French Culinary Institute's Salute to Healthy Cooking » (REV)

The French Culinary Institute is America's premier French cooking school. Contributors include noted author Chef Jacques Pepin, Chefs Alain Sailhac and Jacques Torres of Le Cirque 2000 and Chef Andre Soltner of Lutece. Photographs are by the award-winning food photographer Maria Robledo.

The holidays are winding down, and it's time to start thinking about those resolutions again. Are you going to pledge to start cooking healthier, lower-fat food this year? There are a number of great books that can show you how it's done -- withou t forcing you to delve into the often unsatisfying world of fake low-fat products. We've collected our favorites to get you started, including The French Culinary Institute's Salute to Healthy Cooking

Publishers Weekly

Culinary authority doesn't come much higher than these four chefs associated with the New York school founded in 1984, who offer 150 seasonally arranged recipes offered in three-course menus for health-conscious home cooks. In general, their collective approach calls for less saturated fat, less meat and more fruits and vegetables. Key techniques include cooking in nonstick pans with a minimum of fat (11/2 pounds of meat are saut ed in one teaspoon of olive oil for Lamb Stew with Glazed Turnips and Pearl Onions, serving four); making use of vegetable essences -- water in which a flavoring agent is simmered for 45 minutes and then often reduced (Breast of Chicken with Fennel essence); using nonfat dairy products (Low-Fat Caramel Cream made with 1% milk). Large flavors also disguise the decrease of fat in such dishes as Baked Cod with Tomatoes, Capers and Turmeric on Saut ed Spinach and Roasted Chicken with Grapefruit and Pink Peppercorn Sauce. Sauces are another focus, as with the almost fat-free Spinach and Watercress Sauce, with chicken stock thickened with potato. Phyllo dough replaces the traditional p t bris e (e.g., Apricot Tart). When Basic Pastry is a necessity, the solution is one made with a tablespoon of canola oil and 1/4 cup of low-fat cottage cheese. These are generally easily rendered recipes that retain a French air even though calories and fat grams are listed.