Ottolenghi Simple | Random House Publishing Group

About the Book

JAMES BEARD AWARD FINALIST • The New York Times bestselling collection of 130 easy, flavor-forward recipes from beloved chef Yotam Ottolenghi.

In Ottolenghi Simple, powerhouse author and chef Yotam Ottolenghi presents 130 streamlined recipes packed with his signature Middle Eastern–inspired flavors, all simple in at least (and often more than) one way: made in 30 minutes or less, with 10 or fewer ingredients, in a single pot, using pantry staples, or prepared ahead of time for brilliantly, deliciously simple meals. Brunch gets a make-over with Braised Eggs with Leeks and Za’atar; Cauliflower, Pomegranate, and Pistachio Salad refreshes the side-dish rotation; Lamb and Feta Meatballs bring ease to the weeknight table; and every sweet tooth is sure to be satisfied by the spectacular Fig and Thyme Clafoutis. With more than 130 photographs, this is elemental Ottolenghi for everyone.

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Praise for Ottolenghi Simple

Best Cookbooks of 2018
—NPR

Best Cookbooks of Fall 2018
—New York Times

10 Best Cookbooks of 2018
—The Kitchn

Best Cookbooks of 2018
—San Francisco Chronicle

"Every recipe has a brightness, a twist and a unique layer of flavor that you rarely get at home on a weeknight."
—New York Times Book Review

"It’s a useful and engaging book, filled with the kind of dishes that have made Ottolenghi’s broad and well-deserved reputation ... this is food that’s worth putting on the plate, and another cookbook that’s very much worth adding to the stack."
—Los Angeles Times

"It’s a brilliant way to up your regular dinner game."
—Departures.com

"Needless to say, everything Ottolenghi touches turns to gold — all well-earned and deserved. He has played a major role in changing how people cook and how much more adventurous in the kitchen they are now. With this new volume, even more cooks will discover flavors they’ve never known, techniques they’ll embrace, ingredients that are exotic and exciting and a little thrilling to use. They’ll see what a little harissa or tahini can do for their food."
—Boston Globe

Praise for Yotam Ottolenghi:

"No chef captures the flavors of the moment better than Yotam Ottolenghi."
—Bon Appétit

"Ottolenghi is a genius with vegetables--it's possible that no other chef has devised so many clever ways to cook them."
—Food & Wine

"Yotam Ottolenghi is the most creative but also practical cook of this new culinary era--a 21st-century Escoffier."
—Wall Street Journal

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Excerpt

Ottolenghi Simple

Hot, Charred Cherry Tomatoes with Cold Yogurt

One of the beauties of this dish lies in the exciting contrast between the hot, juicy tomatoes and fridge-cold yogurt, so make sure the tomatoes are straight out of the oven and the yogurt is straight out of the fridge. The heat of the tomatoes will make the cold yogurt melt, invitingly, so plenty of crusty sourdough or focaccia to mop it all up is a must alongside.

Serves four as a starter or part of a mezze plate

12 1/4 oz (350g) cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp light brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 thyme sprigs
6 oregano sprigs: 3 sprigs left whole and the rest stemmed, to serve
1 lemon: finely shave the skin of 1/2 to get 3 strips, then finely grate the other 1/2 to get 1 tsp zest
flaked sea salt and black pepper
1 2∕3 cups (350g) extra-thick Greek-style yogurt, fridge-cold
1 tsp Urfa chile flakes (or 1/2 tsp other crushed red pepper flakes)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Place the tomatoes in a mixing bowl with the olive oil, cumin, sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano sprigs, lemon strips, 1/2 tsp of flaked salt, and a good grind of pepper. Mix to combine, then transfer to a baking sheet just large enough—about 6 x 8 inches (15 x 20 cm)—to fit all the tomatoes together snugly. Place the sheet about 2 inches (5 cm) beneath the broiler and roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and the liquid is bubbling. Turn the oven to the broil setting and broil for 6-8 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blacken on top.

3. While the tomatoes are roasting, combine the yogurt with the grated lemon zest and 1/4 tsp of flaked salt. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

4. Once the tomatoes are ready, spread the chilled yogurt on a platter (with a lip) or in a wide, shallow bowl, creating a dip in it with the back of a spoon. Spoon the hot tomatoes on top, along with their juices, lemon strips, garlic, and herbs, and finish with the oregano leaves and chile flakes. Serve at once.

About the Author

Yotam Ottolenghi

Yotam Ottolenghi is a seven-time New York Times best-selling cookbook author who contributes to the New York Times Food section and has a weekly column in The Guardian. His Ottolenghi Simple was selected as a best book of the year by NPR and the New York Times; Jerusalem, written with Sami Tamimi, was awarded Cookbook of the Year by the International Association of Culinary Professionals and named Best International Cookbook by the James Beard Foundation. He lives in London, where he co-owns an eponymous group of restaurants and the fine-dining destinations Nopi and Rovi.

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