January 21, 2013
Available for the first time in a U.S. edition, this book includes 140 recipes from Ottlenghi’s four popular Mediterranean-inspired London restaurants. (The authors also co-wrote Jerusalem; Tamimi is a partner and head chef at Ottolenghi.) Both from Jerusalem, the authors share the philosophy that “unfussiness and simplicity in food preparation are... the only way to maintain the freshness of a dish. Each individual ingredient has a clear voice.” A detailed list of the book’s core ingredients includes garlic, lemon, mint, tahini, orange blossom water, rose water, and feta cheese. An extensive chapter on vegetables, legumes and grains covers fresh fruit and vegetables (figs with young pecorino and honey), and has a section devoted to the “mighty eggplant.” Highlights include Ottolenghi’s famous grilled broccoli with chile and garlic, along with couscous with oven-dried tomatoes, and dried apricots and butternut squash. Meat and fish are separated into sections: lamb, beef, and pork dishes with recipes like lamb chops with walnut, fig, and goat cheese salad;, beef and lamb meatballs baked in tahini; and roast pork belly with two relishes. Standout dishes like harissa-marinated chicken with red grapefruit salad and seared duck breasts with blood orange and star anise are found in the poultry section. And fish and shellfish are showcased in recipes for panfried sea bass on pita with labneh, tomato, and preserved lemon, and for buttered prawns with tomato, olives, and arak. Also appearing are Ottolenghi’s beloved baked goods: breads, cakes, cookies, and tarts. This vibrant and bold collection lives up to the authors promise that “cooking can be enjoyable, simple, and fulfilling, yet look and taste amazing.”