How to Read a French Fry: And Other Stories of Intriguing Kitchen Science

Cover......Page 1
how to read a french fry......Page 4
acknowledgments......Page 7
contents......Page 10
recipes......Page 11
introduction......Page 18
one:  how to read a french fry......Page 26
deep-frying......Page 39
tuscan potato chips......Page 42
stuffed zucchini flowers......Page 44
fried little fish......Page 46
peach fritters......Page 47
shallow-frying (panfrying and sautéing)......Page 49
goat cheese tart with caramelized onions and green olives......Page 51
brussels sprouts and bacon......Page 53
sautéed green beans with garlic and sage......Page 54
crisp-skinned salmon on creamy leeks and cabbage......Page 55
country fried chicken......Page 57
pan-fried chicken breasts with fresh tomatoes, green olives and rosemary......Page 59
pork schnitzel with arugula salad......Page 61
two:  the second life of plants......Page 64
vegetables......Page 78
roasted tomatoes with goat cheese......Page 80
butter-braised spinach......Page 81
belgian endive braised with cream......Page 82
radicchio al forno......Page 83
glazed zucchini......Page 84
california succotash of squash, lima beans and corn......Page 85
creamed onions with shiitake mushrooms......Page 87
market mix......Page 89
baked tomatoes stuffed with mozzarella......Page 90
rajas (grilled peppers and cream)......Page 91
ratatouille......Page 93
roasted beet and orange salad......Page 95
spring vegetable stew of snap peas, lettuce, new potatoes and artichokes......Page 97
stew of charred tomatoes, pasta and cranberry beans......Page 99
ragout of shrimp and fava beans......Page 101
grilled vegetable sandwich......Page 103
stuffed zucchini......Page 105
eggplant and goat cheese casserole......Page 108
fruit, cooked and raw......Page 110
strawberry soup......Page 112
sliced melons in lime-mint syrup......Page 113
fall fruit compote......Page 114
quince applesauce......Page 115
dreamsicle oranges......Page 116
candied citrus peel......Page 117
ultimate strawberry shortcake......Page 119
perfumed strawberries in meringue baskets......Page 121
mango crepes with mexican cream......Page 123
cornmeal crepes with spiced plum compote......Page 125
cornmeal waffles with winter fruit compote......Page 127
vanilla-baked apples with bourbon sauce......Page 129
apricot-almond clafoutis......Page 131
berry ice cream......Page 132
stone fruit ice cream......Page 133
white peach and fig ice cream......Page 134
jams and jellies......Page 135
strawberry preserves......Page 136
nectarine and rose geranium jam......Page 137
meyer lemon marmalade......Page 138
three:  miracle in a shell......Page 140
cold emulsion sauces......Page 150
celery salad with walnuts and blue cheese......Page 152
green goddess salad......Page 153
smoked tuna salad in tomatoes......Page 154
hot emulsion sauces and cooked egges......Page 156
scrambled eggs with morels and asparagus......Page 158
trout mousse......Page 159
chocolate pots de crème......Page 161
lemon sponge pudding......Page 163
lemon curd tart......Page 164
four:  from a pebble to a pillow......Page 166
starch-thickened sauces......Page 180
smoky cream of corn soup......Page 182
pasta......Page 183
orecchiette with prosciutto and peas......Page 184
pasta with broccoli rabe......Page 185
macaroni and cheese with green onions and ham......Page 187
broccoli lasagna......Page 189
free-form lasagna of roasted asparagus......Page 192
wild mushroom lasagna......Page 194
pasta with potatoes......Page 196
soft polenta with ragù......Page 197
rice and risotto......Page 199
artichoke risotto......Page 201
zucchini and porcini risotto......Page 203
seafood rice salad......Page 205
beans and lentils......Page 207
white bean crostini......Page 208
pinto bean puree......Page 209
white bean and swiss chard stew......Page 211
pinto bean and squash stew......Page 213
pork and beans . . . and endive......Page 215
braised duck and lentils......Page 217
sausages and ribs with red wine–braised lentils......Page 219
potatoes, winter squash and other starchy vegetables......Page 221
cream of cauliflower soup......Page 222
squash soup with moroccan spices......Page 224
potato gratin......Page 226
potato gnocchi......Page 228
butternut squash puree with balsamic vinegar......Page 230
gratin of sweet potatoes and bourbon......Page 231
puree of winter squash and apples......Page 232
five:  meat and heat......Page 234
fish and shellfish......Page 251
ceviche with shrimp and avocado......Page 252
calamari salad......Page 253
crisp salmon salad......Page 254
dungeness crab coleslaw......Page 255
fish soup with shellfish......Page 257
salmon braised with leeks, prosciutto and mushrooms......Page 259
oven-steamed salmon with cucumber salad......Page 261
grilled salmon with chipotle-tequila butter......Page 263
grilled swordfish with salsa verde......Page 265
baked fish with potatoes and artichokes......Page 267
broiled sand dabs (or sole) with brown butter......Page 269
dry-heat cooking methods for meat......Page 270
roast brined turkey......Page 272
turkey tonnato sandwich......Page 273
real fajitas......Page 275
umbrian-style pork roast......Page 276
roast lamb with fresh peas and turnips......Page 277
moist-heat cooking methods for meat......Page 280
chicken braised with green olives and thyme......Page 283
chicken in the pot......Page 285
mushroom pot roast......Page 287
lamb and lentils to eat with a spoon......Page 289
braised lamb shanks with green olives......Page 291
ragù napoletano......Page 293
meat loaves and sausages......Page 295
wild mushroom meat loaf......Page 296
spicy garlic sausages......Page 298
lamb, orange zest and rosemary sausages......Page 299
smokerless smoked bratwurst......Page 300
six:  fat, flour and fear......Page 302
crusts, pies and tarts......Page 310
short-crust pastry......Page 313
flaky piecrust......Page 314
rustic tart crust......Page 316
rustic peach tart......Page 317
nectarine and almond tart......Page 318
lavender-fig tart......Page 319
apple crisp......Page 320
cookies......Page 322
snickerdoodles......Page 323
new mexican christmas cookies (biscochitos)......Page 324
gingersnaps......Page 325
grandma smith’s christmas cookies......Page 326
sour cherry–stuffed almond cookies......Page 327
index......Page 330