A GREAT SIDE DISH IS LIKE AN IDEAL SIDEKICK: IT COMPLEMENTS THE MAIN DISH AND MAKES IT BETTER WITHOUT OVERSHADOWING IT, AND THERE’S SCIENCE HIDING INSIDE.
TO MAKE FLUFFY RICE, IT’S HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND WHICH STARCH MAKES IT STICKY. POTATOES SOAK UP WATER UNPREDICTABLY, SO ROASTING THEM IS A GOOD WAY TO ENSURE THEY’LL ALWAYS BE DELICIOUS.
Gorgeous, fresh vegetables are nutrient-packed treasures, best when they’re used quickly. To maintain their flavor, nutrients, and color, they should be stored in a way that limits evaporation and then cooked correctly so they’re not broken down completely or discolored by volatile acids.
“Let things taste the way they are.”
Alice Waters, chef, author, and owner of Chez Panisse
FLUFFY RICE |
RICE COMES IN MANY SHAPES AND SIZES. DEPENDING ON WHAT KIND OF RICE YOU START WITH AND HOW YOU COOK IT, YOU CAN CONCOCT EVERYTHING FROM SUPERSTICKY SHORT-GRAIN RICE FOR SUSHI TO PERFECT, FRAGRANT BASMATI FOR CURRY. HERE’S A RECIPE FOR COOKING LONG-GRAIN RICE USING THE ABSORPTION METHOD.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (185 g) long-grain white rice
1 3/4 cups (425 ml) water
1/2 teaspoon salt
EQUIPMENT
Fork
Medium saucepan with lid
Stove
SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS
Be careful when removing the lid from cooked rice. The lid can be hot, and steam can cause burns.
Double or triple this recipe for a hungry crowd. Add 1 3/4 cups water for every cup of rice.
RECIPE
1. Put the water and salt in a saucepan and bring it to a boil with the lid on.
2. In the meantime, rinse the rice with clean water a few times. (Fig. 1, 2)
3. Pour the rice into the boiling water and stir once.
4. Put the lid on the saucepan again and turn the heat down to low.
5. Simmer the rice for 18 minutes.
6. Keeping the lid on the pan, remove it from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.
7. Fluff the rice with a fork and enjoy! (Fig. 3)
8. Stir-fried vegetables are great with rice, and so is beurre blanc sauce (Lab 21). (Fig. 4, 5)
Pair the rice with stir-fried, roasted, or grilled veggies (Lab 30).
VIBRANT VEGGIES |
WHETHER YOU ROAST VEGETABLES INTO CARAMELIZED BEAUTIES, STIR-FRY THEM, OR STEAM THEM TO TOOTHSOME PERFECTION, THEY MAKE ANY MEAL BETTER. COOKING WITH FRESH, IN-SEASON VEGETABLES WILL ALWAYS GIVE YOU THE PRETTIEST, TASTIEST RESULTS, BUT ROASTING IS A GREAT WAY TO LIVEN UP LESS-THAN-PERFECT VEGGIES.
INGREDIENTS
Vegetables of your choice
Olive oil (if roasting) or vegetable oil (if stir-frying)
Salt
EQUIPMENT
Cutting board
Fork
Knife for cutting vegetables
Scrub brush
Vegetable peeler (optional)
IF ROASTING
Mixing bowl
Oven or grill
Roasting pan or baking sheet
IF STIR-FRYING
Wok or large skillet with lid
Wooden chopstick or wooden spoon
IF BOILING
Pot
IF STEAMING
Pot with lid
Steaming basket
SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS
Use caution when cutting crisp and fibrous veggies.
Adult supervision recommended for stir-frying.
These are general guidelines, not rules. For example, dense vegetables, like carrots, potatoes, cauliflower and onions work well for roasting, but you can experiment with others.
RECIPE
ROASTING AND GRILLING (root vegetables, onions, cauliflower)
1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F (200°C), or turn your grill on and heat it to 400, if you have a grill thermometer. If you don’t have a grill thermometer, cooking times may vary.
2. Wash and scrub the vegetables, peel as needed, and cut into chunks of similar sizes. (Fig. 1, 2)
3. Toss the vegetables with 1 or 2 tablespoons oil and a teaspoon salt and transfer to a roasting pan or place on the grill.
4. Roast or grill vegetables in the oven for 15 minutes and stir. If they start to get too brown, turn the heat down to 375°F (190°C). Repeat stirring every 15 minutes until they are golden brown and a fork goes in easily. (Fig. 3)
STIR-FRYING AND SAUTÉING (leafy green vegetables, green beans, peppers, broccoli)
1. Prepare the vegetables by washing, removing ends, and trimming them into long, thin pieces of equal size to help them cook quickly and evenly.
2. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a wok or 2 tablespoons to a flat skillet and heat on high until bubbles form around the wooden chopstick or wooden spoon when you touch it to the oil.
3. Carefully add the vegetables to the wok or skillet. Stand back, since the oil may splatter.
4. Stir the vegetables for 1–2 minutes, then turn the heat down slightly. If stir-frying, put the lid on the pan for another 1–2 minutes to complete cooking. If sautéing, skip the lid and stir until tender. (Fig. 4)
5. When vegetables are tender, salt and serve them. (Fig. 5)
1. Clean and trim your vegetables, like broccoli, green beans, or asparagus.
2. If boiling, add enough water to the pan to cover the veggies and add about a teaspoon of salt per quart of water. If steaming, add water and your steaming basket to the bottom of the pan.
3. Bring the water to a boil and add the vegetables.
4. If boiling, do not put a lid on the pan. If steaming, cover the pan.
5. Cook the vegetables until you can pierce them with a fork, but not too easily. You want them tender, but not mushy.
Serve your vegetables with homemade pasta (Lab 22), soufflé (Lab 25), or meatballs (Lab 28) or pile them on a salad (Lab 32).
Experiment with different cooking methods for a variety of vegetables.
POSH POTATOES |
POTATOES COME IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES, TEXTURES, AND COLORS, AND MOST PEOPLE AGREE THAT THEY ARE UNIVERSALLY DELICIOUS. ROASTING IS A SIMPLE WAY TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN THIS STARCHY STAPLE.
INGREDIENTS
Potatoes (as many as you want to cook)
Olive oil or vegetable oil
Salt
Herbs (optional)
Minced garlic (optional)
EQUIPMENT
Fork
Mixing bowl
Oven
Potato peeler or scrub brush
Roasting pan or baking sheet
SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS
Be careful not to splatter hot oil when you stir the potatoes.
RECIPE
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Peel potatoes with thick skins, such as russets. Scrub small varieties with thin skins, such as red potatoes, until there is no dirt visible.
3. Cut potatoes into uniformly sized pieces. Small potatoes may be left whole. The smaller you cut them, the more quickly they’ll bake.
4. Toss the potatoes with enough oil to coat them and a hefty pinch of salt. (Fig. 1, 2, 3)
5. Arrange the potatoes into a single layer on the baking pan or roasting sheet and put them in the oven.
6. After 15 minutes, remove the pan, stir the potatoes, and return them to the oven.
7. After 15 more minutes, remove the pan again check the potatoes for doneness by poking them with a fork. If you’re adding herbs and garlic, stir them in with the potatoes. Return the potatoes to the oven. (Fig. 4)
8. Keep stirring and roasting the potatoes until they’re golden brown and a fork goes into them easily.
9. Serve immediately or reheat potatoes in a 400°F (200°C) oven just before serving. Potatoes look pretty with green garnishes, such as parsley and other herbs. (Fig. 5)
Serve potatoes with any main dish, including meatballs (Lab 28). Mash them on your plate and drizzle them with homemade crème fraîche (Lab 12).
Roast some veggies with the potatoes (Lab 30). Be sure to cut them to approximately the same size as the potatoes, and roast them in a separate dish, if possible, since they may not bake at the same rate.
SUPER SALADS |
A FRESH, CRISP SALAD MAKES THE PERFECT ACCOMPANIMENT FOR ANY MEAL, OR CAN STAND ALONE AS A MAIN DISH. TOSSING SALAD WITH YOUR FAVORITE DRESSING WILL HELP YOUR BODY ABSORB THE HEALTHY PUNCH OF VITAMINS CONTAINED IN EVERY LEAFY BITE.
INGREDIENTS
Tender leafy greens, such as lettuce, spinach, arugula, and/or baby kale
Your favorite vegetables
Salad dressing, such as vinaigrette or olive oil, vinegar, and salt (optional)
Other toppings, such as cheese or bread cubes fried in oil (optional)
EQUIPMENT
Cutting board
Dish towel
Knife for cutting vegetables
Large bowl or small individual bowls or plates
Salad spinner (optional)
SAFETY TIPS AND HINTS
Remember to use safe cutting technique when cutting vegetables.
When dressing a salad, start with a small amount of dressing and keep adding more, a little at a time until the lettuce is lightly coated. Put a dish of dressing on the table for people who want more.
RECIPE
1. Choose your favorite vegetables for a salad. In-season produce will be the freshest and tastiest. (Fig. 1, 2)
2. Wash the greens well by rinsing them and then putting them in a large bowl filled with water. (Fig. 3)
3. Remove the greens from the water by pulling them out, to leave any dirt or sand in the bowl.
4. Dry the greens in a salad spinner or using a clean dish towel. Arrange them in a large bowl or a salad bowl. Alternately, create individual salads on small plates.
5. Wash and cut up other vegetables into bite-size pieces. Add them to the salad or leave them on the side. (Fig. 4)
6. Dress the salad with your favorite dressing, make your own vinaigrette (Lab 15), or whisk together equal amounts of olive oil and vinegar, salting to taste, and mix it in with the greens and veggies. (Fig. 5, 6)