From Library Journal
Bishop, senior editor of Cook's Illustrated, is also the author of Pasta e Verdura (LJ 3/15/96), a nice collection of vegetarian sauces for pasta. Here are more vegetarian recipes for all courses of a meal, from cold and hot antipasti to dessert. The recipes are fine but nothing special, and some of them seem more like variations on a theme rather than separate entities (e.g., Focaccia with Rosemary, Focaccia with Sage, Parmesan Focaccia). For larger collections and others where vegetarian titles are particularly popular.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Review
"Jack Bishop has given us a celebration of vegetables, cooked simply the Italian way. The recipes are enticing, yet totally approachable and generally low in fat. Bishop even manages to demystify risotto and polenta. This book will enable the home cook to get delicious vegetarian dinners on the table every night of the week." -- Sara Moulton, Executive Chef, GOURMET


Newsday, 2-4-98
It's a great relief to see that Jack Bishop, food writer and cookbook author, prepares his food in a completely ordinary kitchen. The no-frills Sag Harbor setup has no professional range and precious little counter space. The refrigerator is smaller than he is. It is in this simple kitchen that Bishop tested most of his recipes for his new book, The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook, and it's proof that you don't need anything fancy to make yourself a good dinner. 'There's a lot of culinary rigamarole,' said Bishop. 'In Italy, you have to have a special pot to cook polenta. It's got to be a copper pot. I have a great reverence for things Italian, but I'm an American, and I shop in America. I'm more interested in people facing the challenge of what-on-earth-am-I-going-to-eat-tonight.' To that end, Bishop has melded two of the most popular trends in cooking in his newest book, a collection of 350 recipes that revel in all manner of Italian food that doesn't contain meat. Bishop calls himself a 'semi-' vegetarian, the kind of no-big-deal vegetarian who doesn't want to face a slab of meat on his plate, but wouldn't mind a little prosciutto in his pasta sauce. 'I like the flavor of pork and lamb, but in the end I prefer vegetables,' he said, 'and I could live without chicken for the rest of my life.' His newest book is an outgrowth of his earlier book, Pasta e Verdura, a collection of 140 pasta dishes made with vegetables. Although he didn't intend to, Bishop lost 7 pounds off his already lean frame during the writing and the recipe-testing phase of that book. The dishes featured fresh vegetables, usually tossed with a pound of packaged pasta and a little olive oil. The new book, The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook, while mindful of unnecessary fat, is not lean and mean. It is a bigger, more comprehensive book that features many richer and heartier recipes, such as baked shells with fontina and Parmesan-flavored bread crumbs-macaroni and cheese by any other name. It calls for a cup of heavy cream, 1/3 cup of butter and half a pound of cheese. The book also features more of Bishop's well-honed advice. He is an editor and writer for Cook's Illustrated, a quirky culinary magazine that has developed something of a cult following for its kitchen-detective format. It takes a topic, say meatloaf, and sets out to find the best possible way to make the ideal recipe. First it'll fiddle with the ratio of ground beef, pork and veal to find the best combination. Then it will test 11 binders, including tapioca and corn flakes. Next, it moves onto the onions: raw or sauted? Bishop says the magazine is fascinating and fun to work on, if not particularly creative for a writer. But the approach has benefited his own cooking and teaching techniques. When Bishop tackled the topic of how to make polenta in his book, he researched various ratios of cornmeal to water before advising his readers how to proceed. That advice-filled, leave-nothing-to-chance approach also is evident in the book's thick header notes-those chatty paragraphs that precede each recipe. Bishop is particularly generous with his advice there, warning readers of the possible pitfalls, encouraging them to try new things. And he names names, giving specific brands of ingredients. 'There's no reason not to share that information,' he said. 'People ask me all the time what brands I use. My book is not an armchair book,' he said, 'although I love those kinds of books. I envision it in the kitchen.' While the book is not written for beginners, Bishop has kept the novice cook in mind. His students are either younger people who are new to the kitchen or older people who are new to vegetarianism. Either way, he finds that Italian cooking is well suited to the task. 'Italian cooking is so friendly,' said Bishop. 'People know it. It's not weird.' And there are many excellent Italian dishes that are vegetarian by chance rather than design, said Bishop. 'This is not like in England where they have a vegetarian society. Italians say, 'It's food. We're not making politics out of it.''


Mark Bittman, author of Fish: The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking
I've been eating Jack Bishop's food for 10 years, and I don't know anyone who approaches Italian cooking with the same wonderful blend of tradition and innovation.


Sara Moulton, Executive Chef, Gourmet
Jack Bishop has given us a celebration of vegetables, cooked simply the Italian way. The recipes are enticing, yet totally approachable and generally low in fat. Bishop even manages to demystify risotto and polenta. This book will enable the home cook to get delicious vegetarian dinners on the table every night of the week.


Charles Kimball, Publisher and Editor, Cook's Illustrated
The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook represents a quantum leap forward in vegetarian cooking by marrying the strong, earthy flavors of Italian cooking with short ingredient lists and simplicity of taste. I am happy to say goodbye to the vegetarian's love affair with meat substitutes and culinary complexity when the bright, fresh flavors of Italian cooking fit the bill handsomely. Why didn't someone write this book ten years ago?


Book Description
This uniquely accessible collection draws together the best vegetarian recipes of Italy-350 in all. 'Pasta and pizza may be Italy's most eye-catching exports, but it is the country's varied and sensible use of vegetables that provides the best inspiration for American cooks,' writes Jack Bishop. 'Asparagus spears coated with a little olive oil and roasted to intensify their flavor; thick slices of country bread grilled over an open fire and topped with diced tomatoes and shredded basil from the garden; or a fragrant stew with fennel and peas-Italians enjoy these dishes because of what they do contain, not what they don't.' Many of the recipes were gathered by Bishop during extensive travels throughout Italy. Some are family favorites, adapted from those of his Italian grandmother. All deliver perfect results with a minimum of effort. Serving suggestions for each recipe make planning vegetarian meals easy.


From the Inside Flap
This uniquely accessible collection draws together the best vegetarian recipes of Italy-350 in all. 'Pasta and pizza may be Italy's most eye-catching exports, but it is the country's varied and sensible use of vegetables that provides the best inspiration for American cooks,' writes Jack Bishop. 'Asparagus spears coated with a little olive oil and roasted to intensify their flavor; thick slices of country bread grilled over an open fire and topped with diced tomatoes and shredded basil from the garden; or a fragrant stew with fennel and peas-Italians enjoy these dishes because of what they do contain, not what they don't.' Many of the recipes were gathered by Bishop during extensive travels throughout Italy. Some are family favorites, adapted from those of his Italian grandmother. All deliver perfect results with a minimum of effort. Serving suggestions for each recipe make planning vegetarian meals easy. You'll find simple pairings like: Penne with Portobello Mushroom Rag, Red Leaf Lettuce, Arugula and Fennel Salad, Potato-Spinach Gnocchi with Pesto and Marinated Tomato and Red Onion Salad. The 16 chapters include: Antipasto, Soups, Pasta, Rice, Polenta, Gnocchi, Eggs, Legumes, Side Dishes, Panini and Bruschetta, Salads, Pizza, Calzone and Focaccia, Tarts and Tortas and Desserts.


About the Author
Known for his ability to find the easiest and most effective food-preparation methods, Jack Bishop is senior writer for Cook's Illustrated and food editor of Natural Health. His cookbooks include Pasta e Verdura and Lasagna. He lives in Sag Harbor, New York.


Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan and SageServes 61 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)2 tablespoons unsalted butter1 medium onion, chopped2 1/2 cups homemade vegetable stock or water1 teaspoon saltFreshly ground white pepper1/2-3/4 cup whole milk12 whole sage leaves6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese1. Halve the squash and scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy pulp. Use a large knife to cut away and discard the tough skin. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch chunks. There should be about 6 cups. Set aside.2. Heat the butter in a medium pot or soup kettle. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the squash and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes more.3. Add the stock or water, salt and white pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.4. Transfer the squash mixture to a blender. Add 1/2 cup milk and puree, working in batches. Add more milk if necessary to thin the soup. Adjust the seasonings. (The soup can be refrigerated for 3 days and reheated just before serving.) If necessary, transfer the soup to the pot and reheat.5. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and garnish each bowl with 2 whole sage leaves. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of cheese over each bowl and serve immediately.Excerpted from The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook : 350 Essential Recipes for Inspired Everyday Eating by Jack Bishop and photographed by Anne Stratton. Copyright © 1997. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

This uniquely accessible collection draws together the best vegetarian recipes of Italy -- 350 in all.

"Pasta and pizz may be Italy's mot eye-catching exports, but it is the country's varied and sensible use of vegetables that provides the best inspiration for American cooks," writes Jack Bishop. "Asparagus spears coated with a little olive oil and roasted to intensify their flavor; thick slices of country bread grilled over an open fire and topped with diced tomatoes adn shredded basil from the garden; or a fragrant stew with fennel and peas -- Italians enjoy these dishes because of what they do contain, not what they don't."

Many of the recipes were gathered by Bishop during extensive travels throughout Italy. Some are family favorites, adapted from those of his Italian grandmother. All deliver perfect results with a minimum of effort.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

Bishop, senior editor of Cook's Illustrated, is also the author of Pasta e Verdura (LJ 3/15/96), a nice collection of vegetarian sauces for pasta. Here are more vegetarian recipes for all courses of a meal, from cold and hot antipasti to dessert. The recipes are fine but nothing special, and some of them seem more like variations on a theme rather than separate entities (e.g., Focaccia with Rosemary, Focaccia with Sage, Parmesan Focaccia). For larger collections and others where vegetarian titles are particularly popular.

Chris Kimball - Cook's Illustrated

The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook represents a quantum leap forward in vegetarian cooking by marrying the strong, earthy flavors of Italian cooking with short ingrediet lists and simplicity of taste. I am happy to say goodbye to the vegetarian's love affair with meat substitutes and culinary complexity when the bright, fresh flavors of Italian cooking fit the bill handsomely. Why didn't some write this book 10 years ago?

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Sara Moulton, Executive Chef, Gourmet

Jack Bishop has given us a celebration of vegetables, cooked simply the Italian way. The recipes are enticing, yet totally approachable and generally low in fat. Bishop even manages to demystify risotto and polenta. This book will enable the home cook to get delicious vegetarian dinners on the table every night of the week. — Sara Moulton

Mark Bittman

I've been eating Jack Bishop's food for 10 years, and I dont' know anyone who appraoches Italian cooking with the same wonderful blend of tradition and innovation. — Mark Bittman