Chef and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi has shared insights into his culinary preferences and kitchen techniques, detailing everything from the ideal way to prepare a toastie to the surprising versatility of cauliflower.
Ottolenghi, 57, expressed a fondness for discovering local ingredients while traveling, citing sardines and anchovies from Portugal, Italy, and North Africa, as well as cheese. He recently brought back a furikake-style sprinkle from Japan, a blend of chili, sesame, and brown sugar, which he uses on a variety of dishes. He also highlighted a fermented chili sauce as a condiment that enhances nearly any meal, from egg salad to roast chicken, due to its combination of fresh, pickled flavors and heat.
When discussing favorite dishes, Ottolenghi recalled a memorable meal at Restaurante Sa Foradada in Majorca, describing the setting on a cliff overlooking the sea as particularly special. He also praised The Running Horses, a pub in Mickleham near Dorking, for its Sunday lunch, which blends traditional pub fare with modern touches, specifically mentioning their Scotch eggs and roast chicken.
For home cooking, Ottolenghi emphasized the importance of properly cooked chickpeas for achieving creamy hummus, suggesting they be overcooked until they begin to break apart. He also championed cauliflower as a go-to vegetable, recommending it roasted with spices or grated raw into salads. His preferred method involves roasting florets until well-colored, often with cumin, turmeric, or cinnamon, and then drizzling with green tahini made with parsley.
Ottolenghi's advice for a perfect toastie includes using sourdough bread, butter, mayonnaise, and a little mustard. He recommends grating two types of cheese, such as comté and cheddar, adding ham and a pickly element like sauerkraut, and cooking it slowly in a pan with the lid on before crisping both sides. He also noted a particular fondness for Nuri brand Portuguese sardines, enjoying them simply on toast with mayonnaise and spring onion, or incorporating them into pasta dishes.
Among his "bougiest" store cupboard items is truffle salami, sourced from the Italian deli Salvino in Kentish Town. He also mentioned an appreciation for olive oils from small, independent Mediterranean farmers.
Ottolenghi admitted to being a daily chocolate consumer and is currently favoring chocolates from Plaq in Paris, as well as Willie's Cacao for everyday enjoyment. His book, "Ottolenghi Simple Too" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Verena Lochmuller, is published by Ebury Press.