Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison

Notes about this book

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Braised chard with cilantro

  • Laura on August 14, 2010

    Pg. 358. Made this for the first time this evening and we really liked it. Didn't cook it for the full 45 mins, more like 30 mins, so it was still a bit crunchy, which we liked. The flavors were really nice...usually I just saute chard with olive oil, garlic and a little water...I prefer this method from now on.

  • aeader on January 01, 2012

    I made this with beet greens instead of chard and it was good. I cooked it a bit longer than the recipe indicated because the stems on my greens were thicker. I am not a big fan of cilantro, but went ahead and included it anyway and was glad I did. The braising made the flavor more mild and it blended nicely.

• Beet soup with three legumes

  • Laura on November 29, 2009

    I decided to make this because I had all of the ingredients on hand, and it was surprisingly good! I was fearful that it would lack flavor but the garnish provided that -- don't skip it! I would suggest increasing the amount of lentils and greens. On the second day I made fresh garnish and stirred it into the pot of soup before heating and ate the soup without the yogurt. We both found this preparation to be even more flavorful so we'll serve it that way from now on.

• Red lentil soup with lime

  • Laura on November 29, 2009

    Pg. 226. We LOVED this soup! It was so flavorful, colorful, beautiful and healthy! The presentation is lovely. What's not to like? Made it as written, with the exception that we did not add the yogurt. Next time (and there will be a next time!), I would double the rice and spinach because both are gone and we still have half of the soup left for tomorrow :)

  • Delys77 on June 05, 2012

    Pg 226 This soup is akin to a thinned out dal in terms of its consistancy, but a tad more flavourful. Great colour, healthful and very filling. I really like this soup and will make it again. My only modification might be to cut back on the mustard seed a tad since I enjoy the flavour but can find it a tad overpowering.

  • saveur on March 02, 2013

    I really enjoyed the combination of mustard and lime in this red lentil soup.

  • clancotter on April 08, 2013

    Made a lot of soup and I agree with previous post, I added more spinach. I liked the tangy edge given by the lime. I would make again possibly half quantity.

• Vegetable stir-fry with glass noodles

  • Laura on January 16, 2010

    This dish is colorful, healthy and easy to make. Surprisingly, it doesn't have a lot of flavor, despite the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Also, it says it makes 4 servings, but 2 of us polished off the entire dish! So far, this is the only recipe I've made from this book that hasn't been fantastic.

• Braised escarole with onion

  • Cheri on January 22, 2010

    mixed with recipe from How to Cook Everything - Vegetables, by adding onion recommended here. Richard did not like the onion

• Chickpea and spinach stew

  • Laurendmck on February 23, 2010

    p. 310

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Filling and quick to put together is about the only thing I can say about this pasta. There is no sacue to speak of and the flavour was totally flat despite the fact that you used garlic bread crumbs and added some spinach.

• Malaysian-inspired tofu curry

  • Laurendmck on March 22, 2010

    p. 602

  • Delys77 on November 20, 2011

    Pg 602 This makes a very nice if a little tame sauce, but as per usual the tofu itself remains bland as it doesn't absorb the sauce. Marinating the tofu then baking it to crisp a bit might help.

• Butternut squash gratin with onions and sage

  • gcottraux on April 14, 2010

    Quite delicious. Allow time for the preparation and baking (not a quick dish). Will definitely make again. Nice and savory. I was looking for a butternut squash recipe that didn't use sweet flavors, and this is great.

• Butterflies with sauteed mushrooms

  • Laura on April 28, 2010

    Pg. 458. Chose this recipe because husband needed something bland and I happened to have farfalle in the pantry. Despite its blandness, it was actually quite tasty. I would definitely make it again.

• Springtime asparagus soup

  • Laura on May 03, 2010

    Pg. 202. This soup is quite time-consuming if you also make the 'quick stock.' If you were to use commercial vegetable broth it would be considerably faster. We enjoyed it quite a bit, although it was not an eye-popping, revelatory experience. Don't forget the lemon juice -- really brightens the flavors. Recommmend using Jasmati rice as it has such a nice flavor.

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    The rice and leeks give it a relatively creamy texture without any cream. Nice and low points.

  • cassiemcgannon on February 12, 2013

    Nice enough, though not anything special. Like a lot of recipes in this book, I found it a bit bland, and would use a stronger stock if I made it again.

• Flageolet beans with tomatoes and green beans

  • Laura on May 04, 2010

    5/4/10: This dish was quite a disappointment. No good flavors at all. Second time cooking flageolet beans and I am underwhelmed -- won't use them again.

• Cabbage slaw with spicy greens

  • Laura on May 04, 2010

    Pg. 152. All I can say is, "Wow, wow, wow, can't get enough of this!"

• Empanadas with greens and olives

  • HunyBadger on May 11, 2010

    Disappointed in the empanada which was very bland....maybe needed lemon thyme in the dough? The spinach mixture on it's own was good and quick but as a whole, this was a lot more work than it was worth.

• Dandelion greens with garlic croutons and hard-cooked egg

  • HunyBadger on June 15, 2010

    The dressing is an excellent addition to this easy salad. DH and I loved it even without the croutons!

• Mixed greens with cumin and paprika

  • HunyBadger on July 07, 2010

    Pg 382

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    Delicious with a mix of chard and mustard. Recipe isn't enough for three people, at least at our house.

  • Laura on February 11, 2013

    Pg. 382. I felt that the amount of cumin and paprika was too much, their flavors overwhelmed the greens. In future, I'd either decrease both or eliminate altogether and add just the garlic/parsley/cilantro mixture.

• Eggplant rounds with shallots and basil

  • Laura on August 14, 2010

    8/23/09: This dish has potential but something is missing. I served it as a side dish. My suggestions are to roast the eggplant until they're really done. Also, saute shallots in olive oil, or roast, rather than using them raw. Use lots of balsamic.

• Mexican green rice with roasted chiles

  • Laura on August 28, 2010

    8/27/10: I had some roasted Hatch chiles from New Mexico and this seemed like a perfect way to use them. I did not include the mint, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. It was good, if not extraordinary. Was a nice accompaniment to grilled pork tenderloin with a Caribbean rub and a grilled peach salad.

• Tortilla soup

  • jmunson on September 05, 2010

    page 218

  • jmunson on September 05, 2010

    You need to make a stock beforehand

• Baba ghanoush

  • mel412 on September 06, 2010

    Perfection...simple ingredients make a delicious dip!

• Winter herb vinaigrette

  • Laura on September 14, 2010

    Pg. 186. This is excellent!

• Flageolet bean and leek soup

  • britt on September 16, 2010

    The time this recipe recommends cooking the beans is short. The standard recommended cooking time for flageolet is 1.5 hours. Also, the leek topping was strangely sour.

• Fideos--a Mexican dry soup

  • britt on September 16, 2010

    My husband liked this a lot, 9 out of 10, but I thought it was just OK.

  • sapahl on August 08, 2011

    I have experimented widely with this recipe and it is good as it is written. You can vary the type and amount of red chiles that you simmer with the stock - I have used New Mexicos, Guajillos, Anchos, and Ghost Chiles (take them out before the stock becomes too hot). I highly recommend Cotija cheese instead of the feta. Also, try adding chicken or seitan to the recipe to make it more satisfying.

• Red bean gumbo with green

  • britt on September 21, 2010

    The last time I made this, I undercooked the roux, and the soup had way less depth of flavor. So, be careful not to undercook your roux. Also, I think gumbo needs okra, but when I threw some in, the soup seemed overcrowded and stewy. I'm working on that.

  • radishseed on November 09, 2011

    This recipe is a little bland as written, but it's very good with some sautéed sliced Tofurkey sausages added at the end, and a tablespoon each of soy sauce and red wine vinegar to round out the flavor.

• Beet risotto with greens

  • Laura on September 30, 2010

    Pg. 553. I can't praise this enough. The flavors and colors are so bright -- it's like Christmas on a plate.

• Vegetable gratin-soufflé

  • stacey on October 14, 2010

    Simple and comforting dish. Preparation is a bit fiddly with egg-separation and all, but it's pretty yummy and worthwhile.

• Noodle kugel

  • moreace01 on October 19, 2010

    Alright - I don't know the first thing about kugel's so take this with a grain of salt. I thought the noodle part of this dish was great, but the topping kind of made it over the top sweet. I would try this again but less sugar in the topping. I also wasn't able to detect the coriander.

• Spiced peach cobbler

  • moreace01 on October 19, 2010

    This was very good (in my haste - I used the juice of one lemon, so mine was a little overly lemony, but still good. Still - I might watch the lemon - 1 T plus zest is kind of a lot). I've noticed Madison has a tendency not to add salt to some of her recipes - so I added a pinch to the filling. Don't know - seems weird not to.

• Turnip and leek gratin with blue cheese

  • stacey on October 23, 2010

    This made a fairly easy and elegant gratin.

• Apple and celery salad with Gruyère

  • Cheri on November 13, 2010

    This was pretty good. Served with bbq ribs, nice compliment. R was so so on this one.

  • featherbooks on December 13, 2012

    Six guests (bookclub) and two asked for the recipe so I'd say it was a success. We had very good, heirloom apples from the yard plus a decent Gruyere.

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    This has become a family favorite--never any left over.

• Chickpeas and greens with Moroccan spices

  • Laura on December 04, 2010

    This is certainly healthy, but not terribly exciting. If I were to make it again, I would double the chard.

  • lauralouiselane on October 11, 2011

    pg 309. I also like it with kale instead of chard

• Spaghetti squash with oyster mushroom and pearl onion ragout

  • Laura on December 07, 2010

    My husband really enjoyed this, but I was less enthusiastic -- possibly because I was the one who put in the labor -- this is a fairly labor-intensive recipe. Despite the weird combination of ingredients (tomato paste and soy sauce), it did taste fine, just nothing special considering the length of prep involved. On the plus side, it is fairly healthy, if you ignore the small quantities of sugar and butter involved.

• Saffron cannelloni with chard filling and chard stem garnish

  • debwfrank on December 08, 2010

    Allow 2 hours. Made with store-bought cannelloni. Bechamel takes 45 min, so make first. Tasty.

• Quinoa timbales with currants and pine nuts

  • Laura on December 08, 2010

    I love all of the ingredients that went into this dish, but the whole was not greater than the sum of its parts. This was just ok, nothing special. I did not bother to press the quinoa into the timbales as I was short of time.

• Indian-style saute of cauliflower and greens

  • Laura on December 14, 2010

    This was very average. I do admit that I did not add Garam Masala or Cilantro at the end and I used lemon juice instead of lime. Still, I don't think that made a huge difference.

• Oat scones

  • jzanger on March 01, 2011

    These are great, and an added bonus is that they're simple. Accuracy of measurements is important, however. Try toasting the oats in a skillet beforehand for extra nuttiness! Also, Half-and-half produced a nicely tender product. I will make these again.

• Quinoa salad with mangoes and curry dressing

  • mfto on April 08, 2011

    p 172 This was very good as a main dish for a vegetarian meal. Maybe next time I will try limes rather than lemon in the curry dressing for a little more zip. The curry vinaigrette is on p 187

• Buckwheat flapjacks

  • jzanger on April 17, 2011

    Amazingly light texture, but the 1/4 cup molasses was too much for my taste, especially in the morning. I'd make these again but use only 1 tbsp of molasses. Be prepared to feed several people as it makes a lot!

• Broccoli rabe with garlic and red pepper flakes

  • Laura on July 03, 2011

    Pg 342. Broccoli Rabe is my new favorite green. This is a simple and healthy way to prepare it. We really enjoyed it.

• Grated kohlrabi and celery with mustard vinaigrette

  • HarlanH on July 29, 2011

    Very good with turnips, but only fair with kohlrabi

• Potato salad with green beans and hard-cooked eggs

  • HarlanH on July 29, 2011

    try with bacon!

• Green lentils with roasted beets and preserved lemon

  • HarlanH on July 29, 2011

    Red beets are sorta overwhelming -- try with white or golden beets.

  • ellabee on March 07, 2013

    Made with previously roasted whole beets (two, rather than four), cubed and reheated. Surprisingly excellent.

• Summer squash soup with salsa verde

  • HarlanH on July 29, 2011

    Light and tangy. Try serving with fish. Better if only half pureed at the end.

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    The salad verde overpowers the zucchini

• Quinoa chowder with spinach, feta, and scallions

  • HarlanH on July 29, 2011

    may need salt if feta is mild

  • lauralouiselane on October 11, 2011

    Found on page 230. This is super easy to make and a favorite in my house.

  • Laura on September 06, 2012

    Pg. 230. You have to like how healthy this is. And easy to prepare. And, it was not bad, but it wasn't that great either. The flavors were just too subtle and the broth was a little too thin, even though I added more spinach than called for. I will say that I enjoyed it a lot more the next morning for breakfast. The quinoa had absorbed more of the broth and the flavors seemed stronger. It felt like a very wholesome and nourishing meal, if not terribly exciting.

• Black bean soup

  • HarlanH on July 29, 2011

    Calls for WAY too much water

• Winter portobello mushroom stew

  • HarlanH on July 29, 2011

    Wants slightly more onions and more liquid

  • okcook on March 19, 2013

    Excellent flavours. Will have it with creamy polenta.

• Lentil and caramelized onion croquettes

  • HarlanH on July 29, 2011

    Looks like it cooks fater than specified 5-8 minutes, but really takes that long. Serve with lemon wedges.

• Chickpeas

  • HarlanH on July 29, 2011

    the broth is great!

• Artichoke, celery root, and potato gratin

  • meowingmyrtle on October 06, 2011

    Spectacular flavor. Incredibly labor intensive if you trim the artichokes yourself.

• White bean soup with pasta and rosemary oil

  • lauralouiselane on October 11, 2011

    Found on page 229. This soup is hearty and absolutely delicious!

  • Laura on November 28, 2011

    This is very good! There are many variations you can make with this soup. I decided to puree the entire quantity in my Vitamix and it produced a light orange, lovely, thick puree that was really tasty. I cooked some whole wheat Orzo instead of the shells that were called for. In its pureed form, I think the soup really didn't need the pasta. I wouldn't add it in the future if I puree the entire soup. The rosemary oil is really flavorful -- a must.

• Sauteed spinach with garlic and red pepper

  • Delys77 on October 14, 2011

    This is pretty good. I quickly wilted it in a pot instead of blanching. The lemon definitely brings it up to a nicer level.

• Sesame noodles with asparagus tips

  • we10mom on October 20, 2011

    I love these noodles and this is my go-to recipe when I need to bring a salad somewhere. I always get requests for this recipe. I have also made this by varying the vegetables.

• Cheese muffins

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Conceptually this is very interesting but the presentation is not great since the muffin comes out entirely white if you use white cheddar. It might be improved by adding a little cubes ham and using yellow cheddar.

• Chermoula (Moroccan green sauce)

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Almost like a spicy salsa verde. Great little sauce.

• Pesto

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Delicious

• Bechamel sauce

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    This makes for a slightly more flavourful bechamel, quite nice really.

• Hot and spicy tapenade

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Excellent, go heavy on the lemon

• Red pepper sauce

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Good but go easy on the vinegar

• Vietnamese spring rolls

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Good but very difficult to wrap

• Mushroom and spinach bruschetta

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Very good but make sure to cook the mushrooms down as much as possible. Used shitake instead of dried but I think the dried would be better

• Carrot and red pepper soup

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Puree the soup as finely as possible and you can go with quite a bit of orange. The flavours are very nice, but they need the orange for pep.

• Fennel and leek soup with fennel greens

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Spencer really likes this one for its simple but rich flavours, no need for the cream

• Parnsip soup with ginger and parsnip "croutons"

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    a little one note despite the ginger

• Winter squash soup with lemongrass and coconut milk

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Fabulous Asian flavors with great tang and richness

  • Laura on October 03, 2012

    Pg. 216. A cautionary note: if you’re going to follow this recipe to the letter, it’s going to take about 2.5 hours to complete. The first instruction is to make the Stock for Curried Dishes (pg. 197), which involves the Basic Vegetable Stock (p. 196) plus additional herbs and spices and also some peelings from the ingredients in the soup itself, so you need to get a jump on that. The name of this recipe may lead one to expect a chunky soup, but it’s a pureed soup – I used my VitaMix and the puree was silky smooth and a really lovely light golden color with a subtle flavor. It was thinner than I would have liked, and not quite as flavorful and aromatic as I expected. The thinness may have had to do with the kind of coconut milk I used, so I’m not going to fault the recipe. As far as the flavor, I didn’t have galangal, I used a lot of baby ginger which is extremely aromatic and I pureed it into the soup rather than using it as a garnish.

  • ellabee on February 28, 2013

    page 216. Delicious. Many versions of this online, most acknowledging Madison as origin. Followed one in which the spices in the 'stock for curried dishes' are put in cheesecloth bundle and simmered along with the squash, veg stock, onion, garlic, jalapeno, lemongrass, and ginger -- definite time and energy savings. Separate prep might be even better, but doubt it would be worth the extra resources. Halved it for the two of us, and had enough for seconds, which we were eager for. Made again w full recipe; froze half.

  • adrienneyoung on March 02, 2013

    I made it with almond milk rather than coconut milk. Not all that terrific.

• A summer bean and vegetable soup with pesto

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Essentially the same as the Pistou from Les Halles with a few more vegetables. Both are very good

• Eggplant stew with tomatoes, peppers, and chickpeas

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Not a winner. The flavour required a serious boost from some fleur de sel as it was flat. The texture, especially of the eggplant was not appetizing. Spencer seriously disliked.

• Winter vegetable pot pie

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Pretty good. The herb bechamel was nice, and the frozen puff pastry was tasty and very easy to use. The vegetables were nice and hearty. You did use a large deep casserole dish which made for a poor balance between filling and crust. Also it was lacking in salt eventhough you used a good amount. The recipe is a good base but it might do better with heavier seasoning, more herbs, and maybe served in shallower individual dishes so that there is a bit more pastry to filling

• Eggplant Parmesan

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    The mozzarella is a nice addition but you can go a bit lighter, maybe 3 oz. I added a bit of garlic to the tomato sauce. The method for browning the eggplant is no fuss and no muss.

• Eggplant and summer vegetable gratin

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Perhaps there was not enough tomato but it was dry and the breadcrumbs did not do much for it.

• Navy bean and pasta gratin with basil and ricotta

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    You used goat cheese instead of ricotta and the result was pretty good. The texture is a little flat though.

• White bean and vegetable stew in red wine sauce

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Simply vile! Used the dry beans, and despite following the instructions the texture was mushy. Flavour wise there was the odd bright note from the butter and the win but the beans and vegetables were otherwise flavourless.

• Broccoli with garlic, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    This was quite quick and very tasty. Good simple, healthy side. You dialed the oil back by half and it was fine. Don't be afraid to use a good amount of chili pepper flakes.

  • Laura on November 11, 2012

    Pg. 341. We liked this a lot and it was simple to prepare. I agree with the previous reviewer that you can easily decrease the amount of oil -- 3 TBS seemed excessive. Will definitely make this again.

• Roasted carrots with garlic and thyme

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Simple roasted carrots really, but the addition of the thyme and garlic was great.

• Red peppers stuffed with corn and fresh mozzarella

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Very fresh summer taste, especially with the sauce. Went lighter on the cheese and it was still good.

  • cookbookhabit on July 30, 2012

    One of my go-to summer recipes. I've used shredded mozzarella with good results, too.

• Spaghetti with garlic, parsley, and bread crumbs

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Pretty good and super simple to do. Not something for company but maybe a good lunch or a quick dinner if the pantry is pretty bare and you don't have much time.

• Mushroom lasagne

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Not very complicated once the bechamel is made, and quite tasty. The mushroom flavour is great, and the portabello give a nice meaty flavour

• Somen in broth with silken tofu and spinach

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    The kombu stock is a bit light so I added more heat and a bit more mirin. The broth does get absorbed by the noodles quite well.

• Rice and chickpea pilaf with pine nuts and currants

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Not very good at all. Strange textures and flavour, plus the cooking of the herbs makes them a little slimey

• Risotto croquettes

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Excellent use of left overs. Make sure the rice is cold when you are forming your croquettes.

• Zucchini frittata with marjoram

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Not bad, you can put quite a bit less olive oil.

• Golden tofu

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Nice and crisp

• Sweet and sour tofu

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Very dependent on your tofu as I have made several times with vastly diferent results

• Dried apricot and ginger muffins

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    The crystallized ginger provides some sweet heat and the apricot gives a nice sweet tang, overall a very nice flavour. The brown sugar is also nice but the overall flavour of the muffins wasn't super sweet, you could go a tiny bit heavier on the sugar.

  • radishseed on October 06, 2012

    I used fresh pears instead of dried apricots to make pear-ginger muffins, and added the optional streusel topping. I also used whey instead of buttermilk. Very good!

• Fennel a la Grecque

  • eve_kloepper on November 11, 2011

    I undercooked this the first time. Crunchy really doesn't bring out the lovely mellow fennel flavor. So cook longer than the recipe calls for, until pieces can easily be pierced with a fork. also needs an additional drizzle of olive oil before serving.

• Spinach or chard Catalan style

  • cookerT on November 28, 2011

    This is a delicious way to do greens. The raisins give you a nice sweet pop and the pine nuts, texture.

  • radishseed on December 21, 2011

    One of my favorite simple chard recipes. Sometimes I add red pepper flakes, or red wine or balsamic vinegar.

• Tomato sauce with dried mushrooms

  • Delys77 on December 02, 2011

    Pg 64 Make sure you dice the mushrooms quite finely as the texture an be a bit unpleasant. Overall this is a Rey flavourful sauce that will go with anything from meatballs to pasta.

• Lentils and rice with fried onions

  • radishseed on January 18, 2012

    This is great on its own, and extra great with a spoonful of yogurt-garlic sauce on top.

• Onion frittata with vinegar and walnuts

  • Lindacakes on January 22, 2012

    The onions are quite rich and sweet, but the addition of the walnuts turns it into one of those gourmet vegetarian restaurant dishes -- in a bad way. Not necessary, and pulls what's good down. I would add more parsley if I made it again. A good recipe to use up superfluous onions.

• Cooked amaranth

  • radishseed on February 02, 2012

    I wasn't crazy about the version with the amaranth, teff, and quinoa cooked together. The texture is grainy and the flavor is a little bitter. It needs lots of good toppings to taste good.

• Lime-cumin vinaigrette

  • radishseed on February 20, 2012

    A good salad: lettuce, clementines, red peppers, avocado, toasted nuts, and lime-cumin vinaigrette. Black beans or lentils would be make it heartier, as would quinoa or other grains. Bright and fresh, nice with Mexican or Indian food.

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    This is great on a salad of jicama and oranges.

• Bright green spinach and pea soup

  • Delys77 on March 07, 2012

    Pg 213 This is Avery healthful recipe that yields good results. The peas and green onions give the soup a bright fresh flavour with the substantial spinach in the backdrop. I scored it 3.5 because it is good without being outstanding.

• Brussels sprouts and walnuts with fennel and red pearl onions

  • robinorig on March 09, 2012

    Also online: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/splendid-table/recipes/veggie_fennelsprouts.html

• Butternut squash ravioli with toasted pecans and sage

  • Breadcrumbs on April 07, 2012

    p. 472 A lovely dish. In this case, I had ravioli on hand so it was just the sauce I was after. I recently had a similar dish at a restaurant and it was served w brown butter so I opted to brown the butter for this dish as well. Results were amazing. The nuttiness of the butter and pecans paired perfectly w the sweet squash and the subtle bite of the garlic. I finished this w a light dusting of parmesan. This would be good w asparagus or peas as well. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/842277#7261126

• Five-minute beets

  • aeader on May 27, 2012

    These were nothing really special, but if you want a quick way to cook beets, this is it. I wanted to use up some beets I had on hand, but didn't have time to roast them as I usually do. This was very simple and tasty.

• Black bean-smoke chile dip

  • aeader on May 27, 2012

    This didn't work for me - it wasn't thick enough and the flavors just weren't there. It was on the bland side and the flavors that did come through just didn't seem to meld together. I have enjoyed most of the recipes I have made from this book, so this was a bit of a dissapointment. I cooked my own dried beans rather than using canned.

• Wilted spinach salad

  • Laura on May 27, 2012

    Pg. 146. This salad is really good. It's easy to make the pickled onions and the garlic-rubbed croutons. I used feta cheese. Unfortunately, I forgot to add the croutons after making them. Anyway, we both really enjoyed the salad, even without the croutons.

• Lumache with broccoli and capers

  • Delys77 on May 27, 2012

    I went with the suggested alternate of orrechiete and this was quite good. Comes together quickly with minimal ingredients and effort. my only suggestion would be to add the juice of one lemon and I also sautéed the garlic in the oil before adding to the pasta. Great little dish!

  • Krisage on December 14, 2012

    This first time I prepared this recipe, I tried to shortcut by cooking the broccoli with the pasta, then adding the sauce. The dish turned out very mild, except for the last few bites, when you could gather up most of the sauce that had fallen to the bottom of the bowl. The next time, I followed the recipe as directed and cooked the broccoli first, mixing it well with the sauce, then combining it with the cooked pasta. The dish was much more flavorful this way because the sauce stuck in the nooks and crannies of the broccoli rather than all falling to the bottom.

• Creamy herb and shallot dressing

  • Laura on June 12, 2012

    Pg. 186. This has very good flavor. However, as written, it is way too thick to be a dressing. I doubled the olive oil and tarragon vinegar and that thinned it out enough to dress a salad. It was still on the thicker side. Served it over a mix of watercress, field greens, roasted baby beets, shredded baby turnips and carrots and green beans. Made a lovely and delicious dressed salad.

• Tofu in curry-coconut sauce

  • adrienneyoung on June 14, 2012

    Blistered the tofu in the wok first, added a zucchini to the peppers. Pretty good comfort food, but not, as written, a particularly spectacular curry.

• Risotto with scallions, lemon, and basil

  • Delys77 on July 06, 2012

    Pg 553 Not bad as a side, but not interesting enough to stand as a vegetarian main course. I would also note that I think the cream should be replaced with butter, and that you should add some lemon juice and up the parmesan a bit as it was a tiny bit bland.

• Roasted beets with anise vinaigrette

  • Breadcrumbs on July 07, 2012

    p. 150 It’s entirely my fault that we liked but didn’t love this salad. I forgot to grind the anise seeds so we had a textural issue with the finished dish as the seeds were too toothsome and annoyingly gritty. Loved the flavour combo of the anise w the beets though so I’ll definitely make this again, the right way! Lots of potential here. Next time I’ll finish w some fennel pollen as well.

• Cucumber and yogurt salad

  • ellabee on July 31, 2012

    p. 156. Resulting tzatziki so excellent that I have no inclination to try other recipes.

• Spaghetti with zucchini and basil

  • Delys77 on August 14, 2012

    Pg 456 Simple weeknight pasta that consists mostly of pantry staples and yields a delicious result. The dairy enriches the light sauce without making it heavy amd the slw simmered zucchini is nice and silky. I do feel there s a bit too much pasta for the sauce, so you can up the other ingredients a bit. This is also nice drizzled with a bit of pepper and fleurvde sel at he end, and maybe a tiny splash of olive oil.

• Linguine with asparagus, lemon, and spring herbs

  • Delys77 on August 31, 2012

    Pg. 448 Not bad, but nothing special really. For me this would pair more naturally with a short pasta (fusili, penne etc..) as I always find that very chunky "sauces" such as these simply sink to the bottom in tossed pasta. I found the flavour improved overnight, especially with a squirt of lemon juice.

• Peperonata

  • jzanger on September 02, 2012

    Added a splash of Champagne vinegar at the end. Was great on crostini with fresh mozzarella and basil.

• Cool rice and cucumber salad

  • Delys77 on September 05, 2012

    Pg 170 I quite like grain based salads, and this one definitely captures the toothsome and wholesome elements that these types of salads seem to embody. The choice of herbs is very nice, and the addition of the yogurt provides a nice texture and a certain richness. I do think that as written there is a bit too much acidity/tang as you are getting it from both the yogurt and the vinegar. I woudl suggest cutting back the vinegar just a bit. I also, added some left over feta to the recipe and it proviced a nice texture contrast and contributed to the flavour.

• Thai tofu and winter squash stew

  • Delys77 on September 07, 2012

    Pg 257. I quite liked this dish as it was flavourful and healthy. I pan fried the tofu as she suggests and it adds a bit of dimension to it. I also love the addition of the leeks and the heavy hand with the chiles. My only gripe is that she calls for 3 cups of water which I thought was weird so I went with 1 cup, and the result was just right. 3 cups would make a soup not a stew. Spencer wasn't a huge fan because it included several ingredients he isn't fond of (tofu, curry, and squash).

• Penne with tomatoes, olives, lemon, and basil

  • radishseed on September 17, 2012

    This is a fast, fresh-tasting dish. Normally, I don't bother to peel tomatoes, but since I already had the pasta water going, it was easy to drop them in before cooking the pasta noodles. I substituted green olives for Niçoise, red onions for shallots, and arugula for parsley, because that's what I had, and it turned out very nice.

• Potato and leek gratin

  • Delys77 on September 26, 2012

    Pg. 282 I made only two slight modifications to this dish and it turned out delicious. I added a bit of panko to the top as we always like our gratin with a slight crunch, and I also very lightly salted between the layers. I was careful because the recipe doesn't call for any additional salt between layers, likely due to the fact that there is some salt in the milk broth as well as in the cheese, but I thought it might need a tiny bit more since potatoes tend to drink up the salt. Overall the result was a lovely dish with hints of garlic and leek and the richness of the milk and the potatoes. I boiled the potatoes in the milk for 20-25 minutes and that was just right. The only challenge was that there was still a little too much milk in the pan when I was done baking. I tilted it and drained off a good portion of it before serving.

• Braised carrots

  • Delys77 on September 27, 2012

    A good simple side. There is a touch of sweetness but I think the recipe could do with a bit more thyme to up the flavour quotient a little.

• Tender tomato tart

  • emptywheel on September 27, 2012

    Made this for a group event. It tasted great--very concentrated tomato flavor, tender crust. Lots of compliments, one person said the filling had consistency of mousse. That said it was somewhat fussy to make.

• Sesame sauce with tofu

  • cespitler on November 03, 2012

    This is a quick and tasty dish that can be easily made after work. I cooked the tofu on the grill and served the sauce on the side over brown rice.

• Golden fried bean curd with tomatoes

  • radishseed on November 16, 2012

    I love this dish. Sometimes I make it with the vegetarian nuoc mam, and sometimes I use real fish sauce (only 2 teaspoons instead of 2 tablespoons of the vegetarian sauce). The leftovers are good with a fried egg on top.

• Cauliflower gratin with tomatoes and feta

  • Delys77 on November 22, 2012

    This was easy to prepare and the broiled feta and cauliflower had a nice texture and pretty good flavour. Not a bad dish as a side but doesn't stand up as a main as she says since it is a little too simple and one note.

• Wild rice and celery root gratin

  • Nimorrison on December 02, 2012

    This recipe did not have shallots listed as an ingredient.

• Walnut bread

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    Fine texture, easy to slice thin, great flavor. Makes great grilled cheese sandwiches. Directions omit adding the yeast, but you can figure it out.

• Rice and eggs with pesto, pine nuts, and tomatoes

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    Surprisingly good.

• Kale with cannellini beans

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    Fast and easy, but we found it rather bland.

• Greens with potatoes

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    Boring.

• Kasha (buckwheat groats)

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    This recipe has several unindexed variations: kasha varnishkes, kasha with fried onions, kasha with toasted walnuts and scallions. I made the latter, using yellow onions instead of scallions--delicious.

• Fennel with oil and lemon

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    Very flavorful and refreshing. An excellent choice for any meal that needs a little spark.

• Cabbage gratin

  • LauraG on December 13, 2012

    Mushy and bland.

• Crisp topping

  • Yildiz100 on December 31, 2012

    was not fond of this crisp topping. thought it could be butterier, and maybe had too much flour as well.

• Apple galette with pine nuts and candied lemon

  • michalow on January 03, 2013

    Absolutely my favorite fall dessert. Subtly spiced and not too sweet, but with bursts of flavor from the pine nuts and candied lemon. A layer of finely chopped apples on the bottom gets melty and gooey, then sliced apples on top of that maintain some structure. The presentation is lovely.

• Mushrooms and tofu in hoisin sauce

  • mbondie on January 03, 2013

    Recipe pg. 269. Ingredients include Stock for Stir-Fries (pg. 262).

• Celery root and potato gratin

  • michalow on January 03, 2013

    Flavors were good but this came out more liquidy than expected. I ended up pureeing the whole thing, which was very tasty, even though it was a roundabout way to get there.

• Lentil salad with roasted peppers and vegetable garnishes

  • michalow on January 03, 2013

    This recipe calls for lime-cumin vinaigrette: http://www.eatyourbooks.com/library/recipes/171295/lime-cumin-vinaigrette

• Moroccan stuffed tomatoes

  • michalow on January 03, 2013

    This is on page 433 -- a variation on Tomatoes Provencal.

• Lasagne with eggplant and chard

  • michalow on January 03, 2013

    This recipe calls for white wine and an egg. She suggests two tomato sauces from the book, a fresh tomato sauce or an alternative using canned. (Note that only one of these calls for basil, so that should be considered an optional ingredient.)

• Roulade base

  • michalow on January 03, 2013

    Gruyere can be used instead of parmesan. Also includes 1.5 cups of milk.

• Sweet corn coffee cake with berries

  • michalow on January 03, 2013

    I thought this tasted more like a sweet cornbread than a coffeecake, but it was good.

• Green lentil with wine-glazed vegetables

  • Yildiz100 on January 18, 2013

    This recipe is delicious, though the lentil cooking instructions are off. (They call for way too little water.) Instead, cook lentils to my taste, and make wine glazed veggies, then combine. Very good with double the ratio wine glazed veggies to lentils. Try making more elegant by using beluga lentils and serving half of the veggies on top instead of mixed into the dish. Garnish with croutons and spinach with garlic.

• Mushrooms with paprika and sour cream

  • Yildiz100 on January 18, 2013

    calls for too much liquid. Instead of measuring, add by sight to bring sauce to preferred thickness.

• Southern-style black-eyed peas

  • emiliang on January 18, 2013

    A great vegetarian version of the classic dish. Comes together very easily and can serve a lot of people with minimum effort. But the amount of salt required in the recipe makes it way too salty. Start with half the amount and go from there.

• Braised collards or turnip greens

  • emiliang on January 18, 2013

    This is a delicious side dish but the preparation takes way too long. The indexers omitted to list the brown butter called for in the recipe, which alone takes about an hour to prepare. From beginning to end, the recipe will keep you with an eye on the stove for about two hours.

• Macaroni smothered with onions

  • Bloominanglophile on February 01, 2013

    This is a hearty, but not rich pasta. Good for weeknight meals and leftovers heated up nicely. We got about 6 servings out of this instead of 4, when accompanied by salad. I would recommend increasing the amount of onions, gruyere and parsley--and be sure to use 4 BIG boiling potatoes to balance out the 1 lb. of macaroni.

• Golden gratin of carrots, rutabagas, and turnips

  • Laurendmck on February 03, 2013

    p. 280, bechamel recipe p. 277 Delicious! The bechamel wasn't "thin" like Madison said, and I couldn't strain out the aromatics for that reason, but it was delicious on the gratin unstrained.

• Rice and winter squash gratin

  • mfto on February 18, 2013

    p546 I have had a small butternut squash on my counter for a few weeks and decided to try this recipe. I usually avoid gratins because my husband won't eat most cheeses. He will eat feta so I wanted to see if it would work. Maybe the fontina would be better but the feta seemed OK. I would have liked more hand holding by the author. She seems to expect me to know the best rice to use and how thick the bechamel should be. Since my husband loved the dish, I guess I did OK but did a lot or worrying. For instance, the way I measured 3 cups of grated squash must not have been right because it seemed to disappear when I sauteed it. Also I was surprised when I found I had no dried sage. In desperation I grabbed the poultry seasoning. Whatever, her seasoning amounts tasted great. Also she mentions that you can use leftover rice and can make ahead and bake later. All you have to do is stop worrying.

• Polenta cheddar croquettes

  • Yildiz100 on March 01, 2013

    Good, but did not go well with the suggested cherry tomato relish.

Reviews about this book

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

• Cabbage and mushroom galette with horseradish sauce

  • Lisa Is Cooking

    ..savory galette is made with a yeasted tart dough, filled with sauteed cabbage and mushrooms, and given a little kick with the horseradish sour cream sauce...this hearty galette was perfect for fall.

    Full review

• Black bean soup

  • Lisa Is Cooking

    ... it’s very much just about the beans themselves. It’s a simple soup with no spicy edge and minimal garnishes, but it is pointed up with Madeira and enriched with cream.

    Full review

• Chilled mung bean noodles with dulse and crushed peanuts

  • Lisa Is Cooking

    The contrast of crunchy vegetables and peanuts with squishy noodles was a good one, and the ginger and chiles offered pops of flavor.

    Full review

• Poppyseed cake

  • Wednesday Chef

    It's such a good cake. Especially when sliced thickly and served with milky tea in the afternoon. It's comforting and plain, but not boring and the crunch of the poppy seeds is a treat.

    Full review

• Tofu and steamed cabbage with rice and peanut sauce

  • Lisa Is Cooking

    The flavors here literally built up from the base going from simple rice to cabbage, then from marinated tofu to peanut sauce. It was fresh, healthy, simple and savory, bold, and spicy...

    Full review

• Linguine with asparagus, lemon, and spring herbs

  • Pen and Fork

    The whole dish comes together in about 30 minutes and it’s full of flavor. We didn’t even miss the meat.

    Full review

• ISBN 10 0767900146
• ISBN 13 9780767900140
• Linked ISBNs
  • 9780767927475 Hardcover (United States) 11/6/2007
  • 9780767921220 Paperback (United States) 11/1/2004
  • 9780307885760 (United States) 10/27/2010
  • 9780965061094 Paperback (United States) 1/1/1997
• Published Dec 31 1998
• Format Hardcover
• Language English
• Countries United States
• Publisher Random House
• Imprint Broadway Books (A Division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc)

Publishers Text

Other cookbooks by this author

• The Best of Taste (Williams-Sonoma)
• Deborah Madison's Essential Vegetarian Cookbook
• The Greens Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine from the Celebrated Restaurant
• The Greens Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine From The Celebrated Restaurant
• The Greens Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine
• The Greens Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine from the Celebrated Restaurant
• The Greens Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine from the Celebrated Restaurant
• The Greens Cookbook: Extraordinary Vegetarian Cuisine
• Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets
• Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets
• The Savory Way: High Spirited Down-To-Earth Recipes for Savory Vegetable Dishes
• The Savory Way: High Spirited Down-To-Earth Recipes for Savory Vegetable Dishes
• The Savory Way: High Spirited Down-To-Earth Recipes for Savory Vegetable Dishes
• The Savory Way Recipeasel: 125 Great Recipes on an Easy-to-Use Easel
• The Savoury Way
• Seasonal Fruit Desserts: From Orchard, Farm, and Market
• Seasonal Fruit Desserts
• The Superpyramid Program
• This Can't Be Tofu!: 75 Recipes To Cook Something You Never Thought You Would -- And Love Every Bite
• This Can't Be Tofu!
• Vegetable Literacy: Cooking and Gardening with Twelve Families from the Edible Plant Kingdom, with Over 300 Deliciously Simple Recipes
• Vegetable Literacy: Cooking and Gardening with Twelve Families from the Edible Plant Kingdom, with Over 300 Deliciously Simple Recipes
• Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen
• Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen
• Vegetables: made easy with step-by-step photographs
• Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
• Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
• Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
• Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, 10th Anniversary Edition
• Vegetarian Every Day: 2011 Engagement Calendar
• Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen
• Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen
• Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen
• The Vegetarian Table: America
• What We Eat When We Eat Alone: Stories and 100 Recipes
• What We Eat When We Eat Alone (1 Volume Set): Stories and 100 Recipes