The Figs Table: Figs Table - Hardcover

English, Todd; Sampson, Sally

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0684852640 ISBN 13: 9780684852645

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 1998

Synopsis

"Never trust a round pizza"
-- Todd English
Todd English, the renowned chef who brought you The Olives Table, shares his savory, innovative, Mediterranean-inspired food in this collection of more than 100 home-tested recipes from his award-winning restaurant Figs. At Figs, which was voted Best Italian Restaurant by USA Today and cited by Boston magazine and Zagat's as having the best pizza in Boston, there's something for everyone in the family, from Macaroni Simoni for the kids, to Portobello Mushrooms, Mushroom Purée, and Fontina Cheese Pizza for more sophisticated palates. And no one will turn down a taste of the White-Chocolate Challah Pudding with Caramel Sauce.
Everyone loves pizza, and at Figs, pizza is the main attraction. But that's not all you'll find in these pages. The Figs Table showcases Todd English's trademark style: layering flavors to create bold and soulful food, now available to the home cook. Fennel Watermelon, and Black Olive Salad with Feta Cheese makes a refreshing starter on a hot summer day, while the flavors of Roasted, Fried Pear Quarters with Frisée, Prosciutto, and Balsamic Glaze warm a cool autumn evening. Mushroom Minestrone or Black Bean Chill is filling enough to make a meal. Couscous Carbonara with Country Ham is a new twist on an old favorite; Spaghetti with Hazelnuts and Green Beans makes a simple but elegant supper. And why not try Creamy Cheddar and Spinach Polenta or the Asparagus Butter Risotto with Shrimp as a change from pasta? And of course, there's the pizza: White Bean Hummus and Asiago; Fig and Prosciutto; Clam; Spicy Shrimp Pizza with Caramelized Leeks and Tomato Sauce; Classico; even Kielbasa, Sauerkraut, and Potato Pizza with Dijon Mustard Aloli. And for just a taste of something sweet, try a Cranberry Pecan Biscotti, a slice of Torta Caprese, or the Tiramisu that The Boston Phoenix called "the best in town."
Simple or complex, sweet or savory, any dish from The Figs Table makes any meal special.

About this title

Review:

Authors English and Sampson are aiming, with The Figs Table, at the 15 best pizza recipes out of Todd English's award-winning restaurant, Figs. But to get there--poor reader--you will have to pass through one impossibly flavorful ordeal after another, starting right up front with such basics as roasted garlic, balsamic onions, and fig jam.

You will find the whimsical: Fennel, Watermelon, and Black Olive Salad with Feta Cheese, which comes of English musing about agro dolce and melon paired with prosciutto. You will find the sublime: Roasted Beets with Walnut Gorgonzola Dressing. And in between, you are sure to stop at some very basic treasures like White Bean Soup, Black Bean Chili, a lasagna to end them all, Sweet Potato Polenta, Roasted Fennel and Shrimp Risotto, and then on into those pizzas to die for.

English uses the Mediterranean like a springboard for his flavor imagination. This cookbook is his dismount. Any judge would give him the highest points possible. --Schuyler Ingle

About the Author:

Sally Sampson is the founder of ChopChop magazine and the author and coauthor of numerous cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-nominated The $50 Dinner Party, Throw Me a Bone (with Cooper Gillespie), and The Olives Table (with Todd English). She has contributed to Self, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, and The Boston Phoenix. She lives with her family in Watertown, Massachusetts.

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0684852640
• ISBN 13: 9780684852645
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240