Cucina Povera

Tuscan Peasant Cooking

by Pamela Sheldon Johns

Price: $21.99
ISBN-13: 9781449402389
ISBN-10: 1449402380
Format: Hardcover
Size: 7 x 8 in.
Page Count: 192 pages

50 Great Appetizers

by Pamela Sheldon Johns

Price: $14.99
ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-7650-2
ISBN-10: 0-7407-7650-9
Format: Hardcover
Size: 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.
Page Count: 112 pages

50 Great Pasta Sauces

by Pamela Sheldon Johns

Price: $14.95
ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-6178-2
ISBN-10: 0-7407-6178-1
Format: Hardcover
Size: 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.
Page Count: 112 pages

“Brava, Ms. Sheldon Johns, for bringing this cooking to us with such grace, and with a reverence that goes to the heart of the Italian cuisine.” —InMamasKitchen.com

“Cucina Povera is a delightful culinary trip through Tuscany, revered for its straightforward food and practical people. In this beautifully photographed book you will be treated to authentic recipes, serene landscapes, and a deep reverence for all things Tuscan.” —Mary Ann Esposito, the host of PBS’ Ciao Italia and the author of Ciao Italia Family Classics

The no-waste philosophy and use of inexpensive Italian ingredients (in Tuscan peasant cooking) are the basis for this lovely and very yummy collection of recipes. —Diane Worthington, Tribune Media Services

“Pamela Sheldon Johns has written more than a dozen cookbooks, many specializing in Italian food. During the last two decades, she explored the back roads of Italy gathering recipes between teaching cooking classes in the United States and conducting culinary workshops. In her latest collection, she serves up sixty peasant inspired dishes from the heart of Tuscany. This book is more than a collection of recipes of simple foods. Perhaps inspired by her mother who grew up on a farm in the Midwest during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Johns has selected dishes that discourage waste and use techniques that coax the flavors out of every bite so that it is as tasty as possible. Using budget-conscious ingredients and utilizing local and seasonal fruits and vegetables, this wonderful cookbook features an array of recipes, from savory pasta dishes to end-of-the-meal desserts.” –Tucson Citizen http://bit.ly/zAdNw5

“Cucina Povera is authentic, and its design mirrors what is within, a people whose genius enabled them to create a cuisine from what they found around them. This is a book you can sink you teeth into and cook from every day.” ––The Front Burner http://bit.ly/qJ0zZq

“[Pamela Sheldon Johns] latest book is dedicated to La Cucina Povera, the traditional frugal Tuscan country cooking that makes use of every ingredient, no matter how humble, because one can never tell when famine will loom. Recipes that are also surprisingly current, because they revolve primarily around vegetables and grains (meat was reserved for special events, and yes, she does cover the meat dishes enjoyed by farm families on those rare occasions), and are therefore quite healthy. In addition to providing recipes Pamela does, as one might expect, discuss history, culture, and background, and if you are familiar with Tuscan country cooking what she has to say will draw up memories and perhaps a smile. If you’re not, she will open a new vistas. And in either case you may find yourself drawing up a shopping list…” ––About.com Italian Food http://bit.ly/oOhloR

Vin santo is a Tuscan dessert wine made with dried grapes. Marsala makes a good substitute, or you can use a good dry white wine. Adjust the cooking time according to the size of chicken you use. When the chicken is done, an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh and not touching bone will register 165° F, or the juices will run clear when a thigh is pierced with a knife.

3 tablespoons aromatic herbs minced with salt (page 41), or your preferred combination of fresh herbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chicken, about 3 pounds
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups vin santo or sweet Marsala wine

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a small roasting pan or heatproof casserole.

In a small bowl, combine the herb mixture with the garlic. Loosen the skin of the breast of the chicken and spread the herb mixture under the skin. Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on its side in the prepared pan and roast for 15 minutes, then turn and roast on the second side for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken onto its back and roast for 30 minutes, or until the chicken tests done.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Set the roasting pan over medium heat and add the wine, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to high and cook to reduce the liquid by half. Drizzle the pan sauce over the roasted chicken and serve at once.

Serves 6

Farro is an ancient strain of wheat with a high protein content and a nutty flavor. It can be found in natural foods and gourmet foods stores whole, cracked, or ground into flour. This dish can be served warm as a winter side dish, or chilled for a summer salad.

2 cups whole-grain farro
3 tablespoons plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 green onions, including 1 inch of green parts, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deveined, and diced
2 cups chicken stock (page 173), heated
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 ounces spicy salame, diced
Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Romaine lettuce leaves for serving

Soak the farro in water to cover for at least 1 hour or overnight.

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the green onions, garlic, zucchini, and bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Drain the farro and add to the pan, cover, and decrease the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the farro is tender and the stock has been absorbed. Stir in the chickpeas and salame. Cover and set aside to keep warm.

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining ¼ cup olive oil together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fluff the farro with a fork. Stir in the dressing. Serve warm or chilled, on lettuce leaves.

Serves 6

Pamela has spent 20 years in Tuscany, collecting recipes from neighbors, friends, and local Italian food producers. The more than 60 dishes featured in this book — from the comforting Ribollita (Bread Soup) to savory Pollo Arrosto al Vin Santo (Roasted Chicken with Vin Santo Sauce), and sweet Ciambellone (Tuscan Ring Cake) — bring to life the Cucina Povera philosophy. This way of life, translated literally as poor kitchen, focuses on making great food with simple yet high-quality ingredients.

A Tuscan proverb sums up the message behind Cucina Povera: “Si stava meglio quando si stava peggio (we were better off when things were worse).” The recipes in the book are descended from harder times—when there wasn’t a lot of food but it was clean and tasted good, and nothing went to waste, had been touched by chemicals or was hauled in from great distances. Pamela has updated the dishes to reflect the easier access we have to ingredients today and to be in sync with the modern movement toward seasonal and local food.

Now cooks who are concerned about their budget and the environment and who want to eat in season and with ingredients from close to home have just the cookbook for it all —Cucina Povera. Buon appetito!

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Every host has only one thing on her mind…what to serve the guests?! With her new book “50 Great Appetizers” acclaimed chef and culinary instructor Pamela Sheldon Johns offers 50 tasty recipes guaranteed to tempt guests’ palates!

Watch the show.

In 50 Great Appetizers (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $14.99), acclaimed chef and culinary instructor Pamela Sheldon Johns offers four categories of taste-tingling teasers: topped & dipped, grilled & skewered, stuffed & rolled, and plated & sauced. Not only does she provide simple sophistication for the taste buds, but she offers advice for party planning, including tips on presentation, preparation, decoration, and food safety.

Also included are 10 themed menus featuring recipes for Middle Eastern mezes, farmers market morsels, Mexican antojitos, vegetarian plates, and more. With 50 Great Appetizers close by, your gathering is sure to be a successful experience of flavor and texture.

Recipes include Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta, Prosciutto and Arugula Mini Pizzas, Tea-Smoked Chicken Wings, Grilled Eggplant Rolls, Italian Ruby Chard Custard, and many more. No matter which recipes you choose to serve at your next party, your guests will be delighted and might even skip the entrée because they can’t stop eating the delicious appetizers. 50 Great Appetizers also makes the perfect hostess gift or stocking stuffer because its recipes are too good not to share.

Imagine simmering a savory Italian pasta sauce in a kitchen overlooking a quaint garden scented with sweet basil. Sound peaceful? This is one way Pamela Sheldon Johns spends her free time. With her newest cookbook, 50 Great Pasta Sauces (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $14.95), she invites you to do the same. So come to the table and share the delectable cuisine before you.

A delightful mix of traditional and bold new sauces fills this cookbook. For simplicity, the 50 sauces are divided into four types:

• Vegetable sauces include savory broccoli cream, a traditional sauce that can be put together in short order.
• Dairy sauces include classic carbonara, named for the coal miners it sustained.
• Meat sauces include wild boar ragu, a perfect cold-weather food.
• Seafood sauces include pepper and anchovy, a favorite from southern Italy.

Throughout 50 Great Pasta Sauces, Pamela adds such helpful tips as which pasta to use with which sauce, how to cook certain styles of pasta, and what sauce is appropriate for certain occasions or seasons.