I found this book at the library while I was supposed to be studying. With over 1000 recipes, there would have to be a significant number of poorly written recipes for me to pass on this book. I'll post recipes that I like so keep checking back if you see something you like the sounds of.
Check out my review after the jump!
The first thing that caught my attention was the word, "illustrated." Too often, really good cookbooks are diminished by the fact that they have no pictures. Pictures or, at the very least, drawings and diagrams, are what inspire me to start a recipe. Moreover, many recipe titles give the reader no hint as to what is in the recipe. For example, "Grandma's Pie" could be an apple pie, shepherd's pie or chicken pot pie.
So, right off the bat, the very best thing about this book is the fact that every recipe, including sauces and jams, are accompanied by an inspiring photograph. The second thing I loved about this book is the fact that it includes so much instruction on everything from de-boning fish to creating fresh pastry crusts. As an amateur cook, these instructions are invaluable.
Recipes that I tried:
Warm Chicken Salad - This salad looked very promising. It contained healthy ingredients and the picture made it look mouth-watering. The recipe called for radicchio which is kind of like an Italian cabbage-lettuce. However, radicchio can be hard to find in the grocery store so I substituted red cabbage instead, which turned out great. The only complaint with this dish was that it was somewhat bland. The chicken and asparagus mix was perfectly fine but nothing wowed me. However, because it was very healthy and reasonably good, I would make it again.
Quinoa Tabbouleh - Tabbouleh, a Lebanese salad, is traditionally made from bulgur, a Middle Eastern grain. However, this cookbook is conscious of the fact that many people today are celiac and cannot consume wheat. Therefore, instead of bulgur, this recipe calls for quinoa, a South American plant with edible seeds. It isn't related to wheat and grains but is actually closer in relation to beets and spinach. I really enjoyed the substitution but the only problem I had with this recipe was, again, that it was rather bland. However, I am excited to try it again and create my own dressing for it. Stay tuned!
Salmon Rillettes - I skipped the caviar in this dish but it still turned out great. If you're not a fan of the strong flavor of salmon, I would skip the smoked salmon as it is quite strong. Other than that, this recipe was healthy and yummy. I ate it by itself but it can also be used as a dip and served with crackers or bread.
Overall, this book has so many recipes and techniques that are easy to follow and produce great results. While not all the pictures are as accurate as I'd like, I still give this book a buy.
Check out my review after the jump!
The first thing that caught my attention was the word, "illustrated." Too often, really good cookbooks are diminished by the fact that they have no pictures. Pictures or, at the very least, drawings and diagrams, are what inspire me to start a recipe. Moreover, many recipe titles give the reader no hint as to what is in the recipe. For example, "Grandma's Pie" could be an apple pie, shepherd's pie or chicken pot pie.
So, right off the bat, the very best thing about this book is the fact that every recipe, including sauces and jams, are accompanied by an inspiring photograph. The second thing I loved about this book is the fact that it includes so much instruction on everything from de-boning fish to creating fresh pastry crusts. As an amateur cook, these instructions are invaluable.
Recipes that I tried:
Warm Chicken Salad - This salad looked very promising. It contained healthy ingredients and the picture made it look mouth-watering. The recipe called for radicchio which is kind of like an Italian cabbage-lettuce. However, radicchio can be hard to find in the grocery store so I substituted red cabbage instead, which turned out great. The only complaint with this dish was that it was somewhat bland. The chicken and asparagus mix was perfectly fine but nothing wowed me. However, because it was very healthy and reasonably good, I would make it again.
Quinoa Tabbouleh - Tabbouleh, a Lebanese salad, is traditionally made from bulgur, a Middle Eastern grain. However, this cookbook is conscious of the fact that many people today are celiac and cannot consume wheat. Therefore, instead of bulgur, this recipe calls for quinoa, a South American plant with edible seeds. It isn't related to wheat and grains but is actually closer in relation to beets and spinach. I really enjoyed the substitution but the only problem I had with this recipe was, again, that it was rather bland. However, I am excited to try it again and create my own dressing for it. Stay tuned!
Salmon Rillettes - I skipped the caviar in this dish but it still turned out great. If you're not a fan of the strong flavor of salmon, I would skip the smoked salmon as it is quite strong. Other than that, this recipe was healthy and yummy. I ate it by itself but it can also be used as a dip and served with crackers or bread.
Overall, this book has so many recipes and techniques that are easy to follow and produce great results. While not all the pictures are as accurate as I'd like, I still give this book a buy.
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