Ultra-Crispy New Potatoes With Garlic, Herbs, and Lemon

Note: Duck fat, turkey fat, or chicken fat can be used in place of the canola oil.

Ingredients

serves Serves 8 to 10, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 1/2 hours

• 4 1/2 pounds red or yellow new potatoes, scrubbed clean, sliced in half
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil (see note above)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons slived chives
• 2 teaspoons zest from 1 lemon
• 3 medium cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Procedures

1. Adjust oven racks to lower and upper position and preheat oven to 500°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and place in oven. Place potatoes in a large saucepot and cover with cold water by 1-inch. Add 2 tablespoons salt and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until exteriors are tender, about 5 minutes. Potatoes should show a slight resistance when poked with a paring knife or a cake tester. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
   
2. Add 2 tablespoons oil to bowl with potatoes. Season with pepper and more salt to taste then toss until exteriors are slightly bashed up and coated in a thin layer of potato/oil paste. Spread remaining canola oil evenly over surfaces of hot foil-lined baking sheets, then divide potatoes evenly between them, using a thin spatula to arrange them cut-side down and using oven mitts or kitchen towels to maneuver the hot pans.
   
3. Transfer baking sheets to the oven and roast until the bottoms of the potatoes are crisp and golden brown and can be easily lifted from the foil, about 30 minutes total, swapping top the trays top for bottom and rotating them once half way through roasting. Using a thin metal spatula, loosen all of the potatoes from the pan and toss. Return to oven and continue roasting until pale golden brown all over, about 15 minutes longer. Add shallots to pans and toss to coat in oil. Return to oven and roast until potatoes and shallots are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl.
   
4. Add parsley, chives, lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil to potatoes and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Pizza With Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil, and Mozzarella

Special equipment

Wood and metal pizza peels, Baking Steel, pizza cutter (see note above)

Ingredients

serves Makes four 10- to 12-inch pizzas, serving 4, active time 45 minutes, total time 3 hours

• 1 recipe Neapolitan Pizza Dough, or 2 pounds store-bought pizza dough
• 1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, torn into rough chunks and drained
• 8 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, split in half
• 4 to 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 24 fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Procedures

1. Divide dough into four even parts and place each in a covered quart-sized deli container or in a zipper-lock freezer bag. Allow to rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours before baking. Transfer tomatoes to a medium bowl and roughly crush by hand. Season to taste with salt and set aside.
   
2. Adjust oven rack to 6 inches under broiler and place stone or steel on rack. Preheat oven to highest possible temperature (500 or 550°F) for at least 45 minutes. Alternatively, use Kettle Pizza and Baking Steel grill insert.
   
3. When ready to bake, turn single dough ball out onto lightly flour surface. Gently press out dough into rough 8-inch circle, leaving outer 1-inch higher than the rest. Gently stretch dough into a 10 to 12-inch circle about 1/4-inch thick by draping over knuckles and gently stretching. Transfer to floured wooden pizza peel.
   
4. Preheat broiler to high. Spread thin layer of sauce over pizza, followed by 1/4 of mozzarella. Spread 1/4 of garlic slices, 1/4 of cherry tomatoes, and 1/4 of Parmesan evenly over pizza. Sprinkle lightly with salt, add 6 basil leaves, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.
   
5. Transfer pizza to hot stone or steel and broil until edges are puffed and lightly charred and bottom is crisp, rotating regularly for even cooking, 3 to 6 minutes total. Retrieve pizza with a metal peel and transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve immediately. Meanwhile, switch oven back to 550°F to reheat stone for remaining pizzas.
   
6. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for remaining pizzas.

Mussels Fra Diavolo with Roasted Garlic

Ingredients

serves Serves 6, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 1/2 hours

• 2 large heads garlic, top quarter cut off
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chile flakes or 1 habanero chile, finely chopped
• 3 large plum tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
• Toasted baguette slices, for serving

Procedures

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the garlic in a small baking dish, cut sides up, and drizzle the cut sides of the garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for about 1 hour, until very soft. Squeeze the soft garlic from the papery skins into a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
   
2. In a large pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the scallions and chile flakes, and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover, and cook until the tomatoes dissolve, about 4 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the garlic purée and the wine.
   
3. Bring the scallion-garlic mixture to a boil and add the mussels. Cover and cook, shaking the pot a few times, until the mussels open, about 5 minutes. With a large slotted spoon or Chinese wire strainer, lift the open mussels from the pot and transfer to serving bowls. Discard any mussels that do not open.
   
4. Remove the pot from the heat. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and add the basil. Pour the sauce over the mussels and serve right away with toasted baguette slices.