Leith's Vegetarian Bible [Hardcover]

Vegetarians, or just lovers of vegetables, will find Leith's Vegetarian Bible an indispensable addition to their cookbook collection. This tome of vegetarianism is packed with 1000 recipes ranging from starters to desserts and accompaniments, as well as handy information on nutrition and managing a non-meat diet.

The book is arranged by vegetable type, so it's easy to look up recipes that use what you've got in the pantry. Information such as the peak season for each vegetable and the vitamins found in each is also included. Polly Tyrer and the other four contributing authors offer a wide range of recipes from all over the world. Mediterranean dishes such as fresh spinach cannelloni appear alongside Asian-inspired recipes like noodles with peanut sauce and raw vegetables as well as Middle-Eastern and South American flavours. In fact, there is such a plethora of choice that it's hard to decide which recipe (or which continent) to start with.

You don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy using this cookbook. Most of the dishes (for example, the Thai red pumpkin and coconut curry) are so hearty that you won't miss the meat at all. Alternatively, you could use many of them (such as asparagus with lemon and caper sauce) as accompaniments to a carnivorous meal. On the downside, only 16 of the 1000 recipes are accompanied by a photograph. This may cause less-confident cooks to shy away from the more complex recipes, but most of the dishes are simple enough and the steps are well explained. The Vegetarian Bible is useful for both everyday cooking and impressing friends at dinner parties. --Amelia Crook

"It is global, up-to-date and hugely informative. ... The book's expensive, but you get your money's worth"

Increasingly, people are choosing to become vegetarians or to maintain a primarily vegetarian diet. "The Leith's Vegetarian Bible" is the only cookbook you will need for both everyday cooking and entertaining providing almost 1000 delicious recipes inspired by dishes from all over the world. They range from the classic to the innovative, from the simple to the sophisticated. You will find such dishes as Avocado and Rocket Gazpacho, Beetroot and Horseradish Mousse, Aubergine Steaks with Ginger and Chilli Crust, Three Squash Lasagne, Peanut Dhal, Celery and Celeriac Nut Crumble, Jamaican Black Bean Pot, Citrus Cous Cous with Yellow Pepper and Fennel, Swiss Chard Quiche, Potato and Cabbage Gratin, Fig Crumble Cake, Rich Chocolate Peachcake, Strawberry Tequila Sorbet and Steamed Maple and Pecan Sponge. Presented with the clarity, information and authority that have made the "Leith's" series such a success, the "Leith's Vegetarian Bible" is an indispensable book for any cook.

Polly Tyrer gained experience as a cook in Spain and California before joining LEITH'S SCHOOL OF FOOD AND WINE as Vice Principal when it opened in 1975. She later became Managing Director of Prue Leith's catering company LEITH'S GOOD FOOD and went on to develop a freelance career. Polly Tyrer is the author of four books including LEITH'S COOKING FOR ONE AND TWO.