Cookbook Review: Ottolenghi Flavor

Ottolenghi: a name that has become synonymous with the latest iteration of the plant-based diet revolution. Perhaps you know Yotam Ottolenghi as the restauranteur with popular eateries all over London, or as the prolific cookbook author with seven bestsellers to his name, or as the occasional television and film personality. However you’ve come to know him, of two things we can be certain: the man knows vegetables, and he knows flavor.

Of the many chefs to come before him pushing for vegetables to be the star of the show rather than the sidekick, Ottolenghi has by far gotten the closest to making plants seem appealing to the meat-eating masses. Perhaps it’s because he’s learned that in order to convince someone to give up animal proteins in favor of adopting a more vegetarian lifestyle, you must not push for them to quit cold turkey. It’s about making vegetarian dishes so aesthetically pleasing, so full of flavor and gustatory power that whatever you place before them on a plate becomes simply irresistible. And if you thought Ottolenghi’s bestsellers Plenty and Plenty More - both veggie-centric tomes in their own right - were stars, get ready for his latest future bestseller Flavor, a true showstopper.

Clocking in at over 300 pages, Yotam Ottolenghi’s Flavor is packed to the gills with innovative recipes - all vegetarian - that will help you re-imagine what can be achieved with what you find in the produce aisle.

The Good: I cannot think of a more apt and appropriate title for this book than Flavor, as it lives up to that name and more. This book isn’t about boiling a potato here or blanching some kale there. What Ottolenghi has managed to do is take the humble vegetable that you’ve eaten a million times, and completely transform it to the point that it’s barely recognizable. Every aspect of this book, from the condiments down to the garnishes, has been meticulously thought-out. The efforts it clearly took to create this true love letter to vegetables is incredibly impressive.

The Bad: This is not a book for the occasional vegetarian. The recipes in Flavor are impressive and eye-catching for their flavor combinations, but when you start to break down ingredient lists and recipe directions, you begin to see that many of Ottolenghi’s offerings are deceptively complex. While it must be said that the outcome is usually worth it, the recipes in this book would not work on busy weeknights without some well-thought-out prep beforehand.

Bottom Line: While I applaud Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage for what must’ve been a real labor of love, this book is not one that I will be reaching for very often. The photography is gorgeous, and there really is a recipe for everyone, but what I have found with Ottolenghi books is that sometimes dishes are more complicated (and ingredient lists more expensive) than they need to be. Ottolenghi, in my humble opinion, is one of the best of the best when it comes to vegetarian cooking, but in times like these, simplicity makes a bigger impact.

Find Flavor by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Barfage HERE.

*I’ve received a free copy from Ten Speed Press in exchange for a free and unbiased review.