Martha Stewart Living Magazine - The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics

contents

acknowledgments

THE RECIPES IN THIS book represent the creativity and extraordinary talents of the many food editors, recipe developers, and testers who worked in the Martha Stewart Living kitchens, largely under the direction of Susan Spungen and Frances Boswell, from the magazines first issue in 1990 through 2000. I remain grateful to each of them for having created such a remarkable and timeless body of work.

For updating this book, Id like thank Amy Conway and Ellen Morrissey, who thought up ways to make the original edition even more useful, and Evelyn Battaglia for her culinary and editorial knowledge as she implemented those changes impeccably. Under the expert guidance of William van Roden, Amber Blakesley designed a stunning cover, and Mary Jane Callister and Matt Papa made sure the recipes are easy to read and use.

Current food editors Jennifer Aaronson and Sarah Carey, two invaluable members of Lucinda Scala Quinns talented team, lent their considerable expertise. Robb Riedel and Denise Clappi kept the project on track along the way, and Emily Burns and Lori Key took care of countless details.

Heartfelt thanks also to the photographers whose work appears in this book, along with our photo archive manager, Alison Vanek Devine, and the photo editors, art directors, and stylists who collaborated in the creation of the images.

As always, our executive team of Gael Towey, Lauren Podlach Stanich, Margaret Roach, and Eric A. Pike lent valuable support to the project. And thanks to our colleagues at Clarkson Potter: Jenny Frost, Lauren Shakely, Doris Cooper, Jane Treuhaft, Amy Boorstein, Mark McCauslin, and Derek Gullino.

introduction

When The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook was published several years ago, I was so gratified by the response of our many longtime readers. They let us know how delighted they were to have well over a thousand recipes from Martha Stewart Living magazines first ten years in a single convenient volume. (I know I reach for it all the time.) And new readers were happy to have a cookbook with such depth and breadth. When we started talking about revising this book, the question we asked ourselves was how to make a good thing even better. The answer: Make it more useful and inspiring for todays cooks. So in this updated edition, youll find beautiful new color images of some of our favorite dishes. And throughout, there are informative sidebars and how-to photographs to walk you through essential culinary techniques, such as trimming an artichoke and poaching salmon, step-by-step. (If youve never made pizza from scratch, dont wait any longer. See Sandwiches and Savory Pies.)

To reflect the continuing evolution in the world of food, weve also updated the Pantry and Equipment sections of the book. And because so many peoplemyself includedare more interested than ever in a healthful diet, we have included nutritional analyses for what we call our Fit to Eat recipes, making it easier for you to plan wholesome meals for yourself and your family. While youre planning, dont forget to see our new menu section, too, in which weve suggested combinations of recipes that make up great meals. I think youll find this especially helpful when youre entertaining, but there are quick and easy meals for any day of the week as well. By the way, we didnt cut a single recipe from the original edition to make room for all of thiswe didnt want anyone to miss a favorite.

P.S. The exceptionally talented food editors at Martha Stewart Living are always coming up with excellent new recipesyou might want to save space on your shelf for another book: The Martha Stewart Living CookbookThe New Classics. It contains more than a thousand recipes published in the magazine between 2001 and 2007.

pantry

STAPLES

ANCHOVIES These tiny salt-cured fish are a staple of the cuisines of France, Spain, and Italy, where they are used to impart depth of flavor to sauces, such as salsa verde and bagna cauda, as well as to many meat, poultry, and vegetable dishes. When possible, buy anchovies that are salt-packed and sold in jars rather than those packed in oil and sold in tins. To tame their saltiness, rinse anchovies briefly under cold running water before using. Avoid overcooking, or cooking in oil that is too hot, as they will fry and harden instead of dissolving; mashing them first helps them blend quickly. Keep unopened tins at room temperature; once opened, transfer the fillets to an airtight container, cover with oil, and refrigerate for up to a month. Salt-packed anchovies have a much longer shelf life, and will keep for up to a year at room temperature (even after opening).

BEANS Black beans, cannellini beans, and chickpeas are versatileadd them to salads or combine them with rice or pasta for hearty side dishes or meatless main courses. Before using, rinse canned beans under cold running water and allow them to drain thoroughly. Once opened, transfer beans to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.

CANNED MILK (EVAPORATED MILK AND SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK) Both products are made by removing about half the water from fresh milk, but sweetened condensed milk has sugar added while evaporated milk does not. They are not interchangeable. Evaporated milk lends creaminess to sauces and desserts; it can be mixed with an equal amount of water and used in place of fresh milk in a pinch. Sweetened condensed milk has a very sweet, distinctive flavor, and is used in pies, candies, and other desserts; it is the only milk used in dulce de leche, a creamy Spanish sauce with a caramel flavor, and one of three milks in Pastel Tres Leches, a classic Mexican cake. Canned milk can be kept in the pantry for months; once opened, the milk should be refrigerated in an airtight container and used within several days.

CANNED TOMATOES You can find tomatoes in many forms (diced, crushed, seasoned, and so on), but whole tomatoes (in juice, not puree) are the most versatile. The tomatoes will break down over long, slow cooking, making them ideal for stews, braises, and meat sauces. They can also be cut with kitchen scissors or crushed with your hands for use in quick-cooking sauces and dishes or pureed for a smooth consistency (instead of using canned tomato sauce).

CANNED TUNA