Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables

McFadden (the chef at Ava Gene’s in Portland, Ore., and former chef de cuisine at Brooklyn’s Franny’s) and Holmberg (CEO of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and former editor of Fine Cooking) have created a must-have cookbook that stands out from the crowd of vegetable-centric cookbooks for its variety of recipes, each one tempting in its own way. No surprise that McFadden, a farmer and a chef at some of the country’s most innovative restaurants, would bring a clever spin to vegetables. He’s the man who made the kale salad famous, and this cookbook is filled with recipes that deserve to be as popular. There are plenty of new, equally tempting kale recipes in here, including a kale and mushroom lasagna, and kale sauce served over pappardelle. Other popular vegetables get makeovers: the cauliflower ragù is a subtle dish with layers of flavor and texture; roasted fennel is paired with sausage, apples, taleggio cheese, and almonds; and braised eggplant and lamb are dressed with yogurt, spiced green sauce, and sweet and hot peppers. McFadden devotes an entire chapter to creamy enhancements to vegetables, including pistachio butter and whipped ricotta, and also has a section on hot and cold pickling. This cookbook deserves to become a well-thumbed, vital addition to any kitchen cookbook shelf. (May)