Famous chefs' recipes are deconstructed for the home cook. This book is filled with delicious recipes that are perfect for entertaining.
Many home cooks who want to enjoy serving restaurant-quality meals on occasion are intimidated by some of the complex recipes created by famous chefs. Melissa Clark has solved that problem in Chef Interrupted by altering four-star chef recipes so that a home cook can create them easily in her own kitchen.
Celebrity Chefs
Included in this cookbook are uncomplicated versions of recipes by Mario Batali, Alain Ducasse, Wylie Dufresne, Bobby Flay and many others. Ms. Clark has pared down the ingredients, the cooking techniques and the time required to execute the recipes of these famous chefs without sacrificing flavor or presentation.
Chefs' Recipes Made Easy
Chapters are divided into traditional cookbook sections of Appetizers, Salad & Soup, Pasta-Risotto-Pizza, Fish and Seafood, Poultry, Meat, Vegetables & Sides and Desserts. Some of the recipes have intimidating titles, such as Fried Mortadella Sandwich with Ricotta and Capers, but turn out to be a much more friendly salami and cheese sandwich. It's not really just salami with cheese, and that's where the chefs' creativity shines. Buy this book for impressive meals you can serve with pride.
Sample Recipe:
Chef: David Bouley, Danube, New York
Asparagus and Potato Salad with Tarragon-Riesling Vinaigrette
Serves 6
- Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 2 large bunches of thin asparagus (about 2 pounds), tough ends trimmed
- 1 pound Austrian crescent or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
- 1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (leaves only)
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chives
- 1/4 cup Riesling or other white wine
- 1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar, plus additional to taste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and fill a bowl with water and ice. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and blanch until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the asparagus to the ice bath to stop the cooking, keeping the pot at a boil. When the asparagus are cool, transfer them to a dish towel and blot them dry. Put the asparagus in a bowl and sprinkle them with salt.
- Cook the potatoes in the boiling asparagus water until tender, about 20 minutes, then drain
- Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette: Lightly pound the coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle to crack them, then transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the tarragon, parsley, and chives, and pulse to chop the herbs. Add the Riesling, vinegar, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt and process until very smooth, about 5 minutes. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified. Season the dressing with pepper and additional salt, if desired.
- While the potatoes are still warm, slice them and place them in a bowl. Toss them with about 1/4 cup of the dressing and season with salt and pepper and extra vinegar, if desired.
- To serve, divide the asparagus among 6 plates and drizzle each serving with about 2 teaspoons of dressing. Mound some of the potatoes on top of each plate, drizzle with additional dressing and serve.
Melissa Clark
Clarkson Potter/Publishers – 2005
271 pages, $32.50
ISBN 1-4000-5440-0
