“One-Hour Comfort: Quick, Cozy, Modern Dishes for All Your Cravings” by America’s Test Kitchen. 364 Pages. $29.99
Once again, the professionals at America’s Test Kitchen have put together a book full of tempting recipes, designed for home cooks with busy schedules. This volume, illustrated with luscious-looking photos, presents dishes that have been tweaked and tested until they are perfection.
Parmesan Polenta with Mushroom Ragù
Parmesan Polenta:
Mushroom Ragù
For the polenta: Bring water to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in salt and baking soda. Slowly pour cornmeal into water in steady stream while whisking constantly and bring to boil. Reduce heat to lowest possible setting, cover, and cook until grains of cornmeal are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. (Polenta should be loose and barely hold its shape; it will continue to thicken as it cools.)
Off heat, whisk in Parmesan and butter and season with pepper to taste. Cover and let sit for five minutes before serving.
For the ragù: While polenta cooks, remove gills from portobello mushrooms; halve and slice mushrooms half-inch thick. Halve chanterelle mushrooms if small or quarter if large. Microwave mushrooms in covered bowl, stirring occasionally, until very tender and mushrooms have released their liquid, six to eight minutes. Transfer mushrooms to colander set in bowl and let drain, reserving liquid.
Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, and salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, five to seven minutes. Add portobello and chanterelle mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until dry and lightly browned, about five minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in wine and reserved mushroom liquid, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, bring to simmer, and cook until ragu is slightly thickened, about eight minutes. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over polenta, passing extra Parmesan separately. Makes four to six servings.
Mushroom and Gruyere Crostata
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into 14-inch circle on lightly floured counter; transfer to prepared sheet.
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, leeks, and salt and cook stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Transfer cooked vegetables to prepared dough, leaving 2-inch border around edge. Sprinkle Gruyere over vegetables and fold border over filling around edge of tart, pinching pleated dough to secure. Brush dough with beaten egg. Bake until crust is deep golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Sprinkle baked tart with chives. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving. Makes four servings.
The last recipe was created during the Depression, supposedly to reflect President Hoover’s stand that “prosperity” was not far off. It’s also a riff on Welsh Rarebit without the ham and turkey.
Prosperity Sandwiches
Melt one tablespoon butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallot, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, five to seven minutes. Transfer to bowl.
Melt remaining four tablespoons butter in now-empty saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in milk and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, four to six minutes. Off heat, stir in 1/2 cup cheddar, mustard, Worcestershire, and pepper; set aside.
Adjust oven rack five inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Arrange bread slices on prepared baking sheet and broil until toasted, one to two minutes per side.
Divide mushroom mixture among toasted bread slices. Arrange two ounces turkey, two ounces ham, and two slices tomato over mushrooms on each slice of toast. Spoon 1/2 cup cheese sauce evenly over each sandwich and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar. Broil until cheddar is browned, three to five minutes. Let cool for five minutes. Makes four servings.
Once again, the professionals at America’s Test Kitchen have put together a book full of tempting recipes, designed for home cooks with busy schedules. This volume, illustrated with luscious-looking photos, presents dishes that have been tweaked and tested until they are perfection.
Parmesan Polenta with Mushroom Ragù
Parmesan Polenta:
- 7 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 Tsp. table salt
- Pinch baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups coarse-ground cornmeal
- 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Mushroom Ragù
- 1 pound portobello mushrooms caps
- 18 ounces chanterelle mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and minced
- 1/2 Tsp. table salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tsp. fresh thyme or 1/4 Tsp. dried
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
- Grated Parmesan cheese
For the polenta: Bring water to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in salt and baking soda. Slowly pour cornmeal into water in steady stream while whisking constantly and bring to boil. Reduce heat to lowest possible setting, cover, and cook until grains of cornmeal are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. (Polenta should be loose and barely hold its shape; it will continue to thicken as it cools.)
Off heat, whisk in Parmesan and butter and season with pepper to taste. Cover and let sit for five minutes before serving.
For the ragù: While polenta cooks, remove gills from portobello mushrooms; halve and slice mushrooms half-inch thick. Halve chanterelle mushrooms if small or quarter if large. Microwave mushrooms in covered bowl, stirring occasionally, until very tender and mushrooms have released their liquid, six to eight minutes. Transfer mushrooms to colander set in bowl and let drain, reserving liquid.
Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, and salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, five to seven minutes. Add portobello and chanterelle mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until dry and lightly browned, about five minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in wine and reserved mushroom liquid, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, bring to simmer, and cook until ragu is slightly thickened, about eight minutes. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over polenta, passing extra Parmesan separately. Makes four to six servings.
Mushroom and Gruyere Crostata
- 1 9-inch pie dough round
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, halved and then sliced crosswise quarter-inch thick
- 1 pound leeks, trimmed of dark green parts, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
- 1/2 Tsp. table salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tsp. minced fresh rosemary
- 2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into 14-inch circle on lightly floured counter; transfer to prepared sheet.
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, leeks, and salt and cook stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Transfer cooked vegetables to prepared dough, leaving 2-inch border around edge. Sprinkle Gruyere over vegetables and fold border over filling around edge of tart, pinching pleated dough to secure. Brush dough with beaten egg. Bake until crust is deep golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Sprinkle baked tart with chives. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving. Makes four servings.
The last recipe was created during the Depression, supposedly to reflect President Hoover’s stand that “prosperity” was not far off. It’s also a riff on Welsh Rarebit without the ham and turkey.
Prosperity Sandwiches
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 Tsp. table salt
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups), divided
- 2 Tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 Tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 Tsp. pepper
- 4 (3/4-inch-thick) slices white bread
- 8 ounces thinly sliced roast turkey
- 8 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
- 8 thin tomato slices (2 tomatoes), patted dry
Melt one tablespoon butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallot, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, five to seven minutes. Transfer to bowl.
Melt remaining four tablespoons butter in now-empty saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in milk and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, four to six minutes. Off heat, stir in 1/2 cup cheddar, mustard, Worcestershire, and pepper; set aside.
Adjust oven rack five inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Arrange bread slices on prepared baking sheet and broil until toasted, one to two minutes per side.
Divide mushroom mixture among toasted bread slices. Arrange two ounces turkey, two ounces ham, and two slices tomato over mushrooms on each slice of toast. Spoon 1/2 cup cheese sauce evenly over each sandwich and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar. Broil until cheddar is browned, three to five minutes. Let cool for five minutes. Makes four servings.
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