Yotam Ottolenghi Quotes
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Manouri is a Greek ewes' milk cheese that's light in colour and texture. It's fresh and milky, and goes well with other subtle flavours.
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Chinese sausage, which is widely available from Asian grocers and online, is sweet, rich, and enticingly smoky. I add it to steamed rice with strips of omelette and a few baby veg stir-fried with soy.
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There used to be a time - it isn't so much the case now - that vegetarianism was some kind of religion, and either you belong or you don't belong.
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Kibbeh comes in all forms, but most feature bulgur and meat.
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I have an intense dislike of doctrines, because you will always end up eating your words.
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Just-poached vegetables show off their natural attributes and taste fresh and light in a way you never get with roasting or frying.
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I tend to mean what I say: in life, generally; in recipes, certainly.
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Steaming maintains some of the aubergine flesh's texture, which doesn't happen if you cook it in any other way.
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The way to entice people into cooking is to cook delicious things.
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Agave nectar is a good substitute for refined sugars. It has a relatively low glycaemic index, which means it doesn't cause quick rises in blood sugar levels. It also has a nice, mild flavour.
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I always preferred my father's pasta the next day, when he'd put it in a hot oven with heaps of extra cheese. It would emerge slightly burned and very crisp on top.
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Braising eggs in a flavoursome, aromatic sauce is all the rage. It is warming and comforting, ideal for the morning when you are not normally up for a great culinary challenge.
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I adore recipes that make use of one cut of meat or a whole animal to create a complex dish, loaded with flavour.
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Though not a true cereal but a fruit, buckwheat seeds resemble cereal grains and are often used in a similar way to rice, barley, bulgar or quinoa, usually as a side dish.
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Miso makes a soup loaded with flavour that saves you the hassle of making stock.
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Breakfast is always the best time for something juicy, sweet and fresh - it just feels like the right way to open the day. There's no right way, though, when it comes to choosing the fruit.
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I always pan-fry sprouts - it retains texture and enhances flavour.
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Pot barley takes longer to cook than pearl, but an overnight soak in water will speed things along. It's a robust grain that, if overcooked, won't collapse but will become more tender.
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Good asparagus needs minimal treatment and is best eaten with few other ingredients.
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Leeks are normally given the job of flavouring other things, such as stocks and soups, but I find their creaminess and sweet, oniony flavour very satisfying.
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For those, like me, who can't rely on being given a home smoker this Christmas, you can build your own approximation with just a roll of tin foil and a big wok or pan for which you have a lid.
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The tang of tamarind is a great way both to flavour and lighten up slow-cooked savoury dishes.
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Infants have around 30,000 tastebuds, only about a third of which survive into adulthood, so a child's sensitivity towards extremes of sweet, sour and bitter flavours is heightened.
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A quick shallow fry is a great way to transform leftovers, and no more so than in the case of risotto.