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BARBARA FAIRCHILD was Editor in Chief of Bon Appetit magazine for ten years. She is a frequent guest on radio and television programs about food, restaurants, travel, and popular culture, and has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation's "Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America." She is also the author of the bestselling Bon Appetit Cookbook.

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Full of fresh, delicious recipes that are fast enough for a weeknight, special enough for a weekend. Bon Appétit makes it easy to find just the right recipe and pull it together in no time at all.

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It's 4 p.m. You're at your desk, in the car with the kids, or anywhere but in the kitchen.
 
Do you know where your dinner is?
 
Forget about lukewarm takeout, and don't even think of reaching for tired leftovers-with The Bon Appétit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook, you'll have more than 1,100 quick and easy recipes at your fingertips, all using fresh, readily available ingredients in inventive new ways. This is the perfect book for everyone who wants to create healthful, delicious, and exciting food every night of the week.
 
Supermarkets and local farmers' markets are filled with diverse ingredients that add flavor, texture, and interest to your cooking. Use that qualilty as inspiration, and let this book be your guide as you use those ingredients to get dinner on the table in a flash. From Cilantro-Lime Crab Salad in Avocado Halves, Roasted-Garlic Beef Stew, and Linguine with Winter Pesto to Shrimp with Ginger-Herb Butter, Grilled Steak with Fresh Garden Herbs, and Peach Pie with Berry Jam, you'll find a wide range of flavorful dishes inside that take a fun, modern spin.
 
For more than half a century, Bon Appétit has been the go-to source for straight-forward, sophisticated recipes, each with a contemporary twist. Now more than ever we also want to be conscientious about choosing responsibly sourced ingredients and healthy foods. The experts at Bon Appétit show how, in the most comprehensive collection-ever-of the magazine's best, most delicious, fast and easy recipes. As a cookbook, Fast Easy Fresh is unparalleled-every recipe is simple to use and has been tested with care by the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen-and it will become your indispensable source for all the tips, hints, and tricks you need to keep you on top of your game.
 
Eating local, eating better, eating fresh-it all starts HERE, in The Bon Appétit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook.

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The Bon Apetit Cookbook

John Wiley & Sons

Chapter One

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

There has been an exciting boom in the growth of farmers' markets and CSAs (community supported agriculture) across the country, offering an expanding variety of fresh, local, and often organic produce. The food at farmers' markets has generally been picked that morning-it's hard to beat this kind of freshness unless you have your own garden.

But farmers' markets aren't available to everyone year-round, and for some they're not available at all. When shopping in a supermarket, opt for seasonal and local produce wherever possible; if it's organic, so much the better.

But beware of out-of-season organic produce: Most likely it has been shipped from another continent, so it is not only a few days older, but a lot of fossil fuels were used to get it to you.

A note on seasonality: In the ingredient guide on the following pages, we list the seasons in which fruits and vegetables are fresh. Many of these items are now available year-round (grapes, for instance)-but be aware that these fruits and vegetables do have a natural season during which the quality and variety will be at their peak.

FISH AND SHELLFISH

Years ago, we never thought twice about what kind of fish to have for dinner: We just bought what we liked or what was on sale. Now there are concerns about dwindling fish supplies, and questions about whether to buy farm-raised or wild-caught fish. The best guidelines come from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, available at mbayaq.org. There are even region-specific printable pocket guides (updated every few months) that you can take to the store. The guides (or a knowledgeable fishmonger) can suggest substitutes for overfished or endangered fish-fortunately, there are still plenty of varieties in abundant supply.

POULTRY

Chicken, turkey, and egg production have become highly industrialized over the last few decades, but we're now witnessing a backlash against the use of antibiotics. We have found in the BON Apptit Test Kitchen that organic chicken not only helps to keep the environment and our bodies healthier, it actually tastes better. If your market doesn't carry organic chicken, look for chicken that is antibiotic-free. Kosher chicken is a great choice, but do not use kosher chickens in recipes that call for brining. Part of the koshering process entails a soak in a saltwater bath, and a second brining could make the dish too salty.

BEEF

Grass-fed and organic beef are becoming more and more popular-and for good reason: Cattle are supposed to eat grass. Studies are beginning to show that meat from grass-fed cattle is not only lower in fat, but the fat has more of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids. If grass-fed or organic beef isn't available (or is too expensive), look for beef that has been raised without hormones and antibiotics, often labeled "natural beef," which is much easier to find.

Those are the broad strokes-now here's a guide to selecting many of the individual ingredients you'll find in this book.

FRUITS

Apples

SEASON: Late summer and fall.

SELECTING: There are thousands of varieties of apples, with colors varying from deep green to rosy pink to dark burgundy. Each variety has its own flavor and texture, so it's important to use the type of apple called for in a recipe. Choose firm, heavy fruit without any wrinkles or bruises. Avoid any apples with tears or holes in the skin.

STORING: Apples will last for several weeks stored unwrapped in the refrigerator.

USING: Apples tend to brown quickly once exposed to the air, so cut them up just before using.

Bananas

SEASON: Fall and winter.

SELECTING: Perfectly ripe bananas are firm with yellow skin. Don't worry if there are only green bananas at the market. They will ripen when allowed to stand at room temperature for a few days.

STORING: Keep bananas in a well-ventilated spot at room temperature.

USING: If bananas are being used in baked goods like banana bread, use overripe bananas or bananas with lots of brown spots all over them. They will be very soft and sweet, and will impart the deep banana flavor desired in baked goods. Peeled overripe bananas can be stored in the freezer in resealable plastic bags for later use. fruits

Berries

SEASON: Spring (strawberries), summer into fall (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries).

SELECTING: The freshest berries will have a deeply sweet and floral aroma and look like they are bursting with juices. Avoid any with green on them-they're underripe.

STORING: Store berries in the refrigerator. If you need to hold them for more than a day, line an airtight container with paper towels, add unrinsed berries in a single layer, and top with another paper towel or two to absorb additional moisture and prevent molding. Seal the container and chill; the berries should last up to five days.

USING: Rinse berries just before using, not before storing, to help prevent mold from developing. Remove the hull, if necessary, before using.

Citrus

SEASON: Late spring and summer (limes), year-round (oranges, lemons, grapefruit).

SELECTING: Select fruit that feels heavy for its size-a sure sign that it is fresh and packed with juice. The fruit should be firm, especially if the peel is being used in a recipe. Softer fruits are difficult to grate and peel, but may be perfect for juicing.

STORING: Citrus fruits can be stored uncovered at room temperature for several days or can last for several weeks when stored uncovered in the refrigerator.

USING: Scrub the fruit if using the peel in a recipe. When the peel is required, use only the colored part, leaving the bitter white pith behind.

Cranberries

SEASON: Fall.

SELECTING: Color will vary in this classic holiday fruit. The whiter berries tend to be a bit milder, while the dark red ones have a deep cranberry flavor. Cranberries should be full and firm, and show no signs of brown or soft spots. Fresh cranberries will bounce when dropped.

STORING: Store cranberries in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to one month.

USING: This is one fruit that freezes beautifully. Keep the fruit frozen and use as directed in the recipe.

Dates

SEASON: Late summer to mid-fall, year-round for dried dates.

SELECTING: There are many varieties of dates, but the Medjool (large and very moist) and the Deglet Noor (medium size, slightly firm, with drier skin) are the most common. There are many other varieties available, especially if you visit a Middle Eastern market or a farmers' market.

STORING: Fresh dates, wrapped in plastic, can last in the refrigerator for about two weeks. The more commonly found dried dates can be stored in a cool dry place for about one month or in the...