ShareThisBy TOM MENTZER
Sunday, November 19, 2006
The Culinary Institute of America has assembled a delicious collection of international recipes in its new book, "One Dish Meals" (Lebhar-Friedman Books, $35).
Don't confuse the title with the traditional definition of one-pot meals, those all-day, slow-cooking affairs full of cheap cuts of meat and root vegetables. Although there are a fair number of braised dishes in this volume, there are even more salads, sandwiches, soups and pastas.
What the authors have done is provide a collection of global meals far grander than the "one-dish" moniker. Recipes range from Italian osso buco and Japanese miso soup to Indian lamb khorma and the Vietnamese banh mi sandwich.
The authors venture into territory not often associated with home-cooking. For example, gyro meat conjures images of an intimidating vertical spit, rotating as it bubbles amid open flames. But the CIA chefs offer a relatively simple recipe using the oven, with the product coming pretty close to the real thing in terms of flavor and, just as important, consistency.
While many of the recipes aren't simple, the authors have done a great job explaining the techniques. The recipe for the cassoulet clocks in at over five hours, but the directions are quite simple to follow for this classic French favorite.
And for every complex dish (the authors offer some of the best, from a Oaxacan mole to Spanish paella), there are an equal number of simpler dishes. And while neither French onion soup nor a Thai chicken salad qualify as single-dish meals, both are simple, tasty additions to this compilation.
One critique of the book is also a compliment: the authors don't dumb down the recipes. They don't hesitate to call for duck confit for the cassoulet, Mexican chocolate for the mole, or rutabaga in the lamb navarin.
But considering the authors bill their recipes as a method toward "taking charge of the time you spend in the kitchen," a few more ingredient substitutions might also offer home cooks the chance to take charge of the time they spend shopping.
The range of recipes is laudable, spanning continents and cooking styles. This is an excellent book for cooks seeking traditional flavors in a wide variety of dishes. And it's always refreshing when, in these days of lighter cooking, authors are confident enough to serve up a half-dozen different recipes for beef stew.
RECIPES
(SHNS tested)
GYROS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE
1 lb ground lamb
1 lb ground beef
1 cup finely shredded onion, squeezed
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 pitas
3 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into medium dice
1-1/2 cups tzatziki sauce (recipe follows)
1. Combine the lamb, beef, onion, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt and pepper and stir until the meats and seasonings are evenly blended. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 2 hours. Chill the bowl and blade of a food processor in the freezer at the same time you are chilling the meat.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly oil a baking pan. (If you prefer, you can prepare the gyro meat on a rotisserie. Preheat the grill to medium-high and assemble the rotisserie.)
3. Transfer the meat mixture to the chilled food processor bowl and process until a sticky paste forms, about 2 minutes. (Author's note: This task is easier if you split the meat in half.) Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking pan, shaping it with dampened hands into a loaf about 1-1/2 inches thick and 8 inches long. It should not touch the sides of the pan. (If preparing the meat on a rotisserie, pack it around the round in a cylinder.) Cook the meat until it is completely cooked through (an internal temperature of 150 F), about 35 to 40 minutes.
4. Cool the meat to room temperature, remove from the loaf pan and wrap well. Chill the meat in the refrigerator for at least 8 and up to 12 hours prior to slicing thinly.
5. Heat a gribble or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pitas one at a time and griddle until toasted and very pliable; set aside. Add the sliced gyro meat to the griddle and cook until hot and lightly colored, about 2 minutes. Fill each pita with the sliced gyro meat and top with lettuce, tomatoes and onion. Wrap the sandwich in paper and use a toothpick to hold the sandwich closed. Serve with the tzatziki sauce.
TZATZIKI SAUCE
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated cucumber, squeezed dry
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon lemon juice or as needed
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Salt as needed
Freshly ground pepper as needed
Combine the yogurt, sour cream, cucumber and garlic in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the olive oil, dill, lemon juice and zest. Stir until combined and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
_ From "Food Made Fast," Lebhar-Friedman Books
GREEN ENCHILADAS
2 teaspoons corn or olive oil
1 onion, medium dice
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 cup farmer's or pot cheese (Author's note: Substitute drained cottage cheese.)
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken meat
3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
2 cups quartered tomatillos
1 cup sliced scallions
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 whole, roasted jalapenos, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
12 corn tortillas
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely shredded
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is a light golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the onion from the heat, spread it in a thin layer on a plate and allow to cool completely.
3. Puree the farmer's cheese in a food processor until smooth. With the machine running, add the heavy cream in a stream. Remove the cheese mixture from the processor to a bowl. Fold in the chicken, almonds and sauteed onion. Keep the filling in the refrigerator until ready to fill the enchiladas.
4. Place the tomatillos, scallions, cilantro, jalapenos, mint, cumin and coriander in the food processor or blender and puree to form a sauce. Place the sauce in a shallow bowl.
5. Heat a cast iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until quite hot. Soften the tortillas one at a time by toasting in the skillet for about 15 seconds on each side. Immediately dip the tortilla into the sauce to coat it very lightly and then set it on a work surface. Place a spoonful of the filling slightly to one side of the center or the tortilla and roll up into a cylinder. Place the filled and rolled enchilada into a buttered or oiled baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until all have been filled and rolled. Spoon the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
6. Sprinkle the cheese over the enchiladas, cover the pan and bake until the filling is hot, about 15 minutes. (Author's note: 15 minutes on the middle rack offered lukewarm enchiladas; make sure you check the internal temperature before you plate the dish.) Remove the cover and bake long enough for the cheese topping to melt. Let the enchiladas rest for 5 minutes before serving on heated plates.
_ From "Food Made Fast," Lebhar-Friedman Books
