One Pan, Two Plates (3 page)

Select smaller potatoes.
I direct you to use new potatoes in most of the recipes in this book for a few reasons. The first is that I think they taste better; they contain more moisture and flavor, and have a creamier texture. The second reason is sizing. In most instances, a whole potato would be too large and half of it would need to be refrigerated for another use. We all know what will happen to that potato. It will be lost in the jungle of vegetables in the crisper bin. So buy a small bag of new potatoes when cooking for two. They taste better and waste less.

Chop your own garlic.
Prechopped garlic in that little jar tastes nothing like a freshly chopped clove, so walk right past it and purchase a fresh head of garlic. It will keep for weeks in a bowl on your countertop. The size
of garlic cloves varies widely, of course, so use your taste as a guide when doing the numbers for a recipe. If the clove on hand is small and you like a lot of garlic, add another. Likewise, if the clove is large and the recipe calls for two, one may be enough. I’m a fan of chopping garlic with a knife, but it you prefer a garlic press, go ahead and use it.

Use a Microplane for zesting.
I love how this tool allows you to utilize the intense flavor in the skin of oranges, lemons, and limes virtually without any struggle to avoid the bitter white pith that lies beneath. Inexpensive and very useful, the Microplane effortlessly grates not just zest but also nutmeg and hard cheeses such as Parmesan. For best results when working with citrus fruits, zest first and then squeeze.

Serve meals on warmed plates.
Heat your plates (as long as they have no metal decorations) in the microwave for about 1½ minutes prior to serving up dinner. It will keep the food nice and hot while you converse and linger over a glass of wine.

Read the recipe before starting to cook.
It may sound crazy to the time-crunched and starving, but reading the recipe to get the lay of the land before you begin cooking will actually save you time. Take out all the ingredients from the fridge and pantry and arrange them on the countertop. Take a moment to look through the steps of the method section and then plan how you will begin the prep. Often one part of the meal can be cooking while you continue to prep ingredients that are added later; even something as simple as peeling and chopping while your pan of water comes to a boil can cut the preparation time in half. Professional cooks arrange all the ingredients on the counter beforehand, measured and chopped, before any ingredients go into a hot pan. Strategies like this add up to a more relaxed cooking experience, which leads to more relaxed dining, which leads to a more relaxed evening. You get the picture.

THE CARBOHYDRATE CURE

CHAPTER 1

pastas, grains & hot sandwiches

Three-Cheese Mac

with
CRISPY PROSCIUTTO

There is nothing that delivers comfort and a little pampering like creamy, rich macaroni and cheese. I add crispy, fried prosciutto for its salt and hammy flavor, and because dinner is just usually more, well, dinnerlike for my husband if it contains a little meat. This version includes my top three cheeses: goat cheese, Parmesan, and Gruyère. For extra TLC, add a glass of wine, an extra log on the fire, and something chocolate for dessert.

........

START TO FINISH
45 minutes

...

HANDS-ON TIME
25 minutes

...

serves 2

........

Salt

2 cups/225 g elbow macaroni

4 tbsp/55 g unsalted butter

6 thin slices prosciutto, cut crosswise into strips

½ cup/55 g panko bread crumbs

1½ tbsp all-purpose flour

1½ cups/360 ml milk, warmed in the microwave

⅓ cup/55 g crumbled goat cheese

⅓ cup/40 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese

⅓ cup/40 g shredded Gruyère cheese

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Position a rack in the center.

2.
Fill a 12-in/30.5-cm ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, with water up to about 1 in/2.5 cm from the top. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tsp salt and toss in the macaroni. Stir gently once or twice so the pasta doesn’t stick.

3.
Reduce the heat to medium-high. You must cook the macaroni at a gentle boil only until it’s still just short of completely tender, because it will finish cooking in the oven. For example, if the box says to cook for 7 minutes, test the pasta after 5 minutes. To check, fish a piece out of the water (a slotted spoon makes it easy), run it under cold water, and bite it. It should still be chewy, but not tough. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink and run cold water over it to stop the cooking and keep it from clumping.

4.
Add 2 tbsp of the butter to the pan and melt over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and toss it around in the pan until it’s crispy, about 2 minutes. Transfer the prosciutto to a plate. Put the panko in a small bowl. Pour the hot butter left in the pan over the panko and toss to coat.

5.
Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp butter. When the butter is melted, sprinkle in the flour and ¼ tsp salt. Cook, stirring, until the flour becomes foamy, about 1 minute. Whisk in the warm milk. Stir until the mixture is thickened and saucy, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add all three cheeses, the nutmeg, and a grind or two of pepper, stirring until the cheeses are melted. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if it needs it. Stir in the macaroni and prosciutto until all of the mac is thoroughly coated and the prosciutto is evenly distributed. Smooth the top and sprinkle the buttery bread crumbs over the top.

6.
Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the juices are bubbly and the top is lightly browned. If you have time to give it a few more minutes, the top will get even crispier. Scoop into warmed shallow bowls and serve hot.

it’s that easy:
Macaroni and cheese for two makes a simple yet lovely meal when paired with a green salad, crusty bread, and a glass of wine. I prefer to make and serve it in a cast-iron skillet, because the pan holds the heat so well. One time, I put the skillet on the table, set out two forks, and my husband and I devoured it right out of the pan. It was delicious that way because the cheesy sauce was oozy and hot throughout the whole meal. It was also fun to fight over the larger pieces of prosciutto with our forks . . . a kind of forky swordplay if you will.

extra hungry?
Pair this pasta dish with a simple salad if you’re craving a bit of green stuff. It doesn’t have to be complicated—just a handful of greens, a squirt of fresh lemon juice, and a glug of olive oil should do it.

in the glass:
It’s tough to find a low-priced white Burgundy, but they are out there if you look. Try to find Vincent Girardin Bourgogne. It’s a Chardonnay with lots of crisp apple to counteract the richness of the cheese, but it’s still light and is made without the profuse heavy oak that makes so many Chardonnays tough to pair with food.

Fresh Summer Pasta

with
TOMATOES, GARLIC, BASIL,
and
BUTTERY CROUTONS