Good morning! Today we have for you:
Top-notch cookies from Down Under
I’ve never understood the disdain for oatmeal cookies. What’s not to like about a hefty, chunky cookie with extra texture and toasty flavor? Squint at an oatmeal cookie with raisins (or any other dried fruit) and it’s almost a granola bar, a snack I tell myself is better for me than most other cookies. (I mean, oats are pretty good for you.) Of course, Anzac biscuits are not simply oatmeal cookies. Brian Levy writes in the headnote to his recipe that they “originally gained popularity after World War I as a way to celebrate the veterans from the Australian continent (ANZAC, an acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, had recently been coined).” There’s a sweet thought that Anzac biscuits were sent to soldiers by loved ones, but in reality “the original Anzac ‘tiles’ or ‘wafers’ were army rations that were notoriously hard, unpalatable and bland.” Unlike their predecessors, Brian’s Anzac biscuits are loaded with flavor and texture from shredded coconut, brown sugar and golden syrup (honey is a perfectly suitable sub here). And, as with many recipes that have a history, you’ll want to scroll through the comments for reader wisdom, suggestions and raves — there’s a lot of love for these hearty oatmeal treats. Featured Recipe Anzac BiscuitsNext up on my to-cook listPreserved lemon pasta: Sour, salty preserved lemon is so happy to uplift starchy, comforting pasta. I learned this with Nargisse Benkabbou’s creamy tomato spaghetti with preserved lemon, which I absolutely love, but I don’t always have heavy cream on hand. I do, however, have everything needed for this quick Hetty Lui McKinnon dish, and maybe you do, too: pasta, butter, garlic, preserved lemons (or preserved lemon paste) and Parmesan or pecorino, plus olive oil, salt and pepper. Hetty calls for basil, but I’m going to swap in the flat-leaf parsley I always seem to have in the fridge. Smashed chicken meatballs with suya and charred corn: No, it’s not yet fresh corn season, which is why the ever-thoughtful Yewande Komolafe gives the option of thawed frozen corn in this five-star recipe. I’m going to make a double batch of suya spice and use it on these tender smooshed chicken meatballs, salmon fillets and chicken thighs. Sheet-pan roasted salmon Niçoise salad: There will soon come a time when the thought of turning on my oven makes my scalp sweat, and that is when I’ll stick to the cold, classic version of this French salad. For now, though, I’m going with Lidey Heuck’s roasted iteration, saving the leftovers to pile on top of cooked lentils or grains for lunch. For a limited time, you can enjoy free access to the recipes in this newsletter in our app. Download it on your iOS or Android device and create a free account to get started.
And before you goIt’s hard to pick my favorite part of this New York Times Interactive video that dives into Terada Honke, one of Japan’s last natural sake breweries. Is it the huge, steaming barrels of pearly rice? The excellent array of patterned head kerchiefs? Tough competition, but I think it might be the ancient songs the brewers sing while working: a lovely reminder to us all that singing your favorite golden oldies is a great way to make cooking fun. Thanks for reading!
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