Lettuce in Your Kitchen: Flavorful And Unexpected Main-Dish Salads And Dressings (Paperback)

~ Christopher Schlesinger (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you have a thing for lettuce, a craving for greens, a garden begging to be eaten, or just a plain and simple passion for salads, Lettuce in Your Kitchen is the book for you. Coauthors Chris Schlesinger and John "Doc" Willoughby have written what might be the definitive volume on salads. Everything from the history of greens--they appear in Egyptian tomb drawings that are at least 4,500 years old--to a myriad of recipes is included. And these aren't iceberg-lettuce salads smothered in Thousand Island dressing, either. The authors believe in the full-meal deal in which salads can be appetizer, entree, or even dessert.

How about a Watercress and Grilled Chicken Salad with Mangoes and Grapes livened up with a curry-lime vinaigrette? Chris and Doc are masters of juxtaposition and tend to be more adventurous than classicists like Alice Waters. Try the Bitter Greens with Fiery Seared Squid, or Escarole with Papayas and Fried Plantains for a culinary experience not soon to be forgotten. Their approach isn't always as dramatic. There is an excellent chapter on simple salads, and gardeners looking for new ideas in late summer will appreciate the chapter on tomatoes. The most refreshing declaration the authors make is that there are no hard and fast rules in making salads. They openly encourage experimentation and substitution from the outset, and 100 different dressing recipes provide an exponential level of combinations. The ingredients guide references greens and other major ingredients, and shows what can be substituted in those desperate moments when arugula just can't be found. This is the third book from Chris and Doc. Their earlier works, Big Flavors of the Hot Sun and The Thrill of the Grill were both critically and popularly acclaimed, and Lettuce in Your Kitchen continues their tradition of bold, innovative cookbooks. --Mark O. Howerton

From Publishers Weekly

Schlesinger and Willoughby (The Thrill of the Grill) dazzle with this array of salads and dressings varied in texture, color and flavor. There are simple salads with few ingredients (Cary's Leaf Lettuce Salad with Orange, Fennel and Red Onion, tossed with a briny green olive dressing) and fancy salads featuring special-occasion ingredients such as lobster, shiitakes or foie gras. Unexpected combinations occur in Oak Leaf Lettuce with Grilled Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus, served with cashews and an orange-dill-sour cream dressing, or Mixed Cabbage Salad with Poached Shrimp and Hearts of Palm and a dressing made with avocado, cilantro, cumin seeds and lime. Beginning chapters include a glossary of 25 greens, another glossary for general-use ingredients and a guide to choosing, cleaning and substituting greens. Chapters range from Salads for the Perfect Tomato through Main Course Salads to Salads for a Crowd. Substitute greens are suggested for each recipe, as are additional uses for the dressing. Although it wouldn't work for a title, the authors spin a thrill into salads too, transforming a usually familiar course into an inventive, unexpected eating experience.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks (April 22, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068816062X
• ISBN-13: 978-0688160623
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #848,994 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic recipes!Just reading the book made my mouth water., July 22, 1999

By A Customer

After borrowing this book from the library...I can't wait to go home to try out the recipes...wasn't disappointed. Now I plan to order 3 copies of this book. One to keep, one for my sister and another for my brother.. all of whom are watching our diets.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than great recipes, learn how to create your own., August 9, 1999

By A Customer

Found this book at the library, and have to own it! Includes useful charts so you can substitute available greens for those called for in the recipe. Eat your greens, they are good for you, and with this book you can make them delicious!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Only Salad Cookbook Worth Owning, May 31, 2003

By A Customer

I bought this book in hopes of having a real tool for eating better. So many cookbooks have a few ho-hum salad recipes here and there, and some of the other salad cookbooks I've seen have recipes that are just too elaborate for everyday cooking. This book has a broad range of interesting and tasty salads that are easy to make. You will never get bored, and your friends and guests won't either. The dressing part of each recipe makes a large amount so that you can have extra to use later (I always make half of the dressing recipe, toss the salad with just a few tablespoons, and still have a lot left over). So if you can only muster the energy to throw some lettuce in a bowl some night, you will have great leftover dressing to toss it with. Since I've been using this book, I have stopped buying bottled dressing and have even started growing my own salad greens.