Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 11, 2002
Joy of Cooking: All About Series, by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker, Scribner, $15.95: Four new books in the single subject Joy of Cooking series are here in time for the holidays.
Previous installments were published in 2000 and 2001. This series focuses on cookies, canning, party food and pies and tarts with all the authority we've come to expect from the franchise.
Each book includes easy-to-follow recipes with step-by-step instructions that use readily available ingredients, color photos, an introduction to the subject -- all with the familiar, reliable know-how of the Joy of Cooking. The books would make nice gifts for the chef in your family.
For the holiday cookie exchange, All About Cookies offers numerous choices, including such holiday favorites as Mexican Wedding Cakes, Pfeffernusse and Almond Thumbprint Cookies. Step-by-step instructions plus fold-out patterns make constructing a gingerbread house manageable.
Treats such as Raspberry Streusel Bars, Peanut Butter Chubbies and Classic Biscotti can be made all year long.
As the summer season nears its end, All About Canning & Preserving steps in with recipes and instructions for keeping the bounty fresh.
If you've wanted to try canning or preserving, this book teaches the basics about equipment, canning and safety canning. By starting soon, the fruits of your labor could become holiday gifts. Canning is a task that, once started, must be completed, so make sure you set aside a day to make Strawberry Preserves, Berry Jam or Bitter Orange Marmalade. Enlisting the help of a friend may be wise.
All About Party Foods & Drinks will make you want to host a party and serve classic dishes such as Baked Brie in Pastry, Salmon Mousse, Oysters Rockefeller and Pigs in a Blanket.
Divided into subject chapters, it's easy to mix and match appetizers. Choose Red Onion Dip from Spreads & Dips, Melon and Figs Wrapped in Prosciutto from "Fruit & Vegetables," Food Processor Cheese Straws from "Pastry" or Lemon Rosemary Chicken on Skewers from "Chicken." Great drinks to serve along with these delicious appetizers include martinis, gimlets and whiskey sours among others. For a holiday party try hot buttered rum, wassail, mulled cider or wine or a champagne punch.
The perfect ending to a holiday dinner can be found in All About Pies & Tarts. Thanksgiving would not be the same without pumpkin pie, pecan pie or sweet potato pie, the recipes for which are included. Chocolate is usually a welcome dessert, and there are many kinds to choose from: Black Bottom Pie, Chocolate Glazed Caramel Tart and Crustless Fudge Pie, among others. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, the Apricot Frangipane Tart, Apple Galette, Fruit Crostata or Tarte Tatin may fit the bill. Pies suitable for summer include Ice Cream Pie, Lemon Angel Pie and Peach Pie.
By Ying Chang Compestine
Avery, $18.95
Ginger, green tea, garlic, soy, ginseng and shiitake mushrooms were once considered exotic Asian ingredients by many American cooks. Lots of studies have shown these ingredients contain healthful properties, and the Asian diet has long been considered one of the healthiest in the world. Now these ingredients are readily available, and Secrets From a Healthy Asian Kitchen shows how to put them to use.
Author Ying Chang Compestine first covers six key ingredients and cooking basics, then dives into recipes. She describes each ingredient, including its variations, and moves on to discuss equipment and the techniques necessary for successful Asian cooking. No detail is too minute; Compestine even addresses garnishing and considers it the "final touch to ensure your creation becomes a masterpiece."
Secrets From a Healthy Asian Kitchen covers everything from finger foods (Spicy Shrimp and Vegetables in Lettuce Cups and Broiled Shiitake Mushroom Sandwiches) to salad dinners (Thai-Style Cabbage Salad and Fresh Garden Salad with Beef) to sweet temptations (Rice Pudding with Almond and Coconut or Asian Pears in Ginseng Sauce).
Asian cooking starts with fresh ingredients, and this recipe collection is no exception. Very few recipes include bottled ingredients such as soy sauce, peanut butter, rice wine and honey. They are primarily used in sauces such as Green Chili Sauce, Pineapple-Ginseng Sauce, Orange and Soy Sauce and Spicy Honey-Basil Sauce.
It is important to note that virtually every recipe includes at least one of these freshly made sauces. Certainly a purchased bottled version could be substituted in some instances, especially when the recipe calls for teriyaki, curry peanut or Thai sauce.
In addition to good-for-you recipes, Compestine incorporates ancient Chinese philosophy into this cookbook, discussing the concepts of yin and yang and how they relate to a balanced, healthy diet. There are also interesting bits about Asian culture such as Chinese dining customs, chopsticks, longevity, ginseng and Asian beauty secrets.
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast
Combine all ingredients except chicken. Cut chicken into 16 pieces by cutting each half into 8 pieces. Add chicken to marinade and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
When you are ready to cook, prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire or preheat the broiler. Thread the chicken pieces onto 4 skewers, covering exposed wood with aluminum foil. Grill or broil until just cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Makes 4 skewers.
Source: Joy of Cooking: All About Party Food & Drinks by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker (Scribner, $15.95).
1 pound beef flank steak
1/2 cup Spicy Honey-Basil Sauce (recipe follows)
Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Salt and black pepper to taste
Salad:
1 medium head romaine lettuce
1 medium head red-leaf lettuce
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large tomato, sliced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Place the beef in a shallow container. Add the sauce, cover and marinate for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
Make the dressing: Mix all the dressing ingredients in a salad bowl. Set aside.
Discard the marinade and grill or broil the steak to desired doneness. Transfer steak to a cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes; cut across the grain into bite-size strips.
Wash and dry the lettuce, tear into bite-size pieces and place into a salad bowl. Add the cucumber and tomato slices.
To serve, add dressing and toss. Divide salad among 4 salad bowls, top with the steak and garnish with the cheese.
Serves 4.
Source: Secrets From a Healthy Asian Kitchen by Ying Chang Compestine (Avery, $18.95)
2 tea bags ginseng tea
1 cup boiling spring water
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium jalapeno (include seeds if you like it spicy)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Brew the tea in the boiling spring water for 5 minutes. Place the contents of the tea bag and the tea in a blender, discard the bag.
Add the remaining ingredients to the blender and process until pureed. Use immediately or store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Yields 1 cup.
Source: Secrets From a Healthy Asian Kitchen by Ying Chang Compestine (Avery, $18.95)