Book review: Andy Allen – The next element

Book review: Andy Allen - The next element
“This book is the first step for me after the intense period honing my skills in the craft of cooking. I’ve come along way in a short period of time.” Andy Allen swept the other contestants aside as the standout winner of the 2012 MasterChef competition. His feel for taste, flavour combinations, his infectious personality and his ability with seafood marked him out as one of Australia’s next best chef.

9781742573267 The Next Element brings to life all of Andy’s culinary skills. It begins with Cooking for My Family. When Andy was the main cook for his family he learnt how to produce family classics with a twist – family roasts are included as well as beer battered fish and chips. Sit back with chilli blue swimmer crabs, chicken satay and the perfect steak.

Andy’s friends encouraged him onto the show–because they couldn’t stop eating his shared platters! In Cooking for my Friends and Mates, Andy shares his tastiest tapas for entertaining. Enjoy salt and pepper squid with nam jim sauce, fish cakes, tempura prawns, mini lamb burgers and baked snapper with chilli. This is also Andy’s chance to celebrate with his mate Ben Milbourne the Mexican style he has grown to love.

Ben and Andy cook up a storm with Tostada Popcorn Prawn, Taco, King Fish Carpaccio and Chipotle Salad. Don’t forget the Guacamole. Andy celebrates A New Direction in his book and shares the culinary techniques and styles he learnt on MasterChef.

As well as the classic Seafood Basket he reinvented, and the Beef Cheeks that he served to hundreds in the pub challenge, Andy shares Popcorn Pork Spare Ribs, Confit Salmon that makes you mouth water, a Seafood Sambal that beats all others and the Crispiest Duck Breast you have had. Andy’s other mate Kylie Millar adds her desserts to round off this sensational section that bursts with new flavours. Rounding off the book is a substantial Sauces section, where Andy shares the great accompaniments that go with the recipes in the book.

Get a copy at your local Exclusive Books fro about R295
Published By: Random House Struik
EAN:9781742573267


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