This term’s Cook the Book choice was the School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister chosen and hosted by lovely Rachel of Crispy Cook. I have to admit that when I started reading it, I wasn’t sure I would be in the mindset to read a book, let alone finish it.
You see, the last 6 weeks I have been sleep training my lovely daughter (i.e. teaching her to fall asleep on her own) and for those of you that have no babies who might be thinking it is easy, well it isn’t. It has been one of the most difficult things I have ever done (and I do have a PhD from Oxford, thank you), as it does involve a lot of crying, even when using gentler methods as I did (no Cry-It-Out). This coupled with severe hormone fluctuations, meant that I was not the happiest person around.
Anyway, I reluctantly started reading the book and soon it became was one of the things I was looking forward to every evening, after putting the baby to bed. It was well written, engaging and compassionate. I wanted to meet every single one of the characters and talk to them. I tried to imagine what the food described would taste like and really wished I had Lillian around to cook my blues away.
As in other books we have read so far (i.e. The Last Chinese Chef) food is approached as therapeutic for the soul. The main character Lillian, a feisty cook and restaurant owner, hosts a cooking class every Monday. Each of the students carries a heavy emotional load, as do most people, and Lillian simply and gracefully tries to unburden them, using each of the characters as well as the ingredients for inspiration.
Although I loved all the chapters/characters, when it came down to deciding what to cook, I had to find a dish which would be easily consumed in hot weather, and would not require me being in the kitchen all day over the stove. I finally settled for the stuffed turkey breast that Lillian prepared for Antonia, an Italian student living in the States, and the Thanksgiving dinner. I loved how she made something so Italian and yet so compatible with the Thanksgiving traditions, trying to prove that one can always make a «foreign» holiday their own.
I made minor adjustments to the recipe, omitting the dried cranberries, as it is not an ingredient I can find here in Greece, and substituting it with lemon rind which would bring the zest to the dish. I bought some really wonderful wild-boar pancetta for the stuffing and served the dish with my favourite balsamic roast vegetables.
The final result was a very fragrant, succulent dish, bursting with the flavours of rosemary, garlic and lemon. The slightly oilier vegetables suited the fat-free meat really well and we also enjoyed the dish cold the next day.
In the spirit of the book I will not give you a recipe, but if you really feel like making this dish you can find a recipe on the author’s website.
Food Junkie not junk food 
its confounding when we are faced with situations that we find totally beyond us, no matter how wide our experience and qualifications are!
indeed, all the foods of my foreign holidays are remade at home, and i find this the best part of learnign to cook my favorite meals – your stuffed turkey looks dreamy, as do those vegetables accompanying it
Sleep deprivation was the hardest part of child rearing so far, in my estimation. Wish I could come over and babysit for you while you take a deliciously long nap.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the book. I enjoyed reading your post very much and the turkey looks perfect!
Καταρχήν σου εύχομαι κουράγιο για την μικρούλα σου!Εγώ δεν έχω…κ με αυτά που ακούω από σένα αλλά και από άλλους τι να πω!!Πώς να κάνω μετά?!! Όσο για το πιάτο, φαίνεται πάρα πολύ ωραίο!Και με έβαλες σε περιέργεια με το βιβλίο!!
Παρακολουθώ το blog εδώ και καιρό χωρίς όμως να γράφω comments, αλλά είπα σήμερα επιτέλους να συστηθώ μια που νομίζω ότι μπορώ να βοηθήσω με μια μικρή, πολύ μικρή λεπτομέρεια…
Αποξηραμένα cranberries στην Αθήνα υπάρχουν σίγουρα στο Θανόπουλο. Δεν ξέρω πόσο εύκολη είναι η πρόσβαση στο συγκεκριμένο σουπερμάρκετ βέβαια. Και το πιάτο φαίνεται πολύ, πολύ ωραίο και χωρίς… (ειδικά με τη συνοδεία- και τη χρωματική αντίθεση- των λαχανικών…)
Σε κάθε περίπτωση θα ήθελα να σε ευχαριστήσω για τις λεπτομερείς συνταγές που δημοσιεύεις, με έχουν βοηθήσει πάρα πολύ στα πρώτα μου δειλά βήματα στην κουζίνα.
I have been on the lookout for a good food-related book to read. Thanks for introducing this to me.
Hang on in there with the sleep-training 🙂
Καλή μου Ιωάννα, καταρχήν να σου πώ ότι το φαγητό σου φαίνεται καταπληκτικό. Δεν θα επεκταθώ όμως σε αυτό το κομμάτι του ποστ σου παρά σε αυτό που αφορά την μικρή σου. Όπως ισως ήδη ξέρεις έχω δύο. Και στις 2 ακολούθησα διαφορετικές μεθόδους στο θέμα του ύπνου. δεν διάβασα βιβλία, ούτρε επηρρεάστηκα από τις εμπειρίες της γειτόνισας, της συναδέλφου και της κάθε μίας knowing-better θείες. Ακολούθησα καθαρά το ένστικτό μου. Η πρώτη ήτνα παιδί της αγκαλιάς και έτσι έμαθε να κοιμάται. Λίγο κούνημα πέρα δώθε, λίγο τραγούδι και κοιμόταν ακόμα και σε πανηγύρια. Φυσικά καμία περίπτωση να την βάλω να αποκοιμηθεί μόνη της στο κρεβάτι. Αποτέλεσμα; Μέχρι τα 3 κοιμόταν μαζί μας στο κρεβάτι. Και ενώ όλοι μας πρροειδοποιούσαν ότι θα την έχουμε μαζί μας μέχρι τα 18 μας με το που εγινε 4 μας ανακοίνωσε ότι πλέον είναι αρκετά μεγάλη και πρροτιμάει να κοιμάται μόνη της!!! Φυσικά υπάρχουν μέρες που ρχεται ακόμα στο κρεβάτι μας και κάνουμε αγκαλιές αλλα δε με νοιάζει διόλο. Σάμπως ποσο καιρό ακόμα θα μπορρούμε να το κάνουνε αυτό; Ο καιρός δυστυχώς περνάει γρήγορα!!
Η δέυτερη κόρη ήταν κάπως καλύτερη. δεν ήθελε κούνημα, δεν ήθελε αγκαλιές, ήθελε μόνο της ησυχία της. Που σημάινει το κρεβάτι της και τίποτα άλλο. Καμιά φορά όμως αντιδρούσε οπότε πήγαινα ανά 2 λεπτά, την σηκωνα και την ξανάφηνα. δεν είδα κάποια καλυτέρευση, ούτε καμια προοδο παρόλλα αυτά το συνέχιζα για να της δώσω την σιγουριά ότι είμαι εκεί. Ακόμα και τώρα όμως 1 χρόνο μετά, τσινάει. Άρα δεν ειναι ετοιμη ακόμα να αποχωριστει την σιγουρια της αγκαλιάς και πολλές φορές την χρειάζεται παραπάνω από κάποιες άλλες.. Που σημάινει ότι το κάθε παιδί είναι διαφορετικό και έτσι θα πρέπει να του συμπεριφερόμαστε. Αποφάσισε εσύ τι ειναι καλό για το δικό σου παιδί και για σένα σύμφωνα με το ένστικτό σου και όχι με τα λεγόμενα των άλλων. Η μικρή σου ότνα νοιώσει πραγματικά έτοιμη να κοιμηθει μόνη της θα τ καταλάβεις. Μην της το επιβάλεις!
σε φιλώ πολύ
I’m so pleased this book was able to give you a bit of respite! The dish looks amazing and I am drooling over the wild boar pancetta.
Oh man, I hear ya! Those are some trying times…been through it with 3…and isn’t sleep a treasured thing once you can no longer get it!? Your stuffed turkey looks delicious…and just the sound of the boar pancetta gets my mouth watering! I’ve always found solace in a good, book too! Hang in there, mama =)
Many times in my life my mantra has been, «This too shall pass» and soon enough this stage will pass for you and then you will be longing for those moments lost, maybe not the crying part, but all the good stuff. Make sure you take the time to enjoy the good things that sometimes get lost in the blur. You make a wonderful meal, even when sleep deprived. I will have to try those veggies.
That meal was one of my favorites in the book as well. Good review and sounds like a winner recipe for the stuffed turkey.
I’m impressed that you found time to read this even while sleep training! The stuffed turkey you made sounds so very tasty. I love it!
I’m glad you got to read the book and it gave you something to look forward to each night. 😉 I loved the Thanksgiving meal too and your turkey looks like it was magically transported out of the book. Great job!
Having no kids of my own I can only imagine what it must be like to train in sleeping! I hope it all works out soon. In the meantime that food looks absolutely lovely!
I, too, remember those early days. One thing that helped me keep my sanity was having a good book to escape in to for a short break. You made that turkey recipe your own and it sounds wonderful.
Wild boar pancetta? That sounds really interesting. I also make a dish of roast vegetables with balsamic vinegar and it’s been a favorite at our house for years. I really like the final result of your choice. Good luck with your sleep training. I hope it will become easier.