Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone

Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone

“Aussie” chef and TV personality Curtis Stone has written a book that every bachelor should have on his shelf. This book is perfect for people who are just above the beginning stages of cooking, so if you are tired of making pasta with tasteless canned red sauce and boring noodles, Curtis and this book are made for you. I have always been of fan of Cutis and his cooking; my wife is also a big fan, but I think mainly of his looks!

As we try to do with all of cookbook reviews, we try to point out some of our favorite recipes from the book. Two of my favorites are the Sesame Chicken Salad with Mango and Cherry Tomatoes. It may sound and look good on the pages of the book, but it tastes even better. If you are a seafood lover – I have the recipe for you. It’s the “Seafood cooked in white wine, lemon and parsley” on page 183. WOW this is an awesome dish - the lobster, shrimp, mussels all explode with favor, and the presentation is sure to impress your guests. I encourage you to try this great book.

There are certain staples like salt and pepper, butter, and olive oil that belong in every kitchen. Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything” is one of those staples. This almost thousand-page cookbook/cooking resource provides recipes and instructions for almost anything a person needs to prepare a snack or the perfect meal. Looking to make the perfect Blood Mary? Bittman has recipes. Looking to make the perfect pasta? This book has several wonderful recipes. Need help planning the perfect Passover menu? Yep! There are several of those as well. This book is both a James Beard and Julie Child cookbook award winner and after you try out some of the recipes in this book, you will see why. There are too many recipes to pick a favorite, but a highlight includes the Crab Cake recipe on page 331. It’s not just a favorite of mine; it’s become a family favorite loved by my wife and now a favorite of my in-laws. It’s a real crowd pleaser.