Food

In Great Taste

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Lynne Konstantin

"Health makes you look and feel vibrant and beautiful," writes Evelyn H. Lauder in the introduction to her cookbook, In Great Taste: Fresh, Simple Recipes for Eating and Living Well ($29.95, Rodale). "Over the years, I have learned to cherish, protect, and celebrate this precious sense of wellness."

Lauder knows of what she speaks, having spent much of her life immersed in matters of health and beauty. She is a senior corporate vice president of the Estee Lauder Cos. (she can be thanked for now-staple concepts of cheek color in the form of colored pressed powder and lip gloss in a lipstick tube rather than in a pot), is the founder and chairwoman of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (which will receive all proceeds from the sale of her book) and was instrumental in the conception of the pink ribbon campaign. A breast cancer survivor herself, the Vienna-born and New York-raised Lauder began her adult life as a schoolteacher before marrying Leonard Lauder, the eldest son of cosmetics powerhouse Estee, raising their two sons and heading out in the world to make good use of her advantages.

In Great Taste offers more than 125 of Lauder's own recipes, organized by time of day —morning, noon and night —and interspersed with tips, nutritional information, and personal and family anecdotes. But most of all, it is the kind of easy-to-navigate cookbook —created by a hostess known for her warm yet sophisticated style —that enthusiasts and amateurs alike can't wait to put to use in their own kitchens. As Lauder writes, "I am convinced that eating wholesome food at home does not have to be complicated or boring. In fact, it should be exciting." Dig in!

My Special Crepe Recipe

These crepes may be filled with either sweet fillings, such as pure fruit jam, or orange marmalade and sprinkled with a little powdered sugar. They are also delicious with savory fillings and wonderful served with shredded vegetables as an appetizer. Children enjoy them with meat (like turkey) and low-fat cream cheese, and a popular sweet filling in France is Nutella. Use your imagination and a few of your preferred ingredients to develop your own favorites. We often make crepes, so I have a nonstick crepe (8-inch) pan for each burner on my stove. It makes it easy to serve many people simultaneously. Serves 4.

• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons fat-free milk
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• Dash of vanilla extract
• Dash of almond extract
• Dash of orange extract
• Dash of lemon extract
• Melted butter

Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl and make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, 1/2 cup of the milk and oil. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms. Add the vanilla, almond, orange and lemon extracts and stir to combine.

While whisking the batter, gradually add the remaining 4 tablespoons milk. To check the stream of the mix, hold the whisk 12 inches above the bowl; aim for a thin stream that does not break.

Heat an 8-inch crepe pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water into the pan; if they sizzle, the pan is ready to use. Brush with a little melted butter.

Using a 1/4-cup measure, pour the batter into the skillet. Immediately pick up the pan and tilt and swirl it so that the batter covers the entire bottom of the pan. Pour any excess batter back into the bowl.

Cook for 1 minute. Loosen the edges of the crepe with a spatula. You can use a spatula to turn the crepe, but I usually turn it with my fingers. Using both hands, I pick up the loosened edges with my thumb and index finger and quickly flip it over.

Cook on the other side until lightly golden (usually less than a minute) and slide it out onto a plate. Cover with waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Per serving: 110 calories, 3.5 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 5 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams dietary fiber, 80 milligrams sodium

Over The Top Scrambled Eggs

If you want an elegant but easy brunch or breakfast dish, these scrambled eggs are the answer. Serve them in the shell and top with either caviar [find kosher caviar at markys.com] or thin strips of Nova Scotia salmon and a dollop of creme fraiche or fat-free sour cream. Sometimes I even serve them as a first course for dinner. Serves 4.

• 4 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• Caviar or thinly cut strips of Nova Scotia salmon (optional)
• Creme fraiche or fat-free sour cream (optional)
• Toast points, for serving

Using a very sharp knife, cut off the narrow end of each egg about 1 inch into the shell. Pour the eggs into a small bowl, rinse the shells and set aside. Gently whisk the eggs with the water until well combined. Warm the oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat for 1 minute. Pour in the eggs and stir slowly with a wooden spoon until the eggs thicken and begin to scramble. Remove from the heat and use a small spoon to fill the empty shells mounded to the top.

If desired, garnish with the caviar or smoked salmon and a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream. Serve with toast points.

Per serving (without toast points): 80 calories, 6 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 6 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams dietary fiber, 75 milligrams sodium

Gravlax

Lax means "salmon" in Swedish, and gravning is an ancient method of preservation that resembles marinating. Serve it with pumpernickel bread and honey mustard with chopped fresh dill, or in a salad that includes arugula, sliced potatoes and tomatoes, along with a fine chilled vodka or aquavit. Serves 6 to 8.

• 1 wild salmon, 4 to 6 pounds, head and tail removed, cut into 2 whole fillets
• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground fennel seeds
• 4 bunches fresh dill, roughly chopped, reserving 1/4 cup for garnish

Remove any small bones from the fish, using a strawberry huller or tweezers. Place the fillets on a board covered in parchment paper. Mix the salt, sugar, pepper, allspice, cardamom, cloves and fennel in a small bowl. Rub the mixture into the fillets on all sides.

Spread one-third of the dill in a shallow dish big enough to hold a fillet. Top with one fillet, skin-side down and tail end facing to the right. Spread half of the remaining dill over the fish. Add the second fillet, skin-side up and tail end facing to the left. Cover with the remaining dill.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Place a large cutting board on top of the fish and weigh down lightly using a large can. Refrigerate for 36 to 48 hours, turning the fillets every morning and night and pouring off any accumulated liquid.

The fish is ready to eat. Scrape off the spices and dill, slice off the skin and cut thin slices on the diagonal on the broad surface of the fillet (like shavings). Garnish with the reserved 1/4 cup dill. Gravlax keeps for about a week in the refrigerator.

Per serving (based on 8 servings): 400 calories, 14 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 45 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams dietary fiber, 4,330 milligrams sodium

Stuffed Red Peppers

Colorful bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C and other antioxidants. I like to use a mix of red, yellow, orange and green peppers when I'm making this for a group. Choose peppers with straight sides and even bases so they'll stand up properly. Serve with tomato sauce ladled around the base of the peppers. Serves 6.

• 6 small to medium red peppers
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 8 ounces ground white meat of chicken or turkey
• 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain brown or white rice
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the peppers: Cut the stem end from the peppers and reserve, keeping matching tops and bases together. Remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers with a grapefruit knife.

For the filling: Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic; cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the chicken or turkey and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until just cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, pine nuts (if using) and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the filling into the peppers, leaving about 1/2 inch at the top, and replace the tops. Fit the peppers close together into a casserole dish just large enough to hold them. Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Per serving: 260 calories, 4 grams total fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat, 1 gram protein, 43 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams dietary fiber, 55 milligrams sodium

All recipes reprinted from In Great Taste: Fresh, Simple Recipes for Eating and Living Well by Evelyn H. Lauder. © 2006 by Evelyn H. Lauder. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, Pa. 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735. Photography by Beatriz Da Costa.

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