Customer Reviews

Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes From London's Ottolenghi

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I just want to mention that Plenty (white cover) and Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes From London's Ottolenghi are EXACTLY the same book! The only little differences are :
- the first is the original book published 4 the UK (2010), the other in the US (2011)
- the first uses grams, millilitres, the other uses cups, ounces and pounds. Both use tsp and tbsp
- the ingredients appear in the order they are used in the second book
- their covers are different but all images and recipes inside the books are EXACTLY identical
- some ingredients are named differently : double cream for heavy cream, caster sugar for sugar, broad beans for fava beans, etc.
- the quantities in the second book are really rounded : 400g asparagus is 1 lb
I bought the second book by mistake and I prefer the first one for the metric units.

What a wonderful book !

In his introduction to this book, Yotam Ottolenghi writes that that each dish is based around one of his favourite ingredients. This has led to an idiosyncratic organisation of recipes: some components (such as aubergines) have their own chapter; others are organised botanically (such as brassicas) and others reflect associations that are part of the way Ottolenghi shapes his menus.
These recipes are based on meatless dishes and reflect eclectic influences including the Middle East, South East Asia and Latin America. The book is full of delicious, mouth-watering recipes.

The chapter headings may give some idea:

Roots
Funny Onions
Mushrooms
Courgettes and Other Squashes
Capsicums
Brassicas
The Mighty Aubergine
Tomatoes
Leaves Cooked and Raw
Green Things
Green Beans
Pulses
Cereals
Pasta, Polenta, Couscous
Fruit with Cheese

The recipes are accompanied by anecdotes and by mouth-wateringly beautiful photographs. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. The amount of preparation required varies between dishes: some are quick and easy, others will require more time. But it's worth it. There is a recipe here for just about any occasion.

I first borrowed this book from the library, but quickly realised that I needed my own copy.

A note for American readers: the ingredients are listed in grams and millilitres rather than cups and ounces.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith

When I bought this book, I was very excited because the recipes all seemed so delicious, in terms of the actual ingredients - and I love the idea of cooking just vegetarian sometimes - and let's face it, salad and steamed veggies can get a little boring.

I made 3 recipes so far: Itimar's bulgar, stuffed onions and the sweet potato wedges with lemongrass creme fraiche.

None of the recipes were all that great - the bulgar, i didn't like at all. the stuffed onions, way too much bread crumb for my own personal taste, would have preferred even rice or some combination of stuffing rather than bread crumbs/feta and herbs. The sweet potato - really, very simple to brush olive oil and lightly salt/pepper the wedges & bake, but the temperature just didn't get a nice golden finish on the sweet potatoes, they came out looking bland, so I had to pop them back in the oven at a higher temperature to get a golden hue, but then they were overcooked & unable to retain the nice wedge shape as they were too soft & falling apart. PLUS the lemongrass creme fraiche was far to liquidy - the sauce should've been thicker in my opinion.

All in all, the book has some great concepts & ideas, but you have to try the recipes at least a few times before getting it right. I love the idea of stuffed onions, but to do it again, I'd try a different filling altogether. The sweet potatoes? The flavours in the creme fraiche were excellent, BUT, i'd have to doctor the ingredients to get the right thickness for the sauce (maybe do equal parts creme + sour creme or something to that effect) - plus potatoes at a higher temperature so that they cook AND get browned at the same time.

This is a wonderful book. I have made only a few recipes so far, because every time I try one (i.e. crunchy pappardelle), we crave it and make it several times. The flavours are fresh and "vibrant" and multiple ingredients compliment rather than overwhelm each other.

My son only eats raw vegetables and is very fussy, but actually likes recipes from this book. It must be because the vegetables are front and centre, enhanced by the recipes.

A family favourite - and I have a lot of cookbooks!

He may not actually be vegetarian but Yotam Ottolenghi can certainly convey the pleasure of vegetarian food. In "Plenty," the Israeli chef presents recipes featuring vegetables, pulses, grains, eggs and dairy, most of which highlight the flavours of the Mediterranean.

To his credit, Ottolenghi treats his ingredients with dignity; he proves that lentils can taste as delicious as beef provided you don't consider them a substitute. Indeed, every dish from roasted sweet potato wedges with herbs and chillies to cabbage and kohlrabi salad with sour cherries to black pepper tofu sounds substantial and appetizing. The myriad of lovely, glossy photos make the book a pleasure to peruse whether you cook from it or not.

Some recipes contain a large list of ingredients but all look easy enough to make with moderate time and effort. The instructions are laid out clearly but there is little other text to read - disappointing for those who like a bit of commentary with each recipe. Overall, a worthwhile addition to anyone's cookbook collection whether vegetarian or "flexetarian."

This is a beautiful cookbook......to look at. I want to sample everything in this book. The only problem is that I would have to travel the city to find some of the ingredients and probably then would not have any luck finding them. That being said, I feel like this book is more for thumbing through and salivating over than actually attempting to make anything (for me anyway!).

Great choice if you are looking for colourful, delicious vegetarian recipes with something different. Includes many tasty dishes suitable for vegans. Flavours are from well combined fresh herbs, spices and seasonings, not simply the all too common reliance on the addition of cheese or cream. Recipe ingredients, while not every day staples in the vegetarian/vegan cupboard, are easily found by exploring the rest of the spices shelf in your grocery store. Contents are laid out by specific vegetable which is particularly useful and the photos are especially tempting and helpful for presentation. Recipes are great for both "at home" meals, but definitely if you want to make a statement at dinner parties. Recipes can be used with confidence when entertaining either a veg or omnivorous group. One of the "better purchases" for sure!

When I first heard about this book, I was very excited by the buzz and that it was a vegetarian cook book made it all the most enticing to me... the stamp of approval from Bonnie Stern who is no slouch in wondeful cook book department herself didn't hurt either.

What I can say is this: it is a very beautifully put together book. Lovely photos and innovative ideas with fresh spins on old faves, but this is not a book for vegans or those wanting to have a moderate diet which I guess is not really the point of this book at all. It celebrates vegetables in a classy yummy way and it is the book I would look to to create a luxurious vegetarian feast for guests that were okay with dairy.

Don't get me wrong: I love this book; it is a pleasure to read and the recipes work well. I wish I could eat this way every day but alas must strive to be vegan more often than not because I m just too old to do otherwise. Having said that, this is my go to book for a splurge and for entertaining. I love all of the flavours and they take me back to my time in Israel.

Buy it and savour!!

This book will change how you cook. Well worth investing in.

The ideas in this book reflect another culture's way of cooking.

This is an amazing book with wonderful recipes. I am not a vegetarian, but I use many recipes from this book and they are all delicious.