Gordon Ramsay is Britain's most celebrated chef and restaurateur - the only London chef to hold three coveted Michelin stars for his restaurant, Gordon Ramsay, in Chelsea. He accepts nothing less than the best - every dish must be superbly cooked and perfectly presented to receive his stamp of approval. In A Chef for all Seasons, he presents a delicious range of utterly contemporary recipes that are totally accessible to the home cook. Focusing on four seasonal chapters - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter - Gordon discusses his favourite ingredients, giving culinary tips and suggests unusual and innovative taste combinations, such as lavender and chocolate, and peaches with aromatic thyme.
Do we need another by-the-seasons cookbook? Yes, emphatically, if it's Gordon Ramsay's
A Chef for All Seasons. Ramsay, a rugby player turned U.K. superchef, has done a rare thing: he's created a chef's cookbook of impeccable yet unfussy food that's truly approachable. A quick look at the recipes--Corn and Green Onion Risotto, Asparagus Soup with Fresh Cheese Croûtes, Monkfish with Creamy Curried Mussels--reveals not only Ramsay's cognizant palate but also his singularly direct approach. Though many of the dishes aren't meant for weeknight cooking, a sufficient number, including Spring Pea Soup and Roasted Cod with Garlic Pomme Purée, are easy to put together and would make impressive fare for relaxed entertaining. Most cooks, and all food lovers, will delight in Ramsay's book.
The chapters, each devoted to a season, begin with illuminating explorations of relevant ingredients. Spring's curly parsley, for example, is ideally blanched, puréed, and mixed with mashed potatoes. Recipes follow, each illustrated with color photos. The winter selection is particularly satisfying and includes Quick Casserole of Squab and Loin of Pork with Choucroute and Mustard Cream Sauce. Desserts aren't neglected; such sweets as Roasted Autumn Fruits, Panna Cotta with Raspberries, and Mille Feuille with Lavender will surely please those who try them. With an extended section on basic, step-illustrated techniques and core recipes (Ramsay's Peach Chutney is almost worth the price of admission by itself), the book is a truly welcome addition to the seasonal--and everyday--cooking canon. --Arthur Boehm
