Culinary Institute of America Cookbook

Preparing a simple dish of field greens or a tender omelet filled with fresh vegetables seems easy but can raise many questions in cooks’ minds. Attempting your first rich braise of lamb shanks may appear overwhelming initially, but is easier than you think. Now, answers can be found to almost any culinary question with the newest cookbook from the world’s premier culinary college. The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook: Over 375 of Our Favorite Recipes for the Home Chef, Along with Tips and Preparation Techniques from the Classrooms of the World’s Premier Culinary College (Lebhar-Friedman Books; September 2008; $39.95/hardcover; ISBN-13: 978-0-86730-931-7)is filled with invaluable information for cooks everywhere.

This beautiful book is more than just a compendium of the CIA’s favorite recipes. With an array of illustrated techniques, food aficionados--from beginners to master chefs--will learn to cook the way professional chefs do, whether it’s mastering the finer points of a perfect creamy risotto, learning to build the right coal fire, finding the perfect cooking method for a favorite cut of meat, cooking times for various grains and legumes, or grilling times for everything from beef to bananas.

“Our goal is to create high-quality cookbooks from respected and authoritative sources,” says David Kamen, chef and instructor at The Culinary Institute of America. “This book contains the expertise of the many chefs and instructors who have contributed their talents and creativity to the CIA for the past 60 years.”

Whatever the mood or occasion, The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook has a wide array of recipes to choose from. Chapters cover everything from Beverages and Snacks, Appetizers and Salads, Broths and Soups, Pastas, Casseroles, and Light Fare to Main Dishes, Vegetables and Side Dishes, Egg Dishes and Griddle Cakes, and Baked Goods and Desserts. Recipes include:

§ Lobster and Prosciutto Crostini

§ Traditional Cobb Salad

§ Cheddar Cheese Soup

§ Smoked Trout with Apple-Horseradish Cream

§ Fettuccini with Corn, Squash, Chiles, Crème Fraîche, and Cilantro

§ Potato Salad with Tuna, Olives, and Red Peppers

§ Bolivian Beef Stew

§ Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Spicy Mango Chutney

§ Chicken with Almonds and Chickpeas

§ Clafouti

§ Bananas Foster Tartlets

§ Molten Chocolate Cake

The chef instructors have also included a chapter called Prior to Cooking which provides detailed information on:

▪ how to prep each recipe

▪ time-saving tips

▪ what to shop for

▪ how to freeze ingredients and extra portions

▪ basic and ethnic pantry items

▪ storing fresh and refrigerated goods

▪ marinades, oils and dressings

▪ the right utensils, pots, and pans to use

And, The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook is sure to be useful this holiday season, with seasonal beverage favorites like Eggnog and Hot Mulled Cider, as well as recipes for Cardamom-Spiced Coffee, Ginger Lemonade, Kir Royale, and Hot Chocolate. There is even information on the correct way to pour Champagne and other sparkling beverages by priming the glass and then making a second pour.

Whether it’s shopping for fresh produces, planning a Sunday brunch, or adding some gourmet glamour to weekday dinners, The Culinary Institute of America CookbooK has it all.

ABOUT THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

Founded in 1946, THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA (CIA) is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor’s and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. Courses for foodservice professionals are offered at the college’s main campus in Hyde Park, NY, and at its branch campuses, The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, in St. Helena, CA, and The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio in San Antonio, TX. A network of more than 37,000 alumni in the foodservice and hospitality industry has helped the CIA earn its reputation as the world's premier culinary college.

Recipes from the book

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Ham Bone and Collard Greens Soup

This hearty Southern-style soup is packed with vitamin- and mineral-rich collard greens. Ham bone soup was originally a means of getting the most meal mileage from a ham, but we have developed this recipe using a smoked ham hock (which should be available from your supermarket), so you don't have to purchase and eat a whole ham to make the soup. If you do happen to have a meaty ham bone, though, by all means use it instead of the ham hock. Ham hocks can be quite salty, so use salt-free homemade broth or a reduced-sodium canned variety to make this soup.

Makes 8 servings

1 smoked ham hock

12 cups chicken broth (page 63)

1-1/4 pound collard greens

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup minced salt pork

1-1/4 cups minced onion

1/2 cup minced celery

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Sachet

5 to 6 black peppercorns, 4 parsley stems, and 1 fresh thyme sprig or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme enclosed in a large tea ball or tied in a cheesecloth pouch.

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 teaspoons malt vinegar, or as needed

Tabasco sauce as needed

Place the ham hock and broth in a pot large enough to accommodate both. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 1-1/2 hours. Remove the ham hock from the broth and allow both to cool slightly.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tough ribs and stems away from the collard greens and discard. Plunge the greens into the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Chop the greens coarsely and set aside.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the salt pork and cook until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Gradually add the broth, whisking constantly to work out any lumps of flour, and bring to a simmer. Add the collard greens, ham hock, and sachet; simmer for 1 hour.

Remove and discard the sachet. Remove the ham hock and cool slightly. Trim away the skin and fat and discard. Dice the lean meat, and return it to the soup.

Add the cream and season to taste with the vinegar and Tabasco. Serve in heated bowls.

Catalan Beef Stew with Orange Peel and Black Olives

The cuisine of Spain is rapidly becoming more familiar to cooks and restaurant goers. This typical dish marries a flavorful cut of beef from the shoulder with some typical Catalonian ingredients. Bitter oranges are traditional, but if you don’t have access to a bitter orange, use a Valencia (juice) orange and a touch of lime juice for nearly the same flavor profile.

Makes 4 Servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

5 slices bacon, thick cut, diced

2 pounds boneless beef chuck or bottom round, cut into 2-inch pieces

Salt as needed

Freshly ground black pepper as needed

2 cups chopped yellow onion

2 cups red wine

2 tablespoons orange peel, julienne

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 parsley sprigs, minced

1 cup Spanish black olives, pitted

Heat the oil in a casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the bacon and sauté until the bacon is crisped and browned, 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon, letting the oil drain back into the casserole.

Return the casserole to the heat and heat the oil until it shimmers. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Add the beef (working in batches to avoid crowding the pan) and sear on all sides until brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer the beef to the bowl with the bacon using a slotted spoon, letting the oil drain back into the casserole. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole, add the red wine, orange peel, bay leaves, garlic, and parsley; bring the liquid to a boil. Immediately adjust the heat for a gentle simmer. Season the stew to taste with salt and pepper throughout cooking time. Simmer the stew, covered, until the beef is nearly tender, about 2 hours. Add the olives and continue to simmer until the beef is fork tender, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Serve in heated bowls.

Note

To be sure that this dish is as moist and succulent as possible, use this tip: Cut a piece of cooking parchment that will fit snugly inside your casserole or Dutch oven. Once the stew is simmering very slowly, carefully push the paper down onto the surface of the stew to keep the meat completely submerged. Professional chefs refer to this paper lid as a cartouche.

Tiramisu

In Italian, tiramisu literally means "pick me up." After one bite of the espresso-and-Kahlua-soaked ladyfingers, creamy mascarpone cheese, and grated chocolate, you will understand why this dessert is a classic. For a contemporary twist on the original, make the tiramisu in individual glasses.

1 egg

6 egg yolks

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-1/4 cups mascarpone cheese

3 egg whites

1 cup espresso

1/2 cup Kahlua

48 ladyfingers

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Whip the egg, egg yolks, 1 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla together in a large stainless steel bowl over simmering water for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the volume nearly doubles and the mixture becomes a light lemon yellow.

Transfer the egg and sugar mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed until the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the mascarpone and blend on low speed until very smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to blend evenly.

Beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar in a clean bowl to medium-stiff peaks, about 5 to 6 minutes. Fold the beaten egg whites into the mascarpone mixture in two additions. Refrigerate until needed.

Combine the espresso and Kahlua to make a syrup. Place a layer of ladyfingers in a 2-1/2 quart bowl. Moisten the ladyfingers well with the syrup and dust evenly with cocoa powder. Top with a 1 inch thick layer of the mascarpone fillings. Repeat layering in this sequence until the bowl is full, ending with a layer of filling.

Dust the entire surface of the cake with cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Recipes from The Culinary Institute of America Cookbook: Over 375 of Our Favorite Recipes for the Home Chef, Along with Tips and Preparation Techniques from the Classrooms of the World’s Premier Culinary College (Lebhar-Friedman Books, September 2008, $39.95/hardcover)