Food

Alsatian Delights From Gabriel Kreuther

There are two Gabriel Kreuthers on display in his lavish new gift-worthy book, “Gabriel Kreuther, The Spirit of Alsace: A Cookbook,” written with Michael Ruhlman. First up is the son of the province in eastern France: His love letter to his region covers the traditions of farm and table, with the expected tarte flambée, choucroute garnie, baeckeoffe, kougelhopf and a raft of Christmas cookies. Then you have the accomplished chef’s restaurant recipes, often inspired by Alsace, like foie gras terrine with separate steps for sauce, crust and finishing; lamb cooked in hay, requiring six recipes; cabbage stuffed with langoustines and scallops; and the marathon of Black Forest Craquelin that calls for nine preparations. But even at their most complex, the recipes hold promise for the home cook. A button mushroom soup stands deliciously on its own without the chorizo-potato raviolis alongside, and can easily be made to serve four or six instead of 12. And no matter the recipe, Mr. Kreuther fine-tunes the necessary details, even down to explaining the best way to line a terrine with plastic wrap.

“Gabriel Kreuther, The Spirit of Alsace: A Cookbook” by Gabriel Kreuther with Michael Ruhlman, (Abrams, $60).

Follow NYT Food on Twitter and NYT Cooking on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Get regular updates from NYT Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice.

Related Articles

Back to top button