Cook's Country April/May 2018

WE’RE KNOWN FOR being thorough here in the Cook’s Country test kitchen, but even I am sometimes surprised by how relentless we can be. For example, we cooked 46 pounds of potatoes before finalizing our recipe for Salt-Crusted Fingerling Potatoes (page 20). A seemingly simple recipe for Stovetop cauliflower with Garlic and Thyme (page 9) took dozens of tests to perfect. Five easy breadsticks? Don’t ask. But I shouldn’t bat an eye at these numbers, because this is what we do. We strive to overturn every stone. We identify, and banish, our assumptions. We repeat successful tests to make sure they weren’t flukes. We purposefully court failure. Wait. What? Failure? That’s right. We try hard to fail. Let me explain. We want every recipe to work. Not just in our…

Mint: More Than Just the Leaves You advocate using cilantro stems (and not just the leaves) because they are tender and have a lot of flavor. Can mint stems be used similarly? -Annie Keilman, Oakland, Calif. In the test kitchen, we often use cilantro stems as we would fresh cilantro leaves. We’ve also found that it’s fine to use the tender, thinner stems of basil, especially when they are pulverized into a pesto. One exception to the “use the stems” rule is parsley, as our tests have shown that the stems can impart bitterness. Thanks to your question, we put mint to the test. After washing several bunches, we tasted raw mint leaves and mint stems. We were surprised to find that the stems—especially the thinner parts near the leaves—had…

Quick Crumb Cleanup Sally Payton, Corvallis, Ore. I keep a tablecloth on my dining room table, but I hate to have to throw it in the washing machine when there are only crumbs on it. For quick crumb cleanup, I found that a few swipes of a lint roller work wonders. A Fishy Solution Pam Kentley, Salem, Mass. I recently made a recipe that called for a single anchovy fillet. After opening a new tin, I didn’t know how to store the rest (I wanted to get them out of the tin, which is impossible to reseal once opened). To avoid stinking up a plastic storage container, I put the anchovies and their oil in an empty and clean glass spice jar with a screw-top lid. The jar is the…

12 Pitters 6 Tests • Elimination round: Pit 10 cherries, timing process and disqualifying models that fail to pit 3 or more cherries or take longer than 1 minute • Wash 5 times: once by hand and 4 times in dishwasher • Pit 1½ pounds cherries, timing process • Pit 10 olives, timing process • Pit additional 8 pounds cherries (top 2 models only) • Pit soft, delicate sour cherries (top 2 models only) YOU CAN PIT cherries by hand, but a cherry-pitting tool can save lots of time, quickly removing pits from fruit so that it can be used for preserves, pies, and more. These gadgets can also be used to pit olives. Models generally come in two styles: single pitters and multipitters, which pit multiple cherries at once.…

I STEP PAST THE chain-link gate and knock on the kitchen door loudly enough to be heard over the hood vents inside, where Gregory Emilis Beard is wedged between a griddle and a fully loaded prep table. He pauses just long enough to pour me a glass of fluorescent-red Kool-Aid from a gallon jug. Tropical Punch, his favorite—and the only flavor he serves. As we talk in the heat of the small kitchen, Beard doesn’t stop moving. He smothers chicken wings in gravy, throws burgers on the griddle, and fires off a slab of meatloaf with sides of mac and cheese and mashed potatoes for a takeout order. He cooks, chops, stirs, and answers an endless stream of phone calls. Chef Greg’s Soul “N” the Wall is a lean operation,…

A BOOGALOO WONDERLAND sandwich bears a passing resemblance to the classic Sloppy Joe, but that comparison doesn’t really do it justice. It’s bigger and bolder, spicier and tangier. It’s just as simple to make, but if you ask me, this Detroit original, little known outside the city, has more punch, personality, and oomph. And no one can deny that it has a much, much cooler name. The Boogaloo’s base ingredients aren’t surprising; they include ground beef, melted American cheese, and sautéed onions on a sub roll. But what ties this sandwich together (and sets it apart) is its bold, brassy sauce, a glazy mix of sweet and savory flavors that soaks into the bread and makes the Boogaloo a beautiful mess to eat. Unfortunately, the original sauce recipe is top…