The Cafe Paradiso Cookbook
Tomorrow I plan to cook risotto for vegetarian friends. I ate a memorable vegetarian risotto two years ago at the Café Paradiso in Cork, in the south of Ireland. It was cooked exactly the right amount, with a proper bite. The rice concealed small, crisp, asparagus heads and sugar snap peas, and had a full rounded flavor that I had thought impossible without chicken stock. As I left I bought The Café Paradiso Cookbook by Denis Cotter, the founder and chef, which sets out his and his partner Bridget’s ideas about risotto. He discusses in depth the recommended broth, the exact cooking speed and stirring technique, and the desired final consistency. His recipe calls for olive oil and butter in addition to the parmesan cheese at the end, and he garnishes the risotto with basil oil before serving. The recipe isn’t difficult but, like the others in the book, it demands attention to detail. The photography in the book is compelling and attractive, and has some arresting tinted black-and-white restaurant-action shots, as well as high-quality food photographs. Cotter doesn't preach about vegetarianism and he sets out to attract the general, mostly omnivorous, population. His is quite serious cuisine and some of the recipes in the book are involved and time-consuming.
The Café Paradiso has a casual atmosphere but it is has been described as “the best vegetarian restaurant in Europe”. This book shows why.
Denis Cotter has written three more books – all available in the US at Amazon, but you seem to have to go to the Amazon UK site for his original Paradiso Cookbook.
The Café Paradiso has a casual atmosphere but it is has been described as “the best vegetarian restaurant in Europe”. This book shows why.
Denis Cotter has written three more books – all available in the US at Amazon, but you seem to have to go to the Amazon UK site for his original Paradiso Cookbook.
posted by William @ 4:20 PM
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