Home Cooking with Jean-Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes

Acclaimed chef Vongerichten celebrates simplicity in this appetizing and personal collection. After years of working 18-hour days six days a week, Vongerichten buys a weekend country home and rediscovers the joys of unfussy cooking. He shares recipes for the meals he and his family enjoy in this pleasingly accessible volume. Chicken liver and pancetta crostini, swiss chard braised in shiitake butter, shortbread are among the recipes that cover salads, fish and seafood, meat, desserts, and brunch. All focus on flavor yet rely on a minimal number of ingredients that don’t take a lot of time and effort to prepare, such as fettuccine with Meyer lemon cream and sausage and kale pizza. Several contributions come from close friends and family members including wife Marja’s mac ’n’ cheese, son Cedric’s grilled beef tenderloin, and close friend Dan’s Thanksgiving turkey. Side dishes shine especially bright and are tempting enough to eat as a main course, particularly his pan-roasted green beans with golden almonds, buttered asparagus with lemon and parmesan, and braised endive with ham and Gruyère. Numerous dishes hark back to Vongerichten’s Alsa­tian roots, including warm Alsatian potato salad and choucroute. Dotted with culinary reminiscences both personal and professional, this book shows Vonge­richt­en at his simple best and offers his many fans the opportunity to cook and enjoy his favorite meals without being chained to the kitchen for hours. (Nov.)