To Yotam, With Love

Ottolenghi is partly responsible for rebooting home cooks’ idea of what’s possible in the kitchen, particularly when it comes to vegetables. His first book to hit US shores, Plenty, is an ode to produce. The recipes might seem complicated on paper (even he pokes fun at himself for his enormous ingredient lists), but try one and it’s clear you can’t mess with the guy. When it comes to vegetables, he just knows what’s best.

For many cooks, Plenty was a gateway drug, unlocking a world of spices and pantry staples common in Middle Eastern kitchens — za’atar and tahini, nigella seeds and pomegranate molasses, labne and harissa — and a world of possibilities for colorful, abundant, vegetable-based cooking (aka our jam). If you’re sticking a toe into Ottolenghi waters for the first time, Plenty and Jerusalem (more on that below) are the way to go.

After Plenty came Jerusalem — not vegetarian but wholly groundbreaking in its own right, amalgamating recipes from Ottolenghi and his longtime business partner, Sami Tamimi (Ottolenghi grew up on the Jewish west side of Jerusalem; Tamimi was raised in the Arab east).

When Plenty More hit shelves, Ottolenghi showed an openness, successfully elbowing his way out of a Middle Eastern pigeon hole and pushing into Asian territory. For that, he has Ramael Scully, the Malaysian master who heads the kitchen at Nopi, Ottolenghi’s Soho restaurant, to thank. He upped his photography and food styling game, too; this cookbook is crazy gorgeous.

NOPI was published most recently, loaded with inspiration from the restaurant (where I spent time in the kitchen! – Emily). The dishes are more complex, and occasionally more refined; you’ll learn a lot from this one (though you may use it less).

Last but not least, there’s his very first cookbook, Ottolenghi, which was just re-released with new photos. Up next is his baking book, which we’re awaiting with bated breath (while eating honey-spiked tahini by the spoonful to tide ourselves over).

Find a link to buy the books in our shop.