This week’s recipes from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

Irreverence is key to why the Hot Knives boys, both 29, got a cookbook deal in the first place. Rather than going the safe and sane route of banking on an established chef for its first full-length cookbook, Mark Batty, the publisher, placed his bets on Hot Knives’ underground following — as cultivated by their edgy video blog — of DIY punk rockers, scrappy beer lovers and hard-core farmers market foodies. And he’s not alone, two other publishers have steered a similar course this fall using young, nontraditional, up-and-coming Los Angeles talent. The first is a vegan cookbook from Spork Foods called ‘Spork-Fed,’ featuring sisters Jenny Engel, 30, and Heather Goldberg, 33, who, in contrast with Hot Knives’ urban edge, have made a name for themselves through their wholesome, girl-next-door approach to vegan cooking classes and an online cooking show. The second is called ‘Party Like a Culinista,’ featuring fun and healthful party recipes by Jill Donenfeld, 27, who founded a personal chef and catering service called the Culinistas. The book is co-written by one of her company’s New York City-based chefs, Josetth Gordon, 31.