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Learn to COOK - Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seasoned America
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List Price: $23.00
Our Price: $24.91
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.657
EAN: 9780688052829
ISBN: 0688052827
Label: William Morrow Cookbooks
Manufacturer: William Morrow Cookbooks
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 306
Publication Date: 1991-10-24
Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks
Release Date: 1991-10-24
Studio: William Morrow Cookbooks
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Editorial Reviews:
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When one of America's most talented and best-loved chefs reinterprets the great American classics, the result is Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seasoned America, a beautifully illustrated collection of American favorites made even better.In his new book, Chef Paul transforms the plainest of dishes -- like a beef noodle casserole made from ground meat and pasta -- into delicious company fare. The humble tamale pie, lowly turkey hash, and ordinary ham loaf become truly memorable in his capable hands. His Texas Chili may be the best anyone has ever tasted. Mulacalong Chicken, a specialty of Charleston, South Carolina, has a soft curry flavor that's indescribably wonderful. He seasons traditional regional and ethnic dishes in unconventional and surprising ways that make a world of difference: thyme in the West Coast Oyster Stew, nutmeg in the New England Boiled Dinner, cardamom in Iowa Chicken and Corn Pot Pie, cumin in Oklahoma Fried Chicken and Biscuits, coriander in Brooklyn Borscht.Chef Paul's unique concept of "building" a dish to create maximum flavor and texture is used in many of his recipes, and a special section of the book explains exactly how it's done, in language anyone can understand. For example, Milwaukee Potato Soup has a base of grated potatoes for thickening and flavor, as well as two different sizes of diced potatoes for texture.Other formerly "inelegant" dishes are treated to the remarkable -- and frequently unorthodox-Chef Paul touch, to create food no one is likely to soon forget: A slow -- roasted, boneless stuffed chicken emerges juicy and brimming with flavor in Atchafalaya Boneless Roast Chicken. Indian fry bread topped with a spicy lamb stew and fresh salsa becomes the world's best Navajo Tacos.Through colorful stories, special tips on techniques, and invaluable information, you'll find all the encouragement you need to experiment with dishes you've always taken for granted. From Albuquerque Burritos to Lower East Side Latkes, Michigan Miner's Pasties to San Francisco Cioppino, Seasoned America and Paul Prudhomme will guide you step by step toward the successful creation of extraordinary American food.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Paul's second most important cookbook, but possibly my favorite
Comment: I've had this book since it came out and have used it to death. The recipes are very traditional in technique, but tend to have a little extra zing due to Prudhomme's spicing tendencies. I consider that a good thing as it rescues many of these traditional dishes from the mediocrity that cafeterias and timid home cooks have enforced upon them. I've run into a few recipes that are just "good" but many of them are homeruns. The pasta primavera, black bottom pie, Basque chicken and shrimp, San Francisco Cioppino, and Chicken a la King are all recipes that I've revisited many times.
A few reviewers appear to have issues with some of the recipes, but I simply have not experienced these problems. One of the critical things in Paul's recipes is often the browning stages and it requires a cook's attention to what's happening on the stove as opposed to slavishly watching the clock and hoping for cooking alchemy to happen. Especially when cooking on electric stoves, which have a greater risk to burn and scorch Prudhomme's flavorful pan-bottom crusts, I find I have to turn the heat down a little and be ready to add stock and scrape when the pan needs it, not a minute or two later.
As far as "over spicing", well everybody has their opinions, but I think Prudhomme typically nails it for my tastes. Texas shrimp and rice too hot? Not for me, but it most likely is for some. For foods that have too much spicey heat for more delicate palates, the cook needs to be willing to subsitute or cut back on the ground peppers. Paprika is a pretty easy substitute for New Mexico red chile. I've often done this when cooking for a more general crowd. Prudhomme often suggests that a cook make adjustments to suit their tastes, so one should not be afraid that the recipe police will show up if you make those changes.
Out of all of the cooking I've done, I've probably pointed more people to this cookbook than any other for that "knockout" dish that I brought to the table. I consider this cookbook essential and recommend it every chance I get.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Lots of flop recipes in this book
Comment: Normally I love Paul Prudhomme's recipes but this book has a lot of clinkers. Recipes that don't work and just plain mistakes. Just tonight we tried to make the Oklahoma fried chicken and biscuits. The chicken was ok, lacking any interesting flavor, but the acompanying biscuit recipe was a complete flop. As soon as the biscuit dough hit the oil it just dissolved into a mess. They obviously never tested this recipe. We ended up having just the bland chicken for dinner. Another recipe that totally failed for us was the tamale pie. A burned, crumbly mess. We had to make something else. It's very difficult to tell which recipes are going to work and which ones aren't. We made the stuffed peppers which turned out ok, but there was a mistake in the preparation instructions in that they never mentioned adding the brown sugar from the ingredients list. We didn't realize it until we were cleaning up. Other problems with this recipe is that it called for dried tarragon and cilantro, both of which are not meant for human consumption. Fresh versions of these are ok, but the dried versions are inedible. Since I didn't have fresh I just left them out. Another recipe that was never tested. When you go to Paul's website there is no way to send him an email to tell him about these problems either. To top this all off, our copy of this book was bound poorly and big bunches of pages are falling out. Stick with Paul's first cookbook, Louisiana Kitchen and don't get this book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Best Cookbook
Comment: I must have 50 cookcooks, but this is my favorite. The recipies need to be followed precisely, however the directions are excellent. Every dish I've made from this book has been aromatic and full of flavor. Be careful, they are also full of salt and calories! But if you want to WOW your guests, select a few of these recipies and enjoy!
My favorite recipe is the Milwaukee Potato Soup. Be careful, it takes a full 90 minutes to prepare! The New England Butternut Bisque introduced me to the wonders of squash and is much easier to make than the Potato Soup. The Mulacalong Chicken is flavorful, although I prefer to cut out the bell peppers. The Chicken Paprika is devine.
Every recipe I've tried from this book has been wonderful. Buy this and prepare for a treat!
Customer Rating:
Summary: A great way to learn how to spice food
Comment: I've used this book for years. Some people rely on stricly fresh ingredients, others like to cook with dried spices. Prudhomme's a big dried spice guy. Yes, garlic purists will be aghast that he uses garlic powder. But these recipes work, and he does a great job of coming up with recipes that people will actually use. The dishes are NEVER bland and the flavors are often very complex and comingle well. His technique is to use the same spice mixture in different ways- frying some in oil, adding some in the middle of the cooking, adding more just before serving, et al- and it really helps add complexity and richer flavor to a dish! Some of these recipes are clunkers, as are many in most cookbooks, but I return time and time again to a fair amount of these recipes. My biggest critique- his recipes are fairly straightforward, but they are sometimes unnecessarily complicated- Yyou can streamline them without poor results. For instance, use canned broth in the Tetrazini recipe and you will save yourself about three hours. Also, I really think that you can make his Kentucky Burgoo in less than two days, but that's actually what the recipe calls for! But you've already made many of the dishes in this book before, only without all the flavor. Paul was "kicking it up a notch" long before Emeril got to New Orleans. Buy a cheap used copy and tell me that it wasn't one of the best investments you've ever made after you've tried three of the recipes! My favorite recipe: Basque Chicken and Shrimp with Wine. Fantastic!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Seasoned America-My Second copy!!!
Comment: Chef Paul has done it again! I absolutely love this cookbook. I have two copies! The first one so worn I had to purchase a second. Every dish I've made has been wounderful. You just can't go wrong with any of Prudhomme's recipes. The Buffalo Wings are the best I've ever had! Be sure to try the Black Bean Soup, Sopa de Albóndigas,Baked Stuffed Tomatoes,Indiana Dutch Cabbage Rolls,Chicken Paprika. These are just some of our favorites. You'll get the best results following the recipe exactly. Paul Prudhomme is my favorite chef, and soon he too will be yours. Don't pass up this great cookbook.
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