¼ tsp saffron threads
1 orange, finely zested to get 1 tsp
¾ cup/180g crème fraîche
¼ cup/5g cilantro leaves
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Mix everything for the pumpkin seeds in a small bowl, along with ¼ tsp salt. Spread onto a small parchment-lined baking sheet and toast for 15 minutes, until the seeds have popped and are starting to brown. Set aside to cool and then break up any clumps into bite-size pieces.
Increase the oven to 450°F.
Combine the oil, onions, and pumpkin in a large bowl with ¾ tsp salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix well and transfer to a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, until everything is soft and caramelized. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Put the stock into a stockpot with the harissa, saffron, orange zest, ½ tsp salt, and a good grind of pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and, once boiling, carefully tip in the roasted pumpkin and onions, along with any oil from the sheet pan, into the stockpot. Stir through, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the crème fraîche, then, using an immersion blender (or transfer to a countertop blender if that’s what you have), blitz until completely smooth.
Serve each portion with a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds and cilantro.
Steamed zucchini with garlic and oregano
Pictured on this page, left
Try to get small and young zucchini for this if you can—their tenderness is heaven when steamed. I love the thin slices of raw garlic, but if this doesn’t appeal then just add the fried oregano leaves.
These are either a simple and delicate starter or work well served alongside other mezze with some bread.
Serves four as a starter or part of a mezze plate
1¾ lb/800g mixed young zucchini
1 cup plus 1 tbsp/250ml chicken or vegetable stock
4 garlic cloves, sliced paper-thin
20 oregano sprigs (3 oz/20g)
flaked sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
If the zucchini are really small you can keep them whole, but, for any larger ones, cut them into quarters, lengthwise, and sit them in a high-sided ceramic baking dish, about 11 x 9 inches/27 x 22cm, cut side facing up. They should all be sitting together snugly.
Pour the stock into a small saucepan with half the garlic and half the oregano sprigs. Bring to a boil. Sprinkle the zucchini with ¾ tsp of flaked salt and then pour the boiling stock over them. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the zucchini are completely soft. Remove from the oven and set aside to slightly cool.
Remove the leaves from the remaining oregano sprigs and discard the stems. Put the olive oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the leaves and fry for about 1½ minutes, until they begin to crisp up. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small bowl.
When you are ready to serve, lift the zucchini out of the warm stock and divide them among individual plates or arrange on one platter. Drizzle with the oregano oil and crispy leaves, along with ½ tsp flaked salt. Sprinkle with the remaining garlic slices and serve.
Crushed zucchini
Pictured on this page, right
This is lovely either as it is (or with a spoonful of yogurt), as part of a mezze spread, or served alongside some lamb or chicken. If you can get hold of the pale, slightly pear-shaped zucchini (widely available in Middle Eastern grocers), then do—their skin is soft, so they’re easier to crush and bite through.
This dish can be made up to 1 day in advance, up to the point of the herbs and lemon being added. Keep in the fridge and add the herbs and lemon just before serving.
Serves four as a starter, side, or part of a mezze plate
3 large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then into 2½-inch/6cm pieces (4½ cups/850g)
1 tsp dried mint
¼ cup/5g thyme leaves
5 tbsp/70ml olive oil
salt and black pepper
1 head of garlic, cloves separated and unpeeled
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1½ tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the zucchini in a bowl with the dried mint, thyme, oil, ¾ tsp of salt, and some black pepper. Mix, then transfer to a medium baking dish; the zucchini should form a single layer, cut side up and sitting slightly overlapping. Bake for 15 minutes, then add the garlic cloves and bake for another 15 minutes, until the zucchini have softened and taken on some color. Transfer everything to a colander (set over a bowl or the sink), pressing the zucchini so that they start to release some of their liquid. Set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes, discarding the liquid released.
Transfer the contents of the colander to a mixing bowl and squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins (which can then be discarded). Mash everything together with a fork—if the skin of the zucchini is still a little tough, just use a knife to roughly chop them. Stir in the mint leaves, dill, and lemon juice and serve.
Stuffed zucchini with pine nut salsa
Stuffed vegetables would definitely be part of my last meal—I love them! Traditionally, stuffing vegetables has always been a bit of a labor of love but, here, a lot of labor has been removed without cost to the love. Try to get large zucchini, if you can—you’ll be able to scrape them more easily without damaging them and have plenty of flesh to stuff back inside. A mix of yellow and green zucchini also looks great, if you can get hold of both.
You can make the stuffing a day ahead so that the zucchini are ready to be stuffed and grilled.
Serves two as a main or four as a side
2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise (1 lb 2 oz/500g)
½ garlic clove, crushed
1 large egg, beaten
1½ oz/40g Parmesan (or pecorino), finely grated
scant 1 cup/40g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs (from about 1 slice, crust left on if soft)
salt
3½ oz/100g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 large lemon: finely zest to get 2 tsp, then juice to get 1 tbsp
¼ cup/5g finely chopped oregano leaves, plus a few extra leaves to serve
mounded ¼ cup/35g pine nuts, lightly toasted
3 tbsp olive oil
Preheat the oven to 475°F.
Use a small spoon to hollow out the flesh of the zucchini and make them into the shape of canoes. Don’t scrape them out completely, though—you want the sides to be about ½ inch/1cm thick and the zucchini should still hold their shape. Transfer the flesh to a sieve and squeeze and discard as much liquid as you can—you should be left with about 1 cup/100g of drained zucchini flesh. Put this into a medium bowl and stir in the garlic, egg, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and ¼ tsp of salt. Use your hands to crush the tomatoes well, then add these to the bowl of zucchini mixture. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix the lemon zest, oregano, and pine nuts. Stir half of this into the zucchini mixture and set the rest aside for the salsa.
Place the hollowed zucchini on a medium baking sheet or ovenproof dish, hollowed side facing up. Drizzle 1 tbsp of oil (in total) over the zucchini and season with ⅛ tsp of salt (in total). Spoon the zucchini mixture back into the hollows and bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is set and golden brown.
While the zucchini are baking, make the salsa. Add the lemon juice, remaining 2 tbsp of oil, and ⅛ tsp of salt to the bowl of oregano and pine nuts. Let the zucchini cool a little. Spoon the salsa on top, sprinkle with oregano leaves, and serve.
Herby zucchini and peas with semolina porridge
The semolina porridge is a super-c
omforting base to all sorts of toppings. It works very well, for example, topped with a very simple beef ragout.
Serves four to six
¼ cup/50g unsalted butter
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (3 tbsp)
6 large zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced widthwise (9 cups/1.2kg)
salt and black pepper
1⅔ cups/200g frozen peas, defrosted
1¼ cups/25g basil leaves, roughly shredded
¾ cup/15g tarragon leaves
1 lemon, finely zested to get 1 tsp
⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp/50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 tbsp olive oil
SEMOLINA PORRIDGE
2½ cups/600ml whole milk
2½ cups/600 ml water
1 cup plus 2 tbsp/180g semolina
3½ oz/100g pecorino, finely shaved
Put the butter into a large sauté pan with a lid and place over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and fry for 1–2 minutes, until starting to brown. Add the zucchini, ¾ tsp salt, and a good grind of pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the zucchini start to soften. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and warm through for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, tarragon, and lemon zest, and set aside while you make the porridge.
To make the porridge, put the milk and water into a medium saucepan along with ¾ tsp salt and plenty of pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and add the semolina. Whisk continuously for 3–4 minutes, until smooth and thick, like porridge. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 oz/80g of the pecorino.
Divide the porridge among four (or six) shallow bowls and top with the zucchini and peas. Finish with the pine nuts, a sprinkle of the remaining pecorino, and drizzle with the oil.
Roasted eggplant with anchovies and oregano
Anchovies and eggplant might sound like an unlikely combination, but it’s one that really works. The anchovies bring more of a salty depth to the dish (rather than anything really fishy). This is lovely as it is, spooned on top of toasted sourdough, but also works as a side to all sorts of things. Roast chicken leftovers or a fresh tuna steak, for example. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days; just bring back to room temperature before serving.
Serves four as a side
4 medium eggplants, sliced into ¾-inch/2cm rounds (2 lb 2 oz/1kg)
salt
7 tbsp/100ml olive oil
6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped (about 1 tbsp)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, crushed
black pepper
1 tbsp oregano leaves
¼ cup/5g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Mix the eggplant in a large bowl with ½ tsp of salt. Transfer to 2 large parchment-lined baking sheets and then brush with 5 tbsp/70ml of oil—you want it on both sides of the discs. Bake for 35 minutes, until dark golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the anchovies, vinegar, garlic, ⅛ tsp of salt, and ¼ tsp of pepper. Slowly pour in the remaining 2 tbsp of oil, whisking continuously, until combined.
When ready to serve, finely chop the oregano and place in a large bowl along with the eggplant and parsley. Pour in the anchovy dressing, gently mix, and transfer to a platter or bowl.
Roasted eggplant with curried yogurt
All the various components of this dish can be prepared 1 day in advance, if you want to get ahead. Keep all the elements separate and in the fridge, bringing everything back to room temperature before you assemble the dish. When you next see some fresh curry leaves, grab hold of them—they are sometimes around, but then they disappear from the shelves for a while. Freeze what you don’t use so that they’re ready for when you next need them. Lightly fried in 1 tablespoon of oil, they make a wonderfully aromatic addition to this dish, sprinkled on top with the pomegranate seeds before serving. If you’re going down the curry theme for the rest of your meal and have some papadums fried, these are great crumbled on top. If you do this, you won’t need the almonds.
Serves four generously
3 large eggplants or 4 medium, (2 lb 6 oz/1.1kg)
7 tbsp/100ml peanut oil
salt and black pepper
⅔ cup/200g Greek-style yogurt
2 tsp medium curry powder
¼ tsp ground turmeric
1 large lime: zest to get 1 tsp, then juice to get 2 tsp
1 onion, thinly sliced (1⅔ cups/150g)
¼ cup/30g sliced almonds
½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
¼ cup/40g pomegranate seeds
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Use a vegetable peeler to peel away strips of eggplant skin from top to bottom, leaving the eggplants with alternating strips of black skin and white flesh, like a zebra. Cut widthwise into rounds, ¾ inch/2cm thick, and place in a large bowl. Mix well with 5 tbsp/70ml of the oil, ½ tsp of salt, and plenty of pepper, and spread out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 40–45 minutes, until dark golden brown, then set aside to cool.
Mix the yogurt with 1 tsp of curry powder, the turmeric, lime juice, a generous pinch of salt, and a good grind of pepper. Keep in the fridge, until required.
Put the remaining 2 tbsp of oil into a large frying pan and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and dark golden brown. Add the remaining 1 tsp of curry powder, the almonds, and a pinch of salt, and continue to fry for 2 minutes, until the almonds have lightly browned.
When you are ready to serve, arrange the eggplant slices on a large platter or individual plates, slightly overlapping. Spoon on the yogurt sauce and top with the fried onion mix. Sprinkle with the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, pomegranate seeds, and lime zest, and serve.
Grilled beefsteak tomatoes with chile, garlic, and ginger
These are delicious as they are, eaten with some bread alongside to mop up the oil. They can also be bulked into a punchy starter, with some burrata or mozzarella, or served for brunch with scrambled eggs. If your tomatoes are not perfectly ripe, just sprinkle them with a tiny pinch of sugar before broiling. These can be made up to 6 hours in advance and served at room temperature.
Serves four
5 tbsp/75ml olive oil
3–4 mild red chiles, sliced into ¼-inch/½cm rounds, seeded (mounded ½ cup/50g)
1½-inch/4cm piece of ginger, finely cut into thin strips (¼ cup/30g)
6-8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (3 tbsp)
1 cup/20g cilantro stems (cut 1½ inches/4cm long), plus ¼ cup/5g cilantro leaves to garnish
2 lb 2 oz lbs/1kg beefsteak tomatoes (4 tomatoes), sliced crosswise into ½-inch/1cm-thick rounds
flaked sea salt and black pepper
1½ tsp black mustard seeds, lightly toasted
Preheat the broiler to high.
Pour the oil into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Add the chiles, ginger, and garlic and fry gently for 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while until the garlic is just starting to brown. Add the cilantro stalks and continue to fry for 2–3 more minutes, until the garlic is light golden brown and the chile is aromatic. Using a slotted spoon (so that you can preserve the oil), transfer the aromatics to a plate to stop them cooking. Set aside.
Arrange the tomato slices on a 12 x16 inch/30 x 40cm baking sheet, so they are not overlapping. Brush with 2 tbsp of the aromatic oil, then sprinkle with 1½ tsp of flaked salt and a generous grind of pepper. Place the sheet about 2
inches/5cm beneath the broiler and cook for 10–12 minutes, until the tomatoes have started to brown. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, pour the remaining aromatic oil on top, sprinkle with the aromatics, and set aside for 10 minutes.
Serve the tomatoes on the baking sheet or transfer them to a large platter, overlapping them slightly. Scatter with the cilantro leaves and mustard seeds and pour any oil and juices remaining in the pan on top.
Hot, charred cherry tomatoes with cold yogurt
One of the beauties of this dish lies in the exciting contrast between the hot, juicy tomatoes and fridge-cold yogurt, so make sure the tomatoes are straight out of the oven and the yogurt is straight out of the fridge. The heat of the tomatoes will make the cold yogurt melt, invitingly, so plenty of crusty sourdough or focaccia to mop it all up is a must alongside.
Serves four as a starter or part of a mezze plate
12¼ oz/350g cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp light brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 thyme sprigs
6 oregano sprigs: 3 sprigs left whole and the rest stemmed, to serve
1 lemon: finely shave the skin of ½ to get 3 strips, then finely grate the other ½ to get 1 tsp zest
Ottolenghi Simple Page 5
