Spring is coming, as Mark Diacono’s pick of the best new books shows. Find seasonal inspiration, fresh recipes for entertaining and two explorations of Italian cuisine. Plus: the ultimate egg cookbook
SEASONING: HOW TO COOK AND CELEBRATE THE SEASONS
Recipe I can’t wait to make: Asparagus, hot-smoked trout and pea shoot tart (above).
I didn’t know that... Mackerel can swim at 10km/hour.
Writer and cook Angela Clutton’s third book explores the seasonality of over 50 fruit and veg. Those familiar with her award-winning The Vinegar Cupboard know she does a deep-dive brilliantly; to this we can add – as Rachel Roddy’s cover quote states – the ‘poetic and practical’. Each season includes a list of what’s at its best but also what’s on that season’s shoulders, where overlaps and culinary possibilities exist. The 75 recipes offer ideas for doing something different with the familiar: broccoli tempura with white miso mayonnaise, and kohlrabi and sprout winter slaw tasted every bit as good as they looked on the page. Beautifully photographed and illustrated, Seasoning is both a toolkit for delicious seasonal eating and a joy of a read.
Murdoch Books £30, out 7 March; photographs by Patricia Niven
GENNARO’S VERDURE
Few have done so much to inspire us to rejoice in Italian food than author, chef and presenter Gennaro Contaldo. His latest book focuses on making vegetables ‘the hero of the plate’, with sections related to colour.
Bold, inventive recipes feature throughout, from the simple – such as celery pesto – to the inventive (carrot soufflés). In keeping with the cucina povera tradition, the book isn’t entirely meat-free, but inclusions are minimal and easily omitted. With vibrant photography and mini-essays about each vegetable, this is a seriously satisfying read.
Recipe I can’t wait to make: Tomato sorbet (see below).
I didn’t know that… Potatoes weren’t used in Italian kitchens until the 1800s.
Pavilion £26, out 14 March; photographs by David Loftus
GOOD EGGS
Award-winning author Ed Smith has long championed the joy of eggs on his Instagram account (@rocketandsquash) and finally turns his ovoid enthusiasm to the printed page with 100 recipes and ideas to celebrate eggs. If you don’t know how to do the basics, you’re in good hands; if you do, perhaps you’d like to try a poached egg with ’nduja butter, or with truffle paste toast. This book succeeds brilliantly
