New Year, New Cookbooks

As a personal chef, I'm always looking for new recipes to try in hopes I'll come across something new and fabulous that I can share with my clients. I subscribe to 5 or 6 cooking magazines and am constantly buying and acquiring cookbooks.

I have three new cookbooks that I'm working my way through: One: recipes using the pressure cooker, two: a creme brulee cookbook, because I've been interested in trying some savory-style custards, and my new favorite, Around My French Table. Tonight I'll be testing from this cookbook, a chicken recipe, a rice and spinach recipe and a vegetable side dish. Can't wait! Hope my husband is hungry.

This weekend, I tested one of the savory recipes from the Creme Brulee cookbook, using Corn and Roasted Red Pepper. It turned out really good and was pretty easy to make.

After prepping all the ingredients, you fill the custard cups with the vegetables and cheese, then add the custard and bake in a waterbath. Then, even though this was a savory creme brulee, the recipe still called for topping with a bit of sugar and burning the top to get it crispy. Surprisingly, this bit of sweetness gave it a really great contrast to the savory filling.

I served this with a roasted chicken. I used Ina Garten's recipe for "perfect roast chicken". That recipe is also a winner.

There are several more savory style recipes in this Creme Brulee cookbook that I definetely want to try, as well as many sweet versions, including lots of chocolate ones. As I work my way through these, I'm sure there will be lots of winners that will make a great side dish or dessert that will be great for dinner parties.