• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

1 cup/250 milliliters whiskey, bourbon, or Wild Turkey

1⁄2 cup/125 grams maple sugar or 1⁄2 cup/125 milliliters maple syrup

1⁄4 packed cup/50 grams dark brown sugar

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer gently until the glaze has reduced to 1 cup/250 milliliters and has a syrupy consistency, about 15 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat and let cool, then refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.

Yield: 1 cup/250 milliliters

MARINATED OLIVES

Marinated olives are an excellent accompaniment to a plate of salami and good bread. Store-bought olives come in an oil or brine that almost always can be greatly improved upon. This marinade includes herbs, garlic, and citrus peel. Use a variety of brined and oil-cured olives—Kalamata, Niçoise, Picholine, Moroccan, Sicilian (today even grocery stores often have a good selection)—for diverse flavors and a dynamic visual appeal.

1 pound/450 grams assorted brined and oil-cured olives

3 garlic cloves, sliced paper-thin

1⁄4 cup/24 grams chopped fresh oregano

1⁄4 cup/24 grams chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon/8 grams fresh thyme leaves

2 strips orange peel, about 2 inches/5 centimeters long and 1⁄4 inch/0.5 centimeter wide, white pith removed

2 strips lemon peel, about 2 inches/5 centimeters long and 1⁄4 inch/0.5 centimeter wide, pith removed

1 tablespoon/15 milliliters fresh lemon juice

Extra virgin olive oil to cover

1. Drain the olives and rinse well under warm running water. Dry the olives on a towel.

2. Crack about one-third of the olives, under a small heavy skillet or the side of a knife. Remove the pits from these, or all the olives, as desired.

3. Place the olives in a bowl, cover with olive oil, add the remaining ingredients, and toss. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid and allow to marinate for at least 2 days in the refrigerator before serving.

Yield: About 1 pound/450 grams

GERMAN POTATO SALAD

With its richness and acidity, potato salad is a perfect, and traditional, accompaniment to sausages and terrines. It tastes great cold or warm, and is extremely versatile. A small amount of good potato salad will turn a slice of terrine into a first course. The key is to have the right acidity and salt levels, and to cook the potatoes properly: whole, with the skin on, in heavily salted water barely at a boil (you don’t want the skin to split as that would waterlog the potatoes). After that, variations are unlimited. The following recipe is classical with its flavoring of bacon, mustard, vinegar, and chives.

2 1⁄4 pounds/1 kilogram Yukon Gold potatoes

1⁄3 cup/100 grams lardons (slab bacon cut into batons; see page 40)

1⁄2 cup/70 grams diced onions

1⁄4 cup/60 milliliters vegetable oil

1 cup/250 milliliters Chicken Stock (see page 228)

1⁄4 cup/60 milliliters white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon/5 grams sugar

2 tablespoons/30 milliliters whole-grain mustard

1⁄4 cup/32 grams chopped fresh chives

Kosher salt and ground white pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1. Gently simmer the potatoes in heavily salted water just until tender (a skewer or paring knife should pass through a potato without resistance, but they should not be falling apart). Drain the potatoes in a colander and let excess water steam off.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing: Sauté the bacon in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat until crisp on the outside but still soft inside. Transfer the lardons to a plate to cool, and reserve the rendered fat.

3. In a medium saucepan, cook the onions in the vegetable oil until soft but not colored. Add the chicken stock, vinegar, and sugar and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.

4. As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle—they should still be warm—peel the potatoes and slice into 1⁄4-inch/0.5-centimeter slices; try to keep them uniform. Transfer to a bowl.

5. Add the reserved bacon fat and the mustard to the warm