Cat Cora's Classics With a Twist

On the wildly popular showIron Chef America, Cat Cora uses her instincts to transform random ingredients into exciting creations on a moment's notice. In this book, she turns her eye to some of our most popular dishes to make them faster, fresher, and lighter. These are the swift meals that Cat relies on when she comes home from work to cook for her own family: Greek-Style Nachos, Grilled Chili-Lime Flank Steak Soft Tacos, Crispy Baked Fish Stix with Mustard Dipping Sauce, Quick Chicken Curry with Peas, and Sour-Cherry-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes. In dishes like Baked "Fried" Calamari with Marinara Dipping Sauce and Tex-Mex Tuna Casserole, Cat puts a new spin on old favorites. She updates others, tossing chipotle-spiced croutons into a Caesar salad, or replacing the usual beef in stroganoff with chicken and adding fresh tarragon. Each recipe illustrates Cat's motto: just because a dish is a classic doesn't mean it can't be improved upon.

Cat Cora made television history when she became the first female chef on Iron Chef America. The executive chef of Bon Appetit, she is the author of Cooking from the Hip and Cat Cora's Kitchen. Her restaurants include CCQ in Costa Mesa, California, and Kouzzina at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. She lives in Santa Barbara with her partner and their four young boys.