I’d been cooking with and eating new potatoes for years before I finally learned that, in fact, I had not. Those cute little red potatoes I’d always called “new red potatoes”? Turns out they are not necessarily new at all.
Daniel and I spent our honeymoon in Istanbul, a magical city with heavenly food. One of the most distinct and memorable dishes was one we sampled at the house of a friend of a friend. Engin Akin, an expert on Ottoman palace cuisine and a crackerjack cook, invited us over for a historic meal inspired by what the sultans ate during Ottoman times.
To create stovetop Brussels sprouts that were deeply browned on the cut sides while still bright green on the uncut sides and crisp-tender within, we started the sprouts in a cold skillet with plenty of oil and cooked them covered. This gently heated the sprouts and created a steamy environment that cooked them through without adding any extra moisture. We then removed the lid and continued to cook the sprouts cut sides down so they had time to develop a substantial, caramelized crust. Using enough oil to completely coat the skillet ensured that all the sprouts made full contact with the fat to brown evenly from edge to edge.
A light hand with the seasonings lets the forest-y mushroom flavor lead the way. I use this as a side dish or as a topping for grilled fish, braised meats, or meatballs. The basic roasted mushrooms without the gremolata seasoning are even more versatile.
Nordic palates prefer beets to be pickled. No wonder, the flavors of this sweet, earthy vegetable shine with a kiss of vinegar and herbs. Be patient: it takes about a week for the spices to marry. The longer you wait, the better these beets will taste.
Make this salad at the height of summer, when heirloom tomatoes look like they’re about to burst open with flavorful juices. You can use any small, freshly dug potatoes, but try to get a mix of colors.
No traditional Danish Christmas dinner is complete without a dish of small caramelized potatoes. But this sweet, savory side dish is good for any time of the year.
If you are one of the many people who have only tried cooked beets, be prepared to fall in love. The secret to the tastiest raw beets is to cut them very thinly.
Smoking food with black tea leaves can result in a highly smoky and overpowering flavor. This dish goes for a tamer smoke quality, infusing potatoes by boiling them in brewed tea and then tossing them with aromatic spices and fresh ginger.
Garlic confit is nothing more than the peeled cloves slow cooked in a bath of seasoned oil. This strips the raw cloves of their acidity, removes their sharp heat, and concentrates their sweetness.