From the Earth World's Great, Rare and Almost Forgotten Vegetables

by Gilmore, Peter; Stevens, Brett

• ISBN13: 9781743793480
• ISBN10: 1743793480
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2018-10-16
• Publisher: Hardie Grant Books
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Summary

2019 James Beard Award Nominee From the Earth is a celebration of approximately 50 unique and exotic heirloom vegetables and plants through the seasons. Some the author grows himself in his experimental home garden, while others come from suppliers he has developed close and lasting relationships with over his 15 years as executive chef at Quay restaurant in Sydney, Australia.

The book includes full-color photography by Brett Stevens alongside botanical illustrations heroing each vegetable, as well as key information (family group; history and origin; traditional cooking uses; growing conditions; anecdotal stories; and why the author loves them!) and a recipe inspired by the vegetable.

The recipes range from very simple – about the cooking technique with little adornment – to more complex dishes that may feature at Peter's restaurants Bennelong or Quay. All are approachable and achievable in the home kitchen. The key, always, is celebrating the organic beauty of the vegetables and allowing them to shine. In the chef's words: 'Simplicity is key, with a little bit of complexity thrown in'.

Recipes include Fried puntarelle chicory, Kyoto red carrot salad (sheep's milk feta, smoked almond, sherry caramel), Slow braised roveja peas (fermented mushroom and black garlic purée) and Slow cooked galeux d' eysines pumpkin (aged comte cream, truffle).

In addition, the book profiles, in words and pictures, chef Gilmore's home garden and the evolution of his now abiding passion for it, as well as a handful of his most loyal growers and seed suppliers.

Author Biography

Peter Gilmore is one of the most acclaimed chefs in Australia and his restaurant, Quay, on Sydney's harbor, is one of the most celebrated. He sources rare plants and heirloom vegetable seeds for his home garden on Sydney's northern beaches. He experiments with them before transitioning them to his menu at Quay. From The Earth was a finalist in the 2019 James Beard Awards in the Restaurant and Professional category, and it was awarded best cookbook in the 2019 Australian Book Designers' Awards.