What do Latin American Ceviche and Asian Duck Stir-Fry have in common with Root Vegetable Tzimmes and Classic Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls? They're all examples of the inspired cooking that has made Jeffrey Nathan, host of Public Television's top-rated New Jewish Cuisine, the most exciting kosher chef at work today. His innovative food captures the spirit of Jewish cooking while exploring a whole world of sophisticated flavors. Jeffrey Nathan revives and reinvents Jewish cuisine for generations of people tired of the same old brisket and noodle kugel. In Adventures in Jewish Cooking, classic Jewish recipes get a delicious twist, like Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sweet and Sour Cranberry Sauce and Gefilte Fish Terrine with Beet and Carrot Salads. But Nathan also knows when to stick to tradition--in his confident hands, tried-and-true favorites like latkes and cholent have never tasted better. Inspired by Jewish cuisines from around the world, as well as a diverse palette of other ethnic flavors, these recipes are anything but bland or heavy. Israeli Chopped Vegetable Salad, Falafel-Crusted Salmon with Jerusalem Dressing, Syrian Lemon Chicken Stew, and Apple Cobbler with Almond-Streusel Topping are all so flavorful and nuanced that they can be served with pride on any occasion. With ready-for-company menus perfect for Passover, the Sabbath, and more, plenty of weeknight options, and variations that make it easy to adjust many recipes to a meat or dairy meal, this is the book that adventurous Jewish cooks have been waiting for.
Anyone looking for new takes on Jewish cooking or fresh ideas for their kosher table will want to explore Adventures in Jewish Cooking. The book pushes the whole concept of Jewish cooking--let alone kosher restrictions--to the limit with inspired, internationally inflected dishes. Jeffrey Nathan, executive chef of Manhattan's acclaimed kosher restaurant Abigael's and host of the popular PBS cooking show New Jewish Cuisine, delivers all the standards of Jewish fare, but his Matzo Ball Soup is intensified with a spicy Latin American Soffrito and studded with saffron-infused matzo balls. His gefilte fish is a sophisticated terrine, adorned with jewel-like carrot and beet salads tossed with a tangy, sharp Horseradish Mustard Vinaigrette. Even his chicken soup is accented with Japanese miso paste. Besides updated versions of typical Jewish dishes, Nathan calls on his widely varied culinary experience to create kosher versions of more unexpected fare. Nori-Wrapped Salmon with Pea Shoot Salad would be impressive on any table--it's merely an added bonus that it also happens to be kosher. Turkey and Sausage Barley Jambalaya proves that pastrami, veal sausage, and turkey thighs can go head-to-head with the nonkosher meats normally found in this spicy Southern dish. Many of the dishes are impressive enough for the holiday table, making this a welcome resource for any cook looking for unusual takes on international cooking and those looking to add new dimensions to their kosher fare. --Robin Donovan
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Anything but ordinary:
author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family from the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
August 30, 2002 When it comes to kosher fine dining, chef Jeffrey Nathan of New York's Abigael's restaurants wrote the book. Now, just in time for Rosh Hashana, he's written "Adventures in Jewish Cooking," a collection of innovative recipes that redefine kosher as a world-class cuisine. "I want our customers to think of Abigael's not as a kosher restaurant, but as a... more info
Not the usual Bubbeh Yenta's recipe book:
"Oy gevald, that's not how my bubbeh prepared matzah ball soup," you will probably exclaim with shock when you first come across Jeff Nathan's version of that healing dish. "Neither did she cook brisket with apple cider and rosemary -- rosemary schmoesmary, she used to say!" But once your shock subsides you will find yourself in posession one of the best kosher cookbooks out there. With a mish-mosh of ingredients and cooking methods from around the world, Jeff Nathan created a masterpiece guide for the... more info
A "Must Have" Cookbook:
Buy this book! I can't say enough good things about Chef Nathans' book! This is a great book for kosher cooks AND it is a great storehouse of recipes and techniques for any kind of cooking! With most cookbooks I am pleased if I walk away with one or two "keeper" recipes. With Chef Nathans' book, every recipe I've tried has been outstanding! When it comes to spices, these recipes present some unusual combinations; yet trust me every dish I've tried has come out perfectly and interestingly spiced! I can... more info
Adventures in Cookbook Reviews:
Disagreement makes the world go 'round. But when I read a review that I know to be out-and-out unfair, I have to jump in and set the record straight.
I have happily cooked my way through this book. I do agree with the readers who found some of the recipes time-consuming and difficult to shop for. However, the book is not advertised as "fast and easy" cooking (a claim that many other chef's books falsely use with abandon), so I wasn't surprised to see many of Nathan's restaurant's signiature dishes... more info
