Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Perfect if you're a gardener and have gluts every now and then - look up the veg in question and there you have 10-20 recipes on average. She also gives basic info on choosing, including varieties in some cases, and basic recipes too. Her Fruit book is equally excellent.

Jane Grigson was one of the leading cookery writers of her generation with some similarity to the writing talents of the great Elizabeth David, in that her books combine superb writing with impeccable research.

The hardback edition/1991 of Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book is a 618 page alphabetical guide to selecting and cooking vegetables, with everything from artichokes to yams.
Tempting recipes from all over the world bring out the flavour and texture of each vegetable and turn the most modest ingredients into delightful dishes.

This invaluable reference includes an introduction, and appendices, entitled:

* Cutting Up Vegetables
* Steaming and Blanching Vegetables
* Stocks
* Savoury Butters
* Sauces
* Stuffings
* Batters

and finishes with a concise index, an Introduction to the American edition, a glossary and a table of equivalent weights and measures. In between are all the vegetables you can think of, and on pages 322/323 is a copy of 'John Evelyn's Salad Calendar'.

Bearing in mind that this is a book from the early 90s, glossy colour reproduction was not yet the 'in-thing' in cookery writing. Strangely, however, the subtle black and white illustrations, by Yvonne Skargon, at the top of each vegetable section are all that is required in this, a timeless kitchen bookshelf classic.

As 'The Scotsman' declares on the rear cover:

'The best cookbooks stimulate your imagination so that the freshest flavours come across as tempting as if they were on a plate in front of you. This is that kind of book.'

From the vegetable gardener's point of view, this book is an invaluable reference for those days when you just have one or two too many pounds (can you say that these days?!) of eg home-grown tomatoes and the novelty factor has worn off a month ago!
Just refer to the vegetable and find a variety of recipes to inspire a new way of presenting the superfluous veg, e.g. 'Tomato and Mussel Soup', 'Tomato Tart (1) or (2)', 'Tomato Mousse', 'Game with Tomato and Chocolate Sauce' , 'Shaker Tomato Custard' or 'Robin McDouall`s Tomato Ice Cream`!
How about 'Lettuce Soup', 'a good recipe for outside lettuce leaves' or 'Braised Lettuce' if you have 'a glut of firm, well-flavoured cabbage or cos lettuces'?
In addition, check out the pumpkin recipes for what to do with the leftovers at Hallowe'en!

A 'potato' is not just a 'potato'!
In the 24 page chapter entitled 'Potatoes', is a section on 'Potato Varieties and Their Uses', splitting them into Main-Crop All-Rounders, Floury, Mashed, Potato Cakes etc, Baked, Boiled, Irish Stew, Salad and Frying.
There at the top is 'Golden Wonder' - and, I do wonder what did happen to the crisp of the same name?

Really, you can't call this a cookbook. It's a reference book, a work of scholarship that also contains a collection of wonderful recipes.

Jane Grigson was one of the great foodie writers, up there in the pantheon with Elizabeth David and M. F. K. Fisher. Her books combine superb writing with impeccably researched information. If you just want to know the history of the cabbage, she'll tell you. On the other hand, if somebody has just presented you with a couple of kilos of chokos, she'll bale you out.

And I am pleased to report that Jane Grigson hated swedes, so there can be no questioning her culinary judgment...