Product Description

A definitive guide to vegetables, with essential information on buying, preparing and cooking the vast range now available, from one of the most trusted and knowledgeable cookery writers working today. With more access to quality vegetables than ever before through organic boxes, farmers' markets and a greater range in supermarkets, more and more of us are moving vegetables centre-stage in our cooking. Sophie Grigson shows that whether we eat fish and meat, or are a vegetarian, vegetables are no longer just an accompaniment. Organised according to vegetable type, The Vegetable Bible is packed with information and personal anecdotes from Sophie -- from her tips on how to buy Jerusalem artichokes to her passion for hard--to--find chervil root -- together with advice on how to buy, prepare and cook each type of vegetable, including identifying those less familiar specimens, such as celeriac or scorzonera, that may arrive in your veg box. A range of recipes showcase each particular vegetable, from Wild Garlic and New Potato Risotto to Japanese Cucumber Salad to Crisp Slow-Roast Duck with Turnips.Recipes encompass the familiar as well as the more innovative, with both vegetarian, meat and fish dishes fully represented, ranging from soups and starters to full-blown main courses. This definitive book is a great read as well as a recipe source book that is deserving of a place on every cook's shelf. Includes: / ROOTS -- from Jerusalem artichokes to yams, including potatoes and carrots / SHOOTS AND STEMS -- from asparagus to fennel / FRUIT -- from aubergine to tomatoes / SQUASHES -- from cucumber to winter squashes / PEAS AND PODS -- from bean sprouts to peas / ONION FAMILY -- from leeks to onions / FLOWERS AND BRASSICAS -- from globe artichokes to cauliflower / GREEN AND LEAFY -- from pak choi to spring greens / SALAD LEAVES -- from watercress to purslane

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11903 in Books
• Published on: 2009-02-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

Review
"A definitive work from a totally reliable food writer that deserves to become a classic." The Bookseller 'If you love cooking and eating your vegetables as much as you love growing them, you'll be delighted with this book.' - Organic Gardening magazine Reviews for First-time Cook: 'Great step-by-step visual guides!a perfect entree into the world of cooking'. Independent on Sunday 'Friendly and chatty, Sophie Grigson is the cook any beginner should have by their side.' Good Food magazine 'Gorgeous recipes from the start.' - Time Out

The London Paper, 5th October 2006
...sexy and unusual vegetables....recipes that span old favourites
to the more exotic...

About the Author
Sophie Grigson is synonymous with great food, often using new and exciting ingredients in simple, easy dishes. Her TV career began in 1993 with the award-winning 12-part series 'Grow Your Greens, Eat Your Greens' for Channel 4. She writes regular features for several magazines and newspapers, including BBC Good Food and Country Living Magazine and has been awarded the Guild of Food Writers Cookery Journalist Award. Sophie is the author of many successful books. She has two children and lives in Oxford.

Customer Reviews

A great Vegetable Encyclopaedia
Yes, as the reviewers below mention, it is true that the recipes are on the basic side. But this is a great great great book to have handy if you want to cook a wide range of vegetables + if you would like to give a try to something different. I had never cooked Yum potatoes before but was pleasantly surprised with its silky texture and nutty sweetness following her guidance.

This book explains each vegetable in details - when to buy, what to avoid, how to store and how to cook.

With this book, you can enjoy Kohlrabi (crunchy + juicy and refreshing), Edamame (beautiful little green gem) + Zucchini flowers (taste of the Italian summer) and many more.

I now enjoy going to small greengrocer's in Green Lanes near Harringay Railway station in London. Before Sophie's "Vegetables", I thought they sold wired vegetables, but I now think they sell treasures. If you live in London, visit there on weekend. My cooking is much more diverse and interesting now (at least to me), and it is nice to visit big supermarkets less.

how to become a seasonal cook
I've recently had an epiphany, and am trying to develop from a lazy fast food re-heater to a seasonal cook. So I joined a local box scheme, which means that I now have to deal with vegetables I didn't even know existed. And here is where Sophie Grigson's book comes in handy. Whilst I don't have much opportunity to actually select the vegetables that come in the box, I now have lots of ideas on how to live off three different leafy greens for a whole week without becoming suicidal. The recipes are straight forward and down to earth, most ingredients are easy to obtain, and above all they mostly result in food that my husband and I enjoy. The language is accessible and instructions are clear. I'm pleased with this book, and I will continue to use it for the foreseeable future.

Give peas a chance
I bought this book for inspiration when I joined a vegetable box scheme and wanted new ideas. It hasn't disappointed. A wide range of vegetables are covered, with an introductory paragraph on cooking instructions as well as a specific recipe (or recipes) for each entrant. With a little imagination many of the recipes could be adapted to use different vegetables, thus providing an infinite variety of choices. It's well worth buying, with highlights so far being the Carrot Cake and Celeriac Stuffing recipes.

Just one negative ... the book contains no mushroom recipes at all - why?