Yotam Ottolenghi
Chef
1968-12-14
Quotes by Yotam Ottolenghi
-
Take your average couscous salad, and it's almost always a sloppy mush, no matter how much attention has gone into getting flavours in there.
Read quote -
I love my garlic press; in fact, it is probably my one true desert island gadget. But I'm happy to put it aside whenever the smell and sweet taste of slow-cooked garlic is called for.
Read quote -
Scamorza, an Italian curd cheese often labelled 'smoked mozzarella,' melts fantastically well.
Read quote -
Forget mung beans' reputation as healthy yet bland - used right, they soak up loads of flavour.
Read quote -
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.
Read quote -
Barley and mushroom is a soothing combination. It's mainly a textural thing, with the barley both gently breaking and enhancing the mushroomy gloopiness.
Read quote -
Miso makes a soup loaded with flavour that saves you the hassle of making stock.
Read quote -
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.
Read quote -
Dried porcini add a substantial, deep flavour to otherwise more neutral vegetables. I use them in risottos, mashed roots and winter soups.
Read quote -
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.
Read quote -
Pomegranate molasses is ubiquitous in Arabic cooking: it's sweet, sour and adds depth.
Read quote -
Sea spaghetti looks like dark fettuccine and has a similar texture - you can get it in health food stores or online.
Read quote -
The range of ingredients available to home cooks has expanded dramatically. People are incorporating herbs and spices like lemongrass, smoked Mexican chile, sumac, and za'atar mix.
Read quote -
Chipotles, which are dried jalapeno peppers, give out a terrific smoky flavour - they're warm, earthy and usually not too spicy.
Read quote -
Small okra pods have a much more attractive texture than large ones, which, when cooked, can be gloopy, stringy and totally spoil a dish.
Read quote -
A great fig should look like it's just about to burst its skin. When squeezed lightly it should give a little and not spring back. It must be almost unctuously sweet, soft and wet.
Read quote -
Stereotypical vegetarian food looks gray and brown.
Read quote -
People don't know how good cauliflower is, because they always have this image of cauliflower cheese - awful, sticky, creamy and rich.
Read quote -
Amaranth, the world's most nutritious grain, is available from health food stores.
Read quote -
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.
Read quote