Saffron Garlic & Olives PB

Three favorites--olives, saffron and garlic, how can you go wrong? The Greek god Zeus, writes author Werle, was supposed to have slept on a bed of saffron. And we're told that the Olympians bathed in olive oil. Nothing about what they did with garlic, (rub it on their armpits?) but I imagine it was food of the gods as well. These recipes are elegant, from pumpkin rissoto with leek and saffron, saffron rice salad with shrimp and my favorite the Portuguese fish stews that use saffron and potatoes--here Swordfish and Potato Stew with Saffron and Cilantro. The garlic recipes include garlic pot roast (one of our standards at home), Fattoush (not to be pronounced "Fat-TUSH" thank you very much) which is a bread and tomato salad with lots of garlic. And the alluring garlic custard and garlic bread pudding. For olives, there is potato and caper salad, duck with olive sauce (a classic where the salty olives replace sweet fruit to cut the rich duck fat) and my fave, roasted tomato and arugula salad. The book is in three sections for each major ingredient and it's mostly Mediterranean but includes Middle East dishes (like tabbouleh and that Fattoush salad.) There are a lot of recipes in this book and all of them are pretty wonderful. If you like food from this region, this is a really great selection of recipes. Recommended

I initially picked up this book while checking out Mediterranean Cookbooks. Boy am I glad I did, this book is full of wonderful, healthful, easy receipes that my family loves! While some of the ingredients listed are a little hard to find, the author includes easy substitutions that only alter the dish slightly. Every receipe I have tried has been delicious!! This is a must have book for anyone wanting to start eating a more healthful yet delicious diet. I would also strongly recommend the books of Nancy Harmon Jenkins, especially The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook. Hope this review helps someone discover these wonderful dishes.