Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i Bon Appetit

AT BON APPÉTIT WE’RE ALWAYS TELLING you what to do. Salt your pasta water. Smash your burgers. Tear your vegetables. (No, really—try it with mushrooms or boiled potatoes. You’ll create these cool shards that get all craggy and crispy when you hit them with olive oil and high heat.) Over the past few years, we’ve added to our advice-driven ethos by promoting a more environmentally sensible approach to cooking, from sourcing local ingredients to reducing food waste (see p. 84 to learn more). But when we took the time recently to reflect on our own habits in the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen, we didn’t like what we saw—lots of single-use plastic containers, mountains of spent paper towels, questionable recycling efforts, no composting whatsoever. Sure, we faced challenges, as everyone does.…

8 SERVINGS Risotto is like a clingy baby. You can’t put it down and you can’t walk away from it. Its needs are simple—it wants all of you. And if you give it your patient attention, it will turn into a puddle of love. Without the mushroom topping, this risotto is great on its own. RISOTTO 1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil½ large white onion, finely chopped2 cups carnaroli or Japanese sushi rice1 cup dry white wine5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated ASSEMBLY ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil1 lb. mushrooms (such as shiitake, crimini, or maitake), trimmed, caps torn into 2" pieces Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper5 sprigs thyme5 garlic cloves, crushed2 Tbsp. unsalted butter2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar or fresh lemon…

ADAM RAPOPORT, the pork-chop-loving editor of this magazine, recently told me he cooked tofu for the first time—ever. The man could not stop waxing poetic. He’d finally gotten around to trying the tofu-cooking method our test kitchen editors swear by: Drain a block of tofu, dry it well, slice into pieces, and fry in hot oil until it’s a Maillard-worthy golden brown. Whether tofu is already one of your staples or you’re just starting to experiment like Adam, this method is worth adding to your playbook. Toss fried tofu with peanut sauce and soba noodles, add them to a grain bowl, or throw into a stir-fry. Or simply do as Adam did and baste the slices in the spicy maple glaze on p. 26. Crispy Tofu With Maple-Soy Glaze Think…

WHEN YOU SEE POLITICS on the news, it’s usually from an air-conditioned studio in a major city. But politics happen out in the world. So every episode of The Circus begins with me and my cohosts [journalist John Heilemann and political adviser Mark McKinnon] eating somewhere. We want to put viewers in the middle of our insane political landscape, and the way people tend to discuss politics is over a meal. WE SHOOT FOOD in a way that shows the energy of a place: the slo-mo steak sizzle, the cheese pull. Funny enough, we get more audience feedback on food than anything else. It’s another character on the show. FOOD IS INHERENTLY POLITICAL: what to eat, the people making it, the way immigration plays out in kitchens. Politicians don’t expect…

YOUR NEW EGG SANDO Preheat oven to 350°. Trim stem and root end of 1 medium red onion, then cut in half crosswise; separate into rings. Toss onion, 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp. soy sauce, and ½ tsp. garlic powder on a rimmed baking sheet to coat; season with kosher salt. Bake, tossing halfway through, until onion is browned around the edges and very tender, 25–35 minutes. Let cool. Toss ¼ cup finely chopped tender herbs (such as basil, cilantro, and/or dill), 2 Tbsp. hot sauce, preferably green, and 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl to combine. Taste and season sauce with salt if needed. Melt 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Beat 4 large eggs in a bowl…

I’ve never been a smoker. But I’ve always been jealous of the smoke break, that midday opportunity to put a hard stop on whatever work it is you claim to be doing. Then I realized I could still do that even without a Marlboro in hand. When I’m at my desk, staring at my computer, I’m in this sort of suspended state—breathing but not breathing. So on days when the weather isn’t exceptionally crappy, I’ll just get up and head outside. I’ll exit our ginormous skyscraper, where the only air you breathe is recycled, find a bench to sit at, and take some deep satisfying drags of oxygen. Just 10 or 15 minutes away from my desk is enough for me to reset. Maybe I’ll catch some sun and listen…

We are constantly searching for that elusive all-purpose condiment. You know, the jar of stuff you can pull out of your fridge on a random weeknight, put on the simplest of dishes (salad, rice, eggs, and so on), and build an instant meal that’s flavorful but still wholesome. These days we’re stockpiling Basbaas sauces, a duo of condiments created by BA contributor Hawa Hassan. They’re inspired by the flavors of her native Somalia (basbaas means “chili” in Somali), and they come in sweet, tangy tamarind date (also known as your new favorite salad dressing and meat glaze) as well as coconut cilantro chutney (pictured), a brighter, more herbaceous sauce you’ll want to slather on everything from toast to seafood to roasted veg.…

As someone who’s eaten peanut butter on the subway (the train was stalled and I was starving, okay?!), I am very down with this whole nut-butter-bar trend. And the bars from Big Spoon Roasters (bigspoonroasters.com), the staff-favorite nut butter company out of Durham, North Carolina, are at the top of my pile. Made with roasted peanuts, wildflower honey, and house-made granola, they’re dense and chewy like peanut butter cookie dough and laced with a healthy sprinkle of sea salt. I’ve tried all four flavors—Cherry Pecan, Cranberry Cashew, Apricot Pepita, and Figgy Chai—and love all my children, but I’m partial to the tartness of the cherry variety. Not only are they “delicious with coffee,” as the package proclaims, but they can handle my hunger pangs whenever and wherever they strike.…

My first experience with store-bought edibles ended with me fleeing a house party, locking myself in an attic, and thrusting my head out of a tiny window, convinced there was no air in the world left to breathe. (Long story short: There was.) But in the near-decade since, more and more states have gone legal, stigmas have receded, and recreational dosages have gotten more precise…and less likely to ruin your night with a single bite. Cambria Noecker, cofounder of Serra Dispensary in Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles, is one of the new-wave cannabis purveyors making the buying experience more dynamic, stylish, and delicious for new and longtime users alike. Here she breaks down the basics. Cannabis 101 Need help telling your terpenes from your tetrahydrocannabinols? We got you. SOOO WHAT’S…

COMPENSATION Ethical coffee means farmers are paid fair wages. Doing things the right way costs more money, which is why ethical coffee is more expensive, usually between $1.60 and $2.70 an ounce. LOCAL ROASTERS Look for the location of the roaster. The shorter the distance between the roaster and your cup, the smaller the carbon footprint. ROAST DATE Coffee beans lose flavor over time. A roast date on the bag lets you know that the roaster cares about the integrity of the coffee, which is often a sign that they also care about the people who grew the beans. Under two weeks is ideal, but a little over a month is fine. TRANSPARENCY The more information listed on the bag, the better—country, region, farm, and even the name of the…

SUPERSTORMS. WILDFIRES. EXTREME DROUGHTS. It’s impossible to read the news without hearing about yet another climate disaster; it’s equally hard to figure out what you can do about it if you’re not necessarily eager to give up, say, driving, or burgers. ¶ The good news is that you don’t have to become a vegan tomorrow to do better by the planet. If you care about the impact your food choices have on the earth, chances are you’re already making choices that are shrinking your climate footprint. You might not give up In-N-Out altogether, but maybe you’re ordering fewer Double-Doubles. Maybe you top your morning oats with locally grown apples instead of berries jetted in from South America. Maybe, like more and more BA readers these days, you’re trying to up…

DESTINATION: HONOLULU pp. 35–37 AHI ASSASSINS FISH CO. 2570 S. Beretania St.; 808-439-4045 DIAMOND HEAD MARKET & GRILL 3158 Monsarrat Ave.; 808-732-0077; diamondheadmarket.com ETHEL’S GRILL 232 Kalihi St.; 808-847-6467 GINA’S BBQ Market City Shopping Center, 2919 Kapiolani Blvd. 808-735-7964 HELENA’S HAWAIIAN FOOD 1240 N. School St.; 808-845-8044; helenashawaiianfood.com LEONARD’S BAKERY 933 Kapahulu Ave.; 808-737-5591; leonardshawaii.com LILIHA BAKERY 515 N. Kuakini St.; 808-531-1651; lilihabakery.com THE MODERN HONOLULU 1775 Ala Moana Blvd.; 808-943-5800; themodernhonolulu.com MUD HEN WATER 3452 Waialae Ave.; 808-737-6000; mudhenwater.com NUUANU OKAZUYA 1351 Nuuanu Ave.; 808-533-6169 PALACE SAIMIN 1256 N. King St.; 808-841-9983 SHICHIMUSUBI 2250 Kalakaua Ave.; 808-777-3557; waikiki-yokocho.com/restaurant/shichimusubi WAIOLA SHAVE ICE For locations, go to waiolashaveice.com AWAY pp. 41–47 BAD SAINT 3226 11th St. NW, Washington, D.C.; badsaintdc.com BAR LEATHER APRON 745 Fort St., Honolulu; 808-524-0808; barleatherapron.com BUTTONWOOD 51…

Get On Board Confession: I own several beautiful wooden cutting boards that I rarely use. For everyday prep, I default to lightweight, easy-to-clean plastic, despite being the person who would rather carry my groceries home in my bare hands than use a disposable bag. These days I can feel a little better about my habit by opting for Material’s colorful BPA-free boards, which are made from recycled plastic scraps and renewable sugarcane. The result: a chic and sustainable surface that can weather all my slicing and dicing. reBoard cut ting boards,…

Combine ¼ cup red or white wine vinegar, a big handful of parsley leaves with tender stems, and a spoonful of Dijon mustard in a food processor or blender. Add a large pinch of kosher salt , a baby pinch of sugar (or a couple drops of honey), and a few cranks of pepper. Pulse until herbs are finely chopped. Then, with the motor running, stream in ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil until the vinaigrette is nice and thick. Drizzle on a green salad or anything else that would benefit from a dose of fresh herbs, like cooked beans or a simple pasta.…

I GREW UP VISITING family in Hawaii every year. I consider Honolulu my second home. And I had the AIM screen name “islandgirl1989.” So I think I can safely pose this question: Why is poke the thing mainland eaters went bonkers for? Why not Hawaii’s saimin, a Chinese-Filipino-Japanese noodle soup that’s fishy, warming, and like nothing else in the States? Or native Hawaiian staples like pipikaula, an actually juicy beef jerky? I don’t know the answer, but I do know that you can find these dishes only in Hawaii. And the best versions are in Honolulu. The restaurants here define this undefinable cuisine–a mash-up of immigrant cuisines, both recent and ancient—and make Honolulu still my favorite place to eat. The O.G. Hawaiian Institution You can’t go to Honolulu and not…

CHICAGO “Some consider the aronia berry, or chokeberry, inedibly tart. But this Chicago distillery brings out the indigenous Midwestern superfood’s full potential with Apologue Aronia Berry Liqueur. Its sharp kick tames and complements the brash spiciness of rye in our riff on a classic New Orleans cocktail, La Louisiane.” Pat Ray The Violet Hour HONOLULU “Daiquiris have taken a beating. You’ll see them blended, served in a 60-ounce cup, and hanging from people’s necks by a lanyard. But a classic one with a great rum helps tell a story. Manulele Distillers makes its Ko Hana Kea Rum from heirloom Oahu sugarcane instead of molasses for a distinct aroma that shines in cocktails.” Justin Park Bar Leather Apron WASHINGTON, D.C. “Kat Hamidi and Peter Pastan are OG members of the D.C.…

FOR THREE YEARS WE’VE KICKED off the month of January on Healthyish with our Feel Good Food Plan, a collection of recipes you’ll be excited to eat beyond just these early months. No calorie counting. No bland salads. Just meals that are satisfying, simple to make, and big on whole unprocessed ingredients (and flavor!). Our approach for 2020 was to put creative spins on dishes we already love—noodles, fish and chips, meatballs—and to also provide back-pocket healthyish tricks you can use beyond these dishes. How do you make pesto super creamy without a ton of olive oil? Add pistachios. What’s a spicy upgrade for a quick but hearty stew? Kimchi. How can you sass up chicken soup? Top it with charred onions and garlic. This is your new everyday food.…

I’VE NEVER BEEN ABLE to fit into a certain version of what a cute girl is. I’ve never had a tiny body, and I grew up really tomboyish with short curly hair amid a sea of Southern California straight-haired blondes. I had no desire to wear makeup, and it always felt weird when my mom made me put on dresses; it just wasn’t my personality at all. A lot of my anxiety about not being “feminine” enough comes from my own family and culture. Iranians have a very specific, exaggerated version of femininity: making sure your eyebrows are really well-kept; that you’ve removed all other facial and body hair; that you wear clothes that are feminine enough, like dresses and skirts and certain kinds of shoes; and that you don’t…

Sometimes mindfulness feels like a vague superpower reserved for people with the time, patience, and money to commit to a digital detox or silent retreat. But neuroscientist/meditation guide Nkechi Njaka teaches regular (read: time-strapped and stressed) folks to practice being present without the sound baths and crystals. YOU ONLY NEED THREE MINUTES TO MEDITATE “People get intimidated by the idea they need to sit for hours, but really you can carve out just a little time every day to get present,” Njaka says. Find literally a few minutes, maybe while waiting for your French press in the morning or before bed at night, to take a seat and focus on deep breathing to help clear your mind. ANY ERRAND IS AN OPPORTUNITY Walking to work or waiting in line? Practice…

Bring the Heat Carla Perez-Gallardo calls this kicky chile - and-peanut-laced dressing one of her favorite sauces in the whole world: “Crudités gets so French-ified and ranch-ified, and this feels more true to our tropicalia.” It slays on fruit and crunchy raw winter vegetables. FEBRUARY IN UP STATE New York can be…bleak, to put it generously. The days are short; the nights are cold; the swimming holes and hiking trails that bring out-of-towner energy during warmer months are frozen and buried. But it’s also when Lil’ Deb’s Oasis feels truest to its name. After we’ve trudged through the snow and shuttered the door against the elements, the scene inside this downtown Hudson restaurant feels like a psychedelic mirage: Brightly colored, borderline-Seussian installation art. Jangling cumbia remixes. Servers dancing between tables…

If you thought it was impossible to make nut butter more delicious, try this added-value version, which combines store-bought almond butter with a bulk-aisle’s worth of seeds sizzled in coconut oil to make a crunchy spread we’d eat from breakfast till bedtime. POWER BUTTER Heat 7 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil and . cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) in a large skillet over medium, stirring occasionally, until oil is melted and pumpkin seeds are just starting to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Add ⅓ cup raw sesame seeds and 3 Tbsp. chia seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until sesame seeds are golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds and oil to a large bowl and add 1. cups unsweetened natural almond butter, 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper, and…

STEP-BY-STEPS TIPS&TRICKS 1 Don’t Leave the Grocery Store Without a Lemon and a Lime Make it a habit to toss one of each into your cart whenever you’re doing a big shop. Infinitely useful and boundlessly versatile, they keep for weeks in the fridge and you can almost never have too many. Just consider it taco/cocktail/vinaigrette insurance. 2 Yes, You’re Going to Need a Microplane If you’re not zesting your citrus, you’re throwing away a free ingredient—and most of the fruit’s fragrance. But trying to zest with a box grater is about as awkward as trying to comb your hair with a fork: It’s just not the right tool for the job. The nimble Microplane is hands down the best piece of equipment for shaving off the outermost layer of…

My husband has a steak knife problem. He can’t stop buying them—chunky wood ones, a delicate Laguiole set. I did not understand his fixation until I stumbled upon these stunning knives at Paris’s Cheval d’Or via Instagram. Nontron knives are crafted with all French materials, from the wood handle to the steel blade that’s sharper than Trevor Noah. $250 for six, nontronknive.dk on The Quesadilla She Stans IMAGINE A QUESADILLA that’s more like a taco with an armor of cracker-crisp, golden Oaxaca cheese welded around it. This technique is called costra de queso, and it’s now the only type of quesadilla I want to eat (and I’m from Texas!). You can find it at Vaquero Taquero in Austin, where owners (and brothers) Daniel and Miguel Cobos deploy the method borrowed…

THE JUKEBOX NEEDED a tune-up, but the 45s inside were ready to go. Dolly Parton, obscure Fleetwood Mac, Kool & the Gang. Some things never get old. But some things need to get old—fast—and that’s the point of Karl’s, a Detroit diner inside the Siren hotel that steps back in time to somewhere between 1940 and 1970. At Karl’s, chef Kate Williams pays tribute to her great-great-grandfather Anton Karl, who owned a German bakery on Kercheval Avenue just seven miles away. The bakery closed during the Depression (rumor has it because they gave away too much bread), but at Williams’s new diner, a neon “Karl’s” sign glows in the window as if it’s been there all along. The design team at ASH NYC doubled down on Williams’s vintage vision with…

Steam to Table Nearly any vegetable or lean protein is welcome in a steamer basket. To cook a variety in one basket, simply give the longer-cooking ingredients a head start. 1 – 2 MIN Chard, spinach, snow peas 2 MIN Whole asparagus, sugar snap peas 2 – 3 MIN Kale, collards, green beans 3 MIN Broccoli florets, sliced cabbage 5 – 6 MIN Cauliflower florets 8 MIN 1"-thick fish fillet 10 MIN Shell-on eggs 13–15 MIN 1/2"-thick kabocha wedges 18 MIN Skin-on or skinless boneless chicken breast Choose Your Steamer Sure, you can rig up a steamer by nesting a strainer in a pot, but owning an actual basket makes it 99.9 percent more likely that you’ll actually steam. Decide which type fits your cooking style and budget: BAMBOO Ideal…

Take home the best of craft seltzer’s second boom with sparkling beverages that blend adaptogens, fresh fruits, and botanicals. They’re light, bright, and all we want to drink right now. DONA SPICE SODAS This juniper lime version is lemon-lime soda all grown up—equal parts vibrant and herbaceous. Chamomile and elderflower keep things earthy without added flavorings. KIN EUPHORICS When we need a pick-me-up, we opt for the citrusy, ginger-y Kin spritz, packed with calming adaptogens like rhodiola rosea and mood-boosting nootropics like GABA and citicoline. SANZO There are beverages that kind of taste like mango, and then there’s this Alphonso mango sparkling water, which perfectly captures the sweet and tangy character of the prized fruit. MINNA This very sippable sparkling rooibos tea is brewed with hibiscus and rosehips and finished…

Have you seen senior food editor Andy Baraghani’s glazed-doughnut glow? Our resident skin care savant can tell you which cleanser is best and whether Liv Tyler’s favorite serum is worth the hype. Andy’s daytime toner, Biologique Recherche P50 ($68; shoprescuespa.com), has lactic acid and salicylic acid. At night he uses prescription-strength retinol (talk to your dermatologist). Both remove dead skin cells and resurface the skin. Top off with Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+ ($18; amazon.com). “Don’t forget your lips,” he adds. “No one wants to kiss your wrinkly lips.”…

Chocolate-Almond Fridge Fudge 8 SERVINGS The key to a firmly set but fudgy texture is using bittersweet chocolate with at least 60% cacao, preferably one with “couverture” on the label. This means the chocolate will have enough cocoa butter content to solidify the fudge. Lower amounts will result in fudge with a scoopable ganache-like texture. Non-stick vegetable oil spray¼ cup sliced blanched almonds4 oz. bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao), cut into small pieces½ ripe avocado⅓ cup smooth almond butter⅓ cup pure maple syrup1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process¾ tsp. kosher saltFlaky sea salt Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9x5" loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving plenty of overhang on 2 sides (the spray will help the parchment stick to the pan and stay flat).…

LAST SUMMER I WENT ON 16 first dates. That works out to one and a third first dates a week, from the graphic designer in May to the public defender in August. Is that a lot? I don’t even know anymore. I had just ejected myself from a four-and-a-half-year relationship like a fighter pilot with a wing on fire. Sitting in the wreckage, I was convinced I’d never love again. But I figured I should meet every unattached adult man in Brooklyn to make sure. And I decided to do it while drinking as little as possible. I’d taken booze breaks before—a few weeks here and there—and I always felt great. But I’d never done it while trying to date…[does some back-of-the-envelope math]…roughly half a million men. Drinking and dating…