Books for cooks

BARBARA BURKE

"Sara Moulton Cooks at Home," By Sara Moulton (Broadway Books, 2002, $29.95, hardcover) 1/2

Chef Sara Moulton’s
sunny style makes it
into cookbook

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Although Sara Moulton has been cooking professionally for 25 years, she's probably best known for her more recent role as host of "Cooking Live!" and "Sara's Secrets" on the Food Network. The cozy style, sunny personality and adept teaching skills that attract legions of dedicated television viewers are also found in her first cookbook, "Sara Moulton Cooks at Home."

More than 200 recipes are accompanied by stories about Sara's life, family and friends who inspired the recipes, and timesaving tips and techniques for the home cook. It is a compilation of recipes you would not only love to eat, but dishes that are actually doable in a home kitchen and can be prepared by people with busy schedules.

Baby Egg Rolls with Soy Sesame Dipping Sauce, Japanese Beef Fondue, Roasted Salmon with Warm Lentil Salad, Slow Roasted Spiced Baby Back Ribs and Fresh Ginger Gingerbread are examples of the recipes, which span appetizers to desserts.

Being the mother of two children, Sara offers many child-friendly recipes, such as her daughter Ruthie's Chocolate French Toast with Raspberry Sauce and son Sam's Chocolate Chip Pizza.

For elegant entertaining, she offers more sophisticated dishes, including Rosemary-Scallion-Crusted Rack of Lamb and Endive Roquefort Spirals with Creamy Walnut Vinaigrette. Vegetarian main courses, light lunches and a chapter on pairing food and wine from Michael Green of Gourmet magazine help round out the cookbook.

The following recipe for roasted chicken boasts incredibly crispy skin and moist meat. But don't hurry dinner. Unless the bird rests 15 minutes before carving, it will lose its juices, and you'll end up with dry meat.

Blasted Chicken

One 3 1/2-pound chicken, trimmed of excess fat Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken all over with salt and pepper, brush with oil and place breast side up in a heavy roasting pan.

Roast, uncovered, until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced, about 45 minutes (a meat thermometer inserted in the leg-thigh joint should register 165 to 170 degrees).

Transfer chicken to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let stand 15 minutes before carving. Serves 4 to 6.

Nutrition information will vary according to portion size and chicken part consumed.

Roasted Lemon Potatoes

2 pounds white boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes, or small red potatoes halved or quartered
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a large pot. Pour in enough salted cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with lemon juice and let sit 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add oregano, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper to potatoes, and toss. Transfer to a shallow baking sheet, and roast, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 35 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information per serving: 300 calories, 14 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 4 g protein, 42 g carbohydrate (sodium will vary, as recipe is salted to taste).

Rating Scale: Best in its class / Highly recommended / Recommended / Not recommended

Barbara Burke is a Hawaii-Pacific University instructor who teaches and writes about food and nutrition. Contact her at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or e-mail her at: features@starbulletin.com