PrintWhat should I make from Bittman's "How to cook everything..."?
I just purchased "How to cook everything...". I'm excited to get cooking but I'm overwhelmed. I've looked through the entire book several times but can't figure out where to start or what to try. My friend suggested I start at the beginning and try everything once. Any suggestions? Ideas for a meal? Help!
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17 Comments:
My favorite thing that I've made from this cookbook is the spaghetti and meatballs. I realize that's probably not the most exciting thing in the book, but it really is delicious. I use his pizza dough recipe too.
Tip... the beef stew was NOT good. Avoid that one.
Good luck!
ultraviolet79 at 8:29AM on 03/22/08
Tip... the beef stew was NOT good. Avoid that one.
I am so glad you mentioned this. HTCE is one of the few books I've ever discarded. I tried several recipes a few years ago and could never get anything to work right. Finally gave up.
chiff0nade at 11:00AM on 03/22/08
Bolognese--make a double batch and make his Lasagne Bolognese with bechamel (all in his book).
Over the years I have tweaked his bolognese recipe just a little bit.
The first time I cooked fresh brussells sprouts, I used his book.
wookie at 11:01AM on 03/22/08
I was going to buy his book last week. I didn't because I was also way too overwhelmed! I'm glad I'm not the only person who feels this way.
evilchefmom at 11:32AM on 03/22/08
I like his recipe for red beans and rice. It isn't Louisiana-style--he cooks the rice in coconut milk, which was new for me and quite interesting. I usually make the vegetarian version.
I think the variations he provides for each recipe are usually more interesting and flavorful than the base version.
Robin Bellinger at 1:21PM on 03/22/08
The way I typically use a cookbook is by starting with a main ingredient I like or need to use. It might be chicken, beef, pasta, vegetables, whatever. Or, if you need a particular type of dish, start there (dessert, breakfast, casserole, etc.). Search the recipes for that ingredient or type of dish until you see one that sounds good, and give it a try.
But I'm also known to simply sit and read a cookbook (like a novel), and tab the pages with recipes I find intriguing.
LoCo at 1:58PM on 03/22/08
But I'm also known to simply sit and read a cookbook (like a novel), and tab the pages with recipes I find intriguing.
Me too. There's a lot to be learned by just reading them when you're not cooking out of them! (Like what might be on your next shopping list...)
chiff0nade at 3:06PM on 03/22/08
I like the pasta and potatoes and the linguine with gorgonzola cream sauce.
Rebecca F. at 8:12PM on 03/22/08
I also just bought this book, and am slowly making my way through the recipes. I haven't made that many yet, but so far the recipe for "Kale/Collards with Double Garlic" came out really well for me. There's also a recipe in there for crispy sauteed potatoes with garlic and rosemary (or something like that) -- I made the mistake of overboiling the potatoes before sauteing, but I tried it a second time and it turned out much better.
absentmindedprof at 11:43PM on 03/22/08
My brother gave me his book because he didn't want it. I haven't thumb through the pages yet- kind of overwhelmed by the text book size. I wish there were pictures in this book. I'm usually inspired by the picture first and the then look into the receipe further.
mchow at 10:27AM on 03/24/08
His orzo risotto recipe changed the entire way I see risotto dishes. It's filling and delicious while being entirely non-fussy, and I prefer it to traditional arborio recipes. I've made it plain, with asparagus, with ham, as a light meal in summer, a heavy side in winter.... it's endlessly versatile and one of my favorite dishes in the book.
jenilowrance at 3:59PM on 03/24/08
The brownies are pretty good, especially if you add some espresso powder and cinnamon, and the recipe for basic muffins is useful.
Christina at 4:17PM on 03/24/08
My husband really wanted the book and I must admit to never becoming particularly enamored with it. Since it doesn't really inspire me, I use it occasionally for reference only.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who gets tabby with their books and magazines. I should own stock in post-it tabs. I write the title of the recipe on it with a black extra-fine tip sharpee marker.
frederika at 11:24PM on 03/24/08
I have both the HTCE and HTCE Vegetarian, and I really love them, but I COMPLETELY understand feeling overwhelmed. They aren't books that you can just flip to a few pages and find something. I second the advice of having something in mind before starting, but also, he says in the book that you should absolutely experiment.
My two favorites: Pasta with Bacon Onion and Tomato sauce (I've never actually made it with pasta, I have always done it with polenta which I think is an infinitely better base for the sauce) and the Mushroom Barley "Risotto" (much much cheaper than real risotto, and yet still delicious).
anado at 10:29AM on 03/29/08
These comments have been helpful to me because I recently bought the book. I ,too, like to read cookbooks and I let ideas from them simmer away. But I love hearing about most loved recipes, so I will try the potatoes, the kale and the risotto.
Jbout at 10:56AM on 03/29/08
I also have HTCE and HTCE Vegetarian. They aren't the books I go to when I want to figure out "what should I have for dinner?" They're the books I go to when I have an idea of what I want to cook, but don't know exactly how to do it or want ideas for variations of a dish. I use them more for reference and "how to."
When I'm trying to determine what to have for dinner, I prefer his Minimalist cookbooks, now published as Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times as well as some others.
IndyGal at 11:18AM on 03/29/08
I made his Basic Roast Leg of Lamb (pg 479) last night and it turned out wonderfully. It was my first time doing a leg of lamb (I've only ever bought a boneless one and cut it into chunks for making Rogan Josh or Vindaloo).
There is also a very long (if I remember correctly) message on the Cooking Light Community Boards regarding this book.
Dibranchia at 4:16PM on 03/29/08