Description:
Some cookbooks are for everyday use, others for special occasions. In the latter category is chef Dominique Macquet's Dominique's Fresh Flavors: Cooking with Latitude in New Orleans, a collection of almost 80 recipes from his acclaimed New Orleans restaurant, Dominique's at the Madison Deputy Hotel. The recipes are enticing: Shrimp, Artichoke, and Spinach Soup; Grilled Scallops with Wild Rice Galette and Red Bell Pepper Vinaigrette; and Pinwheel of Roasted Lamb Loin with Saffron Couscous Ratatouille among them. Readers should know, however, that many require multiple preparations and, often, deluxe or unusual ingredients. It takes guts to offer, as Macquet does, two recipes calling for Japanese Kobe beef, which sells for upward of $100 per pound (when available), without proposing a more humble alternative. On the other hand, the majority of recipes are more feasible, and cooks abound who will welcome the chance to reproduce Macquet's spectaculars when time, inclination, and occasion are favorably aligned. Beginning with a useful ingredient glossary, the book then provides a section of basic preparations and recipes, organized by course and food types. Among these, Shrimp Rougail with Mango Chutney (shrimp in a savory tomato sauce), Sesame-Crusted Chicken with Baby Bok Choy and Hoisin-Ginger Vinaigrette, and Burgundy Braised Rabbit with Garlic Mashed Potatoes are standouts and relatively straightforward to make. They reflect the global nature of Macquet's cooking, with its interesting debt to his native Mauritius. Desserts, which have a tropical bent, include Island Fruit Soup with Lychee Sorbet, Guava Ice Cream, and Avocado and Melon Mousse. Illustrated with black-and-white and color photos, the book will whet the palates of readers everywhere while providing restaurant-level cooking for those willing to take the Macquet plunge. --Arthur Boehm
| 
