The Zuni Cafe Cookbook has quickly become a classic in our kitchen, and we know that it is in many of yours as well. After we mentioned Judy Rodgers' granitas last week we thought it would be good, though, to spotlight this book for those of you who have never picked it up.
Rodgers acquired her training in France and later at Chez Panisse. She's now the chef-owner of the Zuni Cafe in San Francisco, where she's become known for her own signature dishes in the seasonal California style. Rodgers' tone is gentle yet masterful; she's an excellent writer with a keen eye for detail in the kitchen, and she communicates her wealth of experience in these details without overwhelming.
The book is an excellent fusion between classic French technique and style, California ingredients, and Rodgers' own good sense for what people want to eat. Even though the book demands attention and care for its sometimes lengthy recipes, they don't feel fussy or overdone.
The recipes rely, of course, on fresh ingredients of the highest quality, and they have been good inspiration and an education in taste as well as practical. Rodgers spends quite a bit of time on technique and basic building block recipes too, with a whole section on the stocks that make up their soups and sauces. She gives lessons in sausage making, shares stories of her time as a young student at a three-star restaurant in France, and offers an entire chapter on eggs. She also endorses simple desserts; we've tried her oranges in a honey syrup with rosemary and it's a great way to finish off a heavy meal.
Her most famous dish is the Zuni roasted chicken and bread salad, and she gives the recipe here in full; it's fantastic and worth the price of the book. Even without the Zuni Cafe wood oven it's possible to make a really fantastic roast chicken; we've settled on this recipe as our favorite out of all the many we've tried.
We always learn something, cooking from this beautiful book! Do you have this? What do you like to cook from it?
I adore this cookbook and have not cooked from it as much as I would like. I have yet to make the roast chicken and bread salad for fear of setting of the smoke detectors in my house (which seem very sensitive)...maybe it's time to open up all the windows and try it out! Any tips on reducing oil spatter/smoking?
I have enjoyed the chicken bouillabaise recipe and find it to be a really great comfort recipe with it's aioli-topped-bread goodness.
view minipanda's profile
I made the roast chicken and bread salad. Set off the smoke detector many times. But really, it was worth it. It's incredible, all the different flavors and textures. Next time, I'm going to open all the windows and put a fan in front of the oven.
view AnnaO's profile
You know, I haven't had a problem with the chicken smoking, for some reason. Do you use a small pan? I always use a small pie tin and I think this exposes very little of the chicken drippings directly to the heat source.
view faith's profile
Roast chicken with bread salad, of course. Other standbys include roasted-marinated beets, salsa verde, and the mock porchetta (which we make many, many times each year).
view Married ...with Dinner's profile
The Zuni cookbook is the best cookbook I own. Great recipes and a great reference. My very favorite recipe so far is her pasta carbonara recipe -- so easy and SO good. Although we've modified it somewhat, her polenta recipe turns out the best polenta I've ever made. I've also tried the asparagus, rice and pancetta soup which in asparagus-season is a quick, easy dinner option, the roast chicken and bread salad, the chicken bouillabaise, a lentil soup, her risotto and a few other pastas. (Can you tell I love this cookbook?!)
view wholehog's profile
Me too, love it.
I make the phenomenal mock porchetta about twice a year, and the caesar salad just about every weekend after we get fresh eggs from the farmers' market...
There's a really good bunch of threads on the Chowhound Home Cooking boards that detail experiences with more of the recipes, and compare/contrast/discuss how to recreate that famous chicken.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/355995
view guido's profile
This book is definitely one of the most used in my library. The short ribs braised in ale are phenomenal. I enjoy the anecdotes as well. Most everything can be reproduced at home if you use the same high quality ingredients. There are a lot of tried and true techniques to learn from this book as well.
view art's profile