New Great Dishes of the World - Hardcover

New Great Dishes of the World is Robert Carrier's long-delayed sequel to his Classic Great Dishes of the World, which was first published in 1963. In the four decades since, much has changed. Ingredients and techniques once deemed impossibly exotic are at the fingertips of any cook who wants to reach out and take them. So Robert Carrier has again assembled a collection of outstanding recipes from around the world, but now reflecting modern tastes. The new internationalism is manifested most clearly in the section dealing with breakfasts (or rather, Great Breakfasts--Carrier is evidently an indefatigable self-promoter and all the chapters are Great). Thai Crab Cakes, Creole Spiced Sausage Patties, Tunisian Adja with Eggs, Hong Kong Congee all sit happily alongside each other. Starters include Oysters in Champagne with Caramelized Spring Onions, Japanese Seared Beef with Fresh Ginger and the classic Artichoke Hearts with Foie Gras. Soups range from the creations of great chefs such as Paul Bocuse and Gordon Ramsay to Italian Mama's Comfort Soup, while pasta dishes take in Chinese Egg Noodles with Crisp Vegetables and Franco Taruschio's Bigoli with Chicken Liver Sauce. Lunch dishes are mostly seafood or vegetarian. The section on Great Dinners is heady indeed, including contributions from Raymond Blanc (Fillet of Lamb Baked in a Salt Crust with Rosemary), Fredy Girardet (Pan-Seared Fillets of Red Mullet) and the Hotel Crillon ('Hearts' of Pigeon with Chicory). An exhilarating collection, then, from a supremely confident and cosmopolitan cook; and worthy of its famous predecessor. -- Robin Davidson