I Was Stuck in a Weeknight Dinner Rut—Until This Cookbook Got Me Out

In a world rife with kitchen hacks and never-ending influencer "recipes," it can be challenging to find meal ideas with staying power. I wanted to expand my repertoire as a home cook without wasting my time or ingredients. Enter the cookbook Repertoire.

In 2022, as a listener survey prize, my then-favorite podcast (sadly, no longer recording) sent me a copy of Repertoire by Jessica Battilana.

Published in 2018, the subtitle “All the Recipes You Need” felt a bit presumptuous, but no matter. I’d had my eye on this book for some time, and the stamp of approval from my podcast hosts had me excited to dig in.

What I Love About This Cookbook

My first foray into the collection—the Harissa and Honey Chicken Thighs—had me roasting a red bell pepper on my gas stovetop (fun!) and made enough harissa for me to have plenty of leftovers. I found myself hooked—and the same for my son. I think Battilana would be proud to hear that her recipe for chicken thighs has become a regular request.

Her goal here isn’t easy recipes, necessarily, though with a minimum of prep, most meals fall into the "weeknight friendly" category.

Instead, Repertoire serves as a starting point for all manner of recipes and cooking techniques. Her writing helps the reader build familiarity and self-awareness through helpful instruction, substitutions, and thoughtful answers to common questions.

The Best Recipes in "Repertoire"

The recipes for Corn Fritters and Citrus Salad quickly became summer staples. I make the Grilled Tahini Chicken on weeknights, for campouts, and the night before for school lunches.

Most recipes here “invite adaptation,” as Battilana says, and many have aspects that work piecemeal outside of her original presentation. I’ve taken elements like aioli and salsa rustica from her recipes and used them for many other dishes.

Folks enamored with TikTok trends or genre-specific collections may feel confused by the broad scope of Battilana’s offering. Repertoire works its way from toasts and tarts through mains like halibut kebabs and lamb ragu, and on to a variety of pantry pastas, meatballs, and bean recipes.

Desserts run the gamut here, too, from simple fruit crisps to a delicious and patient pavlova.

Her work’s intention is not to fill a niche; instead, it seeks to build a cook’s comfort by offering answers to questions like, “How much time do I have?” and “How adventurous do I feel?”

After receiving this book as a gift, I’ve returned the favor several times to culinary-inclined friends looking for a spark of everyday inspiration.

Repertoire more than delivers on its promise to scratch your culinary itch. It expands the scope of kitchen comfort past a well-worn weeknight meal rotation without being prescriptive, and it builds both the skills to do so and a catalog of recipes along the way.

Find Jessica Battilana's Repertoire on Amazon or at your local bookseller.