+

fresh
ingredients

Michael
Symons

=
minutes on
the stove
or grill

superfast
from-scratch
recipes

Michael Symons boisterous laugh and Midwestern

charm have helped him to become one of the most
beloved cooking personalities on television. For ABCs
The Chew, he developed a brilliant, simple formula to help
home cooks pull together fresh meals on weeknights: a
maximum of 5 fresh ingredients that cook in 5 minutes.
Michael Symons 5 in 5 features 120 all-new, dazzlingly
quick, satisfying dinners that the whole family will love.
Michael first teaches you how to set up your pantry
with essentials that make whipping up dinner easy.
Then he shares appealing recipes for pastas, skillet
dinners, egg dishes, grilled mains, kebabs, foil packets,
and sandwiches. A bonus chapter of ice cream sundae
recipes ensures that everyone leaves the table smiling.
Michaels streamlined approach to cooking firmly
solves the whats for dinner? conundrum for busy
households everywhere. With a 5 in 5 recipe, theres
always time for a home-cooked meal!

012_Symo9780770434328_art_r1

042_Symo9780770434328_art_r1

001_Symo9780770434328_art_r1

036_Symo9780770434328_art_r1

5 Fresh
Ingredients
+ 5 Minutes
= 120 Fantastic
Dinners

MICHAEL SYMON is a cohost of ABCs The Chew,

an Iron Chef on Food Networks Iron Chef America,
and the host of Cooking Channels Symons Suppers.
He is the chef and co-owner of the acclaimed
restaurants Lola and Lolita in Cleveland, Ohio; the
B Spot burger restaurants outside Cleveland; and
Roast in Detroit, Michigan. He is the author of Michael
Symons Live to Cook and Michael Symons Carnivore.
www.MichaelSymon.com |

@chef symon
U.S. $19.99 / $19.99 CAN
Cooking - Quick & Easy

Also available as an eBook

Cover design: Laura Palese
Cover photographs: Jennifer May

Clarkson Potter/Publishers
New York | 9/13
www.crownpublishing.com
www.clarksonpotter.com

t
potter

Symo_9780770434328_cvr_all_r3.indd 1

Michael Symon
with Douglas Trattner

6/18/13 2:07 PM

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CLARKSON POTTER

Copyright 2013 by Michael Symon

Photographs copyright 2013 by Jennifer May
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the
Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.clarksonpotter.com
CLARKSON POTTER is a trademark and POTTER with colophon is a registered
trademark of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Symon, Michael
Michael Symons 5 in 5 / Michael Symon with Douglas Trattner.
pages cm
Includes index.
1. Quick and easy cooking. 2. Cooking, American. I. Trattner, Douglas II. Title. III.
Title: 5 in 5. IV. Title: Michael Symons five in five.
TX833.5.S98 2013
641.555--dc23
2013004299
ISBN 978-0-7704-3432-8
eISBN 978-0-7704-3433-5
Printed in the United States of America
Book and cover design by Laura Palese
Cover photographs by Jennifer May
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First Edition

The 5 in 5 Pantry
Its no secret that a well-stocked pantry
is the key to cooking quick, affordable,
and delicious meals. The kitchen
cupboard is the foundation upon which
all meals are built, and having a broad
and deep bench means never having to
run out in the rain to make dinner.
Because pantry items are nonperishable, they can last for months and months. Thats
why I like to err on the side of acquisition over scarcity. I just love going into a great
specialty store and experimenting with a new vinegar, whole-grain mustard, or exotic
spice blend.
Thats not to say you need a ton of obscure ingredients to make the recipes in this
book. In fact, I stuck to basics, which I outline here, in these recipes. And Im not going
to give you an exhaustive list of every single item you should have in your pantryjust
a simple list as to what youll want to have on hand to make many of the recipes in
thisbook.
Beyond the basic staples like sugar, flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and whole
black peppercorns (you do grind your pepper fresh, right?), there are certain items I
always have on hand. You need some kind of oil in most recipes, and you can go crazy
with all the different types that are available at stores. I tend to use the more affordable
regular olive oil for cooking and pan-frying, and a good-quality extra-virgin olive
oil for vinaigrettes and for drizzling.
When it comes to pasta, the dried variety cant be beat for ease of use and shelf
life. I always keep boxes and boxes of different varieties of dried pasta around
because some noodles work better with some sauces than others. That said, good
fresh pasta wins when it comes to texture and speed of cooking time. But fresh pasta
wont last forever, even in the fridge. Couscous, a quick-cooking pasta, is another
brilliant dried staple to have on hand.

12

I have towers of canned San Marzano tomatoeswhole, diced, and

crushedbecause they are always ripe and in season. Open up a can in January
and they will taste exactly like the ones you opened in August: sweet, juicy, and
delicious. And when it comes to cooking, consistency is the goal. Of course, I also
use fresh tomatoes for certain recipes, especially in summer, but canned Italian
tomatoes are perfect for most uses. Along these same lines: I have no problem using
good-quality canned broths and canned beans at home, even if I never use
them at my restaurants.
One of the secrets to great cooking is knowing when and how to introduce acid to
your dishes. Acid, in the form of vinegar or fresh citrus, accentuates all the other flavors
in the dish. I am a vinegar fanatic, and I generally have a shelf-ful of tasty varieties. For
our purposes, you need only to stock white wine, red wine, sherry, balsamic,
and cider vinegars to cook every recipe in this book. Vinegar has an indefinite shelf
life, so theres no reason not to grab a few different bottles.
My other cant-live-without bottled pantry items include capers, soy sauce,
hot sauce, Dijon mustard, Marsala wine, and honey. When it comes
to spices needed to whip up every recipe in this book, youll need coriander,
cinnamon, cumin, caraway, cayenne, celery seed, chipotle powder,
ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, and
sesame seeds.
I usually tend to have some bread on hand, whether for breakfast or for making
sandwiches. Well-wrapped, a loaf can last on the counter for a few days and in the
fridge or freezer even longer. I slice leftovers and bring them back to life in the toaster.
For breading, youll need plain dry bread crumbs or, my personal favorite, panko
bread crumbs.
When it comes to the 5 or fewer fresh ingredients that go into each recipe, the
good news is that you will likely already have many of those on hand, too, though I
bolded those in each recipe so you can do a quick check. Fridge staples like butter,
eggs, cheese, and mayo are considered fresh for purposes of this book, as are cellar
veggies like garlic and onions. If you keep a garden, you may also grow a number of
the fresh herbs, including basil, dill, cilantro, mint, and parsley. And if you are anything
like me, youll have no shortage of ripe tomatoes come late summer.
That leaves just the meat, fish, fruit, and a few veggies that youll have to pick up
on your way home. Oh, and the bacon. Whatever you do, do not forget the bacon!

13

Kosher salt
1 pound dried angel hair pasta
pound diced pancetta or bacon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
cup torn fresh mint leaves
cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or more
to taste
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1
In spring, sweet garden peas are at their
peak of flavorand I make every effort to
incorporate them into my recipes, like this
one. For good reason, peas and pancetta
are a classic pairing: a duet of sweet and
salty. Sure, you can substitute frozen peas
if fresh arent in season, but Id rather
wait until April or May and celebrate their
arrival with this light, spring-y pasta.

Angel
Hair with
Peas &
Pancetta

In a very large pot, bring 5 quarts water and

3tablespoons salt to a boil. Add the pasta and
cook until just al dente, about 1 minute less than
the package directions. Occasionally give the pasta
a stir so it doesnt stick together. Scoop out and
reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the
pasta.

Meanwhile, put a large skillet over medium

heat. Add the pancetta and cook until almost
crisp, about 3 minutes. Dont drain off the fat. Add
the garlic to the pan and stir, making sure it doesnt
brown, for 30 seconds.

3
4

Add the reserved pasta water and the peas.

Simmer for 1 minute.

Add the cooked pasta to the pan, stirring

the noodles into the sauce, and cook for
30seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the
mint, Parmesan, and olive oil. Taste and adjust the
seasoning, adding additional Parmesan if desired.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4

pasta

31

On weekends when I was growing up,

my father would become Mr. Sandwich,
whipping up all sorts of (mostly)
delicious concoctions. This is one of his
triumphsa perfectly balanced handful
of zesty salami, sweet basil, and melty
cheese. Make sure to allow the salami to
really crisp up in the pan; that is where all
the flavor and texture come from.

Fried
Salami
with Hot
Peppers
Serves 4

1 pound thinly sliced salami

2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 jalapeo, sliced into thin rings
Kosher salt
4 slices provolone cheese
cup torn fresh basil leaves
4 Kaiser rolls, split and toasted

Put a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Working in batches so as not to crowd the
pan, add the salami slices and cook until crisp,
about 1 minute per side. As the slices are done,
remove them to a plate.

When all the salami is out of the pan, add the

bell and jalapeo peppers along with a good
pinch of salt and cook until tender, about 2 minutes.
Remove the peppers to a plate.

Reduce the heat under the pan to mediumlow. Divide the salami into 4 equal piles,
placing all of the piles in the pan. Top each pile with
one-fourth of the bell and jalapeo peppers covered
by 1 slice of cheese. Add 2 tablespoons water to the
pan, cover with a lid, and allow the cheese to melt
for 30seconds.

Remove the lid and sprinkle each pile with

one-fourth of the basil. Pile into the rolls and
serve.

between bread

83

2 grapefruits
1 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 avocado, sliced
cup sliced red onion
cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

I know it might sound like needless work

to remove all the skin, pith, membranes,
and seeds of the grapefruita technique
chefs call making supremesbut it makes
a huge difference in texture and flavor in
a citrus salad. Grapefruit pith is especially
bitter and inedible. And once you learn,
you can use the technique on oranges and
other citrus.

Grilled
Shrimp &

Use a sharp knife to slice off the tops and

bottoms of the grapefruits, removing all of the
white pith to expose the fruit. Following the curve of
the fruit, slice around the sides to do the same. You
should have just juicy grapefruit showing and no
white pith or membranes at this point. Use a paring
knife to slice between the membranes of each
section to remove the segments. Put the segments
into a medium bowl, discarding any pits.

2
3

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high

heat.

Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and

pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and put on
the grill. Grill until cooked through, about 2 minutes
perside.

Grapefruit 4

Salad
Serves 4

Meanwhile, add the avocado, onion, parsley

leaves, extra-virgin olive oil, and a good
pinch of salt to the grapefruit segments and toss to
combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding
salt and pepper as needed.

Put the shrimp on plates, top with the

grapefruit salad, and serve.

lets grill

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CLARKSON POTTER