Chanterelle has been a fixture in New York City since 1979, and its eponymous cookbook----is another lavish collection. But does anyone actually cook with these books? They should come with a clear plastic page cover to protect them from spatters and drops. Chanterelle has such interesting recipes, however, that you will find a way (and hopefully a space--it measures 11" x 24" opened). The recipes are accompanied by useful and often witty introductions. For Cannelloni with Collard Greens, Waltuck says, "I don't know what kind of crazy mood I was in when I came up with this dish."); for a calf's liver sauté with onions, he admits, "Every chef is entitled to an indulgence . . . and one of mine is an occasional cameo by calf's liver . . . I know it will never be the most popular dish (In fact, I usually assume it will be the worst-selling one)." Chicken with Verjus and Garlic Cloves is Waltuck's take on the classic chicken with 40 cloves of garlic; here he uses verjus, which is an acidic juice made from unripe wine grapes. It's simple to make and will become a staple for chicken lovers. Waltuck is a chef who pairs pigs' feet with Manila clams, makes a "Crazy" Salad with lobster, papaya, greens and foie gras, serves squid spaghetti ("if you like a food that doubles as a discussion piece")--food that may look intimidating, but his instructions are clear, and the descriptions and photographs enable the hesitant cook to forge ahead.
Olives and oranges. Those two words conjure blue skies, warm days and aromatic breezes, which I could use lots of in November, and an easy way to transport myself to the Mediterranean is to read (and cook from) Sara Jenkins' cookbook, Olives and Oranges: Recipes and Flavor Secrets from Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Beyond (Houghton Mifflin, $35, 9780618677641/061867764X, September 2008), written with Mindy Fox. She includes classic Mediterranean standards, like Pasta Carbonara, and newer dishes, like Jasmine Tea Panna Cotta with Shaved Dark Chocolate. She wants to show the cook how flavors work together and independently, but many will be too impatient for that and go straight to the recipes: Halibut with Brussels Sprout Leaves, Black Olives and Chili; Strawberry Risotto (yes, it works); Za'atar Chicken made with a Middle Eastern spice mixture; Pasta Shells with Many Cheeses (at least six); Spicy Lemon-Chocolate Ganache Tart with árbol chilies. But her emphasis on using the best and seasonal ingredients, her list of basic necessities, her labeling recipes quick-cook or slow-cook and her flavor tips will help cooks make the most of what they have, change recipes to suit their needs and be the kind of cook who can go to the market, get what's fresh and create a meal.
More than a decade ago, Vitaly and Kimberly Paley left New York City "knowing two things: we wanted our own restaurant, and we wanted it to be in Oregon," which reminded them of France, where "ingredients are stars." In The Paley's Place Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from the Pacific Northwest (Ten Speed Press, $35, 9781580088305/1580088309, October 2008), ingredients and food producers are indeed stars, along with heavenly recipes. In the chapter on soups, salads and sandwiches, there is a piece about George and Fran Weppler, who produce "mythic" vegetables on 16 acres a few hours from Portland. The chapter on fish and shellfish includes salmon fisherman Mark Newell and Paley's Chinook salmon revelation: "The first time I tasted hook-and-line caught [Oregon Chinook], everything changed." He now views having wild salmon on the menu as a precious gift to his customers. George Weppler, the vegetable grower, taught Paley how to cook the salmon, marinated with salt, orange zest and brown sugar, rubbed with garlic, planked on cedar and covered with Walla Walla sweet onions and basil, then grilled. It's divine (but you may want to cut the salt). Gene Thiel is a potato grower, who gets emphatic and emotional when he talks about potatoes--how bad commercial ones are, what makes a good potato. One of the most decadent potato recipes I've seen follows--Ken's Potato Galette, with sliced potatoes, onion, puff pastry and crème fraîche. If the recipe doesn't hook you, the photograph of hot, golden brown pastry oozing crème fraîche will. Meyer Lemon-Gin Sorbet, Stuffed Tomatoes Provençal, Chile-Braised Beef Brisket--this is a cookbook that will be used until it's in tatters.--Marilyn Dahl
