76 Amazing Cookbook Recipes To Try Right Now

I love collecting and reading cookbook recipes from the great chefs because this is where I get my inspiration in making healthy recipes. Along with these amazing cookbook recipes, I decided to add a brief history of every chef who’s behind the creation of these amazing cookbooks – just in case you didn’t know them.

Now allow me to share with you my thoughts about this cookbook recipes together with these delicious recipes written by the greatest chefs we’ve known. 

The Best Cookbook Recipes, yet – of All Time

Home Cooking by Chef Gordon Ramsay

Hell’s’ Kitchen. He is famous for it. Aside from being known as blunt and hot-tempered, he is also famous for judging America’s best cooking shows. But did you know that Gordon did not actually plan to become a chef? He wanted to be a professional soccer player! He, in fact, became a part of a team at 15 but a knee injury ended his dream.

But, this led for him to decide on taking a degree in hotel management. Few years into the future and he became internationally known and his restaurants are known to be multi-starred by Michelin. However, this Officer of the Order of British Empire and father of four, allegedly had a seven year secret affair despite the fact of being married.

Chef Gordon’s Home Cooking cookbook recipes are practical for home cooking. It has a very clear explanation about handling the foods, spices that helps you make a super easy gourmet meals. Every section, Chef Gordon, perfectly explains spices, what they are good for, how to determine the flavor they might provide. This cookbook recipes is great for novice or skilled chef and can be the book as a self study course for cooking. You gonna’ love this for sure.

1. Honey Glazed Ham –  If you love glaze that’s made out of sugar, Madeira, sherry vinegar and honey then try making this during holiday. You’ll be surprised by a chunk of tender baked ham glazed with honey with a tinge of sweet-spicy cinnamon flavor.
2. Cranberry Mince Pies – These are cute little pies that combine the tender and savoury taste of meat and the sweetness of fresh cranberries in crusty pastry base.
3. Gazpacho – A very easy cold soup to make. Just marinate cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and spring onions in a large bowl. Nice bread that seasoned well with salt and pepper. With sherry vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil run in processor until smooth then chill before serving. This soup is a winner.
4. Fish Pie – Fish pie is one of the way how you save trimmings from cod or salmon. This pie is easy to make with a twist of flavor rich flavor of a Noilly Prat mixed sauce.  
5. Stuffed roast Chicken – This recipe calls with a chorizo stuffing with an aroma of thyme, blended perfectly in chicken. Get the best chorizo in the market and you’ll be surprised about this this. You can’t wait to have a plump, juicy roasted chicken stuffed with chorizo, beans and tomatoes ready to serve with your loved ones.

The Devil in the Kitchen by Marco Pierre White

Just like any other humble beginning, he started as a trainee with nothing more than 10 pounds in his pocket. He actually decided to train in the kitchen of Hotel St. George and became the apprentice of Albert and Michel Roux. This training started when Marco left High School without earning a degree, but good training earned him to be a Head Chef and co-owner of a restaurant at the age of 24. And  be ready for this, one of his training staff, was the young Gordon Ramsay. Yes, you read that right! Marco Pierre White worked with and trained Gordon Ramsay  at his restaurant called Harvey’s, no wonder Ramsay is a multi-star awardee, because at 33, Marco was one of the youngest chefs to be awarded stars.

“The Devil in the Kitchen” is a great book for me. I love reading chef biographies, learn their struggles and how they manage to over rule the circumstances. I like connecting on the level of passion that so many chefs have and the drive that people have to be the best about themselves for them to attain their goals.

The book has a great story with all the emotions present – sadness, joy, regret and by the end of the book you’ll feel that you’re connected to Marco.

1. Chicken Chasseur – Plump and juicy chicken simmered in tomato juice and stock served with thick, creamy, and flavourful mushroom mixture garnished with parsley sprigs. : 
2. Cod in Parsley Sauce – Juicy cod fillet in pool of thick milk and flour roux sprinkled with fresh chopped  parsley.
3. Posh Plaice Fish Fingers – Crispy fried coated plaice fillets seasoned and garnished with parsley and lemon wedges.
4. Salmon Fillet with Vinaigrette – Spiced and tasty fried salmon covered in rich olive oil, tomato, and white wine vinegar mixture.
5. Grilled Tuna Steak – Fresh and grilled spiced tuna garnished with rich and tasty niçoise sauce.

Restaurant Man by Chef Joe Bastianich

Think of a blunt critique for talent. Did you say Simon Cowell? well, Joe is so strict he is dubbed as the Simon of the Culinary World! He is currently one of the judges of probably the most popular cooking shows the world, MasterChef with over 20 spin-offs worldwide. He has his own memoir titled Restaurant Man and has his own food empire called Manhattan’s Eataly. And being a blunt chef judge he was, do you know his most unforgettable comment? He just said inedibly disgusting and when the contestant defended that it reminds him of his mom’s kitchen, can you tell what Joe said? That’s a place I will avoid. Ouch.

Chef Joe’s profanity is really on fire here (the F-bomb is everywhere), and honestly, he got a bit of an ego. Though it’s true that chefs are usually at least slightly arrogant in the restaurant game, because what I think is that most people have very little true passion for what they do now. As far as I see his view here, I think it’s the discipline he’s trying to send especially in the generations to come.

1. Pasta Puttanesca and Pomodoro Sauce – Strozzapreti or priest strangler in Italian is a hand rolled pasta that was cooked into firm texture tossed into red pomodoro sauce to simmer then served with chopped mint leaves. The flavor of anchovies combined with olives, capers, thyme and oregano will make you love this dish.
2. Lemon Chicken Under a Brick – Juicy and plump chicken that is toss together with the salt, pepper, lemon zest and rosemary and rub the seasoning all over both sides of the chicken, foil covered then press-roasted under a “brick” until  brown then drizzled with freshly squeezed lemon juice. A very easy recipe for everyone who loves chicken.
3. Grilled Salmon with Preserved Lemon and Green Olives – Preserved lemons are a Moroccan ingredient that is made from cured lemons (lemon juice and salt). This recipe is a crispy, brown, and grilled salmon with the citrusy taste of lemon juice served with fresh scattered olives.
4. Pappardelle with Mushroom – If you love eating saute mushrooms such as button, cremini, shiitake, oyster, shantarelle, or porcini, why not make a sauce out of this. With shallots, thyme, and a splash of white wine added into it, this mushroom sauce will turn into a creamy sauce that you can cook with pappardelle. Simple yet elegant.

Cooking Like A Master Chef by Chef Graham Elliot

Juicy burger with the crunch of pretzel… that’s Graham’s recipe! He is one of the most popular TV chefs today appearing in shows like Good Morning America, The Today’s Show and Nightline and Access Hollywood. And you should be in awe, at 27, he is one of the few Four-Star chefs in any city and he also made it to the list of 40 under Forty. His own cooking is sooo good he had to lose 150  pounds!  He is also known for having several tattoos and we wonder if he would like to have his zodiac sign, Capricorn, permanently inked on his arm too.

Now, the reason why everyone needs a copy of his cookbook recipes, because the stories behind the recipes are engaging,  but the best part, of course, is the food that he brings to life. I was able to make the taste of our weekend treat “lox and bagels” to a different new level. I love almost all of the recipes especially the snacks too.

1. Caramel Corn with Smoked Almonds and Fleur De Sel – A nice cone filled with pop corns glazed and sweetened with corn syrup topped with roasted tender Spanish nuts and seasoned with fresh sea salt. Great for party. One thing you’ll learn on this recipe is making sugar caramel. The trick here is swirling the pan and not stirring. Otherwise, the sugar will crystallized.
2. Arugula with Bruleed Figs, Ricotta, Prosciutto, and Smoked Marzipan – If you want to add some twist on your classic holiday flavor, try this marzipan with mingling oozing smoky flavor combined with crisp and tasty prosciutto, sweet and buttery arugula topped with smooth and creamy ricotta cream. Fancy and sweet.
3. Savory Pumpkin Pie Soup with Cinnamon Marshmallows, Pepita Streusel and Whipped Creme Fraiche – One of Chef Elliot favorite soup. This pumpkin infused with the flavors of berries, cinnamon, peppercorns, and ginger, served with sweet-spicy pepita streusel and dollops of fluffy whipped creme fraîche is quite a reinvention of traditional butternut squash soup with pumpkin pie as an inspiration.
4. Beef Stroganoff with Peppered Spaetzle – This recipe is worth a try. This homemade poached spaetzle sauced with rich black trumpet puree made with a bit of vinegar, topped with thinly sliced tender and juicy steak dolloped with rich, creamy, and flavorful creme fraîche and most importantly, the sweetness of the shallot marmalade mixed with the peppered spaetzle is very delicious.
5. Kabocha Squash Soup with Toasted Pepitas – Smooth, thick and seasoned squash puree simmered in vegetable stock flavored with garlic and lemongrass served with crisped pepitas, coconut, and aromatic lime zest and lime rounds. Did I mention lemongrass? Try it and you’ll see.

Milk Bar Life by Chef Christina Tosi

Fluffy, creamy and colorful cakes – that so much describes Christina’s creations. She is the founder of one of the sweetest and dreamy cafes in the world, the Milky Bar.  But she had weird eating habits as a girl. For instance, she would mix mayonnaise and brown sugar with Doritos, no wonder as an adult, she authored two cookbooks called The Momofuku Milk Bar and the Milk Bar Life. But this Adweek and Cherry Bombe cover girl did not study culinary at first. She was supposed to become a Mechanical Engineer. Surprising, eh?

What about Mac and Cheese Pancakes? I enjoyed reading this beautiful cookbook and there’s a lot of photos of her activities in every chapters. This cookbook recipes really worth try of reading and you’ll definitely find recipes that you want to try like Grilled Ham and Cheese Corn Cookie and Ritz Cracker Ice Box Cake.

1. Momofuku Milk Bar Crack Pie – A pie with sweet vanilla cream inside a crisp cookie crust made with rolled oats topped with luscious whipped cream.
2. Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies – Delectable home-made cookies bursting with the goodness of semi-sweet chocolate chips inside a crunchy but chewy cookie dough.
3. Chocolate Malt Layer Cake –  Thick and creamy fudge of chocolate in between layers of soft moist cake topped with milk crumbs made from butter and white chocolate.
4. Pretzel Truffles – Balls of crunchy crushed pretzels mixed with melted chocolate with a hint of buttermilk taste rolled on sweet and milky pretzel sands.
5. Apple Pie Layer Cake – Apple pie fixing with the real flavors of sweet, crisp and crunchy apples mantled in between layers of a slightly nutty flavored cake nestled with creamy frosting garnished with pie crumbs.

Heston Blumenthal at Home by Chef Heston Blumenthal

Have you ever thought that bacon can turn into ice cream? I bet you didn’t but Chef Heston did! Yes, he was famous for molecular gastronomy. But he has no formal culinary training! Wow! His passion started at 16 when he visited a gastronomy filled world that is  L’oustau de Baumaniere. A few years after that, he become a chef and established his own restaurant,  the Dinner and was awarded with The Best restaurant in the world and 50 Best restaurants in the World. This father of three is knighted by The Queen and he shares his talent in cooking through his weekly column in The Sunday Times, Heston’s Feasts.

Let’s talk about modern cooking, when I saw Heston Blumenthal was putting out a “cooking at home” cookbook recipes, I was like “this book is for adventurous home cooks ” and got intense feeling of excitement and joy because most molecular gastronomy cooking recipes are written for professional chefs yet he wrote a cookbook recipes designed for home cooking.

Well, though there are some recipes which I think you still don’t have in your kitchen like sous vide equipment or dry ice or Glycerine but that’s ok. For those who want to cook exciting and challenging dishes at home, please don’t miss this cookbook.

1. Chocolate Chantilly – If you love chocolates then this is the right recipe for you to try. The key here is making this in from a very good chocolates. This sweet and thick melted chocolate will whisked into whipped cream consistency. :
2. Coffee and Chocolate Sauce – This sauce is a very simple dessert to do. If you’re thinking of dipping marshmallows on it, surely it will work. This fine and flavorful melted chocolate and coffee secret is by using the best chocolate and coffee the market can offer.
3. Lemon Tart – If you have the best lemons right now, try this recipe. This lemon pie with citrusy flavor and  lemon filling of just the right texture: not too soft, not too firm on a tasty pastry base.
4. Ultimate Mashed Potato – This recipe is a quick tip on how to make a perfect mashed potato. Learn here how you can make a creamy charlotte potatoes mashed into creamy milk and cold butter.
5. Ginger Scallops – If you want to explore scallops, then this one is a good try. Fresh scallops sitting on a rack with ginger pure essential oil steaming at the bottom and drizzled with groundnut oil.

One Souffle at A Time by Chef Anne Willan 

She owns the LaVarenne and known as one of the World’s Preeminent Authorities in french cooking. Aside from authoring about 30 books, her most famous would be the 500 paged – La Varenne Pratique, she has also taught and became a food columnist. She also have a Masters Degree from Cambridge and  has won several awards like the Silver Spoon Award from Food Arts Magazine and honored as Grande Dame of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, summing that with being elected to World Food Media Hall of Fame.

But those are not just what she got, it was too many, enumerating would be too much. However, she actually granted readers a more reachable means to her perfect cuisine, a digital copy of her celebrated book, the La Varenne Pratique.

She has another cookbook recipes “Secrets from the La Varenne Kitchen: 50 Essential Recipes Every Cook Needs to Know” where according to Chef Albert Jorant’s belief that “there are only fifty basic recipes in the culinary repertoire, and all other dishes can be made from them.”

1. Classic Osso Buco – Juicy and tender marrowbone filled veal shank stewed in crisp wine with gremolata.
2. Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce – Eggs poached in wine served with crispy croutés and garnished with fried bacon and tender seasoned mushroom.
3. Grilled Pork Chops with Classic Barbeque Sauce – Chef Anne Willan suggested that warm potato salad with tarragon and white wine is the natural accompaniment. This is a smoky and savoury tender pork chop drizzled with barbeque sauce enriched with a zest of lemon juice.
4. Tuna Steak Marchand de Vin – Tuna with a hint of wine gravy flavor and added with fresh herbs that are parsley and tarragon.
5. Trufade – Creamy and tasty potato cake flavored with bacon covered in lots and lots of cheese.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

Chef Julia actually went to school to become a writer. In fact, during WWII, she landed a job as junior researcher for the Office of the Strategic Services (OSS) and that’s actually an Intelligence Agency!

One of the coolest works she did was handling top-secret documents sent between the US government and their spies, or as we call them, Intelligent Officers.

She got married then to an OSS employee, Paul Child and they moved to Paris. And there she attended Cordon Bleu Academy where she got her inspiration to create her own cookbook and to establish her own brand, the L’Ecole de Trois Gourmandes (The School of the Three Gourmands). However, she was often criticized for not “washing her hands” but she just dismissed them saying  that those people are just  “over-sanitary.”

Chef Julia’s popularity arise from her long series of cooking shows on PBS where I think she influence the entire generation both amateur and professional chefs.

What I love with Chef Julia’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook recipes are well thought about. She assumes that the grocery store is the only place you have to shop and not with some cozy cute little ethnic market in city where everything is always in season coming from different corner of the world. Probably, almost every question I have had about the ingredients and even prepping are covered.

1. Ratatouille – A mix of fresh, tender, and colourful vegetables covered in thick fresh tomato paste.
2. Scrambled Eggs – Fluffy and creamy seasoned scrambled eggs  served with garnishes.
3. Lamb Stew – Wine infused browned lamb chops, roasted until juicy and tender served in a pool of savoury special sauce.
4. Reine de Saba – Soft and moist cake with a hint of rum flavor served with thick and fluffy sweet-bitter combination of coffee and chocolate frosting.
5. Pissaladire – A unique tasting pastry made with fresh chopped onions, olives, and anchovies with sprinkles of fresh thyme.
6. Potato and Leek Soup – Hot soup with smooth and velvety texture bursting with the tastes of mushy potatoes, leek, and vegetables.
7. Eggplant Pizza – Grilled eggplants laid on top of fresh diced tomatoes covered in lots of grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese

J’aime New York: 150 Culinary Destinations for Food Lovers  by Chef Alain Ducasse 

Aside that he owns restaurants and a chocolate manufacture, he characterizes himself as impatient,  greedy and curious! His motto? Savoir-faire, faire-faire, et faire-savoir. In English that’s: be-do, do-do and know-how.  But did you know that when he was younger he had a life threatening experience? A light aircraft in which he was boarded crashed in the Alps leaving him as a lone survivor and that was right after he recovered from a motorcycle incident. Not only that, the recent cookbook recipes “J’aime New York: 150 Culinary Destinations for Food Lovers” was being considered as the bible of the New York ‘s gastronomy. 

1. Red Pepper Tomato Rice  – This is a steamed rice, stir fried in a hot wok with fresh diced tomato seasoned with garlic and pepper and topped with chopped coriander.
2.  Tuna Roll – If you love sushi, this is a very good start to be with, these were made from tasty tuna fillets braised in sriracha sauce and nanami togarashi, a very spicy Japanese chili mix.
3. Shrimp Scampi – Remember that shrimp cook really fast so don’t overcook. This shrimp dish was cooked in steamed white rice and white wine finished with Italian herb seasoning. Best served with delicious green salad and crusty loaf.
4. Orange French Toast – Try this on your breakfast. The key here is to let the battered (orange juice + eggs + vanilla) bread chill inside the fridge for like 2 hours before cooking in skillet or pan with nice melted butter on it.  Cook until the french toast get browned.
5. Oyster Soup – If you have an oyster in can or jar, this is the recipe you can start with. A hot pool of soup made mainly from fresh tomatoes simmered in white wine, potatoes, and carrots.

Simply Novelli by Chef Jean-Christophe Novelli

Did you know that even before becoming famous, he became a personal chef for one of the wealthiest families ever known? Yes, he cooked for the Rothschild family and he was only 19! But, he actually started his career younger when he was 14 as a baker in his hometown. He also also managed Keith Floyd’s The Maltsters and he started his own cooking empire with roughly 500 pounds in his pocket and not just that, he appeared in a game show called Family Fortunes. Also check out his latest cookbook recipes about his quick and easy french classic cooking – Simply Novelli.

1. Caramelized Peach Pancakes – What makes pancake special? It’s the syrup, baby. This hot, fluffy pancakes topped with stock syrup (made from peaches, apricots, raspberries, vanilla pod, star anise and cinnamon) combined with honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice will definitely make your morning great.
2. Caramelized Banana Splits, Rum and Chocolate – When making this recipe, make sure you use ripe bananas. This banana split cooked with skin on it is worth trying. The chocolate sauce is made from grated chocolate and rum in a double broiler while caramel sauce is made from sugar, cream, star anise and rum.
3. Brioche –  If you love baking, then this brioche deserves a try, What you need here is a perfect timing and combination of flour, sugar, salt, yeast, butter and eggs. Baking is science so I suggest follow the recipe carefully to have a sweet and milky flavours trapped inside a soft and fluffy baked bread roll.
4. Apple and Cinnamon Crepes – Making of crepes is a bit challenging. The key here is to add milk slowly in paste (flour + eggs) and test the consistency using the back of the spoon. When making crepe, make sure greaseproof paper is ready right beside you.
5. Aubergine Hummus – Have you ever heard about of eggplant turn into hummus. Well this recipe is a must for those hummus lovers who want to try some blitz of flavors. A few cans of chickpeas and some garlic, tahini, coriander, basil and lemon juice definitely make your hummus exciting.

Kew on a Plate with Chef Raymond Blanc

Probably one of the most interesting things about Raymond is that all his expertise is self-taught. That’s right. His fame actually started by accident. He used to work, as a waiter and then one day the chef got ill so he filled in for him. The people loved what he did and the rest is history. That happened in 1972 and 5 years after that, he started Les Quat’Saisons in Summertown, Oxford.

He started a couple of culinary schools and the most famous is named after him of course, the Raymond Blanc Cookery School and he just doesn’t promote delectable food, he raises awareness for healthy nutritious ones.

What we didn’t know was when he was first starting out, he loved commenting on sauces and one day, the chef started to hate him and broke his jaw with a copper pan! That’s one hot chef! 

In his latest cookbook recipes, according to Raymond, the best dish is the one that’s in season. This cookbook recipes, along with Raymond Blanc’s detailed tasting notes and 40 mouth-watering recipes will be surely a cookbook recipes to treasure for life.

1. Pressure Cooker Beef Bourguignon – If you love using pressure cooking, this classical french way of cooking beef is a must. This flavour-infused and tender Ox cheek with a tinge of red wine taste served with  seasoned mushroom and chopped parsley is worth trying.
2. Roast Beef with Celeriac Pureé and Red Wine Sauce – If you want a fancy dish but easy to make, try having a roasted rib angus beef. Simply lay it on thick and creamy celeriac puree, finish it with red wine sauce, mushroom, and tarragon. Your guest will love this.
3. Steak Maman Blanc – If you have a nice cut of ribeye steak, you can make it as medium rare or according to your liking with its juice sizzling coming from steak that served with classy red wine sauce with pieces of shallots, thyme, and tarragon.
4. Beef Wellington – Use a high quality puff pastry here if you’re planning to get a ready made one. This beef wellington if done properly is so tender especially if flavored with mushroom stuffing. The thinly sliced parma ham, on the other hand, will definitely add a lovely flavor that you’ll surely make it over again.
5. Braised Red Cabbage – When it comes to side dish, I’ll highly recommend this. It is made of tender shreds of cabbage infused with the different tastes of fresh juniper berries, sweet-spicy cinnamon, and creamy butter.

The Complete Bocuse by Chef Paul Bocuse

If you are looking for cuisines that feature lightly cooked vegetable but are covered in flavorful sauces that are low in fats, try Paul’s recipes. He is actually famous for this style of cooking, it is so innovative they call it nouvelle cuisine. He also presents them in simple but really artsy manner. And it could also be the reason why Paul gathered a huge following from younger chefs.

He came from a family of restaurateur and managed their business when it was almost ailing. His L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges was rated three stars by Michelin and he also has restaurants in Tokyo, New York, and Disney World in Orlando. And he just made it to the Top Ten Richest Chefs list at  $185 Million Net worth.  Who said cooking doesn’t pay?

Well, if you’re thinking of getting his cookbook recipes, you’ll be surprise on this one, which is almost 2 ½ “ thick that I honestly think will give a good deal for your money. A lot of really good stuff especially the ins and outs of French cooking recipes. 

1. Filet of Sole – If you want a simple and easy way to cook a sole, try this one. This is a coated seasoned sole fried in butter that was served in sizzling hot platter with the zesty taste of lemon juice garnished with chopped parsley.
2. Black Truffle Soup Élysée – This is a soup served underneath the puff pastry. If you want to impress a guest, this is a unique way of making soup that is rich and creamy made with great combination of black truffles, goose liver, chicken breast, and spices. This is baked and served in soup bowls covered by thin, flaky puff pastry glazed with egg.
3. Stuffed Cabbage – This dish is very simple to make. I would suggest to use a medium size cabbage here so it will be easy to remove its core replace with flavored stuffing of veal, pork and bacon mixed in bread and eggs.
4. Pumpkin Soup – This cooking method is somehow similar to stuffed cabbage. This is a soup within a pumpkin itself. A great way to make a soup especially when pumpkins are cheap. The soup is thick and made from creamy puree of seasoned pumpkin and spices served hot in a hollow steamed pumpkin shell.
5. Chicken in Vinegar Sauce – A very easy way of cooking the chicken from fresh tomatoes and vinegar. The sauce is made from the juice coming from simmered chicken. Its juiciness and melt-off-the-bone chicken cuts with the salty-sour taste of vinegar sauce served with pieces of fresh cut tomatoes, rich and creamy butter sauce and chopped parsley will make you love this dish.

Low Fat Meals in Minutes by Chef Ainsley Harriott

He dances. Yes, he does and he did in front of many people in the BBC Strictly Come Dancing but did that in a span of just 5 weeks after being voted out. He used just be behind the camera but he started his 18-year-old TV career back when he was the Head Chef of the Long Room at Cricket Ground and he was asked to present over the radio his recipe for More Nosh, Less Dosh.

He then became a resident chef at a TV show called Good Morning with Anne and Nick. But, he is not only famous in UK TV, he also had shows in the US and in South Africa.

I bet not only his two children and his musician dad would be so proud of him but it’s possible that his dog, Oscar, feasts on his yummy food from his cookbook recipes as well. 

1. Smoked Salmon Kedgeree – This tasty and smoky salmon on top of flavor enriched Ainsley Harriott Indian Biryani Rice rice served with classic naan bread that will make your dinner a lovely one.
2. Lemon and Bay Baked Fish with Wild Mushroom Couscous – This is best with haddock or cod fish seasoned evenly and with added flavor of bay leaf and lemon juice placed on top of tender mushroom stewed in flavorful vegetable stock and Ainsley Harriott Wild Mushroom Couscous. This fish recipe is a winner.
3. Mango Glazed Lamb Chops – Tender grilled lamb chops with Ainsley Harriott Spice Sensation Cous Cous brushed with mango chutney served with couscous and poppadums.
4. Crispy tuna Fingers with Red Pepper Relish – Fried and crispy coated tuna fingers with tomato, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar relish that is serve with Ainsley Harriott Sundried Tomato & Garlic Cous Cous
5. Sweet Chili Crusted Hake – Juicy hake strips brushed with lime rind, sweet chili sauce, and creme fraiche mixture roasted and best served with flavorful Ainsley Harriott Aromatic Thai Style Couscous.

Dire, Fare, Brasare by Chef Carlo Cracco

What makes Carlo end up in the list of the most famous chefs in the world? Aside from attending institutes like Professional Hotel Institute, he was also trained by one famous chef on the list, Alain Ducasse. Talk about the best trained by the best, he managed to study and work at the same time at Da Remo where he learned about traditional food preparation. But his first real job was at Gualtiero Marchesi and followed by a position at the La Meridiana. – which wouldn’t have been possible if he pursued on being a priest.  How ironic that one of the judges of Hell’s Kitchen is no other than Carlo Cracco himself. Well, I hope that there will be an english version of some of his cookbook recipes.

1. Milanese Cutlet “Done Wrong”  – A traditional Italian recipe shared by chef Carlo Cracco: the classic Milanese veal cutlet “done wrong” on purpose. The breading is served apart from the meat.
2. Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive oil and Peperoncino – one of the simplest–yet most satisfying–dishes in the Italian food canon, a delicious recipe from two-star Michelin chef Carlo Cracco of Cracco Restaurant in Milan.

Two Greedy Italians Chef Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo

If you want nice Italian Pasta, look for the Godfather of Italian cooking, Antonio Carluccio. Why did I say that? Because he has been cooking pasta since he was 21 years old but the only person to enjoy that was his flatmate.

He is so fond of mushrooms in fact, he managed to continue discovering several types and has been using his discoveries in perfecting his cooking and sharing it to his cookbook recipes.

In 1998, he was awarded Commendatore OMRI by the Italian President for his contributions to Italian culinary and he also has in his name an honorary OBE.  But what is surprising is that he was issued to be so depressed on his then recent separation from his third wife, he stabbed himself to the chest  which he claimed to be just an accident.  

1. Cappelli con Caponata –  Hat shaped pasta served with savoury sauce made from thick tomato paste with olives, onions and tender herbs, splashed with red wine vinegar and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.
2. Linguine alla Mollica (Linguine with Anchovies, Capers, Olives and Breadcrumbs) – Pasta with the salty-spicy flavor of anchovies, chillies and capers enriched with the fine texture of the pasta dressed into breadcrumbs as crust.
3. Tuscan Pasta with Pork Sauce (Pici o Pinci al Ragu di Maiale) – Hand made pasta served in a rich, thick, and chunky sauce made with fine spiced minced pork topped with lots of creamy grated cheese.
4. Roast Pork and Garlic (Arrosto di Maiale) – Juicy and tender roasted hind leg cut and infused with the savoury taste of pepper, white wine, carrots and garlic.
5. Tuna-stuffed Eggs (Uova Tonnate) – Hard boiled egg bowls stuffed with seasoned tuna mixed with creamy thick mayonnaise.

Slow Cook Italian by Chef Gennaro Contaldo

When you think of a good chef you think of so many names, including Chef Jamie Oliver, but he must say his regard to Gennaro since, Gennaro taught James some of what he knows. That’s correct. Actually, Gennaro is dubbed as a chef who cooks like an angel and no ordinary angel. His food must be real magical! but that was not enough to keep married. He had three wives but is now single. However, he has a published cookbook recipes called Passione and Gennaro Slow Cook Italian and get this, he has an online food channel!

1. Marinated Beetroot – Perfect side dish with roast food, this is made from tender beetroot seasoned with salt and vinegar served with a sour-salty marinade.
2. Stuffed Baby Peppers – Baked romero peppers filled with yummy, and creamy-spicy mixture of provolone and parmesan cheese, mashed potatoes and eggs.
3. Sweet and Sour Bread Salad –  A twist of traditional panzanella making it with a sweet-sour taste served with tender caramelized and fresh pieces of basil that’s drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

So there you go,

Before I end this very long post, I want to tell you that finding inspiration for your new healthy cooking recipes is really fun and challenging. You can start with those chefs you admired most with their bestselling cookbook recipes. If you’re adventurous enough, with a bit tweak on their cookbook recipes that will match according to your liking, you may create your own version of recipe that suits you.

If you want to learn “next level cooking“ or “get tweaked recipes“ that suits your diet, just subscribe and I’ll see you there.