WOMEN CHEFS OF
NEW YORK Nadia Arumugam
HEIRLOOM TOMATO AND WATERMELON SALAD SERVES 4 This recipe evokes the height of summer, when tomatoes are at their best and need only some good salt and olive oil. I wanted to stick with those basics but add just a few more ingredients to play with that simplicity and create a fun version of the classic Greek salad. 2 large heirloom tomatoes, halved or quartered and cut into ¼-inchthick slices ¼ medium seedless watermelon, cut into slices about the same size as for the tomatoes ½ cup Pickled Onions (see recipe below) ¼ cup strained pickling liquid from the Pickled Onions 3 tablespoons pistachio oil 3 tablespoons olive oil ¼ pound soft feta cheese ¼ cup pistachios, toasted and chopped 4 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves picked off and roughly torn Maldon sea salt Layer the tomatoes, watermelon, and onions on a large platter, overlapping the slices a little. Drizzle the pickling liquid, pistachio oil, and olive oil over them. Crumble the feta cheese evenly on top, then sprinkle the pistachios over this, followed by the torn mint leaves and the Maldon salt, to taste. Serve immediately.
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Pickled Onions (makes ¾ quart) 1 large white onion, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper ¾ cup red wine vinegar ¾ cup water 5 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 tablespoon kosher salt 4 bay leaves Equipment A glass quart jar with a lid Place the onion, ginger, and pepper in the glass jar, and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and bay leaves and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a funnel, pour the hot pickling liquid into the jar over the onion mixture. Place the jar in the refrigerator, uncovered; when cool, screw on the lid. The onions are now ready to use. The pickled onions are delicious in sandwiches, as a garnish for soups, and in other salads. They will keep refrigerated for at least a month.
WOMEN CHEFS OF NEW YORK
JEAN ADAMSON
American and Modern American
13
BUTTERMILK PANCAKES SERVES 2–3 (MAKES 6–7 PANCAKES) Everyone should have a tried-andtrue, made-from-scratch pancake in their collection of recipes. This one—which we serve all day at Empire Diner—has been through the test of many different cooks and has been made in batches that would feed 500 people. It works!!! The key is whipping the eggs to a fluffy, airy mass; it makes for a perfect pancake every time. 2 large eggs 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ tablespoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1½ cups buttermilk 3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled to room temperature ½ stick cold butter
To serve
butter and maple syrup or fruit
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Place the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until they are pale yellow and frothy and doubled in size. This will take about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a handheld electric mixer. Set aside. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a separate bowl. Whisk the buttermilk into the dry ingredients and blend to a smooth paste. Add the melted butter to the mixture and whisk well to incorporate. Now switch to a rubber spatula and fold the beaten eggs into the rest of the batter. Keep the batter at room temperature until ready to cook.
Serve the pancakes stacked on top of each other with butter and maple syrup. Alternatively, top them with fresh seasonal fruit or with a blueberry compote: simply warm fresh blueberries in a pan until some of the berries burst their skins and release their juices.
Heat a large skillet or a griddle pan to medium-high heat. Place a dab of cold butter on the pan and ladle out ¼ cup of batter. When the top of the pancake is aerated and small bubbles form at the surface, after 1–2 minutes, turn it over with a large metal spatula and cook for another 2–3 minutes until the underside of the pancake is a rich golden brown and the pancake is cooked through. Transfer to a roasting pan, cover with foil, and keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter, adding more butter to the pan as needed.
WOMEN CHEFS OF NEW YORK
AMANDA FREITAG
American and Modern American
53
SOY-BRAISED SHORT RIBS WITH CHESTNUTS AND KIMCHI SERVES 4–6 These short ribs are a play on the traditional Korean-style short ribs that I grew up with. The flavors of kimchi and sweet soy create an amazing combination. Here I suggest serving these ribs with Korean black rice, but they are also delicious served atop noodles. For the short ribs 4–5 pounds English-style (bonein) short ribs, chopped into 5- x 2-inch pieces—ask your butcher to do this for you canola oil, as needed 1 large onion, cut into large dice 3 cloves of garlic, crushed ⅓ cup sliced peeled fresh ginger 2 cups red wine ½ cup packed, dark brown sugar ¾ cup soy sauce ½ cup mirin 2 cups water or chicken stock, plus more as needed ½ cup diced Korean kimchi or daikon kimchi (optional; see suppliers, page 286) 6 ounces roasted, peeled chestnuts, finely crushed 3 tablespoons cold butter, diced salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed To garnish and serve 3–5 cups cooked Korean black rice prepared according to the package instructions ¼ cup thinly sliced kimchi a paper-thin plain omelet rolled up and sliced into fine ribbons ¼ cup sliced scallion ½–1 tablespoon sesame seeds
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Place the ribs in a large bowl and season them lightly with salt and pepper on all sides, bearing in mind that the soy will add a good deal of saltiness. Heat 1–2 tablespoons canola oil in a rondeau or other wide, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. When hot, sear the ribs until well browned on all sides. Do this in batches so as not to crowd the pot. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside. Pour out most of the fat, then add a little more canola oil to the pot. When hot, sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger until softened, about 8–10 minutes. Add the red wine, bring to a boil, and simmer until the wine has reduced by half. Next add the brown sugar, soy sauce, and mirin, along with the water or chicken stock, and return to a boil. Taste the liquid—it should be nicely sweet and salty.
Transfer the ribs to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Strain the sauce and skim off as much of the fat as possible. Return the strained sauce to the pot and heat over a mediumlow flame. When hot but not boiling, stir in the crushed chestnuts, then drop in a few cubes of the cold, diced butter and whisk continuously, adding more butter as necessary, until the sauce emulsifies, thickens, and becomes shiny. Be careful not to boil the sauce at this point or it will split. Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. To plate, arrange the ribs (still on the bone) over a mound of cooked black rice on each plate. Spoon some of the sauce over, then dot some sliced kimchi around the plates. Garnish with the ribbons of omelet, sliced scallion, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Add the kimchi, if using, then return the ribs to the pot. The liquid should cover the ribs at least three quarters of the way up. If it doesn’t, add a little more water or stock, and a splash of soy, if necessary. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for about 2–2½ hours. Check after 2 hours to see if the rib meat pulls very easily off the bone but that the ribs are not falling apart. When this point is reached, remove from the heat.
WOMEN CHEFS OF NEW YORK
SOHUI KIM
Asian Fusion
131
GREEN SHAKSHUKA SERVES 4 I love shakshuka, a dish of eggs poached in a rich tomato sauce. But in recent years it has been overdone by many places, so I decided to shake up the dish by replacing the tomatoes with tons and tons of healthy greens. 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra 2 whole leeks, white part diced and green tops very thinly sliced 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 small to medium jalapeño pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced 1 bunch of Swiss chard (about 5 or 6 stalks), leaves roughly chopped and stalks thinly sliced ½ bunch of Tuscan kale (about ¼ pound), trimmed and roughly chopped 3 cups (about ¼ pound) baby spinach (or regular spinach: 3 cups of roughly chopped trimmed leaves) 1 teaspoon ground caraway 1 teaspoon ground cumin kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock or water 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 6–8 medium eggs 5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled into large chunks
Heat the olive oil in a (12-inch or larger) skillet over high heat. When hot, add the white and green parts of the leeks, followed by the garlic, then the jalapeño pepper, and finally the Swiss chard stalks (only). Sauté until softened, about 6–8 minutes. Next add the kale, spinach, and chard leaves, in batches if necessary, cooking down until the leaves are wilted and soft, about 8–10 minutes. Add the caraway and cumin, and salt and pepper, to taste. Add the stock (or water) and lemon juice to the skillet. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to low. Depending on how many eggs you are using, create 6 to 8 little wells in the vegetable mixture in the skillet, then carefully break an egg into each well. Cover the skillet and cook until the whites of the eggs are firm and opaque but the yolks are still slightly runny, about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the top, then drizzle a little olive oil over this. Finally garnish with a couple of pinches of za’atar and serve warm, straight from the skillet, accompanied by crusty bread.
To serve za’atar 1 loaf of crusty bread, thickly sliced
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WOMEN CHEFS OF NEW YORK
EINAT ADMONY
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
165
LIME CHILI DOUGHNUT HOLES MAKES 4 DOZEN These small, spicy doughnuts are like little bites of clouds, and it is hard to stop eating them. In Mexico, we love our chilies—not simply for their heat but also for the different layers of flavors they provide. Here, the guajillo chili adds some fruity notes, which complement the lime very well, and the arbol chili adds spice. For the doughnuts ½ cup milk 2 teaspoons plus ⅓ cup granulated sugar, kept separately ½ tablespoon active dry yeast 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed ½ teaspoon arbol chili powder (you can substitute cayenne pepper) ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest ¼ cup water 1 large egg, at room temperature ½ stick butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature 2½ quarts vegetable oil, for frying For the lime chili topping 1 cup granulated sugar 1½ tablespoons grated lime zest 1 teaspoon arbol chili powder 2 teaspoons guajillo chili powder ½ teaspoon salt Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it feels slightly warm but not hot (if it’s too hot it will kill the yeast). Pour the milk into a small bowl and stir in the 2 teaspoons sugar and the yeast, using a fork. Set aside for about 10 minutes until the mixture bubbles slightly.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, combine the flour, the remaining ⅓ cup sugar, the arbol chili powder, the salt, and the lime zest. In a small bowl whisk the water and the eggs together; set aside. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture on slow speed, then, still mixing, gradually add the egg mixture. Increase the speed to medium once most of the egg is absorbed into the dry mixture, then add the butter, a few pieces at a time. Once all the butter has been added, continue to knead on medium speed until the dough feels elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This will take about 15–20 minutes depending on your mixer (resist the urge to add more flour if the mixture seems too sticky). Place the dough in a large, greased bowl and sprinkle a bit of flour over the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Take out the dough and let it sit for about 20 minutes or until it comes to room temperature. Meanwhile, line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Next prepare the lime chili topping by mixing all the ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisk. Set aside.
WOMEN CHEFS OF NEW YORK
When the dough is at room temperature, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out rounds using a 1½-inchdiameter cutter and place the dough rounds on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Cover the trays lightly with plastic wrap, clean towels, or cheesecloth and leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. When you’re ready to cook the doughnut holes, fill a large heavybottomed pot with the vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat. (If you prefer, use a deep fryer.) Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and set aside. When the oil registers 375°F on a candy or deep-frying thermometer, carefully drop the doughnut holes into the hot oil, in batches. Fry, moving them around with a slotted spoon and flipping them as needed, until golden brown all over and cooked through, about 1–1½ minutes. Transfer the cooked doughnut holes to the wire rack. Allow the oil to return to 375°F in between batches. Once the holes are cool enough to handle but still warm, toss them in the bowl with the topping mixture. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon to remove the excess sugar. Although they can be made in advance, to enjoy them at their best you should serve them immediately while still warm.
FANY GERSON
Purely Pastry
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BIRTHDAY CAKE TRUFFLES
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WOMEN CHEFS OF NEW YORK
MAKES ABOUT A DOZEN 1-OUNCE BALLS
Put the birthday cake sand into a medium sized bowl and set aside.
My favorite offering at Milk Bar is our cake truffles, spawned entirely from leftover bits and pieces of cake and layering scraps! We once served slices of cake cut to order, but after hemming and hawing with our endearing staff of counter employees over the correct way to slice and serve a multilayered cake, we got smart. We decided to make cake truffles. Now, instead of committing to a whole slice of cake, customers can get a bite, or two or three. You can choose to follow the recipe, or get crazy using leftovers to concoct your own combinations. Don’t limit yourself to birthday cake; you can use any cake scrap and any leftover fillings, crumbs, or crunches from your kitchen
Combine the birthday cake and 2 tablespoons vanilla milk in a separate medium sized bowl and toss with your hands until moist enough to knead into a ball. If it is not moist enough to do so, add up to 2 tablespoons more vanilla milk and knead it in.
1 cup Birthday Cake Sand (see recipe below, page 260) 3 cups Birthday Cake 2–4 tablespoons Vanilla Milk (see recipe below, page 260) 3 ounces white chocolate, melted
Working quickly, add 3 or 4 chocolate-covered balls at a time to the bowl of birthday cake sand. Immediately toss them with the crumbs to coat, before the chocolate shell sets and no longer acts as a glue (if this happens, just coat the ball in another thin layer of melted chocolate). Arrange the coated cake truffles on a sheet pan and refrigerate for at least 5 minutes to fully set the chocolate shells before eating or storing. The truffles will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge, in an airtight container.
Using a small ice cream scoop, portion out 12 even balls, each half the size of a Ping-Pong ball. Roll each one between the palms of your hands to shape and smooth it into a round sphere. With latex gloves on, put 2 tablespoons of the white chocolate in the palm of your hand and roll each ball between your palms, coating it in a thin layer of melted chocolate; add more chocolate to your hand as needed.
Birthday Cake (makes 1 quarter sheet pan cake) 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature ⅓ cup vegetable shortening 1¼ cups granulated sugar 3 tablespoons tightly packed light brown sugar 3 eggs ½ cup buttermilk ⅓ cup grapeseed oil 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract 2 cups cake flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon kosher salt ⅓ cup rainbow sprinkles Pam-spray, as needed Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the butter, shortening, and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs, and mix on medium-high for 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more. On low speed, stream in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and paddle for 4–6 minutes, until the mixture is practically white, twice the size of your original fluffy butter-and-sugar mixture, and completely homogenous. Don’t rush the process. You’re basically forcing too much liquid into an already fatty mixture that doesn’t want to make room for that liquid. There should be no streaks of fat or liquid. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
CHRISTINA TOSI
Purely Pastry
259