The newest cookbook from De Laurentiis straddles two continents with wonderful recipes from Italy and California. Chapters of this friendly and inviting book are titled by course, such as Appetizers and Desserts, as well as by ingredient and occasion (e.g., brunch). The author includes straightforward instructions for classic Italian fare, such as steak involtini; Chianti-marinated stew; pecorino and bean salad; and limoncello granita, as well as a selection of such modern dishes as grilled asparagus and melon salad; pea pesto crostini, and lemon hazelnut tiramisu.
Chock-full of mouthwatering dishes for easy entertaining (Italian fried olives; whole wheat pita chips with mascarpone-chive dip; and vegetable parmesan), this appealing collection is supplemented with informative, short essays on ingredients including olive oil and dried and fresh herbs.
Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California builds on the already fabulous library of Giada recipes that put a twist on Italian dishes. This cookbook includes tasty appetizers like stuffed baby peppers (which can easily be turned into a main dish) and beef skewers; a great selection of soups and sandwiches such as white bean and chicken chili and mini Italian pub burgers (a great twist on silders); mouth-watering pastas such as rigatoni with creamy mushroom sauce and penne with treviso and goat cheese; meat selections, such as a succulent turkey meatloaf with feta and sun-dried tomatoes; lovely salads that could become meals on there own; some Italian twists on desserts and, in a unique addition, a selection of Italian-style brunch foods, such as baked provolone and sausage frittata, campanelle pasta salad and even an Italian version of steak and eggs! The collision between classic and modern really gave the recipes here some dimension and variety.
The beauty of these recipes is that she invite one to be adventurous, as the author suggests in combining the best of Italy with the best of California. Are lobster tails too expensive when preparing her divine brown butter risotto? Substitute shrimp. Too much sugar for you in her imaginative strawberry and rosemary scones? Use half the amount! The amazing thing about Italian cooking is that, as the author remarks, it is always “evolving”.
Although “Giada at Home” contains some shortcuts, such as her tempting lemon-chicken soup, which calls for “low-sodium chicken broth” and “diced rotisserie chicken”, many of her recipes, such as those which call for slicing, dicing, beating, and grating, require one to spend considerable time in the kitchen.
Related Books:
- Ad Hoc at Home : Thomas Keller
- The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat : Tal Ronnen
- How to Cook Everything (Completely Revised 10th Anniversary Edition): 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food – By Mark Bittman
- The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution – By Alice Waters
- Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip . . . with Recipes! (Food Network) – By Guy Fieri
- Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving – By Judi Kingry
- The Pleasures of Cooking for One : Judith Jones
