Once Upon a Chef: Weeknight/Weekend

Segal, author of the popular blog Once Upon a Chef and the best-selling cookbook of the same name, presents her second cookbook, offering quick weeknight and longer weekend recipes. Each weeknight dish takes less than an hour to prepare without sacrificing quality. It might stretch the imagination that Dijon & Panko-Crusted Rack of Lamb is a weeknight dinner, yet the recipe is confident and simply written, and gives a good feel for the offerings. These easier meals are complimented with tips for freezing, preparing, or buying ingredients. Segal writes for grocery store shoppers, occasionally specifying a preferred brand. Some of her pantry staples may be harder to find, but she does a solid job of using unique ingredients, like sambal oelek, in multiple recipes. Weekend recipes focus on flavor and sophistication, and on cooking instead of assembling. Beautiful full-page photographs accompany every dish. Busy families will enjoy the practical options here, though only a few recipes are vegetarian, and none are specified as gluten-free.