Wizard Recipes

There are fresh onions with long green stems (”spring”  onions); and scallions (often called green onions) are obviously fresh as well. But most onions are dried before sale and may be white, yellow, or red; pungent, mild, or sweet-the variety is astonishing.

The onion is the bulb of a plant related to the lily, so the fact that it and other alliums (even garlic) are quite attractive in bloom is not surprising. Dry onions are essentially interchangeable, though red and white onions are milder, and I’ve come to believe  that white onions are really the best for all-purpose use, though it’s not a position I could defend readily.

Sweet onions, including Maui, Vidalia, and Walla Walla, have a less pungent flavor, are juicy and sweet, and usually have a flatter spherical shape than other dry onions. They are the best onions for eating raw, though they’re fine for cooking too.

On the smaller side are pearl (or boiling) and cipollini onions. Pearl onions are about the diameter of a quarter and are ideal for boiling, braising, and stewing; their small size allows them to cook through whole. Cipolline can be used the same way as pearl onions, and their completely flattened shape adds an interesting look to any dish.

Scallions and small bulb onions with green stems attached are “fresh” or “spring” onions; they are generally milder in flavor and softer in texture. Scallions in particular are often used raw as a flavorful oniony garnish for salads, soups, dips, and other dishes. Their small size makes them extremely valuable as a garnish.

Buying and storing: Fresh onions should have vibrant green, fresh-looking, crisp stems and unblemished white bulbs. Dry onions should be firm and covered tightly in at least one layer of shiny, tan to yellow or deep red skin (the outer skin of white onions is more papery).

A strong onion aroma is an indication of damaged or rotting onions and should be avoided; also avoid sprouting onions. Store fresh onions in the refrigerator and dry onions in a cool, dark, airy spot or in the refrigerator, for weeks.

Preparing: If you have a lot of onions to peel, drop them into boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then rinse in cold water. Slice off the stem end and the skins will slip off easily. For just a couple of onions, cut a thin slice off the stem end, then make a small shallow cut, just through the skin and top layer of flesh; peel off both together. Then slice or chop as needed.

If you’re peeling and chopping a lot of onions, you might consider wearing goggles; but a properly sharpened knife also mitigates the amount of tear-inducing chemical released into the air. (This substance, called lachrymator, combines with the moisture in your eyes to form a weak solution of sulfuric acid. No wonder it burns!)

Leave the root end on onions you will cook whole; they’ll stay together better.

Best cooking methods: Caramelizing, roasting, and grilling.

When is it done? When very tender but not quite falling apart.

Other vegetables to substitute: Shallots or leeks.

Leeks

The leek looks like an enormous scallion, which it kind of is-like scallions, it’s a member of the allium genus, along with onions and garlic. Mild and sweet, silky when cooked, leeks have only one downside: their cost.

If you’re paying by the pound, make sure there is plenty of white on the stalk; you’ll trim off most of the green.

Buying and storing: Generally, the smaller the leek, the more tender; but big, plump leeks are wonderful too. Avoid those that are slimy, dried out, browning, or mostly green. Store loosely wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator; they will keep for weeks.

Preparing: Wash well; leeks usually contain sand between layers. The traditional process: Trim off the root end and any hard green leaves. Make a long vertical slit through the center of the leek, starting about 1 inch from the root end and cutting all the way to the green end (leaving the root end intact helps keep the leek from falling into pieces when you wash it.)

Wash well, being sure to get the sand out from between the layers. The easy way, which works only if you don’t want the leeks whole: Trim, chop, and wash in a salad spinner, as you would greens.

Best cooking methods: Sautéing, braising, roasting, and grilling.

When is it done? When soft-almost melting.

Other vegetables to substitute: Onions, shallots, or scallions.

Shallots

A member of the allium family (which contains not only onions and garlic but also lilies), shallots have a mild but complex flavor, making them the queen of the category. They come in individual cloves, not unlike garlic but bigger, with the flesh and flavor of a mild onion. They have a tan, papery dried outer skin that tightly covers each clove, and the inside flesh is semitranslucent white with a tinge of purple or green.

Buying and storing: Shallots should be firm and have a pretty, shiny tan outer skin. Their shape is distinctive; usually two cloves held together at the root end to make an oval shape with tapered ends. Don’t be fooled by small, round, tan-skinned onions often labeled as shallots. Store in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator for weeks.

Preparing: Break the cloves apart and remove the dry skins; trim the stem end and slice or chop as you would an onion.

Best cooking methods: Sautéing and roasting.

When is it done? When tender and translucent.

Other vegetables to substitute: Scallions are closest; onions (especially red or white) and leeks are also good.

Cultivated for thousands of years-its image decorates the walls of Ancient Egyptian tombs-the olive has been inestimably important to the development of cuisine and even civilization. Originally from the Mediterranean, which is still the world’s major producer, olives are now grown in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and much of the rest of the world.

There are dozens of varieties; multiply that by the number of different curing processes (a half dozen or so), and you’ve got yourself a vast assortment to choose from. What we see in the United States is just a small fraction of what’s available in all the different countries and regions that produce and cure olives. Go to any Mediterranean market (that’s Greek, Italian, Spanish, North African, or Middle Eastern, to name just a few) for a far more comprehensive and regional selection.

Olives are green when immature and darken, eventually turning black, as they ripen. Most olives are picked green for curing; those intended for olive oil are allowed to ripen further; and some are picked quite dark.

As anyone who’s ever eaten an olive straight from the tree knows, curing olives is essential to making them edible; they contain an extremely bitter-tasting chemical called oleuropin, which is minimized or eliminated by curing.

Olives are most often cured in oil, saltwater, lye, or salt; the method will determine the fruit’s ultimate flavor, texture, and final color. Often herbs or spices are added to further enhance flavor. Following are brief descriptions of the most common olives:

Black or Mission: Most often pitted and canned and nearly tasteless; picked when unripe or green; cured in lye and then oxygenated, which turns them black.

Kalamata:Widely available, salty, and sometimes mushy, though not unpleasantly so; dark brown, purple, or black. Picked when ripe or almost ripe, then cured in saltwater or red wine vinegar. Decent standby.

Manzanilla or Spanish: Big, green, rather crisp, and often stuffed with pimientos or garlic cloves. Usually picked young; cured in lye, then brined for 6 months to a year. Can be delicious.

Niçoise: From Nice, France; dark red or brown, small but plump, with a slightly sour flavor. Picked ripe, then cured in saltwater. Flavorful, but a lot of pit for a small bite.

Moroccan: Also called oil- or dry-cured; shriveled, shiny, and jet black. Picked ripe, then cured in oil or salt, sometimes with herbs. Excellent staple, as they keep forever and can be plumped up by marinating in oil.

Picholine: From France; green, almond shaped, and crisp. Picked green, then cured in saltwater or lime and wood ashes, then brined, sometimes with citric acid, giving them a tart flavor. Delicious.

Buying and storing: There’s no guesswork in canned or jarred olives. Loose olives should be firm and not dried out (unless oil- or dry-cured, in which case they are shriveled and not stored in any liquid). Taste one before buying.

Keep in mind when paying by the pound that any liquid you include is adding weight (olives in a liquid will keep longer, however). Generally, don’t buy more than you’ll use in a week or two, though they’ll keep longer (dry-cured olives, which are sold without liquid, keep well for weeks). Refrigerate.

Preparing: Remove the pit by slicing the flesh lengthwise and digging it out with your fingers; or crush with the side of a knife and pick out the pit; or use a pitter. If you like, you can reduce the saltiness by rinsing or soaking in water for 20 minutes or so or boiling for 30 seconds beforehand.

Other vegetables to substitute: Caper berries or capers.

The pungent mustard plant belongs to the same family as broccoli, cabbage, and turnips. We eat the greens, at least sometimes , but it’s the seeds-ground into a paste we call mustard-with which we’re most familiar.

Yellow and White Mustard Seeds: The largest of the mustard seeds and the mildest. Their tart flavor makes them good for everyday ground and prepared mustards, though when used alone, the flavor is one-dimensional.

Brown Mustard Seeds: The most pungent mustard, ranging from reddish to brown. The sharpest Chinese-,

German-, and English-style mustards are all based on these.

Black Mustard Seeds: Indian cooking often features these slightly oblong seeds, which are sharp. In ground mustards they help add another dimension and deepen  the color.

Dry (Powdered) Mustard: When seeds are ground very finely, the result is a powder or “flour.” The simplest mustard is made from this powder: Just mix about 1/4 cup with a sprinkle of salt and a teaspoon or two of sugar. Then stir in water, wine, or beer a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. The paste will be very strong, though the sugar rounds it out a bit. Chinese Mustard Dipping Sauce, below, is a little more sophisticated.

Dijon-Style Mustard: The name given to the smooth, pleasantly hot, wine-based mustards modeled after those from Dijon, France. Since getting such a smooth grind with everyday kitchen equipment is impossible, you’ve simply got to buy it. American-made Grey Poupon is the most familiar brand; Maille (from France) is another good choice. Use Dijon mustard for salad dressings, sauces, and all-purpose smearing.

Coarsely Ground, Whole Grain, or Stone-Ground Mustard: If bits of the seeds remain intact, the mustard has a slight crunch with an almost nutty flavor. Perfect for hearty dishes, next to a slab of corned beef, or whenever you want a more assertive flavor combined with texture.

Chinese Mustard: You can find this sauce like mustard in Asian markets, well-stocked grocery stores, and of course Chinese restaurants; it’s on the thin side and quite sharp. To make your own, just make a thinner version of the powdered mustard recipe above. To make delicious Chinese Mustard Dipping Sauce, add a little dark sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce; serve it with any dumplings , Fried Wontons or Egg Rolls or deep-fried vegetables.

Flavored Mustards : “Gourmet” mustards, mostly  made by small companies, are spiked with all sorts of things, from tarragon to beer to roasted shallots to fruit. Some are better than others, but you can also make your own .

Prepared Yellow Mustard: There’s no reason to bother with old-fashioned neon-yellow mustards. About the only thing they have going for them is their mildness, which isn’t really a plus, and most contain extra ingredients you don’t want anyway.

Wasabi: Natural, fresh wasabi is a rhizome (a stem that grows underground like ginger). It’s bright green, with a heat that will clear your sinuses. But mustard is the main ingredient of the prepared “wasabi” we use most often.

Grainy Mustard

MAKES: 11/2 cups

TIME: 15 minutes, plus a day or two to soak the seeds

You’ll be amazed at how easy, cheap, and good homemade mustard is. Plus, you can customize the flavor many ways with minor adjustments; see the list that follows. Make sure, though, to mix yellow mustard seeds with brown or black, or the results will be too harsh.

To make a faster-though undeniably sharper and less subtle-mustard, use a spice grinder or coffee mill to grind the mustard seeds into a coarse powder, then slowly stir in the liquids until you get the consistency you want (you might have to add a little more). Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately or keep as you would any mustard.

1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds (about 11/2 ounces)

1/4 cup brown or black m1/2 cup red wine or water

1/2 cup sherry vinegar or malt vinegar (or any vinegar with at least 5 percent acidity)

Pinch salt

Put all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid or other sealed glass or ceramic container. (Don’t use metal; it will corrode.) Shake or stir, then set aside to soak for a day or two. Put the mixture in a blender and purée for several minutes to grind, adding a little extra water as needed to keep the machine running. Stop and scrape the sides down once or twice and repeat. You’ll never get the mustard as smooth as Dijon, but you can control the coarseness by how long you blend. Taste and add more salt if you like.

Return the mustard to the container and cover tightly. Store in a cool, dark place (or refrigerate) for up to several months. The mustard will be quite sharp at first, but it will thicken and mellow with time.

16 Ways to Flavor Grainy Mustard

Start with 1/2 cup mustard, then stir in the following ingredients. Note that using fresh herbs, fruit, or vegetables will reduce the mustard’s storage time to a week.

1. Mustard Relish: Add 1/2 cup chopped sweet pickle and 1/4 cup each chopped red onion and red bell pepper.

2. Tarragon Mustard: Add 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves.

3. Rosemary Mustard: Add 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves.

4. Tomato Mustard: Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste.

5. Honey Mustard: Add 2 tablespoons honey.

6. Horseradish Mustard: Add 1 teaspoon freshly grated or prepared horseradish , or more to taste.

7. Molasses Mustard: Add 1 tablespoon molasses.

8. Balsamic Mustard: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, to taste.

9. Creole Mustard: Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste.

Tacos and burritos-which are really just sandwiches- have a lot in common: They use tortillas (corn or flour for tacos, only flour for burritos); can be filled with meat, chicken, fish, beans, rice, vegetables, salsas, etc.; and are eaten with your hands.

They don’t share the same origins (burritos are a north-of-the-border Tex- Mex invention), but they’re both quick and convenient to make and eat. Both serve brilliantly at a do-it-yourself buffet. Most supermarkets sell a half dozen varieties of tortillas these days, varying in type (corn or flour), size, and flavor. (If you live near a Mexican or Latin market, it’s worth the trip to buy really good tortillas.)

Flour tortillas are soft and subtle, almost neutral in flavor; when fresh, they are delicious and almost fluffy (too often they’re dull and rubbery). You’ll find plain (the most useful), whole wheat, and flavored (and colored) ones, like spinach or tomato. Flour tortillas are almost always served and used soft but are occasionally fried crisp.

Corn tortillas-white, yellow, and sometimes blue- offer more texture and flavor. I always buy raw corn tortillas and cook them myself. Like flour, the fresh ones are completely different from those that sit on the supermarket shelves for weeks at a time.

The best have a fresh corn taste and are soft and pliable. Cooked corn tortillas can be either soft or crisp, depending on your taste or the freshness of the tortilla. Serve them soft if they’re fresh; fry them if they’re stale.

Preparing Tortillas

Soft flour or corn tortillas should be served hot or warm. Warm them over direct heat, like a grill or the flame of a gas stove, turning them every few seconds, or in a dry skillet, turning once; or wrap them in a damp kitchen towel and microwave for about 30 seconds. Keep them hot in a tortilla holder (a shallow round container with a lid) or wrapped in a towel or two.

Corn tortillas are more commonly served crisp, but both fry up nicely. There are two methods: Panfry in a skillet with shallow or deep hot oil, turning when the edges brown (you can mold it into a taco shape when it’s still slightly soft and flexible); or stuff with filling, secure with toothpicks, and panfry in 1/4 inch or so hot oil until both sides are golden. (Drain the tortillas on paper towels for several seconds before serving.)

Filling Tortillas

Don’t overfill. For tacos, a couple of tablespoons of filling does the trick and leaves room for garnishes. Burritos hold more, especially if you use those huge tortillas. Just make sure your first fold comfortably encloses the ingredients.

Rolling a burrito doesn’t take too much skill as long as you don’t overstuff. The solution: Fill it with less stuff or use a larger tortilla. (STEP 1) Put the filling in the middle of the tortilla, slightly off center toward the edge closest to you.

(STEP 2) Fold in the sides a little bit and

(STEP 3) roll up from the edge closest to you, tucking in the sides and the top edge to form a tight roll. Put the burrito seam side down on the plate or  wrap the bottom half in foil or wax paper to help keep it together.

Seasoned meat, chicken, and fish are the most common taco fillings. Grilled fillings are most common, though broiled, pan-fried, and deep-fried fillings are all standard. I generally like things chopped up a bit.

Beans and rice are an excellent filling, either on their own or with meat or vegetables; be sure the beans are well seasoned and not too soupy; partially mash whole beans to thicken them if there’s too much liquid. Add more texture by using firmer grains, like wheat berries, instead of rice.

Vegetables are another option, especially when grilled or breaded and fried. You can use just about any vegetable that works with your cooking method

The Toppings

Homemade salsa can improve tacos and burritos immeasurably and don’t forget Crunchy Corn Guacamole , which adds creamy richness, especially valuable when you’re using a vegetable filling.

Shredded lettuce or cabbage, chopped tomatoes, grated cheese (or the more authentic crumbled queso fresco), sour cream (or yogurt), avocados or guacamole, and hot sauces are givens; serve them in bowls on the table for everyone to add as desired.

Many of the recipes from or website often call for stock. Canned vegetable or meat stock certainly works fine, but making your own stock is easier than you might think, infinitely better tasting, and just a sensible approach to using up every last bit of goodness from your locally grown food.

With a little planning, you can have fabulous homemade stock ready to enhance the flavor of almost any savory recipe asking for stock or water.

Vegetable Stock

The key to making vegetable stock is remembering to save many of your cooking remnants. Just toss the clean vegetable trimmings, from stems to stalks to peelings, into plastic zipper bags or plastic containers and keep

them in the freezer until there is enough for the stock pot.

Once you’ve accumulated enough veggie scraps to fill a gallon-size freezer bag, you’re ready to make a batch of stock. You want to save:

• onion ends and skins
• ends of carrots, celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and beets
• garlic and ginger skins
• mushroom stems

The only things you don’t want to put into a stock are foods from the brassica, or crucifer, family.

Crucifers-including cabbage, arugula, broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, Swiss chard, radishes, rutabagas, turnips, turnip greens, and watercress- will make the stock bitter and gas-producing.

Place all the vegetables trimmings together in a large stockpot-at least 4 quarts-and fill it with water. Ideally, you will have about a 1 to 3 ratio of vegetables to water. Cover the stockpot, set it over medium heat, and bring the pot to a boil. Maintain a rolling boil for about 30 minutes, then reduce the heat slightly to a simmer. Continue simmering the stock, covered, for 2 to 3 hours.

The goal is to reduce the stock considerably as it deepens in color and aroma. You really can’t overcook stock-the more it cooks, the thicker and richer it will get. But after a good number of hours, remove the pot from the heat and let the stock cool.

When it is well cooled, pour the stock into another container through a fine-meshed sieve (such as a chinois) or a colander lined with cheesecloth to remove all the vegetable debris . You can then measure this wonderful, dark  thick stock into smaller plastic containers and freeze it until needed.

It helps to store it in 1- or 2-cup portions for cooking purposes. It can also be handy to freeze some in ice cube trays so you can add a cube or two to the steamer when you’re cooking vegetables or when you need just a smidge of flavor and liquid to thin a sauce or gravy.

Another Soup Stock

If you want to prepare a stock using whole vegetables rather than scraps, try this recipe. It never fails.

1 large leek, rinsed and cut up                                       1 stalk celery, cut into about 3-inch lengths

5 carrots, chopped in half                                                4 stems parsley

1 head garlic (at least 8 cloves)                                      1 sprig fresh thyme

2 red bell peppers                                                                8 peppercorns

1 pound tomatoes                                                                2 bay leaves

2 large onions                                                                         1 cup red wine

2 tablespoons olive oil                                                        4 quarts water

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes                                              2 teaspoons salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the leek, carrots, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, and onions in olive oil and place them in a roasting pan. Roast the vegetables until they are well browned, about 11/4 hours.

Wrap the celery, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaves in cheesecloth and tie it closed to create a bouquet garni. After transferring the roasted veggies to a large stockpot, pour the wine into the roasting pan and stir with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.

Scrape the wine and all the pan scrapings into the stockpot. Add the water, bouquet garni, sun-dried tomatoes, and salt. Then follow the instructions given above for cooking, straining, and storing stock

Whole grains, although not well understood, are a vital component of a healthy meal. There is more to them than whole wheat bread and oatmeal! Whole grains are full of nutrients, flavor, texture, and fiber; without them, fruits, vegetables, and proteins are nutritionally and, I believe, culinarily incomplete.

Like beans, grains have enzyme inhibitors called phytates that interfere with digestion. Soaking or fermenting grains will make the nutrients most available. To do this, place grains and water in the pan they will be cooked in along with a tablespoon of vinegar or yogurt and let them sit overnight, or at least 8 hours before cooking.

When cooking grains, what you want to avoid is a mushy end product. The general rule is that 1 part grain to 2 parts water will yield around 3 parts of cooked grain. So, if you want about 3 cups of cooked grain, place 1 cup of soaked grain in a 2-quart saucepan and add 2 cups of water and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt, if desired.

Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for the recommended cooking time. Lift the lid and test whether the grain is cooked: it should be translucent and no longer crunchy (pick up a grain and pinch it between your fingers).

Do not stir the grain while you are checking it-stirring will release the starch and make the grain sticky. If the grain needs more cooking time and water is still visible around the grains, simply cover the saucepan again and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.

If the grain needs more cooking time and all the water has been absorbed, add up to 1/4 cup of water, cover, and continue steaming.

When the grain is tender, turn off the heat and allow the grain to rest and fluff in the steam for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This cooking process generally works well with rice, barley, and millet as called for in many recipes.

As for rice, I love to use brown rice in recipes as often as I can . There is a variety of brown rice, including short grain, long grain, and even basmati. Even though brown rice takes twice as long to cook as white rice, the nutritional content of brown rice is so superior to that of white rice (which, sadly, lacks much nutritional value at all) that I feel it is an important choice to make. It also happens to be a very kid-friendly grain because it is so sweet and chewy, so it’s not such a stretch to serve it to kids.

Two grains need special consideration:

• Buckwheat is very porous and absorbs water quickly, so bring the water to a boil and then add the buckwheat. Bring the water back to a boil, cover the pan, and then turn the heat to low and simmer until cooked.
• Quinoa needs to be rinsed thoroughly to get rid of a protective coating called saponin. If it’s left on, the quinoa will have a bitter flavor.

The nutritional value of whole grains is not to be underestimated. Whole grains are excellent sources of B-complex vitamins, fiber, protein (quinoa is a complete protein on its own), iron, magnesium, and antioxidants, with lots of extras along the way.

Millet is a great source of potassium, and brown rice contains a good deal of selenium. All of these components have the ability to reduce the effects of, for example, migraines, cancer, and heart attacks. In addition, they are important for maintaining healthy muscle and energy.

Needless to say, they are a crucial part of a healthy, whole foods diet and add complexity, texture, and flavor to many dishes. I have not even delved into the depths of whole grains-there are many others

Ultimately, the most important message is that it is absolutely possible to eat grains in their natural, whole, and nutritious form without sacrificing anything. You owe it to yourself and your family to build whole grains into your food repertoire.

Part of the wonder and enjoyment of cooking with locally produced goods is becoming aware of the seasonality of food. Spring is certain when you sauté the first stalks of asparagus. In late summer you relish the flavor of a vine-ripened tomato the most, knowing that it might be the last.

Autumn is even more golden with the sweet flavor of a roasted butternut squash. And winter’s chill is easier to tolerate when relieved with a hearty potato stew.

There is one part of cooking up the good life that can offer year-round freshness: herbs. Fresh herbs are superior in flavor and nutrition to their dried remnants. With little fuss, you can have an abundant supply of basil, bay leaf, cilantro (and coriander), chives, garlic chives, lemon grass, marjoram, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme by growing them indoors.

With a minimal investment in small plants or seed, you can explore the different varieties-sometimes subtle-within many cultivars. For example, basil comes in a multitude of varieties: cinnamon, lemon, lettuce leaf, licorice, opal, purple ruffles, spicy globe, sweet, and Thai.

Mint offers another world of culinary flavor, and in addition to the traditional peppermint and spearmint, can be had in the more exotic apple, bergamot (or orange), chocolate, Corsican, Egyptian, ginger, Persian, and pineapple.

Keep your mint plants separate so their flavors stay true and strong. In addition to the soft gray-green of garden sage, try the golden or berggarten varieties. And definitely go beyond the comfort zone of curled parsley (as a ubiquitous afterthought on a diner’s plate, a cutting of parsley on your plate used to mean that the master chef had personally prepared your order).

Grow the more flavorful fl at-leafed parsley varieties, called Italian or plain Italian dark green. Be creative with your definition of container and look beyond the traditional clay pot on the windowsill. Fill a hanging basket with mint and hang it in a sunny window in the bathroom.

Or cultivate rosemary in an old water pitcher with a broken handle. As a rule, containers around ten inches in diameter and at least four inches deep work well, although a depth of twelve to fifteen inches will allow your basil, chives, and mint more root space for longer and better growth. And with the exception of keeping mint to itself, you can experiment with growing two or more varieties together in a larger pot.

But if you think that is to complicated you should also know that, though no herb is a direct substitute for any other, there are many situations in which you’re not necessarily looking for a specific flavor but rather the freshness that herbs provide.

In these cases you can substitute parsley for basil, cilantro for mint, and so on. Just don’t expect the end product to taste the same. Fresh herbs keep best when stored in the refrigerator. Most should simply be wrapped in damp paper towels and slipped into a plastic bag.

Set those with fragile leaves-like basil, chervil, dill, mint, and parsley-stem down in a jar of water with a plastic bag over the leaves; change the water every day (and try not to upset the glass!).

Store dried herbs in sealed lightproof jars (or in a dark place) for up to a year. Taste before using them and you’ll  know when it’s time for a new batch.

Before using, it’s usually best to strip herb leaves from their tougher, more bitter stems (this is especially true of the strongest herbs like rosemary and oregano). Just hold the top of the stem tightly with one hand and run your fingers downward to strip off the leaves.

These fundamental American desserts were once made daily in many households, and no wonder: They combine common ingredients with easily mastered techniques for often dramatic and always satisfying results.

All have some form of crust, a universally loved treat that almost always depends on a fair amount of fat-usually butter-to make it light, flaky, and delicious. What distinguishes pies and tarts from cobblers and crisps is the composition of the crust, how it is formed, and whether it’s on the top or bottom.

Though the technique for making pie and tart crusts must be learned, it is literally child’s play. If you can roll out a Play-Doh pie, you can make a real one. If you don’t feel up to the challenge, start with cobblers and crisps and work your way up.

Though dedicated pie makers do get better and better at producing flaky, flavorful, nicely shaped, and beautifully colored crusts, it need not take years of trial and error to get the technique tight; in fact, you can make good crusts for pies, tarts, cheesecakes, crisps, and more your first time out, and quickly.

There are so few ingredients in the basic crust that good quality is absolutely vital for each one. The best crusts start with butter, although there are people who use a high percentage of shortening (I don’t). Lard and butter, as it happens, complement each other well in crusts, but I usually use all butter: It gives the crust a rich, delicious flavor and good color (good lard and, admittedly, shortening do help with texture, but the former is sadly hard to find, and the latter-health issues aside- has a negative impact on flavor).

Technique and flour turn that butter into something magical. It isn’t difficult; I routinely use my food processor to mix the dough for pie crusts, and I recommend you do too-it’s quick, easy, efficient, and nearly foolproof.

You can mix the dough by hand, of course, pinching the butter with flour between your fingers or using various utensils like a pastry blender or two forks. However you do it, the idea is to get small bits of butter coated in flour, which will make for a flaky and light crust.

When the dough is formed you will be able to see bits of butter in it; this is a good thing-don’t think it needs to be mixed more. In fact, the dough for pies and tarts should be handled minimally, because you don’t want the gluten to develop as it does in bread dough; in these crusts you want tenderness, not chew.

Once you make a dough, let it rest in the refrigerator or freezer so the gluten relaxes. This also hardens the butter a bit, which makes rolling easier. Equally important, it helps the crust hold its shape in baking and form a flaky crust. Once the dough is frozen, it can be stored in the freezer for weeks or even months (be sure to wrap it well to prevent freezer burn).

Rolling the Dough

Transforming dough from a ball or disk to a fairly uniform round crust, less than 1/4 inch thick, involves a combination of patience and practice. Ideally you’ll roll the dough out only once, because rerolling will toughen it. At first, though, you may need more than one try. Although rolling tart dough makes a more even and flat crust, it can just be pressed into the pan.

These tips that will make rolling dough easier:

• Start with dough that is firm and slightly chilled but not hard or frozen. It should yield a bit to pressure, but your fingers shouldn’t sink in (if they do, refrigerate or freeze for a while longer).

• Flour the work surface and the top of the dough to prevent sticking to the counter and the rolling pin. Beginners should use flour liberally; as you get the hang of it, you’ll use less and less flour. Alternatively, put the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, parchment, or wax paper and roll it in there; as long as the dough is not too sticky, this will work just fine.

• Roll from the middle of the disk outward, rotating the rolling pin and the dough to make sure it’s evenly rolled. Apply even and firm but gentle pressure to the rolling pin.

• Fix any holes with pieces that break off at the edges; add a dab of water to help seal your patches in place. Don’t try to pinch the hole closed.

• If the dough becomes sticky, slide it onto a baking sheet and stick it in the freezer for a few minutes.

• When the dough is rolled out, move it to the pie plate or tart pan by draping it over the rolling pin and moving it into the plate; or transfer it by picking up your plastic wrap, removing one side, laying it in place, then removing the other side.

• Press the dough firmly into the plate all over. Refrigerate for about an hour before filling (if you’re in a hurry, freeze for a half hour or so).

Once the dough is in the pan, you can trim it and make the edge more attractive. Tarts typically have a simple edge; just use a knife to cut away the excess dough. Fluted tart pans make a pretty, ruffled-looking edge without any extra work on your part.

Piecrusts, on the other hand, have more elaborate edges. Different pie makers prefer different techniques, some more complicated than others.

Baking the Crust

There’s not much mystery behind baking crust. There are a couple ways to go about it: either baking the whole pie, filling and all, or prebaking (”blind baking”) the crust alone first. Though it adds a step, in many if not most cases prebaking the crust gives better results.

When you’re baking a filled pie, always put it on a cookie sheet; it encourages bottom browning and prevents spillovers from cooking onto your oven floor. If your crust edges start to get too dark, loosely wrap a ring of foil around them.

Cookies and brownies are desserts many people turn to regularly. Not only does everyone love them, but the first of a batch of cookies or brownies can be coming out of the oven half an hour after the inspiration hits you (by then cleanup is done too).

Cookies fall into two basic categories:

Drop cookies-you drop the dough directly onto baking sheets-are soft, buttery, sweet, and perfect for containing other ingredients; chocolate chip is the paradigm. To adjust any drop cookie recipe to your personal  taste, remember this: Butter makes cookies tender, flour makes them cakey, shorter cooking times (within reason) produce chewier cookies, and longer times make them crisper.

Refrigerator cookies-think cookie-cutter cookies- are made in advance. This can be an advantage, because you can make the dough days ahead and bake them whenever you get the urge. The easiest way to shape them is to refrigerate the dough in logs (round, but they can be three-sided or square if you’re ambitious) and slice off cookies.

Logs of dough are also convenient for freezing, and you need not defrost them before slicing and baking.

Mixing Cookie Dough

Generally, I suggest my favorite mixing method for each recipe; but you can use whatever method you like; just follow these directions:

To combine the ingredients by hand: Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Cream the softened butter with a fork, then mash in the sugar until well blended. Stir in the vanilla and the egg, then about half the flour mixture. Add the milk, then the remaining flour, then a little more milk, if necessary, to make a dough.

To combine the ingredients with an electric mixer: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Put the softened butter and sugar in the mixing bowl and beat on low speed until creamy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat on low speed until well combined. Add about half the flour mixture, beat for a moment, then add the milk or other liquid. Beat for about 10 seconds, then add the remaining flour and a little more milk if necessary.

To make the dough in a food processor: Put all the dry ingredients in the processor and pulse once or twice to combine. Cut chilled butter into bits, add to the machine, and process for about 10 seconds, until the butter and flour are well blended. Add the vanilla, egg, and milk or other liquid and pulse just enough to blend. If more milk is needed, add it by hand.

Baking Cookies

Most ovens have hot spots, and this can make a difference: The cookies in the back of the oven or on the bot-tom rack, for example, may brown faster. The solution is simple: Halfway through the estimated baking time, rotate the baking sheets from back to front; if you’re cooking more than one sheet at the same time, exchange them from top to bottom as well.

Storing Cookies

Cookies rarely get stale, because people eat them before they have a chance. Store them lightly covered, at room  temperature, and they do fine. But they also can be frozen successfully; just make sure they’re covered or wrapped very tightly to protect them from unwanted flavors.

Even better (especially with refrigerator cookies) is to wrap the dough log in a couple of layers of plastic, and freeze. You can then slice directly from the freezer (30 minutes of thawing will make that job a little easier) and bake.

10 Cookies and Bars That Are Fun to Make with Kids

Kids love to eat cookies, obviously, but they like to make them too. Here are some that are easy enough to allow the single-digit set to participate.

1. Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

2. Brownies

3. Butter Cookies and Chocolate Cookies

4. Oatmeal Cookies

5. Refrigerator (or Rolled) Cookies

6. Peanut Butter Cookies

7. Aunt Big’s Gingersnaps and Gingerbread Men

8. Molasses-Spice Cookies

9. Butterscotch Brownies (Blondies)

10. Magic Bars

The types of chocolate are determined by the percentage of cocoa solids (essentially the chocolate liquor content) and how they are processed. Some names are used interchangeably, so it’s best to read the label to know exactly what you’re getting.

A general rule of thumb: The higher the percentage of solids, the less sweet the chocolate, because there’s less sugar in the formula. (Generally, higher percentages of chocolate solids mean not much else to muck up the flavor.) Here’s a quick rundown of the lingo:

Unsweetened Chocolate

Baking Chocolate, Chocolate Liquor

A combination of cocoa solids and cocoa butter and nothing else; 100 percent cocoa. Unsweetened chocolate is too bitter to eat but is useful for home chocolate making, cooking, and baking.

Bittersweet Chocolate

Semisweet, Dark, Extra Dark, Extra Bittersweet

This is the type of chocolate I use most often. The solid cocoa content ranges from 35 to 99 percent, with less than 12 percent milk solids. That’s a big range, so look for an exact number, and if none is mentioned, check out the ingredient list to see what else is included.

Just having a high percentage of solids doesn’t guarantee good quality, but it does mean there isn’t a lot of room for fillers. Try a few brands before settling on your favorites for cooking. First listen to the snap when you break a piece in two; it should sound crisp. Many good quality bittersweet chocolates taste almost chalky if you’re not used to them, but they coat your mouth evenly without any waxiness or grittiness (that’s the cocoa butter at work).

Dark Chocolate

Sweet

With 15 to 34 percent cocoa solids and no more than 12 percent milk solids. Sweet chocolate is the “official” name, though it’s commonly called dark chocolate. The good stuff is fine for eating, though not really for cooking, because it doesn’t allow you to control the sweetness of your desserts as well as unsweetened and bittersweet chocolates.

Milk Chocolate

If you like sweet, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, this is it; it must contain a minimum of 10 percent cocoa

solids, 12 percent milk solids, and 3.39 percent milk fat. But don’t skimp. Make sure it includes real ingredients and tastes rich and almost buttery. Milk chocolate should be as complex as bittersweet or dark chocolate, with the flavors muted against a backdrop of creaminess.

German (or German’s) Sweet Chocolate

This is not from Germany; the name comes from its inventor, Samuel German, who in 1852 invented a sweetened baking bar for the Baker’s Chocolate Company. It is sweeter than bittersweet chocolate. (And yes, the famous cake comes from this brand of chocolate, not the country.) Not super-high quality.

Cocoa Powder

After cocoa butter is pressed out of the nibs-or separated from the chocolate liquor-the solids are finely ground into a powder. “Dutched,” “Dutch process,” or “alkalized” cocoa is the most common; it’s been treated with an alkaline ingredient to reduce acidity and darken the color.

“Natural” cocoa powder is harder to find but worth the hunt and extra expense. It’s light brown, with more chocolate flavor. But they’re interchangeable in some recipes from the website here. (If you use natural cocoa and there’s no baking soda in the recipe, add a pinch to balance the acidity and improve leavening.)

White Chocolate

White chocolate is technically not chocolate but a confection made from cocoa butter. It must contain at least 20 percent cocoa butter, 14 percent milk solids, and 3.39 percent milk fat. It’s a completely different ingredient, though you can always substitute white chocolate for dark or milk.

There’s a chasm between good white chocolate and the cheap stuff. First, scan the label for strange-sounding ingredients; cocoa butter should be the first ingredient. Always taste it before you cook with it. Good white chocolate has a subtle flavor and isn’t waxy, gritty, or bland.

At its best, it melts very slowly in your mouth and is something like what you might imagine eating straight vanilla would be like. It doesn’t keep nearly as long as dark chocolate; only a few weeks.