Oranges & Lemons: Recipes From the Mediterranean
by Sarah Woodward and Diana Miller Conran Octopus, 144 pp., $24.95
In the post-wartime England of the 1950s, Elizabeth David wrote, “It is hard to envision any cooking without lemons.” This British art/cookbook aptly demonstrates the pervasive appeal and versatility that these citrus flavors maintain in today’s cooking. The perfect transporting anecdote to the chilly and damp days of winter, this slender volume is a lovely visual and culinary homage to the subtly powerful flavors of lemon and orange in pan-Mediterranean cooking.
The recipes — which range from soups and appetizers to meats, desserts, and drinks — are universally simple, with most of them calling for only five to eight ingredients. Some are predictable standards, like Tarte au Citron and Cold Chicken with Lemon and Herbs. Others, however, are pleasant surprises, such as the Chilled Tomato and Orange Consommé or a salad made from artichoke hearts, lemons, and oranges. One of the best dishes is also one of the easiest — a simple grilled T-bone steak with charbroiled lemons.
Almost more important than the recipes, Diana Miller’s full-page photos of virtually every dish constitute some of the most stunning food photography I have seen. Riffing on the sunny colors of the food, the dishes are styled exclusively in palettes of indigo and cobalt, and the resulting photos are absolutely awesome.
This article appears in December 7 • 2001.
