The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [429]
DEBEARDING MUSSELS
Before cooking mussels, place them under cold running water and, using a stiff scrub brush, remove any grit and sand. Using your thumb and forefinger, grasp the dark, weedy growth—the beard—protruding between the mussel shells, and tug it from the mussel. Because mussels die after the beard is removed, do this as close to cooking time as possible.
SHUCKING CLAMS AND OYSTERS
Wearing work gloves, scrub the shells with a firm vegetable brush to remove grit. Hold the clam or oyster flat-side up; wedge the knife between halves, twist, and pry apart. (Open stubborn ones from the back: Insert the knife at the joint; bang the knife against a surface. Hold the clam or oyster in place with your thumb until the muscle releases.)
WORKING WITH FRESH AND DRIED PEPPERS
The complex flavor of peppers is released by using different cooking methods. The more you work with them, the more flavor and character they will add to your food. Fresh peppers can be either sweet (like bell peppers) or hot (like jalapeños), and come in a great range of colors. The smaller the pepper, the hotter it is, so be careful. When chopping peppers, it is a good idea to wear plastic gloves, because the flesh and seeds can burn. The following preparations will make almost any dish more interesting.
ROASTING FRESH PEPPERS
Fresh large peppers, both hot and sweet, have a tough, transparent outer skin that should be removed unless they are served raw. The easiest way to loosen the skins is by charring them over a gas burner or under the broiler. Peppers may be roasted, peeled, seeded, and the ribs removed as described below 1 or 2 days in advance of their use in a recipe. Roasted peppers may be covered with olive oil and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Drain the olive oil from the peppers before using. If storing roasted peppers without oil, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To roast fresh peppers: Place the peppers directly on the trivet of a gas-stove burner over high heat, or on a grill. Just as each section becomes puffy and black, turn the pepper with tongs to prevent overcooking. (If you don’t have a gas stove, place the peppers on a baking pan, and broil in the oven, turning as each side becomes charred.) Transfer the peppers to a large bowl, and cover immediately with plastic wrap. The juices, which can be added to the liquid component of the recipe for deeper flavor, will collect in the bowl. Let the peppers sweat until they are cool enough to handle, approximately 15 minutes. The steam helps loosen the skins. Transfer the peppers to a work surface. (If you have sensitive skin, wear thin plastic gloves when handling the peppers.) Peel off the blackened skin and discard. There may be bits of charred skin that are not easily peeled away; it is fine to leave them. Refrain from rinsing the peeled peppers—it dilutes the smoky flavor of the charred peppers. Halve the peppers, and open them flat on the work surface. Use the blade of a paring knife to remove the seeds and the hard seed cluster at the top. Remove the ribs. Slice each pepper according to recipe instructions.
TOASTING DRIED PEPPERS
Toasting dried chiles helps bring out their flavor and their heat. Place the peppers in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast on both sides until slightly browned and aromatic. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool. Slit the chiles open, and discard the stems and seeds.
MAKING A PASTE FROM DRIED PEPPERS
Store dried peppers in a glass jar, out of the sun, or in a brown paper bag in the bottom of the refrigerator. Before using, rinse and pat each pepper dry.
1. Toast the peppers (see above).
2. Transfer the peppers to a heatproof bowl. Pour very hot water over the peppers