Vegetable Simple by Eric Ripert. That is the essence of this cookbook and of all the recipes enclosed therein. Ripert is a Michelin-starred chef at New York City’s Le Bernardin. He was born and raised in France, became a traditionally trained French chef, and now he’s written a cookbook that celebrates vegetables in their most pure, delicious form.
Ripert is known for his seafood recipes. Le Bernardin is known for fish, and Ripert confesses that fish is his passion. But he’s been spending time lately studying vegetables, remembering the fresh produce from his summers in Provence, the colors and flavors bursting through with every bite. And he wants to take what he’s learned as a professional chef and find ways to bring forward those bright flavors though recipes that highlight the best of these ingredients without asking too much time or energy of the cook. These are the recipes he makes at home for his family and friends, and now he’s opening up his home kitchen to the rest of us.
With recipes for appetizers and snacks, sides, mains, and even desserts, Ripert uses simple processes and the freshest produce he can find to create these elegant recipes that emphasize flavor and health as well as heartiness and beauty. The recipes are as simple as a perfectly ripe tomato, cut in half, seasoned and covered in olive oil to a hollandaise sauce served over poached asparagus. There is a simple baked sweet potato as well as a Vietnamese Pho with almost 2 dozen ingredients for the broth and garnish. There are the vegetable recipes you expect to see—Baba Ganoush, Cole Slaw, Israeli Couscous Salad, Ratatouille, and Carrot Cake. But there are also surprises like the End of Summer Tomato “Tea,” Chickpea Salad, Vidalia Onion Risotto, Chili, Spaghetti Pomodoro, Black Truffle Quesadillas, Ferran Adria Potato Foam, and Sticky Toffee Pudding.
While many of these vegetable dishes seem simplistic, they are based on decades of work in professional chefs, recommendations from chefs around the world, the rustic French vegetable dishes of Ripert’s childhood, and the inspiration of local farmer’s markets. All of these come together to inspire a collection of recipes that will satisfy the appetites of those who choose to be vegetarian or vegan, those wanting to add more produce to their diets for their own health or for that of the planet, and for those who simply come to the table hungry and want the best tasting food they can get.
I love this gorgeous short cookbook, and if I have any complaint, it’s the choice to omit an index at the end. But otherwise, the honesty of the recipes, the beauty of the photography, and the sophistication of the flavors draw me in and make me want to try a bunch of these beautiful recipes and make them staples in my kitchen. (And not just the one for Chocolate Mousse. But definitely the one for Chocolate Mousse.)
Egalleys for Vegetable Simple were provided by Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley, with many thanks.
