Flavor, comfort and more

REVIEWS BY SYBIL PRATT

When it comes to spreading the word about flavorful food, Jim Coleman is front and center. A well-known chef, he's a weekly newspaper columnist, the host of National Public Radio's The Chef's Table and is now in the second season of his public television series, Flavors of America. Jim Coleman's Flavors is the companion volume to that series, but even if you don't watch cooking shows, you can enjoy Coleman's straightforward, no fuss, no fanfare approach to food. I look at hundreds of new cookbooks with thousands of recipes from the magnificent to the mundane, and though I try many dishes once, not too many make it into my permanent repertoire. I knew after the first perusal of Flavors that many of Coleman's wide-ranging, international culinary creations -- and variations -- would become part of my menu making. New Jersey Clam Chowder, with pancetta and dill, is a classy variation on a soup that's a standard in my part of the world and his Jicama-Citrus Salad has the crispy zing I've been looking for. Steaming mussels in a broth seasoned with lemongrass, ginger and fresh herbs really is a big hit with my mollusk-loving friends. Burgundy Barbecued Steaks with Crumbled Gorgonzola is short and sweet and hard to beat. And I was truly impressed that the simple addition of pistachio nuts to the crust of a whipped-cream-topped lime pie made such a delicious difference. As an extra, Coleman has spiced the text with nuggets of solid info on all kinds of ingredients from butter and bananas to mustard and Madeira.


Food for the soul

"Comfort food" means different things to different people -- for me it's the custardy rice pudding I used to beg for as a child -- but depending on where you're from it could just as easily be spicy kim chee or a thick pasta e fagioli. For food writer Ann Gardon it means chunky soups, meaty stews, old-fashioned desserts and many homey marvels from her native Provence. And it must comply with what she calls "CHEF's Cuisine," which stands for "Cheap, Healthy, Easy and Fun." Ann is being far too modest with that acronym, as you'll see when you try the recipes she's included in Comfort Food Fast: Easy and Elegant Food that Soothes the Soul. There's tempting variety here and everything the subtitle promises. I never thought of Mushroom Strudel made with flaky phyllo dough, Curried Parsnip and Pear Soup (a fabulous combination of flavors), Polenta with Eggplant Parmigiana or Iced Chocolate Mousse as comfort foods, yet they sure soothe the soul and please the palate. Perhaps we could just call Ann's selections "classy comfort food" and be a little closer to the mark. This is food you'll want to cook.


More from the Minimalist

I've reviewed all of Mark Bittman's cookbooks and, for me, he's one of the most consistently interesting recipe and cookbook creators going. His culinary sensibilities are streamlined and his aim is to pare recipes down, making them simple but not simpleminded and without sacrificing their essence. All of the recipes in his latest collection, The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast, Great Weeknight Meals, have appeared in his weekly New York Times column, which is clipped, saved and savored by an ever-growing audience. Bittman never insists on three ingredients or five, never has rigid rules and always begins and ends each recipe with the kind of uncommonly intelligent commentary a cook, with or without years of experience, will find truly helpful. He offers a range of substitutions and variations that encourages innovation and explains the whys and wherefores of particular ingredients in a manner that will make you a smarter, savvier cook. The focus in this dinner cookbook is, naturally, on main dishes, and there are some wonderfully easy ways to make that meal a lot more than a chore. Just consider Roast Salmon Steak with Pinot Noir Syrup, Soy-Poached Chicken or sublimely simple Skirt Steak with Plum Puree Sauce, all prepared in 40 minutes or less. The serving and wine suggestions give plenty of advice on rounding out the menus, and a whole chapter is devoted to side dishes and salads. As always, Mark Bittman takes the minimum to the max.


Sybil Pratt has been cooking up this column for more than five years.

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