Table Of ContentSHORT ORDER DAD
SHORT ORDER DAD
One Guy’s Guide to Making Food
Fun and Hassle-Free
BY ROBERT ROSENTHAL
Skyhorse Publishing
Copyright © 2016 by Robert Rosenthal
The following is a registered trademark in the United States: Short Order Dad®.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express
written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles.
All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor,
New York, NY 10018.
Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion,
corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to
specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West
36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or [email protected].
Skyhorse® and Skyhorse Publishing® are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®,
a Delaware corporation.
Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
All interior photos by Josephine Rozman, except where noted.
Cover design by Jane Sheppard
Cover photo credit iStockphoto (top) and Josephine Rozman (bottom)
ISBN: 978-1-63450-980-0
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63450-981-7
Printed in China
To Carolyn, Ariana, and Veronica,
who make every meal together special.
“Rob Rosenthal’s approach to the kitchen is commonsensical, whimsical, and above all intelligible—which is by no means
always the case in cookbooks these days. He obviously loves preparing good food as much as he loves eating it, and he knows
how to convey his affection with those two admirable writerly virtues: clarity and wit. This book will have you cooking, and
probably smiling, in, er, short order.”
—Colman Andrews, editorial director, The Daily Meal; eight-time James Beard award-winning author
“When was the last time you smiled your way through an entire cookbook? Every single recipe in Rob Rosenthal’s Short Order
Dad is one you want to (and actually can) cook. While incredibly informative and a great handbook for novices and seasoned
cooks alike, this book gives you the sense that above all, cooking is about relaxing, creating pleasure, and having fun.”
—Danny Meyer, restaurateur and author, Setting the Table
“I’m convinced that if we all had a dad like Rob Rosenthal, the world would be a happier, healthier place. His command of the
stove, and ability to distill even the most complicated cooking techniques into applicable, intuitive recipes and advice, proves
that a man’s place is most certainly in the kitchen. Short Order Dad is delicious fun for the whole family! It’s such a great
book—I can’t wait to get it for my own dad, brothers, husband, best friend, uncle, and nephew.”
—Gail Simmons, food expert and author of Talking with My Mouth Full
“This book breaks it down; it’s in Robert’s voice too, which cracks me up. It has the power to make the most mannish dad
novices earn the confidence in the kitchen to please crowds. I even got some ideas for the menu at Little Owl.”
—Joey Campanaro, chef and owner, Little Owl (Greenwich Village, NYC)
“Short Order Dad is a simple, fun book that encompasses all the aspects of a good home cookbook; his philosophies of never
wasting a meal, or his connection to food through his family and heritage, is the way everyone should cook and eat. Robert’s
love for food and cooking is evident in the way the book is laid out. His approach to all aspects of cooking a meal, from tools
to techniques to shopping, is a great layperson’s guide to everyday cooking. His recipes are well chosen and not fussy or
complicated. If you know Robert, the only thing missing while you cook from this book is his physical presence; his voice and
joyful character are embodied in every word of the book.”
—Floyd Cardoz, chef, Paowalla (NYC) and The Bombay Canteen (India); winner, Top Chef Masters
“I’ve personally tasted some of Rob’s delicious cooking at parties that he’s thrown and I’m super psyched to see him put all of
his recipes into this book. Now dads across America can join in the fun, thanks to Rob.”
—Bill Telepan, chef, Telepan Restaurant; executive chef, Wellness in the Schools
“Listen up, men! Nothing is sexier than a guy who can cook for his family, and Chef Rosenthal delivers the power tools
necessary to gain confidence in the kitchen. This hilarious manual provides the road map that every savvy man needs to
turn his kitchen into a culinary playground.”
—David and Veronica James, authors of Going Gypsy: One Couple’s Adventure from Empty Nest to No Nest at All
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction xv
Chapter One: Never Waste a Meal™ 1
You Can Stand the Heat 6
The Many Benefits of Cooking 8
Making the Kitchen a Playroom 11
Chapter Two: How to Build a Pantry 13
When Picky Is Good: Ingredient Shopping 14
Chapter Three: Recipes for Disaster (or What Not to Do) 21
Tool Talk (It Helps to Have the Right Gear) 26
Chapter Four: Let’s Talk Technique: 10 Fundamentals 29
Chapter Five: The Thing about Recipes (And How to Look at Them) 49
Chapter Six: Wake Up, It’s a Beautiful Morning 55
Avocado Toast 57
Breakfast Pizza 59
Super Breakfast Burrito (intuitive) 61
Eggs Puttanesca 63
s
nt
e
Killer Fruit Smoothies: 10 Things to Know 64 nt
o
C
Frittata (intuitive) 66 of
e
bl
Morning-after Potatoes (a.k.a. Hash Browns) 69 a
T
vii
Oatmeal Brûleè 71
Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes 73
Peanut Butter French Toast 75
Chapter Seven: Apps and Snacks (Good for the Kids or Great for the Date) 77
Go-to Guacamole 79
Nuts of Glory (Roasted, Spiced, and Glazed) 81
Yes You Can-nellini (Creamy White Bean Dip) 83
Fry Me a Liver (Simply Sautéed Chicken Livers) 85
Toasty Bruschetta 87
DIY (Thin Crust) Pizza (intuitive) 88
Manny, Mo, and Jack (Quesadillas with Prosciutto,
Monterey Jack, and Manchego) 91
Mango Salsa 91
Pigs in Blankets 93
Crunchy Cold Cucumber Chunks 95
Chapter Eight: Red Meat, Pig, and Poultry (It’s All Good in Small Doses) 97
Roast Leg of Lamb 98
World’s Best Beer-Braised Brisket of Beef 99
Osso Buco 103
Chorizo Beef Burger 104
MVP Ribs (Chinese-Spiced Baby Back Ribs) 105
Seared Duck Breasts over Greens with Warm Vinaigrette 106
Braised Chicken with 41 Garlic Cloves 107
Roast Chicken with a Lotta Lemon and Garlic Sauce 109
d
a
D
r Baked Chicken Parmigiana 111
e
d
r
O Honey, Soy, and Ginger Crispy Lacquered Chicken 113
rt
o
Sh Crispy Dry Rubbed Chicken Thighs (intuitive) 115
viii
Chicken, Kale, and Peppers 118
Roast Turkey Breast 119
Let’s Talk Turkey . . . Burgers (with Onions and Dill) 121
Game Day Turkey Meatballs 123
Love Me Tender Loin of Pork 124
Braised Pork “Ribs” Mole-Style 127
Chapter Nine: Adventures in Seafood 129
Fish in Foil (Poisson en Papillote Provençal ) 131
Seared Tuna Wrap with Mango Chutney 133
Filet of Sole à la Meunière 135
Clams with Chorizo (Pork and Clams) 137
Scallops Provençal 141
Mussels Marinière (in White Wine) 143
Ancho Chile Shrimp (intuitive) 145
Chapter Ten: SuperBowls—Noodles, Soups, and Salads 147
DIY Tomato Sauce 149
Turkey Meat Sauce 150
Cacio e Pepe 151
Pasta with Squash 153
Righteous Risotto 154
Pea Soup (Potage de Petits Pois) 155
World-Class Chicken Soup 157
Potato Leek Soup (Potage Parmentier ) 159
South of the Border Corn, Tomato, and Black Bean Salad 161
s
nt
e
Fresh and Easy Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta Salad 163 nt
o
C
Big and Bold Tomato, Gorgonzola, and Olive Salad 165 of
e
bl
a
T
ix
