By Elizabeth Falkner

Ten Speed Press, $29.99

With two acclaimed San Francisco Bay-area restaurants to run, chef Elizabeth Falkner lives at a frantic pace. When she does get a chance to chill out at home, she makes simple, satisfying food. Cooks who enjoy easing into the kitchen at the end of a busy day will appreciate this collection of Falkner’s favorite recipes, most of them unfussy updates of comforting classics, likeTomato-Centric Cobb Saladwith peppery arugula, fresh tarragon, and crème fraîche. There is a chapter devoted to grilled pizzas and another that features starchy main courses like Spaghetti and Meatballs and Crab Pad Thai. Falkner is famous for her creative desserts, and although those recipes are more impressive than easy, they’re definitely worth the e‡ffort.

Crab Pad Thai(page 126) Enriched with coconut milk and succulent crabmeat, this spicy, fragrant, hot-and-sour noodle dish combines the flavors of two of Falkner’s favorite Thai dishes-tom yum soup and pad thai.

Cherry Tomato Confit(page 168) Plop some tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olive oil into a baking dish, roast for about an hour, and-voilà!-you have an almost effortless (and deeply flavored) alternative to tomato sauce.

Curry and Black Rice		Tomato-Centric Cobb Salad		Matzo Ball Soup

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