Tag Archives: Cook’s Illustrated Revolutionary Recipes

Really Good Pumpkin Bread

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The pumpkin bread of your dreams, complete with a cinnamon-y streusel topping.
The pumpkin bread of your dreams, complete with a cinnamon-y streusel topping.

It’s called “really good.”

But I think it’s actually “really great.”

“Really Good Pumpkin Bread” really is everything you want in this homespun, seasonal treat.

It’s from “Cook’s Illustrated Revolutionary Recipes: Groundbreaking Techniques. Compelling Voices. One-Of-A-Kind Recipes” by America’s Test Kitchen (2018), which features 180 of the magazine’s most innovative recipes.

It’s incredibly moist and tender. It’s full of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg — enough to add a lovely autumnal warmth, but not so much as to obscure the pumpkin taste.

The recipe makes enough for two loaves. If you think that's too much, you can always freeze one for later.
The recipe makes enough for two loaves. If you think that’s too much, you can always freeze one for later.

It also employs the convenience of canned pumpkin — but goes one better by briefly cooking it on the stovetop to concentrate its flavor and eliminate any characteristic metallic taste from the can. Moreover, it adds cream cheese for a subtle tang to bring out the pumpkin taste even more.

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How Bitter Do You Like It?

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The crispy edges on this broccoli rabe are addictive.

The crispy edges on this broccoli rabe are addictive.

 

Broccoli rabe can be rather polarizing.

Its bitter, mustardy bite can be a salve to some and downright too much to swallow for others.

The traditional method of preparing it involves first blanching it, then shocking it in ice water before draining it, and finally sauteing it with olive oil, garlic and pepper flakes.

That multi-step process does the trick, though. It thoroughly tames the broccoli rabe, erasing nearly all of its pungency so it ends up tasting fairly mild like regular broccoli.

But wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to cook it that didn’t require two pans and a bowl of ice, to boot?

There is. All it takes is turning on your broiler.

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