Having started out as a pastry chef in London, Israeli-English chef, food-writer, restauranteur and culinary inventor, Yotam Ottolenghi has risen to a position of some prominence in the food world thanks to the 6 delis and restaurants that he co-owns in London, the bestselling cookbooks that he continues to produce and the television programs in which he is involved.
The main principles behind Ottolenghi’s food are simple and evidently effective: vegetables should often take centre stage and should never be passed off as a secondary food or considered a substitute for meat, Middle Eastern flavours and ingredients should be celebrated, and his combinations should never be boring or obvious. “I want drama in the mouth,” he has said, summing it all up pretty succinctly.
Often written in conjunction with his cooking partners, and often personally supervised with regard to style and aesthetic, Ottolenghi cookbooks are easily among the most gorgeous you will ever encounter – both within and without, both in appearance and content.
The Brand New Best Seller: Flavour
Flavour is a book that seeks to reveal secrets… and rest assured, prior to opening up Ottolenghi’s newest, you will likely have had no idea how much flavour is hiding in even the most humble produce.
Flavour has less to do with telling you what to cook than it does with how to cook and how to get the best out of ingredients that are so often overlooked.
A book ideal for those really looking to elevate their cooking to the next level, and to uncover new reservoirs of flavour and sensation, Flavour is divided into three sections, each of which defines and expands upon three essential Ottolenghi precepts: process, pairing and produce.
Bold, surprising, effortlessly stylish and utterly rewarding, Flavour contains more than one hundred recipes covering everything from the simple family dinner to show stopping part dishes.
Brilliant Recipes Featured: Aubergine Dumplings alla Parmigiana, Miso Butter Onions, Spicy Mushroom Lasagne, Cabbage ‘Tacos’ with Celeriac and Date Barbecue Sauce, and Romano Pepper Schnitzels.
Sample Recipe: Chaat Masala Potatoes with Yoghurt and Tamarind
Simple
Whether you favour opulence, flavour, originality or simplicity in your cooking, Ottolenghi delivers award-winning, standout recipes and elegantly beautiful cookbooks every time.
To make things easy for you, without compromising on quality or enjoyment, Simple incorporates recipes that involve a single pot, recipes that can be made ahead of time, and ones for when you are felling lazy… all of them are simple and fabulous.
In fact, SIMPLE also serves here as an anagram:
S – short on time: less than 30 minutes
I – 10 ingredients or less
M – make ahead
P – pantry
L – lazy
E – easier than you think
Brilliant Recipes Featured: Iranian Herb Fritters, Whole Roasted Celeriac with Coriander Seed Oil, Orzo with Prawns, Tomato and Marinated Feta, Pan Fried Salmon with Pine-Nut Salsa, Sweet Potato Galletes.
Sample Recipe: Pappardelle with Rose Harissa, Black Olives & Capers
Falastin – Written by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley
The ultimate collection of Palestinian recipes, lavishly photographed, gorgeously presented and accompanied by memorable stories, Falastin is the newest culinary journey from the chefs and authors behind the Ottolenghi cookbooks.
Travelling through Bethlehem, East Jerusalem, Nablus, Haifa, Akka, Nazareth, Galilee and the West Bank, Sami and Tara invite you to experience and enjoy unparalleled access to Sami’s homeland. As each region has its own distinct identity and tale to tell, there are endless new flavour combinations to discover.
The food is the perfect mix of traditional and contemporary, with recipes that have been handed down through the generations and reworked for a modern home kitchen, alongside dishes that have been inspired by Sami and Tara’s collaborations with producers and farmers throughout Palestine.
Brilliant Recipes Featured: Molokhieh Soup with Broad Beans (Besara), Chicken Musakhan, Beetroot and sweet potato dip with pistachio bulgur salsa, Pomegranate-cooked lentils and aubergines, Sumac onion and herb oil buns
Sample Recipe: Bulgur, Tomato and Aubergine Pilaf
Happy Cookbooking!