Don’t forget: the book mentioned below is available at 20 percent off for tablehopper readers for two weeks following this mention at Green Apple Books—simply use the code “tablehopper” at checkout (either at the store or online) for your discount.
Brassicas: Cooking the World's Healthiest Vegetables Laura B. Russell
Sometimes it seems like cookbook editors may have run out of celebrity chefs, fresh angles on cocktails, and trends like food trucks. When I got my first look at Brassicas by Laura Russell (Ten Speed Press, $23), I rolled my eyes and pictured Fonzie and the shark.
Then I realized that the kale in my little veggie bed was about to go to seed because I didn’t want to sauté it yet again. So I tried the Smoky Kale Salad with Toasted Almonds and Egg on page 22, and my wife confirmed, “It’s a keeper.” And once I got the kids to sleep, I lolled on the couch—vitamins, minerals, and sulfur-rich phytonutrients coursing through my veins—and I read through Brassicas more closely.
It turns out that anyone remotely concerned with their health but challenged to cut through the sometimes bitter cruciferous vegetable family would be well advised to buy this affordable and handsome tome. Eighty recipes will inspire you to mellow the pungent mustard greens, spice up the kohlrabi, and, well, do anything with that rutabaga in your produce box. Laura Russell also runs you through techniques for selecting, storing, and prepping your brassicas. There are even tips on how to store leftovers without getting that stank when you later open the Tupperware.
Other recipes to tempt you include Watercress Salad with Ginger Carrot Dressing; Broccoli and Pepper Jack Frittata; the Five-Spice Red Cabbage Salad; and even a Citrusy Green Smoothie to start the day off right. All tasty, none smelly, and, to top it off, good for you!
Thanks for reading, and buon appetito!
