Cook Kit

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1. 
   A. Jacobs Says:
   November 8th, 2009 at 5:04 pm

   I am by no means a cook. If it doesn’t come in a box, can be delivered from a nearby restraunt, or be a wonderful desert, then I am scared to try it. Usually I stick to making sweets. They are easy and yummy. If you are not familiar with some of the Greek ingredients, then I highly recommend you look into them first. These recipes are complicated if you are a beginner in the cooking area. The book did have some wonderful memories that the author shares and he does explain the process of the dish thoroughly though. If you have the time and the patience then this book would be a wonderful cookbook on your kitchen shelf. Here are some examples of the recipes you will find in it:
   
   Braised Rabbit and Quail
   
   Stuffed Baby Eggplants
   
   Orange-Braised Snails
   
   Lobster Broth
   
   See, these even sound complicated to me. They seem to be more of the ritzy dishes instead of dishes you would fix every day for your family. If you are a serious cook and enjoy the Greek ingredients, then give it a go. I for one will stick to ordering pizza and making brownies.

2. 
   bridget3420 Says:
   November 8th, 2009 at 7:36 pm

   I love food but I hate cooking. Luckily, the love of my life also loves to cook. He’s the king of spices and can cook pure perfection. He likes to take his time and make sure that the meal is as tasty as possible. There are tons of yummy recipes in this book that I am dying to try.

3. 
   Veronique N. Deblois Says:
   November 8th, 2009 at 9:06 pm

   Love this cookbook. Been a huge fan of Michael Psilakis for quite a while and have enjoyed dining at Kefi several times and can’t say enough about this “cookbook”. I say “cookbook” as it’s way more than that. Michael shared traditions, family and his rise to fame throughout the book and his passion for Greek food has renewed my interest in cooking this wonderful food and not just eating it out.

   The book itself is weighty and features amazing quality paper (I’m a fan of good paper). The photos of the food and of Michael’s family are great and left me wanting more.

   Love the fact that Michael could have made the recipes complicated to show off his grasp of fine cooking, but opted to make each dish something even a basic home cook could recreate. His goal to make Greek food accessible and simple to share with family and friends was accomplished – in a big way.
   
   Looking forward to dining at Anthos and Michael’s next book.

   Well done.

4. 
   Robert C. Ross Says:
   November 8th, 2009 at 11:46 pm

   I’m a fairly good intermediate cook with some training at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. But, a sound grounding in the basic techniques of French and American cooking never seemed adequate to allow me to take on the complexity of Greek cuisine. Even the encouragement offered by the Greek government in its beautiful magazine devoted to Greek cuisine [link in the first Comment] didn’t embolden me.

   But this beautiful cookbook and the warm and human comments of Michael Psilakis not only made me love the cuisine and the country of Greece even more, but also led me to take the plunge — with delicious results.

   Psilakis divides the recipes into chapters following his own memories rather than the usual order of a meal. “I have created a book of soulfully integrated chapters. This makes for a seemingly haphazard compilation with appetizers, entrées, fish, vegetables, and meat recipes within any given chapter.” That approach resonated immediately with my own approach to cooking and meal planning.

   His approach is a narration, a memoir of his life and cooking: “memories, emotions, and insights that transpired throughout [my] childhood and into early adolescence … vital to the path that led to my destiny in the kitchen.” That approach makes cooking “by the book” a bit confusing, until I decided to read the entire volume as a memoir, enriched with recipes.

   I was able to join Psilakis in part of the journey. My wife and I followed Frank Bruni’s rave review in “The New York Times” and ate twice at Onera and once in Anthos. Delicious, exciting food, and fun to read what was going on behind the scenes.

   My son and I are addicted to calamari, and he was delighted with the results of my first attempt from the book [the recipe is taken from "The Atlantic" website:

   Serves 6 to 8 as a meze

   * 1 pound calamari (squid) cleaned, heads separated from the bodies
   
   * 12 small oil-packed Greek sardines or white anchovies, fresh whitebait, or fresh smelt
   
   * About 2 cups milk
   
   * Canola, safflower, or blended oil, for deep-frying
   
   * All-purpose flour
   
   * Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
   
   * 1 cup drained Chickpea Confit (page 266) or canned chickpeas, well rinsed and drained
   
   * 2 shallots, cut into 1/4-inch rings
   
   * 1 lemon, sliced paper-thin
   
   * 1/3 cup small, picked sprigs parsley
   
   * 1/3 cup small, picked sprigs dill
   
   * 10 leaves fresh basil or mint
   
   * Tsatziki (page 189), for serving (or just serve with lemon wedges)

   Cut the bodies of the calamari into 1/2-inch rings; leave the heads whole. Soak the calamari and the small fish of your choice in just enough milk to cover for 20 minutes.

   In a large, heavy pot no more than half filled with oil, or a deep fryer, heat the oil to 350°F. Meanwhile, spread about 2 cups of flour in a large, shallow bowl. Drain the calamari and the fish and season them liberally with kosher salt and pepper. Season the Chickpea Confit, shallots, and lemon slices as well.

   Throw the calamari, little fish, Chickpea Confit, shallots, and lemon slices into the bowl of flour, and toss well with your hands until evenly coated.

   Transfer everything to a colander or sieve and shake to get rid of the excess flour. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Just before everything is done, throw the fresh herbs into the fryer for about 10 seconds.

   Lift all ingredients out of the oil and drain briefly on absorbent paper. Season with salt and pepper. Immediately turn out onto a large, warm platter. Serve with Tsatziki for dipping and wedges of lemon.

   * Add a couple of sliced pepperoncini to the frying list.

   [Cook's note: we used chickpeas that had been roasted for 20 minutes and lemon wedges; I've included the references to Chickpea Confit and Tsatziki to honor the text of this lovely book.]

   *****

   I’m sure there are several other recipes that will turn out equally well, now that I’ve taken the plunge. And even if they don’t, I greatly enjoyed reading this book.

   Robert C. Ross 2009

5. 
   Ellen P. Lafleche-christian Says:
   November 9th, 2009 at 1:06 am

   This is a beautifully done hardcover cookbook with a dust jacket. The cookbook has 288 pages and eleven chapters. The author prefaces each chapter with stories and photographs from his childhood that tie into the theme of each chapter and explain his love for cooking.

   There are a total of one hundred and fifty recipes and many black and white and color photographs throughout the book. Many of the recipes feature meats some of us might not be familiar cooking with including pheasant, rabbit, venison, lamb and goat. Being a Greek cookbook, there are many seafood recipes as well. You will also find chicken and beef recipes and several vegetarian recipes. I was a bit disappointed that there were not more pastry and dessert recipes since I have a huge sweet tooth.

   Each recipe lists the recipe title in Greek and English, a short paragraph with a bit of information about the recipe, a full ingredient list and of course directions. The directions are well written and very easy to follow for the novice or more experienced cook.

   For those not familiar with Greek cooking, the author includes information about the ingredients. For example, he explains the various cheeses, oils and olives he uses in the recipes. He also offers suggestions for substitutions if you can’t find some of the Greek foods at your supermarket.

   This is a great cookbook for anyone interested in Greek cooking and it would be the perfect gift for those that enjoy reading their cookbooks cover to cover. I’m looking forward to trying the Beef Stew with Leeks and the Stewed English Peas and Mushrooms

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