The Vegetarian Option by Simon Hopkinson

  • My vegetable bouillon (stock)

    from The Vegetarian Option The Vegetarian Option by Simon Hopkinson

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

  • SaraPlataan on April 26, 2025

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

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • A kind of hot & sour soup with bean curd

    • dmwoodruff on November 12, 2025

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

  • Braised fennel & celeriac with pastis

    • wester on January 13, 2017

      Nice and sweet but lacked some oomph.

  • Broccoli with courchamps sauce

    • Antonio on June 26, 2017

      For UK readers- this uses purple sprouting broccoli

  • Cauliflower & cheese

    • etcjm on August 31, 2021

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

  • Celery hearts in mushroom juice, vermouth & tarragon

    • wester on January 08, 2017

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

  • Chard leaves with ramps & olive oil

    • Antonio on June 26, 2017

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

  • Globe artichoke, fava bean & pea stew

    • JoanN on September 30, 2012

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

  • My vegetable bouillon (stock)

    • SaraPlataan on October 13, 2021

      Really GREAT method for vegetable stock. The best.

  • Onion & blood orange salad with olive oil

    • wester on January 16, 2017

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

  • Pappardelle with artichokes and sage

    • Astrid5555 on October 13, 2012

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

  • Parsley, radish & celery salad with capers

    • Bloominanglophile on September 12, 2013

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

    • wester on January 10, 2017

      Nice salad, strong bright flavors.

  • Persillade of porcini & potatoes

    • JoanN on September 30, 2012

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

  • Piquant zucchini with sour cream & dill

    • mcvl on September 19, 2020

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

  • Sorrel & sour cream omelet with chives

    • Astrid5555 on May 19, 2015

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

  • White beans, porcini & cream

    • kari500 on August 18, 2011

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

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Reviews about this book

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • Spinach mousse with Parmesan cream

    • Lisa Is Cooking

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

      Full review
  • ISBN 10 1844009467
  • ISBN 13 9781844009466
  • Published May 06 2011
  • Format Paperback
  • Page Count 224
  • Language English
  • Countries United Kingdom
  • Publisher Quadrille Publishing
  • Imprint Quadrille Publishing Ltd

Publishers Text

All too often, the vegetarian option is an afterthought on a restaurant menu or the vegetables are relegated to a side dish at home. Here, for the first time, Simon Hopkinson focuses entirely on cooking mouth-watering recipes without meat or fish. Using fresh good-quality produce and combining appropriate ingredients in season are key to Simon Hopkinson's cooking. Invitingly, throughout the book, ingredients that go together are paired together: aubergine & pimento; tomatoes & olives; pappardelle & porcini, peaches & plums, for example. Simplicity, practicality and sensitivity are the essence of Simon's cooking, and his recipes are a joy to make. But there is so much more to appreciate in this highly original book as the author's evocative writing brings his food to life on every page. Superbly photographed by Jason Lowe, The Vegetarian Option is not written exclusively for vegetarians, but as a fresh source of inspiration for all genuine food lovers.

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