Ottolenghi Flavour: 5 things we can reveal so far

The three words most likely to raise a food lover’s heart rate? New. Ottolenghi. Book. Yes, folks, the rumours are true – Yotam’s back at it again with a book dedicated solely to veg, following his global bestselling, multi-award-winning Plenty series. Ottolenghi Flavour takes Ottolenghi’s trademark style of veg-centric, flavour-focussed cooking to the next level, asking not just what to cook, but how. How do you tap the potential of every ingredient to create truly extraordinary dishes? How do certain cooking processes work to enhance your vegetables, unlocking layer after layer of flavour? How can clever pairing help individual ingredients to shine? This book is a deep dive into flavour, and a must have for both Ottolenghi fans and vegetable enthusiasts. Ottolenghi Flavour will hit the shelves on 3 September, but to whet your appetite here are 5 things we can reveal about the book so far:

1. Ottolenghi Flavour is as much a guide to intuitive cooking as it is a collection of recipes. The book is broken down into three main sections, each dedicated to a fundamental element of flavour creation: Process, Pairing, and Produce. These sections are further divided into chapters with tantalising titles including ‘Charring’, ‘Acidity’, and ‘Alliums’. Consider our interest thoroughly piqued.

2. The book is co-authored by Ixta Belfrage, a self-taught chef and core member of the Ottolenghi test kitchen team. Before coming to work with Ottolenghi, Ixta travelled widely, immersing herself in food traditions as diverse as Mexican, Brazilian, and Italian, gaining a deeply nuanced understanding of flavour in the process. Her influence can be felt throughout the book, in the quick pickles, infused oils, and ample use of chilli heat.

3. The book opens with a section titled ‘Flavour’s 20 Ingredients’, a power list of store-cupboard ingredients which will transform your cooking and elevate your everyday meals. Expect to discover your new go-to flavour enhancer here.

4. Two-thirds of the recipes in the book are vegan or easily veganised; expect game-changing recipes like the Ultimate Traybake Ragu to shake up your repertoire.

5. As well as the eye-catching, mouthwatering photography that has characterised previous books, Ottolenghi Flavour is peppered with illustrations that convey the sense of curiosity and joy with which Yotam and Ixta approach cooking.

Pre-order your copy of Ottolenghi Flavour here. Pre-order a special signed edition directly from the Ottolenghi shop here.

And one last bonus detail for the die-hard Ottolenghi fans out there . . .

A Life in Flavour – Yotam Ottolenghi Book Tour with Penguin Live

To mark the publication of Ottolenghi Flavour, Yotam will be going on tour around the UK and Ireland this September. Yotam will be in conversation discussing his life, career, and the limitless potential of vegetables. The tour will be going to London, Bristol, Nottingham, Edinburgh, York, Kingston, Salford, Dublin and Oxford. Tickets go on sale Friday 28 February – for more information visit penguin.co.uk/OttolenghiLive