dear cooks,

The New York Times’s Frank Bruni says he “always leaves The Red Cat happy”; Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, and Gourmet each gave their accolades. Now, for the first time, Jimmy Bradley shares the deceptively simple, delightfully flavorful recipes that have made the restaurant such a favorite. Here’s what some others have said:

“The Red Cat is the quintessential modern American restaurant—casual and fun but still a little elegant, with food that is familiar yet sophisticated. Jimmy Bradley brings that same spot-on sensibility to his cookbook, filled with delicious recipes for real home cooks.” —John Willoughby, executive editor of Gourmet

“For proof of Jimmy Bradley’s ingenious ability to wrest great flavors from the most unassuming ingredients, look no further than his Quick Sauté of Zucchini with Toasted Almonds and Pecorino. I’ve tried, many times, to re-create this recipe at home. With The Red Cat Cookbook, I’ll no longer have any excuses!” —Kyle MacLachlan

“Jimmy Bradley, the cook’s cook! Jimmy can sling hash with the best of chefs, but that is the least of it. He is the chef other cooks aspire to be: cool, calm, poised, intelligent, and confident. Jimmy is unusually gifted: he has food rhythm, he can make food dance, and he can improvise. He is full of hidden surprises, unleashing them with full gale force. His cooking has no equal; it is unique.” —Jonathan Waxman, chef-owner of Barbuto

“I’ve been frequenting The Red Cat since it opened because it makes you feel right at home. The book has that same kind of feeling, featuring rustic food with gutsy flavors, based on seasonal ingredients.” —Sara Moulton, author of Sara’s Secrets for Weeknight Meals

But don’t take their words for it. Try out one of Jimmy Bradley’s creations for yourself and find out what all the buzz is about.

We’ve served this dish at The Red Cat since our first dinner back in 1999. It sums up a lot of what I think makes a dish comfortable to both cook and diner: a mere handful of ingredients, each contributing its own important flavor and texture; the whole thing held together with a fine extra-virgin olive oil. It’s that simple, but the flavor is very complex and complete.

Serves 4
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 3 to 4 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices, then crosswise into matchsticks (about 5 cups)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces Pecorino Romano, thinly sliced into 12 triangular sheets with an old-fashioned cheese slicer or very sharp knife, or shaved into shards with a vegetable peeler

Divide the oil among 2 large, heavy-bottomed skillets and heat it over high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add half of the almonds to each pan. Cook, tossing or stirring, until the almonds are golden brown, approximately 30 seconds. Add half of the zucchini to each pan and toss or stir to coat the zucchini with the hot oil, just a few seconds. Remove the pans from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and return to the heat for 30 seconds, tossing to distribute the seasoning.

Divide the zucchini and almonds among 4 warm salad plates, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, arrange the Pecorino sheets in a pyramid over each serving, and get it to the table while it’s still nice and hot.

happy cooking!

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