The best recipes in the world

ALSO BY MARK BITTMAN How to Cook Everything: Bittman Takes On America's Chefs The Minimalist Entertains The Minimalist Cooks at Home The Minimalist Cooks Dinner Simple to Spectacular Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef How to Cook Everything Leafy Greens Fish To home cooks everywhere, and to the memory of Craig, Julia, Phil, Max, and Helen ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I dreamed about writing an international cookbook for thirty years, and I'm grateful to everyone who allowed me to convert my fantasies into reality It's literally impossible, however, for me to mention everyone who helped me, kind cooks worldwide who invited me into their homes and shared their skills, their warmth, and their families' food How similar we all are when cooking and eating never ceases to amaze me I had plenty of help at home, too Genevieve Ko Sweet worked hard and long in helping me determine the ultimate versions of the recipes you see here; Kate Bittman and Peter Mee-han also played key roles in getting the manuscript into shape At Broadway Books, my editor, Jennifer Josephy, managed the project (and me) in stunningly e cient fashion Copy editor Chris Benton caught more ga es than I care to admit, smoothed my not-always-brilliant prose, and helped me reorganize the book into the (I hope user-friendly) shape in which you see it I'm happy to count Doubleday/Broadway publisher and president Steve Rubin among my friends, and I remain grateful for his professionalism as well The other sta at Broadway Books were also terri c I worked most closely with Elena Park, Ada Yonenaka, Elizabeth Rend eisch, Luisa Francavilla, Catherine Pollock, and Nicole Dewey Many others—outstanding professionals all—worked hard on this massive project Some of the ideas that were spawned by this book found a home in stories that ran in the New York Times, where I happily work with Kathleen McElroy and Nick Fox Pat Gurosky and Kris Ensminger have been terri c colleagues for years, and Barbara Graustark is inspiring, understanding, and supportive Sam Sifton was my editor during much of the period I was working on this book, and there is no better Other people to whom I will remain thankful forever are Linda Giuca, Louise Kennedy, Trish Hall, Rick Flaste, and Chris Kimball My debt to Jean-Georges Vongerichten is equally enormous, though the rumors that he taught me how to cook are unfounded There was a period of researching this book—a rather intense ve or six years—that was especially challenging I relied heavily on the support of many, many relatives and dear friends: Karen Baar, John Ringwald, David Paskin, Pamela Hart, Sherry Slade, Fred Zolna, Semeon Tsalbins, Bob and Mary Newhouse, Shari and Harry Sucheki, Joe and Kim McGrath, Jack Hitt, and Lisa Sanders Special mention: the Baldinos, for being ideal neighbors To Angela Miller, Charlie Pinsky and John H Willoughby people who are there for me every day my love and thanks To Alisa X Smith, who spent more time with me (and this book) than anyone else, I add my eternal gratitude And to my parents, Murray and Gertrude, and my kids, Emma and Kate—I just consider myself lucky xxx guys CONTENTS INTRODUCTION APPETIZERS AND SNACKS SOUPS SALADS FISH POULTRY MEAT VEGETABLES GRAINS SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS DESSERTS BEVERAGES MENUS SOURCES RECIPE GUIDE RECIPES BY CUISINE Introduction Home cooking has never been easier, more exciting, or lled with as much potential A mere generation ago—in many parts of the country a mere ten years ago—if you wanted soy sauce or miso, you went to an Asian market; if you wanted decent olive oil or mozzarella, you went to an Italian market; and if you wanted bulgur or phyllo, you went to a Middle Eastern market Now all those ingredients, and many more, are routinely available at supermarkets throughout North America Creating a well-stocked international pantry may still require some time and work—your supermarket may not carry miso, curry paste, or chipotles (though many do)—but lots of formerly exotic items are widely available And the international pantry—which requires only occasional replenishment—enables the home cook to vary his or her cuisine with almost no work Every bit as important as ingredients, however, is knowledge: what we with this miso, these chipotles, this curry paste? Here again we're in luck More information about the cooking of other lands is available than ever before, and the planet becomes smaller every year With or without this cookbook, if you had never cooked Vietnamese food before and wanted to so tonight, you could dig up a few recipes, head over to the supermarket, spend a couple of hours in the kitchen, and be wolfing down that caramelized shrimp before dark So We have the ingredients and we have the knowledge My goal in this book is to help you become familiar with the ingredients, to distill the knowledge, and to make the recipes as accessible as possible and as “American” as I can, without robbing them of their souls THE TECHNIQUES OF INTERNATIONAL COOKING This is not as challenging as it sounds In my other boldly titled book, How to Cook Everything, I focused on the techniques of basic cooking I recognized that there was a crying need for a book that covered the basics—one written primarily for the couple of generations of cooks that we had lost to so-called fast and convenience foods, to the lure of restaurants, to lack of interest and the family of two wage earners (In fact, there are a dozen reasons why many Americans began to stop cooking in the fties and sixties and have only recently resumed or taken it up for the first time.) But the voyages I took for this book convinced me of something I'd already known: ingredients change, but technique does not It's all basic I have traveled consistently for three decades, always with food as the focus, but beginning in 1999 I began to travel internationally with increasing frequency, with the aim of making the recipes included in this book as authentic as possible at home As I said, my trips rmed that cooking techniques simply don't vary from one place to the next At least not much Some techniques, of course, are unique to a given culture, and others are tweaked from one culture to the next One might wrap food in banana leaves before steaming; another might use corn husks or paper (or, for that matter, aluminum foil)—but this hardly makes a di erence In the broad scheme of things, for home cooks who are not looking to become expert at any given cuisine, these di erences are irrelevant It turns out that the techniques of cooking—applying heat to food with the goal of making it more digestible, palatable, and, ultimately, delicious—are pretty much the same wherever you go (Think about it; how many ways can you actually cook?) It's the flavors that change The world's cuisines have far more in common than not Think about bits of food wrapped in pastry and baked, fried, or steamed You might call them dumplings, pot stickers, ravioli, or empanadas, gyoza, manti, or pierogi (I could go on) They're universal I recently held a dumpling up in front of a class of students at a local community college, where the ethnic groups were as diverse as they are at the JFK International Arrivals Terminal I asked whether anyone came from a country where such a thing didn't exist No hands were raised The di erences are more about whether you season them with parsley and Parmesan or garlic and soy sauce and ginger than about how you put them together The same is true of basic soups and stews; the same is true of salads; the same is true, largely, of grilled dishes These things are universal; the techniques are simple, and the di erences among them are subtle This does not mean the di erences in avors are subtle—far from it! You make an egg drop soup with Parmesan and parsley, then you make one with soy sauce and cilantro, and the tastes are completely di erent But the techniques are identical I'm not saying that technique doesn't matter Because of di erences in fuel supply, weather, and history, di erent cultures favor di erent methods Stir-frying, which developed in regions where wood is hard to come by, uses much less fuel than grilling, which is popular where wood is plentiful Many cultures not bother with ovens (and therefore leavened bread), either because it's just too hot or, again, because ovens require lots of cooking fuel But these are not issues for the American home cook In fact, it's safe to say that if you know the basics of cooking—by which I mean if you know how to use a burner, an oven, a broiler, and a grill, and you know a little about buying food, storing it, cleaning and trimming it, and chopping it—you know the basics of international cooking If you consider yourself at all adept at any one cuisine, be it “American” (a meaningless term if ever there was one), French, Italian, Mexican, or Indonesian, you are already adept at the basic techniques of every cuisine All you need is become familiar with the groups of ingredients that make a cuisine distinctive, and you're well on your way Though I can make a decent meal out of almost any ingredients you give me, my own technique is not much more advanced than was my grandmother's The di erence between her and me is simply the di erence in our times: we are fortunately exposed to unprecedented amounts of both ingredients and information from all over the world And the difference between me and a chef—which I most definitely am not—is that I am neither trying to impress anyone nor trying to make a pro t on the food I cook I'm just trying to prepare great-tasting food that can be replicated by anyone who uses my recipes WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL COOKING? Every cookbook makes choices, and obviously international cooking is a broad topic (Only a cookbook about a very speci c slice of cooking, say Majorcan cuisine, could even begin to claim to be comprehensive, and still it would have to be a very good cookbook about Majorcan cuisine.) It would be fair, therefore, for you to wonder what kinds of international dishes are included here So let me explain my goals about cooking and cookbook writing in general and international cuisine in particular Like everyone else, I love to eat in restaurants, and I'm terribly impressed by what great chefs can But I have become, in e ect, a recipe hunter: I look for dishes I can cook for myself and friends, those that might eventually wind up in my New York Times column or my cookbooks Recipes like these rarely come from the “best” restaurant in town but from neighborhood restaurants or home cooks When I research, I am invariably referred to the “best” restaurant in whatever city I visit, a place that might ignore local cooking entirely, focusing instead on French or what might be called “contemporary international” cuisine; or a place that would try to gussy up the local cuisine, almost inevitably making it worse, not better Sometimes the places and people I have the greatest success with are those I nd under protest Someone might say, “The food is very good there, but it's a family place, with only locals—not in an interesting neighborhood and not the kind of place for a visitor.” Comments like these have led me to spectacular eating experiences in Stockholm, Rome, Istanbul, the Mekong Delta, the Yucatán, and countless other places When I'd look for a home cook, the experience was similar I'd hear “She”—almost always “she,” of course —“cooks only the local things; it's really not very special.” To me this was a dead giveaway that I'd found the right person As in local handicrafts, what's ordinary and traditional in the cooking of other cultures is exactly what's special to the curious traveler—and cook Because what's not special to the people who belong to any culture other than yours may well be special to you The culture that de nes much of the world is American What's exotic to families in Vietnam and Turkey is exactly what is common to us—Hollywood; cheap, hip fashion; McDonald's; and Chili's What's special to those of us who visit these countries may be what is boring to them: the daily herb-, noodle-, and meat-rich soup called or the skewered ground meat with eggplant Those are the kinds of dishes on which I have focused here: the daily cooking and eating of the people of much of the rest of the world This is a very personal (more on this in a minute) compilation of the simplest, best- tasting food I have experienced in my travels In fact, you can think of this book as a printed version of all the meals I've truly loved in good bars, little joints, mom-and-pop operations, and home kitchens Though it's all close to my heart, it's not exactly my food But that's the point (There's a quote from Montaigne I like: “I have only made up a bunch of other men's owers, providing of my own only the string that ties them together.”) It is the historical and traditional food of cooks from around the world REALITY AND AUTHENTICITY Do I make changes? Of course Remember that all cuisines originated in subsistence cultures, when the preparation of food was not an option and the amount of time it took was less of an issue We are freed not only from the burden of raising chickens, for example, but of raising the food needed to feed them and even of cutting them up We neither pick olives nor brine them We neither grow corn nor dry and grind it for meal Nor we need to think about any of these things months or years in advance or worry—much—about whether it rains All of this may be obvious, but my point is that when you take into account all the work that goes into planning, growing, harvesting, slaughtering, and butchering food, coupled with the fact that the kitchen appliances on which we rely most are just about a century old (imagine if all recipes began “build a re in your stove”), it's not surprising that many traditional recipes remain complex, and more time-consuming than they need be Some of the recipes I publish are streamlined, modernized, or updated versions of absolute classics For us, scarcity is all about time; we have, if anything, too many ingredients So a dish like shrimp lo mein borrows from an ancient and international tradition of combining noodles with whatever bits of protein and vegetables can be found and codi es it in a way that works for today's cooks Similarly, shrimp in green sauce, an Iberian dish, can be made in almost no time, thanks to the now-ubiquitous food processor In fact, what strikes me as most surprising is that many of the dishes included here are little changed from their traditional versions Jook—also known as congee and little more than rice porridge—is a perfect example I was told to look for it when I rst visited Hong Kong and have eaten it in Chinese communities all over the world since then Only last year did it occur to me that it was a dead-easy creation, one that could be made at home in just as many guises as I'd seen in restaurants and one that—despite its odd name—had wide-ranging appeal; it's become one of my favorites Similarly, xec—a Mayan citrus salsa—could not be more straightforward, nor could it be made with more common ingredients, yet what it does to plain grilled meat is truly remarkable And sweet black pepper sh, a Vietnamese classic, relies for most of its avor on two condiments you have sitting right on your counter: sugar and pepper Though the preparation is unusual (the sugar is used to make a slightly bitter caramel sauce) and the results are spectacular (people really love this one), you can't possibly begin with anything more ordinary It's my job to make recipes like these useful This is not a scholarly work, not an intellectual survey of world cuisine, but a practical one It's also a personal one; the recipes I've omitted are those I've never experienced—and believe me, there are plenty—those I don't believe translate well to the home kitchen, or those I plain don't like There is always the question of authenticity I have almost no culinary roots other than the ones I've put down myself; needless to say, I am not Lebanese and Vietnamese and Mexican and French Everything I have learned I have learned as an adult, from other people, and from other people's cookbooks So what makes my food “authentic”? There are two approaches to bringing back recipes from abroad: One is to nd the absolute “true” version (which of course doesn't exist) and to re-create it as closely as possible, in painstaking detail My approach is to nd a common, good-tasting version of an authentic dish and to re-create it in ways that not rob it of its integrity but make it accessible I approach every dish I encounter with an open mind I try to enjoy it to its fullest and understand it as deeply as I can And I've learned this: every cook has her or his own way of doing things Even the most codi ed cuisine —French—leaves plenty of room for interpretation And even the simplest dish in the world—lentils and rice, for example—can be prepared literally hundreds of ways (If you don't believe me, try cooking Dal, page 433, followed by Lentils and Rice, page 439—you'll quickly understand just how widely di erent recipes using the same main ingredients can be.) So I believe if my intentions are true, if I understand a dish—its meaning, even soul, if you will—and I try to keep its avors intact, authenticity will follow Undoubtedly I fail at times, but I believe those are the exceptions A NOTE ON FRANCE AND ITALY VS EVERYWHERE ELSE My goal here was not to nd the most esoteric recipes I could On the contrary, it was to nd the most common recipes in the countries that are underrepre-sented in most cookbooks I've always been fascinated by the cooking Salade Lyonnaise, 202 Vegetable Soup with Basil (Soupe au Pistou), 111 FISH Broiled Sea Bass or Other Fish with Olives, 265 Choucroute de Poissons, 270 Cod Poached in Cider, 247 “Grilled” Mackerel with Garlic and Rosemary, 266 Grilled Swordfish Rémoulade, 256 Halibut or Other Fish Braised in Red Wine, 256 Red Snapper or Other White Fillets Meunière, 240 Sautéed Scallops with Garlic, 211 Skate with Brown Butter, 267 Squid in Red Wine Sauce, 222 Steamed Mussels, 209 POULTRY AND MEAT Baeckoffe of Pork and Lamb, 399 Beef Braised with Sweet White Wine, 384 Beef Daube, 384 Beef Stew with Bacon, Red Wine, and Mushrooms (Boeuf Bourguignon), 383 Braised Goose with White Wine and Coffee, 333 Chicken with Vinegar, 303 Civet of Rabbit, or Hasenpfeffer, 335 Classic Roast Chicken, 277 Coq au Vin, 307 Crisp-Braised Duck Legs with Aromatic Vegetables, 331 “Deviled” Pork Chops, 362 Duck Confit, 330 Fresh Sausage Patties, 421 Grilled or Roast Lamb with Herbs, 358 Grilled Steak with Roquefort Sauce, 347 Lamb Shanks with Lentils, 416 Meaty Bean Stew from the Pyrenees (Garbure), 402 Navarin, 411 Omelette aux Fines Herbes, 343 Pan-Roasted Duck with Olives, 331 Poached Beef Tenderloin, 387 Pork Chops with Prunes and Cream, 362 Provence-Style Chicken, 306 Sauerkraut with Smoked Meats (A Grand Choucroute), 404 Steak au Poivre, 360 White Veal Stew (Blanquette de Veau), 417 VEGETABLES AND GRAINS Aromatic White Beans with Chicken Stock and Tomatoes, 442 Braised Endives, 462 Creamed Spinach, 490 French or Italian Bread, 570 Glazed Carrots, 450 Glazed Turnips, 496 Leeks in Red Wine, 466 Leeks Vinaigrette, 464 Onion Gratin, 469 Potato Puffs, 481 Potatoes with Bay Leaves, 481 Spaetzle, 540 Spinach Gratin, 489 Steamed Asparagus with Sauce Gribiche, 429 Tomatoes Provenỗal, 494 SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS Béarnaise Sauce, 602 Black Olive Paste (Tapenade), 604 Chervil-Butter Sauce for Fish, 601 Mayonnaise, 602 Spicy Mayonnaise (Sauce Rémoulade), 603 Rouille, 603 Vinaigrette, 600 DESSERTS Apricot Meringue with Walnuts, 620 Apricot, Cherry, or Pear Clafouti, 621 Baked Apricots, 621 Buttery Sponge Cake (Génoise), 649 Caramelized Apples, 619 Caramelized Pears Poached in Red Wine, 626 Coconut Macaroons, 630 Cream Tart (Tarte Vaudoise), 654 Crème Brûlée, 635 Figs Poached in Wine, 625 Madeleines, 649 Pastry Cream (Crème Pâtissière), 650 Pears “Poached” with Butter and Cream, 626 Sugared Crêpes, 645 Sweet “Pizza” (Galette de Pérouges), 647 “Tiles” or Broomstick Cookies (Tuiles or Mandelflarn), France/Sweden, 652 Vanilla Soufflé, 642 Walnut Tart, 632 ITALY APPETIZERS AND SNACKS Crostini with Beans and Greens, 41 Crostini, 41 Eggplant Fritters, 88 Fried Artichoke Hearts (Carciofi Fritti), 71 Fried Rice Balls (Supplì), 43 Hardshell Clams with Garlic, 99 Lightly Fried Fish and Vegetables (Fritto Misto), 94 Ligurian Chickpea Pancake (Farinata Genovese), 42 Marinated Beef (Carne Cruda), 25 Marinated Olives, 17 Meatballs (Polpette), 53 Portobello Spread, 18 SOUPS AND SALADS Arborio Rice Salad, 188 Bean and Tuna Salad, 189 Chestnut Soup, 132 Chickpea and Pasta Soup, 129 Fennel and Cucumber Salad, 181 Fennel and Orange Salad, 173 Fresh Tomato Salad, 172 Garlic Bread Salad with Tomatoes, 181 Pancotta, 131 Passatelli, 126 Polpette and Orzo in Broth, 156 Roasted Pepper, Anchovy, and Caper Salad, 194 Salad of Artichoke Hearts and Parmesan, 167 Seafood Salad, Mediterranean-Style, 197 Tomato and Tapenade Salad, 184 FISH Cod Baked in Foil, 246 Grilled or Broiled Skewered Swordfish Chunks with Salmoriglio, 257 Monkfish or Other Fillets with Artichokes, 245 Pan-Seared Swordfish with Tomatoes, Olives, and Capers, Sicily, 257 Roast Tuna with Onions and Lemon, 258 Squid (or Cuttlefish) with Artichokes and Garlic, 222 POULTRY AND MEAT Bistecca alla Fiorentina, 346 Braised Chicken with Vinegar, 286 Braised Spareribs with Cabbage, Roman Style, 393 Chicken and Sausage in Vinegar, 316 Chicken Breasts with Sage, 308 Chicken Under a Brick (Pollo al Mattone), 276 Chicken with Vegetables and Herbs (Chicken alla Cacciatora), 303 Lamb Stew with Mushrooms, 410 Liver with Garlic, Sage, and White Wine, 367 Osso Buco, 419 Roast Duck with Bay Leaves and Marsala, 329 Roast Pork with Milk, 400 Sweet and Sour Rabbit or Chicken, 336 Veal Rolled with Mushrooms (Involtini di Vitello), 365 VEGETABLES Artichokes with White Wine and Lemon, 428 Asparagus with Eggs and Parmesan, 430 Braised Olives with Tomatoes, 468 Broccoli or Cauliflower with Garlic and Lemon, Two Ways, 452 Eggplant Pie (Torta di Melanzane), 459 Escarole with Olive Oil, Anchovies, and Pepper, 462 Gnocchi, 478 Grilled Radicchio, 462 Leek Pie (Torta di Porri), 466 Mashed Potatoes with Anchovies, 480 Peperonata, 471 Potato and Tomato Pie (Torta di Patate e Pomodori), 494 Radicchio with Bacon, 461 Roasted Beets, 442 Sautéed Eggplant, 456 Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts, 489 Stewed Baby Artichokes with Fava Beans and Peas, 428 White Beans with Garlic, 441 GRAINS Bruschetta, 572 Farro Salad, 527 Grissini, 575 Handmade Pasta with Garlic and Bread Crumbs (Pinci), 545 Italian Flatbreads (Piadine), 567 Linguine with Garlic and Oil, 547 Onion Pizza (Sfincione), Sicily, 574 Pasta alla Gricia, 546 Pasta Frittata, 558 Pasta with Anchovies and Walnuts, 552 Pasta with Broccoli Raab, 552 Pasta with Cabbage, 551 Pasta with Duck Sauce, 557 Pasta with Fennel, 551 Pasta with Fresh and Dried Mushrooms, 554 Pasta with Ham, Peas, and Cream, 556 Pasta with Mint and Parmesan, 549 Pasta with Onion Sauce (Spaghetti Cippole), 550 Pasta with Sausage and Cream, 557 Pasta with Tomato and Olive Puree, 548 Pasta with Tuna Sauce, 555 Pasta with Walnuts (Pansotti), 550 Pasta with Whole Garlic Cloves (Maccheroni alla San Giovanniello), 556 Penne allArrabbiata, 548 Penne with Pumpkin or Squash, 553 Pizza Bianca, 573 Pizzocheri with Savoy Cabbage, Potatoes, and Cheese, 549 Rice with Cheese (Ris in Cagnon), 523 Risotto alla Milanese, 521 Soft Polenta with Herbs (Polenta alla Cibreo), 529 Spaghetti with Octopus Braised in Red Wine, 554 Spinach-Ricotta Ravioli, 544 Vegetarian Ravioli, 542 SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS Anchovy Sauce, 605 Fast Fresh Tomato Sauce, 606 Parsley Sauce, 604 Uncooked Tomato-Mustard Sauce, 606 DESSERTS AND BEVERAGES Almond Milk, 663 Chewy Sugar Cookies (Ossi dei Morti), 656 Cooked Cream (Buttermilk Panna Cotta), 636 Ice Cream “Drowned” with Espresso (Gelato Affogato al Caffè), 642 Orange-Nut Biscotti, 657 SCANDINAVIA APPETIZERS AND SNACKS Ham and Cheese Puffs, 86 Jansson's Temptation, 96 Panfried Fish “Sandwiches,” 57 Pickled Herring, 37 Salt- and Sugar-Cured Salmon (Gravlax), 23 Spinach Pancakes, 82 Swedish Kottbullar or Danish Frikadeller (Meatballs), 101 SALADS Beet Salad with Horseradish, 178 Cabbage and Beet Salad, 168 Pickled Beets, 179 MEAT Lamb Stew with Dill, 412 Meat Hash (Pytt i Panna), 421 Roast Pork with Prunes and Apricots, 374 VEGETABLES AND GRAINS Braised Red Cabbage with Apples, 445 Caramelized Potatoes, 482 Rutabaga Pudding, 495 Sweet Almond Buns (Semla), 578 Sweet Rolls with Saffron (Saffransbrod), 578 SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS Creamy Horseradish Sauce, 608 Mustard Dill Sauce, 608 DESSERTS AND BEVERAGES Apple Cake (Äppletorte), 619 Berry Pudding, 624 Braided Coffee Cake with Cardamom, 644 Glögg, 669 Sand Cake, 651 Swedish Pancakes (Plattar), 646 SPAIN AND PORTUGAL APPETIZERS AND SNACKS Almond Meatballs, 54 Canapés with Piquillo Peppers and Anchovies, 48 Chorizo and Bread (Migas), 99 Chorizo in Red Wine, 70 Crisp-Fried Shrimp (Rebozados), 92 Fresh Marinated Anchovies (Boquerones), 24 Fried Cheese (Queso Frito), 85 Fried Green Chiles, 77 Grilled Baby Squid, 97 Grilled Mushrooms and Bacon, 75 Mushrooms and Eggs, 74 Mushrooms with Sherry, 54 Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Fish, 46 Piquillo Peppers with Shiitakes and Spinach, 48 Pork, Piquillo, and Cheese Canapés, 47 Shrimp Deviled Eggs, 34 Shrimp with Garlic, 98 Spicy Fried Almonds, 28 Warm Octopus and Potatoes, 50 SOUPS AND SALADS Almond Soup, 118 Basic Red Gazpacho, 117 Caldo Gallego, 144 Chickpeas in Their Own Broth, with Fried Bread Crumbs, 128 Cilantro and Garlic Soup, 121 Green Bean Soup with Mint, 120 Ignacio Blanco's Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho, 117 Salt Cod Salad, 198 Spinach and Chickpea Soup, 127 FISH Braised Stuffed Squid, 223 Clams in Sherry Sauce, 207 Cod with Chickpeas and Sherry, 242 Monkfish or Other Fillets in Almond Sauce, 243 Mussels with Linguiỗa, 210 Salt Cod in Tomato Sauce, 244 Salt Cod, Basque Style (Bacalao a la Vizcaina), 243 Sea Bass or Other Fillets in Saffron Sauce, 241 Shrimp in Green Sauce, 220 Zarzuela, 270 POULTRY AND MEAT Baked Eggs Flamenco, 340 Braised Oxtail (Rabo de Toro), 389 Chicken with Almond-Garlic Sauce, 297 Chicken with Clams, 286 Grilled Escabeche with Pork, 350 Lamb Chops with Sherry, 413 Mushroom Sherry Chicken, 299 Pork and Beans Asturian Style (Fabada), 401 Pork Chops with Orange, 395 Pork with Red Wine and Coriander, 395 Sausage and Beans, 401 Tortilla, 341 VEGETABLES AND GRAINS Mushroom and Chicken Paella (Paella de Setas y Pollo), 520 Peasant-Style Potatoes, 477 Rich Bread, 577 Sautéed Piquillo Peppers, 471 Sweet Breakfast Buns, 579 The Original Paella, 519 Yellow Rice, 518 Yellow Rice with Chorizo, 519 SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS Parsley Puree, 605 Tomato Sauce with Garlic and Orange, 607 Tomato-Nut Sauce for Fish (Romesco), 606 DESSERTS AND BEVERAGES Almond Cake (Tarta de Almendras), 632 Flan, 633 Fresh Sugar Crullers (Churros), 655 Olive Oil Cookies with Orange and Cinnamon, 657 Orange Custard (Flan de Naranja), 634 Rice Pudding with Cinnamon (Arroz Leche), 636 Sangria, 672 Spanish “French” Toast (Torrijas Castellanas), 653 Spanish Hot Chocolate (Chocolate Español), 665 White Sangria with Peaches, 672 EASTERN EUROPE, RUSSIA, AND EURASIA APPETIZERS AND SNACKS Beet Caviar, Russia, 32 Calf or Chicken Liver Pâté (Pashtet), Russia, 39 Cheese-Filled Vareniki or Pierogi, Eurasia, 60 Gefilte Fish, Eastern Europe, 36 Meat-Filled Pelmeni, Vareniki, or Pierogi, Eurasia, 61 Mushroom Caviar, Russia, 76 Potato-Filled Vareniki or Pierogi, Eurasia, 59 Roasted Walnuts, Eastern Europe, 28 SOUPS AND SALADS Bitter Greens with Sour Cream Dressing, Poland, 176 Borscht with Meat, Russia, 148 Cabbage and Potato Soup, Poland, 106 Cabbage and Sausage Soup, Eastern Europe, 158 Cabbage Soup with Thyme and Apples, Eastern Europe, 106 Cucumber Salad, European Style, Poland, 169 Fish Salad with Horseradish Dressing, Russia, 197 Grand Borscht, Eastern Europe, 148 Lemon Soup, Lithuania, 114 Mixed Vegetable Salad with Horseradish, Lithuania, 188 Mushroom-Barley Soup, Eastern Europe, 112 Salad Olivier, Russia, 199 Sauerkraut Salad, Poland, 168 Sauerkraut Soup (Shchi), Russia, 147 Sauerkraut Vegetable Stew (Kapusniak), Poland, 114 Simple Vegetarian Borscht, Eastern Europe, 116 FISH Baked Cod or Other Fillets with Dried Mushroom Sauce, Eastern Europe, 251 Catfish or Other Fillets with Rice, Eastern Europe, 249 Fish with Raisin-Almond Sauce, Eastern Europe, 268 Halibut with Vegetables, Eastern Europe, 255 Poached Fillets in Caraway Sauce, Eastern Europe, 249 Poached Fish with Russian Sauce, Russia, 251 Red Snapper or Other Fish Fillets in Paprika Sour Cream, Eastern Europe, 248 Roast Catfish or Other Fillets with Sauerkraut and Bacon, Eastern Europe, 247 Steamed Red Snapper or Other Fillets with Hard-Cooked Egg Sauce, Eastern Europe, 250 POULTRY AND MEAT Beef Stew with Dried Mushrooms, Eastern Europe, 380 Bigos, Poland, 403 Braised Spareribs with Cabbage, Root Vegetables, and Caraway, Eastern Europe, 392 Breaded Lamb Cutlets, Romania, 364 Chicken in Garlic Sour Cream, Romania, 305 Chicken Kiev, Russia, 318 Chicken with Apricots, Eastern Europe, 305 Chicken with Walnut Sauce, Eastern Europe/Russia, 278 Cholent, Eastern Europe, 380 Fresh Sausages (Mititei), Romania, 422 Grilled Steak with Garlic (Fleica), Romania, 346 Mushroom and Cranberry Chicken, Eastern Europe, 304 Real Beef Stroganoff, Russia, 381 Roast Goose with Sauerkraut, Eastern Europe, 332 Sour Beef Stew with Horseradish, Eastern Europe, 379 Veal Shanks with Cherries, Russia, 418 Veal Stew with Dill and Sour Cream, Eastern Europe, 416 VEGETABLES AND GRAINS Barley with Dried Mushrooms, Eastern Europe, 524 Beets with Walnut-Garlic Sauce (Pkhali), Russia, 443 Cabbage Pie, Russia, 449 Caraway Breadsticks, Eastern Europe, 576 Glazed Chestnuts, Eastern Europe, 453 Helen Art's Potato “Nik,” Eastern Europe, 479 Kasha, Eastern Europe, 528 Kasha with Bacon and Onions, Eastern Europe, 529 Kasha with Cheese, Eastern Europe, 528 Mashed Potatoes with Mushrooms and Onions, Eastern Europe, 480 Mushrooms Poached in Sour Cream, Eastern Europe, 467 Potato and Horseradish Gratin, Eastern Europe, 482 Potato Dumplings, Eastern Europe, 479 Rice with Spinach, Eastern Europe/Greece, 524 SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS Sharp Horseradish Sauce, Eastern Europe, 607 DESSERTS AND BEVERAGES Crustless Easter Cheesecake (Paskha), Russia, 652 Fried Cheesecakes (Sirniki), Russia, 643 Fruit-Filled Cookies (Kolackys), Eastern Europe, 648 Fruit-Infused Vodka, Russia, 670 Honey Cake (Lekach), Eastern Europe, 646 Multifruit Soup, Eastern/Central Europe, 627 Simple Fruit Soup, Eastern/Central Europe, 624 Spiced Honey Drink (Sbiten), Russia, 668 Spiced Vodka, Russia, 670 Tea with Jam, Russia, 669 THE BEST RECIPES IN THE WORLD Copyright © 2005 by Double B Publishing, Inc All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher For information, address Broadway Books, a division of Random House, Inc BROADWAY BOOKS and its logo, a letter B bisected on the diagonal, are trademarks of Random House, Inc Visit our Web site at www.broadwaybooks.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bittman, Mark The best recipes in the world : more than 1,000 international dishes to cook at home / Mark Bittman.-1st ed p cm Cookery, International I Title TX725.A1B525 2004 641.59-dc22 2003069714 eISBN: 978-0-307-48217-4 v3.0 ... known for using red in his paintings Carpaccio was originally made by searing the beef, then slicing o the seared portion of the meat and thinly slicing the raw interior; the searing part may... whisk together the remaining ingredients Rinse, drain, and pat dry the celery, then toss with the dressing Let stand in the refrigerator for at least hours and up to a day Serve chilled Marinated... always with food as the focus, but beginning in 1999 I began to travel internationally with increasing frequency, with the aim of making the recipes included in this book as authentic as possible