[.ca] Nick Stellinos Mediterranean Flavors (ISBN 0399142665)

Minimum Effort - Maximum Result Cookbook:
Stellino is passionate about the cuisine he grew up with from Sicily and wants to share it with homecooks. So, his style is to minimize ingredients, techniques and equipment so that all flavor is there, but without much of the fuss. As but one example from this great collection from the Mediterranean: Moraccan Chicken and Almond Pie, simplified using phyllo sheets and chicken, is heavenly concoction of Moroccan spiciness with cumin, cinammon, et al. Meditteranean Shepherd's Pie substitutes beef stew meat, chicken thighs and Italian sausage for the traditional lamb pie, topped with Romano cheese crust! Along with entrees are wine suggestion. Appetizers are highlighted by unbelievable Shrimp Fritters with Spicy Mayonnaise sauce, while favorite from Pasta offerings is Cannelloni with Prosciutoo and Zucchini, which is rich combo of garlic and cheese and ham. Desserts are well represented by such as Chocolate Zabaglione which features strawberries with delectable Marsala pudding cream. Yummo! Also try the Coffee Cheesecake and Ricotta Raisin Tart. This like each of Nick's cookbooks provides the home gourmet with ample sophisticated recipes that aren't above what I would determine a medium skill level at the max, but turn out consistently fine, flavorful dishes that are unique and memorable.

Exotic Flavors with Supermarket Ingredients:
Unlike many cookbooks we have purchased there is no need for a mail order source for ingredients. Very affordable shopping lists with easily found ingredients leading to excellent results. The Hummus and Tabbouleh are better than that at a local Lebanese restaurant that is touted for these condiments. My wife made the Ginger Tuna which was a revelation to us.( I only knew tuna came in a can, which had no resenblence to the great steaks using mostly pantry items.)The Spanish Chicken with Almond Sauce had nutmeg and cinnamon notes that made a great cold noghts meal. The Lemon Souffle with Blueberry Sauce (using frozen blueberries) hit the right note bringing a bright fresh color, texture and flavor to the table. Again a strong point is the repeated use of ingredients rather than having to buy something that will languish in your cupboard never to be used again. Cauliflower with Nutmeg, and Ginger Glazed Carrots as examples. I can't be the only one who has thrown away a ginger root that was long forgotten in the fridge after a once in a great while stir-fry. Look at the sample pages and the photos. The food tastes as good as it looks. As to Stellinos "chat" you can look at a recipe for yourself in the samples to see what you think. I think he sets a great tone for inviting you into his kitchen to bring new flavors to your family that are easy, affordable and satisfying.

disappointed:
Well, I have the book and am not thrilled. I enjoy a "little" chat. However, Nick really goes overboard, I think. Some of the recipes are okay; but none thrill. Perhaps I just bought the wrong Nick Stellino book. I know quite a few recipes in this book already and others I'm not interested in trying. *sigh* "My Mother's Southern Kitchen" by James Villas is a totally different cuisine but his book is simply wonderful. Amazon sent it out right away when I ordered. I have made three recipes from it already. It is charming with just about the right amount of chat ( not much ).

Nick Stellino's Mediterranean Flavors:
This book has been the best buy for me as far as cook books are concerned. For somebody like myself who has started cooking for the first time in her life, the recipes in this book are so easy to follow and the results are incredible! I can confidently try one of Nick Stellino's recipes for the first time, even if I am cooking for my guests, and know for sure, that it is going to turn out well and not leave me feeling embarrased! For anyone who has not had a chance to try this book ( or any of his other books I'm sure! ), they are missing out a good deal!

My Favorite Cookbook:
My mom says you can tell how good a cookbook is by how messy the pages are. If that's the case then one look at my copy of Nick Stellino's book would speak volumes. I have really been pleased with everything I have tried out of the book. The food has a gourmet feel with out being pretencious or overwhelming. Excellent!