Two Chefs in the Garden
Over 150 Garden-Inspired Vegetarian Recipes
Two Chefs in the Garden is the second book co-authored by celebrated chefs Lynn Crawford (left) and Lora Kirk
Summer has arrived, and fresh vegetables are piled high at farmers’ markets and the grocery stores. They might even be freshly pulled from your garden, ready to be compiled into delightful meals or side dishes to be enjoyed under the summer sun.
Two Chefs in the Garden takes readers on a culinary journey with over 150 flavourful, everyday vegetarian recipes celebrating the ease and versatility of cooking with vegetables. Award-winning chefs Lynn Crawford and Lora Kirk, inspired by their love of country living and growing their own produce, seem to harvest an envious supply of fresh vegetables that inspire unique and exciting dishes. Their book offers a stunning array of recipes that showcase their garden and culinary talents while being accessible to any cook.
Lynn Crawford is an acclaimed Food Network celebrity chef from Toronto and bestselling author of several cookbooks, including Farm to Chef. She spent many years as executive chef for the Four Seasons Hotels in Toronto and New York, and her Food Network television resumé is extensive, including continuing roles in several iterations of Iron Chef and Top Chef and her own series Pitchin’ In.
Lora Kirk was born in Peterborough, and like her spouse Lynn Crawford, has over 20 years working as a chef internationally. She co-authored Hearth and Home with Crawford and is also a food activist, with a particular passion for ensuring children eat healthy food and learn to cook. She is a founding member of Little Chefs in the Garden, an organization akin to our Growing Chefs in London, working to create garden projects for children to participate in planting, harvesting and preparing fresh food as part of their school day and class curriculum.
As mothers to two young girls, Crawford and Kirk have included plenty of family-friendly recipes as well as more sophisticated options. Two Chefs is well organized by categories such as Sides or Desserts, with gorgeous photography by Ash Nayler. I tested two recipes. Cauliflower Tabbouleh with Pistachio Lemon Dressing is in the Salads section. This is a no-grain salad with the main ingredient being cauliflower, shredded using a box grater. The fresh flavours of dill and mint, mixed with cucumber and tomatoes, create a familiar but delicate tabouleh blend, while the pistachio dressing binds the solids together without dominating the other tastes. What a wonderful salad! It came together quickly and stayed fresh for a second day. (I dressed each serving separately knowing we wouldn’t eat it all at once.)
From the Mains section, Harissa and Maple Roasted Carrot Tart with Carrot-Top Dill Cream Cheese — no surprise — provided a rich variety of flavours and textures. The puff pastry provides a light and crunchy base, the cream cheese mixture is cool and smooth, and the carrots are sweet with a little heat from the harissa. This could be a delightful dinner on its own or a side dish for a summer barbecue. It can be served cold or warm and is a feast for the eyes. I could not wait to taste the next bite, and although we ate generous portions, there were leftovers that kept well in the fridge. But they were quickly gone the next day!
I’m excited to sample more recipes from Two Chefs in the Garden with some fresh local vegetables, hoping some of those come from my own garden. I believe that Crawford and Kirk, as educators and chefs who promote sustainability while celebrating nature’s bounty, would be glad to hear that. •
