Yotam Ottolenghi

“Kibbeh comes in all forms, but most feature bulgur and meat.”

“I have to admit that I can't take a whole fig and eat it on its own as I would a peach or mango. It's just too much.”

“Many ingredients are called 'earthy,' but none comes as close to fitting the bill as buckwheat. I'm mildly obsessed with the stuff.”

“I get great pleasure from stuffed foods, from an apple strudel to a vegetable samosa, from a whole roasted bird with a sweet and savoury stuffing to a vine leaf filled with rice and spices.”

“Cobnuts have a fresher flavour than any other nut I know of and go very well with autumnal fruit and light cheeses.”

“One Indian-inspired favourite of mine is mashed potato mixed with lemon juice, breadcrumbs, coriander and chilli, shaped into patties, fried and served with chutney and yoghurt.”

“Too many books are full of recipes that aren't doable at home. They are purely aspirational. They are quite frightening, even for me.”

“Vegetarian and frugal it may be, but the chickpea is one of the most versatile ingredients you could keep in your cupboards.”

“A quick shallow fry is a great way to transform leftovers, and no more so than in the case of risotto.”

“The combination of olive oil, garlic and lemon juice lifts the spirits in winter.”

“Blanching the cloves removes the harsh and bitter bite of raw garlic.”

“The difference between brown and white rice is that the former is not milled. With the outer bran and germ intact, the rice is therefore chewier and nuttier.”

“Amaranth, the world's most nutritious grain, is available from health food stores.”

“Tahini is fantastically versatile, its deep, nutty flavour a harmonious match with roasted vegetables, grilled oily fish or barbecued meat.”

“Miso makes a soup loaded with flavour that saves you the hassle of making stock.”

“Herbs deserve to be used much more liberally.”

“I have a terrible tendency to lick my fingers when I cook. So much so that I got a telling off from my pastry teacher years ago, who said it would hinder my prospects.”

“You can really taste the difference between a shop-bought and a good homemade mayo.”

“I have had to come to terms with the fact that I am hooked on Twitter. Not good.”

“Polenta is to northern Italy what bread is to Tuscany, what pasta is to Emilia-Romagna and what rice is to the Veneto: easy to make, hungry to absorb other flavours, and hugely versatile.”