By LISA SCOTT - Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Chop Chop: Lisa Scott gets busy in the kitchen under the watchful eye of Yotam Ottolenghi
Yotam Ottolenghi has a dinner party tonight. The Israeli chef and owner of award-winning Islington deli Ottolenghi is cooking for eight friends
On arrival, I marvel at his majestic dining table, already cluttered with colourful trays of delicious-looking veggie food.
'Colour is important when it comes to food. People eat with their eyes,' says Ottolenghi, who together with Palestinian business partner Sami Tamimi, serves up Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and North African flavours.
'Vegetables are so versatile,' he says. 'You can do so many things to enhance their flavour and appearance.'
Vegetables are why I'm here. I haven't eaten meat in years but I'm not pushy about my beliefs.
My problem is inspiration – I cook the same few meals repeatedly. I'm not alone.
There is a growing number of part-time veggies, called flexitarians, who find eating a varied diet so difficult they tuck into the occasional meat dish.
I hope Ottolenghi, famous for his sumptuous vegetables, can teach me to be more adventurous. He gets me to roast some carrots and butternut squash.
'When roasting vegetables, put them on the highest heat for 20 minutes,' he says. 'Always blanch carrots for three minutes in boiling water first as they take longer to cook than butternut squash and pumpkin.'
Among the plates is a pile of roasted aubergine wedges. Ottolenghi, who studied philosophy before following his partner to London and embarking on a Cordon Bleu cooking course, nods towards them: 'Aubergine is my favourite vegetable because it is so versatile.'
I confess that I hate aubergine as it always tastes soggy. Ottolenghi looks mortified. 'How can you say that? I will change that for you.'
Under his instruction I start the tahini and oregano sauce for his beloved aubergines.
As I blend red chillies, chopped oregano, coriander, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil, I ask Ottolenghi about the typical mistakes veggies make.
'I hate substitute meat,' he says. 'People think they need to replace the meat flavour in their meals. They should stop trying to simulate flavour. You can do so much without meat.'
What should I invest in to avoid bean-burger temptation? 'Couscous, lentils, rice, quinoa barley,' he suggests. 'Make a big grain salad in half an hour.
Boil wild rice, quinoa and lentils together and leave to cool. Then add coriander, mint and thyme, finely chopped garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.
Add some sun-blushed tomatoes. It's a very simple meal.'
Our vegetables are now roasted so Ottolenghi pours a thick red paste of harissa, lemon, cumin, coriander and paprika over the steaming chunks of carrot and butternut squash. After they have cooled, we roll them in chopped coriander and parsley.
I am impressed; in just half an hour, the humble carrot has been transformed to the dazzling main attraction.
So what of the aubergine? I sit at the chef's dining table and he watches me as I hesitantly eat his aubergine with tahini and oregano sauce.
He smiles knowingly as I admit it is delicious and full of fresh, zingy flavour. But did I really expect anything less?
See Ottolenghi The Cookbook (Ebury Press,
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). For his restaurants and menus , visit
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Try these recipes at home
Marinated aubergine with tahini and oregano
Preheat oven to 220ºC. Trim the stalk end off three small aubergines and cut each into ten similarly sized pieces.
Place the pieces on a large roasting tray. Brush all sides with plenty of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place the tray in the hot oven and bake for 15-18min until golden brown and soft inside.
Put one mild red chilli seeded and chopped, 2tbsp finely chopped coriander, 2tbsp finely chopped oregano, one crushed garlic clove, 3tbsp lemon juice, 4tbsp olive oil, 1tsp coarse sea salt and ¼tsp ground black pepper into a bowl and mix well for a marinade.
Take the aubergines from the oven and spoon the marinade on top. Leave at room temperature for two hours before serving.
To serve, spoon green tahini sauce on top.
Grilled mackerel with green olive, celery and raisin salsa
Stir together the following for the salsa: 125g celery stalks, thinly sliced, 60g stoned green olives, 3tbsp capers, rinsed, 70g raisins, 1½tbsp sherry vinegar, 4tbsp olive oil, 3tbsp honey and 15g flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped. It should be sweet to the taste. Leave to sit for at least 15min.
Set an oven grill to the highest setting and toss eight mackerel fillets gently with olive oil and some salt and pepper.
Lay the fillets on a flat tray skin side up and place under grill for 3-4min or until cooked. Serve the fish hot or at room temperature with a spoonful of salsa.
Both recipes are from Yotam's Ottolenghi cookbook. He will also be conducting hands-on cookery classes on February 21, March 14, May 9 and June 6 at Leiths Cookery School;
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