'Pure Simple Cooking'
Recipes by Diana Henry
Photos by Jonathan Lovekin
Ten Speed Press -- 2008
Buy it on Amazon

Simple food done right can be delicious and memorable. Author Diana Henry decided that "quick" cooking was no longer the answer, and wanted "effortless" cooking done well.

Filled with recipes like Chicken and Chorizo, Smothered Pork Chops with Mustard and Thyme Butter and Roast Cod with Smoked Bacon, "Pure Simple Cooking" can help even the busiest person create a meal that is tasty and unique despite being unadorned.

Takeaway tips: While many of the recipes require only 15 minutes of prep time, all of the cooking is done from scratch (no pre-cut vegetables or prepared-food mix-ins), which would make Michael Pollan happy. The chapters are broken down by ingredient (chicken, chops, pasta, etc.), then seasonal for fruits and vegetables, with a final tidbit of a section on the basics of rice, couscous and bulgur wheat.

What we tested and whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

Quality of pictures: Despite its rustic, delicious and homemade appearance, the book's photos are scarce enough that they're not terribly captivating.

We tested: Pacific Lime Chicken

Even faced with fussy eaters and a large crowd, entertaining with this recipe was a success. A marinade of honey, soy sauce, limes, light brown sugar, crushed garlic and thyme both penetrates the chicken, leaving it moist and creates a sweet, crispy, finger-licking good skin.

While the recipe calls for chicken thighs, using a combination of drumsticks, thighs and breasts allows eaters to choose their preference of white or dark meat. Transform this comfort meal into a summer sensation by roasting it in the oven until almost done, then searing it on the grill to form an even crispier skin.

Worth the investment: A notch above the saturated market of 30-minute-meal cookbooks and those promoting quasi-homemade grub, this book's classic recipes enhanced with fresh ingredients enable the home cook to create authentic food without sweating over the stove all summer long.