Superiority Burger Cookbook

Starred review from May 21, 2018
James Beard Award–winning pastry chef Headley (Brooks Headley’s Fancy Desserts) turns his attention to the savory side of things in this outstanding collection of more than 90 dishes from Superiority Burger, a small vegetarian fast food restaurant he co-owns in New York City’s East Village. The veggie burger is the restaurant’s main draw (and the first recipe offered here), and while it certainly lives up to its bold title (that patty consists of quinoa, fennel seeds, chickpeas, onions, and chile powder), Headley offers dozens of other vegetarian and vegan dishes that are equally stunning. Headley includes surefire hits that will resonate with vegetarians as well as omnivores: cheesy crunchy potatoes; white sweet potato and leek soup with Italian green onion pancakes; and the Sloppy Dave, a tofu-based riff
on the Sloppy Joe. Such dishes as beer batter pancakes, and fresh green peas, which are cradled in shell-shaped pasta with pesto, artfully illustrate the author’s sometimes playful approach. Headley focuses on ingredients and flavor, as evidenced by a salad that tempers the boldness of wild rice with candied hibiscus and sweet potatoes roasted with brown sugar, and stuffed green peppers that are garnished with toasted coconut. This is an outstanding cookbook—full of fun and a perfect start to summer cooking.

July 1, 2018

James Beard Award-winning chef Headley (Brooks Headly's Fancy Desserts) is the chef-owner of Superiority Burger, a 275-square-foot vegetarian burger joint in Manhattan's East Village. His latest cookbook, written with former sous chef Julia Goldberg, Gabe Rosner, Matthew Silverstein, and Matt Sweeney, reveals recipes for the restaurant's signature menu items and specials. The titular Superiority Burger sits alongside indulgent comfort foods such as fennel and celery salad with spicy peanut sauce, half-wilted escarole with corn bread and roasted apricots, and carrot cake. Infinitely craveable, these dishes combine textures and flavors in unexpected ways. Despite the occasional hard-to-find ingredient, recipes are easy to follow and peppered with humor. VERDICT Well executed and a little quirky, this mostly vegan collection will turn heads. Note that as of May 2018 there is ongoing litigation regarding this title and its authorship.

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