cover image Canal House: Cook Something: Recipes to Rely On

Canal House: Cook Something: Recipes to Rely On

Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer. Little, Brown, $35 (448p) ISBN 978-0-31626-825-7

Bloggers Hamilton and Hirsheimer (Canal House Cooks Every Day) offer an exhaustive beginner’s guide to cooking basics in this tasty and beautiful collection. The authors provide a wealth of recipes, many with multiple variations, allowing readers to tailor their dishes according to individual preference. They start with egg in its many forms—including hard- and soft-boiled, deviled, poached, fried, scrambled, and en cocotte—before moving on to chapters covering braising, stewing, and grilling. Recipes range from everyday fare such as spaghetti and meatballs, minestrone soup, and green goddess salad dressing, to more time-consuming options such as risotto Milanese and duck breasts with apples and caraway. Entire chapters are devoted to ground meat (meatballs of all varieties, meatloaf, shepherd’s pie), vegetables (roasted beets, red pepper, and onion agrodolce; escarole with white beans), and sweets (shortbread cookie and pears poached in red wine). In addition, the authors include a useful list of basic kitchen gadgets, and photos throughout depict recipe variations and techniques. With the expert guidance provided here, first-time cooks will be able to prepare delicious meals with confidence. (Sept.)