Ever since I acquired Molly Stevens' All About Braising in '04 my copy has become progressively more stained, tattered and torn. In fact, some of the pages are actually falling out. That's how good a cookbook it is. Now the long wait is over. Five years in the making, All About Roasting is out at last— and just in time for Thanksgiving. My Food for Thought pard, Seattle Times food writer Nancy Leson is every bit as excited about the new release as I am. Though I haven't made any of Molly's new recipes yet, Nancy has whomped up two of them — one for Roasted Brussels Sprouts and another for Herb-Roasted Shrimp with Pancetta. Click above to see the pictures.
Stevens is both massively knowledgeable and down-to-earth. She makes even the more complicated of her recipes easy to understand and follow. Her preface ( something I would automatically skip in any other author's book) including the history, science and various roasting methods is fascinating. Low heat, high heat, low-high, high-low, grill-roasting, spit-roasting, wet roasting, pan-roasting.
She has convinced me that rinsing chicken is a waste of time and that it's a good idea to remove the wishbone before roasting the turkey. I can't wait to try her Quick-Roasted Scallops with Sriracha and Lime. Unless I try her Pork Tenderloin Roulade with Herbed Spinach first.
Molly Stevens is my celebrity roaster.
"...I merely say that one may become a good roaster with application, observation, care and a little aptitude."
— Auguste Escoffier