Mangini, C: Vegetable Butcher

Marrying the art of butchery with the joy of gorgeous seasonal produce, The Vegetable Butcher is the fresh, inspiring, and essential guide that demystifies the world of vegetables, from exotic crosnes and gnarly celeriac to the amazingly versatile everyday potato. It's the book that shows exactly how to prepare an artichoke--plus peel a tomato, chiffonade kale, slice kohlrabi into carpaccio, break down a butternut squash, and cut a cauliflower into steaks. This is a complete vegetable education, from what to look for at the market to how to make vegetables the center of truly distinctive dishes. Over 100 recipes, all vegetarian (and all extraordinarily luscious), celebrate the soul-satisfying flavor of each vegetable--Orange-Shallot Fiddlehead Ferns and Ricotta Crostini; a summery Zucchini, Sweet Corn, and Basil Penne with Pine Nuts and Mozzarella; a Parsnip-Ginger Layer Cake with Burnt-Buttercream Frosting to sweeten a winter meal. Vegetables are modern, sexy, and outrageously delicious. And now, completely knowable, too.