One Pot French: More Than 100 Easy, Authentic Recipes

Chefs taking this volume at face value may assume that Lyon chef Challet's collection is suited for a lonely Le Creuset dutch oven, but Challet's focus, confusingly, is on classic dishes (Tarte Tatin, the Croque Monseuir sandwich, basic roast chicken) prepared any number of ways (some don't even call for a saucepan or pot, others require more than one). Misleading title and cover photo aside, the recipes are a mixed bag. Some, such as Vichysoisse and Cabillaud en Papillote, in which black cod fillets are covered in pesto and baked in parchment with lemons and tomatoes, are virtually foolproof. Others, such as a carrot soup garnished with roasted pecans, are needlessly complex. Then there are the sins of omission: in his recipes for roast chicken and Chicken with Beer, Challet includes no mention of how to tell when the chicken is done cooking. Veteran cooks will find Challet's collection well within their abilities, and those interested in creating a soup-to-nuts French meal will find more than enough ideas. Novices, however, will likely find Challet's instruction lacking.