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Several weeks ago, Ilana Bagel, who, until recently was a photographer/videographer intern at the paper, told me some good news. Her younger brother Sam has been accepted into three culinary schools.
I thought about books which would help Sam gain knowledge in the world of cuisines. I told Ilana she should buy him a Larousse, the world’s finest culinary encyclopedia, as a birthday gift. I treasure my own copy.
Before Sam heads off to the Williamsport-based Pennsylvania College of Technology in the fall, he should learn some French, particularly culinary French, and brush up on methods and techniques used in the professional kitchen. Jacques Pepin’s books are second to none.
I thought about a short list that Sam might cook through before hitting the books, so to speak.
The “New Silver Palate Cookbook” by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins is considered the “Joy of Cooking” for the 21st century. “Vegetable Love and Roasting” by Barbara Kafka, was a winner of the prestigious James Beard Award. “The Classic Italian Cookbook” by Marcella Hazan — the Italian Julia Child — has written a number of books. “The Complete Robuchon” by Joel Robuchon teaches you French home cooking for the way we live now. Robuchon was hailed as the greatest chef of the 20th century.
I also recommend books by Alice Waters, Lidia Bastianich, Mario Batali, Madhur Jaffrey, Giuliano Bugialli, Elisabeth Rozin and Ina Garten.
I have not included “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck because this heavenly tome would be much too much. I recommend any other books by Child.
Thin Spaghetti with Anchovy and Tomato Sauce
from The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon of garlic, chopped
1/3 cup of olive oil
4 flat anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped
1-1/2 cups of canned Italian tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
1-1/2 tablespoons of salt
6 to 8 twists of freshly ground black pepper
1 pound of spaghettini
Directions:
Put the garlic in a small saucepan with the oil and sauté over medium heat until it is lightly colored.
Add the anchovies and parsley and sauté for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add the tomatoes, one-half teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Stir and adjust the heat so that the sauce cooks at a gentle but steady simmer for 25 minutes. Stir frequently. Taste and correct for salt.
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add one-and-a-half tablespoons of the salt, drop in the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer to a warm bowl, mix thoroughly with the sauce and serve at once.
Serves four.
Skate Wing with Capers
from The Complete Robuchon by Joel Robuchon
Ingredients:
4 peppercorns
1 cup of distilled vinegar
1 leek leaf, 1 small celery stalk, 4 sprigs of parsley, 1 sprig of thyme and 1/2 of bay leaf, tied together and wrapped in cheesecloth (bouquet garni)
6 cups of water
Coarse salt
4 pieces of skin on skate wing (1/2 pound each), cleaned and rinsed well
3 tablespoons of capers
5 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon of minced parsley
Directions:
Place the first three ingredients into a large pot with the water and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Lower the skate wing into the pot. Do not overcrowd the pot. Bring almost to a boil and adjust the heat so that the water shivers for about three minutes. Remove any form from the surface with a skimmer. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
Drain the skate and arrange it on a platter. Scatter the capers all over. Melt the butter in a skillet for one minute over high heat. When it foams, pour it all over the skate and sprinkle with the parsley.
Serves four.
Note from Phyllis: You can buy bouquet garni bags in kitchenware shops.
Carrot Cumin Salad from Vegetable Love by Barbara Kafka
Ingredients:
1 clove of garlic, smashed and peeled
1 pound of carrots, peeled and cut into one-eighth-inch slices
1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1/8 teaspoon of sugar
Kosher salt, to taste
Olive oil, to taste
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
Fill a medium saucepan with water. Add the garlic and bring to a boil. Add the carrots and cook until just barely tender. Drain, discard the garlic and transfer the carrots to a bowl.
Mix together the spices, lemon juice and sugar. Add the salt. Pour over the carrots. Chill.
Sprinkle with the oil and parsley just before serving.
Makes one-and-a-half cups. SPR
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