Mark Bittman's"How to Cook Everything"Recipe suggestions?

[keeganm]

I've had this enormous cookbook sitting on my shelf forever without trying any of the recipes yet. Anyone have recipes from his book that you want to recommend?

[Laura B]

I love this book!! The standout recipe for me so far is the Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Pork Tenderloin. I don't know if that is exactly the title, but you get the gist. I'm sure you can find it under pork in the index. I highly recommend it!

[Svadhisthana]

OMG! I use that cookbook all the time. I use the basic pasta recipe, his various sauces, the bread recipes (the white sanwich bread recipe is a big hit with my family), brownies, strawberries with balsamic vinegar, and oatmeal cookies. If I were you I'd pick an ingredient that you have on hand and look for a recipe using that. His instructions are clear and easy to follow. Happy Cooking!

[KValley]

Originally posted by Laura B
I love this book!! The standout recipe for me so far is the Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Pork Tenderloin. I don't know if that is exactly the title, but you get the gist. I'm sure you can find it under pork in the index. I highly recommend it!

I just purchased this cookbook last weekend- it is outstanding- I'm working my way through it like a classic novel. The recipes are so simple and Bittman uses the absolute minimum of ingredients- focusing on quality and freshness. The description of cooking techniques and tips are wonderfully clear.

Laura- thanks to your recommendation, I made the Roast Pork with Garlic and Rosemary. It was to feed a large group, so the butcher tied together two 2-lb bonelss loin roasts (not tenderloin, which is probably too lean for this recipe- you'd roast the holy heck out of it!) Superb- this recipe will be added to my tried and true list.

I made small cuts and inserted thin slices of garlic all around as suggested, and used a generous helping of fresh rosemary from my garden. It was tender, juicy and GONE. Although there was VERY little prep work, I did have to baste every fifteen minutes. Staying at home gave my SIL and my baby nephew a chance to chill out and relax away from the rest of the family playing bocce ball down the street!

[Laura B]

Julie, I am so glad that you liked the recipe! It has been far too long since I have made it - I think it will have to go on the menu very soon.

What sides did you serve? I think I have served roasted potatoes in the past and a side salad. I'd love to hear your ideas, though.

[KValley]

Laura,

One of my SILs made two different sets of roasted vegetables - both dishes with carrots, potatoes, broccoli, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, peppers, pecans, almonds: one was roasted with a sesame oil/soy dressing, the other with an Italian dressing- so delicious and completely easy- she used a bottled dressing, blanched the carrots and potatoes first, then roasted everything together for about 45 minutes. My other SIL made a red cabbage slaw with a vinegar and oil dressing. I brought the rest of the pasta salad from the night before, and we had a multi-grain bread and butter.

Had I made it for just DH and me, or a smaller group, my thoughts would be the same as yours: I would have roasted red potatoes or boiled baby reds, and had a warm spinach salad with roasted red peppers and gorgonzola, or with strawberries, roquefort and walnuts; and for dessert, poached pears with a maple glaze and vanilla ice cream.


Oh man, haven't had breakfast yet and now I'm starving!!

[gertdog]

I love this book. It's worth its weight in gold, as far as I'm concerned, because it contains the ONLY recipe for pie crust that works for me.

I also love the pizza dough recipe because it uses instant yeast and the food processor.

The tomato sauce w/ variations is also a winner.

I really do find myself using the book as a basic resource for simple, good food.

[Adriana]

Wow! I didn't know he had a book, but a while back I tried one of his recipes for a spicy grilled shrimp which was AWESOME! I found the recipe in a web search and didn't know he had a cookbook...

Now I'll need to find the book. Jeez! One more...(don't tell dh :>))

[KValley]

Adriana- give half.com or e-bay a try- either one or both may have the cookbook at a considerable discount. I did pay full price- we were on vacation and feeling rather carefree- I saw it, wanted it, read it over dinner much to DH's grand annoyance. It's terrific!

[Laura B]

Adriana, he doesn't just have ONE book, he has at least three, and I have all three of them along with one he co-wrote. In addition to How to Cook Everything, he wrote The Minimalist Cooks at Home and, a brand new one, The Minimalist Cooks Dinner. He co-wrote From Simple to Spectacular with Jean Georges Vongerichten. All of these books are great, but I have only made recipes from How to Cook Everything. I have plans to make things from the others but have been so strapped for time lately and overloaded with recipes!

[Adriana]

THREE books???? Oh, no!!!

[Wendy w]

Originally posted by Adriana
THREE books???? Oh, no!!!

My sentiments exactly.

I bought How to Cook Everything and the Minimalist Cooks at Home several months ago because of suggestions here. I even bought a copy of How to Cook Everything for BF's mom and she really likes it.

I have gone through them and am impressed with both and am very embarassed to say that I have yet to make anything from either but find How to Cook Everything to be an excellent reference. This is the result of owning TOO MANY cookbooks. As a matter of fact, I was looking through the Minimalist Cooks at Home last night and have marked some things to try. He has some interesting recipes using lemongrass and my plant is doing well.

He was on Martha's Kitchen a couple of months ago and he made Shrimp my Way - the orange version and it looked great. I couldn't pinpoint it, but got the impression that he and Martha didn't get along she was more of a tight*&$ than usual and seemed insincere when she was thanking him for being on the show.

[AdGirl]

really!

i've never had a single recipe (i'm serious!) out of this cookbook not be outstanding. all of his recipes are simple and focus on letting the flavor of the ingredients take center stage.

my favorites (that i make over and over) are the following:
chicken adobo
coq au vin (the mushroom sauce in this is divine)
mushroom risotto
bread stuffing (don't skimp, use the butter! my thanksgiving guests last year couldn't stop raving!)
steak au poivre (a snap to make and just as good as the stuff you pay $30 for in a restaurant!)


enjoy it!