Given the number of cookbooks that I have you wouldn’t think that receiving a new one for Mother’s Day would thrill me, but you would be wrong.

My children gave me the new Martha Stewart’s Cooking School book and Holly stood in line and got it autographed for me. I was a big fan of Martha Stewart when she first started out, her books were filled with new and innovative dishes and urged cooks to think out side of the box. When I worked at the Everyday Gourmet in Jackson I was lucky enough to help in a cooking class with Stewart.

It wasn’t just her books, she was brilliant in person. Ideas flowed from her and she made each of us feel creative.

Then, as it often happens, Stewart grew bigger than herself. For awhile she became more of a conglomerate than a person and then there was an glitch in her big plan. Stewart was incarcerated and then served time under house arrest. After that it seems that Stewart worked to become more like her old self. And again, she is fun to watch and her magazine is a joy to read. Her new book is written by the Martha Stewart of old. It is filled with useful and pertinent information that will stand the test of time.

The book begins with a chapter on basics such as equipment, knives and seasonings. Every chapter is broken down into sections to help you deal with a technique. Under the meat, fish and poultry chapter there are lessons on roasting, grilling, braising, stewing, steaming, poaching, sautéing and frying. Under each lesson there are recipes that highlight the technique.

Also, handy in the meat chapter is a meat temperature chart so you can cook your beef, pork, lamb and poultry to the perfect degree of doneness. The color pictures in the book are very good and cover many techniques step by step. One is how to cut up a chicken.

In this day and time it would be a good idea for a home cook to check the price difference in a whole chicken and a precut chicken in the grocery store. Then lay this book out on your counter, pick up a sharp knife and cut up your own chicken.

One recipe I was delighted to find was for chicken piccata. Chicken piccata has gotten a bad rap lately because many restaurants have taken what is supposed to be a very simple recipe and turned it into a greasy, heavy dish, covered in other sauces. Veal or chicken piccata is nothing more than thin cutlets of veal of chicken dredged in the lightest possible coating of flour to form a light crust and then browned in a mixture of butter and oil. Then a simple pan sauce is made with very few ingredients and served. The pictures with this recipe are a perfect guide, from the pounding of the cutlets to the correct thinness to how to make the sauce.

Chicken piccatta

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Coarse salt and ground black pepper

4 chicken or veal cutlets, about 1/4 inch thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons dry white wine

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons capers, not dried, the ones in brine (the recipe calls for soaking these in water, rinsing and draining and rinsing again to get the salt off. I use them straight from the jar)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Spread the flour in a shallow dish and add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and use a whisk or fork to combine. Place cutlets in the flour turning to thoroughly coat, and then tap off the excess.

Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter begins to sizzle. Cook the chicken in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan, until they are golden and cooked through. Due to their thinness this will take about 2 to 3 minutes for each side. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Pour out any excess fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium heat and the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, this only takes about out 30 seconds. (If the liquid is reducing too quickly — before all the browned bits have been incorporated- remove the pan from the heat). Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice, capers and remaining 2 tablespoons butter and swirl until melted and combined, then add parsley. Check for saltiness and salt or pepper as needed. Pour pan sauce over cutlets and serve.

Christina Hall writes a weekly column for The Demcorat. She can be reached at christina.hall@natchezdemocrat.com