• courtnay_ltb1fj on March 20, 2026

  This is one of my favorite cookbooks. I own hundreds of cookbooks but this is one that I open all the time!

• cookinggeekmom on June 25, 2023

  I have been (semi-obsessively) collecting and cooking from Ottolenghi's cookbooks since Plenty came out, and this one continues to be my favourite.

• kmattingly on April 22, 2013

  I've only done a couple of recipes out of this book but I'm already hooked. The Braised eggs with lamb and tahini was one of the best meals I've had. This is a must have book in your collection.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Roasted sweet potatoes & fresh figs

  • Foodycat on December 05, 2014

    Following the recipe would have taken too many dishes, so I did it as a one-pot: roasted the sweet potatoes in smaller pieces, then added the spring onions, chilli, balsamic vinegar and figs and returned it to the oven for 10 minutes to glaze. It didn't look as pretty as the picture, but the flavours were extremely good.

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 04, 2015

    Delicious! I left out the red chili and the green onions because I forgot to buy them as well as the goat's milk cheese. I used feta instead. It was probably less tasty than Ottolenghi and Tamimi intended, but it was still delicious. The balsamic reduction was divine. (rms-k)

  • MmeFleiss on March 12, 2017

    I forgot to add the figs and cheese, but this was the biggest hit from last night's party. It was the first time my husband raved over an Ottolenghi recipe.

  • e_ballad on December 15, 2018

    I was a little less excited by this dish than the other reviewers. I found it too sweet & thought that a savoury note would have balanced the dish (maybe walnuts?). The optional goats cheese would be more of an essential element to also provide some contrast.

  • Lsblackburn1 on August 05, 2020

    This was a tasty side dish for burgers last night and cold leftovers for lunch today were excellent! I might double the balsamic reduction if I made it again because mine got pretty sticky and a lot got left in the pot.

  • jhallen on April 22, 2021

    Made this as written and it was great. I did substitute dried figs for fresh but I could see it being even better with fresh. Will make it again next time I can find some.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    A-MAZ-ING!! Ottolenghi takes advantage of the beautiful taste and texture of figs to pair them with sweet potatoes, chillies and spring onions. This is so good. I mean SO GOOD. You do need to have figs that are sweet, moist and very ripe. You can smell the sweetness.

  • ellwell on November 09, 2022

    Yummy! Next time I would chop the chili smaller so there is some in every bite. Great flavors.

  • adelina on October 08, 2023

    Nice way to dress sweet potatoes. We all loved it.

  • apw2020 on January 21, 2025

    Love this. I rarely have access to figs, but when I do, this is at the top of my list!

  • noa_bjzbsg on November 07, 2025

    Yum

  • rachelefry on February 13, 2026

    Delicois, will make again.

  • jobie_ixahwf on April 09, 2026

    My favorite dish to make! Always a crowd pleaser.

• Na'ama's fattoush

  • Hellyloves2cook on October 18, 2012

    very tasty - will try again. Have made several versions of fattoush- this was moister than most.

  • lilham on January 01, 2013

    Very easy and very nice salad. As another reviewer already noted, the salad is very moist. This makes it very nice to serve with plain grains like couscous or rice. I can't find Lebanese cucumbers and used deseeded normal cucumbers instead.

  • owaint on January 03, 2013

    Great Lebanese Salad, the pitta give a really nice crunch to the dish. Keeps well overnight if you fish the pitta out and lay them on top to stop them going soggy.

  • Delys77 on January 08, 2013

    Made this to accompany a mezze and it was enjoyed by all. As other reviews have noted it is a bit on the wet side. For me this proved to be a bit challenging so I would suggest pairing back the buttermilk by about half. For me the acid level was fine, but my partner found it to be a bit too much so I might also cut back on the vinegar next time. Over all a very very tasty dish that comes together quickly and easily, and that is very healthy. Serves closer to 3 than 6 I would say.

  • TrishaCP on July 26, 2013

    Agree with Delys77 that there is too much buttermilk but this is a wonderfully fresh tasting salad. (I think the radishes are fabulous here.) I have also done a modified version of this omitting the pita and buttermilk and using some feta instead and that is tasty too. (And you still get moisture from the other dressing ingredients.)

  • Cheri on August 07, 2013

    I really liked this as a cool, refreshing summer side dish. I omitted the garlic, which seemed to work. Briefly toasted the pita, then broke it into pieces that I soaked in the buttermilk. I followed other reviewers comments, and went easy on the quantity of buttermilk, salad nicely dressed in the end, not soupy.

  • Fiona on January 03, 2014

    Great summer salad, everyone loved it. I used Greek yoghurt and milk as didn't have buttermilk and used about half the quantity suggested. I used tortillas (all I had), which wouldn't soak up as much liquid - toasted them with some sumac and only added at the end.

  • westminstr on July 31, 2014

    Made a half recipe with 1/3 cup yogurt and a bit less milk. For the pita, I stirred in pita chips at the end to taste. I loved everything about this salad, especially the sumac!

  • mgwalter on October 26, 2014

    Excellent recipe - will make this again and again!

  • Barb_N on November 05, 2014

    I found tomatoes at the Farmer's market- the vendor's tomatoes were the absolute best all summer so I thought I'd try his last of the season. I took the advice of most reviews and decreased the liquid, and used pita chips. I also used the very last of my scraggly basil along with mint and parsley. Yum.

  • twoyolks on January 27, 2016

    I'd agree with decreasing the amount of the dressing. The pita pieces became saturated. The dressing is good and it has a good mix of vegetables. I particularly appreciated the sumac on top.

  • Rutabaga on July 06, 2016

    This salad was a big hit, and for such a long list of ingredients it comes together pretty quickly. I used a mix of buttermilk and yogurt for the dressing, and agree with others that it was a little too much. I'd probably cut the dairy down to one cup total. My pitas were not truly stale, despite leaving them out on the counter all day, so I toasted them. Next time, I would toast them longer, until very crisp, and maybe even let them sit out all day after toasting to toughen them up, as they really were over-saturated in the dressing. I can see how pita chips would work well here.

  • dinnermints on July 15, 2016

    I agree with all - decrease the dressing by at least half. And I'd probably decrease to 1 T cider vinegar as well. I dried some flatbread in the oven and that worked pretty well, but it did get pretty saturated. Overall, fantastic salad, our guests were very excited to eat it.

  • pistachiopeas on June 28, 2017

    Made this again and still loved it. I tried pita chips thrown in at the end this time and it was a great way to do it. My favorite fattoush recipe.

  • Rutabaga on July 02, 2017

    I tried this with pita chips as pistachiopeas did, and it was excellent, definitely a trick to turn to again.

  • clcorbi on July 24, 2017

    Very good salad. I agree that there is much too much dressing--I used buttermilk which I reduced to 1c, but next time I'd reduce even further, and I also don't think a full 1/4c of olive oil is necessary. I did love the cider vinegar here though. I also used pita chips which I'd do again--delicious! I did have to omit the dried mint but I don't think the salad suffered for it. This is a great, quick, refreshing summer salad that I would definitely repeat, with the noted dressing changes.

  • stockholm28 on July 04, 2018

    This is a very refreshing summer salad and it makes a lot. I agree with everyone else; there is too much dressing. I probably used 3/4 of the yogurt-milk mix and about 3/4 of the oil-cider vinegar mix and it was still a bit overdressed. I toasted pita in the oven because mine were not stale. I’d like to try it with pita chips next time as pistachiopeas suggests.

  • stef on August 28, 2018

    This was a last minute decision. I didn't have cucumbers. We really liked it and will plan ahead next time

  • hbakke on May 30, 2019

    There was far too much buttermilk in this recipe. The pitas turned to gloop very quickly and made the fattoush unappealing. I wouldn't make this again.

  • mharriman on June 07, 2019

    Wonderful salad that reminded me of my recent trip to Israel. I cut all the ingredients in half since it was just for my husband and me. I didn’t let the yogurt based dressing ferment as long as directed, but the salad didn’t seem to notice and didn’t suffer in flavor. Mr. Harriman and I thought the sumac sprinkle amount was over the top and I’ll decrease it next time. In sum, a delicious mix of herbs and vegetables in a salad I’ll repeat.

  • jhallen on March 02, 2021

    I did not find there to be too much dressing - I thought it was perfect as written. I personally didn’t like the bread (even though I know it’s part of the point of the salad), but the flavors and textures were great. I would likely just omit the bread next time as a matter of personal preference.

  • hirsheys on September 22, 2021

    I followed the recipe pretty closely, except I made a half recipe and used pita chips (added right before eating) rather than stale pita. I even like the radishes in this and I don't usually like radishes much. I particularly love the taste of the dried mint and sumac in this - definitely brings a different note to the whole dish. (I used the milk + yogurt version.) Very delicious.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    Beautiful! It is one of THOSE salads, loved and protected by all who eat it regularly. It is just a type of chopped salad with tomatoes, one that also includes pita. But it is also so much more. So perfectly Summery.

  • Soulkitchenjen on November 09, 2022

    Every other fattoush is disappointing after eating this. Absolutely delicious

  • Stephenn31 on August 14, 2024

    A bit more 'cooling' with the yogurt/buttermilk, instead of just the veg.

  • mamacrumbcake on March 14, 2025

    Super yummy! Like others mentioned, I thought that there was more than necessary of the yogurt/milk mixture (I used about half). I also used pita chips instead of stale flatbread. Everyone loved this salad. If I were making at home for a weekday dinner, I would probably reduce the amount of pita chips, just to lighten up the carb load, but for a party, I would use the whole amount. I used the full amount of sumac and did not think it excessive.

  • joanne761994 on April 01, 2026

    I've made this countless time and it's always a hit.

  • leanne_g0a66l on April 26, 2026

    Lots of flavours going on and a crowd pleaser. Thanks for the tips of halving the liquid and using pita crisps

• Baby spinach salad with dates & almonds

  • Delys77 on January 14, 2013

    Pg 30 This is definitely a repeat for me. The spinach is very lightly dressed, but the seasoned pita and nuts give the salad plenty of punch. I love the crisp pita along with the tender greens and dates. It has a good balance of sweetness, acidity and salt, but make sure you use unsalted nuts and taste before you season at the end. Partner found it a touch sweet for him so maybe cut the dates much smaller next time and put a few less.

  • Jane on February 01, 2013

    This was a great salad. An inspired combination of tender greens, crispy pita, crunchy nuts. spice elements from sumac & chile flakes, sour notes from lemon juice and sweetness from dates (which I slivered smaller than the recipe suggests). I will definitely make this again. I served it with Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za'atar on p.36.

  • westminstr on March 25, 2013

    Loved this salad. I left out the pita (and cut back a bit on the butter and oil) and it was fine. I chopped the dates so they were similar in size to the almonds. Delicious.

  • PinchOfSalt on May 24, 2013

    I used some slivered almonds instead of chopped. So simple and so good! Next time I need to use my biggest skillet to brown the pita. My regular 12-inch skillet was filled to capacity.

  • purpleshiny on May 28, 2013

    Very good salad. Substituted broken Cracklebred (gluten free crackers) for the pita pieces as I was making this for a gluten-free friend. Soaking the dates in vinegar does amazing things for their flavor (I'd already been familar with the effect of vinegar on the onions). Served with the Jerusalem Artichoke and Lemon Chicken recipe.

  • k.a.g on June 02, 2013

    A great recipe. The bread and greens are reminiscent of a fattoush, but the dates add an intriguing sweetness and a good contrast to the sharpness of the vinegar. I would recommend either cooking the nuts and bread separately, or watching like a hawk - the almonds are much heavier and will fall to the bottom of the pan and burn if you're not careful. Note to self - DON'T make these croutons in advance... You'll just eat them all.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    As others have mentioned, this salad is truly special. I love marinating the red onion and dates in the vinegar- it lends a quick pickled flavor to the onions and takes away the cloying sweetness of the dates. I did cut the dates into smaller pieces than the recipe called for to better distribute them through the salad. I also loved the fried pita chips with sumac and chile flakes (I used Aleppo pepper). All of these flavors together were stunning. For me, the almonds didn't add much and I think they could be skipped-just make sure to assemble the salad at the last minute so the pita pieces stay crisp.

  • stockholm28 on December 31, 2013

    Great flavor combination. I will definitely make again.

  • lisachile on May 23, 2014

    This salad was excellent. I highly recommend it. Unlike a previous reviewer, I think the almonds added a lot to the salad. I liked the big irregular chunks of almond.

  • hillsboroks on July 21, 2014

    I agree with everyone else that this is a wonderful, special salad. My husband stirred the pita bread and almonds for me while I put the rest of the salad together. I think you could make the pita and almonds ahead of time and throw the salad together just before you want to eat it. We both loved the crunch of the pita and almonds plus the sweetness of the dates against the other flavors. Like others I also used Aleppo pepper with the sumac on the pita and almond mix. I cut the dates into 1/2 inch pieces and that seemed to work well to distribute the bits of sweetness throughout the salad. We served this with Diana Henry's Israeli Chicken with Moghrabiesh, Harissa-Grilled Peaches and Mint from A Change of Appetite. The combination of flavors was spectacular. This is a salad I will make many times again.

  • br22 on September 06, 2014

    Have made this many times and began adding the almonds later than the recipe suggests as I found they were getting a bit too browned by the time the pita was toasted enough. I often use whole wheat pita which works well too.

  • Astrid5555 on September 09, 2014

    My favorite salad from this book so far! Used home-made wholemeal pita bread, and as per suggestion from other reviewers Aleppo pepper flakes, which adds a nice hint of smokiness. I also substituted white balsamic vinegar for the white wine vinegar, which turned out great.

  • Melanie on October 04, 2014

    Make this one again, delicious. I made the pita and almonds at the start of the day to add to salad for dinner (assembling at somebody else's house) however I think they tasted better when warm and fresh so would not make ahead in future.

  • Rutabaga on October 12, 2014

    This is a great salad. I used sliced almonds, which should be added to the pan a couple of minutes after the pita as they cook faster. I also used Aleppo pepper in place of regular chile flakes. Marinating the onion is a good easy trick to soften the sting. My husband liked the salad except for the dates, but that's only because he's funny about fruit in a non-fruit salad. For the rest of us, the sweetness of the dates provide the perfect balance to the sourness of the sumac and lemon juice. The individual components of the salad can be made ahead and stored separately, then tossed together and dressed at the last minute.

  • ithyt on November 02, 2015

    5.15 Scrummy - awesome bite in croutons.

  • ithyt on April 24, 2016

    4.16 Delicious again- love this combo - different & tasty.

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    I'm another fan of this salad. I love it!

  • paulabee on June 17, 2017

    love this salad- I used walnuts instead of almonds because that's what was on hand, but I think I'd use the walnuts again- they were great with the dates.

  • ksg518 on October 12, 2017

    This is a great salad with the added bonus of being relatively quick. Softening the onion and dates in vinegar makes all the difference.

  • purrviciouz on December 19, 2018

    This is a fantastic salad. I've made a few time and will continue to make again and again.

  • mamacrumbcake on January 25, 2020

    01/08/20 Nice salad, different, surprising. Based on all the components, I could not imagine how it would come together, but it does. The sour of the sumac and lemon is balanced by the sweet dates. The pita chips and almonds give it a nice crunch. Marinating the onion mellows it a bit. It’s pretty easy to make. Has a bit of a kick due to the chile flakes—I use the amount called for in the recipe. It would be nice to try Aleppo pepper instead of the chile flakes. Note: When toasting the pita and almonds, either toast them separately or add the almonds in the last two minutes. If added at the beginning, they will burn. For me, it’s easiest to toast them separately, because I never know exactly how long it will take to get the pita crisp.

  • mharriman on July 17, 2020

    I made half a recipe, omitting the chili flakes, and my husband and I loved it. I would make this again in a heartbeat.

  • mharriman on July 17, 2020

    I made half a recipe, omitting the chili flakes, and my husband and I loved it. I would make this again in a heartbeat.

  • LFL on August 10, 2020

    1.5 stars. Meh. Let me be the lone dissenter who thinks this salad is mediocre. Made this for lunch (in addition to a main dish) when a friend came over and was disappointed in the results. The notation for pita croutons (2 pitas, 3.5 oz.) were unclear. Was 3.5 oz. the weight of both pitas together or of each of the two pitas? I wasn’t sure. I opted for 3.5 oz. per pita. It turned out to be too many croutons and the results made the salad very dry. Recipe directions should be clear. The taste didn’t wow me either but keep in mind that I lived in Israel as a child and so the flavor profile was pretty mundane for me. My friend was born and raised in the US, though, and she seemed underwhelmed as well. I won’t make this again.

  • boing4 on September 06, 2020

    Time and time again I return to making this salad. It's tasty and ridiculously easy to put together. Sweet dates and a tangy vibe from the red onion - what's not to love about that??

  • chezmaryb on November 10, 2020

    Delicious! Practically vegan and you won't miss the cheese at all. The almonds cook faster than the pita so I would add those later.

  • jhallen on November 27, 2020

    This is a real upgrade on a spinach salad - very flavorful and the onion and spices come together so well. Simple to put together but flavors are delicious.

  • lmhester on May 19, 2021

    This recipe was delicious!! Such simple ingredients yet so much flavor. The sweetness of the dates was the perfect counter to the sourness of the lemon. My husband said it was good enough to eat again for dessert!

  • ChelseaP on May 21, 2021

    Favourite salad of all time! I can't count how many times I've made it. Everyone always loves it... fights break out over the last pieces of olive oil and sumac soaked crispy pita bits.

  • KarinaFrancis on August 17, 2021

    How did I go this long without making this salad? It’s delicious and those croutons take it over the top. I couldn’t get my hands on dates so used dried apricots. Can’t wait to make this again

  • luluf on October 28, 2021

    Great salad. The toasted pita bread pieces are amazing and the kids have started making them to eat with hummus as well

  • Ganga108 on December 27, 2021

    What a great salad this is, as we travel to Israel via Ottolenghi’s book Jerusalem. The salad is composed of marinated dates, crispy flatbread, toasted nuts, and baby spinach. It does sour via lemon juice, vinegar and sumac, hot via chilli, pungent with onion, and sweet with the dates. A fabulous blend of tastes and textures.

  • danielat on January 08, 2022

    This salad is outstanding! My husband's favourite line is "you don't make friends with salad" but after trying this one, he proclaimed that THIS is a salad you can make friends with. He had multiple servings and was looking into the empty bowl hoping there was more. I served this to a group of friends (lol) and they all begged for the recipe. I served this alongside chicken shawarma and it was a perfect addition.

  • Apollonia on June 06, 2022

    Lost track of how many times I've made this one. I increase the vinegar on the pickled date/onions and punch up the dressing as well. Always enjoy it!

  • dc151 on June 09, 2022

    This was great salad to bring to a potluck. Lots of positive comments. Not time consuming to make. Used vegan butter to crisp up bread so everyone could partake.

  • joeljkp on February 18, 2025

    Great salad - very festive with the pita croutons and almonds. Maybe cut the dates once crosswise? They were kind of large just quartered lengthwise. I was out of sumac so substituted za'atar instead - I'm sure a different flavor altogether, but it was delicious nonetheless.

  • rachelefry on February 13, 2026

    Delicious.

  • ricki on January 17, 2026

    we liked this! several substitutions to work with what I had on hand, but all in all pretty close to the recipe as written. Fewer dates would be fine.

  • hbakke on July 31, 2023

    Very nice salad. Will repeat.

  • lholtzman on June 10, 2024

    This is much better when the spinach absorbs the dressing, otherwise it’s a bit bland.

  • Kag2020 on July 03, 2023

    For some reason I needed to see close to 40 reviews before I made this. Absolutely delicious. I used one and a half Mediterranean flatbreads, Aleppo pepper and walnuts. I would cut the amount of bread a bit the next time but that’s pretty much the only thing I would change.

  • apw2020 on January 21, 2025

    Phenomenal salad. Great for weekend brunches.

  • aeybkme on September 09, 2023

    Really nice but next time I'd add more vinegar to the dates and onions as I liked the sweet and sour taste.

  • ellwell on January 26, 2025

    This was pretty good. No one was wowed by it, but a solid side salad to serve along with a meal.

  • hlange on July 11, 2023

    This is even better than everyone says. I've made it several times and each time it's hard to stop eating it. The flavor combinations just sing. I use a good champagne vinegar instead of white wine vinegar, and fresh naan in place of pita. It's been a huge hit with a guest even saying through mmmms that it was "restaurant-level good." Then wanting to know the ingredients.

  • korkyporky on January 28, 2026

    I’ve made this so many times and each time I can’t believe how good such a simple salad is. I almost always have all ingredients to whip it up as a side dish too.

  • treay on October 25, 2024

    I have made this salad for many years, and it never disappoints, everybody likes it! A favourite in our household, especially served next to the Turkey and zucchini burgers.

  • dogo on May 26, 2025

    Nice salad, can use little more olive oil

  • Hiker010 on January 11, 2026

    Made Dec 2018 -- pretty good (may have been my favorite use of dates at the time -- vinegar may temper them a bit)

  • anna_1bxel8 on April 07, 2026

    Delicious

  • jennifer_vszvd1 on February 04, 2026

    Added chicken and used naan instead of pita. Cut dates into eighths. Simple and so good.

  • lucia_dbdl2m on March 30, 2026

    Seems like a simple salad but was really flavorful and delicious. I loved the croutons and the dates were the perfect sweetness. This may become a staple salad at my house

  • linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

    This cookbook has so many good recipes snd this is another one! No notes on this salad.

  • courtnay_ltb1fj on March 05, 2026

    This recipe was great! I was looking to use some barberries that I had bought for the spinach salad (also in this book) and came across this recipe. It has really great flavors. My family loved it!

  • courtnay_ltb1fj on March 05, 2026

    This was a really great salad! My kids (10-18) ate every bit of it and requested it again soon!

  • rachael_18bc7s on March 25, 2026

    Added more acid and salt

  • mingwai_cy960g on May 28, 2026

    Simple and delicious.

• Puréed beetroot with yoghurt & za'atar

  • TrishaCP on December 08, 2012

    Amazing way to use beets, especially if you are dealing with non-beet loving people. Be careful on the amount of garlic you use since it is fresh- do not put in the full amount if you have large cloves. Served with flatbreads as a dip.

  • westminstr on January 31, 2013

    Served this as a beet salad instead f purée. Skipped the garnishes. Just wonderful!

  • Laura on December 31, 2014

    Pg. 53. I made this to use up some beets and we enjoyed it very much. I had to make a couple of substitutions: red pepper flakes for the chile and maple syrup for the date syrup, but otherwise made it as written. I served it as a dip with crackers and pita, but did not bother with the garnishes, as it was just the two of us. The recipe says to serve at room temperature, but I found that I preferred it somewhat chilled. I agree with TrishaCP that the garlic is a bit overwhelming, and I would probably cut that in half next time. Also, the color of the dish in the photo is a beautiful, dark aubergine. The color of mine was more of a raspberry, which is fine for a dessert, but which I find less appetizing in a savory dish. Next time I would cut back on the yogurt in hopes of getting a darker color in the final product.

  • Emily Hope on May 08, 2013

    My new favorite way to eat beets. Seriously delicious--sweet and earthy from the beets, and just tangy enough from the yogurt. I don't feel like the za'atar flavor really registered (maybe it's the za'atar that I'm using), but I didn't miss it. Have served with flatbreads and grilled lamb sausages, and as part of an assortment of dips. Great in both applications.

  • Astrid5555 on May 15, 2020

    First of all, we do not like beets. However, since I had an enormous one in this week’s CSA box I needed to find a recipe which we would maybe like. And wow this dip is divine! Who would have thought that the combination with the goat cheese and the spices could elevate a simple roasted beet into something so delicious!

  • Three_Quarters on April 08, 2016

    This puree is unbelievable. I served it with lamb chops, normally the star of the show, but they paled in comparison to this simple-to-make but complexly flavored dip. It's already on the menu again for next week, since we're overrun with root vegetables here in the Northeast US. Alterations: used honey instead of date syrup and red pepper flakes instead of a fresh chili. Did not add any of the accompaniments, and just ate it with a fork instead of dipping pita or crackers.

  • thekitchenchronicles on November 03, 2014

    http://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2014/03/08/pureed-beets-with-yogurt-zaatar/

  • Melanie on July 10, 2017

    Easy to make in food processor, even easier if you use store bought cooked beetroot. But, I bet this would taste better with home roasted.

  • adelina on May 06, 2025

    Here is my Instagram post for this recipe: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJCfowFvlwR/?img_index=1

  • raybun on June 12, 2017

    This was DIVINE! I will be making this again, and again this summer. I used precooked beets to save time. There was just the right amount of heat, a nice crunch from the hazelnuts that I toasted slightly, and there would have been a nice tangy touch from the goats cheese if I hadn't forgotten it!

  • tsp on September 23, 2023

    I made it twice with precooked beetroots. I’d love to try it with the baked ones but I couldn’t find the raw beetroots anywhere. I made it both with garlic and without and I preferred the one without. It’s a bit watery but maybe it’s because the beets are precooked. The color of the dip is much lighter than in the book. Everyone liked it, I’d cook it again adding the potato maybe.

  • hlange on August 25, 2023

    I wouldn't serve this without the toppings (I used some whipped feta and chopped almonds which worked perfectly.) The texture is different from what I was expecting, I was expecting something creamier considering the yogurt addition. It leaned towards watery and was very beet-forward. But still tasty with the toppings & some pita. I liked the little bit of heat and sweetness but not sure I'd make it again. We much preferred the butternut squash & tahini puree from this book.

  • rhb on December 02, 2022

    Great dip. We add about 1/2 c of cooked potato or less yogurt to make it thicker because the beets are usually a bit watery. We make double the garnish.

  • s.shadan on August 23, 2021

    I have made this many, many times and it is always a winner. I use vacuum packed beetroots to make it easier. And I add more goat cheese than what the recipe suggests.

  • elysedc on June 17, 2022

    I seem to be in the minority here, because this dip was a little bit TOO earthy tasting for me. I'm also not the biggest beet fan, so take it with a grain of salt (or za'atar, as it were).

  • Jardimc on March 12, 2021

    As noted by others, a large quantity of beetroot in the CSA led me to this recipe. I had low expectations, but really I should have known better. Fantastic flavour, and worthy of showstopper status. I made it as directed, but it would just as delicious with or without the gilding of hazelnuts or goat cheese. I see the Food & Wine version calls for maple syrup which I think would interfere with the flavours. The cookbook calls for date syrup which I think is the perfect sweetener for this dip. Definitely a permanent addition to our menu rotation.

  • chezmaryb on December 29, 2020

    The goat cheese and onions set this off

  • JoRF on June 06, 2019

    I cooked my beets in the slow cooker - popped them on in the morning on low, oiled, seasoned and wrapped in foil, they were perfect nine hours later. Followed the recipe exactly and served with just cooked flat bread. Apart from the chili being just a touch too hot this was delicious and I'll definitely make it again. i do like three_quarter's suggestion of serving it with lamb chops... mmmm

  • ChelseaP on August 05, 2021

    This is the best dip I've ever made, it's just exceptional!! The hype is real. Makes an amazing pizza sauce base topped with goat cheese and pine nuts etc.

  • Agaillard on February 15, 2026

    I made with chioggia beets so the color was not as vibrant as in the various pictures but rather a pastel shade. I was disappointed by the texture which was grainy and somewhat watery, even though the "grains" are very fine. The taste is all right but not "wow" either, even with the toppings which clearly make half this dish.

  • cecilia_4eimgd on May 06, 2026

    I used pine nuts rather than hazelnuts. I also saw all the comments about it being too watery so I roasted the cooked beets.

• Broad bean kuku

  • Delys77 on January 08, 2013

    Pg 39 For me this dish was just ok. The technique is interesting and I expected a whole lot of flavour from the load of onions, garlic, herbs, saffron, and barberries, but the end result was entirely dominated by the very large amount of favas. It seemed as though they sucked up all the flavour. If I were to make again I would up the herbs and cut back the favas by about 40%.

  • TippyCanoe on April 23, 2013

    I agree with Delys77 that this dish is not as exciting as others in the book. The barberries add a great sour note though. I wondered if my favas (frozen) were perhaps not as good as fresh. I might try this again with fresh favas and also add more herbs. It really added flavor to the dish to serve it as suggested with yogurt with cucumber (p. 299).

  • cultus.girl on November 05, 2017

    I really enjoyed this dish however agree that it was a little broad bean heavy. (Used frozen unpodded broad beans). When I next make it I will use the broad beans from my garden in season, picked while they are small and perhaps add a bit of asparagus.

  • elifinn on August 19, 2024

    Really good in spite of my simplifications and swaps! I used about 350g of broad beans, and it seemed like a good amount. I used dried cherries instead of barberries, which worked fine. I also used a big bunch of parsley instead of dill+mint which I could unfortunately not find: parsley worked too, but I'm sure dill and mint would impart a lovely flavour. I forgot to buy cream so I bloomed the saffron in a little hot water.

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    I made this with broad beans (it's what we call fava beans in the UK) from my friend's veggie patch and really liked it. When I had my first mouthful I wasn't sure if I would like it (my first time eating something with barbarries in) but it grew on me. As it was just me, I ate quite a big portion and froze the rest - no idea what it will be like when it comes out of the freezer... we shall see...

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 04, 2015

    I agree with the previous reviews -- just ok...too many favas, not enough flavor. The dish benefited with the addition of feta.

  • ksg518 on June 29, 2018

    Meh. Ottolenghi has a knack for taking odd combinations of ingredients and somehow making them work but for us this was a fail. We especially didn't like the barberries in this dish (although we love them in other dishes). We made this pretty much as directed and it looked just like the photo.

  • lholtzman on April 08, 2024

    I could only find canned Fava beans and based on others comments, I’m glad I used one can instead of the full amount. I found one can to be a good amount. I also couldn’t get barberries at the store I went to, so I used craisins with 50% less sugar and skipped the second step of the recipe. They may have been a bit sweeter, than intended, but I liked it. I’m not a huge fan of barberries.

  • s.shadan on August 23, 2021

    I loved this dish. I have tried many Kukus including authentic Iranian versions, and still this is my favourite as it doesn't taste too eggy.

• Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za'atar

  • jzanger on January 13, 2013

    Wow, this is an inspired combination of ingredients. I think I could have sat down in front of the whole platter and happily ignored the (delicious) roasted chicken and (delicious) kale salad also on the table! Don't skimp on the red onion, even though it may seem like too much.

  • westminstr on January 18, 2013

    For me, this combo of ingredients didn't quite gel. However, I did mess up and dust with sumac instead of zaatar, which may have made a difference. I will withhold judgment until I can do the recipe as written.

  • lilham on January 30, 2013

    This is the best roasted butternut squash I've ever had. I'll make more sauce next time I cook this. (Because the sauce is really finger licking good).

  • Jane on February 01, 2013

    This was fantastic. I think next time I will cut the squash into smaller pieces as I like more caramelized edges but apart from that I would change nothing. I served it with the baby spinach salad with dates & almonds on p.30.

  • adrienneyoung on February 18, 2013

    Good, but not blow-your-hair-back great. This recipe gets good buzz, so maybe it's me...

  • westminstr on November 13, 2014

    I made this again last night. Not sure what the difference was between the last time I made it (maybe it was using zaatar instead of sumac) but it was delicious! Rich, though. We used all the sauce and had to roast the squash for about 10 extra minutes to get it as brown as I like it. I used butternut and delicata and the unpeeled butternut squash was fine in this preparation.

  • wester on October 28, 2013

    I wasn't that wild about the tahini sauce. However, I did like the rest of the combination and will probably make it again, maybe with a squeeze of lemon. I used shallots instead of red onion, which was excellent.

  • lorloff on October 30, 2016

    This has become our go to winter squash dish. This time I made it with an heirloom squash (it looked like "fairytale" from the farmers market). It was too hard on the outside to cut up so I cut the squash in 1/2 and sprinkled the cut side with za'atar, granulated garlic and olive oil. I roasted the red onions separately. Once the squash was cooked I peeled and cut the squash into pieces and proceeded with the recipe. It was delicious. The tahini sauce with the squash is genius. We hold it on the side and each person adds what they would like.

  • jenmmcd on January 25, 2022

    Love this basic combo for roasted root veggies. Used butternut squash, Vidalia onions, and parsnips. Very yummy.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    Loved this dish- it is a tad stingy on the awesome tahini sauce. Unlike the butternut squash and tahini dip, I didn't feel like the tahini overwhelmed the squash flavor- I think it was the sourness from the lemon that helped. This is gorgeous as well, would definitely be good for a dinner party.

  • Astrid5555 on October 05, 2014

    Incredibly delicious! The tahini sauce and za'tar elevated this dish to something special. Used red kuri squash instead of butternut squash because I did not want the hassle of having to peel the squash. Worked very well!

  • senzler on May 24, 2022

    The squash was wonderful but not crazy about the tahini sauce. I might stir in a little yogurt.

  • fbcd on February 16, 2024

    Made a half recipe. The squash was overcooked after 20 min at 200C fan. Tasty, but too sweet. Might be better with one if the other winter squashes.

  • Happykikkers on October 10, 2024

    Really nice. About 10-15 minutes into 35 minute roasting I turned down the oven to 180°c fan and the onions and squash were done at the same time. My salt might have been a little saltier than required and I will salt to taste next time instead of following the measurements. It didn’t bother me as I like salt, but I’m sure any company would think it’s a little too much. I liked the softness of the squash with the crunchy onions and nutty tahini. The pine nuts were a nice addition but not really a must have imo.

  • eathealthy on January 24, 2023

    This was delicious! I might decrease the olive oil next time

  • elysedc on June 17, 2022

    SO delicious!

  • apw2020 on July 30, 2023

    Impressive enough for a dinner party side (perfect for the holidays!)!

  • apw2020 on January 21, 2025

    One of my holiday side dishes. This is excellent!

  • lholtzman on December 11, 2025

    This is a filling side that would be perfect for the holidays or a winter dinner party. I’ve made it without the pine nuts, and it’s still delicious. I also peeled the butternut squash before roasting as I don’t like to eat the skin and I can’t be bothered with peeling each piece individually with my hands. I much prefer using the vegetable peeler and being careful. Keep the main course simple if you serve this as a side. The flavors are quite complex and would compete with a dish that’s equally as complex.

  • anya_sf on October 22, 2021

    I really liked this and had never realized you could eat the skin of butternut squash. I might try a lower oven temperature next time as the onion got quite charred before it was completely soft. I dolloped plain yogurt on the leftovers and that was good too.

  • Pimlicocook on October 10, 2024

    Loved this. So simple and delicious. Took the onions out well before the squash, which itself got slightly charred (just the right amount!) in 30 minutes. Served with lightly sautéed spinach.

  • ChelseaP on August 05, 2021

    Just perfect!

  • hbakke on May 29, 2019

    This was tasty. I couldn't find a butternut squash , but used sweet potatoes instead. They were okay, but the butternut would have been better. I was wary of the tahini sauce since I'm not a huge fan, but it turned out well. Also, the pine nut garnish was delicious. They tasted like salted popcorn. Yum!

  • jhallen on October 12, 2020

    For me, this was amazing. I did peel the squash because it seemed like it would be awkward to eat it with the skin on? Anyway, it was perfect.

  • Dannausc on January 23, 2021

    Quite good

  • linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

    Good -served with ( same cookbook) couscous with tomato and turkey zucchini burgers/meatballs.

  • william_twih48 on March 15, 2026

    I thought it was just okay.

  • hlange on December 15, 2023

    Decadent and with a nice balance of flavors as I've come to expect from Ottolenghi. Another winner from this incredible book.

  • csmith1 on May 30, 2026

    Very quick and easy. Had it with couscous. Will definitely make again. It doesn't need to be in my oven for as long at such a high heat as the recipe says - 20 mins was plenty

  • br22 on September 06, 2014

    For me this unusual combination of flavors is pure comfort. I totally agree with the reviewer who said they could eat the whole platter. Make sure and roast the squash enough- a couple of times I've had to remove the onions as they were getting a bit too far gone. Easy recipe with killer results.

  • adelina on October 31, 2016

    Perfect combination of flavors!

  • MmeFleiss on January 14, 2015

    I found this completely doable for a weeknight meal. Served by itself, the full recipe was enough for two adults in my household. An unusual blend of flavors, but it really works.

  • ksg518 on January 06, 2018

    This was delicious. I scaled it back slightly since my butternut squash wasn't as large a specified. I also peeled the squash before roasting. This made a great lunch for two. I'll be making this again and I like the idea of other reviewers to add a grain.

  • Barb_N on January 03, 2016

    I have made this as written, but this time I added a whole grain (oat groats) to fill it out for six people. With the grain it would make a great vegetarian main. The flavors are genius.

  • Lepa on May 07, 2020

    My family doesn't love squash but we really liked this dish. The savory elements balance the sweetness perfectly. I will definitely add this to our rotation.

  • ithyt on November 02, 2015

    5.15 Cut pumpkin into bite sized pieces. Dressing doesn't last well - look wise when dressed.

  • WFPLCleanEating on October 18, 2015

    This is the recipe I have made so often from Jerusalem that I don't need the book any more. I always use butternut squash but mix up the other vegetables according to what I have. Last night's version had Brussels sprouts and red pepper alongside the squash. I love the za'atar and tahini sauce with the caramelized vegetables. - Jane

  • clcorbi on March 19, 2018

    I didn't love this dish as much as others did. The squash never got very crisp while the pieces of red onion almost started to burn. Next time I'd add the squash first and let it crisp up before throwing in the onion. I will admit that the toasted pine nuts were delicious and complemented the other flavors well.

  • Boffcat on February 24, 2017

    Excellent. I soften the sauce slightly by stirring in a little yoghurt.

  • cressidaharding on March 13, 2021

    The ingredients list leaves out the lemon!

  • Rinshin on February 22, 2015

    This was just ok. I did not care for the addition of tahini/sesame sauce as I felt it muddled the taste of butternut squash. The squash already tasted heavy and the addition of this sauce made the dish too similar in richness. I liked the roasting of butternut squash with onion part but preferred more brighter taste note for the sauce. The brighter note came from a small amount of lemon juice and it was not enough to give this dish the needed lift. I much prefer Japanese and Asian recipes for winter squash like butternut squash and kabocha. Will not repeat for sure.

  • joeljkp on March 24, 2025

    Great flavor, loved the peel-on technique with the butternut squash. It was kind of hard to make this attractive - the sauce was kind of gloppy (but delicious). Good for leftovers.

  • stockholm28 on December 31, 2013

    I liked this, but did not love it. The red onion was a bit strong, so I'd use a bit less.

  • KarinaFrancis on April 02, 2020

    We loved this and even ate the skin on the squash. Very easy on a weeknight. We’re using the leftovers as a salad tonight

  • imaluckyducky on January 10, 2020

    Absolfantastic use of butternut squash without having to fiddle with removing the skin - which is delicious in this preparation. Will make again.

  • Melanie on September 09, 2013

    I really enjoyed this dish. I would increase quantities next time though as everyone at the table would have liked to eat a bit more.

  • chawkins on October 30, 2022

    Delicious but way too rich for my taste. I used shallot instead of the red onions and I peeled the squash.

  • Yildiz100 on October 22, 2013

    I have to agree with the previous reviewer who said this was good, but not great. I expected to love this, since it includes many of my all time favorite ingredients, but no. The flavors are great together, but the texture of butternut squash with tahini is a bit stodgy to me. I have had the same experience with other recipes using these two ingredients, like the butternut squash, chickpea, and tahini salad at Smitten Kitchen.

  • vitapano on May 06, 2014

    Added a bit of rocket and some leftover quinoa. Worked very well and looked great on a big serving plate.

• Fried tomatoes with garlic

  • Jane on January 21, 2013

    A super-easy and tasty side dish - as well as garlic there is finely chopped chile and parsley for extra flavor notes. It takes about 7 minutes from start to finish. This would be great in the summer when there are really good tomatoes in abundance. I served it alongside Poached chicken with sweet spiced freekah on p.182.

  • TrishaCP on August 10, 2014

    This was fine but not as great as other recipes from this book- the taste was reminiscent of stewed tomatoes. The garlic and chile were obviously nice, but I thought the parsley was too assertive here.

  • Rutabaga on June 03, 2019

    I made a simplified version of this dish, leaving out the chile and parsley, and using overripe heirloom tomatoes. Partly because I let them cook a little too long, the tomatoes started to break down, but they still had fantastic flavor. With good quality tomatoes, this makes an excellent easy side dish.

  • Zosia on March 12, 2017

    An easy way to enhance even not-so-perfect tomatoes (and takes much less time than roasting). I served these with the fantastic za'atar pitas from Breaking Breads.

• Spiced chickpeas & fresh vegetable salad

  • consortiumlibrary on December 15, 2012

    I also used canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained) . They were delicious and really made the salad. I make salads like this ahead and drain the juices using a colander before serving. So easy, so good. For the red peppers, instead of bell peppers I used spicy red Fresno chiles. The heat added, so will do it that way next time too.

  • Apollonia on April 24, 2022

    Not a huge hit for us. We loved the spiced chickpeas, but I felt the radish (which I normally love) overpowered the dish.

  • Laura on September 30, 2014

    Pg. 56. The part of this recipe that intrigued me the most was the spiced chickpeas. The salad and vinaigrette are pretty basic and hardly require a recipe -- although the salad itself is really beautiful -- very colorful. The only change I made to the salad was to add some arugula leaves. I was a bit concerned about adding the spiced chickpeas to the salad because I wasn't sure how well the different flavors would combine. Well, as it turns out, it was delicious! The chickpeas really brought another dimension of flavor to the salad and it was subtle, not overwhelming. Ottolenghi suggests adding some Greek yogurt as a topping -- I didn't do that this time but might try it in the future. I would definitely make this again.

  • milgwimper on October 03, 2019

    This was delicious. I left the herbs on the side and let each person to add as little or as much as they liked. It is an easy recipe the longest bit was the dicing of the vegetables, and preparing the beans. If you use canned or prepare the beans way ahead of time it makes it easier to prepare. It will be added to the rotation.

  • Astrid5555 on March 02, 2013

    Used dried chickpeas, loved the spices, which made all the difference! Nice lemony dressing to accompany the vegetables. Served as a side to the Swiss chard fritters, will make again.

  • Delys77 on November 13, 2012

    I used canned chickpeas and they didn't crisp as much as I would have liked. Next time use dried or make sure the chickpeas are very dry when they go into the pan. The flavours in the salad were great, the only challenge being the fact that the tomatoes release huge amounts of liquid when salted. This is a general problem with this type of salad. That being said it doesn't really impact the flavour and the overall result is very good and quite filling because of the legumes.

  • joeljkp on April 06, 2026

    Made this to accompany "Saffron rice with barberries, pistachio & mixed herbs" from the same book. It was ok - the salad was pretty basic. We're not huge radish fans so swapped in carrots, which turned out as too much of a jarring crunch for the rest of the textures. The whole thing felt a bit under-salted or under-acidified compared to what I'm used to with Indian kachumber and similar salads. Might have been my execution though, so I'll refrain on rating for now.

  • k.a.g on June 27, 2013

    I have to admit I didn't get around to making the chickpea component, but I thought the fresh vegetable salad was very refreshing - nice acidity, and a great crunch from the radishes. I left out the sugar, didn't feel it would need it.

  • annapanna on September 28, 2014

    Even if you don't make the chickpeas part this is a lovely chopped salad very easy to prepare. We had this with the Falafel in Pita bread. Will make again for sure.

  • kitchen_chick on May 01, 2020

    I subbed mint for the cilantro, and left out the raw onions because we don't care for raw onions. Delicious salad!

  • anya_sf on November 16, 2022

    I just made the vegetable salad, omitting the radishes and using a smaller amount of mild white onion. Half the dressing was just right. With the abundant herbs, the salad made a bright, refreshing accompaniment to a meat-topped hummus platter.

  • Trea on February 11, 2015

    Loved this salad. I used tinned chickpeas which I left drain for about an hour. I also used a dry fry with no oil. Added yogurt as a finishing touch. Very refreshing for a hot summer night.

  • adelina on November 08, 2016

    Liked the chickpeas. Served it with pita chip per another similar recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

  • jennifer_vszvd1 on February 23, 2026

    We omitted the sauce and served this with hummus and chicken. I also made the chickpeas in an air fryer, oiling and spicing before frying.

  • lholtzman on March 12, 2026

    I like this salad, but it needs more salt than you think. The spiced chickpeas are a nice addition to add a bit more protein. The cardamom is a bit overpowering. I might reduce to 1/2 tsp in the future.

  • Schooffiecooks on March 27, 2026

    Used homemade croutons instead of crispy chickpeas

  • Ganga108 on December 25, 2021

    I keep saying that Ottolenghi (and his food family) is all about variation and contrast in flavour and texture. Here we see it on display again. I tasted the chickpeas as they came out of the pan and was a bit disappointed. (I have a similar but spicier recipe where the chickpeas are baked and are crisp on the outside, and I was expecting something similar.) But when I put his chickpeas together with the salad, it was as though magic happened. The softness of the chickpeas and their gentle spice flavour with the crispy, lemony salad is another genius Ottolenghi combination.

• Parsley & barley salad

  • Jane on January 08, 2013

    This was a great salad and since I usually have all these ingredients in stock this will be a good standby dinner. Actually I missed out the green pepper as I didn't have (and never have) that but it seemed fine without it. It was very fresh tasting and the marinated feta added a good texture and flavor contrast.

  • westminstr on January 22, 2013

    Really liked this salad (even though i had a cold). Easy to make and great for winter when it can be tough to find salad ingredients.

  • TrishaCP on June 30, 2013

    Really enjoyed this salad. It is a tad on the heavy side in terms of feta- I only used 4 oz instead of the 5 called for in the recipe, but I think 3 oz is probably ideal. I know not everyone is a green pepper fan, but they are pretty unobtrusive here- really just adding crunch and freshness- so try not to omit them.

  • Aggie92 on June 30, 2013

    This was a very refreshing salad. We loved the marinated feta but felt it slightly overpowered the more delicate flavors of the barley and parsley. Next time I will probably use half the amount of feta. I couldn't be bothered to measure 3 oz. of parsley either so I just used one bunch which seemed to be enough for our taste. Watch the cooking time on the barley, mine were small and were cooked just right in 20 minutes. I also substituted lightly roasted walnuts for the cashews. I will definitely make this again.

  • westminstr on July 09, 2015

    I made this salad again and once again - fantastic. This time I subbed farro (cooks faster) and omitted the bell pepper. Kids wouldn't eat it but I loved it.

  • Astrid5555 on September 07, 2013

    Made as a side for BBQ. Very refreshing, went with the green pepper even though I do not usually like it, really added some crunch. Even the biggest sceptics (who likes pearl barley at a BBQ?) could not stop eating. Will repeat again!

  • Hellyloves2cook on October 22, 2012

    Pg 81 An easy salad which is great at barbeques. It was still great to eat the following day.

  • louie734 on June 03, 2020

    I've made this more times than I can count, but had forgotten about it for a couple of summers. It's one of my favorite salads to keep in the fridge for lunches, potlucks, good for use as a side or stuffed into a wrap as a main. This time I subbed out the feta for tofu - a success. To give the (1/2 block of extra-firm, pressed) tofu some salty-umami, I added extra lemon juice (2 T), nutritional yeast (1 T), and miso (1 1/2 T) to the marinade. It needed more seasoning, so I doubled the zaatar. I also employed the instant pot for the barley - 1/2 cup with 1 1/4 c water, 19 minutes, natural release.

  • lholtzman on July 01, 2025

    This is a very hearty salad that is good as a side or light lunch. It’s very easy and fast.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    Oh how delightful this salad is! It feels healthy and green and very clarifying. It makes you feel so good as you are eating it. It's a sharp, fresh salad. The herbs and lemon juice cleanse the palate and give a certain sense of lightness. Serve it with other vegetable-based mezze dishes. I like to eat it on its own for lunch with some flatbread.

  • elizabeth_lf73mu on February 16, 2026

    People always ask me for this recipe when I bring it to a gathering.

  • JLDuck on July 23, 2018

    An excellent salad. I halved the spring onions and garlic in order to enhance the other tastes. Very easy to make.

  • pistachiopeas on March 23, 2017

    I added more barley to make this a main dish for a light dinner. Didn't have cashews, so added some toasted panko for crunch. The feta is especially delicious.

  • Frogcake on October 03, 2021

    A very tasty salad. Very easy to make. I chopped up some leafy lettuce, mint and arugula to make up for the half cup of parsley I didn’t have. So good with chopped roasted cashews.

  • abbycox on April 18, 2026

    This tasted so fresh with the parsley, and I liked the crunch of the green peppers and cashews. Served the marinated feta on the side due to guest dietary restrictions.

  • Lsblackburn1 on July 16, 2020

    Love this salad! I doubled the recipe and made it with quinoa. Could not figure out how much 6 oz of parsley should be (my scale was being difficult!) so just eye balled it and used one large bunch.

  • joeljkp on April 22, 2025

    Nice side salad for rich meat-based dishes, and makes good leftovers the next day. I didn't have quite enough parsley, so upped the green onions and added some mint to make up the difference.

  • Rinshin on October 04, 2021

    Mine came out to be more of a barley first and parsley salad because I did not have enough parsley from my garden and made with what I had on hand. Instead of green pepper, used yellow and orange mini sweet peppers. I really liked this salad and because mine had a greater proportion of barley to parsley, it very much reminded me of some Japanese scattered rice salads. I love to try this again when I have more parsley on hand. Good recipe. Photo added.

  • finnsmom64 on June 16, 2022

    What a great salad, the marinated feta made this dish. Light and refreshing. Will be making this again and again.

  • Melanie on October 04, 2014

    I love that everything in this dish is chopped up finely so that you get a good mix of flavours in each bite. Tastes very fresh and healthy.

  • Delys77 on January 31, 2023

    This was well received but I had to make a few subs due to the kitchen inventory. We decreased the parsley a touch and increased the barley by about 20 grams. We would repeat this approach as we liked that balance. I also used my own concoction to replace the zaatar as we had none on hand. There was a bit of fennel, thyme, rosemary, and bay in the mix I used, but honestly I think herbes de provences would also work. I'm sure the zaatar would be nice of course. I also went lighter on the allspice as it isn't my favourite and I would likely cut back even further and increase the other spices a bit, maybe half the amount for us. I also think a bit more lemon for us. On the whole for my family this was nice, and with a few modifications would be a repeat.

• Basmati rice & orzo

  • Jane on January 14, 2013

    This was a very simple but satisfying side. It made a big difference in the cooking time of the rice to soak it for 30 minutes first. The addition of toasted orzo made the rice more interesting and didn't add much time to the cooking process.

  • Delys77 on January 02, 2013

    Pg. 103 Once again, sometimes the simplest things are the best. I modified the recipe a little to take advantage of the rice cooker but I think the results were in line with what the recipe envisi0ned. Essentially I cooked the rice in the rice cooker in stock and then I took the orzo and toasted it in the fat, which I then added about 3/4 cup of broth to and simmered (hard simmer) for about 8 minutes till they were tender and most of the broth had evaporated. I then tossed the rice in and added a little bit more butter since the rice hadn't cooked with any butter, along with a pinch of salt. The result is a very nice rice with interesting texture and flavour from the nutty orzo. A small difference yes, but a very welcome one. Great basic recipe that would serve as a more interesting foil to many saucy dishes calling for a bed of rice.

  • ellabee on January 25, 2016

    Two posters in 2013 COTM thread had same experience w/underdone rice; solution was to increase chicken stock by 1/4 cup.

  • tsp on September 26, 2023

    I’ve used a vegetable stock and it turned out delicious. I’ve never eaten orzo before and it was a pleasant discovery. I’ve used a generous spoon of butter. The water almost evaporated after 10 minutes but the rice was almost cooked by that time. I left it covered for 10 minutes after. Loved the taste.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    Orzo pasta is petty good, don’t you agree? This little rice-shaped pasta has an elegance that eludes other pastas. I was delighted to find another way to cook this little star in this classic Middle Eastern dish. Delicious! Note that it is a side dish and not strongly flavoured.

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    Love this way of fancying-up basmati rice a bit. Turned out perfectly.

  • bernalgirl on February 24, 2022

    After a 30-minute soak and following the recipe, the rice came out beautifully fluffy but very very bland. I added thyme, ground bay leaves, and Aleppo pepper along with a flavorful homemade stock to no avail. I’d consider making this again but would add more spices: cloves, cinnamon, cardamom pods and a bay leaf, or perhaps more time and oregano snd that bay k on aef. I’d also increase the salt.

  • Rutabaga on October 25, 2016

    Since my rice was done well before the rest of the meal, it sat in the covered pot off the heat for at least 15 minutes, which allowed it to continue slowly steaming. Otherwise, I think it would have likely been a little underdone and wet. It's a really nice basic recipe that goes well with a variety of cuisine, and adding the orzo is hardly more work than just cooking the rice.

  • Nossovitzky on June 28, 2024

    I make this all the time as a simple tasty side, especially to lamb.

  • alysekstokes on August 15, 2025

    A lovely twist on the classic Levantine vermicelli rice. This is a go-to in my house, and my copy of Jerusalem naturally opens to this page now!

  • michelle_yn1fi9 on May 04, 2026

    This recipe is a low effort good flavor recipe. It made a great side dish for the pork chops. It’ll work as a side dish for many proteins, so it’s a keeper.

• Shakshuka

  • Jane on February 03, 2013

    I loved this. I had it for lunch today and can see this becoming a regular. I made 1/2 quantity of the sauce and have enough left over for another lunch. When I tasted the sauce while it was cooking I thought it was very spicy but when eating it with the eggs, labneh and some warmed pita bread, the spice level was perfect. I used two eggs for one and, I didn't add the extra egg yolks. I'm not sure I see the point of that as it is quite a rich dish already, especially if adding labneh.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    This is recommended as a breakfast or lunch dish, but I had it for dinner. (If you have already made the pilpelchuma or have prepared Harissa, and you use canned tomatoes, this would be a quick weeknight meal.) It was flavorful, savory, comforting, and filling. I did use Harissa, and you really need to be aware of the spice levels of the condiment you choose because two tablespoons of my product would have killed the dish. I used two teaspoons for a half portion, and that worked for me.

  • fprincess on August 08, 2016

    This is simple to make - other than the bell peppers, everything else was basic pantry items. I found the result good, but not so good that I'd want to make it again any time soon. In the same vein, I much prefer a Basque piperade. Pictures heres: https://forums.egullet.org/topic/153318-lunch-whatd-ya-have-2016–/?do=findComment&comment=2067602

  • vickster on June 26, 2019

    I'm glad I read the advice of others to beware of the heat in my Harissa. I ended up using 1 tablespoon, but could have used more. Also, I drained the canned tomatoes and it was a bit dry. I won't drain next time. A very good dish!

  • radishseed on February 25, 2014

    This was delicious. So good, and so easy to make on a weeknight. I used canned tomatoes, and I had already made the pilpelchuma and labneh over the weekend. The recipe served two hungry people, using four eggs with no extra yolks, with the labneh and some bread and olives on the side. It was very spicy, so if you don't like dishes that make your nose run, I'd cut back on the chile paste. If I were making this for people who don't do spicy, I'd probably use about 2 t. of pilpelchuma (or harissa).

  • westminstr on October 22, 2013

    Made this last night for the second time. It is quick and easy, very tasty, and great this time of year when peppers are still in season. Unfortunately E and O both refused to eat it, so I'm not sure I'll be repeating this dish any time soon.

  • sharifah on December 19, 2012

    Felt good eating this dish, it was very tasty and easy for a mid-week meal. I cut down on the egg yolks and only used 4 eggs for the two of us. Followed the quantities for everything else and we polished it off. Definitely a dish that I would come back to again and again

  • adrienneyoung on December 08, 2012

    Argh! There are many harissas out there. Mine is not theirs. Recipe calls for 2 tbsp Harissa to sauté with two peppers, other spices and, eventually, 4 cups of chopped tomatoes. I used 2/3 of ONE tbsp of Harissa (thinking "gosh, hot, better cut back"). Ha! So hot only a few of my friends could eat it. I certainly can't. Note to self. Know thine Harissa... And taste carefully! That said, recipe has great promise, and is less oily than the superb shakshuka in Plenty.

  • wodtke on July 14, 2015

    Last month I had fabulous shakshuka two mornings in a row at Nopi, Yotam and Sami's restaurant in Soho. The Nopi website has this recipe, so I made it at home. Mine was, not surprisingly, not as good as at Nopi, but was pretty darn good. As the dynamic duo note on the website, they've had a couple of other shakshuka recipes, and all can be found on-line quite easily. This one seems simplified, using pilpelchuma or harissa in place of the many spices in the other recipes, and red bell peppers rather than a mix. I agree with Delys77 that the eggs cook faster than one might expect; be prepared to take them off the heat early. And I also agree with radishseed that 2 tablespoons of harissa would be too much -- I used two teaspoons. The version I had at Nopi definitely had some heat, but not in-your-face, more background. I like it like that.

  • stockholm28 on July 05, 2014

    Delicious, but I like Ottolenghi's version from "Plenty" better. This one emphasizes tomato and has a lot of heat from the harissa, which I thought was great. I skipped the egg yolks and just made with the whole eggs.

  • Rinshin on July 10, 2014

    I made this for 3 people with different taste preference. I thought this recipe was good but not blow my mind excellent, my husband thought so so but he does not care for very spicy foods (I did halve the harissa), and my nephew who loves all kinds of food and already cooking since he was 13 did not like the taste combination. I wondered about that and came to a conclusion that there are people who do not like the tomato and cumin only combination. I think I will stick to shakshuka from Plenty because I really liked the addition of green/red peppers better.

  • Delys77 on January 19, 2015

    Pg. 87 Be very careful of your eggs as they looked like they weren't done, so you went with an extra 5 minutes and they were fully set. Flavour wise the sauce was excellent and it complimented the eggs very well, plus I quite liked the peppers in this. It is a very generous serving.

  • e_ballad on September 23, 2017

    I'm with @stockholm28 on this one: a nice dish, but we prefer the recipe from "Plenty".

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    This is my go-to Saturday morning treat when I am home alone. I love it. I agree with Adrienne though, "know thine harissa" - they vary so much...

  • Agaillard on October 07, 2017

    Just cooked this... That was my first Shakshuka and so I had no baseline for comparison but I liked it... It was nice and warm and comforting... I put too much cumin but it was not too bothering, I subbed the harissa with cayenne pepper as did not have on hand. I halved the recipe as this was for one, and did not have labneh or yogurt, Will try again with the variations next time to see if I like other recipes better, but I did like that one, nice and simple.

  • jenverde on February 20, 2019

    I made this last night and I thought it was delicious. It was my first Shakshuka to make and taste. Per other reviewers directions, I used two teaspoons of a store-bought harissa sauce which had a nice kick but not too overpowering. Also I used 6 whole eggs as opposed to 4 eggs and 4 yolks. I served it with Greek yogurt which turned the sauce into a delicious creamy concoction that can be sopped up by a piece of crusty bread. Yum! This will be part of the regular rotation.

  • cbk15 on June 29, 2025

    Simple and delicious brunch! I didn’t have harissa paste/the time to make the chili sauce in the book so I subbed the Huy Fong Chili Garlic sauce + dried Harissa seasonig to great effect. I also added some feta at the end instead of Labneh.

  • mackerman on November 29, 2020

    Delicious shakshuka. I added smoky paprika and about a tbs. of balsamic vinegar and served with my homemade sourdough bread..yum.

  • csmith1 on May 31, 2026

    I love shakshuka, and am always eager to try different variations. This was great! Will definitely make again (I used rose harissa)

• Butternut squash & tahini spread

  • westminstr on January 31, 2013

    Made a half recipe, still had leftovers. It was great though, we liked it a lot.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    I enjoyed this, but not nearly as much as the similar beet and yogurt spread in the book (even though I like butternut squash much more than beets). For me, I found the tahini flavor a bit too dominating of the squash, so I would definitely use less if making again. A pomegranate molasses drizzle instead of date syrup may be good as the spread is pretty sweet on its own. And as Delys77 mentions, this recipe makes a ton of dip, so this isn't a good choice unless you are feeding many people or want to eat this for days!

  • Delys77 on January 14, 2013

    Pg. 69 This yields a large amount of dip. I might consider halving the recipe in the future. Very tasty with pita and pretty good with veggies (some might not like a sweet dip with veggies), plus I think it would be a very interesting addition to a pita sandwich (perhaps paired with pork). Definite winner, but only in specific applications. Great for a party for those who like spreads and dips, especially ones with interesting slightly sweet flavours.

  • Breadcrumbs on September 27, 2015

    p. 69 - Well it took me 2 years but I finally got around to making this delicious spread from when I first read reviews of it on CH. Unfortunately my Greek yogurt was past its prime so I ended up subbing crème fraiche. We enjoyed this very much. The flavour of the spread was a bit sweet so I added a splash of lemon juice to balance things out a bit. We enjoyed this very much and it definitely won’t take me 2 years to make it again! Photo here: http://www.chowhound.com/post/january-2013-cotm-jerusalem-vegetables-beans-grains-soups-884301?commentId=9733363#9733363

  • hlange on September 25, 2023

    Absolutely delicious. What a delectable fall starter. The result is sweet with perfectly balanced and subtle flavors of cinnamon and tahini. Loved the addition of the date syrup. Very morish. Could eat it with a spoon. Make sure your butternut squash is perfectly ripe.

  • pomegranate on November 12, 2022

    This is addicting. I’ve made it many times and always omit the pomegranate molasses. Delicious! Have made a shakshuka out of it before, too. So so good.

  • elysedc on June 17, 2022

    this dip is UN. REAL. yes, it is absolutely on the sweeter side. it does also make quite a lot of dip, but wow - I ended up eating the leftovers with a spoon. SO. GOOD.

  • Ganga108 on January 10, 2022

    An easy, late in the day dish to cook. It is divine with flatbread. It does make a lot though. A couple of days later I mixed the remainder of the spread with some stock, added chunks of potatoes and other veg, and simmered for a divine soup.

  • linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

    I have made this several times and always get compliments. Dont over do the date syrup. Its rather sweet already from the squash and cinnamon.

  • ChelseaP on May 21, 2021

    Delicious dip.

  • e_ballad on January 07, 2018

    Given everyone’s reviews making note of its sweetness, I thought I’d try to counterbalance this & used a smallish portion of this with lamb. It is still too sweet for our family’s palate, even with a mere drizzle of date syrup (which we are big fans of usually).

  • sarahj22 on February 23, 2025

    My friend made this as part of a spread and it was divine. It went beautifully with a range of Middle Eastern salads, veggie dishes and breads.

  • twoyolks on February 02, 2016

    The spread is good but it's heavy on the sweet side (particularly with the date syrup). It reminded me almost of a savory version of pumpkin pie filling.

• Balilah

  • westminstr on January 28, 2013

    Made a half recipe with a can of drained chickpeas, black pepper variation. So easy, so good!

  • onetui on January 08, 2013

    If you forget to soak the chickpeas or don't have time, use two 400g cans of chickpeas. So simple but so flavoursome.

  • cdagen on December 26, 2020

    This is a summer favorite!

• Kohlrabi salad

  • westminstr on July 19, 2013

    I made a very, very simple version of this kohlrabi salad to serve alongside the turkey-zucchini burgers on p. 200. Basically, since I observed that the kohlrabi salad dressing was very similar to the turkey burger sauce, I decided to use some of the turkey burger sauce to dress the kohlrabi. along with some chopped fresh mint. I used no dried mint and no greens (didn't have them on hand). I think Gio's version (with arugula and very firm pear) sounds great. This was my first time eating kohlrabi and I liked it well enough to want to experiment further.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    I had lots of kohlrabi from the CSA this year, so I was excited to try this recipe. It was tart and bright and a fine accompaniment to a meal, but would not be the star. If I made this again, I'd cut the kohlrabi a bit finer, and add a tad of heat. I skipped the mascarpone since I didn't have it on hand.

  • Astrid5555 on August 18, 2014

    Like all the other reviewers I would cut the kohlrabi into smaller pieces next time. Otherwise great new way to use kohlrabi in a salad.

  • Jardimc on June 15, 2023

    Luckily, I read the group notes and cut the Kohlrabi into batons. Had garlic scapes so used those instead of garlic. Delicious,

  • annapanna on June 16, 2013

    this was not bad, but I am not sure I''ll make it again. If I do I will chop the kohlrabi into smaller bits than suggested.The dressing was nice, although a bit thick, very similar to the one in the turkey-zucchini burgers.

  • KarinaFrancis on July 06, 2022

    Not reading the notes = rookie error. I cut big cubes and the Silver Fox wasn’t happy. The flavours were great, next time I’ll cut into batons or smaller cubes

  • MissQuin on October 14, 2013

    I sliced the kohlrabi into ribbons as the idea of eating big cubes didn't really appeal to me. Mixed up the dairy in the dressing to use what I had in the fridge - creme fraiche instead of sour cream, buttermilk instead of yoghurt and double cream (51% fat) instead of marscapone. Dressing was probably runnier that what it was meant to be but was still delicious. Was the perfect side for lamb.

• Roasted cauliflower & hazelnut salad

  • IvyManning on June 16, 2013

    Didn't love the celery in this, a bit jarring. But the hazelnuts and roasted cauliflower were great together, and the vinaigrette that includes allspice and cinnamon was lovely.

  • mziech on April 30, 2013

    Great recipe. Nice flavor combination.

  • blintz on May 12, 2013

    With purple, orange, and green cauliflower, this was both beautiful and delicious! Added extra hazelnuts for even more crunch.

  • Astrid5555 on August 12, 2021

    Delicious! Great textural contrast from the crunchy hazelnuts, maybe a little less cinnamon next time. The salad had a subtle Christmassy feeling, which was a little weird for an August BBQ side. Apart from that, just perfect!!

  • TrishaCP on February 14, 2016

    I really enjoyed this salad- I agree the key to success is to get the cauliflower well roasted. I also thought that to get the sweet flavors in line, it does also need to be well-seasoned with salt and pepper. I added the celery and I would again-I liked the crunch and brightness.

  • westminstr on October 05, 2015

    Years later, I finally got around to trying this salad. I loved the hazelnuts and cauliflower together but the dressing didn't do it for me. I think the allspice and maple syrup were just a little much. My guests loved it though

  • mindyb on October 04, 2019

    Made this for Rosh Hashanah- I took the advice of prior reviewers and added less maple syrup and roasted the cauliflower for a long time- thanks for the great advice. I tripled the recipe which was straightforward. Everyone liked it and was a great room-temp addition to the dinner. The celery-haters did not like the celery and I would possibly omit next time

  • kmattingly on April 22, 2013

    Unusual mix of flavours but works magnificently.

  • ellwell on October 22, 2023

    I don’t see what all the hype is about. This dish was just okay. I made it exactly as the recipe was written. In my opinion, it could have benefited from more sauce. There are other better uses for cauliflower.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    Beautiful! The play of the celery against the tartness of the pomegranate and the sweet maple syrup is gorgeous.

  • elysedc on June 17, 2022

    Brought this to a Christmas eve potluck (the pomegranate seeds really pop against all the green!) and it was enjoyed by all. Left out the hazelnuts due to an allergy, it was still very enjoyable.

  • GC62 on May 24, 2021

    I made this per the recipe, but doubled the amount of Hazelnuts. Came out perfect; slightly sweet, slightly salty and good crunch.

  • jhallen on May 06, 2021

    This was really good - nice combination of textures and flavors. All in all, a tasty salad, and very colorful.

  • nlehrer on September 30, 2025

    I could drink this dressing

  • Hiker010 on January 11, 2026

    Made Nov 2018 -- pretty good

  • raybun on June 23, 2017

    We loved this salad. I omitted the celery as 2 out of 3 of us would have picked it out (not me!). The vinaigrette was perfectly balanced, and complimented the other ingredients very well. Served with the stuffed aubergines with lamb & pine nuts, also from Jerusalem.

  • Agaillard on March 30, 2022

    I was meh-ed at first - i found the sauce disappointing and the assembly of ingredients quite odd (and while I do like Ottolenghi I think he is overrated). But, put together, this was really nice and the sauce found its purpose. I really enjoyed it and will probably make again. Nice dish to surprise your guests with, in particular I think. Made again. The salad works, is pretty and original, very simple to make with an interesting combination of tastes and textures. That being said, not wow either.

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    Mmmmmmmm is my verdict!

  • clcorbi on January 02, 2017

    I really loved this combination of ingredients--this is a gorgeous winter salad. Unfortunately, I found the dressing to be too cloying for my taste, and I wasn't able to finish my serving. (I should add to be fair that H loved this salad as is and did not find it too sweet.) Next time I would omit the maple syrup and almost all of the cinnamon (as the combination made me think of a baked good every time I got a cinnamon-heavy bite). I'd also up the vinegar a bit. With those changes I can see how this salad could go into heavy rotation for us, as it makes lovely use of winter vegetables, and every bite has such a nice mix of textures.

  • anya_sf on May 29, 2017

    I thought this was fantastic. I did not find it too sweet (there is only 1/2 tbsp maple syrup). I liked the celery, but my husband didn't (but he never does). I would use half the cinnamon next time.

  • WFPLCleanEating on October 19, 2015

    Another Jerusalem recipe that I make often. The dressing is quite sweet but I like that with the roasted cauliflower. I skip the celery and use whatever nuts I have to hand. I'd run out of hazelnuts so this time I used pistachios - they should be roasted for a much shorter time than hazelnuts (or not at all). It looks pretty with the white/brown cauliflower, green parsley and glowing red pomegranate. - Jane

  • WFPLCleanEating on October 29, 2015

    Fantastic combination of flavors and textures! I never would've thought to put them together, but they work wonderfully. (RS-K)

  • hendrioso on December 29, 2014

    This is a great dish and as Ottolenghi mentions is its mild and warming spices are an excellent complement to the incredibley fragrant grilled fish skewers with hawajey.

  • Poppyseedbagel on May 02, 2020

    Pretty meh, compared with his other cauliflower salad recipes, and not worth the effort for me. The first Yotam recipe I haven’t swooned over.

  • adelina on November 08, 2016

    Overall a good dish but was not a big hit at my house on the sweeness of the salad dressing. Next time ill be careful in using cinnamon and maple syrup.

  • br22 on September 06, 2014

    This is my favorite recipe from Ottolenghi's Jerusalem book. Make sure to almost over-roast the cauliflower- the more carmelized it is the more successful the salad. The flavor combination is exceptional as is the combination of textures. Have made this dozens of times and never change a thing.

  • Barb_N on October 14, 2014

    My cookbook falls open to this page, I have made it so many times. This time I strayed quite a bit- some successful, some not so much. I added oat groats to make it a veg main. I tried to prep ahead- I roasted the cauliflower on the weekend. The groats tolerate being made ahead but the cauliflower was limp and greasy, and didn't crisp up with reheating. I always include the celery- a 1 cm dice strikes the right balance. I omit the pomegranate- never have it and don't like the crunch of arils. Tonight for the dressing I riffed on Diana Henry's Spiced chicken with melting onions and preserved lemons- olives, lemon, cumin, paprika and cayenne: very successful.

  • k.a.g on June 22, 2013

    This is the first Ottolenghi recipe I've made that I didn't really enjoy - for once the flavours didn't meld for me. I found the separate elements a bit disparate and jarring. I did really enjoy the pomegranate/nut/parsley combination, so I will probably play around with that a bit more, but for me it didn't really work with the cauliflower, which was kind of the whole point of the salad.

  • mondraussie on January 19, 2019

    Used pomegranate molasses instead of maple syrup - worked beautifully. Next time would reduce the cinnamon.

  • KarinaFrancis on January 27, 2014

    I've made this several times but never included celery based on previous comments. It's delicious and has converted me to cauliflower

  • stockholm28 on December 31, 2013

    Just ok. My cauliflower didn't get crispy.

  • Melanie on May 17, 2015

    Tasty and simple preparation, this dish has a great mix of textures. As per the header note, this is a lovely fresh salad for winter.

  • lilham on May 24, 2015

    Love this salad and it comes together so easily. I really enjoy the roasted cauliflower and celery with the dressing, pomegranate seeds and nuts. (I used whole pistachio instead of chopped hazelnut).

  • michalow on December 03, 2014

    Lovely mix of flavors. I have subbed toasted pumpkin seeds for the hazelnuts. Pomegranate is perfect here, but I have also subbed diced plums with success. Love the crunchy contrast of the celery.

  • sharifah on August 25, 2013

    This was OK....the roasted cauliflower was interesting, and the combo of hazelnuts, pomegranates and celery added a different texture. But it didn't have the usual Ottolenghi signature of punchy assorted flavours that comes together well. It's a bit non-descript...I made this for guests who are fussy eaters and do not like strong flavours and they thought this was lovely...so I think that says it all.

• Spicy carrot salad

  • IvyManning on June 16, 2013

    This was indeed very spicy, I'm backing off on the harissa next time.

  • TippyCanoe on April 23, 2013

    I found that the cooking time was a bit long and my carrots were quite soft. However, the spice blend was fantastic (I used harissa rather than Pilpelchuma and did not add caraway seeds as I was out of them), and I will make this again.

  • TrishaCP on November 13, 2013

    I am still trying to figure out the point of cooking the carrots in this recipe- I only cooked them half the time specified and they were still unpleasantly soft. My advice for others would be to do no more than a quick blanch of 1-2 minutes. However, the flavor was incredible. I loved the caramelized onions with the carrots and harissa. As for the spice level, I have found that I can't do a straight substitute of store-bought harissa for the book's pilpelchuma recipe- my harissa is much spicier. I used about 2 teaspoons of harissa in a half recipe, and that was plenty for me.

  • Astrid5555 on May 21, 2017

    Based on the previous reviews I blanched the carrots for three minutes only and I really liked that they still had some crunch. I also went easy on the Pilpelchuma, but added enough to enjoy the heat. Big hit with dinner party guests!

  • joanne_15p068 on March 02, 2026

    We make this about once a month. You need to pay attention to your carrots add pull them at the tenderness you prefer. I agree that I cook most carrots less than the recipe calls for. Different brands of harissa bring different flavors. You can always add more. I have been using a rose harissa lately that is quite delicious. We eat this with salmon or chicken sandwiches.

  • clcorbi on April 28, 2017

    I agree with the below commenters who found the carrots to be too soft. I think this salad would actually be more appealing made with raw grated carrots that were allowed to marinate in the dressing for a few hours. It would be easier to toss in the arugula that way, too. That being said, I'm not sure I'd make the effort to repeat this--the flavor of the dressing didn't do much for me.

  • ithyt on November 05, 2015

    Ok - I wasn't that keen on these flavours.

  • Melanie on May 17, 2015

    Loved this dish! A great one to make in advance for a dinner party - it's unusual and everybody enjoyed it. I enjoyed the softened carrots with the other flavours and used the substitute harissa. Good mix of flavours.

  • Rutabaga on May 19, 2014

    This salad packs a lot of heat, but if you use the pipelchuma as suggested, there's a great depth and richness behind the heat. I suggest adding about the half the amount of pipelcuma to start, then more to taste. You may find you don't need to cook the carrots for the full 20 minutes if yours are fairly small, but I think this dish is really meant for cooked carrots, as they will soak in the flavors in a way that raw or blanched carrots can't. Making it a full day ahead gives the flavors even more time to meld.

• Mixed bean salad

  • TippyCanoe on April 23, 2013

    Delicious! The spice & herb blend was fantastic and the technique of quickly roasting the peppers really added depth to their flavor. I loved this dish and will make it again with no changes.

  • senzler on May 30, 2022

    I too loved this dish. Made it because I had green beans and peppers I needed to use up. No yellow beans. I will make this again.

  • lholtzman on September 04, 2025

    Good, but I didn’t love the whole seeds. I would crush in the future.

  • joanne761994 on April 01, 2026

    Very fresh tasting but has felt more effort than it's worth the end result- good if you've got some strong tasting bits to a meal to help freshen your palette.

  • Rutabaga on September 03, 2014

    I made this for the second time, this time including yellow (wax) beans as suggested, which is definitely the way to go if you can. For herbs I used a mix of dill and cilantro, as I had those on hand. I also left out the cumin seeds (I had none) and used only about half the amount of suggested coriander seeds, as last time I felt the coriander was too much. Delicious and a great use of fresh beans!

  • Lepa on January 19, 2020

    This was fine but didn't feel worth all the extra steps. The simple green bean salad I usually make seems almost as good without all the fuss. I also felt like this needed some acid(?)

  • adelina on October 23, 2016

    Did not expect to like this salad as much just wanted something for a change and trusted the reviews. I did not have any yellow beans and used fresh green peas with green Roman beans. Other than that, I followed the recipe per written. This was a great side with the roasted chicken and Jerusalem artichokes from the same book.

  • ithyt on April 24, 2016

    4.16 Didn't use peppers - just used 1/2 a lemon I/s of zest. Tasty but would cooler w peppers - kids enjoyed. Herbs just used parsley & tarragon. 4.16 Yum again. quite different and nice for a change. Added peppers this time which looked great.

  • anya_sf on May 29, 2017

    I really liked this. Used dill and parsley, since I couldn't find chervil.

  • KarinaFrancis on January 25, 2023

    I didn’t have any yellow beans, which might have made it a touch prettier. It was a lovely side dish with some bbq pork. I did tinker a little by using ground spices instead of seeds, fried the capsicum instead of roasting them, and added a squeeze of lemon based on Lepa’s comment. I’d make again

  • stockholm28 on July 24, 2019

    I was out of garlic, so substituted a shallot; garlic would have been better. This is a good make ahead bean dish served at room temperature. I think the oil would have been better if the cumin and coriander seed had been added to the oil before the garlic. The seeds don’t have time to ”pop” when you add at the end.

  • rmardel on September 21, 2024

    Fabulous! I used parsley and mint as that was what was in the kitchen and pouring rain started just as I walked into the kitchen so I did not venture out to the herb garden. I also did not have a red bell pepper in the house, but had a couple of red Fresno chiles, so I used them. I realize this made the salad more spicy and less sweet, but it worked. I think it would work either way.

• Roasted potatoes with caramel & prunes

  • Lauraine on January 19, 2013

    Caramel on potatoes? It sounded a bit far fetched but turned out to be a stunning dish. I used Agria potatoes which are golden and floury, so they were really crunchy. I made the caramel several hours ahead and reheated it gently.

  • debnharold on January 07, 2014

    I made this using canola oil instead of goose fat (setting oven only to 450 because of smoke point of oil), and apricots instead of prunes....it was pretty amazing, but make sure to serve immediately.

  • luluf on October 28, 2021

    My potatoes were a bit too crispy and my caramel seized when I added the water so it wasn’t a total success. If I make it again, I will add the water to the sugar to the water before heating which is how I usually make caramel

  • Boffcat on May 13, 2017

    I was too impatient with my caramel and burnt it, so improvised by instead tossing a good glug of date syrup through the potatoes for the final few minutes of roasting. The result was delicious and extremely popular, as well as healthier and simpler than the original recipe, so I'll definitely be making it this way again!

• Sabih

  • honeymilkyum on December 22, 2012

    Taste is incredible, we often add mango chutney on the sandwich too as an added oomph (not that it doesn't have enough ka-CHOW, but this sandwich deserves an overload of flavours I think!)

  • Barb_N on June 04, 2014

    There are many components to this dish so it helps if you have them made in advance- the zhoug (spicy herb sauce) and pickle in particular. I use my own Indian lime pickle that I make regularly. If you grill the eggplant in advance then assembly is simple. Each person can adjust the spice to their liking. You get a new flavor in every bite. Last night instead of eggs I borrowed part of this cookbook's open kibbeh recipe and made little meatballs.

• Swiss chard fritters

  • Astrid5555 on March 02, 2013

    This is fritter heaven! The herbs complement the Swiss chard perfectly and the feta adds a nice salty touch. Served with spiced chickpeas & vegetable salad as a side.

  • fprincess on May 20, 2026

    With chard and parsley from the garden, this was delicious. Substituted fennel fronds for the dill and a few flowering basil leaves for the cilantro. Served with yoghurt & sumac. It tastes fresh, green, and delicious. 1/2 recipe makes 4 fritters which a good size for 1 person.

  • alinutzamica on May 25, 2025

    The nutmeg flavour was too overpowering for me. Not sure whether it was the freshly grated nutmeg that made the difference. Otherwise they are easy to make and I think I would like them better without the nutmeg flavour.

  • paulabee on March 13, 2023

    These fritters are great-- they are lighter than a lot of similar recipes. I subbed GF flour for wheat and it didn't compromise the texture. I didn't have cilantro so just used the dill and parsley, which is a lovely combo and worked well.

  • EmilyR on August 22, 2018

    These were a hit - very simple (just mixed in the vitamix). I added some lemon zest and served them with labneh mixed with preserved lemon.

  • Rutabaga on July 04, 2017

    I liked these fritters, but my husband and six-year-old weren't fans, although they decided that adding sour cream was a big improvement. The one-year-old, on the other had, gobbled them up, which was a real victory considering how few veggies he eats. Generally, I thought the taste was great (at least if you like chard and herbs), butI think I might prefer a chunkier texture, maybe finely chipping the chard and herbs instead of pureeing them.

• Roasted aubergine with fried onion & chopped lemon

  • kate_8v3dzp on April 05, 2026

    So different and delicious!

  • william_twih48 on March 05, 2026

    This was really delicious and simply dish to make. I ate it as a side with Turkey Zucchini burgers in the book and it was a yummy paring!

  • senzler on May 30, 2022

    This is a delightful, easy, fresh dish. I have used it as a side but also eaten it leftover for lunch.

• Lemony leek meatballs

  • mondraussie on January 01, 2016

    Delicious, and as previous reviewer noted, does go very well with pumpkin mash.

  • twoyolks on November 15, 2016

    These are less meatballs than they are leek fritters with a little bit of meat. However, they're really quite good. The leeks add a mild flavor to the meatballs and there's just enough meat to make them rich enough. The lemon flavor goes well with this.

  • j_h on January 09, 2015

    If serving as a main, this goes quite well with Pumpkin mash from Marie Claire: Kitchen: The Ultimate Recipe Collection by Michele Cranston - http://www.eatyourbooks.com/library/recipes/629234/pumpkin-mash

  • clcorbi on December 31, 2016

    My first recipe from this cookbook--delicious! I think these make a great main course and, although I don't always like yogurt with savory dishes, I really loved the combination here. I did deviate from the cooking method a bit for these--rather than steaming and blending the leeks, which seemed fussy, we finely diced them and sautéed them until they were soft, then mixed them in with the rest of the meatball ingredients. I made the meatballs a bit smaller than recommended because I was afraid they'd fall apart, so I probably ended up with 12 or 13. I also only simmered them in the stock//lemon juice for about 17-18 minutes before removing the lid and letting the liquid reduce. Served with the yogurt and herb garnish (we used cilantro), plus some pita and hummus, this was a lovely dinner. Note to self: next time, try these with shallots or onion as leeks are crazy expensive.

  • e_ballad on June 22, 2017

    Unlike other reviewers for this recipe, we were quite underwhelmed by these meatballs. I never thought I'd use this word to describe an Ottolenghi recipe: bland. A sprinkling of Aleppo pepper improved things, but still not enough for a repeat showing.

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 13, 2015

    Yummy! (Rachel S-K)

  • stef on January 04, 2021

    Nice tender meatball. I added half tablespoon of harrissa to give them some zap. A repeat

  • Rutabaga on November 16, 2016

    These meatballs have a light, delicate flavor. I used ground turkey, and made them into about twelve small patties, so they only needed about ten minutes of cooking in a little chicken stock and lemon juice after being well browned. They weren't as popular as more traditional (read: meat-centric) meatballs with my husband and son, but they still liked them.

  • SarahL on November 21, 2025

    Loved these - they were light and hearty at the same time, with excellent flavor. Liked the ratio of leeks to beef, and they were easy to make ahead of time. The sauce took longer to reduce, so next time I wouldn’t cover the pan for so long.

  • Baxter850 on May 25, 2021

    Made smaller balls for a party. Think my stock wasn’t hot enough because the balls were a bit mushy. Finished them in the sauté pan to firm them up. Nice flavor. Fun, light and fresh. Would make again but try the variation called for in the book.

  • greatembini on December 30, 2018

    Delicious! Delightfully lemony, with a soft texture that my husband wasn't fond of but that the rest of the family enjoyed.

• Root vegetable slaw with labneh

  • bernalgirl on February 26, 2025

    A solid root slaw that is a perfect winter salad. I omitted the beets and added a 5” portion of daikon, and followed his substitution of Greek yogurt as I’m out of lebneh. It’s crisp and bright, the lebneh/yogurt is a welcome complement, and the whole thing went well with merguez and flatbread.

  • michalow on July 01, 2017

    Crunchy and bright -- well worth all the chopping.

  • Rutabaga on March 28, 2014

    This salad is beautiful, and makes a fresh, bright-tasting accompaniment to rich rice or meat dishes. It provides a great pop of color on your menu.

  • Barb_N on June 04, 2014

    Colorful, crunchy and a welcome tweak to the palate during the cold months. Somewhat labor intensive unless you use a food processor or a julienne blade. Don't mix until the last minute or the beets will turn everything magenta.

  • sosayi on July 16, 2018

    Our CSA showered us with beets and kohlrabi and I think I had everything but one of the herbs on hand... so EYB led me to this salad. And, I am so glad it did! Crunchy, crisp, light and bright... it was a great summer slaw. It contrasted beautifully with the tandoori black cod served with it (a big more rich of a fish) by our hosts. We didn't have labneh, but the headnote instructs you to add lots of garlic, salt and olive oil to regular greek yogurt as a substitute and we thought that worked quite well (and also added a lot to the dish). Definite repeat.

  • leanne_g0a66l on April 26, 2026

    Found this quite acidic - perhaps I overdid the lemon or vinegar.

• Chermoula aubergine with bulgar & yoghurt

  • PinchOfSalt on May 10, 2013

    Here's a recipe that is greater than the sum of its parts. The minted bulgur salad was excellent and well worth preparing and serving on its own. Be sure to use fresh mint as called for. The eggplant can be prepared ahead of time, but be careful when baking it not to overcook it. The Chermoula can become crunchy if it dries out. Do not give into any temptation to omit the yogurt. The contrast between the gently spicy and unctuous eggplant, the fresh taste and pebbly texture of the bulgur, and the creaminess of the Greek yogurt (I used Fage) was wonderful.

  • westminstr on September 19, 2013

    Loved everything about this recipe. Among other things, I think this is a great candidate for a vegetarian thanksgiving main course.

  • TrishaCP on August 31, 2021

    This has been on my “to make” list forever, and it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the chermoula with the eggplant, and the combination with the yogurt and bulgur salad was great.

  • Prim on August 26, 2013

    This is an excellent recipe. Very good flavor.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    Ottolenghi finds a way to bring his touch to baked eggplant – by smothering it in chermoula and serving the gorgeous baked dish with burghul and yoghurt. Yum. Quite magnificent.

  • CourtneyT on April 08, 2024

    Gorgeous! We loved this and will certainly make again. We didn't hold back with the oil and the result did not feel overly greasy.

  • adelina on December 14, 2014

    My kids loved the bulgur salad. I omitted the green onion and used parsley instead of cilantro since I did not have any. The eggplants were ok for me. I think I will reserve the chermula serve with yogurt next time. It was too strong when it cooked with the eggplants. Also since my kids don't care for raisins, I substituted grape molasses.

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 16, 2015

    This is a good vegetarian main course. The intense flavors of the chermoula really lifts the bland flavor of baked eggplant. And I loved the bulgar salad - I would make that again separately. - Jane

  • Foodycat on January 26, 2015

    Absolutely delicious - and lends itself to being halved for two people, which was nice!

  • michalow on August 30, 2021

    I loved the bulgur component of this dish. I used long, skinny eggplants and I think they were not optimal for this cooking method, but they tasted good. As others have mentioned, I used far less oil than the recipe calls for and I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything.

  • helenevans on July 02, 2014

    I love this recipe and agree with the other reviews. I reduce the oil in the chermoula considerably - to just enough to bind the spices together - and this works fine too

  • EmilyR on October 01, 2019

    I had prepped my eggplant for something else and then decided to give this a go since I had all of the ingredients and herbs to use, so my eggplant was sliced up more and served salad-esque. The chermoula had some heat due to some strong red pepper flakes, but it was a really nice dish. I unfortunately didn't have bulgur so I used farro instead and preserved lemon labneh to replace the greek yogurt. Another vote for less oil all around. This is a very "Ottolenghi" dish - all of the little elements make the dish.

• Charred okra with tomato, garlic & preserved lemon

  • kari500 on August 10, 2020

    I was excited to get okra in my CSA this week, and came to EYB to find something fun to do with it. My okra was bigger than called for here, but I made it anyway. This was a hit, and I’ll happily make it again. Served as a side with chicken biryani.

  • lorloff on August 25, 2018

    Really great recipie. I doubled the parsley and cilantro which I harvested from the garden. The smokiness was fantastic.

  • abrownb1 on September 12, 2021

    I usually hate okra because of its slimy texture when stewed etc but figured I'd try this and low and behold the quick cooking keeps it from becoming goo. I only had large okra and it worked well. Be ready for a lot of smoke while cooking. Would leave out the preserved lemon next time as I felt it took over the dish but the cooking technique is a keeper.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    I love this recipe – it is so versatile, and the sort of recipe you can pre-prepare the ingredients, charring the okra and tossing it with the other ingredients at the last moment. The preserved lemon and fresh lemon juice contrast so wonderfully with the charred but still crunchy okra. This dish is GOOD. The okra can also be charred on the BBQ (grill), tossing them on the hot plate as you sip wine and talk to friends. Then throw them into a pan and toss them with the other ingredients and place on the table for your guests to munch on (try with some flat bread) while you get on with BBQing the rest of the meal. I use a kadhai (Indian wok, flatter than a Chinese one) to make this dish, it is perfect for it.

  • Tweedles81 on July 26, 2019

    So incredibly delicious and so easy to make - it probably took 15 minutes including prep time! I accidentally cooked the okra in oil to start but I don’t think it negatively impacted the outcome. This is my first time making an Ottolenghi recipe - I plan on making many more based on this experience!

  • Zosia on April 30, 2015

    Having never had okra before apart from in gumbo, this dish was quite a revelation. It was tender-crisp without sliminess and had an artichoke-asparagus-like flavour with some smokiness from the charred bits. The tomatoes and lemon (I used some of my freshly made quick pickled lemons) added a nice acid component but I think it would have been delicious with just a little lemon juice.

  • sheepishjen on October 02, 2016

    Love this recipe. It seems like such a little bit of parsley and cilantro, but they still add plenty of punch and the preserved lemons and tomatoes really brighten up the okra.

• Burnt aubergine with garlic, lemon & pomegranate seeds

  • Astrid5555 on January 01, 2014

    Delicious, and can be made in advance. Very refreshing taste from the lemons and herbs. Much better option than any traditional babaganous recipe.

  • TrishaCP on April 20, 2014

    Overall verdict for me was fine but nothing special. I forgot to serve this with the pomegranate seeds, so maybe I missed out in what would set this recipe apart, but I think they would have helped with the visual appeal if nothing else! I found the plain eggplant dip to be tasty but possibly not worth the time it took to burn the eggplants (I used the roasting method which worked fine.) I did give it a quick blend in the food processor since I was worried the eggplant strands would be hard to eat. Compared to a traditional baba ghanoush recipe, I didn't miss the tahini at all.

  • Rutabaga on April 09, 2014

    I thought this had wonderful flavor, and loved the bright pop of the pomegranate seeds. My husband, on the other hand, wasn't a fan of the pomegranate, but actually preferred the unadorned eggplant. It's amazing how rich and silky the burnt eggplant becomes.

  • Barb_N on July 20, 2020

    I substituted pomegranate molasses for seeds - both due to preference and lack of access (#covidcooking). A nice change from tahini based baba ghanoush.

  • clcorbi on August 15, 2017

    Yum. I made this for book club. I ran it through my food processor because my burnt eggplant didn't break down quite as much as I wanted. This got me a nice, scoopable texture. Also, I upped the garlic to 3 cloves, which I would do again. I served this with pita chips and everyone really seemed to enjoy it. Unfortunately, I didn't have any pomegranate seeds for the garnish, but I think the sweet/savory flavor would be lovely here so I'll make sure not to skip them next time. I added some sliced scallions as a garnish to compensate.

  • Frogcake on October 03, 2021

    Delicious. I didn’t have a pomegranate so I drizzled pomegranate syrup on it. Would make this again.

  • JLDuck on September 14, 2016

    Absolutely brilliant with the fish and caper kebabs.

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 13, 2015

    Kind of bland in flavor. (Rachel S-K)

  • Hansyhobs on January 29, 2022

    Nice, although I used a very large garlic clove so it's a bit overwhelming.

• Chunky courgette & tomato salad

  • zorra on July 05, 2015

    Have a feeling you could stop at any point with this recipe & it would still be a welcome new way with zucchini. Omitted some ingredients due to lack or laziness. But the crunchy combination of grilled squash & tomatoes with garlicky yogurt was delicious. Even the leftovers were good cold.

  • lilham on June 29, 2013

    Delicious. I used golden syrup instead of date syrup. The yoghurt dressing is slightly sweet, which tastes a lot like yoghurt with thai sweet chilli sauce. I found walnuts bitter and will use less than suggested next time. I served this with fish finger baguettes for a lazy summer lunch.

  • westminstr on July 31, 2013

    Sadly, this one just didn't do it for us. Part of the problem was with my zucchini (lots of seeds), but we just didn't love the flavors of this dish. The walnuts, mint, sweet yogurt -- it just didn't all come together for us in a good way. My first recipe from the book that I definitely would not repeat.

  • mondraussie on July 05, 2015

    Also used golden syrup to good result. Loved the flavours in this.

  • Nancarrow on April 02, 2021

    Also great with roasted almonds instead of the walnuts

  • AmomentOfMusic on July 29, 2025

    I'm often skeptical of recipes with roast tomatoes but this one won me over. Wonderful refreshing flavour and surprisingly filling served with pita bread. I liked that the zucchini was charred and fully cooked, but still retained its shape. I put them in for an extra five minutes while I charred the tomatoes and they came out perfect for me. I only made one notable change, subbing a mix of pomegranate molasses and maple syrup for the date syrup, which I thought worked well. Asides from that, I used just a regular cast iron pan instead of grill pan which I then popped into the oven with the tomatoes still in it. This ended up being a good decision as it helped contained the copious liquid they released. The zucchini was in a seperate roasting tin, which prevented them from getting soggy. Finally, I briefly roasted the walnuts in the same time as the zucchini while the vegetables drained. Would definitely recommend!

• Tabbouleh

  • Astrid5555 on September 03, 2016

    Delicious! I also soaked my bulgur in boiling water for 5 minutes, was perfect. Lots of herbs, loved the addition of the baharat spice mix! Great with the optional pomegranate seeds. One of the best tabbouleh salads I have made so far.

  • Ganga108 on September 10, 2022

    Honestly, I chop the parsley and mint in the food processor, and concur with others that the bulgur needs soaking. A lovely version of a salad that I love.

  • GaryCooks on April 14, 2024

    I made this to go with Jeruselum’s Chicken With Caramelized Onion & Cardamon Rice. I’d made it a couple times before and really liked it. I didn’t have fine bulgar wheat, so I took barley and ground it in my spice mill and used it without soaking. I don’t know if that would be considered an acceptable substitution, but, oh well, you do what you can with what you’ve got, right?

  • Rutikazooty on June 21, 2021

    Not a great salad. Did all the work, used fine grain bulgur, loads of parsley and mint chopped fine and multiplied by 4 to bring to a party. Just felt like return wasn't there for the intense fine chopping labor that was hinted at in story as being women's work to find a husband. If I make this again, it will be not finely chopped or chopped in semi-automated machine.

  • joyofcooking1931 on December 14, 2014

    Yum! This was so delicious! Tons of parsley, mint, and spices make this a really flavorful and refreshing tabbouleh. I ended up soaking my bulgur for a few minutes in boiling water (the recipe has you rinse the bulgur, but after I rinsed mine thoroughly it was still too hard. The recipe calls for fine bulgur, which is what I used, but the quick soak made all the difference. Otherwise, great recipe.

  • Melanie on March 12, 2016

    This was delicious - I made in bulk for a party and it was a big hit. I skipped the optional pomegranate.

• Swiss chard with tahini, yoghurt & buttered pine nuts

  • chriscooks on October 31, 2015

    The sauce is fantastic. It can be used for lots of other purposes. The chard was a problem. I followed the directions closely but ended up with chewy chard that was unappealing. The flavors were great but the texture did not work. Maybe it depends on the age of the chard?

  • TrishaCP on February 22, 2021

    This is a very flavorful way to cook chart. The yogurt sauce really gilds the lily. I didn't think it was any more time-consuming than prepping chard for a simple sauté.

  • anya_sf on August 31, 2021

    We enjoyed this. Made 1/2 recipe, which was just enough for 3, but the full amount of sauce since we had it with mejadra, which can be dry. Blanched the chard ahead of time so this was a quick saute while the mejadra steamed.

  • cultus.girl on November 27, 2018

    Great flavours. I agree it is a little time consuming however well worth it and I next time I would do the chopping well ahead.

  • adelina on November 21, 2016

    I like the sauce. My mom makes a similar recipe with spinach and serves with garlic yogurt. I agree that the chard was not chewy enough and next time I will.so I e the chard more thinly for cooking and don't forget using the most important ingredient -wine!

  • acwebb2 on July 29, 2025

    The chard itself was just ok, it didn't have much flavor and the prep was time consuming. The sauce and toasted pine nuts were incredible, you could slather them on a piece of cardboard and it would be delicious.

  • kate_8v3dzp on April 05, 2026

    I only had greens from my garden and when I boiled them they shrank to nothing, so I stirred them into the tahini sauce and we used flatbread to eat it up! Delish!

  • Ganga108 on September 05, 2022

    This dish punches above its weight. It turns the common greens into an amazing dish. A bit of prep work involved (chopping), but very much worth it. I might use a few pulses of the food processor next time. I took note of comments here that said to dice more finely and cook longer - glad that I did. I prefer greens sliced thinly anyway, rather than chunky. A DELICIOUS dish. The yoghurt-tahini-lemon-garlic sauce is an important component - the pairing with the greens is magical. Buttery pine nuts provide texture. A few pots and pans, and utensils to wash, but worth the effort. This recipe will go up there as a firm favourite with the greens gratin I made recently from Lulu's Table. Note that I didn't use the sweet paprika - truly I forgot but don't think it needs it anyway (although listed in ingredients here it is optional). Also I cooked enough greens that there are leftovers for some buttery spinach rice, or another gratin. Or I just might make this dish again.

  • dosojosazules on May 11, 2024

    Loved this. Favorite way to eat chard.

  • DePollepel on August 25, 2021

    note very special

  • Jardimc on August 25, 2025

    @TrishaCP called it - lily gilding! What with the wine, and pine nuts and tahini sauce! But as usual, YO is masterful and the chard was delicious.

  • lholtzman on January 28, 2025

    I’ve made this twice now. You can steam the chard if you want, but I also found it easiest to cook everything in a wok. I used dry sherry the first time and it worked. Second time I used wine and it imparts a much subtler flavor. If you want the tahini paste a little looser, add a small amount of water to get preferred consistency.

  • bernalgirl on February 14, 2026

    This is probably pretty fantastic on its own but I was bringing it to a dinner and expanded the recipe by adding lacinato kale (blanched a minute longer than the chard stems) and two Delicata squash roasted with olive oil and harissa. I also used slivered almonds in place of pine nuts and added a teaspoon of za’atar to the yogurt sauce. It received rave reviews and I’d absolutely make it again, even with just chard.

  • bernalgirl on February 14, 2026

    This is probably pretty fantastic on its own but I was bringing it to a dinner and expanded the recipe by adding lacinato kale (blanched a minute longer than the chard stems) and two Delicata squash roasted with olive oil and harissa. I also used slivered almonds in place of pine nuts and added a teaspoon of za’atar to the yogurt sauce. It received rave reviews and I’d absolutely make it again, even with just chard.

  • saladdays on January 15, 2014

    Definitely recommend serving this with mejadra which is also in this book, the pine nuts and tahini sauce are really excellent, mejadra can sometimes be dry so the sauce provides extra moisture.

  • KarinaFrancis on October 18, 2024

    Great back pocket side dish and can be flexible. Next time I’ll add a pinch of chilli, maybe some lemon to the greens. One to repeat

  • jenniesb on February 16, 2015

    Made this for Superbowl 2015. I made this in a dutch oven enameled pot and took it off the heat after sauteeing the pine nuts because the butter was starting to get really brown. I added the garlic and let it sweat off the heat, then put it back on and proceeded with the rest of the recipe. I also added currants to my version when the wine was cooking down - I love the savory-sweet contrast.

  • Rutabaga on February 16, 2015

    This a wonderful way to enjoy chard. The tahini yogurt sauce is also great for other dishes; we served it with the mejadra recipe in the book, as suggested by the authors, and that sauce definitely elevated the dish. You could also substitute other vegetables for the chard. Although this is a little more work than some vegetable side dishes, most of the work can be done in advance, and the final sautee of the garlic and chard takes no more than 10 minutes.

• Falafel

  • Astrid5555 on January 02, 2015

    I was surprised how easy they were to make. Used a meat grinder as stated, worked out very well! Delicious and very crunchy while fresh, but very dry a few hours later. These are meant to be eaten right away.

  • twoyolks on April 27, 2013

    I had no problem getting the falafel to stick together but I did use a meat grinder to purée the chickpeas. The only issue I had was that I didn't mix the spices into the chickpea mixture well enough.

  • lilham on January 30, 2013

    This makes the driest and cruchiest falafels I've ever made. The mixture would not hold together when I dropped them into the pan. After three failed falafels, I added an egg into the mixture. That seemed to do the trick. Other posters on chowhound suggested adding more flour to bind the mixture together instead. Ottolenghi said to use oil at 180C. I don't have a thermometer so I can't tell the temperature of my oil, but it's far too hot. My falafels were a bit on the blackish side after 3 min in the oil. I might try pan frying next time.

  • annapanna on September 28, 2014

    I have finally found a falafel recipe that works! If you mix the soaked chickpeas with the herbs and the onion first and then put that through the meat grinder (as Ottolenghi suggests twice) everything will blend really well. Make sure you leave the mixture to rest in the fridge. I didn't put as much water as suggested, as it looked already pretty wet - I actually added one last spoon of flour before forming the falafel. We had these with pita, chopped salad and tahini sauce, both also in Jerusalem.

  • michalow on April 09, 2019

    These came out perfectly for me. I pulsed the chickpeas/onion/garlic/herbs in a food processor, stopping just short of turning the mix into a paste. After incorporating the final ingredients, I left the mix in the refrigerator for several hours, then shallow fried, flipping half way through. Everything stayed together and they were crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, just as I'd hoped. Spicing is mild -- they're good as is but I might bump up the coriander next time.

  • Rachaelsb on March 29, 2020

    I wasn’t sure given some of reviews but our family thought these were the real deal!! No problems with it holding together-needed a good hour in fridge. And flavor was just perfect.

  • VineTomato on August 03, 2017

    I've cooked this three or four times and keep returning rather than trying a new recipe. It is really very good - we skip the cardamom powder (not a fan of the flavour) and increase the herbs to a good handful of each. We don't have a mincer and blending the chickpeas in batches with a hand blender (in the closed jug) works well.

  • NikkiPixie on November 16, 2014

    These were amazing, some of the best falafel I've had outside of the Middle East. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly, but I don't have a meat grinder so used a mini food processor instead. I had no problem getting the falafel to stick together, although they were quite fragile until sealed in the hot oil. Much easier than I expected, will definitely repeat.

  • treay on November 15, 2024

    First time I made these falafels and was very impressed. The combination of the dishes suggested by the author was truly delicious! Yum

  • joyofcooking1931 on December 14, 2014

    These turned out quite delicious, but still not as good as I'd like them to be. My mixture was a bit too crumbly (not sure why--I used a food processor because I don't have a meat grinder handy, so maybe that was it?), but I added a bit more flour, and they held together just fine. I thought they were a bit on the dry side. Overall, though, a pretty decent recipe.

  • Rutabaga on June 20, 2019

    For me, these falafel turned out reasonably well, but not great. I decided to try using the immersion blender to puree the chickpeas, as I have no meat grinder nor food processor, and I've yet to figure out the best way to prepare falafel at home. Perhaps the immersion blender made the mixture too pasty, because the falafel were fairly dense, lacking that light, almost crumbly texture I prefer. I also like more herbs in my falafel, so would increase the amount of both parsley and cilantro, which might also benefit the texture. Maybe it's time to purchase a meat grinder!

  • shoffmann on August 12, 2017

    Excellent. Very crispy and good spice. I ended up adding a bit of extra flour to get these to stick together well enough to make it into the hot oil.

• Split wheat & Swiss chard with pomegranate molasses

  • fprincess on November 09, 2016

    Recipe link: http://www.food.com/recipe/wheat-berries-with-swiss-chard-and-pomegranate-molasses-493794

  • XiBon on July 21, 2022

    I make this often. Very tasty with grilled cheese or with a nice piece of lamb or beef. I've substituted at one point or another the chard for spinach, and the pomegranate molasses for tamarind concentrate and a bit more sugar. Comes together quickly and cooks while you prepare the rest.

  • Barb_N on June 04, 2014

    I have made this a couple times with wheat berries or whole grain barley- meh. With the pomegranate molasses I thought it would have more zing but it did not appeal.

  • Melanie on September 13, 2014

    I thought this was really tasty and made for a good side to the marinated roast lamb recipe from the Maha cookbook (sumac / cumin / garlic). I used a mix of freekah and pearl barley (adding the barley and part of the liquid later due to shorter cooking time). The tanginess of the molasses appealed although this dish certainly isn't a looker (explains why the book only has a before photograph). We managed to get 6 decent side servings from this recipe.

• Saffron rice with barberries, pistachio & mixed herbs

  • Breadcrumbs on January 11, 2013

    p. 105 – Amazing dish! I did make some adaptations which I’ll share here: • No pistachios at the mkt so I omitted. I wasn’t too concerned about this since we were serving this dish w the Meatballs & Favas p.196 and we’d have plenty of contrasting flavours and textures from that dish. • I used my Zoji rice steamer to cook the rice. I used Tilda brown basmati. As a result my brown rice didn’t produce the same visual interest of contrasting colours in the finished dish but I was still pleased that you could easily differentiate the saffron-infused grains from the “naked” ones. • I used flat Italian parsley, fennel fronds and dill as my herbs This is the first time we’ve ever eaten barberries and we really liked them. They add a citrusy pop to the dish. The rice was sensational and I’d like to make it again and add some legumes, lentils perhaps. This is one of my favourites from the book thus far. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/884301#7817550

  • Rutabaga on April 07, 2014

    This is a pretty easy rice dish to get the hang of, with beautiful results. I've made it when I have dill and parsley on hand because it's such a good way to use herbs, but I imagine it would really shine if made with the tarragon and chervil called for in the recipe. Definitely include the barberries if you can get them.

  • Barb_N on June 04, 2014

    I love the beauty of this dish (similar to a recipe appropriately called 'jewelled rice') and it is adaptable to ingredients you have on hand. A caution about barberries (which were hard to come by in my corner of Virginia)- rinse them well! Otherwise there will be little bits of grit among the jewels. An easy sub for them is currants.

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 13, 2015

    A Really good dish and so pretty too! (Rachel S-K)

  • lorloff on December 28, 2022

    We made dinner for an Iranian friend who brought us saffron from her last trip home. In her honor I made this Saffron rice dish and it was fantastic. We used fresh dill, tarragon and cilantro (chervil was not in season). I made it in the rice maker after the sautéing stage with organic basmati rice and it worked perfectly. I big hit and our friend loved it. Will make again.

  • TrishaCP on May 09, 2016

    This is incredibly delicious, even just using dill and cilantro as the herbs. The barberries were excellent in this-just bright pops of flavor.

  • rmardel on August 01, 2025

    This is very simple and delicious, easy to pull together while working on other dishes, and it also works well at room temperature. This all makes it an stress-free dish for an informal dinner party. It is definitely bright, fresh, and yet subtle -- a perfect side dish that enhances other dishes while not being boring.

  • joeljkp on April 20, 2025

    This looks impressive but comes together easily. The barberries give a nice sour pop. I used a mix of flat-leaf parsley and extra tarragon instead of the chervil. We had it as a light main, but it would have been better with some protein accompaniment, esp. something with a sauce since by itself the rice was somewhat dry.

  • Zosia on June 04, 2016

    As others have noted, this is a very pretty as well as delicious rice dish. With the tartness of the barberries, it's particularly good with rich protein dishes and without, it's a versatile side that goes with just about everything.

  • nutrica6 on August 26, 2024

    Impressive but easy side dish. I served it with sausages and roasted vegetables. The flavors were amazing and the rice was perfectly moist. I loved the detailed instructions, and didn’t need to change anything except exchanging parsley for chervil because it was hard to find. The barberries are the best part, and I found them at the middle eastern grocery store.

  • stef_iuirt1 on May 19, 2026

    It was okay.

  • lholtzman on November 26, 2024

    The rice is looks and smells beautiful. I wish it had a bit more flavor. I used tart cherries instead of barberries and omitted the chervil since I can never find it in the US.

• Barley risotto with marinated feta

  • westminstr on January 31, 2013

    Subbed parsley for oregano and didn't have caraway. Still good though. The feta makes the dish. However, next time don't try it with hulled barley! That stuff took forever to cook.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    Love a barley risotto. There are strong acidic flavors in this that may not be to everyone's taste, but I think it can be easily managed by omitting or adding to taste the lemon peel, feta, and caraway. (And I did omit caraway from my husband's since he is not a fan. Instead, I just topped his with feta and a dash of olive oil.)

  • lilham on January 30, 2013

    This is like a posh version of baked beans. It tastes just as good on reheat. (I refrigerate the feta separately from the risotto). Definitely make more so you have left overs for lunch.

  • Delys77 on January 18, 2013

    Pg. 109 This is a good vegetarian main course that mimics risotto but is much easier to make. The amount of cheese and oil seems high, but you will need it to offset the acidity of the tomato sauce. Make sure you dice the vegetables very small so they cook through. Nice simple dish.

  • joneshayley on May 03, 2015

    This is beautiful - the feta is delicious and makes this.

  • joeljkp on January 28, 2025

    Great! This is comfort food, and good for leftovers. Used a nonstick pan, so it didn't even need a lot of stirring. Not everyone was a fan of caraway, so I did half the feta in plain olive oil.

  • cycle4life7 on February 19, 2019

    So delicious. The only mistake I think I did make was substituting tomato paste with tomato passata in the same quantity. I think this was too much tomato. Otherwise delicious and I'd make it again.

  • hillsboroks on February 24, 2022

    This is fabulous! The marinated feta is easy to make before you start the risotto and it really makes the finished dish. The flavors meld incredibly well as it simmers. My husband loved this dish.

  • Foodycat on April 03, 2019

    Really delicious - I used homemade labneh rather than feta and just marinated it in olive oil because I loathe caraway. And subbed parsley for oregano.

  • adelina on October 31, 2016

    Family liked it, especially my younger daughter. She had several servings and I had to tell her take a break. I loved the feta and will use it for other dishes as well. Instead of tomato passata, I used a big spoon of tomato paste.

  • anniecc on June 24, 2024

    We love this recipe, I’ve made it several times now. It takes a while to cook but isn’t difficult. Both the feta and the fresh oregano really complement the dish, although I’m sure other herbs would also work.

  • Lepa on February 12, 2017

    I love this dish. I would perhaps add slightly less caraway to the feta- and cut the quantity of feta in half- as we never eat that much feta with the risotto.

  • Bradley on October 25, 2018

    I love this recipe. It is simply stunning. Looks good - tastes great.

  • anya_sf on February 04, 2025

    I used Pomi finely chopped tomatoes in place of both chopped tomatoes and passata, which I don't believe made it more tomatoey than it would have been (a bit much for my taste). My "risotto" may have simmered too rapidly as it needed extra liquid to finish cooking. Overall, easy to make, but the flavor didn't wow me - it definitely needed the feta. I just had 200 g cheese, so reduced the oil and caraway proportionately, and thought it was enough. If I made this again, I'd omit the caraway (interesting flavor, but seemed out of place here) or try a different spice.

  • lholtzman on August 17, 2024

    Great one pot meal that everyone in the family liked. I like the chewiness of the barley and the smoky tomato sauce pairs really well with the marinated feta. Although it requires a lot of stirring, the risotto is very easy and definitely doable on a weeknight.

  • Cochise on April 19, 2019

    Great recipe, great balance of acid and spice. Can substitute store bought marinated feta for the marinated feta recipe in the book. Reheats really well.

• Conchiglie with yoghurt, peas & chilli

  • lilham on January 30, 2013

    This is a very easy but satisfying one dish meal. I substitute the Turkish chilli flakes with Indian chilli flakes and a pinch of smoked paprika. I will also double the chilli pinenuts next time as they are really moreish. Also I wasn't organised enough to have defrosted frozen pea for the yoghurt sauce. So I cooked the entire amount of peas required in water and used cooked peas for the sauce, to no ill effect.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    This is a quick and easy main course vegetarian dish. Definitely week-night friendly. The sauce is puréed Greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, and frozen peas. (I forgot to thaw the peas per instructions, but it wasn't a problem.) The sauce is combined with the pasta, more cooked peas, feta, basil (I subbed parsley since basil wasn't in season when I tried it), and white pepper (omitted). Finally, the whole dish is topped with chile coated pine nuts and their cooking oil (I used slivered almonds with Marash chile flakes), which add a needed crunch and punch of heat and shouldn't be missed. Unique and amazing- will definitely make it again.

  • westminstr on January 18, 2013

    Loved this. Very easy weeknight meal with frozen peas, very satisfying as a vegetarian, one-dish meal. 5/2018 update: 1/2 recipe is enough (with 10oz frozen peas). I still love this dish but kids refused to eat it.

  • dinnermints on February 08, 2019

    This was good, even though I made it considerably less rich. I used 400g low fat Greek yogurt, 3.5 T olive oil (2 T in the yogurt sauce and the rest for the pine nuts), 12 oz pasta, 3 T pine nuts, and 4 oz feta. A totally different dish, to be sure, but still delicious.

  • bernalgirl on April 05, 2022

    A very tasty pasta that comes together quickly, a great weeknight dinner. It does make a lot, could easily feed 6-8 people. I used low-fat yogurt and added 1/2 the peas and 1/3 the basil to the sauce, along with the salt and white pepper. I also added the peas to the pasta in the last 30 seconds to avoid yet another pan. The Urfa chile-pine nut oil caps everything beautifully. The raw garlic flavor is strong, I’d consider blanching the garlic before cooking the pasta (same pot) next time.

  • FJT on September 04, 2019

    I loved this; it was easy to make and very tasty. Sadly my other half didn't share my enthusiasm, so I probably won't be making it again.

  • michalow on July 01, 2017

    I think this is just as good without the feta. Also, I've replaced the basil with lemon zest, and like the brightness it gives the dish.

  • Rutabaga on April 09, 2014

    To reiterate what others have already said: this dish is easy, tasty, and a refreshingly different way to serve pasta. It's a great way to use frozen peas when you don't have fresh vegetables on hand, and the spiced pine nuts really take the dish to a higher level.

  • Delys77 on April 09, 2013

    Pg. 111 This dish is a real winner. Comes together in about 30 minutes and has a good balance of veggies (peas and basil) and protein from the yogurt and feta. Loved the pinenuts in chile oil, and the rich texture of the sauce. It is different from any other pasta dish I have made and we really liked it. Used non fat yogurt and that worked fine.

  • twoyolks on August 05, 2013

    The combination of the Greek yogurt and the feta made the sauce extremely tangy, almost too much so.

  • pistachiopeas on May 25, 2015

    I like this dish a lot but I think it's very rich so I cut down on the cheese.

  • lholtzman on February 11, 2024

    I used orecchiette pasta instead of conchiglie. I think similarly sized and shaped pastas would also work.

  • anya_sf on April 23, 2021

    For 1 lb pasta, 400 g yogurt was plenty. I also reduced the oil by 1 Tbsp each in the yogurt sauce and pine nuts. Using urfa chile flakes, the pine nuts weren't too spicy. My feta was rather dry and mild, so the full 8 oz wasn't overwhelming, but with a stronger feta I'd use less. My family liked this quite a bit and it was certainly very quick and easy. My only complaint was a strong garlic aftertaste; next time I'll try blanching the garlic or soaking it in lemon juice to tame its bite.

  • Kduncan on February 28, 2019

    Subbed Goat Cheese for the feta, as I really don't like feta. Really need to remember to 1/2 this recipe, as it is a lot of food. Also need to always remember not to burn the pine nuts. Overall I think it takes more time to plate this dish then to make all of the components.

  • clcorbi on January 19, 2017

    Delicious and easy! As others have noted, this is very rich. I reduced both the yogurt and the feta, but feel I could reduce the yogurt even further next time. I used 1t of normal red pepper flakes--not the Turkish kind called for--and my pasta was quite spicy, so I would decrease those a bit next time. Also, note to self: take care not to over-fry the pine nuts.

  • sosayi on November 27, 2018

    I know that I've made this once before, but I must have failed to write it up. As others have said, this is a silly-easy weeknight pasta dish with minimal prep. My yogurt sauce was a bit too loose (albeit using non-Greek yogurt), so I think that next time I'd just omit the olive oil. I've successfully made Diane Kochilas' Pasta with Yogurt and Caramelized Onions with the same yogurt, where you don't add oil, so I wonder if that would make it thicker. I loved the spicy pine nuts (which also add some oil), and I liked how many peas it incorparated! The picky preschooler liked helping make it, but refused to eat more than two bites (instead he had buttered noodles with feta), so I'll count it a partial win.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    This spicy pasta dish hit the table this week, one that certainly packs a chilli hit, but one that also includes yoghurt and feta, and the cooling peas to temper that punch. It is quite a glorious dish, silky and creamy with the texture of toasted pine nuts. I highly recommend it for Spring. It can be made any time of year, of course, but peas fresh from the vine lift the dish to a different level. Bookmark it now for your spring time.

  • Laurag29 on December 19, 2020

    Rich and flavorful. The hot chile oil @ the end is bomb. Gives nice smoky heat. Used small shells but the large ones would be better. Maybe a little basil blend with the yogurt for more overall flavor.

• Basic hummus

  • milgwimper on July 27, 2014

    The baking soda made the chickpeas explode in the pressure cooker. It was beautifully smooth and we mixed it in the vitamix. I think I will add cumin, lemon and garlic. We will be making it again. :)

  • IvyManning on June 16, 2013

    Good recipe, nice and silky smooth. It set up quite a bit after it was chilled, though, so I needed to add more ice water, lemon, and oil.

  • radishseed on January 13, 2014

    I made several hummus recipes for a taste test, and this came in last place. Too thick, too much tahini. I also think five minutes in the food processor is overkill.

  • TrishaCP on April 19, 2014

    This made for a wonderfully smooth and silky hummus. But the final product was bland and disappointing. This recipe was really lacking acid, even after increasing the lemon juice to 2 lemons worth (and I had juicy lemons). I also reduced the tahini and that didn't help the flavors pop either.

  • Astrid5555 on March 02, 2013

    Best home-made hummus ever! Very silky and smooth. Added a tsp of ground cumin, since I cannot do without. Great either way!

  • Lindsay on March 27, 2014

    Fabulous and pure. Added cumin (1 tablespoon).

  • twoyolks on January 13, 2014

    The texture on the hummus is perfect. However, the overwhelming flavor was of tahini. Neither the garlic nor the lemon juice was noticeable. I'd definitely consider adding more lemon juice in the future.

  • k.a.g on June 03, 2013

    I have made a lot of hummus before, and this is the best technique I have come across - the result was incredibly smooth and silky. As for quantities, I think for hummus you really have to follow your nose, and make something you'll be happy with (e.g. there's no way I could handle all the garlic and tahini in Ottolenghi's recipe, but by reducing them and increasing the salt and lemon I ended up with something perfect... for me, that is!). So I'll be fiddling with the proportions, but I will absolutely definitely be preparing the hummus Ottolenghi's way from now on.

  • annapanna on June 16, 2013

    I had never made hummus before and was extremely pleased with the result. I used dried chickpeas as indicated in the recipe, cooked them for around 25 minutes. The skins were floating in the water and I tried to remove them as well as I could. I used 2 cloves of garlic instead of 4, 100g less Tahini than indicated as I was afraid its taste would be too strong. I would advise to start with much less than in the recipe and then adjust the quantity based on personal taste. The mixture was really thick at first so I added a bit more ice water. The hummus turned out super silky and smooth, one of the best ones I have ever had.

  • mattlebaron on January 12, 2013

    Our kids haven't stopped eating this since we made it. Our oldest has been a big fan of hummus and I wanted to try something other than the supermarket fare. It was very easy to make and, to be frank, I'm not sure that I've ever had real hummus before - non-industrial that is. I found it to certainly taste different, which is understandable considering that there aren't any preservatives, etc, in our version. The other thing I quite liked is that it was very clean on the palate in my opinion. Unlike the lingering aftertaste in commercial versions, we found that it was nice and fresh. We'll mix in some roasted red peppers in the next batch.

  • Delys77 on January 23, 2013

    Pg 116 I've made hummus at home before, but only from canned chickpeas, and mostly in the blender. Well this recipe yield a much much better result. The flavour of the dried chickpeas is much better, and the texture that results from the long processing in the food processor, along with the drizzle of cold water makes for a silky smooth product. I much prefer this to any other hummus I have ever made. My only variation was that I cut back the tahini to just over a 1/3 cup. I know this is much less than he suggests but to be honest, while Iike the flavour of tahini, I don't want it to be the primary flavour note. With the amount I used it was perfect for us.

  • PinchOfSalt on May 11, 2013

    Excellent! Silky and with a wonderful toasty flavor I have not experienced in hummus before. I made this in my Vitamix. Using the amount of water called for in the recipe resulted in an extremely thick paste and a very noisy blender! I backed out about 2/3 of the hummus, added some water, blended a bit, and then re-added the reserved extra thick mixture in two batches. The results were excellent. Next time I do this in my Vitamix I will put in the liquid first.

  • michalow on September 15, 2020

    Delicious, not surprisingly. I didn't measure anything and I probably used a bit more lemon juice and less tahini than the recipe calls for. I peeled the chickpeas and I think it's worth the effort.

  • DKennedy on April 10, 2024

    I made this as a component of the lamb hummus recipe in this book. I used pre soaked Rancho Gordo chickpeas and used the whole package. This was my first time trying the baking soda tip and it resulted in beans that cooked in 20 minutes and were quite flavorful. Note I also added a carrot, celery stalk, onion, 3 garlic cloves, a bay leaf and thyme to the cooking water. I added 1 1/2 t salt, 7 whole garlic, the juice of one lemon and several spoonfuls of tahini to the food processor and 1/4 c of cooking liquid. Note for next time that I did not follow the measurements set out in the recipe. Wow. Just wow. This hummus is a revelation. I can't wait to try it with the toppings.

  • pomona on October 20, 2018

    Replaced lemon juice with preserved lemon.

  • VineTomato on August 03, 2017

    Very silky and smooth - I'm impressed. Only used 60g of tahini as did not have a light version and I was worried it would over power the dish. I added more lemon and used less garlic. Wonderful with some toasted pinenuts and olive oil sprinkled at the end.

  • Barb_N on May 24, 2020

    I made this with boxed chickpeas, to rescue them from the pantry.(#covidcooking) I think the smoothness comes from peeling the chickpeas, not the baking soda when making from dried. As with any recipe, it’s important to adjust the lemon and garlic to your own taste. I use the liquid from preserved lemons, also providing the salt. I agree, only a few minutes in the food processor are needed.

  • Rutabaga on May 03, 2017

    Firstly, this hummus was amazingly silky smooth. I didn't have as much tahini on hand as called for in the recipe, so only used about half the amount called for, which was fine, but I think I'd prefer it with more. My big mistake, though, was not adding additional water. Immediately after blending, the mixture seemed loose enough, so I left it as is, albeit with a little extra lemon juice and olive oil stirred in. But after time in the refrigerator, the hummus became very hard and even at room temperature lacked the creamy softness it should have had. This made it far less appealing to my family. I will definitely add additional water next time.

  • dc151 on November 16, 2020

    Best hummus ever. Just eat it with a spoon!

  • SpatulaClark on March 20, 2020

    Smoothest hummus I've made at home. This is thanks to the baking soda, but it alkalised the hummus and left an aftertaste that wasn't cancelled by sweet Meyer lemon juice - solved with a few drops of apple cider vinegar when serving. Made a half batch so I'd have enough (hulled) tahini. As in another note, chickpeas didn't go well in my pressure cooker: 8 min on high was slightly too long, and the soda-softened chickpeas broke up into a bit of a froth (still usable). Only needed 3 min total in a powerful food processor. A good recipe that I'll come back to again, adding more flavour next time.

  • apw2020 on January 21, 2025

    Great hummus recipe. This is my go-to.

  • Shaxon on February 17, 2022

    I prefer hummus made with less tahini. 1 cup of tahini is a lot.

  • kkmatti on September 30, 2024

    This hummus was a little thick for my taste - I'll add a little more water to it to thin it down a bit. While I thought this hummus was smooth and tasted good, I prefer the Zahav hummus recipe to this one.

  • william_twih48 on March 01, 2026

    Delicious recipe but needed a few tweaks. As others have mentioned, 270g is a LOT of Tahini. I cut it in half and it had more than enough tahini taste. Also, I added an additional teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar. I’ll definitely make this again!

  • sophia_csi5ki on March 02, 2026

    Tried this instead our regular recipe and it will be our new go to!

  • celine_yl1s3t on February 03, 2026

    This hummus is so good, but it really comes down to the quality of the tahini I think. ?

  • treay on November 26, 2024

    Delicious and even more when added some macadamia oil and mustard and cumin dukkah.

  • Katie on February 01, 2026

    It really is the best hummus.

  • Baxter850 on November 02, 2020

    Great. Simple. Delicious. Soaked chickpeas overnight and then cooked in the insta pot without baking soda. Turned out super smooth and flavorful.

  • CAMcooks on March 05, 2017

    This is my go to hummus recipe. I make my own tahini and never have a problem with it being overwhelming. I do add more garlic and lemon. I also only ever make it in my food processor when it is done it seems a little thin but, when chilled, sets up very nicely. I have had people who don’t like hummus rave about this one.

  • anya_sf on June 18, 2020

    I didn't check the chickpeas often enough and ended up cooking them until they were falling apart (35 minutes), but they still were fine for hummus. The hummus turned out super smooth and delicious. I used it for hummus kawarma, but it would be great on its own. My spring garlic wasn't strong, but with more pungent garlic, I'd cut back. All the tahini made this very filling.

  • lholtzman on October 21, 2025

    I keep coming back to this as my go to hummus recipe. It’s so easy and perfect. People always love it.

• Hummus kawarma (lamb) with lemon sauce

  • RosieB on August 09, 2015

    Absolutely delicious. The hummus must be the best you can make. The lamb was tender and tasty and the lemon sauce nicely cuts through the fat from the lamb. This will become a staple for sure as it is pretty easy to prepare though you do have to soak the chickpeas overnight.

  • okcook on August 11, 2015

    The flavours are delicious. Lots of complexity. For some reason my hummus was not as runny as the picture so will add some water next time. Also, the cookbook picture shows olive oil drizzled over the dish on serving but the instructions do not mention that. This is definitely a do again. I think you could use chopped lamb shoulder if you ca't source neck.

  • laurenlangston on August 07, 2016

    Yes! Stunning. I made it on one big platter and it was gorgeous. Used arm instead of neck at butcher's recommendation since they didn't have neck; made za'atar with fresh herbs instead of dried, used all black pepper instead of black + white, sherry vinegar instead of white wine vinegar. After browning the lamb I also put a dash of water in the pan to scrape up the fond, let that reduce for a minute, and poured over the lamb along with the lemon sauce. We all agreed that this should happen again.

  • DKennedy on April 10, 2024

    I made the lamb part of this dish ahead of time and did not marinate only added to the meat and then cooked off as I was in a rush and this will undoubtably diminish the complexity of my dish. Still had a wonderful aroma and was quite tasty. I am making this again next week for friends and will marinate. This was a test run. Note, as written, this is a time consuming dish. I used a mixture of ghee and oil and shoulder meat.

  • thekitchenchronicles on December 08, 2014

    Love, love, love. Best hummus recipe I've ever come across and the toppings are great. The lamb is so flavorful and the lemon sauce complements the richness of the dish perfectly. Wrote it up on my blog: http://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2014/12/08/hummus-kawarma-with-lemon-sauce/

  • KarinaFrancis on October 18, 2015

    Wow!! Absolutely loved this dish! I used my family hummus recipe, so really only made the topping. The combination of the 3 elements was outstanding. I might never go back to plain hummus

  • Delys77 on January 23, 2013

    Pg. 118 Delicious plate of hummus and seasoned lamb with a tangy sauce. I thought that this topping combined with the super smooth hummus was delicious. You can definitely go with the full pepper in the lemon sauce, but be light handed with the lemon sauce when you drizzle. Great dish!

  • Dishyrishie on March 15, 2015

    Brilliant crowd-pleaser. simply, tasty and kid-friendly.

  • NathalieS on November 23, 2018

    Absolutely loved the flavours of this dish. It’s a bit involved and needs to be started a day ahead (I found the marinated lamb flavour better after a full 24 hiurs). I would double even triple the lamb and lemon sauce to serve as a main because it’s so good!

  • anya_sf on June 18, 2020

    I made 3/4 of the hummus and scaled up the kawarma for 1 pound ground lamb. My family preferred that ratio. I served everything separately. Ground lamb was rather fatty, so I could've used less ghee for cooking; I drained off the excess fat. The lamb was super flavorful - overseasoned on its own, but perfect with hummus and pita. The lemon sauce was really nice on top. I used mild spring garlic; with stronger storage garlic I would cut back a little.

  • Kduncan on January 16, 2019

    Used ground lamb and canned chickpeas, which helped cut down the (marinating) time. Overall a great dish, and not incredibly hard to prep (longest part was picking leaves off all the herbs that were needed).

  • clcorbi on February 07, 2019

    I did a complete riff on this dish, subbing store-bought hummus and using ground meat rather than neck, but the result was amazing. At some point I will definitely repeat and make the entire recipe, but even with the cheats, this was devoured so fast.

  • treay on November 11, 2024

    Love this recipe as part of a shared meal.

  • rhb on December 02, 2022

    This is so good. When we used ground lamb, we did not have to cook it in batches.

• Mejadra

  • radishseed on March 14, 2014

    The fried onions here are wonderful. The dish as a whole came out a little dry for my taste (though that is remedied with a big scoop of yogurt on top), and next time I think I would prefer ground coriander to whole seeds, and I might cut back on the cinnamon.

  • vinochic on October 22, 2013

    Really good flavor.. I followed exactly but used brown rice. I adjusted the amount of water to accommodate the brown rice, but should have added the lentils near the end (they came out a bit mushy).

  • Breadcrumbs on January 08, 2013

    p. 120 Fabulous! We thoroughly enjoyed this dish. I decided to do the rice in my Zoji steamer. I toasted the seeds as described and placed them, along with the remaining spices into the rice cooker along w the Zoji suggested amount of water. The aromas coming from Zoji were so enticing. The combination of spices infused the air with such a sweet, exotic fragrance that had everyone commenting how lovely the house smelled. While the rice cooked, I boiled the (green) lentils as set out in the book and once they were drained, I tossed them into the cooked rice along w approx 1 tbsp of EVOO. I didn’t feel any additional oil was needed after doing a quick taste test. I decided to fry the onions to order so I just did enough for this meal. I used a mandoline to slice. They really are delicious and, added a nice crunchy texture. Leftovers are great for breakfast w a runny egg atop and a little Sriracha! Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/884301#7810778

  • TippyCanoe on April 23, 2013

    This is a spicier Mejadra than the versions I have made before, but it was a great hit at our house. I will make this again. I liked the faster technique for cooking onions (toss in flour, cook at a fairly high heat) as I have only done the long, slow method before.

  • lilham on January 30, 2013

    Love this. I used a rice cooker for the rice, instead of doing it on the stove top. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds on a pan, then add to the rice cooker with the rice and spices. Boil lentils for about 12min. Coat onions in flour and salt, and fry until crisp. I used only one tiny onion (was making half recipe), so I did all the onions in one batch. All of these can be done while the rice is in the rice cooker, with time spare to cook some veg (and probably make the yoghurt with cucumber as suggested).

  • Delys77 on January 24, 2013

    Pg. 120 For us this was ok but not great. I don't believe I followed the recipe closely and I don't think I made any mistakes, but we still found the dish a little bland despite the spices. The onions were a huge hit, but individual bites of the dish that were devoid of onion were also light on flavour. Perhaps you could up the onion and lightly grind the spices to release a bit of the flavour, also serve with heaping amounts of yogurt as the dish is a little dry.

  • saladdays on August 28, 2013

    This is becoming a favourite mid-week supper as it can be made from ingredients that I always have in the cupboard. The onions are delicious, difficult not to keep sampling them while cooking the rest of the dish! Keep an eye on the liquid while cooking the rice and lentils together, it may need topping up if you have very absorbent lentils.

  • joneshayley on May 03, 2015

    Nice but overall blander than I expected. The onions are delicious but a lot of effort- to me a weekend dish to serve with other mezze.

  • Rutabaga on February 16, 2015

    I served this with the chard with tahini yogurt sauce recipe that is also found in this book. As others have noted, this dish is rather dry, so I highly recommend topping it with the tahini yogurt sauce or plain Greek yogurt. I used French green lentils, and even though I only had a cup, there were more than enough lentils in the dish. I boiled the lentils for 15 minutes before adding them with the rice, and they were nicely cooked "al dente" in the finished dish. The fried onions were delicious, and really made the dish, but be sure to allow for time to fry them; I used a 12 inch sautee pan and fried them in four batches, which took me almost 40 minutes total. The dish was even a hit with my three-year-old, who loved mixing in his own tahini sauce.

  • Brieforme on March 24, 2015

    Brilliant with the fried tomatoes, and some mint yoghurt. Delicious.

  • lorloff on May 02, 2016

    Absolutely great dish would definitely make again. Ramps were in season so added sautéed ramps. I fried the ramp white parts together with the onions. I added the ramp greens at the end just as I finished the dish. It was a very good dinner party hit would make again

  • lizwinn on December 25, 2015

    This was a big hit at a party. My husband, who has been on a Paleo diet for over a year without 'cheating', ate four servings. Even the less adventurous eaters among the group were digging in. Will definitely make again.

  • jaelsne on October 28, 2019

    The dish was wonderful when made exactly as written!

  • Apollonia on April 24, 2022

    Really filling and wonderful --- our dinner guests loved it.

  • TrishaCP on March 21, 2016

    I really enjoyed the flavors here (I reduced the cinnamon to 1tsp based on previous comments). It took me forever to cook the onions, perhaps because I stinted on the oil, but it took me well over an hour to get them all fried in three batches, not the 7-8 minutes per batch as the recipe indicates. (They really do make the dish though.)

  • rosasharne on March 24, 2026

    I don't fry the onions i use thai fried shallots

  • joeljkp on June 02, 2025

    Simple and filling comfort food with warm spices. I've made this twice - the second time with the suggested cucumber-yogurt sauce, which REALLY added to the overall flavor.

  • adelina on November 13, 2016

    I tried doubling the recipe and think my pot was too small and had difficulty with cooking the rice in 15 min. It took me almost double the time. Otherwise, the seasoning combination was good. I served with tomato and lettuce salad to lessen the dryness

  • rhb on December 02, 2022

    We added one more onion for the fried onions and one chopped onion when cooking the rice & lentils.

  • Stephenn31 on January 21, 2025

    Warming spices and filling. Do not skim on the browned onions or yogurt, as it needs both. I served with a fresh chopped salad.

  • Chefalisha on April 05, 2026

    Yum! Agree it needs more salt but I feel the flavours meld really well together

  • TLouise on July 19, 2021

    Made this today with a few variations. I caramelised a batch of onions in the oven for around 2 hours which I stirred into the rice then added some store bought crispy onions to the top for crunch. It worked very well. I liked the dish alot and would definitely make again. The recipe does make ALOT of rice so I will be having left overs tomorrow with a fried egg and some hot sauce as others have suggested. It would also male a great dish for a dinner party.

  • Shaxon on January 18, 2021

    I used crispy fried onions in the produce department. They were much crispier than homemade and really made the dish.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    Wonderful! This dish can be a meal in itself - just add salad.

  • PriyaPath on March 28, 2026

    Amazing flavour and a must try.

  • treay on November 11, 2024

    Comfort food at its best. Used it as part of a mezze.

  • hlange on May 06, 2024

    This was altogether quite dry. Topping with some yogurt really elevated it. The onions definitely make this dish and bites without them were very bland. Next time I'd consider frying the onions first since they ended up taking about an hour during which time the lentils were just sitting out. Might also consider increasing the spices. ETA the flavors were better the next day and with a drizzle of olive oil, but still not a repeat for me (will be making those onions again though.)

  • Tessvssr on January 26, 2026

    I absolutely loved this. Some other people mentioned it was bland but I am guessing that must’ve been a case of not being liberal enough with the salt and spices. It definitely does need the mentioned yoghurt cucumber sauce to make it a balanced meal. The crispy onions were the highlight of the dish. Will make more of the onions next time and maybe only parboil the lentils cause they definitely lost their bite a bit.

  • celine_yl1s3t on February 03, 2026

    This was good but only as a side dish. It definitely needs a main dish. The cinnamon taste was a bit overpowering. Not sure it was worth the effort of all those onions.

  • linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

    Great side dish. I cut back on cinnamon.

  • clcorbi on April 28, 2017

    Yum. I also reduced the cinnamon. I actually made a half-recipe, and I'm glad I did, because there are only two of us and we still ended up with a huge amount of leftovers. This is nice comfort food, not the most earth-shattering thing I've ever eaten, but the crispy fried onions alone make this worth it. The leftovers were still tasty too, even though obviously the onions had lost their crispness.

  • Agaillard on May 05, 2022

    Lovely dish! I did find it a bit bland as well and adding a more generous serving of salt resolved it. I used "lentilles corail" (orange?) as this is what I had. It was lovely and just what I needed on an upset stomach - I served with yogurt. I loved the quick way of getting the fried onions, although deceptively simple! :) Will make again.

  • Frogcake on October 03, 2021

    A fabulous, tasty, texture-diverse dish! Wouldn’t change anything! Served with lamb steaks.

  • anya_sf on August 31, 2021

    I parboiled the lentils and fried the onions a few hours ahead so this was quick to finish in the evening. The onions (cooked in 4 batches) lost their crispness, but were still tasty. I weighed the rice (a bit more than 1 cup) and water and it cooked perfectly. The spices were just right for my taste, but could see reducing the cinnamon if using a stronger one. More salt was needed at the end. Served with the chard with tahini and yogurt sauce for some moisture, and also hot sauce.

  • jhallen on January 26, 2021

    This was great. I added a smidge more water than called for. Otherwise, made it as written. For those who found it a bit bland, could just be a matter of adding a slight bit more salt.

• Maqluba

  • RosieB on September 01, 2013

    This dish was fantastic. The recipe looks complicated but is not difficult. it takes a while to prepare the components. I made it in a heavy based SKG frying pan which I buttered before assembling the layers. It held together perfectly when turned out. It looked spectacular and the flavours were great. I will definitely make again.

  • jbny on October 18, 2015

    Needs more seasoning. Don't use too much stock (may have to push everything down more to cover the rice)

  • JLDuck on March 22, 2016

    Agree that more seasoning would be a good idea. Also suggest grill rather than fry vegetables. It does work!

  • bwhip on August 23, 2021

    Delicious, and really not that difficult. I roasted the cauliflower and eggplant as suggested by others, and it turned out to be a great suggestion (thanks!). I wound up assembling the dish in a large, deep skillet (with parchment, as it wasn't nonstick), because it seemed like a saucepan was so deep that it would hold its shape better in the skillet (it really did). It seemed to need more seasoning (salt and pepper, certainly) along the way, so I did. We'll make this one again.

  • alinutzamica on August 25, 2025

    My husband loved it, but me, not so mucn

  • sbackman on March 14, 2024

    I did not enjoy this at all, very bland and way too much rice. I roasted the eggplant and fried the cauliflower. The eggplant and cauliflower were completely dissolved into the rice unable to see or taste either of them. Instead of boiling the chicken in water with the onions, etc I used a diluted rich homemade chicken broth, and even that gave this no flavor. If I were to make again, I would cut the rice amount in half, use non-diluted homemade broth, and add a little more of the vegetables and more salt.

  • VBzi on July 17, 2020

    This dish is absolutely to die for. I roasted the cauliflower and eggplant to reduce the amount of oil, and since I am vegan, used chicken-style seitan. Used chicken-style broth for boiling onions, etc. for extra flavor. Since I used brown basmati rice, the dish needed to cook longer, and had to "boil off"the liquid. The rest, I did exactly the same, and it did not fall apart when I inverted it. Very tasty! Will definitely make again.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    I made a vegetarian version of this dish. It was a great success flavour-wise. It was less successful in presentation. The dish should turn out like an upside down cake but my aged super-long grained basmati is a rice that “lifts and separates” rather than clings together to build a superstructure to support an upside-down cake look. Next time I will find a rice with a little more glugginess to build the required infrastructure. Younger basmati has more starch and is probably fine.

  • mackerman on November 29, 2020

    This dish is amazing! Took some to our elderly neighbors during COVID and they raved about it too! I think next time I will also roast the cauliflower and eggplant to reduce the oil.

  • rhb on December 02, 2022

    One of our favorite recipes. We don't salt the eggplant and we roast it in the oven. Bone-in chicken works, also. We add more salt.

• Couscous with tomato and onion

  • TrishaCP on June 29, 2013

    This is a very flavorful side. The wow factor of this dish is the crust that develops after you put the cooked couscous mixture in a pan to brown (kind of similar to the idea of tadig in Persian cooking). The recipe calls for low heat, but like Jane, I had to move mine up to a higher temp (medium) to get any color. No problems for me with unmolding, but do try and use your most non-stick pan for this one.

  • Jane on January 28, 2013

    This was a good way to liven up what can be a rather bland starch, It was pretty quick though I had an issue with the bottom of the couscous "cake" browning at the lowest heat possible (authors' instruction). It didn't help that I hadn't noticed the flame had gone out (don't you hate it when that happens?) but when I started it up again there was no way it was going to get a crunchy browned crust on the bottom with minimal heat. Turning the heat up worked well. It didn't turn out of the pan in a neat shape either, but it tasted good anyway. I served it with the Turkey and courgette burgers with spring onions and cumin on p.200.

  • Stephenn31 on June 21, 2025

    Really flavourful and tomato rich. I grated the tomatoes instead of chopping them which was faster and I think are a better sauce. I didn’t do the full crispy crust but it was still very good

  • linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

    The family loved this- i wished i had made more. I had trouble getting even browning but still good - and different. Served with the turkey zucchini burgers/meatballs. - same cookbook. The sumac sauce from that was good with the couscous.

  • a2cook on June 10, 2016

    One of the best things I've ever eaten. Even better with sun-dried tomato paste. Used in-season tomatoes the first time I made this, and Pomi boxed crushed tomatoes the next time, and it was just as good!

  • Agaillard on February 11, 2020

    This is quite an original way to cook couscous. Didn't have any problems of it attaching to the pan, even though I did not quite master the pan turning technique :/ I found it could have benefited from more seasoning (none is mentioned) - if it wasn't for the crispy crilled edges, it would be quite bland. I used the exact measurements which yielded about the right amount for four people. I agree with the comments on the low heat ! It took about 15 minutes + for me on medium/high heat.

• Watercress & chickpea soup with rose water & ras el hanout

  • TippyCanoe on April 23, 2013

    Fantastic, fast & easy recipe. The soup is fairly thin with a great, rich flavor. I liked the spiced chickpea and carrot condiment, but it is the soup itself that is the star here. I will make it again. (The prepared ras el hanout that I found in my local store was extremely expensive, so I made my own using an internet recipe. It used spices that I already had and tasted great. This spice blend is only used in the roasted carrot & chickpea condiment and the soup can be made without it.)

• Hot yoghurt & barley soup

  • TrishaCP on June 27, 2013

    This soup was easily prepared and the technique of adding the egg to the yogurt and slowly incorporating the hot barley liquid kept it from breaking- my soup had a great consistency. Flavor wise, I found it ok- the book says the chopped herbs are optional but I really think you need them (whatever combo you want).

  • Barb_N on June 04, 2014

    I agree with TrishaP- the creaminess of this soup is appealing. Even with the herbs the flavors are VERY mild. I would consider adding lemon juice for some tang next time.

  • s.shadan on August 23, 2021

    Stunning, although the seasoning should be adjusted quite a bit. There are tonnes of herbs to be chopped, but the subsequent times I made this, I chopped the herbs in a food processor.

• Cannellini bean & lamb soup

  • westminstr on April 13, 2015

    I made this with my leftover Easter lamb-bone and the leftover meat that was clinging to it. I subbed chickpeas for cannellini, waxy instead of floury potatoes, and used ground cardamom because that's what I had on hand. Everything else as written. To make, I put the lamb bone and the unsoaked chickpeas in a pot with 8 cups of cold water, added everything else, then put the potatoes in when the chickpeas were soft. It took about three hours to cook. The most surprising thing was the way that the 20 whole garlic cloves just disappeared into the stew. Where did they go? The stew didn't have a strong garlicky flavor, but was very deeply savory between the garlic, meat, and chickpea broth. This was a good soup, I would do it again if I had another lamb bone to contend with. The kids didn't like it that much though. O especially is not into stews.

  • sosayi on May 16, 2018

    A good lamb stew. I made some changes (thanks fellow EYBers): whole lamb shanks, which I browned and cooked in the stew until tender and then shredded it and put back in, which took about 3 hours; celery instead of celery root; cassoulet beans instead of cannellini, as that's what I had on-hand. I also served it with the suggested Zhoug, instead of just lemon and cilantro. I feel I would have liked the soup without it, but I loved it with it. It elevated what was a good, but basic lamb stew into something with even greater depth of flavor and interest.

  • clcorbi on January 02, 2017

    This is a nice, comforting stew. I wasn't blown away by it, but it is definitely tasty and winter-appropriate. We made many of the same changes as Westminstress--no cannellini beans so I used dried chickpeas, and no cardamom pods so we used ground. Rather than buying a whole celery root to only use 1/4 of it in this recipe (which seemed silly), I used an equivalent amount of diced celery, which I already had. I also took a particularly lazy approach with the lamb--I was using a pound of bone-in shoulder chops, so rather than attempting to cube them while raw, I threw them into the water whole and left them that way for the entire cook time, only taking them out at the end to remove the bones and shred them. This worked perfectly and kept me from having to struggle with deboning raw meat. Served with naan and the cauliflower hazelnut salad from this book, this made a nice winter dinner, but I'm not sure I was wowed enough to make this stew again.

  • purrviciouz on December 19, 2018

    We really enjoyed this and the addition of zhoug and lemon juice really enhanced the flavors. This was a very comforting dish. I used beef instead of lamb and added some extra beans.

  • anya_sf on April 12, 2017

    I used small white beans. Also added 8 oz baby spinach at the end. Otherwise followed recipe exactly. Served with lemon and cilantro as suggested. The whole family loved it; 3 of us finished the whole thing.

• Spicy freekeh soup with meatballs

  • TrishaCP on December 21, 2014

    This was hearty and satisfying. The "spicy" in the title refers to a predominant flavor of warm spices- there wasn't any heat in this recipe. (Make sure you like your Baharat blend-it is the dominant flavor.) While the soup is intended to be thick, I added an extra cup of stock and that consistency worked for me.

  • juliejean1 on February 16, 2015

    I used extra meat and ended up with 15 meatballs, which seemed like plenty. I used about 14 ounces canned whole tomatoes and two small fresh tomatoes and just 3 cups hot water. Love this.

  • Melanie on August 15, 2013

    Make this one again - the squeeze of lemon at the end makes it a winner. I used minced beef (next time work the meat more so that they hold together); whole freekeh instead of cracked; and used fresh parsley only (substituting for the fresh coriander).

  • Maura on February 12, 2013

    Delicious! Doubled the meatballs as recipe doesn't make that many.

  • yassoma on April 11, 2017

    Fantastic soup. Despite me making a mistake and adding the flour and oil TO the meat mixture! It ended up working beautifully because the meatballs barely held together even with the flour. I can imagine they will easily fall apart without it. I also used 1.5x the amount of beef required, just to make it more substantial, and I made around 40-45 small meatballs out of that. It's oh so good. That squeeze of lemon before you devour it takes it to another level in my opinion. I used my mother's homemade baharat (she toasts and grinds spices herself).

  • joeljkp on March 24, 2025

    Loved this. Referencing other comments, we doubled the meatballs to make it essentially a one-pot meal. Successfully used Beyond plant-based meat for the meatballs. Made the baharat from the same book. Despite the name, this is spiced, not spicy - there's no heat.

  • joneshayley on March 14, 2018

    My family loves this. Deeply warming, richly spiced sweet and savoury. Perfect winter fayre. The meat balls are tender and untuos, the freekah nutty and light- I’ll make this over and over again .

  • Zosia on January 06, 2018

    Family loved this soup flavoured with warm spices balanced by acidic notes from the tomato and lemon. I increased the meatballs as this was meant to be a meal in a bowl and replaced the freekeh with farro.

  • Rutabaga on October 31, 2016

    This is a beautiful warm and fragrant soup that is hearty enough to be a light meal all on its own. I made approximately 1.5x the recipe, and found it to be fairly brothy, although generously studded with veggies and freekeh. Our whole family, including my in-laws - and even our ten-month-old! - enjoyed it, although our five-year-old needed some prodding at first.

  • ksg518 on April 25, 2026

    Great hearty soup! I’ve successfully frozen it but note that the meatballs tend to fall apart when defrosted. But still very good.

  • alinutzamica on November 04, 2025

    Very good with good strong flavours. I used bought shop baharat. I used brown rice instead of freekeh. Rice was a bit chewy at 35 mins so allow 5-10 mins longer cooking time.

  • jhallen on February 14, 2021

    This was good, but I thought a little less special than others in this book. The flavors were more muted than I expected. Still, it was a good soup.

  • Dannausc on January 23, 2021

    So good! Hearty and flavorful. Both my wife and I really liked it!

  • anya_sf on February 25, 2019

    My family loved this and we ate the whole thing as a one-bowl meal. I increased the carrots and added some baby greens at the end. It was not remotely spicy (which was OK) - perhaps that depends on the baharat spice mix? I let the soup simmer an extra 10 minutes and it thickened even more, melding all the flavors better. Don't skip the lemon at the end. Some extra salt and pepper helped too.

  • sosayi on August 31, 2019

    Made this again, per the sick 4 year old’s request. Just as good as before! Did half bulgur and half freekeh and upped the veg portions slightly. Also added an egg and the flour right to the meatballs (personal texture preference and it makes it easier for little hands to roll them out). Will make again.

  • sosayi on January 22, 2019

    Just a chimed in voice agreeing with all the rest. Warming spices, lemony notes, fairly quick and easy, and preschooler approved.

  • grindabod on September 02, 2020

    Another hard agree, I absolutely love this recipe. If you can make this with homemade chicken stock, it's even more amazing. I'm a big fan of freekeh and I love having this slightly more unusual preparation in rotation. Do NOT forget the squeeze of lemon at the end, it brightens the whole thing up and really makes a difference.

  • tmitra on September 12, 2017

    Based on the notes below, I was excited about this. I followed the recipe (and the book's baharat recipe) as written, just substituting bulgur for freekeh and reducing the simmering time accordingly. I found the flavors to be surprisingly generic, despite the lemon squeeze.

  • e_ballad on July 05, 2017

    Big bold flavours, making this a perfect winter warmer. I'd also recommend doubling the meatballs if you want a 'meal in a bowl'.

  • JLDuck on May 24, 2016

    Agree re the lemon. It is a fantastic soup made superlative with the squeeze of lemon.

• Kubbeh hamusta

  • okcook on June 27, 2013

    The overall flavour was nice. However, there was not enough dough to use all the filling. I had at least half of the filling left.

• Stuffed aubergine with lamb & pine nuts

  • okcook on August 03, 2013

    Very yummy. I used smaller Japanese eggplants from my garden so did not cook them as long as the recipe called for. This is a make again for sure.

  • TrishaCP on November 14, 2013

    Savory and delicious. Like most other recipes from this book, the spicing is spot on and wonderful. However, it is not the prettiest of dishes. The eggplant isn't hollowed out, so there isn't really anywhere for the stuffing to go but right on top, and it doesn't sink down either. Doesn't impact the taste or cooking, but hard to make it pretty. (I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the eggplant was hollowed out in the book photo.)

  • KarinaFrancis on April 21, 2013

    Loved it!! The sweetness and the spices made this more than a humble stuffed eggplant. I had a fair bit of stuffing left over so I used it as the base for a pilaf to serve with the eggplants and it worked surprisingly well (not the overkill I expected). I served it with a big blob of natural yogurt, which was a great contrast. Note for next time, score the eggplants before baking so the filling has something to grab onto.

  • chawkins on September 18, 2017

    Delicious! The hands off oven time for this dish is quite long, including the pre-roasting of the halved eggplants, it was close to two hours. The Italian eggplant that came out of the garden this year is so creamy and the fillings provided a contrast in texture. I scored the cut surface of the eggplant before roasting and the fillings adhered to the eggplant quite well, the sauce thickened nicely during the bake.

  • Delys77 on August 09, 2016

    The lamb topping for this is delicious and adhered to the eggplant fairly well as I had scored my eggplant. My only challenge is that I found my eggplants a touch thick and so the end result had a bit too much of the mushy eggplant texture. If I were to repeat I might slice the eggplant into three pieces and either discard or use the centre slice to make for a thinner base.

  • Aquila on May 11, 2019

    I couldn’t find tamarind and subbed pomegranate molasses. Pine nuts were too expensive and subbed macadamia nuts (probably could have skipped). I cut my eggplant lengthwise then in half again. After the first bake I scooped out some of the eggplant before topping with the lamb. It was delicious despite my substitutions. I’ll make this again.

  • Ishie1013 on July 13, 2023

    I wanted to like this a lot more, but it was just okay, confirmed by a dining companion. I definitely agree with scoring the eggplant next time, and possibly scooping out some of the center before placing the "stuffing". The dish was a bit watery and the lamb a bit overcooked. The spice profile was good though I felt like the sauce with tamarind paste and lemon juice should have been poured over before cooking. It got kind of gummy to spoon over during cooking and a lot of the flavor was lost.

  • senzler on May 30, 2022

    I have made this numerous times. Lovely flavor. I fell in love with this book because of this recipe! I have also frozen with great success.

  • Schooffiecooks on March 29, 2026

    Made it with cauliflower rice and topped it with feta!

  • anya_sf on July 23, 2020

    Quite good. Like Aquila, I substituted pomegranate molasses for tamarind. My eggplants were slightly smaller, but were pretty crowded in the baking dish, so the lamb mostly stayed on top. Next time I'll try scoring the eggplant. After 1.5 hrs, the topping had kind of dried out, but I'd neglected to baste it, plus the foil wasn't super tight. The sauce didn't completely evaporate, but there wasn't enough to spoon over.

  • raybun on June 23, 2017

    I made this again, only this time using little Indian aubergines. I also upped the sauce slightly and reduced the cooking time by 20 minutes. They were so delicious, and I appreciated having the extra tangy tamarind sauce that evaporated last time. Side note: pine nuts have gotten so expensive!

  • raybun on September 18, 2016

    This dish was such a success! I loved the flavour combination of the spices with the lamb, and texture of the soft and slightly caramelized aubergine. The foil shifted during the second bake so my sauce unfortunately evaporated so make sure your dish is well sealed.

  • JLDuck on July 12, 2016

    Go crazy with the spices. I almost doubled the quantity and it was still delicious.

• Stuffed artichokes with peas & dill

  • okcook on June 26, 2013

    Delicious. The lemony poaching liquid is addicting. I found that the liquid did not reduce as much as the recipe indicated. Found some frozen artichoke hearts at the store which made this a very fast recipe to put together.

  • WaterPenny on November 14, 2025

    Wonderful dish. Used frozen artichokes to make it more weeknight friendly. Made enough for 2 dinners too. Served with basmati rice with orzo from the same book.

  • Hangrywoman on April 05, 2026

    Delicious. Made w ground turkey instead of beef. Used just 4 Tbsp of olive oil tot. Used frozen artichoke hearts, so only needed to cook for 45 min before reducing.

• Roasted chicken with clementines & arak

  • westminstr on January 31, 2013

    One of my favorite chicken dishes ever! 3/6/2018 - made again and can't believe I waited so long! Once again I think it's one of the best chicken dishes I've ever made. I may try lining the pan with foil next time as I used parchment and most of the marinade ran underneath the parchment and charred.

  • Jane on November 08, 2015

    I've been meaning to make this for ages and I don't know why it took me so long. It was so easy and the results were great. Everything is prepped ahead then left to marinate then roasted. Served with a bulghur pilaf, this is one of the best effort to results ratio meals.

  • Breadcrumbs on January 08, 2013

    p. 179 Outstanding dish! It’s a pleasure to prepare, aromatic while roasting and, a sheer delight to eat. • I used 6 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs and wished I’d added more • All ingredients were combined in an extra-large (Ikea) zippered bag and marinated in the fridge for approx 8 hours. We turned the bag twice during this period. • I used ouzo • I likely reduced my sauce by half vs 1/3 as suggested. I wanted to achieve a thicker texture and was very pleased w our results. We thought this was sensational. The sauce was outstanding, citrusy w a strong fennel flavour that we absolutely love. We served this w the Mujadara and drizzled a little sauce atop of that as well. Pure heaven. Honestly.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    If you eat chicken, I can highly recommend this recipe-one of those wonderful Ottolenghi flavor combinations- in this case with citrus and anise. Chicken is marinated in orange and lemon juices with any type of anise liquor- I didn't have arak so used Herbsaint, but Pernod or ouzo would work too. It is then roasted with sliced clementines (I had tangerines so that is what I used) that caramelize and taste so floral and wonderful. Fennel and fennel seeds are added too, but the final anise favor is milder than I would have guessed, so don't let that scare you off. I served with barley couscous, and the nutty sweetness was perfect with this dish.

  • lilham on January 30, 2013

    I found roasted unpeeled clementines bitter. So I substituted with peeled, sliced clementines. The resulting fruit is sweet and jammy. But we like our food a bit on the sweeter side.

  • PFP on April 11, 2014

    This is a wonderful dish for holidays -- I will be serving it for the Seder this year. It is easy to prepare in large quantity, can be made ahead and the slight bitterness of the charred Clementines balances the richness of the flavors and the gravy. I made it last week, put it into vacuum sealed bags -- white meat in some, dark in others -- and I will be able to rehead them in a sous vide bath so that they don't overcook. Makes serving so easy and no pots or pans to clean up.

  • stef on November 27, 2017

    Another yes for this wonderful dish

  • cultus.girl on May 16, 2018

    Superb flavours in this dish. Have made on a number of occasions for friends and always a hit. Used Pernod instead of Arak.

  • Astrid5555 on January 10, 2016

    As pointed out by all the other reviewers before, this is an amazing, company-worthy dish with very little hands-on time invloved. Can't wait to make it again!

  • EdM on February 09, 2023

    In my oven, thighs done and nicely charred at 40 minutes, removed to a low warm oven, left fennel and mandarins/clementines to roast another 15 minutes. Sauce, reduced as directed, is terrific.

  • aargle on July 04, 2018

    I was very pleased with myself after making this. It was so easy but so delicious. I has to substitute mandarins for the clementines as they are impossible to find which is why I resisted making this for so long but I needn’t have worried. Used Ouzo instead of Arak and spread it over two baking trays.

  • stockholm28 on December 31, 2013

    Very good dish. I used ouzo and a cut-up whole chicken. I don't like ouzo, but it is very subtle in this dish. If I made this again, I'd probably use all thighs as the breasts were a bit dry the next day.

  • purpleshiny on May 28, 2013

    This is absolutely lovely and really very easy. Used Ouzo as I couldn't find Arak locally. Served with quinoa. My sauce cooked down in the oven to the point where there was nothing to reduce - think I will add more liquid next time. I use a very dark roasting pan - I'm sure that's the reason.

  • Barb_N on March 25, 2014

    I have been eyeing this recipe for over a year- when I came across a bag of organic clementines, I knew it was time. No arak of course (I have sources who smuggle it in from Lebanon but not recently) so I used Sambuca. Otherwise followed recipe as written. At the 75 minute mark I removed the nicely browned chicken thighs (they were gigantic as thighs go) and left the fennel and clementines for another 30 minutes in the sauce. Only then was the fennel tender. The sauce was not thickened but was covered by an unappealing layer of fat (probably mostly the olive oil from the marinade and a bit of chicken fat). But, by now we were TIRED and ready to eat so instead of reducing said sauce I skimmed it instead and served it over the chicken and purchased Israeli couscous salad with almonds and dried cranberries with a side of golden beet salad with horseradish vinaigrette. A tasty but not quick meal.

  • Barb_N on March 25, 2014

    With another snow storm upon us at least we had sunshine looking up at us from the plate. Like TrishaCP I did not find the anise overpowering- just a side note to the citrus. I would definitely make this for company- it's delicious and beautiful.

  • twoyolks on January 13, 2014

    The best part of this was the sauce; the savory, citrus, and sweet flavors balance well together. I may have overcrowded my baking pan a bit but the chicken skin was flabby and not particularly browned. Not all of the fennel cooked all the way through. I'm still not entirely sure what the purpose of the clementines is (to eat, to add seasoning to the sauce?).

  • Delys77 on January 09, 2013

    Pg 179 We loved this dish. The first major point in its favour is the ease of preparation. Just toss the ingredients into a bowl to marinate and then roast, with a brief reduction of sauce at the end. The flavours compliment each other very nicely, with a great balance between the anise and citrus flavours. I must admit I forgot to reduce the sauce at the end so my chicken was a little under salted, but I believe that had I reduced the sauce it would have given the chicken just the right amount of salt once it had been sauced. The other major advantage is the fact that the dish has you roast chicken and vegetables together, I added a basic israeli couscous and the meal was complete.

  • cultus.girl on September 03, 2015

    Lovely lovely dish and had all guests raving on a cold winter's night. Don't seem to be able to get clementines where we live so substituted honey murcott mandarins which have enough body and sweetness to hold their own.

  • MmeFleiss on April 02, 2015

    6 tablespoons arak = 6 tablespoons plain vodka + 3/4 teaspoons powdered star anise.

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 13, 2015

    This a great dish when you need to do the prep ahead as it marinates for up to 24 hours then all gets tipped into a roasting pan. I loved the combination of fennel, ouzo and fennel seeds with the clementines. The anise flavor is more subtle than you would expect from 3 anise ingredients. - Jane

  • featherbooks on March 16, 2018

    Another vote for a delicious Ottolenghi dish. We agree with this cook about leaving fruit in longer: "At the 75 minute mark I removed the nicely browned chicken thighs (they were gigantic as thighs go) and left the fennel and clementines for another 30 minutes in the sauce. Only then was the fennel tender."

  • jhallen on February 24, 2021

    This was good but the sauce part didn’t turn out for me. There was no sauce left by the time the chicken was done. Flavors were great though. Maybe I will double the sauce next time?

  • linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

    A good company meal! Used mandarins and pernod subs.

  • kellyluc on May 24, 2023

    I love this dish. It is wonderful to take to a family all in it's marinade for them to dump onto a sheet pan and roast. The flavors and aroma are so lovely.

  • Jardimc on December 31, 2020

    I couldn’t access the online recipe using the link on this entry so here is another link that works. https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/roasted-chicken-with-clementines-arak

  • TLouise on January 07, 2021

    This was easy and very flavoursome. I marinated it for three hours and used vodka with a touch of ground star anise as that was what I had on hand, it seemed to work quite well. I would have given it longer in the oven but we were hungry so it was served up as per recipe timings.

  • DePollepel on August 25, 2021

    nice and easy, with chicken thighs

  • Stephenn31 on March 10, 2024

    Delicious! Will make again

• Roasted chicken with Jerusalem artichoke & lemons

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    I love chicken flavored with lemon, and I liked this version but it was a bit of a letdown after the version with arak and clementines, which I loved. However, the Jerusalem artichokes are amazing, and work really well with all of the flavors and I will definitely make these again, if not the chicken. (Potatoes would be good in this too.)

  • westminstr on January 28, 2013

    YUM! the jerusalem artichokes are SO good prepared this way. Time consuming though (lots of chopping)!

  • twoyolks on November 08, 2013

    The various flavors in the recipe never really melded together. The chicken ended up relatively bland and under seasoned. I did marinate the chicken overnight.

  • purpleshiny on May 28, 2013

    I've made this twice - once with the ingredients I had on hand (subbing szechuan peppercorns for the pink peppercorns and tumeric for saffron) and once as written. It's good both ways, but it's definitely worth seeking out the saffron and pink peppercorns. My favorite way to use sunchokes so far.

  • SugarTreeBaking on October 08, 2020

    I have to agree with twoyolks, great potential with many flavors and textures, but even after an overnight marinade, the chicken was bland. The flavors never came together, the Jerusalem artichokes were just okay. A disappointment. A bright note - love the great coloring prior to baking.

  • adelina on October 23, 2016

    I made this tonight for dinner but with a few modifications. I swapped potatoes for Jerusalem artichokes since I did not have any. I parboiled the potatoes and took the same steps as the artichoke seasoning. I followed the instructions on the chicken closely and added a little turmeric per one of the recommendations. I also added some parsley, and generously salted the chicken .I used tricolor peppercorns since did not want to handpicked.only the reds. I covered the chicken with onions and added the parboiled potatoes around the chicken and followed instructions of roasting for 45 minutes at 475. I did not cover the pan with foil since the onions helped be the protector of chicken. Very much success and everyone loved it.

  • linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

    Loved this- used canned art hearts. I didnt use saffron.

  • jhallen on November 29, 2020

    This was really good and perfect for a dinner party since the work is all upfront. After it’s done marinating - it’s basically just 45 min in the oven. I am confused by the reviews saying it was bland - it was super flavorful for me. Great recipe.

  • mpo on February 28, 2021

    I used frozen artichokes that I let thaw the day before I started the marinade. Once prepped, very easy to pull together. I think I will set to broil maybe the last minutes of cooking to crisp up the skin.

  • mpo on February 28, 2021

    I used frozen artichokes that I let thaw the day before I started the marinade. Once prepped, very easy to pull together. I think I will set to broil maybe the last minutes of cooking to crisp up the skin.

  • purrviciouz on December 19, 2018

    This took a long time to get everything together for the marinade but after that it was hands off so perfect for company. I made this twice, the first time with lemons and parsnips since the grocer didn't have jerusalem artichokes and the second time with clementines and jerusalem artichokes. I think any root vegetable would work well here. I preferred it with lemon.

  • rlmolnar on March 18, 2021

    Sort of regretted assembling it after dinner on a work night, but it roasted up nicely the next day and we found it very flavorful. Glad to find a non-soup option for my CSA sunchokes.

• Poached chicken with sweet spiced freekeh

  • Jane on January 21, 2013

    This was very easy, manageable as a weeknight dinner if you allow the hour for the chicken to poach. Though I made it just with boneless, skinless breasts which needed less cooking time. One odd thing on the coordination of this dish is that you start cooking the freekah while the chicken is poaching, but you remove 600 ml of the poaching broth and add it to the freekah, which then has 40 minutes more cooking time. So you have removed a large part of the poaching broth. So you either continue cooking the chicken with a lot less broth or dilute it by adding more water. This isn't explained in the instructions. Apart from that anomoly, this was really good. The chicken wasn't anything special, just poached chicken (which I admit would have better if it had been a whole chicken with skin on) but the freekah was great. It was sweet (from caramelized onions) and spiced (by allspice and coriander) but also additional notes from parsley and browned almonds in butter.

  • joneshayley on December 04, 2016

    Followed the recipe to the letter and loved this. Very delicately spiced chicken, beautiful freekah. Absolute knock out

• Chicken with caramelized onion & cardamom rice

  • westminstr on February 13, 2014

    I finally got around to making this recipe a couple of nights ago, and I absolutely loved it. I caramelized the onions ahead of time, over the weekend, to streamline the prep for weeknight cooking. Otherwise I made the recipe as written, except that I substituted currants for barberries and omitted the dill and used only three cloves, which was plenty. I did have an issue with some of the rice being still a bit crunchy at the end of the cooking time. Thinking it over, some of the grains of rice were not covered with liquid at the beginning (the chicken pieces displaced them) and those were the ones that didn't cook through properly.Next time I will add a bit of extra water and make sure that all grains of rice are thoroughly submerged. I skipped the yogurt topping because we were serving it with a dish that included yogurt, but it sounds really good. Next time I will include it

  • vinochic on March 04, 2013

    Really enjoyed the dish, and very easy to make. Loved the barberries and all the fresh herbs.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    This was rich and aromatic comfort food. I used ingredients on hand, boneless skinless chicken breasts, more parsley in place of cilantro, and currants instead of barberries. I made the caramelized onions in advance, and they needed way longer than the recipe direction of 10 minutes to cook. I also thought some of their rich sweetness was lost when cooking them the whole time with the rice, next time I might add them a bit later. I did have textural issues with the rice too but that may have been equipment error on my part (the burner was crooked and the rice therefore didn't cook evenly). Finally, watch the cloves- they were a strong flavor and next time I think I would halve the amount.

  • Astrid5555 on November 03, 2013

    Whole family liked it. Barberries and herbs added great flavor. Caramelizing the onions took close to 40 minutes, apart from that very quick and easy.

  • Rachaelsb on February 27, 2018

    Easy and quick to make...great, flavorful dish.

  • willinzuri on January 16, 2023

    fabulous dish, I love the combination of flavors and the way the chicken is cooked.

  • meggan on April 05, 2017

    Though I am skeptical of cinnamon in savory dishes this was good and not overpowering. We didn't have basmati so the rice came out a little mushy.

  • hirsheys on January 27, 2019

    I made this with boneless skinless thighs and I can tell that it is a tasty dish, but it didn't work great this first time. First, I ended up doubling the rice, but not the chicken, because I had used too many caramelized onions (from my freezer) and then the rice didn't fully cook through. I ended up adding too much extra water to help the rice cook and it got mushy. Next time, I'd try the oven method (250?) to let it cook and maybe use different proportions of rice to water. That said, I really liked this and thought the fresh herbs and yogurt really elevated the dish. (I used chopped tart cherries, which were great - next time I'd love to try barberries out of curiosity.)

  • stef on November 05, 2017

    Wow this was excellent. Used cranberries. The rice was so good. A repeat

  • lidia123 on January 25, 2017

    We absolutely love this dish!! I have made it countless times. I have tried it with barberries (as in the original recipe), but also with chopped dried cherries, dried cranberries and it works perfectly fine. I cook it in a cast iron skillet. One time I tried it in a copper vessel, but for some reason this recipe cooks better in cast iron in my opinion. I have a little bit of an issue with sticking rice right in the center of my skillet when I cook it on the top-stove. Very low heat alleviates the problem. I have cooked it in the oven also, which works fine too and eliminates the sticking rice issue. It's a very, very comforting dish!

  • mharriman on November 23, 2021

    I’m late to the party with this dish (34 notes!) but will add that it’s indeed very good. I followed the cooking instructions exactly ( didn’t pre-soak rice) and the finished rice was perfectly cooked but the chicken thighs were just a tad dry. If I make this again, I’ll cut down the searing time and/ or the slow simmering time. I made mine in a large All-clad stainless steel pan which may have cooked faster than my nonstick sautée pan. For ingredients, I used all the required ones except couldn’t find barberries and my go-to Middle Eastern grocery was closed today. So, I used currants. I also sprinkled some ground cardamom under the skin of the thighs at a reviewer’s suggestion, and I think that increased the flavor factor. Served with chopped parsley and dill weed as well as plain yogurt as recommended.

  • Rutabaga on June 05, 2017

    I've made this years ago, and finally got around to it again. The rice is tender and fragrant, and the chicken stays nicely moist, even when using boneless skinless thighs, as I did. The barberries are a must to give the flavor a little pop; I might even increase them, just a little. It's good even without the yogurt and herbs, but they really bring the dish to completion if you have them.

  • purpleshiny on May 28, 2013

    Very good comfort food. Made with currants, but will definitely be making again with barberries. Doable on a weeknight.

  • stockholm28 on May 25, 2014

    Rice was delicious. I made this in a large Dutch oven on the stove and that worked fine.

  • blepharisma on November 20, 2013

    I found that the skin on the chicken thighs made the dish a bit greasy. Next time, I'll try with skinless. Otherwise, I really like the dish!

  • hillsboroks on July 23, 2015

    We tried this last night for the first time and as everyone else says this dish is wonderful. I used barberries as suggested. We felt that without the fresh herbs and plain yogurt added at the end it would have been good but not great. The fresh herbs and yogurt take it over the top. I had problems getting the rice to cook properly but I think it was the pan I used and next time will use my LeCreuset braising pan with the good sealing lid. I also thought about just popping it into the oven for the final bit of cooking rather than finishing it on the stove top. Even with a longer cook time and added water to cook the rice which ended up making the rice a bit mushy when it finally did cook, it was delicious and my husband urged me to make it again.

  • Lstillman on January 29, 2013

    I could not find barberries either, but did sprinkle pomegranate to finish. I would probably reduce the rice by 1/2 cup next time, since there was much more rice than there was chicken. I enjoyed this dish which reminded me of the way Jambalaya is made; very easy for a week night dinner

  • KarinaFrancis on February 01, 2015

    Joining the chorus of praise for this dish. It's the perfect weeknight entertaining dish, it has wow factor and the cooking on the day can be pretty effortless. Following the advice of others I caramelized the onions a day ahead, it's worth the time investment. I will make it again and seek out barberries as I only had currants.

  • cadfael on March 04, 2014

    We really liked this dish. I used a little dried dill weed, the rest as written. Used currants. Cut up whole chicken.. next time try all thighs.

  • sharifah on April 28, 2014

    Fabulous, comforting dish. Mildly spiced and yet full of flavour. I followed the recipe exactly; and as others have said, the onions takes a lot longer to caramelise, more like 30-40 minutes. I was a little worried that the rice may not cook but the additional 10 minutes of steaming them as he suggested cooked them perfectly. I think it's definitely worth hunting the barberries online as they added an unusual tang to the dish, currants won't replicate the same flavour.

  • twoyolks on May 23, 2014

    The rice is the star of this dish. The chicken is nice but doesn't pick up much of the spice flavorings.

  • Nancy402 on September 07, 2013

    Wonderful recipe. Very aromatic with complex flavors. I used vidalia onions, which caramelized nicely. Barberries added a nice sweet and sour flavor.

  • kmattingly on April 22, 2013

    Couldn't find barberries so used currants as suggested - reminiscent of Indian Moghlai Chicken dish I have cooked regularly for a number of years - delicious

  • chawkins on October 22, 2013

    Tasty chicken and rice. It took me a lot more than 10 minutes to caramelize the onion, I used currants and dried dill. Did not make the yogurt sauce, but after tasting the dish, realized that it would have been a good complement for the rice.

  • Delys77 on November 26, 2012

    Pg 184 This was very reminiscent of an Indian biryani, mostly due to the clove and cinnamon, as well as the cardamom. I did enjoy it, but it was missing something. That was likely my fault as I forgot to buy barberries and I had no currants so there was a touch of tang missing to the rice. Overall this is a nice chicken and rice dish and will try it with the barberries and possibly a bit more herbs next time, as I suspect it might have the potential to be an excellent dish.

  • saladdays on April 15, 2014

    This is a great recipe. I have cooked it before with currants but this time used barberries and what a difference that made! It adds a real zing to the dish. The onions take a long time to cook and need to be watched very carefully as caramelised can quickly become charred. It may be worth cooking it in a low oven rather than on a hob. I use a Rayburn oven for slow cooking and it works very well for any slow cooked rice dish.

  • okcook on January 07, 2017

    Rayburn, regarding your sticking chicken skin. Perhaps you are moving the chicken pieces before they are ready to be moved. Leave them alone until they can be moved without sticking. Patience. Moderate heat will work and make sure they are dried properly before frying. Perhaps a glass of wine to sip on while waiting could help!

  • lorloff on March 20, 2018

    Fabulous dish, aromatic, fragrant my husband could not get enough of it. Getting the barberries was well worth it and makes the dish. Pomegranates were also in season so I added the seeds at the end before serving with the herbs. I doubled the amount of herbs and really browned the skin of the chicken thighs which made them really flavorful. I used Pakistani Basmati rice from Kalustans in NY which was perfect in the dish. Did not need and we did not add the yogurt. I doubled the onions and slowly caramelized them. Great recipe will definitely make this again.

  • Jane on May 04, 2018

    I've been meaning to make this for ages so I took the opportunity while visiting my father. His larder/pantry is not as well stocked as mine so I had to use currants rather than barberries. I really enjoyed the dish - it has a great depth of flavour. I feel I was maybe a bit heavy handed with the cloves so I'll cut that back next time as I'd rather that cardamom was the dominant flavour. My only issue was that 30 minutes at the lowest possible heat did not come close to cooking the rice (I didn't pre-soak it). It took another 15 mins at medium heat to cook through.

  • Melyinoz on February 20, 2022

    Thanks to the notes here I soaked the rice before cooking and I had no problems with crunchy rice. This is a really tasty and easy dish.

  • tmitra on May 04, 2016

    See discussion at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/dining/recipe-lab-video-chat-on-jerusalem.html (and recipe online at http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014925-chicken-with-caramelized-onion-and-cardamom-rice).

  • raybun on January 05, 2017

    Fabulous dish! So glad people take the time to write notes as I often filter by 'buzz' when choosing recipes. I had the afternoon off so started the prep early, and am glad I did as it did take longer than stated. I was literally giddy with excitement when I finally managed to track down barberries and followed the recipe to the letter, using my le creuset braiser. The only annoying thing is when I sear chicken in it the skin always sticks and comes off, rather than browning despite using a lower temperature. If anyone has a remedy to this I'm all ears...

  • clcorbi on March 06, 2017

    Absolutely delicious and comforting. I pre-soaked the rice for a few hours before cooking and ended up with perfectly cooked rice. I caramelized the onions in advance as I knew there was no way they'd be golden brown in 10 minutes, and by the time I was ready to cook this for dinner, everything went really quickly. I also omitted the barberries as neither of us really enjoy fruit in savory foods, and I used ground spices rather than whole. The final result was extremely good, but next time I'd do a couple of things differently to get a perfect result: I'd up the amount of caramelized onion by using 3 onions rather than 2, I'd use 1.5t of salt in the rice mixture rather than just 1t, and I'd also rub some salt into the chicken thighs before sautéeing them. The yogurt here is a really nice addition. This is a recipe that will be repeated.

  • e_ballad on May 03, 2019

    Just a quick note to join the masses in declaring this an excellent dish!

  • MmeFleiss on February 25, 2017

    Presoak the rice an hour ahead to avoid crunchy rice.

  • sarahj22 on September 18, 2017

    Beautiful aromatic flavours and not too much hassle to make. I used skinless and boneless chicken thighs (rather than skin-on, bone-in), and both chicken and rice were cooked perfectly after the 30mins on the hob (which meant we could skip the last 10min step). I've had it both with and without the barberries - the dish is lovely either way but they do add an intriguing sweet/sour note and aren't nearly as obvious as most dried fruit in savoury dishes. I agree that the yogurt and fresh herbs elevate this, though I didn't bother adding oil to the yogurt. A very comforting dish.

  • linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

    I made this for s large dinner party snd it easily doubled. I make it as it is written except i used currants instead of barberries.

  • fia_1yyfxq on March 24, 2026

    A recipe I come back to time and time again. Absolutely delicious.

  • courtnay_ltb1fj on March 20, 2026

    My whole family loved this one! I didn’t make any adjustments, it was perfect as-is!

  • GaryCooks on April 14, 2024

    Made this a couple years ago and it came out perfect. But today the chicken wasn’t cooked through and some of the rice was a little crispy after the suggested 30 minutes cooking/10 minutes wait. I put it all back in the Le Creuset braiser that I had used, and cooked it for about 15 minutes more, on medium heat, causing the bottom of the pan and a layer of rice to be burnt, even though I was periodically adding water. It was fine then. I don’t know what I did differently today as opposed to last time. But, the rice was still delicious (very soft but it liked it, almost like a risotto!). As others had said, the chicken didn’t have much flavor, so maybe a little baharat under the skin next time will help. I’d make it again though - loved the flavor of the rice.

  • anna_1bxel8 on February 08, 2026

    Used mint instead of dill/parsley

  • Stephenn31 on June 24, 2023

    Good though the chicken needed to be marinated in the spices for longer to gain flavour. Use a lot of fresh herbs at the end and don’t skimp on the yogurt

  • rhb on December 02, 2022

    A family favorite! We like to use boneless & skinless chicken thighs. We double the recipe except for the chicken and use a 14-inch pan. We've never had to soak the rice.

  • Futuregirl23 on February 09, 2023

    This was tremendous, the rice was the best part. Really good serving size too, could probably stretch it to six servings if necessary.

  • JimCampbell on April 07, 2026

    A 3.0 out of 5. The rice is tasty. We used bone-in, skin-on, chicken thighs. Like a lot of dishes where chicken thighs are cooked in rice, the chicken doesn't absorb much flavor, but the rice makes up for it. My wife was not keen on biting into shards of cinnamon stick, pieces of whole cardamom, or the whole pieces of allspice. I look at it as part of the experience, like biryani, which is very similar. We used a Persian basmati rice, and we keep barberries in the freezer. Next time I would back off a bit on the cardamom. Maybe 8 pods instead of 10. I'd salt more liberally, particularly at the end. I'd also remove as many of the whole spice pieces as possible before taking the dish to the table.

  • catmummery on May 11, 2025

    revisiteed for a visit from my elderly mum. This is such a delicious dish; works across generations, super tasty, had with a crunchy salad and a 'raita' type side plus brown rice. forgot how good this is

  • dc151 on October 25, 2020

    Lovely aromatics in the rice. The chicken was moist but not particularly flavorful. Maybe rubbing some ground cardamom under the skin next time? Pre-soaked the rice for a half hour and it did just fine otherwise following the directions.

• Saffron chicken & herb salad

  • mcvl on August 12, 2013

    Further: We decided to make this one of our official company dishes for a while, so I made up a big batch of the saffron orange relish (rather than puree, see my note from the 9th of August). I cut up five oranges, two into sixteenths, three into eighths, and pulsed them to an uneven mixture in my food processor, then cooked them with the saffron, honey, and vinegar (and salt). I cooked them for only about twenty minutes, so they still had lots of texture. A great success the first night, and now I have four more portions in the refrigerator ready to make four more goes of the salad.

  • mcvl on August 09, 2013

    Oh. My. Gosh. This is insanely delicious. I had to leave out the chile and garlic because I was serving it to */those/* kinds of people, but it was insanely delicious anyway, and next time I make it I'll be sure I'm able to make it as written. One essential change, however. There's no way my food processor will turn that small an amount of orange essence into a paste. Instead of pureeing it, I cut it up quite small and used it all. I'm pretty sure I like the dish better my way, with strong little hits of orange instead of an overall orange veil.

  • Laura on June 20, 2014

    Pg. 188. Love,, love, loved this! While it takes a bit of time to make the orange syrup -- mine needed more than the hour to reduce to the proper amount -- it is otherwise super simple and quick. I pureed the syrup in my Vita-Mix and it turned into an absolutely lovely light orange silky puree that was really aromatic. I substituted thinly sliced celery for the fennel as I just don't care for raw fennel. Also used a jalapeno in place of the red chile because I couldn't find red chiles. Otherwise, I followed the directions exactly. I served this with the chicken on top of the salad as a light dinner entree and it was perfect. Two of us consumed all of the salad, but there is chicken leftover for lunch. And the remaining orange puree? Planning to use that to sauce fish fillets for dinner tonight.

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 13, 2015

    The orange flavor from the sauce does dominate even slightly overpowering the flavors of mint, basil and cilantro. But still a very delicious salad. This is a good one for a buffet as it's very easy to scale up. - Jane

  • Bradley on August 02, 2015

    This dish was simply stunning and is one of the best dishes i have eaten this year (2015). Well worth making.

  • Delys77 on January 28, 2013

    Pg. 188 This is a delicious chicken salad that has tonnes of orange flavour from the dressing, a bit of heat the offset it, and the savoury deliciousness of grilled chicken. All of this is set off by the crunch and unexpected flavour of the fennel and herbs. Definitely a repeatable dish that would be an excellent lunch on a hot day.

  • SACarlson on March 22, 2014

    This wonderful recipe is also available on the Ottolenghi website: http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/saffron-chicken-and-herb-salad-shop

  • Margaretsmall on April 07, 2014

    Bought the book to see what all the excitement is about. This is my first recipe, served yesterday for a lunch with friends. Added some lettuce to the salad. Delicious.

  • adelina on April 02, 2016

    This was an interesting salad to make but it did stand out on my Easter table. I served it over bed of lettuce. I added some additional herbs since I had them such as dill, tarragon. I added slices of radish for color and crunch. I cut the bitterness of the dressing with added lemon juice,oil,honey and salt. My guest loved it very much.

  • twoyolks on February 02, 2016

    I didn't find the orange flavor to be overpowering but it nicely complimented the other flavors. My major complaint was that the chicken was a bit dry. I'd consider brining the chicken in the future. Despite not usually liking fennel, it worked really well here. The flavor worked well and the crunch was nice.

  • chriscooks on August 11, 2021

    This was great! I was concerned that the pureed orange tasted bitter by itself, but it was just right in the complex salad. I poached the chicken, which kept it moist.

  • TrishaCP on June 26, 2020

    I agree with everyone that this was phenomenal. I only had one fennel bulb so used baby greens to bulk up the salad. I didn’t have fresh red chiles so used chile flakes.

  • chawkins on July 16, 2025

    Pretty good. Perfect for a hot summer dinner. Did not have a red chile so used first green jalapeno from the garden.

  • dinnermints on September 11, 2016

    Excellent flavor, and my guests loved it. Next time I'd try making the orange sauce ahead of time.

  • Ben.cutler on April 20, 2025

    This one wasn't for me, unfortunately. The uncooked, raw fennel is a bit overpowering for me, and my orange sauce tasted too much like the underlying orange pith. Maybe I'm using Florida Navel oranges which have more rind.

• Chicken sofrito

  • TrishaCP on December 30, 2013

    The potatoes are the true star of this dish- only small amounts of paprika and lemon, plus garlic and chicken juices, really make them tasty. I used only dark meat chicken (thigh/leg pieces), so it wasn't dry, but it wasn't special either.

  • jaelsne on May 27, 2014

    This dish turned out very well. We found the spices to be very engaging--I followed the recipe exactly, which meant using a light hand. The taste of the resulting sauce was complex and not at all overpowering, despite the fact that the recipe calls for 25 cloves of garlic. The slow cooking made the chicken to turn out perfectly moist, and the potatoes were to die for! I served it with a simple vegetable (steamed broccoli) for a satisfying meal.

  • Jojobuch on July 16, 2017

    Great, flavorful dish! I used chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken, which worked very well.

  • Rutabaga on April 09, 2014

    When I made this dish, the chicken turned out moist and succulent, and the potatoes were perfectly roasted and well flavored from the lemon , garlic, and oil. Even my husband, who prefers his chicken boneless, aged that this was worth dealing with the bones; not that that was difficult, as the meat practically fell off on its own.

  • twoyolks on October 07, 2013

    The potatoes absorbed a lot of flavor and were excellent. The chicken itself was pretty dry and flavorless.

  • ithyt on November 02, 2015

    10.15 Scrummy - fried potatoes - delish just be careful when returning to the pan so that they don't burn.

  • Bebette on October 26, 2020

    Everyone liked it. However, I will use skinless chicken legs next time. The breast were a bit dry.

  • Frogcake on February 06, 2019

    We loved the spice combination. I used chicken drumsticks, which were flavourful and moist. Perfect with potatoes but just as delicious with orzo.

  • anya_sf on May 30, 2017

    I used chicken legs, which ended up extremely moist and tender. I wouldn't try this with chicken breast. The flavors end up quite mild. I served it with the wild & basmati rice with chick peas, which is super flavorful, so extra seasoning wasn't needed, but with a milder accompaniment, I might up the spice or add herbs. I used less potato (since we had it with rice) and did not fry the potatoes and garlic. I had tons of liquid (I think lots of rendered fat from the skin), so there was no danger of burning. The potatoes and garlic got infused by the chicken and spice flavors. They were very good, although of course I can't say how that compares to the fried version. My version was extremely easy to make and I would definitely make it again.

  • Livia on June 23, 2018

    Tried this with a while chicken but ended up being very bland. Will try again with only legs and thighs

• Kofta b'siniyah

  • mcvl on August 11, 2013

    Made as a flat meatloaf rather than patties, baked the sauce on top of the loaf for the last five minutes. I love the bitterness of the tahini sauce, and I love the flavor and texture of the pine nuts. V. easy, v. good.

  • TrishaCP on July 27, 2013

    Pretty simple to put together and with good flavor. Nice to not have to use eggs as a binder, but I would probably skip the pine nuts next time- didn't like the texture or flavor here. I agree that the tahini sauce is bitter and definitely benefits from more lemon juice.

  • Delys77 on January 31, 2013

    Pg. 195 Easy to prepare and quite flavourful, although I would up the salt in the kofta a bit. I found the tahini sauce a touch bitter, but so I would go with a little less tahini next time and a bit more lemon to jazz it up a bit. The recipe has good bones and would be very good stuffed in a pita with greek salad.

  • Barb_N on March 24, 2014

    I have made this a couple times- I skimped on the spices the first time being put off by such large quantities. Trust the chef- it seems like a lot of spice but it is just right.

  • twoyolks on February 08, 2016

    I omitted the pine nuts (per family preferences) but these were very flavorful and very good. I'd consider cooking them on the grill in the future to improve the flavor.

  • stef on January 01, 2018

    Used half lamb,half veal. Yes a little more salt is needed otherwise delicious and quick to make. Will make again

  • Lsblackburn1 on July 04, 2019

    Cooked these outside on the grill on skewers. Delicious and easy to do ahead.

  • paulabee on July 09, 2016

    liked these; will make again, at which point I will add more salt (perhaps sprinkling salt on the outside of the meant before searing). I would also slightly increase herbs. I served with a tahini-heavy hummus, which worked well.

  • jenburkholder on August 23, 2021

    We made only the meatballs, subbing Impossible ground in for the meat. Turned out well; would make like that again.

  • kkmatti on September 30, 2024

    These were ok, but I found myself a little disappointed and probably won't make these again. Like others here have said, I would recommend adding more salt to these than the recipe calls for. The pine nuts are ok, but don't play a critical role so I think it's ok to skip them. Update: These were strangely much better the second day. I think it's because I served it with rice on day #2 and didn't have the tahini sauce base.

  • mackerman on November 29, 2020

    This is a staple in our home, delicious and easy. Everyone always loves it.

  • rhb on December 02, 2022

    Really good. We skip the melted butter, it doesn't seem to do much.

• Beef meatballs with broad beans & lemon

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    Fairly intensive labor-wise, but the payoff is an incredibly light tasting meatball. The lemon and herbs do a lot to brighten the dish. I haven't had favas with the skins on before, and because they are so expensive where I live (purchased from farmer's market and frozen during the summer)- I just shelled them all. For some reason, I also ended up with significantly more sauce than I was supposed to, so I just reduced it down some. Served with the Basmati Rice and Orzo as suggested.

  • Breadcrumbs on January 11, 2013

    p. 196 - Lovely lemony dish. I made these modifications: • I didn’t have any ground lamb so I just used beef. • I Baked meatballs for 35mins at 375 vs frying • I was sad that I had to use canned favas (hence their grayish colour) • I purchased my Baharat spice mix and I found the flavours to be quite balanced and reminiscent of Asian Five-Spice Powder. The meat mixture smelled amazing as I was tossing everything together. My sous chef (golden retriever) agreed! We loved everything about this dish. The meatballs were juicy, tender and beautifully seasoned. The sauce was delicious; we especially enjoyed the subtle tang from the lemon juice. I’m sure I could have finished off all the sauce by myself, in a cup!! I served this atop the Saffron Rice with Barberries (p. 195) and thought the dishes paired well together with the tang of the barberries mirroring that of the lemon in the meatball dish. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/884302#7817560

  • Jane on January 14, 2013

    My dish had a lot more sauce and did not look as enticing as the picture. He says you want a lot of sauce but the picture really just looks like a glaze. I served it with the Basmati rice and orzo on p.103 so plenty of sauce was necessary. I used frozen fava beans so didn't shell half of them as I was running short of time. I think the greenness of the shelled beans in the picture definitely helped the visual appeal. But it tasted great. I loved the lemony, herby sauce and the meatballs had good texture and taste (I also used all beef). The amount of breadcrumbs seemed far too much when I was making the meatball mixture but it worked out fine. I liked the spice levels but my daughter thought it was far too heavy on the cumin (not a big fan). There is cumin in the baharat spice mix plus another tablespoon of ground cumin, which I had freshly ground, so I suppose that is quite a lot. This was quite a time-consuming dish when it was all done in one night. Worth it though!

  • cultus.girl on November 27, 2018

    Outstanding dish full of flavour. I agree time consuming however well worth the effort. I make it when we have our broad bean crop and because we pick the beans while the pods are young, I don’t bother peeling half. Just the larger ones if any.

  • sarahawker on June 08, 2019

    Delicious. Kids loved the intensely flavored meatballs. Great way to use a lot of random herbs. I subbed carrot tops for the parsley. Simple but takes some time. Absolutely make this again.

  • joeljkp on April 20, 2025

    We loved this. Great flavor to the meatballs. A bit saucier than pictured, which was ok. Served with rice and vermicelli pilaf so as not to compete with the flavors of the meatballs.

  • purpleshiny on May 28, 2013

    Loved this dish. The only fava beans I could find were already steamed, so I didn't get the beautiful green color either. I thought the spices were beautifully balanced. From what I've read, the Baharat mix can vary considerably depending on who makes it (our Middle Eastern grocery literally labeled theirs as "Mixed Spices" - we had to ask to find it). Ours is more like a 5 spice powder (at least, that's how it smells). I simmered my meatballs for about 5 minutes at the end to reduce the sauce - once I did that, my sauce and meatballs looked exactly like the picture. Agree on reducing the onions slighly - I used half of what I would term a medium-large onion and it was almost too much. Subbed taragon for mint for the finishing herbs as my garden mint isn't tall enough yet to supply the meatballs and the sauce. Would make that substitution again.

  • Delys77 on January 02, 2013

    Pg. 196 Another classic comfort food from the master Ottolenghi. Admittedly it is a very different kind of comfort food than I am used to, with it's lovely combination of lamb and beef, with the earthy fava and just a hint of citrus, but it screams comfort food all the same. Very tasty dish as written, but I would make a few small changes. I would count down the onion by about 1/3 and I would pair back the cloves in the spice mix by about half as it was a bit strong for some of those who tried the meatballs. Otherwise a very tasty dish for fall or winter.

  • saladdays on January 25, 2014

    Work out how long you think you may need to cook this and then add another half an hour! A labour intensive recipe but worth the effort. I used beef mince only and found I couldn't mix all the onion in. If I made it again I would put the onion in the food processor rather than just chop it by hand. It would help the meatballs to stick together. The first time I have used Baharat spice and loved it. I have always felt life is too short to skin broad beans but it was certainly worth it for this dish.

  • twoyolks on June 28, 2014

    The sauce was quite good but the meatballs themselves were too bready (I used the weight measurement). I'm not sure what the unshelled fava beans add. I would've preferred them shelled.

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    Love, love, love this recipe. I thought these were divine. Agree that it's labour intensive, but it's worth it.

  • ameliark on March 24, 2019

    So delicious! Absolutely loved it. It’s actually quite easy to make, but there’s lots of chopping, and measuring the spices (I made the baharat spice mix), and forming the meatballs, and that’s before you actually get to cooking them so it took me a while, but the time investment is worth it. Quite fresh and light for a meatball dish. I served it with basmati rice and orzo as suggested, and also a chopped salad.

• Turkey & zucchini burgers with spring onion & cumin

  • westminstr on May 27, 2014

    Made these again and this time I divided the mixture into 8 burgers and cooked them entirely on the stove (no oven). This was easier and produced better results, I will be repeating this method.

  • Jane on January 28, 2013

    The mixture is rather loose - as Delys77 suggests it would be a good idea to wring excess moisture from the grated courgettes/zucchini before adding to the mixture. I baked them rather than frying them first and it didn't seem to matter that they were so loose, they came out the oven in excellent shape. I liked them but for me the sauce really made the dish. I can see making the creamy sumac sauce to go with lots of things, actually I'd eat it on its own! I served it with couscous with tomato and onion on p.129.

  • westminstr on June 27, 2013

    We also liked these burgers. Meat mixture very loose -- don't forget to wring out the zucchini before cooking. I baked them for ease/convenience, but I think frying as directed would be better if time permits. Loved the sauce, which I made entirely with greek yogurt (no sour cream).

  • westminstr on July 19, 2013

    Great burgers. My burger mix was very wet -- next time wring out the zucchini first. For ease of weeknight cooking, I decided to bake my burgers in the oven at 400. I checked at the 20 minute mark and they were not quite done and very pale, so I blasted them at 550 for another 5-10 minutes. This worked but if I had a little more time/fewer little ones underfoot I would fry the burgers. Both kids loved these burgers. For the sauce, I used 1 cup of greek yogurt and no sour cream, kept the other seasonings the same. Yummy sauce. We used some of it with the burgers, some to dress a kohlrabi salad, and still had some leftover.

  • TrishaCP on June 29, 2013

    Oh so good. As others have mentioned, this mix is very wet but works out ok in the end. (I did squeeze the water from the zucchini and I am really glad that I did because it was still very wet.) I wanted to bake these rather than frying them, and found I needed about 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven, but this will vary depending upon the size (I had about 15 meatballs). I made my sauce all yogurt, subbing in equal measure for the sour cream.

  • TippyCanoe on April 23, 2013

    Excellent. I am not a big fan of turkey burgers in general, but leave it to Ottolenghi and Tamimi to make them not only palatable but wonderful. We loved the sumac sauce (although I skipped the sour cream and just used yogurt). The cooking time worked perfectly for me and the burgers were moist and flavorful. These would be great for a party. Could make them in advance and warm them in the oven just before serving. I agree with Delys77 that as a main dish, this serves three (we three polished them off).

  • RosieB on October 13, 2012

    These were delicious. I served them with the mushroom and barley ragu from the original Ottolenghi cookbook and flat bread.

  • lilham on April 25, 2015

    I squeezed out as much liquid as I could from the courgette (without adding salt as my baby was having some too). I then let the mixture sat in the fridge overnight before shaping. The mixture was not too loose and easy to work with. I used turkey breast mince and found then a bit dry but Mr lilham thought they were perfect. The recipe made a lot of the sauce. I will halve the amount of sauce next time. edit: I had the leftover sauce with toasted pita bread, lovely.

  • j_h on June 19, 2018

    Made with chicken mince - could increase the cayenne next time. Squeezed the zucchini and would do so again. Served with roasted pumpkin and roasted broccoli - the sauce was outstanding with the broccoli.

  • apattin on October 30, 2019

    Excellent. The sauce was abundant and I used it in a lot of other stuff.

  • bernalgirl on September 23, 2020

    These burgers or meatballs are so tender and flavorful! And the yogurt sauce is outstanding, I served along with sumac-marinated onions. The recipe was a bit wet, and I added 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, so nexttime I’ll squeeze out the zucchini. Grilled them instead of pan-frying and baking.

  • KarinaFrancis on November 05, 2019

    These were delicious, full of flavour and juicy (not at all what I expected from a turkey burger). After reading earlier comments about the mix being wet we added about 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs. Using a cookie scoop we got 15 burgers out of the mix. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow

  • EmilyR on June 18, 2022

    We made these on the grill and it worked out nicely. It does seem surprising there isn't any breadcrumbs or panko to hold it together, but somehow it's the Ottolenghi magic and it works. I didn't even squeeze the water out of the zucchini. In lieu of Greek yogurt, I used skyr. Next time I'd add some preserved lemon or feta to the mix.

  • Rinshin on August 15, 2019

    Made into 12 patties. This is a good recipe using ground turkey. Somewhat similar to tsukune yakitori style except the flavor differences. I like to reduce the amount of ground cumin by half and increase mint and cilantro if I make this again. I only lightly squeezed the shredded zucchini to remove maybe 1 to 1 1/2 T liquid and although the mixture was still loose, I had no problem handling it. For some reason the sauce came out looking thicker than book photo and added a little water to thin out a bit. Photo added.

  • rmardel on November 09, 2020

    Like everyone else here I found these to be delicious, tender and flavorful. The mixture is loose, but holds together well during cooking. I kept putting this recipe off, even though I was intrigued, just because I do not tend to like ground turkey dishes. But I was happily surprised. These will be in regular rotation.

  • stockholm28 on April 21, 2021

    Based on the number of reviews on EYB for this recipe, I’m about the last person to make these. I really enjoyed these and it was a good way to use some aging zucchini. I found the mixture very wet (wore plastic gloves while mixing), but it held together. I liked that the zucchini kept the burgers really moist; I’m usually not a fan of turkey burgers but this could be the trick for other burger recipes where I want to sub turkey.

  • joeljkp on March 24, 2025

    Wonderful, satisfying meal, served with the roasted butternut squash from the same book, and some pitas. Successfully used Beyond plant-based meat in place of the ground turkey.

  • babyfork on January 19, 2017

    Agree that meat & veg mixture is loose but I pan-fried first taking care to move them gently and finished in the oven. Worked out okay. The sumac sauce really completes the dish. My daughter wasn't sold until she tried the meatball with the sauce and then she ate them up. Served with some simply roasted butternut squash cubes dusted with Spicery's "Dusk" spice mixture (orange peel, black pepper, cardamom, Saigon cinnamon & galangal).

  • rachelefry on February 13, 2026

    Delicious, mixture a bit sloppy but comes together when cooked.

  • Rradishes on May 27, 2022

    Made as written, even though I was tempted to just cook them on the pan and skip the oven step. The baking does get rid of the extra liquid so I'm glad I followed the recipe. Next time will try with ground coriander instead of cumin. Overall very tasty though.

  • Barb_N on May 31, 2026

    I made this recipe again, making actual burgers each about 3 meatball’s worth of mix. The larger size meant a lot more moisture and cooking time. They were very loose even after chilling for a few hours. Once cooked, they were as good as ever but aesthetically, I’ll stick to meatballs.

  • mharriman on September 07, 2022

    I made these as written but formed bigger patties- 12 instead of 18 and they seared on the stove and then baked in the oven without coming apart. I enjoyed the flavor more than my husband did. He said he’d like to have them again but didn't like them well enough to clamor after them. Served with root vegetables as suggested, in my case a mix of sweet potatoes, parsnips, and red onions.

  • ksg518 on July 17, 2019

    I know this recipe doesn't need another note but it is as wonderful as everyone says. The sauce is perfect. The original mixture was very loose, but as others have said, once you fry them for a few minutes they firm up nicely. We served them with sautéed corn for a great summer dinner.

  • adelina on October 12, 2015

    I really loved this and here are my slight modifications: Added allspice Added more green onion Used more dry mint since had ran out of fresh Used more garlic. Used 2 courgettes Pan fried with a mixture of grapeseed oil and butter. I made roasted scalloped potatoes as a side and served it along the yogurt sauce and pita pockets.

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 13, 2015

    Delicious! Not so interested in the sauce. The burgers are better without it. (Rachel S-K)

  • Cheri on November 21, 2015

    Very tasty! My mixture, as written, was also really wet. I had salted and rinsed, squeezed the zucchini, and still too wet. I did add a bit of breadcrumbs, which worked very well to hold the mix together. I made patties, pan fried to brown a bit and then finished in the oven. The sauce is a great compliment, and as previous reviewers have noted, makes plenty. Served with a big green salad and some naan bread to mop up the sauce.

  • lorloff on June 24, 2020

    These were absolutely delicious. We made the turkey into burgers as opposed to meatballs and they needed more time browning in the pan, but they browned perfectly and then we cooked them in the over to finish them until on an instant thermometer they reached an internal temperature of 165 (Bittman’s recommendation for the cooked temp for ground poultry). Since I am allergic to milk products I needed to find another sauce. I made the sauce from Milk Street’s herb turkey burgers with used cilantro, mint and scallions that are also included in this recipe and it was a real winner. Served these as turkey burgers with multigrain buns and all the fixings and it was fantastic. Highly recommended will make again. Once again Ottolenghi is a genius!

  • Melanie on September 09, 2013

    Joining the chorus of success on this recipe. Made with chicken mince instead of turkey but tasted very good.

  • Delys77 on January 14, 2013

    Pg. 200 Delicious! The recipe would serve 4, but likely with a lot of sides. If you are making fewer dishes aim for it to serve closer to 3. The sauce is super tangy and delicious, and would work well with all sorts of poultry and veggies (dip). The turkey patties come together perfectly as instructed and yield a lovely little bite that is moist from the zucchini (remember to squeeze the zucchini out a bit) and has a touch of heat from the cayenne. You want to be able to taste the subtle flavour of the turkey, which you can, but you could consider upping the herbs a little.

  • k.a.g on May 30, 2013

    Brilliant recipe. Cooked as instructed, the burgers were beautifully moist and full of vibrant flavours. I have to agree though that the sauce almost stole the show - I served the burgers with fresh wholemeal pita bread and I got totally stuck on the bread/sauce combo! I'll definitely be making the full recipe again, but I'm already thinking about whether I have enough sour cream left to make another batch of the sauce tonight... I agree that with a decent sized salad and bread this is a meal for no more than 4, definitely not 6.

  • annapanna on June 16, 2013

    These were very good. The mixture was a bit too watery ar first because I forgot to drain the zucchini, so I added a spoon of bread crumbs. I fried and baked as directed and the times were just right. The sauce was delicious,it would be great as a veggie dip too. I will definitely make these again.

  • sharifah on July 14, 2013

    I made this recipe without reading all the notes written on it, and fortunately I did squeeze the liquid out of the courgettes first, and thinking that Ottolenghi should've said this in his instructions. I changed the sauce as my OH is lactose intolerant, so I mixed soya yogurt and lactose free cream cheese - works well, very delicious. Excellent way of using turkey mince, very moist burgers. Will be making this again definitely

  • chawkins on August 21, 2013

    Excellent burgers. I salted the zucchini and let it sit for about half an hour, then squeezed out all the liquid. the resulting mixture was not loose and I got eight 4-inch patties. Since today is the hottest day of the month and the patties held together well, I just pan fried them. Will be making these a few more times this summer as I have an abundance of zucchinis from the garden. ETA: Made again 9/29/23, zucchini from garden was not big enough, augmented with shredded carrots, did not salt nor squeezed liquid out of zucchini. Got 20 45gish meatballs from 1.31 lb of 93% ground turkey.

  • dinnermints on August 04, 2015

    Delish! I didn't squeeze out the zucchini at all, and that wasn't a problem - but then I didn't bother trying to shape patties; I just dropped them in the hot pans with a spoon and that worked out fine. I might try wringing the zucchini out some next time. I used ground white turkey meat as that's all the butcher had that day, so maybe the extra moisture was needed. Also, would definitely make the burger mix the night before for weeknight meals. This time I made 1.5 recipes (still used one egg), divided it into 9 servings, froze four of them, and am making two meals of the first 5 servings (four servings). Served over couscous, and the sauce is fantastic.

  • Rutabaga on August 25, 2015

    I found these "burgers" to be delicately flavored and tender. They are a good mix-ahead meal; simply store the meat mixture and yogurt sauce in the fridge until ready to cook. While I multiplied the burger recipe by 1.5, I made the sauce recipe as written, and sure enough, there was still more than enough sauce. I did salt and drain the zucchini, but since the ones I used were very small, they didn't leach much water. The meat was very soft, but the burgers still held together well when cooked. I also just cooked them on the stovetop; finishing them in the oven just seems like extra work.

  • lucia_dbdl2m on March 31, 2026

    Extremely flavorful

  • linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

    One of the all time great recipes. Everything works. Good cold or hot. I put them on a sheet pan to freeze then put them in a freezer zip lock. I always squeeze eztra moisture out of the zucchini. As another commenter mentioned, i served this along with couscous with tomato and onion. Same cookbook

  • mingwai_cy960g on May 28, 2026

    We loved these. Cooked through on the stove and paired with the spinach salad on page 30. Will make again.

  • acwebb2 on February 17, 2026

    A very delicious healthy recipe. The mixture is very wet, but holds together fine. The only complaint was that it was very undersalted as written.

  • QuinceHouse on April 27, 2026

    The sumac yogurt was such a nice addition. I would bake them next time.

  • joanne_15p068 on March 02, 2026

    We love these as something to keep in the fridge and snack or lunch on for the week. The burger is very soft - I usually do them in a hot oven if I’m doing a bunch of them, but fried in a pan is possible. I love them with tzatziki and a little feta.

  • jillianefoley on March 08, 2026

    Long time favorite. The sauce is great on so much. Absolutely do not need to fry AND bake them, one will do

  • rhb on December 02, 2022

    We loved these! Even though we didn't squeeze the zucchini they were still great. Next time, though, we will definitely squeeze the zucchini and double the recipe. Maybe won't double the egg.

  • tsp on September 23, 2023

    These burgers are delicious. Squeezed the zucchini after reading the comments, made 18 burgers using a tablespoon. Needed more time in the oven, checked the temperature with the meat thermometer. I’ll use less garlic next time. They were also very good the day after.

  • treay on November 11, 2024

    We love the combination of these turkey burgers with the sour cream and sumac sauce with the date and spinach salad. A very comforting meal!

  • cook_fresco on February 01, 2024

    Made as written with turkey thigh mince and didn't squeeze the zucchini. Shaped into balls on a baking tray as the mixture was so wet, coated each with groundnut oil and simply baked rather than sear first. I left my daughter in charge of checking as had to be out while they cooked and they were fine, but I'd like to have been around to turn them halfway through. Quite a lot of liquid came out, nevertheless they were moist and delicious. The sauce is a must - didn't have sumac so I imagine it would even nicer with it.

  • snoozermoose on September 03, 2022

    I love these so much! So easy, flavorful, and tender. I didn't squeeze my zucchini but did weigh it to make sure I had the right amount, and the meatballs held together well. I made my own sumac yogurt sauce instead of the sour cream/yogurt sauce, and it worked well.

  • eileentien on December 16, 2022

    Love the flavor! The yogurt sauce is so good!

  • Katastrofe on April 04, 2026

    Made these with chicken mince as Turkey mince is not easy to come by here. The flavour was great but they turned out very rubbery, and weren't a great hit here. Maybe I stirred them too much in order to get everything mixed in. The frying and baking technique was very cumbersome, another time id only bake them.

  • s.shadan on August 24, 2021

    The only recipe in which I and my family like turkey. It is delicious.

  • JimCampbell on October 25, 2025

    A 2.5 out of 5. This recipe was a miss for us. The Sumac sauce was tasty, but the burgers themselves were not all that flavorful. A bit surprising considering the mix had two tablespoons of mint and two tablespoons of cilantro. We may try it again, but I think we would add some type of warm Middle Eastern spice to amp things up, and likely increase the mint.

  • jvozoff on July 24, 2023

    Make them exactly as written. They are delicious and low effort. A family favorite.

  • hlange on October 16, 2023

    A firm favorite in our house that's in regular rotation. I've never squeezed the zucchini and never had a problem. Definitely double the recipe and I always cut back on the cayenne otherwise find it a bit overpowering. The sauce is a must. So tangy and addictive with multiple layers of citrus (sumac, lemon juice and zest), yogurt & sour cream base, garlic...just make sure you use good purple fresh sumac, as the stuff I've bought in the grocery store tends to be flavorless and gritty (Adonis brand on Amazon is good). I've also tried making these eggless with sour cream as a substitute. They were still very good but of course the binding and browning weren't quite the same. It was doable though and they held together fine. Update I've since tried making these sans zucchini too (we were out), and they absolutely still work and were just as delicious and moist. Foolproof recipe.

  • Stephenn31 on June 21, 2025

    Easy and delicious. Don’t skimp on the sumac sauce. I served with the tomato couscous (and a big salad) which was a good foil for the turkey and sauce

  • jenburkholder on July 10, 2021

    I will be the dissenting voice here. We made this as is - no substitutions - and I just didn't really care for them, flavor or texture. I adore many sorts of meatballs and the various flavors used in the dish, so not sure why this one just didn't work for me.

  • ginger2212 on January 23, 2022

    I make this dish OFTEN! It is so good - we double though because the lb. is just not enough! I have started riffing more - with my favorite addition being ground coriander. The yogurt/sour cream sauce is an absolute must. I've tried just baking them, but there is something special about the way Ottolenghi prepares them - getting the nice brown crisp!

  • raybun on March 28, 2017

    We loved these, they were moist but not too wet as others have mentioned. I made six large burgers with the quantities specified and halved the sumac yogurt sauce and there was plenty for the adults (4).

  • metacritic on December 12, 2020

    This is terrific as has been noted repeatedly below. I have no fondness for turkey but adore this recipe. The sauce, including sour cream (which I typically avoid just as I normally would ground turkey!), are essential to completing this marvelous dish. It served four of us - two being quite young children - but I think this is really suited to a 2 person meal or requires several side to fill the stomachs of 4. I could eat these weekly quite happily.

  • khopkins1012 on January 06, 2025

    Stellar flavor. We made this in the air fryer with success. Spray with oil, 6 minutes at 400F before flipping for another 4-6 minutes until meatball registers 160F. Made the sauce without sumac and it was delicious at first. As mentioned in the headliner notes, the sauce did mellow out flavor wise after sitting in the fridge.

  • bwhip on August 14, 2019

    Amazing, so good! Made them as (5) burgers rather than meatballs, and served them on potato buns with the dipping sauce. Fantastic flavor, so juicy and delicious. We just loved these and will make them again.

  • mamacrumbcake on December 09, 2018

    Delicious! As everyone mentioned, the mixture is loose but it was no problem forming the burgers. After cooking for two minutes on one side, they were beautifully browned and could be flipped without breaking. The sauce is a very nice complement. These would make a great sandwich stuffed into a pita with some sauce, cucumber, onion, and tomato. FYI: I grate the zucchini and use it as is. Never had a problem with the burgers being watery,

  • Agaillard on August 02, 2022

    Yep - I made the mistake of not reading the comments before doing it and yes, the zucchini must be squeezed and squeezed, because otherwise this is way to wet and very crumbly. Nevertheless, it was tasty and I loved the sauce! I did skip the oven step and shouldn't have, because that would have helped with the texture. We ate them as meatballs, like many of you do it seems, but if I manage to make them hold correctly I might try them with a bun, salad, coriander and maybe feta or goat cheese.

  • Agaillard on March 31, 2023

    OK I tried with taking the water out of the zucchini and doing the oven step. That makes all the difference... the burgers hold well and are perfect with the sauce and 1 goat cheese topping.. I paired with a céréales bun

  • hbakke on May 29, 2019

    These were good. Probably should have made them a bit crispier since the burger texture is kind of mushy.

  • ashallen on October 18, 2020

    These are delicious! Nice tender texture, too. My husband was initially skeptical but became a fan after first bite. Thanks to everyone's notes, I carefully weighed my zucchini and hand-squeezed the shreds to remove some moisture. I also pan-cooked the burgers over medium-low heat and skipped the oven step. I accidentally left out the garlic, but they were still very flavorful. The sauce was also very tasty and creamy, but I found it obscured some of the herb/spice flavors in the burgers for me (which I really liked tasting), so I used it as a dressing for chopped fresh tomato instead which I served on the the side - worked well.

  • jhallen on September 26, 2020

    These are just awesome. For me, they were perfect made as written and the sauce is the best. Leftover sauce is great on roasted or grilled vegetables. Should consider doubling - I feel like we never gave enough and I always want more leftovers.

  • katy1729 on August 11, 2019

    Great! Made with turkey thigh mince (750g, adjusted quantities in proportion, but used only one egg). Grated courgette, left in colander and then pressed to get rid of some of the water content. As others said, the burger mixture was quite wet, but it worked out fine. Made 24 burgers, so lots of leftovers after a meal for three. Used a fat-free Greek style yogurt for the sauce, instead of the Greek yogurt and sour cream combination. It was fine and everyone enjoyed it! Served with cavolero nero, chorizo & preserved lemon, and the couscous, cherry tomato & herb salad.

  • pattyatbryce on February 16, 2022

    Definitely drain/squeeze the zucchini or they will be very wet. Seasoning was terrific and the sauce is delicious but similar to other Ottolenghi sauces.

  • Skamper on October 02, 2025

    Everyone is not wrong; these are delicious. They did make a very loose patty, so next time I'd squeeze some of the liquid out of the zucchini first. Loved the sumac sauce.

  • purrviciouz on September 20, 2019

    I used chicken instead of turkey. I also mixed the meat and formed the meatballs the night before cooking them and they were not as wet when cooking which was nice. These went well with a kale and herb salad with bulgar, all dressed with the sumac yogurt, and made fantastic leftovers for lunch.

  • luluf on September 25, 2020

    So simple but so delicious - a family favourite.

  • anya_sf on May 14, 2017

    I made 3 enormous burgers, and omitted the cayenne since my son doesn't like spicy food. I shaped the patties ahead of time and refrigerated for a few hours. (I did not drain or squeeze the zucchini, but did use small zucchini without many seeds.) The burgers were loose textured, but I was able to get them into the pan OK. Once they cooked on one side, they were easy to flip over. I finished cooking them in the oven, per recipe instructions, just baking a bit longer since my burgers were extra large. I made half the sauce and there was a lot left over. We loved them! My husband said they tasted like lambburgers, probably due to the spices. We had them on buns with the sauce, lettuce, and tomato. Next time I might make them as meatballs in tomato sauce.

  • Katie on January 02, 2026

    I love this so much. They’re great hot or cold, in lunchboxes or fancy dinners, fresh with summer zucchini or from the freezer in January. A staple for us.

• Braised eggs with lamb, tahini & sumac

  • mcvl on February 06, 2013

    Omigosh, I made this for company last night and we ended up competing for who could lick the frying pan. This is delicious, delicious, delicious. I couldn't find shelled pistachios and wasn't up for shelling them myself, so used slivered almonds instead.

  • TrishaCP on December 28, 2014

    This is really delicious-perfect flavors all around. It is very savory and while lightened by the sumac, preserved lemon, tomatoes, and yogurt, the flavor would be too heavy for a light meal. I used 8 oz of ground lamb since that is what I had and it was plenty of meat.

  • westminstr on September 02, 2014

    I loved this dish! Unfortunately the kids did not so I will have to wait a while before repeating. For next time, I would omit the tomatoes and toast the nuts ahead to simplify prep. Served with swiss chard sauteed with garlic, this was a great combo.

  • purpleshiny on May 28, 2013

    Wonderful dish. We used a pound of lamb the first time - that was definitely too much. I think this could go vegetarian nicely with tempeh in place of the lamb - will be trying that next time. The nuts add a wonderful texture and the flavors are beautifully balanced.

  • meggan on February 10, 2013

    This was good but next time I will cut the pistachio and pine nut amounts in half and double the Harissa.

  • twoyolks on August 21, 2014

    This is more braised lamb with eggs rather than eggs with lamb. The flavor of the lamb is much stronger than the flavor of the eggs. I would prefer more of an egg component and less of a meat component. Also, I don't think the nuts added much other than crunch.

  • lmalter on November 28, 2012

    Preserved lemon substitution: I'd recommend lightly sauteeing for a minute or two a couple of seeded lemon slices in just a touch of light oil with some salt, then putting it in the oven (in the skillet) for ten to twelve minutes in a moderate oven, adding a pinch of salt and a tablespoon or two of water, to prevent the juices from getting too sticky. Then I'd chop it and use it with the pan juices. Preserved lemon has a somewhat more mellow, less acidic quality than fresh lemon, which is why I would not substitute fresh.

  • kmattingly on April 22, 2013

    I wouldn't change anything in this dish - it was absolutely delightful.

  • aargle on November 02, 2013

    This was delicious. Used 500grams lamb and also added a tin of chickpeas to cooked lamb. The whole family gave it a big thumbs up

  • Barb_N on March 29, 2017

    Like most Ottolenghi recipes, a riot of flavors! I used my usual shakshuka pan but the lamb mixture was thin on the ground, not enough to braise eggs in. I added chopped kale and this solved the problem. I skipped the nuts since I didn't have the right kinds. I also upped the harissa and spices and thought about adding more preserved lemon. I liked this dish much more than shakshouka which has always been to soupy.

  • KarinaFrancis on December 02, 2021

    We had this for supper, with some yogurt flatbread and the 2 of us polished off the whole thing. Loved all of the flavours together. Like Barb_N it I used a pan that was too big, but will fix that next time I make it

  • Dinovino on June 26, 2022

    Can substitute slivered almonds for pine nuts.

  • anya_sf on May 29, 2017

    Loved this. Two of us ate the whole thing for dinner, with bread. Don't skip the yogurt sauce. The only change I would make is to use fewer nuts.

  • Jesmondgirl on February 27, 2020

    Really tasty brunch dish. Used ready made Zhoug Paste from Waitrose.

  • hlauer on April 22, 2026

    Doubled the meat and also served with lavash and toom. Delicious

• Slow cooked veal with prunes & leek

  • Breadcrumbs on January 25, 2014

    p. 206 – Fabulous and a refreshing change from my veal shank standard Osso Buco. This is a time-consuming dish, a dish that could have you dirtying every pan in the kitchen. I’m glad I read the recipe ahead as I re-used pans instead of hauling new ones out as I went along. Ottolenghi suggests that you check the veal as it cooks to ensure the sauce doesn’t cook away. I could understand this being an issue if the dish went into the oven uncovered but with a good tight seal, all the moisture is retained in the pan and not only did I have plenty of sauce, I actually wished it had reduced a bit. Though my sauce was much thinner than that in the book’s photograph, the flavours were well developed, rich and flavourful. The star-anise definitely shone through and paired beautifully with the sweet, orange-infused tomato broth. mr bc absolutely loved this and claimed to prefer it to Osso Buco. I’ll definitely make it again. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/884302#8705267

  • janeths on February 28, 2026

    Delicious. I use dates instead of prunes which work just as well.

  • tekobo on March 19, 2017

    Absolutely worth the effort. I split the work over two days. No problem with sauce thickness and taking the meat off the bone makes this a much more accessible dish than traditional osso bucco.

  • Poppyseedbagel on May 16, 2020

    Exceptionally good. I didn’t use osso bucco, but Waitrose diced veal, which worked well. I cooked it for two hours +1 hour, and basically did it as a stew, with all of the stock in at first, just adding the leeks and prunes one hour before the end. I did reduce the sauce a bit. I followed the recipe In every other respect.

• Fried cauliflower with tahini

  • KarinaFrancis on June 08, 2023

    Like a few of the previous reviewers I roasted the cauliflower instead of frying, adding in the leaves after about 15 minutes. The dressing was delicious even though I only had parsley and no mint. A definite make again.

  • Rutabaga on November 16, 2016

    My husband and five-year-old really loved the tahini yogurt sauce used here - a good thing, considering I didn't have the full amount of cauliflower, so had an excess of sauce. It is excellent on pita bread, with or without the cauliflower. I did find that it took closer to ten minutes of frying for me to get the golden brown color I wanted on the florets. Having made my florets quite small, I would also keep them a little larger next time, maybe keep them to large bite size, in order to retain a little crunch.

  • Barb_N on June 24, 2017

    Not my favorite Ottolenghi cauliflower recipe but a close second to the Roasted Cauliflower and Hazelnut salad from same cookbook. Didn't deviate too much, but reduced the pomegranate molasses and skipped the mint b/c it was too dark by then to go out and snip it. It took way too long to fry the cauli- I had a very large head and had to do it in 4 batches in spite of using a wok. Next time I will oven roast it which was my inclination in the first place. If I do that it will still be daylight when I need to harvest the mint.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    This Cauliflower dish is a take on a classic Israeli and Lebanese recipe. I have twisted it up just a little to suit us and our friends, but I have to tell you that this is a favourite dish in our circle. I love it partly because it is very quick to make if you **roast** the cauliflower. Ottolenghi deep fries it (and that is delicious) but often time is a real factor in this household. So the cauliflower is roasted when we need awesome dishes in quick-sticks time. We can get on with other things while the roasting happens. I have to say, though, that deep frying gives the cauli beautiful crispy exteriors and cooks the interior just enough to be amazing. This dish is just glorious.

  • s.shadan on July 25, 2022

    I roasted the cauliflowers, using the instructions for cauliflower and hazelnut salad. Also I found that half the dressing is enough for this recipe.

• Bread fritters (A'ja)

  • clcorbi on January 11, 2017

    I'm shocked that there are no notes on this recipe, because these are absolutely delicious and easy! The dough mix looked totally unappetizing which had us both worried, but once we started frying these up, the apartment began to smell absolutely delicious. The only change we made was to substitute scallions for chives. These are deliciously spiced and a really great way to make use of old bread. The headnote also recommends trying these with grated veggies instead of bread, and then serving in a pita with tahini sauce--I will definitely be trying that variation.

  • Schooffiecooks on March 27, 2026

    Or a big stuffed omelette!

• Spicy beetroot, leek & walnut salad

  • SugarFree_Vegan on March 22, 2014

    Page 73 - I've never cooked leeks and had them cold in a salad before which is a great idea. I also cooked my beetroot in the pressure cooked to save time. I also used some pomegranate molasses (in the dressing) as I couldn't find any fresh pomegranates. A lovely salad.

  • Barb_N on November 05, 2014

    I already had roasted beets, making this easy to put together. I happened to have tamarind paste so I diluted it (not knowing what tamarind water is) but I did think about pomegranate molasses instead (I'm reading SugarFree_Vegan's note after the fact). I think the dressing tasted like a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. That is an ingredient I am more likely to have on hand. I will definitely make this again.

  • ricki on January 07, 2023

    Good, even though the leeks didn't impress me as much as I hoped. No arugula on hand, so used little lettuces and mustards from the garden.

  • WaterPenny on October 31, 2021

    This was fantastic! Such complex flavours that we were not expecting. I didn’t have any pomegranate seeds and we didn’t miss them. I luckily had a homemade tamarind sauce on hand which I used. My mom actually begged me to take her fork away so she wouldn’t eat it all by herself. High praise from a picky, bird-like eater.

  • DFarnham on November 14, 2023

    We did not like this. Made as written. The leeks were soggy in spite of proper cook time/ice bath and blotting them with paper towels. I'm not sure if it was the cilantro, or the garlic that put me off. Everyone agreed this was odd. Threw the whole thing in the bin.

• Latkes

  • Ladyredspecs on February 21, 2018

    A recipe that's simple to follow but despite using good quality ingredients the result tasted of neither potato or parsnip. Just a fritter

  • annapanna on August 30, 2013

    I used only oil for frying, otherwise followed the recipe to the letter. They turned out perfect, just like the picture. Lovely!

• Basmati & wild rice with chickpeas, currants & herbs

  • Zosia on April 04, 2017

    A really wonderful, flavourful side dish. As others have noted, it is quite labour intensive but it does make a huge amount and leftovers (with herbs and fried onions packed separately and stirred in at the last moment) reheated quite well at next day's lunch.

  • Jojobuch on July 24, 2017

    Flavourful recipe - as I couldn't find wild rice, I used just the basmati and it was still a good dish, though you may lose some of the "al dente" component without it.

  • Rachaelsb on January 10, 2024

    I have been eyeing this for awhile-great rice dish. I cooked wild and basmati together in rice cooker and then mixed in chickpeas, onions and currants after done. Did fresh herbs right before serving. Very satisfying and hearty rice dish. Will def make again.

  • joeljkp on February 18, 2025

    What a great festive rice! Would be excellent for a celebratory meal or vegetarian Thanksgiving. Made as written - I finally got the technique right for the fried onions. Great leftovers.

  • mfto on June 14, 2016

    p 106

  • twoyolks on November 15, 2016

    I didn't feel the rice had a lot of flavor. The spices added the chickpeas just didn't carry through to the rice. I think it'd be better if the rice was cooked in stock instead of water. I did like the addition of currants.

  • Rutabaga on April 02, 2014

    What a fantastic rice dish! It's a little too labor intensive for a weeknight, but it's hearty enough that it could almost stand on its own, with just one or two simple side dishes. It also makes an elegant side dish for a more elaborate dinner.

  • mondraussie on November 22, 2014

    Definitely use a basmati/wild rice mix to save on cooking time. Fantastic rice dish, really wonderful flavours

  • saladdays on August 20, 2013

    I made this with a packet of mixed basmati and wild rice, which made it quicker to prepare than cooking both types of rice separately. It makes a substantial side dish which we had with a hard-boiled egg to provide some protein. Another success from this wonderful book!

  • anya_sf on May 30, 2017

    I made 1/2 recipe, which was plenty for 3 people. It's definitely time-consuming (although not difficult) to make all the various components, but the total combination of flavors was great. I did need to add more salt and pepper at the end. I might skip the fried onion next time just to avoid that extra work, but the flavor was definitely complementary to everything else. I think you could just do basmati rice and skip the wild rice without too much flavor loss. I served it with chicken sofrito, and they went well together, but this would go well with many other, simpler dishes, since this has a lot going on. I would consider increasing the herbs next time also.

  • Hannaha100 on September 18, 2017

    Used a wild rice/long grain mix 150g instead which takes 18 mins to boil. Added 200g cauliflower to water. Otherwise as written (but no dill). Enjoyed by all including toddler, and healthy! Will repeat. Might do a veg side as well next time.

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    Lovely rice! I made this for a dinner party to go alongside some Indian spiced slow cooked lamb and it was a perfect combination. It's a nice fancy rice to make for an occasion...

  • LMK on July 25, 2025

    I love this dish and using store bought fried chickpeas & a rice cooker makes easy work of it. I toast a combination of basmati & Royal blend rice in a pan on the stove with the oil, cumin seed & curry powder before putting in the rice cooker. The conversion from recipe as written to one Zojirushi “cup” is roughly: 114 grams rice (total), 3/4 tsp cumin seed, 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 cup chickpeas & 40g currants.

  • mary_xo214q on May 21, 2026

    Used black beans instead of chickpeas, and parsley as the only herb. Turned out great.

  • nikki_bjkjyl on May 17, 2026

    Great use of ingredients for a hearty side or main plate with pesto chicken on top

  • rhb on December 02, 2022

    Good side dish. We make a lot of changes: 1/2 c rice, 3/4 c water, more salt, two onions. And make onions ahead of time.

  • Lbi4 on November 06, 2020

    I've made this in the past with quinoa as the only grain, and it's pretty good that way. Tonight I made it with brown basmati rice, no wild rice (didn't have any) and doubled the recipe so we'd have leftovers. Yum! It's always a bit more work than I remember it being, so fair warning : )

• Warm chickpeas with hummus & toasted pita (Musabaha)

  • annapanna on September 28, 2014

    I just made the tahini sauce described here, to eat with Falafel. Simple and good.

• Seafood & fennel soup

  • kari500 on November 09, 2020

    The only seafood on hand was shrimp, so that’s all I used. Lobster Better than Bouillon for the stock. I over salted, but this was wonderful, and pretty easy. Will happily make it again.

  • mlbatt on December 20, 2019

    Used fresh Opah with clams, mussels & shrimp. Has a great fennel-y tang that I look for in seafood soups. Excellent.

  • TrishaCP on December 22, 2019

    I agree this was a great seafood soup. I used the optional red chile (a red serrano) and it added the perfect amount of heat. I did need longer than specified to cook the clams (I didn’t use mussels).

  • emma_clare on October 31, 2021

    Made this for a dinner party and it was a big hit - delicious and quite easy. I didn't have clams or mussels available, so instead used extra prawns and topped with fried scallops. I also just poached the fish and served immediately rather than messing about with a slotted spoon, which worked fine. I served with french fries, baguette and a green salad.

  • Frenchfoodie on September 12, 2020

    Delicious, comforting yet zingy. I used fennel seeds rather than bulb and added soaghetti to the reduced sauce to make a main course.

  • merliseclyde on May 14, 2022

    Used cobia and scallops and dried Aleppo Chiles instead of fresh! Garnished with fresh fennel fronds

• Pistachio soup

  • peaceoutdesign on March 12, 2017

    Fantastic soup but I would like to try roasting and rolling to get the skins off otherwise I'm not sure that it is worth it. Instead of sour cream, I used Mexican crema.

  • dinnermints on July 10, 2016

    Very, very rich. Eight servings would probably be better.

• Burnt aubergine & mograbieh soup

  • dinnermints on October 30, 2023

    The top flavors in this delicious soup are smoky eggplant, cumin and garlic. I used globe eggplants because they were readily available, but would look for smaller Japanese eggplants next time and broil them closer to the heat. I browned the diced eggplant for the topping in just a little oil, the put lid on until eggplant was cooked through; would do that again. Toasted the mograbieh in some butter before cooking it. Cilantro as a topping made more sense to me than the other suggested herbs. We shaved manchego on top for protein but shrimp or panfried paneer also would’ve been good.

  • ldtrieb on May 26, 2023

    I love this soup, I never add the fried eggplant at the end but it would look pretty. Delicious!

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    This recipe is a delightful and unusual soup – who has heard of eggplant soup before? The texture is from the mograbieh and fried eggplant, and the smooth soup base is char-roasted eggplant and tomatoes.

  • Livia on December 23, 2025

    This is surprising really morish and delicious. Makes just 4 portions, so will double up next time. We gave it 5 stars

• Tomato & sourdough soup

  • dinnermints on October 08, 2017

    Served as a starter soup; guests did like it. And it was really simple to put together. I used canned diced fire-roasted tomatoes for canned tomato bit.

  • Delys77 on January 02, 2013

    Pg. 143 Delicious little tomato soup that has a slightly richer and thicker feel due to the addition of the bread. Also, I found that the soup, while it remained tomatoey, had several other flavour nuances from the whole cumin and the sourdough. This is something I quite liked, but Spencer noted that he missed the dominant tomato flavour of other tomato soups I had made in the past. For me however this was a successful variation on an old classic.

  • chezmaryb on January 19, 2021

    I think this is the easiest Ottolenghi recipe out there. Very forward on the cumin.

  • Happykikkers on October 29, 2024

    Easy and I had (almost) all ingredients. Would make again, mostly bc it was quick. Made with parsley instead of cilantro.

• Lamb stuffed quince with pomegranate & coriander

  • Trea on July 10, 2014

    This dish has become a favorite at home. I've changed it by cutting the amount of quinces by 1/3 which I blitz (all the quinces) in the food-processor rather than stuff.

  • Boffcat on February 24, 2017

    I found this a little disappointing - although nice it wasn't special, which it would have needed to be to merit repeating given the graft in preparing the quinces.

  • QuinceHouse on December 20, 2025

    I was excited to cook with quince for the first time. I went the meatball route and I would blitz the quince in the food processor rather than dice if making again. I also popped it in the broiler to put some color on the meatballs since they were sad and gray without it.

  • DePollepel on August 25, 2021

    delicious! unique combination

• Turnip & veal 'cake'

  • MissQuin on August 25, 2014

    This makes waaaay more than 4 serves. Could easily feed 6 - and they would still be very generous serves. Luckily it's delicious so we don't mind eating in for the next few days. I didn't have any tamarind on hand so used a combination of pomegranate molasses and lemon juice and reduced the sugar a little instead.

• Stuffed onions

  • Barb_N on November 09, 2014

    I made a variation of the variation- minced lamb instead of beef. I also used par-boiled wild rice instead of white rice. This was everything I envisioned and won high praise. Several fussy steps but none too difficult; I think the vegetarian version will be a stunning Thanksgiving side dish. I added tomato paste to the left-over stuffing to make a Moussaka recipe I found online.

  • joanne_15p068 on March 02, 2026

    I only fave this 4 stars because it is a lot of work, and you need to do it more than once to get it right. But the flavors and technique are spot on. If someone else cooked for me I would eat these once a week.

• Open kibbeh

  • Barb_N on June 04, 2014

    I thought this was delicious if a bit ambitious for a weeknight. Do not skimp on the spices even though it seems like a lot. I am not used to using these spices in savory dishes but I have become a convert.

  • Rutabaga on April 09, 2014

    I enjoy finding creative new dishes to use ground turkey, which I substituted for the lamb in this recipe. It works wonderfully, making a warm, comforting dish with a little flavor boost from the tahini (which also keeps the dish from being too dry) and extra crunch from the pine nuts. This is also a convenient dish to make ahead.

  • Foodycat on August 16, 2018

    Turned out I didn't have bulgur, so I substituted kasha - which was too coarse to bind as well as the bulgur, but it held together enough to be sliceable and the flavour worked very well. All the flavours of kibbeh and a lot less fiddle to make.

  • Jojobuch on January 05, 2018

    Great flavours, loved the dish! The only thing I would change is skipping the final baking step with the tahini sauce. My sauce turned into a bit of a dry disk on top of the layer of lamb; I would much prefer it being runny, as it is before you bake it.

  • Astrid5555 on September 03, 2016

    Made for a dinner party, perfect to prepare in advance and just pop in the oven when needed. Loved the lamb part with its spices, next time would probably reduce the bulgur. Big hit with the guests!

  • abengal on May 01, 2021

    Nice dish. Did not have any lemon juice so used a finger lime instead, looked very pretty, pink amongst the green parsley. Also, would halve the oil for frying.

• Ruth's stuffed Romano peppers

  • Delys77 on March 10, 2020

    I couldn't find the right peppers so I did stuff a standard bell which likely impacted the dish for sure. I will just speak to the stuffing, for us it was a bit on the bland side. I am thinking perhaps the peppers would lift it I'm sure.

  • Rachaelsb on September 21, 2021

    Yum!!!! Flavors were delicious. Never used Romano peppers - lucky for me they were in season. Wasn’t sure about steaming technique but it worked! Just be patient.

  • DeborahBluhm on July 13, 2014

    We had this at the finish of Yom Kippur to break the fast. It was stunning! Will definately make again.

  • Lsblackburn1 on July 30, 2020

    I’ve had my eye on this recipe for ages now and finally it’s that time of year when my supermarket has these peppers. I was unsure about the whole steaming technique, but I used my 5qt brasier and it actually worked! Very delicious - my son commented, “this was better than I was expecting.” Highest compliment!

  • luluf on October 28, 2021

    We loved this too. My husband certainly wasn’t expecting to. I didn’t have dried mint but used a mint chutney spice mix which I think made the mince delicious. I made half the recipe with quorn mince and my vegetarian son was not convinced that he wasn’t eating meat, but he thoroughly enjoyed the peppers

  • DePollepel on August 25, 2021

    nice, also possible to make ahead

  • EvyTheworldismyoyster on January 15, 2023

    For me, the steaming technique did not work: the whole was way too wet, and it all fell apart when trying to serve. Made the Baharat mix myself and loved it, but would double the use in the rice mix for more flavour next time, it was a little bland. Would also prefer making it in the oven, and us a different cutting on the pepper so it doesn't fall apart : cut off the 'head', make a slic at the lower end (for air) and fill it like a tube. But will make it again!

• Jerusalem mixed grill

  • mharriman on July 01, 2023

    I used the idea of the Baharat spice and chicken breasts to make skewers and grill them on my stove top. Quite delicious and an easy and quick weeknight main. Served with tabouleh and broiled eggplant for a satisfying Mediterranean meal. My Husband loved this!

• Lamb meatballs with barberries, yoghurt & herbs

  • Melanie on September 09, 2013

    Yet another Ottolenghi winner. I only used fresh parsley and mint (not the full mix of herbs suggested due to the small quantities required) as that was all I had at hand but it tasted delicious. The recipe suggests that you can remove the figs when serving but I left them in and don't see the point of removing.

  • WFPLCleanEating on October 29, 2015

    Fantastic dish! The combination of flavors was perfect. (RS-K)

  • ldtrieb on May 01, 2014

    We loved this one, Used about 1/2 the amount of oil and that seemed fine. Didn't have mint and forgot to put the garlic in the meatballs but added it to the sauce instead. My little figs were quite dry so cooking made them perfect to eat with the rest of the sauce. We served it with Kosheri (rice and lentils with tomato sauce) from Ottolenghi p85. I would think Cherries as a sub for barberries would be far too sweet.

  • mondraussie on February 14, 2016

    superb!

  • twoyolks on December 22, 2015

    The barberries really help to lighten the meatballs. The sauce and yogurt complement them very well.

  • TrishaCP on April 19, 2016

    I didn't have the full amount of time to braise the meatballs, so my sauce was thin but this was still a wonderful meal. I didn't have all of the herbs for the topping either, so went with mint and dill. I have been a barberry skeptic in the past, but they are truly delicious little pops of sourness here. They offset the heavy, gamey lamb flavor very nicely.

  • Aquila on June 30, 2019

    Used cranberries instead of barberries. Added the cranberries to the sauce (picky eaters) instead of meatballs. Skipped the parsley. I got a late start making this so I used my electric pressure cooker. Browned the lamb balls and shallots (not at the same time) in the cooker, made sure to cook the alcohol off after putting in the wine. I cooked at high for 6 minutes, released after 10 minutes. I took the lamb balls out then reduced the cooking liquid. Added the lamb balls back into sauce to reheat, then served. I put minced fresh dill, cilantro and mint on my serving. Served them with mashed Yukon gold potatoes. My picky eater liked this dish. I did too. It took me about 2 hours and 15 minutes from start to finish.

  • JLDuck on December 14, 2018

    Miracle the final result looked like the publicity shot. A rare event. The dish is excellent. I used cranberries with excellent results. It takes some time so you need to start preparing some hours before as the cooking time alone is roughly two hours. I accompanied the dish with couscous.

  • paulabee on December 02, 2015

    This is one of my favorite Ottolenghi recipes- complex flavors; totally delicious. I try to make it when I have really good homemade stock on hand, as there's a fair amount of stock in the sauce.

  • raybun on January 13, 2017

    Following the high praise for this dish, we loved it! Very interesting flavours, and I left the figs in. The fresh herbs (I used all 4) and yogurt really added a necessary contrast with the strong flavoured meatballs. I followed ldtrieb's suggestion and served it with the kosheri from Ottolenghi the cookbook.

  • Maxineanna on August 14, 2024

    Absolutely brilliant! I made it as in the recipe except for the dill (which tastes like soap).

  • courtnay_ltb1fj on March 05, 2026

    I was looking for a recipe that uses barberries that I had bought for the spinach salad (also in this book) and came across this recipe. My family loved this one! It had really good flavors with the sweetness of the berries and the savory flavors of the sauce.

• Lamb shawarma

  • Foodycat on June 10, 2020

    I butterflied a shoulder of lamb, cut it into big chunks and marinaded it for about 5 hours before putting on skewers and barbecuing on indirect heat for an hour and 20 minutes. Absolutely delicious, although I've never had Israeli shawarma so I don't know how authentic the flavour is and it tastes nothing like Lebanese shawarma.

  • purpleshiny on January 28, 2018

    No lamb at the butcher, so used goat. The spices are amazing.

  • bernalgirl on April 08, 2021

    Absolutely delicious and the cooking instructions are right on. I had a 4-pound leg segment snd reduced cooking time to two hours, it came out perfectly. Definitely a keeper.

  • aargle on February 19, 2013

    Easy delicious, didn't marinate overnight just for a few hours. Didn't use fresh coriander as I didn't have any. served with cucumber salad and pumpkin with tahini dressing. Everybody raved

  • Melanie on July 10, 2017

    Slow cooked lamb with an amazing flavour! I opted for bone in shoulder.

  • TrishaCP on May 01, 2017

    Very delicious. I had a 2 1/2 lb boneless leg, so reduced the cooking time to 60 minutes for pinkish lamb, rather than the well-cooked version in the recipe. (The last 20 minutes were at 375 degrees instead of 325- we cranked the temperature up because we needed to eat!) I marinated the lamb overnight and was really happy with that choice. Served with the tahini sauce, but nobody was really bothering with it. They just wanted lamb!

  • smtucker on January 02, 2014

    Fabulous! 7.5lb leg of lamb. Marinade as written, 20 hrs. Save the drippings for a jus to top the leftovers. Used: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/aug/31/yotam-ottolenghi-jerusalem-recipes-meat

  • Therese on October 19, 2016

    Great recipe. I added verjuice and tahini to the reduced juices for a sauce that was the bomb!

  • senzler on May 15, 2022

    This is just fabulous. Like the idea of using drippings as aus jus. Next time I will try that

  • dc151 on March 04, 2021

    Made with semi boneless leg of lamb, cooked for about 5 hours. Also served with the recommended tomato cucumber salad. It was delicious!

  • DePollepel on November 26, 2021

    Delicious and extremely easy to make. I did stop cooking after 2.5 hours as inside temp was already good

  • pamacea on October 20, 2024

    I will make this again and again and again. Perfection! The first meal I simple ate as roast on its own; ate more traditionally on subsequent days.

  • jdejong on May 11, 2026

    Made this for Mother’s Day with a few tweeks. I added pomegranate juice to the marinade and put it in the fridge for 24 hours. We cooked this on our rotisserie attachment for our gas grill. Set grill temp to 325 degrees and cooked for about an hour and 45 minutes. Removed when lamb temp was 130 degrees and rested for 30 minutes. The lamb was juicy and packed with flavor. Served with a tahini sauce, roasted carrots, and Naan.

  • joanne761994 on April 01, 2026

    Absolutely incredible. Takes a lot of time but it's a fantastic recipe to do for a crowd. I often do this but several of the salad from the book, home-made hummus and flat breads.

• Pan-fried sea bream with harissa & rose

  • aargle on August 10, 2015

    This is a lovely fish dish despite my initial reservations. Next time I will make the Harissa from the book as my purchased Harissa was extremely spicy. I had to add water to sauce so there was enough to spoon over fish. Will definitely repeat as very easy.

  • KarinaFrancis on December 07, 2020

    Loved the spicy, sweet n sour sauce! I was surprised that the balance of harissa, cinnamon, honey and rose water was spot on. Very easy to achieve on a weeknight.

  • Zosia on June 04, 2016

    We loved this dish. The sweet & sour sauce with a bit of heat from the harissa was a wonderful complement to the snapper I used without overwhelming it and the rose flavour from both water and petals was quite subtle. Since the fillets are fried first and then gently warmed in the completed sauce before serving, this would make an excellent dinner party dish with most of the work done in advance.

  • tsp on October 10, 2023

    I loved the sauce even if it was a bit too acidic so I tried to thin it with some water and added more honey. I've used a store-bought harissa that's very spicy so I halved the amount. I had cod fillets that was rather thick so I seared them on 4 sides. Served it with basmati rice. Delicious.

  • DePollepel on August 25, 2021

    nice and not too spicy. can be made with any neutral fish or even chicken (?)

  • Kduncan on December 14, 2020

    Nice easy recipe to make, served with rice. Used the wrong fish because my SO can't read my typed grocery list. Also found out I am really sensitive to rose water, so will be adding less of that next time. Due to being overly sensitive I had no idea how the rest of the dish tastes as all I could smell/taste was rose water.

• Fish & caper kebabs with burnt aubergine & lemon pickle

  • JLDuck on September 14, 2016

    Mince rather than cut finely (unless you are a brilliant cutter!)

  • KarinaFrancis on March 11, 2023

    I only made the fish kebabs and we loved them. I hand cut the fish and might have gotten carried away, I would have liked the fish to be a bit chunkier. The lemon, dill and capers were perfect partners. Next time I’ll cut back on the salt just a little

  • sbessell on June 21, 2020

    Excellent, would make again. Was concerned about the mince, so opted to chop fish into large chunks and pulse a few times in the food processor. Eggplant dip and preserved lemons were also great.

  • StephEpices on December 26, 2019

    These are very good but may have held together better with a smaller cut or mince.

  • Poppyseedbagel on September 17, 2022

    Agreed about cutting in the food processor not by hand, for speed. This was so delicious but I wonder if the water wouldn’t have run as much if I’d chopped. Best cooked in a non-stick pan. An amazing combination of flavours, that we had as a main course for two with salad. I used monkfish.

• Pan-fried mackerel with golden beetroot & orange salsa

  • KarinaFrancis on March 04, 2023

    I love mackerel and this was a quick and delicious way to cook it. I didn’t add any olives to the salsa because the Silver Fox isn’t a fan.

  • TrishaCP on July 01, 2020

    This was a light and elegant dinner. The heat of the harissa worked really well with the salsa.

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    This was the first thing I made from Jerusalem and I LOVED IT. Really delicious. Jerusalem is now my favourite cookbook and I've made lots of other things, but I must revisit this recipe as I remember being utterly delighted by how yummy this was.

  • kitchen_chick on May 03, 2020

    Wow, is this delicious. I love mackerel, and this is a nice way to flavor it, but I think the star of this dish is the salsa. The beet and orange salsa would make a great salad on its own. We left out the raw onion because we don't like that flavor and thought it just fine. (Specifically, I don't like still tasting raw onion three hours later after I eat it!)

• Cod cakes in tomato sauce

  • mcvl on June 25, 2014

    Good. I would never make the dish as described -- I put all the ingredients for the dishcakes in the blender, then fried the cakes, then built the sauce around the frying cakes.

  • chefoncall on July 04, 2014

    This dish was very flavorful and a big hit with the family. Next time, I will use the food processor to mince the fish.

  • Delys77 on January 08, 2013

    Pg 225 This dish is an excellent way to introduce fish to people who don't particularly enjoy it. Cod is quite mild, and when paired with the herbs and the breadcrumbs the result is a very lovely texture, with a hint of fish and herb. No single flavour truly dominated the cake, it was perfectly balanced. The sauce with its slight spicy sweetness pairs very well with the cakes, just be careful to make sure you simmer it on a very low heat so that the sugar doesn't cause it to stick. Great meal.

  • FJT on April 21, 2017

    This was a very mild, but tasty dish. Nice, but I probably won't make it again as it didn't get much reaction from my family.

  • mondraussie on November 23, 2014

    Fantastic flavours. Definitely will try a food processor to mince the fish next time!

  • KarinaFrancis on August 23, 2021

    I thought these were just ok. The texture of the fish cakes was really soft and the flavour was too subtle for the sauce (which was fantastic) Maybe I should have used a more flavourful fish?

  • cjross on April 15, 2017

    Tasty. A little time intensive so won't make it too often but I would make it again. Letting the fish cakes sit in the fridge really helped them firm up.

  • jennyed on January 05, 2018

    We liked this. A good combination of mild fishcakes in a really tasty sauce. It's a good "plan-ahead" dish.

  • Zosia on September 30, 2018

    Family and I enjoyed the flavour of this dish but everyone thought the fish cakes were too soft. I omitted the sugar from the sauce and used the food processor to make the patty mixture.

  • adelina on February 20, 2017

    Really loved the flavors but my cakes were too watery and were breaking. I might cut the onion in half next time. Also to save time, I will bake the cakes in the oven. The flavors otherwise were perfect. I just added a little sumac and Aleppo pepper to the cakes for some heat and tart and served over rice.

  • raybun on April 25, 2017

    We loved this, child and all! I used a whole 800g can of San Marzano tomatoes as I didn't want a half can hanging around in the fridge, and I used vermouth instead of white wine. A real hit here and it went very well with his sweetcorn polenta. Can't wait for leftovers tomorrow!

  • Chopchopchoppin on April 17, 2015

    Lovely flavours, doesn't take too long. Replaced white wine with white wine vinegar - tangy!

  • WFPLCleanEating on October 31, 2015

    Lovely dish though I found the sauce too sweet - I'll skip the sugar next time. A timesaver is to chop the herbs in the processor with the breadcrumbs. I wouldn't use it for mincing the fish though as I like the texture of flakes of fish. I didn't like the idea of pouring water on the sauce and fishcakes so I mixed the water into the sauce before putting the fishcakes in. Next time I will plan further ahead and chill the cakes as that would maybe help for flipping them - some broke up. - Jane

  • MarciK on May 02, 2025

    I really enjoyed this, but wanted to list my substitutions and things I’d do differently. I used mostly cod with a small bit of halibut. I wished I used the food processor for the fish and onions. The fish cakes would have held together better. They were quite wet. After shaping and letting rest, I put it all back in a bowl, added panko bread crumbs and an extra egg, and reshaped. Most then held together with care. I used an orange Serrano in place of the red chili because of availability. Me and my son aren’t much a fan of cumin. In the fish, I used 1.5 tbs ground coriander and 1/4 tsp cumin. The spices were subtle, and I was glad to be able to taste the fish. In the sauce, I used extra coriander and paprika and 1/4 tsp cumin. I couldn’t taste any cumin, and I appreciated that. Next time I’d use puréed tomatoes instead of petite diced. I also used chicken stock with a splash of champagne vinegar instead of wine. Honestly, I’d also double the sauce recipe. I would have liked more sauce

  • lholtzman on November 26, 2024

    I’ve made this twice and liked the first preparation a lot more than the first. 12/4/19 - I added all ingredients for the cod cakes except the eggs to the food processor. Once chopped together, I put in a bowl and added the beaten eggs and mixed by hand. I found these to be light and kid friendly. I used cod, panko bread crumbs and 2 large eggs. 11/20/24 - I was pretty disappointed this time around. I decided to follow the directions in terms of preparation. I chopped the cod by hand, which wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. I used fresh bread crumbs and 3 large eggs. I used 1.5 tsps of Morton’s Kosher salt. The result was a bit too eggy and too salty. I also found the diced tomatoes in the sauce off-putting. If I make again I will return to the food processor method with only two large eggs. I will use Diamond Kosher salt or halve if I use Morton’s. I will also use crushed tomatoes instead of diced in the sauce.

  • luluf on October 22, 2021

    Like some others, I was a bit disappointed with this. The fish taste was overpowered by the cumin and the cakes were too soft. The tomato sauce was lovely but I won’t bother making this again

  • DePollepel on August 25, 2021

    lekker, can be made slightly ahead

  • joanne761994 on January 15, 2026

    Very tasty! I took out half the cumin in the fishcakes and added some passatta to the sauce to make more of it. Everyone loved it. The fish cakes were light and flavourful. I blended the bread first, then blended the onion, garlic and herbs together, then blended up the fish. I added all the blended ingredients to a bowl and hand mixed the egg in. It definitely needed to be chilled to help firm up the fish cakes- I made ahead so the were chilled for 4 hours prior to cooking. Served with flat breads and salad.

  • treay on November 11, 2024

    I wanted to try a new recipe for fish cakes - we like them and I have tried a few. This one is just delish. According to the book, it is a typical Sephardic recipe. It is a very popular recipe, perfect for large family gatherings. It can be prepared ahead, and they are almost better the day after they are cooked. They can be served with bulgar, rice, couscous or bread. Have made it several times and has never disappointed.

  • annabelle_dc3563 on May 30, 2026

    I really liked this recipe!! I pulsed the fish in the food processor after making the breadcrumbs, I couldn’t be bothered to finely chop it by hand. The sauce is a bit sweet but I loved it with the fish. I thought the combination of fresh herbs and cumin was spot on. I would def make this again!!

  • annabelle_dc3563 on May 30, 2026

    I really liked this recipe!! I pulsed the fish in the food processor after making the breadcrumbs, I couldn’t be bothered to finely chop it by hand. The sauce is a bit sweet but I loved it with the fish. I thought the combination of fresh herbs and cumin was spot on. I would def make this again!!

• Grilled fish skewers with hawayej & parsley

  • hendrioso on December 29, 2014

    This dish definitely requires a firm fish that isn't too flaky. I used Mahi-Mahi which worked very well. Next time I will cut back on the salt though one teaspoon was a little too much, especially with the lemon juice in the marinade.

  • twoyolks on September 16, 2014

    The spice rub is good but has a tendency to overpower the flavor of this fish. I used halibut and, as the fish cooked, it started to fall apart on the skewers. In the future, I'd just grill filters instead. It would also work well as a sandwich.

  • TrishaCP on August 04, 2013

    Really excellent meal and simple to prepare, once the hawayej (Yemeni spice rub) is made. The recipe calls for significant marinating time, but then notes one hour is sufficient if you need it to be- I did 2 hours and that seemed fine. I used monkfish, and it needed about 5 minutes on a charcoal grill- the meaty quality of this fish was delectable with this treatment. For the red chile flakes, I used Aleppo pepper, and it gave it a nice kick. There is no sauce with this recipe, but some type of minimally seasoned yogurt-cucumber mixture would be really good.

• Prawns, scallops & clams with tomato & feta

  • TrishaCP on November 13, 2013

    I made the variation that omits clams-whatever was lost from that omission didn't stop this from being a great dish. I really liked the hit of lemon from the zest in the tomato sauce- I thought it was sublime. Two things to mention-first, be careful when salting because of the feta- I used a very low salt and creamy feta, which was good as I could see this being potentially too salty for some if you use canned tomatoes (which I did). Also, if I made this again I would add the scallops first, and let them cook a bit prior to adding the prawns. Even though I followed the recipe's instructions on prepping the scallops, they just cooked much more slowly than the prawns.

  • bernalgirl on July 12, 2024

    A really nice seafood stew that good with a firm white fish in place of one of the shellfish

  • Foodycat on December 06, 2014

    I forgot to put the lemon in - it would have been a good addition but was still delicious without it. I used a bit less of everything and served it as a main meal for 2 people with some chunks of bread.

  • JoanN on June 24, 2017

    Good idea to crumble the feta. Also, instead of putting the dish in the oven next time, I think I'll try putting it under the broiler for a minute or two. Want to make note that this dish was perfect for scallops that had been in the freezer too long. They weren't attractive enough to sauté, but braised in the tomato sauce they were wonderfully sweet and tender.

  • westminstr on March 25, 2013

    Made this using rosemary instead of oregano and cod (cut into chunks) instead of prawns. Very good, though I think I would have preferred the flavor of oreganp. Made the clams and sauce ahead, which made for a speedy meal prep at dinnertime. Loved the feta with tomatoes and fish.

  • TonyInSeattle on July 31, 2017

    The quality of the prawns makes all the difference here. I wait for spot prawn season here in Seattle. Also, I give the shrimp shells a little saute in the oil to flavor it, then I remove the shells and continue with the recipe.

  • lholtzman on November 30, 2023

    Used canned whole tomatoes and chopped. This works just fine. It only took my sauce 10 minutes to thicken. Use an oven safe frying pan so you don’t have to transfer to an ovenproof dish. Save yourself from having to wash an extra pan.

  • jhallen on December 09, 2020

    This was super yummy - complex flavors and pretty easy to prep. Agree with the suggestion of smaller pieces of feta.

  • tmitra on January 24, 2017

    Good, even without the clams! Next time, I would chop or crumble the feta so that it melts a bit in the oven.

• Salmon steaks in chraimeh sauce

  • mcvl on April 23, 2014

    I made a deconstructed version of this dish, just plopping the ingredients into the pan without turning them into a paste. No flour, no sugar (we don't do carbs). As made, it was delicious, and I'm sure it would be even better if I followed the recipe as written.

  • mfeldman51 on January 12, 2013

    This is delicious.

  • adelina on October 25, 2015

    I really loved it and so did the family! I followed the recipe exactly but made very slight modification. I added allspice to the sauce and thought it helped balance out the flavors. I felt that the oil was a little too much and will cut down in half on the next try.

  • RosieB on June 15, 2016

    Delicious! I didnt read the recipe properly and missed the first step of flouring and frying the fish. I dont believe the dish suffered as a result. I also ommitted the fresh chilli so it was not too hot and used less oil. One of the tastiest sauces I have made. I served the fish warm and it was perfectly cooked after sitting for 15 minutes while I cooked rice.

  • TrishaCP on April 03, 2021

    This has been on my “to make” list forever, and I’m bummed that I didn’t make it sooner. This is really delicious and not too spicy for us.

  • nicolepellegrini on January 29, 2021

    Made with salmon filets instead of steaks. Flouring and frying salmon is something that has always worked well for me in other/similar recipes and the same held true here - it really seems to seal in the moisture and flavor of the fish to stand up against a strong sauce. And this one is definitely strong! I like spicy but for some reason this was just on the edge of being too hot/spicy for me; I actually served a little sour cream on the side and that did just the right touch to cool it down for me and the husband. Not sure I'd rush to make it again but it was an interesting taste experiment to be sure.

  • mgwalter on October 26, 2014

    Really nice change of pace for a protein that we prepare almost weekly. I think our cayenne was quite strong as we hold up to heat well, but this was pretty darn hot despite our skipping the green pepper. I recommend you start with half of the ingredients that bring on the heat, then taste and adjust prior to adding the salmon. Good stuff, easy to make and we will make it again.

  • yassoma on August 15, 2016

    I was pleasantly surprised by this dish, I absolutely loved it. It's so strongly flavored though that I wouldn't recommend serving it with anything but plain white rice to soak up all that amazing sauce!

  • PiaOC on November 14, 2014

    Used snapper cutlets but otherwise followed the recipe. Thought it may have been too hot but the addition of lemon juice and sugar balanced the heat. A delicious meal served with beans and rice. Mopped up the sauce with bread.

  • Dannausc on January 23, 2021

    This was really good. The chraimeh sauce was amazing! So flavorful and delicious!

  • Hiker010 on January 11, 2026

    Made Dec 2018 -- VG Tried with fillets Try to skip breading the salmon? Maybe skip the first pan-fry step? Cook directly in sauce?

  • pamacea on February 25, 2024

    I think I’d rather use a more economical whitefish for this and save my salmon for lighter sauces that don’t obscure the delicate flavour. It oddly felt like something was missing, like an umami to balance the acidity, perhaps? Or maybe a splash of wine instead of the lemon? Worth trying again and experimenting.

• Marinated sweet & sour fish

  • meggan on May 17, 2017

    The sauce was good but as it turns out, I am not a fan of pollock. Maybe try this with snapper or something more flavorful.

  • Lsblackburn1 on May 06, 2020

    One of the few recipes I hadn’t made from this book! Really nice flavors in this. I don’t think it needed the water added before going in the oven. Served this over white rice (because that’s how I like ratatouille and this has a similar vibe).

• Red pepper & baked egg galettes

  • Rutabaga on April 09, 2014

    Since my husband doesn't like eggs, I substituted feta as suggested in the recipe. In retrospect, I should have added the feta later in the baking process, just like the recipe states to do with the eggs. I added the feta from the beginning, which meant that it really dried out. Don't skimp on the cheese if you are using it, either; I would be more generous next time. There will be a next time; this is a great recipe now that I've learned from my mistakes.

  • Pangur Ban on October 29, 2012

    Delicious. A little chilli might be nice added to the other spices, and perhaps a little lemon juice to freshen up the flavours before baking. Didn't have feta, but tried one with hard goats cheese instead, and it was very tasty.

• Herb pie

  • Rutabaga on April 05, 2014

    This dish was a nice variation on spanakopita. I couldn't get anari cheese, nor did I have the suggested substitution, ricotta, on hand, so substituted goat cheese (chèvre), which worked well. I also left out the celery. Going for a rustic look with the phyllo pastry also means you can work fast and not worry about rips and tears.

  • BigOrangeTiger on February 27, 2022

    also here: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/20/herb-pie-recipe-vegetarian-ottolenghi

  • e_dzior on May 05, 2021

    I had less Swiss chard but added baby spinach. In addition to using lemon peel, I sprinkled the filling with lemon.

  • Lsblackburn1 on September 17, 2018

    Nice variation on spanakopita. Different but not weird different. I like the celery!

  • e_ballad on October 04, 2017

    A great dish, with a good hit of herbs against the creamy saltiness of the cheeses. The textural component of the celery was divisive in our household. Was this better than our ‘go-to’ spanakopita? Not quite, so accordingly, this might not be a high-rotation recipe at our place.

  • lizebeth on March 01, 2021

    Using the silverbeet and the stalks is a terrific, no waste, idea. We all enjoyed the celery.

  • DePollepel on August 25, 2021

    nice for an outside lunch

• Acharuli khachapuri

  • Rutabaga on March 06, 2017

    My family wasn't as into these I had hoped. That was primarily because ricotta was the dominant cheese in the filling, and neither my husband nor five-year-old are particularly fond of ricotta. I would try it again with goat cheese in place of the ricotta, or maybe just try mixing it up with any other variety of cheeses we tend to have on hand. The one-year-old really enjoyed it, and everyone agreed the bread itself was good and this could be a fun alternative to pizza or a good handheld snack on the go.

• Mutabbaq

  • TippyCanoe on April 23, 2013

    A show stopper! This dessert was incredibly easy to make (especially if you can find, as I did, fresh filo) and absolutely wowed my book group. I highly recommend this and will certainly make it again. (Watch the cooking time closely and begin checking early. Mine was done on the early side of the cooking time.)

  • Laurendmck on May 30, 2015

    Yes, Tippycanoe, I should have read this before baking it! I made both the dairy version and the nut version (the nut version is in the intro paragraph). My first experience with phyllo, and I found it tricky, but I don't think a few wrinkles and tears will make a difference. The lemon syrup is lovely too.

• Semolina, coconut & marmalade cake

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    I am not too familiar with Middle Eastern syrup cakes, but the orange flower water clearly grounds it in this region and I know this as a common dessert. A lot else going on here besides the orange, including nutty coconut - with the syrup and flavors this becomes quite a rich cake and really cries out for tea or coffee to offset the sweetness. A few execution issues- for example, why can't I use the batter to make one instead of two cakes since they didn't even halfway fill my loaf pans? And my syrup didn't absorb throughout my cake- shouldn't I be doing something to increase absorption (such as poking holes in the baked cake with toothpicks to let the syrup seep in) rather than just slathering syrup on cake? I guess I am still on the fence with this recipe. If I make this again, I think I will review more traditional semolina cake recipes first to see if I can learn any helpful techniques before making another batch.

  • TigClarke on January 09, 2014

    Unlike the previous reviewer I did not find this cake overly sweet. I used quite traditional, thick cut marmalade that has a rather bitter flavour and the finished cake was dense and firm, but very moist, and had quite a bittersweet quality almost like it had been made with grapefruit, which I loved, but then I don't have a terribly sweet tooth. I would say it's not for everybody though.

  • hillsboroks on March 12, 2014

    I made this exactly per the recipe with the addition of 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Since it called for unsalted butter and no salt I thought it might be a bit blah without salt. The cake is very moist, sweet and wonderfully flavored. When I tasted the cake by itself it was almost too sweet but served with a bit of yogurt it was amazing. I think it really requires the tang of the yogurt to offset the sweetness of the cake. I used some mango orange yogurt I had on hand for the quick taste but purchased some plain Greek yogurt to which I will add a few drops of orange flower water per the recipe before serving it with the cake to guests tonight. I used a small silicone pastry brush to brush the syrup on right after the cakes came out of the oven and had no problem with it soaking in evenly. I let the cakes cool completely before wrapping them in foil, left them to sit overnight and did not taste them until the following morning.

  • JoBills on September 29, 2014

    Great easy recipe, fantastic cake, and the addition of some yogurt with orange-flower water makes it truly stellar.

  • Rutabaga on November 13, 2014

    This cake has a wonderfully moist, yet light and almost crumbly texture. I did not find it to be overly sweet, and I'm saying that as someone who doesn't like very sugary desserts. The bitter marmalade really balances the flavor, as does topping the cake with plain whole milk yogurt. My husband found the flavor a little pungent, something the rest of us adults didn't really get, so your enjoyment of the cake may hinge on how much you enjoy marmalade. The cakes keep very well for several days.

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    Love this cake and have made it many, many times. Always turns out perfectly, not too sweet and lasts for AGES wrapped in foil. Another winner from Jerusalem, what a fab cookbook!

• Cardamom rice pudding with pistachios & rose water

  • Penchantforproduce on June 10, 2017

    Only used 100g rice, used basmatti. Use short grain next time. Omitted butter. Used full amount of cardamom. Infuse for 24+ hours. Used a combo of simple syrup and condensed milk instead of just condensed milk. Skipped the syrup.

  • Hellyloves2cook on October 22, 2012

    Pg 270 - This is delicious- the inclusion of the spices and honey just elevated this to rice pudding heaven.it is very rich and has a fantastic aroma. A definite 'will do again' recipe. Prob not good for those who are weight conscious!

  • mfeldman51 on January 12, 2013

    I think I would use less rice next time--1/2 cup rather than the scant 2/3 called for. This pudding is not too sweet, and the idea of the rose water honey syrup is a nice one--don't omit.

  • s.shadan on August 23, 2021

    Very easy to make and tastes authentically Arabic.

• Muhallabieh

  • Astrid5555 on September 02, 2016

    This is a very quick, easy and delicious recipe. Desiccated coconut and pistachios give this puddingy panna cotta-like dessert some crunch, while the bay leave syrup elevates this dish to something really special. A definite must cook for a Middle Eastern meal!

  • tsp on September 26, 2023

    Delicious! I didn’t have pistachios so I’ve used some thinly sliced almonds instead. I’d use less sugar next time. The syrup smells and tastes very nice. Curious to try other toppings

  • lholtzman on April 08, 2025

    Very easy dessert that you can make with items you likely have in your fridge or pantry. It does not taste like cornstarch, but it’s not very sweet or flavorful without the syrup. The syrup is quite nice.

• Spice cookies

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    I made these as part of my Christmas cookie assortment, and they are so delicious. A bit more involved than most cookies, and definitely read the recipe ahead because you need to rest the batter, soak currants in brandy, etc. A good quality not too sweet chocolate is a must (I used a 62% Spanish chocolate)- and I just did a fine chop rather than grating (which sounded too time consuming and messy to me). I don't like huge Christmas cookies, so I made these a smaller size than called for- my cookie balls were about a tablespoon in size and I baked them for the shortest time in the suggested range- I think 11 minutes. That was fine with the glaze and chocolate adding moistness. One quibble with the recipe-it called for half an egg. Maybe that was the result of converting between British and American versions of the book (I have the US version), but I hate that type of waste.

  • FJT on February 25, 2017

    Great recipe! I did make some substitutions just because of what I had in the pantry, but nothing too major: marsala for brandy, raisins for currants and extra lemon zest for orange zest. I also mixed these by hand as I don't have a stand mixer; it looked like an impossible job at one point, but it did all come together in the end. I have to admit that when I tasted these fairly soon after they came out of the oven I didn't really like them and had a hard time finishing just one cookie ... but they've mellowed overnight and now I'm a fan.

  • Melanie on February 15, 2015

    Delicious! Made a double batch for Christmas. Will definitely make again, fantastic mix of flavours.

  • laurenlangston on December 18, 2016

    These taste gorgeous. These notes are after following a double batch of the recipe to the letter, by weight instead of volume when the option was given (with exception, noted below). The dough is so stiff that it scared my KitchenAid a little when I made the double batch. I used nocino instead of brandy to soak the currants since that's what I had on hand and it was delicious; I might even use 25% more booze next time to reach more of the currants and to add just a little more moisture to the dough. I did hit some problems at the end: 1 tablespoon glaze per cookie won't stretch to the whole batch; 2 teaspoons will do it. He says to make glaze while cookies are "still warm" but if you pour it while the cookies are too warm it'll thin out from the heat of the cookie and won't look a thing like the photo.

  • DeborahBluhm on December 25, 2014

    So good! And totally worth the extra effort. I used big juicy dried sour cherries that I bought online from his webstore instead of sultanas, and soaked them overnight in kirsch. They were absolutely delicious!

  • annmcd on May 03, 2026

    Did not like the combined flavours or texture. Won’t cook again.

  • Livia on June 24, 2018

    Complete disaster. Didn't taste right and overly sweet and sadly had to throw the batch away :(

  • tmitra on August 13, 2017

    I like the texture of these, but as you can guess from the recipe, they are hardly spice cookies. For me, chocolate and lemon are the dominant flavors. I prefer true spice cookies, so I would not repeat these, as they are time-consuming (especially grating the chocolate, as TrishaCP anticipated below).

  • raybun on October 07, 2016

    Absolutely delicious! The house smelt of Christmas while they were baking. I used raisins instead of currants and a mix of chocolate chips and cocoa nibs as I didn't have any cooking chocolate left. I used a small egg instead of 1/2 a medium egg and they were perfect. I expected them to flatten a little in the oven but they kept their round shape. Disappeared very quickly...

• Chocolate krantz cakes

  • jessekl on January 01, 2021

    Extremely sweet and lacks much complex flavor, but the technique is straightforward and the results are pretty.

  • Sparkles75 on April 10, 2020

    With time on my hands in isolation yesterday I thought I would tackle this for Easter. As lengthy as the recipe appears it is honestly not overly complicated and while time consuming most of it is actually hands off. 10 to 15 minutes on the dough on the Thursday night and then in the morning was as simple as rolling out, spreading over a quickly made filling then following clearly given instructions roll up, twist, and re rise in the tin. I had glanced at Martha Stewart's recipe and noticed she added cinnamon to her chocolate filling so as a slight nod to Easter I added a tsp to the filling and I would do this again. I wasn't sure what to expect, neither my family or I had ever eaten Babka before so wasn't sure what I was shooting for. Hubby dropped off the package to his parents this morning for Good Friday and I received a message from my very non gushy mother in law..."What is this?? Oh my, it is so delicious I can't stop eating it!"

  • grace_xe2lnk on April 15, 2026

    Cut recipe in half for just one loaf…should have made two! One is almost gone. You only need a little bit of syrup to brush on top so make less.

• Fenugreek cake (Helbeh)

  • dinnermints on August 21, 2023

    This is the second time I've made this cake, and I wouldn't say guests raved about it, but I enjoyed it both times. I scored the cake with 1" lines rather than 2", and it's best to start the syrup at least 10-15 minutes before the cake is done. The notes say to wrap the finished cake with foil or parchment, and that's probably because if you put cling wrap directly on it, it'll lift the almonds right off (ask me how I know).

• Tahini cookies

  • jaelsne on October 28, 2019

    I wasn't sure what to expect. I was startled by my first taste of the cookie, but it grew on me. It tastes exactly like halvah (not very sweet) with the texture, of course, of a cookie. I would make it again. Keep tabs on them to avoid burning.

  • lynn_rknh6v on April 18, 2026

    Easy and delicious

  • tsp on September 24, 2023

    Made a half of the recipe so it fits on one baking sheet. I was expecting stronger tahini taste. I’ve used a 100% raw sesame paste. I’ve checked them after 15 minutes and they were not golden brown so I’ve left them in the oven for another 2 minutes but I think it was too much. Next time I’d cook them less and try a different tahini.

  • Pandan on September 16, 2024

    Turned out better than I thought! Made these as a gift for my midwife who couldn’t go on her holiday to Israel due to current events. The cookies only took me about 30 Minutes to make. Normally I often reduce sugar in baking recipes, but here I didn’t and these weren’t overly sweet. Came out perfect at around 13 minutes in my oven.

  • Ganga108 on February 27, 2022

    OMG these cookies! Everyone I have shared this recipe with loves them. They are so addictive. Absolutely gorgeous in flavour, and like all really short biscuits, a cuppa complements them perfectly.

  • purrviciouz on April 23, 2018

    These were delicious and I'd make them again. Next time, just barely press down with the fork before baking because I preferred the thicker cookies. They were not too sweet and pretty light.

  • WFPLCleanEating on November 16, 2015

    I felt these were overbaked at the minimum time suggested - 15 minutes. If I make them again (and I'm not sure I will) I would start checking after 12 minutes. So it's hard to give a decent review as the overbaking made the flavor and texture not great. - Jane

• Clementine & almond syrup cake

  • stockholm28 on December 31, 2013

    This was a lovely cake and you can easily make it a day or two ahead. I followed the books suggestion and iced the day of serving. It is delicious with the dark chocolate icing, but it would also be good without it. I used Bob's red mill almond meal for the ground almonds.

  • Zosia on January 24, 2016

    This was a lovely cake, moist and quite light despite its dense appearance, flavoured with almonds and citrus. It was delicious the day it was baked but the texture was better the next day once the syrup had had a chance to redistribute. I omitted the optional chocolate icing, reduced the sugar in the cake by 50g and baked it in a 9" quiche pan (it was as pretty as it was delicious)

  • jaxstar84 on April 26, 2013

    I totally forgot to add the flour - it was still a gorgeous cake. It was dense without being too claggy and the lemon really lifts the cake away from being too sweet. I fresh and zingy cake which would end a meal beautifully or be a great addition to an afternoon tea!

  • anniemac on December 20, 2017

    This is indeed a lovely cake. I did not ice it, but served it with a bit of whipped cream and candied orange peel. As Zosia said, it was better the next day, and also good for a day or so after that (it's a big cake!) I would reduce the sugar in the cake a bit next time as the syrup provides enough sweetness for my taste.

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    I made this without the frosting- I am a bit biased because I love baking with ground almonds (which I found to be the dominant flavor) but this tastes divine. You may want to adjust the temp and cooking times. My oven can run hot, so I pulled it out at 40 minutes (after checking at 30 minutes) and the sides would have burned with another minute in. However, the texture of the cake was perfect. I did go ahead and poke holes in the cake to let the syrup better absorb.

  • PFP on March 27, 2013

    This was really lovely. I made it for Passover, substituting 75g matzoh cake meal for the 100 g of all purpose flour. Next time I would make it with regular matzoh meal as it was quite dense -- with all the syrup it was almost pudding like. In any event, people liked it very much. However, at our Seders there are so many desserts -- at least 5 or 6 -- that people only take small tastes so one of these cakes could easily serve 15-18 people thin slices. The flavor was delicious and although the texture was dense and pudding-like it was a hit.

  • e_ballad on April 25, 2017

    Made using the orange variation instead of the clementines, this was very easy & very tasty. I would suggest perhaps checking from 30 mins on, as I checked at 40 mins & it was a touch too dark. I also didn't use the optional chocolate icing & I'm not sure that it would have needed it, given how great it was without it.

  • Agaillard on February 15, 2022

    I made this, mostly with oranges and a little clementines. I used less ground almonds and more flour and also less sugar, and I omitted the icing - mostly because I couldn't unmold the cake (I used a kouglof mold, that might be why) so we just cut slices out of the mold itself... It was great! I am looking forward to make this again with the icing :)

  • emma_clare on December 26, 2020

    I agree with other reviews - a beautiful moist cake, very large, keeps very well. We had it as an alternative to Christmas cake and everybody loved it. I would definitely recommend icing it as the icing provides a good contrast - smooth, crunchy and slightly bitter to the sweet crumbly almond cake. I substituted in gluten free flour and it worked absolutely fine, as the cake is more ground almonds than flour anyway. I used my zester for the zest that goes in the cake and I think that was wrong - I think grated zest would have given a stronger citrus flavour, which would have made it even better.

  • Kinhawaii on January 27, 2021

    I agree with everyone- delicious, easy, moist cake. Mine took 45 minutes to cook & I made the frosting- I think I would halve it next time. I let the frosting cool a little to thicken & it created a thick layer on top- with almost a half cup left over. I think I would like it more with a little bit more grated clementine zest inside. I had a tiny bit of leftover candied orange peel to put on top- which was pathetically too little- next time I will make more to top it with. Someone said they prefer it without the icing.

  • treay on November 14, 2024

    I made this cake for the first time. I used oranges instead of clementines as suggested in the recipe, and it turned out moist and delicious. It gives you the option to make a chocolate icing, but yesterday I wanted to see what it tasted without it and served it with vanilla ice-cream. Fantastic taste!

• Tahini sauce

  • TrishaCP on May 01, 2017

    Made to go with the lamb shawarma, but nobody really touched it, passing it over for harissa and yogurt. I thought it tasted good- but I added lemon juice to taste (I thought it needed more).

  • twoyolks on July 31, 2017

    The tahini sauce was nice but it was a bit too bland. It probably needed more garlic and more lemon juice.

  • imaluckyducky on February 05, 2022

    3.5 stars and it pains me to say that, and I'm hoping it's potentially the tahini I used. Needed way more acid to balance out, as well as more salt.

• Yoghurt with cucumber

  • twoyolks on September 16, 2014

    This works really well as a side to any kind of spicy food. The yogurt provides cooling for the heat.

  • bernalgirl on March 19, 2026

    I inverted the quantities of yogurt and cucumber and really enjoyed this as a salad on a warm evening. To my taste, white pepper and cayenne add dimension without significant heat.

  • TippyCanoe on April 23, 2013

    Good basic recipe for a cucumber, yogurt salad. I liked the use of both fresh and dried mint and the addition of cayenne. I served this with fava bean kuku (p. 39) and it really added to the flavor of that dish.

  • D.Barker on January 25, 2022

    The white pepper made this waaaaay too spicy for us. Not sure if we added too much or what happened, but probably not going to try this again because it was not a great success for us.

  • clcorbi on April 28, 2017

    Yum. I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did, but man, is this a tasty condiment. I omitted the dried mint (simply because I didn't have any), and added a bit more fresh mint to compensate, but I imagine this would be good with fresh cilantro as well. Will be repeated.

• Baharat

  • TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

    I really enjoyed this spice blend (in the beef meatballs recipe and as a rub for grilled chicken), but it is quite heavy on cloves, and if you are not the biggest fan, you may want to consider using less in the mix.

  • Astrid5555 on September 03, 2016

    Great spice mix, used for the tabbouleh salad. As per TrishaCP's suggestion cut down on the cloves, worked out perfectly.

  • joeljkp on March 24, 2025

    Easy-peasy. Made it for the Spicy freekeh soup with meatballs from the same book.

  • Rutabaga on October 31, 2016

    This spice mix gave great flavor to the freekeh soup with meatballs. I don't have much left over, but imagine it would be sprinkled over popcorn.

• Harissa

  • radhablack on September 13, 2017

    try with arbol chili like Harley Farm's

  • Boffcat on February 25, 2017

    I increased the number of chillies to four, but even so the harissa wasn't particularly hot. It's quite good, but I would only make it again in preference to using shop-bought harissa to be able to avoid added salt and sugar (as I'm cooking for a baby).

  • tekobo on November 19, 2022

    Lovely recipe for home made harissa

• Zhoug

  • blepharisma on October 20, 2013

    I think this turned out a little too watery - possibly due to the type of green chile I used. Would hold off on adding the extra water until you know the consistency of the other ingredients. Otherwise, very flavourful. A fun condiment to have on hand.

  • twoyolks on July 31, 2017

    This is really spicy when made with jalapeños. I'd remove the seeds in the future.

  • sosayi on May 16, 2018

    Delicious, spicy and herbal condiment. I used frozen, hot, hatch chiles (only chile I had on hand) and quite loved this. It was fabulous with the Lamb and Cannellini Bean Soup.

• Pilpelchuma

  • Astrid5555 on May 21, 2017

    Amazing flavors! Since I did not have any ground cayenne pepper I substituted ground Pasilla chiles and I also reduced the paprika by half. We even used it as a pesto substitute with pasta for dinner because we loved it so much!

  • Rutabaga on May 14, 2014

    Amazing depth of flavor! This has become a favorite of mine to stir into anything that needs a little heat and spice. I've had it in the fridge for months (a little goes a long way), and it keeps very well. This morning I enjoyed some mixed with fried rice and egg for a delicious wake-up call.

  • radishseed on February 25, 2014

    This is a wonderful, complex, smoky, and very hot chile-garlic sauce.

• Labneh

  • radishseed on February 25, 2014

    I love the mix of cow's and goat's milk yogurts in this labneh, which tastes like a mild, spreadable goat cheese.

  • peaceoutdesign on August 22, 2023

    You can use any type of full-fat yogurt to make labneh—sheep’s milk will be tangier and cow’s milk creamier. The only type to avoid is set Greek yogurt, which won’t drain properly. Alternate way:Add the yogurt and salt to a medium bowl and mix well to combine. Line a colander with a piece of muslin or cheesecloth large enough to hang over the sides, and place the colander over a bowl. Transfer the yogurt to the center of the cheesecloth and fold in the overhang so that the yogurt is completely covered. Place a heavy weight over the cheesecloth (a few cans or jars will do), and transfer the bowl to the refrigerator. Let the yogurt drain for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours. After draining, discard the collected water. The remaining yogurt should lose at least half of its volume and be very smooth and creamy, like cream cheese. Labneh keeps in the refrigerator in an airtight jar or container for up to 5 days, sealed with a thin layer of olive oil on top.

• Stuffed potatoes

  • e_ballad on January 28, 2021

    This was terrible. Essentially a meatball in a potato casing, which would be ok, except that the meat stuffing was claggy from too much breadcrumbs, with no real flavour. The sauce is ok, but not enough to redeem the other components. A rare Ottolenghi dud.

• Braised quail with apricots, currants & tamarind

  • JLDuck on April 27, 2017

    Chicken stock makes a richer sauce. More chilli also works

  • tmitra on April 20, 2016

    Per the recipe, boneless chicken thighs work well.

• Burekas

  • rhb on December 02, 2022

    We used Urfa Biber chile flakes. Started the pastry on silicone mats and then transferred the filled burekas to parchment-lined baking sheets. Nine per sheet. Room-temperature filling is easier to work with.

  • pattyatbryce on February 24, 2024

    Much easier to make than you think. Both fillings good, but the leek was slightly better. Served with spinach salad from this book and they were terrific.

• Poached pears in white wine & cardamom

  • elysedc on June 17, 2022

    Also added some whole vanilla beans. Wasn't crazy about this recipe, but I may have let the wine reduce a bit too much.

• Set yoghurt pudding with poached peaches

  • Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

    A friend of mine made this for me and it was so delicious I had one for dinner and one for my breakfast with some raspberries. I made them for a dinner party a few months later and they were again very, very nice. Recommended.

• Walnut & fruit crumble cream

  • smartingreece on August 13, 2024

    Added whisky to the plums and they were delicious. Amped up the spices in the cream.

• Preserved lemons

  • rionafaith on October 23, 2016

    Omitted the rosemary, used 1 bird's eye chili. I've only used these in one dish so far (a Moroccan chicken dish from All About Braising, indexed with notes here), but that turned out well! Looking forward to using them in other things.

• Quick pickled lemons

  • rionafaith on September 28, 2016

    Awesome flavor. These are great on top of steak or other rich meats. Next time I would cut the lemons into quarters before slicing, or even smaller, to make the pieces more bite-sized.

• Food52

  All through June, our Cookbook Club will be focused on Yotam Ottolenghi's repertoire, and we hope you'll join us.

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• Food52

  ...It's the most consistent book thematically, and you'll come away feeling like you've learned something about more than cooking.

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• Way to Garden

  What I love most: Through the lens of these two master foodies, I’m looking at familiar vegetables (though the book is rich with meats and fishes, too) as if they are completely new.

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• Food52 by Marco Canora

  The 2013 Piglet Tournament of Cookbooks vs. Andrea Nguyen's Asian Tofu

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• Boston Globe by T. Susan Chang

  I learned something almost every day, whether it was a new technique or a new combination of ingredients or flavors... And in this case, almost every lesson was a winner.

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• 5 second rule

  ...getting a lot of well-deserved love and attention, and with good reason. ...approached the food of their natal city from a dual perspective and the results are balanced, inclusive, and fascinating.

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• Serious Eats

  Sure, the ingredient lists may be long (and full of spices...), and the cooking techniques may seem unfamiliar, but the recipes are almost all easy to put together once you've assembled your pantry.

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• Ms. Marmite Lover

  Their work has had an effect also on how we perceive vegetarian food: thanks to them it's now colourful, vibrant, tasty, modern, international. It's no longer brown squat slop.

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