Avowed Martha Stewart fans--and the rest of us, too--have cause to applaud. The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook, which marks the 10th anniversary of the magazine from which the book takes its name and 1,200 recipes, is a winner. A wide-ranging trove, it tackles with equal aplomb the basics--from fried chicken to apple pie--and "newer" dishes such as Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Soup, Veal Stew with Shallots and Wild Mushrooms, and Pistachio Gelato. Both daily cookbook and stylish culinary guide, Living should prove useful to cooks facing the what-should-we-have-for-dinner dilemma and those seeking delicious dishes for entertaining.

The book's 19 chapters cover every dish type. Ranging from hors d'oeuvres to desserts (there are three chapters on sweets, plus candy-making formulas), and including sections devoted to vegetarian main courses, salsas, sauces, and dips, Living's world-spanning dishes are imaginatively conceived and meticulously presented. A few standouts among many include Pappardelle with Osso Buco Sauce, Chunky Vegetable Potpie, and Ginger Pecan Cake. Also at hand are comprehensive ingredient and equipment glossaries; cooking tips and techniques; "101" recipes (basic formulas such as Omelet 101); extensive lists of food and equipment sources; and 32 pages of color photos. Like its parent publication, the book strikes just the right chord for those who want to cook along with Martha. --Arthur Boehm


From Booklist
This one celebrates the tenth anniversary of Martha Stewart Living magazine with a collection of 1,500 recipes. Bonnie Smothers
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
Ten years ago, Martha Stewart made cooking a primary focus of her bold new magazine, Martha Stewart Living. Over the decade, each issue has been a treasure of culinary information and inspiration, bringing the pleasures of cooking and entertaining--in impeccable style--to millions of devoted readers, from novice cooks to professional caterers.

At last all of Martha's favorite magazine recipes have been gathered in a single volume. The Martha Stewart Cookbook is a compendium of the best of the best from the food pages of every issue. But more than a mere collection, this specially designed volume is a major step in Martha's mission to keep home cooking traditions alive. The Martha Stewart Cookbook is filled with recipes--1200 in all--for every kind of cook and every occasion. Some recipes invite you to stretch your cooking knowledge and expertise while others provide inspiration--and instruction--for what to have for dinner.

Organized, in trademark style, for maximum practicality and ease of use, this major general-purpose cookbook features nineteen classically arranged chapters, from Basics, Breakfast, and Hors d:Oeuvres to Meat, Poultry, Fish and Shellfish and Desserts. In between there are Salads, Soups, Vegetables and whole chapters devoted to Vegetarian Main Courses and Potatoes. Throughout, there are basic classes--cooking 101s--for making food that should be in every cook's repertoire: macaroni and cheese, omelets, roast turkey, fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Specialty dishes are here, too, whether the occasion calls for a casual cocktail party, dinner with the in-laws, or a sit down luncheon for a bride-to-be. Cooking tips and techniques, pantry and equipment glossaries plus a guide to finding unusual ingredients make the kitchen tested recipes accessible to home cooks everywhere. An ideal reference, The Martha Stewart Cookbook belongs on every kitchen counter in America.

Martha Stewart is the author of thirteen best-selling original books on food, entertaining, gardening, and home restoration, is the chairman and chief executive officer of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. She lives in Connecticut, Maine, and on Long Island.


From the Inside Flap
Ten years ago, Martha Stewart made cooking a primary focus of her bold new magazine, Martha Stewart Living. Over the decade, each issue has been a treasure of culinary information and inspiration, bringing the pleasures of cooking and entertaining--in impeccable style--to millions of devoted readers, from novice cooks to professional caterers.

At last all of Martha's favorite magazine recipes have been gathered in a single volume. The Martha Stewart Cookbook is a compendium of the best of the best from the food pages of every issue. But more than a mere collection, this specially designed volume is a major step in Martha's mission to keep home cooking traditions alive. The Martha Stewart Cookbook is filled with recipes--1200 in all--for every kind of cook and every occasion. Some recipes invite you to stretch your cooking knowledge and expertise while others provide inspiration--and instruction--for what to have for dinner.

Organized, in trademark style, for maximum practicality and ease of use, this major general-purpose cookbook features nineteen classically arranged chapters, from Basics, Breakfast, and Hors d:Oeuvres to Meat, Poultry, Fish and Shellfish and Desserts. In between there are Salads, Soups, Vegetables and whole chapters devoted to Vegetarian Main Courses and Potatoes. Throughout, there are basic classes--cooking 101s--for making food that should be in every cook's repertoire: macaroni and cheese, omelets, roast turkey, fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Specialty dishes are here, too, whether the occasion calls for a casual cocktail party, dinner with the in-laws, or a sit down luncheon for a bride-to-be. Cooking tips and techniques, pantry and equipment glossaries plus a guide to finding unusual ingredients make the kitchen tested recipes accessible to home cooks everywhere. An ideal reference, The Martha Stewart Cookbook belongs on every kitchen counter in America.

Martha Stewart is the author of thirteen best-selling original books on food, entertaining, gardening, and home restoration, is the chairman and chief executive officer of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. She lives in Connecticut, Maine, and on Long Island.


Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
In the past ten years so much has happened in the world of food, and nothing tells the story of those changes better than a look back through the first decade of Martha Stewart Living magazine. From its premier in 1990, we have tried to reflect the changing awareness of fine cooking, excellent ingredients, exotic flavors, and healthy cooking, always with an emphasis on technique not only for advanced recipes, but for the 101 recipes essential to every cook's repertoire.

During these years, I, too, have experienced tremendous growth and change in my personal approach to cooking and entertaining. Whereas once I planned my own parties with the same diligence that I catered them for others, today my time available for devising menus, shopping for ingredients, and cooking is much more limited. Entertaining will always be important to me, yet as my busy career demands more of my time, my approach has become quite streamlined. I will always care about how things taste and look, but now I rely on freshness and goodness and simplicity as the most important ingredients.

This is the first time we have collected our favorite recipes from the magazine in a single volume -- the best of the decade's best. For those of you who are recent subscribers, here is an opportunity to try recipes from our earlier issues. If you are a charter subscriber, this clear and beautiful new format will help you rediscover recipes you first saw years ago. We have selected 1,200 of our favorites -- and hope you will use one recipe, or two, or three, every day Enjoy!


Chewy Orange Almond Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

It's important to weigh the nuts for accurate amounts, as volume can differ enormously.  Extra cookies keep well, covered in plastic wrap and frozen.

4 ¼ ounces sliced almonds (about 1¼ cups)
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Zest of 2 oranges, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
1 teaspoon anise seed, crushed
3 large egg whites, room temperature
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, blend 3 ½ ounces of the almonds (about 1 cup) with ½ cup sugar until the almonds are finely ground.   Transfer the almond mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the flour, orange zest, and anise seed.

3. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites, salt, and remaining ¼ cup sugar to soft, glossy peaks. Fold the egg-white mixture into the dry ingredients until just blended.

4. Spoon level tablespoons of the batter 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using the remaining ¾ ounce of the almonds, arrange 3 sliced almonds on each cookie. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the cookies. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned along the edges, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from the sheets with a spatula.
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Spoon Bread with Leeks and Corn

Serves 8

Any shape of dish can be used, but spoon bread will bake best in one that is a little wider than it is high.  The baking time will be slightly different, depending on the size of the pan.

Unsalted butter, for dish
3 large eggs, separated
2 ½ cups milk
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 ears fresh corn, kernels shaved from the cob (1 cup)
2 leeks, white and pale green parts, halved lengthwise, sliced, well washed

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Butter a 2½ -quart casserole. Lightly beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, cover and bring 2 cups milk, the cayenne, and the salt to a boil. Sprinkle the cornmeal into the liquid, stir ring constantly, and cook until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining ½  cup milk, baking powder, and egg yolks.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Stir 1 large spoonful of the whites into the cornmeal mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the   remaining whites.

4. Pour half of the batter into the prepared dish. Sprinkle on the corn and leeks. Cover with the remaining batter. Bake until set and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

----------------
Braised Cod with Plum Tomatoes

Serves 4

A cod steak has a row of bones running down its center; to remove them, cut around them with a sharp knife, dividing the fish into two pieces.

4 7-ounce codfish steaks, skin and bones removed
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 plum tomatoes, cut into ½ inch-thick slices
1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
1 cup water
½ teaspoon minced garlic
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish, optional

1. Sprinkle both sides of the cod steaks with the oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and the cayenne pepper. Sprinkle the tomato slices with 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add the cod and tomato slices. Cook until the cod steaks are golden on the bottom, about 4½ minutes. Using a metal spatula, turn the cod steaks and the tomatoes. Add 1 cup water and the garlic, and bring the liquid to a simmer.

3. Simmer until the cod begins to feel firm and it starts to flake, about 4 minutes. Divide the cod, tomatoes, and broth among four shallow soup bowls. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook offers a treasury of favorite recipes that have appeared in Stewart's highly popular magazine over the past ten years. With tips on cooking and cleaning, sample menus, and even a few tales from Stewart herself, this will, indeed, be an indispensable volume for the kitchen.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In 1995 Martha Stewart made cookbook history with her best-selling compendium, The Martha Stewart Cookbook. Now Martha and the cooks of the Martha Stewart Living kitchens return with a compilation of 1,200 recipes from the first decade of the magazine -- the best of the decade's best. A treasure of culinary inspiration and information, The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook brings the pleasures of cooking and entertaining within the reach of every cook, from novice to professional caterer.

Taking up where The Martha Stewart Cookbook left off, The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook is an essential addition to any cook's library. Some recipes invite cooks to stretch their culinary knowledge while others provide exciting but simple answers to the eternal question -- What to Have for Dinner, a beloved feature of the magazine. A virtual cooking school in a book, The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook also includes 32 pages of full-color photographs showing a selection of appealing dishes; cooking tips and techniques; pantry and equipment glossaries; and especially basic classes -- cooking 101s -- that establish a time-honored cook's repertory. The recipes cover the cuisines of the world, old favorites, and new classics, all presented with the style and flair that fans have come to expect from Martha Stewart.

The nineteen chapters, organized for maximum practicality and ease of use, cover food for every season and every occasion. The building blocks of kitchen expertise include turkey, fried chicken, and mashed potatoes. Specialty dishes are here too, whether you're having a casual cocktail party, dinner with the in-laws, or a sit-down luncheon for a bride-to-be. There are new twists on exotic dishes and variations on classic themes. Tested and retested by the Martha Stewart Living experts, these recipes add up to an ideal reference that belongs on every kitchen counter in America.

FROM THE CRITICS

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