As You Like It Cookbook Imaginative Gourmet Dishes With Exciting Vegetarian Options Ron Pickarski

ISBN: 0-7570-0013-4 Length: 216 Pages Size: 7.5 X9-inch Format: Quality Paperback Category: Cooking Price: $16.95 Availability: In Print Click below for: Synopsis • Contents Introduction • Reviews

Synopsis

"Dressing on the side, please."
"Hold the onions."
"I’d like that medium-rare."
"Can I get that with feta instead of goat cheese?"
"Please use very little oil."
"No anchovies!"

When it comes to food, we certainly like to have it our way. However, catering to individual tastes can pose quite a challenge for the cook. Have you ever prepared a wonderful dish, but because it contained beef or chicken, your daughter-in-law, the vegetarian, wouldn’t go near it? To meet the challenge of cooking for both vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike, celebrated chef Ron Pickarski has written the As You Like It Cookbook.

Designed to help you find the perfect meals for today’s contemporary lifestyles, the As You Like It Cookbook offers over 170 great-tasting dishes that cater to a broad range of tastes. Many of the easy-to-follow recipes are already vegetarian--and offer ingredient alternatives for meat eaters. Conversely, recipes that include meat, poultry, or fish offer nonmeat ingredient options. Furthermore, if the recipe includes eggs or dairy products, a vegan alternative is given for those who follow a strictly plant-based diet. This book has it all--delicious breakfast favorites, satisfying soups and sandwiches, mouth-watering entrées and side dishes, and delectable desserts.

With one or two simple ingredient substitutions, the As You Like It Cookbook will show you how easy it is to transform satisfying meat dishes into delectable meatless fare, and vegetarian dishes into meat-lover’s choices. It will guide you in making culinary decisions that result in meals that are gratifying and delicious, and cooked exactly "as you (and your family) like them."

Ron Pickarski is the first professional vegetarian chef to be certified as an Executive Chef (CEC) by the American Culinary Federation. A recognized expert in the preparation of both traditional and vegetarian cuisine, Mr. Pickarski, also known as Chef Ron, is the president and the executive research and development chef of Eco-Cuisine, Inc., a food technology consulting service He also gives educational demonstrations and food seminars for foodservice professionals, and is the author of Friendly Foods and Eco-Cuisine: An Ecological Approach to Gourmet Vegetarian Cooking.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction
1. Getting Started
2. Breakfast Fare
3. Soup’s On!
4. The Salad Bowl
5. Sensational Sauces and Condiments
6. Super Sandwiches and Fresh Breads
7. Tantalizing Seafood, Meat, and Poultry Entrees >
8. Inviting Vegetarian Fare
9. Show-Stopping Side Dishes
10. Decadent Desserts

Index

Introduction

"Dressing on the side, please." "Can you leave out the onions?" "I’d like it medium-rare." "Can I get that with feta instead of goat cheese?" "Please use very little oil." "No anchovies!"

When it comes to food, we certainly like to have it our way. And why not? Eating is one of life’s true pleasures; one that is central to our existence. It is also an area in which we are able to make choices that cater to our individual needs. With today’s expanding global community and the fusion of ethnic cuisines, there is a constant variety of new and interesting items on the menu from which to choose. Food choices and the way we eat are always changing, always evolving.

Since the 1970s, the United States has seen an increased interest in plant-based cuisine. For instance, products made from soybeans, such as tofu, soy milk, and soy cheese, once found only in health food stores, have made their way onto the shelves of most major supermarkets. Vegetables, too, have been elevated to a status never before seen. Modern growing techniques, transportation systems, and preservation methods have allowed the availability of fresh produce to make their way into kitchens throughout the country. And cooking methods, such as steaming and stir-frying, have made fresh vegetables more interesting and palatable than ever before. Gone, thank goodness, are the days when fresh broccoli florets or crisp green beans were boiled beyond recognition, and then dumped onto dinner plates in a limp, tasteless mass.

Of course, there are still plenty of people who are not ready to give up their favorite meat or poultry dishes, or part with their beloved seafood recipes. Many, however, are beginning to incorporate more vegetarian-style dishes into their diets. Consequently, it has become increasingly challenging to prepare meals that cater to meat- and nonmeat-eaters alike.

But why are increasing numbers of people altering their diets to accommodate more meatless meals? Nutrition is probably the number one reason. With increased awareness of the health risks associated with overconsumption of meat--saturated fat in particular--nutrient-rich fresh produce, as well as whole grains and legumes, are attractive alternatives. But good health certainly isn’t the only incentive for this nonmeat dietary lifestyle. Take the cost factor, for instance. Vegetarian proteins, such as beans and legumes, are an inexpensive option to high-priced meats. There are also ethical concerns--those who do not believe in the killing and suffering of animals opt for plant-based diets. And certain religious denominations, driven by the desire to live in harmony with nature and all living beings, do not believe that killing should be involved in any diet. Others simply choose to eat this way because they enjoy the taste, texture, and appealing colors that are characteristic of vegetables and grains.

There was a time when the term vegetarian simply referred to a person who avoided meat. Today, while vegetarians still eliminate red meat from their diets, they follow different dietary guidelines and fall into a number of categories--lacto, ovo, lacto-ovo, nouveau, and vegan. In addition to diets that include fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains, lacto vegetarians eat dairy products but do not eat eggs; ovo vegetarians eat eggs but avoid dairy products; and lacto-ovo vegetarians eat both eggs and dairy products. Vegans eat only plant-based foods, while nouveau vegetarians avoid red meat, but eat fish and chicken, as well as dairy and eggs. Just on the outskirts of this vegetarian lifestyle are those who are considered flexitarians. Although primarily fruit, vegetable, and grain eaters, flexitarians also eat some eggs and dairy, and occasionally red meat, fish, and poultry.

The As You Like It Cookbook is an attempt to address these varied and ever-changing dietary preferences--no matter what the reason. The book opens with an introductory chapter that serves as a primer. It is the place to turn for basic information on the techniques, utensils, and ingredients called for in the book’s recipes. It also includes listings of commonly used and readily available meat, egg, and dairy alternatives. This opening chapter is followed by nine more that offer over 150 easy-to-follow recipes for dishes that appeal to a broad range of tastes. There are sensational soups and salads, satisfying vegetarian entrées, as well as traditional fare that includes meat, poultry, and seafood. Show-stopping side dishes, condiments, sauces, and blue-ribbon desserts are included, plus much more. Rounding out the book is a Resource section that lists recommended brands and companies that make high-quality products.

In an effort to cater to the many different eating styles, the majority of recipes presented in this book offer simple ingredient adjustments that result in dishes that appeal to everyone. Most vegetarian dishes present alternatives for meat eaters. Conversely, recipes that include meat, poultry, or fish offer nonmeat ingredient options. Furthermore, if the recipe includes eggs and/or dairy products, a vegan alternative is given for those who follow a strictly plant-based diet.

If you are used to cooking only traditional meals and are new at preparing vegetarian-style dishes, you may feel somewhat intimidated and unsure of how to begin. After all, you may have never heard of--let alone used--products such as seitan or TVP. And although you may have tried tofu once or twice, you may have no idea that it is available in so many forms. Don’t worry. Familiarizing yourself with these ingredients is easier than you may think. The increased popularity of eating less meat has caused the expansion of vegetarian and natural foods sections in many mainstream grocery stores. If you are new at the vegetarian game, this is certainly a good place to begin familiarizing yourself with these ingredients. Health food stores will give you an even greater product choice. Plus natural foods markets are also opening up throughout the country. Take a trip to one of these stores and you will be amazed at the variety of foods that are on the shelves. While your local grocery store may carry one or two brands and types of soy milk, for instance, a natural foods market is likely to carry dozens in a variety of flavors. It is amazing how much is actually out there and so readily available.

With one or two ingredient substitutions, this book will show you how easy it is to transform satisfying meat dishes into delectable meatless fare, and vegetarian dishes into meat-lover’s choices. It will guide you in making culinary decisions that result in meals that are gratifying and delicious, and cooked exactly "as you (and your family) like them."

Reviews

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