New York Times: The Best Cookbooks of 2021

Two testers reviewed every book we considered this year. They were asked
to read the books cover-to-cover and to choose three to four recipes to
try (like any home cook would!).

Testers were asked to consider how easy it was to find ingredients and
to cook the recipes exactly as written, assessing whether the recipes
not only worked but lived up to their expectations as well.

Finally, we asked our testers to give us a final impression of the book:
How likely were they to recommend it to a friend or family member? Did
it open their eyes to a way of cooking they hadn’t considered before or introduce them to a new spin on an old favorite?

And most important, would they cook from it again?

"Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds and Legumes"
By Abra Berens

"Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day"
By Rodney Scott and Lolis Eric Elie

"Cookies: The New Classics: A Baking Book"
By Jesse Szewczyk

"Lemon, Love & Olive Oil"
By Mina Stone

"Rice: A Savor the South Cookbook"
By Michael Twitty

"My Shanghai: Recipes and Stories From a City on the Water"
By Betty Liu

"Super Natural Simple: Whole-Food, Vegetarian Recipes for Real Life"
By Heidi Swanson

"The Korean Vegan Cookbook: Reflections and Recipes From Omma’s Kitchen"
By Joanne Lee Molinaro

"Sheet Cake: Easy One-Pan Recipes for Every Day and Every Occasion"
By Abigail Johnson Dodge

"Middle Eastern Sweets: Desserts, Pastries, Creams and Treats"
By Salma Hage

"Cook Real Hawai'i"
By Sheldon Simeon with Garrett Snyder

"Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen: An Introduction to New African Cuisine " From
Ghana With Love"
By Zoe Adjonyoh

"Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories From Turkey, Greece and Cyprus"
By Yasmin Khan

"The Magic of Tinned Fish: Elevate Your Cooking With Canned Anchovies, Sardines, Mackerel, Crab and Other Amazing Seafood"
By Chris McDade

This recipe is *not* from the Tinned Fish book. But it is avout fish
and by Chris McDade.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: French Salt Cod & Potato Brandade
Categories: Seafood, Potatoes, Herbs, Breads, Chilies
Yield: 5 servings

1 lb Skinned, boned salt cod
1 c Milk
1 lh Thyme sprig
1 Bay leaf
5 Peppercorns
2 Allspice berries
1 Clove
1 pb Potatoes; peeled, in 1" dice
6 lg Garlic cloves; peeled
Salt & pepper
1/3 c Olive oil
pn Cayenne; more to taste
Grated nutmeg
1/2 ts Grated lemon zest
1/2 c + 2 tb creme fraiche
3 tb Cold butter
1/2 c Coarse dry bread crumbs

Rinse salt cod well and rub off any salt. Soak in 2
quarts cold water. Drain and change water every few
hours (an overnight soak without changing is fine).
Total soaking time should be at least 8 hours.

In a medium saucepan, heat milk plus 1 cup water over
medium-high heat. Add soaked salt cod, thyme, bay leaf,
peppercorns, allspice berries and clove. Adjust heat to
maintain a bare simmer. Cook until fish flakes easily,
about 15 minutes. Remove fish and hold at room
temperature.

Meanwhile, in another pot, cover potatoes with water and
bring to a boil. Add garlic cloves and a good pinch of
salt. Drain potatoes when they are soft, about 15
minutes, reserving cooking liquid and garlic.

Put cooked garlic cloves in a small saucepan and crush
with a fork. Add olive oil and heat over a medium flame
until quite warm to the touch. Set aside.

Put potatoes in a large mixing bowl. With your fingers,
flake cooked salt cod on top. With a potato masher,
roughly blend potatoes and fish. Drizzle in warm garlic
oil and mash again. Add cayenne, nutmeg to taste and
lemon zest. Stir in 1/2 cup crème fraîche and beat well
to combine. Beat in about 1/2 cup cooking liquid to
lighten mixture so it has the texture of soft mashed
potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning - it will probably
need salt and pepper.

Set oven @ 400ºF/205ºC.

Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease a low-sided 1 quart
baking dish or pie pan. Transfer brandade mixture to
dish and smooth with a spatula. Paint the top with 2
tablespoons creme fraiche, and sprinkle with bread
crumbs. Dot top with remaining butter. (May be prepared
up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator; bring
to room temperature before baking.) Bake until golden
and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

By: Chris McDade

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com

Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

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Quoting Dave Drum to All <=-

New York Times: The Best Cookbooks of 2021

Saved.

Here's someone else's list that's worth a look at too.

https://www.seriouseats.com/best-cookbooks-of-the-year-5213307

Title: French Salt Cod & Potato Brandade
2 Allspice berries
1 Clove
By: Chris McDade

Interesting seasonings. A chef's modern touch on a traditional dish.

A pending (I need strawberries first) experiment, swapping out the
balsamic with cherry kombucha ...

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Balsamic Strawberry Smash
Categories: Alcohol, Beverages, Fruits
Yield: 1 Serving

FOR THE STRAWBERRY SYRUP:
2 c Strawberries, hulled, sliced
1/3 c Sugar
3 Inch piece of lemon peel
FOR THE COCKTAIL:
4 Strawberries, hulled
1 Round slice of lemon,
-cut in half
1 oz Strawberry syrup
1/2 oz Balsamic vinegar
2 oz Bourbon
GARNISH:
Additional Strawberry

Always looking for ways to bring seasonal finds into my cocktails,
I started tinkering with some of my favorite strawberry flavor
combinations. The result is a summery take on the classic whiskey
smash. Strawberries are muddled with lemon to create a juicy base,
then a little strawberry syrup is added for a bit of sweetness and
to balance the tartness of the lemon. The balsamic acts as
bitters, and then of course a hefty pour of bourbon is added,
because what's a smash without the bourbon?

The result is a crimson cocktail with flavor as bold as the color.
The strawberries and bourbon work together to create a rich and
intense sweetness that is cut by the lemon and balsamic. It's the
kind of cocktail that makes you do a double-take but it drinks
with embarrassing ease.

To make the syrup, combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon rind
in a saucepan. Cover and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature,
stirring occasionally.

Once the sugar has dissolved and the strawberries have released
their liquid, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
Cook, stirring gently, until the berries are tender, about 3
minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the strawberries to a pint jar.
Continue simmering the syrup until it thickens to a syrupy
consistency, about 2 minutes. Discard lemon peel and pour syrup
over berries. Let cool to room temperature, then store in the
fridge for up to 1 month.

To make the cocktail: muddle 4 strawberries in the bottom of a
cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, then add the strawberry
syrup, balsamic and bourbon.

Shake vigorously. Using both the cocktail strainer and a fine mesh
strainer, strain the cocktail into a glass. Garnish with a
strawberry.

Posted by Kelly Carambula

From: Serious Eats

MMMMM



Cheers

Jim


... 'Probiotic' sounds a lot better than 'bacteria infested'

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JIM WELLER wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-

New York Times: The Best Cookbooks of 2021

Saved.

Here's someone else's list that's worth a look at too.

https://www.seriouseats.com/best-cookbooks-of-the-year-5213307

I'll grab that if only to see how much overlap there is between the
lists. I don't spend much tin on cookery books these days - with this
dwindling group and the interweb machine, not to mention the 25K or
more I have rat-holed in Meal Muncher .... I hardly need "hard copy"
recipe books.

Title: French Salt Cod & Potato Brandade
2 Allspice berries
1 Clove
By: Chris McDade

Interesting seasonings. A chef's modern touch on a traditional dish.

Having never pursued that line of food (salt cod) I'd no experience of
such recipes (another learning day - good deal) so I whistled up a nice selection in mu Bing search engine. I see what you mean.

Here's a take on it using fresh rather than salt cod - from Leite's
Culinaria - Hot Food/Dry Wit

According the the accompanying blurb: "Fresh cod brandade is similar to classic salt cod brandade but made with the easier-to-find kind of cod, simmered in a mixture of cream and milk, and stirred into mashed
potatoes. Quicker than tradition yet just as satisfying."

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Fresh Cod Brandade
Categories: Seafood, Dairy, Potatoes
Yield: 4 servings

1 c Heavy cream
1 c Milk
4 cl Garlic; minced or pressed
2 Bay leaves
4 Sprigs thyme
3 Anchovy fillets; minced fine
Salt & ground black pepper
1 lb Cod; skinned. in 5" Z 2"
- (13 cm X 5 cm) pieces
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes; peeled,
- in 1/2" (12-mm) dice
4 tb Parsley

MMMMM----------------------GARLIC TOASTS-----------------------------
8 sl Rustic bread; 1/2" thick
- (or substitute matzoh if
- keeping kosher for
- Passover)
1 cl Garlic; peeled
2 tb Extra-virgin olive oil

MAKE THE BRANDADE: In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan,
stir together the cream, milk, garlic, bay leaves,
thyme, anchovies, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon
pepper until the salt dissolves.

Add the cod and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer until
the fish flakes apart easily, about 3 minutes. Using a
slotted spoon, transfer the fish to a bowl and reserve.

Add the potatoes to the cream mixture and bring the
liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the
heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring often, until the
potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaves
and thyme. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes and
the cream mixture until smooth.

Gently fold 3 tablespoons parsley and the reserved cod
into the potatoes, trying to keep the flakes of cod
intact if desired. Adjust the seasonings with salt and
pepper to taste.

MAKE THE GARLIC TOASTS: Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack
to the middle position and set the oven @ 400ºF/205ºC.

Arrange the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet
and bake until dry and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes, flipping
the slices halfway through baking.

While still hot, rub each slice of bread with the raw
garlic clove and drizzle with the olive oil. Serve hot
or warm.

SERVE THE BRANDADE: Transfer the mixture to a serving
bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of
parsley. Serve immediately with the garlic toasts.

Originally published August 18, 2003.

RECIPE FROM: https://leitesculinaria.com

Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

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Quoting Dave Drum to Jim Weller <=-

New York Times: The Best Cookbooks of 2021

https://www.seriouseats.com/best-cookbooks-of-the-year-5213307

I'll grab that if only to see how much overlap there is between the
lists.

Only "Cook Real Hawai'i" By Sheldon Simeon with Garrett Snyder made
both lists.

I found it interesting that one list had an entry featuring the
somewhat obscure cuisine of Ghana and the other one nearby Benin. I
am familiar with Nigerian fare from that one semester in my college
days when I shared an apt. with two foreign students. I anticipate a
lot of commonalities.

I don't spend much tin on cookery books these days
(with) the interweb machine ... I hardly need "hard copy"

Agreed. But when time permits I may Google all of the books on both
lists to see what exerpts may be floating around out there.

Having never pursued that line of food (salt cod) I'd no
experience of such recipes

I've worked with various dried salt fish in the past. Ottawa has an
amazing seafood store in Lower Town, near the Old Farmer's Market
that I patronized in the 70s before coming here. I also spent a
summer working in Newfoundland and for a few years Yellowknife had a Newfoundland specialty grocery and fish store that carried salt cod.
It even sold canned seal meat.

Title: Fresh Cod Brandade
3 Anchovy fillets; minced fine

Anchovies aren't standard either but I bet they would be a tasty
addition.




Cheers

Jim


... A knish is just a mashed potato Hot Pocket.

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JIM WELLER wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-

New York Times: The Best Cookbooks of 2021

https://www.seriouseats.com/best-cookbooks-of-the-year-5213307

I'll grab that if only to see how much overlap there is between the
lists.

Only "Cook Real Hawai'i" By Sheldon Simeon with Garrett Snyder made
both lists.

Just add pineapple - VBSEG

I found it interesting that one list had an entry featuring the
somewhat obscure cuisine of Ghana and the other one nearby Benin. I
am familiar with Nigerian fare from that one semester in my college
days when I shared an apt. with two foreign students. I anticipate a
lot of commonalities.

Well they are separated by Togo - the perfect country for a Take-Away Restaurant chain. Bv)= And next door to Nigeria

I don't spend much tin on cookery books these days
(with) the interweb machine ... I hardly need "hard copy"

Agreed. But when time permits I may Google all of the books on both
lists to see what exerpts may be floating around out there.

Yesterday I was rebuilding my laptop after my house-mate's spawn
"upgraded" it to Windoze 11 and blew away all my carefully constructed
browsers and other resources. In looking for the URL for my old stand-by https://www.recipesource.com I got taken to a new (to me) page titled
"My Recipe Source" https://myrecipesource.net so I took a look around.

The old stand-by is pretty much an archive and graveyard. The newly
discovered page is live and active. I'll likely visit often.

Having never pursued that line of food (salt cod) I'd no
experience of such recipes

I've worked with various dried salt fish in the past. Ottawa has an amazing seafood store in Lower Town, near the Old Farmer's Market
that I patronized in the 70s before coming here. I also spent a
summer working in Newfoundland and for a few years Yellowknife had a Newfoundland specialty grocery and fish store that carried salt cod.
It even sold canned seal meat.

Title: Fresh Cod Brandade
3 Anchovy fillets; minced fine

Anchovies aren't standard either but I bet they would be a tasty
addition.

Here's another fish recipe (speaking of Benin). It calls for a propietary
spice blend - so I dug up (and added) a copycat. You could use a Cajun
fish seasoning recipe such as Louisiana Fish Fry or Tony Chachere's. Do
NOT use Old Bay as it has cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, etc.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Dahomey Fish Stew
Categories: Seafood, Vegetables, Chilies,
Yield: 4 servings

2 Bream or other non-oily fish
A-P Flour
Salt & black pepper
1/4 c palm or other vegetable oil
2 Fine-chopped onions
2 Diced tomatoes
1 c Water
Red chile pepper
1 tb JUMBO Fish *

MMMMM---------------JUMBO FISH COPYCAT-------------------------------
1 ts Coriander seed
1 ts Cumin
1/4 ts Ground chile
1 ts Garlic powder
1 ts Turmeric
1 ts (ea) black pepper & salt

* propietary seasoning

Grind coriander seed, chile pepper and cumin together.

Combine all the ingredients in a pan/skillet.

Heat the pan over low heat for one minute. Stir spices
constantly while heating.

NOTE: Do not overheat or burn.

DAHOMEY FISH STEW: Cut the fish into strips. Mix the
flour, salt, pepper, tbsp of Jumbo Fish in a bowl and
coat the fish with the mixture. Heat the oil in a
frying-pan. Fry the fish until golden, remove it from
the frying-pan and set it aside.

Fry the onions in the frying-pan for a few minutes. Add
the tomatoes. Cook for about ten minutes, stirring
continuously. Add the water. Lower the heat, cover and
cook over a low heat for a further ten minutes. Add the
fish to the frying-pan. Add the red pepper, if desired.
Cook over a low heat for twenty to thirty minutes. Serve
with rice.

RECIPE FROM: https://www.jumboproudlyafrican.com

Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

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