Customer Reviews

Sara Moulton's Everyday Family Dinners

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It depends on where you are coming from...., April 22, 2010


This review is from: Sara Moulton's Everyday Family Dinners (Hardcover)
I love Sara Moulton! I own all her books. And still watch reruns on weeknight meals on NY25. BUT, I also think Ruth Reichl's Gourmet Cookbook is excellent. I too, love Jacques Pepin. So, having been raised from THAT group of cooking instructors, Sara's recipes are natural, a delight, and evidence of an active exploratory mind in the kitchen. Who can't think of Pepin's omelette with Perigod Truffles and Caviar Canapes?- and this is what he calls his "FAST FOOD my way."

Now, if you are coming from Rachel Ray, Guy Fieri, and Giada....and are taught to throw meals together in 30 minutes with your bare fists, you are in for a rude awakening: you will get the Smackdown. Witness Chicken Saltimbocca with Artichoke Sauce (artichoke hearts (from can) with Proscuitto di Parma , fresh sage leaves, and homemade chicken stock). Although simpler substitutes are given, Sara admits that she feels restricted when asked to cook with five ingredients. She's been trying to water it down for a few books already. My guess is, you can't change a personality. If you sincerely have a complex palette, so be it!

I will say this though: Cooking, to me, is like haute couture. You look at the difficult dishes, and even when you simplify, you still end up at a higher plateau of flavors than making a simple dish well. That's not to say Sara's recipes are all that difficult. But you do need a fully stocked pantry. You may have trouble if the only place you can shop in town is the Walmart or Target. You need to review the recipe and make sure you have all the ingredients before hand. From there, you'll get gently Westernized versions of Kimchi flavored dishes, Mexican fare with manchego cheese, Jewish based Reubens pizza, Italian parmeggiano reggiano topped Eggplant cannelloni, Spanish-flavored fast foods, and salads that suit the North American palette. Sara's recipes are a good gateway to geting your toes wet in international fare and appearing like a well-heeled socialite. Real kimchi, or nagamaki beef with mirin wine rice wine may be a little strong, but with unseasoned rice vinegar and generic sake, altered to suit the palette averaged from her husband, kids, and herself, you can be sure it's rooted in flavors you are familiar with. And to be fare, there are also many simple dishes like sandwiches, pot pie soup, and BLT with egg (with a signature Sara twist). After all, it is called Everyday Family Dinners.

I removed one star not because of Moulton but because of the publishers. I am a book designer and I notice some (not many) pages in this book making the same fatal mistake Reichl's otherwise excellent 2004 / 2006 Gourmet Cookbook made - resulting in a near riot from readers- Light yellow lettering on beige or white backgrounds. C'mon! Who in the world thought this was a proper layout color scheme? Also, in this day and age of Food Network, publishers who feature chefs without accompanying tv shows (*sob* Sara!) should entice readers with more color pictures. (There are some nice pics in this book, but more would help) If budget is an issue, then go for the four photos per page of different dishes. You're up against a visual culture, any additional images can only help.

I also appreciate Sara always giving props to the originators of many recipes. Classy stuff like this will always endear us - Moulton loyalists - to her.

Bon Appetit!

Moulton's first book, a delightful family scrapbook hidden in a cookbook, met with some hand-wringing from fans who bemoaned the fact that there wasn't enough time to put together a meal (a nice way, I suppose of saying one of "her" proposed meals). Always attentive to her fans however, she then came out with the streamlined "Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals" and accompanying TV series. After that, Food Network, for reasons only known to insiders, did not renew the contract of one of the few who brought them to where they are today. Then Gourmet magazine shut its doors.

Sara makes a good case in the intro to her new book: with tons of recipes and advice on the internet, how does one decide which ones to follow? I myself have gone down that path many a new dishes. What you get in this book is years of hands-on experience, professional expertise, and an American angle -on Moulton's fascination with American and ethnic foods (don't worry, an appendix for finding more obscure ingredients online - even though substitutes are given- are provided). True to the title of the book, the dishes were tested out on her husband and kids. ("The Meathead Husband" has been promoted to "The Husband" since the last book) You'd be surprised how many cookbooks and recipes out there appear good on paper, but have never been tested in a kitchen. No so here: Sara has worked as executive chef and in the test kitchen of this country's most prestigious culinary magazine for 23 years, so is it any surprise that you can take Sara out of Gourmet, but you can't take the gourmet out of Sara?

The book also features an innovative "leftovers" chapter (two-for-one), giving recipes that can act as a lead-in to the next night's dish (which is provided as a next recipe). Side dishes with star quality, the usual categories of soups, spectacular salads, sandwiches, vegetarian dishes, carnivorous delights, brisk dessert recipes, and the chicken stock, pizza dough, nachos and basic sauces devoted Moulton fans are already familiar with. And yes, there is a 5-ingredient Main dish chapter as well, which Sara admits made her feel as if she were in a straitjacket.

I'll be honest, there are a few classic mid-recipe occurrences here and there of "use xx sauce, see pg. 35 for prep time and instructions" that is feared among novice cooks. And for folks out in the midwest, some of the ingredients may sound unfamiliar. If you don't live in a big city -(Moulton lives in NYC) - fresh Wasabi root, Papadam bread, Korean Kimchi, Sriracha chili sauce, Italian Giardiniera - may sound intimidating, but fear not. In Sara's kitchen, we are encouraged to substitute, experiment, and try new variations. This is one of the things that make Moulton's instructions so unique: we are told it is okay to let your imagination take over and create new dishes by remembering the ones we have fallen in love with. Moulton makes no secret about the fact that she dreams up Spanish-style burgers, or Americanized the British Ploughman sandwich, turn a Nicoise salad into a sandwich and invert a 'Nawlins Muffeleta sandwich into a salad. Kimchi, Falafels, Isreali Coucous are all Moultonized into a new fusion of dishes.

There are also helpful FYI boxes on storing spices, cooking beans, how to choose clams, balsamic vinegar, potatoes, eggplant, cooking shrimp and catfish the right way, thickening a sauce, and shaping a burger patty. There are things people argue endlessly about on the internet. But here, you're getting it straight from the source.

As always, Sara advises against the mis-en-place technique of getting everything placed, chopped, and ready before you start cooking. She has always reasoned that you can multitask and prep while something else is cooking. So the ingredients are listed without instructions on how they should be cut. Those instructions are then described in the recipe steps. This serves an additional task of forcing the cook to become acquainted with the recipe before he or she starts out cooking.

You can teach people how to make a dish, or you can teach people how to think dynamically, and "see" the potential of a new dish within a dish they are making. I've always believed Sara's ability stay loose and improvisatory on the ingredients, while still being strict on carrying out the process in the right way, puts her many cuts above the current batch of perky tv personalities.

Now with her new book, a new generation of foodies- raised on attention-deficit shows with shaky camera work, and cooks who battle more than they cook - will rediscover the importance of finding one's palette, taking the time to do things right, and carrying on the tradition of culinary craft.

We miss you Sara!!!!

To my way of thinking Sara Moulton has always been one of those "food" personalities who prepares food I actually "need" to make. She gives me hints, tips, ideas, and alternative thinking which shows me that I'm not totally bored with cooking quite yet. Maybe teetering on the edge, but Sara can pull me back. Several factors are involved here. #1. There are just two of us now for me to cook for. We don't want the heavy meals I've been cooking for 46 years. #2. I do exactly what Sara mentioned, I prepare the same dishes over and over until I'm tired to death of them. #3. I hear about all these interesting sounding ingredients but don't know what they are or how to use them. Once again, Sara to the rescue.

Now, a little information concerning how the book is designed. First we get to sit down with Sara and have a chat (at least that's what it feels like) about her philosophy behind this book and what specifically she means when she lists certain ingredients in her recipes: salt is Kosher, butter is unsalted, avocados are Haas, canned tomatos should be fire roasted if possible, etc. Then we get into the recipes. There are 200 listed recipes in the book, 65 of those are vegetarian. (Seventy-eight recipes show the vegetarian icon, but 13 of those are desserts.) There are chapters which focus on soup as the main course of your meal, the fact that it's okay to have a sandwich for supper, combine two or more different appetizers as a main meal, a spirited defense of the egg as a main ingredient, five ingredient main meals, how to cook one time for two meals, a total of 16 chapters of recipes. And those recipes are written by a real person who talks you all the way through them. Don't have a specific item to complete this ingredient list? Well, how about substituting something you do have. And there are large space sidebar comments touching on specific questions, techniques or ingredients in many of the recipes. Not every recipe has a picture. If that bothers you, you need to know that now. There is a particular icon presented to indicate each recipe that is vegetarian. I was a little surprised to see that the icon is not shown when the recipe is listed in the Index. Seems like that would have been quite easy to do. And I hate to mention this, but there are mistakes which spell-check wasn't designed to fix. One is in the title of a sidebar - oops!

It's time to talk about the recipes I've already tried.
1. Pork Sliders, Asian Style - absolutely wonderful, adding crunchy cabbage and red bell pepper to the raw meat added a dimension to the mouth feel of this burger that was outstanding. Hubby and I both absolutely loved the Asian flavor added by the combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, basil, scallions, ginger and garlic. I didn't have any cilantro to make the Cilantro Mayonnaise but that's now on my brain for later when I have some cilantro left over from another recipe. This recipe is considered an appetizer but it served us very well as a meal.

2. Peanut Sesame Sauce - delicious, I made up reasons to keep "testing". Very easy to make in the food processor and it is used with two recipes in the book. Credit is given to Rosa Ross for this version of the sauce. I will make this ahead and use it in other cooking as suggested.

3. Warm Sesame Noodles with Mushrooms and Peas - I can't even begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to having this dish again tonight as a left-over. Both Hubby and I loved it. We are already coming up with changes to add. Tonight I'll pop in some shrimp, another time put in water chestnuts. As long as you stay with the Peanut Sesame Sauce this will always be wonderful.

What I want to try next: "Fried" Catfish BLT's, Warm Steak House Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing (my daughter and her family have had this and even the 8 year old loved it!), Polenta Lasagna, Chicken Kiev Revisited. The list could just go on and on and on.

I must say, this cookbook is probably not for the novice cook. No matter how intriguing the recipes sound, there is some degree of proficiency required for these to turn out well. I am rather slow in my prep for a recipe so my times from start to service did not match up with those given in the book. That's okay, I've always been slower than usual and I know that already. It didn't bother me. Also, these recipes call for utilizing quite a few pots, pans, utensils and appliances - not every time, but rather often. Clean-up takes time. Those of us who have gotten accustomed to slinging everything together in one pot may have to do some adjusting to our attitude. I'm on board for that, but maybe not EVERY day of the week. I don't want to treat these recipes as if they are for special occasions only, but for me, probably twice a week will be enough to satisfy my longing for something new and different. When I consider that making the Warm Noodle dish with the Peanut Sauce from scratch took an hour to prepare and probably another 20-25 minutes for complete clean up it just means that I need to be aware of that. It's part of the trade off - a really interesting and delicious meal for some extra time in the kitchen. I really had gotten lazy!

EDIT***May 13, 2010*** I made the Hot Ploughman's Sandwiches today and they are absolutely fantastic! And what I'm really excited about is the recipe for the Pickled Red Onion which is used as a condiment on this sandwich. I have discovered a new staple condiment that my husband and I absolutely love!

When I read a new cookbook, I use little Post-It flags to mark the recipes that I want to make. After a single pass through this cookbook, the edge of the book is fluttering with a dozen dishes I intend to make.

That's because Sara Moulton understands her target audience: Me. I like to cook, but I have other things to do, too. I don't feel compelled to rush dinner to the table in an arbitrary time like half an hour, but I can rarely spend all afternoon puttering over a meal, either.

Moulton's recipes are usually ready in under an hour but, thankfully, that isn't all hands-on time. One of the many things I like about this book (and her earlier Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals) is that she clearly identifies the total prep time including simmering or baking (say, 60 minutes) and hands-on time (25 minutes), after which you can get back to watching the baseball game. (Go Diamondbacks!) The recipes list ingredients the way you'd put them on a shopping list rather than including some time-consuming prep time (1 onion, rather than 1 onion, chopped) which is a minor but helpful thing; how often have you gotten to a step in a recipe only to realize you were supposed to have DONE something with the item you need to chuck into the pot? She tells you what must be done ahead and what to do while something else is simmering, such as "While the lamb is cooking, coarsely chop the onion...." This reassures me that I have time to chop that onion rather than have my co-cook husband shout, "C'mon, isn't the onion ready yet? This is burning!" It's all very reassuring.

Moulton does try a few different ways to present recipes. One chapter has "five ingredient main courses" (fun, but I don't see a need to count) and another chapter has "two for one" in which you intentionally make one dish to have leftovers, which you use in another meal the next day. You make Peruvian baked chicken thighs tonight, and have the chicken in nachos tomorrow. I love this idea, and would like to see more, but the specific recipes were all in the "perfectly nice... but eh, I'll look at something else" category for me. You might see it differently.

First up on my shopping list was her "Speedy moussaka," and it earned an enthusiastic YUM from my own target audience: husband and me. Instead of a cream sauce, her recipe combines feta, ricotta, parsley and a bit of plain yogurt, and I liked it far better than the usual cream sauce. But her shortcuts don't mean "leave out the tasty stuff" as the dish includes ground meat (lamb, beef, or turkey), red wine, tomato paste, cinnamon, oregano -- all the usual suspects. (My only quibble is that I should have gotten a large eggplant rather than the medium-sized one she called for. That's an easy adjustment though.)

Not everything is so elaborate. I also threw together her "Mexican salmon salad sandwiches" and, well, YUM. It's simple enough: canned salmon, mayo, a little lemon, an avocado, and 1/2 cup tomatillo salsa, stuffed into pita with a little lettuce. Ten minutes from "What's for lunch?" to sitting down at the table.

More Post-Its adorn "Chilled guacamole soup with smoked salmon and chopped egg," "Chicken breasts in creamy poblano sauce," "Penne alla Vodka," and "Deviled bones." I can't wait to try these.

I think my opinion is obvious by now: This is an excellent cookbook for, well, everyday family dinners. I recommend it heartily.

I've tried two recipes from the book (the Asian Chicken Salad and the Green Beans with Shiitake Mushrooms) and they were a smash hit in my household. The salad in particular is very healthy and so tasty that my children literally lick the plate clean. This book will definitely be much used in my home. Love it!

I took this out of the library and everything I made has been delicious, easy and a hit with my picky kids, so I'm going to have to buy this book. The recipes I made were Thai-Style Beef Stir-fry with Chilies (I cut down on the chilies for the kids); Cod on Chickpea Puree with Egg Lemon Sauce; and Quick Tomato Sauce. I prefer her thoughtful style to Rachel (Yummo) Ray.

While TV chef Moulton offers up lots of inspiring ideas, the two chapters that will get the most use in busy households are Five Ingredient Mains and Two for One. The first includes winners like Roasted Salmon with Hot Mustard Cracker Topping (20 minutes) and Sautéed Duck Breasts with Apricot-Szechuan Peppercorn Sauce (25 minutes) and the second turns Grilled Lamb Chops with Steak Butter into Herbed Lamb and Feta Burgers for another night.

Moulton clearly enjoys cooking and many of the recipes - well, most - require the use of more than one dish, more than one cooking technique and several steps. Cheesy Corn Soufflé obviously requires separated eggs and beaten egg whites but you could use store bought salsa and canned poblanos (25 minutes hands-on, 45 to table). Another vegetarian dish is Baked Cauliflower, Potato and Pea Samosas (45/55), baking, chopping, tossing and assembly required.

But for busy people who like to relax with a bit of cooking, this is just the ticket. A chapter of dinner salads includes Asian Chicken Salad with Carrot Ginger Sauce, and Seared Scallops and Butter Lettuce with Grapefruit Vinaigrette. Other chapters feature dinner sandwiches, hearty grain meals and appetizers for dinner as well as more typical entrée fare like Chicken Cassoulet, Sautéed Pork Chops with Braised Sauerkraut and Steamed Mussels with Hot Sausage.

Moulton rounds things out with Sunday-Night Comfort Meals and a dessert chapter. Every recipe includes prep and cooking times along with tips and there are lots of luscious photos.

I've been a Sara Moulton fan since her early days on TV and her daring on "Cooking Live." Her books, in the past, have been a little boring but this is quite lively! Easy recipies with relatively available products, lots of pictures and a little humor on the side. Bravo, Sara!

Okay, I've read and used the book and I am impressed. Whether you are an elitist (Alexander Hamilton fans which I am) or a populist egalitarian (Thomas Jefferson) , you will really enjoy Sara Moulton's latest opus. What persuaded me are the number of recipes that are so much fun to prepare and some of the basic pieces that she combines with a slight variation on her opus. I am particularly fond of broccoli rabe or rapini and use it like eggplant in anything and everything I cook. So when Sara offered a pesto with almonds and rabe, I was intrigued. It is the hit of the household that loves Lydia's Orechiette con cimi di rapa.

Some other reviewers have mentioned the 2 for 1 chapter beginning on page 289. For this alone, I believe the book is worth the value. Yet there are so many great options with a global twist. Not a big fan of Rachel Ray or kimchi, but I admit that it might be delicious as suggested.

Good chefs and authors like Sara Moulton will flourish no matter the ignorance of the bozos at the Food Network or the changes tastes that sent Gourmet to the guillotine. Plus ca change, plus la meme chose. We will yet see the revival of elite orders in the future as this generation and next develop and rediscover all of Julia and Jacques and Sara's innovations.

May you sell a million copies, Sara.

I purchased the Kindle version of this cookbook after reading about the poor choice of print color and layout of the print book.

It seemed there was a clickable Table of Contents in the sample book sent to Kindle users. I never could find the Table of Contents in the full book which I paid for. This would make using this book as a cookbook pretty well impossible as most cooks are harried these days. We have jobs to keep, children to care for, and a life outside of the kitchen.

If I am mistaken about the missing TOC, please forgive me, but I couldn't find it.

As to the cookbook: What little I read, the recipes looked tasty and quick to prepare.

As always, Moulton is a gracious writer who gives recipe credit and histories. She is also a fine teacher and is greatly missed at the Food Network. How I miss her cooking shows where she taught cooking. I'm sure Julia Child would have been proud to see one of her students carrying on the great tradition of teaching cooking at home.

Dare I dirgress: Buy this cookbook, or any other written by Moulton, as her recipes and teaching is sound. It's a pity that her publisher didn't do her credit.