Cookbook Review: VEGETABLES UNLEASHED by Chef José Andrés

Wondering what to do with all those vibrant spring vegetables you just bought? Chef José Andrés, renowned Spanish-American chef and founder of the nonprofit World Central Kitchen, an organization devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters, wants to feed everyone and show how to elevate vegetable flavors so you don’t think of them as an obligation. In his most recent cookbook Vegetables Unleashed, Chef José Andrés turns his prodigious imagination to produce, sharing stories, tips and recipes all focused on—you guessed it—vegetables! 

Helping Chef Andrés spread his passion for seasonal vegetables is award-winning writer and co-author Matt Goulding. Lively anecdotes keep you up to speed with Chef Andrés’ fast-paced life and make you feel like you’re right there next to him—in the kitchen, on farms and at home experimenting with recipes with his family.

An avowed omnivore, Chef Andrés proclaims his love for meat from the very first page, but that does not mean he doesn’t love vegetables too. His childlike excitement at tasting and sharing the flavors of the vegetable world is contagious. His stories encourage home cooks to plant more, learn more and waste less by using the scraps. And to simply eat more vegetables. The book is full of creative, not-too-complicated recipes, arranged by the seasons.

 The Edible Test Kitchen dove into the spring section to test Chef Andrés’ Carrot Curry recipe. The warm curry spices balanced the sweetness of spring carrots just perfectly. The saffron is the hidden gem in elevating this dish. Chef Andrés recommends garnishing with coconut milk, cilantro leaves, fresh lime juice and zest or with his Really Good Garlic Rice. We suggest using all those carrot tops you have left over to make a garlic pesto to spoon on top. 

Remember— Chef Andrés believes vegetables have endless possibilities and he wants us to use the all vegetable parts including carrot tops and scraps! 

Edible Test Kitchen - Recipe Testing by Paulette Phlipot:

Carrot Curry Recipe

Want to get a bigger taste of the world according to Chef José Andrés? 

This globally renowned chef, restauranteur and hands-on philanthropist will speak on Creativity in the Kitchen, Feeding the World on April 21 (Earth Day!) at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts as part of the Wallace Stegner Lecture Series by Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST).