Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times

March 19, 2007
Culling 350 recipes from his New York Times
"The Minimalist" column, Bittman offers a go-to volume for anyone who enjoys cooking simply. His recipes are easy to follow and execute, but they maintain a level of sophistication and freshness that many super-quick cookbooks lack. All recipes are marked with a realistic estimate of how much time they require, start to finish: Chicken with Coconut and Lime takes 20 minutes; Sparkling Cider Poached Fish takes 15 minutes; Coq au Vin with Prunes takes an hour. Several of the longer-duration entries don't require much hands-on work; the Bread Pudding with Shiitake Mushrooms, requires "about 1 hour, largely unattended" and the Braised and Brown Lamb with Peaches needs "about 1 ½ hours, largely unattended." Simple sauces, condiments and desserts such as Dried Fruit Poached in Port and Ginger Pots de Crème round out the selection of mostly dinner-appropriate recipes, which are perfect for home cooks who want to put tasty, impressive meals on the table frequently and without much fuss.

April 15, 2007
Author of seven other cookbooks, Bittman has been writing his popular Minimalist column for the "New York Times" food section since 1997. His new book includes 350 recipes from the column, most of which appeared in his three previous Minimalist cookbooks. They are simple recipes meant for weeknights, quick to prepare, and based on short ingredients lists: Shrimp Cooked in Lime Juice, for example, or Ten-Minute Stir-Fried Chicken. Fans of the column will welcome this handy compilation, which is recommended for most collections.

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