Ottolenghi SIMPLE

This is a great cookbook. It’s nice to have some different ideas instead of the bog standard variations. It has a simple guide to let you know the easy recipes. I have bought another copy for a gift.

Variety of recipes!

Ottolenghi has been quoted as saying his cooking is aimed at ‘drama in the mouth.’ Simple is an acronym for Short on time, Ingredients ten or less, Make ahead, Pantry (meaning basic stock ingredients), Lazy, Easier than you think. The recipes are very clear and easy to follow. There are beautiful photographic illustrations of the dishes. There is a wide range of recipes, including salads, cooked vegetables, eggs, chicken, fish, lamb, pasta, cakes and desserts. I have tried several recipes, had easy and delicious results, and then repeated my favourites. I have also taken inspiration from a carrot salad recipe and combined some of the ingredients (cinnamon, dill, coriander, cider vinegar, garlic and honey) with carrots and, instead of making a salad, I added stock and managed to turn these flavours into a delicious soup. Many, but not all, of the recipes include suggestions for suitable accompaniments. This would have been very useful to include with the recipe for the rich and delicious chicken Marbella, but all is not lost because there is a section on Meal Suggestions at the end of the book where you can find suggestions for vegetables or salad which would go well with the delicious and easy date, olive and caper ingredients in the chicken Marbella marinade. The cross-referencing in this section is really helpful. Finally, the book is sturdy and robust enough to survive splashes and steam in the kitchen. It’s a marvellous modern recipe book, truly a gateway to ‘drama in the mouth’ for those who aspire to fit delicious cooking into an otherwise very busy life.

Liking this very much - enjoying exploring new flavours and combinations I wouldn't normally use. Had to buy a few new ingredients I had not heard of before but they are now cupboard staples.

I have a copy: this was bought as a gift. Recipient was delighted. Easy to follow recipes with interesting ingredients. Suit a novice cook

This book is all you will need to create simple, but massive on flavour, dishes. Wait until you try the sweet potato mash with herbs and lime salsa! I’m really impressed. Have bought a second book for my brother.

Great different cooking a lot of harissa used tried the orators they were amazing

I like Ottelenghi, but in general his recipes are quite complex and require a lot of planning, especially so because of his use of unusual and hard-to-find ingredients for those of us who don't live in London. The prospect of a 'cut down' Ottelenghi with simplified recipes was just the thing I was looking for. I hesitated in making this purchase having looked at his list of pantry ingredients, Some of those ingredients I had never heard of, and have no desire searching high and low for, then paying over the odds for something I may only use a few times. However, I'm well aware that easy substitutions can be made for the ingredients I am familiar with - No sumac? Use lemon rind. No za'atar? Use some thyme. So I took a punt, and purchsed the book with confidence that I can improvise some workarounds. And I am glad I did. There are a lot of recipes in this book, and while I've only tried one to date, a quick thumb through shows a plethora of easy-to-make dishes that don't appear to need a selection of strange and exotic ingredients. To sum up, if you like Ottelenghi, you'll like this book, as it makes his style of cooking far more accesible to the average cook like myself.

Amazing

A gem of a book. It keeps getting better!

This may be my favourite cookbook ever, and I love cookbooks! The recipes are simple, all look mouth-wateringly delicious, and the photography is spectacular.

Comida aromática e sem medo de ter gosto, muito azeite, alho, pimentas variadas, mais de uma erva por receita, uma delícia. É a comida do efeito: pouco trabalho e máximo sabor. Em algumas troquei ervas difíceis de encontrar — sálvia, dill, orégano fresco — pelo que tinha à mão — salsa, coentro, tomilho seco — e funciona do mesmo jeito. É cheio de idéias para levar para outros contextos: o molho de alho e anchova que vai na beringela vai funcionar em todo legume assado, o molho verde de tahine levanta qualquer prato. Medidas em xícaras/colheres, instruções claras e cheio de fotos. Recomendo demais.

I bought both Simple and Jerusalem at the same time and I must say, after the few I have tried, I have preferred the recipes in this book so far! Tonight I made a dinner for 3, one whom is vegan, and just served the cheeses/yoghurt on the side. I made (1) the butternut squash with corn salsa, feta and pumpkin seeds, (2) charred tomatoes with cold yoghurt, (3) chickpeas and Swiss chard with yoghurt. The recipes really are simple, and apart from caraway seeds, I didn’t have to buy a new list of odd, hard to find, expensive ingredients. It took me 1.5 hours to make all 3 from start to finish - and I am happy knowing that if I were to make any of the recipes again they would only take me 30 minutes. This book is great for anyone wanting some healthy, delicious and relatively simple/quick to prepare ideas.