Customer Reviews

Gordon Ramsay Makes It Easy

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Every time I mention that the fact that I admire "Gordon Ramsay" I have to defend myself from attack. For those who have seen this ex-football player in the television show "Hell's Kitchen", he can be intimidating, ruthlessly efficient and sarcastic all in one breath. But his attitude does not come from any joy of berating contestants. Gordon is a perfectionist and he wants to make sure everything is done right because it is his name and reputation that is on the line everytime a dish leaves his kitchen.

This book is no different. Gordon spells out his recipies in a clear and concise format. Unlike some other chefs who use their books just to dump some bland exercises in cooking, Gordon livens up (or sexies up - as he calls it) his presentation with photos. But I especially appreciated the fact that there is a DVD attached to this book which goes into detail on how to make some of his dishes.

GORDON RAMSAY IS THE MAN!!

So many times you buy a cookbook and never cook the recipes. It sits on the shelf. Yet within a week I've already cooked several from this book because they are so easy. I never ate broccoli before, but wow, his broccoli soup has me whirring up my blender and I can make it in 15 minutes or less. The salt baked pineapple was as good as it gets. Now I wasn't about to buy a whole container of mascarpone cheese just to use 2 tablespoons on top of this dish, so I left it out. Still tasted great. I can truly say that Gordon Ramsay has tought me how to cook the most heavenly scrambled eggs, too. And all you need are eggs and seasoning. It's a true revelation. Leave out the chives if you don't have them. And don't forget to try the sea trout with baby leeks (I used scallion), smashed potatoes and a wonderful tomato butter sauce and I didn't even add the cream to it. Wow! Don't be afraid to buy the book, try the recipes, substitute ingredients or even leave some out. What you'll find are some great, very easy to do at home recipes. The CD is a nice bonus, but you can find snippets from it on youtube.

I have always admired Gordon Ramsay's approach to cooking, and I enjoy his television shows as well. My husband surprised me with this book not long ago and I have already cooked a number of recipes from it, with great success! I have been cooking for over 20 years now, and Gordon's lobster spaghetti is hands-down the best dish I have ever cooked. Since trying his method of cooking scrambled eggs (see the Sublime Scrambled Eggs recipe), I will never go back to the old way. The wild mushroom risotto won over my husband, who has never even liked risotto! And my 2 year old son loves the Fruity Yogurt Lollies. This book helps me to turn out restaurant-quality food from my own small kitchen. Do not let Gordon Ramsay's reputation intimidate you - this book is easy to use, well written, and beautifully illustrated. I especially love the chapters on fast food and cooking for kids. Gordon has four children, and the photos of him cooking with his kids are precious. He and his wife were actually voted the best celebrity parents in the United Kingdom! I enjoy cooking for my son and getting him to try new foods, and this book helps me and inspires me to do just that. It's a book that food-loving families can really use. Someone once said that the best dishes are very simple dishes - just take the freshest, highest-quality ingredients you can find and put them together in a simple way that lets their flavors shine through. That is what this book is about and it makes this busy working mom feel like a chef in her own kitchen!

I haven't seen Gordon Ramsay's TV show, and I bought the book based on the description as "simple, accessible recipes that take very little time to make". The book is full of beautiful color photos, and for the right person this might become an often-used cookbook. There are a large number of seafood recipes. The recipes are generally high in saturated fat; many call for heavy cream or crème fraīche. A few of the recipes use ingredients that I am unlikely to prepare (e.g. baby octopus, calf's liver, mullet). After looking through the book, I decided that although it is a beautiful book, it isn't for me.

This is a wonderful intimate little book designed for the home chef. The DVD is rather short, but does have some humor to it. The recipes range from simple to fancy...but all have the common denominator of being quick and simple to prepare using fresh ingredients. All the dishes are very clean tasting and not overly fussy, and there are also fancier recipes for special occasions that do not take hours to prepare.
This chef is similar to Jamie Oliver is some aspects, but his influence is more French rather than Jamie's Italian. Fans of Jamie should also like Gordon's approach to cooking.
The book is arranged in themes such as great fast food, kid's, BBQs, posh, and dinner for two....it is a good reference point for new cooking ideas and ranges from classics to modern,
My absolute favorite recipe in this book is the crispy skin salmon on crushed potatoes, baby leeks with tomato butter - it comes out restaurant class. Also the chocolate fondant is deceptively easy to make, but is very impressive when served up. Another one that comes out beautifully is the bacon wrapped stuffed chicken thigh and also the wild mushroom rissotto.
My only criticism of this book is that the preparation and cooking times are not listed by the recipes, but rather within the recipes themselves. However this is not too much of an annoyance as the prep times and cooking times are generally not excessive.
Gordan is a modern chef, and his food is trendy yet classic, simple yet classy and tastes fantastic. This book has been well worth the purchase price...

Even though Gordon Ramsay is not exactly likeable when he's tormenting people on "Hell's Kitchen," this book is really great! Although I see what some of the other reveiwers are saying about the ingredients, the truth is he really only calls for hard-to-find British ingredients in a handful of recipes, and it's always easy to substitute - i.e. red snapper for mullet. What's great about these recipes is that they look really impressive, but don't require much work - perfect for impressing dinner guests! Try the Hot Chocolate Fondant (little molten chocolate cakes) - it's amazing with vanilla ice cream on the side!

I've been a Ramsay fan for years. His philosophy and insistence on fresh, wholesome, quality ingredients parallel my own insistence on freshness and, wherever possible, organic ingredients. This book, and the accompanying DVD, is simply fabulous for turning out simple, but incredibly delicious cooking with that little extra flair. The recipes are basic, unpretentious and easy. UK ingredients aren't that hard to find (or subtitute) if you really mean business when it comes to your palate.
Unless you think you can cope with another addiction, avoid the chocolate fondant recipe - Ramsay says it's his favorite and one mouthful, and you'll know why. It's decadent and offers interesting textures, especially served with cold whipped cream or ice cream! Be warned!

Don't let the lack of ingredients hinder you from purchasing this great book. There's almost always a substitute or similar items available if you do a little detective work. A simple search of the internet turned up this from [...].

"You can also make a facsimile of crème fraīche by adding a tablespoon of buttermilk (don't tell us they don't have buttermilk where you live!) or a half cup of sour cream to a cup of whipping cream, heating it gently to 110°F (45°C), then putting it in a loosely covered bottle in a warm place and letting it sit for anywhere from 8 hours to a couple of days, until thick. Store it in the refrigerator, where it will thicken further, and keep for about three weeks.

In general, crème fraīche and sour cream can be used interchangeably in most recipes, but crème fraīche has two advantages over sour cream: it can be whipped like whipping cream, and it will not curdle if boiled."

Let me start by saying that I adore Mr. Ramsay. Anyone who excels and has that much passion for his "calling" is to be respected and admired. The cookbook couldnt be easier to follow. The DVD that is included is especially appreciated. I was reluctant to purchase this cookbook because I thought that someone of Mr. Ramsays stature -his recipes would be very difficult. Quite the contrary. 5 starts from me !!!

Ramsay's book features a variety of recipes ranging from simple breakfasts to pretty elaborate dinner fare. For the most part, they are dishes featuring readily available ingredients and not requiring a world of preparation.

The biggest gripe I have is that the included DVD is so short - it features only a handful of dishes from the book, and watching Ramsay cook them not only shows you how it's done, but gives you a nice glance at his personality (something you can also gain a little input on based on the writing in the book, which tries not to be dull where possible).