How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking

New Greek Classic Cooking

This is a beautifully done hardcover cookbook with a dust jacket. The cookbook has 288 pages and eleven chapters. The author prefaces each chapter with stories and photographs from his childhood that tie into the theme of each chapter and explain his love for cooking.

There are a total of one hundred and fifty recipes and many black and white and color photographs throughout the book. Many of the recipes feature meats some of us might not be familiar cooking with including pheasant, rabbit, venison, lamb and goat. Being a Greek cookbook, there are many seafood recipes as well. You will also find chicken and beef recipes and several vegetarian recipes. I was a bit disappointed that there were not more pastry and dessert recipes since I have a huge sweet tooth.

Each recipe lists the recipe title in Greek and English, a short paragraph with a bit of information about the recipe, a full ingredient list and of course directions. The directions are well written and very easy to follow for the novice or more experienced cook.

For those not familiar with Greek cooking, the author includes information about the ingredients. For example, he explains the various cheeses, oils and olives he uses in the recipes. He also offers suggestions for substitutions if you can't find some of the Greek foods at your supermarket.

This is a great cookbook for anyone interested in Greek cooking and it would be the perfect gift for those that enjoy reading their cookbooks cover to cover. I'm looking forward to trying the Beef Stew with Leeks and the Stewed English Peas and Mushrooms

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Psilakis has made modern Greek cuisine easy

There are many, many Greek and Mediterranean cookbooks on the market, many of which are more comprehensive than this. However, few have the heart that Psilakis displays in "How to Roast a Lamb." Aside from the title recipe actually appearing in the book (why yes, you can cook a whole lamb on a spit, and frankly I'd love to give it a whirl), Psilakis speaks heavily of his childhood and growing up as part of a Greek family. He spends quite a bit of time describing his father's garden, traditional Greek celebrations, and how his love for (and career of) cooking came to be. These short introductions and connective anecdotes provide a tremendous human side to the cooking, and are almost as great to read as the recipes. Almost.

There are some very complex dishes in this book, many of which call for rarer ingredients (almost all of which Psilakis wisely suggests economic and simple substitutions for). Just the same, the vast majority of these recipes can be made by a cook with very basic skills. I look forward to some of the more complex dishes (again, that whole lamb...) as well as some of the simpler ones which I suspect will become old favorites for me rather quickly; read up on page 214/215 about making the spinach/cheese mix for spanikopita, but instead using simple elbow macaroni instead of phyllo for what is effectively an absolutely fantastic and amazing Greek macaroni and cheese.

I think one of the most endearing parts of this cookbook are the photos, both of the food (beautifully prepared - you can almost smell the citrus, the olive oil, and the garlic by looking at them) and of Psilakis' childhood. These provide an excellent addition to his biographical stories and really make the reader smile - these were a very unexpected treat, because they help paint the picture that this book contains the very essence of Psilakis' being.

You should always enjoy a cookbook in its entirety. You should not just buy a book and have six favorites and a sauce or two from it and let it languish on a shelf beyond those efforts. I should certainly hope that there will be more cookbooks like this (and hopefully from Psilakis, because, succinctly, this stuff is just delicious). The biographical elements add a richness to the food that is scarcely found so unimposingly in other cookbooks. So often do we see pretentious stories of "well when I was at such and such a place I created a simple omellete for the king of someplace because I'm superman," and stories in that vein. That's fine, but that's not really reality for most people. Growing up with strong ethnic roots is something many of us can relate to, and it made me smile. I look forward to cooking from this book and sharing its bounty with friends for decades to come.

Review by www.beachbrights.blogspot.com

I have never owned a greek cookbook and other than making my own chickpea hummus, I have never cooked Greek food. I did not grow up with Greek food. I have never been to a Greek restaurant. I believe this cookbook could change my cooking habits. I believe the recipes from this cookbook could find their way onto my table.

This book should be viewed as a resource for Greek food and recipes. Every cook should have this book included in their arsenal. This is an excellent reference for original Greek recipes with a modern twist.

I have to admit, I was intimidated by this book at first glance. It is a large book with overwhelming ingredient lists and hard to find items. Would a working mother really have time to shop and cook these recipes for her family? I will tell you honestly that some of these recipes are far too advanced for my family. The Poached Halibut with Cypriot Shellfish Salad, Cucumber-Yogurt Broth & Caviar has 49 ingredients including sheep's milk yogurt, live razor clams and sturgeon caviar. I don't think my local Kroger will be able to accommodate. I bring this up not in a negative way but to keep your expectations in check. This is not your casual Food Network recipe book. This book is about so much more than Greek food. It is about culture, family, traditions and the spirit of Greece.

What I am planning for my table: Spanakopita, Dried Fruit Salad with Thyme-Honey Vinaigrette and Grilled Watermelon & Grilled Manouri.

Great for Greek Foodies of All Levels!

How to Roast a Lamb by Michael Psilakis is an oversize and gorgeous Greek cookbook. It is also, in part, a memoir of Psilakis's early years.

How to Roast a Lamb would be ideal for a Greek cuisine foodie or other proficient cook. For instance, foodies will likely enjoy the following recipes: Ouzo & Orange-Braised Snails; Roasted Skate with Walnut Baklava Yogurt & Candied Quince; and Octopus, Salami & Apples with Anchovy Vinaigrette and many more. The novice cook, however, may find these recipes challenging and/or aspirational. Still even the novice cook will find numerous delicious and accessible recipes, such as: Shrimp with Orzo & Tomato; Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon Potatoes; Spinach Rice; and Beef & Rice Meatballs in Egg-Lemon Soup. In addition, the memoir passages provide an interesting backstory to the recipes.

How to Roast a Lamb would be a great gift for Greek Foodies of all levels!



Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, Hachette Book Group, (Oct. 28, 2009), 304 pages
Advance Review Copy Provided Courtesy of the Publisher.

Bridget's Review

I love food but I hate cooking. Luckily, the love of my life also loves to cook. He's the king of spices and can cook pure perfection. He likes to take his time and make sure that the meal is as tasty as possible. There are tons of yummy recipes in this book that I am dying to try.

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