Cooking for Two (3 page)

Sugar
Unless otherwise stated, “sugar” means granulated sugar. Light or dark brown sugar (the difference is the amount of molasses
added to granulated sugar) should be packed into tablespoon and cup measures to remove any air between the grains.

Tomatillos
Sometimes called Mexican green tomatoes, tomatillos are closely related to gooseberries. (You can tell because of their papery husks.) Purchase tomatillos that are bright green and, if possible, still have the husks attached. Tomatillos can be found in the produce section of most markets, often with the tomatoes, as well as in almost all Latin American markets.

Tomato Paste
Until recently, tomato paste was available only in cans, a sticking point when you only need a tablespoon or two. Now it’s widely available in squeeze tubes. Reseal the tube and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Vermouth
This is a great substitute for wine in small-batch cooking because you needn’t worry about it going bad after you’ve used a small amount. Store vermouth at room temperature in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Our recipes call only for dry vermouth, sold with a white label. Do not substitute sweet red vermouth, a concoction best kept for cocktails, or the Italian aperitif Bianco, sometimes sold as vermouth.

A well-stocked pantry helps you avoid those there’s-nothing-in-the-house-so-let’s-go-out moments. In all cases, we have not hesitated to use small amounts of these items. That said, you needn’t run out and buy this list before you start. It’s just a handy guide to things that will keep for months on end, used in small portions in these recipes.

All-purpose flour, preferably unbleached

Baking powder, preferably double-acting

Baking soda

Black pepper

Brandy or Grand Marnier

Bulgur wheat

Canola or other vegetable oil

Chocolate

bittersweet or dark squares or chips

semisweet chips

unsweetened squares or chips

Cocoa powder

Confectioners’ sugar

Cornstarch

Cream of tartar

Dried bread crumbs

Dried fruit

Dried pastas

Frozen puff pastry

Garlic

Green peppercorns

Herbs and spices

bay leaves

caraway seeds

cardamom pods

celery seeds

cinnamon sticks

cloves

crystallized ginger

curry powder

dried basil

dried cilantro

dried dill

dried oregano

dried parsley

dried rosemary

dried thyme

dry mustard

grated nutmeg

ground allspice

ground cinnamon

ground cloves

ground cumin

ground ginger

mild paprika

red pepper flakes

rubbed (ground) sage

sesame seeds

star anise pods

turmeric

Hoisin sauce

Honey, preferably an aromatic wildflower variety

Instant espresso powder

Jam

Ketchup

Maple syrup

Mayonnaise

Molasses, preferably unsulphured

Mustard, preferably smooth Dijon mustard

Nuts

blanched almonds

hazelnuts

pecans

pepitás

pine nuts

slivered almonds

unsalted cashews

unsalted peanuts

walnuts

Olive oil

Pastas

Peanut butter, preferably smooth

Quinoa

Rice, white and jasmine

Rolled oats

Rum

Salt

Sesame oil

Solid vegetable shortening

Soy sauce

Stock (beef, chicken, or vegetable, preferably fat free and no salt added)

Sugar (granulated and brown)

Tabasco sauce

Tapioca

Tofu, preferably brands such as Mori-Nu, which require no refrigeration

Unsalted butter

Vanilla extract

Vinegar

apple cider

balsamic

red wine

white wine

Worcestershire sauce

Yellow cornmeal

1. Read a recipe completely before you start cooking. Many have waste-saving steps—particularly, steps that use different parts of the same ingredient. It’s important to know where you’re headed, so you don’t inadvertently throw out something you’ll need later.

2. Avoid substitutions. While some are easy and marked in the book (cider vinegar for rice vinegar, for example), others are more complicated. What would you substitute, say, for unsweetened chocolate? In the end, don’t make substitutions unless they are specifically given in the recipe. When you’re cooking and baking in
small batches, the balance of flavors, leavenings, and proteins is slightly more precarious.

3. Measure meticulously. If you were making a traditional, three-tier, chocolate layer cake for ten, you might not level off the flour in one of the cup measures. Perhaps it wouldn’t make a noticeable difference; you’d only be adding 2 or 3 percent more flour to the cake. But if you don’t level off the one tablespoon of flour in our brownie recipe, you’ll be adding as much as 30 percent more flour to the batter. That’s enough to turn two fudgy brownies dry and tough.

If you’re a cook who likes to double the garlic or ground black pepper in recipes, we suggest you refrain with these. Doubling would mean the dish would be overwhelmed with garlic or pepper. More is not necessarily better when you’re cooking in small batches.

4. Don’t use a double boiler to melt chocolate. Half an ounce of chocolate is too small an amount to melt in a double boiler; it will coat the pan and you’ll never get it all out. Instead, place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Place the small bowl inside a larger bowl filled with about an inch of very hot water. (Do not let any of the water spill into the chocolate.) Keep stirring until the chocolate melts. Or melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave set on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until half the chocolate melts; then remove it from the microwave and stir until all the chocolate is melted.

5. Treat the cooking times as guidelines, not laws. Ovens are temperamental: some run hot; others, hot in spots. The best advice we can give? Use the visual cues in the text—“until the edges are brown,” “until fluffy and pale yellow”—and test a dish yourself to see if it’s done to your satisfaction.

Short answer: a lot of things. It can indicate a quick and simple dish. Or a homey, comforting one, like a cheesy casserole. Or a streamlined version of a classic, designed to fit into a busy schedule.

We’ve used three symbols to help you decide how a dish fits into the “everyday” rubric—in other words, what day would be appropriate to make which dish. Of course, this system is less than accurate. On an ordinary Wednesday night, you might find yourself making something we label as fit for a quiet weekend celebration. But we hope these symbols give you a fast reference point for using the recipes.

Step away from that kettle and get down a small saucepan—because what’s more comforting than soup, even when you’re cooking for two? Yes, these recipes begin with minuscule amounts—1 shallot, 1 teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon pepper—but none compromises taste. We’ve simplified the technique in jambalaya to make it a workday meal, morphed Yankee pot roast into a simple stew, and created a Thai-inspired one-pot vegetarian dinner. In all cases, the trick is to let the flavors meld in a slow simmer, just a bubble or two. With a little patience, you’ll have the deep flavors of a larger pot’s worth of stew, all in a two-serving package. It’s enough to push the Dutch oven into your cupboard’s recesses and put stews back in your weekly repertoire.

MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP
makes
2 hearty servings

M
ushroom barley soup is an American diner favorite—if ever made at home, then usually made for crowds. But there’s no reason it can’t be made for two—with a few substitutions. It’s often made with lima beans for added body, but a whole can of limas is too much for two servings and dried beans take hours to soak. Our answer? Lentils, which give the soup a somewhat lighter but still earthy flavor. Use any mixture of fresh mushrooms you want; for a treat, add to the mix some exotic varieties such as hen of the wood, black trumpets, or porcini. Serve this soup with a salad of greens, toasted pecans, and cubed goat cheese, dressed in a light vinaigrette.

1.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then stir in the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the carrots have softened somewhat and the onion is fragrant, stirring frequently. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, or just until their juices begin to make a sauce in the pan, stirring frequently.

2.
Once the mushrooms have begun to release their liquid, stir in the stock, water, tomato, barley, lentils, bay leaf, and rosemary. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the barley and lentils are quite tender, stirring occasionally to prevent the barley from sticking to the pan’s bottom. Season with salt and pepper, discard the bay leaf, and serve immediately.