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Preserving with Sugar and Salt Gravlax Hams and other meats are usually cured by salting, while fruits are usually preserved with sugar. The reason for the difference, obviously, has to do with flavor. But salt and sugar are equally effective at killing bacteria; they pull water out in the same way: by osmosis. One classic cured meat—fish, actually

Tapas Almonds In Spain, complimentary dishes of almonds fried in olive oil and salted are set out at bars. They are addictive. You can make them at home either by frying or, for less fat, toasting them in the oven. Both methods are given below. In either case, the best way to make the salt adhere to the almonds is to use kosher salt ground to a pow

lamb. Pour the tomato sauce over and around the lamb. Sprinkle with oregano and thyme. Heat until the liquid comes to a simmer. 4. Cover with a tight lid or crimped aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 2 hours or until the meat is tender and almost falling off the bone. 5. Using tongs, remove the shanks to a serving dish and cover with foil to ke

1 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc, sancerre, or muscadet ¼ cup minced shallots 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons salted butter 1. Rinse the mussels in tap water, pulling off any protruding beards by tugging away from the hinge. Discard any mussels whose shells are parted and don’t close up promptly when struck

medium-high. (We use a heavy, 7-inch-diameter saucepan.) Heat the oil to 365ºF, as measured by a deep-frying thermometer. To test the oil without a thermometer, drop a bit of batter into the fat and if it floats immediately to the surface, the temperature is about right. 3. Gently drop in the batter one tablespoon at a time, using a second spoon to

Seashore Sautéed Soft-Shell Crabs Some chefs like to show off by gussying up their crabs with batter, bread crumbs, cracker meal, flour dustings, or spices. None of that is necessary. In fact, they smother the delicate flavor of a really fresh crab. Save the seasonings for the table. All you need are fresh, live crabs, bubbling butter, and a little

place molecule by molecule. But it can be slowed to practically zero by using a

cups Diamond Crystal kosher salt for every 4 quarts of water. Sugar and other ingredients may be added to balance the flavors. 2 Cornish game hens 4 quarts water 1 cup Morton’s kosher salt 1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed 1/3 cup soy sauce, preferably Kikkoman 2 tablespoons peanut oil 4 cloves garlic 3 nickel-size slices of ginger 1. Remove t