Food52 Genius Recipes

Starred review from March 16, 2015
Food52 executive editor Miglore shares a superb collection of “genius recipes” from her weekly column. To qualify as “genius,” recipes must cause surprise and prompt chefs to rethink the fundamentals of how they cook. She shares the best discoveries from cookbook authors, chefs, and bloggers including Alton Brown’s baked brown rice, cauliflower steaks from Dan Barber, and Alice Waters’s unfussy ratatouille. From breakfast to meaty and meatless mains to desserts, the more than 100 recipes included here are sure to inspire and amaze. Roger Vergé’s recipe for fried eggs with wine vinegar tempers the richness of the yolks with the tart and cleansing balance of a good vinaigrette. The secret to Le Bernardin’s crispy-skilled fish is Wondra flour, instant flour commonly used for clump-free gravies. Broccoli “cooked forever,” from Roy Finamore, defies typical overcooked blah-ness thanks to a two-hour olive oil bath. No-cook cranberry sauce, grilled chard stems with anchovy sauce, and strawberry shortcake made with hard-boiled eggs are just the tip of the genius iceberg shared in these pages. Chicken roasted at 500 degrees, tomato sauce made with butter and onions, and spiced braised lentils with tomatoes and toasted coconut exemplify the tremendous contribution this book will make to any cook’s repertoire. Guaranteed to excite and enlighten cooks everywhere, Miglore’s collection is a must-have for every kitchen. Color photos.

Starred review from January 1, 2015

In her weekly "Genius Recipes" column, Food52.com executive editor Miglore highlights unforgettable dishes perfected by such chefs and authors as Julia Child, Suzanne Goin, and Heidi Swanson. This inviting cookbook comprises 100 of the column's more unusual and popular recipes, grouped by course in seven chapters (e.g., breakfast, snacks and drinks, meatless mains). Most feature ingenious cooking methods--a recipe for crepes, for instance, cleverly disguises flour tortillas in a thin layer of egg and cream batter. Similarly, excellent and iconic recipes for no-knead bread, hummus, broccoli cooked forever, and crispy-skinned fish will introduce home cooks to techniques they'll want to use again and again. VERDICT Miglore's addition to Food52's growing list of cookbooks is a treat for readers who enjoy casual gourmet food.

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