can lead to a pan covered by burnt (rather than browned) fond that can impart a bitter flavor to the stew. I f the fond is blackening, add a l ittle water to the empty pot and scrape the fond to loosen it . Discard burnt bits and water and wipe the pot clean. Add fresh oi l and proceed with the next batch of meat.

5. SAUTE AROMAT IC S TO

E N HANC E F LAVO R

Recipes that call for dumping spices and aromatics, such as garl ic and onion, into the pot at the same time as the l iquid fail to maximize their flavor. So hold the l iquid and saute these flavor-enhancing ingredients first.

6. F LO U R AROMAT IC S TO

T H I C K E N STEW

Many recipes ca l l for thickening a stew at the end of cooking by leaving the l id off, but this method risks overcooking. Thicken stew at the beginning of the cooking pro­cess by sprinkling flour over the sauteed aromatics. Cook the flour for a minute or two to remove any raw flour taste.

7. STAG G E R A D D I T I O N

OF VEG ETA B L E S

When vegetables are dumped indiscriminately into the pot at the outset of cook­ing, they not only lose flavor and turn mushy, but also water down the stew. Take into account the cooking time of ind ividual vegetables (see "How Long Does It Take: Vegetables," above) and add them at the appropriate time.

H OW LO N G D O E S IT TA K E : V E G E TA B L E S

Below are some common stew vegetables and general gu ide l ines for how long to cook them. I n many cases, you wil l be add ing the vegetables once the stew has been cooking in the oven for a whi le .

V E G E TA B L E P R E PA RAT I O N C O O K I N G T I M E

Potatoes 1- to I V2 - inch cubes I hour

Carrots s l i ced !4 to V2 inch thick hour

Parsnips s l i ced !4 to V2 inch thick hour

Sweet Potatoes quartered and s l iced !4 inch th ick hour

Turnips V2 - inch d ice 45 minutes

V2 - inch d ice 45 minutes

Canned Beans rinsed 45 minutes

Frozen Vegetables do not thaw I S to 20 minutes

Hearty Greens washed and chopped 20 to 30 minutes

Tender Greens washed and chopped I to 2 minutes

Fresh Herbs chopped Sti r in off heat

H OW LO N G D O E S I T TA K E : M E AT

Because meat varies in moisture and fat content, p inpo inting cooking t imes is not an exact science. The chart below offers general gu ide l ines.

M EAT C U B E S I Z E

Beef, Pork, and Lamb I to I V2 i nches

Beef, Pork, and Lamb I V2 to 2 i nches

Chicken Thighs whole

8. S IM M E R STEW IN OVE N

To ensure a steady, gentle s immer that a l lows the i nternal tempera­ture of the meat to rise s lowly and e l im inates the risk of scorch ing the pot bottom, cook the stew in a covered Dutch oven at 300

degrees. This wi l l keep the temper­ature of the stewing l i qu id below the bo i l ing point (2 12 degrees) and ensure meat that i s tender, not tough.

9. C O O K M EAT U N T IL

FA LL-APA RT T E N D E R

When meat i s undercooked , its fat and connective t issue have not had

A P P RO X . C O O K I N G T I M E

2 to 2 V2 hours

2 V2 to 3 hours

30 to 60 minutes

the chance to break down sufficiently, and it wil l taste rubbery and , tough. Cook meat to the point where col lagen has melted down

into gelati n . This y ie lds tender meat that separates eas i ly when pu l led apart with two forks. (See "How Long Does It Take: Meat, " above.)

I 0 . D E FAT B E F O R E S E RVING

Pour stew l iquid into a narrow container before defatting. This wi l l create a thicker layer of fat that's easier to remove. Alternatively, refrigerate the stew overnight. When the fat sol idifies, it can be l ifted right off.

J A N U A R Y b F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

1 7

No-Knead Bread 2 .0 A no-fuss recipe is revolutioniz ing home baking but trades f lavor and reliabil ity for ease.

Could we improve the bread's bland taste and make it rise high every time?

I n November 2006 , New York

Times writer Mark Bittman pub­lished a recipe deve loped by

Jim Lahey of the Sullivan Street

Bakery in Manhattan that promised to

shake up the world of home baking.

The recipe did the seemingly impossi­

ble . I t al lowed the average home cook

to bake a loaf of bread that looked

like it had been produced in a pro­

fessional bakery. The recipe , which

instantly won legions of followers, was

exceedingly simple : Mix a few cups

of flour, a tiny amount of yeast, and

a little salt together in a bowl; stir in

some water unti l the ingredients just

come together; and leave the dough to

rise . After 1 2 to 1 8 hours, the dough

is turned a couple of times, shaped,

risen , and baked in a D utch oven . An hour later, ou t comes the most

beautifu l - looking loaf most people have ever baked at home-and all with

no kneading.

At first, it seemed mliik.ely that there

was anything to improve upon here .

The no-knead recipe was remarkably

easy and worlds better than oilier no­

fuss breads. But ilireads on our bulletin

board and other websites turned out some complaints amid all the praise . I

decided to give the existing recipe to five

3 B Y J . K E N J I A L T E

inexperienced bakers in order to see what J u st a few seconds of knead ing gives our loaf a perfect a iry crumb. (if any) issues arose. I noticed a problem

even before we sliced into me first loaf. While all were

beautifi.illy browned and crisp, the loaves varied wilclly

in size and shape, ranging fi·om rmmded mounds to

flat, irregular blobs. Casting first in1pressions aside,

I cut into each one and tasted a bite . Though the crusts were extraordinary-better man any I'd ever produced-the flavor of me cnrrnb fell flat. It simply did not capture the complex yeasty, tangy flavor of

a true artisanal loaf. I wondered if I could make tlus bread more consistent and better-tasting.

Analyzing Autolysis I decided to tackle tl1e problem of shape first. Thanks to the inge11ious use of a Dutch oven, tl1e bread always acquired a dark, crisp crust (see "Baking in a Dutch Oven," page 19 ) , but tl1e loaves took on a disconcert­ingly broad range of forms. After observing testers

make the recipe a few times, I realized tl1e problem:

The weUless of the dough was making it too delicate

to hanclle . Though it was well risen before baking,

it was deflating on its way into tl1e pot. In addition,

because of its !ugh moisture content, tl1e dough was spreading out over me bottom of tl1e pot before it could firm up properly. I analyzed the no-knead recipe and fmmd that its dough is 85 percent hydrated­

meaning tl1at for every 1 0 ounces of flour, mere are 8 . 5 ounces of water. Most rustic breads, on tl1e oilier hand, max out at arow1d 80 percent hydration, and

standard sandwich breads hover bet\veen 60 percent

and 75 percent hydration. So what would happen if I reduced tl1e water?

To fu1d out, I made a batch of dough in which I cut me hydration to 70 percent. Sure enough, tlus dough was much easier to handle and emerged from

C O O K ' s I L L U S T R A T E D

1 8

the oven well risen and perfectly shaped.

But w1fortunately, the texture was ruined.

Instead of an open, airy crumb structure,

it was dense and chewy, with rubbery

pockets of mlieavened flour. So more

moisture led to an open but squat loaf,

and less moisture led to a high but dense

loaf. Was tl1ere a way to reconcile these

two extremes?

Many bread recipes call for a rest

period after adding water to tl1e flour

but before kneading. This rest is called

"autolysis" (although most bakers use

tl1e French term autolyse) . In most reci­

pes, autolysis is just 20 to 30 minutes,

but the no-knead bread calls for some­

thing completely out of the ordinary:

a 1 2-hour rest. Was there something

in the mechanics of such a lengthy

autolysis that could help me solve the textural problem? The most common

explanation for tl1e autolysis process is

simply that it allows time for the flour

to hydrate and rest, making the dough

easier to manipulate later on. But the

word "autolysis" technically refers to the

destruction of cells or proteins through

enzymatic action . I decided to have a

closer look at what really happens to the

dough during the process .

The ultimate goal of making bread

dough is to create gluten, a strong net­

work of cross-linked proteins tl1at traps air bubbles and stretches as tl1e dough bakes,

creating tl1e bubbly, chewy crumb structure that is

tl1e signanrre of any good loaf. In order to form these

cross links, the proteins in the flour need to be aligned

next to each otl1er. Imagine tl1e proteins as bunclled­

up balls of yarn you are trying to tie together into one longer piece, which you'll then sew together into a wider sheet. In their balled-up state, it's not possible to tie them together; first you have to untangle and

straighten iliem out. Tlus straightei1ing out and align­

ing is usually accomplished by kneading. B ut untangling and stretclung out short pieces

of yarn is much easier than untangling entire balls .

This is where autolysis comes in . As the dough autolyzes, enzymes naturally present in wheat act like scissors, cutting tl1e balled-up proteins into smaller segments that are easier to straighten during kneading. This is why dough that has undergone

� "' � " .... -' " < u >' I

� "' 0 .... 0 I 0..

'" z ,.. 0 "' "' :::J "' z I 0

s c i E N c E : How Beer Boosts Bread's F lavor During a starter's fermentation. yeast produces alcoho l . carbon dioxide. and su lfur compounds. al l of which contribute to good bread 's un ique flavor. These three elements are present together in another location-a bottle of beer. But why choose lager over other types of beer? I t 's all about the fermenta­tion . Most non lager beers undergo a process cal led "top fermentation," whereby yeast floats on top of the wort (grain mashed in hot water). which is exposed to oxygen and kept warm. Oxygen and warmth persuade yeast to produce spicy. astri ngent flavor compounds called phenols and fruity, floral compounds called esters that are desirable in beer but not in bread . Lagers. on the other hand. undergo "bottom fermen­tation," where the yeast i s kept submerged in the low-oxygen environment at the bottom of

LET T H E R E BE LAG E R

the wort at colder tempera- Mild-flavored beer

tures. which causes the yeast to produce fewer phenols and esters. so that the bread ier yeast and su lfur flavors come forward. -J .K.A.

contains flavor compounds similar to those in a dough starter, which gives our bread a taste

boost.

autolysis requires much less kneading than freshly

made dough . And here's where the hydration level

comes in: The more water there is, the more effi­

ciently the cut-and-link process takes place .

So this was the explanation for how the no­

knead bread recipe pubUshed in tl1e New York

Times worked. With 85 percent hydration and a

1 2 -hour rest, the dough was so wet and had auto­

lyzed for so long that the enzymes had broken tl1e

proteins down into extremely small pieces . These

pieces were so small that, even witl10ut kneading,

they could stretch out and cross-l ink during fer­

mentation and tl1e brief turning step. At 70 percent

hydration, there simply was not enough water in

my dough for tl1e enzymes to act as efficiently as

they had in the original recipe . As a result, many

of the proteins in my finished bread were still in a

semi- balled-up state , giving my bread the overly

chewy texture .

What if the secret to making a better no-knead

bread was actually adding in some kneading? I knew

that even at a relatively dry 70 percent hydration, the

proteins in my dough had already been broken down

significantly by tlle long 1 2 - to 1 8 -hour autolysis.

All tlley probably needed was a little kneading to

untangle and create an aity, Ught crumb. I decided

to make tl1e leap .

I took tl1e dough that I had resting from tlle day

before and turned it out onto my board. Trusting

tl1at my w1derstanding of autolysis was correct, I gave

tl1e dough tl1e bare minii11Lll11 of kneads-adding just

1 5 extra seconds to tlle no-knead recipe-and conti.Jl­

ued exactly as I had before . The dough emerged from

the oven as beautifully browned and perfectly shaped

as any I 'd made so far. After letti.J1g it cool, I cut ii1to it to reveal an ideal crumb structure : large pockets

of air and stretched sheets of gluten. Not only that,

I found that since such a small an1ount of kneadi.J1g

could develop gluten in a such a forceful maimer, I

could actually reduce tl1e minimum ti.Jne of the rest

period from 1 2 hours to eight. That 1 5 seconds of

kneadi.J1g had reaped huge benefits .

No S u bstitute for F lavor Now tl1at I had bread witll a great shape a.Jld tex­

ture , I turned my attention to the loafs lackluster

taste . To get a better sense of what specific flavors I

was missing, I bought a loaf of bread from a bakety

tl1at makes dough tlle old-fashioned way-with a

fermented starter. Because a starter contains a much

more varied assortment of yeasts tl1a.J1 the ones fOLmd

in a packet, it yields more complex flavor. Tasti.J1g tlle

bakery bread side by side with tl1e no-knead bread

confirmed tllis . But creating a starter is a multiday

process. How could I get tl1e flavors that a starter

S T E P - BY- S T E P I A L M O S T N O - K N E A D B R E A D

Baking in a Dutch Oven A major breakthrough in the no-knead bread recipe published i n the New York Times was to bake the bread in a preheated Dutch oven, which creates the dramatic open-crumbed structure and the shatter­ingly crisp crust that was previously attainable only in a professional bakery. How does this work?

First, as the loaf heats it gives off steam to create a very humid environment ins ide the Dutch oven. Since moist air transfers heat much more efficiently than d ry air. the loaf heats much more rapid ly. This i n turn causes the air bubbles inside to expand much faster, leading to a more open crumb structure. As a test, I baked two loaves of bread , one i n a Dutch oven and the other on a preheated baking stone. After one minute i n the oven , the surface tempera­ture of the Dutch oven-baked loaf had risen past 200 degrees. whi le the other loaf had reached only I 35 degrees.

Steam contributes to a great loaf a second way. As steam condenses onto the surface of the baking bread , it causes the starches to form a thin sheath that eventual ly dries out, giving the fin ished loaf a sh iny crust that stays crisp.

Many recipes suggest add ing water or ice cubes to the oven ; the problem is home ovens cannot retain moisture i n the way a professional steam­injected oven can. With its thick wal ls . smal l i nternal volume. and heavy l id , a Dutch oven is the ideal environment to create and trap steam.

I . M IX Stir the wet ingredients 2. REST Leave the dough to rest 3 . KNEAD Knead the dough 10 4. LET RISE Allow the dough to into the dry ingredients with a for eight to 1 8 hours. to I S times and shape it into a bal l . r ise for two hours in a parchment preheated Dutch oven and bake spatula. paper-l ined ski l let. it unti l it's deep brown.

J A N U A R Y 6- F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

1 9

Transferring dough to a preheated Dutch oven to bake can be tricky. To avoid burnt fingers and help the dough hold its shape, we came up with a novel solution: Let the dough rise in a ski l let (its shal low depth makes it better than a bowl) that's been l ined with greased parchment paper, then use the paper's edges to pick up the dough and lower it into the Dutch oven. The bread remains on the parchment paper as it bakes.

produces without actually having to use one? Could

I introduce a little ranginess another way?

Scanning the labels in our dry storage area, I

saw that d1e majority of our bottled vinegars are

5 percent solutions of acetic acid-the same acid

produced by bacteria during dough fermentation .

Since od1er vinegars would introduce undesirable

flavors to d1e bread, I expetimented with different

amounts of distilled white vinegar before settling on

a single tablespoon.

My bread now had tang, but it lacked complex­

ity. What I needed was a concentrated shot of

yeasty flavor. As I racked my brain, I realized that

beyond bread, there is another commonly available

substance that relies on yeast for flavor: beer. Would

its flavors compare to those produced in dough

fermentation ?

For the most part, no. I started my testing wid1

dark ales, dunking d1eir rich taste would lead to better

flavor. The resulting bread had a strange spicy, fi·uity

aftertaste and smelled like beer. Then I tried a light

American-style lager. This time, the loaf came out

wid1 a clistinct "bready" versus "beety" aroma that

could fool anyone who had not seen d1e lager go into

the dough . Why is it that d1e lighter beer produced

the better taste? It turns out that the yeast in lagers is

treated in a way that closely resembles the way yeast

acts in dough, resulting in d1e production of sinlilar

flavor compounds ( see "How Beer Boosts Bread's

Flavor," page 1 9 ) .

Through d1e simplest o f tweaks-less hydration,

the adclition of vinegar and beer, and a few seconds

of kneading-! had a loaf of bread that both looked

and tasted increclible .

A L M O S T N O - K N E A D B R E A D

M A K E S I LARG E RO U N D LOAF

An enameled cast-iron Dutch oven with a tight-fitting

lid yields best results, but the recipe also works in a

regular cast-iron Dutch oven or 'heavy stockpot. Use

a mild-flavored lager, such as Budweiser ( nlild non­

alcoholic lager also works) . The bread is best eaten d1e

day it is baked but can be wrapped in alunlinum foil

and stored in a cool, dry place for up to 2 days.

3 cups ( I S ounces) unbleached al l -purpose f lour,

p lus additional for dusting work surface

V4 teaspoon instant yeast

I V2 teaspoons table salt

lf.l cup plus 2 tablespoons water (7 ounces),

at room temperature

!4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 ounces)

mi ld-flavored lager

tablespoon white vinegar

l . Wllisk flour, yeast, and salt in large bowl . Add

water, beer, and vinegar. Using tubber spatula, fold

mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl

until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl wid1 plastic wrap

and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 1 8 hours .

2 . Lay 1 2· by 1 8 - inch sheet of parchment paper

inside 1 0-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cook·

ing spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work

surface and knead 1 0 to 1 5 .times . Shape dough into

ball by pulling edges into middle . Transfer dough,

seam-side down, to parchment- lined skillet and

spray surface of dough witl1 nonstick cooking spray.

Cover loosely witl1 plastic wrap and let rise at room

temperature until dough has doubled in size and

does not readily spring back when poked with finger,

about 2 hours .

3 . About 30 nlinutes before baking, adjust oven

rack to lowest position, place 6· to 8-quart heavy­

bottomed Dutch oven (witl1 lid ) on rack, and heat

oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and,

using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch­

long, lfz -inch·deep slit along top of dough . Carefully

remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough

by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot ( let

any excess parchment hang over pot edge ) . Cover pot

and place in oven. Reduce oven temperatme to 425

degrees and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove

lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and

instant-read thermometer insetted into center regis­

ters 2 1 0 degrees, 20 to 30 nlinutes longer. Carefully

remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool

to room temperature, about 2 hours .

A L M O S T N O - K N E A D B R E A D W I T H

O L I V E S , R O S E M A RY, A N D PA R M E S A N

Follow recipe for Almost No- Knead Bread, adding

4 ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 2 cups) and

1 tablespoon nlinced fi·esh rosemary leaves to flour

mixture in step l . Add 1iz cup pitted, chopped green

olives witl1 water in step 1 .

C O O K'

S I L L U S T R A J' E fl

2 0

E Q U I P M E N T U P D A T E :

I nexpensive Dutch Ovens Shel l ing out hundreds of dol lars for a Dutch oven is less necessary than ever. We put two new low-cost models, one from T ramontina ($39 .86) and another from Lodge ($49.86) , to the test and l iked what we found. Both are crafted from enameled cast iron, and both produced glossy, deeply flavored Belgian beef stew; fluffy white rice; and crispy French fries in the test kitchen. But the Tramontina oven's larger capacity (6.5 quarts to the Lodge's 6 quarts) and even lower price made it our preferred choice. We recommend the Tramontina as an i nexpensive alternative to our favorite 7 !4 -quart Dutch oven by Le Creuset ($229 .95). -El izabeth Bomze

BEST B U Y Boasting both high qual ity and low cost, the

Tramontina 6.5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven is hard to beat.

A L M O S T N O - K N E A D S E E D E D RY E B R E A D

Follow recipe for Almost No-Knead Bread, replacing

1 % cups (7 ounces ) all-purpose flour witl1 1 lfs cups

(7 oLmces) tye flour. Add 2 tablespoons caraway seeds

to flour nlixture in step 1 .

A L M O S T N O - K N E A D

W H O L E W H E AT B R E A D

Follow recipe for Almost No- Knead Bread, replacing

1 cup ( 5 ow1ees) all-purpose flour witl1 1 cup ( 5

ounces) whole wheat flour. Stir 2 tablespoons honey

into water before adding it to dry ingredients in

step l .

A L M O S T N O - K N E A D

C RA N B E R RY- P E C A N B R E A D

Follow recipe for Almost No-Knead Bread, adding

1iz cup dried cranberries and lfz cup toasted pecan

halves to flour mixture in step 1 .

11114 C O O K'S L I V E Original Test Kitchen Videos

www. c o o k s i l l u s t r at e d . c o m

H OW TO MAKE

• Almost No-Knead Bread

V I DEO T I PS

• How does bread rise? • Behind the Scenes: Developing the recipe

'" z ,_ 0 .., a: => a:

z I c

z 0

� a:

t;:

How to Roast Broccoli Roast ing can concentrate f lavor to turn dul l vegetab les into something great.

W hile I ' m a fan of the concentrated

flavor and dappled browning that

roasting lends vegetabl e s , I ' d

never considered broccoli a suit­

able candidate . Its awkward shape, tough stems,

and shrubby florets seemed ill suited for cooking

via high, dry heat; moist cooking methods better

accommodate its idiosyncrasies . However, there

are plenty of people who do consider broccoli fit

for roasting and wax poetic about the results.

Though skeptical, I roasted a bLmch, following one

of the recipes I had collected for the task. It tasted

good-good enough to eat straight from the sizzling

pan. That said, this recipe and the others I tried still

had their flaws. First of all, none clearly addressed how

best to prepare the broccoli for roasting. How big, for

example, should you cut florets from the crown, and

what should be done wid1 d1e stalk to ensure d1at it

cooked at d1e same rate? Second, except for d1e broc­

coli in direct contact wid1 the baking sheet, browning

was spotty. And last, d1e florets tended to char and

taste bitter.

If contact with the baking sheet was d1e key to

browning, I thought I'd try to cut d1e broccoli in

a fashion dut maximized this contact. I tackled

the crown first, lopping it off the stalk, flipping it

on its base, and cutting it crosswise into slabs. The

cross sections fell apart into a jumble of odd-sized

pieces dut cooked unevenly. Perhaps wedges would

work. I sliced anod1er crown in half, d1en cut each

half into wliform wedges d1at lay flat on d1e baking

sheet-much more promising. Turning my attention

to the stalk, I sliced off the tough exterior, then cut

the stalk into rectangular pieces slighdy smaller d1a11

the more delicate wedges to help promote even cook­

ing of both parts.

The most successful recipes from my initial survey

dressed the broccoli simply, with salt, pepper, a11d a

splash of extra-virgin olive oil . A 500-degree oven

delivered the best browning, but it also increased the

risk of charred florets. A couple of recipes bla�1ehed or steamed d1e broccoli before roasting, but I fow1d

Tossing the broccol i with a l ittle sugar

more evenly and taste even better.

Could it transform broccol i?

3 B Y M A T T H E W C A R D E

these batches tasted bla11d, as if the flavor had been

washed away. Eventually, I discovered that a pre­

heated baking sheet cooked the broccoli in half the

time and crisped d1e florets without any charring.

But despite the blazing heat a11d d1e fact that I had

solved the problem of charred florets, the broccoli still

wasn't as browned as I'd hoped. One of the more

interesting recipes I found coated d1e broccoli in a

lemon j uice-based vinaigrette before roasting, which

resulted in remarkably even browning. I wondered if

it was the fruit sugars in d1e lemon j uice that gener­

ated such browning. Skipping the j uice, I tossed a

sca11t lfz teaspoon of sugar over the broccoli along

wid1 the salt md pepper, md the results were the

best yet: blistered, bubbled, md browned stems that

were sweet a11d full, along wid1 crispy-tipped florets

d1at tasted even better, especially when dressed wid1 a

spritz of lemon juice. It turns out a spoonful of sugar

really does help make d1e broccoli go down.

R OA S T E D B R O C C O L I

S E RV E S 4

Trim away d1e outer peel !Tom the broccoli stalk, oth­

erwise it will turn tough when cooked. For Roasted

Broccoli ��th Garlic, stir 1 tablespoon minced garlic

into d1e olive oil before dtizzling it over d1e broccoli .

Our fi·ee recipes for Roasted Broccoli for Two a11d

Roasted Broccoli wid1 Garlic md Anchovies are avail­

able at www .cooksillustrated .com/february.

large head broccoli (about l lf< pounds)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin o l ive oi l

V2 teaspoon table salt

V2 teaspoon sugar

Ground black pepper

Lemon wedges for serving

l . Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place large

rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500

degrees. Cut broccoli at juncture of florets and stems;

remove outer peel !Tom stalk. Cut stalk into 2 - to

3-inch lengths a11d each lengd1 into 1/z -inch-thick

pieces. Cut crowns into 4 wedges if 3-4 inches in

dim1eter or 6 wedges if 4-5 inches in diaJTieter. Place

broccoli in large bowl; drizzle wid1 oil md toss well

until evenly coated. Sprinkle wid1 salt, sugar, and

pepper to taste a11d toss to combine .

2 . Working quickly, remove baking sheet !Tom oven. Carefully tra11sfer broccoli to baking sheet and

spread into even layer, placing flat sides down. Renm1

J A N U A R Y & F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

2 1

baking sheet to oven md roast until stalks are well

browned a11d tender a11d florets are lighdy browned,

9 to 1 1 minutes . Tra11sfer to serving dish a11d serve

immediately wid1 lemon wedges.

R OA S T E D B R O C C O L I W I T H O L I V E S ,

G A R L I C , O R E G A N O, A N D L E M O N

S E RV E S 4

recipe Roasted Broccol i

2 tablespoons extra-virgin o l ive oi l

5 medium garl ic c loves, s l iced thin

V2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons fine ly m inced pitted b lack ol ives

I teaspoon m inced fresh oregano leaves

2 teaspoons j u ice from I lemon

Follow recipe for Roasted Broccoli, omitting black

pepper. While broccoli roasts, heat oil, garlic, a11d

pepper flakes in 8 -inch skillet over medium-low

heat. Cook, stirring frequendy, w1til garlic is soft: a11d

beginning to turn light golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove skillet fi·om heat; stir in olives, oregmo, md

lemon j uice. Toss roasted broccoli with olive mixmre

a11d serve in1mediately.

R O A S T E D B RO C C O L I W I T H S H A L LOT,

F E N N E L S E E D S , A N D PA R M E S A N

S E RV E S 4

recipe Roasted Broccoli

tablespoon extra-virgin o l ive oi l

2 large shal lots, halved and sl iced thin lengthwise

(about V2 cup)

teaspoon fennel seeds, roughly chopped

ounce Parmesan, shaved (about V2 cup)

Follow recipe for Roasted Broccoli. While broccoli

roasts, heat oil in 8- inch skillet over medium heat

until j ust shimmering. Add shallots and cook, stir­

ring frequendy, until soft: a11d beginning to nu·n light golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes . Add fennel seeds a11d

continue to cook until shallots are golden brown, 1

to 2 minutes longer. Remove skillet from heat. Toss

roasted broccoli wid1 shallots, sprinkle with Parmesm,

md serve immediately.

lil4 C O O K' S L I V E Original Test Kitchen Videos

www. c o o k s i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m

H OW TO M AKE

• Roasted Broccol i

Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies You may think an oatmeal coo kie should be moist and chewy. Thin and cr ispy oatmeal cookies

can be irresistible-if , that is , you can get the texture just right.

M ost people's definition

of the perfect oatmeal

cookie is something big,

hearty, and chewy, with

raisins and nuts in every bite . That has

never been my ideal . When I crave an oat­

meal cookie, I look for something thin,

crisp, and delicate that allows the simple

flavor of buttery oats to really stand out.

I want the refinement of a lace cookie

combined with the ease of a drop cookie .

The test kitchen has an excellent recipe

for Big Chewy Oatmeal- Raisin Cookies

(January /february 1 997). Could I get the

crisp, delicate cookie I wanted by simply

adjusting the ingredients in this recipe?

The Thick and Th i n of It

? B Y S A N D R A W U E

Thick, chewy oatmeal cookies get their tex­

ture from generous amounts of sugar and

butter (usually melted to lend even greater

chewiness ), a high ratio of oats to flour, and

a modest amount of leavener. Most recipes

beat in a couple of eggs and vanilla and fin­

ish with raisins and nuts, ingredients I knew

wouldn't work in a thin, crisp cookie.

Buttery oat flavor sh i nes through in th is th i n , de l i cate cookie .

Because I wanted rich, buttery flavor, I rejected

the idea of shortening from the get-go (even though

it typically provides a crisper texture ) and used the

same amount of butter called for in chewy cookie

recipes : two sticks . The sugar would take more

finessing.

Most recipes use a combination of brown and

granulated sugars. Brown sugar lends rich flavor

and moisture, and granulated provides crispness and

encourages exterior browning. Since the greater the

amount of sugar in a cookie, the chewier it is, I began

by scaling the sugar down from 2 cups to l lJz , using

equal amounts of light brown and granulated. But the cookies still had too much chew. When I switched

to all granulated sugar, the cookies became hard and

crunchy, with a one-dimensional, overly sweet flavor.

114 COOK'S L I V E Original Test Kitchen Videos

www. c o o k s i l l u s t ra te d . c o m

HOW TO MAKE

• Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies VIDEO TIPS

• Can I use quick or instant oats? • Why does the test kitchen l ike parchment paper?

• Do I have to bake the cookies one sheet at a time?

Taking the granulated sugar down to l cup and add­

ing 1/4 cup of light brown sugar back in aided the

flavor-it now had subtle caramel notes-without

compromising the texture.

To contribute better strucnrre and richer flavor to

the cookies, an egg or two is beaten in next. One egg

held the cookies together nicely, but two gave them

a cakey texture. Along with the one egg, I added a

teaspoon of vanilla to row1d out tl1e flavor. Now that

the wet ingredients were all set, I was ready to tackle

the dry stuff.

Drawing on past experience baking cookies, I

speculated that using less flour would likely yield a

final product tl1at was crisper rather than chewier,

flatter rather than puffier. But without enough flour,

the oatmeal cookies spread too much, becoming

formless, gossamer-thin lace cookies. A fairly stan­

dard amount of l lJz cups of flour gave the cookies a thicker, oat cake-like texture. I slowly cut down the

amount until I ended up witl1 l cup of flour. Though

these cookies emerged from the oven with enough structure and were crisper tl1a11 their predecessors, they still weren't on the mark. Because they didn't

spread enough, they lacked the thinness I was look­

ing for, and the dry edges and slightly chewy centers

C OOK's I L L U S T R A T E D

2 2

were obviously wrong. Replacing some of the flour

wim grmmd-up oats-a technique I'd seen in some

recipes--didn't work: The cookies became even

chewier. Using quick or instant oats in lieu of old­

fashioned oats made them dense and bland. What if

I used less oats instead? It was worth a try.

The Fu l l Spread I tried reducing the amount of oats from 3 cups to

2 1Jz cups to get rid of some of the unwanted bulk. As I watched them bake, I noticed that tl1e balls of dough

spread fairly quickly along the edges, which became

dark a11d crisp, willie the thicker, paler middles took

much longer to catch up. Pressing me dough down

into flat-topped cylinders helped the cookies bake

more evenly, but they still weren't spreading enough.

Could the leavener be the problem?

Baking powder-the leavener used in our Big

Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies-is a mLxture ofbak­

ing soda and two kinds of acid salts, one that reacts

at room temperarure and one at high temperantres.

These components react to create gas bubbles that

help baked goods expand. I'd been using 1/z teaspoon

of baking powder, which clearly wasn't working too

well . I tried taking it out completely, but that left me

wim leaden rocks mat barely eased out of meir initial

raw dough form. To get the cookies to at least brown

better, I replaced the lJz teaspoon of baking powder

with baking soda: They spread even less. The only thing left to try was using what seemed

like too much leavener. The basic principles of leav­

ener are as follows: Use too little a11d there won't be

enough bubbles to help the dough rise; use too much

a11d you end up with excess carbon dioxide, which

causes the bubbles to get too big. These big bubbles

eventually combine witl1 one a11omer, rise to tl1e top

More Leavener for Thinner Cookies

It may sound counterintuitive, but doubl ing the usual amount of leavener (we used both baking powder and baking soda) in oatmeal cook­ies is the key to cr i sp i ness . The amp l i f ied dose creates big bub­bles that first help the dough rise, then combine and burst. resulting in a flat cookie.

....

Baking Soda ,.......,..�. ,_.._,.

M O R E BA K I N G POW D E R A N D BA K I N G S O DA L E A D S

TO C R I S P I E R C O O K I E S

of the dough, and burst, resulting in a flat product.

But since what I wanted was a thin, flat cookie, per­

haps I could make this "mistake" work to my advan­

tage. After testing varying amounts and combinations

of baking powder and baking soda, I found that %

teaspoon of baking powder coupled with lJ2 teaspoon

of baking soda gave me exactly what I wanted. This

time, the cookies puffed up in the oven, collapsed,

and spread out, becoming a much thinner version of

their former selves. Even better, tl1ey had no trace of

the soapy aftertaste that is often a byproduct of too

much leavener. I was finally getting somewhere.

Crisping It U p Now tl1e cookies were thin and had a nice buttety,

oaty flavor. To address tl1eir slightly greasy aftertaste, I

reduced tl1e amoLmt of butter by 2 tablespoons. Two

issues remained: They were baking w1evenly-tl1e top

tray was often darker than the bottom one, even after

being rotated half\vay through-and had a tendency

to bend into nearly a U shape before breaking in half

They just weren't snappy enough.

To guard against tl1e tough, dry cookies tl1at can

result from overbaking, most recipes for tl1ick and

chewy cookies say to remove them from the oven

when they sti l l look slightly raw. Suspecting this was

a precaution I didn't need to heed, I tried baking my

cookies all tl1e way through until they were fully set

and evenly browned from center to edge . Since tl1e

cookies were now min, tlley didn't become tough .

Instead, tl1ey were crisp throughout. Baking tl1e

cookies one sheet at a time ensured tl1at tl1ey cooked

evenly. And rather than transferring tl1em warm from

the baking sheet to a cooling rack, I accidentally

discovered tl1at tl1e cookies got crisper when left

to cool completely on tl1e baking sheet. Less work,

witl1 even better results ! I'd finally achieved my goal :

a thin, delicate oatmeal cookie with buttery flavor

and just the right an1ount of crunch. Who knows-a

cookie this good might even convert the fans of

chewiness over to my side .

T H I N A N D C R I S PY OAT M E A L C O O K I E S

M A K E S 2 4 C O O K I E S

To ensure tl1at the cookies bake evenly and are crisp

throughout, bake them 1 tray at a time. Place tl1em

on the baking sheet in 3 rows, with 3 cookies in the

outer rows and 2 cookies in the center row. If you

reuse a baking sheet, allow tl1e cookies on it to cool

at least 1 5 minutes before transferring tl1em to a wire

rack, tl1en reline tl1e sheet with fresh parchment before

baking more cookies. We developed this recipe using

Quaker Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. Other brands of

old-fashioned oats can be substituted but may cause

tl1e cookies to spread more . Do not use instant or

quick-cooking oats.

cup (5 ounces) unbleached al l -purpose f lour

teaspoon baking powder

teaspoon baking soda

teaspoon table salt

1 4 tablespoons ( 1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter,

softened but sti l l cool, about 65 degrees

cup (7 ounces) granu lated sugar

cup ( I 314 ounces) packed l ight brown sugar

large egg

teaspoon van i l l a extract

cups o ld-fashioned rol led oats (see note above)

l . Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven

to 350 degrees. Line 3 large ( 1 8- by 1 2 -inch) baking

sheets witl1 parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking pow­

der, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.

2 . In standing mixer fitted witl1 paddle attach­

ment, beat butter and sugars at medium-low speed

until just combined, about 20 seconds. Increase

speed to medium and continue to beat until light

and flu flY, about 1 minute longer. Scrape down bowl

witl1 rubber spatula . Add egg and vanilla and beat

on medium-low until fully incorporated, about 30

seconds . Scrape down bowl again. Witll mixer run­

ning at low speed, add flour mixture and mix until

R E c 1 P E r E s r 1 N G : The Right (an d Wro ng) Oats just incorporated and smootl1,

10 seconds . With mixer still nm­

ning on low, gradually add oats

and mix Lmtil well incorporated,

20 seconds . Give dough final stir

witl1 rubber spant!a to ensure

tl1at no flour pockets remain

and ingredients are evenly dis­

tributed.

TOO B LA N D

Instant oats and quick-cooking oats create dense. mealy cookies

lacking in good oat flavor.

J U S T R I G H T

Old-fashioned oats produce perfectly crisp cookies that retain a nice. round shape.

3. Divide dough into 24

equal portions, each about 2

tablespoons (or use #30 cookie

scoop ) , tl1en roll between palms

into balls . Place cookies on pre­

pared baking sheets, spacing

tl1em about 2 1J2 inches apart, 8

dough balls per sheet ( see note

above ) . Using fingertips, gently

press each dough ball to % - inch

tllickness.

4 . Bake l sheet at a time until

J A N U A R Y [y F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

2 3

cookies are deep golden brown, edges are crisp, and

centers yield to slight pressure when pressed, 1 3 to

1 6 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfWay through.

Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies

completely on sheet.

T H I N A N D C R I S P Y

C O C O N U T- OAT M E A L C O O K I E S

Follow recipe for Thin and Crispy Oam1eal Cookies,

decreasing oats to 2 cups and adding 1 1/2 cups sweet­

ened flaked coconut to batter with oats in step 2 .

T H I N A N D C R I S PY

O RA N G E - A L M O N D O AT M E A L C O O K I E S

Follow recipe for Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies,

creaming 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest with

butter and sugars in step 2 . Decrease oats to 2 cups

and add 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds to

batter witl1 oats in step 2 .

Cookies with a Twi st: Sweet and Salty A dusting of salt atop sweets such as chocolate and caramel is nothing new, but we recently came across Kayak Cookies, which gives a dif­ferent item the salt treatment: their Salty Oats cookies. After sprinkl ing a few grains on our Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies, we were hooked. S imi lar to its effect on caramel , salt's contrasting flavor adds a new dimens ion to the cookies and accentuates their rich, buttery taste.

S A LT Y T H I N A N D C R I S PY

OAT M E A L C O O K I E S

M A K E S 2 4 C O O K I E S

We prefer the texture and flavor of a coarse-grained sea salt, l i ke Maldon or fleur de sel , but kosher salt can be used. If us ing kosher salt, reduce the amount sprinkled over the cookies to !4 teaspoon.

recipe Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies

Y2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Follow recipe for Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies, reducing the amount of table salt in dough to Y4 tea­spoon. Lightly sprinkle sea salt evenly over flattened dough bal ls before baking.

Perfecting Spice Cake Spice cakes can be bland and leaden. Cou l d we create a tender, airy cake with convincing

spice f lavor that stands up to a rich cream cheese frosting?

The spice cake I remember most vividly is

from my childhood. Though my grand­

mother baked it in a rectangular pan , this

cake was light and airy and more akin to

a layer cake than the heavy, dense snack cakes that

all too often define the genre today. While it wasn't

the fanciest dessert my grandmother served, it was

company cake, something too special to serve every

day. It was moist and substantial, with spices that

were warm and bold without being overpowering,

and its layer of rich cream cheese frosting was the

perfect complement. I wanted to return to this

classic, but the recipe for my grandmother's spice

cake was never fixed in writing.

I decided to do a little research in our library, where

I found as many variations on the spice cake theme as

there are cooks to make them. I folll1d BLmdt cakes

with raisins and nuts; squat, square versions that

resembled gingerbread or carrot cake; cakes calling for

everything from apples and stewed figs to chocolate

chips and pumpkin puree. Some had spice overload,

tasting gritty and dusty. Others were so lacking in

spice flavor that it seemed as if a ciru1an1on stick had

only been waved in their general direction . In fact,

other than a mixture of warm spices, there were few

common denominators linking any of these desserts.

And, unfortunately, not one had the old-£1shioned

simplicity of the frosted spice cake from my child­

hood. I would have to begin from scratch.

Bui ld ing Cake with the Right H eft The texture of my grandmother's cake resembled the

fim1, moist, melt-in-your-mouth lightness of our Rich

3 B Y K E I T I I D R E S S E R E:

drier cake . Adding more yolks to the bat­

ter increased the cake's tenderness; so did

Svvitching from milk to buttermilk, wllich

also enriched the cake's flavor. Doubling

d1e dairy from 112 cup to 1 cup was enough

to fix d1e dtyness issue .

But d1e most important adjustment I

made involved d1e mixing teclulique. We

make our yellow cake by reversing the usual

order of dungs and mixing buuer into d1e

dry ingredients before adding the liquids,

wllich yields a cake wid1 a very fine-grained

texture. I wanted a more open and substan­

tial crumb, so I used d1e standard method of

beating d1e softened butter vvid1 d1e sugar,

incorporating the eggs, and adding flour and

liquid alternately in small amounts.

Putting Spice into Sp ice Cake

Lightly sp iced cream cheese frosting tops a mo i st, tender cake.

I knew that simply adding more spice to

something does not lead to increased spici­

ness . Most of what we experience when we

conswne a food containing spice is not

actually the spice's taste but its aroma.

These aromas are produced by volatile oils

found within the spice cells . When spices

are grolll1d, these aromatic oils are released,

and Tender Yellow Cake ( March/April l 999 ) . But

simply adding spices to dlis recipe didn't work. The

cake crumbled under d1e heavy frosting, and the spice

flavor was overwhelnling. To add volume and heft,

I replaced d1e cake flour used in that recipe wid1 all­

purpose flour. The switch made for a slighdy tougher,

which is why freshly ground whole spices are much

"tastier" ( i .e . , more aromatic ) than packaged ground

spices ( especially those that have been sitting on the

shelf awhile) . But in addition to being too much work,

individually grinding the five spices I'd chosen for the

recipe always imparted a fuint but discemible grittiness

to the cake, no mauer how much time

they spent in the spice grinder. AT A G L A N C E I K E Y S T O S P I C E F L AV O R What about using techniques from

the test kitchen to get the most out

of the spices already in my cupboard?

I knew from preparing curries and chili

that heating spices (either through dry-toasting them or blooming them

in hot oil ) intensifies their aroma. This

is because heat drives moisture out of

d1e spice, carrying d1e aromatic oils

along with it. While both techniques

created a fuller-flavored cake, dry-

I . BROW NE D BUT T E R 2 . BLOOMED SP ICES 3. A H I NT O F MOLASSES 4. G RAT E D G I NG E R

Browning the butter imparts a Blooming the spices in the Molasses adds a bittersweet Finely grated ginger adds a faint nuttiness that deepens the browned butter brings out their note that underscores the fresh, zesty qual ity to the cake cake's spice flavor. volatile oils, boosting their impact warm flavor of the spices. that dried ginger can't provide.

C O O K'

S I L L U S T R A T F D

2 4

toasting d1e spices was not as success­

ful as blooming d1em in oil . Toasting

allows more of d1e piquant aromas to

escape into the air, but because d1e aromatic oils are soluble in cooking

a: " <.. >­I Q. " a: <.: c f­c �

T E C H N I Q U E I R E M O V I N G

T R A P P E D A I R B U B B L E S

I n cakes with a thick batter, such as spice cake or carrot cake, trapped air bubbles can lead to a finished cake with unsightly holes. Here's how we got rid of them:

I . Run the tip of a metal spatu la through the batter in a zigzag motion, pu l l ing it to the edges of the pan.

2. Gently tap the pan against the counter three or four t imes to release any air bubbles that have risen to the surface.

oil, blooming them was a more effective way of

making sure they made it into the cake .

Up to this point, I had been using ground cin ­

namon, cloves, cardamom, allspice, and nutmeg.

Willie the mLxnue contributed a respectable spiciness

to the cake, I wanted more complexity. A coworker

suggested steeping crushed fresh ginger in the butter­

milk to extract maximum flavor. This brought slightly

more deptl1 of flavor to the cake but not enough to

justifY the extra work. A tablespoon of grated fresh

ginger added directly to tl1e batter, on tl1e otl1er hand,

added noticeable zing. For yet another flavor dimen­

sion, I replaced the oil I had been using to bloom my

spices with browned butter, which imparted a faint

nuttiness and filled out tl1e overall taste oftl1e cake . As a finishing touch, I incorporated a couple tablespoons

of molasses into the batter-just enough to balance

tl1e spices with a slight bittersweet nuance witl1out

turning the cake into gingerbread.

Topping It Off All that remained was to create just tl1e right fi·osting.

Almost every frosting recipe for spice cake I'd come

across in my initial research consisted of confectioners'

sugar, cream cheese, and butter in varying amounts .

To create a light, creamy frosting that would work

well witl1 the cake's tender crumb, I used a little less

butter tl1an called for in most of tl1ese recipes . When

I fi·osted tl1e cake, however, I was disappointed. The

two elements lacked harmony and needed sometlung

to pull them into balance. Why shouldn't tlut be spice?

I added l!z teaspoon of the spice mixture from the

cake to the frosting, which lent a subtle yet perceptible

flavor tl1at made the two work beautifi.tlly together.

Maybe tl1is cake wil l be one tl1at my daughter will

remember from her childhood. But unlike me, she'll

have a recipe tlut will let her know exactly what to

do to get it tight.

S P I C E C A K E W I T H

C R E A M C H E E S E F R O S T I N G

S E RV E S 1 2 TO 1 4

To save time, let tl1e eggs, butternllik, and butter

come up to temperature willie tl1e browned butter

and spice mixture cools. To prevent w1sightly air holes

in the finished cake, be sure to follow tl1e instructions

for removing air bubbles in tl1e batter ( see illustra­

tions at left) . Leftover cake ca.t1 be stored, covered

with plastic wrap, in tl1e refrigerator for up to 2 days.

The cake shOLtld be brought to room temperarure

before serving.

Cake

2 V. cups ( I I V. ounces) unb leached a l l -purpose

f lour, plus extra for dusting pans

tablespoon ground c innamon

3.4 teaspoon ground cardamom

V2 teaspoon ground al lspice

V2 teaspoon ground cloves

V4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened

V2 teaspoon baking powder

V2 teaspoon baking soda

V2 teaspoon table salt

2 l arge eggs plus 3 large yolks, at room

temperature

teaspoon van i l la extract

1 3.4 cups ( 1 2 V. ounces) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons l ight or mi ld molasses

tablespoon grated fresh ginger

cup buttermi lk, at room temperature

Frosting

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces,

softened

I V. cups (4 V> ounces) confectioners' sugar

8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces,

softened

V2 teaspoon van i l la extract

3.4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

(optional)

1 . FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle

position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a.tld

flour 1 3- by 9-inch baking pan . Combine spices in

small bowl ; reserve 1/2 teaspoon for frosting.

2. Heat 4 tablespoons butter in 8- inch skillet over

J A N � A R Y b F E B R R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

2 5

medium heat until melted, 1 to 2 n1inutes. Continue

to cook, swirling pan constantly, until butter is light

brown and has faint nutty aroma, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add spices and continue to cook, stirring constantly,

1 5 seconds. Remove from heat and cool to room

temperan1re, about 30 minutes.

3 . Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and

salt in medium bowl. In small bowl, gently whisk

eggs, yolks, and va.t1illa to combine . In standing

nuxer fitted with paddle attachment, crea.tn remain­

ing 1 2 tablespoons butter with sugar a.t1d molasses

at medium-high speed w1til pale and fluffY, about 3

n1inutes, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl

twice witl1 rubber spatula. Reduce to mediwn speed

and add cooled butter a.tld spice 111Lxture, ginger, and

half of egg n1ixture; n1ix until incorporated, about

1 5 seconds. Repeat with remaining egg 111Lxture;

scrape down bowl again. Reduce to low speed; add

about one-third flour n1ixture, followed by half

of butternllik, mixing until just incorporated after

each addition, about 5 seconds . Repeat using half of

remaining flour n1ixture and all of remaining butter­

nllik. Scrape bowl and add remaining flour mLxture;

mix at medium speed until batter is thoroughly com­

bined, about 15 seconds . Remove bowl from mixer

and fold batter once or twice with rubber spatula to

incorporate any remaining flour.

4 . Tra.t1sfer batter to prepared pa.t1; following illus­

trations at left, zigzag tip of metal spatula through

batter, pulling it to pa.tl edges . Lightly tap pan against

counter 3 or 4 times to dislodge any large air bubbles;

smootl1 surface with spatula.

5 . Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake

comes out clean, 32 to 37 minutes. Cool cake to room

temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.

6. FOR THE FROSTING: In bowl of standing

mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter,

sugar, and reserved l!z teaspoon spice mixture at

medium-lugh speed until light and fluff)r, 1 to 2 min­

utes. Add crean1 cheese one piece at a time, beating

tl1oroughly after each addition. Add vanilla and beat

until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds.

7. Run paring k.t1ife around edge of cake to loosen

from pan. Using spant.!a, spread frosting evenly over

surface of cake. Sprinkle cake witl1 walnuts, if using.

Cut into squares a.t1d serve .

S P I C E C A K E W I T H

O RA N G E C R E A M C H E E S E F R O S T I N G

Follow recipe for Spice Cake witl1 Cream Cheese

Frosting, adding 1 1/z teaspoons finely grated orange

zest to frosting witl1 the varti.lla in step 6. Substitute

toasted slivered almonds or roughly chopped hazel­

nuts for walnuts in step 7.

!lil4 C O O K'S L I V E Original Test Kitchen Videos

w w w. c o o k s i l l u s t ra t e d . c o m

HOW TO MAKE

• Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

V I DEO TIP

• How do I know when the butter is brown enough?

The Truth About Dark Chocolate Does spe nd i ng m o re for "gou rm et" choco l ate buy r i c h e r,

m o re co m p l ex fl avor an d y i e l d bette r bak i ng resu lts?

J ust a few years ago, selecting dark chocolate

for your dessert recipe seemed pretty simple:

You went to the supermarket and bought a

bar of baking chocolate . These days, there are

dozens of choices, and you can spend hours poring

over the cacao percentages and exotic provenances

on the labels . You can pay a lot more, too . But does

any of it really matter? Does spending more get

you better chocolate flavor? And can your choice

of chocolate change your baking results?

Chocolate Bas ics First, we looked into the definition of "dark choco­

late" and discovered it's a pretty loose term. The U.S.

Food and Drug Administration doesn't distinguish

between bittersweet and semisweet chocolate-it

simply requires that products by either name con­

tain at least 35 percent cacao (the cocoa solids and

cocoa butter from the cacao bean) . Companies use

the nan1es cacao and cocoa interchangeably, but in

general, when there is more cacao in the chocolate,

there is less sugar, and bittersweet chocolate tends to

be less sweet and have more cacao than semisweet.

Even darker chocolates, with higher cacao percent­

ages, will be correspondingly less sweet ( l 00 percent

cacao chocolate is completely unsweetened) .

U nderstand i ng Cacao Pe rcentages In a recipe specifying a bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, can you substitute a chocolate with a higher cacao percentage than the 60 percent gener­ally used for cooking, making no other adjustments? Not if you expect identical results. We tasted brown­ies and pots de creme made with our two top-ranked dark chocolates, by Callebaut and Ghirardel l i , which have 60 percent cacao, alongside ones made with the same brands' 70 percent cacao offerings.

Whi le all four versions were acceptable , tasters strongly preferred the 60 percent cacao chocolates in these recipes, complaining of the 70 percent ver­sions' dryness and lack of sweetness (and in the case of the pots de creme, a thicker, stiffer consistency) , although some tasters noted their "deeper" choco­late flavor. When chocolate manufacturers increase cacao content, they correspondingly decrease the amount of sugar and usual ly add less cocoa butter. With less sugar and fat, it's no wonder the resu lts were d istinctly different. -L.M .

� B Y LIS A M c MA N U S E

Any munber of variables-the type of bean, where

it's grown, and when it's harvested; the length and

conditions of fermentation; the roasting and grinding

methods; and the quality and quantity of any additives

(such as vanilla )--can contribute to difrerences in flavor

and texture. Chocolate makers claim that every detail is

critical-and are loath to share too many specifics.

We'd heard a lot about the type of cacao bean being extremely important. There are only three

types . The most prized (and expensive ) bean, the

criollo, grown mainly in the Caribbean and Central

An1erica, makes up less than 2 percent of the world's

cacao. Most chocolate is made from forastero beans,

generally from Africa. These beans are harvested

from hardier trees, which makes d1em cheaper. The

third, trinitario, is a hybrid ofd1e other two beans and

comprises about 5 percent of d1e total harvest.

The Cook's C h ocolate-60 Percent Cacao To choose chocolate for our testing lineup, we ignored

"bittersweet" or "semisweet" nomenclature and con­

cerned ourselves wid1 chocolate containing rougllly

60 percent cacao-the type d1at most recipes calling

for dark chocolate have been developed to use . ( Even

darker chocolates, wid1 70 percent or more cacao,

usually require recipe adjustments to get good results;

see "Understanding Cacao Percentages," left) . Not

confining ourselves to baking chocolate, we included

chocolate from d1e candy aisle in selecting 12 widely

available brands. Prices varied wildly: We spent from 44

cents per ounce to nearly four times as much.

Seeking a chocolate that would perfom1 well in var­

ious applications, we held three blind tastings: first eat­

ing the bars plain, d1en melting d1em into chocolate

pots de creme, and finally baking them into brownies.

ln each tasting, we rated d1e chocolate on sweetness,

intensity of flavor, texture, and overall appeal . And

since many chocolate makers are secretive about their

proprietary methods and formulas, we sent samples of

each to an independent laboratory to confirm levels

of cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar.

Chocolate Myths and Chocolate Truth s So which chocolates won fuvor wid1 our tasters? The

results were smprising. The chocolate with the fanciest pedigree in our lineup, El Rey, made exclusively from

Venezuelan criollo beans, wow1d up in the lower half of the rankings. The other single-origin sample, produced

by Lindt from criollo and trinitario beans grown in

Madagascar, came in last. Our two top-rated choco­

lates, Callebaut and Gllirardelli, came from blends

C O O K'

S I L L U S T R A T E D

2 6

relying primarily on the inexpensive forastero bean.

Both were purchased at the supermarket, and they cost

just 53 cents and 75 cents per ounce, respectively.

Our second discovery also defied expectations. We

assumed d1at if one brand of chocolate is 60 percent

cacao, it would be pretty similar in sweetness, choco­

late intensity, and creaminess to anod1er brand's 60

percent cacao chocolate . Not so. When chocolate

makers grind shelled cacao beans, known as nibs,

to create the thick paste called chocolate liquor, this

paste contains both cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Most manufacturers d1en add even more cocoa but­

ter, in varying amounts, to help create the texture of

d1e final chocolate . A few, like our winner, also add

extra cocoa solids to intensifY the chocolate flavor.

Ultimately, however, the cacao percentage on the

label of a chocolate bar is a total that includes both

cocoa solids and cocoa butter-meaning that differ­

ent chocolates can have different proportions of each

and still share the 60 percent cacao designation . As our lab tests showed, the cocoa solids in our lineup

ranged from about 17 percent of a bar's total weight

to more than 30 percent, while fat ranged from a

durd of the weight to nearly half of it. Sugar levels

varied by nearly 20 percent as well .

So would the chocolate with the most cocoa butter

make the biggest splash, bringing rimer, extra-creamy,

flavor to your desserts? No. ln fact, our lab results

revealed that d1e chocolate with the lowest fut won

d1e day, while the one with the most fur can1e in dead

last. And would having the most cocoa solids make a

chocolate superior? Again, no. Our tasters preferred

chocolates with only a moderate an1ount. Sweetness

wasn't d1e explanation, either: Chocolates in d1e

middle range of sugar levels were preferred over those

with the most sugar, thougl1 overall the top half of the

rankings had more sugar than the bottom half

In the end, we preferred dark chocolate that

achieved the best balance of all three major com­

ponents--cocoa butter, cocoa solids, and sugar.

Callebaut Intense Dark Chocolate L-60-40NV

was favored for its rich chocolate flavor, moder­

ate sugar and cocoa solids, and comparatively low

fat. Tasters appreciated its "intensely chocolaty,"

"rich," "espresso" flavor and "caramel aftertaste . "

I t excelled i n every application . San Francisco-based

Ghirardelli's Bittersweet Chocolate B aking Bar

can1e in a close second, with praise for its "smoky,"

"fruity" notes . It also demonstrated that balanced

chocolate flavor derived from moderate levels of

sugar, cocoa solids, and cocoa butter.

TASTING DARK CHOCOLATE Twenty-four members of the Cook's Illustrated staff tasted 1 2 dark chocolates, al l contain ing around 60 percent cacao.

We sampled them plain, in chocolate pots de creme, and baked i nto brownies. Res u lts were averaged , and the chocolates

appear in order of preference. We purchased the chocolates at Boston stores or on l ine (see page 32) .

RECO M M ENDED CALLEBAUT Intense Dark Chocolate, L-60-40NV � 60 percent cacao

Country of Origin: Belg ium

� Price: 53 cents per ounce

G H I RARDELLI Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar � 60 percent cacao

Country of Origin: USA

� Price: 75 cents per ounce

DAGOBA Organic Semisweet Dark Chocolate � 59 percent cacao

Country of Origin: USA

� Price: $ 1 . 30 per ounce

M I C H E L C L U I Z E L Noi r de Cacao Dark Chocolate � 60 percent cacao

Country of Origin: France

� Price: $ 1 .43 per ounce

VALRHONA Le Noi r Semisweet Chocolate � 5 6 percent cacao

Country of Origin: France

� Price: $ 1 . 37 per ounce

RECO M M ENDED WITH RES ERVATIONS E . GUITTARD Tsaratana Pure Semisweet Dark Chocolate � 6 1 percent cacao

Country of Origin: USA

� Price: $ 1 .45 per ounce

H ERSH EY'S All-Natural Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate � 60 percent cacao

Country of Origin: USA

� Price: 63 cents per ounce

EL REY M IJAO Dark Chocolate, Venezuelan Si ngle Bean,

Carenero Superior � 6 1 percent cacao

Country of Origin: Venezuela

� Price: 50 cents per ounce

SCHARF F E N BERG E R Fine Artisan Semisweet Dark C hocolate � 62 percent cacao

Country of Origin: USA

� Price: $ 1 .03 per ounce

N ESTLE CHOCOLAT I E R Premium Baking Chocolate

Bittersweet Chocolate Bar � 62 percent cacao

Country of Origin: USA

� Price: 56 cents per ou nce

BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate Squares (USA)

� 54 percent cacao

Country of Origin: USA

� Price: 44 cents per ounce

LINDT Excellence Madagascar Extra Fine M ild Dark Chocolate � 65 percent cacao � Price: $ 1 .08 per ou nce

Country of Origin: Switzerland

!?A:�9..I?..� tfark 'l 9 •?;,

Comments: "Complex flavor, creamy and thick, " " dark and earthy, " with a " rich cocoa flavor" and "a

nice balance of sweetness and bitterness." Tasters picked up "caramel , smoke, and espresso" in the plain

tasting. It baked i nto "what a b rownie should be."

Comments: Tasters d iscerned "coffee, smoke, and d ried fru it" i n this "creamy, rich, glossy " chocolate,

with a "s l ight sour aftertaste . " In brownies, it had " q u intessential brownie flavor" that was "assertive,"

" l i ke dark chocolate but not cocoa-y or b itter l i ke some others; a rea l ly good blend of tastes."

Comments: "Fairly sweet" (a few said "cloyingly" so), with "great chocolate flavor," it had "h ints of fru it"

and "apricot and almond." I n pots de creme, it was "very buttery and chocolaty, with a s i lky texture" and a

flavor that was "smooth yet strong." In brownies: "a good one all-around," "malty, sweet, rich, sl ightly floral . "

Com ments: "Creamy, not bitter. N ice for an eating chocolate," "complex and earthy," but tasters were

reminded of "ol ive oi l" or "mayonnaise." In brownies, it was "very smooth and wel l balanced," if a bit "bland";

in pots de creme, it was "supercreamy," " l ike mi lk chocolate."

Comments: "A nondark-chocolate-lover's dark chocolate , " this was "wel l balance d " and "creamy, "

with "a sharp chocolate flavor" and " not much aftertaste . " In pots de creme, it was "supersmooth and

cush iony' ' and "al most too creamy " ; "fudgy" brownies were "very sweet. "

-

Comments: " Fru ity, sp icy, " "sweet and smoky, " th is "very creamy " chocolate had s l ightly "odd " flavors,

i nc lud ing banana, tobacco, beef, and leather, a long with caramel and honey. Whi le it had some fans,

others observed that it made d rier, cakier brownies and s l ightly "chalky " pots de creme.

Comments: A "chalky" texture was decried by many tasters, both when eaten p la in and in brownies, though

the brownies were praised for " rich, roasted chocolate flavor." In pots de creme, it was "dark and glossy," but

"very gloppy" and "too gummy and dense--flavor is good, though."

Com ments: " N ot very complex" and " m i l d , " with a s l ightly "sour" aftertaste, it was "sweet and but­

tery " in pots de creme and "k inda fl at" and " d u l l " in brown ies, where it was also deemed "tooth­

achingly sweet." "So l id , if unspectacu lar. "

Comments: " Lots o f fru it" here : Tasters n oted cherry (some said "cough syrup") , grape, raspberry,

rais ins , and prunes. "Complex, but I d i d n 't care for it ," said one. " G luey" in pots de creme, it had a

" roasty '' qua l ity in brownies, but " l acked choco-o o m p h . "

Comments: " D ry and chalky, " "grainy, " and "gritty, " agreed tasters when it w a s s a m p l e d p la in a n d in

pots de creme . I n brownies, it was " rich" and "fudgy, " but again "a b it grai ny, " with an "a l most sour mi lk

taste . " Others noted off-flavors that were " m etal l i c , " "tann ic , " "b itter, " or "chemica l . "

Comments: "Very sweet, you can almost taste the sugar granules," with a "b itter coffee flavor." "Very

cocoa-y, but otherwise pretty boring. " "Tastes l ike cheap chocolate." It rated poorly when tasted plain and in

pots de creme due to its granular texture, but shone in brownies as "very moist, chewy," and "fudgy."

Comments: Lab tests showed it had the highest fat content of the l ineup by far, and also the lowest cocoa

sol ids. Tasters noted a "very creamy" but "waxy " texture and a "one-d imensional " flavor with "very

van i l la" notes. In pots de creme, it was "creamy, but strange and acid ic . " In brown ies, it was "funky. "

J A N U A R Y 6- F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

2 7

A Cut Above C u tti ng boards mad e fro m bam boo a n d wood co m pos i te a re fi ood i ng th e ma rket . I s

th e re any reaso n to ch oose th ese n ew-fang led mate ri a l s ove r trad i ti o na l wood a n d p l asti c ?

Buying a cutting board starts with deciding on its material . Until recently, there were

just two good options : wood and plastic .

Wood boards appeal to cooks who love

how tl1ey feel and don't mind tl1at tl1ey need to

be hand-washed. Fans of plastic rate a dishwasher­safe, maintenance - free board over everything

else-even if it means a surface that will never feel

as cushiony as wood . Recently, eco-friendly bam­

boo boards claiming to match and even surpass the benefits of wood h ave appeared in kitc h ­enware stores everywhere . Alongside mem are lightweight composite boards, fashioned from laminated wood fiber, which look like wood but

clean up like plastic . Do these newcomers offer

anything better than the old standbys?

To find out, we garnered a lineup made from all

four materials ( plus a glass board; we haven't liked

glass in tl1e past, but we know many people do ) . We whacked at them witl1 a cleaver, subjected tl1en1 to hundreds of cuts wiili a new, factory-sharpened knife, and repeatedly knocked iliem off the cowl­

ter. When we were done , we chopped chipotle

chiles in brick-red adobo sauce to see how easily

iliey would clean up . Our ultimate goal was to find

me ideal surface : soft enough to keep your knife

and hands in good shape but sturdy enough to take

on any cutting job witl10ut undue damage .

The Tried and True At the outset, we were impressed by what many

consider ilie king of cutting boards: a l O-pOLmd maple butcher block from John Boos. Heavy and

s c 1 E N c E : Bacteria on Board I n 2004, we asked an independent laboratory to compare wood and p lastic cutting boards to see which harbors more harmful bacteria. The answer? There's no difference--both are equal ly safe as long as you scrub them in hot, soapy water. We repeated the tests on bamboo and composite boards, which are new to the market since we conducted the earl ier tests. J ust as with wood and plastic, if you wash these boards with soap and water, the bacteria wi l l d ie . I nterestingly, even before being washed, the bamboo board 's natural antimicrobial properties helped kill off much of the bacteria. You shouldn't skip washing bamboo­but it's nice to have a bui lt- in head start. -L.M .

3 B Y L I S A M c M A N U S E

solid (witl1 a $75 ptice tag to match), tlus board's end-grain wood took cleaver sttikes and repetitive

cuts wiiliout showing any damage to its surface or me klufe . But tl1e board's virtues were also its

w1doing: its heft made it uncomfortable to set up,

wash, and put away. And despite being oiled, it split along a glue line after routine use . We preferred a

ligl1ter yet still substantial maple board from J .K.

Adams, wluch had a conve11ient size-roomy but

not w1wieldy or heavy-that felt great under tl1e knife and took all me abuse we could dish out.

In the plastic category, two didn 't measure up-a folding board mat proved more gimmicky

tl1an usefiu and a plain plastic board tl1at was too slick, making the kJ1ife, food, and board itself skid

around as we worked. This board's soft surface also

became deeply stained and cut up. But tl1e Arcl1itec

Gripper board we 've loved in the past remains

highly recommended for its durable surface and hundreds of rubber feet, thermally bonded to me plastic, wluch make tl1e board a pleasure to cut on by keeping it rock-solid on tl1e counter. Any stains

on iliis board were blasted clean in tl1e dishwasher,

but we weren't influenced by its sanitized appear­

ance . Our lab tests have shown tl1at, contrary to

popular belief, bacteria doesn't wash off plastic

boards any more easily than it does off wood ones

(see "Bacteria on Board," left ) .

Composed of Composite We were most skeptical about wood-composite

boards. Despite their purported resemblance to real wood, tl1e two first boards we tested looked like the thin, hard particleboard they were . The

Epicurean model ( a product we see everywhere )

immediately lived down to our low expectations,

making a nasty clack under tl1e knife and giving

off sawdust under repeated cuts .

However, the Snow River composite board took us by surprise, wi nning some of our highest accolades . An innovative twist to its design­softer layers of maple veneer surrounding a hard

inner core-made it almost as comfortable to cut

on as wood . This board held up extremely well under abuse . When we checked wim the manu­facturer, we found out why: The board's maple veneer is not simply glued onto the core, but bonded witl1 it from tl1e beginning ilirough the application of resin , high heat, and iliousands of pounds of compression. The fact tl1at the board can go in tl1e dishwasher, like all boards of tlus

C O O K ' s I L L U S T R A T E D

2 8

type, made u s appreciate i t all the more .

The Bamboo Advantage B amboo boards are light\veight and attractive ,

but we wondered about their endurance . This

material is often misunderstood to be a type of hardwood; it's actually a kind of grass . Bamboo does have definite advantages over wood: It

grows in poor soil and in almost any climate,

and it renews itself in years rather than decades . Like our favorite composite board, the butcher­

block-style Totally B amboo Congo Board mrned out to be a pleasant surprise . In test after test, it matched me outstanding comfort and ease of cut­ting on a classic maple butcher block-and it was

so impervious to abuse mat it looked new after

hundreds of cuts. Like wood, mis board can't

go into tl1e dishwasher and would benefit from

occasional oiling, but we were more tl1an will ­

ing to trade those inconveniences for its superior feel . An unexpected bonus: Lab tests confirmed bamboo has natural antin1icrobial properties tl1at

help kill bacteria even before you wash it.

But not all bamboo boards are created equal .

The other bamboo boards' surfaces were not as

durable or forgiving as the Congo's, due in part

to ilieir construction and possibly also to the age

of tile bamboo at harvest-the younger it is, me

softer me cane and me cheaper tile board .

The Final Cut So are the new materials any better man wood and plastic? If you choose overall design and con ­su·uction carefully, tl1e answer is yes-but only by

a hair. In me final analysis, our top-rated boards cut across material distinctions, displaying similar

features of comfort, durability, and solid con­

struction. If you're willing to wash by hand and

do occasional maintenance to keep your board in peak form, tl1e top-performing Totally Bamboo Congo board and J . K. Adams's Takes Two maple board are good choices . If me dishwasher is the

only way you'll go, you have two fine options :

the composite Snow River Utility board and the plastic Architec Gripper Nonslip board .

M4 C O O K'S L I V E Originai Test Kitchen Videos

www. c o o ks i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m

• Beh ind the Scenes: Cutting Board Testi ng V I D E O T I P

• What's the best way to clean a cutting board?

KEY

GOOD: * * *

FAIR: * *

POOR: *

DISHWASHER- 8 SAFE:

We tested 1 3 cutting boards by evaluating their design, durabi l­ity, wear on a chef 's knife, and su itabi l ity for a variety of kitchen tasks. Boards appear i n order of preference. Sources for the winning boards are on page 32.

Mai ntai n i ng Yo u r Cutti ng Board

Over the years, we have conducted many lab and kitchen tests to deter­mine the best methods for cleaning and deodorizing cutting boards. Here are our recommendations.

ROUTI N E CLEANI N G

After each use, scrub your board thoroughly in hot, soapy water (or put it through the d i shwasher if it's d ishwasher-safe) . This k i l l s nearly a l l harmful bacteria on any type of cutting board . Rinse wel l and dry thoroughly.

TO REMOVE FOOD ODORS

(SUCH AS GARLIC)

Scrub with a paste of I tablespoon of baking soda and I teaspoon of water, fol lowed by routine washing with hot, soapy water.

TO REMOVE STAINS FROM

PLASTIC BOARDS

An overnight bleach bath leaves stained plastic boards pristine and sanitized . Put I tablespoon of bleach per quart of water in the s ink and immerse the board, fouled-side up. When the board rises to the surface, drape a clean white kitchen towel or two over its surface and splash the towel with about !1.1 cup of additional bleach.

TO MAINTAIN A WOOD OR

BAMBOO BOARD

Apply food-grade m ineral o i l every few weeks when the board is new and a few times a year thereafter. The oil soaks into the fibers, creating a barrier to excess moisture. (Don't use o l ive or vegetable o i l , which can become rancid.) Avoid leaving wood or bamboo boards resting i n water, or they wi l l eventua l ly sp l it.

TESTING CUTTI NG BOARDS

(H I G H LY R E C O M M E N D E D

Totally Bamboo Congo P R I C E : $39.99 M AT E R I A L Butcher-block-style bamboo W E I G H T : 5 pounds

Snow River Util ity P R I C E : $ 1 6.99 M AT E R I A L : Wood-laminate composite with maple surface W E I G H T : 1 .7 pounds

J. K. Adams Takes Two P R I C E : $22 M AT E R I A L : Hard rock sugar maple W E I G HT: 3.7 pounds

Arch itec G ripper Nonsl ip P R I C E : $ 1 4.99 M AT E R I A L : Polypropylene (plastic) W E I G HT: 0.9 pounds

R E C O M M E N D E D

Totally Bamboo Kauai P R I C E : $28 M AT E R I A L : Vertical-grain bamboo W E I G HT: 2.7 pounds

John Boos Chopping Block P R I C E : $74.95 M AT E R I A L : Northern hard rock maple W E I G HT: 1 0 .4 pounds

Tru Bamboo Palm Beach P R I C E : $39.99 M AT E R I A L : Flat-grain bamboo W E I G HT: 5 .2 pounds

(R E C O M M E N D E D W I T H R E S E RVATI O N S

The Cutting Board Company P R I C E : $ 1 1 . 35

8

8

P E R F O R M A N C E

C U TT I N G : * * * D U RA B I LITY: * * *

C L EAN U P : * * * U S E R · F R I E N D LI N E S S : * * *

C U TT I N G : * * * D U RA B I LITY: * * *

C L EA N U P : * * * U S E R - F R I E N D L I N E S S : * * *

C U TT I N G : * * * D U RA B I LITY: * * *

C L E A N U P : * * U S E R - F R I E N D L I N E S S : * * *

C U TT I N G : * * D U RA B I LITY: * * *

C LE A N U P : * * * U S E R · F R I E N D L I N E S S : * * *

P E R F O R M A N C E

C U TTI N G : * * * D U RA B I L ITY: * *

C L EAN U P : * * * U S E R · F R I E N D L I N E S S : * * *

C U TTI N G : * * * D U RA B I LITY: * *

C LE A N U P : * U S E R - F R I E N D LI N E S S : * * *

C U TTI N G : * * *

D U RA B I LITY: * *

C L EAN U P : * * U S E R - F R I E N O L I N E S S : * *

P E R F O R M A N C E

C U TT I N G :

D U RA B I LITY:

M AT E R I AL: Polypropylene (plastic) W E I G HT: 3 .7 pounds

� C L EA N U P : �-- U > < R· F R I E N D L I N E S S :

* * * *

* * * *

Epicurean Cutting Surfaces, Kitchen Series P R I C E : $24.95 M ATE RIAL: Wood-laminate composite W E I G HT: 1 .9 pounds

Architec G ri pper Bamboo P R I C E : $ 1 4.99 M ATE R I A L : Vertical-grain bamboo W E I G HT: 2.4 pounds

N OT R E CO M M E N D E D

OXO Good G rips Folding Util ity P R I C E : $24.99 M AT E R I A L : Polypropylene (plastic) W E I G HT: 3 .8 pounds

C U TT I N G : * *

D U RA B I L I TY: **

C L E A N U P : * *

U S E R · F R I E N D L I N E S S : * *

C U TTI N G : * *

D U RA B I LITY: * *

C L E A N U P : * U S E R · F R I EN D L I N E S S : * *

P E R F O R M A N C E

C U TT I N G : * *

D U RA B I LITY: * C LE A N U P : * * *

U S E R - F R I E N D LI N E S S : *

C UTT I N G : * * D U RA B I LITY: *

T E ST E R S ' CO M M E NTS

Sol id and cushy surface of a wooden butcher block, but l ightweight, with nicely rounded edges that are easy to grasp. Perfect score in every test.

Looks and feels l ike wood but can go in the dishwasher. Cleaver cut deeply. but cuts closed up after washing. Softer veneer mitigated the core's hardness and made it very enjoyable to use.

Classic plank board is solid but l ight enough to be convenient for frequent use. Knife felt cushioned during use; board showed few marks of cuts; blade stayed sharp after 750 cuts. Chipotle stain hung on.

Nonsl ip "gripper" underside keeps board extremely stable but makes it one-sided. P leasant cutt ing surface . but it sl ightly dul led a new knife.

T E STE R S ' C O M M E NTS

T his pretty board was easy to handle. felt sol id and wel l cushioned under the knife, and was tough enough to handle the cleaver. Surface became deeply incised in one area after 750 cuts, but it didn't stain.

This deluxe cutting board is mighty heavy to hoist around the kitchen. Feels great under the knife. keeping blade sharp after 750 cuts; definitely needs oil ing and careful drying to keep its good looks and avoid splitting, as our first sample did.

Board did the job but was unremarkable. Surface showed faint cuts and became increasingly fuzzy, with tiny raised fibers. as we used and cleaned it.

T E STE R S ' C O M M E NTS

Surface was too slick when new--onion skidded as we cut. Cleaver made deep cuts, raised ridges on surface. This board s l ipped around if we didn't use a mat underneath, and it stained deeply.

Hard board clacked loudly under the knife; surface gave off sawdust after repeated cuts. Board smel ls l i ke a wet dog when washed ( it 's the glue).

Four rubber feet trapped wetness and gave board a hollow feel. More difficult to cut across planks than along them. Showed every cut, and stains hung on.

T E ST E R S ' CO M M E NTS

Rubbery surface of board felt pleasant. but center-fold ridge got in the way of cutting. Board ripped in two at fold when swept off counter.

Wood felt l ightweight but cheap; made hollow sound when knife struck. Soft sur-

Pyrex G lass P R I C E : $ 1 7.99 M AT E R I A L : Tempered glass W E I G HT: 3 .2 pounds

-r· U C U TT I N G :

\ � ;)_ D U RA B I LITY:

\ • � C L EA N U P :

� U S E R - F R I E N D LI N E S S :

Clacked with every cut; dulled new knife * * * after I 0 cuts. Didn't break (even when

* * * knocked off counter and whacked with a cleaver), but horrible as a cutting board.

J A N U A R Y b F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

2 9

K I T C H E N N O T E S C lean B reak for Eggs When recipes for baked goods, such as

our Spice Cake (page 25 ), call for yolks

at room temperature, most cooks wait

to separate them until the eggs have

already warmed up. We find the process

is easier if you do it when the eggs are

still cold. Just out of the refrigerator,

the membranes surrounding the white

and the yolk are much firmer and sepa­

rate more cleanly and easily.

H ot or Cold Water for Washi ng? We've always believed the conventional

wisdom that cold water works better

than hot when washing flour off bowls

and boards. The theory is that hot

water hydrates the starch, causing it to

become sticky, while cold water simply

dilutes the flour. Washing hundreds of

dirry bowls for our Almost No-Knead

Bread (page 20) recipe gave us the

perfect opportunity to test this. Our

finding: When it comes to removing

flour, water temperature makes no dif­

ference at all . Both hot and cold water

work equally well .

Broccoli Resu rrection We recently tried reviving limp broc­

coli by soaking florets and whole heads

overnight in three different liquids: plain

water, sugar water, and salt water. The

sugar, we thought, might provide food

that would revive the vegetable, while

the salt might work like a brine, adding

moisture and seasoning. The next day,

we examined the broccoli raw and then

pan-roasted it.

In both the

cooked and

raw states,

the broccoli left standing

P L U M P I T U P

in plain water

was the clear

winner. The

broccoli placed

in sugar water

was nearly as

limp as before,

and the broccoli To revive l imp broccol i , trim the stalk,

from salty water stand it in an inch of was even more water, and refrigerate dehydrated. i t overnight.

3 B Y J K E N J I A L T E

B reathable Bags Spinach used to come m perforated

plastic bags tl1at allowed the greens to

breathe and stay fresh longer. These

days, the bags of greens we buy no

longer have the holes. Why the change?

Plastic bag technology has come a long

way over me years. Though mey appear

solid, the bags in which spinach and

otl1er greens are now sold are made of

a polymer mat allows the ripening gases

mat all produce emits to pass through

freely. Because of this, leftover pack­

aged spinach or greens will do much

better stored in their original bags than

in ordinary plastic ones . To ensure

freshness for as long as possible, fold

me bag over and tape it shut .

S P I C E A D V I C E : TOaSt, then G ri nd

S T I L L F R E S H Bagged spinach stored i n its original

breathable plastic bag is sti l l fresh one week later.

S TA RT I N G TO S PO I L This spinach was stored i n a sealed airtight bag, rather than its original

packaging, causing it to spoil prematurely.

Oven Cal ibration A properly calibrated oven i s essential

for ensuring consistent cooking results.

Because many people don't have an

oven thermometer, we developed an

easy method to test for accuracy using

an instant-read thermometer. Here's

how to do it.

Set an oven rack to the middle

position and heat your oven to 350

degrees for at least 30 minutes. Fill an

ovenproof glass 2-cup measure witl1

1 cup of water. Using an instant-read

mermometer, check that tl1e water

is exactly 70 degrees, adjusting tl1e

I t 's best to toast whole spices before g ri nd i ng them. Here's why:

STAY I N G P U T Toasting a spice whole brings its

aromatic oils to the surface, contrib­uting to a stronger, more complex

aroma when ground.

temperature with hot or cold water as

necessary. Place the cup in the center of

tl1e rack and close tl1e oven door. After

1 5 minutes, remove tl1e cup and insert

tl1e instant-read thermometer, making

sure to swirl the thermometer around

in the water to even out any hot spots.

If your oven is properly calibrated, the

water should be at 1 50 degrees (plus

or minus 2 degrees) . If the water is not

at 1 50 degrees, then your oven is run­

rung too hot or too cold and needs to

be adjusted accordingly. We tested this

method in multiple ovens, both gas and

electric, and all worked well. (Note : To

avoid shattering the glass cup, allow the

water to cool before pouring it out . )

G arl ic G u i d e Sometimes when we're shopping for a

recipe that calls for a large amount of

T E C H N I Q U E

in cooked onions with a life­less, stringy texture. Onions that are cut pole to pole main­tain their shape during our Best French Onion Soup's (page 1 3) long cook1ng process.

C O O K' S I L L U S T R A TE D

3 0

C A R R I E D AWAY Grinding a spice releases moisture and aromatic oi ls into the air, subsequently

leaving the spice with less to give when toasted.

minced garlic, we wonder how many

heads we'll need to buy to complete

me recipe. We bought heads of garlic

from several different stores. While the

size and number of cloves in a single

head ranged from 1 5 large to 25 small,

the total amount of minced garlic from

each head was very sinlllar across the

board. A medium head of garlic (about

2 lf2 inches across) will yield a little over

2 tablespoons of minced garlic .

Holey Foil We don't recommend covering acidic

foods stored in open metal contain­

ers ( like baking pans ) directly with

foil . Recently, rushing to refrigerate

a batch of our Skillet Apple Brown

Betry ( January/February 2004) at

the end of the day, we forgot and

covered me pan wim foil. When we

removed the foil the next morning, it

was riddled with holes, and the top of

the dessert was discolored. What was

going on here?

Aluminum is what's called an

"active metal"-a material that read­

ily sheds electrons. Because of this,

when aluminum is in contact with an

acidic medium and a nonaluminum

metal like the skillet in which our

brown betty was stored, it will steadily

lose electrons and change into a form

that's dissolvable by the acid in the

food. We found that even in nonmetal

containers, after several days of storage,

the foil wound up discoloring where it

was in contact with the acidic food, as

d1e aluminum had shed electrons to

d1e electron-hungry acids .

To prevent d1is, we recommend d1at

you store acidic leftovers in nonmetal

containers and make sure the foil doesn't

come in direct contact wid1 d1e food.

C O N TACT B U R N An electrolytic reaction causes holes to appear i n foil placed directly

on acidic food stored in a metal container.

T A s T 1 N G : Dried C h i les Though chi les are avai lable i n a wider variety than ever, most stores sti l l don't carry an exhaustive selection. So what to do when you can't find the specific dried chi le a recipe cal ls for? After holding a bl ind tasting of several of the most commonly avai lable chi les , we found that each fel l into one of four broad flavor categories. Widely avai lable chiles for each flavor category are l isted below. The substitute chi les have subtle flavor variations but can successfu l ly replace any other in the grouping.

CH ILE TYPE DE SCRIPTI ON

SWEET These chi les share fresh, New Mexico (California, sweet flavors reminis-Anaheim, or chi le Colorado) cent of roasted red

peppers and tomatoes.

EARTHY Deep, rich flavors that Ancho (dried poblano) bring to mind choco­

HOT Arbol

late, coffee, raisins, and l icorice characterize these chiles.

These chiles have charned wood, tobacco, and bar-becue flavors balanced by subtle sweetness.

The overwhelming heat of these chi le varieties masks their other flavors.

SUB STI TUTE S

Cascabel (chi le bola) Choricero Costefio

Mu lato Pas i l ia (chi le negro)

Guaj i l lo Nora

Cayenne Guind i l la Pequeno Thai (bird 's beak)

R E C I P E U P D AT E Garlicky Scallops with Bread Crumbs For a different spin on our one-ski l let recipe for Garl icky Shrimp with Bread Crumbs (March/ Apri l 2007) , we substituted sea scal lops. We qu ickly d iscovered the swap produced a sauce that was too watery, because scallops shed more l iquid than shrimp. Addressing the issue would mean reducing the clam juice called for in the original recipe. But by how much? The moisture content varies from scal lop to scal lop. Our solut ion: We placed the seared scal lops in a strainer set over a bowl to col lect the ju ice, then poured it into a measuring cup and added enough clam juice (if needed) to equal 2/3 cup. Since scal lops are natural ly sweeter than shrimp, we omitted the sugar in the recipe. Go to www.cooks i l lustrated.com/february for our fnee recipe for Garl icky Scal lops with Bread Cnumbs.

Simple Turkey Chi l i with Kidney Beans Readers wanted to know the best way to use ground turkey in p lace of the ground beef in our S imp le Beef Ch i l i with Kidney Beans (March/ April 2003) . S ince the key to the rec ipe i s its long s immering process, we avoided extra­lean ground turkey, which we knew wou ld turn mealy and flavorless with pro longed cooking. We used 93 percent lean instead . Nevertheless, after two hours of s immering, the turkey had d i s i ntegrated and the ch i l i resembled Bolognese sauce. We so lved th is problem by d iv id ing the meat i n half and add­ing one i nstal lment at the begi nn i ng of cooking and the second an hour later, p inch ing off teaspoon-sized lumps of turkey for a chunkier texture . Our final adjustment was to reduce the total cooking t ime by 20 m inutes. Go to www. cooks i l l ustrated .com/february for our free rec ipe for S imp le Turkey Ch i l i with Kidney Beans.

TOO F I N E J U ST R I G H T

Ground turkey broke down too much when simmered for hours in our chili recipe (left). But when we added the delicate meat at different stages during

cooking (and in larger pieces), we achieved the perfect texture (right).

New York-Style Crumb Cake Muffins Transforming our New York-Style Cnumb Cake (May/june 2007) into muffins seemed l i ke a doable task, and it was. The batter from the existing recipe was just enough to apportion !4 cup to each of the 1 2 cups in a standard-sized muffin t in . After experimenting with various baking times, we arrived at 20 m inutes as the right amount to turn out tender, l ight i nteriors. But although the insides of the muffins were baking up perfectly, the exteriors were dry, tough, and overly brown. When lowering the oven temperature d idn 't solve the problem, we tried l i n ing the muffin tin with parchment baking cups. This did the trick. The l iners prohibited browning and kept the outside of the muffins insu lated, tender, and moist. Go to www. cooksi l l u strated.com/febnuary for our free recipe for New York-Style Crumb Cake Muffins.

-Charles Kelsey

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION about a recipe, let us know. Send your inquiry, name, address, and daytime telephone number to Recipe Update, Cook's I l l ustrated, P.O. Box 470589, Brookl ine, MA 02447, or write to recipeupdate@ americastestkitchen.com.

J A N U A R Y b F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 8

3 1

E Q U I P M E NT COR NER N EW P RO D U C T :

Spin'n Stor Produce Bags In smaller kitchens, it

can be hard to find space

for bulky salad spinners .

Argeecorp Spin'n Stor

Produce Spinning Bags

($3 .49 for four reusable

bags) condense the drying

and storing of greens into

one bag. You put washed

produce into the 1 1 - by

6-inch bag and spin it

armmd in the air; the water

pools into a reservoir and

feeds into drainable

BAG T H E S P I N N E R ? Spin'n Stor produce bags

a dried salad greens just as channel along d1e bag's well as our preferred salad

spinner-and stored them to side. Once drained, the boot. They're a great alterna-

bag of greens can be tive if you're short on space.

sealed and stored in the

refrigerator. To test d1e bag's effectiveness against our

preferred OXO Salad Spinner, we divided a head of

romaine, washed d1e leaves, and put half in d1e bag

and the od1er half in the spinner. Both methods dried

the leaves equally well .

E Q UIPM E N T T ES TI N G :

Universal Knife Blocks Do "universal" knife blocks hold knives of every

shape, size, and make? We tested d1ree models.

The Viva Terra Bamboo Box Knife Holder ( $ 8 9 )

is a simple wooden b o x o f tightly packed bamboo

skewers meant to cradle tl1e knives. It holds knives

at an awkward 90-degree angle, and

when you pull them out, unattached

skewers pop up, too . It's also flimsily

constructed: Three of d1e four we

ordered arrived broken. A bit

better, the Bisbell Magna-

bloc ( $ 1 4 3 . 5 0 ) IS a mag-

netized wooden block that

grips up to 10 knives ( but

not ceramic ones) along its

surface . Unfortunately, its � grasp is almost too strong: Knives release only with a U N IVE RSAL vigorous tug that makes PROTECTION

the tall, narrow structure The !go Home Kapoosh

wobble . The best ( and Universal Knife Block

cheapest) of d1e lot, d1e contains thousands of fine

plastic rods that easily oak-framed I go Home accommodate up to I 0 Kapoosh Universal Knife knives and tools.

Block ($29.99), comfort-ably shelters up to 1 0 tools in its dishwasher-safe nest

of spaghetti-like plastic rods, and the sturdy box's

opening is at an accessible angle. Though we wish it

� B Y E L I Z A B E T ! ! B O M Z E E

were deeper-handles of blades over 8 inches stuck

out-it makes a practical home for most knives.

EQ UIPME N T U P DATE:

Toaster Oven/Toaster Combo Our favorite toaster oven, the Krups 6-Slice Digital

Convection Toaster Oven FBC4- 1 2 ( $ 1 99 .99 ) , is

handy for small-scale cooking and makes decent toast,

but it takes a toll on both your counter space and your

wallet. That's why we were hopeful when we found

the Hamilton Beach Toastation Toaster & Oven

22708H ( $49.99 ), which combines a regular toaster

and toaster oven. A wide toaster slot runs across its top,

and a mini-oven opens fi·om d1e front. Unfommately,

d1e two can't operate simultaneously, and d1e appli-

ance is too sm all d to accommo ate an average-sized

spud or slice of pizza.

E Q U IP ME N T T ES TIN G :

Dry Storage Containers When it comes to storing flour and sugar, we like

an airtight container d1at can easily accommodate

an entire five -pound bag, wid1 an opening wide

enough to dip in a measuring cup and level off the

excess right back into the container. After testing six

models, we found d1at all fit d1e bill . Each container

locked tighdy enough to keep a slice of white sand-

wich bread soft and mold-free for over two weeks .

That said, a few exa·a features caught our attention :

clear plastic for easy visibility, measurement markers

along the sides, and sturdy handles . Our favorite,

tl1e Rubbermaid 4 Qt. Carb-X Commercial Food

Storage ( $8 .99) , includes d1ese; plus it also comes

in an 8 -quart size .

Sou rces The fol lowing are sources for items recommended in th is i ssue . Prices were current at press time and do not inc lude sh ipping. Contact companies to confirm informa-tion or visit www.cooksi l lustrated .com for updates.

Page 7: MEAT-PROBE THERMOMET E R

. Thermo Works Original Cooking T hermometer/T imer: $ 1 9,

item #TW362A, Thermo Works (800-393-6434,

www.thermoworks.com).

Page 20: DUTC H OVEN

. Tramontina 6.5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven: $39.86,

item #80 1 3 1 /504, Wai-Mart (800-966-6546,

www.walmart.com).

Page 27: DARK C HOCOLATE

. Callebaut Intense Dark Chocolate L-60-40NV: $ 1 7.95

for 2.2 pounds of callets (chocolate bits), World Wide

Chocolate (800-664-94 1 0, www.worldwidechocolate.

com). Also available at Whole Foods Market in smaller portions.

. Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar:

$2.99 for 4 ounces, World Wide Chocolate.

C OOK s I L L U S I" R A T E D

3 2

Page 29: CUTTING BOARDS

• Totally Bamboo Congo Parquet End Grain Cutting Board:

$39.99, item # BOOOA389GE, www.amazon.com.

• Snow River Utility Board: $ 1 6.99, item # B0006FRAGQ

www. amazon.com.

Page 32: PRODUCE BAGS

• Spin'n Stor Produce Spinning Bags: $ 3.49 for four bags,

item # 1 7764, Camping World (888-626-7576,

www.campingworld.com).

Page 32: U NIVERSAL KNIFE BLOCK

• lgo Home Kapoosh Universal Knife Block: $29.99,

Bed Bath & Beyond (800-462-3966,

www.bedbathandbeyond.com).

Page 3 2: D RY STORAGE CONTAINERS

• Rubbermaid 4-Qt. Carb-X Commercial Food Storage: $8.99,

item #576440, The Container Store (888-266-8246,

www.containerstore.com).

� �!�:J:��._LAII P!��i�;�t;�b�;t�����x�:;:�:�:;:�:rn:u�1t���!:�0s� · - - , ... 0...

Cook ' s I l lustrated , , l o l •l ' l - 1 > 1 ' 1 ' ' 9 - 2 8 - 0 7 · - ·_..,., s - .. - - � � - -

Bi-Monthly ' '"""'"" S l 5 . 7 0 � � -... - oi . :- � .. - - ,.._, � <111< -. - - Y.. --

1 7 Station Stree t , Brookline, MA 0 2 4 4 5 r-..- � - ...-j 6 1 7 - 2 ) 2 - 1 0 0 0

· � -..- .. - .. o....o - .... . - - -

Same as Publisher

. � .. --��----(-. -�-1!10---- � - - -.. �

Christopher P . Kimbial l , BOston Connon Pres s .

1 7 Stat ion Stree t , Brookline, KA 0 2 4 4 5

E-- - - - -. -

Same as Publisher

_,... E _ _ _ _ _,_N)

Jack Bishop, Boston Common Pre"" · 1 7 Station Street . BTookline , KA 0 2 U 5

•o ====r:�--=:=;.1=:.:::-�;.=�:::. """" -- .... ...-- .. ,_ ............ --. _ .. - ) ·- - -

9oston C-n Pre•• L1•1ted Partnership 11 St•rion Str••t . Brooklin•. Ko\ OHtS

(Chrlnoph•r P . Kiml:>a l l )

'' - -. ---. - oo. -...,. - o.-,. .. -. · - - - · - - · - ....__ ... 00. - · -- - -

�-�-" '

11 TP _ /Ffll _ bio' _...,. ""'""" _ _ _ _ _ ,...., /O'IId ...., Tllo _____ _..... _ _ _ __ _ ... _ __ ... _ _ .. _ o - .... � o.-e -. · � -o - � o.-e -. • z - � - - · - - - �

PS Fono!!21, ,_,... <100:. /,. 1 01 � - .... 11) 1'$H r:.»>1_.,1 .....w.e"f" ><Onet s.. ... _ _,_ .., --,, _ .,.. 14 ..... Dooo b � Dooo -

Cook ' s Uluatrated Septelllber/October 2007 '"- � - · -

::;.:�,�- �.:.:::::.=-· - -� /Notpouo� 1 . 1 3 5 , 8 0 2 1 . 1 4 0 . 3 2 3

- � ... - - ... (!) ::�"':::::...-::::::::-: 8 9 1 , 9 7 1 8 9 4 , 02 0

· - - � - ,_ - ... ,., - (l) =�...:..=-:::.=.,.� 0 0

:: - - a.- ... - -.. -9 6 , 6 2 5 {3) �-o.::�=-..,-�eo.- 9 7 , 6 6 9

i•l ::-�.::.=.= ...... .._,. 0 0

c - - - /SIIm • • 5o t•!. m. /31. - l•» 9 8 8 , 5 9 6 9 9 1 , 6 8 9

111 ==::.� 4 , 5 0 6 4 , 3 4 1

- m :.,��:- � � --0 0

,.. _

-- (]) =='='=·,.__-.--=:_, 0 0

141 =. ... -�o.-... .... " 65

0 - �- - - - - /S<OB OI ! il<I /'1� � 131 - M 4 , 6 0 0 4 , 4 0 6

� - - ($ooo d 1 , _ 1$oj • 9 9 3 . 1 9 6 9 9 6 , 0 9 5

. � .... - /,_ ., _ ., _ .. ._ .. U 2 , 6 0 6 1 U , 2 2 8

" - � .. . , .... • 1 . 1 3 5 , 8 0 2 1 . 1 4 0 , 3 2 3

· �...:::: ... . " - •01!1 • 9 9 . 5 4 \ 9 9 . 5 6 ' �� - - - .. �

� .... _ .. _ ,.._ _ _ .. _ _ _ _ ... .. _ o -.... -.,.,. Jan/Feb 2 0 0 8 _ , .. _

, __ Z/� � /tt.,r-. ·-�--... - - · - - - · _ ... _ _ _ _ .,. _,. _ ., _ - ·"';::.,"'::""�� - ... ... - ...... .. - .. _ � - - - - ....

.., ,_,!u, ,_,...ZOOIIII">fo2ttJI -

I N D E X January 6- February 2 008

R E

M AI N D IS HES

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops I I with Prosciutto and Asiago Cheese I I

French Chicken in a Pot 9

Slow-Roasted Beef 7

SIDE DIS HES

Roasted Brocco l i 2 1

with Garl ic 2 1

with Ol ives. Garl i c , Oregano, and Lemon 2 1

with Sha l lot, Fennel Seeds. and Parmesan 2 1

B R EA D

Almost No-Knead Bread 20

Cranberry-Pecan 20

with Ol ives. Rosemary. and Parmesan 20

Seeded Rye 20

Whole Wheat 20

SO U P A N D A P P ETIZER

Best French Onion Soup 1 3 Quicker 1 3

Spanish-Style Garl i c Shrimp I S

S A U C E A N D GA R N IS H

F O R S LO W - R OA S T E D B E E F :

Horserad i sh Cream Sauce 7 F O R F R E N C H O N I O N S O U P :

Cheese Croutons 1 3

D ESSERTS

Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting 25

with Orange Cream Cheese Frosti ng 25

Th in and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies 23 Coconut 23

Orange-Almond 23

Salty 23

O N LI N E EX T R A S

(AVA I L A B L E F R E E F O R 6 M O N T H S )

Garl icky Scal lops with Bread Crumbs New York-Style Crumb Cake Muffi n s Roasted Brocco l i with Garl i c and

Anchovies Roasted Brocco l i for T wo S imp le Turkey Ch i l i with K idney Beans

llil4 C O O K 'S LI V E nal Test Kitchen Videos www.cooks i l lustrated.com

M AI N D IS HES

• How to Make Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

• How do I mince a sha l lot? • How do I m ince pars leyl

• How to Make French Chicken in a Pot

• Which Dutch oven should I buy? • How can I separate fat without a fat

separator?

• How to Make S low-Roasted Beef • Which cut of meat should I buy? • How do I carve roast beef? • Do I real ly need an i nstant-read

thermometer? • Can I check the temperature of my

oven without an oven thermometer?

SIDE DIS H

• How to Make Roasted Broccoli

B R EA D

• How to Make Almost No-Knead Bread

• Behind the Scenes: Develop ing the recipe

• How does bread r ise?

S O U P A N D A P P ETIZ E R

• How to Make Best French Onion Soup

• How do I peel and s l ice an onion? • What s ize on ions shou ld I buy?

• How to Make Span ish-Style Garl ic Shrimp

• How do I peel and s l ice garl ic?

D ES S E RTS

• How to Make Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies

• Can I use qu ick or instant oats? • Why does the test kitchen l i ke

parchment paper? • Do I have to bake the cookies one

sheet at a t ime?

• How to Make Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

• How do I know when the butter i s brown enough?

TES TI N G

• Buying Gu ide t o Cutting Boards • Beh ind the Scenes : Cutt ing Board

Testing • What's the best way to c lean a

cutti ng board ?

AMERI CA'S TEST KITC H E N Publ ic televis ion's most popular cooking show

Jo in the mi l l ions of home cooks who watch our show. America's Test Kitchen, on publ ic televis ion every week. For more information, inc lud ing recipes and program times. visit www.americastestkitchen.com.

Slo w - Roaste d Be ef, 7 Frenc h Chic ken in a Pot , 9

Best Frenc h Onion So u p , 1 3

Almost No - Knea d Bre a d , 20

Roaste d Broccoli , 2 1

Spice Ca ke wi t h Cream Cheese Frosting, 2 5 Thin an d Cri s p y Oatmeal Coo kies, 2 3

P H OTOG R A P H Y : C A R L T R E M B L AY. STY L I N G : M A R I E P I RA I N O

E X O T li C M U § H JR O O M S

Woovi;E�r