Amazon.com Review
Sample Recipe from Cook Like a Rock Star: Peperonata with Goat Cheese 
Serves: 6 to 8
Time: about 30 minutes
Mise en place:
Extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, pith removed, and cut into 1/2-inch diamonds
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon pimenton (smoked paprika)
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 8-to 10-ounce log of goat cheese, at room temp
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)
1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices, toasted or grilled
1. Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil, add the onions and red pepper, season with salt, and bring to medium heat. Cook the onions until soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t brown.
2. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes; it should start to smell really good!
3. Add the peppers and 1/4 cup water; season with salt. Continue cooking until the peppers have softened and the water has evaporated, another 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste, pimenton, and sherry vinegar and stir to combine; taste for salt (it will probably need more). Cook until the mixture comes together and looks tightened up and slightly thickened, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
5. I like to squish the goat cheese into a serving bowl and nestle the peperonata in the center rather than spooning it over an entire log--it’s more rustic-looking this way. Garnish with chives if you like and serve with baguette slices.
Review
Anne Burrell has rocked in some of New York’s best Italian kitchens, she’s rocked the Food Network, and now she’s gonna help you rock your kitchen with this book.”
--GUY FIERI “Anne Burrell is the real deal. TV or no TV, famous or not, you put her in front of a stove and she will cook your ass under the table.”
--ANTHONY BOURDAIN “Oh, baby, Anne has really knocked it out of the park with this book. It’s bold, fun, and full of the passion that people love about her.”
--EMERIL LAGASSE “While reading these pages, I found myself almost transfixed by Anne’s strong literary voice and compelling (yet so simple!) recipes. . . I even looked over my shoulder a few times as I read or cooked, as if she were standing right by me, whispering hints and tips in my ear. Check out a new voice in Italian food—one that will make you want to bust out your pots and pans and give these great recipes a try. I guarantee that you will feel (and cook) like a rock star in your own kitchen!”
--ALEX GUARNASCHELLI “Reading
Cook Like a Rock Star will make you feel like you’re with Anne in the kitchen. You’re at the stove, she’s behind you, jumping up and down, cheering you on. Her one-of-a-kind voice is in every recipe—getting excited about porchetta (who doesn't?), raving about deviled eggs, admitting her addiction to gnocchi. This girl loves Italian food. Loves it. She is down to earth, her enthusiasm is infectious, and the best part is that she knows what she is talking about—as if Marcella Hazan were an earthy
ragazza next door who invited you over to taste her latest pasta creation. Brava, Anne!”
--CESARE CASELLA “Anne knows what it’s like to be mentored by the best and I’ve seen her continue this tradition with young professional chefs. It’s exciting that people will now have the chance to get this same advice and support at home by reading and using this terrific book.”
--MASAHARU MORIMOTO “Anne’s food is as vibrant and fun as her personality—not everyone can party like a rock star, but with this great book, you'll be cooking like one!”
--MICHAEL SYMON “Anne’s cookbook reads just like she talks—funny, bawdy, full of energy, and rarin’ to cook.
Cook Like a Rock Star makes you feel like you’re backstage with her at
Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, just the two of you, learning the techniques and tricks she’s spent her whole career perfecting. Every line in this book tells the reader that
you can do this! And every page inspires, encourages, simplifies, and demystifies the craft.”
--TED ALLEN