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NUMBER 177 JULY & AUGUST 2022 Tomato Time! CooksIllustrated.com Sandwiches for Any Variety $7.99 U.S./$9.99 CANADA and Savory Cobbler Pollo a la Brasa plus: Peru’s Wildly Popular Dipping Sauces Two Zucchini Traditions From Lebanon and Italy Next-Level Pie Pastry New Flavors, Stunning Designs DIY Ice Cream Cake Customizable and Make-Ahead Crispy Vegetable Pakoras

JULY & AUGUST 2022 Pakoras, 18 Ice Cream Cake, 21 Deluxe Blueberry Pancakes, 20 Çılbır, 10 Open-Faced Kousa Mihshi, 14 Pollo a la Brasa, 4 Cherry Tomato Ricotta Sandwiches, 8 2 Quick Tips 12 Sixth-Generation Cobbler 21 Celebrate with Ice Cream Cake Quick and easy ways to perform everyday tasks, My Southern roots guided me toward a savory Ice cream is always a thrill. But layer your favorite from stabilizing your cutting board to cleaning root tomato cobbler that tastes like home. flavor with tender cake and fudge sauce, and vegetables. COMPILED BY ANNIE PETITO you’ve got a statuesque sweet with a real sense of BY ERICA TURNER occasion. BY LAN LAM 4 Peru’s Wildly Popular Grilled 13 In Praise of Rajas 24 The Best Chef’s Knives for Chicken Revel in strips of roasty, slightly spicy chiles $75 or Less Infused with garlic and spices, heady with wood napped with velvety crema. BY ANNIE PETITO smoke, and presented with lively sauces, pollo a la Our longtime favorite chef ’s knife is sharp, brasa is no ordinary bird. BY DAVID PAZMIÑO 14 The Vibrant Comforts of capable, and comfortable to hold. But is it still the best? BY MIYE BROMBERG 6 Ultracreamy Spaghetti with Kousa Mihshi 26 Must-Have Mustards Zucchini Zucchini stuffed with spiced lamb and rice and braised in cinnamon-accented tomato sauce is A single style simply won’t cut it. From sweet to In this take on simple, splendid spaghetti alla a Lebanese favorite that transcends its simple spicy, these are the five styles we always have on Nerano, your bounty of summer squash has finally ingredients. BY DOMINIQUE KHOURY hand. BY KATE SHANNON found its calling. BY ANNIE PETITO 16 Next-Level Pie Crust 28 Ingredient Notes 8 Broaden Your Tomato Give rich, flaky pastry the showstopper BY STEVE DUNN, ERIC HAESSLER, Sandwich Horizons treatment. BY ELIZABETH BOMZE ANNIE PETITO & ERICA TURNER Any tomato can star in a sandwich—if you know 18 The Best Way to Use Up 30 Kitchen Notes how to play to its strengths. BY LAN LAM Vegetables BY STEVE DUNN, ERIC HAESSLER, LAN LAM & 10 The French-Inspired Scaloppine ERICA TURNER Use produce that you have on hand to make these Eggy and elegantly lavished with lemony beurre richly spiced fritters from the Indian subcontinent— 32 Equipment Corner blanc, Francese has long been one of the great and don’t forget a vibrant chutney (or two) for Italian American cutlet traditions. Et voilà, my dunking. BY ERICA TURNER BY CAROLYN GRILLO, GRACE KELLY & modern update. BY STEVE DUNN KATE SHANNON 20 Blueberry Pancakes 3.0 Scan Our New QR Codes! Fresh fruit and a diner trick take the most beloved of flapjacks to the next level. You’ll notice that we have added a QR code to each recipe feature to allow BY ANDREA GEARY quick access to step-by-step videos, as well as QR codes directing you to other America’s Test Kitchen has been teaching home cooks how to be successful in the kitchen since information (the code at the left will 1993. Our mission is to empower and inspire confidence, community, and creativity in the kitchen. take you to the issue home page). To scan the code, simply Millions watch our two shows on public television; read our two flagship magazines (Cook’s Country open the camera app on your phone or tablet and point the and Cook’s Illustrated); and rely on our books, websites, videos, podcasts, and educational products camera at the code. Once your device recognizes the code, for children. America’s Test Kitchen is located in a state-of-the-art Boston facility with it will provide a link that will take you directly to the video or 15,000 square feet of test kitchen and studio space. Learn more at AmericasTestKitchen.com. other content. If you prefer, you can also access all the videos from this issue by visiting CooksIllustrated.com/AUG22.

EDITORIAL STAFF LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Editor in Chief Dan Souza GETTING PERSONAL Editorial Director Amanda Agee Deputy Editor Rebecca Hays L ast summer, on a whim, I polled thousands up with (pages 8 and 9) will service whatever tomatoes Executive Food Editor Keith Dresser of home cooks via my YouTube show, you happen to have, from cherry to heirloom; she Managing Editor Elizabeth Bomze What’s Eating Dan?, about their preferred includes smart tricks for getting the best out of each. Deputy Food Editor Andrea Geary Senior Editors Steve Dunn, Lan Lam, Annie Petito way to eat corn on the cob. An abundance of zucchini always Associate Editor Erica Turner Senior Content Editor Alyssa Vaughn Not their favorite recipe or tech- feels like the target of home gar- Senior Science Research Editor Paul Adams Lead Copy Editor Rachel Schowalter nique, such as grilling and boiling, dening ridicule. Here, zucchini gets Copy Editors Katrina Munichiello, April Poole Lead Test Cook, Photo Team Eric Haessler but rather how they physically get the spotlight—twice. Annie Petito Executive Editor, Digital Mari Levine Digital Recipe Editor Danielle Lapierre the corn off the cob at the table. concentrates the squash down to Executive Editors, ATK Reviews Hannah Crowley, I received a flood of feedback (and golden nuttiness and then stirs it into Lisa McManus read some very strong opinions). spaghetti with handfuls of provolone, Deputy Editor, ATK Reviews Kate Shannon Senior Editors, ATK Reviews Miye Bromberg, Carolyn Grillo Based on the responses, I found that Parmesan, and basil, the way cooks Assistant Editors, ATK Reviews Chase Brightwell, Grace Kelly, folks fall into three distinct groups: do along the Amalfi Coast, until the Valerie Sizhe Li Assistant Editor, Digital, ATK Reviews Sawyer Phillips typewriters, those who eat their corn whole pot turns creamy (page 7). Creative Director John Torres from left to right and then return Meanwhile, Dominique Khoury Photography Director Julie Cote Art Director Jay Layman to the starting point for the next treats us to kousa mihshi (page 15). Art Director, ATK Reviews Marissa Angelone Senior Staff Photographers Steve Klise, Daniel J. van Ackere row; logrollers, folks who rotate the DAN SOUZA Hollowing out the squash, filling it Photographer Kevin White Senior Photography Producer Meredith Mulcahy cob as they bite, taking off a ring of Editor in Chief with spiced rice and lamb, braising it kernels before shifting to the next; in fragrant tomato sauce, and eating Senior Director, Creative Operations Alice Carpenter Executive Managing Editor, Creative Operations Todd Meier and anarchists. As implied, this third group doesn’t it with a dollop of cool yogurt celebrates one of her Senior Print Production Specialist Lauren Robbins Production & Imaging Coordinator Amanda Yong need order or structure. They bite from different family’s most treasured Lebanese cooking traditions. Production & Imaging Specialists Tricia Neumyer, Dennis Noble Assistant Test Kitchen Director Alexxa Benson places all over the ear until it’s stripped clean. Now for dessert and the pièce de résistance of the Test Kitchen Shopping & Receiving Lead Heather Tolmie Senior Kitchen Operations Assistant Crispin Lopez I started the poll mostly for a laugh, but it became whole issue. Lan Lam’s Ice Cream Cake (page 23) Executive Editor, Video & Cooking School Christie Morrison Culinary Producers Alli Berkey, Janette Zepeda a powerful reminder of how deeply personal cooking will have your inner child squealing (screaming?) BUSINESS STAFF and eating are, even down to the smallest details. Our with delight, because almost every element—the ice Chief Executive Officer David Nussbaum summer issue, which is packed with recipes for the cream, mix-ins, and decorations—is your choice. At Chief Creative Officer Jack Bishop season’s biggest produce stars, leans hard into that the same time, she goes deep on the technique and VP, Television, Video & Podcast Mark Levine Director, Public Relations & Communications Brian Franklin vibe. Recipe authors offer plenty of specific sugges- science so that you can understand how it all hangs Chief Financial Officer Jackie McCauley Ford tions, but everything is built with flexibility in mind. together and feel confident about pulling it off Senior Manager, Customer Support Tim Quinn Customer Support Specialists Mitchell Axelson, Naturally, tomatoes are front and center. Lan Lam yourself. It’s the happiest possible cooking project. Michaela Gilgenbach spent weeks reimagining tomato sandwiches through Have at it. Have fun. Oh, and don’t forget the Chief Digital Officer Fran Middleton the lens of practical home cooking. The trio she came corn on the cob. VP, Marketing Natalie Vinard Editorial Director, Digital Content Kevin Pang Join Our Community of Recipe Testers Director, Audience Acquisition & Partnerships Evan Steiner Director, Social Media Marketing & Emerging Our recipe testers provide valuable feedback on recipes under development by ensuring that they are foolproof in home kitchens. Help Cook’s Illustrated investigate the how and why Platforms Kathryn Przybyla behind successful recipes from your home kitchen. Social Media Managers Charlotte Errity, Sarah Sandler Social Media Coordinator Norma Tentori Sign up at AmericasTestKitchen.com/recipe_testing. Community Engagement Coordinator Sarah Ahn FOR INQUIRIES, ORDERS, OR MORE INFORMATION Chief Revenue Officer Sara Domville ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE COOK’S ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE CooksIllustrated.com Senior VP, Human Resources & Organizational Cook’s Illustrated magazine (ISSN 1068-2821), Development Colleen Zelina number 177, is published bimonthly by America’s Test At CooksIllustrated.com, you can order books and subscriptions, Kitchen Limited Partnership, 21 Drydock Avenue, Suite sign up for our free e-newsletter, or renew your magazine Human Resources Manager Jason Lynott 210E, Boston, MA 02210. Copyright 2022 America’s subscription. Join the website and gain access to 29 years of Test Kitchen Limited Partnership. Periodicals postage Cook’s Illustrated recipes, equipment tests, and ingredient VP, Technology Dustin Brandt paid at Boston, MA, and additional mailing offices, USPS tastings, as well as companion videos for every recipe in this issue. #012487. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40020778. Circulation Services PWX Solutions Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box COOKBOOKS 875, Station A, Windsor, ON N9A 6P2. POSTMASTER: We sell more than 50 cookbooks containing recipes all Cover Art Robert Papp Send address changes to Cook’s Illustrated, P.O. Box developed in our test kitchen, including More Mediterranean 6018, Harlan, IA 51593-1518. For subscription and gift and The Chicken Bible. To order, visit our bookstore at PRINTED IN THE USA subscription orders, subscription inquiries, or change of CooksIllustrated.com/bookstore. address notices, visit AmericasTestKitchen.com/support, call 800-526-8442 in the U.S. or 515-237-3663 from EDITORIAL OFFICE 21 Drydock Avenue, Suite 210E, outside the U.S., or write to us at Cook’s Illustrated, P.O. Boston, MA 02210; 617-232-1000; fax: 617-232-1572. Box 6018, Harlan, IA 51593-1518. For subscription inquiries, visit AmericasTestKitchen.com/support or call 800-526-8442. july & august 2022 1

Bake Oysters Like Muffins QUICK TIPS Kevin Berner of Bellingham, Wash., j COMPILED BY ANNIE PETITO k enjoys roasting oysters in the oven, but he doesn’t like using an abun- dance of foil or a bed of salt to prop them up. He has found that a muffin tin makes for a good reusable alter- native—the cups hold the bivalves upright without spilling their liquor. Reusable Cutting Board Stabilizer Expand Your Kitchen Storage Many cooks like to steady their cutting board with a damp paper towel or dish cloth. Instead, Randy Andrews of Henderson, Nev., reaches for a silicone baking Karen Crawford of Hendersonville, mat or trivet so that there’s nothing to waste or wash. N.C., wanted more storage in her kitchen, so she hung a clear All-Weather Storage for Shop for Ingredients at the Antipasto Bar pocket-style shoe holder on the Grilling Tools inside of her pantry door. She uses When she is making a recipe that calls for only a spoonful of capers or a few the pockets to store miscellaneous To keep his core grilling equipment olives, Marsha Coleman of Milwaukee, Wis., heads to the grocery store’s anti- and oddly sized items, such as paper outdoors next to the grill but pro- pasto bar. That way, she can purchase only the amount she needs. cups, a wine opener, and spice jars tected from the elements, Anthony that don’t fit in her cupboard. Atkinson of St. Petersburg, Fla., stores the essentials—utensils, Track Pantry Inventory paper towels, skewers, a lighter, and on Your Phone aluminum foil—in a hard-sided, lidded toolbox. Maryanne Coelln of Richardson, Texas, sometimes forgets what she has in her pantry when she goes to the grocery store. To keep herself from repurchasing items she already owns, she takes a photo of her pan- try with her phone before she leaves for the store, so she can reference it while shopping. Pour Oil Like a Bartender ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE Andy Hiller of Mountain View, Calif., swears by storing his oils and vinegars in 12-ounce dark glass soda bottles outfitted with bar-supply speed pourers. The pourers don’t clog or rust, they pour quickly and cleanly without drips, and the whole assembly is dishwasher-safe. SEND US YOUR TIPS We will provide a complimentary one-year subscription for each tip we print. Send your tip, name, address, and telephone number to Quick Tips, Cook’s Illustrated, 21 Drydock Avenue, Suite 210E, Boston, MA 02210, or to [email protected]. cook’s illustrate 2

Extra-Large Melon Balls Prepping melon with a standard melon baller can be tedious, but David Taylor of Warsaw, Ind., has a clever way to accomplish the task in minutes: He uses an ice cream scoop instead. The large scoops are the perfect size to eat as is or freeze and add to drinks. Save Your Blind-Baking Setup When Katy Cyr of Bradford, Mass., Catch-All Cake Flipper A Spa Treatment finishes blind-baking a pie or tart for Potatoes crust, she uses the aluminum foil After allowing her cake to cool in the pan, Anne Kampes of Parkton, Md., liner to tip the pie weights back into inverts the cake onto a splatter screen and then uses the screen to flip the cake Cary Spinka of Plainfield, Ill., uses a a container, wipes down the foil back onto a wire rack. The screen helpfully contains any nuts or toppings that unique tool to clean potatoes, car- to remove any grease, folds it up, fall off the cake during inversion. rots, and any other produce that and places it on top of the weights needs a good scrub: a clean loofah. before closing up the container. The coarse tool is very effective That way, she can at removing dirt, and unlike scrub- reuse the foil bing brushes, it doesn’t splatter next time. the water. Easy-Crumble Goat Cheese Before Seana Monahan of Rocky River, Ohio, crumbles a log of goat cheese, she places the package in the freezer for a few minutes. The firm cheese crumbles neatly with- out smearing. An Unconventional An Alternative to Citrus Reamer Mason Jar Lids Ellen Key of Rochester, N.Y., was Ann and Joe Tropea of making a recipe that called for Baltimore, Md., can never find lemon juice but couldn’t find her enough metal lids for their citrus reamer. Her innovative alter- Mason jars; however, they native? A honey dipper, which she recently discovered that spun around in the halved fruit to plastic lids from many nut butter extract the juice. jars fit wide-mouthed Mason jars, so they always wash and save them. july & august 2022 3

Peru’s Wildly Popular Grilled Chicken Infused with garlic and spices, heady with wood smoke, and presented with lively sauces, pollo a la brasa is no ordinary bird. j BY DAVID PAZMIÑO k T he Asociación Peruana de Avicultura (Peruvian Association of Poultry Farming) estimates that more than 155 million pol- los a la brasa are consumed annually in Peru. Maestros polleros, or poultry masters, grill- roast the extraordinarily popular birds on rotisseries that spin lazily over crackling wood fires (“brasa” means “ember”) to produce meat that’s encased in tawny, paper-thin skin and dripping with juices. Served with a pile of crispy french fries, a simple green salad, and an array of peppy ají (chile) sauces, the flavor-packed, satisfying dish has been central to the country’s dining scene for decades. It’s been given its own national holiday, Día del Pollo a la Brasa, on the third Sunday of every July. It all began in the 1940s when Swiss migrant Dunk the juicy bronzed the skin covering its breast and leg quarters. Along PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE; ILLUSTRATION: JAY LAYMAN Roger Schuler needed a way to rescue his bankrupt chicken in a no-cook with half a can of malty beer, I incorporated ingredi- poultry farm on the outskirts of Lima, Peru. To mayonnaise sauce spiked ents that are often used in pollerías today: soy sauce attract customers, he set up a roadside stand ped- with huacatay, cilantro, for salinity; lime juice and mustard for brightness; dling all-you-can-eat chicken that he’d skewered on cotija, and jalapeño. and garlic, dried thyme, black pepper, and cumin a thick iron spit rod and roasted over an algarrobina for earthy, savory depth. (black carob) fire. The birds were such a hit among cooking dinner one night, you just go and buy Limeños that Schuler recruited Swiss metal worker one chicken with french fries, and they sell you the Since I didn’t have a rotisserie to rotate the chicken Franz Ulrich to increase production by engineering a sauces in little bags tied in knots . . . and a big bottle horizontally, I used the half-empty beer can to prop it six-spit rotisserie. In 1950, the pair opened a pollería of soda.” up vertically, sliding the cavity onto the vessel to create called Granja Azul, and customers flocked to it. a sort of tripod with the drumsticks. I positioned the Vertical Organization propped-up bird in the center of a kettle grill outfitted Since then, pollerías have sprung up on nearly with a split fire made by dumping piles of hot coals every block in most Peruvian cities, providing a go-to Duarte feels that a high-quality bird needs only salt, onto either side of a disposable aluminum pan and option for affordable takeout or dining in. Home pepper, and licks from wood-fired flames to taste nestling a packet of wood chips on one side. cooks prepare these grill-roasted chickens, too. So great, but it’s now common for Peruvian cooks beloved is the chicken that it’s been given its own to ratchet up the flavor via a marinade or wet rub. The key was to rotate the chicken a quarter turn national holiday, Día del Pollo a la Brasa, celebrated I came to prefer a beer-based marinade, which every 15 minutes so that at any given moment, two on the third Sunday of every July. seeped into the flesh of the chicken when I loosened sides would be blasted with heat while the other two sides got a reprieve. While not the constant To learn more about this iconic dish, I called movement of a rotisserie, about five turns produced Peruvian-born chef Jose Duarte, owner of Tambo remarkably succulent, smoky meat packaged in 22 restaurant near Boston. He recalled Peru’s well-rendered, uniformly mahogany skin. family-friendly take-out routine: “Instead of The Next Best Thing to a Rotisserie To mimic a wood-fired rotisserie, prop the bird up on a beer can and flank it with smoldering charcoal, placing a packet of wood chips on one side. Rotate the bird 90 degrees every 15 minutes for about five turns. The resulting chicken will be almost indistinguishable from the spit-roasted kind: succulent; imbued with the sweetness of wood smoke; and encased in evenly browned, well-rendered skin. cook’s illustrate 4

Two Pastes That Make the Sauces AJÍ AMARILLO PASTE HUACATAY PASTE Sauces That Big flavor in small jars Go on Everything Ají amarillo (yellow chile) and huacatay (an herb that’s often called black mint) add spark and depth to many of the sauces In addition to dousing chicken and that accompany pollo a la brasa. Vibrant ají amarillo gives off fries with spicy ají (chile) sauces, fruity, habanero-like vibes with moderate heat. Huacatay, on Peruvians love to drizzle the the other hand, is evocative of vegetables and freshly cut grass creamy-tangy-spicy mayonnaise- with menthol undertones. Both can be hard to find fresh in based mixtures onto fried the United States and are typically sold as jarred pastes. yuca. But don’t stop there: Keep the flavor-packed Awesome Sauces skin covering chicken breast and leg quarters. Using mayos on hand for perking up grilled meats Zippy ají sauces are mandatory with pollo a la brasa, paring knife, poke 10 to 15 holes in fat deposits on and seafood, tacos, burritos, eggs, and but they’re not just for the chicken: Peruvians also skin of back. Tuck wingtips underneath chicken. grain bowls. drizzle them onto the salad and fries that share the 2. Place chicken in bowl with cavity end facing up. AJÍ VERDE (PERUVIAN GREEN CHILE SAUCE) plate. There are lots of local variations, but most are Slowly pour marinade between skin and meat and MAKES ABOUT ¾ CUP TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES mayonnaise-based, and all are packed with gutsy rub marinade inside cavity, outside skin, and under Huacatay is a Peruvian herb sometimes called seasonings such as garlic, lime, and herbs. After whip- skin to distribute. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, black mint. You can find it jarred in supermarkets or online. If it’s unavailable, increase the cilantro ping up yellow (ají amarillo) and green (jalapeño) turning chicken halfway through marinating. to 5 tablespoons. versions—make both if you can swing it—I devoured 3. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, ½ cup mayonnaise 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and pollo a la brasa, right in my own backyard. wrap wood chips in 8 by 4½-inch foil packet. (Make chopped coarse sure chips do not poke holes in packet.) Cut 2 evenly 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons grated cotija cheese POLLO A LA BRASA spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet. 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon jarred huacatay paste (PERUVIAN GRILL-ROASTED CHICKEN) 4. Place beer can in large, shallow bowl. Spray 1 garlic clove, minced SERVES 4 can all over with vegetable oil spray. Slide chicken Combine all ingredients in blender and pro- cess until smooth, about 1 minute. (Sauce can TOTAL TIME: 2½ HOURS, PLUS 24 HOURS MARINATING over can so drumsticks reach down to bottom of be refrigerated for up to 1 week.) can and chicken stands upright; set aside at room AJÍ AMARILLO (PERUVIAN YELLOW CHILE SAUCE) Our gas grill instructions are for a three-burner grill. temperature while preparing grill. MAKES ABOUT ⅔ CUP TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES If using a two-burner grill, turn both burners to high 5A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bot- Ají amarillo paste, made from yellow Peruvian and place the wood chips on the primary burner while tom vent fully and place disposable pan in center of chiles, is available in supermarkets or online. If huacatay paste is unavailable, it can be omitted. the grill heats. When the grill is hot, turn the primary grill. Light large chimney starter two-thirds filled ½ cup mayonnaise burner to medium and turn the secondary burner off; with charcoal briquettes (4 quarts). When top coals 2 tablespoons ají amarillo paste 1 tablespoon lime juice stand the chicken on the cooler side of the grill, about are partially covered with ash, pour into 2 even piles 1 garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon jarred huacatay 4 inches from the primary burner, and proceed with on either side of disposable pan. Place wood chip paste the recipe, adjusting the primary burner as needed packet on 1 pile of coals. Set cooking grate in place, Combine all ingredients to maintain 350 to 375 degrees. A rasp-style grater cover, and open lid vent fully. Heat grill until hot in blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. (Sauce makes quick work of grating the garlic. Inexpensive and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes. can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.) beer is fine; avoid those with strong hoppy or bitter 5B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate flavors. Do not use a 16-ounce can because its height and place wood chip packet directly on one of outside will make the chicken less stable. Serve with french burners. Set grate in place; turn all burners to high; fries and salad and one or both sauces (see “Sauces cover; and heat grill until hot and wood chips are That Go on Everything”). smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn 2 outside burners to medium and turn off center burner. (Adjust out- 1 (12-ounce) can beer, divided side burners as needed to maintain grill temperature 2 tablespoons finely grated garlic between 350 and 375 degrees.) 2 tablespoons lime juice 6. Scrape cooking grate clean with grill brush. 2 tablespoons soy sauce Transfer chicken with can to center of cooking grate 2 teaspoons table salt with wings facing piles of coals (or outer burners on 2 teaspoons yellow mustard gas grill) at 3 and 9 o’clock (ends of drumsticks should 1 teaspoon pepper rest on grate to help steady bird). Cover grill (with 1 teaspoon dried thyme top vent open for charcoal grill) and cook for 15 min- 1 teaspoon ground cumin utes. Using tongs and wad of paper towels, rotate 1 (4- to 4½-pound) whole chicken, chicken 90 degrees so wings are at 6 and 12 o’clock. giblets discarded Continue cooking and turning chicken at 15-minute 1 cup wood chips intervals until thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum roasting pan 175 degrees, 1 hour to 1¼ hours longer. 7. With large wad of paper towels in each 1. Whisk ½ cup beer, garlic, lime juice, hand, transfer chicken and can to clean bowl, soy sauce, salt, mustard, pepper, thyme, keeping can upright; let rest for 15 minutes and cumin together in liquid measuring (do not discard paper towels). Using wads cup. Refrigerate remaining beer, still in of paper towels, carefully lift chicken off can can, until ready to grill. Using your fingers and onto cutting board. Discard can. Carve or handle of wooden spoon, gently loosen SCAN FOR VIDEO chicken, transfer to platter, and serve. july & august 2022 5

Ultracreamy Spaghetti with Zucchini In this take on simple, splendid spaghetti alla Nerano, your bounty of summer squash has finally found its calling. W hat do you get when j BY ANNIE PETITO k PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE you cross a clever cook, some leftover zucchini, You’ll know you’ve and a prince? added enough zucchini Spaghetti alla Nerano—at least, when your pasta takes so the story goes. According to leg- on the golden hue of “a really end, the dish was born in 1952 when good extra-virgin olive oil,” Francesco “Pupetto” Caravita, the Prince Rosa Andreone explained. of Sirignano, turned up at Ristorante Maria Grazia, a favorite restaurant of his located in SCIENCE The Emulsifying Power of Mantecare the charming Amalfi Coast fishing village of Nerano. He told the owner, his friend Rosa The final step in spaghetti alla Nerano (and an abundance of risotto and pasta dishes) is mantecare: the tossing together Mellino, that he had brought a guest whom of pasta with fat, often in the form of butter, oil, or cheese, and its starchy cooking water. This process forms a luxurious, he wanted to impress, so the pair sized up creamy sauce by creating an oil-in-water emulsion: water with tiny droplets of fat suspended throughout. Water and fat the ingredients on hand, got cooking, and molecules don’t naturally cling to one another, but in this case, the constant stirring of the pasta forcibly combines them, emerged from the kitchen with a never- breaking up the oil into droplets that (at least temporarily) can’t separate from the water. The butter and cheese help, before-seen pasta dish—spaghetti tangled too, encouraging the sauce to emulsify because they’re already made up of emulsified droplets. –Alyssa Vaughn with basil, black pepper, and delicate, golden coins of fried zucchini, all napped with a creamy, lightly cheesy sauce. The dish is enchantingly simple. It’s rich but eats light, and the zucchini’s sweetness is concentrated and heightened by the fry- ing. Nowadays, versions of the dish abound in restaurants across Nerano, and tourists flock to its shores just to get a taste of the town’s eponymous piatto. “The whole world talks about spaghetti alla Nerano,” Rosa Andreone, Mellino’s granddaughter, told me through her trans- lator Kylie Caraco. Andreone, who, along with several other members of her family, is now part owner of Ristorante Maria Grazia, closely guards her grandmother’s original recipe (though she says most everything is done “all’occhio,” or “by eye,” anyway). However, she was happy to give me some advice in creating my own version of the dish. Testing the Waters From its verdant hue to its basil-tinged aroma, spaghetti alla Nerano is a celebra- tion of summertime, a dinner for eating al fresco, if not beachside. But for cooks, its appeal at this time of the year is also practi- cal: When gardens and farmers’ markets are teeming with zucchini, Nerano is a way to put pounds of the squash to work. At Maria Grazia, Andreone told me, chefs slice small zucchini (they’re denser and contain fewer cook’s illustrate 6

Hyperconcentrated Zucchini, Simplified AFTER COOKING Deep frying, the traditional way of cooking the zucchini coins in this dish, is highly effective at driving off zucchini’s ample water content, BEFORE hyperconcentrating the squash’s flavor. However, this method requires COOKING frying the zucchini in batches, a cumbersome process for home cooks. We found that we could achieve comparable robust sweet-nuttiness and spotty brown- ing in our zucchini by microwaving and then sautéing the coins. We even weighed samples of deep-fried zucchini and hybrid-method zucchini and found that they lost 70 percent and 50 per- cent of their weight, respectively—a difference that was just fine given the simplified method. seeds) into thin rounds and deep-fry them until of mild provolone purchased at my local market (and ULTRACREAMY SPAGHETTI WITH ZUCCHINI they’re golden brown. The zucchini is cooked and shredded at home) made an apt substitute. The cheese SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES refrigerated for a few hours before it will be mixed melted beautifully, and when combined with Parmesan Be sure to use zucchini that are smaller than 8 ounces because they contain fewer seeds. Using with the pasta so that the crisp golden coins will in a 2:1 ratio, it imparted a milky, mellow sweetness a mandoline will make quick work of slicing the zucchini. Use a 2½-ounce block of mild provolone soften and mingle with the spaghetti. that complemented the Parmesan’s nutty depth. from the deli counter rather than presliced cheese. Our recipe for Spaghetti with Zucchini for Two is I began my testing by following Andreone’s lead, available for free for four months at CooksIllustrated. com/aug22. and while I loved the complex, nutty sweetness of Coin Toss 2 pounds small zucchini, sliced ⅛ inch thick the fried zucchini, the restaurant method posed a I cooked a pot of spaghetti to al dente and drained 1 teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil challenge for home cooks. To fry the dainty, delicate it, reserving some of the starchy liquid. With that, it 12 ounces spaghetti 2 tablespoons unsalted butter coins, I needed to cook them in very small batches—a was time to bring all the components of the Nerano 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil ½ teaspoon pepper tedious process when you’re working with pounds of together and, in the process, create the rich, creamy 2½ ounces mild provolone cheese, shredded squash. I theorized I could get close to the concen- sauce that binds it all. According to Andreone, the (⅔ cup) ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese trated flavors I enjoyed in the fried zucchini by finding quality of the final dish hinges almost entirely upon 1. In large bowl, stir together zucchini, ¼ cup a method that would drive off comparable amounts this process—so in her restaurant, only she and other water, and salt. Cover and microwave until zuc- chini is softened (some slices will curl at edges) and of the vegetable’s water, so I tested out sundry members of the family are permitted to perform this liquid is released, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving. Drain zucchini in colander techniques, weighing the zucchini final step, tossing the zucchini and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. before and after cooking to get a coins, pasta and its cooking water, 2. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over and grated cheeses off the heat medium-high heat until shimmering. Add zucchini sense of how much water was lost. When gardens and (do not wash colander) and spread into even layer. Cook, stirring every 4 minutes and then reflatten- A hybrid method of microwaving farmers’ markets until the mixture reaches an even, ing into even layer, until zucchini is very tender and and sautéing did the trick. First, velvety consistency. “That’s the about half of slices have browned, 10 to 12 minutes I combined the coins with some are teeming with secret,” she shared with me. (it is OK if some pieces fall apart). (Zucchini can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.) salt and ¼ cup of water in a bowl zucchini, Nerano is As I tossed the pasta off the (adding liquid might seem coun- a way to put pounds heat, I found myself wishing 3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in terintuitive, but the steam actually of the squash to work. that I could pass the pot over large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and helps the zucchini cook and lose its to Andreone. The spaghetti was cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups moisture faster), and then I covered tasty, but it looked dry. Without cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. it and placed it in the microwave. Andreone’s special touch, I’d need 4. Add 1 cup reserved cooking water, zucchini, butter, basil, and pepper to pasta. Set pot over low I found that after 10 minutes, the zucchini coins were to give my sauce a little help: A knob of butter, heat and cook, stirring and tossing pasta constantly, until ingredients are evenly distributed and butter is softened and had already lost about 20 percent of their though untraditional, finally created the luxe creami- melted, about 1 minute. Off heat, add provolone and Parmesan. Stir vigorously until cheeses are melted water weight—plus, they had collapsed so much that ness that is the dish’s calling card. and pasta is coated in creamy, lightly thickened sauce, about 1 minute, adjusting consistency with remaining I could fit them all into a single 12-inch skillet for Along with the butter, I added a cup of the reserved cooking water as needed. Transfer pasta to platter and serve immediately. browning. I drained the coins in a colander and slid starchy pasta water, the cooked zucchini, a couple them into a skillet slicked with oil. I stirred once every tablespoons of chopped fresh basil, and a healthy few minutes until light golden browning developed dose of black pepper to the spaghetti. When the on about half the slices (since flavor concentration was butter was melted and the spaghetti strands were also coming from moisture loss, it wasn’t essential to slicked with fat, I took the pot off the heat and brown every piece). The shrunken, bronzed zucchini then added the provolone and Parmesan, stirring was sweet and tender, and when I weighed the cooked and tossing until they were melted and a creamy, slices, they’d lost just over 50 percent of their original lightly thickened sauce coated the pasta. weight, a substantial difference in such a short time. I twirled the pasta on a fork and spun the nest into a bowl. I marveled at how beautiful it was, Choosing Cheeses and I knew that I’d gotten it right. Deep yellow The zucchini squared away, I turned to the cheeses. with just a hint of green, it was, as Andreone had Andreone uses three: Parmigiano-Reggiano described, “almost the color of a really and two local products, Provolone del good extra-virgin olive oil.” The sauce Monaco and caciocavallo. All three are aged was silky and full of sweetness from cheeses made from cow’s milk, and mixing the tender zucchini, which was tamed them creates a blend of nutty, sweet, and by the fresh basil, pepper, and savory buttery flavors. Provolone del Monaco undertones from the cheese. As I took and caciocavallo are tough to come by in my first bite, I swear I heard the waves the United States, but I found that a block SCAN FOR VIDEO lapping on the beach in Nerano. july & august 2022 7

Broaden Your Tomato MARINATED TOMATO SANDWICHES Sandwich Horizons SERVES 2 TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES Any tomato can star in a sandwich— if you know how to play to its strengths. Choose tomatoes that are 2 to 2½ inches in diameter to make the neatest sandwich. If you do not own a j BY LAN LAM k microwave, heat the marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When it registers 160 to 170 degrees, pour it over the tomatoes. You can sub- stitute baby arugula for the watercress. For a spicier sandwich, use the full amount of sriracha. ⅓ cup cider vinegar ¼ cup water 2½ teaspoons sugar ½–1 teaspoon sriracha ⅛ teaspoon table salt 2 vine-ripened tomatoes (4 ounces each), cored and sliced ¼ inch thick ½ avocado, sliced thin 2 English muffins, split and lightly toasted ½ ounce (¼ cup) alfalfa sprouts ½ cup watercress 1. Stir together vinegar, water, sugar, sriracha, and salt in 8-inch square microwave-safe baking dish. Add tomatoes in even layer. Microwave until marinade begins to steam, 1½ to 2 minutes. Let tomatoes marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes. 2. Line large plate with single layer of paper towels. Transfer tomatoes to prepared plate. Divide avocado between English muffin bottoms. Using fork, lightly mash avocado. 3. To build each sandwich, top avocado with one-quarter of tomato slices followed by half of alfalfa sprouts, another quarter of tomato slices, half of watercress, and English muffin top. Serve. VINE-RIPENED TO M ATO E S A vinegar-sriracha marinade punches up vine-ripened tomatoes’ flavor. Summer’s most iconic sandwich—volup- to spend the whole summer holding out for those THE TOMATO: Evenly sized vine-ripened tuous tomato slices heaped between slices flawless fruits. At this time of the year, many tomato tomatoes make neat stacks. Their balanced flavor of toasted, mayo-slicked white bread— varieties have sandwich potential—some just need a and moderate juiciness play well with bolder seems a straightforward, simple pleasure. little boost to achieve that perfect balance of crunch; ingredients. But don’t let its modest appearance fool you. This richness; and bright, fruity acidity. Here, vine-ripened juicy, drippy stack actually pulls off a delicate culi- tomatoes get an infusion of juicy tang from a vinegar THE BOOST: Submerging the slices in a warm nary balancing act: The bread offers crunch that marinade, petite cherry tomatoes become concen- vinegar-sriracha marinade adds moisture and contrasts with the tomato’s softness; the richness of trated and tender after a stint under the broiler, and big flavor. the mayo complements the acidity of the fruit; and even peak-season field tomatoes are enhanced with the brilliant red slices at the center of it all are at seasonings that make their flavors pop. By pairing each THE BREAD: Craggy English muffins crisp once juicy, sweet, tart, meaty, and savory. with strategically chosen breads and other comple- wonderfully in the toaster; catch juices; and pro- mentary ingredients, you’ll expand your tomato vide a stable, grippy base for the sandwich. Achieving this tomato sandwich harmony is an sandwich repertoire—which means you can snack on effortless feat when you’ve got lush, toast-of-the- sandwiches no matter what kind you have on hand. THE EXTRAS: Mashed avocado provides farmers’-market tomatoes. However, there’s no need richness, and a layer of earthy alfalfa sprouts between the tomato slices prevents the slices cook’s illustrate from slipping against each other. PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE 8 ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE

GRIDDLED TOMATO SANDWICHES SERVES 2 TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES Acidic cream of tartar boosts field tomatoes’ tang. Choose ripe tomatoes that are heavy for their size. FIELD Larger tomato slices that cover the entire slice of bread are ideal. We developed this recipe with 3½ by 5-inch AND HEIRLOOM slices of Arnold sandwich bread, and the amount of mayonnaise used in step 1 is just enough to thinly TO M ATO E S cover each slice. Adjust this amount as necessary if your bread has different dimensions. THE TOMATO: These juicy, full-flavored specimens are large enough to be cut into thick, ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar meaty slabs. ¾ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon sugar THE BOOST: A simple sprinkle of salt, sugar, ¼ teaspoon pepper and pepper enhances flavor without adding liquid to the already-juicy fruit. Acidic cream of tartar 2 (4-inch) field or heirloom tomatoes, cored and boosts the tomato’s tang. sliced ¾ inch thick THE BREAD: Griddling the sandwich bread is 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons mayonnaise, the gentlest way to add delicate, but lingering, exte- divided rior crunch while preserving the soft, moist interior. Griddling only one side allows the tomatoes and 4 slices hearty white sandwich bread the soft side of the bread to better cohere. 1. Stir cream of tartar, salt, sugar, and pepper THE EXTRAS: A swath of mayonnaise on the together in small bowl. Sprinkle mixture on both ungriddled side of the bread adds richness. sides of tomato slices. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise on 1 side of each slice of bread. 3. Evenly spread 2 teaspoons mayonnaise onto ungriddled sides of 2 slices of bread. Top with 2. Place 2 slices of bread, mayonnaise side down, tomato slices in single layer, cutting tomato slices to in 12-inch skillet. Cook over medium heat, moving fit if necessary. Place remaining bread slices on top bread if necessary for even browning, until underside of tomatoes, griddled side up. Serve. is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to cutting board griddled side up. Cook remaining 2 bread slices until underside is golden brown, about 30 seconds. Let cool until griddled side is crisp, about 2 minutes. OPEN-FACED CHERRY TOMATO C H E R RY RICOTTA SANDWICHES TO M ATO E S SERVES 2 TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES THE TOMATO: These petite spheres We prefer cherry tomatoes that are 1 inch in diam- provide great acidity eter; some larger varieties have tough skins. If you and meaty texture. can’t find marjoram, substitute fresh oregano. THE BOOST: Broiling 4 teaspoons whole-grain mustard collapses the tomatoes, so 2 teaspoons honey they fit snugly on the sand- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram wich, and concentrates their flavor. 1 teaspoon white or red miso ¼ teaspoon pepper THE BREAD: The broiler rapidly toasts the 10 ounces cherry tomatoes thick slabs of rustic bread without drying the 4 (½-inch-thick) slices rustic bread interior. 8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese THE EXTRAS: A honey-mustard-miso dress- A quick stint under the broiler softens cherry tomatoes 1. In bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, mar- ing punches up the tomatoes’ flavor, and a bed of and concentrates their sweetness. joram, miso, and pepper. Adjust oven rack 5 inches milky ricotta contrasts with their brightness. from broiler element and heat broiler. Place tomatoes in 10-inch broiler-safe skillet and broil until most TOMATO TIPS tomatoes have burst and a few are lightly charred, For information on 8 to 10 minutes. shopping, storing, and more, scan the QR code 2. Transfer tomatoes to mustard mixture and toss (or visit CooksIllustrated. until tomatoes are well coated. Arrange bread on com/tomato). rimmed baking sheet and broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Let bread cool until warm to touch, about 3 minutes. Spread ¼ cup ricotta on each slice of bread. Top with tomato mixture. Serve. july & august 2022 9

The French-Inspired Scaloppine Eggy and elegantly lavished with lemony beurre blanc, Francese has long been one of the great Italian American cutlet traditions. Et voilà, my modern update. j BY STEVE DUNN k “Frenching” in the Italian American culinary Francese’s plush, eggy coating keeps the meat moist and soaks up the bright, buttery sauce. PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE (TOP), NATHAN CIANCIOLA (BOTTOM) tradition means to dip a piece of food in flour and beaten egg; shallow-fry it; and The tricky thing about chicken Francese’s In fact, I put the whole fruit to work: juice for acid to sauce it with a lemony, beurre blanc–like egg-on-the-outside coating is that it can slip off if balance the rich butter; zest for its floral, spicy-sweet reduction that saturates the plush, golden-brown the eggs don’t set quickly enough. After a few tries, fragrance; and skin-on slices that I brown in butter coating. This retro technique, originally devised for I discovered that oil volume is key: You need enough and use as a complex-tasting garnish. veal but popularized with chicken cutlets, found of it in the pan (⅔ cup for a 12-inch skillet) that the fame at the Brown Derby restaurant just outside oil just crests the sides of each cutlet, creating a dam After sautéing garlic, I pour white wine and Rochester, New York. Chef James Cianciola’s of sorts that supports the coating until it’s cooked chicken broth into the pan and substantially reduce “Chicken French” (or “Francese” in Italian) drew enough to stay put. And given that extra-virgin olive the liquid to concentrate its flavor. Then I add the such crowds that the restaurant reportedly switched oil (the classic Francese cooking medium) is pricey, lemon zest and juice (delayed additions to preserve off its lit sign to discourage the arrival of more I use a 50/50 blend of olive and vegetable oils. their volatile flavors), followed by 3 tablespoons of patrons. In fact, the dish sold so well that Cianciola The cost of the dish goes down, and the cutlets still cubed butter that I dredge in flour—a shortcut to started “Frenching” artichokes, eggplant, and benefit from some of the olive oil’s fruity bitterness. the classic French beurre manié butter-flour paste seafood, too. Restaurants all over the region, and that thickens the sauce just as effectively, enriching eventually the country, mimicked the preparation, As for the sauce, I invest a little extra effort in it to the consistency of heavy cream. (For more elevating it to what would become one of Red mine to make the lemon flavor more than just tangy. information about thickening sauces, see page 31.) Sauce America’s all-time favorite takes on the sau- téed cutlet tradition known as scaloppine. Francese is timeless with home cooks, too. (In 2018, the New York Times food reporter Julia Moskin’s version ranked as the paper’s most popular recipe of the year.) That bright, satiny sauce and rich, savory egg coating make it feel luxurious, but the every- day ingredients and straightforward method keep it just as grounded as any other cutlet. And like other simple sautés, this dish is flexible and has evolved over time. My approach starts with pounding: I like very thin cutlets that cook through by the time the coating is golden brown, so I cut and flatten each breast into three ¼-inch-thick pieces and then briefly salt (and pepper) them for flavor and to help them retain moisture during cooking. I also like a relatively thin and tender egg coating—just sturdy enough to hug the meat without tearing—so I shake off extra flour to avoid excess egg from clinging. And I whisk water into the eggs to dilute their proteins; that way, the proteins won’t bond too tightly and toughen as they cook. “FRENCH” COOKBOOK At their Brown Derby restaurant outside Rochester, New York, brothers Nate and James Cianciola popularized the French-inspired, Italian American tradition of coating food in flour and egg, shallow-frying it, and saucing it with a lemony butter sauce. This book documents their rise to fame and includes several recipes. cook’s illustrate 1

FRANCESE GETS Francese, or “French,” is arguably the most luxurious of the Italian American cutlet treatments, with thin swaths of chicken (or veal) A MAKEOVER shrouded in a plush, eggy coating that soaks up the lemony butter sauce. These refinements modernize the classic with complex flavor and a simpler, more economical method. QUICK-COOKING MORE-TENDER COATING ECONOMICAL FRYING MORE LEMON SIMPLE SAUCE THICKENER CUTLETS Cutting and Diluting the eggs with 2 table- OIL Frying the cutlets in a FLAVOR Browning sliced Tossing cubed butter in flour is pounding each breast into three spoons of water prevents 50/50 blend of extra-virgin lemon in butter adds tangy, easier than mashing butter and ¼-inch-thick cutlets ensures their proteins from coagulating olive and vegetable oils reduces faintly bitter depth, and the flour into a beurre manié, and that they cook through evenly tightly and cooking up tough cost while adding just enough of bronzed slices make a visually the dredged fat thickens the in minutes. and rubbery. the olive oil’s grassy bitterness. striking garnish. sauce just as nicely. Spooned over the cutlets, the sauce seeps into the 2. Grate peel from 1 end of lemon to yield 1 tea- 5. Discard oil. Gently wipe out skillet with paper coating so that every bite is bright and aromatic. And spoon zest. Cut lemon in half crosswise and juice thanks to the chemical interplay between the lemon’s zested lemon half. Measure out 2 tablespoons juice. towels. Return skillet to medium heat and add lemon zest and cottony pith, the browned slices offer a hint of Slice remaining (unzested) lemon half into four bitter citrus bite that’s tempered by the heat into some- ¼-inch-thick rounds. Discard end. Cut 3 tablespoons slices and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cook, thing round, beautifully balanced, and, well, timeless. butter into ½-inch cubes and transfer to small bowl. Sprinkle cubes with 1 teaspoon flour and toss until flipping slices occasionally, until lightly browned on CHICKEN FRANCESE cubes are fully coated and no loose flour remains in bowl; refrigerate until needed. both sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer lemon slices SERVES 6 TOTAL TIME: 1½ HOURS 3. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Spread to cutting board. Use a stainless-steel skillet, not cast iron, the season- remaining flour in shallow dish. In medium bowl, ing of which can be damaged by the acidic sauce. To whisk eggs with water. Working with 1 cutlet at a 6. Add garlic to now-empty skillet and cook, stir- ensure that the sauce develops the correct flavor and time, dredge cutlets in flour, shaking gently to remove consistency, transfer the liquid to a heatproof liquid excess. Transfer to prepared rack. ring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in measuring cup once or twice during simmering to monitor the amount. Serve the cutlets with buttered 4. Heat olive oil and vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet wine, scraping up any browned bits, and increase heat pasta, white rice, potatoes, or crusty bread and a over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working simple steamed vegetable. Our recipe for Chicken with 1 cutlet at a time, coat 4 cutlets with egg mixture to medium-high. Bring to rapid simmer and cook until Francese for Two is available for free for four months and gently place in skillet. Reduce heat to medium at CooksIllustrated.com/aug22. and cook until golden brown on 1 side, about 2 min- wine is mostly evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in broth utes. Using tongs, flip and cook until golden brown 4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken on second side, about 2 minutes. Arrange cutlets on and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until breasts, trimmed serving platter and place in oven. Repeat with remain- ing cutlets in 2 batches. liquid is reduced to ⅔ cup, 6 to 8 minutes longer. 2 teaspoons table salt ½ teaspoon pepper 7. Reduce heat to low and stir in reserved lemon 1 large lemon 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided zest and juice. Whisk in floured butter cubes, a few at ¾ cup all-purpose flour, divided 3 large eggs a time, until sauce is thickened 2 tablespoons water ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil for frying to consistency of heavy cream, ⅓ cup vegetable oil for frying 1 garlic clove, minced 1½ to 2 minutes. Off heat, stir ⅓ cup dry white wine 1½ cups chicken broth in parsley. Season with salt and 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley pepper to taste. Cut browned 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Cut each chicken breast in half lemon slices in half and scatter crosswise, then cut thick half in half again horizontally, creating 3 cutlets of similar thickness. Place cutlets over cutlets. Spoon sauce over between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound to even ¼-inch thickness. Place cutlets in bowl and toss cutlets and serve. SCAN FOR VIDEO with salt and pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes. ILLUSTRATION: JAY LAYMAN SCIENCE The Lemoniest Pan Sauce Bright-tasting lemon juice balances Francese’s rich butter sauce, but the fruit has a lot more to offer the dish than just acidity—namely spicy-sweet, floral fragrance from the zest’s aro- matic oils, and the distinct bitterness that develops in citrus when acid and enzymes in the zest and cottony pith react with one another. To capture all those flavors, grate the zest from half a lemon; halve the fruit crosswise and juice the zested half; and slice the lemon’s unzested half into thin rounds. Wait to add the zest and juice to the sauce until after it has reduced to avoid cooking off their volatile aromatic compounds. And brown the slices in butter: Moderate heat will enhance the fruit’s fragrance by forcing oil out of the skin (intact peel can take more heat than grated zest); mellow some of its bitter-tasting limonin by destroying the enzyme that helps create it; and coax out sweet, round nuttiness that will make for an exceptionally complex-tasting garnish. july & august 2022 11

Sixth-Generation Cobbler My Southern roots guided me toward a savory tomato cobbler that tastes like home. j BY ERICA TURNER k Growing up in the suburbs of 1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme Atlanta as the youngest of five kids, I was immersed in my 1½ teaspoons sugar family’s ancestral food tradi- ¾ teaspoon table salt tions, rich with recipes passed down orally ½ teaspoon pepper through six generations. One of the most 2 pounds tomatoes, cored and cut into ¾-inch treasured is our peach cobbler, a treat that pieces my mom prepared on summer weekends 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water with me nearby helping mix the dough and pinch table salt and gobbling up the velvety fruit skins as 1. FOR THE CRUST: Grate 1 tablespoon but- she peeled them away. ter on large holes of box grater and place in freezer. Cut remaining 4 tablespoons butter into ½-inch My family’s method calls for precooking cubes. Pulse ⅓ cup flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, 2 pulses. Add cubed butter chunks of fruit with sugar and spices until and process until homogeneous paste forms, 20 to 30 seconds. Using your hands, carefully break paste they just soften, thickening the filling with into 1-inch chunks and redistribute around processor blade. Add remaining ⅓ cup flour and pulse until cornstarch, transferring it to a baking dish, mixture is broken into pieces no larger than ½ inch (most pieces will be much smaller), about 3 pulses. and laying pie pastry on top before sliding Transfer mixture to bowl. Add grated butter and toss until butter pieces are separated and coated with flour. the assembly into the oven. I adore the way 2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon ice water over mixture. the flaky pie crust complements the soft, Toss with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon ice water over mixture plump fruit, its buttery crumb mellowing and toss to combine. Press with spatula until dough sticks together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and press out the sweetness and tang. The recipe is as to form compact, fissure-free 4-inch disk. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Let dough soften steeped in history as it gets, and I wanted on counter for 10 minutes before rolling. to apply our knowledge to a much more 3. FOR THE FILLING: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk recent invention: savory tomato cobbler, water and cornstarch together in small bowl. Heat oil in 10-inch ovensafe skillet over medium heat until a luscious main- or side-dish twist on the shimmering. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring con- sweet dessert. stantly, until oil is tinted red, about 30 seconds. Add thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. I started with the seasonings: Minced Add tomatoes and stir until coated. Whisk cornstarch mixture to recombine. Stir into tomato mixture and garlic and a spoonful of tomato paste cook, stirring occasionally, until juice is slightly thick- ened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. sizzled in olive oil provided depth; fresh Precutting the pie dough into wedges allows the tomato juice to 4. Roll dough into 8-inch round on lightly floured thyme added an herbal touch that steered evaporate and concentrate during baking. counter. Cut into 6 equal wedges. Brush wedges with egg wash. Using bench scraper clear of marinara territory; and salt, pepper, or spatula, place wedges on filling, spacing rounded edges and sugar focused the flavors. After coating 2 pounds SKILLET TOMATO COBBLER ½ inch from edge of skillet and leaving gaps between wedges. of chopped tomatoes in this garlicky-tomatoey base, SERVES 6 TOTAL TIME: 1½ HOURS, Bake until crust is deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let I stirred in a slurry of 1 tablespoon of water and PLUS 2 HOURS 20 MINUTES CHILLING AND COOLING cool for 20 minutes and serve. SCAN FOR VIDEO 2½ teaspoons of cornstarch, enough to give the filling body without making it jam-like. We strongly recommend weighing the flour. Use For convenience (and a homey look), I left the in-season tomatoes that are ripe but firm; do not use filling in the skillet instead of moving it to a baking plum tomatoes. Serve the cobbler as a side dish or dish to receive the pie dough topping. After some as a light meal with a green salad. We like to dollop tinkering, I landed on an unusual treatment for the servings with sour cream, ricotta, or mascarpone. dough to account for the fact that tomatoes tend to bake up more liquid-y than peaches: I rolled a small Crust batch of our all-butter pie dough into a round and 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, divided cut it into six tidy wedges that I brushed with an egg ⅔ cup (3⅓ ounces) all-purpose flour, divided PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE wash and arranged on the filling with gaps between 1½ teaspoons sugar each wedge and around the edge of the skillet. As ¼ teaspoon table salt the cobbler bubbled in the oven, the crust turned 2 tablespoons ice water, divided golden and delicately crisp. The spaces around the wedges promoted evaporation and concentration of Filling the abundant juice, which gave the filling a scoop- 1 tablespoon water able texture. 2½ teaspoons cornstarch I tucked into a warm, inviting portion graced with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil a dollop of tangy sour cream. The seventh genera- 3 garlic cloves, minced tion of the Turner family is in for a treat. 1 tablespoon tomato paste cook’s illustrate 12

In Praise of Rajas Revel in strips of roasty, slightly spicy chiles napped with velvety crema. j BY ANNIE PETITO k Listening to Pati Jinich gush about RAJAS POBLANAS CON CREMA rajas con crema on a recent video (CHARRED POBLANO STRIPS WITH CREAM) call made me hungry. The chef, TV personality, and author of Treasures SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES of the Mexican Table (2021) described how the venerated vegetable dish celebrates chiles Cooking times will vary depending on the broiler, so with a pure, hauntingly delicious preparation. watch the chiles carefully. Mexican crema (or crema mexicana) can be found in the dairy section of the Just char a few chiles and wrap them tightly grocery store. If you don’t have crema, substitute in foil to steam; peel off the blackened skins; heavy cream. Rajas con crema is a versatile dish that slice the tender flesh into lengths (“rajas” can be enjoyed alongside grilled meat or fish, rice, or means “strips”); and sauté them in butter with beans or as a filling for tacos or quesadillas. sliced onion and perhaps garlic, tomatoes, or corn. Then, pour in “a copious amount” of 1 pound (3 to 4) poblano chiles, stemmed, tangy-salty Mexican crema—a genius move halved, and seeded that tempers the chile’s capsaicin with casein. “You feel a little heat, but at the same time 2 tablespoons unsalted butter the cream is cooling you down,” Jinich said. ½ white onion, sliced through root end ¼ inch “The only thing you can’t use thick it for is dessert.” –Pati Jinich 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ teaspoon table salt Rajas con crema is bound to be the best ¼ teaspoon pepper ¾ cup Mexican crema thing on your table, and you’ll find many 1. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. ways to serve it. It’s common to make the Arrange poblanos skin side up on prepared sheet and press to flatten. Adjust oven rack 3 to 4 inches dish the center of your meal as a taco or from broiler element and heat broiler. Broil until skin is puffed and most of surface is well charred, 5 to quesadilla filling. But anything goes, Jinich Corn kernels add pops of sweetness and color to rajas. 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. noted with a chuckle: “The only thing you 2. Using tongs, pile poblanos in center of foil. Gather foil over poblanos and crimp to form pouch. can’t use it for is dessert.” flame, I opted to use our method for roasted bell Let steam for 10 minutes. Open foil packet carefully and spread out poblanos. When cool enough to handle, Chile selection depends on the region. In peppers: After halving and seeding the poblanos, peel poblanos (it’s OK if some bits of skin remain intact) and discard skins. Slice lengthwise into ½-inch- Mexico City, where Jinich is from, poblanos—the I pressed them flat on a foil-lined baking sheet and thick strips. (Rajas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.) earthy, vegetal peppers with a mild kick—are typi- slid them under the broiler, where the skins charred 3. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasion- cal. As I made a plan for blackening a pound of the quickly and evenly. For easy cleanup, I wrapped the ally, until onion has softened and edges are just start- ing to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook dark-emerald beauties, I remembered that she chiles in the foil on which they were broiled to steam. until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rajas, salt, and pepper and cook until PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE; ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE compared this step to roasting marshmallows: “You Ten minutes later, the paper-thin, blistered skins warmed through, about 1 minute. Add crema and cook, stirring gen- want the outside to really char and burn and roast, lifted easily from the flesh, which was now infused tly but frequently, until crema has thickened and clings to vegetables, but you don’t want to burn the inside.” with a gentle smokiness but not burnt. Perfect. I cut 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately. SCAN FOR VIDEO The usual routine is to rotate whole chiles over the poblanos into meaty ½-inch strips (just right for RAJAS POBLANAS CON CREMA Y ELOTE (CHARRED POBLANO STRIPS a fire, but since not everyone has access to an open tucking into a tortilla) and then sliced half of a white WITH CREAM AND CORN) onion, the allium of choice in Mexican cuisine. Add ¾ cup fresh or frozen corn to onion mixture with rajas in step 3. I sautéed the onion, along with minced garlic, in a couple pats of butter before stirring in the rajas. Crema time. The pourable condiment, sometimes dubbed “table cream,” lies somewhere between heavy cream and sour cream: It’s more viscous and savory than the former but thinner and less acidic than the latter. Once reduced, ¾ cup of the dairy SCIENCE Peel—But Don’t Rinse hugged the vegetables in a velvety embrace. The slightly spicy poblanos were heady with When you blacken a chile, the skin develops charry charred complexity, and the sweet, buttery onion flavor compounds that linger on the flesh, imbuing and crema provided modest richness. I often eat rajas it with smokiness. So when you’re stripping away straight from the skillet, but lucky for me, they hold the skin, don’t be tempted to rinse off stray bits well in the fridge, so there’s always a chance to try that cling to the flesh—or you’ll wash away flavor. them another way—and then another. To prove it, we sipped the water in which a freshly peeled chile was rinsed. You guessed it: liquid smoke. july & august 2022 13

The Vibrant Comforts of Kousa Mihshi Zucchini stuffed with spiced lamb and rice and braised in cinnamon-accented tomato sauce is a Lebanese favorite that transcends its simple ingredients. j BY DOMINIQUE KHOURY k I n late summer, when zucchini and tomatoes are bursting from their vines, I crave kousa mihshi, one of the great Middle Eastern stuffed vegetable traditions that’s long been treasured across the Levant, and one that I grew up preparing with my mother in our Lebanese American home. We’d hollow out the mildly bitter zucchini (“kousa mihshi” means “stuffed squash” in Arabic), fill it with a mixture of spiced rice and lamb, and slowly braise it in tomato sauce until the meat was succulent and the rice tender. A drizzle of olive oil and a spoonful of cooling yogurt completed the ensemble: a vibrant mix of flavors, textures, and temperatures that to me epit- omizes all that is special about Lebanese cooking. In many households, these “delectable pockets of nourishment and care,” as my Aunty Karen calls them, are reserved for special occasions. My mother also made kousa mihshi for Sunday brunch, pre- senting it to family at our backyard picnic table in a gleaming copper pot. [The dish] is a vibrant mix of flavors, textures, and temperatures. All the women on my mother’s side prepare the squash using a recipe that dates to my Lebanese-born great-great-grandmother. I’ve tweaked that basic approach, incorporating tips from my family as well as innovations of my own, careful to keep it tasting as it has for generations. The sauce must be layered with the flavors of fruity fresh tomatoes, warm cinnamon, and peppery olive oil. The squash should be tender and intact and the filling rich but light in texture and Just two spices—black pepper and cinnamon—warm both the filling and the sauce. flecked with fluffy grains of rice. Not least of all, every bite must taste balanced and cohesive. and then soak it in water for 10 minutes before com- underpinning that’s critical for uniting all the fla- To make the stuffing, called “hashweh” in Arabic, bining it with the lamb, which helps the grains plump vors, I sauté onion and garlic (seasoned with more most recipes start by rinsing the rice. I prefer to rinse it evenly and shaves minutes off the cooking time—all spices) in the fatty juices drained from cooking the the better for ensuring that the lamb. Then I puree those lamby-tasting alliums in zucchini doesn’t overcook. The a blender with a couple pounds of farmers’ market PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE A Stuffing That Doubles as a Meal hashweh is usually left raw, but tomatoes, tomato paste to bolster their fresh flavor, The hashweh (filling) for kousa mihshi is the same I brown mine, breaking it up as and cider vinegar for extra brightness. stuffing of warm-spiced rice and minced lamb (or it cooks to create small, distinct As the sauce bubbles in the skillet, I core the beef) that’s rolled into grape leaves and spooned pieces that pack more lightly squashes, replacing the squatter Lebanese variety into numerous fruits, vegetables, and proteins in into the squash. that’s sometimes called grey zucchini with the con- Lebanese and other Middle Eastern cuisines. But Lebanese cooks often lay ventional kind sold in the United States. Coring is many cooks make it for its own sake, too, often the stuffed squash atop lamb easily done with an apple corer and a melon baller bejeweling it with dried fruit and toasted nuts. My bones and simmer it in tomato (though my grandfather once resorted to using his mother is one of these cooks: She serves hashweh broth. My family makes a drill to core dozens of zucchini for a big family gath- warmed in a bowl with yogurt, mint, and toasted thicker, brighter-tasting sauce, ering—a story I love, as it demonstrates the lengths almonds or folds it into creamy scrambled eggs with herbs. but to get that same meaty Lebanese cooks will go to feed the people they love). cook’s illustrate 14

Filling them is a simple matter of dropping spoonfuls 3 SIMPLE STEPS TO CORING THE ZUCCHINI of stuffing into their cavities and periodically tapping each zucchini gently on the counter to encourage the With the right tools, hollowing out the zucchini is a quick and easy task. hashweh to settle lightly on the bottom. To cook the kousa mihshi, I arrange them on their sides in the skillet, which allows some of the filling’s meaty juices to trickle into the ruddy sauce, further enriching and unifying its flavors. After 40 minutes of braising, this beautiful symbol of Lebanese hospitality is ready to serve. KOUSA MIHSHI (LEBANESE STUFFED SQUASH) 1. CORE the zucchini with an 2. SCOOP out more pieces of 3. RINSE the cavity to remove apple corer, pressing it into the core with a melon baller until the seeds and debris clinging to the SERVES 4 TOTAL TIME: 2¼ HOURS squash as far down as it will go. hollow is ½ inch from the bottom. walls, and drain on a dish towel. For this recipe, you’ll need an apple corer, the type Inheriting just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and garlic that removes the core only but does not slice the a Love of apple; the small end of a melon baller or a long- Lebanese and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and handled bar spoon is also helpful. We like ground Cooking lamb here, but you can substitute 90 percent lean light golden, 7 to 9 minutes. ground beef, if preferred. Select zucchini that are Author Dominique similarly sized to ensure even cooking, and to make Khoury began 3. Transfer onion mixture to food processor. Add them easier to core, choose the straightest ones you assisting her can find. Use fresh, in-season tomatoes for the best mother, Lee-Ann, tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, and salt to proces- flavor. For a refreshing accompaniment, reserve the in the kitchen at a zucchini cores and trimmings (but not the stems) to young age. At right, sor and process until smooth, 1½ to 2 minutes. make Zucchini-Cucumber Salad with Pine Nuts and she practices filling grape leaves with rice and lamb Mint, which is available for free for four months at hashweh. Below, she’s pictured with her Sittoo Transfer tomato mixture to now-empty skillet. Bring CooksIllustrated.com/aug22. (grandmother) Margaret, another great cook in the family. Dominique is the creator of a Lebanese to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to sim- Hashweh American pop-up restaurant, bakery, and lifestyle cooking channel called Looqma (meaning “bite” or mer and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, ½ cup long-grain white rice “morsel” in Arabic) based in Cincinnati, Ohio. 8 ounces ground lamb until sauce is thickened and heat-resistant spatula 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick 1 teaspoon table salt skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. dragged across bottom of skillet leaves trail, 25 to ½ teaspoon pepper Add lamb mixture to skillet (do not wash bowl) and, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon using heat-resistant spatula, mash to thin layer. Cook, 30 minutes. While sauce cooks, prepare zucchini. stirring constantly and breaking up meat with side Sauce of spatula, until meat is almost cooked through but 4. FOR THE ZUCCHINI: Remove stem end still slightly pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer mixture to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil now-empty strainer set over bowl. Return juices and of 1 zucchini and discard. Holding zucchini with ½ teaspoon pepper fat to skillet. Transfer lamb mixture to now-empty ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon bowl and, using fork, break up mixture until meat is your hand, insert apple corer into stemmed end and 1 small onion, chopped coarse reduced to pieces no larger than ¼ inch. 2 garlic cloves, minced press and turn until cutting end of corer is about 2 pounds tomatoes, cored and chopped coarse 2. FOR THE SAUCE: Add oil to juices and fat 2 tablespoons tomato paste in skillet and heat over medium-low heat until siz- ½ inch from bottom of zucchini (or as far as corer will 2 teaspoons cider vinegar zling. Stir in pepper and cinnamon and cook until 1 teaspoon table salt go), being careful not to damage walls of zucchini. Zucchini (If stemmed end is too narrow to accommodate corer 6 zucchini (6 to 7 inches long and at least without damaging walls, remove additional inch of 1½ inches wide) stemmed end.) Remove corer. Using melon baller 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves or long-handled bar spoon, scoop out any remaining 2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt core in pieces until farthest part of hollow is ½ inch 1. FOR THE HASHWEH: Place rice in fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water from bottom of zucchini. Repeat with remaining zuc- until water runs clear. Place rice in bowl and cover with 2 cups hot water; let stand for 10 minutes. Drain chini. Rinse hollows and drain zucchini on dish towel. rice in now-empty strainer and return to bowl (do not PHOTOGRAPHY: DOMINIQUE KHOURY; ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE wash strainer). Add lamb, 1 tablespoon oil, salt, pep- 5. Hold 1 zucchini stemmed side up on counter. per, and cinnamon and mix until rice is well dispersed. Using your hand or small spoon, drop small portions of stuffing into hollow, tapping bottom of zucchini lightly on counter to help stuffing settle, until stuff- ing is ½ inch from top of zucchini. Do not compact stuffing. Repeat with remaining zucchini and stuffing. 6. Remove sauce from heat. Gently arrange stuffed zucchini in single layer in skillet. Return skil- let to medium-high heat and bring to boil. Adjust heat to maintain low simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes (small wisps of steam should escape from beneath skillet lid, but sauce should not boil). Turn zucchini over gently. Cover and continue to simmer until rice and meat are fully cooked and zucchini are tender but not mushy, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Drizzle zuc- chini and sauce with oil; sprinkle with parsley; and serve, passing yogurt separately. SCAN FOR VIDEO july & august 2022 15

Next-Level Pie Crust Give rich, flaky pastry the showstopper treatment. BY ELIZABETH BOMZE Buttery pie pastry can be a blank slate for upping your game. The neutral flavor lends itself to countless flavor adjustments, and you can get crafty with the edging and top crust design by stamping out attractive vents, weaving lattices, and crusting the surface in sugar. Read on to learn how easy it is to make a masterpiece. START WITH PERFECT PASTRY Our go-to dough is an all-butter formula with a SEASON TO TASTE mixing method that makes it tender, flaky, and easy Whole-grain flours, nuts, herbs, to roll: “Waterproof ” a portion of the flour by or citrus zest add nuance. processing it with butter to prevent it from absorbing water and forming gluten, and then process the CITRUS: Add remaining flour into that paste. Moisten it just enough 2½ tablespoons with a measured amount of water, and fold in frozen grated citrus zest grated butter for extra richness and flakiness. to dry mix. FOOLPROOF ALL-BUTTER HERBS: Add 3 table- spoons minced fresh sage DOUBLE-CRUST PIE DOUGH or thyme to dry mix. MAKES ENOUGH FOR ONE 9-INCH PIE NUTS: Reduce cubed butter to 12 tablespoons and first addition of Halve this recipe (and any seasonings in “Season flour to ¾ cup. Process 1 cup chopped and to Taste”) to make pastry for a single-crust pie. frozen untoasted pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, or 1. Grate 4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter peanuts with on large holes of box grater and place in freezer. dry mix until Cut 16  tablespoons chilled unsalted butter into finely ground, ½-inch cubes. about 30 seconds. 2. Pulse 1½ cups (7½ ounces) all-purpose WHOLE-GRAIN FLOUR: Substitute flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon table 1½ cups (8¼ ounces) whole-wheat or rye salt in food processor until combined, 2 pulses. flour for first addition of all-purpose flour. Add cubed butter and process until homogeneous paste forms, 40 to 50 seconds. Using your hands, portion to sheet of plastic wrap. Working with carefully break paste into 2-inch chunks and redis- 1 portion at a time, draw edges of plastic over tribute evenly around processor blade. Add 1 cup dough and press firmly on sides and top to form (5 ounces) all-purpose flour and pulse until mixture compact, fissure-free mass. Wrap in plastic and is broken into pieces no larger than 1 inch (most form into 5-inch disk. Refrigerate dough for at pieces will be much smaller), 4 to 5 pulses. Transfer least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Let chilled dough mixture to bowl. Add grated butter and toss until sit on counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes, butter pieces are separated and coated with flour. before rolling. (Wrapped dough can be frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, let dough thaw com- 3. Sprinkle ¼ cup ice water over mixture. pletely on counter before rolling.) Toss with rubber spatula until mixture is evenly moistened. Sprinkle another ¼ cup ice water over mixture and toss to combine. Press dough with spatula until dough sticks together. Using spatula, divide dough into 2 equal portions. Transfer each ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE cook’s illustrate PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE, KEVIN WHITE 16

VENT THE TOP A vented top crust allows moisture to evaporate so that juicy fillings, such as blueberry or peach, thicken. ST Y L I S H LY An intricate lattice is classic, but these alternatives are equally functional and easy to execute—and they’re also visually striking. FREE-FORM WEDGES BRAIDED STRIPS CUTOUT CRUST 1. Start with 13 by 10½-inch 1. Start with 13 by GUIDELINES rectangle of chilled dough. 10-inch rectangle Cut into two 10½-inch-long of chilled dough. ( For the triangles with ½-inch Cut eighteen 13 by base, two 10½-inch-long ½-inch strips. Refrigerate clearest visual triangles with 1-inch base, for 30 minutes. Arrange effect, use two 10½-inch-long tri- 3 strips side by side on counter (keep remain- cutout angles with 2-inch base, ing strips refrigerated), then pinch tops to seal. crusts on and two 10½-inch-long triangles with 3-inch base. fillings that Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 2. Tightly braid strips, are flat, not then pinch ends to mounded. 2. Arrange triangles deco- seal. Refrigerate while ratively over filling, with braiding remaining strips. ( Chill the dough before and after cutting to cre- base of each triangle Arrange braids over filling, placed at least ½ inch then trim overhang to ate sharper, sturdier edges. beyond edge of plate ½ inch beyond lip of (to anchor pieces) plate. Pinch braids ( Choose a cutter that measures about 1 inch in and being careful not and bottom to overlap more than 2 triangles. Trim overhang to crust together diameter; any shape will work. ½ inch beyond lip of plate, then pinch edges of bot- to seal. Tuck overhang under itself and crimp tom crust and triangles firmly together to seal. Tuck dough evenly around edge of plate. Brush with ( Remove one-quarter to one-third of the crust, overhang under itself and crimp dough evenly around egg wash (or water). (You can also place braid around edge of pie, as shown in photo below.) leaving at least ¾ inch between each cutout and a edge of plate. Brush with egg wash (or water). 1-inch border around the edge. ( Occasionally dip the cutters in flour to prevent them from becoming sticky. OPTIONAL: For more visual appeal, save a few cutouts to decorate intact areas of crust, brushing their undersides with water and pressing gently but firmly to adhere. DESIGN AN EDGIER EDGE MAKE THE CRUST SHINE AND SPARKLE Embellishing the edge takes the crust— Brushing the top crust with single or double—from simple to egg wash (or water) and sprin- spectacular. Chill the dough before kling it with sugar gives edging to make neater marks. the pastry lustrous browning and ROPE EDGE shimmer—and Holding body of ¼-inch-wide the effect round chopstick at 45-degree can be really angle to edge of plate, firmly impressive press chopstick into dough. when you Repeat pressing chopstick into liberally dough evenly around edge apply both. of pie, leaving ½ inch Thoroughly between each mark. moistening the dough enables it to grasp lots of sugar, which SCALLOPED EDGE transforms into a candy-like layer with brilliant Line tip of inverted spoon sheen, crackly crunch, and notable sweetness up with inside edge of lip that pairs particularly well with tart fruit fillings of plate, with spoon handle such as rhubarb, apricot, plum, and sour cherry. facing out. Press spoon firmly into dough to leave behind FORMULA FOR 9-INCH PIE indentation. Shift spoon so tip is halfway between WASH: 1 to 2 tablespoons of beaten egg inside and outside edge or roughly 2 tablespoons of water. Add a of plate’s lip, and press pinch of salt to the egg wash, which loosens firmly into dough the proteins and makes the wash more fluid to leave second and easier to brush evenly over the dough. indentation. Repeat evenly around SUGAR: 3 tablespoons edge of pie. july & august 2022 17

The Best Way to Use Up Vegetables Use produce that you have on hand to make these richly spiced fritters from the Indian subcontinent—and don’t forget a vibrant chutney (or two) for dunking. j BY ERICA TURNER k If you have a few vegetables in the fridge, a or shred a mix of whatever vegetables you have on Since they’re made with besan and leavened with PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE; ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE sack of besan (flour milled from skinned and hand; season them liberally with fragrant spices and baking powder (not eggs), vegetable pakoras are split brown chickpeas) in the pantry, and a minced fresh chiles; add a little besan; and drizzle in naturally gluten-free and vegan. well-stocked spice cabinet, you’ve got every- water to create a scoopable batter. Deep-fry spoonfuls thing you need to fry up a batch of pakoras, the until the fritters develop a jumble of brown, spiky cooking instructor and author of Masala Magic: crispy, savory, two-bite fritters that are treasured tendrils, and then serve them piping hot with assorted Unlocking the Secret to Indian Home Cooking (2014), throughout the Indian subcontinent. chutneys and milky cups of masala chai. taught me how to make the golden nuggets more than a decade ago, I too found them irresistible. Most vegetables fit neatly into the pakora tem- It’s a cozy, comforting snack that many, including plate, offering loads of use-it-up flexibility: Chop Indian-born British chef Asma Khan, have a deep Eager to assemble my own recipe, I started with a common trio of vegetables that Singh uses: sliced TECHNIQUE fondness for. The cookbook red onion for sweetness; chopped spinach for a pop author and owner of London’s of color; and a shredded russet potato to bulk up the GIVE YOUR VEGGIES Darjeeling Express told me that fritters. But that’s just one of many possible com- A SQUEEZE she’s been hooked on pakoras binations—lean into the versatility of pakoras and since she was a child: “In my substitute whatever is in your garden or fridge (see It’s traditional to crush the veg- haste to ensure that I got my fair “Vegetable Pakoras, Your Way”). etables for pakoras with your share . . . I would make the mis- hands to soften the pieces and take of eating them while they Next, I assembled a selection of whole and release flavorful juices into the bat- were still excruciatingly hot,” she ground spices that would enhance a variety of pro- ter. Squeeze the vegetables, spices, recalled before admitting that duce: earthy cumin; citrusy coriander; turmeric for and salt together until the pieces even as an adult, it’s still hard to an ocher tint; mildly spicy Kashmiri chile powder; are tender and have shed some wait: “Somehow the temptation fruity, maple syrup–esque fenugreek; and ajwain, liquid, about 45 seconds. is too much.” which is frequently added to fried foods to support digestion. Finally, a minced serrano chile added I understand. When New bright, zingy heat. Delhi native Gulshan Singh, cook’s illustrate 18

Besan versus Chickpea Flour PAKORAS per side. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, (SOUTH ASIAN SPICED VEGETABLE FRITTERS) transfer pakoras to prepared rack and place in oven. The golden, powdery staple called besan is made Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining by milling skinned and split brown chickpeas SERVES 4 TO 6 (MAKES ABOUT 15 PAKORAS) batter in 2 batches. Serve immediately. (aka gram chickpeas, desi chickpeas, or chana dal) into a fine flour. In addition to pakoras, the TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR CARROT-TAMARIND CHUTNEY mildly nutty, nutritious ingredient appears in missi roti (savory flatbreads), laddoos (dessert balls Use the large holes of a box grater to shred the MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES made with sugar and ghee), and numerous other potato. For the best texture, we recommend measur- sweet and savory dishes. Chickpea flour is not an ing the prepped onion and potato by weight. Besan Tamarind juice concentrate can be found in South identical swap for besan; it’s milled from white (also known as gram flour) is made by milling skinned Asian markets. chickpeas into a slightly coarser grind and requires and split brown chickpeas. To substitute standard extra water to hydrate. chickpea flour (made from white chickpeas), add ½ cup chopped peeled carrot an additional 2 tablespoons of water to the batter. ¼ cup chopped red onion Bean-Based Batter Besan, along with ajwain and Kashmiri chile powder, 3 tablespoons tamarind juice concentrate can be found in South Asian markets. If ajwain is 2 tablespoons water Three-quarters of a cup of besan hydrated with ¼ cup unavailable, substitute dried thyme. If fenugreek is 1 tablespoon lemon juice of water produced a batter that was thick enough to unavailable, it can be omitted. Use a Dutch oven that 2 teaspoons sugar suspend 4 cups of vegetables in a loose tangle. Singh holds 6 quarts or more. Serve with Carrot-Tamarind ½ teaspoon ground cumin taught me that many cooks also add baking powder, Chutney (recipe follows) and/or Cilantro-Mint ½ teaspoon ground coriander and I followed suit, finding that it gave the fritters a Chutney (our recipe is available for free for four ½ teaspoon table salt lightness that unleavened versions lacked. months at CooksIllustrated.com/aug22). Process carrot and onion in food processor until “In my haste to ensure that I got 1 large red onion, halved and sliced thin finely chopped, about 20 seconds, scraping down my fair share . . . I would make (1½ cups/5 ounces) sides of bowl halfway through processing. Add tama- the mistake of eating them while rind concentrate, water, lemon juice, sugar, cumin, they were still excruciatingly hot.” 1 large russet potato, peeled and shredded coriander, and salt and process until combined, about (1½ cups/6½ ounces) 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl halfway –Chef, author, and restaurateur Asma Khan through processing (mixture will not be completely 1 cup baby spinach, chopped smooth). Transfer to bowl and serve. (Chutney can As I lowered heaping tablespoonfuls of the 1 serrano chile, stemmed and minced be refrigerated for up to 3 days.) vegetable-packed batter into a pot of gently bub- 1 teaspoon ground cumin bling oil, I reflected on Khan’s account of a perfectly 1 teaspoon ground coriander Vegetable Pakoras, Your Way fried pakora: “crunchy-textured on the outside and 1 teaspoon ajwain soft and cooked all the way through in the middle.” ½ teaspoon table salt To riff on our recipe using produce that’s already in Closely monitoring the oil temperature—370 to ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder your garden or crisper drawer, swap the spinach for 380 degrees—produced deeply browned fritters that ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek chopped greens or herbs and/or replace the potato weren’t greasy, and frying just five at a time ensured ¾ cup besan with a shredded firm vegetable. that each one cooked thoroughly and evenly with 1 teaspoon baking powder crisp, scraggly threads around the edges. ½ teaspoon ground turmeric INSTEAD OF SPINACH, TRY ¼ cup water The Big Dip 2 quarts canola oil for frying ( Kale ( Parsley ( Collard For the requisite chutney, cilantro-mint is common, 1. In large bowl, combine onion, potato, spinach, ( Swiss chard ( Cilantro greens as is a syrupy tamarind type. Tomato ketchup works, serrano, cumin, coriander, ajwain, salt, chile powder, ( Cabbage too: “[It was] my fallback option when I was young and fenugreek. Toss vegetables until coated with ( Arugula and I found chutney too spicy,” remembered Khan. spices. Using your hands, squeeze mixture until vegetables are softened and release some liquid, INSTEAD OF POTATO, TRY I’m fond of a carrot-tamarind style inspired by a about 45 seconds (do not drain). recipe from chef and author Hari Ghotra. To make ( Carrot ( Summer ( Butternut it, I buzz raw carrot and red onion in a food proces- 2. In small bowl, mix together besan, baking pow- sor along with sweet-tart tamarind juice concentrate, der, and turmeric. Sprinkle over vegetable mixture lemon juice, water, sugar, and salt. Cumin and cori- and stir until besan is no longer visible and mixture ander echo the earthy, citrusy notes of the pakoras. forms sticky mass. Add water and stir vigorously until water is well incorporated. You’ll find that the lively mixture is an ideal com- plement for the crispy, spiced fritters. And a generous 3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat dunk may just prevent you from burning your mouth. oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1½ inches deep and heat over medium-low ( Cauliflower squash squash heat to 375 degrees. ( Zucchini ( Sweet potato 4. Transfer heaping tablespoonful of batter to oil, using second spoon to ease batter out of spoon. Stir batter briefly and repeat portioning until there are 5 pakoras in oil. Fry, adjusting burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature of 370 to 380 degrees, until pakoras are deep golden brown, 1½ to 2 minutes SCAN FOR VIDEO july & august 2022 19

DELUXE BLUEBERRY PANCAKES SERVES 4 (MAKES 12 PANCAKES) TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES This recipe requires the viscosity of buttermilk. You can substitute ⅔ cup of plain Greek yogurt (any fat level) and 1⅓ cups of water for the buttermilk; do not use buttermilk powder or a mixture of milk and lemon juice. For the best results, weigh the flour. An electric griddle set at 325 degrees can be used in place of a skillet; if using a large griddle, cook six pancakes at a time in 1 tablespoon of butter. We like serving these pancakes with salted butter and maple syrup. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons melted and cooled slightly 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons malted milk powder 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon table salt 2 cups buttermilk 1 large egg 7½ ounces (1½ cups) blueberries ½ teaspoon vegetable oil You can make decent blueberry pancakes by 1. If planning on serving all pancakes at once, dropping a few handfuls of fruit into any old batter, griddling the rounds, and dous- I also whisked a few tablespoons of malted milk set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and heat ing the stack liberally with maple syrup. But powder into the dry mix. If that sounds strange, con- pair sweet-tart, high-season fruit with a complexly sider this: Malt powder and milk powder are added oven to 200 degrees. Cut 2 tablespoons butter flavored crumb that’s got plenty of cushiony fluff and to a lot of the most popular commercial pancake and lightly crisp edges, and your lazy summer breakfast waffle mixes, probably including those used at your into ½-tablespoon pieces and set aside. Whisk takes on a whole new level of luxury. favorite diner. Malted milk powder is a combination of the two (extract of malted grain, usually barley flour, milk powder, sugar, baking powder, baking Those were the pancakes I had in mind as I got but sometimes wheat, plus nonfat dry milk powder). to work on a batter that would stand out against It supplied the pancakes with a concentrated, lactic soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk the vivid berries—not just capture them. The dry sweetness and toasty, rich complexity that batches ingredients were predictable (all-purpose flour, sugar, made without it just didn’t have. (For more ways to buttermilk, egg, and melted butter together in baking powder, baking soda, and salt), as was the egg use malted milk powder, see page 29.) for structure and flavor. But the dairy was an obvious second medium bowl (it’s OK if butter forms place to upgrade: Buttermilk instead of milk not only The other easy swap was melted butter for oil, both provided a bit of tang but also made for loftier, fluffier in the batter and in the pan. When the batter was clumps). Make well in center of flour mixture and pancakes. The acid it contains interacted with the alka- mostly combined, I folded in loads of fresh berries. line baking soda to inflate the batter with extra carbon (Folding additions such as fresh fruit or chocolate add buttermilk mixture; whisk until just combined dioxide, and its viscous body produced a thicker batter chips into the batter rather than dropping them that was better at retaining those air bubbles through- onto the top of the portioned pancakes ensures that (a few lumps should remain). Fold in blueberries. out the cooking process. If you’re a pancake person, they’re embedded in the fluffy crumb rather than it’s worth keeping a carton of buttermilk around; it simply sitting on the surface, where they’re vulnerable 2. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over lasts for weeks and freezes well. But in a pinch, 1 part to burning when the pancakes are flipped.) I lightly Greek yogurt to 2 parts water will produce similar greased the cooking surface with a tiny bit of oil—just medium-low heat until shimmering. Using enough to cook a mini “test” pancake, the color of stature and flavor. which would help me gauge if the pan was too hot or paper towels, carefully wipe out oil, leaving too cold. Then I melted a small knob of butter and portioned three mounds of batter around the surface, thin film on bottom and sides of skillet. Drop flipping them when the first side was deep golden brown and scooting the pancakes around the griddle 1 tablespoon batter in center of skillet. If pan- to soak up every bit of butter. cake is pale golden brown after 1 minute, skillet These pancakes were fluffy, with a flavor that was sweet but interestingly so, and frying them in is ready. If it is too light or too dark, adjust heat plenty of butter had left them with subtly crisp edges. Make them this weekend. And next weekend, and accordingly. Discard pancake. probably the weekend after that. Blueberry season doesn’t last forever. 3. Melt ½ tablespoon butter in now-empty skillet and use spatula to spread over surface. When butter is sizzling, use ⅓-cup dry measuring cup or slightly mounded 2-ounce (#16) portion scoop to portion batter into skillet in 3 places. Using back of cup or scoop, gently spread each portion into 4½-inch round. Cook until edges are set and first side is deep golden brown (coloring will not be The Dairy Trifecta even), 2 to 3 minutes. Using thin, wide spatula, Malted Milk Dairy is a key source of flavor flip pancakes and continue to cook until bottoms Powder in pancake batter, so it pays to use ingredients that add com- are just set, about 1 minute longer. Gently slide plexity. Here, buttermilk adds tang; malted milk powder, pancakes around skillet to collect butter. Cook toasty sweetness; and butter, lush richness. until second sides are deep golden Buttermilk Melted brown, 1 to 1½ minutes. Serve Butter pancakes immediately, or transfer to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and batter in 3 batches. SCAN FOR VIDEO PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE cook’s illustrate 2

Celebrate with Ice Cream Cake Ice cream is always a thrill. But layer your favorite avor with tender cake and fudge sauce, and you’ve got a statuesque sweet with a real sense of occasion. j BY LAN LAM k Ice cream cakes were part of my childhood A center layer of gooey fudge smooths out THE ULTIMATE MAKE-AHEAD DESSERT birthday party experience, but my first mem- the crevices between the ice cream and cake. Advance preparation isn’t just a convenience perk orable ones weren’t until I was in my 30s of ice cream cake; it’s a critical part of the process and working at a restaurant in Cambridge, the dessert’s universal appeal. Its celebratory vibe is a because the components need time to freeze after Massachusetts. Any time there was a staff birthday, big part of it, they said, as is customization. assembly. But the timing of making the compo- I’d pick one up at Toscanini’s, a nearby scoop shop nents is flexible since each element can be stored that makes (according to the New York Times) “the “You could colloquially say all God’s children for days, if not weeks. best ice cream in the world,” just before family eat ice cream cakes, but some want kulfi and some meal. I’d inscribe “Happy Birthday” across the want cookies and cream,” said Gus, speaking to the COMPONENT STORAGE top in chocolate; add candles; and whisk it into the potential for personal modifications. “There are all dining room, where the whole crew would sing sorts of pockets of interest and fascination.” FUDGE SAUCE Refrigerate for up to one loudly and off-key. week In fact, any ice cream works—smooth or chunky, CHIFFON Those few minutes of goofy joy became a special dense or fluffy. And the dessert is naturally make-ahead Freeze for up to one month ritual for a serious bunch like us, who spent our shifts since each element must be made in advance. Put laser-focused on shaping perfect agnolotti and nail- them all together, and you’ve got an impressive, ASSEMBLED CAKE Freeze for up to one week ing the sear on scallops. And the flamboyance and eminently doable project. Here’s my version. alluring contrast of those cakes set the tone: layers of (ice cream, fudge, chi on) cold, rich ice cream strewn with crunchy cookies or Extra-Tender Cake candy; gooey fudge; and plush cake, all wrapped up FROSTED CAKE Freeze for up to 24 hours in a smooth coat of vanilla-scented whipped cream. Baked cake isn’t always part of ice cream cake, but PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE there are a few good reasons to include it. First, it (even when frozen to the same temperature) because Fast-forward a decade or so, and I’m still charmed insulates the ice cream, significantly slowing melting cake absorbs less heat from your tongue. by those triple-decker cakes—only this time I decided after the assembled cake leaves the freezer; it also to make my own for even more memorable festive- absorbs some of the ice cream’s moisture when it I chose chiffon: Its fine, even crumb is full of tiny ness. In full-circle good fortune, I got to talk shop starts to soften, helping the cake stay intact. air bubbles that insulate effectively; it’s oil-based and with Gus and Mimi Rancatore, the brother-sister team stays softer when frozen compared with cakes made behind Toscanini’s, and their cake maker, Karen Ross, “If you don’t have cake, everything will just start to with solid fat, such as butter; its neutral vanilla profile who shared their approach and their philosophy about fall apart,” said Mimi, noting that a cake-free package works with any ice cream flavor; and it’s easy to make. has very little staying power once it’s out of the freezer. Whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, a whole egg and egg yolks, oil, water, and vanilla; Cake also provides contrast—both textural and whip egg whites with more sugar until stiff peaks thermal. Not only does the tender crumb comple- form; fold the components together; and bake. ment the creamy ice cream and chewy fudge, but it also feels less cold in your mouth than ice cream does july & august 2022 21

DECK THE WALLS Mine is soft when frozen because I boosted the Here are some decorating options. amounts of oil and sugar and the number of yolks; the extra fat improved tenderness while the hygro- Cookie crumbs or Two-toned frosting: scopic sugar formed a syrup with the batter’s water sprinkles: Hold cake Spread thin band of that prevented the liquid from turning icy. Then at angle over pie gel food coloring into I pour the batter into a 9-inch springform pan— plate containing item. crease of pastry bag the easiest vessel for building and unmolding Starting at base, gently fitted with tip (flat the ice cream cake—and bake it in a 300-degree press handfuls of item petal tips make espe- oven. The first few I made domed and collapsed onto sides of cake. cially eye-catching as they cooled, leaving the sides sunken enough designs), fill with that the surface required leveling. So I reduced Magic Shell: Drizzle whipped cream, and the leavener to minimize expansion and left the room-temperature pipe patterns on top sauce along top edge. and sides of cake. sides of the springform ungreased, which meant that the chiffon would grip the pan (instead of caving in on the sides) and rise and fall evenly. Voilà, flat chiffon. Once the chiffon is cool, I remove it from the springform so that I can use the pan to build the cake Coffee Ice Cream, Dulce de Leche, Oreos upside down, which makes the assembled dessert as compact as possible. Then I invert it for serving, so the BUT WAIT, ice cream will ultimately be the top layer. THERE’S MORE! For more tips on deco- Gooey, Ultrachocolaty Fudge Sauce rating and how to make these flavor combos, Good fudge sauce packs chocolate oomph and gooey go to CooksIllustrated. chew, but its ice cream cake party trick is that it simplifies assembly. Spread over the flattened ice cream, the sauce com/icecreamcake. settles into a smooth surface that evens out any nooks and crannies. The key ingredients: cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate for maximum cacao content and controlled sweetness, ample sugar to prevent the sauce from freezing solid, and butter to make it rich and silky. Scoopably Soft Ice Cream Blackberry Ripple Ice Cream, Lemon Curd The only tricks to the ice cream are tempering it and pressing it into the pan strategically. Give it 20 minutes or so to soften gradually and evenly in the refrigerator—not on the counter, where the outer portion will melt quickly and turn icy when it’s refrozen with the assembled cake. It’ll be just soft enough to scoop and layer in the pan with inclusions (the industry term for the foods mixed into ice cream), if you want them. Then, when flattening the ice cream in the pan (greased and parchment lined to ease unmolding), buffer it from the heat of your hands by placing a sheet of plastic wrap and a clean dish towel over the scoops. Since the fudge sauce will fill in any gaps, don’t worry if the ice cream layer isn’t perfectly flat. Easiest, Most Hardworking Frosting Pistachio Ice Cream, PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE Apricot Preserves Whipped cream complements ice cream cake like it does a sundae, and the air it contains makes it a great insula- MIX IT UP WITH MIX-INS tor—like a down jacket for cake. Ross said she shoots To incorporate inclusions, plan on 1 cup for a ¼-inch-thick layer and applies it quickly because of the item per 3 pints of ice cream. the whipped cream will freeze solid within minutes and Scoop a quarter of the ice cream into become impossible to smooth. the prepared pan and drizzle or sprinkle it with ⅓ cup of the item. Repeat, alter- I did the same, using a pastry bag to pipe bands of nating layers of ice cream and inclusions. lightly sweetened whipped cream around and on top of Press the ice cream into an even layer. the cake and smoothing it all into place with an offset spatula. Then I briefly froze the cake to set the frosting, fitted the pastry bag with a flat petal tip and filled it with more chilled whipped cream, and edged the top in a decorative border. The visual was even prettier when I spread a band of bright-colored gel food coloring into the bag’s crease and piped vivid patterns. cook’s illustrate 22

THE UPSIDE-DOWN WAY TO ICE CREAM CAKE 4. Using hand mixer, whip egg whites and cream ASSEMBLE ICE CREAM CAKE SERVES 10 TOTAL TIME: 2¼ HOURS, of tartar on medium-low speed in separate bowl until Built upside down in a springform pan, the triple-layer cake is easily released and inverted PLUS 8 HOURS 10 MINUTES COOLING AND CHILLING foamy, 30 to 60 seconds. Sprinkle remaining 2 table- once frozen. Start with the ice cream, followed by the fudge sauce and chiffon cake. You’ll need a hand mixer, metal springform pan, and spoons sugar over whites. Increase speed to medium pastry bag with a ½-inch flat petal tip or ½-inch FOURTH round tip. Use your favorite ice cream, chunky or and whip whites until glossy, stiff peaks form, 1 to smooth. If your ice cream is too firm to scoop after Invert chiffon tempering for 20 minutes in step 6, refrigerate it for 2 minutes. Transfer one-third of whites to batter; on top of fudge another 5 to 10 minutes; do not let it soften on the and gently press counter or the ice cream in your cake will be icy. If gently whisk until few streaks of white remain. Using chiffon into fudge. using inclusions or decorating the cake, see page 22 for instructions. rubber spatula, fold remaining whites into batter. THIRD Fudge Sauce 5. Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake until Remove dish towel and plastic. Spread 1¼ cups (8¾ ounces) sugar, divided toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to fudge sauce evenly 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch over ice cream. pieces 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let chiffon cool ⅓ cup milk ½ cup (1½ ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder completely in pan, about 45 minutes. Run thin knife ⅓ cup heavy cream ¼ teaspoon table salt between chiffon and side of pan; remove side of pan. 2½ ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine Invert chiffon onto wire rack and remove parchment. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Reinvert chiffon. (Cooled chiffon can be stored in Chiffon airtight container at room temperature for up to ⅔ cup (2⅔ ounces) cake flour ½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar, divided 12 hours or frozen for up to 1 month.) ½ teaspoon baking powder ⅛ teaspoon table salt 6. FOR THE CAKE: Twenty minutes before 3 large eggs (1 whole, 2 separated) 3 tablespoons vegetable oil assembling cake, place ice cream in refrigerator to 2 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract soften. While ice cream softens, prepare your work Pinch cream of tartar station. Lightly grease 9-inch springform pan; line Cake bottom with parchment; line sides with overlapping SECOND 3 pints ice cream 3-inch-wide strips of parchment; and place pan in 1½ cups heavy cream Place sheet freezer. Measure out ¾ cup fudge sauce and place of plastic wrap over 2 tablespoons sugar ice cream and cover with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract large spoon, clean dish towel, 12-inch length of plastic dish towel. Press firmly with your hands to flatten 1. FOR THE FUDGE SAUCE: Combine 1 cup wrap, and chiffon nearby. ice cream into even layer. sugar, butter, and milk in small saucepan. Bring to gentle simmer over medium-low heat and simmer, 7. Working quickly, use large spoon to transfer ice stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, stir cocoa, cream, salt, and remaining ¼ cup sugar in cream to prepared pan. Place sheet of plastic directly bowl until no lumps of cocoa remain. Reduce heat to low and whisk cocoa mixture into sugar-butter over ice cream. Cover plastic with dish towel. Press mixture in saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. firmly with your hands to flatten ice cream into even 2. Off heat, add chocolate and stir until well layer. Remove dish towel and plastic. Spread reserved combined. Stir in vanilla. Transfer sauce to bowl and let cool completely, about 1¼ hours. (Sauce can be fudge sauce evenly over ice cream. Invert chiffon on refrigerated for up to 1 week. Let sit at room tempera- FIRST ture for at least 1 hour before using.) top of fudge and gently press chiffon into fudge. Wrap Use large spoon 3. FOR THE CHIFFON: Adjust oven rack to tightly with plastic and freeze for at least 4 hours or to transfer ice middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. cream to Lightly grease bottom only of 9-inch springform up to 1 week. parchment- pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Secure lined, chilled collar to bottom of pan. Whisk flour, 6 tablespoons 8. Freeze serving platter for at least 20 minutes. springform pan. sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl until well parchment collar combined. Add whole egg and yolks, oil, water, Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla in bowl until stiff peaks and vanilla and whisk until smooth batter forms. form, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer two-thirds of cream to pastry bag fitted with ½-inch flat petal tip or ½-inch round tip and refrigerate remaining cream. Unwrap cake and remove side of pan. Remove parchment strips. Invert serving platter on top of cake. Invert cake onto platter; remove bottom of pan and parchment. Mask Cake Like a Pro 9. Working quickly, pipe whipped cream evenly Masking (the industry term for applying a thin, onto sides and top of cake. (It’s OK if there are small smooth coating of frosting) is quick and easy with a pastry bag and an offset spatula. The key is to gaps between bands of whipped cream.) Using offset work quickly so that the whipped cream doesn’t freeze before you’re ready to smooth it out. spatula, smooth whipped cream into even layer. Freeze cake until whipped cream at bottom edge of cake is firm, about 20 minutes (bottom edge will be last place to harden). Transfer remaining whipped cream to pastry bag. Pipe decorative border along top edge of cake. Freeze until cake is completely hardened, at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. 10. TO SERVE: Thirty minutes before serving, ILLUSTRATION: JAY LAYMAN transfer cake to refrigerator. Microwave remaining fudge sauce at 50 percent power until 1. Use a pastry tip to 2. Use an offset spatula fluid, about 1 minute, stirring apply a few thin bands to smooth the whipped halfway through microwaving. of whipped cream cream into an even Slice cake, wiping blade between evenly around and on layer, making sure that cuts, and serve, passing remain- top of the cake (don’t there are no air pockets ing fudge sauce separately. SCAN FOR VIDEO worry if there are small between the ice cream gaps between bands). and whipped cream. july & august 2022 23

The Best Chef’s Knives for $75 or Less Our longtime favorite chef’s knife is sharp, capable, and comfortable to hold. But is it still the best? j BY MIYE BROMBERG k Agood chef’s knife is a cook’s best friend. up to the competition, we tested it against a fresh It’s arguably the most important tool in the kitchen, an essential all-purpose crop of options. Since our favorite doesn’t cost blade that can do everything from small, precise tasks (mincing garlic) to minor butchery much—usually less than $40—we set the price (breaking down a whole chicken, filleting a fish) and a whole lot in between. Many say that if you cap for our lineup at $75. We focused on knives buy just one knife, let it be a chef’s knife. with blades measuring about We’ve recommended our favorite chef’s knife, made by Victorinox, for almost three decades, 8 inches, as we’ve found retesting it repeatedly since new knives enter the market all the time. To see if our favorite still held this length to be the most useful and versatile for most cooks. We limited our lineup to knives with stainless-steel blades because they are the easiest to care for. SCAN FOR VIDEO WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN SHOPPING FOR A CHEF’S KNIFE WHAT TO AVOID ( A SHARP BLADE: Since not all cooks have the (CLEARANCE UNDER ( A DULL OR POORLY SHARPENED BLADE: equipment or skills to sharpen their knives at home, THE HANDLE: In general, the A dull blade will mangle your food, bruising your parsley we think a chef ’s knife should be keen and ready to taller the blade was at the heel, and crushing your onion into eye-watering pulp instead use right out of the box. Two main factors determine the higher the handle sat above of dicing it neatly. It’s also dangerous; it’ll slip on chicken sharpness. One is edge angle—the angle of the blade on the cutting board, providing more skin or require extra force to push through a potato, either side of its cutting edge. The narrower the angle, space underneath it for our fingers to putting your fingers at risk. To our chagrin, several of the thinner the cutting edge and the sharper the knife curl. Our favorite blades were about the knives we tested came out of the box with dull, can feel in action. Most of the knives we tested had nar- 2 inches tall at the heel. Blades that coarse, toothy, or inconsistently sharpened edges (e.g., row edge angles of 13 to 16 degrees—small enough, were shorter sometimes didn’t sharp at the tip yet dull at the heel). in theory, to make them feel plenty sharp. In practice, leave enough room for our fin- the sharpness of many of the blades came down to a gers, pushing them into the cutting ( A THICK SPINE: Blades with uniformly thick second factor: how well they had been sharpened and board as we rocked through cuts. spines got stuck in butternut squash, wedging into it like honed at the factory. The best knives had been nicely an axe into a piece of wood. They also struggled more sharpened and had smooth, evenly ground edges. ( A ROUNDED, TAPERED SPINE: We liked with tasks performed at the tip, feeling clumsy and impre- blades with rounded spines, as they were more comfort- cise when we used them to mince garlic or dice onions. ( A GENTLY CURVED BLADE: Chef ’s knives able to choke up on than those with sharper, squared-off have blades that are curved to enable cuts where you spines, which dug into our hands. And we liked spines ( AN ULTRATHIN BLADE: Thin blades are great rock the blade forward from tip to heel. We preferred that tapered so that they were thicker toward the back for relatively light use and precision tasks, such as minc- of the knife—conferring power for cleaving butternut ing garlic or dicing onions, but they’re not necessarily blades where the curve was fairly gentle, squash—but thinner toward the tip, so we could still ideal in an all-purpose knife. Measuring just 1.3 mil- allowing a natural cutting motion. Blades make precise cuts, such as when mincing garlic. limeters thick, the thinnest blade struggled on tasks that with more exaggerated, rounded required more power, wobbling and bending alarm- bellies occasionally put our (A GRIPPY HANDLE WITH ROUNDED ingly when we bore down on it while cutting through arms and wrists at EDGES: We preferred knives with handles made from chicken breasts. slightly more awk- rubbery, textured materials, as these were cushier and ward angles as easier to grip, especially when our hands were wet or OTHER CONSIDERATIONS we cut. greasy. We didn’t have clear preferences on the shape of ( WEIGHT: Some testers liked heavier knives, saying the handle. We liked uniformly cylindrical Japanese-style they felt especially solid and well-made in their hands. We used each knife handles and curvier handles with ergonomic bumps; both Others preferred fairly lightweight knives, finding them to slice tomatoes gave us plenty of grip options. Regardless of style, the easier to use for long periods without tiring. Ultimately, in order to evaluate best handles had soft, rounded contours, nestling into the choice is personal; our top choices include a lighter sharpness at the our hands instead of biting into them. option and a heavier option. beginning and end of testing. cook’s illustrate 24

WINNER GREAT HEAVIER OPTION 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 EVERYTHING WE TESTED HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS NOT RECOMMENDED 1 VICTORINOX Swiss Army Fibrox Pro 8\" 4 ZWILLING Gourmet 8-Inch Chef’s Knife 7 MISEN Chef’s Knife Chef’s Knife MODEL: 36111-203 PRICE: $59.95 MODEL: MK-1013-2 (blue) PRICE: $75.00 MODEL: 5.2063.20-X4 PRICE: $37.90 BLADE: ++ HANDLE: ++ SHARPNESS: ++½ BLADE: ++ HANDLE: ++½ SHARPNESS: +++ COMMENTS: This knife was heavy, solidly made, and pretty BLADE: +++ HANDLE: +++ SHARPNESS: +++ sharp. But it struggled to make precise cuts and had a slick, COMMENTS: With a razor-sharp, gently curved blade, boxy handle that was slightly uncomfortable to hold. COMMENTS: This knife has been our favorite for nearly this knife made quick work of most tasks. It has less three decades, and for good reason. It arrives and stays clearance under the handle than we’d like, so our fingers 8 OPINEL Parallele 8\" Chef’s Knife quite sharp, so it effortlessly dispatches tasks big and sometimes hit the cutting board during use. The slick small. It’s lightweight, and its rounded, rubbery handle is plastic handle was a little slippery when our hands were MODEL: 001818 PRICE: $49.00 comfortable for hands of all sizes to grip. wet, and the blade’s square spine and butt sometimes BLADE: ++ HANDLE: ++ SHARPNESS: ++½ dug into our hands. COMMENTS: This knife dispatched most tasks capably, if 2 MERCER Culinary Renaissance 8-Inch less precisely than some. But its deeply curved blade some- Forged Chef’s Knife 5 MATERIAL 8\" Knife times forced our arms into an awkward angle. Its wood handle dug into our hands and was poorly made. MODEL: M23510 PRICE: $31.30 MODEL: n/a PRICE: $75.00 9 KIWI 8-Inch Chef’s Knife BLADE: +++ HANDLE: ++½ SHARPNESS: +++ BLADE: ++ HANDLE: ++½ SHARPNESS: +++ MODEL: 288 PRICE: $9.99 COMMENTS: This knife ran a close race with our winner. COMMENTS: This knife was extremely keen, capable of BLADE: ++ HANDLE: ++ SHARPNESS: ++½ It’s sharp and fairly comfortable to grip, though its handle dispatching all tasks admirably. But the blade had a pro- COMMENTS: This sharp, incredibly lightweight knife sailed is a little slicker than we prefer. Some testers actually nounced curve, so we had to raise our arms and wrists through most tasks. But its thin, short blade was unnerv- preferred this knife’s heavier weight, too, finding it “solid” awkwardly when rocking the knife from tip to heel. The ingly flexible, bending dangerously when we cut through and “authoritative” in their hands. square spine and butt of the blade occasionally dug into bone-in chicken. And its rough, unfinished wood handle our hands. And like those of several other knives, the was unpleasant to grip. 3 VICTORINOX Swiss Classic 8\" handle was made of slippery plastic, though it was other- Chef’s Knife wise comfortable to grip in different positions. 10 DEXTER-RUSSELL SG145-8B (24153B) 8\" Chef’s Knife MODEL: 6.8063.20-X2 PRICE: $39.81 6 KAI PRO 8-in Chef’s Knife MODEL: SG145-8B (24153B) PRICE: $30.69 BLADE: +++ HANDLE: ++½ SHARPNESS: +++ MODEL: HT-7066 PRICE: $39.95 BLADE: ++½ HANDLE: ++½ SHARPNESS: + COMMENTS: We liked this knife’s rubbery handle, and COMMENTS: This knife is nearly identical to our favorite. BLADE: ++ HANDLE: ++½ SHARPNESS: ++½ the blade had a good shape. But the blade’s edge arrived It has the same sharp, relatively thin, gently curved blade, incredibly dull, crushing food instead of cutting it. so it excelled at every task we gave it, mincing garlic and COMMENTS: This knife’s blade was a touch less sharp out powering through butternut squash equally well. And it’s of the box, and its spine was squared off and thick from even lighter, so we could use it effortlessly for long periods. heel to tip, crunching through onions and garlic instead of Testers just didn’t like its handle quite as much as our favor- making precise cuts and occasionally getting wedged into ite’s—it’s longer, it’s slightly slicker, and it has an awkward butternut squash. The rounded handle was comfortable to indentation, all of which made it less comfortable to grip. hold but occasionally slippery when our hands were wet. july & august 2022 For the complete testing results and knife maintenance tips, go to CooksIllustrated.com/AUG22. 25

Must-Have Mustards EXPLORE A single style simply won’t cut it. From sweet to spicy, OUR these are the five styles we always have on hand. FAVORITES j BY KATE SHANNON k We’ve compiled information and M ost of us have a favorite mayonnaise rooted in history and are dictated mostly by consumer tasting notes for two top-scoring and are loyal to a certain brand of expectations and manufacturers. products from our reviews of ketchup, but mustard is different. yellow, brown, Dijon, honey, and Our refrigerator shelves are crowded The Science Behind Mustard’s Heat whole-grain mustards. Each mus- tard highlighted here is typical of its with options, each of which adds something special to Although spiciness is a defining characteristic of many style, but together, the pairs show some of the range you can find a sandwich or a potato salad. While it is traditional to styles of mustard, whole mustard seeds don’t start off within each category. Whether you consider mustard a favorite condi- use specific mustards for certain applications—Dijon spicy. Instead, they’re bitter and a little nutty. When ment or use it only on occasion, we hope that you’ll find something in Caesar salad dressing, for example—you can have mustard seeds’ cell walls are crushed and liquid is new to try at home. some fun experimenting. You might find that you added, an important chemical change takes place. A YELLOW MUSTARD If you’re eating a hot dog in Chicago or love the pop of whole-grain mustard in a tuna salad or reaction converts bitter-tasting glucosinolates into making a Cuban sandwich, you need yellow mustard. It’s also a must-have for decide that you like the characteristic tang of yellow spicy-tasting isothiocyanates, thus removing bitterness backyard burgers and cookouts. This vibrantly colored mustard typically gets mustard on more than just hamburgers. and creating heat. Accordingly, whole-grain mustards its characteristic hue from turmeric. It’s sweeter and less spicy than other styles. with seeds that are left whole or only lightly crushed BROWN MUSTARD The Many Styles of Mustard are often considerably milder yet more bitter. We especially like brown mustard’s bright tang and mild heat with grilled hot People have been crushing mustard seeds and combin- Acidic ingredients such as vinegar or wine are key dogs, sausages and onions, or deli-style sandwiches with ham or pastrami. ing them with liquid to form a potent paste—both components of all mustards. But too much acid can Brown mustard is also great in baked beans or in meatloaf glazes. The hulls for medicinal purposes and for use with food—for prevent the formation of isothiocyanates and make a are typically left on the seeds during pro- cessing, giving a speckled appearance. thousands of years, with the earliest recorded instances mustard mild. As a result, mustards that are very acidic DIJON MUSTARD dating back to ancient Greece and Rome and medi- are generally less spicy. Manufacturers must be careful Dijon mustard—which gets its name from the French city where it origi- eval Cairo. They’ve also been about when and how they add nated—dates back to the 13th century. experimenting with ingredi- “Controlling and retaining acidic ingredients so that they can The best versions are spicy and moder- ately acidic. After the hulls are removed, ents and flavorings. There the heat in the condiment is achieve the right balance of tangi- the seeds are milled to a smooth, remains a “constant evolu- ness and heat for that particular creamy consistency. It’s our go-to mus- tion” of mustards, says Barry where the art comes in.” style. “Controlling and retaining tard for vinaigrettes and pan sauces. Levenson, the curator of the –Jim Davis of the Department of Plant the heat in the condiment is where HONEY MUSTARD National Mustard Museum. Sciences at the University of Idaho the art comes in,” explains Jim The complexity of honey mustard The mustards entered each Davis of the Department of Plant makes it a welcome addition to cheese or charcuterie plates and a great dip for year into the World-Wide Mustard Competition, which Sciences at the University of Idaho. Yellow mustards chicken nuggets or pretzels. Both sweet and tangy, honey mustard also adds zip Levenson helps organize, reflect the variety produced are known for being tangy and not especially hot, while to sandwiches. This style ranges from silky-smooth to coarsely ground. by manufacturers. The 2022 competition will include Dijon mustards are often spicy, though we’ve sampled WHOLE-GRAIN MUSTARD 17 categories, with entries ranging from whole-grain products over the years that have missed the mark. This style varies considerably in tex- ture. Whole-grain mustards containing mustards—Levenson notes that manufacturers are Those pungent isothiocyanates will fade with time coarsely crushed seeds can generally be used in place of brown or Dijon mus- producing more and more of these—to mustards with and exposure to air, so once opened, containers of mus- tard. Versions with big, intact seeds are best when you want extra visual appeal fruit or vegetables added. The U.S. Food and Drug tard should be stored in the refrigerator. As Levenson and textural contrast, such as in salad dressings and buttery sauces. Administration has no established regulations for says, there’s an old motto about horseradish that also specific styles of mustard. Instead, the distinctions are holds true for mustard: “Keep it cold to keep it hot.” Makings of Mustard BROWN MUSTARD MUSTARD FLOUR Mustard seeds—the key ingredient of mustard—are har- vested from the plants of three species: Sinapis alba (yellow YELLOW SEEDS and white), Brassica juncea (brown), and, less commonly, MUSTARD Brassica nigra (black). Yellow mustard seeds are mild, so BLACK they’re used to make yellow mustard (though the color is due SEEDS MUSTARD mostly to turmeric, not the seeds). Brown mustard seeds are more potent and are traditionally used in spicier mustards, SEEDS including Dijon and brown mustard. Most manufacturers start with whole mustard seeds. They can keep the seeds whole, coarsely crush them, or grind them to a smooth consistency. Alternatively, they can use mustard flour, a finely ground pow- der that results in an especially smooth, satiny condiment. cook’s illustrate 26

1 1 HEINZ Yellow Mustard 2 FRENCH’S Classic Yellow Mustard VINEGARY PRICE: $1.99 for 20 oz ($0.10 per oz) AND SWEET PRICE: $1.47 for 14 oz ($0.11 per oz) INGREDIENTS: Distilled white vinegar, INGREDIENTS: Distilled vinegar, 3 mustard seed, water, salt, turmeric, natural water, #1 grade mustard seed, salt, flavor and spices turmeric, paprika, spice, natural fla- BRIGHT vor, garlic powder AND TANGY COMMENTS: The combination of gentle COMMENTS: We also love our runner- sweetness and bright acidity makes our up, which strikes a sweet-tangy balance 5 favorite yellow mustard a crowd-pleaser. similar to that of our favorite yellow Although it’s not spicy, it’s tangy and fla- mustard. It’s smooth and creamy. SMOOTH vorful. AND SPICY 4 FRENCH’S Spicy Brown 2 3 GULDEN’S Spicy Brown Mustard Mustard 7 ZIPPY AND PRICE: $2.49 for 12 oz ($0.21 per oz) PRICE: $2.49 for 12 oz ($0.21 per oz) BOLD SWEETNESS CREAMY INGREDIENTS: Distilled vinegar, AND HEAT INGREDIENTS: Organic vinegar, water, mustard #1 grade mustard seed, water, salt, seed, salt, less than 2% of: spices, turmeric spices, turmeric and natural flavors 9 COMMENTS: Our second-place brown COMMENTS: The bright, briny, and almost mustard is a good option for people COARSE YET fruity flavor of this brown mustard made it who prefer a bit more heat. Its acidity COHESIVE our favorite. This mustard is supersmooth makes it punchy, and it’s pleasantly and easy to zigzag over a sausage or stir into thick and creamy. 10 a sauce. 6 MAILLE Dijon Originale ADDS GREAT 4 5 THREE LITTLE PIGS TEXTURE Dijon Mustard PRICE: $4.99 for 7.5 oz ($0.67 per oz) VIBRANT INGREDIENTS: Water, mustard seed, AND THICK PRICE: $6.99 for 7 oz ($1.00 per oz) distilled vinegar, salt, citric acid, sodium metabisulfite (used to protect quality) INGREDIENTS: Mustard seeds, distilled COMMENTS: If you prefer a mustard vinegar, water, sea salt with more moderate heat, look for our second-place Dijon mustard. It’s spicy COMMENTS: The “nasal-clearing” heat of and salty but not too sharp. We love its our top-scoring Dijon mustard makes it rich, thick, creamy consistency. stand out among other mustards. Because its flavor is also bright and tangy, the bold 8 FRENCH’S Honey Mustard heat doesn’t overwhelm. PRICE: $2.18 for 12 oz ($0.18 per oz) 6 7 WOEBER’S Simply Supreme INGREDIENTS: Distilled vinegar, water, Honey Mustard sugar, #1 grade mustard seed, honey, THICK, CREAMY salt, spices, garlic powder, carrot CONSISTENCY PRICE: $2.65 for 13 oz ($0.20 per oz) oleoresin (color), natural flavors COMMENTS: This smooth, creamy INGREDIENTS: Sugar, distilled white vin- mustard is easy to squeeze onto a egar, honey, mustard flour, filtered water, sandwich or snack board. The punchy soybean oil, salt spice and straightforward sweetness reminded tasters of a classic fast-food COMMENTS: The thick, almost sticky dipping sauce—in a good way. consistency of this honey mustard is typical of those made with mustard flour (instead of mustard seeds). Nevertheless, it spread easily and clung well to chicken nuggets. Its bold spice is tempered by a deep, rich sweetness. 8 9 GREY POUPON Harvest 10 MAILLE Old Style Mustard Coarse Ground Mustard CLASSIC PRICE: $4.59 for 7.3 oz ($0.63 per oz) SWEET-SPICY PRICE: $3.99 for 8 oz ($0.50 per oz) INGREDIENTS: Water, mustard FLAVOR INGREDIENTS: Distilled white vinegar, seeds, distilled vinegar, salt, white mustard seed, water, salt, white wine, wine, sugar, lactic acid, natural flavor fruit pectin, sugar, citric acid, tartaric acid, spices COMMENTS: With lots of whole seeds, this is our top choice when we COMMENTS: This coarsely ground mus- want to add pleasant pop and crunch tard is thick and cohesive. It’s ideal for to a dish. It’s especially good in vinai- spreading on a sandwich or stirring into a grettes, atop roasted oysters, or simply sauce. We love the “tender pop of the seeds” spooned over roasted or grilled meats. and the tart, tangy flavor. Web subscribers can see the full tasting results at CooksIllustrated.com/AUG22. july & august 2022 27

INGREDIENT NOTES j BY STEVE DUNN, ERIC HAESSLER, ANNIE PETITO & ERICA TURNER k Keep Your Turn These Flavor-Packed Staples into Shelf-Stable Butter Fresh Seasoning Powders In the test kitchen, we fly through Your pantry and arsenal of everyday ingredients are full of savory powerhouses, some of them hiding in plain sight. Dried shiitakes, of course, are one such heavy cases of butter. But at home, a single hitter, and all you need to do is buzz them in a spice grinder to create a sprinkle-able seasoning. But capers, miso, and even scallions can be easily dehydrated and pulver- stick can last days or even weeks. ized to create similarly potent powders, each with its own spectrum of flavors. Dry each according to the instructions below; process thoroughly in a spice grinder; and During that time, butter can absorb add to recipes before, during, or after cooking for an instant hit of depth and flavor. Store the powders in airtight containers (clean spice jars work well) out of direct flavors and odors from nearby sunlight for up to one year. –S.D. foods if it’s not stored properly. Additionally, exposure to air (espe- CAPER Rinse capers and CAPER dry well between paper POWDER cially at room temperature) causes Using an airtight storage container towels. Spread into even Briny, salty moisture loss and speeds up rancidity. is the best way to protect your layer on plate and micro- wave at 50 percent power in That’s why we advocate for storing butter—and your morning toast— 2-minute increments, stirring in butter in airtight containers. from off-flavors. between, until fully dried, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool before processing. Butter storage containers come in two styles—dishes and bells—and we To use: Add sparingly, as though you were seasoning with salt. tested both. The dishes had a surprising number of extra features, including measurement markings and flip-top lids. Butter bells, which originated in France, are intended for use only at room temperature. You pack softened butter into the bell-shaped dish before inserting it upside down into a crock filled with water, forming an airtight seal. The water must be changed every few days to keep the butter fresh and prevent mold growth. MISO Spread white or yellow We ran several storage tests of butter in dishes and bells, as well as sticks miso in thinnest layer possible on MISO rimmed baking sheet lined POWDER in their original parchment wrappers, sampling the butters every day for off- with silicone baking mat. Nutty, olive-y flavors. At room temperature, the butter in the dishes and bells stayed fresh- tasting for about two weeks. The dishes stored in the refrigerator offered even Place on middle rack of better protection; butter tasted fresh for three to four weeks. In all tests, but- oven set to lowest setting ter stored in its original wrapper was the first to taste stale and funky. (use “dehydrate” function We especially liked two containers. If you enjoy having softened butter on if available) and dehydrate hand and want an elegant option intended for use at room temperature, we until dry enough to flip (miso sheet will suggest the Original Butter Bell Crock. If you live in a very warm environment feel like fruit leather), 2 to 3 hours. Flip and/or want to extend the life of your butter, we recommend the LocknLock miso sheet and continue to dehydrate until Rectangular Food Container with Tray and suggest storing it in the refrigerator. completely dry, 2 to 3 hours longer. Miso will Both will ensure that your butter tastes fresh and sweet. –Kate Shannon darken, but don’t let it burn. Let cool com- pletely, then break into shards before processing. To use: Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons to applications such BEST CLASSIC CONTAINER SPACIOUS CONTAINER as soups, stews, and chilis; about 2 teaspoons to rice dishes and pan Butter stays soft and spreadable LOCKNLOCK Rectangular Food at room temperature sauces; and to taste to spice rubs. Container with Tray CERAMIC CROCK SCALLION Cut green parts into SCALLION MODEL: HPL956 PRICE: $9.00 Add a little water to 2-inch lengths (reserve white POWDER form an airtight seal parts for another use). Lay Oniony, roasty WIDE, FLAT “LID” scallions in single layer Fits butter of all on plate or rimmed shapes and sizes baking sheet lined with double layer of T I G H T- S E A L I N G BEST BUTTER BELL paper towels and cover PLASTIC FLAPS with another layer of paper towels. THE ORIGINAL BUTTER Microwave for 2 minutes; fluff pieces to Form an airtight seal BELL CROCK separate; then continue to microwave 1 to 2 min- MODEL: BB-CCRBS PRICE: $26.95 utes longer, or until completely dry and just starting to brown in spots. Let cool completely before processing. For the complete testing results, go to CooksIllustrated.com/AUG22. To use: Follow guidelines for miso powder. cook’s illustrate 28

Our Favorite Edible Flowers BEGONIA DIY RECIPE Candied Rose Petals Flowers needn’t just decorate your dining table: Candying rose petals with egg wash and sugar preserves their delicate They can play a starring role on your plate as well. floral-sweet flavor and creates a simple decorative element to top cakes, Many common varieties of flowers are edible, cookies, and cupcakes. Many recipes call for brushing egg wash over the pet- and it’s become relatively easy to find such als, but we found that dipping the petals into the mixture was more efficient; blossoms at farmers’ markets or even dragging them along the rim of the bowl removed excess egg wash and ensured packaged up in containers at chain an even coating. –E.T. grocery stores. Here are some ideas for how to put these beauti- ful blooms to work. –E.T. FLOWER PROFILE USES DIY CANDIED ROSE PETALS Begonia MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES, PLUS 1½ HOURS DRYING Pansy Lemony, tart, juicy Mix into salads for a punch of When purchasing rose petals, make sure that they are completely Fuchsia citrusy flavor dry. Use petals from only the outer three-quarters of each rose; Snapdragon inner petals are too tightly curled for this recipe. Excess egg white Calendula Mild and slightly sweet, Decorate baked goods such will cause the sugar to clump on the petals; do not skip dragging the petals along the rim of the bowl in step 2. Hibiscus similar in taste and texture to as cakes and cookies; add to Rose spinach salads or cold soups Nasturtium Sweet-tart, slightly bitter, Freeze in ice cubes to garnish ½ cup sugar 2 teaspoons water peppery drinks 1 large egg white 2 cups rose petals, divided Bitter, woodsy Garnish salads Piney-peppery with notes of Use like saffron to infuse foods 1. Place sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Line rimmed spearmint with a yellow-orange hue; dry baking sheet with parchment paper. and steep for tea 2. Whisk egg white and water together in bowl. Dip 1 petal Bright and fruity, similar to Dry, and then eat out of hand into mixture and then firmly drag each side against edge of cranberries or cherries as a snack or steep to make a bowl to remove excess. Petal should be coated in thin, even vibrant tea layer of egg wash. Aromatic and slightly sweet Candy; incorporate into a 3. Gently lay petal on top of sugar. Using spoon, sprinkle (Note: the darker the rose, simple syrup for desserts and sugar over petal and shake dish to ensure petal is well coated. Carefully the stronger the flavor) drinks slide fork underneath petal and transfer to prepared sheet. Peppery, spicy Substitute in any place you 4. Repeat with remaining petals. Let petals stand, uncovered, until would garnish with arugula or dry and crisp, at least 1½ hours or up to 24 hours. (Candied petals watercress can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.) PANSY Buying (and Making) Sichuan Pepper Oil NASTURTIUM The delightfully tingly, mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorn, a berry of the prickly ash tree, is harvested only once a year. Because the berries spoil quickly, they’re usually ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE Four Great Ways to Use Malted Milk Powder either dried or infused in oil. The oil can be used most anywhere you’d use the pep- percorns, including in Sichuan classics such as mapo tofu (braised tofu with beef or Malted milk powder is made by sprouting and drying grains such as barley; pork), dan dan mian (noodles with chili sauce and pork), and pai huang gua (smashed extracting their flavor; and adding the extracted flavor to powdered milk, wheat cucumber salad), as well as in cocktails and even on popcorn. flour, and sometimes other ingredients such as sugar. It lends a complex toasty flavor to our Deluxe Blueberry Pancakes on page 20, but it can enhance a num- For ready-made Sichuan pepper oil, we like the oils from ber of other treats with its roasty, caramelly notes as well. For the best results, 50Hertz Foods and the brand Yaomazi from The Mala Market, choose sweet recipes with simple flavors to allow the milk powder’s malty fla- both available online. 50Hertz Foods founder Yao Zhao recom- vor to shine through. Here are a few of our favorite applications. Start off with mends using the commercial oil as a condiment, on cold dishes, about 1 tablespoon per serving, and then adjust to taste. –E.H. or as a finishing touch. “It’s a bit like truffle oil in that sense,” Zhao explained. ( Stir into hot ( Add to crème ( Stir into cream, ( Toss with chocolate or a anglaise to and then make popcorn to create Sichuan pepper oil can also be made at home from the dried cup of coffee for accompany fruit whipped cream compelling sweet/ berries, which results in a flavor profile that’s less numbing and more subtle, deeper desserts, cakes, to top ice cream savory contrast. toasty but still very appealing. Plus, the homemade stuff is very con- sweetness. or puddings. sundaes or pies. venient to use and unlike the more potent commercial varieties, you can use it for cooking, such as in a stir-fry. –A.P. TO MAKE DRIED SICHUAN PEPPER OIL: Heat 1 cup neutral-flavored oil and 2 tablespoons plus 2 tea- spoons dried Sichuan peppercorns (these should be as fresh as possible), ground fine, in 12-inch skillet over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into bowl and let cool. (Oil can be refrigerated for up to 2 months.) july & august 2022 29

KITCHEN NOTES j BY STEVE DUNN, ERIC HAESSLER, LAN LAM & ERICA TURNER k Get the Most out of Your Hand Mixer Elevate Your Eggs with a Compound Butter Hand mixers are the perfect tool when you need to turn out small quantities of Here’s a trick that I use at home when I want to take scrambled eggs to the next level: cake batter, billowy egg whites, or whipped cream (such as for our Ice Cream Cake I cook them in a compound butter. This classic French preparation is nothing more [page 23]). Keep these tips in mind the next time you reach for yours. –L.L. than softened butter combined with herbs, spices, citrus, and/or finely chopped aromatics. It’s traditionally used to garnish proteins USE A TALL BOWL ALWAYS START SLOW. Whether you’re and vegetables, adding richness and a burst of flavor, WITH A NARROW gently combining dry ingredients, blending a thick but compound butter can do even more for BOTTOM. This shape corrals batter, or whipping egg whites, it’s important to eggs: Just a tablespoon brings a lush ten- splatter and allows the beaters slowly increase the speed so that your beaters derness to the scramble. to make better contact with the don’t fling ingredients out of the bowl. contents of the bowl for more You can make compound efficient mixing and aerating. MOVE THE BEATERS—AND THE butter from almost any If you’re whipping cream or egg BOWL. Give the bowl quarter turns as you flavorings you have on whites, make sure that your beat in a circular motion around the interior; this hand. For eggs, I prefer bowl is big enough for the foam allows the beaters to thoroughly scrape the sides a 1:1 ratio of butter to to expand. and helps the hand mixer work efficiently. mix-ins, and alliums are a must. Here’s a shallot-parsley com- pound butter to get you started: Combine 4 tablespoons soft- ened unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons minced shallot, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 1 minced garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon table salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl. (Compound but- ter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.) Melt 1 tablespoon com- pound butter in skillet over medium heat (save the rest for more scrambles or as a garnish), then add 3 lightly seasoned, beaten large eggs. Cook, stirring constantly, until eggs reach desired doneness. For more compound butter recipes, go to CooksIllustrated.com/collections/Compound-Butters. –L.L. For Lofty Loaves, Beware Cinnamon Cinnamon appears as a spice in Chinese writings from about 2800 BCE. It’s also long been used in Eastern medicine and con- tains compounds such as cinnamaldehyde that have antimicrobial properties. Be aware, however, that these same properties can be detrimental when cinnamon is added to a yeasted dough. That’s because cinnamaldehyde disrupts the cell membranes of microbes, such as yeast, inhibiting their growth, and in high enough concentra- tions, it kills them outright (cardamom, which contains alpha-terpineol, NO CINNAMON ½ TEASPOON 1½ TEASPOONS exhibits similar antimicrobial effects). This yeast disruption can negatively impact a dough’s rise and is the reason most cinnamon bread recipes call for adding the spice as a swirl rather than incorporating it directly into the dough. To illustrate how cinnamon can impede rise, we made three simple, identical yeasted doughs. To the first we added no cinnamon; to the second, ½ teaspoon; and to the third, 1½ teaspoons. After a 3-hour rise, their differences were palpable (see the photo above), clearly showing the rise-inhibiting effect of the cinnamon. All this is to say that if you want cinnamon in a yeasted bread, use it judiciously or stick with a swirl. –S.D. cook’s illustrate 3

Thicken Pan Sauces with S M A L L - B ATC H B A K I N G Strawberry Shortcakes a French-Inspired Shortcut For our strawberry shortcakes, a generous Professional cooks trained in French ⅓ cup of cream in the shortcake dough technique often keep a tub of helped create a tender texture. We wanted beurre manié on hand to thicken juiciness from the ber- ries, but not too much, pan sauces. Whisked into the skillet so we avoided crushing the berries entirely. by the spoonful in the final moments of Instead, we preserved the shape of some of cooking, the paste of softened butter and flour (a close QUICK FIX the berries by quarter- relative of roux that’s made by thoroughly rubbing Flour-coated butter turns ing them and released together equal amounts of both ingredients) builds body the juice of the others pan sauces velvety. by mashing them. in an instant: Starch in the flour absorbs water, swells, and thickens the liquid, while the butter adds richness and prevents clumping by evenly dispersing the flour as it melts. Many cooks rely on it for correcting a too-loose sauce on the fly, and it’s an essential component of chicken Francese (page 11), where the flour dredging the cutlets is coated in beaten egg and thus unavailable to mingle with the sauce during cooking. But there’s an easier way to get that effect: Toss cubed butter in flour, refrigerate it until needed, and whisk the pieces into any simmering sauce. The result will be lus- cious and cream-like in moments. –S.D. What SMALL-BATCH STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES is it SERVES 2 TOTAL TIME: 55 MINUTES This vintage kitchen tool, loaned These shortcakes come together quickly; start heating your oven before to me by my colleague Lisa gathering your ingredients. A toaster oven works well here. If desired, reserve two whole strawberries to garnish the plates. –E.H. McManus and resembling an old-fashioned concierge bell, is a Tart Master manufactured in Chicago by Kalkus-Hirco, Inc. Patented in the Shortcakes Strawberries and Cream 1930s, the plunger-operated tool is ½ cup (2½ ounces) 8 ounces strawberries, hulled and all-purpose flour sliced ¼ inch thick (1⅔ cups) designed to cut and seal palm-size 1¼ teaspoons granulated 1 tablespoon granulated sugar savory and sweet tarts, also known sugar, divided ½ teaspoon lemon juice ½ cup heavy cream, chilled as hand pies. As the tool’s thin outer ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, Pinch baking soda edge cuts the pastry, a corrugated inner ring plus extra for dusting (optional) ⅛ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract crimps the pastry, sealing its edges. ⅓ cup heavy cream To test the cutter, I made a batch of Cherry Hand Pies (May/June 2022) and used the Tart Master to cut the rounds. A moderate amount of pressure applied to the plunger neatly cut the 1. FOR THE SHORTCAKES: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with pastry and sealed together each tart’s layers with a parchment paper. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, ¾ teaspoon sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Microwave cream until just beautifully crimped edge. In fact, the tarts were so KALKUS-HIRCO warmed to body temperature (95 to 100 degrees), about 15 seconds. Stir TART MASTER warm cream into flour mixture until soft, uniform dough forms. well sealed that not one leaked during baking. –S.D. 2. Spray ⅓-cup dry measuring cup with vegetable oil spray. Using spoon, PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE; ILLUSTRATION: JOHN BURGOYNE UNSTIRRED STIRRED For Instantly Creamy transfer half of dough to prepared measuring cup, pressing to fill bottom Cultured Dairy, of cup (cup will not be completely filled). Run butter knife around edge Give It a Stir of cup and deposit dough onto prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. If portions are misshapen, use your fingers to gently reshape dough When you open a container of into level cylinders. Sprinkle remaining ½ teaspoon sugar over shortcakes. yogurt, sour cream, crème fraîche, or Bake until tops are light golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes, rotating sheet crema, the contents are often dense halfway through baking. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely, and matte. But give it all a good stir, about 20 minutes. While shortcakes cool, prepare strawberries and cream. and the dairy will instantly turn glossy, homogeneous, and creamy. 3. FOR THE STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM: In medium bowl, stir together strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Using potato Here’s why: These cultured masher, mash one-third of strawberries. Let rest, stirring occasionally, until dairy products are gels composed sugar is dissolved and strawberries are juicy, about 20 minutes. Whisk cream of protein strands holding liquid. in small bowl until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Add confectioners’ Undisturbed, the gel is solid-like; sugar and vanilla. Continue to whisk until soft peaks form, about 1½ minutes stirring it loosens the connections longer. Do not overwhip. between the protein strands so that the gel becomes fluid and recombines 4. Split shortcakes crosswise and place bottoms on plates. Place half of any liquid. But that fluid state is only whipped cream on bottom of each shortcake. Top each portion with half of temporary, and the liquid will likely strawberry mixture. Cap with shortcake tops and dust with extra confection- leak out as the gel sits. To return the ers’ sugar, if desired. Serve. dairy to a lush, glossy state, all you have to do is give it a stir. –E.T. july & august 2022 31

EQUIPMENT CORNER j BY CAROLYN GRILLO, GRACE KELLY & KATE SHANNON g Mini-Muffin Tins H I G H LY Anyday Microwave RECOMMENDED Mini-muffin tins are great when baking for children’s parties Cookware and any occasion where you want an assortment of small WILLIAMS treats. While the profiles of regular and mini-muffin tins are SONOMA Thoughts of a microwaved dinner might the same, the number of cups they contain (12 and 24 cups, Goldtouch Pro respectively) differs. We chose nine models and baked Nonstick Mini conjure up images of something from a box, mini muffins and almond financiers in each; our favorite tins Muffin Pan, 24-Well had several traits in common. First, they were made from PRICE: $34.95 but the Anyday brand wants home cooks to steel, which retains and disperses heat well, and produced evenly browned baked goods. Second, the smaller, narrower BEST see microwaved meals in a different light. The H I G H LY R E C O M M E N D E D shapes of their cups gave us perfectly proportioned muf- BUY fins and cupcakes. Third, their wide rims made them easy brand claims that with its microwave cookware ANYDAY The Everyday Set to handle even when we were wearing oven mitts. Two WILTON Perfect set and free recipes you can make delicious meals models came out on top. Our winner, the Williams Sonoma Results Premium PRICE: $120.00 Goldtouch Pro Nonstick Mini Muffin Pan, 24-Well (model Non-Stick Mini with minimal effort. We wanted to see how the SKU 9393132), produced attractive baked goods that were Muffin and Cupcake evenly golden brown and released easily. Our Best Buy, the Pan, 24-Cup cookware handled on its own and in comparison with a Pyrex bowl topped with Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Mini Muffin and Cupcake Pan, 24-Cup (model 2105-6819), also produced PRICE: $12.00 a dinner plate as well as vintage Corningware dishes. We also wanted to test the nicely shaped mini muffins and financiers. We docked it slightly because the foods we baked in it weren’t browned company’s recipes. At the time of testing, the cookware was available in four sizes quite as evenly as foods we baked in our winner. –C.G. (the dishes can be purchased individually, in pairs [large deep and large shallow or medium deep and medium shallow], or as a complete set). The dishes and lids are made of thick, shock-resistant borosilicate glass that won’t crack when exposed to sudden shifts in temperature. Each lid has a silicone knob that doubles as a vent and a microwave-safe stainless-steel rim with a silicone gasket underneath to ensure a tight seal. These features ensured evenly cooked food and easy maneuvering in and out of the microwave. We found that all the Anyday dishes were easier to handle and better at microwaving food evenly than the other options we tested. –G.K. Backpacking Stoves While a good tent, backpack, and sleeping bag are Reusable Plastic Cups H I G H LY essential when taking a backpacking trip, so is a light- RECOMMENDED We love to enjoy food and drinks out- weight stove to cook your meals (nobody’s hauling a doors—at picnics, backyard barbecues, and AMAZING ABBY heavy car camping stove on the Appalachian Trail!). more. While we could use our kitchen glass- 16-Ounce Ice Cube Enter backpacking stoves: the tiny, lightweight stoves ware for these gatherings, it can be fragile or Plastic Tumblers most often used by backpackers to boil water to H I G H LY rehydrate shelf-stable, freeze-dried backpacking meals. RECOMMENDED too heavy to transport easily. Reusable plas- PRICE: $18.99 for set of tic cups are meant to survive an accidental 8 ($2.37 per cup) For our testing, we selected models that claimed to have precise heat control so that we could perform some sim- tumble onto a hard patio or deck and pro- TA R H O N G mering and gentle sautéing tasks (e.g., cooking items such SOTO WindMaster vide a safe, convenient alternative to indoor Shatterproof Ripple as instant rice and beans or rehydrated chili) as well as boil Stove with 4Flex glassware. We tested eight sets of cups, Glassware–Short most of which are sold in sets of four, six, Tumbler PRICE: $64.95 or eight, and all hold 12 to 16 ounces. We liked most of the cups we tested, but we had PRICE: $45.00 for set of water quickly. Other important qualities we looked for JETBOIL MightyMo 6 ($7.50 per cup) included a compact size and light weight, a stable cook- ing surface, and good performance in windy conditions. PRICE: $59.95 two favorites: the Amazing Abby 16-Ounce Both our winners met these criteria. The Soto WindMaster Stove with 4Flex (model Ice Cube Plastic Tumblers and the Tarhong Shatterproof Ripple Glassware—Short OD-1RXN) and the Jetboil MightyMo (model MTYM) were both lightweight and Tumbler (model 8490). The cups in these sets have relatively thin rims that made for easy to assemble and boiled water in less than 3 minutes. Both stoves also allowed us a pleasant drinking experience and textured exteriors that allowed us to grip them to cook every meal with precision and ease. If you want maximum stability and wind securely. Like all the other models we tested, they didn’t crack or break when we resistance, go for the stove from Soto. If you’re after really precise dropped them onto concrete. Lastly, they’re dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. –C.G. heat control, opt for the model from Jetboil. –G.K. UPDATE Portable Outdoor Pizza Ovens H I G H LY R E C O M M E N D E D We love pizza, so we’re always on the lookout for new tools and gadgets that will help us get a superior pie. In recent OONI Koda 16 Gas- OONI Karu 12 years, we’ve become particularly fond of portable outdoor pizza ovens. Unlike our kitchen ovens, which reach a maxi- Powered Pizza Oven Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven mum temperature of about 500 degrees, the best portable outdoor pizza ovens quickly heat to 700-plus degrees, so pizzas cook quickly and get gorgeous char. When we first tested them, we named two winners from Ooni. One PRICE: $599.00 PRICE: $498.99 ($399.00 for runs on propane (the same 20-pound tanks used for gas grills). The other is a “multifuel” oven that can be heated with oven, $99.99 for gas burner) wood and/or charcoal. The propane model can accommodate 12-inch pizzas, while the multifuel model can fit 16-inch pizzas. Now Ooni has released a larger version of the propane oven and a smaller version of the multifuel model. We found that they performed just as well as their siblings. The Ooni Koda 16 Gas-Powered Pizza Oven is great for people who want to make big pizzas and value the convenience of propane. If you enjoy the challenges and rewards of cook- ing with a live fire and prefer smaller pizzas, the Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven is our top pick. –K.S. Complete results available at CooksIllustrated.com/AUG22 cook’s illustrate 32

Wild Berries INDEX For juicy, plump, downright kaleidoscopic summer ber- July & August 2022 ries, look not to the familiar varieties in the produce aisle but to their relatives growing wild in forests and marshes MAIN DISHES across the country. CHOKEBERRIES get their name from the berry’s intense tartness, but tempered with Chicken Francese 11 some sugar, the fruit makes pleasantly bright jelly. Tiny for Two [ONLINE] ELDERBERRIES Kousa Mihshi (Lebanese Stuffed Squash) 15 ripen quickly and often Pollo a la Brasa (Peruvian ferment on Grill-Roasted Chicken) 5 the bush, so they’re ideal Skillet Tomato Cobbler 12 for wine mak- Ultracreamy Spaghetti with ing. Because silk moths eat Zucchini 7 MULBERRIES, for Two [ONLINE] the plant came to the Pollo a la Brasa 5 SANDWICHES Kousa Mihshi 15 American Cherry Tomato Ricotta Sandwiches 9 colonies in a Ultracreamy Spaghetti with Zucchini 7 Griddled Tomato Sandwiches 9 failed attempt Marinated Tomato Sandwiches 8 to establish a Open-Faced Cherry Tomato Ricotta silk industry. GOOSEBERRY fool is a traditional dessert combining Sandwiches 9 the translucent-green berries with swirls of cream and sometimes shortbread cookies. BLACK NIGHTSHADE SIDE DISH BERRIES are closely related to poisonous deadly nightshade, but they are edible when they have rip- Rajas Poblanas con Crema (Charred ened to a dark purplish-black hue. Jam made from Poblano Strips with Cream) 13 the LINGONBERRY, a Scandinavian import to the Y Elote (and Corn) 13 northeast and northwest coasts of the United States, SPECIAL THANKS TO: Food writer, culinary historian, and botanist Heather Arndt Anderson is a sweet-tart topping for rich meat or game. Be care- SALAD Rajas Poblanas con Crema y Elote 13 ful picking BARBERRIES—the red fruits are pleasantly puckery, but the plant’s leaves and nodes are riddled Zucchini-Cucumber Salad with Pine with spines, some of which can measure a centimeter Nuts and Mint [ONLINE] long. Versatile HASKAP BERRIES, which some say taste like a combination of raspberries, blueberries, and B R E A K FA S T strawberries, are a stunning addition to pies, crumbles, and muffins. WINEBERRIES may be the most beauti- Deluxe Blueberry Pancakes 20 ful of the bramble fruits (berries composed of small drupelets), but the fast-growing shrub is considered S TART E R invasive in several states. A relative of the wineberry, the juicy, floral CLOUDBERRY grows almost exclu- Pakoras (South Asian Spiced sively in cold regions, such as the tundra and forests of Vegetable Fritters) 19 Alaska. The 49th state is also home to the prized, but elusive, NAGOONBERRY, whose name comes from the D E S S E RT S word for “jewel” in the language of the Tlingit, a Pacific Northwest Indigenous people. –Alyssa Vaughn Foolproof All-Butter Double-Crust Pie Dough 16 Ice Cream Cake 23 Small-Batch Strawberry Shortcakes 31 SAUCES AND GARNISH Chicken Francese 11 Aj Amarillo (Peruvian Yellow Chile Sauce) 5 Aj Verde (Peruvian Green Chile Sauce) 5 Carrot-Tamarind Chutney 19 Cilantro-Mint Chutney [ONLINE] DIY Candied Rose Petals 29 ONLINE CONTENT at CooksIllustrated.com/AUG22 Pakoras 19 Deluxe Blueberry Pancakes 20 Nutritional Information Scan the QR code (or go to CooksIllustrated.com/AUG22) for the nutritional breakdown of every recipe in this issue. Skillet Tomato Cobbler 12 Ice Cream Cake 23 BACK COVER ILLUSTRATED BY JOHN BURGOYNE PHOTOGRAPHY: DANIEL J. VAN ACKERE; STYLING: CHANTAL LAMBETH, ASHLEY MOORE, KENDRA SMITH