Top 234 Quotes & Sayings by Yotam Ottolenghi
Explore popular quotes and sayings by an Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi.
Last updated on September 16, 2024.
Vegetarian and frugal it may be, but the chickpea is one of the most versatile ingredients you could keep in your cupboards.
Conflict is very much a state of mind. If you're not in that state of mind, it doesn't bother you.
A well-made salad must have a certain uniformity; it should make perfect sense for those ingredients to share a bowl.
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.
Miso makes a soup loaded with flavour that saves you the hassle of making stock.
The differences between a tart, a pie and a quiche are a blur.
For me, the end of childhood came when the number of candles on my birthday cake no longer reflected my age, around 19 or 20. From then on, each candle came to represent an entire decade.
Turkish cuisine is, to my mind, one of the most exciting and accomplished in the world.
Every era has its own list of ingredients that are considered exotic and then, 15 years later, they're not.
I now understand how varied the world of cultivated rice is; that rice can play the lead or be a sidekick; that brown rice is as valuable as white; and that short-grain rice is the bee's knees.
Barley and mushroom is a soothing combination. It's mainly a textural thing, with the barley both gently breaking and enhancing the mushroomy gloopiness.
A food processor, or even one of those small bowls that fit on a stick blender, is a real treasure. No, that's not an overstatement.
I have to admit that I can't take a whole fig and eat it on its own as I would a peach or mango. It's just too much.
There is nothing like a good old recipe. If it has lasted, then it is good.
I used to have a very unmediated experience of food but, because of the recipe testing, I've lost that now. I can't switch it off even when I'm on holiday.
The difference between a bland tomato and great one is immense, much like the difference between a standard, sliced white bread and a crusty, aromatic sourdough.
I love the way soft white cheese such as ricotta or the creamier mascarpone reflect the milieu in which an animal has been raised.
Good asparagus needs minimal treatment and is best eaten with few other ingredients.
If I am honest, my food is actually quite far removed from both the food of my mother and my father.
Custard is controversial: what makes it a custard, how best to cook it and, crucially, is it to be eaten or put in a pie and thrown?
Tel Aviv is the most exciting place to eat in Israel.
Vegetarians in general don't like me.
The smells of slow cooking spread around the house and impart a unique warmth matched only by the flavour of the food.
Fusion food as a concept is kind of trying to quite consciously fuse things that are sometimes quite contradictory, sometimes quite far apart, to see if they'd work.
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.
Food can bring people together in a way nothing else could.
Apart from its famous healing properties, manuka has a strong, woody flavour.
Swiss chard is undervalued in Britain. It's a great substitute for spinach and keeps its shape well.
Chana dal are skinless dried split chickpeas used in Indian cooking. They have a great texture and delicate flavour.
I enjoy meat, but I can do without it.
I like to talk about food, ingredients, and how to adapt recipes. It's a dialogue.
As is always the way with pancakes, the first hotcake to come out of the pan will probably be a bit misshapen. Just scoff it, and carry on with the rest.
Marinating chicken in miso adds lots of character to the meat with little work.
There is a unique freshness when eating buckwheat noodles cold with plenty of herbs and citrus acidity. I can't think of any better use of chopsticks on a hot and sweaty evening.
Pomegranate molasses is ubiquitous in Arabic cooking: it's sweet, sour and adds depth.
My maternal grandmother made fantastic ox tongue with velvety roasted potatoes. She cooked sweet red cabbage and lovely cauliflower with butter and bread crumbs.
Tahini is fantastically versatile, its deep, nutty flavour a harmonious match with roasted vegetables, grilled oily fish or barbecued meat.
Like all rice, black rice is great at absorbing flavours, but it's just as happy to act as a satiny bed for a poached egg, say, if you want to keep things simple.
Fish cakes are perceived as being quite British, and they're always a bit brown and a little dull.
Jerusalem artichokes have a great affinity with nuts. I love them with chopped walnuts or almonds, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and plenty of olive oil.
I can't stand recipes that don't have background.
Even in the busiest kitchen, there's always a point at the end of the day when you go home.
Middle Eastern cuisine has the same depth of ingredients and processes as other cuisines. They just haven't had as much exposure.
I have been cooking with preserved lemon for years, using it left, right and centre, but I am still far from reaching my limit.
If the first bite is with the eye and the second with the nose, some people will never take that third, actual bite if the food in question smells too fishy, fermented or cheesy.
On many occasions, an informal buffet and casual seating offer a little more intimacy than a loud gathering around a big table.
Manouri is a Greek ewes' milk cheese that's light in colour and texture. It's fresh and milky, and goes well with other subtle flavours.
Call me tacky, but I love the union of sweet and sour, even in some now-unloved Oriental dishes incorporating pineapple and ketchup.
I just don't tend to cook eggplant at home.
Almost every culture has its own variation on chicken soup, and rightly so - it's one of the most gratifying dishes on the face of the Earth.
You can be vegetarian and eat fish. It's your choice, just say: 'I am what I am.' There are no hardcore divisions anymore.
When I was a kid, there was always food to be had on the street in Jerusalem, but anything above a falafel stand was mediocre or worse.
I'm a firm believer that the world should be your oyster when you're cooking. People should open themselves to other cuisines - there are a lot of hidden secrets all over the world.
After all these years of cooking and writing recipes, I am still amazed every time I notice how even the minutest of variation in technique can make a spectacular difference.
My dad makes food with very few delicate flavours.
One man's trash is another man's treasure, and the by-product from one food can be perfect for making another.
The combination of olive oil, garlic and lemon juice lifts the spirits in winter.
Dad likes my food, but he probably thinks it's too busy. He is a wonderful cook but only uses three ingredients. My mum rips out my articles and makes my recipes.
Orange blossom water would make a magical addition to your store cupboard.
I like to add something unusual to a dish.
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