*August 2009 COTM* OTTOLENGHI

[Caitlin McGrath]

Hello all! I have been asked to post August's COTM threads for Foxy Fairy, as we are all champing at the bit to get talking.

Welcome to the August 2009 Cookbook of the Month, Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi; and all online recipes by the authors. You may wish to bookmark this thread for future reference, as it contains links to all the other threads for this month.

We will use this thread for general commentary, recipe planning, links, and any other issues related to this COTM.

If you're new to Cookbook of the Month, the COTM archive thread explains how it all works:
http://www.chow.com/cookbook_of_the_month_archive

Here are a few links which may be helpful in approaching this month's COTM:

Ottolenghi website recipes: http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/blog/category/recipes/

Yotam Ottolenghi's Guardian UK column, The New Vegetarian (three years of weekly features, many dozens of recipes!): http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/thenewvegetarian

Previous thread on Ottolenghi: The Cookbook, with lots of discussion about recipes and ingredients: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/599767

Metric/US cooking measures conversions: http://library.ndsu.edu/grhc/recipes/conversion.html

US/UK teaspoon and tablespoon conversions (especially helpful for baking): http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Conversions-US-Standard-to-UK/Detail.aspx

Comparison of US/UK food names and cooking terms, "The US and the UK: Divided by a Common (Culinary) Language": http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/615004

Because many who would like to cook along don't have access to the book, several people have said they'd be happy to paraphrase recipes from the book for which no online sources have been found. To facilitate that, the following thread has been set up for recipe paraphrases ONLY - please discuss recipes in the appropriate discussion thread. This thread also contains links to online recipes from the book.

Recipe Lists, Cookbook Recipe Links, Paraphrases: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/641703

The threads below are organized according to the chapters of the book, but please post about online recipes in whichever threads are most appropriate to the dish. At the start of each thread is included links to the recipe lists for reference

Vegetables, Aubergines, Greens: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/641711

Roots, Pulses and Grains, Soups: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/641713

Meat and Fish: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/641714

Bread and Savoury Pastries: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/641718

Cakes, Muffins and Cupcakes: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/641720

Bars, Biscuits; Meringues, Macaroons; Tarts: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/641723

Larder: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/641727

Thanks for participating and enjoy!

[smtucker]

Hard to believe that it has been two years since we selected this book, but my copy is getting that frayed look so it must be true. This summer I am finding myself using this book again and again. The flavors are so bright and true. I love using the fresh herbs growing in my garden, combined with peppers and citrus. The perfect August cookbook.

[Gio]

Thanks for the reminder, SMT. I love that book. I've made all his chicken recipes now must pay a return visit since we're getting such wonderful produce at our local farmers' market. And, many of his recipes are suitable for the grill.

[smtucker]

I am grilling almost all of his vegetable with marinade recipes... no reason in this heat to turn on an oven when the grill has a hot charcoal fire going for whatever protein we are consuming. And I love his light pickle preparations for all kinds of vegetables.

[greedygirl]

Calling all Ottolenghi fans.....

Here's a preview of the new book, Plenty, which is out in the UK next month. Fifteen recipes have been printed in the Guardian, to whet the appetite.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyl...

[The Dairy Queen]

Crap, I was hoping I wouldn't find the recipes tempting... but, of course, I was wrong. I even forgot to notice they were vegetarian! (In that sense that sometimes vegetarian recipes sometimes seem like they are trying so hard to be meatless that they forget to be delicious. Not so with those preview recipes!)

Looks like another winner of a book!

~TDQ

[greedygirl]

I know - really inventive.

[buttertart]

Thank you thank you thank you gg - must! preorder it from Amazon UK. The Very Full Tart has my name on it ;-), as does the roasted garlic one, the tofu, and that bittersweet salad. Gorgeous photos again!

[greedygirl]

They are lovely, aren't they? Can't wait for the book to come out!

[The Dairy Queen]

Funny, those are all the ones that caught my eye, too!

~TDQ

[buttertart]

We seem to have similar tastes - I've noticed that more than once.

[The Dairy Queen]

Interesting. I wonder what causes people to have similar tastes? Commonality of life experience or some kind of genetic predisposition or what?

~TDQ

[buttertart]

A combination of all of those factors I suppose. Would be interesting to explore - doesn't have much to do with Ottolenghi, but you can always email me if you wish to!

[buttertart]

TDQ, Amazon UK GBP 21.98 total including delivery to the US (6-10 days after release, the last time I did this it was a week to NY)...you know you want to...I just did!

[greedygirl]

Let's hope the air problems are sorted out by then (or maybe they ship by boat)!

[buttertart]

Yes, it's a mess (for my business as well, have big airfreight customers - somehow cargo transport seems to be being forgotten in the news coverage).

[smtucker]

This is just not fair! These recipes all look wonderful.... and clearly this is a book I will need to put on the "list."

As we begin to approach the growing season here in New England, I am anticipating pulling the original book off the shelf and delving in once again. Just the other day, my DH was commenting that he hoped to see more of the "UK book" recipes on the table.

[greedygirl]

Just to say, probably best to print these out because I don't think they'll stay online forever, being extracts from a book. :-)

[greedygirl]

To everyone who loved this book - there's another one coming out next May! I think it will be vegetarian, but am not sure about that.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plenty-Yotam-...

[Gio]

Many thanks for the heads-up, greedygirl. Since he has that "New Vegetarian" column in The Guardian I wouldn't be suprised at all to find that his new book is indeed all vegetables. There's a ton of recipes at that site, plus it's a blog!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyl...

[Channa]

The Spiced Red Lentils from his column are fabulous!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyl...

I serve this with the yoghurt raita in the recipe, basmati rice, chapatis, and an assortment of Indian pickles.

I do make a few changes --

-- Sprinkle coriander leaves on top as garnish rather than stirring in. There's enough coriander flavour from the stalks.

-- I don't add sugar. In fact, I usually squeeze lemon over just before serving.

-- Saute the asafoetida a bit with the ginger to mellow its flavour.

-- Omit the fenugreek.

[Stuffed Monkey]

Found a new source for purchasing the book with free shipping:

http://www.bookdepository.com/book/97...

[dkennedy]

OK, so I have a protocol question and I am not sure where to post it so I am going to do it here. It is somewhat related as it concerns a COTM, just not this one.

What if, after this COTM conversation ceases, someone has a question about an ingredient or a recipe and wants to ask that question, say 3 years later. Do they post it on the original thread, start a new one, or directly contact a person who participated on the old thread who is still an active COTM participant?

I ask because I often refer back to old COTM to post recipes I didn't get around to at the time, and I also refer to the old conversations to get tips on how to proceed, and it would be helpful to be able to ask someone I know has the answer without starting a new thread.

I apologize if I had violated some Chowhound rule about what kind of questions go where.

[The Dairy Queen]

dkennedy, any one of those options would certainly work, although, unless you're in a particular hurry (as in, you're trying to make this for dinner tonight) I would just post in the old thread. Some of the old COTM threads continue to be quite active, especially for the most popular books like Dunlop and Goin. The one small hitch is that sometimes it can take awhile for someone to notice your question. If that happens, then I might send an email to the person mentioning that you posted a question in that thread, provide them a link, and ask if they wouldn't mind having a peek. Or, just post your question as a new thread, then, go back to the old COTM thread and put a post in there linking to your question so, again, anyone looking at that COTM thread in the future will know where to find the answer should they have the same question.

There's really no wrong answer! That's my two pinches of salt, anyway.

~TDQ

[dkennedy]

Thank you TDQ.

I will post my question on the original thread for now (Rick Bayless, COTM 2006). I am ashamed to admit I don't know how to start a new thread so I will wait to try that one for now....

[dkennedy]

BTW, the question will be posted in the light meals section of the thread, re the homemade crema on p. 133 of the book - I am looking for someone to paraphrase the recipe for me so I can make the delish enchiladas.

[Gio]

Hi DK... Starting a new thread is easy! Go to the main Home Cooking page, for instance, and on the upper left you'll see: a red bar with the words, Add New Post. Click on that and type the title in the first block and your message in
the next one.

[dkennedy]

Thanks Gio. That will be my next step. I am really learning how to get around now!

[dkennedy]

I ran into a problem already. I went to the Home Cooking page, and I have no red bar and no where does it say Add New Post. I wonder if something in my settings is blocking it. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Caitlin McGrath]

dkennedy, you should perhaps turn to the Technical Help board (it's in the board directory. I know you can't start a thread to ask, but I know I've seen such questions addressed, so you might find some help searching there. Or send an email to the moderators ([e-mail]) and ask for assistance.

[DGresh]

are you sure you're on the Home Cooking page (i.e. not a thread, like this one)? Just click on the words "Home Cooking" at the very top of this page, or at the bottom left below. Then look for "Add New Post"

[NYchowcook]

I'm so happy -- i just ordered this book in the states for $36 including shipping.

I was going to ask a friend from London who is coming across the pond in a couple weeks to score a copy for me . . . and then I found it's available through Amazon. I too ordered from book depository, but at this link -- through Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks' favorite cookbooks link
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASI...

[Gio]

You're going to love it, NYCC. Every recipe I cooked from the book were delicious, except one that had orange water as an ingredient and even That one was pretty darn good. I plan to use the book during the holiday season since so much of the food is elegant....and different.

[smtucker]

I am planning to make the duck and orange recipe this weekend for company. One of the ingredients is 6 dried chiles. My cupboard has about 15 different kinds of dried chiles. What type is commonly found in the UK and used in this style of cookery?

[greedygirl]

The most common is the medium sized Thai ones - NOT the super-hot dried bird's eyes, but the bigger ones.

[carswell]

You left out this video on Ottolenghi's presentations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYb8aL... ;)

Had my first encounter with the book on the weekend. It immediately went on the buy soon list.

[oakjoan]

I came across this video while searching for anything Ottolenghi. Hilarious, with a good deal of thanks to Monty Python.

Ottolenghi's such a phenom that joke videos are being made about him!

[yamalam]

The Recipe Lists, Cookbook Recipe Links, and Paraphrases thread is amazingly helpful! Thank you for this Caitlin!!

[LulusMom]

I have to agree with the others - this is brilliantly organized, and thank you so much.

[Gio]

A milion thanks Caitlin. Brilliant job. So easy to navigate..... Thank You!

[cpw]

Thanks Caitlin. This is a great organization, especially various links: recipe paraphrasing is done brilliantly and you even included metric conversion link!

[JoanN]

Wow! Caitlin. That's damned impressive. Practically defines "well organized." We, especially those of us without the book, salute and thank you.

[oakjoan]

Wowie zowie! Ditto what Joan N said. Thank you.