Best James Beards Recipes

JAMES BEARD'S BASIC HOME-STYLE BREAD

Steps:

• Add the yeast to 1/2 cup of the warm milk, along with 2 tbl sugar, and stir well until the yeast in completely dissolved. Allow the yeast to proof.
• Place the remaining milk, butter and salt in a bowl. (Beard liked a lot of salt, and I would use less). Stir in the flour, 1 cup at a time, with a wooden spoon.
• After the third cup, add the yeast mixture. Continue stirring in flour until the mixture is rather firm, which should take about 4 to 5 cups.
• Remove the dough to a floured board and knead, adding more flour as necessary, until it is supple, satiny and no longer sticky.
• Butter a bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat all sides with the fat. Cover and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Deflate the dough by punching firmly two or three times, return to the floured board, and knead 4 to 5 minutes more.
• Divide into two equal parts and shape into loaves. Place in well-buttered 9x5x3 in loaf tins, cover, and let rise again until doubled in bulk.
• Slash the loaves with a sharp knife and brush with lightly beaten egg white or water.
• Bake in a 400 deg. oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when tapped with the knuckles.
• Remove the loaves from the pans and put them back in the oven a few minutes longer to become crisped.

JAMES BEARD'S BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, soak the beans in 2 quarts of water for 6 hours. Drain the beans and put them in a large pot. Add the salt and enough cool water to cover 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are just barely tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain well.
• Bring another pot of water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. In the bottom of a large casserole with a tight-fitting lid, place the peeled onion -- yes, whole -- and spareribs (or baby-back ribs). Spread the beans on top. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar (or molasses), mustard and black pepper and add this to the beans and pork. Pour in just enough boiling water to cover the beans, put the lid on and bake, occasionally adding more boiling water to keep the beans covered, until they are tender but not falling apart, 4 to 5 hours.
• Remove the casserole from the oven. Season the beans with salt. Pull the meat from the ribs. Discard the bones and excess fat and stir the meat back into the beans. With the lid off, return the casserole to the oven and let the beans finish cooking, uncovered and without additional water, until the sauce has thickened and is nicely caramelized on top, about 45 minutes more.

JAMES BEARD'S HORSERADISH COLESLAW

Steps:

• Shred cabbage, and soak in cold salted water for one hour.
• To prepare dressing, combine all remaining ingredients together.
• When ready to prepare salad, drain cabbage well and toss with dressing.

JAMES BEARD BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cream the butter and sugar together.
• Add honey, bananas, and eggs; mix well.
• Sift dry ingredients together and fold into banana mixture.
• Fold in nuts and optional orange zest.
• Grease baking pan or muffin tins.
• Bake at 350° for 1 hour. If you bake this in muffin tins, it's about 20 minutes. It is done when toothpick comes out clean.

JAMES BEARD'S SOUR CREAM CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Mix 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs with sugar and butter. Press into bottom and sides of a lightly buttered 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.
• Beat the cheese until soft and creamy. Add sugar and mix thoroughly.
• Blend in egg yolks one at a time.
• Add the sour cream, vanilla, flour, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix well.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir in one-third of whites into cheese mixture. Then fold the remaining whites in gently.
• Pour the cheese mixture into the prepared crust.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for one hour. Turn off the heat and allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven for one more hour.
• Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Sprinkle the remaining crumbs on top of the cake.
• Chill over night. Dust with confectioner's sugar just before serving, if desired.

JAMES BEARD'S CREAM BISCUITS

Steps:

• Sift dry ingredients together.
• Fold in cream until it makes a soft dough that can be easily handled. (You may need to add up to a full cup of cream).
• Turn on to a floured board and knead for about one minute.
• I make these as drop biscuits: Take a large mound of dough (one heaping tablespoonful) and dip into melted butter.
• Arrange biscuits on a baking sheet spritzed with baking spray. Bake at 425 for 15-18 minutes.

JAMES BEARD'S PLEASANT PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until just tender. While pasta cooks, combine peas and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and stir until peas are thoroughly heated. Drain and set aside.
• Drain pasta, return to pot and toss with butter. Add peas, prosciutto and cream. Toss to mix well and to separate prosciutto strips. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add Parmesan to taste, and toss again. Serve piping hot, passing more Parmesan separately at the table.

JAMES BEARD'S OLD-FASHIONED MEAT LOAF

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats, onions, carrots, and spices. Mix well.
• Add in the eggs, milk, bread crumbs, and mix well.
• Place half of the mixture on a greased, shallow baking pan. Place hard boiled eggs (without shells, of course) end-to-end in a line through the loaf. Place remaining amount of mixture on top and form into a loaf with your hands.
• Place strips of bacon atop loaf in an attractive criss-cross pattern.
• Bake at 350 F for 90-120 minutes, depending upon how thick you have formed the loaf.

JAMES BEARD'S BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

Steps:

• Beat egg yolks until well blended. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Stir in buttermilk and egg yolks. Add butter and beat until smooth.
• Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter gently.
• Heat a lightly greased griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Test heat by dropping a small amount of batter into the pan. Once pan is hot, drop batter by spoonfuls onto pan and cook until pancakes are brown on the bottom and are starting to dry on top. Turn and brown the other side. Keep warm while cooking the remaining pancakes.