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Vegetables Unleashed: A Cookbook
From the endlessly inventive imaginations of star Spanish-American chef José Andrés and James Beard award-winning writer Matt Goulding, Vegetables Unleashed is a new cookbook that will transform how we think about—and eat—the vast universe of vegetables.
Andrés is famous for his unstoppable energy—and for his belief that vegetables are far sexier than meat can ever be. Showing us how to creatively transpose the flavors of a global pantry onto the produce aisle, Vegetables Unleashed showcases Andrés’s wide-ranging vision and borderless cooking style.
With recipes highlighting everything from the simple wonders of a humble lentil stew to the endless variations on the classic Spanish gazpacho to the curious genius of potatoes baked in fresh compost, Vegetables Unleashed gives us the recipes, tricks, and tips behind the dishes that have made Andrés one of America’s most important chefs and that promise to completely change our relationship with the diverse citizens of the vegetable kingdom.
Filled with a guerilla spirit and brought to life by Andrés’s globe-trotting culinary adventures, Vegetables Unleashed will show the home cook how to approach cooking vegetables in an entirely fresh and surprising way – and that the world can be changed through the power of plants.
Andrés is famous for his unstoppable energy—and for his belief that vegetables are far sexier than meat can ever be. Showing us how to creatively transpose the flavors of a global pantry onto the produce aisle, Vegetables Unleashed showcases Andrés’s wide-ranging vision and borderless cooking style.
With recipes highlighting everything from the simple wonders of a humble lentil stew to the endless variations on the classic Spanish gazpacho to the curious genius of potatoes baked in fresh compost, Vegetables Unleashed gives us the recipes, tricks, and tips behind the dishes that have made Andrés one of America’s most important chefs and that promise to completely change our relationship with the diverse citizens of the vegetable kingdom.
Filled with a guerilla spirit and brought to life by Andrés’s globe-trotting culinary adventures, Vegetables Unleashed will show the home cook how to approach cooking vegetables in an entirely fresh and surprising way – and that the world can be changed through the power of plants.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published November 19, 2019
About the author
José Andrés
40 books74 followersJosé Ramón Andrés Puerta, más conocido como José Andrés, es un cocinero español-estadounidense. Desde 2013 tiene también la nacionalidad estadounidense.
Chef/Owner of ThinkFoodGroup, star of the "Made In Spain" television series, and culinary creator and advocate.
Chef/Owner of ThinkFoodGroup, star of the "Made In Spain" television series, and culinary creator and advocate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
June 23, 2019
I am a huge fan of Jose Andres. The recipes of his that I've cooked have always been delicious and intricate tasting, yet extremely accessible and on the easier side to make. Plus, he's always seemed like such a good person and I think his work with World Central Kitchen basically puts him in the company of angels. I've also eaten at Jaleo and the paella and croquttas inhabit my dreamspace to this day.
While, full disclosure, I haven't yet tried any of the recipes from this latest cookbook, I absolutely will. I checked out an ebook version of this from the library and quickly discovered that I will need to purchase a physical copy of it.
So many tips, tricks, and inspirations that I simply couldn't copy them all down. Oh, and the pictures of him wearing a tshirt that says "Immigrants Feed America" is so badass it makes me heart him even more.
PS - there's a cold brew coffee with SPARKLING WINE recipe included that I am absolutely ITCHING to make. So weird sounding but it combines 2 of my favorite things that IDGAF and am totally making it.
While, full disclosure, I haven't yet tried any of the recipes from this latest cookbook, I absolutely will. I checked out an ebook version of this from the library and quickly discovered that I will need to purchase a physical copy of it.
So many tips, tricks, and inspirations that I simply couldn't copy them all down. Oh, and the pictures of him wearing a tshirt that says "Immigrants Feed America" is so badass it makes me heart him even more.
PS - there's a cold brew coffee with SPARKLING WINE recipe included that I am absolutely ITCHING to make. So weird sounding but it combines 2 of my favorite things that IDGAF and am totally making it.
August 8, 2019
3.75 His humanitarian work is outstanding and his recipes are pretty good.
September 5, 2019
Love this guy! His humanitarian work is so inspiring and he’s so full of infectious passion for people and food.
This book is a wonderful mix of food & travel writing, and super seasonal recipes that focus on produce at it’s peak deliciousness. Most recipes are soooo simple, just letting the beauty of each vegetable sing.
Highly recommend this one....
This book is a wonderful mix of food & travel writing, and super seasonal recipes that focus on produce at it’s peak deliciousness. Most recipes are soooo simple, just letting the beauty of each vegetable sing.
Highly recommend this one....
September 4, 2019
The cover of this book looks a man performing cunnilingus on vegetables. I'm fairly sure he got some strange combination of soil and carrots up his nose. I heard this Chef on NPR Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Podcast. He credited his wife as the creator of the gazpacho recipe.
Read
December 9, 2019I can't give a star rating to the cookbook, since I haven't tried any recipes yet. As a read and a resource, though, I'd only give it two stars. I enjoy reading cookbooks, but I only found about 15 recipes in this big book that I wanted to try (I made a list), and the reading experience wasn't great. (For a lovely vegetarian cookbook read, I highly recommend Nava Atlas' "Vegetariana.") It's literally 63 repetitive pages --often about how awesome Jose Andres is-- before you get your first recipe in Vegetables Unleashed. I've never seen that level of puffery before.
I first heard Jose Andres being hilarious on NPR's "Wait, wait, don't tell me", and then I learned what an impressive person he is watching a Library of Congress interview with him. His wonderful personality and humanitarian work are undeniable. But this cookbook is full of recipes for the very specialized advance kitchen like asparagus juice and salt foam in drinks, and I felt it was less accessible to the regular home cook like myself. The book made me want to eat in one of his many restaurants rather than attempt to cook most of the food myself. But there are a few recipes I'm intrigued to try that sounded easy, including, amazingly, a few that use a microwave! I've never seen that from a top chef before and am intrigued to try it for things I've normally done on the stove.
I first heard Jose Andres being hilarious on NPR's "Wait, wait, don't tell me", and then I learned what an impressive person he is watching a Library of Congress interview with him. His wonderful personality and humanitarian work are undeniable. But this cookbook is full of recipes for the very specialized advance kitchen like asparagus juice and salt foam in drinks, and I felt it was less accessible to the regular home cook like myself. The book made me want to eat in one of his many restaurants rather than attempt to cook most of the food myself. But there are a few recipes I'm intrigued to try that sounded easy, including, amazingly, a few that use a microwave! I've never seen that from a top chef before and am intrigued to try it for things I've normally done on the stove.
September 7, 2020
Love the presentation of some of the recipes. The “Waldorf”salad and Super Bowls construction ideas were my favorites.
January 15, 2022
Loved this cookbook. Beautiful photos, conversational text, and some great looking recipes. I haven't actually tried any, yet, which is why the 4 stars. I'll come back and rate it higher or lower once I've had a chance to cook from it. The book reads a bit like a travel book, which makes sense given that it is published by Harper's Anthony Bourdain imprint.
November 2, 2019
First, I am not a vegetarian. I’m definitively not a vegetarian and I thought this book is excellent.
It has a political message with which you will either identify, or you must “get past” to fully appreciate Jose’s brilliant culinary mind. In truth, one must assume (and there are acknowledgments to support this) that an entire crew of individuals contributed toward developing the recipes, contributed to the tone, and so on. So it’s not fair to say “Jose is so amazing” even though he is certainly one of the preeminent chef’s of our time.
The thing that I enjoyed most was not just the presentation of recipes, but the anecdotes, inclusion of persona “essays” and variations on how one can improve the recipes based on individual taste. In this way it reminded me in the best possible way of Thomas Keller’s definitive cookbooks like Ad Hoc at Home and The French Laundry. Addressing a variety of flavor profiles, vegetables, and cooking methods makes it wide ranging and a welcome addition to a cookbook collection.
If you are interested in cooking vegetables better, with more variety, or decreasing food waste, it’s a must read.
Highly recommended.
It has a political message with which you will either identify, or you must “get past” to fully appreciate Jose’s brilliant culinary mind. In truth, one must assume (and there are acknowledgments to support this) that an entire crew of individuals contributed toward developing the recipes, contributed to the tone, and so on. So it’s not fair to say “Jose is so amazing” even though he is certainly one of the preeminent chef’s of our time.
The thing that I enjoyed most was not just the presentation of recipes, but the anecdotes, inclusion of persona “essays” and variations on how one can improve the recipes based on individual taste. In this way it reminded me in the best possible way of Thomas Keller’s definitive cookbooks like Ad Hoc at Home and The French Laundry. Addressing a variety of flavor profiles, vegetables, and cooking methods makes it wide ranging and a welcome addition to a cookbook collection.
If you are interested in cooking vegetables better, with more variety, or decreasing food waste, it’s a must read.
Highly recommended.
November 14, 2019
This is my first review on here for a cookbook because I actually took the time to read (most of) the little stories and blurbs throughout. I'll admit I haven't tried a recipe from this book yet, but any cookbook with a 20 page spread on different recipes with potatoes as the star of the show gets 5 star review from me. I think this is going to be a great book for me as a long time vegetarian who is sick of meat imitations and the lack of creativity in vegetarian cooking. This book contains strange recipes like "compost potatoes" (pretty much exactly how it sounds) as well as more tame, but still creative ones like "carrot curry" (the recipe that has convinced me I need a juicer).
January 5, 2020
Un mero producto promocional de José Andrés. Algunas recetas e ideas son interesantes, pero la mayor parte del libro es prescindible.
July 22, 2021
Admittedly, I am completely and unreasonably biased here. There aren't too many people I admire, and I don't have heroes. Andres, I admire. He's figured out how to use his fame for good and manages to have fun doing it, even when in trying environments and putting up with the ineptitude of politicians and bureaucrats. But that's not what this book is about.
This book is a peek into the creative working mind of a chef who has far more energy than his co-writer quite knows how to keep up with. And that makes it such a fun read. Yes, there are recipes, but most of them are incredibly simple. Deceptively simple. The point isn't the recipes, anyway. The point is seeing how the process works and how an idea (or a hundred ideas) becomes a meal. It's a roadmap and a canvas, not an instruction manual.
Quite by accident, I picked this up after watching a documentary on El Bulli. I'd completely forgotten that Andres worked there, so the connection didn't hit me until I was halfway through this book. I think the documentary tried to do something similar and show how the culinary creative process works. IMO, the documentary wasn't nearly as successful and just ended up coming off as elitist and disjointed. After watching it, I still thought the cuisine absurd and pretentious. This book is nothing if not practical and down-to-earth. We get to read about the experimentation -- and the disagreements about how well they worked -- but once the wild ideas are sorted out, what is presented to the reader are some fun stories and a stash of interesting and easy ways to make vegetables interesting. I can't say he's convinced me that beets are edible, but that mushroom "cappuccino" is a thing of wonder.
I think in lesser hands, this could have gone off the rails, but Goulding is as good a food writer as Andres is a chef, and neither of them take themselves too seriously.
This book is a peek into the creative working mind of a chef who has far more energy than his co-writer quite knows how to keep up with. And that makes it such a fun read. Yes, there are recipes, but most of them are incredibly simple. Deceptively simple. The point isn't the recipes, anyway. The point is seeing how the process works and how an idea (or a hundred ideas) becomes a meal. It's a roadmap and a canvas, not an instruction manual.
Quite by accident, I picked this up after watching a documentary on El Bulli. I'd completely forgotten that Andres worked there, so the connection didn't hit me until I was halfway through this book. I think the documentary tried to do something similar and show how the culinary creative process works. IMO, the documentary wasn't nearly as successful and just ended up coming off as elitist and disjointed. After watching it, I still thought the cuisine absurd and pretentious. This book is nothing if not practical and down-to-earth. We get to read about the experimentation -- and the disagreements about how well they worked -- but once the wild ideas are sorted out, what is presented to the reader are some fun stories and a stash of interesting and easy ways to make vegetables interesting. I can't say he's convinced me that beets are edible, but that mushroom "cappuccino" is a thing of wonder.
I think in lesser hands, this could have gone off the rails, but Goulding is as good a food writer as Andres is a chef, and neither of them take themselves too seriously.
May 10, 2021
As a big fan of José Andrés and food in general, this was a great read. Full of fabulous recipes and beautiful pictures, this book also had a lot of interesting narrative. Excuse me now while I get back to cooking my way through this book.
December 28, 2019
vibrant ,exuberant look into the world of cooking vegetables. This is a passionate cookbook!!!!
June 10, 2024
Beautiful book. Both the writing and pictures wonderful. But way too fancy for me.
October 13, 2019
My dad was Gallego (from Galicia) and he would have devoured his book
A lot of the recipes are modified Spanish traditional cuisine, but for us who either have roots in Spain or lived there this book will take you back. The vegetables dishes I found new were the ones with oriental taste, I will try them and I can’t wait for the vegetables sushi (there was an all vegan sushi place in concord California that was amazing, I’m hoping these come close) the sauces are mostly traditional and very good, there are a few ingredients that where I live will have to be omitted or replaced (Cambria, California, population 3000. ⬆️ 5000 at summer time, one market, 1 gas station 19 restaurants not one decent pizza in sight !! 😭)
Overall I loved the book, brought back memories of dad, grandma and family back in Spain, I always enjoy watching chef Andres on tv, and where ever I find him in interviews, he’s a chef but also a hero who fed the people when mostly needed and nobody asked him or reimbursed him, he does it because his heart is as big as a whale!!!
Great book by a great Chef and humanitarian !!!
A lot of the recipes are modified Spanish traditional cuisine, but for us who either have roots in Spain or lived there this book will take you back. The vegetables dishes I found new were the ones with oriental taste, I will try them and I can’t wait for the vegetables sushi (there was an all vegan sushi place in concord California that was amazing, I’m hoping these come close) the sauces are mostly traditional and very good, there are a few ingredients that where I live will have to be omitted or replaced (Cambria, California, population 3000. ⬆️ 5000 at summer time, one market, 1 gas station 19 restaurants not one decent pizza in sight !! 😭)
Overall I loved the book, brought back memories of dad, grandma and family back in Spain, I always enjoy watching chef Andres on tv, and where ever I find him in interviews, he’s a chef but also a hero who fed the people when mostly needed and nobody asked him or reimbursed him, he does it because his heart is as big as a whale!!!
Great book by a great Chef and humanitarian !!!
Read
March 9, 2020Much more than a cookbook. For those who love to READ cookbooks, this is one to put on your list. Full of essays about the future of food, serving food to people during a crisis, being responsible when it comes to food without being high-minded or lofty, and small farmers - the tangerine grower, and the Gangsta Gardener, in L.A. There's a recipe for compost vegetable broth, where you save all your veg scraps in a bowl in the fridge and once you have about a pound, you make broth. The recipes range from roasting broccoli, whole, with garlic, to a veg paella and his wife's gazpacho. And there are cocktails -- an heirloom bloody Mary and many drinks made with fruit or vegetable juices. With some cookbooks you come away with a few good recipes you'll use again. The best cookbooks provide hand fulls. This is one of those cookbooks.
January 11, 2020
This book is a mouth-watering and inspiring glimpse into the world of Chef José Andrés, watching him celebrate not jamón, but vegetables as only he can. Throughout the book snippets and stories are included that tell of other movers and shakers in the food and vegetable world, largely producers and gardeners, who are blazing their own innovative trails through the world of plants and both modern farming and cuisine. Recommended for anyone who enjoys cookbooks, vegetables, and a good, inspiring read.
May 25, 2020
This is the first time I've read a cookbook cover to cover. I got this book for my birthday last August and was hoping to learn some new vegetable cooking techniques. I don't know that I learned any new techniques, but I enjoyed reading the little story behind each recipe. I've made a handful of recipes so far. My favorites have been the Miso Roasted Asparagus and the Fennel Bouillabaisse. I've had one failure - the Salt Baked Vegetables (still not sure where I went wrong on that one). I hope to eat of one of Jose's restaurants in the future. Looking forward to reading another cookbook.
November 18, 2019
Great photos, but not many recipes I wanted to make after viewing the cookbook. I am a huge fan of his and his human crisis work and really, really wanted to love this book. He was on “wait, wait, don’t tell me!” recently! 💛
February 17, 2020
I don't normally include cookbooks on Goodreads but I read this puppy from cover to cover because it was so damned good. Jose Andres writes like he cooks- from the heart! Even if you don't like eating vegetables I dare you to read this book and not run salivating to the nearest farmer's market.
February 18, 2022
Spanish cuisine for the most part, plus lots of travel text. For me, a few good recipes.
July 24, 2024
I had this on my shelf for so long, and when I looked at the spine I recoiled, as it is bright red, has huge lettering, and looks like the cookbook equivalent of a sports bar. Plus, it's 350 pages, which speaks to an ego issue, perhaps. However, there must have been a reason I bought it in the first place, so today I pulled it down and looked through it to see if I wanted to keep it.
YES. Yes yes yes yes. I do.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The book is bloated and padded with unnecessary dross, with pages and pages of visits with farmers and chefs, narrated to the minute, with updates on how busy the kitchen is and what vegetables are available. Does anyone read this stuff? I didn't.
The first actual recipe you encounter is called "Compost Potatoes," and it is exactly what it sounds like. You dump used coffee grounds on a baking sheet, put the potatoes in them, and then "cover the potatoes with a few scoops from your compost bin" before baking. WUT. Now obviously no one is actually going to make this recipe, which leads me to question the purpose of this rhetorical choice. It establishes the author as a gritty, resourceful, and edgy chef, perhaps. There's a kind of showboaty-ness to this that I find distasteful. At this point in my perusal I was out.
But if you keep paging through, you see many many creative and interesting ideas that aren't overly complicated (squash blossom cheeseadillas, cucumber shaved ice, corn soup, a spread on unusual uses of berries, fennel bouillabaisse (no fish), carrot "pasta," a spread on how to use vegetable scraps, a spread on garlic vegetables, a list of different citrus sodas, vichyssoise leeks, kabocha quiche, sweet potato sundaes, and seven pages of sauces). I feel the coffee and champagne beverage should not go without mention.
I have not begun to scratch the surface of this incredibly useful cookbook, and I don't know what is wrong with me for leaving it on the shelf for so long.
YES. Yes yes yes yes. I do.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The book is bloated and padded with unnecessary dross, with pages and pages of visits with farmers and chefs, narrated to the minute, with updates on how busy the kitchen is and what vegetables are available. Does anyone read this stuff? I didn't.
The first actual recipe you encounter is called "Compost Potatoes," and it is exactly what it sounds like. You dump used coffee grounds on a baking sheet, put the potatoes in them, and then "cover the potatoes with a few scoops from your compost bin" before baking. WUT. Now obviously no one is actually going to make this recipe, which leads me to question the purpose of this rhetorical choice. It establishes the author as a gritty, resourceful, and edgy chef, perhaps. There's a kind of showboaty-ness to this that I find distasteful. At this point in my perusal I was out.
But if you keep paging through, you see many many creative and interesting ideas that aren't overly complicated (squash blossom cheeseadillas, cucumber shaved ice, corn soup, a spread on unusual uses of berries, fennel bouillabaisse (no fish), carrot "pasta," a spread on how to use vegetable scraps, a spread on garlic vegetables, a list of different citrus sodas, vichyssoise leeks, kabocha quiche, sweet potato sundaes, and seven pages of sauces). I feel the coffee and champagne beverage should not go without mention.
I have not begun to scratch the surface of this incredibly useful cookbook, and I don't know what is wrong with me for leaving it on the shelf for so long.
February 15, 2021
Alluring, enticing recipes, vivid photography and food styling, and highly personal, energetic commentary from Spanish Chef José Andrés, who is not only renowned for his multi-cultural restaurants and food trucks, but for his humanitarian efforts in dealing with the food shortages in Puerto Rico and Haiti after natural disasters and now here in the United States in the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
I first heard of Chef Andrés in CNN reports of his trips to Puerto Rico after Category 5 Hurricane Maria devastated much of the island, destroying homes, roads and the electrical infrastructure, leaving tens of thousands homeless and destitute in isolated areas. He set up a volunteer network and makeshift kitchen stations all over the island that served millions of meals. That humanitarian work was profiled in his prior book We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time. He is a remarkable man, with a truly larger than life personality and an extraordinary zest for living.
I can't wait to try some of Chef Andrés's recipes, which bring together what might sound like unlikely combinations of certain vegetables and grains. During the pandemic, preparing almost every single meal every day has become a challenge in staving off boredom, as well as repetition. After a full year in which I can count on one hand how many take-out meals my husband and I have had, and on the other, outdoor dining excursions with him or a friend, I am much more than ready for new culinary ideas, especially ones that have been presented with such color and energy.
Like nearly all the books I have read in the last few years, I checked this one out from the library via an inter-library loan, but it is so good, I have it on my Amazon wishlist for a future purchase. For now, I'll jot down some of the most appealing recipes and go from there.
I first heard of Chef Andrés in CNN reports of his trips to Puerto Rico after Category 5 Hurricane Maria devastated much of the island, destroying homes, roads and the electrical infrastructure, leaving tens of thousands homeless and destitute in isolated areas. He set up a volunteer network and makeshift kitchen stations all over the island that served millions of meals. That humanitarian work was profiled in his prior book We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time. He is a remarkable man, with a truly larger than life personality and an extraordinary zest for living.
I can't wait to try some of Chef Andrés's recipes, which bring together what might sound like unlikely combinations of certain vegetables and grains. During the pandemic, preparing almost every single meal every day has become a challenge in staving off boredom, as well as repetition. After a full year in which I can count on one hand how many take-out meals my husband and I have had, and on the other, outdoor dining excursions with him or a friend, I am much more than ready for new culinary ideas, especially ones that have been presented with such color and energy.
Like nearly all the books I have read in the last few years, I checked this one out from the library via an inter-library loan, but it is so good, I have it on my Amazon wishlist for a future purchase. For now, I'll jot down some of the most appealing recipes and go from there.
January 27, 2020
When I read the cookbook Andaluz by travel writer Fiona Dunlop, I found my all-time favorite cookbook. Then along comes Vegetables Unleashed by Spanish chef & humanitarian Jose Andres, who happens to come from the same region of Spain. The passion for food and family must be born into people from that region. I absolutely adore Vegetables Unleashed, and I adore Andres and what he stands for. His playfulness and passion shine through on every page, and the insights and asides from co-writer Matt Goulding add enriching detail and humor. Oh, and yes, there are great recipes! I have already made the Scrap Stock (aka Compost Caldo) twice, and have bookmarked several to try right away: Braised Leeks with Sauteed Mushrooms, Vegetable Ceviche, and Green Curry with Kabocha Squash and Spinach, among many others. This is a fun and tasty read from a Michelin-starred, award-winning chef and amazing human being whose zest for life is contagious. And yes, it's well written. Listen to this description from Love Letter: An Ode to the Spanish Tortilla: "For me, there's only one right answer: poco hecha, a tortilla with a bright yellow shell on the outside and a soft, melting interior. It should jiggle like a water bed, and when you cut into it, weep golden tears of egg onto the plate. Do it the right way, and the eggs are both the dish and the sauce, blanketing the potatoes in a brilliant sheen the same way they cover the spaghetti in a well-made carbonara." I rest my case. Enjoy the read.
June 1, 2023
Wow! José Andrés is one of my heroes (a white hero!) for his presence in every single, large & small, disaster that leaves people in need of food through World Central Kitchen. I read this cookbook like a memoir, every page.
I love cookbooks. I buy quite a few of them. There are a couple that I return to for that one, sometimes two, great recipe. I've made several recipes from Vegetables Unleashed & my boyfriend has made kolokitokeftedes at least five times (the recipe that was there when I turned the page on returning home from a trip to Palo Alto where we had them in an incredible meal at Taverna) & it's not even zucchini season.
A gorgeous, coffee table worthy, book that is a beautifully edited journey into the mind of a food lover & peace warrior (A phrase that makes me giggle but it fits here perfectly). The recipes open new possibilities & the stories light up the world in a most vivid way.
Can't recommend highly enough.
I love cookbooks. I buy quite a few of them. There are a couple that I return to for that one, sometimes two, great recipe. I've made several recipes from Vegetables Unleashed & my boyfriend has made kolokitokeftedes at least five times (the recipe that was there when I turned the page on returning home from a trip to Palo Alto where we had them in an incredible meal at Taverna) & it's not even zucchini season.
A gorgeous, coffee table worthy, book that is a beautifully edited journey into the mind of a food lover & peace warrior (A phrase that makes me giggle but it fits here perfectly). The recipes open new possibilities & the stories light up the world in a most vivid way.
Can't recommend highly enough.
March 14, 2020
I did not know anything about this author. My husband picked this book out. I enjoyed reading it, not only for the recipes, but the little essays and mini biographies that flow through the book.
I was struck by the author's massive creativity. Using chick pea foam to make a cocktail? That is truly amazing.
I made a dish with sauteed greens, toasted mixed nuts, carmelized apples and dried fruit. It came out looking like something from a 5 star restaurant. There were a few steps, but it wasn't difficult.
My husband chose this book as we are working together to lower his cholesterol. This book is not exactly the magic ticket to that. Many of the recipes are positively indulgent with creams, butters, cheeses, and meats. We will make those another time. In the meantime, it was an interesting journey to Spain through the point of view of the author.
I was struck by the author's massive creativity. Using chick pea foam to make a cocktail? That is truly amazing.
I made a dish with sauteed greens, toasted mixed nuts, carmelized apples and dried fruit. It came out looking like something from a 5 star restaurant. There were a few steps, but it wasn't difficult.
My husband chose this book as we are working together to lower his cholesterol. This book is not exactly the magic ticket to that. Many of the recipes are positively indulgent with creams, butters, cheeses, and meats. We will make those another time. In the meantime, it was an interesting journey to Spain through the point of view of the author.
November 28, 2020
This is my favorite cookbook in quite awhile! I think Andrés just won me over with how freaking easy most of these recipes are. Like some probably take about ten minutes total, because he actually uses the microwave sometimes instead of slow cooking everything for hours and hours like a lot of professional chefs and food bloggers seem to do. Not everything is that quick, but really most of these recipes can likely be made in 30 minutes or less, which is exactly what I need.
Also, a lot of a flavor combinations I would not necessarily have thought of, but that sound really good. Spinach with dried fruit and pine nuts? Hello! Sweet potato sundaes? Sign me up!
Plus the photography is really nice. And also I just appreciate his attitude. I might actually buy this one.
Also, a lot of a flavor combinations I would not necessarily have thought of, but that sound really good. Spinach with dried fruit and pine nuts? Hello! Sweet potato sundaes? Sign me up!
Plus the photography is really nice. And also I just appreciate his attitude. I might actually buy this one.
May 19, 2022
This is a great coffee table book, with wonderful pictures on every page (of Andres and his team and other acquaintances as well as the recipes). He maintains a narrative throughout and shares his horror that only 10% of Americans eat the recommended fruit and vegetable allowance, and, as for children, 40% of their vegetable consumption comes from french fries. I cannot believe that Michelle Obama did not address that while in office.
Most of the recipes are kind of heavy on olive oil, but it is very well worth reading through the book, because on the one hand olive oil can be modified and on the other he comes up with surprising things at times, like finding that microwaving corn on the cob is best.
The book is fun to read.
Most of the recipes are kind of heavy on olive oil, but it is very well worth reading through the book, because on the one hand olive oil can be modified and on the other he comes up with surprising things at times, like finding that microwaving corn on the cob is best.
The book is fun to read.
September 17, 2019
Less a cookbook than a call to action, this "love letter to the plant kingdom" is a compendium of Jose Andres' mission, philosophy, principles, ideas, and recipes. Filled with gorgeous photos, I've read it dozens of times for inspiration. Andres is a beautiful human being, and his food is as alluring as his magnanimousness and humanity. The whole roasted cauliflower with barbecue sauce is a nice new twist on a classic. Both of the brussels sprout recipes were superb, and a nice change from roasting with garlic and olive oil. As we're still harvesting tomatoes from our garden, I can't wait to try his mouthwatering recipes for the fruit.
April 28, 2021
A cookbook but so much more. I’ve always been a huge fan of Jose Andres. A genius; a humanitarian; a charismatic chef. This isn’t a chef’s cookbook like others on his level (think Eric Rippert, Thomas Keller, et al). Recipes are simple and ingredients are accessible. If you pick up a new veg at the farmers market and don’t know what to do, Jose is here to help. Broken down by season, there are a few recipes for each vegetable, most ingredients you may have in your pantry already. Will definitely be getting use out of this book.
Also a bonus- my young children are also very interested in this book because Jose was on an episode of Waffles and Mochi.
Also a bonus- my young children are also very interested in this book because Jose was on an episode of Waffles and Mochi.
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