The challenge was to translate his dishes into recipes that home cooks could use and make their own--a test that he and food writer Dorie Greenspan have more than met. Daniel Boulud's Cafe Boulud Cookbook contains 150 recipes for superb food for every course and every season, and while the recipes, in their elaboration, clearly belong to a chef, they have nevertheless been "translated" by Greenspan with meticulous attention to what everyday cooks can manage when it's cooking they want to do. Those seeking a comprehensive view of Boulud's work, as well as cooks wanting to make food "just like the master," should be very pleased.
The book, like Café Boulud's menu, is divided into four sections: "La Tradition," which contains dishes influenced by the traditional cooking of Boulud's upbringing; "La Saison," a source for recipes prepared with the freshest seasonal produce; "Le Voyage," Boulud's world-cuisine dishes; and "Le Potager," devoted to vegetarian specialties. Each section encompasses a range of dish types; "La Tradition," for example, presents Onion Soup with Braised Beef Shank, Chicken Grand-mère Francine, Chick Pea Fries, and the Café's celebrated Chocolate Mousse Trio, among other offerings. Readers will also delight in Lobster with Sweet Corn Polenta in "La Saison," Morels and Pea Shoot Gnocchi in "Le Voyage," and Lemon-Lime Risotto with Asparagus in "Le Potager," among others. The authors also provide an exemplary glossary of ingredients and techniques, an investigation of equipment, and a list of sources for less readily available materials. Thirty-two pages of color photos show readers what they're aiming to achieve, and what can actually be done, with Boulud and Greenspan at their side. --Arthur Boehm