Flash-Cooked Curried Salmon

From: Episode 13 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 10 minutes

Faster than a fried egg: Thinly slice salmon, throw it in a hot, non-stick pan no fat is necessary then flip it almost the second it hits the heat. I added the curry powder to make the salmon akin to Kerry's Salmon Tandoori, but you could just as easily omit the curry powder and finish it with lemon to serve it alongside any kind of traditional American or European side dish.

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
2 tablespoons curry powder or Garam Masala
Salt to taste
Chickpea Raita (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Cut the salmon fillets in half horizontally to make 8 thinner pieces: Hold your knife parallel to the cutting board and use your other hand to apply pressure on the salmon so the knife glides through evenly. Dust each piece with the curry powder and salt on both sides. Put 4 plates in the oven to warm.

2. Preheat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat for 1 minute the salmon should sizzle when it hits the pan?then add the fillet halves. Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side. You'll see the opaque pink color salmon turns as it cooks climbing up the sides of the fillets almost as soon as it hits the pan, and the idea is to serve it just a touch rare in the middle. You'll need to cook the fish in batches, but as each will take only 1 to 2 minutes, that shouldn't be much of a problem.

3. Put the salmon on the warmed plates as it finishes. Serve immediately, with Chickpea Raita.

Chickpea Raita

Makes: 2 1/2 Cups
Time: 10 minutes

It's worth your while to seek out a yogurt that's not overly processed for this raita (and, for that matter, any other use); national brands often add thickeners to their yogurts, which significantly change the yogurt's natural consistency. If they're all that's available to you, just whisk the yogurt with a little water to thin it out.

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, preferably full fat
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained (canned are fine)
1/4 cup minced cucumber (leave the skin on if it's unwaxed)
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and black pepper

1. Combine the yogurt, chickpeas, cucumber, onion, sugar, cumin, and mustard in a bowl.

2. Add red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Grilled Tuna with Soy, Wasabi, and Pickled Ginger

From: Episode 2 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Chris Schlesinger

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 20 minutes, plus time to preheat the grill

This signature East Coast Grill dish is nearly raw tuna, seared on the grill for extra flavor. The tuna Chris uses here is sold as "#1" or "sashimi" quality?safe and flavorful enough to be eaten raw. (In his dish, the tuna is cooked, but only just until rare.) It's a deep, rich red, with a sweet, slightly briny odor and a high price. Though it isn't seen everywhere, almost any fish market can order it for you, because it is sold (to the highest bidder) on the open market. But if you're not itching to spend $20 plus per pound for tuna, or the fish markets near you aren't outbidding the buyers at Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji market, you'll probably want to cook your tuna beyond the near-raw stage; check out my recipe for Tuna Teriyaki.

4 (8-ounce) sashimi-grade tuna steaks, each about 2 inches thick
1/4 cup sesame oil
Salt and white pepper
3/4 cup Pickled Ginger (Gari, page 242)
6 tablespoons wasabi powder mixed with water to a paste or 6 tablespoons real wasabi paste (see sidebar)
1/2 cup top-quality soy sauce

1. Start a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be quite hot (you should barely be able to hold your hand over it) and place the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Brush the tuna steaks lightly with the sesame oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Put the tuna on the grill and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until a dark-brown crispy skin forms. Now cook the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes on each edge (holding it on its side with tongs, if necessary), until they are cooked on the outside and very rare inside.

3. Transfer the steaks from the grill to a platter, and serve with the pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce for dipping.

Thai-Style Shrimp and Beef Salad

From: Episode 11 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 20 minutes

I think this dish went from conception to consumption in about nine minutes, but it fared well-even James deemed it "simple but elegant." Part of what made it so easy is that I was able to take advantage of the bounty available to me in his kitchen, which explains the presence of three fresh herbs, enoki mushrooms, and tenderloin instead of a fattier cut of meat. And while I stand by this recipe, you could simplify it a little by skipping one of the herbs or omitting the mushrooms, and you could certainly replace the tenderloin with sirloin or rib-eye.

4 tablespoons olive oil
11/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste
1 shallot, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn, canola, or grapeseed
1 (8-ounce) piece beef tenderloin
Salt
1 pound medium (31/35) shrimp, peeled and deveined, if you like
1 bunch watercress, washed, thickest stems removed
1/2 cup peeled and diced papaya (optional)
2 ounces enoki mushrooms, rinsed (or use thinly sliced white mushrooms)
Leaves from 4 or 5 fresh mint sprigs, washed and roughly chopped
Leaves from 2 or 3 stems fresh cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
Leaves from 2 or 3 stems fresh basil, washed and roughly chopped

1. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and shallot. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more soy, vinegar, or oil to taste.

2. Put the neutral oil in an 8- to 10-inch sauté pan and turn the heat to high. Season the meat liberally with salt and, after 1 or 2 minutes-when you can't hold your hand above the pan for more than a few seconds- add the beef. Sear the tenderloin on each side for 3 to 4 minutes, until browned on the outside and rare but not raw inside (you can, of course, cook it a minute or 2 longer if you like). Transfer the beef from the pan to a cutting board and let rest while you cook the shrimp.

3. Return the same pan to the stove, add the shrimp and lower the heat to medium. Cook until the shrimp are nicely browned on the bottoms, about 2 minutes, then turn and brown the second sides, 1 to 2 minutes more, for a total of 4 or 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, toss the watercress with the papaya, enoki, and herbs in a large bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until the greens are evenly dressed. When the shrimp are ready, add them to the salad and toss again.

5. Slice the meat as thinly as possible. Divide the salad among 4 plates, top with the sliced rare tenderloin, and serve.

Frozen Persimmons

From: Episode 6 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: about 2 hours, unattended

This dessert is literally a persimmon, frozen. But it's amazingly delicious-much like a sorbet, but with zero work. Getting your hands on ripe persimmons is actually the hardest part, but they make a wonderful, rare dessert. I wish I could take credit for the recipe, but it was actually Gary Danko's idea. It wouldn't work too well in a restaurant, because it is just too simple, but it's perfect for the home cook.

If you overfreeze the persimmons, just temper them in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

4 very ripe Hachiya persimmons

1. Wash the persimmons carefully, then place on a tray or individual plates, stem sides down. Freeze for about 2 hours, until very firm but not rock-hard.

2. Serve, using a spoon to scoop out the stem and dive into the contents.

Persimmon Pudding

From: Episode 6 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Gary Danko

Makes: 8 individual servings or 1 large pudding cake
Time: 1 1/2 hours, largely unattended

Persimmon trees are a little like zucchini plants: One day your comment is, "Oh, look honey, the persimmons are finally ripe enough to eat!" Then the moment passes, and there's a quick and loveless transition to, "What the heck are we going to do with all these persimmons?"

Gary's Persimmon Pudding is a terrific answer (but don't discount my dead-easy recipe for Frozen Persimmons. If you don't feel like making Crème Anglaise, use the home cook's venerable shortcut: softened vanilla ice cream.

1 1/2 pounds very soft Hachiya persimmons
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably freshly ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup light cream or half-and-half
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Creme Anglaise (recipe follows)
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)

1. Peel the persimmons and transfer their flesh to the container of a food processor (a blender will also work). Process until pureed, then transfer to a large bowl. (Or put in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.)

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 3-inch springform cake pan or 8 (6-ounce) ramekins and set aside. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together into a medium bowl. Beat the eggs, sugar, cream, butter, and vanilla into the persimmon puree. Stir the flour mixture in and whisk well to combine.

3. Pour the batter into the springform pan or ramekins, and cover tightly with foil, shiny side down. Create a water bath for the pudding(s) by setting the pan or ramekins into a large casserole or baking dish and filling it up with hot water about halfway up the height of the cake pan or ramekins.

4. Bake for 30 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the pudding comes out clean. Let cool. Invert ramekins to release the individual puddings (loosen them by running a knife around their sides if necessary), and serve the puddings (or slices from the larger pudding cake) on plates with a little Crème Anglaise and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds.

Crème Anglaise

Makes: about 1 1/2 cups, enough for 8 servings
Time: 20 minutes

Crème Anglaise, the sauce that accompanies Persimmon Pudding at Restaurant Gary Danko, is a thin custard, easy to make and a valuable addition to your repertoire because it pairs nicely with so many desserts. If you're in the mood, flavor it with a tablespoon or so of cognac or rum, stirred into the eggs along with the hot cream.

1 cup light cream or half-and-half
1/2 vanilla bean
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt

1. Put the cream in a small saucepan and heat just until steam rises. Cut the vanilla bean in half the long way and scrape the seeds into the cream; stir and let sit off the heat for a few minutes. Meanwhile, in a heavy, medium saucepan, combine and whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt.

2. Whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture. Place over medium heat and cook without boiling, stirring constantly, thoroughly, but gently, until the custard coats the back of a spoon (when you drag your finger over the back of the spoon it will leave a distinct trail).

3. Remove from the heat, stir gently once or twice to smooth, and strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Let cool, then serve or refrigerate until needed (bring to room temperature before serving).