Best Skillet Recipes

Publishers Weekly

In this latest addition of the Best Recipe Classic series, Cooks Illustrated editor Christopher Kimball and his team of kitchen scientists celebrate the untold versatility of that ordinary workhorse, the 12-inch skillet. An indispensable tool for eggs, pan-seared meats and sautéed vegetables, the skillet can also be used for stovetop-to-oven dishes such as All-American Mini Meatloaves; layered dishes such as tamale pie and Tuscan bean casserole; and even desserts such as hot fudge pudding cake. In the trademark style of other America's Test Kitchen publications, the cookbook contains plenty of variations on basic themes (you can make chicken and rice with peas and scallions, broccoli and cheddar, or coconut milk and pistachios); ingredient and equipment roundups; and helpful illustrations for preparing mango and stringing snowpeas. Yet the true strength of the series lies in the sheer thoughtfulness and detail of the recipes. Whether or not you properly appreciate your skillet, this book will at least teach you to wield it gracefully. (Mar.)