Parsnips are sweet, starchy and kind of look like albino carrots gone wild.
They’ve been treasured for eons, too. Did you know that the English made parsnip wine in the nineteenth century? That the Irish liked to brew parsnip beer? And that even now, Italian farmers who raise pigs for melt-in-your-mouth Parma prosciutto often feed their animals parsnips to add natural sweetness to their meat?
Although I’ve traveled through parts of Europe, I’ve yet to make it to Greece.
(Cue melancholy violin music now.)
Yes, the white-washed buildings and mesmerizing blue sea there have yet to be explored.
Until I finally do journey there, I have to content myself with getting my fill of Greek food at Bay Area restaurants. Or by making it, myself.
Thankfully, Diane Kochilas’ new cookbook, “The Country Cooking of Greece” (Chronicle Books), makes that part easy. The cookbook, of which I received a review copy, is the latest by Kochilas, who has written 18 other books specializing in Greek cuisine.
The 200 recipes spotlight Greek country cooking, full of nutritious greens, whole grains and the bounty of the Mediterranean Sea.
“Northern Greek Braised Pork and Leeks” is a classic dish made all over northern Greece that’s a favorite Sunday repast.
Who doesn’t need an extra pair of hands when cooking the holiday feast?
If you have a rice cooker in your kitchen, you are good to go then.
Because it’s almost like having an extra helping hand.
Especially when it comes to making risotto.
Imagine being able to make this creamy rice dish without having to stir it constantly. The rice cooker will free you up from that.
“Risotto Milanese” is from the 10th anniversary edition of “The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook” (Harvard Common Press) that was written by my two good friends, Julie Kaufmann (my former editor at the San Jose Mercury News), and Beth Hensperger, a James Beard award-winning and most prolific cookbook author.
The book boasts 250 recipes, many of which you’d never guess could be made in a rice cooker, including tamales, puddings and porridges.
When guests sit down to the holiday spread, they may squeal with delight over the sight of crisp potato cakes, warm homemade rolls and creamy, cheesy cauliflower gratin.
But secretly, they’re glad you put out some green beans, too.
Because for all the over-the-top indulgences we can’t get enough of at this time of year, we also crave just a little respite with something fresh, crisp and green.
“Green Beans in Brown Butter and Ginger Fish Sauce” fits that bill.
The recipe comes from the Wall Street Journal and it was created by Chef Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, KY. You may remember him as a competitor in last season’s “Top Chef” competition.
Chef Chris Cosentino of Incanto restaurant in San Francisco may be known for his offal-good cooking, but there’s little organ meat to be found in his new cookbook, “Chris Cosentino’s Beginnings: My Way to Start a Meal.”
Sure, you’ll find a little bit of tripe, bone marrow and chicken liver, but there’s much more in this book (Olive Press) by Cosentino, of which I received a review copy.
Some of the recipes may have you hunting down specialty purveyors such as for the boar shoulder in “Pickled Boar, Herb Pesto, Grilled Onions & Pine Nuts” or bumming some leaves off your vintner neighbor for “Pan-Roasted Grapes, Turnips & Grape Leaves.”
But most will have you marveling at how just a few key ingredients can elevate a dish to new heights.
You’ve probably roasted acorn squash before. But have you ever served it with stracciatella, dreamy strands of fresh mozzarella soaked in heavy cream?