Customer Reviews

The Everything Mediterranean Cookbook: An Enticing Collection of 300 Healthy, Delicious Recipes from the Land of Sun and Sea (Everything (Cooking))

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I haven't tried any of the recipes yet because most of them require the prior preparation of a stock or sauce (recipes are also provided for these)in order to prepare the main recipe. The recipes sound good and flavorful, but I need to make the time to prepare the sauces/stocks and put them in the freezer so I can make these recipes on a moments notice. So if you're looking for a cookbook that you can just pick up and instantly make the recipe, this is not the one for you.

I wish the marketing had been clearer that this is mainly a diet book. The inclusion of such recipes as the one for steamed broccoli was so disappointing. I have a repertoire of stocks that goes far beyond what this book offers and am used to having them on hand all the time. I am a fairly accomplished cook and was looking to branch into traditional Mediterranean cuisine which I have never tried before. This book does not take you there. It's going to the library sale.

Collaboratively compiled by culinary expert and restaurant manager Dawn Altomari-Rathjen and registered dietician Jennifer M. Bendelius, The Everything Mediterranean Cookbook presents three hundred health-conscious and delicious recipes from the Mediterranean ranging from Stovetop Poached Fresh Cod; Red Lentil Lasagna; and Pasta with Arugula and Brie; to Broccoli Raab with Bread Crumbs; Caramelized Onion Tart; and Fresh Fruit Chowder. Simple instructions to bringing out maximum flavor with efficiency make The Everything Mediterranean Cookbook an excellent, easy-to-follow recipe guide and a commendable addition to even the most novice of kitchen cooks.

Yes, these recipes take time because you have to do some homemade stock, but that is why they taste so much better. I am a Chef and I write recipes and have written several cookbooks myself. I can tell you this book and recipes are very good and a much healthier way about cooking. I already make my own stock and sauces, because it is much healthier (taste better) then buying store bought high sodium and full of MSG stocks and sauces. I have learned in Italy how to cook Italian food and this book is pretty close to the real thing. If you love to cook and want to make healthy dinners for your family then I recommend this book. If you are wanting a quick meal then this is not the book for you, although they do have some quick recipes too. Mediterranean cooking is all about Fresh, Fresh, Fresh Ingredients and that is why it taste so good.

Enjoy Life and Happy Cooking,

Chef Linda
The Art of Cuisine

My issue with this book isn't so much that it could be a diet book (though some of the recipes are a little... lean), or that it expects you to make your own stocks and sauces, or that some of the ingredients are more expensive than I'd prefer -- though those are all valid points. Rather, my issue is that all of the recipes I've encountered so far (and I mean ALL) are too vague in their instructions, or seem to call for incorrect amounts of ingredients. A few examples:

-Vegetable Samosas, pg. 200 -- There is no way that an amount of flour totaling only 3/4 of a cup can make 6, 4-inch circular pieces of dough that *don't* fall apart when you try to handle them, especially if the only thing holding them together is water and olive oil. I think I got 3, 3-inch pieces out of this, and they had almost no taste. The filling made a decent vegetable curry by itself, though.
-Poached Chicken Breast, pg. 246 -- This recipe leaves out one teensy detail: it doesn't tell you how long to cook the chicken!! It just says, "Place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables and pour in the wine and stock; bring to slow simmer." Gee, thanks. Also, this dish had practically no flavor; the veggies consist of a leek, a shallot, garlic, a carrot, and celery. No spices or herbs whatsoever; I should have improvised and added my own. This was a waste of wine, if you ask me.
-Sauteed Pork Medallions and Potatoes, pg. 272 -- In all fairness, this recipe turned out to be delicious. My gripe about this one is more about a poor wording choice between steps 2 and 3. Here it is: "2. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the pork, then season with half of the oregano and garlic. 3. Add the potatoes and season with the other half of the oregano and garlic." Wait, *what*? They could have just combined these sentences by saying, "Add the pork and potatoes to the pan; season with oregano and garlic." Ta-da! That wasn't too hard.

Maybe I was just unlucky and picked the worst-written recipes in the book. Maybe the authors are subtly encouraging their readers to figure things out for themselves in the kitchen. Or maybe not. Approach this book with caution if you're not an experienced cook.

This diet is really great! However the only down fall I found is that it is very costly. Eating fresh and organic is most certainly way to go but we were spending way too much on food to be on this diet. Recipes are wonderful and you feel really good after you eat a lot of these foods for awhile. This diet is not for someone on a budget.

This book is broken down into various categories and then you have a variety of recipes. The recipes are very well explained and from all around the Mediterranean. Most people only think of Greece and Italy but they have recipes from the Middle East, Spain, Morocco and all around the Med. I have used the recipes numerous times and I am extremely happy with the results.

Gave this as a gift and unfortunately my mother is still trying to find most of the ingredients.

This book came lighting fast. This will be my bible to staying thin. I will order again. Thank you so much for this.

I love my cook book its low fat and healthy. if not I just convert it to be. if you like mid-eastern food this is for you. Bethany