Classic Lemon Bars

From The Art and Soul of Baking

Makes 36 (1½-inch) squares

Eyes light up at the sight of these tart and refreshing favorites. A soft, puckery lemon filling atop a vanilla scented shortcrust is just the ticket after a rich winter meal, and it is also a refreshing treat on a hot summer day. Okay, okay, it’s great anytime. Surprisingly easy to make, these bars deliver a lot of satisfaction for the amount of elbow grease invested. Of course lemon is the classic, but you could substitute lime juice as well. Or, for a more exotic version, try an equal amount of passion fruit juice instead of the lemon juice.

Ingredients
1 recipe Vanilla Shortcrust Dough (page 209 - see below), prepared through Step 2
4 large eggs
2 cups (14 ounces) granulated sugar
5 tablespoons (1¾ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
²⁄³ cup (5 ²⁄³ ounces) strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Equipment
9-inch Square Cake Pan, Silicone or Rubber Spatula, Cooling Rack, Whisk, Medium Bowl, Thin Knife or Small Spatula, Fine-Mesh Strainer

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F and position an oven rack in the center.
2 Line the pan with foil across the bottom and up all four sides, then lightly coat with melted butter, oil, or high-heat canola-oil spray. With the spatula, scrape the dough into the prepared pan and press it into an even layer across the bottom of the pan. Chill for 30 minutes.
3 Bake the chilled crust for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a rack and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
4 Whisk the eggs and granulated sugar together in the medium bowl. Whisk in the flour until there are no lumps. Whisk in the lemon juice. Pour the filling over the crust. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the filling is set and does not jiggle when you tap the side of the pan. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. When cool, refrigerate for 1 hour.
5 To serve, grasp the foil and lift the cookies out of the pan. Set them on a cutting surface. Gently peel back the foil, using the tip of a thin knife or small spatula to help separate the bars from the foil if necessary. Cut into 1½-inch squares and transfer to a serving plate or storage container. Just before serving, use a fine-mesh strainer to dust confectioners’ sugar over the tops. (Wait until the last minute to do this or the confectioners’ sugar will soak into the filling and look blotchy.)

Storing
The bars keep well at room temperature for 1 day. For longer storage, keep them airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The bars cannot be frozen, however, because the crust becomes soggy when defrosted.

Vanilla Shortcrust Dough

Makes 1 (9- or 9½-inch) tart shell

The wonderfully crisp and crumbly texture of this easy-to-use tart dough resembles a vanilla shortbread cookie, suitable to many types of fillings. There are different ways to make a shortcrust shell. This recipe offers two options for mixing the dough, with a food processor or by hand. There are also two options for forming the shell, by rolling out the dough or pressing it directly in the pan.

Ingredients
1 ¼ cups (6 ¼ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup (1 ¾ ounces) sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 to 3 teaspoons water

Equipment
Food Processor Fitted with a Metal Blade or a Medium Bowl and Pastry Blender, Small Bowl, Whisk, Rolling Pin (Optional), 9- or 9 ½-inch Fluted Tart Pan with Removable Bottom

1 To mix the dough using a food processor: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 5 times to blend. Add the cold butter pieces and pulse 6 to 8 times, just until the butter is the size of large peas. In the small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon water. Add to the butter mixture, then process just until the dough begins to form small clumps, 5 to 10 seconds. Do not let the dough form a ball. Test the dough by squeezing a handful of clumps—when you open your hand, they should hold together. If they are crumbly and fall apart, sprinkle 1 teaspoon water over the dough and pulse several times, then test again. Repeat, if necessary. To mix the dough by hand: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the medium bowl and blend well with the whisk. Add the cold butter pieces and toss until they are lightly coated with the flour. Use the pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs or crushed crackers. If at any time during this process the butter softens and becomes warm, place the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before continuing. In the small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon water. Add to the dry ingredients and toss between your fingertips or with a fork 20 to 30 times to evenly distribute the moisture. The dough will still look very crumbly, but if the mixture is squeezed in your hand, it should hold together. If not, sprinkle another teaspoon of water over the top and toss to blend. Repeat, if necessary.
2 Finish the dough: Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and knead gently 2 or 3 times, just to finish bringing it together. Shape it into a disk about 6 inches in diameter. If the dough is still cool to the touch, continue on to the next step. If the dough is soft and sticky, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes before continuing.
3 To make the tart shell by rolling the dough: Make sure the dough is cool but malleable. If it has been refrigerated or frozen and is quite hard, let it sit on the counter for 10 to 12 minutes before rolling; otherwise, the dough will crack under the pressure of the rolling pin. Since it’s difficult to remove this dough from the work surface without tearing it unmercifully, place the dough disk between two 14-inch pieces of waxed paper, parchment paper, or plastic wrap. Roll it into an 11-inch round, rotating it (and the paper) clockwise slightly after each roll to create an even round. Remember to roll from the center outward and to lift the rolling pin at the edge to avoid smashing the edge into the paper, which will make removing the paper difficult. As you roll, the paper or plastic wrap will get wrinkled into the dough. When this happens, peel it off, smooth out the wrinkles and lay it back on the dough. Flip the dough over and repeat, if necessary, with the top piece. Continue to roll, flipping and smoothing wrinkles as necessary, until the dough is 11 inches across and between ¹⁄8 and ¼ inch thick. If the dough is soft and sticky, transfer it to a baking sheet and chill it for 30 minutes. Peel off the top piece of paper or plastic. Leave the bottom piece attached—this will hold the dough together while you transfer it to the pan. Lift the dough by the exposed paper or plastic and flip it over and center it over the tart pan as best you can. Peel off the paper or plastic. (If it sticks and won’t come off, place everything on a baking sheet and chill for 30 minutes—the paper will then peel off easily.) Ease the dough across the bottom of the pan and up the sides, pressing it into the corners of the pan with your fingertips. If the dough breaks or cracks, just press it together again. Once the dough is even in the pan, fold the excess dough at the edge inward to create a double layer of dough along the wall. Press firmly with your thumbs to fuse the two layers of dough, then roll your thumb over the rim of the pan to remove any excess dough there. Save the excess dough in case a crack forms in the crust during baking. Refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes before baking. To make the tart shell by pressing the dough into the pan by hand: First, chill the dough for 30 minutes. Break the cold dough into small pieces roughly an inch or two in diameter and scatter them evenly over the bottom of the tart pan. Use the heel of your hand to press the pieces of dough flat, connecting them into a smooth, even layer. Press from the center of the pan outward, building up some extra dough where the bottom meets the side. Using your thumbs, press this excess up the sides of the pan to form the walls, making sure they are the same thickness as the dough on the bottom of the pan. Roll your thumb over the rim of the pan to remove any excess dough (save this for patching any cracks that might form during baking). Refrigerate for 1 hour, or freeze for 30 minutes before baking.

What The Pros Know
Professionals have to keep one step ahead, and you can follow their lead. Both this shortcrust dough and Easy Chocolate Press-In Dough (page 212) may be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 days, and they also freeze beautifully for up to 6 weeks. So, when preparing tart dough, think about doubling or tripling the recipe and refrigerating or freezing the extra batches.

To freeze made-ahead doughs, flatten each batch of dough into a 6- or 7-inch disk, double-wrap in plastic, and slip into a resealable plastic freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter for 1 hour before using. To make life even easier, roll or press the dough into the tart pan(s) immediately, then wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap and freeze in a resealable plastic bag. Be sure to include a nub of dough left over from trimming, to patch any cracks that form during baking. Then, when you want a tart, all you need to do is unwrap and pop it the preheated oven, allowing 3 to 5 extra minutes for baking.

Classic Fudgy Brownies

From The Art and Soul of Baking

Makes 16 (2-inch) brownies

Rich, dark, fudgy, and slightly chewy, these homemade brownies are always a hit, so much better than anything you can buy. Serve cold with a glass of milk, or warm from the oven with a scoop of ice cream. Like a simple black dress, they can be accessorized to match any occasion. For a casual snack, serve them right out of the pan. For something a bit dressier, dust the brownies with a layer of confectioners’ sugar, then use a stencil and cocoa powder for a contrasting design (see page 436).

Inspired by Jackson Pollock? Drizzle melted dark chocolate (or dark, milk, and/or white chocolates) wildly over the top. For a very special occasion, paint a message or design right onto the brownies using gold luster dust (see page 436) or frost them with a layer of Dark Chocolate Ganache (page 412) accented with the elegance of gold leaf (page 436).

Ingredients
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (up to 64 percent cacao), finely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup (2 ½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
½ cup (about 3¾ ounces) chocolate chips or chunks (optional)
½ cup (2 ounces) chopped nuts, toasted and cooled completely (optional)

Equipment
8-inch Square Cake Pan, Parchment Paper, Double Boiler, Silicone or Rubber Spatula, Whisk, Cooling Rack, Thin Knife or Flexible Spatula, Chef’s Knife

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F and position an oven rack in the center. Line the pan with foil or parchment paper across the bottom and up two of the sides, then lightly coat with unflavored oil or high-heat canola-oil spray.
2 Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler. Place the butter, semisweet chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate in the top of the double boiler (off the heat). Turn off the heat, then set the butter and chocolate over the steaming water. Stir occasionally with the spatula until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
3 Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, stirring well to incorporate each before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract. Whisk in the flour and salt. Continue to stir until the mixture changes from dull and broken-looking to smooth and shiny, about 1 minute. Whisk in the chocolate chips and chopped nuts, if using.
4 Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it (do not overbake). Transfer to a rack and cool completely
5 Run a thin knife or flexible spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the brownies. To remove the brownies from the pan, grasp the foil or parchment paper extending up the sides and pull gently upward. Set the brownies on a cutting surface and use a chef’s knife to cut into 16 equal pieces. Since these are fudgy, it’s a good idea to keep a hot, wrung-out towel nearby so you can wipe the knife clean between slices. You could also serve the brownies right out of the pan, if you like, pressing a piece of plastic wrap against any cut surfaces and across the top to keep them fresh.

Storing
Tightly wrap the remaining brownies in plastic or place in an airtight container. They will keep well at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Chocolate Mint Brownies with White Chocolate
Chunks Omit the vanilla extract and add ¾ teaspoon pure mint extract instead. Do not use nuts or dark chocolate chips at the end of Step 3, but instead add 4 ounces of good quality white chocolate chopped into ¼-inch pieces. Bake and cool as directed above. Melt an additional 1 ½ ounces of white chocolate and pipe or stripe it over the top of the cooled brownies in any pattern you like (page 431). Let the white chocolate cool and harden before cutting the brownies.

Chocolate-Pecan Brownie Cookies
Use toasted pecans for the nuts and substitute mini chocolate chips for the larger chips or chunks. Use a spoon or small ice cream scoop to portion tablespoons of batter about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. The cookies won’t seem done, but will firm up as they cool. The tops should look matte instead of shiny—you may want to bake a few to get the timing right before you commit to the entire batch. Makes about 45 cookies.

What the Pros Know
There are two types of brownies—fudgy and cakey. Fudgy brownies always begin with butter and chocolate melted together, which creates a dense, chewy texture. Cakey brownies begin with butter and sugar creamed together, and the chocolate is added later. The creaming step fills the batter with air, lightening it and making it more cake like in texture. You can change the style of your brownies by simply changing the mixing method to achieve the texture you want.

Old-Fashioned Tomato and Meat Sauce for Pasta

From Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.

Prep 45 min | cook time 3 hr | serves 6

This rich tomato sauce is excellent served with rigatonio other sturdy dried pasta with ridges that will hold the sauce. The meat in this recipe—the pork ribs and beef chuck—adds to the rich flavor. However, meatballs, Italian sausage, veal stew meat, Italian fennel sausage, or even a browned pork chop or piece of beef sirloin can be substituted. Just make sure not to use more than 3 pounds of meat, which are served as a side dish with the pasta.

Implements
8-Quart Dutch Oven, Tongs, Food Mill, Rubber Spatula, 8-Quart Stock Pot with Matching Pasta Insert or Other 8-Quart Pot and Colander, Large Ladle, Two Large Spoons

Ingredients
Sauce
1 to 1 ½ pounds meaty pork spareribs or country-style ribs
1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck or stew meat, cut into 2-inch pieces
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes with juices
1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
1 pound rigatoni, penne rigate, or conchiglie (large shells)
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving

1. Make the sauce: Blot the meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven or other large, wide pan over medium heat. Working in batches, add the meat to the oil and cook, turning with tongs, for 10 to 15 minutes, until browned on all sides. As each batch is done, transfer it to a large plate. When all of the meat has been browned, set it aside.

2. Spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until softened. Remove from the heat.

3. Fit a food mill with the medium disk, and set the mill on the rim of the Dutch oven. Put the tomatoes with their juices in the food mill and puree. Reverse the crank to extract every bit of flavor from the tomato pulp, and occasionally stop to clean the underside of the mill with a rubber spatula, so the puree falls freely. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper to the pan and stir to blend.

4. Add the browned meats and any juices that accumulated on the plate to the pan and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered, stirring and adjusting the temperature to maintain a slow simmer, for 2 to 2½ hours, until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced.

5. cook the pasta : Fill a deep 8-quart pot, outfitted with a pasta insert if using, three-fourths full with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add 3 tablespoons of coarse salt to the boiling water and then gradually add the pasta. Stir with a long-handled slotted spoon until the water returns to a boil. Boil the pasta for 10 minutes. Remove 1 piece of pasta with the slotted spoon and test for doneness. Pasta is cooked when it is only slightly resistant to the bite. If the pasta is too hard, cook for 2 minutes more and test again. Keep testing the pasta every 2 minutes, or until it is cooked to your liking.

6. Slowly lift out the pasta insert, allowing the water to drain back into the pot, or set a large colander in the sink and pour the pasta and water slowly into the colander. Do not shake all of the water off the pasta.

7. Ladle a pool of just the sauce—no meat—in the bottom of a large pasta serving bowl. Add half of the pasta. Top with another ladle or two of sauce, again without the meat. Top with the remaining pasta. Top with 2 more ladles of the sauce. Using 2 large spoons, gently mix the pasta with the sauce until evenly coated. Reserve the remaining sauce.

8. Use tongs to lift the meat from the sauce and either arrange it along the edges of the pasta or place it in a separate serving bowl. Pour the remaining tomato sauce into a gravy boat or a small bowl, and serve along with the pasta and meat. Pass the cheese at the table.

tip
Keep the Pasta and the Bowl Hot

A great way to heat the pasta serving bowl is to set it in the sink and set the colander for draining the pasta inside the bowl. That way, the boiling pasta water heats up the bowl as the pasta drains. When ready to serve, simply pour the water from the bowl and the bowl will be hot.

Chef’s Torch -- from Things Cooks Love

Things Cooks Love

This handy torch is the scaled down home version of the industrial blowtorch. It is fired by butane, and the pointed flame is hot enough to caramelize sugar on a crème brûlée, turn on a cheese bubbly and golden, brown the tops of casseroles, melt herb butter on top of vegetables, and
transform pale gold chicken skin to deep mahogany in a matter of seconds. Although many restaurant chefs use industrial-strength torches, the chef’s torch, lightweight and just 6 inches long, is perfect for the home cook.

recipes
Toasted Goat Cheese, Roasted Beet, and Pear Salad |
Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes with Bubbling Mozzarella

Tips for Using
The butane canisters are small and inexpensive. Buy two, so you’ll always have one in reserve. One canister is good for about 1½ hours of use.

Carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions before using your chef’s torch. For example, pay attention to the advice about the angle of the barrel. If the angle is too severe, the flame will extinguish itself.

The torch is not recommended for caramelizing brown sugar, but works well with turbinado and granulated white sugar.

Use the torch to toast marshmallows, to char chiles or bell peppers, and to melt jelly or jam glaze on fruit tarts, cheesecakes, and tortes.

Use the torch to heat the bottom of a custard cup or pan to ease the unmolding of panna cotta, a gelatin mold, a cheesecake, or other cold mixtures.

The torch is handy for warming up a knife blade before slicing cold, firm cheesecakes, ice-cream cakes, or pies.

Care in Using
Remove sticky fingerprints from the handle with a clean, damp cloth. Always consult the manufacturer’s instructions.

Alternatives
The chef’s torch is difficult to replicate, but a preheated broiler will work for some tasks, such as browning the top of a casserole. Commercial chefs prefer the brawny hardware-store torch, but it’s not recommended for the typical home cook.

The Indian Pantry

From Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.

India is a country of contrasts, with cool mountains in the north, tropical plains in the south, and a heady mix of religions and customs in every corner. Not surprisingly, this cauldron of differences has produced a varied, complex cuisine that inevitably attracts the adventurous cook. The diversity of Indian cooking is melded into a single culinary tradition by the importance of spices in every dish. To stitch the culinary quilt together the following pages focus on the tawa and karahi, two pieces of cookware found in every Indian kitchen, along with the electric spice grinder. The Indian kitchen’s most commonly used spices and ingredients include cumin, garam masala, and ghee, and as each pinch of spice hits the hot tawa, you draw closer to the heart and soul of Indian cooking.

Ghee
This staple of the Indian pantry is what Western cooks call clarified butter. Ghee can be bought in tins, but the flavor is better if you make it yourself. The process is simple: melt butter, let the milk solids separate from the fat and sink to the bottom of the pan, and then pour off the clear liquid, or ghee. The solids have a lower smoking point than the fat, so they burn at high temperatures, plus they promote rancidity, especially if refrigeration is not available. (See page 323 for the technique.)

Spices
Black Pepper
Native to India, this pungent dried berry is thought to be the most widely consumed spice in the world. It has been used in India since ancient times, usually cracked or ground and added to foods to give them a touch of heat.

Cardamom
A member of the ginger family, cardamom is a small pod with a thin, crackly covering and a number of tiny, round dark seeds inside. The pods can be green or bleached white. The seeds can be removed and the pod discarded, or the entire pod can be ground. Ground cardamon is also available, but some recipes may call for using the seeds whole. Cardamom, which is pungent and spicy with sweet tones, is used in both sweet and savory dishes.

Chile
With the introduction of chiles to India in the sixteenth century, the “heat” in Indian cooking began to change, moving away from black pepper. Indians love their food spiced with chiles, and grow many different varieties. The Mexican chiles available in most supermarkets can be substituted. Typically, the smaller the chile, the hotter it will be.

Cinamon
The cinnamon used in India is from the bark of the cassia tree, which is milder than the bark of true cinnamon. In northern India, rice is often seasoned with a cinnamon stick. Cinnamon is also used in garam masala, a custom blend of spices specific to every cook in India.

Clove
The dried flower bud of a tropical tree, clove has a powerful flavor and scent. It’s one of the spices in garam masala; is used in sauces, especially with tomatoes; and is added to rice dishes.

Coriander
C oriander is used extensively in Indian cooking, both as a fresh leaf (cilantro) and a dried seed. The seeds are small, hard spheres that give off an intoxicating floral scent when ground. The mild flavor of coriander goes well with vegetable dishes, especially those made with tomatoes, eggplant, and carrots.

Cumin
C umin is considered the most important spice in Indian cooking. It is a small, curved, highly aromatic light brown seed that looks a bit like caraway. It is sold whole or ground. Toasting cumin seeds before grinding brings out their flavor. Cumin has strong citrus notes and is often added to neutral-tasting vegetables, such as beans, potatoes, and rice.

Curry Powder
Indian cooks typically mix up their own curry powders, choosing spices and proportions to their taste and according to the dish being seasoned. Curry powder is considered the original masala, or blend, of the southern Indian kitchen, whereas garam masala is the blend favored in the north. According to Indian food expert Julie Sahni, another blend, panch phoron, is popular in the kitchens of eastern India. Curry powder is used to flavor sauces and goes well with meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes, especially tomatoes.

Fennel
Fennel seeds look a little like cumin, without the curve, but the sweet licorice aroma and flavor couldn’t be more different. It is used to season vegetables and for sweets.

Garam Masala
In Hindi, garam means “warm” or “hot” and masala means “a blend of spices.” The spices included in this blend vary by region, by cook, and by the dish to which it is being added. Every Indian cook creates his or her own blend, which can have as few as ten or as many as thirty different spices. In the United States, you can buy already-ground garam masala in jars or packets or mixtures of whole spices. Whole-spice mixtures typically include bay leaf, cinnamon stick, brown mustard seeds, green cardamom pods, whole cloves, and cumin seeds. The spices are always dry roasted on a griddle (tawa) or small skillet before they are ground in an electric spice grinder or, for smaller amounts, in a mortar and pestle (see page 129).

Ginger
Fresh ginger, with its familiar pungency and heat, is used widely in Indian cooking. It is typically peeled and then grated, chopped, or thinly sliced before adding to dishes. It is a popular seasoning in lentil dishes, various curries, and chutneys.

Mustard Seeds
M ustard seeds come in several colors, but small brown seeds are most often used in Indian cooking, especially in the vegetarian cooking of the south and in traditional Indian pickles.

Nigella Seeds
These small, black, pungent seeds are sometimes called black onion seeds, though the onion is not a relative. They are used in stir-fried vegetables, pickles, and in dals, dishes made with dried split lentils, peas, and/or beans.

Turmeric
Turmeric, a rhizome like ginger, is commonly dried and ground into a brilliant golden yellow powder with a strong earthy taste. It is the spice that gives curry powder its distinctive color. It is also a common addition to vegetable, rice, seafood, and meat dishes and to pickles.

How to Trim Artichokes

From Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.

Half fill a large bowl with water and add the juice of 1 lemon. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, cut off the stem flush with the bottom. Pull away and discard any blemished outer leaves. Lay the artichoke on its side and, with a large knife, cut about ½ inch off the top, to remove the prickly tips.

Use kitchen scissors to snip off the prickly tips from the remaining leaves. Rinse the artichoke under running cold water and place in the bowl of lemon water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes. The artichokes are now ready to steam or boil until tender. To remove the choke, invert cooked artichokes on a folded kitchen towel to drain and cool. Then stand the cooled artichokes stem side down. Use your fingers to gently spread open the leaves at the top to expose the prickly-tipped center leaves. Grasp the leaves with your fingers and pull them out. Reach down into the artichoke with the tip of a spoon and scrape away the fuzzy choke. The artichokes are now ready to stuff and bake, or chill and serve cold with mayonnaise or a vinaigrette dressing.

Knives

From Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.

Boning Knife
A boning knife has a thin, narrow, curvaceous blade about 6 inches long and ½ to 1 inch wide. Because boning requires considerable dexterity, the handle should fit and feel comfortable in your hand.

Carving Knife and Fork
Also called a slicing knife, this knife has an 8- to 12-inch-long, narrow, slightly tapered blade and an easy-to-grip handle. Knives designed to cut through cooked meat and poultry are tapered to a point at the end. Knives for slicing smoked fish or ham are a bit longer, with a straight edge and a squared-off end. A meat and poultry carving knife is often sold in a set with a two-pronged fork, for holding the meat steady while it is being carved.

Cheese Knife
A number of distinctive cheese knives are available, each suitable for different types of cheese. One popular design has an offset blade, which angles down from the handle before straightening out to a length of about 5 inches. This knife works with soft, semisoft, and semifirm cheeses. Another model, also for soft cheeses, has large perforations in the blade that prevent the cheese from clinging to it and a sharp scalloped edge that ensures a tidy cut. Another useful knife is the Parmesan knife, which has a stubby, spade-shaped blade and a sturdy, oval wooden handle. It efficiently cuts such hard cheeses as Parmesan and aged Gouda, Asiago, and provolone into jagged chunks.

Chef’s Knife
The chef’s knife is covered on page 9 in “The Basic Kitchen,” but here you’ll have a chance to think about adding more chef’s knives to your knife block. For a novice cook, a small chef’s knife (8 inches) is usually perfect. But if you are a more adept cook with greater knife skills, you might find a chef’s knife with a longer blade more practical. Chef’s knives can be as long as 14 inches, but a 10-inch knife is more than adequate for home use. You might also consider adding a smaller (6-inch) chef’s knife for your kitchen as well. Before buying, always hold the knife in your hand so you can judge the weight, balance, and comfort of the handle. Simulate the rocking motion of chopping before buying to decide what feels most comfortable.

Cleaver
The extra-strong, wedge-shaped, sharp-edged blade of a meat cleaver is designed for cutting through bones, but this large knife can also be used for many other tasks, such as halving acorn squash, cutting apart a slab of ribs, or smashing a garlic clove. There are also vegetable cleavers shaped like wide squares available that are designed primarily for cutting vegetables. These are not durable enough for cutting through meat bones. Whichever one you choose, make sure to buy a cleaver with good heft for both efficiency and versatility.

Paring Knife
Owning paring knives in a variety of sizes and styles eases tasks in any kitchen. Two styles, the straight 3-inch blade and the bird’s beak blade, are described on page 10. Among other types is one designed specifically or vegetables, called a standard parer, which has a curvaceous blade and sharp upward tip and looks a little like a miniature boning knife. Yet another type has a narrow, triangular 3-inch blade that is useful for such small jobs as slicing handheld strawberries or mushrooms.

Poultry Shears
Heavy-duty kitchen scissors are a versatile and indispensable kitchen tool (page 10), and some of them are sturdy enough to cut through poultry bones. However, true poultry shears are always stronger. There are several models on the market, so be sure to look for some or all of the following features: a curved blade for getting around and into chicken joints, a cushioned handle that permits a firm grasp, a notch at the back of the blade for keeping the bones in place while you cutdown, a serrated bottom blade for extra cutting power, a strong lock for keeping the spring-loaded blades safely closed during storage, and made of stainless steel that is dishwasher safe.