Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #133675 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 292 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Seaver (The [Almost] No Cholesterol Gourmet) offers a delectable feast from the sunny coasts of southern France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco and the Middle East. Despite their distinct cultural identities, these regions share common culinary points: generous use of olive oil; lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and nuts; fish at least twice a week; moderate dairy and poultry; very little red meat; and, happily, wine with meals. In return, Mediterranean-area dwellers are trimmer than their American counterparts and live longer, healthier lives. It's a commonly cited connection, and Seaver, associate publisher of Arcade and a frequent visitor to the Mediterranean, says this isn't "a diet book" on the phenomenon. Rather, she offers a cookbook emphasizing "the gourmet rather than the mundane" of the Mediterranean culinary landscape: ingredients should be seasonal and fresh, and meals are meant to be enjoyed at leisure. Classics like gazpacho, bouillabaisse and moussaka appear alongside lesser-known regional dishes like Terrine of Monkfish with Green Sauce, and Pork Loin in Dried Figs Sauce. Some recipes are as simple as Fresh Vegetables with Anchovy Cream, while others, such as Quenelles of Pike or Shrimp, boost the difficulty level, but are explained in enough detail to make them doable. Seaver has created a mouth-watering tribute to a healthy, scrumptious cuisine.
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Customer Reviews

Experienced Cooks Only
Very high-brow recipes that come from mainly European countries such as France and Spain. If you're looking for a healthy eating guide, such as learning how to substitute olive oil for butter and how to cook less meat-oriented meals, this is not the book. I studied the Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid, which this book seems to turn upside-down. Many recipes call for milk and cream and most recipes are 2 pages long. Individual Beef Wellingtons - doesn't sound very healthy to me! This is a good choice for Gourmet Cooks looking for more wordly recipes!

Gourmet Mediterranean
If you've been searching for a "gourmet" view of the Mediterranean diet, this book is for you! However, if you would rather have easy to prepare healthful Mediterranean dishes, add the book "Easy and Healthful Mediterranean Cooking" by Mary El-Baz to your kitchen bookshelf.

For adventurous cooks who'd like to be healthy too
Classic or contemporary Mediterranean food, with its preponderance of fresh vegetables and fruit and its reliance on olive oil instead of butter, forms a naturally healthy cuisine, Seaver points out, obviating the need for diet books. With main courses like Lemon and Artichoke Risotto, Broiled Duck Breasts with Grilled Peaches, and Trout with Sorrel, who needs steak and potatoes?

The book is divided into First and Second Courses, followed by Dessert and each course is organized by main ingredient - meat, fish, vegetable. Most first courses (Carpaccio of Beets, Terrine of Monkfish with Green Sauce) can be at least partially prepared in advance and many are served cold or room temperature. Main courses (Bouillabaisse, Moussaka of Artichoke and Veal, Pork Tonnato) range from quick and easy to elegant and time consuming.

Recipes are clear and attractively presented. Presentation is important to Seaver and is included as an integral part of the recipe. Except for a recipe for Coq au Vin which uses boned chicken breasts, every dish in this book has a mouthwatering freshness and sophistication which will inspire cooks who want to celebrate mealtime and stay healthy too.

Portsmouth Herald