From Ottolenghi to Next Gen Middle Eastern Flavors
Honey & Co. Daily, the latest cookbook from the husband-wife duo of cooking phenoms Itamar Srulovich & Sarit Packer.
Two Israeli chefs meet in Israel, develop their skills in Ottolenghi restaurants, then open a series of cozy cafes to expand on their flavor-packed ideas. Yes, I dropped Ottolenghi’s name – more than Tamimi, Ottolenghi is a beacon for Americans seeking to understand more about the broad diaspora of Israeli and Middle Eastern flavors, especially in the bigger, burlier United States. Chefs and life partners Srulovich and Packer cook hearty, big-flavored food that looks beyond the somewhat more refined approach practiced in Ottolenghi-Tamimi kitchens.
Take a recipe for Green Fish Balls in Lemon-Saffron Sauce (p. 141). The herby, nearly green fish balls rest in a quick broth of lemon and chile, saffron and ginger. Is it Indian? Californian? Ottolenghian? I’m going with Packer-Srulovichian. Because now that is a thing.
Recipes I Made
While I had every intention of making Hearty Lentil Soup (all the oranges in the spectrum – p. 49), sunny spring weather demanded Herby Chicken Burgers (p. 89) which I grilled rather than pan-fried. Enriched with dill and Parmesan, the burgers came together with fresh lemon zest and just enough garlic. No complaints from the table. Early spring was the perfect time to make Warm Winter Greens Salad with Tahini Dressing (p. 109) – my farmers’ market was overflowing with broccolini and green beans at the heart of the recipe. Garlic and lemon to the rescue here, too. Chicken Traybake Spring – Broad Beans, Leeks, and Garlic (p. 120) leaned into lemon and garlic, this time with fresh thyme. I loved the crispy leeks and the simpleness of a meal baked on a single sheet pan.
Though Niki complained that I mixed the ground lamb into the pappardelle before serving, One-Pan Lamb and Pappardelle (p. 128) was a huge hit, the ras el hanout spice mix and red onion a winning combination. I’ll spare you the name the boys called Greek-inspired Spinach and Rice Porridge (p. 154) and instead tell you that the family’s favorite recipe was Blackened Pork Tenderloin Salad with Cherry Sauce (p. 135). The Urfa chile and caraway seed blackening seasoning hit all the happy places on the palate. There were no leftovers.
Focused as I often am on getting dinner on the table for my family, I spent most of my time in The Daily Nightly chapter, but there are chapters for making bread (Daily Breads), Quick & Easy Cakes & Cookies, and a section with cocktails and desserts made and served In a Glass. I aspire to have time to get to these chapters but promised myself I would make the Ras El Hanout Spice Mix (p. 240) when I return from summer vacation.
The book has a clear point of view and after preparing a few recipes, I understood Srulovich and Packer’s passion for fresh herbs and local ingredients. There is a heartiness to the recipes that, from my perch in California, seems nicely suited to the generally cooler, mistier climate of London. These recipes will warm any spirit on even the bleakest of days. It might be a minute, though, before I zest another lemon…
Who Would Like This Cookbook
Perhaps it is naïve to think that fans of Ottolenghi’s cooking will similarly enjoy a cookbook by his protégés. Srulovich and Packer’s Honey & Co. Daily cookbook surely stands on its own. And yet here I am, sitting on the very far side of the pond, wondering if that famous chef wrote a foreword for one of the pair’s other cookbooks. It seems a natural way to grace his acolytes with much-deserved honor.
I was provided a preview copy of Honey & Co. Daily.
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