In my not-so-vast collection of cookbooks, One Pan & Done by Molly Gilbert is the first of its kind premising on the type of pans in one’s kitchen and what you can make in it. Surely every household has various types but I barely think about the possibilities of making other recipes in them aside from what I am already so used to and this challenges me to go beyond my normal. This book gives you a concise but insightful primer on pots and pans and pantry related information in the introduction.
On top of each recipe title has the icon of the pot or pan that is to be used and the serving yield underneath. Below the serving size are tips and or short insights into the author/chef’s life. The recipes seem straightforward and look easy to follow. Some of the ingredients however are not the kind you would find in a non-saveur kitchen. What I mean by this is it relies on herbs, spices and flavors that I don’t normally have like Arugula, Fennel, Cilantro and Mascarpone cheese on hand at all times to be able to execute some of the recipes.
I consider this to be more of a “go-out-of-your-way” kinda cookbook for the dedicated foodie but what’s encouraging though is seeing recipes that are tweaked versions of your familiar Mac and Cheese, Lasagna, and yes, even Ramen noodles (see below) which I honestly would not mind trying after taking a much needed trip to a specialty grocery. What’s good about most of the recipes is the fact that they don’t take long to make, some under 20 but mostly ranging from 30 minutes to an hour.
It has seven chapters of recipes ranging from breakfast items, snacks, main course including vegetable based recipes, meats and all the way to desserts. Skimming through its pages, what I find myself looking forward to making in the very immediate future are a couple of recipes from the dessert section such as the S’mores cups and the Chocolate Molten Caramel Mini Cakes since I already have most of the ingredients for these two in my pantry. Conveniently, I can make these using the muffin tin which helps especially in portion control when it comes to desserts.
The book is presented in high quality laminated paperback with thick glossy pages and appetizing depictions of the recipes. It is sewn for durability and would make a great gift to that special someone in your life who is interested in changing things up a bit when it comes to making comfort food infused with French culinary techniques and flavors.
[I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Blogging for Books]
