It doesn’t take a lot, equipment-wise, to make me happy in the kitchen. I own a few showpieces, like a beautiful copper sauté pan and a La Chamba casserole that can go on the stove or in the oven and then to the table. It makes anything look great. Those are the exceptions in my kitchen. The rule is sturdy, practical, multipurpose equipment that I buy once...
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NOTE: Whether you own cast-iron or not, do not miss the Mozzarella in Carrozza recipe below! When we sold our house and moved back into an apartment with a tiny kitchen with a drastically reduced amount of storage space, I freaked. Then I realized that of all the cookware I own, I use about 10 % of it on a regular basis. So most of the stuff is in an...
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Every good cookbook (and every good cook) will tell you of the virtues of making your own stock (AKA broth). Whether or not there is a difference between stock and broth, I don’t know. Let’s say that stock is what people in restaurants make and broth is what people at home make. All stocks start with bones of some kind. Most cooks—home and...
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I am all about little things, quick things, ridiculously simple things that add huge amounts of flavor to food, whether you’re doctoring up store bought food or goosing the flavor of your own homemade standbys. These little tricks, ingredients and tweaks are not just the property of restaurant chefs, they belong to home cooks too. Dried chiles are one of...
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If it’s the middle of winter and you’re jonezing bad for good tomato flavor, you have two options. First, find a favorite canned tomato. I like San Marzano plum tomatoes and a good American round, firm tomato, like Redpack, depending on what I’m cooking. The second option is to find reasonably ripe plum tomatoes (or let them finish...
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