Milk Street Q&A

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Katherine - We are so sorry you didn't enjoy the recipe. We have three versions of Chicken Paprikash - one, from our trip to Hungary, which ran in our magazine; one, from our Cook What You Have Cookbook, and this one, from the Fast & Slow Cookbook. They are each slightly different and all are pictured differently in the photos in the magazine/cookbooks (and on the website). For example, the version that ran in the magazine is pictured alongside traditional nokedli dumplings, whereas the other two are pictured served with buttered noodles. They are all slightly different in color based on the different ingredient lists that include ingredients that could cause the sauce to be more red vs. more white and how they were cooked. Since a pressure cooker lacks evaporation, the sauce in that version is going to be a little bit more diluted and less concentrated than those in which evaporation is occurring. All of these recipes were tested numerous times in our Milk Street kitchens and, in the case of the Fast & Slow recipe (which was the first one developed), in an Instant Pot. Much like all food media companies, we do employ a food stylist and professional photographer for our magazine and cookbooks, but we are diligent about ensuring the photo represents the recipe. In fact, we often won't even shoot a main dish recipe with a side or garnish in the photo unless we mention it in the recipe. With respect to this recipe, we know it's hard to tell, but the skin \has\ actually been removed from the chicken in the photo. It's just gotten some color from the paprika, tomato paste, and the browned bits left in the pan from sautéing the onions. We hope this helps clear up any confusion. Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Larry - If you're making something that is cooked you could add ground coriander when you add garlic, onion, or spices. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant so their profiles will be similar however, when dried and ground, the flavor isn't as potent. Also, you can substitute fresh parsley and add a a splash of lemon or lime juice. Cilantro has a grassy flavor with citrus notes so the grassiness of parsley combined with the citrus juice can replicate it better. And, depending on the dish, you could also substitute with basil or, if you can find it, Thai basil. Both of these would be good in southeast Asian dishes or tomato-based Mexican dishes. Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Toni - We haven't tested this recipe using a GF flour blend since we don't work with GF recipes so, unfortunately, we can't say whether it will work. If you do try it though, we'd love for you to post your results under the recipe comments since we're sure it would be helpful for others as well! Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Jill - I don't have exact figures, but I would say about 99% of our recipes are tested right here in our kitchens at Milk Street. There are a small number of recipes that were provided to us by our Friends of Milk Street or by featured chefs from our Cooking School, TV show, or radio show that we have agreed to print as is, per their request, since they have spoken about them during class or on one of the shows. In this case, we don't have any part in the development or testing of these recipes since they don't belong to us. We are simply sharing them with our readers as an additional benefit to our own thousands of recipes. Since these come from our Friends and other well-respected culinary professionals, we can assure you they have been tested by those individuals before they were distributed to the public. Hope that helps you understand our special Friends program! Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Heather - We would advise evaluating what you use most often and simply purchasing those pieces. Here are some general recommendations but, again, this is very dependent on personal uses and preferences: Traditional stainless steel 10" or 12" skillets and pots are best for everyday cooking. Depending on your use a 1 and 2-3 qt saucepan would be useful. I would only purchase small (8" or 10") nonstick skillets (not pots - there is no need for a nonstick coating on a pot). Buy an inexpensive nonstick skillet. No matter how expensive the pan is, it will eventually lose its nonstick coating so you will have to replace these frequently. A cast iron or carbon steel pan. These require some pre-seasoning and regular upkeep but are great for high heat cooking over gas and, if seasoned properly, can be as nonstick as a nonstick pan Enameled Dutch oven - great for braises, stews, soups, no-knead bread, etc. I find a stock pot takes up a lot of space and, in general, is not necessary. These are often included in cookware sets. Unless you are making large volumes of stock or boiling lobsters regularly I think you can do anything you might do in a stock pot in a dutch oven. Whatever you choose, make sure the handles are ovenproof. Many recipes require transferring from stovetop to oven and plastic handles will melt in the oven. You can also visit our store to see some of the cookware we use here at Milk Street. Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello T C, This is a great question. We checked with our recipe developers and they said that they did not test this recipe with buttermilk but think that, since it uses so little of the milk powder, it should work fine. However, buttermilk (whether dried powder or liquid) is more acidic and may affect the rise. There is a hefty amount of yeast in the recipe, however, so should still rise. It might not be a bad idea to add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to neutralize the acid a bit so it doesn't inhibit the yeast growth. The acid in buttermilk will soften gluten and thus should make a more fluffy, tender bread texture; but that same acid can inhibit yeast and though the dough would be softer, it could be a bit more dense. They suggest adding the baking soda to ensure the yeast works to its full capacity. Let us know how it goes! Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Kevin, Thank you for your feedback. Because of the pandemic, we had to film a lot of solo segments. We are planning to film more two-person segments in the future! Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Susan, We appreciate your concern for the relief efforts in Turkey and Syria. In the May-June issue of our magazine, which will be out soon, we encourage readers to support the World Central Kitchen. This group, started by restaurateur José Andrés, provides meals to those affected by war and natural disasters. wck.org Thank you, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Kathie, Thank you for reaching out and we are sorry to hear this! It sounds as if your printer is not able to communicate with our website at this time. This may be due to the pop-ups being blocked on your settings. You will need to go into your settings on your browser to disable the pop-up blocker and allow the exception of our website to print. You can google the specific instructions for the browser you are using. You can also refresh the browser and clear the cache and cookies to eliminate any previous error message for the printer. For any further assistance, please contact info@177milkstreet.com Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Robin,  Thanks so much for your comment and suggestion. We actually are in the process of categorizing our recipes at this time, so that our followers will have easier navigation tools to our over 2,400 recipe collection. Soon you will be able to search for recipes according to ingredient, course, country of origin, etc to find exactly what you're looking for. We thank you for your support! Best, The Milk Street Team