In his new cookbook, “Vegetable Revelations: Inspiration for Produce-Forward Cooking” (Harper Wave, $50), James Beard Award-wining chef Steven Satterfield continues his exploration of vegetables that began in 2015 with his first cookbook, “Root to Leaf: A Southern Chef Cooks Through the Seasons” (Harper Wave, $36).
From the time he opened his acclaimed Atlanta restaurant, Miller Union, some 13 years ago, Satterfield has been obsessed with the freshest seasonal produce. And that’s perfectly displayed on the restaurant’s ever-changing dinner vegetable plate.
While “Root to Leaf” and “Vegetable Revelations” both espouse cooking with produce, Satterfield took different approaches when writing the respective cookbooks. With the former, “I think the approach there was as simple as possible,” Satterfield said. “Let’s just explore seasonality, get the home cook comfortable with shopping at a farmer’s market, and following some really easy methods and recipes.”
In contrast, “Vegetable Revelations,” a project that Satterfield began in the early days of the pandemic, is about looking at the world as a bigger place, Satterfield noted.
“We live in a very multicultural city, so what I took a snapshot of was the main ways vegetables could be explored with a global pantry,” he said. “To me, the spirit of the book is about challenging yourself a little bit, shaking up your routine, and making some things you don’t normally make.”
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
The cover of “Vegetable Revelations” evokes Salvador Dali, mainly because the surrealistic still life features meat and seafood hanging above the produce. Although all of the recipes in the cookbook are vegetable-forward, meat and fish occasionally make an appearance.
“I liked the idea of that, because to me this is an omnivore’s vegetable book,” Satterfield said. “But it could be interpreted in so many different ways. If you’re a vegan, there are plenty of options. If you’re a meat-eater who wants to get more produce into your diet, it’s a great solution.”
The headnotes to the recipes “explore the feelings” of each dish, Satterfield allowed. “They might conjure a hot sunny summer day, or a walk through the woods.”
Satterfield puts an emphasis on using every part of the vegetable, and not wasting any of the flavorful bits. He offers ideas for transforming asparagus bottoms into a lovely spring soup and using beet roots with their green tops for a stir-fry.
“That was a big thing in “Root to Leaf,” and that’s a big thing in my life’s work, and a big thing at the restaurant,” he said.
“‘Vegetable Revelations’ is about rediscovering the joy of cooking with vegetables. The triumph is that we came up with a beautiful book that still celebrates whole vegetable cooking — and there’s still so much more to explore.”
RECIPES
These recipes from James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef Steven Satterfield offer ways to cook a wide range of vegetables, with a variety dishes for each season. Arranged by both botanical families and culinary categories, the recipes are truly “Vegetable Revelations.”
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Gingered Carrot Bisque
“You know those carrots that look like they were maybe forgotten in the field and got really big? That’s the kind I like to use here,” writes Steven Satterfield about this bisque recipe. “They have an earthy sweetness that gives body and depth to this soup laced with hints of ginger, lime, star anise and clove.” The tangy cultured dairy garnish adds a nice contrast to the mellow spices.
Recipes from “Vegetable Revelations.” Copyright 2023 by Steven Satterfield. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Fava Bean Primavera With Spring Hazelnut-Herb Pesto
Fava beans require shucking and shelling, but the extra work is worth the effort. Chef Steven Satterfield calls the combination of sweet favas, al dente pasta and mixed-herb pesto “spring eating at its best.”
Spring Hazelnut-Herb Pesto
Credit: HarperCollins Publishers / Andrew Thomas Lee
Credit: HarperCollins Publishers / Andrew Thomas Lee
Ginger-Pecan Zucchini Crisp
“Using summer squash in baking should go far beyond zucchini bread,” says Satterfield, as he experiments with treating zucchini “as the fruit that it is.” Taking classic apple crisp as his cue, ginger and pecans add zing and crunch to the streusel topping.
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