• lean1 on December 24, 2018

  I made the Spiced Cherry tomato sauce on p 187. I used multi colored tomatoes and some smoked paprika and it was amazing, and so simple! I used it on toasted bread and it was perfect!

• eliza on September 19, 2018

  My U.K. version of the book arrived today and has a handy code in the back that you can use to register online, giving you access to all the recipes in the book. I think this will be useful to browse recipes while grocery shopping or away from home. It also gives lists of recipes for specific dietary requirements such as vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free etc. A very nice bonus to have.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Braised eggs with leek and za'atar

  • SheilaS on October 08, 2018

    This recipe calls for using both the flesh and skin of a preserved lemon. Between that and the feta cheese, it was too salty for me and the tartness from the lemon completely overpowered the sweetness of the leeks. Next time, I will only use the lemon rind as I usually do. I made extra of the leek/onion mixture so when I reheated it, I just poached the eggs separately and found it much easier to control than cooking them in the vegetables. I served this with the the hot charred cherry tomatoes with cold yogurt on p 70 and it was a great pairing.

  • Astrid5555 on September 16, 2018

    A little bit too lemony for me, I think my preserved lemon was too big. Apart from that quick to make and a delicious brunch dish.

• Courgette and ciabatta frittata

  • jzanger on October 18, 2018

    Super delicious! I only had on hand 1/2 cup of heavy cream and used 2% milk for the rest. I also only had baguette, and using about 2/3 of the amount of ciabatta listed worked just fine. This recipe could be easily played with to adjust herbs and spices. I’ll happily make this again!

  • Astrid5555 on November 10, 2018

    This is a delicious way to use up leftover bread. I made half a recipe for 2 adults and this was plenty. Adding some more vegetables such as spinach and cherry tomatoes would also be lovely. Will make again soon!

  • chaffinski on September 23, 2018

    I made this with full fat cottage cheese rather than milk soaked ciabatta. Served with the tomato carpaccio. Yum.

• Scrambled harissa tofu

  • CallmeIshbel on October 26, 2018

    Use extra firm tofu instead of silken for better texture

• Avocado butter on toast with tomato salsa

  • bwhip on October 19, 2018

    Delicious. The avocado butter was creamy and delicious, with particular brightness from the lime juice. The amount of tarragon and dill called for seemed like quite a bit, so I just sprinkled what seemed like an appropriate amount over the top, and thought it tasted just right.

  • Jane on September 14, 2018

    Not as simple as my usual mashed avo on toast (just lemon, salt and Aleppo pepper added) but this was worth the extra effort. The lime zest and capers in the salsa gave it more zing. I didn't have dill or tarragon so used basil and parsley as the herbs and it was fine. Very nice lunch.

  • Zosia on October 17, 2018

    A very tasty version of avocado toast. The salsa was bright and fresh and the avocado-dill pairing was particularly good. I omitted the butter - the avocado spread was still rich and creamy - and enjoyed it on whole wheat bagels.

• Cornbread with cheddar, feta and jalapeño

  • mgmcewen on November 20, 2018

    This was delicious! We did leave out the red onions because I can't have them, and subbed in shallots.

• Tomato and bread salad with anchovies and capers

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    A different take on the Italian bread and tomato salad. Works well.

• Tomatoes with sumac onions and pine nuts

  • anya_sf on October 25, 2018

    This was good, but not my favorite tomato salad. I'd use fewer shallots next time.

• Cucumber and lamb's lettuce salad

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    A different fresh dressing.

• Burrata with chargrilled grapes and basil

  • anya_sf on December 02, 2018

    I used the full amount of grapes but half of everything else and thought the proportions were good, but I think you could adjust to your own preference or how much you have on hand. My skewers were long and didn't fit on my grill pan, so I used a griddle. I suspect a grill pan (or real grill) would impart even more flavor, but this worked. The combination of flavors was fantastic. The presentation was also quite lovely, making this a good (and easy) option for a dinner party.

• Curried lentil, tomato and coconut soup

  • FJT on November 26, 2018

    Really simple to make and great comfort food on a cold day. I added about two thirds of the water in the recipe and would probably add less next time.

• Pumpkin, saffron and orange soup

  • Boffcat on October 04, 2018

    I made this using butternut squash - the soup has a good texture and a lovely combination of flavours, and the pumpkin seeds are addictive. (Don't ignore the instruction to bake them on parchment though; I cooked them directly in a tin and had to chisel them off as the maple syrup coating had set like cement!)

  • Frogcake on October 21, 2018

    Great flavours here and it’s easy to make. I’m having a devil of a time finding rose harissa in Ottawa Canada. So I used a tablespoon of good quality harissa instead. Still a refreshing, fantastic soup!

• Steamed courgettes with garlic and oregano

  • saarwouters on October 14, 2018

    Easy side dish with subtle and balanced flavours, despite the raw garlic.

• Roasted aubergine with anchovies and oregano

  • saarwouters on September 16, 2018

    Great side dish with lots of flavour! Simple indeed and easy to make ahead.

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    Very easy, superb flavours, a great side dish.

• Grilled beef tomatoes with chilli, garlic and ginger

  • saarwouters on October 14, 2018

    This was absolutely delicious! I used regular tomatoes and white mustard seed. We ate them slightly cooled off, which was great.

  • CallmeIshbel on October 26, 2018

    no beefsteak tomatoes, so used large truss, too much work for not enough flavour, maybe slow roasting would have made a difference

• Hot charred cherry tomatoes with cold yoghurt

  • saarwouters on September 16, 2018

    Delicious! A nice alternative to the tomato/mozzarella side dish. The combination of the hot juicy tomatoes and the fresh tangy yoghurt worked really well. I would add a few more tomatoes the next time.

  • cultus.girl on October 27, 2018

    Outstanding dish.

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    Love this fabulous dish. Served as a starter with brushetta.

  • SheilaS on October 08, 2018

    I served this with the braised eggs with leek and za'atar on p6 and these tomatoes were the star of the plate. Super easy and delicious!

• Tomato, chard and spinach with toasted almonds

  • Zosia on October 19, 2018

    The base tomato-chard recipe is good but the finishing touches of fresh spinach and herbs, the juice and zest of some limes, and toasted almonds make it quite special. I made the tomato-chard mixture the night before and reheated it just before it was needed, adding the remaining ingredients at the very end. I served it hot with the book's seeded chicken schnitzel.

• Fried broccoli and kale with garlic, cumin and lime

  • Jojobuch on November 13, 2018

    Used Cavolo Nero instead of kale; all in all very flavourful

  • cjross on October 21, 2018

    Quite good, very flavorful. Would make again.

  • elnicky on January 06, 2019

    Enjoyed this a great deal, but don’t think it’s as good as the chargrilled broccoli, garlic and chilli recipe. Made the garlic compote for the oil (from the roast potato recipe in the book) to make sure it had a strong garlic flavour and a bit of crunch with the chopped up cloves. Also added some crushed cashews at the beginning of cooking as was cooking as a main so thought it would need some more protein (and crunch). These modifications worked very well. Cooked and ground the cumin – don’t like eating whole cumin seeds. Didn’t have lime juice so used half the quantity of white wine vinegar. While this was an adequate substitute, the lime juice would have improved it a great deal. The kale soaked up all the oil before the broccoli was added, so would recommend adding the final third when adding the broccoli. My broccoli wasn’t cooked through quite as much as I’d have liked, but perhaps I didn’t cut the florets quite small enough.

• Mustard-marinated kale with asparagus

  • CallmeIshbel on October 26, 2018

    Used baby kale and broadbeans, really tasty dish

• Roasted asparagus with almonds, capers and dill

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    A lovely combination. Works well as a side with fish.

  • FJT on November 06, 2018

    Really tasty recipe.

• Cavolo nero with chorizo and preserved lemon

  • JennyHay on October 27, 2018

    Very delicious. I added fat juicy scallops to this, fried quickly in the same pan, just before the chorizo was cooked. I will try it again with spinach for a lighter, more summery dish.

  • Foodycat on November 09, 2018

    Really delicious - I used it as a topping for baked sweet potatoes.

• Garry's stir-fried cabbage with garlic and chilli

  • cjross on October 21, 2018

    As the description says, this is a quick way to eat a lot of cabbage!

• Cauliflower, pomegranate and pistachio salad

  • JennyHay on October 28, 2018

    A fabulous combination and very easy to put together. I have substituted barberries for the pomegranate seeds which also worked very well.

  • Frogcake on October 20, 2018

    This was a big hit with my family. Lots of great, diverse textures and tastes that come together nicely with the simple dressing. Would definitely make this again.

  • anya_sf on December 13, 2018

    Not being a fan of raw cauliflower, I was skeptical but tried this recipe based on the good reviews. It was fantastic! I didn't have tarragon, so I just used parsley and mint. Unusual combination of ingredients, but it really works.

• Mustardy cauliflower cheese

  • Frogcake on October 21, 2018

    Delicious! Great flavours in this unique cauliflower recipe! I used fresh, homemade breadcrumbs - Didn’t have enough cheddar so I used grated Asiago in the crumble.

  • lou_weez on September 26, 2018

    Delicious!! The addition of mustard and spices elevated this from the standard cauliflower cheese. Definitely making this again.

  • Foodycat on September 25, 2018

    Reminds me a lot of a Madhur Jaffrey recipe that I really like. I tasted after adding the cheese, and added the same quantity again, and that was about right to make it taste cheesy against all the spice. Delicious, and very rich.

  • Lsblackburn1 on November 10, 2018

    Used one large Anaheim chili, which was great. Omitted the breadcrumbs since I served it with the chicken with croutons. Nice pairing!

• Chickpeas and Swiss chard with yoghurt

  • CallmeIshbel on October 26, 2018

    Delicious side dish, used cashew tofu yoghurt sauce and purple carrots

  • JennyHay on October 28, 2018

    Loved this as a side dish served with lamb.

• Slow-cooked runner beans in tomato sauce

  • lou_weez on October 14, 2018

    I had a hankering for slow cooked beans and rustled these up. The subtle warmth from the spices is lovely with the beans. I am imagining reheating the leftovers for lunch tomorrow and cracking in an egg just because I think it would be great.

• Avocado and broad bean mash

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    A perfect summer dip with a difference. I also served the butterbean mash with muhammara (page 107). They went very well together with lots of brushetta and the colours looked great.

• Butterbean mash with muhammara

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    A very tasty dip indeed. I did remove the skins of the capsicum, because I like the smoothness and I like the smokey flavour it adds. I also served the Avocado and broad bean mash (page 106). They went very well together with lots of brushetta and the colours looked great.

• Two bean and two lime salad

  • PQPantry on December 30, 2018

    Peas add a sweeter note to the dish vs edamame. Go easy on the green chili - used 1 large jalapeño instead of 2 small - it overwhelmed the dish. Visually a very attractive dish. Followed recipe very closely, sadly not a hit with the family and guests.

• Brussels sprouts with burnt butter and black garlic

  • VineTomato on October 18, 2018

    First time I've cooked with black garlic and wasn't sure I would enjoy it. What a wonderful dish, the pumpkin seeds are a genius element.

  • Astrid5555 on October 26, 2018

    Husband liked it a lot in combination with the Chicken Marbella dish. I however am not so sure about the black garlic taste (first time I cooked with it). Did not have any sunflower seeds, substituted sesame seeds instead.

  • Silverscreensuppers on December 19, 2018

    The crack cocaine of Brussels sprouts - absolutely DELICIOUS!

  • Rutabaga on December 23, 2018

    This dish packs a lot of flavor for how simple and quick it is to make. Surprisingly, my seven-year-old, who has previously disdained Brussels sprouts, ate more than anyone. For black garlic, I used black garlic "molasses", which is actually a syrup made solely from black garlic cloves. It made preparing the black garlic sauce especially easy.

• Roasted baby carrots with harissa and pomegranate

  • saarwouters on September 16, 2018

    Easy and very delicious! Just mix everything toghether and put it in the oven. The kids loved this too.

  • Frogcake on October 28, 2018

    Excellent! I roasted a huge pile of carrots and sweet potato wedges (I doubled the recipe for the sweet potato), and they were gobbled up between the three of us with rave reviews. ( I was hoping to send leftovers back with my son. ) Served with grilled steaks and a lovely sprouts salad. ( I finally found some rose harissa in st Jovite!)

  • anya_sf on December 03, 2018

    The carrots were delicious; the rose harissa wasn't too spicy for my son. While the pomegranate seeds went fine with the carrots, I'm not sure they added that much, so I wouldn't hesitate to make this again without the pomegranate.

  • cjross on October 21, 2018

    Would absolutely make this again soon. Used agave instead of honey since I was feeding it to my baby and didn't have cilantro so I used mint. Nice easy recipe.

  • kateroni on December 28, 2018

    Delicious! Love the sweet from the honey and spicy rose harissa. Have made multiple times already. Made once without pomegranate seeds and didn't really miss them.

• Carrot salad with yoghurt and cinnamon

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    A very easy side for any meat. I served the yoghurt mix in a separate bowl as one guest was lactose intolerant. It still worked a treat.

• Roasted butternut squash with lentils and Dolcelatte

  • lilham on January 10, 2019

    Mr lilham and I both liked this but the children (7 and 4) weren’t convinced. They pulled faces and made exaggerated gagging noises at both the dolcelatte and the squash.

  • sosayi on December 01, 2018

    Absolutely delicious and fairly easy recipe to prep. I subbed a Gorgonzola for the dolcelatte and added a tablespoon or so more lemon juice, but followed the recipe fairly exactly otherwise. As a main course, this made two substantial portions. We’ll make this again for sure.

• Butternut squash with sweetcorn salsa, feta and pumpkin seeds

  • e_ballad on November 29, 2018

    Corn & butternut squash wouldn’t be a combination that would typically spring to mind, but this was delicious!

• Whole-roasted celeriac with coriander seed oil

  • mgmcewen on November 23, 2018

    A nice way to cook celeriac though it looks pitiful

• Aromatic olive oil mash

  • Frogcake on November 25, 2018

    We really enjoyed this mash, which I served with grilled flank steak. It’s very tasty and lighter than our usual fully-loaded mashed potato recipe. Will repeat. The drizzle would be lovely on any grilled vegetables also.

• Sweet potato mash with lime salsa

  • Frogcake on January 02, 2019

    This recipe proves you don’t need to do too much to sweet potatoes to make a delicious side. Loved the salsa with the roasted sweet potato. I drizzled the roasting oil into the mash and used all cilantro as I didn’t have any basil.

  • kitchen_chick on October 25, 2018

    Delicious combination of flavors, though I did a bit of substitution. I didn't have any fresh basil, so I used mint. Also, the recipe is a bit odd. It calls for 2 limes, but then specifies only 2 tsp of lime zest and 1 Tbs of lime juice. Just how small are his limes? One Persian lime can yield around 4 Tbs of juice and plenty of zest. I ended up using 2 Tbs of juice (and the zest) - so one half of a lime. Finally, my roasted sweet potatoes were a bit stringy/fibrous even after mashing. I think it'd be easier to get a smoother texture by peeling, slicing, and steaming the slices until soft. (Though you don't end up with the roasted skins that can be used in another recipe.)

  • FJT on November 06, 2018

    Absolutely delicious!

  • anya_sf on November 20, 2018

    I didn't have basil, so I doubled the cilantro. I'm not a huge fan of sweet potatoes (too sweet), but the lime salsa really balanced the flavor nicely. I roasted the sweet potatoes ahead and reheated the mash in the microwave.

• Spinach and Gorgonzola-stuffed jacket potatoes

  • anya_sf on December 03, 2018

    I baked the potatoes and made the filling ahead of time, then stuffed and reheated them at 350 for 30-40 min. Skipped the walnuts as they were a side dish and didn't need to be richer. My family loved them. I agree that some garlic or chives would be a nice addition.

  • Foodycat on September 23, 2018

    I bought cream and forgot to add it. Didn't miss it! Would have benefitted from a bit of garlic or some chives beaten in to the potato, but otherwise lovely. And half a potato is definitely plenty for a side dish.

• Oven chips with oregano and feta

  • riley on November 25, 2018

    I was disappointed with this recipe. Really thought it would be a favorite. Little too salty (I'm a salt addict) and a little too much oregano. The individual ingredients are flavors I love, but it just didn't sing when combined. Edible, not terrible, but not going to crave.

• Shallow-fried potatoes with rosemary and sumac

  • Zosia on November 05, 2018

    I'm not rating this recipe as I didn't follow the method, oven-roasting the potatoes instead. My family loves garlicky, herby, crispy potatoes and really enjoyed the bright citrus tang the sumac brought to this classic combination.

• Harissa and confit garlic roast potatoes

  • Frogcake on October 25, 2018

    So good. Made garlic confit in advance. (Note to self: make double for other uses). I would be very happy eating just these potatoes for supper with a bit of tahini mayo on the side.

• Sweet potato chips

  • Frogcake on October 20, 2018

    Delicious crunchy coating! I’ve also used this on Yukon gold wedges.

  • cjross on October 19, 2018

    Yummy. The polenta added a nice crunch. I felt the garlic tasted burnt and would use garlic powder next time. Appreciated the directions on how to make this ahead of time.

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    Good flavours, but not crispy enough for me.

• New potatoes with peas and coriander

  • Lepa on December 01, 2018

    This was not very good and certainly not worth all the extra effort.

• Pizza bianca with potato, anchovy and sage

  • Rutabaga on December 08, 2018

    This pizza is absolutely delicious. What makes it simple, in my opinion, is that the different components can be easily prepared in advance. I doubled the recipe, which was just the right amount to make one big pizza using a half sheet pan. Possibly because of the size, it took almost 20 minutes to fully bake. Since my potatoes had started to turn green, I peeled them. Even though I weighed them after peeling to be sure I had the right amount, I felt I could have used just a little more. I also used only about half the amount of sage called for, as I was afraid the flavor would be overpowering. But in retrospect, I think the full amount would have been fine, as it was pretty mild. I didn't have anchovies, but used a couple of tablespoons of leftover anchovy oil from the jar.

• Buckwheat and French bean salad

  • anya_sf on October 22, 2018

    I couldn't find tarragon so I doubled the mint. The salad was quite good. Don't skip the yogurt dressing, as it really makes the dish. We didn't want it spicy so we omitted the chili flakes and I didn't miss them.

• Couscous, cherry tomato and herb salad

  • Lepa on October 23, 2018

    This was fussy to pull together and completely lacking in flavor. I took it to a book club and nobody ate much. The dish needed more flavor, more dressing and probably some acid or cheese to bring the flavors together. As written, it's a bit of a dud.

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    I really loved this combination for couscous. The ras el hanout I use has nice bite which adds to the dish. It was even better the next day heated slightly. I served it with the Lamb and Feta Meatballs (page 204)

• Puy lentil and aubergine stew

  • EmmaJaneDay on October 15, 2018

    Oh my, this was divine. Even my DH, who does not like lentils, nor does he like eggplant, thought this was delicious! I'm afraid to try this a second time for fear it won't taste as good!!

• Bulgur with tomato, aubergine and lemon yoghurt

  • bwhip on October 22, 2018

    We enjoyed this very much. Unusual and delicious. Easy prep.

  • Jane on November 03, 2018

    I really liked this. It’s not a quick meal but not complicated at all. I thought when tasting the bulghur that the allspice dominated too much but with the other elements it was good. The preserved lemon and mint yogurt really makes the dish. I didn’t salt the yogurt as preserved lemon is already salty. If serving this as a vegetarian main course I would make 50% more eggplant.

• Bulgur with mushrooms and feta

  • Lepa on September 24, 2018

    This was pretty good but I didn't love it.

  • saarwouters on September 16, 2018

    Wonderful hearty dish with warm autumn flavours. Never ate bulghur like this before. I did add a bit more of the feta cheese.

• Puy lentils with aubergine, tomatoes and yoghurt

  • FJT on November 11, 2018

    This was delicious; used marjoram instead of oregano because that is what I had on hand. Will definitely make again.

• Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa

  • jaelsne on November 25, 2018

    I enjoyed this dish, but did not find it as flavorful as I had hoped. The rice preparation was certainly easy, and the rice came out perfectly done. I followed the recipe to the letter, but next time I’ll play with the salsa ingredients a little.

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    This is a super easy method to prepare rice. I loved the combination of ingredients. Perfect with slow roasted lamb shoulder as part of a middle eastern feast.

  • CallmeIshbel on October 26, 2018

    Easy to prepare ahead, lovely subtle mint flavour infused in the rice. Salsa would go well as a side dish or with other grains and legumes

• Pasta alla Norma

  • nadiakoj on December 04, 2018

    Fabulous dish. One of the best pasta dishes we've had at home

  • anya_sf on October 27, 2018

    I baked the eggplant a day ahead. Tossing eggplant with olive oil in a bowl coats it unevenly; it's more work, but brushing with oil works better - however, it didn't seem to matter in the final dish. The only mild chile I had was a large pasilla, so I tore a couple of pieces off and simmered them with the tomatoes, then removed them with the oregano stems. Used 12 oz spaghetti. This recipe is unusual in that the eggplant remains in slices and the tomatoes whole, but somehow it works. My family devoured this.

  • Zosia on December 12, 2018

    Very tasty and quite doable on a busy weeknight. I particularly liked the treatment of the eggplant.

  • Astrid5555 on October 18, 2018

    One of the best pasta alla Norma recipes I have cooked so far. Eggplants are baked in the oven separately and then added to the finished tomato sauce. Used Aleppo pepper flakes for additional smokiness and topped the pasta with some leftover feta cheese I happened to have in the fridge. Husband was very happy ;-)!

• Fettuccine with spiced cherry tomato sauce

  • lean1 on December 24, 2018

    Very easy. Use fresh basil.

• Pappardelle with rose harissa, black olives and capers

  • Astrid5555 on September 15, 2018

    Most delicious pasta dish I have cooked in years. Halved the recipe but only used one third of the rose harissa paste. Had just the right spiciness for us. Husband licked the plate and then we fought over the leftover sauce. Can‘t wait to make this again.

  • lilham on October 17, 2018

    An unusual take on a tomato pasta, but absolutely delicious. I used linguine instead of a flat pasta and tinned tomatoes instead of fresh.

  • Rutabaga on January 04, 2019

    This is good, although I think I like the chickpea and pasta recipe from this book better. I used about two tablespoons of rose harissa, and it was only mildly spicy, yet still too spicy for the kids. Fortunately, I addressed that concern by setting some plain pasta aside for them. Soft goat cheese is also good on the pasta if you aren't using yogurt.

• Gigli with chickpeas and za'atar

  • Rutabaga on December 23, 2018

    I really liked this dish, and found it very flavorful. While I only used about half the amount of anchovies called for, that added just the right amount of umami without overwhelming the other ingredients. You could omit them and still have a good, full-flavored dish. I left out the spinach since I didn't have any on hand. The three-year-old loved it, but oddly my seven-year-old ate the chickpeas but declined to eat the pasta. I did as Ottolenghi suggested and made the chickpeas in advance, then reheated them while the pasta cooked. I also added a squeeze of lemon to finish the dish.

  • Jojobuch on November 14, 2018

    Interesting combination but I would add more zaatar, as otherwise it can be a bit bland

  • SheilaS on November 21, 2018

    I was generous with the seasonings and felt the cooking method did a great job infusing flavor into the canned chickpeas, which can be very bland. I also used about 3X times the amount of spinach. If I try this again, I will likely add lots more greens, skip the pasta and serve this with pita or flatbread.

• Orzo with prawns, tomato and marinated feta

  • Zosia on October 18, 2018

    This was quick and tasty but there was a little too much fennel for me and I couldn't detect the orange at all. I think I would prefer it with half the fennel and perhaps with some grated orange zest stirred in with the basil at the end.

  • nadiakoj on December 04, 2018

    Really simple (!) dish but the fennel was a little too strong. Will half the amount mixed in with the feta next time.

  • bwhip on December 21, 2018

    This was very tasty, and easy to put together quickly on a weeknight. I scaled back the fennel to three teaspoons based on some of the feedback from other reviewers, and it seemed just right to me.

  • lou_weez on September 27, 2018

    Considering I didn't feel like cooking dinner, this was a delicious, super easy, one pan dish, that I'm really glad I made. I thought the fennel would overpower everything but it was lovely against the sweetness of the prawns.

• Lamb and feta meatballs

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    Delicious simple meatballs. I served them with the Couscous Cherry Tomato and Herb Salad (page 158). Perfect together.

  • Astrid5555 on September 14, 2018

    As promised quick and easy to make, great to make ahead. Made 40 little meatballs as canapés, which were gone within minutes. Delicious!

• Lamb siniyah

  • Boffcat on October 04, 2018

    Delicious. I wondered at first whether there might be an omission in the recipe - it tells you to "bring to a boil" and then simmer a mixture that contains no liquid - but the tomatoes gave off plenty of liquid as the dish cooked.

• Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with mint and cumin

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    I used the marinade paste only, and didn't include the vegetables. Flavours were superb. This is now my new go to marinade for slow roasted lamb shoulder.

• Beef meatballs with lemon and celeriac

  • jaelsne on October 19, 2018

    I had been very excited about trying this recipe. I followed it to the letter, but I was disappointed with the result. The quantity of bread crumbs overwhelmed the meatballs and made them somewhat crumbly. I will make it again using fewer bread crumbs. I love celery root, and the spicing was interesting.

  • bwhip on October 19, 2018

    We made this tonight and we really loved it. The meatballs were excellent, and the celery root was delicious and cooked perfectly. The broth had a perfect combination of flavors, with brightness from the lemon and a really interesting blend of spices. The dish was remarkably flavorful for something that came together pretty quickly.

• Ricotta and oregano meatballs

  • Silverscreensuppers on December 04, 2018

    I thought these were delicious. Boyfriend made the sauce while I made the meatballs which was fun. I used breadcrumbs from homemade walnut bread which gave the balls a perfect texture I thought. Yummy!

  • cultus.girl on October 27, 2018

    This is a lovely recipe with beautiful flavour. Next time I would use breadcrumbs made from Italian bread which have a bit of “body”. My balls were a little crumbly.

  • kateroni on December 28, 2018

    I made this for dinner for my husband and young kiddos, and it was a huge hit! Possibly our most favourite new recipe we've tried in months. The meatballs were a great texture, and the sauce was delicious. Bookmarking it as solid recipe to serve guests (as I can do most of the prep etc in advance, have the meatballs and sauce ready to cook before guests come).

• Spring roast chicken with preserved lemon

  • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

    Simple to prepare and the flavours are subtle. I used a different roasting method.

• Chicken Marbella

  • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

    I enjoyed this dish but I expected more, given the ingredients and the long marinating time. I will make again but not score the meat, as I thought it dried the chicken too much.

  • Astrid5555 on October 26, 2018

    Can be made ahead and just popped into the oven. Used date syrup instead of date molasses (not sure if they are the same). Loved the combination of dates and olives baked in the oven. Very happy husband.

  • Foodycat on September 25, 2018

    I used pomegranate molasses instead of date molasses or treacle. Given all the big flavours in this, it's actually quite subtle. And very nice.

  • anya_sf on November 20, 2018

    I've only had this dish made with prunes before, never dates, and surprisingly really enjoyed the dates here. I used all chicken thighs and substituted pomegranate molasses for date. Delicious, will definitely make again.

• Chicken with miso, ginger and lime

  • Astrid5555 on September 30, 2018

    The marinade is divine, but made without chillies for the kids! Very little hands-on time needed, served with potatoes. Loved the spring onions!

• Pork with ginger, spring onion and aubergine

  • Astrid5555 on October 15, 2018

    Excellent! I made my own kecap manis by boiling down regular soy sauce with palm sugar and added the eggplants to the sauce to flavor them some more after steaming. Very quick to make and weeknight friendly, two thumbs up by the whole family.

  • Foodycat on November 13, 2018

    I was sceptical about steaming the aubergines - I've tried it before and they haven't cooked properly - but these were lovely. Really silky, and the skins became very tender. The pork sauce is delicious, really punchy.

  • anya_sf on November 13, 2018

    I added some green beans to steam with the eggplant, adding them halfway through cooking. The vegetables needed a bit of extra salt. The pork was super flavorful and great with the vegetables (which would be quite plain on their own). We ate this with steamed rice and it was delicious.

• Seeded chicken schnitzel

  • mgmcewen on October 21, 2018

    We've made this twice and love it! The coating mix though makes waaay too much coating for the number of chicken breasts. I recommend starting with half for dipping so if you don't use it all you can save to use in the future.

  • Zosia on October 19, 2018

    Family really enjoyed this variation on a schnitzel. The coating was very crisp and nutty and delicious but it was also more involved than I anticipated and it took me quite a bit longer than 30 min to get this dish to table; I think the suggestion to make the breadcrumb mixture to keep on hand is a good one. My 4 chicken breasts weighed 1100g, almost double what the recipe states but there was enough coating for all. I served this with the tomato, chard and spinach dish from the same book.

  • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

    I used chicken tenderloins which worked well. A lovely crunchy coating.

• Slow-cooked chicken with a crisp corn crust

  • bwhip on October 20, 2018

    Very delicious, with rich flavor that just melts in your mouth. Our corn crust was more like a souffle than crispy, but still a lovely complement to the chicken stew below. The recipe takes a while to make (hence the title "slow cooked"), but it's not a difficult prep at all. Served it with a simple green salad as suggested.

  • mgmcewen on November 03, 2018

    We couldn't get the crust to work but the chicken was delicious. I guess we needed a mixer to really get the egg whites right, tried doing it by hand.

• Bridget Jones's pan-fried salmon with pine nut salsa

  • sosayi on November 27, 2018

    Another positive review for this recipe! Very easy to put together and the salsa can successfully be made in advance. I added the chopped parsley and lemon zest right before serving and took it out a few minutes early to come back to room temperature. Served with roasted berbere carrots and some basic parmesan risotto, this was a fabulous dinner.

  • anya_sf on October 22, 2018

    We all enjoyed this, even my celery-hating husband. There was way more salsa than we needed. I'd reduce the currants and olive oil next time.

  • Frogcake on October 21, 2018

    We loved the salsa which I served with bbq’d tuna steaks. I didn’t have any capers so used chopped pimiento stuffed chopped olives and a bit of the brine.

  • MmeFleiss on October 27, 2018

    I halved all the salsa ingredients and it was perfect for the stated amount of salmon.

  • sarahj22 on November 02, 2018

    This was delicious and came together very quickly. I made a few substitutions based on what I had (raisins instead of currants, a mix of parsley and coriander instead of just parsley, cut back on the oil) but it still turned out beautifully. The recipe does make a generous amount of salsa but I liked the large portion.

  • saarwouters on October 14, 2018

    An original way to serve salmon. A combination of Italian and Middle-Eastern flavours. Comes together very easily.

  • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

    I enjoyed the flavours of the salsa very much, but next time I won't serve it as a main because I think the salmon and salsa should be served on their own, not with any other dishes. I'll try breaking up the salmon into pieces and add the salsa and serve it as a stand alone salad, as an entree or a light lunch.

  • sharifah on October 02, 2018

    Very flavourful salsa to go with salmon. I halved the recipe for two, quite a generous amount of salsa. It’s simpler than I thought even though it looks like a long list of ingredients. I cut down on the oil a little bit. The salsa can probably be made in advance...I’ll try that next time.

  • lilham on November 27, 2018

    This is a huge success in our house. The salsa is unusual but so delicious with salmon. I agree with other posters who say there is a lot of salsa for the amount of salmon. I will make 1/2 to 2/3 the quantity next time.

  • saladdays on January 05, 2019

    We really enjoyed this, I agree that there was a lot of salsa but that was no bad thing as it is delicious! This could become a well-loved recipe.

  • TrishaCP on December 31, 2018

    We liked this but clearly not as much as everyone else! It was good but not my favorite preparation for salmon.

• Roasted trout with tomato, orange and barberry salsa

  • Astrid5555 on January 01, 2019

    So simple, quick and delicious. Used whole seabream instead of trout. The salsa takes this dish to another level! Yum!

• Chilli fish with tahini

  • Astrid5555 on December 30, 2018

    Used cod, smoked sweet paprika and Aleppo pepper flakes, served with rice. Especially liked the tahini sauce on top. Delicious and very quick to make, will make again!

  • VineTomato on September 30, 2018

    So simple! This came together in under 30 minutes. Unlike Jamie’s 30 minute meals that take an hour and a half! I used cod, but can imagine halibut being totally delish! This is a great week night dinner, but ... it needs something on the side. I had planned for just the fish, luckily we had some quick cook rice (due to a bad carb meltdown!) in the cupboard. It went perfectly, I wonder what a healthier accompaniment may be?

  • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

    Not really a fan of this one.

  • Lepa on September 24, 2018

    This is pretty good but a friend remarked that it wasn't quite as good as the tomato seafood stew (with feta) that is in Jerusalem. I instantly realized she was right and we added some feta on this dish (and left off the tahini) and it was much better.

• Fishcake tacos with mango, lime and cumin yoghurt

  • lou_weez on October 29, 2018

    Used lemon as I didn't have any limes and also served with lettuce. Nice enough for a summer meal and I would make it again because it was so quick and easy.

  • cjross on October 24, 2018

    Used tilapia for the fish. Turned out well. Would make again.

• Charred prawn, sweetcorn and tomato salad

  • Foodycat on October 06, 2018

    I used fresh corn on the cob and cooked all the elements on a charcoal grill. I'm in two minds about it really. The charred prawns, sweetcorn and tomatoes were very good but the dressing was a bit aggressive. I think I would have preferred basil instead of oregano.

• Rose harissa chickpeas with flaked cod

  • jenniebakes on November 02, 2018

    This is an excellent dish - inexpensive, and by my reckoning actually simple, but with complex flavors. I made it using regular harissa, as I haven't found a source for rose harissa yet, but it was still savory and delicious. Unfortunately nobody else in my house will eat it, but I'll definitely make it again for lunch for myself - possibly regularly.

• Sweet and salty cheesecake with cherries

  • BasicStock on October 26, 2018

    Delicious! I was craving cheesecake, and this was a very satisfactory substitute, cheesecake deconstructed. Made it all the day before. I leaned more heavily on the cherries and would make double the amount for one quantity of the cheesecake mixture. Agree that there is a lot of crumble and half the amount would have worked. Both crumble and cherry leftovers would be great with yogurt for breakfast though!

  • Foodycat on September 30, 2018

    It's a very good combination, and even though there are several components they are all pretty easy to bring together. But while it says it serves 6-8, the cheesecake component served 5, the cherries 6 and we will be eating the nutty crumble topping for weeks to come. So next time I will make 1.5 quantities of the cheesecake and half the crumble. I will make it again though, my husband asked for seconds which is very unusual.

  • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

    I loved the crumble and the compote very much. Unusual flavours, perfect for a special occasion given that it can all be made well ahead. I found the feta in the cheesecake too lumpy so I substituted with the Set Cheesecake recipe from Plenty More. A delicious dessert with a difference.

• Vanilla custard with roasted strawberries and rhubarb

  • lilham on September 30, 2018

    A simple and delicious pudding for children, and anyone who loves custard. I used frozen rhubarb instead of fresh. The recipe was written for 8-10 people. I made half for 3 adults, a 7 and a 3 year old. Ottolenghi must eat very small portions of pudding. We could have done with a full recipe between 5 of us.

• Blueberry, almond and lemon cake

  • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

    I have many good blueberry and lemon cake recipes but this one is a standout. Superb.

  • bwhip on October 27, 2018

    This cake turned out great for us. A lovely combination of sweetness and lemony flavor. Unusual method - baking at 400 degrees, and after 15 minutes you put more blueberries on top of the cake (which makes a lot of sense, so they don't all sink to bottom). The temperature gives the cake a nice brown and crispy perimeter. Delicious.

• Spiced apple cake

  • Frogcake on January 01, 2019

    Really delicious! My cake looked exactly like the picture. So simple to make - it baked for 65 minutes while we consumed other courses. I added a teaspoon of freshly grated orange rind to the dough and this enhanced the flavour nicely. I served small portions, warm, with gelato for New Year’s Eve dinner and everyone ate the rest of the cake (still fragrant and moist) for breakfast.

  • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

    Easy, had all ingredients on hand. Delicious served warm, with double cream.

  • Astrid5555 on October 06, 2018

    Perfect apple cake for a chilly fall afternoon! Reduced the demerara sugar for the apples to 100g, still too much for coating the apples. Will reduce next time to 80g. Recipe states to bake for 60-65 minutes, I took mine out of the oven after 80 minutes. Dough underneath the apples was still a little custardy, but a longer baking time would have resulted in a dry cake. Everbody loved it!

  • RosieB on September 16, 2018

    This cake was easy and delicious. It looked stunning.

• Mint and pistachio chocolate fridge cake

  • kitchen_chick on October 27, 2018

    Great chocolate dessert. When first mixing the ingredients, it seemed like the chocolate sauce barely coated the graham crackers-nut-fruit mix and made a loose matrix of a "cake", but the graham crackers swell while the cake is setting in the fridge and helps create the solid bars when fully set. I know some people really don't like raisins. You can use other fruit, but I also found the raisins fairly unobtrusive.

• What's Gaby Cooking by Gaby Dalkin

  ...one of my favorite authors of all times. His books are always beautiful but sometimes complicated. Not this one, it delivers on simple recipes that you’ll love making it your kitchen!

  Full review

• Two Peas and Their Pod

  I love all of the Ottolenghi cookbooks and this one is awesome because it focuses on simplicity!

  Full review

• The Kitchn

  The recipes have 10 ingredients or fewer, some can be made ahead, they're short on time, and they lean on a well-stocked pantry.

  Full review

• Food52

  A simple, make-ahead menu from Ottolenghi’s latest cookbook.

  Full review

• The Kitchn

  7 reasons why Ottolenghi's new cookbook is the best thing to happen to weeknight dinner.

  Full review

• Food52

  ...it’s also an ode to the weeknight dinner (or the morning-of brunch, or the fuss-free dinner party): 130 recipes with short ingredient lists, speedy prep and cook times, and maximal punch.

  Full review

• The Kitchn

  Fans of this master of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine will be pleased to learn that you can cook like Ottolenghi in under 30 minutes or in one pot (!!!) without skimping on flavor.

  Full review

• Food52

  Picked for Food52's November 2018 Cookbook Club.

  Full review