Lidia Bastianich is one of the most
popular and respected cooks on television today. Her ease in the kitchen,
her earthiness and warmth have endeared her to us all. Her most outstanding
characteristic, however, is that she is a born teacher. Bastianich loves
the subject of food, she loves her students, and she certainly loves
the food she puts on the table for her gathered family. With those instincts
(honed by television appearances), she crams Lidia's Family Table
with tips and instructions. The photos by Christopher Hirsheimer follow
suit. Though he has caught many family scenes, it is the action shots
illustrating techniques and methods that enhance Lidia's advice.
Italian cooking is centered on family,
and as the title tells us, Lidia's Family Table is about the
joy of gathering to eat. But Italian food is also about digressing from
a recipe to please the taste buds of the family. Infused with this sentiment,
Bastianich offers precise recipes, but allows for digression by suggesting,
"Why not try..." or, "You can expand this as much as
you want by..." or, "This is a versatile preparation..."
For a grilled tuna recipe, she comments, "If you don't have a grill
- just pop them in your oven." Instructions for 'popping' are included.
This is a teacher, hoping that the student will find inspiration, not
merely a formula. This is a mama, passing on the goodness of the kitchen.
There are over 200 recipes, ranging
from quick and simple to the more challenging. There are savory dishes
like Cauliflower Soup with Poached Garlic Purée; Potato, Leek,
and Bacon Ravioli; Skillet Green Beans with Gorgonzola; and Grilled
Tuna Rollatini Under Tomato-Lemon Marinade.
Bastianich is as happy to offer
risotto, polenta and gnocchi recipes as she is to give the classic pasta
dishes. She also likes to introduce us to new ideas. There is gnudi,
which means 'naked dumpling' and is a stuffing without a pasta shell.
There is what she calls a golden bowl - a breakfast treat of polenta
and egg yolk. Her risotto instructions are possibly the clearest we've
seen anywhere. "Using 'Pasta Water' to Make a Quick Sauce"
(the water's starchiness can add body to sauces) and "Reduced Wine
Vinegar for Vegetables" (heat-concentrated vinegar makes a deliciously
mellow seasoning) open new avenues of thought.
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