Linger Salads, sweets and stories to savor

In this appetizing vegetarian cookbook, bestseller McKinnon (To Asia, with Love) sets out to prove that "salad a dish with limitless possibilities." Whether or not home cooks are swayed by her expansive definition of the dish, the recipes she puts forward as evidence hold undeniable appeal. Some contain leafy greens--including tofu and kale with sweet peanut sauce, and a rice paper spring roll salad, which is served on a bed of butter lettuce--but others are entirely leafless, among them spicy tomatoes with pearl couscous, herby roasted cinnamon delicata squash and quinoa, and figs with farro and tahini. Asian influences pervade in soba noodles with crunchy vegetables and fermented tofu sesame sauce, noodles with mushroom and black bean sauce and daikon pickles, and tom kha noodle salad with seared mushrooms. McKinnon's creativity shines when reinterpreting the classics: a savory twist on trifle, for example, layers grilled and puréed eggplant with grains; and falafel inspires a salad of pan-fried smashed chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and tahini. Exciting desserts round things out, from Hong Kong milk tea tres leches cake to plum and cardamom galette. McKinnon is especially good at offering suggestions for simple substitutions and modifications, with vegan and gluten-free riffs available for most recipes. The result is an inventive collection that transforms humble produce into something extraordinary. (Oct.)

In her sixth cookbook, McKinnon brings readers back to her culinary origin: salads. She posits that almost any dish can be a salad, but a sauce is essential. McKinnon, who won a James Beard Award for 2024's Tenderheart, keeps her Chinese Australian heritage at the center of her cooking. The 12 thematic chapters each include a one-page seasonal menu that recommends a cooking order, and every chapter has a playlist. The more than 100 recipes include salads, desserts, and bakes, and while all are vegetarian, most offer ingredient substitutions and instructions on how to veganize the recipe or make it gluten-free. Recipes range from drinks to full meals with hefty portions, and some are for salad components: salted eggs, salsa macha, cashew cream, and daikon pickles, all of which can also be eaten on their own. The clear entries and crisp photos make the range of recipes accessible to cooks who want to try a variety of ingredients and dishes. The international inspiration is clear in McKinnon's twists on classic dishes like som tum, larb, rice pudding, tres leches cake, and potato salad. VERDICT This cookbook features vegetarian recipes from around the world, accessible to home cooks and easy to veganize or make gluten-free. A necessary addition to any cookbook section.--Nicole Gaudier Alemañy