The Chicken & the Garden Giveth . . .
Counterclockwise from top left: Sunday Dinner menu; Roast Chicken; long stalks of spring rhubarb
Spring is knocking itself out these days—warm days, cold nights, rain squalls. Though we are eager for the garden to giveth, not much can withstand spring’s temperamental weather. But rhubarb can. In previous times you’d find a patch of rhubarb planted outside every back door in rural America. It is one of the first plants to poke its head through the early spring soil. Botanically a vegetable, it is most often prepared like a fruit.
We’ve both cooked a lot of rhubarb over the years and together we have decided roasting is our favorite way to prepare it. The stems release lots of juice as they cook, so we add only a little red wine for flavor and hold back on the sugar too—just enough to tame the tangy taste.
ROAST CHICKEN Serves 4–6
For flavorful, juicy meat, we dry-brine the chicken. To keep the skin taught and crisp, roast the bird in two phases: first at a high temperature, then at a lower one after a brief rest out of the oven.
One 3–5 lb. chicken, rinsed and patted dry
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1½ tsps. sugar
2 tbsps. butter, melted
Put the chicken, breast-side up in a wide dish. Combine the salt and sugar, and gently rub it all over the outside of the bird. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour, but up to 12 hours is preferable.
Preheat the oven to 475°F with a rack set in the middle of the oven. Brush off any of the salt mixture and pat the chicken dry with paper towels (don’t rinse the bird). Put it breast-side up on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Tuck the wing tips under the back. Brush the chicken all over with some of the melted butter. Add 2–3 cups water to the pan.
Roast the chicken until the skin is golden and taut, 20–30 minutes, brushing it with butter halfway through. Remove the bird from the oven. Brush it with the remaining butter. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Return the chicken to the oven and finish roasting it until the skin is deep golden brown and the thigh juices run clear when pierced, about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the bird. (The internal temperature of the thigh meat should register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.) Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10–15 minutes before carving. Serve the chicken with the pan drippings.
ROASTED RHUBARB SHORTCAKES Serves 8
Remember the color of the stalks, which can range from green to deep red, will affect the color of the filling but not rhubarb’s vibrant tart flavor, which is unaffected by hue.
For the rhubarb:
2 lbs. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup red wine
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
For the biscuits:
1 cup (120 g.) cake flour
1 cup (120 g.) all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
4 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1½ tsp. salt
3 cups cold heavy cream
4 tbsps. salted butter, melted
For the rhubarb, preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and wine in a medium baking dish. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean, and stir to combine. Roast the rhubarb until very tender and the juices are syrupy, 30–40 minutes, depending on thickness of stalks. Let cool.
For the biscuits, preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack set in the middle of the oven. Whisk the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Add 1½ cups of the cream and gently mix just until the dough holds together.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and form into a 9 X 6-inch rectangle about 1-inch thick. Cut the dough in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise three times to form 8 rectangular biscuits.
Arrange the biscuits on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Brush the tops and sides of the biscuits with some of the melted butter. Bake the biscuits until golden brown, 18–20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool (biscuits can be served warm or at room temperature).
Beat the remaining 1½ cups cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Split the biscuits and brush the cut sides with the remaining melted butter. Fill the biscuits with roasted rhubarb and serve with the whipped cream.
hippity hop
Counterclockwise from top left: Easter Sunday Dinner menu; Roast Leg of Lamb; A Big Meringue with “Exotic” Fruits
ROAST LEG OF LAMB Serves 8
The rosy pan juices from this roast leg of lamb are perfectly flavorful au naturel, but for a rich brown gravy we add black coffee to the roasting pan to flavor the pan juices.
1 leg of lamb, 4–5 pounds, tail, pelvic, and thigh bones removed, shank bone and heel left attached, at room temperature
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 anchovy filets
Large handful of fresh parsley leaves
2 cups black coffee
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock, or more
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Make a pile with the garlic, anchovies, parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper on a cutting board and chop it together to make a fine paste. Using the tip of a paring knife, make several 1-inch-deep slits all over the meaty parts of the lamb. Push the paste into the slits with your finger. Some of the paste will smear on the surface of the lamb, but that’s fine.
Put the lamb on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Pour the coffee into the pan. Roast the lamb until it is nicely browned on the outside, rosy pink on the inside, and the internal temperature reaches 130° for medium-rare, about 1½ hours. Add a splash of water to the pan as the lamb roasts if the pan juices begin to dry out. Transfer the lamb to a warm serving platter or cutting board, loosely tent it with foil, and let the roast rest for 15–20 minutes before carving.
To make the pan gravy, put the roasting pan with the drippings on top of the stove and heat over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly to prevent it from getting lumpy, until the flavor is toasty rather than raw, 3–4 minutes. Whisk in the stock and cook, whisking constantly, until the gravy is smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Thin the gravy with a little more stock if it’s too thick. Strain the gravy through a sieve into a gravy boat and serve with the carved roast.
A BIG MERINGUE WITH “EXOTIC” FRU ITS Serves 8–12
Easter dessert. You want to serve something as pretty and showy as an Easter bonnet. The holiday usually comes too early in the spring for any of the delicious local fruits, so we like to serve this big meringue piled high with billowy whipped cream, decorated with sweet, tart “exotic” fruits or fresh strawberries if they are in season in your neck of the woods.
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
1 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups heavy cream
Exotic fruits: 1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks; 2–3 bananas, peeled and sliced; 4 kiwi, peeled, quartered, and sliced; pulp of 2 passion fruits
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into a large mixing bowl. Beat the whites on medium speed until they are very foamy, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until they hold medium-stiff peaks. Continue beating on medium-high speed and gradually add the sugar, beating in 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to high and beat the whites until they are thick, stiff, and glossy. The total beating time depends on the freshness of the egg whites and the power of your electric mixer and we’ve found it can take about 5 minutes and sometimes up to 10 minutes. Fold the vinegar and vanilla into the whites. Pile the meringue into the center of the parchment paper and gently smooth it out to form a thick 9-inch circle. Put the meringue into the oven and bake for 1 hour.
Turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside to dry out and cool completely, 2–3 hours. The longer the meringue dries out the chewier and crunchier it becomes so leaving it in the turned-off oven as long as overnight is fine, too. The meringue will have cracks around the center and sides. Peel off the parchment paper and put the meringue on a cake plate.
Just before serving, whip the cream in a mixing bowl until big soft peaks form, then pile it on top of the meringue. Arrange the fruit on top of the whipped cream and spoon the passion fruit pulp over the fruit.
getting a jump on
spring . . .
This time of year we are ready to jump start spring. The garden is still sleeping, so frozen peas are a great way to go. Why? Peas' sugars turn into starch as soon as they are picked. After 24 hours, those sweet little green gems can be grainy and dull-tasting. Frozen peas, on the other hand, are picked and frozen at the peak of ripeness, halting the process of sugars turning to starch, so it's a better bet that frozen peas will have the sweet taste you're looking for. Plus, you don't have to do any shucking! Look for frozen peas with no added sauces, salt or sugar.
MINTY PEA SOUP
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add 1 chopped, peeled yellow onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add 4 cups rich chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add 6 cups shelled English peas (from about 6 pounds of pods) or thawed frozen peas, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes for fresh peas, about 2 minutes for frozen. Remove the pot from the heat. Add ¼ cup each fresh parsley and fresh mint leaves to the pot. Purée the soup in a blender, thinning it with a little water if it is too thick. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve the soup hot or cold, garnished with a swirl of sour cream, ½ –1 cup finely diced ham, and lots of chopped fresh chives.—serves 4–6
POACHED SALMON WITH PEAS, PARSLEY & MINT Serves 4
1 cup dry white wine
Flaky sea salt, we like Maldon
Four 6–8-oz. center-cut salmon filets
4 tbsps. unsalted butter
2 cups shelled English peas, or frozen peas
A handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
A handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
In a wide pan, add water to a depth of a couple of inches and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the wine and a generous pinch of salt. Lower the fish, skin side down, into the poaching liquid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Gently poach the fish until it is just cooked through or is barely opaque in the center, 8–12 minutes. You can check the doneness of the salmon by inserting a thin paring knife into the thickest part of the filet. If the knife blade is slightly warm to the touch, remove the filets from the poaching liquid with a fish spatula. Carefully peel off and discard the skin.
While the salmon is poaching, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the peas and toss to coat in the butter. Add ½ cup of the salmon poaching liquid, and simmer until the peas begin to soften and the liquid evaporates, 3–4 minutes. Add the mint, parsley, and cream, season to taste with pepper, and simmer the sauce until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Serve the salmon with the peas and cream spooned on top. Garnish with the chives.
Spring Chickens
Counterclockwise from top left: First Spring Sunday Dinner menu; sardine toasts; Roast Chicken with Tomato Butter
SPATCHCOCKING
Traditionally, a spatchcocked chicken or small bird is grilled. The bird is butterflied, or split open so it lays flat, like an open book. It makes the bird easier to handle and carve, and helps it cook more evenly. It gives more surface area for basting or slathering on compound butter. And it allows more room for stuffing seasonings under the skin. Why stop at grilling? We spatchcock chicken for roasting and broiling, as well.
The process is simple, but we take precautions. To split a whole chicken or small bird open, use a pair of sturdy kitchen or poultry shears. A heavy, sharp knife or cleaver work, too, but neither offers quite the control that shears do. Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Use the shears to cut out the backbone. Open up the chicken like a book and press on it to flatten it. Save the backbone for making stock.
ROAST CHICKEN WITH TOMATO BUTTER Serves 4–6
This savory emulsified-butter sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated. When you are ready to use it, don’t warm it up, just slather it on the roasted chicken and let it melt.
FOR THE CHICKEN
One 3–5 lb. chicken, spatchcocked, rinsed, and patted dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 handful chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped for garnish
FOR THE TOMATO BUTTER
2 anchovy filets
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup dry sherry
2 big tbsps. tomato paste
8 tbsp. (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
For the chicken, preheat the oven to 400°F. Set the chicken skin-side up on a wire rack set in a roasting pan and rub all over with salt and pepper. Add 1–2 cups water to the pan.
Roast the chicken until golden brown and the thigh juices run clear when pierced, 45–60 minutes. (The internal temperature of the thigh meat should register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.)
Meanwhile, for the tomato butter, put the anchovies, thyme, and sherry in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the sherry through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl: discard the solids. Return the sherry to the pan. Boil over medium-high heat until the sherry has reduced to about ¼ cup.
Reduce the heat to medium. Whisk in the tomato paste, and add the butter one piece at a time, whisking until it has melted before adding the next piece. Whisk until all the butter is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep the tomato butter warm.
Remove the chicken from the oven and let is rest for 10–15 minutes. Cut the chicken into pieces, arrange on a platter, and spoon the tomato butter all over. Garnish with the chopped parsley and rosemary.
. . . the pipes are calling . . .
Counterclockwise from top left: Sunday St. Paddy’s Day Dinner menu; corned beef, cabbage, carrots, and “spuds” ; Irish soda bread with Kerrygold butter
We are traditionalists, so we go all out on St. Paddy’s Day and cook a classic corned beef and cabbage dinner, replete with waxy spuds, horseradish cream, and Irish Soda Bread with salted Irish butter.
It’s a very fine dinner, but it is an Irish American invention. In the late nineteenth century, Eastern European Jewish and Irish immigrants lived side by side on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The Irish bought their meat from kosher butchers and bought what they found—brisket. Since brisket is a tough cut, they employed their tradition of corning pork (salting with a dry brine) to this cut of beef. After a long slow simmer, the brisket was transformed into the tender, flavorful corned beef we know today.
But our true favorite is the corned beef hash topped with poached eggs that we make for breakfast the following day. Èirinn go Bràch!
CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE Serves 6–8
If you prefer a leaner cut of corned beef, with slices that hold their shape when carved,
choose “flat” or “first cut”. The thicker “point” cut is marbled with fat and will be more tender and flavorful. Add a second brisket to the pot so you can have enough to make Corned Beef Hash (Canal House Cooking, Volume N° 3, page 91; Cook Something, page 281).
1 corned beef brisket (3–5 lbs.), rinsed
2 bay leaves
12 black peppercorns
8 large waxy potatoes, peeled
1–2 bunches carrots, peeled
1 head savory cabbage, cut into 8 wedges
1 handful fresh chives, chopped
FOR THE HORSERADISH CREAM
¼ cup peeled, finely grated horseradish or drained prepared horseradish
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1–2 bunches fresh chives, minced
2 cups whipped cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the meat, bay leaves, and peppercorns into a large pot and cover with cold water by several inches. (Keep the meat submerged by weighing it down with a heavy lid.) Bring just to a boil, skimming off any foam from the surface. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot with a lid and simmer until the meat is very tender when pierced with a skewer, 3–4 hours. Transfer the meat to a platter and cover with foil or plastic wrap.
Strain the broth, returning it to the pot. Put the vegetables into the pot and gently cook over medium heat until quite tender, 30–45 minutes for the potatoes; 20–30 minutes for the carrots and cabbage. Transfer the vegetables as they finish cooking to the platter with the corned beef. Reserve the cooking broth in the pot and keep hot over low heat.
Meanwhile, for the horseradish cream, fold the horseradish, lemon juice, and chives into the whipped cream in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Reheat the corned beef in the hot broth. Transfer the meat to a cutting board, thinly slice, and arrange on a warm serving platter. Reheat the vegetables in the hot broth and arrange on the platter. Ladle some of the hot broth over all.
Full of Beans
Counterclockwise from top left: Sunday Dinner menu, Fromager d’Affinois and Medjool dates on toast, white beans with poached tuna and grilled sausages.
We often keep a pot of cooked brothy beans in the refrigerator (they’ll keep nicely for up to 5 days). It gives us an instant leg up on putting a meal together. We usually use cannellini but often cook what we have on hand or what sounds good to us. Canned beans are okay in a pinch, of course, but don’t really have the fresh sweet flavor and just-tender, somewhat toothsome texture of beans that you have cooked yourself. You get the point. Cook a pot of beans on Sunday, and you’ll eat well all week. We will use our cooked beans to make a quick cassoulet (our way), braised escarole and beans, tuna and sausages with white beans, beans with spicy black olive vinaigrette, or even beans on toast with olive oil and fried sage. For such humble food, beans have inspired some of our best ad hoc and most inspired meals. Why not make a pot and see what you cook up?
WHITE BEANS with POACHED TUNA & GRILLED SAUSAGES Serves 4
Choose beans that have been recently harvested and dried; this may be the most important factor in cooking a good pot of dried beans. As beans age, their outer shell becomes tough and impermeable. Sometimes really old beans will never get tender, even after hours and hours of cooking. Shop at a store that moves a lot of beans off their shelves, ensuring that you’re buying from a current crop. Though it may be hard to spot, look for a “best by” date on the package.
Two 8-ounce pieces fresh tuna
Salt
Really good extra-virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
A few black peppercorns
2 lemons
4 Italian sausages
4 cups warm cooked white beans
Freshly ground black pepper
2 handfuls parsley leaves, chopped
Season the tuna with salt, put it into a wide pot, and barely cover it with olive oil. Add the bay leaf, the peppercorns, and a few strips of zest from one of the lemons. Poach the tuna over low heat until it turns pale and is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the tuna cool to just warm or to room temperature in the poaching oil.
Grill the sausages over a hot charcoal fire, gas grill, or in a skillet over medium-high heat until they are browned all over and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Spoon the warm beans onto a serving platter and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the sausages and tuna on the platter with the beans. Moisten the beans with some of the poaching oil from the tuna. Scatter chopped parsley on top and serve with lemon wedges.
Roast Lamb Tacos
Counterclockwise from top left: Sunday Dinner menu, Mole encrusted Leg of lamb, guacamole chips and lime, assembled tacos with two salsas, and avocados.
ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH GUAJILLO MOLE Serves a small crowd
Whole leg of lamb, semiboneless leg of lamb, boneless leg of lamb, it doesn’t matter, but the cooking times will differ depending on the cut. We found a beautiful semiboneless leg at the market, but more often, a boneless leg of lamb, wrapped in netting to hold the roast in shape, is available. Roasting the lamb to an internal temperature of 120°F in the thickest part of the roast is the important part.
1 leg of lamb
1 cup Guajillo Chile Mole (see recipe below)
Olive oil
2 cups Roasted Tomato Salsa (see recipe below)
2 cups Tomatillo Salsa (see recipe below)
Corn tortillas, warm
1 bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed, roots trimmed off
Limes, halved
Avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Slather the lamb all over with the mole. Put the lamb on an oiled roasting pan, fatter side up. Roast in the oven until well browned on top, 20–30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and continue roasting the lamb until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the roast reaches 120°F, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove the lamb from the oven. Snip off and remove any string or netting. Let the roast rest for 15–20 minutes before carving.
To serve, arrange a few slices of lamb on a tortilla and garnish with either one of the salsas, a couple of slices of avocado, and some cilantro. Finish the tortilla with a squeeze of lime juice.
GUAJILLO MOLE Makes about 2 cups
You will only need about 1 cup of this rich and deeply flavorful Mexican sauce for the Roast Leg of Lamb, but it keeps well, covered, in the refrigerator or freezer.
6 whole guajillo chiles, wiped with a damp paper towel
1 cup hot chicken stock
½ cup raisins
1/3 cup blanched almonds
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
5 black peppercorns
½ tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Tear off the stems of the dried chiles and shake out the seeds. Heat a cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Toast the chiles in the skillet, pressing down with tongs and turning once or twice, until they are fragrant and turn a slightly darker shade, 30–60 seconds. Transfer the chiles to a medium bowl. Add the raisins. Pour the hot chicken stock over the chiles and raisins, set a plate on top of the chiles to keep them submerged, and set them aside to soak until soft and pliable, about 30 minutes.
Toast the almonds in the skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until pale golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool completely. Add the cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and peppercorns to the skillet and toast the spices over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Finely grind the almonds with the salt in a blender. Add the chiles, raisins, and their soaking liquid, along with the toasted spices, and garlic. Purée to a smooth paste.
Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the spice paste and fry, stirring to keep it from burning, until it becomes a shade darker and is very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
TOMATILLO SALSA Makes about 2 cups
6–8 tomatillos (about 1 lb.), husked and rinsed
4–5 cloves garlic, unpeeled, crushed
1 jalapeno pepper
½ white onion, unpeeled, thickly sliced
Olive oil
1 tsp. salt
Juice from 1 lime
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed, and chopped
Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Put the tomatillos, garlic, jalapenos, and onions into a roasting pan and rub everything with a splash of oil. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the vegetables until slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
Slip the skin off the garlic and onions and discard. Remove the stem from the jalapeno and discard. Transfer the vegetables and any accumulated pan juices to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the salsa to a bowl and season with salt, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and a little olive oil to round out the flavor. Adjust seasonings to taste.
ROASTED TOMATO SALSA Makes about 2 cups
4 tomatoes, about 1 lb.
4–5 cloves garlic, unpeeled, crushed
1 jalapeno pepper
½ white onion, unpeeled, thickly sliced
Olive oil
1 tbsp. tomato paste
Salt
Sugar
Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Put the tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos, onions into a roasting pan and rub everything with a splash of oil. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the vegetables until slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
Slip the skin off the garlic and onions and discard. Remove the stem from the jalapeno and discard. Transfer the vegetables and any accumulated pan juices to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the salsa to a bowl and stir in the tomato paste and 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Season with salt and a pinch of sugar to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes. Adjust seasonings to taste.
One of our favorite Sunday Dinners was not at a traditional dinner table. Instead, ensconced in comfortable chairs we gathered around a big coffee table emptied of its usual piles of magazines, books, and remote controls. While we sipped ice-cold Margaritas, Greyhounds, and Dos Equis, our host arranged bowls of salsas—tomatillo and roasted tomato—guacamole, juicy lime quarters, sliced scallions, cilantro, sliced avocado, crema, warm corn tortillas wrapped in a pretty dish cloth, on the table. He set a handsome mole-encrusted leg of lamb on a wooden cutting board right in the midst of everything. Carving a portion of the roast, he laid out the rosy slices of meat on the board. Then, other than occasionally slicing more meat, his host duties were over. Everyone got a plate and a pile of paper napkins but no silverware, this would be a hands-on affair. It was up to us to assemble the soft tacos—first a warm tortilla, then lamb, salsa, crema, avocado. There was no first or last course to signal a beginning or end, instead we talked and ate until afternoon turned into evening.
Layer Up
Counterclockwise from top left: two sauces—besciamella and bolognese; fresh pasta sheets; layering the lasagne; finished lasagne; Sunday Dinner ‘Italian Style’ Menu
LASAGNE BOLOGNESE Serves 4-6
One thinks lasagne is as much about the sauce as it is about the layers of pasta. But to us, it’s the luxurious nutmeg-flecked besciamella (Italian white sauce) that makes the dish sublime. Using fresh pasta, whether home-made or store-bought for this noble layered dish makes all the difference in the world. If you’ve only had those clunky lasagne made with thick sheets of dried pasta, the tenderness of fresh pasta will be a revelation.
1 tbsp. butter
1 cup (8 oz.) fresh ricotta
2 cups Besciamella (see recipe below)
Salt
Freshly grated nutmeg
2½ cups warm Ragù Bolognese (see recipe below)
1 cup (120 g.) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 lb. fresh pasta sheets, cut into 8- to 10-inch lengths
Butter a deep 9 X 13-inch baking dish and set aside. Stir the ricotta into the besciamella, season with salt and nutmeg to taste, and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add 1 tbsp. salt. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Set the prepared baking dish, besciamella, ragù, and parmigiano on a clean work surface at arm’s reach from the stove so you can easily assemble the lasagne.
Cover the bottom of the baking dish with ½ cup of the ragù. Cook 1 sheet of the pasta in the boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, lift the pasta out of the water, let most of the water drain off, then lay the sheet out flat over the ragù in the bottom of the dish. Repeat with more pasta to cover the ragù with a single layer of pasta, trimming the pasta to fit, and patching, if necessary.
Spread ½ cup of the besciamella evenly over the pasta. Spread ½ cup of the ragù evenly over the besciamella, then sprinkle with ¼ cup of the parmigiano. Add another layer of pasta, covering it with ½ cup of the besciamella, and covering that with ½ of the ragù, then sprinkle with more parmigiano. Repeat the layers again. Add the final layer of pasta, cover it with the remaining besciamella, then with the remaining ragù, and sprinkle the last bit of parmigiano on top.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the lasagne until it is bubbling around the edges and lightly browned on top, 20–30 minutes. Do not overcook. Let lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
BESCIAMELLA Makes 2 cups
This classic Italian white sauce can be made ahead, covered tightly, and refrigerated for up to two days before assembling the lasagne, if you like.
4 tbsp. butter
¼ cup (30 g.) flour
2 cups hot milk
½ cup (60 g.) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¼ –½ tsp. or more to taste, freshly grated nutmeg
Salt
Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook for 1½–2 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent it from taking on any color whatsoever. Gradually add the hot milk in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent lumps. Increase the heat to medium and cook the sauce, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon, until it has the consistency of very thick cream, 5–10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the parmigiano and season with nutmeg and salt to taste. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the sauce until ready to use to prevent a skin from forming.
RAGÙ BOLOGNESE Makes about 6 cups
This recipe makes more sauce than you will need to make the Lasagne Bolognese. But do make the whole recipe, taking advantage of the time it takes to slowly simmer this classic Italian meat sauce. Toss extra sauce with cooked pasta or freezewhat you don’t use. A little ragù bolognese stashed in your freezer is like having money in the bank.
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 small ribs celery, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 oz. prosciutto, finely chopped
1 lb. ground beef chuck
1 lb. ground pork
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ whole nutmeg, finely grated
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup hot milk
One 28-oz. can tomato purée
1 cup chicken or beef stock
Heat the butter and oil together in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are translucent, 5–10 minutes. Stir in the prosciutto. Add the ground beef and pork, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up the clumps of meat with the back of the spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 5–10 minutes. Avoid frying or browning the meat.
Season the meat with nutmeg. Add the wine to the pot and cook until evaporated, 10–12 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the tomato purée and stock together in a saucepan until hot, then add it to the meat. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, 5–7 hours. Add water if needed to keep the ragù loose and saucy. Season with salt and pepper.
This Sunday, more snow is in the forecast (maybe). What a splendid time to layer up! We’re making the magnificent Italian classic, Lasagne Bolognese—layers of silky fresh pasta, rich ragù bolognese, creamy, nutmeg-flecked besciamella (Italian white sauce), and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. It’s a weekend-worthy project that never fails to please. So, why not tie on your apron and cook and eat along with us?
Lunar New Year
Counterclockwise from top left: dumpling wrappers; filling wrappers; filled dumplings; finished boiled and seasoned dumplings; Lunar New Year Menu
We may no longer be cooking Sunday Dinner at our restaurant, but if you know us, you know we’ll still be cooking Sunday Dinner at home for our family and friends. Tie on your aprons and cook and eat along with us.
This Sunday, we are jumping the gun by a couple of days and celebrating the Lunar New Year, which begins, this year, on Tuesday, February 17th. It’s the Year of the Fire Horse. Whoa!
In keeping with tradition, we make Jiaozi, Chinese dumplings, to usher in wealth and good fortune for the new year. Our Shuǐ Jiǎo (boiled Chinese dumplings) recipe was passed along to us from a beloved friend whose grandmother passed it along to him. Now we gladly share it with you and hope you will start your own Lunar New Year ritual of filling and folding—then devouring—these delicious dumplings.
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Shuǐ Jiǎo
Pork and Beef Chinese Boiled Dumplings
Makes about 70
We use thin, white, 3.5-inch round dumpling wrappers made with wheat flour, water and salt, available in the refrigerated and/or frozen section at Asian markets. Although the thicker, Northern-style dumpling wrappers are typically used for boiled dumplings because they are sturdy and chewy, we prefer using the thinner, more delicate Shanghai-style wrappers as they are more tender when boiled.
The filling is best made the day of serving. It loses its freshness if made ahead. Shaped dumplings can be frozen. Frozen dumplings can be boiled straight from the freezer. No defrosting necessary.
For the filling:
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. ground beef
3 tbsp. (about 2 oz.) finely grated, peeled fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (about 1 oz.)
6-8 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts separated, white parts finely chopped to make 1 cup (about 3 oz.); green parts thinly sliced
5 tbsp. soy sauce
Two 14-oz. packages thin, 3.5-inch round, white dumpling wrappers, defrosted, if frozen
Corn starch or potato starch for dusting
Rice vinegar
Soy sauce
Sesame chili oil
For the filling: Put the ground meat, ginger, garlic, white parts of scallions, and soy sauce into a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands. Do a taste test of the filling: bring a small pot of water to a boil. Cook a scant tablespoon of the filling in the boiling water until it floats, about 2 minutes. Taste the cooked filling. Adjust the filling seasonings with more ginger, garlic, scallion, and/or soy sauce, if you like. This makes about 6 cups of filling. It can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.
To make the dumplings: Dust a tray with some cornstarch and set aside. Fill a small dish with water. Remove the wrappers from their package, set on a flat dish, and cover with a slightly damp paper towel to keep them from drying out.
Put 1 dumpling wrapper flat on a paper towel on a clean work surface. Put about 1 scant tablespoon of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Shape the filling into an oval to make it easier to cover with the wrapper. Dip your finger into the water and wet the entire rim of the wrapper. Carefully fold the wrapper over the filling to make a half circle. Pinch the edges together to completely seal the dumpling. We crimp the edges, making pleats along the edge, but it’s not necessary.
Place the dumpling on the dusted tray, folded side up. Repeat filling and shaping the dumplings with the remaining filling and wrappers, setting them side-by-side on the tray, folded side up, as you work. If the dumplings get moist, soft and sticky, dust them with some of the cornstarch. The dumplings can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before boiling and serving. They can also be frozen. Set the dumplings on a tray in a single layer without touching. Freeze the dumplings until frozen solid. Stack frozen dumplings in a plastic bag or airtight container and keep frozen until ready to boil and serve.
Fill a deep pot with water and bring to a gentle boil. Put 6-8 dumplings at a time into the pot and boil until they float, about 2 minutes, using a slotted spoon to coax any dumplings that settle to the bottom of the pot. Let them simmer for about 1 minute more. Using the slotted spoon, transfer dumplings to soup bowls. Season dumplings with a splash of rice vinegar, soy sauce, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Garnish with some of the sliced scallion greens. Serve piping hot.
Super Bowl Sunday
