Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables

Description

Ruffage tackles the questions that home cooks (of any skill level) ask themselves about vegetables: how do I cook this? How do I make this exciting? Do I store this in the fridge? How do I make this into dinner? with new strategies from an exciting new author/chef/farmer in the Midwest. This accessible-but-comprehensive vegetable-focused cookbook picks up where Vegetable Literacy left off, focusing on the simple techniques and information that help any cook prepare a variety of delicious vegetables in a number of ways. Variations, guidance, POV, and smart, unique recipes set Ruffage apart from other vegetable-focused cookbooks: the first-hand guidance from a Chicago and Michigan-based cook and farmer on what to look for in the market, how to store the vegetables, and then the recipes for how to "prepare and accessorise" each vegetable to create a myriad of dishes. The 100 straightforward, informed recipes, each with three or more variations, provides endlessly delicious inspiration. Organised into 20 short chapters by vegetable, including a good balance of vegetables that are best used fresh and in-season (asparagus, peas) and those that store well during those long Midwestern winters (potatoes, celery root), as well as a comprehensive-but-accessible pantry chapter (no Calabrian chili paste here!), this is the vegetable book from the middle of the country that both new and season cooks everywhere can turn to again and again.

Abra Berens is the cofounder of Bare Knuckle Farms in Northport, MI and the chef-in-residence at Glanor Farms. After working at the famed Zingerman's deli, Abra trained under Darina Allen at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland to hone her cooking craft and learn about sustainable foodways. Since leaving Ballymaloe, Abra has found herself working and learning under a slew of notable chefs, including Sky Gyngell, Roger Bowser, Sandra Holl, and, most notably, Paul Virant of Vie Restaurant in Western Springs, Illinois. She was the executive chef at Local Foods Chicago.

"Comprehensive vegetable cookbook that combines 100 recipes with advice on what to look for in the market, how to store vegetables, and how to make them exciting when cooking." -- The Bookseller "Vegetables do not need to be boring and can make delicious nibbles when dining outside. You will learn simple new cooking methods such as how to caramelise, with dishes including asparagus, courgette, cabbage and cucumber." -- The Sun "Give vegetables equal billing on the dinner plate with inspiring recipes showcasing their flavours and textures" -- Homes & Gardens "Things in my kitchen have changed since "Ruffage" arrived. This organized, easygoing guide to 29 vegetables offers a few cooking methods for each one, supplemented by several variations." -- The New York Times "This Cookbook Is Changing the Way I Use Vegetables [...] a master class in improvising with what you have and what's in season right now [...] It's a total classic" -- Healthyish "With a personal tone and a practical approach, the book contains 100+ recipes for everything from beets to turnips, sunchokes, peas and beyond [...] it's a cookbook that's pragmatic and approachable, but the dishes themselves are at times decadent and always appealing." -- Cool Hunting