Beans or Scotto Sunday Suppers and Other Fabulous Feasts

Beans: More than 200 Delicious, Wholesome Recipes from Around the World

Author: Aliza Green

Earthy, elegant, affordable, and nourishing, the healthful legume gets star billing in this comprehensive bean cookbook. More than 200 delectable recipes—gathered from Aliza Green’s travels throughout the world as well as from famous chefs and restaurants—are accompanied by essential information on bean varieties and cooking methods. Two-color illustrations and charts accompany an international array of recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, sauces, snacks, and desserts.

The New York Times - Korby Cummer

In an extensive introductory chapter that she calls ''a legume primer,'' the author, a professional cook and self-taught culinary scholar, explains the differences between Old World and New World beans and sorts out the bewildering if beautiful variety of heirloom beans -- how they taste, how to cook them, how to buy them. And she gives plenty of practical and scientific information on carminatives (such a nicer word than ''anti-flatulents''). She also provides good-looking recipes for bean soups and casseroles, and even bean sweets from all over the world.

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Scotto Sunday Suppers and Other Fabulous Feasts: Creative Entertaining for Every Occasion

Author: Scotto Family

A gorgeous new cookbook from New York's
first family of Italian food

Scotto Sunday Suppers and Other Fabulous Feasts continues the rich Italian and Scotto family tradition of Italian Comfort Food with recipes for Sunday family gatherings and holiday meals. The Scotto family, owners of the celebrated Fresco by Scotto restaurant, share recipes and stories from their family gatherings and provide ways for you to bring your family together.

The Scottos are known for their incredible hospitality both in their home and in their restaurant. Their warm, friendly advice on making guests comfortable will prepare you to recreate this environment in your own home. From planning the menu to setting the table, greeting your guests to choosing the wine, the Scotto family will show you how to be the perfect host.

More than one hundred delicious recipes provide the makings of incredible menus for every occasion, from Fourth of July to a Christmas feast. These mouthwatering recipes include:

• Sautéed Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Herbed Ricotta Cheese
• Watermelon and Red Onion Salad with Watercress and Muscat Vinaigrette
• Cavatelli with Sweet Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
• Risotto with Roasted Red Peppers, Trevisano, and Pancetta
• Basil-Studded Grilled Salmon Steak with Summer Salsa Cruda and Fresh Grilled Corn on the Cob
• Maple- and Bourbon-Glazed Roast Pork Loin Stuffed with Apples and Sun-Dried Cranberries
• Bittersweet Chocolate Pudding Cake with Vanilla Gelato

With beautiful photography and a family spirit that's contagious, Scotto Sunday Suppers willinspire you to create your own fabulous feasts.

Publishers Weekly

You can practically hear Rosemary Clooney's Mambo Italiano roaring in the background as the Scotto family waxes nostalgic about Sunday dinners in their third cookbook. Family, meatballs, Mom's sauce--all are evoked in these pages, both in the boisterous prose and the loads of photos of the Scotto family, which owns and operates the Manhattan restaurant Fresco by Scotto. The book begins with some entertaining basics, offering advice on, for example, keeping dinner conversation flowing (avoid religion and encourage people to talk about themselves). Like this recommendation, most of the Scottos' counsel is pretty boiler-plate, though it does teem with Scotto family attitude (which generally falls somewhere between corny and faux-tough). The menus and recipes, however, are tantalizing. On Easter Sunday, the Scottos suggest Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Herbed Ricotta Cheese, and Grilled Flank Steak Vegetable Kabobs. On Christmas Eve, Crab Cakes, pasta with rock shrimp, Steamed Maine Mussels and Manila Clams headline the menu. The recipes dance between unusual and classic; appetizers range from Grilled Pizza Margherita to Sweet Potato White Bean Soup; salads include Watermelon and Red Onion, and Fried Oyster. Pastas, too, are wide-ranging: there's classic Bucatini alla Amatriciana, as well as the more uncommon Whole Wheat Penne with Braised Beets, Gorgonzola Cheese, and Walnuts. Photos. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

The Scottos, who own and run the Fresco by Scotto restaurant in New York City and appear frequently on The Today Show, have authored two other books, Italian Comfort Food and Fresco: Modern Tuscan Cooking for All Seasons. As much a celebration of family gatherings as the meals centering them, their latest book collects recipes ideal for entertaining a crowd. The introduction and first four chapters provide family reminiscences of past dinners, setting and serving advice, and holiday menus. The remaining chapters are organized by course and include seasonable recipes. Ranging from the hearty Sunday Sauce with Meatballs, Sausages, and Pork Chops to the lighter Salmon Cartoccio, the recipes are clear and easy to follow. Some recipes include notes with advice on accompaniments, preparation tips, or (occasionally) ingredient substitutions. The book recommends preparing the food as much in advance as possible to ease hosting pressures. Yet the recipes lack guidance on what part of the cooking process can be done ahead or how to reheat. While this work is enjoyable to read owing to the inspirational recipes, inexperienced cooks would do well to consult either Susan Wyler's Cooking for a Crowd with its preparation time lines or Diane Phillips's Perfect Party Food, which provides do-ahead tips.-Kimberly Bartosz, Univ. of Wisconsin-Parkside Lib., Kenosha Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.