The Vegetarian Option: Simple, Vegetarian, Delicious by Simon Hopkinson

    • Categories: Stocks; English; Vegan; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: onions; black peppercorns; tomatoes; carrots; bay leaves; celery; button mushrooms; parsley; leeks
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Notes about this book

  • SaraPlataan on April 26, 2025

    This is my very very very favourite cookbook. All recipes are so precise. I have had this book for many years now and I still use it regularly. The recipes may not be hip anymore according to the current time, but the dishes remain super tasty. I have often given the book as a gift. And I will continue to do so.

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • A kind of hot & sour soup with bean curd

    • dmwoodruff on November 12, 2025

      p.90 1.5 TBSP of sherry vinegar This worked fine w/3 portabellas instead of dried shiitake I halved the white pepper Did a bit more ginger 1.5-2 tbsp Non-alcoholic M&S white wine

  • Braised fennel & celeriac with pastis

    • wester on January 13, 2017

      Nice and sweet but lacked some oomph.

  • Broccoli with courchamps sauce

    • Antonio on June 26, 2017

      For UK readers- this uses purple sprouting broccoli

  • Cauliflower & cheese

    • etcjm on August 31, 2021

      Don't normally follow a recipe really so this was interesting. Infuse the milk, like you do for bread sauce. Allow the cauliflower to dry fully in a teatowel. Lots of cheese. Make sure the veg is coated properly-all things I don't really do... Worth it. Definitely.

  • Celery hearts in mushroom juice, vermouth & tarragon

    • wester on January 08, 2017

      Very tasty - the combination with vermouth and tarragon is a good one. Next time I want to cook them longer or at higher temperature, as there was too much bite and too much (and too thin) sauce even after an hour.

  • Chard leaves with ramps & olive oil

    • Antonio on June 26, 2017

      Note for U.K. - ramps is wild garlic leaves or ramsons

  • Globe artichoke, fava bean & pea stew

    • JoanN on September 30, 2012

      Made this with frozen favas from Chinatown, frozen artichoke hearts from TJ's, and frozen peas. Very tasty, especially with some grated Parmesan.

  • My vegetable bouillon (stock)

    • SaraPlataan on October 13, 2021

      Really GREAT method for vegetable stock. The best.

  • Onion & blood orange salad with olive oil

    • wester on January 16, 2017

      Nice & different. I used shallots. The children liked it, although they asked if I could decrease the amount of onion. I don't know if salt was omitted from the recipe on purpose, but I think it needs a pinch of it.

  • Pappardelle with artichokes and sage

    • Astrid5555 on October 13, 2012

      Disappointing! After all the work preparing the artichokes, we just did not like the taste of the dish. Adding some soft goat cheese helped in the end.

  • Parsley, radish & celery salad with capers

    • Bloominanglophile on September 12, 2013

      This is a nice salad with spritely flavors. Since my supply of parsley was a bit low, I added some of the leaves from the celery heart, and their yellowish green color contrasted nicely with the dark green of the parsley. Wish I had access to French radishes--but regular ones work just fine. I made this to accompany Ottolengi's Sweet Corn Polenta from Plenty.

    • wester on January 10, 2017

      Nice salad, strong bright flavors.

  • Persillade of porcini & potatoes

    • JoanN on September 30, 2012

      Liked cooking shredded potatoes this way. This was good, but it could have used more punch--maybe just more garlic and pepper. A sprinkle of Parmesan wouldn't hurt any, either.

  • Piquant zucchini with sour cream & dill

    • mcvl on September 19, 2020

      Nice the first day, even nicer the second. I first learned about grated zucchini from Julia Child and Simone Beck in Mastering V2, and their ideas for flavoring it are still worthy.

  • Sorrel & sour cream omelet with chives

    • Astrid5555 on May 19, 2015

      Such a simple yet delicious recipe! This has become one of my go-to lunch recipes when I can find sorrel. I only use 2 instead of 3 eggs, which is plenty.

  • White beans, porcini & cream

    • kari500 on August 18, 2011

      This is really wonderful. I used just regular sliced button mushrooms and canned beans, and served over polenta. Absolutely great.

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Reviews about this book

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • Spinach mousse with Parmesan cream

    • Lisa Is Cooking

      ...a fabulous way to eat your greens. It’s a little rich, but it’s also nice to see such humble greens turned into a decadent, silky mousse gilded with that luscious parmesan cream.

      Full review
  • ISBN 10 178713248X
  • ISBN 13 9781787132481
  • Published Nov 01 2018
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 216
  • Language English
  • Edition Reissue
  • Countries United Kingdom
  • Publisher Quadrille Publishing

Publishers Text

'Simon Hopkinson is a classically trained chef with the heart of a home cook.' Nigella Lawson 'The Vegetarian Option performs the brilliant feat of being vegetarian without being vegetarian. Without an ounce of quorn or the merest sight of a nut cutlet, every recipe illuminates, and there is nothing you would not want to eat' Rowley Leigh Now more than ever, people are turning to vegetarian food. But how to know when to really eat a tomato, or the best way to get flavour from a gifted marrow? Simon Hopkinson's classic, simple recipes will solve any dilemma, accompanied by beautiful essays on subjects from the joy of bay leaves to the enlivening zippiness of a lemon. The key to Simon Hopkinson's cooking is using seasonal ingredients and good-quality produce. With recipes for everything from a quick supper to the perfect cocktail and accompanying snack, The Vegetarian Option is not written exclusively for vegetarians, but as a fresh source of inspiration for all genuine food lovers.

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