World Cuisine

I reviewed a lot of cookbooks this past year, but these are some that I feel really strongly about. Let me tell you why...

Vibrant Food: Celebrating the Ingredients, Recipes, and Colors of Each Season is one of the most beautiful cookbooks this year, written by the talented The Year in Food blogger and photographer, Kimberley Hasselbrink. She has an eye for color and texture and that means her mostly vegetarian recipes are as pretty to look at they are delicious to eat.

Her flavor combinations are often unique but make perfect sense. She pairs risotto with edamame and sautéed radishes. She tops grilled halloumi with fresh strawberries, mint and cilantro. Turkey burgers are topped with cheddar and balsamic figs.

The book is divided into seasons and highlights different ingredients. Feeling bored by Winter squash? Chile Roasted Delicata Squash with Queso Fresco or Soba Noodles with Kabocha Squash in a Mellow Japanese Curry will jazz things up. This is an inspiring book with very unique and appealing recipes.

If we didn’t live in New York or LA (or Tokyo or London), we would have to make something from this cookbook at least once every two weeks, even if we did have to ship some of the ingredients in by mail order.  But it’s the concept of the fusion of the East and West that he does in a way that no one else does, fascinating to read and to experiment with.

Buy Nobu West

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, these recipes - one each for the meat lover, seafood lover and vegetarian - were created by Chef Eduardo Garcia, co-founder of Montana Mex seasoning salts, which are used in each recipe (and available online). What's better than melted cheese mixed with mexican spices?

Lamb And Mint Fundido
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground lamb
6 Tablespoons of chopped fresh mint
2 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic
6 Tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme, woody stems removed
3 teaspoons Montana Mex Picante Salt
4 oz Oaxaca Cheese, grated
2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Method:
Pre-heat oven on Low Broil

1. Large saute pan, on medium heat, add olive oil and lamb, saute and break as you would ground beef for tacos, about 4 minutes.

2. Add thyme, garlic, Montana Mex picante salt and saute until garlic is cooked, about 2 minutes.

3. Turn off heat, add all the mint and stir to combine well.

4. In a shallow oven-proof dish/casserole dish, spread meat mixture evenly on the bottom, and cover with all the grated Oaxaca Cheese.

5. Broil on Low in the oven until cheese is melted and golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Serve warm with warm corn tortillas/favorite tortilla chips.

“Despite all the terrible terms that have been attached to tofu, it is still considered a good four-letter word by countless people. “ That’s how Andrea Nguyen begins her latest cookbook, Asian Tofu: Discover the Best, Make Your Own, and Cook It at Home

I share Nguyen’s feelings about tofu. It’s an unjustly maligned food. I’ve encountered numerous people who say they hate tofu even when they’ve never eaten it. Why the tofu antipathy? I blame Tofurky and other soy “meats” for defaming tofu’s reputation. Proteins should know their place: bacon should be bacon, sausage should be sausage, and tofu should be tofu.

Andrea Nguyen understands this, which is why she has dedicated an entire book to this ancient Asian staple. Nguyen, a respected writer and teacher, deliciously demonstrates her knowledge of and love for tofu. She tells the history of tofu —which was created during the Han Dynasty (201 BCE- 220CE) — includes a Homemade Tofu Tutorial for do-it-yourself-ers, and offers nearly 100 tempting recipes from soups to desserts.

If you think tofu is simply that white block of soy you find in the refrigerator section of your supermarket, then you’re in for a surprise.