Milk Street Vegetables: 250 Bold, Simple Recipes for Every Season

by Christopher Kimball

IACP AWARD WINNER FOR BEST GENERAL COOKBOOK Move vegetables into the center of your plate from the realm of sides and salads with this vegetable-cooking bible of more than 250 full-flavor recipes, from James Beard and IACP award winner Christopher Kimball's Milk Street.

Chili-spiked carrots. Skillet-charred Brussels sprouts.  Mashed potatoes brightened with harissa and pistachios. These are just three ways to put vegetables in the center of your plate.   Here in the U.S., meat is cheap and has been in the center of the plate for centuries. The rest of the world, however, knows how to approach vegetables, grains and beans not only with respect but with a fresh, lively approach, one that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.   To get a vegetable education, we traveled to Athens to learn how winter vegetable stews could taste light and bright, not hearty and heavy. In Cairo, we tasted eggplant and potatoes that punched up flavor with bold pops of texture from whole spices. And in Puglia, Italy, we had a revelatory bite of zucchini enriched by ricotta cheese and lemon.   This is a world of high-heat roasts, unctuous braises, drizzles of honey, and stir-fries aromatic with ginger and garlic. And with 250 recipes, the possibilities are nearly    A simple head of cauliflower can become Cauliflower Shawarma, Sichuan Dry-Fried Cauliflower, or Curried Cauliflower Rice with Peas and Cashews Humble cabbage travels the world to become Butter-Roasted Cabbage with Citrus, Hazelnuts and Mustard; Hot and Sour Stir-Fried Cabbage; and Thai-Style Coleslaw with Mint and Cilantro Mushrooms are transformed into Stir-Fried Mushrooms with Asparagus and Lemon Grass or Miso Soup with Mixed Vegetables and Tofu and greens get the Milk Street treatment in dishes like Pozole with Collard Greens; Hot Oil-Flashed Chard with Ginger, Scallions and Chili; and  Persian-Style Swiss Chard and Herb Omelet   It’s never too late to get your vegetable PhD.  

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference

859 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2021

Reviews

[Crystal]

Cookbook
Of the 3 Milk Street books I just went through, this was good but my least favorite.
Great pictures.
Some of these are repeated from their complete cookbook, The Milk Street Cookbook: The Definitive Guide to the New Home Cooking--with Every Recipe from the TV Show. There are a wide variety of flavors and cultural influences. Lots of different veggies included.
The reason this one was kind of a let down is probably because I read the main cookbook first and it was awesome.
This is not an introductory cookbook... if you're trying to eat more veggies but really don't know the best way to cook them this isn't the book for you. This is for people who already have the basics of roasting, sautéing, and seasoning veggies. There are great ideas here inspired by international vegetable dishes, but most will require a special and purposeful shopping trip (at least for most Americans).

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold, fresh takes on making veggies flavorful and punchy. I like to plan meals by veggie first, then add meat as an accompaniment, and this book is perfect for that.

I love how the TOC has recipes grouped according to the main vegetable, though the book itself groups them by cooking technique—interesting way to maximize usage.

[Elda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every recipe has a picture

I just made the "Savory fresh corn pancakes" and it turned out perfect. Can't wait to cook the rest of the book.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love vegetables, so even though I'm not vegetarian or vegan I still love to look at vegetable cookbooks. This one is organized like a typical cookbook with chapters on types of recipes - salads, soups, pasta/grain dishes, etc. I like that at the beginning of the book all the recipes are listed by vegetable, so if you wanted to find recipes for a specific vegetable you can do it that way more easily. Also throughout the book there are one page articles about a specific vegetable with some history and best uses for that vegetable. I didn't find tons of recipes I wanted to try, but I did find a few. Overall, a good vegetable cookbook.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very nice recipes but much too complicated for my skill level.

[Honest Mabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

some very good recipes

I don’t know if they would be entrees but many are great side dishes and good lunches. Some of the ingredients can be harder for smaller towns and the Midwest. (Or at least the areas I have been to) but overall the recipes are relatively approachable and no real odd vegetables or unique ones that are harder to find

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet again, I wish half stars were an option as I would've given this cookbook 3.5 stars.

Milk Street is like an America's Test Kitchen cookbook, it's the same folks so no surprise there. The book has well written recipes and a plethora of color photos of the finished dishes.

An experienced cook will likely find some inspiration in the recipes. I found a few recipes I do plan to try like the Andalusian Chilled Tomato and Bread Soup or as its known in Spain, Salmorejo. I'm always looking for interesting recipes that will allow me to use up my garden bounty and this one calls for 2 pounds of tomatoes. You make be thinking huh? that's just tomato soup, but the picture of the finished soup and the ingredients (tomatoes, bread, sherry vinegar, boiled eggs) piqued my interest, and that is a good hallmark of a good recipe in my book.

I did find myself thinking that some of the recipes seemed quite similar to other recipes. At times it felt like the same ingredients being were used in similar ways, the only difference being the main vegetable changed, so a potato might get the same treatment as a zucchini, squash or eggplant. Technically they are different recipes, but it still annoyed me for some reason.

Less experienced cooks may struggle a little as they may be unfamiliar with some recipe's key ingredients. While the authors claimed they've modified the recipes so they'll work in American kitchens, some recipes do include specific ingredients, like gochugaru, gochujang or kimchi, that are required to make the recipe work and these are ingredients that you may not have on hand or easy access to.

Overall, it's a nice book that offers 250 vegetable focused recipes.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a modern, simple, creative & international-inspired all vegetable cookbook. I don’t review a lot of cookbooks on here, but this book deserves recognition. It is everything a health & flavor conscious home cook needs to be inspired. I borrowed it from the library, but I plan to buy myself a copy. There are so many recipes I want to try. Each chapter begins with an anecdote or the history of a vegetable. Every recipe has a photo.

[Ariel O'Suilleabhain · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Milk Street Vegetables' By Christopher Kimball while not a fiction book you would read such as a series of story sagas has enough vegetarian baking and broiling to bring the right kind of tasteful health to the palette - from delightful celery and cucumber to Greek Cabbage Salad with Carrots and Olives (Politika Salata) and Butter Braised Tomato Soup to an Escarole Salad with Charred Grapes, Apples and Blue Cheese and who does not just swoon over that. Skillet Charred Brussels Sprouts with Garlic, Anchovy and Chili completed by Radishes and Snap Peas with Orange and Mint make for a refreshing lunch or brunch. Greek Style Pasta and Oven Charred Broccoli may follow for dinner and since all of the dishes come from the fresh water drenched vegetable garden of your choice, each recipe' blends a gentle exfoliate for translation from pot and pan to the artiste' gold or possible hand-painted ceramic serving bowl of each ethnic table. Top that off by trying out the Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic, Lemon and Parsley and your choice of Roasted Acorn Squash with Orange Herb Salad and Hazelnuts or for variation on the supper wok theme Mashed Butternut Squash with Cumin and Chili. From Cairo to Athens to Puglia, Italy ricotta cheese smashed on top of a pepper, lemon and cheese zucchini for one imaginative masterpiece for the avid palette, Chef and Cooking Instructor Christopher Kimball of Milkstreet in downtown Boston has come up with a cookbook, and enough craft food, cookware products and radio and television shows so thorough and colorful enough to enhance your each cooking hour with awoke. Author Ariel O'Suilleabhain

[Antoinette Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

These cookbooks from Christopher Kimball of Milkstreet are amazing. Before Christmas 2023 I ordered a half dozen or so and they are saving me money rather than the opposite. They are fulled with unique multi cultural exotic, tasty recipes that keep you at home in your kitchen instead of dropping tons of money at over priced restaurants, which is still fun once in a while of course. I’ve made several dishes already actually and most are not complicated despite using and learning new approaches and techniques derived from various ethnicities. I read through each like a book but of course one is actually never “finished” with a good cookbook. These cookbooks are interesting and fascinating with gorgeous photography. He offers deep discounts periodically so splurge and treat yourself unless you prefer bland boring food. Really educational too.

[Danielle Booey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Milk Street Vegetables is exactly what it swims. A cookbook full of vegetable focused recipes. Lots of squash, broccoli, potatoes, and leafy green vegetables here. The recipes take inspiration from all over the world Mexico to Afghanistan and everywhere in between.

My favorite part might be that every recipe has its own picture. So you will know what every dish is supposed to look like, which is lovely!

Looking forward to trying the carrot almond soup recipe.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that kind of "if you could only keep one cookbook, what would it be" questioning? I'd choose Milk Street Vegetables. The photo are gorgeous, it gives one 250 recipes to choose from and offers many flavor combinations that I haven't seen much of elsewhere. My experience so far in actually using this book is that the instructions aren't unduly complex, and every recipe has been an I'd-make-it-again. Yep, it's the one I would keep...

[Penney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yum! Yum! Yum!

Journey around the world, North and South, East and West! The strength of Christopher Kimball's cookbooks is he teaches us how to cook the world's cuisines like a native. He didn't teach us a dish; he teaches us the cuisine. Every dish, every recipe is Elite and could be featured on the menus of award winning restaurants around the world.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the weaker Milk Street books (in part because there are meat-based recipes throughout). IT IS NOT A VEGETARIAN BOOK! It's simply a book that picks individual vegetables and provides recipes that put that vegetable in the center of the meal. So, yes, good in general, but not one that I've found I use all that often.

[Dray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very nice cookbook with amazing recipes. Milk Street, like test kitchen, has a lot of institutional experience with food and flavors, presentation and preparation. Especially valuable for vegetarians with a lot of offerings.

[Zeb · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing

I own so many cookbooks and I’m a mostly plant based eater. Never had a cookbook had so many approachable recipes I wanted to make. This is the cookbook for anyone pursuing vegetarianism.

[William Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

As long as you understand it's not a vegetarian cook book, it's really quite good. Delicious and approachable recipes. You should probably buy a kitchen scale first though, because I did not and I'm guessing a lot.....

[Marzieh Behboodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t like meat and this is going to be my path of finding something to eat. Something healthy and easy to make.

[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need a chef

I wish I had someone to cook for me so I could try these dishes. I marked the easiest ones

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a given anymore that when I check out an ebook copy of any Milk Street cookbook from the library, I’ll end up purchasing a physical copy because I’ve bookmarked so many dang recipes.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best cookbooks I own, and I own a lot.

[Mariko · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a handful of recipes I'd like to try.

[Anastasia Tuckness · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of these look really yummy, dishes I can totally imagine making and liking. It includes a lot of dishes I'd call main dishes. The couple I've made have been good.

[J. Muro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thinking of buying this book-

[Reen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and easy vegetables. So many good choices. Time to get cooking.

[Katrina Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are great recipes and I am excited to try them all! You could eat all of these and not even realize you weren’t eating that much meat!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yum! Used this book for over a year now and tried about 50 recipes. Some recipes are repeats from the OG, and I'm noticing a lot of repeats with different veggies roasted in similar sauces.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do love a good cook book.
This one is pretty.

[Lowry Mainereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been making these recipes right away. They are a good combination of accessible and delicicous,

[Ryan Juno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would go back to it for some salads and soups