Adventures in the Kitchen: 175 New Recipes from Spago, Chinois on Main, Postrio and Eureka (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The indefatigable Puck has just opened his fifth restaurant; here is a delightful sampling of the dishes that have made his earlier ventures so popular. Puck uses both his classic French training and his unflagging interest in Oriental and other ethnic cuisines to create intriguing, unfussy, flavorful food: Gazpacho with Crabmeat, Roast Lamb with Black Bean Ragout, Duck Ravioli with Red Pepper Sauce. There are some "fancy" dishes here, a few requiring advance preparations or expensive ingredients, but most are perfectly suited to home cooks; the attractive assortment of simple but imaginative sauces and condiments, for example, would add zest to many meals, and the majority of the desserts are more homey than anything else. Enthusiastic, engaging, and highly recommended.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Wolfgang Puck is a legendary chef. His endlessly imaginative cuisine delights countless diners at his world-renowned California restaurants: Spago, Chinois on Main, Postrio, Eureka, and his latest, Granita. Now, Adventures in the Kitchen offers over 175 great new recipes that enable food lovers to recreate Puck's wonderful dishes at home.

Whether preparing food for two or for twenty, cooks will discover here refreshingly innovative dishes combining cuisines and techniques from the Orient, Italy, and France from which Puck has brilliantly created a tempting new American cuisine. Each recipe expresses Puck's passion for fresh ingredients, simple and elegant presentation, and, most of all, his joyful and exciting approach to food. The emphasis is on lighter, more healthful dishes featuring fish, poultry, and vegetables, often grilled or roasted.

Begin your adventure with one of Puck's appetizers, such as Sauteed Crabcakes with Sweet Red Pepper Sauce or Sizzling Calamari Salad with Potato Strings. Try some of the pizzas and pastas that Puck has made famous, such as Spicy Scallop Pizza, Spicy Chicken Pizza, or Duck Ravioli with Red Pepper Sauce. Exquisite main dishes include Seared Tuna Steak au Poivre, Grilled Swordfish with Tomatillo Vinaigrette, and Chinois Roasted Squab on Pan-fried Noodles with Spicy Mushroom Sauce. To accompany these delights, try one of Puck's vegetable dishes, perhaps Sauteed Baby Vegetables or Black Bean Ragout. And for a dazzling finale, whip up one of over two dozen mouth-watering desserts, including Pumpkin Pie with Cranberry Marmalade, Cinnamon Ice Cream, or Whiskey Fudge Cake. If you still have room for breakfast the next morning, Puck's incomparable Granola and his Poached Egg on Sausage Patty with Spicy Salsa make delicious starters. And to make any dish sparkle, try a recipe from the Dressings, Sauces, and Condiments chapter, such as Spicy CinnamonChili Paste or Spago House Salad Dressing.

Adventures in the Kitchen features inspiring color photographs of many of the dishes included here and is illustrated throughout with instructive line drawings.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 1 edition (October 29, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394558952
• ISBN-13: 978-0394558950
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #849,833 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best cookbooks ever for entertaining, January 7, 2000

By	Anita Burroughs "Personal Chef" (Glen, NH USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you're looking for a collection of recipes to wow your guests, this is the one. I use this book whenever we have dinner parties, and people are always blown away by Puck's menus. Definitely not a great source of recipes for those watching their weight, but a wonderful treat for occasional super rich meals. I've been using this book now for many years, and I believe this is one of the most under-rated cookbooks of all time.

I first reviewed this book in 2000; it's now seven years later, and I appreciate this book even more than I did then. I have a collection of hundreds of cookbooks, and not a single one has more "WOW" recipes than this one. My favorite recipe in the book is the Roasted Salmon on Celery Root Puree. Other favorites are the Chino Chopped Salad, the Barbecued Shrimp "BLT" Sandwich, Corn Chowder with Jalapeno Cream, Roasted Lamb Balls On Mashed Potato, Meat Loaf, Salmon Hash with Guacamole, Seafood Risotto with Ginger, Strawberry Shortcake, Butterscotch Pudding, and Plum-Almond Tart.

Although this is not a beginner's cookbook, these recipes are not exceedingly tough, and most can be made in a reasonable amount of time. Frankly, I am baffled that this book has not been recognized for the jewel that it is.

6 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fusion recipes!, October 16, 1998

By A Customer

This cookbook has a great diversity of interesting dishes. There are some recipes that are fabulous for entertaining that will really impress guests.