Zabar's Blog

Recipe for Roasted Tomato Soup from Hawksworth

by David Hawksworth, Jacob Richler and Stéphanie Nöel

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

This beautiful book has inspired me to go in the kitchen and add to my recipe repertoire. The local farm markets still have some fabulous melons, perfect for the simple watermelon, cherry tomato & Macedonian feta salad. The book also has detailed instructions for preparing gravlax from a side of salmon, a yummy pea soup with lobster on the side, Thai fish curry, a mile-high burger with homemade onion rings, and a very enticing lemon tart. And about a million other recipes that I can’t wait to dig into. First up, this tomato soup for a cozy dinner as the evenings turn cold.

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Excerpted from Hawksworth by David Hawksworth, Jacob Richler and Stéphanie Nöel. Copyright © 2020 David Hawksworth Photography by Clinton Hussey Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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Recipe for Spaghetti alla Puttanesca from Old World Italian by Mimi Thorisson, photographs by Oddur Thorisson

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

This beautiful book holds a culinary trip to Italy, with a little bit of France thrown in. Try this pasta dish that is easy to throw together and get on the table. There is also a recipe for torta pasqualina that is right out of my childhood. I remember my eighty-year-old cousin, Grace, cutting one open to reveal Swiss chard or maybe escarole, with a perfectly cooked hard boiled egg in the center of each slice. It was so beautiful that you barely knew, as a child, you were eating a green vegetable. I never asked her for the recipe, because I was afraid of her. Now, thanks to this book, I have it!

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Reprinted from Old World Italian. Copyright © 2020 by Marie-France Thorisson. Photographs copyright © 2020 by Oddur Thorisson. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House.

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Recipe for Poule au Pot from The Chicken Soup Manifesto by Jenn Louis

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

This cookbook features an amazing assortment of chicken soups from around the world—Tom Kha Gai, a gingery Thai noodle soup; Chicken Mafé, a West African peanut-flavored, spicy soup with eggplant and sweet potato; Cuban Ajiaco, a stew of chicken and beef; and a perfumed stew from Peru. Try Egyptian Kubbeh Hamusta; and dumplings from Germany. This French chicken in a pot is close to the classic Jewish penicillin. Spice it up or down, but try it, and also try Skink, a creamy Irish concoction with leeks and carrots; and Pennsylvania Dutch Rival, a chicken-filled corn chowder.

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Recipe excerpted with permission The Chicken Soup Manifesto by Jenn Louis, published by Hardie Grant Books

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Recipe for Cream of Corn Soup from Soupology by Drew Smith

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

This beautiful cookbook bases the recipes on six basic broths and goes on from there. Then you add veggies, spices, and all sorts of ingredients. Try the carrot, rice and potato soup, chicken tom yum, beef, shrimp or miso broth, minestrone, and onion soup. Here’s a lovely recipe using the last of this season’s corn from your farmers’ market. It's lovely and delicious.

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Recipe excerpted with permission from Soupology by Drew Smith, photographs by Tom Register (Rizzoli).

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Recipe for 24-Karat Cookies from Cookies are Magic by Maida Heatter

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

Here are some yummy cookies, filled with honey, to start your sweet new year. The rest of the book will keep you baking all fall. Fill your cookie jar with Pecan Butter Pillows, Maida’s Mother’s Gingersnaps, and Cookie Kisses.

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Recipe excerpted with permission from Cookies are Magic by Maida Heatter (Little Brown and Company).

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Recipe for Mozzarella with Celery, Olives and Pine Nuts from A Table for Friends by Skye McAlpine

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

This lovely and inspiring book had me experimenting with salads all week. My favorite, so far: one with tuna and fennel. A few interesting chicken recipes, one for pot roast,and another for chocolate chestnut meringue pie are next on my list.

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Reprinted from A Table for Friends by arrangement with Bloomsbury Publishing. Copyright © 2020, Skye McAlpine.

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Recipe for Smoked Whitefish Toast with Radish Butter

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

Today’s recipe is for a clever way to serve Zabar’s favorite whitefish. I am planning to have fun cooking with this lovely book. Next up: Moroccan challah, stuffed with tuna, and an Israeli baked falafel that might inspire me to go into the kitchen on this hot, hot day. And maybe homemade fish sticks and some apple blueberry turnovers for the little one.

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Excerpted from Peas Love and Carrots by Danielle Renov. Copyright 2020 by ArtScroll Mesorah Publications, photos by Moshe Wulliger. Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.

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Recipe for Filled Mini Yorkshire Puddings

from Afternoon Tea at the Cutter & Squidge Bakery by Annabel Lui & Emily Lui, photographs by Clare Winfield

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

This book has many lovely tea recipes: lots of fancy cakes, biskies (aka cookies), and some savory treats, including some mini sweetcorn pancakes with tomato and avocado and an enticing raspberry, lemon & mint iced tea for the dog days of summer. This week, try making the little Yorkshire puds for tea or an appetizer.

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Recipe for Chewy Almond Cookies

from Perfectly Golden by Angela Garbacz, owner of Goldenrod Pastries

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

All sorts of baked sweets are in this book, with lots of tips to tweak each recipe to make the goodies gluten-free, without dairy, or vegan. Drag out the waffle iron and make turtle cookies with peanut butter frosting. Or add the perfect chocolate torte, with strawberries and coconut whipped cream, and a wonderful pretzel pie, to your repertoire. These almond cookies were easy to make and magically disappeared from my cookies jar!

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Recipe for Grilled Beef Kebabs

Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar

This book has twenty summers’ worth of recipes for salads, grills, picnics, and cool desserts. Start with green tomato chutney, dilly beans, and a smoked salmon Niçoise salad. Throw some meat and veggies on the grill, drink some sweet iced tea and finish with an ice-cream sundae. The perfect beach day menu.

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