Synopses & Reviews
Much like he did for his acclaimed The Bacon Cookbook, James Villas has set his sights on one of America's favorite foods -- ground meat. In fact you could look in the refrigerator or freezer of just about any home in American and find a package or two of ground beef (or chicken or turkey), and who doesn’t have a favorite family recipe for hamburgers, meatloaf, or chilli? And yet as famously American as those recipes are, almost every cuisine of the world has loved recipes for ground meat, from Jamaican beef patties to Cuban picadillo to Mexican tacos to Greek moussaka. Ground meats are usually the best-priced cuts at the supermarket, but even though this book should have great appeal during tough economic times like these, it's also likely to become perennial backlist seller as an amazing, international compendium of comfort food recipes. The book will be both affordably priced and packed with 223 recipes for all kinds of ground meats, not just beef, including turkey, chicken, pork, lamb, and even seafood. And because the book is written by James Villas, it will be impeccably researched and well written, with flawless recipes, history, and culture. And much like Villas’s The Glory of Southern Cooking and Pig: King of the Southern Table, this book is sure to be very favorably reviewed.
Review
As any homemaker knows, Villas, the former food and wine editor for Town & Country magazine, drives home the point that once a food substance is ground up, there is very little that cannot be done with it. Here is a sweeping survey of 200 recipes, covering the highs and lows of minced chicken, beef, pork, and seafood. Villas employs dips, loaves, patties, casseroles, and sausages to create a multicultural mosaic that includes everything from gefilte fish to Scottish deviled kidney spread, from Russian salmon croquettes to Cincinnati chili. Along the way, some lost history is also unearthed. It turns out that the original Coney Island dog was actually a bun filled with chopped frankfurter, pickle, eggs, bacon, and sauerkraut, and that a truly authentic croques monsieur calls for the ham to be coarsely ground. Each two-page recipe starts off with a brief paragraph in which the author conveys some historical notes or serving suggestions. This is followed by a succinct ingredients list, and then the preparation instructions, which rarely consist of more than four or five steps. Like a fine batch of hamburger, the book itself is of uniform simplicity and composition throughout. (Oct.) (Publishers Weekly, June 2011)
Synopsis
A world tour of beloved ground meat recipes from award-winning author James Villas Ground meats are easily affordable and amazingly versatile—and common in almost every cuisine. Ground beef, pork, poultry, and seafood are staple ingredients across continents and cultures, but they've rarely been given the respect they deserve.
With favorites like the classic American hamburger and steak tartare, croquettes and crab cakes, From the Ground Up collects 200 recipes that span the globe, all presented with the passion and style that make James Villas one of the world's most admired food writers. Here, he pays loving tribute to this underappreciated culinary wonder, letting it take its rightful seat at the head of the table. With delectable dishes from far and wide, this fantastic collection is stuffed with inspiration.
- James Villas was the food and wine editor for Town & Country magazine for 27 years and is the author of Pig, The Bacon Cookbook, and The Glory of Southern Cooking
- Features 200 ground meat recipes from all over the world, including British meat pies, Jamaican patties, and American meatloafs and chilis
- The perfect cookbook for families, with affordable, tasty comfort foods galore
For home cooks looking for quick and delicious dinner solutions, From the Ground Up offers classic dishes the whole family will love.
Synopsis
A World Tour of Glorious Ground Meat Recipes with James VillasNo matter where you go, you'll find that the foods people love most tend to be straightforward, flavorful, and affordable. So it's no wonder that from country to country and continent to continent, many of the world's favorite comfort foods are based on simple, inexpensive ground meats. From the all-American hamburger to Curried Chicken Croquettes, from Greek Chopped Lamb Steaks to Scandinavian Jellied Veal Loaf, from Portuguese Gingered Codfish Balls to French Garlic Sausages, ground meat recipes are popular everywhere. In From the Ground Up, award-winning writer James Villas leads a guided tour of the globe's most delectable ground meat dishes, paying loving tribute to the variety and versatility of these underappreciated delights.
Inside, you'll find delicious ground meat recipes for canapés, soups, sides, sandwiches, casseroles, main dishes, sausages, and more:
French Duck Liver Terrine with Pistachios
Horseradish Shrimp Dip
California Lobster and Avocado Salad in Radicchio Cups
Shanghai Chicken Congee
Turkish Lamb Burgers
Scandinavian Meatballs with Dilled Sour Cream Sauce
Pennsylvania Dutch Scrapple
Norwegian Venison Croquettes
Southern Beef Pot Pie with Cheese Biscuit Crust
Crabmeat and Mushroom Soufflé
Roman Spaghetti Carbonara
Jamaican Chicken-Stuffed Plantains
Chiles Rellenos
Cajun Boudin Rouge
Spanish Chorizo-Stuffed Mushrooms
About the Author
James Villas was the food and wine editor of Town & Country magazine for 27 years, and his work has also appeared in Food & Wine, Saveur, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, the New York Times, and many other publications. He is the author of 16 cookbooks and books about food, four of which have been nominated for a James Beard Award and one of which has won the award. He is also the author of Pig: King of the Southern Table, The Bacon Cookbook, and The Glory of Southern Cooking.
Table of Contents
Preface ix
Introduction xiii
An Inventory of Ground Meats, Poultry, and Seafood xiii
Fundamental Equipment for Home Grinding xx
Practical Information and Tips xxiii
Appetizers, Canapés, and Dips 1
Soups and Salads 49
Sandwiches and Turnovers 89
Patties, Balls, and Dumplings 129
Loaves, Croquettes, and Cakes 167
Pies, Quiches, and Soufflés 207
Casseroles and Pastas 245
Hashes and Chilies 277
Stuffed Dishes and Forcemeats 303
Sausage 343
Sauces 381
Acknowledgments 395
Index 397