Thank you to Wes BB Martin , Lovely Leslie Orlandini , and the whole team of food stylists who helped me take thousands of pictures over dozens of days so we could create a foolproof recipe collection. Thanks to Stephen Murello and his assistant, Greg Morris , who shot in time-consuming but soooo rich-looking natural light. My food has never looked quite so delicious.
Thanks to my loving family , husband , and dog , who test-stomach each recipe.
Thanks to Abigail Bodiker , Kara Vogt , Patrick Decker , Jorge Papi Andrango , Jeanette Donnarumma , and Emily Rieger for the delicious devotion and dessert tutelage.
Thanks to Michelle Boxer , who is my hero and who unscrambles my runny-egg brain each day. Thank you to Kappy the Kapster Andrew Homeslice Kaplan , for helping edit this book and for being a food guru and my personal dining guide.
Thank you to Emily Takoudes , Peggy Paul , and Lauren Shakely for helping me provide a completely unique cookbook that is the best possible value. You really help me give my readers the most bang for their buck. Also thank you to Amy Sly , Jane Treuhaft , Marysarah Quinn , Derek Gullino , and Amy Boorstein .
And as always thank you to our viewers and readers ; I wouldnt have any of my many jobs without you. Hope you love the Look Cook as much as I do.
introduction
yes, you can!
The theme of all of the work I do remains the same today as it was the day I wrote my first 30-Minute Meal more than fifteen years ago: Anyone and everyone can cook a good meal. You do not need special skills or an exorbitant budget to prepare good-quality food for yourself or others. Good food and fine living are not reserved for the rich. Having a rich quality of life can be as accessible as a simple supper and a positive state of mind.
The Look + Cook 100 are as foolproof as recipes can get. This collection of recipes is the paint-by-numbers of food preparation. In each of the Look + Cook 100 you can see and study each step of each entre as it is being prepared. In some cases, a recipe is not even necessary; you can see the ingredients and the amounts clearly represented. But the recipes are here for you, too, along with the same freehand style of teaching method that I always use.
Each recipe can be served as is or with a simple salad; but many of the recipes, especially those designed for entertaining, have suggested starters or side dishes as accompaniments and they are cross-referenced throughout the book. There are even a few easy desserts to choose from, although I must confess that when dinner guests offer to bring something I take them up on it. Bring sweet treats, please!
The Look + Cook 100 are divided into three categories: Cozy Food, Make Your Own Takeout, and Fancy Fake-Outs. Dont let the labels stop you from entertaining with recipes from any of the three sections. I feel that entertaining with comfort foods or takeout-style casual foods can often place your guests more at ease and result in dinner parties that have more life than fancy sit-down celebrationsalthough for date nights and special occasions you need a few easy yet elegant entres in your repertoire.
Whether you cook five nights a week and could write a book of your own or you have been too intimidated to ever pick up a chefs knife, the Look + Cook 100 will have your back literally every step of the way from kitchen to table.
Comfort foods make you feel cozy from the inside out. These meals, like are feel-good favorites. I make cozy meals for myself or for my family at the end of especially long days, on nights when I feel a cold coming on, or when we are in need of a little cheering up at our house. Cozy foods are extra-delicious on cold nights, eaten by a crackling fire or curled up under your favorite blankie. Feel better. Make dinner tonight.
caesar spaghetti
caesar spaghetti
SERVES 4
Salt
1 pound spaghetti or whole-wheat or whole-grain spaghetti
cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), plus some for drizzling
6 to 8 anchovy fillets , drained
4 large garlic cloves , grated or finely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (eyeball it)
2 medium heads of escarole , washed and dried
Lots of coarse black pepper
teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg , or to taste
1 lemon
2 large egg yolks
1 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. When the water boils, add salt and cook the pasta to just shy of al dente. Heads up: You need to reserve about 1 cup of starchy cooking water just before draining.
While the pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the anchovies to the pan and cook until theyve melted into the oil, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the garlic. Stir for 1 minute, then add the Worcestershire sauce. Tear the escarole and add several handfuls at a time, then stir the wilting greens to coat with the garlic oil. Season the greens with lots of pepper and a little nutmeg, then squeeze the juice of the lemon over the greens.