Le Cordon Bleu Classic Light (Le Cordon Bleu Classics) Book

Since 1895, Le Cordon Bleu has taught classic French cuisine to students worldwide. It's not an institution you'd immediately associate with today's low-fat, health-centered dishes, yet Classic Light, the work of the school's chefs and food writer Jeni Wright, presents stellar examples of just such cooking. In the most direct manner possible, the book offers 135 recipes for a wide range of satisfying light and lightened dishes--old favorites like vichyssoise and stir-fried chicken as well as more innovative fare, including Spiced Shrimp and Squid Skewers, Korean Beef Wraps, and Lemon, Parsley, and Pine Nut Pasta. Readers looking for easy yet stylish recipes that work equally well for family and special-occasion cooking should embrace the book.

Chapters cover the basic food groups and courses and include "Vegetables and Salads" and "Pulses, Grains and Pastas." The recipes in these chapters are particularly tempting, such as Spiced Avocado and Strawberry Salad, Summer Pea and Sage Risotto, and Tagliatelle with Fennel, Bell Pepper, and Tomato. Desserts aren't neglected, and Baked Apples and Figs and Iced Minted Blackberry Soufflés, among others, should satisfy end-of-meal appetites without broadening waistlines. Illustrated with color photos throughout and including food and preparation tips, dish variations, and other useful material, the book offers up-to-date dining from one of the world's most respected culinary practitioners. --Arthur Boehm