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Lauren Groveman's Kitchen
Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1: Kitchen Management – Equipment, Staples and Jargon
Without the proper tools and ingredients, even the best of cooks can falter. And knowing how to use and care for food and equipment properly is just as important as knowing what to buy and where to find it. In this foundation chapter, I will help the novice cook to set up a kitchen and I will expose the more seasoned cook to the tools and ingredients needed to delve into unfamiliar culinary territory, along with notes on new products. Most of the recipes in this book have a "special equipment" list. Whenever an unfamiliar implement is requested, you can refer to the equipment section before making a purchase.
This chapter also includes a staples section, to provide more information and tips about the most commonly called-for ingredients. I have also included (when deemed appropriate) specific brand names of products that have satisfied my family, friends and students over the years. In addition, a kitchen jargon section explains culinary terminology as well as various procedures that are commonly referred to in my recipes. Finally, since the best meal in the world will taste even better in beautiful surroundings, I've included a section on "Tips for the Table" to help you entertain with grace and ease.
Chapter 2: Better than Store-Bought – Those Homemade Basics
In this chapter, I have shared my recipes for those commonly purchased foods that taste infinitely better when made at home. Not only will these recipes provide you and your family with superior flavor and texture, but the mere presence of these homemade staples will give your kitchen a more nurturing and homey quality. This chapter is dedicated to helping even the busiest people to provide warmth and comfort to the ones they love. To those who wonder what "real" difference these recipes make, I suggest you serve your family a batch of the lightest buttermilk pancakes (made from your own dry mix) and a mug of rich hot cocoa (from a dry mix which you've mixed and stored in bulk). I think you'll be surprised at how much more nurturing these recipes will enable you to feel.
Chapter 3: Just For Starters – Dips Spreads and Finger Foods
I've never met anyone who didn't love hors d'oeuvres. As a matter of fact, many would like to skip dinner entirely and simply nibble and sip all evening! In this chapter I've shared my best and most requested recipes for both cold and hot starters. Whether serving these with cocktails before dinner or as a first course, the tastes are intense and the textures varied.
The most important thing to remember when serving a starter is not to stuff your guests before dinner (this isn't easy, since people usually show up ravenous for a home-cooked meal). Foods that are served before dinner are meant to stimulate the appetite, not satisfy it. Also, avoid heavy starters when the menu features wintry, braised foods that will be served with pasta, rice or potatoes since these meals require a hearty appetite. Many of these recipes can be made ahead to eliminate some of the preparation on the day of entertaining. Make sure to take advantage of my “Time Management Tips.”
Chapter 4: Hefty Stocks and Hearty Soups – Nurturing Scents from the Kitchen
Whether preparing a robust lunch or an informal supper, one of the most satisfying menus to me consists of nothing more than a deep bowl of piping hot soup and a basket of light, freshly baked biscuits, savory muffins or crisps. In this chapter you'll learn how to prepare rich, fat-free homemade stocks. In addition to being the base of my hearty and satisfying soups, these stocks are the preferred choice of liquid to simmer your rice and other grains. And stock (never water) should always serve as the heart and soul of the sauces that bathe your braised dishes. Since most soups and all stocks are notoriously freezer friendly, most of the recipes in this chapter are extra "chubby" to make the most of the time that you've assigned to the kitchen.
Chapter 5: Perfect Pasta – First Course, Main Course, Side Dish
An entrée that features pasta is always soothing and often provides a quick way to whip up a substantial family meal. In this chapter, you'll find recipes for quickly assembled pasta entrées and side dishes, as well as sauces that require long, slow simmering. But when preparing the latter—since my recipes are purposely on the rotund side—you can easily divide and freeze the remaining sauce to use on another occasion. If you've never made homemade egg noodles, do try my recipes for they are far superior, and have little resemblance, to those noodles labeled "fresh" in the supermarket.
The easiest way to assure perfect pasta is not to overcook the noodles. "Al dente," which means “firm to the teeth,” is the most common term used to describe the texture of perfectly cooked pasta. Since there is a vast difference in the cooking time of fresh homemade noodles and commercially prepared dried pasta, the best way to avoid overcooking is to bite into a random strand several times during cooking. The noodle should always be firm but never crunchy.
Another secret to serving perfect pasta (whether homemade or commercially dried), is not to over drain the noodles after cooking. Allowing some of the cooking water to adhere to the strands makes the pasta less likely to stick together. Although I always lightly dress my pasta with a little butter or oil (even when serving with an additional sauce), by not over draining the noodles, I reduce the temptation to overdress the pasta before serving. This way, both the delicate taste and the texture of the pasta can shine.
Chapter 6: Quick, Light and So Right – When You're Tired and Hungry
All of the recipes in this chapter require minimal effort, and yet promise comfort and great taste. Here you'll find entrées that (without compromising on wholesome ingredients) you'll be able to prepare on days when you're tired, hungry and time is practically nonexistent. I have concentrated on the use of the freshest fish, chicken and produce that don't require lengthy cooking. Also, when appropriate, my “Time Management Tips” will teach you to use little bits of available time to make even your quickest meals taste slow-cooked delicious. For example, whenever lengthy marinating is suggested, by beginning the night before, you can virtually eliminate almost all of the preparation time just before serving. And although the suggestion to chop your vegetables the day before might seem only minimally beneficial, when you arrive home from work and your family looks to you for a warm and nurturing meal, you'll be grateful that you have completed these steps in advance, and you'll be less likely to sacrifice these healthy and flavor enhancing ingredients altogether.
Chapter 7: The Main Event – Classic Comfort from Cooking Big
A day with time to spare gives you the opportunity to prepare those dishes that provide the most comfort, and fill your home with the most intoxicating aromas. I always suggest "cooking big" (whenever possible) since as both a teacher and a mother, I know that the mess created when preparing one meal is all too close to the mess created when preparing three. In this chapter, you'll find many high-yield recipes that stress skills that enable you to get maximum benefits from designated "cooking days." Once these techniques are mastered, succulent braised dishes and hearty stews never need be farther away than a trip to the freezer.
These recipes, many of which appear lengthy, are highly detailed in order to assure your success. Please use my important “Time Management Tips,” which will eliminate many steps when you begin to assemble and cook. By breaking down a recipe into smaller steps, you'll prevent even the most classically-prepared dish from overwhelming you. And try not to shy away from a recipe with many ingredients. Instead, break the list down and determine the level of ease or difficulty required to get your shopping done. Most often, the ingredients can be purchased from either your local supermarket or produce market. And since you have to go there anyway, choosing some additional items for a braised dish is a simple step to make your meal ultimately healthier and better tasting.
In addition to braised dishes, I've also included my favorite "comfort food" recipes, many of which reflect classic American cuisine.
Chapter 8: On the Side – Ideal Partners to Share the Spotlight
In this chapter you'll find a wide variety of my favorite recipes for delicious, colorful and textural side dishes to accompany the entrées in this book; you'll also find perfectly cooked rice to serve, under some of my soups. These have all passed the "great taste test" many times over and I trust that they will find a permanent place in your repertoire. When deciding on a dish to accompany your entrée, think of color as well as taste. Creating vibrant contrasts in color on one plate will not only be stimulating to the eye, but will also heighten your guests' anticipation of flavor.
When it comes to texture, don't be timid about mixing starches; the combination of rice and beans; or corn, pasta and rice is not only soothing but a great way to make your meal more nutritious while keeping it economical. And by serving a combination of starches along with sautéed vegetables in one dish, you can easily omit a heavier entrée since these side dishes not only boost the meal nutritionally but also provide quite a bit of substance to your stomach.
Whether serving a soothing starch and/or a vegetable dish, always buy the freshest and the best ingredients you can find. By doing so, you'll be able to accomplish more "do-ahead" shopping, since only the freshest produce will be able to withstand several days of storage, when necessary. And use my “Time Management Tips” to use small increments of available time in advance of your meals to blanch or peel and/or chop your vegetables and to roast, seed and slice your peppers. These aromatic additions will make your overall meal much healthier and, needless to say, more satisfying to eat.
Chapter 9: A Passion for Breads – From Bagels and Biscuits to Crusty Loaves
I'm always happy in my kitchen, but baking brings me pure joy, especially when my hands are aggressively working to create a yeast dough. This chapter covers many types of breads from easy-to-make biscuits and muffins to bagels and brioche. But my primary goal is to remove the mystique from working with yeast and delve deeply into proper kneading technique. Without intimidating equipment—simply by using a wooden spoon, pastry scraper, a flour scoop, my hands and a conventional home oven—I am able to create voluptuous Old World breads with incredible taste, texture and aroma.
Never would I advocate using those so-called bread machines and for a very good reason. Not only do these machines create stubby loaves that resemble doorstops, but using a machine to make bread blatantly robs the cook of the true fulfillment that comes from real bread making. No machine can tell me when my dough has been worked sufficiently; that's strictly between me and my dough.
The crustiness of some of my favorite breads however, is enhanced by the use of quarry tiles or a pizza stone. But these are not difficult to use or purchase (see page 400) and ensure the texture of a true hearth bread from your home oven. For your assured success, please read my important “Notes on Baking Yeast Breads” before beginning any of the recipes for yeast doughs and refer back to them whenever necessary.
Chapter 10: Sweet Endings – For the Kid Who Lurks in All of Us
In this chapter, you'll find loads of delicious ways to splurge occasionally and satisfy your "gotta have it" cravings. These desserts are also guaranteed to bring a smile to your dinner guests, even the most stoic character at the table. You'll find decadent brownies filled with creamy peanut butter, assorted ice creams, fresh fruit sorbets, old-fashioned fruit pies, melt-in-your-mouth cookies and voluptuous cakes. Whenever possible (and deemed practical), I've provided low-fat tips to lighten things up a bit. But most often, these buttery old-time favorites should be prepared as written and enjoyed on special occasions—in moderation, of course.
From the unanimous approval of my family, friends and students, you can trust that the taste of these desserts is well worth any effort required. But as always, when a recipe seems unusually lengthy, please look to my “Time Management Tips” to reduce substantially your final preparation time.