Cookbook giveaway winner: Who won "Leon"?

Sorry, Robw222: You suggested that I give away my copy of the new book "Leon: Naturally Fast Food," from the London healthy-focused restaurant chain. But you weren't the lucky winner.

The copy of the book goes to Vickie Holland of Bessemer City. Thanks, Vickie! (And RobW, of course. I'm always happy to accomodate readers.)

And in other giveaway news: I haven't gotten any entries for the kit "Chili Cook-Off In a Box." I'll withdraw it for the moment and wait until it's cooler, the DNC is over and we have time to think about things like chili cookoffs. So stay tuned, chiliheads.

Cookbook Giveaway: Leon

When I posted a recipe Tuesday from the book "Leon: Naturally Fast Food," Helpful Commenter RobW222 asked why I wasn't giving away a copy of the book.

Well, gee, RobW. Maybe because I like the book and it came all the way from London. But OK, OK, because I stop at nothing to delight readers of The Charlotte Observer, I'll give away my copy. I've already paged through it, and I need to make room on my desk for the latest America's Test Kitchen book. I get several of those every day.

So: Giving away a copy of "Leon: Naturally Fast Food," by Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent." Email your contact information with "Leon" in the subject line to me at kpurvis@charlotteobserver.com. Deadline: 9 a.m. Friday.

Good luck, RobW222.

One Great . . . green herb sauce

A lot of cookbooks cross my desk, many of them from restaurants I've never heard of until I open the book. That was the case with a very hyperactive book called "Leon: Naturally Fast Food," by Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent of the London-based restaurant chain Leon.

Flipping through all the pictures and drawings and quirky lists, though, I found a lot that lives up to the promise of the title: Fast ideas for quick meals, mostly in the healthful vein.

One recipe that caught my eye was for a green herb sauce that would be just the thing in the late summer. It's very adaptable: change out the herbs for basil or tarragon or whatever you have around. Serve it on grilled meat or oven-roasted fish, spoon it over vegetables, use it as a salad dressing, or spread it on a sandwich.

While you use it, you could ponder who Leon was. I went all though the book trying to answer that question and never quite figured it out.


Leon's Green Sauce

From "Leon: Naturally6 Fast Food," by Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent (Conran/Octopus, $29.99).

A large handful of fresh mint
A large handful of flat-leaf parsley
A large handful of cilantro
1 tablespoon capers
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 anchovy filets
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. It should be runny but substantial. Transfer to a sealable jar and refrigerate.

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups.