Entertaining | Saveur

Autumn Bellini

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:46:37 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Prosecco marries with richly spiced mulled cider and a splash of vodka in this seasonal take on the classic Bellini served at the now-closed Caffè Storico in New York City. While the original recipe called for a fig-flavored vodka such as Figenza, regular vodka works just as well in this fall cocktail.

Yield: 2 cocktails

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the mulled cider syrup:

1 cup apple cider
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
4 whole cloves
2 green cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole star anise

For the Bellini

1 oz. vodka
12 oz. chilled prosecco

Instructions

Make the mulled cider syrup: In a small pot, bring the cider to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cider is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Strain the syrup into an airtight container and refrigerate. (You should have about ½ cup of syrup.)
Make the cocktail: To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the vodka and 2½ ounces of the mulled cider syrup. Shake until chilled, then strain into two champagne glasses, top each with prosecco, and serve.

The post Autumn Bellini appeared first on Saveur.

Persian Cantaloupe Drink

Farideh Sadeghin — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:43:36 +0000

Photo: Heami Lee • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Heami Lee • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

SAVEUR contributing editor Farideh Sadeghin got the recipe for this refreshing melon drink from her Iranian-born father, who makes it by grating fresh cantaloupe and combining it with water, sugar, and mint. You can also add a little gin for a cooling summer cocktail.

Featured in “Chasing the Perfect Persian Rice.”

Yield: 6 cups

Time: 5 minutes

1 cantaloupe (about 3 lb.)
¼ cup sugar, plus more to taste
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Instructions

Peel the cantaloupe, then halve it and scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut each cantaloupe half into two pieces and coarsely grate them into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and 3½ cups of water, then taste and add more sugar if necessary. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
Serve in cups over ice, garnished with mint.

The post Persian Cantaloupe Drink appeared first on Saveur.

Grilled Scallops with Yuzu Kosho Vinaigrette

Tadashi Ono — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:43:11 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang

One night, on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, I ordered a bowl of ramen and watched the cook serve a paste alongside the noodle soup that I’d never seen before. It was yuzu kosho. It only has three ingredients: salt, hot pepper, and yuzu, the Japanese citrus, but it’s fascinating. It has spice, fragrance, aroma—everything. There are two types: red, made from ripe yuzu and red chiles, and green, from unripe fruit with green chiles. I use the sharper green version to cut through rich meats, and the milder red in seafood dishes, like these grilled scallops.

Pairing note: Earthy Sumiyoshi Tokubetsu Junmai sake from Japan’s Yamagata prefecture stands up to yuzu kosho’s spice.

Yield: 4

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh or bottled yuzu juice
1 Tbsp. finely chopped scallions, white parts only
1 Tbsp. red yuzu kosho
2 tsp. soy sauce
16 large sea scallops
1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Kosher salt

Instructions

In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the oil, yuzu juice, scallions, yuzu kosho, and soy sauce. To a medium bowl, add the scallops and one-third of the yuzu vinaigrette, then toss to coat.
Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. Alternatively, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the scallops and grill, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and drizzle the remaining yuzu vinaigrette over the scallops. Garnish with the parsley, season to taste with salt, and serve hot.

The post Grilled Scallops with Yuzu Kosho Vinaigrette appeared first on Saveur.

Marcella Hazan’s Braised Celery with Tomatoes

Marcella Hazan — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:48:37 +0000

Photo: Julia Gartland • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Julia Gartland • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

This sedano e pomodori brasati (braised celery and tomato) recipe, adapted from celebrated Italian cookbook author Marcella Hazan, produces results that are surprising from celery: creamy, sweet, luscious. The stalks’ stringy fibers, often removed before cooking, here act as a brace that helps the vegetable keep its shape through a long simmer.

Featured in “The Soft Approach: In Praise of Soft-Cooked Vegetables” by Lesley Porcelli.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 2 hours

3 oz. pancetta, cut into 1-in. pieces
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 bunches celery (about 2 lb.), stalks trimmed and cut on the bias into 2-in. pieces
¾ cup whole peeled canned tomatoes with their juices, crushed by hand
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

To a large pot over medium-high heat, add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders, about 12 minutes. (If the pancetta begins to brown too fast, turn the heat to medium-low.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside to drain.
Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and light brown, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, tomatoes, and ¼ cup of water and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the celery is very tender, about 1½ hours.
Transfer the celery with its juices to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the reserved pancetta. Serve hot or at room temperature.

The post Marcella Hazan’s Braised Celery with Tomatoes appeared first on Saveur.

Frozen Limeade Margarita

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:30:52 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang

Canned frozen limeade intensifies the citrus flavor of this slushy libation, an easy drink for summer cocktail parties and cookouts. Pair it with any spicy dish—a frozen margarita is just the thing for taming the heat.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 5 minutes

1 cup silver tequila
¼ cup triple sec
1 Tbsp. agave nectar or simple syrup
½ tsp. kosher salt
One 12-oz. can frozen limeade
Lime wheels or wedges, for garnish

Instructions

To a blender, add the tequila, triple sec, agave nectar, salt, limeade, and 6 cups of crushed ice and pulse until smooth. Pour into a pitcher and serve in chilled glasses garnished with lime wheels.

The post Frozen Limeade Margarita appeared first on Saveur.

Butter Lettuce and Orange Salad with Toasted Pistachios

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:16 +0000

Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

Navel oranges do double duty in this simple green salad: they’re cut into segments, and the resulting juice is used in the rich, tangy crème fraîche dressing. Tender butter lettuce leaves, earthy toasted pistachios, and grassy fresh chives round out the easy side dish.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 5 minutes

2 small heads butter lettuce, cored and leaves torn into large pieces
2 navel oranges, peel and pith removed and flesh segmented, juice reserved
½ cup shelled pistachios, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
½ cup crème fraîche
¼ cup finely chopped chives, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

To a large bowl, add the lettuce, orange segments, and pistachios. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring up, whisk together the crème fraîche, 3 tablespoons of the chives, and the reserved orange juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Garnish with the remaining chives and serve immediately.

The post Butter Lettuce and Orange Salad with Toasted Pistachios appeared first on Saveur.

Peach Cobbler

Barry Sorkin — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 16:00:00 +0000

Photography by Linda Pugliese; Food Styling by Christine Albano; Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart

If you want to eat peach cobbler any time of the day, Barry Sorkin from Smoque BBQ in Chicago may have the recipe you’re looking for. “It’s kind of like a fruit cup,” Sorkin says. “You could almost argue it’s breakfast food.” Roasted almond streusel adds a complex nuttiness to his version, which has a crunchy finish more akin to crisp than classic cobbler.

Featured in “4 Barbecue Side Dishes to Bring Home, No Smoker Required.”

Yield: 6

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the peach filling:

3 lb. fresh or thawed frozen peaches, chopped into 1-in. pieces (about 6 heaping cups)
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. almond extract
½ tsp. ground cinnamon

For the topping:

1 cup light brown sugar
¾ cup all-purpose flour
12 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cubed
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Make the filling: To a large bowl, add the peaches, sugar, lemon juice, almond extract, and cinnamon, and stir to coat. Set aside.
Make the topping: To a large bowl, add the brown sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, quickly work the butter into the dry ingredients until only small pea-sized crumbs remain. Add the almonds and toss once more to distribute. Refrigerate the topping until ready to bake.
Divide the filling among six 4-ounce ramekins, mounding the fruit over the rim of the ramekin (the filling will shrink significantly in the oven). Top with a generous handful of the crisp topping, then transfer the ramekins to the lined baking sheet and bake until the peaches are juicy and the topping is golden and crisp, 30–35 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The post Peach Cobbler appeared first on Saveur.

Cucumber Gin Cooler

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:20:39 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang

This refreshing update on the classic gin and tonic is an easy sipper, thanks to summery cucumber slices and plenty of lime juice. You can use any gin you have on hand, but we’re partial to Hendrick’s, which has a slight cucumber flavor, for this cooler. A note on the cucumber slices: it may be tempting to nibble them out of your drink right away, but try to resist the urge. After several minutes’ contact with the lime juice, gin, and tonic water (about as long as it takes to finish the cocktail), they pickle ever so slightly, taking on a lovely crisp flavor.

Yield: Makes 4 cocktails

Time: 5 minutes

8 oz. gin
8 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
½ cup thinly sliced Persian or Kirby cucumber, scrubbed but not peeled
Tonic water
Lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions

To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the gin, lime juice, and cucumber slices. Shake vigorously for 1–2 minutes, then strain into four ice-filled glasses, making sure the cucumber slices are evenly distributed. Top each glass with tonic water and garnish with a lime wedge.

The post Cucumber Gin Cooler appeared first on Saveur.

Rossini

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:23 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Pearl Jones. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Pearl Jones

A luscious take on the bellini, the Rossini swaps in strawberries for the latter drink’s white peaches, and prosecco for champagne. Serve this versatile cocktail in place of mimosas at brunch, as an aperitif, or with dessert.

Featured in the October 2012 issue.

Yield: Makes 4–6 cocktails

Time: 10 minutes

½ lb. fresh strawberries
One 750-ml bottle prosecco, chilled

Instructions

Set aside a few strawberries for garnish, then hull the rest. Transfer the hulled strawberries to a blender and process until smooth. (You should have about 1 cup of purée.)
To serve, add 2 tablespoons of the strawberry purée to a chilled champagne or coupe class. Top with the prosecco, stir to combine if desired, and garnish with a reserved strawberry. Repeat with the remaining purée, prosecco, and strawberries.

The post Rossini appeared first on Saveur.

Scrambled Eggs with Garlicky Artichokes

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:48:09 +0000

Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

In Syria, this simple breakfast dish known as ardi shawki bil-bayd is usually served as a homey scramble accompanied by fried white cheese, rich, creamy yogurt, and flatbread. A mélange of fluffy eggs, meltingly soft artichoke hearts, and pleasantly grassy fresh parsley, it’s a remarkable example of something being greater than the sum of its parts.

Sautéing the artichokes with the garlic separately and folding them into the eggs at the last minute keeps the scramble lighter. While this recipe calls for frozen artichoke hearts for convenience, you can also use fresh: sub in two to three hearts of medium artichokes, trimmed, steamed, and sliced. Find our guide on how to trim an artichoke here.

Featured in “The Heart of the Syrian Artichoke” by Clifford A. Wright.

Buy the SAVEUR Selects Nitri-Black Carbon Steel 12-Inch Frying Pan here.

Yield: 2

Time: 10 minutes

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 cup frozen quartered artichoke hearts, thawed in a strainer
4 large eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Finely chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. When it stops foaming, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Add the artichokes to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through but not colored, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the garlic.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and 1 tablespoon of water until frothy. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Wipe out the skillet, return to medium heat, and add the remaining butter. When it’s melted, add the eggs and cook, folding gently with a silicone spatula, until set and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Fold in the reserved artichoke mixture, then divide the scramble between two plates. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

The post Scrambled Eggs with Garlicky Artichokes appeared first on Saveur.

Hemingway Daiquiri

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:44:38 +0000

Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

At Havana, Cuba’s El Floridita bar, this special daiquiri was a usual order of author Ernest Hemingway. It was created by then-head bartender Constantino Ribalaigua Vert, who was known as “Constante” to regulars and “El Rey de los Cocteleros” (“The Cocktail King”) to locals. Legend has it that Hemingway requested a daiquiri with less sugar and more rum, and Vert obliged by doubling the rum, adding grapefruit juice to the customary lime, and swapping out the simple syrup for maraschino liqueur. And that’s how the Hemingway Daiquiri, or the Papa Doble (Papa was a nickname for Hemingway, and “doble” referred to the double jigger of rum), was born. While we prefer including simple syrup to balance out the tartness, feel free to omit if you want to stay true to Hemingway’s original version.

Featured in “Papa’s Favorite Poison” by Robert Simonson.

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail

Time: 5 minutes

2 oz. agricole or white rum
¾ oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. fresh grapefruit juice
½ oz. maraschino liqueur
½ oz. simple syrup
Maraschino cherries or lime wheel, for garnish

Instructions

To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur, and simple syrup. Shake until chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with cherries.

The post Hemingway Daiquiri appeared first on Saveur.