Product Description

Mark Bittman’s New York Times column, “The Minimalist,” is one of the most frequently clipped parts of the paper’s Dining section. For Bittman’s millions of fans who regularly pore over their clippings, here is reason to rejoice: A host of Bittman’s wonderfully delicious and easy recipes, 350 in all, are now available in a single paperback.
In sections that cover everything from appetizers, soups, and sauces to meats, vegetables, side dishes, and desserts, Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from The New York Times showcases the elegant and flexible cooking style for which Bittman is famous, as well as his deep appreciation for fresh ingredients prepared with minimal fuss. Readers will find tantalizing recipes from all over, each requiring little more than basic techniques and a handful of ingredients. Cold Tomato Soup with Rosemary, Parmesan Cups with Orzo Risotto, Slow-Cooked Ribs, Pumpkin Panna Cotta—the dishes here are perfect for simple weeknight family meals or stress-free entertaining.
Certain to appeal to anyone—from novices to experienced cooks—who wants to whip up a sophisticated and delicious meal easily, this is a collection to savor, and one destined to become a kitchen classic.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10346 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-22
• Released on: 2007-05-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Culling 350 recipes from his New York Times "The Minimalist" column, Bittman offers a go-to volume for anyone who enjoys cooking simply. His recipes are easy to follow and execute, but they maintain a level of sophistication and freshness that many super-quick cookbooks lack. All recipes are marked with a realistic estimate of how much time they require, start to finish: Chicken with Coconut and Lime takes 20 minutes; Sparkling Cider Poached Fish takes 15 minutes; Coq au Vin with Prunes takes an hour. Several of the longer-duration entries don't require much hands-on work; the Bread Pudding with Shiitake Mushrooms, requires "about 1 hour, largely unattended" and the Braised and Brown Lamb with Peaches needs "about 1 ½ hours, largely unattended." Simple sauces, condiments and desserts such as Dried Fruit Poached in Port and Ginger Pots de Crème round out the selection of mostly dinner-appropriate recipes, which are perfect for home cooks who want to put tasty, impressive meals on the table frequently and without much fuss. (May)
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Review

“Mark Bittman's quick and easy recipes are much more than that, a definitive collection that takes as little as a half hour and results in truly remarkable food. That alone should empower you to drive past the take-out place and do some cooking.”
—Mario Batali

“Some cooks enjoy giving the impression that their work requires esoteric language and complicated skills. Mark Bittman is just the opposite. He is devoted to making it clear that great food can be created with few ingredients and a minimum of effort.”
—John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger, coauthors of The Thrill of the Grill and License to Grill

"Mark Bittman makes great everyday cooking and eating possible in a harried world. He is a master of streamlining good food down to its essence without losing a jot of taste. Mark understands and loves exceptional food and enjoys cooking it. Under his tutelage, we can, too."
-Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of The Splendid Table® on PBS and author of The Italian Country Table

About the Author

MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.

Customer Reviews

Simple and good
Much like Pepin's "Fast Food, My Way".
Simple, easy, fun.
I liked it even better than the "Short Attention Span Diet" ,
having discovered his "Alzheimer's Cookbook" tried to get away with just having
the same recipe on all the pages, thinking nobody would notice.

Quick, Easy, and DELICIOUS
I received Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes for Christmas. I am an avid cook, but find that lately I don't have the time or energy to cook a full meal when I get home from work. Mark's book makes cooking a delicious meal easy and accessible.

Additionally, the recipes use common ingredients--and a limited number of ingredients per recipe. For example, Chicken Curry in a Hurry calls for 4 ingredients: vidalia onions, curry powder, chicken breasts, and sour cream (excluding cooking oil, salt, and pepper: too ubiquitous to be considered ingredients). Egg Drop Soup calls for 5 ingredients: chicken stock/broth, eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, and scallions.

I recommend this book both to novice and experienced cooks that are looking for a go-to cookbook with reliable recipes.

Three great books in one
Featuring 350 recipes from Bittman's "New York Times" column, "The Minimalist," and originally published as three cookbooks - "The Minimalist Cooks at Home, "The Minimalist Cooks Dinner," and "The Minimalist Entertains," this well-organized, no-nonsense paperback caters to the home cook with its emphasis on simple, fast, fresh, and delicious.

From Garlic Soup with Shrimp to Pear and Gorgonzola Green Salad with Walnuts, to Herb-Rubbed Salmon, Pot Roast with Cranberries, Fast Potato Gratin, Pasta with Clams and Tomatoes, and Sautéed Bananas, Bittman provides simple directions and numerous variations which inspire the cook to branch out with his or her own ideas.

A simple Asian-style Cucumber Salad becomes dinner with the addition of chicken or scallops and maybe some jicama, apples, bean sprouts or watercress. Braises change character with a change of herb, an addition of butter, or a tweak of technique, like caramelizing the onions rather than simply softening.

Bittman ranges across the world with dishes like Lemongrass-Ginger Soup with Mushrooms, Grilled Chicken Thighs with Sauce au Chien, Lamb with Peppers and Yogurt Sauce, Cauliflower with Garlic and Anchovy, Curried Tofu with Soy Sauce, Pasta Risotto Style.

There's plenty of homey familiar fare too - Creamy Mushroom Soup, Fastest Roast Chicken, Deviled Chicken Thighs, Braised Pork with Turnips, Spaghetti Carbonara, Maple Bread Pudding and more. Time estimates are accurate for the organized cook and although not all dishes can be on the table in 30 minutes or less, few require more than 20 to 30 minutes actual prep time.

This is a book for every kitchen, every day.