Reviews
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)
Table Of Content
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
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., 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., A World Tour of Glorious Ground Meat Recipes with James Villas No 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
