Yotam Ottolenghi

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 · The Guardian

The description does not, in fact, refer to how things might taste– it’s the name of a Sichuanese sauce. The sauce keeps very well in the fridge and is uncommonly good over all sorts of things, so by all means make more of it, if you like. And if you happen to have any some Sichuan peppercorns to hand, then you could do a lot worse than toast them, then grind and sprinkle a little on top at the end for their uniquely tingly kick

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These moreish cheese biscuits are good enough to eat on their own or with a bit of chutney smeared on top, and make for great gifts. Freeze the unbaked logs for up to a month;, then defrost and slice before baking

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 · The Guardian

Khachapuri is a Georgian yeasted bread filled with cheese, egg and butter. It’s usually served for breakfast, but don’t restrict yourself – it’s welcome all day

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This fondue-like mashed potato-and-cheese dish originates from the Midi-Pyrenees in France, and probably makes most sense after a long day outside in the mountains, but I’m sure a good stomp around the park will work just as well

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a real crowdpleaser and needs nothing more than a big leafy salad alongside. Use whatever cheese and pasta you have to hand, adjusting the cooking time depending on which pasta you choose

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

One-pot, flavour-packed chicken dishes are my definition of comfort. This one pairs especially well with the cucumber crunch salad below opposite, but any crunchy fresh salad will do

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty More

Packed with fresh flavour this Alphonso mango and curried chickpea salad from Ottolenghi is ideal for hot summer days.

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Double or triple the batch, if you like: then freeze the excess unbaked straws first do so on – put them in the freezer on their tray and, once frozen, store in layers and separated by greaseproof paper in a suitable freezer container. They’ll now keep for a month and can be baked straight from frozen, but give them a little more time in the oven

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This works as well for a weekend breakfast as it does for dessert. If you like, swap the apples for ripe pears and the cinnamon toast cereal for any similar cereal you have to hand

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is the perfect salad for roast leftovers – or shop-bought pork slices or rotisserie chicken

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The warm pudding/cold vanilla cream combo works like a dream here, but custard or ice-cream work would also work well, if you prefer

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 · Sweet

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi's Apricot and Amaretto Cheesecake recipe is the ultimate summer bake, when apricots are at their sweetest.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This can be just about put together from a well-stocked pantry: those dried apricots and pecans are in there somewhere, trust me (and if they’re not then, use figs and walnuts instead). Make a day ahead, if you like, ready to reheat back in the oven before serving and topping with the freshly made green sauce

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Masarepa is cooked and ground white or yellow cornmeal (you need the white variety here); don’t confuse it with masa harina, which is corn treated with lime to remove the germ and outer lining before being ground, because that has an altogether different flavour and texture (and makes it more suited for making tortillas). You can buy masarepa at international supermarkets and online

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These make for a lovely light lunch, starter or snack. If you’ve got any other crunchy spring vegetables that need using up, feel free to use them instead of (or as well as) the asparagus – the likes of Tenderstem broccoli, sugar snap peas and carrots all work well

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 · The Guardian

This retro dish gets a bit of a makeover, using the tanginess of yoghurt and the freshness of coriander and lemon to make it light and bright. Feel free to make it your own by using whichever herbs and nuts you have to hand in the pesto - parsley and roast almonds, for example, would also work a treat

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 · The Guardian

This brings together two Middle Eastern/Mediterranean dishes that I adore: the first is b’siniyah, a hugely comforting meat casserole with a tahini crust, and the second is chraimeh, a spicy Moroccan tomato sauce

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Frying the soft-boiled eggs is a must – it gives them a lovely crust that then softens and drinks in the flavourful sauce. Serve with rice or rotis

Yotam Ottolenghi

This very aromatic and spiced curry has quite a kick that’s tamed by the coriander cream

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

There are many versions of this lipsmackingly delicious, sweet-and-sour Sri Lankan dish. This one uses coconut cream for richness and sweet red peppers. If you can’t find any a pandan leaves (look for them in specialist south Asian food stores), then just omit it from the spice paste

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a great dish for warm summer days. All the components can be made up to a day in advance and the dish assembled (at room temperature) when you’re ready to serve

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 · The Guardian

Kuku is similar to frittata, but slightly wetter in texture. It’s from Iran, so barberries are a common feature, but if you can’t get hold of those, dried cranberries or currants, soaked first in lemon juice and drained, will work just fine. This keeps well in the fridge for two days, so is a good one for weekday lunches. Bring it to room temperature before eating with a leafy salad

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 · Plenty More

Reinvent aubergine with this stunning side. Created by Ottolenghi, this recipe combines eggplant with black garlic, lemon, dill and tarragon.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty

Featuring signature Ottolenghi ingredients, including aubergine and za'atar, this recipe is a perfect vegetarian main course.

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 · The Guardian

Avgolemono is a velvety chicken soup from Greecethat uses eggs and a liberal amount of lemon juice to thicken the base. Traditionally, rice is the added starch, but I’ve replaced it with orzo and added fennel and dill, too. You could easily use rice or another type of pasta, if you prefer

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi SIMPLE

Ottolenghi's extra buttery avocado toast is offset with plenty of fresh lime, herbs, and a zingy tomato and caper salsa.

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 · The Guardian

This is lovely served warm or at room temperature as a main course with lots of crusty bread or as part of a spread

Yotam Ottolenghi

These work well with all sorts of meals, either as a starter, or as part of a spread, or just as a main course with plain rice. They’re also incredibly delicious piled into a pitta with as many fresh herbs as you can fit in. Once made, these aubergines keep well, too, for up to three weeks in the fridge, if covered in oil, which gives you there’s plenty of time to experiment

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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, Sami Tamimi · Jerusalem

With almonds, sweet dates and pita bread croutons this baby spinach salad from Ottolenghi has a delightful variety of flavour and texture.

Yotam Ottolenghi

Serve as a sharing platter with pitta and a crunchy, green salad. Feel free to play around with the spices and use whatever herbs you have to hand for the green sauce

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 · The Guardian

Whether you serve this as a starter or a serving plate, it’s an unashamedly rich, sweet, spicy, tangy and decadent treat

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

If ever there was a way to feature feta, it’s this frittata, where a block of the cheese sits perfectly in the middle. I consider it a breakfast dish, but it also works just as well as a summer lunch or as part of a picnic spread

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 · NYT Cooking

Creamy and crisp, rich yet bright, this vibrant, deeply savory oven-baked rice is all about contrast. The rice bakes slowly, absorbing the aromatic flavors of thyme, sweet onions and a citrusy pop of lemon, while a silky Tuscan kale purée brings an earthy depth. Just before serving, slices of halloumi are nestled on top, steaming until softened to give salty bursts. A scattering of crispy kale adds a final flourish. It’s an elegant dish, requiring little hands-on work but delivering layers of flavor.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi SIMPLE

This easy baked rice dish from Ottolenghi SIMPLE will help you master perfectly cooked rice and is a great side dish or vegetarian main.

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 · Plenty More

Combine silky orzo, grated mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and plenty of herbs, this easy, one-pot pasta bake from Yotam Ottolenghi makes a crowd-pleasing midweek meal.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The leftover egg whites freeze well for up to three months: save them to make angel food cake or flavoured meringues, which also keep well in an airtight jar. If you’d like to get ahead, make the pastry and infuse the cream the day before. This tart will keep in the fridge for up to three days

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is a happy-looking pie, with its yellows and reds and wonderfully golden edges. Serve with a big green salad

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 · The Guardian

I’ve given instructions for cooking these indoors, in the oven, but if the sun is shining and you have a barbecue, wrap the potatoes in foil, pierce both the foil and the spuds, then grill, turning regularly, for an hour, until very soft inside

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty More

Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe for baked rhubarb with sweet labneh is the perfect way to celebrate the rhubarb season.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

A ribollita is a traditional Tuscan bean and bread stew. This one is layered and baked in the oven, similar to a bread pudding. The result is super-comforting and one to dig into and share

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This one-pan bake is bursting with summer flavours. If you can’t find biber salçasi, use rose or regular harissa instead, or tomato paste mixed with a little aleppo chilli

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The sharp granny smith apple is the ideal apple for this salsa, but feel free to use any you have to hand: if it’s much sweeter or sharper than a granny smith, adjust the acidity accordingly

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The combination of tahini and trout might not seem an obvious combination, but in this instance opposites really do attract, with the nutty sauce providing a welcome counterpoint to the rich, oily fish. If you want to get ahead, the dish can be prepared up to a day ahead right until the point before the tray goes in the oven

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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, Sami Tamimi · Jerusalem

From Ottolenghi's recipe book Jerusalem, this barley risotto with marinated feta is a colourful dish that would be great as a vegetarian main.

Ixta Belfrage, Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi FLAVOUR

A hearty yet fresh-tasting stew from Ottolenghi FLAVOUR, this one-pot recipe combines pearl barley, cherry tomatoes, and caramelised kohlrabi.

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 · The Guardian

Gigantes plaki sto fourno, or giant beans in the oven, is a traditional Greek-Cypriot dish featuring large white beans baked slowly in a rich tomato sauce. They’re typically served with salty feta and bread, but here we pay tribute to the original by bringing together all the meal’s various elements into an all-in-one dish

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Jerusalem

An all-time favourite Ottolenghi recipe, these beef meatballs are packed with broad beans, making this a perfect spring supper.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

All this needs is a bowl of plain rice alongside.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Tofioli is a combination of two words, tofu and aïoli, and it’s so aïoli-like that anyone would have a hard time guessing it’s egg-free

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Blood orange looks particularly dramatic here, but a regular navel orange will also work just fine as well, if that’s what all you have to hand

Yotam Ottolenghi

This dish draws inspiration from chaat, a knockout Mumbai street snack featuring that popular South Asian spice mix, chaat masala. The result is a little bit sweet and spicy, a little bit funky and sour, and an altogether apt combination for many a festivecelebratory get-together. Everything can be made a day ahead, too

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This dramatic-looking dish is great served with fluffy white rice or rotis. To make it dairy-free, swap the paneer for fried tofu

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty More

For someone who didn't grow up with rhubarb, this vegetable (or stalk?) is a bit of an oddity. I guess the same could be said of artichoke, a thistle, but for me, eating a thick, greenish, reddish branch will always seem much weirder than scoffing a thorny flower. Each to their own, I say. One of my sweetest rhubarb memories dates from the early years of Ottolenghi, when one of our sales assistants, the lovely Alexandra from Mexico, used to come down to the kitchen on her breaks with a cappuccino cup full of caster sugar and a raw rhubarb stalk to dip in the sugar as dessert. Slightly unusual but, as I said, each to their own. During the beet season the different varieties around offer a great opportunity to play with colours and subtlety of flavour. If you can get some golden, red, white and some candy beets, you can mix them up; otherwise, one variety is absolutely fine.

Yotam Ottolenghi

At their most mighty in the summer, sweet and earthy beetroots are incredibly versatile. We love them as a dip, whipped up with some heat and some acid. Salsa macha is a spicy, oily sauce from Mexico that will keep for a week in the fridge. Double the recipe if you like and enjoy it with fried eggs

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This ferment is a wonderful accompaniment to a cheese sandwich, greek yoghurt, crumbled feta or some whipped goat’s cheese. It will keep in the fridge for three months

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This fairly traditional take on a Scandinavian beetroot soup, though with a twist by using coriander rather than caraway seeds, and topping it with a quick celery pickle. Finish off with a lovely dollop of soured cream, if you like, for some added richness

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Cocktails are a great excuse to use up egg whites. The leftover beetroot crisps will keep for a long time in an airtight jar and make for a tasty sweet snack

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 · The Guardian

You can simplify these by blitzing everything together, but I like the two-colour swirls of pink and white

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Berbere is an Ethiopian spice blend with a fair kick, so use less here if you’re not that into heat. This is a complete meal in a tray, but you could also serve it with some cooling yoghurt and fluffy white rice

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a useful recipe for when you have a glut of fruit, or when those random bits of frozen fruit at the back of the freezer need using up. You can make it with just about any fruit you have to hand – just adjust the sugar level according to your desired sweetness

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.

Ixta Belfrage, Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi FLAVOUR

Enjoy Ottolenghi's simple berry platter with sheep's labneh and orange oil sharing is a refreshing dessert or effortless brunch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is inspired by Xi’an Impression, a fantastic restaurant in north London that serves the food of Shan Xi Province in China

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is one to set the table for on a weekend lunch. Poached chicken, crisp prosciutto, crunchy leaves and a creamy, cheesy dressing: it’s dinner for one, à la bistro, coming your way. Red-and-white checked tablecloth optional

Yotam Ottolenghi

Make the most of the short, sharp Seville orange season if you can – but otherwise a mix of two parts lime juice to one part regular orange juice and an even mix of both lime and orange zest will work just fine here; using an even mix of both zests. These quantities will make a bit more granita than you need, but it keeps well in the freezer for up a month, Ready to cleanse the palate whenever needed

Ixta Belfrage, Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi FLAVOUR

Bursting with herbs and spices, this rustic, Tunisian-inspired stew from Ottolenghi FLAVOUR is a comforting and intensely flavoursome dish.

Yotam Ottolenghi

Lime, chilli and garlic are the key flavours here, coming through both the infused oil and the crispy sprinkle at the end. If using dried beans, soak them a day in advance; if using tinned or jarred, add to the cooked shallots, with 60ml of water and cook until heated through

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This bombay mix is a take on the version served at the Regency Club in Edgware, and it’s so addictive that I now want it alongside just about every curry

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These are really fun to make, either as worms or poured into differently shaped silicone moulds, if you have them. The black lime sugar dip is sweet, sour and bitter, and as much, if not more, for the adults on Halloween duty

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

This deceptively simple salmon dish is as striking in flavor as in appearance, and will serve just as well for a dinner party centerpiece as a quick midweek dinner. The salmon is covered in a punchy black lime marinade, then baked in the oven and topped with fresh bursts of sour cream and grated tomato. Black limes (also known as Omani or Persian limes) are limes that have been boiled in salt water before being dried and blackened in the sun. They have an intensely sweet, citrusy flavor, with a hint of bitterness. Serve this salmon alongside a bowl of rice.

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 · The Guardian

The humble black-eyed pea is combined with heat, smoke and warming aromatics, and cooked low and slow, to leave you with a meal that is both nutritious and hearty with a seriously flavourful broth

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

These look splendid when iced – destined for top ranking on any tiered cake stand – but also work un-iced, in the cookie tin, for grabbing on a whim. They’ll lose their slightly chewy edge after the first day or so, but still taste great. Blueberries or raspberries can be used instead of the blackberries. Don’t use strawberries, though: they are too watery.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is an easy, simple summer pudding that’s quite quick to put together. Get ahead by making the crumble up to three days in advance (keep it in a well-sealed container). Feel free to swap the berries for another fruit, and use creme fraiche instead of yoghurt, if you like

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 · The Guardian

This beautiful Venetian cocktail, is in keeping with all great Italian finds, is simple and immeasurably delicious. This beautiful drink, and will make any celebration feel that much more special. I recommend making double the amount of sorbet here, because it makes for a tasty treat at any time. You can find liquid glucose in the baking section of most supermarkets

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 · The Guardian

Cheesecakes and blueberries pies are as American as puddings get. Here, I’ve combined them into one dish

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi SIMPLE

Ottolenghi's simple yet irresistible Blueberry, Almond and Lemon Cake is an easy bake that won't fail to impress. With fresh fruity flavours, this classic loaf cake is the perfect accompaniment to your afternoon tea.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The leftover steeped fruit makes a lovely addition to yoghurt or ice-cream; alternatively, blitz it into a quick coulis. For a more adult drink, mix the shrub with gin and prosecco rather than sparkling water. The shrub will keep in the fridge for up to three months

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is admittedly not one to try when you are pushed for time, but don’t let that put you off. If you want to get ahead, roll the pastry the day before and refrigerate it covered in parchment paper, ready to be cooked in its water bath

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 · The Guardian

Bun + leftovers + turkey = the ultimate Boxing Day BLT. The idea is to make this without having to nip out to the shops, so use whatever bread, cheese, cooked vegetables and meat you have to hand. If you have any leftover gravy, use that, rather than starting from scratch

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 · The Guardian

A one-pan warmer to serve with lots of crusty bread. Swap the cod for any other firm white fish such as hake, or for other seafood such as mussels or prawns

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 SIMPLE

A beautiful brunch recipe from Ottolenghi's SIMPLE cookbook, with a comforting combination of braised egg, leeks and salty za'atar. Quick to make, it is perfect with a hunk of crusty bread.

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 · The Guardian

Braised green beans in tomato sauce are eaten throughout the Middle East, cooked with or without meat, and usually eaten with rice. Cooking down the beans in this way means they lose that bright green hue, but it does make them wonderfully soft and comforting. Omit the chilli for a more child-friendly version, if you prefer

Yotam Ottolenghi

Persimmons have a really distinct flavour - sweet and perfumed flavour and - with a texture that feels both firm and giving all at the same time. Make sure to eat them at peak ripeness: it, when the fruit should feel like a slightly under-ripe vine tomato. The salsa also works as a standalone salad

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 · The Guardian

This is inspired by Persian yoghurt braises, in which ground nuts are often used to thicken the sauce. Frying the tofu adds flavour, but you can skip this stage if need be, to make the cooking even quicker. Play around with the green vegetables, and use up what you have to hand – chard and green beans, for example, both work well here, too. Either way, serve with rice or another simple grain

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi SIMPLE

Ottolenghi's pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa is ideal for an impressive, but easy, date night meal or dinner party main course.

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 · The Guardian

Toum is a super-garlicky Levantine sauce made by whipping raw garlic and oil. These quantities will make double the amount of toum you need here: keep the rest in a sealed jar in the fridge

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty More

Ottolenghi's Broad Bean Spread with Roasted Garlic Ricotta recipe from his cookbook Plenty More is a delicious vegetarian summer starter.

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is a great weekday lunch or dinner. If you like, swap the butter beans for any tinned beans you have to hand. Serve as it is, or with plenty of crusty bread or fluffy rice

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

If you like filo and you like custard tarts, you are going to love this Greek take on custard pie. Browning the butter and adding a splash of vinegar to the syrup isn’t at all traditional, but it does make the whole thing even more moreish, and offsets the sweetness a little. This is best served after it’s had a rest, so all the flavours meld together and the custard sets

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

Can’t face the cooked sprouts Christmas outcry? Serve them raw and thinly sliced instead. Pomegranate seeds are chucked about a bit too much at this time of the year, but this festive salad is well worth bejewelling. It makes for a delicious side dish or first course, if you’re having one

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 SIMPLE

This recipe for Brussels sprouts with burnt butter and black garlic from Ottolenghi SIMPLE is a flavour-packed Christmas side dish.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

If you would like ant to get ahead, prepare the vegetables the day before, but be sure don’t be tempted to make the crumble until just before serving

Yotam Ottolenghi

The annual quest to showcase sprouts in a non-boiled way, not least to convert the naysayers, continues. Here, they’re sticky, salty, nutty and delicious, and the whole dish can be cooked up to a day in advance – keep the sprouts and sauce separate, though, and reheat and combine just before serving

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 · The Guardian

Galettes are savoury crepes made from buckwheat flour, and are a soft, yet robust vehicle for all sorts of fillings

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

In Valencia and other parts of Spain, a picada is usually used to season a dish duringwhile it’s cooking. I choose to use it here as a condiment, to bring some extra freshness to the mealfinished dish. If you like, by all means use shop-bought burntroast aubergines and peppers instead

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 · The Guardian

All the different elements of this dish can be prepared a day in advance, ready to put together at room temperature before serving

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty

This Middle Eastern-style dip from Ottolenghi is packed with complex flavour. Made with burnt aubergine, pomegranate molasses, and tahini, it's a punchy and refreshing summer snack.

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

This beautiful burnt aubergine with yellow pepper and red onion salad from Yotam Ottolenghi is a perfect summer lunch recipe.

Yotam Ottolenghi

Here, I’ve applied the same technique used on aubergines when making baba ganoush to courgettes. It gives them a mellow smokiness and that distinctive flavour of the grill. You will be have some of the aromatic oil left over – keep it in a sealed jar and use it for dressing salads or roast vegetables. Serve with bread

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The comforting childhood favourite dessert gets a very adult treatment here with the lime salsa and urfa chilli. Make this a day ahead, ideally, to give the creme ample time to relax and chill thoroughly

Yotam Ottolenghi, Ramael Scully · NOPI: The Cookbook

Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe for creamy burrata paired with vibrant blood orange is an all-time favourite at his restaurant, NOPI. It is the perfect starter to celebrate both this decadent cheese and the brief but wonderful blood orange season.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is the best of all starter dishes. It’s can be as deliciously decadent and complex as you want it to be, and at the same time wonderfully low-maintenance and fuss-free. It’s just as worth making with regular oranges instead, when blood oranges are no longer in season. Serve with grilled focaccia

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

Though creamy, mashed beans provide the foundation, the frizzled onion mixture is the true star of this dish. Cooked quickly over high heat, with layers of garlic, cumin and preserved lemon, these onions are sweet and salty, rich and acidic, making this a surefire hit with minimal effort. Canned butter beans are then briefly cooked in the fragrant frizzled onion oil before being mashed (or blended, if you prefer a smoother texture) to create the perfect base. If you can’t get your hands on preserved lemons, fresh lemon pulp and finely sliced zest can be used; just be sure to add an extra pinch of salt, too. This makes for a great side or dip, or spread it on pita and use as a filling for the ultimate chicken or cauliflower shawarma.

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 · The Guardian

These are inspired by the flavours of the Mediterranean. They intensify with time, so ideally make them a day ahead, so everything sits together overnight. Serve with crusty bread to mop it all up

Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Tara Wigley, Verena Lochmuller · Ottolenghi COMFORT

Creamy greek yoghurt swirled through with butterbeans and roasted cherry tomatoes in this classic Ottolenghi recipe. Serve with plenty of crusty bread as part of a mezze spread.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi SIMPLE

Add a new dip to your repertoire with Yotam Ottolenghi's make-ahead recipe for creamy butterbean mash topped with a sweet and nutty red pepper and walnut muhammara.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Have this for breakfast, brunch, lunch or supper, and swap the asparagus for Tenderstem broccoli, if you prefer

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Simply seasoned with butter, garlic and parsley, Ottolenghi's buttered prawns with tomatoes, olives and Arak are a timeless seafood starter.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

A great, leafy salad starts with a great dressing. The black limes add an earthy tang that bounces off the sweet, lemony dressing. If you can’t find them (they’re sold in most Middle Eastern food shops), add the zest of a lemon to the breadcrumbs, or use the lighter green Iranian limes. The dressing makes more than you need for this salad, but it keeps in the fridge for up to three days

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a long way from a traditional carbonara, I know, but it’s very much inspired by the original, so I’m sticking to the name. A comforting, minimal-fuss midweek meal

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This curry also takes some inspiration from Rajasthani and Kerala, and uses poppadoms as an ingredient

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 · NYT Cooking

This comforting dish lands somewhere between a lasagna and a pie. Thinly sliced butternut squash and broken dried lasagna noodles are all tossed together in one bowl with cheese, spices and a red pepper sauce, then pressed into a cake pan before baking, at which point everything softens and cooks together into imperfectly perfect layers. A simple béchamel topping is made while your pie is in the oven, leaving you ample time to get on with assembling a big salad or a side dish of your choosing.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Polenta, that Italian store-cupboard staple, is a wonderfully comforting side dish but can also be the star of a meal. If you prefer, swap the butternut for any other squash or pumpkin

Yotam Ottolenghi

I love the balance of sweet and sour here. That works both as a description of the dish itself, which is inspired by the flavours of Italian caponata, and as a metaphor for relationships. Make this a day ahead, if you like: the flavours only improve with time. For a gluten-free option, swap the bread for lettuce cups or anything else scoop-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 · NYT Cooking

This comforting pie makes a great vegetarian centerpiece, ideal for a celebration. It benefits from being assembled the day before, receiving a good amount of time to set in the fridge and thus involving a lot less work on the day you plan to enjoy it. You can also bake the whole thing a few hours in advance, then just reheat it in the oven for 20 minutes, if you like. Use any extra pastry trim to cut out fun, festive shapes like holly leaves or stars to personalize your pie. Serve this alongside roasted veggies or a big leafy salad.

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

As the seasons shift, each brings its own type of comfort food, and this hearty dish adapted from “Ottolenghi Comfort” (Ten Speed Press, 2024) is a perfect fit for autumn. The butternut squash lends a gentle sweetness, which is beautifully contrasted by the sharpness of tamarind and the creamy richness of coconut, creating a warm and comforting stew. The recipe calls for Thai or Vietnamese tamarind concentrate for its tangy-sweet flavor. While tamarind purée or paste can be used as substitutes (see Tip), you’ll want to avoid any tamarind concentrates that use both the pulp and seeds, which produce a much darker, more sour, molasses-like product. If you don’t have a sauté pan handy, a pot or casserole dish works just as well for this recipe. Serve with naan, flatbread or a side of simple steamed basmati rice for a truly satisfying meal. Like most stews, the flavors deepen with time, making it ideal for leftovers.

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is inspired by cacio e pepe, the Italian pasta dish coated in lavish amounts of butter, spicy black pepper and cheese. The pickled chillies help offset the super-rich pulses, but if you don’t want the extra heat, serve it with a squeeze of lemon juice instead

Yotam Ottolenghi

If you’re wary of the idea of cooked kohlrabi, this is the recipe to win you over. When roasted, kohlrabi becomes a wonderfully sweet and caramelised version of itself, and goes brilliantly with the tomatoes, chilli and garlic in this dish

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

Full of surprises, this sweet, savory, spiced slaw is a perfect festive side that’s quick to make. Shredded cabbage, fennel, scallions, mandarin oranges and a whole lime create a fragrant base that gets tossed with a crunchy spiced oil seasoned with makrut lime leaves, coriander and cumin. The spiced oil is made first, so it has time to cool before dressing the slaw; you’ll have time to slice your salad ingredients while the hot oil cools. The toasted spices add a fragrant crunch to sprinkle on top. Makrut lime leaves add an extraordinary citrusy aroma with a slightly floral note that makes the slaw truly special. If you can’t find them, substitute with an extra fresh lime. The slaw is best served right away, but can be enjoyed the next day; just strain any liquid and refresh with a few tablespoons of olive oil.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is the most comforting of weeknight dishes. It’s inspired by my colleague Katja’s two favourite childhood dishes, pasta with cabbage and noodles with walnuts and poppy seeds. The sauce is buttery, sweet and nutty, and I love it just as it is, but if you wish, lighten it by adding herbs such as dill or tarragon

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

Packed full of flavor, the filling for this stuffed cabbage is inspired by pkhali, a Georgian spread prepared by mixing ground walnuts, onions and spices with different vegetables, often cabbage. This version is eaten warm and uses allspice, cumin and cinnamon in the filling. To get ahead, stuff and bake the cabbage rolls the day before, but don’t finish with the sour cream until just before serving. Serve with rice, as a vegetarian main.

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 · The Guardian

This is unashamedly fusion, with the tomato-mozzarella-basil classic meeting some Californian citrus. Go all out on the tomatoes: the more colours and sizes and varieties, the better

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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

This dip and sauce pairing is a real treat – creamy and sweet from the dip, sour, hot and acidic from the sauce – but they also work well individually, if you have any of either left over

Yotam Ottolenghi

Although I love the convenience of tinned beans, there is no comparison in taste to cooking them from scratch. Here, I’ve used cannellini beans, but you can swap in butter or haricot

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is inspired by Bbaghali Gghatog, a Persian bean stew, though the lemon yoghurt and cumin burnt butter are my twist. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for a great breakfast (or lunch or supper)

Yotam Ottolenghi

Grilled red peppers work as well as the tomatoes here, if you want to play around. For a quick midweek meal, grill the tomatoes the day before or use jarred red peppers. Either way, serve with plenty of grilled bread and a green salad

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Use over-ripe melons if you can, because that’s when they are at their sweetest and most perfumed. Alcohol stops this granita from being especially icy, but if you prefer, leave it out and replace with water

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This tart straddles the line between sweet and savoury. I like to serve it as a starter or for lunch, with a zingy green salad and some good-quality tinned sardines

Noor Murad and Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things

This vegan main is very striking, thanks to the golden saffron water that gives everything a majestic golden hue. As with anything saffron-related, a little goes a long way. Serve this with a side-of-greens, for an easy weeknight meal.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These caramelised figs in this Christmas mess are inspired by my love for figgy puddings, and give you all the flavour and less of the waiting. When caramelising the figs, make sure that you’ve weighed out all the ingredients first, because the cooking moves along very quickly

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a great pasta dish for when you don’t have much in the pantry. Like cacio e pepe, it’s one of those dishes that feels so much more than the sum of its parts. Other nuts will also work well (walnuts or almonds are particularly good), if that’s all you have

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 · NYT Cooking

This dessert is all about deep, sultry flavors: the warmth of rum, the smoky sweetness of muscovado sugar and the buttery richness of caramelized peaches. The peaches are pan-roasted until golden and tender, then finished with a luscious cream made from Greek yogurt and mascarpone, topped with a scattering of sugar that slowly melts into a delicate crunch. The result is a beautiful contrast of hot and cold, sweet and tangy, smooth and crisp, with toasted sesame and sea salt adding just the right amount of intrigue. A simple, elegant way to let summer’s best fruit shine. If making in advance, prepare all the elements but don’t assemble right away. When ready to serve, warm the peaches over medium heat for five minutes, then add the toppings.

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 · The Guardian

These delicious Scandinavian buns are traditionally filled with almond paste and eaten during Lent and the run-up to Easter (and always on Shrove Tuesday). This version swaps he almonds for pistachios and applies the Japanese tangzhong technique to making the dough, which involves incorporating a slurry that makes the buns even softer and fluffier

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 · The Guardian

More cake-y than cookie, like bite-sized carrot cakes. They’re quite rich and decadent, so all you’ll need is one with a strong cup of coffee

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 · The Guardian

This works both as a snack by itself or crumbled into all sorts of salads. Once made, it will keep well in an airtight container for up to a week

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty

This recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi of Castelluccio lentils with tomatoes and Gorgonzola is best served with crunchy broccolini or baby fennel.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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

If you have any leftover roast vegetables in the fridge, use them up in this rather than frying the cauliflower from scratch. Make the frittata in advance and serve it at room temperature, or reheat it in the oven, leaving you just the chorizo to fry for five minutes come lunchtime

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi SIMPLE

Combining raw and roasted cauliflower this simple cauliflower, pomegranate and pistachio salad from Ottolenghi is an ideal side to roasts.

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 SIMPLE

Make your side dish the star of the show with this easy recipe from Ottolenghi SIMPLE, featuring cavolo nero, preserved lemon and chorizo.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Chiles rellenos, a classic Mexican dish from Puebla, consists of charred, stuffed, battered and deep-fried peppers (traditionally poblanos, though I’m using romanos) that are served with a salsa. The combination is a heady one, and a celebration dish that’s well worth the effort. If you want to get ahead, you can roast the peppers and make the salsa roja up to two days beforehand

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 · The Guardian

May I present what might soon be the celebratory vegan centrepiece for your Christmas (or any other) table. It’s inspired by lo mai gai, a classic Chinese dim sum made with steamed glutinous rice

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, Ramael Scully · NOPI: The Cookbook

This celeriac purée with spiced cauliflower and quail's eggs recipe from the NOPI is best served with warm crusty bread or pita.

Ixta Belfrage, Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi FLAVOUR

In Ottolenghi's modern twist on a French classic, meaty celeriac steaks are drizzled with a luxurious Café de Paris sauce. If you're looking to get creative with your Sunday roast, this is the recipe for you.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a very dramatic-looking dish, thanks to the combination of chilli and blood orange. It would work very well as a light lunch alongside a big green salad

Yotam Ottolenghi

The chaat masala gives these fries a distinctly sour flavour, but you could use garam masala or, indeed, any other spice you have to hand

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.

Ixta Belfrage, Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi FLAVOUR

Inspired by the Indian street food classic aloo chaat, Ottolenghi's chaat masala potatoes, as seen on ITV's Saturday Kitchen, are flavoured with an addictively tangy spice mix and served with a sweet tamarind dressing.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

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

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Poriyal is a popular south Indian and Sri Lankan dish of stir-fried vegetables with coconut. It is fresh, vibrant and very quick to cook. Although traditionally made with fresh coconut, I’ve used desiccated here, but use fresh if you like

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Ottolenghi's chargrilled asparagus, courgettes and manouri dish is a fresh and colourful salad, ideal for summer dining.

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

This nearly effortless salad is full of flavor and makes for a striking table centerpiece. A creamy, tangy yogurt and sour cream dressing is studded with fragrant basil, chives and dried mint, then spooned into crisp, fresh lettuce cups. Parmesan brings a rich umami depth to the dressing, while a scattering of Urfa chile flakes add a smoky finish. Equally stunning as a snackable appetizer, handy enough to be scooped up without a plate, or a light, elegant starter to be consumed with a fork and knife, this dish is ideal for entertaining, as it’s quick to assemble and guaranteed to impress.

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 · The Guardian

Charring is one of my favourite ways to cook cabbage because it caramelises the outsides while still retaining this versatile vegetable’s bite. Serve this as a snack or starter, or alongside some fluffy couscous for a full meal

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Ideally use in-season corn on the cob for a fullthat proper corn flavour

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 · The Guardian

A while ago, I went to a Malaysian cooking demonstration hosted by the lovely Debbie Teoh, a dedicated pioneer of Nyonya cooking, who served up some of the most memorable dishes I’ve ever had. One of the standouts was boiled okra with a sweet and tangy dipping sauce made from jarred soybean paste. Here’s my very different take on that dish, using Korean soybean paste, which can be found in the world food aisle of some large supermarkets and, more likely, Asian food shops

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Once you’ve made this really versatile dish a couple of times, experiment with the ingredients: choy sum works as well as the pak choi, for instance, as do radishes for the cucumber; cooked chickpeas or chunks of leftover roast chicken also work here instead of the tofu. Serve with boiled rice or noodles

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 and Ixta Belfrage · Ottolenghi FLAVOUR

Curing yolks in soy, as we do here, adds creaminess, complexity and a hit of umami to this polenta. It's a nifty technique to add to your repertoire and the process couldn't be simpler. You can use these to top any grain-based dishes, such as pasta or rice, or to top thick soups. Good-quality eggs, preferably organic with rich yolks, are best here, as they will be eaten raw. Roast and marinate the peppers up to 3 days before, if you like. The polenta will set quite quickly, so it is best made just before serving.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

A chunk of bread or some sticky rice to soak up the sauce is all you need to make a meal out of these fragrant prawns. If you prefer, swap the lime leaves for curry leaves or some basil

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 · NYT Cooking

Tangy and bright, these phyllo rolls make for a great appetizer when you’re preparing food to entertain or to share. The star here is the sumac onion filling, which adds a wonderfully sharp surprise inside crispy phyllo. Though these rolls gain complexity from feta, halloumi, toasted pine nuts and fresh spinach, mint and parsley, they’re also quite forgiving in that you can always use different cheeses, herbs or nuts. Feel free to play around with different phyllo shapes; thicker cigars or even triangles both look great.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Baby peppers are super-sweet and have a great texture once grilled. If you’re cooking them on a barbecue, wait for the flames to die down to an ember before putting on the peppers; in the meantime, when the coals are at their hottest, char the spring onions

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

There’s something undeniably celebratory about a dish wrapped in crisp, golden phyllo, especially when it gives way to golden, roasted cauliflower and a rich, creamy custard. These cheesy cauliflower nests make for an excellent vegetarian centerpiece, offering comfort and elegance in equal measure. The cauliflower, cut into six individual wedges, gets tucked into phyllo nests, then a gently spiced custard, fragrant with nutmeg and cloves, seeps into the crevices and binds everything together. Much of the work can be done ahead — the phyllo nests can be assembled and refrigerated the day before, ready to bake when needed, and so can the custard — which makes this dish a stress-free option for festive gatherings.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Serve with a pile of unsalted tortilla chips and a bottle of your favourite hot sauce, and you can’t really argue with that

Yotam Ottolenghi

AKA grown-up beans on toast. If you want to get ahead, take the beans up to the point before the coriander, cream and cheese are stirred in; the onions can also be made ahead of time, which means lunch can be on the table within seven or so minutes

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty

The crepe batter can be made the day ahead, as can the crepes themselves: keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. These quantities will make a few extra crepes, but that will allow for any crepe-related catastrophes and/or a few extra to snack on. For a meat-free version, try leftover roast vegetables or chickpeas instead

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Stromboli is essentially a large piece of rolled and stuffed pizza dough that’s typically filled with savoury cold cuts and cheese. This take is both sweet and savoury, so it’s especially good for brunch or a late-afternoon treat

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Fried pizza always feels like a luxury, whatever it’s filled with. This version originates from Naples, and is the perfect handheld pie to share with friends. If you can’t find scamorza, provolone or a low-moisture mozzarella will work well instead

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is rich and creamy, but, crucially, not so gooey that it can’t be cut into portable slabs. Hello, picnic! The pie is large - enough to feed 12 - so groups of six can either have double portions over the course of an afternoon, or save the excess in the fridge, where it’ll keep well for up to two days.

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Jerusalem

From the Middle East, this chermoula aubergine recipe is baked with warming spices before being finished with bulgar wheat, yoghurt and fragrant coriander.

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 · The Guardian

All the various elements for this can be made in advance, ready to be assembled just before serving. Keep the cream in the fridge, the baked puff pastry well wrapped and the nuts kept in an airtight container. To make it child-friendly, simply omit the rum and coffee

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

This easy chicken sheet-pan supper brings bold, warming flavors with minimal fuss. Tossed with ras el hanout, the chicken roasts alongside potatoes, sweet peppers and chickpeas, creating a richly flavored dish that practically makes its own sauce. The sheet pan may look crowded, but everything melts beautifully together as it cooks. The peppers, potatoes and chickpeas simmer gently in the oil, while the chicken sits halfway in, its skin staying crispy as the juices mingle below. Any chickpeas peeking out get delightfully crisp, while the rest confit in the oil, becoming soft and smooth. A finishing drizzle of sherry vinegar adds a bright, tangy kick, balancing the warm spices and bringing out the dish’s deep roasted flavours. Best of all, the prep is simple, and the oven does the rest, making this perfect for a cozy midweek dinner that still feels special.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Traybake chicken and chips – what’s not to love? The pilpelchuma paste, which is an intense Libyan condiment flavoured with chilli and garlic, works brilliantly here, and dials up the aïoli immensely. It’s well worth making more of the paste than you need here, because it keeps well in the fridge for up to a month and is lovely as a marinade for root vegetables before they are roasted. Alternatively, use shop-bought harissa

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 · The Guardian

This brilliant ketchup is a great way of using up over-ripe bananas that’s not banana bread. It keeps well in the fridge for three months and goes well with all sorts: ribs, burgers, grilled cheese. The baking powder is a neat trick (for those who don’t know it already) to get your wings crisp. You’ll need a glass jar with a lid that’s big enough to hold 600g sauce

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Jerusalem

A warming dish of chicken with caramelized onion and cardamom rice, best served with extra coriander, dill and Greek yoghurt.

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 · The Guardian

This can all be made ahead, but hold off on adding the leaves and herbs until just before serving. Serve as it is, or pile it into crusty rolls

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is inspired by a khoresh karafs, a Persian celery stew that puts a vegetable that usually gets only a supporting role firmly centre stage. It’s also a great make-ahead dish, because the flavour deepens with time – leave the grilling until just before serving, though

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This takes inspiration from khoresh, an Iranian stew that’s as celebratory as it is comforting. It makes a great centrepiece and needs little more than a green salad on the side. If you like, assemble the pie the night before, so it’s oven ready

Yotam Ottolenghi

These addictive, gluten-free crackers will look right at home on a cheeseboard or packed into a lunchbox. They’ll keep in an airtight container for three to five days

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is a hybrid inspired by Indian besan toast and Cantonese prawn toast. Pre-sliced white bread works perfectly here: just make sure it’s stale (or toasted), to avoid any sogginess

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of outdoor eating season, and a potato salad must be on the menu. This one has no potato. Chickpeas stand in instead — creamy and substantial, dressed in Greek yogurt, mayonnaise and whole-grain mustard. This salad delivers everything you want from a classic cookout side: the richness, the bulk, the familiar comfort of something cold and scoopable. What tips it somewhere new is the cucumber salsa spooned over the top: lemons, roasted until tender and just charred at the edges, intensify into something jammy and sour, then tossed with cucumber, sweet dill pickles, jalapeño and a good amount of fresh dill. The result is very good alongside whatever else is on the grill.

Yotam Ottolenghi

This takes its inspiration from Moroccan harira, which would usually feature lamb or chicken. Feel free to add some in, or use chicken stock instead of the water for chicken stock for a richer (though clearly non-vegan) result

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

To experience this Basque-inspired stew at its very best, use shell-on prawns – they really are worth the effort

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 SIMPLE

Warm and comforting, Yotam Ottolenghi's simple dish of chickpeas and Swiss chard with yoghurt is an easy vegetarian midweek dinner.

Yotam Ottolenghi

These are inspired by cacio e pepe, a rich Italian dish of pasta coated in lavish amounts of butter, black pepper and cheese. This applies a similar technique to our favourite little bean, using the flavourful parmesan chickpea water to create the emulsified sauce. Chickpeas differ in size depending on where you are in the world, so if you feel this should be a little looser, just add a splash of water. Be sure to start the night before by soaking your chickpeas

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The filling can be made two or three hours in advance beforebefore assembly, if you want to get ahead. Another option is to serve the filling by itself, as a dip, or else spoon it into pre-cooked pastry cases (whisper it: vol-au-vents)

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty

The late, great food write Diana Kennedy describes chilaquiles as “Mexican soul food” and I couldn’t agree more. They’re essentially yesterday’s corn tortillas, broken into pieces and then fried, cooked in salsa and sprinkled with cheese. Making a great brunch dish that oozes comforting familiarity

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is for a stunning starter for a dinner party. You can make all the components a day ahead and store them separately in the fridge. Don’t add stir the lime juice in right until just before serving, though, to so everything keeps the its colour. I’ve used light coconut milk here, because full-fat would be too intense and overwhelm the delicate balance of the dish

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

A sweet, but not too filling refreshing treat to serve after a decadent dinner

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

This chilled noodle dish is extremely refreshing on a hot summer’s day. Corn, shiitake mushrooms and tomatoes simmer with water to make a vegan take on dashi that is packed with umami. The buckwheat noodles have a lovely nutty flavor, adding depth to the dish, but feel free to try with different noodles, such as thin wheat noodles (somen) or rice noodles. The dashi is extremely light and clean, while the toppings add bursts of flavor. The balance between sweet, salty and sour is very delicate, so be sure to be somewhat pedantic when measuring for seasoning. You can get ahead by making the dashi a day in advance and chilling it overnight.

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 SIMPLE

An easy make-ahead fish recipe featuring the most wonderful tomato chilli sauce with an intense depth of flavour and a tahini topping. The perfect midweek supper with a kick.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Barbacoa, a spicy, low and slow-braised lamb dish from Mexico), was the inspiration here, with the mushrooms developing a distinctly meaty texture and umami flavour

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 · The Guardian

With some rice and a green salad, say, this is a meal in itself, but it also works as part of a larger spread

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a perfect companion for roast chicken, though I could easily eat it on its own with just a few dressed green leaves on the side; it also makes a great brunch dish

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These work well as finger food, for everyone to help themselves to, or as a dessert centrepiece dessert. The meringues can be made a day ahead, but don’t assemble the dish until you’re close to serving up, otherwise they will soften in the cream. If you like, add a teaspoon or two of your favourite tipple to the cream mix for an extra kick

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Mochi is a chewy, sticky, Japanese cake made from glutinous (yet gluten-free!) rice flour

Yotam Ottolenghi

The crisp topping on these buns is inspired by the classic Italian Easter bread, Colomba di Pasqua. If you want to get ahead and wake up to the smell of freshly baked buns on Easter morning, make and shape the dough the evening before, then pop in the fridge overnight for a slow rise. The next day, take it out of the fridge before you make the topping

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a simple dessert for easy summer entertaining. The chocolate curls are made by scraping and shaving a bar of chocolate with a large knife, but you can just grate it instead, if you prefer. To make it dairy-free, simply omit the cream or swap it for a plant-based alternative

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

The recipe in Nigella Lawson’s wonderful book, Feast, inspired our version of these cakes. We have amplified the Irish element in her original recipe by piping Baileys-infused mascarpone cream into the middle of the cakes. Thanks to Daniel Karlsson for this idea. This is then followed by a light drizzle of chocolate ganache, followed by shavings of chocolate! It sounds extravagant, we know, but it’s actually a really easy cake to make, all whisked together in one bowl. The secret to making a really shiny chocolate ganache is to use a food processor, as we do here.

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh · Sweet

Rich, sophisticated and a dinner party dessert par excellence, this tart recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi's SWEET combines flavours of chocolate, hazelnut and orange.

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, Helen Goh · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe for Chocolate, Banana and Pecan Cookies ensures that they emerge perfectly soft and gooey when eaten warm.

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 · NYT Cooking

This salad is somewhat of a New York style fattoush. Bagel pieces are tossed with olive oil, nuts and everything seasoning, then toasted in the oven to make supersavory, crunchy croutons. These are tossed through a green chopped salad with crispy lettuce, green bell pepper, scallions, cucumber, herbs and a zingy lemon dressing. The salad is rounded off with a base of tahini yogurt, adding a creamy, tangy finish that ties everything together. Perfect as a light lunch or a unique side dish, this salad is both wholesome and indulgent, offering layers of textures and flavors in every bite. Whether you’re a fan of bagels or crisp, textural salads, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite.

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 · The Guardian

This dish can be put together really quickly, so it’s great for a midweek meal or as part of a tapas spread. Serve with crusty bread

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

There’s nothing quite like the smell of ham roasting with clementines and cloves to announce the holidays. Taking inspiration from Claudia Roden’s orange and almond cake, which uses boiled oranges for moisture and flavor, this recipe steams clementines alongside the ham, then blends them into a sweet mustard sauce to pour over the meat. The result is a sweet, sticky, spiced glaze coating the ham, plus extra pooling at the bottom of the pan. Any excess turns into a clever sandwich condiment to dress any leftover ham.

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 · The Guardian

If the Christmas pudding defeated everyone, chances are these eccles cakes will be the way to restore appetites

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh · Sweet

Ottolenghi's recipe for Pavolova, Praline Cream and Fresh Figs is a true showstopper of a dinner party dessert.

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi

These are a perfect midday treat to serve with coffee. Mix things up a bit by using milk or white chocolate, or keep them vegan by using a non-dairy dark chocolate

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Served hot on a cold winter’s day, this is as comforting for breakfast as it is for pudding. Save the recipe for sunnier times, too, because it’s also delicious eaten cold, straight from the fridge

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a great way to use up leftover herbs. Feel free to, so substitute with whatever herbs you have to hand. The sunflower seed dukkah is very addictive you’ll want to sprinkle it on everything

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

All the wobble without an egg being cracked: the vegan wonder of tofu! This needs to set in the fridge overnight, so get going the day before serving

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The peanut crunch is super-special and you’ll will make more than you need here; store the excess in an airtight jar to use for sprinkling over salads and fruit

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The inspiration for this cake comes from the Scandinavian droømmekage, which translates as “dream cake”. The coconut caramel is sometimes poured into the base, which makes a fudgy, Bounty-like texture, here it’s added to the top. The cake will keep covered at room temperature for up to three days

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Jerusalem

From the Jerusalem recipe book by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, these cod cakes in tomato sauce are both sweet and slightly sharp.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These can be assembled a day ahead, if you like, ready to be cooked on the night. They also keep well in the freezer, if you want to make more for future sweetness; if baking from frozen, though, add four and a half minutes to the cooking time

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This really couldn’t be simpler, because everything goes in the mixing bowl at the same time . You can serve the mousse straight away, or keep it refrigerated for later. These quantities make enough for six portions, but the mousse keeps in the fridge for up to three days if you’re serving only two – some things are worth making a batch of, after all

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The coffee adds a smoky, earthy quality to these koftas, but without dominating. Feel free to swap out the cascabel chilli for another mild dried chilli, such as guajillo, if you prefer

Yotam Ottolenghi

Ask your butcher for thick-cut chops – the bone-in kind with a thick layer of fat on, which crisps up nicely in the pan. If you would like to get ahead, marinate the chops and make the mash the day before

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 · The Guardian

Tinned smoked oysters feel as if they should be my guilty secret, but I feel no guilt and there is no secret. In fact, there was a time when I easily got through at least a tin a week, usually just piled on to toast, but sometimes more involved, as with this recipe. If you aren’t a fan of them, use another tinned smoked fish of your choice

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 · The Guardian

This dish is inspired by the Turkish method of cooking vegetables gently in olive oil until they’re very soft. It’s usually served as part of a cold or warm meze spread, but to turn it into a more substantial meal, fill a pitta with some celeriac slices and feta, then sprinkle coriander seeds on top

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Confit is a great way to store baby aubergines so they can be enjoyed into autumn and winter. I like them with some soft cheese or yoghurt. The flavoursome spiced oil, incidentally, makes a great finishing touch for all sorts of roast vegetables and salads

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

The salmon is barely cooked in this dish, so it’s really important that you use very good quality fresh fish

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty

Chickpeas are slow-cooked in oil for a pungent, tandoori-style main course. Use a non-dairy yoghurt to make this dish vegan

Yotam Ottolenghi

Small datterini tomatoes (the name translates as “little dates”) are wonderfully sweet and perfect for tomato sauce because they have lots of flesh and not too many seeds, so they cook quickly. If you can’t find them, cherry tomatoes make a fine substitute

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The corn flavour from the spent cobs is very subtle and pleasing, and pairs beautifully with this brulee and coffee liqueur

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This quintessential carnival food is traditionally made with frankfurters, but you could also use chipolatas or merguez. If you do so, however, make sure the sausages are not too thick and cooked in advance

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 · The Guardian

Serve this smoky, sweet, sour, salty and very versatile salad with white fish, or pile it into a sandwich or wrap. It also works well as a condiment to curry

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

I love the combination of corn and coconut in this cake. The crunchy, sweet topping, finished with condensed milk, is also totally irresistible and makes a great sweet treat in its own right

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This dish is my own take on by the New Orleans style tradition of gathering around a newspaper-lined table piled with seafood, smoked sausages, corn and potatoes. This version is my own take on this popular tradition; newspaper optional

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These are great for brunch, but they’ll also work well as a light lunch or dinner. Try experimenting with grapefruit or orange juice in the dipping sauce, instead of the lime

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 · Plenty More

This stunning corsican pie with courgette flowers from Yotam Ottolenghi, from the book Plenty More, features feta, pine nuts, and ricotta

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Nothing tastes of summer quite like a sweet melon. Use the ripest in-season fruit you can find for this salad, and serve as a light meal or with grilled chicken or fish

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi SIMPLE

Add a new brunch favourite to your repertoire with Ottolenghi's easy courgette and ciabatta frittata bake. Light, fluffy and suitably indulgent for the weekend.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The time spent roasting the vegetables in advance really concentrates their flavour, so don’t be tempted to skip that step. Also, it’s at least in part earned back by how quickly the no-cook bechamel takes to make. Stir any excess pesto through pasta or couscous for an easy midweek lunch

Yotam Ottolenghi, Ramael Scully · NOPI: The Cookbook

These delicious and aromatic courgette fritters are one of the most popular starters at Yotam Ottolenghi's Soho-based restaurant, NOPI.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

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

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Ottolenghi's Couscous and Mograbiah with Oven-dried Tomatoes recipe combines the texture of mograbiah with sweet, sharp tomatoes.

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 · The Guardian

If you want to get ahead, make the pasta the day before and refrigerate it in an airtight box, and be sure you flour it well before storing. Alternatively, buy in some linguine and put the saffron in the sauce instead. You could also swap out the crab for other fish or shellfish of your choosing.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This bird is glazed with the flavours of Thanksgiving, but one that I’ll be giving thanks to (and eating) it in various guises throughout the festive season. Don’t be put off by the need to spatchcock the duck: spend five minutes looking up the technique online; failing that, just ask your the butcher to do it for you

Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh · Sweet

Ottolenghi and Helen Goh's recipe for Cranberry Oat and White Chocolate Biscuits are perfect for an edible gift idea for Christmas 2025.

Yotam Ottolenghi

This tastes like a homemade version of the Heinz classic. The habanero adds a hot, fruity and smoky complexity that I 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

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

To turn these cheesy, creamy peppers into a complete meal, serve with a big bowl of greens and/or some roast potatoes. Play around with the cheeses and spices, and use regular peppers if you can’t get romanos

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is our take on rajas con crema, a Mexican dish that uses charred fresh poblano peppers. They’re hard to get hold of in the UK, so we’ve used green bell peppers instead (although by all means use poblanos if you can find some). Serve the peppers on a heated serving dish, so they don’t cool down too quickly

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This works just as well without the ham, if you prefer to leave it out. It’s a meal in itself, perhaps with a green salad alongside, and also works as a side for roast chicken, particularly when made without the ham. Either way, meet your new go-to autumn comfort traybake

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Welsh pancakes that have a wonderfully distinctive texture somewhere between a crumpet and an American buttermilk pancake. Persimmons are a winter fruit in the UK: they need to be ripe and soft to the touch so, if yours are underripe, be patient and wait for them to ripen. Alternatively, make a compote with pears or frozen berries, buy a jar of ready-made, or just serve the crempogau with good honey and salted butter

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The honey mixture is the star in this, and is as at home on cheese or grilled vegetables as it is on this chicken. Make extra, if you like, without the lime and vinegar (add those just before serving), and keep it in a jar in the fridge for up to a week

Yotam Ottolenghi

These will sit particularly well at the Easter table, but bookmark them for any future roasts, too. The rice flour gives the potatoes an extra level of crispness (fine semolina would work just as well).

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 · NYT Cooking

This sweet and salty salad celebrates the best of spring, starting with a base of asparagus and green beans. The crispy coconut almond topping is loosely inspired by serundeng, an Indonesian spiced coconut condiment, which adds texture to the salad. You can grill the beans and asparagus to add a smoky flavor to the dish, or swap out the asparagus for runner beans, broccolini or any spring vegetable. All the individual salad elements can be made in advance, but you’ll want to assemble just before serving for the best results.

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 · NYT Cooking

Inspired by the legendary Zuni Café chicken salad, this version swaps poultry for crisp-skinned white fish, pairing it with a lively mix of textures and bold, sweet-sour flavors. Torn ciabatta croutons soak up a sherry vinegar dressing, punctuated by capers, pine nuts and raisins for sharpness, crunch and sweetness. Softened shallots and garlic add depth, while parsley keeps everything fresh. It’s a dish that feels both effortless and layered, a bright, satisfying lunch or a starter that’s sure to impress.

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 · Plenty More

Ottolenghi's crushed harissa carrots from PLENTY MORE are served on a bed of creamy Greek yoghurt and topped with pistachio. Perfect as a starter or a side.

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 · Plenty More

A flavoursome twist on hummus from Yotam Ottolenghi, these lentils are best served with warm pitta bread for a light dinner or hearty working-from-home lunch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This quick, refreshing salad is all I really want to eat – and “cook” – on a hot summer’s day. I’ve used seasonal summer berries here, but by all means swap them out for some stone fruit, if you prefer. Eat with a spoon, so you can lap up all the dressing

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi SIMPLE

Revamp your salad repertoire with this vibrant and refreshing cucumber and lamb's lettuce recipe from Ottolenghi SIMPLE, with a ginger, garlic and yoghurt dressing.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This fresh, crunchy salad is the perfect accompaniment to all kinds of savoury rice dishes

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a play on a traditional cucumber sandwich, but in salad form, incorporating its three key components: cucumber, bread and butter

Ixta Belfrage, Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi FLAVOUR

A crisp, refreshing, and brightly flavoured side, this easy Ottolenghi salad makes a perfect accompaniment to almost any dish.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Tater tots are fried grated potatoes, served in diners and cafeterias across the US. This version is baked, rather than fried, and served with tangy yoghurt and coriander oil

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This tastes a bit like a katsu curry in gratin form, and needs only a crunchy salad alongside

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

This dish was born out of a fridge raid: a head of cauliflower that really needed using up and a family of four who really needed cheering up. The result: a pie described as “molten cheese lava” and happy bellies all around

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 · The Guardian

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, though she does insist on using a bowl rather than a bucket. The slaw can also be made with cabbage or carrots instead of the celeriac, if you prefer (or buy some ready-made)

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is derived from the Goan ros omelette, which is often served at street food stalls with a soft roll for breakfast. Here, I’ve used parathas to mop things up, but use whatever bread or flatbread you like. It’s also great with prawns, fish or tofu

Yotam Ottolenghi

Potato farls are somewhere between a potato cake and potato bread. They’re a hugely comforting treat and a perfect way to use up leftover mashed potato. The simple apple mustard to serve with them might make any jarred apple-sauce sceptics out there reappraise their prejudices

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a twist on taho, a Filipino dessert made with silken tofu and tapioca pearls, which I’ve here combined with a set custard and a dark muscovado syrup reminiscent of leche flan, another Filipino favourite

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi

Traditionally, the noodle dough is freshly made while the dal is cooking, but dried lasagne sheets (or any dried pasta in need of using up) work really well as a substitute

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

There are lots of great things to say about soda bread, one of which is that it comes together in less than an hour

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 · The Guardian

Devilled eggs are a classic crowdpleaser that I turn to time and again to bring a party together. With these ones, I use briny capers and crunchy cornichons to cut through the rich yolks. To get ahead, boil the eggs the day before and refrigerate, then assemble just before serving

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Dorayaki (also known as mikasa) is a sweet Japanese pancake usually filled with red bean paste or a mix of red bean paste and cream. Here, I use coffee cream, and have added a dipping sauce, too

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, Noor Murad, The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Team · Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things

As seen on James Martin's Saturday Morning, chicken breasts are coated in a preserved lemon sauce in this flavourful dish from Ottolenghi.

Yotam Ottolenghi, Noor Murad, The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Team · Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things

The quick and easy garlicky rocket pesto adds colour and freshness to this cannellini bean and halloumi pasta dish.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Bunny chow is traditionally made with mutton and served in hollowed-out bread. It’s totally comforting (as well as being the perfect antidote to a heavy night out, according to our executive chef Calvin Von Niebel, who created this dish)

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Leaf masala is a spice blend that’s the base for a variety of South African curries. As with all spice mixes, there are all sorts of variations: this is our executive chef Calvin Von Niebel’s, which he’s based on the very popular Durban spice brand Gorima’s

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

When figs are at their best, it’s very hard not to eat them all immediately. Preserving them, however, will extend the joy they bring, especially when spooned on to a massive, yorkshire pudding-like pancake, AKA a dutch baby. Any leftover preserve will keep in the fridge for up to a month

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Rougaille is a Mauritian Creole sauce that’s often paired with prawns, chicken and frankfurters. Eat this for breakfast, preferably in a warm, sesame-seed-crusted baguette

Yotam Ottolenghi

Get your cupboard stocked up with a few basic Japanese ingredients, and this meal will be pretty much ready and waiting for you. It delivers big on flavour and takes only minutes to prepare

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These are really versatile, so customise them as you like: use different cheeses or add cooked sausage or ham, say. They pair really well with tomato sauce (or ketchup), too

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 · The Guardian

This is my vegetarian homage to pepperoni, using the “meatiest” of all veg, mushrooms, and making them spicy and smoked

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is the kind of raw, fresh salad you’d want on a hot summer’s day, as part of a summery spread and alongside a chilled glass of wine. You can make the dressing well in advance, but don’t mix the salad until just before serving, because it releases water as it sits

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Ottolenghi's crisp Fennel and Feta Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Sumac is the perfect winter salad recipe, bursting with texture and flavour.

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is lovely with grilled mackerel or sardines and a crisp, green salad.

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 · The Guardian

This has more or less the same flavour profile as kimchi, though with added tamarind and coriander seeds. It will keep in the fridge for up to three months. This make 1 x 2-litre jar

Yotam Ottolenghi

A plate of Persian food is so often the perfect balance of perfume and spice, sweetness and sour and, and Ffesenjoon, a classic, nutty, chicken stew, is just that. It’s typically served as a stew, but I use it here as a sauce to coat gently spiced chicken. Serve with rice or flatbreads

Yotam Ottolenghi

This chilli oil is spiced with the festive flavours of cinnamon, star anise and cloves. Drizzle it over everything from noodles to ricotta-topped toast

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is such a great thing to have to hand in the weeks to come. It’s a brilliant addition to a festive board of ham and cheese with crackers, and it makes a great impromptu pudding, too, sprinkled over thick yoghurt too, for example. If stored in a sealed container, it will keep at room temperature for up to a week, so make a double or triple the batch; a jar also makes for an excellent gift to take along to a party

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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

Katmer is a dessert from Gaziantep in Turkey that’s traditionally served with Kkaymak, a Turkish, clotted cream. You can find it in most Middle Eastern shops, but if you can’t get hold of any, swap it for Cornish clotted. As a twist, we’ve added feta and a lemony cardamom syrup to ours. Serve alongside with seasonal berries and/or orange segments, if you like

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 · The Guardian

To get ahead you can marinate the peppers and shape the koftas a day ahead, if you like, leaving just the grilling of the koftas to be done before serving. Serve this with rice, or roasted potatoes and a fresh green salad

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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 · The Guardian

A departure from tradition, but I think it works pretty well: the sweet potato replaces regular potatoes, the fish crust features buckwheat and is gluten-free, and the mayo is actually toum, a fiery Arabic whipped garlic sauce

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Here I’ve replaced the traditional sausage “toads” with hearty root vegetables. I love that this dish ticks the “five-a-day” box, but if need be use either celeriac or swede, rather than both. Whatever vegetables you end up using (parsnips and carrots also work well), just keep the total net weight the same as listed here

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Flautas (or taquitos or doradoes) are deep-fried, stuffed tortillas from Jalisco in Mexico. This version combines meaty aubergines and salty halloumi for a great meat- (and gluten-free) alternative to common chorizo stuffing

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

This one's inspired by one of Belinda Jeffery’s cake. We’ve played around with the shape – baking it in a loaf tin – and added a chocolate ganache, but the base is all Belinda’s. There’s something about a cake showcasing its flourless-ness or gluten-free nature which can often make it sound a little bit worthy. Unfairly so, in a case like this, where the feeling of eating it is the very opposite of ‘free-from’: it’s utterly buttery and decadent.

Yotam Ottolenghi, Ramael Scully · NOPI: The Cookbook

This comforting fondant Swede Gratin by Ottolenghi and NOPI head chef Scully works perfectly as a show-stopping side alongside meat.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Cooking rice in the oven can be a real “Ah-ha!” moment for anyone new to the approach. It’s the most foolproof way to the most perfectly cooked and fluffy of grains. If you want to get ahead, do the first 40 minutes of cooking a few hours ahead of time, leaving just the second bit (when the garlic, cumin, rice and boiling water are added) to do before you serve up

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This untraditional take on kofta is a bit involved, but the final product is something very tasty and makes a fantastic vegetarian option, nestling amongst rice and salad. Don’t make the green sauce until you are ready to serve, however, as it will lose its colour

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This makes a very comforting breakfast. If you would like to get ahead, make the porridge and oil the day before; just add a splash of water when reheating

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, Ramael Scully · NOPI: The Cookbook

This french bean, freekeh and miso salad from Ottolenghi's NOPI is smoky, umami-rich, with a deliciously crunchy texture.

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

Freshly made paneer is soft yet firm in texture, and it absorbs flavours very well. Make it with lightly pasteurised, but not homogenised milk, to ensure you get firmly set curds. You’ll be left with plenty of whey afterwards, so save this to make bread, to brine large cuts of meat or to soak grains

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, Helen Goh, Tara Wigley, Verena Lochmuller · Ottolenghi COMFORT

This fragrant curry from Ottolenghi COMFORT is flavoured with coconut and fresh turmeric and packed with plump prawns. As seen on Saturday Kitchen.

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 · The Guardian

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, fill your croissants … The opportunities are endless!

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty

Sumac, sorrel, and feta provide a pleasantly sharp counterpoint to the creamy butterbeans in this hearty springtime dish from Ottolenghi.

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 · The Guardian

Fried food? Tick. Eaten by hand? Tick. Eminently versatile depending on whatever condiments you have in your fridge? Tick. Mayonnaise and chimichurri are the go-tos for test kitchen development chef Jake, but all manner of other things will work well here instead – for example, some Greek yoghurt spiked with any chilli sauce

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This addictive spring onion sauce is a twist on the garlic sauce found at every Mauritian table whenever a stir-fry appears. It’s usually liberally spooned over fried rice and noodles, but the test kitchen has been especially loving it on fried eggs. Seeing as the recipe has been devised with Boxing Day in mind, you may well not have any leftover rice in the fridge (which works best for this here), so feel free to use a couple of packets of microwave rice, which you can use straight from the pack

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 · Plenty More

Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe for fried upma with poached eggs is a twist on a South Indian breakfast staple that will revolutionise your brunch game.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Eggs, on their own, so often make for quick and satisfying meals, and even more so when they’re bulked out into a frittata. The leftovers make a great lunch the next day, too

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

A bag of berries in the freezer is an easy way to make a quick dessert if you have nothing else in the house. I blitz them with yoghurt and honey for an instant frozen yoghurt, which I serve just as it is or with some crunchy biscuits or meringue

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 · The Guardian

Cassava roots are known all over the world by different names, and in Mauritius they are called manioc. This recipe is a traditional dish that’s often eaten for breakfast or for afternoon tea

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These simply addictive greens make for a very quick and versatile side dish, and the five-spice tomatoes, which are delicious on their own, make them extra-special

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Black chickpeas are a little nuttier, more robust and a bit smaller than regular chickpeas. This dish works well as a vegetarian main with rice, or as a side to some simply cooked fish or seared prawns

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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 · The Guardian

As with many pasta and grain salads, this is a great one to take on picnics or camping, because it can be made in advance, it’s quick to assemble, it travels well and it’s pretty resilient. Look for green çarliston peppers, or other similar varieties, in Middle Eastern food shops, though romanos will work just fine as a substitute.

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 · The Guardian

This is a great make-ahead dish, with both the couscous and spicy dressing happy to be made the day before and kept in the fridge, ready for the fresh herbs to be stirred through just before serving

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 · The Guardian

In the Philippines, ginataang refers to any dish cooked in coconut milk or cream. This stew-type dish is usually served with a generous helping of bagoong, a condiment made with fermented fish or prawns

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This brittle is a two-in-one gift: the brittle is delicious just as it is, or it can be blitzed to make a decadent praline paste to be smothered on toast or drizzled on ice-cream

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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 · Sweet

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

This gazpacho is made super-creamy thanks to the toasted pine nuts and ginger-infused oil. Use the best-quality, in-season tomatoes you can find and afford

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These are a play on a classic Scandinavian Christmas side dish, and work alongside all sorts of mains. To get ahead, boil the potatoes the day before, then drain, cool and put in the fridge uncovered to dry out. Guanciale is a uniquely delicious cured meat made from the jowl of a pig, but if you can’t find any, use pancetta or streaky bacon instead

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 · The Guardian

The use of the chickpea flour in here is a neat trick: it helps the marinade adhere to the pumpkin better and creates a nice spicy crust. If you don’t have any to hand, though, simply omit it. All the toppings can be made ahead of time, ready for the dish to be assembled at the last minute, but add the lime juice to the gremolata only just before serving

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 · The Guardian

This one-pan dish makes for a great midweek meal and needs nothing more by way of accompaniment than some steamed sticky rice to go alongside. If you like, swap the pork for chicken or turkey thigh mince

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi SIMPLE

This is Ottolenghi comfort food at its finest. Featuring gnocchi made from semolina and a topping of melted cheese, it's one both kids and adults will adore.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Croquettes are made and loved throughout Europe, and in Spain, ham, cheese or potato croquetas are especially popular. This recipe marries salty goat’s cheese with bitter-sweet marmalade, and is a great snack to share

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 · Sweet

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

The mixture of cooked and raw beans here makes this dish fall somewhere between a salad and a slaw – both of which are, of course, great additions to any summer lunch spread

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

the beans can be happily replaced by all sorts of other green veg such as brussels sprouts or cavolo nero. Jurot dressing is both light and rich, and is just as good warm as at room temperature. It is especially popular with Bukharian Jews from Uzbekistan

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

Bagna cauda is an Italian dip made from anchovies, garlic and olive oil. This version includes cooked and fresh herbs, which increases its savoury intensity and vibrancy

Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi.co.uk

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

Yotam Ottolenghi

This soup works well served hot or chilled. It’s delicious with a slice of toasted ciabatta or some cooked rice noodles

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This tangy, light dish is my spin on the classic French salad, carottes râpées

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 · The Guardian

My test kitchen colleague Chaya is from Mauritius, where stir-fries are often eaten with a garlic relish that’s quite similar to daqa, an Egyptian condiment. Here we merge the two to bring an acidic lift to vegetables. Serve just as it is, or with boiled rice or noodles

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The earthy, grassy taste of green tea is wonderful in rubs and marinades. If you marinate overnight, the tannins in the tea tenderise the meat and improve its texture once it’s cooked

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Make the most of the fact that alliums come in all shapes and sizes, because, in combination, the clash of appearance looks great in a finished dish. Stick to just two or three of the four types suggested, if you like, but make sure the total net weight stays about the same

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The dressing does a great job atof tying together the fresh and the charred flavours of the vegetables here, and also works as well drizzled over meat and fish

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This will work wonders as a canape at a party, or as a light lunch for two on toast, or simply as a starter to share. Serves 4 to 6 as s starter along with great bread

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

Grilling asparagus brings out its natural sweetness and adds delightful charred notes. Here, the asparagus is doused in a salty, nutty and umami-rich olive, pine nut and miso dressing. This recipe calls to cook the asparagus in a grill pan, but you can instead opt for a cast-iron skillet or set your asparagus on an outdoor grill. You can also achieve similar flavor by popping the asparagus into the broiler or roasting at the highest temperature your oven can reach. A touch of dill adds a fragrant note, enhancing the overall aroma of the dish, but feel free to omit, or use other soft herbs that you have on hand, like chives. Eat alongside a roast chicken, or incorporate into a spring salad spread.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty More

Ottolenghi's simple but luxurious recipe for Grilled Banana Bread with Tahini and Honeycomb is just the thing for an extra-special breakfast or brunch.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The creamy butter beans and spicy salsa make these grilled spring vegetables really shine. Double up on the salsa, if you like – it’s great on eggs, pasta or anything that needs a bit of oomph

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This makes a striking addition to a barbecue spread. Strictly speaking, it’s not all cooked on a grill, but most of the various elements can be made well in advance, leaving just the tofu to be braised in the sauce and assembled just before serving

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These quantities will make more spice mix and a bit more pickle than you need here, but the pickle keeps well in the fridge for at least a week and is great piled into a sandwich, while the excess spice mix can be can be kept in a jar for to sprinkle on leafy salads or dips

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 · The Guardian

Make double the amount of butter and save the excess in the fridge to slather over grilled or roast vegetables, fish and meat

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Do try the cascabel honey in other dishes: i. It’s gorgeous drizzled onver a flatbread spread with ricotta cheese, for example. It’s also great in a marinade for roasted vegetables

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

“Agro” means sour in Italian and “dolce” means sweet. Agrodolce, it follows then, is a sweet-sour Italian condiment. It’s really easy and quick to make, and keeps well in the fridge, so make extra, if you like, and use as a spread in meaty sandwiches or to drizzle on top of grilled meat and roast vegetables

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

Grilling cucumbers gives them a nice charred flavor while retaining their bite. Try to buy Persian cucumbers that are thicker as the thin ones can often be too flimsy to cook. Torn mozzarella adds richness to the cucumbers doused with a garlicky, spiced tomato dressing. (Feel free to cook the cucumbers on an outdoor grill, treating them in the same way.) If you’re into creamy cheeses, then burrata works very well here, too — or, you could keep this dish vegan by leaving out the mozzarella completely. It will still have a wonderful umami flavor without it. Make this a complete meal by serving alongside your protein of choice.

Yotam Ottolenghi

On paper it may not sound as if it would work, but the combination of figs, Chinese rice wine and ricotta is marvellous. This dish is a fine balance of sweet and savoury, so it’s important your figs are ripe and sweet. If they aren’t, increase the amount of maple syrup a little

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Prawns work so well on a barbecue: their protective shell makes the perfect nonstick barrier to the heat of the fire. As a bonus, they cook in no time at all. The butter and dressing (bar the basil) can be made up to a day ahead

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty

This sweet cabbage is deliciously complemented by the hot and fragrant chilli and lime oil: make sure you serve it with plenty of crusty bread to mop everything up with. Serve as a vegetarian main course or as a side to grilled fish or tofu

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Ezme is a staple of Turkish cuisine, and it has everything you’d want from a condiment for grilled meat

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

A bit of heat transforms crunchy lettuce leaves into a smoky, flavour-bomb. I use orzo in the base of this salad to absorb the dressing, but feel free to swap it with giant couscous or a similar small-shaped pasta

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Manouri is a mild yet creamy Greek cheese that’s less savoury than halloumi and less sharp than feta – and, like most sheep and goat’s cheese, loves being paired with good honey

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This sweet and spicy dressing is a perfect match for grilled nectarines and cucumbers. The dressing is inspired by ssamjang, a Korean dipping sauce that’s often served with grilled meat

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

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

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This makes more chilli salt than you need here, but it keeps very well in a small, airtight jar. Sprinkle it liberally on fruit salads or eat with slices of fridge-cold cucumber. If you would like to get ahead, you can grill the pineapple the day before and leave it to marinate overnight

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 · The Guardian

Rhubarb often walks that fine line between almost-fruit and kind-of-vegetable, even though it is technically the latter. It usually appears in sweet desserts, but here’s a wonderful way to use it in savoury cooking, as a starter or side

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Grilling balances out romaine’s natural bitterness. If you’re cooking these on a barbecue, wait for the flames to die down first

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

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

Yotam Ottolenghi

Want your kids to try something new? Name it after a favourite fictional character, and you’ll be in with a chance. The fact that this cake – studded with chestnuts, black garlic and fried onions, soft and pudding-like on the inside and brown and crisp outside – really does bear a resemblance to the Gruffalo will help your cause no end

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

You can use shop-bought crisps here, as we do here or use the homemade potato crisps from the recipe on this app

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

Drawing inspiration from the classic Italian American chicken Parmesan, this twist layers za’atar-breaded chicken with a cumin-and-allspice-infused tomato sauce and a satisfyingly salty topping of melted halloumi cheese. Broiling the cheese-topped chicken instead of simply baking shaves off some time. A final lashing of both cream and za’atar oil strikes a perfect balance between robust flavors and the comforting essence of the original dish. Serve alongside a crisp green salad or indulge further with a side of garlicky spaghetti to soak up any remaining spiced tomato sauce.

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

These rice cakes are inspired by yaki onigiri, or Japanese rice balls. I often cook with my kids after we’ve had lunch – they are much more focused when they’re not raging hungry – so these are ideal, because they can be made a day ahead, ready to be fried 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 · The Guardian

Tinned fish makes one of easiest, tastiest, quickest and most cost-effective meals. Spice up pilchards with some harissa and herbs – all it needs is some toast to soak up all that tomatoey goodness, but, if you like, smother some pasta in it to make a light supper

Yotam Ottolenghi

This is a great side for roast chicken, but it would also work very well stuffed into wraps or sandwiches

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The key to a Christmas starter, if you’re having one, is for it to appear almost magically and without any faff. This one can be made a day or two in advance, then tucked away in the fridge until it’s needed, so it fits the brief perfectly. It’s essentially a mix, assemble and serve dish that can be whipped up in minutes. Serve with a warm baguette and/or crunchy crudités

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Chicken and vinegar – or poulet au vinaigre, to honour the dish’s French credentials – is a timeless classic. It’s not hard to work out why, either – it takes such little effort to produce such big results

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

Preparing vegetables hasselback involves slicing them thinly, but not all the way down, so the slices remain held together at the base, like a fan: they not only look great but also have deliciously crispy edges all over. To offset the extra work, start with shop-bought ready-cooked beetroots (plain, not in vinegar)

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, Noor Murad · Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love

A spin on the classic French onion soup, this Hawaij onion and chickpea soup with cheesy toast is comfort food at its finest.

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

Barmbrack is as Irish as a loaf can get. It’s traditionally served at Halloween, complete with a trinket baked inside that’s said to bring luck to whomever receives it in their slice. I love this fruitier version (which is also slightly tart from the barberries), not least because the loaf keeps so moist. Serve it with chunks of cheddar and/or salted butter. The quantities make more Hawaij spice than you’ll need here, but it keeps well in an airtight jar. Use it in any bakes that call for a spice mix

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This utterly delicious meringue cake is inspired by his love for cherries and macaroons, as well as the cake he knows so very well. Get ahead by making the meringue layers the day before and keeping them well wrapped, but don’t assemble the cake until the day you want to serve it

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Forget the mistletoe – these little Italian cookies are where the kissing is at this year. Once assembled, these will start to soften, which is what you want. From that point, they will keep well in a sealed container for another three days

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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 · The Guardian

This makes more garlic crumb than you need here; keep the excess in an airtight container, and save to spoon on to salads or cooked vegetables

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

The abundance of herbs in this dish give it an incredible freshness. Play around with the herbs you use, depending on what you have to hand

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is a bit like an effortless savoury clafoutis or crustless quiche. Serve with your favourite chilli sauce

Yotam Ottolenghi

I have a fondness for lemon pickles to add a sharp note to these simple rotis – make a batch and freeze for up to a month

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Spätzle is an egg-based dumpling from southern Germany. It can turn out a bit messy the first time you try to make them, but give yourself the challenge, and have everything ready and within reach before you start

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is leftover supper rolling into next-day work desk lunch. Use any herbs you have to hand, and replace the parmesan with a different hard cheese (such as pecorino or ricotta salata), if you prefer. Alternatively, leave out the cheese altogether to make this vegan

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

This sweet potato soup is both fresh and hearty, with layers of flavors and textures throughout. The sweet potato brings an autumnal warmth, brightened by handfuls of fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice added just before serving. Feel free to swap the sweet potato for pumpkin or any winter squash — this soup is versatile — and use small pasta shapes like orzo if you don’t have bulgur on hand. The topping and soup can be cooked a day in advance, but you’ll want to add the herbs and lemon juice when ready to serve in order to optimize their bright notes.

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 · The Guardian

All the elements for this can be made well ahead: the pears up to three days beforehand and the custard and crunchy bits two. That way, everything will then be sit patiently, ready to be assembled in a minute

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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 SIMPLE

One of the most popular recipes from Ottolenghi's ground-breaking cookbook, SIMPLE, this dish of fragrant, hot cherry tomatoes served with cold yoghurt is the perfect dip or mezze.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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 · Plenty

This recipe for hot yoghurt and broad bean soup by Yotam Ottolenghi from his book Plenty is a wonderful vegetarian starter.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

A light and nourishing soup to warm your hands and soul. The cabbage and beansprouts can be swapped for whatever vegetables you have to hand - just keep the net weight about the same

Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi · Jerusalem

Yotam Ottolenghi's hummus kawarma recipe sees crispy fried lamb paired beautifully with creamy hummus and a lemon sauce.

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 · Plenty More

Dried limes and a medley of fresh herbs imbue this Iranian-inspired vegetarian stew from Yotam Ottolenghi with a truly heavenly aroma.

Yotam Ottolenghi

I’ve been told off before by Irish friends for messing about with Irish stew, but I’m afraid I just can’t help myself. Every time I make it, I throw in something extra at the last minute. Please feel free to add or omit as you see fit

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 · The Guardian

This is inspired by the sweet rice cakes so popular in northern Italy. In this version, Basque cheesecake meets rice pudding, in which a creamy, fragrant rice cake is soft set and scorched on top. It’s best served at room temperature, so if you’ve made it in advance and kept it in the fridge, take it out an hour or so before serving, so it’s not chilled

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 · The Guardian

Pulao is a dish that often marks big celebrations such as weddings and birthdays in parts of the Middle East and Asia. It’s similar to biryani in that it can be made with fish, meat or vegetables, but it uses fewer spices and isn’t accompanied by a saucy gravy. We’ve used curry powder, but feel free to swap it for any spice mix that you have to hand

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Jackfruit grows wild all over Mauritius and is given away freely to neighbours, friends and family. Fortunately, tinned jackfruit works nicely in this dish, but if need be you could use tinned chickpeas instead

Yotam Ottolenghi · NYT Cooking

This is a smoky, punchy alternative to deviled eggs, but less dainty and more bold. Soft-boiled eggs are torn open by hand and topped with garlicky asparagus that's been quickly sautéed, then dressed with chipotle in adobo for a hit of heat and depth. A handful of fresh basil brings brightness, while the yolks stay rich and jammy. It’s simple to throw together, served warm or at room temperature, and lands somewhere between a salad and a snack plate.

Yotam Ottolenghi, Ramael Scully · NOPI: The Cookbook

This Jerusalem Artichoke soup from NOPI: The Cookbook looks as good as it tastes, and works as an impressive starter for a dinner party.

Yotam Ottolenghi

This Chinese-style rice porridge, also known as congee, makes for the most indulgent and comforting of meals. It , works as well for breakfast as it does for supper. All the elements can be made a day before ahead: you’ll; just need to add a splash of water to the rice to loosen the rice when reheating

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Kaaklo is hugely popular in Ghana, both as a street food and as a side dish. It’s a fritter made from plantains that are so ripe, their skins are completely black (though fruit with some patches of yellow will still work). Ask your grocer for the blackest plantains they have, or plan ahead and give them time to ripen at home in a dark, warm place

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

You will notice that lots of butter is involved in this dish, and that isn’t unintentional – after all, what are buttered noodles without lashings of butter? These quantities will make 450g of the butter, so save the remaining 150g to slather on a roast chicken

Yotam Ottolenghi

Double up on the crisp coconut, if you like – it’s good sprinkled over salads or noodle dishes. Serve with rice or flatbreads to soak up all the flavourful juices

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The hawaij spice lends the dish a wonderful warmth, but if you can’t get your hands on any, try another warm spice blend, such as Lebanese seven-spice, or baharat. This dip can be made in advance, and top it with the crisp kale when you’re ready to eat. Eat with pitta chips or a crudite such as chicory

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 · The Guardian

All the various elements of this pizza can be made ahead of time (they and are also uncommonly good, piled into a toastie)

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Poule is Mauritian Creole for chicken, and this dish is often used as the base for a Mauritian-style biryani. It has such a distinctive aroma that native Mauritians can smell it cooking from a mile away

Yotam Ottolenghi

This classic Persian aubergine dip makes a great side dish on warm summer days. You can also make it with whole roast or charred aubergines. Serve with plenty of pitta

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 · The Guardian

Nothing beats a homemade scotch egg (or at least nothing says, “Look how much effort I’ve put into saying I love you!” more). The Levantine lamb mix in this one is wonderfully versatile, so by all means make extra and turn them into meatballs (for you and/or your mum) to make dinner. If you can’t find fine bulgur, use instant couscous. I like to serve these with some tahini sauce, but feel free to swap that out for some yoghurt or your favourite hot sauce instead

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These are great for brunch, but they are great at any time of day, really. Use whichever kimchi you prefer (to make or buy), but bear in mind that kimchis have varying salt content, so you may need to adjust the seasoning accordingly. If you can’t get hold of rice flour, just use the same amount of plain flour instead

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This is light, comforting and makes a great standalone soup, but if you want to give it more heft, serve with some fluffy white rice on the side. Play around with the ingredients, too, and use up whatever you have around

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Knafeh is a popular dessert made with kataifi pastry, stuffed with cheese and soaked in a sweet syrup, and it’s reimagined here using the humble crumpet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This super-crunchy slaw makes for is a wonderfully versatile side. It can be made perfect to make in advance, but don’t add mix the slaw with the dressing until just before you’re ready to eat

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This makes more tonnato than you need for this recipe, but it keeps in the fridge for up to three days and is delicious as a dip (for bread or raw veg) or spread intoin a sandwich. You can prepare everything in advance here, but don’t mix together until just before serving

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 · The Guardian

Kreplach is the Yiddish word for dumpling, and they’re often stuffed with meat or cheese; sometimes, as here, they’re served in chicken broth. Everyone has their own favourite chicken soup, and this one is inspired by Roma Felstein, my colleague Jake’s mother. It’s soup for the soul

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 · The Guardian

I first came across spoon sweets in Greece. They are made by simmering fruit in a sugar syrup, until the fruits are lightly candied, and I’ve found that kumquats work especially well here. Spoon sweets are great on a cheeseboard or use them used to decorate desserts. Once made, they can be stored for will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks

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 · The Guardian

My take on the classic Sicilian pasta bake is a fantastic, dinner-party centrepiece that balances the smoky aroma of the freekeh, the sour cherries and the rich lamb. Serve with rice or 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 · NYT Cooking

This hearty soup is a meal in a bowl. It is very much inspired by Iraqi kubba hamuth. “Hamuth” means sour in Arabic, which refers to the soup’s sour tomato and lemon broth. Traditionally, the soup contains lamb-stuffed semolina dumplings called “kubba.” The divergence here is that they exist as two separate components — meatballs and semolina dumplings — and add a wonderful textural contrast. If you can’t find collard greens, feel free to swap these out for an equal amount of Tuscan kale.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Pasta is so comforting and easy, especially when it’s all cooked in the one vessel. Fregola is a Sardinian pasta made from semolina that has a nutty flavour close to toasted giant couscous. Use it in dishes where you would use giant couscous or orzo with similar cooking times

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This broth is very comforting and can be made up to a day ahead, if you want to, not least because it tastes even better the next day

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Yotam Ottolenghi, Ramael Scully · NOPI: The Cookbook

Ottolenghi's lamb rump with vanilla braised chicory and sorrel pesto is a dish that is guaranteed to impress.

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 · The Guardian

This dish is inspired by dal makhani, that buttery Indian dish made rich by the sheer amount of cream or ghee in which the black lentils and red kidney beans are cooked. This is a simplified version, less rich, and with added sweetness from the apricots

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 · The Guardian

This one-pan gratin with an addictive topping will find a happy home on any Thanksgiving table. To get ahead, prepare the base a day before and refrigerate

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Across the Balkans, “pita” is a broad term that covers the family of leaf pastry that is usually layered or rolled with all sorts of fillings; it’s not to be confused with the Middle Eastern pitta bread, and goes by lots of other names, too: borek, spanakopita and so on. These are best served on the day they’re baked, but you can get ahead by making the dip and filling in advance

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 · The Guardian

The natural sweetness of leeks, with their soft, oniony aroma, makes them the perfect cold-weather comfort food, especially in the form of fritters. The creamy sauce that accompanies them, full of herbs and zest, is unreservedly delicious

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This vegetarian Christmas centrepiece sits somewhere between a nut roast and a veggie stuffing. As a result, it works as well as a main course as it does as a side dish for those having meat. You can cook this entirely ahead of time, in which case cover with foil and reheat gently in a low oven before serving. Any leftovers make great Boxing Day sandwiches, especially alongside big hunks of cheddar

Ixta Belfrage, Yotam Ottolenghi · Ottolenghi FLAVOUR

Give leeks the Ottolenghi treatment with this vegan flavour-packed starter or side of leeks dressed with a miso and chive salsa.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Parsnips, carrots, crackers and cheese: that may sound like the beginning of a witch’s spell, but it’s actually a magical combination of flavours, and an excellent way to use up those leftover scraps. Substitute depending on what you have around – some pesky bits of roast squash, say, brie or gruyere, Mini Cheddars or cream crackers? Anything goes. Serves with a salad

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 · The Guardian

This is a brilliant way to use up any leftover Christmas roast vegetables – you’ll need just under 500g in total. If, however, you’re having to make them from scratch, follow the method below

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

This heartwarming, thick soup is Iran’s answer to minestrone. This wonderfully wholesome and ­nourishing dish is called ash-e reshteh, and it leaves a real smile on your face. I found reshteh noodles at an ­Iranian grocer in London, but linguine will do the job just as well.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Plenty

This lemon and aubergine risotto from Ottolenghi is an impressive dinner party dish, topped with crisp fried aubergine and plenty of Parmesan.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

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 · Sweet

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The star of this cake is the toasted poppy seed brittle that can be made up to a week in advance. The quantities given will make more brittle than you need here, but that makes for a double win. Just pop the excess in a sealed container, then wrap it in ribbon and attach a note saying: “This keeps well for a week – it’s lovely crumbled over yoghurt or porridge, or blitzed to a paste for spreading on toast.” Cake and present. Job done!

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Play around with the type of vinegar you use, if you like: red-wine vinegar works as well as white, balsamic makes it sweeter, while cider vinegar makes it fruitier, for example. My take is light on the sugar, though, so the natural sweetness of the spring vegetables can sing out

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This Hungarian-inspired cake is called rakott palacsinta, and it’s traditionally made with pancakes layered with various combinations of nuts, apricot jam, poppy seeds and chocolate. Here, we include lemon curd, which brings a welcome freshness. Get ahead by making the filling and the pancakes the night before, assemble a few hours before serving

Yotam Ottolenghi

This take on a classic is spruced up with the addition of a vibrant herb oil and wonderfully pillowy dumplings

Yotam Ottolenghi

These warm, lemony potatoes and chard are the perfect accompaniment for a roast. I find it equally delicious, warm or cold. If you like, swap the chard for spinach or other hardy greens

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These biscuits showcase how distinct the texture of semolina is when it’s used in baking: the texture is somehow light but weighty all at the same time. Once made, these will keep in the biscuit tin for up to a week

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 · The Guardian

Serve this just as it is or with slices of leftover ham or turkey; a few cubes of leftover stilton (or other blue cheese), roughly crumbled on top, would make a nice finishing touch, too

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Gözleme is a Turkish staple – a popular street food of stuffed flatbread that’s usually filled with minced lamb or leafy vegetables and herbs. This lentil stuffing is untraditional, but it lends itself well to the buttery, flaky dough. To make this dish vegan, simply go for olive oil instead of butter and omit the feta

Yotam Ottolenghi

It’s easy to think that any dish that involves roasting root veg will always inevitably take a fair bit of time. Butternut squash, however, particularly when sliced thin, is surprisingly quick. Keep the peel on, though: without it, the squash will collapse without it and , plus it’s lovely to eat once roasted. All the elements can be made ahead of time here, ready to put together in a minute

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 · Sweet

Yotam Ottolenghi

This twist on the classic replaces the traditional dill with fragrant lime leaf, coriander and lime zest. Enjoy it as you would regular gravadlax, on toast or blinis, or with eggs

Yotam Ottolenghi

Faloodeh is a popular Persian dessert made with vermicelli and a frozen syrup. Sweet noodles might seem strange to some, but trust me, these cold, sweet and refreshing all at once, and just the thing for a hot day.

Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh · Sweet

Ottolenghi's decadent mini chocolate tarts can be filled with tahini or marmalade. The perfect dessert to delight dinner party guests.

Yotam Ottolenghi · Sweet

This is inspired by (but completely different to!) the ‘Louise’ cake: a hugely popular tea time treat in New Zealand. More of a slice than a cake, it’s traditionally made with a thin cakey bottom, a spread of raspberry jam in the middle and a thin layer of coconut meringue on top. We’ve kept the layers theme but rung a lot of changes.

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 · The Guardian

You might not associate pasta with Middle Eastern food, but this sort of bake is a firm feature on the table, particularly if kids are pulling up a chair. This is a lighter take on a traditional spicy macaroni pasta bake, but no less comforting for it

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

If you want to get ahead, make the onion butter and paté the day before serving

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Ceviche may seem like a dish you’d have in a restaurant, rather than make at home, but do give this a try. It may sound a bit cheffy, but it’s not at all – the only requirement is spanking-fresh mackerel. Feel free to use sea bass or sea bream instead

Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh, Tara Wigley, Verena Lochmuller · Ottolenghi COMFORT

This glorious malted figgy pudding recipe from Ottolenghi includes dried figs, chocolate and malted milk in a rich and gooey sponge - perfect for Christmas.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

These funky-looking cakes are one of Australia’s greatest pastry exports. They are traditionally made with strawberry and chocolate, but this version has been given a tropical lift. Amchur powder can be found in Asian grocery stores, but these cakes are still great without it

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This great make-ahead dessert requires very little hands-on time. If you like, serve it with slices of fresh mango or swap the lime for passion fruit

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This dish extra special and perfect as a fridge-raid midweek meal. Make sure that you use the deeply savoury kind and not the sweet version. Swap the herbs and cashews for whatever herbs and nuts you have at hand

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

Gem lettuce is a wonderful carrier for this mapo tofu-inspired sauce, which works equally well with Chinese or other cabbages, or stirred into noodles, or with steamed fish, or simply served on its own alongside some steamed rice

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, Sami Tamimi · Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Ottolenghi's marinated rack of lamb with coriander and honey works well as a centrepiece for a weekend spread with friends and family.

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

A no-cook, summer meal. Keep a jar of these marinated sardines in your fridge: they’re such a treat to have around for summer evenings, to be eaten just as they are with crusty bread and butter

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, Sami Tamimi · Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

Enjoy Ottolenghi's Marinated Turkey Breast with Cumin, Coriander and White Wine with this simple recipe from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook.

Yotam Ottolenghi

There’s minimum effort and maximum flavour in this traybake main. If you have the time, leave the lamb to marinate overnight, because the flavours will only improve

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

This sandwich takes inspiration from both the Mexican Baja fish taco and the New Orleans po’ boy, but with the very British additions of Marmite and marie rose sauce

Yotam Ottolenghi · The Guardian

The Chinese method of marinating fish or meat in egg white and poaching it is known as velveting. It creates a protective barrier that seals in moisture and keeps the flesh tender, which makes the protein smoother and silkier