The Epicurious Cookbook (27 page)

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Authors: Tanya Steel

BOOK: The Epicurious Cookbook

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YIELD: MAKES 8 SERVINGS

6 tablespoons white vinegar

4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

2 (1-pound) English hothouse cucumbers, very thinly sliced

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

3¼ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 10 medium), unpeeled

1 cup very thinly sliced white onion

8 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced

¾ cup mayonnaise

Small radishes with green tops, for garnish

1.
Stir the vinegar and 4 teaspoons coarse salt in a small bowl until the salt dissolves. Place the cucumbers and ½ cup dill in a heavy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the vinegar mixture; seal the bag. Turn several times to coat. Refrigerate overnight, turning bag occasionally.

2.
Pour the cucumber mixture into a large sieve set over a bowl. Drain at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Discard brine.

3.
Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain. Cool the potatoes completely. Peel the potatoes; quarter lengthwise. Cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Place the potatoes in a large bowl; sprinkle generously with coarse salt and pepper.

4.
Add the drained cucumbers, onion, sliced radishes, and remaining 3 tablespoons dill; toss to blend. Let stand 1 hour. Stir the mayonnaise into the salad. Season generously with salt and pepper, if desired.

5.
Mound the salad in a bowl; garnish with whole radishes. Serve cold or at room temperature.

“Well worth the pickling work the night before. The cucumbers were ultra salty—I remedied this by rinsing them in water, then in vinegar, followed by the drying time.”

Whiterabbbit, Orange County, California

do ahead:

The
SALAD
can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

sweet potato salad
with spicy peanut dressing

This summery way to serve yams is great with hoisin-glazed ribs or pork chops. Experiment by swapping the spuds for rice to create another filling vegetarian meal, or serve the creamy dressing as a dip for chicken satay.

YIELD: MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

4 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

4 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon peanut butter

2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce

1½ teaspoons light brown sugar

2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1½ cups sugar snap peas, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

⅓ cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts

1.
Whisk the vinegar, soy sauce, mayonnaise, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, peanut butter, chili-garlic sauce, and sugar in a medium bowl to blend.

2.
Add enough water to a large saucepan to reach a depth of ½ inch. Bring to a boil; add the sweet potatoes and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain; cool.

3.
Mix the sweet potatoes, dressing, peas, and green onions in a large bowl. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

4.
Sprinkle the salad with peanuts and serve.

“I made it as called for, except that I used light mayo and threw the dressing into the blender. I doubled it, and didn’t think I’d have enough of it the way people were eating it.”

A cook, Chicago, Illinois

do ahead:

The
DRESSING
can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Baked Zucchini Fries with Tomato Coulis Dipping Sauce

baked zucchini fries
with tomato coulis dipping sauce

Zucchini replaces the traditional starchy potato, making this a great way to get your kids to love their veggies. Plus, the dipping sauce is ketchup on steroids.

YIELD: MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

FOR TOMATO COULIS

1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, and diced

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon minced shallot or onion

2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR FRIES

1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 2-inch-long pieces ¼ inch thick

1.
Combine the coulis ingredients in a blender and pureé. Transfer to a sauté pan and cook over medium heat until fragrant and warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.

2.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

3.
In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Place the flour in another medium bowl and the eggs in a smaller bowl. Dip the zucchini sticks first in the flour until lightly coated, then in the beaten eggs. Roll them in the bread-crumb mixture until well covered.

4.
Transfer the zucchini pieces to a nonstick baking sheet and bake until the zucchini is tender but the coating is crisp, about 20 minutes. Let the fries cool slightly before eating. Serve with the coulis as a dipping sauce.

“I served the fries with ranch dressing instead, and that was really yummy!”

Jennchsm01, Austin, Texas

Corn on the Cob with Cheese and Lime

corn on the cob
with cheese and lime

Like Mexico’s better-known culinary exports—guacamole, tacos, and tequila—Mexican-style corn (
elote
) is finding its place in restaurants, street carts, and home kitchens across North America. Given how available the ingredients are and how quickly it can be prepared, it’s no wonder that it’s a new favorite. Grilling lends an earthiness to the corn, but if grilling is not an option, boil it instead. It’s worth seeking out cotija, a Mexican cow’s-milk cheese, but in a pinch, Parmesan or feta will do.

YIELD: MAKES 2 SERVINGS

4 ears of corn in the husk

¼ cup mayonnaise

⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

¾ cup shredded cotija or feta cheese

Lime wedges, for serving

Special equipment: Gas or charcoal grill

1.
Prepare the grill.

2.
Soak the corn in the husk in cold water 10 minutes. Drain and grill on a rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until husks are charred, about 10 minutes. Shuck the corn and grill until kernels are browned in spots, about 10 minutes.

3.
While corn is grilling, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and cayenne. Using the small teardrop-shaped holes on a four-sided grater, grate the cheese.

4.
Brush the mayonnaise mixture onto the hot corn and sprinkle with cheese.

5.
Serve corn on the cob with lime wedges.

“I recommend mixing the lime juice into the mayonnaise. We tried it both ways and prefer that to drizzling on top of the cheese.”

Thomaskurt, Seattle, Washington

stewed corn and tomatoes
with okra

Maque choux, a traditional Cajun dish of fresh corn, stewed tomatoes, and tender okra, is guaranteed to bring a burst of juicy heat to herb-roasted chicken or a meaty white fish. Mop up the savory side with a corn muffin or pair it with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Requiring nothing more than chopping and sautéing, this side is an easy go-to dish for summertime fare.

YIELD: MAKES 6 SERVINGS

6 green onions, chopped

1 fresh jalapeño chile, finely chopped, with seeds

1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

3 cups corn kernels (5 to 6 ears)

½ pound small fresh okra, trimmed, keeping stem end intact

1.
Cook the onions, jalapeño, bell pepper, and salt in the butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until broken down into a sauce, about 15 minutes.

2.
Add the corn and okra and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 15 minutes.

“I added fresh basil at the end to really perk up the flavors. Best served at room temperature, this dish travels well to potluck gatherings.”

A cook, Washington, D.C.

roasted tomatillo salsa

Freshly husked and oven-broiled, roasted tomatillos provide a smoky warmth you just won’t find in jarred salsa. To reduce the sodium here, use half the suggested amount of salt; the flavor will pick right back up with tortilla chips. While fresh tomatillos are an end-of-summer through fall item, you can use the canned variety to whip this up; and play around with the pepper selection to personalize your dip and control the heat.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

1½ pounds fresh tomatillos, or 3 (11-ounce) cans tomatillos

5 serrano chiles

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1.
Preheat the broiler.

2.
If using fresh tomatillos, remove the husks and rinse the tomatillos under warm water to remove stickiness. If using canned tomatillos, drain and measure out 2 cups.

3.
Broil the chiles, garlic, and fresh tomatillos (do not broil canned) on the rack of a broiler pan 1 to 2 inches from heat, turning once, until tomatillos are softened and slightly charred, about 7 minutes.

4.
Peel the garlic and pull off the tops of the chiles. Purée all the ingredients in a blender.

“Not for the faint of tongue! The smell of roasted tomatillos, serranos, and garlic will transport you to Mexico when you purée. Mixes lusciously with mashed avocado and added to scrambled eggs or as a topping for grilled fish.”

Domessmith, Irvine, California

do ahead:

The
SALSA
can be made 1 day ahead and covered and chilled.

avocado
-mango salsa

For your next Tex-Mex dinner, opt for this colorful summer salsa that features seasonal ingredients such as avocado, green onions, and mango. Serve it with black beans and rice, or heap it on jerk chicken or grilled fish for a fresh and healthy lunch or dinner any night of the week.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 medium tomato, seeded and diced

2 green onions, finely sliced

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 jalapeño chile, minced

1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced