wholefood kitchen

A remarkable plate of colour, in the shape of an Ottolenghi salad.

The joy of leftovers! When left with a few bits from other meals, inspiration can sometimes strike. A batch of Roasted Beetroot & Carrots came to mind as I was cycling home, and from there a fresh dish emerged. Picking up some Rocket, Smoked Organic Bacon, Pine Nuts, Red Peppers and a few other bits, I set to work on an Ottolenghi inspired warm salad. Finished off with some (leftover) Basil Pesto, a few (leftover) Dates stuffed with Walnuts and freshly made Yoghurt, Mint, Garlic and Orange Juice dressing.

This meal looked a little more elegant the first time round, but the preparation and cooking took precedence over documentation for this years’ Christmas meal shared with family and friends. We enjoyed a fantastic meal of Roast Leg of Organic Lamb, fresh from the butcher stall at the Stoke Newington Farmers Market; Roasted Potatoes, Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes; Braised Red Cabbage with Shoyu, Malt Syrup and Cyder Vinegar; Celeriac Dauphinoise with Walnuts and Smoked Streaky Bacon, Yorkshire Pudding and Red Wine Gravy. Dessert comprised of a selection of delicious cakes from Ottolenghi, which we just managed to work our way through.

A lunch at the Islington Ottolenghi Restaurant with Coretta, and a vivid experience of a truly abundant approach to restaurant food. An explosion of flavours and colours, with an overwhelming selection of simple yet innovative taste combinations in their range of warm and cool salads, through to a remarkable array of desserts. Not surprisingly, there are queues out the door all afternoon, jostling for a place at the communal table. I would provide descriptions of the food, if I remembered them. But perhaps its best just to let the pictures speak for themselves. (My lunch platter, followed by a few other diners’).