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.

The Asian Pantry

From Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.

Many of us love Asian food but don’t necessarily feel comfortable cooking it at home. However, many Asian recipes rely on a minimum of tools and cookware, use techniques that are easy to master, and call for only a handful of ingredients. In this chapter, you’ll take a closer look at a few classic pieces of cookware found in Chinese and Japanese kitchens, such as the wok, suribachi, and bamboo steamer. The fascinating ingredients typically found in an Asian pantry include pickled ginger, tamari, and umeboshi, and then accompanying recipes put them to use. You’ll also find suggestions for substitute cookware if you don’t have the authentic piece on hand. Soon the thought of cooking Asian food at home will no longer seem impossible.

Chile-Pepper Oil
Sold in small bottles in Asian grocers, chile oil is vegetable oil that has been steeped with hot red chiles. It’s used as a seasoning in dipping sauces, stir-fries, soups, and other dishes. Buy it in a small bottle and store in the refrigerator to preserve its heat and keep it from turning rancid.

Chinese Rice Wine
Sometimes called yellow wine, rice wine is made from fermented rice. It has a slightly nutty taste and is used in many Chinese dishes. It is available both salted for cooking and unsalted for cooking and drinking. Look for Shao hsing, which can be purchased in Asian markets. If Chinese rice wine is unavailable, dry sherry, sake, or dry white vermouth can be substituted.

Chinese Salted Black Beans
These small, fermented, very salty black soybeans are used to flavor steamed and stir-fried seafood, chicken, or vegetables. They come in small plastic bags. They can be rinsed before using to remove some of the salt. Store at room temperature.

Fish Sauce
Pungent and salty, fish sauce, made by allowing salted fish, usually anchovies, to ferment in large earthenware crocks or barrels in the sun, is used as both a flavoring and a condiment in Southeast Asia. There is a wide variety of brands to choose from in Asian groceries and well-stocked supermarkets, most of them from Thailand. Once opened, store fish sauce in the refrigerator. Buy a small bottle as a little goes a long way.

Five-Spice Powder
The spices used in this aromatic blend vary among manufacturers, but can include any combination of cinnamon, fennel, star anise, clove, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. It is a popular ingredient in southern China and in Vietnam, where it is used in rubs, marinades, and as a seasoning.

Fresh Ginger
A knobby-looking rhizome with thin, tan skin and creamy white, somewhat fibrous flesh, fresh ginger is used in marinades, stir-fries, soups, and countless other ways. The skin is easily peeled with a paring knife or scraped off with the edge of a teaspoon. Once peeled, the flesh is grated, slivered, or chopped. Ginger, which has a pleasantly spicy, peppery yet sweet flavor, is stocked in the produce section of most supermarkets. Store unwrapped in the vegetable bin in the refrigerator. For longer storage, slip ginger into a resealable plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to four months, then peel and grate or chop while still frozen.

Hoisin Sauce
Hoisin sauce is a slightly sweet, spicy, thick soybeanbased sauce typically flavored with sugar, garlic, chiles, and many other seasonings. It is used as a glaze or basting sauce for grilled, roasted, or slow-cooked meat and poultry; to flavor stir-fries; and as a dipping sauce, often thinned with soy sauce or Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry). Once open, store in the refrigerator; it will keep indefinitely.

Japanese Rice
When properly cooked, Japanese medium-grain rice, also called sushi or short-grain rice, yields moist and slightly sticky yet firm kernels. It must be rinsed well before cooking to remove some of the starch, and because it absorbs some of the rinse water, it requires less water for cooking. Excellent-quality Japanese rice is grown in the United States. Look for Kokuho Rose, CalRose, and Nishiki brands. Japanese-grown rice is not exported to this country.

Miso
A versatile fermented soybean paste found in every Japanese pantry, miso is available in jars or plastic containers in the refrigerated section of the market. There are many different types of miso, each with its own color and flavor. Light-colored, mild misos are used in delicate soups, sauces, and salad dressings, whereas darker, stronger-tasting types are used in more robust soups and for all-purpose cooking. Stored in the refrigerator, miso will keep for months.

Nori
These thin sheets of dried, dark green to black seaweed, with a flavor reminiscent of the sea, are primarily used for wrapping sushi and for snipping into small pieces for garnishing all kinds of dishes. Toasting nori improves its flavor and texture, emphasizing its nutty, salty taste. It can be purchased already toasted, or it can be briefly toasted over a gas burner or with a chef’s torch. Nori is typically sold in cellophane-packaged sheets, either whole or perforated.

Pickled Ginger
Cut into paper-thin slices and preserved in sweet vinegar, pickled ginger, or gari, is available in plastic containers or jars in the refrigerated section of Japanese or Asian markets. Available in its natural color or dyed pale pink, it is always served alongside sushi.

Rice Vinegar
Japanese rice vinegar is colorless, generally quite mild, and versatile. Look for Marukan brand, which is light enough for dressing leafy greens and rice salads. It comes both seasoned and unseasoned, although unseasoned vinegar is preferred by many cooks because of its pure, clean taste. Chinese rice vinegars, available in black, red, and white, are usually stronger tasting than Japanese vinegars and are used mostly for braised dishes; for stir-fries, such as sweet-and-sour pork; and as a table condiment.

Sesame Seeds
White, tan, and black sesame seeds are used in Chinese and Japanese cooking. The white are unhulled and have a mild taste. The tan and black are hulled and have a more assertive, nutty flavor. They are used as a condiment and in salads, stir-fries, sushi, and other dishes. Because sesame seeds are high in fat, they should be refrigerated to avoid rancidity. They’re available in jars or cellophane packages in Asian or other well-supplied grocery stores.

Sesame Soy Marinade
Available in specialty grocers, this Shanghai-style bottled soy-based mixture of sesame oil, spices, and sherry is used to marinate poultry and meat or as a seasoning for stir-fried rice or vegetable dishes. It’s the familiar flavor in stir-fried beef and broccoli.

Shiitake Mushrooms
These mushrooms are sold whole or sliced, dried in cellophane packages or boxes as Chinese black mushrooms in Chinese stores and shiitake mushrooms in Japanese stores and must be rehydrated in boiling water (for a quicker result) or tepid water before using. The flavor and aroma are both smoky and pungent, and the texture is thick and meaty. In contrast, fresh shiitake—available in most supermarkets—are mild and soft. Before using whole fresh or dried, discard the tough, inedible stems.

Shiso Leaves
Related to the mint and basil family, shiso is a popular herb in Japanese cooking. The heart-shaped, jaggededged, aromatic leaves are used in recipes for Japanese sashimi, sushi, and salads. Small plastic bags holding about six fresh leaves are sometimes found in produce sections of Japanese markets. Refrigerated, they’ll keep about one week. It is sometimes called perilla or Japanese basil.

Soy Sauce
Used as a condiment or seasoning, this familiar Asian sauce is made from fermented soybeans combined with roasted wheat or occasionally barley and is available in a variety of strengths. Light or thin soy, used primarily with milder foods such as fish and poultry, is often saltier than dark soy, which is aged longer, giving it a deeper, more caramel-like color and flavor well suited to use with meats. Bottles labeled simply “soy sauce” hold a pleasantly strong and salty all-purpose sauce. Low-sodium soy sauce has the mildest taste and is recommended for people watching their sodium intake. Mushroom soy, a popular Chinese sauce, is soy sauce flavored with dried Chinese black mushrooms.

Tamari
Similar to soy sauce and traditionally made without wheat, tamari, which originated in Japan, is slightly thicker and has a mellower, richer flavor. Today, tamari made both with and without wheat is sold. If you are following a wheat-free diet, check the label before purchase.

Toasted Sesame Oil
This aromatic, amber-colored oil is pressed from toasted sesame seeds. It is a seasoning oil, not a cooking oil, and it adds a delicious depth of flavor to steamed vegetables, soups, stir-fries, marinades, and dipping sauces. Buy small bottles and store in the refrigerator because it
quickly turns rancid.

Tofu
Tofu is made from soy milk. It is sold in square white cakes in the refrigerator section of almost all markets. Sometimes called soybean curd or bean curd, it has a custardlike texture and bland flavor, which helps it to blend well with spicy or highly flavored foods. In Chinese and Japanese cooking it is often stir fried, deep-fried, or added to broth. It can be diced, sliced, mashed, or pureed. Many types of tofu are available, including soft, firm, and extra firm. In Western-style cooking it is used in casseroles, soups, smoothies, salads, stir-fries, sandwiches, and puddings and other desserts. Tofu should be kept refrigerated. It stays fresh for about one week.

Umeboshi
These brined, unripe plums are a delicacy in Japan. They are deep red—which comes from including red shiso leaves along with the brine—and have a mouthpuckering tartness. Believed to aid digestion, umeboshi are used as a stuffing in onigiri (rice balls wrapped in nori) and as a condiment at most meals. These are available as whole plums or as a paste in jars, tubes, and cans in Asian or Japanese food shops.

Wasabi
Wasabi, a Japanese root commonly compared to Western horseradish (the two are unrelated), has a memorable eye-watering, sinus-clearing kick. Sold as a pale green paste or powder (the fresh root is rarely available in the United States), it is lightly applied—just a tiny dot is sufficient—to maki-zushi and other sushi and is mixed with soy sauce as a dip for raw fish. The paste is available in a convenient small tube, whereas the powder, which must be reconstituted with water (follow the directions on the label), comes in a can.

Clay Cooker

From Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.

The design of a clay cooker, also known as a clay pot, imitates the ancient practice of covering food with wet clay, roasting it in an open fire until the clay forms a hard shell, and then cracking the shell to expose the cooked food, likely losing most of the tasty juices at the same time. Today, clay cookers are far easier to use and are especially appreciated because foods cooked in them require little or no added fat.

Some clay cookers are unglazed on the inside but all need to be soaked in cold water for about 30 minutes before using for the first time. As the heat of the oven permeates the pot, the wetness in the clay is drawn out, adding moisture to the cooker’s interior.

Tips for Using
Read the instructions that accompany your clay cooker before use. All clay cookers—even glazed ones—must be soaked—typically 30 minutes—before they are used the first time.

All clay cookers should also be soaked each time they are used, but for a shorter length of time,
typically 15 minutes.

To soak, slip the cooker into a sink filled with cool water.

Some clay pots must be placed in a cold oven, which is then turned to the desired temperature, usually 400° to 450°F. Make sure to read carefully the instructions that accompany your clay cooker.

Because the soaked pot adds so much moisture to the food, it’s the perfect vessel for making soup.

Care in Using
Don’t take a clay cooker from a hot oven and place it on cold granite, tile, stainless steel, or another cold surface. Instead, place it on a folded kitchen towel to buffer it from extreme temperature changes.

Wash with warm, soapy water and gently scrub with a stiff plastic brush. Use only mild dishwashing liquid, never strong cleaners.

To remove stubborn burnt-on food or residual odors from the interior, fill the clay pot with warm water, add a spoonful of baking soda, and let stand overnight. It should then scrub clean. Always consult the manufacturer’s instructions.

Alternatives
Dutch oven, cocotte, or braiser.

The Moroccan Kitchen

From Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.

The MoroccanPantry

Morocco boasts a varied landscape: orchards of olives, almonds, and lemons; fishing boats crowding the seashore; and sheep and goats grazing on the mountainsides. Its colorful markets keep Moroccan pantries well stocked with exotic spices in every color and aroma. The intriguing cookware includes the couscoussière, a two-tiered metal pot for cooking couscous, and the tagine, a shallow earthenware pot with a tall, conical lid for cooking its famous stews. Here you will read about some of the staples of the Moroccan pantry and learn how to make bisteeya, a lavish savory pie with a buttery, paper-thin pastry, topped with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar—an appropriately sweet finish to your journey through the global kitchen.

Cumin
Cumin is one of the most popular spices of the Moroccan kitchen. For the best flavor, always toast the whole seeds in a small, dry skillet to release their aroma before grinding them in either a mortar or an electric spice grinder.

Couscous
When uncooked, couscous, small beads of rolled semolina, look like tiny pellets. When steamed, they swell and become soft and fluffy. Boxes of precooked couscous—often labeled “instant” or “quick cooking”—hold the same couscous you see sold in bulk in specialty-food shops, health-food stores, and many supermarkets. The box directions produce a satisfying but heavy starch, but when steamed in the traditional way (page 316), the results are lighter, fluffier, and more tender.

Flower Waters
Orange-flower water and rose water are used to flavor desserts, sweets, and beverages. Both waters are distilled from blossoms or buds and are sold in small bottles 312 in specialty-food shops and in some large liquor stores.

Harissa
Made from chiles, garlic, and caraway, coriander, and/or cumin, harissa is a fiery sauce found on tables throughout North Africa. It can be purchased in jars or tubes, or made at home in a blender or with a mortar and pestle. Harissa is used as a condiment to flavor soups, stews,
couscous, and other dishes.

Preserved Lemons
Preserved lemons—slit whole lemons packed into jars with salt and lemon juice and left to mature—are indispensable in the Moroccan kitchen. The rinds are cut into small pieces to flavor tagines and other dishes, while the pulp is used to season sauces. They can be made at
home (page 328) or purchased in specialty-food shops.

Ras el Hanout
This blend of exotic spices is primarily used to flavor meat dishes, but it is also used in rice dishes and couscous. It can be made with as few as ten spices or more than three times that amount. Home cooks typically roast whole spices and then grind them to a fine powder
in a mortar or spice grinder. Look for ras el hanout in specialty-food shops.

Saffron
The orange-yellow stigma of a purple crocus, saffron is used in the cooking of many countries around the Mediterranean and in the Middle East, including Morocco, where local cooks regularly add it to tagines. Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, it will keep for up to 6 months before it begins to lose its pungency. (For more on saffron, see page 293.)

Phyllo
These paper-thin Greek pastry leaves are widely available frozen, typically rolled in plastic and packed into a long, narrow box. Phyllo is an excellent substitute for traditional Moroccan pastry when making bisteeya.