TTBOOK FOOD SERIES RECIPES

1. Odessa Piper. Mashed Potatoes.
(Used with permission by Odessa Piper.)

L'ETOILE'S TIPS FOR GREAT MASHED POTATOES
(Serves a hearty eight—recipe may be halved.)

The genius of great mashed potatoes and other white root vegetables is their capacity to partner with soul-satisfying quantities of butter and cream. It starts with getting the right potatoes, then choosing the highest quality butter and cream.

INGREDIENTS
4 lbs. Potatoes
Salt for water,
2 Cups heavy cream or creme freshe (sour cream)
8 ounces unsalted butter (and more to taste)
Flake sea salt to finish
Freshly fine ground black pepper

TIPS ON ROOT SELECTION
Yukon gold potatoes and other waxy potatoes render a dense buttery mix. Starchy, white-fleshed Russet potatoes will make puree fluffier. You can also substitute any where from 20 to 40% by weight with any combination of the following roots, but be mindful that the substitutions will result in new flavors and textures. Celery root, parsnip, parsley root, Jerusalem artichoke, rutabaga, turnip, Salsify.

TIPS ON COOKING
Peel and cut everything into roughly even 1&1/2 inch by 1&1/2 inch chunks. Keep covered with cold water after peeling, so that pieces won't change color. Transfer cut pieces into a large pot, and add enough fresh cold water to cover by one inch. Add 1&1/2 teaspoon salt for every quart of water. Bring pot to a rolling boil, and then adjust temperature to a moderate boil. After about 15 minutes, start testing for doneness by piercing largest pieces with a fork. You are looking for "tender resistance." Overcooked pieces become waterlogged, making a gummy, flat puree. Undercooked pieces will make the puree lumpy. Take piece and try slicing it through with the side of a fork. If it gives only light resistance, and steams and flakes from the center, it's done.

TIPS ON COMBINING WITH BUTTER AND CREAM
Drain cooked roots in a colander and thoroughly shake off excess water. Spread roots out on a baking sheet lined with parchment and dry them out in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes. Shake pan contents once or twice while baking to expose more surfaces for evaporation. For best absorption of butter, the roots must be completely dried out, and all ingredients should be incorporated while piping hot. Melt the butter and cream in separate pots while the potatoes are drying out in the oven. Pass potatoes through a food mill or ricer, adding the hot melted butter as you push them through. When finished combining potatoes and melted butter, work in the hot cream, followed by sea salt and freshly fine ground black pepper to taste.

FINISHING FLAVORS

Serve perfect mashed potatoes with a generous pat of unsalted butter topped with a pinch of crunchy sea salt flakes.
Alternately grate fresh horseradish root into your mashed potatoes and garnish with more creme freche.

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2. Andreas Viestad from his cookbook, "The Kitchen of Light: New Scandinavian Cooking with Andreas Viestad."
(Used with permission by Artisan Publishers.)

LAMB AND CABBAGE STEW
Serves 8 to 10

INGREDIENTS
6 pounds bone-in lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into approximately 11/2-inch pieces
4 pounds green cabbage
(11/2 heads), shredded
1 to 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups cold water
Fine sea salt
Layer the meat and cabbage in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon of the black peppercorns, the bay leaves, and butter. Sprinkle with the flour and add the water. Cover and slowly bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook for 2 hours over low to medium-low heat, until the meat is very tender and the cabbage is soft. If you want the stew to be a bit spicier, add 1 more tablespoon black peppercorns and cook for another 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Remove the bay leaves and serve the stew in the pot or a deep serving dish.

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3. Aaron Sanchez's recipe for Huitlacoche Salsa.
(Used with permission by Aaron Sanchez.)

HUITLACOCHE SALSA
2 tablespoons olive or corn oil
1 red onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeno, finely minced
2 (6-ounce) cans huitlacoche or 1/2 pound fresh huitlacoche
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
Serving suggestion: serve with chicken or other poultry
In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, peppers, and jalapeno, and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the huitlacoche, deglaze with the vinegar and oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. When the mixture has cooled, mix in the scallions and cilantro.

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4. Susan Mello, Sutter Home Winery 2003 Build A Better Burger Grand Prize Winner (used with permission by Trinchero Family Estates)

MY BIG FAT GRECO-INSPIRED BURGER
Tzatziki with feta
1 small cucumber
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 clove minced garlic
3 tablespoons fresh dill weed
1/2 cup crumbled Greek feta cheese
Grilled eggplant
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large eggplant
Burgers
2 pounds ground lamb
3/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
Salt
Pepper
Oil for brushing on grill rack
6 small pita breads
3 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
Prepare an open grill for moderate direct-heat cooking.
Seed and chop the cucumber. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, dill, and feta. Put aside and chill for one hour.
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk in oil until thick and well blended. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Arrange in a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish; coat well with dressing. Grill eggplant until tender, about 3 minutes on each side. Keep warm.
In a large bowl, blend lamb, mint, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Form into 6 patties.
Before grilling burgers, brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack, turning once, 4 minutes on each side.
Cut pitas horizontally and lightly toast over indirect heat.
Assemble each burger as follows: pita bottom, shredded lettuce, burger patty topped generously with tzatziki, a slice of grilled eggplant, and the top of the pita.
Makes 6 burgers

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5. Paula Wolfert from her book "The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen:
Recipes for the Passionate Cook"
(used with permission from Wiley Books.)

TUNISIAN EGG AND PARSLEY TAGINE

Many visitors to this site are familiar with Moroccan tagines---stews of meat, poultry, or fish smothered with one or two vegetables or fruits, cooked in an earthenware dish with a conical cover.
Tunisian tagines are different. Tunisian cooks, when speaking of tagines, will refer to their having a "beginning," a "middle," and an "end."
The "beginning" is usually a mini-stew of veal or lamb cut into very small pieces and cooked with onions and spices such as sweet-smelling dried rosebuds and cinnamon or a robust combination of ground coriander and caraway. Then something starchy is added to thicken the juices---white beans, chick-peas, bread crumbs or cubed potatoes. When the meat is tender, it is combined with whatever ingredient has been chosen to be the dominant flavoring---fresh parsley, dried mint, cheese, stewed vegetables, or even stewed calf's brains.
The "middle" part is the enrichment of the stew with cheese and eggs.
The "end" is the final baking in a deep pie dish, either on the stove or int he oven until both top and bottom are crisply cooked and the eggs are just set, somewhat like an Italian frittata. When the tagine is ready, it is turned out onto a plate and sliced into squares, accompanied by wedges of lemon.
In rural parts of Tunisia, home cooks place a shallow earthenware dish over glowing olive wood, fill it, cover it with a flat earthen pan, and then pile hot coals on top. The resulting tagine is crusty on top and bottom, moist within, and is infused with a subtle smoky fragrance.
Traditionally this tagine is served with a salad of peppers, onions, garlic cloves and tomatoes roasted in the embers (see recipe below)
Serves 8 as part of a Tunisian Buffet. 1/4 cup dried white beans, soaked overnight 3 packed cups chopped flat-leaf parsley
8 ounces lean boneless lamb shoulder, coarsely ground 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 ounces Gruyere cheese, cubed (about 1 cup)

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon Tunisian bharat (dried rosebuds rubbed through a sieve and mixed with ground cinnamon)
1/2 cup minced onion 6 large eggs
2 teaspoons tomato paste 6 lemon wedges
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1. Drain the beans, cover with fresh water, and cook until they are half tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the lamb into 1/2-inch cubes and toss with salt and pepper.2. Heat 1 1/4 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch skillet. Cook the onion until translucent, add the meat, and saute for 5 minutes. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat until the meat gives off its moisture and reabsorbs it. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until lamb cubes are well coated. Add cayenne, the beans, and about 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid. Cover the skillet and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes longer, or until the meat and beans are fully cooked and the juices are thick. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. (Up to this point the dish can be made 1 day in advance. Return to room temperature before proceeding.)
3. Place the oven rack in the second highest position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the contents of the skillet, the parsley, 1/3 cup of the bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, and cubed Gruyere, mixing well. Season highly with salt, pepper, and sieved bharat. Beat the eggs to a froth and add to the mixture.
5. Use the remaining oil to coat the bottom and sides of a 5- or 6-cup baking dish, or an attractive 9-inch well-seasoned oven proof skillet. Place the prepared mixture in the dish, sprinkle with reserved bread crumbs and set in the oven to bake for 12 minutes. Raise the oven heat to the highest setting, remove the tagine from the oven, tilt the dish so that the oil collects in one place, then brush this oil over the surface of the tagine. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature from the dish.

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6. Timothy Castle from his book "The Perfect Cup: A Coffee-Lover's Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Tasting."
(Used with permission by Perseus Books)

GRILLED COFFEE-MARINATED LAMB CHOPS

Coffee beans are highly flammable due to the natural aromatic oils they contain. In this recipe, most of the air is closed off to the grill so that the beans smoke but don't burn. You can substitute any of your favorite barbecue meats for the lamb chops. Just keep in mind that the flavor of the smoking will be much stronger for lighter meats such as chicken or turkey.

6 to 8 lamb chops, cut 1 ½ inches thick
4 cups warm strong black coffee
1 pound Kenyan or other acidic coffee beans

Marinate the lamb chops in the coffee for 3 hours. After 2 hours, start a fire on a covered grill with half charcoal and half mesquite. Set the grill about 1 ½ inches above the coals. When the coals are covered with white ashes, place the lamb on the middle of the grill. Have the lid to the grill ready and close the vents most of the way. Quickly sprinkle half of the coffee beans around the outer edge of the fire on top of the coals and cover the grill immediately.

After 5 to 10 minutes for rare or medium-rare, turn the chops and add the remaining beans. The coffee will contribute a smooth yet very hearty smoked flavor.

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7. Anne Strainchamps. Strainchamps Family Cornbread
(used with permission by Anne Strainchamps)

STRAINCHAMPS FAMILY CORNBREAD

preheat oven to 425 degrees

1 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter or oil

combine dry ingredients. Stir in milk, eggs and butter or oil. Beat till smooth. Bake in a greased round 9 inch baking tin for 20 - 25 minutes, until top is golden and beginning to brown.

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8. Dorie Greenspan from her book "Paris Sweets: Great Desserts from the City's Best Pastry Shops."
(Used with permission from Broadway Books.)

KOROVA COOKIES / SABLÉS
Adapted from Pierre Hermé Paris
Makes about 36 cookies

These easy-to-make, easy-to-love chocolate-chocolate chip cookies are from Pierre Hermé, the man Vogue called "The Picasso of Pastry." They are cocoa dark, not very sweet, chock-full of chocolate bits, melt-on-your-tongue buttery, just crumbly enough to be true sablés, or sand cookies, and just salty enough to catch you off guard. IN fact, the combination fo chocolate and salt (Pierre uses the somewhat exotic fleur de sel, sea salt from the Guerandé) makes these cookies fatally appealing: I don't trust myself not to finish the batch in a sitting, and I'll bet you'll find yourself in the same spot – a warning to make these when you're certain not to be alone. Indeed, these are the easiest cookies to make for company because, despite their très French flavor, they are essentially American slice-and-bake icebox cookies. The dough is mixed in a flash, rolled into logs, and chilled, then cut into rounds and baked in minutes.

About the name: Korova was the name of the milk bar in Stanley Kubrick's classic film, A Clockwork Orange. It was also the name of a restaurant off the Champs-Élysées for which Pierre Hermé created these cookies. The restaurant is gone, but the cookies are still a specialty at Pierre's patisserie as well as the house cookies at my house.

11/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (30 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (5 ½ ounces; 150 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (120 grams) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
½ teaspoon fleur de sel of 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces (150 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small bits

1. Sift the flour, cocoa, and baking soda together and keep close at hand. Put the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the butter is soft and creamy. (Alternatively, you can do this and all subsequent steps by hand, working with a sturdy rubber spatula.) Add both sugars, the salt, and vanilla extract and beat for another minute or two. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the sifter dry ingredients. Mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated – the dough will look crumbly, and that's just right. For the best texture, you want to work the dough as little as possibly once the flour is added. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.
2. Turn the dough out onto a smooth work surface and squeeze it so that it sticks together in large clumps. Gather the dough into a ball, divide it in half, and working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 ½ inches (4 cm) in diameter. (Cookie-dough logs have a way of ending up with hollow centers, so as you're shaping each log, flatten it once or twice and roll it up from one long side to the other, just to make certain you haven't got an air channel.) Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill them for at least 1 hour. (Wrapped airtight, the logs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 1 month.)
3. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and keep them close at hand.
4. Working with a sharp thin-bladed knife, slice the logs into rounds that are ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick. (Don't be upset if the rounds break; just squeeze the broken-off bit back onto the cookie.) Place the cookies on the parchment-lined sheets, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) spread space between them.
5. Bake only one sheet of cookies at a time, and back each sheet for 12 minutes. The cookies will not look done, not will they be firm, bit that's just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies stand until they are only just warm or until they reach room temperature – it's your call. Repeat with the second sheet of cookies.

Keeping: The dough can be made ahead and chilled or frozen. If you've frozen the dough, you needn't defrost it before baking – just slice it the logs and bake the cookies 1 minute longer. Packed airtight, baked cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days; they can be frozen for up to 1 month.

An American in Paris: In moments of over-the-topness, I've added chopped toasted pecans, plumped currants, and a pinch of cinnamon to the dough and loved it. And I've been known to cheat on the chocolate bits. On the sad (but fortunately seldom) occasions when my cupboard is bare of Valrhona Guanaja (Pierre's choice for these cookies, and one of my favorite chocolates), I've even used store-bought chocolate chips.

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9. Pat Willard from her book "Saffron: The Vagabond Life of the World's Most Seductive Spice."
(Used with permission by Beacon Books.)

SAFFRON CONSOMMÉ
Nothing takes the chill off the guests or makes a cold sufferer feel better – or well tended – faster than this consommé.

White stock:
5 pounds veal bones (including a knuckle), cracked
2 pounds chicken parts (backs, wings, or necks)
1 pound stewing veal, cuts into 2-inch cubes
3 quarts water
1 large carrot, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 rib celery with tops, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium leek, trimmed, cleaned, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, peeled and halved
6 sprigs parsley
2 teaspoons kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Put the bones, chicken, and veal into a large, 8-stockpot. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Drain and rinse bones and meat under cold water to remove all the scum. Rinse and wipe the inside of the stockpot. Return meat and bones to the stockpot and add the 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming often. Add the remaining ingredients. Reduce the heat, partially cover, and simmer gently for 3 hours. Skim occasionally.

Strain the stock through a double layer of cheesecloth. The stock keeps, refrigerated and covered, for 3 to 4 days; or it can be frozen for up to 6 months. Skim the fat from the surface before using.

Consommé:
2 tablespoons grated onion
6 cups white stock, chilled and thoroughly skimmed of fat
2 large egg whites
2 eggshells, crushed
½ teaspoon saffron threads or 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the grated onion in a fine sieve over a small bowl and press down on it with the back of a spoon to extract the juices. Measure and set aside 1 teaspoon of the onion juice. Discard the rest.

In a 3-quart saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. When the stock is boiling, stir in the egg whites and eggshells, reduce the heat, and simmer gently, without stirring, for about 20 minutes. Strain the stock into a slightly smaller stockpot through a large sieve lined with several thicknesses of rinsed cheesecloth. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat and stir in the reserved onion juice.

If you are using saffron threads, crush them between your fingers and place in a small dish. Add about 1/4 cup of the hot stock, stir gently to dissolve the saffron, the pour the mixture into the simmering stock. If you are using ground saffron, whisk directly into the simmering stock.

Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes more to let the flavor develop. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 servings.

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10. Deborah Madison from her book, "Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets."
(Used with permission by Broadway Books.)

RAISED ROOT VEGETABLES WITH BLACK LENTILS AND RED WINE SAUCE
Serves 6

This dish is for when you want to fuss a bit and make a celebration of root vegetables or for when you want an impressive vegetarian meal. It involves four elements: the sauce, the vegetables, the lentils, and some form of mashed potatoes or root vegetable puree. None of the parts are difficult or even terribly time consuming in and of themselves. However, you might choose to cook them over the course of 2 days. Only the potato-based puree is best made at the last minute, and even it can be held for an hour or so in a double boiler.
If making the dish from start to finish, start with the sauce, adding trimmings, such as carrot ends and parsnip cores, as you work. While it's simmering, prepare the vegetables and cook the lentils. You can have the potatoes scrubbed, cut and waiting in a pot of cold water to cook close to serving.

The Red Wine Sauce:
1/3 cup dried porcini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
5 mushroom and/or mushroom trimmings
parsnip tips and cores, from the vegetables, below
4 garlic cloves, smashed
aromatics: 2 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf, 1(2-inch) rosemary sprig
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups Merlot
1 tablespoon mushroom soy sauce, more or less
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Cover the porcini with 1 quart warm water and set aside. Heat the oil in a wide soup pot. Add the vegetables, garlic, and aromatics. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are well browned, about 20 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a little pepper.

2. Stir in the tomato paste and flour, then pour in the wine plus the dried mushrooms and their soaking liquid. Vigorously scrape the bottom of the pot to work in the juices, then bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Strain into a 1-quart measure. You should have about 3 cups. Return it to the pan and simmer until reduced to 2 ½ cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the mushrooms soy sauce, then taste for salt and season with pepper. Whish in the butter. Set aside.

The Vegetables:
18 to 24 shallots or red pearl onions
3 large or 6 medium parsnips
6 medium carrots or 18 small carrots
5 large mushrooms
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
aromatics: 1 bay leaf, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 ½ teaspoons minced rosemary
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, chopped with 1 garlic cloves

1. Peel the shallots and separate them where their natural divisions occur. If using pearl onions, parboil for 1 minutes, the drain and peel, keeping the root end intact.
2. Peel the parsnips and trim off the skinny tips. Cut the remaining vegetable into 3 segments of equal length. Quarter the thickest section and remove a portion of the core. Halve the middle section and keep the last section whole. (Use the tips and cores in the sauce as directed.)
3. Peel the carrots and cut them into 2- to 3-inch lengths. If they're tapered, cut the thick ends into quarters, cut the middles into halves and keep the last skinny pieces whole. If they're the same diameter from tip to tail, simply halve them lengthwise. Thickly slice the mushrooms.
4. Heat the oil and butter in a wide skillet of Dutch oven. Add the carrots and shallots and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until well browned in places, about 10 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, then add the herbs. Pour in 1 cup of the sauce and 1 cup water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender when pierced, 20 to 25 minutes. (Add more water if needed – there should be some moisture in the pan.) Season with pepper and set aside until needed.

The Lentils:
½ cup "Caviar" Beluga of French green lentils, sorted and rinsed
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Cover the lentils with 3 cups water, add the salt, and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, then stir in the butter and 1 cup of the sauce.

Parsley Root and Potato Puree
1 bunch (½ dozen or so) parsley roots
handful of the parsley root greens or flat-leaf parsley
1 pound Yellow Finn or other waxy golden potatoes
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
butter
cream or half-and-half, optional

1. Peel the parsley roots. Wash the greens. Scrub and peel the potatoes. Coarsely chop the vegetables, then put them in a saucepan, cover with water, add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, but reserve the liquid.
2. Return the vegetables to the pan and mash them, using the reserved cooking water to thin the mixture as needed. When smooth, stir in butter and cream, if using, to taste.
3. Finely chop the parsley, then stir them into the puree. Taste for salt, season with pepper, and serve.

Finishing the Dish
Prepare the puree. Reheat the vegetables with the remaining sauce. Mound the puree in the center of 6 pasta plates. Place 2 or 3 spoonfuls of lentils around the potatoes, then fill in with the vegetables. Spoon extra sauce around and over the vegetables and lentils, then garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.

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graphic art by Amanda Hanlon: http://www.amandahanlon.com

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