Lidia's a Pot, a Pan, and a Bowl: Simple Recipes for Perfect Meals: A Cookbook
224Lidia's a Pot, a Pan, and a Bowl: Simple Recipes for Perfect Meals: A Cookbook
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Overview
Lidia Bastianich—"doyenne of Italian cooking" (Chicago Times)—makes Italian cooking easy for everyone with this new, beautifully designed, easy-to-use cookbook. Here are more than 100 homey, simple-to-prepare recipes that require fewer steps and fewer ingredients (not to mention fewer dirty pots and pans!), without sacrificing any of their flavor.
These are just a few of the delectable dishes that fill this essential book of recipes:
Some of them are old favorites, others are Lidia's new creations, but every one represents Italian food at its most essential—guaranteed to transport home cooks to Italy with a minimum of fuss and muss. "Tutti a tavola a mangiare!"
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9780525657415 |
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Publisher: | Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |
Publication date: | 10/19/2021 |
Sold by: | Random House |
Format: | eBook |
Pages: | 224 |
Sales rank: | 436,033 |
File size: | 56 MB |
Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
INTRODUCTION
Sometimes, you just want to cook something that doesn’t leave you with a pile of dishes. That’s why one-or-two-pot, -pan, or -bowl cooking just makes sense to me. Whether they require a Dutch oven, a sheet pan, or a pot for pasta, these dishes are no-brainers. Some people think of “one-pot cooking” as a term that applies only to dishes cooked in a single vessel, but I take a more expansive view: you may need an extra bowl or plate along the way. But rest assured, the recipes in this book are some of my absolute favorites, streamlined to be as straightforward to cook as possible, using a minimal number of pots and pans, without sacrificing any flavor. These are classic Italian dishes, like Summer Tomato and Basil Risotto with Mozzarella, Balsamic Chicken Stir-Fry, Matalotta-Style Mixed Fish Stew, Skillet Gratinate of Chicken, Mushrooms, and Tomato, and Skillet Gratinate of Pork, Eggplant, and Zucchini, adapted for fuss-free cooking.
For me as a chef, creating simple, minimally messy dishes is a creative challenge I enjoy. I feel like a composer, composing a symphony; cooking this way affords me a wonderful opportunity to think about layering flavors. I begin by choosing ingredients that I think will harmonize when cooked together. Then I also need to think about timing—the most important element of cooking with just one pot, pan, or bowl—and when to add each ingredient. How long should the ingredients cook together? How will the textures of each contribute to the dish at the finish?
In many ways, making a one-or-two-pot meal is cooking at its basic level, but also at its most diverse. Some dishes take time—like soups, braising tougher cuts of meat, or cooking root vegetables—but there are many quick one-pot dishes that are just as delicious and that can be prepared much faster. These recipes also tend to be balanced, incorporating vegetables, legumes, and meat, making the meal healthier. And, of course, it is convenient—there’s much less to wash up!
The recipes in this book are simple but delicious, and almost all of them can be served either as a one-course meal, or as part of a multicourse affair.
Take, for example, the chapter of egg recipes. Each one of those dishes, when paired with a tossed green salad, would make for a delicious brunch, especially the Sweet Potato and Ham Frittata and Spinach, Bread, and Ricotta Frittata, or the Spinach and Fontina Casserole. Or stuff a toasted hero with one of the frittatas and you have a great picnic or a meal for a day at the beach with the kids. In the salad chapter, you’ll find many recipes that can double as an appetizer, like the “Antipasto” Rice Salad; Shaved Artichoke, Spinach, and Mortadella Salad; or Crab and Celery Root Salad. A salad like Summer Panzanella or Winter Panzanella can serve as a side dish to grilled or roasted meats, like London Broil with Peppers and Onion or Skillet Ricotta Mini–Meat Loaves; or fish dishes like the Mixed Seafood Bake. Certainly, most of these salads can be turned into main dishes, just by increasing the portion sizes.
Pasta and rice dishes—or primi, as they are called in Italy—can be the center of the meal all by themselves, like the Skillet Lasagna, No-Boil Stuffed Shells, or Mushroom and Sausage Risotto, or, for a warm-weather version, perhaps a summer meal by the pool, I like the Mezzi Rigatoni with Raw Tomato Sauce. Pasta as a primo can be just that, a first course or an appetizer. In Italy, two or three forkfuls of pasta before a main course is quite customary.
When it comes to the fish and meat recipes, remember you can make these dishes even more substantial by adding beans, like in Monkfish Brodetto with Cannellini and Halibut with Saffron Fregola. Recipes like Skillet Chicken Thighs with Cerignola Olives and Potatoes, Chicken Cacciatore, and Skillet Sausages with Fennel and Apples are a meal in themselves. You might also consider serving some of the fish dishes shared as an appetizer when you are planning a two-course meal—for example, the Seared Tuna with Balsamic Onions and Arugula-and-Fennel Salad, or Grilled Calamari Salad.
All of which is to say that one-pot, one-pan, and one-bowl meals are just as substantial— and just as varied—as those cooked with a whole kitchen’s worth of cooking vessels. These recipes are perfect for a weeknight dinner with your family, but for more elaborate occasions, such as when you have guests, I like to enhance them with a good selection of breads to begin, from buttery brioche, crunchy baguettes, and semolina bread to deep and dark pumpernickel or twelve-grain breads. The addition of grissini, taralli, or crostini always embellishes a bread basket. At either the beginning or the end of a meal, a board of cheeses, such as Taleggio, Toma, Caprino, Gorgonzola, or Grana Padano with some delicious Mostarda is always welcome. Especially if you add some ripe seasonal fruit and some toasted almonds and hazelnuts. And, of course, some good Italian cookies and an espresso at the end of a meal never fail to draw applause for the chef.
Finally, it is impossible to talk about one-pot cooking—or any kind of low-fuss cooking— without mentioning the Instant Pot. The electric pressure cooker is a relatively new piece of kitchen equipment that many home cooks have fallen in love with. It’s certainly a time saver, and I’m often asked how my recipes will translate when it’s used. Many of the dishes in this book will work well—especially Vegetable Soup with Poached Eggs; Lentil and Pasta Soup; Stracciatella with Chicken and Vegetables; Turkey, Mushroom, Chestnut, and Barley Soup; Shrimp, Swiss Chard, and Potato Chowder; Poached Chicken and Giardiniera Salad; Boiled Beef Salad; Chicken and Rice; Poached Chicken and Vegetables in Broth with Green Sauce; Chicken Cacciatore; Lamb and Winter Squash Stew; BeerBraised Beef Short Ribs; and Pork Guazzetto with Beans. You just need to be willing to experiment—and to remember a few things:
• Since I like to cook with leftovers in mind, the largest electric pressure cooker, about an eight-quart size, is best for preparing my recipes.
• Braises are wonderful in the pressure cooker, because it takes the fattier cuts of meat and cooks them under pressure until they are tender and flavorful, in half the time (or less!) of a stovetop or oven braise. Some soups will work well also, though many of my soup recipes will have to be scaled down to fit, and you will need to use less liquid (see the next point), since there is no evaporation. Beans are also wonderful in the electric pressure cooker: they turn out very silky in a short amount of time.
• When adapting one of my recipes, remember not to fill the pot more than two-thirds full. Since you are cooking with the lid on and under pressure, you will need less liquid to begin with. I’d start with half the liquid called for in the recipe as a rule of thumb, but you do need at least a cup of liquid to get to pressure reliably. If using the pressure cooker’s natural release, cut the cooking time of the recipe by 15 minutes since food will continue to cook.
• Most of my recipes will work just fine when adapted for the electric pressure cooker. Just leave the pressure switch in the sealed position, as this lets the pressure release slowly. When the pressure is fully released the lid will unlock and open, using natural release, so you don’t need to worry about overcooking.
• Many of my braise recipes require adding ingredients in stages, starting with the proteins and harder vegetables and adding the quicker-cooking ones later on. You can still do this in the electric pressure cooker. You can cook the protein till it’s almost ready, release the pressure, add the quicker-cooking ingredients, and return it to pressure for a short time, or you can just bring the liquid to a simmer, uncovered, on the “sauté” setting and finish that way.
• If your finished dish is more watery than you would like, you can also reduce the cooking juices down on the high “sauté” setting. You can also bring it to a simmer and add a tablespoon or two of flour mixed with enough water so you can drizzle it into the pot, though make sure to simmer it for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
• For dishes with dairy elements—for example, grated cheese—always add them at the end, just as I do in my regular recipes.
One important thing to remember about one-pot and -pan cooking is not to fret about what you will cook in or about whether you have the right vessel or not. Something you already have at home will most likely work. Read the instructions on the cooking vessel recommended in the recipe, and choose something as close as possible to what is recommended.
Whether you are cooking in an Instant Pot or a Dutch oven, or on a baking sheet; for dinner with your kids on a Tuesday or a party with friends—always keep cooking fun, welcoming, and delicious, and an expression of your love and affection for the people around your table.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xvii
Eggs
Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus and Scallions 7
Sweet Potato and Ham Frittata 8
Spinach, Bread, and Ricotta Frittata 9
Fried Potatoes with Sausage and Eggs 10
Baked Eggs and Potatoes 11
Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce with Eggplant 13
Boiled Dandelion Greens, Tuna, and Egg Salad 14
Vegetable Soup with Poached Eggs 15
Breakfast Risotto 16
Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Hash 17
Spinach and Fontina Casserole 18
Soups
Lentil and Pasta Soup 24
Stracciatella with Chicken and Vegetables 25
Spicy Seafood Soup 26
Turkey, Mushroom, Chestnut, and Barley Soup 28
Sauerkraut, Bean, and Pork Soup 29
Salmon, Rice, and Leek Soup 31
Summer Minestrone 32
Winter Minestrone 33
Onion Soup with Bread and Fontina Pasticciata 34
Wedding Soup 36
Cauliflower and Tomato Soup 37
Tomato and Bread Soup with Scallops 38
Shrimp, Swiss Chard, and Potato Chowder 39
Salads
Tuna, Celery, and Warm Potato Salad 45
Poached Chicken and Giardiniera Salad 46
Poached Seafood and Cannellini Bean Salad 48
Smoked Chicken, Fennel, and Grapefruit Salad 49
Steamed Broccoli, Cannellini, and Egg Salad 51
Striped Bass Salad with Zucchini and Anchovy Dressing 52
Cod and Lentil Salad 54
"Antipasto" Rice Salad 55
Roasted Squash and Carrot Salad with Chickpeas and Almonds 57
Roasted Eggplant, Tomato, and Mozzarella Salad with Salami 58
Summer Panzanella 59
Winter Panzanella 60
Shaved Artichoke, Spinach, and Mortadella Salad 61
Salad of Radicchio, Endive, Apple, and Pecorino with Cheese Toasts 62
Crab and Celery Root Salad 64
Roast Beef, Potato, and Green Bean Salad 65
Boiled Beef Salad 66
Scallion, Asparagus, and Smoked Salmon 67
Shrimp and Melon Salad with Basil Mint Pesto 68
Dandelion and Chickpea Salad 69
Pastas, Risottos, and Pizzas
Gnudi 75
Cavatappi with Asparagus and Spinach Pesto 78
Gemelli with Classic Pesto, Potatoes, and Green Beans 79
Spaghetti with Yellow Tomato Pesto 80
Penne with Cauliflower and Green Olive Pesto 81
Mezzi Rigatoni with Raw Tomato Sauce 83
Fusilli with Salami and Roasted Peppers 84
Capellini with Spicy Tomato Crab Sauce 85
Skillet Lasagna 86
No-Boil Stuffed Shells 88
Summer Tomato and Basil Risotto with Mozzarella 89
Mushroom and Sausage Risotto 90
Seafood and Leek Risotto 91
Zucchini, Peas, and Pancetta Risotto 93
Oat Risotto 94
Barley and Chicken Risotto 95
Chicken and Rice 96
Risotto Cakes 97
Pan Pizza 98
Tomato and Zucchini Bread Lasagna 100
Fish and Seafood
Skillet Tuna with Eggplant and Zucchini in Puttanesca Sauce 107
Seared Tuna with Balsamic Onions and Arugula-and-Fennel Salad 108
Monkfish Brodetto with Cannellini 111
Skillet Shrimp with Asparagus 112
Warm Shrimp and Squash Ribbon Salad 114
Braised Calamari with Olives and Peppers 115
Grilled Calamari Salad 116
Mixed Seafood Bake 117
Mussels, Sausage, and Potatoes in White Wine 119
Halibut with Saffron Fregola 120
Rollatini of Sole with Cherry Tomatoes 121
Crispy Baked Cod and Brussels Sprouts 122
Roasted Mustard Salmon with Cabbage and Carrots 124
Matalotta-Style Mixed Fish Stew 125
Meat and Poultry
One-Pan Chicken and Eggplant Parmigiana 130
Chicken and Brussels Sprouts 132
Chicken Legs with Artichokes and Cider Vinegar 133
Skillet Chicken Thighs with Cerignola Olives and Potatoes 135
Poached Chicken and Vegetables in Broth with Green Sauce 136
Chicken Cacciatore 138
Skillet Gratinate of Chicken, Mushrooms, and Tomato 140
Roast Turkey Breast with Dried Fruit and Root Vegetables 141
Skillet Gratinate of Pork, Eggplant, and Zucchini 143
Spicy Sheet Pan Pork Chops and Broccoli 144
Skillet Ricotta Mini-Meat Loaves 145
Cheesy Veal Chops with Cabbage 146
Skillet Sausages with Fennel and Apples 147
Skillet Sausage and Peppers 148
Lamb and Winter Squash Stew 151
London Broil with Peppers and Onion 152
Mozzarella Cheeseburgers 153
Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs 154
Chicken Scaloppine in Lemon Caper Sauce with Spinach 156
Beef Goulash 157
Pork Guazzetto with Beans 158
Balsamic Chicken Stir-Fry 159
Desserts
Honeydew Granita 164
Grape and Ricotta Pizza 165
Red Wine Poached Pears 166
Mixed Berry Bread Pudding 168
One-Bowl Olive Oil Cake 169
Baked Peaches 170
Apple Cranberry Crumble 171
Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cookies 173
Quick Strawberry "Shortcake" 174
Cheese Plate with Plum Mostarda 175
My Kitchen Tools 177
Index 181