It's time to go back to school, kids, with an old fashioned book report. This one, however, is going to Rockin' the Kitchen style- we're going to do a book report on a cookbook. Fun, right? What does this have to do with Ozzy? You'll see........
If you ever caught an episode of The Osbournes you know exactly what I mean with the language warning. Lots of F Bombs. Lots of bleep bleep bleeeeep bleep. I'm ok with that, as an adult I can appreciate the humor in a cookbook written with lots of expletives. It's funny. So please, be warned- lots of F Bombs coming. That being said, the cookbook What The FXXK Should I Make For Dinner by Zach Golden is a terrific collection of easy to prepare recipes that uses traditional and trendy ingredients. Lots of vegetables, seafood, great cuts of meat, roast chicken, something everyone needs to master, and kale. Yep, kale.
Let's start with that roast chicken. Of all the life skills a cook needs to master, roasting a chicken is one of them. Besides producing a tasty meal you also have leftovers and a roast carcass to utilize in other ways as well, like making stock, which is another essential cooking skill. WTFSIMFD walks you through roasting a chicken to juicy perfection really emphasizing the important of seasoning- "make it rain herbs on that bitch" and "season with a shitload of salt and pepper." Stuffing the cavity with a lemon is one of my favorite ways to get flavor into the bird and keep it juicy.
The Beet Salad with Chevre recipe gives a nod to my favorite television guilty pleasure in the directions, and is very accurate. Working with beets will turn your work surface into something that resembles a homicide scene. Zach's recipe uses beets you roast yourself (more learning for the new cook) and simple but fresh ingredients to create a salad that's earthy and delicious.
Seafood also plays a role in the cookbook with awesome recipes for clams, scallops and lobster. The Clams with Andouille Sausage will "open up like your drunk uncle at Thanksgiving."
Looking for a pasta recipe for your foul mouth vegetarian friends? Ya, that's in there too. Linguine with Snap Peas, Ricotta and Mint sounds delicious and is not complicated at all. Great recipe for a new cook to try, and makes a great vegetarian entree or lunch dish. Like meat? Serve this as a side with some grilled seafood.
Craving some pork? That's covered as well with a peachy pork loin recipe that roasts in the oven. Simple ingredients, simple directions. Delicious results.
Pork and fennel also appear in the cookbook- and that is one my favorite flavor combos. Pork pairs perfectly with the slight anise flavor of the fennel- try it, you'll love this unique vegetable.
Grilling halibut sound up your alley?
Be sure to get your grill "as hot as balls." However hot balls may be.
My favorite of all southern foods is without a doubt Shrimp and Grits and Zach has a unique and DELICIOUS recipe in the book. Bacon, shallots, juicy shrimp and arugula make this an awesome dinner for chilly weeknights when I don't feel like going out for dinner, but I want something really really good, and don't mind getting cussed at while reading the directions.
Looking to impress a date with a home cooked meal? You can get "classy and easy as fuck" with the Steamed Lobster and Saffron Butter. You even get to cook live lobsters in this one, so prepare yourself. If you're like me and don't like to cook living creatures to death, just grab some lobster tails from the fish counter and make just the saffron butter.
All in all, this is an awesome cookbook. The recipes were all deliciously crafted and modern. Lots of fresh ingredients and easy to find cuts of meat and seafood, it's a great book for new and experienced cooks, as long as they have a sense of humor and don't mind a few colorful words interspersed. Grab yourself a copy!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
No comments:
Post a Comment