Portobello Cookbook [Hardcover]

Jack Czarnecki (Author), Alexandra Maldonado (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 1997

Portobello mushrooms are the most flavorful--and popular--of the cultivated "exotic" mushrooms that are now found in supermarkets and specialty shops throughout the United States and Canada. From the simple grilled portobello--many diners' first experience with this mushroom--to portobello lasagna and portobello potpie, these aromatic mushrooms are deliciously satisfying and are low in fat and calories. The portobello's popularity is increasing steadily; according to the U.S. Mushroom Council, portobello sales in the United States have doubled in the last three years, up to 30 million pounds.

Jack Czarnecki, America's foremost authority on cooking mushrooms, has written the first book focusing exclusively on the versatile portobello. The Portobello Cookbook provides some forty recipes for basic preparations, main courses, side dishes, and snacks, and it will help cooks explore new culinary ideas. Using flavors and cooking methods from around the world, Czarnecki presents recipes for such treats as Portobello Tempura with Beer Batter, Portobello and Lemongrass Soup, Portobello-Vegetable Stir Fry, Provence-style Portobello Ragout, Shaved Portobello Salad with Balsamic Vinegar, and many more. Most of the recipes are simple and quick to make--using a minimal number of ingredients--and they deliver great flavor. This volume is beautifully designed and illustrated by Alexandra Maldonado.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Jack Czarnecki, America's foremost authority on cooking mushrooms, has written the first book focusing exclusively on the versatile portobello mushroom. The portobello, also known as the "portabella," "portabello," and "portobella," is deliciously satisfying and low in fat and calories. Portobellos also provide a depth of flavor that is difficult to achieve with vegetables alone, making them invaluable to vegetarians and others who want to reduce their consumption of meat.

The Portobello Cookbook provides some forty recipes for tasty soups and salads, satisfying main courses, tempting side dishes, and irresistible snacks. Most of the recipes are simple and quick to make. Using flavors and cooking methods from around the world, Czarnecki presents such treats as Shaved Portobello and Lemongrass Soup, Portobello-Vegetable Stir Fry, and many more delicious recipes. The book is beautifully designed and illustrated by Alexandra Maldonado.

About the Author

Jack Czarnecki's previous book, A Cook's Book of Mushrooms (Artisan, 1995), received a 1996 James Beard Cookbook Award. He was the proprietor of Joe's Restaurant in his native Reading, Pennsylvania. He lives with his wife and three children in Dundee, Oregon.

Alexandra Maldonado is a graphic designer and illustrator, originally from Ecuador, who lives in New York. Portobello Cookbook is her first book.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 84 pages
• Publisher: Artisan; First Edition edition (January 5, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885183755
• ISBN-13: 978-1885183750
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,154,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have for mushroom lovers., December 8, 1997

By 

Brenda Mitchell ([e-mail]) (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Portobello Cookbook (Hardcover)

Recipes are easy to follow, diverse, interesting and delicious. The explanations of the various stages of mushroom development and effect on flavor are very informative and worth more than one reading. I have purchased several copies of this book as holiday gifts for my friends who are fond of the portobello. When does next 40 come out???

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very few recipes ...., October 13, 2009

By 

P. Payne "Loves Perfume" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Portobello Cookbook (Hardcover)

There is good information about mushrooms but not a lot of really ... useful recipes.

For instance, I wanted to find some recipes on "stuffed" mushrooms but there were very few. I would not repurchase this book or recommend to a friend.