Welcome back! How was everyone’s June? If you made any of the pasta salad dishes from Summer Edition Vol. 1, I’d love to know how they turned out! Did you find any other pasta salad recipes along the way?
I had a great month! I know I’ve said it before, but I really love summer. It makes my Arizona-born heart happy. In addition to the sunshine, June was just an overall great month. My mom visited for two weeks, which was really nice. We made a lot of yummy food! I wanted to make sure we ate well when she was here, so I pushed pause on my Defined Dish cookbook review. Harsh, I know. But, it’s true. We did actually make one recipe from Defined Dish’s website, and it was a huge hit. So, you can’t accuse me of being entirely mean. Honest, absolutely, but not mean.
The biggest piece of news I have to share, however, is that my husband and I started The Bear. I know that we’re a few years late to the party, but we’ve spent the last year and a half slowly making our way through 7 seasons of The West Wing. West Wing was a great show, but I’m happy to be back in the land of the living. There’s something about being up-to-date on at least one current tv show that keeps you young. I have a lot of big takeaways from West Wing, but my biggest takeaway is that the fashion trends from the early 2000s were really a low point for our country. Too many purple ties. Too many.
Conversely, my big takeaway from The Bear, so far, is that they are in fact using the correct amount of salt.
Technique of the Moment: No Heat Cooking
Last month we discussed Pasta Salad, which I admitted isn’t exactly a technique. If you made pasta salad following my instructions, the real technique you learned was to taste and adjust. For those of you who have seen The Bear, you’ve probably noticed that the chefs are all doing this constantly. It’s the sign of a good chef.
So, we’re going to focus on that again this month. But, this time we’re turning the stove off…and the oven as well.
When you taste and adjust you’re really focusing on the balance of salt, fat, and acid.
The beauty of developing an understanding of the interplay of these three components is not only that your cooking will improve immensely but also that you will teach yourself how to “fix” a dish that has gone awry. Acid and fat work to balance a dish that is too salty. Conversely, salt and acid can lighten up a dish that is weighed down by too much fat. And, you guessed it. A dish that is too acidic? Try adding a bit more salt or fat.
The more you practice tasting and adjusting, the more you’ll gain an awareness of which one of the three is missing from a given meal. As a reminder, a great way to play around with the balance of flavors is to scoop out a small amount of the food into a separate bowl. Then, add a little bit of whatever you think is missing (salt, fat, acid) before deciding if that’s what the entire dish needs. This way you don’t risk messing up your dinner.
I’m going to share some of my favorite meals that don’t involve any heat, but I also wanted to let you know that the NYT Cooking App curated a list of 76 no-cook recipes.
Defined Dish’s Ceviche
Ok. I know that I’ve been rather savage toward Defined Dish. I’m not going to apologize because I really am not a fan of her most recent cookbook — although I will finish my review — but I do want to share this recipe, which was delicious. There are many ceviche recipes out there, but we all liked this one a lot.
Ceviche is a dish that originally hails from Peru. A traditional ceviche is made with raw fish, which “cooks” in a ridiculous amount of acid — usually lime and/or lemon juice. It’s a process called denaturing. Similar to cooking a fish with heat, the protein structure of the fish changes and turns opaque, but it retains a very tender texture. When I made this dish I used a mix of raw Red Snapper and raw shrimp.
I will say, that while there is broad consensus that raw fresh fish is safe to use for ceviche, people have varying opinions on the safety of raw shrimp. When I made it, I used raw shrimp, which is what Defined Dish calls for. But, in her recipes for ceviche, which can be found in the NYT link above, Ali Slagle recommends par-cooking the shrimp first, before adding it to the lime juice. She recommends bringing a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat off and add the shrimp until it just turns opaque, approximately 1-2 minutes. Then proceed with the recipe.
So, if you’re concerned about raw shrimp or you don’t have a reputable fishmonger, there’s still a way to ceviche (but it does involve a very small amount of heat). Please note: do NOT par-cook fish for ceviche. Fresh fish, such as Red Snapper, can be added directly to the lime juice. Personally, I really prefer the Red Snapper anyway. Just make sure to tell your fishmonger you’re making ceviche and ask them which fish is best suited for the job (i.e. the freshest).
Even though it elevates the role of acid (i.e. the lime juice) ceviche is still a dish that needs to balance salt, acid, and fat. That being said, I think it provides an excellent lesson in the interplay of fat and acid. If you make this, take a bite without avocado and then with avocado. You’ll see how, even when the dish is salted well, the acid is still prominent. It’s not bad, but you might be a little overwhelmed by the acid. However, when paired with avocado, the three work together in sweet, perfect harmony. Serve with tortilla chips for a necessary crunch. Margaritas are encouraged. Cheers!
Pan Con Tomate
I love this dish! It’s a Spanish dish that combines grated fresh tomatoes, salt, and olive oil, which is then served over crusty garlic bread. I especially love Ali Slagle’s version, in which she adds white beans, in I Dream of Dinner. But, the directions are basically the same as you’ll find them here. It’s so simple and 1,000% delicious. But, you must use fresh tomatoes, so this is really a seasonal dish that should be made in June/July/August. Tasting and adjusting are key here. There will be acidity from the tomatoes, but if you feel like it needs a tad more oomph, add a splash of red wine vinegar. And, do make sure to use enough salt.
Other Tomato Recipes
Tomato Toast. I’m partial to Molly Baz’s Shingled Tomato Toast with Sesame Mayo (found in The Club), but this recipe follows the same basic rules (crusty bread, mayo, and salt).
Caprese Salad. I know I talk incessantly about Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, but the trick to a good Caprese Salad is all about the flaky sea salt. I recommend Maldon.
Before assembling, cut the tomatoes and a good-quality mozzarella into equal sizes of approximately the same width. Sprinkle both with Maldon Flaky Salt. Flaky salt is more potent salt, so don’t go crazy like you would (or should) do with kosher salt. The best way to gauge if you’ve used enough is to — yes — taste and adjust. Cut off a small piece of tomato, sprinkle some Maldon on top, and see if it’s too much, too little, or just right (Goldilocks style). After salting, arrange the tomatoes and cheese, along with basil, in alternating layers. Drizzle olive oil all over. Serve with wine, obvi.
Kimchi, Cucumbers, and White Beans
At the bottom of her recipes for Pan Con Tomato with White Beans in I Dream of Dinner, Ali Slagle offers a number of other pairings for white beans. She doesn’t provide any directions, though, so allow me.
Serves 2
Drain and rinse one can of white beans (I prefer cannellini)
Chop 1 English Cucumber (or 2-3 Persian cucumbers) into bite-size pieces. Add to a medium mixing bowl. Add salt.
Add kimchi to the bowl. How much you add is really a personal preference, but for two people I use an entire 10oz jar. If you don’t use the whole jar, though, make sure to drain kimchi juice into the bowl as well. Mix.
Add beans. Now, taste. Does it need more salt? It probably will — the salt does a lot of work in this dish to enhance all the flavors — but I still want you to taste it first. If you think it needs more salt, add a little bit to a small amount of the kimchi-cucumber mixture in a separate bowl. Add more to the larger mixing bowl as needed.
I recommend serving this with avocado to help balance out the salt and acidity of the kimchi. Enjoy!
Not No Heat, But Low Heat
Per usual, I’ve been busy managing the demands of three very active children. I’ve mentioned this a time or two but when I have really busy weeks, I rely heavily on Ali Slagle meals. The entire month of June was no exception. We made a ton! Additionally, I gifted my mom Ali’s cookbook for Mother’s Day last year, so when she was out it was fun to cook from I Dream of Dinner. Anyway, these two recipes do use a little bit of heat, but it’s so minimal that I don’t think it’ll upset you too much, even on the most sweltering of days. And, remember, taste and adjust.
Fish with Veggies and White Beans. In the cookbook, this recipe is actually titled Swordfish with Asparagus and White Beans, but I used halibut and zucchini, so the title no longer seemed fitting. You should use whatever quick-cooking vegetable looks freshest and any firm, thick fish. Ali mentions suggestions for both in the video. This is a great summer recipe, however. The bright, lemony vinaigrette is excellent — and you can make the dressing without the red pepper flakes if you’re making it for kids. My husband and I just sprinkle some on top of our plates.
The Salmon To Get Your Groove Back. This is one of those situations where I am just going to let the photo say everything there is to say about this dish. Just make it. Now.
An Extremely Extra Meal
I wasn’t planning to share this recipe. But, I made it a few weeks ago for me and my husband and then realized Molly Baz had recently uploaded a video of it on her YouTube channel, so here it is: Gilda Grilled Cheese.
It’s extra. It’s by no means a no-cook, no-heat recipe. But, it’s as memorable as they come.
One Non-Food-Related Thought
I’m currently reading Anne of Green Gables, which I never read as a girl, so it’s been quite a treat. Although, I am sad for the younger version of myself that never got to know Anne Shirley.
As most of you know — but maybe some of you don’t — I have twin girls. They are a few weeks away from being 18 months old, and we are at that stage where they have strong opinions and big personalities but they lack the necessary and expansive vocabulary to communicate their vast array of complex (complex!!) emotions. To say it’s exhausting would be the understatement of the century.
Anyway, I read this line from Anne of Green Gables recently, and I laughed out loud.
“People who have to look after twins can’t be expected to say their prayers. Now, do you honestly think they can?” - Anne Shirley
I felt very seen and understood. Thanks, Anne.
Enjoy your July! I’ll be back in a month with our third and final summer newsletter.
See you in the kitchen!
Xo,
Rach
Avocado with anything for me does it. But with ceviche, it's even better. I appreciate this reminder. Hope your week is going well, Rachel. Cheers, -Thalia
I just loved everything about this and NEEDED it - I'm literally going to print it out to refer to. I have been in such a cooking slump in the heat and all these recipes look so good, so fresh, perfect for summer. Can you send some of that summer love here? I'm wilting, dying, dramatically. Almost as dramatic as MY 18 month old - solidarity!!! So many complex emotions in such little bodies. And I'm so excited for you discovering Anne! Truly a delight, I absolutely agree.