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Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Back to Basics was released in 2008 and has become one of my favorites of Ina Garten’s books even though it doesn’t really have many “new” recipes in it. Most of the recipes are, in fact, things that good home cooks make in rotation, but what Ina Garten does so well is really study what we’re cooking and give us tips and ideas to heighten the flavors and make our same-old, same-old into something really special.

As an example, I make a flank steak that is very similar to her Mustard-Marinated Flank Steak. The ingredients: white wine, olive, oil, mustard, shallot, garlic, pepper are the same. Her trick that makes it better is to score the top of the steak before marinating—making both an attractive diamond pattern in the meat and allowing the marinade to penetrate a bit more deeply. Smart—and a great tip to use with other meats and marinades too.

I’m working my way through the whole book, but her takes on Roasted Shrimp Cocktail, Italian Wedding Soup, Mustard-Roasted Fish, French Apple Tart and Brownie Pudding are all now family favorites.

If you would like more information about the book click here: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients.