Cooking is Sharon Tyler Herbst`s passion, a fate she says was sealed the day she was born. She entered the world at high noon on Thanksgiving Day, and her whole life since has been a celebration of food.
”My natural inclination is to cook,” she says. ”I used to write short stories, and when I started writing about food, the fit was right.”
Herbst, a California native now living in San Francisco, has written five cookbooks, including titles on cookies, breads and desserts. Her ”Food Lover`s Companion,” a dictionary compilation of more than 3,000 cooking terms, is a small gem. And now, as her own life becomes more hectic, she is addressing a frustrating truth that many cooks face: So many meals to prepare, so little time.
In ”Cooking Smart” (HarperCollins, $25), she seeks the middle ground, the area in which cooks can reconcile their busy lifestyles with the desire for good meals.
The subtitle of ”Cooking Smart” reads ”Recipes, tips and techniques for really using the time-saving, work-saving gadgets in your kitchen to create delicious food.”
Is this an appliance cookbook?
Not according to Herbst. She is quick to say that smart cooking doesn`t mean everything was made with a whizz, a zap or a whirl.
”My editor and I argued about that subtitle,” Herbst says. ”I don`t think of this as a manual on how to cook with gadgets. It`s about delicious food with minimal effort. You use appliances whenever it makes sense. If you can have something burbling in the microwave oven while you`re sauteeing chicken on the stove, you`re that much further ahead. You get two things done at once.”
The appliances Herbst focuses on in the book are the microwave oven, standing mixer, immersion blender, blender and food processor, all of which are designed to streamline the cooking process. In many kitchens, though, these appliances gather dust, eventually relinquishing their prime countertop space for an out-of-reach cupboard or closet.
For some cooks, the move away from appliances is a natural evolution-they`re cooking less, using more convenience products and carryout meals. Others are intimidated. Control panels look like the inside of a cockpit, and learning to use them can be overwhelming.
”If I were to give one piece of advice, it would have to be to read the instruction book,” Herbst says. ”And if that`s too much, read the first few pages. Or call the 800 number. There`s someone there who will be happy to explain how to use it. None of these things are that hard to use, and the payoff is enormous. Appliances can be magical in the kitchen.”
Despite her love of time-saving gadgets, Herbst says she doesn`t exactly have stars in her eyes when it comes to electric wizardry. There`s a practical bent to what she says.
”Sometimes, it`s just quicker to do things the old way. I`d never make soup in the microwave oven. It takes longer. Or if a recipe only needs a carrot or two sliced, why use the food processor? But other times it just makes more sense to use an appliance. It will end up saving a lot of time, even when you factor in the cleaning of the appliance.”
Herbst holds a special place in her kitchen if not her heart for the food processor.
”It`s the one thing I would never be without in the kitchen. I recommend it over all the other appliances. A standing mixer is something only a serious baker couldn`t live without. Not a food processor, though.”
”Cooking Smart” contains 225 recipes, and not all of them are written to show off appliances. Sometimes they`re so simple they`re done by hand. But when Herbst plugs in a time-saving appliance, she also is mindful that not everyone who uses her book will have all the appliances she favors. Alternate methods always are included.
The assumption that the recipes in the book are designed to be made quickly is a logical one but not entirely correct.
”Cooking Smart” is about being efficient in the kitchen though not always fast. Herbst`s recipes are detailed but presented in a manner that ensures that every minute you spend in the kitchen counts.
POLENTA HASH
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: Several hours or overnight
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
3 cups chicken stock or broth
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups polenta or yellow cornmeal
1 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound each: sweet Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
Olive oil
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn
1. Bring the stock, garlic and cayenne to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually add the polenta, whisking vigorously. When polenta is added, reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is very thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes.
Microwave method: In a 2-quart casserole, combine the stock, garlic, cayenne and polenta. Microwave on high (100 percent) power for 3 minutes. Stir, cover and continue cooking for 6 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes, or until polenta is very thick and pulls away from the sides of the dish.
2. Stir 1/2 cup cheese, the oregano, salt and pepper to taste into polenta. Turn into a greased 13- by 9-inch baking pan. With a metal spatula or your hand covered with aluminum foil, press the polenta into an even layer. Cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
3. Remove sausage from casing. Cook in a large skillet, preferably non-stick, until browned. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onions to sausage drippings; cook 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Add peppers and cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add onions and peppers to sausage.
4. Meanwhile, loosen polenta from sides of pan and invert onto a work surface. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to drippings in pan and heat over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add polenta in batches, so pan isn`t overcrowded. Cook until crisp and brown. Add more oil as necessary. 5. Return sausage, onions, peppers to pan with polenta and add corn. Cook until heated through. Add remaining cheese and serve hot.
CAPPUCCINO POUNDCAKE
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Yield: One 10-inch cake
1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur or whole milk
1/3 cup instant coffee granules or 1/4 cup instant espresso powder
About 3/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup confectioners` sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks), softened
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Additional confectioners` sugar for decoration
1. Heat oven to 30 degrees. Generously butter a 10-inch tube pan; dust the inside with flour.
2. Combine the 1/4 cup liqueur or milk and coffee powder in a 1-cup glass measuring cup. Microwave on high (100 percent) power for 30 seconds.
(Or, combine the liqueur or milk and coffee in a small pan and heat, stirring constantly, until coffee dissolves.) Add enough milk to the mixture to measure 1 cup; set aside.
3. Whisk together the cocoa powder and confectioners` sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
4. Beat the butter until very soft in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add the granulated sugar, vanilla and salt; beat until light. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl as necessary.
5. Stir together the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Fold into butter mixture alternately with the coffee liquid, a third at a time, stirring just to combine after each addition.
6. Turn half the batter into the prepared pan; smooth surface. Using the back of a teaspoon, make a 1/2-inch deep indentation around the batter, about halfway in from the edge of the pan. Spoon cocoa mixture into the indentation. Carefully spoon on remaining batter. Use the broad side of a dinner knife to swirl the batter to create a marble effect. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Loosen from the center tube and the sides of the pan with a small knife. Invert onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Dust lightly with confectioners` sugar.
