Mediterranean Vegetables: Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, and North Africa

Mediterranean Vegetables
A Cook's ABC of Vegetables and Their Preparation
in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey,
the Middle East, and North Africa, with More Than
200 Authentic Recipes for the Home Cook

By Clifford A. Wright

Mediterranean Vegetables
"This well-researched, scholarly book on vegetables is full of wonderful recipes from the cuisines of the world and is a great reference book."—Jacques Pèpin

Everyone wants to eat more vegetables but many Americans have a hard time incorporating a variety of vegetable preparations into their everyday diet. Mediterranean Vegetables, by award-winning author Clifford A. Wright, offers a plethora of recipes sure to inspire any cook to run to the local farmers' market or grocer. For centuries, the peoples of the Mediterranean have been preparing and enjoying a world of vegetable dishes that is all but unknown to Americans. As Wright explains in his introduction, "the most exciting thing about Mediterranean vegetables is that the majority of the most popular vegetables in the Mediterranean are popular in the United States...and easily found in an American market." with a few ingredients and the help of Mediterranean Vegetables, American home cooks now have the information they need to add an alluring and dazzling array of vegetable dishes to their repertoires.

The inspiration for this book arose during the decade that Wright spent researching his previous book, A Mediterranean Feast—which was awarded the illustrious James Beard Book Award. He wanted a vegetable reference book for cooks rather than gardeners. with entries organized in an A to Z format, Mediterranean Vegetables explains each vegetable's origins, culinary history, how to grow it, where to get it, and provides recipes where appropriate. Wright includes well-known Mediterranean classics like Ratatouille, Hummus, and Gazpacho but takes vegetables one step further in dishes like Grilled Eggplants with Caraway Marinade and Green Peppercorns, Lentil and Mint Soup, Zucchini and Lamb Casserole, and Stuffed Swiss Chard Leaves. Interspersed throughout are literary and cultural references to the roles vegetables have played throughout history. Mediterranean Vegetables is a must-have reference and cookbook for anyone who enjoys reading about, growing, cooking with, and eating vegetables.

About the Author

Clifford A. Wright is a renowned cook, food writer, and research scholar specializing in the cuisines of the Mediterranean. He is the author of seven cookbooks. His most recent book, A Mediterranean Feast, was awarded the Cookbook of the Year Award by the James Beard Foundation. He writes frequently for Saveur, Fine Cooking, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, and Food & Wine magazines. Wright was born in New York, lived for many years in the Boston area, and now resides in Santa Monica, CA, where he is available for telephone interviews.

Buy the Book!

Mediterranean Vegetables
A Cook's ABC of Vegetables and
Their Preparation in Spain, France, Italy,
Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, and North Africa,
with More than 200 Authentic Recipes for the Home Cook
By Clifford A. Wright
Harvard Common Press, September 2001
Hardcover, $ 29.95
ISBN: 1-55832-196-9
Information provided by the publisher.