I have a huge collection of cookbooks and when I say huge I’m not exaggerating, in fact I’ve stopped counting. I keep making attempts to downsize and instead end-up buying more book cases.  Yet, out of all my cookbooks including many that hold precious memories, I only actually keep one in the kitchen.  The other cookbooks can be found on the dining room table, on the floor next to my desk, in the armoire next to some fine china, or on bookshelves. But for about the past ten years, only one has been worthy of a permanent home in the actual place where all the fun happens. Until now, that is... for that one book, which shall remain nameless (I’d hate to embarrass any well deserving cookbook author) has been replaced!

Gourmet Today, a definitive guide to the way food lovers cook today, is now my esteemed “Kitchen Cookbook”.  Gourmet Magazine Editor in Chief Ruth Reichl and her amazing group of recipe developers have come up with over 1000 recipes that showcase the many ethnic influences that make up today’s American cuisine.  The dictionary size tome is broken down in the usual format, starters, entrees, and desserts, with a few more modern choices, like noodles & dumplings, grilled dishes, vegetarian main courses.  Throughout you will also find small sections devoted to things like olive varieties or throwing together hors d'eourves on the fly.  Although this book is not loaded with the gorgeous photography that you’re used to seeing in the magazine it does have helpful illustrations and diagrams for tasks such as the proper way to devein a shrimp or how to fold a spring roll.

Since receiving my copy of Gourmet Today I have cooked something out of the book at least once a week, oftentimes more.  I’ve also put together a 3 course menu straight from this incredible book. Although many of the dishes take very little time to prepare this is no "30 Minute Meals". And trust me - the more lengthy recipes sound so delicious you won't care if they take you over an hour to prepare.

Here are a few of my favorites so far, Pork Tenderloin in Paprika Cream, Shrimp Gribiche, and the Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Torta  (All recipes listed below).  Simple food with incredible flavors.  I don't think I've made this statement yet this year and if I have than I withdraw my earlier declaration: if you don't buy any other cookbook this year then let that one purchase be the new Gourmet Today; let it be your new "Kitchen Cookbook".  I know that I will be happily cooking from it for years to come.

Shrimp Gribiche

From Gourmet Today by Ruth Reichl. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2009.

SERVES 4

ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES     START TO FINISH: 1 3/4 HOURS
(INCLUDES CHILLING)

Gribiche, a classic French sauce made with hardboiled eggs, cornichons, capers, and fresh herbs, deserves a return to vogue. We use white balsamic vinegar for this because it won't darken the sauce the way regular balsamic would.

• 1 pound medium shrimp in shells (31-35 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, preferably white
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh fl at-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup finely chopped drained cornichons (tiny French gherkins)
• 2 tablespoons drained capers, finely chopped
• 3 hard-boiled large eggs, finely chopped

ACCOMPANIMENT: soft-leaf lettuce leaves

Cook shrimp in 6 cups boiling well-salted water in a 2-quart saucepan until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water. Cool in water for 3 minutes, then drain shrimp and pat dry.

Put vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender and pulse until combined. With motor running, add oil in a slow stream, blending until well combined. Add herbs and pulse until finely chopped.

Transfer dressing to a bowl and stir in cornichons, capers, eggs, and shrimp. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, or for up to 1 hour.

Arrange lettuce on four plates and top with shrimp.

Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Torta

From Gourmet Today by Ruth Reichl. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2009.

SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A MAIN COURSE

ACTIVE TIME: 2 HOURS      START TO FINISH: 3 HOURS

Perfect for entertaining, this gorgeous savory pie-sheets of delicate crespelle layered with rich besciamella (white sauce), broccoli rabe, and sweet Italian sausage, baked in a springform pan-will wow your guests.

FOR CRESPELLE

• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  

FOR FILLING

• 3/4 pound broccoli rabe
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

FOR BESCIAMELLA SAUCE

• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

FOR ASSEMBLY

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 pound Italian Fontina, chilled and coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: an 8-inch springform pan

MAKE THE CRESPELLE: Blend eggs, milk, flour, and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.

Lightly brush a 10-inch nonstick skillet with melted butter and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Ladle about 1?4 cup batter into skillet, tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom, then pour excess batter back into bowl. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly for next crespella.) Cook until just set and underside is lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Invert crespella onto a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) to cool completely. Make 5 more crespelle with remaining batter in same manner, brushing skillet with melted butter as needed and arranging
crespelle in one layer on towel.

MAKE THE FILLING: Cut off and discard bottom inch from stems of broccoli rabe. Coarsely chop remainder.

Cook broccoli rabe in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt), uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and pat dry.

Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with back of a wooden spoon, until no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes. Stir in broccoli rabe and cook, stirring, until heated, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

MAKE THE SAUCE: Heat butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat until foam subsides. Add flour and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes to make a roux. Add milk in a slow stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and cheese and remove from heat.

ASSEMBLE THE TORTA: Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Invert bottom of springform pan (to make it easier to slide torta off bottom),
then lock on side. Wrap outside of pan in a double layer of foil. Generously brush bottom and sides of pan with butter, then sprinkle bread crumbs over bottom.

Stir together Fontina and Parmesan in a bowl. Put 1 crespella in springform pan, sprinkle with one sixth of filling, and drizzle with 1?3 cup sauce. Make 5 more layers of crespella, filling, and sauce, ending with sauce. Sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over top.

Bake, uncovered, until top is bubbling and golden, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes.

Remove side of pan and carefully slide torta off pan bottom onto a plate. Cut into wedges.

COOK'S NOTES

The crespelle can be made up to 3 days ahead. Stack the cooled crespelle, separated by wax paper, wrap the stacks tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate. They can also be frozen for up to 1 month. Stack the cooled crespelle in piles of 6, separated by wax paper, wrap the stacks in plastic wrap, and freeze them in a sealable plastic bag. Bring the crespelle to room temperature before assembling the torta.

The broccoli rabe can be cooked up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before using.

The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then refrigerate, covered. Reheat before using, thinning with milk if necessary.

Pork Tenderloin in Paprika Cream

From Gourmet Today by Ruth Reichl. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2009.

SERVES 4

ACTIVE TIME: 45 MINUTES      START TO FINISH: 1 1/4 HOURS

This rich dish gets its depth from lecsó, a sort of Hungarian sofrito made by sautéing onion, peppers, paprika, and tomatoes in lard. Though lecsó is often served on its own in Hungary, we add browned pork and sour cream. It's imperative to simmer the pork very gently so that it doesn't become tough. We like this served over egg noodles or buttered spaetzle.

• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick slices
• Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup lard or vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 Italian frying peppers (12 ounces total), cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 pound plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Pat pork dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown pork in 2 batches, turning once, 2 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.

Add remaining 3 tablespoons lard to skillet and reduce heat to moderate. Add onion, garlic, and peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until onion and peppers are beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in paprika, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes have broken down and mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes.

Stir together water, sour cream, and flour in a bowl until smooth. Stir into tomato mixture, bring to a simmer, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes.

Add pork, with any juices accumulated on plate, and simmer gently until meat is just cooked through, about 12 minutes.

About Gourmet Today

In no other period of our country's history has the food scene changed so rapidly. Exciting new ingredients are available everywhere, expanding our culinary horizons. Even casual meals have globe-trotting flavors. We want memorable dishes, and we want them to be healthy for our families and our planet. And with our busy schedules, we want them on the table faster than ever. A new culinary world calls for a new cookbook. Gourmet Today responds to our changing foodscape with more vegetarian recipes, more recipes for popular dishes from every corner of the world, more recipes for stunning meals ready in 30 minutes or less, more simple ways to prepare all the vegetables in the farmers' market, advice on choosing sustainable fish, chicken, and beef, tips on throwing an easy cocktail party, more recipes for flavorful techniques like grilling, and more recipes for the new ingredients flooding our market.

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