In Episode 9 of “Three Ingredients,” Ruth, Nancy and Laurie have a heated discussion about chiles. First we talk about how chiles hurt so good that sriracha might now be an old lady condiment. Then we talk about how they hurt so bad that Nancy once ended up with her hands in buckets of ice water after a memorable encounter with a lot of chiles. And speaking of hands, Nancy would like you to please throw out your salad tongs and start massaging your dear little lettuce leaves with your hands. And that’s only the beginning of a discussion that ranges from lists — are they good or are they nonsense? And restaurants — are they essential? We talk about potatoes. We talk about apples. We talk about grilled cheese sandwiches ... and irresistible cheese toast. We begin this episode by discussing pancakes. Ruth has a lot of thoughts on the subject.
Pancakes Rule
From Ruth:
A cooking site recently published a recipe for “everyday pancakes.”
I am here to say that there is nothing “everyday” about pancakes. Their entire purpose in life is to prove that a few simple ingredients can become absolutely extraordinary. They exist to wake you up, make you happy and send you into the world with hope in your heart. That’s a tall order for a little cake, and it cannot be achieved by stinting. The minute you start worrying that they are too rich, you’ve defeated the whole purpose of pancakes.
The magic is not for the eater alone. There is magic in their chemistry, and the cook gets to watch as a simple mixture of butter, flour, eggs, and milk puffs itself up and transforms itself into sassy little cakes.
The speed of the transformation always astonishes me. I stand, mesmerized, watching bubbles form, watching edges crisp, savoring the drama of the flip and the generosity of the scent that surrounds me. There may be a better way to start the day; I haven’t found it.
If your pancakes aren’t this much fun, it’s time for a change. My favorite basic pancake recipe is so delicious you could easily forego the syrup. But what I love most about them is that, unlike most pancakes, they respect syrup and do not behave like floppy sponges. Whatever recipe you use, however, it will be better if you remember the Better Pancake Rules.
The first rule of pancakes: Don’t use a mix. Let me repeat that: Don’t use a mix. It saves no time, it tastes no good - and it costs more money.
2. Don’t even think about using inferior maple syrup. A good pancake deserves the very best.
3. Don’t skimp. I know my recipe has a lot of butter, but where pancakes are concerned, more is always more.
4. You can put anything you want into your pancakes. Blueberries, chocolate chips, pumpkin puree... use your imagination. But when pancakes are this good, you probably won’t want to.
Here’s my basic recipe. I’ve made this so often that I can pull it together in under a minute. After you’ve done it a few times you’ll be able to do that too. This is not diet food, but I promise that these pancakes will make your family very, very happy.
Ruth’s Pancakes
1 stick butter
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet and allow to cool a bit.
Whisk together the milk, eggs and vegetable oil, then add the butter. Put the buttery skillet back on the burner, ready for the pancakes.
Whisk the flour with the baking powder, sugar and salt. Whisk the mix mixture in until its combined. Add a bit more milk if you think it’s too thick.
Pour some batter into the skillet. The size is up to you; sometimes I make them tiny for children, sometimes I make them ludicrously large. Watch as the bubbles appear in the batter, grow larger, and then pop and vanish. When they’ve all popped, carefully flip the pancake and cook the other side.
Rush the pancakes to the table as each one is finished. You want them hot, sweet, salty and a little bit crisp. You want the memory to linger with your family as they move through their day.
(The batter will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days; you will probably have to thin it out with a bit more milk before using.)
More for subscribers …
Look for a bonus “Three Ingredients” mini-episode in the days ahead and more from Ruth, Nancy and Laurie, including Nancy’s recipe for perfect grilled cheese and Ruth’s recipe for what we like to call Robert’s Cheese Toast.
Sriracha: Has it become an old lady condiment?