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Butter Chicken

Comf or ting and Quick

How to Make Ravioli

Our Favorite Challah

Easy, Elegant Braid

20-Minute Pork Ribs

Grilled Tuscan Classic

Fresh Way to Cook Kale

25 Garnishes We Love

Peanut Butter Cookies

Che wy Texture, Robust Fla vor

Best Wooden Cutting Boards

Quick and easy ways to perf or m e ver yday tasks, from peeling potatoes to breading cutlets

With no sauce and minimal seasoning, rosticciana f orgoes the hallmarks of American barbecue in f a vor of one distinct f eature: juic y, unadulterated pork BY ANNIE PETITO

Of course it should be rich and creamy But to make a vibrant, complex version of this restaurant classic , there’s more to consider than the namesake ing redient BY ANDREW JANJIGIAN

With our super malleable dough, you don ’t need a pasta machine or the sk ills of an Italian g randmother to make tender yet spring y ra violi BY

These seaside cakes can easil y tur n out bland and mush y We f ixed that while staying true to their humble roots BY ANDREW JANJIGIAN 12

Steam is all you need to bring out the best in this brassica BY

Ritual and muscle memor y ha ve car ried this soft, rich Je wish loaf through generations But to make a dough that ’ s workable f or e ver yone, we f ound it best to defy tradition BY LAN LAM

16 25 Garnishes We Can’t Live Without

There’s no better way to fend off dinner doldrums than to keep a variety of ultraquick and vibrant sauces, seasonings, and toppings on hand BY KRISTINA DeMICHELE

18 Overhauling Sloppy Joes

We examined e ver y aspect of this f amil y f a vorite to produce sand wiches with tender, moist meat in a tang y, not-too-sweet sauce (We e ven made them a little less sloppy ) BY STEVE DUNN

20 Modern, Hearty Scrambled Eggs

Ham and cheddar aren ’t your onl y options We’ve got plenty of ne w ideas f or switching up the same old scramble BY ANDREW JANJIGIAN

22 Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Commonplace ing redients and a quick mixing method make these cook ies con venient; the che wy texture and robust peanut f la vor make them ir resistible BY ANDREA GEARY

24 Grinding Away on Black Peppercorns

Black pepper has been used in cook ing f or centuries, but we still ha ve a lot to lear n about this ancient spice BY LAUREN SAVOIE

26 The Best Heavy-Duty Cutting Board

A good cutting board is a knif e ’ s best friend

We put se ven to the test to f ind out which ones make the cut BY MIYE BROMBERG

28 Ingredient Notes B

30 Kitchen Notes

32 Equipment Corner

Chief Executive Officer David Nussbaum

Chief Creative Officer Jack Bishop

Editor in Chief Dan Souza

Editorial Director Amanda Agee

Deputy Editor Rebecca Hays

Executive Managing Editor Todd Meier

Executive Food Editor Ke th Dresser

Deputy Food Editor Andrea Gear y

Senior Editors Andrew Janj gian, Lan Lam

Senior Content Editors Elizabeth Bomze Kristina DeMichele

Associate Editors Steve Dunn Annie Petito

Photo Team Manager Tim McQuinn

Assistant Test Cooks Sarah Ewa d, Jacqueline Gochenouer, Eric Haessler

Senior Copy Editor J ll Campbe l

Copy Editors Christine Campbel R ache Schowalter

Senior Science Research Editor Paul Adams

Executive Editors, Tastings & Testings

Hannah Crow ey, L sa McManus

Senior Editors, Tastings & Testings

Lauren Savoie Kate Shannon

Associate Editor, Tastings & Testings Miye Bromberg

Assistant Editors, Tastings & Testings

Riddley Gemper e n-Schirm, Carol yn Gr llo, Emil y Phares

Creative Director John Torres

Design Director Greg Ga van

Photography Director Ju ie Cote

Associate Art Director Maggie Edgar

Senior Staff Photographer Daniel J van Ackere

Staff Photographers Steve Kl se Kev n White

Photography Producer Meredith Mu cah y

Director, Creative Operations A ice Carpenter

Senior Editor, Special Projects Chr stie Morrison

Senior Manager, Publishing Operations Taylor Argenzio

Imaging Manager Lauren Robb ns

Production & Imaging Specialists Dennis Noble, Jessica Voas, Amanda Yong

Test Kitchen Director Erin McMurrer

Assistant Test Kitchen Director Alexxa Benson

Test Kitchen Manager Merid th Lippard

Test Kitchen Facilities Manager Ke l y Ryan

Senior Kitchen Assistant Shopper Michel e Mil er

Senior Kitchen Assistant Receiver Heather Tolmie

Lead Kitchen Assistant Ena Gudiel

Kitchen Assistants Gladis Campos, B anca Castanza, Amar l ys Merced, Ar ene Rosario

B U S I N E S S S T A F F

Chief Financial Officer Jackie McCau ey Ford

Senior Manager, Customer Support Tim Qu nn

Customer Support Specialist M tchell Axe son

Event Coordinator Michaela Hughes

Chief Digital Officer Fran Middleton

VP, Marketing Natalie Vinard

Director Audience Acquisition & Partnerships Evan Steiner

Social Media Manager Morgan Mannino

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Chief Revenue Officer Sara Domville

Director, Public Relations & Communications Brian Franklin

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Senior VP, Human Resources & Organizational Development Colleen Zel na

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Circulation Ser vices ProC rc

Cover Art Robert Papp

PRINTED

S P E C I A L SAU C E

Itook the position because I wanted to learn

slowly poach halibut so that when the exterior hinted at flaking, the interior was a silky

char huge, freshly shucked sea scal-

equators over a white-hot cast-iron cooktop like sticky summer tires on

to cut any whole fish, regardless of species or shape, into pristine fillets

But my greatest takeaway from my brief tenure at Le Bernardin had little to do with seafood at all: It was learning the true value of a sauce

The saucier, the highest-ranking cook at the restaurant, would craft a dozen sauces daily to dress every piece of fish that entered the dining room. There was a lemon–browned butter emulsion, a verjus–lemon grass infusion, a red wine–brandy sauce, a ginger-cardamom broth, and a calamari consommé, to name a few. By the time the saucier finished simmering stocks, infusing aromatics and spices, straining, reducing, seasoning, and enriching, the cost of some sauces easily totaled more than $100 per quart. That often made the sauce the most expensive item on the plate, a fact that stunned me at first But then I tasted dish after dish and saw how each sauce punctuated, highlighted, complemented, and completed the fish it accompanied The effects were absolutely transformative

We pack this magazine with techniques and methods that ensure you’ll always have perfectly rosy

steak, juicy chicken, and crisp-tender vegetables

But over the past two decades we’ve also built an impressive archive of sauces, chutneys, flavored salts, crispy aromatics, crunchy spice blends, and herb-packed dressings Most come together quickly with just a few ingredients More important, each will instantly elevate the food it garnishes For this issue we’ve compiled our absolute favorites into one beautiful illustrated guide on pages 16 and 17 We’ve organized them by the flavors and textures they provide, such as creamy, fresh, crispy, and spicy Any one of them will add deep dimension to your food, but in my mind, the real magic happens when you combine a couple of garnishes from complementary categories I love when creamy tahini sauce mingles with crunchy pistachio dukkah on lamb or grilled vegetables Few combinations can improve a humble sandwich more than a schmear of creamy preserved lemon aioli and a mound of crispy fried shallots can. And my favorite soup is any one that gets finished with dollops of bright cilantro-mint chutney and spicy, ruddy harissa.

If you’ve been with us for a while, cooking our recipes and reading our stories, experiments, and kitchen notes, then I’m going to bet you’ve learned an awful lot about how to cook fish. Here’s to making sure it’s perfectly dressed when it hits the table

Dan Souza Editor in Chief

C O O K ’ S I L L U S T R AT E D M A G A Z I N E

Cook’s Illustrated magazine (ISSN 1068-2821), number 158, is published bimonthl y by America’s Test Kitchen Limited Partnership, 21 Dr ydock Avenue, Suite 210E, Boston, MA 02210 Copyright 2019 America’s Test Kitchen Limited Partnership Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA, and additional mailing offices, USPS #012487 Publications Mail Ag reement No 40020778 Return undeli verable Canadian addresses to P O Box 875, Station A, Windsor, ON N9A 6P2 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cook’s Illustrated, P O Box 6018, Harlan, IA 51593-1518 For subscription and gift subscription orders, subscription inquiries, or change of address notices, visit AmericasTestKitchen com/support, call 800-526-8442 in the U S or 515-237-3663 from outside the U S , or write to us at Cook’s Illustrated, P O Box 6018, Harlan, IA 51593-1518

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At the all-ne w CooksIllustrated com, you can order books and subscriptions, sign up f or our free e-ne wsletter, or rene w your magazine subscription Join the website and gain access to 26 years of Cook’s Illustrated recipes, equipment tests, and ing redient tastings, as well as companion videos f or e ver y recipe in this issue

C O O K B O O K S

We sell more than 50 cookbooks containing recipes all developed in our test kitchen, including Cook It in Cast Iron and How to Braise Everything To order, visit our bookstore at CooksIllustrated com/bookstore

f ax: 617-232-1572 For subscription inquiries, visit AmericasTestKitchen com/support or call 800-526-8442

Dan Souza

Juice Pomegranate Seeds with a Ricer

To juice a small amount of pomegranate seeds, Gene Simmonds of New York, N Y , f ound that a ricer does the trick Just load the seeds into the hopper of the ricer and gently press

Q U I C K T I P S

A New Way to Pack a Cooler

Nancy Shannon of Rockford, Ill , discovered that small stackable shelves typicall y used to add extra tiers to cabinets can also work in coolers They ’ re g reat for raising foods such as cheese, fruits, or sandwiches to prevent them from getting wet in melting ice; they can also be used to keep beverages separate

Jazz Up Salad Dressing with Jam

Fran Burston of Baltimore, Md., uses up leftover jam or jell y by adding it to salad dressing: Just warm the jar in the microwave to loosen the jam, and then whisk it into a vinaig rette. The sweetness balances the acidity, and the jam also adds body

Makeshift Doughnut Cutter

Robin Conley of Fort Collins, Colo , wanted to make homemade doughnuts but didn’t have a doughnut cutter To improvise, she used a large round biscuit cutter and then used an apple corer to cut out the holes

Breading Chicken for a Crowd

When Abby Kropp of Franklin, Tenn , is breading chicken f or a large group, she spreads the bread crumbs or panko on a rimmed baking sheet so she can coat several pieces at once.

An Easier Way to Open a Salt Canister

Joe Rodriguez of Greensboro, N C , has found that the f lat spouts on salt canister tops can be hard to g rasp His solution: The f irst time he opens a new canister, he uses the blunt spine of a paring knife to bend the tip slightl y up, making a small tab that is easy to g rip.

Easy-Peel Potatoes

When peeling a large amount of potatoes, Nate Basinger of Spicewood, Texas, first makes two holes on opposite ends of the potato with the eye remover of a Y-peeler He then places his thumb and middle finger in the holes and peels The holes prevent the potato from slipping out of his grip and allow him to easily rotate the potato in his hand while peeling

How to Travel with Cheesecake

To prevent the top of a stored or transported cheesecake from getting stuck to the aluminum f oil or plastic wrap that covers it, Cynthia Voights of Stevensville, Mich., places the ring of the springf orm pan in its open position over the unmolded cake (once it has been placed on a serving plate). Because the pan ring is taller than the cake, the f oil or plastic does not ruin the top of the cake.

Homemade Umami Seasoning

To add deep savor y f lavor to soups, stews, or even meatloaf, Cher yl Lundgren of Klamath Falls, Ore., grinds cleaned, dried mushrooms in her coffee grinder to a fine powder. She stores the powder in a cheese shaker f or easy distribution.

Mirepoix at the Ready

Whenever J Patrick Adair of Los Angeles, Calif , has leftover crudités from a party or f inds himself with a few leftover carrots or stalks of celer y, he chops them and freezes the pieces in separate zipper-lock bags, labeling each bag with the contents and amount Later, when he starts a mirepoix for soup, he pulls out the vegetables as needed (Frozen carrots and celer y become mush y when thawed, but in a mirepoix, they ’ re cooked until broken down anyway )

Pastr y Tip Turned Cherr y Pitter

Instead of using a cherr y pitter, Sara Boilen of Whitefish, Mont , places a small round pastr y tip (#12 from Wilton works well) tip side up on a plate She removes the cherr y’s stem and then pushes the cherr y, stem side down, over the tip, f orcing the pit out the top To split the cherr y, she pushes it all the way down This technique also works f or pitting olives

Easy-Grab Prosciutto

To make chilled slices of prosciutto easier to separate, Mar y Wardley of Bedf ord, Mass , microwaves them brief ly, about 10 to 15 seconds

Tuscan Grilled Pork Ribs

YTuscan grilled pork spareribs, known as r o s t i c c i a n a ( “ R O - s t

- A H - n

” ) , are not those ribs

Their preparation falls in line with the less-is-more ethos of Tuscan cuisine, where foods are seasoned sparingly to allow their natural flavors to shine In this case, it’s all about the pork, so the seasonings are restricted to salt, pepper, and maybe a hint of garlic or rosemary Then the ribs are grilled quickly typically for only 15 to 30 minutes over a hot fire until the meat is browned and crisp but still succulent and clinging to the bone with satisfying chew. Eating them with your hands is a truly primal experience.

That said, I couldn’t wrap my head around the concept of ribs that weren’t barbecue until I tasted these. The smoky meat was juicy in a way I never knew ribs could be and purely porky without the distraction of smoke and spices I was hooked

Spare Me

Spareribs are cut close to the belly of the pig A full rack contains the brisket bone and surrounding brisket meat and often weighs about 5 pounds To produce smaller, more rectangular racks, butchers remove the brisket portion; this cut is called St Louis–style spareribs Meaty, flavorful, and easy to work with, it has become our go-to cut for most rib recipes

Stretched across the rack’s underside is a tough, papery membrane that we sometimes leave intact when barbecuing since it softens during the long cooking time But because these ribs would spend very little time over the fire, I stripped the membranes from two racks (see “How to Remove the Membrane from Spareribs”) before brushing them with oil to jump-start browning, seasoning them with salt and pepper, and laying them meat side down over a medium-hot fire Once they started to color,

I flipped them every few minutes for the better part of a half-hour until they were deeply browned The ribs were relatively juicy because they retained much of their natural moisture during the brief cooking process (Slow-cooked ribs, on the other hand, lose their natural moisture and taste moist only thanks to gelatin ) The surface browning was great, but could I have even more of it?

The paper y membrane on the rack’s underside is chewy and unpleasant to eat Here’s how to remove it

1 Slip the tip of a paring knife under the edge of the membrane on each rack to loosen it

2 Gripping the loosened edge with a paper towel, slowl y pull off the membrane It should come off in a single piece

I’d come across rosticciana recipes that called for cutting the racks into individual ribs before cooking, which seemed like a good way to expose more meat to the flavor of the grill When I tried it, each rib became encased in a crisp crust; even better, the individual ribs cooked quickly, cutting the total time spent on the grill to about 20 minutes

But managing 20-odd pieces over the hot fire was tricky So instead of cutting the racks into individual ribs, I cut them into two-rib segments (see “Cutting Ribs Two by Two”) This gave me pieces with plenty of surface area for browning but half as many pieces to shuffle and a thicker pocket of meat between each pair of bones that I hoped would stay juicy. That pocket also provided a place to check the meat’s temperature, which needed to hit 175 to 185 degrees to allow just a little collagen breakdown and leave the ribs with a desirably meaty chew.

To ensure that the ribs would be as juicy as possible, I salted them an hour before cooking. Though not typical for rosticciana, salting altered the meat’s protein structure so that it was better able to retain moisture during cooking and helped season it, too

A Light Touch

Well-browned, well-seasoned, pleasantly chewy, and juicy as can be, these ribs were entirely satisfying They didn’t need any adornment, though I was intrigued by the light-handed finishes I saw in some rosticciana recipes: a sprinkling of chopped garlic

Drizzling the g rilled ribs with a punch y lemon vinaig rette balances the rich pork without obscuring its f la vor

Ribs That Break the Rules

Rosticciana isn’t like American barbecue The meat isn’t coated with sauce or rubbed with a heady spice mixture, and instead of being f all-apart tender, it boasts satisfying chew But this minimalist, meat-centric profile is exactl y what defines Tuscan cuisine and what allows the flavor of the juicy, well-browned pork to stand out

NO SAUCE OR SPICE RUB

The ribs are seasoned with nothing but salt (applied an hour bef ore cooking so that it penetrates the meat) and pepper, so you really taste the pork

SATISFYING CHEW

Quickly grilling the ribs breaks down just enough collagen so the meat retains some bite

and rosemary, a brush with an oil-dipped rosemary sprig, or a squeeze of lemon

My take a vinaigrette incorporating all three of those elements, which I drizzled over the meat at the table started with minced garlic and fresh rosemary, which I briefly microwaved in olive oil to temper their harsh raw flavors. Stirring some fresh lemon juice into the warm infused oil created a vibrant, savory dressing that complemented the rich pork.

Take it from me, a skeptic at first: These ribs will be unlike any others you’ve had In fact, with no barbecue sauce or spice rub, it might be like tasting ribs for the first time

REALLY JUICY MEAT

Salting the ribs and only brief ly grilling them ensures that the meat cooks up juicy.

CRISP AND BROWNED ALL OVER

Cutting the racks into two-rib sections creates lots of surface area f or f lavorful browning and crispy edges

Throw Some Veg on the Fire

Rosticciana is usuall y served as part of a mixed g rilled spread of meats such as chicken parts, sausages, and steak, along with sides such as roasted potatoes, white beans, and sautéed spinach

But since these ribs cook quickl y, we like to use the still-hot fire to g rill a vegetable R adicchio’s pleasant bitterness and crunch make it a perfect partner for the rich meat

When portioning the meat into two-rib sections, start at the thicker end of the rack If you are left with a three-rib piece at the tapered end, grill it as such Take the temperature of the meat between the bones

R i b s

2 (2½- t o 3-pound) racks St Louis–style spareribs, trimmed, membrane removed, and each rack cut int o 2-rib sections

2 teaspoons k osher salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pepper

V i n a i g r e t t e

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemar y

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. FOR THE RIBS: Pat ribs dry with paper towels Rub evenly on both sides with salt and place on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: Combine oil, garlic, and rosemary in small bowl and microwave until fragrant and just starting to bubble, about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon juice and set aside.

3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts) When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes

3B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes Turn all burners to medium-high

4. Clean and oil cooking grate Brush meat side of ribs with oil and sprinkle with pepper Place ribs meat side down on grill Cover and cook until meat side begins to develop spotty browning and light but defined grill marks, 4 to 6 minutes Flip ribs and cook, covered, until second side is lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes, moving ribs as needed to ensure even browning Flip again and cook, covered, until meat side is deeply browned with slight charring and thick ends of ribs register 175 to 185 degrees, 4 to 6 minutes

5 Transfer ribs to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes Cut ribs between bones and serve, passing vinaigrette separately

Find these sides in our archi ve: Roast Potatoes (May/June 1998) and Sautéed Garlic-Lemon Spinach ( Januar y/Februar y 2003)

Turning the wedges during cooking ensures that all sides, including the rounded one, spend time f acing the fire

3 heads radicchio (10 ounces each), quartered ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

1 . Place radicchio on rimmed baking sheet, brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

2 . Grill radicchio over medium-hot fire (covered if using gas), turning every 1½ minutes, until edges are browned and wilted but centers are still slightly firm, about 5 minutes Transfer radicchio to serving dish, drizzle with vinegar, and serve

Cutting the racks into two-rib sections increases the meat ’ s surf ace area for flavorf ul browning and provides a meaty pocket between the two bones for easil y taking the pork’s temperature ( Starting at the thicker end of the rack, portion the meat into two-rib sections You might be left with a three-rib piece at the tapered end of the rack, which can be g rilled as such

Indian Butter Chicken

Mu r g h m a k h a n i , a l s o

k n o w n b y i t s E n g l i s h

name, “butter chicken,”

i s a w i l d l y p o p u l a r d i s h

t h a t h a s r e a c h e d r o y a l s t a t u s i n n o r t h -

e r n I n d i a n c u i s i n e B u t a c c o r d i n g t o

m o s t s o u r c e s , t h e d i s h w a s o r i g i n a l l y intended to solve the rather pedestrian

p r o b l e m o f p r e v e n t i n g l e f t o v e r m e a t

f r o m t a n d o o r - r o a s t e d c h i c k e n s f r o m drying out The solution turned out to

b e m a g n i f i c e n t : T h e c h a r r e d m e a t w a s b a t h e

g

a

that was enriched with butter (and often cream) and scented with ginger, garlic, a n d s p i c e s s u c h a s g a

franchise and become one of the most well-known Indian dishes in the world. It’s also a popular dish to make at home, as the sauce is a snap to prepare: Soften some onion, garlic, and fresh ginger in melted butter; add the spices to bloom their flavors; stir in chopped tomatoes (either fresh or canned); enrich the mixture with cream and possibly some more butter; and finish it with chopped cilantro for brightness and a pop of color

You’ll want to soak up e ver y bit of this lush, vibrant sauce, so be sure to ser ve the chicken with rice, naan, or both

The chicken poses a challenge because the most important element the charred exterior that provides an essential point of contrast to the rich sauce is difficult to achieve without the intense heat of a tandoor oven, the traditional beehive-shaped vessel that can heat up to 900 degrees

Some recipes skip the charring altogether and call for simply braising chicken pieces in the sauce, but the meat lacks the charred flavor that makes this dish not just rich but also complex Other recipes approximate the tandoor’s effect by marinating the chicken (usually boneless, skinless breasts or thighs for easier eating) in yogurt and then roasting or broiling it This seemed like a more promising method

Take a Dip

Lean white meat would require careful monitoring in a hot oven to prevent it from drying out, so I started with thighs, which contain more fat and collagen and would thus be more forgiving

Marinating the chicken in yogurt for several hours is a traditional first step when making tandoori

chicken, the claim being that the acidic dairy tenderizes and flavors the meat But we’ve found that acids such as those in yogurt aren’t good tenderizers; they simply make the meat’s surface mushy

Instead, we prefer to coat chicken in yogurt just before cooking it The yogurt imparts tangy flavor to the exterior of the meat and, more important, its proteins and lactose brown faster than the chicken itself, making it easier to imitate the desirable char flavor of tandoor-roasted birds

About That “Butter Sauce”

To be sure it was worth the extra step, I cooked two batches of thighs, one plain and one coated in yogurt (the Greek kind, since it’s a more concentrated source of milk proteins than regular yogurt), and the difference was clear: After about 15 minutes under the broiler (its intense heat would be the best approximation of the tandoor), the plain chicken was only spottily browned, while the yogurt-coated batch boasted fuller, more flavorful browning (For more information, see “Yogurt Isn’t for Marinating It’s for Browning ”) Dunking in yogurt was the way to go, and to make the most of it, I stirred in a little salt to help season the chicken

Butter Up

As for the sauce, it should be similar to the sauce for chicken tikka masala (a close relative of butter chicken) but richer and more concentrated think of it as a tomatoey cream sauce rather than a creamy tomato sauce The trick to making it well is adding enough richness so that it’s lush but not so much that it tastes cloying and the tomato’s vibrancy is obscured Achieving that balance took some work

The first consideration was how to incorporate the butter into the sauce Melting a couple of tablespoons to soften the aromatics and bloom the spices was a fine way to start, but by the time I stirred in a can of juicy tomatoes, the sauce was neither rich nor creamy Two additional tablespoons made the sauce richer, but only when half the butter was left solid and whisked in at the end of cooking did the sauce turn silky Why? For the same reason we often finish pan sauces by thoroughly whisking in cold butter: Doing so allows it to emulsify as it melts, breaking

Butter is more prominent in the name of this dish than in the sauce itself While most recipes call for at least a few tablespoons of butter, the sauce owes its lush consistency to a generous amount of heavy cream Emulsions such as cream are naturall y thick and luxurious because their water and f at droplets move slowl y around one another, which impedes the mixture’s flow so that it becomes viscous Cream also effecti vel y stabilizes the sauce; its high proportion of casein proteins surrounds the butterf at droplets so they don’t separate from the water

CREAM MAKES IT CREAMY

Whole Spices Make It Nice

Steeping cumin seeds, crushed cardamom pods, cloves, and a cinnamon stick in the rice as it cooks (and removing the spices before serving) perf umes the g rains with a warm, savor y frag rance without muddying their color

Yogurt Isn’t f or Marinating It’s f or Browning

Coating the chicken in Greek yogurt is a crucial step in our recipe for butter chicken, but not for the reason you might think We don’t use it as a marinade (as called for in traditional Indian recipes) because it doesn’t flavor meat beyond its surface In addition, it turns the surface mushy because its acidity breaks down proteins on the meat ’ s exterior if the meat is left to marinate for too long

We do, however, coat the chicken in yogurt just before cooking Both the chicken and the yogurt are packed with protein, but yogurt is also a rich source of sugars, which participate in Maillard browning reactions: When yogurt is exposed to the broiler’s high heat, its water quickly evaporates, leaving a high-protein, high-sugar mixture that encourages the meat to brown more quickly and deeply than it would on its own, which helps us mimic the charring effects of a superhot tandoor oven

For basmati rice with a bright yellow color, add ¼ teaspoon of g round turmeric and a pinch of saffron threads with the water in step 3

1½ cups basmati rice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

3 whole cloves

2¼ cups water

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon table salt

1 . Place rice in fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Place strainer over bowl and set aside.

2 . Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin, cardamom, and cloves and cook, stirring constantl y, until frag rant, about 1 minute Add rice and cook, stirring constantl y, until frag rant, about 1 minute

3. Add water, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and salt and bring to boil Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 17 minutes Let stand, covered, off heat for at least 10 minutes Discard cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf Fluff rice with fork and serve

into tiny fat droplets suspended in the liquid by casein proteins Melting the butter before whisking it in lets the fat and protein separate, so it breaks into large droplets that don’t incorporate evenly

But while the extra solid butter made it more luxurious, the sauce lacked its trademark creaminess And yet, when I approached the richness that’s characteristic of the dish, the sauce broke That’s because the emulsion can hold only so much fat This made me realize why many recipes call for cream, too (see “About That ‘Butter Sauce’”) After a few tests, I’d worked in 1 cup of cream (a common amount for this recipe), though with every extra tablespoon the tomatoes’ brightness dulled Adding more chopped tomatoes wasn’t the answer, since their juice would only thin the sauce’s creamy body Instead, I switched to a combination of tomato paste a whopping

½ cup and water, taking advantage of the paste’s superconcentrated, punchy flavor and vibrant color, which gave the sauce an attractive rust-red tint I also added a little heat (a minced serrano chile and some black pepper) and sweetness (sugar) and buzzed the mixture with an immersion blender until the sauce was thick and silky-smooth (a regular blender would also work).

At that point, all I had to do was cut the chicken into chunks; stir it into the creamy, bright-tasting sauce; and sprinkle on some chopped cilantro. All told, the dish came together in about 30 minutes faster than a takeout order from my favorite Indian restaurant and could be made in half the time if I made the sauce in advance. Some nights, that might just leave me enough time to whip up our Indian Flatbread (Naan) (May/June 2012) for dipping

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons table salt, divided

1 cup heavy cream

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Traditionally, butter chicken is mildly spiced If you prefer a spicier dish, reserve, mince, and add the ribs and seeds from the chile See page 29 for our recipe for garam masala Serve with basmati rice and/or warm naan Our recipe for Indian Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) for Two is available for free for four months at CooksIllustrated com/jun19

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut int o 4 pieces and chilled, divided

1 onion, chopped fine

5 garlic cloves, minced

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon pepper

1½ cups water

½ cup t omat o paste

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and serrano and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is softened and onion begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garam masala, coriander, cumin, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add water and tomato paste and whisk until no lumps of tomato paste remain Add sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil Off heat, stir in cream Using immersion blender or blender, process until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds Return sauce to simmer over medium heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter Remove saucepan from heat and cover to keep warm (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days; gently reheat sauce before adding hot chicken )

2. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler Combine chicken, yogurt, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in bowl and toss well to coat Using tongs, transfer chicken to wire rack set in aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet Broil until chicken is evenly charred on both sides and registers 175 degrees, 16 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling

3. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes While chicken rests, warm sauce over medium-low heat Cut chicken into ¾-inch chunks and stir into sauce Stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro and season with salt to taste Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, and serve

WITH YOGURT

WITHOUT YOGURT

Hand-Rolled Ravioli

When I have the time, I relish the opportunity to slow down, roll up my sleeves, and turn to proj-

e c t s s u c h a s m a k i n g r a v i o l i t h e traditional way, without a pasta machine There is something magical about mixing up a supple dough and then using only a rolling pin and a knife to create a stuffed pasta

A few years ago, we designed a pasta recipe to be rolled without a machine It relies heavily on egg yolks and oil to provide enough fat to limit gluten development so the dough can be rolled without springing back Cut into strands, boiled, and tossed with a creamy tomato sauce, the pasta is a real winner

To see how the dough would work as the wrapper for ravioli, I whipped up a batch in the food processor After a resting period to allow the flour to hydrate and the gluten to relax, it was easy to roll into long sheets. Working with one sheet at a time, I brushed the lower half of the long side with egg white (this would help seal the ravioli) and then deposited six mounds of a simple ricotta filling on top of the egg wash.

Folding the top half of the sheet toward me to cover the filling was tricky: I suspended the dough with one hand and used my other hand to enclose each mound in dough while pressing out air (Trapped air would create pockets of steam during cooking that could cause the wrapper to burst ) Once the perimeter of each mound was sealed, I cut the sheet into individual ravioli and boiled them for 6 minutes

The filling was lackluster, but I could easily fix that I was more concerned that the pasta seemed underdone, especially at the edges where it was doubled

To jazz up the ricotta, I folded in bits of creamy fontina and shreds of nutty Parmesan along with a pinch of heady nutmeg I also fine-tuned my shaping method: Instead of folding the entire 18-inch length of dough over the mounds of cheese, I cut the sheet into six rectangles and folded them individually

To address the underdone doubled edges, I could have followed the lead of most ravioli recipes and rolled the dough superthin But that is incredibly difficult to do by hand Instead, I just let the boiling water do the work for me: I cooked another batch and sampled the ravioli at the 7-minute mark and every minute thereafter until they achieved a supple-yet-resilient texture, which took a full 13 minutes

Topped with an elegant sauce of browned butter studded with toasted pine nuts, these pillowy three-cheese ravioli were something to be savored

If using King Arthur All-Purpose Flour, increase the egg yolks to seven To ensure the proper dough texture, weigh the flour The longer the dough rests in step 2, the easier it will be to roll out When rolling, don’t add too much flour; it can cause excessive snapback You can use a pasta machine if you prefer If you don’t have a pot that holds 6 quarts, cook the ravioli in two batches; toss the first batch with some sauce in a bowl, cover it with foil, and keep it warm in a 200-degree oven while the second batch cooks The ravioli may also be served with our Quick Tomato Sauce; the recipe, along with our recipes for Meat Ravioli and Artichoke-Lemon Ravioli with Browned Butter–Pine Nut Sauce, are available free for four months at CooksIllustrated com/jun19

P a s t a D o u g h

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose f lour, plus extra as needed

2 large eggs plus 6 large yolks

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

F i l l i n g

8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese

4 ounces Italian f ontina cheese, cut int o ¼-inch pieces (1 cup)

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup), plus extra f or ser ving

1 large egg

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon table salt

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

R a v i o l i

1 large egg white, lightly beaten Table salt f or cooking

S a u c e

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup pine nuts, t oasted

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon table salt

An ultrasimple sauce of nutty browned butter and toasted pine nuts complements the delicate egg pasta

1. MAKE PASTA DOUGH: Process flour, eggs and yolks, and oil in food processor until mixture forms cohesive dough that feels soft and is barely tacky to touch, about 45 seconds (Pinch dough between your fingers; if any dough sticks to your fingers, add up to ¼ cup extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time Process until flour is fully incorporated after each addition, 10 to 15 seconds,

before retesting If dough doesn’t become cohesive, add up to 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it just comes together; process 30 seconds longer )

2. KNEAD AND LET REST: Turn out dough onto dry counter and knead until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes Shape dough into 6-inch-long cylinder Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest at room

temperature for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours Wipe processor bowl clean

3. MAKE FILLING: Process ricotta, fontina, Parmesan, egg, pepper, salt, and nutmeg in now-empty processor until smooth paste forms, 25 to 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed Transfer filling to medium bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until needed

4 ROLL DOUGH INTO SQUARES:

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper Cut dough cylinder crosswise into 6 equal pieces Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep remaining pieces covered), dust both sides with flour, place cut side down on clean counter, and press into 3-inch square. Using heavy rolling pin, roll into 6-inch square.

5 ROLL DOUGH INTO SHEETS: Dust both sides of 1 dough square lightly with flour Starting at center of square, roll dough away from you in 1 motion Return rolling pin to center of dough and roll toward you in 1 motion Repeat rolling steps until dough sticks to counter and measures roughly 12 inches long Lightly dust both sides of dough with flour and continue to roll out dough until it measures roughly 20 inches long and 6 inches wide, frequently lifting dough to release it from counter. (If dough firmly sticks to counter and wrinkles when rolled out, carefully lift dough and dust counter lightly with flour.) Transfer dough sheet to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic. Repeat rolling with remaining 5 dough squares and transfer to prepared sheet (2 dough sheets per layer; place parchment between layers). Keep dough covered with plastic.

6. DEPOSIT FILLING ON DOUGH: Line second baking sheet with parchment Lay 1 dough sheet on clean counter with long side parallel to counter edge (keep others covered) Trim ends of dough with sharp knife so that corners are square and dough is 18 inches long Brush bottom half of dough with egg white Starting 1½ inches from left edge of dough and 1 inch from bottom, deposit 1 tablespoon filling Repeat placing 1-tablespoon mounds of filling, spaced 1½ inches apart, 1 inch from bottom edge of dough You should be able to fit 6 mounds of filling on 1 dough sheet

7. SHAPE: Cut dough sheet at center points between mounds of filling, separating it into 6 equal pieces Working with 1 piece at a time, lift top edge of dough over filling and extend it so that it lines up with bottom edge Keeping top edge of dough suspended over filling with your thumbs, use your fingers to press layers together, working around each mound of filling from back to front, pressing out as much air as possible before sealing completely

8. TRIM: Once all edges are sealed, use sharp knife or fluted pastry wheel to cut excess dough from around filling, leaving ¼- to ½-inch

10 MAKE SAUCE; SERVE: While ravioli cook, melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat Continue to cook, swirling skillet constantly, until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes longer Off heat, add pine nuts, parsley, and salt Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to warmed bowls or plates; top with sauce Serve immediately, passing extra Parmesan separately

border around each mound (it’s not necessary to cut folded edge of ravioli, but you may do so, if desired) (Dough scraps can be frozen and added to soup ) Transfer ravioli to prepared baking sheet Refrigerate until ready to cook Repeat shaping process with remaining dough and remaining filling

9. BOIL: Bring 6 quarts water to boil in large pot Add ravioli and 1 tablespoon salt Cook, maintaining gentle boil, until ravioli are just tender, about 13 minutes (To test, pull 1 ravioli from pot, trim off corner without cutting into filling, and taste Return ravioli to pot if not yet tender ) Drain well

TO MAKE AHEAD: Freeze uncooked ravioli in single layer on parchment p a p e r – l i n e d r i m m e d b a k i n g s h e e t

Transfer frozen ravioli to zipper-lock bag and freeze for up to 1 month Cook from frozen with no change to cooking time

New England Cod and Potato Cakes

The frugality of New Englanders

c

and folded into potatoes that had been mashed with milk and butter; the mixture was seasoned with aromatics and herbs ( a n

before being shaped into cakes The cakes were then coated in bread crumbs and pan-fried to develop crispy, golden exteriors that encased creamy interiors

Today, the dish is a regional classic, generally made with fresh fish and served with lemon wedges and tartar sauce in roadside diners from Rhode Island all the way to the Maritimes.

Modern cod and potato cakes are still economical a mere pound of fish can be stretched with potatoes to serve four people That said, the cakes should still taste more like fish than potato Exemplary versions are also moist and delicate on the inside but not so fragile that they fall apart easily during shaping, frying, or eating

Unfortunately, none of the recipes I tested produced ideal cakes The biggest issue I encountered was a mushy, wet interior caused by boiling the potatoes and mashing them with lots of milk and butter There was simply too much moisture in the spuds, which led to sodden cakes But the potatoes weren’t the only culprit: The fish mattered, too Most recipes call for poaching the fillets in milk or water, which as with the potatoes tends to bring extra liquid along for the ride

A Dr y Heat

To figure out a way around this, I started from scratch To make eight cakes, I began with 1 pound of cod and 1 pound of potatoes (floury russets are the potato of choice here since they have plenty of starch to help bind the cakes)

A dry cooking method for the potatoes was definitely in order, and since I wanted the cakes to come together quickly, I turned to the microwave We have found that fully cooking russets in the microwave can make them gluey and unsuitable for eating whole as baked potatoes, but I hoped that wouldn’t matter when the potatoes were mashed and combined with fish I zapped the spuds for about 10 minutes and then split them open to cool while I cooked the cod I knew that poaching the fish didn’t make sense: It would not only add surface moisture but also pull flavor out of the fillets and into the poaching liquid I would ultimately be frying the cakes, so why not precook the fish in the same skillet? I sizzled some aromatics minced garlic, fresh thyme, and minced scallions in a couple of knobs of butter, cut the fish into large pieces to help it cook quickly, and slipped the pieces into the skillet Keeping the fish pieces on the larger side meant that they would break into sizable flakes as they were combined with the potatoes I let the cod cook gently for about 5 minutes, flipping it midway through

By this point the potatoes were cool enough to handle, so I peeled them and passed them through a potato ricer Next, I added the contents of the skillet butter, aromatics, and fish along with sliced scallion greens to the potatoes and gently stirred As my spoon moved through the potatoes and fish, the cod separated into large flakes and a cohesive mixture formed

Cake Boss

Shaping, coating, and frying the cakes turned out to be a cinch The cakes had to be fried in a single batch because any bread crumbs that sloughed off into the oil would burn during the second round. Using a ⅓-cup dry measuring cup, I shaped them into eight 1-inch-thick disks, which would fit snugly in a 12-inch skillet. I pressed the tops and bottoms (the parts that would touch the oil) in panko bread crumbs that I had crushed to a fine consistency to help them stick and then fried the cakes on both sides in ½ cup of hot oil.

The results were mixed: Gloriously crispy crusts formed on the cakes’ exteriors, but their interiors, though not at all gluey, were disappointing flavorwise With my 1:1 potato-to-fish ratio, the russets had obscured the subtle cod But when I halved the amount of potato to balance the flavors, there was

The best way to gentl y flip the Cod and Potato Cakes is to use two utensils Two fish spatulas are ideal, but you can also use two traditional metal or silicone spatulas

We lightl y crush panko bread crumbs to create a f ine coating that sticks to the cakes and fries up into a crispy, golden crust

For Great Fish Cakes, Break with Tradition

Almost all the cod and potato cake recipes we tried called f or using wet cook ing techniques f or the main ing redients, which resulted in mush y, sodden cakes Our cook ing methods produce cakes that are cohesi ve and tender but ne ver sogg y

With its meaty white flesh, cod has long been New Englanders’ primary choice for making fish cakes But cod has lots of cousins, among them hake, haddock, and pollock, so consider branching out All have a mild flavor and a medium-firm, flaky texture and are therefore fine substitutes for cod What ’ s more, cod’s relatives also tend to be less expensive than cod, starting at about $10 per pound versus $16 per pound

M I C R O WA V E T H E S P U D

Instead of boiling the potato, which introduces extra moisture to the dish, we simpl y nuke it

S A U T É T H E F I S H

R ather than poach the fish, we sauté it, which dri ves off moisture and concentrates flavor

no longer enough starch to hold the cakes together At 3 parts potato to 4 parts fish, the cakes were cohesive, if a bit fragile, but the cod flavor was ideal, so that’s where I landed

Refrigerating the delicate cakes firmed them up, but it took a fair amount of time To expedite the process, I put the cakes in the freezer, where they set in just 15 minutes Unfortunately, as they warmed through in the skillet, the cakes softened, which made them difficult to flip without breaking apart Some recipes solve this problem with flour or bread crumbs, but those starches like an excess of potato muted the fish flavor dramatically Happily, because I had used dry precooking methods for the fish and potato, I found that all it took to bind my cakes was a single beaten egg The egg had just enough protein to help the cakes firm up as they cooked After their stint in the freezer, these cakes were easy to handle in the pan and developed crispy, golden exteriors Their interiors boasted substantial flakes of fish and just the right amount of creamy, beautifully seasoned potato

At last, I had found the right balance of flavor and New England thrift to create a cod and potato cake that anyone would enjoy

This recipe will work with other flaky white fish such as haddock, pollock, or hake If buying a skin-on fillet, purchase 1¼ pounds of fish to yield 1 pound after skinning Buy one 12-ounce potato, if possible If a large potato is unavailable, buy two potatoes totaling 12 to 16 ounces (you’ll have some left over after mashing). The cakes will be easiest to flip using a pair of fish spatulas. Serve with lemon wedges and/or Quick Tartar Sauce (recipe follows).

1 large russet potat o (12 ounces), unpeeled

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 scallions, white and light green parts minced, dark green parts sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 teaspoon table salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 (1-pound) skinless cod fillet, cut int o 2-inch pieces

1 large egg, lightly beaten

¾ cup pank o bread crumbs

½ cup vegetable oil, f or fr ying

1. Using paring knife, poke potato 8 times over entire surface Place in bowl, cover, and microwave until knife glides easily through flesh and potato yields to gentle pressure, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping potato after 7 minutes Halve lengthwise and let cool, cut side up, for 10 minutes

2. While potato cools, melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat Add minced scallions, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook until softened, about 2 minutes Add cod and cook until thickest pieces of cod just begin to flake, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping cod halfway through cooking

Set aside

3 Peel potato and pass through potato ricer or mash with potato masher Measure ¾ cup very firmly packed potato and transfer to bowl Fluff with fork Add cod mixture and sliced scallions and gently stir to

combine (cod will break up) Add egg and gently stir to combine Spray large plate and ⅓-cup dry measuring cup with vegetable oil spray Scoop level amount of mixture and drop onto prepared plate Repeat with remaining mixture to make 8 mounds Distribute any remaining mixture evenly among mounds Freeze for 15 minutes (Alternatively, plate can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours )

4. Place panko in large zipper-lock bag and lightly crush with rolling pin. Transfer to shallow dish. Carefully pat each mound into 2½-inch-wide, 1-inch-thick disk. Coat top and bottom of each disk with panko, pressing gently to adhere. Return cakes to plate.

5. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place cakes in skillet and cook, without moving them, until first side is golden brown, about 4 minutes Carefully flip cakes and cook until second side is golden brown, about 4 minutes Transfer cakes to paper towel–lined plate and let drain for 1 minute Season with salt to taste, and serve

Be sure to rinse the capers

¾ cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons minced cornichons plus 1 tablespoon brine

1 scallion, minced

1 small shallot, minced

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and minced

½ teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in small bowl Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors meld, about 15 minutes

COD HAKE HADDOCK POLLOCK

A New Way to Cook Kale

Truth be told, I’m not a huge kale salad fan But I also don’t like cooking kale to death: Braising can dull its distinctive f l a v o r a n d t u r n i t m u s h y W o u l d n ’ t i t be nice to have something in between? In other words, a side that celebrates kale’s gutsy taste and achieves a tender (but not sodden) texture

Right away, I decided that dry-heat methods roasting, broiling, and sautéing were out; they produced either brittle, crisp leaves or ones that were wet but still chewy A moist environment was essential to produce just-tender greens I settled on steaming, which didn’t wash away flavor like boiling and blanching did

The problem: To cook enough to serve four (about 14 cups of prepped kale, which cooked down to 5 or 6 cups), I had to use a large pot and a steamer basket or colander a cumbersome setup Wondering if I could skip the steamer, I poured a cup of water into a Dutch oven, packed in the voluminous leaves, popped on the lid, and cranked the heat to high. Unfortunately, the water took so long to reach a boil and create a steamy environment that the leaves at the bottom of the pot were hopelessly overcooked by the time the ones on top started to wilt. The next time around, I first boiled the water and then loaded in the kale. Now there was plenty of steam from the beginning, so the kale cooked efficiently and evenly with a stir halfway through After 7 minutes, the leaves were tender but still had a nice bite What’s more, they actually tasted like kale

But kale flavor wasn’t enough the greens needed seasoning First, I traded the water for chicken broth This swap gave the dish a meaty backbone without making it taste overtly chicken-y But since the broth, which had plenty of salt, reduced almost completely, I had to remove any added salt lest the dish become too salty For vibrancy, I tried pouring in white wine with the broth, but the long exposure to an acidic environment caused a reaction with the chlorophyll in the kale, turning it a drab green Instead, I added lemon juice to the kale off the heat just before serving, which provided brightness without color-changing effects

Lastly, I thought some thinly sliced garlic and a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes were in order I waited until all the moisture in the Dutch oven had evaporated as signaled by the kale starting to sizzle before pushing the kale to one side and adding the aromatics, mixed with a bit of oil, to the other side The garlic became fragrant almost immediately, providing bursts of nutty sweetness to complement the earthy, slightly bitter kale that was neither raw nor braised but, happily, somewhere right in between

In this variation, chorizo and red wine vinegar accent the just-tender kale

Vegetable broth can be substituted for the chicken broth, if desired

1 cup chicken broth

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1¼ pounds curly kale, stemmed and cut int o 2-inch pieces (14 cups)

2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

⅛ teaspoon red pepper f lakes

1 teaspoon lemon juice, plus extra f or seasoning

1 Bring broth and 2 tablespoons oil to boil in Dutch oven over high heat Add kale, cover, and reduce heat to medium-high Cook until kale is tender with some resilience, about 7 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking While kale cooks, combine garlic, pepper flakes, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl

2 Uncover, increase heat to high, and cook,

stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated and kale starts to sizzle, 2 to 3 minutes Push kale to 1 side of pot, add garlic mixture to empty side, and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute Stir garlic mixture into kale Off heat, stir in lemon juice

Season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste Serve

For the best results, use a cured Spanish-style chorizo

Cook 3 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick, and 3 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until starting to brown, about 3 minutes Off heat, using slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to bowl Proceed with recipe, adding broth to fat left in pot; omitting garlic, pepper flakes, and additional 1 tablespoon oil; and substituting red wine vinegar for lemon juice. Sprinkle kale with reserved chorizo before serving.

Use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder to crush the fennel seeds

Cook 2 ounces finely chopped pancetta and 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 3 minutes Off heat, using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to bowl Proceed with recipe, adding broth to fat left in pot and substituting ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed, for garlic and pepper flakes and balsamic vinegar for lemon juice Sprinkle kale with 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts and reserved pancetta before serving

Regular raisins can be substituted for the golden raisins, if desired

Add ¼ cup golden raisins to Dutch oven with kale in step 1 Substitute ¼ teaspoon garam masala for garlic and pepper flakes Sprinkle kale with 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds before serving

Our Favorite Challah

Ithink I speak for all my colleagues w h e n I s a y t h a t w e o c c a s i o n a l l y doubt our ability to add value to a cooking technique But challah was the assignment that really gave me pause

That’s partly because the enriched, glossy braid is a cultural heavyweight More than just a fixture at Ashkenazi Jewish holiday tables, it’s a biblically significant bread steeped in age-old rituals, symbolism, and strong opinions When I polled a few well-versed colleagues and experts about what qualities challah should have, I received a flurry of disparate answers: The crumb should be fluffy or densely chewy It should taste rich and sweet (acclaimed food writer

Mimi Sheraton once described challah as “a brioche-like confection that falls just this side of cake”) or only slightly so. It should have raisins or definitely not have raisins. There’s also the fact that countless challah recipes have been published, and even more get passed through the diaspora via word of mouth and muscle memory. So I wasn’t sure what I someone who really enjoys challah but didn’t grow up making it could contribute to the conversation

But as it turned out, my inexperience was an asset When I shaped and baked a few loaves to familiarize myself with the process, I zeroed in on challenges that might not faze a seasoned challah baker For example: the relationship between the workability of the dough and the texture of the baked bread

Moist doughs sagged and stuck together, making messy braids but resulting in a soft, tender crumb Recipes that tried to solve the problem produced drier, firmer doughs that were easy to handle but baked up dense and a bit tough Then there was the braiding technique itself: Even the simplest weave takes practice, and the loaf might still bake up misshapen or squat

What I wanted was a plush, resilient crumb that struck that perfect but rarely achieved balance of moderate sweetness and richness; a tall, tidy braid; and a recipe that would win over rookies and experts alike

Wait f or It

As breads go, challah isn’t difficult to make There’s no starter to feed, the kneading can be done in a stand mixer, and a loaf can be made from start to finish in an afternoon All you do is combine bread flour, instant yeast, eggs and/or egg yolks, water, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil in a mixer (Challah is made with oil, not butter, because it is pareve a Jewish dietary term meaning that it is prepared without dairy or meat products and is, thus, permissible to be eaten with either dairy or meat at a meal ) Once you have a cohesive mass, you knead the dough until it is smooth

and pliable and then cover it and let it rise until doubled in size the visual cue that the yeast has consumed sugars in the dough and released gas that causes the dough to expand Then you press out the air, which eliminates large air bubbles, encourages a fine crumb, and redistributes the yeast and sugars so they can continue their activity during the second rise Finally, you divide the dough into even lengths that you roll into long ropes You braid the strands, let the dough rise again, brush the surface with an egg wash, and bake it until the crust shines like polished mahogany

Hoping that three whole eggs and ¼ cup of oil would amply enrich the dough, I homed in on my main focus: how to turn this moist dough into something more workable. The consistency of a dough is measured in percent hydration the amount of water relative to the amount of flour. During baking, the water turns to steam, which acts as a leavening agent by opening up the crumb so that the bread is light and soft. The hydration levels of the recipes I found ranged from 45 percent to more than 60 percent, or about 4 5 to 6 parts water to every 10 parts flour Doughs at the low end of that range were drier than your average bagel dough, presumably to make them easy to handle, but nobody wants challah with bagel-like density The nicest loaves I made came in at 55 to 60 percent, so I considered that my benchmark and got to work on a seemingly impossible task: making a moist dough handle like a drier, firmer dough

I started by asking myself what helps a dough become less soft and sticky so it’s easier to handle Part of the answer was a stronger gluten network, the mesh of interlinked proteins that forms when water and flour are combined, giving bread its structure Up to a point, the more extensive and tightly organized this mesh is, the firmer and less sticky the dough Since kneading the dough helps build and strengthen the network, I could try kneading for longer But in the stand mixer, I risked overheating the dough, which can produce off-flavors when the dough proofs Instead, I introduced a French bread-baking trick called autolyse, a brief rest between mixing and kneading that we often use in bread doughs During this rest, enzymes in the flour

Lightl y salting the egg wash makes it looser and easier to appl y to the surf ace, guaranteeing an e venl y bur nished crust

WITH GEL

The dough is malleable but firm

WITHOUT GEL

The dough is slack and sticky

Adding plenty of water to challah dough makes for a supremely soft, moist bread and usually a very loose, sticky dough But our challah dough is both well hydrated and easy to handle because we employ a unique bread-baking technique called tangzhong The key is to cook a portion of the flour and water, which causes the starch molecules to absorb more water than they would at room temperature and form a gel that ’ s then added to the dough The water trapped in the gel won’t contribute to stickiness, resulting in a dough that feels drier

snip the gluten proteins, helping them uncoil so that they can more efficiently line up and link together We also help the process along by withholding the sugar and salt ingredients that inhibit the enzymatic activity from the dough until after the rest. With the autolyse, my dough was firmer but not very extensible; when I rolled out the lengths for braiding, they snapped back or even tore if I applied too much pressure. So I next looked closely at the dough’s first rise, known as bulk fermentation. This long rest is crucial for building structure because more gluten develops. However, times vary, and I had admittedly tried a relatively quick 1-hour rest. When I tacked on another 30 minutes, there was no more snapping back or tearing But the dough was still sticking to the counter, to my hands, and to itself

Now We’re Gelling

This might have been the point at which I conceded that challah is better left to the experts But I realized that the qualities I wanted in the dough malleability and moistness were the same ones we’d wanted in our Fluffy Dinner Rolls (January/February 2016) and Sticky Buns (May/June 2016) And the solution in those cases an Asian bread-baking technique called tangzhong couldn’t have been further from challah tradition

Free water that hasn’t been absorbed by starch is what makes dough sticky The gist of the tangzhong method is to cook some of the water in the recipe with some of the flour Heat causes the starch molecules to separate from each other and absorb more water than they would at room temperature The resulting gel is then added to the dough The water trapped in the gel won’t contribute to stickiness, and the upshot is a dough that feels drier and is easier to handle

I tinkered with the proportions for the gel before settling on ½ cup of water heated with 3 tablespoons of flour Mixing it with the eggs, oil, flour, yeast, and water made the dough much easier to

handle, and when I tried again after removing two of the egg whites (a source of water), the dough firmed up even more I also decided to see if I could decrease the oil, which softens the dough, and found I could cut it by half and still produce challah that was cotton-candy plush. (But about those raisins: They robbed the dough of its moisture, turning the baked crumb dry. They were officially out.)

Braid and Bake

For a bakery-worthy braid, I started by rolling the sturdy, pliable dough into four long, even ropes (two- and three-strand loaves look less impressive, but braiding more than four strands is tricky) From here, you typically align the ropes parallel to one another, pinch them together at the top end, weave them together via a series of over-under movements, pinch the loose ends, and tuck the ends under the loaf But even with four strands, I found that this produced a flat loaf with one bulky end where the tucked dough bunched up under the braid And, frankly, the braiding process made my head spin

The solution to the uneven shape was to taper the rope ends to minimize bulk when they were tucked under the loaf after braiding a trick I learned from veteran challah baker Mike Lombardo at Rosenfeld’s Bagels in Newton, Massachusetts, one of the experts I’d spoken with during my research Lombardo also introduced me to a braiding method that was easier to follow and produced a loftier loaf: Instead of lining up

the strands parallel to one another, which makes them hard to tell apart, point them in different directions so that they’re easier to keep track of While I was at it, I also tried a braided round that’s traditional for Rosh Hashanah (See “How to Braid Challah” and “Round for Rosh Hashanah ”)

I lightly covered the braid with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out during its second rise When it was fully proofed (see “The Proof Is in the Poking,” page 30), I moved it to a rimmed baking sheet, brushed it with a lightly salted egg wash (salt prevents the egg proteins from clinging to one another, making a looser wash that’s easier to apply), and baked the challah in a 350-degree oven for half an hour The braid was tall, but the underside of the loaf was too dark Going forward, I baked the bread on a pair of nested baking sheets, which created an air gap that insulated the underside from burning

The statuesque, burnished braid hid a crumb that was golden, fluffy, and gently elastic perfect for slicing thick and slathering with butter (Leftovers, if there are any, make exceptional French toast or stuffing ) Maybe the challah-baking tradition has room for this new-school baker after all

We strongly recommend weighing the flour for this recipe. This dough will be firmer and drier than most bread doughs, which makes it easy to braid. Some friction is necessary for rolling and braiding the ropes, so resist the urge to dust your counter with flour. If your counter is too narrow to stretch the ropes, slightly bend the pieces at the 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock positions Bake this loaf on two nested baking sheets to keep the bottom of the loaf from getting too dark

F l o u r P a s t e ½ cup water

3 tablespoons bread f lour

D o u g h

1 large egg plus 2 large yolks

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2¾ cups (15⅛ ounces) bread f lour

1¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast

¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar

1 teaspoon table salt

Vegetable oil spray

The Origin of “Challah”

Long before it named the soft, egg y Jewish holiday bread, the word “challah” referred to a mitzvah (a Hebrew commandment) According to the Torah, Jewish bakers in the time of the Hol y Temple in Jerusalem were to tear off a small portion of dough the challah from any type of risen loaf and gi ve it to the temple priests as part of their salar y These days, observant Jews and some kosher bakeries still practice “taking challah” by wrapping the separated lump of dough in aluminum foil and burning it in the oven while they recite a blessing

Our unconventional braiding method is easier to follow than those of most recipes and produces a loftier loaf

1 Arrange ropes in plus-sign shape, with 4 ends overlapping in center by ½ inch Firml y press center of cross into counter to seal ropes to each other and to counter

2 Lift rope at 12 o ’clock, bring over center, and place in 5 o ’clock position

3 Lift rope at 6 o ’clock, bring over center, and place in 12 o ’clock position

4 Lift rope at 9 o ’clock, bring over center, and place in 4 o ’clock position

5 . Lift rope at 3 o ’clock and, working toward yourself, bring over braid and place in 8 o ’clock position.

E g g W a s h

1 large egg Pinch table salt

6 . Adjust ropes so they are at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o ’clock positions. Repeat steps 2 through 6.

1 tablespoon sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)

1. FOR THE FLOUR PASTE: Whisk water and flour in bowl until no lumps remain Microwave, whisking every 20 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, smooth, pudding-like consistency that forms mound when dropped from end of whisk into bowl, 40 to 80 seconds

2. FOR THE DOUGH: In bowl of stand mixer, whisk flour paste, egg and yolks, water, and oil until well combined Add flour and yeast Fit mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until all flour is moistened, 3 to 4 minutes Let stand for 20 minutes

3. Add sugar and salt and mix on medium speed for 9 minutes (dough will be quite firm and dry) Transfer dough to counter and lightly spray now-empty mixer bowl with oil spray Knead dough briefly to form ball and return it to prepared bowl Lightly spray dough with oil spray and cover bowl with plastic wrap Let dough rise until about doubled in volume, about 1½ hours

4 Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and nest in second rimmed baking sheet Transfer dough to counter and press into 8-inch square, expelling as much air as possible Cut dough in half

7 . Continue braiding, working toward yourself, until you can no longer braid. Loaf will naturall y list to 1 side.

lengthwise to form 2 rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise to form 4 equal strips of dough Roll 1 strip of dough into 16-inch rope Continue rolling, tapering ends, until rope is 18 inches long Repeat with remaining dough strips Arrange ropes in plus-sign shape, with 4 ends overlapping in center by ½ inch Firmly press center of cross into counter to seal ropes to each other and to counter

5. Lift rope at 12 o’clock, bring over center, and place in 5 o’clock position Lift rope at 6 o’clock, bring over center, and place in 12 o’clock position

6. Lift rope at 9 o’clock, bring over center, and place in 4 o’clock position Lift rope at 3 o’clock and, working toward yourself, bring over braid and place in 8 o’clock position Adjust ropes so they are at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6, working toward yourself, until you can no longer braid Loaf will naturally list to 1 side

8 Pinch ends of ropes together and tuck both ends under braid Carefully transfer braid to prepared sheets Cover loosely with plastic and let rise until dough does not spring back fully when gently pressed with your knuckle, about 3 hours

9 FOR THE EGG WASH: Thirty minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees Whisk together egg

8 . Pinch ends of ropes together. Tuck both ends under braid.

and salt. Brush loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using Bake until loaf is deep golden brown and registers at least 195 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes Let cool on sheets for 20 minutes Transfer loaf to wire rack and let cool completely before slicing, about 2 hours

Round f or Rosh Hashanah

There are many other challah shapes besides the long braid, one of the most common being a braided round Traditional for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), it symbolizes continuity For instructions on how to make a braided round loaf, go to CooksIllustrated com/jun19

2 5 G a r n i s h e s We C a n ’ t L i v e Wi t h o u t

There’s no better way to fend off dinner doldrums than to keep a variety of ultraquick and vibrant sauces, seasonings, and toppings on hand.

Every cook needs an arsenal of finishing touches tang y chutneys, piquant pastes, rich dressings, earth y spice blends, seasoned salts, and flavored butters that can breathe new life into chicken breasts, jazz up vegetables, and add visual, textural, and flavor contrast to make a dish pop Behold a larder’s worth of our f avorites, both f amiliar classics and modern riffs We’ve organized them by flavor and texture profiles and offered suggested uses, but these are just starting points; use your imagination

Ingredients f or Tarragon-Lemon Gremolata

Preserved-Lemon Aioli

TA N G Y

G R E E N T O M AT O

C H U T N E Y

What it is: Sweet-sour preserve

Serve with: Rich meat, sausage, cheese, sandwiches

Total time: 3 hours Yield: 2 cups

( Bring 2 pounds green tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks; ¾ cup sugar; ¾ cup distilled white vinegar; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds; 1 teaspoon table salt; and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes to simmer in saucepan Cook until thickened, about 40 minutes Let cool completely, about 2 hours Stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice just before serving Tip: To expedite cooling, spread the chutney into an even layer in a shallow dish

TA N G Y H O I S I N S A U C E

What it is: Vinegar y, ginger y Asian soybean sauce

Serve with: Pork, chicken, rice, noodles, eggs

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: ½ cup

( Stir ½ cup hoisin sauce, 2 thinl y sliced scallions, 4 teaspoons rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon g rated fresh ginger in bowl until smooth

S E A S O N E D S A LT S

What it is: Tang y garlic mayonnaise

Serve with: Vegetables, seafood, sandwiches

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cup

( Process ¼ cup chopped preserved lemon, 3 large egg yolks, 1 tablespoon water, and 1 minced garlic clove in blender until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed

With blender running, slowly drizzle in ½ cup vegetable oil until emulsified and thickened, about 45 seconds, then drizzle in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water TA H I N I S A U C E

What it is: Middle Eastern sesame sauce

Serve with: Vegetables, French fries, falafel, grains, chicken, lamb

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: ⅓ cup

( Whisk 2 tablespoons tahini, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin oli ve oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons honey, and pinch table salt together in small bowl

Salt infused with herbs, spices, or other flavorings delivers distinct, punchy flavor Store-bought versions are expensive, but it ’ s easy to make your own in the microwave by following these guidelines

( Combine ½ cup kosher salt and flavoring (see chart at right) in small bowl Spread mixture on large plate and microwave, stirring every 60 seconds, until only slightly damp (mixture will continue to dry as it cools)

F R E S H

TA R R A G O N - L E M O N G R E M O L ATA

What it is: Italian herb garnish

Serve with: Soup, pasta, fish, vegetables

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: ¼ cup

( Combine 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, and 1 minced garlic clove in bowl

Tip: Prepare the gremolata just before serving to prevent the garlic flavor from becoming too sharp

M I N T P E R S I L L A D E

What it is: French herb sauce

Serve with: Meat, fish, vegetables

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cup

( Pulse 1 cup fresh mint leaves; 1 cup fresh parsley leaves; 3 peeled garlic cloves; 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest; ½ teaspoon table salt; and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in food processor until finely chopped, 15 to 20 pulses Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and pulse to combine Transfer to bowl and whisk in ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

C I L A N T R O - M I N T C H U T N E Y

What it is: Bright, subtl y spicy Indian herb sauce

Serve with: Grilled or roasted fish, Indian curries

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cup

( Process 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves; 1 cup fresh mint leaves; ½ cup water; ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds; 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced thin; 1 stemmed, seeded, and sliced jalapeño chile; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1½ teaspoons sugar; and ½ teaspoon table salt in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed

Green Tomato Chutney

Sriracha Salt

Korean Chile Sauce

These minimalist seasonings enhance food without distracting from its flavor Just be sure to use fresh, high-quality ing redients

( Citrus zest: Grate over vegetables, chicken, fish ( Grilled lemon halves: Squeeze over meat and seafood

( Extra-virgin olive oil: Drizzle over soup, salad, seafood, steak, pasta, g rains ( Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese: Grate or shave over soup, salad, pasta, g rains ( Vinegar: Drizzle a few drops over soup, stew, sauces, fried food

Thai Chile Butter

Microwave-Fried Shallots, Garlic, and Leeks

S P I C Y

S P I C Y H O N E Y

What it is: Spicy, tang y honey

Serve with: Vegetables, pizza

Total time: 15 minutes Yield: ¼ cup

( Stir ¼ cup honey and 2 tablespoons hot sauce together in liquid measuring cup Microwave until boiling, about 1 minute Continue to microwave in 20-second intervals until reduced to ¼ cup, about 1 minute longer Let cool for 10 minutes

H A R I S S A

What it is: North African chile-spice paste

Serve with: Vegetables, eggs, lamb, soup

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: ½ cup

( Combine 6 tablespoons extra-virgin oli ve oil, 6 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon g round coriander, 1 tablespoon g round dried Aleppo pepper, 1 teaspoon g round cumin, ¾ teaspoon caraway seeds, and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl and microwave until bubbling, about 1 minute, stirring halfway through microwaving Let cool completel y

KO R E A N C H I L E S A U C E

What it is: Sweet and spicy sauce

Serve with: Stew, chili, rice bowls, noodles, macaroni and cheese, eggs

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: ⅔ cup

( Whisk ¼ cup gochujang, 3 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sugar together in small bowl

Tip: Store in a squeeze bottle for easy drizzling

C R I S P Y / C R U N C H Y

C R I S P Y B

What it is: Seasoned panko bread crumbs

Serve with: Vegetables, meat, fish, pasta

Total time: 10 minutes Yield: 2 tablespoons

( Grind 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs in spice g rinder or mortar and pestle to medium-fine crumbs

Transfer panko to 12-inch skillet, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and stir Toast over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes Off heat, add ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

C A N D I E D B A C O N B I T S

What it is: Sugar- and vinegar-glazed bacon bits

Serve with: Creamy soup, salad, pasta, eggs, dips

Total time: 10 minutes Yield: ¼ cup

(Cook 4 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces, in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes Remove bacon from skillet and discard f at Return bacon to skillet and add 2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cider vinegar Cook over low heat, stirring constantl y, until bacon is evenl y coated Transfer to plate and let cool completel y

Z A’ ATA R

What it is: Earth y, bright Middle Eastern spice blend

Serve with: Dips, meatballs, kebabs, roasted potatoes

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: ⅓ cup

( Grind 2 tablespoons dried thyme and 1 tablespoon dried oregano in spice g rinder or mortar and pestle until finel y g round and powdery. Transfer to bowl and stir in 1½ tablespoons sumac, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, and ¼ teaspoon table salt P I S TA C H I

What it is: Eg yptian nut, seed, and spice blend

Serve with: Oli ve oil as dip for bread, soup, seafood

Total time: 5 minutes Yield: ½ cup

( Coarsely grind 1½ tablespoons toasted sesame

C O M P O U N D B U T T E R S

seeds in spice grinder or mortar and pestle; transfer to bowl Finely grind 1½ teaspoons toasted coriander seeds, ¾ teaspoon toasted cumin seeds, and ½ teaspoon toasted fennel seeds in grinder Transfer to bowl with sesame seeds Stir in 2 tablespoons shelled pistachios, toasted and chopped fine; ½ teaspoon table salt; and ½ teaspoon pepper

Serve with: Soup, salad, stir-fries, rice, burgers

Total time: 20 minutes

( Combine ½ cup vegetable oil and allium (see chart below) in medium bowl Microwave for 5 minutes

Stir and continue to microwave 2 minutes longer

Repeat stirring and microwaving in 2-minute increments until beginning to brown, then repeat stirring and microwaving in 30-second increments until deep golden brown Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel–lined plate; season with table salt Let drain and crisp, about 5 minutes

3, sliced thin

:

C U P ½ cup cloves, sliced or minced (After fr ying, dust garlic with 1 teaspoon conf ectioners’ sugar to of fset any bitterness bef ore seasoning with salt )

1, white and light g reen par ts onl y, halved lengthwise, sliced into ver y thin 2-inch-long strips, washed thoroughl y, dried, and tossed with 2 tablespoons all-purpose f lour (which accelerates browning)

Tip: Save the allium-inf used oil for incorporating into dressings, mayonnaise, stir-fries, or curries or drizzling over soups or stews

Stirring seasonings into softened butter is an easy way to make a rich, flavor-packed condiment for meat, fish, and vegetables that can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen indefinitel y It ’ s also a g reat way to use up ing redients such as a single scallion, the last spoonf ul of honey, or stray bits of cheese Here are a few suggestions

( Combine 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with one of the following flavor combinations:

B A S I L A N D L E M O N

B U T T E R 4 teaspoons shredded fresh basil, 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley, ¾ teaspoon f inel y g rated lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon table salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper

R 1 minced garlic clove, 1½ teaspoons thinl y sliced scallion ( g reen par t onl y), 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, 2 teaspoons Asian chili-garlic paste, ½ teaspoon red cur r y paste

B L U E C H E E S E – C H I V E

L

B U T T E R ⅓ cup crumbled mild blue cheese, 2 tablespoons minced fresh chi ves, 1 minced garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon pepper

4 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro, 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley, ¾ teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, ¼ teaspoon f inel y g rated orange zest, ¼ teaspoon table salt

T T E R 4 teaspoons honey, ¼ teaspoon table salt, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper f lakes

Overhauling Sloppy Joes

When my kids were little, making Sloppy Joes was a win-win situation They loved eating them, and I loved sneaking bites off their plates Eating a full portion of the filling, however, was off the table, since it was one-dimensional and cloyingly sweet

That said, those few bites were such a guilty pleasure that I’ve often wondered if I could give the sandwich an overhaul so that it could satisfy adults and kids alike After all, the filling couldn’t be any easier to make: Just sauté some chopped onion (and sometimes celery, carrot, and bell pepper) in a skillet before adding ground beef to brown, and then finish with a ketchup-based sauce. And who knows? Maybe techniques that we normally apply to highbrow foods would come in handy here, too.

The Meat of the Matter

It’s no wonder that the sauce for Sloppy Joe filling is often candy-sweet, since it contains anywhere from ½ cup to 1 cup of ketchup (and sometimes brown sugar, too) But the sweet sauce isn’t the only problem: The ground beef typically turns out pebbly and dry once cooked Before w o r k i n g t o w a r d a r e c i p e f o r a l e s s s a c c h a r i n e sauce, I had a question about how to treat the beef: Should I skip the browning step, which I suspected caused the undesirable texture? To find out, I mixed up a rudimentary sauce in a skillet before adding a pound of 85 percent lean ground beef to simmer Once the meat had lost its pink color, I loaded some of the filling onto a bun and dug in

We’ve upg raded Sloppy Joes, but they ’ re as easy as e ver : Make them with mostl y pantr y ing redients in less than 30 minutes f or a quick, casual meal

more difficult for the proteins to bond excessively Sure enough, just ½ teaspoon of baking soda tossed with 1 tablespoon of water made the beef juicier and more tender

So tender, in fact, that the aromatics I had been experimenting with now seemed obtrusive Finely chopped onion was a must (it’s one of the defining elements of a Sloppy Joe), but the celery, carrot, and bell pepper made the sandwiches taste too vegetal and

The meat in this batch, while not particularly moist, was at least relatively tender and given the bold sauce, I didn’t miss any of the beefiness that I’d sacrificed by skipping browning (What’s more, this easy recipe had just gotten even easier ) But I didn’t stop there: The test kitchen has found that mixing a solution of baking soda and water into ground beef raises the pH of the meat, making it

Why Use These f or Sloppy Joes?

( Baking soda helps keep the g round beef moist and tender, and incorporating baking soda into the finel y chopped onion causes the onion to soften rapidl y so it nearl y melts into the sauce

( Cornstarch thickens the sauce and binds up any f at, creating a silky-smooth, cohesi ve texture

( A potato masher breaks the g round beef into fine, uniform pieces that will (mostl y) stay put on the bun instead of tumbling out

added a distracting crunch And yet, even after I’d eliminated all but the onion, the texture of the filling was still compromised, as the total cooking time was so short that the onion bits never had time to fully soften The fix? Baking soda once again Just ⅛ teaspoon altered the onion’s pH, causing it to rapidly break down so it nearly melted into the sauce

Keep the Ketchup

Speaking of the sauce, I knew that ketchup’s primary contribution was intense sweetness, so I experimented with replacing it with a less-sugary tomato product sauce, puree, crushed, or paste that I lightly sweetened myself with honey, molasses, corn syrup, or brown sugar. But there’s a good reason ketchup is such a phenomenally popular condiment: It’s packed with umami, bright with acidity, and well seasoned with salt. There was simply no replacing it. The key was to use ketchup only as an accent and to anchor the sauce with tomato paste. Just ⅓ cup of ketchup (along with 2 teaspoons of brown sugar for its molasses-y notes) was brought into line by ¼ cup of savory tomato paste Another umami heavy hitter, Worcestershire sauce, also kept the ketchup’s sweetness in check Finally, to give the sauce more personality, I layered in red pepper flakes for heat, minced garlic for zing, red wine vinegar for extra tang, and paprika for earthy depth

Solutions with Staying Power

The beef was moist and tender, and the multidimensional sauce was downright irresistible But just one thing was still

TOOLS FOR SUCCESS

These three items help create winning texture

bugging me: The filling was still a little too sloppy Don’t get me wrong I like the messy nature of this dish But if everything tumbles out on the first bite, the sandwich is difficult to enjoy

Up to this point, I had been breaking up the beef into random-size clumps with a wooden spoon as the sauce bubbled around it I wondered if the filling would stay put on the bun better if I eliminated the larger pieces of beef To find out, I used a potato masher to break up the beef in the pan until it achieved a fine, uniform texture I also stirred in a cornstarch slurry In addition to acting as a thickener, the cornstarch would hold any separated fat in the sauce, creating a cohesive, silky texture I marveled at how these small changes markedly improved the filling Now what went on the bun, (mostly) stayed on the bun

Now that I have a recipe for just-sloppy-enough Sloppy Joes with tender, moist meat and a lightly sweetened sauce, I’ll certainly be needing my own full portion

Tossing the beef with baking soda in step 1 helps keep it tender and juicy; adding baking soda to the skillet with the onion in step 2 helps the onion break down. You may substitute 90 percent lean ground beef in this recipe, but the cooked mixture will be a bit less tender. Serve the Sloppy Joes with pickle chips, if desired. Our recipe for Classic Sloppy Joes for Two is available free for four months at CooksIllustrated.com/jun19.

2 tablespoons water, divided

½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, divided

1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef

½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

½ onion, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons packed brown sugar, plus extra f or seasoning

2 teaspoons paprika

¼ teaspoon red pepper f lakes

¼ cup t omat o paste

⅓ cup ketchup

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus extra f or seasoning

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon cornstarch

4 hamburger buns

1 Combine 1 tablespoon water and ½ teaspoon baking soda in small bowl In large bowl, toss beef with baking soda mixture and ½ teaspoon salt until thoroughly combined Set aside

2 Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering Add onion and remaining ⅛ teaspoon baking soda and stir to coat

Cuts to Seek Out

Today, many super markets classify g round beef onl y by f at le vel, which ranges from 5 to 30 percent This generic “ g round beef ” can come from anywhere on the animal, so fla vor and texture won ’t be consistent Howe ver, if you can find g round beef labeled by primal cut (or you ha ve a butcher who can g rind it f or you), here are our recommendations

Ground Sirloin

C LO S E S E C O N D

This cut from the cow ’ s midsection near the hip offers good beefy flavor, but at onl y about 10 percent fat, it can be on the dr y side

Ground Round

N OT R E C O M M E N D E D

Ground Chuck

T O P C H O I C E

Cut from the shoulder, g round chuck is well marbled, ranging from 15 to 20 percent fat, and is distinguished by its rich beefy flavor and juicy, tender texture

Does Color Matter?

Tough and often g ristl y and lacking in beefy flavor, g round round comes from the rear upper leg and rump of the cow It has a fat content of 10 to 20 percent

Ha ve you e ver noticed that the g round meat you just brought home from the super market is red on the outside but dark purple or brown on the inside? This is not an indication that the meat is past its prime The color in meat comes from a muscle protein called myog lobin. When the meat is freshl y cut, this protein is deep purple. As the meat sits in its packaging (or in the butcher’s display case), the myog lobin will con ver t to bright red oxymyog lobin on the meat ’ s exterior, where it is exposed to oxygen. Over time, the oxymyog lobin will slowl y con ver t to brown metmyog lobin. Color changes of this nature are typical and should not cause alar m onl y once the meat has tur ned completel y brown on the exterior is it on its way to spoiling.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds Stir in sugar, paprika, pepper flakes, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, until paprika is fragrant, about 1 minute Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until paste is rust-colored, 3 to 4 minutes

3. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes Mash beef with potato masher until fine-textured, about 1 minute Add ketchup, vinegar, and Worcestershire and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits

4. Combine cornstarch and remaining 1 tablespoon water in small bowl, then pour cornstarch mixture over beef and stir to incorporate Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and coats beef, about 1 minute Season with salt, extra sugar, and extra vinegar to taste Spoon beef mixture onto buns and serve

Find these sides in our archive: Sweet and Tangy Coleslaw (May/June 2011) and All-American Potato Salad ( July/August 2004)

Balancing Act

Most Sloppy Joe recipes call for lots of ketchup ½ cup to 1 cup which makes the sandwiches overly sweet We drop the ketchup to just ⅓ cup and balance it out with generous amounts of two umami-rich ingredients: ¼ cup of earthy tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce (a real umami powerhouse since some of its ingredients are fermented and it contains anchovies)

Tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce transf orm our Sloppy Joes from cloying to savor y-sweet

Modern, Hearty Scrambled Eggs

Wh e n I ’ m r u n n i n g l o w on time, energy, groceries, or all three, I like to whip up my “emergency eggs”: I just chop up whatever leftover

c o o k e d v e g e t a b l e s a r e s t a s h e d i n t h e refrigerator, toss them in a hot skillet with

b e a t e n e g g s , a n d s t i r u n t i l c u r d s f o r m

Whether they’re for breakfast, brunch, or dinner, these healthful scrambles always

s a t i s f y , e v e n i f t h e y a r e a l i t t l e r o u g h around the edges But I knew that if I gave them some attention, I could come up with recipes worth repeating

My fresh take on scrambled eggs meant staying away from heavy add-ins such as meat and cheese and mundane vegetables such as onions and bell peppers. As I experimented with more contemporary options, I nixed spinach and Swiss chard; they tended to weep after cooking, making the eggs watery. Superdelicate greens, such as baby arugula, were also out: They liked to clump, which made them difficult to disperse evenly

Perhaps I needed to think further outside the box or, more accurately, outside the fridge: Gazing into the pantry, I spotted a can of pinto beans Beans are often served alongside Mexican egg dishes such as huevos rancheros or migas, so why not put them directly into the eggs?

For a bit of personality, I sizzled minced garlic and some chopped jarred jalapeños in olive oil in a nonstick skillet before adding the drained beans along with a few tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro I cooked the mixture for a minute or so until

any moisture evaporated, transferred it to a bowl, and then wiped the skillet clean with paper towels so I could use it to cook the eggs

No Bad Eggs

But before I did that, I wanted to ensure that the eggs would be tender Eggs get tough when their proteins bond too tightly One way around that is to dilute them with liquid, which prevents the proteins from linking up too quickly and closely The test kitchen likes to add half-and-half, which makes fantastic classic scrambled eggs But for this fresher take, I really wanted to use extra-virgin olive oil Its grassy savoriness would be an ideal

It ’ s important to stir the mix-ins into the eggs when the curds are still a little wet; this way the eggs will set around the vegetables and form a cohesi ve dish If the mix-ins are incorporated once the eggs are mostl y dr y, they won’t f ull y integ rate

complement to the earthy pintos Two

them loose and lubricated

Since I was already beating oil into the eggs, I also used a couple of teaspoons to cook them The test kitchen’s method for producing large, billowy curds has two stages: Start the eggs over medium-high heat, folding them gently but constantly for about a minute to form large curds Then, reduce the heat to low to gently finish cooking them and to provide ample time to remove them from the skillet before they overcook It was important to return the beans to the pan when the curds were well established but still a little wet so the eggs could set up around them to create a cohesive dish.

I now had large, tender egg curds studded with creamy pink beans and flecks of chopped cilantro and jalapeños. I didn’t want to overload the eggs with gobs of cheese, but I thought that a bit of cotija a dry, crumbly, salty Mexican cheese might be a worthy addition. Indeed, just an ounce of it perked things up Sprinkled with more chopped cilantro and served with a stack of warm tortillas and a bottle of hot sauce, these eggs made a quick, fresh, anytime meal

More of a Good Thing

Using the pinto bean recipe as a template, I created two variations For the first, I went back to where the inspiration for these eggs had started: the refrigerator There, I found half a pound of asparagus that, when cut into ½-inch pieces, would integrate nicely into the fluffy curds I pan-steamed the pieces with a little garlic until they were crisp-tender While the cooked asparagus waited in a bowl, I scrambled the eggs After incorporating the asparagus at the last minute, I dressed up the finished scramble by draping glossy smoked salmon on top and showering it with minced fresh chives

For my second variation, I sliced and sautéed earthy shiitake mushrooms, which fared well in a scramble since they were light enough not to weigh down the curds A modest amount of salty, tangy feta and a sprinkle of woodsy minced fresh thyme were ideal accents to the meaty mushrooms

Here was a trio of egg dishes that I was proud to serve up emergency or not

Canned pinto beans accented with cotija cheese, jar red jalapeños, and fresh cilantro are an uncon ventional, satisfying addition to scrambled eggs.

of smoked salmon are a luxe f inish to asparagus-studded eggs (left); crumbles of milky, salty f eta complement a mixture of eggs and ear th y shiitake mushrooms (right)

constantly and firmly scrape along bottom and sides of skillet until eggs begin to clump and spatula just leaves trail on bottom of skillet, 30 to 60 seconds Reduce heat to low and gently but constantly fold eggs until clumped and just slightly wet, 30 to 60 seconds Fold in asparagus mixture Transfer to serving dish, top with salmon, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives, and serve

If cotija cheese is unavailable, you can substitute feta cheese. This recipe can be easily halved, if desired; use a 10-inch skillet. We like to serve these eggs with warm tortillas and hot sauce.

8 large eggs

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

¼ teaspoon table salt

¼ cup jarred sliced jalapeños, chopped coarse

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (15-ounce) can pint o beans, rinsed

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1 ounce cotija cheese, crumbled (¼ cup)

1. In medium bowl, beat eggs, 2 tablespoons oil, and salt with fork until no streaks of white remain Heat 1 teaspoon oil, jalapeños, and garlic in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute Add beans and 3 tablespoons cilantro and cook, stirring frequently, until moisture has evaporated, about 1 minute Transfer bean mixture to small bowl and set aside Wipe skillet clean with paper towels

2 Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering Add egg mixture and, using rubber spatula, constantly and firmly scrape along bottom and sides of skillet until eggs begin to clump and spatula just leaves trail on bottom of skillet, 30 to 60 seconds Reduce heat to low and gently but constantly fold eggs until clumped and just slightly wet, 30 to 60 seconds Fold in bean mixture Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with cotija and remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, and serve

If you can’t find thin asparagus spears, peel the bottom halves of the spears until the white flesh is exposed, and then halve each spear lengthwise before cutting it into ½-inch pieces. This recipe can be easily halved, if desired; use a 10-inch skillet.

8 large eggs

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, divided

¼ teaspoon table salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

8 ounces thin asparagus, trimmed and cut int o ½-inch pieces

2 tablespoons water

2 ounces smoked salmon, t orn int o ½-inch strips

1. In medium bowl, beat eggs, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon chives, salt, and pepper with fork until no streaks of white remain Heat 1 teaspoon oil and garlic in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute Add asparagus and water, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes Uncover and continue to cook until moisture has evaporated, about 1 minute longer Transfer asparagus mixture to small bowl and set aside Wipe skillet clean with paper towels

2 Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering Add egg mixture and, using rubber spatula,

Oyster or cremini mushrooms can be substituted for the shiitake mushrooms, if desired; to prepare the oyster or cremini mushrooms, trim the stems but do not remove them Crumbled feta is often coated with cellulose to keep it from caking; for the best results, buy a block of feta and crumble it yourself This recipe can be easily halved, if desired; use a 10-inch skillet

8 large eggs

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

¼ teaspoon table salt, divided

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 shallot, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin

¼ cup water

1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (¼ cup)

1. In medium bowl, beat eggs, 2 tablespoons oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and pepper with fork until no streaks of white remain Heat 1 teaspoon oil, shallot, thyme, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until shallot is softened and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes Add mushrooms and water, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are softened, 5 to 8 minutes Uncover and continue to cook until moisture has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes longer Transfer mushroom mixture to small bowl and set aside Wipe skillet clean with paper towels

2. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering Add egg mixture and, using rubber spatula, constantly and firmly scrape along bottom and sides of skillet until eggs begin to clump and spatula just leaves trail on bottom of skillet, 30 to 60 seconds Reduce heat to low and gently but constantly fold eggs until clumped and just slightly wet, 30 to 60 seconds Fold in mushroom mixture Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with feta, and serve

Ribbons

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

I’ m a p e a n u t b u t t e r f a n a t i c , a n d I feel uneasy if I don’t have an extra jar or two of the stuff stashed away

“just in case ” So you might be surprised to learn that peanut butter cookies haven’t always been my first choice for spur-of-the-moment baking After all, the cookies’ other ingredients are constants in my kitchen, too But the truth is that I enjoy most peanut butter cookies only w h e n t h e y ’ r e w a r m a n d f r e s h A s t h e y cool, so does my enthusiasm

I wanted to think that a solution to these flaws would come easy to a peanut butter devotee such as myself But after weeks of trying to devise a recipe for cookies with robust peanut flavor and lasting chew, I had to admit that a fix was anything but easy and was not, as I’d initially hoped, simply a matter of packing more peanut butter into the dough (read on to find out why). When I did finally nail a formula that produced soft, chewy, deeply nutty cookies, I humbly realized that the trick boiled down to a subtle but fundamental point of baking: ratios

Losing My Balance

I decided to focus on producing a chewy texture first, and luckily I was on familiar ground Several factors contribute to chewiness in cookies (including adequate amounts of sugar and moisture), but fat is also key While developing a brownie recipe years ago, I discovered that boxed-mix brownies get their beguilingly chewy texture from a specific ratio of saturated fat to unsaturated fat in the batter: 30 percent saturated to 70 percent unsaturated Since then, I’ve applied that fat ratio to recipes for both sugar and oatmeal cookies with great success So I figured all I had to do was bend the traditional peanut butter cookie formula to fit the chewiness template and I’d be done

The typical peanut butter cookie recipe I used as a starting point called for 1 cup each of butter (melted to make mixing easier) and peanut butter and 2 cups of flour After whisking the butter and peanut butter together along with granulated sugar, eggs,

and vanilla, I stirred in the flour, baking soda, and salt Then I scooped equal portions onto a baking sheet, used a fork to imprint the tops with the cookie’s hallmark crosshatch pattern, baked them, and let them cool briefly

Get the Scoop

A #30 portion scoop, which holds about 2 tablespoons, makes it easy to di vvy up our dough into precise, tidy scoops that bake up identical

With all that butter, 56 percent of the fat in the dough was saturated, producing a cookie that was tender and short instead of chewy; it also lacked nutty flavor Most of the fat in peanut butter is unsaturated, though, so replacing ½ cup of highly saturated butter with an additional ½ cup of peanut butter would not only boost peanut flavor but also lower the saturated fat to a more favorable 35 percent

But by the time I had a cohesive dough, I could tell that this formula wasn’t going to work The mixture was so stiff I was practically kneading it, and the cookies themselves hardly

spread at all in the oven and emerged dry and cracked at the edges

Chewing the Fat

I suspected that peanut butter–butter swap was to blame for the stiff, dry results Butter is mostly pure fat (it’s also about 20 percent water), but peanut butter contains protein and starch According to Lisa Dean, research food technologist at the U S Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, the protein in peanut butter swells and absorbs added water: This phenomenon was surely drying out my cookies But the peanut butter’s dry-matter content was potentially useful: If I could rely on peanut butter protein and starch instead of some of the flour to give my cookies structure, maybe I could prevent the cookies from drying out and gain more robust peanut flavor in one fell swoop.

But decreasing the flour to 1½ cups only got me part of the way to my goal. The dough was softer, the cookies spread more, and their flavor improved, but biting into the cookies caused them to crumble, and overall they were now more tender than chewy

It took a few more tests, but I finally figured out that the absolute limit on the ratio of peanut butter to flour was 1 cup to 1½ cups, respectively Any more peanut butter and the cookies didn’t have enough flour for gluten development, which left the cookies too crumbly

But that satisfying chew still eluded me until I realized that, in general, fat acts a tenderizer in baked goods Was it possible that my recipe simply had too much fat overall? To find out, I dropped the butter from ½ cup to ¼ cup This not only brought the saturated/unsaturated fat ratio back to the ideal 30/70 split but also decreased the ratio of total fat to other ingredients, yielding a supremely chewy cookie

Chock-Full of Nuts

The chewy cookie lover in me was completely satisfied The peanut butter fanatic was not, though I wasn’t about to touch my carefully calibrated dough formula to pack in more peanut flavor Instead, I went straight to the source and added ½ cup of finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts to the dough after mixing in the dry ingredients Their richness and

Chopped dr y-roasted peanuts provide extra richness and contrasting crunch to these perf ectl y che wy cook ies

How Fat Affects Chewiness

Producing a cookie or brownie with a chewy texture depends on a number of f actors, and f at is a ver y important one

We’ve found that when combined in a ratio of 30 percent saturated to 70 percent unsaturated f at in a dough or batter, it can aid in creating a chewy texture

MORE BENDABLE THAN BREAKABLE

crunch added the depth I was looking for without affecting the fat ratio or interfering with the texture of the dough, but they left the cookies tasting a bit savory Substituting dark brown sugar for white sugar and adding 2 tablespoons of honey tilted things back in a sweet direction and had the added benefit of enhancing the chewiness a little more.

One final tweak: With the chopped peanuts clearly advertising the cookies’ identity, I decided to abandon the crosshatch. While it’s up for debate why peanut butter cookies traditionally bear this mark, I’ve always suspected that it’s because the stiff dough needs to be firmly pressed down for the cookies to spread properly. But because my dough was softer than the typical peanut butter cookie dough, it spread nicely if I simply pressed it with my fingers

The Best Proportions f or Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

All baking recipes rel y on precise ing redient ratios, but peanut butter cookies are especiall y sensiti ve to changes in the proportion of the namesake ing redient That ’ s because peanut butter contains both f at and protein (plus starch), and altering the amounts of those components can dramaticall y affect both flavor and texture Case in point: Changing the ratios of peanut butter to butter and flour made the difference between cookies that were barel y nutty and ones that had robust nuttiness and also the difference between cookies that were dough y and dry and ones that were so structureless they crumbled to a sticky paste Here’s how we arri ved at the ideal proportions for nutty, chewy cookies (See “How Fat Affects Chewiness” to learn wh y the right ratio of different types of f at also matters )

A Histor y of the Crosshatch

The practice of creating a crosshatch pattern on peanut butter cookies with the tines of a fork appears to have begun with a recipe published in the Jul y 1, 1932 edition of the Schenectady Gazette, which instructed bakers to “ press [dough] down with a fork, first one way, then the other, so they look like squares on waffles ” A year later, Balanced Recipes, a cookbook published by Pillsbur y Flour Mills, also called for flattening the cookies with a fork but in onl y one direction In 1938, when The Settlement Cookbook specified a crosshatch for its peanut butter cookies, as the Gazette had, the method took off But wh y a crosshatch in the first place? Since peanut butter cookie dough is generall y dense and doesn’t spread well, the cookies need to be flattened in order to bake evenl y, and a fork is the perfect tool for the job Because the dough for our Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies is softer and spreads more than traditional peanut butter cookie dough, we don’t need a crosshatch (And don’t be tempted to add one for decorati ve purposes; the dough’s softness also means that it won’t hold a sharpl y defined pattern )

after portioning it on the baking sheet (For more information, see “A History of the Crosshatch ”)

Now that I have an easy, truly satisfying peanut butter cookie recipe at the ready, I should probably add another jar or two of peanut butter to my stash Just in case.

To ensure that the cookies have the proper texture, use a traditional creamy peanut butter in this recipe; do not substitute crunchy or natural peanut butter We developed this recipe with Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter For the best results, be sure to weigh

TRADITIONAL PROPORTIONS

The usual proportions in peanut butter cookie dough result in cookies with a tender and short texture and little peanut f lavor

OUR PROPORTIONS

Less butter and f lour in relation to the peanut butter makes our cookies taste nuttier and more chewy (Chopped peanuts added to the dough also boost f lavor )

the flour, sugar, and peanut butter You can substitute light brown sugar for dark, but your cookies will be lighter in color

1½ cups (7½ ounces) all-purpose f lour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon table salt

1½ cups packed (10½ ounces) dark brown sugar

1 cup (9 ounces) creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup dr y-roasted peanuts, chopped fine

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees Line two 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl

2. In large bowl, whisk sugar, peanut butter, eggs, melted butter, honey, and vanilla until smooth Add flour mixture and stir with rubber spatula until soft, homogeneous dough forms Stir in peanuts until evenly distributed

3. Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time (or using #30 portion scoop), roll dough into balls and evenly space on prepared sheets (12 dough balls per sheet) Using your fingers, gently flatten dough balls until 2 inches in diameter

4. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are just set and just beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheet after 6 minutes Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely before serving

Grinding Away on Black Peppercorns

GAll true peppercorns are harvested from Piper nigrum, a vining plant native to the Indian state of Kerala, which is located on the Malabar Coast While peppercorns have been cultivated and used in Indian cooking since 2000 BC, we know that by AD 100 they were heavily traded throughout Europe and Asia In the Roman cookbook Apicius one of the oldest surviving cookbooks black pepper is listed as an ingredient in 80 percent of the recipes. Today, black peppercorns are grown in tropical climates throughout the world, with Vietnam being the largest producer.

A peppercorn’s color green, white, or black depends on when it was picked and how it was treated. Black peppercorns may be labeled with their place of origin, such as Lampong (Indonesia), Malabar (India), Vietnam, or Ethiopia While these all come from the same plant, variations in terroir and climate may make the flavor unique

What Are Tellicherr y Peppercorns?

Then there are Tellicherry black peppercorns, which are often lauded by many as the best in the world Tellicherry peppercorns have two defining characteristics First, they are grown in India Second, Tellicherry peppercorns are 4 millimeters or larger in size According to experts, larger peppercorns have less heat and more robust, aromatic flavors Nearly any given peppercorn harvest in India will contain a mix of regular and Tellicherry peppercorns, with Tellicherry peppercorns representing 10 to 20 percent of the crop

Once ripe and harvested, all the peppercorns are treated the same way They are boiled briefly and then dried in the sun until they take on a black, shriveled appearance Once dried, the peppercorns are taken to distribution facilities where they are shaken between a series of screens to sort them according to size. The largest peppercorns are graded as Tellicherry and sold at a premium on the global market.

What’s all the fuss about Tellicherry peppercorns? Are they worth seeking out for their superior flavor, or will regular supermarket black peppercorns do? To find out, we gathered 10 whole black peppercorn products, four Tellicherry and six regular Most of the products were supermarket top sellers, but we

Preground versus Whole Peppercorns

WHOLE PEPPERCORNS

Fragrant and bright when ground

Many people swear by freshly ground pepper so much so that waiters at high-end restaurants offer freshly ground pepper in the same way they do freshly grated Parmesan But considering how little the flavor differed among the peppercorns we tasted, we wondered if it actually matters whether peppercorns are freshly ground To find out, we purchased preground versions of our two top-rated products Tone’s and Penzeys and tasted them alongside freshly ground samples in blind tastings of rice and egg salad

There were striking differences between the preg round peppers and the freshl y g round whole peppercorns First, the preg round products were g ritty and tough One taster noted that sampling the preg round specks of pepper in egg salad was like “chewing through wood ” In comparison, the texture of freshl y g round peppercorns was softer, more malleable, and much less distracting in the dish Second, the preg round peppers had almost no flavor Tasters were able to pick up on a tiny bit of heat but mostl y thought the peppers tasted “musty,” “almost dirty ” Freshl y g round peppercorns were “frag rant,” “floral,” and “bright,” with a much more pronounced heat

According to experts, the oils responsible for pepper ’ s heat and floral aroma start to dissipate as soon as the peppercorn has been cracked While it might be slightly less convenient to grind whole peppercorns, we think it ’ s worth doing

Black peppercorns are harvested from Piper nigrum, a vining plant nati ve to India's Malabar Coast

also included two mail-order Tellicherry products we’ve liked in previous tastings

How t o Taste Black Pepper

Our first challenge was to figure out how to taste the peppercorns Grinding them and sampling them plain left our mouths numb after just two samples, so we changed direction We coarsely ground the peppercorns, mixed them with cooked white rice, and tasted them The differences among the products were subtle, but we did notice slight variations: Some of the peppers were fragrant and floral, while others were just hot Despite these flavor nuances, all the peppers were perfectly acceptable, with the exception of one product that was a bit too earthy and musty

However, most of us don’t typically eat spoonfuls of ground pepper mixed into plain white rice, so we decided to sample the products in more realistic cooking applications We rounded up dishes in which the pepper flavor was prominent enough for us to really home in on differences but wasn’t overpowering Our team conducted tasting after tasting: cacio e pepe, steak au poivre, pepper-crusted beef tenderloin, pepper and ricotta crostini, and even ground pepper sprinkled on plain cucumbers but the flavor variations among the products were too subtle to truly make or break a dish

PREGROUND PEPPER Musty, gritty, and tough

INDIA

MALABAR COAST

We had the best luck when we tried the ground peppers stirred into a simple egg salad The flavor differences among products were still subtle, but we were able to pick up on the aromatic floral notes in some peppers that we’d tasted in the rice test Once again, one product was singled out for overly earthy, almost mushroomy flavor and dull heat However, all the other peppercorns were perfectly acceptable They provided balanced levels of heat, and some featured pleasant hints of citrus and warm spice or woodsy notes

Should You Buy Tellicherr y Peppercorns?

In our tastings, we found that we didn’t have a clear preference for Tellicherry peppercorns In fact, the pepper we deemed overly musty and earthy was a Tellicherry product from the mail-order brand Kalustyan’s Because this product received our highest recommendation in a previous tasting of black peppercorns, we ordered and sampled multiple jars and noted dull heat and mustiness in every batch, despite the peppercorns all being within their sell-by dates A representative from Kalustyan’s wouldn’t tell us if the company had changed anything about its product, but peppercorns like many spices are subject to variations in weather, climate, and harvesting that could account for the unpleasant flavors we noted.

Most other manufacturers wouldn’t share specifics about the origins of their peppercorns, but we learned that many use blends of peppercorns harvested from around the world depending on what’s available and fresh. When we measured a sample of peppercorns from each product, we found that almost all the peppercorns in our lineup would be large enough to qualify as Tellicherry peppercorns Though the Tellicherry designation is usually given only to peppercorns sourced from India, this finding could explain why all the peppercorns in our lineup were plenty fragrant and earthy

The Best: Tone’ s Whole Black Peppercorns

Our biggest takeaway from this tasting is that you should always buy whole black peppercorns and grind them yourself (see “Preground versus Whole Peppercorns”) When compared to preground peppercorns, freshly ground peppercorns were described by tasters as being “fragrant,” “floral,” and “bright ” Two of the brands whose products we tasted make this easier by offering their peppercorns in jars with built-in grinders, and we confirmed with these companies that these peppercorns are indeed the same type we tasted, just in different packaging

We think you’ll get good results with almost any of the whole black peppercorns we tasted, but we gave our highest recommendation to Tone’s Whole Black Peppercorns This product was mildly spicy and had fragrant, citrusy notes; it’s available nationally at Walmart For black pepper aficionados who want a bit more heat, our runner-up was Penzeys Whole Tellicherry Indian Peppercorns, which had a “perfumy” aroma and “zingy” spiciness

TASTING BLACK PEPPERCORNS

We sampled 10 nationally available whole black peppercorns ground and mixed into white rice and egg salad We used brand-new grinders one per product to grind the peppercorns for each tasting (including the two products that came with built-in grinders) The peppercorns were priced from $1 14 to $3 84 per ounce; eight were top-selling nationally available products (according to data obtained from IRI, an independent Chicago-based market research firm), and two were mail-order products We also sampled the preground versions of the top two whole peppercorn products in blind tastings of rice and egg salad Prices shown were paid online or in Boston-area supermarkets Results were averaged, and products appear below in order of preference

R E C O M M E N D E D

T O N E ’ S Whole Black Peppercorns

P R I C E : $2 43 f or 2 13 oz ($1 14 per oz) O R I G I N : Proprietar y mix

C O M M E N T S : Our top-ranked product was “mild ” and “f loral,” with a “subtle, lingering heat ” Tasters liked the “frag rant ” “citrus” notes, which slowl y “bloomed ” into a “buzzy,” “pleasant ” spiciness A bonus: It ’ s the cheapest product in our lineup

P E N Z E Y S Whole Tellicherr y Indian Peppercorns

P R I C E : $6 49 f or 2 2 oz ($2 95 per oz) O R I G I N : India

C O M M E N T S : This mail-order Tellicher r y pepper had a “perf umy ” aroma, “woodsy ” “ war m spice” notes, and a heat that “builds slowl y ” Tasters par ticularl y liked it in egg salad, where it added “just the right amount of zing ”

M C C O R M I C K Whole Black Peppercorns

P R I C E : $6 49 f or 3 5 oz ($1 85 per oz)

O R I G I N : Proprietar y mix

C O M M E N T S : Tasters loved this product ’ s “ war m, buzzy, toasted pepper y f la vor ” and “mild heat ” Some picked up on a “sweet ” fruitiness that was reminiscent of “fresh g reen peppercor ns ”

O L D E T H O M P S O N Tellicherr y

P R I C E : $9 94 f or 7 4 oz ($1 34 per oz)

O R I G I N : India

C O M M E N T S : Another Indian Tellicher r y pepper, this product was “ ear th y, ” with a “slight acidit y ” The heat was a bit more “numbing” than we ’ re used to with black pepper, but overall this pepper was “bright ” and “vibrant ”

M O RT O N & B A S S E T T Whole Black Peppercorns

P R I C E : $6 99 f or 2 1 oz ($3 33 per oz) O R I G I N : Vietnam

C O M M E N T S : This super market product was “zippy,” with “ pops of spice” and a “lingering heat ” Some tasters thought its spiciness was a bit too prominent, but most appreciated its “frag rant,” “woodsy ” notes

M O RT O N Pepper Grinder

P R I C E : $2 49 f or 1 24 oz ($2 01 per oz)

O R I G I N : Brazil, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia

C O M M E N T S : This product was “punch y, ” “bright,” and “slightl y sweet ” It ’ s a vailable onl y in a container with a built-in g rinder, but the peppercor ns can be removed if you want to use them in your own pepper mill

S P I C E I S L A N D S Tellicherr y Peppercorns

P R I C E : $9 22 f or 2 4 oz ($3 84 per oz)

O R I G I N : India

C O M M E N T S : This pricey product had “vibrant,” “woodsy ” notes but lacked heat Some f ound the f la vor a bit f lat

B A D I A Whole Black Pepper

P R I C E : $3 39 f or 2 oz ($1 70 per oz) O R I G I N : Proprietar y mix

C O M M E N T S : This super market pepper had a “nice k ick of heat ” and “strong spiciness” but lacked a more nuanced aroma Those who could pick up on some of this pepper ’ s frag rance noted a slight “vegetal” ear thiness

S I M P LY O R G A N I C Whole Black Peppercorns

P R I C E : $5 49 f or 2 65 oz ($2 07 per oz)

O R I G I N : India and Vietnam

C O M M E N T S : This product was “mild,” with “muted heat ” and subtler “herby ” notes It was a bit “too dull” f or some tasters, but we liked its “woodsy ” aroma and slight “ ear thiness ”

K A L U S T YA N ’ S Tellicherr y Indian Black Peppercorns

P R I C E : $6 99 f or 2 5 oz ($2 80 per oz) O R I G I N : India

C O M M E N T S : This Tellicher r y pepper, which was once a test k itchen f a vorite, recei ved low marks f or its “overl y ear th y, ” “mushroomy ” notes and “duller heat ” While some tasters liked the “deeper frag rance ” of these peppercor ns, others thought they tasted a bit “must

The Best Heavy-Duty Cutting Board

A good cutting board is a knife’s bes t friend. We put seven to the tes t to find out which ones make the cut.

j B Y M I Y E B R O M B

For some cooks, the ultimate cutting board is a thick, solid model made of wood or bamboo Compared to a lightweight plastic or composite board, this kind of board is an investment; you’ll have to spend more money, perform regular maintenance, and use more muscle to lift and maneuver it for cleaning But for that money and effort, you get a board that can potentially last a lifetime

It had been a while since we last tested cutting boards, and we wanted to know if our former winner, the Teakhaus by Proteak Edge Grain Cutting Board, was still the best heavy-duty option available So we pitted it against six other wood and bamboo models, priced from about $85 00 to just under $240 00 The boards we chose measured at least 20 inches long and 15 inches wide and were made from bamboo or one of four types of wood (maple, birch, teak, or hinoki, a Japanese cypress).

There were no egregious failures here; each model had its fans. But a few factors made certain boards more durable, more pleasant to cut on, and easier to maintain.

Consider the Dimensions of Your Board

All the boards were spacious enough to accommodate every task we performed on them. But most testers preferred larger boards that gave them lots of room to work. Our winner is one of the largest boards, measuring 18 inches wide by 24 inches long.

We also considered the boards’ weight. The heavier the board, the more securely it will sit on the counter. While all the boards in our lineup were reasonably

Are Some Cutting Boards Gentler on Your Knives?

A board’s durability is related to the type of wood used to make it In general, the harder the wood, the more resistant it is to knife damage But what does that hardness mean for your knife? To find out, we teamed up with the Autodesk Technology Center in Boston, using one of their robots to make 5,000 cuts on each board with a brand-new, factory-sharpened knife and pausing every 200 cuts to test the sharpness of the blade

To our surprise, the sharpest knives at the end of the test were the ones used on boards made from harder woods Adam Senalik, research general engineer at the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin, offered a possible explanation: Softer woods might initially be gentler on your knives, but because they are more prone to damage, they can dull a knife a bit faster as they get more beat-up over time, forcing a knife to travel over an increasingly irregular surface This was the case with the board made of hinoki

With all this in mind, there is still a good reason to appreciate softer boards: Testers almost universally found them plush and pleasant to cut on Our favorite hits a happy medium Made of teak, it ’ s soft enough to provide a luxurious cutting experience but hard enough to be relatively durable Teak does come with a small caveat, however: Embedded in its grain are microscopic bits of silica that can potentially wear down your blade if you ’ re repeatedly sinking your knife deep into the wood Possibly as a result, the knife we used on our teak board was the dullest by the time the robot had made 5,000 cuts, though it still cut through paper

We’re not too concerned Our test cooks have used our winner in the kitchen for nearl y a decade without noticing any significant difference in how often they needed to sharpen their kni ves As long as you ’ re not doing a lot of high-force, heavy-duty butchering on your board ever y day, it should be fine to cut on

stable, a few of the lighter models occasionally moved around when we chopped vigorously Our advice: Get the biggest board that your counter and sink will allow and that you’re able to comfortably lift The sweet spot was 15 pounds: heavy enough to be stable but not so heavy that it is difficult to lift

We also considered thickness Taller testers appreciated boards that were thicker than 2 inches or those with feet that elevated them as much as 3 inches off the counter since they raised their knives to a position that felt best for chopping But these tall boards were tough on shorter testers For most testers, boards that were 1 5 to 2 inches tall were just about right

Boards with Feet versus Reversible Boards

Taller height aside, boards with feet did have a few advantages for any cook. Often tipped with grippy plastic or rubber, these feet helped the boards stick to the counter. Some testers also liked how easy these raised boards were to grab they could just stick their hands in the spaces underneath the boards and lift. Boards without feet must be stood on end to dry after washing But many testers preferred these boards because they’re reversible And while they’re not quite as easy to pick up as boards with feet, several of the reversible boards came with slight indentations on their short sides that facilitated lifting

The Previous Champion Wins Again

The good news is that there’s a cutting board for every home cook among the models we tested Above all, the choice of a board is a personal one, depending on the user’s height, aesthetic and handling preferences, arm strength, and available counter space Still, we think our winning board is the best option for most people The Teakhaus by Proteak Edge Grain Cutting Board remains our favorite Its large, reversible, 18 by 24-inch surface gave us plenty of room to work, and its 1 5-inch thickness made it tall enough to be comfortable for testers of all heights At 15 pounds, it sat relatively securely on the counter yet was still easy to pick up, thanks to slight indentations in its short sides While the moderately hard teak did take on some scars from the cleaver, testers loved cutting on its surface, which felt luxuriously satiny under the knife Best of all, teak requires less seasoning than other types of wood (see “How to Care for a Wood Cutting Board” on page 30) We know that this board will stand the test of time; we’ve been using it in the test kitchen for nearly 10 years with no issues to report

We liked larger boards that weren ’t too hea vy.

We enlisted the help of a robot arm to determine how well knives held up to repeated cutting on each of the boards we tested.