Zakarian’s first book but his long career as a chef is evident on every page.

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Wed, 12/17/2014 - 12:30pm

My Perfect Pantry: 150 Easy Recipes from 50 Essential Ingredients written by a world famous chef could have focused on complex recipes filled with hard-to-find ingredients. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the 50 essential ingredients are items already in most kitchens and the recipes can be followed easily. The gems of this publication are evident in the beautiful pictures of each dish and the wonderful pairings of flavors that raise these common ingredients to new levels. This is Zakarian’s first book but his long career as a chef is evident on every page.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Synopsis from the Publisher:

Chef, restaurateur, and Food Network Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian knows that the pantry is the backbone of any kitchen and the place from which every great meal starts.
 
Forget exotic condiments and specialty foods. With a working base of 50 readily available ingredients, from oats and honey to almonds and canned chickpeas, you will always have the makings of a delicious home-cooked meal. Whether cooking in his world-class restaurants, on Iron Chef, or judging the offerings on Chopped, Geoffrey knows every great meal starts with a trip to the pantry first for inspiration. In The Perfect Pantry, Geoffrey shows you how to use your pantry to jumpstart any meal. When you bring home your fresh produce and proteins, you’ll have 150 recipes at the ready, and many of these can be made with pantry ingredients alone. 
 
You’ll see a simple can of beans as a Smoky Black Bean Bisque or coconut milk as Spicy Coconut Tempura Shrimp. Standard back-of-the-cupboard fare like almonds become crispy crust on a broiled pork chop; peanut butter lends itself beautifully to a spicy slaw, cider vinegar gives great flavor to a chicken main as well as to donuts, and mustard transforms a pot roast. Throughout, you’ll find quick but ingenious tips for each of the 50 ingredients, like how to use Earl Grey teabags to infuse ice cubes or a syrup for French toast.
 
The Perfect Pantry makes it so easy for your everyday staples to lead, rather than support, the creation of extraordinary meals. Geoffrey gives you the shopping list you need, as well as the road map for making the most of what you have on hand.

 

About the Author:

Geoffrey Zakarian has manned the stoves at some of the world’s best restaurants over the past twenty years, including Arpège in Paris and the Dorchester in London. In New York City, he was the Chef de Cuisine at Le Cirque and Executive Chef of 44 at the Royalton and “21.” In 2001, he opened Town in midtown Manhattan and in 2005 Country near MadisonSquarePark. This is his first book.