Joanna Pruess, like many of us in the culinary world, has juggled many creative food projects. She created Kings Super
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Market (NJ) cooking school, she taught in under served schools and the prison system, she is a food and travel correspondent for “America Weekend with Ed Kalegi” on Envision Networks and is a regular contributor to Specialty Foods Magazine, where she develops recipes for gourmet retailers and food markets. I smiled when Joanna shared that she’s always using her guests as testers, trying out the latest recipes on them — as I had done the same thing while writing my cookbooks and creating recipes for my newspaper and magazine columns. She is also a fellow Dame, a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a philanthropic society of professional women leaders in the food, wine and hospitality industry.
Joanna just recently published her fourteenth cookbook “Soup for Two: Small-Batch Recipes for One, Two, or a Few.” As a mom, I enjoyed hearing about a recent book signing in Google’s dining room where the company prepared three soups from the book for hundreds of employees, including her daughter who works there.
– bonnie
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Which food product or gadget would you never give up? Of course a good knife — mine is an 8-inch Japanese Ken Onion knife — and a Microplane zester because I use citrus zests so often. I also couldn’t live without Moutarde de Maille’s Dijon mustard.
What do you like to serve when you entertain?
My cheap and chic caviar dip is the ultimate in shabby-chic entertaining. That’s to say you certainly don’t need expensive caviar. I buy a 2-ounce jar at the supermarket for about $8 and a little goes a long way. Everyone loves it — even non-caviar people — and those thicker, hand-cut style potato chips, like Kettle brand with sea salt, are perfect scoopers. It’s delicious and a great conversation starter. To make, stir together an 8-ounce container of regular or low-fat sour cream; 2 large hard boiled eggs, sieved; 2 large scallions, mostly white and light parts, trimmed and finely chopped and 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill. Fold in the contents of a 2-ounce jar of red caviar, transfer to a serving bowl, refrigerate until needed, and serve with a basket of thick-cut potato chips.
Diner parties and relaxed Sunday lunches afford a great opportunity to share dishes I’ve been testing for books, articles, clients or just something I’ve dreamed up. For casual meals, I love mussels with a green salad and crusty bread. They’re so easy and quick, and all that slurping really relaxed the crowd.
Desserts tend to be light: green fruit in green tea-jasmine syrup served with my molasses spice cookies, red sangria popsicles served with Mexican wedding cookies or a chocolate raspberry tart.
Describe your “last meal?” The problem/pleasure for me is that I travel quite a bit and get to taste things that are of the spot: the tiniest shrimp on the beach in Forte dei Marmi to frozen lingonberries with hot caramel sauce in Helsinki during midsummer, which I’ve made countless times with cranberries.
If I were at home, it might start one of two ways: fois gras on toasts with some Château d’Yquem or (from the sublime to the earthy) a big bowl of my spicy fried chickpeas and smoked trout pâté with a chilly albariño. The main course would be a beautifully roasted free-range chicken alla diavola, crunchy-creamy oven-roasted baby potatoes with rosemary and garlic and thin asparagus cooked in a cast-iron skillet topped with chopped hazelnuts and lemon zest. A great Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley to drink. For dessert, my latest love is chef Jamie Gwen’s lemon greek yogurt cake that I top with diced mangoes drizzled with caramelized bourbon-vanilla-lemon sauce. But then again, I might be a pile of the perfect palmiers that I ate during my first year in Paris. When I then got a job in Italy, I described myself as “Rolunda Rotunda Rolled to Rome.”
What food is your secret guilty pleasure? Very crispy duck skin and potatoes roasted in duck fat.
What is your go-to neighborhood restaurant?
My two favorites in my ‘hood: The friendly BLVD Bistro. Their “Crafted American soul food” includes shrimp and grits, baking powder biscuits, short ribs and virtually everything on the menu is delicious at very favorable prices. I’ve been to Vinatería three times in the last two weeks for the environmentally friendly-chic décor, gracious owner-hostess Yvette Leeper-Bueno and phenomenal, seasonal Spanish and Italian-inspired food of executive chef Gustavo Lopez that’s honest, organic and flavorful. With a name like Vinatería, the wine list is beautifully curated from small producers. Cocktails are also tempting. Faves include confit of duck leg with apple chutney, grilled octopus salad and grilled whole branzino with spring vegetables, faro and leek sauce. Both of these places make me feel very welcome and very happy to live in Harlem.
What is one food product most people don’t know about, but should? Ajvar is an eastern European condiment usually made with roasted red bell peppers, eggplant and garlic. Its vibrant red color and taste are great on sandwiches, in vinaigrettes, stews and countless other dishes.
Describe your worst kitchen disaster and how (if possible) you saved it: Through an event with Hanna Lee, I met the Korean Counsel General and his wife. They were so sweet and interested in American cooking that I invited them for a Sunday lunch at home with friends. The previous weekend we had eaten at a seafood restaurant on Arthur Avenue where I got a horrendous case of food poisoning and split my time between the bed and the loo. Once I stopped levitating and began to feel a little better midweek, I incrementally started making parts of the meal. Because I didn’t dare taste anything except Coco-Cola during this time, I relied on dishes I’d made in the past. By the time I got the rack of pork with white peaches and chestnut honey in the oven, I finally felt close to myself and quickly tasted all of the other dishes to be sure that they were seasoned correctly. Fortunately, things worked well and they invited me to dine at their residence.
Who was your most influential mentor? I’ve had many mentors including the city of Paris where I went at just over 21. It was like a giant sensory switch was turned on for me. I discovered so much about food and art and my own ability to innovate in the kitchen. I wrote an article in tribute to my father for NextAvenue.org saying how much his concoctions inspired my creative cooking.
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Enjoyed reading about Joanna’s interesting career, her wonderful food hints and news of her latest cookbook.
What a fine article about an elegant and dynamic cook, teacher, writer, innovator. I have several of Joanna’s cookbooks and I turn to them regularly when I want a recipe I can trust.
It’s a joy being one of Joanna’s friends and “guinea pigs”, getting to try her new recipes and concoctions is truly delightful and rewarding.“Soup for Two” was a whirlwind experience of nightly tastings to achieve 100 new soup recipes — all unique. When’s the next book coming Joanna — sign us up! We relish in learning about Joanna’s food, travels and adventures to her own “parts unknown.”