Jacques Pépin Quick & Simple

The newest cookbook from Pepin, Quick & Simple, is full of recipes that are exactly such. In his infinite cooking wisdom, Pepin states up front that he wants to simplify cooking and shares pointers for efficient and accessible home cooking, including suggestions for a well-stocked pantry. The book is organized by course; to encourage those limited on time, he attempts to make his recipes more accessible by calling for ingredients like store-bought puff pastry or a bag of frozen vegetables. Though he’s known for French cooking, recipes featured here are comprehensive in scope and include dishes from salsa to borscht, crispy wonton wafers to zucchini flan, to name a few. Some recipes are new twists on old classics, like black bean hummus with smoked oysters and sour cream or blue cheese tortilla croque-monsieur. Not all of the meals are accompanied by photos, but in true warm Pepin fashion, the recipe introductions include gentle instructions or encouragements to help users enjoy the process and feel relaxed in the kitchen.