Yotam Ottolenghi And Noor Murad's Favorite Condiments For Instant Flavor - Exclusive
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Getting food on the table every day can turn into a tedious struggle. Sometimes it feels like you have to choose between making something quick and easy and preparing something that actually has flavor. However, if you plan ahead and keep the right stuff stashed in your fridge, you can add pops of vibrant flavor to even the most basic weeknight meals.
Ottolenghi Test Kitchen's new cookbook, "Extra Good Things," is chock-full of recipes for pickles, sauces, and seasonings that are perfect for adding some pizzazz to whatever you're cooking. The book is a collaboration between the acclaimed chef, restaurateur, and author Yotam Ottolenghi and Noor Murad, the head of Ottolenghi Test Kitchen. The flavors in the book venture from Ottolenghi's Middle Eastern wheelhouse to Mediterranean, Italian, and even Asian-inspired, but the through-line is that the recipes deliver maximum flavor in an efficient way.
In an exclusive interview with Tasting Table, Ottolenghi and Murad shared a couple of condiments from the book that they always keep in their fridge. If you're looking to break out of a home cooking rut, these condiments might be just what you need to add a fresh twist to your dinners.
Flavorful condiment picks
Yotam Ottolenghi's recommendation for a versatile flavor booster you can store in the fridge was za'atar tomatoes. This condiment is made with "cherry tomatoes that are confited in olive oil with some balsamic vinegar. Once they've gone through this process, they have za'atar added to them and some fresh herbs."
The recipe for these confited tomatoes in the book pairs them with a polenta and bechamel dish. The tomatoes bring acidity to the richness of the baked polenta. That's just the beginning of what you can use the za'atar tomatoes for, according to Ottolenghi: "You can eat them almost as they are, but you can serve them on the side with a roast chicken, for example, or a roasted potato with tahini sauce."
If you'd prefer something with a little spice, you might enjoy Noor Murad's condiment of choice: a quick riff on a Palestinian shatta chili sauce. The classic recipe for this sauce takes a while and requires fermentation, but Murad's version can be whipped up in a breeze. "We blitz these chilies with vinegar and salt, and we top it up with olive oil. You still have the same result where it's tangy and sour and spicy, and it's a good thing to have in your fridge."
"Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things" is in bookstores now. You can buy it on Amazon.