Best Slow and Easy Recipes: More than 250 Foolproof, Flavor-Packed Roasts, Stews, and Braises...

Best Slow and Easy Recipes: More than 250 Foolproof, Flavor-Packed Roasts, Stews, and Braises that let the ... | Cook's Illustrated Magazine | Great recipies for real people

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Christmas in America Fiddler on the Roo... Amadeus Quartet/Cl... Ideals of the Best Slow and Easy...

	Best Slow and Easy Recipes: More than 250 Foolproof, Flavor-Packed Roasts, Stews, and Braises that let the ... Cook's Illustrated Magazine Cook's Illustrated, 2008 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 21 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

What if we told you that recipes don't have to be fast to be simple? That cooking methods like stewing, braising, and roasting can actually be fuss-free? The Best Slow & Easy Recipes gives you more than 250 recipes that show you why building flavor slower is sometimes better - and easier. The appeal of cooking food slowly is undeniable; a moderate oven temperature and extended cooking time can build rich, concentrated flavor and yield tender, juicy meat. But when most of us think of dishes that are slow cooking by nature - such as roasts, braises, and stews - we think of an all-day affair requiring constant attention, something to prepare for a special occasion or when you can commit a full day to the task. But in fact, in many cases just the opposite is true. These dishes are, for the most part, easy - although they take time, the process is largely unattended, leaving you free to simply walk away. You'll find all the classic slow-cooked dishes here - dishes where time, slow simmering, and gentle heat work their magic - from Prime Rib and Classic Beef Chili to Smothered Pork Chops and Cassoulet. But we also introduce to you some new favorites such as Carnitas, the Mexican version of pulled pork (a slow braise renders the pieces of pork rich and tender, while a quick broil at the end creates an irresistibly crisp, caramelized exterior) and Braised Chicken with Almonds and Pine Nuts (a boldly-flavored Spanish dish thickened with a picada - a mixture of ground almonds, pine nuts, parsley, and saffron). And we didn't forget to make use of the slow cooker; sure, you already know you can make all kinds of stews and chilis in this convenient piece of equipment, but we've discovered it's also great for making Homemade Chicken Broth or Meatballs in Marinara (a quick stint in the microwave rids the meatballs of excess fat without creating a tough exterior). Want to know one of the easiest, most foolproof ways to cook fish? Simply throw it in a pot with some lightly sautéed aromatics and put it in the oven. Our Salmon en Cocotte with Leeks and White Wine might take a little longer to cook than fish cooked another way, but it's hands-free time as the low, gentle heat of the oven and covered pot concentrate the flavors and keep the fish moist - say goodbye to dried-out fish forever.
Sometimes a novel approach is required to make a slow recipe easier. What do you do when you want barbecued ribs in the middle of winter? Move the process indoors - your oven, a baking stone, and some tea leaves are all you need to get long-cooked, smoky flavor any time of year (and eliminate constant monitoring in the process). How do you ensure foolproof results for finicky side dishes such as polenta, risotto, and rice? Cook them in the oven - our baked versions provide gentle heat that is much more reliable and consistent than classic stovetop versions. And they're easier too - you'll be surprised to find that our Baked Risotto requires no stirring once it goes in the oven.
We'll also show you how to apply slow cooking techniques to vegetables and fruit, creating new and unexpected flavors and textures in the process. Slow-Braised Carrots take an hour to cook but the simple approach (simmering them in butter and water and then browning them at the end) gives you the sweetest, creamiest, most flavorful carrots we've ever tasted. Don't know what to do with less-than-perfect tomatoes? Slow-roast them to concentrate their sweet flavor and draw out their juices (they make a great side dish or you can use them as part of a salsa or sauce). Slow cooking isn't just uncomplicated cooking - it can be economical and convenient too. With The Best Slow & Easy Recipes, we'll bring you back to the simple art of slow cooking. We promise it's worth the wait.

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great cookbook for a novice

My husband loves to use this cookbook because it is very difficult to mess up the recipes. He really likes the coq au vin which is really good if you use good wine.

Great recipies for real people

Once again the folks at Cook's Illustrated have delivered a great book that is full of no-nonsense, real world recipes for real (busy) people. You won't find any 'impossible' ingredients or ridiculous preparation steps. Like all books in the series, this is full of recipes that you actually want to cook, made with common ingredients.
This is not a crock-pot recipe book but rather a "start on the stove and finish in the oven with a Dutch oven" sort of cookbook. There are some electric slow cooker recipes and many of these dishes are easily converted to a crock-pot.
To my delight, there is plenty of stews and roasts in this book, but there is a lot more as well including dishes from all over the world, not just American slow cooked meat.
The focus of this book is not so much dumping ingredients into a pot and serving dinner 6 hours later. Many of the dishes have some more complex prep work including salts, rubs, searing meat, and adding certain veggies toward the end of the cooking time. This book will walk you through the process of making the most succulent dishes possible with taste trumping ease-of-prep in many cases. Still, the book doesn't expect you to cook all day. The result is most dishes require the bulk of the work up front (in the morning or day before serving) making the process of serving dinner at your party, or to your family after a full day of work much more relaxing and enjoyable.

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A warm meal on a cold night

I received my new cookbook 10 days ago and have already found several new recipes I cant wait to try. As a technically challenged cook I have been looking for a book like this for many years. Even my Cooks Illustrated Best Recipe and Italian Classics are not this enjoyable to thumb through. First up is going to be the Meat Ragu on page 129 that describes itself as "Nothing could be simpler or more welcome on a cold night". It sounded perfect for a cold January day that started out at -4F and it was truly very easy to make. So why only 4 stars? I had ordered a new copy and received a used copy. The dust jacket was well marred with scotch tape I must of received a holiday re-gifted copy. I have always thought better of Amazon and their customer service.

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I really want to like this book

...but I'm consistently having problems with the recipes for oven roasts. The cooking times for roasts are completely unrealistic. I consistently have to cook a roast an hour or more longer than the cooking times. Yes, I like beef at medium rare to medium (by a normal person's standard), so I should tack on some time. But I shouldn't have to double or triple the suggested time!

I have been happy with the final results of the oven roast recipes I've tried, but I don't like eating at 9:00 at night. (Note: The crock pot recipes are good and reasonably fool proof. Hence three stars instead of two.)

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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