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Hi Reader, Come on, 'fess up. You think that stuffing is the star of Thanksgiving dinner. I know I certainly do. Sure, turkey is great. Smothered in gravy, it's even better. But it's the carb-loading of stuffing that makes me oh so happy on Turkey Day. I love it so much that in my cookbook, The New Portuguese Table, I offer up two stuffings for Thanksgiving. You'll find both at the bottom of this newsletter. Also, some of you were asking more about turkey stock. Here's a video I made a few years ago. I didn't have a recipe. I bought some turkey necks and chicken gizzards and tossed in stuff from the fridge and pantry. A great stock is really that easy. My Best Thanksgiving
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Why, hello! Leite's Culinaria is the James Beard Award-winning site that helps home cooks and bakers put dinner on the table and laughs in the kitchen. Hungry for more? Join 40,000 food lovers and subscribe.
Hi Reader, I have a particular weakness for pork because it is never expected to be fancy. Beef comes with expectations. Lamb needs watching. Pork just needs time and salt.One of my favorite sounds in the kitchen is the first crackle of a pork shoulder hitting a hot Dutch oven. It's the opening act to a meal that won't be rushed. By the time it comes out, the meat collapses under a fork, and everyone who came in "just to say hello" is still standing suspiciously close to the pot.Nobody is...
Hi Reader, I have enormous respect for people who can casually whip up a layer cake on a Tuesday night.I am not one of those people.For me, a layer cake is an event. It begins with clearing the kitchen counters as though I'm preparing for surgery. Every ingredient gets lined up with military precision. Butter softens. Eggs come to room temperature. Cake pans are buttered with a level of devotion normally reserved for newborns.Then comes the part that humbles everyone.Will the layers release...
Hi Reader, I'll admit it: Mushrooms and I got off to a rocky start.As a kid, they came from little cans, already sliced into pale, rubbery coins that squeaked when you bit into them. The person responsible for that introduction should've been sentenced to peeling shallots for eternity.Then, years later, I tasted a pan of properly browned mushrooms.Not steamed. Not crowded into a skillet until they went gray and wet. Properly browned.The edges were crisp and the centers were almost meaty....