Behind the scenes of a cookbook review
One dish in 'Claudia Roden's Mediterranean' is so good, I've made it three times. Another was excellent, and a third needs tweaking.
Happy Friday, happy cook!
I thought you might enjoy a peek into the process of recipe testing for a cookbook review. Especially because it previews a dish you may want to make this weekend — or soon.
As you may or may not know, I only review books for Cooks Without Borders (the website) that are favorable; the books I cover are all strong recommendations, even if I sometimes have exacting note or two. After decades of writing unflinchingly critical reviews — whether raves or pans or (more often) something in-between, and whether for cookbooks or restaurants — these days I’m only interested in celebrating great work, and spotlighting promising professionals. For cookbooks that means I feature titles I feel will enhance the quality of life of any cook who finds the particular subject appealing.
Still, most cookbooks are imperfect, and many recipes — even from outstanding authors — need adjustments, clarification or other tweaking. For instance, many recipes (including the one I’m about to rave about) are weirdly vague about salt — something it’s so important to get right.
Claudia Roden’s Mediterranean came out 18 months ago, in November, 2021, but somehow I missed the occasion of its publication, and only got my hands on the book in February. Flipping through its pages and pages of delicious-looking, super-accessible yet fresh and relevant recipes, I thought, wow, at 87 years old, Claudia Roden is at the top of her game (or at least she was when she published this book at age 85). How fabulous is that? Honestly, over the course of her impressive half-century-long career, her work has continued to evolve; her recipes become more and more vivid and deeply delicious. The realization led me to write an appreciation of her career in March.
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The first dish that caught my eye in Claudia Roden’s Mediterranean — Chicken Baked with Olives and Boiled Lemons — was inspired by “the sharp lemony flavors of one of the most famous Moroccan tagines.” Its aromas of garlic, turmeric and ginger remind Roden of the Place Djemaa el Fna market in Marrakesh. Roden pulls that all together in a hassle-free bake, what she calls “the kind of easy dish I make when I have many guests.”
I had to make it right away! It’s very saucy, garlicky and lusty, just perfect for serving with couscous, and ideal for entertaining, as you assemble it in a snap, then shove it in the oven and forget about it while it bakes for an hour.
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