Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a super quick and simple salad which is very versatile. Eat it warm or room temperature, as a side or for a picnic. It’s completely vegan, but would go great with some grilled manouri or whipped feta.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Who doesn’t love a tray bake? Everything combined in one tray for a hands-off easy mid week dinner. All that’s needed is a bright green salad and some crusty bread to mop up all the juices!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

On days when lemon and sugar simply won’t do, I’d rather devote my attention to fun fillings than to flipping – melty, gooey cheese and a spicy paste from a jar, say. Good-quality, shop-bought pancakes make the whole process so much easier, but I find that they can be a bit brittle, so heat them slightly, and gently, before filling, which will keep them pliable and stop them from cracking.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

If you want to get ahead, both the chive cream and butter can be made the day before, leaving you just the sweet potatoes to grill on the day.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

My favourite pantry ingredients are those that deliver above and beyond the sum of their parts. The sweet and smokey blend does just that. Drizzling honey over grilled halloumi is a tried and tested recipe for success. The sweet and smokey blend here is the cherry on top, bringing a bold warmth to this sweet, salty, summer-y dish. The skewers will be even more special over the barbeque. Serve as part of a mezze style lunch or dinner.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The miso pesto gives this, otherwise classic, pasta dish a delicious umami depth and a hint of sweetness. Simple and quick to put together for a satisfying mid week meal! Feel free to use a different pasta shape, something fairly small like orecchiette, and cook according to the packet instructions.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

José Lizzaraldes from Carousel recently spent an afternoon in our test kitchen, showing us his Acapulco approach to ceviche - quite different from the pristine Peruvian versions you might know. This one's more boisterous, packed with orange and lime juice, spiked with jalapeños, and given proper depth with Worcestershire and Maggi. Unlike classic ceviche, where the citrus does all the cooking, José uses seafood that's already cooked - prawns, squid, and mussels work perfectly, as do scallops or any firm white fish. Make the marinade the night before, then fold in your seafood thirty minutes before serving (or packing up your picnic).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Nougat can range in texture from soft to firm, depending on how the temperature of the sugar syrup: the higher the temperature, the harder the nougat. Ours falls into the soft-but-chewy camp: it’s still a little firm, but won’t break your teeth. Making your own nougat might seem a bit intimidating, but don’t be put off: the results are hugely rewarding and (as is always the case when cooking with sugar) it’s just about being organised and staying on top of temperatures and timings.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Not so much a pudding as a treat to be there in the cupboard, ready to be picked at throughout the festive period. Their chewy texture and deep almond aroma are immediate spirit-lifters.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This galette came about mostly as an excuse to make the spiced apple butter on our website, though, to be honest, you don’t really need one to do that. To save time, by all means use bought-in apple sauce instead, though perhaps stir some cinnamon through it first. If you want to get ahead, make the dough up to three days in advance and keep it well wrapped in the fridge (or make it even further ahead and freeze for up to a month). Serve with a caramel sauce, as in the photograph, for extra decadence.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The amount of pork lard that goes into a real ensaimada makes my version seem as wholesome as kale salad. Don't be fooled though; this is a luxurious treat you can serve warm (it heats up well) at the end of a meal, alongside lightly sweetened Greek yoghurt with some grated orange zest folded through.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This easy tart gets its oomph from the combination of sweet black garlic and salty miso. Serve it with a big green salad as a light lunch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Using asparagus for soup is a sin at the start of its season, but makes sense when the spears turn thick and woody. Samphire, or poor man's asparagus, works very well with the real thing, adding texture as well as saltiness.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

It’s no secret that asparagus enjoys a good soak in the old brown-butter (bubble) bath, which we’ve generously accommodated for. There are so many textures going on here, from tender asparagus to creamy labneh and hints of burnt lemon. The burnt lemon is a clever way to use up excess lemon peel by roasting it on a high heat until nicely charred. The result: a fragrant, bitter and intense condiment to sprinkle on to both sweet and savoury dishes. Plan ahead by making the labneh the night before or, alternatively, use store-bought labneh or some thick-set Greek yoghurt

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Be careful when cutting and cooking the mushrooms: you want perfect round discs for this. Fry any misshapen or broken pieces separately and serve on the side.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a deceptively simple curry recipe. It draws from the flavours of a rich and indulgent Southern Indian fish curry called Moilee. This version is vegan. It can keep in the fridge for 3 days, and will even taste better the next day, but make sure to reheat gently so as not to break up the aubergines. If making in advance, omit the lime juice, coriander and curry leaf temper, and add these just before serving. Serve alongside rice or chapati for a complete meal.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Black garlic should be more widely available: its taste is reminiscent of molasses and tamarind and it gives an unexpected depth of flavour to dishes. You can simply slice a few thin slivers and add these to crunchy salads or creamy risottos – it’s mellow enough to not dominate – or use it in sauces, dips and purées, as here, to enliven (and challenge the rank of) old favourites, like aubergine.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This recipe is full of fast-track-to-big-flavour ingredients. Chinese cabbage and enoki mushrooms are sautéed in sesame oil and aubergines are brushed with miso, grilled until bubbling. To plate, simply nestle the sautéed cabbage in a bowl, layer on those umami-packed aubergines, and finish it off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and coriander for a fresh finish.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Baba ganoush and mutabal are easily confused. While they’re both burnt aubergine mezze, the two are quite different things. Mutabal is made creamy with tahini, while baba ganoush is much lighter and contains lemon, garlic, olive oil, herbs and fresh vegetables like peppers. This traditional version is commonly eaten throughout Syria and Lebanon. Serve with warm pita, as part of a mezze spread, or eat alongside kofta for a heartier meal.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This works well either as a stand-alone starter or as part of a spread or side. It’s lovely with some hot smoked salmon or trout. ‘Smacked’ cucumbers sounds a bit dramatic but, really, it’s just a way of bruising them so as to allow all the flavour to seep through to the flesh. Thanks to Ottolenghi chef Calvin Von Niebel for this salad.To get ahead, make all the elements well in advance: up to a day for the cucumber and the aubergine yoghurt, and the shatta needs to be made in advance, so you’ll be all set here. And if you fancy playing around, crumble some feta on top.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Pitas are allotted the shortest of shelf lives in Jerusalem. Ideally, you’d eat them within a couple of hours of baking. Crunchy pita croutons make good use of leftover pita. We use them for soups and scatter them over salads and other mezzes. They will keep for at least a week in an airtight container. Serve this salad as a starter; its sharp freshness really whets the appetite.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is one of a handful of dishes which is always on the menu at NOPI. We’ve suggested using Stilton rather than the mix of Gorgonzola and Valdeón; Valdeón is a bold and salty Spanish blue with a distinctive strength, spice and complexity, but it’s not as easy to come by as Stilton. The pickled beetroot needs to be made the day before. It keeps for a few weeks in the fridge, so can be made well ahead of time. You’ll make more than you need for this recipe, so keep any leftovers in the fridge to spoon alongside grilled fish or cheese. If you are short on time, dicing some ready-pickled beetroot is a perfectly good substitute.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

I've become slightly obsessed with this dish lately - partly because it's so ridiculously simple, but mostly because of what happens to the oregano in the oven. Those leaves turn into these crispy little chips that are just so good. The halloumi does its usual magic, going golden and soft, and if you happen to have some ripe peaches or good tomatoes lying around, throw them in too. The carob syrup is lovely here, but don't worry if you can't find it - honey works just fine.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Halloumi and whole slices of lemon baked until golden, soft and squidgy, lifted with the bright, tangy punch of our preserved lemon and honey dressing. The dressing acts as a connector to the halloumi and lemon, creating a simple and effortlessly satisfying dish that balances salty, citrusy, and herbal notes in perfect harmony. Serve with lots of crusty bread to soak up all the pan juices.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Cooking rice perfectly is one of those things that shouldn’t be complicated but can be surprisingly difficult, for some, to get right. Baking it in the oven, on the other hand, as I do here, is a completely foolproof method (and one that worked, incidentally, when feeding 700 people over two sittings at Wilderness festival in 2017!). This is such a great side to all sorts of dishes: roasted root vegetables, slow-cooked lamb or pork. To get ahead, the salsa can be made a few hours in advance and kept in the fridge.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

It’s not a pizza, insisted Noor, when referring to this baked polenta, which does in fact look like a giant pizza. It ended up with multiple names at the Test Kitchen such as: ‘polenta-pizza’, ‘polizza’ or ‘polenta not-a-pizza’. It really is a happy-looking pie, with its yellows and reds and wonderfully golden edges. Serve with the chicory salad or anything leafy and green. You can keep this gluten-free by swapping out the flour for gluten-free flour, if you like.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These wonderfully smoky and aromatic short ribs are actually cooked a day in advance (mind, it takes four hours or more), marinated for 24 hours and then barbecued and warmed up briefly just before serving. You can take the meat off the bone, as in the instruction, for easy grilling and eating, or leave on for the wholesome look. Serve with crispy lettuce salad and roasted potatoes.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

With tacos, I like to pile all the various elements on a big platter, so everyone can make their own. You can make the pickle a day or two ahead.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

All this needs is a bowl of plain rice alongside.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a great side dish as part of a feast or to accompany roast or grilled meats. The nori almonds are very addictive. Make double the recipe if you like and store in airtight jars to use as a topping for salads or to snack on. If you would like to get ahead, cook and marinade the beetroot the day before. Just make sure to bring it to room temperature before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This display of the season’s best can double up as a light dessert or as a brunch centrepiece. You can make your own labneh but it requires draining the yoghurt for a good 24 hours, or you can make everything easily on the day using shop-bought labneh or some Greek-style yoghurt mixed with a little double cream. The berries you use are totally up to you, depending on what’s good and not too expensive. You can use fewer types, or some frozen berries, if you like, especially for those which get blitzed in the recipe. You’ll make more oil than you need; store it in a glass jar to drizzle over salads or lightly cooked vegetables.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

You will definitely surprise yourself with this one. It is an extremely delicious dish that’s quick and straightforward to make, but looks as if it’s been prepared at a top Chinese restaurant. It is fiery, both from the chillies and the black pepper; you can moderate this by reducing their quantity a little. However, the whole point is spiciness so don’t go too far.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Although black glutinous rice was a staple of Scully’s childhood breakfasts, Yotam got hooked on the rice during his travels in Malaysia. The rice is, contrary to what its name suggests, a very deep burgundy colour and gluten-free. It tastes nutty, looks striking and has a texture which is both starchy and slightly al dente at the same time, with each grain retaining its identity when cooked. For the best results, soak the rice overnight and stir often while it’s cooking to help release the starch and increase its creamy softness. Pandan leaves are also used widely in both sweet and savoury Southeast Asian cooking, infusing dishes with a coconutty, almost grassy, fragrance. If you can't find them, they can be substituted with a vanilla pod – slit open and seeds scraped.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Don’t be afraid to really char your chicken thighs here (making sure to ventilate your kitchen well!) – this’ll add an intense flavour alongside the vibrant dressing and make for a very punchy eating experience. That said, you can also grill your chicken thighs in the oven, or swap them out for chicken breasts, if you prefer. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to help you easily remove the bones from the thighs, or ask your butcher to do this for you, making sure to keep the skins intact. Feel free to swap out the clementines for orange segments in the dressing; it’ll work just as well.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is meant to be enjoyed like tacos, where you pile the fish and condiments into tortillas. The fish on its own, with its deep-flavoured, black garlic marinade, will also work a treat with only a squeeze of lime for company, but the dipping sauce is so good, and easy, it would be a shame not to make that, too. In fact, you may well end up hooked on the stuff and find yourself wanting to eat it with all sorts.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Inspired by the classic Thanksgiving green bean casserole, this version ditches the canned soup for cream, mustard, parmesan, caramelised onion and crispy onion - all things to be thankful for. Make the beans and onions ahead if you like; the rosemary fried onions are also brilliant sprinkled over salads or even hot dogs.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

An actual salad is about as likely as finding a reasonable phone signal at a festival, so here's all your vitamin requirements in the form of a proper Bloody Mary instead. It's the style we serve at our delis, which means enough Worcestershire sauce to wake the dead and warming spices – I use both Aleppo and Urfa chilli – to give it depth without overwhelming heat. Serve it all in one jug with celery sticks bristling out like a bouquet and plenty of glasses on the side.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These carrots bring a touch of sweet, boozy magic to the holiday table. The ginger in the glaze adds warmth and the citrus keeps them bright and fresh. Roast the carrots and make the glaze ahead, then toss in the glaze at the last minute.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Beyond a large saucepan or wok, a roll of tin foil and a good ventilator (or open window), you don’t need any special equipment to smoke food at home. It’s not for everyone, though, so skip this stage if you like. And in recipes like this, where only half the stock reduction is called for, the remainder can be frozen and used as the base for another sauce or soup, or added to the braising liquid for a dish. The glaze here is also great for marinating other things: barbecued chicken wings, for example, or cubes of tuna or tofu before they’re chargrilled.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Serve with rice or flatbreads for a vegetarian main course; leave out the feta for a vegan version. Soaking the chickpeas is necessary to achieve the right degree of cooking, so don’t be tempted to skip this stage.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is delicious with crusty white bread for dipping. To braise the eggs, cover the pan after breaking them in; they will cook relatively quickly, in five minutes or so. The downside is that the yolks in the finished dish will be obscured by a thin layer of opaque, cooked white. If the sight of bright, yellow-orange yolks is important to you, cook the eggs uncovered, and for longer, on the lowest possible heat, while at the same time taking care that the sauce doesn’t catch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a quick way to get a very comforting meal on the table in a wonderfully short amount of time. It’s a dish as happily eaten for brunch, with coffee, as it is for a light supper with some crusty white bread and a glass of wine. The leeks and spinach can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge, ready for the eggs to be cracked in and braised.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

No, the 15 garlic cloves isn't a typo - once scorched, they add a mellowing sweetness to an otherwise piercingly sharp dressing. The ricotta isn't essential, if you'd rather keep this dairy-free, but it also helps balance the acidity.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a pretty substantial dish, full of wonderful meaty and sweet-spiced aromas. Save it for a Sunday lunch, as an alternative to the traditional roast.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is the dish Patrick Dempsey’s character tells Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones that he would have brought her on their imaginary second date in Bridget Jones’s Baby. ‘From Ottolenghi,’ says Dempsey, ‘delicious and healthy!’ And easy, we might add! What sounded like a bit of product placement on our part was in fact no such thing. The recipe didn’t even exist on our menu, so this is a retrospective acknowledgement.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

If the flavours of autumn could be rolled into one, this meringue roulade would be the result: warming cinnamon, burnt honey, sweet apples and tangy orange come together to make a dessert fit for the festive season. Make sure all your individual components have completely cooled before assembling – you don’t want to create any excess moisture in the roulade. Get ahead by preparing the apples and cream the day before, keeping them refrigerated until needed.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a grown-up twist on the humble rice pudding that involves toasting and grinding some of the rice and sprinkling it on top for added texture (it’s also a great topping for yoghurt or ice-cream, incidentally). If you don’t have pudding rice, use any rice you have to hand such as basmati or jasmine.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Aubergines are, for us, the gift that keeps on giving. For all the aubergines that we've grilled, roasted, charred, steamed, peeled, fried, blitzed and sliced in my life, there always seems to be some new way to cook them or a new combination of flavours to pair them with. Here I look pop them on bruschetta. If you don't use gas, it might be better to burn the aubergine under a hot grill for 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes. And the pomegranate molasses adds a depth hard to replicate.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

For a vegetarian holiday feast, this will make an impressive side. It’s also something to have once you’ve maxed out on all things roasted and rich and all you yearn for is to be left alone with a bowl of something nourishing and fresh.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Black garlic has a highly concentrated taste: liquorice meets balsamic meets the absolute essence of garlic. It’s a quick way to inject a huge amount of flavour into a dish. Get everything chopped and ready for this dish before you start, but don’t cook it until just before serving: you want the sprouts to be eaten fresh from the pan.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We prefer to use buckwheat groats for this batter, rather than buckwheat flour: they have a more intense flavour, as well as a more interesting texture. Pickle the onions the night before serving, if you can: their flavour and colour will both get more vibrant with time. If you want, top with a fried egg, though if you do so, you won’t need the extra ricotta to serve.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This pickle is super special on its own: keep a jar in the fridge to spoon on to a jacket potato or spread inside a cheese toastie. Be sure to start making the recipe the day before, leaving the pickle to settle in the fridge overnight (the flavours only improve with time). Here it’s served with yoghurt, to be eaten as a mezze with flatbreads, but this is optional. Use a dairy-free yoghurt to keep it vegan.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

There are two beautiful recipes here. You could just make the butter bean purée and keep it in the fridge for up to a week – it's a handy sandwich spread. Or you could also prepare just the dukkah, an Egyptian condiment that will easily keep for a month in an airtight container and can be used to sprinkle over salads, rice and almost anything else. We would make both, though: they're best when put together. The spice and crunch of the dukkah give the purée heaps of character.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dish celebrates the colours of autumn thanks to the orange butternut squash, the golden custard and the fiery red chilli and orange rayu. It’s perfect for a festive brunch as it’s filling enough to keep you going until the big feast, and special enough to really feel like you’re celebrating. Serve this with some lightly cooked greens, if you like.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dish is one for the autumn months, the sunset shades of squash, orange and honey adding warmth to your table. Blitzing olive oil with orange peel is a quick way to infuse the oil used here without having to heat it up or wait very long. Trust us when we say that what makes this dish so memorable is the added details.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This comforting pie makes for a great celebratory centrepiece, and a refreshing alternative to a nut roast. It benefits from being assembled the day before, giving it a good amount of time to set in the fridge before baking. You can also cook it in advance, just reheat at 175C for 20 minutes before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dish is inspired by one of our dishes on the menu at ROVI and our restaurant in Geneva. If you can get your hands on some, this dish also works wonderfully with fresh bergamot; just zest and juice the whole fruit to give you 2 tbsp of juice.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a take on the famous southern US shrimp and grits. If you buy the prawns with their shells and heads on, use those to make your own shellfish stock. You can get ahead by making the sauce well in advance, but don’t cook the prawns and polenta until you’re ready to serve.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Throw everything into one pan on your camping stove - less washing up, more eating. Japanese curry blocks (like Golden Curry or Java) do all the hard work for you: deep flavour, minimal fuss. Swap in whatever veg you have. And while the soft eggs are optional, you’ll be glad you made the effort when that yolk hits the sauce.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The aptly named candy beetroot is as sweet as candy and its flesh is made up of beautiful, alternating red and white rings. To take advantage of this, you can slice it thinly and use raw in salads – once cooked it turns a uniform mellow pink. If you can't find it, use golden or normal red beet instead (or a ­combination of all three). Yuzu is a citrus fruit originating from east Asia. Its zest and juice are used to add a fresh aroma to various Japanese dishes, including soups. I'd describe the flavour as a combination of lime and mandarin. You can get the juice and powdered dried skin from Japanese specialists – try mountfuji.co.uk. If you are unable to get your hands on it, don't worry – just use a bit of lime juice instead.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Caramelised white chocolate is exactly that: white chocolate that’s been caramelised until it tastes of fudge, toast, brown butter and malt all rolled into one. Heaven. It is on the pricey side, but is readily available online. Don’t worry if you can’t get any, though: any white cooking chocolate will also work here. The raw cookie dough can be made up to three days ahead, rolled into balls and kept in an airtight container in the fridge, ready to be baked whenever the mood strikes.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A silky sauce, crunchy fried pork and copious amounts of black pepper combined with a very short cooking time makes this traditional carbonara the perfect indulgent midweek dinner. As a twist, we have added 3 optional toppings here so you can customise your own bowl. Use the dukkah to sprinkle on top if you like or combine the chilli flakes and za'atar together if you like a bit more of a punch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

There are two warring camps at Ottolenghi over the vital issue of … carrot cake. Helen Goh and Sarit Packer, who are always on the lookout for new ideas and some earth-shattering recipes, like their carrot cakes dense and fruity. We prefer them light and fluffy, like this one. So far the issue hasn’t been resolved – there’s just a tense ceasefire. Watch out for the next Ottolenghi cookbook: if the balance of power shifts, you might find a totally different carrot cake.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Cooking the vegetables in stock, much as you would a risotto, gives them a real depth of flavour and great tenderness. You’ll need to allow 30 minutes, and don’t be tempted to skip or speed up the process. This also works without the cheese, if you prefer.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A pickleback is a shot of whiskey, followed by a shot of pickle brine, and it is a delight for pickle lovers. This spiced apricot and carrot brine turns into a kombucha-like drink that is perfect for a New Years Eve pickleback. It can be eaten (and drunk) straight away but is even better once it’s had a week for the flavours to merge into the brine. You’ll need a glass jar or heatproof container that holds about 1 litre. If you don’t have a powerful blender, soak the cashews in boiling water for an hour to help soften them.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This salad is a unique combination of textures, flavours and colours. Feel free to double up on the pistachio pesto and store it in a sterilised jar in the fridge; it’ll keep for a week and works really well stirred into pasta or alongside steamed vegetables or fish.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These mustard croutons, adapted from those in Suzanne Goin's inspiring book Sunday Suppers At Lucques (Alfred Knopf, 2005), are a brilliant thing to have to hand and to sprinkle over gratins and salads. If you'd rather not make them, you'll need something else to perk up the soup: a teaspoon of rose harissa or some other savoury chilli sauce, swirled into each bowl before serving, would do the job perfectly well.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

It was a little moment of revelation, I remember, when I first combined roasted cauliflower and raw grated cauliflower in the same dish. So different from one another, but working so well combined. This is lovely as it is, served as part of a spread, or spooned alongside some roast chicken or lamb. Don’t throw away the leaves of the cauliflower here. They’re lovely to eat, roasted and crisp, or grated raw as you would the rest of the cauliflower. If you want to get ahead, roast the cauliflower up to 4–6 hours in advance. Keep at room temperature and then just combine with the remaining ingredients when ready to serve.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This warming spiced rice is a definite show-stopper, the kind of meal you’d make for a special occasion. We toyed over including this recipe in the book, laborious as it is, but, in all honesty, Noor wouldn’t have it any other way. Rice, she believes, deserves to be prized and treasured – taking centre stage at many a family table – and so, make this one as a weekend project, a feast of feasts, a real cause for celebration. Yes, it takes time, but here’s a promise that it is oh-so-worth-it.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Tah chin is a glorious savoury rice cake from Iran. The name refers to the layering of meat and rice, which is then baked until it has a crisp base, called a tahdig. It’s best to use a nonstick pan, because it helps in getting that crisp, golden exterior you’re after.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Celeriac is probably my favourite root. It is delicate, yet very nutty, and has an elegant oily smoothness. Like all good vegetables, it is marvellous simply with a bit of olive oil. Here it works with the lentils and nuts to create a hearty autumn main course. Serve it warm, with a radish, cucumber and dill salad dressed with soured cream and olive oil. Or, allow it to cool down, then take it to work for lunch or on a picnic.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dish is inspired by aloo chaat, an Indian street food that has many regional variations, all of which are not for the faint-hearted because they are loaded with sweet and sour and a fair bit of crunch. This is a slightly tamer version, though still pretty ‘noisy’, both in flavour and in looks. It’s absolutely perfect for a weekend lunch, alongside other vegetables, such as the aubergine with herbs and crispy garlic, or the radish and cucumber salad with chipotle peanuts. Plus, both the coriander chutney and the tamarind sauce are great condiments to have on hand to brighten up sandwiches and wraps, to spoon over eggs, or to serve alongside tofu or fish. Double or triple them, if you like – the coriander chutney will keep in the fridge for up to a week and the tamarind sauce for up to 2 weeks.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This salad is loved even by those who claim not to like tahini.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Slow braising green vegetables in healthy amounts of oil and stock, like green beans and okra, is quite common throughout the Middle East. Here we apply this technique to brussel sprouts, with plenty of lemon and herbs to reintroduce some freshness and vibrancy.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The green beans here are the start of the show. They shine even brighter with the anchovy dressing. If you like, use steamed green beans instead of charring them. Make extra of the dukkah and store in airtight jars for up to a week to sprinkle on salads and roast meats.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This sweet cabbage is deliciously complemented by the sharp tomato sauce and aromatic 'mayo': make sure you serve it with plenty of crusty bread to mop everything up with. Serve as a veggie main course or as a side to grilled fish or tofu.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a quick and easy side dish to serve as part of a spread. Feel free to swap out the peas in their pods for sugar snaps or runner beans, treating them in much the same way.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Across parts of Asia, ‘pitha’ refers to a dough. In Mauritius, where this recipe originates (thanks, Chaya!), the ‘h’ is dropped to make it ‘pita’. Traditionally, the dough for the noodles is freshly made while the dal is cooking. For ease, we use dried lasagne sheets, which work really well as a substitute.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

In 1980s Hong Kong, when Cognac and ‘XO’ were shorthand for luxury, a chef at Spring Moon borrowed the name for his new condiment—one that had nothing to do with the drink itself. XO sauce was bold, rich, and packed with umami, thanks to dried scallops, shrimp, smoky pork, and a heap of alliums. Traditionally, it leans on dried seafood and a certain ham, but our version swaps it for fresh scallops and pancetta, making it easier to pull together. As it rests in the fridge, the flavours deepen, so it’s great to make ahead. You can spoon it over steamed fish, scrambled eggs, or a bowl of plain rice, but we love it as a sauce for spaghetti—sweet, salty, smoky, and perfect for Valentine’s Day. Go full Lady and the Tramp.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Farro is an old Italian wheat variety that's said to be the same as emmer or spelt, though I'm not so sure. It can be eaten by some (not all) people who are normally intolerant of wheat and is sold pearled or whole. You can buy dried Iranian lime on our website - grind it yourself, or buy the powdered version.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Serving a whole fish for Christmas is a perfectly sensible way to create a wow effect with a lighter and fresher option. This dish in particular, with the preserved lemons and olives, brings a whole new set of flavours to the table. It goes well with slaw and sprouts.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A good crumble is one of the better arguments for a long Sunday lunch. This one uses frozen black cherries with sumac and pomegranate molasses. The lime leaf is faintly floral, aromatic, and exactly right against the cherries. The topping is closer to granola than traditional crumble - jumbo oats, cashews, almonds, everything baking into satisfying craggy clusters. Make a double batch. It keeps, and it's very good scattered over yoghurt or ice cream through the week, which is a reasonable consolation for the fact that it's no longer Sunday.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

When I made this trifle years ago, I chose to make my own sponge, and grappa was the booze of choice. To make the process easier, I have now opted for a shop bought sponge and frozen pitted cherries and the grappa has been swapped for Kirsch. The trifle in an elegant makeover, is served now on a plate with the pistachio crumble for a finishing flourish. However, if you would like a tadah moment or if you have a trifle bowl you’d like to show off, assemble the trifle as you like and refrigerate until needed.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The yolks in the sabayon are not cooked, so make sure you use good quality, fresh eggs (and give any pregnant or elderly guests the heads up). There are a fair few steps to this recipe, but you can get ahead by making the sponge a day or two in advance. The clementines can also be made a couple of hours before and kept in the fridge.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This gravy makes everything special. Mushrooms, chestnuts, and a touch of date molasses turn it into a glossy, meaty-without-the-meat sauce. A quick blitz in the food processor speeds up the prep, and you can make it ahead if you like - it tastes better the next day. Spoon it over roasted vegetables, mash, or anything that could do with a little extra richness - pie, for example.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Musakhan is the national dish of Palestine: growing up, Sami ate it once a week, pulling a piece of chicken and sandwiching it between a piece of pita or flatbread. It’s a dish to eat with your hands and with your friends, served from one pot or plate, for everyone to then tear at some of the bread and spoon over the chicken and topping for themselves. The chicken can be replaced with thick slices of roasted aubergine or chunky cauliflower florets, if you like (or a mixture of both), for a vegetarian alternative. If you do this, toss the slices or florets in the oil and spices, as you do the chicken, and roast at 200°C fan for about 25 minutes for the cauliflower and about 35 minutes for the aubergine.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The shawarma marinade also works very well with a leg of lamb. Instead of making zhoug you can use a commercial savoury chilli sauce such as sriracha.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This chicken soup is full of surprising umami notes thanks to the Parmesan rind, and is made even more unctuous with the addition of yoghurt. It can be made a few days in advance up until the pasta is added.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Here's a one-pot dish to surprise a few regular readers: there's nothing more to it than throwing everything in and waiting. Yes, really. For the amount of work involved, the depth of flavour is remarkable; plus, there's the bonus of minimising the washing-up. It's a dish to keep up your sleeve for the cold weekends to come.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This traybake was first published a few years ago, and has been made many times since. This iteration bakes uncovered in the oven, and has the addition of dates and red split lentils. The dates and oranges are half braised and then roasted as the liquid is absorbed by the peas, allowing for the tops to crisp and caramelise. The base is something of a self-saucing dal, as the chicken cooks the marinade gently flavours the split peas and lentils underneath. It makes a wonderful mid-week dinner but works well as a centrepiece too. Serve with rice and yoghurt as part of a bigger feast. To get ahead, soak the split peas and marinade the chicken up to a day in advance.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Bourekas are amongst my favourite things to eat. Little parcels of dough crisped with hot oil, stuffed with any number of savoury ingredients, topped with a sprinkle of sesame. This is my cheesy take, using puff pastry instead of filo and swiss chard instead of the more commonly used spinach. Our Green Harissa lends a real brightness here: cutting through the richness of the gruyere and feta and adding a distinctive spicy zing.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Here’s a take on the Tuscan ribollita. Somewhere between a soup and a vegetable stew, it is a warming and filling meal in a bowl after which you don’t need much – maybe just a little pillow to rest your head on. You can reduce or increase the amount of liquid to achieve your perfect consistency.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A simple and speedy supper for two. Stir in your pasta of choice and serve with a green salad for a more substantial meal or serve simply with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the garlicky, oily juices!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

For this rich summer roast, make sure your plums are ripe and sweet, but still firm, to balance the heat and acidity in the chicken. There’s very little work involved, but the chicken will definitely benefit from marinating overnight.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is gloriously rich. The raspberry and star anise jam gives it a summery slant and a more complex quality but you could choose to omit it and keep it pure chocolate. Serve with a spoonful of creme fraiche.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This chocolate mousse will be the ideal ending to your Easter Sunday feast. It can be made up to two days ahead and kept tucked away in the fridge until ready to serve (just whip the cream up on the day of serving).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

No apologies, this is totally over the top. Just close your eyes and savour the sumptuous richness.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These cookies were created by Jim Webb, an original member of the Ottolenghi team along with Sami, Noam and Yotam. The secret here is to slightly under-bake the cookies, which keeps them soft and fudgy. It’s for this reason that they’ve never become a feature in the shops, particularly in the summer, where they’d bend and break after an hour or two piled up in a bowl. There are worse things to happen, though, than to be told you need to eat a whole batch of cookies within a day or so of them being baked.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a hearty chopped salad that utilises the whole broccoli, head to stalk. The dressing is fruity and nutty from the goji berries, sumac and peanut butter. It's a great one for meal prep as it makes a big batch and keeps very well in the fridge for a few days.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These are what I’d sell if I ever jacked it all in and set up a street stall somewhere tropical. I’m probably not going to do that any time soon, but in the meantime, these will transport you there. Makes about 15 fritters, to serve four as a snack or first course.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a great way to use up any leftover roasted potatoes and parsnips, but it’s also worth roasting extra to make this creamy Greek garlic dip on Boxing day. You can use more or less parsnips or potatoes, just make sure that you make up the total weight. I’ve topped it with more leftover veggies, brought to life with a sweet and sour agrodolce.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Some of the best fish comes out of jars or tins - there's something wonderful about the intensity you get, that briny depth that concentrates over time. For this recipe, we've turned to jarred clams (fresh are beautiful, but the jarred variety offers convenience and reliable deliciousness without the cleaning or anxious checking). We stew rainbow chard in cream, fold in white beans, and let those briny clams flavour everything, while a bright herb sauce cuts through the richness. It's a one-pot affair that comes together in about 25 minutes, mostly from jars and cans - perfect with crusty bread for mopping up juices or spooned over wild rice for something more substantial.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

I’ve been through a fair few recipes in my quest to recreate the coccoli at the simple, cheap yet brilliant I’ Brindellone trattoria in Florence. The best – quite different, in truth, but almost as delicious – I’ve found so far is in Chiara Lima’s Mamma Agata cookbook. Coccoli is traditionally served with cured ham and stracchino, a mild, creamy cow’s cheese, but buffalo mozzarella works, too.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The coffee adds a smoky, earthy quality to these koftas, but without dominating proceedings. Swap the cascabel chilli for another mild dried chilli, such as guajillo, if you prefer. And it’s worth making double or triple the coffee rub, because it works wonders on all sorts of grilled meats and vegetables.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Ideally, you want to start making this a day in advance, to let the flavours develop and deepen. That said, you can make it on the spot and still end up with a very satisfying result. Just make sure you chill it before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These parsnips are intensely flavoured with vinegar, chilli and smoke from the grill, which adds a wonderful dimension but isn’t strictly essential, so skip the charring stage if you want to save time. Be sure to keep the oil that you’re left with, and use it to dress salads or to drizzle over dips or mezze.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Cooking the leeks in this way gently softens them without colouring, and releases their allium flavour into the oil. Blending the confit leeks with cream creates a lovely sauce to bring the whole dish together, which could easily stand as a substitute for gravy alongside your choice of protein. If you can’t find puy lentils, then swap them out for other lentils, such as green or beluga. Serve this dish warm or at room temperature, and eat alongside some roasted potatoes, if you like.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Corn husks are like nature’s little foil packets, only better. They allow the kernels to cook in their own steam and not dry out while they’re on the grill and, at the same time, take on the burning husks’ smoky aroma. Make sure you use the freshest corn you can find, because this really makes all the difference when cooking them in this way. If you can’t get corn cobs in their husks, blanch them lightly before grilling them and then spread with the dressing.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is what Coronation chicken would taste like if you replaced the chicken with cauliflower and hard-boiled egg. An introduction which possibly makes no sense until you eat it for yourself. If you are missing the chicken side of the equation, then you could do worse than serve this with said bird, roasted on the weekend.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This recipe was developed for coronation weekend. And whether that meant much to you or not, it was definitely an excuse to eat. On the menu is the infamous Coronation quiche, supplied by Buckingham Palace as a way to get the nation together around a plate of food. The success is debatable (and has been heatedly debated) but it's seasonal, vegetable centred (if not vegetarian), portable, approachable and can be eaten warm or at room temperature. We seriously played around with it. The principle is the same - it's a springtime quiche, perfect to make a day ahead for weekend parties - but za'atar has been sprinkled and extra cheese and herbs and spices added in. Bejewelling the whole thing with pomegranate seeds was also irresistible: they taste great and make the whole thing look rather like a crown.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Serve these with a spoonful of yoghurt or even just drizzled with lime juice. Makes eight pancakes.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This salad is a perfect side for a summer BBQ. To get ahead, you can make the couscous, onion, and raisin mix the day day before, just bring back to room temperature before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The mild sweetness of crab, paired with the gentle bitterness of radish, is a combination we can't resist - the excuse of needing to taste often ends up with little left for anyone else. If you have more self-restraint, use this mix to top a bruschetta for a starter or a pre-dinner bite, as here, or turn into an opulent salad by serving with boiled waxy potatoes, capers and watercress, and dressing with olive oil.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

If you can't get sprouting herbs, use a combination of finely shredded coriander and pea shoots instead.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These are like a mustardy, bite-sized cauliflower cheese. They’re great as they are, but a sprinkle of paprika, a squeeze of lemon and some mayo would do no harm (though that might be construed as cheating).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This zhoug recipe comes from our cookbook, Jerusalem, and is a hark back to a condiment that I will forever have in my fridge. We’ve used carlin peas from Bold Bean Co as we love their texture; however, feel free to substitute any other good-quality cooked bean or legume of your choice, such as butter beans, cannellini, or chickpeas.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Lamb and cumin is a pairing you’d normally associate with Middle Eastern cooking, but it is also a staple in the north-west of China, where there is a large Muslim community. According to my Taiwanese friend Gary Chang, there’s only one heat when stir-frying, and that’s “very hot”, so keep the flame high to achieve a good sear, and use a wok if you have one, or a high-sided saute pan if you don’t.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Think of this as a British Peking duck, and eat it as you would in a Chinese restaurant, stuffing the shredded duck, sauce, spring onions and cucumbers inside the warm pancakes. It’s a messy business, but that’s all part of the fun. Use shop-bought pancakes, if need be, but if you do make your own, you can do so well in advance and warm them through in the oven before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Few ‘side’ dishes deliver as much impact and provide as much comfort, as the humble roast potato. Let the rest of your meal deliver on spice, richness, heat, acidity, and allow these golden spuds to shine alongside.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This sustaining meal-on-a-plate is a little bit like hummus, though much easier and quicker to prepare. With warm flatbread, I could eat this every day.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

You’ll be surprised how much flavour you can get from carrots when you give them the chilli heat and sweet spice treatment. To make this mash dairy-free, use olive oil instead of butter; if you do, heat the oil with the ginger and seeds for only a couple of minutes, until fragrant.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Cauliflower cheese, but make it pie. This dish was once described as ‘molten-hot-cheese-lava’ and we think that’s pretty fitting for the ultimate comfort of comfort foods.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

For all-out-finger-licking-no-one-is-looking-eat-with-your-hands food, not much beats fried chicken. This is my colleague Chaya’s go-to. The slaw can also be made with cabbage or carrots instead of the celeriac, if you prefer (or buy some ready-made).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

When else could you even remotely justify stuffing olives, then coating them in breadcrumbs and frying? Probably the worst ratio of work per bite in the food world. Still, at the weekend, it's time to sit in a group, do silly fiddly work and end up with a great nibble. The feta can be substituted with a soft goat's cheese.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Crispy chicken is found in multiple corners of the world and is served on multiple tables: from Austrian schnitzel to Korean fried chicken to the Westernised version of ‘lemon chicken’ that you’d get at your local Chinese restaurant. The latter is the inspiration for this dish, in which a sweet lemony sauce coats crispy fried chicken pieces. This version uses a cheat’s preserved lemon paste and plenty of fresh lemon to brighten it all up. Serve this with our tenderstem broccoli with peanut gochujang dressing.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This Turkish staple is often served along-side meats, but it's a delicious dip on its own and so simple to make. You can pulse in a food processor but we think using a knife to chop gives a bit more control (plus, it's also incredibly satisfying)!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Falafel and hummus are the ultimate daily grub in Jerusalem. As a little boy, Sami used to be sent out to the shops every morning to buy breakfast for his older brothers: hummus and freshly fried falafel balls. He’d take an empty plate to Abu Shukri, a famous hummus spot in the old city, and the man himself would spread the warm paste over the plate and, with much attention, garnish it with herbs, spices and pickled cucumber. The warm falafel and fresh pitas were carried alongside in a brown paper bag. Sami would charge his brothers ‘a little something’ for the task, which he always spent in the sweet shop.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This ancient variety of wheat, when accompanied by shamelessly bold flavours, has a unique nuttiness and a great texture. It deserves its healthy credentials, too, because some people who are intolerant to wheat can eat farro. Farro is sold whole, semi-pearled, pearled, which determines the time it will take to cook (anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour). When done, it should be tender but retain a real bite. If you can't get farro, use pearl barley and you'll still end up with a highly satisfying result. Thanks to Claudine Boulstridge.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Try to get small cucumbers for this as for any other fresh salad. They are worlds apart from the large ones we normally get in most UK supermarkets. You could skip the fermentation stage and use buttermilk instead of the combination of milk and yoghurt.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

What makes this extra special is the double hit of aniseed - fennel and ouzo playing off each other. The capers cut through with bursts of acidity, and the butter does what butter does best. Everything gets soaked up by torn bread that crisps around the edges while staying soft where it counts. Simit is ideal if you can find it, but any good bread will do the job.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dish works very well both as a side dish for your festive meal or as a snacking platter with a warm pitta. Get ahead by making the hummus the day before. Just bring it to room temperature before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Keep an eye out for the Insta-worthy cheese pull on these Venezuelan corn pancakes that are often sold at roadside food stands. They’re usually made with fresh corn, but I’ve used frozen corn for ease; if you’d prefer to use fresh, just stand the husk up on a board and shave off the kernels with a big, sharp knife; don’t use tinned sweetcorn here, though, because it’s far too wet. If you like, make the pancakes and the cheese mixture up to 24 hours ahead, ready for stuffing the following day.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The honeyed flavour of figs is a perfect pair with goat's cheese. To make things a little quicker, the yeasted pastry can be replaced with commercial all-butter puff pastry sheet of similar dimensions.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Serve this on its own, with a cup of tea, but do also make a fully-fledged dessert dish with the figgy accompaniment - it doesn't take much extra effort.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The quality of the ingredients is paramount here: the figs need to be ripe, sweet and heavy, the honey needs to be best-quality and the cheese needs to be as fresh and young as possible. Some chunks of salty well-cured ham also work very well against the sweet figs. For those not inclined to choosing between one thing and another, the combination of figs, cheese and ham is also rather good!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Today, freekeh is produced and sold commercially, whole or cracked, we use it for making pilaffs, in salads and for serving with lamb or chicken. It's earthy flavour and slightly coarse texture go particularly well with sweet spices.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Green beans are so popular at Ottolenghi that we seem to be constantly on the lookout for new combinations. Orange and hazelnut go wonderfully well together. They offer a good balance of freshness and earthiness and the flavours are subtle enough to complement the beans without overpowering them. The beans can be cooked and chilled a day in advance and then dressed before serving. Sugar snaps, green peas and broad beans can substitute any of the other two beans or be added to the salad.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Use any combination of green beans, in addition to or instead of french beans, to prepare this side dish which goes well with just about everything.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is everything we want from a curry: bright (from the turmeric), hot and aromatic (from the peppercorns), substantial (from the prawns) and fresh (from the asparagus). The recipe uses a traditional method of cooking Thai curries called ‘cracking’. This is where the spice paste is simmered in coconut cream for so long that it splits and the oil separates out. This then creates a rich base for a deeply flavoured curry. Swap the prawns for chicken or tofu, or make a vegetarian version with your favourite vegetables, omitting the fish sauce.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Double carbs, melted cheese, tuna mayo, harissa tapenade … this is an unashamed beast of a sandwich in which Tunisian tuna fricassee meets the tuna melt, and it’s guaranteed to hit the proverbial spot.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These simple pan fried beans are transformed into a very moreish side, thanks to the sweet, salty, sour flavours of our Yuzu Ginger & Miso marinade. This marinade also works wonders for pork belly strips, chicken thighs or prawns.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This marie rose sauce is made with seriously charred chillies and tomatoes, and a whole garlic head. They give it a particular depth that I love, and you can use it with all kinds of cooked vegetables and meats. The seafood cocktail also works perfectly fine without it, though; you can also serve the cocktail with a commercial tomato or chilli sauce.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Faloodeh is a popular Persian dessert made up of cold vermicelli noodles mixed with frozen granita or ice cream, and comes in many different forms and flavours. It might seem a little strange to those unaccustomed to noodles for dessert, but trust us: it is cold, sweet and refreshing and just what’s needed on a hot summer day. It’s also super quirky and fun to make (and to look at)! Make sure that all your components are set and, once you’re ready, put them together quickly and only just before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This marinade takes its inspiration from a Mangalorean ghee roast—a dish known for its fiery richness, aromatic spices and tangy, comforting warmth. It's a perfect match for tender roasted turkey but works just as beautifully with a turkey crown or even a whole chicken (use ½ of the marinade for a 1.7kg bird). We’ve included ancho and chipotle chillies, which add a lovely smokiness alongside the heat. If you like to get ahead, you can whip up the marinade up to three days in advance—just pop it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a great side served both warm and at room temperature. It’s an ideal portable meal that can be made well in advance, easy to transport and will keep well for hours.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Gigli means ‘lilies’ in Italian, and their floral wavy edges are a great vehicle for the chickpeas and anchovies in the sauce. Orecchiette (ears) or conchiglie (shells), are also good for scooping and work really well here too.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Many moons ago, my colleague Noor Murad worked at Spice Market in New York, which has since sadly closed its doors. This rice dish, conceived by its genius chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, is as simple as it is delicious, so we’ve left it more or less alone. It’s a good idea to make more of the fried ginger and garlic than you need here, because it’s lovely sprinkled over salads, rice dishes and grilled meat. The excess will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature (ie, not the fridge).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dish, in which the earthy, sweet beetroot pairs very well with the salty peanut dressing, is all about the drama in flavour and appearance. If you want to get ahead, roast and marinate the beetroot the day before.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Each thin slice of potato fans out during roasting, creating perfect crevices for capturing our Black Garlic and Scotch Bonnet marinade. The result is a wonderful contrast of textures – crisp edges giving way to tender centres – while the marinade adds layers on layers of flavour. Serve on a cooling bed of yogurt and finish with fresh chives.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

An upmarket take on the simple summer staple of artichoke with mayo. We could eat artichoke with mayo every day; this more elaborate version of that simple dish is well worth the extra effort. Any leftover mayo will keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for a few days.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These Iranian dumplings aren't to everybody's taste, admittedly, but, like Marmite, if they are, you'll love them. They're traditionally served in an aromatic broth that's both comforting and hard-hitting at the same time.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We often hear 'how do you grate a tomato?' but it really is as easy as it sounds. A quick and efficient way to make sure only the tomato flesh ends up in the bowl, while the skin is set aside.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Nothing quite beats fresh bread and this is a quick and simple way of making delicious Greek style pitta.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is how we cook the beans in the restaurants. The beans are steamed and cooled down in ice water to preserve the crunch and keep it vibrant green. Layering the beans ensures that the ingredients are distributed evenly throughout. Roast the pineapple and make the dressing the day before to get ahead. The dressing is good spooned over lettuce wedges or roasted or grilled vegetables like cabbage or runner beans.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This chilli is simply a matter of getting everything into the pot and leaving it to do its thing while you make the cornbread, which itself involves only a quick blitz and a bake. Feel free to halve (or eliminate) the number of jalapeños for a kid-friendly version.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a simple green salad which is the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats or fish.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A simple yet striking salad, this dish is all about contrasts - crisp lettuce meets the creamy tang of yoghurt, while preserved lemon and toasted seeds bring bursts of citrusy depth and fragrant crunch. Quick to prepare, it’s a vibrant, refreshing side, full of bold flavours.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This recipe will make more mayo than you need but it will keep for up to a week in the fridge. Use it with grilled oily fish or to dress root veg such as celeriac.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The paste I use here is extremely handy. Serve it as a sauce for roasted vegetables or veggie fritters, or as a condiment alongside spicy fried or grilled chicken. Serves four as a starter, or as part of a brunch spread.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

It may seem a little counterintuitive to grill leaves, but it really elevates certain salads, particularly those with hardy wintry leaves. Grilling means flavours are concentrating, creating complexity, bitterness, sweetness and deliciousness.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This was a wintry addition to the menu at our restaurant, ROVI. We bake the cabbage for hours, then grill it with cheese until everything is intensely soft and seductively unctuous. Get ahead by braising the cabbage the day ahead, before finishing it under the grill.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The flavour of halva works brilliantly in an ice cream. Once you try it, you'll keep coming back, even skipping the chocolate sauce and peanuts. Together, they create a rich, nutty treat reminiscent of a deluxe Snickers ice cream. Avoid drowning it in chocolate; a light drizzle is plenty. If you're using an ice cream machine, churn it a few hours ahead or even better, the day before. No machine? Opt for the classic method: make custard, freeze without churning, adding halva halfway. It's perfect for immediate serving, but be warned, it can firm up quite a bit by the next day.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a great side to have in your Christmas repertoire, because it’s just a case of mixing everything together and baking, giving you plenty of time to do other things.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This glorious cake is our favourite picnic food – tinned mackerel, potato salad and boiled eggs – all rolled into one. It’s best made a day ahead, so it has plenty of time to set in the fridge, but four hours should do the trick, if need be.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is great served spread on bread with flakes salt on top or anchovy slices. If using for cooking then it pairs well with roasted fish and shellfish.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Every childhood has its go-to meals - the ones that appear like clockwork in the weekly rotation. One of those meals, for some, was Chicken à la King. Here, our Hawaij spice paste transforms an old-school favourite with its warming blend of cardamom, cumin, and turmeric - spices that have been used for centuries across Yemen and the Middle East. The grated carrots catch all that sauce, golden raisins add little bursts of sweetness, and the whole thing comes together in less time than it takes to set the table. It's perfect for a quick midweek dinner for two, or easily doubled to feed the whole family. Just make sure there's plenty of rice for soaking up that glorious sauce.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We all know someone who makes the most incredible chicken sandwich - usually involving some secret spice blend or mysterious frying technique. This is my attempt at creating my own mythical sandwich: hawaij-spiced chicken that's warming without being heavy, tucked into soft flatbread with a herby slaw that cuts through all that richness. It comes together in about an hour, most of which is just letting the chicken marinate while you get on with other things.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The best potatoes are the ones with properly craggy, golden edges and fluffy interiors that soak up whatever you throw at them. These get the hawaij treatment, using the paste like a curry paste, coating the potatoes twice during cooking so the spices build up in layers, creating this gorgeous caramelised crust.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This traditional school-dinner dessert gets very special treatment here with the flavours of hazelnut and plum, which pair wonderfully with a simple maple- and lemon-infused custard. I like to eat both the cake and custard at room temperature, but you could warm either element, or both, if you prefer. The plum jam can be easily swapped with another jam, and if you don’t have hazelnuts, blanched almonds would also work well.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Pasta Bolognese: so many of us grow up on a particular version which then becomes the ‘normal’ against which all others are measured. Anyone whose default is an Italian or Anglophone take on the dish will be delighted by ‘Helen’s Bolognese’. Adapted from a noodle sauce in Carolyn Phillips' book, 'All Under Heaven', it gets a lot of its depth and deliciousness from doubanjiang – a spicy bean paste made from fermented soya beans, broad beans and chillies. It is a key ingredient in a lot of Sichuanese food and readily available in Asian grocers or online.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

‘Tahdig’, is a Persian word which translates literally to ‘bottom of the pan’ and is used to describe the crispy base layer of rice formed whilst cooking. Making a perfect tahdig is a real skill and requires a bit of practice! This tahdig is a meal in itself, in the middle of the rice is a parcel of trout which is wrapped in spinach and gently steamed in the centre. It’s fun to eat and makes a show-stopping centrepiece for a dinner party. Be sure to allow time for soaking the rice and saffron.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This will be nostalgic for anyone who automatically defaults towards this dish when ordering a Chinese takeaway. There are all sorts of variations in the way the batter and sauce are made, but this one, I find, just seems to taste better every time I make it.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This super quick soup is perfectly comforting for cold wintery days. A good quality stock is a great base to start from. Use vegetable, chicken stock or dashi stock powder which is a great store cupboard item. If you like, swap the cabbage bean sprouts for whatever leafy vegetables that you have at hand, like cavolo nero, spinach or chard. Dry shitake or fresh shitake mushrooms work very well here too if you have them.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

One of the beauties of this dish lies in the exciting contrast between the hot, juicy tomatoes and fridge-cold yoghurt, so make sure the tomatoes are straight out of the oven and the yoghurt is straight out of the fridge. The heat of the tomatoes will make the cold yoghurt melt, invitingly, so plenty of crusty sourdough or focaccia to mop it all up with is a must alongside.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A delicate but zesty light lunch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We came up with this soup when asked to contribute a seasonal recipe to the Royal Horticultural Society's flower show at Hampton Court Palace. It involves a bit of work but the result is, quite fittingly, majestic.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

There’s a bit of work involved here, but this is a glorious dish to delight any hummus lover. Separating the quail into breasts and legs is a little tricky, so ask your butcher to do it if you’re unsure (use the carcasses for stock or gravy). Another option is to use boneless chicken thighs, and adjust the cooking time according to their size. You’ll need four long metal skewers (or wooden skewers soaked in water for 10 minutes).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Nothing says peak summer more to me (or rather Jake, from the test kitchen) than reaching for an ice cold peach ice tea. A quench at its peak after a day spent gardening. Hence the name, ‘The lawnmower’. The base of this recipe is a peach shrub, a vinegar spiked cordial. This is a great technique for preserving fruits or berries when they are at their most abundant, so experiment to your heart's desire. Makes about 400ml of peach shrub, along with the strong green tea to make the drink

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These can be snacked on as they are, at room temperature, or else served with a green tahini sauce and some extra herbs. These fritters are a bit of a fridge raid, using up whatever herbs you have around. As long as you keep the total net weight the same and use a mixture of herbs, this will still work wonderfully. The batter will keep, uncooked, for 1 day in the fridge. Alternatively, pile the fritters into pitta bread with condiments: a combination of yoghurt, chilli sauce, pickled vegetables and tahini works well. You’d just need one fritter per person, rather than two

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam has been told off by Irish friends in the past for tinkering with Irish stew, but we just can’t help ourselves. Every time we make it, we end up adding something extra at the last minute. Please feel free to add or omit as you see fit.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We set ourselves a challenge with this recipe. Could we make it as rich and comforting as jacket potatoes tend to be – largely due to the amount of grated Cheddar and butter they have in them – at the same time as keeping it vegan? Thanks to tahini, we could! It’s such a naturally ‘creamy’ sauce: a real friend to those who want a rich addition to vegan food. There is something of a sabih about this – the pita sandwich filled with roasted cubes of aubergine that Yotam grew up on – which doubles down on the comfort.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

In this recipe, crunchy chickpeas replace classic Caesar croutons. Be sure to bake them for an hour; it's what gives them that irresistible crunch. With any leftover chickpeas, consider using them to garnish your hummus, butterbean dip, or any of your favourite salads.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dish is a love letter to three pretty related comfort foods: Indian keema rice, Middle Eastern mejadra, and Egyptian kosheri. It borrows the warming spices from keema rice, the caramelised onions and lentils from mejadra, and that sharp vinegar bite from kosheri to brighten everything up at the end. The onions take the longest (about 35 minutes of slow caramelising), so you can make them up to two days ahead if you want to get organised.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Serve this salad together with a hearty veg tart or a roasted chicken or fish. Or as a refreshing starter.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This tipple is all about the tartness of the kumquat citrus, whose sharp flesh and sweet skin make for an incredibly refreshing drink. This is a cocktail with both the gentle punch of tequila and the delicacy of rose water. It’s essentially a margarita, NOPI-style. We serve it in a rocks glass but you can serve it in a martini-style glass, if you like. You’ll make more syrup than you need for this recipe but it can be frozen for future cocktails or stored in the fridge, where it will keep for up to 2 weeks, to have at the ready to pour over muesli, ice cream or yoghurt. With thanks to Niall Downey, whose creation this is.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Cheesecake is not, traditionally, a dessert eaten in Palestine, but all the ingredients are: the labneh and filo, for example, the nuts and floral orange blossom. The base was Noor’s idea: blitzing up the sheets of filo to make crumbs. Mixing this with the nuts calls baklava to mind. The result, we think, is distinct and special.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We’ve been making labneh the same way for years - yoghurt spooned into a tea towel-lined sieve and left overnight. Nothing more than time and gravity. Once you've spread it across a plain, flat plate, make a well in the centre for the tomatoes, letting the glossy oil spill over the edges. If you're feeling organised, make double the tomatoes and blitz half with their juices for an instant pasta sauce that keeps beautifully in the fridge.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Try your hand at turning yoghurt into a luxurious Middle-eastern cheese. It may seem a bit technical but it isn't really, providing you get started a day ahead. Serve the labneh with minimum graces: spoon inside chunks of good crusty bread and top with tomato.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Lahmacun literally means 'meat with dough'. If you want to get ahead, prepare the meat topping in advance – the flavours only intensify. And if you have any veggies leftover, they are make the best lunchtime salad.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These patties are lovely as a snack or as part of a feast at a barbecue. If you want to make them into a more substantial meal, however, just serve them with some rocket leaves tossed with olive oil, lemon juice and shaved Parmesan. The yoghurt sauce can be made the day before. The patties will keep in the fridge for 1 day uncooked, or they can be cooked up to 6 hours in advance, ready to be warmed through for 5 minutes before serving. Leftovers are also good the next day, at room temperature or warmed through.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The star of this recipe is the pilpelchuma: a Libyan pepper and garlic condiment. A shining example of an ‘extra good thing’ as it is wonderfully versatile, adding heat and unctuousness to rice dishes, eggs, or in this case meat. You can sub out the chillies here for red pepper flakes if you prefer less heat. Double up the pilpelchuma recipe if you like, as it will keep in the fridge for a week.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

I love the way lamb shanks break down during the long, slow cook - the meat becomes incredibly tender and the bones add a richness you just don't get with other cuts. Like any proper chilli, this tastes even better the next day.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Jerusalem proudly boasts its own indigenous Hebrew vocabulary, made up of random words that substitute the common names for words like liquorice, piggyback, lollypop and others. The flatbread referred to in the city as ‘esh tanur’ (burning furnace) is the carb of choice for encasing shawarma, slices of spiced meat and fat arranged on a large spit that rotates continuously near a hot grill, regularly ‘shaved’ with a large knife for passing customers. As well as meat, the flatbread includes chopped salad, tahini, fries, pickles and amba, a mango and fenugreek sauce originally from India that has been adopted into the Jewish version of shawarma via Iraqi immigrants.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

New-season lamb shoulder, cooked pink, is the perfect platform for a mixture of fresh and cooked herbs.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is the Middle Eastern equivalent of shepherd’s pie, with a tahini crust standing in for the layer of mashed potato. It’s a rich and comforting dish, making a star of both the tahini and the stewed lamb. The stew can be made well in advance – a day or two ahead, if kept in the fridge or frozen – ready for the tahini sauce and baking. Serve with bulgur or rice.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The recipe for this Swedish classic comes courtesy of Eva Räng. It's comfort food taken to the extreme: purists spoon over loads of extra melted butter as they eat it with Swedish crispbread, a leafy salad and a glass of beer.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Batbout is a stuffed flatbread - a semolina dough that puffs up when pan-fried, creating the perfect pocket for spiced lamb and leeks. The filling is full of Moroccan flavours (ras el hanout and lots of fresh coriander) and gets better if you make it a day ahead, to let the spices settle in. Use two pans to speed things up, and if you end up with extra filling, it's brilliant stuffed into flour tortillas later. Serve these hot with a squeeze of lemon or tahini sauce.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Chances are you’ll have leftover Christmas cake for days to come…this is one of our favourite ways to use it up!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

My previous life must have been somewhere in old Persia. I am absolutely convinced of this. I am completely infatuated by the richness of Persian cuisine, by its clever use of spices and herbs, by the ingenuity of its rice-making, by pomegranate, saffron and pistachios, by yoghurt, mint and dried limes. It seems that my palate is just naturally honed for this set of flavours. Unfortunately, I have never been able to travel to Iran but my love affair with its food has been abundantly fed in recent years by the inspirational books of Najmieh Batmanglij. These are where I go to for a peep into a sweet, yet forbidden, culinary world. This heart-warming thick soup, called ash-e reshteh, is the Iranian answer to minestrone. It is wonderfully wholesome and nourishing and leaves a real smile on your face. I found reshteh noodles at an Iranian grocer near me but linguine would do the job just as well. You can also dispense of the noodles all together if you like. There is plenty going on, body-wise, without.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We've never been shy about our love for lemons. How to maximise the lemony-ness of a lemon cake, however, was where the ‘lemon-everything’ truly came to life: from a triple layered, lemon-syrup-soaked sponge, to fragrant burnt lemon powder and delicate dehydrated lemon pieces. This cake truly embraces our favourite citrus in every single one of its many forms. That being said, we recognise this cake as a weekend project - one to attempt when you have plenty of time, a cause for celebration, and many mouths to feed!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Dotting these bars with halved raspberries before baking gives them a dramatic appearance, but the berries do tend to weep into the curd the longer they sit, so I suggest doing this only if you are serving them on the day (and remember, they need four hours to chill). If you make the bars a day ahead, leave the raspberries out until the end and top the lemon bars just before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is the lentil stoup (or perhaps it’s a stew?) I’ll be making again and again this winter - and not just because it keeps so well for batch cooking. Sweet fennel and nutty parmesan make the lentils feel even more comforting, and if you have a couple of parmesan rinds lying around, swap them in for the 20g piece for extra flavour. Serve it as is, or with chunks of rustic bread for dunking- either way, it’s nourishing, hearty, and super satisfying.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Eat this zingy slaw al fresco, with a spicy curry alongside, though it’s also just as great on its own. Doubling up the turmeric cashews won’t hurt either; they’re super-duper special and will keep for up to a week in a sealed container (though we doubt they’ll last that long)

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A classic, easy, one-pot mac ‘n’ cheese, loaded up with broccoli and cabbage because, well, we need some greens to balance all this cheese. The cheese of choice here is Comté (although Gruyère or even a classic cheddar will work wonders too). Comté adds an extra nuttiness, as well as a bit of funk, which marries well with the greens. Great for all ages, best enjoyed with a finishing splash of Tabasco for adults.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These spiced chicken thighs are my kind of barbecue food. All you need alongside are some flatbreads, a green salad and the chakalaka above. If you can, ideally marinate the chicken a day ahead, then cover and chill. An hour before cooking, take it out of the fridge to bring it back to room temperature. I’ve provided instructions for cooking the thighs first on a griddle pan and then in the oven, for when the weather isn’t barbecue-friendly. Just make sure to open the windows and ventilate your kitchen well.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The earthiness of the mushrooms goes perfectly with the chickpeas and tahini. Serve on top of hummus but also perfect on a thick slice of toast or just on it's own.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Although turkey is more frequently associated with a sweet red relish, we serve it here with a lemony sauce of herbs and cumin. It is enormously popular around Christmas and Thanksgiving, as it is both traditional and original. The same sauce would work very well with lamb. You can serve this dish either warm or at room temperature.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

In Malaysia, street food is served in big, open-air complexes. Various stalls prepare cheap, cheerful and incredibly delicious dishes of Malay, Chinese or Indian cuisines. All you need to do is choose. Since everything is so tempting, you often end up with a table piled with delicacies and no stomach capacity. The attraction in this type of dining is that it is both fresh and complex. Many dishes are prepared from raw in front of your eyes, using great ingredients, making it far superior to many western solutions for quick food. This Malay dish takes only a few minutes to make (once you get a little bit of prep out of the way) and is unique in its many layers and depth of flavours.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This quiche, in canapé form, was one of the most popular items on our catering menu at Ottolenghi a couple of years ago. The combination of a sharp blue cheese alongside the intense sweetness of membrillo creates a wonderfully satisfying drama in the mouth. It’s the one-stop answer to Christmas meals for vegetarians.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a twist on a Persian classic that uses smokey burnt aubergines and tomatoes as a base in which eggs are gently set, much like a scramble. Our aubergine and tomato sauce makes this a quick recipe to put together and the urfa brings a gentle heat and quick smokiness. Serve this as an indulgent breakfast or as a side.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Though tasting pretty decadent, these pears are surprisingly easy to make. The miso, butter and spices meld together in the oven to create a delicious sauce for the pears - a perfect topping for pancakes (vegan or other), porridge or French toast.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This classic Levantine dip can be made in a food processor, but it will lose some of its lovely texture; I'd use a pestle and mortar, if you can. Muhammara keeps well and even improves after a day in the fridge; just don't serve it fridge-cold.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Mushrooms take centre stage here. We’ve used three varieties for roasting, but feel free to use whatever you can find—just ensure they add up to 630g. Be sure to use rolled oats, not porridge oats, as they make all the difference.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A cross between a fish finger taco and some sort of tempura wrap. The seaweed flakes and fish seem to be a match made in heaven (the sea?). Once you’ve made it once, you WILL make it again. And again. The tartar sauce can also be doubled up and kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The garlic butter is the star of this dish, combining mellow, slow-roasted garlic, sweet black garlic and pungent raw garlic. The recipe will make more butter than you’ll need for the flatbreads, but it keeps for up to a week in the fridge and is great spread on toast, melted over steak or stuffed into chicken kievs.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is one of those meals you can leave to simmer in the oven while you get on with other things (don't we all need more of these in our lives?). The black chickpeas absorb the warmth of baharat as they cook, with olives adding a briney saltiness and orange slices melting into the sauce. Serve with yoghurt swirled through (or a plant-based alternative to keep it vegan) alongside rice or flatbreads. It's just as delicious hot from the oven as at room temperature, and actually improves with a few days spent in the fridge.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a super simple one dish chicken bake. The recipe is inspired by Turkish Arap Koftesi, (Turkish bulgur koftes), which are usually fried and served in cucumber yoghurt and brown butter. Get ahead by marinating the chicken and making the bulgur dumplings the night before. If you can’t find fine bulgur, then feel free to use instant couscous, adding a tablespoon less water to cook.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

You can’t get much more than this tender chicken by way of comfort and pure deliciousness. My favourite bit, though, is the orzo pasta, which drinks in all the chicken juices. Serve this with your favourite savoury chilli sauce, if you like.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a play on a traditional Levantine pumpkin kibbeh, where lemony greens are stuffed into a shell of crispy bulgur and pumpkin. This open-faced version makes a great vegan centrepiece.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is inspired by a Greek set custard dessert called galaktoboureko made with fine semolina. The spiced peach syrup adds a festive touch. You can make both elements the day before and store them separately, ready for a quick assemble just before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is probably your best way to appeal to those with an aversion to sprouts. The sweetness of the shallots, pomegranate and maple hides a bit of the natural bitterness and gives the little brassicas a comforting edge.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a lovely way to celebrate summer tomatoes. Feel free to play around with the types of tomatoes and herbs you use here, using up what you might have growing in your garden or sitting in your fridge. Serve this alongside a roast chicken or grilled halloumi, for a complete meal.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Pappare means ‘to gobble up’, in Italian, which is the destiny of this dish (particularly in Tara’s house, where her husband Chris makes it most Sunday nights). I like it spicy, but the quantity of harissa can easily be reduced. Make the sauce 3 days ahead if you like and keep in the fridge until needed.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The much-loved Italian-American ‘eggplant parm’ is the inspiration for this dish with layers of breaded aubergine, tomato sauce and cheese, but with a slightly different take here. If you can’t find kataifi pastry for the topping, feel free to use filo instead and thinly slice it into julienne strips using scissors. This pie requires a little bit of love to make, but is well worth the effort for an impressive meatless centrepiece.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

My son gave these two thumbs up, which is high praise indeed. If you have any of the cream and fruit mixtures leftover, just put them in another container, swirl them together to create a ripple effect, and freeze as you would ice-cream.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This French apple tart is incredibly crisp on the outside (the result of the dusting of sugar between the filo layers), yet wonderfully soft and boozy on the inside. You can make it a day ahead and reheat before serving. Quince, combined with apple, makes for a delicious twist, if you’re looking for one. The marzipan isn’t traditional, but tastes spectacular and makes total sense in a Christmas setting.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A wonderful, luminous-green soup. If you like, simplify the method: instead of basil oil, finish with shredded basil or mint and a drizzle of oil; and miss out passing it through a sieve - it'll be less smooth, but still delightful.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

You need really ripe peaches for this: if they’re not, use another fruit instead – strawberries and apricots both work well. You can poach the peaches a day ahead, but they should be eaten on the day they’re baked.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This makes good use of firm, not-so-ripe peaches. By macerating them in sugar and lime juice, you not only soften the fruit but also make a beautiful syrup to pour over the dish at the end. Rosemary, which I’ve used both in this dish and the shrub, is a fantastic match for peach.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This autumnal salad makes a real statement at the start of a meal. It is wonderfully fresh yet substantial and very distinctive in flavour. Make sure your pears are nice and sweet.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Palm sugar is stickier than caster sugar and has a caramel-like flavour. Make sure you use the Thai variety here, which is sort of firm and sticky, but easy to crumble, and not the super-hard kind. It makes this crumble similar to cookie dough: gooey in places and crisp in others.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The amount of fruit and yoghurt here is enough for six servings, but the granola mix itself makes about 1kg, so you'll have plenty for many breakfasts to come (it will keep for a couple of weeks in a container).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This chocolate salami won’t stick around for long – one bite leads to another, and the rest is history. You can make this a day ahead, ready to be cut and served as a sweet treat after Christmas dinner.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This little selection is the perfect companion to my Jerusalem mixed grill (recipe on Substack), but don’t feel like you’ve got to make all of them. One variety is also great. Make a big batch, and you’ve got pickles to last you a while.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This spicy Libyan condiment really shines as a marinade on fatty meats. Chicken thighs with crispy skin, and oily onions are stuffed into a pitta, the perfect home. Sour cream calms the heat, sharp dill pickles cut through the fat, and heaps of parsley provide the freshness. It’s an easy meal with big flavours, and it all comes down to the strength of the pilpelchuma paste.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

There’s pistachio ice cream, and then there’s pistachio ice cream. The kind worth making at home needs to be unapologetically nutty, rich with flavour, and properly green, though not from food colouring. The trick is in the nuts: choose the greenest pistachios you can find, ideally with as little red skin as possible (it dulls both the flavour and the colour). Resist the temptation of the Iranian ones, though; they look the part but taste too subtle. Once you’ve got the right pistachios, the rest is a simple process of custard-making, freezing, and blitzing, no ice cream machine needed. What you end up with is an ice cream that is fresh, clean, and unmistakably pistachio.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The flavour of freshly ground star anise is vital for this soul-warming dessert. The trouble is, it's very hard. An alternative to using a spice grinder would be the old pestle and mortar or a small food processor, followed by carefully sifting the powder and getting rid of any hard chunks.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Friands are the light, moist almond cakes popular in Australia, New Zealand and France. Whisked egg whites and very little flour make them wonderfully light, and the ground almonds make them really moist. Traditionally they’re small cakes, but here we tip the batter into a baking dish and cook it whole. You can make the batter well in advance here, if you want to get ahead, it keeps well in the fridge up to a day, but don’t macerate the fruit for this amount of time as it will become too juicy. Serve with custard, vanilla ice cream or cream. The fruit can be played around with, depending on the season. Raspberries and peaches can be used in the early summer months, for example.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is another cupboard raid dish, made from things I had lying around at home. It’s very simple to make and doesn’t take much time at all. Both sweet, savoury and extremely comforting, sometimes less really is more!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The simplicity of this recipe really gives the harissa paste a chance to shine, with the sweet and sharp flavours of the pomegranate really complimenting the richness of the sausages. It may be worth making extra onions as they work really well in a sandwich or cheese toasty!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Chickpeas and briny, pomegranate harissa marinated olives are tossed together and roasted, allowing the flavours to mingle and soften. The harissa brings a gentle heat, while crumbled feta adds creamy saltiness, turning this simple side into something bold, savoury and quietly addictive. Great alongside some grilled fish or on its own with some rice and a dollop of yoghurt.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Bánh mì is a Vietnamese street food: it’s a loaded baguette-like roll, often filled with fatty cuts of meat and lots of fresh herbs and pickles for balance. I’ve found that a supermarket bake-at-home baguette is the best vehicle here, because it needs to be crusty on the outside and very soft inside.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We’re not mad about calling vegetables a ‘steak’ or ‘burger’ or ‘schnitzel’, because it feels like you are trying to pass them off as something else, something superior. Sometimes, though, using a meaty name helps you understand what’s going on and how delicious it is. Our portobellos aren’t trying to be a steak, they are simply as good as any steak (with mash), if not better; in just the same way as our Romano pepper schnitzels are as delectable as any other schnitzel. What gives the mushrooms their verve is the chillies and spices and all the flavoured oil that coats them. You’ll make more oil than you need here; keep it refrigerated in a sealed container to spoon over grilled vegetables, noodles, meat or fish. Serve this with some sautéed greens, if you like.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Pot barley takes longer to cook than pearl, but an overnight soak in water will speed things along. It's a robust grain that, if overcooked, won't collapse but will become more tender. This recipe is like rice pudding with texture, for those who don't mind using their teeth to eat pudding. It's also totally delicious.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

It’s hard to describe the unique flavour of black garlic in comparison to its sharp and pungent raw form, but it’s sort of like a balsamic-­liquorice­-flavoured jelly baby, if such a thing existed. Here it’s transformed into a dramatic-looking puree, which elevates this spring salad to wonderful heights.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Here, eggs are baked nestled inside a giant rösti with a crisp bottom, giving you a perfect brunch combination. Try to stick to ½cm batons for the vegetables and not grate them, because you won’t get the crispness you’re after. You can do this with a sharp knife or, more conveniently, a mandoline or a food processor with the appropriate attachment. Be sure to source a good-quality gochujang (a fermented Korean red pepper paste), because they’re much punchier than most supermarket brands.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Think potato dauphinoise meets quiche, wrapped up in pastry. When asked why she created this pie, Verena responded, ‘I like pastry, I like potatoes and I like cheese, need I say more?’ That answers that, then. This rich and creamy pie is the perfect portable picnic food. It is quite generous, but rest assured that leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just bring it back up to room temperature before eating, or heat in the oven if you prefer it warm.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We aren’t the first to combine lemon, garlic and chicken – and we won’t be the last – but sometimes it’s good to be reminded that the classics are classics for a reason. Roasting a chicken is the ultimate simple dish: it’s easy, and quick, fills the house with delicious smells and everyone loves the result. You can prep the chicken 4–5 hours in advance if you like, and then just place it in the oven when ready to cook.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We believe a dish can comfort with familiarity and delight with surprise. This surprise might come from sumac on scrambled eggs or sweet-sour barberries in a frittata or salad. But the ultimate flavour bomb is preserved lemon skin, chopped or sliced. It pairs well with oily fish, grilled meats, or roasted vegetables. Experiment with it, but beware—it’s addictive. We store ours in Kilner jars, which are easy to find. Once you start, you'll always have a batch ready. The preserving process takes weeks, but preserved lemons have boundless potential.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These are perfect just as they are, or split them while they’re still warm, slather with butter and serve with soup or as part of a breakfast or brunch. They’re best eaten on the day, but if you have any left over, they’re brilliant split and fried in butter to go with scrambled eggs.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Winter squash are best for this soup: their consistency is firm and their flavour has a depth which is similar to sweet potatoes. You can also make it with summer squash (of which pumpkin is one): the flesh will just be a bit more fibrous and watery. You can make both the soup and pumpkin seeds in advance, if you like: the soup will keep in the fridge for 3 days, or can be frozen for up to 1 month, and the pumpkin seeds will keep well in a dry, sealed container for a good week.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yes, there’s a long list of ingredients here, but we're ready to be extra-kind and allow you to adapt the recipe, to use commercial Thai curry paste instead of having to schlep and get all the individual items. This ‘dry’ variation of a green curry makes one of the most satisfying supper dishes for the late winter and early months of spring.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Few things bring me more pleasure in the kitchen than taking a set of familiar ingredients and seeing them in a new light. It’s one of the many reasons I love aubergines: they’re so versatile and can be cooked in such different ways to yield such different results. Serve the stew either as a hearty starter or a side, or else as a main, served with any grain you like. The stew can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge – just warm through and add the oil, chilli flakes and oregano before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Seasonality in winter doesn't have to mean sleep-inducing, stew-like, starchy casseroles. As a light alternative, this sweet-and-sour version of remoulade is a starting point for creatively playing with raw winter vegetables, especially now that their season is coming to an end. Try it with kohlrabi, beetroot, turnip or cabbage, too, or a combination. The main thing to remember is to slice or shred the veg very thinly (use a mandolin for the best results). Most soft herbs would suit, and don't forget acidity from citrus juice or vinegar to lighten it up.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Crunchy red cabbage meets hibiscus-pickled onions, with their sharp tannic tang weaving through the bowl. A touch of pomegranate molasses brings sweetness, tying everything together into a bright, punchy slaw that sits happily alongside roasted or barbecued meats, fish or veggies.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Red lentil soup is one of our cold weather favourites. Many versions are smooth, ours has different consistencies from caramelised red onions, chopped rainbow chard, and coriander. Serve with some crusty bread and a green salad, if you like.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Feel free to make this your own by swapping the red rice for a different rice or grain, or by using whatever mix of mushrooms or leafy green you can get your hands on.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These are essentially deconstructed mashed potatoes. Ricing the spuds with the butter and cream, rather than mashing them, makes them light and airy, and gives you a completely different experience. And get everything ready first, because you need to work very quickly once the potatoes are cooked.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Think of this as a savoury baked cheesecake, only not as rich. It's brilliantly light, in fact, and would make a wholesome lunch with a leafy salad. To give it a little extra oomph, fold in some grated potent goat's cheese along with the onion.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Every home cook needs a few good tomato pasta recipes up their sleeve. Especially if they need to satisfy those little eaters. There's a lot of flavour going on in the sausage sauce, so leave out the pesto if you prefer: the dish works beautifully topped with pecorino shavings instead.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Discovering a new way to roast a chicken – the ultimate home cooking comfort food – always feels like a joy. Serve this with those roasted carrots (see page 106) or any other root veg. Some buttered Savoy cabbage is also a lovely accompaniment.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This almost all-in-one recipe is a great centrepiece for the Easter table. The potatoes and fennel absorb all of the lamb juices greedily, which makes them extremely flavourful and nearly more the stars of the show than the lamb. Get ahead by marinating the lamb and prepping all the veg the day before. Just make sure to bring the lamb to room temperature at least one hour before roasting.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

If possible, use perfectly ripe peaches for this; if you can’t get any, add a few tablespoons of water to the pan when roasting the fruit. If you can’t get fresh makrut lime leaves, don’t substitute them with freeze-dried ones: the finely shaved skin of one lime (about six strips) is a much better alternative.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These roast potatoes might just disappear before they even reach the dinner table. With a golden crunch on the outside and a fluffiness within, they’re tossed in a vibrant green sauce, soaking up its tangy notes while maintaining their delightful crunch. And when drizzled with tahini sauce, they take on a creamy richness.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is loosely based on the Middle Eastern red pepper dip muhamarra. The addition of feta makes it creamy and more complex, and I amplify this even further with chopped fresh lemon and olive salsa. It’s delightfully not for the faint-hearted. Serve with bread or crudite, as a starter or as part of a meze spread.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This salad-cum-salsa works as well alongside roast chicken or any white fish as it does with the lamb. It’s also great served just as it is, as a fresh, light lunch, ideally with some crusty bread. Replace the anchovies with capers, if you prefer.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This works well as a part of a mezze-style spread of salads, or as a side for fish or chicken. The pickled onions keep in the fridge for a good week, so it’s worth making double to ensure you have plenty left over: a spoonful is a welcome addition to all sorts of salads or piled into a cheese sandwich.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This turkey, dark and intense from its chilli paste, makes a dramatic Thanksgiving focal point. You can make the paste up to three days in advance and keep in a sealed container in the fridge. This goes really well with the charred braised beans and roast carrots.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

There's a natural versatility to this tart. Choose your vegetables according to season (leeks, aubergines, broccoli, mushrooms) and you can keep or omit the cheese; you can even top with a scattering of pumpkin seeds for a more luxurious look.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dish features celeriac in two very different ways – slow-roasted and pickled – giving it textural contrast and flavour complexity which enables it to take centre stage in a vegetable feast. You can make the dressing a day ahead, but don’t mix in the fried chilli and garlic until you’re ready to serve. You’ll make more pickle than you need, but it keeps in the fridge for 3 days and is great stuffed into sandwiches and toasties or tossed through a salad.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This sunny dish celebrates the wonderful union of courgettes and tomatoes, that get along especially well in any context, but particularly when paired with creamy labneh and sumac pine nuts. Make this vegan by swapping out the labneh for dairy-free yoghurt, or omitting it completely - it’s still as delicious without.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

All the various components of this dish can be prepared a day in advance, if you want to get ahead. Keep all the elements separate and in the fridge, bringing everything back to room temperature before you assemble the dish. When you next see some fresh curry leaves, grab hold of them – they are sometimes around but then they disappear from the shelves for a while. Freeze what you don’t use so that they’re ready for when you next need them. Lightly fried in a tablespoon of oil, they make a wonderfully aromatic addition to this dish, sprinkled over with the pomegranate seeds before serving. If you’re going down the curry theme for the rest of your meal and have some poppadoms fried, these are great crumbled over. If you do this, you won’t need the almonds.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a winning recipe to make for friends as everything can be prepared in advance – the aubergine can be roasted, the saffron yoghurt put together, all the nuts and herbs ready to go – and then just simply assembled before serving. It’s also big and bold – both visually and in terms of flavour – which helps add to the ‘wow’. When dressing roasted vegetables with thick sauces like this, we tend to use a large slotted spoon in our shops. scoop up the sauce with the spoon and then, holding the long handle in one hand (and making sure the spoon head is over the platter), use your other hand to firmly bash the handle a few times. This will, with a tiny bit of practice, help the sauce to fall through the spoon evenly and elegantly on to the vegetables.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a fun aubergine dip, almost a deconstructed baba ganoush, but the star of the show has got to be the carob syrup. The bitterness of the burnt rosemary, the sweet tang of the molasses, and the oily richness of the aubergine all pair so well together. Using just one oven tray and one bowl, this is one of the best last minute dips you can throw together to get you out of a pinch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Every so often, there's a recipe you find yourself making over and over - the kind that slips effortlessly into rotation because it hits that perfect balance of effort and reward. Here's one for your collection. Aubergines go from sometimes-difficult to almost buttery when given enough time in a hot oven, butterbeans develop golden crusts (keeping their creamy interiors), and cherry tomatoes collapse into sweet puddles that bind it all together. The magic ingredient is our Calabrian Chilli Pesto – it does all the heavy lifting in terms of flavour. Serve with some rice or flatbreads for scooping up every bite.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This festive side would make a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving table, but would equally be great at a Sunday roast, alongside a roast chicken or baked pumpkin. Get ahead by making the chestnut topping and garlic yoghurt the day before, bringing them back up to room temperature. Be sure to leave your browned butter to just before serving though, as it will solidify as it sits.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

On holiday in Sri Lanka a few years ago, Helen got very into the little pot of dukkah mix which was often on her table in the evening. So into it was she that there soon appeared two pots each night. On the last night of her holiday, the chef – Madhura Geethanjana – scribbled the recipe down on Helen’s napkin, calling it his ‘nut crumble’. It’s such a lovely image and act of sharing – a recipe being written on a napkin, continuing its journey. Dukkah keeps well in the fridge for 5 days (or longer in the freezer), so make more than you need. It’s lovely sprinkled over all sorts of things: soups, roasted vegetables, chicken (see page 128), grilled fish, leafy salads.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We spent three nights in Haifa on one of our trips and spent two of those eating supper at the same restaurant, Fattoush, in town. The reason we went back two nights in a row was because we ate a version of this salad the first night and then went to bed dreaming about it. We went back the next night and duly ordered a whole portion each. All the elements here are delicious in and of themselves: the combination of all three is positively wonderful.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

All the intense flavours lavished on the poor chicken – arak, mustard, fennel, clementines with their skins, brown sugar – somehow manage to come together in a sweetly comforting dish you will always want to come back to. Serve with plainly cooked rice or bulgar.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The combination of fish and tahini is one we find hard to resist, but this works just as well without the tahini sauce if you’re looking for a shortcut or want to keep the focus on the lemon. Either way, this is as close to fast food as you can get. It’s a 15-minute meal to make, beginning to end. Possibly even less time to eat.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

I can't emphasize enough how crucial it is to choose good, sweet, squidgy figs, no matter what you do with them. It makes all the difference.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

In this lamb centrepiece, the marinade of tamarind, coriander and lime develops into a glossy sauce which is sweet, sour and rich, thanks to the golden raisins (you can also use sultanas). We add large green chillies here, which are about 10-15 grams each and not too spicy. If you can’t find large chillies, use less of them in your marinade.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Early spring is the perfect time for leeks. After the cold winter frosts, they develop a natural sweetness that, when roasted at high heat, creates deep, rich flavours. Here I serve them with a citrusy crème fraîche and hazelnut, orange and sumac salsa. It’s perfect as a side for roasted chicken or fish.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

When I cooked this recipe to camera I had a home crowd watching me I couldn't have dreamed of. That night a group of Aussie women checked into Roberto's tiny country hotel. It turned out they landed in Italy that morning arriving from London, where they visited the restaurant of their favourite chef; and that chef is your humble servant. So the one night they are in Ottolenghi eating the food and the next night they are in Sardinia watching him cook to camera in the courtyard of a small hotel in in small town. Most people would probably not be able to get the wild flowers I used in Sardinia to spread over the salad at the end. They look great but they aren't essential. You can leave the out, substitute with other edible wild flowers that are in season and local to you, or replace with some more picked herbs.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This cut of pork, slowly cooked, offers the best contrasting textures. The crackling skin and fatty meat, along with the mellow spiciness of anise and sharp sweetness of orange. It's the ideal festive centrepiece for the inexperienced or kitchen-shy; if you follow the instructions, it's hard to get wrong, yet is highly impressive. Goes well with french beans and roasted potatoes.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We seriously urge you to give this a go, even if it sounds overtly over the top, what with all that fat and cloying sweetness. The actual result is wonderfully crispy, salty and gently sweet.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A simple and gratifying dish that looks great and is very easy to make. Lay out on a flat serving dish and bring to the table. It doesn't get much more Christmassy than this. Goes well with almost any main course.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Perfect for a late brunch. It's best to drain the yoghurt overnight, to give it time to reach the desired rich and creamy texture (four to six hours will just about do, though the labneh may not be as thick). Either way, give the yoghurt bundle a squeeze a couple of times while it's draining. If you want to avoid draining altogether, use a thick Greek or Arab yoghurt as it is - the finished dish won't be as rich and dessert-like, but it will still be wonderfully fresh.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

You might think this recipe doesn't sound right. It didn't sound quite right to us either when we came across it on the highly useful recipe site, Epicurious. The idea of adding maple syrup and sultanas to an (already) sweet potato and then mixing lots of herbs and spices in as well just couldn't be right - unless you're an American. But we were somehow tempted to try it and it did work, creating a vivid and intense mix of tastes and textures. This version boasts additional old favourites of ours: chilli and coriander. Try it as a side dish at your festive table or as a picnic salad.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Sweet potato cooks quickly, so it’s ideal for a speedy supper for one. Feel free, however, to swap it for another vegetable, such as aubergine or courgette. This serves one, but the sauce can be easily scaled up if you’re cooking for more, or batch cooking. Serve with rice, couscous or a bowl of greens.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dish sits somewhere between Rome and the eastern Mediterranean, where herbs are used with abandon and olive oil is never held back. Chicken thighs, marinated simply with garlic and oregano, are fried until their skin turns deeply golden, then paired with a sauce built slowly from pancetta, tomatoes and fennel seeds, rich and slightly sweet, sharpened at the end with vinegar. Fresh oregano is fried until crisp, lending a brittle, aromatic finish. Serve with bread to mop up every last bit of the oil-slicked sauce.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This rösti draws its inspiration from a NY-style deli with three quintessential additions: spring onion cream cheese, pickled cucumber and everything seasoning. Serve this for brunch with some smoked salmon or a poached egg, if you like.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The test kitchen went wild for this recipe, an Italian twist on a classic bread and butter pudding, rich with cardamom and saffron scented custard and studded with candied fruit. If you are a fan of marzipan, try lowering the sugar to 50g and scatter in 100g of grated marzipan just before you pour in the custard. For that extra sweet symphony of festive flavour.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This colourful salad is extraordinarily moist and refreshing. It was created by the chefs at Ottolenghi Belgravia and was a big hit. The trick — boiling a whole orange and blitzing it down to a paste — is very effective for many sauces, salsas and cakes. If you don’t like fennel, replace it with a combination of spring onion and rocket.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

If you don’t want to make pasta from scratch, shop-bought fresh tagliatelle also works (if so, cook until al dente as per instructions).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Barberries are tiny, jewel-like, dried sweet-and-sour Iranian berries that we've been using a bit obsessively recently. It is hard not to - their intense sharpness accentuates other flavours in a dish and adds wonderful drama to its looks. You can get them online, and from Iranian and some Middle Eastern grocers. If you can't find any, use currants soaked in a little lemon juice instead. Serve this rice with roast chicken or turkey and courgette burgers with spring onion and cumin.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Here's a delicious supper option for spring; it is fresh and quick to prepare. I chose sagnarelli - short, rectangular ribbons with fluted edges - because I love this simple shape, but other smallish varieties such as orecchiette or farfalle work just as well. Pecorino can be substituted for another ewe's cheese or omitted altogether, in which case I'd add a herb such as tarragon or chervil.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The bright red, puttanesca-style oil makes this a spectacular centrepiece, while the briny, lemony salsa is the ideal sidekick for all that richness; the short cooking time is an added bonus. Crusty bread or crisp roast potatoes make lovely accompaniments. If you want to get ahead, make the fragrant oil the day before.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Flavoured butters are a clever way to use up those odd ends of jars that have been camping out in the fridge for a little too long. Spread them on toast, dollop on top of a piece of grilled fish or meat, elevate your eggs and soldiers.. the opportunities are endless!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Simmering the potatoes in vinegar from the start does two things: it seasons them all the way through and helps them hold their shape when roasted. A little Maggi in the dressing pushes things into properly savoury territory - Worcestershire sauce works just as well if that's what you have. Dress them while they're still hot, and serve with the extra vinegar on the side. Some people (me!) will want a lot of it.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Dabu-dabu is an Indonesian tomato sambal - punchy, limey, hot - and it does a lot of the work here. Spoon it over whatever sturdy, leafy greens you have: we've used tat soi, but large-leaf spinach, chard or pak choi all work well. The datterini tomatoes are worth seeking out for their sweetness, though cherry tomatoes are a fine substitute. Both the sambal and the peanuts can be made the day before.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is not your usual meat pie. It is rich, sweet and spicy, and looks impressive yet rustic when served whole at the table. Take it on a picnic or serve warm with a salad of mixed bitter leaves.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is based on a favourite test kitchen snack that involves a schmear of mustard and a quick squiggle of Swedish cod’s roe from a tube. We love the mountain of fried onions here, but you can happily use shop-bought, if you prefer.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Here is a twist on that out-of-favour classic, duck à l’orange, yet quite far removed from the original. It is spicy and rich, full of intense, multilayered flavours, a recipe you’d always want to return to for some winter comfort. The English Gressingham duck is the best choice here, as it is bred especially for its larger, more succulent breast. The French Barbary would make a good alternative. Blood oranges are in season throughout the first part of the year but you can easily substitute ordinary oranges. This dish would go well with a rough mash of orange roots, such as sweet potato, pumpkin or carrot.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Sea spaghetti looks like dark fettuccine and has a similar texture – you can get it in healthfood stores or online. If you can't find any, use another seaweed such as wakame, but use less of it.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This salad is only worth making when tomatoes are in season and full of flavour. It should be acidic and tangy, and will taste amazing alongside a piece of slightly charred meat from the barbecue.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Sfouf is a Lebanese semolina cake flavoured with spices and cut into distinctive diamond slices made by making a parallel row pattern. This version uses carob syrup (you can use date syrup instead) which turns it dark and moist, with a glossy depth that reminds me of a mix of dates and chocolate. The tahini drizzle on top creates little pockets of nuttiness that play against the rich sweetness. The anise seeds might seem like an unusual addition, but trust me - they make it even more special.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Shakshuka is a one pan dish. Eggs are a must, everything else changes with the seasons–add potatoes during winter and aubergines in spring. The hero in ours is slow-cooked, gently spiced tomatoes and peppers—the perfect bed for your eggs. It's been a favourite in our delis since day dot.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Meatloaf: is it the texture that makes it so comforting, the memory of eating it as kids, or the relative ease – mix it all together and bake – with which it’s made? As ever, it’s a little bit of everything. This particular meatloaf is a bit of a double-whammy for Yotam in terms of food-as-memory-as-comfort. As well as eating a lot of meatloaf growing up, he also ate a lot of shawarma. With all the flavour of a shawarma but in easy meatloaf form, the result is a complete trip down memory lane.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

‘Serve with a side of greens’ is a serving suggestion we’ve often repeated in Ottolenghi book history, and so this dish is the ‘side of greens’ you can easily add to your weeknight dinners: tasty enough on its own, but humble enough to not take away from the main event. Feel free to swap out the chard for other leafy greens such as spinach, kale or cabbage.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is the perfect mid week meal to cut through the hustle and bustle of modern life. It will only take twenty minutes to have a fresh, clean and complex dish to enjoy. Serves two as a main or four as part of a meal.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

You can make the chicken well in advance if you want to get ahead: it keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or can be frozen for 1 month. You want it to go into the oven defrosted, though, so it will need thawing out of the freezer. The batter needs to be made fresh and spooned on top of the chicken just before the dish gets baked, but it then can just go back in the oven. It can also be baked a few hours in advance – just warm through for 10 minutes, covered in foil, before serving. We love the combination of the chicken and the corn, but the chicken also works well as it is, served on top of rice, in a wrap or with a buttery jacket potato.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is the perfect special-occasion centrepiece, as it’s just a matter of assembling everything in the pan and leaving it to do its thing in the oven. The hardest part is the waiting time, really, as your kitchen is filled with the most tantalising aromas of sweet spices. Get ahead by making the paste and marinating the lamb overnight, being sure to remove it from the fridge a couple of hours before you want to cook it.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is our take on the Iranian staple, Shirazi salad. By smacking the cucumbers—a technique borrowed from China—you achieve a crunchy texture along with some smashed pieces that really absorb the dressing. Serve it as part of a spread, as a starter, or as a lunchtime salad.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These tangy treats are perfect when you need to hold out for the big meal. If you can, serve them as soon as you make them, to get the most out of the contrasting temperatures of the yogurt and the aubergine. If you want to avoid the effort involved in straining the yogurt overnight, skip this stage and just use the best thick yogurt with the highest fat content you can get (sheep or goat's for preference).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

It is the fluffy cake contrasting with the crunchy crust that makes these so appealing. Make them whatever size you want, and serve with the yogurt and lime sauce or, for less effort, with lime wedges.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Cooking ribs low and slow in the oven and finishing them quickly in a pan or on the barbecue not only results in the most tender meat, but also frees up space on the grill. I tend to cook ribs first in the oven until tender, as it allows me to either finish them quickly on the barbecue, or on a griddle pan, without taking up too much space. Either marinade or cook in the oven the night before to get ahead. The amount of liquid that renders out of the ribs will differ, if the liquid dries out during the oven cooking, add 2 tbsp water to release any juices from the foil, as this will add great flavour to the glaze.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These fritters are so positively free-from – no dairy, no gluten – that it would be churlish not to serve them with a fried egg to make up for it. Avocado, for those sticking with the vegan theme, is another winning combination. Serve these as close as you can to making them as they really benefit from being eaten nice and crisp, straight from the pan. If you can’t get fresh kaffir lime leaves then use 1 teaspoon of finely grated lime zest instead. If you can’t get the chipotle chilli flakes then either blitz up a whole dried chipotle or ancho chilli or else just increase the smoked paprika to ¾ teaspoon.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Burnt aubergines, charred vegetables and nutty tahini are what give this dish a real depth and smokiness, resulting in creamy, vegan pasta made without cream, cheese, butter or any of the usual suspects. If you don’t have a griddle pan, char the vegetables in the oven instead.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

I love this combination of saffron and courgettes - the saffron adds a floral touch that courgettes, on their own, don't quite have. Serve hot or warm against the cold yoghurt, with plenty of bread. It's just as good made the day before and brought back to room temperature.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

My version of this legendary dish is based on a method perfected by Michael Rhulman, whose brilliant book Rhulman's Twenty demystifies some fundamental cooking techniques. You need to start 24 hours ahead, but it's one of the most worthwhile waits I can think of.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Besides its use in our apple galette, this butter is delicious spread on hot toast or stirred into porridge or yoghurt. Alternatively, decant it into sterilised jars, because it makes a great little homemade gift for family and friends. It will keep in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for up to a month.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A Sloppy Joe is an American classic: a chilli-ish filling stuffed into a crusty roll. This version has lamb instead of beef, pine nuts, and enough warm spices to make it very familiar to my palate. It's still recognisably a Sloppy Joe - sweet, tomatoey, fall apart. Serve with some extra accompaniments: lemony tahini sauce, sour cream, plenty of pickles, and a comfortable pair of sweatpants.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This soup has a real kick, so reduce the amount of chilli if you want to moderate it. I serve it with crisp chicken skin, but that involves a bit of work, so leave it out if you prefer. If you do make the skins, though, bear in mind that some bits will be crispier than others, which is fine; they’ll all taste great.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Drizzle this sauce on top of almost anything - falafel, salads (iceberg wedges work particularly well), roasted veg, fish or meat, or use it as a dip with crudité. There's no cooking involved, just chop and blend, and you can use any herbs you have left lying around in the fridge - coriander, mint, chives all work well. It'll keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Meatballs and pasta is as familiar and comforting as a dish can get. Super quick to put together, with everything in one pan to boot, will make this your favorite go-to family weeknight dinner. All that’s needed alongside is a nice crisp green salad and, if you’re feeling extra fancy, some garlic bread…

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This lasagne pays homage to Penne all’Aconese – the first dish development chef Ixta fell madly in love with. It’s served at Ristorante Pizzeria Acone, a community-run restaurant in the Tuscan village of Acone. The recipe is a closely guarded secret, but the earthy and deeply umami flavour of dried porcini mushrooms is impossible to miss. This is our meatless take on that mythical sauce. The ragù can easily be made vegan if you lose the cream. It can also be made ahead, refrigerated, and served with pasta or polenta. If you want to get ahead, the lasagne can be assembled, refrigerated and baked the next day (once it’s back to room temperature).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Speaking from experience, these nuts are pretty addictive. If you want to impress your guests with a sweet, spicy nibble, these will do the trick. They'll disappear quickly and keep hunger pangs at bay.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a heady condiment, a bit like a pickle, which keeps in the fridge for a few days. It's great with grilled meat or fish, or to add to sandwiches and salads.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Soft, light, and coated in lemon butter, these dumplings are both comforting and indulgent. Stale sourdough or a crusty baguette give them the structure they need (if you use a soft white loaf, you may need a little more). Make them the day before, if you like, and refrigerate (or freeze) before the cooking stage.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

In Valencia, paella has a lesser-known but no less delicious cousin: fideuà, a seafood dish made with pasta instead of rice. This version uses squid ink pasta for dramatic flair and deep flavor – a simple twist that turns it into a showstopper. Pale squid and bright spring greens pop against the black noodles, while the base forms a crispy, golden socarrat, just like the traditional Spanish version. Don’t worry if you can’t find fresh squid – frozen works perfectly. Serve with a punchy green salad and a generous spoonful of garlicky aioli on the side.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

I love dishes that feature the various shades of a single colour, making you stop to check what's in there. Spring and early summer are the time to do this with green, as now we have artichoke, rocket, asparagus, broad beans, watercress, samphire, peas, cabbage, all kinds of lettuce, runner beans, broccoli, spring onion, chard, spinach and many, many more to choose from. When you put a few of these in one bowl, you get the most glorious celebration of colour and spring.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is a great way of cooking purple sprouting broccoli, and takes next to no time.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

It may look a little daunting, what with those tentacles, eyes, beak and all, but fresh squid is one of the joys of the summer kitchen. This is a wonderful summer main course that's best served with crusty bread. That said, I once tried it cold, and it was also impeccable. The anchovies, if you can't stand them, aren't essential.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The charred chilli salsa can be doubled or tripled and kept in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week, ready to be spooned over scrambled eggs, piled onto tortilla chips, or served alongside grilled tofu or fish. The aubergines should be steamed just before serving, because they tend to discolour if left to sit around.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The method for cooking the mussels here is slightly unusual, in that it involves two dry pans and only the natural moisture of tomatoes and the mussels to steam open the shellfish. The result is rather special: intense flavours and beautifully plump mussels. Take this to the table the moment it’s ready, so the mussels are hot and freshly opened and the breadcrumbs crunchy.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The dressing for these roasted carrots is made by melting dates with roughly chopped lemon and baharat to create a tangy, smokey and sweet sauce. It’s balanced out by the bright pickled onions and herbs. This can be served warm or at room temperature.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Food is all about bringing people together, and what better occasion to do that than New Year’s Eve? This sticky lamb bao is the perfect dish for an evening of interactive dining with friends. Once the lamb is marinated and all the ingredients are gathered, the oven does most of the work. The result is a tender, fragrant lamb with a marmalade glaze, paired with the fresh bite of pickled chilli and crisp vegetables. Don’t be put off by the unusual combination of flavours—trust me, they work wonderfully together, and the whole thing is a delight to share.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dessert ticks all our flavour boxes – sweet, salty, tangy and umami – and all our texture boxes – sticky, crunchy and creamy. The bananas you use should have almost completely yellow skin, with only the tiniest bit of brown spotting.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The combination of tamarind and apple is both sweet and tart, making it the perfect pairing for salty, fatty ham. A touch of brown sugar helps things along once in the oven, resulting in a sticky, and very moreish, glaze that seeps into the onions and apples, creating a jammy-like texture. We love to serve this with a rich, creamy potato gratin and some sauteed greens for a Sunday lunch. Any leftover gammon is heavenly, sliced and stuffed into sandwiches, with some of the onions and apples squished on top.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is Eton mess, NOPI-style. It’s both a wow of a pudding and – given that all the elements can be made in advance and just put together at the last minute – is also a very relaxing one to make and serve to friends. The dried rose petals look lovely sprinkled on top, but don’t worry if you can’t get hold of any: the advantage of having a pudding with the word ‘mess’ in its title is that there is very little pressure to perform on the presentation front.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This impressive-looking dessert is like a summery tiramisu. It doesn’t cope too well against time or heat, so eat it straight out of the fridge. The espresso adds a grown-up twist, but you can leave it out if you prefer.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Elran Shrefler is the youngest of Ezra and Rachela Shrefler’s nine children, who run Azura, a restaurant in the heart of Machne Yehuda market that serves Jerusalemites traditional Kurdish recipes with a Turkish influence, the area from which Ezra hails. A member of the Slow Food movement, Elran starts work at four every morning and cooks all his food in massive pots on small oil-burning stoves (see picture on pages 122–3), just as his family has done for generations. His food, long-cooked stews and hearty soups, is ready for the first customers who arrive at around 8 a.m. (!). It is essentially real fast food — after the long hours of slow cooking, it takes seconds to plate and serve. Elran showed us how to make his stuffed aubergine, Turkish-style, which is our favourite dish at Azura. This is our interpretation.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Soft white cheese, such as ricotta or the creamier mascarpone, reflect the milieu in which an animal has been raised. This receptiveness to other flavours is what makes both cheeses such favourites of ours, in savoury and sweet cooking alike. Harder cheeses are often best left to stand on their own two feet. In this recipe, use the best quality ricotta you can find.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

For anyone who thinks they don’t like cocktails because they are too sweet, this is for you. Sumac – the dark red spice with a sharp astringent kick – is one that we love to sprinkle over food. It has a musty, lemony flavour which, as Lukasz Rafacz discovered when creating this drink, works just as well in a cocktail.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This southern Indian snack, made with chickpeas or other pulses, can be served warm or at room temperature. If you like, bulk it up a bit with some fresh leaves - mint or Thai basil, say. Some versions also include shredded green mango. Here I've combined the chickpeas with soy-boiled peanuts, a recent discovery from Malaysia that make the most addictive snack on their own. Even if you do not make this recipe, consider the boiled peanuts next time you're serving drinks - they make a lovely change from dull old crisps (you can also cook them in a pressure cooker to save time).

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Courgettes aren’t strictly controversial, but they do tend to get a pretty lukewarm reaction from many, including, regrettably, two of our test kitchen colleagues. The reason for this is probably courgettes’ high water content, which tends to make them, well, watery. There are plenty of ways to combat this – frying and grilling is two examples – but we use it to our advantage here, cooking the courgettes slowly in their juices, making them fantastically soft and enhancing their flavour with a long soak with fried garlic. (And in the process, we also managed to win over our two courgette-iffy colleagues, we’re happy to announce.)

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Wet your hands to shape the cakes, otherwise things will get very sticky. You can shape them ahead of time and fry at the last minute, if you prefer. And simply omit the chilli from the dipping sauce to make this child-friendly.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

If you want to use shop-bought potato gnocchi instead of making your own, you are more than welcome to – the miso butter will transform them. If, however, you choose to make our swede and potato gnocchi, which have a seductive bitter-sweetness to them, we can make your life slightly easier. Instead of rolling and cutting the gnocchi, which can be messy, we spoon the mixture into a piping bag (you can use a Ziploc bag), snip off the end and squeeze them directly into simmering water. It’s a nice trick that also makes the gnocchi lighter because you don’t need the extra flour to roll them with.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is the ultimate dinner party dish. All the elements can be cooked well in advance and put together at the very last minute. Adding the feta is sure to win you serious accolades, as it is an original addition in a dessert and completely delicious. When fresh cherries are not in season you can easily use frozen.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Garlic bread - undisputedly everyone's favourite. We have upped the ante here with the addition of spring onions and our Sweet and Smokey spice blend, making this garlic bread incredibly moreish!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Sticky, glossy, and impossibly savoury - these chicken wings are exactly what we want when the craving hits. The smokey honey marinade creates a glaze that clings beautifully to the meat. No barbecue necessary (though if it's summer and you'd like to fire yours up, don’t let us stop you!). If you can, marinate the wings overnight - it makes all the difference to the depth of flavour. This marinade works just as well with lamb or pork chops, or even chunks of paneer for a vegetarian version.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This smoky, sweet almond oil is the sort of small flourish that transforms a dish. Toasted marcona almonds mingle with sweet paprika, fennel seeds, garlic, and oregano in olive oil, creating a fragrant, nutty topping with just the right balance of richness and spice. Spoon generously over hummus or yoghurt, as part of a mezze type spread with plenty of flatbreads. Store in a jar, where it will keep at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Chocolate is just one of the many ingredients which go into a Mexican mole, together with chillies, dried fruits, nuts, herbs and spices. We've also gone chipotle-heavy in this mole-inspired recipe; the chilli mellows a bit during the cooking, but if you prefer less heat, just reduce the amount of chilli to taste. Serve with rice, slices of ripe avocado and soured cream, if you like. Serve with rice, slices of ripe avocado and soured cream, if you like.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These onions – sweet inside, charred at the edges and swimming in a tart pomegranate syrup – started their life at Testi, a north London Turkish restaurant that we love, where a similar dish is made by charring onions next to lamb on the grill, then tossing them in şalgam, a juice made from the sour-salty brine of fermented purple carrots and turnips, and finally sweetening them with pomegranate molasses. Our onions are made with reduced pomegranate juice instead of molasses and şalgam. They will go really well with hummus, for example (like our hummus with lemon, fried garlic and chilli), an aubergine salad (see aubergine with herbs and crispy garlic) and some bread.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This a rich, sweet-and-sour side for your festive table. Instead of the usual vinegar and sugar, we use pomegranate molasses for its tangy sweetness, paired with pear slices for natural sweetness and cashews for crunch. The cabbage is roasted longer than you'd expect, creating crispy layers that fold back into buttery roasting juices, building deep caramel notes and a vibrant purple colour. The key is using a high-sided tray that feels overstuffed with cabbage before roasting; too wide and it’ll dry out, too small and it’ll stew.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These lettuce cups are all about balance and brightness. Sweet, spicy prawns tucked into crisp leaves alongside tangy pickled carrot and kohlrabi, bringing crunch and sharpness to every bite. Light, vibrant and a little messy to eat, they make for a refreshing dish that wakes up the palate.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These empanadas are a little twist on the classic South American dish. They are extremely moreish and fun to make. Get ahead by making the dough the night before and allowing it to rest in the fridge. The salsa and empanada fillings can also be done in advance. Eat hot or at room temperature, both are good!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

A far cry from a classic shakshuka, yes, but we’ve found that sweet potatoes provide just the right amount of moisture and heft to serve as a base for these eggs. Serve this vibrant dish as a weekend brunch; it sure looks the part.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The journey of these rolls can be traced through Lebanon to Armenia, where these kubez el tahineh come from. They are simple to make, impressive to look at and loved by all. They’re a particular favourite with kids. Eat them as they are, or sliced and spread with dibs w tahini, the Palestinian equivalent of peanut butter and jam, where creamy tahini is mixed through with a little bit of grape or date molasses.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

I love the combination of sweet, spicy and smoky. Each mouthful is a voyage of discovery: the sweet dominates first, then comes the smoke and finally the heat hits you. Chipotle, which are smoked dried jalapeños, give both the spice and the smokiness to this soup. They vary in heat, so assess how hot yours is before adding it. If you can't get chipotle, use fresh chilli and smoked paprika instead, to taste. To add some crunch, brush a tortilla with oil, garlic, smoky paprika and a little salt, bake until crisp and break over the soup.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The dough is the star here: buttery, flaky and easy to put together. Use a stronger blue cheese, such as roquefort, if you prefer. The sweet raisins are fantastic with the savoury chard and cheese, but you can also leave them out.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Incredibly simple way to upgrade your hummus with a little extra tahini, a spicy touch and nutty pine nuts.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This dip isn't really a recipe, more of a serving suggestion. A sweet contrast for a savoury mezze or even as a light dessert.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The recipe for this first appeared in an article written about Helen Goh when she ran her café, the Mortar & Pestle, in Melbourne. Rather intimidatingly for Helen, the headline for the article was: ‘World’s Best Chocolate Cake’. Nothing like setting the bar high in terms of expectation! All these years on though, it still stands the test of time. It could actually be called lots of things: ‘world’s easiest cake’, possibly, requiring nothing more than one large bowl to make it all in. In our shops, however, it just goes by the name ‘take-home chocolate cake’. This is because we make it as a smaller cake to be shared by four people after a meal. The name lives on though, even in the recipe for our larger version here. The cake keeps so well that customers would still be able to take home a whole cake, even if there were only four people at the first sitting.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

With the help of a few simple pantry ingredients, the unassuming chickpea can be transformed into a hearty meal fit for any weeknight supper. If you want to make this with tinned chickpeas rather than dried and soaked ones, cook the sauce ingredients separately with about 600ml water until thick and rich, and add the drained tinned chickpeas for only the last 20 or so minutes. And if you can’t find tamarind, use two tablespoons of lime juice and half a teaspoon of sugar instead.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Flan is the Spanish-speaking world’s answer to creme caramel. Custard is a tricky thing to get right at the best of times: cornflour can make it too floury if it’s not cooked properly, while eggs curdle if the heat is too high. But you can cheat by putting all the custard ingredients in a blender and blitzing them for 30 seconds: even a trained patissier wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. You can use orange instead of tangerine, though the latter tastes rather special.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We had a broccoli-off when choosing the right dressing for this dish: the other fresh and sharp and this one creamy, spicy and unctuous. We were split down the middle at the OTK, so we asked the internet (via Instagram). The votes were neck and neck, but the majority was for this creamy, spicy, unctuous peanut dressing and, dear internet, you chose well.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These are great picnic fare. Pack the filling and lettuce cups separately, then assemble them in situ, or serve as a salad with the lettuce chopped up and the tofu mixture stirred through it. The filling keeps well for up to three days, so can be made well in advance, if that helps.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is definition of freshness, with its sweet and sour late-summer flavours. It is also an utter delight to look at. But the most incredible thing about it is that it uses a few ingredients that we've been lovingly cooking with for many years, and believed we knew everything there was to know about, yet had never thought of mixing them in such a way. That is until Yotam travelled to Istanbul and came across a similar combination of fresh tomatoes and pomegranate seeds in a famous local kebab restaurant called Hamdi, right by the Spice Bazaar. Use four types of tomato here to make the salad more interesting visually and in flavour. You can easily use fewer, just as long as they are ripe and sweet.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The group of old ladies that were brought to teach me how to thread tomatoes together into a fine bunch were the funniest lot of pensioners I have ever met. They were animated, self deprecating and sarcastic in just the right quantity. I could spend hours listening to old time stories but they had to be whisked away from the scene for me to make this soup to camera. It was wonderfully sweet – the crew devoured it – and would have done me proud with my old lady friends.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This tastes like a homemade version of a high-street classic. The habanero adds a hot, fruity and smoky complexity that we love, but remove it entirely if you want to make the dish child-friendly, and use only half if you don’t like too much heat. The spiced and crunchy simit croutons are perfect to dip into it.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This salad is all about the quality and range of the tomatoes involved, so make an effort to get hold of as many different kinds, colours and sizes as you can, making sure they are all good and ripe. Elderflower is still just in season, so if you have any nearby, do go out and pick some: it makes the finished dish look even more stunning. I’ve kept this dairy-free, but it also works very well with some soft goat’s cheese dotted on top. With thanks to Esme Robinson.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This makes a very quick and easy lunch. The confit garlic, here, makes the dressing extra special. This recipe makes extra confit garlic, use the rest for roast vegetables or to make garlic butter. If you can, use in season tomatoes for the best flavour.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is my go-to salad right now. Eat it on its own with crusty bread to mop up those gorgeous juices, or as part of a meze-style spread. The quality of the tomatoes you use will make all the difference, so use the ripest and sweetest ones you can find. The addition of a few chunks of ripe avocado is a welcome variation.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This is all about the tomatoes, so get as many different varieties as you can: red, green and yellow; baby plum, cherry and vine. They also look great if they are not cut in uniform fashion: smaller tomatoes should be halved, while larger ones should be cut into wedges or sliced. You can prepare all the elements for this in advance; the wasabi and herb-filled mascarpone, the pickled shallots, the chopped tomatoes, the toasted nuts. Just keep them separate and put the dish together just before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This savoury pie is often made using several layers of filo pastry, but I like the robustness of puff. The pie keeps well, so it's a great dish to have in the fridge over the Easter weekend. If you can't get chard, use spinach or another green.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This soup is a meal in a bowl that will give you all the nourishment and intense flavours you could wish for. Different takes on the theme are widespread, with tinned tuna and olives often served instead of the egg, or alongside the soup.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The creamy sumac sauce served with these burgers is fantastically sharp and will go well with most non-red meats (chicken sofrito, for example) and also with grilled vegetables and fritters. You can make it in advance, or double the quantity, and keep it refrigerated. After a day the flavours will mellow so you may want to reinvigorate it by adding extra sumac and lemon juice. The burgers are very portable. You can have them as a snack from the fridge and they are also ideal for taking over to friends or in a lunchbox for work.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Now you see them, now you don’t. That’s the fate of these meatballs in our Ledbury Road branch. As soon as we bring them out to the shop they disappear, as if by command of a magician’s wand. They are that good!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

These are fried eggs but with a very eccentric wardrobe, thanks to the turmeric and chilli, which make them as good to eat as they are to look at. You can serve this easy, vibrant breakfast as it is, or alongside the potato rösti, as part of a brunch spread.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This salad started life in our delis, where layers are everything—flavour, texture, colour. Roasted cauliflower forms the base, golden and caramelised from its turmeric-spiced yoghurt coating. On top, a mint and cardamom salsa and a herby salad add freshness and crunch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Forget couscous salad and a similarly bland fare at the supermarket; this is the real thing - warmingly spicy and bursting with sweet and astringent flavours. The ingredients list may seem long, but there is actually little effort involved here. Serve it warm to four very hungry people.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This magnificent pudding was made with the purpose of showcasing winter lemons, their bitter flesh a great way to cut through an otherwise decadent eating experience. As happy accidents go, this was tested alongside a separate dish which included a maple-butter sauce. A squeeze of lemon and a generous amount of maple butter was spooned over the pudding because well, why not, and it suddenly dawned on us that lemon-maple butter had been the missing component all along. Lesson learned: sometimes that which is very, very wrong can turn out to be really quite right.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

If it’s in season use forced rhubarb here: the hot-pink colour of the slender stalks looks stunning once cooked. Regular field-grown rhubarb, though, available throughout the year, is also great. The custard and fruit mixtures can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to assemble. Serve this with some shortbread alongside, if you’re looking for crunch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

For best texture, use oat milk that is not the barista grade (this will make them claggy) to make these fluffy pancake. Top them with the miso butter pear above, or with any other pancake topper that you like.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This centrepiece dish, popular in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, normally includes chicken or mutton, rice and lots of vegetables, and is served with yogurt or tahini. This strictly vegetarian version is as wholesome as the original, though. Sami remembers his mother bringing the makloubeh pot to the table and turning it over in front of the children's eyes. You'll need a big, heavy-based pot with a five-litre capacity (23-25cm in diameter, 12cm, or less, deep) and a plate or platter big enough to cover the pot - the plate will be used for unmoulding the rice, much as you do with a pudding.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Something of a vegetarian nicoise, this salad evoked strong memories of ‘mum’s cooking’ within the test kitchen. There’s something about hot potatoes tossed in vinegar that feels seriously comforting. Make in advance and take to a picnic, or enjoy as part of a larger lunch spread.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Growing up in Germany, Verena remembers two camps when it came to potato salad: camp mayo and camp oil/broth. This is an oil/broth-based version, more prevalent in the southern parts of Germany, specifically Swabia and Bavaria. It’s less heavy and claggy than the mayo variety and gets its creaminess from the starch released by the potatoes as they sit for a couple of hours in the warm broth. We’ve strayed from tradition and added some pancetta (because, why not...) and a welcome freshness from some chopped cucumber.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Use plain or vanilla Arab-style sesame halva for this rich cake. To serve as a dessert, have thick whipped cream alongside.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The traditional topping of warm chickpeas and garlic is unbeatable. Finish with a squeeze of lemon for some extra zing.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This salad is full of textures and can be eaten either warm or at room temperature. The real secret here is the dressing: it's a kind of green goddess, minus the dairy. It's sharp and radiates herbs, like you're eating grass almost. You may find that about three quarters of the dressing is enough. The rest will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge and is delicious on roasted vegetables, like cabbage or cauliflower, or stirred through warm grain bowls.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

With tomatoes being at their peak season right now, it's tempting just to eat them as they are, raw, for breakfast, lunch and supper. Much as we do, we also love to soften and sweeten them up still further by quickly roasting them in the oven. This is lunch or a starter in itself - served with some bread to mop up the juices - or else great as a side to all sorts of things. We've used two types of salt - one to season, one to finish - but just use one if the idea seems dotty.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

This recipe was originally published with lamb but we have adopted it to make it vegetarian. Making the pastry is a labour of love but very worth it. However, you could use fresh lasagna sheets if you are short of time. To get ahead, make the filling and the pastry the day before. Just make sure to refrigerate and cover the pastry with a damp cloth to prevent the top from drying. Serve with Shatta or a tomato sauce.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

My team and I wanted to create a portable and not-so-messy way of jazzing up glasses of wine or bubbles on the beach. This ‘sangria syrup’ will do just that. Simply place the syrup in a flask or old jam jar and take it with you to the beach, ready to be topped up with your wine of choice.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

You can make semifreddo without an ice-cream machine, so it’s a brilliantly easy and useful summer pudding to have up your sleeve. This one will look especially beautiful if made in a medium brioche tin or a patterned tin, but a basic pudding bowl (or any other bowl, for that matter) will work just fine, too. A couple of hours before you want to serve, transfer the semifreddo from the freezer to the fridge to thaw, so it’s soft on the outside and icy inside: perfect for a hot day.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

The dressing here is sharp and light rather than clingy - yuzu and soy rather than anything creamy - so give it a quick toss just before eating. The wakame gets dressed first, soaking up the flavour before being mixed through the vegetables. A mandoline makes the slicing easier, though a sharp knife does the job. You can also serve it piled onto seaweed sheets and folded up like little tacos.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

We know we’ve messed with an Italian classic here, but za’atar does get along very well with the pepper and cheese. The technique for getting cacio e pepe right isn’t complicated, but you must follow it to a T to ensure a smooth, rich sauce. It’s also essential to use a wide pan and a little water to cook the pasta in because that ensures enough starch to emulsify the sauce. Grate the cheeses as finely as possible (if you have one, a Microplane grater is ideal here), so they melt happily into the sauce.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

If you haven’t yet paired fish with tahini, then you’re in for a real treat. This version combines tahini with herbaceous za’atar and sour sumac, our ever-familiar but much treasured test kitchen staples. We strongly recommend using creamy, nutty tahini that’s sourced from countries within the Levant. Eat this shortly after cooking, as cooked tahini doesn’t sit or reheat very well.