Michael Symon - Michael Symons 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners

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Copyright 2013 by Michael Symon
Photographs copyright 2013 by Jennifer May

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.clarksonpotter.com

CLARKSON POTTER is a trademark and POTTER with colophon is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Symon, Michael
Michael Symons 5 in 5 / Michael Symon with Douglas Trattner.
pages cm
Includes index.
1. Quick and easy cooking. 2. Cooking, American. I. Trattner, Douglas II. Title. III. Title: 5 in 5. IV. Title: Michael Symons five in five.

TX833.5.S98 2013
641.555dc23

2013004299

eBook ISBN: 978-0-7704-3433-5
Trade Paperpack ISBN: 978-0-7704-3432-8

Cover design by Laura Palese
Cover photographs by Jennifer May

v3.1

TO LIZ, KYLE, AND THE REST
OF MY WONDERFUL FAMILY,
who have instilled in me not only
an appreciation of good food, but
also the awareness of how good
food can bring a family together.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

When I was first asked to join ABCs The Chew , what excited me most was the thought of being able to inspire people at home to cook simple, affordable, and delicious food.

Up to that point in my career, most of the cooking I had been doingboth at my restaurants and on televisionwas high-end restaurant-style food. I absolutely love competing on Iron Chef America, but lets face it: Not a lot of viewers are going to have the time, ingredients, or skill to make those dishes at home for dinner.

So while we were devising different segments for the show, I thought it would be great to do something that was practical and encouraging. My goal was to show people that cooking doesnt have to be intimidating or time-consuming or expensive to be delicious. If I motivated even a few viewers to cook more often at home, then I would consider my mission a success.

I didnt have to look too far for inspiration. The truth of the matter is that Liz and I dont go out to dinner very often. And after a long day in the studio or my restaurants, I dont always feel like whipping up an elaborate feast, either. More often than not, I look in the fridge, look in the pantry, and come up with a quick meal based on what we already have on hand. Not only does this cooking style eliminate the need to run to the store, it is also extremely cost-effective, another plus.

Knowing that home cooks, like me, dont always want to spend hours in the kitchen making a meal, I decided that the recipes should be quick, too. How quick? Well, what if I could trim that time to as little as 5 minutes. I thought, Who wouldnt cook more if they knew they could prepare a great meal in less than the time it takes to listen to Stairway to Heaven?

Thus, 5 in 5 was born. Using no more than 5 fresh ingredients and some pantry staples, which all cook in 5 minutes, you can make dinner for a family of four every night andbonusthat meal will cost less than $5 a serving. To make it fun on the show, we decided to do a beat-the-clock-style bit, not unlike what Ive been doing for years on Iron Chef America . Its become one of the most popular segments on The Chew .

Now keep in mind that Ive been cooking professionally for decades and can work pretty quickly. But on the show, even I sometimes go over the buzzerand its always a riot! The key is to relax, have fun, and cook more. If it takes you 6, 7, or evengasp!8 minutes, so be it. In the end, you will still end up with a delicious, made-from-scratch meal that costs less than fast food, tastes a million times better, and is healthier for you and your family.

THE 5 IN 5 PANTRY

Its no secret that a well-stocked pantry is the key to cooking quick, affordable, and delicious meals. The kitchen cupboard is the foundation upon which all meals are built, and having a broad and deep bench means never having to run out in the rain to make dinner.

Because pantry items are nonperishable, they can last for months and months. Thats why I like to err on the side of acquisition over scarcity. I just love going into a great specialty store and experimenting with a new vinegar, whole-grain mustard, or exotic spice blend.

Thats not to say you need a ton of obscure ingredients to make the recipes in this book. In fact, I stuck to basics, which I outline here, in these recipes. And Im not going to give you an exhaustive list of every single item you should have in your pantryjust a simple list as to what youll want to have on hand to make many of the recipes in this book.

Beyond the basic staples like sugar, flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and whole black peppercorns (you do grind your pepper fresh, right?), there are certain items I always have on hand. You need some kind of oil in most recipes, and you can go crazy with all the different types that are available at stores. I tend to use the more affordable regular olive oil for cooking and pan-frying, and a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil for vinaigrettes and for drizzling.

When it comes to pasta, the dried variety cant be beat for ease of use and shelf life. I always keep boxes and boxes of different varieties of dried pasta around because some noodles work better with some sauces than others. That said, good fresh pasta wins when it comes to texture and speed of cooking time. But fresh pasta wont last forever, even in the fridge. Couscous, a quick-cooking pasta, is another brilliant dried staple to have on hand.

I have towers of canned San Marzano tomatoeswhole, diced, and crushed because they are always ripe and in season. Open up a can in January and they will taste exactly like the ones you opened in August: sweet, juicy, and delicious. And when it comes to cooking, consistency is the goal. Of course, I also use fresh tomatoes for certain recipes, especially in summer, but canned Italian tomatoes are perfect for most uses. Along these same lines: I have no problem using good-quality canned broths and canned beans at home, even if I never use them at my restaurants.

One of the secrets to great cooking is knowing when and how to introduce acid to your dishes. Acid, in the form of vinegar or fresh citrus, accentuates all the other flavors in the dish. I am a vinegar fanatic, and I generally have a shelf-ful of tasty varieties. For our purposes, you need only to stock white wine, red wine, sherry, balsamic, and cider vinegars to cook every recipe in this book. Vinegar has an indefinite shelf life, so theres no reason not to grab a few different bottles.

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