Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This cookbook has absolutely blown me away. The photos are spectacular and the layout is thoughtful; almost all recipes occupy one page while the facing page is the corresponding photo, making the recipes simple to follow while cooking. The writing is concise and interesting, the recipes are explicitly written, there's a substantial range of flavors and dishes covered, and most importantly - the end results are amazing. [I've posted a list of the recipes at the end of my review.] I have never been to Gjelina, nor had I even heard of it when I ordered the cookbook, but it seemed like the sort of food that I would enjoy - homemade pizza, pasta, roasted vegetables, delicious but not complicated desserts. I wasn't sure where to start, so this cookbook lay around my house for a while, but once I tried the chickpea kale stew, I was completely hooked. I cannot stop cooking dishes from this cookbook. So far, I've made the chickpea stew (it works almost as nicely with canned chickpeas if you are feeling lazy), roasted cauliflower, charred Brussels sprouts with bacon, kale-fennel salad, pomodoro sauce, pizza pomodoro, roasted chicken with braised kale, kabocha squash olive oil cake, and the show-stopping chocolate tart. Every recipe I have tried has been pure gold. Not fussy, not overly complicated, easy to source ingredients for, and incredibly enjoyable to eat. Contents------ Condiments: California Za'atar Soffrito Carrot top pistou Mint-pomegranate pesto Mint-pistachio pesto Jalapeno-ginger-mint pesto Broccoli rabe pesto Charmoula Horseradish gremolata Parsley salsa verde Chimichurri Harissa Green harissa Bagna Cauda Mojo de Ajo Spiced yogurt Buttermilk Creme Fraiche Aioli (basic, black olive & anchovy, pimenton, smoked almond) Romesco Pomodoro Sauce Smoky tomato butter Tomato confit Cherry tomato confit Shallot confit Garlic confit Garlic chips & garlic oil Crispy shallots & shallot oil Roasted apple, rosemary, & black pepper mostarda Pickled Fresno chilies Pickled red onions Pickled eggplant with anchovies and Fresno chile Pickled turnips with Meyer lemon Spicy sweet cucumbers Preserved lemons Fermented leeks Giardiniera Kimchee with Guajillo chile paste Roasted or grilled red peppers Grilled or toasted bread Salads: Mixed lettuce with yogurt dressing & warm croutons Tuscan kale salad with fennel, radish & ricotta salata Bloomsdale spinach salad with honey-garlic dressing, feta & pine nuts Escarole & sunchoke salad with smoked almonds & preserved lemon Arugula & radicchio salad with crispy shallots & shallot oi-sherry vinaigrette Spicy herb salad with ginger-lime dressing Smoked trout salad with grapefruit & avocado Gems with Fuyu persimmon, pomegranate, crisp garlic & blue cheese dressing Dandelion greens with lemon-anchovy dressing Grilled kale with shallot-yogurt dressing & toasted hazelnuts Grilled chicories with crispy fried eggs & bacon vinaigrette Grilled escarole wedges with lemon-anchovy dressing & roasted peppers Grilled red romaine with bagna cauda Pizzas & Toasts: Gjelina pizza dough (note: one of the few recipes that requires planning ahead at least 1 day) Pizza pomodoro Pizza pomodoro crudo Pizza with spinach, feta & garlic confit Pizza with nettles, raclette & Fresno chile Pizza with mushrooms & truffle-studded goat cheese Pizza with asparagus, sottocenere & sunny egg Pizza with anchovies & roasted pepper Pizza with guanciale, castelvetrano olives & Fresno chile Pizza with bacon & radicchio Pizza with lamb sausage & broccoli rabe Eggplant caponata & burrata on toasted baguette Mushroom toast Smoked ocean trout rillettes & fermented leeks on rye toast Chicken & duck liver pate with pickled beets & mustard greens on brioche toasts Seared morcilla with roasted apple, rosemary & black pepper mostarda & chimichurri on toasted baguette Vegetables: Baby radishes with black olive & anchovy aioli Sauteed green beans, smoked almonds, shallot confit & preserved lemon Snap peas & tendrils with prosciutto, soffrito & mint Pan-roasted romanesco with golden raisins, tahini & sumac Seared okra, black olives, tomato confit, pine nuts & chile Braised sweet corn, chile, cilantro, feta & lime Braised spiced romano beans with yogurt & mint Braised fava beans, lemon, black pepper, pecorino Braised green chickpeas with pomegranate & feta Roasted artichokes with Calabrian chile, anchovy & crispy shallots Roasted fennel with orange & crushed red pepper flakes Roasted cauliflower with garlic, parsley & vinegar Roasted acorn squash with hazelnuts, brown butter & rosemary Roasted beets with tops, herbed yogurt & horseradish Roasted beets with avocado, orange, toasted hazelnuts & sherry vinegar Roasted sunchokes with parsley salsa verse Roasted purple potatoes with ailoli, horseradish, pickled red onion & dill Roasted yams with honey, espelette & lime yogurt Oven-roasted parsnips with hazelnut picada Pan-roasted baby carrots, orange, cilantro, sesame & spiced yogurt Pan-roasted baby turnips with their greens & chimichurri Grilled jumbo asparagus with Gribiche & bottarga Grilled eggplant, Mojo de Ajo & basil salsa verde Grilled summer squash, Za'atar & cherry tomato confit Grilled kabocha squash with mint-pomegranate peso Grilled king Oyster mushrooms with tarragon butter Grilled broccolini with garlic, crushed red pepper flakes & red wine vinegar Potato, leek & chard gratin with taleggio Charred Brussels sprouts with bacon & dates Sweet potato hash Pasta: Spaghetti pomodoro Spaghetti with anchovies, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic & oregano Orecchiette with chicken hearts, turnip greens, pecorino & black pepper Ricotta gnocchi with cherry tomato pomodoro Squid ink chitarra with anchovies Rye rages with sausage, mushrooms & fennel Tuna & buckwheat-pasta gratin Kabocha squash & goat cheese agnolotti with brown butter & walnut picada Soups, stews & grains: Vegetable stock Fish stock Chicken stock Beef stock Beef bone broth with greens & poached egg Chicken & escarole soup with charmoula & lemon Tomato, beet & carrot soup Heirloom bean stew with barley & green harissa Chickpea stew with tomato, tumeric, yogurt & harissa Wild rice with chorizo, walnuts & pomegranate Wheat berries with fennel broth Farro with beet & mint yogurt Farro piccolo cooked in pomodoro Rustic corn grits with mushroom sugo & poached egg Fish: Oysters (5 different sauces) Crudo (4 ways) Grilled mackerel with ginger, garlic, lime & green onion Whole grilled sea bream with green tomatoes, basil & mint Sardines baked in tomato-pepper sauce Striped bass stew with kohlrabi, fennel, saffron & pimenton aioli Cioppino Squid with lentils & salsa verde Grilled octopus with braised balck-eyed peas Mussels with chorizo & tomato confit Razor clams seared in cast iron with parsley butter Roasted prawns with garlic, parley, crushed red pepper flakes & lemon Meat: Rustic chicken & duck liver pate Pork shoulder & duck liver pate with paprika & garlic Chorizo Lamb sausage Blood sausage Pork & fennel sausage with fava & cherry tomatoes Meatballs braised in red wine & tomato Pan-seared calf liver with leeks & red wine Charred blade steak with green peppercorn & sherry pan sauce Steaks with smoky tomato butter & cipollini Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with orange, yogurt & herbs Guajillo-glazed lamb ribs Braised rabbit with black trumpet mushrooms & paprika Roasted half chicken with smoky braised kale Dessert: Sorbets (Coconut, blackberry-ginger, raspberry-rose, and strawberry+Meyer lemon) Gelato (Olive oil and ginger) Butterscotch pots de Creme with Salted Caramel Yogurt panna cotta with winter citrus Strawberry-rhubarb polenta crisp Blackberry, huckleberry & ginger pie Chocolate tart Kabocha, olive oil & bittersweet chocolate cake Warm date cake with ginger gelato