Book review: Berber & Q: On Vegetables by Josh Katz

Josh Katz’s latest book is dedicated to the versatility of vegetarian cuisine

His 11 chapters outline a comprehensive guide to cooking with vegetables, beginning with the basics (‘Raw & Ripped’), experimenting with different temperatures (‘Grilled & Charred’, ‘Roasted & Smoked’, ‘Wood-fired & Baked’), and closing with a series of ‘Condiments’.

Berber & Q: On Vegetables follows his charcoal-coloured, barbecue-themed Berber & Q recipe book, released in 2018. The owner of Berber & Q in London’s Hackney and Shawarma Bar in London’s Exmouth Market, who previously trained at Galvin Bistrot de Luxe and Ottolenghi, says he has always sought to “put vegetables on an equal footing with meat and fish”. On Vegetables celebrates both the simplicity and complexity of vegetarian food, seen in three-step recipes, such as the burrata with Turkish figs, hazelnuts and honey, to ensemble dishes like the grilled asparagus with courgette tzatziki and chill-fried lentils.

Aubergine, often viewed as a hackneyed vegetarian option, is refreshed with flavour across 11 variations, which include aubergine sabich sando, polenta-fried Japanese aubergine, and red pepper and fried aubergine burger. His classic cauliflower shawarma – the “signature dish since we first opened in 2015” – is here skewered onto a kebab. Fruit is also included in the mix, with his grilled nectarines with jalapeño-mint pesto, stracciatella and macademia. The final chapter on condiments is packed with distinctive flavours, such as the tomato and pomegranate dressing or the saffron-candied sultanas, which blend floral notes with juicy textures.

Readers are reassured that there is no need for extensive equipment, such as charcoal grills or barbecues, with Katz stressing that he is “at heart a home cook”.

On Vegetables seeks to revitalise everyday vegetarian cooking, creating recipes filled with exciting textures and smoky flavours. Katz concludes that “the time has come to embrace vegetables with open arms.”

*Berber & Q: On Vegetables by Josh Katz (Kyle Books, £25)