13 best chronicle books vegetarian cookbooks

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Nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award: Vegetable-Focused Cooking

Ruffage focuses on the simple techniques that help any cook prepare a variety of delicious vegetables in a number of ways. This vegetable focused cookbook tackles the question home cooks ask themselves about vegetables: How do I cook this? How do I make this exciting? Do I store this in the fridge? How do I make this into dinner?

Ruffage offers new strategies and practical advice from Abra Berens, an exciting new chef and farmer in the Midwest, and features 100 straightforward recipes, each with 3 or more variations, organized alphabetically by vegetable.

Asparagus: Pan Roasted

My mother was a wonderful cook, mastering everything from spit-roasted woodcock to the perfect cream sauce. But she cooked asparagus all to hell. The asparagus of my childhood was microwaved until it turned the color of 1970s bathroom tiles—and was simultaneously limp and stringy—naturally I looked askance at any mention of asparagus on a menu. The first bright green, just-cooked, and still-crisp stalks, rolled in butter and salt, stole my heart; I’ve never been the same since.

The key to a good pan roast is to give it the time and space to cook. Overcrowding the pan will steam the vegetable or at least make it cook unevenly. Caramelization won’t happen if you insist on stirring every 5 seconds. Trust yourself and your pan. Allow it to brown a bit, then give it one good turn to sear the other side. Transfer to a plate, garnish, and eat.

Heat oil in a skillet over high heat until just about smoking. Add the asparagus so that they all lie in a single layer. Allow the asparagus to get a good sear on one side. Roll the spears over and brown the other side. Turn off the heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Roll the stalks in the butter until coated.

Serve sprinkled with crunchy salt and chopped herbs.

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A Note from the Author, Akhtar Nawab

My story—the one about an Indian kid from Kentucky who ends up becoming a classically trained chef known for American, Mexican, Italian and, of all things, healthy cooking—is kind of complicated. But what my journey has lacked in predictability it has made up for with passion and learning and lots of cooking.

I’ve taken my culinary training and applied it to all of the cuisines I cook, which run the gamut from Indian and Mexican to Italian and Amer­ican. As a dad, I also cook for my daughter and her friends, some of whom can be picky, so I have become adept at creating recipes that appeal across the board, for all types of eaters.

My hope is that once you’ve had time to cook your way through most of these recipes, you’ll be able to easily and joyfully cook food that is intensely delicious and overwhelmingly healthful. You’ll hopefully have a lot more energy, and feel better about what you are feeding yourself and your family—food that’s good for you!

Lamb Salad with Guajillo Chile and Paleo 1000 Island Dressing

Lamb may not be a traditional salad protein, but I love the richness of the meat with the sweet­ness and crispness of the lettuces and the Paleo 1000 Island Dress­ing. This recipe requires that you have leftover lamb in the house, so I’d plan on making this salad the day after you’ve served the Roast Lamb Shoulder with Olive Veracruzana.

Directions

Add the lettuces, apple, bell pepper, and Roast Lamb Shoul­der to a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the dressing, then add the beets and mix well. Add more dress­ing and adjust the seasoning if you’d like. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

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Quinoa and grilled sourdough salad

This summery bread salad isn't much short of a whole meal. I have taken the traditional Arab fattoush, changed the bread and bulked it up with quinoa, which is the only grain I dare to use in this salad as it's very light and delicate. A lot rests here on the poor tomato. If your tomatoes are sweet and juicy you may not need as much dressing to perk them up. If they are 'dry' and bland you may want to add a bit more. Leave the prepared salad to sit a little so the bread croutons can soften up - unless you want them mega-crunchy.

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the quinoa in a saucepan of boiling water and cook for 9 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a fine sieve, rinse under cold water and leave to dry.

Brush the bread with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with some salt. Lay the slices on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, turning them over halfway through. The bread should be completely dry and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down, then break by hand into different-sized pieces.

Cut the tomatoes into roughly 3/4-ince dice and put in a mixing bowl. Cut the cucumbers into similar-size pieces and add to the tomatoes. Add all the remaining ingredients, including the quinoa and croutons, and stir gently until everything is mixed well together. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

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AB Noodles

Turmeric Tea

Crisps

Berry Salad

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Smoked Trout Salad with Grapefruit & Avocado

A stripped-down dressing of lemon juice and olive oil is all that's needed for this salad, where smoked fish is the featured player. This most basic combination of fat and acid carries the trout's gentle smokiness to every corner of the dish. And when the acidic sting of grapefruit (at Gjelina, we're fools for the one from Shaner Farms), lush slices of avocado, and the peppery bite of arugular come into play, this simple salad rises to the level of a classic.

If you're curious about the process of smoking your own trout, I urge you to try the recipe on page 129. It's not hard to do, and the results are delicious.

Other citrus, such as orange and tangerine, works well here, too, but I think the intense acidity and floral qualities of grapefruit, and its cousins pomelo and oro blanco, are ideal.

Serves 4 to 6

Put arugula in a large mixing bowl. Break up trout into small chunks over the arugula. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Add grapefruit sections, avocado, and onion, toss gently, taking care not to break up avocado slices while distributing them evenly throughout salad. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates and serve immediately.