The Essential New York Times Cookbook (PDFDrive)

FOR
TAD, WALKER, AND ADDIE

CONTENTS
Please bookmark your page before following links.
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1 Drinks, Cocktails, Punches, and Glögg

2 Hors d’Oeuvres, Snacks, and Small Dishes
3 Soups
4 Salads
5 Vegetables
6 Potatoes, Corn, and Legumes
7 Pasta, Rice, Grains, and Stuffings
8 Sandwiches, Pizza, and Savory Pies
9 Fish and Shellfish
10 Poultry and Game
11 Beef, Veal, Lamb, and Pork
12 Sauces, Dressings, Condiments, Rubs, and Preserves
13 Breakfast and Brunch
14 Breads and Baking
15 Cookies and Candy
16 Frozen Desserts
17 Cakes
18 Pies, Tarts, and Other Desserts
Menus
Sources
Credits
Photo Credits
Index

INTRODUCTION
This book began in 2004 over a lunch of Sri Lankan food at a

restaurant in Manhattan’s Theatre District. Susan Chira, a foreign
correspondent and editor at the New York Times, was cultivating book
projects by the paper’s staffers. She asked me if I had any ideas. I had
exactly none, but Susan is also into food, so we began talking about
cookbooks. It occurred to me that of the many cookbooks containing
recipes from the Times, the best known—the one on nearly all of my
friends’ mothers’ kitchen shelves—was The New York Times
Cookbook by Craig Claiborne. Still in print, it was originally
published in 1961, nearly fifty years ago.
But, as Susan and I discussed, American cooking has seen
monumental changes in the intervening decades. We discovered
classic French food and then Italian, New American, Japanese, and
Southeast Asian before looping back to France for a brief rendezvous
with the bistro, and then on to the trattoria, tapas bar, and British
butcher. We learned about seasonal cooking as well as local cooking,
sustainable foods, and artisanal ingredients. We became vegetarians,
pescatarians, vegans, and locavores. In 1961, there were lots of
curious home cooks. Now there are lots and lots of obsessed and well-
informed foodies.
Before lunch was over, this book was in the works. Had I known
then that it would take six years and entail cooking more than 1,400
recipes, I might never have gotten started.
During the course of this project, whenever I told someone I was
writing a New York Times cookbook, they’d say, “Oh! You’re
updating Craig Claiborne’s!” As soon as I said, “Well, no . . .” they’d
frown. Claiborne’s collection of more than 1,000 of his recipes was
splendid and seminal; an instant best seller, it gave the Times’s food
section an identity, not only as a source of great recipes but also as the
leading voice in the food world, an arbiter of style. Yet Claiborne’s
book, for all its virtues, encompassed just a decade of years of his
food coverage. The manuscript I’m working on, I’d tell those who
asked, would be much broader in scope. It would include the most
noteworthy recipes all the way from the 1850s, when the paper began
covering food, to today. It would be a kind of 150-year flip book of
American cooking.
Did I mention that it would not be an update of Claiborne’s book?
PHASE ONE
To start, I crowd-sourced many of the recipes that had to be included

by posting an “author’s query” in the Wednesday Dining section and
the Sunday Magazine asking readers to let me know their favorite
Times recipes. The results were delightful: thousands of e-mails and
letters poured in, with more than 6,000 recipes suggested. I learned
about classics like Claiborne’s Paella (a recipe that took him six years
to perfect; see here), Le Cirque’s Spaghetti Primavera (a recipe so
famous that three people claimed to have invented it; here), and
Forget-It Meringue Torte (a bouncy meringue cake that billows like a
jib in the oven; here).
The letters also contained passionate accounts of readers’
relationships with dishes they had been cooking for decades. Readers
wrote me about recipes that had held together their marriages,
reminded them of lost youth, given them the cooking bug, and
symbolized their annual family gatherings.
After much collating by my talented assistant (and now business
partner) Merrill Stubbs, I had 145 single-spaced pages of recipe
suggestions. The document, which is divided into recipe categories
like soups, salads, beef, and cakes, sums up both what, exactly, we
really love to eat—namely gazpacho, chicken, shrimp, salmon, crab
cakes, meat loaf, chocolate cake, cheesecake, apple tarts, lemon
desserts, and coffee cakes—and which writers’ recipes seemed most
inventive and easiest to make. I joked that I should call the book either
Chicken and Dessert or Forever Bittman: The Best Recipes from the
Recipe Writer We Love.
Four of the top five most-recommended recipes were desserts,
unsurprisingly; surprisingly, four of the five were more than twenty
years old:
Purple Plum Torte (265 votes; here)

David Eyre’s Pancake (80 votes; here)
Teddie’s Apple Cake (37 votes; here)
Chocolate Dump-It Cake (24 votes; here—my mother’s recipe
and a terrific one, but surely a biased result, as I asked for the
suggestions)
Ed Giobbi’s Lasagna (23 votes; Lasagna here edged it out)
WAYS TO USE THIS BOOK:

To reconnect with the dishes you grew up with.
To discover the joys of dishes you’ve never heard of—like Eldorado
Petit’s Fried Noodles with Garlic Mayonnaise (here) and Huntington
Pudding (here).
As a compendium of the most well-known and influential recipes
printed in the New York Times.
As a time machine, to travel back to when corn pancakes were chichi
(1980s) and rum omelets were a dramatic dessert (nineteenth century).
As a gateway to culinary adventure: go ahead, try that Raspberry
Bavarian Cream (here) from 1910. It could be a new sleeper hit for your
dinner parties.
As a weight for pressing terrines—its size and heft are just right.
WAYS NOT TO USE THIS BOOK:
For academic research—I’m not a food historian, so if you’re really
interested in the origin of Saratoga potatoes, do what I did and turn to
Andrew F. Smith’s Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America,
America Cooks by the Browns, and James Beard’s American Cookery.
As a path to weight loss—if you dive in and start cooking, expect to be
enjoying your share of butter. Don’t get angry at an old recipe (or me);
appreciate the past for what it is and balance heavier recipes with
lighter dishes from the 2000s.
As a doorstop—though I admit it’s heavy enough to serve as one.
I decided to test any recipe that was recommended by three or more

people, which meant some 400 recipes stretching back to the late
1950s. Merrill and I devised menus of three to five recipes. A few
days a week, she’d shop and we’d meet at my house after I got home
from work. Then we’d cook for hours, usually sitting down to eat with
my husband, Tad, around 10:30 p.m., at which point we’d all weigh in
—Tad playing the Simon Cowell role—and then Merrill and I would
make notes while Tad did the dishes. (Our sturdy twelve-year-old
dishwasher survived two cycles a day during these years.) Once my
twins were born, in 2006, they too were roped into the project—turns
out, almost any recipe in this book can be pureed!
As we cooked our way through that stack, I discovered interesting
shifts in the way Times readers have approached food. Desserts
experienced a major renaissance during the 1970s, as the writers
served up ambitious cakes, extraordinarily sweet American pies, and a
novel concept called the French tart. Pastry chefs then cut back on the
sugar and moved away from these monolithic, Wayne Thiebaud–style
desserts to heavily constructed individual servings. We ate a lot of
duck in the 1990s and none at all in recent years. We discovered faki
(here), bobotie (here), and baumkuchentorte (here), then promptly
forgot about them. We learned to cook pasta and sauce it properly,
and to roast vegetables, but we left a lot of great Germanic foods like
goulash and spaetzle by the curb. We tried and largely failed to adopt
Chinese cooking at home.
—1860s— • First refrigerator car carries strawberries on the Illinois Central

Railroad.
—1875— • The New York Times publishes its first cookbook.
—1893— • The Chicago World’s Fair displays foods from around the globe to 27
million visitors.
—1894— • Milton Snavely Hershey starts making caramels and chocolate and
wisely uses only his last name on the product.
—1897— • Grape-Nuts go on sale; Americans sign up for a century of punishing
breakfasts.
—1906— • Upton Sinclair writes The Jungle about the horrors of the meat-
packing industry.
—1911— • Crisco’s partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is introduced, becomes
widespread during World War II.
—1916— • The refrigerator goes into mass production.
—1917— • First raw-food restaurant in Los Angeles; this (non)cooking style
becomes trendy again ninety years later.
—1920s— • White Castle promotes its hamburgers and its cleanliness. By
minimizing its seating area, the chain also establishes the notion of
take-out.
• Aluminum pressure cookers proliferate.
—1920— • Prohibition becomes law.
—1922— • Stephen Poplawski invents the blender to make soda-fountain drinks.
—1930— • Clarence Birdseye’s packaged frozen foods go on sale in a Springfield,
Massachusetts, grocery store.
—1931— • Irma S. Rombauer self-publishes The Joy of Cooking.
—1933— • Prohibition ends—cheers!
—1939— • Boston Oyster House at the Morrison Hotel in Chicago popularizes its
“salad bar”; the concept doesn’t catch hold more widely until the
1970s.
There were a few writers who shall go nameless whose occasional

recipe failed to meet basic standards of edibility. And there are surely
readers who will scorn me for not including their favorites—or for not
even locating their favorites. Seven people wrote in about clams
possilipo, but though Merrill and I made dozens of searches, it
remained lost in the archives, probably under a pile of chicken and
dessert recipes. My hope is that revelatory reader-recommended
recipes such as Cucumbers in Cream (here) and Fontainebleau (here)
will make up for any gaps.
After the first year, as the pile of “yes” recipes grew, the book
began taking shape. It wasn’t going to be a dutifully comprehensive
collection of recipes or a thoroughgoing history of American cooking.
It was going to be an eclectic panorama of both high-toned
masterpieces and low-brow grub, a fever chart of culinary passions. It
was going to be by turns global and local, simple and baroque, ancient
and prescient. A book, I am convinced, that will serve your every
mood.
Two years, 400 post-day-job late-night recipe tests, and two babies
later, the book’s foundation was complete.
PHASE TWO: THE PREVIOUS 100 YEARS
Next project: the century of recipes that predated most of us. This
time there were no readers or cooks to turn to, just a lot of reading and
sleuthing to do in a lush if uncultivated playground. The Times’s vast
nineteenth-century recipe archive was largely user-generated and ran
under the rubric “The Household.” Readers submitted housekeeping
tips, health remedies, and loads of recipes—it was like an online
forum. None of this material seems to have been vetted by the editors,
so readers were free to propagate a conviction that noses should be
wiped by alternating left and right sides to prevent “deformity,” or
that anxious people should eat fatty foods because fat around the
nerves “smooths them out.” “The Household” format also inspired an
inordinate number of nostrums for asthmatic canaries.
—1940s— • Sugar, coffee, butter, and red meat are rationed during World War II.
—1941— • Henri Soulé opens Le Pavillon in New York City and ushers in fancy
French dining.
—1950s— • Passenger jets make travel easier, giving Americans firsthand access to
French cheese and wines.
• Cake mixes hit the shelves, a half-century before Anne Byrn’s The
Cake Mix Doctor.
—1952— • Elizabeth David writes French Country Cooking—readers swoon over
France.
• Pierre Franey becomes the chef at Le Pavillon.
—1954— • Swanson comes out with a snazzy new concept: the frozen TV dinner.
• M. F. K. Fisher’s books are collected in The Art of Eating.
—1955— • Tappan introduces a home version of Percey Spencer’s microwave
oven; it costs more than $1000 ($10,000 in today’s money).
—1956— • The first Williams-Sonoma launches in California.
• The Federal Aid Highway Act is passed and the interstate highway
system is established; food now is transported long distances as easily
by truck as by rail.
—1957— • Craig Claiborne is hired as the food editor at the Times; readers are
introduced to chicken paprikash and leeks vinaigrette.
—1958— • Diet Rite is the first low-calorie soda.
—1959— • Joe Baum opens the Four Seasons in the Seagram Building on Park
Avenue in New York City; the restaurant, designed by Philip Johnson
and hung with paintings by Picasso and Miró, costs $4.5 million.
—1960s—
—1960s—
• Weight Watchers inspires millions of Americans to obsess over
calories.
—1960— • Bill Niman starts raising cattle humanely in northern California,
initiating a movement that will take three decades to gain significant
traction.
• Reuben Mattus makes a high-butterfat ice cream, mixes in much less
than the usual amount of air, and sells it as Häagen-Dazs.
But food mattered—as the food historian Anne Mendelson has

observed, the thinking of the day was, “If you don’t have good food,
you can’t have good morality.” Recipes were usually brief—almost
Tweet-like in their shorthanded scope—and were composed in a
paragraph form with ingredients listed in the order in which the writer
remembered them. The general assumption was that you knew how to
cook and bake, so no one needed to tell you what size cake pan to use
or that you needed to butter it, or how to tie up a roast, or make a
custard. Just make it already! Here are two examples:
—1961— • After taking nearly a decade to write it, Julia Child, Louisette
Bertholle, and Simone Beck find a publisher for Mastering the Art of
French Cooking; Americans discover their inner Francophiles.
• André Soltner begins taking reservations at Lutèce; soon, they are
impossible to get.
—1965— • Anchor Steam Brewery becomes the first American microbrewery.
—1967— • Robert Mondavi releases his first vintage of Fume Blanc.
• High-fructose corn syrup production leaps forward; American food
culture falls backward.
—1970s— • Turns out just about anything can be cooked in a Crock-Pot.
• Pink peppercorns, foie gras, Paul Bocuse, and Fernand Point become
part of our vocabulary of nouvelle cuisine.
• The decade of home-baked desserts.
—1971— • Starbucks is launched in Seattle; becomes a chain in 1987; goes public
in 1992.
• Alice Waters dreams up Chez Panisse (and a food revolution).
• Willy Wonka and his Oompa-Loompas tip vats of chocolate into the
dreams of a generation of children.
—1972— • James Beard writes American Cookery, and Diana Kennedy writes The
Cuisines of Mexico.
• Dr. Robert Atkins’s Diet Revolution is published; takes off twenty
years later.
—1973— • Carl G. Sontheimer demonstrates the first Cuisinart at the Housewares
Show in Chicago.
• Marcella Hazan writes The Classic Italian Cookbook.
—1974— • Chocolate curls are the dominant cake decoration.
• Le Cirque opens; its regular patrons include Frank Sinatra, Princess
Grace, Sanford I. Weill, Bill Blass, and Nancy and Ronald Reagan.
—1977— • Mollie Katzen comes out with The Moosewood Cookbook, and the
Silver Palate opens on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
—1978— • Robert Parker begins publishing The Wine Advocate; soon wineries
quail at his name.
—1980s— • After an earlier flameout, frozen yogurt conquers the market by
eliminating any traces of tangy yogurt flavor.
• Sales of olive oil grow 72 percent in the second half of the decade.
• California cuisine.
• Raspberry coulis.
• Laura Chenel starts making European-style goat’s milk cheese in
California.
• The new miracle tool: tongs.
• Balsamic vinegar drugs us into thinking no salad can live without it.
• Americans eat way too much oat bran.
Eccles Cake (1877)
Make a rich and delicate puff paste; roll it out thin, cut it round, using a
bowl for that purpose; sprinkle each round with nicely washed currents
[sic], a little sugar, chopped lemon (only a small quantity of lemon), and
nutmeg; wet the edges well, then place another round of paste on the top,
pressing the edges neatly together; put in a hot oven and bake quickly.—
Polly.
Crullers (1878)
One pint sour buttermilk, nearly the same white sugar, half pint butter and
lard mixed, three eggs, one teaspoonful soda, flour to make a light dough;
warm ingredients.
—1980— • Whole Foods Market brings natural foods to a supermarket setting in

Austin, Texas.
—1982— • Wolfgang Puck and Ed LaDou create a phenomenon: the gourmet
pizza made in a wood-fired oven.
• Martha Stewart, a caterer, writes Entertaining, then takes over the
world.
—1983— • Nora Ephron writes Heartburn. Ex-husband, Carl Bernstein, gets
heartburn.
—1984— • Paul Levy and Ann Barr coin the term “foodie” in their Official
Foodie Handbook.
• Marian Burros starts writing “Eating Well,” the Times’s first health-
related food column.
• Harold McGee makes it cool to be a geek in the kitchen with On Food
and Cooking, providing riveting explanations of why mayonnaise
breaks and how to temper chocolate.
—1985— • Florence Fabricant gets New Yorkers obsessed with prosciutto.
—1986— • The Slow Food organization is founded in Italy by Carlo Petrini.
—1987— • Babette’s Feast.
• Rick Bayless opens Frontera Grill in Chicago and publishes Authentic
Mexican.
—1988— • The sun-dried tomato gets used and abused.
• Laurie Colwin writes Home Cooking.
—1989— • The Times declares fresh herbs trendy.
—1990s— • Heritage breeds of vegetables, fruits, and even animals become chic.
• Architectural food.
• Sushi shifts from curiosity to obsession.
• People begin talking about seasonal cooking.
• Fat-free craze; amazingly, no one loses weight!
• Sustainability becomes a buzzword for the food movement.
• Pan-Asian cooking is attempted and pretty much fails.
—1992— • Molly O’Neill begins writing for the Times Sunday Magazine.
—1993— • Food Network is launched; now seen in 100 million American homes.
• Fresh mozzarella changes pizza forever.
• Emeril Lagasse shakes food television with a single word, “Bam!”
—1994— • The Mediterranean Diet by Nancy Harmon Jenkins imports a new diet
pyramid, in which meat is minimized and vegetables and grains are
heralded.
—1996— • Monsanto introduces genetically modified soybeans.
• Big Night.
Among recipes for more proletarian johnnycakes and tripe stew

were recipes for granita, polenta, fruit cordials, and salads with
nasturtium. Occasionally there were full-fledged food essays, articles
debating what constituted good ice cream, treatises on table manners,
surveys of the city’s cattle and produce markets, and reported stories
on olive oil production and its culinary uses. An 1852 story on a
country dinner included this menu: roast potatoes, fricasseed chicken,
bread, butter, cream pies, fritters, Pippin apples, and cracked
butternuts. From this bountiful if erratic archive, the Times published
its first cookbook in 1875.
These early recipes were dominated by the equivalent of today’s
“power users,” with frequent contributions from such readers as Aunt
Addie, Mollie, and Bob the Sea Cook, whose recipes you’ll find in the
following pages. No one could outcook Aunt Addie: if you sent in a
recipe for tomato soup, she’d raise you three tomato soups the
following week. Mollie was hard-working and determined, if not the
best recipe writer—measurements and techniques eluded her. And
Bob the Sea Cook was an excellent storyteller, if occasionally sexist
and racist. In a recipe for lobster and chicken curry, for which garlic
must be peeled, he wrote, “If there are any ladies on board, make them
do it.”
Poring through the archives reminded me that food is like fashion, a
business of recycling and tweaking. An 1895 story pointed to some
changes in the layout of the kitchen, noting, “The ideal is converting
the kitchen into a nearer similitude to the drawing room.” In the
1980s, similarly, we embraced the “open kitchen.” A 1879 recipe
declared that baking beets was better than boiling them because it
concentrates the sugars. More than 100 years later, I wrote about Tom
Colicchio’s method of baking beets in foil—to concentrate the sugars.
“A Chafing Dish Frolic,” a story from 1909, told you how to plan a
cooking party for children. Nowadays, people throw cooking parties
for adults.
Anthony Bourdain would have eaten well in the 1870s, which
presented some extreme foods, including horse steak, brain fritters,
starfish, roasted cat (Rôti de Chat), and braised lion with olives and
oranges. This last dish was served as a special dinner at Restaurant
Magny in New York. “When Mr. Lion was placed upon the table,” a
participant wrote, “there was a religious silence, which, however, only
lasted for a few seconds, for at the first mouthful a murmur of
approbation ran round the table, and the guests with one accord drank
to the health of Mr. Cheret”—the hunter—“and M. Magny, coupling
in their admiration the valiant lion-slayer and the clever artiste who
had proved himself able to prepare such a delicious dish out of the
flesh of this ferocious game, which is more frequently in the habit of
eating others than of being eaten itself.”
—1997— • The Joy of Cooking is dramatically and controversially revised to

exclude squirrel stew and include smoked tofu burgers.
• Americans install professional stoves in their home kitchens (and two
dishwashers if they’re feeling fancy).
• AllRecipes.com, the world’s largest food Web site, is founded by Tim
Hunt in Seattle.
• The Times creates the Dining Section and introduces color photos!
—1998— • Fleur de sel downgrades the salt shaker.
• Everyone is into French country cooking.
—2000s— • Bagged salad is a $2 billion industry.
• Crock-Pots successfully rebrand themselves as slow cookers.
—2000— • Prosecco takes off as Americans weary of the cost of Champagne.
• Anthony Bourdain shocks us with chef tales in Kitchen Confidential.
• El Bulli gets noticed, and chefs around the world become obsessed
with molecular gastronomy.
• Foie gras is on every other menu.
—2001— • Bottled water is the fastest-growing beverage category for the past
decade.
—2002— • Michael Pollan buys a cow and exposes the dark side of agribusiness
for a story in the Times Magazine.
• There are 3,100 farmers’ markets in the United States, compared with
just 100 in the 1960s.
• Costco becomes the largest wine retailer in America.
—2003— • 101 Cookbooks goes online, establishing a sophisticated tone for food
blogs.
• Times food writers begin what the paper insists on calling “web-
logging”:)
• The food memoir becomes a genre.
• The Microplane zester (originally a wood rasp) radically changes
zesting citrus and grating cheese—really!
—2004— • Meyer lemons abound.
• La Caravelle closes after forty years—one of the last of the great
French restaurants in New York City.
—2005— • The term “locavore” is used in the Times.
• Sous-vide is all the rage.
—2006—
—2006—
• “Food porn” is coined by Bill Buford in a New Yorker article.
• E. coli outbreaks become a news staple.
—2007— • Banner year for smoked paprika and Brussels sprouts.
• Ratatouille celebrates chefs, bistro cooking, and rats.
—2008— • Small batch coffee roasting creates a cult-like following.
—2009— • Julie & Julia, the movie about Julie Powell, the blogger, and Julia
Child, the national treasure, is a hit.
• Food, Inc., a documentary about the dark side of our industrialized
food system, is nominated for an Oscar.
• Gourmet folds after 68 years in print.
—2010— • Specialty coffee bars proliferate in New York City.
• Jamie Oliver is awarded the TED Prize for his work fighting childhood
obesity.
The first forty years of the twentieth century, however, were a

culinary abyss. The Times moved away from reader recipes and
toward uninspiring ones written by its staff for a column
unpromisingly titled “Women Here and There” (which was later
replaced by “Victuals and Vitamins”). Sheila Hibben, a New Yorker
writer in the 1930s, was a prescient critic of the shift toward
convenience cooking. In her 1932 book The National Cookbook: A
Kitchen Americana, she wrote, “If the American housekeeper would
only pay attention to how things taste, would study the materials of
her own district, would become a virago even about fresh materials,
how much happier everybody in her family would be!”
A year later, in the Times, she smartly observed, “Our forefathers
knew about food and were proud of the knowledge, but with the
passing of the pride of knowing came a new pride in not knowing—a
singular phenomenon to be observed nowhere save in the United
States of the last twenty years. For some inexplicable reason the
young American woman of immediate postwar days got the idea into
her head that not knowing how to make biscuit was the first step in
sophistication, and, as she took a good many steps in that direction,
traditional American cooking was rapidly on the way to perishing
from the face of the earth.”
Yet even during this dark period the Times kept in touch with food
culture. A 1903 story noted the trend for chop suey. In 1940, the paper
wrote about a company that specialized in early mail-order food (fresh
crab, pies, etc.), which was called “air shopping.” There were stories
about men who cooked, new cooking thermometers, roasting steak on
oak planks, and one of my favorite inexplicable headlines: “Bad
Cookery: Produces Results and Bad Ones.”
Merrill listed the title of every recipe published during the long
span between 1852 and 1960 so we could see which dishes were part
of the vernacular and which were outliers. She created folders of all
the variations on recipes like deviled crabs or orange ice, and then, as
I extracted the prevailing techniques, I’d figure out which recipes to
cook by looking for voice, interesting details, and ingredients and
techniques that promised a successful outcome. I looked at the dozens
of variations of such nineteenth-century staples as tomato soup, tripe á
la mode de Caen, fritters, lemon pie, and Roman punch. There were a
few once-popular recipes like whigs and graham gems (types of rolls)
and all manner of terrapin (turtle) that felt too dated to include. Only
once was there a dish I wanted to feature—charlotte Russe—but
simply couldn’t: all the recipes seemed stiff and bizarrely flavored.
More risky were the outliers, yet these were where the greatest
rewards lay. And the only way to see what was what was to get in the
kitchen and start cooking. This off-roading led to lacy Green Pea
Fritters (1876; here); sun-dried Tomato Figs (1877; here); Spanish
Fricco, a hearty beef and potato stew (1877; here); bright and bracing
Raspberry Granita (1898; here); Raspberry Vinegar, a refreshing drink
syrup (1900; here); Chicken à la Marengo (1908; here); and Green
Goddess Salad (1948; here)—some of my favorite recipes in the book.
It also led to a few belly flops, like silver cake (made with cream of
tartar), which was as tough as a foam mat, and a vinegar pie that was
more vinegar than pie.
Sharp-eyed readers may suspect that I slacked off during the 1940s
and ’50s, but if you could taste some of the recipes I made from this
era, you would see that I am saving you from a world of hurt. I am
sparing you the 1947 canapé that involved spreading peanut butter on
toast, topping it with bacon, and finishing it under the broiler, and
from the inglorious memory of the winter day in 1958 when Craig
Claiborne ran recipes for turnip casserole, turnip soup, steamed white
turnips, pureed rutabagas, and baked rutabagas. This is a cookbook,
not Madame Tussaud’s.
Another 400 recipes and another two years later—with my toddlers
adapting to dinners of Roasted Squab with Chicken Liver Stuffing
(here), Ceylon Curry of Oysters (here), and Fried Sweetbreads (here)
—the second pillar of research was in place.
THE FINAL PHASE

There were still 600 more recipes to test and the book to write. I
turned back to the reader suggestions to make sure there were no
glaring gaps. I did the same with the nineteenth-century list. I asked
the food writers and editors at the Times for their suggestions, and
then I spent a couple of days at the paper, digging into the Dining
sections and Magazine food columns that had been published since I’d
begun the project. Here I discovered extraordinary dishes like Stuck-
Pot Rice with Yogurt and Spices (here), Thomas Keller’s Gazpacho
(here), and Tangerine Sherbet (here), and I reimmersed myself in the
more recent history of the Times’s food coverage.
After the 1950s, the Times food pages increasingly reflected not the
way Americans were eating but the way Americans were going to be
eating. Craig Claiborne arrived in 1957, at a time when Clementine
Paddleford at the New York Herald Tribune was the city’s leading
food writer. “Craig ate Clem’s lunch,” Molly O’Neill, the longtime
Sunday Magazine columnist said in a talk she recently gave about
him. “Craig rode into town much younger, much cuter, a little exotic,
and a true journalist.” He knew what he liked to eat and, therefore,
what everyone else should be eating: German stews and Southern
desserts. “He defined food chic from almost the start of his work at
the Times,” Anne Mendelson, the food historian, said. As Claiborne
grew into the job, he grew synonymous with it. He expanded his areas
of interest to cover foreign cuisines with an unprecedented zeal,
writing about osso buco and Dutch apple cake, Pakistani pigeons and
pilau, tostones and tempura, génoise and buttercream.
Readers developed an intimate relationship with Claiborne: he was
part reporter, part prophet, and part therapist. His number was listed in
the phone book, and panicked readers didn’t hesitate to call him from
the stove. A friend of Florence Fabricant’s once dialed him up when a
scallop sauce wasn’t reducing properly. “Boil the bejeezus out of it,”
Claiborne advised, and hung up. Nadine Brozan, a Times reporter, told
me that people would offer her money to tell them what Craig was
going to publish so they could stock up on the ingredients before the
story ran and the shelves went bare.
In 1974, he teamed up with the well-known chef Pierre Franey for a
Sunday cooking column. To write it, they’d get together at
Claiborne’s house in the Hamptons. Franey would cook and shout out
measurements while Claiborne typed on his IBM Selectric. They also
threw legendary parties there, one of them so packed with people that
the deck collapsed.
As Claiborne’s career was winding down, in 1983, he wrote about
Alice Waters. The article served as a baton pass. When Claiborne
went into retirement, taking with him chicken paprikash, crepes
Suzette, and stuffed peppers, the food revolution was beginning. The
Times amped up its food coverage and recipes, treating fads as news
and recipes as gospel. Too many excellent writers have contributed to
the paper’s coverage to name them all here, but you’ll find their work
in the book. (And keep in mind that some of the greatest Times food
writers—R. W. Apple, William Grimes, Frank Bruni, Ruth Reichl,
Kim Severson, Eric Asimov, Mimi Sheraton, and Frank Prial among
them—appear only occasionally here because they didn’t write much
about cooking.)
In the 1990s, Molly O’Neill’s food column in the Sunday Magazine
served as a springboard for chefs like Emeril Lagasse and new
ingredients like kaffir lime leaves. O’Neill loved New York’s lox
shops as much as she adored fine dining, and she brought her
omnivore’s curiosity to the page, with love letters to pesto, riffs on
granita, and an enduring love for French food. But perhaps the most
influential column to run since Claiborne in his prime is Mark
Bittman’s “The Minimalist.” It was the brainchild of Rick Flaste, who
with Trish Hall created the Times’s first full-fledged all-food section,
Dining In/Dining Out. Bittman’s column was originally supposed to
be called “The Spontaneous Cook” and was going to focus on what
you could cook with the ingredients you had in the fridge. It was
planned for the new food section, but then the new section took three
years to develop. When Flaste finally called, he told Bittman, “So
you’re doing this column and it’s going to be really clever and really
interesting and new and common and easy.” Flaste told him to make
the first one about red pepper puree, “the ketchup of the future.” After
Bittman wrote it, he told me, he thought, “OK, now I’m out of ideas.
What am I going to do next?” He’s been writing the column for
thirteen years.
Seeking to do justice to all these developments, Merrill and I
returned to the kitchen and started testing, and my sister, Rhonda,
began re-testing recipes that needed minor tweaks. Eventually, finally,
I sat down in front of my computer.
As I wrote, I tried to balance classics like Osso Buco alla Milanese
(here) and Chocolate Mousse (here) with esoteric finds like Oriental
Watercress Soup (here), Charleston Coconut Sweeties (here), and
Tuna Curry (here), a Sri Lankan dish that I included in honor of Susan
Chira. I tried to trace the evolution of some currently popular dishes,
like panna cotta, by highlighting the custards and creams—
blancmange, pot de crème, crème brûlée—that preceded it. And when
readers had expressed sufficient interest, I occasionally included
variants of the same basic dish—you’ll find two versions or more of
boeuf bourguignonne, butternut squash soup, black bean soup, and
gazpacho.
My test for whether or not to include a recipe was simple: after
testing it, I’d ask myself, “Would I make this again?” And with 1,104
of the recipes, the answer was yes. I made the Raspberry Granita
(here) three times, baked Teddie’s Apple Cake (here) at least four
times, and made the Stewed Fennel (here) on easily a half dozen
occasions. I also included a fair number of recipes from my own
stories, not because I thought my work was so special, but because I
could turn to them to fill in gaps, because I knew they worked—and
because there was no one to stop me!
While there are some whoppingly time-consuming recipes in the
book, there are also plenty of basics, like chicken broth and plain
vinaigrette. There are recipes with lots of cream, butter, and booze,
and a smaller number made with oil and herb infusions. The book
isn’t a one-stop-shopping, how-to-cook-everything compendium, but
if you cook your way through it, you’ll be more experienced than
nearly anyone else. I’m certainly a much better cook than when I
started this project: I’ve learned to braise meats in their own juices,
poach scrambled eggs, combine molasses and lemon, bake bread in a
Dutch oven, and make candy.
MY APPROACH TO THE RECIPES

Keep in mind that relatively few of these recipes originated in the
Times—the paper is a way station for recipes, which pass through on
their way from chefs and home cooks to readers. So the archive is a
mish-mash of the traditional, the innovative, and everything in
between.
Over 150 years, cooking styles and methods have changed.
• The main improvement has been intensity of flavor. Recipes are

much more aggressively seasoned now, with layers of herbs and
spices.
• Cayenne was the only chile-based heat up until about 1970; chiles,
in many varieties, are now commonplace.
• Meats, especially chicken, cook nearly twice as fast as they did 100
years ago because animals are raised more quickly and exercise
less, which renders their meat more tender.
• Egg yolks have either shrunk or lost their binding strength—old
custard recipes that called for 3 yolks generally needed 5 to 6
“modern” egg yolks to set.
Sometimes I left the recipe language as it was, to preserve it. At

other times—taking into account that many of the original recipes are
available to the public on the Times website, should anyone want to
see them—I completely rewrote the instructions because they were
vague or confusing. And I added “Cooking Notes” where necessary
for clarity. I also added serving suggestions for almost every recipe,
drawing on other recipes in the book to offer up either complete
menus or an array of complementary dishes.
In general, though, I made the decision to trust the reader. If there is
too much dressing for the amount of greens you have, I expect you to
figure out how to add a little at a time until the salad is properly
dressed. I count on you to remember to always season a dish to taste
rather than depending on a step that tells you to do so. And if you
don’t have the right size casserole dish for a gratin, I know you’ll find
some other dish and improvise.
My cooking axioms:
• Use fresh spices, good oil, and flaky noniodized salt.

• Low-fat dairy is not a dependable substitute.
• Add enough salt to your pasta water that it tastes like seawater.
• If a recipe calls for yogurt, use a whole-milk Greek yogurt like
Fage (unless otherwise instructed). The recipe and your life will be
better for it.
• Good ingredients are sometimes expensive. But if more people buy
them, the prices will drop (at last, my economics degree proves
useful).
• Use more salt and higher heat than you think is prudent when
searing meats.
• Take cookies off the baking sheet within 2 minutes, no matter what
the recipe says.
• Undermixing is always better than overmixing.
• I know this sounds batty, but no toasters and no teapots—they take
up valuable counter and stove space. (Use your broiler for toasting
and a pan to boil water.)
• Refrigerate your best oils and definitely don’t store them near your
stove.
• Use a meat pounder to crush garlic and spices.
• When it comes to pastry and bread doughs, remember you’re the
boss.
• Embrace the adventure of cooking odysseys like Paul
Prudhomme’s Cajun-Style Gumbo (here), the humor of recipes like
Turducken (here), the majesty of desserts like the Gâteau de Crepes
(here), and the economy of dishes like Baked Mushrooms (here).
The recipes in this book will turn out differently in your kitchen
than they did in mine or than they did for the person who wrote up the
recipe fifty years ago. Recipes are by nature inexact, because
everyone works with different ingredients, tools, skills, and
expectations. Be patient. Adapt. And if a typo turned teaspoons into
tablespoons, try your best not to curse my name, but simply let me
know (I can easily be found online).
CONCLUSION
I tried to make this a book that blended the Times’s best recipes with
the interests and passions of its readers. I’m excited to have written a
cookbook that is genuinely unlike any other—one that gathers up both
modern and classic recipes, tells a story of American cooking,
includes many surprises (early doughnuts, the forgotten oyster pan
roast, and the best panna cotta recipe in the world), and, most of all,
provides curious and savvy food lovers with a book that can be a
lifetime kitchen companion.
As a lark, shortly before I handed the book in, I Tweeted to ask
what people thought the title should be. I loved writer Andy
Selsberg’s response: That Old Gray Lady Can Cook. But the
overwhelming favorite was All the Food That’s Fit to Eat.
I thought that was apt. I hope you’ll find it so, too.
3 SOUPS
—1870s— • Oxtail soup.

—1880s— • Milk-and-baking-soda-based tomato soup recipes are sent to the
Times by the dozen.
• If you are a clam or a lobster, there is a strong chance you’ll end up in
chowder or bisque.
—1890s— • Gumbo (here).
—1911— • Louis Diat creates his vichyssoise; the Times will publish a version of
it in 1957 (here).
—1940s — • Soups are thickened with flour and drowned in cream.
—1960s— • Colonial soups such as Mulligatawny (here) and Crème Senagalese
(here) are in vogue.
• Gazpacho is imported from Spain, leaving behind the rest of its family
of cured ham and tapas, but manages to charm anyway; it soon
replaces tomato soup in popularity.
—1962— • Andy Warhol paints Campbell’s Soup cans.
—1970s— • Chilled soups are catchy; autumn soups are served in carved-out
pumpkins and loaves of bread.
—1970— • Lipton introduces Cup-a-Soup.
—1973—
—1973— • Carl and Shirley Sontheimer, the founders of Cuisinart, debut the food
processor.
—1974— • Craig Claiborne appears to have been on an all-soup diet.
—1980s— • The Southwestern food trend briefly elevates black bean soup (though
recipes for it can be found as far back as the nineteenth century).
—1980— • Craig Claiborne cooks zucchini to death in broth and yet it survives
deliciously (here).
—1984— • Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun-Style Gumbo (here) is a culinary marathon
worth training for.
—1990s— • High-powered blenders and immersion blenders make the leap from
restaurant kitchen to home kitchen. Pureed soups go from thin to silky
and frothy; see Yellow Pepper Soup with Paprika Mousse (here).
• Sophisticated stay-at-home dinner = rustic Mediterranean soup
sprinkled with olive oil and served with country bread and salad.
—1993— • Chicken Soup for the Soul is published.
—1995— • Seinfeld immortalizes the Soup Nazi, based on Al Yeganeh, a
Midtown Manhattan soup vendor who owned Soup Kitchen
International.
—2000s— • Cocktail party riff: soup served in shot glasses.
• Gazpacho again (here), but this time better.
3
SOUPS
Of all the recipes in this book, soups have changed the most since
the New York Times began running recipes in the mid nineteenth
century. Soups used to be simmered until they begged for mercy, and
they were almost always thickened with flour or eggs. By the time
Craig Claiborne took the helm as food editor in the late 1950s, soups
were being cooked for slightly less time but they were usually
enriched with a bucketful of heavy cream. (In most of the recipes in
this book, I offer the option of less cream, but feel free to go old
school, if it’s OK with your family doctor.) What changed soups was
the invention of the blender in the 1930s and then of the food
processor in the 1970s. Purees were no longer solely the domain of
restaurant kitchens where some sad soul had the tedious job of
pushing soup through a fine-mesh sieve. They could now be prepared
in a galley kitchen in a few minutes.
Eventually cooks began to shed their reliance on cream for a sense
of smoothness and on long cooking times to soften firm ingredients—
a food processor could whip up a soup’s texture so that it felt creamy
even if there wasn’t any cream in it. People also figured out that
simmering a soup for ages usually did little for its flavor—indeed, that
cooking soups as little as possible (and sometimes not at all, as in the
Watermelon Gazpacho here), made for zippier, more fragrant broths.
And that while it’s fine to simmer bones and beans for hours, if you
want to taste such aromatics as thyme, garlic, chile, and star anise,
adding them toward the end of cooking keeps their flavors fresh.
The readers who wrote to tell me of their favorite Times recipe were
particularly passionate about their soups, and I relied heavily on their
recommendations when assembling this chapter. As a result, you’ll
see some recurrent themes—butternut squash and black beans figure
prominently, as do tomato soups and gazpachos. There is also a
preponderance of recipes from chefs (Thomas Keller, for instance)
and from the writers Barbara Kafka and Mark Bittman, who may or
may not realize they have a beloved niche in soup.
There was a split over cold curried zucchini soups. One by Jaques
Pépin ran in 1975, another by Craig Claiborne in 1980. Both are
nearly the same, and both came with enthusiastic endorsements. I
prefer the latter (see here), but I loved one note I got about the Pépin
version, from a reader, Neal O’Donnell of Corning, New York:
[D]uring the week after the article appeared, I made that soup for a
small dinner party to great acclaim. On the weekend, I was invited to
another dinner and the hostess served the very same soup. On Sunday,
the hosts of the Saturday party and I were invited to a large bash up on
Keuka—one of our Finger Lakes and not far from the Dr. Frank
winery. As our lakeside hosts ladled their chilled soup into bowls and
sprinkled the top with the julienned zucchini strips, the three of us
guests broke out in such boisterous laughter that I’m sure could have
been heard across the lake and over the hill. You guessed it!

RECIPES BY CATEGORY
Cold Soups
Cold Nicarde (Yellow Squash Soup)
Vichyssoise à la Ritz
Chilled English Pea–Mint Soup
Tom’s Chilled Cucumber Soup
Cucumber, Tomato, and Avocado Soup
Curried Zucchini Soup
Crème Sengalese (Curried Cream of Chicken Soup)
Málaga Gazpacho
Thomas Keller’s Gazpacho
Gazpacho with Cucumber Granita
White Gazpacho with Almonds and Grapes
Watermelon Gazpacho
Chilled Melon Soup with Toasted Almonds
Chilled Corn Soup with Honeydew Polka Dots
Manjula Gokal’s Gujarati Mango Soup
Vegetable Soups
Tomato Soup I
Tomato Soup II
Palestine Soup
Soupe à la Bonne Femme
Okra Soup with Beef (and Oysters)
Oriental Watercress Soup
Málaga Gazpacho
Garden Minestrone
Cream of Carrot Soup
Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée
Zuppa di Funghi Siciliana (Sicilian Mushroom Soup)
Pumpkin–Black Bean Soup
Soupe à l’Ail (Garlic Soup)
Moroccan Tomato Soup
Pistou Soup
Butternut Squash and Cider Soup
Creamy Curried Sweet Potato Soup
Yellow Pepper Soup with Paprika Mousse
Roasted Squash Soup with Cumin
Potage Parisien with Sorrel Cream
Potage Cressonière (Watercress Soup)
Basic Corn Chowder
Cauliflower Soup with Cremini Mushrooms and Walnut Oil
Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber
Carrot and Fennel Soup
Watercress and Basil Soup
Butternut Squash Soup with Brown Butter
Bean and Legume Soups

Mulligatawny Soup
Faki (Greek Lentil Soup)
Turkish Split Pea Soup with Mint and Paprika
Fern Berman’s Ginger and Lentil Soup
Roasted Carrot and Red Lentil Ragout
Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
Creamy Farro and Chickpea Soup
Pasta and Bean Soup
Black Bean Soup with Salsa and Jalapeño Corn-Bread Muffins
Garden Minestrone
Fish and Shellfish Soups

Soupe de Poisson Jardinière (Fish Soup with Vegetables)
Provençal Fish Soup
Speedy Fish Stew with Orange and Fennel
Marmitako (Basque Tuna Soup)
Bouillabaisse
Tuna Curry
Thai Sole Chowder with Lima Beans and Corn
Laotian Catfish Soup
Manhattan Clam Chowder with Hake and Chorizo
Clam Chowder
Clam Stew with Potatoes and Parsley Puree
Oyster Chowder
Lobster Bisque I
Lobster Bisque II
Billi-Bi au Safran (Mussels in Saffron Cream)
Meat Soups
Clear Steamed Chicken Soup with Ginger
Ismail Merchant’s Very Hot Chicken Soup
Mulligatawny Soup
Waterzooi (Flemish Chicken Soup)
Tortilla Soup
Matzoh Ball Soup
Paul Steindler’s Cabbage Soup
Rabbit Soup with Garlic, Peppers, and Chorizo
Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun-Style Gumbo
Winter Borscht
Pho Bo (Hanoi Beef Soup)
Scotch Broth
Creamy Soups
Tomato Soup I
Tomato Soup II
Palestine Soup
Clam Chowder
Oyster Chowder
Lobster Bisque I
Lobster Bisque II
Mulligatawny Soup
Potage Parisien with Sorrel Cream
Basic Corn Chowder
Creamy Farro and Chickpea Soup
Winter Soups
Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée
Winter Borscht
Pasta and Bean Soup
Chestnut Soup
Potage Cressonière (Watercress Soup)
Spring Soups
Garden Minestrone
Rabbit Soup with Garlic, Peppers, and Chorizo
Summer Soups
Tomato Soup I
Tomato Soup II
Watercress and Basil Soup
Pistou Soup
Chilled Melon Soup with Toasted Almonds
Watermelon Gazpacho
Málaga Gazpacho
Green Gazpacho
Oyster Chowder
Clam Chowder
Basic Corn Chowder
Fall Soups
Chestnut Soup
Soups for 8 or More People

Tomato Soup II
Crème Senegalese (Curried Cream of Chicken Soup)
Fern Berman’s Ginger and Lentil Soup
Pasta and Bean Soup
Matzoh Ball Soup
Tortilla Soup
Black Bean Soup with Salsa and Jalapeño Corn-Bread Muffins
Soups for 2

TOMATO SOUP I
This is a fantastic old recipe to which I’ve added just one modern innovation: the
immersion blender. Readers in the nineteenth century had an insatiable hunger
for tomato soup recipes—on the day this one ran, it was “Tomato Soup IV” (and
since there are two tomato soups in the book, I’ve called it Tomato Soup I).
Generally, there were two varieties: those made with beef bones and those made
with milk. The latter were the precursor to the tomato soups you find in diners
and school lunchrooms, served with a grilled cheese sandwich. But those recipes
were later tweaked in unfortunate ways—thickened with cornstarch, throttled
with cream.
The old-style milk-based tomato soup, exemplified here, is a happily
uncluttered combination. Fresh tomatoes are cooked down to a pulp. Milk is
scalded. Butter and salt are added for flavor, and cracker crumbs for thickening.
Many recipes also called for baking soda (a base), which prevented the tomatoes
(an acid) from curdling the milk; this recipe, which does not contain baking
soda, curdles the instant the tomatoes and milk are combined. It doesn’t taste bad
this way, but it looks a little like stracciatella, the Italian egg-drop soup. An
immersion blender fixes this: in seconds all of the curdling vanishes and the fat
is re-emulsified, returning the soup to a silky pink pool.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, the pureeing can be done in small
batches in a blender. Hold the lid on tight with a dish towel (hot soup likes to
explode from the top). Or maybe this is the time to go get an immersion blender.
For some other variations on tomato soup, see Tomato Soup II (here) and
Moroccan Tomato Soup (here).
———
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks

4½ cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely ground saltines (about 5 crackers)
1. Place the tomatoes in a medium saucepan, cover, and bring to a simmer over
medium heat. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes are soft and
broken down, 10 to 20 minutes. Pass the tomatoes through the fine plate of a
food mill. Measure 4 cups stewed tomatoes.
2. Meanwhile, scald the milk: Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and set
over medium-high heat. When bubbles form around the edges of the pan and the
milk steams a little, remove from the heat.
3. Put the butter and salt in a tureen. Grind in some pepper. Add the finely
ground crackers. Pour in the hot milk, followed by the tomatoes. Stir and adjust
seasoning. If using an immersion blender, emulsify the soup. (Or use a regular
blender, but do it in small batches.) SERVES 6 TO 8
COOKING NOTE
The original recipe calls for “a piece of butter the size of an egg,” a common
measurement then. I determined this to be 3 tablespoons.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Welsh Rarebit (here), Salade à la Romaine (here), Roasted Bone Marrow and
Parsley Salad (here), Diana Vreeland’s Salade Parisienne (here), Alice Waters’s
Baked Goat Cheese with Salad (here), Cheese Crusts (here), Croque-Monsieur
(here), Spoon Lamb (here), Snow Pudding (here), Huntington Pudding (here)
SEPTEMBER 2, 1877: “THE HOUSEHOLD: RECEIPTS FOR THE TABLE.” RECIPE SIGNED
NETTIE.
—1877
PALESTINE SOUP
I’m embarrassed to admit that the first time I made this soup, I used globe
artichokes rather than Jerusalems—somehow I failed to make the obvious
connection between Palestine and Jerusalem. The soup was terrific with either
kind, but you’d probably want to shoot yourself after trimming and slicing
enough small green artichokes to make 5 cups.
———
2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 slices smoked bacon
2 bay leaves
3 cups chicken broth
1½ cups whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Trim and peel the artichokes, and cut into 1-to 2-inch chunks. You should
have about 5 cups.
2. Combine the butter, bacon, bay leaves, and artichokes in a medium saucepan.
Cover the artichokes with a round of parchment, place the pan over medium-low
heat, and sweat (gently soften) for 10 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, bring
to a simmer, and simmer, uncovered, until the artichokes are tender, about 10
minutes.
3. Discard the bacon and bay leaves. Puree the soup in a food processor. Then, if
you want it really smooth, pass it through a food mill fitted with the finest plate.
Pour the soup into a clean pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the milk and season
with salt and pepper.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Roman Lamb (here), Chicken à la Marengo (here), Roast Quail with Sage
Dressing (here), Roasted Squab with Chicken Liver Stuffing (here), Apple
Galette (here), Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake (here) SEPTEMBER 5, 1880: “HINTS
FOR THE HOUSEHOLD: RECEIPTS.” RECIPE SIGNED A NEW YEAR’S DINNERS [SIC].
—1880
SOUPE À LA BONNE FEMME
The most difficult part of making this soup is finding a pound of sorrel. Try a
farmers’ market. The original recipe contained the amusing but baffling
instruction to cut the leaves into diamond shapes—sorrel wilts when heated and
those diamonds turn into blobs in an otherwise simple and delicious soup.
———
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 pound sorrel, trimmed and roughly chopped
Salt
Salt
6 large egg yolks
½ cup heavy cream
Homemade croutons (see Cooking Note)
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the sorrel, season
with salt, and cook, stirring, until the sorrel has wilted slightly. Add the chicken
broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat.
2. Whisk together the yolks and cream in a small bowl. Whisk a cup of the soup
into the yolk mixture to temper it, then whisk this into the soup; reheat gently,
but do not let it boil. Check the seasoning, and serve with croutons.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTE
To make croutons, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut four ½-inch-thick slices of
country bread into ½-inch cubes. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until golden
and dry, 10 to 15 minutes.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Chicken Paprikash (here), Veal Shanks with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (here),
Braised Stuffed Breast of Veal (here) FEBRUARY 13, 1881: “HINTS FOR THE
HOUSEHOLD: RECEIPTS.” RECIPE SIGNED AMERICAN GASTRONOMIST.
—1881
CLAM CHOWDER
Chowders, like most soups, are cooked in stages, with the ingredients added
progressively. But this recipe combines many of the stages, freeing you from the
stove. After layering the ingredients in a pot, you let them simmer away. The
resulting chowder has the perfect consistency, with a creamy salinity and heaps
of potato, pork, and onion.
———
25 littleneck clams, scrubbed

1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup sliced onions
¼ pound salt pork or thickly sliced pancetta, cubed
2 cups peeled, thinly sliced white potatoes
½ cup peeled (see Cooking Note, here), seeded, and sliced tomatoes
⅛ teaspoon powdered thyme (see Cooking Note)
⅛ teaspoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
About 5 Pilot crackers or other plain crackers (about 5 ounces)
1 cup whole milk
1. Place the clams and water in a large pot, cover, and place over high heat.
Cook until the clams begin to open, about 7 minutes; transfer them to a bowl as
they open. Set the pot aside.
2. Once the clams are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells,
reserving the juices. Cut the soft belly from the clams, and chop the hard parts,
reserving soft and hard parts in a bowl. Pour any remaining juices back into the
pot as you go, and when you’re all finished, strain the clam juices through
several layers of cheesecloth.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and
salt pork and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Arrange a layer of the
potatoes, and then the tomatoes, on top of the onions and salt pork. Season with
salt and pepper. Add the thyme, marjoram, and parsley. Cover with the clams,
then a single layer of Pilot crackers. Pour in the clam juices. Add enough boiling
water to just cover the layers, bring to a simmer, and cook—without ever boiling
—for 15 minutes, undisturbed.
4. Just before serving, add the milk and heat through. Adjust the seasoning.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTE
If you can’t find powdered thyme, you can make it by grinding dried thyme with
a mortar and pestle or in a spice/coffee grinder—or just use dried thyme.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Astor House Rolls (here), Parmesan Crackers (here), Caesar Salad (here), Green
Goddess Salad (here), Salade Niçoise (here), Brown Butter Peach Bars (here)
FEBRUARY 27, 1881: “HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD: SUGGESTIONS AS TO THE COOKERY OF
SHELLFISH,” BY JULIET CORSON.
—1881
LOBSTER BISQUE I
If you are accustomed to today’s restaurant-style lobster bisque made with a
lobster reduction and finished with lobster foam—and if you are, can I have your
expense account?—this bisque will be a shock. A gentle shock, as everything
about the soup is subtle. The lobster flavor is pure but discreet. The sweetness of
the Sauternes echoes that of the shellfish, and, save for a little zing of cayenne,
all the flavors are elegant and restrained.
The recipe contained an unusual instruction—to pound the lobster tail meat.
With today’s meek, tender crustaceans, you can probably skip this step and chop
the meat instead. But I pounded it; it’s kind of fun, and the meat mashes to a
delicate pulp.
———
2 small live lobsters

5 cups fish broth (see here)
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
¼ teaspoon ground mace, or more to taste
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 cup Sauternes
1. Slightly undercook the lobsters using your preferred method, steaming or

boiling (or see here for instructions). Let cool, then crack and pull the meat from
the shells, reserving the shells. Cut the claw meat into 1-inch pieces. Cut the
remaining meat into bite-sized pieces, then use a meat mallet to pound and
flatten it along with the coral (the orange roe), if there is any.
2. Combine the fish broth and lobster shells (as many as will fit in the pan) in a
large saucepan, bring to a boil, and boil until reduced to 3 cups. Remove from
the heat.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it’s foamy, whisk
in the flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the reduced
fish broth and the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Season with
salt and pepper, the mace, and cayenne, adding more as desired. Stir in the
Sauternes and cook for 1 minute. Add the lobster meat and warm through.
SERVES 4
VARIATIONS
A bisque this simple invites playful variations. Add some finely diced potatoes,
simmered until tender in the broth. Infuse the broth with a few sprigs of tarragon,
a vanilla bean, or star anise and ginger.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Astor House Rolls (here), Watercress Salad (here), Raspberry Bavarian Cream
(here) MARCH 6, 1881: “HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD: A CHAPTER UPON CRABS AND
LOBSTERS,” BY JULIET CORSON.
—1881
OKRA SOUP WITH BEEF (AND OYSTERS)
Gumbo, much as I love it, is no beauty queen. And gumbo is the slightly more
refined cousin of this okra soup. But as foie gras and oysters have proved, looks
are no measure of flavor.
The main differences between this delicious soup and a typical gumbo are its
use of beef rather than chicken or shrimp, and its lack of smoked meat. Many
recipes for okra soup appeared in the Times during the late nineteenth century.
Some were made with a broth of ham and veal knuckle and finished with
crabmeat. Others contained shrimp. All included okra, tomatoes, and green
pepper. This one is made with beef bones, and near the end of cooking, you add
corn, lima beans, and if you want—and you do want!—fresh oysters.
Bob the Sea Cook, a regular contributor to the food pages, described a similar
beef and okra soup he’d had at a plantation outside New Orleans (his recipe ran
in 1881). “It was very thick, though but a very little of the meat had been
allowed to remain in it,” he wrote. “The shrimps had been withdrawn. It was the
quintessence of a vegetable soup, without any greasiness, only that when you
had eaten two platesful of it there was no room for anything else.”
Once you gather the ingredients, all you need is time. It takes 4 hours of
gentle simmering to break down the meat and concentrate the soup. You should
accomplish this over the course of 2 or more days. Once the broth is mostly
cooked (a 3½-hour process), chilling it solidifies the fat, and you can lift the fat
from the surface before proceeding. (Also, the extra time gives you a chance to
air out the smell of beef fat and regain a desire to eat the soup.) Buy the oysters
and corn the day you’re serving it.
———

2 onions, sliced
4 pounds beef bones, with some meat attached
1 pound okra, sliced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 pound tomatoes, cored and peeled
2 cups corn kernels (ideally fresh, frozen in a pinch)
1 cup lima beans (frozen are fine)
24 freshly shucked oysters, drained (optional)
1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a medium pot. Melt the butter in a large
pot over medium heat. Add the onions and beef bones and cook, stirring
occasionally, until both onions and bones are well browned; be careful not to
burn them.
2. Add the okra and green pepper to the bones, followed by the boiling water.
Season lightly with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the soup will reduce a
lot. Bring to a boil, skimming occasionally, then reduce to a simmer and cook
gently for 2 hours.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1½ hours more. Turn off the heat and let cool
completely.
4. Remove the beef bones. Chop up what meat there is, discarding the fat, and
return it to the soup; discard the bones. Refrigerate the soup until ready to serve.
5. Before serving, lift the solidified fat from the surface of the soup. Place the
pot of soup over medium heat. When it comes to a simmer, add the corn and
lima beans and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning—
the soup will benefit from a generous amount of black pepper. If adding oysters,
drop them in and cook until they begin to get ruffly, about 2 minutes. Ladle the
soup into bowls.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTES
Because the original recipe was vague about a number of details, I had to make
some guesses and adjustments. I used beef shin. After simmering, you are
supposed to remove the beef and bones, but since all the meat had fallen off the
bones, this wasn’t really possible. I removed the bones, then broke up the large
lumps of beef, removing any pieces of fat, chopped up the rest, and added it back
to the soup. This was probably untraditional, but I wasn’t going to waste the
meat.
The oysters are supposed to be fried before going into the soup. After I’d
cooked the soup for 4 hours, frying the oysters seemed like an unnecessary
hassle. Instead, I poached them in the soup, which—in candor—means they lack
the textural element of a fried oyster. If you want to fry yours, my hat is off to
you.
Lastly, the directions say to replenish the water that has cooked off before
serving. This seemed pointless to me (why dilute that delicious broth?), and
since no other okra soup recipe in the archives contained this direction, I chose
to ignore it.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fresh Corn Griddle Cakes with Parmesan and Chives (here), Fresh Blueberry
Buckle (here), Peach Salad (here), Raspberry Granita (here), Sour Cream Ice
Cream (here) MARCH 19, 1882: “HINTS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD: AN EARLY SPRING DINNER
WITH OKRA,” BY JULIET CORSON.
—1882
COLD NICARDE (YELLOW SQUASH SOUP)
Yellow squash and onions are treated here as they should be: minimally. You
soften them in butter, just until they’re limp at the edges, then cook them through
in a little chicken broth. At this point, you could buzz them in a food processor
or blender, but then you’d end up with something that’s too smooth, too likely to
slip across your palate and vanish from your mind. Pushing the mixture through
a food mill leaves you with soft scant bits, a subtle but important texture.
Cold Nicarde was part of a summer lunch menu suggested by the chef at the
Café Pierre, a restaurant in New York City, together with beef salad Provençal, a
fresh fruit tart, and coffee. The soup is supposed to be served “icy cold,” at
which temperature it’s refreshing. I preferred it warm, just a bit above room
temperature, which brings out its full sweetness.
———
4 cups diced (¼-inch) yellow squash (from about 1½ pounds squash)

½ cup finely chopped onion
Salt
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon sugar
Freshly grated nutmeg
1. Soften the squash and onions in the butter in a medium saucepan over medium
heat, about 5 minutes. Pour in the broth, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer until the squash is tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. While the soup is still hot, pass it through a food mill fitted with the medium
plate. Add the cream and sugar, and season with salt and nutmeg. Serve just
warm, or chill and serve cold.
SERVES 2 TO 4 (SMALL SERVINGS)
COOKING NOTES
Use whole nutmeg and grate it on a fine grater—the flavor is so much better than
preground nutmeg.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Scotch Eggs (here), Chicken and Lemon Terrine (here), Pan-Roasted Chicken
with End-of-Season Tomatoes (here), Shrimp in Green Sauce (here), Crab Cakes
Baltimore-Style (here), Cold Beef with Tarragon Vinaigrette (here), Tarte aux
Fruits (here), Fruit Crostatas (here) AUGUST 4, 1940: “VICTUALS AND VITAMINS,” BY
KILEY TAYLOR.
—1940
ORIENTAL WATERCRESS SOUP

Pork liver, which barely touches the broth before they head to the table together,
gives the soup its depth and character. If you can’t find pork liver—try an Asian
market—skip this recipe.
———
¼ pound pork liver, rinsed

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pork loin chop
4 cups water
1 bunch watercress, trimmed (tough stems discarded), washed, and
coarsely chopped
4 large eggs
Salt
1. Cut the liver into slivers. Combine the liver with the soy sauce and oil in a
bowl and set aside to marinate.
2. Cut the meat from the pork chop (reserve the bone) and slice into 1-by-¼-inch
thick strips. Combine the pork, pork bone, and water in a medium pot and bring
to a simmer. Add the watercress and liver and return to a simmer.
3. Crack the eggs into the pan, reduce the temperature, and cook until the eggs
are poached, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Remove the pork bone and serve
immediately.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Ginger Daiquiri (here), The Cuke (here), Chinese Barbecued Spareribs (here),
Chinese Pork Balls (here), Shrimp Toast (here), Clams in Black Bean Sauce
(here), Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles (here) FEBRUARY 13, 1949: “ADDING THE
CHINESE TOUCH,” BY JANE NICKERSON. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM MARY CHU, THE
MANAGER AT RATHSKELLER, A CHINESE RESTAURANT IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1949
VICHYSSOISE À LA RITZ
Published alongside a recipe for Jellied Beef à la Mode, vichyssoise à la Ritz is a

more modern form of the soup created by Louis Diat at the Ritz-Carlton in 1911.
It’s a total pain in the neck to make—you must rub the potatoes and leeks
through a sieve—but it’s worth the trouble, I promise. You may be alarmed by
the addition of tomato juice, which makes for an unusual vichyssoise, but the
juice offsets the richness of the cream with some much-needed acidity. What I
love most about the soup is that you can serve it at three different stages: after
Step 2—at which point it will be like the vichyssoise you know; after you add
the tomato juice; or after you add the additional cream.
———
4 leeks, white part only, sliced and well washed

1 medium onion, sliced
5 medium white potatoes (about 1¾ pounds), thinly sliced
Salt
3 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups tomato juice
Chopped chives
1. Soften the leeks and onions very lightly in the butter in a large saucepan. Add
the potatoes, broth, and a generous pinch of salt, bring to a boil, and cook for 35
minutes, or until the leeks and potatoes are very tender.
2. Crush the potatoes, then pass the soup through a fine sieve into a bowl. Return
to the pan, add the milk and 1 cup cream, and bring to a boil. Cool, and rub the
soup again through a very fine sieve. Chill until cold.
3. Add the tomato juice and the remaining 1 cup cream to the soup. Chill
thoroughly.
4. Serve garnished with chives.
SERVES 8 TO 10
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Epigram of Lamb (here), Arnaki Araka (Lamb with Peas; here), Veal Chops
with Sage (here), Veal Chops Beau Séjour (here), Rib-Eye Steaks with Peppered
Cranberry Marmalade and Swiss Chard (here), Green Bean Salad with Savory
Topping (here), Raw Spinach Salad (here), Grapefruit Fluff (here) JUNE 9, 1957:
“SERVE IT COLD—AND IN STYLE,” BY RUTH P. CASA-EMELLOS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM
THE CARLTON HOUSE IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1957
POTAGE CRESSONIÈRE (WATERCRESS SOUP)
It was a tough call, but in the end I think I made the right choice by including
this recipe rather than the watercress and avocado gelatin mold.
———

1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups chopped onions
4 cups thinly sliced peeled white potatoes
1 tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2¼ cups water
1 large bunch watercress, trimmed and washed
1½ cups whole milk
2 large egg yolks
½ cup light cream
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and onions and sauté until
tender, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, and ¾ cup water, cover,
and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are almost
tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Cut the watercress stems into ⅛-inch lengths. Coarsely chop the leaves.
3. Add all the watercress stems, half the leaves, the milk, and the remaining 1½
cups water to the potato mixture. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Pass the soup through the fine plate of a food mill. Return the soup to the
saucepan and reheat. Adjust the seasoning.
5. Blend together the egg yolks and cream. Gradually stir this mixture into the
soup and cook, stirring constantly without letting it boil, until slightly thickened.
Garnish with the remaining watercress leaves.
SERVES 6
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fricassee of Chicken with Tarragon (here), Cold Beef with Tarragon Vinaigrette
(here), Sautéed Asparagus with Fleur de Sel (here), Rhubarb-Strawberry Mousse
(here), Lemon-Almond Butter Cake (here) MARCH 8, 1959: “A TOUCH OF WATER
CRESS,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1959
MÁLAGA GAZPACHO
Although gazpacho has been around since the eighth century in Spain, it took
New Yorkers until the 1960s to catch on. And even then it took them a little
while to get it right. One of the first gazpacho recipes the Times ran appeared in
1948 and was essentially chopped vegetables doused with garlic powder and
served in a glass bowl. Another early specimen was called a “soup-salad.”
In 1968, Craig Claiborne, then the Times’s food editor, published a recipe for
a refreshing, straightforward version from a home cook named Manola
Drozdoski that was made with tomatoes, cucumbers, green pepper, garlic, and
the rest. Claiborne called it Málaga Gazpacho. The thought was a nice tribute to
an obscure city in southern Spain, except that Málaga (and its region, Andalusia)
doesn’t have just one version of gazpacho but many—some made with egg,
others with fish, potato, and mayonnaise. If anything, Málaga is associated with
ajo blanco, a “white” gazpacho made with almonds and garlic.
No real harm done. Given America’s record for tampering with pizza,
croissants, and lattes, doctrinal purity is hardly to be expected. Besides,
gazpacho is a survivor, a poor man’s soup thickened with yesterday’s bread and
sharpened with vinegar, so you can’t really wreck it (unless you add garlic
powder). In its original form, it was more of a bread soup mashed with olive oil,
garlic, vinegar, and water. Tomatoes came later, with the discovery of the New
World and all the ingredient confusion that wrought.
Over the centuries, gazpacho took on regional refinements, sometimes being
made with ground almonds or pine nuts, sometimes featuring peppers, even the
occasional sliced grape. It also varied in texture, from a thick puree (referred to
as salmorejo) to a chunky, chopped-salad-like consistency to a thin liquid drunk
by the glass. Many Spaniards keep gazpacho in the fridge in a pitcher much the
way we keep iced tea.
Take a look at some other versions and derivatives in the book: White
Gazpacho with Almonds and Grapes (here), Green Gazpacho (here),
Watermelon Gazpacho (here), Gazpacho with Cucumber Granita (here), Fried
Eggplant with Salmorejo Sauce (here).
———
3 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes

1½ cups peeled, coarsely chopped cucumber
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
½ cup water
5 tablespoons olive or corn oil
¼ cup red or white wine vinegar, or more to taste
Salt to taste
2 slices white bread (with crusts), cubed
1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed, pausing to
scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as necessary.
2. Pour the mixture through a large sieve into a bowl. Press and stir the solids
with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids.
Taste the soup for seasoning and add more salt and vinegar if desired. Chill
thoroughly before serving.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Rebujito (here), a glass of cava, Potato, Ham, and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas
(here), Fried Olives (here), Catalan Vegetable Paella (here), Paella (here),
Spanish Cream (here), Caramel Custard (here) FEBRUARY 22, 1968: “RAISINS IN A
SPANISH GAZPACHO? NEVER!” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM MANOLA
DROZDOSKI, A HOME COOK IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1968
MULLIGATAWNY SOUP
This mulligatawny, whose name comes from a Tamil word meaning “pepper
water,” is neither peppery nor watery, but it is a memorably fragrant soup. The
recipe comes from Craig Claiborne, and it’s a terrific example of British colonial
cooking, which often involved subduing spicy tropical dishes with butter, flour,
and cream. Claiborne’s version is considerably more complex than earlier
versions I found, none of which included chicken or this array of spices. If
you’re going to make a throwback dish like mulligatawny, why not go all out?
———
One 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces

6 cups chicken broth or water
1 onion, stuck with 4 cloves
2 small stalks celery with leaves
1 carrot, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs parsley
Salt
14 black peppercorns
½ small coconut or 1 cup defrosted frozen grated coconut
1 cup freshly cooked or canned chickpeas, drained (rinsed if canned)
3 tablespoons turmeric
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Cayenne pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Lemon wedges for serving
Cooked jasmine rice for serving
1. Place the chicken in a large pot and add the broth. Add the onion, celery,
carrot, bay leaf, parsley, salt to taste, and peppercorns and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked
through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Strain the broth
and let it cool.
2. If using a fresh coconut, crack open the shell with a hammer, discard the
liquid, and remove the meat from the shell. Pare away the dark coating and cut
the meat into small cubes. Put the cubes (or store-bought grated coconut) in a
blender, add 2 cups of the cooled broth, and blend on high speed. Line a sieve
with cheesecloth (if your sieve is fine, skip the cheesecloth) and strain the
coconut milk. Press on the solids to extract as much of the liquid as possible;
discard the residue.
3. Rinse out the blender. Return the coconut milk to the blender, add the
chickpeas, and blend until they are thoroughly pureed. Add enough of the
reserved chicken broth to make 4 cups (save the rest for another use).
4. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour, turmeric, ginger, coriander,
garlic, and cayenne to taste. Stir to blend and cook for a minute—the mixture
will get thick and pasty. Remove from the heat.
5. Gradually add the coconut milk mixture to the butter-flour mixture, stirring
rapidly until very smooth. Add the cream a little at a time (stop whenever you
like—the full amount makes a very rich soup), then add the chicken. Gently
reheat the chicken. Season with salt and pepper—and feel free to add more
cayenne if you like. Serve accompanied by lemon wedges and hot rice (to be
added to the soup bowls).
SERVES 4 TO 6
COOKING NOTE
As a number of the recipes I tested called for grating a fresh coconut, I was
motivated to find a reliable alternative. Indian food stores often carry grated
fresh coconut in the frozen section. Pick up ten bags, and you’ll be set for a few
years, give or take a little freezer burn. Don’t shell and grate your own coconut:
you’ll end up hating the recipe, me, Craig Claiborne, and cooking in general.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
This soup can be a main course. If serving it as a first course, then roast a fish
and accompany with any of the following: String Beans with Ginger and Garlic
(here), Cucumbers in Cream (here), Chopped Salad with Lemon Zest Vinaigrette
(here), for dessert: Mango Ice Cream (here).
DECEMBER 1, 1968: “TUREEN SPECIALS,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1968
TOMATO SOUP II
Other equally delightful tomato soups live here and here.
———
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
4 basil leaves, chopped
2½ pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks, or one 35-ounce
can tomatoes, preferably imported Italian
3 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3¾ cups chicken broth (brought to room temperature if cold)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup heavy cream
Croutons (recipe follows)
1. Melt 8 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the
olive oil. Add the onion, thyme, basil, and salt and pepper to taste and cook,
stirring occasionally, until the onion is wilted. Add the tomatoes and tomato
paste and stir to blend. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Place the flour in a small bowl and add about 5 tablespoons of the broth,
stirring to blend. Stir this into the tomato mixture, add the remaining chicken
broth, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently all over
the bottom of the pan to make certain that the soup does not scorch.
3. Put the soup through a fine sieve or a food mill fitted with the fine plate into a
clean saucepan. Return it to the heat, add the sugar and cream, and simmer,
stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the remaining butter, swirling it around
in the soup to melt it.
4. Ladle into shallow bowls and serve with the croutons.
SERVES 8
CROUTONS
8 small slices day-old crusty French or Italian bread

8 small slices day-old crusty French or Italian bread
1 large clove garlic, split
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Rub the bread slices on both sides with the
garlic, then brush generously with the olive oil.
2. Place the bread directly on an oven rack or on a baking sheet and bake until
golden, turning once if necessary.
SERVES 8
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Welsh Rarebit (here), Salade à la Romaine (here), Roasted Bone Marrow and
Parsley Salad (here), Diana Vreeland’s Salade Parisienne (here), Alice Waters’s
Baked Goat Cheese with Salad (here), Cheese Crusts (here), Croque-Monsieur
(here) READERS
“It has to be the most delicious tomato soup of all time, and why not? Made with
my own dead-ripe garden tomatoes and all that butter and cream. It is so rich that
I make it only once a season, but I have been doing so for some 35 years. With
the croutons, it is a complete meal.”
Mrs. Richard A. Joseph, Croton-on-Hudson, NY, letter
JULY 6, 1969: “TOMATO SOUP FOREVER!” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1969
WATERZOOI (FLEMISH CHICKEN SOUP)
If we can eat grits, then why can’t the Belgians eat a dish called waterzooi? This
soup from eastern Flanders, whose name means “watery mess,” is actually not a
watery mess at all, because the broth is thickened with egg yolks. Although it’s
usually prepared with fish and vegetables, it is sometimes made, as in this recipe,
with chicken.
The pieces of chicken are bathed in warm butter, then joined in the pot by
leeks, carrots, celery, parsley, nutmeg, peppercorns, and broth. You simmer this
until the chicken is just cooked, and then you strain out all the vegetables,
sharpen the broth with lemon juice, and add egg yolks and cream. Served in
shallow bowls, the soup is a beauty: the poached chicken is framed by pale
yellow, creamy, lemon-flavored broth. Craig Claiborne, whose recipe this is,
tells you to garnish the soup with thin slices of lemon.
I’d serve this soup for a dinner party, but it’s also a great recipe to have on
hand for a last-minute meal, as it takes all of 30 minutes to prepare. Serve with
forks, knives, and spoons.
———
Two 2½-pound chickens, cut into serving pieces

6 stalks celery, trimmed and halved crosswise
2 carrots, trimmed and peeled
4 medium leeks, white and pale green parts, split and rinsed well under
cold running water
8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 blade dried mace or ⅛ teaspoon ground mace or freshly grated
nutmeg
Juice of 1 lemon
4 large egg yolks
½ cup heavy cream
4 thin lemon slices, seeds removed
Cooked rice for serving
1. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large
casserole. Add the chicken, cover, and simmer over low heat, turning the
chicken occasionally, for 10 minutes. The chicken should more or less stew in
the butter without browning.
2. Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
3. Add the celery, carrots, leeks, parsley, peppercorns, mace, and boiling broth to
the chicken, cover once more, and simmer over low heat until the chicken is just
cooked, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken to a dish. Strain the broth into saucepan, add the lemon
juice, and heat over medium heat until hot; do not let it boil. Beat the yolks
lightly in a small bowl and add the cream. Gradually add this to the hot broth,
stirring vigorously, and cook, without boiling, until the soup thickens slightly.
(Keep stirring and tasting—the texture will turn from watery to creamy all of a
sudden, and then it’s done.) Do not overcook, or the soup may curdle. Return the
chicken to the soup, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Serve in hot soup bowls
garnished with the lemon; serve the rice separately.
SERVES 8 AS A FIRST COURSE, 4 AS A MAIN COURSE
COOKING NOTES
The recipe called for two 2½-pound chickens, which can be difficult to find. I
used a 4½-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces. Also, because chicken broth now
often comes in 32-ounce boxes, I combined one box in a pan with the chicken’s
backbone and wings, added a cup of water to make 5 cups total, and simmered it
a few minutes before adding the broth to the soup.
Mace is the golden web-like covering on nutmeg. Old recipes often called for
a “blade” of mace, which meant a piece of this covering. You can find whole
mace in good Indian and Asian grocery stores—it’s worth seeking out. But if
you can’t find it, use ground mace or grated nutmeg.
As with many of the older poultry and meat recipes, the stated cooking times
are much longer than is now necessary. This soup is supposed to simmer for 30
minutes, but the chicken was done in 12. I asked Harold McGee, the author of
On Food and Cooking, about the discrepancy. He wrote me that he believes
these timing changes “do reflect the more lean, tender industrial meats, but also
a new attentiveness to the texture of long-cooked meats.” McGee pointed out
that our meat supply had long been industrialized by 1970 but that it took food
writers, who relied on established cooking times, decades to adjust.
You will have to go against your instincts to strain out the vegetables, but do it
for the sake of the soup: the clean broth, containing nothing other than chicken,
is terrific. And there’s no need to discard the vegetables. Since they’re barely
cooked in the soup, you can finely chop them and fold them into mashed
potatoes or rice. Or use them, as I did, in food for my toddlers. I chopped them
up and mixed them with chopped pork.
Before adding the lemon, egg yolks, and cream, you may want to let the broth
settle and skim its surface. Between the butter and the chicken, this dish isn’t
short on fat.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Begin with a salad: Salade à la Romaine (here), Mezzaluna Salad (here),
Wallace Seawell’s Spinach Salad (here), Lattich Salat, Warme (Warm Lettuce
Salad; here), Fennel, Orange, Watercress, and Walnut Salad (here), Fennel and
Apple Salad with Juniper (here). Then have Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
(here) or Fresh Ginger Cake (here) for dessert.
JANUARY 25, 1970: “THINK SOUP,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1970
SCOTCH BROTH
Craig Claiborne lamented home cooks’ increasing lack of interest in soup. (An
innocent observation that produced this woeful headline: “Who Says Nuts to
Soup?”) So how did he whip up his readership and lead them back to their
stoves, ladles in hand? With chicken giblet soup and the lamb and barley
concoction called Scotch broth. Giblet soup wouldn’t have been my first choice
for such a campaign, but, to be fair to Claiborne, who had a knack for identifying
the tastes of his day, Scotch broth is a delicious soup—rustic to the point of
ugliness, but bounding with flavor.
The Scots, while not known for an enviable cuisine, have been very successful
at branding their few winners. This broth, which is the Scottish equivalent of
American’s chicken noodle soup, is one. Shortbread is another, as are Scotch
eggs, which are hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat and breaded and fried
(a recipe can be found here). But the deep-fried pizza, yet another Scottish
delight, has never run in the Times and probably never will.
———
½ cup barley or pearl barley

2 pounds lamb neck and/or shoulder
1 cup finely chopped onion, plus 1 onion, peeled
1 clove garlic, finely minced
8 cups lamb broth or water
2 stalks celery, quartered
2 carrots, peeled and quartered
1 medium turnip, peeled
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs parsley
1. Place the barley in a bowl, add water to cover, and soak overnight (if using
pearl barley, skip this step).
2. Rinse the lamb and drain. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a soup
pot. Add the lamb, chopped onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally,
until the onion starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the lamb broth, whole onion,
celery, carrots, turnip, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. Bring to a boil, skimming
the surface as necessary to remove the scum and foam. Partially cover and
simmer for about 1 ½ hours until the lamb is tender.
3. Strain the broth through a sieve lined with cheesecloth; save the lamb, carrots,
and turnip.
4. Skim the fat from the broth, pour into a pot, and return it to a boil. Drain the
barley and add it to the broth. Season with salt and pepper and simmer, partially
covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the barley is tender.
5. Meanwhile, pull the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Cut the lamb
into small pieces. Cut the carrots and turnip into match-like strips.
6. When the barley is tender, add the meat, carrot, and turnip and reheat. Serve
piping hot in hot bowls.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
The recipe called for regular barley, but if you use pearl barley, as I did, it needs
much less time to cook, 25 to 35 minutes. (Pearl barley is polished, which
removes some of the tough hull.) I used lamb shoulder chops because they’re
easier to find than lamb neck.
The recipe called for lamb broth or water. I used water, and the soup’s
foundation didn’t suffer a bit. Claiborne said that to make lamb broth, “Simmer
lamb bones in salted water to cover for about 1 hour.”
With any soup or stew containing meat, I prefer to make the recipe across 2
days. If you prepare the soup up through Step 3 on the first day, and chill the
broth overnight, the next day you can lift off the hardened fat, which is much
easier and more effective than skimming the broth while it’s hot.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Cornell Bread (here), No-Knead Bread (here), Brown Sugar Shortbread (here)
READERS
“I make it with leftover leg of lamb, using the bone and clinging sinewy meat for
the broth. I then cook the veg and the removed cubed lamb, etc., in the broth.”
Karin B. Morese, letter
MARCH 1, 1970: “WHO SAYS NUTS TO SOUP?” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1970
TOM’S CHILLED CUCUMBER SOUP
Everyone needs a cold soup that can be made on the fly: this is it. A good
blender makes the soup’s texture feel like mousse and the walnuts give it depth
and earthiness, not something you expect in a cucumber recipe. Unfortunately,
Jean Hewitt, who wrote the story, never tells us who the brilliant Tom is.
———
2 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, preferably Greek-style
⅔ cup full-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons snipped dill
5 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1. Place the cucumber, garlic, yogurt, and sour cream in a blender and puree
until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons dill, season with salt and pepper, and mix.
Chill.
2. Place 1 tablespoon walnuts in each of 4 chilled bowls, pour in the soup, and
garnish with the remaining tablespoon of walnuts and 2 teaspoons dill.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
The best yogurt for this recipe is Fage Total yogurt, the full-fat variety, which
has a beautiful texture and flavor. Low-fat yogurt or sour cream will result in a
watery soup.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Grapefruit Wine (here), Stuffed Hard-Cooked Eggs (here), Brie with Herbs in
Bread (here), Open-Faced Tomato Sandwich (here), Lobster Roll (here), Judy
Rodgers’s Warm Bread Salad (here), Green Bean Salad with Savory Topping
(here), Gigi Salad (Shrimp, Bacon, and Green Bean Salad; here), Strawberry
Shortcakes (here), Chocolate Chip Cookies (here) READERS
“Every summer when cucumbers come in I make Tom’s Chilled Cucumber
Soup . . . I omit the walnuts. They seem to be a fussy detail that adds nothing.
There are other NY Times recipes I like, but this is my indispensable favorite.”
Irene H. Ross, letter
JULY 29, 1973: “ELEGANCE SANS EFFORT: SOUPS WITH A SHIVER,” BY JEAN HEWITT.
—1973
GARDEN MINESTRONE
Carefully constructed vegetable soups like this were relatively rare in the early
1970s. Nika Hazelton, whose recipe this is, instructed you not to put the pot on
the stove until you had layered it with tomatoes, onions, garlic, zucchini, lettuce,
peas, parsley, basil, broad beans, and olive oil. “Be sure to follow this order, and
do not stir,” she wrote. Then you cook it all gently, letting each vegetable release
its liquid on its own. No water or broth is added—the vegetables cook in their
own juices and a slick of olive oil.
———
2 large tomatoes, peeled (see Cooking Note, here) and sliced

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large zucchini, sliced
1 medium head Romaine lettuce, shredded
2 pounds fresh peas, shelled, or one 10-ounce package frozen peas
2 tablespoons minced basil
1 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
2 pounds fresh broad beans or lima beans, shelled, or one 10-ounce
package frozen lima beans
⅓ to ½ cup olive oil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Put the sliced tomatoes in the bottom of a deep 3-quart casserole that can go to
the table. Top with the sliced onions and garlic. Top with the zucchini. Add the
shredded lettuce. Place the peas on top of lettuce. Sprinkle the basil and half the
parsley over the peas and top with the beans. Sprinkle the remaining parsley and
the olive oil over all. Be sure to follow this order, and do not stir or mix the
vegetables.
2. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the
vegetables at the bottom of the casserole release their liquid. Season with salt
and pepper.
3. Now stir the vegetables and mix well. Cook, covered, over low heat, stirring
frequently, just until the beans are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Do not add water,
the vegetables have enough moisture of their own. Serve hot or lukewarm, with
Parmesan cheese.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
I tried this recipe with both frozen peas and lima beans; each worked well.
If you have a small piece of Parmesan rind, you can add it to the soup at the
beginning of cooking for extra flavor. Either way, before serving, you should stir
a small amount of the grated cheese into the soup, and then sprinkle a little more
on top.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
No-Knead Bread (here), Cornell Bread (here), Parmesan Crackers (here), Classic
Ciabatta (here), Fresh Raspberry (or Blackberry or Blueberry) Flummery (here),
Strawberry Ice Cream (here), Blueberry Ice Cream (here), Fruit Crostatas (here)
SEPTEMBER 23, 1973: “AN ITALIAN ART: NO-MEAT STEWS,” BY NIKA HAZELTON.
—1973
CREAM OF CARROT SOUP

Two hallmarks of the Craig Claiborne–Pierre Franey partnership are displayed in
this recipe. Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce were their favorite seasonings—
Claiborne once went so far as to say, “Tabasco sauce is like mother’s milk to
me.” And there’s nothing they loved more than creating a sinkful of pots and
pans. After the soup is cooked, it is first passed through a food mill and then
whipped until smooth in a blender.
Their foibles are forgiven: you’re rewarded here with a sweet, buttery soup,
each bite ending with a snap of heat. It is meant to be served cold, but it can also
be drunk warm.
———

½ cup coarsely chopped onion
1 pound carrots (8 to 10), peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
1 pound white potatoes (3 to 5), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or more to taste
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or more to taste
½ teaspoon sugar
1 cup whole milk
1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the onion and cook briefly, stirring.
Add the carrots, potatoes, and broth and bring to a boil. Add the thyme and bay
leaf, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the carrots and
potatoes are tender.
2. Put the mixture through a food mill and let it cool.
3. Put the soup in a blender and blend until very smooth (hold the lid on firmly
with a kitchen towel); this may have to be done in 2 stages. If the soup is to be
served hot, pour it into a pot, bring it to a boil, and add the remaining
ingredients. Return to a boil and serve piping hot. If it is to be served cold, add
the remaining ingredients to the blended mixture, stir well, and adjust the
seasoning. Pour the soup into a bowl and chill thoroughly. Serve very cold.
SERVES 6 TO 8
COOKING NOTES
Claiborne and Franey often instructed readers to serve soups “piping hot.” As
this usually results in a burnt tongue or two, I think it’s better to serve a soup just
hot, not nearly boiling. The flavors are more easily appreciated that way too.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Marinated Flank Steak with Asian Slaw (here), Grilled Hanger Steak (here),
Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish (here), Lemon Lotus Ice Cream (here), Clove
Granita (here), Amazon Cake (Cocoa Cake; here) JUNE 23, 1974: “FOOD: SUMMER
SOUPS: SOME LIKE THEM COLD,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
—1974
CUCUMBER, TOMATO, AND AVOCADO SOUP
The 1970s produced some unusual foods, many of which were misfires.
Remember ham and pineapple pizza? Chicken à la king? This soup—a fusion of
a French pureed vegetable soup and guacamole—sounds like one of them, but
somehow it works beautifully. The tomato and cucumber base is as smooth as
cream, even a little viscous, floating with dabs of avocado. The soup can be
served hot or cold.
———

1 cup chopped onion
4 cups peeled (see Cooking Note, here) cubed (½-inch) tomatoes,
preferably fresh, although canned may be used
4 cups peeled, cubed (½-inch) cucumbers
1 ripe avocado
¼ to 1 cup heavy cream
1. Melt the butter in a deep saucepan or pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring,
until wilted. Sprinkle with the flour and add the tomatoes, stirring rapidly with a
whisk. Add the cucumbers and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the broth,
bring to a simmer, and simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Pour the mixture, a few ladlefuls at a time, into a blender and blend well. If
the soup is to be served cold, pour into a bowl and chill. If it is to be served hot,
return it to the stove and heat thoroughly.
3. Peel and pit the avocado. Finely chop and add it to the soup, whisking rapidly.
Stir in ¼ cup cream. Taste the soup, and add more cream if desired. Serve very
cold or piping hot.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTES
During the 1970s, adding a cup of heavy cream seemed to be the capstone of
every recipe. In this soup, that much cream deadens the flavor, so I reduced it to
¼ cup. Add more as you like.
The soup was strained after pureeing, a step I found unnecessary.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
La Paloma (here), Coloradito (Red Mole with Pork; here) JUNE 23, 1974: “FOOD:
SUMMER SOUPS: SOME LIKE THEM COLD,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
—1974
SOUPE À L’OIGNON GRATINÉE
There are some recipes you can serve only to your spouse or close friends—
either because they look too weird or taste odd (but good!). This onion soup is
one of them. It is almost too strange and too delicious to describe: imagine a
fusion of bread pudding, grilled cheese, and soufflé.
The soup comes from the French cookbook Gastronomie Pratique, which was
written in 1907 by Henri Babinski, an engineer whose pen name was Ali-Bab.
The Times published the recipe in 1974, when the book was first translated into
English.
You spread baguette toasts with butter and layer them with grated cheese,
sautéed onions, and tomato puree. Then, in what seems to be a nod to stone
soup, you gently pour in salted water. Finally you bring it to a simmer and bake
it. “The soup is ready,” Babinski declared, “when the surface is baked and looks
like a crusty, golden cake, and the inside is unctuous and so well blended that it
is impossible to discern either cheese or onions.”
Babinski wrote a fine recipe but needed some tips on the social aspect of
eating: he insisted that his guests arrive on time and remain silent during the
meal.
———
1 baguette, cut into ½-inch slices (25 to 30)

1 baguette, cut into ½-inch slices (25 to 30)
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
9 ounces Emmental cheese, finely grated (about 2¼ cups)
8 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 12 cups)
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 cup tomato puree
6 cups water
1. Toast the baguette slices and let them cool. Spread a generous layer of butter
on each slice (you will need about 5 tablespoons), then lay the slices close
together on a baking sheet and top with all but ½ cup of the cheese.
2. Melt the remaining butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the
onions, season with salt to taste, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until very soft
and golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Arrange a layer of bread slices butter side up (about one-third of them) in a 5-
quart casserole. Spread one-third of the onions on top, followed by one-third of
the tomato puree. Repeat for 2 more layers. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup
cheese. (To prevent boiling over, the casserole must not be more than two-thirds
full.) 4. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add 1 tablespoon
salt. Very slowly pour the salted water into the casserole, near the edge, so that
the liquid rises just to the top layer of cheese without covering it. (Depending on
the size of your casserole, you may need more or less water.) 5. Put the casserole
on the stove, bring to a simmer, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
6. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake uncovered
for about 1 hour. “The soup is ready when the surface looks like a crusty, golden
cake, and the inside is unctuous and so well blended that it is impossible to
discern either cheese or onions.” Serve each person some of the baked crust and
some of the inside, which should be thick but not completely without liquid.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
Good broth doesn’t have to be a rich, concentrated meat stock. This soup’s broth
is made with plain old water and salt. The original recipe instructs you to pour
the salted water into the casserole through a glass funnel—a step, and piece of
equipment, that bewilders me.
Notice there are just five ingredients: onions, cheese, butter, bread, and tomato
puree. It’s worth tracking down Emmental cheese and a decent baguette—but
don’t get sourdough, which has too strong a flavor.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
A glass of good red wine and call it a night. Or for a feast: Sole Grenobloise
(Sautéed Sole with Capers and Lemons; here), Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley
(here), Chocolate Eclairs (here).
JULY 25, 1974: “FINALLY, MONUMENTAL COOKBOOK IS TRANSLATED,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM GASTRONOMIE PRATIQUE, BY ALI-BAB.
—1974
FAKI (GREEK LENTIL SOUP)
This recipe was sent to Craig Claiborne by a reader as a way of complaining

about another lentil soup recipe he had recently published (the soup recipe was
meant to be in honor of Esau, a son of Abraham, but Claiborne had included
peppers and tomatoes, two New World ingredients). The reader was Vilma
Liacouras Chantiles, the author of The Food of Greece. I’ve never made
Claiborne’s heretical lentil soup, but Chantile’s is a memorable, robust one. You
cook it forever and think you’ll be left with gruel, but the soup magically
coalesces. Chantiles suggested serving it with “feta, olives, salad, crusty bread,
and wine.”
———
1 pound lentils
About 8 cups warm water
1 large onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 small or 1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
5 to 6 canned Italian-style plum tomatoes, and their juices
1 large bay leaf
4 sprigs parsley
Chopped mint, basil, or oregano to taste
⅓ cup olive oil
Red wine vinegar
1. Wash and pick over the lentils, and place in a soup pot with warm water to
cover. Let stand for 1 hour.
2. Bring the pot of lentils to a boil. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and tomatoes,
cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Stir the herbs and oil into the soup and season with salt and pepper. Continue
to simmer, covered, for another 1½ hours, or until the soup is very thick and the
lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, adding 2 tablespoons vinegar toward the
end.
4. Serve hot, with additional vinegar on the side.
SERVES 10
COOKING NOTES
Use regular green lentils, not the tiny French le Puy ones. Well, I suppose you
could use them, but I haven’t tried it.
After the first hour of cooking, the soup will seem very stodgy, but it loosens
up once you add the oil.
I used 3 sprigs of mint, about 10 large leaves.
Be generous with the salt. Lentils really soak it up.
This makes a huge amount—you may want to freeze half the batch.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
See Chantiles’s thoughts in the headnote. Alternatively: Salade à la Grecque
(here), Broiled Lamb Leg Chops on Eggplant Planks with Mint-Yogurt Sauce
(here), Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley (here), Hazelnut Baklava (here).
FEBRUARY 7, 1977: “DE GUSTIBUS: AND, NOW, A GREEK WORD ON MAKING LENTIL SOUP,” BY CRAIG
CLAIBORNE. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM VILMA LIACOURAS CHANTILES, AUTHOR OF THE FOOD OF GREECE.
—1977
SOUPE DE POISSON JARDINIÈRE (FISH SOUP WITH

VEGETABLES)
Early in Pierre Franey’s career, decades before he became a writer at the Times
in the 1960s, he was a junior poissonièr at Le Pavillon, New York’s first
important modern French restaurant (after Delmonico’s, which served old-
fashioned French food). It was his great skill with fish that got him noticed by
Henri Soulé, the owner of Le Pavillon, and Franey eventually became the
restaurant’s head chef.
I was well into my research before I learned this about Franey, and, as it
happens, I’d already tried many of his fish recipes and chosen a number of them
for the book (see for instance, Sole Grenobloise here). He knew how to add
flavor to fish without overpowering it. This fish soup is one of his more
elaborate creations: nineteen ingredients, four steps, plus recipes for fish broth
and croutons. But I can think of much simpler recipes that are more cumbersome
to prepare—sausage, for instance. Just make the soup when you have a friend
around to help you chop.
The vegetables and fish are the core of the recipe, of course, but it’s the cream
that really pulls it together, harmonizing the heat, the saffron, the peppers, and
the fish.
———
¼ cup olive oil

1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped green or red bell peppers (preferably 1 cup of each)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1½ cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts; about 2 medium)
1 teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads
1 dried hot red chile
1 bay leaf
2 cups cored, peeled, and cubed tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup peeled potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes, held in a bowl of cold
water
3 cups Fish Broth (recipe follows), or use water or a combination of
half bottled clam juice and half water
1¾ pounds skinless, boneless fish fillets, such as striped bass or
blackfish, cut into 1½-inch chunks
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons anise-flavored liqueur, such as Ricard or Pernod
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Fresh Bread Croutons (recipe follows; optional)
1. Pour the oil into a casserole set over medium heat, add the onion, and cook
until wilted. Add the peppers, garlic, leeks and saffron, and cook, stirring, for 1
minute. Add the chile, bay leaf, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste and cook
until the leeks begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and potatoes,
cover and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the fish broth, or the water or clam broth mixed with water. Add the fish
and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Add the liqueur. Serve sprinkled with the
chopped parsley and if desired, with 2 croutons (1 if serving as a first course) for
each serving.
SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE, 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
FISH BROTH
Combine about 1½ pounds fish bones (with the heads but with gills removed)
and 3 cups of water in a large saucepan or a small pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, turning the fish bones once.
Strain the broth.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS
FRESH BREAD CROUTONS

Rub the crust of a section of French bread large enough to make 8 slices with a
peeled clove of garlic. Cut into 8 slices (6 if serving this as a first course). Brush
each slice with ½ teaspoon olive oil. Place under the broiler, turning once, until
crisp and golden.
MAKES 6 OR 8 CROUTONS
COOKING NOTES
I used red snapper; I bought them whole and had them filleted. Two fish,
weighing a total of 3½ pounds, yielded 1¾ pounds fillets and 1¾ pounds bones
(for the broth).
While I have come to adore the precision and strategy in Franey’s cooking, we
part ways on the tomato. Franey never met a tomato he didn’t peel. The choice is
up to you. I used yellow tomatoes, which were like rays of light in the soup.
Do make the fish broth and croutons—both are worth the effort. The croutons
feature a great trick. Rather than rubbing garlic on slices of bread, Franey has
you rub it on the crust of the baguette before slicing the bread, which is much
easier to do.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Crisp white wine. Cheese Straws (here), Crostini with Eggplant and Pine Nut
Puree (here), Seasoned Olives (here), Cucumber–Goat Cheese Dip with
Radishes and Scallions (here), An Honest Loaf of French Bread (here), No-
Knead Bread (here), Lucas Schoorman’s Lemon Tart (here), Lemon Lotus Ice
Cream (here) PERIOD DETAIL
Franey wrote, “There are, on occasion, certain ingredients that add such special
character to a dish, they are really worth going out of one’s way to find. In the
fish soup listed here, . . . that special ingredient is chopped leek.”
JUNE 22, 1977: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1977
CURRIED ZUCCHINI SOUP

This was one of the first recipes I made when I started working on this book.
The instructions said to cook the zucchini, covered, for 45 minutes, and I was
sure it would turn out like prison food. But Craig Claiborne is famous for a
reason: no matter how puzzling they may sound, his recipes work. Somehow
during the zucchini’s slow, necessary simmer, it intensifies and takes on a light
roasted flavor, and while the zucchini does turn a putrid green, the yellow curry
gives it a golden hue.
———
6 small zucchini, trimmed and cut into chunks

1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1½ teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons raw rice
1½ cups whole milk or heavy cream
Minced chives for garnish
1. Combine the zucchini, onion, curry powder, ginger, and mustard in a

saucepan, add the chicken broth and rice, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer
for about 45 minutes.
2. Puree the mixture in a blender or pass it through a food mill. Add the milk and
season with salt and pepper. Chill thoroughly or serve hot. Garnish with chives.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTE
If your curry powder or ground ginger is more than a year old, toss and buy new!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Roasted Salmon with Herb Vinaigrette (here), Pan-Barbecued Shrimp (here),
Beer-Can Chicken (here), Tomatoes Vinaigrette (here), Cucumbers in Cream
(here), Strawberry Charlotte (here), Almond and Buttermilk Sorbet (here),
Strawberry Shortcakes (here) JUNE 30, 1980: “DE GUSTIBUS: A ‘COOKBOOKLET’
INSPIRED BY ZUCCHINI,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM GAD ZUKES, BY
THE ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, BRANCH OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF
UNIVERSITY WOMEN.
—1980
CRÈME SENEGALESE (CURRIED CREAM OF CHICKEN

SOUP)
Crème Senegalese, a faintly sweet, hearty chicken soup that few in Senegal
would recognize, is served chilled.
———

½ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts)
1 cup chopped leeks (white and pale green parts)
½ cup diced bananas
1½ cups peeled, cored, and diced apples
1 cup peeled, chopped tomatoes
1 cup peeled, cubed potatoes
4 to 6 drops Tabasco sauce, or more to taste
3½ cups chicken broth
1 cup well-chilled heavy cream
½ cup finely diced cooked chicken breast
1. Melt the butter in a heavy casserole over medium heat. Add the onion and
cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the curry powder and stir to coat the
onion. Add the leeks, garlic, bananas, apples, tomatoes, and potatoes. Season
with salt, pepper, and the Tabasco, and stir well. Add the chicken broth, bring to
a simmer, and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Pour half of the mixture at a time into a food processor or blender and blend
well. Pour the soup into a bowl and season with salt. Chill thoroughly.
3. When ready to serve, add the heavy cream and chicken and mix well.
SERVES 4 TO 8
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Ginger Daiquiri (here), Egg and Olive Canapés (here), Beef Satay with Peanut
Sauce (here), Caramelized Bacon (here), Salted and Deviled Almonds (here),
Salade à la Romaine (here), Spanish Cream (here), Coconut Rice Pudding with
Lime Syrup (here), Almond Granita (here), Frozen Lemon Soufflé (here) JULY 5,
1981: “COLD SOUPS FOR SUMMER,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
—1981
PAUL STEINDLER’S CABBAGE SOUP
Paul Steindler was a chef, ex–Olympic wrestler, and good friend of Craig
Claiborne and Pierre Franey. The soup’s cabbage, bacon, and preponderance of
caraway, all fundamental elements of Eastern European cooking, will make you
want to drink vodka and eat plum cake. There, you’ve been warned.
The caraway defines the soup, but the dashes of sugar and vinegar give it flair.
———
———
6 cups finely sliced cabbage (about 1 pound)

1 cup finely diced bacon (about 6 ounces)
¾ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup peeled, finely diced carrots
1⅓ cups finely diced potatoes
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed or pulverized
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
1 cup of heavy cream
Whole milk, if needed
¼ cup finely chopped dill
1. Bring enough water to cover the cabbage when it is added to a boil in a large
pot. Add the cabbage and cook for 1 minute. Drain.
2. Cook the bacon in a casserole or small pot over medium-low heat until
rendered of fat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until wilted. Sprinkle with the
flour and stir. Add the broth, stirring rapidly with a wire whisk. When the
mixture simmers, add the cabbage, carrots, potatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and
the caraway seeds. Stir in the vinegar and sugar and cook, stirring often from the
bottom up until the vegetables are just tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. This is a very rich, thick soup. If
desired, you may thin it with a little milk.
4. Serve in hot soup bowls, each serving sprinkled with dill.
SERVES 6 TO 8
COOKING NOTE
The original recipe called for 1½ cups heavy cream—1 cup was plenty.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Saucisson Soûl (here), Chicken Paprikash (here), Veal Goulash with Spaetzle
(here), Queen of Puddings (here), Papa’s Apple Pound Cake (here), Teddie’s
Apple Cake (here), Polish Jewish Plum Cake (here), Purple Plum Torte (here)
NOVEMBER 6, 1983: “HEARTY SOUPS,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM PAUL STEINDLER.
—1983
BILLI-BI AU SAFRAN (MUSSELS IN SAFFRON CREAM)
Named for William B. Leeds—Billi-Bi—a regular at Maxim’s in Paris, who

loved this soup.
———

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped onion
½ clove garlic, finely minced
1½ teaspoons saffron threads
1½ quarts mussels, well scrubbed and debearded
Tabasco sauce
2 cups heavy cream
1. Melt the butter in a deep saucepan or pot. Add the shallots, onion, garlic, and
saffron and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the mussels. Add Tabasco to
taste, the parsley, and wine, cover, and cook until the mussels just begin to open,
about 4 minutes.
2. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. The mussels
may be left in the whole shell, but it is preferable if one half of the shell is
removed from each and they are served in the soup on the half-shell.
3. Serve the soup piping hot with good bread or toasts brushed with olive oil.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
When measuring the saffron threads, don’t pack them into the measuring spoon,
just drop them in.
Be careful not to overcook the mussels in Step 1, because they’ll cook further
in Step 2.
SERVING SUGGESTION
Corn Cakes with Caviar (here)
NOVEMBER 30, 1983: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1983
PAUL PRUDHOMME’S CAJUN-STYLE GUMBO
This book contains a bunch of what I call two-man dishes—recipes that you
wouldn’t want to make alone, such as the Turducken here and the Gâteau de
Crepes here. This is another one. There are mountains of vegetables to chop,
potatoes to peel, and shrimp to clean. Such culinary expeditions, though
increasingly rare, are important trials. When you’ve finished, you’ll feel as if
you’d climbed Everest, except that the reward is a feast, rather than frostbite.
Prudhomme’s gumbo could burn your nose off—you may want to start with 1
teaspoon cayenne and add more to taste, or torment.
———
1 cup melted pork lard (or use peanut, corn, or vegetable oil)
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups finely chopped onions
1½ cups finely chopped green bell peppers
1 cup finely chopped celery
10 small or 5 large bay leaves
1¾ teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons minced garlic
6 cups (about 1½ pounds) fresh, tender young okra, cut into ¼-inch-
thick rounds, or three 10-ounce packages frozen cut okra
3 cups smoked ham cut into “sticks” about 1 inch long and ½ inch thick
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt if desired
4 cups peeled (see Cooking Note, here), seeded, and coarsely chopped
ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds), or chopped imported canned
tomatoes 6 cups Fish Stock (recipe follows), or fish broth
1 pound peeled blanched (parboiled) crayfish tails
Filé powder to be added as desired (optional)
1. Heat ½ cup of the melted lard (or oil) in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-
high heat until it is barely smoking. Add the flour and stir vigorously and
constantly with a wire whisk for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is the color
of dark chocolate. Take care that it does not burn.
2. Quickly add half of the onions, ½ cup green peppers, and ½ cup celery, reduce
the heat, and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add 4 small bay leaves or 2
large bay leaves, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon white pepper, and ½
teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon
minced garlic and cook briefly, stirring—the mixture will be very dry at this
point. Scrape the mixture into a large deep casserole and set aside.
3. Wash out the skillet and return it to the stove. Heat the remaining ½ cup
melted lard (or oil) in the skillet over very high heat. When it is hot and almost
smoking, add the okra and cook until tender, stirring often, for 12 to 15 minutes.
(Frozen okra may take less time.) Add the remaining onions, green peppers,
celery, and minced garlic, 1 cup ham, and the remaining bay leaves. Continue
cooking over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
4. Add the remaining ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon white pepper, and
1½ teaspoons black pepper, and the garlic powder. Add salt if desired, and cook
until the mixture is quite dry, 2 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir, and cook,
stirring often for 8 to 10 minutes: stir carefully and often all over the bottom of
the pot to prevent sticking and burning.
5. Pour and scrape this mixture into the large casserole containing the browned
flour. Add the fish stock and the remaining 2 cups ham, bring to a simmer, and
simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring often all over the bottom. (The base of this
gumbo, before the seafood is added, can be made several days in advance and
refrigerated; it can also be frozen.) 6. Add the crayfish tails (or shrimp) and bring
to a boil. Let simmer for about 5 minutes (less time if using crab or oysters).
Remove the bay leaves.
7. Serve the filé powder separately to be added by each guest according to taste.
Serve with plain boiled or steamed rice.
SERVES 10
FISH STOCK
FISH STOCK
2 pounds bones from white-fleshed, nonoily fish (including heads if
possible, but with gills removed)
6 cups water
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt if desired
Run the fish bones under cold running water. Place the bones in a pot or deep
saucepan and add all of the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer
for 20 minutes. Strain; discard the solids. (Leftover stock can be frozen.)
MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS
COOKING NOTES
If you can get lard from a local farmer or a good butcher, it’s worth the effort, as
it forms the flavor base of the gumbo. I used rendered leaf lard from Flying Pigs
Farm, www.flyingpigsfarm.com.
I bought fresh fish stock, but I’ve included Prudhomme’s recipe for fish stock
above if you can’t get fresh.
Filé powder is available from Penzeys Spices, www.penzeys.com.
Tasso, a New Orleans specialty, is best for this gumbo; or if you’d like to
make a Creole-style gumbo, use a mild, store-bought smoked ham, not a heavily
smoked ham.
I couldn’t get crayfish, so I used shrimp—a fine substitute. If you’d like to
convert this gumbo into a Creole creation, use an equal weight of small shrimp
and/or crabmeat and/or oysters, or a 1-pound combination of them all.
Claiborne wrote, “A 12-inch heavy cast-iron skillet is almost essential for the
preparation of this dish. I strongly recommend that all the ingredients be
chopped and assembled before starting to cook. Combine and assemble them in
the order in which they will be used so they may be added without hesitation.”
When cooking the flour in the lard, I took it to the color of dulce de leche. The
pan was beginning to smoke, and I didn’t want to burn the mixture. Choose your
comfort zone.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fresh Succotash (here), Rice (here), Key Lime Pie (here), Jean Halberstam’s
Deep-Fried Peaches (here) READERS
“. . . the foundation of my kitchen, a recipe I double and make twice a year.”
Christopher Bromsey, New York, NY, letter
MAY 6, 1984: “REGIONAL COOKING: SOUTHERN CUISINES,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY. RECIPE
ADAPTED FROM PAUL PRUDHOMME, THE CHEF OF K-PAUL’S IN NEW ORLEANS.
—1984
ZUPPA DI FUNGHI SICILIANA (SICILIAN MUSHROOM

SOUP)
So-called “wild mushrooms” (many of which were actually cultivated) were so

new to readers in 1985 that the Times included a pronunciation for “porcini.”
This delicious rustic soup contains an element from the Italian egg drop soup
stracciatella, which translates as “little rags.” Just before serving, 2 eggs are
beaten into the soup, and strands of egg twist their way through the broth. The
only detail I’d change is the way it’s served. The soup is ladled onto thick
country bread toast, which immediately relaxes, leaving you with a soup of soft
textures. If you want a little crunch, as I did, put the toast on top of the soup. (I
can already hear Nancy Harmon Jenkins, whose recipe this is, protesting:
“That’s what the French would do, not Italians!”) ——— 4 cups homemade beef
or chicken broth (do not use canned broth)
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pound wild mushrooms (such as morels, hen of the woods, black
trumpets, and oyster), trimmed and thinly sliced
One 16-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and finely chopped,
or 2 very ripe medium tomatoes, peeled (see Cooking Notes, here),
cored, seeded, and finely chopped Salt and freshly ground black
pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs
4 to 6 slices (½-inch-thick) Italian or French country-syle bread,
4 to 6 slices (½-inch-thick) Italian or French country-syle bread,
toasted
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1. Place the stock in a heavy-bottomed soup pot and bring to a slow simmer over
medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the olive oil in a medium saucepan over
medium-high heat. When the foam has subsided, add the garlic and onion and
sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 1 minute. Add
the mushrooms and sauté, stirring frequently, until the mushroom liquid has
evaporated and the slices are beginning to brown.
3. Add the mushroom mixture to the simmering stock, along with the tomatoes
and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer very gently, uncovered, until the flavors are
well blended, about 30 minutes.
4. Just before serving, stir the parsley into the soup. Beat the eggs with a fork in
a small bowl until blended. Slowly add the beaten eggs to the simmering soup,
beating constantly with a long-handled fork. The eggs will spin out in threads.
5. To serve, place a piece of toasted bread in each of 4 soup plates. Ladle the hot
soup over the bread. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan and serve immediately,
accompanied by a bowl of extra grated cheese.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Braised Ligurian Chicken (here), Steamed Spinach with Balsamic Butter (here),
Italian Roast Potatoes (here), Apple Snow (here), Pine Nut Cookies (here),
Tartelettes aux Pommes Lionel Poilâne (Individual Apple Tarts; here) OCTOBER
23, 1985: “GROWING U.S. TASTE FOR MUSHROOMS,” BY NANCY HARMON JENKINS.
—1985
PUMPKIN–BLACK BEAN SOUP
If you’re like me and raise an eyebrow about most black bean soups, this one
may allay your suspicions. For one thing, it doesn’t contain jalapeño. It’s rich
and succulent but not at all sludgy. The soup owes its charm to sherry and sharp
sherry vinegar, and its lightness in texture to the pumpkin, which disappears into
the inky blackness, imperceptible to your guests.
———
———
1 pound dried black beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
1½ cups finely chopped onions
3 large cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup canned tomatoes, drained
1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree
6 ounces boiled ham, cut into ⅛-inch cubes
2½ to 3½ cups beef broth
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 to 4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
½ to 1 cup medium sherry
A sugar pumpkin (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (optional)
1. Place the beans in a large heavy saucepan and cover with boiling water by
about 2 inches. Add 1 teaspoon salt and return to a boil, then reduce heat and
simmer, partially covered, 2 to 3 hours, or until the beans are tender. Add more
water if the beans become dry.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. When it has
foamed, stir in the onions and garlic and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly
colored and tender. Set aside.
3. When the beans are tender, stir in the tomatoes. Transfer to a food processor,
in batches, and, with a few pulses, process until the beans have started to smooth
out but are still somewhat chunky.
4. Return the beans and tomatoes to the saucepan and stir in the pumpkin, ham,
and 2½ cups stock. Add the sautéed onions and garlic, cumin, 3 tablespoons
sherry vinegar, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste and stir to mix
well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and continue cooking, uncovered, for
another 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Meanwhile, if you like, prepare a pumpkin for serving: Use a handsome
pumpkin—a so-called sugar pumpkin has fewer seeds and heavier meat. Cut off
the lid in a scalloped or zigzag pattern. Remove the seeds and pull off the strings
from them. Toss the seeds with the oil and toast on a baking sheet in a preheated
400-degree oven for 7 to 9 minutes, until they are well colored. Remove from
the oven and sprinkle with salt.
6. Stir ½ cup sherry into the soup and taste for salt, vinegar, and other
seasonings. If the soup is too thick, add more stock or sherry. If it is too thin,
continue cooking until thicker.
7. Fill the pumpkin with the soup (or transfer it to a tureen) and use the toasted
seeds as garnish.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTES
For “medium sherry,” use a fino (dry) sherry.
The recipe calls for just 1 cup of canned pumpkin puree, marginally less than
a standard 15-ounce can. If you find this annoying, as I did, simply add the rest.
Serving the soup in a pumpkin is entirely optional, but the style is
characteristic of the period, so I left it in.
As for the ingredients with variable amounts, I used 3½ cups broth and 3
tablespoons vinegar; ½ cup sherry was sufficient, but a little more wouldn’t hurt.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
North Carolina–Style Pulled Pork (here), Brine-Cured Pork Chops (here),
Mezzaluna Salad (here), Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion (here), Roasted
Cauliflower (here), Mushrooms with Manzanilla Sherry (here), Gratin of Yams
and Chipotle Cream (here), Mashed Potatoes Anna (here), Potato “Tostones”
(Flattened Potatoes; here), Madeleine Kamman’s Apple Mousse (here),
Marcella’s Pear Cake (here) OCTOBER 19, 1986: “THE GHOSTS OF MANY LANDS,” BY
JOANNA PRUESS.
—1986
BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH SALSA AND JALAPEÑO

CORN-BREAD MUFFINS
At the end of cooking this soup, you add lime juice, cayenne, cilantro, and
cumin, and it’s like shooting a current through the pot. The soup’s flavor
electrifies. At the table, you then add salsa and sour cream. Don’t stir them in,
just dip into them every now and then to revive your palate.
———
½ pound smoked slab bacon with rind

½ pound smoked slab bacon with rind
1½ cups finely chopped onions
1½ cups finely chopped celery
1½ cups finely diced carrots
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup finely chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tablespoon dried oregano,
crumbled
1¼ teaspoons dried thyme
¼ cup ground cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 quarts chicken broth, preferably homemade and concentrated
1 pound dried black turtle beans or other black beans (about 2 cups),
rinsed and picked over
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
Salsa (recipe follows)
Sour cream for garnish
Jalapeño Corn-Bread Muffins (optional; recipe follows)
1. Slice off the rind of the bacon; reserve. Cut the bacon into ¼-inch cubes.
There should be about 1½ cups.
2. Put the bacon cubes and rind into a heavy soup pot or casserole and cook over
medium-low heat, stirring often, until rendered of fat. The bacon cubes should
be well browned and crisp.
3. Add the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaf, garlic, oregano, thyme, 3 tablespoons
cumin, and the black pepper. Stir to blend, cover the pot tightly, and cook for
about 5 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to burn.
4. Add the tomato paste and stir briefly. Add the chicken broth and bring to a
boil. Add the beans and cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat for about 2½
hours, stirring occasionally and skimming the surface occasionally to remove
foam, scum, and fat as it rises to the top. The soup is ready when the beans are
soft and some of them have disintegrated because of the cooking heat and
stirring.
5. Stir in the lime juice, cayenne pepper, salt to taste, cilantro, and remaining
tablespoon of cumin. Remove and discard the bacon rind and bay leaf.
6. Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Serve the salsa and sour cream on the side, to
be added at will, and, if desired, with the corn-bread muffins as an
accompaniment.
SERVES 8 TO 12
SALSA
½ cup finely chopped white or Spanish onion
2 cups tomatoes cut into ¼-inch cubes
1½ teaspoons finely chopped, seeded jalapeño peppers, or more to taste
Salt if desired
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend well. Refrigerate until ready to
serve.
MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS
JALAPEÑO CORN-BREAD MUFFINS
Melted butter or bacon fat for greasing the muffin tin

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
1 tablespoon sifted baking powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
⅔ cup sour cream
⅔ cup whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
⅓ cup finely diced hot chiles, jalapeños or poblanos, or use canned
jalapeños
⅓ cup finely diced scallions
⅓ cup drained canned corn kernels
1¾ cups finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease eight ½-cup muffin cups. Combine the
flour, cornmeal, baking powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and cumin in a bowl and
blend well.
2. Combine the sour cream and milk in a small bowl and blend well with a
whisk. Beat in the melted butter and egg. Add the liquid ingredients to the
cornmeal mixture and blend well. Add the chiles, scallions, corn, and cheese.
Blend thoroughly.
3. Spoon equal portions of the batter into the muffin cups. The batter may be a
bit higher than the top of the tin. Bake until the centers spring back when
touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
These muffins are best eaten hot, fresh from the oven.
MAKES 8 MUFFINS
COOKING NOTES
This soup is better made at least a day in advance.
Double the muffin recipe if serving 12.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Nueces Canyon Cabrito (Goat Tacos; here), Brined and Roasted Pork Belly
(here), Fish Tacos (here), Beets in Lime Cream (here), Chopped Salad with
Lemon Zest Vinaigrette (here), Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado (here),
Zucchini and Vermouth (here), Stewed Corn (here), Peach Salad (here), Jean
Halberstam’s Deep-Fried Peaches (here) JANUARY 4, 1987: “FOOD: THE
HOMECOMING,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
—1987
SOUPE À L’AIL (GARLIC SOUP)
The spare ingredient list belies the rich fragrance of this soup. Unlike other
garlic soups I’ve had, this one calls for egg yolks and vinegar, which are swirled
in at the end to achieve opposite goals. The yolks soften the broth and the
vinegar makes the flavor more pointed. I don’t really get it, but it works. See for
yourself!
The best time to make this soup is in the late spring, when you can get garlic
that’s fresh from the soil at a farmers’ market.
———

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large heads garlic (about 36 cloves), separated into cloves, peeled, and
coarsely chopped
8 cups water
3 ounces vermicelli or angel hair pasta, broken into small pieces
6 large eggs, separated
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1. Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan or a small pot over medium-
high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute; do not brown the
garlic. Add the water and season with salt (about 1 teaspoon) and pepper. Bring
to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve the garlic. Put the garlic and ½ cup of
the cooking liquid in a blender or food processor and blend to a fine puree.
3. Put the remaining cooking liquid in a saucepan, add the puree, and bring to a
boil. Add the vermicelli, stir, and cook for about 3 minutes; do not overcook.
4. Meanwhile, blend the egg yolks and vinegar in a bowl.
5. Turn off the heat under the saucepan. Drop in the egg whites and cover the
pan. Do not stir—they will form a cloud-like mixture. When the whites are fully
cooked, add the egg yolk mixture and stir very slowly. Taste and adjust the
seasoning.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Spoon Lamb (here), Buttermilk Roast Chicken (here), Mashed Potatoes Anna
(here), Breton Butter Cake (here) AUGUST 28, 1988: “FOOD: BISTRO BASICS,” BY
BRYAN MILLER AND PIERRE FRANEY.
—1988
TORTILLA SOUP
TORTILLA SOUP
As with most recipes by Regina Schrambling, a Times food writer—see here and
here—every detail is carefully considered. The sour cream and avocado aren’t
there for comfort’s sake, they’re there to cool the heat of the chiles. My only
suggestion is to be generous with the cilantro.
———
4 poblano or jalapeño peppers

6 large ripe tomatoes, cored
¼ cup bacon drippings or olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 cups vegetable oil
18 corn tortillas
1 cup sour cream
2 ripe California avocados
Cilantro sprigs for garnish
1. Heat a gas or charcoal grill or the broiler. Grill or broil the poblanos, turning
frequently, until they’re black and blistered on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer
to a paper bag or wrap in foil and let stand until cool enough to handle. Grill or
broil the tomatoes briefly, turning occasionally, until their skin blisters and
loosens. Let cool.
2. Slide the skins off the peppers and tomatoes. Remove the seeds from the
peppers and coarsely chop the flesh.
3. Heat the bacon drippings in a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-low
heat. Add the sliced onions and garlic and cook slowly, stirring frequently, until
golden and very soft, about 15 minutes.
4. Using your fingers, crush the tomatoes into the pot. Add the peppers, broth,
oregano, and cumin and bring to a simmer, then simmer over low heat for 30
minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a deep heavy skillet over medium-high
heat. Slice the tortillas into strips about ¾ inch wide. When the oil reaches a
temperature of 365 degrees, fry the tortilla strips, a handful at a time, until they
are crisp but not browned. Drain on paper towels and keep warm on a baking
sheet in a 175-degree oven.
6. When the soup is done, transfer it to a blender or food processor, in batches,
and puree until almost smooth. The consistency should be smoother than salsa.
Return the soup to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and reheat over low heat.
7. To serve, peel, pit, and thinly slice the avocados. Arrange the tortillas in
shallow soup bowls so that the ends of the strips protrude over the rim. Ladle the
warm soup over. Top each bowlful with a large spoonful of sour cream. Divide
the avocado among the bowls, fanning out the slices over the sour cream.
Garnish with cilantro sprigs.
SERVES 6 TO 8
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
La Paloma (here), Grilled Onion Guacamole (here), Guacamole Tostadas (here),
Maida Heatter’s Cuban Black Beans and Rice (here), Hot Pepper Shrimp (here),
Salted Caramel Ice Cream (here), Key Lime Pie (here) JULY 23, 1989: “FOOD: HOT
STUFF,” BY REGINA SCHRAMBLING.
—1989
MARMITAKO (BASQUE TUNA SOUP)
This soup is a strange one, but beguilingly so. The first thing you taste is the
shrill flavor of the green peppers, followed by the building warmth of the dried
sweet chiles, and finally the musky tuna. As the recipe requires a lot of
determination (chopping) and patience (scraping the flesh from the rehydrated
peppers)—serve the soup as the main course for a dinner party.
———
3 dried sweet red chiles such as ancho or New Mexico

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1½ pounds tuna, cut into ¾-inch cubes
4 medium onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 small green bell peppers (about 1 pound), cored, seeded, and finely
4 small green bell peppers (about 1 pound), cored, seeded, and finely
chopped
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
4 teaspoons paprika, preferably sweet/smoked Spanish paprika
(pimentón)
2 tablespoons brandy
1½ pounds new or red waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 pound plum tomatoes, peeled (see Cooking Note, here) and chopped
6 cups water (or, preferably, a mixture of half chicken or fish broth
and half water)
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1 medium leek, white and pale green parts, split and washed well
1 dried hot red chile, cut crosswise in half and seeded, or ½ teaspoon
crushed red pepper flakes
12 slices (about 3⁄8-inch-thick) coarse country bread
1. Remove the stems from the dried sweet chiles and shake out the seeds. Cover
the chiles with warm water in a small bowl and let sit at room temperature for 20
minutes. Drain.
2. Heat the oil in a large shallow casserole until very hot. Quickly sear the tuna
for about 1 minute, just until it loses its pink color. Remove the tuna and reserve.
Lower the heat, add the onions, garlic, green peppers, and parsley, and simmer
for 5 minutes. Cover tightly and cook very slowly for 30 minutes (the onions
should not brown).
3. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Uncover the casserole and stir in the paprika.
Raise the heat, add the brandy, and, using a long fireplace match, flame the
brandy. When the flame dies, stir in the potatoes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the
tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the water, then add the carrot, leek,
and hot chile.
4. Scrape the flesh from the softened chiles, discarding the skin, and add the
flesh to the casserole. Add salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil, then
reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost
tender.
5. Meanwhile, place the bread on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5
minutes. Turn and toast for 5 minutes more, or until slightly golden. Reserve.
6. Remove the leek, carrot, and hot chile pepper from the pot, if you used it, and
discard. Add the tuna, taste again for salt, and bring to a boil, then reduce the
heat and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the tuna is just barely done. Cover and let
sit for 5 minutes.
7. Serve in soup bowls with the toasted bread on the side, to be dunked in the
soup.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
I couldn’t find ancho peppers, so I used chiles negros, which are as large as
anchos but much darker.
I used small red creamer potatoes, so I didn’t peel them.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Start with Rebujitos (here) and a bunch of tapas: Fried Chickpeas (here), Fried
Olives (here), Pan con Tomate (here), Potato, Ham, and Piquillo Pepper
Croquetas (here). If you want to begin with the soup and go to a middle course,
have Chorizo Revueltos (here) or Lightly Smoked Salt Cod Salad (here). End
with: Reuben’s Apple Pancake (here), Lucas Schoorman’s Lemon Tart (here),
Moroccan Rice Pudding (here), Delicate Bread Pudding (here), Toasts with
Chocolate, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt (here).
OCTOBER 15, 1989: “FOOD: SPAIN IN A STEW,” BY PENELOPE CASAS.
—1989
CHESTNUT SOUP
It was surprisingly difficult to find a good chestnut soup recipe. After two
failures, I was about to give up, but in the final hour gave this one a try. This one
doesn’t go off course with flavors like celery or pumpkin. It sticks to what
matters in chestnut soup: the chestnuts!
Many people have a misguided impression of chestnut soup as a leaden bomb,
reserved for hunting trips. Chestnuts possess more flavor than starch, so as long
as you emphasize the former and loosen the latter (here, by pureeing it), you
have a treat in store.
———

Two 8-ounce jars peeled roasted chestnuts
Two 8-ounce jars peeled roasted chestnuts
3 ounces lean smoked slab bacon, cut into 3 pieces
3 sprigs fennel, plus a few sprigs for garnish
1 to 2 cups goat’s milk or goat yogurt (like Yo-Goat)
1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the
chestnuts, bacon, fennel, and salt and pepper to taste, reduce the heat, and
simmer gently for 40 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat; discard the
bacon.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chestnuts to a food processor. Add 2 cups
of the broth and process to a smooth puree.
3. Pour the puree into a clean saucepan and add about ½ cup of the the remaining
broth to thin the puree. Add 1 cup goat’s milk and stir well to combine; add up to
1 cup more if you like. Correct the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if
desired. Heat gently and serve garnished with fresh fennel sprigs.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
If you can’t find jarred chestnuts, roast your own! Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cut an X in the rounded side of the chestnuts and set them on a baking sheet.
Roast until the X begins to expand and the chestnuts are tender when pricked
with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with
a tea towel. When cool enough to handle, remove the outer shells as well as the
brown skin that clings to the nuts.
If you can’t find or don’t like goat’s milk, you can use regular whole milk or,
better yet, combine some milk with a little Greek yogurt, so you get both the
richness and tang.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Slow-Roasted Duck (here), Roast Quail with Sage Dressing (here), Quail with
Rosemary on Soft Polenta (here), Collared Pork (here), The Most Voluptous
Cauliflower (here), Shallot Pudding (here), Stewed Fennel (here), Anton
Mosimann’s Braised Brussels Sprouts in Cream (here), Apple Galette (here),
Apple Snow (here), Chocolate Cake with Bay Leaf Syrup (here) DECEMBER 9,
1990: “FOOD: A TASTE OF CORSICA,” BY COLETTE ROSSANT.
—1990
SPEEDY FISH STEW WITH ORANGE AND FENNEL
———
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¾ cup dry white wine
One 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree, preferably with no added
salt
Grated zest of 1 orange
½ to 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 small bay leaf
¾ pound fish fillets or boneless steaks (such as grouper, snapper, sea
bass, or swordfish), cut into 1½-to 2-inch chunks
Boiled potatoes for serving
1. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or pot. Add the onion and garlic
and sauté until the onion softens and begins to brown. Add the wine, tomatoes,
tomato paste, orange zest, fennel, thyme, and bay leaf. Season with salt and
pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add the fish and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the fish is done. Serve over
boiled potatoes.
SERVES 2
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Watercress Salad (here), Pan con Tomate (here), Tarte aux Pommes (French
Apple Tart; here), Almond and Buttermilk Sorbet (here), Bittersweet Chocolate
Semifreddo (here) MARCH 3, 1991: “SUNDAY MENU: FRESH FISH STEW WITH ORANGE
AND FENNEL,” BY MARIAN BURROS.
—1991
MOROCCAN TOMATO SOUP

Newspaper food writing is an odd blend of journalism, trend spotting, and whim.
While the food section in the Times has grown increasingly news-driven over the
past two decades, the opinions and tastes of the section’s writers have always
guided the coverage.
Sometimes there is no real reason for a story. Sometimes it’s just that it’s hot
out and people want to eat cold food, and that’s that. Such was the case with a
1991 column by Barbara Kafka, the author of the bestselling Microwave
Gourmet. Kafka recalled eating Louis Diat’s vichyssoise at The Ritz-Carlton in
New York as a young girl, which inspired her lasting love for chilled soups.
“Spurred by laziness, a dislike of heat, and my own love of the genre,” she
wrote, “I set out to devise a group of cold soups that can be made virtually
without heat, in a kind of international journey of reading and remembering.”
And off she went, ruminating on grape gazpacho, African peanut soup, Russian
spinach soup, and this Moroccan tomato soup.
Kafka’s tomato soup isn’t merely conveniently cool, it’s riveting, in part
because it’s not gazpacho, the ubiquitous, aggressively seasoned, and often
disjointed soup. Her soup is by no means meek—heat needn’t be caloric, but it
can be aromatic—it thrives on a pulse of cumin, cayenne, garlic, cilantro, and
lemon juice, which tames the spiciness and makes the sweet tomatoes sparkle.
You toast the spices and garlic in a pan and pass the fresh tomatoes through a
food mill. Then you join the two, add some finely chopped celery, season, and
chill the mixture. Kafka says that if you don’t have a food mill, you should peel,
seed, and chop the tomatoes, creating small bits, which are preferable to the
uniform texture achieved by a food processor. The soup should be slightly
lumpy.
———
5 medium cloves garlic, minced

2½ teaspoons sweet paprika
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
4 teaspoons olive oil
2¼ pounds tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
4 stalks celery, finely diced
1. Stir together the garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and olive oil in a small
saucepan, place over medium-low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, for 5
minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill fitted with the coarse plate. Stir in the
cooked spice mixture, the cilantro, vinegar, lemon juice, water, 2 teaspoons salt,
and the celery. Add more salt as desired. Refrigerate until cold.
3. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
You can grate the tomatoes on a box grater, but that can get perilous. A food mill
is easiest, because it pushes the tomato pulp and juices through, leaving the skins
and seeds behind.
Feel free to cut back on the garlic—5 cloves will infuse the soup as well as
your entire house with their scent.
Cooking the spices and garlic before adding them to the tomatoes draws out
the aroma of the spices and softens the garlic’s tomahawk blow.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
This makes an excellent prelude to grilled lamb or chicken, and if you’re
outdoors, you can simplify matters by ladling the soup into cups and having
people drink it like gazpacho. Here are some other ideas: Cinnamon-Scented
Fried Chicken (here), Moroccan Chicken Smothered in Olives (here), Cumin-
Mustard Carrots (here), Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Lemon-Thyme
Vinaigrette (here), Flourless Apricot Honey Soufflé (here), Lemon Sablés (here),
Fontainebleau (here).
JULY 28, 1991: “FOOD: COOL SOUPS, COOL KITCHENS,” BY BARBARA KAFKA.
—1991
PISTOU SOUP
A straight-shooting version of soupe au pistou (a sort of French minestrone), and
although the vegetables lose their brightness and vigor the day after, the soup
tastes even better then as the flavors relax and integrate. The recipe comes from
Le Périgord, one of the early offshoots of Le Pavillon (New York’s first modern
French restaurant), along with La Caravelle and La Côte Basque.
———

1 small onion, cut into small dice
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
1 turnip, peeled and cut into small dice
4 cups water
1 tablespoon salt, or more to taste
2 large white potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, cut into small dice and
washed well
1 small zucchini, cut into small dice
2 small handfuls green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (about ¾ cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
2 large tomatoes, peeled (see Cooking Note, here), cored, seeded, and
chopped
½ cup undrained canned flageolets or other white beans
1 handful thin spaghetti (about 3 ounces), broken into thirds
Freshly ground white pepper
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook
for 3 minutes. Add the carrot and turnip and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the water
and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10
minutes.
2. Add the salt, potatoes, leek, zucchini, and green beans. Simmer for 20
minutes, skimming the foam from the surface as necessary.
3. While the soup simmers, combine the parsley and basil in a medium bowl.
Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, and olive oil. Set aside.
4. Stir the beans and spaghetti into the soup. Simmer for 8 minutes.
5. Stir the tomato mixture into the soup, season with salt, if needed, and pepper,
and simmer for 2 minutes longer. Serve hot or at room temperature, not chilled.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
No-Knead Bread (here), Stuffed Tomatoes (here), Vitello Tonnato (here),
Raspberry Granita (here), Fresh Raspberry (or Blackberry or Blueberry)
Flummery (here), Summer Pudding (here), Jellied Strawberry Pie (here), Forget-
It Meringue Torte (here) AUGUST 19, 1992: “CLASSIC RESTAURANT MEALS WORTH A
TRY AT HOME,” BY BRYAN MILLER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM LE PÉRIGORD IN NEW YORK
CITY.
—1992
MATZOH BALL SOUP
Turns out Wolfgang Puck makes a fantastic matzoh ball—bouncy, a little eggy,
and fragrant with thyme.
———
6 large eggs
2½ tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1½ tablespoons finely chopped thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
½ cup melted clarified unsalted butter
1½ to 1¾ cups matzoh meal
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup club soda
12 cups your best chicken soup
1. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Whisk in the parsley, thyme, salt, pepper,
and cayenne, if using. Whisk in the clarified butter, 1½ cups matzoh meal, and
the baking powder. Whisk in the club soda until well combined. Cover with
plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. Place 10 cups chicken soup in a large wide pot and bring to a boil.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the matzoh ball mixture. With moistened hands, form the
mixture into twenty 2-inch balls. Drop the balls into the soup, in batches, reduce
the heat so the soup simmers, and cook for 30 minutes. With a slotted spoon,
remove the matzoh balls to a clean dry towel to drain. Add the remaining soup to
the pot and repeat.
4. Return the first batch to the soup to reheat, then drain them again. Ladle the
soup into bowls and place 2 matzoh balls in each. Serve immediately.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTES
To clarify butter, slowly melt it in a small saucepan on the stove or in a bowl in
the microwave. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then pour the clear
yellow butter into a clean bowl, leaving behind the milky whey at the bottom.
It’s a good idea to shape and simmer 1 matzoh ball before preparing the rest,
to make sure the ones you’ve made will hold together. Mine didn’t, and I needed
to add ¼ cup more matzoh meal.
Matzoh balls expand a lot as they cook—cook in batches, adding only enough
to cover half the surface of the soup.
The wider the pan you use, the better—matzoh balls are less likely to fall
apart in a shallow bath of broth.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Matt’s Whole Brisket with Tomato Gravy (here), James Beard’s Chicken with
40 Cloves of Garlic (here), Al Forno’s Roasted Asparagus (here), Puree of Peas
and Watercress (here), Latkes (here), Polish Jewish Plum Cake (here), Evelyn
Sharpe’s French Chocolate Cake (here), Macaroons (here) MARCH 31, 1993:
“PUCK’S SEDER AT SPAGO: AS TRADITIONAL AS GEFILTE FISH WITH CAYENNE,” BY
MARIAN BURROS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM WOLFGANG PUCK, THE CHEF AND CO-OWNER
OF SPAGO IN LOS ANGELES.
—1993
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CIDER SOUP

Although Thomas Keller’s butternut squash soup here is wonderful in every
way, it’s the kind of soup you make for a dinner party. This one is great to have
in your everyday arsenal. It’s sweet and pure flavored, and it can be made in a
flash. The recipe came from Canyon Ranch, back when the Berkshires spa was
little known but expensive. Now it is only the latter.
———
1 shallot, sliced
¼ cup water
3 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash
½ cup chicken broth
¾ cup apple cider
¼ cup light sour cream
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
½ Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, cored, and finely
diced
Cracked black pepper
1. Heat a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and water and
cook until the shallot and garlic are softened, being careful not to let them burn,
3 to 5 minutes. Add the squash and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the
heat, cover, and simmer until the squash is soft, about 20 minutes.
2. Carefully pour the mixture into a blender; you should do this in batches.
Holding the top down with a towel, blend until smooth. Add the cider, sour
cream, and salt and blend until well combined. (The soup can be made ahead up
to this point. Reheat over low heat.) Season with additional salt if needed.
3. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls. Garnish with the diced apple and cracked black
pepper.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
The recipe called for a Red Rome or Delicious apple, neither of which I found
tart enough. I changed it to Honeycrisp or Granny Smith.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Spicy New England Pot Roast (here), Brined and Roasted Pork Belly (here),
High-Temperature Roast Lamb (here), Slow-Roasted Duck (here), Brussels
Sprouts “Slaw” with Mustard Butter (here), Sweet Potatoes Anna (here), Wilted
Red Cabbage Salad (here), Poached Pears in Brandy and Red Wine (here),
Apple Tarte Tatin (here), Purple Plum Torte (here), Apple Dumplings (here)
READERS
“I’ve given this recipe to so many people, who have told me that they’ve passed
it to so many people, that I do believe that if you come to my Livingston
neighborhood on Thanksgiving Day, you can smell all the pots of it simmering!”
Jodi Eisner, Livingston, NJ, e-mail
AUGUST 29, 1993: “FOOD: REMEDIAL EATING,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM BARRY CORREIA,
THE CHEF AT CANYON RANCH IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.
—1993
WHITE GAZPACHO WITH ALMONDS AND GRAPES
This is a fun recipe to make, as most of it comes together in stages in the food
processor. As you whirl together the almonds, garlic, and bread, the mixture
seizes. Then you slowly add oil, ice water, and vinegar, and with each sprinkling
of liquid, the soup loosens and unifies. After letting the gazpacho chill for a few
hours, it miraculously transforms once more, becoming creamier, almost foamy.
For some variations on gazpacho, see here, here, and here.
———
¾ cup blanched whole almonds

3 small cloves garlic
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
4 slices stale white bread, crusts removed
4 cups ice water
2 to 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
6 slices white bread, crusts removed and cut into ½-inch cubes
1½ cups seedless green grapes, halved
1. Grind the almonds, 2 garlic cloves, and salt to a fine consistency in a food
processor or blender. Soak the stale bread in 1 cup ice water, then squeeze to
extract excess moisture and add to the processor. With the processor running,
slowly add 6 tablespoons oil and 1 cup ice water in a steady stream. Add the
vinegars and puree for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup ice water and mix for 2 more
minutes.
2. Transfer to a bowl, add the remaining cup of ice water, and mix well. Adjust
the seasoning with salt and vinegar. Refrigerate until chilled, up to 6 hours.
3. Heat the butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Crush
the remaining garlic clove and add to the pan, along with the bread cubes,
tossing to coat them with butter and oil. Cook over very low heat, stirring
occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cubes are golden.
4. Serve the soup ice-cold, garnished with the croutons and grapes.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
For the stale bread, I used four-day-old Pullman bread (from a bakery) and it had
just the right density and unobtrusive flavor. For the croutons, I used a
commercial white bread, which you’ll be shocked to hear was a mistake. Next
time, I’d use the bakery Pullman for both.
When it comes time to toast the bread in the skillet, you will probably
question the 20-to 30-minute cooking time. It’s correct: the slow cooking causes
the bread to not only toast but also dry out, so by the time the croutons are done,
they’re as light and fragile as autumn leaves.
The recipe calls for green grapes, but you should use the best-tasting grapes
you can find, even if they’re small and dark. Commercial green grapes lack
fragrance and can be unpleasantly acidic.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pork and Watermelon Salad (here), Fried Eggplant with Salmorejo Sauce (here),
Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel Broth (here), Stuffed Tomatoes
(here), Fresh Raspberry (or Blackberry or Blueberry) Flummery (here), Peach
Salad (here) AUGUST 31, 1994: “WHAT MAKES A TRUE GAZPACHO: OIL, VINEGAR, AND
GARLIC,” BY MARK BITTMAN. ADAPTED FROM FROM TAPAS TO MEZE, BY JOANNE WEIR.
—1994
ISMAIL MERCHANT’S VERY HOT CHICKEN SOUP
While chicken soups are typically thought of as soothing, this one is

invigorating, with chile and ginger setting off sparks on your palate. Add the red
chile peppers to taste—start with 2 and see what you think.
———
One 3-pound chicken

About 6 cups water
8 whole cloves
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and crushed or very finely
chopped
2 to 4 dried hot red chiles or ½ to 1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper
flakes (to taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
2 small ripe or canned tomatoes, peeled (see Cooking Note, here),
seeded, and chopped
¾ to 1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste
Cilantro or flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish
1. Put the chicken in a 3-quart pot and add just enough water to cover. It should
not take more than 6 cups. If it does, cut the chicken into quarters so no more
water will be needed. Add all the other ingredients except for the cilantro, using
the minimum amounts of dried red chile and salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer
gently, partly covered, for 15 minutes, adding water if necessary to maintain the
original level. Skim the soup occasionally.
2. Taste for seasoning, and cautiously add more chile, salt, and/or black pepper.
Cook for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is just about falling off the
bones; keep adding water to maintain the original level.
3. Remove the chicken, cloves, and chile pepper stems, if any. Pick the chicken
meat from the bones. Discard the skin and bones and return the small chunks of
chicken to the soup; heat through. Garnish with cilantro or parsley.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
No-Knead Bread (here), Sophie Grigson’s Parmesan Cake (here), Salade à la
Romaine (here), Chiffonade Salad (here), Grapefruit Fluff (here), Orange Ice
(here), Almond Granita (here) FEBRUARY 21, 1996: “THE PROBLEM IS WINTER, THE
ANSWER IS SOUP,” BY SUZANNE HAMLIN. ADAPTED FROM ISMAIL MERCHANT, WHOSE
RECIPE APPEARED IN THE WHOLE WORLD LOVES CHICKEN SOUP, BY MIMI SHERATON.
—1996
FERN BERMAN’S GINGER AND LENTIL SOUP
———
1 large onion, chopped (1½ to 2 cups)
3 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons diced or grated fresh ginger
3⅔ cups water
3 to 4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 pound brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Balsamic vinegar
1. Heat the olive oil in a 6-to 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat. Add the
onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté until translucent. Add ⅔ cup water and the
diced carrots and simmer for a minute.
2. Stir in the lentils and add the broth and remaining 3 cups water. Bring to a
simmer, partially cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring often, for 30 to 40
minutes, until the lentils are cooked and the soup has the consistency of
porridge. Remove from the heat and let cool briefly.
3. Stir in salt, pepper, and dashes of balsamic vinegar to taste.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTE
Many of the ingredients offer a range for amounts. You can’t really go wrong
here—it’s all dependent on how feisty with the garlic and ginger you are willing
to be.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Winter Slaw with Lemon-Orange Dressing (here), Moroccan Carrot Salad
(here), Pepper-Cumin Cookies (here) FEBRUARY 21, 1996: “THE PROBLEM IS WINTER,
THE ANSWER IS SOUP,” BY SUZANNE HAMLIN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM FERN BERMAN.
—1996
THAI SOLE CHOWDER WITH LIMA BEANS AND CORN

I wasn’t going to include this recipe because it seemed so far afield from real
Thai cooking, but the raves from my family were so loud I couldn’t deny it a
place as a lovable relic of so-called global cooking, which in the late 1980s and
early 1990s gave cooks license to blend Asian flavors like coconut milk and
ginger with Western lima beans and corn. (It also gave them license to wear
chile-pepper chef pants, so you can understand the lasting skepticism.) ——— 7
cups chicken broth (see Cooking Note)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 thin slices fresh ginger
6 small red potatoes, quartered
One 10-ounce package frozen lima beans
1 cup frozen corn
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 cups unsweetened reduced-fat coconut milk
3 sole or fluke fillets (about 6 ounces each) cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 scallions, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped basil
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1. Combine the chicken broth, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ginger in a large pot
and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
2. Strain the broth. Wash the pot and return the broth to it. Bring to a boil. Add
the potatoes and lima beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn and
simmer until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
3. Stir in the lemon and lime zest and coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Turn
the heat to low and add the fish. Cook without boiling for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the salt, pepper to taste, scallions, and herbs. Immediately ladle into
bowls and serve.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
The quality of the chicken broth is crucial: if using store-bought, make sure it’s
light, flavorful, and low in sodium; otherwise, dilute it by one-third with water.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Kaffir Lime Lemonade (here), Rhubarb Bellini (here), Beef Satay with Peanut
Sauce (here), Pork-and-Toasted-Rice-Powder Spring Rolls (here), Jasmine Tea
Rice (here), Glazed Mango with Sour Cream Sorbet and Black Pepper (here),
Sticky Rice with Mango (here), Pineapple Sherbet (here) APRIL 7, 1996: “FOOD: NO
BONES ABOUT IT,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1996
CHILLED MELON SOUP WITH TOASTED ALMONDS
As Molly O’Neill, a longtime food columnist at the Times Magazine, observed,

“The French have a saying: Friends are like melons. To find a good one, you try
a hundred.” Do your best—the better the melon, the better this soup.
———
1 small ripe honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes
(about 7 cups)
½ cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons seeded, minced jalapeño peppers
½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
2¼ teaspoons salt
½ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup chopped mint
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the melon, lime juice, jalapeño, yogurt,
2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste in a blender and process until smooth.
Refrigerate until cold.
2. Place the almonds in a bowl and toss with 2 teaspoons water and then with the
remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until toasted,
about 15 minutes. Let cool.
3. Divide the soup among 4 bowls and top with the almonds and mint.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
I recommend doubling the toasted almonds so you can keep some around for
snacking. If you don’t, I guarantee your soup will get short shrift.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Hot Penne with Chilled Tomato Sauce and Charred Tuna (here), Char-Grilled
Tuna with Toasted Corn Vinaigrette and Avocado Salad (here), Roasted Salmon
with Herb Vinaigrette (here), Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel
Broth (here), Zucchini with Crème Fraîche Pesto (here), Peach Salad (here), Jean
Halberstam’s Deep-Fried Peaches (here) JULY 7, 1996: “FOOD: RIPENESS IS ALL,” BY
MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1996
TURKISH SPLIT-PEA SOUP WITH MINT AND PAPRIKA
This is a split-pea soup without ham, and you will love it even more.
Although lentils, peas, grains, and beans began showing up in Times recipes in
the 1970s, it wasn’t until the 1990s that we started treating them as ingredients
worth building a recipe around. Grains like farro appeared in risotto, cranberry
beans in stews, toasted quinoa was blended into smartly constructed salads,
Israeli couscous in fish stews, and red lentils in soups.
———
½ pound split peas, rinsed and picked over

1 onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
5 to 6 cups chicken broth
½ pound spinach trimmed, washed, and chopped
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
Whole milk (optional, for thinning)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons chopped mint
Plain Greek yogurt for serving
1. Cover the split peas with cold water in a bowl and soak for at least 8 hours, or
overnight. Drain.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook
until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the split peas, carrot, bay leaf,
and broth to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently,
covered, until the peas are very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. If the mixture seems dry,
add more broth or water as needed.
3. Remove the bay leaf. Add the chopped spinach and 2 teaspoons of paprika
and simmer until the spinach begins to wilt. Remove from the heat.
4. When the soup has cooled slightly, puree it in a blender or food processor. If
necessary, add a little milk, water, or broth to thin it. Season with the salt and
pepper. Reheat, if needed, and sprinkle with the chopped mint and remaining
teaspoon of paprika. Pass a bowl of yogurt at the table.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Moroccan Chicken Smothered in Olives (here), Spicy Orange Salad Moroccan-
Style (here), Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion (here), Steamed Fennel with
Red Pepper Oil (here), Huntington Pudding (here), Hazelnut Baklava (here),
Queen of Puddings (here) JANUARY 26, 1997: “ADDING A TWIST TO WINTER SOUPS,” BY
MOIRA HODGSON. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM KITCHEN CONVERSATIONS, BY JOYCE
GOLDSTEIN.
—1997
PROVENÇAL FISH SOUP
The extra-rich fish stock and Pernod act like thunder and lightning. The Pernod
is shrill and electric, the fish a boom of ocean flavor. What may surprise your
guests is that the soup doesn’t contain any pieces of fish—all the fish flavor is
distilled into the stock.
———
1 medium onion, cut into ¼-inch dice

½ cup olive oil
8 medium cloves garlic, smashed, and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons saffron threads, or more to taste
½ cup dry white wine, preferably Mâcon or sauvignon blanc
One 28-ounce can plus one 14-ounce can whole tomatoes in puree,
drained and lightly crushed
5 cups extra-rich Fish Stock (recipe follows)
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ bay leaf
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
½ cup anise liqueur, such as Pernod
1. Cook the onion in the oil in a medium pot over low heat, stirring occasionally,
for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 7 minutes. Stir
in the chili powder and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
2. Meanwhile, soak the saffron in ¼ cup white wine for a few minutes.
3. Stir the saffron-wine mixture, tomatoes, fish stock, thyme, and bay leaf into
the onions. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Remove the bay leaf. Pass the soup through a food mill fitted with the
medium plate. Return the soup to the pot and season with salt and pepper. (The
soup can be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated.) 5. Heat the anise
liqueur in a small saucepan. Using a long match, carefully set it on fire, and
allow the alcohol to burn off. Pour the liqueur into the soup, stir in the remaining
¼ cup wine, and bring to a boil. Serve immediately.
SERVES 4
FISH STOCK
5 pounds heads and bones from white-fleshed fish, like snapper, bass,
or cod
10 cups water
1. Wash the fish heads and bones well to eliminate all traces of blood. Cut out
the blood-rich gills with scissors.
2. Put the fish heads and bones in a medium pot and cover with the water. Place
over high heat, and bring to a boil, skimming off the scum that rises to top.
Lower the heat and simmer the stock for 4 to 6 hours, or until approximately 7
cups of broth remain, skimming as necessary. For extra-rich stock, simmer for
an additional hour.
3. Strain the stock through a sieve (ideally lined with a damp cloth). The stock
can be used immediately or refrigerated or frozen.
MAKES ABOUT 7 CUPS (5 CUPS EXTRA-RICH STOCK)
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Stuffed Tomatoes (here), An Honest Loaf of French Bread (here), Pan con
Tomate (here), Crostini with Eggplant and Pine Nut Puree (here), Ricotta
Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano (here), Seasoned Olives (here),
Wallace Seawell’s Spinach Salad (here), Tourtière (Apple, Prune, and Armagnac
Tart; here), Figs in Whiskey (here), Tartelettes aux Pommes Lionel Poilâne
(Individual Apple Tarts; here), Rhubarb-Strawberry Mousse (here) NOVEMBER 5,
1997: “FISH STOCK DEMYSTIFIED,” BY BARBARA KAFKA.
—1997
WINTER BORSCHT
This is the best borscht you will ever eat, and one of my favorite recipes in the
book. The long cooking concentrates the flavor in the broth, but its consistency
remains light and fluid, like a beet-and-beef tea.
———
2 pounds beef shin

6 cups water
1 small onion, unpeeled, cut in half
2 medium carrots, peeled, 1 quartered, 1 grated
3 medium red beets, scrubbed well
4 medium cloves garlic, smashed
½ pound red cabbage, shredded
2 medium tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1 pound firm potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes, and cooked in
boiling salted water until tender
2 teaspoons kosher salt
⅓ cup chopped dill
For the Garnish

½ boiled firm potato per person (optional)
Sour cream
Chopped dill
1. Cover the beef with the water in a large saucepan. Stir in the onion and
quartered carrot and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam and fat that rises to
the surface. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1½ hours.
2. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve; there should be about 5 cups.
Reserve the meat.
3. Return the beef and liquid to the pan and bring to a boil. Add the beets and
return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the tip
of a knife easily pierces the beets.
4. Remove the beets and allow to cool slightly, then peel them and coarsely
grate. Return the grated beets to the soup.
5. Dissolve the tomato paste in ½ cup of the soup, and stir back into the pan. Stir
in the garlic, grated carrot, cabbage, tomatoes, bay leaf, vinegar, and sugar and
bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1½ hours.
6. Remove the meat from the pan. Discard the bones and slice the meat ½ inch
thick then stir into the soup, along with the cubed potatoes, salt, pepper to taste,
and the dill. Return to a boil for 2 minutes.
7. If desired, place a half potato in the bottom of each large soup bowl. Ladle in
the soup. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill.
SERVES 4 TO 6
COOKING NOTES
After removing the meat from the soup, I found it difficult to slice, so I shredded
it into bite-sized pieces.
I didn’t serve this with the potato garnish—if you do, use white or Yukon
Gold potatoes. Baking potatoes would be mealy.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Salade à la Romaine (here), Winter Fruit Salad (here), Bosiljka Marich’s Serbian
Torte (here), Lemon Cake (here), Teddie’s Apple Cake (here) JANUARY 28, 1998:
“VERSATILE BORSCHT, HUMBLE NO MORE,” BY BARBARA KAFKA.
—1998
CREAMY FARRO AND CHICKPEA SOUP

Paula Wolfert belongs to a group of women food writers I think of as the
mistresses of the Mediterranean. In the 1980s and 1990s, they conquered a
whole swath of Europe: Greece (Claudia Roden, Aglaia Kremezi, Diane
Kochilas); Italy (Nancy Harmon Jenkins, Carol Field, Faith Willinger, Lynn
Rosetto Kasper); and Spain (Penelope Casas). Together, they shook up the
cookbook world with fascinating works on the everyday foods of the Olive Oil
Belt.
People often credit Craig Claiborne, Julia Child, and James Beard with getting
Americans to travel to Europe to eat. But it was the mistresses who documented
Mediterranean cuisines with intimacy and a reportorial approach that was new to
cookbook writing. They got readers who traveled there to dig deeper, to breeze
by the starred restaurants and tuck into the cramped bistros, trattorias, tapas bars,
and tavernas. And, back home, to break away from pasta and explore the world
of bitter greens, haloumi, and chestnut flour.
This recipe comes from Wolfert’s Mediterranean Grains and Greens, her
sixth book. You build the soup on a foundation of prosciutto, onion, and celery,
later adding nutmeg and marjoram to the farro, and just before serving, you
puree some of the cooked chickpeas to thicken the broth and integrate the parts
into a coherent whole.
———
¾ cup dried chickpeas, rinsed, picked over, and soaked overnight in

water to cover
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
½ cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped prosciutto
1 tablespoon minced celery
1 tablespoon minced celery
¾ cup farro or hulled barley, rinsed and soaked overnight in water to
cover
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
1. Drain the chickpeas and place in a medium saucepan. Cover with plenty of
cold water and bring to a boil. Add the sea salt and bay leaves, reduce the heat,
and cook, covered, until the chickpeas are very soft, about 1½ hours.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion,
prosciutto, and celery and cook gently for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally,
until soft but not brown. Drain the farro and add it to the onion mixture, along
with the chicken broth, marjoram, and nutmeg. Cook, partially covered, for 1
hour.
3. Drain the chickpeas, reserving the cooking liquid; discard the bay leaves.
Puree the chickpeas with 1 cup of the reserved liquid in a food processor. Add
the pureed chickpeas to the farro mixture; if necessary, add more of the cooking
liquid from the chickpeas to achieve the consistency of a creamy soup. Adjust
the seasoning with salt and pepper. Wait for 10 minutes before serving.
4. Sprinkle each portion with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Seasoned Olives (here), Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano
(here), Roast Chicken with Bread Salad (here), Steamed Spinach with Balsamic
Butter (here), Madeleine Kamman’s Apple Mousse (here), Bolzano Apple Cake
(here) SEPTEMBER 2, 1998: “BY THE BOOK: MEDITERRANEAN NIGHTS,” BY AMANDA
HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM MEDITERRANEAN GRAINS AND GREENS, BY PAULA
WOLFERT.
—1998
PHO BO (HANOI BEEF SOUP)
Recipes for pho, the fragrant beef soup that’s served for breakfast in Vietnam,
tend to be lengthy affairs involving rice noodles, fish sauce, and all manner of
herbs. But barely any of the ingredients need to be prepped; the real work in pho,
and the most interesting part, is making the broth. As water and oxtail and shin
bones are brought to a simmer, you char onions and ginger in a dry skillet. You
may find yourself hesitating—it feels so unnatural to burn food—but the onions
behave just as they should, turning black without starting a fire, and they really
do lend a persuasive smokiness to the broth. The smokiness is later
complemented by the dewy fragrance of star anise, cinnamon, bay leaf, and
fennel.
———
1 pound rice vermicelli

8 cups Vietnamese-Style Beef Stock (recipe follows)
¾ pound lean beef, preferably beef round, sliced paper-thin
½ cup mung bean sprouts
½ cup cilantro leaves
½ cup small basil leaves, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
3 red Thai or serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
Asian Fish sauce for serving
1. Place the vermicelli in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak until
pliable, about 30 minutes. Drain.
2. Place the stock in a large saucepan and bring it to a boil. Have 4 very large or
6 smaller individual soup bowls ready. Put a handful of vermicelli into a strainer
that will fit in the pan and dip the strainer into the hot stock. Swirl the vermicelli
until tender but still a little chewy, about 20 seconds. Shake the vermicelli dry
and place it in a soup bowl. Repeat with the remaining noodles.
3. Divide the beef, sprouts, cilantro, basil, and scallions among the bowls. Ladle
the hot stock into the bowls and squeeze a lime wedge over each—don’t be shy
with the lime. Serve with the chiles, fish sauce, and black pepper on the side.
SERVES 4 TO 6
VIETNAMESE-STYLE BEEF STOCK

VIETNAMESE-STYLE BEEF STOCK
2 pounds oxtail pieces
3 pounds beef bones (shin or neck)
½ teaspoon salt
14 cups cold water
One 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, split lengthwise
1 medium onion, unpeeled, halved
8 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
2 large bay leaves
5 whole cloves
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1. Place the oxtails, beef bones, salt, and cold water in a large stockpot and
slowly bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, heat a small cast-iron skillet over high heat. Place the ginger and
onion cut side down into the skillet and cook until charred black, about 3
minutes. Turn the pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until they are charred
on all sides. Add them to the stock.
3. When the stock boils, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, skimming off
any foam, for 30 minutes.
4. Add the star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, and sugar to the stock. Put
the fennel seeds in a tea ball or tie them in cheesecloth and add them to the
stock. Continue to simmer, skimming occasionally, for 3½ more hours.
5. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, and discard the solids. Refrigerate
until the fat solidifies on top of the stock, 3 to 4 hours. Remove the fat with a
spoon and discard. (The stock will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.) MAKES
ABOUT 8 CUPS
COOKING NOTES
The beef shins that I used had some meat attached. After simmering, I removed
it from the bones and fed it to my kids.
Do not settle for any old rice vermicelli—make that trip to Chinatown.
Have your butcher slice the beef; it needs to be paper-thin, and if you do it at
home, it probably won’t be.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pork-and-Toasted-Rice-Powder Spring Rolls (here), Sticky Rice with Mango
(here), Mango Ice Cream (here) JANUARY 17, 1999: “FOOD: GOOD MORNING,
VIETNAM,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SIMPLE ART OF VIETNAMESE
COOKING, BY BINH DUONG AND MARCIA KIESEL.
—1999
CREAMY CURRIED SWEET POTATO

SOUP
———
1½ tablespoons olive oil

1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon coarsely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon turmeric
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
6 cups chicken broth, or as needed
6 to 8 teaspoons fresh goat cheese
1. Heat the oil in a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients. Add the onion
and sauté over medium heat until it begins to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the
garlic and sauté, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the ginger, cumin, coriander,
cardamom, turmeric, and red pepper flakes, if using, and stir well. Add the sweet
potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the
sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
2. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Season to taste with
salt and pepper. (The soup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Reheat
slowly to serve.) If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock.
3. Ladle into mugs, top each serving with a teaspoon of cheese, and stir to melt a
little.
SERVES 6 TO 8
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
A Loose Interpretation of Cobb Salad (here), Iceberg Lettuce with Smoked
Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing (here), Cinnamon-Scented Fried Chicken (here),
Beer-Can Chicken (here), Monte’s Ham (here), Meat and Spinach Loaf (here),
Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion (here), Spinach with Sour Cream (here),
Apple Crumb Pie (here), Sally Darr’s Golden Delicious Apple Tart (here)
MARCH 3, 1999: “EATING WELL: SWEET POTATO TO THE RESCUE,” BY MARIAN BURROS.
—1999
CLEAR STEAMED CHICKEN SOUP WITH GINGER
To make this soup, which comes from A Spoonful of Ginger by Nina Simonds,
you combine all the ingredients in a pot, cover it tightly with foil and a lid, and
cook in a water bath in the oven for 2 hours. The steaming produces a limpid,
intense broth. You remove the aromatics—ginger and scallion—before serving,
so all you are left with are the chicken pieces and an aromatic, rice wine–infused
tonic.
———
One 3-to 3½-pound chicken, excess fat removed, cut into 10 to 12 pieces
1¾ cups rice wine, preferably Shaoxing
10 scallions, trimmed and smashed lightly with the side of a knife
10 slices fresh ginger (the size of a quarter), smashed with the side of a
knife
6 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.
Blanch the chicken pieces for 1 minute. Drain.
2. Combine the chicken, rice wine, scallions, ginger, and boiling water in a
Dutch oven or casserole with a lid. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil,
then cover with the lid. Place the pot in a roasting pan and fill the pan with 1½
inches of boiling water. Bake for 2 hours, replenishing the boiling water as
needed.
3. Skim the top of the broth to remove any impurities and fat. Add the salt.
Remove the ginger and scallions and ladle the soup and chicken into bowl.
SERVES 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTES
Ask your butcher to cut the chicken into pieces—it’ll save you a lot of time.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Chinese-Style Steamed Black Sea Bass (here), Hunan Beef with Cumin (here),
Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots (here), Yogurt Rice (here), Tea
Ice Cream (here) MAY 5, 1999: “BY THE BOOK: YIN AND YANG LITE,” BY AMANDA
HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM A SPOONFUL OF GINGER, BY NINA SIMONDS.
—1999
THOMAS KELLER’S GAZPACHO
Thomas Keller, the chef at The French Laundry in Yountville, California, has a
remarkable way with soups. Three of them appear in this book—a butternut
squash soup here, a yellow pepper soup with paprika mousse here, and this
gazpacho.
In the accompanying story, Keller insisted that good vegetable soups rely on a
single technique: “Separate the flavor and color from what contains it, the
cellulose.” Unfortunately, his tool of choice for doing the separating is the
chinois, a cone-shaped fine-mesh strainer. Pushing soups, or anything, for that
matter, through a chinois is about much as fun as having a tooth extracted. But
the effect, I regret to say, is worth it. The sieving gives this gazpacho the
richness and polish of a velouté.
We often think of chefs as rigid taskmasters, but the best ones are flexible
thinkers, always examining a dish from different angles. Keller noted that for
him the line between a sauce and a soup is often blurred. “Think of it as
gazpacho sauce,” he said of this soup. “It goes perfectly with grilled chicken or
fish, and I serve it at the restaurant as the sauce for an artichoke salad. (Put a
little vodka in your gazpacho sauce, and it becomes the world’s best Bloody
Mary.)”
Earlier gazpacho recipes can be found here and here.
———
———
1 cup chopped peeled tomatoes (about 1 large)

1 cup chopped peeled red onion (about 1 small)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1)
1 cup chopped English (seedless) cucumber (about ½ medium)
1½ teaspoons chopped garlic
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cups tomato juice
1 sprig thyme
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate

overnight.
2. The next day, remove the sprig of thyme. Puree the remaining ingredients in a
blender until smooth. Strain the soup. Refrigerate the gazpacho until well
chilled.
3. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve cold.
SERVES 8 TO 16 (16 TINY SERVINGS)
COOKING NOTE
To peel tomatoes, cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato. Submerge in
boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds to loosen the skins. Remove and chill in cold
water. The skins will slip off.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Crab Salad (here), Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari
Salad (here), Seared Tuna in Black Pepper Crust (here), Sautéed Cod with
Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel Broth (here), Ventresca Tuna Salad (here), Beer-
Can Chicken (here), Grilled Hanger Steak (here), Light Potato Salad (here),
Saratoga Potatoes (here), Brownies (here), Summer Pudding (here) JUNE 23, 1999:
“THE CHEF: THE SPIRIT OF SUMMER, CAPTURED IN A SOUP,” BY THOMAS KELLER AND
MICHAEL RUHLMAN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THOMAS KELLER, THE CHEF AND OWNER
OF THE FRENCH LAUNDRY IN YOUNTVILLE, CALIFORNIA.
—1999
—1999
YELLOW PEPPER SOUP WITH PAPRIKA MOUSSE
This soup, the color of French butter, is sweet and subtle with an appealingly
frank bitterness. After cooking the peppers in a lake of cream, and pureeing and
straining them, you finish the soup by swirling in whipped cream, which floods
it with soft, delicate bubbles and makes it very, very rich. I ate it both with and
without the cream—see which you prefer. I liked both, but I’d serve the version
with cream in sake cups.
If the paprika in your spice rack has been there since 1987, don’t use it in the
mousse (or anything else intended for human consumption). You need fresh,
pungent, pleasantly bitter paprika. Half a teaspoon is a lot, so you can start with
a little less. Or, if you feel like fiddling around with the flavor substitute sweet
smoked paprika (pimentón) for the regular paprika, but cut the amount to ⅛
teaspoon.
———
3 large yellow (or red) bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch
pieces
1¾ cups heavy cream
Kosher salt
¼ cup crème fraîche
½ teaspoon paprika, or to taste
1. To prepare the soup, combine the peppers and 1½ cups heavy cream in a
medium pot and simmer gently over medium-low heat until the peppers are
tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
2. Transfer the cream and peppers to a blender and puree for 2 to 3 minutes.
Strain through a chinois (fine-mesh conical sieve), pressing on the solids to
release all the liquid. Season with salt. (The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2
days.) 3. To prepare the mousse, whip the crème fraîche and paprika in small
bowl until the paprika is blended and the cream is stiff. Season with salt.
Refrigerate until ready to use, or up to 2 days.
4. To serve, whip the remaining ¼ cup cream until it forms peaks. Bring the
soup to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from the
heat and vigorously whisk in the whipped cream to create a frothy consistency.
Pour the soup into hot soup cups and garnish with the paprika mousse.
COOKING NOTE
If you’re serving this for a party and want to whip the cream in advance, whip it
two-thirds of the way, then finish it just before serving.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
’ino’s Tuna with Black Olive Pesto Panini (here), Salade Niçoise (here), Gently
Cooked Salmon with Mashed Potatoes (here), Steamed Fish with Thyme and
Tomato Vinaigrette (here), Tomatoes Stuffed with Crab (here), Sole Grenobloise
(Sautéed Sole with Capers and Lemons; here), Fresh Succotash (here), Zucchini
and Vermouth (here), Fried Zucchini Blossoms (here), Strawberry Sorbet (here)
JUNE 23, 1999: “THE CHEF: THE SPIRIT OF SUMMER, CAPTURED IN A SOUP,” BY THOMAS
KELLER AND MICHAEL RUHLMAN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THOMAS KELLER, THE CHEF
AND OWNER OF THE FRENCH LAUNDRY IN YOUNTVILLE, CALIFORNIA.
—1999
ROASTED SQUASH SOUP WITH CUMIN

So many butternut squash soups overdo the sweetness. This one trots it out but
keeps it under tight rein with cumin, vinegar, and cayenne—and salty cumin-
scented squash seeds for added emphasis.
Readers expressed nearly equal love for this soup and the Butternut Squash
and Cider Soup here. Seven people wrote to recommend that soup, and eight to
recommend this. After making both, I decided both merited inclusion.
———
1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)

4½ cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
½ cup heavy cream
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 1 large and 1 small baking sheet with
aluminum foil. With a large knife, split the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out
and reserve the seeds. Brush the cut sides of the squash with 2 teaspoons oil and
sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on the large baking sheet and
roast until very tender, 35 to 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, remove any orange fibers from the seeds and rinse the seeds
under cold running water. Drain and place on paper towels to dry.
3. Toss the seeds with the remaining teaspoon of oil and ½ teaspoon cumin, and
season with salt. Spread on the small baking sheet and roast along with the
squash, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Remove
from the oven and set aside.
4. Scoop the flesh from the squash shells and place in a pot. Add the chicken
broth, garlic, vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and remaining ½ teaspoon cumin. Bring to
a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
5. Working in small batches, transfer the soup to a blender and blend until
smooth. Return the soup to the pot, stir in the cream, and bring just to a simmer.
Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with the squash seeds.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Roast Quail with Sage Dressing (here), Short Ribs with Coffee and Chiles
(here), Fresh Mushrooms Stewed with Madeira (here), Cumin-Mustard Carrots
(here), Stewed Fennel (here), Barley Risotto (here), Poached Pears in Brandy
and Red Wine (here), Fresh Ginger Cake (here), Molasses Cup Cakes with
Lemon Icing (here) SEPTEMBER 26, 1999: “FOOD: BASIC INSTINCTS,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1999
POTAGE PARISIEN WITH SORREL

CREAM
This is Vichyssoise à la Ritz (here) meets Soupe à la Bonne Femme (here)—in a
blender.
———
———

3 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, split lengthwise,
thinly sliced, and washed well
6 cups homemade chicken or vegetable broth
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 ounces sorrel, stemmed and washed
⅓ cup heavy cream, whipped to firm peaks
1. Melt the butter in a stockpot over low heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring,
until tender but not brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in the broth, increase the heat,
and bring just to a boil. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, lower the
heat, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Adjust the
seasoning, and keep warm.
2. Process the sorrel to a smooth puree in a blender. If it seems stiff, add a
tablespoon of the whipped cream. Delicately fold the puree into the whipped
cream and season with salt and pepper.
3. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a spoonful of sorrel cream.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
Make this with your best homemade chicken broth—the store-bought kind has
nowhere to hide in this revealing soup.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Baked Flounder (here), Elizabeth Frink’s Roast Lemon Chicken (here), Sugar
Snap Peas with Horseradish (here), Watercress Salad (here), Marcella’s Pear
Cake (here) MARCH 29, 2000: “THE SECRET LIFE OF SORREL,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CAFÉ BOULUD COOKBOOK, BY DANIEL BOULUD AND DORIE
GREENSPAN.
—2000
BASIC CORN CHOWDER
This recipe is a classic foundation for corn chowder. The corncobs help to make
the broth, doubling the corn flavor in the finished soup. But you should
definitely add the cream and bacon, as instructed in the first variation. Without
them, the chowder is well balanced. With them, it’s a dish you won’t forget.
———
5 ears corn
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped (optional)
1 cup whole or low-fat milk
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1. Shuck the corn, and use a sharp knife to strip the kernels into a bowl. Put the
cobs in a pot with 4 cups water, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and
simmer while you continue.
2. Put the butter or oil in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. When the
butter melts or the oil is hot, add the onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling
of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5
minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.
3. After the corncobs have cooked for at least 10 minutes, strain the liquid into
the onion-potato mixture. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
4. When the potatoes are tender, add the corn kernels and milk and heat through.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the parsley and serve.
SERVES 4
VARIATIONS
Corn Chowder with Bacon and Cream: In Step 2, substitute ½ cup chopped
bacon for the butter or oil. Cook it over medium heat until it renders some of its
fat, then add the onion. In Step 3, use heavy cream or half-and-half in place of
the milk.
Curried Corn Chowder: In Step 2, use the oil, and add 1 tablespoon each curry
powder and peeled, minced ginger to the onions. In Step 3, use sour cream in
place of the milk; garnish with cilantro in place of the parsley.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Tomatoes Vinaigrette (here), Squashed Tomatoes (here), Jonathan Waxman’s
Red Pepper Pancakes (here), Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs (here), Sea Scallops
with Sweet Red Peppers and Zucchini (here), Apple City World-Champion Baby
Back Ribs (here), Pork Burgers (here), Spoonbread’s Potato Salad (here), Baked
Zucchini with Herbs and Tomatoes (here), Summer Pudding (here), Raspberry
Granita (here) AUGUST 23, 2000: “THE MINIMALIST: DON’T TOSS OUT THE COBS,” BY
MARK BITTMAN.
—2000
CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH CREMINI MUSHROOMS

AND WALNUT OIL
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Sea salt
1 clove garlic, smashed and chopped
1¼ pounds cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
5 cups water
¼ cup heavy cream, plus more if desired
About 3 tablespoons walnut oil
1. Place a large casserole over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat
until it shimmers, then add the mushrooms. Season with salt and sauté until
softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
2. Add the cauliflower and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and
simmer until the cauliflower is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Working in batches, use a
blender or food processor to puree the soup until it’s very smooth. Return the
soup to the pot and place over medium heat. Stir in the cream, adjust the salt,
and season with pepper.
3. To serve, stir the soup, or use an immersion blender to blend and froth the top
of the soup. Ladle into warmed bowls and drizzle about 1½ teaspoons walnut oil
over each.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Slow-Roasted Duck (here), Ginger Duck (here), Chicken Paprikash (here), Veal
Shanks with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (here), Lamb Shoulder Chops with
Anchovy and Mint Butter (here), Puree of Peas and Watercress (here), Shredded
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine Nuts (here), Mushrooms Stuffed with
Duxelles and Sausage (here), Whiskey Cake (here), Campton Place Buttermilk
Chocolate Cake (here) JANUARY 17, 2001: “THE CELESTIAL CAULIFLOWER: EARNING A
SPOT IN THE SUN,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2001
WATERMELON GAZPACHO
This probably bears a closer relationship to the Watermelon and Tomato Salad
here than it does to any gazpacho. Sure, it has the zing of a gazpacho, but it lives
more in the realm of the sweet and refreshing than the robust and cool.
———
3 very ripe medium tomatoes, cored and seeded

4 cups 2-inch chunks seedless watermelon
½ large Vidalia onion or other sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into
large chunks
¼ cup packed basil leaves
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
Coarse sea or kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1. Combine the tomatoes and watermelon in a blender, and puree for about 30
seconds. Add the onion, cucumber, garlic, basil, olive oil, and lemon juice,
season with salt and pepper, and puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
Adjust the lemon juice, salt, and/or pepper if desired. If necessary, thin the
gazpacho with water until loose enough to drink from a glass. Refrigerate until
thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours.
2. Place 2 ice cubes in each of 6 tall glasses. Fill the glasses with gazpacho and
serve.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTE
To seed a halved cucumber, drag the edge of a teaspoon down the channel of
seeds; they should lift out easily.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pamela Sherrid’s Summer Pasta (here), Corn and Yellow Tomato Risotto with
Shrimp (here), Shrimp in Green Sauce (here), Pork Burgers (here), Potato Salad
with Shaved Ricotta Salata and Green Sauce (here), Zucchini Carpaccio with
Avocado (here), Fried Corn (here), Green Bean Salad with Savory Topping
(here), Strawberry Sorbet (here), Peach Salad (here), Fresh Blueberry Buckle
(here) JULY 18, 2001: “IN FROM THE FIELDS, AN ELEGANT PARTNER,” BY AMANDA
HESSER.
—2001
BEET AND GINGER SOUP WITH CUCUMBER
I came up with this soup as an antidote to all the rich restaurant food I used to
have to eat—poor me! The beet-roasting technique is one I learned from a book
by Tom Colicchio. The beets roast and steam at once, so their sweetness
concentrates and their skins slip off easily. Once you get past this step, the soup
is a snap to make. You soften the aromatics, add the beets and broth, and then
whirl it all in a food processor. Just before setting it out on the table, you
sprinkle in some finely diced cucumber—for an occasional, rousing hit of
crispness.
———
1½ pounds small beets, trimmed and scrubbed

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1 small leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger, or more to taste
3 cups water
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
½ (seedless) English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and
chopped into ⅛-inch cubes
Crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
Crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the beets in a bowl, sprinkle with 1
tablespoon oil, and season with salt. Toss to coat. Place the beets on half of a
large sheet of aluminum foil and fold it over to make a pouch. Seal tightly. Put
on a baking sheet, place in the oven, and roast until a fork easily pierces the
beets, about 1¼ hours. Remove from the oven and let cool.
2. Peel off the skin and cut the beets in quarters.
3. Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
Add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5
minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes more. Season lightly
with salt. Add the beets, chicken broth, and water, bring to a simmer, and cook
for 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the soup, in batches, to a food processor and process until smooth.
Return the soup to the pot. Add lemon juice to taste. Then adjust the seasoning,
adding more salt, lemon juice, and ginger if you wish.
5. Just before serving (the soup should not be too hot; it could even be served
chilled or at room temperature), add the cucumber and stir. Then ladle into
bowls and serve. You can serve this with a dollop of crème fraîche.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano (here), Smoked Mackerel
on Toasts (here), Roast Chicken with Bread Salad (here), Italian Roast Potatoes
(here), Couscous Salad (here), Escarole with Pan-Roasted Garlic and Lemon
(here), Fish Steamed over Vegetables and Fresh Herbs (here), Grapefruit Granita
(here), Maple Shortbread Bars (here), Sand Tarts (Pecan Sandies; here), David
Eyre’s pancake (here), Steamed Lemon Pudding (here), Dorie Greenspan’s
Sablés (here) SEPTEMBER 2, 2001: “FOOD DIARY: THE REGAL GOURMET,” BY AMANDA
HESSER.
—2001
CARROT AND FENNEL SOUP

———

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed, fronds reserved, and thinly sliced
1½ pounds carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
6 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
⅓ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup sour cream
1. Heat the butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat until foamy.
Add the fennel slices and cook, stirring, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the
carrots and garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the water and season
with the salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer, covered, until the carrots are very
tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the orange juice, sour cream, and
reserved fennel fronds. Use the back of a spoon to mash some of the carrots and
fennel, but leave the soup chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pasta with Tuscan Duck Sauce (here), Epigram of Lamb (here), Breaded Veal
Milan-Style (here), Almond Cake (here), Orange Marmalade Pudding (here),
Sour-Milk Cake (here) DECEMBER 9, 2001: “FOOD DIARY: THE FOODIE NETWORK,” BY
AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM EPICURIOUS.COM.
—2001
RABBIT SOUP WITH GARLIC, PEPPERS, AND

CHORIZO
If you’re at all intimidated by rabbit, this is the perfect starter recipe. The rabbit
is browned whole before it is simmered in the soup, and it is then cooked until
the meat shreds, so there’s no cutting the rabbit into pieces or worrying about
keeping those pieces intact. And if you’re squeamish about eating rabbit, this
soup’s broth is vibrant with spices, booze, and tomatoes—as with the beef in
chili, the rabbit is a contributor, not a star. If you’re still concerned, feel free to
substitute a small chicken—or just scrap the idea!
———
One 3-pound rabbit

½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ pound mild fresh chorizo, pricked with a fork, or dried Spanish
chorizo, cut into ½-inch thick slices
3 medium onions, cut into ¼-inch dice
3 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-wide strips
25 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
2 cups freshly cooked or canned chickpeas, rinsed well if canned
2 tablespoons dry sherry
One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, not drained
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Season the rabbit all over with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil over medium
heat in a Dutch oven or soup pot large enough to hold the rabbit and sausage in
one layer. Add the rabbit and sausage and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes
per side (if using dried chorizo, there’s no need to brown it. Set it aside until
Step 3). Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the onions to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until
lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the onions are cooking too
fast. Add the red peppers, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the
peppers just begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, bay
leaves, thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and
return the rabbit and sausage to the pot. Cover and cook for 1 hour.
4. Flip the sausage and rabbit so they cook evenly, add the chickpeas, and cook
for another 30 minutes or so, adding more broth if needed. When done, the
rabbit should be just about falling off the bone. Remove the rabbit and sausage
from the pot.
5. When the rabbit is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and discard the
bones. Cut the sausage into ½-inch diagonal pieces.
6. Remove the bay leaves from the soup and discard. Season the soup with salt
and pepper. Return the rabbit and sausage to the pot. Heat the soup to warm
everything through. Add the sherry, tomatoes, and parsley and simmer for 5
minutes. Ladle into warm bowls and serve.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Potato, Ham, and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas (here), Seasoned Olives (here),
Caramelized Onion and Quark Dip (here), Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts (here),
Mushrooms with Manzanilla Sherry (here), Bittersweet Chocolate Semifreddo
(here), Lemon-Almond Butter Cake (here) MARCH 6, 2002: “TRULY SPANISH
CHORIZO, IN AMERICA AT LAST,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM IN THE
HANDS OF A CHEF, BY JODY ADAMS.
—2002
WATERCRESS AND BASIL SOUP

I must have been in a healthy mood in 2002, the year I got married—see the
Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber here and Watermelon Gazpacho, also
here, as well as the recipe below. By 2005, I’d reverted to my usual indulgent
ways with the Oyster Chowder here.
———
1½ tablespoons excellent olive oil, plus additional for garnish
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
3 cups chicken broth, plus more if desired
3 cups water
1½ bunches watercress, stems trimmed to 1 inch (about 2 packed cups)
and washed
¼ cup basil leaves
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Place a soup pot over medium-high heat. Pour in 1½ tablespoons oil, and
when it shimmers, add the scallions and potato and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the
broth and water and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the potato is very soft,
about 10 minutes. Add the watercress and basil and cook until wilted, about 1
minute.
2. Transfer to a blender, or use an immersion blender, and puree the soup until
smooth. (If using an immersion blender, begin pureeing at low speed to avoid
spattering hot soup.) If the soup is too thick, add a little broth or water. Season
with salt and pepper to taste.
3. To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish each bowl with a sprinkling of olive oil.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Goat’s-Milk Cheese, Buttered Brown Bread, and Salted Onion (here), Ricotta
Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano (here), Crostini with Eggplant
and Pine Nut Puree (here), Caramelized Onion and Quark Dip (here), Scallops
with Pea Puree (here), Fish Poached in Buttermilk (here), Chicken and Lemon
Terrine (here), Roast Chicken with Bread Salad (here), Breaded Veal Milan-
Style (here), Steak au Poivre (here), Devil’s Food Cake (here), Rhubarb-
Strawberry Mousse (here), Tapioca Flamingo (here), Strawberry Sorbet (here)
JULY 10, 2002: “PAIRINGS: NO MATTER WHAT YOU’RE SERVING, MAKE SURE THE WINE IS
COLD,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2002
CHILLED CORN SOUP WITH HONEYDEW POLKA

DOTS
I have a love-hate relationship with Kay Rentschler, the author of this recipe. I
often talk out loud to her in my kitchen: You want me to use another goddamn
pan! You want me to dice the radish how small?
But when I sit down to eat with my family, all is forgiven. Her recipes (see
also here, here, and here) stand out—there are layers of thought and nuance, and
there is always a surprise.
Rentschler, an occasional contributor to the Times, seems to have been raised
in a restaurant kitchen at Thomas Keller’s knee. In this soup, some of the corn is
cut from the cobs, some is grated, and some of the cobs are split and added to the
soup. The water you add to the soup must be filtered spring water. The soup is
chilled over ice, and so are the melon balls—separately. But the finished soup—
cool, sweet with a hint of tang from the buttermilk and the surprise, a little prick
of cayenne—is superb. It looks pretty and people praise me. And I quietly feel
great respect for Rentschler, while disliking her just the same.
———
10 medium to large ears corn, shucked

2 cups homemade chicken broth, or one 15-ounce can chicken broth
plus ¼ cup filtered water
2 cups filtered water (if using canned broth, substitute milk for the
water)
1 teaspoon salt (¾ teaspoon if using canned broth and milk), or more to
taste
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 ripe honeydew melon
1 to 1½ cups buttermilk, or more
2 teaspoons minced chervil, or 1 teaspoon minced basil
1. Grate the kernels from 4 ears corn into a large bowl, using the coarse side of a
box grater (there should be 1 cup grated corn, including juices); discard the cobs.
Cut the kernels from the remaining 6 ears (there should be 3 cups), reserving 4
of the cobs; set the kernels aside.
2. Break the 4 cobs in half. Combine with the grated corn, chicken broth, and
water in a 6-quart stockpot. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10
minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cobs from the broth with tongs and
discard.
3. Working in batches, pour the mixture into a blender and, holding the lid on
tight with a dish towel, puree until completely smooth. Return to the pot. Stir in
the whole kernels, bring to a simmer, and cook until the corn is crisp-tender,
about 2 minutes. Transfer the soup to a bowl (not plastic). Stir in the salt and
cayenne. Cover and refrigerate, or stir over an ice water bath at room
temperature until very cold (about 5 hours in the refrigerator, 1 hour over ice).
4. Halve and seed the melon. With a small (Parisienne) melon baller, make tiny
balls (there should be about 1¼ cups); or cut the melon into ¼-inch dice. Cover
the melon balls and chill over ice until ready to use (up to 1 hour before serving).
5. To serve, stir 1 cup buttermilk (or more to taste) into the soup. Taste and
adjust the seasoning. Toss the melon balls with the chervil and sprinkle with salt
(or skip this step and just add them separately to the bowls). Divide the melon
balls among 6 chilled shallow bowls. Pour the cold soup around the melon.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
Grating and cutting the corn yielded much more than the amounts Rentschler’s
recipe required, so I used only the amounts she notes in parentheses in the
method: 1 cup grated and 3 cups cut kernels. Also, I used canned chicken broth,
¼ cup filtered water, and 2 cups milk—the milk was pleasant and I recommend
using it even if you have homemade chicken broth.
If you taste the soup just before adding the buttermilk, you’ll think it’s terrific,
that it doesn’t need another thing. But do add the buttermilk, and taste again: the
transformation is fascinating. She calls for 1 to 1½ cups buttermilk—I used just
1 cup and thought it was the perfect amount.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fried Mussels with Almond-Garlic Sauce (here), Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs
(here), Jonathan Waxman’s Red Pepper Pancakes (here), Sweet-and-Spicy
Pepper Stew (here), Potato “Tostones” (Flattened Potatoes; here), Fresh
Blueberry Buckle (here), Summer Pudding (here), Strawberry Sorbet (here)
AUGUST 21, 2002: “CHILLED SOUP THAT REALLY TINGLES,” BY KAY RENTSCHLER.
—2002
LAOTIAN CATFISH SOUP

I love making this for dinner parties because you can get the base of the soup
ready earlier in the day, then just add the fish shortly before serving.
———
1½ pounds catfish fillets

12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 to 4 Thai chiles, seeded and finely chopped
3 kaffir lime leaves, stems and main veins removed, finely chopped
One 14-inch stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, thinly sliced
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
Two ¼-inch-thick slices peeled galangal (fresh or frozen) or ginger
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
6 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Cooked jasmine rice for serving (optional)
1. Cut the catfish fillets into strips about 1 inch long by ½ inch wide. Place on a
plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
2. Sauté the garlic, chiles, lime leaves, lemongrass, and shallots in the oil in a
deep skillet over medium heat until very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the
chicken broth, lime juice, and galangal (or ginger) and bring the mixture to a
slow simmer.
3. Whisk the peanut butter and ¼ cup coconut milk in a small bowl until
blended, then whisk into the garlic mixture. Stir in the fish and the remaining
coconut milk and warm gently (do not let it boil, or the coconut milk will
separate) until the fish layers separate when prodded with a fork, about 2
minutes. Stir in the fish sauce, basil, and cilantro and simmer for 2 minutes.
Serve immediately, with rice if desired.
SERVES 4 TO 6
COOKING NOTES
If you can’t find Thai chiles, use serranos; just 2 will be plenty.
I didn’t have kaffir lime leaves when I made this the first time, so I used 4
lemon leaves and the zest from 1½ limes, which worked well.
I recommend using chicken broth, which will enrich the soup.
I’ve made this with both galangal and ginger—you can’t go wrong.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pork-and-Toasted-Rice-Powder Spring Rolls (here), Pad Thai–Style Rice Salad
(here), Pineapple Carpaccio with Lime Sorbet (here), Mango Ice Cream (here),
Lemon Lotus Ice Cream (here), Glazed Mango with Sour Cream Sorbet and
Black Pepper (here), Sticky Rice with Mango (here) MAY 18, 2003: “FOOD: CAT
FIGHT,” BY JULIA REED.
—2003
MANJULA GOKAL’S GUJARATI MANGO SOUP
This viscous, arrestingly fragrant soup could cloy in large doses but is wonderful
in small ones. The foundation of the soup, mango, is overlaid with peppery,
assertive spices.
———
2 tablespoons chickpea flour

⅛ teaspoon turmeric
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
2½ cups water
½ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
3 cups canned Alphonso mango pulp (sweetened), preferably Ratna
brand
1¼ to 1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon sugar, or to taste
2 bird’s-eye chiles, 2 slits cut in each
2 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
Generous pinch of ground asafetida
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 dried hot red chiles
⅛ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
10 to 15 fresh curry leaves (optional)
1. Put the chickpea flour, turmeric, cumin, and coriander in a bowl. Very slowly
stir in ½ cup water until no lumps are left. Whisk in the yogurt, mango, and
remaining 2 cups water. Add the salt, sugar, and bird’s-eye chiles. Mix well.
2. Pour the oil into a medium heavy saucepan and set over medium-high heat.
When the oil is very hot, add the asafetida and then, in quick succession, the
mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried chiles, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves, if
using. Remove from the heat and stir in the mango mixture, then place over
medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring. Remove from the heat, cover,
and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
3. Stir the soup and reheat it gently. Strain through a coarse strainer. Spoon out
some of the smaller seeds from the strainer and stir them back into the soup.
SERVES 8 (SMALL SERVINGS)
COOKING NOTES
If possible, use Fage Total (or other thick Greek) whole-milk yogurt.
If you can’t find Alphonso mango pulp—Indian grocery stores are your best
bet—try it with very ripe fresh mangoes. In Madhur Jaffrey’s book From
Curries to Kebabs, she says: “Squeeze [the mangoes] with both hands, almost as
if you were giving them a good massage. The flesh should turn to pulp. Now
peel them. ‘Milk’ the stone, collecting all the juice in a bowl. Pour a little hot
water on the stone and ‘milk’ it some more. Do the same to the skin, pouring a
tablespoon or so of hot water on it to get at all the juice. Collect all the mango
juice in a bowl. . . . Use this thin juice whenever water is called for, letting it
cool first.”
Asafetida is bitter and pungent when raw; once cooked, it produces an onion-
and-garlic aroma. Many of the specialty ingredients listed here are available by
mail-order from Kalustyan’s, www.kalustyans.com.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Crab and Coconut Curry (here), Malaysian-Inspired Pork Stew with Traditional
Garnishes (here), Green Beans with Coriander-Coconut Crust (here), Minced
Fish Salad (here), Pad Thai–Style Rice Salad (here), Saffron Panna Cotta (here),
Tapioca Flamingo (here), Cantaloupe–Star Anise Sorbet (here), Lemon Lotus
Ice Cream (here) OCTOBER 5, 2003: “FOOD: DARK VICTORY,” BY JONATHAN REYNOLDS.
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM MANJULA GOKAL’S RECIPE IN FROM CURRIES TO KEBABS, BY
MADHUR JAFFREY.
—2003
PASTA AND BEAN SOUP

Tom Valenti, the owner of Ouest, in New York City, is most famous for his
braised veal shanks, a dish that kept his fans jockeying for reservations through
the first decade of the twenty-first century. But Valenti is really a master of
anything hearty and succulent—like this pasta and bean soup. You won’t believe
it doesn’t have any meat other than some diced prosciutto. Even the broth is
vegetable.
———
———

¼ pound prosciutto, cut into medium dice (double-smoked bacon can
be substituted)
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
1 small Spanish onion, cut into small dice
1 stalk celery, cut into small dice
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
2 medium baking potatoes, peeled
1 cup ditalini pasta
Two 14½-ounce cans cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
Extra virgin olive oil
1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the prosciutto
and cook, stirring, until it begins to render its fat, about 4 minutes. Add the
carrot, onion, celery, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring,
until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the
tomato paste, stir to coat the other ingredients, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the
broth, water, and potatoes, raise heat to high, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat
and simmer until the potatoes are very soft, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the
potatoes to a bowl and mash them.
2. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the soup. When it is nearly done, return the
potatoes to the soup. (If not serving immediately, let cool, cover, and refrigerate
for up to a few days or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat before proceeding.) 3.
Add the beans to the soup and cook over medium heat until warmed through,
about 3 minutes. Stir in the rosemary, crushed red pepper, and Parmesan. Taste
and adjust the seasoning.
4. Ladle the soup into 8 bowls. Top each with more cheese and a drizzle of extra
virgin olive oil.
SERVES 8
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
No-Knead Bread (here), Classic Ciabatta (here), Diane Forley’s Arugula Salad
with Artichoke, Ricotta Salata, and Pumpkin Seeds (here), Chiffonade Salad
(here), Balducci’s Tiramisù (here), Canestrelli (Shortbread from Ovada; here),
Cornmeal Biscotti (here) DECEMBER 10, 2003: “AT LUNCH WITH: TOM VALENTI,” BY
ALEX WITCHEL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM TOM VALENTI’S SOUPS, STEWS, AND ONE-POT
MEALS, BY TOM VALENTI.
—2003
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH BROWN BUTTER
There are other memorable butternut squash soups in this book, but this one,
which comes from Bouchon, by Thomas Keller, is the best. Greatness comes at a
price, however; preparing the soup will take up the better part of a day. Some of
the squash is roasted, some of it simmered. Crème fraîche is whipped with
nutmeg, and sage leaves are crisped. The most important step of all comes last,
when butter is browned and swirled into the soup, the toasty bits streaming into
every molecule of broth. By the time it’s in the bowl, you have something worth
honoring, and you (almost) understand why dinner at a Thomas Keller restaurant
costs as much as it does.
———
One 3-to 3½-pound butternut squash

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 sprigs sage
1 cup thinly sliced (⅛-inch-thick) leeks (white and pale green parts
only)
½ cup thinly sliced (⅛-inch-thick) carrots
½ cup thinly sliced (⅛-inch-thick) shallots
½ cup thinly sliced (⅛-inch-thick) onion
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons honey
6 cups vegetable broth, plus more if needed
A bouquet garni made of 8 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, 2
bay leaves, and ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, wrapped in 2 green
leek leaves and tied with kitchen string ¼ cup crème fraîche
Freshly grated nutmeg
Canola oil
12 sage leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut the neck off the squash and set it aside. Cut the bulb in half and scoop out
and discard the seeds. Brush each half inside and out with about 1½ teaspoons
canola oil. Sprinkle the cavities with salt and pepper and tuck a sprig of sage into
each. Place cut side down on the baking sheet and roast until completely tender,
about 1 hour. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool, then scoop out and
reserve the flesh (discard the sage).
2. Meanwhile, using a paring knife or sharp vegetable peeler, peel away the skin
from the neck of the squash until you reach the bright orange flesh. Cut the flesh
into ½-inch pieces.
3. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil in a stockpot set over medium-high
heat, add the leeks, carrots, shallots, and onion, and cook, stirring often, for 6
minutes. Add the diced squash, garlic, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper
and cook gently for 3 minutes, reducing the heat as necessary to keep the garlic
and squash from coloring. Stir in the honey and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the broth and bouquet garni, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 to 15
minutes, or until the squash is tender.
4. Add the roasted squash and simmer gently for about 30 minutes for the flavors
to blend. Remove from the heat and discard the bouquet garni.
5. Transfer the soup to a blender, in batches, and purée. Strain the soup through a
fine sieve into a bowl or other container, tapping the side of the strainer so the
soup passes through. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Let the soup cool,
then refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. To complete, place the crème fraîche in a chilled small metal bowl and stir in
nutmeg to taste. Whisk until the crème fraîche holds a shape. Cover and
refrigerate.
7. Gently reheat the soup until just hot. If it is too thick, add a little more
vegetable broth.
8. Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over high heat. When it is very hot, add the
butter and rotate the skillet over the heat as necessary to brown the butter evenly,
scraping up any bits that settle in the bottom. As soon as the foaming has
subsided and the butter is a hazelnut brown, pour it into the pot of soup—keep a
safe distance, the butter may sputter—and stir.
9. Heat ⅛ inch of canola oil in a small skillet. When the oil is very hot, add the
sage and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, turning the leaves to crisp them on both
sides. When the bubbling stops, the moisture in the leaves will have evaporated
and the leaves will be crisp. Drain the sage on paper towels and sprinkle with
salt.
10. Ladle the soup into 6 serving bowls. Top each with a dollop of crème
fraîche. Grind some black pepper over the top and garnish each with 2 sage
leaves. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
Keller says the squash gets sweeter after resting, so serve this the next day.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese (here), Veal Shanks with Garlic
Mashed Potatoes (here), Saltimbocca (here), Madame Laracine’s Gratin
Dauphinois (here), Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine Nuts (here),
Red Wine Ice Cream (here), Gooey Chocolate Stack (here), Pear Upside-Down
Cake (here), Gâteau de Crepes (here) DECEMBER 12, 2004: “THE WAY WE EAT: LABOR
PARTY,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM BOUCHON BY THOMAS KELLER
WITH JEFFREY CERCIELLO.
—2004
MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER WITH HAKE AND

CHORIZO
Steam the clams just until they begin to open—you don’t want to fully cook
them, because they’ll cook again when you assemble the soup in the last step.
———
½ cup dry white wine

1½ cups water
10 pounds quahogs or other large clams, scrubbed
10 pounds quahogs or other large clams, scrubbed
5 ounces slab bacon, diced (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, diced
¼ fennel bulb, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
2 small dried red chiles, crushed, or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 large Yukon Gold potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-
inch dice
1 cup bottled clam juice
6 ripe tomatoes, cored and diced
Four to six 6-ounce skin-on hake fillets (or other fine-fleshed white fish,
like snapper or sole)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ pound Spanish chorizo, sliced into thin rounds
1 pound bay scallops (optional)
1. Combine the wine and water in a large heavy pot, place over high heat, and
bring to a boil. Add the clams, cover, and cook until they open, about 5 minutes.
Discard any unopened clams, and transfer the others to a bowl. Strain the clam
broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl; set aside.
2. When the clams are cool enough to handle, remove from the shells and chop
into ¼-inch pieces.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the
bacon and sauté until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, onion,
fennel, celery, bell pepper, carrot, bay leaves, oregano, and chiles and sauté until
the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook,
stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the potato, reserved clam broth, and bottled clam
juice and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the potato is
tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the
heat.
4. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2
tablespoons olive oil. Season the hake on both sides with salt and pepper. When
the oil is hot, sear skin side down for 2 minutes, then flip and cook until the fish
is opaque in the center, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely to
keep warm.
5. Add the chorizo to the pan and sauté until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
Transfer to a plate. If using the scallops, add them to pan and sauté just until
opaque, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
6. Add the clams to the chowder and heat through. Adjust the salt and pepper if
necessary. Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with the hake, chorizo, and
scallops.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Gigi Salad (Shrimp, Bacon, and Green Bean Salad; here), Green Goddess Salad
(here), Salade à la Romaine (here), Lemon Lotus Ice Cream (here), Lemon Cake
(here), Cherry and Coconut Brown Betty (here), Whiskey Cake (here) JANUARY
26, 2005: “THE CHEF: LAURENT TOURONDEL: CLAM CHOWDER, REIMAGINED IN FRENCH,”
BY DANA BOWEN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM LAURENT TOURONDEL, THE CHEF AND OWNER
OF BLT FISH IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2005
OYSTER CHOWDER
This is a recipe you could have found in the Times archives at any point from the
1850s until now. The oysters today will have traveled farther—New York’s
harbor was once carpeted with bivalves—but some of the chowder’s other
elements are likely to be better. The celery is probably more tender, the cayenne
fresher. This version comes from my grandmother Helen Getz.
———
¼ pound bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips

1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery hearts
3 white potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
About 3 cups water
14 to 16 large oysters, shucked, with their liquor
14 to 16 large oysters, shucked, with their liquor
Salt
Cayenne pepper
⅔ to 1 cup whole milk
1. Spread the bacon in a soup pot, place over medium heat, and cook until it is
browned and its fat has rendered. Drain the bacon on paper towels.
2. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and put the pot back on the heat. Scrape
the onion and celery into the pot and sauté until softened. Drop in the potatoes,
add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer
until the potatoes are tender, 15 minutes.
3. Take the pot off the heat and, using a potato masher, lightly crush the potatoes
to thicken the chowder. Add the oysters and oyster liquor and season with salt
and cayenne pepper. Simmer until the oysters curl, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in the
milk (use ⅔ cup if you prefer it less rich) and bring to a boil, then shut off the
heat. Crumble in the bacon and stir in the parsley.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pan-Roasted Chicken with End-of-Season Tomatoes (here), ‘21’ Club
Hamburger (here), Saratoga Potatoes (here), French Fries (here), Stewed Corn
(here), Fresh Succotash (here), Red Velvet Cake (here), Chocolate Pudding
(here), Banana Cream Pie (here), Blueberry Ice Cream (here) JANUARY 30, 2005:
“THE ARSENAL,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM HELEN GETZ, MY
GRANDMOTHER.
—2005
LOBSTER BISQUE II
In 1940s Los Angeles, there were only two kinds of dining. There was Chasen’s
and the Brown Derby, and there was everything else. At restaurants like
Chasen’s, you needed money and connections. You were expected to dress in
your finest and eat steaks cooked tableside in oceans of butter.
But then, in 1950, an unknown actor named Harry Lewis and his plucky
girlfriend (and soon-wife), Marilyn, had an idea. They would open a restaurant
that would serve a good hamburger but still be stylish enough that directors,
writers, and even agents would come to dine with hoi polloi. There would be
leather booths and Löwenbräu beer and ice cream from Wil Wright (the Van
Leeuwen of the time). On the corner of Hilldale and Sunset Boulevard,
Hamburger Hamlet was born. And so, too, was the lasting American style of
democratic dining.
“Who would expect lobster bisque, cherries jubilee, and French onion soup
brought down to the level where one could comfortably dine in blue jeans, no tie
or black tie, sitting next to a favorite movie star and at half the price?” Marilyn
wrote in her memoir, Marilyn, Are You Sure You Can Cook?
No one did. Almost miraculously (because Marilyn could barely boil water
back then), Hamburger Hamlet struck a chord. Ronald Reagan, Sammy Davis
Jr., Bobby Short, and Dorothy Malone were all regulars. Zachary Scott would
show up late at night and order the “No. 7” (a hamburger topped with Russian
dressing), medium-rare, with a glass of milk.
Probably the most revered dish on the menu was this lobster bisque. During
the Depression, Marilyn had watched her grandmother make the bisque from
lobster and shrimp shells and no meat. The Hamlet’s version is more heavily
fortified, and Marilyn’s recipe for it is flawless: creamy and substantial, with a
subtle sweetness and a flash of heat from the cayenne.
For an earlier lobster bisque, see here.
———
8 cups water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
One 1½-pound live lobster
1 pound medium shrimp
12 white peppercorns
6 sprigs thyme
1 medium yellow onion, diced
½ cup sliced carrots
½ cup sliced celery
1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ cup dry sherry
¼ cup tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
6 tablespoons long-grain rice
6 slices baguette, toasted
1 clove garlic
1. Bring the water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large pot. Add the lobster,
head first, cover, and cook for 11 minutes. Set the lobster on a rack above a plate
to catch any juices and let cool. Pour the lobster water into a large Dutch oven.
2. Remove the tail and claw meat from the lobster and reserve, chilled. Reserve
the shells.
3. Peel and devein the shrimp and save all the shells, reserve the shrimp. Add the
shells to the lobster water, along with the peppercorns, 3 sprigs thyme, and the
lobster shells. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30
minutes.
4. Strain the lobster broth through cheesecloth into a bowl. Discard the shells.
Wipe out the Dutch oven, put it over medium heat and drop in 2 tablespoons
butter. When it’s frothy, add the shrimp and cook, turning, until pink. Scrape
into a bowl.
5. Put the Dutch oven back over the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of
butter, followed by the onion, carrots, celery, the remaining 3 sprigs thyme, and
the lemon zest. Stir and cook for 8 minutes. Pour in the white wine and sherry,
add the tomato paste, and boil for 2 minutes. Scrape up any cooked bits on the
bottom of the pot. Remove to a bowl.
6. Put the Dutch oven back on the heat and pour in the lobster broth, cream,
chicken broth, and rice. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20
minutes.
7. Working in batches, puree the shrimp, vegetable-wine mixture, and lobster-
rice broth in a blender. Strain, pressing out as much liquid as possible, into the
top of a double boiler. Add the cayenne pepper and remaining teaspoon of salt.
Reheat gently.
8. Meanwhile, chop the lobster meat. Rub the toasted baguette slices with the
garlic clove.
9. Ladle the warm broth into 6 shallow bowls. Top each with a piece of toast and
a small mound of lobster meat.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Nancy Reagan’s Monkey Bread (here), Parmesan Crackers (here), Astor House
Rolls (here), Chiffonade Salad (here), Salade à la Romaine (here), Iceberg
Lettuce with Smoked Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing (here), Chez Panisse
Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie (here), Steamed Lemon Pudding (here), Almond-
Lemon Macaroons (here) MAY 22, 2005: “THE WAY WE EAT: WHEN HARRY MET
MARILYN,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2005
GREEN GAZPACHO
———
2½ pounds ripe plum or grape tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, coarsely chopped
¼ cup vodka
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
4 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and chopped
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, or to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
½ avocado
1 small handful chives
1 small handful cilantro leaves
1 small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 bunch scallions, trimmed
1. The day before serving, combine the tomatoes, lemongrass, and vodka in a
blender and puree until smooth. Line a sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels,
set over a bowl, and pour in the tomato mixture. Refrigerate overnight—clear
liquid will slowly drain through; discard the solids.
2. Meanwhile, combine the cucumbers, green peppers, tomatillos, vinegars,
lemon juice, sugar, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper in a bowl.
Refrigerate overnight.
3. In a blender, puree the marinated vegetables, avocado, chives, cilantro,
parsley, scallions, and tomato liquid until smooth. Taste for salt, pepper, and
vinegar, adding more as needed. Serve very cold.
SERVES 6 TO 8
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs (here), Decadent Lobster Salad (here), Salmon and
Tomatoes in Foil (here), Pan-Roasted Chicken with End-of-Season Tomatoes
(here), Beer-Can Chicken (here), Thai Beef Salad (here), Fruit Crostatas (here)
JULY 12, 2006: “WHEN THE SOUR NOTE IS JUST RIGHT,” BY JULIA MOSKIN. RECIPE
ADAPTED FROM ALEX UREÑA, THE CHEF AT UREÑA IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2006
GAZPACHO WITH CUCUMBER

GRANITA
In 2006, I started a new Times Magazine column called “Recipe Redux” that
grew out of the research I was doing for this book. As I dug through the
archives, it became clear that while the past century had brought enormous
changes to the way we eat, we often circle back to old recipes as we find new
techniques in the kitchen.
For “Recipe Redux,” I thought it would be interesting to capture this evolution
by taking an old Times recipe—in this case, the Málaga Gazpacho from 1968,
here—and asking a chef to use it as a jumping-off point for creating a modern
dish.
Michael Tusk, the chef of Quince Restaurant in San Francisco, treated the
original to a down-to-the-bones renovation. He stripped out all of the flavors
from the 1968 soup and essentially gave each ingredient its own pedestal. He ran
a variety of tomatoes through a food mill to get a dense base. In it he floated a
simple cucumber granita, given a little zip with cucumber vinegar (Champagne
vinegar also works).
He treated the rest of the gazpacho ingredients as garnishes, poising them on
the lip of the soup bowl to mix in at your pleasure. He fried cubes of bread and
slivers of garlic in olive oil, minced peppers and serrano chiles, and peeled
cherry tomatoes (the only maddening part of the recipe, though worth the
tedium).
The two soups share a shopping list but little else. One is a smooth, poignant
expression of summer flavors (and is a snap to make). The other keeps your
palate riveted, as each spoonful carries bursts of pepper, the crunch of bread, and
the stinging chill of the granita.
———
For the Cucumber Granita
2 cups peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped cucumber (1 to 2
cucumbers)
1 tablespoon cucumber vinegar or Champagne vinegar
Salt
For the Gazpacho

3 pounds ripe Persimmon, or Golden Jubilee, or other large red or
yellow tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped (about 6 cups)
Salt
2 slices country bread, crusts removed and cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup finely chopped shallots
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced serrano chile
1 cup grape, cherry, or sweet 100 tomatoes, peeled
1. Chill 6 shallow rimmed soup bowls in the refrigerator. To make the granita,
place the cucumber in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the
cucumber vinegar and salt to taste and blend well. Pour into a wide shallow pan
and place in the freezer. Run a fork through the granita, scraping it up, every 20
minutes for approximately 2 hours. Freeze until completely frozen and icy. (This
can be done the day before.) 2. To make the gazpacho, pass the tomatoes
through a food mill using the finest plate. Strain the tomato juice through a fine-
mesh sieve. Season with salt (about 6 pinches), and chill in the refrigerator.
3. Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When
it is warm, sauté the garlic until golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer it to
paper towels, and season with salt. Add the cubed bread to the oil and fry until
golden. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and season with
salt.
4. Ladle the chilled tomato juice into the chilled bowls. Float a large
tablespoonful of granita in the center of each bowl. Arrange the garnishes—
garlic, bread cubes, shallots, green pepper, chile, and cherry tomatoes—around
the rims, or serve them separately and pass around at the table.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTE
Gegenbauer cucumber vinegar is available at www.dibruno.com.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes (here), Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs (here),
Docks Coleslaw (here), Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado (here), String Beans
with Ginger and Garlic (here), Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish (here),
Blueberry Ice Cream (here), Strawberry Sorbet (here) JULY 23, 2006: “RECIPE
REDUX, 1968: MÁLAGA GAZPACHO,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM
MICHAEL TUSK, THE CHEF AND CO-OWNER OF QUINCE IN SAN FRANCISCO.
—2006
CHILLED ENGLISH PEA–MINT SOUP
Most pea and mint soups rely on the happy bond of peas’ sweetness and mint’s
freshness. Here buttermilk streaks through, throwing in a little vim.
———
2 cups buttermilk, homemade (here)

4 cups peas, plus more for garnish
Salt
12 to 14 mint leaves
1. Bring the buttermilk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the the peas and
a teaspoon of salt and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring often
so that the buttermilk does not boil over. The peas should still have a slight bite
to them.
2. Transfer the peas and liquid to a blender, along with the mint leaves, and,
starting on low speed, carefully blend (holding the lid on firmly with a dish
cloth), working up to high speed for 60 seconds.
3. To preserve the vibrant color and flavor of the peas, the soup must be cooled
immediately. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, then set the bowl in a
larger bowl of ice water. Stir constantly until cool; taste occasionally—you will
notice that the soup becomes sweeter as it cools. Adjust the seasoning with salt
and pepper. Refrigerate until cold.
4. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with peas and black pepper.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
A recipe for butter, and its offspring, buttermilk, is here. You can also use store-
bought buttermilk—if you can get it at a farmers’ market, all the better.
Make sure you have lots of ice on hand for cooling the soup—this sets the
color, and you want your pea soup to look fresh as a baby leaf if you’re feeling
ambitious.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Lamb Shoulder Chops with Anchovy and Mint Butter (here), High-Temperature
Roast Lamb (here), Al Forno’s Roasted Asparagus (here), Artichauts Vinaigrette
(here), Italian Roast Potatoes (here), New Jersey Blancmange (here), Rhubarb-
Strawberry Mousse (here), Panna Cotta (here), Coeur à la Crème with Rhubarb
Sauce (here) JULY 1, 2007: “THE WAY WE EAT: CURD MENTALITY,” BY DANIEL
PATTERSON.
—2007
RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

———
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 tablespoon tomato paste
¼ to ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Large pinch of ground chile powder or cayenne pepper, or more to
taste
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Juice of ½ lemon, or more to taste
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add the
onion and garlic and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste,
cumin, salt, black pepper, and chile powder and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the
broth, water, lentils, and carrot and bring to a simmer, then partially cover the
pot and turn the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30
minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
2. Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, puree half the
soup, then return it to the pot; don’t over-puree it, the soup should be somewhat
chunky. Reheat the soup if necessary, then stir in the lemon juice and cilantro.
Serve drizzled with olive oil and dusted lightly with chile powder if desired.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Cutlets à la Kiev (here), Warm Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese and Capers
(here), Roasted Cauliflower (here), Spinach with Sour Cream (here), Poppy Seed
Torte (here), Marcella’s Pear Cake (here), Orange Marmalade Pudding (here)
JANUARY 9, 2008: “A GOOD APPETITE: A LENTIL SOUP TO MAKE YOU STOP, TASTE, AND
SAVOR,” BY MELISSA CLARK.
—2008
9 FISH AND SHELLFISH
—1870s— • Deviled Crabs (here).

—1877— • Instructions on how to clean and fry soft-shell crabs appear in the food
pages.
—1880s— • Shrimp, salmon, and lobster are potted with butter.
—1880— • Cooking teacher Juliet Corson gives courses on cooking skate.
—1881— • Curries, including Crab and Coconut Curry (here), are surprisingly
common.
—1890s— • Oysters are abundant in New York harbor; the city’s inhabitants gorge.
—1899— • Oysters Rockefeller is created at Antoine’s in New Orleans.
—1904— • Unconventional yet delicious Bouillabaisse (here).
—1913— • The Oyster Bar opens in Grand Central Terminal.
—1934— • Zabar’s, specializing in smoked fish, opens on Manhattan’s Upper
West Side.
—1939—
—1939— • Pierre Franey moves from France to New York and is hired as the fish
cook at Le Pavillon.
—1940s— • Tomatoes Stuffed with Crab (here) find their audience at hotels and
then country clubs.
—1946— • Lobster Thermidor: shellfish meet cream sauce.
—1947— • Maryland Crab Cakes (here)—a love that lasts for decades.
—1958— • Craig Claiborne runs a recipe for Grand Central Pan Roast (here), one
of the world’s best dishes, and it can be made in five minutes.
—1960s— • Does any dish say 1960s more than Coquilles St.-Jacques (here)?
—1961— • Meunière and Grenobloise (here).
• There is a time for Salmon Mousse (here) and it is this decade.
—1970s— • Greek food is in: shrimp meets feta, with delicious consequences (see
here).
—1980s— • Soft-shell crabs move beyond a regional specialty.
—1983— • Craig Claiborne writes about making gravlax at home.
—1986— • Alfred Portale creates a tower of lobster, making his dish—Lobster
Salad Max—and his plating style famous.
—1990s— • Tuna is seared, sometimes with black peppercorns, sometimes not.
• Ubiquitous wedding hors d’oeuvre: mini crab cakes.
• Tuna tartare (here) and ceviche (here).
• Monkfish and skate, former trash fish, become popular.
• Broiled cod with a miso glaze, a specialty of Nobu in New York, is
copied everywhere.
• Chilean sea bass, aka Patagonian toothfish, becomes a hit.
—1994— • Mark Bittman writes Fish.
—1997— • Slow-cooked salmon (see here) foreshadows the days of sous-vide.
—1998— • “Line-caught” and “day boat” become catch phrases for higher-quality
fish caught in a humane fashion and brought to shore fresh rather than
frozen.
—1999— • Thomas Keller publishes his butter-poached lobster recipe in The
French Laundry Cookbook.
—2000s— • Chilean sea bass is overfished, and is removed from many menus.
• Sushi. Sushi. And more sushi.
—2002— • Julia Moskin explains that there are really only four kinds of oysters,
they just live in different waters, which impart different flavors.
—2004— • Masa, a sushi bar, opens in New York City and earns 4 stars from the
Times. Its tasting menu runs from $300 to $500.
—2005— • Fulton Fish Market, open since 1822, moves from near the Brooklyn
Bridge to the Bronx.
—2006— • Tartare is replaced by crudo; same thing, larger pieces of fish.
—2008— • The United Nations reports that overfishing is a global issue.
9
FISH AND SHELLFISH
The Times’s food pages’ particular area of expertise, as it happens,

has been fish and shellfish. Among its most well-known writers have
been fish experts such as Bob the Sea Cook from the nineteenth
century; Pierre Franey, who was hired as the fish chef at Le Pavillon
in 1939; and Mark Bittman, who wrote a book called Fish before
beginning his column “The Minimalist.” And the feeding ground for
Times food writers is New York City, which has some of the best fish
and shellfish chefs in the world. You will meet some of them—Eric
Ripert, David Pasternack, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten—on the
following pages.
Over the decades, the ways we cook fish and shellfish have become
increasingly varied and nuanced. In addition to French-style sautés
and sauces, and American fish chowders, we now make Chinese
Clams in Black Bean Sauce (here), Yucatán Fish with Crisp Garlic
(here), Broiled Halibut with Miso Glaze (here), and Laotian Minced
Fish Salad (here).
But this chapter is one of a few in which the basic recipes haven’t
really changed all that much in 150 years. The instructions given in
1882 for serving oysters on the half-shell are exactly what they would
be today: “Have half a dozen oysters on the half-shell ready for each
guest. Be careful, in ordering them, to state that they must be small.
Half a lemon should be served with each plate.” In 1881, Juliet
Corson, a cooking school teacher who was a frequent Times
contributor, published a recipe for poached trout with peas that’s not
all that different from Nigella Lawson’s Scallops with Pea Puree
(here). And the Deviled Crab (here) from 1878 is nearly the same as a
deviled crab casserole from 1992 that was recommended by readers
(but not included here because the old one was better).
The only real change with fish is that the world’s fish supply has
been devastated in recent decades. As buying can be fraught, it’s
always a good idea to check sources like www.sustainablefish.org and
www.edf.org, which post updates on which fish are best to buy.
A few cooking tips before you get started. In 2009, Sam Sifton,
then a Times editor and now the paper’s restaurant critic, buttonholed
David Pasternak, the chef at Esca, for his fish sautéing technique and
extracted three rules that Sifton set down as follows: 1. Get over the
fear. You’re going to make fish at home, it’s going to be easy, and it’s
not going to take up your day or destroy your kitchen. The recipe is
going to work. Trust the process.
2. Buying fish is half the battle. Pasternack said, “The first thing
you want to do is you want to find a thick fillet of fish. You want
a nice thick fillet so you can develop the color and the crust.”
Pasternack speaks in a soft Long Island growl that turns any
conversation into an intimacy, a prelude to something possibly
criminal and certainly fun. “Ask for the large,” he continued.
“They have large in the back. They always do.”
3. Crust is crucial. Pasternack’s method: “You want to make sure

the bottom of your pan is completely covered in fat. It’s on a
medium flame. You add a pat of butter for flavor, and you put the
fillet in the pan. You turn it to medium-high, and you watch it
cook until it turns a deep golden brown on the bottom. That’s like
3, 4 minutes. Then you turn it. A minute later, you take it out, put
it on paper towels, season it with a little salt.”

RECIPES BY CATEGORY
Soups and Stews

Marmitako (Basque Tuna Soup)
Soupe de Poisson Jardinière (Fish Soup with Vegetables)
Provençal Fish Soup
Bouillabaisse
Gilbert Le Coze’s Bouillabaisse
Tuna Curry
Oyster Chowder
Clam Chowder
Lobster Bisque I
Lobster Bisque II
Cold or Raw Fish and Shellfish Dishes

Salmon Mousse
Poisson à l’Huile (Salmon with Sauternes and Olive Oil)
Potted Salmon
Joyce Goldstein’s Pickled Salmon
The Minimalist’s Gravlax
Salmon and Beet Tartare
Tuna Tartare
Ceviche with Mint and Mango
Shellfish
Bouillabaisse
Gilbert Le Coze’s Bouillabaisse
Deviled Crabs
Crab and Coconut Curry
Tomatoes Stuffed with Crab
Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs
Stuffed Clams
Clam Chowder
Clambake in a Pot
Clams in Black Bean Sauce
Fried Mussels with Almond-Garlic Sauce
Grandma Tedesco’s Mussels and Gravy
Oyster Chowder
Ceylon Curry of Oysters
Grand Central Pan Roast
Cromesquis d’Huîtres à la Sauce Tartare (Fried Oysters with Creamy Tartar
Sauce)
Shrimp Toast
Mrs. Reardy’s Shrimp and Artichoke Casserole
Shrimp Baked with Feta Cheese, Greek-Style
Pan-Barbecued Shrimp
Hot Pepper Shrimp
“Breakfast” Shrimp and Grits
Shrimp in Green Sauce
Shrimp Creole
Shrimp Burgers
Pickled Shrimp
Roast Lobster with Vanilla Sauce
Lobster Shepherd’s Pie
Lobster Roll
Lobster Bisque I
Lobster Bisque II
Decadent Lobster Salad
Oolong-Crusted Scallops
Sea Scallops with Sweet Red Peppers and Zucchini
Scallops with Pea Puree
Coquilles St.-Jacques
Calamari Ripieni (Stuffed Squid)
Hot Fish Dishes

Yucatán Fish with Crisp Garlic
Fish Tacos
Fish Steamed over Vegetables and Fresh Herbs
Steamed Fish with Thyme and Tomato Vinaigrette
Fish Poached in Buttermilk
Baked Goan Fish with Fresh Green Chile Chutney
Salt-Roasted Striped Bass with Salsa de la Boca
Gently Cooked Salmon with Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Salmon with Herb Vinaigrette
Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil
Alaskan Salmon
Sweet-and-Sour Salmon in Almond Prune Sauce
Arctic Char with Ancho-Shallot Butter
Seared Tuna in Black Pepper Crust
Char-Grilled Tuna with Toasted Corn Vinaigrette and Avocado Salad
Baked Flounder
Monkfish Encrusted with Pistachios
Swordfish in Green Curry–Basil Sauce
Chinese-Style Steamed Black Sea Bass
Oven-Roasted Branzino with Hazelnut Picada
Sea Bass in Grappa
Halibut with Parsley-Shellfish Sauce
Nina Simonds’s Broiled Halibut with Miso Glaze
Sautéed Fluke with Grapefruit Vinaigrette
Skate with Sautéed Spinach and Fried Potatoes
Sautéed Red Snapper with Rhubarb Sauce
Brandade (Salt Cod Mousse)
Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel Broth
Sautéed Trout with Brown Butter, Lemon, and Macadamia Nuts
Sole Grenobloise (Sautéed Sole with Capers and Lemons)
Shad and Roe Grenobloise
Grilled Moroccan Sardines
Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari Salad
Cold Fish and Shellfish Salads

Salmon Salad
Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Crab Salad
Seafood Salad
Scandanavian Seafood Salad
Ventresca Tuna Salad
My Mother’s Tuna Salad
Tuna Salad
Clementine’s Tuna-Macaroni Salad
Minced Fish Salad (Koy Pa)
Lightly Smoked Salt Cod Salad
Smoked Mackerel on Toasts
Seafood Cakes
Crab Cakes Baltimore-Style
Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes
Salmon Cakes with Yogurt Chipotle Sauce
First-Course Fish and Shellfish Dishes

Deviled Crabs
Tomatoes Stuffed with Crab
Potted Salmon
Salmon Mousse
Salmon Cakes with Yogurt Chipotle Sauce
Shrimp Baked with Feta Cheese, Greek-Style
Shad and Roe Grenobloise
Stuffed Clams
Sauce)
Tuna Tartare
Brandade (Salt Cod Mousse)
Fried Mussels with Almond-Garlic Sauce
Coquilles St.-Jacques
Oolong-Crusted Scallops
Calamari Ripieni (Stuffed Squid)
Grilled Moroccan Sardines
Seafood Salad

POISSON À L’HUILE (SALMON WITH SAUTERNES AND

OLIVE OIL)
I was taken by the addition of Sauternes in the cooking broth and the
specification of olive oil from Lucca in the vinaigrette—long before the age of
competitive ingredient fetishes. In the recipe’s defense, it is such a simple dish
that you really do need the character of a great olive oil. But, of course, it’s fine
if yours comes from Liguria or Catalonia or even California, as long as its flavor
pleases you.
The writer of this recipe had come across this dish at a party. Having sought
out the hostess who ushered him to the buffet, he described how “she showed me
a superb salmon, stretched at length on a silver platter, where in quiet repose it
seemed as real as if it were a live fish on an argent wave. Just then, I might have
been on the eve of declaring my love, either for the lady or for the salmon, but it
was the fish which fascinated me.”
Soon enough he was in the kitchen, asking the chef how to prepare the fish.
“Believe me, sir,” the chef is quoted as saying, “this method is the best, the
simplest; and at a ball, after dancing, there is nothing so recuperating.”
———
For the Poaching Liquid
4 cups water
2 bottles (375-ml) Sauternes or 1 (750-ml) bottle ice wine or Riesling
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 sage leaf
1 small onion, halved
2 teaspoons salt
1½ tablespoons black peppercorns
One 3-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see
Cooking Note, here)
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 clove garlic, peeled
For the Vinaigrette

6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¾ cup your best extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped tarragon
Salt
1. To make the poaching liquid, combine the water and wine in a saucepan large
enough to hold the salmon. Add the parsley, thyme, bay leaf, sage, onion, salt,
and peppercorns and bring to a boil.
2. Lower the heat to medium so the poaching liquid simmers gently and lower
the salmon into the pan. If the salmon is not covered, add more water until it is.
Simmer until the salmon is just cooked through (test with the tip of a knife).
Remove the fish to a plate to cool.
3. Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread, and rub it with garlic while it is still warm.
Set aside to cool.
4. To make the vinaigrette, beat together the lemon juice, olive oil, tarragon,
parsley, and salt to taste.
5. Crumb the cooled toast in the food processor.
6. To serve, lay the fish on a platter and spoon the dressing over it. Sprinkle with
the garlic bread crumbs.
SERVES 6 TO 8
COOKING NOTE
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled—and if you can find a whole
salmon, by all means, buy it! It will take longer to cook, so build in a few extra
minutes when poaching.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Asparagus Salad (here), Yette’s Garden Platter (here), Artichoke Salad with
Anchovy and Capers (here), Asparagus and Bulgur with Preserved-Lemon
Dressing (here), Rhubarb Orange (here) OCTOBER 11, 1874: “HOW TO DRESS FISH:
LEAVES FROM A SENTIMENTAL COOKBOOK.”
—1874
DEVILED CRABS
DEVILED CRABS
Warm sweet crab with a zing of cayenne and Worcestershire. I like this fiery—if
you’re not a fan of spicy food, begin with a small pinch of cayenne.
Deviled crab is an ancestor of deviled eggs, which—much as we love them—
are a neutered form of deviling. Deviled crab and deviled kidneys were meant to
be spicy and bracing, the kind of food you had after a long night of drinking.
Deviling grew out of a dish called “a devil,” Anne Mendelson, a food historian,
wrote in an e-mail, which you made “by taking odd bits of meat, fish, poultry,
game, feathered game, offal—anything from turkey legs to fish bones—and
broiling them with plenty of hot condiments and/or serving them with some
strong-flavored relish.”
In David Copperfield, Mr. Micawber saves a dinner party by turning
undercooked mutton into a devil. Dickens wrote:
“Traddles cut the mutton into slices; Mr. Micawber (who could do anything of
this sort to perfection) covered them with pepper, mustard, salt, and cayenne; I
put them on the gridiron, turned them with a fork, and took them off, under Mr.
Micawber’s direction; and Mrs. Micawber heated, and continually stirred, some
mushroom ketchup in a little saucepan. . . . With the novelty of this cookery, the
excellence of it, the bustle of it, the frequent starting up to look after it, the
frequent sitting down to dispose of it as the crisp slices came off the gridiron hot
and hot, the being so busy, so flushed with fire, so amused, and in the midst of
such a tempting noise and savour, we reduced the leg of mutton to the bone.”
———
¼ cup mayonnaise
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
½ pound crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
2 tablespoons minced onion
½ teaspoon chopped thyme
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
About 2 tablespoons fine fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 thin slices
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Blend the mayonnaise, mustard, cayenne, and
vinegar in a bowl. Add the crab and fold together. Add the onion, thyme, and
Worcestershire and fold once more. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
2. Spoon the mixture into four 6-ounce ramekins (or the cleaned crab shells if
you have them). Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and top each with a slice of
butter. (At this point, the ramekins can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8
hours.) 3. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until heated through,
about 20 minutes. Then place under the broiler until golden brown on top, 30 to
60 seconds, depending on the distance between the heating element and the
ramekins.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Gin Rickey (here), Sea Scallops with Sweet Red Peppers and Zucchini (here),
Baked Flounder (here), ‘21’ Club Hamburger (here), Saratoga Potatoes (here),
Delicate Bread Pudding (here), Peach Balls (here), Tapioca Pudding (here)
FEBRUARY 24, 1878: “THE HOUSEHOLD.” RECIPE SIGNED BOSTON COOK.
—1878
POTTED SALMON
Bob the Sea Cook, who fancied himself a man of culinary prowess, submitted
dozens of recipes to the Times during the late nineteenth century. He wrote
cannily and conversationally, was a consummate food enthusiast, and showed
more know-how than most of the contributors of his time—although he could be
alarmingly sexist. In giving the instructions for a lobster and chicken curry,
made on a ship, he wrote, “Take a big chicken, cut him in bits, and put the pieces
in salt and water; boil about a five-pound lobster and pick it. If there are any
ladies on board, make them do it.”
Of this salmon, he noted, “An old man, as I knowed [sic], as good a sailor as
ever sailed, was mighty fussy over his eating, and he first showed me how to
make potted salmon out of the fish in cans. It is a tip-top relish spread on a bit of
bread.”
After testing this recipe and deciding to add it to the book, I came across a
strikingly similar potted salmon that was published in Craig Claiborne and Pierre
Franey’s column in 1981. Turns out, Claiborne and Franey were also featuring
Bob the Sea Cook’s dish—as part of a brief dip into the archives—only they
halved the recipe (which you may also do) and increased the amount of vinegar
to 1 tablespoon.
———
One 1-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed, poached
(see Cooking Notes, here and below)
2 anchovy fillets, mashed
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground mace, or more to taste
3 black peppercorns
½ teaspoon tarragon vinegar, or more to taste
Salt
Toast points, for serving
1. Using your hands, finely shred the salmon into a double boiler. Set over
medium heat and cook, stirring, until the salmon is hot to the touch. Beat in the
butter and then the anchovies, cayenne, mace, peppercorns, vinegar, and salt to
taste. Remove from the heat and beat for another minute. Let cool for 10
minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more vinegar, cayenne, mace,
and salt as desired.
2. Beat the salmon for another minute, then pack it into a small crock or dish.
Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the salmon. Chill (the
salmon can be refrigerated for up to 5 days).
MAKES 1½ CUPS; SERVES 4 AS AN HORS D’OEUVRE OR, WITH A SALAD AND TOASTS, AS
A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTE
To poach the salmon, fill a saucepan large enough to hold the fish with water.
Season the water with salt and some aromatics, such as a quartered onion, a few
sprigs of parsley and thyme, and 5 peppercorns. Bring the water to a simmer and
lower in the salmon. Simmer until the salmon is lightly cooked but still pink in
the center. Shut off the heat and let cool in the water.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Park Avenue Cocktail (here), Onion Rings (here), Salade Niçoise (here), Pots de
Crème (here) JANUARY 4, 1880: “RECEIPTS FOR THE TABLE.” RECIPE SIGNED BOB THE
SEA COOK.
—1880
CRAB AND COCONUT CURRY

This simple little curry appeared in an article filled with crab and lobster recipes.
The writer also suggested mixing crabmeat with vinegar, mustard, cayenne, salt,
and pepper and serving it in its shell.
For a party, I’d serve this as an hors d’oeuvre on thin rice crackers or rice
pancakes (here; made into individual pancakes) or on Green Pea Fritters (here),
topped with diced tomato. For dinner, I’d serve it warm, with steamed rice and a
sambol or other condiment.
———
½ pound crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

1¾ cups unsweetened grated coconut
¾ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, plus more to taste
Salt
½ teaspoon coconut oil or canola oil (optional)
Mix together the crabmeat, coconut, curry powder, Worcestershire, salt to taste,
and oil if using, in a bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
SERVES 6 TO 8 AS AN HORS D’OEUVRE, 4 AS A FIRST COURSE OR LIGHT MAIN COURSE

(WITH RICE AND CONDIMENTS)
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Sweet (or Savory) Lassi (here), Manjula Gokal’s Gujarati Mango Soup (here),
Aloo Kofta (here), Bademiya’s Justly Famous Bombay Chile-and-Cilantro
Chicken (here), Mango Ice Cream (here) MARCH 6, 1881: “HINTS FOR THE
HOUSEHOLD: A CHAPTER UPON CRABS AND LOBSTERS” BY JULIET CORSON.
—1881
SALMON SALAD
This would be a great salad to make with the leftovers from Poisson à l’Huile
here.
———
One 10-ounce skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed, poached
(see Cooking Notes, here and here) 2 hard-boiled eggs
1 teaspoon Colman’s prepared mustard
Salt
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup celery, thinly sliced on a bias
3 heaping tablespoons prepared horseradish
Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
1. Put the salmon in a small saucepan and place over low heat until just warmed
through.
2. Meanwhile, remove the yolks from the eggs and mash the yolks with a fork in
a small bowl. Work in the mustard and olive oil. Season with salt. Whisk in the
vinegar.
3. Finely chop the egg whites.
4. Combine the salmon, celery, and horseradish in a bowl. Mix well, pour in the
dressing, and mix again. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Spoon the salad into
a nice bowl and top with the chopped egg whites and parsley.
SERVES 4 AS PART OF A LUNCH WITH OTHER SALADS
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill (here), Potato Salad with Beets (here), Frozen
Lemon Soufflé (here) APRIL 3, 1881: “OTHER RECEIPTS.” RECIPE SIGNED MARY B.,
BROOKLYN.
—1881
BOUILLABAISSE
In 2002, R. W. Apple Jr., the Times reporter and noted bon vivant, wrote that
“controversy clings to bouillabaisse like barnacles to a ship. Is it a soup? Perhaps
not, because the broth and the solids are eaten separately. Is it a stew? Surely
not, because a stew by definition is cooked very slowly, and bouillabaisse must
be boiled furiously to achieve an amalgamation of olive oil with water and wine.
It is best described as a fish boil, which is what its name seems to imply.” Alan
Davidson, in The Oxford Companion to Food, points out that a nineteenth-
century dictionary by Littré interprets it as bouillon abaissé, or “broth lowered,”
meaning the broth is boiled down.
Whatever you want to call it—broth lowered or fish boil, soup or stew—
bouillabaisse is meant to contain a bunch of fish, olive oil, and water, and is not
supposed to take three days to make. A century ago, it was much simpler. It was
an ideal dish for home cooks: there was no doting over perfect slices of fish, no
high-octane fish stock, and no mention of garlicky rouille. It began with water,
olive oil, and sometimes wine, an onion or two, tomatoes, saffron, some herbs,
and fish. Then you gave the mix a blast of heat so the oil and broth would come
to an excited boil and engulf the aromatics.
This 1904 recipe I settled on contained equal parts water and oil and half the
amount of white wine. The saffron-and herb-scented oil insulates the fish and
dresses it as the fish breaks down, making for a rich and rustic oily broth. It
completely changed my sense of what bouillabaisse could be.
If you’d prefer to take on the more complex, modern form of bouillabaisse,
the challenge (and reward) is all yours here.
———
1 cup olive oil

2 medium tomatoes, peeled (see Cooking Note, here), cored, seeded,
and sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 pinches saffron threads, or to taste
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs parsley
2 cloves garlic
1 pound each skinless cod, halibut, and bluefish fillets (fluke or sea bass
may be substituted for two of these), cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups peeled, deveined medium shrimp (about 1 pound)
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
1 cup fish broth
6 slices country bread, toasted
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes,
onion, carrot, saffron, bay leaf, and parsley. Crush 1 garlic clove and add it to the
pan. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the fish, shrimp, and lemon juice, season with salt
and pepper, and boil for 10 minutes.
2. Add the fish broth and wine, bring to a rapid simmer, and simmer until the
fish is just cooked through. Adjust the seasoning, adding more saffron, lemon
juice, salt, and/or pepper as desired.
3. Rub the toasts with the remaining garlic clove. Set a toast in the bottom of
each of 6 bowls and ladle the bouillabaisse on top.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTES
Set out your fish for 20 minutes beforehand.
You can halve the amount of oil if you find it alarming.
VARIATION
Spice up the soup by adding a little smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, lemon
juice, and more garlic.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Squashed Tomatoes (here), Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères (here), Hot Cheese Olives
(here), Salade à la Romaine (here), Classic Financiers (Buttery Almond Cakes;
here) JULY 3, 1904: “BOUILLABAISSE AND CHOWDERS: AN EEL SOUP DIGRESSION—WHO
NOW GET THE BEST VEGETABLES AND FRUITS—A DEAR FISH MARKET.”
—1904
CEYLON CURRY OF OYSTERS

Just as Germany was preparing to invade Poland and America was wondering
whether it would have to go to war, New Yorkers, according to the Times, were
dabbling in Indian cuisine, with new restaurants opening and hotels putting
Indian dishes on their menus. Charlotte Hughes, then a reporter for the paper,
none-too-definitively declared, “Everybody in India, apparently, eats curry.”
And she noted that although curries were complicated to prepare, “nevertheless,
American cooks with a pioneering spirit can master curry dishes.”
Yet seventy years later, we have not. But there is still time. A Ceylonese curry
of oysters—one of several vaguely composed recipes included in Hughes’s
article—would be a fine place to start.
First, a few disclaimers: Oyster curry, according to Andrew F. Smith, the
author of The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, was a popular
dish in the nineteenth century, particularly in England—so popular that mixes
for it were sold. By the time Hughes revisited it, the recipe was well established
and westernized. Back then, food writers didn’t often travel in order to better
understand foreign cuisines, so some of the ingredients in Hughes’s recipes were
adaptations or innocent misunderstandings. In place of chiles, for instance, she
called for a green pepper, which would make for a meek variation of a typically
fiery Ceylonese curry. Bay leaves seem to have been substituted for either curry
leaves or pandanus leaf, both common in Ceylonese cooking; butter stands in for
coconut oil; and curry powder is a Western convenience for cooks who don’t
want to measure out each spice individually. Otherwise, it’s totally authentic!
But even Hughes knew where to draw a line. Using good curry powder is
imperative, she wrote, adding, “One cannot just make a white sauce and stir in a
little curry powder.”
She got her recipe for the oyster curry from someone named Darmadasa at the
East India Curry Shop on East 57th Street. You begin by sautéing shallots,
garlic, and green pepper. Next you season them with turmeric, curry powder,
cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves and simmer it all in coconut milk. At the end,
you slip in the oysters and their liquor and season the curry with lemon juice.
The whole process takes about 10 minutes, and the payoff lasts for years,
because you’ll want to make it again and again.
Hughes suggested serving the curry with rice. “Dry, fluffy rice, each particle
as separate from the next as a grain of sand on a sunbaked dune, is important to
the excellence of a curry dish,” she wrote. Everybody in India, apparently, also
eats rice.
———
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil

4 small shallots, finely chopped
½ serrano or Thai chile, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
Large pinch of turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
12 oysters, shucked, liquor reserved
Juice of ½ lemon
1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots,
garlic, and chile and sauté until softened and starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, cinnamon stick, cloves, and bay leaf and cook
for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and add the coconut milk and salt. Simmer
for 3 minutes.
2. Add the oysters and their liquor; simmer until the oysters are just firm, 3 to 4
minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add lemon juice and salt to taste.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTES
This recipe won’t win any beauty contests. When oysters are cooked, they
shrivel up and warp. You can always sprinkle some chopped cilantro on top.
Hughes’s recipe called for 3 bay leaves; I used only one. Since chiles are now
commonly available, I used a serrano rather than the sweet green pepper Hughes
suggested.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
A cold lager or, as the article suggested, a cup of Darjeeling tea, Kaffir Lime
Lemonade (here), Sweet (or Savory) Lassi (here), Yogurt Rice (here), Stuck-Pot
Rice with Yogurt and Spices (here), Jasmine Tea Rice (here), Hoppers (Coconut
Crepes; here), Aloo Kofta (here), Saffron Panna Cotta (here) MARCH 12, 1939: “FOR
GOURMETS AND OTHERS: CURRY COMES TO THE TABLE,” BY CHARLOTTE HUGHES.
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DARMADASA AT THE EAST INDIA CURRY SHOP ON EAST 57TH
STREET, NEW YORK CITY.
—1939
SAUTÉED TROUT WITH BROWN BUTTER, LEMON,
AND MACADAMIA NUTS
Tart lemons and fatty macadamia nuts mix well, as if you’d crossed a chatty
person with a laconic one and come up with the perfect conversationalist.
———
¼ cup whole milk

½ cup all-purpose flour
2 whole trout, filleted (you can have the fish market do this)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, or as needed
3 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts
Chopped candied pineapple for garnish (optional)
1. Set 2 wide shallow bowls near the stove. Fill one with the milk, the other with
the flour. Season the trout fillets with salt and pepper.
2. Place a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon
butter, and, while it melts, dip a trout fillet first in the milk, and then the flour,
shaking off any excess. Lay the fillet flesh side down in the foaming butter.
Repeat with remaining fillets. (If you can’t fit all the trout in the pan, do it in
batches, adding more butter as needed.) When lightly browned, turn the fillets
and brown until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes total. Remove to a serving
plate and keep loosely covered.
3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let it foam
and boil, and when it begins to brown, swirl in the lemon juice, macadamia nuts,
and parsley. Let the mixture cook for a few seconds to coalesce. Spoon the sauce
over the trout, and garnish with candied pineapple (or not).
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Yellow Pepper Soup with Paprika Mousse (here), Asparagus Salad (here),
Junior’s Cheesecake (here), Lemon Mousse for a Crowd (here), Sally Darr’s
Golden Delicious Apple Tart (here) APRIL 7, 1940: “VICTUALS AND VITAMINS,” BY
KILEY TAYLOR. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE LOMBARDY IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1940
TOMATOES STUFFED WITH CRAB

In 1948, André Simon, the founder of the Wine and Food Society, came from
England to America to promote a new edition of André Simon’s French Cook
Book, which advocated seasonal cooking. He also seemed determined to assess
the state of American cuisine. “In England,” he told Jane Nickerson, a Times
columnist, “there’s enough food, but not enough variety. Here there is enough
food, but too much variety.
“Your markets,” he continued, “simultaneously offer endive, which is a winter
vegetable, and melon, which is a summer fruit. You eat strawberries in January
as well as in June. You enjoy so much variety the year round that your meals
must end by becoming the same month in and month out. Perhaps that is good.
But I think not. Do we not look forward to the new leaves of spring, to the hot
sunshine of summer, to the bright foliage of autumn, to the briskness of winter?
Isn’t it kindness to our palates to preserve in our diets, too, this varied rhythm of
the seasons?”
After that trenchant and moving statement, Simon offered this recipe for
stuffed tomatoes from the “spring” menu in his book! Sigh. Make them in
August, you’ll adore them.
———

¼ pound white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 cup (about ½ pound) crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons dry sherry
6 small tomatoes
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the
mushrooms and cook until softened. Remove from the heat.
3. Heat the crabmeat in the cream. Season with salt, pepper, and sherry; add the
mushrooms.
4. Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water (briefly!) to loosen their skins, and
plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking. Peel the tomatoes. Cut a hole
about the size of a quarter in the top of each, where the stem was attached, and
using a melon baller, hollow out a space in the center, making sure not to cut
through the sides.
5. Fill the centers of the tomatoes with the hot crabmeat and sprinkle with
chopped parsley. Arrange the tomatoes in a baking dish. Warm in the oven for
10 minutes.
6. Place each tomato in a shallow bowl, garnish with more parsley, and spoon
over any juices left in the baking dish.
COOKING NOTE
The tomatoes must be small and ripe but not mushy, or they’ll fall apart. I used
firm yellow tomatoes, which were both delicious and beautiful.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Wine Lemonade (here), Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil (here), Zucchini and
Vermouth (here), Fresh Blueberry Buckle (here), Pavlova (here) MAY 29, 1948:
“NEWS OF FOOD; BRITISH FOOD LEADER, HERE FOR TOUR, SEES TOO MUCH VARIETY IN
OUR MEALS,” BY JANE NICKERSON. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ANDRÉ SIMON’S FRENCH
COOK BOOK, BY ANDRÉ SIMON, FOUNDER OF THE WINE AND FOOD SOCIETY.
—1948
GRAND CENTRAL PAN ROAST

Pan roasts have been around forever: the best version is this one, which the
Grand Central Oyster Bar still serves (for $10.45 on this day in 2009). It’s ugly
as hell but sensationally good, with plump, sweet oysters set against a spicy,
tangy sauce.
———
16 freshly shucked oysters, with their liquor

1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
A few drops of fresh lemon juice
Pinch of celery salt
Pinch of paprika
½ cup heavy cream, plus more if desired
2 pieces dry toast
1. Combine the oysters, in their liquor, with the butter, hot pepper sauce,
Worcestershire, lemon juice, celery salt, and paprika in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, just until the oysters plump and
ruffle. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
2. Add the cream and heat until bubbles form around the perimeter of the pan,
then pour over the toasts set in shallow bowls. Sprinkle with additional paprika.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTES
I used Frank’s Hot Sauce.
Make sure you get oysters with their liquor (the oyster’s natural juices),
because it adds to the volume and consistency of the sauce. Be flexible with the
amount of cream you use—you want just enough sauce to soak into the bread
and pool around it a little.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Crab Cakes Baltimore-Style (here), Docks Coleslaw (here), Blueberry Pie with a
Lattice Top (here), Banana Cream Pie (here) JANUARY 2, 1958: “VARIED WAYS WITH
OYSTERS, NOW AT THEIR JUICY PEAK,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1958
SALMON MOUSSE
Salmon mousse appeared regularly along with paella and cheesecake as part of
Craig Claiborne’s annual round-up of most frequently requested recipes. Of the
three, only the mousse seems to have been 86’d over time. A mistake, in my
view.
The mousse may seem a little strange, because we tend not to combine fish
and gelatin in a blender these days, but it’s delicious, and it has an amazing firm
consistency, neither bouncy nor stiff. The salmon flavor, which can easily
overpower, is contained and flattered by lemon, cream, and dill.
And you will love how easy the mousse is to prepare—it’s a fun dish to make
with kids because it involves a lot of pouring of ingredients into a blender and
then watching them whirl around.
The only vexing question is how to serve it. Claiborne suggested it as a first
course or “luncheon specialty.” You could plate up thin slices topped with a tuft
of young greens, dressed with a sherry and shallot vinaigrette. I think it’s best in
small doses, say, as an hors d’oeuvre. Serve it on toasts sprinkled with olive oil,
or with a coarse wheat or Swedish rye cracker. A smooth cracker won’t provide
enough contrast to the mousse.
———
1 envelope (¼ ounce) powdered gelatin

1 small slice onion
½ cup boiling water
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried dill
One 1-pound can salmon, drained and picked over for bones
1 cup heavy cream
Salt (optional)
1. Empty the envelope of gelatin into a blender. Add the lemon juice, onion
slice, and boiling water. Place the blender cover on the container, turn the motor
to high speed, and blend the ingredients for 40 seconds. Turn the motor off. Add
the mayonnaise, paprika, dill, and salmon, cover, and blend briefly at high speed.
2. Remove the cover and add the cream, ⅓ cup at a time, blending for a few
seconds after each addition. Then blend for 30 seconds or longer. Season with
salt if needed. Pour into a 4-cup mold; chill until set.
SERVES 8 AS A FIRST COURSE OR HORS D’OEUVRE
COOKING NOTE
I used canned wild salmon—buy the best you can find.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Beet Tartare (here), Raw Spinach Salad (here), Steak au Poivre (here), Taillevent
Pear Soufflé (here) JANUARY 1, 1961: “WIN, PLACE, AND SHOW IN ’60,” BY CRAIG
CLAIBORNE.
—1961
MRS. REARDY’S SHRIMP AND ARTICHOKE

CASSEROLE
Viola Reardy was Adlai E. Stevenson’s housekeeper and cook. This casserole,
which she served for lunch to President Kennedy and UN Acting Secretary
General U Thant, greatly intrigued readers, who sent a rush of letters requesting
the recipe. When Craig Claiborne tracked down Reardy at Stevenson’s well-
equipped suite in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to extract the sought-after details,
she asked him, confidingly, “Was there ever so much to-do over a recipe?” It is
pretty darn good. When I made it, I thought I’d happily eat just the sherried
béchamel.
Stevenson was apparently a decent cook himself, and the enterprising
Claiborne also managed to pry from him his recipe for lamb curry.
———
1 pound small shrimp, shelled and deveined

4½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole milk
¾ cup heavy cream
One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, or one 9-ounce package
frozen artichoke hearts, cooked according to the package directions
¼ pound mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
¼ cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan.
Add the shrimp and cook for 15 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the
shrimp. Reserve both the shrimp and broth.
2. Melt 4½ tablespoons butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour; cook, stirring,
for 30 seconds. When blended, gradually add the milk and cream, stirring
constantly with a wire whisk. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking, until
thickened and smooth. Season well with salt and pepper; remove from the heat.
3. Arrange the artichokes over the bottom of a buttered 8-inch square baking
dish. Scatter the shrimp over the artichokes.
4. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium
heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown on the
edges, 5 to 8 minutes. Spoon the mushrooms over the shrimp and artichokes.
5. Add the sherry and Worcestershire to the cream sauce. If the sauce is too
thick, you can thin it with a little reserved shrimp broth and milk. Pour it over
the contents of the baking dish.
6. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and paprika and bake for 20 minutes.
SERVES 4 TO 6
COOKING NOTES
If you use frozen artichoke hearts, undercook them slightly.
Also slightly undercook the shrimp when you boil them.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Asparagus Mimosa (here), A Perfect Batch of Rice (here), Chiffonade Salad
(here), Mrs. Foster’s Frosty Lime Pie (here), Lee’s Marlborough Tart (here)
PERIOD DETAIL
Paprika was still living in the jail cell of pointless garnish. Here it adds nothing
but color to the casserole’s dubious muted shades of white and green. If you
want to update the recipe ever so slightly, use smoked paprika, which will
contribute not only color, but—whoa!—flavor.
READERS
“My mother always claimed credit for getting [this recipe] published. A news
article about the Democratic nominee mentioned that Kennedy had been a guest
of Adlai Stevenson’s for a Friday lunch. Stevenson served a shrimp and
artichoke casserole because Kennedy could not eat meat on Friday. My mother
wrote or called the Times asking for the recipe and shortly afterwards it appeared
in the paper. She always assumed that it was her request that had been
answered.”
Linda S. Kaufman, Cambridge, MA, e-mail
Linda S. Kaufman, Cambridge, MA, e-mail
JANUARY 29, 1962: “FOOD NEWS: STEVENSON’S RECIPE FOR A PRESIDENT,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE. ADAPTED
FROM VIOLA REARDY, HOUSEKEEPER TO ADLAI E. STEVENSON.
—1962
COQUILLES ST.-JACQUES
In the article featuring this recipe, Craig Claiborne complained that most
coquilles St.-Jacques recipes are burdened by cream, whereas his version,
thickened with flour, egg yolks, and butter, was lighter—the contents without all
the baggage. Anyone born after 1969 will not think of this dish—scallops in a
buttery sauce topped with toasted bits of Parmesan—as light! But it is really
delicious. The tulip-yellow sauce covers the scallops like an airy layer of silk,
allowing their salinity to shine.
———
1½ pounds scallops, preferably bay scallops

1 sprig parsley
1 bay leaf
8 black peppercorns
Salt
½ cup water
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Cayenne pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the scallops, thyme, parsley, bay leaf,
peppercorns, salt to taste, wine, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a
boil. Cover and simmer for exactly 2 minutes. Remove the parsley, thyme, and
bay leaf, and drain the scallops; reserve the cooking liquid. Let the scallops cool.
2. If using bay scallops, cut them in half and set them aside. If using sea scallops,
remove the tough side muscle, and cut them into thin slices (so the slices are
circular; set aside.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour with a wire whisk;
cook for 30 seconds, whisking. When blended, add the scallop liquid, stirring
vigorously with the whisk; simmer for 1 minute.
4. Remove the sauce from the heat and, beating vigorously by hand or with an
electric beater, add the remaining 5 tablespoons butter a little at a time. It must
be added very gradually. Beat in the egg yolks and continue beating until the
sauce is cool. Add the lemon juice and cayenne to taste—and you should be able
to taste them! Season with salt.
5. Spoon a little of the sauce into 12 small scallop shells or 6 large scallop shells
or ramekins. Top with equal amounts of scallops. Cover with the remaining
sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown.
COOKING NOTE
You can prepare the recipe up through Step 5 ahead, spooning the scallops and
sauce into ramekins, then refrigerate the ramekins until you’re ready for dinner.
Take them out of the fridge 15 minutes before you are ready to finish them, then
proceed with the cheese and baking.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Gigi Salad (Shrimp, Bacon, and Green Bean Salad; here), Crisp Potato Crowns
(made to fit over the ramekins; here), Filet de Boeuf Rôti (Roast Fillet of Beef)
with Sauce Bordelaise (here), Macaroons (here), Strawberry Charlotte (here)
READERS
Reader Betty Hartik noted that this was one of her enduring favorites. “I am
eighty years old—still cook and bake and still turn to the food page of the Times
first and will have to live to be at least 200 to cook and bake everything that
interests me.”
Betty Hartik, Pikesville, MD, letter
MAY 11, 1969: “THE GENUINE ARTICLE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1969
SHRIMP CREOLE
I might not serve this unprepossessing dish for a dinner party, but I’d definitely
make it for a Sunday dinner with family. What it does possess is flavor and rib-
sticking goodness. The trick is to season the rice with enough Tabasco so the
sweet Creole sauce works as a relief.
———

2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
One 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon tomato paste (three-quarters of a 6-ounce can)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
3 small slices lemon peel
2 whole cloves
½ teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
¼ cup olive oil
1 small eggplant, diced (skin left on)
1½ pounds (about 45 medium) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon capers
Rice (recipe follows)
1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet or casserole. Add the onions, green
pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are
translucent. Add the garlic and tomatoes, with the liquid from the can. Break up
the tomatoes with a large kitchen spoon. Add the tomato paste, salt and pepper to
taste, Worcestershire sauce, lemon peel, cloves, sugar, thyme, and bay leaf.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the eggplant until
lightly browned.
3. Add the eggplant to the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and
cook for 5 to 7 minutes longer. Discard the lemon peel and bay leaf. Stir in the
remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the capers.
4. Transfer the dish to a hot serving platter and sprinkle with the chopped
parsley. Serve very hot with the freshly cooked hot rice.
SERVES 4 TO 6
RICE
1 tablespoon minced onion
½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 cup long-grain white rice
Tabasco sauce
2¼ cups chicken broth
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and cook the onion and garlic in it without
browning. Add the rice and Tabasco sauce to taste and cook, stirring, for about 2
minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
3. Add the broth to the rice. Cover and simmer for exactly 20 minutes. Taste and
adjust the seasoning.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Mint Julep (here), Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread (here), Key
Lime Pie (here) JUNE 14, 1970: “CREOLE CAPERS,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1970
SHRIMP BAKED WITH FETA CHEESE, GREEK-STYLE
A relentless and delicious assault of fire, shrimp, herbs, garlic, tangy feta, and an
anise-scented spirit. You can’t eat this dish slowly, because there’s so much
going on you keep going back to it, back to it.
———
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes
¼ cup fish broth or bottled clam juice
1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
2 tablespoons capers
1 pound large shrimp (about 24), shelled and deveined
¼ pound feta cheese
¼ cup ouzo (Greek anise-flavored liqueur)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan or deep
skillet and add the garlic, stirring. Add the tomatoes and cook until broken down
and reduced to about 2 cups. Stir often to prevent burning and sticking. Add the
fish broth, oregano, pepper flakes, capers, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large heavy saucepan or skillet. Add the
shrimp and cook briefly, less than 1 minute, stirring and turning the shrimp until
they turn pink.
3. Spoon equal portions of half the sauce into 4 shallow baking dishes. Arrange 6
shrimp plus equal amounts of the butter in which they cooked into each dish.
Spoon the remaining sauce over the shrimp. Crumble the cheese and scatter it
over all.
4. Place the dishes in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until bubbling
hot. Remove the dishes from the oven and sprinkle each one with 1 tablespoon
ouzo; if desired, ignite it. Serve immediately.
COOKING NOTE
Tell your guests to mix in the ouzo before eating.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Marina Anagnostou’s Spanakopetes (Spinach Triangles; here), Salade à la
Grecque (here), Flourless Apricot Honey Soufflé (here), Hazelnut Baklava
(here) MAY 30, 1976: “FOOD: FROM THE GREEK,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE
FRANEY.
—1976
—1976
DEEP-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

———
4 soft-shell crabs
1 large egg
3 tablespoons water
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Lemon wedges
Tartar Sauce (recipe follows)
1. To prepare the soft-shell crabs for cooking, lift up and pull back the apron or
flap attached to the base of each crab. Cut it off with scissors or pull it off. Lift
up the pointed left and right tips of each crab. As each side is lifted, use your
fingers to pull away and discard the soft porous “lungs” beneath the shell. Using
a pair of kitchen scissors, cut off the “mouth” and eyes of the crabs. If the crabs
are large, pull off the parchment-like covering on the upper surface; if the crabs
are quite small, this is not necessary. Rinse the crabs if dirty; pat completely dry.
Sprinkle the crabs on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. Break the egg into a flat dish and add the water and salt and pepper to taste.
Beat to blend well. Place the flour in a separate flat dish and add salt and pepper.
Blend.
3. Dip the crabs first in egg, then in flour.
4. Heat the oil in a deep cast-iron skillet, if possible, or other deep pan and add
the crabs. Cook, turning as necessary, until crisp and golden brown, 3 to 4
minutes total (keep a grease shield on the pan, if you have one). Drain on paper
towels. Serve hot with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.
SERVES 4
TARTAR SAUCE
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup chopped sour pickles, preferably cornichons
1 tablespoon chopped capers
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
MAKES 1¼ CUPS
COOKING NOTES
If you’re going to go to the trouble of buying and deep-frying the crabs, why not
make a party of it and double the recipe?
The original recipe included a third coating of bread crumbs, but I thought it
intruded on the crab flavor and omitted it.
Use a grease shield on your pan when frying the crabs. They will spit oil all
over your kitchen.
If you don’t want to clean the crabs yourself, have your fishmonger prepare
them for cooking.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Ginger Lemonade (here), The Bone (here), Málaga Gazpacho (here), Catalan
Vegetable Paella (here), Fresh Morel, Asparagus, and Sweet Pea Risotto (here),
Sauce Rémoulade (here), Italian Roast Potatoes (here), Docks Coleslaw (here),
Coffee Caramel Custard (here), Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top (here) PERIOD
DETAIL
Soft-shell crabs, which were to become a mainstay of Manhattan restaurants,
have been sold in the city’s markets since as early as 1876.
AUGUST 24, 1977: “RECIPES TO PUT CRAB ON THE TABLE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1977
SOLE GRENOBLOISE (SAUTÉED SOLE WITH CAPERS

AND LEMONS)
Grenobloise sauce is like meunière (butter, lemon, and parsley), except that it
includes capers—and is less popular. But it shouldn’t be: the capers’ little
explosions of brine provide a bracing counterpoint to the lemon and butter.
———
4 small sole fillets (about 1¼ pounds total)
¼ cup whole milk
1 small lemon
½ cup peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
1 tablespoon drained capers
Coarse salt
1. Place the fillets in a dish large enough to hold them in one layer. Pour the milk
over them and add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the fillets in the milk so that
they are coated on all sides.
2. While they stand, peel the lemon with a paring knife, cutting away and
discarding all the white pith as well as the yellow skin. Cut the lemon into thin
slices and discard the seeds. Cut the slices into small cubes. Set aside.
3. Scatter the flour over a large plate and add salt and pepper to taste. Blend
well.
4. Heat the oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. As the oil heats, remove
the fillets from the milk, but do not drain, and coat the fish on all sides in the
seasoned flour, shaking to rid the fillets of excess flour.
5. When the oil is quite hot but not smoking, add the fillets (this might have to
be done in 2 steps) and cook until nicely browned on one side. Turn and brown
on the other side. The total cooking time for each fillet should be from 2 to 5
minutes. As the fillets are cooked, transfer them to a warm platter.
6. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small skillet and cook, shaking
the skillet, until the butter foams up and takes on an appetizing hazelnut-brown
color. Remove from the heat. Add the cubed lemon and capers.
7. Pour the sauce evenly over the fillets. Sprinkle with coarse salt and the
chopped parsley.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Vichyssoise à la Ritz (here), Zucchini and Vermouth (here), Sautéed Potatoes
with Parsley (here), Chocolate Eclairs (here), Pots de Crème (here) SEPTEMBER 7,
1977: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1977
—1977
SHAD AND ROE GRENOBLOISE
Seasonal shad and its roe don’t need to be coddled. Fatty and rich, they need
ingredients that clean up their flavor. This sauce, with caramelized lemon
sections and snappy capers, is just the thing. (And I’d happily pair this sauce
with any succulent fish.) ——— 1 small lemon
1 shad fillet (about 1 pound)
½ pair shad roe
¼ cup whole milk
Flour for dredging
½ cup peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
3 tablespoons drained capers
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. To prepare the lemon, slice around it to remove the rind, including the white
pith; discard the rind. Cut between the membranes to remove the lemon sections.
Set aside on a plate.
2. The fillet may be cut in half crosswise or left whole; it will be easier to handle
if cut in half. Place the fillet and roe in a shallow dish and sprinkle with salt and
pepper. Add the milk and turn to coat the fish and roe with it.
3. Place the flour in a flat dish and season it with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish
and roe with the flour.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet large enough to hold the fillet and roe in one
layer. The fish and roe should be cooked over relatively high heat. Add the fillet
and roe and cook for about 3 minutes, until crisp and golden brown on one side.
Turn and cook the fish and roe, basting occasionally with the oil, until crisp and
brown on the other side, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a warm platter.
5. Heat the butter in a skillet, and when it is starting to brown, add the capers.
6. Sprinkle the juice that has accumulated around the lemon sections over the
fish. Add the lemon sections to the capers and butter. Cook until piping hot,
bubbling, and starting to brown. Pour this over the fish. Sprinkle with chopped
parsley and serve.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Sautéed Asparagus with Fleur de Sel (here), Hearth’s Fava Bean Salad (here),
Maître d’Hôtel Potatoes (here) MARCH 15, 1978: “THE SHAD ARE RUNNING,” BY CRAIG
CLAIBORNE.
—1978
STUFFED CLAMS
There were loads of stuffed clam recipes in the archives; the nineteenth century
was particularly stocked with them. But none were as detailed in flavor as these.
———
18 to 24 cherrystone clams, scrubbed

½ cup water
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1½ teaspoons dried basil
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dry white wine
¼ cup thinly sliced prosciutto or other cured ham, finely chopped
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the clams in a large pot with the water.
Cover and cook over high heat until the clams open, about 10 minutes. Remove
the clams from their shells; there should be about 1 cup. Reserve 24 shells for
stuffing (you may not need all 24). Reserve the broth in the pot for another use,
if desired.
2. Process the clams briefly in a food processor. Do not overprocess, or the
clams will become liquid.
3. Combine the clams, butter, shallots, garlic, parsley, basil, bread crumbs, 6
tablespoons cheese, the wine, prosciutto, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to
taste in a bowl. Stuff the reserved clam shells with the mixture, smoothing over
the tops.
4. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese over the top of the clams.
Arrange the clams in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the olive oil.
5. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Run the clams briefly under the
broiler for a final glaze.
SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTES
The leftover clam broth can be frozen for up to 6 months.
You can finely chop the clams by hand, but if you have a food processor,
using it is a nifty shortcut.
If your clams are large, they may have tough parts. After steaming the clams,
trim off and discard any chewy sections.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pamela Sherrid’s Summer Pasta (here), Green Tomato Pizza (here), Grilled
Hanger Steak (here), Chiffonade Salad (here), Maida’s Blueberry Crumb Cake
(here), Sour Cream Ice Cream (here) JUNE 15, 1980: “FOOD: A CLAM BY ANY NAME
CAN TASTE AS SWEET,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
—1980
BAKED FLOUNDER
I dismissed this cooking school–style recipe until I made it: you spread the fillets
with dill, stack them in pairs, and top with mustard and bread crumbs. Then you
broil the fish surrounded by a moat of soy sauce and lemon juice. Turns out I
was totally wrong: the light and deliberate seasoning adds definition without
overpowering the delicate flavor of flounder. I look forward to making it again,
this time for a dinner party.
———
1½ pounds small flounder fillets (try for even numbers: 4, 8, or, ideally,
12)
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1½ tablespoons fine fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
1. Heat the broiler. Sprinkle each fillet with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Select a baking dish large enough to hold 4 fillets in one layer (see Cooking
Note). Brush the bottom of the dish with some of the melted butter. Arrange 4
fillets skinned side down over the bottom of the baking dish. Divide the chopped
dill into 2 portions. Sprinkle the tops of the fillets with 1 portion of the chopped
dill. Cover each fillet with another fillet and sprinkle the tops with the remaining
dill. Place the remaining 4 fillets on top of the others, so that there are 4 stacks of
3 fillets each. Brush the top of each stack with an equal portion of the mustard.
Sprinkle each stack with an equal amount of the bread crumbs. Pour an equal
portion of the remaining melted butter on each stack.
3. Blend the lemon juice and soy sauce. Pour this around and between the stacks.
4. Place the fish under the broiler about 6 inches from the source of heat. Watch
the dish carefully, and cook for 5 minutes, taking care that the bread crumbs on
top of the fish do not burn.
5. Sprinkle the fish with the scallions and reduce the oven heat to 450 degrees.
Place the dish on the bottom rack of the oven. Close the oven door and bake for
10 to 15 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and baste the fish with the
cooking liquid.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
Hopefully you’ll have 12 small fillets. But if you have just 4 large ones, season
the fillets and then roll them from the tail end toward the head (or where the
head was). If you have 8, stack them in pairs; divide the seasoning accordingly.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Potage Parisien with Sorrel Cream (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic
(here), Jasmine Tea Rice (here), Watercress Salad (here), Queen of Puddings
(here), Poached Pears in Brandy and Red Wine (here) READERS
“Over the years I have changed it somewhat. I now use 2 larger fillets per
portion and stuff them with chopped spinach, feta cheese, a little butter, and
white pepper. Everything else more or less the same. . . . The dish can be
assembled in advance, just add lemon juice, soy sauce and cook. It’s done in 10
minutes.”
Melvin D. Wolf, New York, NY, letter
FEBRUARY 22, 1984: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1984
PAN-BARBECUED SHRIMP
Make these shrimp when you’re in the mood for something fiery and sloppy. Get
a cold beer, roll up your sleeves, and dig in, peeling the shrimp as you go. Then
sop up the sauce with some ciabatta or country bread.
———

½ teaspoon rosemary leaves, crushed
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf, crumbled
3 to 5 fresh sprigs thyme, chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
½ to ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds large shrimp (approximately 20 to 24), rinsed briefly in cold
water (not shelled)
½ cup bottled clam juice
¼ cup dry white wine
1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the garlic,
rosemary, oregano, bay leaf, thyme, salt to taste, cayenne, and black pepper. Stir
well and add the shrimp. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring and shaking the pan.
Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, the clam juice, and wine. Cook, stirring
and shaking the pan, for 3 more minutes.
2. Serve immediately, with the hot butter from the pan and country bread.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
This recipe is crazy hot if you use the original amount of cayenne, which was 1
teaspoon. I cut it back to ½ to ¾ teaspoon.
You can shell the shrimp first, if you like; they’ll be much easier to eat (they’ll
also cook more quickly).
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Mint Julep (here), Cheese Straws (here), Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento
Cheese Spread (here), French Potato Salad (here), Fried Green Tomatoes (here),
Peach Salad (here) PERIOD DETAIL
Bryan Miller and Pierre Franey wrote, “Five years ago, if a restaurant served
grilled tuna steak that was so pink and rare in the center that it resembled warm
sushi, chances were that a diner would send back the dish in a huff. Something
as pristine as tartare of raw salmon also would be greeted with astonishment,
except perhaps in a sushi bar. Today, these two creations are among the most
popular dishes in contemporary French and American restaurants. It is no
exaggeration to say that there has been a revolution in seafood cooking in recent
years.”
SEPTEMBER 14, 1986: “SEAFOOD COMES OF AGE,” BY BRYAN MILLER WITH PIERRE FRANEY. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM PAUL PRUDHOMME, A CHEF IN NEW ORLEANS.
—1986
CALAMARI RIPIENI (STUFFED SQUID)
———
6 medium calamari
2 ounces bacon, sliced
1 head radicchio, cored and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
½ cup fresh bread crumbs, moistened in water and squeezed dry
1 large egg
1. To clean the calamari, remove the ink sacs, if any, and the intestinal matter
and discard. Cut off the tentacles and set the bodies and tentacles aside.
2. Sauté the bacon in a large skillet until slightly brown. Add the radicchio,
tentacles, and salt and pepper to taste, cover, and cook over low heat until the
radicchio goes limp, about 4 minutes, adding water if needed.
3. Remove the ingredients to a chopping board or food processor and finely
chop. Place the mixture in a medium bowl, add the bread crumbs and egg, and
mix thoroughly.
4. Stuff the calamari bodies with the mixture. Place the squid and olive oil in a
large skillet and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, basting with the
wine.
SERVES 3 AS A LIGHT MAIN COURSE, 6 AS A FIRST COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Braised Ligurian Chicken (here), Mezzaluna Salad (here), Pine Nut Cookies
(here) JUNE 17, 1987: “A MODERN LIFE IN THE HOUSE OF MEDICI,” BY NANCY HARMON
JENKINS, A COOKBOOK AUTHOR AND COOKING TEACHER.
—1987
MONKFISH ENCRUSTED WITH

PISTACHIOS
———
½ cup shelled pistachios

1¼-pound monkfish fillet, trimmed
¼ cup clarified unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten in a shallow bowl
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grind the pistachios in a food processor until
very fine but not a paste. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Slice the monkfish into 4 servings of approximately equal size. Flatten each
slightly between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap using a meat mallet.
3. Heat the clarified butter over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof skillet.
Meanwhile, season the monkfish with salt and pepper. Dip each piece in the
beaten egg and then dredge, on one side only, in the pistachios.
4. Add the fish, pistachio side down, to the butter and cook for 10 seconds. Turn
over carefully and cook for 10 seconds more. Place the skillet in the oven and
bake for 10 minutes.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Stewed Fennel (here), Steamed Spinach with Balsamic Butter (here), The Most
Voluptuous Cauliflower (here), Barley Risotto (here), Apple Crumb Pie (here),
Moroccan Rice Pudding (here) SEPTEMBER 23, 1987: “IN NEW ENGLAND, CHEFS
CULTIVATE THE LOCAL BOUNTY,” BY MARIAN BURROS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM
WHEATLEIGH IN LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS.
—1987
HOT PEPPER SHRIMP

If you’ve never made a wok dish like this, you’re in for a surprise. When you
add the vinegar mixture to the pan, the effect is like flipping a switch. The sauce
instantly clears and seizes, tightening up as if all the liquid were extracted.
I used jalapeños and seeded them to avoid too much heat, but that ended up
removing all of it—so don’t seed yours! Turns out, though, you don’t need much
chile for this dish to be great: there’s acid, sweetness, richness, and a pleasant
muskiness from the fermented black beans.
———
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and rinsed
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine
¼ cup chopped scallions (white part only)
⅓ cup hot green chiles, thinly sliced (or 12 dried red chiles)
1 tablespoon fermented (Chinese) black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups corn oil for deep-frying
White rice for serving
1. Place the shrimp in a bowl, add the egg white, and stir to coat all the shrimp.
Sprinkle with half the cornstarch and mix well again.
2. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and the remaining
cornstarch in a small bowl and, in another, the garlic, scallions, chiles, and black
beans.
3. Heat the oil in a wok. When it is hot, add the shrimp and deep-fry, stirring,
until they are pink, about 1½ minutes. Drain, saving the oil. Return 3
tablespoons of the oil to the wok, turn the heat to the maximum, add the black
bean mixture, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and then the
vinegar mixture and cook until the shrimp are well coated with the sauce.
4. Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a heated serving platter. Serve with plain
white rice.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
Have all your ingredients ready by the stove. Additionally, place nearby a bowl
for the spent oil, a paper-towel-lined plate for draining the shrimp, and a serving
bowl.
The recipe uses a painfully large amount of oil that cannot be reused (unless
you are frying shrimp again the next day), but the payoff is worth it.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Oriental Watercress Soup (here), Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles (here), String
Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish (here),
Pepper-Cumin Cookies (here), Pine Nut Cookies (here) JANUARY 3, 1988: “FOOD:
HEAT WAVE,” BY JULIE SAHNI. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SHUN LEE PALACE IN NEW YORK
CITY.
—1988
JOYCE GOLDSTEIN’S PICKLED SALMON
Joyce Goldstein, the San Francisco restaurateur, said that the technique she used
in this recipe was an improvement on her mother-in-law’s, which required
soaking smoked salmon for days to draw out the salt before pickling it.
Goldstein circumvented this step by using fresh salmon.
Although Goldstein makes this dish for Passover, to be served with matzoh,
butter, and sliced cucumbers dressed with sour cream, it should really be enjoyed
all year round. The fish is cut into small pieces and cold-cured, which leaves the
salmon fresh, springy, and delicate. On non-Passover occasions, I recommend
serving it with buttered pumpernickel, blending it into a creamy potato salad, or
making sandwiches of it with mayonnaise, sliced red onion, dill, and butter
lettuce.
———
2 cups white vinegar

1½ cups water
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 pounds skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see Cooking
Note, here)
2 tablespoons pickling spices
6 bay leaves
2 white or yellow onions, sliced ¼ inch thick
1. Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Let cool
completely.
2. Cut the salmon into pieces that are approximately 1 by 2 inches.
3. Place a layer of salmon pieces in a ceramic crock, glass bowl, or plastic
container, then add a sprinkling of pickling spices and bay leaves and a layer of
onions, then salmon, spices, and onions—continue until you have used all. Pour
the cooled marinade over the fish. Cover the container and refrigerate for 3 to 4
days.
4. Serve the salmon with its marinated onions.
COOKING NOTE
Pickling spices can be found in the spice section of the supermarket. The pickled
salmon will keep for 3 to 4 days.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
For Passover, serve with matzoh, butter, and sliced cucumbers dressed with sour
cream. The rest of the year: Latkes (here), Fried Artichokes Azzurro (here),
Matt’s Whole Brisket with Tomato Gravy (here), Raw Spinach Salad (here),
Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake (here).
MARCH 27, 1988: “COMFORTING TRADITIONS,” BY JOAN NATHAN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JOYCE GOLDSTEIN, A
RESTAURATEUR IN SAN FRANCISCO.
—1988
CROMESQUIS D’HUÎTRES À LA SAUCE TARTARE

(FRIED OYSTERS WITH CREAMY TARTAR SAUCE)
Leave it to the 3-star Parisian restaurant L’Ambroisie to take bar food to new
heights. You begin by plumping the oysters in their own liquor, so when they’re
later dipped in bread crumbs, the coating spreads out thinly across the belly of
the oysters. After frying, you pair the oysters with a super-pungent tartar sauce
and fried leek filaments. The leeks, which spray a cloud of nutty, sweet onion
aroma over the dish, underline the oysters’ brininess.
You shouldn’t see this as a stand-alone recipe, but rather as three recipes that
can be used in lots of different ways. I’d make the tartar sauce to pair with
smoked salmon and crab cakes. And the leeks, which I assumed would be
nothing but a pain in the neck to prepare, were sweet and smoky, something I’d
cook to serve with roasted fish.
———
For the Oysters
Peanut oil for deep frying
1 leek, white part only, well washed
12 large oysters, scrubbed
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
For the Tartar Sauce

2 tablespoons very finely chopped cornichons or dill pickle
2 tablespoons capers, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon paprika
½ cup very finely minced flat-leaf parsley
½ cup well chilled crème fraîche or heavy cream
1. To prepare the oysters, heat 1 inch oil to 280 degrees in a deep skillet. Cut the
leek into matchsticks about 3 inches long and as thin as possible. In several
batches, drop the leeks into the oil and fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
The oil should not be too hot, or the leeks will burn. Drain on paper towels.
(This can be done up to 2 hours in advance.) Set the pan of oil aside.
2. Open the oysters, reserving the oyster liquor; strain it to remove any portions
of shell or sand. Place the liquor in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over
high heat. Add the oysters and poach them for just 30 seconds, then drain, again
reserving the liquor. When the oysters and the liquor have cooled, combine them
again, to keep the oysters moist and plump. (This can be done up to 2 hours in
advance.) 3. To prepare the tartar sauce, combine the cornichons, capers,
mustard, paprika, and parsley. Whip the crème fraîche until stiff. Carefully fold
in the cornichon mixture. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
4. Heat the oil to 375 degrees, or until a bread cube dropped into the olive oil
browns in 30 seconds. Prepare 3 shallow bowls for coating the oysters: one with
the flour, one with the eggs and egg yolks whisked together, and a third with the
fresh bread crumbs.
5. Drain the oysters and dredge them, one at a time, in the flour. Dip them into
the egg mixture, then dredge them in the bread crumbs. Fry the oysters, 3 or 4 at
a time, until nicely browned, about 45 seconds. Between batches, check that the
oil temperature remains steady.
6. To serve, place the oysters on a platter, top with a nest of fried leeks, and
place a spoonful of tartar sauce alongside.
COOKING NOTES
I used Wellfleet oysters.
I used coarse bread crumbs, which gave the oysters an appealing shaggy-dog
quality with lots of crunch. Panko would also work.
Four bits of strategy will make this recipe more manageable:
Have the fish shop shuck the oysters—and save the liquor—for you.
Double or triple the recipe—if you’re going to fry oysters, you might as well
do it for a crowd.
Make the tartar sauce ahead of time (no need to double this if doubling the
oysters).
Fry the leeks in the same oil you use to fry the oysters; do the leeks first, and
make sure you fish all of them out of the oil before adding the oysters.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
The Vesper (here), Martini (here), Improved Holland Gin Cocktail (here), Fried
Olives (here), Onion Rings (here) JULY 31, 1988: “PARISIAN STAR,” BY PATRICIA
WELLS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM L’AMBROISIE IN PARIS.
—1988
GILBERT LE COZE’S BOUILLABAISSE
Looking for a weekend challenge? Here you go! The cooking isn’t so bad, but
the shopping may vex you. Stay strong.
———
For the Fish Broth
5 pounds scraps and bones from white-fleshed fish, such as halibut, red
snapper, cod, or monkfish
2 medium-to-large cooked blue crabs, chopped
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup thinly sliced fennel
2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced and washed well
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled, and finely chopped
1 small conger eel, skinned and filleted, bones reserved
2 to 3 medium sea robins, skinned and filleted, bones reserved
A bouquet garni—1 bay leaf and 2 to 3 sprigs each parsley and thyme,
tied in cheesecloth
3 ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
About 3 quarts water
Kosher salt
Large pinch of saffron threads
Large pinch of saffron threads
For the Bouillabaisse

7 cups Fish Broth (above)
4 medium-to-large new red potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced
¼ inch thick
12 small mussels, scrubbed and debearded
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed
4 large sea scallops, cut horizontally in half
One 10-to 12-ounce red snapper, filleted (you can have the fishmonger
do this) and cut into 4 pieces
10 to 12 ounces monkfish fillet, cut into medallions
Rouille (see here)
8 slices French bread, toasted and rubbed with garlic and olive oil
1. To make the fish broth, place all the fish bones and scraps, along with the
crabs, in a large piece of cheesecloth and tie securely.
2. Heat the oil in a 10-to 12-quart stockpot. Add the fennel, leeks, onion,
shallots, garlic, eel, and sea robin fillets and cook slowly until the vegetables are
tender.
3. Add the wine. Place the bag of fish bones and the bouquet garni in the pot and
add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and enough water to completely cover the fish
bones. Season lightly with salt and cayenne. Bring to a simmer and cook very
slowly for 2½ hours.
4. Remove the bag of fish bones and the bouquet garni. Pass the broth mixture
through a food mill into a large saucepan. Add the saffron, bring to a simmer,
and simmer for 25 minutes to reduce it further. Adjust the seasoning. Strain the
broth through several thicknesses of cheesecloth. There should be between 2½
and 3 quarts. (The broth can be prepared in advance and frozen.) 5. To make the
bouillabaise, bring 2 cups of the fish soup broth to a boil in a saucepan and cook
the potatoes in it until they are tender. Drain the potatoes, reserving the liquid,
and wrap in foil to keep warm.
6. Transfer the fish broth used for the potatoes to a 3-quart saucepan and place
the mussels and clams in it. Cover and steam the mussels and clams, until they
just open. Remove from the heat and keep covered.
7. Place the remaining 5 cups fish broth in a saucepan just large enough to hold
all the rest of the seafood. Heat to just barely simmering, add the remaining
seafood, and cook until just done; remove each type of seafood to a warm dish as
it is cooked.
8. To serve, divide the potato rounds among 4 warmed shallow soup plates.
Arrange the cooked fish over the potatoes, then divide the mussels and clams,
with the top shells removed, among the plates. Stir some of the broth used to
poach the seafood into the rouille, then whisk the rouille back into the broth.
Bring to a bare simmer, then pour over the seafood in the plates and serve with
the toasted bread.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
If conger eel and sea robin are unavailable—and there’s a 99.9 percent chance
they will be—add 1 pound of monkfish or other fish fillets and 2 or 3 fish heads
to the fish scraps.
If you want a slightly coarser soup, skip the straining in Step 4.
The original rouille that went with the bouillabaisse had some flavor issues, so
you should make the one here.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Kir Royale 38 (here), Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères (here), Pistachio Cream (here),
Campton Place Buttermilk Chocolate Cake (here), Lucas Schoormans’s Lemon
Tart (here) SEPTEMBER 11, 1988: “FOOD: NO PLACE LIKE HOME,” BY FLORENCE
FABRICANT.
—1988
CRAB CAKES BALTIMORE-STYLE

I tried several crab cake recipes and these were the best for one reason: every
other ingredient is included to complement but in no way distract you from the
crab.
———
2 large eggs, well beaten

½ cup chopped celery
1 cup crushed saltines
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup finely chopped scallions
1 pound crabmeat, preferably lump, picked over for shells and
cartilage
½ cup fresh bread crumbs
¼ cup vegetable oil
Rémoulade Sauce (recipe follows)
1. Combine the eggs, celery, saltines, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, pepper
flakes, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste in a
large bowl and blend well. Add the crabmeat, folding it in lightly without
breaking it up.
2. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Shape them into hamburger-like
patties. Dredge them lightly in the bread crumbs.
3. Heat approximately 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium
heat. Cook the crab cakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown,
using the remaining 2 tablespoons oil if necessary. Drain on paper towels, and
serve with the rémoulade sauce.
SERVES 4
RÉMOULADE SAUCE
1 large egg yolk

3 tablespoons Dijon or Creole-style mustard
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons grated horseradish (fresh or prepared)
⅓ cup finely chopped scallions
⅓ cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons ketchup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Put the egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, and paprika in a medium bowl. Blend with a
wire whisk. Add the oil gradually, beating briskly, then add the remaining
ingredients and blend well.
MAKES 2 CUPS
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
The Cuke (here), Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread (here), Basic
Corn Chowder (here) Zucchini with Crème Fraîche Pesto (here), Stewed Corn
(here), Fresh Raspberry (or Blackberry or Blueberry) Flummery (here), Peach
Balls (here) JANUARY 25, 1989: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1989
STEAMED FISH WITH THYME AND TOMATO

VINAIGRETTE
Fresh, bright, and healthy, without tasting as if it’s meant to be good for you.
This recipe made me wonder why I don’t steam fish more often—it’s a
technique that’s easy to control and keeps the fish moist and delicate.
———

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup peeled (see Cooking Note, here), seeded, and diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
4 skinless fish fillets, such as weakfish, red snapper, sea bass, or salmon
(about 6 ounces each)
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1. Put the mustard and vinegar into a bowl and add the oil, whisking in
vigorously. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the thyme and fish,
seasoning with salt only if needed and with pepper. Keep the sauce at room
temperature.
2. Pour water into a steamer. Place the fillets on the steamer rack. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper to taste. Place 1 sprig of thyme on each fillet (or sprinkle with
the dried), and cover the steamer. When the water begins to boil, reduce the heat
to medium and steam for 3 to 4 minutes; do not overcook. Remove the thyme
sprigs. Serve immediately, with the sauce spooned over the fillets.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
I don’t own a steamer, so I improvised by using a 12-inch round braising pan
with a round baking rack set inside.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Cold Nicarde (Yellow Squash Soup; here), Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado
(here), Artichauts Vinaigrette (here), Ratatouille Niçoise (here), Risotto with
Lemon and Crème Fraîche (here), Marjolaine (Multilayered Chocolate and
Praline Cake; here), Fontainebleau (here) JULY 26, 1989: “60-MINUTE GOURMET,” BY
PIERRE FRANEY.
—1989
SEA SCALLOPS WITH SWEET RED PEPPERS AND

ZUCCHINI
Ho-hum, right? But if great cooking is what you can do with the most mundane
of ingredients, this dish really is great. Think about all those nights after work
when you succumb to sautéed chicken breasts. In less than twenty minutes, you
could whip this up instead (and use up some of that Ricard that’s been
languishing in your cabinet).
If you don’t like scallops but have nonetheless read this far, you can substitute
any firm-fleshed white fish fillets, skinned and cut into small pieces.
———

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes
1½ cups sliced zucchini (⅛-inch-thick slices)
¼ teaspoon Tabasco
1¼ pounds sea scallops, tough side muscles removed; if large, cut them
into slices
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Ricard or Pernod liquor
¼ cup coarsely chopped basil or flat-leaf parsley
1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet
or wok over medium heat. Add the red peppers and zucchini and cook, tossing,
for about 3 minutes. Add the Tabasco and salt and pepper to taste.
2. When the red peppers and the zucchini are nearly cooked, add the remaining
tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. Increase the heat to high and add the
scallops, garlic, thyme, Ricard, lemon juice, and basil. Check the seasoning.
Cook and stir for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the scallops are just cooked through;
do not overcook.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Roasted Feta with Thyme Honey (here), Blender Corn Pudding (here), Fried
Corn (here), Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley (here), Fried Potatoes (here), Almond
Granita (here), Honey Spice Cookies (here) OCTOBER 16, 1991: “60-MINUTE
GOURMET,” BY PIERRE FRANEY.
—1991
SEARED TUNA IN BLACK PEPPER CRUST

Having had my fill of seared tuna in the 1990s, I was prepared to find this recipe
dated and pointless. But, no, it turns out I’m just a trend drone, slavishly,
hungrily traveling from one new dish to the next, never looking back for
perspective. It wasn’t that I had stopped liking seared tuna or that there was
anything wrong with it, I had simply moved on to the next thing (tuna tartare!—
see here). After my forced revisit, I can report that seared tuna, when done well,
is a fantastic little dish.
———
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
¼ cup olive oil
1½ pounds tuna in one thick piece
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 pound spinach, trimmed, washed, and dried
1 cup freshly cooked cannellini beans
1. Beat the lime juice, marjoram, and 2 tablespoons olive oil together. Set this
vinaigrette aside.
2. Trim any dark areas from the tuna, then cut it into 4 equal pieces, trimming
them a little if necessary to make 4 rectangular logs. Press the cracked black
pepper all over the sides of the fish.
3. Heat all but a teaspoon of the remaining olive oil with the canola oil in a large
heavy skillet. When the oil is very hot, carefully place the fish in the skillet (to
avoid splattering) and sear for barely a minute, then turn and continue to sear the
fish briefly on each of the remaining 3 sides. The fish should still be rare in the
middle. Remove the fish to a warm plate.
4. Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining olive oil. Add the spinach and
sauté for a few minutes, until barely wilted. Add the beans, season with salt and
pepper, and continue to sauté until the spinach is wilted but is still a bright green
and the beans are completely heated through.
5. Divide the spinach among 4 dinner plates. Cut the blocks of seared tuna into
½-inch-thick slices and array the slices on top of the spinach. Briefly beat the
vinaigrette, then drizzle it around the tuna and spinach.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
The only pain-in-the-neck part of this recipe is the beans—canned beans really
won’t cut it here. Make a batch the night before, saving some for a white bean
soup, or perhaps the Four-Bean Salad here.
Cutting the tuna into logs is tricky because most tuna steaks are triangular. I
cut each triangle into thick rectangular logs, which left me with a few tiny cubes.
The shapes don’t really matter, because you later slice the cooked tuna; just pay
attention to the cooking times if you’re sautéing variously sized pieces.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fresh Corn Griddle Cakes with Parmesan and Chives (here), Zucchini Carpaccio
with Avocado (here), Catalan Vegetable Paella (here), Cucumber Risotto with
Yellow Peppers and Herbs (here), Avocado and Beet Salad with Citrus
Vinaigrette (here), Strawberry Soup (here), Lemon Cake (here) JANUARY 24, 1993:
“USING NUTS OR SPICES TO COAT THE FISH,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM ALAN HARDING, THE CHEF AT NOSMO KING IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1993
CHAR-GRILLED TUNA WITH TOASTED CORN

VINAIGRETTE AND AVOCADO SALAD
Tuna, corn, avocado, and cilantro, the pillars of 1990s cooking, convene here
with a delicious outcome.
———
For the Tuna
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
Four 3-by-3-by-2-inch cubes fresh tuna (6 ounces each)
½ teaspoon salt
For the Vinaigrette

½ cup olive oil
½ cup fresh corn kernels
⅓ cup minced red onion
⅓ cup chopped scallions
¾ teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
¾ teaspoon chopped thyme
1½ teaspoons chopped basil
¾ teaspoon chopped cilantro, plus a few whole leaves for garnish
For the Salad

4 cups mixed salad greens
2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and each half sliced lengthwise in
half
1. To make the tuna, combine the lemon zest, rosemary, basil, garlic, and ginger
in a large bowl. Toss with the tuna and let marinate, covered, in the fridge for at
least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
2. To make the vinaigrette, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium cast-iron
skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the red onion and scallions and cook until translucent. Add the ginger and
garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and orange juice and remove
from the heat.
3. Slowly stir in the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil and the herbs. Season with
salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature.
4. Heat a grill, preferably using hardwood. When the grill is hot, season the tuna
on both sides with the salt and pepper and brush with the olive oil. Place on the
grill and cook until tuna is charred on the outside and medium in the center,
about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cut each piece into 4 slices.
5. Divide the greens among 4 plates. Cut each avocado lengthwise into thirds,
but leave the narrow ends intact. Fanning out the slices, lean 2 pieces against the
outside of each portion of greens. Drape 4 slices of tuna across the top of each
salad. Spoon the vinaigrette over the top and garnish with cilantro leaves.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
The tuna is cut into 3-by-3-by-2-inch cubes; so you may want to special-order
the fish cut this way to save time/angst.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Ice-Cold Tomatoes with Basil (here), Raspberry Granita (here)
JULY 11, 1993: “FOOD: HOT TUNA,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM OLIVES IN BOSTON.
—1993
ROAST LOBSTER WITH VANILLA

SAUCE
In the article where this recipe appeared, Camilla Nielsen, the president of
Nielsen-Massey, a top producer of vanilla beans, offered a handy tip for judging
vanilla beans. “A good vanilla bean,” she said, “should be moist enough that you
can tie it in a knot.”
Lobster and vanilla met in nouvelle cuisine, and have largely remained a
restaurant pairing. Other than the expense, though, there’s no reason you can’t
cook it at home. Think of it as two dishes in one: the roasted lobster and the
lobster chowder you make with the leftover lobster shells (make sure you save
them!).
———
Two 1¼-to 1½-pound lobsters

7 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ vanilla bean, split
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound watercress, trimmed and washed
¾ pound spinach, trimmed and washed
1. Place a roasting pan large enough to hold the lobsters in the oven and heat the
oven to 450 degrees. With the tip of a sharp knife, pierce each lobster between
the eyes to sever the spinal cord and kill it instantly. Crack the claws using the
back of a cleaver or a hammer.
2. Place the lobsters in the hot roasting pan, drizzle with the oil, and roast until
red, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a small saucepan. Add the shallots and sauté over
low heat until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and vinegar,
raise the heat, and cook at a moderate boil until the liquid is reduced to 1
tablespoon, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 6 tablespoons butter, about 1
tablespoon at a time, until all is incorporated. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla
bean into the sauce and stir to combine; strain into a clean saucepan. Season with
¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
5. When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the claws.
Detach the tails (discard the bodies). With a pair of scissors, cut down through
the shell on the underside of each tail; remove the meat and cut it into ¼-inch-
thick slices. Cover the meat loosely with aluminum foil and keep warm.
6. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large pot. Add the watercress and
spinach and stir until the greens have melted down, then continue to cook,
stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with the
remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.
7. Reheat the sauce over low heat until warm, whisking constantly. Place a bed
of greens on each plate, arrange the lobster meat on top, and spoon the sauce
over the lobster.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTES
You don’t really need this much watercress. If you want to cook it all, just use
what you need for the dish, saving the rest for later.
You can prepare the recipe up through Step 5 up to a day in advance—chill
the lobster and sauce separately in the fridge, and reheat the lobster by adding it
to the gently rewarmed sauce.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pointe d’Asperge (here), Fresh Corn Griddle Cakes with Parmesan and Chives
(here), Evelyn Sharpe’s French Chocolate Cake (here), Tangerine Sherbet (here),
Strawberry Soup (here) MAY 31, 1995: “VANILLA: THE DEFINITION OF PLAIN IS GETTING
SOPHISTICATED” BY KAREN KOCHEVAR. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ALAIN SENDERENS,
LUCAS-CARTON RESTAURANT, PARIS.
—1995
LOBSTER SHEPHERD’S PIE

Five 1½-pound live lobsters
6 large baking potatoes
4 large shallots, minced
4 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, julienned and washed
well
1½ cups finely diced carrots
8 cups shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into large dice
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen baby peas, defrosted
1 cup half-and-half
¼ cup chopped chives
1. Steam the lobsters until slightly underdone, about 9 minutes. Let cool.
2. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Boil them until
they’re soft; drain and pass through a ricer. Set aside.
3. Shell the cooled lobster meat. Cut into large chunks and set aside.
4. Melt 1½ tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the
shallots and sauté for 1 minute. Add the leeks and carrots and cook over
medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and
pepper to taste, and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the cream
and peas and simmer for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set
aside.
6. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan over
medium heat, add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and the half-and-half, and
stir until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and
pepper to taste. Stir the lobster into the vegetable mixture.
7. Spoon the lobster mixture into a large shallow oval casserole (or a lasagna
pan). Spread the potatoes over the top. Bake until heated through, about 25
minutes. Garnish with the chives.
SERVES 10
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Stuffed Tomatoes (here), Salade à la Romaine (here), Basic Corn Chowder
(here), Cashew Butterscotch Bars (here), Whiskey Cake (here) DECEMBER 24, 1995:
“BEEN THERE, ATE THAT,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1995
SWORDFISH IN GREEN CURRY–BASIL SAUCE
———
One 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce, preferably Asian nuoc mam
4 swordfish steaks (about 6 ounces each)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
¾ cup torn basil leaves
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
White rice for serving
1. Whisk together the coconut milk, green curry paste, and fish sauce in a large
skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat so the liquid
simmers, add the swordfish, and simmer until just cooked through, about 6
minutes.
2. Remove the swordfish from the sauce and keep warm. Stir in the lemon zest,
jalapeño, and salt and simmer slowly for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and
stir in the basil and lemon juice.
3. Divide the swordfish among 4 plates, spoon the sauce over, and serve with
rice.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Yogurt Rice (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Mango Ice
Cream (here) AUGUST 11, 1996: “BRINGING UP BASIL,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1996
—1996
NINA SIMONDS’S BROILED HALIBUT WITH MISO

GLAZE
Although many people wrote about Nobu Matsuhisa’s black cod with miso—
perhaps the iconic New York dish of the 1990s—no one at the Times published
his recipe. In a story on miso (my first story for the paper), I included this
excellent variation by Nina Simonds, a cookbook author, made with more
accessible halibut.
———
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons mellow white miso
One ¾-pound skin-on halibut fillet, cut into 4 pieces
1. Combine the ginger, mirin, and miso in a small bowl and mix until smooth.
Rub on the flesh side of the halibut pieces. Marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the broiler. Brush the broiler pan with oil. Lay the fish skin side down in
the pan and broil for 7 to 9 minutes, until the flesh flakes and the glaze bubbles
and browns.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Simonds said to serve the halibut with steamed sticky rice and sautéed greens.
Or, try Edamame with Nori Salt (here), Pork and Watermelon Salad (here),
Jasmine Tea Rice (here), String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (here), Warm
Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots (here), Coconut Rice Pudding with
Lime Syrup (here).
SEPTEMBER 3, 1997: “MISO GOES BEYOND JAPANESE COOKING,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM A
SPOONFUL OF GINGER, BY NINA SIMONDS.
—1997
SALMON CAKES WITH YOGURT CHIPOTLE SAUCE

When I asked Denise Landis, a longtime recipe tester and contributor for the
Times, for her favorite recipes, this was among them. Landis has cooked
everything from sea urchin to long beans, and yet she chose this very plain-
seeming salmon dish. Once I tried it, I understood exactly why she picked it: it’s
the kind of recipe that you’ll go back to again and again. The ingredients are
easy to find, yet not too ordinary; it’s simple to cook, yet not mindless; and it’s
versatile, so you can make larger cakes for a dinner at home or smaller cakes for
a cocktail party.
———
For the Yogurt Chipotle Sauce
1 cup plain yogurt
1 or 2 canned chipotle chiles, depending on the heat desired, seeded
¼ cup water
Salt
For the Salmon Cakes

Cooking Note, here)
1 tablespoon safflower oil
½ large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
½ red bell pepper, chopped
4 large eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh bread crumbs, plus ½ cup crumbs for coating
Vegetable oil spray
1. To make the sauce, place the yogurt in a small strainer lined with cheesecloth
or paper towels set over a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and drain in the
refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours.
2. Puree the chiles in a blender with the water. Mix with the yogurt and add salt
to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. To make the salmon cakes, bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Add the
salmon and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until cooked. Drain and cool, then break
into chunks.
4. Combine the safflower oil, onion, and thyme in a large skillet and sauté over
low heat until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper and
cook for 1 more minute. Cool.
5. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine the salmon, onion mixture, and
remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs for coating in a large bowl. Spray
a baking sheet with vegetable spray. Shape the patties: 1 ounce for hors
d’oeuvres (about 40 cakes), 3 ounces for first-course servings (12 cakes), 6
ounces for main-course servings (6 cakes). Coat the patties with the remaining
bread crumbs and place on a baking sheet.
6. Bake 3-ounce patties for about 5 minutes. Turn over, and bake for 2 more
minutes, or until lightly browned. Adjust the baking time for other sizes as
needed. Serve with the yogurt chipotle sauce.
MAKES 40 HORS D’OEUVRES; SERVES 6 AS A MAIN COURSE, 12 AS A FIRST COURSE
COOKING NOTES
I used Fage Total yogurt, and I recommend that you do too. It has the ideal
balance of tang and creaminess, and the texture is like a tightly knit cream.
These cakes are baked, but they can be sautéed in a mixture of butter and oil if
you want crisper edges.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Smoked Mashed Potatoes (here), Beets in Lime Cream (here), String Beans with
Ginger and Garlic (here), Lime Sherbet (here) JANUARY 1, 1997: “CASTING FOR
SILVER SALMON, RENEWING A LIFE,” BY CAROL LAWSON.
—1997
GRANDMA TEDESCO’S MUSSELS AND GRAVY
The gravy here is a concentrated herb-and-shellfish broth enriched with butter.

And yes, I’d slather it on mashed potatoes, so gravy it is!
———

2 tablespoons chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1. Sauté the garlic in the olive oil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until
browned on the edges, about 2 minutes. Add the basil, parsley, and mussels and
stir gently for 30 seconds. Add the clam juice. Cover the pot, increase the heat to
high, and steam until the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Remove the mussels to
serving plates.
2. Boil until the sauce is concentrated, about 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the butter 1
tablespoon at a time into the sauce. Spoon over the mussels.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
To remove the beards from mussels, locate the stringy attachment in the seam of
the mussel’s shell and pull it off.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Diana Vreeland’s Salade Parisienne (here), Crisp Potato Crowns (here),
Reuben’s Apple Pancake (here) OCTOBER 8, 1997: “BELLE OF THE BIVALVES: THE NEW
MUSSEL,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM STEVEN TEDESCO, A HOME COOK
IN THE BRONX.
—1997
JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN’S CRAB SALAD
One Sunday afternoon in 1997, Molly O’Neill, the Times’s Sunday food
columnist, gathered four of New York City’s top chefs in her loft to cook lunch
and talk about their work. “New Yorkers want their food to have the intellectual
flair of an artist and the solace of an earth mother,” she wrote. “They want their
food to be both a reflection of their life and an antidote to it. They want it all,
and they want it fast.”Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who at that point had what
now seems a modest grouping of four restaurants (one of which, Jean-Georges,
had already earned 4 stars), prepared this salad, one of his signature dishes. The
dish hasn’t aged a bit. While Vongerichten may be best remembered for showing
chefs how to turn their talents into global brands—he now has nineteen
restaurants—he began simply as an inventive cook with a gifted palate. That
Sunday afternoon, he told O’Neill, “There is no new fish coming out of the
ocean. We must make something different from the same things.”
———
For the Cumin Crisps
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons sugar
1½ tablespoons cumin seeds
⅔ cup white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Crab Salad

1½ pounds crabmeat
2 small ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
1½ shallots, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 basil leaves
2 bunches mâche (about 2 cups)
1½ mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into ¼-inch dice
1. To make the crisps, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix together the flour,
sugar, and cumin seeds in a small bowl. Add the vinegar, water, and butter, and
mix thoroughly, but do not overmix.
2. Working in batches, using a pastry brush, dab very thin 2-inch disks of batter
onto 2 nonstick baking sheets. Bake until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool on wire
racks.
3. To make the crab salad, break up the lumps of crab with your fingers to
remove any shell or cartilage, leaving the crab as intact as possible. Transfer to a
bowl and refrigerate.
4. Combine the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, lemon juice, oil, vinegar, and basil in a
blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Slowly stir the tomato sauce into the crabmeat. Coat the crab, but do not soak
it.
6. Place 3 scoops of crab salad in a row on each of 6 plates, then place 2 cumin
crisps between the scoops. Garnish with the mâche and the mangoes.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Moroccan Tomato Soup (here), Baked Alaska (here), Strawberry Soup (here),
Dorie Greenspan’s Sablés (here) OCTOBER 19, 1997: “FOOD: THE DAY THE CHEFS ATE
LUNCH,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN,
THE CHEF AT JEAN-GEORGES IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1997
GENTLY COOKED SALMON WITH MASHED

POTATOES
Good, rich salmon, a glistening hill of mashed potatoes, and a river of chive oil.
You should commit this salmon technique to memory—it’s stress-free, makes
the salmon silky, and is something you can do anywhere as long as you have a
pan and an oven. I have a similar slow-cooking method that I use for any kind of
fish and shellfish: I place the fish in a casserole dish just large enough to hold it
and then, rather than employing butter, I douse the fish in olive oil and cook it at
300 degrees, basting it now and then. It’s a technique I use for dinner parties, so
I can serve fish without worrying about overcooking it.
———
2 pounds Yukon Gold or white potatoes (5 or 6), peeled and cut into
quarters
Salt
3 tablespoons plus ¼ teaspoon unsalted butter
Four 6-ounce skin-on center-cut salmon fillets, about 1¼ inches thick at
the thickest point, any pin bones removed (see Cooking Note, here)
½ ounce chives (a small handful; about 40 to 60)
¼ cup neutral oil, like grapeseed or canola
¾ cup whole milk, gently warmed
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper
1. Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water to cover until soft; this will take
about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, smear a baking dish with the ¼ teaspoon butter and place the
salmon skin side up on the butter. Let sit while you heat the oven to 250 degrees.
3. Mince a tablespoon or so of the chives for garnish. Tear the rest of the chives
into 2-inch lengths, and place in the container of a blender with the oil and a
little salt. Blend, stopping the machine to push the mixture down once or twice,
until the oil has a cream-like consistency.
4. When the potatoes are done, put the salmon in the oven and set a timer for 10
minutes.
5. Drain the potatoes, then mash them well or put them through a food mill.
Return them to the pot over very low heat and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons
butter and, gradually, the milk, beating with a wooden spoon until smooth and
creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
6. Check the salmon after 10 minutes; the skin should peel off easily, the meat
should flake, and an instant-read thermometer should display about 120 degrees.
It may look undercooked, but if it meets these criteria, it is done. (If it is not
finished, or you prefer it more well done, return it to the oven, checking every 5
minutes.) If you like, scrape off the gray fatty matter on the skin side (or just turn
the fish over). Sprinkle with coarse salt and cracked black pepper.
7. To serve, place a quarter of the mashed potatoes on each plate and top with a
piece of salmon. Drizzle chive oil all around the plates and garnish with the
minced chives.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Airplane Salad (here), Paul Steindler’s Cabbage Soup (here), Escarole with Pan-
Roasted Garlic and Lemon (here), Caramelized Chocolate Bread Pudding (here),
Teddie’s Apple Cake (here), David Eyre’s pancake (here) NOVEMBER 26, 1997:
“THE CHEF,” BY JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN WITH MARK BITTMAN. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN, WITH CHEF DIDIER VIROT.
—1997
TUNA TARTARE
Although fish tartares had become trendy restaurant fare by the 1980s, it took
more than a decade for home cooks to get up the nerve to serve raw fish to their
friends.
When the tuna is chopped finely enough, it feels like cool little droplets on
your palate. What makes this recipe noteworthy is that while each seasoning
offers a flicker of flavor, none calls too much attention to itself.
———
½ pound sushi-quality tuna

2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 tablespoon minced shallot
½ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon safflower oil
6 grinds black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
½ small red onion, sliced paper-thin
1 medium cucumber, sliced paper-thin
20 large caper berries or 2 tablespoons capers
16 toast points (without crusts)
1. Dice the tuna as fine as possible, or put it through a meat grinder using the
largest plate. Transfer to a small bowl and add the cilantro, shallot, ginger, oil,
salt, and pepper. Mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cover and
refrigerate until chilled, or for up to 2 hours.
2. When ready to serve, mix the lime juice into the tuna. Divide the tuna among
4 small plates, mounding it in the center of the plates. Divide the onion,
cucumbers, caper berries, and toast points among the plates and serve
immediately.
COOKING NOTE
If you’re not in the mood to make toast points, you could serve the tartare with
pappadums or good, puffy rice crackers.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
The Cuke (here), Jonathan Waxman’s Red Pepper Pancakes (here), Fish
Poached in Buttermilk (here), Zucchini and Vermouth (here), Sour Cream Ice
Cream (here) JULY 19, 1998: “NAME THAT TUNA,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1998
CEVICHE WITH MINT AND MANGO

Good ceviche, like this one, should be exciting, with flashes of acid, sweetness,
brightness, heat, and brine in every bite.
———
1 pound small bay scallops

1 cup fresh lime juice (7 to 8 limes)
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into ⅓-inch dice
½ red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red chile, or to taste, seeded and minced
⅓ cup chopped mint
1. Combine the scallops and lime juice in a small bowl and stir to coat the
scallops. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.
2. Drain the scallops, discarding the lime juice. Transfer to a medium bowl, add
the mango, onion, garlic, oil, and half the chile, and toss. Add the mint; toss.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
COOKING NOTE
If the scallops are larger than a hazelnut, halve them.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
La Paloma (here), The Best Spinach Dip, with Chipotle and Lime (here),
Yucatán Fish with Crisp Garlic (here), Coloradito (Red Mole with Pork; here),
Caramel Custard (here) AUGUST 9, 1998: “FOOD: WORTH A MINT,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1998
SKATE WITH SAUTÉED SPINACH AND FRIED
POTATOES
———
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large baking potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes, and held in a
bowl of cold water
4 large skinless skate wing fillets (5 to 7 ounces each)
2 cups whole milk
1½ pounds spinach
⅔ cup cracker meal or panko
3 tablespoons clarified unsalted butter (homemade, or ghee from an
Indian market), or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely sliced chives
2 lemons, cut into wedges
Flat-leaf parsley sprigs for garnish
1. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Drain the
potatoes and dry thoroughly on paper towels. Add a single cube to the oil. If the
cube begins sizzling immediately, add the rest of the potatoes. Fry until barely
golden, about 1½ minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and set
aside. Reserve the pan with the oil.
2. Combine the skate wings and milk in a wide shallow bowl and soak for 15
minutes.
3. Meanwhile, remove the stems and wilted leaves from the spinach, wash it
thoroughly, and drain well. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan
over medium heat. Add the spinach and toss until wilted. Season to taste with
salt and pepper. Drain well, return to the pan, and cover to keep warm.
4. Return the pan of oil to medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, return the
potatoes to the pan and fry until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels,
and season with salt to taste.
5. Combine the flour and cracker meal in a large bowl. Remove the skate wings
from the milk and season on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge the
wings in the flour mixture, pat off the excess, and set aside on a plate. Heat the
clarified butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add
the skate wings, smoother sides down, and sauté until golden brown, about 2
minutes. Turn the wings and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
6. To serve, mound one-quarter of the spinach at the top of each plate. Place a
skate wing like an inverted fan beneath the spinach. Scatter the potatoes over the
spinach and sprinkle the sliced chives over the skate wings. Garnish the plates
with the lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Palestine Soup (here), Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber (here), Stuffed
Clams (here), Grapefruit Fluff (here), Lee’s Marlborough Tart (here) PERIOD
DETAIL
In 1880, a writer, reporting on the scarcity of some fish species, documented a
cooking class in which the instructor, Juliet Corson, introduced an unfamiliar
fish: “It was not a salamander, a phoenix, a barnacle goose, or some strange
phenomenal creature which she was cooking to the amazement of the world, but
only an ordinary fish—a skate . . . !”
AUGUST 28, 1998: “MILD IN TASTE, ELEGANT IN LOOK, SKATE JOINS THE A-LIST,” BY ELAINE LOUIE. RECIPE
ADAPTED FROM REBECCA CHARLES, THE CHEF AT PEARL OYSTER BAR IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1998
THE MINIMALIST’S GRAVLAX
When you rinse off the salt and sugar cure, after a day or so in the fridge, the
salmon is dark and firm like a block of quince paste. You will think all is lost.
Get out your sharpest knife and start shaving off paper-thin slices. You will be
astounded that you’ve recreated Zabar’s at home with almost no effort. Mark
Bittman—aka The Minimalist—says to serve the gravlax “plain or with lemon
wedges, crème fraîche, sour cream, or a light vinaigrette.”
———
1 cup salt
2 cups sugar
1 bunch dill, stems and all, chopped
One 2-to 3-pound skin-on salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see
One 2-to 3-pound skin-on salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see
Cooking Note)
1. Mix together the salt, sugar, and dill. Place the salmon skin side down on a
large sheet of plastic wrap. Cover the flesh side of the salmon with the salt
mixture, making sure to coat it completely. (There will be lots of salt mix; just
pile it on.) 2. Wrap the fish well. If the temperature is below 70 degrees, and it is
not too inconvenient, let it rest outside the refrigerator for about 6 hours, then
refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours. Otherwise, refrigerate immediately, for about 36
hours.
3. Unwrap the salmon and rinse off the cure. Pat dry, then slice on the bias.
COOKING NOTE
To remove the pin bones, run your fingers down the center of the fillet to feel for
the bones, and use tweezers to pull them out.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
James Beard’s Champagne Punch (here), Onion Rings (here), Heirloom Pea
Pancakes (here), Salade Niçoise (here), Papa’s Apple Pound Cake (here)
NOVEMBER 11, 1998: “THE MINIMALIST: GRAVLAX WITHOUT FEAR, A STUNNING DISH JUST
LOOKS HARD,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—1998
FISH POACHED IN BUTTERMILK

Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the well-known New York chef, based this dish on
the French technique of poaching fish in milk. By swapping out the milk for
buttermilk, he added another dimension of flavor: acidity. Then he threw in a
bunch of seemingly inconsequential and disparate flavor notes, all of which
magically coalesce on the plate: a little cayenne, spinach, dill, and a bit of rye
bread and mushroom stuffing. There’s also a finishing touch: the buttermilk
poaching liquid, now sharpened with lemon and whizzed in the blender, spooned
over all.
———

½ shallot, finely chopped
1½ cups cubed white mushrooms
1½ teaspoons thyme leaves
½ clove garlic, finely chopped
1½ cups cubed dry rye bread crusts
¾ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 pound spinach, trimmed and washed
Pinch of sugar
Four 6-ounce turbot, cod, halibut, or black sea bass fillets
Cayenne pepper
3 cups buttermilk
6 sprigs dill, leaves stripped from stems
1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add
the shallot and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, thyme, and
garlic and cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the bread
and stir to combine. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the
bread has soaked up the liquid. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the
chives. Cover and keep warm.
2. Place the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium-
high heat. When the butter is melted and foaming, add the spinach and toss,
using tongs, to wilt the leaves. Add the sugar and season to taste with salt and
pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Season both sides of the fish with salt and cayenne pepper. Combine the fish,
buttermilk, and dill in a sauté pan large enough to hold the fish in a single layer,
cover, and place over medium heat. When the buttermilk begins to simmer, cook
for 2 minutes. Turn the fish and cook for about another minute. The fish is done
when firm to the touch.
4. Remove the fish from the pan and keep warm. With an immersion blender or
in a regular blender, whirl the buttermilk with the remaining 4 tablespoons
butter. When it is emulsified, season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
5. Arrange the spinach in 4 shallow bowls. Place the fish on top and pour the
buttermilk sauce over each, topping it off with a spoonful of stuffing.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
When you poach the fish, the buttermilk broth will separate. Not to worry. When
you add a little butter at the end and blend the broth, it turns into a creamy and
clean sauce.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Escarole with Pan-Roasted Garlic and Lemon (here), Mashed Potatoes Anna
(here), Rice Croquettes (here), Warm Soft Chocolate Cake (here), Fresh Ginger
Cake (here) SEPTEMBER 29, 1999: “TEMPTATION: THERE’S A FISH IN MY BUTTERMILK,”
BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JOJO IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1999
SALMON AND BEET TARTARE
In the 1990s, we began eating beets as a treat rather than an obligation. Farmers
had begun growing sweeter varieties and harvesting them younger, and cooks
had learned to roast them rather than boil them: it was as simple as that. Boiled
beets inspired generations of beet haters; the process bleeds them of their vigor.
Roasting them, on the other hand, concentrates their sweetness and produces a
buttery root. By the turn of the century, roasted beet and goat cheese salad had
replaced pear and Gorgonzola as the first-course standby, and beet tartare was a
close second (also see the Beet Tartare here).
———
4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed

1½ teaspoons finely chopped chives
1½ teaspoons minced tarragon
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
3 drops Tabasco sauce
One ½-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see
Cooking Note, here), cut into very small dice
1½ teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1½ teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Pea shoots for garnish (optional)
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the beets in small roasting pan with ½ cup
water. Cover and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Cool.
2. Peel the beets and cut into very fine dice. Transfer to a bowl and add ¾
teaspoon chives, ¾ teaspoon tarragon, ½ teaspoon mustard, and 1½ teaspoons
shallot. Add 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, the Tabasco, and 1½ tablespoons olive
oil, mix well, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Combine the salmon and the remaining ¾ teaspoon each chives and tarragon
and 1½ teaspoons shallots in a medium bowl. Add the parsley, the remaining ½
teaspoon mustard, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon oil, and season to
taste. Mix well, cover, and chill.
4. To serve; place one-quarter of the beet tartare in the bottom of a 3-inch ring
mold on each of 4 serving plates. Top each with an even layer of one-quarter of
the salmon tartare. Pat gently to compress. Remove the ring molds, and garnish
with pea shoots, if desired.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
If you don’t have ring molds you can use ramekins to shape the tartare.
You’ll want some kind of toast or cracker to eat with the tartare—crisp and
airy rice crackers would be my first choice.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Raw Artichoke Salad with Cucumber (here), Sole Grenobloise (Sautéed Sole
with Capers and Lemons; here), Leek and Shiitake Bread Pudding (here),
Steamed Lemon Pudding (here) MAY 31, 2000: “WHO PUT THE BEET IN THE
MOUSSELINE?” BY MARIAN BURROS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ESCA IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2000
FRESH SALMON AND LIME CAKES

This recipe really wowed me. The kaffir lime leaves infuse the salmon cakes
with an irresistible herbal aroma that’s difficult to describe. You must make
them.
The recipe comes from Flavours, one of Australian food writer Donna Hay’s
dozen or so books. Like Martha Stewart, Hay built a lifestyle empire on an
aesthetic, the viewfinder through which she presents her recipes. For the
photographs in her large-format cookbooks, the food is often shot on white
plates on a white background, a clean frame for her vivid, unembellished
cooking. Although I’ve been a fan of her books, it wasn’t until I made these
cakes that I realized there was more to her cooking than the look of the food.
———
Cooking Note, here), chopped into ¼-inch dice
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons rice flour
2 kaffir lime leaves, chopped, or 6 thin strips lime zest, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon wasabi paste
3 tablespoons chopped chervil or flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Oil for frying (something neutral, like corn, canola, or vegetable)
1. Combine the salmon, egg white, rice flour, lime leaves, ginger, wasabi paste,
and chopped chervil in a medium bowl.
2. Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a small bowl and mix
well.
3. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Heat ½ inch of oil in a large skillet over
medium heat. For each cake, place 2 tablespoons of the salmon mixture into the
hot oil, and cook for 35 to 45 seconds on each side, or until lightly golden; do
not overcook. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm in the oven while you cook
the remaining salmon. Serve with the lime juice dipping sauce.
MAKES 15 TO 18 SMALL CAKES; SERVES 4 TO 6
COOKING NOTES
Kaffir lime leaves can be found in specialty markets and in Southeast Asian
grocery stores.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Gazpacho with Cucumber Granita (here), Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado
(here), Yogurt Rice (here), Raspberry Granita (here) DECEMBER 20, 2000: “BY THE
BOOK: FROM AUSTRALIA, THE BEAUTY OF SIMPLICITY,” BY REGINA SCHRAMBLING.
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM FLAVOURS, BY DONNA HAY.
—2000
SAUTÉED RED SNAPPER WITH RHUBARB SAUCE
If you haven’t already discovered the combination of rhubarb and fatty fish, start
here. Mark Bittman adds an interesting twist with a pinch of saffron that, while
barely perceptible, works to soften rhubarb’s sharpness.
———
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch-long pieces

⅓ cup sugar, or more to taste
Pinch of saffron threads
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or a little more oil)
Four 6-ounce skin-on red snapper fillets
Chopped mint or flat-leaf parsley for garnish (optional)
1. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and saffron in a small saucepan, cover, and turn
the heat to low. Cook, stirring only occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until
the rhubarb becomes saucy. Add salt to taste and a little more sugar if necessary.
If the mixture is very soupy, continue to cook a little longer to make it thicker.
2. Meanwhile, when you judge the rhubarb to be nearly done, put a large skillet,
preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the oil and
butter. When the butter foam subsides, add the fillets skin side down and cook
for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the fish is nearly done. Turn carefully; and lightly
brown the flesh side, seasoning it with salt and pepper as it cooks. Transfer the
fish to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
3. Serve the fish napped with a bit of the sauce and garnished, if you like, with
the herb.
SERVES 4
VARIATION
I haven’t tried this option, but Bittman said, “You can also use this sauce as the
base for a fool, a simple summer dessert that’s little more than fruit and whipped
cream. Just blend the rhubarb sauce with an equal amount of sweetened whipped
cream—or yogurt, sour cream, or crème fraîche.”
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Puree of Peas and Watercress (here), Al Forno’s Roasted Asparagus (here),
Forget-It Meringue Torte (here) MAY 30, 2001: “THE MINIMALIST: RHUBARB IN A
SAVORY MOOD,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2001
SALMON AND TOMATOES IN FOIL

More than any other chapter in the book, this one is filled with simple recipes in
which one ingredient or technique gives the finished dish its memorable
character. In the Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes here, kaffir lime leaves add
extraordinary aroma; in the Bouillabaisse here, olive oil helps the fish maintain
its delicate texture. In this case, it’s the basil: when steamed with the fish in a
foil packet, the leaf softens and attaches itself to the salmon. When you open the
packet, you are met with a beautiful fragrance and sight: the basil leaves glisten
with oil and look like decoupage on the salmon.
———

One 1½-to 2-pound skinless salmon fillet, any pin bones removed (see
Cooking Note, here), cut into 4 pieces
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
16 leaves basil
1. For each of the 4 packages, place one 12-inch-long sheet of aluminum foil on
top of another. Smear the top sheet with ½ tablespoon olive oil and layer a fillet
of salmon, 6 tomato halves, salt and pepper to taste, 4 basil leaves, and another
½ tablespoon of oil on it. Seal the package by folding the foil over itself and
crimping the edges tightly. Refrigerate until ready to cook, no more than 24
hours later.
2. When you are ready to cook, heat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the packages
in a roasting pan. (They can also be cooked on top of the stove in 2 skillets over
medium-high heat.) Cook for 5 minutes, for medium-rare, to 8 minutes from the
time the oil starts to sizzle, roughly 10 to 12 minutes total.
3. Let the packages rest for a minute, then cut a slit along the top of each with a
knife. Use a knife and fork to open the package, and spoon the salmon, garnish,
and juices onto a plate.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado (here), Fresh Corn Griddle Cakes with
Parmesan and Chives (here), Fried Corn (here), Smoked Mashed Potatoes (here),
Yogurt Rice (here), Plum Fritters (here) JULY 25, 2001: “THE MINIMALIST
ENTERTAINS: MIDWEEK, AND THE COOK’S COOL,” BY MARK BITTMAN. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN.
—2001
CLAMBAKE IN A POT
A clambake without sand in your food.
———
½ to 1 pound kielbasa (optional)

½ to 1 pound good slab bacon, in one piece (optional)
3 to 4 pounds hard-shell clams, scrubbed (more if you omit the meat)
3 to 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded (more if you omit the
meat)
Approximately 1 pound tiny new potatoes, or waxy potatoes cut into
small chunks
Two 1¼-to 1½-pound live lobsters
4 ears corn, shucked
½ cup water
Melted butter for serving (optional)
1. Put the kielbasa and bacon, if using, in a large deep pot. Add the clams and
mussels, then the potatoes. Top with the lobsters and corn. Add the water, cover,
and turn the heat to high. Cook, shaking the pot every few minutes, for about 20
minutes. Remove the lid carefully, and check a potato to see if it is done. If not,
cover again and cook for 10 minutes more. The lobsters should be red.
2. Put the corn, meat, and lobsters on a platter. Put the clams and mussels in a
large bowl, and ladle some cooking juices over them. Serve, if you like, with
melted butter.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
You need a really big pot for this recipe. If you don’t have one, divide
everything evenly between 2 pots.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Málaga Gazpacho (here), Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (here),
Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top (here), Lemon Lotus Ice Cream (here) AUGUST
29, 2001: “THE MINIMALIST ENTERTAINS: THE CLAMBAKE, MINUS THE BEACH,” BY MARK
BITTMAN.
—2001
ALASKAN SALMON
Tetsuya Wakuda, the owner of Tetsuya’s in Sydney, is famous for this dish. He
leaves his fish very pink—cook it longer if you like.
———
One ¾-pound skinless wild Alaskan salmon fillet, any pin bones
removed (see Cooking Note, here)
⅓ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup olive oil
10 basil leaves
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
¼ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and finely chopped
For the Parsley Oil

⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1½ teaspoons salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained, or capers in
brine, drained
For the Fennel Salad

¼ large fennel bulb
⅓ teaspoon grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
¼ cup shredded kombu (kelp; available in Asian grocery stores—
optional)
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons ocean trout (or salmon) caviar
1. Cut the fish into 4 pieces. Combine the oils, basil, coriander, thyme, garlic,
and pepper in a bowl. Add the salmon, turning to coat, and marinate in the
refrigerator for 2 hours, turning the pieces frequently.
2. Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for
30 minutes before cooking.
3. Heat the oven to 175 degrees (or its lowest temperature). Spread out the celery
and carrots on a baking tray and place the fish on top. Bake with the oven door
propped open with a wooden spoon until the fish is just lukewarm, about 10
minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature.
4. Meanwhile, to make the parsley oil, combine the oil and parsley in a blender
and puree. Add the capers and pulse until finely chopped.
5. To make the salad, slice the fennel as thin as possible using a mandoline or a
very sharp knife. Place in a bowl, add the lemon zest and juice, and season with
salt and pepper.
6. To serve, arrange a mound of salad on each of 4 plates. Mix the chives and
kombu and pat onto the top of the salmon. Set the salmon on the salads and
sprinkle with the sea salt. Drizzle with the parsley oil and dot the caviar around
each plate.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
I didn’t love the kombu (kelp), because it was very chewy. If you leave it out, I
won’t tell anyone.
My fish took 15 minutes longer to cook than the recipe says. Tetsuya uses
ocean trout, but since that’s not available here, the recipe calls for Alaskan
salmon.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Saketini (here), Edamame with Nori Salt (here), Asparagus with Miso Butter
(here), Jasmine Tea Rice (here), Chilled Sesame Spinach (here), Coconut Rice
Pudding with Lime Syrup (here) NOVEMBER 4, 2001: FOOD; GENIUS DOWN UNDER,”
BY JONATHAN REYNOLDS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM TETSUYA WAKUDA OF TETSUYA’S IN
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.
—2001
GRILLED MOROCCAN SARDINES
———
2 pounds sardines, cleaned and scaled

3 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1½ tablespoons chopped cilantro
1½ tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch of saffron threads
1. Place the sardines in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix the remaining
ingredients in a bowl. Then pour over the sardines and turn the sardines to coat.
Cover and marinate for 1 hour.
2. Heat a grill or heat the broiler. Remove the sardines from the marinade and
grill or broil until cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Spicy Orange Salad Moroccan-Style (here), Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in
Chorizo-Mussel Broth (here), Brown Butter Peach Bars (here) FEBRUARY 24, 2002:
“FOOD: DINNER AND A MOVIE,” BY JONATHAN REYNOLDS. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE
MOROCCAN COLLECTION, BY HILAIRE WALDEN.
—2002
CLAM STEW WITH POTATOES AND PARSLEY PUREE
This is more of a steamed clam dish with sauce than a stew. No matter: the idea
is brilliant, and while it may not be the world’s most refined dish, it’s a recipe
you can make on the fly. You steam the potatoes and clams together and then stir
in a fresh parsley, garlic, and olive oil puree. Buy a baguette when you shop!
———
4 pounds small clams, like littlenecks, cockles, or butter clams

¾ pound waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, thickest stems tied in a small bundle, leaves
and thin stems reserved
1 small clove garlic
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
About ½ cup water
Salt
1. Wash the clams well in several changes of water until the water contains no
traces of sand. Put in a wide deep skillet or a saucepan, along with the potatoes,
wine, and parsley stems, cover, and turn the heat to high. Cook until the potatoes
are tender, about 15 minutes.
2. While the clams and potatoes cook, combine the parsley leaves and thin stems
with the garlic and oil in a blender. Blend, adding water as necessary to make a
smooth puree; it will take ½ cup or more. Add salt to taste, and transfer to a
bowl.
3. Remove and discard the thick parsley stems from the clam-potato mixture.
Stir half the puree into the clams and serve, passing the rest at the table.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
You need to cut the potatoes into true ¼-inch dice, or they won’t cook through in
time.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Blood Orange, Date, and Parmesan Salad with Almond Oil (here), Mezzaluna
Salad (here), Rice Croquettes (here), Straight-Up Rhubarb Pie (here), Winter
Fruit Salad (here) MARCH 27, 2002: “THE MINIMALIST: SAVE THE LAST SLURP FOR ME,”
BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2002
HALIBUT WITH PARSLEY-SHELLFISH SAUCE
Food writing often contains an element of salesmanship. I’m guilty, too: I often
want to tell you just how great a dish is, hoping to inspire you to put the paper
down and get in the kitchen. A caption that ran with this recipe said, “Halibut in
parchment: Presto! It’s done.” In truth, this was a big fat lie. This recipe, which I
will now sell to you by telling you that it’s fantastically delicious—it is, it really
is!—is by Alain Ducasse, the most famous chef in France. I can assure you that
there’s no presto anywhere in this recipe; it’s undoubtedly a chef-style dish.
Invite your three best friends for dinner and no one else. I doubled this recipe
when I made it and almost died prematurely from exhaustion (well, isn’t every
death premature?). However, all your toiling, your cutting squares of parchment,
your whisking of the parsley butter, your arranging of the cooked fish in a square
on the plates will be worth it.
And the cooking technique that Ducasse uses for the fish is very cool. You
arrange strips of halibut between sheets of parchment and cook them in a hot dry
pan, which preserves the purity of the fish and makes it easier to flip.
———
One 1⅓-pound skinless center-cut halibut fillet

¼ cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus 4 sprigs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 bay leaf
1 bay leaf
¼ cup minced fennel
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 clove garlic, sliced
36 cockles (1½ to 2 pounds), scrubbed
¼ pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
Fleur de sel
1. Cut the halibut in half at the central “seam,” then cut each half in 8 slices
about ¼ inch thick. Brush the slices on both sides with the olive oil. Place 4
slices side by side on a 6-inch-square of parchment paper. Top with another
square of parchment. Repeat with the remaining halibut. Set the packages aside.
2. With the food processor running, drop the parsley leaves through the feed
tube. Process until minced. Add the butter and process until well blended.
Remove to a dish.
3. Place the wine, bay leaf, fennel, shallots, and garlic in a saucepan with a tight-
fitting lid and cook over medium-high heat until the wine is reduced to about ½
cup. Add the cockles, cover, lower the heat, and simmer until they open, about 5
minutes. Remove the cockles, shuck into a small bowl, and cover with plastic
wrap. Set aside.
4. Strain the cooking liquid, pressing on the solids, into a clean saucepan.
Simmer until reduced to ¼ cup. Reduce the heat to very low, and whisk in the
parsley butter about a tablespoon at a time. Add the lemon juice. Taste for
seasoning, adding white pepper. Fold in the cockles and crabmeat, remove from
the heat, and cover to keep warm.
5. Place a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 1 package of halibut
in the pan and cook for 30 to 60 seconds on each side (the fish should be just
cooked through); remove from the pan with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining
fish. Peel off the paper and arrange 4 slices of fish on each of 4 warm plates,
making a square. Season lightly with fleur de sel and pepper.
6. Spoon some of the warmed seafood butter sauce into the center of each
square, then spoon a little more around the outside. Garnish with the parsley
sprigs.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
One half of the fish fillet will yield smaller pieces.
The fish slices may stick together when cooking, and you may need a thin
spatula to separate them.
Cockles are saltier than clams—keep this in mind when seasoning. I added
more lemon juice to the sauce.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères (here), Chilled English Pea–Mint Soup (here), Cream
of Carrot Soup (here), Zucchini and Vermouth (here), Sugar Snap Peas with
Horseradish (here), Queen of Puddings (here) APRIL 17, 2002: “THE CHEF: ALAIN
DUCASSE,” BY ALAIN DUCASSE WITH FLORENCE FABRICANT.
—2002
VENTRESCA TUNA SALAD

There are three very different tuna salads in this book, all excellent. This one
comes from David Pasternack, the amiable and unpretentious chef who cooked
his way around New York’s better French kitchens before finding his sweet spot
—Italian fish cookery—at Esca in the Theatre District, not far from the Times
and Condé Nast. Back when people still had expense accounts, if you went to
lunch at Esca, every table was filled with editors. It’s the most consistently great
restaurant I know in the city.
I think of this recipe from Pasternack as a gift, a perfect salad with all the right
elements and proportions. You poach the fish in oil and aromatics that perfume
the succulent tuna belly, then mix it with vegetables and an assertive ratio of 2
parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Fold the ingredients, then fold them a few more times,
and get ready for a tuna salad unlike those here and here, and indeed unlike any
other—with precise acidity, buttery slices of potato, and slivers of fragrant tuna
that do not shred.
———
1½ pounds fresh tuna in 1 thick piece, preferably yellow fin or albacore

belly cut
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large cloves garlic, smashed
About 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
About 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
3 sprigs lemon thyme, or regular thyme plus 1 teaspoon grated lemon
zest
2 bay leaves
4 large salt-packed anchovies, preferably Recca brand, or 8 anchovy
fillets in oil
¾ pound fingerling potatoes
1 pound flat (romano) green beans or regular green beans, trimmed
1 small red onion, sliced paper-thin
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup lovage leaves or inner celery leaves
¼ cup red wine vinegar, preferably Italian
1. Cut the tuna into 1½-inch chunks. Season well with salt and pepper. Place in a
saucepan with the garlic and enough olive oil so the tuna is just covered. Bring
to a gentle simmer and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, taking care that
the oil does not boil. Remove from the heat, add the lemon thyme (or thyme and
lemon zest) and bay leaves, and set aside to cool. (The tuna can be used at this
point but is better if allowed to marinate overnight.) 2. Transfer the contents of
the pan to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature at
least an hour before serving.
3. If using salt-packed anchovies, soak in water for 2 hours, drain, remove the
bones, cut into ½-inch pieces, and toss with a little olive oil. Or drain anchovies
packed in oil and cut into pieces.
4. Place the potatoes in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and cook until
tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, peel when cool enough to handle, and halve
lengthwise. Place in a large bowl.
5. Bring 6 quarts salted water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the beans and cook
until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl of ice water. When cool,
drain well, pat dry on paper towels, and add to the bowl with the potatoes.
6. Add the anchovies, onion, parsley, and lovage to the potatoes and beans.
Drain the tuna, reserving the oil, and scrape off the excess fat and gelatin. Break
into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl.
7. Beat the vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¼ cup oil from the tuna.
Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the tuna and fold together.
Season with salt and pepper.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
This recipe reveals a gap between what’s available to chefs and to a regular
shopper, even one living in New York City. I couldn’t find lemon thyme,
romano beans, fingerling potatoes, or lovage. The good news is the salad did not
suffer.
I used baby Yukon Golds in place of the fingerlings. And I did not peel them
after boiling—couldn’t be bothered.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Grapefruit Wine (here), Open-Faced Tomato Sandwich (here), Squashed
Tomatoes (here), Chilled English Pea–Mint Soup (here), Garden Minestrone
(here), Petit Beurre Cookies (here), Panna Cotta (here) JUNE 19, 2002: “THE CHEF:
DAVID PASTERNACK,” BY DAVID PASTERNACK WITH FLORENCE FABRICANT.
—2002
SEAFOOD SALAD
———
½ pound cleaned calamari

½ pound sea scallops
¾ pound cooked scungilli (sold in some fish markets)
3 large cloves garlic, sliced paper-thin
About ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 dried red chiles
3 large strands fresh seaweed
Zest of 2 lemons—removed with a vegetable peeler and finely slivered
Sea salt
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed and shucked, juices reserved
½ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 small red onion, finely chopped
⅓ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
⅓ cup minced mint
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Leaves from 6 sprigs parsley and 6 sprigs mint for garnish
1. Remove the tentacles from the calamari and reserve. Slice the calamari bodies
into thin rings. Remove and discard the hard nugget of muscle on the side of
each scallop. Slice the scallops horizontally in half. Cut the scungilli in half and,
with the point of a knife, pry out the sac in the middle of each half. Cut off any
narrow dark rubbery protrusions.
2. Combine the garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small dish.
3. Place the chiles, seaweed, and half the lemon zest in a 6-quart pot, add 4
quarts water, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20
minutes. Stir about 2 tablespoons sea salt into the poaching liquid, add the
scungilli, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and set
aside. Add the calamari rings and tentacles to the pot and simmer for 1 minute,
then remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and set aside. Add the scallops and cook
for about 2 minutes; remove, drain, and set aside. Add the shrimp and cook for
about 2 minutes; remove, drain, and set aside. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the
mussels, and cook just until they open; remove and drain. (Discard the poaching
liquid.) 4. Cook the garlic in the 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet until
softened. Transfer the garlic and oil to a large bowl. Add the clams, and juice,
calamari, shrimp, and scallops. Thinly slice the scungilli and add it. Add the
remaining lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, onion, minced herbs, and ½ cup
olive oil. Fold together. Add the mussels, in their shells, and more oil to taste,
the red pepper flakes, and black pepper to taste. Let stand, covered, for about 1
hour.
5. Toss the ingredients. Add more oil and seasonings if needed. Spoon into a
serving dish. Bruise the mint and parsley leaves between your fingers, and
scatter on top.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Crostini with Eggplant and Pine Nut Puree (here), Ed Giobbi’s Sweet Red
Pepper Sauce for Pasta (here), Saffron Panna Cotta (here), Almond Granita
(here) JULY 3, 2002: “THE CHEF: DAVID PASTERNACK,” BY DAVID PASTERNACK WITH
FLORENCE FABRICANT.
—2002
SALT-ROASTED STRIPED BASS WITH SALSA DE LA
BOCA
If you’ve never salt-roasted a fish, give it a try—the fish, unearthed from its salt
crust, is fabulously succulent and moist. You pack the whole fish in a mound of
damp salt until it’s fully covered. When it is baked in a hot oven, the top layer of
salt hardens like dried mud, and you have to break it off in pieces to uncover the
steamy fish. You can also do this with a chicken. Either is fun to make with kids,
who can apply their sandbox expertise.
———
For the Salsa
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ cup finely chopped garlic
½ cup oregano leaves
Finely diced zest of 2 lemons (zest removed with a vegetable peeler)
Fleur de sel
Cracked black pepper
For the Fish

Five 3-pound boxes kosher salt
4 to 5 cups water
One 8-pound striped bass, cleaned but not scaled, head and tail
removed
1. To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and set
aside.
2. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees.
Pour all the salt into a very large bowl or a clean plugged sink. Add 4 cups water
and toss the salt to incorporate it evenly. The consistency should be like spring
snow, slightly wet and lightly clumping. If necessary, add up to 1 cup more
water.
3. Tamp down a 1-inch layer of the damp salt in a large roasting pan (about 16
inches long). Place the bass diagonally on top of the salt. Insert a meat
thermometer (not instant-read) into the thickest part of the fish and leave it there.
Pour the rest of the damp salt into the pan, spreading it to make a 1-inch-thick
layer over the fish. Tamp down the salt to compact it.
4. Bake the fish until the thermometer reaches 150 degrees, about 55 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
5. Tap the salt crust with a hammer or mallet until it cracks. Remove and discard
the crust. Brush any remaining salt from the fish, and lift off and discard the skin
from the top fillet.
6. To serve, use 2 large spoons to lift the fish from the backbone and transfer to
plates, then remove the bottom fillet. Garnish with the salsa.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTES
Leaving the scales on the fish protects it—they’ll come off when you remove the
salt after baking. The original recipe called for an unscaled fish, but don’t sweat
it if you can’t find one.
Boca is the name of a Buenos Aires neighborhood.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Palestine Soup (here), Roasted Squash Soup with Cumin (here), Sweet-and-
Spicy Pepper Stew (here), Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion (here), Smoked
Mashed Potatoes (here), Baked Chickpeas (here), Potato “Tostones” (Flattened
Potatoes; here), Buttermilk Pie (here), Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake (here)
OCTOBER 23, 2002: “LOOK WHAT’S FOR DINNER,” BY PETER KAMINSKY. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM FRANCIS MELLMEN, THE CHEF AT PATAGONIA WEST IN WESTHAMPTON BEACH,
NEW YORK.
—2002
SAUTÉED COD WITH POTATOES IN CHORIZO-

MUSSEL BROTH
A beautifully composed dish from Eric Ripert, the chef at Le Bernardin, a 4-star
restaurant in New York. The chorizo does a lot of work in the broth, adding
dimension, color, and aroma. Don’t forget the lemon, which brightens the whole
dish.
———
9 large cloves garlic, 4 left unpeeled, 2 thinly sliced, and 3 finely minced
9 large cloves garlic, 4 left unpeeled, 2 thinly sliced, and 3 finely minced
10 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1½ pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
Salt
3 large shallots, thinly sliced, plus ¼ cup minced shallots
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 ounces dried chorizo, preferably Spanish, peeled and thinly sliced
1 sprig thyme, plus 4 small sprigs for garnish
1 sprig rosemary, plus 4 small sprigs for garnish
5 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
Four 5-to 6-ounce skinless cod fillets
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the unpeeled garlic with 1 teaspoon olive
oil, wrap in foil, and bake for 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a pot of salted water to cover, bring to a boil,
and cook over medium heat until very tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the sliced shallots and
sliced garlic and cook over low heat until soft but not colored. Add the wine,
bring to a simmer, and add the mussels. Cover and cook until the mussels open,
about 3 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve, reserving the cooking liquid. Shuck the
mussels and reserve, covered. Clean the pan.
4. Place 2 tablespoons oil in the mussel pan. Add the minced shallots and minced
garlic and sauté until soft. Add the chorizo and sauté until starting to brown. Add
the clam juice and mussel cooking liquid and bring to a simmer. Add 1 sprig
each thyme and rosemary, remove from the heat, add the shucked mussels, and
set aside, covered.
5. When the roasted garlic is done, remove it from the foil and peel the cloves.
6. When the potatoes are done, drain them and return them to the cooking pot.
Mash with a fork, adding the roasted garlic, butter, and ¼ cup olive oil. Place
over low heat, fold in 4 tablespoons parsley, add 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and
season to taste with salt. Keep warm over very low heat.
7. Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Add the
remaining 3 tablespoons oil to a heavy skillet large enough to hold the fish
without crowding and place over high heat. When the oil is hot, cook the fish,
turning once, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, reheat the chorizo-mussel broth over low heat, and add the
remaining 2½ teaspoons lemon juice. Remove the thyme and rosemary, and add
the remaining tablespoon of parsley.
9. To serve, place a portion of potatoes in the center of each of 4 shallow soup
plates. Place the fish on the potatoes. Spoon the broth, chorizo, and mussels
around the potatoes, and garnish with thyme and rosemary.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Rebujito (here), Pan con Tomate (here), Fried Chickpeas (here), Catalan Tortilla
with Aioli (here), Chocolate Caramel Tart (here), Caramel Custard (here)
NOVEMBER 6, 2002: “THE CHEF; ERIC RIPERT: UPSTAIRS AT LE BERNARDIN, A WHIFF OF
THE SPANISH BORDER,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ERIC RIPERT.
—2002
SCALLOPS WITH PEA PUREE

A terrific pairing, but the pea puree, emulsified with fresh rosemary oil, is so
good it could go with almost anything.
———
1 clove garlic
One 6-inch sprig rosemary
⅓ cup olive oil
4 cups frozen peas (about two 10-ounce packages)
Salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 to 8 large sea scallops, tough side muscle removed, each scallop
halved to make 2 slim disks
1. Combine the garlic, rosemary, and oil in a small saucepan and place over
medium-low heat until the oil starts to bubble. Turn off the heat and leave the
mixture to infuse.
2. Place the peas in a large saucepan of lightly salted water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the peas are tender but still bright
green, about 30 seconds. Drain and transfer to a food processor. Add ¼ cup of
the infused oil (discard the garlic and rosemary) and process until pureed, then
return to the pan, cover, and keep warm.
3. Season the cornstarch with salt and pepper to taste. Lightly dust the scallop
halves with the seasoned cornstarch. Place a heavy nonstick skillet or well-
seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the remaining infused oil.
When the oil is hot, add the scallops to the pan. Cook until browned, about 2
minutes on each side.
4. Divide the pea puree between 2 plates, and add the scallops.
SERVES 2
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Avocado and Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette (here), Potage Parisien with
Sorrel Cream (here), Butter-Braised Asparagus and Oyster Mushrooms with
Peas and Tarragon (here), Rhubarb-Strawberry Mousse (here) FEBRUARY 19, 2003:
“AT MY TABLE: QUICK AND HEARTWARMING FOR EVERYDAY,” BY NIGELLA LAWSON.
—2003
ROASTED SALMON WITH HERB

VINAIGRETTE
The salmon is perched atop a bed of thinly sliced potatoes; then roasted. You can
use this clever method with any fish. For a similar method with lamb and
potatoes, see here.
———
About ½ cup olive oil

1½ medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
½ teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
½ teaspoon finely chopped sage
½ teaspoon finely chopped thyme
Two 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets, any pin bones removed (see
Cooking Note, here)
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush two 8-inch terra-cotta cazuelas or other
shallow baking dishes with olive oil. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer
in the bottom of each. Brush the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and
pepper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
2. While the potatoes bake, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, and
herbs in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in 6 tablespoons olive oil until
emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
3. Brush the salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. When the potatoes are done, remove the cazuelas and reduce the oven
temperature to 250 degrees. Place the fillets on top of the potatoes, skinned side
down, and return to the oven. Roast until the salmon is medium-rare, about 12
minutes, or longer if you like your salmon cooked through. Remove the salmon
from the oven and drizzle each fillet with the vinaigrette.
SERVES 2
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fresh Morel, Asparagus, and Sweet Pea Risotto (here), Chiffonade Salad (here),
Almond-Carrot Salad (here), Al Forno’s Roasted Asparagus (here), Sugared
Puffs (here), Rhubarb Orange (here), Sour Cream Ice Cream (here) FEBRUARY 26,
2003: “THE CHEF: BOBBY FLAY: SALMON HOT FROM THE OVEN, AND NO SLAVING AT THE
SINK,” BY MATT LEE AND TED LEE.
—2003
SHRIMP IN GREEN SAUCE

I love this technique: masking the shrimp in a paste-like sauce and blasting them
in a 500-degree oven. I love the gutsy garlic-and-scallion-soaked sauce. And I
love the resulting dish, which needs nothing but a loaf of good bread and an icy
beer to constitute a perfect low-key dinner.
———
———
6 cloves garlic
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 scallions, chopped
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves and thin stems
2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, deveined if desired
4 dried chiles, crushed, or a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes,
or to taste
⅓ cup broth (shrimp, fish, or chicken), dry white wine, or water
1. Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Combine the garlic and oil in a small food
processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the
scallions and parsley and pulse until minced. Toss with the shrimp, salt and
pepper, and chiles.
2. Put the shrimp in a large roasting pan. Add the broth and place the pan in the
oven. Roast, stirring once, until the mixture is bubbly and hot and the shrimp are
all pink, 10 to 15 minutes.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
See headnote.
MARCH 5, 2003: “THE MINIMALIST: TOO MUCH GARLIC? IMPOSSIBLE,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2003
SWEET-AND-SOUR SALMON IN ALMOND PRUNE

SAUCE
———
Vegetable oil or nonstick vegetable spray

Four 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets, any pin bones removed (see
Cooking Note, here)
¼ cup honey
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup whole almonds, toasted and finely ground
½ cup chopped scallions
12 pitted prunes, whole or halved
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (available in Middle Eastern
markets and specialty food stores)
1. Heat the broiler with the rack 6 to 8 inches below the heat source. Lightly oil a
large cast-iron skillet or other shallow pan suitable for both broiler and stovetop
use. Arrange the fillets in the pan skinned side down and sprinkle with salt and
pepper to taste.
2. Combine the honey and mustard in a small saucepan. Brush the fish with
about half the mixture, and set aside. Add the vinegar, thyme, ginger, ½
teaspoon salt, the almonds, scallions, prunes, red pepper flakes, and pomegranate
syrup to the saucepan and mix well.
3. Place the pan of fish under the broiler and cook until the surface is golden
brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
4. While the fish cooks, place the saucepan over medium-low heat, bring to a
simmer, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Spread the sauce on and around the fillets in the pan. Transfer the pan to the
top of the stove, over medium heat, cover, and allow the sauce to simmer until it
is thickened and the fish is flaky when probed with a fork, 5 to 7 minutes.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Blood Orange, Date, and Parmesan Salad with Almond Oil (here), Couscous
Salad (here), Judy Rodgers’s Warm Bread Salad (here), Roasted Cauliflower
(here), Apple Dumplings (here), Delicate Bread Pudding (here), De Luxe
Cheesecake (here) APRIL 2, 2003: “TAKING COMFORT FROM AN UNEXPECTED SOURCE,”
BY RALPH BLUMENTHAL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DELIGHTS FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN,
BY NAWAL NASRALLAH.
—2003
YUCATÁN FISH WITH CRISP GARLIC

———
¼ cup neutral oil, like corn or canola

4 large or 8 small flounder fillets or 1½ pounds other flatfish fillets
3 small dried hot red chiles, or to taste
½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (optional)
½ cup chopped cilantro
1. Combine 2 tablespoons oil with the garlic in a small heavy saucepan over
medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the garlic browns, 2 to 3
minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper and turn off the heat.
2. Meanwhile, put the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over
medium heat. A minute later, add the fish and chiles and cook undisturbed for
about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add all but a tablespoon or
two of the lime juice, along with the tomatoes, if desired. Cook for another 2
minutes or so, until the fish is cooked through; do not turn the fish.
3. Carefully remove the fish to a platter. Stir the cilantro into the pan juices and
spoon, with the tomatoes, over the fish, along with the garlic, its oil, and the
remaining lime juice.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
I couldn’t fit all the fish in one skillet, so I used two.
It’s a good idea to heat the oven to 350 degrees before starting the fish. If the
fish doesn’t cook through on the stove, you can transfer the skillet to the oven to
finish cooking.
You might want to break the fish into pieces and fold it with the garlic,
tomatoes, and cilantro into corn tortillas.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Classic Rum Punch (here), The Best Spinach Dip, with Chipotle and Lime
(here), Ceviche with Mint and Mango (here), Caramel Custard (here) JULY 16,
2003: “THE MINIMALIST: LOTS OF LIME, CHILES TOO,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2003
CHINESE-STYLE STEAMED BLACK SEA BASS
This is the kind of recipe you make once and then never again have to look up
the amounts. It’s impossible to screw up. The main issue you have to figure out
is which cooking vessel to use. I used a wide soup pot. If you’ve been smart
enough to buy a steamer, this is the moment to dig it out from behind the juicer.
———
One 1¾-pound black sea bass, cleaned, scaled, and fins removed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons julienned fresh ginger
¼ cup thinly sliced (on the bias) scallions, white parts only (about 2
bunches), plus tops of 1 bunch
8 sprigs cilantro
¼ cup soy sauce
1. Lay the fish on a cutting board. Make 2 diagonal bone-deep cuts

perpendicular to the backbone (they should be 2 inches apart at the thickest part
of the body). Turn the fish over and repeat the cuts. Transfer the fish to a pie
plate and brush both sides of the fish and the cavity with the oil. Season with the
salt, pepper, and sugar. Press the ginger and sliced scallions onto the skin on
both sides of the fish, into the incisions, and into the cavity. Stuff the cavity with
half the scallion tops. Lay the remaining tops and the cilantro over the fish. Pour
the soy sauce in a thin stream over the fish.
2. Pour an inch of water into a steamer or a pot large enough to accommodate
the plate with the fish on it. Place a rack or a ring of crumpled aluminum foil in
the pot and place the plate of fish on top; the plate should sit just above the
water. Cover the pot, bring the water to a boil, and steam the fish for 8 to 15
minutes, or until the flesh nearest the bones is opaque.
3. Carefully remove the fish with 2 spatulas. Spoon the liquid from the plate over
the fish.
SERVES 2
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Clear Steamed Chicken Soup with Ginger (here), String Beans with Ginger and
Garlic (here), Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots (here), Tea Ice
Cream (here) JANUARY 21, 2004: “WHEN THE WHOLE IS GREATER THAN ITS PARTS,” BY
MATT LEE AND TED LEE. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ANITA LO, THE CHEF AT ANNISA IN NEW
YORK CITY.
—2004
BRANDADE (SALT COD MOUSSE)
Creamy and light, just as a mousse should be.
———
1 pound boneless salt cod, soaked for 2 days (change the water 3 to 4
times a day), and drained
2 cloves garlic, or to taste
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅔ cup heavy cream or whole milk
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt if necessary
Bread, toasts, or crackers for serving
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a simmer. Add the salt cod and simmer for 15
minutes, then drain and cool.
2. Place half the cod in a food processor with the garlic and 2 tablespoons olive
oil. Process, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides once or twice, until
as smooth as possible. Add the remaining cod and repeat.
3. Add small amounts of olive oil alternating with small amounts of cream
through the feed tube, continuing until the mixture becomes smooth, creamy,
and light. (You may not need all the oil and cream.) Add pepper to taste, some
lemon juice, and the nutmeg. Blend, and taste; the mixture may need salt and
more lemon juice. (You can prepare the dish several hours or even a day ahead
to this point; cover and refrigerate.) 4. Just before serving, heat the brandade
very gently in a nonstick saucepan or in a 300-degree oven, covered. Serve with
bread, toast, or crackers.
SERVES 6 TO 8 AS AN HORS D’OEUVRE OR FIRST COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Puntarelle with Anchovies (here), Chiffonade Salad (here), Cocido (Chickpea,
Sparerib, and Chorizo Stew; here), Roman Lamb (here), Pork Braised in Milk
and Cream (here), Churros with Chocolate Sauce (here) FEBRUARY 4, 2004: “THE
MINIMALIST: THE COD TRANSFORMED: FIRST BY SALT, THEN BY FIRE,” BY MARK
BITTMAN.
—2004
MY MOTHER’S TUNA SALAD
An American classic, in detail, from Julia Reed’s mom. If you didn’t already
have a recipe for it, now you do.
———
One 12-ounce can StarKist solid white albacore tuna in water

½ cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
4 large stalks celery, peeled and finely chopped
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped sweet pickles, with their juice
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 teaspoon celery salt, or more to taste
1 teaspoon McCormick Season-All, or more to taste
6 dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Drain the tuna, place it in a bowl, and break it up with a fork. Add ¼ cup
mayonnaise and blend well. Mix in the remaining ingredients and add the rest of
the mayonnaise. Check for celery salt, Season-All, and salt and pepper. This is
better if it sits for at least 1 hour before serving.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS
COOKING NOTES
I liked the bites with pickle and might add more next time I make it.
I tripled the Tabasco, whose flavor surfaced after the salad sat for a bit.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Spoon between slices of good white sandwich bread, and mix some Lemon
Syrup (here) into a glass of sparkling water (or make a batch of Ginger
Lemonade, here, or Jay Grelen’s Southern Iced Tea, here).
FEBRUARY 22, 2004: “FOOD: CLASSIC FROM A CAN,” BY JULIA REED.
—2004
SHRIMP BURGERS
This is what happens when an Asian fish cake gets in the hands of an American
with a grill.
———
1 large clove garlic

1 dried or fresh chile, stemmed, seeded, and deveined, or more to taste
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1½ pounds shrimp, peeled, and deveined if you like
¼ cup roughly chopped shallots, scallions, or red onion
¼ cup roughly chopped red or yellow bell pepper (optional)
½ cup cilantro leaves, or to taste
Neutral oil, like corn or canola, as needed
4 toasted buns (optional)
Lime wedges or ketchup for serving
1. Start a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be moderately hot and the rack
about 4 inches from the heat source. Combine the garlic, chile, ginger, and one-
third of the shrimp in a food processor and puree, stopping the machine to scrape
down the sides of the container as necessary. Add the remaining shrimp, along
with the shallots, bell pepper, if using, salt and pepper to taste, and cilantro and
pulse as many times as necessary to chop the shrimp, but not too finely. Shape
the mixture into 4 patties.
2. Brush the grill or patties lightly with oil and place the patties on the grill.
Cook undisturbed until a dark crust appears on the bottom and they release fairly
easily with a spatula, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 3 to 4
minutes on the other side. Serve on buns or not, as you like, with lime juice or
ketchup as a condiment.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
The burgers can also be cooked on the stove. Heat a grill pan or skillet over
medium-high heat. Brush lightly with oil, then place the shrimp patties in the
pan. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes on each side, to form a nice dark crust.
Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally,
until the burgers are cooked through.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Pad Thai–Style Rice Salad (here), French Fries (here), Chilled Sesame Spinach
(here), Tapioca Flamingo (here), Coconut Pie (here) MAY 26, 2004: “THE
MINIMALIST: NEW PARTNER FOR A BUN,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2004
FISH STEAMED OVER VEGETABLES AND FRESH

HERBS
Efficiency fiends, listen up: you can make ratatouille and steam fish in one
swoop. Mark Bittman tells you how.
———

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
2 medium zucchini, cut into thin half-moons
2 small eggplants, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped, with their juices
1 teaspoon thyme or marjoram leaves
½ cup good black olives, pitted (optional)
1½ pounds skinned red snapper, striped bass, or other firm-fleshed
white fish fillets
½ cup roughly chopped basil
1. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-high.
Add the garlic and, when it sizzles, the onions and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring
occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini, eggplant, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring
occasionally, until the eggplant is fairly soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the
tomatoes, thyme, and olives, if you are using them, and cook, stirring
occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break up, about 5 minutes. Taste and
adjust the seasoning.
3. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and lay it on top of the vegetables.
Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers, cover, and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, or
until a thin-bladed knife inserted into the fish at its thickest point meets little
resistance. Remove the fish to a plate.
4. If the vegetables aren’t yet done to your liking, cook them a little longer, then
stir the basil into the vegetables and spoon them around the fish; drizzle with the
remaining tablespoon of oil (use a little more if you like).
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Potato “Tostones” (Flattened Potatoes; here), Forget-It Meringue Torte (here)
JULY 21, 2004: “THE MINIMALIST: GRILL-LESS IN PROVENCE,” BY MARK BITTMAN.
—2004
TUNA SALAD
Writing about the salade composée, France’s impeccable layered main-course
salad, Toby Cecchini, an occasional contributor to the Times, claimed that it was
salade Niçoise that inspired him to rework his own tuna salad, shunning
mayonnaise and courting oil and zeroing in on “lemon, mustard, dill, and the
mild, crunchy burn of Greek peppers to temper the pungency of the fish.” He
forgot to mention the brilliant and delicious addition of smoked almonds.
So delicious, I ate the salad as is, with bread. Cecchini had intended it as part
of a composed salad, which I thought too tedious (you can look it up online if
you really want it). But it would be a shame not to include his depiction of the
composing process which may strike a chord with your own tendencies (it did
with me): “Like any fanny-packed tourist, I will often shuffle right over the
French mandate of elegant restraint and inadvertently chuck the whole larder
into my delicate constructions,” he confessed. “Beginning with the lightest
touch, I’ll lay on a feather’s worth at a time—some sautéed zucchini here, those
roasted red peppers; oh, and don’t leave out the artichoke hearts, and absolutely
those caper berries, and the ricotta salata—until the creaking colossus threatens
to bury whichever wide-eyed guests have been lured to my table.”
I’m happy to stick with just the tuna part, which is a god in the salad universe.
———
10 to 12 ounces good-quality solid tuna packed in olive oil, well drained

6 pepperoncini, stemmed and julienned
3 tablespoons chopped dill
¼ cup roasted or smoked almonds, roughly chopped, or a small
handful of toasted pine nuts
¼ cup good-quality olive oil (or the oil the tuna was packed in)
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
¼ freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
Mix all the ingredients well with a fork in a medium bowl. Taste and adjust the
lemon juice and pepper if necessary. (The salad can be made up to 3 days in
advance and refrigerated.) MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS; SERVES 2 TO 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Limoncello (here), Seasoned Olives (here), White Gazpacho with Almonds and
Grapes (here), Squashed Tomatoes (here), Watercress Salad (here), Mezzaluna
Salad (here), Cornmeal Biscotti (here), Pine Nut Cookies (here) SEPTEMBER 5,
2004: “FOOD: ASSEMBLY REQUIRED,” BY TOBY CECCHINI.
—2004
TUNA CURRY
Sri Lankan cooking is utterly unknown in America. If we had any clue how
delicious the cuisine is—a cross between southern India and Thai cooking—it
wouldn’t be. Begin your adventure here.
———
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup water
1 pound fresh tuna, cut into 2-inch cubes
Sea salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 small tomatoes, cored and sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 long green chiles, sliced in half and seeded
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate, or more to taste
Cooked rice
Katta Sambol (here)
1. Mix the turmeric and water in a medium saucepan. Add the tuna and season
with salt. Place over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, and cook for 2
minutes, turning the tuna cubes once. Remove from the heat.
2. Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When it shimmers,
add the garlic, ginger, and mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes. Add the
tomatoes, shallots, and chiles; cook for 1 minute. Add the tuna, about ⅓ cup of
its cooking water, the coconut milk, tamarind, and salt to taste. Stir to dissolve
the tamarind. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the sauce has blended
and thickened slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Serve over rice, with the katta sambol as a condiment.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
Tamarind concentrate and black mustard seeds are sold in Middle Eastern and
Indian markets.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Kaffir Lime Lemonade (here), Sweet (or Savory) Lassi (here), Hoppers
(Coconut Crepes; here), Katta Sambol (here), Mango Ice Cream (here) OCTOBER
13, 2004: “JUST OFF INDIA, KISSED BY EUROPE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM GEETHA ILLANGASARIYA, A HOME COOK IN SRI LANKA.
—2004
MINCED FISH SALAD (KOY PA)
This Laotian dish is the perfect lunch on a hot summer day.
———
¾ pound skinless red snapper, yellowtail snapper, or other white-

fleshed fish fillets, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce, or more as needed
1 tablespoon toasted rice powder (available in Asian food markets), or
1 tablespoon raw sticky rice, toasted and ground to a powder
¾ cup green beans, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 red chile, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped tender inner parts of lemongrass stalks (2
stalks)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, plus ½ teaspoon minced garlic
8 sprigs cilantro, leaves only, half the leaves chopped and half left
whole
8 sprigs mint, leaves only, half the leaves chopped and half left whole
1 scallion, green top only, sliced
Sliced cucumber, watercress, and additional cilantro, mint, and green
beans for serving
1. Combine the fish, lime juice, and fish sauce in a small bowl. Mix well. Cover
and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. If necessary, drain the fish. Combine the fish, rice powder, sliced green beans,
chile, lemongrass, sliced and minced garlic, cilantro, mint, and scallion in a
bowl. Toss to mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more fish sauce if
desired.
3. Transfer the fish salad to a serving bowl. Serve with the cucumber,
watercress, and additional cilantro, mint, and green beans offered separately.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Kaffir Lime Lemonade (here), Laotian Catfish Soup (here), Mi Quang (here),
Pad Thai–Style Rice Salad (here), Strawberry Soup (here), Mango Ice Cream
(here), Tapioca Flamingo (here) JULY 13, 2005: “TO EAT IN LAOS,” BY AMANDA
HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM 3 NAGAS IN LUANG PRABANG, LAOS.
—2005
LIGHTLY SMOKED SALT COD SALAD

This variation on a salt cod salad that you see all over Spain is superb and, with
its brightness and fragrance, unlike any I’ve had. You smoke the salt cod over a
mixture of rice, sugar, cinnamon, peppercorns, and tea leaves (your kitchen will
smell great for days), then pull it into pieces and rest it on top of grated tomato,
onion, herbs, olives, and a thick pool of olive oil.
———
One 5-ounce cod fillet, from the tail end

Kosher salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
¼ cup white rice
2 black tea bags, moistened with water
3 small plum tomatoes, halved
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for sprinkling
3 thin slices red onion
⅔ cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
12 Empeltre or Niçoise olives, pitted
1. Place the cod in a baking dish and generously coat on all sides with salt.
Cover with plastic wrap and weight down with a 5-pound weight. Let cure in the
refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Rinse the cod and pat it dry with paper towels. Fold it in half, wrap in plastic
wrap, and freeze overnight.
3. The next day, defrost the cod for 20 minutes. Line a wok or other deep heavy
pan with foil. Add the sugars, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, rice, and tea
(emptied from the bags). Set a rack in the pan at least 1 inch above the
seasonings.
4. Lay the partially frozen cod on the rack. Place the pan over high heat. When
the seasonings begin to smoke, cover the pan with a lid or foil, reduce the heat to
medium, and smoke for 4 minutes. Move the pan off the heat and let rest,
covered, for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, grate the tomatoes on a coarse grater (with the cut sides facing the
grater); discard the skin. Pour into a wide shallow serving dish. Season with salt.
Add the olive oil and stir together.
6. Mix the onion, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and oregano in a small bowl. Season
lightly with salt.
7. Using your fingers, pull the cod into shreds, like pulled pork. Blend with the
cherry tomato salad and a sprinkling of olive oil. Spoon the salt cod mixture on
top of the grated tomato. Scatter the olives over the salad.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Fried Chickpeas (here), Pan con Tomate (here), Potato, Ham, and Piquillo
Pepper Croquetas (here), Catalan Tortilla with Aioli (here), Málaga Gazpacho
(here), Eldorado Petit’s Fried Noodles with Garlic Mayonnaise (with roasted
fish; here), Cocido (Chickpea, Sparerib, and Chorizo Stew; here), Caramel
Custard (here), Churros with Chocolate Sauce (here) SEPTEMBER 11, 2005: “THE
WAY WE EAT: RAISING THE TAPAS BAR,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM
TÍA POL IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2005
SAUTÉED FLUKE WITH GRAPEFRUIT VINAIGRETTE
This recipe comes from Cyril Renaud, a New York chef who is one of the finest
—and most underappreciated—fish cooks in the city. Before owning his own
restaurants, Fleur de Sel and Bar Breton, he was the chef at La Caravelle, where
he transformed the house classic—fish quenelles—into feathery clouds.
———

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon harissa
One ¼-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
½ clove garlic, finely chopped
1 red or pink grapefruit
Four 6-ounce fluke fillets
1 teaspoon thinly sliced mint leaves
¼ teaspoon chopped rosemary
¼ pound frisée, trimmed (about 3 cups)
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar,
harissa, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan; set aside.
2. Peel the grapefruit and trim away all the white pith. Working over a bowl to
catch the juices, cut the grapefruit segments free from the membranes. Set the
segments aside and squeeze the remaining juice from the membranes into the
bowl. Whisk 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice into the olive oil mixture.
3. Lightly season the fluke on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon
canola oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet. When the oil shimmers, add 2
fluke fillets and cook for about 1 minute. Flip and cook for 30 more seconds.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for about 2 minutes. Keep the fish
warm, and repeat with the remaining tablespoon of canola oil and 2 fillets.
4. To serve, warm the vinaigrette over medium-low heat. Add the mint,
rosemary, and grapefruit segments and warm for about 1 minute, or until the
segments are heated through.
5. Lay a handful of frisée on each plate, followed by a piece of fish. Top the fish
and frisée with some grapefruit segments and a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTE
If you’re holding the dish before serving, don’t add the grapefruit segments until
you’re ready to sit down. They disintegrate quickly in the pan.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber (here), Tuna Tartare (here), Sugar Snap
Peas with Horseradish (here), Gâteau de Crepes (here), Tea Ice Cream (here),
Coconut Loaf Cake (here) NOVEMBER 27, 2005: “EAT, MEMORY: THE IDEOLOGY OF
TASTE,” BY ROY BLOUNT JR. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CYRIL RENAUD, THE CHEF AT FLEUR
DE SEL IN NEW YORK CITY.
—2005
BAKED GOAN FISH WITH FRESH GREEN CHILE

CHUTNEY
———
For the Chutney
2 cups cilantro leaves and stems
6 green cayenne or other hot chiles, coarsely chopped (use 4 or 5 chiles
to reduce the heat)
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
For the Fish

One 2-pound firm-fleshed fish, like pickerel, trout, or red snapper,
cleaned and scaled
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1. To make the chutney, place the cilantro, chiles, garlic, and ginger in a food
processor and process to a paste. Add the coconut and blend. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Lightly crush the cumin seeds with a mortar and pestle or a spice/coffee
grinder and add to the chile mixture. Stir in the lime juice, sugar, and salt. Add
more salt if desired.
3. Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash
and dry the fish. Cut a deep slit down the length of the fish on each side of the
backbone. Line a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with foil and spread with
3 tablespoons oil. Rub the fish with the lime juice and salt. Using ½ cup of
chutney, stuff some of it into the slits and put the remainder in the fish’s cavity.
Lay the fish on the foil. Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil over the top of the
fish. Cover the fish with foil and crimp together the top and bottom pieces to
make a packet.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the fish.
The fish is done when the thickest part yields a little to the touch or the flesh
flakes with a fork.
5. To serve, lift sections of the top fillet off the bone; when the first side is
finished, flip over the fish to serve the second fillet. Serve warm or at room
temperature, with the pan juices and additional chutney.
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Sweet (or Savory) Lassi (here), Yogurt Rice (here), Hoppers (Coconut Crepes;
here), Mango Ice Cream (here), Coconut Rice Pudding with Lime Syrup (here)
JANUARY 29, 2006: “IT TAKES A VILLAGE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM
MANGOES AND CURRY LEAVES, BY JEFFREY ALFORD AND NAOMI DUGUID.
—2006
SCANDINAVIAN SEAFOOD SALAD

———
6 fingerling or 2 Yukon Gold potatoes

2 cups (about 10 ounces) cooked peeled small shrimp, cut into small
pieces
1½ cups (about 10 ounces) chopped smoked salmon
1½ cups (about 10 ounces) crabmeat, picked over for shells and
cartilage
4 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
2 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon sliced chives
½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 small heads iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Roast the potatoes in a small baking dish for 30
to 40 minutes, until fork-tender. Let cool completely, then peel and cut into ½-
inch dice.
2. Combine the potatoes, shrimp, salmon, crabmeat, eggs, shallots, anchovies,
cilantro, and chives in a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, mayonnaise,
and sour cream in a small bowl. Fold into the salad and season to taste with salt
and pepper.
3. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and serve alongside the salad. To eat,
roll a lettuce leaf around a dollop of salad, like a spring roll.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Onion Rings (here), Cucumber Sandwiches (here), Chilled Corn Soup with
Honeydew Polka Dots (here), Lemon Bars (here), Fresh Raspberry (or
Blackberry or Blueberry) Flummery (here) MAY 14, 2006: “THE ARSENAL,” BY
AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM AQUAVIT, BY MARCUS SAMUELSSON.
—2006
FRIED MUSSELS WITH ALMOND-GARLIC SAUCE
Inspired by fried mussels on a stick—a street food found in Turkey—Ana

Sortun, the chef at Oleana in Boston, paired these stickless fried mussels with
another Turkish specialty: tarator, an almond and garlic sauce. I can’t think of a
better way to combine mussels, almonds, and garlic. I ate the leftover sauce with
poached lobster and blanched peas. Although here the sauce is made with some
of the mussel broth, you could use any kind of stock, freeing you up to pair it
with chicken, shrimp, or, better yet, artichokes.
———
1½ pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

1 clove garlic, smashed, plus 2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup blanched whole almonds
Vegetable or canola oil for deep-frying
¾ cup cornstarch
1¼ cups beer (not dark)
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Small romaine lettuce leaves for serving
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1. Put the mussels, wine, and smashed garlic clove in a large pot with a tight-
fitting lid, bring to a boil, cover, and steam for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mussels
open. Uncover and drain in a fine strainer set over a bowl; reserve the liquid.
Pull the mussels out of their shells and set aside.
2. To make the sauce, pour ½ cup of the cooking liquid into a blender and add
the oil, minced garlic, almonds, and lemon juice. Puree until thick and
completely smooth, at least 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 2 inches of oil in a small heavy pot. Combine the flour and cornstarch in
a medium bowl and whisk in the beer, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon
pepper. When the oil is hot (drop in a bit of batter; it should bubble vigorously),
stir a handful of mussels into the batter and drop them one at a time into the oil.
Fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle
with salt. Repeat with the remaining mussels.
4. Serve immediately on whole romaine leaves, drizzled with plenty of sauce;
serve the remainder on the side. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the top.
COOKING NOTE
This makes a huge greasy mess—use a spatter guard when frying.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Rebujito (here), Fried Chickpeas (here), Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-
Mussel Broth (here), Pork Burgers (here), Almond-Lemon Macaroons (here),
Toasts with Chocolate, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt (here) JUNE 7, 2006: “THE CHEF: ANA
SORTUN: A MEDITERRANEAN STYLE ALL HER OWN,” BY JULIA MOSKIN. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM SPICE: FLAVORS OF THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN, BY ANA SORTUN.
—2006
DECADENT LOBSTER SALAD

———
4 large handfuls arugula

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
Six 1¼-pound live lobsters, cooked, shelled, and marinated as in The
Way Life Should Be (here)
2 garlic scapes or garlic chives, snipped (optional)
6 slices white bread
1. Lightly toss the arugula with the lemon juice, vinegar, and oil in a large bowl.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the salad among 6 plates.
2. Remove the lobster from the marinade and arrange on top of the arugula.
Garnish with snipped garlic scapes. If you have a panini maker, serve with
buttered and pressed white bread—it will recall the buttery hot-dog bun that is
the crux of every good lobster roll. If you don’t have a panini maker, butter the
bread and toast it in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the toasts with
salt.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTE
When making the toasts, don’t be stingy: use good white bread and plenty of
butter, and sprinkle the buttered toasts with salt while they are still warm.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Vermouth Cup (here), Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano
(here), Thomas Keller’s Gazpacho (here), Basic Corn Chowder (here), Saratoga
Potatoes (here), Strawberry Sorbet (here), Judson Grill’s Berry Clafoutis with
Crème Fraîche (here), Strawberry Charlotte (here) JULY 2, 2006: “THE WAY WE EAT:
THE BOILING POINT,” BY HEIDI JULAVITS.
—2006
CLEMENTINE’S TUNA MACARONI SALAD
———
Salt
½ pound elbow macaroni
½ cup diced (¼-inch) celery
2 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into ¼-inch cubes
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
¼ cup sliced cornichons
2 tablespoons mild Tennessee chow-chow (optional)
1 cup mayonnaise
Two 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna in water, drained
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al
dente. Drain and cool completely.
2. Fold together the macaroni with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
Season with salt, if needed.
SERVES 6
COOKING NOTE
Chow-chow is a vegetable relish. A recipe for it from 1880 can be found on p.
00. It can also be purchased in grocery stores and online.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Scotch Eggs (here), Onion Rings (here), Spoonbread’s Potato Salad (here),
Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill (here), Chocolate Chip Cookies (here),
Caramelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats (here) JULY 9, 2006: “THE WAY WE
EAT: SALAD DAZE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CLEMENTINE IN LOS
ANGELES.
—2006
OOLONG-CRUSTED SCALLOPS
———
Juice of ½ orange
Juice of ½ lemon
Juice of ½ lime
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Salt
4 teaspoons oolong tea leaves, finely ground in a spice/coffee grinder
12 sea scallops, tough muscle removed and patted dry
1. Heat the citrus juices in a saucepan to just below a simmer, then whisk in the
butter a few pieces at a time. Season with salt and keep warm.
2. Place the ground tea on a plate. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, then
press both sides into the ground tea.
3. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Sear the
scallops until just warmed through but not fully opaque, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Place 3 scallops in each of 4 shallow bowls and spoon the sauce around them.
SERVES 4 AS A FIRST COURSE OR AS PART OF A LARGER MAIN COURSE
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Asparagus with Miso Butter (here), Broccoli Rabe Oshitashi (here), The Most
Voluptuous Cauliflower (here), Marinated Flank Steak with Asian Slaw (here),
Pineapple Carpaccio with Lime Sorbet (here), Plum Fritters (here) DECEMBER 17,
2006: “THE WAY WE EAT: STEEP INCREASE,” BY DANIEL PATTERSON, THE CHEF AND
OWNER OF COI IN SAN FRANCISCO.
—2006
OVEN-ROASTED BRANZINO WITH HAZELNUT

PICADA
I never expected a seasoned hazelnut and bread-crumb “crumble” to deliver so
much flavor—you sprinkle it on as the fish emerges from the oven, then leave it
to your guests to further garnish each bite as they carve their way through the
fish.
———
About 3 tablespoons olive oil

2 slices hearty white bread (about 2 ounces)
20 hazelnuts, roasted, peeled, and chopped
1 teaspoon chopped mint
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
4 whole branzino (about 1⅓ pounds each), cleaned and scaled
1 lemon, cut into eight ¼-inch-thick slices
1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in small sauté pan and fry the bread until golden.
Remove the bread and let cool, then crush into crumbs.
2. Place the bread crumbs, hazelnuts, garlic, mint, orange zest, and ½ teaspoon
olive oil in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasoning,
then let sit for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors develop.
3. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Stuff the
cavities of each fish with 2 slices of lemon. Coat the fish with olive oil and
arrange in an oiled baking pan.
4. Roast the fish, turning once, for 7 minutes on each side, or until done. Scatter
the hazelnut picada on top of the fish to serve.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
If you can’t get all the skins off the hazelnuts, it’s no big deal.
I liked the fish with a little olive oil sprinkled on at the table.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Almond-Carrot Salad (here), Judy Rodgers’s Warm Bread Salad (here),
Couscous Salad (here), Mushrooms with Manzanilla Sherry (here), Potato
“Tostones” (Flattened Potatoes; here), Apple Galette (here), Madeleine
Kamman’s Apple Mousse (here), Purple Plum Torte (here) JANUARY 10, 2007:
“FLAVORED WITH FLAME AND STONE,” BY OLIVER SCHWENER-ALBRIGHT. RECIPE
ADAPTED FROM THE ZUNI CAFÉ COOKBOOK, BY JUDY RODGERS.
—2007
CLAMS IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Fermented black beans, like anchovies and Worcestershire sauce, seem to
possess special powers, an ability to transform a dish, define a sauce, leave you
wanting more. Here, they underline the fire and brine, like a shadow
underscoring sunlight.
———
2 tablespoons fermented (Chinese) black beans

2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 pounds Manila or littleneck clams, scrubbed and dried
3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
¾ cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water
1. Soak the fermented beans in ½ cup warm water for 10 minutes. Drain and
coarsely mash with a fork.
2. Set a wok over high heat and pour in the oil. Add the garlic, scallions, and
ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the beans and red pepper flakes and cook
for 30 seconds. Drop in the clams and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then pour in the
wine and broth. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, until most of the
clams have opened, about 2 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the cornstarch mixture and raise the heat to high. Stir and cook,
uncovered, until the sauce adheres to the clams, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the
cilantro.
SERVES 4
SERVES 4
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Shrimp Toast (here), Oriental Watercress Soup (here), String Beans with Ginger
and Garlic (here), Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots (here),
Chilled Sesame Spinach (here), Grapefruit Granita (here) AUGUST 5, 2007: “THE
WAY WE EAT: DOUBLE HAPPINESS,” BY NICOLE MONES. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM PAUL
MONES, THE AUTHOR’S HUSBAND.
—2007
WOK-SEARED SPICY CALAMARI SALAD
After tasting this, you may feel remorseful about all the mediocre fried calamari
you’ve had. Don’t. See this as an opportunity for personal growth.
———
1 pound cleaned calamari, the smaller the better, sliced into thin rings,
tentacles included
20 roasted salted cashews, chopped
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
1 tablespoon mint leaves
2 to 4 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
4 cups tatsoi, baby arugula, or other spicy greens
1 endive, cored and slivered
¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1. Place the calamari in a bowl, add the cashews, cilantro, mint, and Sriracha to
taste, and toss. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Mix the greens and endive and divide among 4 shallow bowls.
3. Place a wok or large skillet over high heat and add the oil. When it is smoking
hot, add the calamari and seasonings and stir-fry for about 20 seconds, until the
calamari rings start to turn opaque. Add the lime juice, toss, and remove from
the heat. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and Sriracha if necessary. Pour the
mixture over the greens.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Mi Quang (Rice Noodles with Shrimp, Herbs, and Fried Pork Rinds; here),
Southeast Asian Chicken Two Ways (here), Malaysian-Inspired Pork Stew with
Traditional Garnishes (here), Laotian Catfish Soup (here), Pho Bo (Hanoi Beef
Soup; here), Mango Ice Cream (here), Vanilla Plum Ice (here) JANUARY 9, 2008:
“PAIRINGS,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM TENPENH IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
—2008
SEA BASS IN GRAPPA

Once I learned about New Yorker writer Jane Kramer’s excellent sea bass recipe,
it became my no-stress dinner party standby. I serve it with M’hamsa hand rolled
couscous (easily found online).
———

One 14-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juices
½ teaspoon saffron threads
1¼ cups water
One 2-pound sea bass, cleaned and scaled, or one 1-pound tail-end
striped bass fillet
¼ cup grappa
Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
1. Heat the garlic in the oil in a deep skillet until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and
their juices and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes to
reduce. Add the saffron and water, mix well, and cook for 5 minutes more.
2. Slip the fish into the pan and simmer, covered, until opaque throughout, 5 to 8
minutes. Add the grappa and let the alcohol burn off. Sprinkle in the parsley.
SERVES 2
COOKING NOTES
This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily.
Make sure the sauce reduces enough to thicken slightly in Step 1. And season
the sauce generously, because you don’t season the fish.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Puntarelle with Anchovies (here), Italian Roast Potatoes (here), Mashed Potatoes
Anna (here), Panna Cotta (here), Marcella’s Pear Cake (here), Chamomile and
Almond Cake (here), Coffee Caramel Custard (here) JANUARY 6, 2008: “THE WAY
WE EAT: THE GRAPES OF WRATH,” BY ALEKSANDRA CRAPANZANO. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM JANE KRAMER, THE AUTHOR’S MOTHER.
—2008
ARCTIC CHAR WITH ANCHO-SHALLOT BUTTER
Ancho chiles were to the aughts what jalapeño peppers were to the nineties.
———
For the Ancho-Shallot Butter
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small shallot, finely minced
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt
Four 5-to 6-ounce skinless Arctic char fillets
1. To make the ancho-shallot butter, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium
heat. Add the shallot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and
simmer until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to
cool.
2. Combine the butter, ancho chile, coriander, if using, honey, salt, and shallot in
a bowl and mix until blended and smooth. (The butter can be used immediately,
covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days, or well wrapped and frozen for up to 3
months; bring to room temperature before using.) 3. Heat the oven to 250
degrees. Lightly oil a shallow baking pan and arrange the fillets in it in a single
layer. Spread each with 1 tablespoon of the ancho-shallot butter.
4. Bake until barely cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the
thickness of the fillets.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
You will have leftover butter, which shouldn’t go to waste. Spread it on grilled
steak, whip it into mashed potatoes, or slather it on boiled corn.
This is a great weeknight recipe, especially if you make the butter ahead of
time.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
La Paloma (here), Broccoli Puree with Ginger (here), Barley Risotto (here),
Amazon Cake (Cocoa Cake; here), Lemon Mousse for a Crowd (here) JANUARY
30, 2008: “FEED ME: A CELEBRATION UNTO ITSELF,” BY ALEX WITCHEL. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM NORTH POND IN CHICAGO.
—2008
FISH TACOS
The fish taco is a West Coast delight that we East Coast food writers
continuously celebrate as the next hamburger—our attempts to galvanize the
locals haven’t worked all that well so far, but maybe this time will be the charm.
———
2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut crosswise into
half-moons (optional)
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 limes, 1 halved, 1 cut into wedges
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo, or to
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo, or to
taste (optional)
½ cup flour, preferably Wondra or other fine-milled flour
1½ teaspoons chili powder
½ cup whole milk
One 1-pound flounder or any firm white-fleshed fish fillet, cut across
the grain into strips about ½ inch wide by 3 inches long
¼ cup peanut oil, plus a splash more for greasing the pan
A pat of butter
Twelve 6-inch fresh corn tortillas
2 cups shredded green cabbage
A saucy hot sauce, like Tapatio or Frank’s
1. Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño, if using, in a

medium bowl.
2. Whisk the mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl until combined. Season
to taste with the juice of the halved lime, salt and pepper, and the chipotle, if
using.
3. Mix together the flour, chili powder, and 1½ teaspoons each salt and black
pepper in a medium bowl. Pour the milk into another medium bowl, and place
the fish in it.
4. Pour the peanut oil into a 12-inch skillet and heat over medium-high heat until
it shimmers and is about to smoke. Remove the fish strips from the milk bath
and dredge them lightly in the flour mixture, shaking to remove excess. Add the
butter to the pan. Place some fish strips in the oil, without crowding them, and
cook until deep golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn carefully and
cook for 1 minute more. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with
salt. Repeat with the remaining fish.
5. Meanwhile, lightly grease a skillet with a drizzle of oil and set over medium
heat. Heat the tortillas, 1 or 2 at a time, until soft and hot. Keep them warm,
wrapped in a dish towel.
6. Fill each tortilla with 3 pieces of fish, browned side up, followed by some
tomato salsa and a pinch of cabbage. Drizzle with the sour cream sauce. Serve
with the lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.
SERVES 4 TO 6
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
La Paloma (here), Guacamole Tostadas (here), Strawberry Sorbet (here) MARCH
22, 2009: “THE CHEAT: BAJA REFRESHER,” BY SAM SIFTON.
—2009
17 CAKES
—1870s— • Silver cake (without yolks) and gold cake (with yolks).
• Tipsy cake, sometimes called tipsy squire, a brandy-soaked sponge
cake topped with almond custard sauce, is popular.
—1880— • Angel Food Cake (here), back when it was enjoyed for its miraculous
texture rather than for being low-fat.
—1890s— • Wedding cakes are dark spice cakes interlaced with dried fruit (see
here).
—1940s— • Jane Nickerson predicts that cheesecakes will become as popular as
brownies, and she is right.
• Devil’s food cakes (here) infiltrate angel food turf.
—1948— • Ice boxes are new(ish), so it’s time to make ice-box cake (here)!
—1950— • Harry Rosen opens Junior’s in Brooklyn. The restaurant will become
famous for its cheesecake (here).
—1960s— • Times food writers promote European multi-layered cakes made with
pancakes or crepes, such as Baumkuchentorte (here) and Laggtarta
(here).
—1970s— • If you aren’t eating Black Forest cake (here), you’re settling into carrot
cake with cream cheese icing.
—1980s— • Bakers decide to call cakes “tortes,” and “decadent” and “chocolate”
become inseparable.
—1983— • Marian Burros publishes the first version of Purple Plum Torte (here),
the most popular recipe ever from the Times. The recipe will run in
various forms eleven more times.
—1988— • Rose Levy Beranbaum writes The Cake Bible. People feel bad about
their now-dowdy-seeming homespun cakes.
—1990s— • Sylvia Weinstock, a cake baker who wears remarkably large glasses,
starts making elaborate wedding cakes that bridezillas all over New
York City must have.
• The first flourless chocolate cake recipe appeared in the Times in 1969
(here), but the cake has its moment in this decade.
—1996— • Magnolia Bakery opens in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, selling
OK cupcakes. They unwittingly start a revolution.
—2000s— • Done with baroque chocolate cakes, people return to simple pour-and-
stir batters and straightforward ganache.
—2006— • Food Network premieres Ace of Cakes, a show about a cake baker.
17
CAKES
RECIPES BY CATEGORY
Chocolate Cakes
Devil’s Food Cake
Chocolate Dump-It Cake
Chocolate Ice-Box “Cake”
Evelyn Sharpe’s French Chocolate Cake
Campton Place Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
Marjolaine (Multilayered Chocolate and Praline Cake)
Heavenly Chocolate Roll
Warm Soft Chocolate Cake
Gooey Chocolate Stack
Black Forest Cake
Mississippi Mud Cake
Walnut Cake with Chocolate Walnut Buttercream
Taillevent’s Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Sauce
Lora Brody’s Bête Noire (Intense Chocolate Cake)
Lora Brody’s Chocolate Cherry Torte
Chocolate Cake with Bay Leaf Syrup
Amazon Cake (Cocoa Cake)
Chocolate Guinness Cake
Red Velvet Cake
Cakes with Fruit

MaryAnn’s Fruitcake
Wedding Cake, the Delmonico Receipt
Sour-Milk Cake
Huguenot Torte (Apple and Pecan Torte)
Lemon-Almond Butter Cake
Lemon Cake
Maida’s Blueberry Crumb Cake
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake
Teddie’s Apple Cake
Papa’s Apple Pound Cake
Bolzano Apple Cake
Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake
Purple Plum Torte
Fresh Plum Kuchen
Polish Jewish Plum Cake
Marcella’s Pear Cake
Pear Upside-Down Cake
Coconut Loaf Cake
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Lora Brody’s Chocolate Cherry Torte
Cakes with Nuts

Almond Custard Cake
Almond Cake
Lemon-Almond Butter Cake
Chamomile and Almond Cake
Filbert Torte
Hazelnut Cheesecake
Bosiljka Marich’s Serbian Torte
Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Frosting
Taillevent’s Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Sauce
Coconut Loaf Cake
Whiskey Cake
Revani Verrias (Semolina Cake)
Vanilla Cakes
Sour-Milk Cake
Angel Food Cake
Allegretti Chiffon Cake
Cecily Brownstone’s Chiffon Roll
Breton Butter Cake
New England Spider Cake
Even-Greater American Pound Cake
Cheesecakes
Lindy’s Cheesecake
Junior’s Cheesecake
De Luxe Cheese Cake
Hazelnut Cheesecake
Mocha Cheesecake
Spice Cakes
Molasses Cup Cakes with Lemon Icing
Fresh Ginger Cake
Pain d’Epices
Panforte (Traditional Sienese Fruitcake)
Maria Tillman Jackson Roger’s Carrot Cake
Mrs. Raymond Schenk’s Pumpkin Cake
Cupcakes
Pancake Cakes
Baumkuchentorte (Crepe-Like Layer Cake)
Laggtarta (Pancakes Layered with Strawberries)
Gâteau de Crepes
Birthday Cakes
Devil’s Food Cake
Black Forest Cake
Red Velvet Cake
Maria Tillman Jackson Rogers’s Carrot Cake
Lora Brody’s Bête Noire (Intense Chocolate Cake)
Gooey Chocolate Stack
Miscellaneous
Poppy Seed Torte
Whiskey Cake

SOUR-MILK CAKE
Unassuming yet wickedly good, this sour-milk cake has a thin, crisp top and a
gauzy bottom. It’s best eaten the day you bake it, but it will keep for a day or
two.
The original recipe instructed you to “spice to taste.” I added cinnamon and
nutmeg, which were lovely if perhaps a little tame. Feel free to get crazy with
your spice rack—and send me the results! (You can find me on Twitter and
Facebook.) Sour-milk cakes showed up in the latter half of the nineteenth
century because baking soda—then a fairly new leavening—needs an acid to
react with and create the carbon dioxide bubbles that lift the cake. As the cake
bakes, the center of the batter bubbles and froths in a mildly alarming way. Fear
not: the cake settles toward the end of baking.
———
½ cup raisins, chopped

2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vinegar (any kind will work)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line the
bottom with parchment. Toss the raisins with 1 teaspoon flour. Mix the
remaining 2 cups flour with the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir
the vinegar into the milk in a small bowl.
2. In a mixer fitted with a paddle (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the
butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the egg and blend. Alternately
add the milk and flour mixture in 2 additions, each ending with the flour. Fold in
the raisins.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the top. Bake until a toothpick
inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes
on a rack, then unmold and finish cooling on a rack.
SERVES 6 TO 8
FEBRUARY 27, 1876: “RECEIPTS FROM CORRESPONDENTS.” RECIPE SIGNED A.P.
—1876
ALMOND CUSTARD CAKE

Find a flower or berries to lay on top of this cake, which compensates for its
rather ragged look with the fragrance of lemon, butter, and almonds. As the
cake’s icing is more of a nut paste, you could also swirl on a top layer of
whipped cream, if looks are your thing.
———
For the Cake
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
Grated zest of 2 lemons
3¼ cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
For the Custard

1 cup sour cream
¾ cup sugar
3 cups (about 1 pound) unblanched whole almonds, finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch round
cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment, and flour the sides of the pans. In a
mixer fitted with a paddle (or in a bowl with a hand mixer, or enthusiastically by
hand), beat the butter and sugar until very light. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add the milk and lemon zest and blend until smooth. Combine the flour and
baking powder, and fold into the batter just until smooth.
2. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in
the center of the cakes comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in
their pans on a rack, then unmold.
3. When the cakes are cool, prepare the custard: Beat together the sour cream
and sugar in a bowl until the sugar is fully dissolved. Fold in the almonds and
vanilla.
4. Spread one-third of the custard over one cake layer. Top with another layer,
spread it with custard, and top with the third layer. Spread the remaining custard
on the top layer. Find a pretty flower to garnish the cake.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTE
Warning: you need 3 cake pans to make this! And why deprive yourself of 3-
layer cakes? Go out and buy those pans once and for all.
MAY 6, 1877: “RECEIPTS FOR THE TABLE.” RECIPE SIGNED AUNT ADDIE.
—1877
ANGEL FOOD CAKE

A 1947 recipe for angel food cake noted that “frosting is neither customary nor
necessary” for the cake. I leave it up to you. A mound of whipped cream topped
with berries never hurt anyone.
———
1 cup cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1¼ cups sugar
10 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and ½
cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 3 times.
2. In a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), beat the egg
whites with the salt until foamy. Add the remaining ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons
sugar a few tablespoons at a time, and continue beating until the whites hold soft
peaks. Fold in half of the dry ingredients until smooth; repeat with the remaining
flour. Fold in the almond extract.
3. Scrape the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake until a cake tester
inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the
cake from the oven and invert the pan; if it has feet, let the pan rest on the feet. If
not, set the tube on top of an empty wine bottle. Let the cake cool completely
upside down.
4. To remove the cake from the pan, run a long thin knife around the sides and
center tube to loosen the cake. Invert onto a cake plate.
SERVES 10
JULY 25, 1880: “RECEIPTS.” RECIPE SIGNED A.

—1880
FILBERT TORTE
The original recipe for this hazelnut (filbert) layer cake was written as a single
sentence and ended with “ice with maraschino icing”—as if we all had one
ready-mixed in the icehouse. It was one of many old recipes that I was tempted
to toss for their lack of detail, but, as was often the case, a little re-engineering
paid off. This is one of my favorite cakes in the book. It’s a little austere, being
more woodsy and boozy than sweet.
For a recipe with similar structure—airy layers separated by icing—see
Bosiljka Marich’s Serbian Torte here.
———
For the Cake
1¾ cups (about 7 ounces) unblanched hazelnuts
2 teaspoons orange-flower water
2¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup apricot or peach jam
1 tablespoon water
For the Icing

3 large egg whites
¾ cup sugar
⅓ cup light corn syrup
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maraschino liqueur or kirsch
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch round
cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment and butter the parchment. Grind the
hazelnuts as fine as possible in a food processor. Add the orange-flower water
and pulse a few times.
2. Transfer the nuts to a large bowl and stir in the sugar. Fold in the egg yolks,
and then the flour.
3. Beat the whites in a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a bowl with a hand mixer)
until they hold soft peaks, then fold them into the nut mixture. Divide the batter
among the cake pans and spread it evenly.
4. Bake until the cakes are lightly browned on top and spring back when
touched, about 20 minutes. Let cool on a rack, then unmold.
5. Warm the jam with the water in a small saucepan or in the microwave, stirring
until smooth. Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate. Brush generously with a third of
the jam. Repeat with the remaining layers, stacking them as you go.
6. To prepare the icing, combine the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, and salt in
the top of a large double boiler over medium heat. Using a hand mixer, beat the
mixture until the meringue forms dense, shiny peaks. Remove from the heat and
fold in the liqueur. Let cool, then ice the cake. (You will have ½ to 1 cup
leftover icing, for which I’m sure you will find another use.) SERVES 8
COOKING NOTES
The only sane way to prepare the icing is with an electric hand mixer. If you
don’t have one—and I don’t—you will have to whisk the whites in a double
boiler over simmering water for 12 to 15 minutes. Your arms don’t want to do
this.
Maraschino liqueur’s flavor is a cross between grappa and kirsch, with a little
more sweetness. It has a peppery edge and a smattering of floral cherry. It’s
worth seeking out at better liquor stores. You can use the rest of the bottle for
making batches of the Improved Holland Gin Cocktail here and the Frozen
Meringue Velvet here.
Before you start fantasizing about eating this, make sure you have three 9-inch
cake pans at your disposal. If not, call your neighbor or head to the store.
Orange-flower water is available in Middle Eastern markets and online at
www.amazon.com.
JANUARY 15, 1882: “RECEIPTS.” RECIPE BY ADOLPHE WURTH, THE CHEF AT DELMONICO, 26TH STREET SOCIÉTÉ
CULINAIRE. RECIPE FOR THE MARASCHINO ICING ADAPTED FROM BIRTHDAY CAKES, BY KATHRYN KLEINMAN.
—1882
WEDDING CAKE, THE DELMONICO RECEIPT
Wedding cakes have come a long way from the Roman days, when the cakes
were broken over the bride’s head (Congratulations! Bonk!). Today’s elegant
lemon-berry-fondant affairs would flop more than break, and they’d really mess
up the bride’s hairdo. The Times published at least half a dozen wedding cake
recipes in the nineteenth century, none of which you’d ever find at a modern
wedding. They were essentially heavily spiced one-layer fruitcakes. When an
Englishwoman wrote to the Times about how she missed the tiered wedding
cakes back home, she caused a minor kerfuffle. A New York reader responded
by sending in not one but two wedding cake recipes, one from Delmonico’s, a
top restaurant of the period, and one from a Southern plantation, along with an
indignant riposte: “English cooks may make their wedding cake in tiers; that is a
matter of taste and custom; but I know that no wedding cake of which I have
ever eaten from a London baker, and I have tasted a good many of them in a
considerable residence over there, excels those which have been made here in
New York in private kitchens.” Unsurprisingly, both recipes the reader sent in
were heavily spiced one-layer fruitcakes.
And yet, the whole episode made no sense, as dark cakes (often called
groom’s cakes) and fruitcakes (bride’s cakes) were common at English
weddings. This British tradition of fruitcakes—“symbols of fertility and
prosperity,” according to Carol Wilson, who wrote about wedding cakes for
Gastronomica in 2005—traveled here on the merchant routes to America.
This recipe from Delmonico’s is like a cross between panforte (Italy’s chewy
and heavily spiced fruit disk) and fruitcake. There’s barely any batter, just
enough to bind the fruit. I love it in thin slivers carved off the round and served
with milky sweetened Earl Grey tea.
———
4½ cups (about 1½ pounds) raisins, chopped

3 cups dried currants
½ pound (about 2 cups) candied citron, finely chopped
½ pound (about 1½ cups) dried figs, finely chopped
1½ cups almonds, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground mace
1 tablespoon ground cloves
One 1-pound box dark brown sugar
½ cup unsulphured molasses
5 large eggs
¼ cup brandy
¼ cup dry sherry
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 9-inch springform pans and line the
bottoms with parchment. Butter the parchment and flour the pans. Combine the
raisins, currants, citron, figs, and almonds in a large bowl.
2. Place ¾ cup flour in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat,
stirring often, until it begins to smell toasted, then pour over the fruit and toss to
coat. Combine the remaining 1¼ cups flour with the cinnamon, mace, and cloves
in another bowl.
3. In a mixer fitted with a paddle (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the
butter with the brown sugar and molasses. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then
beat in the brandy and sherry. Gradually blend in the flour just until
incorporated. Pour the batter over the fruit and fold until completely blended.
4. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and spread it to the edges,
smoothing the tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out
clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool on racks for 10 minutes, then
remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely on the racks.
MAKES TWO 9-INCH CAKES, EACH SERVING 12
COOKING NOTES
This makes 2 cakes. Both are better the second day, once they’ve had time for
the flavors to harmonize. I’d recommend brushing the cakes with brandy,
wrapping them in plastic wrap, and letting them sit for a day. They can also be
wrapped and frozen.
One unusual step involves toasting the flour, which gives it a nutty flavor—
it’s also a technique used with rice flour in Asian cooking (see the Pork-and-
Toasted-Rice-Powder Spring Rolls here).
If you have sweet rather than dry sherry in the house, go ahead and use it. The
dry is not worth a trip to the store.
FEBRUARY 5, 1893: “TWO FAMOUS RECEIPTS: HOW TO MAKE WEDDING CAKE IN THE NORTH AND IN THE SOUTH.”
—1893
DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE
Devil’s food cake is essentially an angel food cake made less virtuous with the
addition of sinful chocolate, butter, and egg yolks. It’s fun to make by hand
because you count your strokes as you beat the mixture: 50 after adding each
portion of sugar and 50 again after folding in the rest of the ingredients. This
kind of incidental exercise is why people didn’t use to go to the gym. (Whenever
people ask my mother, a lifelong size 4, what her secret is, she always says, “I
clean my house, I cook, and I rake the yard.” And she always bakes from
scratch, with her bowl and handy wooden spoon.) ——— For the Cake
2 cups sifted cake flour
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter or ½ cup vegetable shortening
1¼ cups granulated sugar or packed brown sugar
3 large egg yolks, beaten until very thick and lemon colored
2 to 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup whole milk
For the Frosting

¾ pound cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 3-inch-deep 9-
inch round cake pans or three 8-inch pans. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt
together twice.
2. Beat the butter in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth and pliable.
Gradually add the sugar, in 4 to 6 additions: begin with 2 tablespoons and
increase somewhat; after each addition, beat 50 strokes. When all the sugar has
been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and spoon. Beat 50 strokes more.
3. Add the eggs yolks and beat in thoroughly. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add
about one-quarter of the flour mixture and stir, not beat, until just blended, no
more. Then add one-third of the milk, and stir, not beat, until blended. Repeat
until all the flour mixture and milk are added. Add the vanilla. Finally, scrape
down the bowl and spoon and stir the mixture a final 50 strokes.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the
center comes out clean and dry, about 20 minutes (if using 3 pans, start checking
after 12 minutes). Let cool in the pans on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto
racks and turn right side up to cool completely.
5. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in a mixer fitted
with a paddle (or mix in a bowl, with a hand mixer) and beat until light and
fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream, lemon zest, and juice and blend well,
scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the sugar in 3 stages,
blending well after each addition. If the frosting is too loose, chill in the
refrigerator for 15 minutes before frosting the cake.
6. To frost the cake, slice 1 cake layer on a cake plate. Cover the top with a
generous layer of frosting. Lay the second layer on top, then frost the top and
sides.
SERVES 10
COOKING NOTES
The recipe didn’t come with a frosting. For those who don’t already have a
favorite, I’ve adapted a cream cheese frosting from Carole Bloom’s The
Essential Baker (cutting out the vanilla, reducing the sugar to 2 cups, and adding
3 tablespoons lemon juice and the zest of 1 lemon).
Various ingredient alternatives were offered. I used butter, regular sugar, and
3 ounces of chocolate, and my cake turned out swell. Also, I used two 9-inch
cake pans with removable bases (they make it much easier to get the cake out!).
SEPTEMBER 29, 1947: “NEWS OF FOOD: TIPS OFFERED ON PREPARATION OF CAKES—GOOD SUPPLY OF SUGAR IS
SPUR TO BAKING,” BY JANE NICKERSON.
—1947
MOLASSES CUP CAKES WITH LEMON ICING
These might not be quite as popular with the kids as chocolate ones loaded up
with jimmies, but you can tell them these are more subtle, and I’m sure they’ll
appreciate that.
———
For the Cupcakes
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
½ cup whole milk
For the Icing

2¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
About 2 teaspoons whole milk or heavy cream
¾ teaspoon lemon extract
1. To make the cupcakes, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake molds
with cupcake papers. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda,
cinnamon, and salt.
2. Melt the shortening in a small pan over low heat (or in a bowl in the
microwave); transfer to a bowl and let cool.
3. Add the sugar, molasses, and egg to the shortening; beat well. Add the milk in
2 additions, alternating with the flour mixture. Add the lemon zest. Pour the
batter into the cupcake papers, filling them three-quarters full.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean,
about 16 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out
onto a rack to cool.
5. To make the icing, in a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a bowl with a hand
mixer) beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, beating
well. Add enough milk to make the mixture the right consistency for spreading.
Beat in the lemon extract.
6. When the cupcakes are cool, spread the tops with the icing.
MAKES 12 CUPCAKES
APRIL 20, 1948: “NEWS OF FOOD: VARIETY OF NEWER USES FOR MOLASSES DESCRIBED IN FREE BOOKLET, WITH
PICTURES,” BY JANE NICKERSON. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM BRER RABBIT’S NEW ORLEANS MOLASSES RECIPES.
—1948
CHOCOLATE ICE-BOX “CAKE”
This cake was surely served at countless birthday parties in your youth. And if it
wasn’t, here’s your chance to catch up on forgone pleasures—this one a “cake”
made of store-bought chocolate wafers and whipped cream. After 3 hours of
chilling, the wafers soften on the edges but still have a nice little crunch in the
middle.
———
1¼ cups heavy cream

¼ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
24 chocolate wafer cookies
1. Whip the cream with the sugar until it holds stiff peaks. Fold in the vanilla.
Spread each of the wafer cookies with ¼ inch of whipped cream, piling one on
top of the other. Press gently together. (I did this in stacks of 8 so it was
manageable.) Lay the stacks on their sides on a serving platter, to make one long
log. Frost the top and sides with the remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate for 3
hours.
2. Slice the “cake” diagonally to serve.
SERVES 6
JULY 8, 1948: “NEWS OF FOOD: CANNED MUSHROOM PRODUCT SEEMS TO PRESERVE FLAVOR OF FRESH FUNGUS,”
BY JANE NICKERSON.
—1948
ALLEGRETTI CHIFFON CAKE

If a recipe appeared in the New York Times but was not generated by the paper’s
staff, does it qualify for inclusion? I couldn’t resist this recipe, recommended by
a reader, that came from an advertisement for Wesson oil. “[T]he talk of the
party! Extra-light! Extra-luscious!” the ad exclaims. It’s like angel food cake
only richer, the ad promised. In fact, that’s just about right. The cake is flecked
with chocolate and scented with vanilla and orange zest.
———
For the Cake
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons cold water
1½ tablespoons grated orange zest

½ cup egg whites (from about 4 eggs)
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated
For the Icing

3 tablespoons vegetable shortening or unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons heavy cream, or as needed
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1½ ounces bittersweet chocolate
1½ ounces bittersweet chocolate
¼ teaspoon vegetable oil
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan
and line the bottom with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking
powder, and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, egg
yolks, water, vanilla, and orange zest. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
whites with the cream of tartar until they hold stiff peaks. Fold in the flour
mixture just until blended. Add the grated chocolate and fold again, just a few
times. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
3. Bake until the top springs back when lightly touched, 50 to 55 minutes. Turn
the pan upside down to cool, resting the edges on 2 other pans; let hang free of
the table. When cooled, loosen the sides with a spatula, or run a thin knife
around the sides, turn the pan over, and hit the edge sharply on the table to
loosen the cake. Turn right side up and place on a serving platter.
4. To make the icing, in a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a bowl with a hand
blender), cream the shortening. Beat in the egg yolk. Add the cream,
confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla; beat well. Add more cream if needed.
5. Ice the top and sides of the cake.
6. Melt the chocolate with the oil in a double boiler (or in the microwave); cool
slightly. Drizzle over the top of the cake, letting it trickle down the sides.
SERVES 8 TO 10
COOKING NOTE
Eat within a day—the cake is excellent fresh, but dries out quickly.
MAY 8, 1949. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR WESSON OIL.
—1949
CECILY BROWNSTONE’S CHIFFON ROLL
Cecily Brownstone, a food writer for the Associated Press for forty years, was
well known for her love of Country Captain (see here), but she should have been
knighted for this vanilla-scented cake.
———
1 cup sifted cake flour

1 cup sifted cake flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup corn oil
6 tablespoons water
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Whipped cream for serving
Fresh berries for serving
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan.
Line with parchment paper and grease the paper. Sift the flour, sugar, baking
powder, and salt into a deep bowl. Make a well in the center and add, in the
order listed, the oil, egg yolks, water, and vanilla. Beat with a spoon until
smooth.
whites and cream of tartar until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Gently fold in
the flour mixture until well blended. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan.
3. Bake until the cake springs back when lightly touched, or for about 12
minutes. Turn out onto a kitchen towel covered with confectioners’ sugar. Peel
off the parchment paper. Starting at one end, roll up in the towel, and let cool.
4. Unroll, and spread the cake with whipped cream and strawberries (or any
desired filling). Roll up and wrap firmly in wax paper. Chill for about 1 hour, or
until ready to slice and serve. Serve sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.
SERVES 10 TO 12
MAY 14, 1959: “DINNER MENUS AND RECIPES OFFERED FOR THE WEEKEND.”
—1959
BAUMKUCHENTORTE (CREPE-LIKE LAYER CAKE)
German baumkuchentortes are typically a foot high (this one is 3 to 4 inches

high) and look like a stack of crepes. You get this effect by beating together a
beautiful yellow, moussey batter, then adding it to a springform pan a few
tablespoonfuls at a time and setting it under the broiler to toast. As each layer
browns, you add a fresh layer to broil, until you have two dozen or so layers.
Make this on a cool day when you don’t mind standing by the broiler.
You can ice the cake with the chocolate ganache frosting, or just dust the top
with confectioners’ sugar and serve with whipped cream. Each slice is
extraordinary looking, like fine layers of sand and earth.
———
For the Cake
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
1⅔ cups sugar
1½ cups cornstarch
Pinch of salt
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons rum
For the Frosting (optional)

¼ pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon cold water
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (if not making the frosting)
1. To make the cake, set the oven rack at least 6 inches from the broiler heating
element. Heat the broiler. Line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with
parchment paper. Butter the paper.
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl (use a hand mixer if you don’t want
to do it by hand) until light and fluffy. Gradually add the cornstarch, salt, flour,
and egg yolks. Add the rum.
3. Beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, then fold them into the batter.
4. Using the back of a spoon, spread a wafer-thin layer of batter (about 2½
tablespoons) in the springform pan and broil until lightly toasted, about 1
minute. Spread another wafer-thin layer of batter over the top and broil until
lightly browned—it will take slightly less time to cook each layer as the cake
gets taller and thus closer to the broiler). Repeat the process until all the batter
has been used. There should be about 25 to 35 layers. Let cool.
5. To make the optional frosting, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Remove
from the heat, add the cream and water, and mix well.
6. Frost the top of the cake if desired, or simply dust with confectioners’ sugar.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTE
The trick to this recipe is not overcooking the layers—it’s better to undercook
them slightly to keep them moist. Fortunately, you have 25 to 35 layers to get
the hang of it.
DECEMBER 6, 1962: “SECRET OF FESTIVE CAKE’S SUCCESS IS PATIENCE,” BY NAN ICKERINGILL.
—1962
DE LUXE CHEESECAKE
Yes, there are a lot of cheesecakes in this book, but I couldn’t resist this one:
when was the last time anyone had the guts to call a recipe “de luxe”? And it’s
the New York Times, after all, so cheesecake is a hometown creation (the
signature cream cheese foundation of the New York–style cheesecake was
served at Reuben’s Restaurant a century ago). There were countless noteworthy
cheesecake recipes in the archives: cheesecakes with a sweet bottom layer and a
tangy top; fluffy, crustless cheesecakes made with cornstarch; and cheesecakes
singing with mocha; as well as this one—an early inductee in the cheesecake
pantheon when Craig Claiborne chose it for his annual “Four Favorites” list of
the year’s most popular recipes. It’s so old school it has a pastry crust.
The De Luxe is totally unlike its tasty but hefty counterparts, being light,
downy, and judiciously sweetened. It’s also assembled in an unusual way. First
you pat a butter crust, scented with lemon zest, into the pan and bake it. Then
you pat the rest of the crust onto the sides (a pain in the neck, but worth it). You
beat the hell out of the filling so it’s well aerated, pour it into the unbaked/baked
crust, and then watch it emerge from the oven like a soufflé that gently sinks
upon itself. The pastry and filling fuse in the oven, and when you unmold the
cake, the pastry looks like the rind on an aged Reblochon.
The weird but amusing part of the recipe comes in the glaze, for which you’re
instructed to cook frozen strawberries in cherry juice, thicken the sauce with
cornstarch, and then pour it over the cake. Steeling yourself to pour is difficult—
it feels like dumping grated Velveeta atop a beautifully made pizza dough, and
your arm refuses to move.
But the glaze can also be made with fresh strawberries or another fruit, like
blackberries. If using strawberries, quarter them, combine with ½ cup sugar, and
let macerate for an hour. Then you can either spoon the berries directly over the
cake, or proceed with Step 8 in the recipe. If you’re feeling more ambitious,
candy some thin slivers of Meyer lemon zest, or simmer some blueberries in a
little sugar and grappa for a minute—both would be excellent counterpoints to
the cake.
———
For the Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling

Five 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1¾ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
¼ cup heavy cream
For the Glaze

Two 1-pound packages frozen whole strawberries, thawed
Cherry juice or water
1. To prepare the crust, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar,
and lemon zest in a bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the
egg yolk and vanilla; mix. (If when pressed between your thumb and forefinger,
the dough doesn’t hold together, add 1 tablespoon ice water and mix once more.)
2. Gently and patiently pat one-third of the dough over the bottom of a 9-inch
springform pan. Bake for about 6 minutes, or until golden. Let cool. Increase the
oven heat to 475 degrees.
3. Butter the sides of the pan and pat the remaining dough around the sides to a
height of 2 inches.
4. To prepare the filling, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy. Add
the vanilla and lemon zest.
5. Combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Gradually blend into the cheese mixture.
Beat in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, and then the cream, beating well.
6. Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the oven heat
to 200 degrees. Bake for 1½ hours longer, or until set. Turn off the heat. Allow
the cake to remain in the oven with the door propped open with a wooden spoon
for 30 minutes.
7. Cool the cheesecake completely on a rack. Chill.
8. To prepare the glaze, drain the strawberries very well, reserving the juice. Add
enough cherry juice to the strawberry juice to measure 2 cups.
9. Pour the juices into a small pan and slowly mix in the cornstarch. Gradually
bring to a boil, stirring, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until translucent and
thick. Cool, and then chill.
10. Fold in the strawberries into the glaze. Spread atop the chilled cake.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTES
The crust dough was dry, so I added 1 tablespoon ice water to it to bring it
together—a good trick for a dry crust. The dough is challenging to “pat out”—
you have to do a little at a time with small pats. But for all of its demands, the
crust is worth the trouble, because the prebaking means the bottom crust doesn’t
get soggy once the filling is added.
If you do make the glaze, half the amount would be plenty.
The cherry juice I used was unsweetened, so I added 3 tablespoons sugar.
When slicing the cake, it helps to use a knife that you’ve run under hot water
(and wiped dry).
PERIOD DETAIL
In 1947, food columnist Jane Nickerson, who was usually fairly stodgy, earned
herself some cool-hunting cred when she wrote: “If we’re to judge by the
comments of readers that reach this department, cheese cake will some day rival
apple pie and ice cream as a leading American dessert.”
DECEMBER 29, 1963: “THE READERS CHOOSE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1963
HUGUENOT TORTE (APPLE AND PECAN TORTE)
When I first tasted Huguenot torte, a recipe that ran in the Times in 1965, I had
but one thought: why isn’t everyone making this weekly? The torte is easy to
assemble, goes on a transformative journey as it cooks, and pleases everyone
who tastes it.
The silky apple-and-pecan-flecked batter billows in the oven and then, just
when it seems like it may spill over the sides of its pan, begins retracting until it
sinks all the way down into itself like a crater. You’ll get past the slight
appearance problem when you taste the warm cake: the brown crust is like the
ideal macaroon and the center has the gooey, custard-like texture of a proper
pecan pie.
The torte’s dense, meringuey look probably contributes to the misconception
that it was brought over from France by the Huguenots, or French Protestants,
who fled to South Carolina seeking religious freedom in the seventeenth century.
John Martin Taylor, a cookbook author and culinary historian, points out that the
use of baking powder for leavening is the first indication that the dish is not
French. Instead, he said, the torte descends from a more recent Midwestern
dessert called Ozark pudding. Huguenot torte, Taylor said, first showed up in
print in 1950 in Charleston Receipts, a successful community cookbook in
which the torte recipe was attributed to Evelyn Anderson Florance (then Mrs.
Cornelius Huguenin). In the 1980s, Taylor tracked down Florance in a nursing
home and discovered that she’d eaten Ozark pudding on a trip to Galveston,
Texas, in the 1930s. After fiddling with the recipe, she renamed it Huguenot
torte after Huguenot Tavern, a restaurant she made desserts for in Charleston.
The tavern became known for the torte.
The Times recipe came from The First Ladies Cook Book, where it’s featured
in the chapter on Martin Van Buren—a historical impossibility, as the dessert
was created 100 years after his term. It could easily have gone in the chapter on
Harry Truman, who, it turns out, was fond of Ozark pudding.
———
———
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups sugar
1 cup peeled, cored, and chopped tart cooking apples
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup heavy cream, flavored with 1 teaspoon almond extract, barely
sweetened, and whipped to soft peaks
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a baking pan about 8 by 12 inches or 9
by 9 inches and at least 2 inches deep. Beat the eggs and salt in a bowl with a
rotary beater until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar.
2. Fold in the apples and pecans with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla, flour,
and baking powder. Pour into the baking pan.
3. Bake for 45 minutes, or until sunken and crusty. Serve warm or chilled, with
whipped cream.
SERVES 8
VARIATION
The recipe calls for apples and pecans; you could also use pears and hazelnuts,
or even black walnuts.
COOKING NOTE
The original recipe said that the torte could be served chilled, but I liked it best
warm and cut into squares. It has so much sticky sugar in it that when it’s cold,
you have to do battle to cut it. Either way, I suggest adding little or no sugar to
the accompanying whipped cream—in fact, I’d fold in some crème fraîche.
JULY 14, 1965: “FIRST LADIES COOK BOOK CONTAINS TIPS ON THE CARE AND FEEDING OF PRESIDENTS,” BY CRAIG
CLAIBORNE. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE FIRST LADIES COOK BOOK, BY MARGARET BROWN KLAPTHOR.
—1965
LAGGTARTA (PANCAKES LAYERED WITH

STRAWBERRIES)
Giant, crisp pancakes layered with pureed strawberries and served with fresh
strawberries and whipped cream. What’s not to like?
For other pancake-style cakes, see the Gâteau de Crepes here and the
Baumkuchentorte here.
———
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup cake flour
1 cup thick applesauce, preferably homemade
⅓ cup pureed strawberries or raspberries
Sweetened strawberries or blueberries for serving
Sweetened whipped cream for serving
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl with
a mixer on high speed until lemon yellow and quite thick.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder together. Use a rubber spatula to fold them
into the egg mixture with a gentle motion: cut through the center of the mixture,
then around the bottom of the bowl, then draw the spatula up and out.
3. To clarify the butter, heat it in a small pan over very low heat until the milk
solids drop to the bottom of the pan. Let it cool slightly, then gradually add the
clear yellow liquid to the batter, folding it in with the spatula. Discard the white
milk solids.
4. Grease an 8-or 10-inch griddle or ovenproof nonstick skillet and heat in the
oven. Pour and spread about ⅔ cup batter onto the 8-inch griddle or pan or
about 1 cup batter onto the 10-inch griddle or pan. Bake for 5 minutes, or until
lightly browned. Loosen the edges and bottom of the cake layer with a spatula
and gradually ease out onto a rack. Clean the griddle thoroughly, regrease, and
heat before repeating with more of the batter. Continue until all the batter is
used.
5. Combine the applesauce with the pureed berries in a bowl. Spread between
the cake layers, stacking them carefully. Sprinkle the top with confectioners’
sugar. Serve with berries and whipped cream.
SERVES 6 TO 8
NOVEMBER 12, 1967: “SWEDEN’S FRYING-PAN CAKE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1967
BOSILJKA MARICH’S SERBIAN TORTE
This is a fantastic little cake, layers of lemon and almond meringue iced with
chocolate. There’s just one annoying detail: you need 4 pans to make it. But if
you don’t happen to have the pans, you can just pipe the batter into 9-inch circles
on parchment-lined baking sheets.
———

1¾ cups sugar
¼ cup zwieback crumbs or fine dry bread crumbs
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ pound (about 1½ cups) blanched almonds, very finely ground
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
¾ cup toasted sliced almonds
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease four 9-inch round cake pans and line the
bottoms with parchment paper or unglazed brown paper; butter the paper. Beat
the egg whites in a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a large bowl with a hand
mixer) until they hold stiff peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Fold in the
crumbs, zest, and juice. Fold in the ground almonds.
2. Divide the mixture among the prepared pans. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or
until faintly browned. Cool on a rack.
3. Lightly beat the egg yolks in the top of a double boiler, then add the remaining
¾ cup sugar and cook over hot water, whisking constantly, until the sugar
dissolves and the mixture thickens. Do not allow to boil, or it will curdle.
4. Remove from the hot water and beat in the chocolate, then gradually beat in
the butter. Refrigerate until the mixture reaches spreading consistency.
5. Use the chocolate mixture to fill and frost the torte. Garnish the sides of the
torte with the sliced almonds, pressing them gently. Refrigerate until firm before
serving.
SERVES 10
COOKING NOTES
I ground the almonds in a small food processor, which did a decent job, but the
almonds were more pebbles than powder. For a finer texture, use a nut grinder or
a blender. Or add some of the sugar to the nuts in the food processor; just be
careful not to let the mixture turn to a paste.
When icing the cake, the easiest way to place the next layer on top is to invert
it onto the iced layer, then peel off the parchment.
You probably won’t need all the sliced almonds for garnishing the cake, but it
helps to have a full handful when pressing them onto the sides. If this seems too
tedious or wasteful, reduce the amount of almonds and simply sprinkle them on
top of the cake.
JULY 27, 1969: “NUTS OVER CHOCOLATE,” BY JEAN HEWITT.
—1969
EVELYN SHARPE’S FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE
As far as I could determine, this is the first flourless chocolate cake to appear in
the Times. Earlier than you’d think, right? Like many “flourless” chocolate
cakes, it does contain a smidgen of flour—a tablespoon.
———
1 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) salted butter, softened
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
Whipped cream for garnish
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line the base of an 8-inch springform pan with
parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not
boiling, water (or in the microwave). Remove the melted chocolate from the heat
and stir in the butter, flour, and sugar.
2. Beat the yolks lightly and gradually whisk into the chocolate mixture.
3. Beat the whites in a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a large bowl with a hand
mixer) until they hold a definite shape but are not dry. Fold into the chocolate
mixture. (Overbeating or underbeating will ruin the cake.) The beaten egg whites
should be folded smoothly, quickly, and easily into the chocolate mixture.
4. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, prop
open the oven door with the handle of a wooden spoon, and allow the cake to
cool slightly in the oven.
5. The cake is best served warm. Garnish with whipped cream and serve in small
pieces. It is rich.
SERVES 10
COOKING NOTES
The original recipe called for Maillard’s Eagle sweet chocolate, but I changed
this to semisweet or bittersweet; I prefer the latter.
The second time I made the recipe, I had only salted butter in the house, and
the cake was even better, with a hint of salinity underlining the bitterness and
sweetness of the chocolate. I changed the recipe accordingly.
As an alternative to whipped cream, fold some crème fraîche into the whipped
cream. This creates a cream with more heft and tang, a more formidable pairing
with the intense cake.
When slicing the cake, use a knife that you’ve run under hot water (and dried).
SEPTEMBER 7, 1969: “HANDLE WITH CARE,” BY JANE HEWITT. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM EVELYN SHARPE.
—1969
TEDDIE’S APPLE CAKE
For reasons that elude me, cakes are reputed to require long hours in the kitchen,
when anyone who actually makes cakes knows that cookies are the true time
suck. Cookies require measuring out portions and multiple batches. Cakes get
mixed up and go into the oven all at once. The most complaisant ones even cool
in their pans and require no icing.
All of which is why if you look back in the Times archives at recipes from
thirty or more years ago, when most people cooked every day, there were many
more cake recipes. Cake was a staple you whipped up every couple of days, after
the previous one had vanished into crumbs.
Teddie’s apple cake is a typical standby of the period. None of the ingredients
are difficult to find—most are probably already in your pantry. Based on oil
rather than butter, the cake has a light, airy crumb that’s delicious while it lasts,
with walnuts, raisins, and slivers of apple threaded through the cinnamon-
scented cake. There is no icing, and no need for it.
When I asked readers for their favorite recipes from the Times, this one was
near the top, with thirty-seven votes. Like many of the most recommended
recipes, it shares three qualities: ease, good flavor, and someone’s name in its
title. Unfortunately, I still have no idea who Teddie is.
———

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ cups peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 cups peeled, cored, and thickly sliced apples
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch tube pan. Sift together
the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
2. Beat the oil and sugar together in a mixer with a paddle (or in a bowl with a
hand mixer) for 5 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until the mixture is creamy.
Stir in the dry ingredients. Add the vanilla, apples, walnuts, and raisins and stir
until combined.
3. Turn the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until
a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before turning
out.
4. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTES
If mixing the batter in a mixer, use a paddle attachment and turn the speed to low
once you add the flour mixture, or the texture of the cake will be tough. Even
better, mix the rest by hand.
The recipe called for Red Delicious or McIntosh apples, but I’d recommend a
variety that’s brighter in flavor and firmer in texture, such as a Honeycrisp,
Macoun, or Granny Smith.
The apple slices can be halved if you want a more uniform texture.
This cake can be eaten at any time of day, including breakfast. If you serve it
for dessert, the recipe suggested a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. I prefer
to whip ½ cup of heavy cream to soft peaks, then fold in crème fraîche to taste.
READERS
“I most recently baked this cake for Thanksgiving 2004. There was a small piece
left over and several days later (it keeps beautifully), I wrapped it in aluminum
foil and took it to NYC for my son and daughter-in-law. He took it from me and
started looking around his kitchen. When I questioned him, he said he had to
hide it from his wife.”
Rochelle Rogers-Lippin, Huntington, NY, letter
SEPTEMBER 30, 1973: “JUST DESSERTS,” BY JEAN HEWITT. RECIPE BY TEDDIE.
—1973
HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE
With one deft addition—hazelnuts—a cheesecake became this engaging treat.
Without any crust to speak of, just a dusting of graham cracker crumbs, this is
really more like a cream cheese flan. The ground hazelnuts fuse with the sugar,
the edges turn macaroon-chewy, and the center, with all those nuts, becomes rich
like a bon-bon’s filling.
———
1½ cups (about 8 ounces) blanched hazelnuts or blanched almonds

⅓ cup graham cracker crumbs
Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1¾ cups sugar
1¾ cups sugar
1. Because of the importance of oven temperature, the nuts must be toasted well
in advance of proceeding with the recipe. If they are not already toasted, heat the
oven to 400 degrees. Place the nuts on a baking sheet or in a skillet and bake,
stirring often, until nicely browned. Remove them and let cool.
2. When ready to make the cheesecake, heat the oven to 300 degrees. Butter a
round cake pan that is 8 inches wide and 3 inches deep (or use a 9-inch round
cake pan); do not use a springform pan. Sprinkle with the graham cracker
crumbs and shake the crumbs around the bottom and sides until coated. Shake
out the excess crumbs.
3. Place the cooled nuts in a blender or food processor and blend. If you want a
crunchy texture, blend them until coarse-fine. If you want a smooth texture,
blend them until they are almost paste-like.
4. Place the cream cheese, cream, eggs, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of mixer
fitted with a whisk (or mix in a bowl with a hand mixer). Start beating at low
speed, and as the ingredients blend, increase the speed to high. Continue beating
until thoroughly blended and smooth. Add the nuts and continue beating until
thoroughly blended. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan; shake
gently to level the mixture.
5. Set the pan inside a slightly wider pan and pour boiling water into the larger
pan to a depth of about ½ inch. Do not let the sides of the cheesecake pan touch
the sides of the larger pan. Set the pans thus arranged inside the oven and bake
for 1½ hours. Turn off the oven and let the cake sit in the oven for 1 hour longer.
6. Lift the cake out of its water bath and place it on a rack. Let stand for at least 2
hours.
7. Place a round cake plate over the cake and carefully turn both upside down to
unmold the cake. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTE
SEPTEMBER 1, 1974: “FOOD: HAZELNUT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE: THE ULTIMATE CHEESECAKE,” BY CRAIG
CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
—1974
BLACK FOREST CAKE

BLACK FOREST CAKE
———
For the Chocolate Sponge Cake
6 large eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup cornstarch
For the Assembly

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup water
2 thin orange or lemon wedges
One 1-pound can sour cherries in syrup
One 15-ounce can dark sweet cherries in syrup
⅓ cup kirsch
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 cups heavy cream
3 drops vanilla extract
Grated chocolate
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10-by-2-inch round
cake pan. Sprinkle the inside with flour and shake the flour around until the
bottom and sides are well coated. Shake out any excess flour.
2. Put the eggs into a double boiler, set over medium heat, and whisk vigorously
by hand or with a hand mixer while adding the sugar. Then beat constantly for
about 5 minutes, until the eggs are lukewarm.
3. Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and beat on high speed
until the mixture is thick, mousse-like, and at room temperature. To test, run a
spatula through the mass: if it is ready, the spatula will leave a track.
4. Combine the flour, cocoa, and cornstarch and sift together 2 or 3 times. Fold
the mixture into the batter, using a wooden spoon or spatula. Fold in the butter,
and pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Turn the cake out onto a rack to cool.
6. When ready to assemble the cake, combine ½ cup sugar and the water in a
saucepan. Add the orange or lemon wedges and bring to a boil. Simmer for
about 3 minutes, then let the syrup cool. Discard the wedges.
7. Drain both cans of cherries, keeping them separate, and set aside. Combine
the kirsch with ⅔ cup of the sugar syrup. Set aside.
8. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or in the microwave). When it is melted,
gradually stir in 3 tablespoons of the remaining sugar syrup; set aside.
9. Whip the cream to firm peaks. Beat in the remaining tablespoon of sugar and
the vanilla. Fold 1½ cups of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Set
the remaining whipped cream aside.
10. Place the cake on a flat surface and, holding a knife parallel to the bottom of
the cake, slice the cake into thirds. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate and
brush with some of the kirsch mixture. Add about half the chocolate mixture to
the layer and smooth it over. Cover with the top cake layer, but place it bottom
side up. Brush with syrup and add the remaining chocolate mixture, smoothing it
over the cake. Using a pastry tube, pipe 3 rings of whipped cream on the cake:
one in the center, another around the rim, and another in between those two.
Arrange the sour cherries in the center and between the middle and outer rings.
11. Top with the final layer of cake. Brush it with the remaining syrup. Add the
remaining whipped cream to the top, saving enough cream to make 13 rosettes
on top of the cake and smooth the whipped cream over the top and sides of the
cake. Using a pastry bag fitted with a No. 4 star pastry tube, pipe 12 rosettes,
equally spaced, around the upper edge of the cake. Make 1 rosette in dead
center. Garnish each rosette with a dark sweet cherry. Garnish the top with
grated chocolate. Hold in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTES
The ingredient list called for canned cherries in syrup. Obviously, pitted fresh
cherries cooked in syrup would be better. To make your own, combine 1 cup
water and 1 cup sugar in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve
the sugar. Add 2 cups pitted cherries and simmer until the cherries just begin to
soften, 5 to 8 minutes. If you can, make one batch of sweet cherries and one
batch of sour cherries, using 1 cup cherries for each.
This recipe takes an army of minions to construct. Minionless, I skipped
making the rosettes of whipped cream.
The addition of lemons to the syrup in Step 6 is a nice touch—I used Meyer
lemons.
FEBRUARY 9, 1975: “FOOD: PRIDE OF THE FOREST,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY. RECIPE
ADAPTED FROM ALBERT KUMIN, PASTRY CHEF AT THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA.
—1975
HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE ROLL

This pillowy chocolate-and-coffee-scented cake, which you pave with whipped
cream and roll up like a sleeping bag, is similar in structure to Cecily
Brownstone’s Chiffon Roll here, except hers is scented with vanilla and is blond.
———
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons cold strong coffee
Pinch of salt
Cocoa powder for dusting
1¼ cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar (optional)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan, line with
parchment paper, and grease the paper. Beat the egg yolks in a mixer fitted with
a whisk (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) until creamy. Gradually beat in
the sugar until the mixture is very thick and light in color.
2. Meanwhile, place the chocolate and coffee in the top of a double boiler and
melt over hot, not boiling, water.
3. Stir the melted chocolate into the yolk mixture.
4. Beat the egg whites with the salt in a clean mixer bowl with the clean whisk
(or in a clean bowl with clean beaters) until stiff but not dry. Carefully fold the
whites into the chocolate mixture. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan
with a rubber spatula.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Set the pan on a rack, cover the top of the cake with a
damp kitchen towel, and allow to cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.
6. Sift a layer of cocoa evenly over a piece of wax paper that is slightly larger
than the jelly-roll pan. Turn the pan and cake upside-down onto the wax paper.
Lift off the pan and carefully remove the parchment paper on top.
7. Beat the heavy cream with the confectioners’ sugar, if desired, and vanilla
until thick. Spread over the chocolate roll. Using the wax paper underneath as a
guide, roll up the cake like a jelly roll and slide seam down onto a board or
platter. Rolling from a long side gives an elegant, slender roll that can be cut into
12 to 16 small slices. Rolling from the short side produces a shorter, fatter roll
and bigger slices. Chill for several hours before serving.
SERVES 12 TO 16
JUNE 8, 1975: “FOOD: FOR HIS SWEET TOOTH,” BY JEAN HEWITT.
—1975
MOCHA CHEESECAKE
This is the most ridiculously rich cake I’ve ever made. Assuming no one would
want to eat such decadence, no matter how good it tasted, I put it in the “no”
pile. My husband, though, thought it was a life-altering success and was
outraged when, to make room in the fridge, I threw out the last piece. To save
our marriage, and to throw a bone to the hedonists and cardiologists of the world
(hi!), I’ve included it.
———
1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs
½ pound semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup sour cream
½ cup cooled double-strength espresso (¼ cup ground espresso beans
plus ¾ cup water, brewed in a coffee maker) or ¼ cup cooled coffee
plus ¼ cup dark rum 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate curls for garnish (optional)
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, mixed with 1 tablespoon
unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish (optional)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the
butter and 2 tablespoons sugar, blending thoroughly with your fingers. Press the
mixture firmly and smoothly into the bottom of an ungreased 9-inch springform
pan.
2. Put the cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk (or mix in a
bowl with a hand mixer). Add the remaining 1 cup sugar, then add the eggs and
start beating on low speed. Continue beating until smooth and well blended,
increasing the mixer speed as necessary, but cautiously, to prevent splattering.
Add the chocolate along with the heavy cream and mix until blended. Add the
sour cream. Pour in the cooled espresso (or the coffee and rum). Add the vanilla
extract and beat until well blended.
3. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until
puffed at the sides. The center will remain somewhat soft but will become firm
on cooling. Let the cake cool on a rack for several hours.
4. Remove the sides of the pan. Garnish, if desired, with chocolate curls and
sprinkle, if desired, with the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTES
As with any cheesecake recipe, it’s important that the cream cheese is fully at
room temperature; otherwise, you’ll end up with small beads of cream cheese
that never fully blend into the batter.
MARCH 17, 1976: “MOCHA CHEESECAKE TO SATISFY A NEW YORKER’S SOUL,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1976
RED VELVET CAKE
Craig Claiborne was forcibly introduced to this dish after he published a recipe
for red velvet cake and was flooded with letters from readers touting their own,
better versions. This one came from Carolyn A. Knutsen of Long Island. I never
made Claiborne’s earlier recipe, but Knutsen’s is brilliant—moist, dense, and
flush with cocoa.
———
For the Cake
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 to 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ ounces red food coloring
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
For the Icing

10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch
round cake pans; shake out the excess flour. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with
the whisk (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) beat the shortening and sugar
until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.
2. Blend the cocoa and red food coloring to make a paste. Add this and the salt
to the creamed mixture. Blend the vanilla and buttermilk. Alternately add this
and the flour to the creamed mixture, beating constantly. Blend the vinegar and
soda and beat this in.
3. Divide the cake batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick
inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool the
cakes in the pans on a rack, then turn out.
4. To make the icing, in a mixer fitted with a whisk (or use a large bowl and a
hand mixer), cream the butter. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar,
alternating with the heavy cream. Add the vanilla and salt and continue beating
until smooth and light.
5. Spread the icing between the cake layers and on the top and sides.
SERVES 10
APRIL 25, 1977: “DE GUSTIBUS: RED VELVET CAKE RETURNS; TOMATO PASTE LINGERS ON,” BY CRAIG
CLAIBORNE. CAKE RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CAROLYN A. KNUTSEN, A READER FROM KINGS POINT, NEW YORK;
ICING RECIPE ADAPTED FROM RHONDA THOMSON, MY SISTER.
—1977
LINDY’S CHEESECAKE
Joan Nathan, a frequent contributor to the Times food pages and an expert on
Jewish cooking, told me that Lindy’s, the New York restaurant, didn’t invent its
famous cheesecake but acquired it by cunningly poaching the pastry chef from
Reuben’s Restaurant in Manhattan. Reuben’s was the first place to make
cheesecake with cream cheese rather than cottage cheese—a detail that came to
define New York cheesecake, and that earned them a gold medal at the 1929
World’s Fair. (Too bad they didn’t think to give their pastry chef a raise to keep
him.) When Lindy’s closed in 1969, Leo Lindemann, the owner, refused to give
Craig Claiborne the cake recipe. But Lindemann was not the only one who
possessed it. His pastry chef (not the same one from Reuben’s, obviously)
wound up at a restaurant in Las Vegas, where the cake again besotted everyone.
Guy Pascal, who ran the Vegas kitchen, asked the pastry chef for the recipe but
came up empty-handed. So, over the course of weeks, according to the story
Claiborne wrote about this recipe, Pascal made mental notes of the ingredients
the pastry chef was using when making the cheesecake. Then, to reverse-
engineer the proportions, he checked the ingredients orders against the number
of cakes produced. Clever! This is what he came up with.
———
½ cup fine cake crumbs or graham cracker crumbs

Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
Grated zest of 2 lemons
Grated zest of 1 orange
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream
¼ cup half-and-half
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan.
Sprinkle the inside with the crumbs, then shake out excess crumbs.
2. Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk (or mix in a
bowl with a hand mixer). Add the grated zests and vanilla, beating. Gradually
add the heavy cream and sugar, beating constantly on medium speed. The
important thing to avoid in making this recipe is beating on very high speed; that
would incorporate air into the cheesecake and make the cake rise like a soufflé.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour
cream and half-and-half.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Set the pan in
a larger pan and pour boiling water around it. Place in the oven and bake for 1¼
hours or until the center does not quiver when the pan is shaken. Remove from
the water bath and let stand on a rack for about 10 minutes, then invert and
unmold while hot. Let stand until cool.
SERVES 8 TO 12
COOKING NOTE
MAY 18, 1977: “IS CHEF PASCAL’S CHEESECAKE LINDY’S LONG-KEPT SECRET?” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE.
—1977
WALNUT CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE WALNUT

BUTTERCREAM
One of Craig Claiborne’s greatest skills was beguiling his subjects into
surrendering the secrets to their best recipes. And so we have David Eyre’s
pancake (here), Maria Tillman Jackson Rogers’s Carrot Cake (here), and Julia
Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread (here).
But Claiborne didn’t always succeed. For a walnut cake recipe from a pastry
shop in East Hampton, he and Pierre Franey trailed the owner like hounds on a
scent, but they were outfoxed. “Well, two summers ago the shop closed and the
owner-cook retired,” they wrote. “Once more we pleaded for her recipe. No dice,
she said. She did, however, offer us a clue. She said the basic cake recipe could
be found on the back of a box of cake flour and that the frosting was a simple
chocolate buttercream. The cake on this page is a result of our experiments. It
may not quite measure up to the manna that came out of our friend’s oven, but it
is a reasonable—and delicious—facsimile.”
The Almond Cake here is a replica version of a cake from an East Hampton
pastry shop that also denied my mother-in-law the recipe. (Perhaps the walnut
cake shop’s competitor?) And the Gâteau de Crepes here is my likeness of the
Mille Crepes at Lady M, a pastry shop on the Upper East Side that also refused
to divulge its recipe. Perhaps the CIA should start recruiting in bakeries.
———
For the Cake
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups sifted cake flour, plus 1 tablespoon unsifted flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups broken walnuts
4 large eggs
For the Buttercream

¼ pound unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons very strong coffee
1 cup broken walnuts
12 large walnuts for garnish
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour two
9-by-5-inch loaf pans. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl of a mixer
fitted with a paddle (or mix in a bowl with a hand mixer). Beating on medium
speed, gradually add the sugar and then beat for at least 10 minutes.
2. Sift together the 3 cups flour, the baking powder, and salt. Combine the milk
with the vanilla and almond extracts. Toss the broken walnuts with the
remaining tablespoon of unsifted flour.
3. Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each
addition. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the creamed mixture,
beating well after each addition. Add the floured walnuts and beat on low speed
until well blended.
4. Spoon and scrape the batter into the prepared pans. Put the pans in the oven
and bake for 50 minutes or until a needle inserted in the center of the cakes
comes out clean. Let the pans cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out
onto the rack, turn right side up, and let cool.
5. To make the buttercream, set a bowl in a pot of simmering water (or use a
double boiler). Add the chocolate and heat, stirring often, until the chocolate is
melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.
6. Combine the yolks, sugar, and salt in another bowl. Set the bowl in the pot of
simmering water and beat the yolk mixture rapidly with a wire whisk or a hand
mixer until the mixture forms a “ribbon”; that is to say, until it is thickened and
falls in a “ribbon” when the beater is held up. Remove from the heat.
7. Spoon and scrape the chocolate into the yolk mixture. Mix in the coffee.
Return the bowl to the simmering water and continue beating for 5 minutes.
Gradually beat in the butter, bit by bit.
8. Remove the bowl from the heat and continue beating for 5 to 7 minutes in a
cool place until the mixture thickens slightly and becomes spreadable. Beat in
the broken walnuts. Continue beating with a wooden spoon until the buttercream
becomes somewhat lighter. Let cool until spreadable.
9. Spread the top of each cake with half the buttercream. Garnish the top of each
cake with 6 walnuts.
MAKES 2 CAKES, EACH SERVING 8
COOKING NOTES
Yes, do beat the butter and sugar for 10 minutes in Step 1! As I learned from a
story by Times writer Julia Moskin, all the air in a cake is added when you beat
the butter. (Baking powder helps the air in cake batter expand, but it can’t create
air bubbles.) The recipe calls for “broken walnuts.” I took this to mean walnut
halves, placed in a plastic bag and lightly crushed with a rolling pin, so you end
up with a mix of pea-sized pieces and small flakes.
You may notice the walnuts aren’t toasted. If you’d like them toasted, go
ahead. But I liked the sweetness of the untoasted nuts.
APRIL 20, 1980: “FOOD: A REASONABLE FACSIMILE OF A FAVORITE CAKE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE
FRANEY.
—1980
LORA BRODY’S CHOCOLATE CHERRY TORTE

This is the kind of cake you’d find in a pâtisserie, with defined layers of
chocolate cherry cake, almond paste, and a flawless glassy top.
———
For the Cake
3 tablespoons fine fresh bread crumbs
One 24-ounce jar pitted sour or Morello cherries
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ cup ground almonds
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

½ pound almond paste
For the Glaze

½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee
½ pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
Candied flowers for decoration (optional)
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-or 10-inch
springform pan. Add the bread crumbs and shake to coat the inside. Shake out
the excess. Drain the cherries well and set them aside.
2. Put the chocolate in a double boiler and melt over barely simmering water,
stirring occasionally. (Or melt it in the microwave.) Remove from the heat.
3. Put the butter and sugar into a food processor or mixer and blend until light
and creamy. Add 2 of the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition.
Blend in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the chocolate and mix gently (if
using a food processor, turn it on and off to blend). Mix in the almonds and
flour. Mix in the remaining egg.
4. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a rubber
spatula. Arrange the cherries, close together, in concentric circles, working from
the outside to the center. The entire surface should be covered with cherries. As
you add the cherries, press them gently into the batter so that just a small portion
of the top of each one shows. If the surface of the cake is uneven, smooth it out
with a wet rubber spatula. There may be a few cherries left over, which may be
put to another use.
5. Place the cake in the oven and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Take care not to
overbake; the cake will look dry on top but should be quite moist inside. Let cool
on a rack.
6. Put a length of wax paper on a flat surface. Sprinkle with the confectioners’
sugar. Work the almond paste with your hands to make a flat round cake. Place
it on the wax paper and turn it in the sugar. Cover with another sheet of wax
paper. Roll out the almond paste into a circle the diameter of the top of the cake
and about 1⁄16 inch thick. Peel off the top layer of wax paper. If the round of
almond paste tears, you can patch it.
7. Cut the almond paste into a round to fit the top of the cake exactly. Any scraps
of almond paste can be recycled or used to fashion decorations for the top of the
cake. Cover the cake with the almond-paste round. Place the cake on a rack and
place the rack on a sheet of wax paper to catch the drippings.
8. To make the glaze, put the cream in a saucepan and add the coffee. Bring to a
slow boil. Add the chocolate and stir gently until the chocolate is melted and
smooth. If there are any lumps, put the sauce through a fine strainer. Let the
glaze cool briefly, until it is spreadable.
9. Pour a thin layer of chocolate glaze over the cake, spreading it smooth with a
spatula. The glaze should cover the bottom and sides of the cake. Chill the cake
briefly, then add a second coating of glaze.
10. Decorate the top of the cake, if desired, with candied flowers such as roses or
violets or with almond paste cut into decorative shapes. This cake will keep for 2
days in a cool place; it can be refrigerated, but this will dull the cake’s gloss.
SERVES 8 TO 12
COOKING NOTES
Make sure you roll the almond paste until it’s no thicker than 1⁄16 inch, or it will
be difficult to cut through.
For a less sweet cake, use bittersweet chocolate.
JULY 20, 1980: “FOOD: THE ART OF THE TORTE,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM LORA BRODY, A COOKING TEACHER AND FOOD WRITER.
—1980
MRS. RAYMOND SCHENK’S PUMPKIN CAKE
A lot of people told me about this cake, and now I understand why. It doesn’t try
to solve world problems, it just sticks to what it does well—giving pumpkin a
sense of purpose after Thanksgiving and satisfying our innate hankering for
sweet spiced cakes.
———

2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1¼ cups peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
1½ cups pumpkin puree, homemade or store-bought
4 large eggs
½ cup raisins
½ cup golden raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. Sift
together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Place the sugar, oil, and pumpkin puree in a mixer fitted with a paddle (or mix
in a large bowl with a hand mixer) and beat well on medium speed. Add the eggs
one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift and fold the dry ingredients
into the batter. Stir in the raisins and nuts.
3. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center
comes out clean; start checking the cake after 1 hour. Let cool slightly in the pan
before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTE
If using a dark-coated nonstick Bundt pan, turn down your oven 10 degrees and
start checking the cake for doneness after 50 minutes. It will take less time to
cook.
OCTOBER 29, 1980: “Q & A.”
—1980
MARIA TILLMAN JACKSON ROGERS’S CARROT

CAKE
Eating this cake is startling, because we’re so used to carrot cake being a leaden,
nut-strewn mass. This one’s as light as cotton.
The recipe comes from My Mother Cooked My Way Through Harvard with
These Creole Recipes, by Mrs. Walter Tillman and Oscar A. Rogers. A reader
wrote to tell me that Rogers went on to become a minister, a dean at Jackson
State University, and the president of Claflin College.
———
For the Cake
Approximately 1 pound carrots
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ cups corn or peanut oil
4 large eggs
4 large eggs
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
For the Frosting

2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil three 9-inch round
cake pans. Line the bottoms with circles of parchment; oil the paper. Trim,
scrape, and grate the carrots, then measure them; there should be about 3 cups.
Set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Combine the sugar and oil in mixer fitted with a paddle (or mix in a large
bowl with a hand mixer). Start beating and add the eggs one at a time, beating
well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients while beating. Add the grated
carrots and nuts and blend well.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Place in the oven and bake until the
cakes spring back when pressed with your finger, about 45 minutes. Turn the
cakes onto racks and let cool, then remove the parchment paper.
5. To make the frosting, sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl of a mixer
fitted with a paddle (or mix in a large bowl with a hand mixer). Add the cream
cheese, butter, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy.
6. Fill and frost the cake.
SERVES 10
COOKING NOTES
I doubled the cream cheese in the frosting, so if it seems different from the
original, that’s because it is! The frosting is also more plentiful and less sweet.
Before you get going, you should know that you’ll need three 9-inch round
cake pans. Several other recipes in this chapter call for the same, so if you don’t
already have them, I think it’s time to splurge.
JANUARY 4, 1981: “FOOD; GARDEN-VARIETY CAKES AND BREADS,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM MY MOTHER COOKED MY WAY THROUGH HARVARD WITH THESE CREOLE RECIPES BY MRS. WALTER
TILLMAN AND OSCAR A. ROGERS.
—1981
MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE
This is really a Mississippi “Mutt” Cake, as Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey
came up with it by crossbreeding a bunch of recipes sent in by readers. A
chocolate cake is baked, then covered with marshmallows and sent back to the
oven until the marshmallows melt across the cake’s surface. Finally, the cake is
topped with a cocoa and pecan icing. Claiborne and Franey included a
marshmallow recipe, should you wish to make them from scratch.
———
For the Cake
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1½ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups miniature marshmallows or large marshmallows cut into ½-inch
pieces (store-bought, or see recipe that follows)
For the Icing

One 1-pound box confectioners’ sugar
½ cup evaporated milk
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking
pan. Add a little flour and shake it around to coat the bottom and sides of the
pan. Shake out the excess. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer (or in a large
bowl with a hand mixer) until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating
thoroughly after each addition.
2. Sift together the flour and cocoa. Fold this into the creamed mixture. Add the
chopped nuts and vanilla. Beat well.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth it over. Place in the oven
and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the marshmallows. Return to
the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the marshmallows are melted
and starting to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a rack
for about 30 minutes.
5. To make the icing, melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from the heat.
6. Sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa. Stir this into the butter, along
with the nuts and milk. Spread this over the cake and let stand until thoroughly
cooled. Cut into slices and serve.
SERVES 12
MARSHMALLOWS
¼ cup cornstarch
⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 packet powdered gelatin
⅓ cup water
⅔ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
1. Sift together the cornstarch and confectioners’ sugar. Lightly butter an 8-inch
square baking pan and sprinkle with 1 tablepoon of the cornstarch mixture. Tilt
the pan in all directions to coat the bottom and sides. Do not shake out the
excess.
2. Blend the gelatin with the water in a small saucepan and let soak for 5
minutes. Add the granulated sugar and stir over low heat until the gelatin and
sugar dissolve.
3. In a mixer, combine the gelatin mixture, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla and beat
on high speed for 15 minutes, until peaks form.
4. Spread the gelatin mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan and smooth
the top. Let stand for 2 hours, or until set.
5. With a wet knife, cut the marshmallow mixture into quarters and loosen
around the edges. Sprinkle the remaining cornstarch mixture on a baking sheet
and invert the marshmallows onto it. Cut each quarter into pieces, and roll each
in the cornstarch and sugar mixture.
6. Place the marshmallows on a rack and cover with paper towels. Let stand
overnight to dry the surface slightly. Store airtight; the marshmallows will keep
for a month.
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN MARSHMALLOWS

AUGUST 23, 1981: “FOOD: THOSE EARTHLY DESSERTS,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
MARSHMALLOW RECIPE ADAPTED FROM BETTER THAN STORE-BOUGHT, BY HELEN WITTY AND ELIZABETH
SCHNEIDER COLCHIE.
—1981
LORA BRODY’S BÊTE NOIRE (INTENSE CHOCOLATE

CAKE)
Lora Brody, a cookbook author, suggests serving this cake either warm with
crème anglaise or at room temperature with whipped cream.
———
½ cup water
1⅓ cups sugar
½ pound unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
¼ pound semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (about 1 cup whites plus the
yolks)
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and place a neat
circle of parchment or wax paper in the bottom, covering it completely. If wax
paper is used, butter it; if parchment is used, it is not necessary to butter it.
2. Combine the water with 1 cup sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan; a copper
pan is ideal for this. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan, bring to a boil over
high heat, and cook for about 4 minutes, or to a temperature of 220 degrees.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add the chocolate,
stirring until it is melted and smooth. The mixture may “seize,” but that is all
right; it will blend when the butter is added. Immediately start adding the butter,
stirring gently until all of it is used.
4. Place the eggs and the remaining ⅓ cup sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted
with a whisk (or mix in a large bowl with a hand mixer). Start beating on high
speed and continue until the yolks are quite thick, pale yellow, and tripled in
volume. This may take about 15 minutes. (It may be useful to place a dishcloth
over the mixer and bowl to prevent splattering.) 5. Reduce the mixer speed to
low. Add the chocolate mixture, mixing only until it is fully incorporated. Do not
overbeat—this would cause air bubbles to form.
6. Spoon and scrape the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Set the pan in a
slightly larger pan and pour boiling water around it. Do not allow the sides of the
pans to touch. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Insert the sharp point
of a knife into the center of the cake; if it comes out clean, the cake is done. If it
does not come out clean, continue baking for up to 10 minutes longer. Do not
cook longer than a total of 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
7. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cake and unmold onto a cookie
sheet; remove the paper. Invert a serving plate over the cake and turn it right side
up onto the serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
SERVES 6 TO 8
MARCH 13, 1983: “FOOD: A FANCY BOTH BITTER AND SWEET,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY.
—1983
PURPLE PLUM TORTE

This is both the most often published and the most requested recipe in the Times
archives. By my count, Marian Burros (who was given the recipe by Lois
Levine, with whom Burros wrote Elegant but Easy) ran the recipe in the paper
twelve times. And when I asked readers for recipe suggestions for this book, 265
people raved about the torte. The torte happily lives up to its billing: crusty and
light, with deep wells of slackened, sugar-glazed plums.
I’ve thought a lot about why this torte struck such a chord with people: the
answer, I think, is that it’s a nearly perfect recipe. There are only eight
ingredients, all of which, except for the plums, you probably already have in
your kitchen. There are just four steps, most of which are one sentence long.
You need no special equipment, just a bowl, a wooden spoon, and a pan. The
batter is like pancake batter, which most everyone is comfortable making. And
baked plums are sweet and tart, making the flavor more complex and memorable
than a hard-hitting sweet dessert.
It also freezes well.
“A friend who loved the tortes said that in exchange for two, she would let me
store as many as I wanted in her freezer,” Burros wrote one year when she ran
the recipe. “A week later, she went on vacation for two weeks and her mother
stayed with her children. When she returned, my friend called and asked, ‘How
many of those tortes did you leave in my freezer?’
“ ‘Twenty-four, but two of those were for you.’
“There was a long pause. ‘Well, I guess my mother either ate twelve of them
or gave them away.’ ”
In later versions of the recipe, Burros cut back the sugar to ¾ cup—feel free to
if you like—and added variations, such as substituting blueberries or apples and
cranberries for the plums (I haven’t tried either, but Burros was a fan). She
jumped the shark, in my view, though, when she created low-fat variations with
mashed bananas and applesauce. While I respect her enthusiasm for innovation,
this is one recipe that needs no improvement.
———

Large pinch of salt
1 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon, or more or less, depending on the
tartness of the plums
2 large eggs
12 purple plums, halved and pitted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or more or less, depending on the
tartness of the plums
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.
2. Cream 1 cup sugar and the butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer (or in a
mixer) until light in color. Add the dry ingredients and then the eggs.
3. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Cover the top of
the batter with the plum halves, skin side up. Sprinkle with the remaining
tablespoon of sugar and the lemon juice, adjusting to the tartness of the fruit.
Sprinkle with the cinnamon.
4. Bake until the cake is golden and the plums are bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes.
Cool on a rack, then unmold.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTE
I like this best with oval Italian plums, available in early fall.
READERS
“Not only is it delicious, it is also simple. It has served me as an impromptu
dessert on numerous occasions (even in the winter, one almost always has apples
and frozen cranberries in the house). I have served it with ice cream, sorbet,
whipped cream, yogurt, sour cream, crème fraîche, Barbados Cream (à la
Nigella), or crème anglaise—depending on the particular torte, my mood, and
what I have on hand. And yes, I did laminate it!” [Presumably, the recipe, not
the cake.]
Donna L. Boies, Washington, D.C., letter
“I make a dozen every fall and store in the freezer just as she recommends. I also
sometimes instead use peaches, mango, blueberries. I add ½ tsp. of vanilla and
the grated rind of 1 small lemon to the dough.”
Frances Gordon, Atlantis, FL, letter
“In August and September of each year I make at least 2 cakes a week. They
freeze very well and cheer me up during the dark winter months.”
Dagmar Greve, New York, NY, letter
“The only change I have made over the years is to add a teaspoon of almond
extract. The combination of the almond flavoring with the purple plums is
ethereal.”
Nancy Denburg, e-mail
SEPTEMBER 21, 1983: “FOOD NOTES,” BY MARIAN BURROS.
—1983
CAMPTON PLACE BUTTERMILK CHOCOLATE CAKE
Beneath a frosting so silky and delicate that it floats across your palate is a cake
that reminds me of the moist, light soil lying beneath moss.
———
For the Cake
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
1½ cups buttermilk
1½ cups sugar
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
For the Frosting

¾ pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup warm water
1 cup sugar
¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
5 large egg yolks
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round
cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper cut to fit neatly.
Butter the paper. Sprinkle the inside of the pans with flour and shake out the
excess.
2. Combine the chocolate and butter in a heavy saucepan. Place the pan in a
larger saucepan of simmering water and heat, stirring, just until the butter and
chocolate are melted and blended. Off the heat, gradually beat in the buttermilk.
Set aside to cool.
3. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a mixer with a paddle (or in a large bowl with
a hand mixer) until thickened and lemon colored. Gradually add the chocolate
mixture, stirring. Set aside.
4. Sift together the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
5. Beat the egg whites in a clean mixer bowl with a whisk (or in a large bowl
with clean beaters) until they are stiff but not dry. Fold into the chocolate
mixture. Sift the flour mixture over the chocolate batter, folding it in. Pour and
scrape equal amounts into the prepared cake pans.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester, or a
toothpick, comes out clean. Place the cakes on a rack and let stand for about 10
minutes. Invert the cakes onto a rack and let cool.
7. Meanwhile, to prepare the frosting, put the chocolate in a large bowl.
Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. When the sugar
is dissolved, pour this over the chocolate, stirring until smooth and about as thick
as mayonnaise. If the mixture seems too stiff, add a little more water. Cover with
plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature.
8. Put the butter in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Add the yolks one at a
time, beating. Gradually fold in the chocolate mixture, until just blended.
9. Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread the top generously with frosting.
Top with the second layer. Spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting,
smoothing it as you go along.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTE
The frosting is beautiful to work with: after generously frosting the cake, you’ll
still have about ¾ cup left over. I don’t need to tell you what to do with it.
Although, Craig Claiborne noted, “If you wish to spread the chocolate frosting a
little further, you may slice each layer through the center to make 2 rounds.
Place one round at a time on a flat surface, frost it, add a second layer, more
frosting, and so on until all the layers have been added. Frost the cake on the top
and around the sides before cutting.”
JULY 15, 1984: “FOOD: FLOWING WITH BUTTERMILK,” BY CRAIG CLAIBORNE WITH PIERRE FRANEY. RECIPE
ADAPTED FROM BRADLEY OGDEN, CHEF AT THE CAMPTON PLACE HOTEL IN SAN FRANCISCO.
—1984
PANFORTE (TRADITIONAL SIENESE FRUITCAKE)
Panforte, from Siena, in Tuscany, is like fruitcake with the texture of nougat. It’s
dense and densely spiced, and one of my favorite holiday desserts, because with
it, you get the intense punctuation you want after a titanic meal.
This recipe comes from The Italian Baker, one of the most important baking
books of the twentieth century. Carol Field unearthed the breads of small
villages across Italy, the ciabatta, pane Pugliese, pizza bianca, and rosemary
breads that we’ve since come to regard as everyday loaves. Panforte hasn’t yet
become a household staple, but it should.
———
———
1 cup unblanched whole hazelnuts

1 cup blanched whole almonds
1 cup coarsely chopped candied orange peel
1 cup finely chopped candied citron
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of white pepper
¾ cup honey
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom
and sides with parchment paper, and butter the paper. Toast the hazelnuts on a
baking sheet in the oven until the skins pop and blister, 10 to 15 minutes. Rub
the skins from the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel.
2. Meanwhile, toast the almonds on a baking sheet until very pale golden, 10 to
15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to
300 degrees.
3. Chop the almonds and hazelnuts very coarsely. Mix the nuts, orange peel,
citron, lemon zest, flour, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper
thoroughly in a large bowl.
4. Combine the granulated sugar, honey, and butter in a heavy saucepan and
attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly,
until the syrup registers 242 to 248 degrees (a little of the mixture will form a
ball when dropped into cold water). Immediately pour the syrup into the fruit
mixture and stir quickly until thoroughly blended, then immediately pour into
the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. The batter will become stiff
and sticky very quickly, so you must work fast.
5. Bake for 40 minutes. The panforte won’t color or seem very firm even when
ready, but it will harden as it cools. Cool on a rack until the cake is firm to the
touch.
6. Remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto a sheet of wax paper.
Peel off the parchment paper. Dust heavily with confectioners’ sugar.
SERVES 10
VARIATION
To make Panforte Scuro (dark), add 2 ounces dried figs, coarsely chopped, and 1
to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.
DECEMBER 8, 1985: “BAKING: AROMATIC ACTIVITY FOR THE SEASON,” BY FLORENCE FABRICANT. RECIPE
ADAPTED FROM THE ITALIAN BAKER, BY CAROL FIELD.
—1985
MARJOLAINE (MULTILAYERED CHOCOLATE AND

PRALINE CAKE)
Marjolaine, a hazelnut cake layered with rum cream and praline, had its moment
during the 1980s fascination with French pâtisserie. No dessert with seventeen
steps is going to endure through the ages as a go-to classic, but it would be a
shame to skip past this recipe. All the effort and layering make for one
spectacular cake, the kind you can peel away level by level with your fork.
Two recipes for the cake ran around the same time—one by Raymond A.
Sokolov and this one by Patricia Wells, both frequent Times contributors.
Figuring out which one to make was a Sophie’s choice, and both looked great,
but I didn’t want to err with a recipe that takes a day to make. I finally chose
Wells’s because it seemed to have more complex flavor (and crème fraîche in
the ingredient list didn’t hurt). You can check out Sokolov’s online. I was
pleased with my decision: Wells’s is extraordinary.
Still, making it is a nearly insane test of willpower and endurance. It’s not
difficult—as always, Wells’s instructions are precise and helpful—it’s just that
the baking and layering takes all day. I started at breakfast and finished just in
time for cocktails.
Marjolaine is actually better the next day: it mellows and relaxes and becomes
not five desserts in one, but one.
———
For the Praline Powder
1 cup unblanched whole almonds
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
For the Chocolate Cream

2 cups crème fraîche
15 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
For the Pastry Cream

8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2½ cups whole milk
10 ounces (2¼ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
For the Cake

1 cup unblanched whole hazelnuts
¾ cup sugar
10 large egg whites
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
For the Rum Cream

2 cups Pastry Cream (above)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum
For the Praline Cream

2 cups Pastry Cream (above)
2 cups Praline Powder (above)
1. To prepare the praline powder, heat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the
almonds on baking sheet and bake until fragrant and light brown, about 10
minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
2. Oil a baking sheet with a light vegetable oil. Combine the almonds and sugar
in a heavy saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the sugar
begins to melt. The mixture will go through several stages, from a dry blend to
one where the sugar forms little bubbles the size of peas. Continue cooking,
stirring constantly so all of the sugar clinging to the almonds melts, until the
mixture turns dark brown and syrupy and the nuts make a popping sound. The
whole process will take about 5 minutes.
3. Quickly pour the mixture onto the oiled baking sheet. The mixture will harden
to almond brittle. When the praline is cool, break it into pieces. Grind it to a fine
powder in a food processor. (The praline can be made weeks in advance and
refrigerated or frozen in an airtight container.) 4. To prepare the chocolate
cream, bring the crème fraîche to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the
heat and whisk in the chocolate piece by piece until it is completely melted and
blended. Set aside until cool and thick. It should have the consistency of a thick,
spreadable frosting. (This can be made as much as 3 days in advance and
refrigerated. If it hardens, reheat it gently, beating until it reaches the proper
consistency.) 5. To prepare the pastry cream, using a whisk (or a mixer fitted
with a whisk), beat the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until thick and lemon
colored. Gently whisk in the flour.
6. Bring the milk to a boil in a large heavy saucepan. Whisk one-third of the hot
milk into the egg mixture, then pour the egg mixture into the remaining milk.
Boil, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until thickened, about 2
minutes. (You have to whisk really hard to keep it from lumping; and you do
need to cook it for a full 2 minutes, so take the pan on and off the heat as you
go.) Transfer to a bowl, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the cream,
and let cool.
7. Beat the butter in a bowl until soft and creamy. When the pastry cream is
completely cool, whisk in the butter. (The pastry cream can be made up to 3
days in advance and kept refrigerated.) 8. To prepare the cake, heat the oven to
300 degrees. Heavily butter 2 jelly-roll pans, measuring about 14 by 10 by 1
inch. Line them with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper. (If you
don’t have jelly-roll pans, use 2 large baking sheets.) 9. Spread the hazelnuts on
another baking sheet and roast until fragrant and lightly browned, about 10
minutes. Remove from the oven and rub the warm nuts in a dish towel to remove
as much skin as possible. Cool, then finely grind them with ¼ cup sugar in a
food processor.
10. Beat the egg whites in a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a large bowl with a
hand mixer) until they begin to stiffen. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup sugar,
mixing until the whites form stiff but not dry peaks. Fold in the flour and the
hazelnut mixture. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pans (or spread into
14-by-10-by-1-inch rectangles on the baking sheets).
11. Bake until the cakes are thoroughly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the
cakes from the oven and invert them onto racks. Cover each cake with a damp
towel and let stand for several minutes, then remove the parchment paper while
the cakes are still warm. Let cool completely.
12. At least 24 hours, but no more than 3 days before serving, assemble the
marjolaine: Cut each cake lengthwise in half and trim as needed into 4 equally
sized rectangles. Divide the pastry cream in half. Blend the vanilla extract and
rum into one portion of the pastry cream. Blend the praline powder into the
remaining pastry cream. (Mix the praline cream just before assembling the cake,
because the flavor will fade if mixed up in advance.) The chocolate and pastry
creams should be chilled but spreadable.
13. Place 1 cake layer on a large rectangular serving platter. Spread a little less
than half the chocolate cream on the cake. Refrigerate until firm, about 10
minutes.
14. Cover the chocolate cream with the second cake layer. Spread with all of the
praline cream and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
15. Top the praline cream with the third cake layer. Spread with all of the rum
cream and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
16. Top the rum cream with the fourth cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the
cake with the remaining chocolate cream. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, then cover
with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 to 3 days before serving.
17. Remove the cake from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving, then cut
into thin slices.
SERVES 16 TO 20
COOKING NOTE
To save a step, you can use blanched hazelnuts for the cake and just toast them
before grinding.
SEPTEMBER 13, 1987: “FOOD: WHEN THINGS GO RIGHT,” BY PATRICIA WELLS.
—1987
CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH BAY LEAF SYRUP
This is vintage Tom Colicchio, back when he was at Mondrian.
———
For the Bay Leaf Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out and reserved
12 fresh bay leaves (available at specialty food stores)
For the Chocolate Cake

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon for
greasing the pan
15 ounces bittersweet chocolate
¾ cup sugar
1 cup almond flour (available at specialty food stores) or 1 cup ground
almonds (about ¼ pound unblanched whole almonds)
1 cup heavy cream

6 fresh bay leaves
1. To make the syrup, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Add the
vanilla bean and seeds and bay leaves and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the
sugar. Lower the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, 15
to 20 minutes. Cool, strain, and set aside.
2. To make the cake, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform
pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Place the remaining 12 tablespoons butter and 12
ounces chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Heat over barely simmering
water, stirring occasionally, until the butter and chocolate melt.
3. Beat the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar in a mixer fitted with a whisk (or a large
bowl with a hand mixer) until the mixture thickens and is pale yellow in color.
Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix well. Fold in the almond flour.
4. Beat the egg whites with the remaining ¼ cup sugar in a clean mixer bowl
with the clean whisk (or in a large bowl with clean beaters) until they hold stiff
peaks. Fold into the egg yolk mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Chop the remaining chocolate into coarse chunks, about ½ to 1 inch. Scatter
randomly over the batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake feels firm
to the touch. Let cool on a rack.
6. To make the whipped cream, combine the heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of
the bay leaf syrup in a bowl and beat until firm peaks form.
7. Remove the cake from the pan and slice into 6 wedges. Pool a few
tablespoons of the bay leaf syrup on each of 6 dessert plates. Place a slice of
cake on each plate. Add a dollop of the bay leaf whipped cream, and garnish
each with a bay leaf.
SERVES 6
OCTOBER 14, 1990: “FOOD: IT’S THYME FOR DESSERT,” BY KAREN MACNEIL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM TOM
COLICCHIO, THE CHEF, AND SUSIE DAYTON, THE PASTRY CHEF, AT MONDRIAN IN NEW YORK CITY.
—1990
MARCELLA’S PEAR CAKE
½ cup fine dry bread crumbs

2 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
1 cup sugar
Tiny pinch of salt
2 pounds ripe Bosc pears
1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 9-inch-round cake pan and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Turn the pan
upside down and tap it or shake it lightly to get rid of all the loose crumbs. Beat
the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Add the sugar and salt and continue
beating until well combined. Add the flour, mixing thoroughly.
2. Peel the pears, slice in half, and scoop out the seeds and core. Cut lengthwise
into thin slices. Add to the bowl, mixing well; the batter will be very thick.
3. Spoon the batter into the pan, leveling it off with the back of a spoon or a
spatula. Dot the surface with the butter. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is
lightly golden. Cool slightly on a rack.
4. Remove the cake from the pan as soon as it is cool and firm enough to handle.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
SERVES 10
APRIL 28, 1991: “FOOD: NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES,” BY WILLIAM GRIMES. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM MORE
CLASSIC ITALIAN COOKING, BY MARCELLA HAZAN.
—1991
POLISH JEWISH PLUM CAKE

In the Northeast, at least, from late September to late October, you can readily
find olive-shaped purple Italian plums. They hold up well when cooked, tend not
to release too much juice—a boon to bakers of cakes and tarts—and they sink
into cakes, like encased jewels.
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake (here), which ran in the Times in
1968, in a story by Jean Hewitt, is very similar to this one. The oil and orange
juice foundation makes for a beautiful cake that has become an American
classic.
———

½ teaspoon salt
1½ to 2 pounds Italian plums
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup orange juice
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan and dust
with flour. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Halve the plums (quarter them if large), and remove the pits. You will need 4
cups sliced plums. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with the cinnamon and ¼
cup sugar.
3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Gradually add the remaining 1¼ cups sugar, the
oil, orange juice, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, beating
just until combined.
4. Pour one-third of the batter into the prepared pan. Layer with one-third of the
plums. Repeat 2 more times, ending with plums. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or
until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out
clean. Let sit for 15 minutes on a rack.
5. Run a knife around the cake to loosen it, and unmold onto a plate. Sprinkle
with confectioners’ sugar and serve.
SERVES 12
SERVES 12
SEPTEMBER 23, 1992: “JEWISH FOOD TRADITIONS LINGER IN A POLAND BEREFT OF JEWS,” BY JOAN NATHAN.
—1992
TAILLEVENT’S CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PISTACHIO

SAUCE
A recipe from one of the world’s great restaurants, Taillevent in Paris, and one
of the best food books ever written, The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris, by
Patricia Wells.
When I made these cakes—they’re individual cakes, despite the recipe title—I
thought the individual portions seemed stingy. But the bitty cakes turned out to
be so rich I couldn’t finish a single serving.
———
For the Cake
4½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
For the Sauce

½ cup roasted pistachios
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated
2 cups whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1. To make the cake, melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat.
Add ¼ cup sugar and the butter and stir until melted. Whisk in the egg yolks.
Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and cook, stirring constantly,
until the mixture reaches 160 degrees. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Beat the egg whites in a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a bowl with a hand
mixer) until stiff. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until the
whites are glossy. Whisk one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture,
then fold in the remaining whites.
3. Rinse four 4-ounce molds (ramekins or tartlet pans work) with water; do not
dry. Divide the chocolate mixture among the molds. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
4. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, remove as much skin as possible from the
pistachios. Rinse quickly with boiling water, drain, and then remove as much of
the remaining skin as possible. Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse until
finely ground. Add ⅓ cup sugar and the egg white and process until the mixture
forms a paste.
5. Place 3 tablespoons of the pistachio paste in a medium saucepan (save the rest
for another use), add the milk, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove
from the heat and let steep for 5 minutes.
6. Strain the milk through a fine-mesh sieve into another medium saucepan; set
aside.
7. Whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining ⅔ cup sugar in a bowl until
thick and light. Whisk in half the strained milk, then whisk the mixture back into
the remaining milk. Cook the sauce over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick
enough to coat the back of a spoon; do not let it come to a boil. (This may take
longer than you expect, as much as 20 minutes.) Refrigerate for 24 hours.
8. To serve, spoon a pool of sauce onto the center of each of 4 plates. Run the tip
of a small knife around the inside edges of the molds, dip them briefly in a bowl
of hot water, and invert them onto the plates. Let the cakes warm up for a minute
or two before serving.
SERVES 4
COOKING NOTES
If you buy good-quality shelled pistachios, you can skip Step 4.
It’s difficult to remove the cakes from their molds or ramekins without
mashing in an edge or two. Serve them as if the flaws were intended. Or make
the cakes using small cake rings: lay 4 small pieces of parchment on a baking
sheet, place the rings on top, and fill the rings with the batter. To unmold, dip a
knife in hot water, dry it, run it around the sides of the rings to loosen, and invert
the cakes onto plates and peel back the parchment.
Do not use low-fat milk for the sauce—it needs the fat for texture and also to
temper the sugar.
FEBRUARY 12, 1995: “FOOD: DANGER: CHOCOLATE AHEAD,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM THE
FOOD LOVER’S GUIDE TO PARIS, BY PATRICIA WELLS.
—1995
JUNIOR’S CHEESECAKE
A true New York–style cheesecake—creamy rather than fluffy. The secret lies in
the single egg which just holds together the heavy cream and cream cheese.
Unlike most cheesecakes, this one is not baked in a water bath, and yet its
texture is creamy even at the edges.
Cheesecakes originated in Central and Eastern Europe, where they were made
with cottage or farmers’ cheese and set on a zwieback crust. The hop and skip to
cream cheese and graham crackers, the food writer Joan Nathan says, was made
early in the twentieth century with the birth of Breakstone’s, which
commercialized cream cheese, and Kraft, which sold both cream cheese and
graham crackers. Junior’s, the Brooklyn restaurant where this cheesecake
become famous, opened in 1950.
———
¼ cup graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sifted cornstarch
30 ounces (3¾ large packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 large egg
½ cup heavy cream
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan.
Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with the graham cracker crumbs, and
refrigerate the pan.
2. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a mixer fitted with a paddle (or mix in a
large bowl with a hand mixer). Beat in the cream cheese. Beat in the egg. Slowly
drizzle in the heavy cream, beating constantly. Beat in the vanilla.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden, 40 to 50
minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 3 hours.
SERVES 8 TO 10
COOKING NOTE
OCTOBER 11, 1996: “HARRY ROSEN IS DEAD AT 92: JUNIOR’S RESTAURANT FOUNDER,” BY ERIC ASIMOV. RECIPE
ADAPTED FROM NEW YORK COOKBOOK, BY MOLLY O’NEILL.
—1996
OLIVE OIL AND APPLE CIDER CAKE
A dense, gently perfumed cake. Have it for breakfast or with tea. You must use
good olive oil (I’ve used Capezzana and Manni); the flaws of an inferior oil—
namely bitterness and insipidity—would be very much on display.
———
8 apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup apple cider
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
5 large eggs
1½ cups sugar
1 cup high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1. Place the apples and ½ cup apple cider in a small saucepan, cover, and bring
to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the apples are
falling apart. Remove from the heat and mash the apples with a fork to make a
coarse applesauce. Let cool.
2. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Brush a Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan with a
light coating of olive oil. Dust the pan with flour and tap out any excess.
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Stir together the
remaining ½ cup cider and ½ cup of the applesauce.
3. Whip the eggs with the sugar in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in
a large bowl with a hand mixer) until tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. Fold in
one-third of the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in half of the cider-
applesauce mixture. Gently fold in the olive oil, deflating the batter as little as
possible. Alternate the remaining dry ingredients and the cider mixture, ending
with dry ingredients.
4. Gently pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes,
or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Put the
cake on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, then unmold and let cool on a rack.
5. Serve with the remaining cider-applesauce and whipped cream, if desired.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTE
Have fun with Step 3, but beat it in a mixer—watching the eggs and sugar turn
thick, yellow, and silky is a beautiful process, and doing it by hand is not.
OCTOBER 12, 1997: “LOVE, ITALIAN STYLE,” BY MOLLY O’NEILL. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JOANNE KILEEN AND
GEORGE GERMON, THE OWNERS OF AL FORNO IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.
—1997
PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Sometimes you read a recipe title and immediately have a clear picture in your
head of how it will turn out. And sometimes you’re way off, as I was with this
pear upside-down cake. I saw the molasses and ginger and dark brown sugar
prominent among the ingredients, but I still expected the cake to turn out light
and buttery yellow, like most pear upside-down cakes. This one is as dark as
night, the pears sunk into the top like slivers of moon. The rich, dense cake is
reminiscent of a gingersnap and is a memorable, if unorthodox, counterpoint to
the pears.
The cake is best eaten within a day of baking. And don’t skip the
accompaniment of rum-spiked whipped cream.
———

5 small ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
¼ cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons Poire Williams (pear eau-de-vie)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons grated ginger (from a 4-inch piece of fresh ginger)
2 tablespoons boiling water
Rum-scented whipped cream (see Cooking Notes) or rum-raisin ice
cream for serving
1. Butter a 9-inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. Toss the pears
with the lemon juice; set aside.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Add the pears, cut side down, in a single
layer, and cook until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes; gently move them
around in the pan as they cook so they brown evenly. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add the Poire Williams to the pan, and sprinkle with the remaining 2
tablespoons granulated sugar. Cook, stirring, until reduced to a syrup, about 1
minute.
4. Pour the syrup into the cake pan, coating the bottom. Place the pears in the
cake pan, cut side down, arranging them in a single layer (there may be a few
leftover slices).
5. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon,
cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
6. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a bowl with a
hand mixer), beat the remaining 8 tablespoons butter until fluffy. Add the brown
sugar, and beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add the eggs and continue
beating to combine. Add the molasses and fresh ginger. Gradually add the flour
mixture.
7. Combine the baking soda and boiling water in a small bowl, beating with a
fork. Add to the batter and mix well. Pour the batter into the cake pan over the
pears.
8. Bake for 25 minutes. Lower the heat to 325 degrees and bake for an additional
15 to 20 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched in the center.
Remove from the oven and cool for 1 hour.
9. Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Serve with rum-spiked whipped cream or
rum-raisin ice cream.
SERVES 10
COOKING NOTES
I used just 3 pears; buy 4 if they’re on the small side.
The pears only lightly browned when sautéed, which didn’t seem to hurt the
cake.
To make rum-scented whipped cream, beat 1 cup heavy cream until it holds
soft peaks. Add 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar and whisk until the sugar is
dissolved. Then beat in 1 to 2 tablespoons dark rum, as desired.
DECEMBER 17, 1997: “HOLIDAY TASTES FROM THE OLD CHATHAM INN,” BY R. W. APPLE JR. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM MELISSA KELLY, THE CHEF AT THE OLD CHATHAM SHEEPHERDING COMPANY INN IN CHATHAM, NEW
YORK.
—1997
WARM SOFT CHOCOLATE CAKE

If you dined in New York in the late 1990s, you probably ate dozens of these
fragile chocolate bombs. The small plump cakes cook on the outside, creating a
bouncy cake-like shell, while the inside remains loose chocolate custard, waiting
to spill out on your plate as soon as you plunge your greedy fork into its side.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the chef whose recipe this is, served it with coconut
sorbet.
———

¼ pound bittersweet chocolate
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Butter and lightly flour four 4-ounce molds,
custard cups, or ramekins. Tap out the excess flour. Gently heat the butter and
chocolate together in a double boiler or a small saucepan until the chocolate is
almost completely melted.
2. While the chocolate mixture is heating, beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar in a
bowl with a whisk or electric mixer until light and thick.
3. Beat the melted chocolate and butter together. While it is still warm, pour into
the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour until combined.
4. Divide the batter among the molds. (At this point, you can refrigerate the
desserts for several hours; bring to room temperature before cooking.) Put on a
baking sheet.
5. Bake the cakes for 12 minutes; the centers will still be quite soft, but the sides
will be set. Invert each mold onto a plate, and let sit for about 10 seconds, then
unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold; the cake will fall out onto the plate.
Serve immediately.
SERVES 4
PERIOD DETAIL
Although it feels as though food trends come and go dizzyingly fast, Florence
Fabricant wrote a story called “The Cakes That Take New York Erupt with
Molten Chocolate” in 1991, but Vongerichten’s recipe, which launched the
trend, didn’t appear until 1997. The cake kicked around in numerous restaurants
until 2009, when Domino’s pizza chain introduced its Chocolate Lava Crunch
Cake. Trend over.
DECEMBER 24, 1997: “THE CHEF,” BY JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN WITH MARK BITTMAN.
—1997
COCONUT LOAF CAKE
This recipe began my lasting obsession with pastry chef Pierre Hermé’s work—I
love his use of daring yet understated flavors, his confidence that you’ll notice
his ingenuity without him underlining it with antennae-like garnishes. These
traits have since built the Parisian pastry chef an empire of shops around the
globe.
Hermé’s work has been translated and brought to an American audience by
Dorie Greenspan, who is the modern-day Maida Heatter. Like Heatter,
Greenspan is both a passionate baker and an exceptional recipe writer. Note how
in this cake recipe you’re on Step 4 before you begin mixing the cake batter.
Greenspan spends four steps making sure you’ve prepared your pans and
ingredients so there are no unpleasant surprises along the way.
———
———
1½ cups finely grated unsweetened dried coconut, plus extra for the
pan (available at health food and specialty stores)
1½ cups sugar
2 tablespoons ground coriander
3 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup powdered milk
¾ cup whole milk
¼ cup water
¼ cup white rum
1. Combine the coconut with 1 tablespoon sugar in a food processor and pulse
until the coconut is pulverized but still powdery and dry. Set aside.
2. Center a rack in the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8½-by-
4½-by-2½-inch loaf pan, dust the interior with grated coconut, and tap out the
excess.
3. Sift together the flour, coriander, and baking powder.
4. In a mixer fitted with a paddle (or in large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the
butter at medium-high speed until creamy, then slowly add 1 cup plus 3
tablespoons sugar. While beating, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the
sides of the bowl as necessary. Reduce the mixer speed to low. One at a time,
add the ground coconut, powdered milk, and whole milk, beating only until each
addition is incorporated.
5. Divide the flour mixture into two batches. With a rubber spatula, gently fold
in first one batch and then the other; the batter should be smooth and thick.
Immediately spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Place the pan on 2 baking sheets, one on top of the other, or on an insulated
baking sheet. Bake until the cake is golden brown and split down the center,
about 70 to 80 minutes. To test whether the cake is done, insert a long thin knife
into the center; it should come out dry and crumb-free. If the cake appears to be
browning too quickly, cover loosely with a foil tent after the first 30 minutes of
baking.
7. Meanwhile, prepare a simple syrup. Combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar with
the water in a small saucepan, place over medium heat, and stir until the sugar is
dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the rum. Let cool to room temperature.
8. Place a rack on a sheet of wax paper. When the cake is done, release it from
the pan and turn it right side up on the rack. While it is still hot, brush the rum
syrup over the top and sides of the cake.
9. To serve, cut the cake into thin slices. If desired, toast them lightly.
SERVES 8
JUNE 3, 1998: “EN ROUTE: FRANCE; A KITCHEN EMPEROR WHO MARSHALS NAPOLEONS” BY AMANDA HESSER.
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM DESSERTS BY PIERRE HERMÉ, BY PIERRE HERMÉ AND DORIE GREENSPAN.
—1998
PAPA’S APPLE POUND CAKE
Just before baking this delicious loaf cake, you arrange apple pieces in two tidy
rows down the center, like a spine. And as it bakes, they sink into the top of the
batter.
———
1⅓ cups raisins
1 tablespoon plus 2½ teaspoons dark rum
2 Fuji apples, peeled and cored
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1⅓ cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup apricot jam, melted and still warm
1. Center a rack in the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour
an 8-by-4-by-2½-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, allowing an
extra inch or two to drape over the ends. (This will allow the finished cake to be
lifted from the pan before serving.) 2. Bring a small pan of water to a boil, add
the raisins, and boil for 1 minute. Drain and repeat the process. Drain the raisins
well a second time and place in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of rum; stir and
set aside.
3. Cut 1 apple into 12 wedges; set aside. Cut the other into 8 wedges, then cut
each wedge crosswise in half; set aside. Sift the flour and baking powder
together; set aside.
4. Working in a mixer with a paddle (or by hand in a bowl with a rubber
spatula), beat the butter until it is smooth. Slowly add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
and beat until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well blended.
Fold in the flour mixture just until blended. Fold in the raisins.
5. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Lay the 12
apple wedges down the center of the pan so their sides touch and the domed side
of each wedge is on top. There will be a thin strip of exposed batter on either
side of the row. Spoon the rest of the batter over and around the apples, and
again smooth the top. Arrange the halved apple wedges in a single row down
each long side of the pan, pressing the center-cut sides of the apples against the
sides of the pan, so there are 2 rows of apple wedges with their points toward the
center of the pan and exposed batter in the center. Gently push the apples into
the batter, leaving the tops of the apples exposed. The mixture in the center of
the pan will be slightly lower than the sides. Let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut a
slit down the center of the batter to help it rise evenly. Continue to bake until a
knife inserted into the cake comes out clean, another 40 to 50 minutes. Remove
the pan from the oven, and gently brush the warm apricot jam over the hot cake.
Allow the glaze to dry for 5 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2½ teaspoons rum and ⅓ cup
confectioners’ sugar in a small pan, stir well, and warm over low heat for a
minute. Brush this icing over the dried apricot glaze and return the pan to the
turned-off oven just until the icing is dry, about 2 minutes. Place the cake on a
rack and cool to room temperature. To keep the cake moist, leave it in its pan
until serving time.
8. To remove the cake from the pan, lift it by the edges of the parchment paper,
carefully remove the paper, and transfer to a platter. Cut into slices to serve.
SERVES 6 TO 8
NOVEMBER 11, 1998: “THE CHEF,” BY FRANÇOIS PAYARD WITH DORIE GREENSPAN.
—1998
FRESH GINGER CAKE

This dish is well known among dessert fanatics—a fragrant, spicy cake as dark
as tar. David Lebovitz, the pastry chef and blogger (www.davidlebovitz.com),
whose recipe it is, also created the spectacular Sugared Puffs here.
———
1 cup mild molasses

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut oil
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup water
¼ pound fresh ginger, peeled, sliced, and finely chopped
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 9-inch round cake pan with 3-inch-high sides or a 9½-inch springform
pan with a circle of parchment paper. Mix together the molasses, sugar, and oil
in a large bowl. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the baking soda, then mix
into the molasses mixture. Stir in the ginger. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients
into the batter. Add the eggs and continue mixing until everything is thoroughly
combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for about 1 hour, until the top
of the cake springs back lightly when pressed or until a toothpick inserted into
the center comes out clean. If the top of the cake browns too quickly before the
cake is done, drape a piece of foil over it. Cool the cake for at least 30 minutes in
the pan on a rack.
4. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Invert the
cake onto a rack, and peel off the parchment paper.
SERVES 10
PERIOD DETAIL
A related version of this cake actually appeared decades earlier, in Economy
Gastronomy by Sylvia Vaughn Thompson, published in 1963.
NOVEMBER 3, 1999: “BY THE BOOK: SIMPLE AND SWEET FROM A MASTER BAKER,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE
ADAPTED FROM ROOM FOR DESSERT, BY DAVID LEBOVITZ.
—1999
CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

This cake floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. And it was the smart,
understated punctuation to a Thanksgiving dinner at Alice Waters’s house in
1999. Many upside-down cakes are too sweet. This one commits no such crime.
The key ingredient is a judicious amount of brown sugar, which plays off the tart
cranberries and helps form a rich caramel sauce that seeps into the cake.
———
For the Topping
¾ cup packed brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
9 ounces (about 2¼ cups) fresh cranberries
¼ cup fresh orange juice
For the Batter

¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup whole milk
Sweetened whipped cream flavored with orange liqueur, for serving
1. To prepare the topping, melt the butter in a 9-inch round cake pan over low
heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves, swirling the pan to coat the
bottom. When the sugar starts to caramelize, remove the pan from the heat and
allow to cool.
2. Combine the cranberries and orange juice in a small bowl and toss to coat the
berries well. Spread the berries evenly in the pan, and sprinkle with any juice
remaining in the bowl. Set the pan aside.
3. To prepare the batter, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour,
baking powder, and salt.
4. In a mixer fitted with a paddle (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), beat the
butter with the sugar until pale, light, and fluffy. Add the vanilla, then beat in the
egg yolks one at a time, scraping the bowl once or twice. Add the flour mixture
alternately with the milk, ending with the dry ingredients.
5. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar in a clean mixer bowl with a
whisk (or in a bowl with clean beaters) just until stiff enough to hold a slight
peak. Fold the whites into the batter in 3 additions. Spoon the batter into the
prepared pan and spread it evenly over the cranberries.
6. Bake until the top is browned and the cake pulls away slightly from the edges
of the pan, 30 to 45 minutes. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before turning it
onto a cake plate.
7. Serve with slightly sweetened whipped cream flavored with orange liqueur.
SERVES 8
COOKING NOTE
You need a solid cake pan; pans with a removable bottom or springform pans
will not work on the stovetop because the butter will seep through. But if these
are what you have, to get around the problem without going out and buying a
new pan, prepare the sugar and cranberries in a small saucepan. Line your cake
pan with aluminum foil, then proceed. There is no need to grease the foil (or the
pan)—the batter does not stick.
NOVEMBER 17, 1999: “NEW AMERICAN TRADITIONS: IN A BERKELEY KITCHEN, A CELEBRATION OF SIMPLICITY,”
BY R. W. APPLE JR. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ALICE WATERS, THE OWNER OF CHEZ PANISSE IN BERKELEY,
CALIFORNIA.
—1999
BRETON BUTTER CAKE

This recipe comes from Gabrielle Hamilton, a chef beloved for her tiny
restaurant, Prune, which led other restaurateurs to the frontier of the East
Village. As a child, Hamilton spent a fair amount of time in Brittany, where she
was introduced to kouign amann, or Breton butter cake, a flaky, buttery dessert
scented with orange-flower water.
Having spent months on her own recipe, Hamilton put it on the Prune menu
and served it, she said, “just as in France, cut in a slice and put on a plate. No
mint sprig. No ice cream. No ridiculous embellishment.”
“And you know what?” she continued, “Nobody ordered it.”
But once she began serving it with a glass of Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise,
orders flew out of the kitchen.
———
1⅛ teaspoons active dry yeast

⅔ cup water
¾ teaspoon orange-flower water, plus more for sprinkling
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cake flour
⅛ teaspoon coarse salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, preferably French
¾ cup sugar, plus more for the pie plate and top of cake
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1. Combine the yeast with the water and orange-flower water in a small bowl.
Let sit until bubbly.
2. Combine the flours, salt, and yeast mixture in a large bowl and stir until a
dough forms. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until
smooth. Butter a large bowl and add the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm
place until doubled, 30 to 60 minutes.
3. Place the dough in the refrigerator to firm up, about 30 minutes.
4. On a lightly floured surface, pound the cold butter into a 5-inch square. Cover
with plastic wrap and let come almost to room temperature; it should have an
icing-like texture.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-inch disk. Place the
butter on top and fold the dough up and around it to cover. Working quickly, roll
out the dough so that it is 2 feet long and 1 foot wide. Using a pastry brush,
brush off excess flour. Sprinkle the dough with 3 tablespoons sugar, and fold
into thirds, as if folding a business letter. Turn 90 degrees, sprinkle with 3
tablespoons sugar, and roll out to 2 feet long and 1 foot wide again; fold into
thirds. Repeat 2 more times, scraping up any sticky areas; avoid using too much
flour.
6. Butter and sugar a 9-inch glass pie plate. Place the dough in the plate, tucking
the corners under. Let rise in a warm place until soft and puffy, 1 to 2 hours.
7. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Brush the surface of the dough with the melted
butter, and sprinkle with a generous amount of sugar and a little orange-flower
water. Bake until risen and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. If the top browns
before the bottom, cover with foil. The bottom should be hazelnut brown.
Remove from the oven, slice, and serve warm.
SERVES 8
APRIL 4, 2001: “THE CHEF: GABRIELLE HAMILTON,” BY GABRIELLE HAMILTON WITH AMANDA HESSER.
—2001
ALMOND CAKE
I learned this recipe from my mother-in-law, Elizabeth Friend. She’d discovered
the cake at a bakery in East Hampton, and when the bakery was closing, she
made her move, buttonholing the owners for the recipe. They turned her down
flat. Undeterred, she set out to re-create the recipe herself. Elizabeth’s cake rises
and then, near the end of its time in the oven, exhales dramatically and sinks in
the center. “You open the oven door,” Elizabeth said, “and it looks great. And
two minutes later, it’s Grand Canyon department.” Thankfully, she was never
able to remedy this because, in fact, the “problem” makes the cake superbly
dense and buttery in the center, which everyone loves and remembers.
I’ve made this cake more times than any other recipe in this book, because it
travels well and improves with time. I call it my “thank-you cake,” because I’ve
sent it as a gift to countless friends and colleagues.
———
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
One 7-ounce tube almond paste
4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom
with parchment paper; butter the paper. Mix together the sour cream and baking
soda in a small bowl. Sift the flour and salt together.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a food processor, until pale and fluffy. Pull the
almond paste into small pieces and add it, a little at a time, to the butter mixture,
pulsing until very smooth. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until
incorporated. Blend in the almond extract and sour cream mixture.
3. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the batter to a bowl. Fold in the flour mixture
until the batter is smooth and there are no bits of flour left.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 50 to 60
minutes. It is done when you press the top and it springs back and it shrinks from
the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool in the
pan.
5. When ready to serve, remove the sides of the pan, sift confectioners’ sugar on
top of the cake, and slice into wedges.
SERVES 10
READERS
“It came out amazingly well, and I was thrilled to find people asking me for the
recipe, something that continues to this day. You may rest assured that you and
your article are always credited when I pass the recipe along. (Up until that time,
I had always worn a rather bemused expression when I saw people in my office
exchanging recipes. Now I find myself trading them like baseball cards.) Since
then, I must have made the cake twenty five to thirty times.”
Gary Welch, e-mail
AUGUST 12, 2001: “FOOD DIARY: AMATEUR NIGHT,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ELIZABETH
FRIEND, MY LATE MOTHER-IN-LAW.
—2001
GOOEY CHOCOLATE STACK

Three disks of cocoa meringue buffeted by chocolate cream.
———

1⅓ cups granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1⅓ cups whole milk
1⅓ cups heavy cream
¼ pound bittersweet chocolate, melted
About 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons chopped unsalted pistachios
1. Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment, and draw
an 8-inch circle on each. Whisk the egg whites in a mixer (or in a large bowl
with a hard mixer) until they hold stiff peaks. Add 1 cup sugar a spoonful at a
time, beating well after each addition. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cocoa and the
vinegar on top, and fold in gently but firmly.
2. Divide the meringue among the 3 circles, spreading evenly. Bake for 1 hour,
then turn off the oven. Leave the meringues in it to cool.
3. Beat the egg yolks and the remaining ⅓ cup sugar together in a large bowl.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa and the flour, whisking well. Warm the
milk and cream in a saucepan until bubbles form around the edges. Whisking,
pour this into the egg yolks and sugar. Then pour everything back into the
saucepan, and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. When the mixture has
thickened, take it from the heat and stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla.
Transfer to a bowl and sift a layer of confectioners’ sugar over the top to keep
the surface from forming a skin. Let cool completely.
4. To assemble the stack, place a meringue disk on a plate and spread with a
layer of chocolate cream (¼ to ½ inch thick), then layer, finishing with cream.
(Reserve any leftover cream for another use.) Scatter the pistachios on top. Slice
into wedges to serve.
SERVES 10
COOKING NOTE
It’s best to assemble this dessert shortly before you serve it. If you need to make
the components in advance, leave the cooked meringues uncovered at room
temperature and keep the filling refrigerated. Assemble no more than 1 hour
before serving.
JANUARY 9, 2002: “CULINARY CRITIQUE: SEX AND THE KITCHEN,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM
HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS, BY NIGELLA LAWSON.
—2002
AMAZON CAKE (COCOA CAKE)
You know how you occasionally forget until the last minute that you were
supposed to bring a dish to the potluck or bake a cake for your kid’s school
thing? This is the cake for those moments. It will take you longer to think of
another cake than it will take to get this one in the oven. Will it be the best cake
ever? No. But it will be very good and it will be homemade. And it will show
that you care, even though you kind of forgot.
———

½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons corn oil
1 cup cold water
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Whisk together
the flour, cocoa, baking soda, sugar, and salt.
2. Whisk together the oil, water, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl. Whisk in
the dry ingredients, blending until completely lump-free. Pour into the prepared
pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed
gently.
3. Cool on a rack before removing from the pan and dusting with confectioners’
sugar (or frosting, if desired).
SERVES 6 TO 8
READERS
“I use cold coffee instead of water and add a bit of fresh-ground black pepper,
about half a grind of the mill. For me this takes longer to bake (would the coffee
make a difference?), about 45 to 50 minutes. I like to sift powdered sugar
through a round paper doily to make a lacy design on top (this has to be done
just before serving, or the moist cake will absorb the sugar) and serve the cake
with sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla and Cognac.”
Robert Croskey, e-mail
“Here’s why I love this recipe and make it frequently. First of all, it makes an
excellent chocolate cake—black-brown, moist, tender, with excellent keeping
qualities. Second, it is a total snap to make. You can do it in four minutes from
start to finish. No need to let butter come to room temperature; no oddball
ingredients; no beating (in fact, the only appliance you use for this recipe is the
oven, not even the refrigerator). It is made with common, long-life pantry
ingredients, so you will never find yourself in the mood to make it but without
an ingredient. You don’t even have to flour the pan. Third, it never sticks to the
pan. Period. Four, for a cake, it’s pretty healthy. No eggs or butter, cocoa instead
of hard chocolate. Five, double the recipe and use an old Time-Life frosting trick,
and you have the world’s best and easiest chocolate layer cake.” [See here or
here for other frostings that work well with the cake.]
Laura E. Perry, e-mail
FEBRUARY 6, 2002: “THIS TIME, CHOCOLATE TAKES A POWDER,” BY REGINA SCHRAMBLING. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM CAFÉ BEAUJOLAIS, BY MARGARET FOX AND JOHN S. BEAR.
—2002
LEMON-ALMOND BUTTER CAKE

Regina Schrambling, a food editor and writer at the Times, aptly described this
cake as “the ultimate citrus tart, without the heartbreak of piecrust.”
Making lemon curd is fun, and if you have the time, I recommend doing so,
but for a shortcut, you can use store-bought.
———
For the Lemon Curd
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
4 extra-large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
For the Cake

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
2 extra-large eggs
½ cup ground toasted almonds
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon almond liqueur (optional)
1. To make the lemon curd, combine the zest, juice, sugar, and eggs in a
heatproof bowl and beat well. Add the butter, place over a saucepan of
simmering water, and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden
spoon, until the mixture thickens into curd, about 5 minutes.
2. Strain into a bowl and press plastic wrap onto the surface to keep a skin from
forming. Refrigerate until cool, at least 1½ hours.
3. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform
pan with 1 tablespoon butter, and dust with 1 tablespoon flour, shaking out the
excess. Sift together the remaining 1 cup flour, the baking powder, and salt.
remaining 8 tablespoons butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the
dry ingredients.
5. Whisk the eggs in a bowl until they start to foam. Do not overbeat, or the cake
will be tough. Add the eggs and ground almonds to the batter, and mix well.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Drop 8 tablespoons of the lemon curd
around the perimeter of the batter, leaving a 1-inch border and taking care to
space the drops evenly. Drop 3 to 4 tablespoons curd onto the center of the
batter. (Refrigerate the remaining curd for another use.) Sprinkle the cake with
the toasted almonds and 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, depending on taste.
7. Bake until the cake is toasty brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the
cake (not curd) comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a rack for 10
minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and cool completely.
8. Whip the cream, with the almond liqueur if using, to soft peaks. Present the
cake at the table, and offer the whipped cream on the side.
SERVES 8
MARCH 27, 2002: “NOT THE USUAL CHEF ON THE SHELF,” BY REGINA SCHRAMBLING. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM IN
THE HANDS OF A CHEF, BY JODY ADAMS.
—2002
CHOCOLATE DUMP-IT CAKE
When I was growing up, my mother baked this cake for my birthdays. Now I
make it for my husband’s and children’s birthdays. “Dump-it” doesn’t have quite
the appeal of “galette” or “confit,” but it candidly lays out the cake’s virtue. This
moist, bouncy chocolate cake is the easiest one you’ll ever make: you mix the
batter in a saucepan, stirring in one ingredient after the other, and when it’s
glassy and smooth, you dump the batter into the cake pan and slide it in the
oven. The icing is similarly economical: you blend melted chocolate chips with
sour cream and slather it on the cake.
———
For the Cake
2 cups sugar
¼ pound unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 large eggs
2 large eggs
For the Icing

1½ cups Nestlé’s semisweet chocolate chips
1½ cups sour cream, at room temperature
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the
lowest rack to catch any drips when the cake bakes on the middle rack. Mix
together the sugar, unsweetened chocolate, butter, and water in a 2-to 3-quart
saucepan, place over medium heat, and stir occasionally until all of the
ingredients are melted and blended. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir
together the milk and vinegar in a small bowl (it will curdle, but that’s OK).
Grease and flour a 9-inch tube pan.
3. When the chocolate has cooled a bit, whisk in the milk mixture and eggs. In
several additions, and without overmixing, whisk in the dry ingredients. When
the mixture is smooth, add the vanilla and whisk once or twice to blend.
4. Pour the batter into the tube pan. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center
comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then
remove from the pan and set on a rack. (This can be tricky; the cake is heavy and
likes to break in half—if someone is around to help, enlist him.) Let cool
completely.
5. To make the icing, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, then let cool to
room temperature. Stir in the sour cream ¼ cup at a time until the mixture is
smooth.
6. You can ice the cake as is, or cut it in half so that you have 2 layers, and fill
and ice it. There will be extra icing whether you have 1 or 2 layers. My mother
always uses it to make flowers on top. She makes a small rosette, or button, then
uses toasted sliced almond as the petals, pushing them in around the base of the
rosette.
SERVES 10
MAY 12, 2002: “FOOD DIARY: PERSONAL BEST,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JUDITH HESSER.
—2002
LEMON CAKE
Imagine the taste of lemon cake, then multiply that flavor by three, and you’ll
have a faint idea of the piercing resonance in this cake. There’s lemon zest
creamed with the butter, lemon juice combined with buttermilk as the liquid, and
a lemon syrup doused on the finished cake.
If you were a fan of Maida Heatter’s East 62nd Street Lemon Cake, which ran
in 1970 (seventeen readers recommended it), you’ll be happy to know that this
recipe has nearly the same proportions: a tiny bit more salt, less baking powder,
buttermilk instead of milk, and lemon juice added to the batter. While I love
Heatter’s recipe, I thought this one was more lemony and moist. I hope you’ll
agree.
———
For the Cake
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup grated lemon zest (from 6 to 8 large lemons)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
For the Lemon Syrup

½ cup sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
For the Lemon Glaze

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8½-by-4¼-by-2½-inch
loaf pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Sift together the flour,
baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer fitted with a paddle (or in a large bowl
with a hand mixer) for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Mixing at
medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, and then the lemon zest.
3. Combine the lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla in a bowl. Add the flour
and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the butter and sugar mixture, beginning
and ending with flour.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 45
minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
5. Meanwhile, to make the lemon syrup, combine the sugar and lemon juice in a
small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from the heat.
6. When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes, then remove the
parchment and invert them onto a rack set over a tray. Spoon the lemon syrup
over the cakes. Let cool completely.
7. To make the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice in a
bowl, mixing with a whisk until smooth. Pour over top of the cakes, and allow
the glaze to dribble down the sides.
MAKES 2 CAKES, EACH SERVING 8 TO 10

JUNE 4, 2003: “THE 3 THAT MAKE A KITCHEN COMPLETE,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM
BAREFOOT CONTESSA PARTIES!, BY INA GARTEN.
—2003
NEW ENGLAND SPIDER CAKE

This is my favorite kind of recipe—there are no thorny passages, and there’s a
surprising trick. After mixing up what is essentially a sweetened cornmeal batter,
you scrape it into a hot cast-iron skillet, then pour cold cream into the very
center of the cake. The cream tears through the batter, creating a web of rivulets
spreading out from the center. As the cake bakes, this layer of cream thickens
like custard, and the edges of batter pushed up against the skillet get firm and
crisp, so the finished cake contains a spectrum of textures.
Jonathan Reynolds, a food columnist for the Times Magazine, offered up this
cake in a story on breakfast. He wrote, “This substantial one-skillet meal will get
your kids to school happier than they’ve ever been, and you happy only if
they’ve left some behind.” It’s a hearty way to begin the day, and, I’d argue, a
gratifying way to end it.
———
———
2 cups whole milk

4 teaspoons white vinegar
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the milk and vinegar in a bowl and set
aside to sour.
2. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk the eggs into the soured milk. Stir into the dry ingredients.
3. Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Pour in the batter. Pour the cream
into the center, do not stir, slide the skillet into the oven, and bake until golden
brown on top, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice into
wedges and serve warm.
SERVES 10
COOKING NOTE
It’s important not to bake this too long. The cake should still feel soft but bouncy
in the center when you remove it from the oven.
PERIOD DETAIL
An almost identical recipe appeared in The White House Cookbook published in
1935.
MARCH 7, 2004: “WAKE-UP CALL,” BY JONATHAN REYNOLDS.
—2004
BOLZANO APPLE CAKE

Mark Bittman, the Times food columnist, described this cake as a “perfect
clafoutis.” But that doesn’t do justice to the cake’s fragrance and delicacy. A pile
of wafer-thin apples is lashed together with a vanilla-speckled batter that, once
cooked and settled, yields a strata of fruit. When done properly, the center is
dewy and the edges like dry leaves.
———
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
2 large eggs
1¼ pounds (3 to 4 small to medium) Granny Smith apples
½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the base of an 8-inch springform pan with
parchment, then smear the bottom and sides with a thick layer of butter. Dust
with flour, turn the pan over, and tap lightly to remove excess flour. Melt the
butter in a small saucepan. Set aside.
2. Beat together the eggs and half the sugar in a bowl. Continue to beat while
slowly adding the remaining sugar until thick; the batter should form a ribbon
when dropped from a spoon. Add the vanilla seeds to the batter, and add the
bean to the melted butter.
3. Peel, quarter, and core the apples, then trim the ends and thinly slice.
4. Remove the vanilla bean from the butter and stir the butter into the batter.
Combine the flour and baking powder, and stir into the batter alternately with the
milk. Stir in the apples, coating every piece with batter. Pour the batter into the
pan, using your fingers to pat the top evenly.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, then rotate the pan. Bake for about 25 minutes more, or
until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is brown on top; a thin-
bladed knife inserted into the center will come out clean when it is done. Cool
for 30 minutes on a rack.
6. Remove the sides of the pan, cut the cake into wedges, and sprinkle with
confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm.
SERVES 6 TO 8
SERVES 6 TO 8
COOKING NOTE
You can blend the batter in a mixer, but I like to do it by hand. There’s not much
batter, so it’s easy to handle, and it’s satisfying to form the cake on your own.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2004: “THE CHEF: SCOTT CARSBERG: SEATTLE-GROWN, ITALIAN-FLAVORED,” BY MARK
BITTMAN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SCOTT CARSBERG, THE CHEF AND OWNER OF LAMPREIA IN SEATTLE,
WASHINGTON.
—2004
CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

In this Nigella Lawson recipe, chocolate and Guinness briefly fuse in a magical
way. The austere caramel flavor of the beer and the cocoa-flavored batter seem
so serious, so right together. But eat the cake right away. By morning, the energy
is gone, the crumb spongy and misbegotten, like most mornings after too much
Guinness.
The froth-like topping is classic Lawson—easy to make and amusing.
———
For the Cake
1 cup Guinness stout
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups superfine sugar
¾ cup sour cream
2 large eggs
2½ teaspoons baking soda
For the Topping

1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup heavy cream
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform
pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Combine the Guinness and butter
in a large saucepan and place over medium-low heat until the butter melts, then
remove from the heat. Add the cocoa and sugar and whisk to blend.
2. Combine the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla in a small bowl; mix well. Add to
the Guinness mixture, whisking. Add the flour and baking soda, and whisk until
smooth.
3. Pour into the buttered pan and bake until risen and firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Place the pan on a rack and cool completely in the pan.
4. To make the topping, using a food processor or by hand, mix the
confectioners’ sugar to break up any lumps. Add the cream cheese and blend
until smooth. Add the heavy cream and mix until smooth and spreadable.
5. Remove the sides of the pan and place the cake on a platter or cake stand. Ice
the top of the cake only—so that it resembles a frothy pint of Guinness.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTE
I used “extra stout” Guinness.
DECEMBER 8, 2004: “AT MY TABLE: A FEAST FOR A HOLIDAY, OR EVERYDAY EXULTING,” BY NIGELLA LAWSON.
—2004
WHISKEY CAKE
This now rarely seen cake was a popular recipe among Times readers in the
nineteenth century. Back then, it was called Tipsy Cake.
———
For the Cake
Fine dry bread crumbs for dusting the pan
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups sugar
4 large eggs
For the Whiskey Syrup
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup water
½ cup bourbon
1. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a Bundt pan and dust
with bread crumbs. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
butter, sugar, and lemon zest until fluffy and fragrant. Beat in the vanilla and 2
eggs. Add the remaining eggs, and beat again. Add half the flour mixture and
mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add the remaining mixture and mix
again until almost smooth, then mix with a rubber spatula until smooth.
3. Scrape the batter into the Bundt pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the
center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, to make the syrup, combine the sugar with the water in a
saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and cook until the
bubbles grow small and make fine snapping sounds, about 3 minutes. Remove
from the heat and let cool. Stir in the whiskey.
5. When the cake is done, let it cool for a few minutes, then unmold onto a
serving plate with a lip. (The whiskey may pool at the base.) Pierce the top of the
cake in about 20 places with a skewer, then pour the whiskey syrup over it.
6. Once the cake is cool, cover with plastic wrap. This cake is best served the
next day.
SERVES 10
JANUARY 30, 2005: “THE ARSENAL,” BY AMANDA HESSER.
—2005
GÂTEAU DE CREPES
I thought I’d found the best cake in New York City. The Mille Crepes, sold at
Lady M Cake Boutique on East 78th Street, was made up of twenty (as opposed
to a thousand) lacy crepes separated by clouds of whipped-cream-lightened
pastry cream and had a top layer that was spread with sugar and caramelized like
crème brûlée. A fork plunged into a slice slid like a shovel through fresh snow.
You got a whiff of smoky sugar, then layer after silky-sweet layer.
The owner of Lady M, however, wasn’t at all enthusiastic about handing over
his recipe; I was on my own. But nothing makes you want to master a twenty-
layer cake more than a flat rejection. With a little sleuthing, I figured out the
layered crepe cake wasn’t something new. I opened Joy of Cooking, and right
among the pancake recipes is one for crepe cake, made with a dozen crepes
layered with lemon sauce. A similar version, layered with whipped cream and
jam, called gâteau de crepes, appears in Larousse Gastronomique. As the book
explains, filled layers of crepes is an age-old concept.
The top-secret Mille Crepes could be mine after all. I used the crepe recipe
from Joy of Cooking, the vanilla pastry cream from Desserts by Pierre Hermé,
by HermÉ and Dorie Greenspan, and my own whipped cream. My gâteau de
crepes didn’t look quite as neat as the Mille Crepes, but it was charming the way
the sagging roof of an old cottage is, and darn tasty.
———
For the Crepe Batter
2 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
5 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup cornstarch, sifted
3½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
For Assembly
Corn oil
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, or more for brûléeing
3 tablespoons kirsch
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
1. The day before, make the crepe batter and pastry cream. To make the batter,
cook the butter in a small pan until brown like hazelnuts. Set aside. Heat the
milk in another small pan until steaming; allow to cool for 10 minutes.
2. In a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), beat together
the eggs, flour, sugar, and salt on medium-low speed. Slowly add the hot milk
and browned butter. Pour into a container with a spout, cover, and refrigerate
overnight.
3. To make the pastry cream, combine the milk, vanilla bean, and seeds in a
saucepan and bring to a boil. Set aside for 10 minutes; remove the bean.
4. Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside a small bowl that can hold
the finished pastry cream and be placed in this ice bath. Whisk together the egg
yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium heavy pan. Gradually whisk in the hot
milk, then place the pan over high heat, bring to a boil, whisking vigorously, and
whisk until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Press the pastry cream through a fine-
mesh sieve into the small bowl.
5. Set the bowl in the ice bath and stir until the temperature reaches 140 degrees
on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in the butter. When completely cool, cover
and refrigerate.
6. The next day, assemble the cake: Bring the batter to room temperature. Line a
baking sheet with parchment. Place a nonstick or seasoned 9-inch crepe pan over
medium heat. Swab the surface with oil, then add about 3 tablespoons batter and
swirl to cover the surface. Cook until the bottom just begins to brown, about 1
minute, then carefully lift an edge and flip the crepe with your fingers. Cook on
the other side for no longer than 5 seconds. Flip the crepe onto the baking sheet,
and repeat until you have 20 perfect crepes.
7. Pass the pastry cream through a sieve once more. Whip the heavy cream with
the sugar and kirsch. (It won’t hold peaks.) Fold it into the pastry cream.
8. Lay 1 crepe on a cake plate. Using an icing spatula, completely cover with a
thin layer of pastry cream (about ¼ cup). Cover with a crepe and repeat to make
a stack of 20, with the best-looking crepe on top. Chill for at least 2 hours.
9. Set the cake out for 30 minutes before serving. If you have a blowtorch for
crème brûlée, sprinkle the top crepe with 2 tablespoons sugar and caramelize
with the torch; otherwise, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Slice.
SERVES 10
MAY 15, 2005: “THE WAY WE EAT: BUILDING A MODERN, MULTISTORIED DESSERT,” BY AMANDA HESSER. RECIPE
FOR BATTER ADAPTED FROM THE ALL NEW ALL PURPOSE JOY OF COOKING, BY IRMA S. ROMBAUER, MARION
ROMBAUER BECKER, AND ETHAN BECKER; RECIPE FOR PASTRY CREAM ADAPTED FROM DESSERTS BY PIERRE
HERMé, BY PIERRE HERMé AND DORIE GREENSPAN.
—2005
POPPY SEED TORTE

Hovering above this dense and nutty cake is a fragile layer, like a veil of poppy
seed meringue.
———
1½ cups poppy seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder or 3 tablespoons potato starch
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the
bottom with parchment paper. Using a spice/coffee grinder, grind the poppy
seeds, in batches, for about 20 seconds. (The seeds will become slightly sticky.)
Combine with the baking powder in a large bowl.
2. In a mixer fitted with the paddle (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), beat the egg
yolks until slightly thickened. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla. Slowly pour in
the butter, then add the poppy seed mixture. Beat until combined. Return the
mixture, which will be very thick, to the large bowl.
3. Using a clean bowl and a whisk, beat the egg whites until they form soft
peaks. Fold them into the batter, and pour it into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to
60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out fairly dry.
4. Cool the cake on a rack for at least an hour before unmolding. Dust with
confectioners’ sugar before serving.
SERVES 12
APRIL 9, 2006: “EAT, MEMORY: GHOSTS OF PASSOVERS PAST,” BY ANNA WINGER.

—2006
CHAMOMILE AND ALMOND CAKE

CHAMOMILE AND ALMOND CAKE
Don’t eat this cake alone—it needs an accompaniment like Lemon Lotus Ice
Cream (here) or Tangerine Sherbet (here) to spar with its captivating but intense
herbal flavor.
———
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds

3½ tablespoons chamomile tea leaves
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons blanched whole almonds
Large pinch of salt
4 large eggs, 1 separated
Vegetable oil
1. Heat the oven to 320 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, then dust with
flour. Shake out excess flour. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the bottom of the
pan.
2. Grind the tea, whole almonds, sugar, and salt into a paste in a food processor.
If the mixture is too dry, add the egg white and process to form a paste;
otherwise, add the white at the end of processing.
3. Transfer the almond paste to a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a
large bowl and a hand mixer). Add the egg yolk and 1 egg and beat on medium-
low speed for 1 minute. Add another egg and beat for another minute. Add the
last egg and the lemon zest and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes.
4. Using as few strokes as possible, fold in the cornstarch and baking powder
with a rubber spatula until mostly combined. Pour in the melted butter a little at
a time, folding just until combined. Do not overmix.
5. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until the top is just set, 35 to 40
minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes.
6. Lightly grease a cake plate. Turn the cake out onto the plate. Cool fully, then
cover with foil until ready to serve.
7. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
SERVES 12
DECEMBER 17, 2006: “FOOD: THE WAY WE EAT: STEEP INCREASE,” BY DANIEL PATTERSON. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM AROMA, BY MANDY AFTEL AND DANIEL PATTERSON.
—2006
PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKES WITH MILK

CHOCOLATE FROSTING
The frosting is so silky and good you’ll want to use it to frost other cakes, like
the Angel Food Cake here.
———
For the Cupcakes
3 cups cake flour
¼ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter, preferably Skippy
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
For the Frosting

3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Pinch of salt
⅔ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
6 tablespoons whole milk
Chocolate flakes or sprinkles (optional)
1. To make the cupcakes, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin
tins with paper cups. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a mixer fitted with paddle (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the
butter and sugars on low speed to combine, then beat on high speed until fluffy,
about 5 minutes. Mix in the peanut butter, then beat in the eggs one at time. On
low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the batter in 3 parts.
3. Fill the baking cups ¾ full with batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the
center comes out clean, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool on a rack.
4. To make the frosting, sift together the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and cocoa
powder.
5. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand
mixer), beat the butter until smooth. On low speed, slowly add the cocoa
mixture. Add the vanilla, then add the milk a little at a time, beating until the
frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
6. Frost the cooled cupcakes. If you choose, decorate with chocolate flakes or
sprinkles.
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN CUPCAKES
NOVEMBER 11, 2007: “THE WAY WE EAT: THE HOLLYWOOD DIET,” BY JENNIFER STEINHAUER. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM VANILLA BAKE SHOP IN SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA.
—2007
REVANI VERRIAS (SEMOLINA CAKE)
For another cake doused with liquor, see the Whiskey Cake here.
———
For the Syrup
3 cups water
1½ cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon Cognac or other brandy
For the Cake

2 cups coarse semolina
1½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon Cognac or other brandy
1 tablespoon orange juice
½ cup finely ground blanched almonds
1. To make the syrup, bring the water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan,
stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cinnamon stick and Cognac and simmer
over medium heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Let cool; discard the
cinnamon.
2. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch springform
pan. Sift together the semolina and baking powder.
3. In a mixer fitted with a whisk (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the
butter until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, then add the egg yolks one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the Cognac and orange juice. With
the mixer on, sprinkle in the semolina mixture and then the almonds, mixing
well. Transfer to a large bowl.
4. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in a clean mixer bowl with a clean whisk
(or in a large bowl with clean beaters), then fold into the batter until combined.
Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until golden and a thin, spongy layer has
formed on top, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack.
5. Gently score the cake: Draw a sharp knife across the top of the cake, cutting
through the spongy top layer, and then score diagonally to form diamonds. Pour
the syrup over the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.
SERVES 8 TO 12
COOKING NOTE
Coarse semolina is available at www.kalustyans.com.
JUNE 8, 2008: “THE WAY WE EAT: THE FRENCH CONNECTION,” BY ALEKSANDRA CRAPANZANO. RECIPE ADAPTED
FROM THE FOOD AND WINE OF GREECE, BY DIANE KOCHILAS.
—2008
EVEN-GREATER AMERICAN POUND

CAKE
This is a burly cake that is, indeed, more buttery and fragrant than any pound
cake I know.
———
Nonstick cooking spray with flour

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cool unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
3 cups sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
⅓ cup canola oil
2 large egg yolks
5 large eggs
2⅔ cups all-purpose flour, preferably bleached
¼ cup potato starch (or additional flour)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup buttermilk
½ cup heavy cream
1. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan very well with cooking spray. In a mixer
(or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter at medium speed until
smooth. Add the shortening and mix until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar
and mix until smooth; touch the outside of the bowl to make sure the ingredients
are still cool. If not, place the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes.
2. Mix in the extracts. A little at a time, mix in the oil. At the lowest speed, mix
in the egg yolks. One at a time, mix in the eggs.
3. Whisk the flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt in a bowl for a minute
until well blended. At the lowest speed, mix a third of the flour mixture into the
butter mixture. Mix in a third of the buttermilk. Repeat until everything is
incorporated, scraping down the bowl at least once.
4. Whip the cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Mix a quarter of the
whipped cream into the batter, then fold in the remainder just until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. From a height of 4 inches, drop the pan on
the counter to knock out bubbles. Smooth the top.
5. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 65 to 70
minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack
to finish cooling.
SERVES 12
COOKING NOTE
Shirley Corriher, whose recipe this is, published this cake twice in the Times. In
the other version, she added 1 teaspoon almond extract and the grated zest of 1
lemon. I recommend adding both.
OCTOBER 22, 2008: “SOME HEAVY READING, RECIPES INCLUDED,” BY JULIA MOSKIN. RECIPE ADAPTED FROM
BAKE WISE, BY SHIRLEY O. CORRIHER.
—2008
MENUS
To help you navigate the book and to give you some ideas for how to
cook from it, I’ve assembled these menus. Some are related to
holidays, some to time periods, and others to special occasions. For
big holidays or groupings like Thanksgiving and Southern food, I’ve
simply listed all the recipes I thought were relevant to the grouping
rather than arranging them in menus. Happy party planning!
Nineteenth Century
Claret Cup
Potted Salmon
Asparagus Salad
Epigram of Lamb
Green Pea Fritters
Astor House Rolls
Almond Custard Cake
———
Salted and Deviled Almonds
Palestine Soup
Collared Pork
Watercress Salad
Fresh Mushrooms Stewed with Madeira
Maître d’Hôtel Potatoes
Gingersnaps
Delicious Milk Punch
Early Twentieth Century

Early Twentieth Century
Vermouth Cassis
Eggs Suffragette
Raw Artichoke Salad with Cucumber
Roast Quail with Sage Dressing
Fried Radishes
Apple Dumplings or Apple Snow
———
Vermouth Cup
Eggs Louisiana
Artichoke Salad with Anchovy and Capers
Chicken à la Marengo
Saratoga Potatoes
Baked Alaska
1960s
Málaga Gazpacho
Paella
Lemon Lotus Ice Cream
———
Leeks Vinaigrette
Boeuf Bourguignon I or II
Chocolate Mousse
———
Bagna Cauda
Lorane Schiff’s Pesto Genovese
Chicken Canzanese
Tomatoes Vinaigrette
Zabaglione
1970s
Rillettes de Canard
Artichokes Croisettes
Sole Grenobloise
Cucumbers in Cream
Frozen Lemon Soufflé or Crepes Suzette
———
Onion Rings
High-Temperature Roast Lamb
Noodles Romanoff
Lindy’s Cheesecake or Forget-It Meringue Torte
1980s
Alice Waters’s Baked Goat Cheese with Salad
Madame Mouriere’s Cassoulet
Crisp Potato Crowns
Tarte aux Pommes or Tourtière
———
Janice Okun’s Buffalo Chicken Wings
‘21’ Club Burger
Key Lime Pie
———
Mint Julep
Stuffed Clams
Brown Sugar Shortbread or Lemon Bars
1990s
Kaffir Lime Lemonade
Fried Zucchini Blossoms
Seared Tuna in Black Pepper Crust
Ice-Cold Tomatoes with Basil
Green Lentils with Roasted Beets and Preserved Lemon (at room temperature)
Pineapple Carpaccio with Lime Sorbet or Pepper-Cumin Cookies
———
Toasts with Walnut Sauce
Mezzaluna Salad
Conchiglie Al Forno with Mushrooms and Radicchio
Bittersweet Chocolate Semifreddo or Panna Cotta
———
Cucumber–Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes and Scallions
Roast Chicken with Bread Salad
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine Nuts
Fresh Ginger Cake or Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake
———
Kir Royale 38
Fresh and Smoked Salmon Spread
Stewed Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Rosemary
Caramelized Endive
Fennel, Orange, Watercress, and Walnut Salad
Warm Soft Chocolate Cake
Thanksgiving
DRINKS
The Normandy
HORS D’OEUVRES
Spiced Pecans
Pickled Shrimp
Cheese Straws
Pork-and-Toasted-Rice-Powder Spring Rolls
SOUPS
TURKEY
Roasted Brine-Cured Turkey with Wild Mushroom Stuffing
Roasted Brine-Cured Turkey with Shiitake and Lotus Seed Stuffing
Turducken
VEGETABLES
Holiday Cranberry Chutney
Cranberry Chutney
Baked Mushrooms
Fresh Mushrooms Stewed with Madeira
Creamed Onions
Braised Red Cabbage with Chestnuts
Red Cabbage Glazed with Maple Syrup
Anton Mosimann’s Braised Brussels Sprouts in Cream
Brussels Sprouts “Slaw” with Mustard Butter
Golden Winter Puree
James Beard’s Pureed Parsnips
Cumin-Mustard Carrots
Confit of Carrot and Cumin
Savory Bread Pudding
Shallot Pudding
Stewed Fennel with Red Pepper Oil
Roasted Cauliflower
Ratatouille with Butternut Squash
Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion
Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish
String Beans with Ginger and Garlic
POTATOES
Gratin of Yams and Chipotle Cream
Sweet Potato Cecelia
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ralph Vetter’s Sweet Potatoes with Lemon
Sweet Potatoes Anna
Mashed Potatoes Anna
Madame Laracine’s Gratin Dauphinois
STUFFINGS
Corn Bread Stuffing
Porcini Bread Stuffing
Wild Mushroom Stuffing
Shiitake and Lotus Seed Stuffing
BREADS
Astor House Rolls
Old South Buttermilk Biscuits
Sage Biscuits
Maida Heatter’s Preheated-Oven Popovers
DESSERTS
Bolzano Apple Cake
Lee’s Marlborough Tart
Apple Crumb Pie
Tarte aux Pommes
Sally Darr’s Golden Delicious Apple Tart
Apple Galette
Mississippi Pecan Pie
Bourbon Pecan Pie
Rum Pumpkin Cream Pie
Christmas
DRINKS
Swedish Glögg
Eggnog
Blender Eggnog
Tom and Jerry
Cranberry Liqueur
Kumquat-Clementine Cordial
Grapefruit Wine
Hot Buttered Rum
Holiday Punch
The Normandy
HORS D’OEUVRES
To Sugar or Crystallize Pop-Corn
Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères
The Spice Boys’ Cheese Ball
Cheese Straws
Hot Cheese Olives
Seasoned Olives
Spiced Pecans
Fresh and Smoked Salmon Spread
Pickled Shrimp
SOUPS
Chestnut Soup
SALADS
Watercress Salad
Diane Forley’s Arugula Salad with Artichoke, Ricotta Salata, and Pumpkin
Seeds
Fennel and Apple Salad with Juniper
MAIN COURSE
Ann Seranne’s Rib Roast of Beef
Horseradish Sauce
Slow-Roasted Duck
Choucroute à l’Alsacienne
Crown Roast of Lamb
Roasted Brine-Cured Turkey with Wild Mushroom Stuffing
VEGETABLES
Cranberry Chutney
Fried Radishes
Florida Beets
Spinach with Sour Cream
Leeks Vinaigrette
Mushrooms Stuffed with Duxelles and Sausage
Mushrooms with Manzanilla Sherry
Anton Mosimann’s Braised Brussels Sprouts in Cream
Brussels Sprouts “Slaw” with Mustard Butter
Golden Winter Puree
The Most Voluptuous Cauliflower
Roasted Cauliflower
Savory Bread Pudding
Leek and Shiitake Bread Pudding
Shallot Pudding
Escarole with Pan-Roasted Garlic and Lemon
Cumin-Mustard Carrots
Caramelized Endive
Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion
POTATOES
Sweet Potato Cecelia
Gratin of Yams and Chipotle Cream
Sweet Potatoes Anna
STUFFINGS
Corn Bread Stuffing
Porcini Bread Stuffing
Wild Mushroom Stuffing
Shiitake and Lotus Seed Stuffing
BREADS
Astor House Rolls
Sage Biscuits
DESSERTS
Poached Pears in Brandy and Red Wine
Poached Pears with Asian Spices
Clove Granita
Panforte (Traditional Sienese Fruitcake)
Bolzano Apple Cake
Lee’s Marlborough Tart
Tarte aux Pommes
Apple Galette
Apple Crumb Pie
Rum Pumpkin Cream Pie
Bourbon Pecan Pie
Fresh Ginger Cake
Whiskey Cake
Figs in Whiskey
Wine-Stewed Prunes and Mascarpone
Black Forest Cake
Lora Brody’s Bête Noire
Chocolate Rum Mousse
Red Wine Ice Cream
Almond Granita
COOKIES
Gingersnaps
English Gingersnaps
Spice Krinkles
Honey Spice Cookies
Pine Nut Cookies
Swedish Nut Balls
Florentines with Ginger
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Pepper-Cumin Cookies
Cocoa Christmas Cookies
English Toffee
Molasses Candy
Chocolate Caramels
Pralines
Party Balls
Rum Balls
Peppermints
BREADS AND BAKING
Christmas Stollen
Panettone
Mary Ann’s Fruitcake
An Incredible Date-Nut Bread
CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST
German Toast
Callie’s Doughnuts
Fyrstekake (Royal Cake)
Winter Fruit Salad
Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal
Morning Bread Pudding
David Eyre’s Pancake
Heavenly Hots
Hanukkah
Hanukkah
Russ & Daughters’ Chopped Chicken Liver
Matzoh Ball Soup
Matt’s Whole Brisket with Tomato Gravy
Brisket in Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
Elizabeth Frink’s Roast Lemon Chicken
Latkes
Saratoga Potatoes
Potato “Tostones”
Junior’s Cheesecake
Poppy Seed Torte
Chamomile and Almond Cake
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Maida Heatter’s Rugelach
Dorie Greenspan’s Sablés
Challah
Challah Revisited
New Years’ Eve

James Beard’s Champagne Punch
Buckwheat Blini with Crème Fraîche and Caviar
Sauce)
Lobster Bisque or Spaghetti with Caviar, Scallions, and Chopped Egg
Filet de Boeuf Rôti (Roast Fillet of Beef) with Sauce Bordelaise or Roast
Lobster with Vanilla Sauce
The Most Voluptuous Cauliflower
Taillevent’s Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Sauce or Gâteau de Crepes
New Years’ Day

Hoppin’ John
Chinese New Year
Ginger Cordial
Clams in Black Bean Sauce
Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots
Chilled Sesame Spinach
Stir-Fried Collards
Spicy Cucumber Salad
Chinese Pork Balls
Chinese Barbecued Spareribs
Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles
Chinese-Style Steamed Black Sea Bass
Hunan Beef with Cumin
Lee Lum’s Lemon Chicken
Hot Pepper Shrimp
Tea Ice Cream
Easter
Rhubarb Bellini
Monte’s Ham
Asparagus Mimosa
Hot Cross Buns
Charleston Coconut Sweeties
Party Balls
Passover
Matzoh Ball Soup
Spicy Orange Salad Moroccan-Style
Haricots Verts with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Moroccan Carrot Salad
Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill
Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish
Potato “Tostones”
Sautéed Asparagus with Fleur de Sel
Al Forno’s Roasted Asparagus
Artichauts Vinaigrette
Sweet-and-Sour Salmon in Almond Prune Sauce
Sole Grenobloise
Iraqi Grape Leaves Stuffed with Lamb, Mint, and Cinnamon
Choresh Qormeh Sabzi (Green Herb Stew)
Roman Lamb
Arnaki Araka (Lamb with Peas)
High-Temperature Roast Lamb with Schrafft’s Mint Sauce
Moroccan Chicken Smothered in Olives
Macaroons
Rosh Hashanah
Fried Chickpeas
Moroccan Tomato Soup
Ismail Merchant’s Very Hot Chicken Soup
Turkish Split-Pea Soup with Mint and Paprika
Winter Borscht
Raw Artichoke Salad with Cucumber
Couscous Salad
Bulgur Salad with Pomegranate Dressing and Toasted Nuts
Barley Risotto
Potted Salmon
Salmon and Beet Tartare
Epigram of Lamb
Roasted Squab with Chicken Liver Stuffing
Chicken Paprikash
James Beard’s Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
Purple Plum Torte
Polish Jewish Plum Cake
Rosh Hashanah Plum Pie
Plum Fritters
Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake
Ginger Cake
Bolzano Apple Cake
Poppy Seed Torte
Apple Dumplings
Apple Snow
Tarte aux Pommes
Crunchy Noodle Kugel à la Great-Aunt Martha
Honey Spice Cookies
Spice Krinkles
Maida Heatter’s Rugelach
Challah
Challah Revisited
July 4
Patsy’s Bourbon Slush
Jay Grelen’s Southern Iced Tea
North Carolina–Style Pulled Pork
Docks Coleslaw
Fried Green Tomatoes
Fresh Succotash
Pickled Watermelon Rind
Buttermilk Pie
Chocolate Chip Cookies
———
The Bone
Ginger Lemonade
Chicken Betty’s Fried Chicken and Gravy
Spoonbread’s Potato Salad
Iceberg Lettuce with Smoked Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing
Ice-Cold Tomatoes with Basil
Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill
Bread-and-Butter Pickles
Red Velvet Cake
Labor Day
Peach Bowl
Claret Cup
Vermouth Cup
Grilled Onion Guacamole
Pamela Sherrid’s Summer Pasta
Char-Grilled Tuna with Toasted Corn Vinaigrette and Avocado Salad
Stewed Corn
Jean Halberstam’s Deep-Fried Peaches
Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top
Super Bowl
The Bone
Pickled Shrimp
Bacon Explosion
Rosa de la Garza’s Dry Chili
Carolina Chicken Bog
Green Goddess Salad
Cashew Butterscotch Bars
Valentine’s Day
Improved Holland Gin Cocktail
Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano
Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber
Braised Duck Legs with Pinot Noir Sauce
Evelyn Sharpe’s French Chocolate Cake
Cocktail Party for 10

Sangria
Rebujito
Sir Francis Drake
Potato, Ham, and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas
Pan con Tomate
Seasoned Olives
Fried Sage Leaves
Fried Chickpeas
Fried Olives
Catalan Tortilla with Aioli
Goat’s-Milk Cheese, Buttered Brown Bread, and Salted Onion
Cocktail Party for 20

The Vesper
Junipero Gibson with Pickled Red Onion
Eggs Suffragette
Caramelized Bacon
Caramelized Onion and Quark Dip
Smoked Mackerel on Toasts
Special-Occasion Cocktails
Park Avenue Cocktail
Rillettes de Canard
Buckwheat Blini with Crème Fraîche and Caviar
Cocktails with Close Friends

Fino sherry
Roasted Feta with Thyme Honey
Marina Anagnostou’s Spanakopetes
Picnic
Ginger Lemonade
Scotch Eggs
Roast Chicken Salad
Clementine’s Tuna-Macaroni Salad
Orzo with Pine Nuts and Basil
Brie with Herbs in Bread
Pickled Shrimp
Watermelon and Tomato Salad
Haricots Verts with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Four-Bean Salad
Brownies
Lemon Bars
Food That Travels Well

Olive Oil–Tuna Spread With Lemon and Oregano
Feta Spread
Cheese Ball with Cumin, Mint, and Pistachios
Beet Tzatziki
Parmesan Crackers
Rillettes de Canard
Carrot Salad
Caponata
Golden Winter Puree
Summer Squash Casserole
Ratatouille with Butternut Squash
Boston Baked Beans
Light Potato Salad
Lasagna
Boeuf Bourguignon I and II
Carbonnades à la Flamande
Moussaka
Sausage, Bean, and Corn Stew
Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew
Turkey with Noodles Florentine
Luxury Chicken Potpies
Georgia Pecan Turkey Salad
Any cookie, bar, or pie
Make-Ahead Dinner Party

Rillettes de Canard
Frozen Lemon Soufflé
———
Seasoned Olives
Catalan Tortilla with Aioli
Gazpacho
Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mustard Seeds
Baked Zucchini with Herbs and Tomatoes
Pretty much any dessert
Dinner for 2
Hearth’s Fava Bean Salad
Spicy Lemony Clams with Pasta
Saffron Panna Cotta
Ambitious Dinner Party

Improved Holland Gin Cocktail
Yellow Pepper Soup with Paprika Mousse or Diane Vreeland’s Salade
Parisienne
Halibut with Parsley-Shellfish Sauce
Beet Tartare
Crepes Suzette
Weekend Brunch
Honey-Orange Smoothie
Heavenly Hots
Crisp bacon
Caffé latte
Winter Brunch
Amazing Overnight Waffles
Bill Granger’s Scrambled Eggs
Brioche
Winter Fruit Salad
Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Marmalade
Summer Brunch
Peach Salad
Soft Scrambled Eggs with Pesto and Fresh Ricotta
Cream Scones with Strawberry Jam
Family Breakfast
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins
Southern Brunch
Bloody Mary
“Breakfast” Shrimp and Grits
Eggs à la Lavalette
Old South Buttermilk Biscuits with Strawberry Jam
Italian
Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano
Zuppa di Funghi Siciliana
Potato Gnocchi
Italian Beef Stew with Rosemary
Red Wine Ice Cream
———
Crostini Romani
Red Wine Risotto
Coda alla Vaccinara
Spinach Roman-Style
Marcella’s Pear Cake
———
Rhubarb Bellini
Fried Olives
Spicy Lemony Clams with Pasta
Pork Braised in Milk and Cream
Salade à la Romaine
Tortoni or Ricotta Kisses or Almond Granita
———
Bagna Cauda
Parmesan Crackers
Braised Ligurian Chicken
Bittersweet Chocolate Semifreddo
———
Crostini with Eggplant and Pine Nut Puree
Fried Artichokes Azzurro
Corn and Yellow Tomato Risotto with Shrimp
Sea Bass in Grappa
Raspberry Granita
———
Shaved Artichoke Salad with Pine Nuts and Parmesan
Tuscan-Style Pork Spareribs
Eggplant Involtini
Italian Roast Potatoes
Escarole with Pan-Roasted Garlic and Lemon
Panna Cotta
———
Asparagus alla Fontina
Polpette alla Romana
Mezzaluna Salad
Zabaglione with Pine Nut Cookies or Canestrelli
———
Caesar Salad
Lasagna
Balducci’s Tiramisù
Spanish
Rebujito
Fried Chickpeas
Pan con Tomate
Potato, Ham, and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas
Marmitako or Cocido
Toasts with Chocolate, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt
———
Chorizo Revueltos or Gazpacho
Sauteed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel Broth
Churros with Chocolate Sauce
———
Catalan Tortilla with Aioli or Fried Eggplant with Salmorejo Sauce
Mushrooms with Manzanilla Sherry
Paella
Caramel Custard
———
Brandade (Salt Cod Mousse) or Lightly Smoked Salt Cod Salad
Eldorado Petit’s Fried Noodles with Garlic Mayonnaise and roasted fish or
shellfish
Fancy French
Kir Royale 38
Coquilles St.-Jacques or Potage Parisien with Sorrel Cream or Pointe d’Asperge
Filet de Boeuf Rôti with Sauce Bordelaise
The Most Voluptuous Cauliflower or Cassolette of Morels, Fiddleheads, and
Asparagus or Maître d’Hôtel Potatoes
Taillevent’s Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Sauce or Crepes Suzette
French Bistro
Leeks Vinaigrette
Boeuf Bourguignon
Evelyn Sharpe’s French Chocolate Cake or Chocolate Rum Mousse
———
Alice Waters’s Baked Goat Cheese with Salad
Madame Mouriere’s Cassoulet
Apple Tarte Tatin or Apple Galette
———
Soupe à l’Ail
Artichauts Vinaigrette
Fricassee of Chicken with Tarragon
Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley or Mashed Potatoes Anna
Sautéed Asparagus with Fleur de Sel
Breton Butter Cake or Chocolate Eclairs
———
Rillettes de Canard
Soupe à la Bonne Femme or Jean Yves Legarve’s Spaghetti with Lemon and
Asparagus Sauce
Sole Grenobloise
Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley or Mashed Potatoes Anna
Butter-Braised Asparagus and Oyster Mushrooms with Peas and Tarragon
Frozen Lemon Soufflé or Coeur à la Crème with Rhubarb Sauce
German
Arundel (Sausages in Ale)
Pork Chops with Rye Bread Stuffing
Himmelreich (Roast Pork with Apricots, Apples, and Prunes)
Königsberger Klopse (Meatballs in Creamy Caper Sauce)
Wilted Red Cabbage Salad
Cabbage and Potato Gratin with Mustard Bread Crumbs
Potato Salad with Beets
Black Forest Cake
Baumkuchentorte
Laura Brody’s Chocolate Cherry Torte
Ofenschlupfer (Almond Bread Pudding)
Spice Krinkles
Gingersnaps
Honey Spice Cookies
German Toast
Fresh Plum Kuchen
Middle Eastern
Jennifer’s Moroccan Tea
Seasoned Olives
Hummus bi Tahini
Beet Tzatziki
Roasted Carrot and Red Lentil Ragout
Green Lentils with Roasted Beets and Preserved Lemon
Eggplant Gratin with Saffron Custard
Yogurt Rice
Couscous Salad
Bulgur Salad with Pomegranate Dressing and Toasted Nuts
Iraqi Grape Leaves Stuffed with Lamb, Mint, and Cinnamon
Choresh Qormeh Sabzi (Green Herb Stew)
Crispy Chickpeas with Ground Meat
Almond and Buttermilk Sorbet
Moroccan Rice Pudding
Flourless Apricot Honey Soufflé
Indian
Aloo Kofta
Green Beans with Coriander-Coconut Crust
Mulligatawny Soup
Baked Goan Fish with Fresh Green Chile Chutney
Ceylon Curry of Oysters
Bombay Curry
Bademiya’s Justly Famous Bombay Chile-and-Cilantro Chicken
Sweet (or Savory) Lassi
Mango Lassi
Mango Ice Cream
Southeast Asian
Kaffir Lime Lemonade
Pad Thai–Style Rice Salad
Hoppers (Coconut Crepes)
Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes
Tuna Curry
Minced Fish Salad (Koy Pa)
Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Crab Salad
Mi Quang (Rice Noodles with Shrimp, Herbs, and Fried Pork Rinds)
Pork-and-Toasted-Rice-Powder Spring Rolls
Chicken with Lime, Chile and Fresh Herbs
Southeast Asian Chicken Two Ways
Pho Bo (Hanoi Beef Soup)
Shaking Beef
Thai Beef Salad
Pork and Squash in Coconut Milk
Malaysian Pork Stew with Traditional Garnishes
Coconut Rice Pudding with Lime Syrup
Sticky Rice with Mango
Glazed Mango with Sour Cream Sorbet and Black Pepper
Cantaloupe–Star Anise Sorbet
Pineapple Carpaccio with Lime Sorbet
New England
Clam Chowder
Oyster Chowder
Lobster Bisque I and II
Basic Corn Chowder
Docks Coleslaw
Stewed Corn
Boston Baked Beans
Fresh Succotash
Corn Bread Stuffing
Macaroni with Ham and Cheese
Lobster Roll
Deviled Crabs
Stuffed Clams
Clambake in a Pot
Spicy New England Pot Roast
Ann Seranne’s Rib Roast of Beef
Meat and Spinach Loaf
Sour-Milk Cake
Maida’s Blueberry Crumb Cake
New England Spider Cake
Blueberry Ice Cream
Indian Pudding
Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top
Molasses Candy
Brown Sugar Shortbread
Maple Shortbread Bars
Ruth’s Oatmeal Crisps
Boston Brown Bread
Johnnycake
New England Grape Butter
Cranberry Chutney
Spiced Hard Sauce
Southern
Mint Julep
Patsy’s Bourbon Slush
Eggs Louisiana
Ramos Gin Fizz
Sazerac
The Spice Boys’ Cheese Ball
Caramelized Bacon
Cheese Straws
Pickled Shrimp
Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread
Fried Green Tomatoes
Florida Beets
Fried Corn
Hoppin’ John
Pan-Barbecued Shrimp
Chicken Betty’s Fried Chicken and Gravy
Turducken
Georgia Pecan Turkey Salad
Carolina Chicken Bog
North Carolina–Style Pulled Pork
Cleo’s Daddy’s Barbecued Ribs
Apple City World-Champion Baby Back Ribs
Red Velvet Cake
Mrs. Foster’s Frosty Lime Pie
Key Lime Pie
Coconut Pie
Strawberry Charlotte
Jellied Strawberry Pie
Lemon Cheese Pie
Bourbon Pecan Pie
Buttermilk Pie
Pralines
Sand Tarts (Pecan Sandies)
Nancy Reagan’s Monkey Bread
Mississippi Pancakes
Chow-Chow
Barbecue Sauce
Sliced Green Tomato Pickles
Pickled Watermelon Rind
Brandied Peaches
Bread-and-Butter Pickles
Sauce Rémoulade (for Shrimp)
Latin American
La Paloma
Guacamole Tostadas
Grilled Onion Guacamole
Black Bean Soup with Salsa and Jalapeño Corn Bread Muffins
Tortilla Soup
Maida Heatter’s Cuban Black Beans and Rice
Fish Tacos
Yucatán Fish with Crisp Garlic
Staff Meal Chicken with Salsa Verde
Rosa de la Garza’s Dry Chili
Coloradito
Nueces Canyon Cabrito
El Parian’s Carne Asada
Aztec Hot Chocolate Pudding
Churros with Chocolate Sauce
Dulce de Lece
Vegetarian
Eggplant Involtini
Curried Root Vegetable Stew with Dumplings
Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles
Pasta with Yogurt and Caramelized Onions, from Kassos
Spaghetti with Fried Eggs and Roasted Peppers
Fettuccine with Preserved Lemon and Roasted Garlic
Swiss Chard Casserole with Farfalle and Cheeses
Cremini Mushroom Pasta with Wilted Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Extra Virgin
Olive Oil
Cucumber Risotto with Yellow Peppers and Herbs
Trenette, Fagliolini, e Patate al Pesto
Pamela Sherrid’s Summer Pasta
Conchiglie Al Forno with Mushrooms and Radicchio
Spaghettini with Vegetables and Pepper Vodka Sauce
Jean Yves Legarve’s Spaghetti with Lemon and Asparagus Sauce
Ed Giobbi’s Sweet Red Pepper Sauce for Pasta
Manicotti with Ricotta Cheese
Mrs. Sebastiani’s Malfatti
Kids’ Birthday Party

Sweet-and-Salty Popcorn with Orange Blossom Honey
Caramelized Bacon
Macaroni with Ham and Cheese
Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Succotash
Party Balls
Dinner on a Moment’s Notice

Pasta with Vodka
Spaghetti with Fried Eggs and Roasted Peppers
The Minimalist’s Paella
Pasta with Fast Sausage Ragu
Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil
Sea Bass in Grappa
Grilled Hanger Steak
Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese
Steamed Lemon Pudding
Brownies
Panna Cotta
David Eyre’s Pancake
Coupe Lena Horne
Grapefruit Fluff
Peach Salad
Carmelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats
Freezing-Cold Out
Mushrooms Stuffed with Duxelles and Sausage
Aztec Hot Chocolate Pudding
Sweltering Hot
Salade Niçoise
Raspberry Granita
Dinner on the Deck

Mezzaluna Salad
Hot Penne with Chilled Tomato Sauce and Charred Tuna
Fruit Crostatas
———
Pork Burgers
Light Potato Salad
Watermelon and Tomato Salad
Coconut Pie
———
‘21’ Club Hamburger
Spoonbread’s Potato Salad
Docks Coleslaw
Chez Panisse Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie
Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea
Cream Scones
Strawberry Jam
Banana Tea Bread
Crumpets
Two-Day Madeleines with Brown Butter
Chocolate Eclairs
An Incredible Date-Nut Bread
Shirley Estabrook Wood’s Zucchini Bread
Onion Rings
Welsh Rarebit
Cheese Crusts
Scotch Woodcock
Open-Faced Tomato Sandwich
Movie Snacks
Sweet-and-Salty Popcorn with Orange Blossom Honey
To Sugar or Crystallize Pop-Corn
Spiced Pecans
Saratoga Potatoes
Maple Shortbread Bars
Buttery French TV Snacks
Butterscotch
Chocolate Caramels
Bake Sale
Brownies
Lemon Bars
Brown Butter Peach Bars
Caramelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats
Brown Sugar Shortbread
Cashew Butterscotch Bars
Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Quakes
Almond-Lemon Macaroons
Ruth’s Oatmeal Crisps
English Gingersnaps
Straight-Up Rhubarb Pie
Apple Crumb Pie
Papa’s Apple Pound Cake
SOURCES
AMAZON
www.amazon.com Go-to for all variety of ingredients, from dried lotus
seeds to hickory chips for barbecuing.
Applewood dust or chips
Candied citron
Candied ginger
Candied orange peel
Candied pineapple
Ceylon tea
Chinese egg noodles
Cinnamon syrup
Clear apple jelly
Crème de banana
Dark soy sauce
Dried lotus seeds
Dried shrimp
Elderberry or raspberry syrup Fermented black beans
Fish sauce, Thai and Vietnamese Hickory or oak chips
Ketjap manis
Kombu
Licorice root
Maple extract
Matcha
Mirin
Oyster Sauce
Palm Sugar
Peppermint extract (Boyjian’s) Rice powder
Sambal oelek
Sambal oelek
Shrimp paste
Sour or morello cherries (jarred) Sriracha
Sticky rice
Tart cherry concentrate
Thai or Lao sticky rice
Vanilla paste
White Miso
Yuzu Juice
ASTOR WINES & SPIRITS
www.astorwines.com;
212-674-7500; 399 Lafayette Street, New York NY 10013
Solid selection of high and low, plus a ready-to-help staff.
Amaretto
Apricot eau-de-vie
Aquavit
Cassis syrup
Cherry liqueur
Cointreau
Crème de cacao (white and brown) Galliano
Green crème de menthe
Pepper vodka
Stolichnaya Gold vodka
Dry Swiss Wine (Fendant or Neuchâtel) BENTON’S SMOKY MOUNTAIN COUNTRY
HAMS
www.bentonshams.com;
423-442-5003
Slow-cured country hams, prosciutto, and bacon BOB’S RED MILL NATURAL FOODS
www.bobsredmill.com;
800-349-2173
Bob’s Red Mill produces a wide variety of organic and whole-grain products,
from flours to baking mixes and grains, including a full line of gluten-free
products.
Almond flour
Almond flour
Buckwheat flour
Rye flour
Semolina flour
Soy flour, full-fat
Tapioca, small pearl
CALIFORNIA CAVIAR
www.californiacaviar.com;
415-921-1226
In addition to sustainable domestic caviars, California Caviar sells smoked
salmon, truffles, and crème fraîche.
CHEFSHOP
www.chefshop.com;
800-596-0885
Producer-driven sustainable ingredients, including Italian salt-packed anchovies,
French le Puy lentils, and a large selection of dry goods.
Caper berries
Le Puy lentils
Marrow beans
Recca salt-packed anchovies
White verjus
D’ARTAGNAN
www.dartagnan.com;
800-327-8246
The best source for foie gras, game, truffles, pâté, sausage, smoked meats, and
organic poultry.
Demi-glace
Duck
Piegeon
Quail
Quail eggs
Rabbit
Sweetbreads
Venison stew meat
EARTHY DELIGHTS
www.earthy.com;
800-367-4709
A favorite among chefs, Earthy offers the freshest mushrooms, as well as
mushroom powder, and other wild-harvested items. They also offer cheeses,
vinegars, and other hard-to-find ingredients.
Chanterelle mushrooms
Dried morel mushrooms
Dried porcini mushrooms
Fiddlehead ferns
FORMAGGIO KITCHEN
www.formaggiokitchen.com;
888-212-3224; 244 Huron Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138
A Cambridge, Massachusetts, institution for over 30 years, Formaggio Kitchen
specializes in fine imported cheeses, jams, coffee, wine, and these delicate dried
plums from the Aquitaine region of France.
Pruneaux d’Agen
GUITTARD CHOCOLATE COMPANY
www.guittard.com;
800-468-2462
Guittard has been making quality chocolate since the nineteenth century.
72% cacao bittersweet chocolate Nocturne 91% cacao extra dark bar
IGOURMET
www.igourmet.com;
877-446-8763
Igourmet is the Amazon.com of food, with a beautiful store of high-end,
gourmet, and imported food products.
Almond oil
Chestnuts
Cotija cheese
Creole mustard
Fleur de sel
Fromage blanc
Hazelnut oil
Kefalotyri cheese
Kefalotyri cheese
Lingonberry preserves
Maldon sea salt
Matcha (green tea powder)
Mexican chocolate
Oaxaca cheese
Pepitas
Peppadew peppers
Pistachio oil
Tasso ham
Walnut oil
White truffle oil
Whole-grain Meaux mustard
K&L WINE MERCHANTS

www.klwines.com;
877-559-4637; 3005 El Camino Real, Redwood City CA 94061
K&L stocks wines from around the world at competitive prices; it has a
knowledgeable staff and comprehensive website.
Absinthe
Absolut citron vodka
Appleton Estate V/X rum
Bacardi Gold Label rum
Baker’s 107-proof rum
Chartreuse
Cruzan 5-year-old rum
Deluxe bourbon
Fino sherry
Ginger beer
Grappa
Haitian white rum
Herradura Hacienda del Cristero tequila blanco Holland gin
Italian vermouth
Luxardo maraschino liqueur
Madeira
Manzanilla sherry
Marsala
Ouzo
Ouzo
Poire Williams
Sauternes
Shaoxing wine
Spanish brandy
Tio Pepe dry sherry
Triple Sec
KALUSTYAN’S
www.kalustyans.com;
800-352-3451; 123 Lexington Avenue, New York NY 10016
Kalustyan’s seems to have every ingredient ever created, with a focus on Indian,
Middle Eastern, and Asian goods. Most of their stock is available online, but
stopping by the store is always a promising adventure.
Chana dal
Chickpea flour
Coarse semolina
Coconut: chips, desiccated, unsweetened, and shelled whole Coconut oil
Dates, Deglect Noor and Medjool Dhana dal
Fenugreek seeds
Fresh curry leaves
Galangal
Ghee
Harissa
Indian pickles
Jarred and canned grape leaves Jasmine tea pearls
Kaffir lime leaves
Kalunji seeds
Mango pulp (Alphonso)
Mustard oil
Orange flower water
Pappadum
Pasilla chile, dried
Pomegranate molasses
Preserved lemons
Red lentils
Rosewater
Sichuan peppercorns
Tamarind concentrate
Tamarind concentrate
Thai bird chiles
Urad dal
White spelt flour
KEGWORKS
www.kegworks.com;
877-636-3673
KegWorks will help you set up a well-stocked bar, with a large selection of
bartending tools and premium bitters and syrups.
Falernum
Orange bitters
Peychaud bitters
KING ARTHUR FLOUR

www.kingarthurflour.com;
800-827-6836
This Vermont company makes high-quality all-natural flours and mixes and
supplies hard-to-find baking ingredients.
Bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves Italian “00” flour
LA TIENDA
www.tienda.com;
888-331-4362
La Tienda imports high-quality Spanish and Latin ingredients, including Serrano
ham, sausages, smoked paprika, and tuna packed in olive oil.
Fideos
Fire-roasted piquillo peppers Chorizo, Mexican and Spanish Saffron
Serrano ham
Smoked pork chops and loin (lomo) Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón) Tuna
packed in olive oil
LOBEL’S
www.lobels.com;
877-783-4512
Top-quality prime and Wagyu beef, lamb, veal, Berkshire pork, pork belly, and
sausages, and personal service from the Lobel family.
THE MEADOW
www.atthemeadow.com;
888-388-4633
This Portland, Oregon, shop specializes in artisan salt from around the world,
orange flower water, chocolate, and local and European wines. They also have a
terrific selection of bitters and syrups.
MELISSA’S
www.melissas.com;
800-588-0151
Melissa’s is the largest distributor of specialty produce in the United States, with
a vast selection of exotic fruits and vegetables, Latin ingredients, and chiles.
Bay leaves, fresh
Cipollini onions
Italian prune plums
Key limes
Lemongrass
Meyer lemons
New Mexico chiles, dried
Okra
Plantains
Serrano chiles
Sorrel
Tomatillos
MING’S PANTRY
www.mingspantry.com;
866-646-4266
Ming’s Pantry is Chef Ming Tsai’s online store and a fantastic resource for
Asian ingredients, like Chinese vinegars—including black and rice vinegars—
and cooking wines.
MOZZARELLA COMPANY
www.mozzco.com;
800-798-2954
This artisanal cheese company just outside Dallas makes excellent mozzarella
and Latin cheeses like queso blanco (panela).
MURRAY’S CHEESE
www.murrayscheese.com;
888-692-4339
This New York City cheese shop stocks an incomparable selection of cheeses—
from ricotta to Comté—from around the world.
NUTS ONLINE
www.nutsonline.com;
800-558-6887
Roasted or raw, salted or unsalted, nuts and dried fruit by the pound. They carry
exceptional figs, raw cashews, and Turkish apricots.
PENZEYS SPICES
www.penzeys.com;
800-741-7787
Penzeys carries whole and ground chiles, dried herbs, spices, and many spice
blends.
Ancho chile powder
Ancho chiles, dried
Cardamom pods
Filé powder
Chipotle chiles, dried
Guajillo chiles, dried
Chiles de árbol, dried
Hungarian paprika
Vietnamese cassia cinnamon
PETROSSIAN
www.petrossian.com;
800-828-9241
Stocks all grades of caviar as well as pike, trout, and salmon roe—also
sustainable varieties.
Black caviar
Osetra Caviar
PIMENTO WOOD
www.pimentowood.com;
612-868-5375
Pimento wood sticks and chips for barbecuing and jerk cooking.
Pimento wood sticks and chips for barbecuing and jerk cooking.
RUSS & DAUGHTERS
www.russanddaughters.com;
800-787-7229
A purveyor of caviar, whitefish roe, and smoked and cured salmon and herring,
and a New York City institution.
Golden whitefish caviar
Salmon caviar
Smoked mackerel
Smoked trout
Trout caviar
SAVANNAH BEE COMPANY

www.savannahbee.com;
800-955-5080
Savannah sells a wide range of artisan honeys from orange blossom to tupelo to
sourwood.
SID WAINER & SON

www.sidwainer.com;
888-743-9246
A nearly century-old specialty-foods company based in New Bedford,
Massachusetts, and a great source for hard-to-find seasonal produce, some of
which they grow themselves.
Lemon thyme
Lovage
Mâche
Mung bean sprouts
Pea greens and shoots
Romano beans
Shiso leaves
SMUCKER’S
www.onlinestore.smucker.com;
800-742-6729
Smucker’s now owns White Lily and sells this beloved brand’s delicate, low-
protein flour through their website.
VANNS SPICES
www.vannsspices.com;
800-583-1693
Vanns offers custom spice blends and all-natural herbs and rubs, including
grains of paradise and asafoetida.
ZINGERMAN’S
www.zingermans.com;
888-636-8162
This quirky Ann Arbor, Michigan, store sources fresh-baked breads, cheeses,
varietal coffee, estate bottled olive oils, salt-packed capers, and many other
products from around the world.
CREDITS
Chapter 1: Drinks, Cocktails, Punches, and Glögg

1948: PEACH BOWL
Adapted from American Wines, by Tom Marvel and Frank Schoonmaker. New
York: Duell, Sloan & Pearce (1941).
1958: GIN RICKEY
Adapted from The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, by David A. Embury. New York:
Doubleday (1948) 1984: HOT BUTTERED RUM
Adapted from Rum Yesterday and Today, by Hugh Barty-King and Anton
Massel. London: Heinemann (1983).
1987: MINT JULEP
Adapted from The Williamsburg Art of Cookery or, Accomplish’d
Gentlewoman’s Companion: Being a Collection of upwards of Five Hundred
of the most Ancient & Approv’d Recipes in Virginia Cookery, by Helen
Bullock. Williamsburg, VA: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (1985).
1989: SWEET (OR SAVORY) LASSI
Adapted from Classic Indian Cooking, by Julie Sahni. New York: Morrow
(1980).
1999: JAMES BEARD’S CHAMPAGNE PUNCH
Adapted from Champagne Cocktails, by Anistatia Miller, Jared Brown, and Don
Gatterdam. New York: Morrow (1999).
Chapter 2: Hors d’Oeuvres, Snacks, and Small Dishes

1998: FRESH AND SMOKED SALMON SPREAD
Adapted from Le Bernardin Cookbook: Four Star Simplicity, by Maguy Le Coze
and Eric Ripert. New York: Broadway (1998).
1999: TOASTS WITH WALNUT SAUCE
Adapted from Recipes from Paradise, by Fred Plotkin. Boston: Little, Brown
(1997).
2002: CROSTINI WITH EGGPLANT AND PINE NUT PUREE
Adapted from Local Flavors, by Deborah Madison. New York: Broadway
(2002).
2006: BEET TZATZIKI
Adapted from Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, by Ana Sortun.
New York: Morrow (2006).
2007: SQUASHED TOMATOES
Adapted from Flavors of Puglia, by Nancy Harmon Jenkins. New York:
Broadway (1997).
2008: OLIVE OIL–TUNA SPREAD WITH LEMON AND OREGANO
Adapted from Patricia Wells’s Trattoria, by Patricia Wells. New York: Scribner
(1999).
2008: PICKLED SHRIMP
Adapted from Frank Stitt’s Southern Table, by Frank Stitt. New York: Artisan
(2004).
Chapter 3: Soups
1974: SOUPE à L’OIGNON GRATINéE
Adapted from Gastronomie Pratique, by Ali-Bab. Paris: Flammarion (1993).
1977: FAKI (GREEK LENTIL SOUP)
Adapted from Vilma Liacouras Chantiles, author of The Food of Greece. New
York: Atheneum (1975).
1980: CURRIED ZUCCHINI SOUP
Adapted from Gad Zukes, by the Allentown, Pennsylvania, Branch of the
American Association of University Women. Copyright date unknown.
1994: WHITE GAZPACHO WITH ALMONDS AND GRAPES
Adapted from From Tapas to Meze, by Joanne Weir. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press
(2004).
1996: ISMAIL MERCHANT’S VERY HOT CHICKEN SOUP
Adapted from The Whole World Loves Chicken Soup, by Mimi Sheraton. New
York: Warner Books (2000).
1997: TURKISH SPLIT-PEA SOUP WITH MINT AND PAPRIKA
Adapted from Kitchen Conversation, by Joyce Goldstein. New York: Morrow
(1997).
1998: CREAMY FARRO AND CHICKPEA SOUP
Adapted from Mediterranean Grains and Greens, by Paula Wolfert. New York:
Morrow (1998).
1999: PHO BO (HANOI BEEF SOUP)
Adapted from Simple Art of Vietnamese Cooking, by Binh Duong and Marcia
Kiesel. New York: Prentice Hall Press (1991).
1999: CLEAR STEAMED CHICKEN SOUP WITH GINGER
Adapted from A Spoonful of Ginger, by Nina Simonds. New York: Stewart
Tabori Chang (1999).
2000: POTAGE PARISIEN WITH SORREL CREAM
Adapted from Café Boulud Cookbook, by Daniel Boulud and Dorie Greenspan.
New York: Scribner (1999).
2003: MANJULA GOKAL’S GUJARATI MANGO SOUP
Adapted from a recipe by Manjula Gokal in From Curries to Kebabs, by Madhur
Jaffrey. New York: Clarkson Potter (2003).
2003: PASTA AND BEAN SOUP
Adapted from Tom Valenti’s Soups, Stews, and One-Pot Meals, by Tom Valenti.
New York: Scribner (2003).
Chapter 4: Salads
1983: ALICE WATERS’S BAKED GOAT CHEESE WITH SALAD
Adapted from The Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook, by Alice Waters. New York:
Random House (1995).
2000: DIANE VREELAND’S SALADE PARISIENNE
Adapted from How to Do It, by Elsa Maxwell. Boston: Little, Brown (1957).
2000: AVOCADO AND BEET SALAD WITH CITRUS VINAIGRETTE
Adapted from The Chez Panisse Café Cookbook, by Alice Waters. New York:
Morrow (1999).
Chapter 5: Vegetables
2000: GREEN BEANS WITH CORIANDER-COCONUT CRUST
Adapted from Raji Cuisine: Indian Flavors, French Passion, by Raji Jallepalli.
2001: ZUCCHINI WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE PESTO
Adapted from The Crème Fraîche Cookbook, by Sadie Kendall. Atascadero,
CA: Ridgeview (1989).
2002: FRIED EGGPLANT WITH SALMOREJO SAUCE
Adapted from ¡Delicioso!: The Regional Cooking of Spain, by Penelope Casas.
New York: Knopf (1996).
2006: WILTED CHARD WITH PICKLED RED ONION
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison. New
York: Broadway (1997).
2007: ZUCCHINI CARPACCIO WITH AVOCADO
Adapted from Vegetable Harvest, by Patricia Wells. New York: Morrow (2007).
2008: STEAMED FENNEL WITH RED PEPPER OIL
Adapted from A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes, by David Tanis. New York:
Artisan (2008).
Chapter 6: Potatoes, Corn, and Legumes

1979: BLENDER CORN PUDDING
Adapted from Ale-Wives to Zucchini, by the Southampton Historical Society.
Southampton, NY (1976).
1993: DRUNKEN BEANS
Adapted from The New Texas Cuisine, by Stephan Pyles. New York: Doubleday
(1993).
1998: GREEN LENTILS WITH ROASTED BEETS AND PRESERVED LEMON
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison. New
York: Broadway (1997).
1998: YOGURT WITH PLANTAIN AND MANGO
Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian, by Madhur Jaffrey. New
York: Clarkson Potter (1999).
1999: BAKED CHICKPEAS
Adapted from The Basque Kitchen, by Gerald Hirigoyen. New York: Morrow
(1999).
1999: MASHED POTATOES ANNA
Adapted from A Passion for Potatoes, by Lydie Marshall. New York: Morrow
(1992).
2001: PUREE OF PEAS AND WATERCRESS
Adapted from The Loaves and Fishes Cookbook, by Anna Pump. New York:
Macmillan (1987).
2007: POTATO “TOSTONES” (FLATTENED POTATOES)
Adapted from Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook, by Susan Spungen.
Chapter 7: Pasta, Rice, Grains, and Stuffings

1982: PASTA WITH VODKA
Adapted from Italian Cooking in the Grand Tradition, by Jo Bettoja and Anna
Maria Cornetto. New York: Dial Press (1982).
2001: PASTA WITH YOGURT AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS, FROM KASSOS
Adapted from The Glorious Foods of Greece, by Diane Kochilas. New York:
Morrow (2001).
2007: SAVORY RICOTTA PUDDING
Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques, by Suzanne Goin. New York: Knopf
(2005).
2007: YOGURT RICE
Adapted from Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts, by Ammini
Ramachandran. Birmington, IN: iUniverse (2007).
2008: RICE AND PEAS (JAMAICAN RICE WITH COCONUT AND RED BEANS)
Adapted from Jerk: Barbecue from Jamaica, by Helen Willinsky. Berkeley:
Crossing Press (1990).
Chapter 9: Fish and Shellfish
1997: NINA SIMONDS’S BROILED HALIBUT WITH MISO GLAZE
Adapted from A Spoonful of Ginger, by Nina Simonds. New York: Knopf
(1999).
2000: FRESH SALMON AND LIME CAKES
Adapted from Flavours, by Donna Hay. New York: Morrow (2003).
2002: GRILLED MOROCCAN SARDINES
Adapted from The Moroccan Collection, by Hilaire Walden. London: Hamlyn
(1998).
2003: SWEET-AND-SOUR SALMON IN ALMOND PRUNE SAUCE
Adapted from Delights from the Garden of Eden, by Nawal Nasrallah.
Bloomington, IN: Author House (2003).
2006: SCANDINAVIAN SEAFOOD SALAD
Adapted from Aquavit: And the New Scandinavian Cuisine, by Marcus
Samuelsson. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2003).
2006: FRIED MUSSELS WITH ALMOND-GARLIC SAUCE
Adapted from Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, by Ana Sortun. New
York: Morrow (2006).
2007: OVEN-ROASTED BRANZINO WITH HAZELNUT PICADA
Adapted from The Zuni Café Cookbook, by Judy Rodgers. New York: Norton
(2002).
Chapter 10: Poultry and Game
2000: STEAMED AND CRISPED DUCK
Adapted from Classic Chinese Cuisine, by Nina Simonds. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin (2003).
2002: BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH PINOT NOIR SAUCE
Adapted from BayWolf Restaurant Cookbook, by Michael Wild and Lauren
Lyle. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press (2004).
2002: MOROCCAN CHICKEN SMOTHERED IN OLIVES
Adapted from Mediterranean Cooking, by Paula Wolfert. Rev. ed. New York:
Ecco (1999).
Chapter 11: Beef, Veal, Lamb, and Pork

1949: EISENHOWER’S STEAK IN THE FIRE
Adapted from What’s Cooking on Governors Island. Compiled by Members of
St. Cornelius Altar Guild. Third Ed. New York (1949).
1998: COLORADITO (RED MOLE WITH PORK)
Adapted from The Food and Life of Oaxaca, by Zarela Martinez. New York:
Wiley (1997).
1999: GRILLED HANGER STEAK
Adapted from Prime Time: The Lobels’ Guide to Great Grilled Meats, by Evan,
Leon, Stanley, and Mark Lobel. New York: Wiley (1999).
2001: BRINED AND ROASTED PORK BELLY
Adapted from The Whole Beast, by Fergus Henderson. New York:
HarperCollins (2004).
2001: VITELLO TONNATO
Sauce adapted from The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella
Hazan. New York: Knopf (1992).
2002: BRISKET IN SWEET-AND-SOUR SAUCE
Adapted from Levana’s Table, by Levana Kirschenbaum. New York: Abrams
(2002).
2007: HUNAN BEEF WITH CUMIN
Adapted from Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, by Fuchsia Dunlop. New York:
Norton (2007).
2007: ROASTED MARROW BONES
Adapted from The Whole Beast, by Fergus Henderson. New York:
HarperCollins (2004).
2008: PORK ARROSTO WITH PRUNES AND GRAPPA
Adapted from Urban Italian, by Andrew Carmellini and Gwen Hyman. New
York: Bloomsbury USA (2008).
2008: EL PARIAN’S CARNE ASADA
Sauce adapted from The Art of Mexican Cooking, by Diana Kennedy. New
York: Bantam (1989).
2008: APPLE CITY WORLD-CHAMPION BABY BACK RIBS
Adapted from Peace, Love, and Barbecue, by Mike Mills and Amy Mills
Tunnicliffe. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Books (2005).
Chapter 12: Sauces, Dressings, Condiments, Rubs, and Preserves

1997: SWEET-AND-PULPY TOMATO KETCHUP
Adapted from Pure Ketchup, by Andrew Smith. Washington, DC: Smithsonian
(2001).
2008: FRESH RICOTTA
Adapted from Michael Chiarello’s Casual Cooking, by Michael Chiarello with
Janet Fletcher. San Francisco: Chronicle Books (2002).
Chapter 13: Breakfast and Brunch

2002: AMAZING OVERNIGHT WAFFLES
Adapted from Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Café, by Mollie Katzen. New York:
Hyperion (2002).
2005: HAZELNUT-LEMON-RICOTTA PANCAKES
Foundation of the recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking, by Irma S. Rombauer.
Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker. New York: Scribner (2006).
Chapter 14: Breads and Baking
2003: NANCY REAGAN’S MONKEY BREAD
Adapted from Nancy Reagan, printed in The American Cancer Society
Cookbook, by Anne Lindsay. New York: Hearst (1985).
Chapter 15: Cookies and Candy
1877: MOLASSES CANDY
Pulling instructions adapted from The Ultimate Candy Book, by Bruce
Weinstein. New York: Morrow (2000).
1879: PEPPERMINTS
Adapted from The Ultimate Candy Book, by Bruce Weinstein. New York:
Morrow (2000).
1973: SPICE KRINKLES
Adapted from Fanny Pierson Crane: Her Receipts, by Mary Donovan et al.
Montclair, NJ: Montclair Historical Society (1972).
1989: CANESTRELLI (SHORTBREAD FROM OVADA)
Adapted from Country Host Cookbook, by Rona Deme. New York: Quick Fox
(1980).
2000: ENGLISH TOFFEE
Adapted from Chocolate, by Nick Malgieri. New York: Morrow (1998).
2001: MAPLE SHORTBREAD BARS
Adapted from The New Carryout Cuisine, by Phyllis Méras with Linda Glick
Conway. Boston: Houghton Mifflin (1986).
2002: CHOCOLATE QUAKES
Adapted from Got Milk? The Cookie Book, by Peggy Cullen. San Francisco:
Chronicle Books (2000).
2005: LEMON GUMDROPS
Adapted from Making Great Candy, by Laura Dover Doran. New York: Lark
Books (2001).
2007: ALMOND-LEMON MACAROONS (ALMENDRADOS)
Adapted from Dulce lo Vivas, by Ana Bensadón. Miami: Planeta Publishing
(2006).
2008: BUTTERY FRENCH TV SNACKS (CROQ-TéLé).
Adapted from Field Guide to Cookies, by Anita Chu. Philadelphia: Quirk Books
(2008).
Chapter 16: Frozen Desserts
1879: NESSELRODE PUDDING
Adapted from Anne Bowman’s New Cookery-Book, by Anne Bowman. London:
Routledge (date unknown).
2001: BLACKBERRY ICE CREAM WITH CANDIED LEMON ZEST
Adapted from The Fearrington House Cookbook, by Jenny Fitch. Chapel Hill,
NC: Ventana (1987).
2002: MANGO ICE CREAM
Adapted from Mediterranean Street Food, by Anissa Helou. New York: Morrow
(2002).
2006: STRAWBERRY SORBET
Adapted from London River Café Cook Book, by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray.
London: Ebury Press (1996).
2009: TANGERINE SHERBET
Adapted, with significant liberties, from Chez Panisse Fruit, by Alice Waters.
Chapter 17: Cakes
1882: FILBERT TORTE
Icing adapted from Birthday Cakes, by Kathryn Kleinman. San Francisco:
Chronicle Books (2004).
1948: MOLASSES CUP CAKES WITH LEMON ICING
Adapted from Brer Rabbit’s New Orleans Molasses Recipes. Penick and Ford
(1948).
1965: HUGUENOT TORTE
Adapted from The First Ladies Cookbook, by Margaret Brown Klapthor. New
York: Parents’ Magazine Press (1975).
1981: MARIA TILLMAN JACKSON ROGERS’S CARROT CAKE
Adapted from My Mother Cooked My Way Through Harvard with These Creole
Recipes, by Mrs. Walter Tillman and Oscar A. Rogers. Hattiesburg:
University and College Press of Mississippi (1972).
1985: PANFORTE (TRADITIONAL SIENESE FRUITCAKE)
Adapted from The Italian Baker, by Carol Field. New York: Morrow (1985).
1991: MARCELLA’S PEAR CAKE
Adapted from More Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan. New York:
Random House (1995).
1995: TAILLEVENT’S CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PISTACHIO SAUCE
Adapted from The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris, by Patricia Wells. 4th ed. New
York: Workman (1999).
1996: JUNIOR’S CHEESECAKE
Adapted from New York Cookbook, by Molly O’Neill. Reprint. New York:
Workman (1992).
1998: COCONUT LOAF CAKE
Adapted from Desserts by Pierre Hermé, by Pierre Hermé and Dorie Greenspan.
Boston: Little, Brown (1998).
1999: FRESH GINGER CAKE
Adapted from Room for Dessert, by David Lebovitz. New York: Morrow
(1999).
2002: GOOEY CHOCOLATE STACK
Adapted from How to Be a Domestic Goddess, by Nigella Lawson. New York:
Hyperion (2001).
2002: AMAZON CAKE
Adapted from Café Beaujolais, by Margaret Fox and John S. Bear. Berkeley:
Ten Speed Press (1984).
2002: LEMON-ALMOND BUTTER CAKE
Adapted from In the Hands of a Chef, by Jody Adams. New York: Morrow
(2002).
2003: LEMON CAKE
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties! by Ina Garten. New York: Clarkson
Potter (2001).
2005: GâTEAU DE CREPES
Batter adapted from Joy of Cooking, by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer
Becker, and Ethan Becker. New York: Scribner (2006).
Pastry cream adapted from Desserts, by Pierre Hermé and Dorie Greenspan.
2006: CHAMOMILE AND ALMOND CAKE
Adapted from Aroma, by Mandy Aftel and Daniel Patterson. New York: Artisan
(2004).
2008: REVANI VERRIAS (SEMOLINA CAKE)
Adapted from The Food and Wine of Greece, by Diane Kochilas. New York: St.
Martin’s Griffin (1993).
2008: EVEN-GREATER AMERICAN POUND CAKE
Adapted from BakeWise, by Shirley O. Corriher. New York: Scribner (2008).
Chapter 18: Pies, Tarts, and Other Desserts

1877: CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS
Some technique and proportions adapted from LaVarenne Pratique, by Anne
Willan; New York: Crown (1989) and from Maida Heatter’s Book of Great
Chocolate Desserts, by Maida Heatter; Random House (1995).
1977: PRUNEAUX DU PICHET (PRUNES IN A PITCHER)
Adapted from Ma Gastronomie, by Fernand Point. New York: Xs Books (1989).
1991: CARAMEL CUSTARD
Adapted from The French Chef Cookbook, by Julia Child. Reprint. New York:
Knopf (2006).
1995: SALLY DARR’S GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLE TART
Workman (1992).
1998: PINEAPPLE CARPACCIO WITH LIME SORBET
Adapted from Desserts by Pierre Hermé, by Pierre Hermé and Dorie Greenspan.
1998: APPLE GALETTE
Adapted from The Pie and Pastry Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum. New York:
Scribner (1998).
1999: LE CIRQUE’S CRÈME BRÛLÉE
Workman (1992).
2007: RHUBARB ORANGE
Adapted from Italian Two Easy: Simple Recipes from the London River Café, by
Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. New York: Clarkson Potter (2006).
2007: QUEEN OF PUDDINGS
Adapted from Lost Desserts, by Gail Monaghan. New York: Rizzoli (2007).
PHOTO CREDITS
Here: The New York Times

Here: John Orris/The New York Times here: Photograph by Larry Harmon
here: Andrew Scrivani for the New York Times here: The New York Times
here: Photograph by Michael Geiger
here: From the New York Times, January 22, 1984
here: Hiroko Masuike for the New York Times here: The New York Times
here: Tony Cenicola/The New York Times here: The New York Times
here: Paul Hosefros/The New York Times here: Andrew Scrivani for the New
York Times here: Photograph by Ed Alcock
here: Andrew Scrivani for the New York Times here: Andrew Scrivani for the
New York Times here: From the New York Times, May 19, 1982
here: Photograph by Lou Manna
here: The New York Times
here: Evan Sung/The New York Times here: Andrew Scrivani for the New York
Times here: Andrew Scrivani for the New York Times here: From the New
York Times, 1960
here: Gene Maggio/The New York Times here: Tony Cenicola/The New York
Times here: Photograph by Tom Schierlitz
here: Andre Scrivani for the New York Times here: Photograph by Zachary
Zavislak
here: Andrew Scrivani for the New York Times here, left: Andrew Scrivani for
the New York Times here, right: Andrew Scrivani for the New York Times
here: Ruby Washington/The New York Times here: Fred R. Conrad/The New
York Times here: Andrew Scrivani for the New York Times here: Andrew
Scrivani for the New York Times here: The New York Times
here: Chester Higgins, Jr./The New York Times here: Evan Sung for the New
York Times here: The New York Times Studio here: Bill Aller/The New York
Times here: The New York Times
here: Gene Maggio/The New York Times here: The New York Times
here: Andrew Scrivani for the New York Times here: Gene Maggio/The New
York Times
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
When I set out to write this cookbook, I had no idea how massive
the Times 150-year-old food archive was or the fortitude I would need
to navigate it. And I certainly didn’t plan to test anything like 1,400
recipes.
I couldn’t have done any of it without the help of Merrill Stubbs,
whose research and cooking skills are limitless, and who has become
like a sister—one with a happily complementary set of enthusiasms.
She doesn’t like making pastry dough; I love it. I hate chopping
parsley; she finds it a gratifying challenge. When I was pregnant with
twins and unable to stand, Merrill would set up a cutting board at my
dining room table and bring me vegetables to chop. Once my twins
were born, we’d take turns stirring pots and swinging the babies in
their bouncy seats. We spent hundreds of weekends and evenings
testing recipes, eating triumphant and failed dinners, and doing dishes
late into the night.
My husband, Tad, a reluctant foodie, had the taxing job of tasting
everything. He would like it to be made clear that he lobbied for the
Mocha Cheesecake here, and that the biscotti recipes, a cookie he
despises for its “unfriendly” crunch, were included over his
objections. There is no way in one short paragraph that I can amply
thank him for all of his help—his laser-like editing, his tolerance for
dinners consisting entirely of four kinds of crab cakes, his patience
with my hare-brained scheme to take on this project while I had a full-
time job, his heroic dishwashing, his willingness to cook dinner
during the months (well, years) when I was actually writing the book,
his infinite support and sweetness.
This was a true family affair. Our children, Walker and Addie, were
raised on the recipes in this book: they got them first as purees, later
as solids. They ate roast pigeon cut into tiny bits, spaghetti with sea
urchin sauce, and île flottante before the age of two. They’ll probably
grow up to subsist entirely on junk food. My father-in-law, Dorie
Friend, a long-time Times reader, worked on title ideas; Mary French,
his girlfriend, helped perfect the Stewed Corn here; our babysitter,
Lorna Lambert, kept the trains running; and the entire Friend family
served as open-minded and enthusiastic tasters.
As she has with my previous books, my sister, Rhonda Thomson,
played a vital role in whipping this one into shape. She tested (and
retested and retested) recipes for me, read proofs, and—using her
expertise as a designer—weighed in on page layouts and fonts. Any
time I saw them over the past few years, my mother, Judith Hesser,
and my sister, Andrea Manella, were roped in to help me put together
potential dishes for the book (there is now a rule that I’m no longer
allowed to test recipes on family visits—OK, hot dogs for all!). And
my brother, Dean, and sister-in-law, Leslie, let me hole up in their
house in Pennsylvania for a week to write, during which time I
managed to coax Dean into testing the Moscow Mule (here), Cheese
Straws (here) and Pickled Shrimp (here). All great!
Any institution as old as the New York Times can seem like a crazy
family filled with eccentric characters (the disguise-flaunting food
critic Ruth Reichl; the peerless bon vivant R. W. Apple Jr.) and
hidebound, idiosyncratic rules (its style book insists on calling a
“lychee” a “lychee nut”), but I am grateful to have worked at such a
remarkable place and to have had a chance to capture some of its
history in this book. Among the dozens of people who helped me in
ways small and large were Susan Chira, Alex Ward, Tomi Murata,
Nancy Lee, Gerry Marzorati, Bill Keller, Jeff Roth, Linda Amster, Pat
Gurosky, Nick Fox, Anne-Marie Schiro, Rick Flaste, Trish Hall, Andy
Port, Michalene Busico, Mike Levitas, Joanna Milter, Phyllis Collazo,
Michael Ryan Murphy, and Kathi Gilmore-Barnes.
This kind of project doesn’t take a village, it takes a metropolis
teeming with smart young recent college graduates. Among the many
whom I will probably end up working for someday are Emily
McKenna (who tested 150 recipes in a month, created the source list,
and assisted in countless other valuable and thoughtful ways), Helen
Johnston (who helped with recipe pairings, recipe categories, and
menus), Jacqueline Barba (who proofread every recipe), Nicole
Tourtelot, Alison Liss, Johanna Smith, Lauren Shockey, Tabitha
Schick, Adrienne Davich, Francesca Gilberti, and James Malloy.
Countless food writers, specialists, and historians contributed to my
research. I am particularly grateful to Andy Smith, a professor at The
New School in New York City; Anne Mendelson, the writer and food
historian; and the Association for the Study of Food and Society,
whose Listserv members have been extraordinarily generous with
their time over the years.
I found many wonderful old cookbooks, including my copy of
Craig Claiborne’s New York Times Cookbook, at Bonnie Slotnick
Cookbooks in Manhattan. One splendid new book that is especially
thoughtful about the changes in American food and food journalism is
David Kamp’s United States of Arugula.
No cookbook should be published without a lot of friends and
opinionated cooks weighing in. Early on, Nora Ephron suggested I
write the book from a personal point of view rather than that of an
arm’s-length editor. My friends Esther Fein and Jennifer Steinhauer
made sure this WASP included all the right Jewish foods; Jennifer
also read proofs and kept on me like an army sergeant to finish the
manuscript. Elizabeth Beier came up with the chronological recipe
structure within chapters. And every time I saw Aleksandra
Crapanzano, she’d whisper a new favorite Times recipe into my ear. I
am also filled with appreciation for the dozens of friends, family, and
neighbors who recommended recipes and tasted the various dishes
that I forced upon them. And I am grateful to the hundreds of people
(some of whom I know, most of whom I don’t) on Twitter and
Facebook, who readily answered questions about recipes like carne
asada (here), and about the material used for the book cover, and who
contributed a huge number of excellent ideas for the food timeline in
the introduction.
Thanks to Heather Schroder, my agent and a great cook herself,
who didn’t press the mute button every time I called to complain
about ten-step recipes and sinks full of dishes. W. W. Norton’s
Starling Lawrence, Jeannie Luciano, and Jill Bialosky had a great
vision for this book and an understanding of the time it would take.
Julia Druskin came up with the clean, timeless design and worked
tirelessly to find an ingredient font that was both compact and vivid.
Bill Rusin and Ingsu Liu came up with a cover that pleased everyone
(not an easy task!). And Judith Sutton copyedited this manuscript with
such precision and deftness I think her next job should be inspecting
the Large Hadron Collider. She surely wanted to egg my house for the
number of times I misspelled chiles. Or is it chilis?
I wrote much of this book underground on the 2/3 subway train and
I am genuinely glad to live in a place where the MTA provides clean,
well-lighted cars. If they’d put in WiFi too, I might actually have met
my deadline.
This book, I hope, will serve as a monument to all the great food
writers, home cooks, and chefs whose work has made the Times food
sections a must-read for more than a century and strongly shaped the
way we eat. I am particularly grateful to the many people who have
generously allowed me to reprint their work here and to all the Times
writers whose exceptional voices became part of our food culture:
among the many, Jane Nickerson, Juliet Corson, June Owen, Kiley
Taylor, Jane Holt, Charlotte Hughes, Jean Hewitt, Nan Ickeringill,
Raymond A. Sokolov, Mark Bittman, Marian Burros, Florence
Fabricant, Patricia Wells, Molly O’Neill, Melissa Clark, Nancy
Harmon Jenkins, R. W. Apple Jr., Suzanne Hamlin, Julia Moskin,
Sam Sifton, Julia Reed, Jonathan Reynolds, Jason Epstein, John
Willoughby, Chris Schlesinger, Joan Nathan, Toby Cecchini, William
L. Hamilton, Matt Lee, Ted Lee, Jonathan Miles, Ruth P. Casa-
Emillos, Denise Landis, Regina Schrambling, Christine Muhlke, Pete
Wells, Kim Severson, Alex Witchel, Eric Asimov, Frank Prial,
Howard Goldberg, Ed Levine, Bryan Miller, Mimi Sheraton, Oliver
Strand, Peter Meehan, Maura Egan, Michael Pollan, Paul Greenberg,
William Grimes, Jill Santopietro, Pierre Franey, and the great Craig
Claiborne.
Last but definitely not least, I want to thank the thousands of
newspaper readers from around the world who wrote to me to tell me
their most beloved Times recipes. They sent thoughtful, multipart e-
mails. They sent tattered decades-old clippings. They recounted how
these recipes epitomized both periods and shifts in their lives. They
wrote, directly and indirectly, about the community of food. Many of
them also sent follow-up e-mails years later, wondering where the
book was.
Here it is.
INDEX
Page numbers listed correspond to the print edition of this book. You
can use your device’s search function to locate particular terms in the
text.

A
Aioli, 86, 488–89, 559, 567
Airplane Salad, 197, 416
Alaskan Salmon, 38, 93, 183, 239, 262, 423
ale
Arundel, 511
Sausages in Ale, 511
Welsh Rarebit, 365
Al Forno’s Roasted Asparagus, 136, 162–63, 201, 233, 295, 296, 366, 422, 430, 493, 513, 526
Alice Waters’s Baked Goat Cheese with Salad, 106, 115, 181–82
Allegretti Chiffon Cake, 746–47
Almendrados, 160, 186, 440, 707–8
almond(s)
Almendrados, 707–8
Almond and Buttermilk Sorbet, 733–34
Almond Bread Pudding, 804–5
Almond-Carrot Salad, 204
Almond Custard Cake, 741–42
Almond-Lemon Macaroons, 707–8
Almond Paste Filling, 628
Blood Orange, Date, and Parmesan Salad with Almond Oil, 199–200
Bosiljka Marich’s Serbian Torte, 751–52
Brown Sugar Shortbread, 690
Buttery Almond Cakes, 697–99
Buttery French TV Snacks, 711
Chamomile and Almond Cake, 786–87
Cherry Spumoni, 732–33
Chilled Melon Soup with Toasted Almonds, 140
Chocolate Quakes, 702
Classic Financiers, 697–99
Coloradito, 547–48
Cornmeal Biscotti, 696–97
Croq-Télé, 711
English Toffee, 700
Florentines with Ginger, 689–90
Fried Mussels with Almond-Garlic Sauce, 439–40
Frozen Meringue Velvet, 723–24
Fyrstekake, 629–30
Hazelnut Baklava, 706–7
Hazelnut Cheesecake, 753–54
Key Lime Pie, 826–27
Lemon-Almond Butter Cake, 780
Lora Brody’s Chocolate Cherry Torte, 759–60
Lucas Schoormans’s Lemon Tart, 857–58
Macaroons, 681–82
Marjolaine, 766–68
Morning Bread Pudding, 639–40
Moroccan Rice Pudding, 848–49
Ofenschlupfer, 804–5
Pain d’Epices, 667–68
Panforte, 765–66
Prune Filling, 628
Red Mole with Pork, 547–48
Revani Verrias, 788
Romesco Sauce, 610–11
Royal Cake, 629–30
Salted and Deviled Almonds, 51–52
Semolina Cake, 788
Sweet-and-Sour Salmon in Almond Prune Sauce, 431
Traditional Sienese Fruitcake, 765–66
Tuna Salad, 435
Wedding Cake, the Delmonico Receipt, 743–44
White Gazpacho with Almonds and Grapes, 137–38
Almond and Buttermilk Sorbet, 123, 134, 302, 336, 733–34
Almond Bread Pudding, 506, 804–5
Almond Cake, 66, 151, 186, 192, 291, 296, 344, 345, 352, 456, 457, 480, 777–78, 857
Almond-Carrot Salad, 204, 223, 286, 352, 430, 442
Almond Custard Cake, 366, 536, 741–42
almond flour
Chocolate Cake with Bay Leaf Syrup, 768–69
Petit Beurre Cookies, 699–700
Almond Granita, 124, 138, 180, 253, 318, 324, 409, 427, 508, 528, 562, 715, 731–32
Almond-Lemon Macaroons, 160, 186, 440, 707–8, 813
almond paste
Almond Cake, 777–78
Almond Granita, 731–32
Aloo Kofta, 20, 26, 27, 74–75, 389, 392, 471
amaretti cookies
Amazing Overnight Waffles, 17, 619, 642
Amazon Cake, 119, 444, 779–80
anchovies
Anchovy Canapés, 51
Bagna Cauda, 58–59
Green Goddess Salad, 176–77
Italian Salad, 177
Janson’s Temptation, 278
Königsberger Klopse, 526–27
Lamb Shoulder Chops with Anchovy and Mint Butter, 567–68
Meatballs in Creamy Caper Sauce, 526–27
Open-Faced Tomato Sandwich, 367
Pan Bagnat, 376
Potted Salmon, 388–89
Puntarelle with Anchovies, 194–95
Roman Lamb, 542–43
Salade à la Grecque, 179–80
Salade Niçoise, 178–79
Scandinavian Seafood Salad, 439
Scotch Woodcock, 366
Stuffed Hard-Cooked Eggs, 56
Ventresca Tuna Salad, 426–27
Vitello Tonnato, 559–60
Anchovy Canapés, 21, 24, 51, 52, 54, 61
Angel Food Cake, 316, 483, 742, 787
anise liqueur
Provençal Fish Soup, 141–42
Anita Sheldon’s Torta di Spinaci, 368–69
Ann Seranne’s Rib Roast of Beef, 181, 218, 234, 247, 253, 255, 277, 519–20, 526, 594
antelope
Border Town Hunter’s Stew with Antelope (or Venison), Poblanos, Pumpkin, and Hominy, 571–72
Anton Mosimann’s Braised Brussels Sprouts in Cream, 133, 232, 276, 515, 540, 569
apple(s). See also apple cider; applesauce Apple, Prune, and Armagnac Tart, 827–28
Apple and Pecan Torte, 750
Apple Crumb Pie, 841
Apple Dumplings, 807
Apple Galette, 843
Apple Snow, 808–9
Apple Tarte Tatin, 837–38
Bolzano Apple Cake, 783
Braised Red Cabbage with Chestnuts, 221–22
Butternut Squash and Cider Soup, 136–37
Cranberry Chutney, 606
Crème Senegalese, 124
Curried Cream of Chicken Soup, 124
Fennel and Apple Salad with Juniper, 190
French Apple Tart, 825–26
Holiday Cranberry Chutney, 608–9
Huguenot Torte, 750
Individual Apple Tarts, 834–35
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake, 631–32
Lee’s Marlborough Tart, 816–17
Madeleine Kamman’s Apple Mousse, 816
Mrs. Hovis’s Hot Upside-Down Apple Pie, 828–29
Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake, 771–72
Papa’s Apple Pound Cake, 774–75
Red Cabbage Glazed with Maple Syrup, 236
Reuben’s Apple Pancake, 831–32
Sally Darr’s Golden Delicious Apple Tart, 839–40
Tarte aux Pommes, 825–26
Tartelettes aux Pommes Lionel Poilâne, 834–35
Teddie’s Apple Cake, 752–53
Tourtière, 827–28
Winter Fruit Salad, 850
apple(s), dried
Himmelreich, 539–40
Roasted Pork with Apricots, Apples, and Prunes, 539–40
Apple, Prune, and Armagnac Tart, 142, 181, 217, 299, 470, 530, 565, 827–28
Apple and Pecan Torte, 204, 276, 344, 594, 750
apple brandy. See Calvados
apple cider
Apple City World-Champion Baby Back Ribs, 582–83
Apple City World-Champion Baby Back Ribs, 149, 582–83
Apple Crumb Pie, 145, 223, 236, 246, 312, 351, 403, 487, 841
Apple Dumplings, 137, 365, 431, 793, 807, 813
Apple Galette, 24, 66, 107, 133, 186, 192, 204, 224, 227, 254, 286, 329, 349, 442, 457, 461, 481, 508, 529,
539, 573, 793, 843
applesauce
Laggtarta, 750–51
Pancakes Layered with Strawberries, 750–51
Porcini Bread Stuffing, 350–51
Apple Snow, 128, 133, 202, 238, 510, 513, 793, 808–9, 816, 861
Apple Tarte Tatin, 137, 285, 507, 513, 516, 517, 520, 532, 573, 837–38
apricots
Flourless Apricot Honey Soufflé, 846–47
Rosh Hashanah Plum Pie, 838
apricots, dried
aquavit
Swedish Glögg, 22–23
Arctic Char with Ancho-Shallot Butter, 444
Armagnac. see brandy
Arnaki Araka, 69, 89, 111, 180, 278, 293, 511, 550
Artichauts Vinaigrette, 163, 225–26, 408, 466, 479, 489, 513, 565
artichoke(s)
Artichauts Vinaigrette, 225–26
Artichoke Salad with Anchovy and Capers, 174
Artichokes Croisette, 220–21
Diane Forley’s Arugula Salad with Artichoke, Ricotta Salata, and Pumpkin Seeds, 188
Fried Artichokes Azzurro, 229
Raw Artichoke Salad with Cucumber, 173–74
Shaved Artichoke Salad with Pine Nuts and Parmesan Cheese, 191
artichoke hearts
Mezzaluna Salad, 185
Mrs. Reardy’s Shrimp and Artichoke Casserole, 395–96
Paella, 309–10
Spinach and Artichoke Casserole, 255–56
Artichoke Salad with Anchovy and Capers, 174, 337, 346, 375, 387, 462, 554
Artichokes Croisette, 220–21, 454
arugula
Arugula, Pear, and Gorgonzola Salad, 187
Chopped Salad of Romaine, Arugula, Dill, and Lemon, 195
Cremini Mushroom Pasta with Wilted Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 334–35
Decadent Lobster Salad, 440
Judy Rodgers’s Warm Bread Salad, 198
Roast Chicken with Bread Salad, 467–68
Tomato, Fig, Goat Cheese, Basil, and Olive Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, 199
Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari Salad, 443
Arundel, 56, 511
Asian Slaw, 552
asparagus
Al Forno’s Roasted Asparagus, 233
Asparagus alla Fontina, 222
Asparagus and Bulgur with Preserved-Lemon Dressing, 190
Asparagus Mimosa, 258–59
Asparagus Rolls, 365–66
Asparagus Salad, 214
Asparagus with Miso Butter, 259–60
Butter-Braised Asparagus and Oyster Mushrooms with Peas and Tarragon, 262–63
Cassolette of Morels, Fiddleheads, and Asparagus, 231
Fresh Morel, Asparagus, and Sweet Pea Risotto, 327–28
Jean Yves Legarve’s Spaghetti with Lemon and Asparagus Sauce, 319
Le Cirque’s Spaghetti Primavera, 314–16
Omelet with Asparagus, 624
Pointe d’Asperge, 212–13
Sautéed Asparagus with Fleur de Sel, 241
Asparagus alla Fontina, 174, 189, 222, 244, 374, 556
Asparagus and Bulgur with Preserved-Lemon Dressing, 190, 203, 295, 387, 510, 610
Asparagus Mimosa, 258–59, 345, 395, 550
Asparagus Salad, 214, 273, 387, 392, 470, 804
Asparagus with Miso Butter, 183, 259–60, 423, 441, 469
Astor House Rolls, 108, 109, 160, 652–53
Astoria Cocktail, 18, 51, 52, 61, 81, 83, 92
avocado(s)
Avocado and Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette, 193
Avocado Sandowsky, 54
Char-Grilled Tuna with Toasted Corn Vinaigrette and Avocado Salad, 410–11
Cucumber, Tomato, and Avocado Soup, 119–20
Grilled Beef, 581
Grilled Onion Guacamole, 71
Guacamole Tostadas, 67–68
A Loose Interpretation of Cobb Salad, 193–94
El Parian’s Carne Asada, 581
Roast Chicken Salad, 492–93
Tortilla Soup, 131
Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado, 261–62
Avocado and Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette, 193, 410, 430
Avocado Sandowsky, 21, 54, 57, 90
Aztec Hot Chocolate Pudding, 181, 230, 253, 484, 603, 855
B
Baci di Ricotta, 185, 256, 300, 338, 343, 466, 524, 543, 558, 852
bacon. See also pancetta
Bacon Explosion, 583
Bacon Potato Puffs, 276–77
Black Bean Soup with Salsa and Jalapeño Corn-Bread Muffins, 129–30
Blue Cheese Cheesecake, 61–62
Boeuf Bourguignon II, 516–17
Breakfast Pizza, 646–47
Cabbage and Potato Gratin with Mustard Bread Crumbs, 298–99
Calamari Ripieni, 402–3
Caramelized Bacon, 93
Chickpea, Sparerib, and Chorizo Stew, 578–79
Clambake in a Pot, 422–23
Cocido, 578–79
Corn Chowder with Bacon and Cream, 149
Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew, 560–61
Gigi Salad, 184
Hoppin’ John, 298
Iceberg Lettuce with Smoked Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing, 200–201
Light Potato Salad, 301
Madame Mouriere’s Cassoulet, 530–32
Manhattan Clam Chowder with Hake and Chorizo, 158
Oliver Clark’s Meat Loaf, 554–55
Oyster Chowder, 159
Paul Steindler’s Cabbage Soup, 124–25
Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Figs, Bacon, and Blue Cheese, 376–78
Pork Burgers, 566–67
Pumpkin, Sage, Chestnut, and Bacon Risotto, 348–49
Roast Quail with Sage Dressing, 453
Scrambled Eggs with Toast and Bacon, 638–39
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine Nuts, 235–36
Shrimp, Bacon, and Green Bean Salad, 184
Stuffed Squid, 402–3
Wallace Seawell’s Spinach Salad, 180–81
Bacon Explosion, 583, 584
Bacon Potato Puffs, 276–77, 521
Bademiya’s Justly Famous Bombay Chile-and-Cilantro Chicken, 26, 27, 247, 253, 260, 291, 357, 389, 471
Bagna Cauda, 58–59, 326, 329, 335, 345, 453, 556, 558, 571
Baked Alaska, 184, 415, 721
baked beans
Boston Baked Beans, 274
Baked Chickpeas, 293, 428
Baked Flounder, 148, 250, 366, 388, 401–2
Baked Goan Fish with Fresh Green Chile Chutney, 438–39
Baked Mushrooms, 209, 212, 296, 352, 536, 546, 561, 577
Baked or Shirred Eggs, 627
Baked Tart Shell, 830
Baked Zucchini with Herbs and Tomatoes, 149, 173, 250–51, 325, 329, 543, 562
bake sale items, 878
baklava
Balducci’s Tiramisù, 156, 177, 188, 229, 317, 321, 338, 342, 459, 524, 558, 830–31
banana(s)
Banana Cream Pie, 863–64
Banana Meringue Steamed Custard, 812
Banana Tea Bread, 655
Honey-Orange Smoothie, 29
Banana Cream Pie, 159, 175, 394, 512, 524, 863–64
Banana Meringue Steamed Custard, 200, 297, 812
barbecue menus, 878
Barbecue Sauce, 596
barley
Barley Risotto, 327
Coconut Barley Pilaf with Corn, Chicken, and Cashews, 358
Creamy Farro and Chickpea Soup, 143
Scotch Broth, 116–17
Barley Risotto, 148, 215, 246, 327, 403, 444, 453, 546, 566, 568
Basic Corn Chowder, 149, 186, 219, 250, 322, 367, 408, 412, 440
Basic Rub for Barbecue, 551, 583
basil
Corn and Yellow Tomato Risotto with Shrimp, 328–29
Fettuccine with Lobster and Herbs, 353
Fish Steamed over Vegetables and Fresh Herbs, 434–35
Green Tomato Pizza, 371–72
Hanoi Beef Soup, 144–45
Ice-Cold Tomatoes with Basil, 234
Last-of-the-Summer Pesto, 614
Lorane Schiff’s Pesto Genovese, 311
Malaysian-Inspired Pork Stew with Traditional Garnishes, 552–53
Marinated Flank Steak with Asian Slaw, 552
Mi Quang, 349–50
Orzo with Pine Nuts and Basil, 325
Pasta, Green Beans, and Potatoes with Pesto, 331
Pasta with Bones, 332–33
Pho Bo, 144–45
Pierre Franey’s Pasta with Clams, 347
Potato Salad with Shaved Ricotta Salata and Green Sauce, 299
Rice Noodles with Shrimp, Herbs, and Fried Pork Rinds, 349–50
Spring Lamb Salad with Pea Shoots and Sugar Snap Peas, 580–81
Trenette, Fagiolini, e Patate al Pesto, 331
Watercress and Basil Soup, 152–53
The Way Life Should Be, 353
Zucchini with Crème Fraîche Pesto, 250
Basmati Rice with Coconut Milk and Ginger, 67, 339, 452, 553
Basque Tuna Soup, 132
bass. See sea bass; striped bass Baumkuchentorte, 525, 747–48, 750
beans. See specific types of beans bean sprouts
Mi Quang, 349–50
Pad Thai–Style Rice Salad, 357–58
Pho Bo, 144–45
beef
Ann Seranne’s Rib Roast of Beef, 519–20
Apple City World-Champion Baby Back Ribs, 582–83
Beef, Potato, and Onion Stew, 506
Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce, 66–67
Bobotie, 532
Boeuf Bourguignon I, 516
Brisket in Sweet-and-Sour Sauce, 565–66
Broiled Steak with Oysters, 511–12
Carbonnades à la Flamande, 515
Center-Ring Strip Steak Marinated in Scotch Whiskey, 536
Choresh Qormeh Sabzi, 533
Cleo’s Daddy’s Barbecued Ribs, 529
Cocido, 578–79
Cold Beef with Tarragon Vinaigrette, 534
Crispy Chickpeas with Ground Meat, 558
Eisenhower’s Steak in the Fire, 512
Filet de Boeuf Rôti with Sauce Bordelaise, 528–29
Flemish Beef and Onion Stew, 515
Green Herb Stew, 533
Grilled Beef, 581
Grilled Hanger Steak, 551–52
Hunan Beef with Cumin, 575
Italian Beef Stew with Rosemary, 522
Lasagna, 342
Matt’s Whole Brisket with Tomato Gravy, 572–73
Meat and Spinach Loaf, 524
New York Strip Steak with Horseradish-Mint Glaze, 566
Orange-Braised Short Ribs with Fennel and Oregano, 544–45
Pho Bo, 144–45
Polpette alla Romana, 527–28
Rib-Eye Steaks with Peppered Cranberry Marmalade and Swiss Chard, 562–64
Rigatoni with White Bolognese, 344–45
Roast Fillet of Beef with Sauce Bordelaise, 528–29
Roman-Style Meatballs, 527–28
Rosa de la Garza’s Dry Chili, 521
Shaking Beef, 569–70
Shepherd’s Pie with Curried Meat, 534–35
Short Ribs with Coffee and Chiles, 579
Spanish Fricco, 506
Spicy New England Pot Roast, 523
Steak au Poivre, 573
T-Bone Steak with 6666 Soppin’ Sauce, 539
Thai Beef Salad, 543
‘21’ Club Hamburger, 536–37
Winter Borscht, 142–43
beef bones
Okra Soup with Beef (and Oysters), 109–10
Roasted Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad, 201–2
Vietnamese-Style Beef Stock, 144
Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce, 27, 66–67, 74, 124, 140, 553, 555
beer. See also ale; stout
Drunken Beans, 287
Veal Shanks with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, 540–41
Beer-Can Chicken, 28, 123, 145, 146, 161, 199, 261, 272, 275, 357, 473–74
beet(s)
Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber, 150–51
Beets in Lime Cream, 230
Beet Tartare, 240
Beet Tzatziki, 89
Chiffonade Salad, 173
Diane Vreeland’s Salade Parisienne, 192
Florida Beets, 216
Green Lentils with Roasted Beets and Preserved Lemon, 289–90
Potato Salad with Beets, 270–71
Salmon and Beet Tartare, 420
Slow-Roasted Duck, 475–76
Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber, 150–51, 152, 322, 418, 438, 452, 494, 534
Beets in Lime Cream, 130, 230, 414, 484, 569, 576
Beet Tartare, 240, 395
Beet Tzatziki, 34, 56, 68, 89, 511, 550, 567
bell peppers. See also roasted bell peppers Basque Tuna Soup, 132
Carolina Chicken Bog, 491–92
Catalan Vegetable Paella, 323–24
Chow-Chow, 593–94
Cucumber Risotto with Yellow Peppers and Herbs, 331–32
Ed Giobbi’s Sweet Red Pepper Sauce for Pasta, 318
Eggplant Gratin with Saffron Custard, 242
Fish Soup with Vegetables, 122–23
Green Gazpacho, 160–61
Green Pepper Salad, 172–73
Jonathan Waxman’s Red Pepper Pancakes, 228
Maida Heatter’s Cuban Black Beans and Rice, 281–82
Málaga Gazpacho, 112–13
Marmitako, 132
Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun-Style Gumbo, 125–27
Poivrons Verts Farcis, 223–24
Rabbit Soup with Garlic, Peppers, and Chorizo, 152
Ratatouille with Butternut Squash, 258
Sea Scallops with Sweet Red Peppers and Zucchini, 409
Shrimp Creole, 397
Sliced Green Tomato Pickles, 598
Soupe de Poisson Jardinière, 122–23
Spaghetti with Fried Eggs and Roasted Peppers, 339–40
Stuffed Green Peppers, 223–24
Sweet-and-Spicy Pepper Stew, 247–48
Thomas Keller’s Gazpacho, 146–47
Veal Goulash with Spaetzle, 525
Yellow Pepper Soup with Paprika Mousse, 147
Bel Paese cheese
Conchiglie al Forno with Mushrooms and Radicchio, 325–26
The Best Spinach Dip, with Chipotle and Lime, 21, 24, 35, 54, 90, 417, 432, 672, 865
beverages, 2–45. See also cocktail(s); cordials; punch; specific beverages recipes by category, 7–8
Bill Granger’s Scrambled Eggs, 17, 21, 619, 640
Billi-Bi au Safran, 125, 283, 513
Billionaire Cocktail, 40, 52, 83, 92
birthday party menus for kids, 877
biscotti
Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti, 694–95
biscuits
Old South Buttermilk Biscuits, 655–56
Sage Biscuits, 668
bisques
Lobster Bisque I, 108–9
Lobster Bisque II, 159–60
Bittersweet Chocolate Semifreddo, 134, 152, 249, 314, 375, 554, 727
black beans. See also fermented black beans Black Bean Soup with Salsa and Jalapeño Corn-Bread
Muffins, 129–30
Four-Bean Salad, 278–79
Grilled Beef, 581
Pumpkin–Black Bean Soup, 128–29
Black Bean Soup with Salsa and Jalapeño Corn-Bread Muffins, 68, 71, 129–30, 230, 484
blackberries
Blackberry Brandy, 11
Blackberry Ice Cream with Candied Lemon Zest, 729
Blueberry or Blackberry Filling with Lemon Curd, 856
Fresh Raspberry (or Blackberry or Blueberry) Flummery, 824–25
Judson Grill’s Berry Clafoutis with Crème Fraîche, 844
Summer Pudding, 847
black-eyed peas, dried
Hoppin’ John, 298
blackfish
Black Forest Cake, 222, 482, 511, 515, 754–55
black olives
Braised Ligurian Chicken, 491
Hot Penne with Chilled Tomato Sauce and Charred Tuna, 322
’ino’s Tuna with Black Olive Pesto Panini, 373–74
Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette, 288
Pan Bagnat, 376
Ratatouille Niçoise, 219–20
Seared Loin Lamb Chops with Olives and Soft Polenta, 556
Spicy Orange Salad Moroccan-Style, 181
Black-Skillet Okra, 257–58, 275
Blanquette of Veal, 317, 508–9
Blender Corn Pudding, 279–80, 409
Blender Eggnog, 44
blini
Buckwheat Blini with Crème Fraîche and Caviar, 81–82
Blood Orange, Date, and Parmesan Salad with Almond Oil, 33, 199–200, 424, 431, 482, 493, 558
Bloody Mary, 21, 624, 638, 642
Bloody Paradise, 30–31
blueberries
Blueberry Ice Cream, 726
Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top, 853–55
Delft Blue Cocktail, 43
Fresh Blueberry Buckle, 815
Fruit or Berry Tart, 829–30
Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins, 635–36
Maida’s Blueberry Crumb Cake, 632
Rosemary-Feta Salad, 186
Tarte aux Fruits, 829–30
Blueberry Ice Cream, 159, 162, 271, 275, 483, 700, 726
Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top, 227, 376, 394, 399, 423, 493, 555, 568, 853–55
blue cheese. See also Gorgonzola cheese Anchovy Canapés, 51
Blue Cheese Dip, 54–55
Blue Cheese Dressing, 464–65
Pistachio-Honey Rolls Stuffed with Blue Cheese, 666
The Spice Boys’ Cheese Ball, 79
Watermelon and Tomato Salad, 197–98
Blue Cheese Cheesecake, 9, 31, 61–62, 171, 179
Blue Cheese Dip, 21, 34, 54, 54–55, 57, 67, 72, 90, 181
bluefish
Bouillabaisse, 390–91
Bobotie, 532
Boeuf Bourguignon I, 56, 58, 70, 197, 217, 237, 285, 371, 506, 516
Boeuf Bourguignon II, 56, 58, 285, 516–17
Boiled Eggs, 644
Bolzano Apple Cake, 59, 143, 198, 232, 237, 247, 300, 326, 462, 536, 544, 783
Bombay Curry, 318, 349, 452
The Bone, 34–35, 64, 83, 93, 399, 465
Bordeaux Jelly, 593
Border Town Hunter’s Stew with Antelope (or Venison), Poblanos, Pumpkin, and Hominy, 248, 287, 571–
72
Bosiljka Marich’s Serbian Torte, 143, 187, 312, 742, 751–52
Boston Baked Beans, 192, 274, 275, 291, 551
Boston Brown Bread, 656
bouillabaisse
Bouillabaisse, 294, 390–91, 422
Chicken Bouillabaisse, 488–89
Gilbert Le Coze’s Bouillabaisse, 406–7
bourbon
Bourbon Pecan Pie, 842
Eggnog, 22
Mint Julep, 24–25
Patsy’s Bourbon Slush, 32–33
Whiskey Cake, 784–85
Bourbon Pecan Pie, 301, 473, 492, 548, 551, 842
Braised Duck Legs with Pinot Noir Sauce, 182, 190, 222, 235, 371, 481–82
Braised Lamb Shoulder with Sheep’s-Milk Cavatelli, 570–71
Braised Ligurian Chicken, 128, 227, 300, 403, 491
Braised Red Cabbage with Chestnuts, 221–22, 482, 515, 525
Braised Stuffed Breast of Veal, 70, 107, 217, 558–59, 594
Brandade, 433
Brandied Peaches, 298, 483, 599–600, 804
brandy. See also Calvados; grappa Apple, Prune, and Armagnac Tart, 827–28
Balducci’s Tiramisù, 830–31
Blender Eggnog, 44
Bordeaux Jelly, 593
Brandied Peaches, 599–600
Brandy (or Sherry) and Milk, 13
Champagne Cup, 14–15
Claret Cup, 12
Crepes Suzette, 821–22
Delicious Milk Punch, 10–11
Dick Taeuber’s Cordial Pie, 817–19
Eggnog, 22
Ginger Cordial, 10
Grapefruit Fluff, 809
Holiday Punch, 32
James Beard’s Champagne Punch, 28–29
Kir Royale 38, 28
Nicky Finn, 19
The Normandy, 43
Park Avenue Cocktail, 19
Plum Fritters, 865–66
Sangria, 23
Singapore Sling, 23–24
Steak au Poivre, 573
Tom and Jerry, 32
branzino
Oven-Roasted Branzino with Hazelnut Picada, 441–42
bread, 648–71. See also biscuits; bread pudding; buns; calzone(s); crostini; croutons; muffins; pizza; quick
breads; rolls; sandwiches; toast(s); yeast breads recipes by category, 651
Cherry and Coconut Brown Betty, 806–7
Corn Bread Stuffing, 312
Crostini Romani, 77
Crumpets, 654–55
Maida Heatter’s Preheated-Oven Popovers, 657
Old-Fashioned Bread and Chocolate Rolls, 664–65
Pan con Tomate, 91–92
Petits Pains au Chocolat à l’Ancienne, 664–65
Raisin Pecan Bread, 668–69
Rusks, 652
Sophie Grigson’s Parmesan Cake, 69–70
Wild Mushroom Stuffing, 337, 474
Bread-and-Butter Pickles, 587, 600
Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese, 157, 175, 221, 227, 245, 336, 465–66
Breaded Veal Milan-Style, 151, 153, 172, 185, 188, 311, 523–24
bread pudding
Caramelized Chocolate Bread Pudding, 852–53
Delicate Bread Pudding, 798
Leek and Shiitake Bread Pudding, 244–45
Queen of Puddings, 866
Savory Bread Pudding, 242–43
breakfast dishes, 616–47
recipes by category, 620
breakfast menus, 874
“Breakfast” Shrimp and Grits, 21, 641–42
Breton Butter Cake, 11, 24, 131, 176, 222, 243, 263, 466, 558, 777
Brie Butter with Fresh Bread, 605–6, 659
Brie cheese
Brie Butter with Fresh Bread, 605–6
Brie with Herbs in Bread, 69
Potato, Shiitake, and Brie Gratin, 285–86
Brie with Herbs in Bread, 16, 37, 63, 69, 118, 179, 185, 194, 197
Brine-Cured Pork Chops, 129, 232, 236, 258, 271, 275, 330, 569
Brined and Roasted Pork Belly, 130, 137, 199, 202, 216, 357, 556–57
Brioche, 653–54
broad beans
Garden Minestrone, 118–19
broccoli
Broccoli Puree with Ginger, 253
Spaghettini with Vegetables and Pepper Vodka Sauce, 320–21
Broccoli Puree with Ginger, 204, 253, 285, 444, 487, 566
Broccoli Rabe Oshitashi, 203, 262, 441
Broiled Lamb Chops, 221, 257, 277, 299, 514
Broiled Lamb Leg Chops on Eggplant Planks with Mint-Yogurt Sauce, 64, 72, 121, 180, 226, 244, 352,
549–50
Broiled Steak with Oysters, 175, 176, 214, 215, 216, 271, 511–12
Brown Butter Peach Bars, 108, 292, 424, 710–11
Brownies, 69, 146, 184, 197, 279, 285, 292, 320, 493, 583, 684–85
Brown Sugar Ice Cream, 212, 342, 721–22
Brown Sugar Shortbread, 117, 262, 535, 690
brunch dishes, 616–47
brunch menus, 874–75
Brussels sprouts
Anton Mosimann’s Braised Brussels Sprouts in Cream, 232
Brussels Sprouts “Slaw” with Mustard Butter, 253–54
Brussels Sprouts “Slaw” with Mustard Butter, 137, 253–54, 297, 487
Buckwheat Blini with Crème Fraîche and Caviar, 32, 81–82
Buckwheat Cookies, 702–3
bulgur
Bulgur Salad with Pomegranate Dressing and Toasted Nuts, 263, 354
buns. See also rolls
Hot Cross Buns, 654
butter(s). See also ghee
Homemade Butter and Buttermilk, 613–14
Hot Buttered Rum, 24
Steamed Spinach with Balsamic Butter, 226–27
Butter-Braised Asparagus and Oyster Mushrooms with Peas and Tarragon, 262–63, 430, 466, 509, 510,
526, 569
buttermilk
Buttermilk Herb Dressing, 200–201
Buttermilk Pie, 859–60
Buttermilk Roast Chicken, 493
Campton Place Buttermilk Chocolate Cake, 765
Chilled Corn Soup with Honeydew Polka Dots, 153–54
Chilled English Pea–Mint Soup, 162–63
Even-Greater American Pound Cake, 788–89
Fish Poached in Buttermilk, 419
Fresh Ricotta, 614–15
Lemon Cake, 781–82
Old South Buttermilk Biscuits, 655–56
Panna Cotta, 840–41
Ranch Dressing, 612–13
Red Velvet Cake, 757
Steamed Lemon Pudding, 849–50
Buttermilk Pie, 256, 258, 271, 428, 491, 493, 529, 551, 573, 599, 859–60
Buttermilk Roast Chicken, 131, 198, 225, 230, 237, 258, 262, 290, 322, 493
butternut squash
Butternut Squash Soup with Brown Butter, 156–58
Pork and Squash in Coconut Milk, 555
Roasted Squash Soup with Cumin, 147–48
Butternut Squash and Cider Soup, 136–37, 147, 156, 212, 254, 344, 481, 523
Butternut Squash Soup with Brown Butter, 156–58, 183, 236, 542
butterscotch
Butterscotch, 679
Butterscotch Pudding, 851–52
Cashew Butterscotch Bars, 697
Butterscotch Pudding, 215, 250, 325, 545, 851–52
Buttery Almond Cakes, 11, 179, 391, 697–99
Buttery French TV Snacks, 496, 711
Buttery Polenta with Parmesan and Olive-Oil-Fried Eggs, 21, 645–46
C
cabbage. See green cabbage; Napa cabbage; red cabbage; Savoy cabbage Cabbage and Potato Gratin with
Mustard Bread Crumbs, 181, 298–99, 476, 523
Cabbage Salad with Toasted Coriander and Cumin Mayonnaise, 194
Caesar Salad, 108, 174–75, 215, 222, 256, 284, 338, 342, 347
Café au Lait, 9
cakes, 736–89. See also cheesecake; coffee cakes; cupcakes; fruitcakes recipes by category, 739–40
Allegretti Chiffon Cake, 746–47
Amazon Cake, 779–80
Angel Food Cake, 742
Baumkuchentorte, 747–48
Black Forest Cake, 754–55
Bolzano Apple Cake, 783
Breton Butter Cake, 777
Cecily Brownstone’s Chiffon Roll, 747
Chocolate Dump-It Cake, 781
Chocolate Guinness Cake, 783–84
Chocolate Ice-Box “Cake,” 746
Cocoa Cake, 779–80
Coconut Loaf Cake, 774
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake, 776–77
Crepe-Like Layer Cake, 747–48
Devil’s Food Cake, 744–45
Evelyn Sharpe’s French Chocolate Cake, 752
Filbert Torte, 742–43
Forget-It Meringue Torte, 823
Fresh Ginger Cake, 775–76
Fresh Plum Kuchen, 625–26
Gâteau de Crepes, 785–86
Gooey Chocolate Stack, 778–79
Heavenly Chocolate Roll, 755–56
Huguenot Torte, 750
Intense Chocolate Cake, 763
Marcella’s Pear Cake, 769
Maria Tillman Jackson Rogers’s Carrot Cake, 761–62
Mary Ann’s Fruitcake, 660–61
Mississippi Mud Cake, 762–63
Mrs. Raymond Schenk’s Pumpkin Cake, 760–61
Multilayered Chocolate and Praline Cake, 766–68
New England Spider Cake, 782–83
Pear Upside-Down Cake, 772–73
Polish Jewish Plum Cake, 769–70
Poppy Seed Torte, 786
Purple Plum Torte, 763–64
Revani Verrias, 788
Semolina Cake, 788
Sour-Milk Cake, 741
Taillevent’s Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Sauce, 770–71
Walnut Cake with Chocolate Walnut Buttercream, 758–59
Warm Soft Chocolate Cake, 773
Whiskey Cake, 784–85
calamari
Seafood Salad, 427
Callie’s Doughnuts, 9, 621–22
Calvados
calzone(s)
Calzone (or Pizza) Dough, 370
Chez Panisse Calzone, 369–70
Campton Place Buttermilk Chocolate Cake, 38, 150, 407, 480, 528, 765
canapés. See dips; hors d’oeuvres; spreads candied fruit and peels. See also citron Christmas Stollen, 657–
58
Panforte, 765–66
Candied Sweet Potatoes, 218, 276, 295, 475
candy
Butterscotch, 679
Chocolate Caramels, 683
Cream Chocolates, 681
English Toffee, 700
Lemon Gumdrops, 705
Molasses Candy, 680
Peppermints, 682–83
Pralines, 684
Salted Butter Caramels, 705–6
Canestrelli, 156, 195, 257, 323, 346, 562, 568, 692
cannellini beans
Pasta and Bean Soup, 156
Seared Tuna in Black Pepper Crust, 409–10
cantaloupe(s)
Cantaloupe–Star Anise Sorbet, 728–29
Sangria, 23
Cantaloupe–Star Anise Sorbet, 72, 156, 204, 242, 244, 349, 517, 728–29
capers
Caponata, 226
Tartar Sauce, 398, 405
Warm Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese and Capers, 183
Caponata, 226, 369
Caramel Custard, 86, 92, 113, 252, 282, 310, 334, 417, 429, 432, 437, 521, 576, 836–37
Caramelized Bacon, 19, 33, 35, 41, 79, 80, 83, 93, 96, 124
Caramelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats, 178, 441, 708, 708
Caramelized Chocolate Bread Pudding, 199, 201, 291, 416, 525, 852–53
Caramelized Endive, 238–39, 296, 371, 540, 565
Caramelized Onion and Quark Dip, 31, 84–85, 90, 152, 153, 173, 190, 559, 566
Carbonnades à la Flamande, 56, 187, 283, 515
carrot(s)
Carrot and Fennel Soup, 151–52
Confit of Carrot and Cumin, 244
Couscous Salad, 321–22
Cream of Carrot Soup, 119
Crisp-Braised Duck Legs with Aromatic Vegetables, 487–88
Cumin-Mustard Carrots, 237
Curried Root Vegetable Stew with Dumplings, 237–38
Demi-Glace (A Basic Meat Glaze), 528–29
Fern Berman’s Ginger and Lentil Soup, 139
Golden Winter Puree, 235
Lobster Shepherd’s Pie, 412
Luxury Chicken Potpies, 472
Moroccan Carrot Salad, 187
Roasted Carrot and Red Lentil Ragout, 289
Stewed Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Rosemary, 542
Carrot and Fennel Soup, 151–52, 344, 369, 527, 568
cashew(s)
Spicy, Garlicky Cashew Chicken, 494–95
Cashew Butterscotch Bars, 287, 412, 551, 697
cassis syrup
Vermouth Cassis, 16–17
Cassolette of Morels, Fiddleheads, and Asparagus, 231, 457
cassoulet
Catalan Tortilla with Aioli, 23, 36, 38, 86–87, 88, 91, 95, 252, 310, 334, 429, 437, 579
Catalan Vegetable Paella, 113, 323–24, 399, 410
catfish
Laotian Catfish Soup, 154–55
cauliflower
Cauliflower Soup with Cremini Mushrooms and Walnut Oil, 149–50
The Most Voluptuous Cauliflower, 241
Roasted Cauliflower, 248
Cauliflower Soup with Cremini Mushrooms and Walnut Oil, 149–50, 216, 476, 515, 541
cava
caviar
Corn Cakes with Caviar, 282–83
Spaghetti with Caviar, Scallions, and Chopped Egg, 337–38
Cecily Brownstone’s Chiffon Roll, 213, 747, 755
celery
Faki, 121–22
Flemish Chicken Soup, 115–16
Greek Lentil Soup, 121–22
Shrimp Creole, 397
Waterzooi, 115–16
celery root
Puree of Celery Root, 216–17
Center-Ring Strip Steak Marinated in Scotch Whiskey, 184, 536
Ceviche with Mint and Mango, 24, 212, 417, 432, 548
Ceylon Curry of Oysters, 75, 247, 349, 391–92
Challah, 659–60
Challah Revisited, 671
Chamomile and Almond Cake, 191, 443, 593, 786–87
Champagne
Grapefruit Granita, 731
Kir Royale 38, 28
Roman Punch, 12
Char-Grilled Tuna with Toasted Corn Vinaigrette and Avocado Salad, 140, 168, 410–11
Charleston Coconut Sweeties, 683–84
cheddar cheese
“Breakfast” Shrimp and Grits, 641–42
Cheese Straws, 79–80
Clementine’s Tuna Macaroni Salad, 441
Hot Cheese Olives, 83
Jalapeño Corn-Bread Muffins, 130
Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread, 64–65
Macaroni with Ham and Cheese, 319–20
Welsh Rarebit, 365
cheese. See also specific types of cheese Cheese Ball with Cumin, Mint, and Pistachios, 85
Cheese Crusts, 366–67
Wild Mushroom Quesadillas, 375
Cheese Ball with Cumin, Mint, and Pistachios, 18, 21, 57, 85, 238, 672
cheesecake
De Luxe Cheesecake, 748–49
Junior’s Cheesecake, 771
Lindy’s Cheesecake, 757–58
Mocha Cheesecake, 756
Cheese Crusts, 106, 115, 366–67
Cheese Filling, 628–29
Cheese Pudding Soufflés, 247, 529, 643–44
Cheese Straws, 15, 20, 52, 54, 79–80, 84, 90, 96, 123, 253, 402, 492, 572
cherries
Cherry Bounce, 13
cherries, dried
Cherry and Coconut Brown Betty, 158, 294, 536, 806–7
Cherry Bounce, 13, 14, 802
Cherry Spumoni, 345, 732–33
chestnuts
Chestnut Soup, 133
Nesselrode Pudding, 718
Chestnut Soup, 133, 247, 254, 344, 577
Chez Panisse Calzone, 363, 369–70
Chez Panisse Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie, 160, 182, 191, 823, 833–34
chicken
Bademiya’s Justly Famous Bombay Chile-and-Cilantro Chicken, 471
Beer-Can Chicken, 473–74
Bombay Curry, 452
Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese, 465–66
Buttermilk Roast Chicken, 493
Chicken à la Marengo, 453–54
Chicken and Lemon Terrine, 495–96
Chicken Betty’s Fried Chicken and Gravy, 462–64
Chicken Canzanese, 458–59
Chicken Paprikash, 461
Chicken Roasted with Sour Cream, Lemon Juice, and Mango Chutney, 480
Chicken Wings with Oyster Sauce, 460–61
Chicken with Lime, Chile, and Fresh Herbs, 497
Cinnamon-Scented Fried Chicken, 490
Clear Steamed Chicken Soup with Ginger, 145–46
Country Captain, 455–56
Cutlets à la Kiev, 455
Elizabeth Frink’s Roast Lemon Chicken, 478–79
Fricassee of Chicken with Tarragon, 456–57
Fried Sambal Wings with Cucumber Cream, 494
Ismail Merchant’s Very Hot Chicken Soup, 138
James Beard’s Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, 469–70
Janice Okun’s Buffalo Chicken Wings, 464–65
Jerk Chicken, 496–97
Larb Gai, 497
Lee Lum’s Lemon Chicken, 459–60
Matzoh Ball Soup, 136
Moroccan Chicken Smothered in Olives, 482
Mulligatawny Soup, 113–14
Paella, 309–10
Pan-Roasted Chicken with End-of-Season Tomatoes, 482–83
Shiitake and Lotus Seed Stuffing, 338–39, 477
Southeast Asian Chicken Two Ways, 489–90
Spicy, Supercrunchy Fried Chicken, 490–91
Staff Meal Chicken with Salsa Verde, 484–85
Stir-Fried Chicken with Creamed Corn, 483–84
Tip for Crisp Skin, 477
Turducken, 485–87
Waterzooi, 115–16
Chicken à la Marengo, 107, 221, 317, 453–54
Chicken and Lemon Terrine, 110, 153, 495–96
Chicken Betty’s Fried Chicken and Gravy, 28, 253, 462–64, 656
Chicken Canzanese, 59, 346, 458–59, 461
chicken giblets. See also chicken livers Carolina Chicken Bog, 491–92
chicken livers
Pâté Watch Hill Farm, 53
Russ & Daughters’ Chopped Chicken Liver, 82
Chicken Paprikash, 107, 125, 150, 461
Chicken Wings with Oyster Sauce, 460–61
Chicken with Lime, Chile, and Fresh Herbs, 494, 497
chickpea(s)
Baked Chickpeas, 293
Chickpeas in Ginger Sauce, 293–94
Cocido, 578–79
Fried Chickpeas, 88
Hummus bi Tahini, 68–69
Chickpea, Sparerib, and Chorizo Stew, 23, 86, 88, 91, 95, 249, 252, 433, 437, 578–79
Chickpeas in Ginger Sauce, 293–94
El Chico, 18–19
chicory
Chiffonade Salad, 138, 156, 160, 173, 328, 366, 372, 395, 401, 430, 433, 512, 529, 565
chile peppers
The Best Spinach Dip, with Chipotle and Lime, 90
Gratin of Yams and Chipotle Cream, 291
Hot Pepper Shrimp, 403–4
Katta Sambol, 611
Manjula Gokal’s Gujarati Mango Soup, 155–56
Marmitako, 132
Oaxacan Chile Pasilla Sauce, 581–82
Pho Bo, 144–45
Potato, Ham, and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas, 94–95
Salmon Cakes with Yogurt Chipotle Sauce, 413–14
Salsa, 129
Salsa Verde, 484
Tortilla Soup, 131
Chilled Corn Soup with Honeydew Polka Dots, 153–54, 199, 335, 439
Chilled English Pea–Mint Soup, 162–63, 173, 188, 231, 259, 366, 425, 426–27, 493, 526
Chilled Melon Soup with Toasted Almonds, 140, 186
Chilled Sesame Spinach, 239, 423, 434, 442, 461, 481, 484
Chinese Barbecued Spareribs, 61, 111, 356, 460, 461, 495, 517–18
Chinese New Year menus, 872
Chinese Pork Balls, 59–60, 74, 111, 356
Chinese-Style Steamed Black Sea Bass, 146, 183, 260, 356, 432
chipotle peppers
chocolate. See also cocoa; white chocolate Allegretti Chiffon Cake, 746–47
Aztec Hot Chocolate Pudding, 855
Baumkuchentorte, 747–48
Bittersweet Chocolate Semifreddo, 727
Brownies, 684–85
Chocolate Caramel Tart, 847–49
Chocolate Chip Cookies, 709–10
Chocolate Crumb Crust, 839
Chocolate Dump-It Cake, 781
Chocolate Eclairs, 800–801
Chocolate Guinness Cake, 536, 783–84
Chocolate Ice-Box “Cake,” 176, 746
Chocolate Mousse, 820–21
Chocolate Pudding, 858–59
Chocolate Rum Mousse, 814–15
Chocolate Silk Pie, 838–39
Churros with Chocolate Sauce, 866–67
Coconut Hot Chocolate, 44–45
Crepe-Like Layer Cake, 747–48
English Tea Cart Wafers, 693–94
English Toffee, 700
Evelyn Sharpe’s French Chocolate Cake, 752
Hot Chocolate, 29–30
Ice Cream Pie, 726
Lora Brody’s Bête Noire, 763
Old-Fashioned Bread and Chocolate Rolls, 664–65
Petits Pains au Chocolat à l’Ancienne, 664–65
Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Sablés, 704
Rum Balls, 687–88
Salted Butter Caramels, 705–6
Schrafft’s Hot Fudge, 606–7
Toasts with Chocolate, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt, 844
Walnut Cake with Chocolate Walnut Buttercream, 758–59
Warm Soft Chocolate Cake, 773
Chocolate Cake with Bay Leaf Syrup, 133, 241, 335, 538, 768–69
Chocolate Caramels, 181, 683
Chocolate Caramel Tart, 325, 429, 535, 540, 847–49
Chocolate Chip Cookies, 118, 175, 251, 441, 677, 709–10
Chocolate Dump-It Cake, 80, 781
Chocolate Eclairs, 121, 283, 399, 515, 800–801
Chocolate Guinness Cake, 536, 783–84
Chocolate Ice-Box “Cake,” 176, 746
Chocolate Mousse, 66, 184, 186, 192, 217, 243, 457, 476, 506, 516, 517, 820–21
Chocolate Pudding, 159, 176, 177, 249, 367, 465, 472, 552, 573, 858–59
Chocolate Quakes, 193, 369, 583, 702
Chocolate Rum Mousse, 181, 213, 224, 273, 342, 544, 814–15
Chocolate Silk Pie, 175, 536, 838–39
chocolate wafers
Chopped Salad of Romaine, Arugula, Dill, and Lemon, 195, 226
Chopped Salad with Lemon Zest Vinaigrette, 114, 130, 188–89, 337, 566
Choresh Qormeh Sabzi, 312, 317, 533
chorizo
Chorizo Revueltos, 640–41
Crispy Tofu with Shiitakes and Chorizo, 302
Paella, 309–10
Poached Eggs with Date-Chorizo Paste, 636–37
Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel Broth, 428–29
Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo, 640–41
Chorizo Revueltos, 132, 310, 579, 640–41
Choucroute à l’Alsacienne, 513
Chow-Chow, 593–94
chowders
Basic Corn Chowder, 149
Clam Chowder, 107–8
Curried Corn Chowder, 149
Oyster Chowder, 159
Thai Sole Chowder with Lima Beans and Corn, 139–40
Christmas menus, 871–72
Christmas Stollen, 44, 657–58
Churros with Chocolate Sauce, 287, 433, 437, 567, 641, 866–67
chutney
cilantro
Bademiya’s Justly Famous Bombay Chile-and-Cilantro Chicken, 471
Cilantro Sauce, 471
Coconut Oat Pilaf, 647
Moroccan Tomato Soup, 134–35
Pho Bo, 144–45
Pork-and-Toasted-Rice-Powder Spring Rolls, 74
Pork and Watermelon Salad, 574–75
Salsa, 129
Salsa Verde, 484
Shrimp Burgers, 434
Yucatán Fish with Crisp Garlic, 431–32
Cilantro Sauce, 471
Cinnamon-Scented Fried Chicken, 135, 145, 288, 490
citron
Panettone, 663–64
Panforte, 765–66
clafoutis
clam(s)
Clams in Black Bean Sauce, 442
Clam Stew with Potatoes and Parsley Puree, 424
Franny’s Clam Pizza, 374–75
Paella, 309–10
Seafood Salad, 427
Spicy, Lemony Clams with Pasta, 336–37
Stuffed Clams, 400–401
Clam Chowder, 107–8, 175, 804
Clams in Black Bean Sauce, 61, 111, 183, 356, 442, 518
Claret Cup, 12, 57, 63, 80, 185, 202, 376, 466, 468, 559
Classic Ciabatta, 118, 156, 177, 257, 665–66
Classic Financiers, 11, 179, 391, 697–99
Classic Rum Punch, 24, 68, 85, 90, 432
Clear Steamed Chicken Soup with Ginger, 145–46, 302, 432, 543
clementine(s)
Clementine Peppercorn Glaze, 613
Kumquat-Clementine Cordial, 42
Clementine Peppercorn Glaze, 613, 614
Cleo’s Daddy’s Barbecued Ribs, 33, 79, 275, 287, 529
Clove Granita, 119, 357, 715, 727
Club Sandwich, 367
Cocido, 23, 86, 88, 91, 95, 249, 252, 433, 437, 578–79
cockles
Halibut with Parsley-Shellfish Sauce, 425–26
cocktail(s)
Astoria Cocktail, 18
Billionaire Cocktail, 40
Blender Eggnog, 44
Bloody Mary, 21
The Bone, 34–35
El Chico, 18–19
Claret Cup, 12
Classic Rum Punch, 24
Coconut Daiquiri, 25
The Cuke, 39–40
Eggnog, 22
Ginger Daiquiri, 36–37
Gin Rickey, 21–22
Grapefruit Wine, 37
Holiday Punch, 32
Improved Holland Gin Cocktail, 39
Junipero Gibson with Pickled Red Onion, 33–34
Kaffir Lime Lemonade, 26–27
Kir Royale 38, 28
Martini, 35
Mint Julep, 24–25
Moscow Mule, 20–21
Nicky Finn, 19
The Normandy, 43
La Paloma, 35
Peach Bowl, 20
Peppadew Martini, 40–41
Peppar Tomato, 31
Ramos Gin Fizz, 15–16
Rebujito, 38
Rhubarb Bellini, 30
Roman Punch, 12
Saketini, 37–38
Sangria, 23
Sazerac, 17
Sir Francis Drake, 36
Spiced Colada, 42–43
Tom and Jerry, 32
Vermouth Cup, 15
The Vesper, 34
Vin de Pamplemousse, 37
Wine Lemonade, 17–18
Zombie Punch, 41
cocktail party menus, 873–74
cocoa. See also chocolate
Amazon Cake, 779–80
Cocoa Cake, 779–80
Cocoa Christmas Cookies, 695–96
Iced Cocoa, 18
Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Frosting, 787
Cocoa Cake, 119, 444, 779–80
Cocoa Christmas Cookies, 36, 695–96
coconut
Bombay Curry, 452
Coconut Pie, 801–2
Crab and Coconut Curry, 389
Green Beans with Coriander-Coconut Crust, 246–47
Lemon Bars, 690
coconut cream
Coconut Crepes, 349, 392, 436, 439, 452, 546, 611
Coconut Daiquiri, 25, 52
Coconut Loaf Cake, 13, 244, 277, 319, 438, 774
coconut milk
Basmati Rice with Coconut Milk and Ginger, 339
Bombay Curry, 452
Coconut Crepes, 349
Coconut Rice Pudding with Lime Syrup, 846
Hoppers, 349
Jamaican Rice with Coconut and Red Beans, 357
Pineapple Carpaccio with Lime Sorbet, 842
Rice and Peas, 357
Sticky Rice with Mango, 861
Swordfish in Green Curry–Basil Sauce, 412–13
Tuna Curry, 435–36
Coconut Oat Pilaf, 629, 647
Coconut Pie, 295, 434, 456, 471, 552, 801–2
Coconut Rice Pudding with Lime Syrup, 38, 93, 124, 183, 203, 262, 413, 423, 439, 477, 553, 846
cod. See also salt cod Bouillabaisse, 390–91
Lightly Smoked Salt Cod Salad, 437
Coda alla Vaccinara, 59, 195, 341, 562
Coeur à la Crème with Rhubarb Sauce, 163, 194, 203, 233, 296, 793, 829, 864–65
coffee
Café au Lait, 9
Coffee Caramel Custard, 849
Coffee Ice Cream Sundae, 722–23
Iced Coffee, 17
Irish Coffee, 21
coffee cakes
Dorothy Jewiss’s Coffee Cake, 631
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake, 631–32
Sour Cream Coffee Cake, 630–31
Coffee Caramel Custard, 253, 324, 335, 373, 399, 443, 491, 520, 546, 849
Coffee Ice Cream Sundae, 216, 343, 347, 722–23
Cognac. See brandy
Cold Beef with Tarragon Vinaigrette, 110, 112, 182, 234, 285, 534, 595
Cold Nicarde, 110, 188, 197, 214, 329, 408
cold soups
Cold Nicarde, 110
Curried Zucchini Soup, 123
Gazpacho with Cucumber Granita, 161–62
Tom’s Chilled Cucumber Soup, 117–18
Vichyssoise à la Ritz, 111–12
Watermelon Gazpacho, 150
Yellow Squash Soup, 110
cold-weather menus, 878
collard greens
Stir-Fried Collards, 254–55
Collared Pork, 133, 202, 216, 507–8
Coloradito, 35, 120, 417, 547–48
compotes
Rhubarb-Ginger Compote, 607
Conchiglie al Forno with Mushrooms and Radicchio, 325–26, 333
condiments. See also chutney; specific condiments recipes by category, 588
Katta Sambol, 611
Sweet-and-Pulpy Tomato Ketchup, 609–10
Tomato Figs, 591
Tomato Ketchup, 591–92
Confit de Canard, 530, 531
Confit of Carrot and Cumin, 242, 244, 461, 532
cookies, 674–711
Almendrados, 707–8
Brown Butter Peach Bars, 710–11
Brownies, 684–85
Brown Sugar Shortbread, 690
Buckwheat Cookies, 702–3
Canestrelli, 692
Chocolate Chip Cookies, 709–10
Dorie Greenspan’s Sablés, 703–4
English Gingersnaps, 693
Finnish Bridal Cookies, 687
Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, 706
Gingersnaps, 679–80
Honey Spice Cookies, 685
Jumbles, 681
Lemon Bars, 690
Lemon Sablés, 704
Macaroons, 681–82
Maida Heatter’s Rugelach, 691
Maple Shortbread Bars, 701–2
Pecan Sandies, 688
Pepper-Cumin Cookies, 695
Petit Beurre Cookies, 699–700
Pine Nut Cookies, 689
Rum Balls, 687–88
Ruth’s Oatmeal Crisps, 692
Sand Tarts, 688
Shortbread from Ovada, 692
Spice Krinkles, 688–89
Springerle Cookies, 686–87
Swedish Ginger Cookies, 708
Swedish Nut Balls, 694
Two-Day Madeleines with Brown Butter, 701
Walnut Horns, 691
Coquilles St.-Jacques, 396
cordials. See also specific types of cordials Blackberry Brandy, 11
Cherry Bounce, 13
Cranberry Liqueur, 36
Ginger Cordial, 10
Limoncello, 38
corn. See also popcorn
Blender Corn Pudding, 279–80
Fresh Corn Griddle Cakes with Parmesan and Chives, 294
Fresh Succotash, 275
Fried Corn, 274–75
Sausage, Bean, and Corn Stew, 538–39
Stewed Corn, 271–72
Stir-Fried Chicken with Creamed Corn, 483–84
Toasted Corn Vinaigrette, 410–11
White Veal Stew with Mushrooms, Corn, and Sherry, 553–54
Corn and Yellow Tomato Risotto with Shrimp, 150, 178, 256, 328–29
Corn Bread Stuffing, 236, 312, 487
Corn Cakes with Caviar, 125, 282–83
Cornell Bread, 117, 118, 658–59
cornichons
Herbed Mayonnaise with Cornichons, 595
Ravigote Froide, 595
Sauce Rémoulade (for Shrimp), 601–2
Tarragon Vinaigrette, 534
Tartar Sauce, 405
cornmeal. See also polenta
Indian Pudding, 809
Johnnycake, 622
Kathleen Claiborne’s Hot Cakes, 633–34
Cornmeal Biscotti, 38, 156, 177, 185, 196, 318, 338, 435, 462, 536, 696–97
cotija cheese
cottage cheese
Crunchy Noodle Kugel à la Great-Aunt Martha, 865
Katharine McClinton’s Foursome Pancakes, 633
Noodles Romanoff, 311–12
Country Captain, 291, 349, 455–56, 747
Coupe Lena Horne, 216, 343, 347, 722–23
Couscous Salad, 151, 246, 321–22, 431, 442, 519, 534
crab
Crab Cakes Baltimore-Style, 407–8
Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs, 398–99
Deviled Crabs, 387–88
Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Crab Salad, 415
Tomatoes Stuffed with Crab, 393
Crab and Coconut Curry, 26, 75, 155, 248, 318, 389, 452
Crab Cakes Baltimore-Style, 64, 110, 192, 250, 325, 394, 407–8, 596
crackers
Parmesan Crackers, 84
Spelt-Flour Crackers, 672
Craig Claiborne’s Swiss Fondue, 55–56, 511
cranberries and cranberry juice
Peppered Cranberry Marmalade, 563
Cranberry Chutney, 523, 606
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake, 116, 245, 246, 776–77
cream
Anton Mosimann’s Braised Brussels Sprouts in Cream, 232
Coeur à la Crème with Rhubarb Sauce, 864–65
Cream Dressing for Salad, 592–93
Cream Scones, 666–67
Creamy Salad Dressing, 605
Crème Pâtissiere, 830
Le Cirque’s Crème Brûlée, 844–45
Mussels in Saffron Cream, 125
Pastry Cream, 830
Pistachio Cream, 806
Pork Braised in Milk and Cream, 557–58
Pots de Crème, 815–16
Saffron Panna Cotta, 845
cream cheese
Cheese Ball with Cumin, Mint, and Pistachios, 85
Cream Cheese Pastry, 843
Florentine Dip, 58
Lemon Cheese Pie, 812–13
Walnut Horns, 691
Cream Cheese Pastry, 801, 820, 843
Cream Dressing for Salad, 510, 517, 535, 557, 587, 592–93
Creamed Onions, 217–18, 236, 276, 312, 475, 487
Cream of Carrot Soup, 119, 198, 222, 259, 425, 481, 513
Creamy Curried Sweet Potato Soup, 145, 253, 291
Creamy Farro and Chickpea Soup, 143, 227
Creamy Salad Dressing, 454, 561, 605
crème brûlée
crème de cacao
Coupe Lena Horne, 722–23
crème fraîche
Madame Laracine’s Gratin Dauphinois, 284–85
Mango Ice Cream, 729
Ricotta Custard, 256–57
Risotto with Lemon and Crème Fraîche, 345
Sformata di Ricotta, 256–57
Tartar Sauce, 405
Tarte Flambée, 370–71
Crème Senegalese, 124, 242, 244
Creole Seasoning, 540, 541
crepe(s)
Coconut Crepes, 349
Hoppers, 349
Parmesan Cheese Crepes, 314
Crepe-Like Layer Cake, 525, 747–48, 750
Crepes Suzette, 226, 821–22
Crisp-Braised Duck Legs with Aromatic Vegetables, 235, 347, 487–88
Crisp Potato Crowns, 284, 396, 414
Cromesquis d’Huîtres à la Sauce Tartare, 34, 35, 36, 39, 405–6
Croq-Télé, 496, 711
Croque-Monsieur, 106, 115, 372–73
croquettes
Aloo Kofta, 74–75
Rice Croquettes, 799
crostini
Crostini Romani, 77
Crostini with Eggplant and Pine Nut Puree, 78–79
Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano, 93–94
Ricotta Crostini with Lemon Zest and Hazelnut, 94
Ricotta Crostini with Pine Nuts and Honey, 94
Crostini Romani, 77, 171, 177, 196, 250, 311, 318, 323, 491, 543, 562, 564
Crostini with Eggplant and Pine Nut Puree, 57, 71, 78–79, 123, 142, 153, 352, 427, 470, 544, 554, 560
Croustade, 817, 825–26
croutons
Croutons, 115
Fresh Bread Croutons, 122–23
Garlic Croutons, 175
Crown Roast of Lamb, 513
Crumpets, 654–55
cucumber(s)
Bread-and-Butter Pickles, 600
Chopped Salad with Lemon Zest Vinaigrette, 188–89
Chow-Chow, 593–94
Cucumber–Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes and Scallions, 70–71
Cucumber Sandwiches, 56
Cucumbers in Cream, 225
The Cuke, 39–40
Kosher Pickles the Right Way, 608
Pan Bagnat, 376
Spicy Cucumber Salad, 183
Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles, 355–56
Cucumber–Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes and Scallions, 12, 21, 37, 70–71, 123, 198
Cucumber Risotto with Yellow Peppers and Herbs, 70, 331–32, 410
Cucumber Sandwiches, 14, 56, 271, 439
Cucumbers in Cream, 114, 123, 219, 225, 273, 289, 291, 357, 461, 491, 512, 525, 567
The Cuke, 39–40, 54, 61, 96, 111, 408, 417
Cumin-Mustard Carrots, 89, 135, 148, 172, 217, 237, 288, 327, 453, 511, 550
cupcakes
Molasses Cup Cakes with Lemon Icing, 745–46
currants
Ginger Cordial, 10
Summer Pudding, 847
Walnut Horns, 691
Curried Cream of Chicken Soup, 124, 242, 244
curried dishes
Bobotie, 532
Bombay Curry, 452
Ceylon Curry of Oysters, 391–92
Creamy Curried Sweet Potato Soup, 145
Curried Turkey Hash, 452–53
A Moley, 452–53
Curried Turkey Hash, 26, 247, 276, 297, 452–53
Curried Zucchini Soup, 123, 357, 536
custard
Banana Meringue Steamed Custard, 812
Caramel Custard, 836–37
Snow Pudding, 106, 453, 509, 577, 800
Spanish Cream, 802
Zabaglione, 813
Cutlets à la Kiev, 163, 173, 455
D
Danish Pastry, 627–29
dates
An Incredible Date-Nut Bread, 661–62
David Eyre’s Pancake, 58, 69, 151, 193, 416, 568, 758, 813–14
Decadent Lobster Salad, 161, 353, 440
Deep-Fried Soft-Shell Crabs, 58, 149, 154, 161, 162, 219, 228, 324, 398–99, 596
Delft Blue Cocktail, 43, 52
Delicate Bread Pudding, 132, 388, 431, 461, 564, 577, 793, 798, 804
Delmonico Hash, 60, 507
De Luxe Cheesecake, 196, 431, 508, 748–49
desserts, 712–867. See also cakes; cookies; cupcakes; custard; ice(s); ice cream; mousses; pie(s); sherbet;
sorbet; sweet puddings; tart(s) recipes by category, 716, 739–40, 794–96
Apple Dumplings, 807
Apple Galette, 843
Apple Snow, 808–9
Baci di Ricotta, 852
David Eyre’s Pancake, 813–14
Figs in Whiskey, 859
Fontainebleau, 829
Fresh Blueberry Buckle, 815
frozen. See frozen desserts; ice(s); ice cream; mousses; sherbet; sorbet Glazed Mango with Sour Cream
Sorbet and Black Pepper, 850–51
Jean Halberstam’s Deep-Fried Peaches, 860
Pavlova, 826
Peach Balls, 804
Peach Salad, 805
Poached Pears in Brandy and Red Wine, 832
Poached Pears with Asian Spices, 856–57
Pruneaux du Pichet, 822–23
Prunes in a Pitcher, 822–23
Raspberry Bavarian Cream, 807
Rhubarb Orange, 864
Ricotta Kisses, 852
Rum Omelet, 808
Strawberry Shortcakes, 799–800
Strawberry Soup, 816
Sugared Puffs, 867
Wine-Stewed Prunes and Mascarpone, 861–62
Zabaglione, 813
Deviled Crabs, 214, 366, 383, 387–88
Devil’s Food Cake, 153, 744–45
Diane Forley’s Arugula Salad with Artichoke, Ricotta Salata, and Pumpkin Seeds, 156, 168, 188, 326, 524
Diane Vreeland’s Salade Parisienne, 66, 106, 115, 192, 414, 457, 479
Dick Taeuber’s Cordial Pie, 175, 525, 723, 817–19
Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew, 56, 243, 560–61, 701
dill
Arnaki Araka, 550
Lamb with Peas, 550
The Minimalist’s Gravlax, 418–19
Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill, 251
dinner menus
for the deck, 878
for dinner parties, 874
quick, 877–78
for 2, 874
dips
Beet Tzatziki, 89
Caramelized Onion and Quark Dip, 84–85
Florentine Dip, 58
Docks Coleslaw, 80, 162, 191–92, 251, 271, 274, 275, 289, 291, 292, 368, 394, 399, 529, 537, 539, 551,
583, 599
Dorie Greenspan’s Sablés, 30, 151, 226, 371, 415, 468, 496, 540, 703–4
doughnuts
Baci di Ricotta, 852
Callie’s Doughnuts, 621–22
Ricotta Kisses, 852
dressings
Cream Dressing for Salad, 592–93
Creamy Salad Dressing, 605
French Dressing, 597
Preserved-Lemon Dressing, 190
Vinaigrette, 171, 188, 192, 218, 290
dried fruit. See also specific fruits Pain d’Epices, 667–68
drinks, 2–45. See also cocktail(s); cordials; punch; specific drinks recipes by category, 7–8
Drunken Beans, 287
dry vermouth
El Chico, 18–19
Martini, 35
Zucchini and Vermouth, 227
duck
Braised Duck Legs with Pinot Noir Sauce, 481–82
Confit de Canard, 530, 531
Duck Rillettes, 65–66
Ginger Duck, 480–81
Pasta with Tuscan Duck Sauce, 343–44
Preserved Duck, 530, 531
Rhubarb-Soy-Marinated Duck with Rhubarb-Ginger Compote, 468–69
Rillettes de Canard, 65–66
Roast Lemon Pepper Duck with Honey Lemon Sauce, 470
Sauce for Venison Steak for, 510
Steamed and Crisped Duck, 476
Turducken, 485–87
duck fat, rendering, 531
Duck Rillettes, 19, 28, 32, 37, 65–66, 82, 186, 192, 243, 457, 529
Dulce de Lece, 593
Dumplings, 238
E
early twentieth-century menus, 869
Easter menus, 872
éclairs
Edamame with Nori Salt, 38, 73, 92–93, 183, 203, 239, 262, 413, 423
Ed Giobbi’s Rabbit Cacciatora, 317, 461–62
Ed Giobbi’s Sweet Red Pepper Sauce for Pasta, 256, 318, 427, 461
eels
egg(s). See also egg whites; egg yolks; quail eggs Baked or Shirred Eggs, 627
Bill Granger’s Scrambled Eggs, 640
Blender Eggnog, 44
Boiled Eggs, 644
Buttery Polenta with Parmesan and Olive-Oil-Fried Eggs, 645–46
Cheese Pudding Soufflés, 643–44
Chorizo Revueltos, 640–41
custards. See custard
Egg and Olive Canapés, 57
Eggnog, 22
Eggs à la Lavalette, 622–23
Eggs Eli, 624–25
Eggs Louisiana, 53–54
Eggs Suffragette, 52–53
Eggs with Mushrooms and Caraway, 624
Fried Eggs, 626–27
Lidia Bastianich’s Swiss Chard and Scallion Frittata, 636
An Omelet, 623
Plain Omelet, 627
Poached Eggs, 627
Poached Scrambled Eggs, 645
Scotch Eggs, 62–63
Scrambled Eggs, 626
Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo, 640–41
Shad Roe Scramble, 625
Shell-Cooked Eggs, 626
Soft Scrambled Eggs with Pesto and Fresh Ricotta, 646
Vinaigrette, 192
Egg and Olive Canapés, 12, 54, 56, 57, 71, 85, 124, 173, 176, 201, 515
eggnog
Blender Eggnog, 44
Eggnog, 22
egg noodles
Turkey with Noodles Florentine, 457–58
eggplant
Broiled Lamb Leg Chops on Eggplant Planks with Mint-Yogurt Sauce, 549–50
Caponata, 226
Eggplant Involtini, 256
Fried Eggplant with Salmorejo Sauce, 251–52
Moussaka, 518–19
Shrimp Creole, 397
Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots, 203–4
Eggplant Gratin with Saffron Custard, 240, 242, 244
Eggplant Involtini, 256, 318, 330, 353, 571
Eggs à la Lavalette, 9, 622–23
Eggs Eli, 624–25
Eggs Louisiana, 40, 53–54, 96
Eggs Suffragette, 19, 25, 52–53, 53, 82, 624
Eggs with Mushrooms and Caraway, 507, 624
egg whites
Angel Food Cake, 742
Fontainebleau, 829
Pavlova, 826
Taillevent Pear Soufflé, 835–36
egg yolks
Caramel Custard, 836–37
Pastry Cream, 830
Red Wine Ice Cream, 730
Salted Caramel Ice Cream, 733
Snow Pudding, 800
Zabaglione, 813
Eisenhower’s Steak in the Fire, 225, 512
Eldorado Petit’s Fried Noodles with Garlic Mayonnaise, 324–25, 437
Elizabeth Frink’s Roast Lemon Chicken, 148, 171, 232, 251, 279, 299, 328, 449, 478–79, 595
Emmental cheese
Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée, 120–21
endive
Caramelized Endive, 238–39
Risotto with Radicchio and Sausage, 322–23
English Toffee, 700
Epigram of Lamb, 85, 111, 151, 185, 202, 244, 277, 354, 509–10
Escarole with Pan-Roasted Garlic and Lemon, 151, 248–49, 317, 416, 419, 538, 542
Evelyn Sharpe’s French Chocolate Cake, 36, 136, 243, 249, 271, 296, 412, 564, 578, 752
Even-Greater American Pound Cake, 259, 788–89
F
Faki, 121–22, 180
Failproof Way to Boil Lobster, 353
Farfalle ai Porri e Salsicce, 329
Farfalle with Leeks and Sausages Sauce, 329
farro
fava beans
Hearth’s Fava Bean Salad, 202–3
fennel
Alaskan Salmon, 423
Fennel, Orange, Watercress, and Walnut Salad, 186
Fennel and Apple Salad with Juniper, 189–90
Fennel and Blood Orange Salad, 195–96
Italian Salad, 177
Steamed Fennel with Red Pepper Oil, 263
Stewed Fennel, 245–46
Fennel, Orange, Watercress, and Walnut Salad, 66, 116, 186, 335, 349, 457, 458, 509
Fennel and Apple Salad with Juniper, 116, 189–90, 223, 357, 462, 473, 535, 557, 566, 578
Fennel and Blood Orange Salad, 77, 195–96, 311, 323, 352
fennel seeds
Speedy Fish Stew with Orange and Fennel, 133–34
fermented black beans
Clams in Black Bean Sauce, 442
Fern Berman’s Ginger and Lentil Soup, 139, 185, 187
feta cheese
Feta Spread, 71–72
Marina Anagnostou’s Spanakopetes, 63–64
Roasted Feta with Thyme Honey, 92
Shrimp Baked with Feta Cheese, Greek-Style, 397–98
Spinach Triangles, 63–64
Feta Spread, 34, 71–72, 195, 198, 672
Fettuccine alla Romana, 77, 171, 310–11
Fettuccine with Preserved Lemon and Roasted Garlic, 335–36, 466, 610
fiddlehead ferns
fideos
Eldorado Petit’s Fried Noodles with Garlic Mayonnaise, 324–25
field peas, dried
Hoppin’ John, 298
figs
Figs in Whiskey, 84, 142, 197, 352, 482, 557, 564, 859
filbert(s). See hazelnut(s)
Filbert Torte, 13, 173, 196, 317, 742–43
Filet de Boeuf Rôti with Sauce Bordelaise, 66, 186, 192, 214, 232, 273, 396, 528–29
fillings
Prune Filling, 628
Vanilla Cream Filling, 628
Finnish Bridal Cookies, 687
fish, 380–445. See also specific types of fish recipes by category, 385–86
Fish Broth, 122
Fish Stock, 126, 141–42
Fish Tacos, 444–45
Koy Pa, 436–37
Minced Fish Salad, 436–37
Monkfish Encrusted with Pistachios, 403
Skate with Sautéed Spinach and Fried Potatoes, 417–18
Steamed Fish with Thyme and Tomato Vinaigrette, 408
Fish Broth, 122
fish flakes
Katta Sambol, 611
Fish Poached in Buttermilk, 153, 188, 204, 213, 220, 240, 249, 328, 417, 419, 493
Fish Steamed over Vegetables and Fresh Herbs, 151, 240, 434–35, 537
Fish Stock, 126, 141–42
Fish Tacos, 130, 444–45
Flaky Sweet Pastry Dough, 834–35
Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, 69, 194, 197, 250, 368, 372, 423, 677, 706
Flattened Potatoes, 129, 154, 176, 177, 186, 215, 226, 249, 253, 301–2, 428, 435, 442, 493, 568
flavoring syrups
Lemon Syrup, 9
Raspberry Vinegar, 14
Flemish Beef and Onion Stew, 56, 187, 283, 515
Florence la Ganke’s Three-Day Marmalade, 604–5
Florentine Dip, 19, 58, 72
Florentines with Ginger, 177, 689–90
Florida Beets, 216, 278, 508, 527
flounder
Baked Flounder, 401–2
Flourless Apricot Honey Soufflé, 135, 180, 237, 288, 398, 550, 846–47
fluke
Sautéed Fluke with Grapefruit Vinaigrette, 437–38
Foamy Sauce, 276, 596, 603
Foie Gras and Jam Sandwiches, 78, 363
Fontainebleau, 135, 251, 262, 295, 328, 337, 408, 510, 538, 793, 829, 864
fontina cheese
Forget-It Meringue Torte, 135, 296, 422, 435, 483, 823
framboise liqueur
Franny’s Clam Pizza, 363, 374–75
Franny’s Pizza Dough, 374–75
French Apple Tart, 134, 825–26
French Dressing, 554, 597
French Fries, 159, 192, 292, 434, 537, 594
French menus, 875
French Pie Pastry, 817, 825–26
French Potato Salad, 275, 277–78, 402, 464, 507, 540, 545
Fresh and Smoked Salmon Spread, 20, 28, 38, 72–73, 81, 93, 173, 270, 335, 561, 672
Fresh Blueberry Buckle, 110, 150, 154, 214, 220, 228, 275, 288, 302, 393, 566, 815
Fresh Bread Croutons, 122–23
Fresh Corn Griddle Cakes with Parmesan and Chives, 110, 294, 410, 412, 422, 566
Fresh Ginger Cake, 24, 116, 148, 223, 278, 357, 419, 454, 533, 568, 775–76
Fresh Morel, Asparagus, and Sweet Pea Risotto, 327–28, 399, 430, 509, 558
Fresh Mushrooms Stewed with Madeira, 148, 214–15, 327, 453, 552
Fresh Plum Kuchen, 17, 625–26
Fresh Raspberry (or Blackberry or Blueberry) Flummery, 118, 135, 138, 225, 227, 244, 250, 251, 257, 272,
325, 329, 408, 439, 534, 559, 802, 824–25
Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes, 58, 162, 262, 299, 420–21, 422
Fresh Succotash, 127, 147, 159, 234, 274, 275, 493, 529, 599
Fricassee of Chicken with Tarragon, 66, 112, 186, 192, 203, 214, 231, 270, 317, 456–57
Fried Artichokes Azzurro, 229, 281, 321, 335, 341, 345, 405, 459, 558, 562, 571
Fried Chickpeas, 23, 38, 86, 88, 91, 95, 132, 252, 310, 334, 429, 437, 440, 578
Fried Corn, 150, 173, 274–75, 409, 422, 474, 536
Fried Eggplant with Salmorejo Sauce, 113, 138, 251–52
Fried Eggs, 626–27
Fried Green Tomatoes, 173, 212, 272, 275, 402, 539, 568
Fried Mussels with Almond-Garlic Sauce, 154, 439–40
Fried Olives, 11, 19, 36, 37, 42, 87, 88, 113, 132, 173, 187, 193, 194, 200, 316, 317, 329, 337, 345, 406,
462, 520, 560, 564, 567
Fried Oysters with Creamy Tartar Sauce, 34, 35, 36, 39, 405–6
Fried Radishes, 202, 214, 215, 319
Fried Sage Leaves, 18, 20, 87, 87–88, 187
Fried Sweetbreads with Maître d’Hôtel Sauce, 192, 277, 506–7
Fried Zucchini Blossoms, 147, 243–44, 321, 322, 329, 330
frisée
frittatas
fritters
Green Pea Fritters, 270
fromage blanc
fromage frais
frozen desserts. See also ice(s); ice cream; sherbet; sorbet Bittersweet Chocolate Semifreddo, 727
Frozen Lemon Soufflé, 725–26
Tortoni, 720–21
Frozen Lemon Soufflé, 124, 184, 239, 273, 299, 390, 491, 523, 725–26
Frozen Meringue Velvet, 171, 489, 535, 565, 723–24, 743
fruit. See candied fruit and peels; specific fruits fruitcakes
Panforte, 765–66
Fruit Crostatas, 110, 118, 161, 194, 219, 311, 331, 479, 569, 855–56
Fruit Marlow, 723
Fruit or Berry Tart, 66, 110, 186, 192, 376, 457, 829–30
Fyrstekake, 22, 629–30
G
galettes
Apple Galette, 843
game, 446–49. See also antelope; quail; rabbit; squab; venison recipes by category, 450, 451
Garden Minestrone, 118–19, 314, 427, 455, 468, 560
garlic
Catalan Tortilla with Aioli, 86–87
Escarole with Pan-Roasted Garlic and Lemon, 248–49
Fettuccine with Preserved Lemon and Roasted Garlic, 335–36
Garlic Soup, 130–31
Garlic Toast Slices, 182
Gigot à la Provençal et Gratin de Pommes de Terre, 537–38
Gremolata, 536
James Beard’s Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, 469–70
Leg of Lamb with Potato Gratin, 537–38
Salsa, 428
Salt-Roasted Striped Bass with Salsa de la Boca, 427–28
Soupe à l’Ail, 130–31
String Beans with Ginger and Garlic, 260
Garlic Soup, 130–31, 185, 480, 546, 568, 579
Gâteau de Crepes, 125, 158, 203, 438, 750, 785–86
gazpacho
Gazpacho with Cucumber Granita, 113, 137, 161–62, 335, 421
Gently Cooked Salmon with Mashed Potatoes, 147, 184, 204, 213, 231, 415–16
Georgia Pecan Turkey Salad, 473
German menus, 876
German Toast, 621
ghee
Aloo Kofta, 74–75
Gigi Salad, 118, 158, 184, 230, 279, 396
Gigot à la Provençal et Gratin de Pommes de Terre, 248, 537–38
Gilbert Le Coze’s Bouillabaisse, 390, 406–7
gin
The Cuke, 39–40
Gin Rickey, 21–22
Improved Holland Gin Cocktail, 39
Martini, 35
Ramos Gin Fizz, 15–16
Saketini, 37–38
The Vesper, 34
ginger
Broccoli Puree with Ginger, 253
Ginger Cordial, 10
Ginger Duck, 480–81
Ginger Lemonade, 26
Rhubarb-Ginger Compote, 190, 203, 468, 607
ginger beer
Ginger Cordial, 10
Ginger Daiquiri, 36–37, 60, 61, 71, 111, 124
Ginger Duck, 150, 187, 203, 239, 276, 296, 480–81
Ginger Lemonade, 26, 38, 51, 61, 89, 399, 433, 493, 496, 583
gingersnaps
Gingersnaps, 461, 679–80, 808
Gin Rickey, 21–22, 51, 57, 85, 90, 388
Glazed Mango with Sour Cream Sorbet and Black Pepper, 140, 155, 490, 555, 850–51
gnocchi
Potato Gnocchi, 340–41
goat
Goat Tacos, 576
Nueces Canyon Cabrito, 576
goat cheese
Alice Waters’s Baked Goat Cheese with Salad, 181–82
Goat’s-Milk Cheese, Buttered Brown Bread, and Salted Onion, 75
Swiss Chard Casserole with Farfalle and Cheeses, 335
goat’s milk
Chestnut Soup, 133
Goat’s-Milk Cheese, Buttered Brown Bread, and Salted Onion, 12, 34, 52, 56, 75, 153
Goat Tacos, 20, 68, 71, 130, 282, 375, 576
Golden Winter Puree, 235, 482, 564
Gooey Chocolate Stack, 158, 541, 564, 778–79
Gorgonzola cheese
gougères
Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères, 76
graham cracker crumbs
Ice Cream Pie, 726
Mrs. Foster’s Frosty Lime Pie, 724–25
grains. See barley; bulgur; corn; grits; hominy; oats; rice grains of paradise
Grand Central Pan Roast, 175, 393–94
Grandma Tedesco’s Mussels and Gravy, 414–15
granita. See ice(s)
grape(s)
New England Grape Butter, 600–601
Sangria, 23
grapefruit
Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Marmalade, 611–12
Grapefruit Wine, 37
Grapefruit Fluff, 112, 138, 212, 418, 576, 809
Grapefruit Granita, 151, 183, 204, 234, 239, 259, 287, 334, 340, 375, 442, 556, 715, 731
Grapefruit Wine, 37, 66, 69, 87, 118, 179, 186, 192, 198, 367, 426
grape leaves
Iraqi Grape Leaves Stuffed with Lamb, Mint, and Cinnamon, 510–11
grappa
Pork Arrosto with Prunes and Grappa, 577–78
Sea Bass in Grappa, 443
gratin(s)
Gratin of Yams and Chipotle Cream, 129, 192, 291, 551
gravlax
Great Northern beans
Greek Lentil Soup, 121–22, 180
green beans
Gigi Salad, 184
Green Bean Salad with Savory Topping, 177–78
Green Beans with Coriander-Coconut Crust, 246–47
Haricots Verts with Balsamic Vinaigrette, 231–32
Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill, 251
Shrimp, Bacon, and Green Bean Salad, 184
Green Bean Salad with Savory Topping, 112, 118, 150, 177–78
Green Beans with Coriander-Coconut Crust, 67, 155, 246–47, 291, 452, 495, 553
green cabbage
Chow-Chow, 593–94
Docks Coleslaw, 191–92
Green Gazpacho, 113, 137, 160–61, 224, 280
Green Goddess Salad, 56, 108, 158, 176–77, 257, 314, 367, 370, 458, 465, 492, 557, 624
Green Herb Stew, 312, 317, 533
Green Lentils with Roasted Beets and Preserved Lemon, 267, 289–90
Green Mayonnaise, 597
green olives
Caponata, 226
Moroccan Chicken Smothered in Olives, 482
Pan Bagnat, 376
Green Pea Fritters, 202, 244, 270, 389, 493, 509
Green Pepper Salad, 172–73, 279, 535, 539
Green Tomato and Lemon Marmalade, 614, 659
Green Tomato Pizza, 371–72, 401
Gremolata, 535, 536
griddle cakes. See pancakes
Grilled Beef, 68, 581
Grilled Hanger Steak, 119, 146, 173, 177, 198, 215, 226, 249, 260, 356, 401, 551–52
Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mustard Seeds, 226, 232, 544
Grilled Moroccan Sardines, 424
Grilled Onion Guacamole, 24, 35, 71, 131, 287
grits
grouper
Gruyère cheese
Craig Claiborne’s Swiss Fondue, 55–56
Croque-Monsieur, 372–73
Shallot Pudding, 247
Welsh Rarebit, 365
Guacamole Tostadas, 20, 24, 35, 67–68, 282, 375, 445, 521, 548, 582, 583
H
H
hake
halibut
Nina Simonds’s Broiled Halibut with Miso Glaze, 413
Halibut with Parsley-Shellfish Sauce, 193, 227, 425–26
ham. See also pancetta
Cocido, 578–79
Eggs Eli, 624–25
Monte’s Ham, 548
Stuffed Tomatoes, 213–14
Hanoi Beef Soup, 144–45, 443
Hanukkah menus, 872
haricots verts. See green beans Haricots Verts with Balsamic Vinaigrette, 231–32, 285, 294, 312, 483, 516,
527, 544, 561, 573
hazelnut(s)
Croq-Télé, 711
Hazelnut-Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes, 644–45
Panforte, 765–66
Hazelnut Baklava, 38, 64, 121, 180, 195, 242, 311, 341, 352, 398, 519, 550, 706–7
Hazelnut Cheesecake, 528, 753–54
Hazelnut-Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes, 30, 644–45
Hearth’s Fava Bean Salad, 190, 202–3, 241, 295, 316, 319, 341, 374, 400, 581
Heavenly Hots, 30, 634–35
Heirloom Pea Pancakes, 190, 203, 295, 419
Herbed French Fries, 292
Herb-Stuffed Lamb Chops, 514, 514
Herb Vinaigrette, 430, 559
High-Temperature Roast Lamb, 85, 137, 162, 204, 296, 526, 594, 595, 596
hog jowl
Hoppin’ John, 298
Holiday Cranberry Chutney, 218, 276, 475, 523, 608–9
Holiday Punch, 32, 66, 82
Homemade Butter and Buttermilk, 587, 613–14, 859
hominy. See also grits
An Honest Loaf of French Bread, 123, 142, 181, 662–63
honey
Chinese Barbecued Spareribs, 517–18
Honey Spice Cookies, 685
Sweet-and-Salty Popcorn with Orange Blossom Honey, 76–77
honeydew melon
Honey-Orange Smoothie, 29, 622, 633, 643, 647
Honey Spice Cookies, 69, 72, 180, 226, 409, 550, 685, 702
Hoppers, 349, 392, 436, 439, 452, 546, 611
Hoppin’ John, 298, 529
hors d’oeuvres, 46–96. See also dips; spreads recipes by category, 49–50
Aloo Kofta, 74–75
Anchovy Canapés, 51
Avocado Sandowsky, 54
Caramelized Bacon, 93
Cheese Straws, 79–80
Chinese Pork Balls, 59–60
Crostini Romani, 77
Cucumber Sandwiches, 56
Egg and Olive Canapés, 57
Eggs Louisiana, 53–54
Eggs Suffragette, 52–53
Foie Gras and Jam Sandwiches, 78
Fried Chickpeas, 88
Fried Olives, 87
Onion Rings, 61
Pickled Shrimp, 95–96
Pork Belly Tea Sandwiches, 88–89
Saucisson Soûl, 67
Seasoned Olives, 90
Shrimp Canapés à la Suede, 57
Shrimp Toast, 60–61
Smoked Mackerel on Toasts, 80–81
Toasted Mushroom Rolls, 72
Toasts with Walnut Sauce, 73–74
horseradish
Horseradish Sauce, 594
Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish, 259
Hot Buttered Rum, 24, 77
Hot Cheese Olives, 18, 19, 35, 52, 55, 56, 61, 67, 83, 93, 185, 201, 391, 476, 524
Hot Cross Buns, 654
hot Italian sausage
Lasagna, 342
Paella, 309–10
Hot Penne with Chilled Tomato Sauce and Charred Tuna, 140, 322
Hot Pepper Shrimp, 26, 131, 282, 403–4, 452
hot-weather menus, 878
How to Render Duck Fat, 531
Huguenot Torte, 204, 276, 344, 594, 750
Hummus bi Tahini, 68–69, 89, 511, 550
Hunan Beef with Cumin, 146, 356, 575
Huntington Pudding, 106, 141, 181, 202, 354, 469, 802–3
I
ice(s)
Clove Granita, 727
Orange Ice, 717
Raspberry Granita, 719–20
Vanilla Plum Ice, 734
Iceberg Lettuce with Smoked Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing, 145, 160, 200–201, 255, 271, 295, 464, 472,
492, 555, 656
Ice-Cold Tomatoes with Basil, 234, 332, 411, 464, 534
ice cream
Baked Alaska, 721
Brown Sugar Ice Cream, 721–22
Coupe Lena Horne, 722–23
Fruit Marlow, 723
Ice Cream Pie, 726
Lemon Lotus Ice Cream, 724
Licorice Ice Cream, 728
Pistachio Gelato, 730–31
Salted Caramel Ice Cream, 733
Sour Cream Ice Cream, 730
Strawberry Ice Cream, 722
Tea Ice Cream (A Massachusetts Receipt), 717
Ice Cream Pie, 537, 726
Iced Cocoa, 18
Iced Coffee, 17
iced tea
Jay Grelen’s Southern Iced Tea, 27–28
ice wine
Poisson à l’Huile, 387
Salmon with Sauternes and Olive Oil, 387
Improved Holland Gin Cocktail, 39, 43, 61, 82, 406, 509, 743
Indian Pudding, 603, 604, 809
Individual Apple Tarts, 128, 142, 470, 532, 834–35
ingredient sources, 879–81
’ino’s Tuna with Black Olive Pesto Panini, 9, 147, 373–74
Intense Chocolate Cake, 225, 338, 512, 763
Iraqi Grape Leaves Stuffed with Lamb, Mint, and Cinnamon, 69, 89, 226, 510–11
Irish Coffee, 21
Irish whiskey
Irish Coffee, 21
Ismail Merchant’s Spinach Puree, 229–30, 294, 299, 523, 546
Ismail Merchant’s Very Hot Chicken Soup, 138, 171
Italian Beef Stew with Rosemary, 59, 84, 341, 522
Italian menus, 875
Italian Roast Potatoes, 128, 151, 163, 181, 198, 227, 234, 256, 258, 259, 300, 330, 399, 443, 454, 459, 466,
491, 526, 528, 562, 568
Italian Salad, 177, 462
Italian sausage. See also hot Italian sausage; sweet Italian sausage Bacon Explosion, 583
J
jam(s), jellies, and marmalades
Bordeaux Jelly, 593
Green Tomato and Lemon Marmalade, 614
New England Grape Butter, 600–601
Orange Marmalade Pudding, 803
Plum Jam, 590
Rhubarb Marmalade, 589
Strawberry Jam, 590–91
Tomato Jelly, 595
Jamaican Rice with Coconut and Red Beans, 357, 496
James Beard’s Champagne Punch, 28–29, 61, 66, 186, 192, 295, 371, 419
James Beard’s Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, 136, 217, 241, 317, 469–70, 482
James Beard’s Pureed Parsnips, 236–37, 470, 477
Janice Okun’s Buffalo Chicken Wings, 85, 464–65
Janson’s Temptation, 278, 527
Jasmine Tea Rice, 140, 253, 260, 354, 392, 401, 413, 423, 452, 460, 461, 469, 484, 495, 553, 555, 575
Jay Grelen’s Southern Iced Tea, 27–28, 179, 194, 258, 433, 464, 474, 583
Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Crab Salad, 146, 329, 415
Jean Halberstam’s Deep-Fried Peaches, 127, 130, 140, 275, 280, 322, 474, 860
Jean Yves Legarve’s Spaghetti with Lemon and Asparagus Sauce, 173, 226, 319, 550, 581
Jellied Strawberry Pie, 135, 192, 274, 529, 551, 811–12
jelly. See jam(s), jellies, and marmalades Jennifer’s Moroccan Tea, 33, 181, 187, 200, 558
Jerusalem artichokes
Palestine Soup, 106–7
John Berwald’s Dry Rub, 607
Johnnycake, 622
Jonathan Waxman’s Red Pepper Pancakes, 149, 154, 199, 228, 417
Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins, 29, 635–36
Joyce Goldstein’s Pickled Salmon, 281, 404–5
Judson Grill’s Berry Clafoutis with Crème Fraîche, 66, 186, 192, 440, 457, 844
Judy Rodgers’s Warm Bread Salad, 118, 198, 431, 442
Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread, 16, 18, 35, 64–65, 96, 397, 402, 408, 464, 474, 551, 656,
758
July 4 menus, 873
Jumbles, 681
Junior’s Cheesecake, 201, 230, 251, 285, 392, 512, 771
juniper berries
Fennel and Apple Salad with Juniper, 189–90
Junipero Gibson with Pickled Red Onion, 33–34, 55, 75, 90, 91
K
Kaffir Lime Lemonade, 26–27, 67, 74, 89, 140, 392, 436, 452, 490, 496, 552, 555
Kathleen Claiborne’s Hot Cakes, 69–70, 633–34
Katta Sambol, 349, 436, 611
kelp
Alaskan Salmon, 423
ketjap manis
Key Lime Pie, 127, 131, 255, 279, 301, 397, 491, 548, 826–27, 834
kidney beans
kids’ birthday party menus, 877
kielbasa
Saucisson Soûl, 67
Kir Royale 38, 28, 73, 76, 192, 295, 407, 578
kirsch
Rhubarb-Strawberry Mousse, 835
kiwis
Pavlova, 826
kombu
Alaskan Salmon, 423
Königsberger Klopse, 278, 312, 526–27
Kosher Pickles the Right Way, 292, 537, 608
Koy Pa, 155, 436–37, 575
kumquat(s)
Mi Quang, 349–50
Kumquat-Clementine Cordial, 42, 70, 81, 87, 94, 96, 468
L
Labor Day menus, 873
ladyfingers
Laggtarta, 172, 750–51
lamb
Arnaki Araka, 550
Bobotie, 532
Broiled Lamb Chops, 514
Crown Roast of Lamb, 513
Delmonico Hash, 507
Epigram of Lamb, 509–10
Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mustard Seeds, 544
Herb-Stuffed Lamb Chops, 514
High-Temperature Roast Lamb, 526
Lamb in Mustard Mascarpone Sauce, 564–65
Lamb with Peas, 550
Moussaka, 518–19
Seared Loin Lamb Chops with Olives and Soft Polenta, 556
Spoon Lamb, 546
Tibs, 545–46
Lamb in Mustard Mascarpone Sauce, 253, 564–65
Lamb Shoulder Chops with Anchovy and Mint Butter, 150, 162, 172, 193, 194, 288, 356, 567–68
Lamb with Peas, 69, 89, 111, 180, 278, 293, 511, 550
Laotian Catfish Soup, 27, 154–55, 358, 383, 436, 443
Larb Gai, 494, 497
Larded Potatoes à la New York Times, 271, 579
Lasagna, 177, 342, 518
lassis
Mango Lassi, 27
Sweet (or Savory) Lassi, 25–26
Last-of-the-Summer Pesto, 535, 614
Latin American menus, 877
Latkes, 136, 216, 280–81, 405, 566, 573
Lattich Salat, Warme, 116, 171–72, 201, 241, 286, 511
Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake, 631–32, 769
Le Cirque’s Crème Brûlée, 316, 489, 844–45
Le Cirque’s Spaghetti Primavera, 314–16, 461
leek(s)
Leeks Vinaigrette, 217
Pistou Soup, 135
Potage Parisien with Sorrel Cream, 148–49
Spoon Lamb, 546
Waterzooi, 115–16
Leek and Shiitake Bread Pudding, 244–45, 420, 569
Leeks Vinaigrette, 217, 352, 534, 559
Lee Lum’s Lemon Chicken, 459–60, 479
Lee’s Marlborough Tart, 216, 277, 395, 418, 571, 816–17
Leg of Lamb with Potato Gratin, 248, 537–38
lemonade
Ginger Lemonade, 26
Roman Punch, 12
Lemon-Almond Butter Cake, 112, 152, 263, 341, 466, 780
lemon(s) and lemon juice. See also preserved lemon(s) Almendrados, 707–8
Chez Panisse Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie, 833–34
Cilantro Sauce, 471
Elizabeth Frink’s Roast Lemon Chicken, 478–79
Escarole with Pan-Roasted Garlic and Lemon, 248–49
Ginger Lemonade, 26
Glazed Mango with Sour Cream Sorbet and Black Pepper, 850–51
Grapefruit Wine, 37
Gremolata, 536
Lemon Bars, 690
Lemon Gumdrops, 705
Lemon Lotus Ice Cream, 724
Lemon Mousse for a Crowd, 861
Lemon Sablés, 704
Lemon Syrup, 9
Limoncello, 38
Nicky Finn, 19
Olive Oil–Tuna Spread with Lemon and Oregano, 95
Oolong-Crusted Scallops, 441
Preserved Lemons with Cardamom and Bay Leaves, 610
Ralph Vetter’s Sweet Potatoes with Lemon, 295–96
Red Lentil Soup with Lemon, 163
Sangria, 23
Sautéed Trout with Brown Butter, Lemon, and Macadamia Nuts, 392–93
Seafood Salad, 427
Strawberry Sorbet, 732
Tom and Jerry, 32
Winter Slaw with Lemon-and-Orange Dressing, 185
Lemon Bars, 69, 178, 179, 188, 223, 234, 322, 358, 439, 484, 534, 690
Lemon Cake, 143, 158, 203, 311, 410, 564, 781–82
Lemon Cheese Pie, 185, 335, 812–13
lemongrass
Koy Pa, 436–37
Lemon Gumdrops, 705
Lemon Lotus Ice Cream, 64, 119, 123, 155, 156, 158, 260, 354, 356, 423, 461, 469, 481, 518, 548, 552,
575, 724, 786
Lemon Mousse for a Crowd, 227, 241, 392, 444, 453, 489, 524, 816, 861
Lemon Sablés, 30, 704
Lemon Syrup, 9, 179, 374, 433, 532
lentils
Faki, 121–22
Licorice Ice Cream, 340, 538, 562, 715, 728
Lightly Smoked Salt Cod Salad, 38, 132, 334, 437, 641
Light Potato Salad, 80, 146, 255, 262, 301, 491, 493, 511, 559
lima beans
lime(s) and lime juice
Ceviche with Mint and Mango, 417
Chicken with Lime, Chile, and Fresh Herbs, 497
The Cuke, 39–40
Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes, 420–21
Gin Rickey, 21–22
Grilled Beef, 581
Key Lime Pie, 826–27, 834
Larb Gai, 497
Lime Meringue Pie, 834
Lime Sherbet, 722
La Paloma, 35
Pho Bo, 144–45
Salsa, 129
Sour Cream Sorbet, 851
Lime Sherbet, 414, 715, 722
Limoncello, 38, 69, 77, 171, 195, 311, 435
Lindsey Shere’s Flaky Piecrust, 833–34
Lindy’s Cheesecake, 593, 757–58
liqueurs. See cordials; specific types of cordials liver. See chicken livers; pork liver liver sausage
lobster
Failproof Way to Boil Lobster, 353
Lobster Bisque I, 108–9
Lobster Roll, 368
Paella, 309–10
Roast Lobster with Vanilla Sauce, 411–12
Lobster Bisque I, 108–9, 804
Lobster Roll, 118, 192, 289, 325, 363, 368
longhorn cheese
A Loose Interpretation of Cobb Salad, 28, 69, 145, 193–94
Lora Brody’s Bête Noire, 225, 338, 512, 763
Lorane Schiff’s Pesto Genovese, 311, 614
lotus seeds
Lucas Schoormans’s Lemon Tart, 69, 123, 132, 258, 352, 407, 542, 554, 578, 857–58
M
macadamia nuts
Macaroni with Ham and Cheese, 319–20, 465
macaroons
Macaroons, 136, 188, 283, 319, 396, 495, 681–82, 823
Tortoni, 720–21
mâche
mackerel, smoked
Airplane Salad, 197
Madame Laracine’s Gratin Dauphinois, 157–58, 176, 217, 230, 254, 284–85, 508, 516, 517
Madeira
Fresh Mushrooms Stewed with Madeira, 214–15
James Beard’s Pureed Parsnips, 236–37
Peach Salad, 805
Zabaglione, 813
madeleine(s)
Two-Day Madeleines with Brown Butter, 701
Madeleine Kamman’s Apple Mousse, 129, 143, 217, 318, 369, 442, 515, 523, 816, 861
Maida Heatter’s Cuban Black Beans and Rice, 68, 71, 131, 281–82, 521, 548, 576, 691
Maida Heatter’s Preheated-Oven Popovers, 520, 577, 657, 691, 867
Maida’s Blueberry Crumb Cake, 194, 401, 632
Maître d’Hôtel Potatoes, 272–73, 400
Málaga Gazpacho, 112–13, 324, 399, 423, 437, 464
Malaysian-Inspired Pork Stew with Traditional Garnishes, 67, 155, 443, 494, 552–53
Malcolm and Kelley McDowell’s Pink Rigatoni, 224, 338
malfatti
Malfatti, 224, 345–46
Mrs. Sebastiani’s Malfatti, 313–14
mangoes
Glazed Mango with Sour Cream Sorbet and Black Pepper, 850–51
Mango Lassi, 27
Yogurt with Plantain and Mango, 290–91
Mango Ice Cream, 114, 145, 155, 247, 260, 350, 357, 358, 389, 413, 436, 439, 443, 494, 495, 496, 521,
543, 553, 575, 582, 729
Mango Lassi, 27, 75, 471, 553, 635, 643, 647
Manicotti with Ricotta Cheese, 224, 314
Manjula Gokal’s Gujarati Mango Soup, 155–56, 248, 389, 495
Maple Shortbread Bars, 151, 185, 701–2
maple syrup
maraschino liqueur
Marcella’s Pear Cake, 129, 148, 163, 171, 204, 216, 296, 340, 349, 443, 477, 479, 536, 540, 561, 571, 769
Maria Tillman Jackson Rogers’s Carrot Cake, 183, 758, 761–62
Marina Anagnostou’s Spanakopetes, 63–64, 179, 180, 195, 398, 550
Marinated Flank Steak with Asian Slaw, 119, 259, 441, 552
Marjolaine, 328, 408, 571, 766–68
Mark Bittman’s Pizza Dough, 371–72
marmalades. See jam(s), jellies, and marmalades Marmitako, 132
Marsala
Zabaglione, 813
Marshmallows, 762–63
marshmallows
Caramelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats, 708
Fruit Marlow, 723
Martini, 35, 55, 57, 61, 82, 83, 93, 177, 406, 520
Mary Ann’s Fruitcake, 13, 22, 604, 660–61
mascarpone cheese
Mashed Potatoes Anna, 129, 131, 172, 177, 201, 215, 216, 223, 232, 233, 236, 254, 256, 263, 294–95, 312,
419, 443, 478, 487, 508, 510, 512, 520, 524, 536, 544, 546, 555, 561, 565, 573
Matt’s Whole Brisket with Tomato Gravy, 136, 281, 293, 405, 572–73
mayonnaise
Aioli, 86
Green Mayonnaise, 597
Mayonnaise, 465, 597
Tartar Sauce, 398
meat, 498–583. See also specific types of meat recipes by category, 503–5
Meat and Spinach Loaf, 145, 183, 277, 524
meatballs
Meatballs in Creamy Caper Sauce, 278, 312, 526–27
meat loaf
Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette, 135, 237, 288
melons. See cantaloupe(s); honeydew melon; watermelon menus, 869–78
meringue(s)
Banana Meringue Steamed Custard, 200, 297, 812
Chez Panisse Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie, 160, 182, 191, 823, 833–34
Meringue Topping, 44
Pavlova, 826
Meringue Topping, 44
Mezzaluna Salad, 63, 116, 129, 185, 283, 320, 326, 403, 424, 435, 528, 573, 636
Middle Eastern menus, 876
milk. See also goat’s milk
Blender Eggnog, 44
custards. See custard
Dulce de Lece, 593
Iced Cocoa, 18
puddings. See bread pudding; sweet puddings Sour-Milk Cake, 741
Tom and Jerry, 32
Minced Fish Salad, 155, 436–37, 497, 575
The Minimalist’s Gravlax, 18, 190, 203, 295, 418–19
The Minimalist’s Paella, 333–34
mint
Mint Julep, 24–25
Schrafft’s Mint Sauce, 596
Mint Julep, 24–25, 54, 56, 64, 71, 397, 402, 463, 551, 599
Mi Quang, 349–50, 436, 443, 570, 575
miso
Nina Simonds’s Broiled Halibut with Miso Glaze, 413
Mississippi Mud Cake, 472, 762–63
Mississippi Pancakes, 643
Mississippi Pecan Pie, 218, 276, 475, 478, 529, 820
molasses
Butterscotch, 679
Indian Pudding, 809
Molasses Candy, 680
Party Balls, 685–86
Molasses Candy, 680
Molasses Cup Cakes with Lemon Icing, 148, 351, 357, 579, 745–46
mole
A Moley, 26, 247, 276, 297, 452–53
monkfish
Monkfish Encrusted with Pistachios, 246, 403
Monte’s Ham, 20, 145, 301, 548, 613
Moroccan Carrot Salad, 33, 139, 185, 187, 200, 482
Moroccan Chicken Smothered in Olives, 33, 68, 71, 135, 141, 185, 187, 200, 288, 289, 482
Moroccan Rice Pudding, 33, 132, 181, 187, 248, 293, 322, 403, 482, 532, 558, 566, 848–49
Moroccan Tomato Soup, 106, 134–35, 237, 288, 415
Moscow Mule, 20–21, 68, 80, 84, 89, 548, 576
The Most Voluptuous Cauliflower, 133, 172, 241, 249, 294, 351, 371, 403, 441, 453, 481, 544, 564, 578
Moussaka, 72, 226, 244, 518–19, 532
mousses
Lemon Mousse for a Crowd, 861
Salmon Mousse, 394–95
Strawberry Charlotte, 810
Tortoni, 720–21
mozzarella cheese
Crostini Romani, 77
Lasagna, 342
Pamela Sherrid’s Summer Pasta, 329–30
Mrs. Foster’s Frosty Lime Pie, 395, 724–25
Mrs. Hovis’s Hot Upside-Down Apple Pie, 201, 216, 295, 512, 828–29
Mrs. Sebastiani’s Malfatti, 177, 313–14, 346
Muenster cheese
muffins
Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins, 635–36
Mulligatawny Soup, 113–14, 260
Multilayered Chocolate and Praline Cake, 328, 408, 571, 766–68
muscatel
mushrooms
Baked Mushrooms, 212
Ed Giobbi’s Rabbit Cacciatora, 461–62
Eggs with Mushrooms and Caraway, 624
Fresh Mushrooms Stewed with Madeira, 214–15
Mushrooms Stuffed with Duxelles and Sausage, 223
Mushrooms with Manzanilla Sherry, 249
Sicilian Mushroom Soup, 127–28
Spoon Lamb, 546
Toasted Mushroom Rolls, 72
Zuppa di Funghi Siciliana, 127–28
Mushrooms Stuffed with Duxelles and Sausage, 150, 223, 454, 476
Mushrooms with Manzanilla Sherry, 129, 152, 249, 296, 442, 520, 569, 571
mussel(s)
Billi-Bi au Safran, 125
Grandma Tedesco’s Mussels and Gravy, 414–15
Mussel and Potato Mayonnaise, 279
Paella, 309–10
Seafood Salad, 427
Steamed Mussels, 279
Mussels in Saffron Cream, 125, 283, 513
mustard
Rabbit in Mustard Sauce, 466
mustard greens
My Mother’s Tuna Salad, 433
N
Nancy Reagan’s Monkey Bread, 160, 594, 669–70
Napa cabbage
navy beans
Boston Baked Beans, 274
Spoon Lamb, 546
New England Grape Butter, 587, 600–601
New England menus, 876–77
New Jersey Blancmange, 163, 593, 797–98, 802
New Years’ Day menu, 872
New Years’ Eve menus, 872
New York Strip Steak with Horseradish-Mint Glaze, 176, 184, 189, 219, 225, 273, 566
Nicky Finn, 19, 52, 53, 66
Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères, 11, 16, 19, 28, 43, 76, 87, 88, 204, 231, 338, 391, 407, 425, 453, 482
Nina Simonds’s Broiled Halibut with Miso Glaze, 239, 383, 413
1980s menus, 869
1990s menus, 870
1970s menus, 869
1960s menus, 869
nineteenth-century menus, 869
No-Knead Bread, 117, 118, 123, 135, 138, 156, 171, 489, 493, 560, 670
Noodles Romanoff, 311–12, 527
nori
Edamame with Nori Salt, 92–93
The Normandy, 43, 74, 92
North Carolina–Style Pulled Pork, 20, 33, 79, 80, 96, 129, 192, 274, 275, 291, 298, 357, 473, 550–51, 594,
599, 656
Nueces Canyon Cabrito, 20, 68, 71, 130, 282, 375, 576
nuts. See also specific types of nuts English Toffee, 700
O
oats
Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal, 637
Oaxaca cheese
Ofenschlupfer, 506, 804–5
okra
Black-Skillet Okra, 257–58
Okra Soup with Beef (and Oysters), 109–10, 212
Old-Fashioned Bread and Chocolate Rolls, 664–65, 844
Old South Buttermilk Biscuits, 287, 463, 473, 493, 529, 548, 599, 655–56
olive(s). See also black olives; green olives Egg and Olive Canapés, 57
Fried Olives, 87
Seasoned Olives, 90
olive oil
Salsa, 428
Olive Oil and Apple Cider Cake, 107, 197, 238, 258, 281, 326, 405, 428, 562, 771–72
Olive Oil–Tuna Spread with Lemon and Oregano, 57, 63, 95, 174, 181, 193, 672
Oliver Clark’s Meat Loaf, 85, 184, 253, 255–56, 280, 554–55
omelet(s)
An Omelet, 623
Plain Omelet, 627
Rum Omelet, 808
An Omelet, 623
Omelet with Asparagus, 31, 507, 624
onion(s)
Bread-and-Butter Pickles, 600
Chow-Chow, 593–94
Creamed Onions, 217–18
Joyce Goldstein’s Pickled Salmon, 404–5
Marmitako, 132
Moussaka, 518–19
Onion Rings, 61
Onions for Black Beans, 282
Pasta with Yogurt and Caramelized Onions, from Kassos, 341
Potage Cressonière, 112
Salsa, 129
Shrimp Creole, 397
Spoon Lamb, 546
Watercress Soup, 112
Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion, 261
Onion Rings, 14, 17, 18, 28, 34, 39, 40, 51, 55, 61, 67, 72, 81, 82, 83, 96, 389, 406, 419, 439, 441
Onions for Black Beans, 282
Oolong-Crusted Scallops, 283, 441
Open-Faced Tomato Sandwich, 118, 178, 250, 367, 426
orange(s) and orange juice
Confit of Carrot and Cumin, 244
Florida Beets, 216
Orange Ice, 717
Rhubarb Orange, 864
Roman Punch, 12
Sangria, 23
Orange Ice, 138, 277, 717
orange liqueur
Kir Royale 38, 28
Mary Ann’s Fruitcake, 660–61
Nicky Finn, 19
Orange Marmalade Pudding, 151, 183, 803
oregano
Salsa, 428
Oriental Watercress Soup, 60, 61, 111, 183, 356, 404, 442, 460, 477, 518, 575
Orzo with Pine Nuts and Basil, 224, 325, 466
Osso Buco alla Milanese, 341, 535–36
ouzo
Oven-Roasted Branzino with Hazelnut Picada, 182, 196, 233, 441–42
oxtail(s)
Coda alla Vaccinara, 562
Oxtail Braised with Tomato and Celery, 562
Oxtail Braised with Tomato and Celery, 59, 195, 341, 562
oyster(s)
Broiled Steak with Oysters, 511–12
Ceylon Curry of Oysters, 391–92
Cromesquis d’Huîtres à la Sauce Tartare, 405–6
Fried Oysters with Creamy Tartar Sauce, 405–6
Grand Central Pan Roast, 393–94
Oyster Chowder, 152, 159, 173, 367, 579
P
Pad Thai–Style Rice Salad, 155, 357–58, 434, 436, 490, 543, 552, 570
paella
Paella, 23, 38, 58, 86, 88, 91, 95, 113, 252, 309–10
Palak Bharta, 229–30, 294, 299, 523, 546
Palestine Soup, 106–7, 369, 418, 428
La Paloma, 35, 54, 68, 71, 90, 120, 131, 282, 287, 375, 417, 444, 445, 521, 548, 576
Pamela Sherrid’s Summer Pasta, 150, 178, 329–30, 353, 401
Pan Bagnat, 376
Pan-Barbecued Shrimp, 25, 64, 123, 402
pancakes
David Eyre’s Pancake, 813–14
Heavenly Hots, 634–35
Heirloom Pea Pancakes, 295
Kathleen Claiborne’s Hot Cakes, 633–34
Laggtarta, 750–51
Mississippi Pancakes, 643
Pancakes Layered with Strawberries, 172, 750–51
pancetta
Lasagna, 342
Paella, 309–10
Turducken, 485–87
Pan con Tomate, 23, 57, 86, 88, 91–92, 95, 132, 134, 142, 194, 252, 310, 429, 437, 539, 579, 641
panela cheese
Panettone, 663–64
Panforte, 765–66
panna cotta
Panna Cotta, 84, 163, 195, 250, 300, 314, 331, 341, 346, 427, 443, 467, 522, 562, 802, 840–41
Pan-Roasted Chicken with End-of-Season Tomatoes, 110, 159, 161, 173–74, 232, 258, 302, 482–83
Papa’s Apple Pound Cake, 36, 125, 343, 419, 774–75
El Parian’s Carne Asada, 68, 581
Park Avenue Cocktail, 19, 28, 57, 58, 83, 87, 192, 366, 389
Parmesan cheese
Braised Stuffed Breast of Veal, 558–59
Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese, 465–66
Breaded Veal Milan-Style, 523–24
Fettuccine alla Romana, 310–11
Malcolm and Kelley McDowell’s Pink Rigatoni, 338
Manicotti with Ricotta Cheese, 314
Pasta with Fast Sausage Ragu, 343
Pasta with Vodka, 317
Red Wine Risotto, 346–47
Soft Polenta, 467, 556
Parmesan Crackers, 16, 24, 25, 32, 52, 53, 84, 90, 95, 108, 118, 160, 188, 195, 522
Parmesan Sablés, 704
parsley
Bulgur Salad with Pomegranate Dressing and Toasted Nuts, 354
Gremolata, 536
Roasted Marrow Bones, 576–77
Salsa, 428
Shrimp in Green Sauce, 430–31
parsnips
James Beard’s Pureed Parsnips, 236–37
Party Balls, 685–86, 708
Passover menus, 872–73
pasta, 304–56. See also egg noodles; rice noodles recipes by category, 307, 308
Eldorado Petit’s Fried Noodles with Garlic Mayonnaise, 324–25
Lasagna, 342
Pho Bo, 144–45
Pistou Soup, 135
Rabbit Ragu with Pappardelle, 352
Pasta with Fast Sausage Ragu, 185, 343
Pasta with Tuscan Duck Sauce, 151, 343–44
pastry. See also phyllo dough; puff pastry Cream Cheese Pastry, 843
Flaky Sweet Pastry Dough, 834–35
French Pie Pastry, 825–26
Lindsey Shere’s Flaky Piecrust, 833–34
Pâte Brisée, 834–35
Shaping Pastries, 629
Tarte Tatin Pastry, 838
Tart Pastry, 840
Pastry Cream, 830
Pâte Brisée, 834–35
Pâté Watch Hill Farm, 19, 52, 53
Patsy’s Bourbon Slush, 12, 32–33, 93, 529
Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun-Style Gumbo, 64, 125–27, 212, 317
Paul Steindler’s Cabbage Soup, 124–25, 416, 515
Pavlova, 393, 823, 826
pea(s). See also black-eyed peas, dried; field peas, dried; snow peas; sugar snap peas Aloo Kofta, 74–75
Arnaki Araka, 550
Green Pea Fritters, 270
Lamb with Peas, 550
Paella, 309–10
Puree of Peas and Watercress, 296–97
Scallops with Pea Puree, 429–30
pea beans. See navy beans
peach(es)
Jean Halberstam’s Deep-Fried Peaches, 860
Peach Balls, 88, 199, 388, 408, 539, 793, 804
Peach Bowl, 20, 74, 94, 511
Peach Salad, 110, 130, 138, 140, 150, 173, 212, 232, 275, 322, 332, 376, 402, 539, 805
pea greens
peanut(s)
peanut butter
White Bark Balls, 708–9
pear(s)
Marcella’s Pear Cake, 769
pear eau-de-vie
Pear Upside-Down Cake, 24, 158, 194, 470, 487, 554, 565, 772–73
pea shoots
pecans
Brown Sugar Ice Cream, 721–22
Christmas Stollen, 657–58
Huguenot Torte, 750
Mississippi Pecan Pie, 820
Pecan Sandies, 688
Pralines, 684
Sand Tarts, 688
Spiced Pecans, 82–83
Swedish Ginger Cookies, 708
Sweet Potato Casserole, 286–87
Pecan Sandies, 63, 151, 185, 190, 688
Pecorino Romano cheese
Lasagna, 342
Peppadew Martini, 40–41, 92, 94
Peppar Tomato, 31, 62, 85, 92
pepper(s). See bell peppers; chile peppers; pimentos; roasted bell peppers Pepper-Cumin Cookies, 21, 69,
139, 185, 187, 200, 289, 404, 482, 695, 850
Peppered Cranberry Marmalade, 563
Peppermints, 682–83
A Perfect Batch of Rice, 241, 263, 316–17, 395, 456, 457, 509, 533
pesto
Petit Beurre Cookies, 367, 427, 699–700
Petits Pains au Chocolat à l’Ancienne, 664–65, 844
Pho Bo, 144–45, 443
phyllo dough
pickerel
pickle(s). See also cornichons Bread-and-Butter Pickles, 600
Chow-Chow, 593–94
Pickled Watermelon Rind, 598–99
Tartar Sauce, 405
Pickled Shrimp, 14, 15, 17, 25, 42, 54, 56, 61, 80, 95–96, 201, 253, 474, 491, 551, 567
Pickled Watermelon Rind, 255, 301, 491, 598–99
picnic menus, 874
pie(s)
recipes by category, 794–96
Apple Crumb Pie, 841
Blueberry Pie with a Lattice Top, 853–55
Buttermilk Pie, 859–60
Chocolate Silk Pie, 838–39
Coconut Pie, 801–2
Jellied Strawberry Pie, 811–12
Key Lime Pie, 826–27, 834
Mississippi Pecan Pie, 820
Mrs. Hovis’s Hot Upside-Down Apple Pie, 828–29
Rum Pumpkin Cream Pie, 823–24
Straight-Up Rhubarb Pie, 862–63
Pierre Hermé’s Chocolate Sablés, 347, 488, 496, 561, 704
pilaf
pimentos
Paella, 309–10
pineapple(s) and pineapple juice
Fruit Marlow, 723
Pineapple Sherbet, 719
Sangria, 23
Tapioca Flamingo, 810–11
Pineapple Carpaccio with Lime Sorbet, 155, 193, 349, 441, 572, 842
Pineapple Sherbet, 140, 719
pine nut(s)
Pine Nut Cookies, 689
Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts, 318–19
Spinach Roman-Style, 233–34
Pine Nut Cookies, 69, 128, 256, 326, 356, 403, 404, 435, 532, 543, 689
pinot noir
Braised Duck Legs with Pinot Noir Sauce, 481–82
pinto beans
Drunken Beans, 287
Rice and Peas, 357
pistachio(s)
Monkfish Encrusted with Pistachios, 403
Pistachio Gelato, 730–31
Pistachio Cream, 221, 329, 407, 454, 806
Pistachio Gelato, 374, 730–31
Pistou Soup, 135, 224
pizza, 360–63, 370–78. See also calzone(s) recipes by category, 364
pizza dough
Calzone (or Pizza) Dough, 370
Franny’s Pizza Dough, 374–75
Mark Bittman’s Pizza Dough, 371–72
Sam Sifton’s Pizza Dough, 377–78
Tarte Flambée Dough, 371
Plain Omelet, 627
plantains
Yogurt with Plantain and Mango, 290–91
plum(s)
Plum Jam, 590
Polish Jewish Plum Cake, 769–70
Purple Plum Torte, 763–64
plum brandy
Plum Fritters, 174, 224, 248, 354, 376, 422, 441, 468, 507, 546, 560, 865–66
Plum Jam, 590
Poached Eggs, 627
Poached Pears in Brandy and Red Wine, 56, 137, 148, 197, 215, 327, 402, 453, 552, 727, 832
Poached Pears with Asian Spices, 60, 259, 356, 856–57
Poached Scrambled Eggs, 31, 619, 645
Pointe d’Asperge, 212–13, 412
Poivrons Verts Farcis, 223–24, 314, 325, 338
polenta
Quail with Rosemary on Soft Polenta, 467
Soft Polenta, 467, 556
Polish Jewish Plum Cake, 125, 136, 232, 470, 579, 769–70
pomegranate molasses
popcorn
To Sugar or Crystallize PopCorn, 51
popovers
Maida Heatter’s Preheated-Oven Popovers, 657
Poppy Seed Torte, 163, 557, 786
Porcini Bread Stuffing, 218, 350–51, 470
pork. See also bacon; ham; hog jowl; pancetta; prosciutto; salt pork Anita Sheldon’s Torta di Spinaci, 368–
69
Brine-Cured Pork Chops, 569
Brined and Roasted Pork Belly, 556–57
Collared Pork, 507–8
Epigram of Lamb, 510
Herb-Stuffed Lamb Chops, 514
North Carolina–Style Pulled Pork, 550–51
Oriental Watercress Soup, 111
Pork Chops with Rye Bread Stuffing, 514–15
Tuscan-Style Pork Spareribs, 568
Pork and Squash in Coconut Milk, 27, 555
Pork-and-Toasted-Rice-Powder Spring Rolls, 10, 27, 67, 74, 140, 145, 155, 478, 490, 494, 496, 543, 553,
555, 570, 575, 744
Pork and Watermelon Salad, 138, 358, 413, 574–75
Pork Arrosto with Prunes and Grappa, 217, 232, 246, 283, 297, 351, 577–78
Pork Belly Tea Sandwiches, 26, 27, 88–89, 350, 456, 490, 552
Pork Braised in Milk and Cream, 59, 229, 433, 557–58
Pork Burgers, 28, 85, 149, 150, 198, 199, 250, 289, 440, 566–67
Pork Chops with Rye Bread Stuffing, 222, 514–15
pork liver
pork rinds
Mi Quang, 349–50
pork skins, dried
port wine
Welsh Rarebit, 365
Potage Parisien with Sorrel Cream, 148–49, 171, 259, 401, 430, 479
potato(es)
Aloo Kofta, 74–75
Bacon Potato Puffs, 276–77
Crisp Potato Crowns, 284
Flattened Potatoes, 301–2
French Fries, 292
French Potato Salad, 277–78
Gently Cooked Salmon with Mashed Potatoes, 415–16
Herbed French Fries, 292
Italian Roast Potatoes, 300
Janson’s Temptation, 278
Larded Potatoes à la New York Times, 271
Latkes, 280–81
Maître d’Hôtel Potatoes, 272–73
Marmitako, 132
Mashed Potatoes Anna, 294–95
Oyster Chowder, 159
Pistou Soup, 135
Potato “Tostones,” 301–2
Roasted Potato Salad, 285
Roasted Salmon with Herb Vinaigrette, 430
Rusks, 652
Saratoga Potatoes, 273–74
Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley, 283–84
Smoked Mashed Potatoes, 300–301
Spanish Fricco, 506
Spoonbread’s Potato Salad, 288–89
Yette’s Garden Platter, 220
Potato, Ham, and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas, 23, 38, 86, 88, 91, 94–95, 113, 132, 152, 310, 325, 437, 641
Potato, Shiitake, and Brie Gratin, 285–86, 543
Potato Gnocchi, 240, 340–41, 536, 562
Potato Salad with Beets, 270–71, 390
Potato Salad with Shaved Ricotta Salata and Green Sauce, 150, 299
Potato “Tostones,” 129, 154, 176, 177, 186, 215, 226, 249, 253, 301–2, 428, 435, 442, 493, 568
Pots de Crème, 182, 299, 389, 399, 520, 533, 815–16, 817
Potted Salmon, 13, 65, 388–89, 577
poultry, 446–97. See also chicken; duck; quail; squab; turkey recipes by category, 450–51
pound cake
Pralines, 684
preserve(s)
Tomato Preserves, 602–3
Preserved Duck, 530, 531
preserved lemon(s)
Preserved Lemons with Cardamom and Bay Leaves, 610
Preserved Lemons with Cardamom and Bay Leaves, 54, 610
prosciutto
Saltimbocca, 561–62
prosecco
Rhubarb Bellini, 30
Provençal Fish Soup, 141–42, 181
prune(s)
Apple, Prune, and Armagnac Tart, 827–28
Prune Filling, 628
Pruneaux du Pichet, 346, 513, 520, 538, 822–23, 861
Prune Filling, 628
Prunes in a Pitcher, 346, 513, 520, 538, 822–23, 861
puddings. See also bread pudding; savory puddings; sweet puddings recipes by category, 794, 795
puff pastry
Transparent Pudding, 805–6
pumpkin
Pumpkin–Black Bean Soup, 128–29, 217
pumpkin seeds
punch
Blender Eggnog, 44
Eggnog, 22
Holiday Punch, 32
Zombie Punch, 41
Puntarelle with Anchovies, 84, 194–95, 316, 317, 333, 340, 433, 443, 467, 506, 522, 562, 564
Puree of Peas and Watercress, 136, 150, 202, 218, 253, 296–97, 422, 470, 480, 510, 513, 571
Purple Plum Torte, 125, 190, 281, 283, 442, 455, 539, 559, 566, 573, 763–64
Q
quail
Quail with Rosemary on Soft Polenta, 467
Roast Quail with Sage Dressing, 453
quail eggs
Mi Quang, 349–50
Quail with Rosemary on Soft Polenta, 133, 183, 467
quark
Queen of Puddings, 125, 141, 232, 276, 401–2, 425, 454, 556, 804, 866
quesadillas
quick breads
Shirley Estabrook Wood’s Zucchini Bread, 663
R
R
rabbit
Rabbit in Mustard Sauce, 66, 186, 192, 263, 466
Rabbit Ragu with Pappardelle, 352
Rabbit Soup with Garlic, Peppers, and Chorizo, 23, 86, 88, 92, 95, 152, 249, 252, 318, 334, 641
Rachel’s Green Beans with Dill, 251, 390, 441
radicchio
radishes
Fried Radishes, 215
raisin(s)
Panettone, 663–64
Sour-Milk Cake, 741
Ralph Vetter’s Sweet Potatoes with Lemon, 295–96, 351, 540
Ramos Gin Fizz, 15–16, 25, 52, 84
raspberries
Laggtarta, 750–51
Raspberry Bavarian Cream, 807
Summer Pudding, 847
Raspberry Bavarian Cream, 109, 470, 557, 568, 807
Raspberry Granita, 59, 110, 135, 149, 224, 302, 329, 356, 375, 411, 421, 496, 560, 715, 719–20, 732
Ratatouille Niçoise, 219–20, 408, 520, 538
Ratatouille with Butternut Squash, 258, 293, 453
Raw Artichoke Salad with Cucumber, 173–74, 325, 420, 528
Raw Spinach Salad, 112, 171, 175–76, 201, 277, 299, 347, 395, 405, 470, 488, 506, 511, 521
Rebujito, 38, 86, 88, 91, 95, 113, 132, 310, 334, 429, 440, 578
red beans
Rice and Peas, 357
red cabbage
Wilted Red Cabbage Salad, 196–97
Red Cabbage Glazed with Maple Syrup, 236, 312, 477, 487
Red Lentil Soup with Lemon, 163, 183
Red Mole with Pork, 35, 120, 417, 547–48
red snapper
Koy Pa, 436–37
Sautéed Red Snapper with Rhubarb Sauce, 421–22
Red Velvet Cake, 159, 255, 464, 491, 539, 656, 757
red wine. See also specific types of red wine Boeuf Bourguignon I, 516
Bordeaux Jelly, 593
Claret Cup, 12
Holiday Punch, 32
Lasagna, 342
Sangria, 23
Sauce Bordelaise (A Red Wine Sauce), 528
Red Wine Ice Cream, 158, 236, 542, 571, 715, 730
Red Wine Risotto, 346–47, 488, 510, 562, 578
Rémoulade Sauce, 408
Reuben’s Apple Pancake, 132, 247, 414, 510, 524, 555, 571, 793, 831–32
Revani Verrias, 293, 319, 482, 543, 566, 788
rhubarb
Rhubarb Bellini, 30
Rhubarb-Ginger Compote, 607
Rhubarb Orange, 864
Sautéed Red Snapper with Rhubarb Sauce, 421–22
Straight-Up Rhubarb Pie, 862–63
Rhubarb Bellini, 30, 94, 95, 140, 185, 190, 203, 222, 295, 316, 328, 374, 510, 581, 624, 646
Rhubarb-Ginger Compote, 190, 203, 468, 607
Rhubarb Marmalade, 587, 589
Rhubarb Orange, 174, 222, 319, 328, 337, 345, 348, 387, 430, 526, 550, 864
Rhubarb-Soy-Marinated Duck with Rhubarb-Ginger Compote, 260, 354, 468–69
Rhubarb-Strawberry Mousse, 112, 142, 153, 163, 174, 189, 213, 229, 231, 319, 430, 513, 526, 581, 835
Rib-Eye Steaks with Peppered Cranberry Marmalade and Swiss Chard, 111–12, 241, 562–64
Rice, 397
rice, 304–58. See also risotto recipes by category, 307–8
Hoppin’ John, 298
Huntington Pudding, 802–3
Jasmine Tea Rice, 354
Paella, 309–10
Peach Balls, 804
A Perfect Batch of Rice, 316–17
Rice, 397
Rice and Peas, 357
Rice Croquettes, 799
Rice for Black Beans, 282
Rice Pilan, 309
Stuck-Pot Rice with Yogurt and Spices, 351–52
Yogurt Rice, 356–57
Rice and Peas, 357, 496
Rice Croquettes, 202, 419, 424, 799
Rice for Black Beans, 282, 484
Rice Krispies
Caramelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats, 708
rice noodles
Mi Quang, 349–50
Rice Noodles with Shrimp, Herbs, and Fried Pork Rinds, 349–50, 436, 443, 570, 575
Rice Pilan, 221, 309
rice vermicelli
Pho Bo, 144–45
rice wine. See also sake
ricotta cheese. See also ricotta salata cheese Anita Sheldon’s Torta di Spinaci, 368–69
Lasagna, 342
Malfatti, 345–46
Moussaka, 518–19
Ricotta Kisses, 852
Savory Ricotta Pudding, 356
Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Thyme and Dried Oregano, 20, 30, 41, 42, 79, 90, 91, 93–94, 142, 143, 151,
153, 177, 184, 195, 220, 263, 322, 337, 346, 440, 466, 522, 578, 615
Ricotta Crostini with Lemon Zest and Hazelnut, 94, 459
Ricotta Custard, 256–57, 468
Ricotta Kisses, 185, 256, 300, 338, 343, 466, 524, 543, 558, 852
ricotta salata cheese
Riesling
Rigatoni with White Bolognese, 59, 344–45
Rillettes de Canard, 19, 28, 32, 37, 65–66, 82, 186, 192, 243, 457, 529
risotto
Barley Risotto, 327
Risotto with Lemon and Crème Fraîche, 229, 345, 408, 455, 564, 578
Risotto with Radicchio and Sausage, 77, 190, 196, 322–23
Roast Chicken Salad, 28, 225, 492–93, 595
Roast Chicken with Bread Salad, 143, 151, 153, 186, 191, 196, 202, 222, 233, 356, 467–68
roasted bell peppers
Roasted Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad, 106, 115, 201–2
Roasted Brine-Cured Turkey with Shiitake and Lotus Seed Stuffing, 74, 218, 246, 338, 474, 477–78
Roasted Brine-Cured Turkey with Wild Mushroom Stuffing, 235, 237, 254, 260, 276, 296, 309, 337, 351,
474–75, 609
Roasted Carrot and Red Lentil Ragout, 267, 289, 482
Roasted Cauliflower, 129, 163, 198, 204, 248, 291, 336, 354, 431, 491, 510, 546, 561, 562, 566, 579
Roasted Feta with Thyme Honey, 18, 31, 41, 43, 92, 187, 198, 409, 519, 550
Roasted Potato Salad, 199, 214, 285, 479
Roasted Salmon with Herb Vinaigrette, 123, 140, 198, 259, 270, 273, 319, 330, 430
Roasted Squab with Chicken Liver Stuffing, 107, 223, 454–55, 577
Roasted Squash Soup with Cumin, 147–48, 197, 215, 278, 428, 552
Roast Fillet of Beef with Sauce Bordelaise, 66, 186, 192, 214, 232, 273, 396, 528–29
Roast Lemon Pepper Duck with Honey Lemon Sauce, 237, 351, 470
Roast Lobster with Vanilla Sauce, 213, 294, 411–12
Roast Quail with Sage Dressing, 107, 133, 148, 202, 215, 254, 258, 327, 453
rolls
Astor House Rolls, 652–53
Hot Cross Buns, 654
Romaine lettuce. See also salad(s) Garden Minestrone, 118–19
Roman Lamb, 107, 214, 249, 250, 286, 341, 433, 542–43
Roman Punch, 12, 594
Romesco Sauce, 567, 610–11
Rosa de la Garza’s Dry Chili, 71, 521
Rosh Hashanah menus, 873
Rosh Hashanah Plum Pie, 509, 838
Royal Cake, 22, 629–30
rubs
for Apple City World-Champion Baby Back Ribs, 582
John Berwald’s Dry Rub, 607
for Pork Arrosto with Prunes and Grappa, 577
rum
Blender Eggnog, 44
El Chico, 18–19
Roman Punch, 12
Rum Balls, 687–88
Rum Omelet, 808
Tom and Jerry, 32
Zombie Punch, 41
Rum Balls, 44, 687–88
Rum Omelet, 793, 808
Rum Pumpkin Cream Pie, 218, 309, 475, 823–24
Rusks, 652
Russ & Daughters’ Chopped Chicken Liver, 34, 61, 82, 566
rutabaga
rye whiskey
Sazerac, 17
S
saffron
Paella, 309–10
Saffron Panna Cotta, 155, 185, 200, 220, 229, 248, 349, 392, 427, 491, 511, 845
Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts, 152, 239, 318–19
sage
Fried Sage Leaves, 87–88
Sage Biscuits, 668
Saketini, 37–38, 73, 93, 423
salad(s), 164–204
Airplane Salad, 197
Alice Waters’s Baked Goat Cheese with Salad, 181–82
Artichoke Salad with Anchovy and Capers, 174
Asparagus Salad, 214
Caesar Salad, 174–75
dressings. See dressings
French Potato Salad, 277–78
Gigi Salad, 184
Green Bean Salad with Savory Topping, 177–78
Green Goddess Salad, 176–77
Hearth’s Fava Bean Salad, 202–3
Italian Salad, 177
Koy Pa, 436–37
Lattich Salat, Warme, 171–72
Moroccan Carrot Salad, 187
Peach Salad, 805
Puntarelle with Anchovies, 194–95
Raw Spinach Salad, 175–76
Roasted Potato Salad, 285
Salade à la Romaine, 171
Salmon Salad, 390
Seafood Salad, 427
Spicy Cucumber Salad, 183
Spoonbread’s Potato Salad, 288–89
Tuna Salad, 435
Warm Lettuce Salad, 171–72
Watercress Salad, 171
Wilted Red Cabbage Salad, 196–97
salad dressings. See dressings Salade à la Grecque, 64, 121, 167, 179–80, 370, 398, 519, 550
Salade à la Romaine, 56, 77, 106, 115, 116, 124, 138, 143, 158, 160, 171, 243, 257, 283, 299, 314, 343,
365, 378, 391, 412, 489, 507, 517, 532, 540, 566
Salade Niçoise, 28, 62, 69, 108, 147, 178–79, 389, 419, 474
Sally Darr’s Golden Delicious Apple Tart, 145, 256, 373, 392, 532, 555, 839–40
salmon
Alaskan Salmon, 423
Fresh and Smoked Salmon Spread, 72–73
Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes, 420–21
Gently Cooked Salmon with Mashed Potatoes, 415–16
Joyce Goldstein’s Pickled Salmon, 404–5
Potted Salmon, 388–89
Roasted Salmon with Herb Vinaigrette, 430
Salmon and Beet Tartare, 420
Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil, 422
Salmon Mousse, 394–95
Salmon Salad, 390
salmon, smoked
Salmon and Beet Tartare, 189, 420
Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil, 161, 220, 251, 263, 393, 422
Salmon Mousse, 240, 394–95, 479, 814
Salmon Salad, 390
Salmorejo Sauce, 251–52
Salsa, 129, 428
Salsa Verde, 484, 535, 559
salt cod
Brandade, 433
Salt Cod Mousse, 433
Salted and Deviled Almonds, 16, 19, 20, 24, 25, 28, 35, 40, 43, 51–52, 57, 73, 81, 83, 84, 90, 124, 197
Salted Butter Caramels, 705–6, 733
Salted Caramel Ice Cream, 131, 225, 230, 375, 484, 512, 548, 733
Saltimbocca, 157, 220, 229, 250, 561–62
salt pork
Paella, 309–10
Salt-Roasted Striped Bass with Salsa de la Boca, 262, 427–28
sambal
Sam Sifton’s Pizza Dough, 377–78
Sand Tarts, 63, 151, 185, 190, 688
sandwiches, 360–76
Cheese Crusts, 366–67
Club Sandwich, 367
Lobster Roll, 368
Pan Bagnat, 376
Welsh Rarebit, 365
Sangria, 23, 86, 88, 91, 95, 310, 334, 579
sangria
Peach Bowl, 20
Sangria, 23
Saratoga Potatoes, 86, 146, 159, 174, 184, 214, 219, 225, 273–74, 368, 388, 440, 483, 493, 512, 514, 529,
537, 567, 568
sardines
Grilled Moroccan Sardines, 424
sauce(s). See also savory sauces; sweet sauces recipes by category, 588
Sauce for Venison Steak, 510
Sauce Rémoulade (for Shrimp), 212, 399, 601–2
Sauce Suprême, 596–97, 633, 642
Saucisson Soûl, 33, 35, 67, 125, 181
sauerkraut
sausage(s). See also chorizo; hot Italian sausage; kielbasa; sweet Italian sausage Arundel, 511
Sausage, Bean, and Corn Stew, 173, 212, 538–39
Sausages in Ale, 511
Sautéed Asparagus with Fleur de Sel, 112, 241, 400, 515, 538
Sautéed Cod with Potatoes in Chorizo-Mussel Broth, 138, 140, 146, 240, 241, 248, 325, 424, 428–29, 440
Sautéed Fluke with Grapefruit Vinaigrette, 260, 437–38
Sautéed Potatoes with Parsley, 121, 176, 184, 196, 221, 239, 241, 283–84, 399, 409, 454, 480, 514, 515,
524, 525, 557, 565, 578
Sautéed Red Snapper with Rhubarb Sauce, 296, 421–22
Sautéed Sole with Capers and Lemons, 121, 122, 147, 174, 204, 221, 227, 283, 399, 420
Sautéed Swiss Chard, 563–64
Sautéed Trout with Brown Butter, Lemon, and Macadamia Nuts, 222, 392–93
Sauternes
Savory Bread Pudding, 242–43, 579
savory puddings
Blender Corn Pudding, 279–80
Shallot Pudding, 247
savory sauces
Barbecue Sauce, 596
Cilantro Sauce, 471
Ed Giobbi’s Sweet Red Pepper Sauce for Pasta, 318
Salsa, 129, 428
Salsa Verde, 484
Sauce Suprême, 596–97
Simple Cooked Tomato Sauce, 605
6666 Soppin’ Sauce, 539
Squashed Tomatoes, 90–91
Tartar Sauce, 398, 405, 595–96
Worcestershire Sauce, 589–90
Savoy cabbage
Sazerac, 17, 61, 72, 96
scallions
Arnaki Araka, 550
Lamb with Peas, 550
scallops
Scallops with Pea Puree, 429–30
Seafood Salad, 427
Scallops with Pea Puree, 153, 240, 244, 366, 383, 429–30, 510, 526
scones
Scotch Eggs, 12, 62–63, 69, 110, 202, 251, 279, 441, 577
Scotch whiskey
Center-Ring Strip Steak Marinated in Scotch Whiskey, 536
Scrambled Eggs, 626
Scrambled Eggs with Chorizo, 132, 310, 579, 640–41
scungilli
Seafood Salad, 427
sea bass
Chinese-Style Steamed Black Sea Bass, 432
Sea Bass in Grappa, 346, 443
Seafood Salad, 427
Seared Loin Lamb Chops with Olives and Soft Polenta, 174, 188, 242, 556
Seared Tuna in Black Pepper Crust, 146, 176, 261, 332, 409–10
sea robins
Sea Scallops with Sweet Red Peppers and Zucchini, 72, 149, 226, 294, 388, 409
Seasoned Olives, 15, 21, 30, 37, 42, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 68, 71, 79, 81, 88, 90, 91, 123, 142, 143, 152,
182, 187, 200, 301, 435, 468, 482, 488, 489, 561
seaweed
Seafood Salad, 427
semifreddo
semolina
Canestrelli, 692
Revani Verrias, 788
Semolina Cake, 788
Shortbread from Ovada, 692
Semolina Cake, 293, 319, 482, 543, 566, 788
sesame paste
sesame seeds
Broccoli Rabe Oshitashi, 262
Sformata di Ricotta, 256–57, 348, 468
Shad and Roe Grenobloise, 241, 273, 400
Shad Roe Scramble, 625
Shallot Pudding, 133, 247, 520, 546
Shaping Pastries, 629
Shaved Artichoke Salad with Pine Nuts and Parmesan Cheese, 168, 191, 335
sheep’s-milk cheese. See also specific cheeses Braised Lamb Shoulder with Sheep’s-Milk Cavatelli, 570–71
Shell-Cooked Eggs, 626
shellfish, 380–443. See also specific types of shellfish recipes by category, 385, 386
Shepherd’s Pie with Curried Meat, 518, 534–35
sherbet
Lime Sherbet, 722
Pineapple Sherbet, 719
Tangerine Sherbet, 734
sherry
Claret Cup, 12
Creamed Onions, 217–18
Mushrooms with Manzanilla Sherry, 249
Rebujito, 38
Sir Francis Drake, 36
shiso leaves
Shortbread from Ovada, 156, 195, 257, 323, 346, 562, 568, 692
Short Ribs with Coffee and Chiles, 148, 235, 579
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine Nuts, 150, 158, 235–36, 237, 488, 527, 541, 561, 579
shrimp
Gigi Salad, 184
Hot Pepper Shrimp, 403–4
Katta Sambol, 611
Mi Quang, 349–50
Paella, 309–10
Pan-Barbecued Shrimp, 402
Seafood Salad, 427
stock, 642
Shrimp, Bacon, and Green Bean Salad, 118, 158, 184, 230, 279, 396
Shrimp Baked with Feta Cheese, Greek-Style, 64, 72, 179, 180, 195, 226, 397–98, 519
Shrimp Burgers, 434
Shrimp Canapés à la Suede, 14, 57, 82
Shrimp Creole, 64, 397
Shrimp in Green Sauce, 110, 150, 195, 242, 430–31
Shrimp Toast, 37, 40, 60–61, 111, 260, 356, 442, 518
shrimp stock, 642
Sicilian Mushroom Soup, 127–28, 227, 300, 459, 491
Simple Syrup, 16, 21. 39, 40, 43
Singapore Sling, 23–24, 51, 52, 84
Sir Francis Drake, 36, 58, 83, 85, 86, 87, 465
6666 Soppin’ Sauce, 539
Skate with Sautéed Spinach and Fried Potatoes, 409, 417–18
slaws
Asian Slaw, 552
Slow-Roasted Duck, 133, 137, 150, 183, 196, 212, 217, 236, 248, 253, 273, 291, 296, 351, 475–76, 609
small dishes, 46–96
recipes by by category, 49–50
smoked cheese
smoked fish. See specific types of fish Smoked Mackerel on Toasts, 18, 28, 34, 42, 54, 61, 80–81, 81, 151,
187, 197, 461, 571
Smoked Mashed Potatoes, 300–301, 414, 422, 428, 536, 539, 548, 566, 569, 573
smoothies
snacks, 46–96. See also candy; cookies; specific snacks recipes by category, 49–50
Fried Sage Leaves, 87–88
Salted and Deviled Almonds, 51–52
Saratoga Potatoes, 273–74
Spiced Pecans, 82–83
snapper. See also red snapper; yellowtail snapper Manhattan Clam Chowder with Hake and Chorizo, 158
snow peas
Snow Pudding, 106, 453, 509, 577, 800
Soft Polenta, 462, 467, 528, 536, 556, 568, 579
Soft Scrambled Eggs with Pesto and Fresh Ricotta, 21, 646
sole
Sautéed Sole with Capers and Lemons, 399
Sole Grenobloise, 399
Sole Grenobloise, 121, 122, 147, 174, 204, 221, 227, 283, 399, 420
Sophie Grigson’s Parmesan Cake, 16, 42, 69–70, 138
sorbet
sorrel
Soupe à la Bonne Femme, 107
soufflés
soup(s), 98–163. See also bisques; bouillabaisse; chowders; stew(s) recipes by category, 103–5
Butternut Squash Soup with Brown Butter, 156–58
Chestnut Soup, 133
Faki, 121–22
Marmitako, 132
Palestine Soup, 106–7
Pho Bo, 144–45
Pistou Soup, 135
Roasted Squash Soup with Cumin, 147–48
Soupe à la Bonne Femme, 107
Tomato Soup I, 106
Tomato Soup II, 114–15
Tortilla Soup, 131
Turkish Split-Pea Soup with Mint and Paprika, 140–41
Watercress and Basil Soup, 152–53
Waterzooi, 115–16
Yellow Pepper Soup with Paprika Mousse, 147
Soupe à la Bonne Femme, 107, 148
Soupe à l’Ail, 130–31, 185, 480, 546, 568, 579
Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée, 120–21, 171, 515
sour cream
Cucumbers in Cream, 225
Florentine Dip, 58
Heavenly Hots, 634–35
Jumbles, 681
Spinach with Sour Cream, 216
Sour Cream Ice Cream, 110, 220, 236, 257, 298, 312, 401, 417, 430, 487, 496, 593, 607, 730
Sour-Milk Cake, 151, 741
Southeast Asian Chicken Two Ways, 443, 489–90
Southeast Asian menus, 876
Southern menus, 874–75, 877
soy sauce
Spaetzle, 525
Spaghettini with Vegetables and Pepper Vodka Sauce, 229, 320–21
Spaghetti with Fried Eggs and Roasted Peppers, 317, 339–40
Spanish Cream, 113, 124, 282, 454, 569, 579, 802
Spanish Fricco, 506
Spanish menus, 875
sparkling white wine. See also Champagne; prosecco Champagne Cup, 14–15
Kir Royale 38, 28
Rhubarb Bellini, 30
Speedy Fish Stew with Orange and Fennel, 133–34, 171
Spelt-Flour Crackers, 672
The Spice Boys’ Cheese Ball, 19, 79, 85
Spiced Hard Sauce, 604, 633, 634, 807, 809
Spiced Pecans, 19, 35, 36, 40, 82–83, 183
Spice Krinkles, 21, 257, 688–89
Spicy, Garlicky Cashew Chicken, 247, 291, 294, 317, 332, 494–95
Spicy, Lemony Clams with Pasta, 185, 222, 244, 336–37
Spicy, Supercrunchy Fried Chicken, 183, 199, 253, 255, 301, 490–91
Spicy Cucumber Salad, 183, 575
Spicy New England Pot Roast, 137, 299, 523
Spicy Orange Salad Moroccan-Style, 33, 69, 141, 181, 424, 482, 511, 532, 546
spinach
Chilled Sesame Spinach, 239
Ismail Merchant’s Spinach Puree, 229–30
Mrs. Sebastiani’s Malfatti, 313–14
Palak Bharta, 229–30
Raw Spinach Salad, 175–76
Spinach with Sour Cream, 216
Steamed Spinach with Balsamic Butter, 226–27
Spinach and Artichoke Casserole, 255–56, 287, 555
Spinach Roman-Style, 38, 233–34, 247, 338, 520, 524, 552
Spinach Triangles, 63–64, 179, 180, 195, 398, 550
Spinach with Sour Cream, 145, 163, 201, 216, 273, 295, 473, 512, 573
split peas
Spoonbread’s Potato Salad, 149, 251, 279, 288–89, 441, 465, 529, 583, 656
Spoon Lamb, 106, 131, 254, 299, 327, 546
spreads
Duck Rillettes, 65–66
Rillettes de Canard, 65–66
Russ & Daughters’ Chopped Chicken Liver, 82
Springerle Cookies, 511, 686–87
Spring Lamb Salad with Pea Shoots and Sugar Snap Peas, 190, 203, 295, 509, 510, 580–81
spring rolls
squab
Roasted Squab with Chicken Liver Stuffing, 454–55
squash. See butternut squash; yellow squash; zucchini Squashed Tomatoes, 34, 90–91, 91, 149, 186, 194,
218, 301, 331, 391, 426, 435, 543
Sriracha sauce
Staff Meal Chicken with Salsa Verde, 287, 484–85
star anise
Steak au Poivre, 66, 153, 175, 186, 192, 201, 216, 219, 230, 248, 257, 285, 295, 395, 573
Steamed and Crisped Duck, 237, 476
Steamed Fennel with Red Pepper Oil, 141, 263, 322, 354, 477, 490, 556, 571, 578
Steamed Fish with Thyme and Tomato Vinaigrette, 147, 220, 226, 240, 248, 408
Steamed Lemon Pudding, 151, 160, 248, 263, 290, 333, 366, 420, 541, 813, 849–50
Steamed Mussels, 279
Steamed Spinach with Balsamic Butter, 128, 143, 226–27, 300, 341, 403, 455, 491, 536
stew(s). See also bouillabaisse Boeuf Bourguignon I, 516
Cocido, 578–79
Stewed Corn, 130, 159, 271–72, 298, 302, 408, 491, 551, 568
Stewed Fennel, 133, 148, 172, 202, 215, 236, 245–46, 312, 327, 403, 453, 475, 487, 508, 536, 568
Stewed Lamb Shanks with White Beans and Rosemary, 261, 542
Sticky Rice with Mango, 74, 140, 145, 155, 349, 358, 490, 496, 552, 575, 861
Stir-Fried Chicken with Creamed Corn, 227, 483–84
Stir-Fried Collards, 183, 254–55, 301, 461, 469, 477, 548
stock
Fish Stock, 126, 141–42
stout
Straight-Up Rhubarb Pie, 259, 424, 509, 510, 862–63
strawberries
Jellied Strawberry Pie, 811–12
Laggtarta, 750–51
Strawberry Charlotte, 810
Strawberry Ice Cream, 722
Strawberry Jam, 590–91
Strawberry Shortcakes, 799–800
Strawberry Charlotte, 123, 221, 396, 440, 810
Strawberry Ice Cream, 118, 270, 316, 581, 607, 722
Strawberry Jam, 590–91, 655
Strawberry Shortcakes, 118, 123, 203, 250, 271, 274, 799–800
Strawberry Sorbet, 147, 150, 153, 154, 162, 198, 226, 279, 310, 337, 347, 348, 353, 378, 440, 445, 567,
568, 732
Strawberry Soup, 179, 226, 231, 244, 410, 412, 415, 436, 521, 816
String Beans with Ginger and Garlic, 114, 162, 173, 248, 260, 296, 357, 401, 404, 413, 414, 432, 442, 455,
471, 473, 484, 524, 555
striped bass
Stuck-Pot Rice with Yogurt and Spices, 351–52, 392, 456, 471, 495, 546
Stuffed Clams, 212, 372, 400–401, 418
Stuffed Green Peppers, 223–24, 314, 325, 338
Stuffed Hard-Cooked Eggs, 14, 56, 56, 69, 71, 118, 271, 279
Stuffed Tomatoes, 135, 138, 142, 213–14, 224–25, 376, 412, 539
stuffings
Pork Chops with Rye Bread Stuffing, 514–15
Roasted Squab with Chicken Liver Stuffing, 454–55
succotash
Sugared Puffs, 430, 482, 533, 775, 867
sugar snap peas
Sugar Snap Peas with Horseradish, 119, 148, 162, 214, 247, 259, 270, 356, 366, 404, 425, 438, 456, 477,
480, 481, 496, 518, 534, 565, 575
Summer Pudding, 135, 146, 149, 154, 178, 214, 253, 272, 280, 289, 291, 302, 329, 330, 368, 484, 493, 559,
583, 847
Summer Squash Casserole, 178, 252–53, 258, 493, 551, 599
Super Bowl menus, 873
Swedish Ginger Cookies, 36, 44, 496, 569, 708
Swedish Nut Balls, 278, 527, 694
Sweet-and-Salty Popcorn with Orange Blossom Honey, 30, 52, 76–77, 83
Sweet-and-Sour Salmon in Almond Prune Sauce, 241, 431
salmon, 431
Sweet-and-Spicy Pepper Stew, 154, 212, 247–48, 428, 572
sweetbreads
Fried Sweetbreads with Maître d’Hôtel Sauce, 506–7
sweetened condensed milk
sweet Italian sausage
Lasagna, 342
Mushrooms Stuffed with Duxelles and Sausage, 223
Turducken, 485–87
Sweet (or Savory) Lassi, 25–26, 75, 389, 392, 436, 439, 452
yogurt, 25–26
sweet potato(es)
Candied Sweet Potatoes, 276
Ralph Vetter’s Sweet Potatoes with Lemon, 295–96
Sweet Potato Casserole, 286–87
Sweet Potato Cecelia, 217, 232, 276, 545
Sweet Potatoes Anna, 137, 297, 456, 470, 475
sweet puddings
Aztec Hot Chocolate Pudding, 855
Chocolate Pudding, 858–59
Delicate Bread Pudding, 798
Huntington Pudding, 802–3
Indian Pudding, 809
New Jersey Blancmange, 797–98
Queen of Puddings, 866
Snow Pudding, 800
Spanish Cream, 802
Summer Pudding, 847
Tapioca Pudding, 798–99
Transparent Pudding, 805–6
sweet sauces
Dulce de Lece, 593
Foamy Sauce, 603
Sauce Suprême, 596–97
Spiced Hard Sauce, 604
sweet vermouth
Vermouth Cup, 15
Swiss chard
Malfatti, 345–46
Sautéed Swiss Chard, 563–64
Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion, 261
Swiss cheese
swordfish
T
tacos
Goat Tacos, 576
Nueces Canyon Cabrito, 576
tahini. See sesame paste
Taillevent Pear Soufflé, 240, 395, 835–36
Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles, 60, 61, 111, 355–56, 404
Tangerine Sherbet, 259, 262, 320, 341, 412, 452, 521, 546, 715, 734, 786
Tapioca Flamingo, 153, 155–56, 291, 358, 434, 436, 575, 810–11
Tapioca Pudding, 176, 352, 357, 388, 452, 546, 798–99
tart(s)
Apple Tarte Tatin, 837–38
Baked Tart Shell, 830
French Apple Tart, 825–26
Fruit Crostatas, 855–56
Individual Apple Tarts, 834–35
Lee’s Marlborough Tart, 816–17
Sally Darr’s Golden Delicious Apple Tart, 839–40
Tarte aux Pommes, 825–26
Tarte Flambée, 370–71, 513
Tartelettes aux Pommes Lionel Poilâne, 834–35
Tartar Sauce, 398, 405, 595–96
Tarte aux Fruits, 66, 110, 186, 192, 376, 457, 829–30
Tarte aux Pommes, 134, 825–26
Tarte Flambée, 370–71, 513
Tartelettes aux Pommes Lionel Poilâne, 128, 142, 470, 532, 834–35
Tarte Tatin Pastry, 838
Tart Pastry, 840, 842
tatsoi
T-Bone Steak with 6666 Soppin’ Sauce, 193, 539
tea
Jasmine Tea Rice, 354
Jay Grelen’s Southern Iced Tea, 27–28
Jennifer’s Moroccan Tea, 33
Tea Ice Cream (A Massachusetts Receipt), 173, 239, 356, 432, 438, 460, 481, 570, 607, 700, 715, 717
tea menus, 878
Teddie’s Apple Cake, 125, 143, 365, 416, 458, 508, 752–53
tequila
La Paloma, 35
terrines
Thai Beef Salad, 9, 161, 358, 534, 543
Thanksgiving menus, 870
Thomas Keller’s Gazpacho, 137, 146–47, 178, 228, 240, 251, 353, 368, 440
Tibs, 260, 352, 545–46
tiramisù
toast(s). See also crostini
German Toast, 621
Shrimp Toast, 60–61
Toasted Mushroom Rolls, 17, 34, 61, 67, 72
toasted rice powder
Toasts with Chocolate, Olive Oil, and Sea Salt, 56, 95, 132, 195, 249, 310, 334, 440, 511, 561, 579, 844
Toasts with Walnut Sauce, 20, 43, 73–74, 79, 190, 316, 329, 520
tofu
Tokay
Tom and Jerry, 32
Tomates Farcies, 224–25
tomatillos
Salsa Verde, 484
tomato(es)
Arnaki Araka, 550
Baked Zucchini with Herbs and Tomatoes, 250–51
Caponata, 226
Chow-Chow, 593–94
Country Captain, 455–56
Faki, 121–22
Fried Green Tomatoes, 212
Hoppin’ John, 298
Iceberg Lettuce with Smoked Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing, 200–201
Ice-Cold Tomatoes with Basil, 234
Lamb with Peas, 550
Lasagna, 342
Marmitako, 132
Moussaka, 518–19
Osso Buco alla Milanese, 535–36
Pan Bagnat, 376
Pan-Roasted Chicken with End-of-Season Tomatoes, 482–83
Peppar Tomato, 31
Pistou Soup, 135
Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil, 422
Salsa, 129
Shrimp Creole, 397
Stuffed Tomatoes, 213–14, 224–25
Tomates Farcies, 224–25
Tomatoes Vinaigrette, 218–19
Tomato Figs, 591
Tomato Jelly, 595
Tomato Preserves, 602–3
Tomato Soup I, 106
Tomato Soup II, 114–15
Tortilla Soup, 131
Tomato, Fig, Goat Cheese, Basil, and Olive Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, 199, 283
Tomatoes Stuffed with Crab, 147, 393, 544
Tomatoes Vinaigrette, 123, 149, 218–19, 225, 271, 273, 279, 311, 474, 512, 560, 576
Tomato Figs, 587, 591
Tomato Jelly, 595, 652
tomato juice
Bloody Mary, 21
Tomato Preserves, 524, 602–3
Tomato Soup I, 106, 365, 367, 373, 455
Tomato Soup II, 106, 114–15, 224, 365, 367, 373, 455
Tom’s Chilled Cucumber Soup, 69, 117–18, 179, 186, 194, 214, 279, 367, 368
tortes. See cakes
Tortilla Soup, 68, 71, 131, 375
Tortoni, 196, 314, 317, 323, 333, 341, 370, 564, 682, 720–21, 723
Tourtière, 142, 181, 217, 299, 470, 530, 565, 827–28
Transparent Pudding, 345, 469, 577, 805–6
trout
trout, smoked
Airplane Salad, 197
tuna
Marmitako, 132
Pan Bagnat, 376
Tuna Salad, 435
Tuna Tartare, 416–17
Tuna Curry, 75, 349, 435–36, 611
Tuna Salad, 178, 435, 496
Tuna Tartare, 40, 416–17, 438, 564
turbot
Turducken, 125, 236, 312, 485–87
turkey
Curried Turkey Hash, 452–53
A Moley, 452–53
Roasted Brine-Cured Turkey with Shiitake and Lotus Seed Stuffing, 477–78
Roasted Brine-Cured Turkey with Wild Mushroom Stuffing, 474–75
Turducken, 485–87
turkey giblets
Turkish Split-Pea Soup with Mint and Paprika, 140–41, 181, 515, 533
turnips
Spoon Lamb, 546
‘21’ Club Hamburger, 159, 174, 175, 185, 192, 277, 292, 388, 536–37, 594
Two-Day Madeleines with Brown Butter, 701, 733
V
Valentine’s Day menus, 873
Vanilla Cream Filling, 628
Vanilla Plum Ice, 226, 263, 443, 471, 484, 734
Vanilla Sugar, 687
veal
Blanquette of Veal, 508–9
Breaded Veal Milan-Style, 523–24
Osso Buco alla Milanese, 535–36
Saltimbocca, 561–62
Veal Chops Beau Séjour, 520
Veal Chops with Sage, 564
veal bones
Veal Chops Beau Séjour, 111, 216, 220, 322, 520
Veal Chops with Sage, 84, 111, 176, 195, 204, 213, 234, 249, 317, 338, 345, 564
Veal Goulash with Spaetzle, 125, 172, 197, 525
Veal Shanks with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, 107, 150, 157, 181, 236, 261, 540–41
vegetables, 206–302. See also specific vegetables recipes by category, 210–11, 268–69
Vegetarian menus, 877
venison
Ventresca Tuna Salad, 146, 198, 203, 367, 426–27
vermouth. See dry vermouth; sweet vermouth Vermouth Cassis, 16–17, 54, 70
Vermouth Cup, 15, 54, 56, 80, 96, 202, 440, 479, 537
The Vesper, 34, 55, 57, 61, 72, 73, 78, 81, 82, 406
Vichyssoise à la Ritz, 111–12, 148, 366, 399, 461, 513
Vinaigrette, 171, 188, 192, 218, 290
Vin de Pamplemousse, 37, 66, 69, 87, 118, 179, 186, 192, 198, 367, 426
vinegar
Vitello Tonnato, 135, 185, 224, 331, 559–60
vodka
Bloody Mary, 21
The Cuke, 39–40
Grapefruit Wine, 37
Limoncello, 38
Peppar Tomato, 31
The Vesper, 34
W
waffles
waffles
Amazing Overnight Waffles, 642
Wallace Seawell’s Spinach Salad, 116, 142, 167, 180–81, 329
walnut(s)
Cilantro Sauce, 471
Ice Cream Pie, 726
Italian Salad, 177
Rum Balls, 687–88
Walnut Cake with Chocolate Walnut Buttercream, 172, 190, 258, 758–59
Walnut Horns, 691
walnut oil
Warm Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese and Capers, 163, 183, 293
Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots, 146, 203–4, 260, 354, 413, 432, 442, 461, 469
Warm Lettuce Salad, 116, 171–72, 201, 241, 286, 511
Warm Soft Chocolate Cake, 335, 419, 773
water chestnuts
watercress
Mi Quang, 349–50
Puree of Peas and Watercress, 296–97
Watercress and Basil Soup, 152–53, 358, 515
Watercress Salad, 62, 109, 134, 148, 171, 214, 223, 258, 277, 285, 309, 336, 373, 378, 401, 435, 454, 479,
493, 507, 514, 546, 556, 579, 804
watermelon
Watermelon and Tomato Salad, 150, 197–98, 337, 493, 583
Watermelon Gazpacho, 101, 113, 150, 152, 178, 483
watermelon rind
Pickled Watermelon Rind, 598–99
Waterzooi, 115–16
weakfish
Wedding Cake, the Delmonico Receipt, 630, 743–44
Welsh Rarebit, 106, 115, 363, 365, 366
whiskey. See also bourbon; Irish whiskey; Scotch whiskey Billionaire Cocktail, 40
The Bone, 34–35
Irish Coffee, 21
Mint Julep, 24–25
Sazerac, 17
Whiskey Cake, 150, 158, 412, 476, 562, 784–85, 788
white beans. See also specific types of white beans Airplane Salad, 197
Pistou Soup, 135
white chocolate
White Gazpacho with Almonds and Grapes, 113, 137–38, 252, 435, 493, 581
White Veal Stew with Mushrooms, Corn, and Sherry, 174, 217, 317, 553–54
white wine. See also sparkling white wine; specific types of wine Billi-Bi au Safran, 125
Fricassee of Chicken with Tarragon, 456–57
Grapefruit Wine, 37
Holiday Punch, 32
Peach Bowl, 20
Rabbit in Mustard Sauce, 466
Saucisson Soûl, 67
Spoon Lamb, 546
Wild Mushroom Quesadillas, 375, 576
Wild Mushroom Stuffing, 245, 276, 337, 474
Wilted Chard with Pickled Red Onion, 129, 141, 145, 186, 261, 275, 290, 428, 491, 545, 566, 573
Wilted Red Cabbage Salad, 137, 196–97, 217, 235, 239
wine. See also red wine; sparkling white wine; white wine; specific types of wine Grapefruit Wine, 37
Wine Lemonade, 17–18, 57, 63, 64, 85, 88, 203, 295, 393
Wine-Stewed Prunes and Mascarpone, 542, 556, 579, 822, 861–62
Winter Borscht, 142–43, 171
Winter Fruit Salad, 143, 246, 424, 507, 640, 850
Winter Slaw with Lemon-and-Orange Dressing, 139, 185, 187, 245, 473, 482
Wok-Seared Spicy Calamari Salad, 146, 203, 443
Worcestershire Sauce, 587, 589–90
Y
yams
yeast breads. See also calzone(s); pizza Astor House Rolls, 652–53
Brioche, 653–54
Challah, 659–60
Challah Revisited, 671
Classic Ciabatta, 665–66
Cornell Bread, 658–59
An Honest Loaf of French Bread, 662–63
Nancy Reagan’s Monkey Bread, 669–70
No-Knead Bread, 670
Panettone, 663–64
Yellow Pepper Soup with Paprika Mousse, 147, 179, 392
yellow squash
Cold Nicarde, 110
Summer Squash Casserole, 252–53
Yellow Squash Soup, 110, 188, 197, 214, 329, 408
yellowtail snapper
Koy Pa, 436–37
Yette’s Garden Platter, 220, 318, 387, 520, 562
yogurt
Beet Tzatziki, 89
Chestnut Soup, 133
Fontainebleau, 829
Mango Lassi, 27
Stuck-Pot Rice with Yogurt and Spices, 351–52
Yogurt Rice, 146, 247, 260, 262, 289, 356–57, 392, 413, 421, 422, 439, 452, 471, 533
Yogurt with Plantain and Mango, 290–91, 548
Yucatán Fish with Crisp Garlic, 35, 68, 71, 282, 375, 383, 417, 431–32
yuzu juice
Z
Zabaglione, 196, 234, 326, 369, 466, 813
Zombie Punch, 41, 67, 93
zucchini
Baked Zucchini with Herbs and Tomatoes, 250–51
Spoon Lamb, 546
Zucchini and Vermouth, 130, 147, 227, 228, 356, 393, 399, 417, 425, 466, 484, 568
zucchini blossoms
Fried Zucchini Blossoms, 243–44
Zucchini Carpaccio with Avocado, 130, 150, 162, 261–62, 408, 410, 421, 422, 483
Zucchini with Crème Fraîche Pesto, 140, 234, 250, 280, 330, 408
Zuppa di Funghi Siciliana, 127–28, 227, 300, 459, 491
Photo by Sarah Shatz
Amanda Hesser has designed a seventeenth-century-style herb

garden at a French chateau, developed the Twitter app Plodt, and
appeared in Julie & Julia, playing herself. She began her career as a
kitchen runner and bread truck driver in college, then picked grapes in
France, made pretzels in Germany, and cleaned rabbits in Italy. As a
longtime staffer at the New York Times, Hesser has written more than
750 stories, created the columns Food Diary and Recipe Redux, and
was the food editor at the Times Magazine, where she launched T
Living. She has written the award-winning books Cooking for Mr.
Latte and The Cook and the Gardener and edited the essay collection
Eat, Memory, based on a column she conceived for the Times
Magazine. She is also the cofounder of food52.com. Hesser lives in
Brooklyn with her husband, Tad Friend, and their two children.
CONVERSION TABLES
Compiled by Molly Stevens
THE STANDARD GRADATED SYSTEM OF U.S. MEASURES
1 teaspoon
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
¼ cup = 4 tablespoons
½ cup = 8 tablespoons
1 cup
1 pint = 2 cups
1 quart = 4 cups
1 gallon = 4 quarts
LIQUID MEASURES
Exact conversion: 1 fluid ounce = 29.57 milliliters
WEIGHT EQUIVALENTS
Exact conversion: 1 ounce = 28.35 grams
OVEN TEMPERATURES
To convert temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius: subtract 32, multiply by 5, and divide by 9.
To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit: multiply by 9, divide by 5, and add 32.
LENGTH
Exact conversion: 1 inch = 2.54 cm
IMPERIAL METRIC
¼ inch 0.5 cm
½ inch 1 cm
1 inch 2.5 cm
6 inches 15 cm
1 foot (12 inches) 30 cm
SOME USEFUL DRY VOLUME MEASURE EQUIVALENTS

BUTTER
American cooks often measure butter in sticks; use the following table to convert.
IMPERIAL
STANDARD U.S. MEASURE METRIC
WEIGHT
1 tablespoon 1.2 oz 15 g
2 tablespoons 1 oz 30 g
1.2 stick (4 tablespoons) 2 oz 60 g
1 stick (8 tablespoons) 4 oz 120 g
USEFUL EQUIVALENTS
All-purpose flour = plain flour
Kosher salt = coarse salt
Cornstarch = corn flour
Superfine sugar = caster sugar
Heavy cream = double cream
Light cream = single cream
Cheesecloth = muslin
Parchment paper = greaseproof paper HANDY SUBSTITUTIONS AND TIPS
1 cup buttermilk (aka sour milk) = 1 scant cup whole milk + 1 tablespoon white
(or cider) vinegar 1 cup crème fraîche = 1 scant cup heavy cream + 1 tablespoon
buttermilk (blended at room temperature, covered, and allowed to rest for 24
hours) 1 teaspoon baking powder = ¼ teaspoon baking soda + ¼ teaspoon
cornstarch + ½ teaspoon cream of tartar 1 cup sifted cake flour = ¾ cup sifted
bleached all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons cornstarch .6 ounces fresh or
compressed yeast = 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 4 sheets leaf gelatin = one ¼-
ounce envelope powdered gelatin 1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup granulated white
sugar + 3 tablespoons molasses (or, in a pinch, honey) 1 ounce semisweet
chocolate = 1 scant ounce unsweetened chocolate + 1 tablespoon sugar 1
teaspoon chopped fresh herbs = ½ teaspoon dried herbs 1 teaspoon dried whole
spice = 1 teaspoon ground spice (generally, give or take a pinch) 1 cup corn
syrup = 1 cup brown rice syrup (or agave nectar, though you may want to cook it
down to thicken it slightly) When measuring liquid, always set the measuring
cup on a flat surface—if you hold it in the air, you inevitably tip it slightly.
When measuring flour, first whisk the flour (in the bag or container). Never pack
it into a measuring cup. Drop scoops of flour into the measuring cup until the
flour rises above the rim of the cup. Then use the straight, dull side of a knife to
sweep across the rim of the measuring cup to level the flour. This is called the
“dip-and-sweep” method. I use it for all dry ingredients.
Buy a scale! You won’t regret it. I like the My Weigh KD-7000.
USDA RECOMMENDED SAFE MINIMUM INTERNAL

TEMPERATURES
The USDA takes an understandably conservative approach to doneness. Meats

are not “done” until there’s little to no chance of being exposed to harmful
bacteria. Unfortunately, at this point, there’s also little to no chance of being
exposed to great tasting meat. You should cook meats to the temperature you’re
most comfortable with. To take the temperature of a meat, insert an instant-read
thermometer into the thickest part of the flesh, away from any bone.
STEAKS AND ROASTS—145°F
FISH—145°F
PORK—160°F
GROUND BEEF—160°F
EGG DISHES—160°F
CHICKEN BREASTS—165°F
WHOLE POULTRY—165°F
TRADITIONAL COOKBOOK DONENESS CHART

TRADITIONAL COOKBOOK DONENESS CHART
CHICKEN
160°F to 165°F
BEEF
125°F for rare
130°F for medium-rare
135°F for medium
LAMB
130°F for rare
135°F for medium-rare
140°F for medium
PORK
145°F to 150°F for medium rare
ALSO BY AMANDA HESSER
Eat, Memory (editor)
Cooking for Mr. Latte
The Cook and the Gardener

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What is the structure and scope of the book?

What is the structure and scope of the book?

What was the process for selecting recipes?

What was the process for selecting recipes?

FOR

TAD, WALKER, AND ADDIE

Please bookmark your page before following links.

1 Drinks, Cocktails, Punches, and Glögg

This book began in 2004 over a lunch of Sri Lankan food at a

To start, I crowd-sourced many of the recipes that had to be included

Purple Plum Torte (265 votes; here)

WAYS TO USE THIS BOOK:

I decided to test any recipe that was recommended by three or more

—1860s— • First refrigerator car carries strawberries on the Illinois Central

There were a few writers who shall go nameless whose occasional

PHASE TWO: THE PREVIOUS 100 YEARS

But food mattered—as the food historian Anne Mendelson has

Eccles Cake (1877)

—1980— • Whole Foods Market brings natural foods to a supermarket setting in

Among recipes for more proletarian johnnycakes and tripe stew

—1997— • The Joy of Cooking is dramatically and controversially revised to

The first forty years of the twentieth century, however, were a

THE FINAL PHASE

MY APPROACH TO THE RECIPES

• The main improvement has been intensity of flavor. Recipes are

Sometimes I left the recipe language as it was, to preserve it. At

• Use fresh spices, good oil, and flaky noniodized salt.

—1870s— • Oxtail soup.

Bean and Legume Soups

Fish and Shellfish Soups

Soups for 8 or More People

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks

2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes

SOUPE À LA BONNE FEMME

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

25 littleneck clams, scrubbed

2 small live lobsters

1. Slightly undercook the lobsters using your preferred method, steaming or

OKRA SOUP WITH BEEF (AND OYSTERS)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

COLD NICARDE (YELLOW SQUASH SOUP)

4 cups diced (¼-inch) yellow squash (from about 1½ pounds squash)

SERVES 2 TO 4 (SMALL SERVINGS)

ORIENTAL WATERCRESS SOUP

¼ pound pork liver, rinsed

Published alongside a recipe for Jellied Beef à la Mode, vichyssoise à la Ritz is a

4 leeks, white part only, sliced and well washed

POTAGE CRESSONIÈRE (WATERCRESS SOUP)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes

One 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

8 small slices day-old crusty French or Italian bread

WATERZOOI (FLEMISH CHICKEN SOUP)

Two 2½-pound chickens, cut into serving pieces

SERVES 8 AS A FIRST COURSE, 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

½ cup barley or pearl barley

TOM’S CHILLED CUCUMBER SOUP

2 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and roughly chopped