In Gennaro’s Verdure, Gennaro transforms humble vegetables from side dish material into the hero of the plate, using punchy flavours from staple ingredients in his unique and much loved Italian style.
Structured by colour chapters that group recipes into vegetable families, Gennaro champions their versatility and breaks the common misconception that vegetables lack texture and flavour. This novel approach not only adds visual appeal but also allows for easy navigation and exploration of the wonderful world of vegetables.
Up first, Green Vegetables, Gennaro highlights the crisp freshness and health benefits of greens like asparagus, spinach, and broccoli. He transforms these humble ingredients into culinary masterpieces; try Gennaro's Asparagus Carbonara, a delightful twist on the classic pasta dish, and be tempted by his Spinach ‘plumcake’, a unique creation that combines savoury and sweet flavours.
In Red Vegetables, Gennaro celebrates the vibrant hues and rich flavours of produce such as tomatoes, Swiss chard and red peppers. From Chard Calzone to a zingy Tomato Sorbet, Gennaro proves that these red gems can be the star ingredients of extraordinary dishes.
Sunshine Vegetables radiates with the vibrant colours of yellow, cream and orange vegetables. Gennaro showcases the natural sweetness and sunny disposition of ingredients such as carrots, onions and pumpkins. These recipes will bring warmth and joy to your plate, from comforting Pumpkin Gnocchi to Carrot Soufflé.
Purple Vegetables uncovers the hidden treasures lurking in the depths of our refrigerators. Aubergines, purple radicchio and beetroots take centre stage. Savour Beetroot Capracchio and Raddchio Terrine over a picnic lunch on a summer’s day, imagining you are on the Amalfi Coast.
While not all recipes are entirely plant-based, Gennaro ensures that every dish includes the beauty and goodness of plants. With his signature Italian touch, these innovative meals are designed to please not only vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians, but also meat-eaters looking to incorporate more vegetables into their diet.
Gennaro's Verdure is a testament to the incredible potential of vegetables, including an in-depth profile of each. Whether you're seeking inspiration for a meatless Monday or aiming to embrace a plant-based lifestyle, Gennaro's recipes are sure to leave you satisfied, nourished, and eager to experiment with the endless possibilities of vegetables.
About the Author:
Gennaro Contaldo was born in Minori on the Amalfi coast, where he first started helping in local restaurant kitchens at the age of eight. He came to Britain in the late 1960s and spent his first years travelling around the country, working in local village restaurants and studying wild food. He then came to London where he worked as a chef in a number of restaurants before opening the award-winning 'Passione'.
We first met Gennaro Contaldo as the chef who inspired Jamie Oliver when they had worked together at Carluccio's. Since then Gennaro's quintessentially Italian spirit has made him a TV favourite and these days he divides his time between inspiring us to cook authentic Italian food through his books, magazine articles and television appearances, and working with Jamie on his 'Jamie's Italian' restaurants.
Gennaro lives in north-east London with his partner and their twin daughters.
