Molly Stevens
Molly Stevens is a food writer, editor and cooking teacher. She is the author of All About Roasting: A New Approach to a Classic Art, which won a 2012 James Beard award and two IACP awards, and All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking, which won a 2005 James Beard award and an IACP award. Her articles and recipes appear in Fine Cooking magazine, where she serves as a contributing editor, and other publications. She was selected as the 2007 Bon Appetit Cooking Teacher of the Year and as the 2006 Cooking Teacher of the Year in the IACP Awards of Excellence.
Recipes and Stories by Molly Stevens
White Bean Gratin with Tomatoes and Sausage
I’m a little obsessed with bean gratins. These cozy make-ahead suppers (or side dishes) are satisfying and economical, and they can take as little as twenty minutes to get into the oven. This Mediterranean-inspired version relies on a handful of ordinary ingredients—cooked beans (from scratch or a can), sautéed onions, sausage, canned tomatoes, and parsley—but somehow it all bakes up into one of those dishes that I can’t get enough of. It seems to get better with every bite, especially if that bite includes some of the crunchy bread crumb and cheese topping.Braised Escarole with Beans
The original version of this recipe calls for cannellini beans, but any light-colored bean works. I wouldn’t recommend pinto beans or any other brown or red bean, though; the flavor is too dark and muddy here. And you’ll note that, if you use canned beans rather than beans cooked from dried, you’ll need to add some stock. I like chicken stock – though you could use vegetable, I’m sure – and in a pinch, Better Than Bouillon is more than adequate. Be sure to have some bread on hand when you serve this, and be sure to toast that bread and rub it with garlic. We usually keep the bread on the side, but you can also ladle the escarole and beans over it and let it get all nice and juicy and sogged. [Ed. Note: Recipe by Molly Wizenberg's Orangette blog, adapted from All About Braising by Molly Stevens.]Ginger Roast Chicken and Elbow Macaroni with Tomatoes and Pan Sauce
This is what I call a sleeper recipe. At first glance it doesn’t look like much — a whole chicken rubbed with a little fresh ginger, roasted, and served alongside elbow macaroni tossed with diced tomatoes and the roasting juices. Exactly what makes this dish so remarkable is hard to pinpoint, but there’s a wonderful alchemy that occurs when the chicken, ginger, and tomato all come together. It’s comforting, a little exotic, and truly delicious. To create a maximum of pan juices — since these become the sauce for the noodles — I add the giblets to the roasting pan and pour a bit of white wine over the chicken partway through roasting. During roasting, the drippings, the wine, and the roasted giblets cook together, creating a savory jus. The chicken also roasts on a rack to encourage the drippings to caramelize a bit as they hit the hot pan, developing even more flavor. I make this year-round using canned tomatoes, but if you make it in the summer, by all means use fresh ripe tomatoes.