NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From one of the world’s most renowned chefs, 110 essential recipes that celebrate the beauty, simplicity, and elegance of vegetables“The latest cookbook from the chef of Le Bernardin focuses on simple, but stunning recipes for seasonal produce. . . . What a delightful approach, especially with summer on the horizon.”—The New York TimesNAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF … Times
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Eric Ripert is the chef and co-owner of the acclaimed restaurant Le Bernardin, and the winner of countless Michelin stars, well known for his exquisite, clean, seafood-centered cuisine. But lately, Ripert has found himself reaching for vegetables as his main food source—and doing so, as is his habit, with great intent and care.
In Vegetable Simple, Ripert turns his singular culinary imagination to vegetables: their beauty, their earthiness, their nourishing qualities, and the many ways they can be prepared. From vibrant Sweet Pea Soup to Fava Bean and Mint Salad, from warming Mushroom Bolognese to Roasted Carrots with Harissa, Eric Ripert articulates a vision for vegetables that are prepared simply, without complex steps or ingredients, allowing their essential qualities to shine and their color and flavor to remain uncompromised. Complete with gorgeous photos by renowned photographer Nigel Parry, this is a necessary guide for the way we eat today.
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A Chef’s Ode to Vegetables
As a “mostly” vegetarian with aspirations to be vegan, I love me some good, simple recipes that star vegetables. This is precisely what esteemed Le Bernardin chef Eric Ripert has delivered in this cookbook. The photographs are gorgeous—shiny, colorful vegetables glistening with juices or oil—making you want to create and eat the food seen. As promised by the title, the recipes are indeed simple, most only having a few ingredients—though you will have to make an effort to get some of them as they are not pantry staples, like a variety of good quality fresh olives or atypical vinegars. Similarly, the preparations are relatively straightforward. Above the ingredients, you’ll find any special equipment needed. Good knife skills or a food processor can replace some of the more unusual equipment, like a mandolin or mortar and pestle. As one who has long enjoyed reading cookbooks like a book, I appreciated the chef’s wonderfully written headnotes that give more insight into ingredients, preparation, or the recipe itself. You’ll find many of the usual vegetable recipe suspects here, like baba ganoush and tapenade, but you’ll also find more unusual combinations like Warm Potato and Goat Cheese Parfaits and Grilled Corn, Elote Style. What I love is that even though Eric Ripert is a world-renowned chef, he doesn’t look down on things like frozen peas or canned chickpeas or hearts of palm, appreciating not only their convenience but also quality. The book is loosely organized, going from appetizers to desserts. In the introduction, the chef says this is intentional, as he needs you to simply flip through it and be inspired to create a simple menu based around vegetables. I can say he has certainly inspired me, and I look forward to trying many of these delicious-sounding and beautiful-looking recipes where vegetables are the star.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
I love cookbooks. Let’s get that out there first. I love trying new recipes or even visiting old ones with new twists. I am not a chef by any stretch of the imagination. I am a simple home cook who likes trying out new things. But I do not love reading a cookbook that even on the first page lists ingredients I’ve never heard of, can’t be found in my local stores, or are so expensive, I’d have to mortgage my home to afford them. Unfortunately, that’s what some of the recipes in this book have. Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing recipes in here, like: Flash-cured Cucumbers. Aigo Boulido (Garlic soup), Vegetable Pistou, and more. I am eager to try them. But…the first recipe was for Yuzu-citrus Popcorn. I had to look up what Yuzu was (a Japanese citrus fruit) – and can only get it online. There’s nothing like that where I live. Or shichimi togarashi. Most of the recipes are much simpler with easy-to-find ingredients that are affordable, and there are tons of beautiful color pictures to accompany the recipes. Each recipe includes the list of ingredients, number of servings, and directions. What they don’t include are the time it takes to prepare the dish or nutrient information. For recipes that require special equipment, that is also listed.
I did like the Tips & Guidelines at the end as well as the Seasonal produce guide. Those are really helpful. And the book contains not just vegetable side-dishes, but main meals and desserts—all vegetable based—as well.
So…a balance of pluses and minuses in this book. It would definitely fit in a kitchen of someone who loves “fancy” food, even though this is “Vegetable Simple”. There are some really good recipes in here—actually a lot of them—but I wouldn’t purchase this for a simple cook without access to some higher-end ingredients. I would, however, purchase it as a gift for foodie friends. And I know I am going to enjoy trying some of these recipes for myself and my family.
Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”. My thanks to Goodreads and Random House for providing this book.