How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking
by Michael Psilakis
List Price:
Our Price: $9.97
You Save: $25.03 (72%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Michael PsilakisForeword: Barbara Kafka
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-10-28
ISBN: 0316041211
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780316041218
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking
Book Review: It's no longer Greek to me
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a fairly good intermediate cook with some training at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. But, a sound grounding in the basic techniques of French and American cooking never seemed adequate to allow me to take on the complexity of Greek cuisine. Even the encouragement offered by the Greek government in its beautiful magazine devoted to Greek cuisine [link in the first Comment] didn't embolden me.
But this beautiful cookbook and the warm and human comments of Michael Psilakis not only made me love the cuisine and the country of Greece even more, but also led me to take the plunge -- with delicious results.
Psilakis divides the recipes into chapters following his own memories rather than the usual order of a meal. "I have created a book of soulfully integrated chapters. This makes for a seemingly haphazard compilation with appetizers, entrées, fish, vegetables, and meat recipes within any given chapter." That approach resonated immediately with my own approach to cooking and meal planning.
His approach is a narration, a memoir of his life and cooking: "memories, emotions, and insights that transpired throughout [my] childhood and into early adolescence ... vital to the path that led to my destiny in the kitchen." That approach makes cooking "by the book" a bit confusing, until I decided to read the entire volume as a memoir, enriched with recipes.
I was able to join Psilakis in part of the journey. My wife and I followed Frank Bruni's rave review in "The New York Times" and ate twice at Onera and once in Anthos. Delicious, exciting food, and fun to read what was going on behind the scenes.
My son and I are addicted to calamari, and he was delighted with the results of my first attempt from the book [the recipe is taken from "The Atlantic" website:
Serves 6 to 8 as a meze
* 1 pound calamari (squid) cleaned, heads separated from the bodies
* 12 small oil-packed Greek sardines or white anchovies, fresh whitebait, or fresh smelt
* About 2 cups milk
* Canola, safflower, or blended oil, for deep-frying
* All-purpose flour
* Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
* 1 cup drained Chickpea Confit (page 266) or canned chickpeas, well rinsed and drained
* 2 shallots, cut into 1/4-inch rings
* 1 lemon, sliced paper-thin
* 1/3 cup small, picked sprigs parsley
* 1/3 cup small, picked sprigs dill
* 10 leaves fresh basil or mint
* Tsatziki (page 189), for serving (or just serve with lemon wedges)
Cut the bodies of the calamari into 1/2-inch rings; leave the heads whole. Soak the calamari and the small fish of your choice in just enough milk to cover for 20 minutes.
In a large, heavy pot no more than half filled with oil, or a deep fryer, heat the oil to 350°F. Meanwhile, spread about 2 cups of flour in a large, shallow bowl. Drain the calamari and the fish and season them liberally with kosher salt and pepper. Season the Chickpea Confit, shallots, and lemon slices as well.
Throw the calamari, little fish, Chickpea Confit, shallots, and lemon slices into the bowl of flour, and toss well with your hands until evenly coated.
Transfer everything to a colander or sieve and shake to get rid of the excess flour. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Just before everything is done, throw the fresh herbs into the fryer for about 10 seconds.
Lift all ingredients out of the oil and drain briefly on absorbent paper. Season with salt and pepper. Immediately turn out onto a large, warm platter. Serve with Tsatziki for dipping and wedges of lemon.
* Add a couple of sliced pepperoncini to the frying list.
[Cook's note: we used chickpeas that had been roasted for 20 minutes and lemon wedges; I've included the references to Chickpea Confit and Tsatziki to honor the text of this lovely book.]
*****
I'm sure there are several other recipes that will turn out equally well, now that I've taken the plunge. And even if they don't, I greatly enjoyed reading this book.
Robert C. Ross 2009
Summary of How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking
A rising star in the food world, Michael Psilakis is co-owner of a growing empire of modern Mediterranean restaurants, and one of the most exciting young chefs in America today. In How to Roast a Lamb, the self-taught chef offers recipes from his restaurants and his home in this, his much-anticipated first cookbook. Ten chapters provide colorful and heartfelt personal essays that lead into thematically related recipes. Gorgeous color photography accompanies many of the recipes throughout.
Psilakis's cooking utilizes the fresh, naturally healthful ingredients of the Mediterranean augmented by techniques that define New American cuisine. Home cooks who have gravitated toward Italian cookbooks for the simple, user-friendly dishes, satisfying flavors, and comfortable, family-oriented meals, will welcome Psilakis's approach to Greek food, which is similarly healthful, affordable, and satisfying to share any night of the week.
Greek Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Greek Books
Cretan Cuisine for Everyoneby Lambraki Myrsini
Lambraki; Published: 2005-09-01; Paperback; Book
A Vegan Taste of Greece (Vegan Cookbooks)by Linda Majzlik
Jon Carpenter Publishing; Published: 2004-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.71
Price in other shops:
Greek Cooking: The Finest Traditional Recipesby Despina Tsakiri
Mardin Publishing; Published: 2001-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $81.76
The Parthenon Cookbook: Great Mediterranean Recipes from the Heart of Chicago's Greektownby Camille Stagg
Agate Surrey; Published: 2008-07-28; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.59
Price in other shops:
Amphitryonby Molière
General Books LLC; Published: 2010-07-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.13
Price in other shops:
Popular Greek RecipesWimmer Cookbooks; Published: 2007-12; Plastic Comb; Book
Best price: $14.21
Price in other shops:
My Big Fat Greek Feastby George Kyrtatas
Small Potatoes Press; Published: 2004-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.24
Price in other shops:
Step-By-Step Greek Cooking (Hawthorn Mini Series)Whitecap Books; Published: 1995-03; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
The Wines of Greece (Faber Books on Wine)by Miles Lambert-Gocs
Faber & Faber; Published: 1990-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.00
Price in other shops:
The Food and Wine of Greece: More Than 300 Classic and Modern Dishes from the Mainland and Islandsby Diane Kochilas
St. Martin's Griffin; Published: 1993-03-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.99
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Greek Revival: Cooking for Lifeby Patricia Moore-Pastides
University of South Carolina Press; Published: 2010-10-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $22.76
Price in other shops:
The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adriaby Ferran Adrià
Phaidon Press; Published: 2011-10-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $18.78
Price in other shops:
The Parthenon Cookbook: Great Mediterranean Recipes from the Heart of Chicago's Greektownby Camille Stagg
Agate Surrey; Published: 2008-07-28; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.59
Price in other shops:
The Greek Vegetarian: More Than 100 Recipes Inspired by the Traditional Dishes and Flavors of Greeceby Diane Kochilas
St. Martin's Griffin; Published: 1999-04-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.36
Price in other shops:
The Food of Spainby Claudia Roden
Ecco; Published: 2011-06-07; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $20.00
Price in other shops:
Kokkari: Contemporary Greek Flavorsby Erik Cosselmon
Chronicle Books; Published: 2011-09-07; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $79.87
The Foods of the Greek Islands: Cooking and Culture at the Crossroads of the Mediterraneanby Aglaia Kremezi
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 2000-11-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $13.07
Price in other shops:
The Complete Book of Greek Cooking: The Recipe Club of St. Paul's Orthodox Cathedralby St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church
William Morrow Cookbooks; Published: 1991-06-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.45
Price in other shops:
The Olive and the Caper: Adventures in Greek Cookingby Susanna Hoffman
Workman Publishing Company; Published: 2004-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.40
Price in other shops:
Vefa's Kitchenby Vefa Alexiadou
Phaidon Press; Published: 2009-05-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $28.90
Price in other shops: