Cooks' Books by Lisa Messinger

"The Ethical Gourmet" by Jay Weinstein (Broadway book originally $18.95; current Kindle and Nook editions $14.99)

If you feel ignorance is bliss when it comes to your knowledge about the foods you eat, then "The Ethical Gourmet" is probably not the book for you. It's a thinking person's bible for selecting foods that nourish not only you, but the environment, too. Jay Weinstein, who combines a degree from the Culinary Institute of America with one in journalism from New York University and has penned cookbooks, as well as food articles for the New York Times and Travel and Leisure, lets no morsel pass his lips unchecked and feels you should do the same.

This is a book that never goes out of favor — or flavor — in my kitchen. In addition to still, after its publication five years ago, being available inexpensive and used on the Internet, I'm excited about its newer e-edition available for both the Amazon Kindle (amazon.com) and the Barnes and Noble Nook (bn.com).

"Flavor, freshness, and overall quality of food are rising. It's easier than ever to buy ingredients that don't despoil the environment, exploit endangered wildlife, or create undue suffering in the world," Weinstein writes optimistically. "We have all heard of the rain forests that are continually disappearing, the rivers that are being polluted, and the acid rain that is harming our very being. But most of us are so overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problems that we just throw up our hands when it comes to trying to help solve them. This book is written in the belief that if each of us does his or her part we can make a difference, and the world will be a better place for it."

Weinstein gives clearheaded, straightforward information about everything you may have heard briefly about or wondered about, including:

—Free-range chicken. Advocates hate the fact that most mainstream chickens live in darkness in cages their whole lives with the excrement of other chickens dropping on them. Having free range on the farm, as poultry did until recently, prevents cruelty, and, as Weinstein, a chef at top New York City restaurants, also tempts, means their meat is actually much softer with "an intensity of flavor in a worked chicken thigh that far exceeds what a flaccid thigh can attain."

—Eating local. How restricting your buys to foods produced and transported locally can make a huge environmental difference.

—As has been in the news, Weinstein recommends drinking tap water over bottled counterparts, whose plastic containers may remain in landfills for thousands of years.

—Genetically modified foodstuffs. What might surprise some is that Weinstein and other advocates recommend supporting "responsible development of genetically modified foodstuffs to reduce pesticide abuse and deforestation."

Even for those who might skim the many informational sections rather than become true experts, Weinstein's recipes should provide plenty of pristine food for fodder.

After reading about the benefits of chickens working their thighs, for instance, one might be better able to enjoy a delicious dinner of meatballs made from the poultry. Beans and grains are named as the best food for the environment overall, and then we can relish in chickpea dip, sesame rice or creamy polenta with cheese. Or try creamed sturgeon crepes on spiced oats after learning the environmental benefits of seeking out the farmed fish over those that swim in coastal waters.

Whether just read as a cookbook, or simply a book of warnings and tips, "The Ethical Gourmet" works well — but, of course, is best as a delicious combination plate of both.

CHICKPEA DIP

1 — 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 (14-ounce) can, drained

Pinch crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 scallion, chopped fine

1 tablespoon chopped roasted red bell pepper (bottled pepper is fine)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Warm breads or tortillas, for serving

—Yields 8 appetizer servings.

In a food processor, combine chickpeas, red pepper, sour cream, scallion, roasted pepper, cumin, vinegar and garlic. Pulse until smooth.

Fold in the chopped cilantro with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Season liberally with salt and black pepper. Serve with warm breads or tortillas.

GRILLED CHICKEN MEATBALLS

2 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1 — 1/2 pounds boneless free-range chicken thighs, cut into medium dice

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of Accent seasoning (optional)

Oil for frying

—Yields 8 appetizer servings.

In a food processor, pulse the ginger until finely chopped. Add the chicken, sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, salt and Accent (if using). Pulse until the mixture is a rough puree.

Heat oil to a depth of 3 inches to 350 F. Form the chicken mixture into bite-size balls by squeezing through your loosely clenched fist. Carefully drop the meatballs into the oil in batches of ten, and deep-fry until cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate to drain.

Heat a grill or stovetop pan over medium-high heat. Skewer the cooked meatballs on bamboo sticks, two to a skewer. Grill the meatballs until they attain a slight char and have a grilled taste, about 1 minute per side. Serve with favorite homemade or store-bought dipping sauce.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "After-Work Gourmet" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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