Yotam Ottolenghi - Vegetarian Recipes (1 Viewer)

[Wobbler]

Yotam Ottolenghi writes a weekly column in the Guardian called the New Vegetarian. Link for the archive below.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/thenewvegetarian

Might be of interest not only to the vegetarians on this forum but also those of us who are trying to have a little less meat in our diet.

The recipes are all interesting, the few I've tried worked out great, but he does have an annoying habit of nearly always including at least one ingredient I've never heard of before most weeks.

Still, worth a look.

 

[platters]

he does have an annoying habit of nearly always including at least one ingredient I've never heard of before most weeks.

I hate this about these kind's of recipe blogs. Why can't chefs understand that their published recipes need to be compatible with people who are working and find it hard to find the time and energy to cook, let alone source these unusual ingredients. I was going to make a stab at that mushroom lasagne, but its got 5 different types of cheese in it. They're not strange cheeses, but I can't afford to be buy all that for one meal. We're not all working out of huge kitchens where we can use left over ingredients for other things. It's annoying

 

[Wobbler]

I hate this about these kind's of recipe blogs. Why can't chefs understand that their published recipes need to be compatible with people who are working and find it hard to find the time and energy to cook, let alone source these unusual ingredients. I was going to make a stab at that mushroom lasagne, but its got 5 different types of cheese in it. They're not strange cheeses, but I can't afford to be buy all that for one meal. We're not all working out of huge kitchens where we can use left over ingredients for other things. It's annoying

I take your point, but sometimes it is nice to use unusual ingredients and go that extra mile cooking-wise. Yotam rarely has more than one obscure ingredient per receipe. We can look elsewhere for midweek meal ideas and if we want to do something fancy on occassion, we can look to the likes of Yotam. What I like about these dishes is that they're vastly different to most other vegetarean fare.

 

[platters]

yes they do look yummy, but 5 types of cheese for that lasagne, is that necessary?

dude, can you give me a good mid-week veggie recipe please? I'm on dinner duty tonight.

 

[Wobbler]

yes they do look yummy, but 5 types of cheese for that lasagne, is that necessary?

dude, can you give me a good mid-week veggie recipe please? I'm on dinner duty tonight.

Leave it with me mate. Are you, or anyone you're cooking for, actually vegetarian or are you just looking after your health/wallet? In other words, would a little meat be ok?

What do you fancy eating? I nearly always go from pasta or soup at times like this, but let me know.

 

[platters]

no bother with little meat, but just as you mentioned above, we're trying to cut down on our meaty intake so I'd prefer something veggie. Pasta would be cool. I have some wholemeal spaghetti at home, but will be in town after work so no bother with whatever.

Just don't ask me to get ricotta, feta, gruyère, fontina & parmesan for the sake of one dish or I'll there'll be bad rep coming out of your wazoo!cheezy

 

[Wobbler]

Just don't ask me to get ricotta, feta, gruyère, fontina & parmesan for the sake of one dish or I'll there'll be bad rep coming out of your wazoo!cheezy

Ok, but parmessan is a really worthwhile investment. It keeps for ages and goes well with loads of stuff.

 

[Wobbler]

What about this? I love it, but then I love anchovies, olives and capers. Leave out the parmessan, and the basil if you're feeling skint. Use tinned tomatoes instead of fresh. Should be a few things you have lying around the kitchen in the ingredient list, if not a few quid will sort you out.

Pasta Puttanesca (Tart's Spaghetti)


In Italian, a puttanesca is a 'lady of the night', which is why at home we always refer to this recipe as tart's spaghetti. Presumably the sauce has adopted this name because it's hot, strong and gutsy – anyway, eating it is a highly pleasurable experience. If you are a strict vegetarian, replace the anchovies with another heaped tablespoon of capers.

Serves 2
Ingredients

8-10 oz (225-275 g) spaghetti (depending on how hungry you are)
a few drops of olive oil
salt
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded and chopped
1 level dessertspoon chopped fresh basil
2 oz (50 g) anchovies, drained
6 oz (175 g) pitted black olives, chopped
1 heaped tablespoon capers, drained
1 lb (450 g) tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 rounded tablespoon tomato purée
salt and freshly milled black pepper
To garnish:
chopped fresh basil
lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a medium saucepan, then add the garlic, chilli and basil and cook these briefly till the garlic is pale gold. Then add all the other sauce ingredients, stir and season with a little pepper – but no salt yet because of the anchovies.
Turn the heat to low and let the sauce simmer very gently without a lid for 40 minutes, by which time it will have reduced to a lovely thick mass, with very little liquid left.
While the sauce is cooking, take your largest saucepan, fill it with at least 4 pints (2.25 litres) of hot water and bring it up to a gentle simmer. Add a few drops of olive oil and a little salt and then, 8 minutes before the sauce is ready, plunge the spaghetti into the water. Stir well to prevent it clogging together, then time it for exactly 8 minutes.
After that drain it in a colander, return it to the saucepan presto pronto, and toss the sauce in it, adding the basil. Mix thoroughly and serve in well-heated bowls, with lots of grated Parmesan to sprinkle over – and have plenty of gutsy, 'tarty' Italian red wine to wash it down.
This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Summer Collection.

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/pasta-puttanesca-tarts-spaghetti,1319,RC.html

 

[platters]

I was only joking bud, I usually have some parmessan around. I have no issue with the 'ssan

 

[platters]

What about this?

looks perfect, Cheers Wobbler!

 

[Wobbler]

looks perfect, Cheers Wobbler!

If you're sure. I was going to throw you a Nigel Slater recipe or two.

Buy yourself Real Fast Food by Nigel Slater and you'll never find yourself in this situation again. Seriously.

 

[platters]

I think my GF's ma has that book actually. I sometimes do his white wine, sausage meat & mustard orecchiette recipe. it's so easy and ridiculously tasty.

 

[Wobbler]

I think my GF's ma has that book actually.

Steal it.

 

[platters]

Pasta Puttanesca (Tart's Spaghetti)

This worked a treat and was a piece of piss to make

 

[Wobbler]

This worked a treat and was a piece of piss to make

Deadly.

 

[Wobbler]

Today's one looks good.

 

[platters]

yeah, I might try it. What's does he mean by this?

"Line the pastry base with greaseproof paper, fill it with baking beans and bake blind for 15-20 minutes, until light brown. Remove the paper and beans, and return to the oven until the base is golden - about five minutes. Leave to cool down"

Is it to keep the pasty flat? Can you use any auld beans for this? And do you just discard them when you're finished?

 

[pete]

sounds like a waste of baked beans to me



ps parmesan isn't vegetarian

 

[Wobbler]

yeah, I might try it. What's does he mean by this?

"Line the pastry base with greaseproof paper, fill it with baking beans and bake blind for 15-20 minutes, until light brown. Remove the paper and beans, and return to the oven until the base is golden - about five minutes. Leave to cool down"

Is it to keep the pasty flat? Can you use any auld beans for this? And do you just discard them when you're finished?

Weird. I'd say yes and yes, but I'm not sure. If you feel dodgy, just skip that step. It's not going to radically impact the flavour.

sounds like a waste of baked beans to me



ps parmesan isn't vegetarian

Very true but you can get veggie alternatives. The recipe should have pointed all this out of course

 

[FiFi_LaRue]

yeah, I might try it. What's does he mean by this?

"Line the pastry base with greaseproof paper, fill it with baking beans and bake blind for 15-20 minutes, until light brown. Remove the paper and beans, and return to the oven until the base is golden - about five minutes. Leave to cool down"

Is it to keep the pasty flat? Can you use any auld beans for this? And do you just discard them when you're finished?

Yeah, it's to keep the pastry flat, you can also use pasta for this if you don't have beans. Yes you would usually chuck 'em after this step.