Description:
Colin Spencer's The Vegetable Book will make even hard-core meat eaters gobble up their veggies in record time. This hefty collection abounds with more than 300 vegetable dishes from around the world, conveniently grouped together by horticultural family. More than just a series of recipes, Spencer provides detailed historical information, preparation and storage tips, and nutritional values for each vegetable. The majority of the recipes call for more traditional vegetables--tomatoes, potatoes, celery, mushrooms, artichokes. But exotic veggies also get their share of the limelight--including Chinese bitter melon, black radish, and glasswort, a member of the beet family. Salads shine in The Vegetable Book, and stars include a Wilted Chard Salad rich with garlic and spices, and a succulent Warm Salad of Radicchio, Frisée, and Glazed Squash. Pies also stand out from the crowd--particularly a Swiss Chard Pie wrapped in a delicious, buttery crust. Recipes run the gamut from simple braised vegetables to complex soups and sauces, sure to appeal to cooks of all abilities. The book would have benefited from an index listing dishes by type (soups, entrées, appetizers, etc.), and several recipes call for fish stock, dairy products, or gelatin--definite no-nos for strict vegetarians. However, the detailed cooking instructions, full-color photographs, and Spencer's chatty and informative text make greens simply gorgeous. --Naomi Gesinger
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