Classic Recipes for Modern People

by Max Sussman, Eli Sussman

Overview

Chef brothers Max and Eli Sussman are back with their fourth cookbook, Classic Recipes for Modern People, featuring over 75 recipes that reimagine classic dishes from their childhood and yours, with a little humor baked in along the way.

Classics Recipes for Modern People is the definitive collection of classic recipes that have been reinvented, rejiggered, reordered, and re-created by Max and Eli Sussman. They believe that recipes should be ever expanding and evolving, a philosophy they practice in both their professional and home kitchens. That a dish “no matter how classic and iconic—has the ability to morph into something new and fantastic.”

Divided into eight sections like “Classics from Our Childhood,” TV Dinner Classics,” “Future Classics,” and “Breakfast Classics” readers will find reinvented dishes inspired by Max and Eli’s childhood in Detroit, the frozen food aisle, followers on social media, and more. Everything old is new again - tastier, bolder, and better. Welcome to the new classics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781616288129
Publisher:	Weldon Owen
Publication date:	03/31/2015
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	7.80(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Max and Eli Sussman have had a wide range of cooking experiences that give their cookbooks—This is a Cookbook and Best Cookbook Ever—a unique attitude towards food, one that’s unpretentious and yet passionate about creativity and quality. Max currently works as the executive chef at The Cleveland in NoLiTa, NYC. In 2012 he was named one of Forbes magazine’s “30 under 30” for food and wine and was a nominee for James Beard Rising Star Chef of the year. Eli is the chef at Mile End Deli in Brooklyn. Both brothers made Zagat’s 2012 list of top “30 under 30” food professionals in New York city. The Sussmans have also been featured in numerous publications as well as a series of videos for Vice. They were recently chosen to model for Gant.

Read an Excerpt

Corn Bread & Brisket Patty Melt
Brisket
2 lb (1 kg) beef brisket
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp firmly packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) chicken stock
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Corn bread
Olive oil spray
1 1/4 cups (61/4 oz/195 g) cornmeal
1 cup (5 oz/155 g) all-purpose flour
11/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp firmly packed light brown sugar
3 serrano chiles, seeded and minced
4 green onions, minced
1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz/375 g) whole milk
1/2 cup (4 oz/125 g) whole-milk yogurt
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, cut into thick rounds
4 slices Gruyère cheese
Unsalted butter for frying
 
* Makes 4 enormous sandwiches,
 
1.  To make the brisket, cut the meat into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces. In a wide pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the brisket and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and sauté until softened and caramelized, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, brown sugar, and tomato paste and sauté for 3—4 minutes. Add the stock and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the meat is falling apart and tender, 2—3 hours. Add water if the pan begins to dry. The meat should be just barely covered with liquid when it is ready. If there is too much liquid at the end, transfer the liquid to a small saucepan and simmer until reduced.
 
2. To make the corn bread, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9-inch (23-cm) square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with olive oil.
 
3. In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, chiles, and green onions. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, yogurt, and olive oil. Add the milk mixture to the cornmeal mixture and fold just until the batter is blended; it will be slightly lumpy. Add the egg and fold until blended.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
 
5. Meanwhile, in a heavy frying pan, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion and cook, turning once, until deeply caramelized, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1⁄2-inch (12-mm) pieces.
 
6. Cut the corn bread into 4 equal pieces, then halve each piece horizontally. Place one-fourth of the braised beef on the cut side of a bottom piece of corn bread. Top with 1 tablespoon of the onion, a slice of cheese, and then the top piece of corn bread, cut side down. Repeat to make 3 more sandwiches. In a large nonstick frying pan, melt about 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the sandwiches, turning once and adding butter as needed, until the bread is browned and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve right away.

Editorial Reviews

05/18/2015
The Sussman siblings take the age-old concept of comfort food and update it for modern tastes. Home cooks interested in adding to their comfort food canon will likely find some inspiration in this eye-catching collection. In many cases, the original recipe is visible through the Sussmans' changes, as with lamb meatloaf with curried potatoes; spicy Asian fondue; preserved lemon key lime pie; and an eight-layer dip consisting of shrimp ceviche. But the duo don't stop there, offering imaginative dishes like vegetable dumplings with spicy dipping sauce; an omelet made of hash browns; and the incredibly messy full English breakfast, incorporating bacon, eggs, sausage, tomatoes and baked beans. The recipes are, for the most part, fairly easy to source and prepare. A simple chicken liver mousse on toast with fresh blackberries, for example, is well within the reach of even the most novice cook, as is the inevitable burger (pork-based, with a little beef and panko in lieu of traditional bread crumbs). The Sussmans' thoughtful collection is sure to jar readers from their comfort (food) zones and encourage them to branch out to incorporate new flavors and ingredients. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"The cookbook displays their trademark creative spin on classic dishes, featuring recipes for things like Gefilte Fish Terrine, Duck à l’Orange, and Kibbeh and Tzatziki. It’s decidedly not kosher (see: Pork Burger with Apple Ketchup, Shellfish Shells), but it speaks to the contemporary trend of repurposing traditional Jewish foods to make them shine in a modern context."

Tablet Magazine

They’re also pretty good in the kitchen. And their third tome — Classic Recipes for Modern People — spotlights their cooking chops and dead-on wit in equal measure.

The Forward

06/15/2015
Sussman brothers Max and Eli (This Is a Cookbook) have set out to reinvent several categories of classic foods, including breakfasts, international dishes, and their own childhood favorites. Targeting young, casual cooks, they've blended sophisticated and over-the-top recipes (e.g., chicory-pecan salad with maple vinaigrette, bacon-guacamole salsa Verde dip, corn bread and brisket patty melt) with numerous pop-culture references printed in bold, eye-catching fonts. Fledgling gourmets can follow the Sussmans' directions, but they'll have to make some judgment calls regarding cooking equipment. Baking sheet and skillet sizes, for instance, are often undisclosed. VERDICT The Sussmans have come a long way since their debut, Freshman in the Kitchen, and their latest will satisfy readers who relish guacamole on pork rinds as much as chicken liver mousse and gefilte fish.

Library Journal