How to Cook Everything: Bittman Takes on America's Chefs

From Publishers Weekly
The cheeky title on the latest from high-profile Bittman explains it all. Thirteen chefs—from four-starred Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Daniel Boulud to the lesser known Kerry Simon of Las Vegas and James Boyce of Laguna Beach—present their recipes and then Bittman concocts simpler versions that use fewer ingredients and take less effort and time. The results vary. Michel Richard (of Citronelle in Washington, D.C.) offers a complex Layered Vitello Tonnato, and Bittman comes up with inspired Turkey (Tonnato) Sandwiches, which call for a tonnato-type sauce on turkey slices from the local deli. On the other hand, Anna Klinger (of Al Di La in New York City) presents Beet Ravioli with Butter and Poppy Seeds, and Bittman counters with Pasta with Savoy Cabbage, which has nothing in common with Klinger's dish except that it includes pasta. Thus the concept is a gimmick that at times compares apples and oranges. Nevertheless, with the continuing public adoration of trendy chefs and the more practical wish to prepare chef-worthy meals at home, this book will attract Bittman's legion of fans, who will be tuning in to this spring's PBS series upon which the book is based. (Apr.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
Join Mark Bittman as he takes on the nation's top chefs in a culinary battle of home-style vs. restaurant style!

"Mark knows food. Mark knows chefs. Chefs know Mark.You know this has gotta be a great cookbook!"
—Al Roker, Host, NBC's Today show

The Chefs Who Took the Challenge JOSÉ ANDRÉS, Zaytinya/Washington, D.C. DANIEL BOULUD, Daniel/New York JAMES BOYCE, Studio/Laguna Beach GARY DANKO, Restaurant Gary Danko/San Francisco SUZANNE GOIN, Lucques and A.O.C./Los Angeles GABRIELLE HAMILTON, Prune/New York ANNA KLINGER, Al di Là/New York CHARLES PHAN, The Slanted Door/San Francisco MICHEL RICHARD, Citronelle/Washington, D.C. SUVIR SARAN, Devi/New York CHRIS SCHLESINGER, East Coast Grill & Raw Bar/Boston-Cambridge KERRY SIMON, Simon Kitchen & Bar/Las Vegas JEAN-GEORGES VONGERICHTEN, Jean-Georges/New York


From the Inside Flap
Mark Bittman is famous for his simple, down-to-earth approach to cooking from his bestselling How to Cook Everything® cookbooks. Now, in this companion to the public television series How to Cook Everything: Bittman Takes on America's Chefs, he pits his relaxed cooking style against the sophisticated creations of thirteen A-list celebrity chefs, from Daniel Boulud, Gary Danko, and Suzanne Goin to Michel Richard, Chris Schlesinger, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Bittman's challenge is brash but irresistible—that simple food cooked at home can taste as good as four-star restaurant cooking. He packs his refreshingly open-minded approach to food and his straight-shooting personality ("I come from a long line of wise guys," he says happily) and takes them on the road to the chefs' home turf in kitchens around the country. The battle plays out in 120 recipes that he and the chefs create together, each helping but also ribbing the other along the way.

Every recipe challenge presents a chef's special dish followed by Bittman's more accessible interpretation. Daniel Boulud's Lamb Extravaganza vs. Bittman's "Too-Simple" Stuffed Lamb Shoulder, Charles Phan's Wok-Cooked Chicken with Nuts and Fruits vs. Bittman's Stir-Fried Chicken with Broccoli and Walnuts, Michel Richard's Layered Vitello Tonnato vs. Bittman's Turkey (Tonnato) Sandwiches, Kerry Simon's Banana Bread and Tempura Bananas vs. Bittman's Frozen Chocolate Banana on a Stick...which will you like best? You may find it hard to choose. No matter. Whether you're in the mood to keep things simple or to take on a culinary challenge, you'll find plenty of terrific opportunities here. And since recipes are grouped into chapters covering starters, main dishes, and desserts, it's easy to find inspiration.

Throughout, the book captures the lighthearted competition and shares the expert cooking revelations that make the television series so engaging. Excerpts from the banter between Bittman and the chefs let you in on what the pros think about their trade, while photographs of finished dishes and still shots from the shows take you close to the action.

You'll find practical cooking advice, too, plus Bittman's often witty and always insightful behind-the-scenes observations. Whether it's Gabrielle Hamilton's opinion about deveining shrimp or Suvir Saran's advice on grinding and browning spices, Michel Richard's thoughts on the chef as artist or Gary Danko's musings on multi-tasking in the kitchen, these pages are filled with inside information on ingredients, techniques, cooking philosophies, and, of course, the chefs themselves.

During this series of mano a mano cooking challenges, says Bittman, "even I learned something new every time I stepped up to the stove." As for the final result, the food is a real knockout—with a winner on every page.


From the Back Cover
Join Mark Bittman as he takes on the nation's top chefs in a culinary battle of home-style vs. restaurant style!

"Mark knows food. Mark knows chefs. Chefs know Mark.You know this has gotta be a great cookbook!"
—Al Roker, Host, NBC's Today show

FROM THE PUBLISHER

It's a battle of restaurant style vs. homestyle as Mark Bittman takes on the nation's top chefs with accessible versions of some of their favorite dishes

Mark Bittman is famous for the simple, down-to-earth approach to cooking that hundreds of thousands of home cooks know and love from his bestselling How to Cook Everything cookbooks. Now, in this companion to the public television series, he pits his relaxed cooking style against the sophisticated creations of 13 A-list celebrity chefs, such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York, Chris Schlesinger in Boston, and Suzanne Goin in Los Angeles.

The TV series and book offer tantalizing recipes for home cooks who like to keep things simple-or take on a culinary challenge. Readers may find it hard to choose. The battle plays out in the 120 recipes Mark and the chefs created together, each helping but also ribbing the other along the way. In the book, the recipes are grouped in chapters ranging from salads to main dishes to desserts. Each recipe challenge presents a chef's special dish followed by Bittman's simpler interpretation, including Daniel Boulud's Lamb, Four Ways vs. Bittman's Simple Lamb Roast and Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Apple Tart Tartin with Tart Apple Ice Cream vs. Bittman's Skillet Tart Tartin. To capture the lighthearted competition and expert cooking revelations that make the TV series so engaging, the book offers Bittman's behind-the-scenes observations and practical cooking tips for each recipe. During this cooking odyssey, "even I learned something," Bittman says. Rounding out the package are beautiful full-color photographs of finished dishes and action shots from the show.

Mark Bittman (Los Angeles, CA)writes the weekly "Minimalist" column and other features for the New York Times dining section, and is the acclaimed author of the bestselling How to Cook Everything, as well as The Minimalist Cooks at Home, The Minimalist Cooks Dinner, Fish: The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking, and other books. He has been widely featured in national and regional print and broadcast media, and has made regular appearances on the Today show and NPR's All Things Considered

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly