Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Vegetables made easy, accessible, and exciting in a gorgeous James Beard Award Nominee cookbook by trailblazing chef and former farmer Abra Berens.



"This book acts as a veritable encyclopedia of vegetables, with over 100 recipes and 200-plus variations featuring 29 different types of produce."-- mindbodygreen



Ruffage focuses on the simple techniques that help any cook prepare a variety of delicious vegetables in a number of ways. Filled with strategies and practical advice from acclaimed Midwestern chef Abra Berens, author of the acclaimed Grist , this plant-forward cookbook tackles the question home cooks ask themselves about vegetables: How do I cook this? How do I make this exciting? Do I store this in the fridge? How do I make this into dinner?



Mouthwatering recipes include Shaved Cabbage with Chili Oil, Cilantro, and Charred Melon; Blistered Cucumbers with Cumin Yogurt and Parsley; Charred Head Lettuce with Hard-Boiled Egg, Anchovy Vinaigrette, and Garlic Bread Crumbs; Massaged Kale with Creamed Mozzarella, Tomatoes, and Wild Rice; Poached Radishes with White Wine, Chicken Stock and Butter; and much more.



A how-to vegetable cookbook spanning 29 types of vegetables, these recipes and techniques result in new flavors, textures, and ways to enjoy all the vegetables you want to eat. From confit to caramelized and everything in between--braised, blistered, roasted, and raw--the cooking methods covered here make this a go-to reference for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. You will never look at vegetables the same way again.



WHAT'S INSIDE: Organized alphabetically by vegetable, from asparagus to zucchini, each chapter opens with an homage to the ingredients and variations on how to prepare them. Features 100 straightforward recipes, each with 3 or more variations, and 140 photographs that show off not only the finished dishes, but also the vegetables and farms behind them.



AMONG THE BEST VEGETABLE COOKBOOKS: Named a Best Cookbook by the New York Times and Bon Appetit (Spring 2019) and nominated for 2020 James Beard Award for Best Cookbooks - Vegetable-Focused Cooking.



VEGGIE STARS & SIDES: Ruffage will help you become empowered to shop for, store, and cook vegetables every day and in a variety of ways as a side or a main meal. Take any recipe in this book and add a roasted chicken thigh, seared piece of fish, or hard-boiled egg to turn the dish into a meal not just vegetarians will enjoy.



Perfect for: Gift or self-purchase for home cooks, cookbook collectors, and food enthusiasts Anyone wanting to explore a vegetable-forward lifestyle Fans of Six Seasons ; One Pan, Two Plates ; Salad Freak ; Milk Street Vegetables ; or Yotam Ottolenghi cookbooks Pair with Berens's Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes , named a New York Times Best Cookbook of 2021

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Introduction (p. 17)
• How to Use This Book (p. 19)
• Glossary of Terms (p. 22)
• Part 1 Strong pantry
• Oils (p. 29)
• Acidity (p. 31)
• Spices and Seasonings (p. 34)
• Herbs (p. 37)
• Grains (p. 40)
• Beans (p. 44)
• Pasta (p. 45)
• Grits (p. 46)
• Bread (p. 47)
• Dairy (p. 49)
• Dried Fruit (p. 51)
• Nuts and Seeds (p. 52)
• Preserved and Tinned Fish (p. 53)
• Condiments (p. 55)
• Part 2 Vegetables and how I cook them
• Asparagus (p. 69)
• Pan roasted: asparagus stalks w/anchovy-caper butter and fresh herbs (p. 73)
• Grilled: asparagus w/smoked whitefish, pea shoots, and mushrooms (p. 76)
• Raw: salad of asparagus, arugula, egg, and radish w/mustard vinaigrette (p. 78)
• Beets (p. 81)
• Steam roasted: beets, w/smoked whitefish; sour cream, and dill (p. 85)
• Puréed: beet-dressed pasta w/golden raisins and poppy seeds (p. 87)
• Broccoli (p. 91)
• Raw: broccoli salad w/warm bacon vinaigrette, sunflower seeds, and dried cherries (p. 95)
• Oven roasted: broccoli w/melty cheese and chili oil (p. 98)
• Quick steamed, bright green broccoli w/seared whitefish and lemon butter (p. 101)
• Cabbage (p. 105)
• Raw shaved cabbage salad w/chili oil, cilantro, and charred melon (p. 108)
• Roasted/grilled: seared duck breast w/brown sugar-vinegar cabbage, roasted potatoes, and herb salad (p. 111)
• Carrots (p. 115)
• Raw: carrot salad w/yogurt, pickled raisins, and pistachios (p. 118)
• Oven roasted: carrots w/spicy apricot jam, mint, and almonds (p. 119)
• Cauliflower (p. 123)
• Raw: shaved cauliflower salad w/smoked whitefish mayo, lemon, radicchio, and herbs (p. 127)
• Oven roasted: cauliflower w/roasted tomatoes, parsley, and bread crumbs (p. 131)
• Puréed: cauliflower purée topped w/seared pork cutlet (p. 135)
• Celery and celery root (p. 139)
• Raw celery root salad w/lentils and bagna cauda (p. 143)
• Puréed: celery root puree topped w/seared chicken thigh and green salad (p. 145)
• Raw: celery stalk salad w/grapes, apples, goat cheese, and pecans (p. 148)
• Braised: braised stalk celery (p. 151)
• Corn (p. 155)
• Grilled: grilled corn on the cob w/parmesan butter (p. 159)
• Roasted: corn kernel salad w/soybeans, cherry tomatoes, and basil (p. 162)
• Puréed: cream-less corn w/sautéed greens and seared salmon (p. 165)
• Cucumbers (p. 169)
• Raw: cucumber salad w/cherry tomatoes, paisley oil, and cottage cheese (p. 174)
• Blistered: cucumber w/cumin yogurt and parsley (p. 178)
• Eggplant (p. 181)
• Braised: stewy eggplant and tomato coddled epgs (p. 184)
• Oven roasted: crispy eggplant w/fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, pickled raisins, and mint (p. 187)
• Puréed smoky eggplant pasta w/pounded walnut relish, mozzarella, and basil (p. 191)
• Fennel (p. 195)
• Raw: shaved fennel salad w/apricots, chili oil, parsley, mint, and lamb chops (p. 199)
• Braised: braised fennel (p. 204)
• Garlic (p. 207)
• Raw: grilled pork chops w/garlic and kale relish (p. 211)
• Sautéed garlic and spinach pasta (p. 214)
• Confit: garlic confit (p. 217)
• Confit garlic marinated white beans w/celery and parsley salad (p. 218)
• Green Beans (p. 221)
• Pan roasted: blistered green beans w/tomatoes, pounded walnuts, and raw summer squash (p. 225)
• Grilled: charred green beans w/crispy chickpeas and curry yogurt (p. 227)
• Braised: green beans w/tomatoes, lentils, and onions (p. 230)
• Greens, delicate: arugula, leaf lettuce, head lettuce, spinach, baby bok choy (p. 233)
• Raw: perfect Salad (p. 238)
• Braised: braised lettuce (p. 241)
• Grilled: charred whole romaine w/hard-boiled egg, anchovy vinaigrette, and garlic bread crumbs (p. 244)
• Greens hearty: chard, collards, kale, radicchio and other chicories (p. 247)
• Raw: massaged kale w/tomatoes, creamed mozzarella, and wild rice (p. 251)
• Sautéed: sautéed greens w/garlic and chili flakes (p. 255)
• Braised: braised kale w/jowl bacon, onions, and parsley (p. 256)
• Oven roasted: oven-roasted kale chips w/grated raclette (p. 259)
• Kohlrabi (p. 261)
• Baked: kohlrabi potato gratin (p. 266)
• Raw: kohl-slaw w/apples, black lentils, sherry vinaigrette, and seared salmon (p. 269)
• Leeks (p. 273)
• Raw: marinated leek salad w/wheat berries, carrots, and seared salmon (p. 277)
• Braised: slow-cooked leeks w/thyme and cream (p. 281)
• Onions (p. 285)
• Raw: shaved onion salad w/cucumber, yogurt, and mint over lamb chops (p. 289)
• Braised: vinegar-braised onions w/seared whitefish and arugula (p. 291)
• Caramelized: caramelized onion and goat cheese toasts (p. 295)
• Parsnips (p. 299)
• Oven roasted: roasted parsnips w/fresh goat cheese, pecans, and pickled apricots (p. 303)
• Puréed: parsnip puree w/duck breast, radicchio, and cranberry relish (p. 307)
• Peas (p. 311)
• Marinated: marinated peas w/yesterday's roast chicken, baby onions, and lettuce (p. 315)
• Puréed: sweet pea toasts (p. 317)
• Pan roasted: peas w/parsley, thyme, butter, and onions (p. 319)
• Peppers, sweet (p. 323)
• Grilled grilled peppers w/eggplant and tomato over couscous (p. 327)
• Braised: peperonata w/poached eggs and paprika potatoes (p. 331)
• Potatoes (p. 335)
• Boiled: simple boiled potatoes w/sweet butter and herbs (p. 339)
• Oven roasted: roasted potato salad w/egg, celery, herbs, and bread crumbs (p. 342)
• Braised: mustard braised potatoes w/chicken thighs (p. 345)
• Baked: jacket potatoes w/shaved vegetable salad and tuna mayo (p. 349)
• Radishes (p. 353)
• Pan roasted: roasted radishes w/their greens and white wine (p. 357)
• Raw: radish wedges w/bagna cauda (p. 360)
• Poached: poached radishes w/white wine, chicken stock, and butter (p. 363)
• Ramps (p. 367)
• Raw: ramp pesto w/seared chicken, radish, and bread salad (p. 371)
• Grilled: grilled ramps w/parsley, walnuts, and hard-boiled egg (p. 376)
• Sautéed sautéed ramps w/morels, spinach, and cream on toast (p. 378)
• Squash, Summer (p. 381)
• Raw: shaved summer squash w/parmesan, lots and lots of herbs, and olive oil (p. 385)
• Grilled: grilled zucchini planks w/white beans, olive oil, and rosemary (p. 388)
• Marinated: summer squash escabèche w/mushrooms, arugula, and steak (p. 391)
• Squash, Winter (p. 395)
• Pan roasted: delicate, squash w/dukkah, ricotta, and dried cherries (p. 400)
• Oven roasted: winter squash and brown butter purée (p. 403)
• Sunchokes (p. 407)
• Raw: shaved sunchokes w/mustard vinaigrette and parsley (p. 411)
• Puréed: sunchoke purée w/cream and white wine (p. 414)
• Oven roasted: roasted sunchokes w/massaged kale and brown butter vinaigrette (p. 416)
• Braised: braised sunchokes w/almonds, cream, sherry, parsley, and duck breast (p. 421)
• Tomatoes (p. 425)
• Raw: tomato panzanella w/corn, cucumbers, and herb salad (p. 429)
• Stuffed: tomatoes stuffed w/lentils and goat cheese (p. 433)
• Oven roasted: oven roasted tomatoes (p. 435)
• Turnips and rutabaga (p. 439)
• Raw: matchstick salad: turnip, carrots, kohlrabi, w/lemon, parmesan, and parsley (p. 443)
• Oven roasted roasted turnip, apple, rosemary, w/pork loin and spinach (p. 445)
• Braised: turnip and potato mash w/chicken legs, orange, vanilla vinaigrette, and radicchio (p. 449)
• Acknowledgements (p. 452)
• Index (p. 454)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

With recipes featuring vegetables from the first tender asparagus to frost-sweetened carrots, the latest from Berens (Chef and Farmer) will delight home cooks. Full of sensible advice and imaginative ideas on making full use of nature's bounty throughout the seasons, the simple recipes are accompanied by luscious illustrations by Engelman and photographs by Berger, helping to turn meal planning into a creative pleasure. New cooks will especially appreciate the comprehensive chapter on how to develop an effective, working pantry; the full, in-depth explanation of cooking terms; and basic guidance on choosing and storing vegetables. Easy-to-follow sidebars on cooking staples, such as rice and couscous, will assist the most rudimentary cook. Well-organized, the book focuses on one vegetable at a time, offering raw and cooked options. While some recipes include meat, vegetarians can easily substitute nonanimal proteins. VERDICT Crammed with exciting ideas that encourage creativity, this lively book will quickly become an essential item in the home cook's library.--Penelope J.M. Klein, Glasgow, Scotland