 The
Best American Recipes 2003-2004: The Year's Top Picks
from Books, Magazines, Newspapers, and the Internet
edited by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens
Reviewed
by Kevin Schoeler
Once
a year since 1999, the editors of The Best American
Recipes series compile what they call "the year's
top picks from books, magazines, newspapers, and the Internet."
To claim such a title, the recipes need to reflect the pulse
of American cooking and eating. They need to work and they
need to be delicious.
The
Best American Recipes 2003-2004 lives up to both
name and reputation. It is considerate of time and effort,
by way of "smart shortcut recipe(s)" that use
"high-quality convenience foods to speed things along."
While convenience is respected, this book is not about thrown-together
meals and disguising prepared foods. In fact, there is some
work involved, and plenty of recipes require patience and
skill.
Where
does one begin with a book of this sort? For starters, McCullough
and Stevens list their "top ten recipes" and
defend them with ease. They are big fans of Corn Bread Salad
with Grilled Sausage and Spicy Chipotle Dressing. This is
a mix of tomatoes, avocados, onions, sausage and toasted
cornbread with a kicking-hot dressing that gets its fire
from canned chipotle chiles. Spaghettini with Tuna Sauce
is a hand-me-down recipe from the family of chef Daniele
Baliani (he's worked for Daniel Boulud and Fauchon,
among others). This masterful, rustic pasta combines white
anchovies and canned Italian tuna with golden raisins, capers
and pine nuts. Another editors' favorite is Lemon
Posset. They are so enthusiastic about it you just want
to prove them wrong. What can be so great about lemon juice,
cream and sugar, cooked and then chilled. Is it pudding
or mousse or both? Really it is a perfect dessert that demands
just a few minutes of your time.
"The
Year in Food" section details the top ten culinary
trends, counting retro food as the "Trend of the Year,"
bacon as "Ingredient of the Year" and slow food
as "Technique of the Year." "Poor food"
as "Backlash of the Year?" Well, folks, this
means you have traded in caviar and foie gras for leftover
rice and breadcrumbs—not a dismal trend if their stand-ins
are Chili Shrimp and Coconut Rice, or Greens with Garlicky
Toasted Breadcrumbs. How about down-home Sausage and Cheese
Grits Casserole for breakfast (or any meal, really).
Each
turn of the page is a nice surprise. You'll find Pan-Fried
Fresh Salmon Cakes, then Vietnamese-inspired Caramel-Braised
Cod. That famous Texas Rice precedes Minted Fried Rice.
Would you expect to find Convent Chicken after Scrambled
Eggs, Long-Cooked Broccoli, and Feta Cheese Sandwich? Although
the book is logically organized by category, we loved the
unpredictability—especially in Desserts where a superb
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Chocolate Chips and Toffee Sauce
follows Decadent Hazelnut-Chocolate Pudding.
We
were indeed suspicious of retro selections like Cheese Snips
(made with Rice Krispies), and Garlicky Potato Chips (tossing
thick-cut potato chips with garlic butter and serving them
warm from the oven!). But, as promised, the snips were crisp
and crumbly and spicy-hot... great with cocktails. The chips
were instantly addictive.
No,
this is not a book of heavyweight, "important"
food in the eyes of a purist. But The Best American
Recipes 2003-2004 is a book you'll want to use
frequently. Its diversity means you'll never get bored
cooking reliable dishes with big flavors and pleasing results.
You'll be a hero in the kitchen. McCullough and Stevens
prove again to be zealous guardians of their brand. Be sure
to add this volume to your collection of The Best American
Recipes series.
RECIPE:
SAUSAGE
AND CHEESE GRITS CASSEROLE
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