Recipe Decoder

Key to Times Style

Butter: unsalted (sweet), unless otherwise indicated.

Eggs: large, unless otherwise indicated.

Flour: all-purpose, unless otherwise indicated.

Milk: whole, unless otherwise indicated.

Oil: vegetable oil (canola, peanut, safflower, etc.), unless otherwise indicated.

Sugar: granulated, unless otherwise indicated.

Glossary

Asian Pears: Round and crisp, Asian pears look like a cross between an apple and a pear, but they have a honeyed taste all their own. The most popular variety is called hosui and has a slightly russeted, freckled skin.

Deglaze: To add liquid to a roasting pan or skillet over high heat and then to scrape with a spoon or spatula to get up the browned bits that invariably stick to the bottom. The liquid reduces as it bubbles and the result is a highly flavored sauce that can be served as is or as the base for gravy or other sauces.

Fish Sauce: Made from fermented fish, this brassy sauce enjoys various incarnations throughout Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, it is called nuoc mam. In Thailand, nam pla. In the Philippines, patis. Thai and Vietnamese are mostly interchangeable, but Philippine patis is much more pungent than the others.

Pancetta: Italian pork belly cured with black pepper. You can substitute bacon, but blanch it first to reduce its smokiness.

Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioner’s sugar. It’s finely ground sugar mixed with cornstarch to prevent sticking. The added cornstarch gives a slight thickening when added to liquids.

Zest: The colored part of citrus rind. When removing it from fruit with a zester or vegetable peeler, be sure to avoid getting the white pith, which is especially bitter.

Lessons

Dried Chiles: Cooking dried chiles is usually a two-part process. Before they are cooked in liquid (often stewed with meat), they should be toasted either dry on a griddle or in fat in a skillet. This more fully brings out their flavors.

Rolling Out Dough: Make sure you’re working on a well-floured surface and that the rolling pin is well-floured also. Place the dough disc on top of the flour and roll once, from just behind the center to the edge. Turn the disc a quarter turn and roll again. Repeat until dough is rolled out. If the disc begins to stick to the work surface, lift the edge and dust with a little more flour. Also, if the pin begins to stick, dust with a little flour on top. Don’t over-flour, though, or the crust will be tough.

Soaking Beans: Contrary to what some believe, dried beans do not need to be soaked before cooking. Soaking shortens the cooking time by 30 to 45 minutes, but it weakens the flavor of the beans. In addition, soaking has not been proved to affect digestibility.