Spreads

This creamy pesto is indulgent without being overly rich, thanks to heart-healthy avocado and just a touch of olive oil. Also, since it uses a fresh avocado for its creamy consistency, rather than pricey Parmesan cheese, it's less expensive to make than traditional pesto.
It happens to be vegan, but don't let that deter you (if you're the sort of person usually deterred by vegan recipes)—it's fabulous, particularly with fresh heirloom tomatoes. I also like it as a dip for vegetables or slathered over grilled fish or chicken. Use soon after making it though, as the fresh avocado will go brown if it sits for too long.

"At Linger, we make jam with miso. It's delicious with pork but is especially tasty on bread with cream cheese."

Whether they're braving the Kingsroad during war, fighting beyond the Wall, or foraging in the last days before the long winter, acorn paste can satisfy travelers' hunger. Even children have no problem preparing this food in a moment of need. This spread goes nicely on biscuits and bread—a luxury in the wild. (A Clash of Kings, Chapter 19—Arya)

Use good butter, fresh crabmeat, and Meyer lemons and this simple spread will really sing. Can't find Meyer lemons? Substitute 2 tablespoons juice and 1-2 teaspoon zest from a regular lemon instead.

A great alternative to hummus (and a fixture with crudités or on sandwiches in the BA Test Kitchen), it seems there's nothing this spread can't do. French green lentils work best here, but the most important ingredient, notes chef Antonio Prontelli, is top-quality extra-virgin olive oil.

Adding grated apple, a pectin-packed fruit, naturally jells the jam and gives it a pleasant tartness.

Iron-and folate-rich chickpeas and spinach combine in a delicious sandwich spread that can also be served atop halved cherry tomatoes for a snack.

Edamame are a rich source of fiber and phytochemicals that may help lower cholesterol, protect bones, and balance hormone levels. Serve this spicy spread with rice crackers as an anytime snack or for a party hors d’oeuvre. The dip is also delicious paired with cucumber, celery, and carrot sticks.

These open-faced sandwiches are a delicious way to showcase the season’s best tomatoes. Try the tofu spread as a low-fat and nutritious alternative to cream cheese; the recipe makes about three-quarters of a cup, enough for four additional sandwiches.

Guacamole means “sauce made with avocado” and comes from Nahuatl, the pre-Columbian language still spoken in some parts of Mexico: guac—avocado—and mole—a sauce made of more than one chile or ingredient. The best guacamoles are prepared in a stone mortar or molcajete. The chiles and cilantro are ground with lime and salt, and the avocados and tomatoes are mashed in, layering the flavors and creating a coarser, more interesting texture.

Peaches are used in this very basic recipe for fruit jam, but you could substitute an equal amount of apricots or plums in their place. Add it to ice cream, or use it to fill a jelly roll cake such as the one on page 464. The jam is quickly made and can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. If you prefer, strain the jam in a fine sieve before storing.

This is a classic olive tapenade spruced up with the zest of oranges and lemons, and I have to say that it’s the best version I’ve ever had. Note when buying olive purée to look for a product that has just olives or olives and olive oil, such as the olive pâté made by Rustichella d’Abruzzo.

We serve this mayonnaise alongside many dishes, including the Bacalà al Forno (page 215) and, mixed with spicy red chile paste, Mussels al Forno (page 109). The goal in making it is to form an emulsion, and there is only one way to do this: by whisking vigorously as you add the oil as slowly as humanly possible. When it looks like you have successfully formed an emulsion, you can begin to add the oil a bit more rapidly, but not quickly, by any means. If you get impatient, just remember: it’s easier to go slow than it is to fix a broken emulsion.

Mantecato means “churned,” and bacalà mantecato, essentially an Italian version of French brandade, is salt cod potato purée. We started making these crostini to use the salt cod we had left from the Bacalà al Forno (page 215) at the Pizzeria. It’s so popular that we now make extra salt cod for this dish.

Just when I think we have perfected a dish, I come across a version that someone has done better, and that’s what happened here. I always thought we did a great job with the chicken liver pâté we served at the Pizzeria, and it is one of the most raved-about items we serve. The combination of pancetta, lemon, and capers is delicious, and we hand-chop it, which gives it great texture, so I was totally happy with these crostini until I went to the Spotted Pig in New York City and had theirs. April Bloomfield, the chef, served her chicken livers on bread that was doused with—not drizzled and not brushed, but drowned in—olive oil, which made the chicken liver taste that much better. When I came back from that trip, we started doing the same thing, drowning the toast for our chicken liver pâté in the best finishing-quality olive oil we have. After I copied April’s bread, I think our version of chicken liver crostini went back to number one—or at least we’re tied for first place.

Ricotta means “recooked,” and is so named because it is a by-product of making mozzarella. This version is only cooked once, so it really isn’t ricotta at all. Still, the result is a creamy and delicious fresh cheese, which you can use in any recipes in this book that call for ricotta. (If you are making the Ricotta Ravioli, however, you need to strain the cheese for at least 24 hours.) I especially like the cheese still warm, fresh after it’s made. The recipe can be doubled or quadrupled, depending on how much you need.

In addition to using this curd in other recipes, it is delicious on its own or as a spread for scones or shortbread.