A First Look at Mark Bittman's New Cookbook, Kitchen Express

Of course, I didn't need a new cookbook, but when I saw Mark Bittman's latest book, Kitchen Express: 404 Inspired Seasonal Dishes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less, I just had to have it.  Bittman writes "The Minimalist" column for The New York Times and is  the author of numerous other books including the best selling, How to Cook Everything.

Kitchen Express is hot off the press. Published by Simon & Schuster and small in size, the book features 404 recipes, 101 for each season of the year. When I first opened the book I was shocked at the recipe format--no ingredient lists, no yields, no cooking times, and no instructions for preheating the oven or the grill. Each recipe has a numbered title. The instructions are written in paragraph form.  Surprisingly, there isn't a single food photo in the whole book.

Clearly, I thought,  Bittman is breaking from tradition with this one. I flipped to the book's introduction where Bittman explains his agenda. What is his agenda? Like the book, it's a simple one--to help cooks create delicious seasonal dishes in a speedy, flexible, and relaxed fashion.   This is my type of cooking, so that sealed the deal for me.

Admittedly, this shouldn't be a first choice for a novice cook or anyone who needs line by line guidance in the kitchen.  Bittman states this right off the bat and explains that the book is intended for experienced home cooks, or  "anyone who's done some cooking."

The colloquial recipes are succinct and loose.  There are no exact measurements, and Bittman repeatedly calls for "a few of this" or a "little of that."  The recipes rank high in the seasonal flavor factor and inspiration.  According to Bittman, with a carefree approach and a well stocked international pantry, the dishes can be pulled off in less than 20 minutes if the cook is organized and able to multitask.

I tried Summer Recipe #14--Goat Cheese Salad, which basically calls for mixing goat cheese, garlic, mint, onion, ripe tomato and olive oil.   I used homegrown basil  instead of the mint and served the "salad" with some rosemary croccantini from the  acclaimed La Panzanella bakery.  I had all of the ingredients in the house, so within five minutes  I also had a gorgeous nibble in hand. I wouldn't  call my version  a salad, however.   I'd call it an impressive hors d'oeuvre to serve with a glass of wine.

Bittman's relaxed approach makes the book usable and approachable.  There's no pressure for perfection. So, if you are going on vacation, bring it along, read it through, and cook from it. The carefree recipes are so simple and seasonal that you can pull them off whether you are in a cabin in the Cascade Mountains or a beach house in the Hamptons. 

--Melissa A. Trainer