'The Greens Cookbook' - Cookbook Spotlight

'The Greens Cookbook'
Recipes by Deborah Madison
Bantam -- 1987; Broadway -- 2001
Buy it on Amazon

Consider, if you will, the college vegetarian:

In a fit of pique after reading about how many gallons of water it takes to produce a pound of beef versus a pound of grain, she decides to take one for the planet, eschewing meat entirely in favor of pasta and pints of Ben & Jerry's. Her friends begin to observe that, though she claims the title of "vegetarian," they have never actually seen her eat a vegetable. They also note that "cheesy pasta" is not a typical dietary staple and that perhaps she is actually a "cheese-tarian." One kindly compadre hands her this cookbook, from founding chef Deborah Madison's eponymous California restaurant.

Fifteen years later, though the cheesetarian has returned to her carnivorous ways, the book's pages remain splattered from the sauce of a five-spice black bean chili that has guests saying "seriously, there's no meat in here?"

See what we tested and whether it's worth buying after the jump.

Takeaway tips: Look for the "seasonal menus" in the back. Way ahead of the curve, Madison split her recipes into market-appropriate dishes, so you can remember to pair heavy pasta with a sprightly mix of sautéed cherry tomatoes, basil and shallots.

Quality of pictures: None. This book doesn't need 'em.

We tested: Black Bean Chili (and Enchiladas); Fresh Herb Noodles with Three Cheeses; Cherry Tomatoes Sautéed with Shallots and Herbs

This chili is extraordinary in that its base is a mix of toasted spices: paprika, whole cumin seeds, oregano, cayenne and two types of peppers. A hassle, sure, but cooks can make extra to store, and it makes a huge pot that is happily recycled into splendid enchiladas. Cheapest meal you'll eat that week. The herb noodles with three cheeses (one of which was gorgonzola) are decadently creamy, cut with a flurry of marjoram and parsley. Pair these, as Madison notes, with a bright side dish like fennel and blood orange salad -- or, in the late summer, with tomatoes sautéed in butter and shallots.

Worth the investment: For cooks looking to vary their intake of vegetarian side dishes or expand their repertoire, absolutely. These recipes are lovely in their simplicity, and typically well worth it even when they require more elbow grease. It's an excellent book to have kicking around the kitchen for starry-eyed, undernourished teens and full-fledged adults alike.