Bottega - Michael Chiarello [11]
Cooking under a sweating lid reduces the circulation of the air in the pot and, by holding in the steam, keeps the food moister. There are two ways to cut a sweating lid: Trace the lid for the pot you’ll be using on parchment paper and then cut the paper a little smaller, so the parchment fits inside the pot. The other way to make a sweating lid—the chef’s way—is to tear off a piece of parchment larger than the pot. Holding one point of the parchment sheet toward you, fold the parchment into a fan, starting at the left side and folding back and forth to create accordion pleats. Hold the parchment fan over the pot with the tip of it dead center, then use kitchen shears to snip off the fat end in a curve. The sweating lid will fit down inside the pot and sit right on top the bird as it cooks, keeping it moist and flavorful.
Salsa Verde
MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS
What pesto was for me in the ’90s, this salsa verde is now. Chef de Cuisine Nick Ritchie created this blend, and I love it for its subtle underlying flavor notes; it doesn’t take over, whereas pesto sometimes can overwhelm with its raw bite of garlic. I still use pesto, but I turn to this recipe just as often to drizzle on soups, over grilled bread or simple pasta, and especially with seafood such as octopus.
Use any hearty artisan bread here; this is a fine way to use a few slices of day-old bread.
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 slices white country bread, crust removed
6 to 8 cornichons
2 teaspoons capers, preferably salt-packed capers rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes
2 to 3 anchovies, preferably salt-packed anchovies soaked for 30 minutes and bones removed
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 coarsely chopped hard-boiled egg (see Chef’s Note, below)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus up to ½ cup more if needed
In a small bowl, pour the vinegar over the bread, flipping the bread slices so each side gets a vinegar soak, and set the bowl aside.
In a food processor, combine the cornichons, capers, and anchovies, pulsing until finely chopped but not a paste. Add the bread slices and pulse. Add the parsley and hard-boiled egg and pulse 2 or 3 times. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl. With the machine running, gradually drizzle in the 1 cup olive oil through the feed tube. Turn off the machine and taste the sauce. It should be spreadable; if it’s too thick, turn the machine on again and slowly drizzle in as much of the remaining ½ cup of olive oil as needed.
I like to use this the same day I make it, but you can cover it and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
CHEF’S NOTE: A good hard-boiled egg makes a difference in this sauce. To cook eggs without making the whites rubbery, place the eggs in a saucepan of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. While the eggs cook, set up an ice bath. When the 12 minutes are up, use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to the ice bath and let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes. To make them easier to shell, transfer them back into the pot of hot water for a minute or so.
Blanched-Basil Pesto
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
This pesto is vibrant in color as well as flavor. Powdered vitamin C—also called ascorbic acid—is my secret for keeping pesto a fresh, appetizing green. The herbs go in boiling water and then straight into an ice bath, so I like to use a large sieve or colander to transfer all the herbs in one smooth move.
Pesto freezes well, so when basil is abundant, make a few batches to keep in your freezer for up to a month.
3 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ cup olive oil (see Chef’s Note)
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted (see Chef’s Note, below)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon fine salt, preferably ground sea or gray salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon powdered ascorbic acid (see Resources)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Set up a large