Ever wonder what gastronomic greats like Heston Blumenthal, Ferran Adrià and Mario Batali make to eat when they’re at home? Ponder no more!
Right in time for Christmas, each of the legendary chefs has brought out a tome of accessible at-home eats that even the most amateur of cooks can make with ease.
Heston Blumenthal at Home (Bloomsbury Publishing, R429) sees the multi-award-winning molecular gastronomist don apron and demystify his cooking methods, explaining in detail how he makes the best stocks, soups and sous vides.
As the name alludes, hearty classics like prawn cocktail, Scotch eggs and shepherd’s pie abound, but there are also some recipes for the more adventurous cooks like a garden salad with edible soil and whiskey ice cream made with dry ice.
In The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adrià (Phaidon Press Ltd, R295), the emperor of the erstwhile number-one restaurant in the world, El Bulli, proffers 100 mouthwatering recipes inspired by the dishes he used to make for his staff.
Instead of espumas, spheres and gels, easy-to-prepare meals are at the order of the day and include the likes of roast chicken, salt-baked seabass and Mexican-style slow-cooked pork. An added bonus is that all of the ingredients are affordable and readily available at most supermarkets.
Lastly, Italian superchef Mario Batali has launched Molto Batali Simple Family Meals from My Home to Yours (HarperCollins Publisher, R312), in which has created a collection of festive favourites designed to share.
The book is comprised of twelve chapters - one for each month of the year - that feature a moreish main, five vegetable sides, three pasta dishes and one dessert. Tasty treats include a glorious roast leg of lamb in a clementine crust, soft polenta with grilled portobello mushrooms, and bucatini with spicy summer squash with white beans.
Why not impress your guests this silly season and prepare a buffet à la Blumenthal, a Ferran feast or a memorable meal like Mario? After all, they don’t need to know that it was a cinch to prepare!
Source: The New York Times - When the Chefs Come Home