Yotam Ottolenghi Made Us Eat Our Vegetables—and We Liked It!
We love Ottolenghi. When it comes to cooking vibrant, colorful, good-for-you, and damn good food, no one does it quite like London-based Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi. To fete his new cookbook, Plenty More, which celebrates all things veggie, we invited Ottolenghi to the BA Night Kitchen for a produce-centric dinner—provided he cook, of course. And did he ever!
From a creamy, savory eggplant cheesecake studded with sweet tomatoes, to a heady Iranian vegetable stew accented with dried lime, to a breathtaking platter of crushed carrots dolloped over thick yogurt and accented with a flurry of pistachios, Ottolenghi brought his A game (but of course we expected nothing less). The food in Plenty More walks a delicate line between virtuous and hearty, and Ottolenghi's knack for combining Middle Eastern tradition with international influence consistently surprises and delights. It's comfort food that somehow feels entirely new and energizing. Here are some of the highlights from last night's dinner. Warning: You may never look at vegetables the same way again.
Alex Lau1/18Can I Have Some More?
The meal was served family-style, with platters spread out over the table. Luckily, there were extra plates, because there was no way we were going to eat just one serving.
Alex Lau2/18You're in Brad's Pad
Hey, isn't that #BABrad? Brad Leone, Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, jumped in to help with the prep, cooking, and service, along with the rest of the test kitchen staff.
Alex Lau3/18Here's to the Chef!
There's the man himself, on the left, enjoying a well-deserved glass of wine while BA editor in chief Adam Rapoport waxes poetic.
Alex Lau4/18Can't Be Beet
Beets never had it so good as in this candy-cane-beets salad with lentils and yuzu. The beets are both cooked and shaved in thin, raw rounds, giving some textural intrigue to the salad. Says Ottolenghi: "People think lentils, and they think heavy, but this is lentils in a light context." Indeed—this is a hearty dish that won't weigh you down, no matter how much you eat (and we ate a lot).
Alex Lau5/18You Don't Say!
Amanada Hesser of Food52 and Melissa Clark of the New York Times chat up another guest while Ottolenghi puts the finishing touches on his family-style buffet spread.
Alex Lau6/18Jack of All Plates
Where to start, with such a veritable buffet? Food writer Oliver Strand wisely takes a bit of everything. ____
Alex Lau7/18Everyone Loves Cheesecake
This eggplant cheesecake is one of Ottolenghi's favorite dishes, and from the looks of the serving platter at the end of the night, our guests' favorite, too. With oozy, melty, salty-sweet cream and feta cheese and tender cherry tomatoes, what's not to love?
Alex Lau8/18Ottolenghi Disciple
And there's Claire Saffitz, assistant food editor, holding it down. Says Saffitz: "In the last five years, I think the only recipes I ever followed exactly were Ottolenghi's. There's always a payoff in the balance of flavors and unexpected ingredients. Now I've incorporated things like nigella seeds and Aleppo pepper into my own cooking."
Alex Lau9/18Seed, Indeed
What looks like a tart, tastes like a quiche, and is easier to make than a frittata? Ottolenghi's nigella- and sesame-seed-crusted cauliflower cake. If the chatter on Twitter is any indication, it's one of Plenty More's standout recipes.
Alex Lau10/18Beautiful People, Tasty Food
Guests savoring each bite. The mood of the night? Decidedly casual and cozy. Good food'll do that to you.
Alex Lau11/18Oodles of Squash
Whoa. Udon noodles with butternut-squash tataki? That's right—it's a Japanese-inspired dish that gets its name from the method of preparing the squash: Ottolenghi grills it, then mixes it with ginger, sugar, and vinegar, which absorb into the veggie as it cools, infusing each bite with flavor from the inside out.
Alex Lau12/18Toothsome Fare
Bon Appétit creative director Alex Grossman and Athena Calderone of Eye Swoon dig in.
Alex Lau13/18Autumnal Feast
The crowd went nuts for this seasonal dish—squash with chile-yogurt sauce and cilantro. The yogurt was just spicy enough to get our lips buzzing, while big pieces of fresh cilantro helped us keep our cool.
Alex Lau14/18Get Some Perspective
Many, many 'grams were taken. Here's Tarajia Morrell of The Lovage with a pro move: the overhead shot.
Alex Lau15/18A Little Goes a Long Way
Deceptively simple, this orange-and-date salad with zingy arugula was taken to the "Wait, what was that?" level with a vinaigrette made with orange-flower water. To replicate the flavors on your own, drizzle with a light hand—too much can make the dressing go from transcendent to Grandma's perfume.
Alex Lau16/18An Opera of Taste and Talk
Rapoport is deep in conversation with April Bloomfield, chef and co-owner at Hot 10 pick Tosca.
Alex Lau17/18If Only Every Meal Could Include This
It's no secret that we like yogurt here at BA, and this dish earns our stamp of approval. Carrots get blitzed with harissa (another one of our longtime loves) and spread over the creamy stuff. Crushed pistachios add crunch to the dreamy spread. We'd eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Alex Lau18/18Calm Before the Storm
Ottolenghi, taking a quiet moment to gear up before the night begins. Yotam, thanks for making us eat our vegetables. Next time, dinner's on us.
