Cookbook: More Cooking Secrets of the CIA

More Cooking Secrets of the CIA

by the Culinary Institute of America

Following on the heels of the best-selling first volume, Cooking Secrets of the CIA, More Cooking Secrets of the CIA (Chronicle Books; $14.95 paperback) by the Culinary Institute of America is the tie-in book for last year's public television series of the same name. The most celebrated cooking school in the country, the Culinary Institute of America boasts graduates such as Bradley Ogden, Larry Forgione, Paul Bocuse, and White House chef Walter Sheib.

More Cooking Secrets of the CIA contains over 100 new recipes for 1998. Keeping in step with concerns over high-fat food and busy schedules, these recipes adjust to the needs of the health-conscious with balanced dishes that are lower in fat without sacrificing the integrity of the dish. New starters recipes include Sonoma Goat Cheese Baked in Grape Leaves, Grilled New Potato Salad with Mustard Seed, Grilled Shrimp with Aromatics, Risotto Pancakes with Wild Mushroom Ragout, and Chelou (Persian Molded Rice with Crisp Potatoes). Of the more than 30 main dishes included are Black Bean Cakes with Fresh Salsa, Stuffed Baby Pumpkins with a Vegetable Ragout, Seared Salmon with Cauliflower purée, Moroccan Spiced Lamb Shanks, and Grilled Asian Pork Chops. Using olive oil, fresh herbs, and aromatic spices, the vibrant flavors in each dish are sustained by a compelling combination of seasonings rather than by excessive amounts of fat.

The sumptuous (and not necessarily fattening) and extensive dessert list includes Espresso Smoothies, Pear Napoleons with Raspberry purée, American Bounty Cobbler, Tarte Tatin, Chocolate-Espresso Tart and Rigo Jancsi (Chocolate Cream Cake). "Although we're all watching our diets more than ever, one thing has remained constant: our appreciation for fine desserts. Perhaps as a reward for our increased interest in nutrition, we're treating ourselves to higher quality cakes, cookies, and pastries. In this cookbook, you'll find a varied selection of treats—from heart-healthy offerings to truly luscious creations—to satisfy the dessert-lover in you," notes the CIA in the introduction.

A long-awaited sequel, More Cooking Secrets of the CIA is filled with full-color photographs and provides clear directions and professional cooking tips for the home chef.

The Culinary Institute of America is a highly respected private, not-for-profit educational institution committed to providing the world's best culinary, pastry, and baking arts and science education. It is situated on a 150-acre campus in Hyde Park, New York, with a second campus in Napa Valley, California. Photographer Joyce Oudkerk Pool's work has also appeared in One Bowl, Baking Bread, and other Chronicle Books publications. She lives in San Francisco.

More Cooking Secrets of the CIA
By the Culinary Institute of America
Chronicle Books
1998; $14.95 paperback
Recipes and photos reprinted be permission.