The Side Dish Bible

November 18, 2019
The America’s Test Kitchen team elevates the humble side dish to center stage in this excellent collection of 1,001 recipes. Among the vast selection of vegetables, there is a Mediterranean-inspired roasted okra with fennel and oregano, as well as garlicky swiss chard with raisins and goat cheese cooked in a Dutch oven. Potatoes merit a chapter of their own, featuring such options as duck fat–roasted potatoes and mashed sweet potatoes with garlic and coconut, in which coconut milk replaces cream and butter. Plenty of grains and pastas are on display, including a Hawaiian macaroni salad and couscous with pistachio and cilantro, ideal for dinner parties since the editors suggest it can be served warm or at room temperature. For the holidays, green bean casserole employs fresh cremini mushrooms and comes together quickly, despite calling for 14 ingredients and sautéing them in three sequential bouts. Every recipe is accompanied by nutritional data, while icons indicate which dishes are fast, vegan, and/or can be made ahead. Benefiting from the clarity that comes from experience and experiments, ATK shows off its many sides in this comprehensive volume.

January 1, 2020

The mission of this book by America's Test Kitchen is to aid cooks in navigating side dish possibilities, and they succeed by providing a variety of vegetables, salads, breads, and more. Each recipe begins with "why this recipe works," then features serving size, vegan label (if appropriate), and whether the cooking time is fast or make-ahead, with possible variations. Greek-style garlic-lemon potatoes, Egyptian barley salad, and Moroccan-style couscous with chickpeas are among the intriguing options. A sSECTION on holiday classics includes traditional dishes such as simple cranberry sauce and basic bread stuffing. While most side dishes featured are approachable, one sSECTION, "Not Your Mother's Casseroles," offers more in-depth recipes, such as zucchini and orzo tian and rustic polenta casserole with mushrooms and swiss chard. Full-color photographs illustrate the tasty fare. VERDICT Don't know what to make for your next potluck or dinner party? This book offers a wealth of ideas and is a natural fit for public libraries with expansive cooking collSECTIONs.--Barbara Kundanis, Longmont P.L., CO

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.