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Photo:Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images
Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images
FromIron Chef AmericatoSymon’s Dinners Cooking Out, if you’re an avid watcher of the Food Network, you definitely know Michael Symon. With over 30 years in the industry, Symon has made a name for himself as a James Beard award-winning chef and a Daytime Emmy–winning host.
In partnership withContadina, we talked to Symon about some of the culinary secrets he has up his sleeve from decades of experience. Want to know his top three pantry staples, how to make the best tomato soup and what makes his cookbookSimply Symon Suppers: Recipes and Menus for Every Week of the Yeara must-buy? Read on to learn more in this exclusive interview.
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EatingWell:Do you have any favorite tomato recipes that you make over and over again?
Symon:I think when people first think of tomatoes, they think of pasta sauce, which believe me, that’s how I grew up. I’ve always been a huge fan of Sunday sauce and the big pot simmering on the stove, but especially this time of year, you can make braised short ribs over a stew or some great chutneys. It’s really personal, and there’s so many different things you can use tomatoes in.
See more:Tomato Braised Pork Chops with Spicy Rice and Tomato Chutney
EatingWell:Favorite way to make or pair tomato soup?
Symon:I mean, who doesn’t love tomato soup with grilled cheese? The whole world loves that! But if I’m not in the grilled cheese mode, I love a great tomato and blue cheese soup, a slightly sweeter but nuttier blue cheese I think goes really, really nice with it. If I’m getting a little fancy, I’ll make little grilled cheese sandwich croutons to garnish the soup, I think that’s really fun.
EatingWell:What are your top three pantry staples that you always have on hand?
Symon:Obviously, I always have the Contadina tomatoes on hand. The varieties that they have are great, like the Diced Fire Roasted tomatoes. For chutney-ish types of dishes, I think it works really well and purees for great sauces. For most of my cooking career, I’ve [insisted on] fresh herbs, but currently I’m really in love with dried Sicilian oregano on the stem, which you can add into things. I think the Sicilian oregano has a much different flavor than the oregano that we grew up with. It has more citrus notes to it, some light spice. And I always have anchovies in the pantry, always, always. Whether it’s with bread and butter or sneaking them into sauces to give it an umami blast, I think they’re a great little, very underutilized trick ingredient in the kitchen that really puts a lot of depth to flavors and sauces.
EatingWell:Do you have any tips for choosing the best-quality canned foods?
Symon:One thing that I have learned from my years of cooking is that a lot of times, you try ingredients and they fall a little flat so you go back to some of your old standards. I think a lot of it is testing and trying. There’s a lot of different canned tomato brands out there, but the reason that I have had this relationship with Contadina for years now is because it’s the one that I really love. It’s my go-to because I’ve tried everything else. People will also ask, “What’s your favorite olive oil?” and I have a lot of favorites, but you should taste olive oils until you find one that you really love and stick with that. Everyone’s palate is a little bit different.
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EatingWell:What makes your new cookbookSimply Symon Suppersunique in comparison to your former releases?
EatingWell:What does “eating well” mean to you?
Symon:My favorite Julia Child quote is, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” I hate the word “diet,” it puts a pressure on people on how they’re supposed to eat. I think healthy eating is eating that makes you personally feel well physically. Certain people can’t eat flour, so if someone has gluten issues, healthy eating for them is going to be a different definition than someone like me who, dairy is tough for me. I think you have to find your pocket and understand your own body and go from there. I really try to make my plates balanced, that’s the key. It’s not “just eat protein” or “just eat carbs,” find some balance. Your plate should have lots of different colors when you look down at it. It should be a balance of protein, vegetables and grains. And I think if you take a balanced approach to eating and omit the things that make your body feel uncomfortable, I think that’s healthy eating.
Up next:That Can of San Marzano Tomatoes Might Be Fake—Here’s How to Spot the Real Deal
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