Cook your way through 75+ simple yet tantalizing Mediterranean recipes that make the most of what’s in season.
Mediterranean Every Day embraces a style of cooking that celebrates flavor with a relaxed, flexible attitude. It’s simple enough for a quick family meal, but never out of place for a weekend gathering with friends. Alongside stunning photography, discover easy crowd-pleasers like Herby Ricotta; weeknight meals like One-Pan Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Bake; and desserts like Roasted Figs with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt.
Beyond the recipes, this is a book that teaches how to build a wholesome, well-stocked pantry. Start off with an introduction to the Mediterranean style of cooking and then choose your own adventure:
Three-Ingredient (or Fewer) Snacks and Cocktails: Whether it’s a pre-dinner snack you crave or a simple cocktail to shake up for friends, you’ll find easy and fun ideas like Smoky White Bean Hummus, Za’atar Pistachios, and Honeyed Prosecco.
Salads and Soups: Enjoy creative salads like The Easiest Arugula Salad, Smoked Salmon Greek Salad, Peak-Summer Panzanella, and a must-try Niçoise. Hearty soups include Lemon Parmesan Soup with Beans and Greens and Roasted Greek Tomato Soup.
Beans, Grains, and Bready Things: This non-traditional chapter features a variety of main dish–worthy recipes that can also be served as sides. Celebrate the seasons with a Spicy Broccoli Rabe and Chickpea Skillet, Lentil Fritters with Herbed Yogurt Dip, a Cheesy Brussels Sprout and Farro Bake, and risotto ideas for winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Colorful Pastas: Who doesn’t love a diet that lets you eat pasta? Enjoy feel-good pastas that are heavy on vegetables. Recipes include Brown Butter Tortellini with Spinach and Hazelnuts, Melted Broccoli Pasta with Capers and Anchovies, Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes and Swordfish, Israeli Couscous Salad with Herbs, Green Olives and Pistachios, and a No-Cook Summer Tomato Pasta.
Gathering Dishes: The chapter’s name says it all! Whether it’s Tuesday or Saturday, and whether you’re cooking for just your family or a handful of friends, gather around Salmon in Crazy Water, Thyme Pesto Roast Chicken with Crispy Potatoes, Roasted Cod Saltimbocca, and Baked Chicken Milanese with Lemony Escarole.
Desserts: Seasonal and fresh is at the heart of this chapter. Recipes include Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta, Apricot Almond Clafoutis, Rosé-Soaked Peaches, and Chocolate Olive Oil Cake.
Mediterranean Every Day is a well curated cookbook full of Mediterranean comfort food by Sheela Prakash. Due out 1st Sept 2020 from Quarto on their Harvard Common Press imprint, it's 208 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats
The book follows a logical and accessible format. The first chapters covers the background of Mediterranean cuisine and explains the different styles of cooking, and how to streamline meal planning and prep (including a pantry staples lists of pestos, breadcrumbs, salsa, vinaigrette, honeys, oil, and other dish-enhancers) as well as a very general beginner-accessible discussion of the time-saving and streamlining techniques to be adapted to simplified, casual food prep and dining. The recipe chapters are arranged thematically: 3-ingredient snacks & cocktails, salads & soups, beans grains & a few bready things, colorful pastas, special occasion dishes, and desserts. Nutritional information is not included.
The recipes have their ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar. Measurements are given in US standard with metric/SI units in parentheses (yay!). Special tools and ingredients are also listed, along with yields and cooking directions. Most of the ingredients are easily sourced at any moderately well stocked grocery store. The book also includes a short author bio, bibliography/resource list, and a cross-referenced index.
The included recipe and prep/serving photos are clear and attractive, but they represent a minority of recipes in the book. These are appealing "everyday" recipes which are tasty and family-friendly (no kale smoothies).
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
