Cross-posted at Rebecca's Reading, Rants, and Raves
Colu Cooks: Easy Fancy Food by Colu HenryMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the cookbook I've been waiting for.
Easy, Fancy, Food. YES.
This lovely volume is filled with inviting and welcoming text that celebrates humanity as much as food, and in multiple contexts: when we need comfort, when we are on vacation, when we are coping (or not) with a pandemic (that's not a chapter, but it is in the narrative), when we are feeding a crowd, or enjoying the joy of re-imagined leftovers with close friends.
If you don't grow your own herbs, Colu Henry will make you want to start. Her recipes abound with fresh herbs and ingredients that are simple, but fancy in the right context. The Smoky and Spicy Shrimp with Anchovy Butter and Fregola (110) is a new favorite, and I'm here to tell you frozen shrimp works just fine and you should have a bag in your freezer at all times. Recipes like Cumin, Ginger, and Citrus Roasted Salmon with Cabbage, Dates, and Creamy Tahini Dressing pull together what is logical, but special enough that you needed someone to tell you when your own creativity stopped at "salmon and dill"...again. Roasted cauliflower seems to continue its internet popularity (unlike the cupcake, whose days of glory seem to have dimmed), and I will tell you that Henry's Cauliflower with Anchovy Oil and Crispy Capers is the first roasted cauliflower recipe I've actually been excited about--and I've tried most of them. (Also, splurge on some anchovies for your pantry). You can't sell me on the whole head roasted in the oven, no matter what you pour or rub on it--sorry. There are also recipes that can be made with small substitutions or things you might actually have on hand if you are a person with a standard-not-professional pantry (or one cupboard, as in my case). I will admit that my spice collection may be a bit non-standard, so the Fava Bean and Cucumber Salad with Feta & Sumac was a great way to use sumac (and I used edamame--again, something I usually have in my freezer). The Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Asparagus and Charred Scallion-Sesame Salsa were fantastic on that night where my husband (who does the shopping) brought home some asparagus and chicken, with no thoughts about how to use it. Easy Fancy Food to the rescue!
The narrative is a joy to read, and I could really relate as, like Henry, I am not a dessert person. I respect that she included a dessert section full of other people's recipes. I am not a baker, and I loved reading: "..if you too do not bake or don't bake well, I suggest you feel no shame..." Like the recipes and the narrative, the photos are not overly "styled" and offer a sense of bright and wholesome everyday-ness. There are a few style elements I don't love (the italicized prepositions in the titles bugged me) and one small copyediting oversight, but these are truly nit-picky quibbles. But I have to include them so you don't think I work for the publisher (according to the laws of engagement on social media book review sites, evidently).
Truly -- this is a book for the person who likes to cook with interesting and fresh ingredients, but doesn't want to plan a month ahead to get the ingredients shipped from around the world. This is a book for the tired and overworked person for whom cooking is their one creative and artistic outlet, but the "tired and overworked" part means celebrating the "easy" part of "Easy Fancy Food". I plan to make every recipe in this book at some point, and I'm grateful for ease and the chance to make my food "fancy" -- just because. Every meal can celebrate something.
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