The Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and Cooking Lessons from San Francisco's Beloved Restaurant

I have only made a couple of recipes from this cookbook, but have read most of it and am interested in trying more! I am especially intrigued by their renowned recipe for roasted chicken.

But- one of the recipes I've used a number of times now is the one for "seafood essence", and that alone is worth the whole book. We occasionally have a lobster feast, and this is a BRILLIANT and efficient way of utilizing the lobster shells and carapaces that would otherwise be discarded. Also, one can save up shrimp shells, frozen, to add to the essence (if one does not use them to make shrimp butter, of course!). The "essence" is a lobster stock- a quick one to make, needing cooking for only an hour or so- then strained and cooked down until one has show more a tiny amount of pure lobster flavor. (At some point, it is helpful to strain any sludge out of it.) Then put it in a small jar and freeze it. One teaspoon of it can give a lovely lobster taste to almost anything!

I am also eager to try her approach to perfect chicken stock.

Very recommended! The recipes look amazing in general, and invite explorations. I'm 3000 miles away from the restaurant, and sure wish I were not! show less

Interesting cookbook, but there is almost nothing in here that I want to cook. It would be a fun cookbook for someone without kids and with a large budget and ample free time to prepare the time-intensive recipes, most of which require speciality ingredients. That said, I have made the roast chicken several times, and it is amazing (Google "Zuni roast chicken").

Recipes often rely on each other for integrated meals. Very tasty, though sometimes fussy. Never had a bad meal from this book. Very pleased with it.

The Zuni roast chicken has become a household staple. Also like the fava bean salad with manchego and the beet salad with walnut oil. Yum.