by Samin Nosrat
For general cooking: James Beard, April Bloomfield, Marion Cunningham, Suzanne Goin, Edna Lewis, Deborah Madison, Cal Peternell, David Tanis, Alice Waters, The Canal House, and The Joy of Cooking.
For inspiring writing about food and cooking: Tamar Adler, Elizabeth David, MFK Fisher, Patience Gray, Jane Grigson, and Nigel Slater.
For baking: Josey Baker, Flo Braker, Dorie Greenspan, David Lebovitz, Alice Medrich, Elisabeth Prueitt, Claire Ptak, Chad Robertson, and Lindsey Shere.
For more on the science behind cooking: Shirley Corriher, Harold McGee, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, Hervé This, and the folks at Cook’s Illustrated.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book is the culmination of fifteen years of cooking and thinking about cooking, and six years of research and writing. Along the way many people have made countless contributions, both large and small. I’d like to express deep gratitude to:
Alice Waters, for creating an immeasurably inspiring and educational community and welcoming me into it as a youngster. For instilling in me the aesthetic and sensual values that guide me in everything I do. For showing me just how much one determined woman with a vision can accomplish.
Michael Pollan and Judith Belzer, for friendship, guidance, and innumerable forms of support over the years, including the earliest encouragement to develop my harebrained ideas about cooking into a formal philosophy, and then a book.
Christopher Lee, for being the ultimate encyclopedic reference, for teaching me to respect my culinary ancestors, for showing me how to take my cooking to the edge, and for teaching me how to taste.
Lori Podraza and Mark Gordon, for patiently allowing me to test every single theory on you.
Thomas W. Dorman, for teaching me the difference between Quality and quality.
All of my teachers: Stephen Booth, Sylvan Brackett, Mary Canales, Dario Cecchini, Siew-Chin Chinn, Rayneil de Guzman, Amy Dencler, Samantha Greenwood, Charlie Hallowell, Robert Hass, Kelsie Kerr, Niloufer Ichaporia King, Charlene Nicholson, Cal Peternell, Dominica Rice, Cristina Roschi, Lindsey Shere, Alan Tangren, David Tanis, and Benedetta Vitali.
Sam Moghannam, Rosie Branson Gill, and Michelle McKenzie at 18 Reasons, and Alexis and Eric Koefoed at Soul Food Farm, for the earliest opportunities to teach and refine Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. And Sasha Lopez, my first—and best—student.
My deeply supportive community of writers, including Chris Colin, Jack Hitt, Doug McGray, Caroline Paul, Kevin West, and everyone at the Notto, past and present: Roxy Bahar, Julie Caine, Novella Carpenter, Bridget Huber, Casey Miner, Sarah C. Rich, Mary Roach, Alec Scott, Gordy Slack, and Malia Wollan.
Sarah Adelman, Laurel Braitman, and Jenny Wapner for formative early input and unwavering friendship.
Twilight Greenaway, for the quinoa, and for being my sister. Justin Limoges, and Marlow Colt Greenaway-Limoges, for being my tummy triplets.
Aaron Hyman, for invariably following every thread of curiosity along with me, and for never letting me compromise.
Kristen Rasmussen for being my science and nutrition heroine. Harold McGee, for support with food science, and Guy Crosby, Michelle Harris, and Laura Katz for help with thorough fact-checking.
Annette Flores, Michelle Fuerst, Amy Hatwig, Carrie Lewis, Amalia Mariño, Lori Oyamada, Laurie Ellen Pellicano, Tom Purtill, Jill Santopietro, and Jessica Washburn for recipe writing and testing support and advice.
The hundreds of home cooks who patiently, faithfully, and diligently tested recipes!
Thomas and Tiffany Campbell, Greta Caruso, Barbara Denton, Lex Denton, Philip Dwelle, and Alex Holey for your appetites, friendship, and for showing me how home cooks think.
Tamar Adler and Julia Turshen, for walking down the path of words and food alongside me.
David Riland, for steadfastness and compassion.
Sarah Ryhanen and Eric Famisan, for my writing room at the farm.
Peter, Kristin, Bodhi, and Bea Becker, for weaving me seamlessly into your fray every time I come to town.
Verlyn Klikenborg, for Several Short Sentences about Writing.
The MacDowell Colony, The Headlands Center for the Arts, and Mesa Refuge for space, time, and invaluable creative support.
Alvaro Villanueva, for bringing endless patience, good humor, and creativity to the challenge of designing a book that breaks all the rules.
Emily Graff, whose keen eye for detail, organizational tendencies, and tireless support have improved this book immeasurably. Ann Cherry, Maureen Cole, Kayley Hoffman, Sarah Reidy, Marysue Rucci, Stacey Sakal, and Dana Trocker, whose work behind the curtain at Simon & Schuster has shaped this book and will give it a life of its own out in the world.
Jenny Lord, for saying just the right things at just the right time from half a world away.
Mike Szczerban, for wisdom and enthusiasm that help set this book on the right path, but more important, for a magical friendship built on a mutual love of books.
Wendy MacNaughton, for a brilliant sense of humor and adventure, a willingness to try anything, pep talks and come-to-Jesus moments, and of course, hard work. I don’t know how I got so lucky as to have my favorite artist illustrate my book and become my dear friend along the way. You’re unequivocally the best collaborator I could’ve wished for.
Kari Stuart, my dear friend and indefatigable champion in all things, without whom this book would have never seen the light of day. Amanda Urban, for giving me Kari. Patrick Morley, for being simply the best.
And finally, to my family, who taught me how to eat: Shahla, Pasha, and Bahador Nosrat; my aunts and uncles Leyla, Shahab, Shahram, Shahriar, and Ziba Khazai; and my grandmothers, Parvin Khazai and Parivash Nosrat. Nooshe joonetan.
Thank you to my wonderful and ever-encouraging parents, Robin and Candy MacNaughton. (Mom, you’re the original great chef in my life.)
Thank you to all the friends and family who enjoyed the spoils of one of the cooking/drawings fests, who bolstered us along the way, who gave us your thoughts, wisdom, support, and love. Your cheers were fuel.
A standing ovation for Trish Richman, my studio manager and personal air traffic controller. You are a crucial part of this project. Both the artwork and I would be a total mess without you.
Alvaro Villanueva! Your brilliant design, creative ideas, clear thinking, and patience are all astounding. You make landing hundreds of pieces of artwork look effortless. Thank you.
Thank you Kari Stuart for taking such good care of both Samin and me. You are a champion.
Charlotte Sheedy, my agent, my role model. A hundred cases of the best bourbon isn’t enough to thank you for everything you do, which is always way beyond the call of duty in both your work and in the world.
Thank you Caroline Paul, my everything. You were there for every dinner, every clean up, every debrief, every discussion. There is nothing without you. Thank you for opening up our home and our life to this experience. I’m so happy I can cook for you now.
And Samin. When you first approached me to work with you I could barely scramble an egg. Only you—with your humor, patience, kindness, and genuine enthusiasm—could capture my attention like you did and show me how darn fun and fascinating cooking can be. You’ve changed my life. Thank you. It’s an honor and a complete joy to work with you, to make art with you, to be your friend. This BLL’s for you.
About Samin and Wendy
Photo by Grant Delin
Samin Nosrat is a writer, teacher, and chef. Called a “go-to resource for matching the correct techniques with the best ingredients” by the New York Times and “the next Julia Child” by NPR’s All Things Considered, she’s been cooking professionally since 2000, when she first stumbled into the kitchen at Chez Panisse restaurant. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Bon Appétit, and the San Francisco Chronicle, among other places. She lives, cooks, and gardens in Berkeley, California. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is her first book.
Photo by Leslie Sophia Lindell
Wendy MacNaughton is a New York Times bestsel
ling illustrator and graphic journalist whose books include Meanwhile in San Francisco (Chronicle), Knives & Ink (Bloomsbury), The Gutsy Girl (Bloomsbury), Lost Cat (Bloomsbury), and The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). She is a columnist for The California Sunday Magazine. She lives in San Francisco with her partner, several four-legged animals, and a well-used kitchen, thanks to Samin.
MEET THE AUTHORS, WATCH VIDEOS AND MORE AT
SimonandSchuster.com
Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Samin-Nosrat
Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Wendy-MacNaughton
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INDEX
A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.
Aaron’s Tart Dough, 93, 180, 395–96
Acid, 55, 99, 100–29, 193, 196, 200
balancing, 126, 127
color and, 111
defined, 105
doughs and batters and, 113
flavor and, 106–8
garnishing, 118–119
improvising with, 128–129, 190
layering, 117–123, 429
producing, 115–116
sources of, 104
sugar and, 106
World of Acid, 108–10
Adas Polo o Morgh (Chicken with Lentil Rice), 254, 281, 334–35
Adu Lasan, 353
Aïoli (Garlic Mayonnaise), 267, 314, 374, 376
Air, cooking with, 177–86
Alkalinity, 112
All-Butter Pie Dough, 83, 322, 386–87
Almonds:
Almond and Cardamom Tea Cake, 407, 414–15
Almond Cream, 423
Apricot and Almond Compote, 407
Toasted Almond or Hazelnut Cream, 424
Alterna-Slaw, 225
Anchoring, 191
Animal fats, 69–71, 77
Any-Other-Citrus Vinaigrette, 238
Apples, 129
Apple and Frangipane Tart, 397–99
Classic Apple Pie, 386, 388–89
Apricots, 171
Apricot and Almond Compote, 407
/> Apricot Kernel (Noyau) Cream, 424
Arborio rice, 283, 284
Argentinian Chimichurri, 369
Aroma, 26
Aromatic flavor bases of the World, 352–53
Artichokes:
Artichoke Confit, 257
grilling, 266–67
heart of, 267
Asian Slaw, 225
Asparagus:
Asparagus and Feta with Mint Salad, 235
Creamy Asparagus and Mint Pasta, 291
Ata Lilo, 353
Autumn Panzanella, 67, 232–33
Avocado:
Avocado and Citrus Salad, 118, 242, 311
Avocado Salad with Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber, 215–23
Bacon, 69
Bacon fat, 71, 73, 140
Bain-marie (water bath), 156, 161–62
Baking, 154–55, 156, 179–81. (see also Doughs and batters)
Baking soda and powder, 95, 96, 112
Balance, 52–54, 98, 126, 127, 195–97
Balsamic Vinaigrette, 238, 241
Barding, 69, 185, 347
Basic Mayonnaise, 303, 367, 375
Basic Pepper Paste, 377, 379, 380
Basic Salsa Verde, 360–61
Basil Pesto, 383
Basmati rice, 282, 283, 285–86
Batali, Mario, 75
Bay Leaf Cream, 424
Beans, 33–34, 141
Bean Salad, 232, 240, 241
Fava Bean and Dill Rice, 287
Garlicky Green Beans, 73, 259, 261
Pasta with Beans and Broccoli, 296
recipes, 280–302
Simmered Beans, 178, 280
soaking stages of dried, 142