Dotolo & Shook’s Kitchen Know-How
IF YOU WANT to make up a salad, think about color, think
about freshness, and think about acidity. “Ultimately, though,”
says Dotolo, “texture is what it’s all about.”
PEOPLE FUSS SO MUCH about knives, but a particular knife
doesn’t matter as much as you think it does. Any knife can be
made sharp; the key is making sure that when you hold it, it
feels comfortable. “The knife is an extension of your hand,”
says Shook. “So hold it and then decide whether to buy it.”
A LARGE, HEAVY MORTAR and pestle are great for making
anything that needs to be pasty (Shook and Dotolo use a
medicinal version that Dotolo found at a flea market). Salsa
verde, chimichurri, and aioli benefit from being made this way;
the texture—especially with the salsa verde—is far more
complex than if you use a food processor or a blender.