Book Excerpt: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner... Life! by Rizzoli International Publications

cooking by numbers

62,400+ 1 2 2 1 1 50+ 1

8 1 5 2 3 1 2 3 4 $200,000 22

hours working skin graft third degree burns bad shoulders bad back unreliable ankle pounds therapist more tears than i care to remember more smiles than i can count kitchens countless friends too many missed weddings and holidays james beard house dinners james beard semifinalist list months in italy michelin stars rising star awards food and wine â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;best new chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; award ny times stars ny magazine stars stars from chicago magazine spent on dining and travel years

Home Cooked

I remember the moment I found my apartment. I had been flying back and forth between Chicago and New York for months getting ready for the ultimate flight that would see me relocate back to the big city after my 5 year hiatus in the, so-called, second cityChicago. The West Village was always the goal, but increasingly seemed to be an unattainable one. It’s expensive, attractive apartments are few and far between and small, and yet still totally charming. My realtor, also a good friend, had patiently shown me 15 apartments throughout downtown NYC. There were spaces that were fine and maybe would have sufficed, and then there were the spaces that were awesome but not in the right location, or over my budget. My now well-worn, but much loved, little West Village enclave was the last apart-ment I saw on a day of exhaustive looking. I was looking for a home. Somewhere that moved me. Charm. Warmth. It was the one. I knew it the minute I walked into its long, narrow hallway, down to a decently sized bedroom, a foyer and a modest, but charming, living room with a true working (sort of ) fireplace – all lit up with sunshine. The current tenant was a pack rat. The space was cluttered with not-so-attractive furniture and a cat. It was painted a pallid yellow and the beautiful fire-place framed by a pair of ugly brass sconces, all topped off with a very dated, very ugly, also brass, chandelier. But I had the vision of what it could be, I saw its potential. I would paint it bright white. I could see my modern furniture and clean lines in here, transforming the space. I would change the lighting to bring it out of the dark ages. I would add bookcases

corn, leeks, mascarpone, buffalo butter pg XX

cucumbers, goat yogurt, shallots, mint pg XX

Adventures In My Tiny Kitchen / Vegetables

corn, leeks, mascarpone, buffalo butter

serves 8–12

4 tablespoons olive oil 3 leeks, whites only, cut into ¼ inch half moons (reserve the tender green tops of 1 leek to juli-enne very fine for garnish) garlic cloves, sliced thin 2 Buffalo butter 3 tablespoons ears corn, shucked and kernels removed from cob 12 mascarpone 1 cup salt 1 tablespoon small leaves basil 10 1 Heat a large sauté pan over medium low heat. Add the olive oil and leeks and sweat until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and sweat for another 45 seconds. 2 Add the butter and once it has melted, add the corn. Cook the corn in the leek and butter mixture until warmed through and slightly tender, but with bite, 3-5 minutes. 3 Turn the heat down very low and gently fold in the mascarpone until it is evenly incorpo-rated. Be careful, if the heat is too high it will break. 4 Season with salt, mix to incorporate and taste. Adjust if necessary. 5 Transfer to a large serving bowl and garnish with the basil and finely julienned leek greens.

Home Cooked

cucumbers, goat yogurt, shallots, mint

serves 4-6

3 large seedless cucumbers 2 shallots, sliced thin Zest of 2 lemons 1 1/2 cups goat’s milk (or other) yogurt, drained in a fine sieve for 1 hr Juice of 1 lemon salt 3/4 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons sprigs mint, leaves only, torn 3 Cracked black pepper Course sea salt, for garnish 1 Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, and then slice each half into ¼ inch thick half moon pieces. 2 Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl along with the shallots and zest from 1 of the lemons. 3 Gently fold in the yogurt. 4 Add the lemon juice and mix to combine. 5 Season with salt only when you are ready to eat. If you season with salt too early it will draw out too much water from the cucumbers and water down the dish. Mix to combine. 6 Once seasoned, transfer to a large serving bowl and drizzle the olive oil over the top. 7 Garnish with the torn mint leaves, zest of the remaining lemon, cracked black pepper and sea salt.

Adventures In My Tiny Kitchen / Vegetables

fennel, chile flake, black pepper, balsamic, parmigiano 4 4 tablespoons 2 tablespoons 1/2 tablespoon 1 tablespoon

3 1/4 cup 15 2 tablespoons 1/4 cup 1/2 tablespoon

serves 4-6

bulbs fennel, trimmed and each cut into 6 wedges olive oil salt chile flake fennel seed Peel of 1 orange, most cut into large pieces, 1 tablespoon zested sprigs rosemary, plus 1 sprig, leaves only for garnish grated Parmigiano-Reggiano twists of a black pepper mill aged balsamic vinegar shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish fennel pollen, for garnish

1 Preheat an oven to 425ÂşF. 2 Place the cut fennel in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, chile flake, and fennel seed. Transfer to a large baking dish, arranging each piece of fennel to lay flat on its side. 3 Scatter the slices of orange peel and rosemary on top and place in the preheated oven. Roast for 15 minutes, until the fennel begins to caramelize and tenderize. 4 After 15 minutes, remove the dish from the oven to remove the orange and rosemary and add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Place back in the oven to cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the cheese starts to brown. The fennel should be tender but not too soft. 5 Remove from the oven and transfer to a large serving dish. Grind the black pepper over the top and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. 6 Sprinkle with the shaved Parmigiano, orange zest, rosemary and fennel pollen.

Home Cooked

cherry tomatoes, lemon, black pepper, oregano

serves 4-6

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tablespoon sea salt 2 tablespoons olive oil Zest of 1 lemon, cut into fine, 1-inch julienne 15 twists black pepper 3 sprigs oregano, leaves only 1 Place the cut tomatoes on a serving platter cut side up. 2 Season with salt, olive oil, lemon zest and black pepper. 3 Sprinkle with oregano leaves.

fennel, chile flake, black pepper, balsamic, parmigiano pg XX

cherry tomatoes, lemon, black pepper, oregano pg XX

roasted pumpkin, parmigiano reggiano, pine nuts pg XX

whole roasted summer squash pg XX

Adventures In My Tiny Kitchen / Vegetables

roasted pumpkin, parmigiano reggiano, pine nuts

serves 4-6

1 large (3-4 pound) pumpkin or winter squash, cut into wedges 2 tablespoons salt Cracked black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only 1/4 cup toasted and roughly chopped pine nuts 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated 1 Preheat the oven to 400ÂşF. 2 Line the wedges of pumpkin in a baking dish. Position so that they stand upright, skin side down, and season evenly with the salt, pepper and olive oil. 3 Dab the butter in little bits over the flesh of the pumpkin. 4 Sprinkle loose rosemary leaves over the top. 5 Place in the oven, uncovered. Cook for approximately 45 min, or until the pumpkin is tender and caramelized around the edges. 6 Remove from the oven and transfer the pumpkin wedges to a serving dish. Top with the chopped pine nuts and Parmigiano before serving.

Home Cooked

whole roasted summer squash

serves 4-6

2 cups salt, plus 1 tablespoon 1 large (roughly 1 pound) globe shaped summer squash or 4-6 smaller zucchini 4 tablespoons olive oil ½ tablespoon chile flake, plus a pinch for garnish 1 tablespoon fennel seed 2 heads garlic, split 10 sprigs thyme 10 sprigs marjoram 1 lemon, juice 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt for garnish. 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano 1 Preheat oven to 350ºF. 2 Spread the 2 cups of salt in the bottom of a large, heavy bottomed, Dutch oven style pot. 3 Cut shallow slits on the skin of the zucchini. This will allow the aromatics to penetrate the squash. 4 Place the squash on the salt and drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over it. 5 Season with the remaining tablespoon of salt, chile flake and fennel seed. 6 Place the garlic around the squash and scatter the herbs over the top and around. 7 Cover the pot with either a lid or tented foil and place in the oven to cook for 45 min – 1 hour, or until tender. This is the one time where you want your vegetables to get slightly soft. 8 Once cooked, remove the squash from the pot and transfer to a tray or platter that will catch the juices that spill out. While it is still hot, use a knife to split the squash open into quarters, using your fingers to pry it open. 9 Transfer the split squash to a low bowl for serving. Surround with some of the zucchini’s juices. 10 Dress with the lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Season with the coarse sea salt and pinch of chile flake. 11 Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and Pecorino over the top before serving.

hazelnut yogurt, dried figs, cocoa pg XX

summer stone fruits, yogurt, coriander honey pg XX

Oh Shit, What Have I Done? / Breakfast

hazelnut yogurt, dried figs, cocoa

serves 4

Possibly one of the best things I ate during my stay in Alba while in Piemonte was hazelnut yo-gurt. It was not from an artisan company or specially homemade, it seemed to be packaged rather commercially form a German company. But it was delicious. Nut yogurts are not something we see often in the States and it was revelatory to me. Nutty, earthy, tangy and slightly sweet. When I came home I looked high and low for it and couldn’t find it anywhere, so I came up with this recreation of the magical breakfast treat. Combined with a touch of cocoa and dried fruit it takes the ordinary to extraordinary. 1 quart Greek yogurt 2 cups skinless hazelnuts, toasted, plus 4 tablespoons for garnish 2 tablespoons hazelnut oil 1/4 cup honey 4–8 dried figs, cut in ¼ inch slices 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1 Place the yogurt in a blender and with the blender on high speed, gradually add the nuts, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Continue blending until the nuts are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth. 2 With the blender still on, gradually pour in the hazelnut oil. 3 Mix in the honey. 4 To serve, divide the yogurt into four bowls. Evenly distribute the figs around the top, fol-lowed by the hazelnuts. Finish with a dusting of cocoa powder.

Home Cooked

summer stone fruits, yogurt, coriander honey

serves 4

I love a simple breakfast of yogurt and fruit because it fills me up, has lots of protein and I feel good about starting my day off with something healthy. Because I am not such a big fan of sweet breakfasts, and usually go for something savory, I added coriander to the honey in this dish, which helps bridge that gap and adds a nutty, earthy, citrusy note, as well as texture from the roughly cracked seeds. The longer you can let the honey and coriander sit together, the better. You can even make a larger batch of it to keep around for experimenting with other fruit combi-nations, and as a great accompaniment to fresh cheeses, like ricotta or goat. 1 1/2 tablespoons 4 tablespoons 3 cups 8

coriander seed honey Greek yogurt whole stone fruits, assorted, pitted, and cut into 1/2 inch wedges

1 Spread the coriander seeds on a cutting board and, using the back of a heavy sautĂŠ pan, crush the seeds until they split in half. 2 In a small bowl, combine the split seeds and honey. 3 To serve, divide the yogurt between four bowls, distribute the sliced fruits on top and fin-ish with a drizzle of the coriander honey.

Oh Shit, What Have I Done? / Breakfast

fried egg with kasha, sicilian pesto, and soppressata

serves 4

My Polish grandmother is most likely rolling over in her grave knowing that I would combine kasha, traditionally served during my childhood in Varsiskis style with bow tie pasta and onions (one of my very favorite dishes), with cured pork. I have always loved the nutty flavor of kasha, or buckwheat, and it also has the added bonus of being both gluten and wheat free. When combined with a fried egg and the tanginess of sundried tomatoes and peppers, along with spicy sop-pressata the result is a truly savory and energizing, protein and fiber packed meal to start the day off right. In fact, it’s so robust that it would make a great lunch and even dinner. By the way, there is no such thing as Sicilian pesto… I made it up. It’s made from typically Sicilian ingredients and the name sounded fitting, so now it’s stuck. for the Kasha 2 cups water 1 tablespoon salt 1 cup Kasha 1 Bring the water to a boil, add the salt and kasha and bring the heat down to a low simmer. 2 Cook, covered, for approximately 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the kasha is tender, but not mushy. 3 Turn the heat off, and let it sit to steam for another 5 minutes. 4 Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Home Cooked

for the Sicilian Pesto 2 cups 1 cup 5 cloves 1 cup 3 cups

finely chopped sundried tomatoes finely chopped sundried peppers 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped finely chopped spicy soppressata olive oil Zest of 2 oranges 2â&#x20AC;&#x201C;3 tablespoons Calabrian chile oil (from the jar of Calabrian chilies) 1 Combine the tomatoes, peppers, garlic, soppressata, and orange zest in a bowl 2 Add the olive oil, orange juice and chile oil and mix. The mixture should be a just combined, not too liquidy. The pesto will be best after it sits for a few hours or days so that the flavors com-bine and will stay in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator, covered by the oil for a few weeks and can be used as a dressing for vegetables. for the Finish 3/4 cup Sicilian pesto Juice of 1/2 orange 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 2Â˝ cups cooked kasha 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 large eggs 1 Place the pesto in a bowl and stir in the orange juice along with the red wine vinegar. The acid will brighten it up. 2 Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. 3 Crack the eggs into the pan and cook sunny side up until the whites have set. 4 To serve, divide the kasha between four bowls and place one egg on top of the kasha. Top with the Sicilian pesto.

fried egg with kasha, sicilian pesto, and soppressata pg XX

eggs in purgatorio pg XX

Oh Shit, What Have I Done? / Breakfast

eggs in purgatorio

serves 4

For me, this spicy tomato “purgatory” is really heaven. It has been my go-to egg dish for years because I get to eat eggs, which I don’t usually love, masked by all of the flavors of a great pasta, which clearly is what I would really like to be eating. And, it’s another great use for the Arrabiata sauce on page 000. This dish is very savory and makes for a filling breakfast, but is also hearty enough for lunch. Use toasted country bread to sop up all the sauce and runny yolks. 1 quart 8 2 tablespoons 1 teaspoon 1 1/2 cup

Arrabiata sauce eggs olive oil chile flake sprig rosemary, leaves picked grated Pecorino Romano

1 Heat the arrabiata in a large shallow pan. If it is a little thick, thin it out with a bit of wa-ter. 2 Once the sauce is hot, gently crack the eggs, one by one, directly into it, making sure to spread them out so they are not on top of each other, but in one even layer scattered throughout the sauce. 3 Cover the pan and cook the eggs gently on medium-low heat until the egg white sets and the yolk is still runny, approximately 5 minutes. 4 Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the eggs to four bowls for serving, 2 eggs per person. Surround the eggs with the arriabiata sauce. 5 Garnish equally with the olive oil, chile flake, rosemary leaves and grated Pecorino.

Home Cooked

zucchini and provolone frittata

serves 6–8

The key to any good frittata is the egg to vegetable to cheese ratio. I find most frittatas too eggy and without enough filling, which is the best part. The eggs should really just serve as a binder for the rest of the ingredients. Frittatas should also be fairly flat and not too airy, a common mis-take. I use both regular and sharp provolone here, regular gives it the texture and the sharp pro-volone adds the bite. The sweet zucchini coupled with the sharp provolone is perfect. 3 2 tablespoons 10 2 teaspoons 1/2 cup 1/4 cup

medium zucchini (5 cups grated) 2 tablespoons olive oil eggs, cracked and beaten salt grated provolone grated sharp provolone

1 Preheat oven to 375ºF. 2 On the largest side of a box grater, grate the zucchini. Place the grated zucchini in the center of a clean kitchen towel, wrap it up and squeeze the water out. Set aside. 3 Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. 4 Add the zucchini and stir, just to slightly sauté. 5 Add the eggs and salt, and stir to incorporate. 6 Add both cheeses and stir to distribute throughout the frittata, ensuring that the mixture is in one even layer in the pan. Cook on low heat until the eggs just begin to set, about 2-3 minutes. 7 Transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking, about 8-10 minutes. 8 Once cooked, gently slide the frittata from the pan onto a platter. Cut into slices and serve.