Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges Vongerichten

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Who wrote Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges (Broadway Books 2007) by Jean-Georges Vongerichten? That's like asking: who is doing the cooking at one of his restaurants? If it were Jean-Georges at the stove, then he couldn't be sitting next to you, working the crowd, or cooking at his other umpteen restaurants – let alone writing another cookbook. Authorship of a celebrity chef cookbook is probably much like being an executive chef – the chefs provide the tools, the medium, the direction, but doesn't actually cook everything - not the actual words and phrases. What is this latest book by J-G about? Jean-Georges reminds us in the introduction that he went to Bangkok when he was 23 and that his whole career has been about fusing French technique with Asian ingredients and sensibilities. Vong, the Spice Market and 66 are all about exploring various parts of Asian cuisine with his chefs. The recipes in Asian Flavors are highlights of those restaurants. Most recipes are fairly complex, with a separate sauce and plenty of Asian ingredients. There is plenty of heat, too, as almost every recipe contains Thai chili or chili oil or both. Asian Flavors is a stunning book, with photos that capture stacks of bamboo steamers filled with delectable dumplings in Shanghai – that photo faces a recipe for Black Pepper Crab Dumplings: This is unlike any dumpling you've had before. While the rich béchamel folded into the crab makes the filling incredibly luscious, the black pepper oil cuts through the butter nicely. (p. 34) The photo is by Daniel Del Vecchio, Jean-Georges' chef and right-hand man. There are also food photographs in the studio by Sang An such as a plate of Ribbons of Tuna with Ginger Marinade (p. 50) The tuna strands looks glistening atop slices of avocado and radish. The author writes, "Did you ever think you'd see the day when tuna imitated pasta?" (p. 51) Are we that surprised? No. But is it a well executed dish full of contrasting flavors? Yes. Salad recipes stand out for their vibrant spice combinations. Mixed Lettuces with Coconut-Anise Vinaigrette (pp. 86-87) is served in coconut tuiles and dressed, not only with coconut and anise, but also sesame seeds and hot chilis. Jean-Georges helpfully supplies the brand name of his favorite coconut juice (Bangkok Market Brand -- not to be confused with the viral video). Crunchy Fried Squid Salad, has a recipe for Spicy Sour Dressing made of plenty of chili, lime and garlic. The fried baby squid is piled up on frisee and mangos in a crunch mound. Towards the end of the book is an interesting photograph (p. 247) by Daniel of Jean-Georges holding up a weird pineapple that looks like a balled-up armadillo with spikes. It is hard not to wonder what he made with it that night at his hotel. It's used to illustrate Coconut Panna Cotta with Exotic Fruit Salad (p. 246), which does indeed contain pineapple, along with mango, strawberries and passion fruit. But would the dessert taste better with this other kind of pineapple? Despite the locavore movement encouraging us to eat what we grow, it is hard not to wish for that bizarre pineapple to find its way to New York and the Spice Market kitchen. No matter how wonderful Jean-Georges' recipes may be, and they are, Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges beckons us to follow him more literally into Asia. Pack your bags. (Please note the last line of the Acknowledgments: "To Mark Bittman for being a part of making this book happen.") Previous articles: Pichet Ong's Sweet Spot Jean-Georges Vongerichten: Miss Universe 2005 Tsunami Update 10: Jean-Georges Vongerichten Vongerichten's Gift for Trump's Third Wedding jean-Georges Vongerichten in Minneapolis [Cookbook Reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef