V Is for Vegetables: Inspired Recipes and Techniques for Home Cooks from Artichokes to Zucchini

In this splendid tribute to vegetables, Anthony (The Gramercy Tavern Cookbook) focuses on creating great flavors and healthy meals, a combination he predicts will be the next step in the evolution of American food. He does an admirable job of helping readers make vegetables shine. Listing out the vegetables alphabetically, he includes vibrant full-color photos of each as well as photo guides for any potentially unfamiliar techniques, such as prepping an artichoke or wrapping a dumpling. While veggies are the stars, this collection is by no means vegetarian. Instead, meat takes a back seat and serves as an enhancement. Cranberry beans with smoky bacon and collards, chimichurri on steaks, and Jerusalem artichoke chowder with monkfish are prime examples of Anthony’s astute ability to balance flavors without overpowering. Recipes are, in general, not lengthy or overly complicated, and most ingredients are readily available. Caramelized cauliflower with peppers and onions, celery root and apple puree, and sautéed mushrooms on flatbread with braised greens are just a few of his simple but superb pairings. A few of the veggies may be unfamiliar to some readers, including nettles, tatsoi, salsify, and kohlrabi, but Anthony’s tempting dishes will convince even reluctant cooks to give them a try. Enticing and gorgeous, this collection showcases the best that nature has to offer. (Oct.)