The Olives Table: Over 160 Recipes from the Critically Acclaimed Restaurant and Home Kitchen of Todd English

by Todd English, Sally Sampson, Carl Tremblay (Photographer)

In The Olives Table, the artistry of one of America's top chefs is on display, with more than 160 dazzling recipes from Olives and from Todd's home kitchen, illustrated with beautiful photographs by Carl Tremblay.

In 1989, Todd English and his wife Olivia opened the original Olives; since then the restaurant has moved to larger quarters, and Todd and his bold, inventive Mediterranean-inspired cooking have earned an international reputation. Voted one of the Top Ten Restaurants by Esquire magazine and the Best New Restaurant by Boston magazine, it has also been voted Favorite Restaurant in the Zagat Guide to Boston and Vicinity.

Todd's robust, intensely flavored food begs to be savored and shared with others. And since the complexity of English's cooking comes from the layering of tastes and textures—not exotic equipment or techniques—by following the careful, step-by-step instructions, even the timid cook can recreate the dishes that the patrons of English's hugely popular Boston restaurant enjoy at the Olives table.

Pull out the stops and begin a meal with Todd's signature Olives Tart, baked in a crisp crust and rich with olives and creamy goat cheese, pair Gingered Slow-Braised Lamb Shanks with Apple-Fennel Mashed Potatoes for your main course, and finish with Falling Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce. Or for a lighter repast, try Pan-Fried Cornmeal-and-Cumin-Rubbed Cornish Game Hens served with Arugula Salad with Tomato and Cucumber Juice; finish with Mango-Raspberry Granita. Plan a simple but deeply satisfying supper of Roasted Clams with Chicken, Tomatoes, Artichokes, and Bacon served with roasted new potatoes and end with Gingersnap Risotto Pudding. Whatever meal you decide to create from these recipes, you won't be disappointed.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food

368 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 1997

Reviews

[Joelen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todd English has a great collection of recipes here - sophisticated Mediterranean dishes that takes home cooking to a higher level with refined ingredients. It's a book I treasure as it's personally addressed to me and signed by the Chef himself when I met him!

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not for vegetarians or people monitoring their cholesterol. It can also be expensive to make. However, for a special meal may I suggest Pan-Roasted Rib Eye with Gorgonzola Vidalia Onions. Oh so worth the effort!

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The restaurant is really nice and innovative, and if you want to recapture some of that food, this is a good cookbook but I have found it to be too ecclectic and therefore not the first thin Ireach for when I want to cook something new that I haven't tried before

[Jennifer Chin · Rating 5 out of 5]

These recipes are a little bit complicated and time consuming, but they're not actually that difficult. And the results are Sooooo tasty. My favorite section is the risotto dishes.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mediterranean/American inspired cooking.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Boston Chef

[Cynthia caprise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took this book out of the library, read it and immediately ordered it from Half.com for my bookshelf. Chef English has some VERY amazing recipes to share.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting combinations. Mostly food I might try in this restaurant but not make at home.