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Asiago Polenta Sticks with Rosemary Salt
Baked until the outside is crispy but the inside retains its creamy texture, a polenta stick gives you the best of both ways to eat this Italian staple. Often we think of polenta as a porridge served warm, but it can be grilled or baked to become a crisp surface for a host of toppings or a way to sop up every delicious drop of a pan sauce that’s lingering on the plate. Sprinkled with seasoning before being baked in the oven at high heat, these polenta sticks give a nod to another Italian staple, focaccia. While there are many ways to season loaves, rosemary is a must for me.…
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Grapefruit Brûlée Mocktail with Thyme
There is nothing quite like the crackle of a spoon breaking through a layer of nearly-burnt sugar. Often the sensation presents itself after being served crème brûlée, where the caramelized top classically hides vanilla custard, but it also can be enjoyed when diving through the surface of a brûléed grapefruit. In the latter case, your treat is a spoonful of tangy, sweet citrus with a crisp, toasty coating. This mocktail recipe captures the flavor of grapefruit brûlée in a refreshing way for those times when you’d prefer a glass to a spoon. Sometimes it’s impractical to serve grapefruit halves with the rest of your meal, or maybe it’s too scorchingly…
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Tomato Jam
The perfectly balanced sandwich is a comfort food that relies heavily on the right condiment. With picnic and grilling season right around the corner, put this tomato jam into heavy rotation. It’s mostly savory with just the right amount of sweetness to make you swap out the ketchup on your next burger, and it’s equally satisfying on sandwiches of all kinds. Since honey has a more complex sweetness than sugar, I use a combination of both to create a jammy consistency with plenty of robust tomato flavor. Layered with soft cheese and peppery arugula, the jam is part of a satisfying trio that makes my list of go-to toppings. After…
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Lemon Tart
Cheerily yellow and refreshingly tart, this classic treat will make you feel as if you’re enjoying a slice of tarte au citron from a bakery in France. I prefer my lemon filling on the puckery side and add extra sweetness on top with a full layer of powdered sugar. Each slice can be customized to the preferences of family and friends, making this sunny dessert ideal for holidays and entertaining. Ingredients Pastry 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter 1 egg yolk ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons ice water Lemon Curd Filling ¾ cup fresh lemon juice Zest from…
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5 Favorite Specialty Kitchen Tools
With specialty tools available for almost any cooking need, it can be tempting to pick up new gadgets. Many of these wind up being used once and then relegated to the back of the drawer. Avocado slicer, anyone? When the urge to make a purchase strikes, or you’re seeking a gift for the cook in your life, consider one of these five tools. Though their purposes are specialized, they help you to accomplish kitchen tasks that would otherwise be time-consuming, messy, or downright difficult enough to interfere with the enjoyment of cooking. Cherry Pitter Farmers’ market season is right around the corner, and with it comes hauls of fresh sweet…
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