Delicious UK - (09)September 2020

OTTOLENGHI’S3 STEPS

T OF L AV O U R H E AV E N

1

PROCESS

Browningandcaramelising,whichhappens

tomanyvegwhenthey’recookedina certain

way,isa keyprocessthatteasesoutflavour

fromthem.Otherprocessesthathavea

similarlyterrificeffectarecharring,ageing

andinfusing,allofwhichtransformand

elevatevegetables to great heights.

2

PAIRING

Fourbasicpairings– acidity,heat(asin

spice),fatandsweetness– arefundamental.

Introducingoneormoreofthesekeypairings

toa dishshowsthevegetables(orfruit)they’re

partneredwithina completely new light.

3

PRODUCE

Thesheerdepthofflavourthatcertain

vegetablesnaturallypossessallowsthem

toplaya starringroleina dish,ortoprop

upandbrightlyilluminateothervegetables.

Mushroomsareburstingwithumami– that

satisfyingsavouryflavourthatmakes

tomatoes,soysauceandcheesesoimpactful.

Otherplant-basedingredientsthatshow

similarlyimpressiveskillsarealliums(onions

and garlic), nuts and seeds, and fruit.

BRINGINGITALLTOGETHER

Whilemakinga brilliantrecipecanbesimple,

greatcookingis nevertheresultofoneelement

inisolation– it’stheinterplayofdifferenttypes

ofprocesses,pairingsandproduceinonedish

that elevates it and makes it exquisite.

Ifmyfirstvegetablebook,Plent y, wasthehoneymoonperiod,

a greatbigpartywherecertainvegetables peppers,tomatoes,

aubergines,mushrooms gota wholechaptertothemselves,
Plent yMorewasallaboutprocess;waysinwhichthevegetables

weretreated.Flavouristhethirdbookintheseries:it’s

aboutunderstandingwhatmakesvegetablesdistinctand,

accordingly,devisingwaysinwhichtheirflavourscanbe
rampedupandtastedafresh;it’s about creating flavour bombs,

especiallydesignedforveg.

Whateveryourpreferencemightbe(vegetarian,veganor

otherwise),I feelconfidentthatyou’llfindgoodreasonstojoin
inmycelebrationofalltheflavoursvegetableshavetooffer.

Afteryearsofwritingaboutthem, I have never ceased to be

surprised. YOTAM OTTOLENGHI

Charredpeppersand
freshcornpolenta
withsoy-curedyolk
SERVES4 ASA MAINCOURSE.HANDS-ON
TIME 20 MIN,OVENTIME 30 MIN,PLUS
1-2 HOURS CURING AND MARINATING

Curingyolksinsoysauce,
aswedohere,addscreaminess,
complexityanda hitofumami
tothepolentabeneath.It’sa
niftytechniquetoaddtoyour
repertoireandtheprocessof
soycuringcouldn’tbesimpler.
Youcanusecuredyolkstoserve
withanygrain-baseddishes
suchaspastaorrice,andwith
thicksoups.Goodqualityeggs,
preferablyorganicwithrich
yolks,arebestusedhere, as
they’ll be eaten raw.

MAKE

AHEAD

Roast,cool,thenmarinate
themixedpeppersinthe
fridgeupto3 daysahead.
Thepolentaisbestmade just
before serving.

• 70mlsoysauce


• 4 goodquality,rich-yolkeggs
  (seeYotam’sintroduction)


• 12smallmixedred,orangeand
  yellowromanopeppers, stalks
  lefton(1.1kg)


• 1 wholegarlicbulb,toptrimmed
  toexposethecloves,plus2 extra
  cloves,skinlefton,crushed with
  thesideofa knife


• 1 tbspmaplesyrup


• 1 tspcidervinegar


• 10gthymesprigs


• 1 lemon:finelygratethezestto
  get½tsp,thenfinelyshavethe
  remainingskintoget5 strips


• 60mloliveoil,plusextratoserve


• 5g basil, finely shredded

POLENTA

• 4-6smallfreshcorncobs,
  kernelsshavedoff(500g),or500g
  frozencornkernels,defrosted


• 40gunsaltedbutter


• 180gGreek-styleyogurt


• 40gparmesan,finelygrated,plus
  extratoserve(orvegetarianhard
  cheesetomake the recipe veggie)


• 1¾tspsalt


• 100g quick-cook polenta

YOU’LLALSONEED...

• Food processor

1 Putthesoysauceina medium

bowl.Separatetheeggs,carefully

adding the yolks to the bowl of →

deliciousmagazine.co.uk 57

make it special.