Island Pantry
Good cookbooks are ones you keep on using

By Kaui Philpotts

I know there are a lot of you out there: people who have a weakness for buying cookbooks. It's almost as if the mere purchasing of the book gets you the glorious food pictured in high-density color.

I find I buy cookbooks about food or techniques I think I should know how to do. Some of them are to curl up with and read for inspiration, some are about things I know are good for me, such as vegetables and low-calorie cooking. Many inspire dinner parties, and then I never pick them up again. And, of course, some I use to research this column. I have so many cookbooks, in fact, they take up an entire wall in our new kitchen.

Right now, I am staring at a small stack I recently bought. Among them is a book on noodles and pasta (a weakness), the "Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook" (because I think it would be good for me), a Creole cookbook, a Southeast Asian one and one on diner food (another thing I've discovered I have a soft spot for).

The truth is that most of us cook the same old things over and over again because we like them and we can make them in a snap (even without a recipe). There are really only three books I use consistently. I'm sure that's true of most of us.

For some, it's the classic, original "Joy of Cooking," for others, Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," or James Beard's "The New James Beard."

The food I actually grew up with wasn't quite so lofty. Let's try a little spiral volume from the ladies at the Maui Extension Homemakers Council called "Our Favorite Recipes." Our family tastes ran more to dishes like chicken hekka, barbecue short ribs and pickled mango.

The UE (University Extension) ladies, as they were affectionately referred to, began publishing back in 1957 and continued for another four volumes. A few years ago, they combined all their little books into one mammoth volume for their 50th anniversary (1946-1996). It's still a hot little number.

One of my sisters, who is a wicked cook even though she hasn't owned a real stove in years (she prefers these burners that look like hot plates), raised her kids on Hawaiian taro-top stew and beef tomato from the book. Her kids request copies today even though they live on the East Coast.

I, too, still use the book even though I sometimes have to guess at directions and quantities because they are recipes from real women in real homes and there is little consistency in descriptions. Still, they are not sensitive dishes, and in most cases they are cheap and fast.

"The Silver Palate Cookbook," by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (Workman Publishing), came on the market about 1981 and changed the way most of my friends and I cooked for each other. The recipes reflected the more sophisticated tastes we were developing. Dishes were made from whole foods, and they were relatively simple to make. These two ladies, who ran a takeout and catering shop in New York City, changed the way most of their peers entertained.

I still do their Chicken Marbella for guests because I can make it ahead and reheat it at dinner time, and it tastes and looks great. There's no fussing and you can enjoy your company. The Osso Buco rivals that of any restaurant in town, as do the Cheese Straws. I've made the Linzer Hearts just once, to give away one Christmas. Even though they looked very simple, they were hugely time-consuming, and I never did them again (although it might be time to try). Yet I still have family remind me how good they were. In the back are simple directions to basic things like "from-scratch" chicken and fish stock, Hollandaise sauce, homemade mayonnaise, creme fraiche, pie crust and pate brisee for tarts.

In the mid-1980s, I had the pleasure of working on a cookbook with a group of women on Maui I liked very much. The result was a book called "Maui Cooks," which they created to benefit a local charity. It was the best of both worlds: local and sophisticated, all in one volume. Best of all, unlike many local cookbooks, it was heavily tested by the women who took turns trying each others' recipes.

The success of that book was followed a decade later by "Maui Cooks Again." This time, they celebrated the local artists they loved, and their new favorite hangouts, Maui restaurants. Talk about easy to make, foolproof and delicious. Whenever I'm in a rush and don't have time to experiment, I grab it and know everything works.

Here are some of the recipes from those books.

Mochiko Chicken
(From "Best of Our Favorite Recipes")

• 2 pounds chicken thighs, deboned
• 4 tablespoons mochiko flour
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Cut each chicken thigh into 2 or 3 pieces. In a bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, salt, eggs, green onions and garlic. Pour over the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours.

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a skillet until very hot, but not smoking. Fry the pieces of chicken, browning on both sides until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with rice, or cold for a picnic. Serves 4 to 6.

Osso Buco
(From "The Silver Palate Cookbook")

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 16 sections of veal shank (12 to 14 pounds), 2 inches thick
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 ounces (1 stick) butter
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 28 ounces canned Italian plum tomatoes, drained
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 3/4 cup chopped Italian parsley (flat-leafed)
• grated zest of 2 lemons

Season the flour with the salt and pepper and dredge the veal shanks well. Heat the oil and butter in a large casserole or Dutch oven and sear the veal, browning on all sides. Transfer to paper towels to drain fat. Add the onions, garlic, basil and oregano to the pot and cook, stirring for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and more salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 10 minutes. Skim the excess fat. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Return the shanks to the Dutch oven and add the beef stock to cover. Cover the pot and bake for 1à hours. Remove the lid and bake another 30 minutes, until very tender. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and lemon zest and serve with rice or polenta. Serves 6 to 8 portions.

Red Cabbage Salad
(From "Maui Cooks Again")

• 1/2 head red cabbage, about 2 pounds
• 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup or more olive oil
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 ounces Roquefort or bleu cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Chop cabbage into shreds, as for cole slaw, and place in a salad bowl with the parsley. Heat the vinegar in a small pot and, when very hot, pour over the cabbage. Quickly toss, coating each piece thoroughly.

Add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss again. Add walnuts and crumbled cheese. Toss once more and serve. Makes enough for 6 to 8.