A New Cookbook Arrives!

We don't often allow ourselves the decadence of new cookbooks. After all, we have a shelf of variously newish and used books that we thumb through and use from time to time, a manila folder of recipes either printed off the internet or torn out of food magazines, and some various small-format recipe books put together by this or that nonprofit organization, whose usual focus is healthy eating. Amongst these resources, perhaps we've had the time and energy to delve deeply into about 20% of its wealth. But when a new cookbook found its way into our apartment, I hurriedly opened it, pleasured by the hardcover-ness of it (I rarely even purchase new hardcovers anymore, in any genre, if at all. It's been that kind of year), lured by the bright colors and, I'll admit, the exoticness of it--it's new, I have no idea who the author is, and he happens to be easy on the eyes.

Martha Stewart made a similar comment on her show when she featured chef Dave Lieberman, author of the book Dave's Dinners: A Fresh Approach to Home-Cooked Meals (Hyperion, 2006) when she introduced him as, among other favorable descriptors, 'attractive.' Dave got his start from a public access cooking show he did while in college, a show that might have him alternately displaying ingredients on a very fine table or brushing his teeth at the end of an episode. Dave now has a couple of shows on the Food Network, that place I only get to visit when I'm at my mother's, because she has cable and I do not. We satisfy ourselves here with our access to PBS and its Saturday cooking shows and our creaky ancient antennae on the roof. I'm sure, though, that I would stop in and catch a bit of what Dave does on one of his two shows if I had the opportunity. From the clips on his website, he seems comfortable and friendly on-camera.

But on to the cookbook. My goal is to try several recipes from Dave's Dinners between now and January, with just one interruption for the 10 day residency I work every December, in which I eat practically nothing but cafe food, 'healthy' fast food, pizza, and frozen Trader Joe's (stay with me, though. I plan to cook and freeze a couple of soups in preparation this time).

Two nights ago, I tried my hand at the first recipe I could find that seemed to be compiled of mostly items I already had in our kitchen: Penne with Butternut Squash, Fresh Chorizo, and Thyme. And I chose it because Dave's editorial comment on the recipe was "This is rich in all the best senses of the word." And it was.

I did vary the ingredients a smidge on this. I used chicken/turkey sausage, one of those packages that is highly spiced and dolled up with other ingredients like basil and portabello mushrooms, only because the chorizo I found was not necessarily fresh. Next time, I'll look for the carnicero with chorizo fresco, not because the sausage I used wasn't tasty, but because I'm sure the chorizo lends a completely different, and richer flavor. I also found a package of pre-peeled and cut butternut squash, which simply cut my prep time. I added about 6 garlic cloves rather than 4, and we also used a little garnish of shredded parmesan cheese. Otherwise, I held fast to this simple and delicious recipe. The thyme sprigs were a nice touch. Reheated the next day, red chile flakes and extra black pepper grinds made this extra enjoyable.

Next up: Dave's Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup!