Plenty

We kicked things off with a Celeriac and Lentil salad.


Dare I say it: I'm in love again.

UPDATE: In case you're interested, we spotted both Ottolenghi books in Readings, Lygon Street, Carlton.


Celeriac and lentils with hazelnut and mint
from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
Serves 4
60g hazelnuts, skin on
200g Puy lentils
700 mL water
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs of thyme
1 small celeriac (650g), peeled and cut into 1cm chips
4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp hazelnut oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp chopped mint
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 140degC. Scatter hazelnuts on a small baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Let them cool down, then chop roughly.

2. Combine the lentils, water, bay leaves and thyme in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a sieve.

3. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, cook the celeriac in plenty of boiling salted water for 8-12 minutes, or until just tender. Drain.

4. In a large bowl, mix the hot lentils (if they have cooled down, they won't soak up all the flavours) with the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of hazelnut oil, the vinegar, some black pepper and plenty of salt. Add the celeriac and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. To serve straight away, stir in half the mint and half the hazelnuts. Pile onto a serving dish or in a bowl, and drizzle the remaining hazelnut oil on top. Garnish with the rest of the mint and hazelnuts.

6. To serve cold, wait for the lentils and celeriac to cool down before finally adjusting the seasoning, and possibly adding some more vinegar, if you like. Add hazelnut oil, mint and nuts in the same way as when serving hot.

::


Each book has arrived in immaculate condition and I have been gleefully ripping open the packages as soon as they arrive via Royal Mail. Visit their site at your own peril!

So, we now have a lifetime of recipes courtesy of these lovelies: