Bistro Cooking at Home
by Gordon Hamersley, Joanne McAllister Smart
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Book Summary Information
Author: Gordon Hamersley, Joanne McAllister SmartEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2003-10-14
ISBN: 0767912764
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Broadway
Book Reviews of Bistro Cooking at Home
Book Review: My Go-To Cookbook for Dinner Parties
Summary: 5 Stars
Cooking is my true passion. There is nothing I enjoy more than creating beautiful and delicious dishes at home, and sharing them with friends and family. I own a hundred cookbooks, and this is my hand's down favorite, especially for entertaining. The recipes are easy to follow, economical, big on flavor and presentation, and great for entertaining. Let me explain in more detail.
Easy to follow - The dishes are all beautiful and look very difficult, but they are far from it! Gordon Hamersley has really designed some wonderful recipes that are very easy for even the most novice home cook. The book is also full of great tips throughout. Many cookbooks will just instruct you to do something, for example, "Caramelize the onions", but they won't tell you how. Hamersley not only tells you how, but he goes a step further by providing tips on how to make them even darker and sweeter.
Economical - I have made many recipes from this cookbook, and I've never had trouble finding the ingredients in my local supermarket. Roast chicken, coq au vin, braised short ribs, beef bourginion - these dishes will not bust your budget, but they will come out looking like they did. A few of the dishes have some more expensive ingredients, but if you are hosting a dinner party or holiday dinner, you might want to splurge on those special ingredients, to give your friends and family something new and different to try.
High on flavor and beautiful presentation - All of the dishes I have made have been both visually appealing and delicious. His use of fresh herbs and slow braising techniques give the dishes a wonderful depth of flavor and an incredible "wow" factor. When I lifted the lid off the braised short ribs, all of my family gathered around in awe of how beautifully caramelized they were. The dish was finished by pouring the sauce over the ribs (a red onion sauce, reduced from the braising liquid). The ribs were as tender as butter and just fell off the bone. Other favorite recipes of mine include ALL of the risotto recipes (butternut squash being my favorite, and the wild mushroom risotto with red wine is a close second), the onion soup au gratin, peach galette, wild mushroom and roast garlic sandwich, roasted asparagus with pancetta and shallots, and the seared scallops with garlic, tomato and olive compote. They all come out looking as beautiful as the photo in cookbook. The flavor combinations are outstanding - there is a little bit of sweet, salty and savory in every recipe - all well balanced, and each has interesting and appealing texture. For example, the roasted asparagus are savory, but they are complemented with the saltiness of the pancetta and the sweetness of the shallots. The ribs, also savory, are complemented by a sweet, rich and slightly salty (but not overly so) red onion sauce. The scallop dish pairs the saltiness of the scallops and olives with sweet and tangy garlic, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.
Great for entertaining - Many of these main dishes roast or braise for hours, low and slow in the oven, which means you do all of the work ahead of time and you have more time to visit with your company!
This is a wonderful cookbook, a real standout! Buy it; you won't be disappointed.
Summary of Bistro Cooking at Home
Bistro cooking-bold and full-flavored-is more like the best home cooking than restaurant fare, featuring slow-cooked stews, exquisitely roasted chickens, perfectly seared steaks, vibrant salads, fresh fruit tarts, and comforting custards. Now Gordon Hamersley of acclaimed Hamersley's Bistro in Boston helps home cooks bring these classic dishes into their own kitchens.Bistro Cooking at Home offers a complete menu of versatile selections for cooks who crave sophisticated but easy-to-prepare comfort food. Many of the dishes allow for "walk-away cooking," such as stews, roasts, or braises. And many of these same dishes taste best if prepared a day or two ahead, making entertaining foolproof. Although the accent is French, dishes such as hamburgers stuffed with blue cheese and Pear Cranberry Crumble reflect Gordon Hamersley's all-American roots.
Start a bistro meal at home with Hamersley's classic Onion Soup au Gratin or signature Wild Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Sandwich. For a main course there is roast chicken (you can cook it ahead and reheat it under the broiler), New England Bouillabaisse with Rouille and Croutons, or Moroccan lamb shanks. Pasta, polenta, and risotto are given French finesse in dishes such as Lemon-Scented Risotto with Morels and Chives and Oven-Baked Penne with Onions, Walnuts, and Goat Cheese. The Savory Tarts, Gratins, and Galettes chapter holds such richly satisfying dishes as Portobello Mushroom and Roquefort Galette or Creamy Bistro Potato and Leek Gratin, each practically a meal in itself. Even vegetables are made exciting in dishes ranging from Roasted Artichokes with Garlic and Pancetta Bread Crumbs to Garlicky Mashed Potato Cakes. Bistro-inspired desserts include Maple Cr?me Br?l?e, Profiteroles with Easy Chocolate Sauce, and a dense Chocolate Truffle Cake.
All the main dishes are accompanied by knowledgeable, down-to-earth wine recommendations from Fiona Hamersley, Gordon's wife, who runs the wine service at the restaurant. With the Hamersleys's expert guidance every step of the way, you can re-create the romance of bistro dining-at home.
Gordon Hamersley's Bistro Cooking at Home makes a much-explored culinary style newly exciting. Hamersley, chef-owner of Hamersley's Bistro in Boston, has won praise for fare that, though straightforward, is often flubbed, due to poor ingredients and technique. Bistro Cooking repeats his success, providing 150 classic and innovative recipes for irresistible dishes like Tian of Summer Vegetables Proven?ale and Spicy Lamb Shanks with Couscous and Preserved Lemons. Immediately appealing--open the book to any recipe and you'll want to start cooking--the book also boasts cook-friendly asides like "How to Make a Great Vinaigrette."
The organization is equally enticing. Beginning with "The Art of the Salad," which includes a particularly good version of fris?e salad with lardons and poached egg, and "Small Plates," like Wild Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Sandwich, the book then pursues savory tarts, gratins and galettes, such as Fresh Goat Cheese, Roasted Beet and Walnut Tart; starchy dishes including Crabmeat Risotto with Peas and Mint and bistro-style fish like the quick-and-easy Halibut with White Wine, Shallots and Basil. Meat and vegetables are equally well represented--there's a mini-repertoire of roast chicken and duck confit dishes--as are simple but "finished" desserts like Souffl?ed Lemon Custard and Chocolate Mousse Cake. With a useful section on techniques (moderate-temperature "walk away roasting" ensures juicer results, says the author), good pantry-stocking advice, and color photos that further excite kitchen action. --Arthur Boehm
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