It’s no wonder restaurateur Cindy Burch ended up in the food business. She had grandmothers in Texas and Alabama whose love for cooking had a profound influence on her. Not to mention that Burch started experimenting with recipes early in life. She found her match when she added some Southwestern flair to New American cuisine. And, voilà: Burch founded the successful Waxahachie restaurant the Dove’s Nest with her husband, Andrew. Her cookbook The Dove’s Nest Restaurant: New American Recipes From a Historic Texas Town has been quite successful too (it’s now in its third printing).
Readers won’t come across photographs in this cookbook, but at-home chefs won’t have any trouble finding dishes to create an impressive five-course meal. Starting out the recipe sections is “Beginnings”—a compilation of appetizers worthy of both large parties and intimate gatherings. Next is “Soups,” followed by “Salads and Dressings.” Here, readers can find both the classics (Tomato Basil Soup or The Dove’s Nest Caesar Salad), and the unusual (Turkey, Red Grape and Bleu Cheese Salad With Honey Tabasco Dressing or Roasted Eggplant Soup With Kalamata Olive Pesto).
In “Entrées and Side Dishes,” Burch not only provides recipes for mouth-watering main-courses, but she also pairs them with the perfect sides. For instance, the Pork Tenderloin is matched with Bleu Cheese Bacon Whipped Potatoes and Dried Cherry Port Demi-Glace Sauce, and she couples the Grilled Mahimahi with Red Onion Couscous and Chunky Papaya-Avocado-Citrus Vinaigrette. The final section, “Sweet Endings,” will have folks wanting to throw their diets out the window with recipes such as Kahlúa Fudge Brownies. Here’s a sampling of what to expect:
Hot Artichoke Dip
Cornmeal Biscuits
Black Bean Soup
Durham House Peanut Bisque
The Dove’s Nest Chicken Apricot Salad
Vietnamese Chicken Salad
Herb-Crusted Chicken With Mustard Butter
The Dove’s Nest Chicken Soufflé
Southwest Quiche
Cherry Pineapple Pecan Cobbler
Cold Amaretto Soufflé
