My birthday was this past week, and one of the more entrancing gifts I received was a copy of Nigel Slater‘s new book, Tender. I haven’t been able to keep my eyes or hands off it for more than a few hours since I got it this morning — and I came straight home from work tonight and set to cooking up my first exploration of its treasures. It’s clear even from this first foray that the book is a celebration of vegetables, of seasonality, of flavor, and of balance.

 

Jon and I had already decided to savor some of the stash of Russian River beer that we brought back from California, a dual tasting of Damnation and Redemption in anticipation of the impending apocalypse. What would pair better with Rapture and wrath than an ebullient meal that relishes how spring, always, turns into summer? I began with Slater’s asparagus and fava bean pilaf, though I subbed brown basmati rice for white and ramps for green onions, since my friend Judy had brought me a serendipitous haul of the wild leeks from New Jersey. The recipe held up to these alterations, which bodes well for the book’s ability to accommodate my usual improvisatory style.

 

The other dish I attempted was pushing the season a bit, but that served as affirmation that life, indeed, will continue unabated beyond tomorrow. As is my devilish wont, I combined elements of two stuffed pepper recipes: a more traditional one that binds pork with breadcrumbs and a beautifully innovative one packed with cherry tomatoes. I first made a pork, breadcrumb, and ramp stuffing and then tucked cherry tomatoes into the meat before baking. These were ethereally good, marrying the best of vegetable and beast. The minted yogurt sauce Slater suggested pairing with the pilaf didn’t really work with its intended partner, but we were delighted to dab it on the meaty peppers.

 

Considering this auspicious start, I can’t wait to dig deeper into this intriguing tome. I hope it’s as good a companion as its name would suggest, as there’s a good chance it will follow me into bed tonight. Without a doubt, though, it’s better comfort than the book many will turn to for sustenance tomorrow.