Food

Recipes from SAVEUR #145

March 12, 2012

All the recipes from our March 2012 issue.

Hoppers — Made using a batter similar to crêpes, Sri Lanka's crispy-edged rice flour hoppers are formed into edible bowls and filled with toppings ranging from onion sambol to a simple steamed egg.Todd Coleman

Crab Imperial — This spicy crab casserole is a specialty of Sting-Ray's in Cape Charles, Virginia.Todd Coleman

Smith Island Cake — Our recipe for this towering dessert, featuring eight layers of buttery yellow cake with chocolate-fudge icing, was inspired by a decadent version served at Becca's Smith Island Cakes in Tasley, Virgina.Landon Nordeman

Braised Lamb Shanks — Chef Tom Valenti of Manhattan's Ouest uses the foreshank, a meatier cut than the hindshank, for this recipe for shanks braised in a stock flavored with wine, aromatics, and anchovies.Todd Coleman

Beef Broth with Tortellini and Parmesan (Brodo) — Cheese tortellini dot a rich umami broth well-worth a lengthy cooking time.Todd Coleman

Chicken Lollipops — These spicy, soy-marinated chicken wings get their elegant "lollipop" shape from a technique called frenching. See the recipe for Chicken Lollipops »Todd Coleman

Deviled Baby Back Ribs — A crunchy, mustard-laced bread crumb coating makes a particularly delectable contrast to the sweet and tender meat on pork baby backs. See the recipe for Deviled Baby Back Ribs »Todd Coleman

Scallops and Truffles with Beef Marrow (Mare e Monte) — In this elegant take on surf and turf, served as an appetizer at Ai Fiori in New York City, chef Michael White nestles sweet scallops, black truffles, and celery root puree into split marrow bones and broils them under a blanket of bone marrow.Todd Coleman

Cream of Watercress Soup — Watercress lends a peppery kick to this elegant springtime soup from The Paris Cookbook by Patricia Wells; garnished with heavy cream and caviar, it's a luxurious first course. ** See the recipe for Cream of Watercress Soup »**Saveur

New England-Style Baked Beans — Flavored with molasses, maple syrup, and rum, this filling bean dish is simple to prepare; all it takes is time. Six hours of cooking yields thick, rich results.Todd Coleman

Pork-and-Rice Meatball Soup — Ciorbă_ (from the Turkish çorba) is the Romanian name for a soup that has been soured -- in this case, with a generous shot of fresh lemon juice. Pork-and-rice meatballs bring savory flavor and substance to the paprika-spiced broth. See the recipe for Ciorbă De Perisoare (Pork-and-Rice Meatball Soup) »Landon Nordeman

Romanian Walnut Panettone (Chec Cu Nucă) — This traditional Romanian sweet bread studded with rum-laced candied walnuts, makes a delicious dessert, breakfast bread, or teatime snack.Landon Nordeman

Chicken with Paprika — This rustic, rib-sticking chicken stew is full of warming paprika, cumin, and chiles. Pair it with something starchy, like buttered potatoes or Romanian polenta with sour cream. See the recipe for Csirkepaprikas (Chicken with Paprika) »Landon Nordeman

Romanian Polenta with Sour Cream (Mămăligă Cu Smăntănă) — This polenta-like pudding, a staple across Romania, has a firm texture and a briny flavor from a salty, feta-like cheese mixed in at the end of cooking. A topping of more cheese and sour cream makes this a satisfying side dish.Landon Nordeman

Grilled Sausages — Small skinless sausages like these (pictured top left)are cooked on charcoal grills in Romania and in other parts of eastern Europe and the Balkans. Fragrant with garlic, paprika, and caraway, the Romanian version, called mititei, or "wee ones," are delicious served with zesty mustard. See the recipe for Mititei (Grilled Sausages) »Todd Coleman

Apricot Cake — This simple sour cream cake is brightened by lemon zest and dotted with ripe apricot halves that cook down to intense tangy sweetness in the oven.Landon Nordeman

Caraway Brandy — In Transylvania, it's not unsual to be offered a shot of homemade brandy as a gesture of hospitality upon arriving at a home or guest house. This one has a spicy caraway flavor that balances nicely with the rich walnut cake, Chec Cu Nuca. Secărică (Caraway Brandy) »Landon Nordeman

Chicken Soup with Semolina Dumplings — Airy semolina dumplings bob in the fragrant, paprika- and caraway-spiced broth of this warming chicken soup, along with tender chunks of carrot, parsnip, and celery. See the recipe for Supă Cu Găluşte (Chicken Soup with Semolina Dumplings) »Landon Nordeman

Pork with Apples and Cider Cream Sauce (Székelyalmás) — Tender slices of pork loin in a sumptuous cream sauce get tartness from apple cider and apple wedges and a pleasant twinge of heat from red Holland chiles.Landon Nordeman

Fermented Plum Brandy — Fruit-steeped brandies like this one, common throughout Transylvania and Hungary, are easy to make at home: Plums and sugar are simply left to ferment for two weeks, and then infused into brandy.Landon Nordeman

Caramel Cake — Buttery layer cake draped in caramel fudge, with its over-the-top grandeur and unapologetic sweetness, is a Southern classic.Todd Coleman

Coconut Cake — Fresh coconut and its sweet water are the keys to this cake, passed down from pastry chef Ben Mims' grandmother, Jane Newson.Todd Coleman

Lemon Layer Cake — Lemon infuses this layered masterpiece in three ways: zested into the batter, in a tart syrup that get drizzled over the cakes, and in a thick lemon curd frosting.Todd Coleman

Red Velvet Cake — Though cream cheese frosting is typically used nowadays on red velvet cake, classic whipped cream frosting makes for a more balanced sweetness.Todd Coleman

Walnut Spice Cake — Alternating layers of white and brown spiced cake are delicious sandwiched with a rich, chocolate fudge icing.Todd Coleman

Venetian Rice Fritters (Arancini Veneziani) — These cheesy rice fritters, often made with leftover risotto, are an addictive snack.Todd Coleman

Grilled Polenta with Dried Cod Mousse (Baccalà Mantecato) — This creamy codfish mousse is delicious served with char-grilled squares of polenta.Todd Coleman

Baked Scallops with Parmesan — Sea scallops on the half shell are seasoned with herbs and a dusting of Parmesan in this classic Venetian chicheti. See the recipe for Cappesante al Forno »Todd Coleman

Stuffed Mussels (Cozze al Pomodoro) — Thyme and white wine bring out the sweet flavor of mussels in this classic dish.Todd Coleman

Bacon-Wrapped Artichokes (Fondi di Carciofi) — Everything's better wrapped in bacon, including artichoke hearts.Todd Coleman

Shrimp with Pancetta and Rosemary (Gamberi al Rosmarino) — These pancetta-studded shrimp are ready in minutes. Serve them with extra bread to mop up the garlicky wine sauce. Get the recipe for Shrimp with Pancetta and Rosemary (Gamberi al Rosmarino) »Todd Coleman

Insalata di Polpo — See the RecipeTodd Coleman

Mozzarella in Carozza — See the RecipeTodd Coleman

Stuffed Cherry Peppers (Peperoni con Acciughe) — Capers, tuna, and anchovies balance the heat in these small, stuffed cherry peppers.Todd Coleman

Meat Croquettes (Polpette) — Rich ground veal and potatoes are seasoned with garlic and parsley and fried for a classic Venetian snack.Todd Coleman

Sardine in Saor — These tasty cicheti are traditionally made with fried sardines, but they're just as delicious when the fish are broiled.Todd Coleman

Venetian Tea Sandwiches (Tramezzini) — Our favorite fillings for light, dainty Venetian tea sandwiches are asparagus and eggs, tuna and olives, and arugula with cured beef. Serve a selection open-faced for a colorful, eye-catching presentation.Todd Coleman

Stuffed Zucchini (Zucchine Ripiene) — This dish of zucchini stuffed with prosciutto, tomatoes, and cheese is a hearty finger food.Todd Coleman

Iranian Noodle Soup (Ash-e Reshteh) — This spiced vegetable soup is made with reshteh, Iranian noodles.Joseph De Leo

Lima Beans with Eggs and Dill — Eggs cooked with dill-scented lima beans is a comforting northern Iranian specialty. See the recipe for Baghali Ghatogh »Ali Farboud

Eggplant and Yogurt Dip (Borani-e Bademjan) — Garnished with walnuts and garlic chips, this creamy dip makes a great appetizer.Ali Farboud

Veal and Kidney Bean Stew (Ghormeh Sabzi) — Fenugreek, an aromatic dried herb, lends a distinctly floral flavor to hearty veal stew.Ali Farboud

Spiced Chicken and Tomato Kebabs (Jujeh Kabab) — A marinade of orange, cumin, and saffron flavors these juicy chicken and tomato kebabs.Todd Coleman

Chicken and Walnut Stew (Khoresht-e Fesenjan) — Pomegranate molasses and walnuts bring sweet, sour, and bitter notes to this classic stew.Todd Coleman

Leek and Herb Frittata (Kuku Sabzi) — This herb-laced frittata of eggs, potatoes, and leeks is a popular Iranian side dish.Todd Coleman

Herb Meatballs in Tomato-Plum Sauce (Kufteh) — These tender meatballs are simmered in a sweet-tart tomato and dried plum sauce.Todd Coleman

Yogurt and Cucumber Dip (Mast-o Khiar) — Topped with rose petals and golden raisins, this simple dip is an elegant mezze.Todd Coleman

Iranian Rice Pilaf — This rice pilaf is famed for its thick, crisp tah dig crust and crown of sweet garnishes. See the recipe for Shirin Polow »Todd Coleman

Baked Rice with Barberries — This northern Iranian specialty is topped with dried barberries, a tart local fruit. See the recipe for Tah Chin »Todd Coleman

Eggplant and Herb Pickle (Torsh-e Liteh) — Serve this tart, herbaceous eggplant pickle with Persian rice dishes and stews.Todd Coleman

Pickled Cabbage and Dill — These spicy cabbage pickles offset the richness of roasted meat. See the recipe for Torshi-e Kalam »Todd Coleman

Red Onion and Herb Pickles — These tarragon-flavored pickles pair well with Iranian meatballs and other meat dishes. See the recipe for Torshi-e Piaz »Todd Coleman

Beef Marrow Bones with Fried Parsley — We love this now-classic dish served at the Blue Ribbon restaurants in New York City, in which the marrow is spread over grilled toast and topped with fried parsley.Todd Coleman

Brown Bread — Brown bread gets its signature shape from a coffee can mold and its acidic tang from buttermilk and molasses. Get the recipe for Brown Bread »Todd Coleman

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