According to Clee, most people make fewer than three recipes from each cookbook they buy, and this is because the recipes are intimidating to the amateur chef. In Don’t Sweat the Aubergine: What works in the kitchen and why, he sets out to demystify these inexplicable requirements.
Like most cookbooks, which is what this basically is, DStA is divided into sections on ingredients, equipment etc, then into courses. The recipes are annotated where an explanation is given, but the notes are annoyingly at the end of each recipe, including variations, rather than at the foot of each page, meaning frequent flipping over several pages to find out why mushrooms need to be rinsed, or why you should use drumsticks when making chicken stew.
The title comes from the particular issues that surround cooking aubergines/eggplants, including whether or not to salt the cut surfaces. In this, as in all areas where there is chefish conflict, Clee discusses why salting is justified, what it does and does not do, who he referred to when deciding what to do, and then how to cook aubergine/eggplant in a variety of ways.
The emphasis is on traditional British fare, heavy on the meat, though there is a small section on stir frying and the like. His tone is light and confident, and clearly aimed at the very inexperienced cook, though much of his explanation was helpful for the more experienced but inquisitive cook. If you’ve ever wondered if heating the stock really makes a difference when making soup, when to add garlic when making sausage sauce, or why discarding vegetables from a stew isn’t really wasteful, this is the book for you. - Alex
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