Saturday, December 10, 2016

THE SATURDAY SATIATION - Le Pigeon Cookbook Review

LE PIGEON COOKBOOK REVIEW
The Saturday Satiation is my new foodie feature. I have been stacking up the e-recipe books, both Kindle bargins and ARCs, and it is time to start dishing out reviews and other culinary conversations!



I have been known to download a few free e-cookbooks. Well quite a few, esecially vegetarian and slow cooker recipe books. I have 31 slow cooker ebooks (and counting), and my fancy crock pot is still in the box stuffed in my bottom kitchen cabinets, heh heh, but that's fodder for another post. Yesterday I was able to nab a cookbook for $1.99 from an eatery in Portland Oregon: LE PIGEON; a restaurant I have read rave reviews for and also heard great things about from West Coast friends. Its hardcover suggested price is $40.00, so I consider this a steal.

GOODREADS
The introduction is lovely. It takes the reader from two of the owners meeting on Craig's List, through the first five years of their business partnerships. Everyone in the restaurant has a funny nickname; one of the owner's being Mr. Pickles. There are also some nice candid photos included. The owners also explain why they love cooking pigeon (raised on a farm). Ha ha.
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There are thirteen recipe sections to this book with a total of 150 recipes, which include: meats, dressed salads, desserts, vegetable sides, and homemade pantry items. The major meat sections are based on tongue varieties, foie gras, rabbit, small birds, large game, fish (large and small), pork, and lamb. Some of the entrées come paired with drink suggestions. The veggie dishes that caught my eye were: semolina onion rings, crepe lasagna with chard and sweet onions, and lettuce with gouda dressing.

WHAT I LIKED
The foie gras section had my mouth watering, although I don't eat it any longer for ethical reasons, it used to be one of my favorite treats. The spinach-artichoke dip with seared fois gras sounds over the top delish. I am going to be making it sans liver, and using the suggestion of baguette slices as dippers.
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One of the features I adore about this ebook version is when there is a prepared component to a dish, such as Spicy Rosemary Ketchup (see recipe below), there is a link to the recipe/instructions which goes directly to the page in the Le Pigeon Pantry section of the book. It is super convenient.
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There were instructional step-by-step tutorial cartoons for some of the more complicated preparations like How To Clean Dungeness Crab.
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I found the little history tidbits about the proprietors, sprinkled throughout the book, with photos and anecdotes about things like one of the owner's ancient Plymouth Valiants, interesting. I always love these personal touches in restaurant cookbooks.


WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
Out of the 150 recipes about 100 of them were meat entries, and many of the salad and vegetable sides had meat ingredients added. I would have liked to have seen a few more recipes on the greener, lighter side. I am surprised they didn't throw meat in some of the desserts! Heh heh.
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I am a stickler for top qualty photographs in highend cookbooks, and although some of the photographs were topnotch, too many of them were only marginally good.


Of course being a pescetarian limits my use of this manual to fish, veg, and sweets, but when a popular and expensive cookbook is under $5.00 as an e-copy, my feeling is even if you only find a handful of recipes and preparation tips you can use, you have spent your money wisely.

SPICY ROSEMARY KETCHUP
Makes 2 cups (500 ml)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups (500 ml) LP Ketchup* or purchased ketchup
1 teaspoon Tabasco
In a small sauté pan over medium-low heat, warm the rosemary in the olive oil for 2 minutes. In a bowl, fold the rosemary and oil into the ketchup and add the Tasbasco. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
*The recipe for Le Pigeon Ketchup is in the book and it sounds stellar. I am going to attempt to make some soon.

The ebook is still $1.99 at the time of this posting.

I am linking up with WEEKEND COOKING.
What do you consider a bargin when it comes to cooking ebooks?

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