River Cafe Cookbook Two by Rose Gray and Ruth (Ruthie) Rogers

  • Moscato d'Asti with fresh limes (Moscato d'Asti con cedro) (page 12)

    from River Cafe Cookbook Two River Cafe Cookbook Two by Rose Gray and Ruth (Ruthie) Rogers

    • Categories: Cocktails / drinks (with alcohol); Italian
    • Ingredients: limes; Moscato d'Asti wine
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Notes about this book

  • Cheri on January 23, 2010

    Published in US as The Cafe Cook Book

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Baked peppers with tomatoes and anchovies (Peperoni al forno con pomodoro e acciughe)

    • Ganga108 on February 01, 2022

      I am always surprised when I come to a well-known cookbook that has been around for ages, to find that a recipe had not been marked as I've Cooked This. Especially when it is this good. Nigel Slater has a very similar recipe in one of his books, which I love, and I have also cooked feta, tomatoes and olives inside a capsicum (yum!). This time I thought to try the River Cafe version. I replaced the anchovies with olives, cos #vegetarian, and used garlic, tomatoes and herbs from the garden. She cooks the dish slower than Slater's (from memory), and/but it is oh so delicious. Did you see me drinking the juices from the capsicum shell? Sssshhhhh! Don't tell. Ricotta is an excellent accompaniment, as is a green salad.

    • Dinovino on March 04, 2023

      Black olives are a great addition

  • Zucchini carpaccio

    • Ganga108 on November 01, 2021

      Very delicious!

  • Broad bean and pecorino salad (Insalata di fave con pecorino)

    • Ganga108 on November 01, 2021

      I love growing broad beans. They are sweeter and more "grassy" than buying them from shops. I pick them from the time they are no bigger than my forefinger, up until they are so huge. Half get eaten, half are frozen for the rest of the year. Salads of broad beans and pecorino are de rigueur during the season, and we make them a lot. This recipe is an excellent one. Today we did away with the greens and added potatoes. Love the addition of aged balsamic. It really makes a difference.

  • Zucchini frittata (Frittata di zucchini)

    • Ganga108 on October 04, 2025

      A lovely Sunday-on-a-long-weekend brunch on a warm Spring day.

  • Penne with zucchini and ricotta (Penne con zucchini e ricotta)

    • isabella_nq20ft on February 18, 2026

      Yummy. Great way to use up a zucchini glut! Kids approved, although zuchinni wasn’t eaten by one of them. That’s not unusual though. Think I’d use more basil next time, and perhaps a little lemon and oregano to lift it.

  • Wet polenta with fresh porcini (Polenta con porcini freschi)

    • Emily Hope on December 06, 2010

      Delicious. Supplemented our lone porcini with some chanterelles, and didn't feel it detracted. Served with onion gratin (Jamie Oliver) and chard with anchovies and garlic (A16).

  • Asparagus risotto (Risotto di asparagi)

    • mcvl on April 07, 2021

      Excellent. A squeeze of lemon goes well too.

    • FJT on May 21, 2021

      Delicious; we really enjoyed it.

  • Green risotto with pancetta (Risotto verde con pancetta)

    • FJT on July 30, 2011

      Very fresh - a striking risotto recipe that never fails to get lots of compliments from guests

  • Wild mushroom risotto (Risotto con funghi di bosco)

    • Ganga108 on November 01, 2021

      Whenever I see a pic of a perfect risotto, my heart gives a little skip - moist still, and creamy with fat luscious grains of rice. A lot of people these days confuse a pilaf style dish (a much drier dish) with risotto. I first learnt to cook risotto with the help of the the River Cafe books, and with Guy Mirabella's "Risotto Romantico!" I do love both, but the River Cafe one's have a special place in my heart. I adore vialone nano rice above others for risotto and order it online. This beautiful risotto is featured in both River Cafe books (RC and RC Two) with only slight differences (eg use of dry vermouth instead of wine - such a good innovation). Don't skip the parsley, it is a marriage made in heaven with the mushrooms. I get the dried mushrooms from a quirky little continental shop and use a mix of available fresh mushrooms.

  • Soup of farro, borlotti, cannellini and chickpeas (Zuppa di farro)

    • Ganga108 on July 06, 2023

      A hearty, wintery, protein-bomb of a soup. It takes a while to cook - overnight soaking, 1.5 hours and multiple pans to cook the beans and chickpeas, about 40 mins for the sauce, and another 40 for the soup to come together. Eminently freezable. (I have also made this with substitutions - freekeh for farro, kidney beans for borlotti, other white beans for cannellini beans, and a reduced tomato puree from the freezer (made in Summer) for the tomato sauce. If only I had pre-cooked the beans and chickpeas and frozen them too :-) :-) )

  • Wood-roasted Jerusalem artichokes (Topinambur al forno)

    • veronicafrance on December 19, 2017

      They aren't "wood-roasted" -- just plain roasted. Delicious, we roasted them with turnips and potatoes to accompany roast lamb.

  • Baked dried cannellini beans (Cannellini secchi al forno)

    • Ganga108 on November 01, 2021

      Winter, to me, is lots of soups and lots of baked bean and lentil dishes. Italians do both so well. I like the baked bean dishes to cook long and slow. Absolutely delicious.

  • Baked fresh borlotti beans (Borlotti freschi al forno)

    • Ganga108 on November 01, 2021

      I love this style of cooking. Yum-oh! These ingredients also make a wonderful veg and borlotti soup. Add some dried herbs and flavourings for a delicious soup.

    • Ganga108 on September 10, 2024

      Making this favourite and simple dish with fresh borolotti appearing in the shops this week. As I said before I love this style of cooking, reconfirming it today. The beans soak up the olive oil while cooking and becoming soft and creamy. Dried borlotti can be used, but soak first and increase cooking time. If using a terracotta dish or similar, increase the cooking time significantly.

  • Artichokes baked in foil with thyme (Carciofi in cartoccio con timo)

    • veronicafrance on March 21, 2013

      I really liked these. Simple to do; I used small violet artichokes, substituted rosemary for thyme, and served them with grilled lamb chops.

  • Swiss chard gratin (Bietola gratinata) [Lesley Forbes]

  • Red mullet with white wine, parsley and garlic (Trigliette al vino bianco, prezzemolo e aglio)

    • Cheri on January 24, 2010

      Red Snapper

  • Slow-roasted shoulder of pork (Spalla di maiale arrostita lentamente)

    • debbyc on November 08, 2012

      This recipe takes is cooked over night in a wood oven. Or a domestic oven for 8-24 hours.

  • How to prepare salted capers

    • Ganga108 on October 05, 2024

      Good advice.

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  • ISBN 10 0091864194
  • ISBN 13 9780091864194
  • Published May 07 1998
  • Format Paperback
  • Page Count 352
  • Language English
  • Edition New edition
  • Countries United Kingdom

Publishers Text

The first "River Cafe Cook Book" was a publishing phenomenon, winning both the Glenfiddich Food Book of the Year and the BCA Illustrated Book of the Year Awards. As well as the innovative, striking design of the book, the appeal also lies in the exquisite simplicity of its food. A sophisticated re-interpretation of the cucina rustica or farmhouse cooking of northern Italy, the food of the River Cafe relies on good quality, fresh, seasonal produce. Ruth and Rose's direct, uncomplicated approach means that many of the dishes are strikingly simple-fish, meat and vegetables are char grilled, pan-fried and baked-but all of them are vibrant with flavour. This new book retains the essential style of The River Cafe while reflecting the new directions Ruth and Rose's cooking has taken since their first book; meat is less prominent, for example, while vegetables and vegetarian cooking have become more important; new techniques, such as wood-roasting are featured, always with advice on how the results can be achieved can be achieved in a domestic oven. With over 200 completely new recipes, illustrated and presented in the first book, "River Cafe Cook Book 2" will be a must both for the many people who loved the first volume and for those who have yet to discover the delights of cooking.

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