Having written as core part of the Ottolenghi stable, Sami Tamimi’s first solo cookbook - Boustany: A Celebration of Vegetables from my Palestine - is a celebration of Palestinian food and culture, taking vegetables as its focus.
There is so much here I want to eat: the Red lentil, dried mint and lemon soup was a complete joy, the Asparagus, leek and hazelnut galette perfectly elevated by a generosity of za’atar, and I’m now not sure I can ever be without the Pan-baked tahini, halva and coffee brownie.
Sami’s writing is relaxed and involving: he uses the early pages and the recipe introductions so well to paint a picture of his homeland and its food; the title itself means ‘my garden’, reflecting the inspiration he took from his early experiences in his grandparents’ garden in the southern West Bank.
All that and you get 100 utterly appealing recipes span breakfast, sharing plates, breads, dips, celebratory dinners and desserts, and you’ll also find yourself with a deeper understanding of Palestine, its people, their culinary heritage and what makes it utterly unique.
And happily, Sami is here writing on Substack - at Sami Tamimi. I hope you’ll subscribe to it - his recipes and words are really worth your time.
As with all the Substack Lives and other gatherings I run, the full version to watch again is free for paid subscribers
