A couple of weeks ago I finally got around to eating
breakfast at Ottolenghi in
North London. I’ve been keeping an eye on his culinary journey for a couple
of years now, admiring his namesake restaurant as well as sister establishment
Nopi's predominantly vegetarian menu.
Now, I'm not vegetarian - I enjoy a rare fillet steak far
too much to ever give up meat - but I do believe we should all try and eat less
meat, stepping away from the mentality that every meal should include something
that was once alive and kicking. Firstly, it's expensive (and if your meat meal
is cheap - it's not good quality. Put down the chicken nuggets!), it's better
for the environment, and good for your health.
But mostly I admire Ottolenghi because this
vegetarian attitude isn't shoved down punter's throats. It's not a veggie
restaurant, there is meat on the menu but the focus is on all the wonderful
flavours he creates from vegetables.
Checking out the menu while sat in its almost scandi-looking
restaurant with very clean, sharp, white lines and toasters sat on the table
their sockets suspended from mid-air, I knew I was going to have to order his
Shakshuka, this is the dish I remember of from reading many articles on
Ottolenghi over the years.
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| Ottolenghi in Islington |
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| Toasting your own bread is a new trend taking over London brunch spots |
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| Ottolenghi delights to take away |
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| Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon enjoyed by my colleague |
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| Ottolenghi's shakshuka |
This North African dish is a regional variation of baking
eggs in a tomato passata, which you can see in the likes of Huevos
Rancheros (Mexican eggs) or Italian
baked eggs, each different geography just put their own stamp on this breakfast
by using local herbs and spices. On a frosty February morning, the warmth from this
spicy soupy breakfast mopped up with toast was very comforting - and the cumin
and coriander really hits the spot.
Shakshuka recipe
Ottolenghi has kindly offered up his shakshuka
recipe on the Guardian’s website, so the other weekend I decided to give it
a whirl at home for a lazy Sunday brunch.
The good thing is if you get the base spices and herbs right
(cumin, saffron, parsley and coriander) you can play around with other
ingredients - I had some chorizo left in the fridge, so fried that off with the
onions (Yes, I know – meat. But I'd sooner turn this meal away from its veggie
roots, than waste food).
It takes a little care and attention, so this is a recipe
definitely worth waiting for the weekend. While the eggs poach, warm up some
pitta bread to mop up all the tomatoey, eggy goodness.
Ottolenghi, Islington
287 Upper Street
London N1 2TZ
Tel: 020 7288 1454
For more of Ottolenghi’s recipes, visit his website: http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes
Liking the Middle Eastern vibe? Check
out my post on Honey & Co, a cute little cafe near Warren Street, which
is an unofficial spin off from Ottolenghi and Nopi with former chefs starting
their own venture.