Olives Table or Salmon

Olives Table: Over 160 Recipes from the Critically Acclaimed Restaurant and Home Kitchen of Todd English

Author: Todd English

In 1989, Todd English and his wife Olivia opened the original Olives; since then the restaurant has moved to larger quarters, and Todd and his bold, inventive Mediterranean-inspired cooking have earned an international reputation. Voted one of the Top Ten Restaurants by Esquire magazine and the Best New Restaurant by Boston magazine, it has also been voted Favorite Restaurant in the Zagat Guide to Boston and Vicinity. In The Olives Table, the artistry of one of America's top chefs is on display, with more than 160 dazzling recipes from Olives and from Todd's home kitchen, illustrated with beautiful photographs by Carl Tremblay.

Todd's robust, intensely flavored food begs to be savored and shared with others. And since the complexity of English's cooking comes from the layering of tastes and textures -- not exotic equipment or techniques -- by following the careful, step-by-step instructions, even the timid cook can recreate the dishes that the patrons of English's hugely popular Boston restaurant enjoy at the Olives table.

Pull out the stops and begin a meal with Todd's signature Olives Tart, baked in a crisp crust and rich with olives and creamy goat cheese, pair Gingered Slow-Braised Lamb Shanks with Apple-Fennel Mashed Potatoes for your main course, and finish with Falling Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce. Or for a lighter repast, try Pan-Fried Cornmeal-and-Cumin-Rubbed Cornish Game Hens served with Arugula Salad with Tomato and Cucumber Juice; finish with Mango-Raspberry Granita. Plan a simple but deeply satisfying supper of Roasted Clams with Chicken, Tomatoes, Artichokes, and Bacon served with roasted new potatoes and end with Gingersnap RisottoPudding. Whatever meal you decide to create from these recipes, you won't be disappointed.

Publishers Weekly

In an introductory Q&A interview with food writer Sampson, English, owner-chef of Boston's Olives restaurant, suggests that culinary traditions offer cooks guidelines from which they should stray in order to make best use of ingredients at hand. He practices that belief at his Mediterranean-influenced restaurant and in the 200 recipes collected here. The results yield such innovative, yet slightly familiar dishes as Grilled Scallops with Walnut Butter Paste (threaded on rosemary branches) and Olives Marinated Lamb Sandwich on Olive Bruschetta. A trip to Israel sets English's mind whirring with Lentil Hummus and Fresh Tuna Tabouli. The weak points here are those that typically mark a restaurant cookbook. Most recipes carry lengthy lists of ingredients. Even My Favorite Baked Potato Salad, topped with green salad, which English claims to indulge in on Sunday nights at home, requires a saut pan and assorted separately prepared ingredients, while others are ill-directed for home cooks. Among the latter, both Everyday Polenta (with butter, cream and cheese) and Green Apple Risotto With Cabbage and Bacon are presented as side dishes but are significant projects in themselves. (Mar.)

Library Journal

English, chef/owner of Olives, a well-known Boston restaurant, likes Mediterranean-inspired food with strong flavor combinations, what he characterizes as "refined rustic." It's a good description of dishes such as Chilled Black Olive Spaghetti Salad and Gorgonzola-Stuffed Figs with Balsamic Glaze. Other more refined, less rustic dishes feature foie gras, truffles, and other such indulgences. The recipes themselves, however, are generally straightforward and refreshingly approachable for a chef's cookbook.

Library Journal

English, chef/owner of Olives, a well-known Boston restaurant, likes Mediterranean-inspired food with strong flavor combinations, what he characterizes as "refined rustic." It's a good description of dishes such as Chilled Black Olive Spaghetti Salad and Gorgonzola-Stuffed Figs with Balsamic Glaze. Other more refined, less rustic dishes feature foie gras, truffles, and other such indulgences. The recipes themselves, however, are generally straightforward and refreshingly approachable for a chef's cookbook.

1996 Zagat Guide to Boston and Vicinity

"Food that will take your breath away."

What People Are Saying

Jasper White
Todd and Sally have made Olives' food come alive in this collection of bold flavors and lusty food combinations. Todd puts his mark on every recipe, never missing the chance to intensify the flavor or texture of a dish. Reading these recipes made me unbearably hungry... deep-fried stuffed olives, Parmesan pudding, butternut squash tortelli, rabbit agrodolce, marinated lamb with olive bruschetta... This book will make you want to rush to a market and back home again to start cooking.

Paula Wolfert
A stunning presentation of the big, bold flavors that make Todd English one of my favorite chefs. The recipes are clear, authoritative, and delicious.

Barbara Kafka
Todd English is a wonderful cook based in a strong tradition of peasant flavors, often Italian; he is inventive and so is the food in this book.

Sheila Lukins
Just between us chickens, there's nothing more alluring that I can think of right now than immersing myself in the culinary delights of Todd English. From the first moment I walked into Olives and nibbled on the namesake, an explosion of flavor led the way. I've longed to follow every chance I've had.

John Willoughby
Todd English has achieved a feat that eludes many top-level chefs: He has transformed the robust, gutsy food of his restaurant into recipes for the ome cook. Todd's vision of his food is right here in these pages.

Lydia Shire
This book is Todd. Who else would describe their love of cooking as "lust"? ... Just try the foie gras flan to believe it or "char the skin of a fig while the gorgonzola oozes."

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Salmon: A Cookbook

Author: Diane Morgan

Diane Morgan is hooked on salmon and it shows. From the deck of a commercial fishing boat in Alaska to the fish farms in Scotland, she has traveled the world on a quest to find out everything there is to know about the world's favorite fresh fish. Learn the difference between wild and farmed salmon, discern among the varieties of species, whether Atlantic, Chinook, Coho, or Sockeye, and discover the heart-healthy benefits of including salmon in the diet. The real catch are the recipes. Salmon Hash, Thai Coconut Soup, Salmon Tacos, and a dramatic yet simple whole roasted version show the incredible versatility of salmon it's perfect morning, noon, and night. It pairs well with an international array of flavors and can be poached, smoked, baked, or grilled. With tips for storing, preparing, filleting, cutting steaks, taking out pin bones, plus gorgeous scenic photographs of famed fishing areas, Salmon is sure to make a big splash in the kitchen.