Food For Cooks

The world of food is fascinating but sometimes puzzling. It includes panko, piquillo and paratha; jaggery, jerky and juniper. But what are bottarga and bacalau; achards and annatto? When might soba or somen noodles be better than linguine and lumaconi? Could wood ears work with wild rice? And what on earth is white tea? With new foods from afar in almost every supermarket, today’s cook lives with a truly global pantry. In Food for Cooks, Clare Ferguson describes over 500 ingredients, explaining what to look for in terms of taste, quality and culinary relevance, and identifying the role that many of these storecupboard ingredients play in different cuisines. She demystifies esoteric ingredients and gives useful tips about their use. Clare’s expert advice on preparation is backed up with imaginative and mouth-watering serving ideas as well as useful information on storage times and methods. Key cooking techniques are illustrated in step-by-step photographs, and a list of specialist retailers, such as delis and ethnic supermarkets, as well as mail-order suppliers, is also included. The book features 70 simple and beautifully photographed recipes, from salt-crusted sea bass to steamed ginger puddings, which demonstrate ways of using the ingredients that Clare celebrates. These mouth-watering recipes include over a dozen contributed by well-known chefs, food writers and restaurateurs. Food for Cooks is an essential kitchen handbook that no cook should be without – a virtual world of ingredients at your fingertips.