Bon Appetit January 2014

FIND, FOLLOW, AND CONNECT WITH US ONLINE THE FOOD-LOVER’S CLEANSE STARTS HERE There are more ways than ever to participate in our annual online detox, a two-week celebration of food that makes you feel good. Find these features and more on bonappetit.com: 1. Purge your pantry. We’ll show you what to toss—and what to stock up on—in 2014. 2. Have a drink! (No, really.) This isn’t about denial, so mix up one of our recipes for low-alcohol cocktails. 3. Throw a “cleansing” dinner party. Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean eating alone if you follow our guidelines. 4. Tell us how it’s going. As you cook, tag your Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram updates #bacleanse. 5. Ask our expert. Join a Facebook chat on January 7 with cleanse mastermind Sara Dickerman.…

WAIST MANAGEMENT I STARTED WORKING AT BON APPÉTIT IN 2010, a year after I turned 40. I’m not sure which occurrence is more to blame—my becoming the editor in chief of a food magazine or hitting that milestone birthday—but pretty soon, I started to notice some changes. Suddenly my size-34 jeans, which I had ft into since college, started to feel a little snug. And my wife began commenting on the amount of “pancetta” around my midsection. My energy level started to fag a bit. I needed to take action. But what kind? In general, I’m not prone to excess. I rarely graze at the “free table” here at Bon App (you’d be shocked how many bins of caramel corn and boxes of boutique chocolates find their way to our…

READERS’ FAVORITE RESTAURANT RECIPES DEAR BON APPÉTIT, DURING OUR REUNION IN CHARLESTON, SC, MY COLLEGE GIRLFRIENDS AND I HAD DINNER AT HIGH COTTON. THE DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING WAS THE HIGHLIGHT. COULD YOU GET THE RECIPE FOR ME? —SUZY CARPENTER, Boca Raton, FL DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH PRETZELS 6 SERVINGS More proof that salt makes any dessert taste better—we’d even top these puddings with crushed potato chips. 1 cup sugar 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process ¼ tsp. kosher salt 4 large egg yolks 2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted, slightly cooled 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract Whipped cream and chopped pretzels (for serving) Whisk sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt in…

BEAN TOWN There are many wany ways to cook dried beans, but only one that lest you skip the overnight soak: the super low-and-slow method. No matter what type of beans I toss in my pot, gently simmering for 2 to 3 hours makes them springy on the outside and perfectly creamy inside. I can throw together a huge batch on sunday, swapping in various ingredients (black with charred jalapeno and epazote if i’am in the mood for Mexican; cannellini with sage for italian), and then use it as a building block for meals throughout the week. Cheap and easy, with major mileage? This one’s a one-pot no-brainer. -ALEX GROSSMAN…

Christina Applegate on… Eating healthy all year long. But preaching about it? Not a chance, says the vegetarian star of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Forget Resolutions “They always end in disappointment. Why not just wake up and say, ‘Today I’m going to do my best to be healthy’?” Drink Your Veg “There’s nothing worse than feeling full and trying to be funny. With Anchorman, you needed to be on your toes. It sounds not fun, but a good green juice pumps you up fast. It’s all I ever have for breakfast.” When In Doubt, D.I.Y. “I make my own ‘Popsicles’ so I know exactly what’s in them. I do a banana, pineapple, and coconut milk one—just blend it and freeze it—and my favorite is honeydew, mint, and a little…

Juicy Couture In the dead of winter, nothing perks fup a produce-starved menu like tangy-sweet grapefruit. Here, four fashionable ways to use THAI DUCK AND GRAPEFRUIT SALAD “The grapefruit brightens everything in this dish.”—Eleanore Park, BA recipe tester Season one 12-oz. duck breast with salt and pepper and cook in a skillet to medium-rare (see Prep School, page 99, for more details); let rest, then thinly slice. Whisk 1 grated garlic clove, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. fish sauce, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp. grated ginger, and ½ tsp. sugar in a large bowl; add duck, 2 thinly sliced scallions, 2 cups cilantro sprigs, 1 cup fresh mint leaves, and segments from 2 red or pink grapefruits and toss. 4 servings GRAPEFRUIT WITH CHILE AND ROSEMARY “My…