Lunds and Byerly's REAL FOOD Fall 2013

EX

AL AR GU NA

Lunds and Byerly’s

H SC LI

EL :O LD H SC OO L FALL 2013

COMPLIMENTARY

IN LE W RTIB GE NV E D

A CO ZER /FRI FREE Text

ZER FREE5155 to 5

(PAG

E 16)

Cool-Weather, Globally Inspired Comfort Food

ONE-POT

WONDERS 03

CUBAN PORK AND PEPPER STEW WITH BLACK BEANS (RECIPE PAGE 55)

FREE

FIESTA CON CARNE: Tacos, Burritos, Tortas, and more CHEESE AND BEER: Popular craft brews with their cultured counterparts WHOLE GRAINS: Delicious and healthy ingredients take center stage

your oou ur ur

LOVE HOME YYouu are invited Yo d to tour this in t thi home h i the th Linden Hills area of Minneapolis during the 2013 FALL PARADE OF HOMES Remodelers Showcase SM

SEPTEMBER 27 - 29TH FRIDAY 1PM-7PM • SAT & SUN: NOON-6PM

For more project history visit our website: LakeCountryBuilders.com ❘ 952.474.7121 ❘

“The Thrill is Building ” ™

SINCE 1976

DESIGNING AND BUILDING IN THREE LOCATIONS BRAINERD LAKES AREA I TWIN CITIES I HAYWARD, WISCONSIN BC-20349679

Top Doctor with a Big Heart A Twin Cities household name sets himself apart with his philanthropy.

CONGRATULATIONS!! Dr. Crutchfield is the only dermatologist selected as a ‘ Top Doctor for Women’ every year since the inception of the Minnesota Monthly survey.

Dr. Crutchfield has also been recently recognized by The Grio, a division of NBC news, as one of the Top 100 Newsmakers Making History in the United States for 2013, and named by Minnesota Physician as 1 of the 100 most influential health care leaders in the state of Minnesota. “I want all my patients to look good and feel great with beautiful skin,” says Charles E. Crutchfield III, M.D. “When you come to Crutchfield Dermatology, the emphasis is on quality, in-depth skincare knowledge and service. That’s what really sets us apart.”

A long list of awards and honors serves as evidence that Crutchfield is good at what he does. What stands out even further is his generous community outreach and support. “I realize that no one gets to where they’re at without the help of many people. And I’m in a point in my career where I can give back.”

His support runs deep, especially for students, not only through scholarships and textbook donations, but also through mentorship. Dr. Crutchfield, a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School is a mentor in the University of Minnesota’s Future Doctors of America Program, where undergraduate students of color shadow Crutchfield during patient appointments. They learn the art of medicine and are introduced to a wide variety of opportunities. Dr. Crutchfield recently received the Minnesota Medical Association Foundation’s Minority Affairs Meritorious Service Award as an outstanding mentor dedicated to students within Minnesota’s Future Doctors Program. His medical students at the University of Minnesota Medical School have honored him three times as Teacher of the Year.

Crutchfield’s definition of community enthusiastically includes the Minnesota Twins, and his love of baseball occasionally surfaces in his philanthropic work. During his residency, he learned that a hospice patient, and fellow baseball fan, dreamed of meeting Kirby Puckett. He arranged the meeting, and Mayo Clinic acknowledged his kindness with the Karis Humanitarian Award. When Twins player Bert Blyleven accepted a dare to eat night crawlers in exchange for a hundred dollar donation to Parkinson’s research, Crutchfield upped the ante to a thousand dollars, challenging other medical clinics to join him. His challenge raised almost $15,000 for the Parkinson’s Association of Minnesota.

Crutchfield also donates to the Twins Community Fund to build ballparks for children in the inner city. “Sports give children focus and a sense of personal achievement,” he explains. “Many sports require a substantial investment, but baseball is financially accessible. You give a kid a glove, a ball, and a bat, and they are good to go.”

Remembering school days when he struggled with dyslexia himself, Crutchfield serves as a Hero Benefactor for the Reading Center; stepping in when available scholarship funds aren’t sufficient to cover the number of hopeful students. Dr. Crutchfield routinely financially supports and encourages his staff to participate in breast cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s walks. Minnesota Business Magazine recently named Crutchfield Dermatology as one of “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2013. Dr. Crutchfield has also been given the “Patriotic Employer Award” from the Minnesota National Guard for his support of our troops. He has also been awarded the “Gold Triangle Award” from the American Academy of Dermatology for promoting health-care awareness in underserved areas. Additionally, he offered free skin and scar treatments for the survivors of the tragic Minneapolis 35W bridge collapse. Dr. Crutchfield was selected as the first “Physician Health Care Hero” by Medica, Twin Cities Business and KARE11 for “Outstanding contributors to the quality of health care in Minnesota.”

His philanthropy also extends to supporting Camp Discovery, a camp for children with skin diseases. For more than a decade, Crutchfield has been an active supporter and nominator, and dedicated all royalties from the dermatology textbook he co-authored to the program. Once a child is accepted into the camp, their entire experience is covered by donations. “As a child, I loved going to camp. But as a dermatologist, working with children with skin diseases, [I] see so many of them ashamed to go because they are afraid to expose themselves and be teased. Camp Discovery is a place where kids can be kids again.”

Dr. Crutchfield’s efforts continue; he has established a lectureship at the University of Minnesota honoring his parents, Susan Crutchfield MD, as the youngest (at the time) and first African-American female graduate of the medical school, and Charles Crutchfield Sr. M.D. the first practicing African-American Obstetrician-Gynecologist in the Twin Cities, who has delivered almost 10,000 babies. He has also co-authored a children’s book for little leaguers extolling the virtues of being sun-safe and sun protection. Little Charles Hits a Home Run is available on Amazon. com, Kindle, Nook and iPad. Proceeds will benefit the Twins Community Fund and Camp Discovery for Children.

Dr. Crutchfield is also the founding member of “Doctors For The Practice Of Safe & Ethical Aesthetic Medicine”. More information can be obtained at safeandethicaldoctors.org. His latest medical endeavor is an initiative requiring automobile, cell phone and insurance companies equip cars with mandatory technology disabling texting while driving. Visit crutchfielddermatology.com/safetexting for more information.

For Dr. Crutchfield, giving back has become a way of life.

Crutchfield Dermatology • 1185 Town Centre Drive • Suite 101 • Eagan • 651-209-3600 www.CrutchfieldDermatology.com

N E K C I H C D GOO

.

N O I S S I M R IS OU

uad. We believe . We’re The Mom Sq tch wa r ou on t No mers. wanted parts? from local family far Untrimmed fat? Un ge-free and comes ca Solution-injected? d se rai al, tur na ly all icken because it’s tru in Gold’n Plump ch

Make good chicken your mission at GoldnPlump.com/MomSquad.

©

2013 JFC Inc.

Milk. Pure and Simple.

Certified Pasture Grazed.

Fresh milk from cows that graze on open pastures.

Never any artificial growth hormones. Enjoy the great taste.

Those who love to cook make more than food in the kitchen. They make the most of every moment together—sharing stories, creating delicious flavors and simply enjoying the company of close friends. For more than 80 years, Le Creuset has been a part of these special times, and a colorful companion to all who savor food—and life—to the fullest. To learn more about Le Creuset’s classic French quality, and the joys of cooking with premium enameled cast iron, visit www.lecreuset.com.

contents

30

p.

real food fall 2013

Features 26 Fiesta Con Carne At the heart of these versatile south-of-the border creations is an array of flavorful meat.

BY BRUCE AIDELLS

38 Whole Grain Centerpieces Whole grain meals shine as they take center stage.

BY ROBIN ASBELL

46 Craft and Culture Raise a glass to pairing craft beer and artisan cheese.

BY JANET FLETCHER

52 One-Pot Wonders Delicious globally-inspired family dishes impressive enough for a dinner party.

BY MOLLY STEVENS

60 Art, Cook, Memory Chef Alex Guarnaschelli discusses how comfort food comes in many guises.

BY TARA Q. THOMAS

2 real food fall 2013

Our Cover Cuban Pork and Pepper Stew with Black Beans (page 55). This page: Baja Style Fish Tacos (page 30).

Photographs by Terry Brennan

The Rebirth of a Legend.

Introducing

TWIN® Four Star II

from Zwilling J.A. Henckels, the

TWIN is a registered trademarks of Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Inc.

© 2007 Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Inc.

dramatic successor to FOUR STAR, the world’s most popular fine knives for 30 years.

Perfectly balanced.

Precision-forged from a single piece of our exclusive high-carbon, no-stain steel. Like every Henckels knife, it comes with our famous lifetime warranty.

®

ZWILLING J.A.HENCKELS

PASSION FOR THE BEST. SINCE 1731.

jahenckels.com

The leading independent product testing organization ranks Henckels TWIN knives #1 and #2 among all brands.

contents

Departments 6 Contributors 18 Countertop Raise a glass to beer and cheese tasting: products to make it fun and easy. Plus, it’s pie time.

18

p.

BY STYLE ARCHITECTS

22 Kitchen Skills The key to making delicious pie is often all in the crust. And, it’s easier than you think!

BY JASON ROSS

64 Pairings The new go-to red wine? Pinot Noir—and it pairs with whatever will be on your table tonight.

64

22

PUBLISHER STEVE FOX EDITOR JOEL SCHETTLER ART DIRECTOR JAMIE JOHNSON DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION SERVICES LAURIE ETCHEN SENIOR EDITOR MARY SUBIALKA SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER MANDY FINDERS ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES JENNIFER MCALPIN AND GLORI RANTZ

VOLUME 9, NUMBER 3 Real Food magazine is published quarterly by Greenspring Media Group Inc., 600 U.S. Trust Building, 730 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55402, 612.371.5800, Fax 612.371.5801. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Real Food is exclusively operated and owned by Greenspring Media Group Inc. Printed in the USA. www.realfoodmag.com

4 real food fall 2013

The pages between the covers of this magazine (except for any inserted material) are printed on paper made from wood fiber that was procured from forests that are sustainably managed to remain healthy, productive, and biologically diverse. Printed with soy-based inks.

THE NEW HOT DRINK.

Hot or cold, brewed fresh, not shaken or stirred. Drink something good for you ... Bigelow green tea. To your health!

- The Bigelow Family Visit www.bigelowtea.com for tea drink recipes, gift ideas, and health information.

contributors

Janet Fletcher

is the longtime cheese columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and the author or co-author of more than 20 books on food and wine, including Cheese & Wine; The Cheese Course; and Eating Local. Her food writing has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers and earned her three James Beard Awards. She lives in Napa Valley but teaches cheese-appreciation and cooking classes around the country.

Bruce Aidells

founded Aidells Sausage Company in California in 1983. He left the company in 2002 to pursue food writing. A regular contributor to Bon Appétit and Fine Cooking, he has also shared his expertise in several cookbooks, including The Complete Meat Cookbook and his latest, The Great Meat Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Cook Today’s Meat. He is a host of Good Cookin’ with Bruce Aidells on livewellnetwork.com and invites you to join him there and on his Good Cookin’ page on Facebook.

Terry Brennan

is an award-winning photographer who has worked for General Mills, Pillsbury, Budweiser, Target, and many national advertising agencies. “My real passion lies in editorial work,” he says, “in which a photographer’s freedom to create a story or look through the photograph is much greater.”

6 real food fall 2013

Robin Asbell

spreads the word about how truly delicious and beautiful whole, real foods can be through her work as an author, cooking teacher, and private chef. She likes to add special touches to dishes that range from meat and seafood to beans and grains, with an emphasis on taste. Her latest book is Big Vegan: Over 350 Recipes No Meat No Dairy All Delicious, which follows The New Whole Grains Cookbook, and the New Vegetarian.

Molly Stevens

is an award-winning cookbook author and cooking teacher. Her two cookbooks, All About Roasting and All About Braising both earned James Beard Awards and IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) awards. Her recipes and tips have appeared in Fine Cooking, The Wall Street Journal, Everyday with Rachel Ray, Real Simple, Bon Appétit, Saveur, and other publications. Classically trained as a chef in France, Molly has directed programs and taught at the French Culinary Institute, New England Culinary Institute, and L’Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in Burgundy, France and Venice, Italy.

Molly continues to travel and teach cooking classes across the country. She lives near Burlington, Vermont.

Lara Miklasevics Tara Q. Thomas

gave up cooking professionally to become a culinaryobsessed writer. She’s been a senior editor at Wine & Spirits for the past decade and writes regularly for the Denver Post, Culture, Gastronomica, and Gourmet. com. The Brooklyn, New York–based mom of two is also author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wine Basics.

began her food career on the other side of the camera, cooking at the renowned New French Café. Today her work as a stylist is in demand at corporations including Heinz, Target, and General Mills, as well as with many magazines. She prides herself on using her experience as a chef to make food as appealing on the page as it is on the plate.

Jason Ross

is a culinary instructor at Le Cordon Bleu in Minnesota and has worked as a consultant to help develop menus at many Twin Cities restaurants.

He grew up in New York City but now calls St. Paul home, where he lives with his wife and two young daughters.

FLAME® is Emile Henry’s newest innovation in ceramic technology.

Designed to work on the barbeque, (gas, charcoal, natural wood or electric cooking), in the oven and under the broiler at temperatures up to 750°F (400°C).

find us on Facebook

Pizza Stone

www.emilehenryusa.com info@emilehenryusa.com

• Turns any barbeque grill into an outdoor pizza oven.

• Scratch resistant, you can cut directly on the stone without damaging the surface.

• Glazed surface is easy to clean, dishwasher safe.

HUMBLE

BEGINNINGS.

EXTRAORDINARY

RESULTS.

From our perspective, there’s only one way to grow

superior cocoa beans. Organically. Call us traditional, but we believe it’s worth the extra effort because we care deeply about the environment, about our growers, and about achieving the richest, most complex chocolate flavor we possibly can.

Made with passion. Consumed with pleasure.™

WWW.GREENANDBLACKS.COM

© 2007 Green & Black's USA, Inc.

Lunds and Byerly’s welcome LuNDs Bloomington: 952-896-0092 Edina: 952-926-6833 Minneapolis Downtown: 612-379-5040 Northeast: 612-548-3820 Uptown: 612-825-2440 Minnetonka: 952-935-0198 Navarre: 952-471-8473 Plymouth: 763-268-1624 Richfield: 612-861-1881 St. Paul: 651-698-5845 Wayzata: 952-476-2222

ByerLy’s Burnsville: 952-892-5600 Chanhassen: 952-474-1298 Eagan: 651-686-9669 Edina: 952-831-3601 Golden Valley: 763-544-8846 Maple Grove: 763-416-1611 Ridgedale: 952-541-1414 Roseville: 651-633-6949 St. Cloud: 320-252-4112 St. Louis Park: 952-929-2100 St. Paul: 651-735-6340

shOP ONLiNe LundsandByerlys.com

FOOD questiONs? Get answers from our Foode experts.

952-548-1400 Monday–saturday, 10 a.m–6 p.m.

CLAsses & eVeNts Cooking Classes • 952-253-3409 Catering • 952-897-9800

REAL FOOD COMMeNts Aaron Sorenson • 952-927-3663

stAy CONNeCteD: sign up for our e-newsletter at LundsandByerlys.com Download our app by texting LB APP to 95173.

Join our text Club by texting DeALs to 95173.

EXPERT PARTNERS

E

very day we strive to provide you with a sensational shopping experience. For us that means an unwavering commitment to offering extraordinary food, exceptional service, and passionate expertise.

We do so, in large part, by having an amazingly talented and passionate team eager to wow you each and every time you visit us. We also enlist the support of outside experts who share our focus on quality, service, and expertise. Instore partners like Bachman’s, Caribou Coffee, Hissho Sushi, US Bank, and Lettuce Entertain You’s Big Bowl Chinese Express immediately come to mind.

There are also many behind-thescenes partners, including a couple of new ones, that further raise the level of expertise we’re able to provide you in our stores.

As many of you know, we led the development of our own sustainable seafood program, Responsibly Sourced, a couple of years ago.To ensure we could deliver on our commitment to offering you an increasing array of seafood choices from fisheries focused on preserving our oceans’ ecosystems, we partnered with some third-party experts, including the Marine Stewardship Council, Global Aquaculture Alliance, and The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Now we’ve added another layer of verification to our Responsibly Sourced program thanks to the experts at Monterey Bay Aquarium and their highly regarded Seafood Watch

program. Seafood Watch provides a comprehensive, science-based list of recommendations as to which seafood to consume or avoid. tres Their expertise Lund helps us provide you with even more sustainable seafood choices (see story on page 10).

We’ve also recently partnered with the Gluten Intolerance Group. As demand in gluten-free foods continues to rise, we wanted to partner with a leading expert to help customers be able to quickly and confidently identify gluten-free products. When you see our gluten-free symbol on a product’s shelf tag, you can be confident it meets the Gluten Intolerance Group’s stringent certification standards (see story on page 12).

Above all, we deeply appreciate the partnerships we’ve created with so many of you. We thank you for choosing to shop with us and look forward to continuing to provide you with a shopping experience that is truly sensational.

Sincerely,

Tres Lund Chairman and CEO

Facebook.com/LundsandByerlys twitter.com/LundsandByerlys Pinterest.com/LundsandByerlys LundsandByerlys.com real food 9

Lunds and Byerly’s seafood

The Perfect Catch:

Monterey Bay Aquarium Working with marine experts such as Monterey Bay Aquarium helps us make sound, sustainable seafood choices.

By Bea James, Senior Manager Strategic Projects, Organic, Natural & Sustainability

California. It offers the most amazing peek into our oceans’ wildlife, without actually getting wet. Monterey Bay Aquarium specializes in providing marine education through tours, classes, and a massive aquarium filled with more than 600 different species.

During our vist to the aquarium in 2012, we met with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch team to find a way to create a partnership that would help our company reach a goal of offering only sustainable seafood choices to our customers.

Seafood Watch is a program designed to raise awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources.

This group maintains a comprehensive library of scientific information on the sustainable status of various seafood species.

This list is well known for being the best sustainable seafood tracker in the world.

There are more than 2,500 seafood

To learn more about our Responsibly Sourced seafood program, visit www.LundsandByerlys.com/SustainableSeafood.

10 real food fall 2013

recommendations recorded on the Seafood Watch list, and each has a specific sustainable code: “best choice,” “good alternative,” or “avoid.” This list is continually updated and is a valuable resource to help our seafood suppliers and purchasing team make sound, sustainable decisions for our customers.

While we currently have many fish that are listed as best choice and good alternative

by Seafood Watch, our goal is to carry only seafood listed as a best choice within the next few years. Additionally, we are utilizing Monterey Bay Aquarium’s remarkable expertise to enrich our seafood staff in their continuing education.

By working with marine experts such as Monterey Bay Aquarium, we feel confident we are providing you with the very best in sustainable seafood choices. You can find sustainable seafood in our stores wherever you see our Responsibly Sourced symbol. ■

Photo © Monterey Bay Aquarium

A

s I stared into an exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, I noticed something strange.

“What is that—seaweed?” I asked. “Nope,” a guide told me, “that’s actually a seahorse.”

The more I looked, the more it amazed me that this delicate creature lives among two million different species of marine life in the ocean. At that moment, my appreciation deepened significantly for those devoted to preserving our oceans’ habitats, and no one does a better job of that than Monterey Bay Aquarium.

That’s why we recently for med a partnership with Monterey Bay Aquarium as part of our growing Responsibly Sourced program. We’re deeply committed to offering our customers a wide variety of responsibly sourced wild-caught and farmraised seafood through partnerships with highly respected third-party organizations such as Monterey Bay Aquarium. These organizations ver ify that fisher ies are utilizing sustainable practices that preserve and improve our oceans’ ecosystems.

“This is a great opportunity for us,” said Shawn Cronin, business outreach manager at Monterey Bay Aquarium. “We are looking forward to interacting directly with the consumers through a retail partnership with Lunds and Byerly’s.”

If you’re not familiar with Monterey Bay Aquarium, it was founded in 1984 and located on the site of a former sardine cannery near the Pacific Ocean in Monterey,

E TA I L 2013 R

ER OF THE YEA

R

We’re excited to continue to bring you plenty of Minnesota grown items.

Thanks to our local farmers and our loyal customers!

Learn more about our locally grown items at LundsandByerlys.com.

Lunds and Byerly’s dietitian's corner

Gluten-Free Foods Partnership with Gluten intolerance Group allows us to provide you certified gluten-free offerings.

By JANiCe COX, rDN, LD, Lunds and Byerly’s registered Dietitian/Nutritionist

A

wareness of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease has gained momentum in recent years, and no, it’s not a fad.

The rise in gluten awareness stems from the growing number of people diagnosed with celiac disease and from the increasing amount of those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity, meaning they feel better when they don’t eat gluten. Gluten is a generic name for proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley. With the rise in demand for gluten-free products and our desire to provide customers with quality information, we called in the experts.

Lunds and Byerly’s has officially partnered with the Gluten Intolerance Group.

Founded in 1974, this group cares for those with gluten-related disorders, such as celiac disease, through product certification, education, and awareness programs. Their certification group, the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), is a leading third-party gluten-free certifier. GFCO verifies the quality, integrity, and purity of products that earn their approval. Product standards for GFCO’s gluten-free certification are among the strictest in the industry.

Research published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology in 2012 states that 1.8 million Americans have been diagnosed with celiac disease, and another 1.4 million Americans do not know they have it. Estimates are that one in 141 people have this disease.

Celiac disease is a genetic digestive disorder triggered by ingesting even the smallest amounts of gluten.When people with celiac

disease eat gluten, it sets off an immune response that causes damage to the lining of the small intestine. According to the Mayo Clinic, many of the nutrients from foods we eat are absorbed in the small intestine and when it’s damaged, we are not able to fully absorb those nutrients, which can lead to serious health concerns. Currently there is no cure for celiac disease, but sticking to a strict gluten-free diet can make a world of difference in helping to manage your symptoms.

Gluten-free diets are being followed by more than just those diagnosed with celiac disease. Many people follow this diet as a personal preference. Others avoid gluten because they may be experiencing non-celiac

gluten sensitivity, which has many symptoms trigged by consuming gluten, including fatigue, bloating, and sometimes diarrhea.

If you suspect eating gluten is a problem for you, it’s important to be tested for celiac disease by your physician before beginning a gluten-free diet to assure accurate test results.

It's easy to find gluten-free products in our stores. When you’re in the grocery aisles, just look for our gluten free symbol on the shelf tag. This guarantees those items have been certified by GFCO. Fortunately, manufacturers are answering the demand for great tasting, nutritious, gluten-free products, and we continue to add more in our stores every week to meet growing demand. ■

For more information, visit www.LundsandByerlys.com/GlutenFree, or visit the Gluten Intolerance Group at www.gluten.net. If you have questions on living gluten free or would like to learn about gluten-free foods in our stores, please contact me at Janice.Cox@lfhi.com.

12 real food fall 2013

Ripe and Easy A GUIDE TO PRODUCE RIPENING PEARS

AVOCADOS STORAGE AT HOME: Room temperature

HOW TO RIPEN: On the counter until desired ripeness

NOTES: Can be placed in fridge to slow ripening or to hold at desired ripeness

STORAGE AT HOME: Room temperature

NOTES: Pears can be held in fridge while unripe, then removed to begin ripening

PINEAPPLE

MELONS STORAGE AT HOME: Room temperature or in the fridge (longer life)

HOW TO RIPEN: Not needed – harvested ripe

NOTES: Watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, etc., although harvested ripe, room temperature may soften texture

STORAGE AT HOME: Room temperature

HOW TO RIPEN: On the counter until desired ripeness

NOTES: Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, etc. dehydrate in fridge; avoid if possible

NOTES: Can dehydrate quickly in fridge; green on the shell does not mean under ripe

STORAGE AT HOME: Room temperature

HERBS

HOW TO RIPEN: Not needed – harvested ripe

NOTES: Do not wash until ready to eat; once washed, berries rapidly deteriorate

STORAGE AT HOME: In fridge

BASIL HOW TO RIPEN: Not needed – harvested ripe

NOTES: Do not wash until ready to eat; once washed, cherries rapidly deteriorate

CITRUS STORAGE AT HOME: Room temperature or in the fridge (longer life)

HOW TO RIPEN: No ripening needed

NOTES: Herbs will last much longer in the fridge (except basil)

CHERRIES STORAGE AT HOME: In fridge: 34-38ºF

HOW TO RIPEN: On the counter until flesh yields to light pressure

NOTES: Ripening can be slowed at lower temperature, but can become dehydrated; watch closely

BERRIES STORAGE AT HOME: In fridge: 34-38ºF

HOW TO RIPEN: Not needed – harvested ripe

MANGO AND PAPAYA

STONE FRUIT STORAGE AT HOME: Room temperature

HOW TO RIPEN: On the counter until flesh yields to light pressure

HOW TO RIPEN: Not needed – harvested ripe

NOTES: Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, etc. are tolerant of warm and cold – personal preference

STORAGE AT HOME: Room temperature

HOW TO RIPEN: No ripening needed

NOTES: Basil is sensitive to cold; may turn black under refrigeration

PEPPERS, CUCUMBER, ZUCCHINI STORAGE AT HOME: In a warmer part of the fridge / controllable drawer

HOW TO RIPEN: Not needed – harvested ripe

NOTES: These items are sensitive to cold - may become rubbery and dehydrated - 45 ºF is ideal

For more information, visit: LundsandByerlys.com/ProduceRipening

Lunds and Byerly’s what’s in store

WEBER GRILLING PRODUCTS Who better to produce sauces, seasonings, and marinades than the grill masters themselves? Weber’s line of finger-licking grill products can be used on any food you can throw on a hot grill or in the oven (if you can’t brave the rain). Good thing it’s grilling season!

Tip: Add juice to their line of marinade mixes. Using juices, like orange, apple, and pineapple, rather than oils, creates a flavorful and healthy way to spice up your meals. Try all seven marinades.

METRO DELI ALLNATURAL MEATS Lunds and Byerly’s has a new line of all-natural slicing meats in our deli cases. Made with highquality ingredients, these whole muscle meats are minimally processed, contain no preservatives, and are gluten-free. Varieties: applewood-smoked turkey breast or ham, Angus roast beef, kettle-fried chicken breast, and more.

Tip: Metro Deli All-Natural Meats are delicious served hot or cold in a variety of ways, including premium sandwiches, back-to-school lunches, salads, or plated entrées.

TASSOS ORGANIC OLIVES AND OLIVE OIL since it was first introduced in u.s. markets nearly two decades ago, tassos is widely recognized as the premium brand for olives and oils in North America. imported directly from Greece, their award-winning olives and olive oils are usDA-certified organic, all natural and low in sodium.

Did you know? Tassos olives are farmed without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. They’re inspected by hand for quality and immersed in a mixture of water, sea salt, and organic white wine vinegar.

14 real food fall 2013

Lunds and Byerly’s what’s in store

MILK & HONEY GRANOLAS Made from the goodness of all-natural ingredients, Milk & honey granolas are high in fiber and antioxidants, and packed with hand-baked whole grain oats. these granolas contain no GMOs, preservatives, or trans fats. try blueberry pecan, Mexican, cinnamon raisin, chocolate banana, original café, or papaya cashew.

Tip: These gourmet granolas are perfect with your favorite yogurt and some fresh fruit. Visit MilkandHoneyGranola.com for more recipe ideas, like maple granola brittle or chocolate banana waffles.

TREFETHEN FAMILY VINEYARDS Great wines come from great vineyards. it’s as simple as that. trefethen Family Vineyards creates handcrafted wines from 100-percent estate-grown grapes.

Located in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, Janet and John trefethen believe wine making is an eternal learning process that requires passion for the wine and the estate.

SIERRA NEVADA MUSTARDS From the maker of sierra Nevada beer comes a line of savory mustards. As one of America’s premier specialty brewers, sierra Nevada provides bold, wild, and unwavering craft beers, which also inspired their mustards. Varieties include: stout and stoneground, porter and spicy brown, and pale ale and honey spice.

Did you know? Sierra Nevada mustards are made with all-natural ingredients and their award-winning ales. Enjoy these products as a mustard, dipping sauce, or glaze.

Did you know? Their Cabernet Sauvignon is richly layered with black currant, blackberry, licorice, ripe cherry, and berry pie flavors. Pepper spice aromas fill the Merlot, and the Chardonnay features wonderfully rich notes of pear, honeysuckle, and apple, all framed with French oak.

LundsandByerlys.com real food 15

haven’t you always wanted a convertible in your garage? freezer now

fridge later FKCH17F7HW

introducing the only freezer that converts to a refrigerator with a flip of the switch. enter to win this convertible freezer/refrigerator*

text freezer to 55155

($869 value) available at

a Minnesota family-owned business St. Paul • Woodbury • Apple Valley • Edina Maple Grove • Coon Rapids • Mpls. Outlet • Rochester

*Visit LundsandByerlys.com/freezer for contest rules and alternate forms of entry.

©2006 Unilever

SAUCE SO GOOD, ITALIAN CHEFS WISH WE’D DISAPPEAR.

The perfect blend of tomato,100% Bertolli ® Olive Oil, basil, garlic & onion. No wonder chefs are taking it so hard. Now you don’t have to be an Italian chef to be an Italian chef.

countertop

What's Brewing?

Raising a glass to fun and functional beer-ware and enjoying it with cheese.

PRODUCTION & STYLING STYLE ARCHITECTS PHOTOGRAPHY TJ TURNER

the essentiaLs Never be caught without the proper glassware again!

Assorted Beer Glasses, $2.95 - $12.95, Crate & Barrel, crateandbarrel.com

Under the doMe Showcase your favorite cheeses inside this unique display.

French Kitchen Marble Cheese Dome, $49.95, Crate & Barrel, crateandbarrel.com

Make Your Own! BreW Master Whip up your own pub-worthy brew!

Craft Beer Home Brew Kit, $49.95, Red Envelope, redenvelope.com Cheese WiZ Take your love of cheese to the next level by crafting your own batch.

DIY Goat/Chevre Cheese-Making Kit, $29.95, Williams-Sonoma, redenvelope.com

18 real food fall 2013

cheese papers and Beer flight images courtesy of crate & Barrel

BrinG the partY Show up at your next party with your favorite brew in this sturdy carrier.

6-pack Wooden Beer Holder, $39.95, Red Envelope, redenvelope.com

Beer & Cheese Entertaining

By Rachelle Mazumdar, Director of Weddings + Events, Style-Architects style-architects.com

Freshen Up Keep cheese fresher longer with these lively papers and stickers.

Cheese Papers & Stickers, $12.95, Crate & Barrel, crateandbarrel.com

Sip-and-Go Not your typical growler, check out the monogram!

Portland Growler, $69.95, Red Envelope, redenvelope.com

Spread the Goodness Add a touch of elegance to your next cheese soiree.

Vintage Silver Cheese Knives - Set of 3, $29.95, WilliamsSonoma, williams-sonoma.com

Forgo the classic wine and cheese pairing—mix it up with some unique and quenching brews. Growlers, home-brewing kits, and micro-breweries— we can’t help but notice that craft beers are all the rage right now. So why not incorporate this new trend into your fall entertaining?

Set out a variety of cheeses and beers and challenge your guests to see which complement each other best. We suggest investing in a variety of specialty beer glasses.

Whether it’s a pilsner, stout, or IPA, having the proper glassware is essential. As do specialty wine glassware, proper “beerware” pays respect to the particular brew types and also becomes a conversation piece for you and your guests.

Or, use a beer flight set and mix in one of your own by experimenting with a craft beer home brew kit. Will your guests be able to tell which one is yours?

This is a perfect way for you to add that personal touch to your entertaining. (But be careful, your friends may come knocking on your door for more!)

Why not take a creative spin this fall by pairing your favorite cheeses with some complementary beers. This entertaining angle will be sure to leave your guests impressed by your creativity!

Style-Architects is a boutique lifestyle services company offering imaginative and awe-inspiring event planning and fashion styling services. www.style-architects.com

Beer Connoisseur Compare different ales, pilsners, and stouts with this perfect beer flight.

5-piece Beer Sampler Set, $29.95, Crate & Barrel, crateandbarrel.com

fall 2013 real food 19

countertop

Glorious Goodies It's baking season! Roll out your favorite treats with a personal touch.

PRODUCTION & STYLING STYLE ARCHITECTS PHOTOGRAPHY TJ TURNER

pUt a LeaF on it Get into the autumn spirit with these fun shapes to customize pie crusts.

Pie Decorating Kit, $14.95, Sur La Table, surlatable.com hXXXXXXX Xxxxxxxxxx.

Mxx xxxx xxxx

pie For one This versatile pie maker can cook up pies, tarts and even quiche!

Breville Personal Pie Maker, $79.95, Williams-Sonoma, williams-sonoma.com

Roll It Out BaKer's ChoiCe Perfect pair for rolling out your favorite pastries.

Marble Rolling Pin With Handles, $24.95, Sur La Table, surlatable.com, White Marble Pastry Board, $39.95, Sur La Table, surlatable.com

20 real food fall 2013

retro inspired Serve up yummy baked goods on this fanciful display.

Ceramic White Cake Stand, $29.95, WilliamsSonoma, williams-sonoma.com

pie maKer and dough gloVe images courtesy of Williams-sonoma; pie decorating Kit image courtesy of sur la taBle

Knead it!

Minimize the transfer of flour into the dough with these handy gloves.

Dough Gloves, $6.95, WilliamsSonoma, williams-sonoma.com

kitchen skills

Easy As Pie

BY JASON ROSS Culinary Instructor Le Cordon Bleu, Minnesota

I

s there anything more evocative of the season, more comforting and reflective of the cook’s touch, than pie? Nothing says homemade quite like it.

Any pie lover will tell you, it’s all about the crust.

Made with just three ingredients—flour, butter, and water—pie crusts change from long and flaky to finer textured and crumbly based on the pie maker’s technique. And, it’s easier than you think.

BASIC 3-2-1 PIE DOUGH AND CLASSIC APPLE PIE (RECIPE PAGE 24)

Pie-making Basics FILLING Simple is best. Use pies to highlight seasonal fruit at the peak of flavor.

Simply toss fruit with sugar and starch to make filling. For drier fruits, such as apples, use flour or cornstarch and for wetter fruits, such as berries, use tapioca starch, which will absorb more of the liquid. Make sure to fill and cook pies quickly after tossing with sugar and starch to avoid wet fruit and a soggy crust as the sugar pulls moisture out of the fruit.

DOUGH Easy as 3-2-1. Classic pie dough uses 3 parts flour, 2 parts solid fat (butter, shortening, lard, or a mixture), and 1 part water (plus a little salt for flavor).

Measure all ingredients using a scale to get accurate amounts and the right ratio. (If you don’t have a scale, I offer measurements in the recipe on the next page.) Every inch of pie represents 1 ounce of pie dough, so an eight-inch pie crust will weigh 8 ounces (or 16 ounces, double, with a top).

Flaky or Mealy. Pie dough is generally separated into two categories, flaky and mealy. The difference in dough texture comes from how the fat is “cut in,” or mixed with flour.

For flakier dough, cut the butter in less thoroughly, leaving visible chunks

22 real food fall 2013

of butter, roughly the size of a pea.

Flaky dough can be harder to work with than mealy dough, and when paired with wetter fillings, will more easily absorb liquid and turn soggy. The batter for mealy dough is “cut in” more completely, with a butter and flour mixture that looks like rough cornmeal.

Mealy dough has a more tender bite, finer texture, and works well with custards and pies, where the dough is baked before the filling is added (called “blind baked”), but is also more likely to crumble and fall apart.

Cold is key. For any type of pie dough, it’s important to keep the dough cold and the fat from melting. Cold fat melts during baking, releases steam, which is trapped in the dough, and creates layers and texture. Chill ingredients at nearly every step. Yes, even chill the flour before making the dough. (And when you cut in the fat, use your fingertips instead of your whole hand, rubbing flour into cold fat between thumb and fingertips. Using only the tips of your fingers will help to keep fat cold longer and make flakier pie dough.)

Chill after cutting the flour and butter together, after adding the water and forming the dough into a disc, after rolling the dough disc into a thin sheet and forming the pie, and finally re-chill after forming pie, right up until baking.

TRICKS of the TRADE: Just the fats: The general thought is that butter adds more flavor, and shortening adds more flakiness to pie dough. The truth is, butter can make just as flaky dough, but you have to be more careful with it. Solid fat coated in flour and caught between dough releases steam when it bakes. The steam pushes the dough apart and forms the flakes in the air pockets left behind in the baked crust. Shortening is easier to keep solid than butter because it melts at a higher temperature and is easier to work with and knead. Butter melts more easily in your hands so you have less time to handle it and have to take more care to keep the dough chilled as you work. Is the butter flavor worth the effort? You have to decide, but you can have both flavor and flaky texture.

Fixing cracks: If the dough cracks during rolling, try fixing it with a small piece of extra dough, simply pushing the piece into the crack and rolling it into the broken area. If the dough cracks during baking, make a slurry with water and flour and rub the mixture onto the crack. Then continue baking until the slurry hardens and the pie is finished cooking.

©201 ©201 011 Sargen rg ttoo Foods o , Inc. ood c

SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENS WHEN TWO NATURAL CHEESES COME TOGETHER.

The amazing Sargento Natural Blends.. ®

™

A whole new way to enjoy slices and snacks. Available in 3 delicious varieties..

Learn more at Sargento.com/naturalblends and find us on Facebook..

Taste the real difference..

™

kitchen skills

Basic 3-2-1 Pie Dough

Classic Apple Pie

MAKES ENOUGH DOUGH FOR A 9 INCH PIE WITH TOP

MAKES A 9 INCH PIE WITH TOP

9 ounces (2 cups) pastry or all-purpose flour 6 ounces (1½ sticks butter/ 12 tablespoons), cut into ½ inch cubes 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) water 1 teaspoon salt 1. After weighing or measuring all ingredients, mix flour and salt together in bowl with a whisk. Chill 10 minutes or until cold.

2. Cut flour and butter together using your fingertips to rub the flour into the butter.

Remember, for flakier dough, cut the butter into the flour until the chunks of butter are the size of peas and, for mealy dough, take it farther until the dough resembles cornmeal. Refrigerate butter and flour dough 10 minutes or until chilled.

3. Pour in the cold water, mixing briefly, but incorporating the water completely with your hands. Form the dough into two discs, roughly 2 inches thick, and wrap the dough disc in plastic wrap. Chill the discs completely at least 1 hour.

Note: Dough discs can be made up to three days in advance or frozen, wrapped and stored in zip-lock bags, for weeks.

Flaky & Mealy: Two doughs, one pie.

Try flaky (left) and mealy (right) dough for the same pie. Split the dough recipe in half, using mealy dough for the bottom crust and flaky dough for the top. Mealy dough better withstands excess moisture from fruit fillings and forms a tender base, while flaky dough makes a crisp and flaky top.

24 real food fall 2013

Use your favorite local seasonal apple. For a great go-to pie apple, try Golden Delicious. It balances acidity, sweetness, and texture and caramelizes well during baking.

2 chilled 3-2-1 pie dough discs from recipe at left ¾ cups sugar ¼ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 pinch ground cinnamon 1 pinch ground ginger 1 pinch ground cloves 1 tablespoon lemon juice 5 Golden Delicious apples 1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash pinch sugar for coating the crust 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 2. Use a rolling pin dusted with flour to roll one dough disc on a lightly floured surface, leaving the second dough disc chilling in the refrigerator. Turn dough 45 degrees with each roll, so dough doesn’t stick to board and forms a rough circle, ¼ inch thick. Lay rolled dough into a pie tin, and push it into the sides, avoiding stretching or tearing the dough.

Chill rolled dough in pie tin.

3. In small bowl, mix together sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves with a whisk and set aside.

4. Pour lemon juice in bowl big enough to hold apples.

5. Peel, core, and slice apples into ¹⁄³ inch slices and toss in bowl with lemon juice, coating slices well.

6. Pour dry sugar mixture into apple slices and toss, coating well.

7. Use a rolling pin and roll second dough disc. Repeat rolling procedure from first dough disc forming a rough circle, ¼ inch thick, to be used as pie top.

8. Pour apples into pie tin lined with pie dough. Using a pastry brush, brush edges with egg wash. Lay second rolled dough on top and seal edges, crimping with thumb and fingertips or using fork tines to make a decorative edge, and trim excess dough with kitchen scissors. Cut small slits in dough or hole in center to help vent steam during cooking.

9. Chill pie in freezer for 10 minutes.

10. Brush pie top with egg wash, and coat with light sprinkling of sugar.

11. Bake until apple filling bubbles and crust turns deep golden brown, roughly 50-55 minutes. Rotate in oven after 25 minutes.

12. Allow to cool and serve still slightly warm or at room temperature. ■

PHOTOS BY TERRY BRENNAN; FOOD STYLED BY LARA MIKLASEVICS

Here is the classic pie dough. The results depend on how you handle the dough and how far you rub the butter into the flour.

Use these same ingredients to make either flaky or mealy dough.

Sweet Fun

Decorate cakes and cookies like a pro! Our battery-powered Frosting Deco Pen gives you precise control for amazing results. It’s easy and mess-free! the #1 swiss brand of cookware and cooks’ tools

Frosting Deco Pen from Kuhn Rikon. Visit kuhnrikon.com/rf or call 800- 924-4699 for a catalog.

fiesta con carne

TACOS, BURRITOS, TORTAS, AND MORE

BY BRUCE AIDELLS

PHOTOGRAPHY TERRY BRENNAN FOOD STYLING LARA MIKLASEVICS 26 real food fall 2013

taCos al pastor (reCipe page 35)

fall 2013 real food 27

Chicken Mole Verde Enchiladas

Create a Dinner that Stacks Up Traditionally, enchiladas are made by wrapping a sauce-dipped tortilla around a filling to produce something like a rolled crepe. These are then arranged in a baking dish, covered with sauce and a sprinkling of cheese, and baked. The process is somewhat messy and time-consuming; I prefer to layer three flat tortillas to make stacked enchiladas.

28 real food fall 2013

Chicken Mole Verde Enchiladas (Chicken Enchiladas in an Almond and Green Chile Sauce) Makes 4 servings with leftovers

Stacked enchiladas are much easier and less messy to put together than the rolled kind.They are best made with older, stiff tortillas. Stacked enchiladas hale from the northern Mexican state of Sonora and are also popular in New Mexico.

In this recipe, the chicken and mole sauce are cooked separately. That way, the cooked chicken can easily be shredded and the sauce kept separate for spreading over tortillas.

I like to create stacks of three tortillas high, which makes a nice serving size. Four of these stacks take up a lot of room, so you may need to make two stacks of six tortillas and cut in half from top to bottom to serve. These taller stacks will take an extra 10 to 15 minutes to cook.

Chicken 6 cups chicken broth, homemade or canned ½ unpeeled onion 4 cloves garlic 6 green onions, white parts 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon fresh oregano 2 bay leaves 1 whole carrot 3 pounds chicken, boneless and skinless Mole Verde Sauce ½ cup toasted almonds 12 tomatillos, diced 1½ cups chopped onion 4 cups reserved broth 1 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves ¼ cup lime juice, or more to taste 6 green onions, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces 1 tablespoon fresh oregano ¼ teaspoon ground allspice 5 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped 4 fire-roasted poblano chilies, fresh or canned vegetable oil 12 corn tortillas 1 cup green onions, thinly sliced 1½ cups shredded jack cheese ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves

At the heart of these south-of-the-border creations is an array of flavorful meats to make a variety of delicious options. All of these recipes can be used to make tacos, burritos, and Mexican sandwiches called tortas. In addition, the recipes for Chicken Mole Verde and Lamb in Red Mole, which are braised with lots of sauce, can be used to make enchiladas.

Dress it up: To make tacos, tortas, and burritos, you'll need a selection of garnishes, which can be presented in bowls so diners can dish up themselves based on their preferences. Be sure to have some finely diced sweet red onion, chopped cilantro, grated jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, and a few salsas such as Salsa Verde (page 30) and Pico de Gallo (page 35). And don’t forget some freshly made Guacamole (page 35).

1. For the chicken: In a large casserole or Dutch oven, bring broth to a boil with onion, garlic, green onions, cumin seeds, oregano, bay leaves, and carrot. Add chicken, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 20 to 30 minutes, until chicken is tender (thighs may take a little longer). Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside to cool slightly. Reserve 4 cups broth for Mole Verde sauce. Chop or shred chicken.

2. For the Mole Verde sauce: In a blender, purée almonds.

Add 2 cups reserved broth, ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ingredients. Blend to form a slightly lumpy sauce.

3. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat and add Mole Verde sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, 10 to 15 minutes, until mixture becomes quite thick. Stir in 1 cup broth and simmer uncovered until sauce has reduced and slightly thickened. Add more broth if sauce is too thick.

Season with salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place sauce in a saucepan, adding broth as needed (sauce should be slightly thickened but not too thick). Grease a rimmed, 11-by-17-inch sheet pan. Place a tortilla at end of pan (you should be able to make 4 stacks on pan). Spoon over 2 to 3 tablespoons sauce, spreading to fully coat tortilla. Sprinkle over about ¹⁄³ cup chicken. Top with another tortilla. Repeat to make 4 stacks of 3 tortillas. Sprinkle over green onions and top each stack with a quarter of cheese.

Bake 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and center reaches 140°F. Sprinkle each stack with cilantro and serve.

Note: To use Mole Verde for tacos, burritos, and tortas, combine chicken and sauce, and simmer 10 minutes. Follow recipe to make desired meal.

fall 2013 real food 29

Baja Style Fish Tacos Makes 4 to 6 servings

Several years ago when I was visiting friends in Cabo San Lucas, we were taken to a small taqueria for lunch. The specialty was fish tacos coated in beer batter and served in warm tortillas with green salsa and a slightly sweet and limey coleslaw.Though simple, they could not have been better.The batter not only was light and crispy, it was flavored with an assortment of herbs and spices.

After several tries, I think I have managed to come up with a very tasty rendition. Serve these soft tacos simply dressed with Salsa Verde and a bit of Tangy Coleslaw. You can also make tostadas (see the next page).The fried fish isn’t ideal for a burrito, but it is delicious in a torta (page 36); simply replace the shredded lettuce with Tangy Coleslaw.

Tangy Coleslaw ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt ¼ cup mayonnaise 2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste ½ cup chopped cilantro 3 tablespoons lime juice, or more to taste ¼ cup sweet onion, finely chopped 2 teaspoons grated lime zest 3 cups cabbage, finely shredded Spicy Beer Batter 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 cup lager beer, such as Mexican beer 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce 2 teaspoons pure New Mexico chili powder or Hungarian paprika ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon dried oregano 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1½ pounds fish fillets such as snapper, sea bass, halibut, cod, mahi mahi, or rock fish, cut crosswise into ½-inch-wide strips vegetable oil 12 corn tortillas Garnishes Salsa Verde lime wedges Tabasco or other hot sauce

30 real food fall 2013

1. For the coleslaw: Whisk together all ingredients except cabbage until well-blended. Toss in cabbage until nicely coated. Season to taste with salt, pepper, sugar, and lime juice.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Will keep refrigerated up to 1 day.

2. For the batter: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients except flour. Gradually whisk in flour to form a smooth, slightly runny batter. Set aside.

3. Lightly season fish with salt and pepper. Wrap tortillas in foil and heat 15 minutes in a 350°F oven. Remove from oven and wrap in a clean dishtowel to keep warm. While tortillas are warming, heat 3 to 4 inches oil in a 3- to 4-quart, heavy pot to 350°F to 360°F. 4. Drop a fish piece into batter until coated. Pick up with a slotted spoon, allowing excess batter to drain back into bowl.

Gently lower fish into hot oil and continue until several strips are frying. Cook fish in batches so as not to overcrowd pot. Flip fish pieces as they brown to cook evenly on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.

5. To serve, place 2 to 3 fish pieces in a warm tortilla. Spoon on Salsa Verde, a squeeze of lime, and hot sauce if desired.

Spoon on coleslaw, fold, and serve immediately.

Salsa Verde Makes 1 cup

6 medium tomatillos, husked, washed, and diced, or 6 canned tomatillos, chopped 2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or more to taste 3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped (optional) 1. In a small saucepan, boil tomatillos and jalapeños 5 minutes with enough water to cover, until soft. (If using canned tomatillos, only boil jalapeños.) Drain and let cool.

2. In a blender jar, combine all ingredients with ½ teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth and season to taste with lime and salt. Will keep refrigerated 2 to 3 days.

Catch These Ideas To make tostadas, spoon ½ cup coleslaw over a crispy, flat tortilla.

Top with 3 slices fish. Dress with Salsa Verde, chopped sweet onion, lime juice, and a few cilantro leaves. Or to make a torta, spread mayonnaise on both sides of a toasted French roll. Cover 1 half with coleslaw. Lay on 4 to 5 slices fish. Dress with Salsa Verde and a squeeze of lime. Add vine-ripened tomato slices, if desired.

Baja Style Fish Tacos

fall 2013 real food 31

Burritos of Lamb in Red Mole Sauce Makes 6 servings

Mexican cooking makes frequent use of a blender. For many recipes, the ingredients are just tossed into the blender jar, puréed, combined with meat or other ingredients, and cooked long and slow.This makes for quick preparation with minimal clean up and only a few cooking steps—yet the results are complex-flavored sauces and tender meat.

This recipe and the Chicken Mole Verde Enchiladas (page 29) make use of a blender, meaning they are easily executed and delicious to enjoy. The best cut of lamb to use for this recipe is boneless lamb shoulder, which has ample fat and collagen to yield a tender, juicy stew when properly cooked.

If you can’t find boneless lamb shoulder, use shoulder lamb chops; include the bones for additional flavor. Discard bones before serving. Note: Overnight prep required; see step 7.

6 mild whole dried chilies such as New Mexico or California, torn into pieces 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons New Mexico, Ancho, or California chili powder or Hungarian paprika 3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or 3½ pounds shoulder lamb chops, cut into 1-inch cubes ½ pound Mexican chorizo, removed from casing, or finely chopped bacon Red Mole Sauce 2 cups chopped onion 4 cloves garlic 2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and chopped 2 cups canned diced tomatoes with liquid 2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce 1 12-ounce bottle Mexican beer 1 cup fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped pinch cinnamon 2 corn tortillas, torn into pieces 2 cups carrots, cut into ½-inch dice 6 9-inch flour tortillas Mexican Rice Garnishes Pico de Gallo (see page 35) chopped green onions 1. Place chilies in a heatproof, glass measuring cup and cover with boiling water. Let soak at least 30 minutes, until soft.

Remove from water, discarding stems, seeds, and liquid.

2. Combine salt, pepper, and chili powder. Sprinkle generously over lamb. If any spice rub remains, reserve for mole.

32 real food fall 2013

Mexican Rice Makes 6 servings

¹⁄³ cup peanut oil 2 cups long-grain white rice 1½ cups chopped onion 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons New Mexico or California chili powder 2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth 1. Heat a heavy, medium-size pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add oil and rice. Cook rice, stirring, about 10 minutes, until golden and nutty.

Add onion and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chili powder and stir until rice is well-coated.

2. Pour tomato sauce over rice, stir, and cook 1 minute. Bring broth to a boil and pour over rice.

Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender and fluffy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add chorizo. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, using a spatula to break up into small pieces.

Cook until meat is browned and fat is rendered (leave rendered fat to cook lamb in). Remove and set aside chorizo.

4. Increase heat to medium-high and add half of lamb. Cook about 10 minutes, until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside. Cook remaining lamb. Remove all but ¼ cup of rendered fat. Set pot aside.

5. For the Red Mole sauce: Combine soaked chilies, onions, garlic, jalapeños, tomatoes, chipotle chilies, beer, orange juice, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and tortilla pieces, and blend to form a homogenous mixture. Add to pot and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes, scrapping up any browned bits from bottom of pot.

6. Add lamb, chorizo, and any remaining spice rub. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add carrots and cook 15 minutes. Taste lamb for tenderness. Continue to cook as needed, checking lamb for tenderness every 15 minutes.

7. Let lamb cool and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove congealed fat and reheat. If sauce is watery, remove solids and boil to reduce and concentrate flavor. Sauce should just be turning syrupy.

8. To assemble, place a tortilla in a frying pan over medium heat.

When tortilla is hot to the touch, transfer to a plate. Spoon ½ cup Mexican rice down middle of tortilla. Top with ½ to ¾ cup lamb. Spoon over Pico de Gallo and sprinkle with green onions.

Fold in sides and roll to form a tight package.

Burritos of Lamb in Red Mole Sauce

More with Mole Use any leftover mole sauce to make enchiladas (page 29) or tacos. The mole also makes for a soulwarming meal simply served over rice.

fall 2013 real food 33

Tacos Al Pastor

34 real food fall 2013

Tacos Al Pastor (Chili Marinated Pork Tacos) Makes 4 to 6 servings

Throughout Mexico and Mexican neighborhoods in the United States,Tacos Al Pastor are a popular treat.Typically Al Pastor is made from thin slices of pork shoulder rubbed with a chili paste, stacked, and grilled on a vertical spit similar to Turkish doner kebabs.To prepare a taco, the cook simply slices pork from the outer edge, coarsely chops the meat, and stuffs it into a tortilla. Often a whole, peeled pineapple crowns the top of the spit, and a few pineapple chunks are added to the taco. I’ve found that Al Pastor can be made simply by grilling thin cutlets of pork cut from the pork shoulder butt with great results.You also can use thin-cut boneless pork chops.Al Pastor also makes a great filling for burritos and tortas.

Al Pastor Paste (Red Chili Paste) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup Ancho, New Mexico, or California chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano pinch cinnamon ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 pounds boneless Boston butt (pork shoulder butt), cut in ¼-inch cutlets 12 to 18 corn tortillas Garnishes finely chopped red onion chopped cilantro shredded jack or Cheddar cheese chopped green onions sour cream Salsa Verde (see page 30) Pico de Gallo lime wedges Guacamole fresh pineapple, diced 1. For the Al Pastor paste: Combine all ingredients except pork in a small bowl and whisk to form a smooth paste. Generously smear paste over entire surface of cutlets. Place pork in a zipper-lock bag and marinate at room temperature 2 hours (or in refrigerator overnight).

2. Build a charcoal fire, spreading coals so some areas are thicker. When thicker layer is medium-hot, fire is ready. If using a gas grill, heat to medium-hot.

3. Remove pork from bag, leaving paste on meat. Place meat directly over flame. Grill 1 to 2 minutes per side. If flaming occurs, move to a cooler part of grill. Meat is done when firm to the touch. If necessary, cut into a cutlet to check for doneness; center should be faintly pink.

4. Transfer meat to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.

Chop into ½-inch pieces and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve 3 tacos per person, letting guests dish up their own garnishes.

Pico de Gallo Makes 2 cups

3 medium ripe tomatoes, stemmed and diced ½ cup sweet red onion, finely chopped 2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped 1 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste 2 teaspoons olive oil (optional) 1 cup chopped cilantro 1. In a small serving bowl, stir all ingredients until combined. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and sugar. Will keep refrigerated up to 1 day.

Guacamole Makes 1 to 2 cups

1 large ripe Haas avocado, seeded and peeled ¼ cup ripe tomato, diced ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped 2 teaspoons fresh jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (optional) 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste ½ teaspoon salt 1. Place avocado into a medium bowl and mash coarsely with a fork or potato masher. Do not over mash; texture should be quite lumpy. Stir in remaining ingredients and season with lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

fall 2013 real food 35

Carne Asada (Grilled Marinated Beef Steaks)

Mexican Torta (Mexican Sandwich Roll)

Makes 4 to 6 serVings

Makes 1 sandwiCh

This tangy, full-flavored marinade is ideal for slightly chewy beef steak cuts, such as skirt or flank steak. In Mexico, skirt steak is called fajitas, Spanish for belt, based on its thin, long shape. Once grilled, thin strips of meat can be stuffed into warm tortillas for soft tacos or combined with Mexican Rice (page 32) and rolled into large flour tortillas for burritos.You also can use the thin slices of meat to make tortas.

Marinade 2 guajillo or new Mexico chilies or 1 tablespoon pure new Mexico chili powder ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped 1½ tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons jalapeño, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped 1 cup cilantro, stems and leaves finely chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 red chipotle chilies in adobo sauce 2 teaspoons adobo sauce ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper ¹⁄³ cup soy sauce ¼ cup fresh lime juice ¼ cup fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice ¼ cup tequila (optional) ¼ cup peanut oil 1½ to 1¾ pounds skirt or flank steak 12 corn tortillas

NUTRITION

garnishes finely chopped red onion chopped cilantro shredded jack or Cheddar cheese chopped green onions sour cream salsa Verde (see page 30) pico de gallo (see page 35) lime wedges guacamole (see page 35)

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS (USING 6OZ CHICKEN): per serVing: Calories 685 (265 from fat); fat 30g (sat. 12g); Chol 150mg; sodiuM 484mg; C a r B 49 g ; fiB e r 8g ; protein 57g

36 real food fall 2013

BAJA STYLE FISH TACOS: per serVing: Calories 522 (253 from fat); fat 29g (sat. 5g); Chol 66mg; sodiuM 349mg; CarB 38g; fiBer 4g; protein 29g

BURRITOS OF LAMB IN RED MOLE SAUCE: per serVing: Calories 847 (330 from fat); fat 37g (sat. 13g); Chol 196mg; sodiuM 2041mg; CarB 58g; fiBe r 7g ; protein 68g

2 ¼ 4 ½ 2 ¼

to 3 tablespoons mayonnaise cup guacamole to 6 slices Carne asada or other filling cup iceberg lettuce, shredded to 3 slices vine-ripened tomato cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed (optional) 1 soft french roll, split and toasted

1. Generously slather both sides of roll with mayonnaise. Spread a layer of Guacamole over 1 side.

Top with Carne Asada and sprinkle with lettuce.

Cover other side with tomato and cilantro. Serve immediately.

1. Tear Guajillo chilies into pieces, place in a heatproof, glass measuring cup, and pour boiling water over to cover. Soak at least 30 minutes, until soft. Remove from water, discarding stems, seeds, and liquid.

2. In a blender jar, combine chilies with remaining marinade ingredients and blend until mixture is homogenous. Note: Makes enough for for up to 3½ pounds of meat. Never reuse marinade.

3. Place steaks into a 1-gallon, heavy, zipper-lock bag and pour over marinade. Seal bag, and shake and turn to distribute marinade. Lay bag into a bowl and refrigerate overnight, up to 36 hours, turning and shaking from time to time.

4. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to produce a medium-hot fire.

Lightly oil grill with a paper towel dipped in peanut oil. Cook steaks (2 to 3 minutes per side for skirt steak and 3 to 4 minutes per side for flank steak). Steaks will be cooked rare to medium-rare. Transfer to a platter and loosely cover with foil 5 to 7 minutes.

5. To slice skirt steak across the grain, cut in pieces about 4 inches long then cut into thin slices along the long axis of the meat. To slice flank steak, cut thin, diagonal slices across the long axis.

6. While meat is cooking, wrap tortillas in foil and heat 10 to 15 minutes in a 350°F oven. Wrap in a clean dishtowel to keep warm. Meanwhile, set out bowls of garnishes. Use 2 to 3 slices of steak per taco. Let guests prepare their own tacos with their preferred garnishes. ■

MEXICAN RICE: per serVing: Calories 394 (120 from fat); fat 13g (sat. 2g); Chol 0mg; sodiuM 474mg; Ca rB 60g ; fiBe r 3g ; protein 9g

TACOS AL PASTOR: per serVing: Calories 500 (208 from fat); fat 23g (sat. 7g); Chol 97mg; sodiuM 965mg; Ca rB 36g ; fiBe r 6g ; protein 37g

CARNE ASADA: per serVing: Calories 315 (73 from fat); fat 8g (sat. 2g); Chol 83mg; sodiuM 353mg; Ca rB 23g ; fiBer 3 g; protein 36g

all nutrition calculated without garnishes

Mexican Tortas with carne asada

Sandwiched in or wrapped up—it's all good!

Carne Asada makes delicious tortas, as shown here. To use the meat in burritos, place ½ cup hot Mexican Rice (page 32) down center of a warm, 9-inch, flour tortilla. Sprinkle with shredded jack or Cheddar cheese and add 3 to 4 slices of meat. Top with Salsa Verde, Pico de Gallo, shredded lettuce, and cilantro. Fold in sides and roll to form a tight package.

fall 2013 real food 37

Whole Grain Healthy whole grains play a starring role in a global selection of main dishes.

From gluten-free quinoa to new-andimproved whole-wheat pasta, eating well has never been easier.

by Robin Asbell

Photography Terry Brennan Food Styling lara miklasevics

38 real food fall 2013

Centerpieces Chicken and Cauliflower Vindaloo over Saffron Quinoa (recipes page 42)

fall 2013 real food 39

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Farro and Feta

40 real food fall 2013

When you think of whole grains, do you picture a bowl of steamy oatmeal or crunchy granola?

Whole grains are no longer relegated to breakfast or the dependable sidekick role—they are taking center stage in the kitchen.

Chefs are featuring ancient grains like farro and quinoa on menus like the stars they are. Enjoy the flavors and textures of whole grains the way they were meant to be. You'll actually taste their real flavors, with the added benefits of staying fuller longer and taking care of your health. When you put grains at center stage, you'll be the one getting the applause!

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Farro and Feta makeS 4 SerVingS

Farro, an ancient grain, is the darling of Mario Batali and other Italian chefs. It's available semi-pearled, meaning the bran layer has been scraped off the sides, leaving some behind.That makes it a mostly-whole grain and quicker-cooking than truly whole farro. Give it a try in this show-stopping chicken dish.

2 ½ 1 ¾ 1½ ¾

tablespoons olive oil, divided cup chopped onion teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced cup semi-pearled farro cups chicken stock teaspoon salt, divided

1 ¼ 4 1

cup french lentils, rinsed cup crumbled feta cheese boneless skinless chicken breast halves teaspoon paprika rosemary sprigs

1. Lightly oil a large sheet pan. In a 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and sauté onion. When golden, add rosemary and cook a few more seconds. Add farro, stock, and ¼ teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover tightly and cook per farro directions.

2. While farro cooks, prepare lentils. Rinse lentils and place in a 2-quart saucepan with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until tender but not falling apart. Drain but do not rinse lentils and transfer to a large bowl.

3. While farro cools, lay out chicken on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife held parallel to board, cut from thinner side of breast into thicker part, making a flap that can be opened like a book. Repeat with all breasts, cover with a sheet of wax paper, and pound out each to make a thin sheet of chicken.

4. Measure ¼ cup farro onto each piece of chicken. Top with 1 tablespoon feta. Roll up chicken to enclose grain. Put seam side down on prepared sheet pan, with space between rolls. Dust with paprika and top each roll with a tablespoon feta.

5. Bake at 400°F about 25 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into meat reads 160°F. 6. While chicken bakes, combine remaining farro with lentils and drizzle in remaining oil and salt. Warm farro mixture or leave at room temperature. To serve, slice a chicken roll into three rounds and place atop ¾ cup farro mixture on each plate. Garnish with rosemary.

Farro: A Mediterranean Staple farro has been a mainstay in italy for centuries and has been gaining popularity stateside. this natural source of fiber, protein, and iron is prized for its nutty flavor, slight chewy texture, and versatility as an alternative to pasta and rice.

fall 2013 real food 41

Chicken and Cauliflower Vindaloo over Saffron Quinoa makeS 4 to 6 SerVingS

This is a streamlined version of traditional vindaloo, a tangy, spicy Indian dish. This recipe uses ground spices to make things easy and has a lower heat index for those who may not be chili-heads. All the glorious flavors infuse the sauce and soak into a bed of saffron-scented quinoa.

4 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 ¼ 2 1 1½ 2 ¼ 2 1 1 ½ ½

teaspoons canola oil, divided small onion, chopped cloves garlic, peeled tablespoon ground cumin teaspoon ground coriander teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper teaspoon turmeric teaspoon cinnamon large jalapeños, seeded, or more to taste teaspoon kosher salt tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped cup apple cider vinegar teaspoons brown sugar pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch-wide slices cups quinoa, white or three-color pinches crushed saffron threads teaspoon salt medium carrots, sliced sliver fresh orange peel pound cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets cup chicken stock or water cup cilantro

1. In a small sauté pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil and sauté onion about 5 minutes, until very soft and golden. Add garlic and stir until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat.

2. In a blender, combine cumin, coriander, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, jalapeños, salt, and ginger. Add onion mixture and purée. When smooth, add vinegar and brown sugar process until well-mixed. Scrape into a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat.

Marinate 2 to 24 hours.

3. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan over high heat. Add quinoa, saffron, salt, carrots, and orange peel, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer 15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.

4. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large, wide skillet with a lid. Coat pan with oil.

Drop in chicken pieces one at a time, leaving space between. Brown chicken a couple minutes per side.

5. Add cauliflower and stock, and stir to combine well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a gentle bubble. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and stir, adding liquid as needed.

Cook another 5 minutes, uncovered, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through and cauliflower is tender. Serve chicken and sauce over quinoa and sprinkle with cilantro.

Quinoa Power gluten-free quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) contains more than double the protein of the equivalent size serving of rice—and it's considered a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids.

42 real food fall 2013

Cauliflower and Brown Rice Quiche makeS 6 SerVingS

In this recipe, chewy, nutty brown rice and tender cauliflower turn into a delicious pie laced with Gruyère and herbs.This is a perfect make-ahead dish—you can cook extra rice to serve with a stir-fry tonight and make this quiche for the next day. The slices are perfect for packing in a lunch, too.

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan 2 cups chopped onion ¾ cup brown rice, longor short-grain 1½ cups vegetable or chicken stock ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon crumbled sage 2 cups chopped cauliflower 1 medium carrot, chopped 2 cups shredded gruyère cheese 4 large eggs 1. Heat a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and add oil. Add onions and sauté, reducing heat as onion softens. Cook until golden and sweet. Add rice and stir, cooking until grains are fragrant and heated through.

2. Add stock, salt, thyme, and sage, and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and reduce heat to lowest setting. Cook 30 minutes, add cauliflower and carrot, cover, take off the heat and let stand 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff, and let cool about 10 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, stir rice mixture with half of cheese and eggs, and scrape into a greased pie pan. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 45 minutes, until golden on top and firm to the touch.

Slice and serve warm.

Cauliflower and Brown Rice Quiche

fall 2013 real food 43

Take this pasta for a twirl whole-wheat pasta has improved in quality in recent years, and there are many tasty options for gluten-free diners as well. whole-grain penne holds its own when paired with a flavorful sauce, while whole-wheat angel hair can take a turn in asian dishes as easily as it tosses with pesto and parmesan.

Spicy Sausage and Penne Al Forno makeS 4 SerVingS

Italian sausage is a convenient way to pump up the flavor and spice in your dinner. Combined with olives, anchovies, and red wine, it will more than hold its own alongside sturdy whole-wheat penne. A quick bake makes this dish pure comfort food, with a toasty cheese topping.

12 1 1 2 ½ 1 1 ¼ ½ ¼ 8 ¼ 2 2

ounces italian sausage, chopped or crumbled tablespoon olive oil cup chopped onion cloves garlic, chopped teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes teaspoon anchovy paste 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice cup tomato paste cup red wine cup italian black olives, chopped ounces whole-wheat penne teaspoon salt cups kale, packed cups shredded asiago cheese

NUTRITION

1. Lightly oil a 2-quart baking dish. Line a medium bowl with paper towels for sausage. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Heat a large skillet and cook sausage, stirring, over medium-high heat.

When cooked through, use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to prepared bowl. Pour off fat in pan.

3. Add oil to pan and heat a few seconds. Add onion and stir, scraping up any browned bits. When softened, after about 3 minutes, add garlic, red pepper flakes, and anchovy paste, and stir, crushing paste to mix well. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil.

4. In a cup or bowl, mix tomato paste and wine to a smooth paste. Stir into tomato mixture and add olives and salt. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in kale, which will wilt in the hot sauce, then take off the heat.

5. Cook penne until almost al dente and drain. In prepared baking dish, toss pasta with sausage and half of cheese. Top with tomato mixture and remaining cheese.

6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until pasta is bubbling around edges and cheese is golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED W. FARRO & FETA: per SerVing: CalorieS 521 (129 from fat); fat 15g (sat.

4g); Chol 81mg; Sodium 668mg; CarB 53g; fiBer 12g; protein 47g

44 real food fall 2013

CHICKEN & CAULIFLOWER VINDALOO W. QUINOA: per SerVing: CalorieS 411 (96 from fat); fat 11g (sat.

2g); Chol 56mg; Sodium 589mg; CarB 48g; fiBer 8g; protein 31g

CAULIFLOWER & BROWN RICE QUICHE: per SerVing: CalorieS 344 (162 from fat); fat 18g (sat.

8g); Chol 164mg; Sodium 418mg; CarB 27g; fiBer 4g; protein 18g

Shrimp Pad Thai with Whole-Wheat Angel Hair makeS 4 to 6 SerVingS

Rice noodles are wonderfully light, but if you want a great whole-grain entrée, try making Asian favorites with wholewheat pasta. Angel hair has the advantages of a very fast cooking time and a fine, thin shape nobody will suspect of being whole grain.

4 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce 3 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons palm sugar 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 large shallots, sliced 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped ginger 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined ½ pound whole-wheat angel-hair pasta 3 eggs 4 large scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 package (8 ounces) bean sprouts ½ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped ½ cup cilantro, coarsely chopped 1. Cook pasta per directions. Mix fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar in a small bowl and reserve.

2. In a wok or large sauté pan, heat oil over high heat, add shallots, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes , and stir-fry until fragrant. Add shrimp and stir-fry until pink and nearly cooked through, about 4 minutes.

3. Add eggs and lime mixture, stirring a few seconds. Add pasta, scallions, and half of sprouts. Stir-fry gently until egg is cooked and pan is dry.

4. Serve immediately, topped with remaining sprouts, peanuts, and cilantro. ■

SPICY SAUSAGE & PENNE AL FORNO: per SerVing: CalorieS 837 (402 from fat); fat 45g (sat.

21g); Chol 93mg; Sodium 2188mg; CarB 69g; fiBer 6g; protein 38g

SHRIMP PAD THAI W. WHOLE-WHEAT ANGEL HAIR: per SerVing: CalorieS 496 (177 from fat); fat 21g (sat.

3g); Chol 204mg; Sodium 1896mg; CarB 54g; fiBer 6g; protein 32g

Spicy Sausage and Penne Al Forno

Shrimp Pad Thai with Whole-Wheat Angel Hair

fall 2013 real food 45

+

craft CULTURE by janet fletcher

Craft beer and artisan cheese are age-old pleasures known for their intense and unique flavors. In her book, Cheese & Beer, author and longtime San Francisco Chronicle cheese columnist Janet Fletcher pairs the most popular craft brew styles with their cultured counterparts.

american pale ale

Photography ed Anderson

46 real food fall 2013

THE BEER:

American Pale Ale

+

For many craft-beer enthusiasts, American pale ales offer the most appealing integration of hops, malt, and alcohol.

Typically, these brews exhibit plenty of up-front hops aroma without being aggressively floral or piney. They finish with brisk bitterness, but never enough to curl your tongue. Malt shores up the middle, yet they don’t smell sugary or finish sweet. They have enough alcohol to give them body—typically, 4.5 to 6 percent alcohol—but not enough to make them unwise at lunch. Carbonation is usually moderate, on the cusp of crisp and creamy.

Pale ales have proven so popular with consumers that most American craft breweries have released one at some point.

Although patterned after English pale ales, the American efforts tend to be bigger and brassier, often with the citrusy scent of American hops, some grassy notes from dry hopping (steeping hops in the beer after fermentation to extract aromatics), and higher alcohol.

These well-balanced ales are “pale” only in relation to the dark ales that prevailed in the days when malt roasting was more primitive and less controllable. Pale ales range in color from deep gold to pale amber to burnished copper. Many if not most are filtered and clear, but some are unfiltered and consequently hazy.

Make a Match

+

With fresh unripened or lightly ripened cheese burrata, Crescenza, fresh chevre, fromage blanc, mozzarella, ricotta, Stracchino, Teleme TRY kolsch or blonde ale, pilsner, wheat beer

With bloomy-rind cow's milk cheese Brie, Camembert, Jasper Hill Constant Bliss, Mt. Townsend Seastack, Sweet Grass Dairy Green Hill TRY American pale ale, Belgian-style pale ale, biere de Champagne, biere de garde, Maibock, porter, saison, sour ale, stout

With bloomy-rind goat's milk cheese Bucherondin, Cypress Grove, Humboldt Fog, Monte Enebro, Redwood Hill Camellia and Cameo, Vermont Butter & Cheese Bijou and Coupole TRY American pale ale, IPA

With triple-cream cheese Brillat-Savarin, Cowgirl Creamery Mt.Tam, Delice de Bourgogne, Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert, Nettle Meadow Kunik, Pierre Robert, Rouge et Noir Triple Creme Brie, Seal Bay Triple Cream Brie TRY Belgian-style strong golden ale, pilsner, sour ale, tripel

Beers to Try: Bell’s Pale Ale; Boulevard Pale Ale; Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale; Firestone Walker DBA (Double Barrel Ale); Grand Teton Sweetgrass APA; Great Divide DPA (Denver Pale Ale); Moylan’s Tipperary Pale Ale; North Coast Brewing Acme Pale Ale; Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale; Sierra Nevada Pale Ale; Stone Brewing Pale Ale.

Cheese Affinities: Although pale ales are impressively versatile and don’t clash with many cheeses, they shine with cheeses that are as full flavored and balanced as they are.

Turn to firm cheeses with the savoriness and concentration that emerge with age, such as Cheddar and Manchego. Pale ales stand up to cheeses with herbs and spices, especially peppercorns, but many blue cheeses seem to rob these ales of some sparkle. And young, soft, buttery cheeses like triplecreams and robiolas tend to be overshadowed by pale ale’s robust hoppiness.

THE BEER:

Stout, Porter, and Imperial Stout

Stouts and porters owe their dark color and layered aromas to deeply roasted barley malt. The hues on these brews range from over-steeped tea to inky espresso, and their alluring scents elicit descriptors like toast, toffee, raisins, molasses, coffee, Kahlúa, and chocolate. Despite these dessert-like aromas, porters and stouts often (but not always) finish dry.

Many of these beers exhibit little or no hops aroma, although American stouts and Imperial stouts may show some. Moderate hops bitterness helps balance the mouth-filling malt, and a little bitterness may also come from the heavy roasting. Some recipes even incorporate roasted coffee beans or brewed coffee. For oatmeal stout, the brewer adds a small portion of oats to the grist, the ground grains that supply the sugar for fermentation. Oats contribute a particularly creamy texture to the finished brew and help generate a fluffy, voluptuous head the color of café au lait.

The term stout derives from stout porter, historically a stronger, more alcoholic rendition of traditional English porter. The typical English or American

fall 2013 real food 47

+

porter is moderate in alcohol, in the 4 to 5 percent range, and modern stout is often not much stronger. But Imperial stout, sometimes called Russian Imperial stout, is another matter. These massive brews are often quite potent, from 8 to 12 percent alcohol, and everything else about them verges on extreme, too.

They can look almost like chocolate syrup, opaque and mysterious, with a thick foam the color of an espresso’s crema. Expect heady, spirituous aromas, perhaps mingling dried fruit, coffee liqueur, vanilla, and bittersweet chocolate—a panoply of scents as sensuous as a chocolate-covered raspberry. An Imperial stout is a fireside beer for a cold winter’s night and an ideal companion for robust cheeses.

Beers to Try: Stout and Porter: AleSmith Speedway Stout; Bear Republic Big Bear Black; Boulevard Brewing Bully! Porter; Carnegie Porter; Deschutes Brewery Black Butte Porter; Dogfish Head World Wide Stout; Eel River Brewing Organic Porter; Firestone Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout; Founders Brewing KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout); Fuller’s London Porter; Marin Brewing Point Reyes Porter; Meantime Brewing Coffee Porter; Moylan’s Dragoons Dry Irish Stout; Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout; Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter; Sierra Nevada Porter.

Imperial Stout and Imperial Porter: Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout; Deschutes Obsidian Stout; Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel Imperial Coffee Stout; Grand Teton Brewing Black Cauldron Imperial Stout; Great Divide Brewing Yeti Imperial Stout; Napa Smith Bonfire Imperial Porter; North Coast Brewing Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout; Port Brewing Santa’s Little Helper; Stone Brewing Imperial Russian Stout.

Cheese Affinities: This well-populated beer category embraces a broad style range that makes cheese recommendations especially challenging. Is the stout dry or syrupy sweet? Is it moderate in alcohol and medium bodied, or as viscous as maple syrup? Even mellow blue cheeses can vanquish some dry stouts, for example, while an Imperial stout, with its alcoholic power and residual sugar, doesn’t bow to many blues. The stronger and sweeter the beer, the more robust the cheese can be.

In most cases, the malt-forward character of stout and porter complements cheeses with nutty or brown-butter aromas, and cheeses that leave a subtle sweet impression. The alpine wheels of France and Switzerland—such as Beaufort and Gruyère—come to mind on both counts. Buttery, relatively mild blue cheeses and creamy, mellow Cheddars can be good matches, but be wary of assertive blues with dry stouts and porters. Aged Goudas, with their candylike butterscotch and salted-caramel flavors, need the heft of an Imperial stout or Imperial porter for balance. Triple-cream cheeses complement the texture of these smooth, silky brews and can be as pleasurable with a stout’s mocha flavors as cream in coffee.

Mature Comté, aged for a year or more, has riveting depth of flavor. With profound aromas of roasted hazelnuts, sautéed onion, and bacon and a lingering aftertaste of butter and cream, it is a far more engaging cheese than the young supermarket Comté that many shoppers use for sandwiches. Produced from raw cow’s milk in the Jura Mountains of eastern France, the hefty, 80-pound wheels of Comté may be sold as young as four months, but twelve to twentyfour months brings them to greatness. A deep-yellow to gold paste is one sign of a more mature cheese, but a big meaty fragrance and concentrated sweet flavor are the real giveaways. A nutty aged Comté heightens the roasted-grain character of stouts and porters and has enough intensity to partner the highalcohol Imperial brews.

48 real food fall 2013

Make a Match

+

With aged goat's milk cheese Capriole Julianna, Garrotxa, Juniper Grove Tumalo Tomme, Patacabra, Tumalo Farms Pondhopper TRY American pale ale, bock or doppelbock, brown ale, IPA, Maibock, Marzen or Oktoberfest, porter

With alpine-style cow's milk cheese Appenzeller, Beaufort, Comte, Fontina Val d'Aosta, Gruyere, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Spring Brook Farm Tarentaise, Tete de Moine TRY amber lager or California common, Belgian-style strong golden ale, biere de garde, bock or doppelbock, brown ale, dubbel, porter, saison, stout or Imperial stout

With hard aged cow's milk cheese Asiago, Caerphilly, Parmigiano Reggiano, Piave, Vella Dry Jack TRY amber lager or California common, biere de garde, bitter or ESB, saison

With aged sheep's milk cheese Abbaye de Belloc, Carr Valley Marisa, Manchego, Ombra, Pecorino Toscano, Roncal, Vermont Shepherd, Zamorano TRY amber or red ale, brown ale, holiday ale, Marzen or Oktoberfest, tripel

With washed-rind cheese Chi may, Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk, Crave Brothers Les Frères, Durrus, Epoisses, Livarot, MouCo ColoRouge, Munster, Widmer Brick, Jasper Hill Farm Winnimere TRY barley wine, Belgian-style pale ale, Belgian-style strong golden ale, dubbel, tripel

With Cheddar and Cheddar-style cheese Beecher's Flagship Reserve, Beehive Promontory, Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Fiscalini Cheddar, Hook's Cheddar, Keen's Cheddar, Montgomery's Cheddar TRY amber or red ale, American pale ale, barley wine, bitter or ESB, IPA, Marzen or Oktoberfest, porter, sour ale, stout

More Cheeses to try: With stout or porter: Beaufort; Berkswell; Bleu d’Auvergne; Brillat-Savarin; Challerhocker; Coolea; Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam; Ewephoria; Garrotxa; Gruyère; Hook’s 5-Year Cheddar; Jean Grogne; Lamb Chopper; St. Agur; Vermont Butter & Cheese Cremont; Willamette Valley Farmstead Gouda. With Imperial stout or Imperial porter: Abbaye de Belloc; L’Amuse Gouda; Beecher’s Flagship Reserve; Beemster XO; Challerhocker; Fourme d’Ambert; Stichelton; Stilton.

imperial sTouT

fall 2013 real food 49

THE BEER:

Amber Lager and California Common

Malt makes the first impression in amber lager and California common, related styles with many similarities and a few key differences. In both color and aroma, these beers show the influence of caramel malts: a darker hue (typically amber to copper), fuller body, richer flavor, and toastier aroma than one finds in a pilsner or standard American lager.

Both of these styles hover around 5 percent alcohol, moderate enough for midday enjoyment. Any higher and they would be venturing into bock territory.

Hops aroma may or may not be apparent; the most famous California common— Anchor Steam—shows some. Bitterness balances the malty sweetness and boosts the refreshment value, although neither style is ever aggressively bitter.

Amber lagers typically tally below 30 IBUs; California commons can climb higher.

Other differences reflect the hybrid nature of California commons. Although made with lager yeast, these beers aren’t strictly lagers. Custom calls for fermenting them at the warm temperatures used for ales, so the finished brew tends to have more of the fruity aromas that ale fermentations elicit.

This offbeat process emerged out of necessity, not by design. California common traces its origin to the Golden State’s gold rush, when fortune-seekers came west in droves. These thirsty prospectors wanted to brew lager but lacked the necessary ice or refrigeration. So they improvised with lager yeasts and shallow fermenters to keep the wort cool. Their adaptations yielded what came to be known as steam beer—a highly effervescent brew that fused lager ingredients with ale technique. Some trace the origins of the name to the steam-whistle sound the kegs made when tapped. Others say these gold rush beers were fermented on cool San Francisco rooftops, and when the fog lifted in the morning, steam would rise.

Anchor Steam, still brewed in San Francisco, has preserved and popularized this style. Today, “steam” is a registered trademark of the Anchor Brewing Company, so other brews made in that fashion are marketed as California common.

+

Make a Match

+

With Gouda and Gouda-style cheese L'Amuse Gouda, Beemster XO, Boerenkaas, Leiden, Marieke Gouda, Mimolette, Tumalo Farms Classico TRY amber ale, biere de Champagne, brown ale, dubbel, holiday ale, Marzen or Oktoberfest, porter, quadrupel, stout

With blue cheese (mellow and buttery) Bleu d'Auvergne, Cashel Blue, Fourme d'Ambert,Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue, Shropshire Blue, Stichelton, Stilton TRY barley wine, doppelbock, dub bel, Maibock, porter, stout or Imperial stout, quadrupel

With blue cheese (piquant and spicy) Great Hill Blue, Rogue Caveman Blue, Rogue River Blue, Shepherd's Way Big Woods Blue, Valdeón TRY barley wine, dub bel, holiday ale, Imperial stout, quadrupel

Beers to Try: Abita Amber; Anchor Steam; Brooklyn Lager; Flat Earth Brewing Element 115; Flying Dog Brewery Old Scratch Amber Lager; Samuel Adams Boston Lager; Steamworks Steam Engine Lager.

Cheese Affinities: These malt-forward beers appreciate cheeses with a hint of sweetness, although not the full-blown caramel flavor of, say, an aged Gouda. Asiago, Piave, and similar aged cow’s milk cheeses come to mind. Moderate in alcohol, bitterness, and intensity, amber lager and California common pair better with mellow cheeses than with sharp, stinky, tangy, or otherwise extreme types.

Extra-Aged Asiago from Sartori, a Wisconsin producer, does not have the peppery bite you might expect in a year-old wheel of this type. Instead, the extra time in the cellar renders this cow’s milk cheese more nutty and mellow.

Straw to pale gold in color, with a Cheddar-like appearance, it feels crumbly on the tongue at first but dissolves to a creamy, almost buttery finish. The nuttiness reinforces the toasted-malt aroma of amber lager and California common; and the moderate flavor intensity of cheese and beer align. 

50 real food fall 2013

photos and copy from cheese & beer by janet fletcher. photography by ed anderson; Copyright © 2013 Andrews mcmeel publishing, llc

More Cheeses to try: Capriole Julianna; Fiscalini San Joaquin Gold; Garrotxa; Montasio; Montcabrer; Murcia al Vino (Drunken Goat); Piave; Juniper Grove Farm Tumalo Tomme.

amBer lager

fall 2013 real food 51

A World of

One-Pot Wonders

One-pot meals are the ultimate cool-weather comfort food. From mouthwateringly tender stews to deeply flavored casseroles, these hearty and soulful dishes bring everyone around the table in the casual spirit of sharing. Best of all, much of the work can be done ahead, leaving little to do after you’ve eaten but wash the single pot, slide the plates into the dishwasher, and bask in the satisfaction of a delicious dinner.

If your impression of one-pot dishes is that they are convenient but not exactly exciting, then it’s time to look again. The recipes here take their inspiration from all corners of the world—places such as Asia, Latin America, and the Mediterranean. The results? Delicious family dishes impressive enough to serve at your next dinner party.

by Molly Stevens

52 real food fall 2013

Photography Terry Brennan Food Styling lara miklasevics

Bibimbap-Style Spinach Rice and Spicy Beef (recipe page 55)

fall 2013 real food 53

Cuban Pork and Pepper Stew with Black Beans

54 real food fall 2013

Cuban Pork and Pepper Stew with Black Beans

Cook’s Note To get the best flavor from cumin (and many other spices), toast whole seeds and grind them yourself. Here’s how: Place seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan, about 2 minutes, until fragrant and slightly darker in color. Let cool slightly. Grind using an electric spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Makes 4 servings

This colorful stew combines tender chunks of pork with the tropical flavors of citrus, cumin, and peppers. Serve straight up or ladled over rice—in which case, it will feed more hungry mouths. Leftover stew is easily made into a world-class breakfast: Spoon a small portion of warm stew onto a plate, top it with a poached egg or two, and serve with soft, sweet bread or biscuits (and plenty of strong coffee, of course).

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1½-inch chunks 1 large onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 to 2 jalapeños, cored, seeded, and minced 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground oregano 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional) 3 bell peppers (about 1 pound), preferably a mix of colors, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 poblano peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped 1 bay leaf 1 wide strip orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler ½ cup fresh orange juice ¹⁄³ cup fresh lime juice, divided 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish ¼ to ½ cup sour cream ¼ to ½ cup salsa 1. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper. Brown pork in batches (so as not to crowd pan), about 8 minutes, turning with tongs halfway through, until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add onion and a pinch of salt.

Sauté, stirring, about 8 minutes, until onion is soft and golden.

Add garlic, jalapeños, cumin, and oregano. Stir and cook 2 minutes, until fragrant.

3. Sprinkle flour over onions and stir to incorporate. Gradually pour in orange juice and ¼ cup lime juice, stirring as you go.

Stir in bell peppers, poblano peppers, bay leaf, and orange zest, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Return pork to pot, along with any juices that have accumulated. Add broth and beans, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer. Partially cover, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until pork is tender.

5. Stir in cilantro. Season with a few drops lime juice and add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, topping each with a dollop sour cream, a tablespoon salsa, and a sprig cilantro.

A little bit of flour in the recipe helps to thicken the stew. If you choose to leave it out, the stew will be slightly thinner, but every bit as flavorful.

Bibimbap-Style Spinach Rice and Spicy Beef Makes 4 to 5 servings

This colorful meal delivers the flavors of a traditional Korean rice pot with only a fraction of the work. While authentic bibimbap requires a multitude of individual garnishes, here everything cooks together to create an exciting and deeply satisfying dish.

3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound ground beef 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon ground chili paste, or to taste, plus more for serving 5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thickly sliced 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced 2 cups long-grain white rice 1 bunch leaf spinach, any thick stems removed, chopped (preferably not baby spinach) 1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 cups fresh mung bean sprouts ½ daikon radish, peeled and thinly sliced (or 1 bunch red radishes, trimmed) 1 to 2 cups kimchee, mild or hot 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 1. C ombine 2 tablespoons oil and onion in a heavy-based stew pot or Dutch oven (preferably around 4-quart capacity) over medium heat. Sauté about 6 minutes, until just beginning to soften. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon, and season with ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes, until beef is cooked through.

2. T urn off heat and stir in soy sauce, sugar, and ½ teaspoon chili paste (or to taste). Use a slotted spoon to transfer beef to

fall 2013 real food 55

a bowl, cover, and set aside in a warm spot. Do not rinse pot.

3. Return pot to medium heat. Add remaining tablespoon oil, mushrooms, and most of scallions, reserving some of green parts for garnish. Stir and sauté about 3 minutes, until vegetables begin to cook. Add rice, spinach, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon chili paste. Stir and cook until spinach has wilted.

4. Add 3½ cups water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 to 18 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.

Gently fluff with a fork. Drizzle with sesame oil. Shape a well in center, spoon in beef, cover, and let stand 10 minutes.

5. To serve, spoon into large bowls, topping each with bean sprouts, kimchee, radish, sesame seeds, reserved scallion greens, and a dab of chili paste to taste.

Cook’s Note A staple of the Korean diet, kimchee is a fiery pickled vegetable. The most popular versions are based on Napa (Chinese) cabbage and take several days to ferment. Fortunately, there are many good-tasting options available in most produce departments. You can also make a quick version that can stand in for the traditional. Here’s how: Quarter and slice a small head of Napa cabbage into 1-inch pieces to yield about 8 cups. Place in a large saucepan with 3 tablespoons water and 2 minced garlic cloves. Season with salt and simmer over medium heat about 5 minutes, tossing with tongs, until just wilted. Add 1 to 2 grated carrots and season to taste with toasted sesame oil, white vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and chili paste. Let cool. Serve the same day; unlike authentic kimchee, this will lose its crunch as it sits.

Mediterranean Seafood and Potato Stew Makes 6 servings

This tomato-based seafood stew brings the flavors of the sunsoaked Mediterranean to any table. Keep in mind that a good seafood stew depends entirely on the quality of the seafood, so buy the freshest you can find. A mix of shrimp, cod, and scallops provides a tasty balance, but feel free to substitute whatever looks best. Serve with crusty garlic bread.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving 1 large onion, chopped 2 chopped celery stalks 2 shallots, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

56 real food fall 2013

1 teaspoon crushed fennel seed pinch crumbled saffron threads 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup dry white wine 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¹⁄³-inch dice 1 24-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice 2 cups fish broth or clam juice 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water ½ cup black or green olives, pitted and slivered 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained, and chopped 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (or ¾ pound peeled shrimp 1 pound cod or halibut, cut into 1½-inch chunks ¾ pound sea scallops, halved horizontally ¹⁄³ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped and divided 1. H eat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and shallots, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes, until vegetables soften and begin to turn golden.

2. A dd garlic, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, saffron, and several grinds of black pepper. Sauté 3 minutes, stirring a few times, until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste until evenly combined.

Pour in wine, scraping bottom of pot with a wooden spoon, and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes.

3. A dd potatoes, tomatoes, fish broth, and chicken broth, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes, until potatoes are just tender. Add olives and capers. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The recipe can be made ahead until this point. Let sit at room temperature up to an hour or cool and refrigerate up to 2 days.

4. T o finish stew, season all seafood with salt and pepper. Bring stew to a simmer until heated through then reduce heat so stew barely simmers. Add shrimp, stirring gently to combine.

Cook about 3 minutes, until shrimp begin to turn pink. Stir in cod, scallops, and half of basil, stirring gently so as not to break up fish. Heat about 5 minutes, until fish is cooked through.

Ladle into bowls, topping each with a bit of basil and a thin thread of oil. Serve immediately.

Cook’s Note A quick way to make bottled clam juice taste more like homemade fish broth is to briefly simmer it with shrimp shells. After peeling 1 pound shell-on shrimp, combine shells and 2 cups clam juice in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce heat, and simmer gently 10 minutes. Strain, pushing down on shrimp shells to extract all liquid.

Discard shells and pour broth into a glass measuring cup. Add enough water to return volume to 2 cups (you will likely lose some from simmering).

Mediterranean Seafood and Potato Stew

fall 2013 real food 57

Vegetable Moussaka

58 real food fall 2013

Vegetable Moussaka makeS 6 SeRvingS

This update of the classic Greek lamb and eggplant casserole forgoes the usual meat and boosts the flavor quotient with a vegetable-packed tomato sauce and some feta crumbled into the creamy topping.There are a few steps to making all the components for this dish, but all the work can be done in advance so all you need to do is pop it in the oven when the time comes.

3½ pounds eggplant, trimmed and sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds 1½ pounds zucchini, trimmed and sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds ¹⁄³ cup extra virgin olive oil, or as needed 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped into ½-inch pieces 1 large carrot, chopped 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried mint ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¹⁄8 teaspoon ground allspice 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste pepper to taste 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1¹⁄³ cups milk 2 large egg yolks ½ cup crumbled feta cheese ¾ cup fresh breadcrumbs ¾ cup grated manchego cheese

NUTRITION

1. Arrange eggplant on clean dishtowels and sprinkle both sides generously with salt. Spread zucchini in a large colander and toss with salt. Let stand 25 to 40 minutes, until salt drains moisture from vegetables.

2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Blot dry zucchini and toss with 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned and tender. Transfer to a plate or bowl.

3. Blot dry eggplant and arrange in a single layer on baking sheets (you will need to do this in batches; keep in mind you can reuse parchment paper). Brush both sides lightly with oil and roast about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender and browned in spots. Set aside to cool. (If finishing dish right way, reduce oven temperature to 350°F.)

CUBAN PORK AND PEPPER STEW WITH BLACK BEANS: peR SeRving: caloRieS 781 (409 from fat); fat 46g (sat. 16g); chol 164mg; Sodium 567mg; caRB 40g; fiBeR 11g; pRotein 54g

BIBIMBAP-STYLE SPINACH RICE AND SPICY BEEF: peR SeRving: caloRieS 786 (272 from fat); fat 31g (sat. 8g); chol 71mg; Sodium 581mg; caRB 94g; fiBeR 7g; pRotein 34g

4. For the tomato sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, season with a pinch of salt, and sauté, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes, until golden. Add garlic, bell pepper, carrot, oregano, mint, cinnamon, allspice, and another pinch of salt. Stir to combine, cover, and let stew, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Add tomato paste, stirring to combine, and add tomatoes.

Bring to a simmer and let cook about 10 minutes to combine flavors. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

5. For the sauce topping: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook about 1 minute, until evenly incorporated. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer, whisking often, and let simmer about 3 minutes, until thickened. Season with ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste) and plenty of black pepper. Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl and gradually add thickened milk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent yolks from curdling. Whisk in feta. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and manchego cheese.

6. To assemble: Arrange one-third of eggplant slices in a 9-by13-inch baking dish. Top with half of zucchini and half of tomato sauce. Sprinkle on half breadcrumb mixture. Continue with a second layer of eggplant, remaining zucchini, remaining tomato sauce, and breadcrumbs. Top with a final layer of eggplant and evenly spread sauce topping over casserole. This recipe can be made ahead up to this point, covered with plastic, and refrigerated up to 24 hours. Let the casserole sit at room temperature, uncovered, while you preheat the oven.

7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered in middle of oven about 45 minutes, until top is lightly golden and edges are bubbly (slightly longer if casserole was refrigerated). ■

Cook’s Note To make a meaty moussaka, crumble ½ pound fresh Italian sausage (sweet or hot), ground lamb, or ground beef into onions for tomato sauce. Heat until cooked through and beginning to brown before proceeding with recipe. Alternatively, add 2 to 4 cups chopped roast lamb or beef to tomato sauce before assembling casserole.

MEDITERRANEAN SEAFOOD AND POTATO STEW: peR SeRving: caloRieS 342 (91 from fat); fat 10g (sat. 2g); chol 123mg; Sodium 1177mg; caRB 30g; fiBeR 4g; pRotein 33g

VEGETABLE MOUSSAKA: peR SeRving: caloRieS 436 (243 from fat); fat 28g (sat. 11g); chol 106mg; Sodium 765mg; caRB 38g; fiBeR 11g; pRotein 15g

fall 2013 real food 59

Roasted Squash Soup with Popcorn (recipe page 63)

60 real food fall 2013

Art, Cook, Memory Alex Guarnaschelli Goes Old-School

By Tara Q. Thomas

Alex Guarnaschelli doesn’t do things halfway. The executive chef of Butter and The Darby in New York City as well as a Food Network Iron Chef, a judge on Chopped, and the star of Alex’s Day Off, Guarnaschelli knew the day she graduated from college that she was going to be a chef. “It was May 15, 1991,” she recalls.

“When I woke up, I thought, ‘by the end of today you’ll know what you want to do with your life,’” she says. “And it was that day I decided to be a chef.”

Mind you, she’d never set foot in a professional kitchen before then; she’d been studying art history at Barnard. And she didn’t start small when she went to realize her decision: She walked into An American Place—the restaurant that sealed Larry Forgione’s reputation as one of America’s greatest chefs—and talked her way behind a stove. And stayed for the next year and a half.

That was just the beginning of a wild ride through some very impressive kitchens: She went on to spend five years working for the legendary chef Guy Savoy in Paris, and logged time in Boulud in New York and Patina in Los Angeles. These are brutal places, the sort that make mincemeat of anyone without a motherlode of grit and determination, not to mention talent—all prerequisites for turning out the caliber of cuisine that they do.

Now she presides over two of the hottest restaurants in New York, and was in the process of opening another Butter in midtown when I talked to her this spring. For, as impressive as her 12-year rocket-like rise from art history major to rock-star chef is, she’d just released her first cookbook, Old-School Comfort Food—a move that may well be her bravest to date.

To understand why, you have to know her mother. Maria Guarnaschelli is a legendary cookbook editor, revered for her intensity and expertise; she’s the woman behind classics such as Julie Sahni’s Classic Indian Cooking; Barbara Tropp’s The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking and Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible, as well as classics-in-the-making, like Maricel Presilla’s Gran Cocina Latina, an exhaustively comprehensive tome that took the James Beard Foundation’s Cookbook of the Year award this past May.

fall 2013 real food 61

G “A cookbook offers a unique experience of an image and a way to make the image come to life.”

—Alex Guarnaschelli

62 real food fall 2013

uarnaschelli remembers clearly each book her mother worked on, as, she explains, “She approaches every book as if it’s a Ph.D. dissertation.” Sahni’s book was a year of nonstop Indian food; then there was a fattening spell of northern Italian pastas and soups, with Lynne Rosetto Kasper’s The Splendid Table. If there was a break in a theme, it was because her dad was cooking; Chinese food was his hobby, and he pursued it with such diligence that, rather than taking the subway down to Chinatown for a perfectly golden, deliciously crisp-skinned duck (as most New Yorkers are perfectly happy to do), he hung one to dry for three days in their apartment. She remembers this vividly, as it whacked her in the head while she was practicing to be a Rockette—her dream as an eight-year-old.

So you can imagine some apprehension when it came to writing a cookbook. But cookbooks mean a lot to her; she has an apartment full of them, from old titles found among the floor-to-ceiling shelves at Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks in the West Village to the latest chef-ly titles at Kitchen Arts & Letters up on Lexington and 93rd Street. Why? “It’s still my number one way of seeking inspiration. I refer to them all the time, looking for recipes, for ideas,” she says.

“A cookbook offers a unique experience of an image and a way to make the image come to life,” she says, an experience far different than the restaurant, where diners can only guess how the food on their plate came to be. But also, she adds, “To me, every cookbook is like a painting made by an artist; it’s a way to get to know people.”

In the end, she took a completely different approach than any of her mother’s most famous books (and, just for the record, her mother had no hand in it; as she says, “If your father was Steven Spielberg, you wouldn’t show him the first cuts of your

photo courtesy of The Darby

the darby

movie, right?”) Instead, what’s she’s compiled is a loose chronicle of the moments that sparked her curiosity and hunger—the taste of one of her dad’s spare ribs pilfered from the pan before dinner, before she was even tall enough to see over the stove; the first bite of her mom’s meatloaf, tweaked with sour cream and tarragon; the leeks vinaigrette she ate at a Parisian bistro.

Alongside those early memories, she includes other, more chef-ly ones, too, like bacon-wrapped pork chops—a recipe inspired by a dish she made at Daniel that involved many variations on the same ingredient. Or a salad she puts in the oven, a riff on a dish from Guy Savoy.

It’s an eclectic mix, yet somehow it all hangs together; her dad’s mackerel recipe— in which the fish is delivered into a hot pan waiting in the oven with a football-like pass—backs up against a broiled bluefish, bacon, and corn dish that sounds like it could have come straight off the menu at Forgione’s An American Place. Read the side notes (on the next page) and you’ll get a sense of the rigor she internalized from her parents—this is a woman who specifies that she prefers Diamond Crystal Salt over Morton’s, as she finds it “categorically less salty”; specifies when to use curly parsley and when to go for flat-leaf, and parses the unique qualities of a wide array of vinegars with the sensitivity of a wine critic. (“When you grow up with 12 different types of vinegar in the cupboard, it doesn’t seem so strange to you,” she explains.)

But is it comfort food? “Well,” she says, “there’s no mac’n’cheese; there are duck hearts,” she admits. But it is absolutely nostalgic, a paean to all the people and all the dishes that shaped the cook she became, from the aunt who grew the tomatoes that she foraged on hands and knees at age eight, to the cherry, pasilla chile and vanilla custard chart that sealed her win as an Iron Chef. “Comfort comes in many guises,” she says. And though every reader might not find as much comfort as she does in a deeply toasted English muffin topped with a sun-warmed tomato and some extra-sharp cheddar, or an extravagantly rich French onion soup, there’s ample comfort in reading her stories and recipes, each bringing to life the power of flavor and scent to make memories. 

There’s a funny story behind this soup. When Guarnaschelli first started at Butter, it was designed as the sort of spot New York City sees a lot of: a beautiful space for beautiful people, with a generically global menu she inherited from the opening chef. She gave it two years. But one day she had an epiphany (or you might call it a nervous breakdown), and detoured to the farmers’ market on the way to work. “I couldn’t do it anymore,” she says. “I wanted to cook food I wanted to eat. I applied the shopping philosophy that I live by—shop locally to support farmers—to the restaurant.”

From that first taxicab full of carrots and kale and beets in rainbow hues, she made the menu hers. “The ingredients took over,” she says. “I’m not any health guru, I’m not going to say you should be drinking soy lattes and running by the river. But I get a kick out of the fact that using local ingredients and celebrating seasonality and being earthy-friendly incidentally leads to serving the most delicious stuff.”

This soup—one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes—came out of a desire to make use of the panoply of squashes available at the farmers’ market. “The honest truth is that butternut is just one of many squashes we use for it; we just had to call it “Butternut Squash Soup” because the actual name would be “Kuri-KabochaDelicato-Acorn-Turban…” she jokes. So feel free to go nuts with the squash selection. It’s what Guarnaschelli would do.

recipe and image from old-school comfort food by Alex Guarnaschelli; Copyright © 2013; published

by Clarkson Potter, $30.

Roasted Squash Soup with Popcorn makes 8 to 10 servings

I have been serving this soup at Butter for about eight years. Some people take it pretty seriously. One night a sweet couple walked into the restaurant without a reservation and asked for two bowls of “the soup.” Turns out, that day, I had made some roasted lentil soup with smoked ham hocks instead. When they heard that, they stood up, put on their coats, and told the waiter: “Give the chef a message: When she is ready to make the soup, we’ll be back to eat it!” And they walked out! That sealed it into tradition.

I am particularly in love with any type of squash with a dark green skin, such as kabocha. I also love combining kuri or Hokkaido squash with the old workhorse butternut. Go rogue at the supermarket. Try some squash you’ve never tried before.

Squash are like people; each kind offers something special and unique. One note, though: This recipe changes depending on the squash you use. Don’t be afraid to tinker with the flavor by adding more or less sugar or garlic or molasses accordingly. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 pounds butternut or other ¼ teaspoon ground cloves winter squash (2 large or grated zest and juice of 1 orange 3 medium butternut) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) sauce, plus more if needed unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, grated 2 tablespoons packed dark brown 2 cups skim milk sugar 1 cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses, juice of ½ to 1 lemon, to taste plus more if needed 1 to 2 cups freshly popped kosher salt and white pepper and salted popcorn 1 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. 2. Prepare the squash: Put squash on a cutting board and split them in half lengthwise.

Scrape out the seeds and discard. Arrange the squash in a single layer, cut sides up, on 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets.

3. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. When it begins to smoke lightly, remove the pan from the heat and add 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter. Swirl the pan to melt the butter and wait until it starts to turn a light brown color (return to the stove if needed).

Immediately pour the butter liberally over the squash halves and into the cavities. Sprinkle the brown sugar and molasses liberally over the squash and into the cavities as well. Season with salt and pepper.

4. In a small bowl, mix together the ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Transfer the spice blend to a small fine-mesh strainer and dust the squash halves and cavities with an even layer.

5. Cook the squash: Cover squash halves somewhat snugly with foil and carefully put the baking sheet(s) in the oven. Add about an inch of water to the baking sheet(s) to create steam while the squash bakes in the oven. Bake for 1½ to 2 hours. To check for doneness, pierce one of the halves through the foil with the tip of a small knife. The knife should slide in and out easily. If at all firm, bake the halves an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven. Carefully peel back foil and set aside to cool.

6. Make the soup: Using a large spoon, carefully scoop the flesh from the squash into a large pot. Get all of the cooking liquid inside the squash, too, but avoid the skin and the liquid in the bottom of the baking sheet(s): Both will add unwanted bitterness to the soup. Put the pot over low heat. Add half of the orange zest, the orange juice, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, and the garlic. Stir to blend. Taste for seasoning. If the squash lacks sweetness, add a little molasses. If it lacks salt, add a little salt or Worcestershire sauce.

7. In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter over medium heat until it turns light brown and then pour it over the squash, stirring to blend. In the same pot, heat the milk, cream, and 2 cups water. Season the liquid with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir the milk mixture into the squash and bring to a simmer.

8. Finish the soup: Purée the soup in small batches in a blender. Combine all batches and taste for seasoning, adding salt, orange zest, or pepper, as needed. If the soup is too thick, add an additional cup of water and blend. Stir in a little lemon juice to brighten the flavors. Serve the soup family style, or ladle the soup into individual bowls, with the popcorn on the side.

fall 2013 real food 63

pairings

The New Go-to Red Wine

PHOTO BY TERRY BRENNAN; FOOD STYLED BY LARA MIKLASEVICS

Move over Merlot. You, too, Zinfandel.

The red wine of choice for a growing number of consumers is now the hard-to-produce, fickle and ethereal Pinot Noir. Long considered to be one of the most demanding varietals to produce, Pinot has transitioned into volume production by America’s biggest wine groups—the big three being E&J Gallo, The Wine Group, and Constellation.

The good news is that value-priced Pinot is now better and more accessible than ever before. But value depends on your individual pocketbook. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 85 percent of all wines sold in the United States cost less than $10 a bottle. But the category between $10 and $20 is increasingly the growth segment in the industry.

And the challenge is finding a great weekday Pinot for less than $20.

Volume and value can go together nicely, as does the Frei Brothers Reserve Pinot Noir from the much-acclaimed Russian River Valley. As with most Pinot, it pairs well with whatever will be on your table tonight.

64 real food fall 2013

STON E WOOD Refined Custom Homes

License # 20594315

LLC

CHANGING THE WAY THE WORLD MIXES! Clear the counter for the Cuisinart of Stand Mixers and get more power, precision, capacity and control.

More power with 1000 watts of unrivaled strength. More precision with an auto-shutoff digital countdown timer. More capacity with an extra-large 7-quart stainless steel mixing bowl. More control with 12 mixing speeds.

We’re not done yet. We are the only stand mixer with an ultra-convenient gentle fold feature – plus, three power outlets to connect five attachments.

Get your hands on the Cuisinart™ Stand Mixer™ and change the way you mix!

[more power | more precision | more control | more capacity] Explore a new world of mixing at www.cuisinartstandmixer.com