Hot Vegetables (Hot Books)
Hot Vegetablesis the fifth in a series by husband- and-wife team Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison. As inHot WokandHot Chicken, Carpenter provides the intensely flavored dishes and Sandison the eye-filling photography. Tableware made by local Northern California artisans reinforces the informal but carefully composed look of this book. The information Carpenter crams into this book, along with 50 recipes, demonstrates why he is one of the most popular cooking teachers in the U.S. At the start, he gives "mini-lessons" on grilling, stir-frying, deep-frying, and other methods for perfecting cooked vegetables.Asian and fusion cooking are Carpenter's specialties, so his Thai Eggplant Ratatouille made with coconut milk and Carrot Risotto Sparked with Asian Chile Oil are tried and tested delights. Other flavor- enhancing cooking techniques he perfects are stir-frying, sautéing, and deep-frying. Some dishes are quite involved--such as the Pot Sticker Dumplings Stuffed with Spinach and Mushrooms. Others require a minimum of effort, like a Creamy Lemon Garlic salad dressing or Carpenter's imaginative Orange Wok Sauce.Hot Vegetablesensures that eating the recommended five to nine servings of fresh vegetables and fruits each day is a joy for your taste buds.--Dana Jacobi