Back To Basics

Barefoot Contessa, Back To Basics is Ina Garten's lastest and 6th publication. Ina's cookbooks have taken the place of those by the Junior Leagues for never-fail, crowd pleasing recipes for entertaining in my kitchen. Back To Basics has proven to be quite reliable for my holiday entertaining and many of you are likely to find the book helpful as well.

The first thing one notices upon opening the book is how truly beautiful the photographs are. Ina comments, "I want you to see the photograph and feel like licking the page." There is such a quality of clarity that it seems as if the Pomegranate Comsopolitan is sitting on the tray right in front of you.

Recipes are compliled into 7 subjects: Cocktail Hour, Soup, Lunch, Dinner, Vegetable, Dessert and Breakfast. As in previous volumes, the chapter title page faces another listing the following recipes. For Back To Basics, Ina has added lists of 10 entertaining essentials for party givers. There's 10 no-cook things to serve with drinks, Arrange flowers like a pro, Cook like a pro, 10 things not to serve at a dinner party, Set a table like a pro and Bake like a pro.

Ina writes about her quest for "taking ordinary ingredients and cooking them - or pairing them - in a way that "unlocks" their true flavors." She writes about a magic ingredient that may be the salt you finish a dish with just before you serve it, the quality Reggiano Parmesean that adds flavor and texture to dishes that is "amazing" or a tablespoon of butter or cream to round out the final flavors of a dish. She share her Top 10 Flavor Boosters. Did you know you could salt your meat when you bring it home?

Ina has said that throwing a party isn't about the food but spending time with your guests. I have found her recipes enable me to relax and do just that. Better chefs than me may prefer 7 course dinners while pulling out all the stops. I find Ina's entertaining and cooking style fits mine perfectly - its caterer quality that allows a home cook to shine with his/her company. I've already made the Mustard Roasted Fish (recipe below) and Parker's Beef Stew to rave reviews. The French Chocolate Bark was delicious and EASY.

Next time you find yourself browsing the aisles of your favorite bookseller, stroll over to the cookbook section and check out Back To Basics by Ina. It's highly likely you'll be carrying it home.

Mustard Roasted Fish

4 fish fillets (8-ounce) such as red snapper

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

8 ounces creme fraiche

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons drained capers

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Combine creme fraiche, two mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 or 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it’s barely done. (The fish will flake evenly at the thickest part when it is done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top. Makes 4 servings.

COQ AU VIN

Serves 6

Over the years I've tried many times to make a good coq au vin, the renowned French chicken stew with red wine, but with disappointing results. My television producer Olivia Grove one day told me, "Well, it's just beef bourguignonne with chicken," and I thought, "So it is!" With that in mind, I adapted my old recipe for beef and came up with an easy chicken version that's such a satisfying winter dinner. Usually the chicken cooks for hours and is dry and stringy, but I found that after only thirty to forty minutes in the oven, the chicken is perfectly cooked and still tender and juicy.

  Good olive oil
8 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced
2 (3- to 4-pound) chickens, each cut in 8 serving pieces

  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
2 yellow onions, diced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
1 (750-ml) bottle good dry red wine such as Burgundy
2 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen small whole onions
1 pound porcini or cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon.

3. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. After the bacon is removed, add a few of the chicken pieces in a single layer and brown for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken pieces to the plate with the bacon and continue to add the chicken in batches until all the chicken is browned. Set aside.

4. Add the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper to the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back!, and carefully ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collect on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just no longer pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.

5. Mash 2 tablespoons of the butter and the flour together in a small bowl and stir the paste into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium sauté pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

"I think Costco is a major resource. You can go there and buy a whole filet of beef and it costs half of what it would be in a butcher shop."

"It's not that I'm a great cook - I'm a great taster."

-Ina Garten

House Beautiful Article by Ina Garten about her book
http://www.housebeautiful.com/kitchens/cookbooks/ina-garten-recipes-1108

Comments

[tibisay]

I love Ina - that said, replacing JL cookbooks!?! Do you have Savor the Moment, published by the Junior League of Boca Raton? The Best!
http://www.jlbr.org/cookbook/cookbook.asp

[Colleen @ The Everyday Bride]

Thanks for the review!!! I was on the fence about my next cook book purchase, but not anymore! Yay for Ina!

[Kendall]

My dad got me this book for christmas! I can't wait to try some of the amazing recipes!

[The Pissed Off Bride]

OOOOoo. The fish sounds so tasty!!

[Kathryn @ Australia Entertains]

I love this cookbook. It's a fave

[Hr28Emily]

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