No matter if you are a full-fledged vegetarian, a flexitarian, or simply someone who enjoys non-meat based meals on occasion, you’ll find the recipes in Robin Robertson’s “One-Dish Vegetarian Meals” appealing.  Why?  Because Robin clearly understands that a vegetarian meal is more than just a pile of vegetables.  In “One Dish Vegetarian Meals” we’re provided with both simple meals for a busy schedule and somewhat longer meals.  No matter the recipe, however, Robertson packs the meal with variety and flavor.   About the only thing you won’t find here, other than meat, is glossy photographs, but that’s ok because Robertson has great descriptions for each of the recipes.  As an example, try out her vegetarian rendition of the French classic Cassoulet with the White Bean Cassoulet recipe below. Bon Appetit!

White Bean Cassoulet

"Excerpted from One-Dish Vegetarian Meals, by Robin Robertson. (c) 2007, used by permission from The Harvard Common Press".

This adaptation of a French country classic features white beans, an important component of the original made with meat. You can use dried beans in this recipe, if you like, but it will take several hours to make, not counting soaking time. By using canned beans, it can be ready within an hour from start to finish.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 medium-size carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 small parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon mellow white miso paste dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot (not boiling) water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 large bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 cups cooked or two 15-ounce cans Great Northern, navy, or other white beans, rinsed and drained if canned
• One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth, or as needed
• 1/2 cup dry toasted bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and parsnips. Cover and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Blend the mustard into the miso mixture and stir it into the vegetables. Add the thyme, marjoram, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste then set aside.

3. Place the beans and tomatoes in a lightly oiled casserole dish. Add the vegetable mixture and enough stock just to cover the ingredients, stirring to combine.

4. Cover and bake until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and parsley and serve hot.

Serves 4

About One-Dish Vegetarian Meals

With One-Dish Vegetarian Meals, a healthful, great-tasting dinner is quick and easy to prepare. This comprehensive collection of vegetarian meals from Robin Robertson features 150 globally inspired vegetarian recipes for every season, including soups and stews, stir-fries and sautes, casseroles, lasagnas, baked stuffed vegetables, simmered dishes, chilis, pastas, main-dish salads, and more. Using fresh, wholesome, naturally flavorful ingredients, these recipes are perfect for both busy weeknights and leisurely weekend meals. There is tremendous variety, with choices such as Lentil Stew with Chard and Orzo; Autumn Harvest Lasagna; Zesty Bombay Beans with Chutney; Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili; Rigatoni with Radicchio, Italian Peppers, and Leeks; Green Beans and Rice with Sesame-Orange Sauce; and more. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike will find easy, delicious choices for any night of the week. 

One-Dish Vegetarian Meals is available at Amazon.com

Chef recipes that can be made at home – wow!  Although in years past the term chef cookbook was nearly synonymous with coffee table book, rather than a book you would actually cook from, recent chef cookbooks have actually been ‘cookable’!  Bistro Laurent Tourondel is one of those books.  From a simple Fava Bean salad, to Gnocchi, to Chocolate-Espresso Cookies, chef Tourondel presents wonderful dishes that you will and can make.  Sure some of the dishes are more complex, but overall this cookbook has a wonderful balance of approachable recipes that will make your mouth water.  In the introduction Chef Tourondel suggests which recipes are best suited for novices and discusses how to use the book.  As Chef Tourondel says “when you are in your kitchen, I hope you will have fun and take pleasure in cooking” – with this cookbook you’ll not only take pleasure in cooking his recipes but in feasting on the results as well.  Try the recipe for Chef Tourondel’s “BLT Grilled Tuna Sandwich” below, for an excellent example of what “Bistro Laurent Tourondel” has to offer. 

BLT Grilled Tuna Sandwich

From Bistro Laurent Tourondel by Laurent Tourondel, Wiley 2007.

Inspired by the famous pan bagnat sandwich of Provence, which is made with canned tuna, I created this version with fresh tuna. It is great for a picnic since you can make it up to several hours in advance. The taste will only improve as the flavors of the ingredients meld together. For a change, substitute pesto for the tapenade.

Serves 6

• 1½ pounds yellowfin tuna, cut into 12 slices, about 1⁄3 inch thick
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup olive oil
• 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 large bunch arugula, tough stems removed (about 2 cups)
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup Tapenade
• 1 loaf rustic Italian bread, cut into twelve ½-inch-thick diagonal slices, toasted
• 12 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced
• 6 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler or mandoline slicer
• 1 ripe avocado, preferably Hass
• 1 bunch fresh basil, tough stems removed

GRILL THE TUNA Preheat a grill pan or barbecue grill to high heat. Sprinkle the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the tuna on the pan or grill rack and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until rare to medium-rare, depending on your preference.

DRESS THE ARUGULA In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the arugula and toss well.

ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICHES Spread some of the mayonnaise and tapenade on each slice of bread. Divide the bacon, onion, tomatoes, eggs, cheese, and avocado over half of the slices. Top with the tuna, basil, and the arugula salad. Cover with the remaining bread, coated-sides down.

TO SERVE Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.

CHEF’S TIP: To make these sandwiches easier to eat, wrap them in butcher paper or waxed paper.

WINE SUGGESTION: DA RED, DOMAINE ALFRED, 2003, EDNA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

A blend of Pinot Noir and Syrah, this wine has both bright fruit and earth tones that show off aromas of red cherries, black pepper, and smoked tomatoes.

About Bistro Laurent Tourndel: New American Bistro Cooking

Superstar chef Laurent Tourondel is redefining bistro food in America with his growing empire of BLT ("Bistro Laurent Tourondel") restaurants. Now, with this exciting cookbook, Tourondel shows you how to prepare his simple yet spectacular food at home. From new takes on French and American classics to dazzling dishes featuring Asian, Mediterranean, and Latin American flavors, his nearly 150 recipes are sophisticated enough to impress any guest, yet accessible enough to prepare in your own kitchen. Illustrated with more than 150 striking photographs, Bistro Laurent Tourondel gives you everything you need to take casual cooking and entertaining to a new level.

Available at Amazon.com

Martha Stamp's “The New New Southern Basics” is full of recipes that are simple, yet wonderfully appealing.  As a Southern-focused cookbook, many traditional Southern dishes are presented.  In addition, many basics such as homemade ketchup, jam, and pickles are presented. It’s these basics that make “The New New Southern Basics” interesting and provides the food with the warmth of home-style cooking.  The combination of the basics, Martha’s wonderful Southern food, and the way she presents all of this make this cookbook very appealing.  If you’re looking for Southern recipes or if you’re looking for great recipes for simple basics that can be made at home then take a look at “The New New Southern Basics”.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup with Cheddar

From The New New Southern Basics by Martha Stamps, Cumberland House Hearthside 2007 

A delicious way to eat your vegetables. This is a good way to use broccoli and cauliflower that may have gone a little limp.

Serves about 12

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 head broccoli, broken into florets, with the tender stem chopped
• 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets, with the tender stem chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Dash nutmeg
• 1 cup grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
• Croutons

Heat the olive oil in a heavy stock pot. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, cauliflower and garlic, stir, and cook 5 minutes. Add the stock and Itailian seasoning then bring to a boil. Cook about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are quite soft. Let cool. Purée in batches in a blender. Return to the pot, stir in the cream and seasonings and heat through. Stir in the cheese and heat to melt the cheese. Serve with croutons for garnish.

About The New New Southern Basics

Southern cooking was an act of art and love at one time, according to restaurateur Martha Stamps, but during the middle of the twentieth century an "abomination of honest southern cooking" took place. Blessedly, a change is occurring throughout the nation and particularly in the South. Today's homemakers are looking to get back in touch with the foods and character that previous generations took for granted. The cuisine celebrated in The New New Southern Basics performs that role, reaching back to a generation that took the time to do things right and recreating the basic southern foods in ways that accommodate the tastes and nutritional concerns of our time. Martha Stamps exalts the use of fresh ingredients and cooking from scratch, noting that this is more than a matter of style; it tastes better and is much more valuable nutritionally and economically.

Available at Amazon.com

Whenever someone mentions the New York Times the first thing that comes to my mind is “The Minimalist” the internationally read food column by Mark Bittman.  So I wasn't surprised when Bittman, a critically acclaimed food writer, took the foodie world by storm with his award winning book “How to Cook Everything”.  Touted as the modern day version of the Joy of Cooking, with over 1500 recipes, “How to Cook Everything” has become a staple in thousands of homes across America.  Now, just when you think he couldn’t possibly do it again, he has released “How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian” this time with over 2000 recipes, it has over 900 pages, sample menus and a grid to help you find which recipes can be made in advance, take less than 30 minutes to prepare, or are Vegan friendly.  There are also 20 essential charts discussing everything from breading and frying vegetables to uses for various oils and vinegars.  Check out the recipe for Braised Lentils below for an example of the types of recipes and recipe variations you’ll find in “How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian”. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy this book; it offers a great way to incorporate more vegetables and other non-meat alternatives into your diet.  If you don’t purchase any other cookbook this year, let this be the one.  I have no doubt this will be a kitchen favorite for years to come. 

Braised Lentils, Spanish Style

From How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman, Wiley 2007

MAKES: 4 servings

TIME: 45 minutes

Make-Ahead, Vegan

Earthy and slightly smoky (use Spanish pimentón, the wonderful smoky paprika). Make it saucy but not soupy— you want enough liquid to sop up with crusty bread. Add a salad and you have a good, simple meal. Double the recipe if you like, because the leftovers will keep in the fridge for a couple of days and reheat perfectly for lunch or a super-quick dinner. Other beans you can use: Earthy-flavored legumes work best, Le Puy or black Beluga lentils if you can find them.

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads (optional)
• 1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups vegetable stock or water, or more as needed
• 1 cup dried brown lentils, washed and picked over
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley for garnish

1. Put the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, celery, and carrot; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, saffron, and paprika and cook for another minute.

2. Add the bay leaf, wine, stock, and lentils. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low so that the mixture bubbles gently, cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally and adding stock or water if necessary to keep the lentils from sticking and burning, until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. The lentils should be saucy but not soupy. Taste and adjust the seasoning, sprinkle with parsley, and serve or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Braised Lentils, Moroccan Style. A more heavily spiced dish: Double the onion and omit the celery, carrot, paprika, and wine. Add 1 teaspoon each ground turmeric, cinnamon, and ground cumin. Replace 1 cup of the stock with 1 1/2 cups chopped ripe tomato with their juices. Proceed with the recipe and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.

Braised Lentils, Ethiopian Style. Loads of spices and a bit of heat: Omit the celery, carrot, saffron, and bay leaf. Add 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger and 1/2 teaspoon each ground allspice, fenugreek, coriander, cardamom, and cayenne. Replace the Spanish paprika with 2 tablespoons sweet paprika.

Braised Lentils with Roasted Winter Squash. The caramelized roasted squash adds depth: Add any medium winter squash, like acorn, butternut, kabocha, or turban, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes (about 2 cups); toss it in olive oil to coat and roast it in a 375°F oven on a baking sheet until tender and caramelized. Eliminate the saffron and paprika and use white wine instead of red. Proceed with the recipe; add the squash to the lentils in the last 10 minutes or so of cooking.

Braised Lentils with Celery. The clean flavor of the celery pairs nicely with the earthiness of the lentils. Or use 1/2 cup chopped lovage stems and leaves: Double or triple the amount of celery and eliminate the carrot, garlic, saffron, and paprika. Use white wine instead of red and add a teaspoon of grated orange zest.

Braised Lentils with Parsnips. A great fall or winter dish; add a bit of cream for extra richness: Replace the carrot with about a cup of peeled and chopped parsnip and eliminate the garlic, saffron, and paprika. Use 1/4 cup dry (fino) sherry instead of the red wine. Proceed with the recipe, sprinkling with nutmeg just before serving.

About How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Hailed as "a more hip Joy of Cooking" by the Washington Post, Mark Bittman's award-winning book How to Cook Everything has become the bible for a new generation of home cooks, and the series has more than 1 million copies in print. Now, with How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian, Bittman has written the definitive guide to meatless meals-a book that will appeal to everyone who wants to cook simple but delicious meatless dishes, from health-conscious omnivores to passionate vegetarians. As always, Bittman's recipes are refreshingly straightforward, resolutely unfussy, and unfailingly delicious - producing dishes that home cooks can prepare with ease and serve with confidence.