‘America’s Test Kitchen’ offers help, opinions

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THE AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN COOKBOOK, by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, Boston Common Press, 2002, 352 pages, $29.95.

I regularly fill my kitchen with plumes of bad words. They can come blubbing from my mouth like lumps from a gravy boat after another bold culinary experiment has failed. I have a feeling that “America’s Test Kitchen” may change that.

Those familiar with Cook’s Illustrated magazine already will have some idea what I’m talking about here. With its serious appearance – all monochrome and line drawings – Cook’s has become a favorite in this household. If it seems learned, that’s because it is. And it has learned its lessons the hard way: through trial, error and the ruining of plenty of perfectly good food. Part of me hates the waste, the other part acknowledges that they are trying to save the rest of the world from making the same errors they did. It’s a generous act.

Today, with everybody who’s ever deglazed a pan getting their own half-hour cooking show, it’s only fair that Cook’s Illustrated should have its own share of the airwaves. The second series of the magazine’s electronic-media brother, “America’s Test Kitchen,” is about to air (although not, it seems, on Maine Public Broadcasting) and this book provides a companion to the series.

As such, it is different from other cookbooks. Much like the magazine, its focus is not on tantalizing you with exotic spices, novel flavors and fancy-pants recipes in general. It’s often about foods you already know and already cook. And it’s about helping you to cook them better.

It’s also about separating the wheat from the chaff when it comes to ingredients and cookware. Is it worth spending hundreds of dollars on state-of-the-art coffee machines? Apparently not, says ATC. How about peelers? Aren’t they all similar? Certainly not, according to the cookbook.

Best of all, the book gives opinions that you can feel confident trusting. The Cook’s Illustrated magazine does not carry advertising, putting the editors in the unusual position of being beholden to no one in making recommendations, apart from their readers. If a grater doesn’t grate or a hot dog isn’t so hot, ATC or Cook’s will let you know.

“Our goal is to help you make Tuesday night dinner quickly, easily and reliably,” the editors say. But in reality, this book makes any night’s meal a little more foolproof.

Intended as a companion to the television show, “The America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook is arranged in 26 themed chapters, from the very specific (Steak Frites) to full, extravagant, specialty meals (both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners get their own chapters). The editors then clearly set out their goals for the meal, and past disasters they’re aiming to avoid. Recipes are tweaked, ingredients tasted, tested and shuffled, equipment is examined, the science explained and, finally, consensus is reached.

“We are not fancy cooks,” says Cook’s Illustrated founder Christopher Kimball. “We love good home cooking.” Which is what you get plenty of here.

A heavy and often glutinous standard such as Spaghetti alla Carbonara is transformed under ATC’s tutelage into something almost elegant – certainly something that can be eaten with a little less guilt than usual. The trick is the omission of heavy cream and the result is a velvety yet clean texture, allowing the flavors of the cheeses to penetrate.

Meatballs, meanwhile, also gain some levity in the test kitchen. Binding the meat with buttermilk-soaked bread takes the meatballs from being tough little bombs to a creamy, zesty lightness. It’s well worth the extra care needed to cook these slightly fragile treats.

As good to read as to cook from, “America’s Test Kitchen” treats you like a grown-up and a friend. It pours a cup of (perfectly brewed) coffee, offers you a slice of its pie, gives you the recipe and enthuses you to fire up the oven as soon as you get home.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Serves 4-6

Add regular table salt to the pasta cooking water, but use sea salt flakes, if you can find them, to season the dish. We like the full flavor they bring to the carbonara. Note that while either table salt or sea salt can be used when seasoning, they are not used in equal amounts.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound bacon (6-8 slices), slices halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 large eggs

3/4 cup finely-grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)

1/4 cup finely-grated Pecorino Romano (about 3/4 ounce)

3 small cloves garlic, minced to paste or pressed through garlic press

1 pound spaghetti

Salt (see note above) and ground black pepper

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set heat-proof serving bowl on rack, and heat oven to 200 F. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in large stockpot.

While the water is heating, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until sizzling, but not smoking. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add wine and simmer until alcohol aroma has cooked off and wine is slightly reduced, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Beat eggs, cheeses and garlic together with fork in small bowl, and set aside.

When water comes to a boil, add pasta and 1 tablespoon table salt; stir to separate pasta. Cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta for about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet. Transfer drained pasta to warm serving bowl; if pasta appears dry, add some reserved cooking water and toss to moisten. Immediately pour egg mixture over hot pasta, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or 3/4 teaspoon table salt; toss well to combine. Pour bacon mixture over pasta, season generously with black pepper, and toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

Meatballs

The shaped meatballs can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours ahead of serving time.

2 slices white sandwich bread (crusts discarded), torn into small pieces

1/2 cup buttermilk or 6 tablespoons plain yogurt thinned with 2 tablespoons whole milk

1 pound ground meat (preferably 3/4 pound ground chuck and 1/4 pound ground pork)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley leaves

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper

About 11/4 cups vegetable oil for pan frying

Combine bread and buttermilk in a small bowl and let stand, mashing occasionally with fork until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.

Place ground meat, cheese, parsley, egg yolk, garlic, salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Add bread-milk mixture and combine until evenly mixed. Shape 3 tablespoons of mixture into 11/2-inch-round meatball. (When forming meatballs, use a light touch. If you compact the meatballs too much, they can become dense and hard.) You should be able to form about 14 meatballs.

Pour vegetable oil into 10- or 11-inch saute pan to depth of 1/4 inch. Turn flame to medium high. After several minutes, test oil with edge of meatball. When oil sizzles, add meatballs in a single layer. Fry, turning several times, until nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Regulate heat as needed to keep oil sizzling but not smoking.