Cooking In Everyday English: The ABCs of Great Flavor at Home [Hardcover]

Todd English (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 11, 2011

Todd English, an award-winning chef, famous restaurateur and PBS television personality, shares his trademark flavor formulas for using readily available ingredients and translating them into simple, tantalizing dishes at home. In this innovative yet approachable cookbook, Todd shares his trade secrets on how to create fresh flavor combinations. Each combination is presented in a visual equation that allows for an easy, at-a-glance way of seeing what makes a recipe taste outstanding. At the same time, Cooking in Everyday English is a clear, uncomplicated approach to cooking with fresh, seasonal ingredients at home.

Each of the book's 150 recipes is a new flavor discovery, illustrated with luscious four-color photography. The food covers the gamut from appetizers to soups and salads, vegetables, starch, birds and eggs, meat, fish and shellfish, kids and family dinners, and desserts.

A visually stunning cookbook, Cooking in Everyday English features dynamic, visual flavor equations, recipe grocery lists, practical food techniques illustrated with step-by-step photography, and Todd's advice on how to be a flavorful cook with everyday food store ingredients. Having this book in the kitchen is like having a "cook whisperer" sharing tips and sage advice as you cook an evening meal. Like any good teacher, Todd walks readers through each recipe, step-by-step, explaining how each part contributes to the tastiest results.

Cooking in Everyday English is a fresh, contemporary cook's companion. And it delivers a visually inspiring treat on every page.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Featured Recipe: Ginger-Soy Skirt Steak

"Loaded with aromatics, this marinade is a perfect match for grilled steaks. Marinate the steak for a few hours to really soak up the flavors, and serve it thinly sliced with my Parsnip Puree (page 113) or Parmigiano-Reggiano Potato Wedges (page 213). We used the marinade with the sliced beef tenderloin on our cover."

Ingredients

• Soy sauce, 1 cup
• Balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup
• Brown sugar, 1/4 cup firmly packed
• Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup
• Sesame oil, 1/4 cup
• Fresh ginger, 3 Tbsp. chopped
• Sriracha sauce, 1 Tbsp.*
• Garlic, 3 cloves chopped
• Skirt steak, 3 lb.
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Whisk together first 8 ingredients and 1 cup water in a large shallow dish or zip-top plastic freezer bag; add steak. Cover or seal, and chill 2 to 6 hours.

2. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Remove steak from marinade, discarding marinade. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper.

3. Grill steak, covered with grill lid, 8 minutes or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. 6 to 8 servings

*Substitute 1 chopped jalapeño pepper for sriracha sauce.

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Featured Recipe: Corn Raita

"The inspiration for this recipe is from the classic Indian condiment, raita. The addition of corn gives it new personality. Toasting the corn draws out its lovely sweetness and lends texture to the spread. Grill the corn whole and then cut the kernels off the cob or as per the instructions below. I keep a batch of this simple recipe on hand in the fridge to add to countless dishes, but I usually end up eating it one spoonful at a time on its own. Try a few spoonfuls on a skirt steak or slathered in a pita sandwich. Nirvana!"

Ingredients

• Fresh corn kernels, 2 cups
• Plain Greek yogurt, 2 cups
• Fresh cilantro leaves, 2 Tbsp. chopped
• Ground cumin, 1 tsp.
• Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp
• Freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp.
• Red onion, 2 Tbsp. finely chopped
• Jalapeño pepper, 1 seeded and minced (optional)

Directions

1. Heat a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add corn to pan; cook 1 minute without stirring. Stir and cook 2 more minutes or until corn is beginning to brown. Transfer corn to a plate; cool completely.

2. Stir together yogurt and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Fold in corn and onion. Add jalapeño pepper, if desired. 3 cups

About the Author

Trained at the Culinary Institute of America and through apprenticeships in both New York and Italy, Todd caught the eye of the culinary world when The James Beard Foundation named him "National Rising Star Chef" and "Best Chef in the Northeast" in the early 90s. A remarkably successful restaurateur - and Bon Appétit's 2001 "Restaurateur of the Year" - Todd's numerous establishments can be found throughout the world, including Olives, one of the most prestigious restaurant brands in the nation (plus a Tokyo location). His most recent ventures include the restaurant Todd English on the Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 and BlueZoo at the Walt Disney World Resort's Dolphin Hotel and English in New York City. In addition to a myriad of appearances on the broadcast networks and cable, his television credits include a public television series Cooking In with Todd English, WGBH's Hot Off the Grill, and America's Rising Star Chefs and Cooking Under Fire. English has also competed on Iron Chef America. He is currently host of Food Trip with Todd English, which is in its second season. Todd was recently named to The James Beard Foundation's "Who's Who in Food and Beverage in America," and has authored three cookbooks The Olives Table, The Figs Table, and The Olives Dessert Table, published by Simon & Schuster.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxmoor House; 1 edition (October 11, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 084873484X
• ISBN-13: 978-0848734848
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 0.7 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #354,955 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great cooking by English November 18, 2011

By wogan TOP 50 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

Todd English has created a cookbook that produces some great dishes with ingredients that are ones that you would have purchased every day at the grocery store. Most dishes have only 10 or less ingredients and are relatively easy to prepare, especially for an experienced cook. English lists his pantry ingredients and his kitchen equipment and then gives some instructions to make his `basics'. His basics are some combinations of salt, vinaigrettes, butters, spice blends and several others; but best of all he has a marvelous one that he calls ACG - anchovies, capers and garlic sauce - on pasta it is wonderful.

There are pictures of his finished recipes, his ingredients and even many pictures of instructions. Recipes included are; the basics, cocktails and appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, vegetables, starches, birds and eggs, meats, fish and shellfish, dishes for kids and family (like chicken tenders and pizza),and desserts.

Our family has really liked the pasta with shrimp and olive sauce and the pappardelle pasta with dreamy mushroom sauce, and avocado soup. The recipes in this book are simple recipes, but create fantastic dishes. Included is a chart for metric equivalents and an index.
This would be a good book to add to cookbook collections or even for a gift for beginning cooks who would like to improve their repertoire.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So refreshing! April 21, 2013

By Django

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Simplicity incorporating fabulous home made herb and spice blends that really transform tired, old, done to boredom classics. Love Todd's use of middle eastern influences in his vast experience of European cuisine.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic cook book with great pictures of almost every dish December 13, 2011

By L. Raymond

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this book and a Bobby Flay cook book at the same time to try and get some new receipes. The Todd English book is substantially better than the Bobby Flay cook book. The recipes are relatively simplistic but with great taste. It's clear to see exactly what ingredients you need and I love the fact that they cover some real basiscs like pantry items etc. The photo illustrations are just the icing on the cake! Definitely recommend this book for novice all the way through to exprienced cooks.