Cook’s Illustrated
Published on 15 Nov 2007 at 2:24 am.
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Filed under General, Lifestyle.
Both of my friends Joe and Ron like to cook. Ron was a professional chef and is amazing to see at work in the kitchen. We are trying to cook more in our home and shed the going-out-to-eat habit picked up in New York City and California.
Both Joe and Ron have recommended Cook’s Illustrated:
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/
They have excellent recipes, and Joe has pointed out that they take a scientific approach to cooking… something I can appreciate!
Here is an example:
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Chives
The Problem: Merely replacing the butter and cream with buttermilk to create tangy, creamy buttermilk mashed potatoes doesn’t work–the finished potatoes are curdled, crumbly, chalky, and dry.
The Goal: We wanted mashed potatoes with buttermilk’s trademark distinctive tang, but we also wanted mashed potatoes creamy and flavorful enough to be worth eating.
The Solution: Many recipes for buttermilk mashed potatoes remove so much butter that the potatoes taste lean and lack creaminess. We started by restoring just enough butter to save our mashed potatoes from this fate. We then tackled the curdling problem. Buttermilk curdles at 160 degrees; a temperature reached almost instantly when the cold liquid hits steaming-hot potatoes. By adding the butter, melted, to room-temperature buttermilk, we coated the proteins in the buttermilk and protected them from the heat shock that causes curdling. We also simplified the recipe by choosing peeled and cut Yukon Gold potatoes rather than using unpeeled russets (our usual choice for mashed potatoes). Because Yukon Golds have less starch and are less absorbent than russets, they don’t become soggy and thinned out when simmered without their jackets.
Bon Appetite!
Kevin Knuth
Albany NY
