Customer Reviews

Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times: Featuring 350 recipes from the author of HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING and THE BEST RECIPES IN THE WORLD

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I received Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes for Christmas. I am an avid cook, but find that lately I don't have the time or energy to cook a full meal when I get home from work. Mark's book makes cooking a delicious meal easy and accessible.

Additionally, the recipes use common ingredients--and a limited number of ingredients per recipe. For example, Chicken Curry in a Hurry calls for 4 ingredients: vidalia onions, curry powder, chicken breasts, and sour cream (excluding cooking oil, salt, and pepper: too ubiquitous to be considered ingredients). Egg Drop Soup calls for 5 ingredients: chicken stock/broth, eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallions.

I recommend this book both to novice and experienced cooks that are looking for a go-to cookbook with reliable recipes.

Featuring 350 recipes from Bittman's "New York Times" column, "The Minimalist," and originally published as three cookbooks - "The Minimalist Cooks at Home, "The Minimalist Cooks Dinner," and "The Minimalist Entertains," this well-organized, no-nonsense paperback caters to the home cook with its emphasis on simple, fast, fresh, and delicious.

From Garlic Soup with Shrimp to Pear and Gorgonzola Green Salad with Walnuts, to Herb-Rubbed Salmon, Pot Roast with Cranberries, Fast Potato Gratin, Pasta with Clams and Tomatoes, and Sautéed Bananas, Bittman provides simple directions and numerous variations which inspire the cook to branch out with his or her own ideas.

A simple Asian-style Cucumber Salad becomes dinner with the addition of chicken or scallops and maybe some jicama, apples, bean sprouts or watercress. Braises change character with a change of herb, an addition of butter, or a tweak of technique, like caramelizing the onions rather than simply softening.

Bittman ranges across the world with dishes like Lemongrass-Ginger Soup with Mushrooms, Grilled Chicken Thighs with Sauce au Chien, Lamb with Peppers and Yogurt Sauce, Cauliflower with Garlic and Anchovy, Curried Tofu with Soy Sauce, Pasta Risotto Style.

There's plenty of homey familiar fare too - Creamy Mushroom Soup, Fastest Roast Chicken, Deviled Chicken Thighs, Braised Pork with Turnips, Spaghetti Carbonara, Maple Bread Pudding and more. Time estimates are accurate for the organized cook and although not all dishes can be on the table in 30 minutes or less, few require more than 20 to 30 minutes actual prep time.

This is a book for every kitchen, every day.

This book appears to be contain the recipes from two previous NYT recipe compilations by Mark Bittman, "The Minimalist Cooks Dinner" and "The Minimalist Cooks At Home", possibly along with some new material (the cover copy also says it contains "The Minimalist Entertains", which I never got). I no longer have my copies of those Bittman books, so it is hard to certain. Since those collections were $25 hard backs and this is a $19 trade paperback, the savings are obvious, and any Bittman fan who doesn't have the "Minimalist" books will want to pick this up posthaste. The one draw back is that the design for this collection isn't as plush - no food photography, and no shiny pages. I also can't say how much overlap exists between the NYT "Minimalist" columns and "How To Cook Everything", since I don't have the Big Book (I was doing fine with the two "Minimalist" collections I had before they were lost in a move). Readers with a limited budget or minimal shelf space may need to compare this book with HTCE (and possibly "The Greatest Recipes In The World") to see if they really need or want this book.

But boy, I sure did like my two "Minimalist Cooks" collections, so I am delighted to have this compilation. Bittman makes even formidable sounding dishes sound approachable and his calm, spare, economical style makes me want to break out the pots and knives and have at the recipes without delay.

Some people might bridle at this as another "repackaging" of the Bittman brand name, but this particular collection just makes me happy.

This book was typeset with all the ingredients and recipe notes in a very light tan ink color. In the Kindle version this translates to a very, very light gray. Do not buy the Kindle version of this book without trying the sample first to see if you can live with that. My husband and I decided we could not.

I find this book to be one of best cookbooks I've owned. The recipes are really quick & easy (and tasty). Its perfect for anyone who works and then wants to come home and have a real dinner. But doesn't want to wait until 9pm to eat. Haven't found a recipe I didn't like yet.

A friend of mine from New England introduced me to Mark Bittman's recipes, so I thought I'd try this book. While I love great meals, I'm usually harried at meal times and don't want to invest a great deal of time in the prep or cooking. As such, Bittman's Quick & Easy recipe book was made just for me! I've now prepared about a dozen recipes, and most of them are great - some need a bit of tweaking, but that's fun for me, too. The recipes are very easy to follow and generally include ingredients that we have on hand - so it makes last minute decision-making very easy. As well, many of the recipes have an asian-twist, which especially appeals to us, and most are very healthy. In the margins, Bittman has included easy to follow 'adaptations' that change the flavor of the recipe, making it even more versatile. For fans of Jean-Georges, you'll be delighted to find that Bittman collaborates with Jean-Georges and we get to enjoy the combined creativity. I highly recommend this recipe book - of the many on my shelf, this has quickly become my 'go-to' book for ideas that make everyday meal special. Thank you, Mark, for re-inspiring this home cook who was in a slump.

I am an experienced cook and I have to say that the recipes I found in this book are not only easy enough for people of ordinary cooking skills to make, but deliver delicious, flavorful results that would please the most discerning palate. This makes the book a terrific go-to for every cook who wants to turn out an impressive meal quickly, no matter their skill level. Even novice cooks can turn out gourmet-level dishes by following the well-written instructions. I find more and more, that between this book and Mark Bittman's "How To Cook Everything," I hardly need to turn to my other cookbooks (of which I have many)at all. I can not recommend this book (or "How To Cook Everything") highly enough. If you are looking for an excellent go-to cookbook for yourself, or a gift for a friend who likes to cook, you can not miss with this one.

I bought this book some time ago and admit that I did not use it for a while. The recipes are somewhat unusual in their combinations of spices and other ingredients, and I worried that the dishes might not turn out well. Not being a New Yorker, I also worried that someone from the Northeast might not use spices as liberally as I like to here in Texas.

I was very wrong. Desperate for a fast, easy entree, I made Bittman's "herb-rubbed salmon" one night, using one of his variations. It was awesome. On the very next page, I saw his "roast salmon steaks with pinot noir syrup," and made that several weeks later. It was also amazing. Last night, I made chicken thighs with Mexican flavors, although I don't know why Bittman calls this dish "Mexican" unless he means interior Mexican cuisine. This was the best and easiest grilled chicken recipe I've ever used. My husband loved this and he thought he didn't like dark meat.

Not every recipe is for everyone. But you will find some that may become your standards. Not every recipe is quick and easy. Bittman has a recipe for a 40-minute cassoulet that he jokingly calls "heresy," but it is one I'm going to try. After reading the recipe, I think it might take me a bit long longer to prepare. I've always wanted to make a "real" cassoulet but didn't have the days required.

What I really enjoy is Bittman's unusual combination of flavors, spices and other ingredients. For example, his "herbed-rubbed salmon" has variations of either fennel, rosemary and orange zest; or coriander, cloves, cumin and nutmeg; or ground pumpkin seeds and dried porcini. I would NEVER have thought of using those combinations but they are wonderful. His recipe for grilled chicken thighs combines garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, cayenne, cloves, orange and lime juices for a powerful concoction that makes chicken thighs taste like heaven.

I noted several reviewers criticizing this book for (a) its Kindle format not being readable and (b) not having any pictures. I can see why a Kindle format problem would garner a low star rating, but not having any pictures? The Joy of Cooking has almost no photos and uses only illustrations at times. A great cookbook is about the originality of the ingredients, dependability of the recipes and usefulness to the cook.

Bittman's recipes are not for everyone. I can see a bunch of little kids and their casserole-loving parents turning up their noses to most of the recipes in this book. But if you are a grown-up, a really good cook yourself, and you want a book that gives you original ideas for easy dishes with ingredients most good cooks would have on hand, give this book four to five stars.

A great book! Recipes are easy to follow. It's a green book; younger people feel it's cooking as they would like, and experienced cooks learn new, exciting ways to make their meals different and more appealing.

This is a good add on to my favorite cookbook How to Cook Everyting. It is a good adjunct to have on hand.
Have not used it that much, but the recipes look ez and tasty to master for everyday cooking. Glad to have it as a resource. Mark encourages cooks to be who they are in their own creativity and own kitchen style.