Butter is supremely important in the structure of perfect shortbread and sugar cookies, and in the Times Dining section, you can read all about how to tell when butter is soft enough (but not too soft) to cream, how long to cream it, and on what speed. There are butter cookie recipes, plus meringues and a flanken pot roast in today's roundup...
1. Cream butter and sugar for three minutes on medium—not high—speed. And never microwave your butter to get it soft. Those are the instructions from several pastry and baking experts in this article on butter cookies. We're craving shortbread now.
2. Ever cooked with flanken? Melissa Clark tries a new cut of meat for a moist, tender pot roast.
3. The Minimalist goes super minimal with meringues. Bittman likes his with some chewiness at the center.
4. Christmas at Elizabeth David's table. A new book from the influential food writer was compiled after her death from a box of materials marked "Christmas."
5. In-depth look at Rocco DiSpirito. His culinary talents have taken a back seat to his television appearances lately, but this is an interesting look at his childhood and the grief he gets for his career choices.
Related: Last week's Top 4: Lobsters on Sale!
(Image: Francesco Tonelli for The New York Times)
How to Cook Rice on the Stove
How to Make Fresh Pasta Dough in the Food Processor
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Floral Drink Dispen...
Small Cool Lessons: Discovering Small Space Design Ideas That Really Work
Beatriz's Fun & Functional Workspace
Is flanken the same as flank steak?
My guess is no....flank steak is pretty pricey, not the "obscure and cheap" cut that the article seems to allude to.
Why do I have such a hard time believing anything that Rocco says?
It seems like the NY times is making short bread a WAY harder (and longer) process than it needs to be. My shortbread takes maybe 20 to 25 minutes from the time I pull the flour out of the pantry until the time I'm enjoying my first cookie.
I don't keep sweets in the house usually, so when the craving strikes the only ingredients I have on hand will be butter, sugar, and flour -- so I make shortbread. (which just happens to be one of my all time favorite desserts)
Most shortbread recipes call for you to chill for an hour or more before you cut out and bake. But I don't have the time or patience when I want a cookie at 8 PM. Also I almost never have unsalted butter, so I just cut the salt out of the recipe. What I do (and my shortbread has come out perfect every time I've made it so far) is this
1 stick salted butter (room temp)
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
If butter isn't already at room temp I DO use the microwave. But you have to be careful not to melt it. With my microwave the butter is perfect if you nuke it for 5 seconds on each side.
I combine all the ingredients, first mixing the flour and sugar, then cutting in the butter with my pastry cutter until the butter begins to incorporate into the flour. Once it starts to stick together, I dump the whole kit and caboodle onto the counter and mix with my hands until it's a lump of dough (usually less than 10 strokes). I roll it out into a rough rectangle, cut into squares, sprinkle with a little sugar if I want to, and bake at 425 for 10 - 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then on a wire rack or plate until they're all the way cooled.
They come out delicate and buttery and wonderful. I take the leftovers to work or church the next day and they don't ever last more than 15 minutes once my friends get at them.
mlleErica! THANKS SO MUCH for that awesome and simple recipe!!! I often make Snickerdoodles because they're also fast and easy when I want my 8pm cookie. I am definitely going to try your easy shortbread out! Yum!