Professional Documents
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andrea reusing
Clarkson Potter/Publishers
New York
cooking
in the
moment
A Year of Seasonal Recipes
andrea reusing
Clarkson Potter/Publishers
New York
For Mac, Oona, and Arthur
index 268
contents
introduction 8
index 268
spring
spring
grilled broccoli with
parsley, garlic, and anchovies
Delicate fresh broccoli and cauliflower from a garden or small farm don’t resemble the useful
California sorts that are a fixture in our produce drawer the rest of the year, and so we enjoy them
while we can. But because broccoli and cauliflower do travel and keep exceptionally well, I make
these recipes year-round, just allowing for slightly longer cooking times when dealing with more
mature vegetables.
serves 4
s pr i n g | e n d o f m a r c h | 1 9
grilled broccoli with
parsley, garlic, and anchovies
Delicate fresh broccoli and cauliflower from a garden or small farm don’t resemble the useful
California sorts that are a fixture in our produce drawer the rest of the year, and so we enjoy them
while we can. But because broccoli and cauliflower do travel and keep exceptionally well, I make
these recipes year-round, just allowing for slightly longer cooking times when dealing with more
mature vegetables.
serves 4
s pr i n g | e n d o f m a r c h | 1 9
campfire bacon and eggs in a bag
I ate this magical meal at Girl Scout camp when I was seven years old, then thought about it for
the next thirty-odd years until I got to have it again when we went camping in the mountains near
Joe’s. It’s a full breakfast in a paper bag, easy to make if you already have a campfire burning (or
hot embers in a charcoal grill or fireplace), portable, and delicious. As the bacon in the bottom
of the paper bag renders and becomes crispy-chewy, the fat protects the paper from burning and
gently steams the egg. This cannot be prepared in advance: after the eggs are cracked, the bags
should be dangling over the hot embers within a minute.
serves 6
Prepare a campfire or a fire in a fireplace or charcoal grill. Let the flames die down and the
coals become completely covered with ash. (Don’t attempt this on a gas grill—they don’t
have the firepower to render the bacon before the eggs soak the bags.)
Lay 2 bacon halves across the bottom of each bag so that it is completely covered. Reach
into each bag and carefully crack an egg over the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
Securely fold down the top of each bag three times and poke a hole through the fold with
a sharp skewer. Thread a long, green stick through the hole and hold each bag so that the
bottom is as close to the hot embers as possible—but without touching them and nowhere
near any open flame. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the egg white is cooked all the way
through.
s pr i n g | e a r ly a p r i l | 2 9
campfire bacon and eggs in a bag
I ate this magical meal at Girl Scout camp when I was seven years old, then thought about it for
the next thirty-odd years until I got to have it again when we went camping in the mountains near
Joe’s. It’s a full breakfast in a paper bag, easy to make if you already have a campfire burning (or
hot embers in a charcoal grill or fireplace), portable, and delicious. As the bacon in the bottom
of the paper bag renders and becomes crispy-chewy, the fat protects the paper from burning and
gently steams the egg. This cannot be prepared in advance: after the eggs are cracked, the bags
should be dangling over the hot embers within a minute.
serves 6
Prepare a campfire or a fire in a fireplace or charcoal grill. Let the flames die down and the
coals become completely covered with ash. (Don’t attempt this on a gas grill—they don’t
have the firepower to render the bacon before the eggs soak the bags.)
Lay 2 bacon halves across the bottom of each bag so that it is completely covered. Reach
into each bag and carefully crack an egg over the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.
Securely fold down the top of each bag three times and poke a hole through the fold with
a sharp skewer. Thread a long, green stick through the hole and hold each bag so that the
bottom is as close to the hot embers as possible—but without touching them and nowhere
near any open flame. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the egg white is cooked all the way
through.
s pr i n g | e a r ly a p r i l | 2 9
grilled spanish mackerel
with green sauce
The fact that our great-grandchildren may never eat a real seafood dinner gives those of us who
still eat fish a responsibility not to put blue cheese on it. I like to serve this with the pickled beets
and potato salad that follow. This treatment would work for almost any flavorful, rich fish.
serves 4
s pr i n g | j u n e | 5 7
grilled spanish mackerel
with green sauce
The fact that our great-grandchildren may never eat a real seafood dinner gives those of us who
still eat fish a responsibility not to put blue cheese on it. I like to serve this with the pickled beets
and potato salad that follow. This treatment would work for almost any flavorful, rich fish.
serves 4
s pr i n g | j u n e | 5 7
summer
summer
fried okra with indian spices
and hot tomato relish
serves 4 as a small appetizer
In a small pan over medium heat, lightly toast the coriander, fennel, and clove until fragrant,
1 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool completely; then grind and set aside. Toast the cumin seeds in
the same fashion and add them to the ground spices.
Fill a deep, heavy stockpot with about 3 inches of oil. Heat the oil over medium-high
heat until a deep-fat thermometer reads 350°F.
Beat the egg in a small bowl and whisk in the buttermilk and serrano chile. In a medium
bowl, combine the chickpea flour, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, and spice mixture.
Cut the okra on a sharp diagonal into long ¼-inch-thick slices. Put the okra slices into
the bowl with the flour mixture and combine, leaving a light dusting on each piece. Pour the
egg mixture on top and mix with your hands, making sure to coat all surfaces. In batches,
use a large slotted spoon to carefully lay loosely formed handfuls of 6 to 8 slices into the hot
oil and cook for about 2 minutes, turning as necessary until the okra is golden brown and
uniformly crisp. Drain on a clean brown paper bag, season with sea salt, and serve with the
tomato relish.
In a small pan over medium heat, lightly toast the coriander, fennel, and clove until fragrant,
1 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool completely; then grind and set aside. Toast the cumin seeds in
the same fashion and add them to the ground spices.
Fill a deep, heavy stockpot with about 3 inches of oil. Heat the oil over medium-high
heat until a deep-fat thermometer reads 350°F.
Beat the egg in a small bowl and whisk in the buttermilk and serrano chile. In a medium
bowl, combine the chickpea flour, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, and spice mixture.
Cut the okra on a sharp diagonal into long ¼-inch-thick slices. Put the okra slices into
the bowl with the flour mixture and combine, leaving a light dusting on each piece. Pour the
egg mixture on top and mix with your hands, making sure to coat all surfaces. In batches,
use a large slotted spoon to carefully lay loosely formed handfuls of 6 to 8 slices into the hot
oil and cook for about 2 minutes, turning as necessary until the okra is golden brown and
uniformly crisp. Drain on a clean brown paper bag, season with sea salt, and serve with the
tomato relish.
Fill a deep, heavy pot with a lid about one-third full with oil, and heat it until a deep-fat
thermometer reads 375°F.
In the meantime, combine the rice flour, salt, pepper, and garlic in a medium bowl. Put
1 tablespoon of the fish sauce in a small bowl. Dip each piece of crab very briefly into the
fish sauce, gently shaking off excess, and then into the rice flour mix. Roll the crab over and
shake off any extra flour. Set aside. Repeat this process, until all the crab halves are dredged.
When the oil reaches 375°F, gently lay the crabs, top side down, in the oil. Don’t crowd
the pot—if necessary, fry them in batches—and use the lid as needed when the crabs are
first added to the oil to avoid splattering. After 1 to 2 minutes, when the crabs are golden
brown, turn them over and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain on clean brown paper bags
and eat hot.
s u m me r | s e p t e m b e r | 1 2 3
garlic and black pepper
soft-shell crabs
serves 4
Fill a deep, heavy pot with a lid about one-third full with oil, and heat it until a deep-fat
thermometer reads 375°F.
In the meantime, combine the rice flour, salt, pepper, and garlic in a medium bowl. Put
1 tablespoon of the fish sauce in a small bowl. Dip each piece of crab very briefly into the
fish sauce, gently shaking off excess, and then into the rice flour mix. Roll the crab over and
shake off any extra flour. Set aside. Repeat this process, until all the crab halves are dredged.
When the oil reaches 375°F, gently lay the crabs, top side down, in the oil. Don’t crowd
the pot—if necessary, fry them in batches—and use the lid as needed when the crabs are
first added to the oil to avoid splattering. After 1 to 2 minutes, when the crabs are golden
brown, turn them over and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain on clean brown paper bags
and eat hot.
s u m me r | s e p t e m b e r | 1 2 3
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