Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy: A Step-by-Step Recipe Collection for the Home

by Wolfgang Puck

Overview

Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy is a groundbreaking cookbook in which Wolfgang Puck shares his creativity and genius so that anyone can prepare these wonderful recipes.

Every element of the book aims to make it incredibly easy to create great food of the highest quality and creativity, as only Wolfgang Puck can do. In addition to more than 100 recipes, the book features numerous cooking tips as well as advice on how to select the freshest ingredients, how to adapt recipes to the season, using the right cookware, and menu and wine selections.

He is creator of some of the world's greatest restaurants such as Spago and Postrio. He is known for the fast-growing Wolfgang Puck Express, a line of cooking accessories, television appearances on the Food Network, and a line of soups and pizzas. He is author of five previous cookbooks. Wolfgang Puck is one of the most visible names and faces in the food business.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781418570934
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	04/08/2007
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	8 MB

Read an Excerpt

Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy

Delicious Recipes for Your Home Kitchen

---

By Wolfgang Puck, Martha Rose Shulman, Ron Manville

Thomas Nelson

Copyright © 2004 Wolfgang Puck Worldwide
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4185-7093-4

---

CHAPTER 1

BREAKFAST, BRUNCH, AND BREADS

* * *

One of the things I love about breakfast and brunch is that they're meals that chefs actually get to cook at home quite often. I will admit, though, that Europeans are sometimes perplexed by the fact that Americans often invite guests for breakfast; we would never consider entertaining our friends so early in the morning!

Growing up in Austria, my breakfasts were quite simple. We didn't have the array of fancy cereals and sweet breads and fruits that are customary at the American breakfast table, though on cold winter mornings I loved eating a bowl of polenta with milk and sugar or semolina with cinnamon and sugar. Normally this was a light meal to get you started with your day. However, at mid-morning we ate a more substantial meal, the jause, which usually consists of a sandwich of some kind and juice. Since my mother kept chickens, we always had marvelous fresh eggs. A soft-boiled egg with salt and pepper and toasted country bread or scrambled eggs with onion and potatoes was a Sunday morning luxury.

I've come to appreciate the American breakfast and brunch. In this chapter I've given you a variety of savory and sweet offerings, from great egg dishes to delicious crêpes filled with lemony farmer's cheese, to indulgent chocolate-orange swirl muffins, quick breads, and pistachio-crusted French toast. With this repertoire you can be as creative with your first meal of the day as you are with lunch or dinner.

Strata with Tomatoes and Gruyère Cheese

* * *

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

A strata is a savory bread pudding. It's one of the most convenient brunch dishes I can think of because it can be assembled the night before. All you have to do in the morning is beat together eggs and milk, pour them in a baking dish, and put the dish in the oven. You can vary stratas in any number of ways.

½ pound stale rosemary country bread or French bread, cut in ¾-inch slices
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
2 large, ripe beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
6 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
½ teaspoon powdered mustard
¾ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil a 12 x 10-inch baking dish or gratin dish.

2. Rub the bread on one or both sides with a cut clove of garlic and place it in the baking dish in one even layer.

3. Sprinkle half the cheese over the bread, and layer the sliced tomatoes on top. Top the tomatoes with the remaining cheese.

4. Beat together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over the bread mixture.

5. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, until the top is browned and the mixture is slightly puffed.

Wolfgang'sEasy Tips

* If your bread isn't stale, toast it lightly before assembling the strata.

* Make variations by substituting fontina cheese for the Gruyère cheese and sausage for the sliced tomatoes (see the variation that follows). Or add cooked greens and wild mushrooms sautéed in olive oil with a little garlic to the mix. (See photo on page 5)

Southwestern Strata with Sausage

* * *

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

Though the strata has Mediterranean roots, this Tex-Mex version could become a family favorite.

¾ pound bulk pork or turkey sausage, mild Italian sausage, or chorizo, casings removed
½ pound stale rosemary country bread or French bread, cut in ¾-inch slices
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1 cup grated pepper Jack cheese
6 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
½ teaspoon powdered mustard
¾ teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground pepper
1 cup fresh tomato salsa for garnish

1. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the sausage. Sauté, breaking it up into bite-size chunks with a wooden spoon until cooked through and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage pieces to paper towels to drain and cool.

2. Oil a 12 x 10-inch baking or gratin dish. Rub the bread slices with the cut clove of garlic and spread in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle half the cheese over the bread, top with the sausage, and finish with the remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over the bread mixture. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, or until the top is browned and the mixture is slightly puffed. Serve with salsa on the side.

Pistachio-Crusted Vanilla French Toast

* * *

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

A crunchy coating of finely ground pistachios transforms this vanilla-scented French toast into something truly extraordinary. Serve it with warm syrup, with your favorite jam, or with a quickly prepared Fresh Berry Compote (page 28).

4 large eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
8 (1-inch-thick) slices good-quality white bread, brioche, or egg bread such as challah
2 cups shelled pistachios, coarsely ground in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, or 2 cups slivered almonds
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter one or two baking dishes large enough to accommodate the bread in one layer. In a large, wide bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt.

2. Heat a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat or preheat a griddle. One by one, dip the bread into the egg mixture, turning it and making sure it is completely saturated. Carefully dip the slices into the ground pistachios, coating them evenly on both sides.

3. Add the butter to the hot pan and swirl the pan. When the butter foams, carefully transfer as many pistachio-coated slices as will fit in the pan without crowding. Brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, and transfer to the baking dish. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake 15 minutes.

4. To serve, cut each slice diagonally in half and arrange the triangles on heated serving plates. Spoon powdered sugar into a fine-mesh sieve and tap the sieve over each serving to dust it attractively with sugar. Serve hot with jam, maple syrup, or Fresh Berry Compote (page 28).

Wolfgang'sEasy Tips

* When your bread gets stale, don't throw it out! Stale bread makes great French toast.

* Don't soak the bread for too long in the egg mixture or it will fall apart.

* A large, heavy nonstick skillet, a tabletop grill, or a panini maker work best for browning the French toast.

* Sliced almonds can be substituted for the pistachios.

Rolled French-Style Omelet

* * *

MAKES 1 SERVING

An omelet is one of the simplest, quickest meals you can make. It can be plain, with no filling, or it can serve as a canvas for your own compositions—sautéed vegetables, diced ham or crumbled crisp bacon, cooked baby shrimp, smoked salmon, and, of course, cheeses. The result can be so satisfying that you don't have to serve it just for breakfast or brunch. Omelets make terrific light suppers and lunches.

2 to 3 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, if using an omelet pan without a nonstick coating
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Heat an 8-inch or 10-inch omelet pan over medium-high heat.

2. While the pan is heating, break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the salt and a pinch of pepper, and use a wire whisk to beat the eggs until lightly frothy.

3. If using a pan without a nonstick coating, when you can feel that the pan is hot by carefully holding your hand an inch or so above its surface, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot enough to swirl easily, carefully tilt and swivel the pan to coat the bottom well.

4. Add the butter to the pan. When the butter begins to foam, tilt and swirl the pan to evenly distribute it. Immediately add the eggs. Let them sit for about 10 seconds.

5. Grasp the pan by its handle (using a potholder if necessary to protect your hand) and move the pan forward and backward over the flame while stirring the eggs with a fork or wooden spoon so that the still-liquid egg slips beneath the cooked egg.

6. After 15 to 30 seconds, when the eggs are cooked on the bottom but still fairly moist on top, tilt the pan to about a 45-degree angle by raising the handle so that the cooked eggs fall and gather near the opposite end. Top the eggs with any prepared filling at this time. Hold the far edge of the pan over a heated serving plate and continue tipping the handle up so that the omelet folds over on itself, enclosing the filling, and rolls out of the pan onto the plate. Serve immediately.

Wolfgang'sEasy Tips

* Omelets should be made to order, which is why this recipe serves one.

* It's easiest to make an omelet in a heavy, nonstick omelet pan.

* If your omelet pan does not have a nonstick coating, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan before adding the butter.

* A perfect omelet should be soft and creamy inside. To assure this, don't use a pan that is too large.

Eggs en Cocotte with Smoked Salmon and Horseradish Cream

* * *

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Serving eggs for a special brunch presents a challenge to home cooks who want to enjoy their company rather than cooking omelets or scrambles to order in the kitchen. That's why I love to make eggs en cocotte. This French term for baked eggs takes its name from the little ovenproof ramekins in which they are made. The English call them shirred eggs. Whatever you call them, baked eggs take almost no time to put together, and the quantities in the recipe that follows multiply easily to serve a larger gathering.

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
¾ cup heavy cream, chilled
4 eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish or drained prepared white horseradish
Fresh chervil or parsley leaves for garnish

1. Coat the insides of four ½-cup ramekins or baking dishes with the melted butter. Line the bottom and sides of each ramekin with the smoked salmon. Reserve 1 piece for garnish, and cut that piece into thin julienne. Top the salmon lining the ramekins with 1 tablespoon of the cream. At this point, if you're working in advance, cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Line a baking dish large enough to hold the ramekins without touching with a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. This will prevent the boiling water you'll pour into the dish from bubbling over into the ramekins during baking.

3. One at a time, break an egg into a bowl and transfer to a lined ramekin, taking care not to damage the yolk. Sprinkle each egg with salt and pepper to taste. Place the ramekins in the baking dish and cover with a sheet of buttered aluminum foil. Put the baking dish on the middle rack of the oven. With the oven rack pulled out, carefully pour the boiling water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully slide the rack into the oven and bake the eggs until their whites are set and the yolks are cooked through but still soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. While the eggs are cooking, put the remaining ½ cup heavy cream in a mixing bowl and, using a handheld mixer or a whisk, whip until it forms soft peaks when the beaters are lifted out. Stir in salt, white pepper, and horseradish to taste. Transfer the horseradish cream to a sauceboat or small serving bowl.

5. Carefully slide out the oven rack, transfer each ramekin to a serving plate, and garnish each serving with chervil or parsley leaves. Pass the horseradish cream at the table for guests to spoon into their ramekins.

Wolfgang'sEasy Tips

* You can assemble the ramekins up to several hours ahead or the night before, and then bake them in 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how soft or firm you want the yolks.

* You can vary the recipe by subsituting for the salmon shaved ham, crumbled crisp bacon, caramelized onions, buttery sautéed leeks, blanched or creamed spinach, or anything else that strikes your fancy.

* I serve the eggs with a dollop of whipped cream lightly flavored with horseradish, which has a pleasant bite that marries well with the salmon and eggs. But you could also enrich the eggs before they go into the oven by topping them with dabs of butter or a sprinkling of grated Parmesan, shredded cheddar, or other cheeses.

* Always break the egg into a bowl first, then transfer to the ramekin in case you break the egg yolk or get some egg shell into the mix.

* Sprigs of chervil or other mild fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, or basil add a beautiful touch of springtime color and flavor.

Savory Crêpes

* * *

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

I bought my mother a nonstick crepe pan as a Mother's Day present when I was ten years old, and she used it all the time. In Austria we would fill crepes with jam and sprinkle them with powdered sugar or fill them with ice cream and drizzle on chocolate sauce. These were my two favorite versions of the Austrian-style stuffed pancakes called Palatschinken.

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups milk

1. Put the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and turn the processor on. With the machine running, add the eggs, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and the milk through the feed tube. Process for 1 minute. (You can also mix the batter in a blender.) Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic, and allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.

2. Heat an 8-inch crêpe pan or omelet pan over medium-high heat until it feels hot when you hold your hand above it. Brush lightly with some of the remaining melted butter. Ladle in about 3 tablespoons of batter (½ ladleful) and tilt or swirl the pan to spread the batter evenly. Cook until the crêpe's surface is covered with bubbles and the edges can be easily lifted away from the pan so that you can see if the underside is golden. When the underside is golden, after about 2 minutes, flip the crêpe, using a thin spatula or, very carefully, your fingertips. Cook the other side for 30 seconds and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the crêpes as you go along. The recipe yields about fifteen 6-inch crêpes or ten to twelve 8-inch crêpes.

3. If you aren't using the crêpes right away, stack them between pieces of parchment or wax paper, wrap them in foil, and refrigerate or freeze.

Wolfgang'sEasy Tips

* Use a nonstick crêpe pan with shallow, curved sides that allow you to flip the crêpes over easily. Traditional iron crêpe pans work beautifully too, as long as they are properly seasoned and never touch water. (Wipe iron pans clean with a paper towel after they cool; they should be used only for crêpes).

* For tender crêpes allow the batter to sit for an hour or more so the flour particles can soften.

* Crêpes are fun to make with children. But make sure an adult is on hand to supervise, keeping hands or loose clothing away from live flames, turning pot and pan handles toward the work surface so they're less likely to be accidentally knocked off the stove, and using dry pot holders to protect your hands.

* Savory crêpes can be used not only as a vehicle for a filling but can be cut into strips and used as a garnish for soup.

Crêpes with Lemony Cheese Filling

* * *

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

These crêpes remind me of the crêpes we used to enjoy for supper in Austria. Shortly before you are ready to serve, the crêpes are wrapped around a sweet cheese filling and baked with a custard glaze. Although we ate them for supper, they make a special brunch dish that's easy enough for a child to make for Mother's Day.

1 recipe crêpes (page 12)
1 egg
3 tablespoons sugar (more or less to taste)
1½ cups farmer's cheese Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the custard glaze:

1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Confectioners' sugar for serving (optional)

1. Beat together the egg and sugar. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and press the cheese through using a sturdy spoon. Add the egg mixture, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and mix together well.

2. About 45 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter one or two baking dishes that will accommodate the filled crêpes in a single layer. Lay a crêpe down with the undercooked side showing and place 2 tablespoons of filling across the diameter, leaving a small margin at the edges. Don't worry if the filling is runny; it will stiffen up when the crêpes are baked. Gently fold the edges over the filling, then roll up like an egg roll or blintz, or leave the ends open. Place side by side in the baking dish.

(Continues...)

---

Excerpted from Wolfgang Puck Makes It Easy by Wolfgang Puck, Martha Rose Shulman, Ron Manville. Copyright © 2004 Wolfgang Puck Worldwide. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

---

Table of Contents

Contents

Acknowledgments, v,
Introduction, vii,
Breakfast, Brunch, and Breads, 1,
Appetizers, Soups, and Salads, 31,
Panini on the Indoor Grill, 83,
Pasta and Pizza, 99,
Main Dishes, 137,
Side Dishes and Sauces, 199,
Desserts, 221,
Appendix, 269,
Index, 293,