Cooking Know-How: Weinstein and Scarbrough

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Some people cannot cook without following a recipe closely. But once they've learned the recipe, they often still need help figuring out how they can and should change it. The trick is recognizing the techniques in the recipe, and understanding how to pair up flavors when you substitute one ingredient for another – pork for chicken, oregano for tarragon, ground beef for ground turkey, and so on. Learning how to do this is key to Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough's Cooking Know-How (Wiley 2009). It is a generous book for those who need guidance and step-by-step help, and a great resource for anyone who has fallen in a rut and needs a new idea for dinner. How do most people start thinking about a meal – usually by thinking in general terms – a beef stew, chicken with rice, or a curry. That's how the chapters in Cooking Know-How are organized. Say, today at the butcher's or supermarket you find good boneless pork chops. You turn to the chapter on Boneless Pork Loin Chops with a Pan Sauce (p. 33-38) and follow the steps. The authors walk you through the basic recipe with ample photos and sidebars, and tips like "Never Rinse Meat". Once you've understood the basic recipe, they list the steps 1-7 and the variations for each for eight different recipes. For Boneless Pork Loin Chops with Walnuts and Shallots, in step 1, walnut oil is used, then in step 3, shallots and walnuts are added, and in step 4, cinnamon and nutmeg are added. Likewise, there is a list of steps for Boneless Pork Loin Chops with Blackberries and Cream and Curried Boneless Pork Loin Chops. If you pick up Mussels at the store, there is a basic recipe with five steps followed by eight variations. Some of the recipes are based on a cut of meat (Shanks and Bones p. 330), while others are on a method of cooking (Fricassee p. 139) or a technique (Packets p. 221). There is even a recipe for Ribs (p. 279) with eight variations. Cooking Know-How is a smart book for a college graduate just starting out in their first apartment – or the home cook who wants a book to turn to for a quick primer on basic recipes with plenty of variations. Previous articles: [Cookbook Reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, cookbooks, cookbook reviews --> back to Super Chef