Tanis - One Good Dish: the Pleasures of a Simple Meal

New York

Also by David Tanis

A Platter of Figs

Heart of the Artichoke

The word dish has many meanings and can signify a variety of things. It still lingers as a compliment for women (Some dish!). Dish is also down-and-dirty gossip. And, when a verbal bully shrinks from our sharp rejoinder, we say, You can dish it out but you cant take it.

But more often than not, when we hear the word, our thoughts turn to foodand usually to comfort food. A covered dish at a church social. A dish of ice cream. A fine fish dish. Deep-dish pie. Actually, the word dish does the same for me: it makes me think of simple, satisfying, casual food.

When I told a friend that my new cookbook was called One Good Dish, the response was So its about one-dish meals? Well, yes and no. This book is really an eclectic collection of favorite dishes, some designed to serve one or two, some to feed a table. All are meant to be eaten any time of day, with or without accompaniment. Its a departure from my previous books, which are about orchestrated three-course menus. Examining my own eating habits, I realized that while I do enjoy those rustic seasonal multicourse meals, thats not the way I cook and eat day to day. Instead, its often one good dish and a green salad. Company is welcome.

But there are different ways to gather at the table, and this book reflects that as well. Youll find recipes for snacks, hearty meals, and everything in between. Eggs are featured in many ways; so is good bread. Vegetables play a major role, as do soups. There are meat dishes, too, but in small portions. Some dishes may seem more like tapas than meals, but having several small dishes can be a lovely way to eat. Feel free to combine two or more to make a larger spreadScorched Sweet Peppers and Onions, Spanish Pork Skewers, and Olive Relish toasts, for example. For a light lunch on a summer day, group Tomato and Egg Salad, Braised Artichoke Antipasto, and Cucumber Spears with Dill. With drinks, serve all three kinds of Salted Nuts along with Mussels on the Half-Shell.

None of these recipes are meant to correspond to a traditional time-of-day-for-a-certain-type-of-food mentality. That is to say, what authority would deny a person a bowl of beans for breakfast or a platter of figs for supper, should that be his or her desire? Midnight is a good time for Spaghetti with Bread Crumbs and Pepper. Tunisian Meatballs are something to make year-round. Rice Porridge with Salted Egg is my kind of comfort food. But then, so is Vegetable Pot-au-feu. For a stellar combination, try pairing Broccoli Rabe Italian-Style with Real Garlic Toast, or serve it as a side dish with steaks or chops.

If it sounds like all these recipes are relatively easy to prepare, they are. And if it seems like the menu is all over the map, it is. The only real requirement for a recipes inclusion herewherever it comes fromis for it to be tasty, simple, and real. Thats what I mean by one good dish.

There are so many good reasons to stay home and cook. And, even though we may not always have the energy to invest in a complex meal, making one simple, delicious dish (maybe two) is certainly manageable. One good dish, carefully prepared and eaten with pleasure, is an endand a delightin itself.

Good cooking requires good ingredients, even (or rather, especially) for simple recipes like these. Throughout the book you will see references to good oil, good bread, and so forth. These are the basic elements with which to build a good dish, so they really cant be subpar. Its important not only for flavorful food, but for healthful food as well. Here are some specifics to explain what I mean.

Anchovies: Mediterranean recipes often call for anchovieseither as whole fillets or chopped or mashedused as seasoning. Although price-friendly grocery store anchovies are fine for melting in warm olive oil, look for high quality anchovies if you want a meatier, sweeter product. Options are salt-packed anchovies from Italy, which require a good rinse as well as deboning; or oil-packed fillets from France or Spain, which are more expensive but worth it.

Bread: There is nothing better than honest, freshly baked bread, and nothing sadder than a tasteless commercial loaf. Happily, good bread is easier to find these days, better bakeries are popping up, and people generally seem to be more interested in hearth-baked, artisanal breads. When I refer to good bread, it means a French- or Italian-style loaf with structure (instead of an airy interior) and a well-burnished, crisp crust. It may be made from either white or whole wheat flour, and should be comprised of only flour, water, salt, and yeast.

Garlic: Fresh garlic is really the only choice. Look for firm heads, best found at farmers markets. The best garlic is new-crop, available in late spring and summer. Stored winter garlic can often be sprouty or blemished, and it needs a bit of trimming. For the best flavor, peel and chop garlic just before using. Day-old chopped raw garlic acquires a strong oxidized taste. (Recipes calling for meats refrigerated overnight in a garlicky marinade, however, are exempt from this rule.)

Olives: For black olives, seek out the wrinkly oil-cured ones from Sicily or Morocco, Kalamata from Greece, or Nioise from the South of France. For green olives, try French Picholine or Lucques, Italian Castelvetrano or Bella di Cerignola, or the small Spanish Arbequina. Canned olives are relatively tasteless, so dont bother.

Olive Oil: Olive oil is called for in many of these recipes. When you see olive oil in an ingredients list, assume that it is extra virgin, meaning it is from the first cold pressing, which makes the best-tasting full-flavored oil. At an Italian grocery or better supermarket, there are many choices labeled extra virgin. Most brands are a blend, perhaps from several producers. These moderately priced oils are appropriate for most kinds of cooking. When a recipe calls for a final drizzle of oil, using a fine single-estate oil (olives picked from only one grove) will greatly enhance the dish. You can buy these in small bottles and reserve them for that special use. Although expensive, they can provide a wonderful fruity or peppery finish. (Don't worry, though: the recipes will still taste fine with a tasty lower-priced oil.)

Salad Greens: Rather than use premixed salad greens, which are often less than fresh, make your own salad combination, using small or medium lettuces. Store-bought so-called spring mix usually contains chard, mustard, and beet greens, along with other greens so small and tender they immediately wilt when dressed. Washing lettuce is a pleasant thing to do, and a customized mixture will contain only what you want. Add arugula, watercress, or other greens too, as desired. If you must have convenience, better to buy straight from growers at farmers markets for a melange of somewhat sturdier (and more recently picked) leaves.

Salt: Salt is essential to good cooking. The recipes in this book have all been tested using additive-free kosher salt (even, ironically, the recipes containing pork). Kosher salt has a mild flavor and its larger sized grains are easy to use. Flaky Maldon salt is also mild and pleasant. But there are many other kinds of salt available. Unrefined sea salt has a higher mineral content, which adds both flavor and nutrients, but can taste saltier. Its good for general cooking but may be best appreciated as a final sprinkle or served in a little dish at the table. Avoid refined iodized table salt, which has a harsh taste.