Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
The entertaining handbook a new generation of home cooks has been waiting for, Downtime shows that everyday family food can be good enough to share with your most important guests--and that you should treat your family to food as good as what you'd serve company.
Her husband, Rene Redzepi, might helm the kitchen of the world's -best restaurant---Copenhagen's acclaimed Noma--but when David Chang comes to town, the place he wants to eat is at Nadine's table. Nadine has fearlessly cooked for dozens of the world's most acclaimed chefs and has learned that whether cooking for her own growing family or a Michelin-starred maestro, the key to success is putting flavor first and presenting everything in a casually elegant way anyone can emulate, day in, day out. Her personal philosophy is simple: When the cook is relaxed and engaged, everyone is happy. Her recipes, such as Breaded Tomatoes with Mascarpone and Sardines; Roast Chicken Stuffed with Garlic, Lemon, and Thyme; Mussels with Pineau, Bacon, and Chorizo; and Macaron Layer Cake may sound upscale, but most are simple enough to make on a busy weeknight. Filled with beautiful photography and pro tips for elevating uncomplicated preparations to new heights, Downtime announces the arrival of a new culinary star, and a role model harried parents and style-conscious singletons alike will embrace.
Synopsis
Blurring the line between everyday and special occasion cooking, Nadine Levy Redzepi elevates simple comfort food flavors to elegant new heights in Downtime. When you're married to Noma's Rene Redzepi you never know who might drop by for dinner...So Nadine Redzepi has developed a stripped-down repertoire of starters, mains, and desserts that can always accommodate a few more at the table, presenting them in a stylish yet relaxed way that makes guests feel like family--and makes family feel special every single day. Gone are the days when the cook is expected to labor alone in the kitchen while family or guests wait for their meal. In the Redzepi home everyone gravitates toward the kitchen to socialize, help, or graze on tasty bites while dinner is prepared, and Nadine wouldn't have it any other way.
Her culinary mantra - pair the very best ingredients with restaurant-inflected techniques that make the most of out their inherent flavors -- puts deliciousness at home well within reach for cooks of all levels. In Nadine's confident hands, weeknight mainstays like tomato bruschetta, pan-seared pork chops, slow-roasted salmon, or dark, fudgy brownies feel new again. Each recipe is studded with tips to help cooks build confidence and expertise as they cook, as well as restaurant-ready techniques that contribute precision, flavor, and plate appeal to even down-to-earth preparations. With a newfound mastery of essential building blocks like homemade mayonnaise and beurre blanc, a flavorful tomato sauce, or a genius do-it-all cake batter that can be reinvented in a myriad of ways, creating showstoppers like White Asparagus with Truffle Sauce; Rotini with Spicy Chicken Liver Sauce; or a decadent Giant Macaron Cake - just as Nadine does on a daily basis--soon becomes second nature.
Downtime is a celebration of the joys of cooking well -and making it look easy while you do it, an aspirational guide for any cook ready to take their home cooking to the next level without sacrificing ease or enjoyment in the process.