MICHAEL KRAUS
Shopping & Reviews

Grand Livre de Cuisine: Alain Ducasse’s Culinary Encyclopedia

As we found out, this book is beloved among chefs—so much so that several of them asked us to include it. Here, a few of their raves.

Each recipe is so beautifully written. One that stays with me is the Preserved Duck Foie Gras. It goes into detail about the curing process. It's not for beginners, but when done correctly, it shows off the beauty of foie gras. A recipe like this reminds me to handle every ingredient with perfection in mind. —Joseph Ogrodnek, Anella, New York City

Ducasse is a master at using his classical training while updating his repertoire. His Brittany Lobster Bisque, for instance, is blended with foie gras mousse and topped with truffles. It's a classic dish modernized for today's palate. —Michael White, Alta Marea restaurant group, New York City

The Fresh Wild Scampi, made with carpet shell clams, calamari, and a warm coco bean salad, is awesome. Rather than do away with the seafood's cooking liquids and liquors, Ducasse puts them back into the dish. He's respecting the ingredient, amplifying it, and coaxing the maximum amount of flavor out of it. That's a definition of the Ducasse style, and it's had an enormous influence on my cooking.—George Mendes, Aldea, New York City

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