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Cookbook cooking project ideas needed


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Over the past several years I've gotten into the habit if choosing a single cookbook and tearing through it for a couple of months. Not necessarily with the goal of cooking every single recipe, but just using it as my central menu planning tool. This helps me on the exotic-ingredient front because I can focus my pantry purchases on the current cookbook, and keeps me from falling into a rut by forcing me to try things I would probably otherwise just thumb past. In the past I've cooked extensively from Land of Plenty, Breath of the Wok, Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge, Modernist Cuisine, Modernist Cuisine at Home, Fiesta at Rick's, and most recently More Mexican Everyday

 

They all fall into a similar pattern. They are relatively short (well, except the original MC), they are focused on a regional cuisine (or perhaps most importantly, on a relatively focused list of "specialty" ingredients), and there is sufficient variety to cover hot weather and cold weather, rainy days and sunny, main dishes, sides, soups, and salads, both vegetarian and meat-focused dishes, and most of the dishes can be prepared in a hour or less.

 

That's a pretty long list of requirements, and I need help finding my next project. Does anyone have any suggestions, particularly among new-ish or forthcoming books?

Chris Hennes
Director of Operations
chennes@egullet.org

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Sorry, this is not a new book, but an oldie and a goodie, IMO.

 

When I got Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen cookbook back in the mid-1980s I cooked almost every recipe in it within a year, and I still pull it out a few times a year.  

 

He taught me simple things like how to make a dark roux and the best way to cook rice (his dirty rice is baked).  Back in the day, it wasn't easy to find tasso, rabbit and other ingredients, so it may not be as much of a challenge for you.  

 

Even though Cajun cooking is not so much in style these days, the recipes in this book are quite detailed, many are time-consuming and complex; the end result is heads above what is being served as Cajun in most eateries.  

 

I know he went on to become quite the pitchman for his branded prepared spice mixes, but this book doesn't use those jarred spice blends, you make every one from scratch for every recipe  

 

The book is full of classics.  Ahhhh...I see a night of Chicken Tchoupitoulas in my future.  

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Simon Hopkinson's books are some of my favorites.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Simon-Hopkinson/e/B001KIK48O/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1436731955&sr=1-1/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=http://www.amazon.com/Simon-Hopkinson/e/B001KIK48O/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1436731955&sr=1-1&linkCode=as2&tag=egulletcom-20">Amazon link: Simon Hopkinson cookbooks

 

the two 'Chicken' books are top notch as is the Vegetarian Option.

 

however, not exotic.

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If you like Indian food, how about Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni? I assisted at one of her cooking classes ages ago, and was so impressed I bought the book. I haven't used it a lot, but everything I've tried worked well.

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As many of you know, I'm a collector of and fan of the Time-Life series "Foods of the World" published in the 1960's.  I think it would be interesting to pick a volume, "The Foods of France" for example, and prepare some of the dishes.  Then add some commentary on how our cooking and tastes have changed over the past 50 years and maybe offer your own update on one of the cookbook recipes and see how the dishes compare.

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How about Ottolenghi for modern Middle Eastern? I note an absence of Japanese cookbooks as well. It's not new by any means but Tsuji's "Japanese Cooking A Simple Art" is hard to go past. Also, no Italian? Giorgio Locatelli's Made in Italy is very good. Try Francis Mallman's "Seven Fires" for Argentine Grilling.

What styles/regions are you thinking of? It will help us to narrow down recommendations.

Nick Reynolds, aka "nickrey"

"The Internet is full of false information." Plato
My eG Foodblog

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I am not seeking a particular style or region, as long as it has sufficient variety (that is, nothing that could be summarized as "1001 Ways to Cook a Steak" etc.). I'd say probably not Mexican or Sichuan, since I've done both of those recently, though of course I've done then recently because I love them so I could be persuaded!  One hidden requirement is that it not be too seafood-focused: Oklahoma is not a great place to buy seafood, and my wife dislikes much of it.

Chris Hennes
Director of Operations
chennes@egullet.org

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Food 52's Genius Recipes might be fun.

 

That's the book I'm reading at the moment!  Indeed dinner tonight is simplest roast chicken (pp 106,107)...following, of course, the peanut course.

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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Nancie McDermott's Quick & Easy Thai. This cookbook should fill your requirements. I've cooked many recipes from this book, and I've liked them all.

Quick & Easy Thai: 70 Everyday Recipes

 

Another possibility, Ruta Kahate's 5 Spices, 50 Dishes for Indian food. I've cooked many recipes from this book as well. One important caveat: the salt amts in the recipes are for kosher salt, not sea salt, although the recipes don't specify kosher salt. I blew a couple recipes before I figured out what the problem was.

5 Spices, 50 dishes: Simple Indian Recipes Using Five Common Spices

 

I bought this book at a used book sale, but haven't cooked from it yet. It might fit your requirements. Cooking times are on the long side for slow-cooked dishes like tagines. If you cook from it, you can tell me about it. Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My Moroccan Kitchen by Kitty Morse

Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My Moroccan Kitchen

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I love Cooking at the Kasbah; it's one of my first Moroccan cookbooks. It's fairly small, but I'm not sure it has enough variety to meet your indoor / outdoor requirements.  Two other cookbooks for you to consider, if you don't find something new, are:

 

Alice's Kitchen: Traditional Lebanese Cooking, by Linda Dala Sawaya.  Linda is an artist who includes charming drawings and family photos in this collection of their family's recipes.  There are notes about family history.  There are careful notes about how to do certain items.  I have yet to have a recipe fail from this small book, and consider it an excellent introduction to Lebanese cookery.

 

The Sultan's Kitchen: A Turkish Cookbook, by Ozcan Ozan.  This book is from the restaurant of the same name in Boston, and it carries a good seasonal variety of foods.

 

Neither of these books meets your 'relatively new' requirements, and I'm not sure about their meeting the 'most dishes can be done in under an hour' requirement.  They are relatively small and varied enough for different weather conditions and types of dishes (soups, salads, vegetarian and so on).

Nancy Smith, aka "Smithy"
HosteG Forumsnsmith@egstaff.org

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"Every day should be filled with something delicious, because life is too short not to spoil yourself. " -- Ling (with permission)
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I would be interested in a cook-through of any of the Ottolenghi/Tamimi books like Jerusalem and Plenty. You don't seem all that fond of hunks o' meat, and enjoy vegetables and bold flavors - so seems a good fit.

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...Does anyone have any suggestions, particularly among new-ish or forthcoming books?

 

I was curious, so I went to the website of Ten Speed Press, a notable cookbook publisher, and checked out their new releases for cookbooks. I ended up going thru their entire current list, marking books for possible Amazon purchase and reserved holds at my public library. It took an hour or two. This is how time slithers through your fingers when you're on the web.

 

These new-ish books looked interesting to me, maybe some of them would be of interest to you.

 

Ricker, Pok Pok (Asian street food)

Lindgren, SPQR (modern Italian, the promo says)

Lebovitz, My Paris Kitchen

Armstrong, My Irish Table

Shafia, New Persian Kitchen

 

An oldie but goodie, Ono, Japanese Hot Pots

 

Also on my radar for awhile (I'm waiting for it at my public library)--

Bundy, Pomegranates and Roses, Persian Family Recipes. I met the author years ago when I assisted her in a cooking class. I liked her food then and still cook her recipes.

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I was curious, so I went to the website of Ten Speed Press, a notable cookbook publisher, and checked out their new releases for cookbooks. I ended up going thru their entire current list, marking books for possible Amazon purchase and reserved holds at my public library. It took an hour or two. This is how time slithers through your fingers when you're on the web.

 

These new-ish books looked interesting to me, maybe some of them would be of interest to you.

 

Ricker, Pok Pok (Asian street food)

Lindgren, SPQR (modern Italian, the promo says)

Lebovitz, My Paris Kitchen

Armstrong, My Irish Table

Shafia, New Persian Kitchen

 

An oldie but goodie, Ono, Japanese Hot Pots

 

Also on my radar for awhile (I'm waiting for it at my public library)--

Bundy, Pomegranates and Roses, Persian Family Recipes. I met the author years ago when I assisted her in a cooking class. I liked her food then and still cook her recipes.

 

Shafia is what I have sitting here to read when I finish Food52.  It sure looks pretty.

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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