Milk Street Q&A

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Rachel, This is an extremely wet and sticky dough, which is why we make it in the mixer. Doing it by hand might be possible (it has not been tested here) but it would likely be quite strenuous. There is enough flour in this in the end to make it too thick for a whisk but yet it is too wet to properly fold the flour in with a spatula. If you would like to give it a try it, we would recommend the following (again, this has not been tested): After whisking the dry ingredients together (including the salt,) put about 1/3 of the dry mixture into a large bowl, add all of the water and whisk until combined and smooth. Continue adding the dry ingredients gradually and whisking thoroughly between additions until the mixture becomes too thick and sticky to work with the whisk. At that point, switch to a strong wooden spoon or silicone spatula and keep mixing and adding flour until it is all well incorporated with no pockets of dry flour. You would need to keep mixing until the dough is very elastic and sticky. It also does need to be transferred to another oiled bowl per the recipe at this point. We cannot vouch for the results, as the mixer with the dough hook works the dough for a total of 10 minutes. Though it is a highly hydrated dough, the gluten still needs to be well-developed in order to give it good structure to rise. This is also why we opt for the mixer and dough hook. Please let us know how it goes! Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Barbara, We apologize for any confusion. Occasionally, we publish various versions of a recipe which sometimes leads to confusion for everyone. Our editors are working on a way to disentangle the multiple versions of recipes. The version that called for a 1-hour rest is not the original version of the recipe. We have attached a pdf of the original recipe – Oven-Perfect Strip Steak with Chimichurri — which calls for a 30 minute rest. The fact that the TV segment doesn't mention the 30-min pre-sear rest likely was innocently overlooked as a talking point in the segment. We assure you that the published recipe (attached) is the one to follow. Hopefully, this answers your question. Again, we apologize for any confusion https://www.177milkstreet.com/discussion/uploads/378/DKUQBEJ0WIND.pdf https://www.177milkstreet.com/discussion/uploads/728/U6IBPE0I3PDV.pdf Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Rosie Gill

Hi Cynthia - We call for non-iodized table salt for baking and Morton's kosher salt for cooking. We prefer table salt for baking because it dissolves easily and completely. Iodized table salt can contribute an off flavor to your baking, so we recommend using salt with no iodine added.

Answered by Matthew Card

Hi Kim, It's alway best to salt your steaks well in advance of cooking. I typically take them out of the fridge an hour before cooking and season GENEROUSLY with kosher salt on both sides. Leave at room temp. Then, just before grilling, I blot dry with paper towels, season GENEROUSLY with black pepper, then drizzle with a very small amount of oil; a little can prevent sticking and enhance browning whereas too much will cause flareups. Blotting dry removes excess moisture, which means the steak will begin to brown faster and develop a flavorful crust. Best, Matt

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Nicholas, That sounds like the Tomato Rice with Oregano and Feta recipe from the September-October 2019 magazine! Best, The Milk Street Team https://www.177milkstreet.com/discussion/uploads/406/PVZWK01JAWO9.pdf

Answered by Rosie Gill

Hi Nina - We recommend you salt dry beans when you soak them and again when you cook them. Much of the salt will be rinsed off with the ample water you soak and cook in, so you will also want to season your final dish according to your preferences. The salt in the soaking and cooking water helps with texture and uniform cooking, but does not season the beans much. For one pound of dry beans, we recommend adding 2 tablespoons of salt to 2 quarts of water and soaking for 12 hours. Drain the water and then put the soaked beans in a Dutch oven or large pot with six cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook until tender.

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Sheree. We do not have a chart for substituting flours in recipes, but we checked with one of our food editors who is experienced in baking with alternative grains. She said that gnocchi will be more forgiving than say, a cake and suggested that you start by replacing 20% of the flour weight in a recipe with an alternative or whole-grain flour.—so 65 grams fresh milled flour and 260 grams all-purpose. See how the gnocchi come out, then adjust based on the results the next time you make the recipe. Please note that we've never actually tried this with the gnocchi recipe, so it's just a guideline. Let us know how it turns out! Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Keith, We have not made the Parisian flan using gluten-free flour, but we think it should work just fine. You will still need to let the dough rest before rolling it out to allow for the flour to absorb the moisture. Let us know how it turns out! Best, The Milk Street Team

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hi Cleve, Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello, Harissa sauce is harissa paste that has been loosed up with additional oil, so your instinct to use less oil is perfect. Adjust according to how you want the final taste and texture of a dish to be. Perhaps make note of the brand of Harissa sauce (or paste if you find it) and the adjustment you make next to each recipe so that you will know exactly what to do each time you make a dish. Best, The Milk Street Team