Ina Garten’s Make it Ahead
Ina Garten has a new cookbook out called Make it Ahead. Not only was I excited to see a new Ina Garten cookbook, but I was also thrilled that it focused on recipes that can be made ahead. For me that is a winning combination as far as cookbooks go. As my kids get older, I find myself looking more to recipes that can be prepared ahead. Often, this takes as much, if not a little more, planning than usual; it is worth avoiding the rush before dinnertime, though, while also guaranteeing that we eat balanced meals. So, I picked up the new cookbook hoping to find some new go-to recipes for busy weeknights.
I have collected a rather varied library of cookbooks over the years, and I love them all, but I don’t always read them all like I would a book. The exception is all of Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa books. I love her approach to cooking and entertaining, her aesthetic, and most important, the reliable and well-tested recipes in her books. I always learn new pointers about cooking, planning, and entertaining in her books. This new book is no different. She offers great tips on how to plan meals, keeping in mind what parts of the recipes can be made or prepped ahead.
At first, I was surprised to see the recipes written out as if you were going to serve the dish immediately, with notes at the bottom margins on how to make the dish a “make ahead” one instead. After reading through her introduction and many of the recipes it makes more sense, and is more instructive, to lay it out this way. By doing it this way, she is showing how any recipe might be broken down into the parts that can be prepared ahead. Once again, I am learning great tips from her to apply to the rest of my cooking.
Although I have not tried any recipes yet given that I just got the book, I know how well-tested the recipes are and look forward to trying many already. A few I am putting on my list to try are: Wild Mushroom and Farro Soup, Slow-Roasted Spiced Pork, Roast Chicken with Bread and Arugula Salad, Herb-Roasted Fish, Crusty Baked Potatoes with Whipped Feta, Gingered Basmati Rice, and Stuffed Zucchini.
This is a great book to pick up, or at least get at the library to look through. It would also make a good gift for the holidays.
