Sokolow's 'A Canon of Vegetables: 101 Classic Recipes' fuses recipes with folklore

Webster’s Dictionary defines “canon” in mostly religious terms; however, I believe Raymond Sokolow means his title as part of “an accepted principle, rule, a criterion or standard of judgment and/ or a body of principles, rules, standards or norms.”

As a food historian and cookbook author for more than 40 years, he is probably more than entitled to his principles, rules, standards, et cetera. This slim yet richly endowed cookbook follows his original concept of “The Cook’s Canon: Classic Recipes Everyone Should Know.”

Setting aside his “should” (I would not want to should all over my life), there is little in my culinary experience to doubt Sokolow’s criterion, as he has penned some of my favorites, including “With the Grain,” “The Saucier’s Apprentice” and a true standard of its time, “Great Recipes from the New York Times,” when that newspaper was the crème de la crème of weekly food sections.

All of us who craft words and call ourselves writers have a wealth of admiration of those who do it really well. Sololov is one of the best writers I’ve read. He is interesting, entertaining, humorous and has a deft hand at turning a phrase. Truly a “foodie” or non-foodie alike will enjoy reading the book. Cooks will want to run to the nearest and best source for vegetables and run to the kitchen. Luckily for carnivores, while it is a cookbook based on vegetables, it is not a vegetarian cookbook.

However, cooks, be forewarned: restrain yourself from just “jumping into the recipes.” Linger with each vegetable as it is discussed. The historical and cultural background of each is not to be missed, as seldom will you have it dished up so purely as by this fine classicist and cook.

Solokow’s introduction of Harvard Beets includes a bit of research (on rats) that beefs can mitigate depression. He also has a way to make these less “gloppy” if you like yet “not affect the sweet-and-sour flavor that defines the dish.”

Harvard Beets

8 med. trimmed beets

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp. cornstarch (optional)

3 cloves

Salt

2 tbsp. butter

1. Boil the beets until fork tender, about 30 minutes or possibly more if they are large or old. Let cool, peel and slice.

2. Combine the remaining ingredients (cornstarch optional) in a 6-cup saucepan. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring. Add the beets. Continue simmering until the beets are heated through and the sauce has taken on their color. Remove the cloves and serve. Serves 8.

In this “underrated heirloom” of a recipe, Sokolov explains that it is a real Native American dish that Narragansett Indians legendarily taught settlers to mix corn and beans, a dish they call msickquatash (boiled corn kernels).

Succotash

1/3 cup corn oil

2 cups fresh or defrosted frozen corn kernels

2 cups fresh or defrosted frozen baby limas

Salt

1. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet with a pinch of bread tossed in as it sizzles.

2. Stir in the corn and beans. Keep stirring to mix them together. Remove from the heat as soon as the beans have brightened in color and softened just enough to chew easily. If you let them go longer, you will be reminded of pasty lima beans at school.

3. Toss in salt and serve. Serves 6 as a side dish or 3 as main course.

Just about now when we’ve all tired of corn on the cob, here is a novel way to prepare fresh corn. Sokolov suggests a cup of two of chanterelles thrown in the skillet, too, if you have been so lucky enough to find them in the woods… or your favorite product section.

Corn Sauteed with Onions

6 ears corn, shucked

3 tbsp. butter

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped

Salt

Pepper

1. Strip the kernels off the ears of corn. The simplest way to do this is to stand the ears on end and slice off the kernels, working from top to bottom. Collect the kernels in a bowl and reserve.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, toss in the garlic and cook until the pieces just begin to color. Add the onions right away, stir briskly to coat all the pieces with butter, then continue cooking until they are translucent.

3. Stir in the corn kernels. Cook for a few minutes until softened. Add salt and pepper. Serves 3 to 4.

As English tea has heightened interest in teas of all manner, so has it highlighted the foods that normally accompany traditional high tea. Cucumber sandwiches rank right up there. Here is how to do them, properly, as if you were serving the Queen.

Cucumber Sandwiches

2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tbsp. malt vinegar

Butter

10 slices white brad, crusts cut away

1. Put the cucumber slices in a bowl and pour the vinegar over them. Let stand for a half hour or more at room temperature, covered with a plate.

2. Butter the bread slices

3. Drain the cucumber slices. Discard the liquid and arrange the cucumbers on the buttered slices of brad. Cut them in quarters and serve. Serves 4 to 5.

The recipe is included because it is simple and good… as well as necessary in the wonderfully authentic Ratatouille that follows.

Puree of Roasted

Red Pepppers

6 large red bell peppers

½ cup olive oil, approximately

Salt

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a roasting pan with enough aluminum foil to wrap the peppers in. Put the peppers in the pan and set the pan in the oven. Leave the peppers unwrapped while they cook. It will take at least 30 minutes for the peppers to cook completely. They are done when they lose their shape completely. During this time, turn them with tongs every 15 minutes.

2. Remove from the oven, wrap with foil and let cool. As soon as you can handle them, remove and discard the stems. The skins will peel away easily and should also be discarded along with the seed-bearing cores.

3. Put the peppers in a food processor. Strain the pepper liquid remaining in the roasting pan (there will be quite a lot of this luscious, thick syrup) to catch any remaining seeds and then add the strained liquid to the peppers. Pour in the olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Puree. Makes 3 cups.

Sokolov writes, “This medley of three Solancceae (two New World- tomatoes and red peppers- one Old World- eggplant) plus zucchini was historically possible only after 1492, but the mixture has coalesced in the minds of everyone except food-history pedants into an emblematic dish of Provence.”

Ratatouille

6 large red bell peppers, prepared as above for steps 1 and 2.

1 ½ cups olive oil

1 ¾ lb. onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 ½ lb. zucchini, roughly diced

1 head garlic

2 lb. eggplant, stem removed and roughly diced, with skin left on

2 lb. tomatoes, blanched, skinned, seeded and cut into large chunks

5 thyme sprigs

Salt and pepper

1. Cut the bell peppers (as prepared in steps 1 and 2 of Pureed Red Peppers) into long thin strips. Set aside with their liquid.

2. Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a Dutch oven over very low heat. Stir in the sliced onions, cover and cook for about ½ hour or until they are completely softened and breaking down. Stir occasionally.

3. Uncover, raise the heat a bit, and continue cooking until the onions turn a light brown. Stir in the zucchini and garlic heat. Continue cooking and stir occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, heat the rest of the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Dump in the eggplant and sauté until softened. With a slotted spoon, transfer to the large pot (Dutch oven) and stir into the zucchini mixture. Continue cooking and stirring the large pot while you sauté the tomatoes in the oil left in the skillet until they reduce to a thick mass. Scrape them with any remaining liquid into the large pot.

5. Add the reserved red peppers and their liquid along with the thyme sprigs and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for another hour or as long as it takes to boil away most of the liquid.

6. Fish out the garlic head with a slotted spoon. Mash through the strainer, leaving the skin and stem behind, back into the pot. Stir all the ingredients together and correct the seasonings.

7. Let the ratatouille cool in a serving dish. Cover and refrigerate for a day or two if you can. The flavor improves. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 8 to 10.