Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers Read online

  We dedicate this book to all who work for peace

  Copyright © 2005 by Moosewood, Inc.

  Photographs copyright © 2005 by Jim Scherer

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, New York, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

  www.crownpublishing.com

  www.clarksonpotter.com

  CLARKSON N. POTTER is a trademark and POTTER and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Moosewood restaurant simple suppers: fresh ideas for the weeknight

  table / the Moosewood Collective.

  p. cm.

  1. Suppers. 2. Quick and easy cookery. 3. Moosewood Restaurant.

  I. Moosewood Collective.

  TX738.M66 2005

  641.5’55—dc22 2004022024

  eISBN: 978-0-307-88573-9

  v3.1

  Other Books from The Moosewood Collective

  New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant

  Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant (James Beard Award Nominee)

  The Moosewood Restaurant Kitchen Garden

  Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home (James Beard Award Winner)

  Moosewood Restaurant Cooks for a Crowd (James Beard Award Nominee)

  Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites (James Beard Award Winner)

  Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts

  Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

  Moosewood Restaurant New Classics (James Beard Award Nominee)

  Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates (James Beard Award Nominee)

  As Moosewood cooks and cookbook authors, we share a common experience: Our friends and families are afraid to cook for us. They think we expect a gourmet meal when honestly, after a long day of chopping mountains of vegetables, we are grateful for the simplest fare. So thanks to all of you who set aside your worries and nurtured us with good food and companionship. We hope this collection of recipes will inspire you to invite us over more often!

  We wish to thank our Moosewood Restaurant partners for running the show while we were testing recipes and writing this book: Joan Adler, Ned Asta, Tony Del Plato, David Dietrich, Neil Minnis, Eliana Parra, Sara Robbins, and Myoko Maureen Vivino. We also wish to express appreciation to our hardworking employees.

  Our affection and thanks go out to our friends and agents, Arnold and Elise Goodman. We greatly appreciate the careful eye and expert guidance of our editors at Clarkson Potter, Pam Krauss, Jennifer DeFilippi, and Rica Allannic. We also send special thanks to Marysarah Quinn for her admirable work as the creative director on this book. Her calm, competent influence has been invaluable to us. Thanks again to our designers Jan Derevjanik and Laura Palese for doing a beautiful job. And thanks also to the rest of the Clarkson Potter staff for their enthusiastic, friendly help.

  We wish to express our appreciation to our photographer, Jim Scherer, and food stylist, Catrine Kelty, for creating graceful photographs for our book. We admire your artistry and dedication to your craft.

  And finally, without the technical expertise and the good-natured patience of Emilio Del Plato, we would have been a sorry, frustrated bunch who did not see our computers as our friends during the process of preparing the manuscript. Thank you, Emilio.

  Introduction

  Pasta

  Selecting & Cooking Pasta

  Creamy Lemon Pasta

  Pasta with Olives Piquant

  Pasta with Tomatoes, Summer & Winter

  Pasta with Greens & Ricotta

  Pasta with Broccoli, Edamame & Walnuts

  Fettuccine with Fresh Herbs

  Fettuccine with Walnut Pesto

  Pasta with Caramelized Onions & Blue Cheese

  Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Pine Nuts

  Pasta with Artichoke Hearts & Feta

  Beijing Noodles

  Whole-Grain Pasta with Greens & Tomatoes

  Sautés, Curries & More

  Jop Chai

  Spring Vegetable Sauté

  Saucy Hungarian Eggplant

  Hot & Sour Stir-Fry

  Curried Tofu with Tomatoes

  Spicy Potatoes & Spinach

  Navajo Stew

  Two Potato Gratin

  Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

  Roasted Ratatouille

  Tofu Hijiki Sauté

  Roasted Vegetable Curry

  Beans & Tofu

  Sesame Tofu with Spinach

  Green & White Bean Gratin

  Black Beans with Pickled Red Onions

  Shortcut Chili

  Lentils with Spinach & Soy Sausage

  Nachos Grandes

  Easy Baked Tofu

  Scrambled Tofu with Greens & Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

  Lemon Herb Tofu

  West Indian Red Beans & Coconut Rice

  Tofu & Mushrooms Marsala

  Sichuan Silken Tofu

  White Bean & Mushroom Ragout

  Egg Dishes

  Veggie Western Omelet

  Collegetown Eggs

  Greek Frittata

  Poached Huevos Rancheros

  Tunisian Potato Omelet

  Savory Bread & Cheese Bake

  Chipotle Scrambled Eggs

  Egg Foo Yung Omelet

  Main Dish Grains

  Pineapple Fried Rice with Tofu

  Beans & Greens Risotto

  Rarebit Risotto

  Spinach Artichoke Risotto

  Spinach Polenta Topped with Tomatoes

  Mexican Polenta-Stuffed Peppers

  Green Fried Rice

  Lemony Couscous with Chickpeas

  Quinoa & Vegetable Pilaf

  Kasha & Orzo with Portabellas

  Main Dish Salads

  Southwestern Black Bean Salad

  Potato Salad with Green & White Beans

  Indian Potato Salad with Cilantro Omelet

  Summer Panzanella

  Caesar Salad with Tofu Croutons

  Vietnamese Noodle Salad

  Warm French Lentil Salad

  Soups

  Mushroom Tortellini Soup

  Tomato Tortilla Soup

  Thai Butternut Squash Soup

  Curried Cauliflower & Chickpea Soup

  Red Lentil Soup with Greens

  Indonesian Sweet Potato & Cabbage Soup

  Red Bean, Potato & Arugula Soup

  Beans, Corn & Greens Soup

  Italian Bread & Cheese Soup

  Mushroom Miso Soup

  Southwestern Cheese Soup

  Asparagus Avgolemono

  Creamy Onion Soup with Sherry

  Sandwiches, Wraps & Rolls

  Crostini

  Broccolini Cheddar Melt

  Seitan Pizza Subs

  Bean & Cheese Quesadillas

  Vegetarian Reuben

  Tortilla Melt

  Spinach Cheese Burritos

  Easy Egg Rolls

  Greek Antipasto Pita

  Fish

  Selecting & Cooking Fish

  Oven-Roasted Miso Sesame Salmon

  Seafood Orzo

  Moroccan Spiced Fish

  Flounder with Herbed Lemon Butter

  Asian Braised Fish with Greens

  Pine Nut–Crusted Fish

  Louisiana Catfish with Grits & Greens

  Old Bay Roasted Fish & Vegetables

  Shrimp Curry with Snow Peas

  Shrimp & Avocado Salad

  Mussels with Sherry & Saffron

  Seared Scallops

  Crisp Pan-Fried Scallops

  Po’ Boy Sandwich

  Newport Sardine Sandwich />
  Side Grains

  Cooking Plain Grains

  Yellow Rice

  Green Rice

  Lemongrass Rice

  Coconut Rice

  Cranberry Bulghur Pilaf

  Polenta

  Brilliant Yellow Noodles

  Side Dishes

  Corn on the Cob

  Peas & Escarole

  Apples Two Ways

  Lemony Green Beans

  Sesame Broccoli

  Potatoes with Lemon & Capers

  Marmalade-Glazed Carrots

  Roasted Sweet Potatoes

  Baked Acorn Squash Crescents

  Miso-Glazed Eggplant

  Peppercorn Citrus Marinated Feta

  Side Salads

  Broccoli Tomato Salad

  Tomatoes & Onions with Mint

  Baby Greens with Pecans & Pears

  Corn & Pepper Salad

  Broccoli Slaw

  Beet Salad

  Greek Salad

  Pan-Asian Slaw

  Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

  Wilted Spinach Salad with Pecans & Asiago

  Chipotle Potato Salad

  Carrot Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

  Dressings, Condiments & Seasonings

  Caesar Dressing

  Russian Dressing

  Versatile Vinaigrette

  Sour Cream Lemon Dressing

  Chipotle Mayonnaise

  Herbed Aioli

  Cilantro Lime Dressing

  Cocktail Sauce

  Tartar Sauce

  Duck Sauce

  Barbecue Sauce

  Pineapple Chutney

  Cranberry Chutney

  Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

  Quick Avocado & Corn Salsa

  Roasted Garlic

  Chili Powder

  Flavored Butter

  Curry Powder

  Moroccan Spice Mix

  Salt & Pepper

  Cumin Salt

  Sauces & Spreads

  Blender Tomato Hot Sauce

  Creamy Caper Sauce

  Sauce Niçoise

  Red Pepper Butter Sauce

  Mushroom Sherry Sauce

  Brown Butter Sauce

  Simple Tomato Sauce

  Classic Pesto

  Herbed Hummus

  Sicilian Chickpea Spread

  Bean & Walnut Spread

  Spicy Peanut Sauce

  Desserts

  Fruit & Cheese Plates

  Sweet Spiced Nuts

  Warm Plums with Mascarpone

  Caribbean Sautéed Bananas

  Riesling Roasted Pears

  Cherry Shortbread Crumble

  Orange-Almond Polenta Cake

  Peach Brown Betty

  Chocolate Ricotta Pudding

  Mango Coconut Sorbet

  Mocha Sorbet

  Caramel Custard

  Banana Cupcakes

  Lemon Coconut Tapioca Pudding

  New England Squash Pie

  Butterscotch Icebox Cookies

  Two Sweet Sauces

  5-Minute Milkshakes

  The Well-Stocked Pantry

  Guide to Ingredients, Tools & Techniques

  Index

  Fettuccine with Fresh Herbs

  When we cook at Moosewood Restaurant, we often make complex dishes with lots of ingredients, building layer upon layer of flavor. Fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits are delivered to our kitchen daily. We have good equipment, and our spice rack is extensive. There are two or three or four (sometimes more) of us in the kitchen at the same time. Prep cooks make some of the component parts of dishes ahead of time, and we have bussers and dishwashers to clean up our mess. But often we’re still pushing to get the work done by “show time.”

  At home, we want to relieve the pressure. We crave simple food. We don’t want cooking at home to be the breakneck performance it is in the restaurant but rather a small pleasure, relaxed enough that we can enjoy the process as well as the results. We’re not alone in finding this idea appealing. When we mentioned to friends that we were thinking of doing a book of recipes for simple suppers, inevitably they exclaimed, “That’s the one I need” or “Write that book for me.” And so we have.

  Everyone needs a few dishes that they like to make over and over, recipes that can be messed with a bit for tasty, comforting, and hassle-free meals. When you ask people what their favorite dish is, most don’t name something elaborate that they can only get at a particular restaurant. Usually the favorite is something simple they’ve had a hundred times at home, something reliable—always good, every time.

  When our ideas for this cookbook started percolating, we discussed the meaning of simple a lot. To some it meant a minimal number of ingredients in each recipe, and to others it was a matter of time: 30 minutes or less to get the meal on the table, or not having to make an extra trip to the grocery store. One of us wanted to count the number of pots in the sink at the end of the meal. As our individual ideas began to cross-pollinate, we decided that recipes would qualify for this book in several ways. These recipes have fewer ingredients than our usual, and we’ve made good use of trustworthy convenience products (vegetable broths, salsas, slaw mixes) and nonperishable pantry items (spices, canned beans, condiments). Some of the simplest recipes depend on high-quality fresh ingredients, and with good produce, you don’t have to do much to make a delectable meal.

  Not all everyday cooking has to be a race with the clock, but a lot of our recipes are either quick to make or the hands-on time is short, and then you need to do very little or nothing while the dish stews or bakes. (Love those one-pot meals. Fewer pots, easier cleanup.) Some dishes can be prepared ahead of time and then served with very little fuss. A few are designed to be assembled at the table by diners.

  Here you’ll find simple recipes that are tried-and-true. And when we have something extra to say, we’ve added ingredient and cooking notes (substitutions or variations, hints about different cooking techniques, tips for cooking ahead, suggestions for leftovers). We try to keep it real about what constitutes a meal, also. You might want to serve bread with a stew or a green salad with pasta, but each of our main-dish recipes can stand alone as a satisfying simple supper. That said, we include serving and menu ideas for when you want to do more or would like to combine dishes for variety. Sometimes a side dish can become a main dish with a little modification. And because everyone needs something sweet now and then, we suggest desserts that we think complement the main dish.

  To help make supper simpler, first and foremost we recommend a well-stocked pantry. We’ve made a list of what we find useful to keep on hand in the cupboard, refrigerator, and freezer. In the Guide to Ingredients, Tools & Techniques, we include shopping tips and basic information about ingredients and cooking techniques, and recommend a few kitchen tools.

  When we write a cookbook, we test and retest the recipes, trying lots of possibilities. We draw on ideas from everywhere, and then we improvise and adapt. We focus on details and endlessly discuss the fine points with each other, working to get it just right so that we’ll have recipes that really work. Of course, supper doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful. We hope that when you’re at home making something to eat, you’ll relax. If you don’t have the pasta shape we recommend, use a different one. If you forgot to restock the nutmeg, oh well—do without. If you don’t have time to make rice, have couscous. Let the seasonal availability of fresh fruits and vegetables be your inspiration as much as any recipe.

  The idea of simple suppers strikes a chord within us all. Despite being busier than ever in an increasingly complicated world, people still want to eat well. And even though we want you to come to our restaurant and let us cook for you, we also think it’s important to cook and eat at home. Cooking something good can make you feel good—and then eating something good and feeding the people you love can make you feel even better. We hope this cookbook will help make suppertime a welcome, peaceful time of your day.

  Tomato Tortilla S
oup, Bean & Cheese Quesadillas

  Pasta with Olives Piquant

  Often, pasta is what we think of first when we want to make a quick, simple supper. It provides a great canvas for improvisation, and fresh, tasty sauces and toppings can be made in the same time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta itself. Many pasta dishes are complete meals in themselves; others need little more than a green salad to round out the meal.

  There is a multitude of shapes and sizes of pasta, and there is a certain logic in pairing sauces and toppings with particular shapes. In general, long strands such as spaghetti and linguine work well with tomato sauces and pestos. Bowl-shaped cuts such as orecchiette and shells are good to serve with chunky vegetable sauces because the pasta catches and holds the vegetable pieces. Flat noodles like fettuccine and farfalle go well with delicate cream and cheese sauces. That said, we would never let the lack of the perfect pasta shape stop us from going ahead with the sauce we want to make. In our recipes, we specify a particular pasta when we think it matters; otherwise, we leave it up to you. In the Guide to Ingredients, Tools & Techniques, you’ll find brief descriptions of some pasta shapes.

  The pasta lovers among Moosewood cooks stock their home pantries with a variety of imported Italian pastas. Here’s why made in Italy matters: Pasta has been produced commercially in Italy since 1400, and still today, most of the best pastas are made there because the Italian government enforces strict national standards for ingredients and manufacturing processes, which results in a high-quality product, superior to most of our domestic pastas. Old ways are the best ways with pasta making, it seems. For instance, when pasta is extruded through bronze rather than Teflon dies, it has a rougher, more porous texture. When pasta is dried slowly at low temperatures, the protein is not denatured and the pasta is firmer when cooked. We recommend DeCecco, Barilla, and Bionaturae brands.

  Cook pasta following these basic guidelines: Serve about one-fourth pound of pasta per person. Cook pasta in a large pot with plenty of water so that it quickly returns to a boil after the pasta is added and so that the pasta has room to float freely, which helps it cook evenly. Use about 4 or 5 quarts of salted water per pound of pasta. Ease the pasta into rapidly boiling water, stir to separate, and cover the pot. When the water returns to a boil, remove the lid and stir again.