Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers - Moosewood Collective [72]
HERBS, FRESH AND DRIED The scent, bright color, and fresh flavor of a fresh herb can make the simplest dish delectable, but dried herbs work better in some dishes. As a rule of thumb, use about half the amount of dried as fresh herbs. To test for strength of flavor, rub a pinch of dried herb between your fingers and breathe in the scent. Adjust the amount you use according to the intensity of the aroma.
HOISIN SAUCE a sweet Chinese condiment, is a deep chocolate-colored purée with a smooth, thick texture. It usually contains soybeans, sugar, vinegar, and spices.
HORSERADISH A pungent condiment. Most supermarkets carry jars of grated horseradish mixed with vinegar and salt.
IMMERSION BLENDER A lightweight electric blender with a shaft that can be immersed in hot soups or sauces right in the pot. They save time and cleanup (and are safer than pouring hot soup into a blender jar). Also, you can use them to blend whole tomatoes right in the can.
KEIFFER LIME LEAVES (kafir lime leaves, magroot, makrug, wild limes), used in Thai and Indonesian cuisine, are the glossy, dark green leaves of a tree grown in Southeast Asia and Hawaii. They have a unique lemon-lime perfume and wonderful flavor. Whole leaves, like bay leaves, are used to flavor hot foods and then discarded before eating. When finely shredded, they can be eaten cooked and raw. Keiffer lime leaves freeze well—just place dry whole leaves in a freezer bag, and they’ll retain flavor for months. Look for them in the produce section of large supermarkets.
KITCHEN SCISSORS Buy sharp kitchen scissors to snip fresh herbs into neat, finely chopped garnishes; to trim the sharp points from fresh artichoke leaves; to cut cooked noodles and parchment paper; to create vegetable, flower, and fruit decorations. Carefully dry the blades after washing to keep the scissors from rusting.
LEMONGRASS STALKS are amazingly aromatic reeds, treasured more for their fragrance than their flavor. They can grow up to 2 feet high and range in color from pale yellowish green to green-gray. To use lemongrass, cut off the tough root end, peel away the thick outer layers, and slice or mince the tender core. The tough exterior layers can be used in stock. Lemongrass is sold in Asian markets and many supermarkets. It is easy to grow, and although tropical, it will grow in moderate climates, and we have successfully harvested it even with our short upstate New York summers.
MANGOES There is nothing quite like a luscious ripe mango. Mangoes have a large, flat central pit that occupies about a third of the fruit and the pulp is very slippery, so be careful when slicing or peeling them. To cube a mango, use a sharp knife and slice from top to bottom along one of the broad, flat sides, cutting as close to the pit as possible. Then slice off the other side, leaving about a 1-inch strip of pulp and peel attached to the pit. Without cutting into the peel, score the pulp of each sliced half in a crosshatch pattern. Then bend each mango half inside out and slice off the cubes. Carefully peel and then cut away the pulp clinging to the pit.
MICROPLANE GRATER Possibly the greatest cooking tool introduced in the last decade. A long, flat stainless-steel grater with small, sharp grating edges. It makes fast work of grating whole nutmeg, fresh ginger and hard cheeses, and it’s perfect for grating lemon and orange peel; with a light touch, the zest is very finely shredded (not gummy), and it’s easy to avoid grating too deep and getting into the bitter pith. Microplane graters are easy to use and easy to clean. Originally they were woodworking tools sold in hardware stores, and then someone discovered how great they are in the kitchen. Look for them in kitchen supply stores and cooking catalogs.
MIRIN A Japanese sweet cooking wine made from rice, with