RECIPE DECODER

Key to Times Style

Butter: unsalted (sweet), unless otherwise indicated.

Eggs: large, unless otherwise indicated.

Milk: whole, unless otherwise indicated.

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

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Glossary

Baste: brushing the surface of roasting meat with either butter or pan juices.

Deglaze: adding liquid to a roasting pan or skillet and then scraping with a spoon or spatula to get up the browned bits that invariably stick to the bottom.

Zest: the colored part of citrus rind.

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Lessons

Breading: There are three steps to breading something that is going to be deep-fried. First, coat it very lightly with flour. This provides a completely dry surface. Then roll it in beaten eggs. This is the “glue” that holds everything together. Finally, roll it in cornmeal or dried bread crumbs. These will make the actual crust. Ideally, breading should be done at least 30 minutes before frying so the egg-bread crumb coating will have a chance to harden.

Rolling Out Dough: Make sure that you’re working on a well-floured surface and that the pin is well-floured also. Place the dough disk on top of the flour and roll once, from just behind the center to the edge. Turn the disk a quarter turn and roll again. Repeat until dough is rolled out. If the disk 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.