The Valentino cookbook / Piero Selvaggio and Karen Stabiner ; photographs by Patricia Williams ; recipes by Angelo Auriana and Luciano Pellegrini.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Selvaggio, Piero.

Contributor:

Stabiner, Karen.

Laurie Burrows Grad Collection (University of Pennsylvania)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Cooking, Italian.

Valentino (Restaurant).

Penn Provenance:

Grad, Laurie Burrows (donor)

Physical Description:

xxi, 280 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Villard, [2001]

Summary:

In 1972, with limited funds and only a modest culinary background, Piero Selvaggio opened a small Italian restaurant in a decidedly unglamorous Santa Monica neighborhood. Now, almost thirty years later, Valentino is consistently hailed as one of the finest restaurants in the Los Angeles area and the nation, and Selvaggio is the consummate host and orchestrator of one of the most sublime dining experiences imaginable. The Valentino Cookbook draws on Selvaggio's extensive experience as a restaurateur, a culinary explorer, and, most of all, a lover of food and wine.

In this charming and generous cookbook, he shares the lessons he has learned in his ever-evolving love affair with fine cuisine. He gives us delightful personal anecdotes and an incredible collection of dishes, ranging from traditional to innovative: Petti di Fagiano Avvolti in Pancetta (Pheasant Breast Wrapped in Pancetta), Filetti di Cervo con Salsa al Melograno (Venison Medallions with Pomegranate Sauce), and other wonderful entrees; an enticing collection of appetizers such as / Carciofi Ripieni di Lina (Lina's Stuffed Artichokes) and Gamberoni e Cannellini all'Olio Toscano (Shrimp and White Beans in Tuscan Oil); flavorful soups such as Passato di Verdura (Pureed Vegetable Soup) and Raviolini di Cappone (Small Capon Ravioli in Broth); delicate risottos; pastas as simple as Fusilli con Verdure Forti e Pancetta (Fusilli with Bitter Greens and Pancetta) or as extraordinary as Uovo al Tarufo Dedicato a Nino Bergese (Pasta Stuffed with Eggs, Spinach, and Ricotta, with Shaved Truffles). And an extensive dessert section ranges from an elegant Leomon and Grappa Crostata to the rich, crunchy Croccante Semifreddo.

With each recipe, Selvaggio, the most respected wine expert in the country, includes a selection of sublime wines -- from budget finds to spectacular bottles for a special occasion. His tasteful pairings enhance each dish, and this show of expertise is one of the most unusual and valuable qualities of The Valentino Cookbook.

Simple or complex, traditional or progressive -- for Selvaggio, all good cooking is, at heart, very personal: a journey of taste for which the end isn't nearly as important as the fantasias along the way. This wonderful cookbook will help all of us develop a true understanding of taste and refine our appreciation for everything that great dining is all about.

Contents:

A Life in Food and Wine xi

On Food xi

On Wine xx

The Essentials xxv

Equipment xxviii

Antipasti 2

Insalate E Contorni 49

Zuppe 63

Pasta 77

Risotto 123

Secondi 139

Dolci 203

The Past Becomes the Future 261

Suppliers 263.

Notes:

Includes index.

Local Notes:

Presented to the Penn Libraries by Laurie Burrows Grad.

ISBN:

0679452427

9780679452423

OCLC:

46614499

Online:

Contributor biographical information

Publisher description

Laurie Burrows Grad Collection Home Page