In The Hands Of A Chef Part 1

In the Hands of a Chef.

by Jody Adams.

Introduction.

The shortest route I know to human happiness is cooking. The immediacy of mincing garlic, stripping kale, or searing fresh sea scallops takes me away from my ordinary cares and, however briefly, narrows my responsibility to just the radish or the sprig of rosemary in front of me. The vivid red appeal of a fresh tomato sauce is a kind of satisfaction in itself. As a chef with a restaurant to run, I'm aware that the bottom line is my customers' satisfaction with the food that appears on their tables. But as a cook, especially a cook at home, these other pleasures are as important as the consumption of the meal. They're a kind of built-in bonus that comes with "handmade" food. to human happiness is cooking. The immediacy of mincing garlic, stripping kale, or searing fresh sea scallops takes me away from my ordinary cares and, however briefly, narrows my responsibility to just the radish or the sprig of rosemary in front of me. The vivid red appeal of a fresh tomato sauce is a kind of satisfaction in itself. As a chef with a restaurant to run, I'm aware that the bottom line is my customers' satisfaction with the food that appears on their tables. But as a cook, especially a cook at home, these other pleasures are as important as the consumption of the meal. They're a kind of built-in bonus that comes with "handmade" food.

Cookbooks these days seem less and less inclined to celebrate this essential truth. One type of book offers an antidote to our overscheduled lives, promising to compress kitchen time to the minimum. Another tempts (or overwhelms) us with elaborate restaurant-style preparations and presentations. This book argues for a third category-artisa.n.a.l home food. Good food made from scratch. This category finds its inspiration in regional cooking, mostly European, in the type of dishes that used to be prepared for family dinners. Although some of the recipes in this book are both fast and simple. I'm announcing my intention up front: to seduce you into spending more time, not less, in your kitchen.

The distinctive feature of artisa.n.a.l cooking is its being handmade, of taking fresh raw ingredients through a series of steps to a finished state. With everything from sea urchin roe sushi to Mexican duck fajitas available in grocery stores today, artisa.n.a.l cooking is clearly no longer a necessity, but some of us choose to do it anyway. Some aspects of experience are worth keeping in your own hands, and few are as hands-on or as immediately satisfying as cooking. This book is an invitation to place yourself in my hands and, I hope, experience why I'm so pa.s.sionate about my particular patch of territory.

None of the recipes in these pages belongs to the juggle-four-oranges-in-the-air-while-fanning-the-squabs-with-your-foot school of cooking. When you need technique, I explain what to do. When you need to know how something should look or taste, I tell you. Many of the recipes do require some time, if not necessarily your constant attention. But when I ask you to invest time in a dish, there is always a reward in the depth of flavor.

Each of these recipes is something we do at my house, even if from time to time a more elaborate variation of the dish is served at Rialto. Although this is not a restaurant cookbook, it does contain a chapter of signature preparations, "A Mile in a Chef's Shoes"-including, most notably, Soupe de Poisson and Roasted Marinated Long Island Duck with Green Olive and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce. These are far and away my most frequently requested recipes. You can can make them in your own kitchen, with less effort than you might think. You are, presumably, already a pa.s.sionate eater; my goal is to turn you into a pa.s.sionate cook. make them in your own kitchen, with less effort than you might think. You are, presumably, already a pa.s.sionate eater; my goal is to turn you into a pa.s.sionate cook.

The Kitchen in My Head Like every cook, I'm the product of a constellation of culinary influences-my mom, cooking cla.s.ses, numberless cookbooks, memorable meals, travel, work experience, and the chefs who employed me. Even after I became a chef, with the freedom to explore my own instincts, it took a few years before everything I'd learned shook itself into some kind of coherence: what I call "the kitchen in my head. " The practical result is that I have great confidence in my food. I love what I cook, whether at work or at home. product of a constellation of culinary influences-my mom, cooking cla.s.ses, numberless cookbooks, memorable meals, travel, work experience, and the chefs who employed me. Even after I became a chef, with the freedom to explore my own instincts, it took a few years before everything I'd learned shook itself into some kind of coherence: what I call "the kitchen in my head. " The practical result is that I have great confidence in my food. I love what I cook, whether at work or at home.

Most of my cooking life has revolved around a fascination for high-quality ingredients and figuring out the best ways of handling them. Although as a child I accompanied my mother on infrequent trips for baked goods or chicken at Italian shops on Federal Hill in Providence, these were exhilarating exceptions that proved the rule-most food came prepackaged, from the supermarket. It wasn't until I was a teenager, living in England during one of my father's sabbaticals, with opportunities for travel to France and Italy, that I came to see an alternative to the supermarket model. In addition to the Oxford market with its stalls of vendors, there were the butcher shops with enameled trays of freshly killed rabbits, gleaming livers, and the occasional calf's head. It soon became something of an obsession with me to visit markets wherever we traveled. When we returned to Providence, my mother and I began shopping regularly on Federal Hill. To this day, museums drain me after an hour or two, but I can wander through farmers' markets all day and return home with my finds, energized for cooking.

Part of the allure of ingredients (and, by extension, markets) for me is simple sensual pleasure. Stacks of leeks, white, bulbous, and gleaming, bundled red and white radishes, and the circus-tent stripes of delicata squash all grab my eye as I pa.s.s by. Purple-top turnips beg to be lifted, hefted, and judged heavy or light for their size; a flat of local strawberries or tomatoes stirs the same thing in me that used to be reached only by a new box of crayons, a visceral urge to touch and smell before using.

Noting variations in the color and heft in turnips, rutabagas, and celery root is practical as well as aesthetic. Visual and tactile differences between the same vegetables offer clues to water, starch, and sugar content, which affect how you cook them. Summer garlic is sweet and forgiving; if you turn your back on winter garlic, it burns. A turnip that feels light for its size will taste bitter and may have a spongy texture. In my cooking cla.s.ses, I've found that home cooks who are already familiar with technique are often surprised to see how much their food improves when they apply a little more attention and discernment to choosing their ingredients, regardless of whether the ingredient is a Hubbard squash or a chicken leg.

As a restaurateur, I know the vendors and in many cases the actual producers of the particular raw ingredients I buy. When you know the people growing or harvesting your ingredients, you treat the ingredients with greater respect. I've squished through the Wellfleet tidal flats where my friends Patrick and Barbara Woodbury devote themselves to raising perfect clams: they can tell the health and quality of a clam with a simple tap. In thirteen years of business with them, I have never had so much as a clam with a cracked sh.e.l.l. How could I not treat their clams with respect (and ensure that my cooks do the same)? With the resurgence of farmers' markets across the country, it is now possible for home cooks to form the same type of relationship with vendors that until recently had been the exclusive domain of people in the food business.

With the Federal Hill neighborhood and its Italian markets only a short drive from my house, and the immigrant Portuguese neighborhood also close by, it was probably fated I'd learn cooking technique by studying Europe's regional cuisines. Regional cooking is really no more than the collective knowledge of the people who live where particular ingredients are most accessible. This usually means home cooks, because that's "where the rubber meets the road" in terms of culinary experience-the family dinner table. What works sticks around, and becomes part of the local cooking tradition. Technique enters the picture for me not as something isolated, valued in itself, but as a series of steps that arise in a particular place with local ingredients. My first exposure to technique came through the regional food of Italy, later followed by that of France and Spain, and eventually the farther reaches of the Mediterranean. First comes the what what-the ingredients-then comes the how how-the way of making the most of ingredients. Technique is all about distilling knowledge of what works into steps that I can reproduce at home or teach in cla.s.ses or do at Rialto. The process of searing seafood, for example, is much more understandable when it's embedded in the story of how people in Normandy like to treat their scallops. Seen this way, technique and ingredients are partners, dependent on each other, in a dance that transforms raw ingredients into a finished dish.

For the first part of my career, as the chef of Michela's in Boston, I specialized in carefully researched dishes based on regional Italian food. This had the obvious advantage of giving me, a new chef, a framework. When writing a menu, for example, and thinking about new seafood entrees, I had someplace to go. Instead of having to ponder the terrifyingly open-ended question of, "OK, let's see, we need a few fish dishes-what can I do?" I could take a page from the experience of cooks in Tuscany or Puglia. But over time, I found myself less and less bound to the idea of reproducing dishes exactly as they might be cooked in their place of origin. By the time I left Michela's, I had come to regard regional cuisine as a resource (one among several), a library of particular techniques and ingredient combinations that might be visited for inspiration. What about all the wonderful ingredients indigenous to New England-and not found in France? I am grateful for my grounding in regional cuisine, perhaps the way a jazz musician appreciates his cla.s.sical training-it all gets put to use. But my cooking now, at Rialto, is looser. I rely on my instincts more (that kitchen in my head). I'm willing to let my cooking be inspired by dishes I've tasted while traveling, but not dominated by them, and I always try to take my first cue from what's best in the markets accessible to me. Who knows where my instincts will take me? Probably France or Italy or Spain, but some items on my menu found their inspiration in Tunisia or Guatemala-or just around the corner in Maine.

How to Use This Book

Cooking isn't magic-except to those who can't cook. Success may not be instant, but it is almost always certain, especially with practice. Every recipe in this book has been tested at least twice, once by me and once by my friend and recipe tester Pam Krueger. Pam is not a culinary professional, she's a home cook, and as we worked our way through this ma.n.u.script, she encountered many new taste combinations and more than one unfamiliar technique. When she didn't understand a recipe, we rewrote the recipe to answer her concerns; we talked about potential pitfalls and how to avoid them, and we tried to incorporate as much of this information into the recipes as possible, often testing recipes another third time. In the course of this process, we discovered a few guidelines for increasing your chances for a happy experience in the kitchen. those who can't cook. Success may not be instant, but it is almost always certain, especially with practice. Every recipe in this book has been tested at least twice, once by me and once by my friend and recipe tester Pam Krueger. Pam is not a culinary professional, she's a home cook, and as we worked our way through this ma.n.u.script, she encountered many new taste combinations and more than one unfamiliar technique. When she didn't understand a recipe, we rewrote the recipe to answer her concerns; we talked about potential pitfalls and how to avoid them, and we tried to incorporate as much of this information into the recipes as possible, often testing recipes another third time. In the course of this process, we discovered a few guidelines for increasing your chances for a happy experience in the kitchen.

This book is about my taste and experience, the places my hands and palate naturally go, and I encourage you to follow me there-even if it's not your first instinct. The idea of a particular dish is often more forbidding to home cooks than the actual preparation or taste of the dish itself. For instance, there is a recipe for Rabbit Soup with Garlic and Peppers (page 58). Try making the recipe with rabbit, as it's written, instead of automatically subst.i.tuting chicken. You may discover tastes you never knew you had. While writing this book, I farmed out recipes to friends, watching to see which (if any) of the preparations survived beyond the OK-we'll-make-it-once-for-you-because-you're-our-buddy stage. My friends were often surprised that they liked previously unfamiliar dishes like brandade and roast goose, but I was not. Even more satisfying to me was how much they liked making the food.

Read each recipe through before making a shopping list. Some of the recipes have several components; cooking all of them for the first time can be quite challenging. The Roasted Marinated Long Island Duck with Green Olive and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce, for example, explains how to roast the duck as well as make a duck stock and use the stock to make a green olive sauce. If you want to try everything your first time out of the gate, by all means go for it, but if not, your pleasure (or that of your guests) in a slow-roasted duck will make up for your reservations about skipping the sauce. A dish that you can comfortably make in an hour or an hour and half is no fun to make if you try to compress it into forty-five minutes. When you have time, with slow-roasting under your belt, you can try the stock and sauce.

A good carpenter never blames his tools for poor work, but it is difficult to do great work with poor tools. Investing in a few heavy-bottomed pots, decent knives, and a sharpening steel will more than repay the cost of their initial outlay. Almost every other piece of equipment is optional, but knives and a couple of serious pots are essential. It is almost impossible to saute properly in a pan that won't conduct heat evenly. By the same token, knives that can't hold a sharp edge (which can be restored before each use by a few good strokes on the steel) make chopping and slicing a dangerous ch.o.r.e, instead of the pleasure it should be.

Finally, have fun. If you can't find a particular herb (or you really, really really, really like an alternative), feel free to make subst.i.tutions; if a particular subst.i.tution is problematic, I'll warn you. This book should enhance your confidence, not tear it down. I want the recipes to contribute to your overall store of happiness, not deplete it. Make it your business to cook just like an alternative), feel free to make subst.i.tutions; if a particular subst.i.tution is problematic, I'll warn you. This book should enhance your confidence, not tear it down. I want the recipes to contribute to your overall store of happiness, not deplete it. Make it your business to cook just a little a little beyond your abilities and you will soon find yourself in the lamentable position of all great cooks-wishing you had more time in your life to spend in the kitchen. beyond your abilities and you will soon find yourself in the lamentable position of all great cooks-wishing you had more time in your life to spend in the kitchen.

Starters and Small Bites

My favorite style of entertaining is to invite guests for around four o'clock on a Sunday afternoon, which allows plenty of time for everyone to hang out and catch up before sitting down at the table. I usually offer one-at most, two-homemade dishes for nibbling with wine, and everyone is encouraged to serve himself. Little treats-whether called tapas, canapes, or meze-encourage guests to slow down and savor the moment, especially if it's on a c.o.c.ktail napkin right in front of them. is to invite guests for around four o'clock on a Sunday afternoon, which allows plenty of time for everyone to hang out and catch up before sitting down at the table. I usually offer one-at most, two-homemade dishes for nibbling with wine, and everyone is encouraged to serve himself. Little treats-whether called tapas, canapes, or meze-encourage guests to slow down and savor the moment, especially if it's on a c.o.c.ktail napkin right in front of them.

My repertoire of predinner food falls into two categories-items I prepare ahead and those that can be done while friends are standing around relaxing with a gla.s.s of wine. With the exception of Grilled Clams on the Half-Sh.e.l.l with Garlic Crostini-they absolutely have to go on the grill at the last minute-all these recipes in this chapter can be made in advance if inviting friends into your kitchen makes you uncomfortable.

This chapter is one of the few places in the book where I indulge in deep-frying. Health-conscious friends who would never order (or make at home) anything deep-fried feel free to try Goujonettes of Sole if they know they're only going to consume a few mouthfuls. People love small tastes of fried things, especially if there is a sauce to go with them.

Supplement whatever you've chosen to make with simple items like olives or cheeses or breads. My aim here isn't to replace any of these-just to expand your repertoire into the memorable, the special. If you're the sort of person who can't bear to serve anything unless it's homemade, of course, feel free to do so-and invite me over.

Smoked Salmon Rolls with Arugula, Mascarpone, Chives, and Capers Avisit to Peck's, the famed food emporium in Milan, inspired this dish. I came across a display of their torta cheeses-bricks of cheese layered with different ingredients, including one with smoked salmon and mascarpone. The combination is fabulous. Mascarpone's subtle sweetness doesn't overwhelm the flavor of delicate smoked salmon. The bundles can be done a day ahead, minus the arugula, and kept refrigerated. Before serving, push food emporium in Milan, inspired this dish. I came across a display of their torta cheeses-bricks of cheese layered with different ingredients, including one with smoked salmon and mascarpone. The combination is fabulous. Mascarpone's subtle sweetness doesn't overwhelm the flavor of delicate smoked salmon. The bundles can be done a day ahead, minus the arugula, and kept refrigerated. Before serving, push 3 3 arugula leaves into the top of each roll. You can elevate the rolls from finger food to a full appetizer by using a more elaborate presentation. Arrange 4 rolls each atop portions of a simple arugula salad and accompany with Parchment Bread (page 21). arugula leaves into the top of each roll. You can elevate the rolls from finger food to a full appetizer by using a more elaborate presentation. Arrange 4 rolls each atop portions of a simple arugula salad and accompany with Parchment Bread (page 21).

MAKES 24 HORS D'OEUVRES OR 6 APPETIZER SERVINGS 5 ounces mascarpone (about cup) 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper pound smoked salmon, cut into 24 thin slices, 2 to 3 inches on the short side (presliced salmon is fine) 48 small tender arugula leaves 1. Mix the mascarpone with 1 tablespoon of the capers, 1 tablespoon of the chives, and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Mix the mascarpone with 1 tablespoon of the capers, 1 tablespoon of the chives, and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Lay the salmon slices out on a cutting board so that they're all arranged with a short side facing you, with plenty of s.p.a.ce above and below each slice. (If necessary, fill and roll the slices in batches.) Lay the salmon slices out on a cutting board so that they're all arranged with a short side facing you, with plenty of s.p.a.ce above and below each slice. (If necessary, fill and roll the slices in batches.) 3. Put a spoonful of the mascarpone mixture on the narrow end of one slice. Lay 2 arugula leaves, fanned slightly apart, across the mascarpone, so that the tips of the leaves will project several inches from one end of the roll, and roll up the salmon. Stand the roll upright, the arugula leaves pointing upward, on a platter large enough to hold all 24 rolls. Repeat the process with the remaining slices. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Put a spoonful of the mascarpone mixture on the narrow end of one slice. Lay 2 arugula leaves, fanned slightly apart, across the mascarpone, so that the tips of the leaves will project several inches from one end of the roll, and roll up the salmon. Stand the roll upright, the arugula leaves pointing upward, on a platter large enough to hold all 24 rolls. Repeat the process with the remaining slices. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

4. Remove from the refrigerator, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon each capers and chives, and serve. Remove from the refrigerator, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon each capers and chives, and serve.

Grilled Clams on the Half-Sh.e.l.l with Garlic Crostini Grilling clams turns into culinary theater-everyone soon gathers around to investigate the aroma of the clams sizzling in a little olive oil seasoned with white pepper. The clams can be opened several hours in advance as long as they're kept chilled and covered, and care is taken not to spill any of their juice, called "liquor." theater-everyone soon gathers around to investigate the aroma of the clams sizzling in a little olive oil seasoned with white pepper. The clams can be opened several hours in advance as long as they're kept chilled and covered, and care is taken not to spill any of their juice, called "liquor."

MAKES 40 HORS D'OEUVRES 1 to 2 cups kosher salt 40 littleneck clams (3 to 4 pounds), scrubbed Freshly ground white pepper (if you only have pre-ground white pepper, subst.i.tute freshly ground black pepper) About 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 loaf rustic bread, cut into twenty 1-inch-thick slices 6 garlic cloves, peeled 1. Prepare a fire in a grill with both hot and medium sections (see page 265). A grill is hot when you can hold your hand near the cooking surface for no more than a count of 2 before having to pull it away. For the medium section, you should be able to hold your hand near the cooking surface for at least a count of 4 before having to pull it away. Prepare a fire in a grill with both hot and medium sections (see page 265). A grill is hot when you can hold your hand near the cooking surface for no more than a count of 2 before having to pull it away. For the medium section, you should be able to hold your hand near the cooking surface for at least a count of 4 before having to pull it away.

2. Cover a large platter with a -inch layer of kosher salt, to hold the clams without tipping after opening. Open the clams (see box), setting each clam in its half-sh.e.l.l on the platter. The clams will cook-and stay moist-in their own juice, so preserve as much of this flavorful liquid while opening them as possible. Sprinkle the clams with white pepper and drizzle each with about teaspoon olive oil-don't measure, just drizzle lightly. Cover a large platter with a -inch layer of kosher salt, to hold the clams without tipping after opening. Open the clams (see box), setting each clam in its half-sh.e.l.l on the platter. The clams will cook-and stay moist-in their own juice, so preserve as much of this flavorful liquid while opening them as possible. Sprinkle the clams with white pepper and drizzle each with about teaspoon olive oil-don't measure, just drizzle lightly.

3. To make the crostini, brush the bread slices lightly with olive oil. Place on the medium part of the grill and grill until toasted, a minute or two on each side-watch them carefully so they don't burn. Rub the grilled slices with the garlic and sprinkle with salt. Cut the crostini in half crosswise so you have 40 pieces. To make the crostini, brush the bread slices lightly with olive oil. Place on the medium part of the grill and grill until toasted, a minute or two on each side-watch them carefully so they don't burn. Rub the grilled slices with the garlic and sprinkle with salt. Cut the crostini in half crosswise so you have 40 pieces.

4. Using tongs, place the clams, in their sh.e.l.ls, on the hot grill. Watch for the liquor and olive oil to boil. Allow the clams to boil until they're just cooked-depending on the temperature of the grill, this may be only a minute. Err on the side of underdoneness; if they're a shade underdone, you can always put them back on the grill for a few seconds. Transfer the clams back to the platter. Serve the clams and crostini immediately. Using tongs, place the clams, in their sh.e.l.ls, on the hot grill. Watch for the liquor and olive oil to boil. Allow the clams to boil until they're just cooked-depending on the temperature of the grill, this may be only a minute. Err on the side of underdoneness; if they're a shade underdone, you can always put them back on the grill for a few seconds. Transfer the clams back to the platter. Serve the clams and crostini immediately.

HOW TO OPEN A CLAM.

The easiest way to learn how to open a clam is to ask the shucker at a raw bar to demonstrate the technique-it's not really difficult, just difficult to describe. Once you've mastered the technique, you can open clams with almost any knife, but using a clam knife, with its st.u.r.dy, blunt-edged blade, is the easiest and safest way to learn. Hold the clam on a folded towel in the palm of your hand; the towel prevents the clam from slipping while protecting your hand. The hinge of the clam should point toward your wrist, the outer rim of the clam toward your fingers. Keeping the clam level so as little juice as possible spills during opening, work the thin side of the blade into the outer rim of the clam between the edges of the sh.e.l.ls. This is usually just a matter of placing the knife edge against the seam and squeezing the blade into the clam. Once the knife blade is between the sh.e.l.ls, a simple twist of the blade will pry the sh.e.l.ls apart. Carefully detach the meat from the upper sh.e.l.l with the knife. Twist off the top sh.e.l.l and discard. Place the clam in its half-sh.e.l.l on a platter spread with kosher salt so the sh.e.l.l doesn't tip.

Goujonettes of Sole with Remoulade Sauce These tasty strips of sole are named for their resemblance to are named for their resemblance togoujons,tiny members of the minnow family, which the French love to dredge in flour and fry whole. Goujonettes are prepared the same way, then served with lemon or a flavored mayonnaise. You can prepare a lovely presentation of the sole on a platter, but I have to admit that this is one of my favorite friends-hanging-out-in-the-kitchen dishes. Goujonettes are perfect right out of the pan and everyone loses whatever inhibitions he may have had about using his fingers to dip the tasty strips of sole into a bowl of remoulade.

MAKES 36 HORS D'OEUVRES 1 pound fresh skinless sole fillets cup milk cup unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons semolina flour Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley for garnish 1 recipe Remoulade (page 14), chilled 1. Remove any skin, bones, or cartilage from the fish fillets. Slice the fish into "goujonette" strips about 1 inch wide and 4 inches long. Remove any skin, bones, or cartilage from the fish fillets. Slice the fish into "goujonette" strips about 1 inch wide and 4 inches long.

2. Pour the milk into a shallow bowl. Mix the flours together on a plate. Dip the fish strips in the milk and then season with salt and pepper. Roll in the flour mixture and lay out on a tray. Refrigerate until ready to use. Pour the milk into a shallow bowl. Mix the flours together on a plate. Dip the fish strips in the milk and then season with salt and pepper. Roll in the flour mixture and lay out on a tray. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Preheat the oven to 200F. Line a sheet pan with paper towels and put in the oven. Preheat the oven to 200F. Line a sheet pan with paper towels and put in the oven.

4.Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350F. Use a deep-fry thermometer to check the temperature. Carefully lower 4 or 5 goujonettes into the oil (put each in individually, or they'll stick together) and deep-fry until they are golden brown on the outside and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. As they finish cooking, transfer them to the sheet pan in the oven. Continue until all the sole is cooked.

5.Serve on a warm platter garnished with the parsley. Offer the bowl of remoulade sauce on the side.

Mayonnaise-and Variations Homemade mayonnaise will be a culinary epiphany if you've never made it before, both from the standpoint of taste and the sense of astonished accomplishment that goes along with making it. There are literally dozens of variations with different herbs and flavorings to transform the basic recipe into a memorable sauce. I've listed a few of the cla.s.sics below. The convention in making mayonnaise is to use 1 cup of oil for each egg yolk. My version halves the amount of oil, resulting in a richer flavor and texture. Please use only absolutely fresh eggs, and allow all of the ingredients to come to room temperature before beginning the recipe. culinary epiphany if you've never made it before, both from the standpoint of taste and the sense of astonished accomplishment that goes along with making it. There are literally dozens of variations with different herbs and flavorings to transform the basic recipe into a memorable sauce. I've listed a few of the cla.s.sics below. The convention in making mayonnaise is to use 1 cup of oil for each egg yolk. My version halves the amount of oil, resulting in a richer flavor and texture. Please use only absolutely fresh eggs, and allow all of the ingredients to come to room temperature before beginning the recipe.

Homemade mayonnaise will keep for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that the flavor of fresh herbs may fade after a day or two, although the mayonnaise will remain usable for some time longer.

MAKES A GENEROUS CUP.

1 extra-large egg yolk teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice cup vegetable oil cup extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the mustard and lemon juice. Whisk in the vegetable oil, one drop at a time. This will establish the all-important emulsion; after you've made an emulsion with the vegetable oil, you can then begin adding the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, continuing to beat all the while. If it seems as though the olive oil isn't being incorporated into the emulsion, stop adding oil, and keep beating. If it seems as though the emulsion still isn't incorporating the oil, beat a drop or two of water into the mixture to loosen it. Then resume adding the oil. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the mustard and lemon juice. Whisk in the vegetable oil, one drop at a time. This will establish the all-important emulsion; after you've made an emulsion with the vegetable oil, you can then begin adding the olive oil in a thin, steady stream, continuing to beat all the while. If it seems as though the olive oil isn't being incorporated into the emulsion, stop adding oil, and keep beating. If it seems as though the emulsion still isn't incorporating the oil, beat a drop or two of water into the mixture to loosen it. Then resume adding the oil.

2. Season with salt and pepper. If the mayonnaise seems too thick, beat in a drop or two of water. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Season with salt and pepper. If the mayonnaise seems too thick, beat in a drop or two of water. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Aioli Aioli is a traditional French sauce of mayonnaise flavored with minced garlic. Although some versions call for a bit of potato as a thickener, I prefer to keep things simple-just mayonnaise and garlic. As a condiment for soups, fish, and vegetables, aioli is ubiquitous in southern France and coastal Italy. There's even a French dish called a grand aioli, composed of various cooked vegetables served with aioli for dipping. To make aioli, simply mince and then mash 2 cloves of garlic with a pinch of salt until they form a paste, then beat into the basic mayonnaise.

Rouille Rouille is a peppery condiment used to top the floating croutons in the Provencal soupe de poisson soupe de poisson (fish soup), but there's no reason you can't use it with other seafood dishes. I particularly like it with cold seafood salads. Some versions of rouille include potatoes or bread crumbs to provide the sauce with body; my favorite is this version, based on mayonnaise. Mince and then mash 2 cloves of garlic with a little salt until they form a paste. (Or use more or less garlic according to taste.) Beat the garlic paste, 4 teaspoons paprika, and teaspoon cayenne pepper into the basic mayonnaise. (fish soup), but there's no reason you can't use it with other seafood dishes. I particularly like it with cold seafood salads. Some versions of rouille include potatoes or bread crumbs to provide the sauce with body; my favorite is this version, based on mayonnaise. Mince and then mash 2 cloves of garlic with a little salt until they form a paste. (Or use more or less garlic according to taste.) Beat the garlic paste, 4 teaspoons paprika, and teaspoon cayenne pepper into the basic mayonnaise.

Remoulade Remoulade is another cla.s.sic French condiment, with a bracing flavor of anchovies, cornichons, capers, and herbs. Although it is traditionally served with seafood, I also like it with cold pork or lamb. I never make less than a cup of remoulade, and those are the quant.i.ties I list here. Make a double recipe (1 cup) of the basic mayonnaise. Combine cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 2 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 shallot, minced; 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and coa.r.s.ely chopped; 2 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons; and 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced, and blend well, then mix into the mayonnaise. Add 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary, adding more lemon juice (up to 2 tablespoons in all) a teaspoon at a time. (Makes about 1 cups.) Herbal Mayonnaise Add 2 to 4 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh herbs to the basic mayonnaise. Tarragon, basil, chervil, thyme, and dill all make delicious additions.

Goat Cheese Terrine with Dried Figs and Hazelnuts This is a jewel-like composed terrine made with two different types of goat cheese, hazelnuts, dried figs, and sweet sherry. Don't skimp on the quality of the ingredients. Nothing is cooked or altered in any way, so the ingredients should be the best available. Buy a high-quality fresh goat cheese that has some goat in the taste and don't skimp on the figs. Turkish figs, especially from Ismir, are still plump with residual moisture and are often sticky with the reduced sugar sap of their own juices. If you can't find Turkish figs, subst.i.tute the plumpest dried figs you can find. The grape leaves provide a slightly tart, dramatic wrapping, but they can be omitted if you prefer. The terrine will keep for several days refrigerated. terrine made with two different types of goat cheese, hazelnuts, dried figs, and sweet sherry. Don't skimp on the quality of the ingredients. Nothing is cooked or altered in any way, so the ingredients should be the best available. Buy a high-quality fresh goat cheese that has some goat in the taste and don't skimp on the figs. Turkish figs, especially from Ismir, are still plump with residual moisture and are often sticky with the reduced sugar sap of their own juices. If you can't find Turkish figs, subst.i.tute the plumpest dried figs you can find. The grape leaves provide a slightly tart, dramatic wrapping, but they can be omitted if you prefer. The terrine will keep for several days refrigerated.

MAKES TWELVE 2-OUNCE SERVINGS.

pound high-quality dried figs, preferably Turkish cup sweet sherry, such as Pedro Jimenez 5 grape leaves preserved in brine (available in jars in the Middle Eastern section of your grocery store), rinsed and drained 1 pound fresh goat cheese, divided into 5 equal portions pound aged goat cheese (such as Coach Farm Aged Brick or Bucheron), crumbled cup hazelnuts, toasted and coa.r.s.ely chopped 1. Remove the stems from the figs and slice the figs crosswise into -inch slices. Put into a bowl and pour the sherry over them. Allow them to steep for 30 minutes, then drain if there's any remaining liquid. Remove the stems from the figs and slice the figs crosswise into -inch slices. Put into a bowl and pour the sherry over them. Allow them to steep for 30 minutes, then drain if there's any remaining liquid.

2. Line a 63-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting several extra inches drape over the sides (there should be enough so that once the pan is filled, the overhanging plastic wrap can be folded over to cover the top completely). The plastic wrap makes it easy to unmold the terrine after chilling; if you're using a metal pan that isn't nonreactive, the wrap also prevents the metal from interacting with the cheese mixture. Line a 63-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting several extra inches drape over the sides (there should be enough so that once the pan is filled, the overhanging plastic wrap can be folded over to cover the top completely). The plastic wrap makes it easy to unmold the terrine after chilling; if you're using a metal pan that isn't nonreactive, the wrap also prevents the metal from interacting with the cheese mixture.

3. Line the sides and bottom of the pan with grape leaves, allowing a couple of inches of leaves to drape over the sides so that after the terrine is filled, the leaves can be folded back over the top. Spread 1 portion of the fresh goat cheese over the bottom of the pan and top with half of the aged goat cheese. Lay half the figs over the cheese, top with another portion of fresh cheese, and cover with half the hazelnuts. Top with another portion of fresh goat cheese and then the remaining aged cheese. Lay the remaining figs over the cheese, top with another layer of fresh goat cheese, and cover with the remaining hazelnuts. Finish with a final layer of fresh goat cheese. Fold the grape leaves back over the terrine, followed by the plastic wrap. Tap the pan several times on the counter to release any air bubbles. Refrigerate for 4 hours to set. Line the sides and bottom of the pan with grape leaves, allowing a couple of inches of leaves to drape over the sides so that after the terrine is filled, the leaves can be folded back over the top. Spread 1 portion of the fresh goat cheese over the bottom of the pan and top with half of the aged goat cheese. Lay half the figs over the cheese, top with another portion of fresh cheese, and cover with half the hazelnuts. Top with another portion of fresh goat cheese and then the remaining aged cheese. Lay the remaining figs over the cheese, top with another layer of fresh goat cheese, and cover with the remaining hazelnuts. Finish with a final layer of fresh goat cheese. Fold the grape leaves back over the terrine, followed by the plastic wrap. Tap the pan several times on the counter to release any air bubbles. Refrigerate for 4 hours to set.

4. Invert the terrine onto a platter. The terrine should easily come out of the pan once it's chilled. Carefully peel away the plastic wrap, so you don't tear the grape leaves. Cut a slice from the terrine with a knife so the inside is visible. Present the terrine and end slice on a small platter. Invert the terrine onto a platter. The terrine should easily come out of the pan once it's chilled. Carefully peel away the plastic wrap, so you don't tear the grape leaves. Cut a slice from the terrine with a knife so the inside is visible. Present the terrine and end slice on a small platter.

TOASTING NUTS AND SEEDS.

Spread the nuts on a single layer on a sheet pan and toast in a 350F oven until golden and aromatic, about 10 minutes. Keep a close watch while they toast-a minute or two of neglect is all it takes to burn them.

Seeds should be toasted on top of the stove to minimize the risk of burning. Cook them in a dry pan, tossing constantly, just until they become aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately transfer them to a cool plate. Always grind seeds after toasting.

Venetian Duck Liver and Porcini Pate On my first visit to Northern Italy, I was struck by how often there were only two antipasto choices: a smooth liver pate or some sliced prosciutto. These seemed to make up the antipasti selection in every small restaurant I visited. They were strategic choices for family-run businesses where every dollar counted: prosciutto was a dependable option for conservative clients, while more adventurous diners could try the house pate-which also gave the kitchen an opportunity to shine without investing in costlier ingredients. Northern Italy, I was struck by how often there were only two antipasto choices: a smooth liver pate or some sliced prosciutto. These seemed to make up the antipasti selection in every small restaurant I visited. They were strategic choices for family-run businesses where every dollar counted: prosciutto was a dependable option for conservative clients, while more adventurous diners could try the house pate-which also gave the kitchen an opportunity to shine without investing in costlier ingredients.

This pate is based on several with raisins I tried in Venice. I use the livers reserved from Rialto's roasted duck entree, but you can subst.i.tute chicken livers; duck livers simply increase the richness.

MAKES TWENTY-FOUR 2-OUNCE SERVINGS cup currants 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Marsala 2 pounds fresh duck livers (available from many butchers; subst.i.tute chicken livers if necessary) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 pound (4 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter, at room temperature 2 large shallots, minced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 ounce dried porcini, reconst.i.tuted in warm water (see page 271) and finely chopped (soaking liquid saved) 5 anchovies, rinsed and finely chopped cup finely chopped fresh sage plus 1 bunch sage for garnish cup cornichons cup small pickled onions cup Dijon mustard (optional) DO AHEAD: The pate needs to chill for at least 6 hours before serving, and it will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. The pate needs to chill for at least 6 hours before serving, and it will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

1. Put the currants in a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the Marsala, and set aside to plump. Put the currants in a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the Marsala, and set aside to plump.

2. Meanwhile, clean the livers of all sinew and veins. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the b.u.t.ter in a large saute pan over medium heat. As soon as the b.u.t.ter stops foaming, add the livers, and sear on both sides. Don't crowd the pan; cook the livers in batches if necessary. By the time the livers are lightly seared, they should be cooked to medium-rare. Drain in a colander and allow to cool. Meanwhile, clean the livers of all sinew and veins. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the b.u.t.ter in a large saute pan over medium heat. As soon as the b.u.t.ter stops foaming, add the livers, and sear on both sides. Don't crowd the pan; cook the livers in batches if necessary. By the time the livers are lightly seared, they should be cooked to medium-rare. Drain in a colander and allow to cool.

3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 tablespoon of the b.u.t.ter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the porcini, porcini soaking liquid, and the remaining 1 cup Marsala and cook until the liquids have reduced to a glaze, about 9 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 tablespoon of the b.u.t.ter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the porcini, porcini soaking liquid, and the remaining 1 cup Marsala and cook until the liquids have reduced to a glaze, about 9 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

4. Put the cooled livers in the food processor and process to a paste. Add the Marsala reduction, the anchovies, and sage. Pulse 3 times. Add the remaining 1 pound b.u.t.ter, 1 stick at a time, processing until completely incorporated. Transfer the liver paste to a bowl. Fold in the currants, with the Marsala they were soaking in, and season with salt and pepper. Put the cooled livers in the food processor and process to a paste. Add the Marsala reduction, the anchovies, and sage. Pulse 3 times. Add the remaining 1 pound b.u.t.ter, 1 stick at a time, processing until completely incorporated. Transfer the liver paste to a bowl. Fold in the currants, with the Marsala they were soaking in, and season with salt and pepper.

5. Line a 63-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting several inches drape over the sides, so that you can fold it back over the pate once the pan is filled. Pour the pate into the pan. Tap the pan several times on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Fold the plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Line a 63-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting several inches drape over the sides, so that you can fold it back over the pate once the pan is filled. Pour the pate into the pan. Tap the pan several times on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Fold the plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

6. To serve, carefully lift the pate out of the terrine and invert it onto a platter. Peel away the plastic wrap. Garnish with the bunch of sage and a small handful of the cornichons and onions. Offer the remaining pickles on the side, along with the mustard, if desired. To serve, carefully lift the pate out of the terrine and invert it onto a platter. Peel away the plastic wrap. Garnish with the bunch of sage and a small handful of the cornichons and onions. Offer the remaining pickles on the side, along with the mustard, if desired.

Walnut Breadsticks PPizza dough lends itself to quick homemade breadsticks and crackers (never throw away leftover dough for this reason). These breadsticks incorporate chopped walnuts and fresh herbs, but you can play with a wide array of other ingredients. Fiery-food lovers can sprinkle the dough with red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. Finely chopped cooked bacon, prosciutto, ricotta salata, crumbled feta, and chopped olives are also good. I've even rolled cooked lentils into the dough. Pick only a couple of ingredients for any one batch of breadsticks or their tastes begin to muddle. Keep the quant.i.ty of any add-ins down to a cup per half-pound of dough and chop them quite fine, so the breadsticks don't fall apart. quick homemade breadsticks and crackers (never throw away leftover dough for this reason). These breadsticks incorporate chopped walnuts and fresh herbs, but you can play with a wide array of other ingredients. Fiery-food lovers can sprinkle the dough with red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. Finely chopped cooked bacon, prosciutto, ricotta salata, crumbled feta, and chopped olives are also good. I've even rolled cooked lentils into the dough. Pick only a couple of ingredients for any one batch of breadsticks or their tastes begin to muddle. Keep the quant.i.ty of any add-ins down to a cup per half-pound of dough and chop them quite fine, so the breadsticks don't fall apart.

MAKES ABOUT 24 BREADSTICKS.

About 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil recipe Pizza Dough (page 123), cut into 4 pieces and allowed to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes Flour for rolling out the dough 1 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (such as basil, parsley, thyme, tarragon, etc.) cup freshly grated Parmesan Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1.Preheat the oven to 400F. Rub a large sheet pan with a light coating of olive oil, 2 to 3 teaspoons.

2. Roll out each piece of pizza dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough rectangle 4 to 5 inches wide and about 8 inches long. Rub each rectangle of dough with a teaspoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle each one with cup of the walnuts, 1 teaspoons of the herbs, 1 tablespoon of the cheese, and salt and pepper. Roll over the ingredients with the rolling pin to press them into the dough. Roll out each piece of pizza dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough rectangle 4 to 5 inches wide and about 8 inches long. Rub each rectangle of dough with a teaspoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle each one with cup of the walnuts, 1 teaspoons of the herbs, 1 tablespoon of the cheese, and salt and pepper. Roll over the ingredients with the rolling pin to press them into the dough.

3. Slice the dough lengthwise into -inch-wide strips. Grasp a strip of dough by both ends and give it 4 or 5 twists while stretching it, until it's about 10 to 12 inches long. Set the twisted strip down on the sheet pan. (If the dough seems to be stretching only in the middle, lay the strip down and do a couple of ministretches in the thicker spots to even things out before you twist the dough.) Repeat the process with the remaining dough. You should get about 2 dozen breadsticks. Slice the dough lengthwise into -inch-wide strips. Grasp a strip of dough by both ends and give it 4 or 5 twists while stretching it, until it's about 10 to 12 inches long. Set the twisted strip down on the sheet pan. (If the dough seems to be stretching only in the middle, lay the strip down and do a couple of ministretches in the thicker spots to even things out before you twist the dough.) Repeat the process with the remaining dough. You should get about 2 dozen breadsticks.

4. Bake until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Allow the breadsticks to cool completely before serving. They'll keep overnight in a tightly sealed container. Don't refrigerate or they'll become soggy. Bake until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Allow the breadsticks to cool completely before serving. They'll keep overnight in a tightly sealed container. Don't refrigerate or they'll become soggy.

Rosemary-Parmesan Crackers The crisp puffiness of these delicate crackers tempts people to pick them up, and they give off a wonderful aroma of garlic and rosemary. They won't last long. Any of the items used to flavor breadsticks (see page 19) can be sprinkled on top of the crackers just before baking, as long as you do it in moderation. The aim is an extremely light cracker with a hint of seasoning. delicate crackers tempts people to pick them up, and they give off a wonderful aroma of garlic and rosemary. They won't last long. Any of the items used to flavor breadsticks (see page 19) can be sprinkled on top of the crackers just before baking, as long as you do it in moderation. The aim is an extremely light cracker with a hint of seasoning.

MAKES 40 TO 50 CRACKERS.

About 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil recipe Basic Pizza Dough (page 123), cut into 4 pieces, rolled into b.a.l.l.s, and allowed to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes Flour for rolling out the dough cup finely chopped fresh rosemary 10 to 12 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Rub two sheet pans with a light coating of olive oil, 2 to 3 teaspoons apiece. Preheat the oven to 400F. Rub two sheet pans with a light coating of olive oil, 2 to 3 teaspoons apiece.

2. Roll out each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface into a round as thin as possible, about inch thick. Transfer to the sheet pans. Rub each round with a teaspoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle each one with 2 tablespoons of the rosemary, a quarter of the garlic, and cup of the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Roll out each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface into a round as thin as possible, about inch thick. Transfer to the sheet pans. Rub each round with a teaspoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle each one with 2 tablespoons of the rosemary, a quarter of the garlic, and cup of the cheese, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Using a pizza cutter, slice each round of dough into 10 to 12 thin wedges. Bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. They'll keep overnight in a tightly-sealed container. Don't refrigerate or they'll become soggy. Using a pizza cutter, slice each round of dough into 10 to 12 thin wedges. Bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. They'll keep overnight in a tightly-sealed container. Don't refrigerate or they'll become soggy.

Parchment Bread These are large, dramatic wafer-thin crackers adapted from the traditional Sardinian flatbread called crackers adapted from the traditional Sardinian flatbread called carta di musica carta di musica (the name means "sheet music"). I like to serve Parchment Bread as a simple starter, matched only with a bowl of good olives, or as a base for salads, where it absorbs the flavors but remains crisp. (the name means "sheet music"). I like to serve Parchment Bread as a simple starter, matched only with a bowl of good olives, or as a base for salads, where it absorbs the flavors but remains crisp.

If you don't have a pizza stone or baking tiles, you can bake the crackers on a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.

MAKES EIGHT 8-INCH ROUND CRACKERS.

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling out the dough cup semolina flour teaspoon kosher salt About cup warm water Cornmeal for dusting DO AHEAD: You can prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance. Follow the recipe through Step 1 and refrigerate the dough until you're ready to finish the recipe. You can prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance. Follow the recipe through Step 1 and refrigerate the dough until you're ready to finish the recipe.

1.Mix the flour, semolina, and salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually add just enough warm water to form a dough. The object is to add enough water to make a solid, quite soft ma.s.s of dough (softer, say, than pizza dough), but not so much that the dough becomes sticky rather than tacky. Knead the dough until it becomes elastic and smooth, about 3 minutes. Form it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 2 hours. (Refrigerate the dough if allowing it to rest for longer than 2 hours.) 2.Place a pizza stone or unglazed baking tiles on the center rack and preheat the oven to 450F.

3.After the dough has rested (bring to room temperature if chilled), unwrap it, divide it into 8 equal pieces, and shape each one into a ball. Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

4.Using plenty of flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling surface, roll each ball into a very thin circle 8 to 9 inches across. You should be able to read through the dough.

5.One at a time, transfer the parchment bread circles to a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal and slide them onto the pizza stone or tiles in the oven. Add only as many circles as will fit comfortably on the stone or tiles without touching, and bake for about 1 minute on each side, or until golden and crispy; they're easy to turn over with a pair of tongs. Remove from the oven and let cool. Repeat until all the circles are cooked. Parchment bread can be stored for about 3 days in an airtight container. Don't refrigerate or they'll become soggy.

Brandade de Morue Morue is the French word for salt cod, the equivalent of the Italian for salt cod, the equivalent of the Italian baccala, baccala, Spanish Spanish baccalao, baccalao, or Portuguese or Portuguese bacalhau. bacalhau. Originally fresh cod was salted and partially dried to preserve it during the long trip from the Atlantic fisheries to European seaports. Salt cod ranges from quite firm to pliable in texture, but regardless of its texture, it becomes quite soft after soaking. Brandade is a Provencal dish in which olive oil and usually garlic (and sometimes potatoes and cream) are blended with shreds of the fish resurrected from its salted state. Originally fresh cod was salted and partially dried to preserve it during the long trip from the Atlantic fisheries to European seaports. Salt cod ranges from quite firm to pliable in texture, but regardless of its texture, it becomes quite soft after soaking. Brandade is a Provencal dish in which olive oil and usually garlic (and sometimes potatoes and cream) are blended with shreds of the fish resurrected from its salted state.

Transforming salt cod into the ambrosial puree of brandade is quite easy and satisfying out of all proportion to the effort involved. The spectacular finished product bears no resemblance to its dried origins, especially when you add a little cream and potato to smooth out the texture. Spread on croutons, it's a delicious hors d'oeuvre (see page 24). You can also heat it with some chopped roasted red peppers and a little olive oil or cream for a pasta or gnocchi sauce.

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS.

1 pound center-cut salt cod (the thickest part of the fillet) 1 medium baking potato (6 ounces) 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced 4 shallots, minced 1 cup heavy cream Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice DO AHEAD: Soak the cod, following the instructions in Step 1. Soak the cod, following the instructions in Step 1.

1. Soak the salt cod in the refrigerator for 12 hours, or longer if needed, in a large bowl of cold water, changing the water 3 or more times. When ready, the cod should not be completely salt-free, or it will lack its distinctive flavor. It should taste a bit more salty than a fish that you've seasoned and cooked with salt. Soak the salt cod in the refrigerator for 12 hours, or longer if needed, in a large bowl of cold water, changing the water 3 or more times. When ready, the cod should not be completely salt-free, or it will lack its distinctive flavor. It should taste a bit more salty than a fish that you've seasoned and cooked with salt.