Ethan Stowell’s New Italian Kitchen: Bold Cooking from Seattle’s Anchovies & Olives, How to Cook A Wolf, Staple & Fancy Mercantile, and Tavolàta
May 24, 2011 by admin
Filed under Italian food books
Ethan Stowell’s New Italian Kitchen: Bold Cooking from Seattle’s Anchovies & Olives, How to Cook A Wolf, Staple & Fancy Mercantile, and Tavolàta
- ISBN13: 9781580088183
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Welcome to Ethan Stowell’s New Italian Kitchen–not so much a place as a philosophy. Here food isn’t formal or fussy, just focused, with recipes that honor Italian tradition while celebrating the best ingredients the Pacific Northwest has to offer. We’re talking about a generous bowl of steaming handmade pasta–served with two forks for you and a friend. Or perhaps an impeccably fresh crudo, crunchy cucumber and tangy radish accenting impossibly sweet spot prawns. Next up are the jewel ton
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The adventure begins…,
Yes, I love to cook. I love to try new things and experiment with ingredients I’ve never used before. I like to `wow’ myself and others with food. Oh, and I love Italian food, which is the primary reason why I snatched this up. Upon opening this book though, I realized that this was far more than I anticipated. This isn’t your mom and dads Italian food. This is experimental, interesting and unique takes on Italian cuisine.
My heart skipped a beat.
Now, unlike others, I am not one who is going to knock this down a peg because the ingredients used are not familiar to all grocery stores. This is not for the `I just need something quick and easy to feed my family’ type chef, so if that is what you are looking for…walk away. This cookbook is for the chef who wants to be something more than he (or she) already is. This is for the person who wants to try new things and learn how to expand their culinary skills.
It’s funny because my mother and I were just talking about getting together and making fresh pasta, and then I get this book complete with recipes on FRESH PASTA! I couldn’t believe it. That right there is further proof that this is not your average cookbook.
The recipes, despite containing complicated ingredients and despite relying on a certain level of skill to execute (you won’t be able to handle all of these recipes the first day in), they are easy to follow and contain nice illustrations that showcase the richness of the food.
In the end, I’m all head over heals in love with this book. Be forewarned, this book contains recipes that use Ox Tail and Urchin Roe, but if want to tap into your culinary wild side, this book is the perfect complement to your impending journey!
Bon appetit.
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This book may not be for everyone, but I LOVED it!,
I have been a serious amateur cook for a couple of decades now and I have made friends with others that share my passion. When I entertain my foodie friends they are always polite and complimentary, but I can tell when my dish has fallen short of their expectations (especially when some of them are professional chefs). More than anything, what we are looking for is unique flavor combinations, dishes that make you say, “Wow, I had no idea that those ingredients could work together like that!” However, coming up with truly new and innovative recipes is not always easy. This book has given me the confidence that I will aways be able to blow my guests away with exciting culinary creations.
Although the recipes in Ethan Stowell’s New Italian Kitchen are not what anyone would call traditional Italian cuisine, many of the main ingredients show a definite European influence. The use of rabbit, lamb, duck and goat is common in much of the world and is a welcomed change from the overused chicken, beef and pork that we find in many US cookbooks. The seafood shows an urban-coastal prospective with the use of various clams, geoduck, octopus, Shigoku Oysters and Uni. Finally, the wonderful trend towards shopping for exciting and unusual vegetables and greens at local Farmer’s Markets is represented here in all of it’s diversity and glory.
It usually takes me a while to review a cookbook like this because I insist on preparing as many of the dishes as possible. Here are the dishes that I’ve made so far and my thoughts about them:
* Soft-Boiled Eggs with Anchovy Mayonnaise – This was one of the easiest recipes in the book so I tackled it first. I loved soft-boiled eggs and often make my own mayonnaise so this dish appealed to me right off the bat. I had never thought of serving soft-boiled eggs in a deviled-egg style and it was a big hit. It took a little effort to keep the yolk from running out as I cut the egg, but I got it done with minimal effort. Combining anchovies with fresh mayonnaise is not in itself unique, but topping the fresh, runny eggs with it was brilliant.
* Bruschetta with Smashed Chickpeas and Grilled Lamb’s Tongue – Many medium to large cities have Middle Eastern butcher shops operating in their boundaries. Lamb is common in these shops and are often butchered right there in the Halal tradition. I live in South-Central Texas and made a quick call to a local Halal store that is known for their fresh lambs. Although they don’t usually consume the tongue, he had no problem in saving a few for me. The bruschetta was very well received and I was asked for the recipe by several of my chef friends.
* Corn and Chanterelle Soup – I tried several of the soup recipes and this was my favorite. As mentioned in the book, this dish is all about seasonality. Late August is a perfect month for fresh corn, Walla Walla Onions and fresh Chanterlle Mushrooms. I couldn’t help but add some fine Sherry to the simmering soup. Incredible!
* Butternut Squash Risotto with Hazelnut Oil – An inspired recipe but at a price, this dish cost me more to make than some of the main courses. I can’t think of a better fall dish; the sweetness of squash, the starchiness of the creamy risotto rice and the richness, savoriness of the hazelnut oil makes for a memorable evening.
* Beasties of the Land… – So many of these dishes called out to my carnivorous nature. So far I have tried the Lamb Chops with Fava and the Seared Duck Breast with Sugared Figs and Arugula. One of my closest friends said that if I served these dishes at a restaurant, she would live there. Although I have served duck with figs before, both dishes were inspired and I plan on making many more of the recipes in this book. By the way, the much mentioned recipe for “Braised Rabbit Paws with Radiatore” actually calls for four rabbit legs (which are fairly easy to find in most gourmet grocery stores), the author was just being playful with the recipe’s name.
Ethan Stowell knocked it out of the park with this, his first book. I like his sense of humor, his style and his brassy creativity. I received an advanced, black and white copy of the book and plan on buying the finished edition. I look forward to more from this young chef.
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Best Suited to Adventurous Carnivores,
As noted in other reviews, many of the recipes in Ethan Stowell’s New Italian Kitchen: Bold Cooking from Seattle’s Anchovies & Olives, How to Cook A Wolf, Staple & Fancy Mercantile, and Tavolàta call for exotic ingredients and unusual meats not likely to be found in the average supermarket. Quite a few dishes feature seafood which could be a draw or a drawback, depending on your palate and budget.
There is a brief introduction to each recipe with preparation tips and serving suggestions. The author sometimes suggests substitutions (such as other types of oysters which could work for the Baked Stellar Oysters).
The author encourages readers to feature many small plates to give their guests exposure to a wide variety of dishes, and to aim to have those guests sated rather than stuffed at the end of the meal.
As a vegetarian, I didn’t see many recipes I could eat (even the risotto calls for chicken stock). And when I ate meat, I didn’t eat the “delicacies” featured in this book – from lamb tongue and oxtail to rabbit paws and sea urchin roe to veal cheeks and tripe (which I had to look up – it is the stomach tissue of a ruminant such as oxen, sheep and goats). You may notice that the only chicken recipe in the book is for chicken livers. The author correctly points out that there are thousands of chicken recipes in other cookbooks so he focused on duck and smaller birds such as duck and quail.
I’ve listed the recipes below so you can judge for yourself whether they appeal to you. After all, taste varies by person and by culture. Vegetarian recipes are noted by an asterisk (*).
The first chapter, “Nibbles and Bits,” includes recipes for:
* Baked Stellar Bay Kusshi Oysters with Garlic Breadcrumbs and Oregano
* Bruschetta with Smashed Chickpeas and Grilled Lamb’s Tongue
* Crispy Young Favas with Green Garlic Mayonnaise*
* Beef Carpaccio with Preserved Pecorino Sardo and Arugula
* Carne Cruda with Anchovy and Garlic
* Fried Artichokes Pangratatto*
* Fried Ipswich Clams with Sorrel Aioli
* Geoduck Crudo with Fennel and Radish
* Geoduck Scramble with Crème Fraiche
* Manila Clams on the Half Shell with Fennel, Lemon and Chiles
* Sardine Crudo with Celery Hearts, Pine Nuts and Lemon
* Marinated Octopus
* Pickled Vegetables*
* Sea Bass Crudo with Vanilla Oil, English Peas and Mint
* Soft-Shell Crab Bruschetta with Spring Garlic Aioli
* Spot Prawn Crudo with Chile and Mint
* Frittata with Morels and Savory*
* Bruschetta with Fresh Ricotta and Pine Nut Salsa Verde*
* Soft-Boiled Eggs with Anchovy Mayonnaise
* Shigoku Oysters on the Half Shell with Accompaniments
* Uni Spoons (uni is sea urchin roe)
The next chapter is “The Measure of a Cook: Soups” and includes recipes for:
* Essence of Artichoke*
* Farro and Artichoke Soup*
* Mediterranean Mussel and Chickpea Soup with Fennel and Lemon
* Clam Brodetto
* Parmesan Brodo*
* Oxtail Soup with Farro and Root Vegetables
* Farmers’ Market Soup*
* English Pea Soup with Poached Duck Egg*
* Kabocha and Porcini Soup*
* Corn and Chanterelle Soup*
* Heirloom Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons*
* Sorrel and Yogurt Soup*
The third chapter is entitled, “Starches to Grow On: Gnocchi, Polenta, Risotto, and Farrotto” and includes recipes for:
* Basic Potato Gnocchi*
* Gnocchi with Morels and Fried Duck Egg*
* Ricotta Gnocchi with Beef Short Rib Ragu
* Soft Polenta*
* Firm Polenta (for grilling or sautéing)*
* Sauteed Chicken Livers with Mushrooms and Onions on Soft Polenta
* Grilled Polenta with Heirloom Tomatoes and Pounded Anchovy Sauce
* Sauteed Polenta with Hedgehog Mushrooms and Aged Provolone*
* Spring Garlic Risotto
* Ramp Risotto with Shaved Porcini
* Artichoke Risotto
* Clam Risotto with Lemon
* Butternut Squash Risotto with Hazelnut Oil
* Farrotto with English Peas and Morels
* Dug Leg Farrotto with Pearl Onions and Bloomsdale Spinach
The next chapter, “Wheat’s Highest Calling: Pasta,” includes the following recipes:
* Egg Pasta*
* Semolina Pasta*
* Braised Rabbit Paws with Radiatore
* Linguine with Shrimp
* Cavatelli with Cuttlefish, Spring Onion, and Lemon
* Fava Bean Agnolotti with Snails and Herbed Butter
* Gnocchetti with Pancetta, Chanterelles, and Mint
* Tagliarini with Totten Viginica Oysters, Prosecco, Chives and Cream
* Maloreddus with Squid, Tomato Sauce and Lemon
* Spaghetti with Garlic, Chile, and Sea Urchin
* Trofie with Nettle Pesto*
*…
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