The Essential James Beard Cookbook (54 page)

The best buy is the fresh sauerkraut packaged in plastic bags and sold in German pork butcher shops and many supermarkets, but canned sauerkraut is also acceptable. Fresh sauerkraut is very salty and should always be rinsed well before using.

2 pounds fresh sauerkraut

4 to 5 slices salt pork or rindless slab bacon, cut
¹
⁄
₈
inch thick

Freshly ground black pepper

Bouquet garni of 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parley, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf, tied in rinsed cheesecloth

2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

10 crushed juniper berries or 2 tablespoons gin

4 cups
Chicken Stock
, dry white wine, or lager beer, as needed

Rinse the sauerkraut well in a colander under cold running water, tossing it with your hands. Drain well and squeeze by the handful to remove the excess liquid. Line the bottom of a large heavy pot with the salt pork or bacon (if you use salt pork, soak it in cold water for 30 minutes to remove the excess salt). Put layers of sauerkraut into the pot, grinding black pepper on each layer. Tuck in the bouquet garni, garlic, and juniper berries (or pour in the gin). Pour on enough liquid (I prefer chicken stock, which gives a more delicate flavor) to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer slowly for 2 to 4 hours. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes.

SPINACH WITH CREAM AND NUTMEG

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Editor: Here is how to make the steakhouse specialty, creamed spinach, at home.

Two 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Squeeze the spinach by handfuls to remove the excess liquid. Chop the spinach again. Melt the butter in a skillet, over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, then the cream. Cook until the mixture boils and thickens. Add the spinach and mix. Season with salt and add the nutmeg. Cover and heat over very low heat, stirring once or twice, or heat in a double boiler over hot water, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.

SAUTÉED SUMMER SQUASH

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Summer squash (zucchini, little yellow straightnecks and crooknecks, tiny pattypans, or scalloped squash) have become much more a part of our vegetable lives since we learned that they should be cooked fast so they don’t disintegrate to an unappetizing mushiness. Look for the youngest, smallest, and firmest squash you can find and don’t on any account peel them.

1½ pounds summer squash

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, or olive oil or a combination of the two

4 to 5 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Trim the squash and slice thinly or cut into long fingers (for zucchini or crooknecks). Heat the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the scallions until the white parts are just translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the squash and sauté very quickly, tossing well, and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Just before serving, add the chopped parsley and lemon juice.

BAKED TOMATOES STUFFED WITH MOZZARELLA

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

A versatile and attractive little dish I like to serve as a first course, with
Veal Scallops with Lemon
, or as a light luncheon entrée.

4 to 6 large, ripe, firm tomatoes

¹
⁄
₃
cup olive oil, as needed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 to 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, preferably fresh mozzarella (amount depends on size of tomatoes)

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil

Cut a slice from the top of each tomato. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the pulp and seeds. Turn the tomato shells upside down on a platter and allow them to drain for about 15 minutes. Use some of the oil to brush a baking dish just large enough to hold the tomatoes. Place them in the dish. Season each tomato cavity with salt and pepper, and drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil into each one. Chop the mozzarella finely and mix it with the basil. Stuff the tomatoes with this mixture. With a pastry brush, brush the outside skin of the tomatoes with the remaining olive oil. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until the mozzarella has melted. Serve hot.

VARIATION

BAKED TOMATOES STUFFED WITH CORN:
Blend a little of the chopped tomato pulp with 2 cups fresh corn kernels, 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) melted unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stuff the tomato shells with the mixture, cover the tops with ½ cup fresh bread crumbs, dot with 2 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through.

TOMATOES WITH OKRA

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Editor: Beard cooks these in the traditional manner. If you like your okra less well done, cook them just until tender, about 15 mintues.

3 to 4 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ cup olive oil

1 pound small okra, stem ends trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry with paper towels

2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes with their juices

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Lemon wedges, for serving

Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and when they are slightly browned, about 5 minutes, add the okra. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and coriander and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, or until the okra is very tender. Serve with lemon wedges.

STEAMED CHERRY TOMATOES

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Editor: A simple recipe that can go with just about any roast meat or grilled steaks or chops, it is best when made with summer tomatoes from the farmers’ market.

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 pints cherry tomatoes, stems removed

1 teaspoon, or more, chopped fresh dill, basil, or tarragon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in the upper part of a double boiler. Add the tomatoes with the herb of your choice, and the salt and pepper. Cover and cook until they are just tender, about 5 minutes.

SCALLOPED FRESH TOMATOES

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Editor: When Beard was cooking, fresh tomatoes were most often cooked in the summer when they were in season and bursting with flavor. This recipe should be reserved for when you can get great tomatoes.

Softened butter, for the baking dish

8 to 10 ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded

1 to 1½ cups fresh bread crumbs

8 to 12 tablespoons (1 to 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Butter a deep baking dish and alternate layers of the tomatoes, bread crumbs, cubes of butter, and salt and pepper. Finish with a layer of crumbs, season with salt and pepper, and dot with the remaining butter. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and the crumbs are browned. Serve hot.

GLAZED TURNIPS

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

These are a classic accompaniment to roast duck or goose. Often they are basted at the last minute with some of the pan juices from the duck.

6 to 8 small white turnips

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon or more sugar

Peel the turnips and with a very sharp knife shape each into two ovals about the size of a walnut but slightly longer—you should get two or more ovals from each turnip.

Heat the butter in a heavy skillet, until foaming, add the turnips, sprinkle them with salt, and cook very slowly over medium-low heat, shaking the pan and turning them often, for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar, shake the pan, and keep cooking and turning the turnips until they are lightly glazed and tender but still crisp. For a heavier glaze, add a little more sugar.

MASHED YELLOW TURNIPS WITH BUTTER

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Peel and slice
2 medium or 1 very large yellow turnip
—called rutabaga or Swede—according to the part of the country in which you live. Cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and mash with
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter.
Add
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
to taste.

VEGETABLE FRITTERS

MAKES ABOUT 8 SERVINGS

Below are suggestions for many kinds of fritters, each item to be dipped in batter and deep-fried.

For the Batter

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs, well beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup whole milk, as needed

Suggestions for the vegetables, in bite-size pieces

Marinated buds of cooked cauliflower or raw cauliflower

Cooked and marinated artichoke hearts

Tiny marinated onions

Marinated celery cubes

Marinated celery root (celeriac) cubes

Marinated mushrooms

Marinated Brussels sprouts

Marinated asparagus tips

Tiny raw tomatoes

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Editor: The marinated vegetables can be purchased at a supermarket or delicatessen, or marinate the raw or cooked vegetables in
Basic Vinaigrette Sauce
.

To make the batter: Work the flour and butter together in a medium bowl with a rubber spatula. Whisk in the eggs. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and add enough milk to make a batter the consistency of heavy cream. Let stand for 30 minutes to 2 hours before using.

Fill a deep pot with enough vegetable oil to come halfway up the sides and heat over high heat to 380°F. Working in batches, without crowding, just before cooking, dip each vegetable in batter and let the excess batter drip back into the bowl. Add the vegetables to the oil and deep-fry until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Keep warm in a preheated 200°F oven until all of the vegetables have been fried. Serve on a napkin.

SPICED WINTER SQUASH

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Editor: Winter squash gets a lift from butter and warm spices.

2 pounds Hubbard, banana, or butternut squash, cut into large chunks, seeds removed

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for serving

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground mace

Kosher salt

Put the squash on a rack or in a steam basket over simmering water and steam until the flesh is just tender, which will depend on the size and age of the squash—but allow at least 20 minutes. Do not overcook. Scrape the pulp from the shell and beat well with a fork or whisk, adding the butter, allspice, and mace, until light and fluffy. Season with salt. Serve in a heated dish dotted with more butter.