Enemy of the Steak

Posted by Margalit

Although I am definitely not a vegetarian, this time of year I like to eat, and therefore cook lighter, cooler fare. Many non-meat, non-pasta meals fit the bill, but I'm always on the lookout for more vegetarian meals. With that in mind, I got two cookbooks this weekend, both of which could be a treasure trove of good recipes.

The first book, Enemy of the Steak, by Nikki and David Goldbeck, attracted me by the title alone. I know, I'm a sucker for a good title. Enemy of the Steak contains 250 vegetarian recipes that the authors promise will win over the hearts, minds, and appetities of anyone who appreciates good food. That means you, carnivore!

This book is divided into 11 chapters. The first three are an introduction, how to stock your pantry for vegetarians, and basic cooking techniques. From there, chapters on breakfasts, Appetities and Hors D'Oeuvres, Soups, Salads and Salad Dressings, Entrees, Side Dishes, Sauces Toppings and Marinades, and lastly Desserts follow. There are no photographs in the book, something I find unfortunate as I like to see what the food is supposed to look like that I'm cooking. Each chapter starts with a nice introduction and a few good tips, like topping pancakes with yogurt and fruit instead of in butter and sweet syrup. Not exactly groundbreaking, but a good idea nevertheless.

I love cold soups, but there weren't a lot of them in this particular book. However, the book redeemed itself in the chapter on salads. In particular, a Moroccan Carrot Slaw looked particularly delicious, and will definitely be on my list of things to try soon. A Lemon Tahini Dressing also would be a delicious dressing on an Israeli salad.

The entree chapter was a bit heavy on the tofu recipes, but we happen to like tofu, so that wouldn't be a hardship for my family. However, recipes like Individual Tofu Loaves aren't going to make my kids cheer, so we'll be skipping that one. I'm also not sure we'll be trying Baked Yucca anytime soon. I don't think we like cactus. I'm not sure, though.

For the price I paid, which was very very low, this was a decent book to add to my growing collection of cookbooks. But for full price, I think I might have skipped it. It's fine, it's just not very special. It contains good solid recipes like Quick Vegetable Bean Soup, built on a pleasing tomato-flavored broth, as well as the more appealing Hearty Miso Vegetable Soup, jazzed with carrots, potatoes and corn. A Tomato Gratin with olives and capers tastes almost Mediterranean, while Baked Stuffed Onions make a tasty main course, especially when filled with cracked wheat that's been steamed in mint tea. French-Style Lentils with Vegetables are a convincing imitation of the Parisian bistro classic-minus, of course, the typical bacon garnish. Desserts are of the virtuous school, which means less cane sugar and more maple syrup; nevertheless, Applesauce Date Cake is a moist treat, and Chewy Oat Cookies are fit for even the most finicky child's lunchbox. What this vegetarian cookbook lacks in originality it makes up for in healthy meal ideas and excellent intentions, though, curiously, none of these recipes include nutritional information, a frustrating omission.

TAGS: Book, Cookbooks, Enemy Of The Steak, Vegetarian
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[ READER COMMENTS ]

1

Heather said:

Very complete and helpful cookbook review! I see so few write-ups that explore so many aspects of a cookbook, thank you for this one. I'm tempted by this cookbook, but like you would probably only buy it if I found it as a bargain somewhere.

Posted at 11:39 AM, on June 26 2007

2

Joseph Hunneman said:

An accurate review I would say. I bought this book for my girlfriend who is a vegetarian,and she has never prepared anything from it. so on may 4th I decided to give it a try, I was short on time so I tried the individual tofu loaves,Not so good.
the creamy mushroom gravy was just fine, not a wow but acceptable. as an omnivore I would not have been won over to vegetarian from that sample.
I find most cookbooks have at least 1 or 2 good recipes, I have not found it yet.

Posted at 08:54 AM, on May 5 2008

Enemy of the Steak

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