Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi

  • Braised eggs with leek and za'atar
    • Categories: Egg dishes; Quick / easy; Breakfast / brunch; Suppers; Cooking ahead; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: leeks; cumin seeds; preserved lemons; vegetable stock; baby spinach; eggs; feta cheese; za'atar
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Notes about this book

  • 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

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • wester on March 26, 2019

      Per the other reviewers I halved the amount of lemon and paired it with charred tomatoes with yoghurt. I also left out the feta and forgot the za'atar. The end result was very good; the pairing with the tomatoes, in particular, was wonderful and made for a light yet filling and exquisitely flavoured vegetarian dinner. Next time I will slightly increase the amount of lemon again and think of the za'atar.

    • Ro_ on May 15, 2020

      For two people I halved the leeks and spinach, used 4 eggs and 2/3rds of a preserved lemon: this seemed about right. I liked the balance of flavours from the lemon, feta, leeks and za'atar. I found it a bit tricky to get the egg whites cooked without overdoing the yolks. Overall I liked this recipe, but it felt more like a lunch than a breakfast. Good shout from another commenter to pair it with the tomato and yoghurt recipe, I can see that working well. It needs bread too (I did toast).

    • Popisdead on June 06, 2020

      Would think about adding some chorizo or crumbled sausage, and chilli. But otherwise a good brunch dish.

    • twoyolks on January 12, 2021

      I thought this was good except that the cumin flavor was strong and didn't work well with the other flavors.

    • FJT on December 16, 2021

      I thought this was lovely and would have given it 4 stars; my husband really didn't like it and would score it as just 1 or 2 stars. I settled on 3!

    • Ganga108 on January 01, 2022

      Lovely and unusual. I don't cook with eggs so added burrata to the leeks instead.

    • pomegranate on May 19, 2022

      This is delicious. I cooked lemon slices in salted lemon juice on the skillet for a few minutes as a substitute for preserved lemon.

    • rmardel on February 14, 2023

      Truly delicious. Made a reduced recipe as part of a fridge clean-out. Did not have quite enough leek, proportionally, so added scallions cut in thin strips. I will do this again as I believe the complexity boost provided by two different alliums, the scallions being slightly more peppery, added to the dish. I also used a light chicken broth instead of vegetable stock. The layering of flavors and the braising liquid enhance the flavor of the eggs. This is a great pantry breakfast or light supper for me so will certainly be making again.

    • Babycarrot on May 28, 2023

      Super delicious new breakfast recipe that I’ll be adding to my rotation. The preserved lemon was just right (I could have maybe even used a whole small one). I didn’t have enough leek so I also used some scallion which was fine and also subbed chicken stock for veggie. I would say make sure you take enough time to simmer off the liquid or else run the risk of it being a bit soupy, which is fine as long as you have some bread to soak up the extra liquid. It’s important to really make indentations so the egg whites cook. I agree with another commenter that my whites took longer to cook and some of the yolk ended up being well done which honestly was fine w the soupier nature of the broth. Will make again!

    • EmilyR on October 24, 2023

      I have the British edition of this book and did everything by weight with the exception of reducing the leeks a bit. I have a lemon egg recipe that I like and it still reigns supreme for me. This is a pretty and quick dish but not my favorite baked eggs.

    • Hansyhobs on April 08, 2024

      I really like this

    • gootenbeez on August 17, 2025

      Delicious even with A LOT of substitutions. I used New York Shuk's preserved lemon paste, a can of spinach because I didn't have fresh and onions because I don't usually have leeks in the fridge. Will be adding this to me rotation of egg dishes!

    • Tomato on November 30, 2025

      This is a brilliant recipe. Didn't have enough feta, so added a little sour cream. Used powdered stock and it was fine.

    • sasha_49lk98 on February 09, 2026

      Come back to this recipe again and again. Love it so much. This time around I ran out of preserved lemon so I substituted dried lime (which I pulverized in a slice grinder) and it hit the spot.

  • Harissa and Manchego omelettes

    • wester on March 16, 2019

      My trusty Turkish shopkeeper said rose harissa could be made by mixing normal harissa and rose water. I used about a teaspoon of harissa and half a teaspoon of rose water per omelet, and this was good for me, but it would still have been too spicy for the children. I really would not have been able to eat this with the amount of harissa given in the recipe, although the redness of the book photo does suggest they did mean this amount. With the reduced amount of harissa it is a good omelet, worth adding to the repertoire. The rose flavor was noticable but not too strong. Any meltable cheese would work here, I do not think it is necessary to use Manchego.

    • Charlotte_vandenberg on May 02, 2020

      Everybody loved this, even our 18-month old! Seems like a good idea to make the mixture ahead and have this as a lunch after a walk in autumn or winter with some toasted bread. Pretty heavy as a breakfast even when reducing the eggs to 2 per person.

    • DePollepel on November 21, 2021

      delicious, also serves as full meal in summer

    • pomegranate on September 27, 2022

      I make this with Mina mild harissa. Have made with Greek yogurt or cream if I didn’t have milk. This is my go-to omelette/ frittata recipe. Delicious!

    • Happykikkers on November 21, 2024

      Recipe on https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jan/06/egg-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi-harissa-manchego-omelette-scrambled-croque-madame

    • lisanz on January 11, 2026

      Really love the flavour of this. Added sliced red capsicum with the onion and it works.

  • Courgette and ciabatta frittata

    • chaffinski on September 23, 2018

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

    • 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!

    • Lsblackburn1 on July 30, 2020

      I think I liked this even better warmed up on day 2. The flavors - especially the basil - really came through. Very tasty savory bread pudding.

    • MollyB on August 10, 2022

      A delicious and forgiving recipe. I used some odds and ends of white bread that I had in the freezer for the bread and a mix of zucchini and frozen green beans (Trader Joe's haricots verts) for the vegetables, and it was great. It all melded together into a delicious final dish.

    • Babycarrot on June 25, 2024

      The annual start of the How Do I Use Up All This Zucchini time of year. This smelled really delicious as it baked. I made a few changes: used half and half for the heavy cream, a mixture of 2% milk and buttermilk for the whole milk. I also used a random loaf of bread instead of ciabatta. I also did squeeze out a good deal of water from the zucchini even though that is not included in the directions. I also oiled the pan with leftover oil I had from a nice tin of octopus which gave the frittata a delicious flavor. I am looking forward to seeing how the leftovers taste. As others have noted, a variety of vegetables including onions and cheeses could work here.

    • Brittania on February 18, 2026

      Made by Lindsay B. Very good!

  • Portobello mushrooms with brioche and a poached egg

    • Ro_ on February 02, 2020

      Basically mushrooms on toast with egg on top! I took a couple of liberties with the recipe, using regular mushrooms instead of Portobello and frying the egg instead of poaching. The flavours were nice, I reduced the cinnamon slightly as it can be a bit overwhelming sometimes. A solid breakfast recipe.

    • Ganga108 on January 01, 2022

      Fab. U. lous. I roasted whole mushrooms drizzled with the oil, then topped with Burrata as I don't cook with eggs. Divine. Eat with or without the toast.

  • Scrambled harissa tofu

    • CallmeIshbel on October 26, 2018

      Use extra firm tofu instead of silken for better texture

    • MelMM on February 06, 2019

      2-4-2019 I like the idea of harissa in a tofu scramble, but there isn't a lot going on here besides the harissa. In the future I would make a regular tofu scramble with the typical seasonings, and then add harissa at the end. Also I really don't think silken tofu is the best choice for a scramble. It doesn't absorb flavors as well, and the sauces don't cling to it as well.

    • Ganga108 on December 24, 2021

      Although I am vegetarian I am a late comer to scrambled tofu. Really it is only in the past year that I have began to cook it at home. For some reason I thought it would be hard, but honestly, it is the easiest simplest dish to prepare. I have made different scrambles with both silken tofu and with firm tofu. I like both, but I prefer pressed silken tofu. It has such a wonderful soft texture. We made this on Xmas morning to stave off hunger pangs. Spicy and glorious. The fresh avo, cuke and fresh coriander salad says "quintessential Summer Xmas" here in Australia. As with everything Ottolenghi, it is all about the textures and the flavours. The silky soft tofu with the creamy avo and the crisp cucumbers is so good. Both the salad and scramble are spicy but the heat can be adjusted to your own tastes. Eaten outside on a lovely not-too-hot morning was a perfect way to start the day.

    • Ganga108 on April 02, 2023

      This is my favourite tofu scramble and one of the easiest. Today I made it added turmeric for colour, kala namak (Indian black salt) for eggy taste and a little cream to add creaminess (cos firm tofu this time). Served alongside butter beans for an extra protein hit, and with some toasted Bauernbrot Rye. A delicious Sunday brunch. I made 1/2 recipe for 3 of us and it was ample.

    • Ganga108 on May 27, 2023

      Having made this numerous times now, I think 2 things are essential to the success of this dish - the onions need to be caramelised enough, even up to 15 mins of cooking (in my pan over medium->low heat); and don't omit the salad. Flavourings are easily adjusted - leave out the harissa if you wish, and add your own. Today I left it out and topped the finished dish with black bean sauce, my tomato-chilli jam, and crispy fried shallots.

    • AmomentOfMusic on December 28, 2025

      Made this using crumbled extra firm tofu instead of soft, as it was all I had. Fried for a bit longer to brown it a bit and quite liked the result. Added msg to the salad and swapped nigella for carom seeds. Meal was quick to make and nice and refreshing.

  • Avocado butter on toast with tomato salsa

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • JennyHay on January 28, 2019

      I served the tomatoes and avocado butter in individual bowls with small toasts/brushcetta. Very good with drinks.

    • Rutabaga on February 06, 2019

      This was a wonderful melding of flavors, even though I left out the tarragon and cumin. The avocado butter is decadent, but a good treat, and it makes an otherwise light meal more filling. Despite being a little more complicated than basic avocado toast, it's still quite quick to make.

    • JJ2018 on May 21, 2019

      This was really nice and came together super quickly. A really tasty elevated avocado on toast to impress with.

    • Ro_ on May 08, 2020

      Didn't have dill so used some mint and basil. I really liked the creaminess of the avocado butter, complemented by the zingy salsa. I don't know if this will be a regular brunch fixture at mine, but I could see making it again occasionally.

    • Trentinla on June 18, 2020

      Didnt think the added butter added anything more than fat and calories. unneeded

    • Ganga108 on March 06, 2021

      Beautiful, as usual the flavours melded perfectly. The butter is luxurious and the tart salsa a perfect contrast. I left the butter chunky - did not blend it. I added preserved artichoke hearts to the salsa as they were the last of the jar left over from Summer salads. And some pickled green peppercorns, same deal. A fabulous, noteworthy brunch.

    • Bloominanglophile on September 15, 2022

      I am perfectly happy eating a simple avocado toast (salt and olive oil on top), but I will make an exception for this recipe. I don't always have all the herbs, but I find substitutions work just as well.

    • djnielsen64 on May 15, 2023

      Delicious and simple! Will definitely make again!

    • kashley1985 on January 13, 2026

      This was delightful. The butter, garlic and herbs really make this stand out.

    • infotrop on October 29, 2023

      Love all the notes on & photos of this dish! I'm a fan too. Even with the tangy lime juice, I still drizzled some balsamic.

    • lholtzman on March 12, 2025

      Good, but needed more seasoning to counteract the acidity from the lime. I think I’m a bit of a purist and would prefer the avocado without the butter. It’s an I teresing texture, but a bit too much.

  • 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.

    • Astrid5555 on August 29, 2020

      Looks very impressive when made with mixed tomatoes. The sumac shallots make a big difference, highly recommended.

    • bernalgirl on August 19, 2021

      I left out the pine nuts to please my family and even still this is an easy yet layered approach to enjoying summer tomatoes. I’ll be making this again in the coming weeks!

    • KarinaFrancis on January 28, 2021

      Sadly for us this was a miss, maybe I’ll try again when I have better tomatoes

    • Ro_ on May 31, 2020

      I was worried that the sumac shallots would overwhelm the dish, but actually they were way more subtle than I expected (perhaps because I only used one very small shallot and left it to macerate for a number of hours?). I absolutely loved this recipe, I had really fresh and delicious tomatoes and the sumac onions, basil and pine nut just gave them that perfect little lift plus it looked really really pretty. I'll definitely make this again.

    • Rutabaga on November 10, 2020

      This is a great, easy tomato salad, ideal when tomatoes are at their best. Unfortunately, the kids have not been into fresh tomatoes lately, so weren't thrilled, but my husband and I really liked it. It's a good accompaniment to a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean meal, or served alongside a rich main dish.

    • kitchen_chick on September 16, 2019

      I don't care for a lot of raw onion-y flavor (mainly because I don't want to taste raw onions three hours later!), so I used only a very small amount of shallot for a hint of that flavor. My basil leaves were very large, so I also sliced the basil into a "wide chiffonade". Nice salad. I do like the toasted pine nuts with tomatoes.

    • hashi on September 10, 2025

      Good, easy, and fresh.

    • elysedc on August 07, 2023

      as usual, had to sub sunflower seeds for pinenuts (allergy) and added a little chopped cucumber. Delicious! such a perfect way to eat as many tomatoes as possible. The brightness from the vinegar, the onions, the sweetness of the tomatoes... it's so easy and it's so good. if you're thinking about it, go do it.

    • pomegranate on June 13, 2022

      I really liked this! It was very easy and delicious.

    • Stephenn31 on October 14, 2024

      Needed a bit more acidity. The toasted pine nuts were nice

  • 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.

    • L.Nightshade on May 01, 2019

      This recipe has SO much stuff in it, at some point it almost ceases to be cornbread. 19 ingredients, not counting salt and pepper. I spent a good chunk of the day before just chopping, grating, measuring, and generally setting up, so I could just get up early, mix it all together, and pop it in the oven. Wrapped up, it was still warm by the time we got to brunch, about an hour and a half away. I did bake it in a cast iron frying pan, and was a little worried about how hard it would be to dish out. In the book photo it looks like it’s being spooned out. But it sliced up like a pie and came out in nice wedges. Rave reviews all around. This is definitely a do-again, and worth the effort. I won’t be confining it to brunch, either. It would be stellar with a bowl of soup.

    • ksg518 on August 12, 2019

      I guess we're in the minority here but we found this to be barely OK. It was very dense and a little on the dry side even after we added some extra half and half to the batter. (Our first clue was when the recipe said to pour the batter into the pan; our batter was a stiff ball.) Perhaps it matters what kind of instant polenta you use and ours was very dry? Given the number of ingredients and prep time, this won't be a repeat.

    • caitmcg on December 07, 2019

      This is fairly involved, as cornbread goes, but delicious. An 8-inch cast iron skillet is the perfect size for a half recipe. I did need to add a couple of splashes of milk to the batter before mixing in the corn, etc.

    • Ro_ on December 13, 2020

      This looked really pretty, and I liked the combination of flavours. What I didn't love so much was the texture - for me it was a bit claggy, heavy and mealy, but I wonder (not being a cornbread expert, here in Europe where it's not really eaten much AFAIK) whether this is just a characteristic of cornbread. This is the second cornbread recipe I've tried and it was definitely nicer than the first one, but I haven't loved either - which makes me think maybe cornbread just isn't for me.

    • cultus.girl on December 19, 2020

      I too found the batter very stiff. Flavour was okay however we voted not to repeat.

    • Polarcat on May 11, 2026

      What a delightful take on cornbread! This definitely functions similar to a pizza-like main due to the sheer volume of ingredients. I made it as written with the exception of the cilantro, which I forgot to mix into the batter and instead used as a topping. We thoroughly enjoyed this cornbread and will make it again.

    • FieryFantail on February 10, 2024

      Batter was too stiff - thinned with water as I had no milk. Quite tasty.

    • cecilia_4eimgd on February 13, 2026

      One of our pots of sour cream was off so I used about 280 grams of sour cream and the rest was oat milk. It was slightly ’wetter’ than I would have expected but otherwise really nice. I would probably add some cheddar into the mix in addition to adding on top. I might also use smoked cheddar next time.

    • lholtzman on March 27, 2026

      This bread was definitely a one pan meal. It’s so loaded with stuff all you need is a simple side salad to complete the meal. Instant polenta was surprisingly hard to find in even well stocked grocery stores. I finally found it in a wine store that sells gourmet foods and products. The bread was very moist, something that isn’t guaranteed with cornbread.

    • PriyaPath on March 27, 2026

      This is absolutely my favourite cornbread. I omitted the cumin and nigella to retain a more traditional flavour. I used frozen corn as well. Make sure you use the right type of polenta. I also reduced the ingredients on top. I did half with no toppings on top and the kids preferred that. Texture was perfect.

    • DePollepel on November 21, 2021

      delicious summer meal

  • 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.

    • Kinhawaii on September 26, 2019

      We loved this variation too, will definitely make again.

    • Trentinla on June 18, 2020

      WOW is this good! One of my faves from the book!

    • KarinaFrancis on February 07, 2022

      Delicious, a great version of panzanela. I didn’t have enough lemon juice so I added a touch of red wine vinegar.

    • Ganga108 on December 25, 2023

      A delicious xmas eve dish using home-made bread and everything else was home grown (no anchovies as #vegetarian, added a little nori instead. And used nasturtium capers that we made a month or so ago). Delightful, colourful, very (Australian) xmas-y.

    • treay on March 02, 2025

      I quite liked the flavours, but the rest didn't seem to like it that much. I think that the anchovies were to blame... Also, I used pane di casa instead of sourdough, and it didn't work very well. I was expecting the consistency of the Italian panzanella, but the bread was a bit too tough for my liking. If I make it again, I will mix all ingredients earlier.

    • Babycarrot on July 15, 2023

      This was tasty but made some adjustments. Used focaccia instead of sourdough as I had some I needed to use up. I don’t know if it was bc I used focaccia but the bread didn’t really crisp up in the pan and I kept the burner on low as directed but wonder if I should have keep the oil/garlic/anchovy mixture on med low. Easy enough fix just popped the bread pieces in the toaster oven after tossing in the pan with the garlic oil. I also decreased the oil quite a bit and used the leftover oil from the can of anchovies. I could have added more basil and definitely will next time.

  • Iranian herb fritters

    • L.Nightshade on February 16, 2019

      A very simple recipe, calling for a lot of mixed, chopped, fresh herbs, ground cumin, breadcrumbs, barberries, toasted walnuts, and eggs. Everything is mixed together then ladlefuls are fried in sunflower oil. The herbs called for are dill, basil, and coriander, but the notes say any herbs can be used to equal the 120 gram total. I played fast and loose here, and the major portion of my “herbs” consisted of carrot tops! Parsley, tarragon, cilantro, mint, and dill also went in to make up the gram total. These end up being like little, fried, kuku zabzis. I thought the barberries were barely discernible, and I would add more next time, as I like that little sweet-tart kick. We each had two of the 10 the recipe made for me, and found them very filling. Instead of the suggested accompaniment of a parsley sauce, I used up some of the leftover tomato-chlle-garlic sauce and the tahini sauce from the halibut dish.

    • Barb_N on May 22, 2019

      More of a note to self, since I had to wildly adapt the recipe. I wanted to use cilantro (my daughter has soap gene), mint (none at store) and dill (rotten 24 h after purchase) so I had only half as much chopped herb mixture (parsley, marjoram, sorrel). I may have miscalculated but found the cumin overpowering. If I make this again, I will decrease the cumin, and use an appropriately flavorful herb mixture.

    • kitchen_chick on July 21, 2019

      We really like these with the suggested herb-tahini sauce. I agree with adding more barberries. We used 4 Tbs (1/4 cup). This recipe is very substitution friendly - I've used different proportions of herbs based on what I had available and used sliced almonds because we didn't have walnuts. I even used panko for the breadcrumbs one time (and added a splash of water to the mix because they're drier than fresh breadcrumbs). The second time I made this as a frittata in a 10" cast iron pan, which I liked better. You do have to flip the frittata, which is more difficult than flipping little fritters, but it cooks all the mixture at once and is less oily. Does anyone know what's going on in the photos with this recipe? The first photo shows a bowl with what looks like fried onions or shallots and some kind of red oil or hot sauce, neither of which are in the recipe.

    • Ganga108 on March 02, 2022

      These Iranian fritters are herbaceous and delicious. They are a perfect snack at afternoon tea time, or make a great lunch with flatbreads and fresh salads. We make our herby fritters with a chickpea flour base rather than eggs. They are very easy to make and utterly delicious. These fritters are a bit of a fridge raid – use whatever soft herbs you have to hand.

    • lholtzman on July 20, 2024

      I thought these could use a bit more salt. Instead of fresh breadcrumbs I used panko and currants instead of barberries. If you have one, chopping herbs in food processor makes things much easier. I made a sandwich with tahini sauce and feta cheese on sourdough bread.

  • Beetroot, caraway and goat's cheese bread

    • LadyCJKT on February 22, 2019

      This was every bit as good as I had thought it would be. (Although I couldn't get nigella seeds and replaced that with some ground cumin and had to use ground caraway instead of seeds.) The flavours are very complex together and texturally its very pleasing with the cheese, beetroot and pumpkin seeds. A winning recipe.

    • JJ2018 on May 24, 2019

      This was really nice and would be great with soup. I mistakenly bought precooked beetroot not in vinegar not fresh so Used this even though recipe explicitly said not to, just reducing quantity a little as it is was wet and still turned out well

    • stephenrossthomas on January 16, 2021

      The textures were great, and milder than I thought it would be. And so easy to make. Great for breakfast.

    • Astrid5555 on July 07, 2024

      MIxed reviews on that one, lot‘s of flavors and textures going on. While the kids did not like it, the adults actually raved about it.

    • clkandel on April 27, 2022

      Lots of flavors and textures in this bread. No problem with the texture as some of the other commenters had. I did use a lot less thyme since I thought the amount called for would be overpowering.

    • lholtzman on May 24, 2025

      This is amazing recipe for a healthy and hearty bread. It was surprisingly moist for the long baking time. I was nervous. The outside was crispy while the inside is like cake. The list of ingredients is long, but it isn’t terribly hard to make. With exception to the beet, I had every ingredient on hand.

    • Allie80 on March 07, 2021

      It was okay, nothing special. Mine was too crumbly to slice, not sure if I should have cooked it for longer or if my mix had been too wet. I think it could’ve used a stronger goats cheese (I used Waitrose soft British one). Agree with the previous reviewer that it would work well with soup. We both decided it tasted ‘healthy’ so if that’s your thing, you’ll enjoy this.

    • treay on November 11, 2024

      This bread turned up delicious. It is a simple recipe where there is no need to knead the ingredients. It is more like a cake recipe. It is simple to prepare and you can eat it alone without any toppings or you can add anything you like. You are going to make it more than once when you try it. P.S.I have made it several times and we really like it. I serve some slices with some roast veggies on top and also with an anchovy. Yum!

    • isabella_nq20ft on February 20, 2026

      Delicious. Two slices down and I want more. Was definitely not ‘simple’ to make - think I used 4 bowls and at least 3 other utensils. Then split cooking time! But it was worth it if you have some spare time on a cold day. I didn’t have sour cream, so used greek yoghurt and it was fine. Also subbed half the pumpkin seeds for pine nuts, as I didn’t have enough. Great sub, I think it probably improved it! Would’ve been 5 stars, but one less for the faff and dishes. Will make again.

  • Pea, za'atar and feta fritters

    • LadyCJKT on February 22, 2019

      A delicious combination of ingredients and great with some salad for a light dinner. Pleasingly, these did not feel oily as deep fried foods can sometimes do. The remaining cooked fritters also kept well overnight in the fridge for lunch the next day. I will certainly make these again.

    • Rutabaga on March 08, 2019

      These have a nice flavor and texture when cooked, but the batter was very soft and wet. I ended up pressing them into patties in a frying pan to cook, which was much easier than trying to form balls and deep frying them. They also took longer to cook than indicated in the recipe, maybe 10 to 15 minutes per patty. Surprisingly (to me, at least), my seven-year-old did not like them, even though he loves peas, which is too bad, because they were pretty easy to mix together in advance and both my husband and I enjoyed them.

    • JJ2018 on April 14, 2019

      Absolutely delicious - the lemon zest is a must and really comes through. Looking to minimise mess I didn’t blend the peas at all so mine were a bit chunkier but not for the worse. I also didn’t have ricotta so subbed in a little mascarpone.

    • KarinaFrancis on November 13, 2020

      These were great, maybe a touch more work than I was expecting but still achievable on a weeknight. The flavours all worked beautifully together and even though I thought the za’atar would be too much, I trusted the recipe and it was just right

    • FJT on June 15, 2021

      Like Rutabaga I pan-fried these as smaller patties. They were delicious and surprisingly light. I thought that the balance of flavours between the za’atar, mint and lemon was perfect. We really enjoyed dinner.

    • Ganga108 on March 02, 2022

      These beautiful fritters from Simple are indeed quite simple to make. A pea puree is mixed with za’atar, mint and feta, formed into fritters and fried. They can be served simply with a salad and lemon wedges, or with a yoghurt or cream based sauce for dipping. You can use any yoghurt or cream based sauce.

    • Shaxon on September 10, 2021

      Fritters fell apart in the oil and they were greasy. I baked a batch the next night and they were much better, easier and healthier.

    • Barb_N on April 21, 2021

      I followed the proportions, until it came to the feta. I used half of a 7 oz block which seemed just right, especially as it was fairly salty. I found the za’atar flavor a bit too strong and didn’t taste the mint at all. Served with lemony yogurt flavored with the juice of preserved lemons. Unlike the recipe yield of 8 quenelle shaped fritter, I had about 20.

    • rmardel on March 10, 2026

      These tender and delicious little bites are very easy to pull together. You can mix the puree up while the oil heats. The batter is quite wet, and I think it works beautifully using a two-spoon method to shape little bites which are simply dropped into the hot oil. They would be a bit more problematic to make for pan-frying or baking, at least for me. The rough little fritters are crisply on the outside but remarkably light and tender on the inside with a delicate pea flavor accented by the mint, za-atar, and feta. They are also delicious with a savory dipping sauce, which accents the delicate brightness even further.

    • Happykikkers on November 07, 2024

      4* Couldn’t be bothered to mess with oil and frying, so I baked these in the oven at 180°c / 30 min flipping halfway. They aren’t beautiful, but are tasty enough. The dipping sauce from the intro is kind of essential. Will make these again when my baby is a little older. I think these would be great for toddlers.

  • Beef tomato carpaccio with spring onion and ginger salsa

    • StephEpices on August 26, 2019

      This is a perfect side and a good change from making the tomatoes with sumac salad every day during tomato season.

    • Ro_ on June 22, 2020

      This is the third tomato dish I've tried from this book, and they've all been outstanding including this one. I loved the ginger with the tomato, unusual and delicious.

    • jackiecat on June 22, 2020

      AKA Beefsteak tomato carpaccio in my Kindle edition

    • crandall57 on May 26, 2021

      Delicious! Will make this again. Used a spice/coffee grinder, not a mortar and pestle.

    • emma_zsl3bw on March 23, 2026

      Delicious. Good for a summer day or a starter for a dinner party. The quality of the tomato is what makes it and this opened my eyes to the delights of such great vinegar

    • treay on November 15, 2024

      There is only one trick to this salad: the tomatoes must be ripe! The rest is easy and it is so delicious, you will want to make it many times. It would be a fantastic side dish to accompany any recipe. It is exceptionally good.

    • anothersarah on July 19, 2023

      So easy and so quick. I used probably subpar red wine vinegar and it was still delicious!

    • Ganga108 on October 30, 2021

      This beautiful salad is one of Ottolenghi’s simplest dishes. You can make it in just over 5 minutes – perfect for a weekday evening, and spectacular at a weekend BBQ, picnic or lunch. The quality of the ingredients make this dish, so you’ll need the best tomatoes – preferably home grown ones if possible – as well as the best sherry vinegar you can afford. The salsa is glorious spooned on all sorts of dishes, from toast topped with mozzarella and/or avocado to lentil salads and pasta dishes. So double or triple the quantities when you make it. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    • hewlettn on January 25, 2023

      https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/23/tomato-recipes-salad-red-onion-chickpea-chinese-ginger-yoghurt-yotam-ottolenghi

    • peaceoutdesign on August 31, 2022

      Blend all but chilies. this was good and interesting.

  • Tomato and cucumber raita

    • Rutabaga on October 09, 2019

      This is a versatile salad/side dish that would go well with a variety of Mediterranean food. We had it with pita and Anna Jones' roasted zucchini and chickpeas from A Modern Way to Cook. The chili/preserved lemon oil is delicious, but unfortunately the jalapeño I used was far hotter than I realized, making it extremely spicy. I served this on the side so that people could add the (somewhat overwhelmingly) flavorful oil to taste.

    • Jesmondgirl on February 27, 2020

      Didn’t have green chilliest so added a little zhoug to the yoghurt. Very tasty.

    • Ganga108 on March 02, 2022

      This raita, a riff on an Indian dish, is quite good. Although not a typical Indian raita, it is a pretty jolly good plate of food. Love the inclusion of preserved lemon in the chilli paste which is layered on top of the raita. Brilliant.

    • treay on January 08, 2026

      I changed the recipe a bit - the fresh green chilli paste has preserved lemons, and unfortunately I don't like them. I put the rind of a normal lemon instead. Served with spinach frittata. Another delicious vegetarian meal ??

  • Courgette, thyme and walnut salad

    • joneshayley on April 19, 2020

      Brilliant salad - the walnuts add a delightful crunch, and the garlic lemon infused oil makes the dressing interesting and unusual.

    • wester on March 06, 2021

      Flavorful, and a nice change from other recipes with zucchini.

    • Delys77 on May 24, 2023

      For us this wasn't as flavourful as I would have hoped. I did use the suggested proportions of dressing to zucchini but it was a bit underdressed and under seasoned. I enjoyed the texture but I would have to go with more dressing if we were to repeat this one. I did enjoy the addition of the nuts for sure.

    • valderaa on July 27, 2025

      Good. Nice on its own and a great base for accompaniments - tofu, sardines, beans, avocado.

    • Sylfea on January 02, 2024

      Made this as a side dish to serve with duck. It was easy to prepare and visually interesting, but taste only okay. Unfortunate user error: did not have the right zucchini to dressing ratio so it was a bit oily for our taste.

    • Ganga108 on January 13, 2022

      A play on a classic marinated zucchini dish - olive oil, herbs, citrus, garlic. Ottolenghi's wonderful twist is that he infuses the oil, then adds nuts to the salad. I added hazelnuts rather than walnuts, used cumquats (they are ubiquitous here), added opal basil. Delish!

  • Curried lentil, tomato and coconut soup

    • westminstr on February 05, 2019

      Made on Feb. 2018 w a combo of red and french lentils bc I didn't have enough red. Had to add some extra water and cook longer to compensate for that. Eyeballed the ginger and had to add extra salt. This was really good; we liked it a lot!

    • Ladyberd on January 15, 2021

      A hit with the whole family, including my 8 and 10 year old. I used a Rogan Josh curry powder I had on hand and omitted the crushed red pepper until serving so it wasn't spicy for the kids. Delicious and one I will make again and again. Served it with some fresh naan!

    • MelMM on February 04, 2019

      2-1-2019 This smelled great cooking, and was quite tasty. When I tasted to adjust the seasonings, I found it to be lacking in salt, and added quite a bit more. I also felt it could use some acid, so added the juice of half a lemon. With those adjustments, it was a pleasant meal.

    • kari500 on March 21, 2019

      Best lentil soup I've ever had, and I love lentil soup. I had everything but the cilantro, so I subbed green onions and it was so good that I will do that from now on. Easy and delicious, and yes, add the lime.

    • TrishaCP on March 06, 2021

      This is an incredibly flavorful lentil soup. I agree that you absolutely need a tasty curry powder- I used the Goan Masala from Burlap & Barrel and it was heavenly in this soup.

    • L.Nightshade on February 14, 2019

      Only brown lentils were available here, so that’s what I used. Cooking took a bit longer than specified, but other than that it worked out well. I used my own curry blend, which was probably a bit hotter than called for, so the soup had a definite kick. I also served it with the limes as suggested in the headnote. My coconut milk was oddly thin, which was fine for stirring into the soup, but didn’t work well for the swirl on top. I enjoyed this soup quite a bit, it was homey and comforting, as a lentil soup should be, but with a little extra pop of heat. I didn’t add any additional salt, left that option for the table, but I did think the lime is a critical part of the finished dish.

    • 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.

    • Nossovitzky on May 19, 2019

      Really delicious! A big hit at our house and easy to make with pantry ingredients. I don't add the coconut on top and it doesn't lose anything. I think the main flavour comes from the curry powder so use one you like. I usually add more salt and more chilli (fresh or dried).

    • jackiecat on March 21, 2019

      https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/curried-lentil-tomato-and-coconut-soup

    • mondraussie on October 27, 2021

      Easy and delicious

    • Ro_ on January 27, 2020

      Absolutely delicious. A lovely texture, and great balance of flavours with the creaminess of the coconut milk, earthiness of the curry and lentils, and zing of the coriander and lime wedges (he suggests the latter in the blurb but not in the method/ingredients, but I highly recommend squeezing on at the end).

    • JJ2018 on April 28, 2019

      Huge hit for us. Really easy to make and a super tasty delicious soup. Can see this being a winter favourite

    • TLouise on September 21, 2021

      Very good recipe and so easy. I may have gone a bit overboard with the spices as it was quite spicy. I also used light coconut milk as that was what I had on hand. Served with homemade garlic bread bowls and a sprinkle of cheese.

    • allisonsemele on January 30, 2021

      Way better than I expected from the ingredients list—I am generally suspicious of anything that relies heavily on curry powder. For the curry I used a mix of homemade garam masala, Jamaican curry powder, and store bought. Absolutely delicious—mine came out very thick and I served it over rice. Will repeat.

    • stockholm28 on April 07, 2019

      Delicious and very easy. This will be repeated.

    • pistachiopeas on February 09, 2019

      Really loved this. I added 1 tsp more of salt, and also lightly salted my onions at the beginning. Used Vadouvan curry & a bit more ginger than called for. We all really enjoyed this!

    • averythingcooks on December 07, 2019

      Well yes.....this is lovely. I made it pretty much as written except I used broth and needed extra to blend it very smooth (which is how I like lentil soup) before I stirred in the full amount of coconut milk.

    • raybun on March 04, 2019

      Absolutely fantastic, best lentil soup I’ve ever tasted. I used brown lentils as that’s what I had. Even the fussy 11yr old enjoyed it once it had been in the blender, so 5 stars!

    • grindabod on January 29, 2019

      This is a delicious and warming soup, super easy, and it basically only uses storecupboard ingredients.

    • Brittania on February 18, 2026

      Easy and tasty!

    • zabeta on January 06, 2022

      I agree with other reviews that this is the best lentil soup I've ever had. I used the full amount of cilantro, which is a lot, used broth instead of water, and also added some lime juice to the soup. Absolutely delicious.

    • westminstr on January 09, 2025

      Made again. It’s a really good soup! 1/2 a lime made the flavors come alive.

    • dinnermints on January 15, 2022

      I expected to love this more after all of the glowing reviews, but then again I did accidentally use half the amount of ginger (I doubled the recipe), so that could account for a lot. I also wish I'd had the time to cook the lentils a bit longer. Like Nossovitsky, I didn't reserve any coconut milk for the top and put it all into the soup. I didn't have limes on hand the first night I served it and was a bit disappointed with it, but the next night added the lime (which, as others have noted, adds a lot - really should be listed in the ingredients) and some pan-fried shrimp for more protein, and then it was fantastic. Will definitely make again, and will try with broth instead of water as others have noted.

    • EmilyR on January 16, 2022

      Another glowing review. I used fire roasted tomatoes. We added some paneer to the side and it was phenomenal all around. This will be in continual rotation through the Winter.

    • clkandel on February 02, 2022

      Quick to make and lots of flavor. Made this in the IP - Sautéed onions until just starting to brown. Added curry powder and ginger and sautéed about a minute. Added garlic and sautéed about 30 seconds. Added all other ingredients and cooked10 minutes, high pressure, natural release. Used chicken broth instead of water. Added some hatch chilies.

    • ksg518 on June 10, 2025

      This doesn’t need another review but it really is an easy and delicious soup that could easily come from my pantry at any time. Like others I just add the whole can of coconut milk to the soup instead of reserving some for a topping. This results in a more yellow soup but still wonderful.

    • Lepa on February 20, 2024

      This is good but I didn't love it as much as other posters. Next time I might use broth instead of water and blend some to make it smoother.

    • MariaSwe on March 14, 2026

      A bit too much coconut milk for my taste. And it needed some lemon juice before serving. Very easy recipe but I wasn't blown away.

    • Ishie1013 on March 25, 2024

      Very forgiving recipe as I accidentally left the burner on low for an additional half hour, and the soup still tasted amazing despite being mushier and needing to add more liquid, but didn't ruin the flavor. I subbed the water with some leftover whey I had from making cheese. It was a really delicious hearty healthy soup and a great way to use up coriander stems from other recipes. It also serves as a base where I'm sure you could throw in other vegetables and have it hold up well. Also goes together rather quickly.

    • snackbaby on February 17, 2025

      great soup, scales up easily as well! it benefits from line and sometimes from a little bit of sugar.

    • Stephenn31 on March 26, 2024

      Not bad. Needs a lot of ginger. Definitely a simple dinner on a cold night

    • roj_ame on November 28, 2023

      Good recipe. I added extra ginger, extra coriander, a tiny bit of tumeric and 1 fresh chilli. Used a home made garam masala instead of curry powder. Used persian red lentils.

    • treay on January 08, 2026

      This is the second time I make this soup. It's super easy to make and it is yummy. I have made it to take to work for lunch. With the weather being a little cooler, soup is a nice thing to eat. It doesn't have many ingredients, but it has a lot of flavour. I have blitzed it a bit to make it smoother, but the first time I didn't and it was really delicious too.

    • Thorium0232 on March 23, 2026

      Quick to make and very tasty.

    • TFall21 on December 03, 2025

      A nice, cozy soup that was easy to put together from pantry ingredients (and leftover cilantro stems!) I found it to be fairly bland as written and added some additional curry powder, salt, and red pepper flakes to taste.

    • CharlottePea on October 06, 2025

      I would use stock rather than water next time and I used 1 tbsp mild curry powder and 1 tbsp medium (was making double) but would go all in with the medium next time. Was worried about the kids, but it was not hot at all and using the medium would have given it more flavour. I also used fresh tomatoes as I have a bunch that need using. I took the skins off first. I would make this again but I'm perhaps not raving as much as everyone else. Might up the garlic, coriander and ginger a bit next time too.

    • DebCooks on March 12, 2026

      Delicious recipe! I used half the curry in the recipe and it was still terrific; nicely flavored. Easy to make but delivered complex flavors.

    • sallybakes on January 31, 2026

      Made for a soup potluck at work and it was a hit. Doubled the recipe and added the coconut milk later when heating the soup in the crockpot. Delicious!

    • anna_1bxel8 on February 14, 2026

      Squeezed some lime in at the end

    • sophia_csi5ki on January 31, 2026

      Super good. I adds some extra garlic and used a leek instead of an onion and it was delicious!

    • rachel_ywqstg on March 07, 2026

      Quick, simple, healthy, and flavorful! Uses convenient quantities (whole onion, full can of tomatoes/coconut, etc) that don’t leave strange leftovers. What more could you want in a recipe?

    • pastaplease on March 28, 2026

      Very tasty. Used canned crushed tomatoes. 11-22

    • apw2020 on January 20, 2025

      I've made this soup half a dozen times -- easy, filling and delicious.

    • jhallen on September 25, 2023

      Fabulous as written. And easy.

    • lholtzman on December 04, 2025

      This recipe is good, but not that different from other red lentil soup recipes. I like the creaminess from the coconut milk though. Make sure your curry powder is delicious as it makes a difference.

  • Roasted aubergine with anchovies and oregano

    • westminstr on September 08, 2019

      Wow, loved this! Made for two with one eggplant (about 1/3 of the recipe) and half recipe of the herbs and dressing. Just outstanding!

    • blintz on February 23, 2020

      This was a huge hit! Everyone asked for the recipe. Very quick and I made it earlier in the day and then reheated the eggplant in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes and then added the dressing and herbs.

    • kath on January 26, 2019

      We love this! I have made it twice in one week.

    • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

      Very easy, superb flavours, a great side dish.

    • adelina on May 16, 2026

      I loved the anchovies with the roasted eggplants. It will work with so many vegetables

    • Lepa on January 19, 2019

      We made this for a dinner party. It was really simple and delicious. I will definitely make it again!

    • saarwouters on September 16, 2018

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

    • Lsblackburn1 on March 26, 2020

      I put this on top of flat bread with hummus and ground lamb. Delicious!

    • Tee.Tee on May 30, 2020

      Easy to prepare and delicious! I subbed fresh mint in for the oregano. Will make it with fresh oregano when my plants grow out.

    • Ro_ on January 29, 2020

      I liked this a lot, and even my partner who doesn't really like aubergines said he didn't mind them in this recipe. I think I probably used more anchovy than was in the recipe (I had a big tin and I didn't measure) but they didn't seem to suffer for it! Can't get fresh oregano here, but dried was OK. I reduced the heat to 200 fan and the cooking time by five mins, as I think the aubergines would have burned otherwise.

    • Ganga108 on December 05, 2021

      I made these vegetarian by adding Special Miso Sauce (https://tastecooking.com/special-spicy-miso-sauce-not-special-home-cooking/ - a staple in our kitchen). I thinned the sauce using the liquid ingredients in the recipe then added the garlic and herbs. Delicious. (Another replacement for anchovies that I use at times is miso+soy sauce+wakame+cumin.) If you want to make this very easily, use Maggi Seasoning Sauce in place of the anchovies.

    • treay on November 14, 2024

      Easy to prepare and delicious as a side dish.

    • foodgloriousfood on March 30, 2022

      A small note of dissent, we liked this but despite us both really loving anchovies, I would reduce them from 6 to 4 next time as it overwhelmed this dish in my opinion.

    • pastaplease on March 28, 2026

      Liked this quite a lot, very tasty! 2/23

  • Spring onion and herb salad

    • wester on March 19, 2019

      So, when I think I want a herb salad, I actually want this salad. The vegetables make the flavour lighter, less concentrated, but at the same time more complex. And the dressing is simple but just right. I do think it needs an accompaniment that can stand up to it, for instance beef or lamb, or maybe a strong cheese. Chicken, as the book suggests, or pork, as I used, are just not strong enough. I subbed celery for the green pepper and parsley for half the coriander; the recipe was robust enough to handle that. ETA: I actually like this one better with celery instead of green pepper. Still, there are worse ways to use up those green peppers that came with the red and yellow ones.

    • Ro_ on July 03, 2020

      I made this as part of a poke bowl type thing, and it worked quite well. But I don't think I liked it enough to want big quantities of it - texturally it didn't do it for me, and I think maybe it needed more dressing. I think it's important to cut the herbs really, really finely.

    • SpatulaCity on September 11, 2025

      Overall good! Crunchy, tasty and fresh! Not a huge fan of onions, so reduced the quantity by half. Agree that it is important to finely mince your fresh herbs, and slice then onions thinly to avoid too much chewiness.

  • Roasted aubergine with curried yoghurt

    • okcook on May 08, 2019

      Very easy to make. Watch the eggplant because the oven is really hot and I think I dried mine out by leaving them in too long. The yogurt-curry sauce is flavourful without being overwhelming. This dish is a great side for roasted meat. I will be making this again.

    • aargle on March 24, 2020

      We loved this and it was demolished very quickly. I think I overcooked the eggplant so will keep a closer eye on it next time and there will be a next time. I served it with tandoori chicken which was a lovely match. Thoroughly recommend!

    • Skamper on October 02, 2019

      This was so delicious. I made a half batch to serve two as a side for tandoori chicken and honestly think we would have eaten a whole batch (but probably better we didn't). I roasted the eggplant in the morning to save time in the evening. It only took about 30 mins to roast. I forgot to add the fried curry leaves but will definitely try this the next time.

    • Ro_ on March 16, 2020

      Very nice. As with all the aubergine recipes in this book, I've learned I need to brush the slices with oil instead of tossing in a bowl, and turn the oven down from the temperature Ottolenghi instructs. My only regret is that I cooked my aubergines in advance and didn't reheat them through properly so it was a bit lukewarm, however I'd still make this again.

    • EmilyR on September 22, 2025

      I heeded the advice of the other reviewers to make the eggplant thicker and cook at a lower temperature as well as brushing with oil. I had fresh curry leaves so they went in to the onion mix for an upgrade.

    • Bexxta on January 25, 2026

      Excellent combo - curry yoghurt sauce was a hit. Fried onion and almonds delicious. Served on steamed brown rice.

    • kworrad on February 08, 2022

      This was a bit fiddly, but delicious.

    • smartingreece on August 13, 2024

      I would make the eggplant slices thicker

    • Sylfea on January 04, 2026

      Made this (with crispy fried onions instead of almonds, and without pomegranate seeds). Accidentally added fenugreek seeds instead of cumin but added the cumin when I realised my mistake. Sliced my eggplant in quarters and slightly thicker than suggested. This was a hit in my house! And only complaints were that I didn't make a large enough batch for third helpings for everyone.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Great side dish

  • Gem lettuce with fridge-raid dressing

    • MollyB on July 22, 2021

      Not a success. The tahini mixed with avocado and a lot of herbs in the dressing was a little too strange a mix for us.

    • TrishaCP on May 02, 2021

      I really loved this dressing, which I made subbing chives for tarragon out of necessity. I also used jalapeño olive oil since I didn’t have fresh green chiles and the heat was very nice. I’m guessing the bitterness noted by Ro is from the tahini, which I don’t feel is necessary to include since avocado makes things very creamy on its own.

    • KarinaFrancis on October 06, 2021

      We really enjoyed this salad. In the spirit of it being a fridge raid I threw in the herbs I had in the fridge and growing on the balcony (parsley, mint, chives and oregano). Served it with the turkey burgers from Jerusalem

    • Tealismyname on July 27, 2025

      I hated this dressing-- it essentially tasted like runny guacamole-- not for me. I wanted to like it but just couldn't.

    • Nossovitzky on April 28, 2022

      love this without the ginger & with lots of tarragon. also good on the coleslaw from plenty more.

    • Ro_ on May 31, 2020

      This was nice, but there was a slightly bitter edge to the dressing even after fiddling with the balance at the end. I've made similar avocado/herb dressings from Allegra McEvedy and Nigella Lawson recipes which I prefer.

    • joneshayley on April 19, 2020

      Everyone loved this salad, the dressing especially. Even the children ate it with gusto

    • anya_sf on April 28, 2023

      Raiding my fridge meant no chile, a mixture of lemon and lime juices, 40 g total herbs (mainly basil and parsley with a little dill and tarragon). This was delicious over little gems and sliced tomato. The extra dressing tasted fantastic on grilled mahi-mahi.

    • catmummery on March 23, 2026

      agree with others; found this a bit bland; added chopped up fresh lemon to it which helped but probably won't go through the effort again

    • ellwell on December 31, 2025

      I wanted to try this because of all the rave reviews. I made it for a dinner party and it was a lot of work. Very meh reviews from the guests and nobody asked for seconds. I would give this dressing a B. For me not really worth the work.

    • pamacea on April 17, 2025

      Excellent and refreshing. Love the ginger and tahini combination. I have a very small number of go to salad dressings and this will become a member of that group.

  • Courgette, pea and basil soup

    • L.Nightshade on February 26, 2019

      I got a little overzealous spiralizing zucchini the other day, ended up with not only the cores that are always left, but too many zoodles. Since I had peas and feta, I ended up making this. I only had one issue, one I’ve had occasionally with zucchini in soups, which is that there is a slightly bitter finish with each mouthful. I suspect this is from the peel of the zucchini, but I’m not certain. In this case it was a minor issue, in fact Mr. Nightshade did not sense the bitterness at all. It didn’t stop me from enjoying the flavor, but I would certainly love the soup more without it! I almost dropped in a tiny amount of baking soda, as I do with bitter tomatoes, but I was afraid of ruining it.

    • aargle on September 21, 2019

      This soup is a winner and a meal in itself. Loved the feta and lemon zest on top - it really set this soup apart. So easy and economical as well.

    • FJT on May 21, 2019

      Fantastic soup - it’s summer in a bowl. And it’s ridiculously easy to make.

    • Hellyloves2cook on January 20, 2019

      Easy and absolutely delicious. The whole family loved this! Have made twice already.

    • Bloominanglophile on August 07, 2023

      This was an easy, quick soup that I made with a zucchini that was heading toward marrow status. It is quite light, so I would fill out the meal with a side salad, sandwich, etc. Very nice on a cool summer day!

    • anya_sf on April 28, 2019

      Quick and easy to make and really delicious. I used chicken broth for extra flavor. I only had about half the basil, but the flavor was still there. As usual with Ottolenghi recipes, the garnishes (lemon zest and feta) really add to the dish.

    • Boffcat on May 05, 2019

      I'm so glad I tried this, spurred on by the positive reviews - it's delicious, and one of the best ways I can think of to use courgettes.

    • MissKoo on June 30, 2021

      I made this for a cookbook group dinner. The color is gorgeous, great flavor combo, and minimal effort to put together. Because the weather was so hot I served it cold, and everyone loved it that way. I tried it both hot and cold, and actually prefer it chilled, although weather was undoubtedly a factor. Topped with feta, grated lemon, pan fried pancetta, and Italian lemon olive oil. Served in bowls from Provence, it had maximum eye appeal. Will definitely add to my regular soup rotation. It makes a lot, so good to freeze also.

    • Elbea on March 30, 2021

      I'm not sure I should leave a note as I deviated from the recipe and used mint instead of basil, and added spring onions and chicken stock. With these changes made I can say that the soup I made was delicious and incredibly quick and easy to make. I agree that the feta and lemon was a great finishing touch.

    • ruthdeutsch on July 20, 2024

      Oh my goodness, this was amazing! Served it with the Peach and Raspberry Salad from the same book. It felt like eating in a five-star restaurant. Incredibly easy to do as well. Don't skip the garnish - the feta and lemon make all the difference. I'll be stocking up on zucchini just to make this soup.

    • dogo on February 11, 2026

      Beautiful colour, quick to make. Tastes a lot like peas, not really what we expected. Would not make again.

    • Babycarrot on July 21, 2023

      This was great. Halved the recipe with no issue. Exactly what I needed to use up two large zucchini from my CSA. I was doubtful that this would be flavorful but it was! Don’t skimp on the feta, extra black pepper, or lemon as they make the dish.

    • MADCH82 on August 01, 2025

      bit salty but otherwise absolutely brilliant. used leftovers as a pasta sauce, added some cream cheese, lemon juice, smoked salmon and parmesan. definitely a redo

  • Burrata with chargrilled grapes and basil

    • Astrid5555 on October 12, 2019

      Made this as a dinner party starter and everyone asked for the recipe. Great make-ahead dish which comes together very quickly. Delicious!

    • 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.

    • joneshayley on February 13, 2020

      Very impressed with the flavour to effort ratio for this. A complex and layered dish that’s prepared and served on minimal time. Beautiful.

    • MissKoo on June 30, 2021

      Made by a friend for an Ottolenghi cookbook dinner. Rave reviews all around. The presentation is so impressive, and the flavor combination totally unexpected. A great appetizer to wow your guests, with minimal effort.

    • sscholl on January 27, 2019

      I made this for a gathering of girlfriends after work, so opted to marinate the grapes overnight and just removed them to a skillet with a slotted spoon when I got to the gathering and poured them and the marinade over the burrata. Great flavors, tastes upscale and complex and not the usual appetizer. It got great reviews from my friends.

    • ksg518 on October 28, 2023

      Delicious! I opted to sear the grapes in a skillet rather than deal with the skewers. This is a lot of flavor for very little effort. One odd thing though — this recipe appears in the raw veg chapter but has no vegetables and only cooked fruit!

    • Pandan on May 06, 2024

      This was super fast and easy to put together. I needed to use up some grapes and this was a perfect fancy looking appetizer. Nice combination with the fennel seeds, but I wasn’t totally crazy about this.

    • Ganga108 on March 02, 2022

      Italians love to roast grapes, for a concentrated and smoky flavour. They make great additions to Summer meals, picnics and BBQs. It turns out that you can also grill them, and the easiest way to do that is to skewer them! Grill on a ridged grill pan on the stove top or on an Aussie style BBQ. This lovely recipe pairs the cooked grapes with Burrata or fresh Mozzarella for a fresh, gorgeous Summer lunch, or a pre-dinner starter. It could also be a Summery salad as part of a outdoor lunch spread or picnic.

    • pattyatbryce on May 30, 2026

      The reward to work ratio is off the charts. So easy and so yummy. I found myself without fennel seeds and 30 min to the nearest store, so I used caraway and they worked well. I'll try with fennel next time, but I think you can vary the seeds and herbs to meet your tastes. I will make this again.

  • Pumpkin, saffron and orange soup

    • aargle on August 03, 2019

      I have made many versions of pumpkin soup over the years and this has definitely become my new favourite. I didn’t have rose harissa (have now procured) so used normal harissa. Beautiful flavour and silky texture. Will repeat.

    • meggan on November 21, 2020

      I don't feel like the rose harissa really came through. I would add more next time. Otherwise pretty good.

    • hibeez on November 29, 2021

      This soup was very tasty; I only had regular harissa but added a drop of rose water. I had a cooked pumpkin, so skipped the roasting step. As other mentioned, it is a thick soup. And while I made half a batch of soup, I would urge you to double or triple the seeds. I ate half of them while waiting for the rest of the meal to finish!

    • 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!

    • metacritic on December 01, 2021

      Quite good and quite easy. I used butternut squash, biber salcasi with a drop of rose water instead of harissa, and 2/3 the quantity of creme fraiche called for, given what I had on hand. I thought of making up the difference with buttermilk but decided to save the calories for another time. It worked well. I used a lovely vegetable broth but suspect it would be equally good with just water as the liquid.

    • 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!)

    • cultus.girl on June 22, 2019

      Outstanding soup. Pumpkin soup can be so ordinary however this is elevated with the flavours and the cream.

    • Rinshin on January 31, 2019

      I often find these pumpkin based soup recipes to be so thick that is is more like a mash to me and have to add much more liquid to make them more creamy textured soups like potage. I had to add about a cup of liquid for the half a recipe. That said, this soup has a very lovely flavor and I can really taste the orange flavor coming through. Reduced the amount of harissa to only a tsp and the heat was there only as a background note for spice adverse family member. It took almost 50 min to fully caramelize the kabocha pieces that was used and onion slices. I wish I had added some salt to the maple syrup mixture because baked kabocha seeds needed it but sprinkling salt after coming out of the oven does not work well. Salt mostly slips off. Photo posted.

    • Rinshin on October 28, 2024

      This is the 3rd time I made this with lightly microwaved kabocha (for ease in removing the skin with a peele and cut into 3 cm pieces) to our taste as well as our friends' tastes by eliminating one step and adding a step. For us, no need to roast the seeds for garnish because it's an extra roasting step, some are too hard to eat especially for seniors and I rather give the seeds to the squirrels in our yard. Takes at least 45 to 50 min to lightly caramelize the kabocha and onion. The stock is very important in this soup. I've used homemade chicken stock made from Costco roasted chicken bones with various vegetables the last two times and more stock was needed all 3 times. Only needed 3/4 to 1 tsp of rose harissa for background heat for our taste. Taste improves by cooking day ahead. All the people I've served this notice the mild heat and for some reason think they taste ginger (maybe from rose harissa and saffron). Our dinner friends all rave about this soup. Highly recommend.

    • Rinshin on November 12, 2024

      I made this again trying to use up a small regular orange pumpkin given to us and butternut. The difference in taste is big. Whereas the kabocha soup was 10 out of 10, this one was more like 6.5-7 out of 10. It lacks the depth of taste that came from kabocha. Big, big difference.

    • tanuki on February 19, 2026

      Delicious. Added roast carrot, would perhaps use less zest next time. (Prob overdid it.) Can flag toppings if need be.

    • Ganga108 on July 04, 2024

      Yum yum. Made with home-grown butternut pumpkin. Like others said, it is very thick. I am not eating dairy atm, so added a parsnip and some cannellini beans for a creamy texture (can add some white poppy seeds in the stock for same, or make a cashew cream).

  • Chopped salad with tahini and za'atar

    • FJT on June 29, 2019

      Lovely salad to serve alongside just about anything. I chargrilled my red peppers because my husband won’t eat them raw, but otherwise followed the recipe faithfully. Will definitely make again.

    • Nancy402 on March 24, 2019

      Delicious and easy to throw together. Looked as good as it tasted.

    • KarinaFrancis on September 27, 2021

      Nothing earth shattering but a nice salad to have in your repertoire. I had some baby cucumbers which added to the crunch factor.

    • banba1 on March 06, 2021

      Good, fairly typical. Add dill and garlic next time. Fair amount of chopping.

    • Rutabaga on March 28, 2019

      This is a great chopped salad, really fresh and flavorful. I used cherry tomatoes and substituted white wine vinegar for the lemon juice. My husband especially liked it, and this will be the perfect picnic salad come summer.

    • Ro_ on June 24, 2020

      This was nice, and very easy to do. However for me it's not one of the best salad recipes in this book, I've preferred others.

    • Tealismyname on April 21, 2024

      We really enjoyed this and it kept for longer (although it does get a bit watery). We didn't have zaatar which is a pity. Chopping everything takes time but it's delicious to have as a quick side throughout the week.

    • cwpotter on August 21, 2024

      I thought this was a delicious, easy weeknight salad. I used cherry tomatoes. As he says in the headnote, middle-eastern tahinis are better here than Greek.

    • shane.metzke on January 29, 2022

      Add in some baby cos lettuce, no cucumber… feta not really necessary but would be fine… just used cherry tomatoes… didn’t have peppers but I imagine cooked might be better? The tahini addition was excellent. Went really well with bbq flat chicken and some Greek style chips.

    • Ezair92 on January 05, 2023

      This is a nice fresh salad. Similar to some other chopped Mediterranean salads I have done. But the tahini really does add a nice twist to it

  • Cucumber and lamb's lettuce salad

    • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

      A different fresh dressing.

    • hewlettn on September 01, 2021

      Sub in baby spinach if lambs lettuce difficult to find

    • jgreenheck on September 16, 2019

      I found the ginger to be over powering. Was that just me?

    • Ro_ on January 15, 2020

      I found this salad a little dry - lamb's lettuce can be a little papery, plus all the chopped herbs etc. There really wasn't enough of the dressing (and I followed the amounts of everything religiously) next time I'd make double or even triple the amount of dressing in order to taste it more and render the salad less dry.

    • Delys77 on January 15, 2023

      We used baby spinach and it worked quite well. I would also increase the dressing by 50% and consider committing the mint as it wasn't popular with the husband. Overall very light and healthy with an interesting balance of flavours. A different take which was well received and would be especially nice with a richer meal.

    • Pandan on April 16, 2024

      This was ok, but not so special. The amount of dressing would have been too little for four portions in my case.

  • Herby courgettes and peas and semolina porridge

    • Nossovitzky on May 19, 2019

      Tarragon with zucchini and peas is great - would make that bit to go over pasta I think, the semolina's texture was too similar and everything was a bit soft.

    • Jojobuch on April 28, 2020

      Liked the flavors in this - the pine nuts add a bit of a contrast texture-wise

    • Tealismyname on January 16, 2022

      I thought this was a very cosy dish and perfect for winter or when you're just not feeling great. It was very comforting.

    • pomegranate on May 29, 2022

      I didn’t make the porridge, just the veggies. Delicious.

  • 5-spice peach and raspberry salad

    • mondraussie on August 25, 2021

      lovely, but next time will try using raspberry vinegar instead of making the dressing with whole raspberries.. it was a bit too chunky for my taste.

    • kitchen_chick on July 14, 2019

      Made this without the shallots. It was delicious, cool, and refreshing. Lovely summer salad!

    • Astrid5555 on August 11, 2022

      Made with arugula from my garden instead of the watercress and radicchio. The peppery salad was a great accompaniment to the sweetness of the fruit. A great summer salad!

    • ruthdeutsch on July 20, 2024

      Made this to go with the Zucchini, Pea, and Basil Soup from the same book, subbing bibb lettuce from my garden for the watercress and radicchio. It was light and delicious. I loved the little bits of raspberry clinging to the fruit and lettuce. Company worthy and easy enough for everyday.

    • Sylfea on December 28, 2025

      Made this with plums, yellow cling peaches, raspberries, shallots and baby spinach. It was a hit with people who normally dont like fruit salads. The dressing was the star that elevated it a lot, and I will be making more variations of this.

  • Chilled cucumber, cauliflower and ginger soup

    • clkandel on July 14, 2021

      This is the first Ottolenghi recipe I haven't liked, at all. After tasting it, I literally threw the the entire batch down the disposal. We could think of no way to make this dish edible.

    • Ganga108 on January 01, 2022

      Full marks for a delicious summer soup, almost a cucumber raita over poached cauliflower topped with toasted almonds (I used macadamias). Perfect! I used less oil than suggested. I suggest incorporating zucchini juice when they are ripe (zuke juice is incredibly refreshing). A Perfect Summer soup! It was loved.

    • julia_un405k on April 05, 2026

      This dish had a crazy amount of ginger. The combos felt unnecessary didn’t make sense. It’s not a cauliflower soup. Basically has cauliflower as a garnish.

  • Stuffed courgettes with pine nut salsa

    • KarinaFrancis on February 06, 2020

      Really liked these, especially the salsa which gave it a nice brightness. Next time I'll up the quantities of the salsa. We subbed brioche for the sourdough, which might have messed with the texture a little but we were happy with the flavour. Will make it again very soon with sourdough.

    • Rachaelsb on September 05, 2023

      Very good but prob not a repeat. Idea to cook zuchinni boats before is a good one.

    • kitchen_chick on May 03, 2020

      I used a vegan "parmesan" and it worked just fine! I also used panko because I didn't have any bread. When I use panko as a sub for breadcrumbs, I always use somewhat less than the recipe calls for by weight and add a little bit of water (less than you think you'll need), mix it up, and let it sit a bit to absorb the water so it can mimic fresh breadcrumbs. I did have to cook my zucchini longer than the recipe says, and I ended up using the broiler to brown the top.

    • Schooffiecooks on March 25, 2026

      A very simple and delicious recipe!

    • JimCampbell on April 07, 2026

      A 3.5 out of 5. This a a very nice combination of flavors for both the stuffing and the pine nut salsa on top. My wife thought the Parmesan was a bit strong, but she still really enjoyed it. Next time I'd use less Parmesan, or substitute feta, which would go well in the stuffing. A change of pace for using zucchini. We'll make it again.

    • mariarita on August 05, 2022

      I made this with round 8 ball zucchini and it looked great . But Even with normally shaped zukes I don’t know how it could be cooked in 15 minutes. I prebaked the zucchini for 10 minutes, then with stuffing for another 20. Also, the filling was wet and custard-like, which was not what I expected. Flavors were nice, but not sure I’ll make it again, given the textural qualities.

    • hashi on September 10, 2025

      I’m glad I tried this. It was a great way to use a zucchini. I’m not sure if I’d try it again as a boat, but maybe sliced up with all the stuff.

    • ruthdeutsch on July 20, 2024

      Made this with small pattypan squash from the garden. As others said, it took much longer to bake than indicated in the recipe - close to an hour for the round squash. The flavor was okay, but I didn't feel it did much to complement the squash and we weren't happy with the texture of the filling. The salsa was tasty, but I won't be repeating this one.

    • Lsblackburn1 on July 22, 2022

      Loved the flavors in this. I think if I made them again, I’d precook the zucchini boats for about 5 minutes before adding the filling - I like my zucchini a bit more cooked than they got.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Side dish

  • Watermelon, green apple and lime salad

    • MissKoo on June 30, 2021

      A superb refreshing summer salad -- especially when our temperatures have been around 110-115 degrees! Really good and crispy watermelon is key. Parsley substituted for cilantro because one guest can't eat cilantro and the flavors were still amazing.

    • kitchen_chick on July 12, 2019

      Love this salad - so fresh and perfect for summer! The tart apples and lime make this work. The lemongrass adds a lovely citrus-y depth, but IMO it'll still be tasty without it. I agree that it's best to mix the fruit and dressing right before serving; however, it does hold up as leftovers. The one thing I don't get is why the recipe calls for 3 limes to get 2 tsp of zest and 3 Tbs of lime juice. I can get all that from one lime.

    • rmardel on September 23, 2024

      This salad was very popular at a potluck and it all disappeared, which I suppose was good, because I found it slightly underwhelming. Probably depends on the quality of the watermelon and the apple though, which may have been the source of my disappointment.

    • Anea25 on October 10, 2023

      Fresh and flavorful salad. Great for very hot weather. Needs to be made at the Last minute otherxise it gets very mushy

    • Ganga108 on March 02, 2022

      This salad - we love it. It has the flair of S. E. Asia with lemongrass, lime, mint and coriander.

    • shylastrath on September 07, 2022

      Made half a recipe with 1 T. preserved lemon subbed for lemongrass. Also did not toast the mustard seeds. Will make again!

    • jennifer_xbcn2s on March 01, 2026

      It is a beautiful looking salad - wish I took a photo. Although refreshing and perfect for hot weather (lime gives a nice kick), my party of 4 adults, 2 teenagers, 1 tween and 2 kindergarteners cannot finish this portion ( I suspect if I serve only watermelon straight up, they would have no issue finishing). Hence am unlikely to make again. If I make again, I will add roasted peanuts - somehow I expect peanuts with lemongrass in my salads. Mixing the salad just before serving is also a workflow I do not prefer.

  • Cauliflower 'tabbouleh'

    • wjjjww on October 19, 2022

      i skipped the allspice and it was yummy!

    • treay on January 08, 2026

      I have never tried raw cauliflower. I have made cauliflower 'rice' several times, but used it as fried rice. I have to admit that I wasn't sure if I'd like this 'tabbouleh', and I had a real pleasant surprise. It was just delicious. It made me feel like I was eating a very tasty and healthy salad. I didn't have any pomegranate, so I used the roasted pistachios instead, but added about 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses to the dressing. Delicious with Lamb chermoula and hummus.

    • pomegranate on September 18, 2022

      I didn’t care for the allspice. It would be great without it.

  • Steamed courgettes with garlic and oregano

    • saarwouters on October 14, 2018

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

    • anya_sf on November 03, 2020

      Nice, flavorful, different way to prepare zucchini. I skipped the raw garlic on top as I don't care for it.

    • Trentinla on September 01, 2020

      loved loved loved this! so easy.. next time.. i will toast the garlic slices while frying the oregano.. the garlic raw was pretty strong

  • Crushed courgettes

    • Lsblackburn1 on July 07, 2020

      Awesome side dish for the meatballs. I found that my garlic was not soft enough to mash after only 15 minutes so I fished it out and put it in the oven for longer. Next time I’d add it at the start. Served on flat bread with feta cheese.

    • kleins99 on May 11, 2022

      The zucchini need to rest 30 minutes before putting in a collander and squeezing/ crushing the water out. I don't like to lose too much of the water because then the zucchini loses most of its volume and I'm left with a very small amount of zucchini. This was very enjoyable, and agree with others, the garlic should go in after the zucchini has cooked for 10 minutes. Then a second timer to remove everything after 20 minutes. I used dried mint and fresh mint, fresh dill, and fresh thyme. Lovely.

    • emiliang on January 10, 2022

      This was an absolutely delicious way of cooking a vegetable that has, let's just say, a pretty bland reputation. The result was creamy and delightful, with bright and lively notes from the lemon and mint. Very nice side dish, and I agree with the other commenter that the garlic should go into the oven a little earlier. Also, heads up that the zucchini will let out a lot of water after you crush it, so give yourself time to drain it for another 15 minutes or so afterward.

    • Jardimc on August 19, 2025

      Very late to the party. This is a great dish. Agree with everyone that the garlic needed more time - so I cooked them in separate dishes in the oven so I could remove the courgettes and leave them to drain. I didn’t have mint or dill on hand and was too tired to run out to the store, so followed Claudia Roden’s (The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, p.85 Mashed Zucchini Salad) suggestion to season with ground coriander, caraway seeds and harissa or fresh chili. LOVED it!

    • dj2eats on March 31, 2022

      I should have read the two preceding notes! The zucchini still had a good deal of liquid when I smooshed them, and the garlic wasn't quite smooshable. So cook the garlic longer and let the zucchini drain a bit again after smooshing. That would have helped concentrate the flavors more, as they were fairly mild in my opinion.

  • Grilled beef tomatoes with chilli, garlic and ginger

    • 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

    • 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.

    • averythingcooks on August 26, 2024

      I used 3 beautifully ripe, roughly 4 oz premio tomatoes for 2 of us (2 or 3 thick slices from each), added the mustard seeds to the hot oil (good idea from eliza) & used basil to garnish. We layered the cooked tomatoes over some crispy air fryer pork cutlets & the consensus was "next time make more tomatoes"!

    • suzhecker on March 07, 2022

      I love tomatoes and have made many recipes to highlight them. This is one of my favorites.

    • Ganga108 on December 05, 2021

      Absolutely delicious! The key is to get the oil full of flavour, and to use the most flavoursome tomatoes. Also the 10 mins resting time is important to allow the tomatoes to absorb flavours. We have roasted them too, and this intensifies the flavours.

    • eliza on August 12, 2024

      I used some large tomatoes from the garden for this. Made my oil in the morning so I could make it quickly for lunch. My grill is very hot so next time I would move them a bit further away and pull out earlier. I also would add mustard seeds to the hot oil instead of toasting. Very nice.

  • 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.

    • Foodycat on February 15, 2019

      So delicious and simple! I didn't do the final charring. I think I will be eating this a lot in summer.

    • Rutabaga on September 16, 2019

      As others have said, this is delicious and simple to make. It went great with naan, but could be served with any variety of dishes. I found my tomatoes didn't need quite as much time in the oven, and just a few minutes under the broiler was enough, but I also roasted them on a metal sheet pan.

    • ksg518 on August 19, 2019

      Just wonderful! Very easy and it comes together in about 30 minutes. We served it with flatbreads and turkey sausages for a great easy meal.

    • KarinaFrancis on June 09, 2019

      Loved it! We served it as part of an aperitivo dinner with loads of bread.

    • wester on March 26, 2019

      Excellent. So simple, so flavourful, and it smells great too. I do want to use more tomatoes next time. Per SheilaS' review I paired this with braised eggs with leek and za'atar. This combination was wonderful and made for a light yet filling and exquisitely flavoured vegetarian dinner.

    • 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!

    • caitmcg on January 24, 2019

      Simple to pull together, and a delicious dish. I did the tomatoes in my Breville countertop oven, and didn’t need the broiling step. I think the proportion of yogurt is too high relative to the tomatoes, and used less (despite increasing the tomatoes). I plated the dish individually, as that seemed easier for serving than using a big platter.

    • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

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

    • FJT on July 18, 2019

      Delicious! I had to wait until my husband was away to make this because he doesn’t like hot tomatoes, but it was worth the wait. And yes, I ate it all on my own!!

    • peacheater on February 22, 2026

      This was delicious as usual! Used a bit of drive oregano as I did not have any fresh. Used only one sprig of thyme (all I had) and added a couple springs rosemary.

    • bernalgirl on August 08, 2023

      This dish is a summer favorite, the combination is outstanding and it comes together so easily. Watch the sugar, if the cherry tomatoes are very sweet it’s not needed. I enjoyed the leftovers topped with a crispy fried egg for breakfast.

    • clkandel on July 23, 2022

      Love how creamy the yogurt gets. Simple to prepare and lots of flavor.

    • Ro_ on January 21, 2020

      This was great, the citrusy cold yoghurt and the hot herby, garlicky tomatoes were a winning combination. Next time I'd probably up the quanity of tomatoes and possibly use slightly bigger ones, and DEFINITELY serve with some really nice bread to scoop up all that delicious yoghurt.

    • EmmaJaneDay on May 17, 2020

      This is beautiful! No more to say!

    • anya_sf on July 23, 2020

      Really good with rosemary focaccia. One cup of yogurt was enough for us. The tomatoes didn't need to broil that long (my broiler is very strong).

    • Skamper on February 16, 2019

      Made as a side but would probably be better as a starter. Made a half batch but with a few more tomatoes. Used homemade yogurt.

    • EmilyR on October 25, 2023

      Another rave review - this is one where the flavors truly shine. I used slightly less yogurt (skyr) than called for so mine looked a but soupy, but was delicious nonetheless. Labneh and preserved lemon would also work nicely.

    • adelina on May 16, 2026

      Really loved this over cold yogurt. I really think this would be fun crowd pleaser.

    • eclairea on September 25, 2025

      Yum! Simple prep (as the book implies) with big flavour. Perfect use for the last of the season’s best cherry tomatoes.

    • breadenthusiast on September 03, 2025

      Always look forward to summer to make this recipe! Quick to make, very flavourful!

    • sloane_mgqknp on April 22, 2026

      One of my favorite appetizers to share.

    • shelbstirr on September 28, 2025

      Very tasty, popular served it as part of a brunch spread with some sourdough. Next time I’ll use the written amount of cumin seeds (I typically reduce cumin). I drained the yogurt mix overnight in cheesecloth to make it labne, which I really enjoyed.

    • snackbaby on February 17, 2025

      love love love this, no notes.

    • Clairehg on March 18, 2026

      This was an excellent appetizer for a quick and yummy food. I subbed the yogurt for ricotta, since that's what i had on hand and it was delightful

    • rhb on November 05, 2022

      Very good! Thankfully, I took others' notes about the yogurt; half the amount of was more than enough. I move the pan lower for the final broil and it broil for only a few minutes. The first time I made it, I followed the recipe and got a smoky mess from the tomatoes being too close to the broiling element.

    • Mtougher on January 02, 2026

      One of my go to recipes. Will substitute labne for yogurt regularly.

  • Tomato, chard and spinach with toasted almonds

    • KarinaFrancis on June 29, 2021

      The caraway, lime, almonds and herbs really set this dish apart. A great way with chard

    • 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.

    • EmmaJaneDay on May 17, 2020

      This was yum and easy to make. Will definitely be making this again

    • Ro_ on July 06, 2021

      This just wasn't for me. I think I added too much lime juice at the end, but even so I felt like it was kind of on the bitter side. Might have been nicer with yoghurt mixed through? But I probably won't repeat.

    • Ishie1013 on April 19, 2022

      Very decent dish, but definitely needed more salt. It also makes a massive amount of food, so I'd probably half or quarter it in the future. Not my favorite use of swiss chard though.

  • 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.

    • Rutabaga on October 24, 2019

      I really like this dish. Plus, using bagged, pre-cut veggies from Trader Joe's made it very simple to prepare. Because of the kids, I went light on the Urfa pepper and served the lime on the side, but in my mind, those two flavors are what sets this dish apart.

    • TrishaCP on February 03, 2019

      This was really flavorful and fairly easy to prepare. We also used cavolo nero since it's what we had on hand. I didn't have mint, so used cilantro, which also added (along with the lime) a nice pop of freshness and brightness at the end.

    • damjih on July 25, 2019

      Good recipe, same as others kale soaked up all the oil

    • anya_sf on April 19, 2020

      I used 3 broccoli crowns (much more than 3 cups) and a bunch of beet greens in lieu of kale. I only had half the mint but it was enough to get the flavor, and just used 1 tsp urfa biber for a hint of spice. This dish was easy to cook at the last second with everything prepped ahead. Overall, I loved it, but would probably like it better without the cumin.

    • jenburkholder on August 10, 2020

      I didn’t think this was very good. The vegetables tasted quite plain, only a hint of mint as their seasoning was noticeable, and we found the textural contrast between the kale and the broccoli to be strangely unpleasant, despite loving both of those vegetables. Won’t repeat.

    • 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.

    • lorloff on May 14, 2022

      I had kale and broccoli to use up from the farmer’s marker and found this recipe. It was delicious - the Ufra, lime and garlic made the dish and I really liked the way the kale crisped up in the frying after it was blanched. Really liked this - will make again.

    • rhb on October 29, 2022

      We liked this a lot. I blanched the veg in the morning and the kale was still damp so only some of it crisped up. I made the garlic-cumin oil ahead of time - straining out the garlic and cumin from a small pan was easier for me. I forgot mint or cilantro at the end but I did add some roasted pine nuts. I liked it without the lime juice but my husband thought it was essential. If I make this again, I will try lemon juice.

    • catmummery on March 11, 2022

      I like this - what's not to like with kale and broccoli. But I agree with others that it could do with a little 'jzuzsh'. i used sprouting broccoli, which worked well. I added toasted almonds, and lemon at the end. I toasted the broccoli with griddle before starting with the kale. Mybe a different dish but really tasty.

  • Tenderstem broccoli / broccolini with soy sauce, garlic and peanuts

    • Emily Hope on March 29, 2019

      Served this as a side with the miso/lime chicken from the same book -- a nice, not too complicated way to do broccolini, and the peanuts are a nice touch. It did seem like it might benefit from some acidity--next time may try adding a bit of lime juice or rice vinegar.

    • bernalgirl on September 23, 2021

      This recipe is easy and fantastic. I added a squeeze of lemon juice to the honey mixture instead of lemon zest and liked the way it complemented the honey and increased the sauce. I also made the sauce in the same pan as the broccoli, working quickly it didn’t cool down too much. I would make it this way again.

    • Rutabaga on May 24, 2020

      This is quite good, although I think it could use more of the soy sauce/honey. A pound of broccolini is quite a bit! The peanut topping is really a nice complement. I cooked the broccoli in the same pan I used to make the peanut topping by steaming under a closed lid with a little water. I removed the broccolini to a bowl and then used the pan to quickly cook the soy sauce and honey, but the dish wasn't very hot by the time it got to the table. In an effort to make this a one pan dish, I'd reduce the soy sauce and honey before cooking the broccoli next time, then add it to the broccoli in the hot pan just prior to serving.

    • KarinaFrancis on February 12, 2020

      Super quick and super tasty side dish! I could only find “big” broccoli so I sliced it all the way down (thank you my Instagram friend for that tip) and I didn’t have any ginger so I used dried chilli instead, which I’d do again. This will go on regular rotation for sure.

    • sosayi on February 06, 2019

      In the US edition, this is listed as "broccolini with soy sauce, garlic, and peanuts". Different titles can be confusing! This was quite easy and quite good. The preschooler gobbled it up and commented on how "yummy" it was, surprisingly. Definite repeat, though I always over-steam broccoli, so I need to work on that. The orange peel definitely adds a great note to the fried garlic, ginger and peanut mixture, so I wouldn't skip it.

    • anya_sf on July 03, 2019

      I oversteamed the broccolini a tad, as the stems - although thin - weren't getting tender. So next time I'll cut the broccolini into shorter pieces. The peanut topping was great.

    • fedenorreri on May 02, 2019

      Love the toppings in this recipe. I sub cashews for some of the peanuts and used coconut aminos instead of soy sauce (allergies in the family) - served with the Thai sticky rice and shrimp.

    • janeths on January 05, 2026

      Delicious

    • stepharama1 on December 01, 2022

      It thought this was very good but not great. However, I subbed cashews for peanuts and tahini for the peanut butter. Preparation of this dish also took more time than I expected.

    • eclairea on September 16, 2025

      Delicious! Ended up making with gai lab instead of broccolini and it was a beautiful substitute.

    • dmdmdmmm on January 29, 2026

      Used regular broccoli for this one. It’s alright, nothing special

    • Ezair92 on January 19, 2023

      This was good. Next time I would probably add even more peanuts and less soy sauce

  • Mustard-marinated kale with asparagus

    • CallmeIshbel on October 26, 2018

      Used baby kale and broadbeans, really tasty dish

    • Brittania on February 21, 2026

      :)

    • bernalgirl on May 08, 2026

      I was out of pepitas so used sesame seeds and slivered almonds with the sunflower seed brittle, which adds great contrast when broken up and distributed throughout the salad. I also massaged the kale for much longer than one minute but otherwise stuck to the recipe. It’s pleasant but the asparagus gets lost in the other flavors and I wouldn’t go out of my way to make it again.

    • lmhester on January 09, 2023

      We found this recipe to be lacking something. More maple syrup would have helped, in fact, more dressing in general. And maybe some dried cranberries or something. We were disappointed in this one.

    • dinnermints on April 03, 2022

      Excellent. Of the three Ottolenghi dishes we made for a dinner with guests, this was hands down the favorite. The lightly sweet crunchy seeds with the tangy mustardy greens was addictive, and the asparagus and peas (which I used instead of the edamame) were delightful in there as well. I was only able to use about a quarter of the amount of tarragon; the full amount would be that much better. I used less oil - maybe around half the amount. I made a double recipe, which was a LOT - next time would do 1.5 recipe for six adults. And for a single recipe, more than one bunch of kale and one bunch of asparagus would be needed. Looking forward to making this again.

    • Jardimc on August 11, 2024

      It would not have occurred to me to construct this dish with kale, asparagus and edamame but it works. As always, YO makes the extra effort to finish the dish nicely, in this case with candied pepitas.

    • Ezair92 on June 08, 2025

      This was excellent - I never would have thought to make this combination but it all works. The sunflower and pumpkin seed topping is a wonderful add and next time I will double it. Very yummy

  • Roasted asparagus with almonds, capers and dill

    • Rutabaga on April 19, 2020

      As others have said, this is a great combination. Something a little unexpected with asparagus, and everything comes together beautifully. It was a great Easter side dish.

    • ksg518 on April 20, 2021

      Wow this is good. Admittedly the butter and oil turn it into a bit of an indulgence but it's worth it.

    • KarinaFrancis on October 05, 2020

      I agree with the chorus of previous reviews, this is a great side dish and the topping could be used on any green vegetables

    • FJT on November 06, 2018

      Really tasty recipe.

    • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

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

    • aargle on November 14, 2019

      Loved this. Very quick dish to prepare and had lovely flavours and textures.

    • Skamper on November 21, 2021

      I was a bit disappointed given the rave reviews. It was good, just not the standout combination of flavors I expected.

    • anya_sf on April 17, 2020

      I substituted a smaller amount of tarragon for the dill. The asparagus was delicious. There was a generous amount of topping.

    • Huongey on May 20, 2020

      The almonds and capers fried in butter is life changing. I throw it on top of different veggies, rice, and grilled meat.

    • pattyatbryce on May 30, 2026

      We've made this a few times and always rave about it. I let the butter and almonds go as far as they can to get the butter browned. A great extra touch.

    • Babycarrot on April 18, 2023

      Agree with most other reviews, this was really delicious. I did scale back a touch on the amount of oil because this can eat rather rich with the full amount of butter + oil. The topping makes the dish, watch the almonds as they can easily burn in the pan. I can see this being delicious with any white fish.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Side dish

  • Cavolo nero with chorizo and preserved lemon

    • okcook on May 06, 2019

      I have made this twice. The second time I cooked the kale a bit more than directed. We find the preserved lemon too much. Next time I think half would be plenty to give it the tang it needs.

    • 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.

    • Nossovitzky on May 19, 2019

      Very tasty! Good even without the preserved lemon, which I ran out of (but better with). Ended up using a bigger kale to chorizo ratio as I wanted this to be a veggie side dish.

    • Foodycat on November 09, 2018

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

    • tmitra on July 04, 2020

      I tried this because I was curious as to how these flavors would work together, and while it was fine, it wasn't greater than the sum of its parts. I wouldn't make it again. I appreciate kitchen_chick's point below; I had Mexican chorizo, so I removed the casing and crumbled it.

    • kitchen_chick on September 09, 2019

      We really liked this dish. The "fresh chorizo" in this recipe does not refer to Mexican chorizo, which is the usual fresh kind found where I live and what I generally assume is meant when a recipe says "fresh chorizo". There is a Spanish version, which is delicious and worth seeking out. That said, it does work with Mexican chorizo. If using Mexican chorizo sausages, cook the sausage whole first, let it rest, then slice as described. I also used thick, unsweetened full fat yogurt instead of sour cream. The substitution worked well for us.

    • katy1729 on August 11, 2019

      Made as an accompaniment to the turkey & courgette burgers and the couscous, cherry tomato & herb salad. Only had 300g cavolo nero so adjusted quantities in proportion. Quantity was fine for three people with the other dishes. Didn't bother with the sour cream as we had the sumac sauce from the burger recipe. I would make again.

    • anya_sf on May 04, 2020

      I didn't have chorizo, so I used 3 strips of bacon, which were still very tasty in this dish (served as a side). I ended up steaming the kale longer, as my family doesn't like it chewy. Preserved lemon can be quite strong, so I rinsed it and used slightly less. Before adding the sour cream, I did not care for the overall dish, but the sour cream really balanced the other flavors, and I ended up liking this quite a bit. Next time I'll seek out fresh Spanish chorizo.

    • sara_kwi3s0 on March 06, 2026

      I was very happy with this recipe. I do think I will use crumbled sausage next time. I will also taste before adding salt. I added it too early so it was a tad on the salty side. My mistake not the recipe.

    • Pimlicocook on April 24, 2023

      A mishmash of this and Catherine Phipps' Kale and Chorizo Soup, made in minutes in the pressure cooker. Omitted garlic, added chickpeas and sliced new potatoes to the pan with the browned chorizo, stirred in a splash of vegetable stock and a sprinkle of paprika, topped with cavolo nero, cooked at high pressure for 2 minutes, allowed pressure to drop naturally. Stirred in sour cream and chopped preserved lemon. A nice variation on the original chorizo soup - which includes red wine or port - and a creamy, lemony sauce instead.

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

    • kitchen_chick on July 22, 2019

      I chopped the cabbage into smaller pieces (but still on the large size), and I added the thickest pieces to the wok first. I also used some pickled piquante and slightly sweet chiles because I didn’t have any fresh red chiles on hand, and it was delicious.

    • Yildiz100 on May 13, 2019

      Tasty, but I would like it better if the cabbage leaves were chopped slightly smaller rather than just ripped in half.

    • cjross on October 21, 2018

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

    • MaJo on January 17, 2026

      Really simple (heh) and super tasty. Can recommend.

    • DePollepel on August 28, 2022

      So simple yet so delicious!!!

    • KNivia on April 24, 2026

      This is actually a simple recipe from Ottolenghi! But great flavors and could be paired with any type of Asian dish!

  • Cauliflower, pomegranate and pistachio salad

    • jennycalling on April 08, 2021

      Absolutely delicious - wonderful textures, flavours, colours. I found the leaves a little tough, perhaps my cauliflower was too big or the leaves I used were too large, but I will leave them out next time.

    • kitchen_chick on December 29, 2019

      Great salad with nice textures! The parts can be prepped in advance and then combined right before serving. I agree with it being a bit under-seasoned as is. Fortunately, that's easy to fix.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • MelMM on February 04, 2019

      2-1-2019 I liked the mix of textures in this salad. As written, however, I found it underseasoned and dry. I ended up adding more lemon, more oil, and more salt. With those changes, the salad was quite good.

    • 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.

    • Baxter850 on November 15, 2020

      Needs extra lemon, salt and maybe a touch more olive oil but we really liked this dish. Super fresh and light (yet filling) with great texture.

    • ALawson25 on August 24, 2020

      A good salad, the cauliflower leaves were a great addition. I would make my roasted cauliflower pieces smaller next time. I don't think the tarragon was overly necessary. could substitute another nut as I didn't taste the pistachios too much.

    • elysedc on June 17, 2022

      I always leave out the pistachios because of an allergy, and otherwise make as written. Very delicious. Was good to bring to a Christmas eve potluck - the red of the pomegranate seeds against all the green looked very festive!

    • SKCol on March 27, 2026

      Wanted a special salad for NYE dinner and this was perfect.

  • Mustardy cauliflower cheese

    • wester on March 02, 2019

      I would have liked less of a bite to this, both literally and figuratively.

    • okcook on April 24, 2019

      The flavours are very good as others have commented. I had an issue with curdling. When I poured the cream into the pan it curdled almost immediately so the sauce was just clumps of curdled cheese and cream. Very unappetizing. Next time I will cool down my pot before adding the cream/cheese.

    • kari500 on February 28, 2020

      Very tasty, but seemed a bit labor intensive. Maybe I was just having a rough day.

    • FJT on November 05, 2020

      Lovely zingy cauliflower cheese! Mine had red chillies, Colman's English mustard (prepared, not powder) and a large dollop of madras curry paste instead of curry powder. It was looking as if it would be too spicy so a small tub of natural yoghurt was added before baking. I forgot about the breadcrumbs, but we didn't miss them!

    • JennyHay on April 12, 2019

      A wonderful dish. A perfect side with loads of flavour to accompany plain meat. It went well with with old fashioned corned beef. I will cook the cauliflower a bit longer next time. I used more cheese and crumbs in the topping.

    • mcvl on August 25, 2020

      Delightful! Lacking a fresh green pepper, I chopped up some pickled jalapeño, and because I'm a texture fiend I chunked rather than grated the cheese. I may never make ordinary cauliflower cheese again.

    • TrishaCP on November 08, 2020

      We absolutely loved this recipe - though I wouldn’t say it was that simple with several steps. I did steam the cauliflower for extra time (maybe 3 more minutes) as I had left the pieces quite large. (My broiler doesn’t work either, so I let it bake a bit longer.) I used two Serrano chiles and it was the perfect level of spice for us.

    • Silverscreensuppers on February 12, 2019

      Really loved this dish. Perfectly spiced for me. Made for my bookcook club where 5 of us all cooked recipes from Simple - every single thing was DELICIOUS!

    • raybun on March 02, 2019

      Definitely better than any cauliflower cheese I’ve eaten before. The spices and chilli definitely elevated the cauliflower, going in my Favourite File.

    • lou_weez on September 26, 2018

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

    • Rinshin on August 28, 2020

      Ok but also thought this was a bit too cauli-cheese and did not notice mustard flavor which I was hoping for. If making this again, adding chopped green peppers, more mustard, and less cheese. Updating my note. We had trouble finishing the leftovers. We just did not care for the taste.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • Skamper on January 06, 2021

      We both liked this. made a half batch that yielded two generous portions, which we both gobbled up. My florets probably could have been a bit smaller.

    • ricki on December 05, 2021

      Disliked the mustard/curry/cheddar combination, but might try the technique again with other flavors.

    • anya_sf on May 12, 2019

      Like a cross between regular cauliflower cheese and Indian cauliflower. I used less chili so it wouldn't be too spicy, and a bit more cheese. My broiler only has one setting (burn), so I just left it to bake longer. It was delicious. We had it with sausages and peas.

    • Ro_ on January 13, 2021

      Really liked this. I appreciated that it was all made in one pan (except for steaming the cauli at the start). The sauce to me was more of a curry sauce than a mustard sauce, but I liked it! I used one green chilli which added the perfect amount of heat. If I made it again I'd cook the cauliflower slightly more (it was quite al dente in the end, though my partner likes it like that) in fact maybe just parboil instead of steam it.

    • purrviciouz on March 03, 2019

      This was more like curried cauliflower and cheese, the mustard was not very forward here. I served this with wild rice blend. It made for a delicious and rich vegetarian dinner.

    • 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!

    • Brittania on February 21, 2026

      Made by Lindsay.

    • Omsafeeya on December 30, 2022

      Not really cauliflower cheese but a nice spicy dish.

    • TLouise on December 04, 2023

      My family liked the flavours of this dish although as others have suggested if I made it again I would parboil the cauliflower for a softer texture.

    • chezlarios on March 28, 2025

      It was definitely delicious, but the end product was swimming in fat - it seems like it didn't turn into a cohesive sauce but rather that the oil just separated out. Perhaps it was the double cream?

    • Ezair92 on January 05, 2023

      Really liked this recipe. My guests all raved about it. It wasn’t as spicy as I thought but I think it really does depend on the chilies that you use. Loved the various spices

  • Roasted whole cauliflower

    • Rutabaga on September 12, 2020

      Yum! I've made roasted cauliflower plenty of times, but always cut into florets, never whole. It worked amazingly well, and was delicious served with both tahini sauce and feta garlic sauce. I will definitely make this again.

    • DKennedy on December 04, 2023

      The green tahini sauce is the favorite recipe part. Just sheet pan roast cut cauliflower as you normally would, and serve with the sauce.

    • Jesmondgirl on March 14, 2020

      Simple and tasty.

    • Baxter850 on November 05, 2020

      This was good (not great). A lot more work and time involved than with other recipes although the whole head does make for a nice presentation. Enjoyed the green tahini sauce.

    • Ganga108 on January 01, 2022

      So easy to make and utterly delicious. And simple it is – par boiled then roasted with butter and oil before serving with a green tahini sauce. Elements of Ottolenghi, without all the hoohaa of his other books.

    • KarinaFrancis on April 25, 2022

      I was trying to recreate a dish I had at a restaurant and used this recipe as a base. My cauliflower opened up which didn’t seem to happen to others, it was delicious and made for lots of charred crispy bits so I was happy about it. Note to self use more salt in the pre boil.

    • heather358 on December 01, 2024

      This was a huge hit as a starter at last night's dinner party, guests loved the crunchy exterior of the cauliflower with the soft creamy stems and the delicious tahini sauce, and they took the leftover dipping sauce home with big smiles. Will make this a regular in the cauliflower rotation.

    • Chefalisha on April 05, 2026

      I don’t think you need to parboil

    • Acarroll on November 23, 2023

      Good, but too buttery/oily for my taste. Next time I'd cut in wedges for more even cooking. I served it with romesco from the New Classics book by Marcus Wareing, since we have a sesame allergy in the house. The romesco paired well with it.

    • rhb on November 18, 2022

      Just fabulous with the Green Tahini Sauce. Basting didn't really work...the butter/oil just kind of burned on the baking sheet. Next time, I will put on parchment and brush with a little extra butter/oil a few times.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Don’t overcook

  • Green tahini sauce

    • westminstr on October 04, 2019

      This was quite a bit more work than regular lemon-tahini dressing but not very different or a whole lot better. I might have preferred it with some olive oil added.

    • rhb on November 18, 2022

      I wasn't crazy about this until I put it put it on the Roasted Whole Cauliflower (p. 94) the combination was fantastic!

  • Curried egg and cauliflower salad

    • wester on February 28, 2019

      Definitely quick, easy and tasty. I served it with chicken as suggested but that was a bit too much - probably better as a (light) vegetarian main. Would also be good to bring to a potluck.

    • kari500 on December 15, 2019

      I made half a recipe because I ended up with half a (large) cauliflower. This is delicious, even though I took a few short-cuts. I used ground cumin, dried tarragon (and less of this than called for). I now know that it is a PITA to peel pasteurized hard boiled eggs. From now on if I'm planning on boiling eggs I will get them non-pasteurized. Seems like it is going to be a good gateway recipe into egg salad for L. Has anyone ever subbed tofu for eggs in an egg salad?

    • FJT on May 07, 2020

      This was fine, but really didn’t wow us. I reduced the number of eggs. Can’t say I’d bother making it again.

    • kitchen_chick on September 29, 2019

      Delicious. This recipe makes a huge amount. I will cut it in half next time, and we'll still have leftovers.

    • ksg518 on March 24, 2024

      I thought this was just fine, not great. But I may try it again with a more assertive curry and perhaps some chutney.

    • jenburkholder on August 10, 2020

      I thought this was delicious, and with a green salad it was a whole meal. Easy, cheap, tasty, and at least moderately healthy. Will definitely repeat.

    • Geric on February 28, 2021

      I will definitely repeat this. Served it with a spinach and lentil dahl and some rice. It was quick and quite straightforward.

    • Skamper on June 09, 2021

      We both liked. A half batch was more than enough for two, Served as a main on a bed of lettuce.

    • Baxter850 on November 15, 2020

      Delicious. Great summertime and make-ahead dish.

    • anya_sf on August 20, 2019

      I only used 3 eggs and added the meat from a whole rotisserie chicken. There was enough dressing for everything. At first I didn't notice that the curry powder was divided and I put all of it on the cauliflower. The cauliflower on its own was too strongly flavored, but I omitted the curry from the dressing, so the flavor balanced out overall. I subsituted basil for the tarragon, since that's what I had on hand. The salad was quite delicious, although rich; next time I'll serve it over greens. It would benefit from some crunch - perhaps sliced almonds. (I did roast the cauliflower and onion a bit longer so they weren't crunchy.)

    • banba1 on March 06, 2021

      Good! Didn't hold up so well as leftovers. Great recipe to play around with -- additions I want to try include: currants, barberries or golden raisins; mango chutney; parsley and/or dill

    • Lsblackburn1 on June 26, 2019

      I served this on toasted olive bread and it was delicious! Very filling so we have a lot of leftovers.

    • treay on November 15, 2024

      This dish is very tasty and goes well with anything as a side dish or just as a main for a vegetarian meal. It is a take on a traditional recipe called 'Coronation Chicken'. Instead of the chicken they used cauliflower and egg to make it a vegetarian dish. Truly delicious!

  • Chickpeas and Swiss chard with yoghurt

    • ksg518 on March 28, 2019

      This appears to be a variation on Ottolenghi's chickpea sauté from Plenty, which I really like. There are some differences, including roasting the carrots instead of just adding them directly to the sauté and just using the chard leaves rather than worry with the stems. But, for me the biggest differences were the addition of a fair amount of onion, which I thought weighed down the dish and the deletion of mint which also made it heavier than the original. I think I'll stick with the original.

    • CallmeIshbel on October 26, 2018

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

    • KarinaFrancis on May 27, 2021

      We really enjoyed this. Not wanting to waste anything I used the stems as well. Based on previous comments I’ll have to try the version in Plenty and compare.

    • JennyHay on October 28, 2018

      Loved this as a side dish served with lamb.

    • kari500 on February 16, 2019

      I'd bump up the spices next time, and maybe add some cayenne and/or sumac. Served over rice as a vegetarian main. I liked it.

    • Jane on November 12, 2020

      This is a relatively quick and easy vegetarian dinner. I used rainbow chard so included the stems. I added a chopped preserved lemon as I felt a bit more pizazz was needed. I think the yogurt is essential for balancing the dish.

    • Ro_ on January 21, 2020

      I used spinach instead of swiss chard, as it's what I had. This was nice, I enjoyed the spicing but as another commenter says would probably increase the quanities of spice (and carrot) next time.

    • MissKoo on March 27, 2021

      A good, quick dish, and slightly abbreviated version of the chickpea sauté in Plenty. Like Jane, I used rainbow chard and included the stems. I like the flavor developed by roasting the carrots, but overall prefer the addition of mint and garlic in his original recipe, so in future will likely combine elements from both recipes.

    • jenburkholder on August 10, 2020

      I thought this was lovely with fresh garden chard. Crazily easy and almost a whole meal in itself. The caraway added a surprising depth.

    • Tealismyname on January 29, 2023

      Roasting makes this delcious and it was a quick and simple dinner

    • anya_sf on May 24, 2022

      I adapted this for what I had on hand: half a bag of (rather thin) baby carrots and 10 oz frozen spinach. The carrots got overdone in 20 min, but the (overly) roasted flavor was good in the vegetable mixture. Frozen spinach worked quite well in place of chard. We had this as a side dish with sumac chicken, so the seasoning was fine, but as a main I could see adding more spices.

    • matt_no9azm on February 03, 2026

      We really liked this served over rice as a side with broiled citrusy salmon.

    • Ezair92 on January 05, 2023

      Really enjoyed this one. I used both Swiss chard and red chard And loved the yogurt at the end. Definitely roasting the carrots made a difference

    • chezlarios on February 15, 2025

      Not an ingredient combo I'm very used to, so was surprisingly good. Served with white rice, so together I think the recipes actually made more intended (2 servings)

  • Tofu and French beans with chraimeh sauce

    • Astrid5555 on July 20, 2021

      I have to admit I do not like green beans, so having had some in my farm box I thought that giving them an Ottolenghi treatment would maybe change my mind. Unfortunately it did not. While the sauce on rice was ok, the whole family agreed to not repeat this one.

    • tmitra on September 23, 2021

      I will double the sauce next time.

    • luluf on August 03, 2020

      This was nice but I think the tofu should be cut into smaller pieces. My son made the sauce in a large shallow frying pan and because of this, I think too much liquid evaporated as I would have liked there to be more lovely chraimeh sauce.

    • damjih on October 21, 2020

      Have made this a few times, I made the tofu into smaller domino sizes to crisp them up easier then chopped them smaller.

    • purrviciouz on August 21, 2020

      Fantastic and quick dinner.

    • mademoisielle on February 25, 2021

      Really like this dish! Also delicious with halloumi instead of tofu.

    • jenburkholder on August 04, 2020

      Really good, very easy. A definite repeat. I’ve also used other vegetables than haricots - broccoli, in particular worked well.

    • Delys77 on April 04, 2024

      This was interesting and different but not a repeat for us. The sauce is lovely and the techniques work well but I think it doesn't cling enough to the tofu and green beans. I also find that an un-thickened sauce such as this doesn't have a particularly nice mouth feel.

    • susi_oafoek on February 17, 2026

      Thanks to previous feedback I knew to reduce the sauce. I didn’t have green beans so I substituted with other veg for a mid week dinner. Was delicious and relatively straightforward.

    • valderaa on July 29, 2025

      Yum! I almost didn’t make this due to the lackluster comments in other notes but I had the ingredients, so I forged ahead. So glad I did! This sauce is delicious. Because others complained it was thin, I made sure I simmered it down until it had thickened. I also cut the green beans into bite sized pieces, which made it easier to get a bite with all the elements combined. To simplify it further, I steamed the green beans into the microwave for the first round of cooking and I prepared the tofu in my air-fryer. It was delicious. I will definitely make again and make more sauce for white beans, fish, zucchini, and more. (I woke up the next morning thinking about making this sauce again.)

    • treay on November 28, 2024

      This recipe served with basmati rice was scrumptious. Chraimeh is a piquant sauce from Libya. Loved it!

    • anothersarah on February 01, 2022

      Loved this - green beans came out perfect and still had bite. The sauce was different and delicious.

    • Saladly on April 20, 2026

      Great dish. Love tofu and green beans so I guess this one was a slam dunk already. Cut the beans in half maybe for ease of eating.

  • Avocado and broad bean mash

    • KarinaFrancis on August 31, 2019

      Another win from this book! Lush, delicious and pretty easy to make (podding broadbeans isn’t difficult, just a bit time consuming). The broad bean flavour works beautifully with the creamy avocado. It doesn’t make a huge amount, so take advice from etcjm and double it if you have a few people coming.

    • 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.

    • domechef on June 24, 2019

      Awesome! Amazing how a combination of few ingredients can create something this glorious. Would repeat for sure. Soon!

    • etcjm on April 11, 2019

      I loved this, but I LOVE broad beans. I think my other half found it quite strong at first but then it grew on him. Same as jennyhay I cooked this alongside the butterbean mash and muhammara. They make very different amounts. I could eat this amount myself so if you think it's going to be a hit with your audience just double and enjoy the leftovers for lunch!

    • Ganga108 on March 02, 2022

      I love the lightness and simplicity of this dish. It is a great dip and spread – use it as a mezze plate, a snack in front of the TV, or as nibbles with a glass of wine and group of friends before you head out on the town. There is no garlic in it, so you’ll be right.

  • 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 smoky flavour it adds. I also served the Avocado and broad bean mash (page 106). They went very well together with lots of bruschetta and the colours looked great.

    • KarinaFrancis on October 03, 2021

      I love Muhammara and this is a good one. It works well with the butter bean mash, but would be good without it too. I didn’t discard the garlic clove after infusing the oil, I just added it to the mash.

    • Allie80 on August 18, 2019

      Really tasty and very simple. The red pepper muhammara was deliciously smokey and the walnuts gave a really interesting flavour and texture. It had a nice warmth to it but not too spicy even for those who can’t tolerate much heat. The butter bean mash didn’t have loads of flavour of its own so definitely needed the muhammara, if I was serving just the butter bean mash I’d probably want to add some roasted garlic or something to it for additional flavour.

    • joneshayley on February 15, 2020

      The mash is delightful, could serve it with anything. The pepper dip a little sweet for me - I'd increase the chilli flakes next time. Another easy light lunch.

    • metacritic on September 29, 2020

      This was good, not great. I'd likely make it again. I found it quite light - the butterbean mash was much lighter than a hummus. The muhammara was lighter than my usual go-to recipe (Paula Wolfort), calling for a much lower ratio of walnuts and no bread crumbs. Curiously for an Ottolenghi recipe it calls for balsamic rather than the standard: pomegranate syrup. As fate would have it I was out of balsamic but had the other so used that. While neither the mash nor the muhammara were my preferred recipes on their own, together they were quite good, complementary, and satisfying to eat. I'd add more hot pepper, like others, doubling it in the future.

    • etcjm on April 11, 2019

      The mash is so lovely and smooth and so easy. I can't eat potato so this for me was brilliant. The red pepper dip is very unusual, not what was expected but then I hadn't tasted it before. We all trust Yotam though! It was relatively easy and worked well with the lamb. The walnuts gave a different texture and I'd almost be tempted to try it without next time. Definitely will cook again.

    • Ro_ on January 30, 2020

      I was using fresh walnuts, and while deshelling them some shards of shell obviously snuck into the pile of nuts, which ended up like little hard stones in the red pepper dip. There was also a weird taste to the muhammara, giving the benefit of the doubt I suppose it must have come from the bits of shell too. The butterbean mash was nice (I used haricots blancs) but not particularly outstanding. These notes are for my own benefit rather than pointing out a fault in the recipe, but even with my own mistakes I didn't love the basic textures/flavours of this to want to make it again correctly.

    • lilham on April 29, 2026

      I made this for a vegan guest. It’s very easy to make and so delicious. I used Romano peppers. I used a lot more than the 1 tbsp of water suggested to get the butter bean mash to the right consistency. I served the dip with supermarket Greek flatbread. The pepper puree is sweet and goes very well with the butterbean mash. Looking forward to have this for lunch tomorrow.

    • Pandan on October 24, 2024

      Really good and filling! Had this with the Cheesy pepper twirl bread from Jessie Sheehan for dinner. The muhammara turned out great. Good to know that you don’t need to peel the skins. I kept the garlic in the bean mash because why wouldn’t you want more garlic?

    • elena_qgj0iz on May 30, 2026

      The muhamarra is full of flavour and a crowd pleaser. I used pomegranate molasses instead of balsamic vinegar.

  • Two bean and two lime salad

    • KarinaFrancis on August 18, 2020

      I used peas in place of the edamame, only 1 chilli and parsley because I didn’t have any coriander. I thought was delicious and would make it this way again. Great side dish

    • Ro_ on July 08, 2021

      A different and tasty way with French beans. I used frozen beans and I think I ended up adding too many because I'd have liked a bit more sauce for the quantity of beans. Also thought that a touch (just a touch) of light soy sauce or something salty would have been nice.

    • anya_sf on May 05, 2020

      I just had half the green beans, but the full amount of edamame. Half the dressing was just right. I reduced the chile to 1/2 jalapeno so it wouldn't be too spicy for my son and thought the level of heat was pleasant - in the background, not the forefront. We really enjoyed this dish.

    • 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.

    • Ganga108 on October 30, 2021

      In this salad the green beans are paired with either edamame, younger broad beans or even peas. The key to the salad is a beautiful dressing made with lime zest, lime juice, coriander, mint, garlic and chillies! Oh, yes, you just might get excited. Once the beans are trimmed, it is quite simple to make. 10 ingredients, quick, and it can be made ahead of time.

    • KathC on January 30, 2025

      Used fresh beans and asparagus lightly blanched. Didn't need all the dressing. Was a hit (mainly with adults in the family) alongside beef fillet and would be very good next to lamb too.

  • Mushrooms and chestnuts with za'atar

    • MelMM on February 04, 2019

      2-1-2019 I ended up using a bit more oil than called for to get the ingredients coated before roasting. After roasting, I felt the dish needed more lemon than called for, and more salt. It was a really delicious dish though.

    • Pandan on October 26, 2024

      This was ok, but wouldn’t necessarily repeat. Could have just used cheaper button mushrooms instead of expensive portobellos. The chestnuts got quite dry and shrunk after roasting.

    • Clinelovescooking on November 09, 2024

      I would add a lot more chestnuts. Will experiment and report

  • Brussels sprouts with burnt butter and black garlic

    • MelMM on February 04, 2019

      2-1-2019 I roasted the Brussels sprouts for 15 minutes to get deeper browning. Not sure if that was really necessary, though. Weigh the black garlic, as the # of cloves stated is way off. Miyoko's vegan butter will brown, and that is what I used here. Even a runny tahini can be a bit thick to drizzle, and by now I anticipated the dish needing more acid, so I added lemon juice (and salt) to the tahini. I also added extra lemon and salt to the sprouts themselves. We really enjoyed these Brussels sprouts. A good flavor, and the crunch from the pumpkin seeds was a welcome contrast. Would repeat, with the changes I made.

    • 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.

    • KarinaFrancis on June 20, 2019

      Loved this dish, even the silver fox loved it and had second helping.The flavours came together beautifully, with the sweetness of the garlic, the crispy sprouts and the tahini to top it off. I couldn't find pepitas on my way home, so I subbed slivered almonds which were great, but I still want to try it with the pepitas. I roasted mine for 15 minutes, because I like them crispy too. Will be making this again and again while sprouts are in season!

    • peaceoutdesign on October 04, 2021

      My black garlic was very dried out and I think that it didn't enhance the flavor as much as it should have. Everyone liked it but I think the texture of the paste was off.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • kitchen_chick on February 13, 2019

      Delicious! Garlic, butter, tahini, lemon juice - the flavors all came together beautifully. I didn't have black garlic, so I roasted some garlic with a bit olive oil to a soft creamy goodness and used that instead. I can only imagine how good it is with black garlic. I also roasted my Brussels sprouts longer as I like mine a bit crispier. And I agree with others' comments that the pumpkin seeds are a great addition.

    • Silverscreensuppers on December 19, 2018

      The crack cocaine of Brussels sprouts - absolutely DELICIOUS!

    • Anne_em on January 06, 2021

      We liked this very much. I used black garlic paste which is basically the same as whole garlic but less fussy to use. I didn’t use tahini as was running out of time but not sure it was necessary. Pumpkin seeds also perhaps a distraction. Very original way to use Brussels sprouts! Finally, no need for bacon!

    • jenburkholder on December 26, 2020

      This was very meh to me. It was fine, but not nearly as flavorful as I felt it should be. The flavor paste didn’t want to adhere to the sprouts, and it was underseasoned anyways - needed at least three times the lemon. Won’t repeat, which is too bad, since now we have lots of black garlic!

    • ricki on January 24, 2019

      Special -- another favorite recipe for roasted Brussels sprouts. However, a little rich for me; next time reduce olive oil and butter and squirt on a little more lemon juice. Tahini seemed unnecessary.

    • StephEpices on October 20, 2019

      This is the perfect way to do brussel sprouts, honestly. Even haters are willing to have a few.

    • domechef on February 05, 2019

      Great flavors and an easy dish to prepare. As mentioned by one of the reviewer, the black garlic weight to clove measurement is totally off. I ended up using around 35g because I thought 20g was way too less and I just love black garlic. Glad I did. The only issue I had was the thickness of the paste. It didn't distribute evenly through the sprouts. I may add some lemon juice to the paste to thin it out a bit next time. Will surely make this again. Don't leave out the pumpkin seeds!

    • Brittania on February 21, 2026

      Very tasty. Yes, get everything ready and chopped before you start. Go lightly with the tahini drizzle at the end.

    • janeths on January 11, 2026

      Not sure I could give 5 stars to Brussels sprouts but these are very good!!

    • SKCol on March 28, 2026

      Really good, my only critique is that I found the black garlic really hard to make into a paste. Not sure if that’s normal or not. I would probably try with just normal garlic next time as black garlics hard to find anyway.

    • anothersarah on February 01, 2022

      Undecided - I originally didn't like it, then I did. Need to try again.

    • catmummery on November 27, 2025

      I LOVED this. so tasty and easy to do. Great way to use black garlic and love the pumpkin seed addition. Yum. Getting brussel sprouts again just to do this

    • Schooffiecooks on March 25, 2026

      Still not a fan of roasted (or cooked) Brussels sprouts, but loved the burnt butter and black garlic.

  • Roasted baby carrots with harissa and pomegranate

    • 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!)

    • saarwouters on September 16, 2018

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

    • 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.

    • Nossovitzky on May 19, 2019

      Have never managed to make this with pomegranate seeds (or rose harissa - difficult to find in Melbourne) but otherwise very good. Works fine with sliced regular carrots.

    • Astrid5555 on August 29, 2020

      Made as part of a mezze spread. Everyone was surprised how delicious roasted carrots can be. Just the right amount of sweet and savoury in one dish, will definitely make again!

    • FJT on June 29, 2019

      Made with normal harissa as I couldn’t find rose harissa. This was a definite hit with my guests and I will make it again.

    • Bexxta on January 25, 2026

      Didn't have carrots, so substituted for butternut squash. Delish! Served on baby spinach leaves.

    • KarinaFrancis on April 12, 2022

      Like previous reviewers we really liked this, super easy and very tasty. I didn’t use pomegranate seeds but I added a touch of pomegranate molasses to make up for it. A great standby especially if you have a bag of carrots languishing in the fridge.

    • mondraussie on December 31, 2022

      Nice and simple to prepare with great flavours. Didn't have any rose harissa, so added chile flakes instead and worked just fine. Next time I have a bottle of rose harissa I'll try it again.

    • Yildiz100 on April 03, 2024

      I like pomegranate in salads but the pomegranate seeds don't really make sense here. The texture is wrong and they collect at the bottom of the bowl. I think I would also like it better with all oil and no butter.

    • 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.

    • Ro_ on December 14, 2020

      Used regular harissa instead of rose and ground cumin instead of whole seeds. A really nice recipe, simple and quick, I'll definitely repeat this! You could easily make it without the pomegranate, although I think it does add a nice freshness to the finished dish as well as looking pretty. I wasn't sure from the recipe if it's actually meant to be eaten cold as a salad, but I served it straight from the oven and it was great.

    • Baxter850 on November 02, 2020

      Carrots were great texturally. Liked this but don’t know how many times I’ll come back to it. Was healthy and a nice change for carrots.

    • 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.

    • ChefBeccs on April 18, 2020

      Absolutely delicious! Amazing flavour combination. Kids loved. Used standard carrots and standard harissa. Kept the pomegranate as it looks festive and provides a textural pop but you could easily leave our. I didn’t have any coriander and it was still lovely

    • foodgloriousfood on March 29, 2022

      I didn't think this needed the pomegranate seeds. Would make again.

    • debakken on December 02, 2025

      This was a hit at my Thanksgiving table. I used regular mild harissa paste and subbed a drizzle of pomegranate molasses (the last five minutes of roasting) for the seeds. I cut the carrots to the specified size and roasted them the specified time but at 450 and not 475, as I was cooking a roast in the same oven. The carrots were beautifully charred and tender at the slightly lower temp.

    • Stantonjulie on October 29, 2023

      Used chipotle paste as discovered no harissa

    • MariaSwe on May 03, 2026

      This was great, even without the pomegranate seeds.

    • pastaplease on March 28, 2026

      Made this just for myself as a test -- very good! Will make again when asked to bring a veggie. (11/22)

    • takemori on May 21, 2024

      Used a pinch of sumac since I was out of lemon, absolutely phenomenal Use high quality harissa - it makes a difference! Sauce is very tasty also slathered on eggplant prior to roasting

  • 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.

    • Rutabaga on February 14, 2019

      This is a good way to dress up carrots. I used small to medium-sized carrots, sliced lengthwise into halves and quarters, but they took much longer to steam than indicated in the recipe. After 20 minutes, I thought they were finally ready, but realized when I served them that they were still nearly raw. That was OK, but we would have preferred them to be a bit softer. Maybe next time I'll make sure the water is boiling more rapidly.

    • raybun on March 25, 2019

      I was really surprised by how much I liked this. Carrots & cinnamon, who would have thought of putting them together?! Went very well with a Simple vegetarian meal I put together.

    • Ro_ on September 02, 2020

      I am just now realising that I totally forgot to put the cinnamon in this dish, oops. I think I made a bit too much of the dressing for the quantity of carrots I had as well. Maybe due to those two factors but I didn't totally love this dish, There's something about the combination of cooked carrots and cream/yogurt/oil which puts me off a bit. Maybe I should have steamed the carrots less, or maybe next time I'd try it as a shredded raw carrot salad.

    • lissabeebe on June 07, 2024

      My aunt served this at a dinner party to RAVE reviews. She served the steamed and dressed carrots atop the yogurt mixture (instead of mixing the carrots and yogurt together) and topped with fresh dill. Fantastic dish and very pretty presentation

    • hlange on July 24, 2023

      This didn't do it for me. I found it surprisingly lackluster for an ottolenghi dish

    • chefengineer on January 10, 2022

      Unsure. Two pounds is a LOT of carrots, more than I had - I'll try again but will do the math and cut back the dressing to match the amount of carrots. I think that should fix things. My steamer was busy with some beets so I used the microwave to cook the carrots; worked fine.

    • jillianefoley on February 01, 2026

      This was weird and very Ottolenghi but good! Not sure what the cinnamon is doing in here, we didn’t really taste it. But as a dill-and-yogurt carrot dish it’s delish. (My 6yo declared it “not good but not bad”)

    • Schooffiecooks on January 04, 2026

      Used parsley roots instead of carrots, and oven roasted them instead of steaming.

  • 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.

    • L.Nightshade on February 15, 2019

      It was my choice to sub hubbard squash, as I started out making this dish for an Ark of Taste potluck, and our Pioneer hubbard squash is one of the two items in the Ark from here on the island. It’s got a really tough skin, so I purchased the chopped, peeled variety. I used gorgonzola, as that was all that was available. Very glad I tried this, because it was a big success here. I was happy with the combination of flavors, as was Mr. Nightshade. It’s always a bit of a push to get him to agree to a vegetarian main, but that’s what this was, and he was happy. As much as I love gorgonzola and similar cheeses, I think it will be fine without it, and I’m putting it on vegan dinner party list.

    • westminstr on December 02, 2019

      I made this for Thanksgiving bc I had a vegan guest - I though the extra protein from lentils would be nice. I eliminated the cheese and also made several hours ahead so it was not warm when served. I really liked this at first but as time went on, liked it less. I think it was either the mint, tarragon, or the combo that threw me off. I honestly probably would have preferred it with just parsley. I didn't use the cheese so I don't know if I would have liked it better with the cheese included.

    • JJ2018 on April 27, 2019

      This was a nice salad and liked the blue cheese and roasted squash but not amazing enough to call it a favourite! Be careful to really ensure the raw garlic is incorporated as I don’t think I mixed well enough so had some very strong bites

    • purrviciouz on October 24, 2020

      We didn't care for this. I think the tarragon didn't jive with the other flavors for us. I wouldn't make this again.

    • domechef on March 31, 2019

      A simple recipe, but I thought this was just okay. The components didn't mingle well for my taste buds. I much prefer the other squash recipe with the corn salsa and pumpkin seeds.

    • 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.

    • luke_i8msqc on April 14, 2026

      This was ok although by no means mind-blowing. It looks very pretty with the mix of orange squash, dark lentils and green of the herbs. We had it with sausages which paired quite well.

    • Futuregirl23 on February 06, 2023

      Very nice. Squash took longer than the 25-30 minutes suggested, unless it’s supposed to be quite hard still. Really lovely mix of flavours though and the blue cheese really cut through. I served it with some spinach and chicken I’d roasted in sumac. Lovely.

    • Ganga108 on January 01, 2022

      I have made this for Xmas in the past. We love it. I use Danish feta instead of dolcelatte which is hard to get herre.

    • chefengineer on January 09, 2022

      Delicious. Made 2x the lentils; subbed feta for the dolcelatte. Used acorn squash - don't cut the wedges too thin and do pull them out of the oven before they start to caramelize, lest the skins become too hard to eat. Mix the lentils with everything (omitted the tarragon and didn't miss it) and THEN add the squash and mix gently, as he says, or else the squash falls apart. Puy lentils = French Green lentils.

  • Butternut squash with sweetcorn salsa, feta and pumpkin seeds

    • Astrid5555 on August 29, 2020

      Great flavor combination, got rave reviews! Used a skin-on hokkaido pumpkin and made all the different elements of the recipe a day in advance.

    • tmitra on September 29, 2019

      A great choice for late summer/early fall!

    • e_ballad on November 29, 2018

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

    • EmilyR on September 04, 2019

      This comes together quite easily and is an interesting riff on a Mexican style feta corn. The lime juice is key.

    • domechef on March 31, 2019

      Pleasantly surprised at how good this was! The flavor is subtle but spot on, and the various textures are also awesome. Wouldn't change a thing.

    • JJ2018 on October 01, 2019

      Added some chorizo to it.

    • crandall57 on December 12, 2025

      A great dish. The combination of flavors was a winner.

    • elysedc on June 16, 2022

      First time I made this, the squash didn't quite cook through (I may have cut the pieces too large) and was quite clunky to eat. Second time, I cubed the squash, cooked until the texture was nice and lush, and this became one of my all time favorite fall recipes. Omitted the chile (cooking for a sensitive crowd) and everyone loved it.

  • Roasted beetroot with yoghurt and preserved lemon

    • mondraussie on September 19, 2020

      Excellent flavours, came together very nicely.

    • clkandel on January 07, 2021

      Good flavors but not as outstanding as most of Ottolenghi's recipes.

    • KarinaFrancis on September 20, 2021

      A good, basic beetroot salad. It didn’t blow me away, maybe it needed something crunchy like walnuts?

    • Poppyseedbagel on April 02, 2020

      Coronavirus recipe, using what we had in, so less dill than recipe specified. Still excellent though. Cooked beetroot after peeling in a tray under foil, much less faff.

    • apattin on July 08, 2019

      It was yummy but needed more acid and saltiness. Maybe because I only used the rind of the preserved lemons? I should know better than alter an Ottolenghi recipe :))

    • slouj on July 12, 2022

      Very tasty recipe - sweet, subtle flavours. Perfect accompaniment to a piece of salmon.

    • ChefBeccs on November 24, 2019

      I used pre cooked beetroot in vacuum pack

    • dinnermints on August 27, 2022

      We really enjoyed this. I cooked the beets in the instant pot, decreased the oil to 1 tablespoon, used mint because dill was nowhere to be found, and mixed the yogurt right on in there instead of dotting on top.

    • Stephenn31 on April 21, 2025

      A nice side. Quite earthy with the cumin. Needs fresh dill and not dried

    • Babycarrot on August 12, 2023

      I think this tasted great. I subbed the white parts of scallions for the red onion. Like others I ended up mixing the beets with the yogurt/tahini mixture. I agreed with another commenter that this would be good with a walnut-esque crunch. I did love the combo of the preserved lemons with the creamy beets and dill. Will make again.

    • tracy_1dl1re on May 06, 2026

      I put the red onion into a vinegar and water bath as they can tend to cause me digestion problems raw. I added toasted walnuts to the dish as others mentioned the dish might benefit from a bit of crunch. We ate the whole plate between my husband and I.

  • Aromatic olive oil mash

    • bernalgirl on August 13, 2021

      While my daughter immediately recognized the lack of dairy, three generations of the family gave this mash raves. Waxy potatoes can by gluey when mashed bit these are smooth and the potato flavor comes through beautifully. The herbed oil is a lovely finishing touch.

    • 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.

    • robertofwine on March 10, 2019

      Delicious with the Bridget Jones salmon recipe. Adds a nice mellow contrast to the sweet/salty salsa that tops the fish - but the olive oil links the two recipes. Needs a bit more seasoning if served on its own, but with the salty salsa it was perfect. Will definitely make again.

    • dmdmdmmm on January 29, 2026

      LOVED this! Creamy mashed potatoes without all the cream. I loved how herby it was too! Def will make again

    • scarlettclm on April 19, 2026

      Delicious and went down very well. Didn’t bother with the topping, just tossed a handful of chopped chives over the top.

    • AmomentOfMusic on December 21, 2025

      This was a lovely change from our usual mash potatoes - nicely flavoured without being too overwhelming. Was also not a lot of extra work, which is definitely a plus. Will make again and use the idea of boiling aromatics with the potatoes in the future as an easy upgrade.

  • 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.)

    • Astrid5555 on January 27, 2021

      The salsa makes this dish, great zing!

    • twoyolks on January 30, 2020

      I really liked how the lime complemented the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. I actually didn't have any cilantro or basil so I just used parsley and it worked pretty well. I roasted some small sweet potatoes and they got really leathery on the cut side.

    • FJT on November 06, 2018

      Absolutely delicious!

    • okcook on May 06, 2019

      The outcome is delicious. The lime salsa plays off the sweetness of the potato. I had one gigantic sweet potato so it took twice as long to cook. I think putting the potato through a food mill would be the best way to get a very smooth texture..I didn't do that but will next time. I agree about the limes....I measured the zest and juice. I made the roasted skins for a snack. Very interesting. Mine got a little burnt...next time I will turn the heat down. We had them with chili flakes in oil drizzled over the top.

    • Ro_ on January 05, 2021

      I'm not a huge sweet potato fan, but as sweet potato recipes go this one was very nice. I think the texture of this vegetable for me is more palatable in a mash than other forms, and the lime and herb salsa definitely lifted it and gave it a great zingy note (as well as the green looking very pretty against the orange). If I had sweet potatoes to use up I'd make this again.

    • 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.

    • Ganga108 on October 31, 2021

      Sometimes in Summer when the days are long and frightfully hot we love to eat mezze style – a pile of pitta bread and little dishes of things. Some feta, for example, halved tiny tomatoes with a cream dressing, some hummus, a plate of exquisite chickpeas. And some dips and purees. This sweet potato mash is perfect for such eating – this beautiful dish is made from roasted sweet potatoes and is topped with a salsa of lime zest, herbs and garlic. Truly it is divine. It works as a snack, mezze dish, starter and as a side. It is hardly any effort at all. The result is rich and punchy. After scooping out the flesh for this dish, save the skins and lightly roast them in the oven for a crisp-like snack. Brush them lightly with olive oil, roast for about 8 mins in a 200 – 220C oven and sprinkle with salt.

    • clkandel on January 18, 2026

      A delicious and easy side.

    • ellwell on January 26, 2024

      Great treatment of sweet potatoes. I roasted them and removed from the skins, mashed them and put them in a casserole until ready to use them. Before dinner I reheated them and served them with the salsa. The combination is surprisingly complimentary and delicious.

    • pamacea on November 24, 2025

      Very much enjoyed this! I added some chipotle peanuts from the same cookbook and the combination was perfect. Definitely would make for dinner guests.

    • FlowerGold on October 24, 2024

      Good and a nice alternative. Did have to add olive oil to mash the potatoes for some smoothness. Liked the basil and cilantro with the sweet potato.

  • Spinach and Gorgonzola-stuffed jacket potatoes

    • FJT on February 12, 2019

      I had some spinach to use up and some baking potatoes and this is the recipe that came up! I didn’t have Gorgonzola but, as Yotam said any cheese would do, I used garlic and herb Boursin and a little bit of Comte. Very easy to make and delicious. I didn’t even get the usual comments about “this would be so much better with bacon”.

    • 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.

    • Barb_N on March 21, 2019

      This only got an “i” for 10 ingredients or less, but a) you can bake the potatoes ahead, b) it’s ‘lazyday’ and ‘easier than you think’ in my opinion [imle] . I baked the potatoes the night before, and heated them up in the oven before scooping out the innards. I did not top with toasted walnuts, instead choosing to sprinkle the walnuts over a side salad of baby arugula, shaved fennel, carrot, cucmber and beet. ETA this flavor profile is by far my favorite of several twice baked stuffed potato recipes I’ve made.

    • 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.

    • Ro_ on January 15, 2020

      This was a little long, but very nice, if not outstanding. I think the suggestion in another note of adding some garlic and/or chives woulld be a good one. Or even (contrary to another note) some bacon lardons!

    • averythingcooks on January 19, 2022

      With spinach & gorgonzola in the house, these were pretty easy to prep early in the day and then heat up at dinner; very tasty with a salad & a little bit of thinly sliced leftover ribeye. These are richer than many other stuffed bakers I make but they will certainly be made again.

    • katmagdunn on September 24, 2023

      These are truly delicious

    • Running_with_Wools on July 27, 2024

      Everyone really enjoyed these.

    • CourtneyT on July 27, 2024

      Delicious, even with substitutions! I had everything except the gorgonzola but I trusted his "use any cheese" advice and subbed feta. Very easy but a bit time consuming so the next time I will follow the advice here and pre-bake my potatoes. We served as a main with a side of sautéed courgettes. Will certainly make again.

    • Baxter850 on December 19, 2022

      Subbed Gouda and didn’t add walnuts. Killer recipe. In the rotation.

    • murphyfrank on February 09, 2026

      My potatoes were small so I used 3. A lovely small but filling main meal

  • Roast cabbage with tarragon and pecorino

    • mandyjo3 on November 01, 2025

      A firm favourite. Rarely use it with the tarragon, but it doesnt need it.

    • KarinaFrancis on March 05, 2022

      Yum! I’m loving roasted cabbage! The lemon/ garlic dressing is just the right amount of zingy with the pecorino. I used basil because I have it growing.

    • lmhester on January 09, 2023

      We loved this one — even though I did goof up and add the lemon juice to the oil before coating the cabbage. I would have never thought to roast cabbage and the lemony tang was a perfect compliment.

    • Astrid5555 on March 07, 2022

      Roasted cabbage at its best! Had to improvise and used Grana Padano and parsley instead of pecorino and tarragon. Delicious!!

    • dana_g3xehx on March 12, 2026

      Excellent. Didn’t have tarragon but was great without it. Also used green cabbage. Added more lemon and garlic cause I could and enjoyed it. Def make again

    • evec on January 14, 2026

      Absolutely delicious! It being January I couldn’t find fresh tarragon so I used dried, and added it to the marinade. I made half the recipe used 2 tsp or so of tarragon. Can’t wait to try it with fresh tarragon!

    • kim_drzhp6 on May 28, 2026

      I had green cabbage and cauliflower in my fridge. Used them both in the recipe. Also had fresh basil and mint and substituted for the tarragon. The combination of olive oil, garlic and zest was amazing. Will definitely make this again.

    • lynn_rknh6v on May 23, 2026

      Easy and delicious. I used baby cabbages. Also didn’t have any tarragon but it worked without it.

    • shane.metzke on August 27, 2022

      Excellent, would work well for a dinner party dish… used Savoy cabbage.

    • treay on January 08, 2026

      This is the first time I cooked this recipe and it is amazing!! We had leftovers and served warmed the following day for lunch with family members and they all wanted the recipe. It is just a very different way to eat cabbage and it is scrumptious.

  • Slow-cooked runner beans in tomato sauce

    • Ro_ on August 27, 2021

      This dish definitely exceeded all expectations, I loved it. The sauce was so flavourful, I especially loved the addition of hot paprika. Served with rice it made a good light meal, I love the suggestion in another comment for serving with a fried egg, or else I think a big dollop of yoghurt or sour cream would also be good with it.

    • 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.

    • Marvellejoy on July 10, 2025

      This is a delicious recipe! Used pole beans from my garden.

  • Whole-roasted celeriac with coriander seed oil

    • Florafauna on January 08, 2021

      This was very tasty, however isn't a meal. I combined it with pearl barley and a mushroom sauce as per a similar Jamie Oliver recipe. A keeper, will make again.

    • Ganga108 on January 01, 2022

      Similar to a recipe in Nopi.

    • mgmcewen on November 23, 2018

      A nice way to cook celeriac though it looks pitiful

  • Oven chips with oregano and feta

    • sshieff on April 20, 2019

      This has become a time-and-again favorite. I par-cook the spuds, toss with semolina and a little salt and roast very hot (see Nigella Lawson's best-ever roast potatoes in "Feast"). We use fresh and/or dried oregano, depending on the season - and salt to taste. Of all recipes, this one is a blue-print rather than an instruction. Use your imagination, and remember Samin Nosrat's advice about salt - the feta will add a layer, so add as much table salt as you think will suit your own preferences. You can always add more later.

    • Rutabaga on May 01, 2020

      These fries are indeed very crisp, especially the leftovers, which I reheated in the oven the next day. I found the salt to be about right, but that will depend on the saltiness of your feta, which I find varies greatly among different brands. Chopped fresh oregano added a relatively mild herbal note, but I think the sharper taste of dried would also be welcome. They remind me of the feta fries we used to get at a local fast food Greek restaurant in college.

    • twoyolks on April 30, 2020

      This seems like it's inspired by a "loaded-fries" recipe but it falls a bit flat. There's way too much salt on the fries (particularly with the cheese). I liked the cheese but the cheese doesn't really stick to the fries so it's hard to eat together. I will say that the oven fries got quite crispy which is unusual.

    • FJT on October 13, 2020

      The chips crisped up beautifully despite using much less salt than called for in response to comments below. I couldn't see the point of the feta though and would omit this next time. Otherwise a good recipe.

    • Emwestley on March 11, 2026

      This sounds too simple to be good but a cracking side for steak or a bbq. Would definitely make again.

    • zoelaz on May 08, 2026

      Straightforward and delicious! Only made 1/3 the recipe and skipped the feta since I was serving with Greek salad with plenty of feta on it already.

    • Ganga108 on December 12, 2021

      What a great Sunday night feast, in front of movies, with a Greek salad. I do love baked chips or wedges of any style. I don't usually par boil, and altho I liked the result, I might skip that step for a Sunday night in front of the teev. The feta and oregano were fabulous, turning 'the usual chips' into something a little more glamorous. Ours were quite garlicky which we loved - I used garlic we have recently harvested from the garden. We always salt to our own taste rather then use the amount in a recipe as different salts can vary in saltiness. One other tip, if you know your oven runs a little cool, crank up the heat. Ours does, so I used 240C and they cooked perfectly in 40 mins + 5 with the garlic and oil.

    • VineTomato on June 25, 2024

      These were really good. I used avo oil in place of the sunflower oil. I love how crispy they go. The parboiling took longer (about double the time) and the oven time was only about 30 min until very crispy. Served with veggie meatballs and greek salad. Delish. Edit: Made these again and reduced the oven temp to 200 (fan) and the chips were a bit oily. Will keep it at 220 (fan) next time and plan for 30 min in the oven. These are so good!

    • chezlarios on September 01, 2025

      This was very good, but it took considerably longer than « normal » roasted potatoes given the extra steps with parboiling and the extra dousing with oil.

    • Lsblackburn1 on September 22, 2020

      I was disappointed with these. I let them cook for 70 minutes and they still didn’t seem browned or crisp enough, but was getting impatient. Kind of mushy in the middle. For all the extra work, I think I prefer just my usual roast new potatoes (no recipe required for that!)

    • Ro_ on July 04, 2020

      I didn't totally love this. Agree with the other comments re: too much salt and too much oregano. I absolutely love feta cheese, but in this case I don't think it actually works that well with chips. The method for cooking the chips was good, but I always find that par-boiling is a somewhat unnecessary step nonetheless.

    • jenburkholder on August 10, 2020

      We loved these. Simple but so good, just good technique. We subbed in fresh oregano, since it was looking lonely out in the garden.

    • 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.

    • Shaxon on May 23, 2021

      I used small yukons and split them in half. Next time, I may add some fresh parsley to the final toss.

    • bernalgirl on August 08, 2023

      This has been on my list forever and did not disappoint. At the end, I was pushed for time and tossed the fries with Burlap & Barrel ground garlic instead of doing the fiddly thing with the garlic and oil, and added a squeeze of lemon. These were devoured, will make again.

  • Shallow-fried potatoes with rosemary and sumac

    • Rutabaga on February 14, 2019

      These well-seasoned potatoes are fried in plenty of oil (I used rice bran oil), so it would be hard not to like them. Although they require frequent stirring, they're still pretty low maintenance, as you can easily work on other dishes in between stirs. The flavor is great, but man, there is a lot of oil! I used about 50% more potatoes than called for, yet didn't increase the oil, and it was plenty. One benefit of all the oil, aside from taste, is that it helps prevent the potatoes from sticking, so you don't lose too many of the crispy bits.

    • 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.

    • Ro_ on January 20, 2020

      These were lovely. It was quite liberating to not peel the potatoes, and it added a nice texture to the dish. I didn't measure the oil and probably used less than the recommended quantity, it still turned out fine. The sumac added a subtle flavour at the end.

    • averythingcooks on July 10, 2023

      Like Zosia, my plan was to oven roast my potatoes (Yukon gold wedges) after tossing them with oil & the fresh herbs. But this is where I got the idea to include sumac in the mix and it is a lovely addition. I have tried lemon zest before but for us, sumac is a much better way to add that hit of citrusy brightness. Also, I add chopped garlic in the last 10 minutes or so to prevent it from burning. The sumac is a repeat idea for sure and when my garden fingerlings are ready, I will try the full shallow fry method.

  • Harissa and confit garlic roast potatoes

    • ksg518 on April 29, 2019

      Very good. My garlic turned hard and bitter with the additional roasting time, but perhaps that was user error. I loved the harissa with the potatoes although I might cut back a little bit next time since my harissa is fairly spicy. I'll definitely try this again.

    • KarinaFrancis on July 06, 2020

      These were wonderful, flavourful and crispy. I was a bit timid with the harissa, next time I’ll be braver with both the harissa and garlic.

    • Rutabaga on April 19, 2020

      As one would expect, these were delicious. How could they not be? I made my garlic confit using bacon fat, as that was what I had on hand. Unsurprisingly, that was a great choice. My only disappointment was that I was a little low on rose harissa, so the flavor didn't come out as much as I would have likes, but at least this way my younger son was able to eat them without any concerns that they were too spicy.

    • 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.

    • sosayi on July 15, 2019

      Absolutely loved these potatoes. Thanks to FJT for the note about polenta for GF, as my mother was visiting and I needed to make that sub. Will 100% make these again.

    • FJT on June 29, 2019

      Loved these! I substituted polenta for the semolina to make this dish gluten free. My husband would like me to make these every week!

    • clkandel on October 20, 2020

      Flavorful, crispy potatoes. Next time I'll use more of the rose harissa.

    • janeths on May 06, 2022

      Delicious!

    • meggan on December 04, 2023

      I used new potatoes and roasted them skipping the boiling step which worked out fine.

    • andreas_hprhif on May 02, 2026

      Nice and crispy potatoes but harissa flavour was a bit underwhelming. Would want it to be a more flavourful

    • pamacea on April 07, 2024

      I took someone else’s suggestion and used corn flour—not because of gluten sensitivity but because it sounded good! I didn’t have harissa either so threw in a healthy amount of gochujang which gave a nice bite to which I am quite accustomed. It’s the duck fat, which I save when I cook duck, that really makes the difference from other oven roast potatoes I’ve made. This is a spectacular dish and definitely one to add to the regular rotation!

    • treay on January 08, 2026

      I have made this potatoes a couple of times now and we adore them! The smell of the garlic in the oven while caramelising is just amazing. This time I used butter instead of the duck fat because I wanted it to be vegetarian. It worked really well. Next time I might put half butter and half olive oil. Scrumptious.

    • anya_sf on May 04, 2020

      I cut the potatoes slightly smaller (about 1.5") and could have boiled them slightly less, as they started to break apart. I made half the recipe and my family of 3 devoured it all (teenage son ate half). Made with Belazu rose harissa, the potatoes were very flavorful, not spicy. My son insists I make these again soon, so now I need to order more rose harissa.

    • Ro_ on December 14, 2020

      These came out super crunchy, maybe a smidge too crunchy - I cut my potatoes pretty small so I could have taken them out of the oven slightly earlier. The flavour was great, but like another commenter my garlic ended up kind of burnt and bitter - I think that once the garlic had flavoured the oil I'd consider not adding it back to the finished dish at the end, or else cooking it for longer and slower at the start until it got squishy, and adding it back just 5m before coming out of the oven to heat it through.

    • ChefBeccs on November 26, 2019

      Elevates the humble potato side dish to the most talked about plate on the table!

    • bernalgirl on December 28, 2021

      What an outstanding recipe! My 8yo asked me to make this again asap. I did make some changes, cutting the rose harissain half, adding 1/2 t smoked paprika, and omitting the caraway becaus I don’t care for it. I’d make it this way again, unless I knew everyone could handle the harissa heat. I also used fingerling potatoes, mine were perfect after a six minute boil and 25 minutes in the oven.

  • Sweet potato chips

    • clkandel on April 01, 2021

      I had no problem getting these to crisp up. Liked the addition of polenta/cornmeal - gives the fries a nice coating and I think helps with the crisping. Process would work with any seasonings.

    • JennyHay on December 26, 2018

      Good flavours, but not crispy enough for me.

    • Frogcake on October 20, 2018

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

    • shoffmann on February 25, 2019

      These tasted good, but the texture was a bit odd.

    • KarinaFrancis on March 16, 2019

      I made these to go with the miso lime chicken, so I sprinkled them with togarashi instead of the paprika. They were delicious but they didn’t crisp up for me either. I’d still make them again

    • stockholm28 on July 19, 2020

      The sweet potatoes did not really crisp much. I subbed stone ground cornmeal for polenta. I’m not a huge sweet potato fan, but I’d make these again.

    • 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.

    • Ganga108 on July 11, 2021

      Delicious! Turned the oven right up and cooked until crispy. Added small cubes of feta 10 mins from end. Loved the polenta crust on the chips.

    • robertofwine on March 11, 2019

      Also didn't turn out particularly crispy for me, but I wasn't able to cook on the heat indicated as there was something else in the oven. Will try again for sure; overall they are a quick and yummy side dish.

    • Ro_ on February 05, 2020

      I think this is probably the only recipe I've tried for sweet potato fries, and I thought it was pretty good (younger family member really liked it, my partner a little less so). The flavours and spicing were good, and there was an element of crunch on the outside, however next time I'd try cooking them on (tightly spaced) wire rack to get them even more crunchy.

    • JJ2018 on March 08, 2019

      These were really tasty. Didn’t go as crispy as I would hope but would definitely make again as tasty quick side.

    • mgmcewen on November 25, 2020

      We’ve made this a couple of times and the ratio of seasoning to sweet potatoes is way too high so if you use it all they are likely to be overseasoned. The garlic ends up tasting burned. And they don’t crisp up.

    • Zormasa on December 28, 2025

      These were so good. The corn meal adds an extra something. I ate almost all of them as my dinner. I used a giant two lb. sweet potato. I also used garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. Fresh garlic burns at high temps. I did an experiment with some in the oven and some in air fryer toaster oven. The ones in the oven took an hour and never really got crispy. The ones in the air fryer burnt a little. Next time I will cook for less time in air fryer.

    • janeths on January 05, 2026

      Delicious.

  • Harissa-baked potato skins and crispy lettuce salad

    • averythingcooks on May 04, 2021

      With the skins of 2 baked russets saved from another dinner, I came here. I mixed mild & hot harissa for the coating and then made a little more as they seemed a bit dry. With an extra 2 minutes on the bake time (& a final sprinkle of salt), they crisped up as promised but next time I'm going to try the air fryer for these guys. We had planned a salad but that changed and so I served them beside our soup as crispy dippers/toppers which worked really well. With skins needing a use, I would make these again for sure.

    • Hansyhobs on March 23, 2022

      Really enjoyed this. Cooked the potatoes especially but will use the filling for something else. 1 preserved lemon is probably enough, tarragon felt unnecessary

    • Emwestley on January 20, 2026

      Enjoyed this one, something a bit different. Used potato skins from making a mash (baked and riced flesh method rather than boiling method). The harissa isn’t too spicy once baked and could try with different spice mixes Zhoug, apricot harissa etc. the skins are delicious and would work well as a crouton for a standard salad. Will make again, a nice bbq salad. Served this time with his harissa chicken with corn topping in the same cookbook.

    • anya_sf on July 15, 2020

      I had potato skins left over from the previous day, so the salad was easy enough to make for lunch. With rose harissa, the skins had a kick but weren't too spicy. My preserved lemon is pretty strong and salty, so I rinsed it and used less. I substituted romaine lettuce for iceberg and omitted the tarragon (didn't have). Mint might have been a good subsitute but it was fine without. Really interesting salad with an unusual but rather addictive combination of flavors.

    • JJ2018 on November 28, 2019

      Prepped the potato skins the day before. This was a lovely accompaniment to the chicken as suggested and with potato skins pre-prepped came together easily.

  • New potatoes with peas and coriander

    • mharriman on August 01, 2020

      We liked this take on boiled potatoes. It was a bit bland but most likely because I used a fraction of the chilies and was out of preserved lemon. I substituted fresh lemon. The preserved lemon would have added a lot of flavor to the dish.

    • KarinaFrancis on June 25, 2020

      A delicious departure from regular potato salads. I didn’t have preserved lemon or coriander so I just added more lemon and parsley. Next time I might add a few shallots/spring onions for crunch. Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow for lunch

    • Lepa on December 01, 2018

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

    • raybun on March 18, 2019

      I really enjoyed this, and it went very well with the spring chicken from the same book. I used half a small preserved lemon, and the salt/acid balance was perfect.

    • Nancy402 on March 24, 2019

      Lovely combination of flavours. The preserved lemon worked really well with the peas and cilantro.

    • janecarrick on June 19, 2020

      We really loved this, particularly the preserved lemon and green chilli. The leftovers were amazing in a breakfast frittata the next day.

    • Brittania on February 15, 2026

      This is a refreshingly new way to make a potato side dish and always impresses.

    • Brittania on February 18, 2026

      The preserved lemon and salt are overpowering - do not double! Also, do not double the peas. Use plenty of potatoes. :)

    • Ezair92 on February 18, 2023

      This was very good. Didn’t have preserved lemon so used lemon and a little more sea salt. Had fresh peas from local farm

  • Pizza bianca with potato, anchovy and sage

    • Lepa on January 21, 2019

      This was very good but if I make it again I'll make more dough (like the other poster) and make it into a proper pizza. The recipe as written had only enough dough for two tiny, very thin little squares. There also weren't enough potatoes for the topping and I used 8 oz of potatoes instead of the 6 oz. called for in the recipe. The flavor combination- and especially the cheese/sage/anchovy spread- was delicious so I think it's worth working out the kinks.

    • 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.

    • dinnermints on November 20, 2020

      Loved this unique combination. Just as the savory anchovy-onion flavor hits your tongue, the scent of oranges wafts up your nose. I mainly decided to make this recipe because I needed to use up some mascarpone; didn’t expect the wow factor. I used half goat cheese and half mascarpone; next time I would use ricotta and goat cheese to replace the mascarpone entirely. And might try a different (maybe sourdough) crust. Also, I used the thinnest setting on my mandoline to slice the (purple!) potatoes, and I think that was too thin. I had plenty of slices to cover the pizza, but their texture was a bit chewy. As other reviewers mentioned, these pizzas are not very large; we only were able to make two meals out of it because my toddler hated it lol.

    • stockholm28 on February 21, 2019

      This is pizza topped with a cheese mixture (mascarpone, romano, anchovy, sage, lemon zest, and black pepper), green onions, and thinly sliced roasted potatoes. It is very rich. I liked it, but didn’t love it. I would have liked more dough with a slightly thinner spread of the cheese.

    • KarinaFrancis on October 01, 2021

      Oh this was so good! The crust was super thin, which is a good thing in my books. Every element combined perfectly. Next time I might add a couple of extra sage leaves, the ones on my plant are a little small.

    • Lsblackburn1 on June 13, 2022

      Delicious but very rich - and oily (think I used too much oil on my potatoes). I made one larger pizza using store bought dough, but the ingredient ratios seemed fine.

    • patioweather on February 06, 2024

      The marscapone split in the oven, so it wasn't quite pretty, but this pizza was amazing.

    • PhilM81 on March 18, 2024

      Very rich and tasty although slightly greasy probably doesn't need the extra drizzle of oil before going in the oven. When I make it again I'll cook it for 5 mins longer than stated to get a bit more colour and leave the mascarpone mix on the bench for an hour to two to make it easier to spread.

    • Peterkjsoe on January 04, 2026

      We use this pizza dough for any type of pizza …. e.g. margherita with chorizo

    • treay on January 08, 2026

      Love it!

    • s.shadan on June 03, 2024

      For me, the best thing about this recipe was the dough/base. Very easy to make and very thin and crunchy but not hard.

    • Running_with_Wools on May 25, 2021

      I made this for some friends and we enjoyed it with a glass of wine. It was easy and good. A nice pantry-style appetizer to share.

    • Ro_ on July 04, 2020

      I must admit that I used a roll of ready-made pizza dough instead of making the dough in the recipe. I kept the quantities for the topping the same, and it worked out perfectly for my single rectangle pizza. We really loved the flavours of this: I found it's the kind of thing that really grows on you with every bite, and is very moreish. I will make again.

  • 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.

    • Ro_ on July 01, 2020

      I really liked the textures of this dish, but flavour-wise I thought it was lacking a certain something. Needs lots of seasoning. I used a mix of buckwheat, quinoa and wild rice as it's what I had.

    • Ganga108 on March 02, 2022

      After the devastating bushfires in Australia, fresh beans were difficult to source. Broccolini made a great alternative. I happily eat this buckwheat salad as is for a light lunch or snack. You know I love my salad snacks. It is lovely just on its own. Or it is great served with, say, some fritters, herby new potatoes and roasted beetroot. Yum.

    • pomegranate on October 08, 2022

      This is easy and delicious. I pan fried some chicken and also sautéed the green beans instead of boiling them.

    • FlowerGold on August 07, 2025

      Was solid and is a substantial and filling dish. The flavors develop more if it has time to sit. I couldn’t find dried mint so I used fresh mint in the sauce - maybe that would make a difference in integrating all the flavors a little more. I would redo.

  • 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)

    • DebCooks on April 20, 2026

      Excellent flavor and texture. However not a simple recipe as the cookbook’s name implies, but worth making again. I made my own rose ras el hanout by combining equal parts coriander, cumin and smoked paprika.

    • Anea25 on May 05, 2025

      nice fragrant salad. I would double / triple the quantity of tomatoes next time.

    • Tealismyname on April 21, 2024

      This was absolutely delicious and had great texture. My husband by accident used garam masala with the couscous before realizing we had ras el hanout. This actually added depth and the cinnamon undertones worked really well. I think we will keep the garam masala for the couscous and the ras el hanout for the onions. Cooking the onions long enough is absolutely key!

    • Tealismyname on April 18, 2025

      Cooked this again without the spice mix-up. Was delicious but I did miss the subtle hint of cinnamon. We mixed everything together because we're lazy :D

    • averythingcooks on May 02, 2024

      I made this to serve with grilled chicken + basil vinaigrette sliced over top and it was a delicious dinner bowl. I never have raisins on hand so I used dried cranberries (chopped dried apricots would also be good) & parsley for the herb. We loved the soft tomatoes & onions with the ras el hanout and the lively basil dressing from the chicken recipe was a perfect touch. I can see repeating this idea with various grains (quinoa for sure) but I will say that even 1/3 of the recipe made a ton of couscous for the 2 of us.

    • KarinaFrancis on April 04, 2022

      This was a pretty good salad but probably not my favourite. The onions and tomatoes are great flavour boosters, it needed a lot more lemon, I probably added double what was stated.

    • Pimlicocook on July 22, 2023

      I thought this was fragrant and delicious. It also kept well for several days. Will definitely make again.

    • murphyfrank on February 08, 2026

      Terrible photo but a delicious salad. Served with kebabs. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow

    • PQPantry on March 13, 2022

      Delicious, balanced nicely with spicy harissa chicken.

    • katy1729 on August 11, 2019

      First time making this recipe, so I followed the quantities rather than guessing! Great. The almonds are a very nice touch. Would definitely make again. Served with the turkey & courgette burgers on this occasion.

    • Ganga108 on June 24, 2021

      Love this salad. Have also made it with buckwheat instead of couscous. I love the play of sweet and sour in this dish. The sweet from the onions and the raisins, the sour of the lemon and tomatoes. The warmth of the spices. The texture of the couscous and the crunch of the nuts. Truly delicious.

  • Puy lentil and aubergine stew

    • FJT on February 10, 2020

      Reading the other notes on this recipe and tasting the stew as it cooked, I decided to add some chilli flakes before the end of the cooking time and was so glad I did. This was quite tasty, but not up to the standard of the many other recipes I’ve made from this book. Also, I added much less water than stated.

    • VineTomato on March 08, 2019

      I've just read EmmaJaneDay's review of this recipe and am disappointed to say we didn't have the same experience. We thought it was lacking flavour, very bland and boring. The sprinkle of dried urfa flakes puzzled me but I went with it - I should have gone with my instinct to gentle heat them in a little oil and then drizzle. Served with Israeli cous cous (our favourite part!)

    • 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!!

    • sosayi on July 15, 2019

      I'm more on the side with EmmaJaneDay... we found this delicious. Served with yogurt in place of creme fraiche.

    • katy1729 on August 20, 2019

      19/08/2019. Very tasty - had as main course with rice. Only criticism from my better half was that there was not much variation in texture. He would be happy to have it again, but perhaps as part of a meal rather than the main event.

    • Anne_em on January 06, 2021

      I refrained from adding all the water stated in the recipe and very glad I did. It is an original approach to the traditional French lentils I am used to and it goes well with rice and yogurt as a vegetarian meal. Next time I do it I will add some balsamic vinegar at the end, to give it a nice kick (“relever le goût”).

    • Lsblackburn1 on November 09, 2019

      A perfect weeknight option for a cozy fall dinner. The flavors didn’t exactly knock my socks off, but my husband really loved it. Served this with bread and Brie which was lovely dunked in the stew.

    • Ro_ on July 19, 2021

      I really liked this, great as a side, and even my partner liked it when I didn't think he would.

    • Baxter850 on May 27, 2022

      Great flavor. Be careful not to break the tomatoes when cooking. Ended up burning the bottom and had to change pans and cut off cooking early. Small eggplant means very small. Would make again and be more gentle during the sauté.

    • Ganga108 on January 01, 2022

      Freekin' good! I have made this so many times, and my daughter has fallen in love with it too - it is now a common dish in both places. Despite the very familiar ingredients, the result is a bit magic and unexpected. It is an O. M. G. dish. The texture of the lentils with the silkiness of the eggplant. The pop of the tomato flavour, the way the sour cream enhances the dish, the heat of the chilli and the Greekness of the oregano. Serve as it is, for a light meal, or bulk it up by spooning on top of rice, on slices of grilled or toasted sourdough. You can serve the stew either as a hearty starter or a side, or as a main served with any grain you like. It can be made up to three days ahead and kept in the fridge–just warm through then add the creme fraiche, oil, chilli flakes and oregano before serving. It’s at its best served warm, but is also very good at room temperature.

  • Bulgur with tomato, aubergine and lemon yoghurt

    • bwhip on October 22, 2018

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

    • kitchen_chick on September 01, 2019

      Lovely dish. Easy prep. I used tomatoes I had canned rather than cherry tomatoes and they worked just fine. I agree with making more eggplant.

    • 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.

    • kashley1985 on January 13, 2026

      I enjoyed it, but was a bit underwhelmed. I probably wouldn’t make it again.

    • Skamper on May 07, 2022

      I made a half batch as a main course for the two of us and, based on other reviews, used the full amount of eggplant, which was a good call. This was an interesting flavor combination, but it didn't wow me and I don't think I would make it again.

    • Pimlicocook on October 30, 2022

      A slightly more involved variation on an old favourite - chickpeas, aubergine and tomatoes from Hugh's Three Good Things - so it's a combination of flavours I love; would make again.

    • Tealismyname on January 28, 2024

      Really delicious. Could perhaps have used half a preserved lemon as they can be quite strong. We didn't have bulgar wheat and used giant cous cous and it was delicious.

    • sarahj22 on September 15, 2024

      This was really tasty as part of a spread. I couldn't find bulgur or preserved lemon so used giant cous cous and fresh lemon juice instead. I think there's probably enough going on for it to work well as main with some salad on the side. I'd consider cooking the onion/tomato mix and baking the aubergine in advance to make for an easy midweek meal.

    • Ro_ on June 05, 2021

      We both really enjoyed this. I think to be a main it would need more aubergine, but served with a small piece of pork as well which was just the right amount of food. The lemony yoghurt with the bulgur was delicious.

    • JJ2018 on September 19, 2019

      This was pleasant enough but there wasn’t enough too it to make me want to repeat. I do think I will try cooking bulgur wheat in this way again though

    • StephEpices on August 10, 2019

      Perfect for a mezze spread! I have made it with and without the eggplant and I prefer it with if it's part of a more substantial meal and not just apps.

    • dc151 on January 16, 2021

      As others state, this was very simple to prepare and I actually had everything I needed on hand. I also agree that it could've used more eggplant. The household was split on the yogurt sauce, kept it on the side. I served this with a kheema matar.

    • Brittania on February 21, 2026

      Bulgur with just the tomatoes as a side.

  • Bulgur with mushrooms and feta

    • gastronom on April 27, 2021

      Excellent main dish with sautéed greens. Used cooked farro instead of bulgur and shallot instead of onion. Loved cumin seeds, balsamic, dill, and thyme flavors with mushrooms and feta.

    • 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.

    • Lepa on September 24, 2018

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

    • Brittania on February 21, 2026

      Excellent

    • bernalgirl on December 07, 2023

      A delicious combination full of texture — the feta really makes it

    • Jardimc on October 27, 2020

      Double the mushrooms or halve the bulgur wheat

    • Lsblackburn1 on July 05, 2020

      This was an excellent side dish for grilled steaks. I used powdered cumin because I’m not a big fan of the seeds. Easy to make this a bit ahead and serve warm.

    • Ro_ on January 21, 2020

      It turned out I didn't have enough bulgar, so I used a mix of bulgar wheat, brown rice and quinoa. I also didn't bother removing the onions and cumin from the dish before cooking the mushrooms, I just did it all together and it seemed fine. Overall, this was a nice dish, but without the feta it would have been a bit average.

    • Frogcake on September 02, 2023

      Love this dish, which can easily be made lactose free without the feta. Second time around I replaced the balsamic vinegar with Creme avec vinaigre balsamique. This was pleasant and a bit sweeter but I think I prefer it with the balsamic vinegar. As others suggested, this is lovely for fall. Might be pretty amazing mixed with arugula!

    • mondraussie on January 24, 2022

      Nice to have a change from rice or lentils. My bulgur took longer to cook than the recipe though, perhaps it is the brand I'm using?

    • Pimlicocook on June 06, 2025

      Very good - served as part of a vegetarian meal with lentils/aubergine/tomato as asparagus dishes from the same book. Can see how this would work well as a main with just greens, too.

    • DebCooks on April 21, 2026

      Very flavorful—fairly easy to prepare, though not simple as I’ve discovered with this book. I bought a mix a different mushrooms which made the dish interesting and delicious. Would add more feta next time.

    • dosojosazules on February 20, 2024

      This was hearty. Used farro and worked well. The balsamic really makes the mushrooms very rich.

    • lynn_3c748h on April 29, 2026

      Good guest-worthy grain base/main for autumn, but a lot of work and not really worth the squeeze (thought it’d taste better given the ingredients, but willing to try again)!

  • Puy lentils with aubergine, tomatoes and yoghurt

    • Tealismyname on March 12, 2021

      Great side dish-- to speed things up I blackened the aubergine on the stovetop which gave a delicious smoky taste to this.

    • 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.

    • JennyHay on January 28, 2019

      Good served as a side with lamb cutlets.

    • catmummery on April 17, 2026

      love love love this dish. have eaten it greedily on my own, or as a side for lamb; yes you need to roast the aubergine but if you do it stove top it takes 15-20 mins and the flavour is SO lovely. v simple v lovely

    • Pimlicocook on June 06, 2025

      Excellent; served as part of vegetarian meal with bulgur and mushroom and asparagus dish from same book.

    • Hansyhobs on January 09, 2022

      Very easy to make and enjoyable as a side dish. Roasting the aubergines in an electric oven works well when you don't have gas hobs.

    • emiliang on January 16, 2022

      If your oven has a broiling function, here's a MUCH easier way of roasting these eggplants and tomatoes and getting that delicious smoky taste: Preheat your broiler on high; cut the eggplant in half lengthwise; line a pan large enough to hold all of your eggplant with aluminum foil; spread a bit of olive oil on the aluminum foil, to keep the eggplant from sticking; place your eggplant halves, cut side down and in one layer, on the foil; broil close to the flame for 15-20 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through, until very soft when pushing down on the skin; move the eggplant halves to the colander and press down lightly to drain; place the tomatoes on the same aluminum foil; broil for 5 minutes. Also, I replaced the yoghurt with some good quality feta, crumbled. It gives this otherwise fairly lean dish a nice salty richness. Delicious!

    • mharriman on February 22, 2022

      I agree with other reviewers this is a delicious side dish. I made it in my electric oven/ electric stovetop as written. It is time consuming to make; it’s one of those dishes to do when you can spare a couple hours in the kitchen, especially if you’re making a main to go with it. I roasted a rack of lamb while the eggplant and tomatoes were cooling down. That condensed the time needed to put together an entire meal. Definitely will repeat.

    • Ro_ on January 04, 2021

      Really nice dish, the only annoying thing is that it takes quite a while to make what with roasting the aubergines for an hour and then letting them drain for 30m. I think probably at a pinch you could reduce the aubergine cooking time and do away with the draining stage though. I didn't have any fresh oregano so used basil, and I upped the quantity of cherry tomatoes. All the flavours and textures were delicious together, although some components were cold by the time they all came together and had (cold) yogurt added, which was a shame as I think I would prefer this dish warm (not piping hot but not lukewarm/cold).

    • Astrid5555 on May 11, 2023

      This is amazing but a little time consuming to make. The aubergines need to be roasted for an hour and then they have to drain for 30 minutes. Apart from that quite easy to make and a keeper!

  • Brown rice with caramelised onions and black garlic

    • meggan on July 15, 2019

      Delicious and healthy - we added soft boiled eggs.

    • e_ballad on June 11, 2019

      A tasty side dish that really shows off the flavour of the black garlic. I don’t think the drizzle of Greek yoghurt added a great deal to the dish.

    • eliza on April 24, 2023

      Really nice and very easy to make, and we found the flavour well balanced. Served with simple pan fried salmon and some steamed veg for a delicious meal. I omitted the yogurt element. Will make again as this is a great way to use black garlic.

    • Skamper on May 01, 2020

      Very umami. Made a half batch as lunch for two, using leftover brown rice. I omitted the yogurt and topped with a fried egg to up the protein, but it really needs an acid or spicy note to counter the sweetness of the onions and black garlic (first time using)

    • ricki on January 01, 2021

      Not as wonderful as I had hoped. Very (too) rich. Try increasing the lemon, especially if not using a lot more salt than I'm used to.

    • tarae1204 on February 23, 2022

      Very satisfying and well-balanced to my taste. I adapted it to the instant pot by sautéing the onions in the pot, removing, then pressure-cooking the brown rice with water ratio and time that’s worked in the past. It came out a little undercooked and beautifully browned from the onion bits in the pot. Added more water and let it sauté further. Instead of sliced black garlic I used a generous sprinkle of dried granules of black garlic (available at Trader Joe’s grocery). Enjoyed by all with some Greek yogurt spooned atop.

    • eclairea on September 16, 2025

      Made it again and it was much better the second time! Still felt like it needed more salt, so a sprinkle of big flaky salt added a nice, needed texture!

    • eclairea on June 18, 2025

      Not bad, definitely had to add more salt. Would make other rice dishes again before this one.

  • Baked mint rice with pomegranate and olive salsa

    • 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

    • lou_weez on June 20, 2021

      Really enjoyed this rice with the lamb & feta meatballs from the same book. I used the rice cooker instead of the oven and it worked brilliantly.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • hollis on May 25, 2023

      Chef YO never (?) says this, but DEFINITELY rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in cold water at least 2 hrs. before baking — try this once and you’ll be hooked! The salsa is very very good and can be used with lots of recipes; add it individually and don’t mix it all with all the rice unless you’re serving all of it immediately. It makes 6 servings exactly; reheat leftover rice until warm enough (I like it hot) and add the salsa just before chowing down. Remember not to add the freshly shredded mint until the last minute. The rice took way more mint than I expected, but I had just enough. It is DELICIOUS, especially with the salsa! I’m making it this weekend, for the Memorial Day holiday. It’s a main course for me and needs nothing else.

    • pomegranate on November 03, 2022

      I made just the olive pomegranate salsa. It’s great with white fish and vegetables.

    • Rutikazooty on January 06, 2020

      My husband made for a block party. Had half the mint (we were low) and pecans instead of walnuts plus added some fresh tarragon. Everyone gave compliments but I thought it was not so special as to make a second time. I agree with previous comment that not as flavorful as one would hope.

    • Shaxon on January 03, 2021

      This is a wonderful way to cook basmati - with or without the pomegranate and olive salsa. If cooked on the stove, it's easy to get the temperature wrong and end up with soupy or burned rice. The oven is much more fool proof. The salsa is a wonderful addition in the winter when pomegranates are in season.

  • Thai sticky rice with crispy ginger, chilli and peanuts

    • JennyHay on April 12, 2019

      I used Vietnamese mint instead of coriander and absolutely loved the dish. Served it with the Miso chicken on page 230. A superb combination.

    • anya_sf on July 03, 2019

      I cooked the sticky rice in the rice cooker so I didn't have to monitor it. The topping was not a winner for me - coriander stems were too chewy and the flavor was lacking something (salt?). I might try it again with coriander leaves or mint as suggested by JennyHay, and would definitely add more salt. I used red Thai chilies which were quite spicy, which I liked, but my son couldn't eat, so I'll substitute a milder chile next time.

    • Futuregirl23 on February 24, 2023

      Very nice but wouldn’t say it blew me away. Loved the crispy texture against the rice.

    • treay on November 13, 2024

      We love this rice, but I have to admit that I cook a coconut rice recipe from the Thermomix and then add the crispy ginger, etc. It it just fantastic as a side dish for many recipes, both fish and meat.

  • Baked rice with confit tomatoes and garlic

    • Rutabaga on May 23, 2019

      I really like how this rice turned out, especially the garlic and shallots, which were beautifully creamy after their time in the oven. I was lacking thyme and didn't have the full amount of tomatoes, but otherwise made it as written. The only downside is it takes a long time to bake, although there's little active work. I didn't find that the recipe called for too much water, but I also chose not to wash the rice because I was concerned that would throw the ratio off. Some of the tomato skins were a bit tough. Perhaps that is affected by the tomato type? I used a variety.

    • mharriman on May 06, 2021

      I used all of the ingredients but only had 9 ounces of (on the vine style) cherry tomatoes. That quantity difference didn’t seem to make a difference in the outcome— my rice turned out perfectly with the rice/ water ratio given. I did bake the rice part of the dish at 425 degrees instead of 450 because I was baking the chicken at the same time. The most time consuming part of the prep for me wasn’t peeling the garlic cloves, but picking off the thyme leaves to make 3T. Even though that was a bit of a chore, I’d use fresh thyme again since it did shine through in the dish. As others have noted, this is indeed great accompaniment for the chicken recipe the author recommends.

    • KarinaFrancis on June 05, 2021

      Yum! This turned out perfectly and was delicious. We halved the amount of tomatoes because they just aren’t in season at the moment. I soaked the rice and the ratios were still spot on. We made this to go with chicken marbella and it was a great match

    • MelMM on February 06, 2019

      2-4-2019 Cherry tomato skins got a bit tough. Amount of water called for is too much. The tomatoes are giving off water, so you don't need much. Max of 1 cup water per cup of rice. Basmati rice should be washed before cooking.

    • MokumChefs on April 21, 2026

      Excellent dish, really rich and flavoursome. Rice nice and juicy. Easy to make. Peeling garlic is the most work. I made some extra vegetables on the side.

    • mel_w8rmgp on April 27, 2026

      Such a great go-to for dinner with friends. Goes well with fish or meat.

    • Crisrose on April 07, 2026

      Great basic recipe that I’ve cooked many times and succesfully adapted slightly each time depending on what I have to use.

    • Barb_N on January 01, 2023

      I veered off road with this one. I needed to use some ‘vine on’ winter tomatoes, but also needed a main dish. After the rice was cooked I placed shrimp on top and popped it back in the oven for a couple minutes. I used brown rice so it required rinsing, soaking, extra water and extra time. Definitely worth it, I’ve made it twice in as many weeks. Another improv- I used preserved lemon and skipped the cinnamon.

    • ricki on April 17, 2022

      Really good, pretty easy, and will make again. Used what we had on hand, so ½ the tomatoes and ? of the cilantro. Flavors blended together well, and the only element that stood out was the cinnamon (my Ceylon cinnamon sticks were very fresh). Depending on the accompanying dishes consider cutting back on that. Definitely cut back on the oil, because it was too rich for my taste.

    • michalow on January 29, 2024

      Outstanding reward for effort ratio on this one. I cooked in a deep casserole, which worked just fine and allowed me to cut back on the oil. Depending on how this will be served, consider cutting back on tomatoes so they are more of an accent; here they are pretty prominent. I was short of cilantro and while I would welcome the full amount, it didn't feel like anything was missing.

    • Delys77 on February 27, 2023

      We served this along with a roast chicken and it was a lovely dinner. My only quibble is that I think the flavour of the cinnamon was a bit too strong on the first day. The left overs were fine as it seemed to mellow, but if I was serving this again I would likely drop the cinnamon to 2 or 3 sticks. I will say that we aren't huge cinnamon fans so this is likely an us thing. I loved the flavour of the tomatoes and roasted alliums and the texture of the rice was lovely. Easy and tasty. I would also say that given the amount of veg in this you might be able to get away with this dish serving as both starch and vegetable.

    • anya_sf on March 05, 2021

      Campari tomatoes worked fine. I used dried thyme (less), fewer shallots and cilantro stems (all I had) and blanched the garlic to make peeling easier. Honestly, denuding that many cilantro stems was a pain and I'm not sure how much they added to the flavor, so I'd omit next time. Using the specified weights of unrinsed basmati rice and water, the dish turned out perfectly - a lovely side dish for baked chicken.

    • Tee.Tee on May 30, 2020

      Quick and easy prep. Plenty of hands off time while it bakes in the oven. I cut the recipe in half. Next time I will use less water like the above posters. Maybe because I rinsed and soaked my rice.

    • Huongey on May 20, 2020

      This is my boyfriend’s go-to rice dish now. He follows the recipe to a t and It comes out perfectly every time. The creamy garlic and roasted shallots is the best part. I didn’t find any problems with the tomatoes as others have mentioned.

    • katy1729 on August 20, 2019

      19/08/2019. Made to accompany the Lentil & Aubergine stew. Made it in a pan on the stove because I was too lazy to use the oven only for this dish. It worked out fine (perhaps the oven version would be rather nicer) though the quantity of water recommended was too much. Will try again, using recipe's method, on another occasion.

  • Rice noodle salad with cucumber and poppy seeds

    • janeh9 on October 17, 2020

      This was lovely! I didn’t have fresh tarragon, so substituted Thai basil and tossed in some peanuts. Topped it with hoisin/sriracha glazed salmon. The red onion and ginger lost their sharp bite after their time in the vinegar/sugar mix, and really make the salad. I look forward to trying it with tarragon - there will be a next time!

    • LadyCJKT on January 12, 2020

      I made this for lunch although didn't include the chilli (not a fan) or the tarragon (difficult to get locally) and really enjoyed it. The flavours are very fresh and I really enjoyed the crunch of the poppy seeds too. I will make this again for certain!

    • Ro_ on September 21, 2020

      I really enjoyed this salad: fresh, light, great textures (I love the contrast of the slippery noodles and crunchy cucumber/apple) and quite a refreshingly different flavour profile as well, not the typical Asian seasonings you might expect from a rice noodle salad. I wonder if this would hold up well if made in advance to take to a barbecue or similar, because I think it would be a popular dish. Will make again.

    • Schooffiecooks on March 27, 2026

      Made it as a salad without the noodles! Sooo good!

    • adelina on June 02, 2026

      It was simple but very well crafted with the list of ingredients. I enjoyed the apples and the herbes. I just wish I followed the package instructions for the riced noodles since it was too much time in the hot water where they were a bit goopy. I also added canned salmon and send well as an added protein.

    • FlowerGold on July 31, 2024

      For me it was too onion forward. The dressing is basically the picked onion juice was good but just a lot for me. It is light and fresh.

    • FlowerGold on July 31, 2024

      The pickled onion was really strong.

  • Soba noodles with lime, cardamom and avocado

    • cultus.girl on December 19, 2020

      Delicious dish and it does go so well with salmon.

    • grindabod on November 15, 2021

      The dressing for this surprised me. I made this recipe for a solo dinner, thinking it would be (and taste like) a healthy option, but something about that lime, basil and cardamom combination really blew me away. Looking forward to making this again.

    • kayla_7c8yc4 on April 05, 2026

      Have made this a bunch of times! Love the combination of flavors. We bought ground cardamom from the store to make it a little easier and quicker.

    • AmomentOfMusic on January 21, 2026

      Add my stamp of approval on this recipe. I actually liked the effect of mixing everything with the avocado as it made the noodles a bit creamy. Not sure I could taste the cardamom, but the pistachio was a great addition.

    • DePollepel on November 30, 2021

      Delicious and very fast meal. Served with canned salmon, but might also work with steak

    • anothersarah on February 01, 2022

      Delicious, added figs and used suggestion of a soft boiled egg. A lot of chopping per usual for one of his recipes. *Made this a second time and it was not nearly as good with the full amount of oil and cilantro. Way too tangy and oily. Liked my first attempt better with less cilantro, oil and different soba noodle brand (the second time they all stuck together.)

    • ellwell on November 15, 2023

      I happened to have everything on hand, so I gave it a try. It a very flavorful quick lunch dish. I liked the taste of the cardamom straight from the pods. That and the peanut oil were the predominant flavors for me and I thought it was a good blend. I added nigella seeds and Urfa which punched it up a little. I will make again.

    • Tealismyname on March 30, 2025

      Ensure cardemom is properly crushed. We didn't have soba noodles so used chinese wheat noodles. Will definitely make again.

    • anya_sf on April 22, 2023

      I thought I'd like this more, but the large quantity of basil - especially paired with assertive cardamom (which I normally love) - just tasted too strong in some bites. As suggested, I added cooked salmon, plus blanched broccoli florets, both nice additions. Would make again with less basil and no cardamom.

    • hbakke on December 04, 2023

      Yum! We loved the cardamom and lime flavors combined with the creamy avocado and freshness from the herbs. I would make this again.

    • MariaSwe on May 01, 2023

      I used about half the amount of cilantro, but other than that exactly as the recipe. Everything came together really nicely and no one flavour overpowered the rest. Next time I might toss without the avocado first and then add that last, especially if the avocado is perfectly ripe, as it got sort of squished. Perfect for a light supper and I didn't serve anything on the side.

    • lorloff on May 27, 2023

      These were delicious. I too added the avocado at the end. And used the full amount of cilantro and basil that were both fresh from the garden. We wanted a slightly bolder flavor and experimented adding some really good roasted sesame oil at the end. Also added some very good momofuko restaurant soy at the end. Will try next time with brown rice Vietnamese noodles which we think will also be great with this dish.

    • MollyB on June 23, 2022

      Quick, tasty, and healthy meal. Served with some leftover roast chicken, thinly sliced and served on top. It was good, but, reading others' notes here, I think salmon would be even better.

    • rebekah_j0ds87 on April 15, 2026

      Always add blanched and sliced sugar snap or snow peas, and often serve with sesame seed crusted salmon.

  • Pasta alla Norma

    • 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.

    • nadiakoj on December 04, 2018

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

    • Lepa on February 24, 2020

      This was delicious. The tomato sauce was so rich and had such a wonderful taste. I followed other posters' suggestions and brushed olive oil on the eggplant rounds after trying to toss the slices and finding that only a few ended up with olive oil. I should note that I accidentally bought one can of sauce and one can of whole tomatoes and the resulting sauce was so good and saucy I might do the same next time.

    • dinnermints on August 12, 2020

      Very good. In the sauce, eggplant had an unctuousness from being roasted, even though I ended up using less oil and dried it out a bit (typical for me). I sprayed olive oil on the eggplant with a pump spray; maybe would try brushing it next time (or tossing it and hoping for the best, as that really would be more simple). Per other posters' suggestions, I also reduced the oven temp by 25 degrees. I used one can crushed fire roasted tomatoes and one can whole, and that seemed to work pretty well. I roasted the eggplant a couple of days in advance, and might do that again.

    • ksg518 on February 11, 2019

      This was delicious - a recipe where the ingredients add up to something more than you expect. I like the idea of roasting the eggplant although I nearly burnt mine so I'll either slice them thicker next time or reduce the cooking time. I didn't have the dried chilies so I just added a small pinch of red pepper flakes.

    • Zosia on December 12, 2018

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

    • aargle on February 19, 2020

      I was expecting a very pleasant pasta dish but was delighted to find that it was fabulous. I followed the recipe to the letter and next time will reduce the cooking time of the eggplants by 5 minutes. I love these recipes that are more than the sum of its parts.

    • 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 ;-)!

    • seherhussain on March 31, 2019

      Super easy to put together (thanks to the baking of the eggplant) and delicious results! Will repeat.

    • clkandel on October 30, 2020

      Such a tasty sauce given it cooks in 10 minutes. The eggplant is delicious. Roasting it before adding it to the sauce gives it such a great texture.

    • kkmatti on August 18, 2024

      Glad I took the advice of all of these other reviewers and made this recipe! We loved this. The eggplant is super meaty and the flavors married well. I only had 2/3 of the pasta called for in this recipe and that actually seemed like the correct amount. We also used a fresh passata in place of the tomatoes, which was really lovely. Will absolutely make this again.

    • Ishie1013 on January 23, 2024

      Wow! This was the first time I've ever had Pasta alla Norma, and it shall not be the last. I was a bit skeptical of how few ingredients there were and what they were, but it came together absolutely beautifully and tastes incredible. A great way to pack a lot of veggies into a small portion.

    • AmomentOfMusic on July 28, 2025

      This is a lovely recipe that really lives up to the promise of this book: simple, quick and delicious. A weeknight hero that has quickly entered into our regular rotation

    • Stephenn31 on April 08, 2025

      Pretty good. The eggplant gets a bit of a nutty or meaty flavour with the baking and cheese.

    • lena_r0jk5n on April 10, 2026

      Delicious! For everyone saying their eggplant was burning - I just flipped mine to check on them every 15 min or so to make sure they were good and they got a really lovely deep toasted color. I think baking them long enough is what gives the dish lots of its flavor!

    • eclairea on September 25, 2025

      Eggplant took longer than expected to bake as I have a small oven, but everything came together quickly after that. Found ricotta salata as recommended and it elevated the dish. So good, can’t wait to make again.

    • mooo42 on June 13, 2024

      Really great! Used a 32 oz can of crushed fire roasted tomatoes, added some spoonfuls of capers, and used parsley instead of basil. Would definitely make again.

    • sosayi on September 11, 2024

      So good! Also made a fresh passata in place of using canned tomatoes, which thickened up perfectly. One other change: I peeled the whole eggplant, which made the eggplant melt more into the dish to trick the children into eating it all without complaint! Would make again.

    • sosayi on September 21, 2023

      Echoing the other comments that this is a fabulous version of Pasta alla Norma. I roasted eggplant w/ zucchini and Italian frying peppers (since I only had one eggplant), which was I would repeat again. Loved the addition of the huge bundle of fresh oregano to the simmering sauce. I didn't even have basil to add at the end, but it was still wildly flavorful and a huge hit all around.

    • Skamper on June 16, 2022

      If you roast the eggplant in advance, this is an easy and delicious weeknight meal. One indian red chili, unseeded, provided the right stealth heat for us. I used banza penne.

    • FoodyFocus1 on June 02, 2025

      Absolutely delicious. Will be added to the regular menu in this household

    • Delys77 on January 05, 2023

      Despite not having a huge collection of books, I have 6 recipes for this dish and this is the second I have made, the other being from Jamie's Italy. Both are very good but I will give the edge to this one. Very nice balance of flavours, most especially the smoky element from the roasted eggplant. I used rotini, as those are my son's favourite, and it worked very well. I didn't brush and tossed as suggested and it worked fine for me. I will admit to using garlic oil in addition to the garlic, plus some zucchini to add a bit more vegetable. The result was pungent with garlic, smoky with eggplant, with a great balance of acidity from the tomato. Big winner.

    • Ro_ on January 17, 2020

      Aubergine being one of my favourite foods, I really loved this and even my partner who doesn't really like aubergines that much enjoyed it. Used parmesan cheese, and dried oregano instead of fresh. Like another note-leaver, a few of my aubergines got a bit burnt, so I'd reduce the heat or the time in the oven next time. Also agree with the comment that said tossing the aub slices with oil in a bowl doesn't result in even coating.

    • JJ2018 on May 08, 2019

      Really enjoyed this - as other reviewers say this tasted a lot more impressive then the list of ingredients would suggest. Pecorino really added to the dish. Will definitely make again

    • dc151 on September 12, 2021

      I've made this twice now. This worked so much better with smaller eggplants, which caramelized so much better and made for a wonderful raghu. Used with a fusilli. Lovely! Edited to add I made this tonight with Chinese eggplant, zucchini and an orange bell pepper tonight for a fuller flavor profile. Roasted them all together. Even better than the original in my opinion!

    • crandall57 on August 11, 2024

      Absolutely delicious! Roasting the eggplant is key for this dish. I used pecorrino romano cheese and gluten free pasta. I replaced the dried chile with some Aleppo pepper flakes and dried chili flakes. I also added about 1/2 a teaspoon of black garlic powder.

  • Fettuccine with spiced cherry tomato sauce

    • Nossovitzky on May 19, 2019

      Also subbed in smoked paprika and added some dried chilli flakes. Works best with fresh cherry tomatoes, lacked a bit of something when I made it with tinned tomatoes.

    • michalow on September 16, 2020

      Good and definitely simple, but nothing extraordinary. I liked this best with a little bit of ricotta stirred in and a generous grind of black pepper.

    • FJT on August 21, 2019

      Delicious and relatively easy to make. I left the ancho chilli in quite large pieces in case I wanted to take it out, so it didn't really break down as the recipe described; I popped everything in the blender at the end of the cooking time and blitzed it into a smooth sauce. We loved this which is just as well because I made a double quantity!

    • bernalgirl on September 24, 2020

      An hour of mostly hands-off cooking yields a deeply flavorful sauce. I used a pound of peeled early girl tomatoes, a guajillo pepper which lended depth but no heat, and a minced Gypsy pepper that needed using, and puréed the final sauce. He recommends topping with parm but we opted for feta.

    • Astrid5555 on August 27, 2021

      This makes a really flavorful sauce, great way of using up those cherry tomatoes from the garden!

    • eliza on September 05, 2020

      Great way to use all those cherry tomatoes from the garden. Very easy and I'm sure the sauce would freeze well for longer term storage. The sauce can also be used to top cooked greens. It was delicious with Swiss chard from the veg garden. Updated to add: last summer, I made many batches of this and froze in jars. Now finding it super useful in various ways such as meat sauce for pasta, lasagne, etc.

    • Delys77 on August 21, 2023

      This went over well for us. The sauce and pasta are well balanced but in my case I went with a 1/2 tsp of sugar which was a touch too much. No chiles around so I went with the paprika sub and it was lovely.

    • Lsblackburn1 on September 11, 2020

      So simple, but with great depth of flavor! I didn’t have as many ripe cherry tomatoes as I thought, so I added a 14.5 ounce can (which meant I probably used way too many tomatoes, but it worked out).

    • Ro_ on September 03, 2020

      Delicious and simple. Mine didnt go as dark as in the book photo, possibly because I used a guanjillo chilli instead of ancho. Could probably reduce cooking time for sauce down to 50m if necessary to make it achievable in the hour I usually have for prepping and cooking a meal on a weeknight.

    • anya_sf on October 07, 2020

      A good, easy way to use up late season cherry tomatoes, but not that exciting. I used smoked paprika instead of ancho chili, so there was a hint of smokiness but no heat. With a full pound of pasta, there was an "Italian" amount of sauce; next time I'll use less pasta or make more sauce. We added lots of cheese.

    • lean1 on December 24, 2018

      Very easy. Use fresh basil.

    • clkandel on August 07, 2022

      Very simple to prepare. As mentioned in a previous comment, my sauce didn't come out as dark as the picture in the book, but I also used a guajillo chili since I didn't have an ancho. Next time I'd cut the pepper into small dice size instead of tearing into pieces. The basil adds such a fresh flavor.

    • Tealismyname on January 16, 2022

      DId it for 15 miniutes in the pressure cooker as was rushed for time. Came out really lovely!

    • dc151 on April 25, 2022

      Good, straightforward, but not really great. I expected a bit more kick. I used this with my first attempt at making homemade fettuccini, the sauce looks after itself while simmering, so it was a fine accompaniment, but not the best I've made.

    • averythingcooks on August 08, 2022

      So many little tomatoes bursting out of the garden right now! I cut this in 1/2 as I wasn't sure about the ancho with the sweet tomatoes and of course T tasted it and asked why I didn't make more. With fresh basil also from the garden, this is tomorrow night's dinner and there are more batches planned whose destiny is the freezer.

    • kkmatti on September 09, 2024

      We enjoyed this and the texture was lovely but it felt like it was missing something. The sauce never looked as dark as the photo and the ancho chile was very subtle. The anchos also didn't break down entirely at the end. We love spicy ancho flavor, so next time I would use 3 ancho chiles and soak them for at least an hour in hot water before adding them to the sauce. I would also finely chop up the anchos before adding them to the sauce. The amount of oil at the beginning seemed over the top but it really added to the silky sauce at the end. We also roughly chopped the basil before adding them to the sauce. I would also use 1/2 the pasta next time as we like our pasta on the saucy side.

  • Pappardelle with rose harissa, black olives and capers

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • westminstr on March 08, 2021

      I used a full box of Pomi and omitted the water. Also didn’t have parsley, diced the onion fine, and reduced the rose harissa to 2 tbsp. I thought the sauce was quite good! Served w pecorino instead of yogurt. Everyone seemed to like it though E complained about the papardelle.

    • TrishaCP on August 13, 2020

      We liked this just fine- but I felt like it really needed the yogurt. I personally thought the pasta to sauce ratio was fine, since the flavors are really strong (used the full amount of rose harissa).

    • bernalgirl on January 02, 2021

      I didn't have 14oz of cherry tomatoes so I used a 14oz can of crushed. I also didn't have the olives, so I upped the capers a bit. I used four tablespoons of harissa instead of 3, and slightly less water since there is liquid in the crushed tomatoes.

    • hirsheys on May 02, 2019

      This is a very simple dish to prepare, which I chose because I had some grape tomatoes needing to be used up. You basically caramelize some onion (which went pretty fast, actually, since the heat is set fairly high), then add harissa (I didn't have the rose version), halved tomatoes, halved kalamatas (I coarsely chopped them), some capers, and a little salt, then cook it all down into a nice sauce (adding in a little chopped parsley). You're supposed to serve with a dollop of yogurt, which is interesting. I used the mild harissa that's open in my fridge for this, and really wished it was spicy instead. I also didn't have pappardelle, so I used this dish as an excuse to use some interesting mixed shape pasta I had in my pantry. (It worked well.) The dish itself is quite nice, but it doesn't taste all that different from a standard puttanesca and I think I prefer my own recipe to this one.

    • clkandel on January 02, 2021

      This dish is excellent. Very fast to prepare. The yogurt adds creaminess and blends the flavors together nicely.

    • VineTomato on December 15, 2019

      Mr VT loved this. I thought it was okay, like a puttanesca but without the delicious anchovy flavour. Mr VT abhors anchovies, so this could be a great pasta for other anchovy haters. I have written the word anchovy many times for recipe that does not contain anchovies!

    • KarinaFrancis on May 23, 2021

      Delicious, flavour packed and quick to get on the table. We left out the olives (silver fox doesn’t like them) but other than that made it as written and loved it. The SF suggested we add chorizo next time to replace the olives....hmmmm

    • Poppyseedbagel on June 19, 2020

      Excellent and even nicer than puttanesca

    • cultus.girl on December 19, 2020

      Really enjoyed this one and would make a half again of sauce for the amount of pasta. I agree the yoghurt was needed to push it into the excellent category.

    • 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.

    • mrshalf on January 29, 2019

      Definitely amazing! Will absolutely put this into rotation and for any skeptics out there - the regular harissa paste from DEA was spot on. Not too spicy and definitely didn't miss the "rose harissa". This was fantastic!

    • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

      I used half the rose harissa so it wouldn't be too spicy and it definitely wasn't; I'll try more next time. I made the sauce 2 days ahead. This was a simple, delicious pasta dish that I would definitely make again. There isn't a ton of sauce relative to pasta, but the ratio seemed just right since the sauce has strong flavors. I'd never had yogurt on pasta before, but it was great. I used fettuccine pasta, but really, any shape would work.

    • CheesyKranskyLove on October 04, 2022

      I bought a jar of rose harissa for this and honestly could not tell the difference between that and regular harissa. Just my 2 cents,

    • annie_6swuo4 on April 12, 2026

      Love this recipe. Made it several times and keep coming back to it. Find the flavour so good.

    • Pandan on October 31, 2024

      This was ok, but I was quite bored with it. Only made half of the recipe with Ottolenghi‘s recommended brand of Harissa and Linguine instead of Pappardelle. The latter would have been better, I guess. Still have leftovers and not that excited to have more.

    • chezlarios on August 02, 2025

      I made this with normal harissa in place of rose harissa, tagliatelle instead of pappardelle, and normal plain yogurt instead of Greek yogurt. I would say it was okay - I did like the spice brought in by the harissa. But I felt it was a little dry, like there was too little sauce, even with the yogurt.

    • apw2020 on January 21, 2025

      One of my favorite pasta recipes of all time. The combination of yogurt, harissa and pasta is incredible.

    • Tealismyname on July 27, 2025

      Absolutely delicious. Makes a lot of pasta- I'd say this serves 6. We used the Tunisian "Le Phare du Cap Bon Harissa Paste" which is divine and rather spicy. Cut in half and provides a deliciously warming heat. I think using very ripe and sweet cherry tomatoes is key so would only make this in summer when they're at the height of the season.

    • meggan on October 28, 2022

      Good but not great- maybe add garlic?

    • EmilyR on April 28, 2023

      Followed the recipe exactly as written with the only exception being I used vanilla skyr as that's what I had and it was excellent. It's definitely simple and packed with flavor.

    • dinnermints on November 13, 2023

      I think the success of this recipe largely depends on your harissa. I used 5T of a milder homemade rose harissa and thought the final dish needed more oomph (salt, lemon juice, maybe more olives). I used less pasta (13 oz) since I like a saucier pasta, but next time would sub chicken broth or canned tomatoes for the water. Would probably try again with a spicier harissa and these changes. I served this with panfried shrimp, but love the suggestion of chorizo.

    • Baxter850 on November 15, 2020

      Tasty but needs extra salt and the sauce only makes enough for about 1/2 lb of dried pasta.

    • JJ2018 on May 20, 2019

      This was nice but I wouldn’t be in a rush to repeat. Reduced the harissa slightly. There was a lot of pasta to sauce ingredients so ratio seemed slightly off

    • bernalgirl on September 19, 2023

      Great weeknight dinner, full of flavor with the yogurt providing a cooling contrast.

    • hannah_bqiphg on May 05, 2026

      Easy and delicious. Great for when you dont have much in the fridge!

  • Gigli with chickpeas and za'atar

    • anya_sf on March 15, 2019

      I used about 9 oz pasta and 12 oz baby spinach and would do so again. Picking 1/2 cup thyme leaves off the branches took a long time; next time I'd probably use 1-2 Tbsp dried instead. There were still a lot of chickpeas relative to pasta. I cooked the pasta al dente, saving some of the cooking water, mixed it with the chickpea mixture and let it finish cooking altogether, adding some of the pasta cooking water with the spinach. I think that helped make the whole dish more cohesive. My family enjoyed this with grated parmesan on top.

    • 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.

    • mharriman on May 08, 2021

      My husband and I thought this was an interesting take on pasta with chickpeas. We liked the flavors. I think the sprinkling of Za’atar topping before serving added an extra flavor dimension. Like some other reviewers, I increased the spinach (3xs). I also thought the ratio of chickpeas to the Gigli pasta was unbalanced. I would either decrease the chickpeas or add more pasta next time. I didn’t use 1/2 cup of fresh thyme leaves because after meticulously de-stemming and accumulating 1/4 cup of leaves, I was done!

    • KarinaFrancis on June 07, 2019

      Unbelievably good! I was dubious but with all the positive reviews I thought I’d try and it was a huge hit, surprisingly light and packed a flavour punch. I ran out of anchovies so used a tsp of fish sauce, but I think anchovies would be better. I will make this again!

    • Rinshin on June 09, 2019

      This was satisfying, but would have preferred much more greens in the dish. Felt round garbanzo beans were too plentiful for the amount of pasta and spinach as well as hard to eat. The taste of the sauce was very nice and it occurred to me that dried shrimp reconstituted would be good substitution for anchovies because leftover anchovies do not last too long in the refrigerator.

    • Zosia on June 19, 2019

      This had good flavour and was quick enough for a weeknight meal, though I must admit I didn't take the time to crisp the chickpeas. I used about 100g spinach for a half recipe.

    • Jojobuch on November 14, 2018

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

    • clkandel on October 27, 2020

      Thought this dish was great. Since this was the main dish, I used more pasta that the recipe called for. Also used less anchovies, since they are sometimes overpowering in flavor. Instead of picking the thyme leaves off the stems, I just put stem in all in while cooking. The leaves come off during cooking and I just removed the stems before serving.

    • 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.

    • Zosia1995 on September 28, 2020

      Not worthy of a repeat

    • jhallen on March 01, 2021

      I thought this was amazing and made it exactly as written. Proportions were perfect for me (I’m finding some of the other notes confusing - no need to adjust in my opinion). Per the name of the book, it was simple.

    • BeaAamodt on November 03, 2019

      Delicious! Used oregano instead of thyme.

    • jenburkholder on June 17, 2023

      Easy (comes together in around 30 minutes) and very tasty. Kept ok as leftovers as well. Make-again worthy.

    • jobie_ixahwf on May 04, 2026

      This looked and smelled great but the flavor just wasn’t there as much and I expected. Maybe adding another vegetable like asparagus or brussel sprouts would help. I’ll definitely try it again with some tweaks.

    • anna_1bxel8 on March 27, 2026

      Yum! This was easy and delicious

    • jack_iszn53 on March 24, 2026

      Need extra pasta

    • Ganga108 on March 03, 2022

      I often pop over to my daughter's place in another state and take over the cooking for the time I am there. I cooked this one for the family one night. It is easy to make and delicious! Loved by all.

    • AmomentOfMusic on August 01, 2025

      This is one of those recipes that I have found great to use as a template and then tweak as I please, especially with regards to the herbs I have available. In order to make vegetarian, I leave out the anchovies and instead mix in a spoonful of miso into the stock. I've also served it with a quick chili pepper pickle (literally just vinegar with a finely sliced Thai chili) and a spoonful of sour cream which helps cut through some of the earthiness.

    • samfrances on May 22, 2023

      When I cooked according to the timings, it was much more of a stew sort of dish than I was expecting. Delicious nonetheless.

    • pomegranate on October 26, 2022

      I subbed sautéed shredded Brussels sprouts for pasta and added goat cheese. This was tasty!

  • Orzo with prawns, tomato and marinated feta

    • Astrid5555 on February 29, 2020

      Good, but not one of the spectacular recipes from this book. Still, the feta and fennel seeds make it special, but not special enough to repeat in the near future.

    • aargle on July 23, 2021

      This was a lovely family meal on a Saturday night and we all enjoyed it immensely. None of us found the fennel overwhelming but then again I love fennel. Will definitely make again.

    • 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.

    • KarinaFrancis on February 07, 2020

      Delicious! We loved it. Based on the previous notes I cut back on the fennel and might have stumbled on the right amount. Agree that the orange adds nothing, next time I’ll add a squeeze of lemon at end instead.

    • mharriman on October 24, 2019

      I liked this better than my husband did. We both like fennel, so that wasn’t an issue for us. However, we couldn’t figure out what it or the orange peels were supposed to do as we couldn’t detect even a hint of orange and only a mild fennel flavor. We thought the chili flakes overtook the other spice ingredients. I followed the instructions and ingredient list as directed and felt it took more steps and time than I prefer for our “pretty good” enjoyment of it. Probably won’t repeat as there are other orzo, tomato, and shrimp recipes out there that aren’t as involved that I like better.

    • Barb_N on March 20, 2019

      This is a favorite combination of mine- shrimp, orzo, feta and tomato, so I decided to try out the Ottolenghi spin. Overall it is simple, tasty and very beautiful. I wish I had paid more attention to the reviews about the fennel; I found the seeds were intrusive and didn’t add a lot of flavor (a new jar no less). My tomato pieces did not break down to a sauce like the photo in the book. Marinating the feta the night before meant that this was on the table in 30 minutes once I finished the prep. 1/21/20 ETA: I made this again using fresh fennel instead of fennel seeds. Half the thinly sliced bulb was sautéed with the garlic, the other half topped with a preserved lemon vinaigrette. I put some preserved lemon in the marinated feta and in the orzo in place of the orange peel- perhaps a bit TOO lemony but I really liked the fresh fennel in place of the seeds.

    • Nomola on November 25, 2019

      Made for friends with a ‘fussy’ daughter - it was lovely, I think I’ll use a little more chilli next time. The fennel was obvious but I didn’t think overpowering. Easy to make

    • 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.

    • pomegranate on July 15, 2022

      This was delicious and super easy. I used shrimp, goat cheese, and orange zest instead of the peel. Everyone loved it.

    • Stephenn31 on March 02, 2025

      Don't let the orzo overcook in the first fry, or it won't get tender. Definitely needs the feta.

    • JulieRom on February 15, 2026

      Delicious supper dish. I managed to half the ingredients and the recipe served two perfectly. Frying the orzo first really made a difference to the texture of it in the finished dish.

    • JimCampbell on April 07, 2026

      A 4.0 out of 5. What a nice change for presenting prawns in a dish. Incredibly flavorful. The feta we were going to use had gone bad so we skipped it. The dish still came out tasting great. We used canned diced tomatoes. We also used a larger orzo grain, which adds a good mouth feel to the dish. We both feel the dish is a keeper and needs to go into the rotation.

    • cameron_9ui0sv on May 14, 2026

      There’s a lot of variations on shrimp with orzo, tomato, and feta, but I think this one is my favorite.

    • charlotte_03zeqn on May 19, 2026

      Added large shell on prawns on top for decoration

    • Pimlicocook on January 08, 2022

      I loved this. Followed the recipe but cooking for one, so halved the sauce ingredients and quartered the orzo, while being generous with prawns (which I adore). It was a bit soupier than risotto, but still utterly delicious. I would probably reduce water/stock by a quarter (so still a bit more than the recipe calls for per portion), but I loved being able to mop up the juice with bread. Unlike other reviewers, I thought the orange/fennel/chilli balance was subtle and spot-on. Will definitely make again. Simple and so good.

    • Schooffiecooks on March 29, 2026

      Made it with vegetables instead of prawns

    • anya_sf on March 08, 2026

      Adapted to what I had on hand: passata, precooked shrimp, mint. Made 1/4 recipe, with some spinach added in the last few minutes of cooking, which was just enough for me with some bread. I really enjoyed the flavors and easy preparation.

    • Lsblackburn1 on September 02, 2023

      I seem to always make some variation of this dish at this time of year to use my garden tomatoes and basil. This was simple and yummy using fresh tomatoes. Also used chicken stock and left out the orange.

    • lholtzman on January 02, 2025

      This dish without the feta lacked the seasoning it needed. I think it relies on the feta for the saltiness, so don’t skip or add salt. I would also salt the shrimp in the future. I always feel they need it.

    • ksg518 on August 30, 2023

      Very good version of the classic shrimp, feta and pasta. I didn’t have the orange but, judging from the other notes, that was not a problem. Also I used chicken stock instead of the vegetable stock stock. I really liked the marinated feta and fennel.

    • Scottryder on September 01, 2025

      The orange is a really wonderful addition, especially paired with the basil. Don’t skip it.

    • sgmensing on February 21, 2021

      We loved this! I was careful to grind the toasted fennel, not leaving any whole seeds (mortar & pestle grinding). I also cooked the orzo until it was at least a medium brown. I didn't notice the orange flavor as many people noted, but wouldn't eliminate it since Ottolenghi knows how to combine flavors and it could be making a subtle difference.

    • lofolky on January 01, 2021

      Made this for my family and thought it was delicious! Made a few adjustments to the recipe based on other comments here. Only 1tsp fennel on the feta and less than 2 tsp in the sauce. Also added some lemon zest to the feta and lemon juice when the orzo was cooking. Also used more shrimp than the recipe called for. Turned out great.

    • Delys77 on March 22, 2023

      I've made a few versions of this dish from other books, notably the Essential NY Times and an Ina Garten book I believe. Overall the combo of tomato, feta, fennel/anise/pernod, and shrimp is usually a winner for us. This dish is a bit simpler than some others and I really liked the toasted orzo and somewhat risotto like texture of this dish so would put it ahead of a few others. We had no orange in the house so left it out, but as per many others it didn't seem to do much for the dish. That said, I think we do need some bright acidity here. The feta is lovely but I didn't serve all of it as I thought that would be too much creamy dairy for the dish, but then found myself lacking a touch of freshness, which is why I would likely serve with lemon for those who want less cheese but want to up the acidity.

    • bernalgirl on October 29, 2023

      Such an easy and delicious dinner. I brined and then seared the shrimp and removed them from the pan prior to continuing with the recipe, and was very happy with the results. The finished dish was both beautiful and tasty enough to serve for company, but quick enough for a busy night.

    • Jane on January 09, 2024

      This is a good store-cupboard dinner for me as I always have shrimp in the freezer. Only ingredient I was missing was basil. It came together quickly and I enjoyed it. If you are serving the whole dish that night I would cut out the water and only add as needed as freshly made it was very soupy. But since I had leftovers the excess liquid just got absorbed by the pasta and stopped it drying out. The marinated feta is important for the dish.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Great recipe. Can do fish n prawns instead.

  • Pasta with pecorino and pistachios

    • clkandel on September 13, 2021

      This dish is quick to make and extremely flavorful. I used homemade trofie pasta and liked the shape because the basil sauce had lots of folds to cling to. No snow peas this time of year, so I just used frozen peas, which worked fine. I omitted adding the basil leaves at the end since one diner isn't a complete basil lover. They loved this dish too, so that says something.

    • stockholm28 on February 21, 2019

      This was a good and quick dish and it is really just a variation of pasta with pesto, with pistachios in lieu of pine nuts, pecorino in lieu of parmesan, and snow peas for extra fiber and greenery. I only made 1/4 of the recipe as it turns out that one of those grocery store basil plants only produces 12 grams of leaves and the recipe calls for 50g. I didn’t think the snow peas brought much to the party (the basil overwhelmed their flavor), but that may be more attributable to the low quality of grocery store snow peas this time of year. I think I would prefer this with sugar snaps. I also used fusilli rather than trofie.

    • Astrid5555 on February 23, 2019

      As stockholm28 mentioned this is just a variation of pasta with pesto. Nevertheless a nice and healthy one because of the addition of the mangetout. As promised quick and simple to make, but without the wow factor that some of the other recipes from this book have.

    • anniemac on July 05, 2019

      I thought this was delicious. I used cascarelle pasta instead of the trofie, but otherwise made as written. As others have pointed out it is essentially pasta with pesto, but I thought the snow peas added a lot, although asparagus or snap peas could be subbed in.

    • JJ2018 on May 13, 2019

      We really enjoyed this - quick to come together and fresh tasting. Added the slow roast tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon juice. Would make again would also make a nice pasta salad for a barbecue etc

    • KarinaFrancis on March 04, 2022

      After a few weeks of rain my basil plants are out of control and easily gave up enough basil for this recipe. Lovely, fresh and quick. Next time I might take a previous reviewers tip and add some dried tomatoes.

    • patioweather on February 05, 2024

      This is definitely the easiest Ottolenghi recipe I have ever made. If it weren't for the pistachios, I wouldn't have even dirtied a cutting board. Next time, I will put less cheese but that's personal preference.

    • carly_ztnb88 on April 18, 2026

      Don’t write this off as just pesto pasta. The balance of flavours is sublime and it’s absolute perfection. Only slight change I made was using capers instead of anchovies as it’s what I had in the fridge.

    • treay on January 09, 2026

      This pasta served with a very light pesto, is easy to make and it takes no time to have it on the table. You can serve it on its own, or you can add a tomato or any salad to make it a perfectly tasty vegetarian meal.

    • eclairea on September 16, 2025

      Yum! Loved the addition of thinly sliced snow peas. And I actually managed to get my hands on some trofie so I follow the recipe exactly. Would make again!

    • anothersarah on February 01, 2022

      Love!

  • Gnocchi alla Romana

    • joneshayley on April 19, 2020

      I found this relatively easy to make, and worth making as my whole family loved it. Effort to taste ratio is great as they were cheesy, salty and unctuous- looked beautiful too. I’d make this for family or for a dinner party. I’d make sure to use good cheese though.

    • greedyrosie on June 28, 2020

      I thought this was delicious. I messed up somewhat on the rolling in clingfilm, but even though I couldn’t get tight rolls, they stayed together well enough to slice cleanly after chilling. I served this with some fresh tomato and garlic sauce.

    • anya_sf on April 11, 2020

      The gnocchi weren't hard to make, although the semolina thickened almost immediately upon mixing with the milk. Although the logs seemed somewhat loose and misshapen, they were easy to slice after chilling. We had this as a main with a crisp green salad, as suggested. Three of us nearly ate all of it. I quite liked it. My son only liked the broiled cheesy top parts; he wanted more cheese (and flavor) overall. Some rosemary might be nice in them.

    • Rachaelsb on April 02, 2022

      Yum!! So easy to make and very tasty, comforting texture and taste.

    • pascal_0pudop on May 09, 2026

      Yummy and unique but a bit tricky to make. Would it make it again as it looks impressive! A better method to make the disks though would be to chill it on a flat surface and then stencil the disks out.

  • Lamb and feta meatballs

    • Barb_N on May 22, 2019

      I guess I’ll be the lone voice of dissent. I found the mixture dry and crumbly even decreasing bread crumbs. Once I added a beaten egg (which I kept looking for in the ingredient list), I was able to fry them without them falling apart. The pomegranate molasses makes a nice topping but turned into ‘candy’ on the baking sheet. I much prefer the lamb and pistachio patties.

    • lou_weez on June 20, 2021

      These worked well - no problem with binding as others have suggested. I did probably overwork the mince, but I didn't want them to fall apart. Served with mint rice from the same book.

    • Nossovitzky on May 19, 2019

      Number 1 requested meal at our place. Very moreish and I love the sweet/sour flavour from the pomegranate molasses.

    • FJT on May 10, 2019

      Another vote for this recipe. Yum!

    • 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!

    • wester on March 22, 2019

      I thought these were excellent, with the feta adding both sharpness and richness without becoming overly cheesy. The children were not quite as enthusiastic but they still finished them without complaints. The first frying then baking seemed overly complicated to me, but when you don't change pans it's not really that much of a bother. I left out the bread and forgot the garlic, both without much ill effect.

    • TrishaCP on May 10, 2019

      Yes, we loved these too. I used the pomegranate molasses drizzle, and I liked the sour note it added.

    • okcook on May 08, 2019

      These are fabulous. I made the larger meatballs for dinner. I fried them in some lamb fat from the freezer. I just kept shaking the pan to keep the meatballs rolling around. They took about 6 or so minutes. I used a meat thermometer to try to cook them to 165F but I over shoot to 174F..still they were moist and tender. With a minute to go I just drizzled the pomegranate molasses over the meatballs and kept shaking the pan.

    • cook_fresco on September 21, 2023

      Excellent recipe. Blitzed the fresh parsley in with the bread (1 piece Hovis Seed Sensations) in mini food processor. No issues with binding at all. Lightly coated in oil and cooked on baking parchment in air fryer at 193 for 18 mins (( made 19 meatballs). No molasses as didn't have any. Served with gino d'acampo's roasted veg ratatouille and grated cheese: the flavours worked brilliantly.

    • Babycarrot on April 18, 2023

      Really delicious and unlike a lot of other Ottolenghi recipes, truly is simple. I used pre-ground lamb and already cubed feta. I pan fried them on the stove and then finished off in the toasted oven with the pomegranate molasses. I had no issues with binding. I loved the salty bite of the feta with the sweet and tangy pomegranate molasses. Might even increase the molasses slightly next time. Served with the asparagus w/almonds and capers but this would also be good with a simple side salad or rice.

    • Beth891 on February 04, 2024

      Delicious! Didn't have any fresh herbs so just added some dried thyme instead but it was still so good, I'd definitely make again.

    • rhb on January 31, 2023

      Really good...baked in oven at 450 f convection instead of frying.

    • Ishie1013 on November 03, 2024

      This was really good and quite easy compared to Ottolenghi’s normal fare. One diner absolutely hated it; the other ate every single bite. I liked the texture and interesting blend of flavors. I served it over seven spice blend rice. I did use the pomegranate molasses which added just a pleasant note of sweetness without being cloying.

    • pamacea on December 01, 2024

      These are incredible. Thoroughly enjoyed and will make again—often!

    • tracy_1dl1re on May 06, 2026

      I ended up making this with beef instead of lamb and it was very good! Flavorful and easy to pull together. I used Hero low carb bread for the bread crumbs. I will definitely make this again.

    • kate_8v3dzp on April 12, 2026

      I’ve made these before without frying and I’m not sure frying adds anything. Also drizzling pomegranate at the end rather than while baking preserves the taste better

    • anya_sf on October 31, 2021

      Using pre-ground lamb, the mixture held together fine. I hate frying meatballs, so I used Ina's roasting technique, forming the meatballs with an ice cream scoop (yielding 13-14 meatballs), then roasting them at 400 F for 25 min, drizzling with pomegranate molasses for the last 5 minutes. Between the rendered fat on the pan and sugar from the molasses, the bottoms got a little dark and tough, so next time I'd just add the molasses for the final 2 or 3 minutes. My family really liked these.

    • Ro_ on January 21, 2020

      I can't get lamb mince where I live, but really wanted to make this recipe, so after doing some research online I tried cutting up lamb shoulder as finely as I could and then pulsing in the blender. This worked OK in terms of giving me meat I could form into meatballs. However a) I had problems with about half the meatballs falling apart during cooking and b) I found the meatballs very fatty - next time I'd try using half lean leg meat and half shoulder meat perhaps. I liked the cinnamon flavours a lot, but the feta didn't come through that much for me. I couldn't get pomegranate molasses, but wonder if that would have helped offset the fattiness of the lamb a bit more.

    • purrviciouz on March 12, 2019

      These were delicious and a fun delight with the pomegranate molasses glaze. I used half beef and half lamb and served with chickpea and green salad with yogurt sauce.

    • ronacollins on May 15, 2019

      A family favourite and so Simple too!

    • jenburkholder on August 10, 2020

      These were tasty enough, just a basic meatball. Like several others here, I found they didn’t bind well, and added an egg. Might repeat, but there are more interesting lamb meatballs out there.

    • Delys77 on January 29, 2025

      Our grocery delivery swapped lamb for beef so that is what we used. Seasoning was lovely and worked well with the beef and w3 particularly liked the browned bits of feta that came on contact with the pan. We did use the pomegranate but I found it became a touch bitter in the oven. Possibly it overcooked and the sugar went past the point of caramelization

  • 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.

    • Popisdead on March 07, 2021

      Really easy to follow. I made it a bit harder for myself by having to butcher a shoulder of lamb to make it. Would serve with something other than rice, couscous maybe. Would also be tempted to put some chickpeas in and raise levels of sauce to match, then not serve with anything.

    • kitchen_chick on September 06, 2019

      Wow! Delicious! It's a large dish for two people so I made the full stew amount, but transferred half to a souffle/baking dish and topped with 1/2 the tahini sauce to finish the baking. The other half I will freeze for a later dinner and finish with a fresh topping of tahini sauce when I use it. After the first 20 minutes of baking, I used the boiler to brown the top to shave some time off the cooking.

  • Grilled lamb fillet with almonds and orange blossom

    • FJT on June 29, 2019

      This was really good despite me mistakenly ditching the marinade instead of reducing it as a sauce (I got distracted with guests arriving). Didn’t seem to matter, but it would probably have been even better had I managed to follow the recipe properly.

    • Trentinla on September 21, 2023

      used beef flap steak instead.. and turned out great.. wow... that almond salsa is great!

    • Jesmondgirl on April 04, 2020

      Was really nervous about this as I have always thought of lamb neck fillets as something which requires slow cooking. I was nervous that simply searing and cooking in the oven for a few minutes would result in tough meat. I should have trusted Ottolenghi ! It was both rare and superbly tender.

  • Lamb bake with tahini sauce and tomatoes

    • Rachaelsb on November 08, 2019

      More work than I expected...I thought this was Ottolenghi Simple! But good, different not too heavy flavor -just make sure really squeeze vegetables well - mine didn't quite hold together as well as I hoped.

    • Lsblackburn1 on October 27, 2020

      Very tasty! Not hard to make - just a lot of ingredients to throw in a bowl and mix together. We made this into a sandwich by serving it on flatbread with the tomato and tahini sauce.

  • Lamb arayes with tahini and sumac

    • FJT on December 23, 2019

      This was really nice but I'm not sure the gram measurements are completely right. I was weighing out the tahini and got to 70g and it was already way more than 1/3 cup, so I stopped and didn't add the last 20g. I could definitely taste the tahini and the other flavours were slightly muted, so I'm guessing 70g was way too much! That said it was a lovely dish and I will make sure to measure the tahini by volume next time round.

    • SheilaS on February 19, 2020

      A really easy and fun recipe. I served it with the Sumac Yogurt Sauce on p 217. The leftover wedges reheated nicely in my convection toaster oven.

    • Ro_ on December 13, 2020

      This was a "like not love" recipe for me. Contrary to another comment, I think I would add more tahini next time in order to taste it more, and also more pomegranate molasses. I think for me these lacked a bit of zing, some lime or coriander or something was needed to pep them up.

    • CMatheson on August 28, 2021

      We really like this recipe as alternative to burgers. Easy and delicious.

    • Schooffiecooks on April 03, 2026

      Just made a sandwich with pulled pork with all the flavors!

    • Jcafeld on March 11, 2026

      This recipe is a winner! I followed the recipe to the letter and was thrilled with the outcome. They are so flavorful! Served it with a quick chopped salad of avocado, cucumber, red chili, lime juice, salt and olive oil.

    • ellwell on April 02, 2026

      Disappointingly bland. Even with the the sauce it was a shameful waste of ingredients.

  • 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.

    • Nossovitzky on May 19, 2019

      This is definitely a recipe to read first - overnight marination and then 6.5 hours cooking. The celeriac in the dish is great and I think adds a lot of flavour, but I didn't love the marinade paste.

    • knittingfrog on September 21, 2019

      Made the recipe with no change. Thoroughly disappointed. I was expecting aromatic flavours but what I got was... Reminiscent of grass clippings with nowhere near enough salt. And no juice despite an excellent seal (I scalded my hand with the steam when I opened it up). Oh Yotam how could you do this to me?

    • teresastern on October 13, 2021

      We used a 4.5lb lamb shoulder, bone in, marinated it overnight, and followed the recipe. Although we added chicken stock throughout to prevent burning, the time and temperature were far too much. The lamb -- as well as the vegetables -- came out charred and the lamb was dry and overcooked. Very disappointing. If we try it again, we'll do it at a lower temperature for a shorter time and keep a close eye on it.

    • Ro_ on January 12, 2020

      Oh, this was so disappointing! I made the marinade and thought it seemed delicious, I love the idea of loads of mint, lemon and cumin/coriander with lamb. I nurtured it through the first few hours of cooking, basting etc and everything looked fine. But I took my eye off the ball towards the end, and didn't check on it because I was doing other stuff - it ended up completley dried out, the outside and the veg totally burnt with no juices left in the pan. I used a 1.4kg lamb shoulder and had reduced the cooking times accordingly, but even so it wasn't enough to save it. What a shame, I do partly blame myself for not checking and removing it from the oven earlier, but I do think the recipe should have pointed out that during the last 1.5 hours of cooking time without the foil, a close eye needs to be kept on it.

    • etcjm on April 11, 2019

      I used the marinade as well with a leg of lamb cooked for 2 hours. It was good. Not sure it's what I'd go to next time but it might be different with the shoulder. The leftovers had the flavour of mint, but surprisingly the small amount of fenugreek came through which I didn't particularly like.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Best lamb recipe. Don’t need to do celeriac

  • Lamb and pistachio patties with sumac yoghurt sauce

    • KarinaFrancis on January 06, 2020

      These were good, but not amazing. I would make them again but up the pistachios or keep them chunkier so their presence is felt. Good for a weeknight meal.

    • kitchen_chick on February 13, 2019

      I didn't have arugula (aka rocket), so I substituted parsley and some dill. Worked great!

    • e_ballad on March 29, 2019

      We found these quite ‘wet’ & disintegrated whilst cooking in the pan. This may be in part due to the coarse-ground lamb that we made at home, though we’ve not experienced this with other dishes. Maybe less puréed onion would also have helped. Make sure to season well.

    • Barb_N on April 02, 2019

      We loved these. I love the technique for assembly. I chilled them prior to frying, and only a few fell apart. I still had execution problems as my ‘non stick’ pan is only 10” and really isn’t non stick - had it been desired, the brown crust would have been a great ‘fond’. I finished these in the oven and served in pitas with arugula and the yogurt sauce. I don’t think there is enough sauce per patty. My sauce was a speckly brown, not at all like the photo in the book. I guess even Ottolenghi’s food stylists take liberties!

    • chawkins on August 01, 2020

      We enjoyed these. I added 2 oz of ground pork because I only had a lb of lamb. Since I had 4 burger buns that needed to be used, I made 4 burger size patties and 6 mini patties. The patties held up well even without refrigeration and did not fall apart during cooking. The tartness of the sumac in the yogurt sauce complemented the lamb quite well and the sauce was beige with brown specks all over, maybe the sumac was supposed to be sprinkled on top and not stirred in.

    • JennyHay on January 28, 2019

      Super easy and very tasty. Fabulous for picnic food.

    • kari500 on February 16, 2019

      Subbed ground turkey for the lamb, and made into burgers instead of patties. Definitely enjoyed this and will make again.

    • wester on March 03, 2019

      Very tasty. I subbed parsley for the rocket, and baked them in a 240C fan oven until brown. I think I will add some cumin to the yogurt next time. I also like that they are grain free. The family liked them too. ETA: mint is not as good a replacement for the rocket.

    • TrishaCP on February 15, 2020

      We really liked these. Mine were way too soft after forming to cook immediately, so I refrigerated them for as long as I was able (15 minutes) and that helped somewhat, but these are very tender. I also subbed parsley for arugula. We served these in a pita as a sandwich.

    • purrviciouz on March 04, 2019

      I used half lamb and half beef and subbed parsley for the arugula but added extra black pepper. Next time I'd use zahtar in the yogurt instead of sumac alone. These were easy and a fun dinner with salad and rice pilaf.

    • purrviciouz on June 19, 2021

      I was meh about these. There's nothing to bind them so a few partially crumbled in the pan. The pistachio adds a nice textural element.

    • Ro_ on January 04, 2021

      We really enjoyed these. I minced my own lamb from a shoulder joint (since I can never buy lamb mince here) which was time consuming but turned out well. I think maybe my only criticism for these patties was that the pistachio didn't come through that much - maybe up the quantity? Loved the combination with the sumac yoghurt. I served these with the puy lentil, aubergine and tomato dish from the same book.

    • FieryFantail on February 24, 2024

      Very nice. I chopped the rocket and pistachios. None of them fell apart, which was good.

  • Spiced 'shepherd's pie' with butterbean crust

    • mcvl on September 20, 2020

      Divine. I had to leave out the apricots, alas, because I'm working to get my blood sugar down, but the combination of flavors was already deliriously good: meaty, spicy, sharp, sour (I used the juice as well as the zest of the lemon), and I'm sure when I can make it with the apricots it will be fruity too. I was in no mood for fancy-schmancy, so I just mixed the lima beans in with all the other ingredients. I made enough for two meals and am now restraining myself mightily from going downstairs and eating up the whole second half.

    • aargle on September 16, 2019

      My family all loved this and demolished it in one sitting despite using 900grams of mince. I used normal harissa which was fine. We all loved the butter bean topping but found I had to add a little more liquid in the form of a little lemon juice and water to make it mashable. A definite repeat.

    • Nossovitzky on May 19, 2019

      Really really good combination of flavours. I have made just the mince part and also with lamb shanks I liked it so much! Not so much the bean topping, it was a bit dry. Also left out the olives after the first time as I don't think they added anything.

    • VineTomato on February 28, 2019

      I loved this. We made a vegan version using soya mince and it was so good! I only slightly mashed the butterbeans, in the recipe it says to let the mince set in the fridge for half an hour to make it easier to spread the beans. With soya mince it just wouldn't work which why I left them a bit more whole and spreadable. Divine! It doesn't even need cheese on top! The apricots were absolutely delicious.

    • sosayi on July 15, 2019

      Delicious pie, and the use of beans as a crust was far preferable to the typical potato topping. Did not use the rose harissa, just a regular, mild, harissa and was fine with that decision. Will make again.

    • linda_um11f1 on April 11, 2026

      Go to spicy pie. Use sweet potato or butternut squash

    • lou_weez on July 20, 2023

      Great recipe and easy enough to throw together. It doesn't look pretty but tastes great.

    • Baxter850 on November 02, 2020

      Liked (not loved) the flavor combinations. Used grass fed lamb which may have given the dish a slightly different flavor than normal. Loved the mashed Lima bean topping. Will use that again for sure.

    • bernalgirl on May 28, 2024

      This is a fantastic recipe, especially the butter bean crust, which nicely mimics mashed potatoes but with a protein boost. I doubled the recipe and doubted the quantity of allspice but no need to worry, the seasoning was perfect. I diced carrots, celery, and green beans to pea-size and added them at the sauté step for a vegetable boost. Ground lamb is quite fatty, I drained off 1/2 cup before adding the liquid and it was still more oily than we preferred. I might add more complex seasonings and use dark meat turkey next time.

  • Arnold's roast chicken with caraway and cranberry stuffing

    • KarinaFrancis on July 11, 2021

      Yum! The stuffing is so good especially with the pops of cranberry, and the caraway marinade made for a delicious and super crispy skin

    • Joanclemence on June 10, 2021

      The stuffing is delicious and goes well in a sandwich with mayo the next day

  • Beef meatballs with lemon and celeriac

    • greedyrosie on June 28, 2020

      I thought it was ok. My family really enjoyed it and I found it enjoyable to make but I wasn’t overwhelmed. Fine for a weeknight tea but I wouldn’t rush to make it again.

    • 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.

    • FJT on November 12, 2020

      Lovely depth of flavour. I used gluten free panko breadcrumbs instead of fresh breadcrumbs and I may have reduced it too much (I made this in advance and then reheated it) as we ended up with not quite enough sauce. The meatballs were quite delicate but they mostly held together. Would definitely repeat.

    • 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.

    • katy1729 on September 05, 2019

      1st Sept 2019. Made this with vegan (soya) mince. At first I thought it would be a disaster as the uncooked meatball mixture would not stick together, but I cooked it for a bit in a sauté pan and it got more sticky, so I was able to form the meatballs once the mixture had cooled a bit. The spiced celeriac and lemon mixture was more interesting than I had anticipated, but it wasn't a complete winner for us.

    • Lsblackburn1 on November 17, 2019

      Loved this! Served it over couscous and topped it with some leftover lebheh we had.

    • Delys77 on February 05, 2024

      The celery root at the market was not very impressive so we went with parsnip and some rutabaga. Both worked well as a substitute. I agree the meatballs have too much breadcrumb and are actually a little under seasoned but the sauce is lovely and the combined components are quite nice. Might not repeat but interesting flavours for sure.

    • alapotre on October 17, 2021

      Waupoos, David, used cumin, ground coriander, plain paprika, no fennel, no turmeric, pan fried the meatballs with very little oil, was worth it. Forgot to add the onions to the meatballs, added them to the celeriac.

    • averythingcooks on September 18, 2025

      I just made the meatballs & (based on the comments here) followed his ingredient amounts for everything EXCEPT the fresh breadcrumbs. Starting with 1/2, I needed just a little bit more until I got a texture I liked. A quick test fry confirmed that they were good (could we taste the allspice?? not sure) but needed a little something extra so in went minced garlic. My preference is to oven bake meatballs at 425 until just under, finishing them in whatever sauce I'm making. I would make these tender meatballs again.

    • jenburkholder on May 07, 2023

      Delicious. Subbed Impossible and served with yogurt and barley bread. Just wish there was more sauce - all got sucked up by the meatballs and celeriac.

    • MarciK on September 16, 2024

      This was delicious. It was more lemony than I expected. I didn’t have a problem with the amount of breadcrumbs in the meatballs. I used fresh bread, put in food processor without drying or toasting. I kept the breadcrumbs on the larger side, and measured while still very fluffy. I also let the meat mixture set to moisten the bread before shaping and cooking. I used 2 tsps of allspice for extra flavor in the meatballs. All the prep and chopping on this was time consuming. Plan ahead.

    • Pandan on October 12, 2024

      Easy to prepare and very flavourful. Perfect amount of beef because the organic variety gets sold in 400g packets instead of one pound in Germany. I weighed my ingredients and the meatballs and only got 14 instead of 20. I used a baguette with crust for the breadcrumbs. I could taste them but they weren’t too much for me. My husband who doesn’t like vegetables that much loved this and asked „mmh, what is this!?“

    • Babycarrot on February 19, 2024

      Very tasty. There was enough sauce for our taste but I scaled down on the breadcrumbs and used store bought to try to create less clean up. Celeriac is not a looker but is actually rather simple to prepare once you cut away the roots and skin. Subbed ground fennel for seeds. Served with pearl couscous, but would be nice with some crusty bread or pita

    • rhb on October 24, 2022

      We've made this several times and love it! We usually sautee the onions in some olive oil first and use more celeriac.

    • Anea25 on October 03, 2024

      better the next day

  • Ricotta and oregano meatballs

    • KarinaFrancis on July 01, 2020

      Omg these were fantastic! The flavour of the meatballs was delicious and the texture was super light from the ricotta. The mixture was very soft so we cooked the meatballs in a very hot oven before adding them to the sauce and they held together beautifully. The silver fox said “can we pleeeease make these again?” Winner!

    • Rachaelsb on November 22, 2019

      Yum! Meatballs had great texture and flavor. Sauce was differently delicious.

    • Rinshin on March 12, 2019

      Did not have problems of crumbly texture, but had problems with meatballs sticking using non-stick frying pan and abandoned frying in favor of baking them in 400f oven for about 25 min. These meatballs have sticky texture when raw due to fair amount of ricotta and parmesan cheese. Even with baking, there was some sticking. Loved the taste of the sauce which was very different from regular marinara because of chicken stock addition. The final dish was well balanced in flavor and meatballs had excellent texture and taste. Some might find the meatballs a little too soft in texture but we loved the texture served alone in a sauce like this. Because very soft textured, these meatballs need to be handled very, very gently.

    • 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.

    • 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!

    • Ishie1013 on July 13, 2023

      These were probably the best meatballs I've ever made. I was skeptical by the ratio of "other" ingredients to meat, but the meatballs were light, fluffy, and HUGE. The tomato sauce came together really nicely. Once the meatballs were gone, I spooned the tomato sauce onto sourdough toast as a kind of low rent bruschetta. I will make this again.

    • treay on January 09, 2026

      This dish is perfect for making it ahead and just reheated the following day. It actually helps develop the flavours and it is even more delicious. The ricotta makes the meatballs very light and my husband reckons it would be the perfect dish to have with pasta. If you do so, make the meatballs smaller. This time it was our dinner for our Pure protein diet day, but I'd love to eat them next to oven cooked chips and a salad. The flavours are amazing.

    • malia_s6fgqm on May 30, 2026

      Very good but could not fit it all in 1 pan

    • sara_kwi3s0 on May 20, 2026

      I made the recipe for meatballs as written except halved. My meatballs were golf ball sized. For the white bread I used a quality French bread. The meatballs are very tender. I browned them well in the pan then finished in the oven on a rack for about 10 minutes at 350°. I used a quality jarred marinara sauce that I doctored up a bit. A great recipe.

    • averythingcooks on January 24, 2022

      These were delicious made with a mix of ground beef & "sweet with heat" sausage. However, to get the 12-14 meatballs expected, the meatballs must be huge. I made a 1/2 recipe and with meatballs around 35 g each (ie a "generous" golf ball) I got 16. I oven baked mine and served with a different sauce over spaghetti. I also wanted to compare to Julia Turshon's sausage ricotta version (which we also loved) - the key differences are that Ottolenghi specifies ground beef and includes bread crumbs, fresh oregano (and not basil) and egg. Not sure if we thought one was definitely better than the other but I do know for sure that we like our meatballs made with ricotta.

    • dj2eats on March 31, 2022

      3/4 of family loved these, one of them didn't care for the 'texture' - she's used to more traditional solid meatballs. Some of the balls were really difficult to keep together during the frying phase, but I didn't stress too much because I knew I could still eat the 'globs'. We had leftovers twice and each time the aroma of these meatballs were heavenly!

    • PriyaPath on March 28, 2026

      Excellent flavour, a very different version of meatballs. Very savoury.

    • billcranecos on April 30, 2023

      There are a lot of good reviews here, but our experience was not as good. The amount of breadcrumbs made for a gummy meatball. Perhaps my own breadcrumbs were too finely ground and if I repeat this then next time I'll go by weight and not by volume for the breadcrumbs. Good herbal flavor, but bad texture.

    • Pimlicocook on February 19, 2023

      Deep, rich tomato sauce and light meatballs - I don't make meatballs often, and I enjoyed this. Easy to make, too. Served with buttered spinach.

    • dinnermints on October 25, 2024

      Update: tried baking the meatballs this time at 400° for 15-20min and that was fine, but the browned version of the meatballs that were then cooked in the sauce was yummier.

    • dinnermints on December 26, 2023

      Made these for Christmas dinner and everyone just loved them, kids included. I put a little less salt in the tomato sauce and it still turned out a bit salty, next time would try using kosher salt or reducing salt further. For 2.5x the recipe we ended up with 50 meatballs (slightly larger than golf balls) - definitely smaller than the recipe suggests. The meatballs did stick to the pan quite a bit - next time would use a nonstick pan or bake them. The sauce took a long time to cook down (and even then was not like a “thick pasta sauce), so I’d try adding less stock next time. Served this over polenta. Might make again this week!

    • janeths on March 31, 2026

      Yum. My comfort food. The ricotta is really good in the meatballs.

    • EmilyR on December 28, 2025

      Have you ever decided it was a good idea to triple a recipe before ever trying with the benevolent intention of giving it to neighbors and friends? It sounds like a good idea at the time. That was what I decided with this recipe and the amount of labor and outcome about broke me. I’ve made plenty of homemade meatballs (one of my favorites remains the recipe in Bavel, which also uses ricotta). This just didn’t work out and I am sure it was my error in some realm - perhaps being altruistic and overly eager combined with being exhausted during the holidays, but regardless it felt like endless meat and scooping (I used a cookie scoop, which may have been the fatal error) and then the tomatoes singed onto the bottom of the pan and the meatballs that I diligently seared decided to become one with the sauce and disintegrate. Now we will eat this for days and I will be reminded that sometimes it’s better to just pour a glass of wine and be over it.

    • 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).

    • MissKoo on July 15, 2020

      OMGilicious! These are just amazing, so light and flavorful. Everyone raved about them. Made a night ahead as they do take time; flavors just improved from that resting time. Opted to broil the meatballs on sheet pan about 4-5 minutes per side before placing in sauce rather than sauté to keep them together better. If you do mis en place and are in a hurry, do note that certain ingredients -- the onions, garlic, chopped oregano -- are halved. Half in the meatballs, half in the wonderful sauce. Recipe explains that, of course, but sidebar list of ingredients does not include the magic word "divided" by those ingredients.

    • Ro_ on January 24, 2020

      These were lovely. I had to reduce the cooking time a little as pressed for time, but I don't think they suffered for it. The texture was great, very moist. No problems with breaking up in the pan. I should have added more salt though to the meatball mix.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Done this many times a faviu

  • Harissa beef sirloin with pepper and lemon sauce

    • kari500 on September 27, 2020

      Perfectly serviceable, but not exciting. Perhaps our love of heat (and expectations that this would live up to it) is the problem. Don't think I'd bother making this again.

    • clkandel on August 19, 2021

      Couldn't be easier to make. The pepper sauce flavor is great. This would make a nice dish to serve guests.

    • anya_sf on October 18, 2021

      My steaks were larger (bone-in, but 1 lb each) and I find meat to be better seasoned when well salted in advance, so I used 2 tsp coarse flaky sea salt on the steaks, which marinated 2 hours. The meat ended up nicely seasoned with no extra salt needed; the harissa rub was very tasty. The sauce was more of a relish - spoonable, not pourable. I didn't want it too spicy, so used half the red pepper flakes and also half the preserved lemon as mine was very strong. Overall, we liked it, but it didn't wow us.

    • etcjm on February 22, 2020

      Very good. Used rib eye steak because it was on offer and cheaper than sirloin! Really enjoyed this. I went easy on the preserved lemon as I'm still a newbie to the strong flavour and being home preserved they were on the large side. The leftover pepper mix was lovely the next day with lamb kofte. Definitely a do again. I will buy rose harissa though as the flavour might be less fiery than the brand I had in the pantry.

    • etcjm on February 22, 2020

      Very good. Used rib eye steak because it was on offer and cheaper than sirloin! Really enjoyed this. I went easy on the preserved lemon as I'm still a newbie to the strong flavour and being home preserved they were on the large side. The leftover pepper mix was lovely the next day with lamb kofte. Definitely a do again. I will buy rose harissa though as the flavour might be less fiery than the brand I had in the pantry.

    • treay on January 09, 2026

      Served with Mustardy cauliflower cheese. Both delicious. Both my husband and I loved them. I didn't use preserved lemons with the capsicum sauce because I didn't have them at home, but to be really honest, I don't like them. Instead I used lemon rind. The harissa was home made from another OT recipe, and it wasn't too hot, which we appreciated because you can really taste the different spices and flavours. Will certainly make it again.

    • catmummery on January 11, 2024

      absolutely delicious and a keeper. A couple of observations -took longer than expected as roasting the peppers took a good 30 mins so not the quickest supper. Next time will use pre-roasted peppers if mid week. Used one 250g rump steak instead of 2 (for 2 people) which worked brilliantly and was plenty as long as thinly sliced. Had with some rice, courgettes in butter (not necessary but using up fridge) and will definitely do again! would do the steak for less time and definitely make sure rested +++. Yum.

    • pomegranate on July 22, 2022

      This was delicious, easy, and quick. Followed the recipe exactly and it was great!

  • 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.

    • Barb_N on April 03, 2019

      If Lemony Snicket had a signature dish, this would be it. It is lemony, salty and simple to prepare. I roasted it on top of tiny new potatoes and served with roasted vegetables (carrots, spring onions and quartered mushrooms) despite my plan to make another Ottolenghi recipe. It doesn’t say so in the recipe, but the photo shows a halved lemon in the cavity- something necessary to prevent the breasts from drying out during roasting.

    • dinnermints on November 20, 2021

      Great flavor. I spatchcocked the chicken (over 5lbs in weight), rubbed the preserved lemon mixture under the skin, then let it sit in the fridge uncovered for a little under a day. Then I roasted it at 425° for around 80min (should've covered it with foil sooner than I did, as the top got a wee bit overly brown and set off the fire alarm). I forgot to look at the recipe before roasting, since I was following different roasting instructions, so I forgot the lemon juice and salt on top before popping it in the oven (also didn't baste it).

    • kashley1985 on January 13, 2026

      Tasty and moist chicken. Flavorful, but nothing groundbreaking. I had to cook at 425 at the end for about 5-10 minutes to get the skin more dark and crispy.

    • luke_i8msqc on April 12, 2026

      Delicious!

    • Running_with_Wools on November 24, 2020

      This is delicious and simple and my kids love it. I've made it twice and it is now on regular rotation.

    • Ro_ on January 20, 2020

      This was super-lemony and really delicious. It went down really well. I put foil over the chicken for part of the cooking time, as it looked like it was going to burn on the top. 90m in the oven for a 1.9kg chicken was perfect, the bird stayed really juicy and moist.

    • Delys77 on February 27, 2023

      We enjoyed this dish as well. My chicken was just over 3lbs and took about 60 minutes in the oven. Mine also got a bit dark on the top and I also should have covered it towards the end. I also hand chopped the compound butter and I think that contributed to some of the over browning since I had chunks of lemon in my butter that burnt a touch on the top of the chicken. Next time I will blitz the butter as suggested and see if that resolves the situation. Flavours were lovely though, and very easy.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Delicious

  • Chicken Marbella

    • stockholm28 on February 16, 2019

      This was so easy for a weeknight meal, but my dates were completely burnt and so was the marinade. The chicken and flavors were good. Next time, I will use a slightly smaller pan so the chicken pieces are closer together. I used chicken thighs and they were done before the 50 minute mark. I should have checked about 10 minutes earlier.

    • KarinaFrancis on June 05, 2021

      Finally made this and now I know why everyone raves about it! Loved the flavours and it couldn’t be easier. I only marinaded the chicken for a few hours and it was still very tasty. I served it with the baked rice and it was great for soaking up the delicious juices

    • mharriman on May 06, 2021

      I agree with those who thought this was a delicious recipe. My husband and I loved it. I used four chicken w/ thigh quarters with full amount of marinade and Full amount of wine/molasses sauce with great results. I made two small cuts in each chicken piece and marinated the leg quarters 30 hours, turning the chicken in the sauce three times while it was in the refrigerator. Because I baked the dish alongside the recommended baked basmati rice, I cooked it at 425 degrees, since the rice was supposed to bake at 450. I just split the difference (400/450) with no noticeable change in the result of either dish. I basted twice during the 50 minute baking time which kept the chicken juicy and tender. We especially liked the subtle flavors. The flavors reminded us of ones we enjoyed when we were in Israel and Palestine two years ago. Update: Wonderful flavor as leftovers second night (350 degree oven for 40 minutes on top of leftover rice)

    • Londonyankee on January 01, 2020

      This was disappointing. I like Martha Stewart’s chicken with dates, citrus, and olives much better, and it’s easier, too. I don’t feel the marinade did much of anything, and there were hardly any dates. The flavor was just too subtle compared to Martha’s, which is my go-to dinner party recipe, so I’ll stick with Martha on this one!

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • FJT on May 03, 2021

      A really easy, hands-off recipe. We all commented that we'd have liked more sauce, but otherwise very happy with it. Used pomegranate molasses instead of date molasses and boned chicken legs rather than bone-in. Will make again.

    • clkandel on April 21, 2021

      This dish is so tasty. Loved the flavor from the dates.

    • 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.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      I use chicken thighs cutlets

    • Brittania on February 21, 2026

      Use legs, because thighs cook too quickly! Do not brown.

    • Baxter850 on November 05, 2020

      Great recipe. No changes other than I wish the chicken skin was crispy.

    • Anne_em on January 06, 2021

      A real success. I made sure my chicken legs were quite snug in the pan so the juices wouldn’t evaporate straight away and there was still plenty of sauce. I will certainly make it again.

    • domechef on March 31, 2019

      This really was a show-stopper. Served it at a dinner party and everybody couldn't stop raving about how good it was. Also, it is quite a forgiving recipe, so easy to scale up or down.

    • treay on November 26, 2024

      This recipe is super simple and delicious. I didn't have time to marinate the chicken, so I followed the recipe below without the marination, but I can see that the flavours would be even better if I had done so. The leftovers eaten the following day were scrumptious.

    • Babycarrot on November 09, 2023

      As others have commented this is a lovely blend of salt, acid, and sweetness. Marinated for two days and baked in an 8x8 pan. I threw in a small preserved lemon as well. I used a different type of dates and pomegranate molasses instead of date. I cut back on the amount of chicken since just cooking for one but kept the sauce the same bc I like a bit extra. Next time I’ll scale back on the wine if I cut down on the chicken. I also basted the chicken 3 times during the bake but didn’t allow enough time after the 3rd baste for the skin to get extra crispy but I’ll remember that for next time.

    • pastaplease on March 28, 2026

      Given all the nice reviews, this was disappointing. Maybe because I used dates instead of prunes? The Silver Palate version is, IMO, just better. Took 1:10 prep time.

    • Shaxon on March 25, 2022

      I made this using steamed cubed tempeh to make it vegan. I don't eat chicken so I'm not sure how it's supposed to turn out, but it was successful as a vegan dish - slightly sweet, sour and salty. I served it with roasted potatoes, but it would be better over rice.

    • Delys77 on January 15, 2023

      I've made the Cook's illustrated version of this using chicken breasts and quite liked it, but this was easier. There is no browning of the chicken prior to going into the oven, and marinade is easy to put together as there is next to no chopping. I used thighs and drumsticks as that is what we had on hand and didn't score, but otherwise followed the recipe. We did have 6 for dinner so we went with 1.5 times the recipe which was nice and snug in the pan. we cooked for a 40 minutes on convection and it was just right. I did have some issue with capers and figs burning a bit, so I would make sure they were tucked under the chicken so they don't over caramelize. Nice and easy and well received.

    • janeths on January 06, 2026

      The marinade is so simple that you don’t expect the level of deliciousness until it hits your tongue!

    • adelina on May 19, 2026

      We loved this dish. I used drumsticks and thighs. I decided to reserve the marinade and add at the end of the last 30 min of cooking. The first 30 min, raised the heat 450 to get golden, then lowered to 400. Served iced bulgur vermicelli pilaf.

    • jdstone on July 31, 2023

      Crowd-pleaser, and makes a beautiful presentation. I had 9 chicken legs rather than 8 so they were well crammed into the roasting tin. Maybe that's why I had no issues with anything burning or the sauce cooking off the way some reviewers have mentioned. I also used a high-sided roasting tin, as specified in the recipe. I lost track of time and left them in for a full hour and forgot to baste them even once--result was beautifully browned, tender chicken, so I wouldn't bother with basting in future. I had rosemary rather than oregano on hand and that worked well. I used whatever dates were at the shop, not specifically Medjool dates. And I used 'date syrup' which I'm assuming is at least similar to if not exactly the same as date molasses. Served with bulgur wheat, cooked simply with some citrus zest, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds. Really easy and inexpensive dish for entertaining, limited only by how much chicken your pan will hold!

    • CourtneyT on September 22, 2025

      Fabulous!

    • Melyinoz on March 09, 2024

      I made this with the baked rice and baby carrots from the same book and they all worked well together. The meal had so much flavour. I would definitely make this 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!

    • Emily Hope on March 29, 2019

      Oh, man, this was good! I've made a lot of Asian-ish chicken thigh recipes and this one rises to the top. I made it with 4.5 pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, and made 1.5x the sauce, which worked great. (I did have 2 thighs that didn't fit in the 9x13 pan). My only complaint is that it's a bit fiddly for a weeknight meal, with the pan-frying and the baking and the ginger grating etc., but worth it. As stockholm28 notes, the thighs were overcooked even after I'd cut the time by 10 minutes -- next time I might try just omitting the bake time with the foil on. Served with the broccolini with peanuts (also from Simple), and rice.

    • FJT on May 07, 2019

      Another vote in favour of this one. The only complaint was that there wasn't more of the sauce so I shall be doubling up on that next time. Will definitely be making again ... and soon!

    • JennyHay on April 12, 2019

      10 out of 10 for me. A fabulous dish served with the sticky rice on page 173.

    • bwhip on April 02, 2019

      Delicious! We really enjoyed this recipe. Great flavor, fairly easy prep. I used thighs, and served with basmati rice, which made for a nice dinner.

    • Rutabaga on October 28, 2019

      The sauce here is, as others have noted, fantastic. Unfortunately, the rest of my family is not a fan of "bone-in" chicken dishes, although I think it's good for them to have this experience from time to time. I'd make this again, but might mix it up and try it with boneless chicken thighs, too.

    • cultus.girl on December 19, 2020

      Repeat repeat repeat !

    • Barb_N on March 19, 2019

      This is delicious as other reviewers have said. I found the scallion-chili-cilantro mixture spicy (I’m a spice wimp, only used one serrano quartered). Served with stir fry of baby bok choy, asparagus and shiitakes, with a sauce pirated from the marinade, adding a bit of rice wine vinegar. Miso paste lasts foreeeeeever in the fridge (I’ve had mine more than a year) so definitely will be a repeat, maybe w/o the chili.

    • Barb_N on February 11, 2021

      I made this again but wanted to serve it with a recipe I’d found for soba noodles with tahini sauce so I melded them- subbed tahini for miso in this recipe and subbed lime for orange in the noodle recipe. A match made in heaven.

    • raybun on March 02, 2019

      The marinade is absolutely delicious, I used bone in thighs. Definitely a repeat recipe, the family loved it.

    • rmorse on March 04, 2019

      This is amazing.

    • KarinaFrancis on March 16, 2019

      My first recipe from this book and it’s a winner! Based on previous comments I used bone in thighs, grated the lime rind, garlic and ginger. Paired it with sweet potato fries from the same book. I just made this again a made up the sauce ingredients, marinaded them for 30 minutes and cooked them uncovered for 45mins, worked perfectly and the flavour still shines

    • stockholm28 on March 13, 2019

      I liked this a lot which is a good thing since I now have a large container of white miso in the fridge (checking EYB to see what else I can do with it). I cut the recipe in half and used chicken thighs. I didn’t find the paste too fiddly, but I simplified the recipe by grating the lime and just chopping the ginger finely. The thighs cooked a lot more quickly than the recipe notes, so I will cut down the oven time. I liked the crispy charred green onions and cilantro stems.

    • Schooffiecooks on March 01, 2026

      Made it with cauliflower, and it was great tto!

    • twoyolks on January 29, 2022

      As others stated, the sauce is really good. I baked it for 30 minutes uncovered and it was cooked just about right. I liked the spring onions but they weren't really necessary. I'm not sure at all what the chile added.

    • juleidkim on March 20, 2026

      So good!! Made it in the instant pot because it was a hot day and I didn’t want to turn on the oven. Added way more garlic, a little less of the ginger, skipped maple syrup and chiles. Left the chicken in the marinade for an hour in fridge. High pressure, 12 min, then natural release for 10 min. The chicken was moist, the lime peels added a delicious bitter umami, and the green onions were so umami

    • dmdmdmmm on January 29, 2026

      Nice and flavorful chicken! Sadly i burnt some of the veggies at the bottom but didnt affect the taste. The fam liked it a loooot

    • anya_sf on February 23, 2020

      I cooked 6 large chicken thighs for the whole time and the chicken did not overcook, but the sauce started to burn at the edges of the dish (my pan was a bit too large). I chopped the ginger finely and next time will zest the lime for ease and try whole cilantro stalks instead of just the stems. The sauce was super flavorful. I would also try boneless chicken thighs cooked for less time.

    • Ro_ on July 10, 2021

      I used red miso instead of white, since I had a huge tub of the former to use up. Overall a very nice chicken recipe but I think I'd up the sweet elements of the sauce next time - maybe because I used a red miso paste this threw things out of balance a bit. I served with sushi rice which was very nice.

    • Brittania on February 21, 2026

      Delicious!

    • bernalgirl on May 14, 2024

      I reduced the maple syrup and would eliminate it next time as the miso adds sweetness. I would also do the last flip sooner for crispier skin. Cooking times are dead-on other than that. A keeper!

    • cook_fresco on November 09, 2021

      Delicious. Made the full recipe which is lovely; also did a shortcut version using 12 chicken thighs on a roasting tray, simply turned in the marinade and roasted - you still need to cover with foil for half the time or they burn. Gives a wonderful sauce which went really nicely with the warm glass noodles and edamame bean salad from Plenty.

  • Pork with ginger, spring onion and aubergine

    • KarinaFrancis on August 20, 2019

      I did take some liberties with this recipe by mixing the steamed eggplants and some noodles into the pork mix. I really liked this dish, especially the sauce which made the dish. Would make it again.

    • Popisdead on June 02, 2019

      Really good. Could do with a slightly stronger sauce. I would be tempted to put some citrus and chilli in. I think it would also serve really nicely over large salad leaves.

    • Barb_N on February 13, 2019

      This comes together in a flash once the eggplant is steaming and the rice noodles are soaking. I used a wok and moved the aromatics to the side rather than removing from the pan. I doubled the sauce ingredients, intending to immerse the eggplant in it after the steam bath but I forgot. Still delicious after placing the eggplant over the noodles and bathing it all in the porky sauce. Will be a repeat for sure.

    • 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.

    • lou_weez on January 13, 2021

      Great flavours. Would make it again and substitute zucchini for eggplant and add a few more vegetables.

    • FJT on November 06, 2021

      Lovely! Husband wasn't too keen on the aubergine despite its wonderful silkiness, but the fact that we were eating meat on a weeknight along with the more-ish sauce won him over. Next time I'll make it with a different vegetable.

    • TrishaCP on July 17, 2020

      https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/may/23/yotam-ottolenghi-pork-recipes

    • TrishaCP on July 18, 2020

      This is very tasty and fast once all of the vegetables and aromatics are chopped. I only had 4 cups of eggplant-according to the recipe that was only 1/3 but it seemed plenty (for two people with leftovers).

    • westminstr on September 03, 2019

      Everybody really enjoyed this dish, and the kids loved the pork! I pulled some aside for them that just had the sauce, no aromatics, and they liked it that way. I also offered cilantro, peanuts and chile on the side instead of mixed in. Next time finely chop the ginger and garlic. Also I overcooked the scallions and eggplant - both were fine but softer than I like, so watch that next time. In my (adult) opinion, this dish was definitely best with all the elements mixed together. Eggplant on its own was bland but excellent mixed with the pork and sauce. Second try 9/19: finely chopped the ginger and garlic, sauteed only briefly, and served with roasted green beans instead of eggplant. also short on ginger (40 vs 60 g) which was fine. success!

    • 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.

    • aargle on October 12, 2019

      This is an easy tasty dinner. I added some green beans which I stir fried with ginger, spring onions and garlic because I didn’t have enough eggplant and was very happy with the result. Will make again.

    • apattin on December 08, 2018

      Perfect balance of flavors.

    • Running_with_Wools on March 29, 2021

      This is absolutely delicious and really easy. I followed the unusual method of steaming the eggplant chunks after salting them and I liked how they came out. Really silky. And it was nice to be able to serve the main part of the dish to my kids without the eggplant in it. I didn't have Ketsup Manis so I substitued Hoisin sauce since it's sweet and smoky. Really good. I think this will be on my regular rotation.

    • Lucylew on November 22, 2019

      Very good. I skipped the peanuts due to personal preference, added some leftover garlic green beans to up the veg, mixed the eggplant in with the pork and sauce and served over brown basmati rice. It really is pretty simple!

    • jenburkholder on August 10, 2020

      Our family liked the flavor of this stir-fry, but as eggplant non-lovers we thought it would be better with almost any other vegetable - maybe summer squash?

    • cholloway on August 26, 2024

      This turned out really well and was fast. Steaming the eggplant in the instant pot made this easy, and the texture was good. I may try roasting next time, per the other notes. I mixed the eggplant in with the pork; it was more Asian that way and helped make the eggplant more flavorful. Changes: I'm keto, so even though we have kecap manis, we used Chinese dark soy and a little brown sugar swerve. Replaced mirin with Chinese rice wine and a tiny bit of granulated swerve. Subbed pecans for peanuts. Added more chilli, including spicy ones. The rest of the family had with noodles, which worked really nicely. We served with chili crunch and chili oil from Fly By Jing.

    • alinutzamica on August 13, 2025

      Makes a lot, which is great as it can be used as leftover next day. I cooked the aubergine in the pressure cooker as cholloway recommended. It works well. Cooked them for 5 mins natural release. I added some green beens, which was a good addition. Instead of coriander, I used perillia leaves, vietnamese coriander and Thai basil, which I highly recommend. It makes a lot of sauce. Initially I wanted to serves this with lettuce leaves but in the end I had to make some rice to mop the sauce.

    • catmummery on March 30, 2024

      absolutely delicious. Very flavourful; I charred the aubergines, peeled and mixed into the pork, instead of steaming as I don't love steamed aubergine. That worked really well. I added additional chilli. doesn't take long once prep completed!

    • Beth891 on August 04, 2024

      I made a couple of changes- roasted rather than steamed the aubergine (30 mins @ 200c) and I omitted the coriander and chilli. I also added a couple of handfuls of peas right at the end of cooking too for some extra veg. I served with some basmati rice and it was delicious, really tasty and the pork packed with flavour. Definitely one to do again.

    • Tealismyname on September 28, 2025

      Good and tast for lunch afterweards. We used veggie mince to make it vegetarian. Quite salty and that's without adding the salt they mentioned. Make sure to rince the aubergine after salting.

    • Tealismyname on June 12, 2022

      Delicious- We used veggie mince which left it a bit dry. Definitely benefits from addd water, or better yet a corn starch slurry to give it a nice sheen.

  • Seeded chicken schnitzel

    • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

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

    • clkandel on January 07, 2021

      Lots of flavor in the coating. Made this in the air fryer and the coating came out very crispy with moist chicken.

    • Rutabaga on June 10, 2019

      This is a delicious variation on schnitzel, but be sure to serve with lemon wedges, as I found the coating rather dry on its own. Since the kids aren't big fans of "seeds", I also cooked plain chicken for them. While I used almost twice the amount of chicken called for, there was still, as others have noted, a lot of breadcrumbs left over. Next time, I would set half of the crumbs aside so that they could be safely stored for future use.

    • e_ballad on March 28, 2019

      Unlike some of the other recipes in the book that are still relatively lengthy to prepare, this is a very quick dish to make. We weren’t as taken with the flavour as some of the other reviewers.

    • 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.

    • joneshayley on April 19, 2020

      Loved this! Easy to prepare and cook. The crust is flavourful and crunchier than any other schnitzel I’ve made, Loved by everyone who ate them.

    • averythingcooks on April 16, 2024

      I made a 1/2 recipe for 6 good sized fingers. There was a tiny bit of extra flour, exactly enough egg & definitely extra seedy panko (should have followed member comments re: not putting it all in the plate at once.) I spritzed them with olive oil before cooking in the air fryer & they were beautifully crisp. We loved the taste/texture of the coating but I really wish I had seasoned the meat 1st. We used a za'atar ranch for dipping and this is worth repeating.

    • darcie_b on July 27, 2025

      I didn't really get any sunflower seed flavor, but overall this is a great schnitzel coating.

    • janeths on January 05, 2026

      Fantastic. A very nice crunch.

    • Schooffiecooks on March 27, 2026

      Made it with Romana pepper and also another day with prawns!

    • apw2020 on January 21, 2025

      This is delicious, BUT it left my kitchen covered in oil and smelling like canola. Not sure I would make again!

    • spvla on February 24, 2026

      My favorite recipe from this book. Still figuring out how to get more salt to come through. I always end up having to salt it after cooking.

    • pomegranate on September 05, 2022

      This was surprisingly easy and very tasty. I salted the chicken beforehand and omitted salt from the breading. Will definitely make again!

    • Stephenn31 on November 23, 2024

      Don’t miss the sunflower seeds which add a nice nutty flavour. Easy and filling

    • megrmajer on March 26, 2024

      Ditched the turmeric, coriander, cayenne for small children and was a big hit. So good with roasted potatoes and green beans.

    • pamacea on September 20, 2025

      Very good! Substituted flour for cornstarch because I couldn’t be bothered to dig out the flour bin for a small amount; tossed in some desiccated unsweetened coconut for fun. Very good and will make again!

    • Pandan on April 13, 2024

      Really quite easy to prepare. I just made half the amount of breading and I had no leftovers. Prepared it in the Ninja grill airfryer with a thermometer. Sprayed it with avocado oil a little bit, came out really crunchy that way.

    • logan_50z9dh on February 21, 2026

      I made this with roasted baby carrots and fondant potatoes. It was delicious. I left out the sunflower seeds because I forgot to buy them. I'll have to add them next time

    • amy_9scy2c on May 23, 2026

      Quick and delicious. I decreased the panko mix by 25% and still had lots left. I will up the salt in the panko mix by 50% next time. I used Kashmiri mirch in place of cayenne.

    • hannah_n on March 20, 2019

      I've made this once and it was a real crowd-pleaser! I made plenty of extra coating, and have stored it in a jar in the pantry for next time. I found the recommended cooking time for the schnitzels was too long - I overcooked my first batch - so I'd suggest keeping an eye on it while it cooks. I can't wait to eat this again.

    • anya_sf on May 05, 2020

      I cooked 3 large chicken breasts, one with a tender, so I cut that into 4 pieces. Trying to conserve eggs, I found that 1 egg was just enough to dip all the pieces. There was at least twice as much breadcrumb mixture as needed. The coating turned out super crunchy (even after keeping warm in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes) and pretty tasty. The lemon really helped boost the flavor. I thought it could use a little extra salt.

    • 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.

    • halfasleep on December 25, 2020

      Pretty good. The way the crust is made, it reheats very well. I agree with the other reviewers- it could have used a little more salt, and definitely works better with a lemon or some dip. I had a tahini lemon sauce on hand and it went together very well.

  • Slow-cooked chicken with a crisp corn crust

    • tarae1204 on September 29, 2021

      Delicious! Dinner party and family friendly. I left the harissa out. I used defrosted frozen corn for the corn crust. It came out underbaked, so I ran it under the broiler. It did not soufflé up, but it was sweet and rich and crispy. The texture and flavor of the stew was wonderful and different.

    • lou_weez on April 08, 2020

      I was expecting a firm corn crust but instead got a light, fluffy corn topping. Really delicious.

    • tmitra on October 22, 2019

      I liked the stew and was fascinated by the use of rose harissa in a dish that approximates Mexican flavors. I don't think I'd repeat the corn crust, given that I needed my blender and hand mixer to make it, and it turned out far from crispy (maybe it just needed more time, as anya_sf suggested below?)

    • averythingcooks on December 07, 2019

      This is a beautifully rich and warm chicken "stew". I did eventually opt out of the corn crust (but started out planning to make it) and then as dinner approached, decided to make a skillet corn bread to eat beside it. I have both hot and mild harissa (but not rose) so used 1 tbsp of the hot version. It thickened beautifully and although it didn't end up as dark as in the book photo , it is a delicious winter one pot.

    • 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.

    • anya_sf on April 30, 2019

      I made 2/3 recipe, which served 3 for dinner with a large green salad. I loved the smoky flavors from the paprika and rose harissa, which I reduced a bit so it wouldn't be too spicy. This dish reminded me of a lighter, more flavorful tamale pie. The corn crust took an extra 10 minutes to cook through, perhaps because the sides of my casserole dish were extra high. Next time I'll add some more vegetables with the chicken mixture. Delicious!

    • Nossovitzky on May 19, 2019

      Very easy and tasty, with the caveat that I've never made the corn topping.

    • Astrid5555 on November 23, 2019

      Husband made this as a surprise when I returned from a business trip. He used a very smoky and hot harissa spice blend instead of rose harissa, which was balanced perfectly by the dark chocolate in the sauce. Made only two thirds of the crust which we thought was more than enough. Puffed up a little bit like a soufflé. Excellent!

    • blintz on October 18, 2019

      Fabulous comfort-food chicken dish that’s good enough for company. Make the chicken stew the day before and then the night you’re entertaining there’s just the corn crust. I used the very last of farm market corn, but the recipe says frozen works too.

    • Running_with_Wools on December 04, 2020

      What a fun and unusual recipe. The chicken filling was wonderful and full-flavored. I used a whole chicken rather than thighs because I had the time to slow-roast it during the day. The topping was like a corn souffle. It was so tasty and everyone in my family enjoyed it.

    • 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.

    • JJ2018 on November 28, 2019

      This was absolutely delicious. A simple recipe that takes a bit of time the flavours were so layered. We all loved it. Topping is like a corn cloud! We halved the harissa which was right for us

    • domechef on March 31, 2019

      It is a very good dish when serving a crowd. The corn crust adds a beautiful decadance to the stew, so I wouldn't skip it. Just make sure the egg whites are whipped nicely. I don't have rose harissa but normal harissa worked just fine. I used a tablespoon less then called for and it felt just right.

    • Lsblackburn1 on June 27, 2020

      When I was a kid in Tucson, AZ, I loved tamale pie. This has a similar taste profile and I loved it! I wouldn’t call this “simple” but it’s not hard - just time consuming. I couldn’t get rose harissa so used regular. Made it start to finish in my 5 qt brasier so one less pan, I guess?

    • ALawson25 on January 23, 2021

      I think this was good, though I'm not sure I'd make again. The corn top was fluffy and the filling was nice (though the paprika overpowered a bit). It wasn't too difficult to make either.

    • dakota_dqnii0 on February 21, 2026

      This felt a little bit unnecessarily high maintenance. I just stewed the chicken in a Dutch oven and baked it in the same dish to avoid more dishes. Overall tasty! I used canned tomatoes.

    • Smdmv on February 10, 2024

      Made without crust. Served with simple bulgur and yogurt w/preserved lemon from the Bulgur with tomato... pg 162

    • Emwestley on January 20, 2026

      Great gluten free recipe with interesting flavours. Used frozen corn which worked well but quite a sweet topping. Takes 1hr 30 cooking time alone which is good to bear in mind mid week but very delicious and would make again. Served with his harissa potato skin and lettuce salad also in this cookbook.

    • Lyssquee on February 26, 2025

      So good!! Flavorful, warm, and cozy. The top ends up acting as a very light cornbread. To save time I cooked the chicken the night before and just did the corn topping day of. The variety of harissa would make or break how spicy this is - mine is very mild. I used a bit of tomato paste instead of tomato puree. Final note - make sure the topping reaches 160 when baking to ensure the egg sets!! It may look done but that's the final hurdle.

    • Schooffiecooks on March 15, 2026

      Made it with cauliflower and made it in half the time. Loved it, but next time I need to buy the right chocolate. Didn't have the 70 % one and add a spicy smoked paprika powder.

    • dinnermints on October 16, 2024

      Finally made this dish after eyeing it for years, and it did not disappoint. The chicken is richly seasoned with complex flavors and the sweet corn crust on top provides the perfect counterbalance. I would definitely make this for company - would try making the chicken ahead so I'd only have to whip up the corn crust and pop into the oven. Possibly the first 30 minutes of the chicken cooking could be decreased by using a pressure cooker. I did add more salt to the chicken, possibly as much as 1/2 tsp. In my convection oven and with the dish I used, 35 minutes was perfect for the corn crust, I didn't have to cover it with foil and it browned up nicely. I also only used 2 T butter in the corn crust (and 2 T oil in the onions) and that worked out well.

    • Bloominanglophile on February 17, 2024

      This dish was quite good, but took me a long time to complete (and on a weeknight)! It IS a simple dish, but the time commitment might keep me from making this one again.

    • chawkins on August 30, 2025

      Finally got around to this. I had all the ingredients prepped early in the morning including the chocolate, but was luckily reminded, before the cook, of my 24 hour fast on caffeine, so had to forego the chocolate. I made 2/3 of a recipe with Tunisian harrisa and it was delicious. My corn topping did not get crisp but was light and fluffy, quite nice, I did cover it for the last five minutes of the bake.

    • KarinaFrancis on August 09, 2025

      I’ve had this on the list for way too long, I’m so glad I finally got around to it. The flavours were fantastic even though my sauce didn’t thicken as much as the photo. I didn’t make the corn topping, I might do next time.

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

    • 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.

    • Astrid5555 on October 25, 2020

      Wow, better late than never! The salsa makes the dish, truly fantastic combination. Had to substitute raisins for currants and black olives for green ones.

    • 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.

    • apattin on July 08, 2019

      I tried this with tilefish (it's what I had) and it was awesome. My only change was to press breadcrumbs on both sides of the fillets so they would not stick. I loved the sweet/sour balance.

    • 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.

    • Avocet on July 02, 2019

      The salsa was overly salty for our taste, even without including the caper brine.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • tarae1204 on October 17, 2021

      Loved how the salmon filets came out. I agree with all the positive comments on this salsa and wanted to add that it was better the next day, and stayed good for up to a week by my standards. I think the parsley can really affect how the salsa comes out - is it tender, “baby” salsa? Or a tougher, more bitter leaf? Keep that in mind, and don’t be afraid to make it the morning of or day before you make the salmon. I loved the leftover salsa on mashed potatoes, rice, and chicken.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • mharriman on October 22, 2019

      Wow! Both my husband and I loved this dish. The salsa is definitely an interesting and unusual mix of ingredients. I would never think to put them together but they worked! I will definitely make it again. Changes: (one) I forgot to buy currants and used raisins. Served with cauliflower “rice” and a mixed green salad with tomatoes. These were good accompaniments. As others have noted, the recipe makes A LOT of salsa - more than we could eat (I had halved ingredients for two people).

    • peaceoutdesign on November 07, 2021

      Not a fav but definitely interesting.

    • KarinaFrancis on September 17, 2019

      This book can do no wrong in this house, and this is another great dish. I would never have thought to put these ingredients together but they totally worked. The only adjustments I made was halving the amount of currants (the silver fox isn’t a fan) and using a little less caper brine. I’ll be making this again and again !

    • FlowerGold on August 06, 2024

      Very good! Yes the salsa makes the dish. Nice unique flavor. Not sure it is necessary to chop the pine nuts.

    • FlowerGold on August 06, 2024

      Very good. Liked the salsa.

    • treay on March 02, 2025

      Last night we had some friends for dinner and wanted to make something nice but easy. Hubby suggested some salmon and I remembered this recipe, easy and delicious. I served it with more sauce on the side, so everybody added as much as they wanted.

    • chrisann_4lfq5h on March 24, 2026

      Fantastic. Lotta chopping. Not much cookin. And really tastes great salsa

    • susan_jdv4v9 on April 03, 2026

      It was ok, the salsa was a bit different, I did like the salty/sweet mix of flavours . The kids didn’t like it. Probably wouldn’t make again. I halved the recipe and was plenty for 4 small salmon fillets.

    • dosojosazules on February 09, 2024

      Loved this briny salsa. Want to spread it over everything

    • senzler on August 30, 2025

      Takes time but good

    • shapije1 on May 29, 2026

      A winning dish at the dinner table. Not sure that I would categorize this as a “simple” recipe based on the amount of prep needed for the ingredients. However, it was still achievable for a weeknight meal, and offered a nice mix of flavors, colors, and textures.

    • CheesyKranskyLove on October 04, 2022

      Maybe I'm weird but this is my favourite recipe from the book. The salsa is so good and I always use double the amount with leftover on white fish or smoked chicken.

    • adelina on December 06, 2023

      We loved this dish. Instead of currants used fresh cranberries since they are in season. I don't think saffron is a must and would probably not use it next time.

    • rachelefry on February 13, 2026

      Tasty.

    • apw2020 on January 20, 2025

      Lovely and great for dinner parties.

    • Running_with_Wools on August 26, 2024

      Easy and delicious. I didn’t have parsley, so I used cilantro.this is a great option for salmon and probably for other types of fish and seafood.

    • jhallen on February 23, 2021

      Super easy, super delicious. Really great flavors, good combination of things I love.

    • katy1729 on September 07, 2019

      7th Sept 2019. Altered to suit ingredients I had available - extra capers instead of olives, dried parsley, raisins instead of currants, no saffron; also the bright green part of a leek instead of celery, which husband hates. Great success and pretty easy - would definitely make again. Served with steamed potatoes (crushed and mixed with olive oil, chopped black olives and chopped rind of a preserved lemon) and steamed vegetables.

    • A2Brett on February 15, 2021

      Didn’t have pine nuts, so I substituted slivered almonds. The salsa is tasty and I followed the pan-fry directions exactly. It was perfectly cooked, even with skinless filets.

    • robertofwine on March 10, 2019

      Enjoyed it as much as everyone else; completely agree you can 1/2 (or more) the salsa recipe. We had 300g salmon and still had an additional 1/3 salsa when we were done. Served with the aromatic mash recipe and it was lovely together. Will make this again!

    • foodgloriousfood on June 11, 2021

      Perfect salmon method and timing but we didn’t enjoy the salsa at all. Will make a different accompaniment next time.

    • ChefBeccs on May 14, 2020

      Best accompaniment to salmon ever, elevating this every week fish to a new level. And yes, you can omit and substitute ingredients to suit your pantry. I did not have any celery and it was still amazing.

    • bernalgirl on April 19, 2024

      The recipe is not well written and my salsa ended up very soupy, but I drained the excess liquid off to make it better for scooping over the salmon. The salmon instructions were perfect and in the end the salsa was positively addictive. I look forward to making this again.

  • Roasted trout with tomato, orange and barberry salsa

    • TrishaCP on January 27, 2019

      This was really easy and very fresh tasting with the salsa. I couldn’t find whole trout so used fillets laid on top of each other and secured with toothpicks to mimic a whole fish. The amount of butter called for in my opinion isn’t at all necessary- I would at a minimum half it, or consider using olive oil.

    • 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!

    • TLouise on January 15, 2021

      I don't eat alot of fish other than salmon so this was quite a change for me. I wasn't sure if I would like it and admit that I was dreading preparing it all day. After getting on with it I must say that it was beautiful, served with roasted tenderstem broccoli and herby new potatoes, the zingy salsa (made the day before) was just delicious. Definitely one I would make again.

    • Aemccon on April 08, 2026

      Delicious, especially the salsa. Good taste with the trout and butter and simple, watch out for the bones.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Any fish ok

  • 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!

    • TrishaCP on February 03, 2019

      This was quite good, but would recommend making the tomato sauce in advance for anyone planning to make it on a weeknight (if you can). I used smoked sweet paprika to save time.

    • mlbatt on December 31, 2020

      I enjoyed this dish, but feel my choices didn't do it justice - I used canned tomatoes with their juices; should have reduced the amount of tomato paste. I cut back on the red chiles, because all I had available were frozen Indian red chiles, which are super spicy. I did use ancho chile powder, which I will repeat. Used some beautiful fresh Pacific halibut. I thought the tahini sauce saved it (due to my sauce being so heavy). I added a tiny pinch of cayenne to the leftover sauce, which helped. I wouldn't consider this a fair review, and look forward to making it again, with either fresh tomatoes or a lighter canned version, and use less tomato paste and more chile.

    • kari500 on February 16, 2019

      No one loved this. Lulu and I liked the tomato sauce a lot. No one thought the two sauces went together in any interesting sort of way.

    • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

      Not really a fan of this one.

    • KarinaFrancis on December 01, 2020

      Yum! Such a delicious, quick and easy weeknight dinner. The caraway and smoked paprika (suggested as a substitute for ancho chilli) make it a twist on the usual. I used tinned tomatoes instead of fresh. Needs bread to mop up that sauce

    • dinnermints on September 16, 2020

      I also really liked the tahini sauce with this dish. I would have loved to put in the red chiles in addition to the ancho, but wanted to avoid the accusatory silence of having yet again made dinner too spicy. I like Ottolenghi's idea of making a double batch of the sauce and having some in the freezer...that way I could make a spicy version for myself. When tomatoes are out of season, would try canned fire-roasted tomatoes instead. Also, cut the olive oil to 2 T, did not miss the 2 T I cut.

    • 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?

    • peaceoutdesign on January 31, 2021

      Good but not great, sort of a mishmash. I used Mahi Mahi instead of the halibut. This is the second recipe that I made that the color of the finished dish is nothing like the photos. In this case it made the sauce look a lot richer and darker than it ended up.

    • kitchen_chick on July 15, 2019

      We loved it, tahini and all. I made it with swordfish steaks and tomatoes I had canned (so they were skinless). Concept-wise it’s like the delicious Greek Fish Plaki dish in “one-pot, slow-pot & clay-pot cooking”, but with very different seasoning.

    • 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.

    • bernalgirl on June 04, 2024

      R made this with fresh West Coast red snapper substituting canned diced tomatoes and smoked paprika. We loved the interplay between the smoky tomato sauce and the tahini sauce, it felt straight out of a coastal town in Israel. Served with roasted potatoes and a green salad.

    • jenburkholder on August 10, 2020

      We liked this a lot, although the flavors are unusual and it’s understandable that not everyone would. One of us argued that the tahini sauce didn’t bring much to the party, but I disagree. It’s easy and cheap enough that we’ll probably make it again.

    • jhallen on December 29, 2020

      I thought this was fantastic - so surprised others were mixed. I though the tahini sauce was great with the tomato sauce. No regrets on this one.

  • Coconut-crusted fish fingers

    • sosayi on February 06, 2019

      Sadly, while we enjoyed the flavors of this dish, the execution did not work for us. The breading and broiling instructions did not work for us (all the topping fell off and it took 3xs as long for the fish to cook as called for). I'd try varying the method in the future, possibly, as coconut and fish are much loved in our house, but I wouldn't make it again as written.

    • StephEpices on October 25, 2019

      I didn't feel like turning on the oven so I just pan fried and it came out perfect. Used blue ling.

    • tmitra on April 21, 2022

      This recipe worked for me as written using tilapia and dried coconut, and the results were decent. The target audience (ages one and four) ate them fresh out of the oven but didn't want them reheated, so for that reason, I probably won't make them again.

  • 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.

    • mondraussie on November 14, 2020

      I thought the mixture looked a bit wet, perhaps the fish I used, so I added a handful of panko breadcrumbs and turned out perfectly.

    • anothersarah on February 01, 2022

      Much simpler (as advertised) than the slaw and I'm glad I used two recipes from two cookbooks to compare/contrast. I used 1.23LB flounder instead of 1 LB called for and a little less cilantro, still came out with 12 patties. 3 minutes pan fried each side was perfect. Served without tortillas (my preference), with yogurt and mango pickle which were both delicious. But it was not filling enough-both mom and I went back for snack later in the evening! Next time bigger patties, serve with a carb or maybe think of this as a small meal.

    • carly_ztnb88 on April 14, 2026

      This went down really well with all the family. I did nachos on the side to make a meal of it but the fishcakes were more filling than I thought they’d be. Didn’t have an egg so used a bit of mayo and some panko breadcrumbs to get the texture right. Would make again

  • Charred prawn, sweetcorn and tomato salad

    • L.Nightshade on January 31, 2019

      I made this exactly as written, in a non-stick grill pan. I’m not sure why a grill pan was specified, as it would be perfectly fine in a regular pan. I’d like to try it in a basket over an actual grill. I’d also like to try it with fresh corn in the summer time! But as-is, the timing was spot-on, and I thought it was delicious. Mr. Nightshade thought the dressing could do with a bit less sriracha, so if you’re heat-shy like him, be conservative with the sriracha. It was perfect for me. If I had made up this recipe I probably would have added cilantro. Ottolenghi, in his genius, specified marjoram or oregano. Our marjoram has died out, the oregano is just hanging in, so I used that. Just made it brilliantly different. We decided this would be a great first course for a dinner party, using just three shrimp or so per person. Definitely a do-again.

    • 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.

    • anya_sf on August 17, 2019

      In lieu of a grill pan, I cooked the ingredients in a large cast iron skillet. I added some chopped asparagus (charred) and avocado (not charred) as well, and 2 people had no problem eating the whole thing for dinner. Instead of marjoram, I used basil, since I had it on hand. Different herbs would work as well - mint or cilantro would probably be especially good. The dressing was tasty, but actually quite spicy, which overpowered the flavors somewhat; I'd use half the amount next time. A lot of flavor for such a quick, easy dish.

    • peaceoutdesign on September 22, 2022

      good and easy with a lot of zip.

    • KarinaFrancis on April 14, 2025

      I took some liberties with this recipe, and it was still delicious. Subs: pork fillet instead of prawns (chicken would also work), parsley instead of marjoram and raw onion instead of grilled The dressing is so good, it really makes the dish.

  • Squid and red pepper stew

    • wester on March 03, 2019

      Very good and easy. I used frozen squid.

    • ckpeters on March 15, 2025

      Not appetizing looking, but pretty tasty. Felt like the squid was overwhelmed by the other flavors.

  • Rose harissa chickpeas with flaked cod

    • wester on August 01, 2021

      This was good but not as brilliant as the other eviews made me expect. Started with half the amount of harissa a suggested in the recipe, and that was plenty.

    • klipper on February 20, 2019

      Great stuff - really simple to make but the rose harissa and preserved lemons give it a real depth of flavour. Definitely going on the rotation - also tasty & impressive enough for a dinner party. Winner!

    • kitchen_chick on July 18, 2019

      Nice and easy dinner. I added extra lemon juice at the end to add a more vibrant note to the dish.

    • mharriman on July 17, 2020

      My husband and I loved this dish. I nearly doubled the cod amount, using 12 ounces to make a dinner entree. I reduced the Rose Harissa a bit. It was still very spicy hot for me but husband thought the spice was perfect. I found that cutting the cod whole slightly still frozen produced very nice small squares. Served with bread as suggested. Also served with Ottolenghi’s baby spinach, date, almond, and pita bread salad ( Jerusalem) which went well with this. Will definitely repeat.

    • dinnermints on March 02, 2021

      Agree with the rest of the reviewers, delicious and easy! The flavor of the preserved lemon is pronounced in a pleasing way in this dish. I also doubled it and used tilapia, as that's what I had on hand.

    • KarinaFrancis on July 14, 2020

      What a great dish, like others we made this for dinner so a bit of bread on the side was needed. The flavours are punchy for so few ingredients and short cooking time. I didn’t have preserved lemon so used some grated rind and a squeeze of lemon at the end. Absolutely will make this again

    • margot123 on February 26, 2025

      I make this all the time with a can of tuna instead of cod and don't bother with the marinating step. Agree it's a small portion, but with greens and bread it's a nice meal for 1-2.

    • jdejong on January 31, 2024

      We doubled this recipe to serve three, along with fresh baked bread to soak up the delicious flavors. I used a beautiful Ling Cod which cooked to the perfect flaky texture in this very flavorful sauce. I used a light homemade chicken stock in place of the vegetable stock as my only substitution. We enjoyed the combination of the rose harissa with the preserved lemon. I loved the simplicity of this recipe and would use this technique with other fish/bean varieties in the future.

    • Pandan on April 21, 2024

      This was really nice. I used 300g frozen cod filets and upped the rest of the ingredients a bit (actually doubled the chickpeas). Also added half a teaspoon of sugar because it was quite sour.

    • Richardbagnall on February 23, 2020

      This is easy to cook and quite delicious. Quick, easy and light on the washing up. Will impress for a dinner party as well as supper at home.

    • Running_with_Wools on November 24, 2020

      We loved this simple dish. It was a flavor bomb.

    • 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.

    • anya_sf on May 09, 2019

      Since we were having it for dinner, I doubled the recipe, and only a little was left over. I worried that the preserved lemon would be too strong, so I did not double that, and was happy with the amount. I used half chicken stock, half water in place of vegetable broth. This was a quick weeknight meal, delicious with the suggested crusty bread and wilted greens.

    • TrishaCP on November 25, 2021

      This was easy to make. I agree that you need to double the fish if you are serving this for dinner, but not sure we needed to double the chickpeas. We served this with a baguette and a green salad.

    • westminstr on January 10, 2022

      I had made before but didn’t make a note. Just as good as I remembered! Subbed fluke for cod. Next time double it, but be careful w the lemon pulp as it’s quite salty. O liked and E refused to try, but I think she would like it.

    • allisonsemele on January 15, 2021

      I'm glad I saw the notes about doubling this! I doubled the recipe for dinner for two people, and while it seemed like it was going to be a ton of food, we didn't have much left over. Served with bread, absolutely delicious and easy. Made with a lot of regular harissa and a bunch of lemon zest as I didn't have any preserved lemon. I would love to try this again with the preserved lemon and better quality harissa. I found that really mashing some of those chickpeas was key to getting the sauce to thicken. My wooden spoon was not up to this task--I used a potato masher.

  • Sweet and salty cheesecake with cherries

    • 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.

    • shoffmann on January 20, 2019

      I was uncertain about the cheesecake element of this. I was able to work the feta enough that it wasn't lumpy, but alone the flavor was a bit odd. However, when combined with the cherries and crumble it worked and was quite tasty. This worked well as a make ahead dessert.

    • 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.

    • AmomentOfMusic on July 28, 2025

      I found creaming the feta a bit of a challenge and would try to find brands that are smoother. Cherry topping is intense, but great. Have made this a couple of times for Christmas.

    • Nossovitzky on June 28, 2024

      I made this and enjoyed the flavours, although between this recipe and the Ottolenghi website recipe there are some discrepancies - type of cream, addition of orange liqueur to cherries. I used thickened cream which I whipped till soft peaks instead of heavy cream. I use a very mild chevre instead of fetta which is also what I use for the mutabbaq in Jerusalem - https://meredithdairy.com/our-products/fresh-cheese/. It mashes into the cream cheese very well, much better than I think a fetta would.

    • traveller on March 14, 2024

      This is my go to recipe when I need to take a dessert away somewhere. Prepare everything at home and then assemble when you get there. Voila. The tangy cheesecake mix is beautifully complemented by the cherries and the nutty crumble mixture.

    • Brittania on February 21, 2026

      Very good!! Start early, especially the cherry compote

    • 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!

    • ChelseaP on August 05, 2021

      Different and oh so delicious.

    • etcjm on January 19, 2019

      Not for us. Couldn't get the feta smooth which meant it was an odd texture. Compote and crumble nice but I have a feeling the leftovers of the cheesecake element will end up in the bin. Sorry yotam. First thing I've made from this book so a bit disappointed.

  • 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.

    • raybun on March 16, 2019

      I absolutely loved this recipe. Rhubarb isn’t available yet so made the sumac roasted strawberries from the same book to top the custards with. I got 4 deep ramekins & the two crème brûlée dishes in the photo. Served slightly warm, divine!

    • Peterkjsoe on April 04, 2026

      So easy to make, and so delicious

  • Sumac-roasted strawberries with yoghurt cream

    • KarinaFrancis on August 31, 2019

      I’m seriously in love with this dish! I’ve made it twice in the last 2 weeks. I added a dash (1/2 tsp) of rosewater the second time and it worked well. Served it with almond bread and it benefited from the crunch. I’m going to make this again and again even if I serve it with ordinary yougurt or even ice cream.

    • puddlemere on May 27, 2019

      I took a few liberties with this recipe--I didn't bother straining the yogurt and didn't have mint or a vanilla bean. The sumac-strawberry combination is really good!

    • TrishaCP on May 30, 2021

      Wow, this is completely delicious. I never would have thought to combine sumac and strawberries but they are great together. I didn’t bother draining the yogurt or adding the cream, but I would next time so it doesn’t get too watery from the berry juices.

    • FJT on July 09, 2019

      I just made the strawberries, not the strained and sweetened yoghurt. Next time I would reduce the sugar in the strawberries too, because they really didn’t need that much (I used 60g). This was excellent served with plain, unsweetened Greek yoghurt.

    • Yildiz100 on March 01, 2019

      Surprisingly delicious. Two small tweaks. Start draining the yogurt much earlier to get it really thick (the recipe is too optimistic). And add sugar AFTER yogurt is drained

    • msimfam on January 29, 2024

      Sumac

    • Schooffiecooks on March 31, 2026

      With vanilla icecream instead of creme

    • Beth891 on August 22, 2024

      So delicious! I gave it 20 mins at 190 fan (I was cooking something else at the same time) and only had 500g so adjusted the amount of the rest of the ingredients to fit. I accidentally added some lemon zest too as I misread the recipe. I only added a splash of water as the other comments said it made loads of syrup and I think I could have got away with none as there was still loads! So tasty and definitely one to make again, it was the perfect way to use up my just about to turn strawberries.

    • CheesyKranskyLove on October 04, 2022

      I enjoyed this a lot but would definitely double the amount of strawberries next time

    • elysedc on January 14, 2023

      I thought this was just ok. I might make again following previous commenters advice to use less water and less sugar. I didn't do the yogurt part of the recipe, just added the strawberries to some lightly sweetened greek yogurt, so it was very quick and easy. I will be playing around with strawberries and sumac again though - the brightest part of this recipe is that flavor combo!

    • karen51 on September 03, 2020

      This is one of my favorite recipes. The cream isn't really necessary, but the mint and the lemon zest really make a difference. It's good over unsweetened yogurt (drained or not). I usually add less water when roasting the strawberries because I like the syrup to be thicker.

  • Plum, blackberry and bay friand bake

    • Emily Hope on September 24, 2021

      Made this as written (using the metric weights), with italian plums and blackberries from the freezer. It was a hit with the whole family--super moist and a delicate crumb, really showcasing the flavors of the fruit. Next time I will try cutting back the sugar a bit (it was a bit sweet for my taste) and swapping all or some of the flour for whole grain, maybe spelt or kamut. Would be a great addition to a brunch spread.

    • jatay on September 18, 2021

      I made this using Italian prune plums for this recipe. Really lovely and light bake. It'll probably make an encore for breakfast tomorrow.

    • anya_sf on October 03, 2020

      I made 1/2 recipe in an 8"x8" glass pan, omitting the bay leaves (could not find). Baked 55 minutes until the center was set; however, the edges were overly dark at that point, so perhaps should have baked for less time or reduced the oven temperature (glass pan). Plenty sweet to enjoy on its own, it was very nice with whipped cream or ice cream. Half the recipe served 4.

    • elysedc on June 16, 2022

      a huge hit, a breeze to put together, incredibly adaptable based on whatever fruit you can find. When I return to this recipe (as I have done many times - literally always a hit) I omit the bay leaves and don't notice a difference. The mix of textures and flavors is truly divine, this one's a real keeper!

    • ellwell on June 21, 2024

      I am so glad this recipe came to my attention. I have made it twice now and I learned a few things: The first time I did not have access to fresh bay leaves, so I went to my garden and grabbed some lemon basil and some thyme. It added a really nice flavor. I cooked it in a 9x13 pan, which I felt made it to shallow. It burned around the edges but mostly it was juice that burned and that part was delicious. The second time, I used the bay leaves. I was disappointed and really preferred my first concoction. I used a 9x9 pan, which gave it a better depth. I cooked it a little less to avoid the burning, but decided that I missed the burned parts!

    • CourtneyT on April 03, 2024

      Gorgeous! The perfect way to use up extra egg whites and any fruit you have stashed in the freezer. Easy and delicious. I didn't have the pan size he recommended so I used a 9" deep round and it worked well. Using frozen fruit adds some extra time but did not affect taste/enjoyability.

    • bwhip on June 21, 2022

      Delightful. Quite easy to put together, and produced lovely flavors and a light, tender crumb. Great warm out of the oven, with vanilla gelato. We’ll have this one again.

    • carolyn_bhwd0z on June 01, 2026

      Any other fruit eg peaches

  • Blueberry, almond and lemon cake

    • blintz on November 29, 2020

      Oy! Forgot to use SR flour. No matter, it's still delicious and not even that flat. I served it without the glaze and it's the perfect snacking cake. Very lemony in a very good way!

    • Astrid5555 on September 12, 2019

      Delicious, even with skin-on coarsely ground almonds, which was all I had on hand. Usually I do not like icing on loaf cakes, but as already mentioned this one made the cake even more lemony. Very quick to make, too.

    • SugarTreeBaking on May 20, 2020

      Oh my! I missed the errata mentioning the missing baking powder. Without it, I have a flat loaf with little rise and not much texture.

    • JennyHay on December 27, 2018

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

    • FJT on May 13, 2019

      This cake tastes lovely. Mine was a bit chewy, probably because the only ground almonds I could find were ground with their skins on and were very coarsely ground. Will definitely make again when I can find some better ground almonds!

    • 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.

    • KarinaFrancis on November 29, 2020

      I have to confess I made this with Apple instead of blueberries because I had some on hand and it was as good as everyone says it is, and very easy to put together. Update: I finally made the blueberry version and the icing. I like both versions, one for spring and one for autumn

    • stockholm28 on April 27, 2020

      Very good flavor and nice and moist. I like how some of the blueberries are added part way into baking. There is a very similar recipe in ”Sweet” for lemon blueberry almond teacakes and I prefer that recipe.

    • joneshayley on April 23, 2020

      Really easy and delicious cake.

    • kitchen_chick on August 09, 2020

      Wow. I missed the errata about the baking powder, but my cake rose nicely without the baking powder. Not sure what’s with that. I did reduce the sugar to 160g because I prefer less sweet desserts, and I omitted the glaze because it’d be too sweet for me. Still completely delicious by my taste preferences. Would be great with tea. Baked up super tender and light and moist. I did toss the blueberries in a bit of the flour-almond flour mixture to reduce sinkage.

    • lholtzman on August 02, 2025

      Delicious, but best the day it’s made. Perfect for summer.

    • PriyaPath on March 28, 2026

      So so tasty, super moist and such a great balance of flavours.

    • Foodycat on June 21, 2022

      I was a bit short on fresh (actually frozen) blueberries so I made up the quantity with 25g dried blueberries, and I only had one lemon so I also used some grated lime zest. What a great cake! I love how the 2nd lot of berries means that there's a more even distribution of fruit through the cake. Really good flavour.

    • Cuisineatl on September 07, 2024

      Ce pain-gâteau est savoureux. C'est ma recette préférée de pain aux bleuets. Je l'ai démontré sur ma chaine ici: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ7pTGxQGjwç

    • carly_ztnb88 on March 25, 2026

      One of my favourite bakes, have made this numerous times and it’s my go to recipe for a cake for friends. Very popular with children too.

    • kariholsberry on May 10, 2026

      Great easy recipe

    • isabella_nq20ft on February 23, 2026

      Cale was nice, but marked down for not being simple at all! Took me about 2hrs all up, and it wasn’t much better than simple almond cakes I’ve made previously.

    • w_1j6tpr on May 12, 2026

      I have made this cake many times and it’s one of my favorites. This time I had some fresh strawberries to use up so I replaced the blueberries with strawberries. I would absolutely make it this way again! The lemon and almond compliment the strawberries nicely. If using strawberries, maybe add a bit more than the amount the recipe calls for. I weighed them by gram but I think it could have used a bit more. I cut the strawberries into small pieces and slices and coated them in flour before adding to the batter. I added the icing when it was still a bit warm and it soaked in. Lesson learned but the cake was still delicious.

    • anya_sf on September 04, 2020

      Very moist cake, quite sweet, but balanced by the lemon. The blueberries that were stirred into the batter mostly sank to the bottom, so it was good some were sprinkled on top. King Arthur self-rising flour worked (with salt omitted). Family liked this a lot.

    • ChelseaP on May 21, 2021

      Unbelievably good!!

    • Ro_ on July 04, 2020

      Loved the flavours of this cake. The only issue was that I think I added a few too many blueberries, and these all sunk to the bottom make it very soggy and loose so somewhat difficult to get out of the tin and cut well. I think next time I'd use fewer blueberries and/or coat them in flour to try to keep them more buoyant.

    • JJ2018 on October 02, 2020

      Loved this recipe the cake vanished almost instantly.

    • AndieEats on November 28, 2020

      Missed the errata about baking powder until after - came out okay, just a bit flat. Decreased sugar to 110g and it was still sweet enough. Used frozen blueberries, and tossed it in some flour before mixing into the dough - next time try tossing it with a bit of the dry mix. Also did not put blueberries on top part way through baking, just mixed it all in at the same time. Baked it uncovered at 400F for about 30 minutes, then with a tented foil for the remainder 30 minutes.

    • Running_with_Wools on November 24, 2020

      I brought this to a summer party and it was a big hit. Delicious, and not too sweet. We had it with mint ice cream. The only part of the recipe that confused me a little, was when you take the cake out of the oven, before it is done, and add more blueberries (so they stay on top). I think I waited too long, and some of them did not incorporate into the batter. It was still delicious.

    • etcjm on February 05, 2019

      Lovely. Please do the icing, it adds extra lemonyness. I used frozen blueberries, since they are always there for overnight oats. Added about 20 minutes to the cooking time. I will do with fresh next time, because I think both the texture and keeping quality was hindered because of using frozen, hence it's not brilliant on day 2 but still edible. Very easy and no doubt will be get knocked together on a regular basis, great for elevenses at work and packed lunch!

    • MollyPellecchia on February 12, 2019

      Pg 276/Sides were a bit burnt. Next time line all four sides with parchment and start checking for doneness 10 minutes earlier. Note the Errata

    • TLouise on August 04, 2021

      Very nice and easy to make using ingredients I usually have on hand

  • Quick okra with sweet and sour dressing

    • lynn_rknh6v on March 27, 2026

      This was delicious. Really great way to cook okra - not at all slimy. I made about a quarter of the recipe and it was quite easy to size. Left out the coriander as I don’t like it. Will definitely make again.

  • Jacket potatoes with egg and tonnato sauce

    • treay on January 08, 2026

      These potatoes are just scrumptious. The sauce is so tasty I can eat spoonfuls of it by itself. Perfect as an entrée or as a main with some salad on the side.

  • Seaweed spaghetti and sesame salad with tahini dressing

    • anya_sf on August 25, 2019

      My rating may not be completely fair since I basically only made the dressing, but it was good. I used soba noodles instead of seaweed spaghetti, tossed with shredded romaine lettuce, avocado cubes, and grilled zucchini slices instead of cucumber, and served with grilled mahimahi. For toppings, I used cilantro, black sesame seeds, furikake, and urfa chili flakes. I tasted the dressed noodles before and after adding the toppings, and the toppings really do make a difference in the flavor, which I found to be somewhat muddy initially. A squirt of lime juice also helped. Very tasty.

    • Ganga108 on January 01, 2022

      When I say noodles I suspect you don’t immediately think of sea spaghetti. Yet this member of the seaweed group of ingredients is noodle-like in shape and texture. I have them in the pantry to soak and drape over salads or mix with rice and (real) noodle dishes to add a deep umami flavour. It spreads a deep, saline, addictive flavour throughout a dish. I played with this recipe a little, adding edamame, Japanese noodles, a little Korean salted seaweed stem (not worth it) and spring onions. Delicious! A dark and intriguing dish.

  • Anchovy and samphire spaghetti

    • SheilaS on June 01, 2023

      This is a quick and delicious vegetarian pasta dish that shows off the fresh, tangy, flavor of the samphire to its best with a briny umami boost from the anchovy.

    • mcvl on June 08, 2023

      Um, SheilaS, most vegetarians don't eat anchovies. I was delighted to score some samphire, having read about it but never eaten it. I gather both from photos and from the lack of directions in all the recipes I consulted that it's usually sold trimmed down to only the tender leafy bits. Mine wasn't, so I need to note that trimming is absolutely required; the central stems are inedibly woody. That said, I liked the taste and the crispy texture of the samphire itself and the garlicky, lemony, fishy sauce. Remember whenever I see samphire again. (I thought Nigel Slater's recipe in Greenfeast also looked enticing; many of the same flavors.)

  • Beef sirloin and basil salad

    • Ro_ on July 07, 2020

      Really nice salad. I couldn't get red endives so I used red-tipped little gem lettuce, which I prefer the taste of anyway. We like our beef super rare, so I only cooked 30 secs on each side. The only thing I'd say is that 2 pitta breads made way too many croutons for the amount of salad: I'd only use one next time.

    • Pimlicocook on March 06, 2022

      Delicious. Easy to prepare ahead and combine before serving, so a stress-free option for casual entertaining. I used white chicory as it’s easier to find than red, and it still looked - and tasted! - impressive.

  • Trout tartare with burnt butter and pistachios

    • StephEpices on December 14, 2019

      This was such perfection! I used lime instead of lemon since that's all I had, but otherwise followed the exact recipe and it did not disappoint!

    • Ro_ on June 13, 2021

      Absolutely delicious. I used less pistachio then directed because I thought it might be overwhelming and too crunchy, but it wasn't at all and next time I'd use the full quantity. This was a hit with all the family on a hot summer's day, just the kind of thing we like to eat.

  • Mackerel with pistachio and cardamom salsa

    • dmdmdmmm on January 29, 2026

      This was alright. I found the mackerel a bit too fishy for me. Sauce was good tho

  • Smoked fish and parsnip cakes

    • CheesyKranskyLove on October 04, 2022

      This really depends on the quality of your smoked fish

  • Whole roasted sea bass with soy and ginger

    • Schooffiecooks on April 01, 2026

      Loved the flavors in this recipe so I made an vegetarian version of this recipe with cauliflower, really good!

  • Prawn and corn fritters

    • Pandan on April 21, 2024

      I butchered this quite a bit: noticed too late that I didn’t actually have any corn, so I used canned hominy. Also used small frozen cooked shrimp instead of raw giant shrimp. The texture was quite wet, so I added some fresh bread crumbs I coincidentally made and two more eggs. That way it was easier to fry. I made half of the fritters in an airfryer that way. They were of course drier, but also quite good.

    • Ganga108 on December 05, 2021

      I made a veg and egg-free version of these as I love sweetcorn fritters. I added shredded zucchini instead of the prawns, and used my usual chickpea flour+cream+eno replacement for eggs. Voilia! Sweetcorn fritters a la Ottolenghi! How very delicious. Just a note about using sweetcorn kernels – they can pop (aka explode like little bullets) if cooked on too high heat. You could pulse the corn a little in a food processor to minimise the chance of this, or keep the heat at the low-medium level.

  • Fig and thyme clafoutis

    • julia_un405k on April 05, 2026

      I loved the fig. Would eat that part on its own with ice cream or whipped cream. A great way to celebrate fig season. Definitely has to be excellent quality fresh figs to even bother making. Cake definitely has to be served straight from oven

    • ellwell on April 12, 2025

      I agree with lholtzman. not very exciting. I prefer his berry buckle.

    • Bloominanglophile on September 05, 2021

      This was really nice! Will have to make again next fig season.

    • dinnermints on October 06, 2020

      So delicious. The red wine adds a lovely richness to the flavor. In my convection oven, it was done at 25min, and next time would check it at 23min.

    • lholtzman on October 09, 2024

      I didn’t find this very exciting flavorwise. I was hoping for more complexity with the lemons and red wine. Unfortunately I overcooked this a bit, but it was still okay. At 25 minutes I took out and that would have been perfect, but I didn’t seem cooked through. A couple extra minutes was too long.

  • Honey and yoghurt set cheesecake

    • ChelseaP on May 22, 2021

      This is such an amazing cheesecake. The topping of honey and thyme is so different and works so well with the yoghurt filling. It doesn't keep that great though as the base goes a little soft and the thyme wilts so it's best eaten soon after it's set.

    • Futuregirl23 on January 11, 2023

      This is truly lovely. Not too sweet and the thyme gives it a really unusual twist.

  • Spiced apple cake

    • anothersarah on January 15, 2023

      I found that 60-70 minutes was enough for baking time. Also the people who ate it said they really enjoyed the bake. Overall the recipe came out great and I would definitely suggest giving it a try if you are up to the occasion.

    • LittleLemon on September 03, 2022

      This recipe came together very well. I made my own apple pie spice, since I didn’t have any storebought. I used the recommended amount of apples, and it was the perfect apple to sugar/spice ratio. I had no issues with anything. I listened to the recommendation here to bake it for 80 minutes, and it came out perfect! Even though apple spice desserts are not my favorite, this cake was very delicious! My family loved it!

    • amber_fr96mh on April 25, 2026

      Easy to make and a hit with the whole family

    • corsentino on October 13, 2024

      I made this once as cake and today as muffins and both received rave reviews. I took another commenters suggestion and subbed in 1/2 cup of almond flour and added lemon zest as well. With respect to the muffin version I sliced the granny apples very thin due to a shorter bake time, and boosted the temp to 375F. Baked 35-45 min looking for a clean cake tester.

    • Lsblackburn1 on October 27, 2020

      Followed everyone’s advice and baked this for 80 minutes. That was perfect - cake was very moist still, but cooked through. Family devoured this! Not too sweet and easy to eat.

    • MADCH82 on September 18, 2025

      It was ok... the cake was dense, dough indeed under apples not quite cooked through. used speculaas spice mix, about the same. makes the apples extremely tasty, just wasn;t as impressed by the cake base and i had hoped to be.

    • Skamper on October 16, 2019

      I baked this for 70 minutes and it was underdone in the center. The rest of the cake was very tasty but I worry it would be overcooked by the time the center was done.

    • sharpcatherine on December 10, 2020

      Needed much longer cooking. The large size of the apples on top prevented the sponge underneath from cooking.

    • 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.

    • Frogcake on October 03, 2021

      I’ve made this cake before with positive results. This time I added half cup of almond flour, replacing half cup of white flour - a nice addition, which enhanced the flavour even more. We love this recipe- a regular on our menu in the fall!

    • kitchen_chick on October 12, 2019

      Fantastic! I substituted lactose-free whole fat yogurt for the sour cream. Mine also took a lot longer to bake. About 85 minutes. Aside: the ingredient list here says “self rising flour”, but my edition lists the flour, baking powder, and salt separately.

    • 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!

    • FJT on September 26, 2023

      I made this using a gluten-free flour blend and subbed one third of the flour for an equivalent weight of ground almonds (thanks to Frogcake for the suggestion). I used less Demerara sugar on top and wish I'd used a little less mixed spice too, but overall it was a lovely moist cake. Perfect for an autumn birthday.

    • RosieB on September 16, 2018

      This cake was easy and delicious. It looked stunning.

  • Nutella, sesame and hazelnut rolls

    • Astrid5555 on January 23, 2022

      These are delicious and really quick to make. The addition of the sesame seeds really elevates these rolls to the next level. Not just for the Nutella lovers among us.

  • 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.

    • Ro_ on January 01, 2020

      I love chocolate and mint together, so this was a winner for me. I pretty much followed the instrutions but subbed dried cranberries for the sultanas since that's what I had. The texture and overall taste of the finished cake was great. Unfortunately not a lot of my household likes mint and chocolate together, so I'll definitely try it with a different flavoured chocolate another time to appeal more to them, as suggested in the recipe blurb.

    • JJ2018 on October 02, 2020

      This was lovely. It is minty but not overpoweringly so and very easy to make. Definitely will make again

    • treay on January 09, 2026

      Even though this recipe uses mint chocolate, I followed the suggestions and used orange flavoured chocolate. It turned out amazingly good. It is perfect to have next to a cuppa or just a little nibble after dinner.

    • LoveOnAPlate on December 21, 2021

      This is a Christmas standard at our home....a huge winner for all ages. I've added ginger sometimes...bliss. Converted using Gluten free biscuits for those who need and works perfectly.

    • lisanz on April 05, 2026

      Substituted date syrup for golden syrup as that was what I had - worked fine. Also didn’t bother using a double boiler for melting.

    • TonyaShaw on December 17, 2025

      This is a real winner and is greatly enjoyed with icecream at the end of a meal. I’ve also made it with orange flavoured chocolate and an orange liqueur to soak the raisins in for an alternative flavour.

  • Brunsli chocolate cookies

    • Beth891 on August 07, 2024

      Baking with my 3.5year old so we made aircraft! I mixed by hand as couldn't be bothered to get the mixer out but it worked really well and it didn't take long to combine at all. I followed the recipe but they had a bit longer in the fridge, this was fine though and the dough was easy to roll out. They are really tasty and you would never guess they are gluten free! The Chinese 5 spice was really nice in them but I'd probably play around with the spices next time - I think speculoos spice would be delicious here. I got 16 hawk and one helicopter from the mix. One to make again.

    • elysedc on June 16, 2022

      I've made this with the Chinese 5 spice, as well as a homemade chai mix, both are delicious. These are very yummy but seem to depend heavily on how fresh my ground almonds are - when ground fresh at home, these have a lovely, luscious, almost brownie-like texture. When using store bought almond meal, they cool to such a hard texture, you could break a tooth!

    • vfsalom on December 04, 2019

      The texture is wonderful, but the Chinese five spice is too savoury (containing onion powder!) and doesn't belong in a chocolate cookie at all. I'll be making this again but substituting mixed spice or a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg.

    • raybun on March 18, 2019

      They have a wonderful chewy texture, the orange zest & Chinese 5 spice really work together.

    • eliza on June 22, 2024

      Taste was great but I made them too thin and then slightly over baked. User error in this case. Will try again and will follow directions next time.

    • FJT on November 27, 2020

      Delicious; the 5-spice works beautifully here and the texture is lovely. I imagine that mixed spice or Lebkuchengewürz would work well too.

  • No-churn raspberry ice cream

    • FJT on June 29, 2019

      Relatively easy to make once you’ve managed to force the raspberry purée through the sieve (that bit took longer than expected!). Lovely creamy taste and the reserved purée made it zing. Perfect dessert for this heat wave. Just made this for a second time and, because I now have an ice cream machine, I didn’t bother whipping the cream at all and just added it along with the raspberry purée before churning. Worked really well.

  • Avocado and cucumber salad

    • lholtzman on July 18, 2024

      Side to scrambled harissa tofu.

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Reviews about this book

  • Stonesoup

    I wasn’t expecting ‘Simple’ to be truly simple recipes. And it isn’t. Not in any Stonesoup 6-ingredients sense. But to be fair they are significantly less complex than the usual Ottolenghi creations.

    Full review
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • ISBN 10 1607749173
  • ISBN 13 9781607749172
  • Published Oct 15 2018
  • Format eBook
  • Page Count 460
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Ten Speed Press

Publishers Text

JAMES BEARD AWARD FINALIST. The New York Times bestselling collection of 130 easy, flavor-forward recipes from beloved chef Yotam Ottolenghi. In Ottolenghi Simple, powerhouse author and chef Yotam Ottolenghi presents 130 streamlined recipes packed with his signature Middle Eastern-inspired flavors, all simple in at least (and often more than) one way: made in 30 minutes or less, with 10 or fewer ingredients, in a single pot, using pantry staples, or prepared ahead of time for brilliantly, deliciously simple meals. Brunch gets a make-over with Braised Eggs with Leeks and Cauliflower, Pomegranate, and Pistachio Salad refreshes the side-dish rotation; Lamb and Feta Meatballs bring ease to the weeknight table; and every sweet tooth is sure to be satisfied by the spectacular Fig and Thyme Clafoutis. With more than 130 photographs, this is elemental Ottolenghi for everyone.

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