Open Kitchen: Inspired Food for Casual Gatherings by Susan Spungen

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Notes about this book

  • Cati on April 04, 2020

    Beware the print is smaller than normal. You might need a magnifying glass.

  • Baltiville on March 07, 2020

    The Toasted Mushroom and Farro is delicious. Balsamic is just enough acid to balance out the richness of the Mushroom “gravy”.

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Banana buckwheat loaf

    • Lepa on April 05, 2020

      This is an interesting loaf. It has a nice, nutty flavor because of the buckwheat flour and nut oils. I ran out of walnut oil so I used 1/2 walnut oil and 1/2 hazelnut oil. I didn't have buckwheat groats so I skipped those. While I normally don't like icing on cake, it was necessary here to balance the flavors. I'd make this again but it won't replace my favorite banana bread.

  • Roasted strawberry-basil sherbet

    • Maefleur on May 10, 2020

      Remember to plan ahead for this one. Freeze your ice cream maker bowl, roast the strawberries and chilling the base mix in advance of churning. After churning it will need additional time in the freezer to firm up. Wonderful full strawberry flavor, and the basil adds a depth of flavor that you can't quite name what it is, other than delicious!

  • Rosey harissa chicken

    • Maefleur on March 30, 2020

      This recipe also ran in the March 2020 issue of Food and Wine Magazine, which I used with chicken thighs. I used the option of paprika for the rose harissa seasoning, using a mix of sweet, hot and smoky paprika. Delicious dish.

  • Grill-roasted chickens with herbes de Provence and extra lavender aka house chicken

    • Maefleur on March 30, 2020

      I adapted for a single butterflied chicken on a gas grill. After preheating grill, switched middle burner off and outer two to medium wtth wood chip packets over outer two. Cooked to temp. The smoking method worked great, resulting in a juicy, herby, wonderfully smoky bird.

  • Summer vegetable galette

    • bwhip on May 16, 2020

      Not summer yet, but the photo of this dish looked so good I had to make it. Only changes I made were to use some yellow squash instead of Japanese eggplant, and I added some asparagus. Recipe has several steps along the way, between making the crust dough, roasting the tomatoes, then the rest of the vegetables (at a higher temp), then adding the cheese mixture, assembling and baking the galette. Nothing difficult, just takes a bit of time. End result was SO worth it! My wife and I both just wanted to keep eating more and more, but were getting full! Delicious dish.

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  • ISBN 10 0525536671
  • ISBN 13 9780525536673
  • Published Mar 03 2020
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 336
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Avery

Publishers Text

Simple, stylish recipes for fearless entertaining from the renowned food stylist, New York Times contributor, and founding food editor of Martha Stewart Living.

As a professional recipe developer, avid home cook, and frequent hostess, Susan Spungen is devoted to creating perfectly simple recipes for good food. In Open Kitchen, she arms readers with elegant, must-make meal ideas that are easy to share and enjoy with friends and family.

An open kitchen, whether physical or spiritual, is a place to welcome company, to enjoy togetherness and the making of the meal. This cookbook is full of contemporary, stylish, and accessible dishes that will delight and impress with less effort. From simple starters such as Burrata with Pickled Cherries and centerpieces such as Rosy Harissa Chicken, to desserts such as Roasted Strawberry-Basil Sherbet, the dishes are seasonal classics with a twist, vegetable-forward and always appealing. Filled with practical tips and Susan's "get-ahead" cooking philosophy that ensures streamlined, stress-free preparation, this cookbook encourages readers to open their kitchens to new flavors, menus, and guests.

Perfect for occasions that call for simple but elevated comfort food, whether it's a relaxed gathering or a weeknight dinner, Open Kitchen shows readers how to maximize results with minimal effort for deeply satisfying, a little bit surprising, and delicious meals. It is a cookbook you'll reach for again and again.

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