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" When I cook a meal, I like to serve things one by one and keep them separate. I get that from my father - he's such a purist. Some people even put their desserts on the main plate. It's just wrong. "

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" Speaking as someone who didn't go through the U.K. school system, with all the culinary baggage that entails, I am inordinately fond of custard in any shape or form. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

Shape

System

School

" Raw fish suppers admittedly require a little planning, not least in the acquisition of the main ingredient. "

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

Yotam Ottolenghi

Even

Recipes

" In certain European cuisines, vegetables are cooked a long time. I take the term 'al dente' and use it for vegetables. "

" Tagliatelle comes from the word tagliare, meaning 'to cut.' Tagliolini are simply thinly cut tagliatelle. "

" Even in the busiest kitchen, there's always a point at the end of the day when you go home. "

" People don't know how good cauliflower is, because they always have this image of cauliflower cheese - awful, sticky, creamy and rich. "

" Chickpeas are one of my favourite things to serve with chorizo or lamb meatballs; they also work brilliantly as the quiet partner in a vibrant alphonso mango salad. "

" Most fish require a short cooking time, but cephalopods are the exception to this fishy rule. As with some cuts of larger land beasts, the longer they're cooked, the more tender they get. "

" The teaching thing, the one where I have to impart my knowledge, is probably what comes the least naturally to me because I'm an absorber of things. "

" These days, meals are more open to personal preferences. People like to serve themselves. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

People

Personal

" Way back when I was a junior pastry chef, I'd bake loads of muffins every morning, as many as 120 or so, while operating on autopilot. "

" Most pumpkin dishes involve scooping out the seeds, cutting off the skin, and chopping up the flesh before cooking. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

Pumpkin

Off

" I just don't tend to cook eggplant at home. "

" Mackerel is sustainable and healthy. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

Healthy

Sustainable

" TV chefs are not responsible for people's consumption of fibre; this is not our job. "

" Poaching white fish in moderately hot oil guarantees soft-textured flesh and allows you to prepare a sauce calmly, without the usual panic about overcooking the fish. "

" Take your average couscous salad, and it's almost always a sloppy mush, no matter how much attention has gone into getting flavours in there. "

" Shimeji are those odd-looking clusters of small mushrooms you often find in so-called 'exotic' selections at the supermarket. They have an appealing firmness that is retained during light cooking. "

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

" Leeks are normally given the job of flavouring other things, such as stocks and soups, but I find their creaminess and sweet, oniony flavour very satisfying. "

" My father always cooks more polenta than he needs for a meal. The excess he spreads on an oiled surface and chills. Next day, he cuts out chunks, fries them in olive oil and serves with salad. "

" What makes maftoul worth celebrating is that it's so easy and forgiving to cook. "

" Sorrel adds a unique grassy sharpness to salads and dressings, but it can be hard to come by. "

" Chana dal are skinless dried split chickpeas used in Indian cooking. They have a great texture and delicate flavour. "

" A lemon, boiled whole and blitzed, makes a useful base for all sorts of dressings. "

" I love the way soft white cheese such as ricotta or the creamier mascarpone reflect the milieu in which an animal has been raised. "

" Leeks, like other oniony things, reach a certain peak when fried. It's the subtle sweetness that suddenly becomes evident and works so well with their creamy texture. "

" Like brown rice, black rice is unmilled, and it is the dark outer husk that makes it so nutty and chewy. It's also why it takes longer to cook than many other rices. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

Why

Rice

" Pomegranate molasses is ubiquitous in Arabic cooking: it's sweet, sour and adds depth. "