How to Roast a Lamb by Michael Psilakis (Book Review)

How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking is the first book by up-and-coming chef Michael Psilakis. It's a gorgeous book full of personal anecdotes, rich photographs, and 150 recipes.

Chef Psilakis, whose parents immigrated to the United States from Greece, was raised in a traditional Greek family. In each chapter, he shares from his experiences. Along the way, he shares recipes--some traditional, some with a fresh twist.

I've never cooked Greek food, but I recognize some of the recipes in this book--dishes like Tsatziki, Pastitsio, Spanakopita, and Moussaka. Most of the recipes are for dishes that are new to me, but not so exotic-sounding that they seem inaccessible: pork and beef meatballs, whole chicken soup, pan-roasted chicken with lemon potatoes, stuffed peppers with beef and rice. A few are definitely not for me--for example, octopus, salami, and apples with anchovy vinaigrette. That's all in one recipe.

Some of the recipes are restaurant-style--elegant and complex--while others are home-style. For those of us who don't have access to specialty markets, Psilakis provides ingredient substitutions. Still, these are not the simplest, easiest recipes. They're clearly explained, and the descriptions make me want to try them ... but most would take more time than I typically have to prepare a weekday dinner. For me, these would be most suitable for weekend and special-occasion dinners.

Learn more about How to Roast a Lamb by clicking the title to access the publisher's page. There you will be able to read an excerpt, watch a video interview of the author, and learn where you can purchase the book.