The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining by Mark Bittman

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  • Vichyssoise with garlic (page 2)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; French; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: potatoes; leeks; heavy cream; green garlic
    • Accompaniments: 60-minute bread
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  • Vichyssoise with tomato and basil (page 3)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; French; Vegetarian; Vegan
    • Ingredients: tomatoes; basil; potatoes; leeks
    • Accompaniments: 60-minute bread
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  • Vichyssoise with carrots (page 3)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; French; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: carrots; potatoes; leeks; heavy cream
    • Accompaniments: 60-minute bread
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  • Nearly instant miso soup with tofu (page 4)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; Japanese; Vegetarian; Vegan
    • Ingredients: tofu; carrots; scallions; dark miso
    • Accompaniments: Easy rice
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  • The minimalist's corn chowder (page 6)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

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  • Corn chowder with bacon and cream (page 7)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

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  • Curried corn chowder (page 7)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; American; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: curry powder; fresh ginger; onions; sour cream; corn; potatoes; tomatoes
    • Accompaniments: Simple green salad; Tomato salad with basil
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  • Asian-style cucumber soup (page 8)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; Asian
    • Ingredients: chicken stock; cucumbers; soy sauce; rice vinegar; chiles; scallions
    • Accompaniments: Rice salad with peas and soy
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  • European-style cucumber soup (page 9)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; European
    • Ingredients: chicken stock; cucumbers; yogurt; shallots
    • Accompaniments: Olive oil croutons
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  • Cucumber-coconut soup (page 9)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; Asian
    • Ingredients: coconut milk; cucumbers; rice vinegar; chiles; scallions; nam pla
    • Accompaniments: Rice salad with peas and soy
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  • Roasted chestnut soup (page 10)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

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  • Chestnut soup with bacon (page 11)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

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  • Chestnut soup with shiitake (page 11)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties
    • Ingredients: chestnuts; celery; onions; chicken stock; shiitake mushrooms; butter
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  • Black-eyed pea soup with ham and watercress (page 12)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties
    • Ingredients: ham; onions; watercress; cooked black-eyed peas
    • Accompaniments: 60-minute bread; Cornbread
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  • Chickpea soup with sausage (page 14)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

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  • Cauliflower curry with chicken (page 16)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Curry; Quick / easy; Main course; Entertaining & parties; Indian
    • Ingredients: cauliflower; curry powder; peanut oil; onions; canned tomatoes; chicken; lemons
    • Accompaniments: Easy rice
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  • Curried tofu with soy sauce (page 18)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Curry; Quick / easy; Main course; Entertaining & parties; Vegetarian; Vegan
    • Ingredients: onions; curry powder; walnuts; coconut milk; tofu; soy sauce; ground cayenne pepper; peanut oil
    • Accompaniments: Steamed broccoli (or other vegetable); Easy rice
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  • Whole-meal chicken noodle soup, Chinese style (page 20)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; Chinese
    • Ingredients: chicken stock; fresh ginger; garlic; peanut oil; broccoli; soy sauce; scallions; cooked chicken meat; thin egg noodles; toasted sesame oil
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  • Fast, creamy mushroom soup (page 22)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: dried mushrooms; mushrooms; shallots; heavy cream; lemons; butter
    • Accompaniments: Simple green salad; 60-minute bread
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  • Fast, low-fat mushroom soup (page 24)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Quick / easy; Soups; Entertaining & parties; Low fat; Vegetarian; Vegan
    • Ingredients: dried mushrooms; mushrooms; garlic; tomatoes
    • Accompaniments: Simple green salad; 60-minute bread
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  • Pasta, risotto style (page 26)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

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  • Pasta alla Gricia (page 28)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Pasta, doughs & sauces; Quick / easy; Main course; Entertaining & parties; Italian
    • Ingredients: linguine pasta; pecorino Romano cheese; guanciale
    • Accompaniments: Simple green salad; 60-minute bread
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  • Spaghetti carbonara (page 29)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Pasta, doughs & sauces; Quick / easy; Main course; Entertaining & parties; Italian
    • Ingredients: spaghetti pasta; eggs; Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; guanciale
    • Accompaniments: Simple green salad; 60-minute bread
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  • Pasta all'Amatriciana (page 29)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Pasta, doughs & sauces; Quick / easy; Main course; Entertaining & parties; Italian
    • Ingredients: linguine pasta; pecorino Romano cheese; onions; tomatoes; guanciale
    • Accompaniments: Simple green salad; 60-minute bread
    show

  • Pasta with anchovies and arugula (page 30)

    from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More Than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman

    • Categories: Pasta, doughs & sauces; Quick / easy; Main course; Entertaining & parties; Italian
    • Ingredients: garlic; canned anchovies; arugula; linguine pasta; dried red pepper flakes
    • Accompaniments: Roasted peppers; 60-minute bread
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Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Steak with chimichurri sauce

    • westminstr on March 18, 2014

      The advantage of this sauce is that it is made entirely with a knife, but that is also a disadvantage. I think I prefer the smoother texture of a blended sauce. This sauce was fine but the flavor was a bit simplistic (not surprising given the source). On the other hand it was very streamlined and easy for a weeknight.

    • HarlanH on August 01, 2011

      Make sauce ahead. Use a leaner steak for this one.

  • Steamed chicken breasts with scallion-ginger sauce

    • wester on September 13, 2021

      Identical to the recipe in The Mini Minimalist.

  • Chicken-mushroom "cutlets" with Parmesan

    • HarlanH on August 01, 2011

      Way too much garlic. Use just 1 small clove, or roast first.

  • Skirt steak with plum purée sauce

    • HarlanH on August 01, 2011

      Apricot sauce with white wine and thyme is very good.

  • Pasta, risotto style

    • HarlanH on August 01, 2011

      Adding mushrooms are very good. Add a bit of white wine vinegar.

  • Stir-fried noodles with shrimp

    • HarlanH on August 01, 2011

      Snap peas instead of sprouts are very good.

  • Shrimp, roman style

    • HarlanH on August 01, 2011

      Could use more oil and tomato, less chiles.

  • Vietnamese-style pork

    • HarlanH on August 01, 2011

      Higher sauce to meat ratio. Reduce honey, increase nam pla.

  • Seared and steamed chicken breasts

    • HarlanH on August 01, 2011

      Pastured chicken makes a BIG difference. Don't bother with Purdue. Very good with mushrooms, tomatoes, and capers.

  • Crisp potatoes

    • HarlanH on August 01, 2011

      replace half the olive oil with butter

  • Crisp pan-fried noodle cake

    • sandahld on September 14, 2011

      This was a really nice change of pace. I used soba noodles, peanut oil and tamari sauce and I replaced the scallions with a half cup or so of braised leeks left over from the night before.

  • Spicy shrimp

    • CarterB on March 01, 2012

      One of our favorite recipes. Easy, strong flavors, little cleanup

  • The minimalist's corn chowder

    • Bloominanglophile on September 30, 2012

      I found this recipe in Epicurious. I am not rating it since I altered the recipe per many of the suggestions made on that site. I cooked up one slice of bacon per serving (about 6) and used the rendered fat to cook the onions. I also added thyme sprigs in with the onion along with 2 minced cloves of garlic. To make the corn stock, I added the cobs to 3 cups of homemade chicken stock along with 2 cups of water (ending with 4 total cups of stock after cooking with the cobs). After the potatoes cooked until tender, I added about 2/3 of the kernels to the pot (from 6 ears of corn), cooked them for a few minutes, then partially pureed the soup with an imersion blender. I then added the rest of the corn kernels and cooked until tender. I also added 1/2 cup cream along with the milk. Each serving was topped with one strip of bacon, crumbled, and some grated cheddar cheese. It turned out really well and I plan on making it again next corn season.

  • Raw beet salad

    • ellencooks on March 06, 2017

      This was really good, even with dried parsley.

  • Grilled boneless leg of lamb with coriander and ginger

    • dc151 on May 12, 2020

      A nice, simple recipe. Was done a bit quicker than recipe called for, keep an eye out.

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  • ISBN 10 1299227147
  • ISBN 13 9781299227149
  • Published Jul 21 2010
  • Format eBook
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Imprint Clarkson Potter

Publishers Text

Back with another splendid collection, America's most popular new cooking authority and author of How to Cook Everything presents more than 100 fast yet sophisticated main courses for home cooks of every skill.

Showcasing Mark Bittman's signature ease and imagination, this cookbook puts the focus on center-of-the-plate main dishes. And, in this new volume, he also provides recipes for classic, versatile side dishes as well as recommendations for wine and food parings. With a majority of its main dish recipes taking less than 30 minutes to prepare, this is truly the book every busy cook has been waiting for. Drawing on the global pantry and international repertoire that sets Bittman apart, each selection is big on flavor and time-saving techniques.

The perfect solution for weeknight afterwork meals or casual dinner parties, this inventive collection offers a refreshing new take on standards, along with ideas that will inspire both novices and experienced home cooks to branch out.

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