Apron Anxiety by Alyssa Shelasky Read Free Book Online Page A

I remember. Which triggers another fond memory: the adorable actor-slash-waiter who would feed it to me after we closed up shop
.

    6 tablespoons unsalted butter
    1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
    2 medium shallots, chopped
    4 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
    3 garlic cloves, minced
    Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes in puree
    4 cups whole milk
    4 cups heavy cream
    ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
    ⅓ cup dill fronds, torn into tiny sprigs
    Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
    1 cup grated white cheddar cheese, for serving
    Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, shallots, scallions, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler over boiling water. If you don’t have a double boiler, fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Set a large heatproof bowl to fit tightly on top of the pan and transfer the mixture to the bowl.
    Using a wooden spoon, further crush the tomatoes into smallpieces. Add the crushed tomatoes and puree, milk, and cream to the vegetable mixture and bring to a simmer, stirring often.
    Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Gradually whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking almost constantly, to make a roux, for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to brown it. Whisk about 1½ cups of the hot tomato mixture into the roux, then pour the roux mixture into the top of the double boiler and stir until blended.
    Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 35 minutes to allow the flavors to blend and thicken the soup. Turn off the heat and then add the dill, salt, and pepper.
    Serve hot, topping each serving with about 2 tablespoons of grated cheese.
    The soup can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, cooled completely, covered, and refrigerated. It should last for 4 to 5 days. The soup will thicken when chilled; when reheating, thin the heated soup with milk to the desired thickness. Do not freeze the soup.

    Reality Bites Banana Bread
    MAKES 1 LOAF
    My twenties were crazy and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Through it all—college, the celebrity scene, my split with John, and an escape across the country—I would always beg my mother to make me this banana bread. Before my parents moved to New York, my mom once bought a ticket for it on the bus, along with a larger food shipment. I’m extremely fortunate to have a family I can count on for
anything,
and that devotion is exactly what I taste when I dig into this
.

    2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    ½ teaspoon salt
    8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing the pan
    ½ cup sugar
    1 cup (2 medium or 3 small) mashed ripe bananas
    3 tablespoons sour cream or low-fat yogurt
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    ½ cup chopped walnuts
    1 to 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (depending on your sweet tooth)
    Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix well.
    Blend the flour mixture into the banana mixture and stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
    Pour the batter into a greased 9 × 5-inch baking pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the top is firm and golden brown and a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
    Cool completely in the baking dish or on a rack before slicing and serving. Wrap the leftovers tightly in foil and store at room temperature, and the banana bread should last a good week. It freezes beautifully too.

3 .
Oui, Chef

    I am standing near City Hall, heading toward my home across the Brooklyn Bridge, and there’s a gray-haired millionaire