July Cookbook: Everyone’s Table by Gregory Gourdet
I watched Gregory Gourdet on both of his Top Chef seasons, as I binged every episode during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic (ever heard of it?). When his debut cookbook dropped in May, a fellow fan sent me this book on Instagram and asked my thoughts. (Basically, she was scoping to see if I would buy and post about it so that she can live vicariously through me. You ain’t slick, Brandis! 😘) That same week I went to my local B&N to get myself a copy. Right away, I could tell that this book was going to be a level-up from my previous cookbook picks. It’s filled with unique ingredients I have never used and techniques that one would expect from a Top Chef contestant. Buckle up fam, we’re not on Easy Street anymore!
Starting the month off strong with the crispy fried chicken with smoky salt (pg. 226). I got nervous making this because it called for one habanero pepper (I only used a quarter of it – I’m scared!). I don’t mind a little spice, but I must admit I do have a fragile white palette. I let the chicken sit in the marinade overnight, clearing my sinuses with every whiff, and the next afternoon I coated them in the tapioca powder and fried those babies up! The raw chicken coated in tapioca powder looked very unappetizing. But I’m happy to report that once it was deep fried, it had the perfect crunch with just the right amount of spice (for me).
I made the sautéed spinach with golden raisins and pine nuts (pg. 69) to go with the chicken. Sautéed spinach is quickly becoming a staple in this house. I mean, how else can you eat an entire bag of spinach in three bites? I loved the addition of golden raisins and toasty pine nuts. I will reach for this recipe again next time I’m about 12 hours away from having to toss a bag of spinach I bought two weeks before.
The first time I tried making the spicy pineapple-turmeric smoothie (pg. 330), the wind turned the page without me noticing. I ended up using half this recipe and half the peach lassi recipe LOL. It still tasted good though! But the next day I tried again. This time moving the book to the other side of the kitchen. And would you believe, following the correct recipe made it even better!
Over the holiday weekend, I made the grilled salmon with peach curry and coconut cream (pg. 207). The peach curry was a little out of my comfort zone, but since that's the whole point of this project, I went for it. The curry didn’t turn out as creamy as it looked in the book, but I did enjoy the flavors. It was a good balance of sweet, spicy and savory. I’m glad I tried it but I probably wouldn’t reach for it again!
Then I made these spiced carrot pumpkin muffins (pg. 129) and the romaine hearts with avocado, radishes and green goddess (pg. 35) before going wild on some hard seltzers and hot dogs for the 4th. I ended up using whole wheat flour for the muffins instead of the paleo-friendly blend listed in the recipe. (I just didn’t want to buy any more flours, tbh.) They were hearty and made a great, quick breakfast for the week. The salad was great, too! Light and refreshing, perfect for these hot days when I will do anything to avoid turning my oven on. 🥵
Some people think brussels sprouts are over, but I’m still riding this wave! The brussels sprouts with chilies, lime and mint (pg. 62) was a nice switch-up from what I usually do with brussels sprouts. (Roast them until they’re impossibly crispy and dose them with garlic aioli.) I also had leftover carrots from the muffins so I made the carrot salad with oranges, cashews and charred chile dressing (pg. 43). I loved how well the citrus complemented the carrots!
Last but not least, you know I had to try the chocolate chunk brownies with cacao caramel (pg. 381). These also call for a paleo-friendly flour blend – again, I just used whole wheat because I do not have cabinet space for new flours – and cacao powder instead of the traditional cocoa. These are very dense and rich, perfect for any brownie lover out there! (I’m kind of so-so about brownies, but they definitely hit the spot every now and then.) I did struggle with the cacao caramel. I couldn’t get the coconut milk to thicken up! After letting it simmer for twenty minutes (and then completely forgetting about it until one hour later), I just drizzled some regular caramel on top. Although these really don’t need it! They’re pretty good on their own. I spent the next hour scraping burnt coconut milk from the bottom of my saucepan. 🤦🏻♀️
In Other News…
I made this viral TikTok pasta, The Lazy Princess, using Banza chickpea pasta.
I discovered this amazing bodega in my neighborhood that sells imported snacks from all over the world.
I had a great dinner at Somebody People, an all-vegan restaurant where I got a cocktail with green bean-infused vodka. Because why not?
I described in detail this video of Gordon Ramsey scrambling eggs to someone who truly did not care.
I read this article from The Atlantic about people who eat the same thing every day. Can you imagine??
Thanks for reading, sweeties! 🍎