“The simpler the better” is a phrase that is welcome to many busy cooks. When it’s followed by the words “sensational home cooking,” who’s not going to be excited to know more?
The whole deal is set out in the title of a new cookbook — “The Simpler the Better: Sensational Home Cooking in 3 Easy Steps,” by Leslie Revsin (Wiley).
Miss Revsin is a chef, food writer and consultant and is known for having been the first female chef at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and also as a television food-show host and author of several cookbooks.
Miss Revsin says she was prompted to write this book to help her daughter, the working mother of two little boys, balance her limited time with her desire to cook. Miss Revsin’s goal for the book: “Pared down cooking. Really good food. And no gimmicks.”
So she includes some 100 recipes, each of which you can make in three steps or fewer, in under 30 minutes, using readily available ingredients. “The cooking also calls for as few pots and pans as possible,” Miss Revsin says. “After all, why use two pots when one will get the job done?”
For the following dish, chicken, vegetables and olive oil cook under cover over very low heat. “This simple technique creates aromatic steam, which helps keep the chicken juicy,” Miss Revsin says. “Meanwhile, the peppers, olives, garlic and oil blend their flavors in a delicious, concentrated way.”
Suggested sides are roasted or grilled summer squash and green beans.
Chicken breasts with roasted peppers, purple olives and garlic
12 pitted Kalamata olives
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped roasted red bell peppers
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons tomato puree
Salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 7 ounces each
Coarsely chop olives. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Stir in roasted peppers, garlic, chopped olives and tomato puree.
Season with salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add chicken to skillet, then cover pan and reduce heat to as low as possible.
Cook, turning once, until chicken is white throughout, about 8 minutes.
Serve chicken hot, with sauce spooned on top.
Makes 4 servings.
Tips: The quality of prepared roasted peppers varies widely. Look for jars that contain vivid red peppers that appear firm and whole. Check the label to avoid those that have citric acid listed.
Variation: To add a little heat to the dish, sprinkle in a big pinch of hot pepper flakes as the chicken cooks.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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