The Figs Table : More Than 100 Recipes for Pizzas, Pastas, Salads, and Desserts
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| The Figs Table : More Than 100 Recipes for Pizzas, Pastas, Salads, and Desserts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Never trust a round pizza"
-- Todd English Todd English, the renowned chef who brought you The Olives Table, shares his savory, innovative, Mediterranean-inspired food in this collection of more than 100 home-tested recipes from his award-winning restaurant Figs. At Figs, which was voted Best Italian Restaurant by USA Today and cited by Boston magazine and Zagat's as having the best pizza in Boston, there's something for everyone in the family, from Macaroni Simoni for the kids, to Portobello Mushrooms, Mushroom Purée, and Fontina Cheese Pizza for more sophisticated palates. And no one will turn down a taste of the White-Chocolate Challah Pudding with Caramel Sauce. Everyone loves pizza, and at Figs, pizza is the main attraction. But that's not all you'll find in these pages. The Figs Table showcases Todd English's trademark style: layering flavors to create bold and soulful food, now available to the home cook. Fennel Watermelon, and Black Olive Salad with Feta Cheese makes a refreshing starter on a hot summer day, while the flavors of Roasted, Fried Pear Quarters with Frisée, Prosciutto, and Balsamic Glaze warm a cool autumn evening. Mushroom Minestrone or Black Bean Chill is filling enough to make a meal. Couscous Carbonara with Country Ham is a new twist on an old favorite; Spaghetti with Hazelnuts and Green Beans makes a simple but elegant supper. And why not try Creamy Cheddar and Spinach Polenta or the Asparagus Butter Risotto with Shrimp as a change from pasta? And of course, there's the pizza: White Bean Hummus and Asiago; Fig and Prosciutto; Clam; Spicy Shrimp Pizza with Caramelized Leeks and Tomato Sauce; Classico; even Kielbasa, Sauerkraut, and Potato Pizza with Dijon Mustard Aloli. And for just a taste of something sweet, try a Cranberry Pecan Biscotti, a slice of Torta Caprese, or the Tiramisu that The Boston Phoenix called "the best in town." Simple or complex, sweet or savory, any dish from The Figs Table makes any meal special.
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Authors English and Sampson are aiming, with The Figs Table, at the 15 best pizza recipes out of Todd English's award-winning restaurant, Figs. But to get there--poor reader--you will have to pass through one impossibly flavorful ordeal after another, starting right up front with such basics as roasted garlic, balsamic onions, and fig jam.
You will find the whimsical: Fennel, Watermelon, and Black Olive Salad with Feta Cheese, which comes of English musing about agro dolce and melon paired with prosciutto. You will find the sublime: Roasted Beets with Walnut Gorgonzola Dressing. And in between, you are sure to stop at some very basic treasures like White Bean Soup, Black Bean Chili, a lasagna to end them all, Sweet Potato Polenta, Roasted Fennel and Shrimp Risotto, and then on into those pizzas to die for. English uses the Mediterranean like a springboard for his flavor imagination. This cookbook is his dismount. Any judge would give him the highest points possible. --Schuyler Ingle |
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| Reader Reviews Below Sorted by Newest First | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 03-30-10 | 5 | (NA) |
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Before I knew it, my book had arrived -- in better condition than i'd expected. Lucky me! I definitely recommend this seller.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2010-06-07 14:51:17 EST)
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| 03-17-08 | 4 | 1\1 |
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I've been living in Charlestown for a little over three years now and over that time have come to love and feel at home at both Olives and Figs. This book does a wonderful job of capturing the things I love about Figs. So far I have made several recipes including the pizza dough, mushroom puree, mushroom pizza, portobello burger, and couscous carbonara, three onion risotto, and fig jam and all have been delicious. The standout though has been the White Chocolate Challah Bread Pudding. It is amazingly good at the restaurant and equally sinful at home. I have received so many compliments for this dessert. What is especially wonderful is that they taste identical to what you've had in the restaurant so you won't feel like English is holding back a secret or that these recipes can only be perfected with ingredients that represent the creme de la creme (although good ingredients certainly don't hurt.)
Yes, olive oil, cream, and cheese are common ingredients but if you're watching your waistline it's easy to cut back on these items slightly to make them a bit more healthy. As a previous reviewer mentioned, the pizza dough is great. It has an interesting taffy-like texture and when rolled out thin, bakes up light, crispy and perfect, even on an inexpensive baking pan. While some of the recipes do require prepping components like a puree or an aioli ahead of time many of these things store well in the refrigerator so you can easily make some components ahead of time. I made the dough, for example, on a weekend, divided into balls that could be stored in the refrigerator and baked them up during the week. The dough also freezes very well. The only thing I do wish is that they would reissue the cookbook as there are many new pizzas on the menu that are not included in the book. However, this is a small nit as everything in the book is fantastic and easy to master. (Review Data Last Updated: 2010-04-16 00:17:50 EST)
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| 03-17-08 | 4 | (NA) |
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I've been living in Charlestown for a little over three years now and over that time have come to love and feel at home at both Olives and Figs. This book does a wonderful job of capturing the things I love about Figs. So far I have made several recipes including the the pizza dough, mushroom puree, mushroom pizza, portobello burger, and couscous carbonara and all have been delicious. What is especially wonderful is that they taste identical to what you've had in the restaurant so you won't feel like English is holding back a secret or that these recipes can only be perfected with ingredients that represent the creme de la creme (although good ingredients certainly don't hurt.)
Yes, olive oil, cream, and cheese are common ingredients but if you're watching your waistline it's easy to cut back on these items slightly to make them a bit more healthy. As a previous reviewer mentioned, the pizza dough is great. It has an interesting taffy-like texture and when rolled out thin, bakes up light, crispy and perfect, even on an inexpensive baking pan. While some of the recipes do require prepping components like a puree or an aioli ahead of time many of these things store well in the refrigerator so you can easily make some components ahead of time. I made the dough, for example, on a weekend, divided into balls that could be stored in the refrigerator and baked them up during the week. The book also mentions that the dough freezes well. The only thing I do wish is that they would reissue the cookbook as there are many new pizzas on the menu that are not included in the book. However, this is a small nit as everything in the book is fantastic and easy to master. (Review Data Last Updated: 2009-01-25 13:06:35 EST)
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| 02-05-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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rated by our cook club members.
we gather together once a week, to experice and learn a new dish each time for the past few yrs, we hv used many different cook books, but his book is always the favorite among all of us. it is not only clearly stated " how to....", but also "simple and down to earth" food, not the fancy ones u see among other cook books. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-09-07 02:42:03 EST)
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| 02-05-07 | 5 | (NA) |
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rated by our cook club members.
we gather together once a week, to experice and learn a new dish each time for the past few yrs, we hv used many different cook books, but his book is always the favorite among all of us. it is not only clearly stated " how to....", but also "simple and down to earth" food, not the fancy ones u see among other cook books. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-18 19:08:44 EST)
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| 05-05-05 | 2 | 4\6 |
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After thoroughly enjoying the Olives cookbook and Olives dessert, I was disapointed at the simplicity of this cookbook. I was expecting more eye opening dishes from the master of Mediterranean cooking.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-15 09:40:52 EST)
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| 05-04-05 | 2 | 1\2 |
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After thoroughly enjoying the Olives cookbook and Olives dessert, I was disapointed at the simplicity of this cookbook. I was expecting more eye opening dishes from the master of Mediterranean cooking.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-02-05 17:38:06 EST)
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| 03-18-05 | 5 | 5\6 |
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This cookbook is one of my favorites. Right now, the roasted tomato sauce is bubbling away in my oven. Picture this: fresh or even canned plummed tomatoes, sliced onion, olive oil, herbs--simply dump it all in a roasting pan, come back in an hour and you've got a superb sauce. Most of the recipes are this simple: honest, fresh, quality ingredients, simply prepared, with great results.
Todd English would not want to know how many friends have hand-copied recipes from my Figs Table cookbook--his publisher might sue me. I live near Boston, so everyone knows and loves Figs restaurant and the foodies will always spot the book in my kitchen and want to page through it. Inevitably, they will ask for pen and paper to copy recipes. I do think SOME of them actually bought the book. In addition to the roasted tomato sauce, Olivia's chicken is another recipe I make at least a couple of times a month. I need to buy a pizza stone so that I can try the pizza recipes. I have had great luck with every recipe from this book. You won't be dissappointed if you buy this book. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-15 09:40:52 EST)
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| 03-17-05 | 5 | 1\1 |
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This cookbook is one of my favorites. Right now, the roasted tomato sauce is bubbling away in my oven. Picture this: fresh or even canned plummed tomatoes, sliced onion, olive oil, herbs--simply dump it all in a roasting pan, come back in an hour and you've got a superb sauce. Most of the recipes are this simple: honest, fresh, quality ingredients, simply prepared, with great results.
Todd English would not want to know how many friends have hand-copied recipes from my Figs Table cookbook--his publisher might sue me. I live near Boston, so everyone knows and loves Figs restaurant and the foodies will always spot the book in my kitchen and want to page through it. Inevitably, they will ask for pen and paper to copy recipes. I do think SOME of them actually bought the book. In addition to the roasted tomato sauce, Olivia's chicken is another recipe I make at least a couple of times a month. I need to buy a pizza stone so that I can try the pizza recipes. I have had great luck with every recipe from this book. You won't be dissappointed if you buy this book. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-07 13:31:33 EST)
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| 03-05-03 | 5 | 22\22 |
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So far I've mainly made the pizza recipes in this book, but they alone are worth the price. The crust recipe is heavenly and quite easy to make. The dough balls are so light and fluffy after rising that they practically float off the board. They hardly need any working and cook in 6-7 minutes on a baking stone into a uniquely thin, light, crunchy and tasty crust.
One thing to watch out for, however, is that English specifies fresh yeast for the pizza dough. I had trouble finding that, so I used the active dry yeast commonly found in supermarkets, and after one try it worked perfectly. The equivalent measure for the two teaspoons of fresh yeast is one generous teaspoon of active dry. Also, dissolve the dry yeast in the water/oil liquid (at 115 degrees F) just prior to mixing, rather than putting it in with the dry ingredients as specified for the fresh yeast. If there's a fault to the book, it's that English doesn't help you much with substitutions like this that vary from his ideal. The pizza toppings are imaginative and yummy, and can inspire you to create your own. English tends to be a bit minimalist, however, so we sometimes increase the cheese and some other topping ingredients. I've also made the white-chocolate challah pudding, which lives up to its billing as "sex on a spoon". Be sure you have plenty of people to share it, however, or you'll wind up with a big pan of incredibly delicious but super-rich pudding calling to you from the fridge for days. It's a uniquely great cookbook. I look forward to working through the other recipes. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-15 09:40:52 EST)
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| 02-24-01 | 5 | 9\9 |
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Todd English provides simple, relatively easy to prepare recipes that will delight your taste buds. The pizza ideas are simple to prepare, and will inspire you to try combinations you didn't think possible. The rissoto recipes can make either a quick family meal or provide a wonderful accompaniment for a more formal meal with friends. There are also some excellent recipes for chicken or other main courses that can be prepared in less than an hour and will absolutely amaze you.
English is quite creative, and these recipes are mostly quick and easy. A great cook book. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-07 13:31:33 EST)
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| 07-11-99 | 5 | 24\24 |
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The book was really fun to read and filled with many interesting tips for anyone who is beginning to cook. The variety of recipes are wonderful. I've tried some of the recipes and they were exceptional. The roasted beet and walnut gorgonzola salad, ymmm! The portobello burger and Aioli sauces were incredible. The book gives advice to newer cooks and is a real find for those who love to try new and innovative recipes. Any family member or guest would love eating food prepared from this cookbook, it is a treasure and I already know what I will make next from the cookbook: Olivia's Crunchy Chicken and Gingersnaps. I enjoyed the variety of foods offered: simple to fancy but always unique. I haven't been to Boston in 30 years and plan a trip soon and FIGS will be the first restaurant our family visits.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-02-15 09:40:52 EST)
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| 01-21-99 | 5 | 8\8 |
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Another outstanding book from Todd English. Try the mushroom pizza with fontina and truffle oil. It is unquestionably the best pizza I've ever eaten. Outstanding flat-bread-style pizza dough recipe. On to the desserts and risotto(es?) next!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-07 13:31:33 EST)
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| 12-13-98 | 5 | 5\6 |
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After hearing about the 1.5 hour trip to Boston (I think I know who here passenger was), I had to try some of the pizzas.
All were very easy; we made the Spicy Shrimp and the one with the mushroom paste on it. The doughs are extremely easy to make; nothing in this book seemed all that difficult. I have an extensive cooking background, so your mileage may vary! :-) (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-07 13:31:33 EST)
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| 11-08-98 | 5 | 10\10 |
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To taste the food inspired by this book, we drove an hour and a half to Boston, found parking (amazingly difficult), then found that we would have an hour and ten minute wait in cold weather to get inside. Luckily they did take-out, so we recieved our Portobello Pizza, Tiramisu, and focaccia bread fairly quickly. We ate the pizza in the car, sans napkins, plates, or a beverage... and it was one of the best meals we have ever had. If you don't want to go through this, you can simply buy the cookbook and make it yourself.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-07-07 13:31:33 EST)
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