La Cuisine De Joel Robuchon: A Seasonal Cookbook
Even a professional chef may well be daunted by the challenges implicit inLa Cuisine de Joel Robuchon. The untranslated French title is the first clue that this is not a frivolous cookbook. The celebrated French chef offers some of his best dishes, organized seasonally. Robuchon's cuisine relies on prime ingredients cooked at the height of their succulent best. Upside-Down Apricot Tart calls simply for fruit, sugar, and puff pastry. Vanilla is honored in the lushest Creme Brulee of cream, sugar, and eggs. Both sea bream and leg of lamb profit from nearly ascetic roasting within salt crusts. Foie gras ennobles humble lentil sauce. On the other hand, Robuchon reveals a secret to his pie dough: elaborating it with ground almonds and vanilla seeds. Even a home cook can use this sort of enhancement to impress guests. Fresh, nonpareil ingredients form the essence of this cuisine, and Robuchon's essays on the provenance of these premier foodstuffs are more significant than the nearly irreproducible recipes. Measures are given in metric weights, another obstacle for the everyday American cook.Mark KnoblauchCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved